New year, new job!

So I have been searching all over the web for different Eric Carle themed ideas for my new speech room come January. I love his artistic style and the ideas behind so many of his stories.

There are tons of images of Eric Carle book illustrations and then really expensive items for sale on the Eric Carle official site, but those really don't help out too much for those of us on a budget.

My idea here is just to throw out a few more ideas for y'all trying to decorate with the same theme. :)

One of the best resources I've found is from Amy Mich Designs - they're REALLY affordable templates you can download and print on your own printer (from Teacherspayteachers - see her page of designs here.) The possibilities with these are endless and it's really worth the couple of bucks to not have to cut and paste from all the Eric Carle images yourself.

I tried to find an Eric Carle inspired calendar online, but couldn't find one, so I used Amy Mich's stuff and painted a white piece of posterboard and made my own!

 I also plan on hanging a Very Hungry Caterpillar from the ceiling using round paper lanterns. I saw one on another blog and tried to find it on Pottery Barn Kids, but it's not there anymore. Also, I looked at Party City for the paper lanterns and they were $8 for three... I wasn't about to spend $24 on paper lanterns. So, I took to the internet and found Luna Bazaar where I got 12 items (lanterns and big pom poms) for $16... Much better. I'll post pictures of how the caterpillar turns out :)

More to come later

Worry Not

As one of the most academically and vocationally important times of my life approaches, I find that my thoughts tend to wander endlessly as I lay down to sleep at night, only to reach the same dead end again and again: What job will I have? Where will I live? Will I even pass my exit exams? ... Over and over the same questions to which I have no answer repeat themselves and result in relentless tossing and turning which only lends to a sore back and weary eyes in the morning.

With the season of Lent upon us, and countless study sessions with friends for the aforementioned exams, I have found myself in a state of reflection. I picked up a book my mom gave to me for Christmas ("Things I Want My Daughters to Know") and read a few chapters out on the balcony as the sunlight warmed my cold nose and Tanner watched expectantly for squirrels...

A few chapters really had some words of wisdom that I thought I would share considering so many of my friends are, I feel, in the same boat when it comes to facing a future that is truly a giant sea of unknowns. Interestingly enough, the first chapter is about finding a job that you love. (Well, we're working on it already, ok?!) "Keep striving for work that really fits the big picture. Aim high....find work that you love that allows you financial independence.... We shouldn't merely work for a living: we should work to make a life." It's inspiring to feel that this moment of my life is nearing. It takes a little bit of worry out of the situation when I am comforted by the fact that I believe I'll love the career I'm about to jump (albeit feeling somewhat lost) into.

So here I was after chapter 1 feeling inspired, yet afraid. Excited, but unsure. And then came the chapter on "thinking positively: you will live longer than a pessimist." Cue sappy music and television infomercials for books about happiness here - believe in the power of happiness! Positive thoughts breed positive action, yada yada yada. My mom's words came ringing into my ears, and I have to admit... I was a little skeptical. But in all honesty, the chapter truly spoke straight to my heart (if that's where worry comes from?) and has me thinking about the next few months in a completely fresh way. Allow me to indulge and hit on some of the highlights that I feel you all may benefit from as well:

• "You are the only one who chooses what you think." 
• No one can tell me to be happy, and even if they did, it most likely wouldn't change the way I feel. It all has to start with me - I have to wake up each day and make the choice to be happy and to believe that this life is good and full of purpose. I have to make the decision to let bad things be a source for complaint and discouragement, or ask myself what I can do to change the situation. There is only so much in this world we can change or control (very little, in fact), but we can control our reaction and the positive or negative thoughts we allow ourselves to engage in. 
• "Paint the walls of your mind with many beautiful pictures." - William Lyon Phelps
• I think this quote is just beautiful. It brings up images of light and warmth and joy. It reminds me of Philippians 4:8 and the whole idea of "garbage in, garbage out". I have to think of good and positive things, not dwell on the things that can go wrong. In elementary school we read a book about a boy playing basketball and for some reason I've always remembered it... He had to visualize the basketball going through the hoop in order to make the basket. I've honestly kind of thought that the idea of "visualization" was a little new-agey (even for me), but when you think about it, it kind of makes sense. Like Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right." 
• "Formulate a positive philosophy and search, not for the ideal later, but for the actual good now." 
• I consider myself somewhat of a dreamer; I tend not to live in reality sometimes. So, I like to think about the ideal future of my life. I need to be reminded to think of the now. In another book I'm reading (The Happiness Project), the author states that, "what you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while."
• "Worry is exacerbated by exhaustion and stress."
• It's an endless cycle. It's hard to stop... but it's only going to make things worse.
• "Ask yourself what thoughts increase your vitality, elevate your mood, uplift your spirits, and bring you closer toward enlightenment."
• Back to Phil 4:8 - find out what makes you HAPPY and think about those things....
• "Optimists will live 19% longer than pessimists."
• That's about an extra 15 years if the pessimist lives to be 80 (and if we all make it past the impending doom of 2012...)
• "Being positive is a habit to be developed that then becomes the bedrock of your authenticity."
• It takes time. Negativity breeds negativity, and positivity breeds positivity. It starts with me. The more I respond with positivity and proactive thoughts, the less I will even have to think about it. It will become habit.

All of this is to say, we can only do what we can do in a situation. Worrying will get us nowhere. So when it comes to our tests, our jobs, our life, we have the choice to let it bring us down or to find a way to respond that will make our life worth living. And immediately, this makes me think of Matthew 6:27, "Who of you by worrying can add a single year to his life?" ... none of us. We have to have faith and believe that we have been given our life in order to grow, to learn, to enjoy, and to share with others. Seek out happiness, love life, and embrace the power that positivity can have upon our needless worry.

Turkey Burgers

Last night, we had roasted vegetables with some spices (sage, garlic, onion, thyme) and tonight we had those leftovers with the most amazing homemade turkey burgers on whole wheat buns. So simple... and so delicious. Beats out all the turkey burgers we've had around here (and we've had a lot)!

So here's the gist of the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1/3 c. plain bread crimps
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp. onion powder

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. 
2. Separate into fourths. Create 4 patties about 1/2 inch thick.
3. Heat a grilling pan. Grill the patties over medium heat until no longer pink in the middle (about 10 minutes or so). 
4. Toast some burger buns and top the burgers with cheese (we used swiss). 
5. If you're us, pair with some Alexia sweet potato fries (20-25 min at 450 in the oven). 
6. Enjoy :)

That's it! And even better than our favorite Mooyah turkey burger!

Turkey Burger, Roasted Veggies and Sweet Potato Fries

Marbled Lemon Cheesecake

YUM! Went home this weekend for Dad's 51st birthday. It was so nice to have the whole family together to celebrate. Corey came home from Canada on Sunday and we all went to get crepes for brunch. Then, Mom, Corey, Maddy and I went out shopping, picked up a hand-cranking pasta machine, and swung by the grocery store. For dinner, we made steak with marsala sauce, homemade whole wheat pasta with alfredo sauce, the broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken, and some veggies. For dessert, this glorious lemon marble cheesecake I found on pinterest. I normally don't like lemon desserts, but this was the perfect amount of tart mixed with cream cheese. The crust was amazing!

Recipe from Foodess:

Lemon curd is very simple to make – lemon zest and juice whisked with sugar and egg yolks over low heat till thickened. That’s all. It has the consistency of custard when it’s done. It should coat the back of a spoon, and you should be able to make a trail with your finger. If the trail immediately fills back in, it’s not ready yet.

Anything thickened with eggs may curdle if cooked over too high heat, or if cooked too long. And I find people generally don’t enjoy scrambled eggs in their lemon curd. Thankfully, all you need is a fine mesh seive to rescue a curdled curd. Just force the it through the seive with a wooden spoon, and you’ll have a smooth custard.

This recipe uses whole eggs instead of just the yolks. I was skeptical. I hesitated. I almost used another recipe. But it was perfect!

Start by making the lemon curd so that it has time to chill in the fridge while you bake the crust and make the cheesecake batter. I believe cooling the curd completely had an important part in keeping the curd distinct in the finished cheesecake.

It took an outstanding amount of willpower to not eat this by the spoonful before it was baked.

Marbled Lemon Cheesecake

Adapted from epicurious.com

For lemon curd:

•               1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

•               1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

•               1/2 cup sugar

•               3 large eggs

•               1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces

For crust:

•               1 1/3 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs

•               1/3 cup sugar

•               1/8 teaspoon salt

•               5 tablespoons melted butter

For filling:

•               3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened

•               1 cup sugar

•               3 large eggs

•               3/4 cup sour cream

•               1 teaspoon vanilla

To make Lemon Curd:

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together lemon zest, juice, and eggs. Stir in butter and cook, stirring constantly, until curd thickens, about 5 minutes. Strain through fine mesh sieve and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until completely cooled.

To make crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter. Press into a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes; cool on wire rack.

To make cheesecake:

1. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F. In the large bowl of a standing mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Beat in sour cream and vanilla.

2. Pour two-thirds of the cheesecake batter into the crust, and top with half of the lemon curd. Swirl gently with a knife. Top with remaining cheesecake batter and lemon curd, and repeat swirling. Bake in centre of oven for 45-55 minutes, until set (centre may still jiggle a bit, it will firm up). Cool completely before serving.

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Our very first "fall into health" meal was broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken. It turned out wonderfully! The rolled chicken stayed moist and the breadcrumbs made it nice and crispy on the outside. We paired the chicken with frozen Alexia sweet potato fries (our favorite side these days). What a great way to start kick it off!

Here is the recipe for the chicken (from skinny taste.com - http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/04/broccoli-and-cheese-stuffed-chicken.html)


Chicken Stuffed with Broccoli and Swiss Cheese
Calories: 142 • Fat: 4.9 • Carbs: 4.8 • Protein: 19.4 
(Serving Size: 1 piece)



Ingredients: 

• 3 (24 oz total) large chicken breast halves
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp water
• 3/4 cup whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 cups broccoli floret, cooked, chopped small
• 5 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese 
• salt
• spray oil
• toothpicks

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine egg, water and a little salt. Beat with a fork to make an egg wash. Set aside. Fill a second bowl with breadcrumbs.

Slice chicken breast halves into thin cutlets. I usually get 3 thin cutlets out of one breast half. Pound them to make them thinner if you wish. This helps when you wrap the cutlets.


Cut each slice of cheese in half. Place a 1/2 slice cheese in the center of the chicken and top with a little broccoli. Wrap chicken around to completely cover cheese, using toothpicks to secure. Season with a little salt.


Dip chicken into egg wash, then breadcrumbs. Spray cookie sheet with oil and place chicken on cookie sheet. Lightly spray chicken with oil and bake about 25 minutes, until cooked.

Recipes

In an attempt to live a healthier life, Cassie and I are embarking on an eat-for-health dinner diet that includes natural, healthy ingredients and minimal fast food/take out. So anyway, here goes a list of our recipes, what worked, and what didn't.

stuffed zucchini

this is, by far, one of my favorite meals. the recipe is from one of my childhood friend's mom - deb tucker. my friend katie had her mom make this for her birthday one summer long ago, and ever since then, i can't make the meal without thinking of her!

Ingredients:

• 4 zucchini
• 1 lb sausage
• ¼ c. diced onions
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/3 c. breadcrumbs
• ¼ c. parmesan
• ½ c. shredded mozzarella

Instructions:

1. Cook zucchini in boiling water (enough water to cover the zucchinis) for 10 minutes. Drain. Let cool to touch.
2. Cut zucchinis lengthwise and pit – leave ¼ inch crusts. Place shells in a 9x13’ pan.
3. Mush pulp and set aside.
4. Brown sausage, onion, and garlic until brown. Drain.
5. Combine sausage mix with breadcrumbs and parmesan.
6. Spoon mixture into shells.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 min.
8. Remove and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Put back in oven and bake for 5 minutes.

green smoothie... mmm? eh....

i've heard about these green smoothies - packed with nutrients and veggies, etc. - but i've never actually tried one. so the other day on the Today show they were talking about this specific recipe, and i figured i'd give it a shot. it wasn't the best thing i've ever had, but despite the look of it, it also wasn't the worst thing i've ever tasted. the texture was a little weird since i used a blender (i think a food processor would work better)... i had to chew little pieces of it after taking each sip. also, i'd leave out cilantro next time (after all, it is the rudest spice.)

for those of you feeling adventurous, here is the recipe:

Green Smoothie Recipe:

1 1/2 cup of water
1 head of organic romaine lettuce, chopped
3-4 stalks of organic celery
1 organic apple, cored and chopped
1 organic pear, cored and chopped
1/3 bunch of organic cilantro
1/3 bunch of organic parsley
Juice of ½ fresh organic lemon

Combine the water and chopped head of romaine into your blender. Starting the blender on a low speed, mix until smooth. Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the herbs, celery, apple and pear. Add lemon juice last. Serve chilled or at room temperature. This recipe makes about four servings.

pesto chicken pizza

Throughout last semester, my friends up in Dallas and I attempted to make pizza on several occasions, always lacking one key ingredient (think: yeast, flour, etc.), so our previous batches have been a little less than successful. We've battled dense, cake-like dough and tough, "unspreadable" dough, but tonight I finally used a recipe that ended deliciously! The original recipe can be for the crust can be found here. What follows is my latest kitchen adventure with my sister Madison:

I started with the crust. Here are the ingredients we used:

• 1/3 cup warm water (I just turned the faucet all the way hot...)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 1 & ¼ cups whole-wheat flour or white whole wheat flour (separated)
• ¼ cup soy flour (protein!)
• 2 tbsp ground flax seeds (fiber and omega 3s!)
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tbsp cornmeal
• Non-stick cooking spray

1. In a small bowl, mix together the yeast, honey and hot water. Let this sit for ten minutes while you mix the flours. (The yeast will froth up as it sits.)
2. Mix ground flax seeds, 1 cup of the whole-wheat flour, soy flour and salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the water mixture and mix by spoon until dough balls start to form. Then use hands to incorporate all the flour and form into a ball. (at this point you may have to add more water)
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface using the remaining ¼ cup of flour. You may need it all, you may not... just keep adding it while kneading if the dough is too sticky.
5. Knead for about 1-2 minutes.
6. Place the ball of dough in a bowl and cover the bowl with a towel. Place the bowl of dough and a cup of hot tap water in the microwave (don't turn on the microwave, it’s just a good, warm place to let the dough rise). Let rise 20-30 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
8. Spay a cookie sheet or pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust with cornmeal. (I used a stone pan).
9. Once dough has risen, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and, using a rolling pin, roll dough out thin.
10. Place the crust on your pizza pan.
11. Top with sauce (we used Classico Tomato & Basil - delish!) and toppings (For cheese, we used a mixture of low-fat mozzarella cheese and parmesan. We also cooked some small pieces of chicken in a pan with some olive oil, S&P and then stirred it in some homemade pesto - using the basil from my herb garden!!) and bake on the lowest rack in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.

The best part about this pizza is that it is healthy! The soy protein and flax seed make this pizza a little less guilt-ridden. Without the toppings, 1/4 of the pizza (2 slices) has: 195 calories, 4g of fat and 6g of fiber. Not bad for pizza that actually tastes great! :)

this one's for all those girls about 25

seriously? it's already april. the last entry is from january... it's so hard to believe. i thought that last semester went by really quickly, but i don't know where this semester has gone. it seems like snowpocalypse was just here. but here we are, two weeks away from summer break. either way, though, these past few months have been both challenging and enlightening. it's weird when time sneaks up on you and you realize you're actually becoming an adult. most people would argue that 23 is an adult... i don't know about that one, though. haha, i know some 50 year olds who aren't even adults, so i'll refrain from classifying myself as such for now. i feel like it just hit me in the face today.

as random as it was, i was watching Entertainment Tonight, which is quite possibly one of my least favorite shows... but they were interviewing vin diesel and someone else about the most recent fast and the furious movie and then doing a flashback to the first time interview either of them had around the time of fast and the furious 1 - it was 10 years ago. i started thinking, "where was i ten years ago?" well... i was 13. in junior high. wearing pea-green corduroy overalls (no regrets, right?) forgetting it was wedgie wednesday.... and now i'm here: grad school in a big city i've come to love. a year away from the real world. engaging in meaningful community with inspiring friends. my corduroy overalls have been swapped for black chino pants and blouses for professional fridays...

i was also listening to the radio this morning in the car and martina mcbride's "this one for the girls" came on. the cheesy, yet poignant

This is for all you girls about twenty-five
In a little apartment, just trying to get by
Living on, on dreams and spaghetti-o's
Wondering where you life is gonna go

so maybe that's what set me off today? back when i was clad in the pea-green overalls, i always imagined future self to be quite different. i thought i'd be settled down, living in a house with kids. i'm sure i heard the martina mcbride song years back and thought, "25?! still wondering where my life is gonna go? not me." but now, at 23, i have my whole life ahead of me. it's so interesting to realize i am that "about twenty-five" girl, really living on dreams (i have so many, after all). i'm wondering where my life is going to go... but not in a "oh crap, my life isn't going anywhere, whatever will i amount to" kind of way. no. more in a "how am i going to pick just ONE exciting direction to go toward."

so, in the last few months, i've gone through a lot. a lot of crap. a lot of good stuff, too. anyone close to me know a lot of exciting things have been happening and i have a lot to be thankful for. i've done a lot of thinking and praying... and i've reached some sort of peace about the future. and, i guess you could say, the present. i, no doubt, waver in my faith on all of this, but overall, i'm happy. and that's exciting to say. i'm happy, i'm hopeful, and i get so pumped thinking about the possibilities for my life.

i've learned a lot about people. i've learned a lot about myself. i've learned a lot about who God is and what he does. i have a lot more to learn. but i can't wait.

sunshine, herbs, and red velvet cupcakes

this weekend came and went so quickly. time has been flying by since i've been back in dallas. it was a good weekend though, getting to spend time with friends and sleep a lot. i finally replanted all of my herbs, so hopefully this second round will be more fruitful. i also baked some red velvet cupcakes using the following recipe.

Red Velvet Cupcakes – Magnolia Bakery Recipe

3 ⅓ cups cake flour (not self-rising)

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 ¼ cups sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

6 tablespoons red food coloring

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

Frosting: 1 pound (two 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softened and cut into small pieces

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

5 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

How to make it

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour three muffin tins. Place cupcake papers in the tins.

To make the cake: In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and

beat well.

In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add to the batter in three parts, alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overheat.

In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake each tray for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 1 hour. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting: In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Add the vanilla and beat well.

Gradually add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating continuously until smooth and creamy.

Cover and refrigerate icing for 2 to 3 hours, but no longer, to thicken before using.

When the cake has cooled, spread the frosting liberally on the cupcakes.

Makes 36 cupcakes.

The end result was scrumptious! I made one double-layer cake and a dozen cupcakes. The frosting is delicious! I spent all day baking with the door to the balcony open while Tanner caught some rays and watched squirrels and puppies run around outside.

After all that, I went to Watermark with my friend Lindsay. Tonight was all about ways to get involved and volunteer throughout Dallas, so that was pretty cool. One of the opportunities was actually through Interfaith Housing Coalition which is where we were already planning on starting to volunteer next Wednesday!

As another week is about to start, I'm still thinking about Karl with fond memories and learning to deal with it all. It's been a slow, painful, seemingly-endless process to get to the point I am today, but there are rays of hope which point me toward tomorrow. Little moments of joy when I can hear his laugh, smell his cologne, and see he beautiful face. I still miss him so much. I know I always will.

tell the ones you love that you love them

a friend who is dear to my heart passed away last night unexpectedly and way too early. it leaves me wishing i'd called him more, gone out of my way to see how he was doing more... i can't change back the clock, i can't do any of this. but i appreciate the value of a friend even more now. it's cliche to say to live every day as your last. but do it. don't have regrets. tell the ones you care about that you do so. i miss him so much. he never grasped the magnitude of the love everyone had for him.

someday soon, we all will be together

Christmas is approaching :) - hopped in my car this morning... and lo and behold, frost on my windshield!

what makes studying for finals more bearable?....

Christmas music. Enough said. Thank you Pandora, Christmas Radio.

cold colds.

seasons.

Thanks to Glen Brann's facebook status,

"Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each."

since wednseday

mom came in town to help nurse me back to help. she's always been there for me :) add thatto the list of things (and people) i'm thankful for.

we started off the day with breakfast at another broken egg - lafitte's tortilla, coffee, and donut beignets.

then, after an unsuccessful shopping trip it was off to school to take a quiz on a dementia lecture. i swung by sprinkles cupcakes on the way home and with mom as my chauffeur, we made it back to cypress that evening.

it was fun getting to watch the baker hughes guys play football and my knee got progressively better over the weekend - by friday, i found out it isn't fractured, but just bruised and i can run as soon as it feels better/doesn't hurt to do so! :) GREAT news.

the weekend was pretty relaxing; it feels weird to be back in dallas - no tanner, no practicum. i leave for long island the day after tomorrow, which is exciting!

on saturday, will and i ventured out to the Via Colori chalk street painting festival sponsored by the Houston Center for Hearing and Speech (how cool this combined my two interests - art and speech path!) check out their HUGE mural in progress below:

BAD day.

one week and a day til thanksgiving break

i can't believe it. just over two weeks of actual school left and finals, and my first semester in dallas and of grad school will come to a close. i will pack up the necessities of my apartment, put this semester's books neatly on the my bookshelf, and make the four hour drive back to houston for the month. where has the time gone? ... to take a moment and reflect:

• unpacking tons of boxes, numerous trips to tom thumb and target (having to embrace the transition from walmart to target...)
• labor day weekend in new braunfels with my favorite girl friends and new guy friends (and new boyfriend) & 6th street
• many time-consuming assignments for assessment class
• weekly practicum
• tx/ou weekend & the state fair
• maddy and matt & aggie friends in town
• oktoberfest
• two weeks of studying for midterms... and then actually taking them
• spontaneous trips to houston
• rj's housewarming party
• 5K

just to name a few... all in all, i'd say it's been a good semester. i've met new friends, settled in, and learned to call dallas home. i have amazing things to look forward to in the next two months - with thanksgiving in new york with will, christmas on 5th in WACO and then christmas break back at home enjoying my family, going to JAPAN to see corey!! and then ringing in 2011. i'm so thankful for the people in my life :)

until tomorrow, be blessed.

weekend update

it was a great, relaxing weekend with no traveling. will came in on friday and we woke up earlier to head downtown with liz for the help the homeless 5K. i was pretty pumpedbecause i did the best with my running that i'd done in all my training (even though i got sick 3 miles in)...but i ran the whole thing and it got me really excited for the Jingle Bell 5 mile in Houston in December!

the rest of the weekend was filled with lots of napping, lasagna leftovers, and a baylor football emotional rollercoaster of a game. (at least we still have the #2 lady bears bball to look forward to... oh, yeah and the dropping of lacedarius's charges, too) maddy and matt came in to town for the byx formal and we had some fun shopping around the northpark mall on sunday afternoon.

when the moon hits your eye

last day of practicum today. (whoa!)

came home and made lasagna while it poured outside. now it's sunny and a cool front is working its way in to town. will is coming in later for a relaxing night of italian food. and the help the homeless 5k in the morning. can't complain :)

i've made this lasagna before with the best recipe - check out http://mylasagnarecipe.com/ it's an easy-to-make homemade meal that is delicious!

even tanner wants a bite! he watched closely as a made the entire thing!