Weight journey update and a new goal

Hello--I'm back again! Today has been a busy day, what with church, making cookies, cleaning the house, etc... Fortunately, I have a bit of free time to quickly catch you up on my weight journey--after all, isn't that what this blog is about?! Of course.

First, I'll start with a new weekly goal:

Put my alarm clock far enough away that I have to get up to turn it off.

I have a tendency to plug my iPhone in on my nightstand and then turn off the alarm and not wake up for some time (occasionally I don't even know I turn it off). I do have a digital clock that I set up on my dresser (across the room) with the numbers facing away from me (I read in an article that the bright digital light from a digital clock can keep you up). *sigh* If I must get up, I must get up. I hate getting up early.

I will also be maintaining the goal from the previous week:

Lay out the clothes I plan to work out in before and set my socks and shoes at the foot of my bed.

I REALLY like this habit I'm starting to form. This makes my pre-workout morning minutes SO EASY and stress-free. When I wake up, BAM. There are my clothes, ready to go. Cell phone charged to listen to music. The only problem is that I love leaving all my shoes downstairs, so many mornings I forget my sneakers downstairs in the kitchen. Surprisingly, I like my shoes upstairs better because I then know where my entire work-out outfit is.


Now for the update on my weight loss journey:

At the end of November (the 25th to be exact), I officially reached my highest weight yet. I don't feel comfortable disclosing it yet, but needless to say, I was extremely disheartened. On top of that, I could constantly feel my blood pressure rising, as day after day, I would be stressed, exhausted, and worn down. I kept going through my head of reasons that my bp and weight were up so high: Thanksgiving, chocolate, pop, PIZZA, mac and cheese, burgers (we just got a new 5 Guys in town--love it), not working out as much, dealing with a new lifestyle pace I was not used to...but all that really kept popping up was: what a LETDOWN. I won't lie--I cried on the way home from the gym. It felt like an impossible task, and in some ways I still believe parts of it might be. A week ago today, that changed.

On the 26th of November, I made a daring effort: I would work out 5 days IN A ROW. That had never happened before--my workouts were sporadic at best. 1 a week here, nothing for a month, 2 a week there at the most. Not thinking about the past, I just took the bull by the horns and ALMOST did it. I went 3 days in a row (more than I had ever gone in a week since joining). I worked my BUTT off each day using the Anytime Health workout planner that came with my membership. I was EXHAUSTED and sore after day 3. I quit for about 3 days, then went back and started up an every other day routine.

This past Saturday, I noticed what looked like red spots forming on my neck and throat. I went to the Urgent Care facility and found out it was "contact dermatitis". This is when red, sore, itchy spots break out on your skin because of something I came in contact with. It is not contagious or life-threatening. It's just annoying. SO, I just finished taking Me.tt//.refn rwhjlGFNLUI something like that and am still using Caladryl lotion on it...unfortunately, it hasn't gone away yet, which means another doctor appt. tomorrow...uck.

ANYWAYS. THE IMPORTANT PART. Of course they make you take your height, weight, and blood pressure. The nurse took my height: 5'4" (YES I GREW 1/4"; I AM NOW TALLER THAN MOM). Then, I stepped on the scale. For once, I was not nervous because I knew it was bad. The nurse said ok and I looked up. Tears formed in my eyes. I had dropped 7 LBS. 7 LBS!!!!!!! I couldn't contain my excitement. I squealed and told the nurse what I had done (she looked at me like I was nuts at first). After congratulating me, I bounced into the room and she took my blood pressure. After taking it twice (the cuff popped off of my arm) she said, "ok". What was it? I asked with intrepidation. The last time I had it taken, it was high...like 140 over 96-ish, I admitted. She looked at me and says (oh so nonchalantly), "You're normal. 128 over 76." WOAH. WHAT. 3 DAYS OF WORKING HARD AND I DROP 7 LBS AND 20 POINTS OFF OF MY BLOOD PRESSURE. I almost started crying right there. This poor nurse had no idea what was going on with this teary-eyed patient. I was just so......proud of myself. I did this...all by myself. Just me. You have no idea how good life can be until YOU take ahold of your life and make it go YOUR way. Now I just want to go run in the streets, but since it's raining, I'll keep it bottled inside for now. Until I hit 10 lbs down. Then, I'll probably publicly sob.

Until tomorrow.

Hey...remember me?

Wow. What a looong hiatus I just took. Life has been INSANELY busy and I am slowly but surely adjusting to my new work-schedule craziness. While I can snatch some free time, I thought I would update readers on my life and WHY it is so busy. Here goes; see if you can keep up with me now.

1.) Throughout June, July, and August, I searched intensely for jobs, first in Cincinnati, then anywhere in OH. While some interviews came up, nothing went further than an interview.

2.) During the summer, I had quite a few substitute jobs as an organist around town (@ my home church and at a neighboring church). Aside from that, no job bites.

3.) In the middle of August, a close friend of mine suggested I audition for her church as a full-time organist. I thought about it and put it on my back burner.

4.) Near the end of August, I got a phone call from a local school choir director looking for an accompanist for the 2012-13 school year, and BAM...first job.

5.) Soon after, I received a call from the pastor of my close friend's church, saying that my friend and her mother had recommended me for the organ job. I went in for an audition a few days later, and found out the night of the audition that I was the new organist!

6.) Immediately after getting my 2nd job, I got calls from 3 different churches, asking me to substitute or be a full-time organist, and I had to turn them all down. :(

7.) I put out flyers around town offering piano lessons and got a call from a mother looking for a teacher for her son! That is job #3!

8.) By the middle of September, I had begun subbing at my old school district. Job #4!

9.) This past weekend, I played for my old high school chamber choir for a performance at the church I play at! That was a part-time job (one practice a week, 2-3x total). Job(ish) #5!

PHEW. My workload is heavy, but it is all worth it. Every job involves something I love doing: teaching, or making music. What a crazy, beautiful life.


PS: I will try to post more, especially about my weight loss journey. BIG NEWS ABOUT MY HEALTH COMING SOON. VERY EXCITING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New recipe!

Hello again!! So far this week, I have not completed my goal of "sleeping in fitness attire" yet, but it will be done by Sunday!!

I haven't put a new recipe on here in quite some time, so here is a classic: Homemade French Toast. This is Mom's recipe (not sure where she got it...).

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1 c. milk
4 tsp. brown sugar OR honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract OR almond extract

Directions:

1.) In an oblong dish/baking dish, combine ingredients until well blended.

2. Dio bread into mixture, coating both sides thoroughly. *NOTE: At this point, I like to sprinkle nutmeg on one side of the coated bread. Then I lay it on the griddle and sprinkle the other side with nutmeg. This is a personal addition.*

3. Place bread on very hot greased griddle for about 3-5 minutes. Turn over when bread seems dry on griddle side. Remove when both sides are browned and dry.

Here is the finished product:

A simple recipe. Enjoy!

Music Monday

If you've been paying attention to the weather lately, you've probably seen that nasty Hurricane Sandy. If you live in Northern Ohio, you've probably also heard about 2 fronts colliding: a cold front (which is impacting us now) and then Hurricane Sandy's outer bands. *SIGH* This is going to be a long week of rain, wind, possible power outages, and dark skies.

On a happier note, it is Music Monday, and since temperatures have dropped roughly 30 degrees from last week (70s to 40s), I thought another Christmas song was appropriate! Henceforth:

"Adeste Fidelis" by Lou Monte.

No youtube video, sorry, but it's still a good song, and I consider it a Christmas classic. :D

Have a great day! Enjoy the rain, wind, and mess, and East Coasters (especially Dad's family members), stay safe.

PS: Watching the Daily Buzz news; they said watching horror movies can actually help you lose weight. WATCHING EVERY HORROR MOVIE I POSSIBLY CAN.

New Goal Sunday

Haven't been on here in awhile--sorry 'bout that--because I've been so STINKING BUSY! Phew! Finally have a break to watch the Browns game (I'm a die-hard fan no matter how much they stink) and blog.

Today is Sunday, which means a new goal. This week's goal is:

Go to sleep in your activewear, if comfortable.

Since I don't run, running shorts are out of the question (which is what the goal originally read). I changed this goal wording for me.

I joined Anytime Fitness in my hometown in September and have been trying to get up early to workout when I can. This goal will help me get moving quicker in the morning.

There will be an update coming soon on just what is keeping me so busy as of lately.

I'm back!

Music Monday & a book review

Hello again! Hopefully this week, I can stay on track with blogging. This past weekend, I was gone in Cincinnati for the 2012 Zinzinnati Oktoberfest (which by the way was amazing), and now I am back for a PACKED week. Today, I am practicing organ and have a 12 o'clock appointment with my FREE PERSONAL TRAINER working out (oh yah).

Since it is Monday, I thought I would get back in the swing of things with a new music choice:

Trans-Siberian Orchestra "Another Way You Can Die"

This song comes off of their "Night Castle" CD (2 volumes), the newest music they have out there. The "Night Castle" CDs are not Christmas music, but instead a story created from songs. I love it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smZyHgFTD44


Next is a book review. After reading through some new books I bought (Ayn Rand's Anthem and The Help I have finally been back to my local library. Today's book review is: "Crying Wolf" by Peter Abrahams.

At first, this plot was a bit confusing, especially after I read a short summary of it. It is about a young man who heads to college, leaving a family and girlfriend behind. There, he meets twin girls who have a rich (although somewhat messed up) family. He spends Christmas break with the family and gets involved (hmmhmm) with one of the twins.

While this is happening, another sidestory is happening as well. "Freedy" is a pool cleaner in CA who moves back east to his mom's (near the college the students go to). There, he steals appliances and sells them to his friend's dad, who again sells them.

Back to the twins and "Nat". They discover underground tunnels in the school (how they heat the college), and find a completely furnished room. In this room, they listen to music (Rigoletto!) and drink century-old booze.

In the end, one twin is kidnapped by you'll never guess who, the other twin and "Nat" pay ransom, and there are some surprising last-minute switches!

Overall, a good book, but I question some characters' reason of being there. Such as the philosophy prof. Did I mention him up there? No? That's why. I am still not sure why he was in the plot...oh well. Good book aside from that!

Read any good books lately? Are you a fan of TSO? If so, what's your favorite song?

Orange Cream Smoothie

Hello--again, I have been off of my usual blogging schedule. It is getting busier and busier in my life, which is never a problem, especially because the more job and musical experience I have, the more confident I get, but the problem DOES occur when it comes to time to sit down and write a blog.

Today would normally not be a posting day unless something big happens, but I have to put up this recipe for an: Orange Cream Smoothie. I just made this and am enjoying it now! No pictures up, but here's the recipe:

This comes from my newest cookbook, "How to Cook Everything; The Basics--All You Need to Make Great Food" I am a terrible cook. This book is necessary.

The original recipe is a Vanilla-Peach Smoothie, but I chose the orange cream smoothie variation.

Ingredients: 2 cups orange juice
1 cup Greek Yogurt (I used vanilla)
1 cup ice (I used 3 ice cubes)
1 frozen banana (I am weak and could not peel the frozen banana, so I
used 1 fresh)
Directions:
1.) Put the ingredients in a blender. TIP: THE BLENDER WILL WORK BEST IF YOU PUT THE LIQUIDS AND BANANA IN FIRST, THEN ADD ANY REMAINING FRUIT AND ICE (IF THE FRUIT ISN'T FROZEN).
2.) Start by pulsing the machine, then turn it on and whiz it until smooth. If it is having trouble, add a splash more orange juice. Serve it right away, ideally in chilled glasses.

At first, the orange juice was a bit strong, but as I sipped more, it weakened a bit. This was a yummy recipe (and healthy with the greek yogurt)! Enjoy!

Workout #1

I know I haven't blogged in quite a while, and I know that I am behind on my subjects, but I thought now would be the perfect time to blog about how my health journey is going.

It's been a long year: finishing college, senior piano recital, taking Praxis II tests, student teaching, graduation, job hunting, SAI convention, and now multiple jobs...I've had my fill of being busy, but my multiple jobs are just now beginning!

Here's an update on my personal life:

This has been a tremendous end to a "lazy summer". Unfortunately, I was not able to nab a full-time teaching position; however, I DID gain employment with St. John Lutheran Church as the full-time organist! I have now been playing there for 2 weeks and am loving it!

Also, I put out a flyer for teaching piano lessons! No bite yet, but flyers are going up around town tomorrow!

Lastly, I just got a job at a local High School as the choir(s) accompanist! I'm so excited to be an accompanist once again! :D

Needless to say, this is going to be a fun year!

Now on to my health: As you all know, I'm struggling through an uphill battle against my weight (Grr), and so far, it's been a losing battle....until today!

I just got back from my first workout at Anytime Fitness in my hometown, and I feel great. I have not been in a gym in almost a year, and I do not exercise outside of a gym (YET), so all of the equipment is still new to me. Here are my results for my cardio workout:

I walked for 15 minutes for .64 miles, burned 172 calories (more than my Panera Frozen Lemonade I had for dinner!), and was able to get up to a 3.0 with a 1% incline (first time EVER using an incline). I am SO excited, especially since I haven't been walking in a long time!

This is just the beginning: I am going to go 3x/week, and my next day is Wednesday. Oh, yes, and I forgot to say, I have a free 30-minute workout with a PERSONAL TRAINER just for joining! I'm hoping to do that Wednesday! From what I've heard, he's going to kick my butt....

That's it! I should be blogging more now that I am working out more and getting my life together!


OH YEAH DID I MENTION I HAVE MY FIRST SUBBING JOB TOMORROW AT MY OLD HIGH SCHOOL? OHMYGOSH SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is all.

Recipe Wednesday

Hello again! I am sorry I keep bombarding you with blogs, but I am trying to get back on track with my blogging schedule. Today IS Wednesday, which means it's time for a new recipe.

My recipe today is whole-wheat bread...made in the MICROWAVE! This comes from a book that a close friend gave to me my junior year of college when I only had a compact microwave to cook with. Here is the book:

The recipe is called, "Easy Whole-Wheat Batter Bread" but you can make it into a white bread variation.

Here are the necessary ingredients:

First, dissolve the yeast in water in a 2-quart bowl. I used a 2+-quart casserole dish. Set that aside for 5 minutes, then add the brown sugar and other ingredients and beat it thoroughly.

Next, cover the dish. I covered it in plastic wrap. TIP: WHEN COVERING DOUGH IN PLASTIC WRAP, SPRAY THE SIDE OF THE PLASTIC WRAP THAT WILL TOUCH THE BREAD WITH COOKING SPRAY. THAT WAY, THE DOUGH WON'T STICK TO THE WRAP. Then microwave at medium power (50%) for 1 minute. Let it rest for 15 minutes, then repeat this process until the dough is doubled in size. It took me 3 times to do this.

When the dough is doubled in size, stir it down and transfer it to an oiled 8-inch pie plate or ring pan. I used a pie plate. Cover again and microwave for 1 minute at medium (50%) power, then let it rest for 15 minutes. Repeat that again ONCE.

Finally, brush the top of the bread with milk and sprinkle with oatmeal, if you would like. Microwave UNCOVERED for 12-15 minutes (I did 12) at medium (50%) power. Invert it as soon as it is done.

Ta-da!!!

The finished product (I was hungry). The bread was somewhat chewy, but had a delicious, almost sweet taste to it. We (Mom, Dad, and I) at the loaf in 1 day. It was surprisingly good!

Here is the recipe:

1 1/2 cups very warm water (110˚F) 1 cup whole wheat flour
1 package yeast 2 cups white flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar 1/4 cup oil

1. Dissolve yeast in water in a 2-quart bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar. Add the remaining ingredients. Beat thoroughly; cover.
2. Microwave for 1 minute at MEDIUM (50%). Rest 15 minutes. Repeat until batter has doubled.
3. Stir down batter. Place in an oiled 9-inch pie plate or ring pan. Cover and microwave for 1 minute at MEDIUM (50%). Rest 15 minutes. Repeat.
4. Brush with milk and sprinkle with oatmeal if desired. Microwave uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes at MEDIUM (50%). Invert immediately.

Yields: 1 loaf.

Compact microwave: Microwave for 8 to 9 minutes at HIGH (100%) in step #4. Proof (or rise) bread without microwaving in steps #2 and #3.
Variation: For white batter bread: Use all white flour and substitute white sugar for the brown sugar.

TIPS: One advantage of microwaving bread is the time saved. By using the microwave oven you can even cut the proofing time for conventionally baked bread by 1/2.

Enjoy!

GA trip pictures

Finally, I am able to get the pictures of our wonderful SAI Triennial Convention up here!

I have never DRIVEN this far south. My family has flown 3 times and I went on a bus trip with my high school band down to Disney World in Orlando, FL, but I have never DRIVEN this far south. This was a very exciting adventure for me! Here are the pictures!

This is Nashville, TN...what a beautiful city!

There were some massive hills/mountains along the way...

...and some gorgeous rivers and lakes!

Finally we made it to Georgia!! You can't see it very well, but the sign says, "Welcome! We're glad Georgia's on your mind!" Awesome.

This is our view from the BALCONY of our hotel room. ON THE 8TH FLOOR. Wonderful!

This is our meeting room for general sessions. We are all preparing for the first general session!

This is our Sigma A province flag!! All the girls that were there in our province came up to our room the first night and decorated it--then, our Province Officer got to show it off in the parade of province flags!!

Here are our convention guest honorees, Gerald and Geraldine Hubbell! This was at our Welcome Luncheon on the first full day. They talked about marriage, medicine, and music in their lives together.

This was the Inter-American Music Awards winner. If I remember correctly, the first violin player played for the Prince William and Princess Kate's wedding and for the Diamond Jubilee for the Queen. It was a wonderful concert!

PHLEA-PHLAM. One of my favorite things about convention! This is a giant sale between chapters! Individual chapters make crafts to sell and pocket the money. I got quite a few things, including a necklace, earrings, a coaster, sunglasses, and an official convention pen.

This is the Song of Atlanta Show Chorus. These women sang, danced, and were fabulous!

This is the Atlanta First United Methodist church (I think that's the right name), where the organ concert was held. It was about 5 minutes away from our hotel. The church and the concert were wonderful! Here's the inside of the church.

Here I am in Centennial Park! It was a fun experience, walking around and taking in the sights of GA!


Next, we didn't go INTO the World of Coke, but we went to the park outside of it. The inventor of Coca-Cola would NOT give me a sip. How rude.

Dinner of Honors! Here is our Province (minus one)!

A picture of our whole province!

Two of my favorite people--my faculty advisor and our Province Officer.

Bye-bye Atlanta, GA! Such great memories and such great motivation!!!

New buys, SAIs, and much more...

HELLO! I'm back! Good to be back here blogging again!

It has been quite a busy summer (not what I anticipated)! First of all, I'll start with some early buys. When I got home, I found in an eye appointment that I (again) needed new glasses. These bad boys are Vera Wangs! They are purple (of course) with some bling-bling on the sides! So me.

Lastly, I got a new Coach purse that is a super-cute neutral with a color block of metallics.

Next, I bought a purple blouse with a neck cut-out. Very cute, although no picture. I wear it as much as I can.

I'm going to pause the "new buys" now and move onto "SAIs". As I have mentioned before, I am in Sigma Alpha Iota. And as I wrote about in my post, "Georgia on my Mind", I said I was going down to GA for the Triennial SAI Convention. Finally, I have time to blog about my experiences in the South!

Leaving for Cincy: Atlanta, GA is roughly 14 hours away from my hometown, so this was definitely going to be an overnight trip down. Mom and I left for the Monroe outlets (where I bought the shirt and Coach purse). The Monroe outlets are approximately 30 minutes north of Cincinnati, and are lots of fun to go shopping or walking around in. Mom and I went there, then down to Berea, KY, where we spent the night (this being 15 minutes away from picking up my first roommate).

Day 1 of convention: I left at 5:45 a.m. for my first roommate's apt. After meeting and packing her things in the Cruze we rented, we took off for Louisville (2 hours away), grabbing breakfast at Starbucks. We got to Louisville around 8:30(ish?) and packed everything up quickly, we took off again, this time for Atlanta, GA. After stopping for gas, lunch, and restroom breaks, we finally made it to GA! We arrived around 4:15, right when delegate orientation began. I got to the registration table (haven't checked into our room yet), and they couldn't find me under alumni...so I went to collegiate delegate. There I was...however, there were some issues with money that needed to be resolved, so I went to National Headquarters to discuss the issue. There, I met the National Vice-President of Finance, Jennifer Zerangue, and talked to her about how I had graduated. We figured that I could not possibly be a collegiate delegate, so I got registered as an alumnae. But let's not forget that I had to pay $25 extra for an alumnae fee (not a big deal), National Headquarters was closing in 7 minutes, and I had forgotten my wallet in the Cruze parked below in valet. When I run back up, it's already 5:10, and there are my roommates, waiting to put our luggage away...

Fast-forward 3 hours: I am registered as an alumnae, which means no voting for me. Initiation is performed, and then an opening reception. Here is where I met up with my faculty advisor from UC, my province officer, and other girls from my province! We had to decorate our "Province flag" for the next morning, so we all went up to our room, with the *king* bed and rollaway, and had fun catching up.

Day 2: The next morning was the parade of flags and our first general session. In the general sessions, we all have assigned seating by province and chapter. During these, we cover important information, including reports of committees, different programs, voting, and miniature musicales.

The "SAI Mall" was open daily 8-5. Here, you could purchase jewelry, clothing, and other inventions of SAI sisters.

Next was a "Welcome Luncheon", which was very nice! It included a 3-course lunch, concert by the SAI Wind Ensemble, and the guests of honors talking about their lives.

After another general session, our Province headed out to Max Lager's, a nearby pub/grill, eating a (deliciously) fast dinner. Then, we ran back to hear the IAMA (Inter-American Music Awards Concert). It was fabulous! After that was "Open Mic Night", similar to a talent show. I went up to the room and fell asleep. Fast.

Day 3: PHLEA-PHLAM. This thing is so popular, there was a long line out the door before it began. Individual chapters make gifts or items to sell for money to go to their chapters. I bought a necklace, earrings, and a coaster.

Next were our breakout workshops. Our province gathered together to make sure we all went to different sessions to take good notes for each other. I went to (1) The Ritual of SAI, (2) How to Have a Successful Official Visit, and (3) Designing Attractive Musical Programs with Interesting Program Notes. These workshops were GREAT! I learned SO much! AND, bonus, I had a lot of fun at them. After dinner in the hotel mall/food court, we went to the "Song of Atlanta Show Chorus". So. Good. These ladies wore all purple (yes, purple bias, I love it) and danced and sang, a capella, in barbershop quartet style. The singing was wonderful, and the dancing was icing on the cake. Great end to a long day!

Day 4: This was our last full day. It started with a forum, one for collegiates, one for alumni. I went to the alumni forum: "Maladies, Antidotes, and Prescriptions". It was a very educational forum about how to fix problems in an alumnae chapter, how to get alums more involved in SAI, and how to deal with the new technology.

More general sessions, and the election results are announced!

In the afternoon, all of us SAIs took a "Sunday Stroll" to a nearby church to hear an organ concert, which was indeed AWESOME.

Finally, we had 3 hours of free time, so our Province chose to go to the Centennial Park, which was just...a VERY cool experience. Pictures soon.

After that came the DINNER OF HONORS. This is the fancy weekend ending that everyone gets super dressed up to go to. I'm talking floor-length gowns, super fancy hair and makeup, even gloves! I wore my LBD with pumps, hairs did, and fancy make-up. There, we had a delicious 4-course dinner, listened to music, and had an awards ceremony. The last thing of the night was a "Fraternity Sing", where we all sang SAI songs.

Day 5: Our last general session, with the installment of the new officers. Out with the old, in with the new! Then, we said good-bye and headed off to Hard Rock Cafe (we being me, my 2 roommates, and my faculty advisor) for a yummy last lunch.

We left GA at 2:45, I got to the hotel in Richmond, KY (5 minutes away from last drop-off of roommate) at 11:55. There, my parents were waiting. I made it! The next day, we drove home, stopping at UC campus for, of course, some Ludlow Skyline Chili.

What I learned and my experiences: The first thing I learned and experienced at the convention was that the National Executive Board...they are like celebrities. If you meet or talk with them, you feel awesome afterwards, like you got an autograph from a famous person. So, registration was awesome.

Our hotel was AWESOME. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, right in the heart of downtown. There was a "mini-Starbucks" in the lobby, and 3-4 different towers of 20-23 stories of rooms. We were on the 8th floor. There was a 3-level mall and food court, a CVS, and a restaurant and bar. This was a city in the hotel.

At the Welcome Luncheon, we got to hear a wonderful ensemble: The SAI Wind Ensemble, led by Michael Braz, a professor of music at Georgia Southern University. It was a great experience, and our province met a few people from VA!

During the general sessions, different speakers gave presentations about projects that SAI is involved in. It was awe-inspiring to see just how much SAI was doing around the world for music.

Attending this convention has inspired me to be a better SAI sister. Talking to others, it inspired them in the same way. I feel so motivated to better myself as an SAI.

It really is true: When every member of SAI there stands and sings the chorale, chills run up and down your body. And when it was time to say good-bye and everyone stood and sang "So Near, So Dear is SAI", I cried and wasn't ashamed.

I cried when this ended. I cried alot. And I'll be going back in 3 years, wherever it may be.

Here's my experience! Pictures will be up tomorrow!

While you're at it...

...GO WATCH "HERE COMES HONEY BOO BOO".

Argh.

Rough week here, people. Bear with me as I try to pull myself together.

I am gathering mementos, pictures, etc... from my GA trip to the SAI Triennial Convention, so expect them up VERY soon, along with stories of great memories, events, and old and new friends!

While I use up multiple boxes of tissues, go take a look at some sad music I'm listening to:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so6ExplQlaY&feature=related

I love Yiruma. His music just takes me away to a better place. This song especially.

Georgia on my Mind

I've been off of blogging for quite some time, but I do have a solid reason. I have been packing and preparing for a road trip to Atlanta, GA for a convention!

I am in SAI (I don't think I've ever mentioned that!), which stands for Sigma Alpha Iota. Sigma Alpha Iota is a professional womens' music fraternity dedicated to furthering women composers and their music, cultivating excellence in performance, and donates to multiple charities and musical organizations. (This is just a brief explanation; to see more, go to ).

This is a triennial convention, and it is the first time I am going to a convention. I am so excited, especially since I get to meet 2 new girls tomorrow who will be my roommates!!

So far, this week has consisted of gathering paper work, getting the schedule of convention finalized, finishing paperwork for rental cars, hotels, etc... and contacting roommates for last minute info. Quite busy.

Last night, Mom and I packed ALL of my clothes I would need. I am so organized in my packing of clothes, I even wrote a schedule of what to wear each day. It's quite epic. This morning, I finished packing toiletries and snacks. Mom and I made eggs and ham and cheese croissants, and then we were off to pick up our separate rental cars!

We left for Norwalk (Mom's hometown) at 9:40, left the rental car parking lot at 10:15, and were on our way. Our stops included our oh-so-favorite gas station in Mansfield right before I-71 S, and then continued onto I-71 S. Applebee's was our lunch, and we finally got to KY, and Berea, where I am currently sitting writing this blog. Tomorrow morning, I pick the first roommate up at 6ish, then to the second roommate, and then down to ATLANTA!! I will post pictures of this event hopefully soon after the convention is over, but until then, I will be gone until the 8th. Ta-ta for now!

Pumpkin. Pie.

Two words: pumpkin pie. That's it. I know that this certain pie is more of a fall pie, but I thought, why not try something different? Everyone's heard of Christmas in July? Yes? Well, how about autumn a few months early? Here we go!

PS: This recipe is from my Nana and Granddad.

Step 1: Gather ingredients IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER and preheat your oven to 425˚F.

2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin---NOTE: I USED A 15-OZ. CAN; NO BIG DIFFERENCE
3./4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 can (13. oz) Evaporated Milk---NOTE: I USED A 12-OZ. CAN; NO BIG DIFFERENCE

1 9-inch UNBAKED pie shell with high fluted edge (like a crimp)

In this picture you will see the ingredients in order from left to right; the last item, the pie crust, was originally store-bought, but after it broke, Mom and I made a home-made crust. Scratch the store-bought pie crust and make your own; it is SO MUCH BETTER.

Step 2: This is where Mom and I made the home-made crust. Do NOT bake your crust before filling it with pie filling. Not for pumpkin pie, nope, because pumpkin pie is more of a custard pie that will take longer to bake, so the crust can bake then. If you make your own, make enough for 1 9-inch pie crust. I used a glass pie shell for this. Here is also an example of a "high-fluted" crust:

Step 3: Mix all ingredients (minus pie crust) IN THE ORDER GIVEN ABOVE (eggs, canned pumpkin, sugar, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and evaporated milk).

Step 4: Pour your mixture into the pie shell, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. THEN, reduce the heat to 350˚F and continue baking another 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out completely clean. Let it cool completely, then garnish with a whipped topping and DEVOUR.

One last tip before I go until Friday: When you are baking, make sure all measurements are precise and correct. In cooking, you can "add to taste". In baking, measurements should be exact.

Enjoy!!

Music Monday

Welcome to another Music Monday! Can you believe it's already over halfway through July???

Today's music choice is:

Dinah Washington--"Silent Night"

Right? A classic Christmas song (again--I might love Christmas). This was on one of my random Christmas CDs...

Here's a youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1jCu66CdFI

Enjoy! And if you're going through a sweltering day like we are here in Sandtown (95 is the high, and it's already 80 at 8 am), then take a listen and imagine snow and cold!!!

Food vs. me

Today, I promised I would talk about my relationship with food. This is, after all, a weight loss blog as well as a life blog, and I feel like I have gotten away from that aspect.


I love food. There, I said it. Food and I, we go WAY back. Ever since I was little, I have loved food. I remember when I was little, loving foods such as pears and carrots. I still love pears and carrots, but my taste buds have definitely changed.....

Many years ago, I made a new friend. POP. SODA. SODA POP. Whatever you call it. It's sweet, sugary, delicious, and makes me happy. While pop is delicious, it has calories. Many calories. Add on top of that 30+ grams of sugar and carbohydrates.

There is no nutritional value in pop. There is no reason to drink it. However, over the years, I have become somewhat addicted to it. In fact, really addicted to it. Pop is...all I think about each day and night. When I wake up, I start to crave it immediately. Around 11, I really begin to need it, and I usually have 1-2 cans a day. And if we go out for a meal, I always have a pop then. I just can't get away from it. I'm actually drinking it now.

The longest I have been away from pop was 1 week. During that week, I experienced frequent upset stomachs, dizziness, and headaches. After I took my first sip of pop at the end of the week, the symptoms went away. Caffeine withdrawal. It's a nasty, vile little thing. I have tried to give it up for many, MANY Lent seasons, but that doesn't work. My latest experiment was having 1 can of pop ONLY AFTER I had had an 8-oz. glass of water. My 2nd can of pop could only come after I had had another glass of water, and so on and so forth. That worked for 1 day. I am at my wit's end as to what to do. I can't give it up cold turkey (tried that, experienced symptoms listed above and couldn't take it any longer), but I am done with pop! So done!! It affects my weight, mood, daily caloric intake, and teeth, all in a negative way!

Here is just a small portion of my life and daily struggle with food.

Any suggestions of how to decrease/rid my intake of pop? What could be some big substitutes for pop?

Me!

Here's something that just came in the mail today that is about me: I am officially a graduate of the University of Cincinnati!!! I graduated Cum Laude!! (see bottom middle) Yahoo!!!!!!!!! :D Here's a picture:

Also, notice my hair color--a dark auburny-redy-ish.....thing. I have had my hair colored ever since I started college (this will be year 5). I started by going dark brown, and every year, I get it a shade darker and redder. WELLL....I think it's time for another change. I'm thinking a hybrid of blonde and brunette (like my original hair color, but more polished). This dark color is so faded, you can see my original hair color poking through (under 4 layers of color!!!)

To the point, sorry. I ramble. A new hair color is my reward for working hard to be healthy. When I lose 1 inch off of my waist, I can get a new color, cut, and style. But I can only get it when I lose 1 in. And only then!! So far, I'm not really budging in my numbers. However, I am becoming somewhat better at food. I am now seeing when I just don't want anymore and am realizing that it's OK if you don't finish everything when you go out. Tonight, I turned down a big order of fries from Dad (he had a sub and fries, we had pizza). Also, Mom and I shared a pizza on a whole-wheat crust. I'll talk more about whole-wheat in a later post, most likely Sunday's. I was proud of myself, even for that little accomplishment. Lastly, I have stopped eating out at fast-food!! By fast-food, I mean: McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Arby's, KFC, and Chipotle. I didn't only stop eating at these because they can be unhealthy (at least what I order). I stopped mainly because I haven't had too much access to these restaurants in the past 4 years at college and have gotten used to NOT eating them. Now that I have access to them, they make me *physically* sick. Seriously. My new faves: Jimmy John's and Five Guys! Dear Sandtown: Get a Curritos and I'll feel like I'm home in Cinci again. Ahhhhh..... Look for a weight loss update on Sunday!

Recipe coming soon...

Hey y'all! I know it's Recipe Wednesday, but I haven't made my recipe yet! Saturday, I will be making pumpkin pie, so stay tuned to that! Meanwhile, THIS SONG.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQkBeOisNM0

Music Monday

Wilkommen (spelling???) to another installment (episode) of an obviously parentheses-filled Music Monday (). Today's choice is: "I've Got You Under My Skin" by Michael Buble.

I've been a big Buble fan for many years now, having all of his CDs but one (which I frequently borrow from the library). I also love him on SNL! He's actually pretty funny! I also LOVE older music (mainly '40s), and this is one of my FAVORITE classics! I actually have this in choral form...like, 4-part jazz style. It's awesome. Here's the song on YT:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMjex7AfTsg

This seems somewhat old. He's MUCH cuter now.

Also, just for gits and shiggles, here's his latest SNL adventure. He just came out with a new Christmas CD with many classics, and some duets (including with SHANIA TWAIN!!!). SNL did a special on his new Xmas CD:


http://www.hulu.com/watch/311547

Very funny! While you're on Hulu, also look up "SNL: Hamm and Buble" with Jon Hamm and Michael Buble. Could a skit get any smexier than with the two of them in it??????

Enjoy!

Book review

I just finished another book, and this one was (sort of) a tear-jerker. It's called "A Girl Made of Dust" by Nathalie Abi-Ezzi.

--written in 2008
--# of pages: 236
--1st sentence: "'It's thanks to the 'adra that you didn't get killed today.'"
--last sentence: "As I burrowed into the quiet place where the wall met the floor, I had one last thought: I was glad he'd drunk all that water, and that he was no longer a cactus standing motionless in a pot full of dry cracked earth."
--synopsis: "Set in a Christian village in Lebanon during the 1982 Israeli invasion and narrated....by a bright-eyed eight-year-old girl, A Girl Made of Dust explores one family's private battle to survive in the midst of civil war. In her peaceful town outside Beirut, Ruba is slowly awakening to the shifting contours within her household: hardly speaking and refusing to work, her father has inexplicably withdrawn from his family in favor of his favorite armchair; her once-youthful mother looks so sad that Ruba imagines her heart must have withered like a fig in the heat; and Ruba's older brother, Naji, has started to spend less time with Ruba in order to meet with older boys, some of whom carry guns. When Ruba decides that to salvage her family she must first save her father, she uncovers a secret from his past that will send her on a journey away from the safe fantasies of youth and into a brutal reality where men kill in the name of faith and race, past wrongs remain unforgiven, and nothing less than courageous acts of self-sacrifice and unity can offer survival. As Israeli troops invade Beirut and danger moves ever closer, Ruba realizes that she alone may not be able to keep her loved ones safe, and it is up to her father to shed the shackles of his past and lead his family to better, if uncertain, future..."

I did not get "into" the book until roughly the middle, but once I did, it was over. I was watery-eyed by the end of it, but the ending itself tore my heart out. This could be because I am a naturally emotional person, but still--agh, just read it. Good book!

Recipe Wednesday

Finally a recipe to try!! I have been promising this, and now it's here: Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Cream. I found this on the website I found through StumbleUpon:

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2YACg2/mingmakescupcakes.yolasite.com

Here we go!

The ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
6 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar

whipped cream
espresso powder

Short list of ingredients, making it a somewhat simple recipe.


1.) Melt butter and chocolate in a metal bowl set in a pan of simmering water on low heat (AKA double boiler). Stir constantly until melted, then remove from heat. (SHH. Don't tell: I didn't stir constantly). Wait a few minutes, then stir in egg yolks.

Here's the end result:

Make sure your eggs are separated!

2.) In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Gradually add sugar and beat until mixture is stiff and glossy. (Soft peaks: not standing up super-straight, but able to make a peak).

3.) Whisk some of the whites mixture into the chocolate, and then pour back into the whites while stirring gently (Be careful that you occasionally stir your chocolate/butter--it might solidify somewhat).

This is the final product of stirring in the egg white mixture and the chocolate mixture:

4.) Fill cupcake liners. Bake for 25 minutes at 275 degrees. To test, insert a toothpick in the center and see if it comes out clean. If not, it's not ready. (I FOUND THIS TO BE NOT ENOUGH TIME--35 MINUTES WORKED BETTER).

Top room-temperature cupcakes with a dollop of whipped cream (I made fresh) and a sprinkle of espresso powder. I actually used "ground espresso", I guess...it wasn't powder, but it wasn't a full bean. This worked just as well.

These cupcakes are like mini-souffles. The top crumbles in if you handle it much or bump it. Aside from that, these cakes are AH-MAZING!!!!! SOOOOOOO chocolatey and melt in your mouth good that it's impossible to have just one! The outside is a slightly crispy, light texture. The inside is a rich, deep chocolately flavor that is irresistible. Enjoy!

Coming next week: Pumpkin pie. That's right, I said PUMPKIN PIE.

Music Monday

Time again for another music choice...today's choice is:


Let it Snow--Bing Crosby

I do love me some Bing Crosby. My piano teachers gave me the movie "White Christmas" for a gift, and I instantly fell in love with it and watch it all the time now. I love all of Bing's Christmas music so much!! It reminds me of when I was a young girl, and Christmas was truly magical.


Enjoy the cold-weather song for your hot-weather day!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_RPD_F8_dU

Book & CD review

One of my summer goals was to read more, and it has been going well. So far, I have finished 4 books in less than a month! I wanted to do my first book (and CD) review of the summer, just so people can see what I read and maybe get their own ideas of what they want to read or listen to this summer! NOTE: THIS IS my PERSONAL OPINION. NOT YOURS. DO NOT JUDGE ME BY WHAT I WRITE HERE. THANK YOU.

First up is the book. I just finished the book called, "Goodbye Dear, I'll Be Back in a Year" by Patricia Abbott. First, details about the book itself:

--written in 2002
--295 pages
--first sentence of the book: "'Oh, look, it's Jack!'"
--last sentence of the book: "'Those aren't sirens, they're bells.'"
--synopsis: "Goodbye Dear, I'll Be Back in a Year is a story of young love and dreams and of the ravages of time, distance and war on those dreams. In the 1940's women believed in 'Once Upon a Time' and 'Happily Ever After'. Ginny Fairfax is a romantic. The first time she sees blond, blue eyed Jack Andrews, she silently says, 'Hubba! Hubba!'He is the man she wants in her rose-covered cottage.
By 1940, Roosevelt had instituted a peacetime draft where the men were to serve for only one year. Jack believes that, as the song says, he'll be back in a year. Hitler, Hirohito, Churchill and Roosevelt all conspire against him and Jack is at Schofield Army Base in Hawaii when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. It is four invasions and four long years later before Jack sees Ginny again."

This is a semi-short read, compared to what I usually read. Honestly, I enjoyed the book, but the synopsis was not what I thought it was about...

I love WWII, and I love hopeless romance, so this book was a good read for me. Some parts of it were not as interesting, especially when the text was just reiterating events of WWII, but other than that, it was a sweet love story with a twist at the end (that I think might have happened a lot in real life after WWII).


Next up is the CD: Clay Aiken--Steadfast.

Do not judge. I like Clay Aiken. There, I said it. This CD was again, a perfect match for me: the songs are oldies and classics, such as "Moon River", "Unchained Melody", and "Misty". Some of my favorite music. Great CD, great singer!

Weather madness, adjustments @ home, etc...

Today is all about a random mash-up of topics. Bear with me here...

Topic #1: So, some jobs are not working out, and I got my first official "the position's been filled" rejection from a school I was really hoping for. While I thought that I would be devastated about this, I was (unfortunately?) relieved. On the one hand, I was sad--a good job prospect, gone. On the other hand, this meant that I could focus, hard, on looking and applying for other jobs. Recently, more jobs have opened in my home state of O-ee-o, which means no messy, icky transfer of certificates!

Topic #2: WEATHER. The weather must be on its lady cycle. I swear. When I first got home, it was fine. No rain, sunny every day...you couldn't have asked for better weather! Then BAM! Bring on the heat wave, with temps topping to 96-98 degrees (this might be normal for you; NOT US). Heat index--well above 100. The car I drove read 103 for days in a row. Today was another scorcher in the 90s. I was looking forward to grilled chicken kabobs, when I hear Bro say, "Oh, severe thunderstorm watch." Oh, ok, nothing bad, probably a 30% chance of a thunderstorm. WHAM!!! Immediately after, a severe thunderstorm warning followed by a tornado warning. After that came rapidly darkening skies, a torrential downpour, and winds that almost took down our dead Japanese plum tree (darn it--just not powerful enough). I, naturally, freaked out, because here is Dad, plodding along taking his good old time outside putting away misc. yard items. Finally, Mom and I both tell Dad to get inside, and he does. By this time, the storm had really taken off. The grilling was (finally) postponed to tomorrow night, when all should be calm (and I'm sure sweltering). Thank goodness now we are in a break. Some damage is done--flooding of our street, possibly some limbs down, and me-wet because Dad suddenly needed the mailbox to be closed, and I was the one to do it.

Topic #3: Adjustments at home. During college (especially this year), I began to realize something that I thought would never happen: I CAN eat appropriately by myself. Hard to believe, but yes, I pay attention to what I eat more when I'm alone. Also, I find myself buying more healthy things when alone. What I was truly afraid of when I got home was that since I was not controlling what was bought at the grocery store, my good eating habits that I had formed at college would vanish, and it would be an even worse struggle to lose weight.

While I haven't (and didn't plan on) taking over the dinner meals for the family to arrange them to my meal plans, Mom has been helpful in purchasing whatever I would like for healthy meals or snacks. Now it's getting easier to watch what I eat here. Thank goodness!

The end of my rant. Thank you for reading. You deserve a tip for reading all of that: Don't do drugs.

Any weather damage around you? How do you keep cool in the heat of the summer?

Recipe???

Like I said in my last post, the family oven is still broken, but we'll be fixing it soon. Until then, my family is getting creative with a 12" toaster oven, microwave, and grill. Soon (like next week), I will be making applesauce oatmeal muffins and post some pictures here. Look for them after July 1. That's about it. Short and sweet again (I'm oh so kind)!

Music Monday

Welcome to another installment of "Music Monday"! Today's musical selection is:

"Bach Lullaby" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Favorite Christmas Rock band EVER!!! This is from their newest album, "Night Castle (Disc 2)". All of their CDs have a story, some kind of background that accompanies the songs. The story of this is a little girl goes to a house on a beach and is enjoying her last moments of summer. Late one night, she sees a big sandcastle and goes to explore it, meeting a man. This man then tells the story of his life in the army to the little girl.

At the point where "Bach Lullaby" comes in (if I remember correctly), Tran-Do (said man is now named!) is sneaking back into a prison where a Lieutenant is...unconscious? He goes to rearrange the Lt.'s body, and finds a little wooden music box and takes it.

If you know Bach, then you know this is his Prelude in C Major (book 1 of WTC)! Short and sweet.





You can stop the movie at :55. Enjoy!

Crazy life happenings

SOOOOO much has happened since I've been home! Where do I begin?

Well, I keep saying how I'm going to post pictures of these cupcakes I'm going to make, but a week ago (or so), Mom was making chicken in the oven and the oven CAUGHT ON FIRE. Mind you, this is a 20-some year old oven, but STILL. She said a flame popped up, then receded, and she saw that the place where the wires meet looked dangerous, like it could catch on fire again, but worse next time. Needless to say, we haven't touched the oven since. Obviously, this puts a damper on pretty much anything I want to bake. We have a small toaster oven and microwave, but that's it. And we'd love to get a new stove/oven, but 1.) Our oven has to be a drop-in--there is an air vent below our oven. 2.) Mom would like to redo the kitchen completely, including getting 2(?) ovens and a microwave, in the wall (like the cool kinds you see on Food Network). I'll do what I can.

Another thing: Our porch roof--again, decades-old porch roof--is falling apart, and we are getting roofers to fix it (and possibly part of the porch). Yay for a new roof!

With all the goings-on around our house, I feel like it's going to be a crazy summer!

Good things have happened, too. Mom is landscaping her rose garden (mentioned in a prev. blog)! It looks really pretty. We now have bricks lining her garden. And in the corner of the rose garden (because we could only fit a brick diagonally to go around the corner) is......BASIL JR. THE BASIL PLANT!!!!!!! Huzzah!!! After 2 basil plants and a few years of it sitting in the kitchen, lil' Basil Jr. is finally planted! He looks quite spiffy.

Another outdoor project I finished was cutting off the drooping branches of our "pin oak" tree. Dad and Bro struggled to get under the branches to mow it, so I cut them down. Woohoo! My next project (which I'm working on today) is trimming the barberry bushes outside our living room window.

Inside, I'm finally managing to get my stuff picked up and put away from college...oh so lazy. Also, I've decided that now that I'm not in school anymore, I have time to focus on flute, so I'm back to teaching myself from the beginning. It feels great to be able to play again for the sheer enjoyment of it.

In terms of my weight loss, it has SORT OF come to a standstill. My problem is this: now that I'm home, I have easy access to all sorts of foods, good and bad. I'm having trouble controlling my urges for bad food. And my body image is suffering greatly. I hate talking bad about myself, but it's hard not to. I am SLOWLY asking my mom to buy more healthy items from my meal plan--that helps. So far, I have bought cheese cubes and dinner rolls (they make good snacks, especially if they are whole wheat). It's hard, but I'm trying my best. And of course, exercise is non-existent (minus working outside).

Wish me luck for a healthy, productive summer. It's going to be a struggle between me, myself, and I.


Any projects you're doing this summer? Any suggestions on how to eat well at home?

ABduction--meh...

This is late, but the first movie I rented from the library this summer was "Abduction". Taylor Lautner (of Twilight fame) stars as Nathan, a young teen who seems pretty rebellious, drinking and partying for the first (at least) 5 minutes of the movie. Yes, during the movie, you do see his abs--but not as much as I thought they would show...which wasn't bad, just different than I thought. Lily Collins is his neighbor, Karen, who at first disapproves of him, but learns to love him. They find a website with missing children with Nathan's picture on it. Maria Bello (known for "A History of Violence") plays his adoptive mother and Jason Issacs (of Harry Potter fame--Draco's father) played the adoptive father. After Nathan finds out he's "missing", he and Karen, with the help of a family friend, played by Sigourney Weaver ("Avatar", "Holes"), go on to learn about Nathan's past.

On , it was given a pretty poor review, and sadly, I agree. I don't know if I like the basic concept of the movie...I was slightly confused at some points. But the acting...was flimsy...while Taylor Lautner plays a GREAT werewolf/friend/secret lover/imprinter on babies, he just did not do that well as the true main character in the movie. His acting, when put in the spotlight, is not that good. Lily Collins was not that good, either.

Overall, I agree with Rotten Tomatoes. No one could save this movie...

BOOM.

I am posting 2 days in a row, that's right...actually, make that 3. Shame on me.

Yesterday, I didn't post anything about ME, so here it is:








I love the Jonas Brothers, and when I was 18 (that's right, not a screaming little girl), I went to the Jonas Brothers concert in Syracuse, NY, with my best friend, CS. She and I both were obsessed with them, and we decided to travel 8 hours northeast to Syracuse, NY. The boys were performing at the NY State Fair, so before the concert, we walked around the fair and had a blast buying and devouring yummy carnie food!

We sat in the grandstands for the concert, so our vision was slightly strained, but it was worth it! Demi Lovato opened the show, and the JBs (NOT JUSTIN BIEBER EWNO) took over and invited her onstage to sing some songs with them!! It was SOOO GOOD! CS and I were singing along to every word (her better than me).

This is one of my FAVORITE memories from pre-college years!

Be jealous.

PS: BOOM does not equal something slang. BOOM= my family has been hearing weird booms from gosh knows where all day. We figure it's either the quarry, corn guns (only in Sandtown), or some SERIOUS fireworks. Sweet.

Quick Blog Update

As I sit here listening to the musing of Adele, I just wanted to give a quick blog-update. I have finally made the switch from Cincy living to Sandtown living, and shtuff is EVERYWHERE... so I know I'll be busy for quite a while with unpacking and moving stuff where I want it back home. I plan on putting up some new pics of a recipe I'm going to try: Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Cream. Check out said pic below. Get excitedandyum.






Also, it seems that everyone has summer plans set out and ready to go. Some have even begun! When I "started" this summer, I had no true plans set, but it seems that a mix of ideas has been swimming around in my brain:

1.) GET A JOB. A PERMANENT ONE. I would love to leave home in August for a real teaching job, moving into an apartment of my own...but for now, that's not happening. :(

2.) Get a summer job! I would like the jobs I got last year: substitute organist around town for random churches...that was so much fun. I've already contacted the church that said I could come back, so fingers crossed!

3.) Go through life's possessions. This is really random, but I love organizing, and my *dream* would be to go through everything I have, deciding whether I REALLY need it or not.

4.) Weed Mom's rose and peony gardens. At least. Mom told me once that the reason she had peony and rose gardens was because they were her father's favorite flowers, and that she loved them, too, and thought of her father when she saw them. I want to make them look really nice this summer.

5.) Plan a family BBQ. I LOVE planning parties. A few summers ago, I planned a "Summer by the Sea" party for my dad's family. I decorated the dining room with a nautical theme, put up old pictures of the family houses in CT, and put out seashells Dad had collected from Cape Cod. The fam LOVED it! This year, I'm hoping to plan an "All-American Fun" party!

6.) READ LIKE CRAZY!! I have FINALLY finished my library of books!!! It only took almost 22.5 years. Now I get to go to the library and check out books all the time. Today, I went and checked out Adele's first CD (which I must say is AWESOME--go check it out!!), the movie "ABduction" with Taylor Lautner, and 2 books-- "Adrenaline" and "Collision" by Jeff Abbott. I have a book by Jeff Abbott--"Trust Me", and I really like it. He writes good suspense-thrillers that usually keep me on the edge of my seat.

That's all for now: I'll keep you updated about my summer plans and how they pan out!

Music Monday

Another installment of "Music Monday"! Last week's song choice was a great one--"Rolling in the Deep" by Adele. This week's song is:


"I Wonder as I Wander" by Harry Connick, Jr.


This is a good Christmas song, but not played much around that time of year. I love Harry Connick, Jr., and my family has 2 of his Christmas CDs, both of which are always played during the Christmas season. I like how Harry Connick, Jr. brings a twist to old classics; that twist is his addition of a bluesy-swing, "Creole" style to his music. It gives a nice variety to the same traditional songs of Christmastime.

I couldn't find a YouTube link of this song; however, I suggest going to YouTube and listening to other Harry Connick, Jr. songs. He's a wonderful singer, and his arrangements of classics are great!

Me

I'm still trying to get used to how to USE a blog, but I realized that I don't post much about ME personally. And while you bloggers/readers don't need to know everything about me, I thought it would be neat to have a peek into my life. So, occasionally, I will post a picture of something about ME! Today's picture is a stuffed animal with a VERY special place in my heart. This is my Pooh doll. I got him when my family went to Disney World in Orlando, FL when I was 8. My family stayed at the Coronado Springs Resort (Mayan-themed), and in the gift shop in the hotel, I wanted a Pooh doll, since he's my favorite Disney character. The clerk said that there were no more, but if I came on the last day I was there, Pooh would be here. I came back on the last day, and the clerk was reaching into the inventory room to get a Pooh doll for me. But let's remember, I was 8. And believed ANYTHING. Here is what the clerk told me of Pooh's adventure to get to the store: First, the clerk called on Tinkerbell to send a message to Peter Pan that Pooh needed to come to the Coronado Springs Resort. Then, Peter Pan flew to Aladdin, who was able to find it, with the help of Genie. Aladdin flew over as fast as he could on his magic carpet to Peter Pan, who flew it here as fast as he could. That was who the clerk was taking it from in the room. WOAH. MAGIC. Naturally, I believed him, and was ecstatic to get my Pooh doll straight from Peter Pan. After that, the rest is history. Pooh has been with me for 14 years now, and his sketched name on his shirt is piecing off, but I still love him as much as I did when I was 8. Whenever I would be upset, he was always there for me. When I would cry, Pooh would wipe my eyes (I would use his hands as blotters, don't judge). When I needed a hug, Pooh was always there. I know that he will be with me for years to come. So, I love Disney, and I love Pooh--he's my favorite. And he has been a big part of my life, surprisingly. There's just a sneak peek into my life.