The Curly Girl goes Straight

I recently had my hair done (cut, color, the works!).  What I love about getting hair done is it totally freshens the way you look and feel.  Before I had blonde highlights, and for the life of me I can't remember why I thought they would look good!  This time I went all over color, a brownish red and it really brightens up my skin and looks totally great.  The best part of getting hair done is they oftentimes offer to straighten my hair! I of course accepted, and it looked AMAZING! For one day. Until I showered. Here's a picture of it all straight and pretty!

I do love my curls (high maintenance as hell - but cute) but to me there is nothing like silky straight hair. It's so easy! And shiny!

I also love my new rounded layers...I wore my hair down all day yesterday without getting the fro!

Thanksgiving

Today was long. It was stressful. It was exhausting!  BUT it was also incredibly rewarding.  More people showed up than I had originally planned, so we had a full house! 10 people, total, all squished around 2 folding tables, sitting in folding chairs and on the couch. It was so noisy that I bet our neighbors felt like coming over and telling us to STFU, but in the spirit of the holidays, they didn't :).  The Turkey was yummy...but it was a little disastrous!  The first time I flipped it (after the first hour) it was so dark already!  The second time, all of the liquid in the bottom of the pan burned off, so the pan was scorching!  But, in the end, you couldn't tell that the turkey almost burned!  Brining really does make it cook A LOT faster!  Everybody stayed hours after dinner, just drinking, telling stories and laughing.  It was actually a magical night, and it will be a wonderful memory as our first Thanksgiving as a married couple :).

Kitchen Gadgets

A little bit ago Jake and I purchased a new blender.  Well, not a new blender, but a used one that's new to us.  It's a Ninja, so it's got blades all up the inside!  Super cool, and not a bad deal at 40 bucks!  Anyways, since we've purchased said blender, we've gone smoothie crazy!  We're drinking some right now!  Plus, working at a shop that sells smoothies all the time, I've learned how to make a wicked smoothie!  My new favorite combo is strawberry/blueberry/cherry with peach nectar!  Nom nom nom

Chronicle of our Camping Trip

This weekend we went camping at Big Sur.  We decided it would be the best weekend to try because of the holiday. However, things went a little bit awry.  Big Sur has several different camping sites, and we decided on Limekiln (because they allowed walk-ins and they had showers).  Thursday I reserved the camping gear, Thursday evening we went shopping.  Friday morning I worked, and then when I got back, we packed up and went and picked up the gear at about 3:20.  We (Jake, Krystal, Andy, and myself) got everything packed into the 2 cars and we got on the road.  First we couldn't find ice for the coolers, then by the time we found ice it was already getting kind of late.  We FINALLY got on the road at about 4:50.  The gps estimated that we'd get to Limekiln by 6:05.  With traffic, and us stopping once to take pictures, we arrived at about 6:35.  I REALLY HAD TO PEE. But, the campsite was full and so we were locked out!  Now, all of the other Big Sur campsites were 45 minutes back the other way!  Somehow we had managed to pick the last one!  We found a small shop on the side of the road where I could pee, and there we re-grouped.  We decided to stop at all of the campsites on the way back, but everybody was already full!  We planned to go on home and try again the next day, but then by chance decided to stop at the very last camping ground, just to see if they had room!  And, they did! They had only a couple of spaces left, so we stopped.  By that time it was almost 8:00, and it was dark.  And cold. But, the boys found us a spot, and we set up camp.  We had to carry all of our shit quite a ways, and it was exhausting!  Also, we didn't have any firewood so it was coooooold!  It was past 9 at that point, we hadn't had any dinner, we had very little heat (just some charcoal in the pit with whatever little sticks the boys could find that weren't wet) and we were exhausted!  But, once we warmed up some stew that Andy had made and made up all the beds and stuff, it was so much more fun!  We roasted some marshmellows and went to bed! Andy read us a fairytale and we fell asleep.  In the night I heard coyotes around us twice, and it was kind of scary.  We awoke just past 7, made breakfast, and started adventuring!  We went to the river, and then to the beach, and it was awesome!  We had to cross really cold water to get to the beach, but it was worth it.  The waves were so huge, and there were cliffs and mountains around.

Since the campsite that we chose was more like a field with spots to camp in and not very secluded, we left the camp in search of a new one!  However every other single camping site was full!  So, we just came home!  Camping FAIL!

Next time, we decided to make reservations, be more organized, and execute the plan better. But, it was a beautiful drive, and it was fun while it lasted.   Here are some pictures from our trip!

October!

I just have to say - October is the best month of the whole year.  It's the quintessential fall month!  The air just smells better.  I think that it's the most magical month of the whole year, and I'm determined to enjoy it to my fullest capacity!  I'm going to miss the leaves changing in NC, and that makes me sad!  But, I still love CA!

Employed!

I finally have a job!  I never actually applied there, I just gave them my number and they hired me!  It's at a place called DLI Cafe, and it's on the Post, so it's super convenient.  I already worked my first day, and I work again Thursday.  The pay is higher than what I got at home, but the cost of living out here is higher than at home.  I'll probably only work 3-4 days a week, which is perfect because it still gives me plenty of time at home!  I actually really enjoy being home now, and I like the solitude as well.  The kitties and I play and hang out all day, and it's really wonderful.  Today I have to get a TB test for work, which I'm a little worried about.  I had it 2 years ago, and it was fast, so I think it shouldn't be too bad.

I'm going to create another facet of my blog called 'Robin Cooks' which will photo document/share recipes that I'm trying.  I have become a more adventurous cook, and keep trying and adding recipes to my repertoire.

Interview!

Yesterday I went and got/filled out 4 job applications. I just got called today by Bath and Body Works, and I've got an interview tomorrow at 3!!! This is despite working there previously, and never being called in again by them...not quite sure what happened there?  Anyways, I GOT AN INTERVIEW! WHOOO

Edit: about 45 minutes after Bath and Body Works called, Mrs. Delish's cupcakes called.  I've got an interview today at 3. WHOOOOOOOO

Time Flies!

Wow, it's already September, can you believe it?!  This year has flown by!  It's hard to believe that I started this year out in Boone, and now I'm in California.  I can honestly say that I know I made the right choice moving out here (and marrying Jake).  There is no place that I'd rather be than here with him!  He has hardly any free time out here, so trying to sustain our relationship from the other side of the country would have been almost impossible.
There's not much to report out here...I want to find a job, but it's very hard for military spouses to find work out here.  No one wants to hire someone who will be moving in the next year (even if it is an entire year until we move).  I did apply to a shop called Mrs. Delish's Cupcakes, and they called me back!  I wasn't here to pick up the call, but I called them back, and I havn't heard back since.  I really hope they call me....again.  I would love working in a cupcake shop.  If they don't call me back by the end of this week, I'll go and get a bunch of job applications from the Del Monte Center (sort of like a mall, here).  The last time we were there I saw a bunch of places were hiring, so hopefully I can find something.  We do need a little extra money, but I also just want something to do.  I get tired of doing housework, it's boring!
I never introduced our other cat, Lily.  We weren't sure if we were going to keep her, which is why I never did.  When we first got her, about a month and a half ago, she was pretty horrible.  She was mean, we couldn't touch her, she growled, hissed, and made demon noises!  Over time, she has loosened up.  She doesn't bite as much, or scratch us as much anymore.  She's even a lap cat now!  She loves laying in your lap...for as long as you let her!  Even when she no longer wants you to pet her, she still wants to sit in your lap!  She also plays fetch like a dog!  We have this small plastic bracelets that she does it with, it's pretty cute.  Here's a picture of her:

You can't really tell from the picture, but she's really fat!  She has lost some weight since being here, which I'm proud of.

This coming spring semester, I plan on going to the local community college and hopefully finishing my Associate's Degree.  Last I checked, I was only a few classes away from finishing, so I hope it doesn't take long.  Because I'm a military dependent, it should hopefully only cost me about 50 bucks!  Thanks Jake!  I want to finish my Associate's, because I still don't have a clue about what I want to do for a Bachelor's, but if I take too much time away without finishing any sort of degree, I'll probably have to take all those classes over again, which I really don't want to do!  Also, because....dun dun dun....I want to have a baby!
After Jake finishes all of his training, we are planning on having a baby.  I'd like to have one now, but it's better to wait for more stability.  Anyways, that's all for now!

It's been a while

It's been a while since I've blogged about anything...I've been avoiding it because the last post was so unhappy, and I didn't want to deal with anything unpleasant again so soon.  Instead, I will blog about what my days are like here in housewife-land.

My days start out early.  I take Jake to school (some days earlier than others).  I go back home, and fall back asleep for a few hours.  Then, I wake up, try and fill my time, I usually make some food, clean a little, and maybe watch some tv.  Then I drive back onto Post, pick Jake up, and take him back home.  I fix him lunch (usually a sandwich, salad, glass of milk and a snack), then I drop him back off on post.  Go back home, noodle around some more, pick him up from school, make dinner, clean up, etc.  I also do the laundry when it needs doing, and just tidy up in general.  There are a lot of errands that I run throughout the week.  I am deep into housewife land.  I have to say that while cleaning doesn't come naturally to me, it's not so bad.  At the same time, I know that this life will not fulfill me forever.  I am already looking into volunteer opportunities as well as some job opportunities.  I have taken up Zumba (really fun, really good workout) and I have enjoyed all the cooking that I've been doing.

Some of our stuff is getting delivered tomorrow.  I'm getting quite excited about it!  We purchased a couch a few weeks ago that got delivered last week, so now we actually have something comfortable to sit on.  Before that, we just sat on the floor, which was fine, but it really does make your back hurt after a couple of weeks.  We also bought an incredible air mattress that has totally saved my sleep life, but I'm ready to sleep on a real bed again.  Really ready.

We also have a new family member!  Her name is Twinkie.  She's a wonderful little kitty who keeps me company during the day (and night!), and while she hasn't replaced Yoyo, it's been really nice having another critter around.  She really is the cutest cat ever, and she has the funniest little personality quirks.  She is always on the wrong side of the door, and she really hates being kept out of a room!  She talks to me while I'm in the kitchen, and likes to sleep on my computer when I'm using it.  She also walks around with her tail straight up in the air - always.  We got her from the pound, and I think she's about a year old.  She's my baby.  Here's a picture of her:

she likes to sleep in a kitty-loaf!  all body parts tucked under her, even her tail.

:(

A few days ago, I made a very hard decision.  As you know, I brought Yoyo out to California with me with the hopes of a better life for him.  Once we arrived, his behavior got out of control.  He started marking the walls, pooping in the house, shredding any paper/cardboard in the house, stealing food from the counters, having extreme separation anxiety from me, and having aggression issues.  He bit Jake and Andy (our friend who's staying with us until his apartment is ready), growled/barked at Jake every morning , etc.  Our landlord called me to tell me that the dog had to stop barking.  All of the other tenants called him and complained because whenever I leave the house, Yoyo barked constantly the entire time.  All of the problems together were incredibly overwhelming.  A lot of the issues that he was having were problems that he had when he lived with Nana, but not with my Mom.  I was especially concerned about his aggression issues with men, because Jake has a lot of friends and I really didn't want anyone to get hurt, or for Yoyo to get taken by animal control.

I decided to have him put to sleep.  I was realistic about the situation.  I didn't want to continue living like that, and I knew that no one other than my dead grandmother could handle living with him and his problems long term.  I didn't want to take him to the SPCA and abandon him with strangers, that would have been devastating to him.  So, I took him to the vet today and he fell asleep in my arms for good.  He joined my grandmother, and when his ashes get back I'll spread him in the San Francisco Bay where Nana was spread.

It was incredibly difficult and I cried. A lot.  I talked to the vet about it, and when I told her about the biting (not the first time he's bitten people) she agreed that it was the right course of action.  After it happened, he looked like he was sleeping. I feel like I made the right decision, and he's in doggy heaven now.

Summer Lovin'

It's officially summertime, and it's hot as hell.  I actually believe that my version of hell would be to live in the South with no air conditioning? I don't know, I don't believe in hell, but it's just a figure of speech.  I'm currently trying to figure out all the details of my move.  I'm back in NC, which I kind of hate.  I love seeing my family again, but I really miss Jake and California.  I miss Jacob more than I miss California, but I really miss California weather!  This climate is too hot for me, it makes me want to stay indoors and sleep all day!  I was so active in CA, and since I've been home, I've been the most sluggish person in the world!  It makes me feel bad, and my body doesn't like it.  I'm excited to start walking everywhere again.  As far as our move goes, things have been all over the place.  First we thought they would ship our car, so I was flying out with the dog.  Then, we found out they weren't shipping the car, and we thought we'd have to sell the car and buy a new one out there. Then, I settled on driving across the country.  I am still not so sure about this.  It's a very long way to go, and it's expensive.  We will get most of the money back that we spend, but it's still a lot of cash to fork out at one time.  I think it will probably take me 6 days to get across the country.  The dog will ride with me...so I won't be totally alone.  If I wait until after July 11th, people could potentially come with me...but July 11th is so far away!  That's a whole month away!  I would really love to be out there by July 4th.  I want to see the fireworks with Jake (every other year that we have been together we have missed the fireworks.  I am determined to see them this year!).  But, the USAF does come and pack up our stuff, and ship it (for the low cost of 380 dollars? again, I was told this was free, but there actually is a fee - you would think that the military would be super organized, but bureaucratically they are the most disorganized organization ever!).  Currently, most of our stuff is stuffed into my tiny bedroom in my parents' house and it is hard to move around in there!  Our stuff should get to us at the end of July.  When I drive, I'll load up the trunk with more of our creature comforts.  This was such a disorganized post, but I just wanted to give everyone who checks this (all 3 people?) an update on what was going on.  It's been a month since I last posted, because I got married 1 month ago today!

Married!

It's official!  Jacob and I are now Husband and Wife!  It was the most perfect ceremony that I could ask for.  The Justice of the Peace was SO nice, and everything that she said was perfect, and there was no mention of God whatsoever.  She had us say traditional vows, and then let us say our own vows right at the very end before we kissed.  The JOP was very busy, so we didn't have time to walk down into the Riverwalk to get to the more private places, so we did it at one of the entrances (the one across from the Alamo).  We went down some steps and there was a very pretty water area with some fountain stuff, and that's where we did it.  It's actually the Wishing Well portion of it, I found out, so that seems kind of perfect :).  Since it was a public place, there were plenty of strangers.  A crowd gathered to watch us get married, and it was a little disconcerting at first, but it was nice that they shared in our moment!  At the end they all clapped for us, which was nice.  2 guys from Jake's Flight happened to walk by, so they stayed until it was over.  I think one of the guy's dads videotaped part of it, so Jake is going to try and get a copy!  They also signed as our witnesses, which we didn't need, but it didn't hurt to have them!  After we were married, we got 2 coins (quarters, obviously the best coin) and tossed them into the wishing well together.  It was perfect!  We don't really have any pictures of the wedding, maybe 3 of when it was happening, and we also don't have any pictures of us at the spot from after it's over.  We do have a ton of video from a camera, but the audio is really bad!  But, seeing it is almost as good as seeing it and hearing it...lol.  Jake's vows were the most perfect thing I have ever heard in my life.  He made them personal, and they were sweet, and he vowed to embrace my love of Harry Potter.  When I heard that, I just burst out laughing!  There's some video of it, it's pretty funny....and it was the most perfect moment ever.

Change, Change

Just so everybody knows:  California is awesome!  The family I'm living with is awesome, the babies are adorable and sweet (and at times completely overwhelming) but I'm having the time of my life, and I'm sad that come June I'll have to leave.  But!  On to a new subject:

In 3.5 hours, I will drive to the airport, board a plane, and go to San Antonio!  I'll fall asleep, wake up, and see Jake for the first time in 8.5 weeks.  That's a long time to go without your man, but I've had a pretty good time without him :P.  On Friday, at 1:45, we will be married, hopefully on the Riverwalk!  I have to write my vows.  I'm so excited.  I've never felt so happy in my life, and in some ways I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.  I'm hoping it won't!  Peace out!

Of Course

On my one day this week to sleep in, I of course wake up at 7 in the morning.  How is that right or fair?  Let me answer that - it's NOT!  Lol.

Yo-Yo the Tiny Dog

My grandmother had two dogs.  She loved them both, but Yo-Yo the tiny dog was a little bit more special to her.  Both dogs were very very naughty, because she wasn't the best doggy parent.  Not big on rules.  Anyways, after she died, Nelson found a new home, and Yo-Yo found a new home in our home.  He has to compete with 4 big dogs for affection, but he found love in myself, Sydney, and my Mom.  My evil twin (not really, just my little sister who is such a TEENAGER) hates Yo-Yo.  She hates small dogs, and hated him as soon as he came in the house!  He did have bad habits then (peeing in the house, being kind of aggressive, barking a lot) but he's gotten a lot better about all of the bad habits (and is completely housebroken).  Evil Twin continues to exacerbate the poor dog, and purposefully antagonizes him!  What a meanie!  So, it has been decided that Yo-Yo the tiny dog should come and live with me!  And, since Jake is a SAINT, that is what is happening :).  When we get a house or apartment, tiny dog will come fly out and live with us in the great state of California.  Yay!  I had kind of dreamed of getting our own pet, one that we picked out ourselves, but Yo-Yo was so special to my grandmother, and my grandmother was so special to me, that I don't mind keeping her doggy around.  Plus, he actually is incredibly sweet and loving and cuddly.  Can't complain about that!  Here's some pictures of him (he's so darn cute!):

Snoozing on the couch!

In his 4th of July bandana, before heading to the Eno Festival

 Sleeping with Jake!  Aw!

In his bomber jacket...oh for crying out loud, he's so darn cute!

Now, I did make it seem like it was all because of Anna that he's coming to live with us, but actually it's not.  With all of the big dogs around, there's a lot of competition and stuff, and he really wants to be Alpha, but is at the bottom of the totem pole!  So, we think that it will really be best for him if he's the only dog again, like he was before Nana got Nelson.  Did I mention how saintly Jake was?  He's not Yo-Yo's biggest fan, but he knows how important it is to me!  He's a good man.

WEST COAST

I have successfully made it to the west coast of the United States!  I woke up in North Carolina, and I fell asleep in California!  My mind can't seem to wrap around the idea that I'm all the way on the other side of the country!  Almost as far away as I could be in the continental U.S.!  I flew into San Francisco, but the family I work for is actually in San Jose.  It's only like, an hour away.  My first flight was wonderful.  Marvelous!  I was nervous the night before about all the flying, especially by myself, but it turned out to be okay!  I bought a water bottle and a small thing of drammamine before the flight at RDU and it cost 11 DOLLARS!  So overpriced and crazy!  I took the drammamine and it worked perfectly.  I got a window seat, and there was no one in the middle seat.  It was very quiet, very relaxing, and almost therapeutic.  I listened to the music they provided and read my cheesy romance novel...drank some coffee. We landed at O'Hare, and I was all agog.  It was an enormous airport!  They have this awesome underground passageway connecting one side of the airport with the other, and there's lights all over the place, really cool colored lights on the sides, and on the ceiling!  I just stood back and stared for 5 minutes like the country bumpkin that I am!  I had an hour to spare once I got to my gate, and I got pretty bored.  I got antsy!  So, I was already antsy when I got on my plane to San Fran.  It felt like the longest flight of my life!  The first 2 hours went fast, but the second 2.5 hours went by like MOLASSES.  So slow!  I got super antsy and I couldn't wait to get on the ground and get off of the plane.  The several screaming children probably didn't help!  We finally landed, and I finally got to my new home in San Jose!  My impression of San Jose:

It's very sunny!  As opposed to the lush green landscape of NC, everything seems sort of brown and sparse!  There's mountains, but they aren't like the Blue Ridge mountains...they're different.  The air is very, very dry, and my nose can already tell the difference! Did I mention that it was sunny?  

OMG SO TIRED!  MUST SLEEP

Wedding Registry

Recently, some people have been asking me if I have a wedding registry.  I didn't at the time, and was told to make one!  So, I have registered at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  I put a lot of stuff on there, and it was really overwhelming!! But, it's all stuff that I want/need, so the idea of getting any of the things on there is pretty exciting!  I did feel kind of bad putting some expensive stuff on there, but Claire told me that there was no harm it putting it on there.  So, if anybody who reads this blog actually checks the registry, please don't judge for the Le Creuset Round French Oven!

School's DONE!

So.  I have been so busy these past 2 weeks that I have completely forgotten about blogging!  There has been a lot of driving back and forth between Boone and Durham (for Easter, after the zoo, stuff like that).  I am happy to say that I am in Durham for good!  Well, for the next 2 days, anyways.  On Friday I will fly out to San Jose to be a nanny for this family (a friend of a friend).  I am very excited, because it will be my first time seeing the west coast, and what better way to see a new place than to live there?  I will be in CA for a month, and I'll fly back early June.

Today I turned in my last paper, and I took my last exam.  I am done with school for the foreseeable future.  It is a little scary, because I've never not been in school before, but I in no way regret my decision to take some time off.  I will miss App State, because I really did like that school!  It's my favorite of the 3 that I've been to.  But, my therapist has taught me that it doesn't really matter which school you go to...as long as you are happy on the inside and feel complete with your personal self, the school that you're at doesn't matter.  So, I know that I'll find my way to a school again someday, when I have a better idea of what direction will be the best fit for me.  I think that finishing my degree is important, but for right now, discovering the things that I enjoy and the things that I am interested in is more important.  How can I make a decision about my career if I don't even know what I like?  I can't. Bingo.

For those of you who don't know, Jacob and I are officially engaged.  Even though we were already planning on getting married this summer, he proposed via hangman puzzle.  I thought it was very original and I loved it.  He still wants to get down on one knee at some point the next time we meet, but I count the hangman puzzle as legitimate.  My ring is the same ring that I've had for almost a year (he gave it to me last summer as a promise ring, because he thought that I'd say no if he proposed!) but I have had it sized down to fit better, and it was dipped in a metal to keep it from tarnishing...it's beautiful!  It looks like new.  Here's a picture of it:

We are getting married on May 20th, during his graduation weekend.  I am going to start looking for apartments soon for us, because he'd like me to move out there as soon as possible.  Yay!

So, even though right now my life currently has no direction, in 3 weeks I will become Mrs. Gray, and I will reach the pinnacle of: HOUSEWIFE!  With health insurance, a home, and a loving husband.  My job will become helping him with everything that he needs so that he can continue to provide for us.  I'll help him study his butt off so that he can become fluent in a foreign language, and we can go live in Alaska or something (actually a legitimate possibility).

I might try and get situated in California before posting again, so for now, adieu!

Cranky face

This week my throat has started to hurt...this morning I woke up and it felt much worse.  I decided to not go to class and sleep more, and see if that helped.  (sometimes that helps when I'm not feeling well).  It didn't!  My throat feels raw, and when I tried to eat breakfast, it kind of hurt going down.  Just settled on a banana, kind of slippery...still hurt!

Luckily, my mind has not been affected (although I do have a slight headache), so I've been able to get some projects done for school.  The diet project for Nutrition is really fun, I'm learning about my diet and what I need.  Turns out I only really need about 2200 calories a day, not 2400, which was my average.  Anywho, I did part 3, still need to do part 4 (a short paper evaluating my diet and what I've learned).  I still need to write my 3 page paper for Philosophy, and there's also a short project in Nutrition about the elderly's diet.  That's what I'm working on currently, shouldn't take too long.  All of this stuff is due on Friday, but I'm not freaking out!  I know I can get it done :)

My appetite is gone. : /

Plants, plants, plants!

After my Nana died, we split up a lot of her plants.  Man, she had like, a million plants.  She especially loved orchids.  Now, I have 1 parsley aralia, 2 regular orchids, and 1 hanging orchid.  I brought the parsley aralia and one of the orchids up to my apartment with me when I moved, but I left the other 2 orchids at my parent's house.  The last time I was there, I noticed that they were NOT happy, so I brought them up with me!  Today I repotted one, and I tended to the other one...

First, here are some pictures of my lovely, lovely orchid blossoms!

Aren't they pretty!  You can see the buds in the background, but here's a close up of what they look like:

Grainy, I know, but my camera refused to focus on them!

Today I repotted (for the first time, ever) the other orchid that I've got.  It suffered some neglect at the other house (getting knocked out of it's pot by a dog, not getting watered regularly, etc) and it did not look pretty.

Before:

That last picture is upside down, but I can't fix it.  Poor thing was falling out of it's little planter, it wouldn't stay in!  So, I got it a bigger one, and some new orchid potting soil!

After:

 In the new, bigger, planter

In it's pot!  It looks happier, I think.

Also, I got a new bucket (the one I bought last week was defective!) to water the hanging orchid in.  Hanging orchids are different, they need to be submerged in water about once a week instead of being watered from above. My new bucket:

It works well!  Before I watered my orchid, I trimmed all of the dead pieces off of it, because I didn't see the point of keeping them.  It looked pretty raggedy...

Before:

 After:

This is after I watered it...I let it sit on the tray for a few minutes to catch any excess water that would drip out.

Then, I hung them both up again!

It looks dark in the bathroom, but it's actually not!  It was just raining outside at this point...

Oh, I also bought a spray bottle so I can spray them, so they'll have a bit more humidity.  

I love them, they're so fun!

Knitting Club!

The knitting club accepted me into their group, and tonight I'm going to their meeting!  It's at the student union, 6:45...I'm glad that all parking is free on campus after 5, now all I have to do is figure out where to park! I'm pretty excited, because even though it's a knitting club, they also do crocheting, which is what I like to do!

My throat is starting to get sore.  I am not okay with this.

Project Two: Coq Au Vin

I decided to make one of my favorite things to order from Rue Cler at home: Coq Au Vin.  Chicken in wine.  It's a sort of stew made from chicken stewed in red wine, carrots, onions, garlic, and potatoes.  The recipe I used had bacon in it as well, although next time I think I'll leave it out.

I started out doing something I'd never done before...buying a whole fryer, and then cutting it into the various chicken pieces myself.  I watched a video online, and thought: "I can do this, it looks easy!" OKAY. It is not as easy as it looks!  My chicken was very juicy, even after I dried it off, so chicken juice got everywhere, it was slippery, I couldn't find the joints where I could cut the pieces off the carcass.  Next time, I think I'll just buy a whole chicken that has already been cut apart.  Much simpler, much cleaner, much better!!   Here's a picture of the poor chicken after I was done...poor thing looks like it's been mangled!

Still, I did something new, and now I can say that I've done it!  Plus, now I'm a real woman!

Back to the prep:

There was a lot of chopping of carrots, onions, and garlic:

I fried up the bacon, then cooked up the chicken in the bacon fat.

 This is the chicken pieces in the bowl

 Some of the chicken cooked, in the pan

The rest of the chicken cooking...

Then I cooked the carrot, onion, garlic mixture in the pot...

 Then added the potatoes...

Had to keep the chicken warm!

Added the potato/carrot/garlic/onion mixture to the pan...

Then cooked the wine up a bit with some salt...

Poured the wine over the chicken stuff...

Covered it with Aluminum foil, and let it simmer for an hour and a half!

An hour and a half later...

YUM!  The chicken was falling off the bone!

My Coq Au Vin in my bowl...so good!

It was absolutely delicious.  Everything was so tender and flavorful!  I didn't have a casserole dish big enough to fit all the chicken and veggies and wine...I had to use a pan instead.  Next time I will definitely do a casserole dish, instead of a pan.  I think it will help if the chicken is completely surrounded by the wine, instead of just on the bottom half of the chicken.  STILL GOOD, REGARDLESS!

Project One: Zucchini Muffins

I have a problem eating breakfast in the mornings...I'm never hungry that early! I'm trying to make yummy things for breakfast that are quick, but still substantial.  Enter zucchini muffins! They were really easy and fast!

Ingredients:

It was so easy, you just mix the dry ingredients together, the wet ingredients together, then the wet into the dry!

Finished product:

They went for just a little bit too long...I'm thinking maybe 3 minutes or so? They sat in the pan for 10 minutes to cool down.

Here they are out of the pan:

They're a little overdone, but not too bad! I tasted one, they're pretty good! They're not very flavorful, or very sweet. I think that maybe next time I would add more cinnamon, a little nutmeg, and maybe some cloves, as well as a bit more sugar.  They do taste delicious with a bit of butter or cream cheese!

Healthy Breakfast!

Exploring my Interests

In the interest of becoming a more well rounded individual, who is a whole person, and not just a half, I am going to start using my free time to really start doing things I like.  Today, it's cooking! I am going to make zucchini muffins, and then for dinner, I'm making Coq Au Vin!  It's one of my favorite dishes, and it's my very first time cooking with a whole fryer, as opposed to just chicken breasts or thighs.

I brought one of the hanging orchids up to my apartment with me yesterday.  It is VERY unhappy, and I think maybe dying. I am going to try and nurse it back to life.  I really never thought growing plants could be so rewarding, but waiting for my other orchid to bloom is thrilling!  Every day I go in, and I see that the buds have gotten bigger, and more purple! I can't wait until it actually blooms! I may have to start looking into growing plants, because I am really enjoying this experience! I don't want to go quite as crazy as my Nana did, the plants took over her house. BUT I do want a couple more, and I can see how this would quickly snowball out of control for me!

The Appalachian knitting club added me to their roster, so next Monday I will go to my first meeting! They actually crochet as well, which is what I like to do, so I'm going to start another project!  You have to donate something to them at the end, so I think I'll make another scarf.  I think a blanket would take too long...

I also want to start cross-stitching.  My mother made me the best Stocking in the world as a child, it's so unique!  I'm going to make Jake one, now that I have free time and I want to be crafty! Plus, my mom made my stocking backwards, so it hangs in the opposite direction of everyone else's...I'm going to make Jake's backwards as well.  That way, my stocking won't be the odd one out anymore! I remember watching my stepmom Robin cross-stitch at night, and I was totally enthralled with it then, so I think I'm going to enjoy it...

Later I will post pictures of my coq au vin cooking experience. I hope it's successful...

My first true all nighter

It is now 5:20 in the morning.  I have not slept all night.  I tried and tried to go to sleep.  The things that usually work (reading, turning the light on, listening to soothing music, controlling my breathing, etc.) did not work.  I had a conversation with my Dad last night that definitely made me anxious, and I'm almost positive that's the cause of this sleepless night.  I feel very tired, but I know if I fall asleep now, there is absolutely no way that I will be able to get up to go to my classes.  I know this can't be healthy.  I feel like my attention span is that of a gnat right now, and I feel very bored...waiting around to sleep for hours and hours and hours.  I still feel anxious, though not as much, but I'm still biting my nails, which I never do.  For some reason, when I know that others disapprove of my actions, or my impending actions, it makes me start second-guessing myself.  I know that filling my night with anxiety was not what my father intended...he was just trying to tell me things that he thought I should think about.  But, the things that he thought I should think about all sort of centered on me and Jake breaking up, and it seemed to insinuate that we would eventually break up, and when we do, I'm going to have realized that I just made the biggest mistake of my entire life.  It's a scary thing to hear from your Dad. What I don't understand is how you ever know 100% that the thing you are doing is the right thing.  You can't, can you?  Is it feeling right enough to know that it's the right thing?  Jake is my best friend, the person who matters most to me in this world, and the person who makes me the happiest.  Is my age enough to prove that I am making the wrong decision?  Is me feeling like it's the right decision to make me happy not enough?

If I don't want to dwell on all the terrible things that could happen in my life, am I being irresponsible or immature? I'm letting fear of what could happen cripple my decision making.  I don't want my life to be defined by my, or other people's fears. Right now I feel like that is what is happening.  I'm getting what I want all confused with all the potential disasters of life, and man it is getting convoluted.  All I know is: I want to be where Jake is.  Is that so wrong? With all of the changes in my life..changes in schools and in deciding what my career should be, Jake has been the constant, my rock in the storm, or whatever that cliche phrase is.  Does being indecisive about my career in this life disqualify me from being able to decide who makes me happy? NO! I don't think so! Man, this lack of sleep is really not helping.

The first call

Tonight I got Jake's first real call from BMT.  I miss him terribly, and the good news is that he's never missed me more! He said that he can't wait to see me again...he also said that if he could he'd marry me today!  Talking to him made me miss him more, especially since I don't know the next time we'll be able to speak.  He hasn't had any time to write letters, so I really don't know the next time I'll hear from him at all.  But, I'm looking forward to finding a job, and volunteering somewhere! I'm hoping these next few months will fly by.

Lackland stole my man!

I miss Jake so bad that it hurts! I have a countdown to when we can see each other again...56 days! He's so intertwined in my life that everywhere I go, everything I do, I think of him! Things remind me of him, etc. etc. I'm going to make a paper chain for how long he'll be gone.  I'm excited about that.  Crafting is a good way to spend time when you miss somebody.  I'm also going to make his favorite cookies.  I'm going to eat the cookies, craft, and watch a movie all at the same time and it sounds like a blast to me.  Trying to not wallow and feel sad.

Day 1- 59 to go

This morning I went to the Raleigh MPS office to watch Jake get sworn in.  I got there at about 8:40, and got to hang out with Jake for about an hour!  It was so nice to see him again after dropping him off at the hotel last night, which was sad.  At a bit before 10, all of the "shippers" (people who are shipping out today) went into this mysterious room where they stayed for 2 and a half hours.  Yes, this means that I too stayed for another 2 and a half hours, waiting for him to come out, or get sworn in, or something!  It was very very boring.  There were fluorescent lights everywhere, and the chairs were very uncomfortable.  But, eventually we did get to watch them get sworn in, and it was so nice to be there and support him during it, even though he probably could have cared less if I was there or not!

After the swearing in ceremony, we got to take pictures in the fancy room where they did it (the last pictures of Jake with hair!).  Immediately afterwards, they had to go back to the mysterious briefing room again, for what seemed like an eternity, but was probably 15 minutes.  Then they emerged and were rushed out to their vans waiting to take them to the airport. I got to say a quick goodbye, but it felt rushed.  I wanted to hurry so that the scary lady in charge wouldn't yell at me! Jake was definitely excited at the very end, so I'm really happy about it for him!  He's called me from the airport a couple of times to say hello, and he'll call me when he touches down in San Antonio, and that will be the last time we talk until he calls me from Lackland AFB to tell me what his mailing address is.

It's been a really big day, but I've been handling it super well.  I only cried a tiny little bit, and I'm staying at Claire's again tonight.  Since I never stay here, it's been a really good distraction, and I know that as soon as I go home, or go to Jake's house, or head back to Boone the real loneliness will kick in, and I'll start feeling sad, but for now, I feel okay :)

Lab Report

Let me just say this: LAB REPORTS CAN GO TO HELL.

the end.

Breakthrough

I have finally had a breakthrough in what I want to do with my life! I have been thinking and thinking recently about what I should major in, what I like, what I want out of my life.  It has all been very confusing, and since I have been so focused on the nursing, and getting into nursing school, I havn't paid much attention at all to what I actually LIKE.  I've just been putting up with all the science (which I don't like) to get into nursing school!  Anyways, back to my breakthrough.  Today I was watching 19 Kids and Counting (a truly fascinating show), and one of the girls, Jill, was studying to be a midwife.  I became so jealous of her and realized how much I still want to be involved with pregnant women, and with birth.

I started doing some research online, and found information on being a Doula.  They are active birth coaches, and work for midwives, and they still get paid (although not nearly as much as the midwife).  I don't think that being a Doula alone will be enough money, but I have always been interested in massage.  I want to go to massage therapy school, become a massage therapist, and incorporate being a Doula with being a massage therapist!  Perhaps I could work as a massage therapist, and then be a Doula on the side, or something.  I would really like to specialize in prenatal massage, I think that would be amazing!

After all of the confusion and wondering, it feels really good to sort of realize what it is that I really am interested in, and am drawn to.  I have looked into massage therapy before, and pairing it with pregnant women feels right! I feel happy.

Midwest Bound

Tomorrow we are flying to Indiana for spring break.  I am very excited.  I am leaving immediately after the Microbiology test, and driving straight home.  I still need to pack.

On a slightly different note, I hate Microbiology with a burning passion.  It's stressful, there is a bunch of crap to learn - that I don't give a rat's ass about, and it's got the longest lab in the history of the world.  I don't feel prepared for my test (I didn't last time, either) and it's got my mind up a tree.

March March March March

Today is the first day of March.  This is the month that my Jake is leaving, and as happy as I am for him, I am also so sad!  I don't want him to leave, I want to keep him with me!  I am getting excited about writing letters again, I wrote one the other day to try and get my hand used to it again.  I also bought stamps for the first time from the post office, and I got these really really pretty ones!  They're pansies, and they say LOVE on them.  

I really love them.  They make me want to send letters every day, which I will be doing, starting in exactly 3 weeks.  

Spring Break is next week, but I'm leaving this Thursday after my Microbiology exam.  I can hardly stand it...I am so tired of school!  Spring semester always feels like it drags on for forever!

On a different note...either the dryer or perhaps the Borrowers are taking my socks.  I have lost almost all of them, and I used to have a ton.  Do dryers eat socks?  How is it possible for them to get lost in between going into the washer and coming out of the dryer?  Is there some sort of conspiracy theory?  Either way, I need more socks.  

California Dreamin'

How crazy is it that I want to go to school in California so I can be with Jake while he's in Tech school? Living in Monterey would be amazing.  I can't help but think that I probably won't get much support backing me up on this crazy scheme....but I can't help but try and figure out a way that I could manage to do it.  It will most likely all come to nothing.

Master of Avoidance.

Well, I have been avoiding blogging for what feels like forever.  If I am writing my thoughts down, then it feels like I should be honest, and I've just been wanting to avoid all of my thoughts recently.

I had a change of heart. A self-realization.  We think that we can do anything, grow up to be anything that we want, and sometimes that is just not reality.  I cannot grow up to be whatever I want.  I have limitations.  Figuring that out is kind of unnerving.  As children, the philosophy that we can do whatever we want with our lives is ground into us, it's a truth spoken by every adult.  They don't tell you that sometimes you have crazy neuroses that make some paths impossible. Apparently I come by those neuroses honestly.  My grandmother that I didn't know suffered from many of these crazy afflictions...I seem to have inherited some.  While I don't want it to inhibit my life like they did hers, I understand how it would be really easy to just slip into living my life like that.

So, now, the girl who loves having a plan and a path is plan-less. path-less. I don't know what I want to do with my life and that is really unnerving!  I feel like I've lost myself and that I'm drifting, but that's so hard to imagine, because I've always felt like I've known exactly who I am.  Everything feels so overwhelming. I find myself having trouble caring about things that I usually do (like school).  I know that I need to make a call to the therapy people at school, and have someone help me work it out, but I keep putting it off.  Whenever I think about school, I think, what's the point?  What if I decide that I want to be something, and then just change my mind again? What then?

I feel confused.  People keep telling me that school is for learning and having fun, but for me it is the means to an end.  I am using school as a stepping stone to get to my career.  If I don't know the end, how do I deal with the means?

Paper Chains

I think that probably the only people who read this blog (if anyone does) are the people who already know me.  For the people who already know me, this goes without saying, but I will say it anyways.  I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO INTEREST IN THE SUPER BOWL. I really don't understand organized sports in general, especially since it always seems to surround people trying to get a ball, of all things.  It just seems silly.  Anyways, it's a good thing that I have no interest in the Super Bowl, because it means that I can get other things done while the rest of the country has had to plan their weekend accordingly, knowing that they will have to block out most of Sunday night. I studied for my first Nutrition exam, which is tomorrow morning, and I also spent time studying a little bit for Microbiology (in which I have an exam on Tuesday morning).  It feels good to be productive. I also did something else (which is way more fun)....

You all should really know something about me...I rock at paper chains!  I have been making paper chains for as long as I can remember.  Every time I got excited about something, be it Christmas, my birthday, a party, or Easter, I would make a paper chain to count down to it.  I would color code my chains to signify a holiday (red and green for christmas, pastels for easter, etc.) and it was totally awesome.  Occasionally I still whip out a paper chain if I'm feeling good about something.  Tonight I made a paper chain counting down to the end of the semester! 4 weeks down, 12 to go. 

This is a picture of my fabulous paper chain, made with sparkly, shiny turquoise and lavender paper.  It's beautiful!  I know the colors are hard to see on the picture, but it totally looks rad. The colors are nice and springy, just like I hope the weather will be (and soon). 

It's been kind of a stressful time for me, since I decided that the Nursing won't be for me.  I still love pregnant women, and would still like to be involved in birth (maybe as a Doula?). Anywho, I am the type of person who LOVES  a plan, and it's been stressful not having one! The paper chain therapy works.  Crafting is a big stress reliever. 

New Outlook

     This weekend, in a word, was horrible.  I was drowning in a pool of self-pity.  I had been sick for days, and felt completely isolated from the world.  I felt so so lonely.  There were many tears, and a lot of moping.  As I'm sure my mother would attest, when I get into that mode, it is hard to get me out of it!  I felt so horrible, I'm not sure I would have gotten anything done, the entire weekend.  My roommate Jennifer's fiance, Seth, came over on Friday to spend the weekend.  It made me miss Jake so badly! So, I decided to take control of my life, and I drove to Durham.  I didn't tell Jake I was coming, I just showed up on his doorstep with a handful of balloons (to celebrate his birthday).  It was awesome!  I ended up leaving this morning at about 5:30, and got here 45 minutes early for class!  It was the best weekend, I actually got stuff that I needed to done, and I would do it again.  It was so nice driving back this morning!  Watching the sky light up as the sun rose, it was so relaxing.  Going to Durham this weekend was the best thing I could have done...instead of moping the entire weekend, I felt happy and productive!  A completely new outlook this week!
  
     I get a lot of comments like "well I hope you're not planning on driving back every weekend" and "I hope that you can stay focused being away from Jake."  These comments are ridiculous!  Of course I am not planning on driving back every weekend!  It is hard being away from Jake.  We have spent every day together, almost, for the past year.  We speak every day, and we spend a lot of time together.  It is awfully hard to quit cold turkey.  I understand that it will happen when he leaves for boot camp, but as for now, if I have the ability to see him, and I want to...then I don't see the problem with that.  What would YOU do?  And yes, it is quite distracting being away from him...but that's not going to stop me from going to school, and there's nothing to be done about it.  I should not have to feel defensive about being with someone who makes me feel happy, and who genuinely loves me.  Yet, I do, because I do get the sense that there is some disapproval...especially when it comes to me coming home to see him.  Again, if someone was in my position, what would they do differently?

     ANYWAYS!  Glad to be back in class. I was almost giddy this morning...strange because I don't like school in some ways, but in others, I do.  It's nice to be back.

Wii Love

Jake let me take his wii to college.  He's leaving in less than 2 months, and he never used it anymore, so it wasn't a huge inconvenience to him.  Which makes me very happy, because now I can stream Netflix to my t.v! That makes me feel like I'm getting my moneys' worth!  I like nothing better than getting my moneys worth.

Since I have been sick and bed-bound, and am still sick, and bed-bound, this is a great improvement.  I am currently watching Notting Hill, which I had seen a few years back and not really liked it all that much.  But since I love Hugh Grant SO much, I decided to give it another try.  So far, it's okay, but I'm not too impressed with Julia Roberts' performance.  But I am loving that I can stream a movie that I don't own onto my very own television.  I can't stay in bed all day, since I do need to do some more of my practice book for the TEAS test (test of essential academic skills) which I am taking next Thursday. I also need to finish my copious amounts of STAT homework.  I honestly don't know how some people major in that stuff.

The Food Network

When I watch the food network, I get all these images of myself as a food star.  I imagine myself in a kitchen, cooking awesome food and having people watch me on television. Alas, I certainly am no food star.  I could go to school to learn how to be a chef...but that doesn't really seem like something I want to do.  I still keep an inner stream of dialogue up while I'm cooking, pretending that I know what I'm doing.  I think that's probably good enough for me.

Sick...AGAIN

I started feeling sick on Monday night.  Not unusual, I tend to feel sick on a regular basis, thanks to the combination of my thyroid disease and fibromyalgia mixed with some weird food intolerances.  Unfortunately, it only got worse as the week went on, and so I reluctantly went to the doctor today.  Turns out I've got Bronchitis and have to be put on antibiotics (which I don't mind at all! I want to be better, it's just kind of a pain).  I have the worst immune system ever.  Let me repeat: I HAVE THE WORST IMMUNE SYSTEM EVER! Everything that comes around, I get it! This is most displeasing.

I'm also the worst whiner in the world.

pity party!