Friday, February 29, 2008

SPRING break?!?!

It's raining and cold... some spring break huh?!?! LOL!

Well... here I am at home!!! SPRING BREAK!!! WAHOOO!!!!

After class was over today I headed home. I stopped in Fairmont to visit Matt. We went to lunch at Cracker Barrel and I hung out with him until he had to go to work.

Then I came home and unpacked... My mom came home and wanted to go to Bob Evans. So I went out with her. On the way home I rented 2 movies... and here I sit... a typical Katy Friday night..

Watching romantic comedies... alone. LOL!

Matt is at poker night with the boys... my parents are at church... this is what happens when I come home!!!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS?!?!??!?!?!!?! LOL!

So I just finished watching Becoming Jane.. which was fabulous! and now it's on to the newly released "No Reservations".

I've also been looking up weight watcher dessert recipes. I'm pretty anxious to bake something good this week while I'm at home to take advantage of having an oven and a kitchen!!! :-)

I think I might make this...

Brownies


POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 24
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
These rich, cakelike brownies, made with applesauce instead of oil will make you scream, "I can't believe I'm on a diet!"

Ingredients

  • 1 package regular brownies, dry mix, about 21 1/2 oz
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 4 large egg white(s)
  • 1/4 cup walnut halves, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, or 2 oz
  • 8 medium marshmallow(s), chopped or 1 cup mini marshmallows

Instructions

  • Coat a 9- x 13-inch pan with cooking spray; set aside.

  • Prepare brownie mixture according to package directions for lower fat brownies using 1/4 cup water, applesauce and egg whites. Pour into prepared pan.

  • Sprinkle walnuts over top of brownies; bake according to package directions. Remove from oven about 5 minutes before the end of the baking time, and toss chocolate chips and marshmallows over top; cook 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and cool brownies on a wire rack. Cut into 24 pieces; serve.


OR..... THIS....


Chocolate Souffle


POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Level of Difficulty: Difficult
This quintessential favorite is easily lightened up by relying on lower-fat ingredients like fat-free half-and-half and fewer egg yolks.

Ingredients

  • 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour, divided
  • 6 large egg white(s)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp light butter
  • 4 fl oz fat-free creamer
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 large egg yolk(s)

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 375°F. Coat a 2-quart soufflĂ© pan with cooking spray; coat with 2 tablespoons flour.

  • With mixer on medium, beat whites until very soft peaks form; slowly add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated and eggs are stiff and glossy.

  • In a small pot over medium heat melt butter; whisk in remaining flour to combine. Slowly whisk in half-and-half until smooth. Remove from heat; slowly whisk in cocoa and yolks. Spoon into large bowl.

  • In three additions fold whites into chocolate mixture. Pour into soufflĂ© pan. Bake until evenly risen and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 minutes. Yields 1 cup per serving.



I'm sure watching this movie is going to make me want to get up and bake right now.. possibly quit nursing school and start my own coffee shop/ bakery.

That sounds fabulous!!!! LOL!

Maybe I should stick with Nursing School huh?! However, I was watching Oprah the other day and she was talking to women who were going through their "mid-life crisis". Well... these women all quit their jobs that were making them unhappy and opened flower shops, and coffee shops, and chocolate shops. As much as all that sounds great. I think I will stick with nursing school and save that for my "mid life crisis".

Okay... I'm off to watch No Reservations. I'll let you know how it is later!

:-)

Monday, February 25, 2008

Rejoice in the Lord always.... even when you fail a test....

WAHOO!!!! This weekend was GREAT!!! NO SNOW!!!! :-)

Friday night Matt came down and we ordered chinese food... relaxed and watched The Breakfast Club and Before Sunrise.
It was good to just be able to relax and enjoy life... take a breather.

Then Saturday was the Girls Of Grace conference at Buckhannon Alliance. It went REALLY well.. All the speakers were GREAT and Point of Grace's message was amazing. I really pray that the teenage girls across America that saw it and at Buckhannon Alliance were truly blessed by it. I hope God spoke to their hearts and that they will be changed by it.

After the conference the other girls that emceed and I went to Robin's house (she was the director of the conference) and we got in the hot tub and her husband and son made us dinner. The hot tub felt AMAZING... just to relax. Well... I must have stayed in a LITTLE too long.... (this gets embarrassing...) So.... I started feeling really light headed when I got out. I sat down in the chair and put my head between my legs. ( I used to pass out a lot when I was younger so I have learned to recognize the feeling and know to sit down and put my head down). Well.. the next thing I remember is laying on the floor looking up at everyone standing around me... YES... I passed out at their house. I hit my head on something and now I have a nice little mark on my forehead. It almost looks like a rug burn.... embarrassing?!?! Most definitely!

So... Sunday I went to Fairmont to Matt's church and to visit with him and his family all day. It was great. We went to church, went back to his house and relaxed. Played Marble Mania on the WII and some Guitar Hero III. Relaxed and watched Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. (We'd both never seen these classic movies... so that's what we did this weekend... the Breakfast Club, Before Sunrise and Hitchhiker's Guide.) All of them were pretty good!

And today... just another manic monday! So began another week of nursing school... back to the grind once again after a relaxing weekend. I just have to make it through this week then I have Spring Break for a week the 1st through the 9th. I will still have a lot to do over break... but at least I can do it during the day and have fun at night. I really need to stop getting so stressed out. It is taking a toll on me... but it just so hard. Everyone in my class and program are right there with me. I know I am not the only one dealing with the stress.. and I just think of all the people in Med School who have it harder than I do... and I honestly do not know HOW they do it. I know we as nurses have to know almost just as much as they do... different areas but just as hard of stuff I feel like... ( I won't get into this battle right now). I just need to take life day by day and rejoice in the Lord everyday. This is such a hard thing to do when I am constantly going non-stop and finding out more and more things throughout the day that I have to accomplish. I know 3 years seems like a short time in the whole aspect of life... but it sure feels like a lifetime right now. I just want to enjoy it and learn and have fun... but the stress is getting to me and most of the girls in my class.
I just keep praying this prayer....
God, I just pray for strength in this time of my life. Give me your strength and let me rejoice in you everyday. Let me wake up every morning and be THANKFUL for the day and look forward to learning what you have set before me and called on my life. Thank You for always being there, even in my times of struggle. You are an awesome God.

Okay... Back to work!!

Thursday, February 21, 2008

sNOw!!!

I AM SO TIRED OF SNOW!!!!!

The campus chapel... with snow...

Every time I have plans... it SNOWS! Well... not EVERY TIME.. but sometimes! And every time it does it makes me sad!

I have been excited about this weekend all week long! Friday night Matt was gonna come visit me and we're gonna get food and watch a bunch of older movies... then Saturday I have the Girls of Grace conference at my church here in Buckhannon. I am helping lead it and kind of emceeing it I suppose with a few other girls. We're expecting about 150 teenage girls to be there! I really pray that God touches the girls' hearts and that they are blessed by it. I hope that if there are struggling girls there that they would talk to us or just be blessed by the music and the speakers.

Saturday night after the conference I was planning on going home to visit my cousin and her husband that are coming into town from Erie, PA. I haven't seen them in a really long time it seems! But... if it's snowing they won't get to come and I won't get to drive home!

Sunday I was planning on visiting with Matt's family... BUT... if it's SNOWING (like it's supposed to ALLLLL WEEKEND!!!!) I won't get to go.

BOOOOO FOR SNOW!!!!!!

LOL! Potentially a very good weekend... let's hope the snow doesn't keep me in my dorm room watching movies alone this weekend. HAHAHA!

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Home Sweet Home!

*huge sigh of relief*

I am at home this weekend and man does it feel good
!

Last week was kind of crazy and hectic. I felt like I went non-stop all week! I had a test on Friday that I studied for all week on top of all the oth
er work I had.

Needless to say... it feels good to be home. I am glad to be away from school for a few days. I love it there... but sometimes it feels so great to come home.

Last night Matt and I celebrated Valentine's Day. :-) We went to Olive Garden and watched....Matt bought me the DVD and the Soundtrack!


I absolutely LOVE this movie. (matt's not so much a fan..... but he still watched it with me for the second time! he's such a trooper! :-) )

Today... I got some stuff done that I needed to do. It's been kind of a busy day. I got to hang out with my mom though, and that was great. I took some resumes to some doctor's offices around town, and doing something that I DREAD doing EVERY YEAR!!! That is.... filling out the DREADED, EVIL FAFSA! Did I mention that I absolutely HATE filling that thing out?!?! Such a PAIN!!! UGH!!! Glad I have my mom to help me do that stuff right now.. I don't know what I am going to do when I am in the real world and have to deal with finances and things of that nature all by myself. I am hoping as long as I clean and do all the housework stuff... that Matt will take care of the financial stuff. HAHA! Just kidding...

Tonight my mom made one of my FAVORITE meals. The smell that lingered through the house reminded me of when I was little when she would make it. (sorry for the cheesiness..) She made roast, carrots and potatoes. MMMMMMMMMM!!!!! :-) LOVE IT!!!

We are also babysitting my baby niece right now. She is napping.. otherwise I would not be BLOGGING! LOL! She is so cute! I love her sooooo much!!!

Now.. I am going to do some homework while she naps. I may try to convince my mom to watch Across The Universe with me later tonight. HAHA!



Thursday, February 14, 2008

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Bill and Mandy's Wedding Summer '07
Love is amazing. :-)

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

"Be devoted to one in another in love" Romans 12:10




Sunday, February 3, 2008

Window Shopping... or should I say PC Shopping?!?!

So I have been doing some online window shopping this evening... I just thought I would post some cool things I've come across that tickle my fancy. HEHE!

Number 1.This rug is from urbanoutfitters.com. I love it! It would look so cute with my comforter and black and white room at home! :-)

Number 2.
My new blogger pal Ashley Forrette
got these cute moccasins and I LOVE THEM! I used to have a pair like these but I wore them out and the pair I have now has a big hole in the right big toe. HEHE! MUST GET THESE!

Number 3.
In my dreams.. LOL! I want the new macbook air (or a macbook in general) so bad! But.. I will keep dreaming.

Number 4.When I shop at IKEA.com it makes me soooo excited to be able to decorate my own house someday! I want one of these! :-) I will live there.. when I'm not in this...
I have slept in a TWIN bed for my entire life! I can't wait to sleep in a BIG PEOPLE BED! :-) hehe

With something like this on it.. maybe??? ....I like it but I'm not sure what a guy would say about it... I have been informed that my house cannot be in all black and white (it's a good thing he said that because if I had it my way it probably would be all black and white with some color accents...LOL!)
or maybe this...
HAHAHA! Just kidding... I do love it though.. i have something with the classic black and white antique/victorian style apparently!

So these were just some of the things I was checking out this evening during the second half of the SuperBowl when I was bored of watching the game all alone.. LOL! Listening to Jack Johnson and some Ray Lamontagne and shopping online seemed like more fun to me! :-)

Also.... I know I'm on weight watchers and all.... but I want to GO HERE!