Domestic Saturday

Yesterday I spent the day (7:30am-5:30pm, with a short lunch and Blizzard break) helping some church friend's with their MASSIVE cooking day! They do their own once-a-month cooking thing, where they do it at their house and cook meals for months. I helped them out when I was living there last year and they decided it goes much quicker with three people, so they asked me to come back and help this time.

We made 19 meals, and the best part about it (besides the Blizzard), was that they sent me home with 27 (!) of my own meals! That'll definitely last me most of the way through the semester.

Haven't gotten to do any sampling yet, but we made:

*Veggie Noodle Ham Casserole *Chicken Fried Rice *Inside Out Ravioli *Turkey Barley Tomato Soup *Wet Tacos *Wendy's Chili *Chili Mac *Wild Rice Chicken Dinner *Chicken Barley Chili *Swiss Steak *Pulled Pork *Lazy Day Lasagna *Manicotti *Italian Meatloaves *Corn Chowder *Santa Few Stew *Salsafied Chicken and Rice *Michelle's Parmesean Chicken.

Whew!

And here's a picture of my "goods" (well, not actually all of them... some were still flash-freezing outside [the ONE time below zero weather is sort of handy]).

Back in Duluth

I am back in the Arctic. 20 below tonight (without windchill), and staying down there for the next few days. But the 10 Day Forecast (It would be on your Favorites list, too, if you lived here!) says it will be a high of 36 next Monday. I am SO excited! "You know you live in the Northland when..." ... you look forward to 36 degree weather! They better not be pulling my leg!

Some random (albeit slightly depressing) notes:

*There is no greater feeling than arriving home. There is (just about) nothing worse than leaving home.
*As much as I think I am independent, I am afraid of being alone.
*I feel insecure when I'm away from home/my parents.
*My home (at home) epitomizes comfort and familiarity.

*I hope my car starts in the morning. (this note is not so deep)

You (Heather and Afton) can look forward to a more upbeat blog, hopefully sometime in the next week.

Nostalgia

I always feel a little nostalgic after Christmas, and this year is no different. But it seems this year I am really hanging on to the Christmas music, Christmas mugs, and, yes... Christmas treats. Maybe January 1 I'll be inspired to move on- "in with the new and out with the old." I'll definitely be ready/desperately need to get back on a normal eating regime. Since I've been home I've been eating whatever I wanted, and boy- I've wanted a lot. :-)

We've also been watching old home videos, which certainly adds to the nostalgia. We had so much fun as little kids and were so easily entertained. We didn't have to worry about dead car batteries, research projects, scholarships, or shoveling snow. Maybe that's another reason why I'm enjoying being home- far fewer responsibilities!

Welcome to the Pity Party!

Disclaimer: This post violates all the rules for the Christmas season, especially being grateful for what you have. I really have no reason to be complaining. I have heat in my house (knock on wood), a wonderful family, amazing friends, a car (...to malfunction. Read on.), etc. But I was inspired to write this blog while playing my 532th game of Solitaire this week, which I had switched to after playing my 343th game of Tetris (Freetetris.org. Knock yourself out!). So here it is... my ranting blog about my blessed life! Ridiculous, I know. But just humor me.


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These last several days have been quite exciting. Not exciting as in the "time flies when you're having fun" exciting. Exciting as in - could this week go any slower?! After having a somewhat boring couple of weeks due to finishing most of my assignments early (who said the early bird catches the worm?! They lied!), this last weekend I was more house-bound than I would have liked. I tried to study, listened to Christmas music 24/7, tried to practice self-control with all the Christmas goodies around, and yes, did manage to get out of the house a couple of times. But I was a little restless and the time did drag.

Yesterday morning, I found out at 6:45am (just as I was getting ready to head out the door) that school was delayed two hours, so our dreaded 8am final was moved to Wednesday. Today, as I have been doing the last several mornings, I woke up way before my alarm clock. I had a leisurely breakfast, did some exercises in the living room, watched The Today Show and an episode of The Cosby Show, did a little more cleaning up on my room, stopped the mail... finally, it was time to go to school to work out, go to work, and head to my final. Yippee! Something to do! I got all bundled up and almost cheerfully went out to "preheat" my car.

All would have been well if my car would have started! My battery is dead. That is why now, instead of exercising and/or working, I am STILL sitting on my butt, waiting for AAA to come and give me a jump start. Most of you know that I cannot tolerate car-related stress. My coping strategies include crying and calling my dad. Check, and check.

That being said, I am VERY grateful my battery died when I was home and not stranded somewhere (pretty much anywhere else would have been far worse). I could have locked my keys in my car and been locked out of my house on this lovely -30 degree weather. We may not have had AAA. My dad might have been out of the office, vacationing in Peru when I desperately needed his advice and encouragement. My 12pm final could have been one that I actually had to go to (we were just having a discussion- my professor said to "try my best to make it there."). Yes, things could be far, FAR worse.

Let's just take a minute to enjoy the irony, however. Just over 24 hours ago I called my dad and exclaimed "I LOVE MY CAR!" after it made it up the hill to school. As we trudged up the hill, I literally cooed to my car (aloud) "You can do it! You are such a good, good car!"

But I guess everyone has their "off" days.

Get it?! Off. Battery is dead... car is off.

I'm loopy.

Here' s hoping the crazy WA/OR weather doesn't interfere with my flight home tomorrow night.

Snow from West to Midwest

So yesterday, before our big "blizzard" hit (this is NOT the DQ Royal Treat), I was able to do some fun stuff. Today there is a lot of blowing snow and really poor visibility, so I'm nestled inside. I could attach a picture, but that would involve getting blasted with snow as I walk out the front door. Just imagine white. Lots and lots of white (it is pretty). We'll see what tomorrow brings, weather-wise. For once, I hope school is NOT cancelled because I want to get these finals out of the way. Shoveling my car out with my collapsable snow shovel (that doesn't appear to "lock" into extension) will be interesting.

Yesterday morning my friends Kacy, Cassie, and I volunteered at the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast with Santa. We served up pancakes and sausages for about three hours.

The rest of the afternoon I hemmed and hawed over whether or not we should cancel our OT Christmas party. They were predicting a huge winter storm this weekend and were advising against travel. It was supposed to be at a students' in-laws' "barn" (Ha. More on that later), and they had gone all out decorating the place for us, so I would have felt horrible canceling it. Not to mention the fact that we've been talking this Christmas party since- literally - the first week of school! After several hours of my phone becoming "Grand Central Station," we decided to have the party anyway.

This "barn"... was not a barn at all. Well, they claim it was three years ago, but you would never have believed it. I do believe they said it was **14,000** square feet (this is not a typo) and was FIVE STORIES. There were several bedrooms, a "loft" where there son lived, two bars, a basketball court, a weight room, numerous bathrooms, a kitchen, a big dining room, a (soon-to-be) movie theater... it was absurd. Here are a couple of pictures.




A modest little gym.





















Yes, they have a revolving door. And on the far left, that's a HUGE picture of Ashley (my OT friend) and her fiance after they got engaged.










The beautiful kitchen. And they don't even live here!













The pictures don't even do it justice. It was insane! Overall, I'm really glad we ended up having it (the weather wasn't even too bad last night- just a little slick). We had delicious food (college students CAN cook!) and did a gift exchange.

I lucked out and got an adorable cookie/bowl set. Polka Dot bowls are my FAVORITE! I can't wait to use the bowls. I think I was so attached, no one had the heart to steal them.

Part of our OT class (the ones brave enough to brave the elements)

Time to grab a cup of tea and try to study for finals. I make no guarantees.

I'm bored.

Usually I would kill to have that sentiment, but right now, it's just annoying.

Can't do too much studying for finals yet (need study guides, study buddies, etc).

I have a take-home final due next Monday that I started and have no motivation to continue.

Everyone else is swamped with homework (huh?).

There is nothing good on tv.

I have a week + 2 days to twiddle my thumbs and wait to go home.

Help!!!

What's the Catch?

Well, here I am back in Duluth after a 5-day Thanksgiving break. Being with my "surrogate" famil(ies) was the next best thing to going home.

Here is my Surrogate Family/Thanksgiving dinner #1, which was Wednesday night. Yum!

My friend Kristina and I went to the Como Zoo in St. Paul on Wednesday afternoon. It was a free zoo, which was pretty great! They had several types of monkeys (including a gorilla picking his nose-- and EATING IT, too!).

I spent Wed-Sun with my friend Abbey and her family. We had (another) turkey dinner Thursday, did some (non early bird) shopping Friday, more shopping on Saturday, then went to the "Holli-Dazzle" Christmas parade downtown Minneapolis Sat night. The pictures were a bit blurry, unfortunately.

Speaking of shopping... I got a new outfit-- puffy vest (a necessity in the midwest!), sweater, and jeans from American Eagle. Tsk, tsk, tsk... what's a poor college student doing spending all this money?!

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SHE WASN'T! Abbey and I were just browsing on Friday and half-heartedly went into American Eagle. The annoyingly peppy and fashionable employees pounced on us as soon as we walked in the door to give us our scratch it tickets- "EVERYONE WINS!" Abbey and I looked at each other and relunctantly collecting our tickets. The annoyingly peppy and fashionable employee noticed our lack-of-enthusiasm and commented, "Don't look so excited!"

Abbey scratched hers: "15% off. Cheers!"

I scratched mine: "$100 Shopping Spree. Cheers!"

Yeah, whatever. I rolled my eyes and went up to the sales guy and asked "So what's the catch?!" Well, annoylingly peppy and fashionable employee guy got REALLY excited, got on his radio and announced, "Someone got the shopping spree!" Apparently there WASN'T a catch and I was the first person at that store to win the $100 shopping spree!

NOW I was excited. Being the mature 21-year-old I am, I turned bright red and giggled. And then I shopped!!!!!

In the dressing room, the people working back there asked me "ARE YOU THE ONE THAT WON THE SHOPPING SPREE?!" I was the topic of many radio conversations. At one point I heard someone say, "We've got her in here!" ---Like I was going to run off without claiming my prize?!

I had been wanting/needing a puffy vest and new jeans, and was wanting to spruce up my wardrobe with a new sweater. And thanks to some great Black Friday sales, I was able to get it all!

What does an independent, 21-year-old college student who just got a cute new outfit for free do as she leaves the store?!

Call her mom.