Brownies for Breakfast

Work, school, home, sleep, rinse and repeat. My life in short, ladies and gentlemen. As I have been quite busy these last few weeks I have not had time to cook and bake as much as I would like. I find myself eating more and more freezer meals and pb&j and less delicious/healthy home cooked meals. I love cooking and would make a gourmet meal everyday twice a day if I had the time, money, and patience. However, this cannot be. Grocery trips have become less and less exciting as I must restrain myself from buying excessive ingredients for single dishes. Also... I don't know if anyone has noticed, but 'cooking for one' is not quite as glamorous (haha I sing Fergie in my head every time I write that word) as it seems. Cooking delicious food and eating it all by myself--where is the fun in that? I usually only cook when I know others will be around to enjoy it. So come over and I will make you dinner!! I am having serious cooking withdrawals, people!

A Sack Lunch and Sirens on the News

Ten years ago today I woke up, ate breakfast, packed my lunch, and went to third grade. Whispers carried across the kitchen as my parents discussed the crisis which was unfolding across the country. Ever the curious eight-year-old, I pleaded with my distressed parents to explain what was happening on the muted news channel. Kindly, patiently, my mother conceded to explain with tears in her eyes that there had been an attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. Tears came to my own eyes, though I did not know the significance of those two buildings, I knew the significance of the lives that had been taken. Just two short weeks prior to the catastrophic attacks my beloved mother and father had been vacationing in New York City. In my eight-year-old mind, two weeks may have been two days. I cried and thanked my Heavenly Father that my mom and dad were safe in our home, that those horrible people decided to wait two weeks. To to this day I am so grateful that those terribly misguided men did not take the lives of the people that I love.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said for millions of Americans. As I left for third grade thanking heaven for the safety of my family, my best friend was worrying about the heroes in hers. Images of her mother and grandmother crying and clinging to one another for support as they each called family members in New York will never leave my mind.Our parents desperate to preserve a sense of normalcy, kept our play date after school that fated day. I do not remember what games we played, or what snacks we ate--only the images and sounds I glimpsed on the news playing on every television in the house. Somber sobriety pervaded the world, even the elementary school classroom. Never will I forget the impact that these events had on me as such a young American.

I am a member of a new generation. A generation which grew up with a different NYC skyline. A generation who lives in vigilance. A generation that will never feel the security our parents enjoyed in this great land. I love my country. I am so blessed to be an American. So blessed to have had my freedom preserved ten years ago. So blessed to have my freedom continuously preserved. God bless my beautiful country!

Milk Soup, Man Caves, and Mini Miracles

Once upon a time in a mystical land called Provo, Utah my life turned upside down. Well kind of... My life has been constantly changing for the past several months so another small change is not that un-common, but this one included way more drama than needed (I guess it just kept things interesting). On Monday I thought that I had a job and a secure life, but really who can ever actually count on that? On Tuesday I find out that I do not have a job and my life is anything but secure. I proceed to run around Provo like a chicken with its head cut off looking for someone that would possibly consider hiring a poor desperate college student such as myself. After picking up a few applications and shedding a lot a few tears, it was time to make the arduous trek to the holy land for my first day of school. Whoopee! All of my prior hope and excitement sent on the express train straight for the sewer, I attended my first class. Oh good--I know you were worried so I will dispel your fears right about now--I fell in love! No, I did not meet a handsome man in one of my classes, I just never knew just how great learning could be! The balance of the universe was restored to a content, blissful place full of new knowledge and bright horizons. Sounds like a little slice of heaven, however, I did not get home from school until nearly 11:00pm and I was feeling a little more than emotionally drained which means COMFORT FOOD! I ate my midnight snack/dinner and went straight to bed... or hung out with my roommates for a couple of hours and then went to bed... Beauty rest in tact, I geared up for Wednesday and two job interviews. Bring on another crazy day! Both interviews went well and I spent the evening dining on manly barbecue with my not so manly sister at Goodwood Barbecue. Wednesday = good day, if you don't count the three separate trips to university mall (which obviously I do not). Anyways, this little tale is turning into more of an epic so I will skip the rest and just tell you that I was hired at Deseret Book (not an easy job to come by apparently) I attended my second day of class, dropped a class, added a new one, and the world has once again been set right... Until next week...