Chef for a week

For a long while now, I've been really wanting to learn how to cook. I want to be able to cook and cook well. Now, I can make a few things like meatloaf, Crockpot Chicken, and Chicken Chilie, but I haven't ever made anything new. Well, I have....once. But it was a horrible experience and a not much better meal, so I try to block that memory from my mind.
I've tried my hand at making pasta salad twice. Both times it's been fun and satisfactory to put some creative effort into my food and then eat it. Well, with these successes, I took the advice of my brother, Ryan, and decided to make a meal plan for the dinners of the week.
So, without telling anyone, I went snooping around foodnetwork.com for recipes that captured my interest. I knew I wouldn't have to plan anything for Sunday, and I wasn't going to do anything for Saturday either. So, I was going to find 5 recipes. Suddenly, everything started coming together so I talked to Mom and told her about how I wanted to take over the kitchen for the week. She was all too pleased, as you can imagine.
Well, I'm not going to tell you the recipes until I make them. However, I promise to write a post for each recipe so you can follow me on my journey of cooking. Also, I'll take pictures. :)

Tori's Birthday Outing

Even though this is rather late, I said I'd post it, so, I'm gonna post. I wanted to take my friend Tori out for her birthday. So, we planned to go shopping at Plato's closet which is a resale store that sells name brand clothing. Then, we'd go and hit the movies to watch X-Men: First Class. We hooked up and had so much fun looking through the racks and finding hilarious shirts.

Tori almost wanted to get this shirt. :D 

I thought this one was great.

After Plato's closet, we headed to the theatre where we walked around and looked at posters. On the way, we spotted the cut out for Taylor Lautner's new movie, Abduction. Tori had to stop and take a picture with him. So, I got in it too.  

We had such a fun time! It was really great and she enjoyed the movie as did I (I'd already seen it though). Can't wait to go out with her again. 

July=Fun

While these last few days of July have not had any huge stand outs, the rest of July will be pretty fun packed. On Tuesday, I'm going to be hangin' out with one of my girlfriends! (I'll post on it, with pictures!) Then, next week I have a Region Camp. I'm sure all of you know what Region is, 'cause I've explained it before. I must have. :D Anyway, so it'll be the first time I get my music that I'll be singing for the next few months. Plus, I'll be there with some of my friends! That always makes something fun, more fun. After all of this, I've got an event planned for my choir which will be tons of fun! After that? Who knows? Maybe even more fun things will present themselves!

Rediscovering

     So, with all of this reading I've been doing lately, I have neglected my writing. Shameful, I know. I myself was appalled in thinking back to when I'd last written. And I mean, WRITTEN! Not editing or rereading what I'd written, or adding a sentence here and there. I mean, locked up in my room for several hours, sitting on my bed with the computer on my lap, the open document before me, and wrestling with myself on how to write one page. That's real writing. And I hadn't done it in awhile.
     Well, on Sunday, I was talking to some of my friends about my past books. Thinking over these books that I'd completed, I suddenly got this craving to write again. I got home and when I got the chance, locked myself in my room (not litereally of course), got on my bed, put the computer on my lap, opened the document, and stayed in that position until I'd written about a page. It was something like two hours later. :D
     Boy, did it feel good! I mean, I always know I enjoy writing, but I neglect it so often for something else. Then, when I finally get back to it, I'm like, "WHOAH! Why do I not do this everyday?!" Watching a blank page fill up with words that have come out of you is a feeling that no can understand, unless you've done it yourself. It's surreal, let me tell you that.      
     Also, I've been trying to work out my plot for my upcoming Nano novel. Yes, I start planning early. :) Well, I have the general shell of an idea, but for a few days the names of the characters were really illuding me. And when I can't think of names, it drives me crazy. This may be due to the fact that I have trouble fleshing out my characters until they're named. A lot of other people I know that write make their characters first and then name them. Not me. I've always got the loose idea of what the character's traits are, but I can never find the right words to describe them. When the name hits, then the exact words come.
     So, I was struggling with the names until yesterday. All of a sudden, I had this name streak, and all these names came pouring into my brain. And I found the perfect ones for my characters!!! All 4! It was so exciting. You know what I did next? I went ahead and made their characters. ;)
     Yes, these last few days have been very exciting as I rediscover my passion for writing. There are few things I enjoy doing more. So, I think today, when I have my free time, I'm going to write. :D 

Current books I'm plowing through

I've really become a heavy reader now. I seem to read all the time, especially if it's a really good book. Plus, I figure that if I'm going to write, I need to read. The books I'm currently in the middle of are Les Miserables, Eldest, and Mansfield Park.
Thoughts:
Les Mis-This book has 5 mini-books in it's binding. Well, I've finished two, and since I was at a breaking point, I've kind of put it on hold right now.
Eldest-I think I explained in an earlier post that the 4th book in the Inheritance Cycle is coming out in Nov. Because of this, I'm rereading through the previous books. Right now, I'm on 2. Now, usually, #2 books are the slow, boring ones of the series because it's the segway from everything starting to everything wrapping up. Also, it's usually the book where (okay, I'll say it) all hell breaks loose and it looks like things can never end happily. Eldest is no different, except that all hell waits to break loose until the last few chapters. The book is immensely boring for two reasons. Eragon is traveling, eating tons of fruit, and sitting in the woods listening to ants. Roran is experiencing anger issues and girlfriend deprivation as he goes on a journey to rescue his love.
Mansfield Park-The first day I started this book, I read 100 pages exactly. I was enjoying it a lot, but recently it's gotten really slow. I'm relatively close to the end, so I don't have any problem with finishing it.

What books are you in the middle of? 

Rocky Mountain High

Recently, my dad was going on a missions trip to Honduras for Living Water. It's a program that builds a well in a remote area. Since he would be gone for a week, Mom thought it might be nice to do something with just us girls. The idea of seeing our newest born cousins was a perfect plan. Both families live in Denver, and our aunt is in Colorado Springs. So, we pulled out our Atlas and plotted a road trip to go up.
I often voice that I enjoy car rides. For some reason, I like to be crammed into the back seat of a car with backpacks, computers, and purses from the front all around me. I like to be crammed in this state for any number of hours, but particularily 6 to 10, this trip. I like to be crammed so that all the snack food is behind me and any time anyone wants something I have to unbuckle, get on my knees, and bang my head against the low ceiling in order to retrieve the desired item. I still maintain this opinion, however, in a bit of an altered state. I like short car rides of about 3 to 5 hours. 10 hours of reading, writing, editing my books, listening to whatever CD or radio station has been chosen, and handing up tons of oatmeal cream pies, oreos, and cheez-its, were just too much.

Anyway, the driving was very dull because out in West Texas there is nothing. No, I'm serious. It's all one big, flat, grayish plain of dead grass. To be fair, an oil pump or cow might be seen every hour or so. I thought to myself, that any old movie set in West Texas could not be accused of simply running a screen behind the moving object. It all looks the same anyway. :D
Colorado was beautiful. The weather was simply gorgeous, and there's something about mountains that just draws me in. I can't get enough of them.

Speaking of moutains, we decided to do something different, and take a train up Pike's Peak. It was amazing! On the way up we caught a glimpse of an animal called a Yellow Bellied Whistling Marmot. They we like squirrel beavers. A squirrel's body and tail, and a beaver's head. Really weird looking. For this expedition, I had brought a little notebook to write down my thoughts. While we went up, I scribbled and scribbled away as hundreds of things popped out at me. It was so amazing! Finally, we reached the top and were greeted with 38 degrees with a windchill of 23. Yeah, it was cold, but the view! Oh, the view! So beautiful looking down and down for miles!

                                                          It's a little windy up top.

In the rest area up top, they have these special, World Famous doughnuts that can only be made at that elevation. We decided to try some. They were the best! best! best! doughnuts I've ever had. They were so amazing!
Our newest cousins, Bennett (4 months) and Lucy (2 months) were totally adorable. I loved holding them, playing with them, rocking them to sleep, and giving them kisses.

                                                                      Bennett

                                                                        Lucy

Aren't they cute? Well, we had an amazing time with them, and visiting with my aunt and other cousins. We were sad to leave, but still, we wanted to be back home. It was a great trip, and I can't wait to go back. Though, perhaps next time, we don't drive. ;)

My Sister's Cats -story for library competition

We used to have a dog. She was half Chow and half Retriever with a heavy black coat, huge, brown eyes, and a warm nose. Her name was Bridget, and we adopted her from a shelter when she was just a puppy. She lived with us for nearly ten years, growing to stand above your knees and becoming one of the fastest dogs to react to the world squirrel. She kept the snakes away, drank from our pool, hated her baths, learned to open our screen door with her paws, preferred to stay in her kennel, ate through our swimming noodles, and ultimately refused to play anything so unrefined as fetch. She was a wonderful dog and a wonderful friend up until the day she died.
Immediately, we began to miss the ever present face at the bottom of our French doors. It was my job to feed Bridget, and I missed going out to wish her good mornings and good nights. Shadows from the trees near our house often caused me to think I saw her standing in the yard. It was very hard, and my mom and sister and I all wanted another dog. My dad, however, had made it quite plain that when Bridget died, we weren't getting another dog because they cost too much. Soon, this was unhappily accepted as irreparable fact.
Then, a curious thing happened. A cat appeared. He came around often and was very friendly, allowing us to pick him up at any time. My sister had too much of a soft spot for cats and wanted to feed him. Mom opened up a packet of tuna and that was the beginning. Because of his creamy, yellowy coat, he was named 'Cappuccino' but we only ever called him, Chino. He now came around often, and my sister and I would stop what we were doing to go out and hold him.
ONe day, my sister excitedly told me that she'd spotted a gray cat down at our barn. The barn was a solid , white structure affixedc to the very back of our property. It was filled with random sizes of boards, rusty equipment, and occasional rat or colony of rats, and a distinct smell that can only be labeled as "the barn smell." My sister told me she'd gotten close enough to pet the cat, and it had the softest fur. I decided to go and bring it up to the house where we could feed it.
The gray cat met me a few feet from the barn. I quickly discovered she was a girl and that was most exciting. Her fur was just as my sister had described it: like goose feathers. She caustiously followed me up to the house, and my sister and I immediatley set to work on her name. We looked at her attributes which were alertness, snootiness, and no interest whatsover in Chino. These happened to be some of the most prominent attributes of a character in a book. Thus, she was given the character's name, Arya.
Meanwhile, three other cats made their appeareances. There was David: black and white, fat, an immense tail, and sat like a statue atop the fence that went right behind the barn. Then, there were Riley and Junior. These two cats were identical. The only difference was their size. Riley was fatter than David, but Junior seemed a mere ktiten. Despite the size, their names allways became entangled.
Around the arrival of these three, Mom had become depleted of packaged tuna and canned chicken. So, she broke down and bough a small bag of cat food. Also at this time, another change occured. Arya went into heat. All the other cats became bolder and started chasing her up trees and under cars. We felt sorry for her, but it was a natural process. Soon, I was given a very intereseting Biology lesson.
As Arya became exceedingly fat in her middle, David, Riely, and Junior disappeared. Chino still hung around, yet, not nearly as much. Mom informed us that it was getting near Arya's time to deliver. My sister and I were excited and anxious. Then, Arya was not there the next day. She was gone the day after and the day after that. Arya was gone for almost two weeks, and Mom proclaimed she'd gone back to her real home to have kittens. My sister and I hoped the kittens would come to our house.
Not too long after, as if in answer, Arya led her four kittens to our yard. The kittens were very adorable, and it was clear from their coloring, that Chino was the father. Two were boys, and two were girls. Again, names had to be decided. My sister suggested using the arts to name them. ONe of the boys, gray with white paws, took charge of art by being named Leonardo DiVinci, with Leo for short. The other boy, solid black with yellow eyes, was given pop music by being named Michael Jackson and calling him simply, Jackson. The girls were harder to name, as it seems with all girls. Finally, the bigger of the two with the black stripes, was named Carmen for the Opera. And the other girl that was exactly a mix of her parents, was donned Ginger Rodgers in honor of dancing. Excitedly, we showed them to Mom who wasn't very pleased. Mom had never been a huge cat person herself.
Time went by. Chino could no longer be found. Arya herself was scarce. The kittens grew: each of their personalities showing clearer each day. Leo was calm and friendly. Jackson was literally a "scaredy cat" as he ran from everything. Carmen was the trouble maker, and tiny Ginger was the sweet one. We enjoyed having them around so much. But then, like clockwork, they started to leave. They didn't come around nearly as often, and when they did, it was not up at the house. Just as they were pretty much gone entirely, haughtly Arya returned.
Because I was upset at the kittens leaving, and Arya was the meanest of all the cats we'd ever had around, I began to dislike her. My sister still loved her, going out at all times to pet and fee her. Still, I decided not to like her since she scared off her children who were my real favorites. However, she persisted in staying. Now, occasionally, we'd catch a glimpse of another cat. It mihgt be Chino or Jackson or Riley/Jr.
Then, Carmen visited us for a night. She was ridiculously massive in her middle, far bigger than David or Riely had been. We then assumed that she was pregnant, and soon, though we've never seen her since, her kittens came around. ONe by one, they came slowly. First, there was a girl who looked as if she'd been sown together with scraps of fabric. Some might call her patchwork; Mom called her ugly. She was rather homely, but she was so small and had such a cute face. My sister and I chose to name any kittens from Carmen's litter from the characters out of Disney movies. She was subsequently christened, Naala. The next kitten came by; he was Simba. This cat was as skinny as a rail and was gray with some darker stripes. Then, another small cat came around; who we almsot though was Simba. The same coloring, though slightly bigger around, but it was a gril. Wendy she was, and the next to come, who was also gray with blackish swirly patterns on his sides, was Peter.
Naala tried to hang around often, but she and Arya did not get along. Perhaps it was some type of female rivalry over a previous claimed area. Despite the efforts we made to make them friends, the two who were actually grandma and granddaughter, never met without a hissing match. Soon, for whatever reason, Arya backed off and let Naala rule the roost which she took extreme pleasure in. Jackson was also always hangign around. So, we had two that were sleeping at the house, and Arya came around very often. My sister and I started saying we owned two cats. This was very close to the truth. Though we didn't take them to vet appointments, we fed them adn they always stayed. Jackson and Naala really never left. They were always outside adn sunning themselves on our diving board.
Once again, spring rolled around and it was Naala's turn to enter into a heat. The day that followed was very strange in that all the male cats seemed to come from nowhere. Jackson was around of course, but then came Riley, Simba, and Peter. It was kind of exciting to know that we'd seen two genereations of cats and would now be watching the third come around.
Now, we wait. Naala grows fatter by the day, and we await the arrival of her kittens which my sister and I hope occurs at our house. Since this time, Jackson has left. He simply disappeared and we haven't seen him since. Arya still comes fairly often, though. Sometimes, I forget a time when we didn't have at least one cat peering in at us through our French doors. Sometimes, I forget a time when there was not a cat prowling in the high grass or sunning itself on our diving board. But then, I do remember. I make myself remember the joy of racing with Bridget. I remember what fun it used to be to go out on cold mornings and sit with my feet in her fur. I can never truly forget those times, but they often sit in the sidelines as I watch the cats. Then, I think of how it was when Chino first came, how we were so excited to have a cat by our house. I do miss Bridget, but I like having the cats around. I like watching how my sister goes out all the time to pet them. They truly are her cats, for she enjoys them more than any of us. We recently took a vacation and pain our young neighbor to come over and feed them. So, it really is like we have real pets again.