Hi there! If you are reading this, then you should know I am on the road to Washington.
I AM MOVING!
With that said, I am going to be M.I.A. for a while, possible a few weeks.
Please don't cry! I know it's upsetting, but I promise I will be back with some awesome stories about the end to my summer and the start of my new life in Seattle.
For your entertainment pleasures take a look at these pictures to see where I will be and what I'll be doing:
My father and I will be stopping here to look at these faces!
I'll be waking up to beautiful sunsets and sunrises.
And I'll be showing my dad where I will spend most of my time at for the next 3 years.
AND if that isn't enough for you, check out some of my most popular reads and my first summer waking up to beautiful sunsests and sunrises:
Kasey is back with another great recipe! If you try it out, tell me how you love it because its sure to be delicious! Banana Bread
Seems simple enough,
right?I’ve always been someone
who prefers banana bread over banana muffins.I know it’s a bit odd since it’s the same things, but
there’s just something about eating a slice of banana bread that I can’t get
over.This recipe, like the last
has a tiny little addition that might seem small, but adds one of my favorite
flavors into the loaf… CINNAMON!!Not only does this recipe make it possible to actually taste the banana, but it’s fairly quick
and easy.
(I will use between 2
and 3 bananas… more bananas, more banana flavor)
¾ cup vegetable oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon
cinnamon (depending on preference)
Steps
1.Preheat oven to 350°.Coat bread pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2.Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium
bowl.Once it is combined, set
aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, mashed
bananas, and oil until smooth.Add
the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir together until just
combined.Add the cinnamon and stir,
again until just combined.
4.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and
smooth over the top.
5.Bake for 60-70 minutes (I usually do about 65
minutes), or until a toothpick is inserted into the center comes out clean.
6.Let it sit in the pan for about 15 minutes and
then turn it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
I
promise, I do make more than just breads. :P My parents just continually
request this and the cinnamon bread I posted last time, so I figured they must
be worthy of a share.
If
you order this from my bakery, it would cost about $20 for a loaf, plus a
little extra for shipping.
Friends to daters, with some awkward encounters in between. It started off in history class. We hung out and my friend was for sure you liked me and I of course had no self-esteem and said she was crazy. Turns out you had a thing for my friend and this was just about the point I started to think you were cute. Oh my life! So as the good crush as I was, I delivered your heart felt note to my friend which she then denied.
The summer passed and then we started school again which included us talking again. We flirted via Myspace and went out on a date, my first one to be exact. You joined me, my parents, and my best friends parents at a soccer game. From there we had dinner at McDonald's with my best friend and her dad. Afterwards, you had the balls to try and kiss me in front of my mom and best friend. So what did I do? I shoved my drink into my mouth guiding you to give me a kiss on the forehead. I thought you were a little too forward and decided to let you go.
Fast forward 8 months and its summertime again. You worked at the Meijer Starbucks and keep offering me free drinks since you know I love a good Java Chip Frappuccino. Then I think, maybe this time we could work it out. But luckily, my friend snaps the truth into me and reminds that "You are never ever getting back together with him."
Fast forward some more about 4 years later and silly old me thought I should thank you via Facebook about introducing me to a great song. From there, we started talking about life which turned into me inviting you to see a movie with me. That movie turned into another movie watch and then to more movie watching. Eventually I wasn't feeling it again and decided to call it quits.
But if only love worked the way you want it to. We kept texting and flirting until you decided to tell me you were talking to another girl. World came crashing down. I was hurt, betrayed, and sooo confused. The hour long phone call of me crying and wondering how you could do this to me resulted in me crying on my best friends shoulders and finally declaring that:
If you want a look into the Westboro Baptist Church, then this is the book to read. I learned a lot and now have a better understanding of the views this church takes. Lauren is honest about her views and her love for her family, despite all that she went through. This is not a book that bashes that church, but simply shares with you the expectations of the members and how difficult it is to even become apart of the church.
Read it, share it with others, and let me know what you think!
I also just finished reading this book. At first I thought I didn't have the patience to finish it, but I kept with it because when you start a book you should finish it. I am so glad I did! The story really pick ups after the first 100 pages and you find yourself being dragged into the story. It is a story about love in high school and how perception can be so mistaken. I highly recommend this book and am so glad it was on my summer reading list!
Quick fact about me: I am not one to dish out money to see a movie in theaters because I think it is ridiculous to charge $10 to see a stinkin' movie.
With that said, I dished out quite a few dollars to see some movies this past month.
After I first saw the trailer for this movie, I knew I wanted to see it. Sometimes I get into the need to watch scary movies to fulfill my fear of being scared constantly. It's weird I know. Luckily, my brother wanted to see it because my typical scary movie viewing buddy was not game for this one. Well, I definitely was scared watching this. I covered my mouth most of the movie and may have screamed one time I'm not really sure. Overall, I just hated myself for seeing it. The story line is catching and thrilling, but it made me hate myself as a human-being. I don't want to give too much away so if you want to understand why I hated myself go see it and let me know how you feel about yourself afterwards.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS!
Sorry for the caps, but I am saving you $10 you can spend on coffee. I thought this movie was going to be awesome and the only reason I sat through it was because Emma Watson had a hilarious valley-girl accent. Watching this movie was like watching a movie on the Lifetime Network. Sure, it is a true story and its interesting, but not thrilling or exciting.
GO SEE THIS!
This movie is worth your money and I am not lying. I did not have high-hopes for it as Sandra Bullock has already played an FBI agent before and I thought she did great at it the first time, no need for a second time. I was wrong! Melissa McCarthy is too funny and the two of them together was a hit! I was dying laughing most of the movie despite the crude language they use. Do not take your kids and probably not your 13 year old, but if you are 18 years or older go see it.
*Note: This is an old Rachel; a very dramatic, but quite insightful Rachel*
Hi ya'll! Yes, I did used to say ya'll. I've always wanted to be southern and I really tried to in the past. I am here today to share with you some writings I wrote through high school and my early college days. Warning: I had a lot of emotions, a lot of thoughts, and a lot going on. Be kind and remember I am sharing my life. No reason to be a mean ol' boy.
December 26, 2010
I've been thinking about my future a lot lately. Maybe its because opportunities are being presented to me. There are all these possible paths in front of me and here I am, once again, confused and scared. RA position, CAB officer, Washington, Alaska, Pipers, and the list goes on. 95% of me is scared. I've experienced rejection in many of these things before and I do not want to experience that again. These are all just chances. This song sums it up pretty well:
I love it when it says "Chances won't escape from me." Sometimes it is just easier to not try because taking risks are scary, but I'm tired of sitting back and letting life opportunities pass me by. I'd rather say I tried and failed than I quit and failed. Chances are more than expectations the possibilities over me (I have no idea what this means to my future self).
March 3, 2011
For the last two months, I have constantly heard the song "Secrets" by On Republic on the radio. It's usually the first that plays and I start to realize that maybe someone was trying to tell me something. I have secrets; secrets that no one knows. Some of them I am just plain ashamed of and others I am just afraid to say out loud because they hold so much truth. So here starts the reason of me writing this: "This time don't need another perfect line. Don't care if critics jump in line. I'm gonna give all my secrets away..."
-I hate a lot of people at New Hope which is extremely hard for me to say because I don't think I have ever hated so many people before.
-I've hated myself on more than one occasion.
-I sometimes wished that I could have got caught shoplifting with my friends.
I'm sure I have more secrets, but these are all the ones that have come to heart at the moment. So what was the point of this? I'm tired of carrying around this heavy weight. I've begun to share some of these secrets with my closest friends and my counselor. It's been freeing in a way, but also scary. People know about a secret that I held on to for years. A deep dark secret. But I think this is a process in really finding who I am. I have all of these secrets, but they don't keep me from being who I want to be. Sure they might help me become the person I want to be, but they are no longer a hindrance. So here's to honesty. Let it be world changing!
Well I hope you enjoyed the journey to the past with me. Until next time. Enjoy the present Rachel!
While I am soon to become a Seattle girl, I thought I would share with you the Indianapolis girl that I have been for the last 22 years.
Indianapolis is known for The Colts NFL team, the Indy 500, and for all the corn we produce each year. If you've been to Indy, then you know that while it's not a huge city it has some great assets.
Here are my favorite things about Indianapolis!
1.) The Canal
Whether you want to go for a morning stroll, and evening run, or a paddle boat ride, this place is just pure fun. It has art, architecture, and can lead you to some of the museums in Indy. My personal favorite is to take my bike and ride along the canal to touch each end of it.
2.) The Spaghetti Factory
I am a girl who loves Italian Food so of course I am going to say you need to check out this place. Not only is the food great, but the atmosphere is as well. It's unique and has much to look at while dining.
3.) Monument Circle
If you are ever in Indy during Christmas time, then this is a must see. Every year after Thanksgiving the monument gets lighted and turns into a Christmas Tree. It is still a must see even if it isn't Christmas time. You can find horse-drawn carriages to ride, grab some Starbucks or hot chocolate at The Chocolate Company, or possibly catch a concert.
There are many more things to see in Indy and lots to do, but these are just a few of my favorites for what the city has to offer. Come see it for yourself! **And no, I did not get asked by my state to post about this. I'm just a mid-west girl realizing all the things she will forget about her city as she prepares to move.**
Are you ready for round 2? For more of my dating stories and there connection to Taylor Swift?
Here we go!
This dude has three songs! So feel free to choose which path to take or play them all!
Heartbreaker #2: T-bird
Where do we even start? I hate to admit this, but you are the only guy that I would go back in time for to have another chance. Yes, I go back to December and remember the first time we kissed. Yeah, I go back to April when I thought about telling you I loved you. And, I go back to October to remember when I knew you'd be the guy I dated forever.
But I don't go back to May when I broke up with you for the first time or June when I broke up with you for the second time. Side note: I have this problem of dating guys twice before I realize I should really end it.
And then I think about our last kiss and how I never imagined we would have one. You were the only guy I could see marriage with, but that's probably because I knew if I stayed with you we would have been married within a year. Seriously, the idea of being married right now sounds horrible.
Oh, I also even thought about showing up at your wedding and being that person from the movies who shouts I object! And when I say thought of, I seriously considered it. I weighed my pros and cons. I didn't even know anything about the girl you married; I just knew we were supposed to be together. Oh how delusional I was!
Overall, I miss your friendship and how good we were at being the friends who could pickup where we left off after 3 months of not talking. I guess that's the sacrifice you make when you decide to date a friend and it doesn't work out.
Thank God for friends and clarity! Hope your marriage is going well and if you are reading this, well, now you know the truth.
Did you know I dreamed of being a superstar when I was younger? What little kid didn't?
I thought I was hot stuff and well on my way to becoming the next big hit. In all reality, I was just really great at changing the words to already well-known songs. I did have some spurts of creativity and wrote some songs that I cannot remember the beat to today, but have some great lyrics going on.
And for your viewing pleasure I found some of those lyrics while packing and have decided to share them with you:
"There's a place right out of this town
Where the boys love to run around
And the girls stay up all night
To wait for them when it comes the time
Little Betty Ann loves to sing
She sings at every little big thing
And Danny boy always listens in
Waiting for his chance to win
To win her heart away from the song
To win her love or whatever it comes from
To be her man, her only man
That's what he's wanting some of."
For the most part that song was pretty good, but obviously I ran out of ideas so I stopped writing the song. Here is another one that is even shorter, but oh so cute.
'I'll fight through the night
And I'll shoot tot he sky
Cause with you by my side
I will survive"
I think the saddest part is admitting I did not write these when I was 7 or 8. I actually wrote them in high school. Secretly, I still dream of being discovered to become the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood. Lucky for me, I know I can sing, but I do not have the lungs of those ladies.
Do any of you have some great musical hits from your younger days or willing to admit you secretly did this all throughout high school too?
And if that isn't enough you can catch me still dreaming of being that superstar in these videos:
And this is bonus because this is my life with technology
Glorious summer brings glorious hours of watching t.v. and movies for this girl.
I spend all year not having television so I make up for that by watching as many hours of t.v. or movies as possible. Oh and because I do not tan, I can do this. No judgment please!
While I have not seen all of the Fast and Furious movies, I went with my best friends to watch the latest and installment. I loved the fifth one and I knew my best friend was dying for me to see it so I said "Why not?"
Holy cow! I loved this movie! My heart has a hunger for speed and I wanted to be in those car seats with those hot men so bad. Oh and did I mention I just love the rock? Look at those arms!
Now I am not movie reviewer, but if you love speed, hot men, and great actions that has you on the edge of your seat-go get a ticket now! If you didn't think these movies could get any better, you are wrong! Go see it now!
I am sad to admit it, but I finished the entire Ugly Betty series in under a month. It's addicting!
I like my shows to have humor, romance, and encouragement. The series has all of this and more. We all have an inner Betty that we should wave high and proud! Any suggestions on what I should see/watch next? I'm sure I'll need something to help with study breaks when I am in school!
It's a love-hate relationship. It's the place that I want to be the most some days and then the place I avoid going on others.
I posted a few weeks back about what type of customers your encounter working in this business and now I'd like to share some things you learn in the restaurant.
1.) There is and will always be drama.
No matter what you do to avoid it, it is always there. "This server did this to me" or "can you believe she said that?" Someone is usually mad at another employee and there is constant gossip going around. My best advice is to listen, but do not contribute to it. Your co-workers will respect you for hearing them out and giving them the respect to listen to their frustrations. If you enter into the drama, just be prepared for what comes with it.
2.) Wash that apron! My goodness am I horrible about this. I usually just leave my apron in my car, so when it comes to laundry day I just forget to grab it. But you NEED to wash it! Your customers do not want to see salad dressing stains on your apron. Sure, it makes it seem like you are working hard, but its also just gross.
3.) Sometimes it is better to leave your opinions at home. Being a business major it has been hard for me to keep my mouth shut about how the business is run. Just because I think this is better does not mean everyone else will. Remember who owns the place. Sure, make some suggestions, but don't be demanding about it.
4.) Every server has a "server" voice. When I walk to my table, I have a more caring and kind voice than I do in the kitchen. It just happens. You don't even realize its happening until someone points it out to you. No, it does not mean you're being fake; it just means you need a different tone for certain situations.
5.) Tip others and you reap the rewards. It's my motto to tip other servers or coffee shops because its good karma. It's also the reap and sow parable. I truly believe if you bless others, you will be blessed as well. Even if its only $0.50 at the coffee shop, just do it!
6.) Own your serving skills. I hate big parties. They tip great, but I absolutely hate doing them. 6 or more people and my serving self gets a little freaked out. Everyone I works with knows that, so they always ask me if I want a party or not. You may not work at a restaurant that does this, but I fully believe you should let others know your comfort level. You love 2-4 tops? Great! Tell someone!
7.) Be gracious and Be real. If you had a table that didn't treat you well, say thank you, but don't fake it. The tables I truly appreciate receive a very sincere and more gracious thanks at the end of service. The tables that make it difficult do not receive as gracious of one. But remember everyone is going through something so keep that in mind when you have a customer who seems disgruntled the entire meal. 8.) There is a whole different language in the restaurant world! 86=we are out of that item 2 top, 4 top, 6 top, 20 top= the amount of people in the party or size of the table Those are the two I find myself using in everyday language, but I know there are more.
Any other servers out there? What have you learned to be some life lessons as a server? P.S. THIS GIRL JUST REGISTERED FOR GRADUATE CLASSES! IS THIS REAL LIFE???
It is just a week of new introductions to you all! Today I am introducing you to a new Friday post that will include my friend Kasey from Baby Cakes & More. And let me tell you--this woman knows how to bake! I have been munching on her goodies for years now and always looked forward to her random giveaways of cookies or pies she made for fun. Not only is Kasey helping you out by giving you a delicious desert or breakfast bite, she is also introducing you to her new business. Take my word for it that you will not be disappointed in anything this girl makes for you. You can find her business here or click on her sponsor tab to the right of my page. Do not wait to contact her!
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
I know everyone has their own ideas when it comes to
cinnamon swirl bread.When I think
about cinnamon swirl bread, I want a lot of cinnamon, and a little bread. With this recipe, I get that.When I first found the recipe that
helped me come up with this, I was trying to figure out how I could make it
better.What would make it
unique?I looked in my cabinets,
and found cinnamon chips… I had found the jackpot. It was perfect for this recipe to make it that much
better.
I found mine at Walmart, but I know they’re hard to find
sometimes.Try amazon if you’re
having trouble finding them.
2 cups flour (I used 1 cup all purpose and 1 cupwhite whole wheat)
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1.Preheat oven to 350°F.Grease a loaf pan and set aside. (I used a pan roughly
8x4x3)
2.In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar,
egg, and vanilla.Beat together
until well blended.
3.In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking
powder, baking soda, and salt.Mix
together.
4.Add your dry ingredients into the butter and egg
mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Once mixed, set aside.
For the swirl/topping,
you will need:
½ cup brown sugar
¼ sugar
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
Cinnamon chips
Combine brown sugar, sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a small
bowl.
Preparing the bread
for the oven:
1.Spread 1/3 of the bread batter into the prepared
loaf pan.Sprinkle with 1/3 of
swirl/topping mixture on top and cover the batter.Add a small handful of cinnamon chips on top of the swirl mixture.
2.Repeat the process twice, ending by putting the
remainder of the swirl/topping mixture on top.Do NOT add cinnamon chips to the top.
3.Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick
inserted near the center comes out almost completely clean.
4.Slightly cool in the pan for about 15 minutes,
then remove it from the pan and put on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
I usually add a powdered sugar glaze to the top just to make
it that much better.I combine 1
cup of powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and 1-2 tablespoons milk, and then
drizzle it over the cooled bread.
My parents absolutely love this bread and request it
regularly.The cinnamon chips add
the perfect amount of extra cinnamon flavor.Truly delicious if you ask me!
If you order it from my bakery, it would cost about $20 for
the full loaf, plus a little extra for shipping, if applicable.
Here it is! The series I have been so excited to introduce you to!
For the last 8 years of my life, I have been a huge Taylor Swift fan. I love the girl and her songs!
As I was listening to her cd the other day, I started to laugh because I knew exactly what she was talking about. I understood the heartbreak, the anger, the sadness, and all the other emotions she sings about. And all this understanding got me to thinking:
"Why don't I blog about how my life is exactly like a Taylor Swift song? Oh, and why don't I do it by connecting it to the guys I've dated?"
Well, here I am doing it. I hope you get a laugh out of it like I do.
So here it goes.
My dating life from the eyes of Taylor Swift.
Heartbreaker #1: Kcirtap (hidden identity)
Please press play before you read.
While I do not really count you as a first boyfriend, you technically were for the whole 7 days we dated. Oh and for those 4 hours we dated after our first break-up.
Young love was fresh in the air and I finally got to date that boy who annoyed me in Social Studies. You were such a classy dude. Stealing my pen and offering it back to me if I only agreed to date you. I had no choice, but to say yes because it was the only pen I had for the entire day. Yet, there I was secretly dying inside because this is what I had wanted all along.
I'm not sure what it was that made me want to be your girlfriend. Maybe it was all that red hair that I just loved or the way you constantly picked on me because we learned in 5th grade that if a boy picks on you then he really likes you. Either way, I got to call you my boyfriend!
In that whole week of dating, we hung out maybe 2 times outside of school and talked on the phone maybe twice as well? You dedicated "Beautiful Soul" to me by Jesse McCartney because you knew how beautiful my soul actually was. You got me, you really did! And boy did you know how to apologize. After telling me I looked like Ogre Fiona from Shrek, you called me 7 times and even though I ignored every single call, you came to my best friends house and called for me outside her window. What a Romeo and Juliet love story in the making.
But finally the week came to an end and I realized I had some terrible guilt hiding inside me. My parents told me I was not allowed to date until I was 16, yet I was only 14. While I hid in the garage explaining why we couldn't date anymore, you told me you would wait for me and boy did I hang on to those words. It convinced me to give you a second chance, but when you insisted on helping me with my homework I just couldn't take it.
I was an independent 8th grader! I did not need a guy to help me do my homework! So I sent my best friend across the lunch room to end it one more time and I saw that look. You were heartbroken and I was the reason why. The guilt ate me up and I couldn't help but continue to still make googly-eyes at you.
Summer came and you became the person I wanted to hangout with the most. We played basketball every single day even though I was horrible at it, but sometimes you let me win. Then my so-called best friend got ungrounded and you stopped coming around. Finally, I found out you were dating and had moved on.
I sat in my room many nights that summer crying over you.
