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.
1.) Pay for the person behind me. This was so nerve-wracking for me to do! I think being gracious can be mistaken sometimes, but I hope the couple behind me was able to pay it forward.
2.) 2-3 PinterestProjects.Well, I tried the bleach pen leggings-that was a disaster. I made this recipe and added some more veggies to spice it up.
3.) Add instagram feed to my blog.
4.) Go on a group blind date with my besties--their idea!Read about my date.
5.) Participate in High Five for Friday-a blog link-up hosted by one of my favorite bloggers.You can find my post here.
6.) Workout at least twice a week. Well, does once a week count? Cycling class kicked my butt!
My most successful monthly list yet. The July list will be shorter because I am moving and working at camp! Not much time to get much done.
July List 1.) Say goodbye to those I care most about. 2.) Attend two more cycling classes. 3.) Pack it all up and move to Seattle!
