Snack Time

Thank you, everyone who commented when I asked for suggestions for my blog. I will definitely get to all those at least once and maybe more often. (Although unfortunately, I can't promise that Dan will respond to the requests for him to write - he claims to be "too busy" while only taking 18 hours of MBA classes a week - hmmm....) I decided I would start by posting some new recipes I've made lately! I wasn't planning on blogging about any of these, so I don't have any pictures, but the next time I make something fun I'll be sure to capture the process.

Now that I'm working at the Counseling Center, I have to bring some sort of breakfast item to work once or twice a month. I've also gotten better about bringing a couple snacks from home, since when I get really busy, I tend to get really hungry as well and need something quick to snack on in between sessions. So, I've been doing more baking recently.

My requirements tend to be something that tastes good (i.e. has some sweetness to it), is fairly healthy, fairly cheap or easy ingredients, and will hopefully be enjoyed by people other than myself. The following recipes have all met those requirements!

Smitten Kitchen's Granola Bars

She posted these yesterday. I made them today. I am trying to refrain from eating them all so that I can bring them to work tomorrow. This may or may not work. They are GOOD. Crumbly, but oh so GOOD.

Ricki's Mrs. K Date Cake

I actually made this out of my Sweet Freedom Cookbook, but luckily for you, Ricki posted the recipe on her blog as well. This was a perfect afternoon snack (and morning, and evening, and...). It's not super sweet, like I thought it might be. In fact, I'm not sure the word "cake" is exactly appropriate in the title. It was more like a muffin-y sweetness and texture. One of those really good muffins that's healthy as well. But since it's made in a cake pan and then cut in to squares... Actually, you could probably just bake it in a muffin pan and then the whole dilemma would be gone. Okay - I'll move on.

Mark Bittman's Coconut Macaroons

These were in my How to Cook Everything cookbook, but I just found them on Mark Bittman's blog. Hm.m, I'm starting to wonder if there's even a point to buying cookbooks anymore. Regardless, these are light little egg white and coconut treats that taste sort of like angel food cake bites. The best part of these was that Dan couldn't keep his hands off of them! You know a baked good is a success if that happens. If you aren't a huge fan of coconut, though, I would skip these, or maybe try almond macaroons instead. (I think those are more common, but I haven't made them, so I'm not going to link to a specific recipe.)

I'd love to hear your suggestions for good breakfast/snack/potluck/etc dishes. I've been looking for a good fruit salad one, but I haven't found what I'm looking for yet. I'm also always looking for just anything a little different than what everyone else is bringing.

Weekend in Beaver Creek

Hey....that picture doesn't look like Waco!

That's because it's not! We spent the weekend in Beaver Creek, Colorado, for our friends Matthew and Camden's wedding.

We've been good friends with Matthew and Camden for about two years now, ever since we moved to Waco. Dan lived with Matthew for a while before we got married, and they've taken wine tasting together and spent quite a bit of time talking about Ohio State football, dogs, and beer. Camden and I are in the same program, although she's way farther than I am - she's graduating in December! And she is starting work at the Counseling Center with me right when they get back from their honeymoon. So clearly we were really excited to see them finally get married.

Let's be honest though, we were also really excited to spend the weekend in Beaver Creek. And we weren't disappointed. This place was ridiculous. It was so beautiful and so perfect it was almost scary. We decided it was kind of a cross between Disney World (think Fort Wilderness) and Pleasantville. We traveled up with friends and spent the weekend relaxing, eating and drinking, hiking, and of course attending the wedding. We stayed at the Beaver Creek Lodge, along with most of the wedding party and guests. (Shout out to Priceline for our great deal on the room in this hotel!)

On Friday night, there was a s'more party at the firepits in the Beaver Creek village. We had gourmet marshmallows (think homemade with flavors such as toffee and creme-de-menthe) and hot chocolate.

Here are Dan and I along with Jim, Cassie, Lauren, and Adam right before the wedding.

Here are Camden and Matthew, along with some of the wedding party, as they're taking pictures.

Neither one of us is actually looking at the camera, but I still like this picture! It's outside at the reception. There was a really pretty deck with a great view, so we stood out there and chatted during the cocktail hour.
Here we are with the bride and groom!
Beaver Creek was celebrating Oktoberfest while we were there, so on Sunday, we went out to the village and spent some time listening to German music, admiring everyone's steins, and eating bratwurst and potato salad.

I want to go back. Dan wants to go back during snowboarding season. I would be pretty content just to go back and do some more intense hiking or mountain biking. Either way, it was a great vacation, and it will probably tide us over for a couple years until we can build back up the bank account and take another one! :)

A Day in The Life of Dan

I took these pictures of Dan when he was teaching his Spanish classes about the words for a daily routine. I just found them again...and I think they're fun. So here is a day in the life of Dan! (Slightly outdated, because it doesn't include his nightly MBA studying.)

Notice the syrup with the cereal...hmmm.....

Home from school!

I don't think we ever realized that there were wine bottles in the above picture. Oops!

Good night!

Hey...I'm Back!

Okay, after my summer blogging break, I'm back! I'm going to start posting on a regular basis again. (Knock on wood.)

So for those of you out there, what should I post about? What do you want to hear about? Jobs, school, our marriage, psychology info? What questions do you have for me and Dan? What else do you want to learn about Sammie? More recipes? More pictures?

I need to know before I can delve back into this. So if you're out there...comment!

We're Still Alive...

Just haven't had much time for blogging lately... or desire, to be honest! Don't worry, both will come back in time.

Let's see... we are both done with summer classes this week. I finished yesterday, Dan finishes on Friday. Fall classes start the week after next.

In less than a month (Labor Day weekend), we're heading to Beaver Creek, Colorado, for Camden and Matthew's wedding! I'm excited for that. And then about a month later, we'll be back in Ohio for a weekend to see Rachel and Ryan get married and then for me to run the Columbus Marathon!

That's right, Marathon #2 coming up this fall. So far training has been really hard because it's so hot, or at least that's the reason I'm telling myself. But I'm sticking with it and I'm excited to run with Diana, Julie, et al. (Although I'm sure I won't do nearly as well without my trainer Scott next to me this time.)

We watched The Soloist this weekend. It was really good.

Dan would've had to go back to high school last week if he'd continued teaching. Therefore even though he has four tests this week and is exhausted, he is feeling very grateful for his current situation.

Back to work I go!

Summer Schedule

We're almost halfway done with the second summer session, and I realized I haven't really shared what classes Dan and I are taking right now. Sooooooo since I'm sure everyone is dying to know....

I am currently taking Social and Organizational Psychology. I actually find these topics really interesting. We're just reading lots of research on why people feel, think, and act the way they do. We talk about group behavior, attraction, prejudice, job satisfaction, and all sorts of things. Because this is a summer class, it's four hours a day, twice a week. That's a little long for one class, so I still have some major trouble paying attention - but it's interesting! I feel like I'm learning all sorts of random quirky information. For example, if you are winning at a game or having a pleasant experience, you will like the people near you more than if you are losing at a game or having an unpleasant experience (regardless of the person themselves or whether they're winning or losing). Or, satisfaction in your job or relationship is really not very strongly related to leaving a job or a significant other - these behaviors are more related to how much you feel you've invested in that job and how many alternatives you believe you have.

Dan is currently taking three classes: Finance, Business Law, and Economics. Finance is by far the hardest, but he just had a big midterm yesterday and felt like he did okay. Business Law has been fun - for example, yesterday, the class walked around the business school building and tried to find reasons that someone might sue the business school. He's still working really hard but also is still learning a lot and enjoying it.

Dan is taking those classes as well as a 10-hour-per-week Graduate Assistant position. I'm taking my class as well as working 20 hours at the Counseling Center and doing five hours of research work each week. Summer school is sort of brutal, but it will be over for both of us in about three weeks! Then we get a short break from classes, and onto fall semester we go!

First Half of July in Cliffs Notes

July 1 - My birthday! Day off, spent with family and friends, and relaxing...pretty much perfect, really.

July 2-3 - School and lots of it. Finishing up Summer 1 session.

July 4 - Cookout but no fireworks...it was still 100 degrees out at 9:00pm so we decided to skip it. Plus...we're kind of lame like that.

July 5 - I start at the Counseling Center, get my own big office, find out I work with really cool people, and I'm really just so excited about this year. I'll start seeing clients next week - yikes!

July 6-7 - School and lots of it. Oh yeah, and heat too. Lots of that. Dan starts Finance, Business Law, and Economics. I start Social and Organizational Psychology.

July 8- Mom, Mark and Julie come! Sammie is overjoyed at her new armadillo and rabbit, and of course her best friend Julie. Sammie does not let Julie, the armadillo, or the rabbit out of her sight for the next few days.

July 9 - We all go to the Mayborn Museum, try to go to dinner at George's with Sean, Faith, and Calah, wait an hour and then they tell us they really don't think they'll be able to seat us, so eat dinner at Ninfa's and resolve to hold a grudge against George's.

July 10 - Show them around my new work and introduce them to coworkers. Dan introduced Mark to the Gut Pack, head to Salado and walk around, get really hot, go to Austin and settle in for the weekend

July 11 - walk around Austin, see UT campus, Capitol building, get really hot and go back to hotel. While everyone else rests, I drag Mom to go shopping at Crate and Barrel and Whole Foods and make good use of my birthday money. That night we went to see Esther's Follies, which was the highlight of the weekend for me - GO if you're ever in Austin!

July 12 - Brunch at the Oasis, with the most amazing view I've ever seen. Outlet shopping in the afternoon, as well as a trip to Ikea. Drive back to Waco. Cry on the way home because I get sad when my family leaves. :(

Here's a picture of the view from the deck of the Oasis - this is Lake Travis, in Austin:

July 13-15 School. Heat. Work.