It's the Start of Something New

Well, my little brother is officially a college kid. Talk about WEIRD. Mom and Dad moved him into school last weekend. Guess how many miles it took them to get there? One thousand nine hundred and ninety six miles. Yeah, you read that right. Where did he go to, you may be asking? Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Danggg boy! Can you get any father away from home? ...I guess that's why those genius's at Skype are making so much money, I presume. I sure do miss him already! His classes started yesterday and he does seem to be enjoying himself. Seems like he is going to enjoy growing up and making some new friends :-)

As for me... School starts up again in just under a month. Seems like the summer goes by way too slowly... At least it does once all my friends (in private schools) move away. Now I am stuck to hanging out with my parents! Not that I am complaining, Mom!
I am ready, though, to get the new year started. Another year in the dorms, another year of living with new people. This year I am going to be in "suite" style living; which is essentially an apartment. It contains 4 bedrooms, 2 bath, and a living room/kitchen area.
I will be attempting a credit load of 19 hours this Fall.... Can you say crazy?! Yeah... That's what I get for not taking more science classes when I was a freshman. Gotta make up for it somehow!! But the plus side is that 8 of those hours are Business/Hospitality classes. I cannot wait to start my focus classes! I have such a fun major! (*Note: subject to change at students discretion)

And now... Mom and Dad are officially empty nest-ers. What will they do with all that free time?! I guess there is still Harley. Good things dogs don't go off to college! I think my parents would really be at a loss, then.

Food for thought

If success or failure of

this planet and of human 

beings depended on how

I am and what I do ....

How would I be? 

What would

I do?

-R. Buckminster Fuller

Random Texts

Thanks, Mom. I love you, too!

Like, Ever.

Are you a T-Swift fan? Well you aren't if you haven't heard her new single. It's titled We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together and it is awesome. This song will be on Taylor's new album, RED, being released on October 22.

Click on the link and check it out. It is a perfect anthem for you and that ex who keep getting back together. Have a listen!

Fun.

With hits like We Are Young & Some Nights, I am sure that some of you have heard of Fun. And if you haven't, you should look them up on YouTube right.now. Fun is an alternative rock band that was started up in 2009.
This morning at work, I was listening to Live 95.5 and the DJs Cabana Boy and Nikki were talking about how Fun was going to be here, in Portland, next Friday. That got me all excited. They proceeded to talk about how caller number 9 was going to get the chance to win 2 tickets to see them perform... I was like, right on!! So with my fingers crossed, I dialed the phone number. And what do you know, I was caller number 9. WHAT?! My heart started pounding, I felt like it was going to pop out of my chest. All that was standing between me and Fun was a quirky Q&A. I was asked to decifer some teenage lingo. While I knew what the shortened words meant, do you?

Can you do it?

• Totes
• Adorbs
• Cray
• Totes Obvi

Want a hint? Here are some in sentences:  "That sh*t cray" .... "She is into him; it's totes obvi!"


Needless to say, I got them ALL right (yeahhh I am a bit cocky :-P) and so guess what? I AM GOING TO BE SEEING FUN PLAY LIVE! Are you jelly? ;-)


***UPDATE: Here are a couple pics from the night of the concert :-) Pictured is me and my bestie (looking mighty fiiiiine) and then a shot of the stage after Some Nights.

CHEESE!

Follow Me, Maybe?

Hey all you fellow bloggers and readers! You've hear the of the 2012 Summer Sensation song, Call Me Maybe, haven't you? By Carly Rae Jepson? It's addicting to sing and can also be annoying... I have been known to turn the volume wayyyy up and sing really loud when this song comes on the radio or my iPod. Okay, okay and the occasional dance move.... My mom came across this awesome video a little while back and it is just one of the cutest things ever. Missy Franklin, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Rebecca Soni.... etc. Just watch this. You will, too, be in love. Not only with the song but the young athletes.

Go Here!

Sit With Me A Spell

“Dusk is just an illusion because the sun is either above the horizon or below it. And that means that day and night are linked in a way that few things are there cannot be one without the other yet they cannot exist at the same time. How would it feel I remember wondering to be always together yet forever apart?” -Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

“Twilight fell: The sky turned to a light, dusky purple littered with tiny silver stars.” -J.K. Rowling

“The first stab of love is like a sunset, a blaze of color -- oranges, pearly pinks, vibrant purples...” -Anna Godberson, The Luxe

“When the sun has set, no candle can replace it.” -George R.R. Martin

Punchbowl Falls

On Saturday, I was presented with the opportunity to hike and swim Punchbowl Falls. This secluded, yet very popular on hot days, area is beautiful. The hike from the road to Punchbowl is about 2 miles, mostly uphill. But lemme tell you, the hike is worth it. At first, I didn't think that it was going to be... I'll admit that I struggled to keep up with my friends on our way in (it was HOT). Once you get to the base of the falls, though, you will be floored by the scenery. And not to mention the cool water!
If you are into cliff jumping, there are several places for you to get your rush of adrenaline. I, reluctantly, jumped off the baby one (10ft). And yes, that was a large feat for me to overcome... But if you are like my daredevil brother, that height is something to laugh at.

 Punch Bowl Falls is a waterfall on Eagle Creek in the Columbia River Gorge. Eagle Creek drains into the Columbia River, with its outlet on the Columbia River Gorge in Multnomah County. Eagle Creek cuts through a narrow channel and shoots powerfully into a large bowl that resembles a punchbowl. This waterfall was responsible for the waterfall classification type of punchbowl.

"In the mountains there are only two grades: You can either do it, or you can't."
-- Rusty Baille

Nutella and Peanut Butter Cookies

Seriously, is there anything better than Nutella? (Maybe bacon....) Tonight I finally found a recipe worth trying. I have been wanting to bake with Nutella for forever, but since it's so expensive, I hate to waste a whole jar in one recipe. So this recipe was oh so perfect. My mom found the original recipe here.

Guest blogging by Carol Mayfield:  ...my daughter is being a domestic goddess tonight. Liking this recipe and it's even better when you don't have to make 'em. Love the fact that I can consume the cookies for a change, usually my family eats them all as I am baking. Such is life. 


Here's my version of these scrumptious cookies. I altered it slightly from the original, making it my own:
Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup Splenda (granulated)
1/2 cup packed Splenda brown sugar blend
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
Approx. 1/4 cup room temp. Nutella (use your own judgement.. Love Nutella? It's okay to use a bit more)

Preheat oven to 350° F

Combine butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Mix until well blended.

Add flour, baking soda and salt.


"Drizzle"/spoon the Nutella on top of the dough then swirl it through the dough with a butter knife (I zapped the jar in the microwave for 10 secs to loosen it up more).


Chill dough 15 minutes in the refrigerator.


Roll into 1/4-1/2 inch balls by hand.


Place on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Using a fork, press down the balls to flatten slightly.


Bake until edges are very lightly browned (about 7 to 9 minutes).


Allow to rest a minute on cookie sheet before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.

This is a side by side comparison of MY cookies (left) and the ones from the website the recipe came from (right).

Do Women Talk A Lot?

I heard it on the radio awhile back, but this is hard facts that do indeed talk more than men. Or, at least, the average male. Here's my spin on it:

Talkative women; Silent men.

Is that stereotypical of me? Well it’s not just me. Now the stereotypes have been given scientific substance, of sorts, by a book in the US, The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine (clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California in San Francisco).

In her book, Brizendine claims that men and women are different because their brains function differently. One of the most interesting examples she comes up with is that women talk more - 20,000 words a day compared with 7,000 for the average man - and they talk twice as fast.

Everything makes so much sense!

Braids

This year I mastered french braiding my bangs out of my face... Which was a good thing! I started to grow them out and we all know that "awkward phase" that bangs have. So since "mastering" that skill, I have tried different hairstyles involving braids. And let me tell you, it's hard! I didn't think that doing one's hair could be so difficult... But then again, that coming from a girl who barely does anything to hers after showering.

Have you seen this pic of Selena Gomez? Her hair is gorgeous to begin with, but then I saw this... I need to try it. But I didn't think that I had enough talent to copy the hairstylist who did that. BUT THEN I cam across this wonderful blog post from Oh So Pretty: The Diaries. I already LOVE their blog, but then it's like they read my mind!! Since seeing this post, I have yet to attempt the great feat; but with the awesome step by step instructions, I am sure that I will have a pretty BoHo look in no time.

On a side note, if you are looking for awesome tutorials or fashion advice, Oh So Pretty is a great blog for all of the above. I found them on Pinterest and love all the things that they post. Check 'em out!

Packing List 2012

Well, it's August 1st! You know what that means? That while the weather still says it's summer... Fall is just around the corner for some students (mainly those students who have selected private institutions). With school fast approaching, there will be packing to do!

Do you know what you are taking with you or leaving behind?

Here is a list that I have started for your convenience:

School Supplies:

• Folders
• Notebooks
• Backpack/Messenger bag
• Laptop/Tablet/Netbook
• USB flash drive
• Pencils/Pens
• Calculator/graphing calculator
• Stapler --> Staples
• Printer --> Printer ink
• Computer paper
• Tape (Duct, Masking, Scotch)
• Post-it notes
• Scissors
• Planner

Bathroom:

• Body Wash
• Face Wash
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Shower shoes (recommend for communal bathrooms)
• Razors
• Shaving Cream
• Shower caddie
• Toiletries carrying case
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush
• Floss
• 2 sets of towels (for when you can't/don't do laundry right away)
• Deodorant
• Hair dryer/Flat iron/Curling iron 
• Comb/brush
• Hair products (gel/mousse/hairspray)
• Nail clippers/file

Electrical:

• Surge protectors (who knows when the lights will go out in that dorm room built in the 70s)
• Extension cords/Multiple outlet adapter 
• Extra long cable cord (for TV if you have one)
• Cell phone charger
• Laptop charger
• Ethernet cable (you may not have wireless Internet in your room)
• ^OR you can take your own wireless router to school for your personal use (check with school to make sure this is supported) 
• Adapters (if you're going to school abroad, you'll definitely need converters and if you're going to school in the United States, you may need 3-pronged to 2-pronged adapters)
• Alarm clock (or cell phone)

Organizational Tools:

• Storage units for below your bed (I like the long/flat ones on wheels)
• Over the door hangers/mirror
• Clothes hangers
• Extra storage bins (for your desk drawers, closet, dresser...Possibilities are endless)
• Lock box?
• Shoe organizer?
• Trash can (maybe: most college dorms will provide trash cans and recycling bins)

Appliances:

• Microwave
• Small refrigerator (does a friend/sibling have one you can buy for cheap?)
  • Look into renting the microwave/refrigerator combo!
• Fan (I hate stale air, so this helped with circulation)
• Television
• DVD player
• Coffee pot
• Hot Pot/electric tea kettle
• NO OPEN FLAMES

Bedding: *Sheets and Comforters need to be Twin XL in size*

• 2 pairs of sheets (again, for laundry purposes)
• Comforter /Quilt
• Pillows
• Pillow covers
• Egg-crate, foam pad
• Blankets

Clothes/Laundry:

• Laundry bin/bag
• Small ironing board and iron ?
• Laundry detergent /Dryer sheets
• Quarters or Laundry cards 
• Stain remover
• Business casual clothes for presentation/interviews 
• Seasonal clothes (depending on the climate and how far from home you are)
• 2+ weeks of underwear and socks (this is from personal experience - I would do my laundry every two weeks on average. You need clean underwear and socks each day, so shoot for having enough to carry you for two weeks)
• Jacket
• Gloves
• Hat
• Boots
• Sneakers
• Dress Shoes
• Casual shoes

**When it comes to clothes, pack what you KNOW you will wear and a couple of things that you MIGHT wear... Trust me, space is limited in the dorms and you don't want to waste it on something you won't wear while you are away.

Decorating/Smell Good stuff:

• Posters/Pictures 
• Desk stuff
• Area rug (cover that ugly dorm carpet!)
• Desk lamp
• Floor lamp  
• Picture hangers (Command/3M hooks)
• Oil diffusers
• Air freshener
• NO OPEN FLAMES (ie: Candles)

Did that cover it all? I sure hope so... If not, feel free to leave a comment! :-) Happy packing!