First Quarter.... DONE!!!

Hello family and friends!!!  I hope everyone is having a great holiday season and isn't too stressed out!  This is my favorite time of the year and it doesn't hurt that I have 4 weeks off, either...  =)  I am officially done with my first quarter of baking and pastry school, which is a great feeling and really solidifies the fact that I am actually doing this!  I am happy to report that I got 4 A's!!  I am really anxious to see how the "real" classes are structured once I'm in the kitchen and get to make stuff.  Next quarter I will be taking Baking and Pastry (BPA) 111 and 112 which are basic baking technique classes.  I will be learning things like: identifying baking tools and equipment, proper weighing methods, and preparing flat and crusted breads, puff pastry, and other basic starters for future advanced classes.  I cannot WAIT to get started!!  I may never buy prepared bread again!

So, I have been home for about a week and have already done some really fun stuff!!  First, I went to visit my awesome friend Jess in Louisville, KY.  It was my first time really exploring the city and seeing her and Rickey's place, so it was really nice to be somewhere new.  Their house is so awesome and we went to some amazing restaurants and shops!  I tried to help Jess narrow down a bridesmaids dress... I hope I helped!!

Here we are at a Christmas party hosted by Rickey's boss

And here are Jess and Rickey... so cute!!

Then, I went to visit my cousin at UT (Toledo) for her graduation weekend.  I went out and kicked it with her at the college bars (yeah, it was a little weird!!) and she had two different ceremonies.  Here are some pictures...

Can you guess which one of us has been tanning?  Take a minute...

Our pedicures for our cruise.  Did I mention that I am going on a cruise to the Bahamas after Christmas??  Woohoo!!!!

Here's the graduate!!

From Toledo, I went to stay with my sis for a night and visit with Abby and Johnnie.  I saw the progress on their new house and it is looking fantastic!!!  We went out for some Christmas beers and amazing food at Deagan's Kitchen & Bar in Lakewood (check out the menu!!).

Cheers!!

I made everyone wait to eat until I got a picture!!  The top choice of the night was Johnnie's Chicken and Waffles (in the back with powered sugar)-it was insanely good!!!

I am done with all of my traveling and spending time at home making cookies and planing our Christmas Eve dinner with my mom and family.  I will post all of the goodies soon!  Have a great Christmas everyone!!!

My Thanksgiving break

Hello everyone!  I am back after a nice and long one week break to finish up my last 2 weeks of my first quarter-I can't believe how fast time is going by!  I had a great time back in Ohio visiting family and friends and eating some wonderful food, of course!!  Here are some pictures...

A pre-Thanksgiving feast with Kevin and Nena at Melt (an amazing sandwich place!!)

Nena giving Marley and Jasmine some licks from from her cookie batter

Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt's house... LOTS of food!!

Great Uncle Art and Uncle Dennis-cheers!

Cousins coming to chow down!

One of the 2 tables (g-pa is really excited!)

It was so great to see and chat with my family!  Mark is in our thoughts and prayers and was missed.

After Thanksgiving, I went to see Abby and Johnnie's new house in University Heights (which is amazing!!) then I headed back to Columbus.   Nena and I met up with mom and Frank at LaScala restaurant to listen to the Eddie Pollina Band-they were really good!!  

Here's mom and Frank getting down on the dance floor!

Finally, Nena and I helped mom decorate the house for Christmas-it's officially the season!!

Pretty ornaments!

Marley offering some assistance!

Of course I have a picture with the Jas!!

Bonus pic of Jas!!  Can't help myself!

It is starting to get really cold and windy up here in Michigan, but I guess I knew it was coming.  Brrr...   I have a paper and presentation for my business writing class this Thursday, then 2 finals next week.  Once I finish up the quarter, it is back to Columbus to hang out with family and friends again and get ready for the cruise!!  It will be SO nice to be in a warm climate =)  I hope all of my readers had a great Thanksgiving and are getting in the Christmas spirit!!!

Past few weeks...

Hi everyone!  Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, just been busy the past few weekends visiting family!  I also started my Culinary Math class which is really fun, as I predicted!  The instructor guarantees that we will use this in our jobs, which most math teachers say (anyone use the Pythagorean theorem, really??), but I actually believe him!  I also found out that I got an A in my Product ID class and the final wasn't too bad!!

I have some pictures of my past few weekend trips... First, I went to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousin in Valparaiso, IN and we took a day trip to Chicago!!  It was a lot of fun and great to see them!

First, we ate at a great little place in downtown Valparaiso and I had this great chicken dish... even though it wasn't completely cooked when I first got it and had to sent it back!!  And, I had just studied and taken my servsafe exam again and all that food bacteria knowledge was front and center!!!

We had lunch at the Luxe Cafe which had these awesome glass lights above our heads!

Here I am with my aunt Paula at Sprinkles Cupcakes-yum!!

Here are some pictures of Chicago-SUCH a sweet city!!!

View from the Hancock building

 View from the women's room at the Hancock building-awesome!!

"The Bean"-this cool, huge metal mirror bean-shaped structure in Millennium Park

We're in there somewhere!!!

The new Trump Tower

Ended with dinner in China Town-it was delicious!!

Then, last weekend I went to Cleveland to go the Brown's game with Nena, Robin and Ian.  Major surprise, the Brown's beat the Patriots!!  I also got to see some family and catch up with everyone which was really nice.  My great aunt recently fell and has 4 broken ribs right now!!  She is doing okay, should be good for the cruise next month!!

Here are some pictures of Jasmine and Marley hanging out (with Kevin in the background!)!!

Being excellent watch dogs!

Marly was pooped!!

 And, here we are at the game!!

Walking in...

View from our seats

Me and Nena

Robin and Ian

Here is the soup I made last night... it was the first meal I have prepared since living in my apartment, so I'm finally getting back into the kitchen and it was tasty!!

I will be taking it easy this weekend and getting ready for Thanksgiving!  I am have a whole week off (LOVE being a student!) and am going to Columbus and then Cleveland for Thanksgiving Day.  I'll have more pictures soon!!  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

My Visit to Columbus!

Hi everyone!  I am half way done with my first quarter-I can't believe it!!  I had some tests this week that went well, should know the grades by Monday.  Also, I start my Culinary Math class next Friday which I am pumped about!!

So, my trip home was really fun!  Jas and Sammy were really happy to see each other (as you can tell by the evil death stares they have!)

My mom and I went to the OSU game, which was a blow out, but still an experience!  Here are some pics...

Pregame

The band getting it started!

We were REALLY close!!

Kinda hard to see, but the band spelled out Elvis for the half time show (complete with impersonator!)

Me and mom!

Also, I got to hang out with some old friends which was really fun!  The Filler never fails to entertain!!
And, as a bonus, Abby came into town Sunday night for a show, so I got to see her, Penny (her mom) and Karen (another intern) for dinner.  It was great!!

I am going to visit my aunt and uncle in northern Indiana this weekend and we are going to Chicago for a day of shopping and site seeing.  Can't wait!!  I'll have pictures next week!

Mom and Nena come to visit!

Hello everyone!  

First, I have to get the bad news out of the way...  Unfortunately, I was told that I wasn't getting my new job at the bakery fast enough, so I was let go...  I was pretty disappointed in the situation, but after thinking about it for a few days, it must be for the best.  It WAS pretty rough going in at 4 am, so that is an upside!

Okay, now on to better news...

Here are some pictures of Jasmine finding her favorite spot on the couch:

Ya think there's enough space for her?

Also, mom and Nena came for a visit this past weekend to help unpack some stuff and for moral support!  Jasmine was excited to see Marley-bear!  (This picture was NOT posed!)

Eating Marley's bone

Saturday night we went out to Hearthstone for an awesome dinner!

 (check out the place and the menu!)

Complete with drinkies!!

Mom's cheese soup with cheddar popcorn topping!

My entree: Panko-crusted Walleye

 Even though we were stuffed, we had to get dessert!  

Pistachio Gelato inside Profiteroles (like cream puffs) with chocolate topping-SO good! 

We got a lot accomplished in my place, still have some organization to do, but it is coming together.

Also, I took my ServSafe exam this morning at the Health Department, which teaches anyone in the food service industry about food safety and sanitation.  I have to pass it to be able to cook in the kitchen's at school... It is offered as a class, but I have taken it before for my undergrad, so I just needed to take the exam (I also saved about $350 dollars and 10 weeks of my life!).  I'll find out in a few weeks if I passed!

Finally, the strange thing I tasted in my Product ID class last week was.... Head cheese.  Do you know what it is?  I didn't have a clue, and NO, it's not cheese.  Click here to find out!!  It does sound and look kinda nasty, but it wasn't that bad-really!
Next week pictures of my trip home and the OSU game (thanks mom!!)
Have a good week everybody!