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!

Autumn in Muskegon

Hello everyone!
I have made it through 2 weeks of class!  The only interesting thing to report... in my Product Identification class, I got to try rabbit and quail meat!  Neither were that good, but it was fun to try something new!  The final for that class will be to identify 75 different foods (ranging from produce, meats, spices, herbs, etc) by their taste or smell and I have to know the best way to prepare them and how to spell them correctly... it's like a quickfire challenge!  A lot more fun to watch on television, so hopefully I can get most of them!

The month of October has been SO beautiful here!  Most days are in the high 70s and it is nice and sunny. I have some pictures of all the fall leaves-I'm obsessed with how amazing it looks right now!!  These were taken today...

On a walk with Jasmine, Lake Michigan on the left

Jasmine on the Boardwalk around the corner

Pretty trees!

Another major announcement... I am now employed!!  I am working at Ryke's Bakery and Cafe (click the name to check out their website).  Now, as many of you know I have had many jobs, thus many job interviews in my day.  This one was the hardest one yet-seriously!!  In addition to the face-to-face with the owner, I had to build and ice a cake to show my skills and there was 2 other girls going for same job, so we were all together in this mini-competition trying to ice a cake as fast as possible!!  Even though I though mine wasn't very good, apparently is was good enough!  My official job title is Cake Builder and Icer and this place makes hundreds of cakes a week, so I am going to become a pro at icing a cake (which is actually pretty hard to get right)!  It is a great job to see the daily operations of a bakery and now I can make some friends!  The only downfall is that while I am in training I have to be in at 4 am... yikes!  Never had to be at work that early in my life, so I'm a little worried about that... but, hopefully my body will adjust.  I am hoping that I will not have to work that early all the time, but that IS part of working in a bakery, so I might have to like it if I ever want to do something like it!!

I did get all of my stuff from LA yesterday, but am a LONG way from having everything unpacked and arranged.  Plainly put, I have a lot of crap!  I will have pictures soon of the final look (my goal is before the new year)!!  =)

More to report soon...  hope everyone is doing well...