"All I do, the whole day through, is dream of you" (bum-bum-bum)

Well it has been QUITE the week! Monday was a major day of recovery from the weekend of traveling-- I think because of the stress (and possibly a gas-station hot dog), I became very ill the evening of the 22nd. Thankfully with some well-cooked food and lots of ginger ale, Gatorade and water, I was back to normal Monday evening.

Monday was also back to school-- loving my ASL class, it is quiet and stress-free :) Got some resting time in, and some time with friends/ pre-rehearsal for "Singin in the Rain" (the musical I am choreographing this spring). It was a lot of fun putting my tap shoes back on and experimenting with timing and sounds to go with the music...hopefully it won't be too hard for the actors to sing while doing my tap steps lol! I also had my dance's first rehearsal for 'Attitudes' spring show. It went really well and I am excited to make the piece weird and crazy and awesome! :)

Tuesday was my long day. Jesse worked in the morning, while I had classes. That evening, I worked and went to rehearsal two of the week.  Jesse also went to a ballroom rehearsal that night. Oh and I had to deal with a whole bunch of fun stuff, thank goodness for skype and best friends :) Wednesday (AKA the day before Jesse's 23rd birthday), I went to class, Jesse got to relax a little... and then that evening my mother took us out to dinner at Red Lobster-- Jesse really enjoyed the food, the company was good, and I got to give him his birthday gifts (white boxer briefs.....to go under brand new 'dress whites' for his Capoeria meetings http://www.mestresbrasil.com/usa/). We then ran to UMD for his ballroom rehearsal (another great group of dancers), and then I continued on to rehearsal four of the week.

Jesse's birthday day was a blast, and he was such a sweetie-- woke me up when I needed to get ready for class, made me breakfast, and drove me to school. He picked me up at the end of the day and told me he was taking me to JJ Astor, so we got dressed up and headed there. After a bottle of moscato, scallops, ceaser salad, veal with marinara and risotto, grilled pork tenderloin with caramelized apples and sweet potato puree, and Italian trifle, we headed to salsa dance. From there, Jesse started his party by hanging out at Mexico Lindo and I headed to rehearsal 5 of the week. Later that night, around 2:15am, Jesse came home stumbling-- sounds like he had a good time :) And now my hubby and I are the same age for a few months :)

Finally, today (Friday), we had a lazy morning, Jesse went to work, and my day got busy! I picked a friend up from across the bridge, drove us back to Duluth to the dance studio for a meeting (we got a lot of stretching and some working out in), then back to Superior for night one of three "Singin in the Rain" auditions. We had a good group of people, and it was exciting being a part of theatre again! Anyways, I came home and was so hungry I ate like half a pizza! Drank a bunch of water though, and definitely worked out a bunch more then.

This semester I am concentrating on five main things:

1. Boost my grades
2. Get all the in-school experiences I can, because there is a good chance my senior year will be all online.
3. Spend as much time as possible with my good friends, as, again, there is a chance I may not see them more than a few times a year after this summer (sad thought!!)
4. Get my body into great shape-- lose some weight, tone up, get some of my flexibility back, etc.
5. Spend some good quality time with my hubby since he will be CRAZY busy once he is Grad school....

...It's not that crazy of a list really, I just have to try to focus on everything a little more sharply than I perhaps would on a more regular basis. In May we will be making some changes (one of which I am really excited about-- switching to all organic diets!!), and being well in shape will help CONSIDERABLY lol. I also am getting caught up on all doctor appointments...getting my teeth cleaned/ filling fixed, getting my wisdom teeth out (yuck), getting up to date on vaccines/ shots, get an allergy test, and a physical... whew. Lot's to do in the coming months. Once we move (if we move), I'm going to start doing a lot of DIY crafts-- I am obsessed with a blog right now with super cool ideas for the home-- I cannot wait!! :)

Alright, my recipe of the day is going to be one of my all time favorites:

BRUSCHETTA!
 Ingredients:
1 loaf of quality rustic bread, sliced into one inch slices
1 clove garlic cut in half
Olive Oil to coat your frying pan, or as much oil as you like!
An assortment of ripe tomatoes, cut into smallish chunks (I used ripe Roma tomatoes and small grape yellow and orange. When cutting the tomatoes I deseeded and took the flesh out of half and left half)
Fresh basil leaves, torn or cut into pieces
Olive oil to dress the tomatoes
Salt and Pepper to taste (the amount of salt will determine the level of liquid that comes out of the tomatoes)
Grated Parmesan cheese – optional but strongly suggested
Method:
Mix the tomatoes and basil. Drizzle on olive oil and toss gently; then salt and pepper the tomatoes. The more salt you use, the most juice will be released. Let this marinate while you prepare the bread.
In a skillet, brown the bread slices in the olive oil on both sides, until it’s a nice golden color.Remove the bread from the pan. Cut off one end of the garlic clove, and rub carefully over the hot bread slices. The garlic “melts” into the bread by using this method (this adds that extra YUM to the dish). If you prefer, you could saute the garlic in the oil before browning the bread, but you need to be careful to remove the garlic before adding the bread, or the garlic will burn and become very bitter (that sounds too complicated for me, rubbing was much easier).
Place the toasted bread on a great plate or nice cutting board,  pile the tomatoes onto the bread, sprinkle with Parmesan, and enjoy the juice running down your chin! This recipe is DIVINE. I’ll be making it again soon.

Enjoy!! :)

Chi Town fun

Well, operation "Open House" was a success! We took the MegaBus to Chicago from the twin cities on Friday evening-- it was an 8 hour ride with one stop off in WI. The bus ride was long and super uncomfortable, but once we arrived at our hotel (with a huge king size bed) we passed right out :)

Saturday we woke up early, checked out, grabbed a blueberry muffin and chocolate croissant for breakfast on-the-go, and caught a cab to the College of Professional Psychology. The morning was split into sections based on different needs of the potential students-- we attended a student panel, counseling info session, financial aid session (btw F*** FAFSA. As of July, Subsidized loans for Grad students are no more, which means you have to start paying them back right away), and admissions session. We got lots of very helpful info as well as a place to go to help find housing should we end up moving.

So we then became experts on riding the "L" around the city, visited the Best Place Ever, had a yummy dinner, and went to see 'Contraband' on the 9th floor of a building (lol such a weird thought when the only theatres you have ever been to are one floor). Finally, we caught a cab to Union Station and boarded the bu back to Minneapolis-- lets just say, the table seats are the BEST. Except when a man with a huge bag of McDonalds food a huge pizza sits across from you haha! *Funny story from the bus: When I tired gently to close Jesse's book when the lights went off, he flipped out and got pissed at me, and so in return when he tried to touch my knee, I slapped his hand away-- then our bus driver SLAMS on the brakes suddenly and Jesse looks over at me and says "I'm sorry about the book thing, I don't know why I did that." I said it was okay and then he explained he didn't want to die in a bus crash without us making up and saying "I love you". lol!! Oh and p.s. how AWESOME is it that buses now have seat belts??? I love it!!

This weekend rounded out nicely with getting sick. Perhaps food poisoning, perhaps the flu I don't know... but I did drink a huge bottle of water, a gatorade and a ginger ale in the past few hours. I also really need to start working out. Number one, I have to wear a sports bra in a dance piece in April, but also because it's a part of my regiment starting in May that I should really get a head start on. So excited to start eating organically 24/7 the 1st week of May! :)


Well, as promised here is the recipe of the day today-- I haven't tried it personally but it looks AMAZING!
RED VELVET CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

Total Time:

1 hr 25 min

Prep

25 min

Inactive

30 min

Cook

30 min

Yield:

8 servings

Level:

Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for pan

Red Velvet Brownie Layer:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• Pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Special equipment: 8 by 8-inch baking pan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking pan, and set aside.

Brownie layer: In a saucepan on medium heat melt the butter. Remove the butter to a large bowl and add the sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, salt, food coloring, and vinegar, in that order, mixing between additions. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and stir it into the cocoa mix. Fold in the flour until lightly combined. Stir in the walnuts and pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, saving 1/4 cup of the batter for the top.

Cream cheese layer: Blend together the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Gently spread the cream cheese layer on top of the brownie batter in the pan. Dollop the remaining brownie batter over the cream cheese layer. Using a skewer or the tip of a knife, drag the tip through the cream cheese mixture to create a swirl pattern. Bake the brownies for 30 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before cutting.

Alright, well, off to bed for now and hopefully catch up on some sleep. Tomorrow I need to hang out with a friend, go to ASL class, work out, teach some actors steps to a song, lead a dance rehearsal, and study. We also need to get our leaky bathtub fixed, clean, do laundry, pay some bills, sign up for the Job fair, and I need to go get my ACTUAL conceal and carry certificate and start looking at revolvers. At least I think I want a revolver like this?. I have mixed feelings-- any thoughts?

<3

Elephants!!

I tend to get obsessed about multiple things... once I get to know something, I often go overboard and don't stop until I find a new thing to obsess about. Lately, it's been Elephant decor. Jesse and I talked about what color we would paint our future nursery... I said dark gray because that's the color of Elephants, lol! In terms of Nurseries, I fairly quickly discovered how cute Elephants would be in there! How cute is this??? p.s. Pinterest is so addictive, thank goodness I'm cooling down ont hat one the week before school starts again!


Also, I'm in love <3. I need a dress for the award show this weekend, and I definitely want to try this out! I wanted something with more of a baby-doll, wider skirt....but who knows what I'll end up with-- probably something completely different haha!

I'm thinking I should start posting a recipe on each blog, so here goes Recipe #1 (a cake since it is my new brother-in-laws birthday today)!

--VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE--
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

(It doesn't taste weird at all, actually like a very rich chocolate cake. I like it best with custard frosting, see below)

--CUSTARD FROSTING--
Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 4 tablespoons flour together. Add 1/2 cup milk and 1 egg. Cook until very thick, cool thoroughly and then add: 1/2 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 4 to 8 tablespoons powdered sugar. Beat together until thick and creamy.

 Enjoy!! :)

Well, I am a day into my six day freedom before Spring semester begins! Jesse and I have become almost nocturnal.... we both have been watching episodes of our favorite shows until the wee hours of the morning and then sleeping until the afternoon... That needs to stop. Hoping to go to sleep early today-- and even though I am getting 9+ hours of sleep a night, but today have what looks like purple bruises under my eyes. Maybe I AM turning into a vampire lol!!!

This week is going to be quite relaxing and fun-- tomorrow we are finishing all the dishes, cleaning the kitchen floor, and getting rid of our huge over-size desk. Thursday is some birthday fun with our couple friends/ salsa night, Friday is another relaxing day (hopefully getting a haircut too), Saturday I'm going to the Duluth Bridal Expo and fashion show, and Sunday we are going to the Oeuvre Award show :) I was so excited about having a slow semester but turns out with 5 attitudes rehearsals a week, 4 SCT rehearsals a week, work and school....... it's gonna be kinda rough haha.

I have become completely obsessed with the TV show Pretty Little Liars which is mysterious and awesome (haha)... probably because of this show and it's content, I have been thinking a lot about death lately. One thing that seems to keep coming to mind, is my grandmother. She was diagnosed with cancer of the....well, everything, about 6 years ago. I ran away when I heard the diagnoses and took a lot of time off of work when she came home and needed care takers. She lost a ton of weight...until she was skin and bones, and we could only feed her by dipping a sponge in grape juice and sticking the sponge in her mouth. It was a terrible thing to watch happen to someone I loved so much.... she basically raised me. She started to kind of lose it when she got to that point, and not much longer she was unresponsive. One night I got a call from my mom that it wouldn't be much longer. I raced the hour and a half to where she was and a few hours after I arrived (my family gathered around her bedside), she drew her last breath. It was almost calm and peaceful after that. The next morning, my mother and I watched them come and wrap her body up and take her away. One thing that I have never told anyone, ever... is that one day I went in to feed her (with the sponge), and she asked me if I had ever met her granddaughter (I'm her only one). I said I had and she said "She is such a wonderful girl. My little angel. She is going to be a lovely woman one day." I cried as I fed her and held her hand for awhile. When I was calmer I went back to my family. I will never, ever forget that moment. It's the strangest thing that every year on her passing, I think of it a few days prior, and the day after, but it never enters my mind the day of-- I think that's her, trying to keep us from being too sad. Funny thing is, the 5th anniversary of her death is the day that Jesse planned to purpose to me. Thankfully, it happened the day after. It is a weird, flip floppy few days now but I think that was fate. It makes the days more happy than sad. Also, when we tried to figure out when we actually started dating for an anniversary day, Jesse chose the date that coincides with my grandmother's birthday. Whew. Anyways, leave it to Jesse to make everything better :)

I am really excited for Chicago on the 20th!! Jesse got out of his shift early that day, I am getting out of class early, and we are racing down to Minneapolis to catch the bus to Chi town. After 8 hours in the bus, we will be checking into our hotel, then Sat morning we head to the college, do the open house, talk to profs, get housing info, etc. We then will be going either to the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, or both. And then catch our bus late that night. We will get back early in the morning Sunday and after we drive up north, Jesse goes straight to work. I am so excited to be back in that city!!

Well, our cleaning has done wonders for our apartment. The living rooms and bedroom are so much more open and clean and the bathroom looks so nice and uncluttered! Hopefully we can keep it that way. I cannot wait for us to get a house. 4 more years and it'll hopefully be a reality! I've got so many thoughts and ideas....http://pinterest.com/megschmitt9/house-ideas/

Well, I suppose I should get going. Not that I'm really going to do anything much but I've ranted enough in this blog post for quite awhile, lol.
Til next time...

Holidays/ Chicago!!

Whew! The holidays are over, and it is a brand new year! Christmas was hectic (4 celebrations in 5 days for us-- including 9 total hours of travel), but a lot of fun! We got a lot of great loot, including a popcorn maker I am now completely obsessed with using. It was also really great just seeing everyone! My cousin is pregnant, due at the end of this month so it was nice getting to see her and her husband before I'm sure they won't get much time out of their home in the next few months at least!

The time after Christmas was equally hectic-- my husband and I were pulling extra shifts to make up for the money spent around Christmas, and cleaning the house to get ready for the New Year. New Years eve was probably the best I've had since I was a kid... our two good friends (and only close couple friends at the moment) came over for dinner (which I am loving doing thanks to matching utensils/ plates, etc and new table cloth, place mats and cloth napkins-- I am such a dork about that stuff), and then we spent some time in before watching fire dancers, dancing, and eating/ drinking at the nice bar in this city (lol). The next day while Jesse was at work, the three of us watched football, ate junk food, and moaned over our hang overs haha!

After much stress eating, ulcers and the like, I finally have my grades in and am happy to report, though due to one stupid class my GPA was lowered a point and a half, I passed all my classes and *shouldn't* have any problems getting my FAFSA which is wonderful -- it seems like every semester it is a debacle!! My semester next year looks very simple-- classes only between 1pm and 4pm, with only one class Mondays and Fridays. I do, however, have rehearsal four nights a week and still need to work at LEAST 2 shifts a week. Plus I teach two classes on Saturdays, assist with a class on Thursdays, and am choreographing a musical between now and March.... so, life is busy as usual lol.

In other news, Jesse found a grad school he likes in Chicago which is amazing to me, because I have (since embracing my love of History) wanted to work at the Field Museum there! I have been looking at available jobs and while there is not a whole lot I could do YET.... I could get an internship there and then after I have my degree in approximately 17 1/2 months get a big-girl job there!

Due to his liking a school in Chicago, he is currently studying for his GRE test, and I am busy looking forward to moving!! We have planned a very quick outing to Chi town this month-- pretty much getting 20 hours in the big city, but we're going to be taking Greyhound, so we can sit back and relax and the driver worries about the driving. We're hoping to meet a professor in Jesse's selected field, get some info on housing in the city and visit either the museum, aquarium, or both. The art institute is amazing but after touring it with Kris about 3 years ago.... I need at least another year before I can go back. Going to art museums with that man....yuck. I remember as a little girl, my mom lost me for awhile int he field museum-- turns out I had run back to the Egyptian exhibit and curled up in one of the darker corners. Ever since then, I have been obsessed with the place and culture and history...mostly the history. Ancient Egypt, the Tudor dynasty and the Holocaust are my significant points of interest in the History department. Long story short, I'm in love with the Fields Museum :)

I'm looking into apartments without much avail because there are not a whole lot of listings for apartments available in 8 months.... It is nice to get a preview of apartments in the city though, and to get some insight on good neighborhoods to live in. I have lived in many different locations in my life, though most were fairly short durations.... I cannot wait to move somewhere indefinitely! I'm trying to make sure we both get ample time with our families this year as who knows how much we will get to see them after? Traveling expenses from Chicago to the twin cities is pretty inexpensive but there are a few different factors coming into play here in the next year that could alter how much money we actually have to play with....

I'm also hoping to finish my senior year completely online which could prove to be QUITE interesting... Have to get all my classes figured out way ahead of time and possibly be traveling up a few times a semester to take classes here at UMD. To explain, any good Universities require you to do half your major or 2 full years there and I don't want to drop from a state University to a college... that may sound REALLY snotty, but I have been working on building a resume to blow employers away and that would not be helpful. We shall see what these coming months bring....

Well, about time for me to hit the sack.... night all!