As a young adult in a highly mobile stage of life....

Well, friends it is a momentous occasion. I have officially packed 90% of my room into two boxes and two pink suitcases. The packing and moving to a different dorm for Mayterm while thinking ahead about storage/travel always makes me increasingly aware of this transitional stage of life. I may pride myself on having less stuff than others but I am always forced to face the truth that despite all quantity or quality of material things one may own, there are always things that are uneeded. Future goal: When I get my own apartment: no U-hall needed!  Hehe. We'll see.

Well, finals are over and I am occupying myself with packing, gathering various free things that others have thrown out which I of course invariably think I  need, cleaning and organizing all the said STUFF, working out various details for Student Teaching, writing long letters to various friends and family, and planning glorious get-togethers with my fellow-Maytermers. 

Looking forward to further adventures!

Aurevior moname!

This week

I went on amazing walk in the woods, barefoot in the mud, singing frank Sinatra, eating fiddle heads, and picking wild apple blossoms.

Friday night movie!

An attempt at butterscotch candies

Catching up on letter writing

Finishing the last paper for the last final!!!

Having a study party in the empty cafeteria-fulfilled wish: Standing on a table shouting "My minions!"

Playing with the Light

May already!

Yes, it has been one of those crazy times when I start sending my parent random e-mails with "Yes, I am still alive and well" in the subject line. :)

Let's rewind a bit and I take you through a couple scenes:

Went to an AMAZING CCTEC conference in Indiana for a weekend, subsequently learned alot about third culture kids (TCKs) who will make up the majority of the student populations in the schools where we will be Student teaching. (I say we in reference to the many colleges represented at the conference.) I also found out that two other lovely ladies will be student teaching in Prague (woohooo-people to vent my student teaching woes to!) The entire experience was very informative, practical and exhausting. And my wonderful aunt and uncle were so gracious and let me crash at their place after all-night train rides. Not to mention eating amazing home-made oatmeal and Burmese food and thrift-store shopping! (Check out new blue vintage suitcase-I'm beginning a collection.:)

FINALS:Thuroughly scandalized my poetry class by doing my poetry presentation on Jeannan Verlee. We all worked on a poetry prompt based on some of her (quite raw) list poems. In some of the interviews she mentions how most adults are intimidated by her, but many teenage girls run up after poetry slams to give her hugs exclaming that she seems to be the only one that understands. Definitely powerful.

 http://www.jeanannverlee.com/ 

Finished practicum-definitely am going to miss it. Sure there was that lesson where the putty was being thrown, colored pencils were everywhere etc...but those times when students are engaged...are actually excited about learning makes it all worth it. http://alittleschooling.wordpress.com/

Basically got off free as far as finals-no big papers or tests! Basically amounts to a couple reflection paragraphs and some guest speakers..oh, and for one class a "garden party"-(I am haunted by the cheesiness of us all trying to maintain our collegiate dignity while sipping tea with our pinkies out-and of course, the ever-so knowledgeable facial expression-it is all very funny.)

SPRING:

The trees have started blooming...you can smell the blossoms quite a ways off. It's glorious and makes me crave spur-or-the-moment picnics. It feels like a scene from Anne of Green Gables. (Although I am taking a canoing course-I have yet to act out the death scene from LADY OF SHALLOT:)

Good Easter Sunday!!!

Gifting mini whoopie pies:
36 medium size whoopie pies (they're cute!)
1 2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tspn salt
4 Tblspn butter
4 Tblspn veg oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tspn vanila extract
1 cup milk
melt butter. Mix dry ingrediants. Mix wet ingrediants. Mix together spoon onto greased cookie tray. Cook at 375 for 10 min

Filling:
3 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 Tblspn whipping cream
1 tspn vanilla extract. Mix.

Complete w/ exotic fruit, jump rope (fitting:) and chocolate:

Egging

Cookin' It Up

Hawaiian Twist:

2 minute cookies:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
2 1/2 Tblsp baking cocoa
1/4 cup coconut (extra for rolling)
Directions: Melt/mix: butter, sugar and milk. Add dry ingrediants. Roll dollops of dough into balls. Roll them in coconut. Place on cookie sheet w/ wax paper. Chill.

My first attempt at a pina colada!
1/2 cup rum
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup pinapple chunks
Ice
Fill blender 1/2 way w/ icecubes, add other ingrediants. Blend..enjoy (for most transporting effect garnish w/ a little umbrella and a straw:)
We didn't have coconut milk or rum so I substituted with Lactade milk and liquer. Good, but honestly far too sweet. Will have to tweek in the future.

What's for supper?

Vegetable tart with paninis and fruit!