Peanut Butter Cookies

Tonight I made the most delicious peanut butter cookies ever. I used the classic recipe from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion cookbook. So much win!!!!!

I also used my great-grandmother's cookie presses instead of doing the classic fork criss-cross pattern!! I live antiques and family heirlooms so much.

Summertime

I'm graduating. Me. Again. With my Bachelor's in Biology. I will not only be a registered nurse but I will be a biologist. This makes me feel kind of like a badass.

One of my developing dreams as college started was to not only be a nurse but also be well versed in the biological sciences. I wanted to be a biologist. This dream is coming to actual realization and it's.....well, there really is no word to describe it in all honesty.  Tantalizing? Extraordinary? Terrifying? Exhausting? Awesome? The list is ever growing.

Today was one of the best days I have had in a very long time. I was not only able to have a blast finishing some grading for the semester with two awesome Teaching Assistants but I was also able to have some lighthearted, fun conversations with the professor I work for about graduate school. I also got a triple shot Caramel Macchiato (iced) and pumpkin scone.

Then after moving some junk to my parent's house I went to see THE AVENGERS with my friend L. MOST AMAZING FILM EVER. The editing was phenomenal. The script was impeccable. The acting was flawless. Plus, there was so much beautiful manflesh to feast my weary eyes on. And Heather said, "It was good." 


After movie going L and I were able to get some good Mexican food, followed up by a trip to McKay's (a used book store). I love this store. ALL THE BOOKS. I think I ended up purchasing about a dozen books by the time we left the store- but only spent about $25 which is unreal!!! This was followed up by a trip to get frozen yogurt. Note to self- don't get so many toppings next time.

The rest of my evening was blissfully uneventful. I was able to discuss what a Master's of Public Health program is like with a friend's friend who is currently pursuing that degree. It is confirmed. Epidemiology is for me!  I then chose one of my purchased books of the day and have already read through half of it.

Sometimes I like being me. I will miss this....these outings with friends and living in college housing. It makes me very sad to know that this is ending so soon. Too soon. But for now, I have a book to finish.

~HB

New Year's Resolutions

Well. Along with many other Americans, I have created a small list of goals for the year. I have also come to terms that I will not keep all of my resolutions as well. However, I am determined to at least keep the majority.

1. Open my own Etsy shop- I'm not sure how easy/hard this will be, but I have done some research into it and I think it would be an awesome thing to do! I am currently learning how to knit, so hopefully I'll become proficient enough to create some small projects to sell. Crocheting is also something that I have done since I was in the 6th grade. Sewing happens to be another activity that I have done since I was young as well. 
2. Blog- Now, I don't want to become a super avid blogger so to speak. But as I work on projects for the Etsy shop I could perhaps form a classic "here is my project now praise me" blog. Also, I feel I don't document my life enough in written form or photographic form.  This year will be bringing a lot of changes for me: graduating college, moving to Ohio, and getting married, not to mention finding a new job and potentially applying to graduate school.  
3. Budget- Yes. Along with many other Americans I would like to create a budget and stick to it.  Right now my goal is to break even, especially as I have just quit my full-time RN job and will be a lab assistant at my school instead (back to minimum wage...ugh). 
4. Become Healthier- I feel that this category is so cliche. It seems that most people have on their list, of New Year's Resolutions, is a desire to become "healthier" or "lose weight," etc, etc.  My goal for this year, as far as my health is concerned, is to not regain the 30 pounds I have already lost, stick to weight watchers, and start exercising consistently.  I don't care if that means exercising twice a week consistently or six times a week consistently. At this point I just want to START exercising consistently.  Of course in the lump of becoming healthier is to continue to lose weight. I am obese which is, obviously, not healthy.  I am also getting married this summer. It would be great to be able to wear a swimsuit on my honeymoon and not feel self-conscious about it.
5. Cook More- Let's just get this out there. I like love cooking and baking. There are so many recipes I want to try that I just don't know how I will ever be able to do that! But, I am ordering a crock pot today from amazon (using a birthday gift card) and hopefully that will be able to help me out in my busy schedule.  Not only will cooking for myself be healthier but it will, hopefully, save me money as well. 

Those are the top goals of mine for 2012. While I have not put on a specific time frame on certain goals, I almost feel that is better. I mean, 2012 is new still and I have time to focus on just one thing at a time right now. 

Speaking of which, my knitting is calling to me.

Cheers,

Heather

Strawberry Tea

I just want to curl up in my bed with a huge cup of strawberry pomagranate tea and never come out of my room again.  It feels really childish to say that I feel a little depressed due to having seen the last installment of the Harry Potter movie series.

But seriously.

My heart aches and every time I think about it I feel a lump form in the back of my throat. I physically hurt. I've seen the movie twice now and bawled like a baby both times!

"Professor, is this real or is it just happening inside my head." [Harry Potter]
"Of course it's happening inside your head, Harry. But that doesn't mean it isn't real." [Professor Dumbledore].

Sometimes I wish a world like Harry Potter's really exists-like every second of every day.  I don't feel like I fit in here.  I don't.  It's sad but true.

And when I think of Hogwarts it feels like home and all the characters are my best friends too.

~HB

The End of a Good Thing

Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 2 is finally here. I'm so excited, nervous, but most of all sad.  It's like the ending of your childhood. It's bitter-sweet. While I have read all the books a million times and already know what happens, there always something different about seeing the story unfold via cinema style.  It's seems final.  Severus really will be dead along with Fred, Collin Creevey, and a dozen other characters like Tonks and Remus.  It makes my heart hurt and it's only a fictional story!  Sometimes characters in books are my best friends.  They're always there when no one else is-when the world seems cold and lonely and a feeling of abandoment takes over.

It's raining outside right now and I feel this is appropriate weather for tonight's movie showing.  The earth is weeping with me too...

~HB

Avoiding study for exams...

Just finished reading Water for Elephants. It was an amazing read!!! I couldn't put the book down at all. I love, love, love it!!! Everyone needs to read that book. Period. End of discussion.

I read at about 90 pages per hour (pph). I wonder how this ranks among other people. Is it average? Fast? Slow? Hmm...

I also saw this season's premier of Dr. Who. I need to catch up STAT! I have no idea what is going on!