it's amazing how much changes in one year

Wow, I cannot believe it has been a year since I last posted. I always told myself I would become a regular blogger...but it never happened! Oh well.

A lot has happened in the past year. Wow, I really need to start blogging more so I don't have to say that. Last December I posted about my job at UroMed...I am no longer employed there. It was a great job with awesome co-workers, but I had to leave due to the horrendous commute. Initially, I didn't think the commute would be that bad because I only worked M, W and F, but boy I was wrong! I was in the car for over two hours a day!

It. was. horrible.

I worked there for a year and am so glad I did. I met amazing people and learned a lot :)

I found another job at a country club that is only 10 minutes from our house. It was a marketing job, so I figured it'd be fun to promote ritzy golf tournaments and million dollar model home showings. It was close to home as well, and offered decent pay. I was sold. Unfortunately, within the first two weeks, I discovered that this "marketing" job was really just a receptionist position. I feel like the people there reeled me in with what they knew I wanted to hear so they could fill the position quickly. I literally sat at a ratty old desk, answered the phone and played around on Facebook ALL DAY LONG. I felt like I was going to go stir crazy and I'd try to make up excuses to leave my desk whenever I could (I would go to the post office, pretend to pick something up at the clubhouse, run home to let out my dogs etc.). I have nothing against a receptionist position, but they neglected to inform me of these job duties. Marketing and writing were nowhere to be seen and I had a boss who didn't know how to check his email. Needless to say, I had to get out of there!

With nothing to do all day at that job except for transferring phone calls, I researched, researched and researched because I had an idea. An idea that was going to possibly change my career for the better. To make a long story short, I was offered a job as an assistant teacher at a small, privately owned school 10 minutes away from our home (in the opposite direction of the crappy job lol).

I was initially hired as an assistant teacher in an infant room. It was really fun at first, but once I got the hang of things, I got bored. There I was, a 24 year-old with a college degree, changing diapers and working from 2-6:30 every day. I was at the bottom of the totem pole and I did not like it one bit...especially because there were people above me who didn't even have college degrees. The worst part was that I had to clean the room every evening--sanitize toys, vacuum, wipe down counters etc. I felt like a janitor. I knew that I needed to start somewhere, but it was frustrating.

I shared my feelings with the owner of the school, D (not going to say full names) and she bumped up my hours to 9:30-6:30. I was grateful for the full-time hours, but I was still an assistant in an infant classroom and still had to clean and close the room. No bueno.

I prayed and prayed for something else to open up. I wanted something with better hours and I yearned for more responsibility. I knew I had the potential.

One day, as I sat in a rocking chair with a sweet little infant in my arms, W, the teacher I worked with informed me that there was a lead teacher position available for room 2A. This is one of the 2-3 year old classrooms. I found out that the teacher submitted her notice to resign and her last day was quickly approaching. The wheels turned in my head and I immediately became eager to tell D that I was willing to take over this position.

I told D that my current hours (9:30-6:30) were not working for me. David leaves for work at 5:30 p.m. and we completely miss each other. I also told her that I didn't feel fulfilled in the infant room and I wanted to actually TEACH children who could speak. Lol. She mentioned the lead teacher position being available and asked me if I was interested. Um, heck yes. The hours are from 7-3 are you kidding me?! YES! She even said that a college degree unrelated to education would still qualify me to be a lead teacher. Score.

Now you are looking at the new LEAD TEACHER for room 2A. It is so much fun. This is what I'm meant to do, not sit at a desk all day and waste away. I teach these precious children letters, numbers, shapes, colors, animals, body parts, feelings, manners, days of the week, months of the year, and more. They are amazing. I still am in shock that all of this actually happened for me...God is good. I honestly cannot believe it happened so QUICKLY. I'm ecstatic and totally in my element. I finally feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be.

chocolate dipped fruit skewers

Do you ever find yourself stressing over bringing a food item to a gathering or party? I do. When someone asks me to bring something, I get really excited and immediately start brainstorming ideas. A few days go by, and all of a sudden it's the night before the gathering. I had a really long, busy day and the last thing I want to do is venture to the grocery store and dirty up the kitchen to create something.

These chocolate dipped fruit skewers are seriously SO EASY and fricken amazing. I mean, what is better than fresh fruit dipped in melted chocolate? The granola adds a nice crunch as well! Here are the (really easy) directions:

I melted a bag of chocolate chips over the stovetop over a double boiler. I added a few splashes of skim milk so the consistency would be smooth. You can use heavy cream instead of skim milk--but I didn't have any heavy cream. You could also microwave the chocolate chips with a little milk or cream. Just make sure it doesn't burn.

I cut slices of bananas and strawberries and stuck them on a small, wood skewer followed by two purple grapes. I dipped one side of the fruit skewer into the melted chocolate and IMMEDIATELY dipped that into a bowl of regular granola, so the granola would stick to the chocolate. Place skewers onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (so the chocolate doesn't get everywhere).

Make however many your heart desires, then place baking sheet with skewers into the refrigerator until chocolate hardens (usually 30-60 minutes).

They are delicious! You can add any kind of fruit you like, use white or dark chocolate, or use chopped nuts in lieu of granola. The possibilities are endless!

homemade pineapple salsa

This is a really chunky salsa, which I prefer over the watery, tomato-ey kind with about five pieces of peppers in it.

This recipe doesn't have exact measurements because I just guessed and added as much or little of ingredients as I wanted.

-Diced pineapple
-Diced tomatoes
-Diced sweet or red onion
-Minced garlic
-Diced jalapenos (I just used the canned kind)
-Fresh cilantro
-A few dashes of lime juice & lemon juice
-A little bit of olive oil
-Garlic salt
-Pepper

You can eat this with tortilla chips or put it over grilled fish or chicken! You can also wrap it up in a tortilla with your preference of meat (ground beef, chicken, turkey...etc) and make a fajita.

Enjoy!

tex-mex lasagna

One of my favorite things to cook is lasagna-- I love making different variations of it by adding different ingredients every time. Lasagna is also usually very unhealthy--with the mass amounts of cheese and white noodles (I just don't use as much cheese). I enjoy making healthy versions of lasagna that are delicious.

I've made this recipe a few times and it's never failed. It's so so so so yummy especially if you like Mexican food.

Please make it!

Here is the recipe:

It makes about 8 servings with 1.5 cups per serving. Please don't feel like you must follow these measurements exactly. If you want to add more cheese, go for it! Or if you enjoy things on the spicy side, add more spices or jalapenos.

*1 pound cooked lean ground turkey/chicken/beef
*14.5 ounce canned tomatoes with green chiles
*1/2 cup salsa
*1 onion; sauteed
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 cup fat-free or part-skim ricotta cheese
*1 teaspoon chili powder
*1 teaspoon ground cumin
*Whole-wheat tortillas
*Shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican-style cheese
*15 ounce can navy beans; drained and rinsed
*1 cup kernel corn

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Cook ground meat and onion in a skillet until browned. Stir in tomatoes, salsa, and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low, until mixture is warmed through.

In a small bowl, wisk together ricotta cheese, chili powder, and cumin.

To assemble, begin by placing tortillas at the bottom of the baking pan. Pour half of the meat mixture on tortillas followed by another layer of tortillas. Then spread half of the ricotta mixture on tortillas. Sprinkle half of the beans and corn over the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Continue to layer with remaining ingredients. Top lasagna with a sprinkling of cheese. Cover the entire pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, fresh cilantro or guacamole (or all 3!!!). So good.

the best banana bread...ever

We make banana bread in our house a lot since David absolutely loves it. We switch back and forth between making banana bread muffins and an actual loaf. I've experimented with several different recipes and each one has been so-so to me (David devours it every time). But lo and behold, I found THE recipe the other day.

Just FYI, we always add chocolate chips to banana bread. I know there is the group (which my dad is a part of) that think chocolate chips are evil when it comes to banana bread and enjoy the traditional loaf with a possible addition of walnuts. That is totally fine, just omit the chocolate chips and you'll still have an extremely decadent treat.

I also added a little somethin somethin to the batter that isn't typical with banana bread. Creamy peanut butter. I am absolutely crazy about peanut butter and I can never resist the three amigos together: peanut butter, chocolate, bananas. It was a good choice. It gave the banana bread extra creaminess and that peanutty taste that I love (this can be omitted as well).

Here we go!

For the batter:

1 large or 2 small very ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup melted butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

Approximately 1/3 cup peanut butter (optional)

As many chocolate chips as you want (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)

For the topping:

Approximately 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Approximately 1 tablespoon white sugar

Preheat your oven to 350. No more, no less. In a large mixing bowl, mix your melted butter with the mashed bananas. Mix in the sugar, egg, peanut butter(if you want) and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the wet mixture and mix. Add the flour, slowly, and mix. Fold in chocolate chips. Lots of mixing here!

Pour batter into a loaf pan or muffin tin. Top with equal parts brown sugar and white sugar. Bake for 45 min-1 hr. I just kept an eye on it and took it out when I stuck a wooden skewer down the middle of the loaf and it came out clean.

FYI--I actually just threw all the ingredients into a loaf pan, mixed, topped with sugars and baked it. It turned out amazing and I didn't dirty up extra dishes. Just make sure you have a non-stick pan if you do this.

Serve with honey, peanut butter, nutella, jam, or just by itself. Enjoy!

missing in action...

I know I've been m.i.a. for the last few months, and I am really sorry about that! I know that the excuse "I've been really busy" is typical and unacceptable, but it's true. I've also been doing a whole lot of blog reading and following instead of actually blogging myself. I have always had issues with blogger's formatting when I upload photos, so it usually ends up frustrating me quite a bit. Maybe this time around things will get better!

With that being said, I'm going to TRY to re-enter the blogging world and become more of a regular on this thing.

One of my favorite things to do in my spare time is to read food blogs. I am actually obsessed with it, you can ask my husband! I also love to cook, bake and create yummy masterpieces in the kitchen, so I really want to share it so I can actually have an efficient way to record my recipes. And share with you guys as well! Pretty soon I'll have a new layout...that will happen when I can get some help from someone who is blog-savvy (any takers???).

Since David and I have been married, A LOT has happened. A few days after we returned from our fabulous honeymoon in Mexico, I got a new job at a fancy-shmancy resort that is known for its opulence and winery. It wasn't something I particularly wanted to do, but I took it because 1. it was close to home 2. it's a job and 3. maybe there was potential for advancement. I had also been out of work for a few months because my internship had ended and I had some difficulty finding a full-time job due to this delightful economy.

I felt optimistic and excited on my first day, but those feelings quickly dwindled when I was thrown into the hectic mess without any formal training. I remember there was an NFL football player's wedding the first weekend I worked and it was INSANE. I literally had no idea what I was doing. It was difficult to ask for help because the managers were always busy with a guest or at lunch. When they were available, they would simply take over and quickly solve the issue without teaching me the correct way to do something because the guest didn't have all day to sit there and watch me learn how to fix their bill or make them a gift card.

I would run to the bathroom to cry multiple times because of the fact that I never knew what I was doing and that guests were so rude to me because I couldn't help them. I didn't even want to try and help because I didn't want to accidently charge $800 to someone's credit card or something like that. I dreaded going to work. This feeling of discomfort never left, even after two months because I never got trained! Every time a guest approached the front desk, I wanted to run in the opposite direction.

Plus, having a work schedule that is random and given to you once a week isn't so fun either. One day I could have a 3pm-11pm shift, and the next day I'd be there from 7am-3pm. Yuck. The one positive about the job was some of my co-workers. There is a list of people that I miss seeing!

I searched job after job after job on the internet. I tried contacting companies. I did everything I could to find a job that actually dealt with my college degree. In the midst of my search, I received a phone call that made me jump up and down with glee. It was from one of my amazing co-workers at Emory University Alumni Association where I did my internship. That internship was one of the best experiences of my life by the way. I was told that there was a resignation and I should apply for the job as soon as it appears on the Emory job site.

You better believe I did. I waited and waited for the next step. Finally, I had a phone interview and it went really well. I felt good about it especially because I interned there for six months. I decided to resign from my job at the resort because I knew there was something else that was much better for me and I was so unhappy there.

Unfortunately, the job at Emory didn't work out for me. I was devastated. I loved working there so much, and I was already thinking about being back there with that group of intelligent, funny, sarcastic, hard-working people. I cried for hours and my sweet husband consoled me and cooked a homemade pizza that night to make me smile. I wanted to give up, but didn't. I knew it was the best decision and I know the person that was chosen is doing an amazing job.

I continued to scour the world wide web for openings. My mom blew up my e-mail with available jobs. I opened every single one of her e-mails and applied for EVERY SINGLE JOB. I even applied for the ones that said "must have five years of experience"... I was 18 five years ago! Of course I don't have that kind of experience! But I didn't care. The waiting game began. Again.

Then, the day came. THE DAY. I vividly remember being at the gym, pedaling like a rockstar on the stationary bike, level ten. It was a Monday afternoon and I could see my hubby bench pressing entirely too much weight. I was rocking out to Justin Bieber's "Baby" (don't judge) when I was interrupted by a phone call from a number I did not recognize. I didn't answer because I had no idea who it was.

I checked the voicemail...GOT REALLY EXCITED...and called the number back. I had an interview the next day at a place called UroMed. UroMed is a leading urological medical supply company selling catheters and other incontinence supplies to patients with spinal cord injuries, Spina Bifida, Multiple Sclerosis, and more. I was excited, but didn't want to get my hopes up too much. The day of the interview, I got my hair cut and styled and was ready to dominate.

I was really impressed when I walked into UroMed. The huge building with the glass surrounding it was very professional looking. The lobby was spotless yet very warm and cozy. I was greeted by a smiling receptionist and waited for my interview to begin.

The interview went extremely well. In fact, it went SO WELL that they offered me the job at the end of it. I was in utter and complete shock. They told me that there was something about me- that I had enthusiasm and positivity radiating from me and they could "just see me working here". They said that they never hire people immediately, but they really wanted me at UroMed. Again, I was in shock. Of course I accepted it.

My job title is Marketing Assistant. I work directly with the Marketing Manager and Director of Marketing (who went to Samford just like me and was in the same sorority as me, but graduated 15 years before me). I help the Director of Marketing run the company's blog and our social media. I help plan events and process sample requests (clients/patients will ask for samples of a product if they are out, need new sizes, etc).

It is wonderful and I love it. My co-workers are amazing and so much fun. Other perks are: 1. I only go in three days a week and 2. it is five minutes from my parent's house. I never really enjoyed working full-time because I was so consumed in the job and didn't have enough time to do other things, so this is PERFECT. I also get to see/hang out with my parents a lot!

I am so thankful for this opportunity. I finally feel complete and I am very happy with this job. My fabulous husband and my parents have been so supportive and I couldn't have kept this perseverance without them. I also love my balance between work and my personal life....and for the time to become a certified open water scuba diver with my hubby and mom!!!! More on that later.....

addictive blueberry muffins with cinnamon-sugar crumble tops

Every time I'm on Pinterest, I find myself salivating over various recipes, sugar-laden desserts, etc. I've seen a lot of blueberry recipes and knew I needed to make something yummy with these gorgeous beauties chock full of antioxidants.


As I perused through the Fresh Market today (I could have stayed in there for hours and spent way too much money...but I was good and only came out spending $15 on a few various things..oh and sampled some strawberries, cheese, crackers, and veggie chips hehe), I found a bag of frozen wild Maine blueberries (shoutout to Mallory!) that called my name. I purchased my goods and quickly exited the store before I began to impulse shop and place random things into my basket like nori sushi wraps, coconut milk ice cream (so good but SO expensive) and gingersnap pancake mix.


Random expensive items stayed on their shelves. Go me! When I got home I made a batch of amazing, sweet and homemade blueberry muffins with cinnamon sugar crumble tops.


Back to blueberry muffins. Here are my ingredients. I feel very Pioneer Woman with my "cast of characters".


Whole-wheat flour. Frozen blueberries. Baking powder. Egg. Cinnamon. Half & half. Vegetable oil. Butter. Salt. Milk.







Oops. The milk was left out of the previous picture.






Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin tin. You can use liners if you want. I didn't and everything turned out fine.


In a large-ish bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Then mix vegetable oil, egg, half & half, and milk in a seperate bowl. Slowly mix the wet mixture into the dry. Fold in the blueberries.


Fill each muffin cup with the batter. I didn't fill them all the way because I wanted smaller muffins. Feel free to make big, bakery style muffins by adding more batter to each cup.


Now time for the best part. The crumble top! Mix together the 1/2 cup sugar (I used a much less than this and it was still really sweet), butter, flour, and cinnamon. Sprinkle on the tops of each muffin before baking.


Bake for about 20 minutes, or until done. I just kept an eye on them and took them out of the oven when I stuck a toothpick in the middle of a few of them and it came out clean.


YUMMMM. Our whole house smelled amazing.







The tops of the muffins glistened from the sugar and the blueberries sort of oozed out.



Here is the batch. David will be so excited when he gets home from work!






Sorry for the poor photo quality in this next shot, but I was too excited to gobble this up!







These muffins were to die for! They were crispy and sweet on top and gooey and moist on the inside. I may or may not have eaten two.


Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon-Sugar Crumble Tops


*1 and 1/2 cups flour (I used whole-wheat)


*1/2 cup white sugar


*1/2 teaspoon salt


*2 teaspoons baking powder


*1/3 cup vegetable oil


*1 egg


*1/3 cup half and half


*1/3 cup milk


*1 cup blueberries


For the crumble top


*1/4 to 1/2 cup white sugar


*1/3 cup flour


*1/4 cup butter, cubed


*1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon