This week has been an adventure with multiple roller coasters of stress and fatigue. But the adrenaline is gone, and I can now eat some funnel cake.
I was thankfully granted the opportunity to spend my last week of availability for work, to work. These 5:30 AM mornings have been getting me used to the early mornings I will experience in nursing school. I have been training myself for a few months to become a morning person; it hasn't been easy considering I have always been a 'night owl' and going to bed before ten o'clock was never really my type of thing. Looking at my overview plan of study, clinical hours are going to kick my butt, sleep-wise. I just now have to train myself to not get too attached to caffeine.
I will miss my CFA family; over the past year, I have made such great friends with some of the best coworkers a girl could ask for. Thank you for your hugs, your jokes, and getting me messy while making frosted lemonades and throwing packets of ketchup. Thank you for cutting my hair, for making me feel beautiful, and being a dependable soul. I am so thankful God landed me at Skibo Square.
This week has also been filled with new workouts. I begged and pleaded my sister to go along with me to Zumba and Dance Fitness at the Healthplex, and thankfully she agreed. Although you are now wishing that you were present to watch the comedic show of "Elizabeth's Dance Moves," know that the funniest part of this adventure was that my sister liked Zumba more than I did! The difference between the two 'dance' classes (I consider 'dance' more of a ballet and ballroom type of dance) is Zumba is more of Latino style single dancing while Dance Fitness was more of Hip Hop. Even though these classes are ones I will not again be attending, I am glad I tried them; I guess I am just more of a spin-runner type of girl, even though my running abilities are ranked at 'newbie.'
Granola, dried bananas, and dried strawberries, oh my!
I decided to create a new Simply Elizabeth's Granola Recipe, well, with the help of the old trustee Pinterest's help!
Simply Elizabeth's Original Granola Recipe
Banana Nut{meg}
Ingredients for every 3 cups oats:
(dry) 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, and pecans)\\ pinch salt\\ 3 tsp cinnamon\\ 1/2 cup flax seed\\ 1/4 cup shredded coconut\\
(wet) 1 large banana\\ 4 tbsp vanilla\\ 1 egg white\\ 2/3 cup honey\\ 1 tbsp olive oil (or canola)\\
Directions preheat 350F\\ mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then mix together thoroughly\\ place on butter sprayed tray\\ bake at 350F until golden brown and crunchy\\
I was lazy and didn't think my recipe was in need of oil, however, the oil is what gives the oats its crunchy texture and golden appearance. To make up for this, I sprayed the canned butter no stick spray on the top of my granola, and it was a good substitute.
P.S. I like my Original Cinnamon Vanilla flavor better.
How does Mocha Espresso and PB&J granola sound? I am a huge fan of chocolate. . and peanut butter!
During my shopping trip this week, I dropped into The Fresh Market (aka. Heaven on earth) and danced across granola. Now of course, there are tons of granola bags and boxes in this store; as I do with almost every other food item, I checked what were in the ingredients. Oats, Wildflower Honey, and Canola Oil. How can you get better than that? The granola was also on sale for $4.99, however it rang up for $6.99. The sale had actually ended in May, but they refunded me for the sale price. WHAT! This isn't the first perfect example of customer service I have had in this store. Although it is expensive, I love walking around in the place and the customer service is top notch (for now).
Happy Independence Day! This occasion called for homemade strawberry ice cream and Oma's very own Pig Picking Cake. Alexandra and I churned the ice cream mix for a good 40 minutes while watching the sun go down. Then it was coffee, cake and ice cream time followed by some neighborhood fireworks.
* * *
Hey! When you are in doubt or lost, go look up motivational and words of wisdom quotes on Pinterest. Also, go to your friends apartment and let her play with your hair as she reads the Serenity Prayer to you.
God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.
And remember, let no one discourage your ambitious attitude. You don't need a fan club to achieve your goals. Be your own motivation. You are strong enough; you are wise enough. You are equipped in a way no one else is. God only made one you; no one else can do what you do, so go ahead and Just Do It.