So the other day, maybe two weeks ago, I woke up when I was supposed to be leaving and barely made it to class on time. Well, it happened again this week. It is that time of the semester where my brain and body is feeling the burn-out sensation but my motivational drive is saying -- hey wimp, keep up with the program and my nursing personality is saying -- you have gotten this far, you are smart enough and strong enough, there is nothing holding you back; keep moving forward, sweet soul, you have the world at your fingertips and God's got your back.
What is nursing school without a little excitement, right?
Sixteen weeks has never felt longer. Now, I wouldn't be 'complaining' if it these weeks weren't like trying to keep your clothes on while being squirted with a full-blast fire hose. I am at the point in the semester where my 'second wind' needs to take over.
Would you rather study Adult Health I, or Health Assessment? Would you rather begin writing your 'teaching plan' or work on your nutrition poster project? Would you rather memorize drugs or memorize the order of your final health assessment checkoff?
Would you rather take a nap or drink 20 ounces of coffee?
Or how about healthy homemade hot chocolate? Add some peppermint extract and BAM it's Christmas time.
Healthy Peppermint Hot Cocoa
Ingredients: for every one cup of milk:: 2 tbsp baking cocoa powder// 3 tbsp honey// 5 tbsp water// 1/2 tsp cinnamon// 1 tsp vanilla extract// 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
Directions: put the water in a pot and turn the stove to high heat// as water is warming up, mix the cocoa powder, cinnamon and the honey with the water// let it come to a simmering boil for 1 - 2 minutes// add the milk to the pot and mix thoroughly// add the vanilla extract// continue to mix until the chocolate has mixed completely with the milk// pour into cup and be careful - the hot chocolate will be
h o t !
** You can add more chocolate if you enjoy extra chocolaty things, like me! You can also sub other sweeteners for the honey (although this will then no longer be a 'healthy' recipe). Lastly, to make this a regular hot chocolate recipe, just omit the peppermint extract.
Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
[Pumpkin Spice Choco bread]
//Preheat oven to 350F//
//Combine 1/4 cup butter, and 1/3 cup Greek yogurt until completely combined//
//Mix in 1 cup sugar and beat until fluffy//
//Add 2 eggs and mix until well combined//
//Add 1 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 can pumpkin puree//
//In a separate bowl, combine 1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour (can be regular too), 2/3 cup dark cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 3 tbsp pumpkin spice*//
//Slowly mix in the wet ingredients//
//Add in 1/4 cup milk//
//Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips or nuts (optional)//
//Pour into well greased bread load pan//
//bake for approximately 45-50 minutes//
*I home make my pumpkin spice which includes equal parts of : allspice, cinnamon, ground cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.
* * *
Grab your mom's fancy camera and drive to a field or a park and take pictures. My favorite stress-reliever (right next to working out) is being crafty, and taking pictures of my sister for sure falls under the 'crafty' genre. She is such a model, and I gotta say, my picture taking skills are pretty wicked (I promise I am not getting a big head).
Speaking of being crafty, I am getting excited for Christmas break. . you can bet once I get relief from nursing school, I will be all over my mom's craft room making Christmas presents and Graduation presents and PRESENTS PRESENTS PRESENTS. Oh, and a music video, which will appear on T-H-I-S B-L-O-G before the end of the year. Sometimes I wish I could clone myself so I could do school work and fun work at the same time - oh and I would need a third clone to be a work-a-holic to make money for all my school and fun work. While we are at it, lets make a fourth one to clean my car and do my chores. Life man, L Y F E .
 |
| - Class of 2016 - Cast all your anxieties on Him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 |
* * *
I am that person you hate - you know that binge-Christmas-music-listener? That's me. But there is something different this year. That is the full on Christmas-joy won't be making a home in my heart until the last of my finals - when I can relax and not stress about getting 1000 things done in 1 hour.
So cheers to two more months of looking forward to Christmas beak - and colder weather.
I am that person you hate - you know that binge-Christmas-music-listener? That's me. But there is something different this year. That is the full on Christmas-joy won't be making a home in my heart until the last of my finals - when I can relax and not stress about getting 1000 things done in 1 hour.
So cheers to two more months of looking forward to Christmas beak - and colder weather.