Why Yes I am American

And no I'm not an Idiot. Yes I do speak German. Yes I understood all of that. No I don't want to translate absolutely every little thing for you. Yes I do understand the text better than you since it's in my native tongue -it's not that exciting.

I'm sorry but how do I get labeled as a lazy american who can't understand any of the language she's studying from asking 2 questions in English. Mind you--this was in a English class and the questions had nothing to do with what she had said in German.

This just annoys me. I'm definitely a minority at my school any Americans I do meet are typically only here for  a year--I'm here for my entire program. I've done the work to get into the school. I've put in the hours learning German. That doesn't mean I want to talk in German all the time or that I'm even being lazy. I feel like I'm perfectly justified in speaking in English in one of my English classes.

Just hope this doesn't make me dislike that TA for the rest of the year...

Universitat

Oh I have a blog? Really? I had completely forgotten. Sorry between wedding planning, putting off wedding planning, getting ready for school, putting that off, and reading I have not had much time to document any of it. It could also possibly be that I can now text my family and don't feel as if they need this update quite as much.

SO wedding plans are coming along and most of it happened pretty fast--why you ask. Because I hate wedding planning it's so boring. And at the end of it an event where people will keep staring at me (which I'm not a huge fan of). And yes I will have beautiful pictures to look at for years to come and I get to see tons of friends that I haven't seen for years--but if I were to do it again I'd totally opt for eloping.

Aside from all that I started classes at university (finally) and while I'm still pretty nervous and pretty sure that on top of all my classes I have a year to learn a third language (I'm thinking French) I'm almost sure I can do it. I'll have to study more than I ever have to be able to understand everything I've read and heard in classes for my minor but I did find out that most of my classes in my major will be in English (let's just hope the tests are) I'm still nervous but excited. Just being in my class today reminded me of how I love to learn and how great it can be to study. And someone sat by me in class--somehow this still makes me feel good like it did in elementary school.


If anyone was wondering how I am doing with my "goals" I cook at least 4 times a week. and try to work out 3-6 times a week. I try to drink more water but that one is still a struggle, and I've kept up with the housework pretty well even though I still hate vacuuming. Let me know if anyone wants a sampling of some of the GREAT recipes that I have come across.  

Alright well that seems like enough for now. Maybe I'll write about something else later. Maybe not.

An Engagement Story

A few weeks before fest season started my boyfriend asked me if I wanted to go on a day trip one weekend so that we didnt end up at fest every weekend and I said that was a good idea so I would look up some places to go. When I suggested that we go to Luxembourg said boyfriend thought it would be better to go to Paris instead since we are going there this summer but  there is too much to see in three days so we should go have a preview. Which I completely bought because Im oblivious.
Fast forward a couple weeks and we were on a train at 6 in the morning to Paris. As we neared our destination Jordan was asking me what we should go see first--at my insistance that anything was fine he suggested that we go to the eifel tower first. After a bit of confusion we got there and it was pretty exciting for me. Unfortuately it was cloudy but the eifel tower was still beautiful. As I was starving I got something to eat and then we headed up to the front of the over look. And as I looked and ate Jordan ran around taking pictures.
Then he did something weird he asked me to take a picture of him--which I did.
Then he asked me to tell him what was on a sign WAY out in the distance(I thought there were protesters)
Once I realized it had my name on it I wouldn't tell him what I thought it said since I thought I was wrong, but then he started sing I want to grow old with you and with the help of pictures let me know that my family approved and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. Then he got down on one knee pulled out a ring and said something or other that must have been very sweet because it had me nodding my head yes.

Honestly it's still a bit like a dream--but the best dream ever and one I hope never to wake up from.

Guess What!

a picture's worth a thousand words :)

So Im super Busy

Ok so now that after that first week I was once again in school and at work I havent had the time to plan out such a week as that one. I have still been helping with the cooking and planing meals but Jordan does a lot of it too. Here are some dishes we really liked

Zucchini cups cranberry apple chicken what we call parsley chicken and we LOVED it we've done some others too like beef stroganoff, bulgogi, schnitzel with a mushroom sauce

we have also discovered that we can only make new food about 4 times a week another 2 nights and some lunches we have leftovers and then probably go out (usually with friends) about once a week.

ok so theres a quick update Im also trying to learn how to play raquetball and chess its been pretty fun.

week 1

Monday:Salmon

This is the salmon recipe I used. we used a rose though cause we didn't have any white wine--but it was delicious. I served it with noodles and used frozen salmon-will use this one again

Tuesday:we went out with some work colleges of Jordan's so my plan for this day will be pushed to another one.

Wednesday: Lasagna

we had these brussel sprouts as a side, they may have gotten a little over cooked because of the funky oven but they still tasted pretty good

the skillet lasagna was mostly just ok--but Im not a huge fan of it anyways. I think if I make it again I'll just go with an oven version but it still tasted pretty good if anyone is interested in trying it out.

Thurday: Pasta

Last night Jordan's coworker came over and I made a tomato goat cheese pasta and the guys loved it--it wasn't really my night for such a heavy meal but I still rather enjoyed it even if I wasn't in the mood for it. It was pretty simple to make but I wish I had cut the recipe in half we have far to much left over.

Friday: Quesadillas

Ok so the recipe does call for too much stuff to put in just 4 tortillas so dont add more ingredients to make more-- but it was really good the avacado was a really good touch :) but all in all good recipe

Saturday: beef sandwiches

This is a crockpot recipe it's rather simple and also very delicious. We saved the water though to use as a dipping sauce--awesomeness

Sunday we did leftovers because there was a ton of them

All in all good week--next week I wont be cooking so much though because it'll just be me and I dont want to just cook for myself

Keeping up with goals

Ok so in order to keep up with my goal to cook more I made a menu board on pinterest but I'm thinking about making this a partial food blog in order to talk about results and how its going so I can remember which recipes I really liked and of course to share them so others can enjoy them too :) possibly a planning post to in order to remember what I want to make. I figure this way I'll post more and keep track of one of my goals till it really becomes habit.

I'm trying to work out almost daily and finally got work out clothes in order to do it normally I need to get up early but this week I don't have work so I'm going to work out after class--really I will.

I'm carrying water with me all the time so I don't know if I'm quite drinking enough but it's definitely more.

I'm keeping up with dishes mopping sweeping and mostly everything I make the bed everyday I pick up clothes I just got my closet back into shape yesterday--this is one goal I'd say I've already made good on and turned into habit yes I know every person in my family every roommate my old host families and basically every friend I've ever had that has seen my room or heard me complain about cleaning would not believe it but I've totally got this one down.

I just haven't really been spending but I am more or less keeping track, making sure I have enough for next month when all the bills come.

a developed goal is to get better at sewing for which I've repaired lots of pairs of pants--I need to fix some but that's the learning right? I also want to learn to sew on buttons well so I'm going to practice it. I also have a new crochet project a brightly colored blanket made from squares of different colors all tied together Ill keep you updated.

this is kind of turning from a finding home blog to a I can do it blog--but I'm trying to learn how to make a home a good place before I really find one

Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?

"You can do what you have to do, and sometimes you can do it even better than you think you can."

Valentines day

Picture it

Seven year old Anne Pearson tiny skinny short boy hair was sick and had to stay home on valentines day--which turned out to be the best thing ever.

I didn't particularly care for valentines day--the necessity to give every person in the class a valentine, valentines which would mostly be thrown away in about a week. And the horror if you got a real valentine.

later that day one of the boys from my class brought by a teddy bear that he had gotten me for Valentines day. GASP had I been in class and received it there oh the embarrassment.

Luckily I wasn't there and Im much more open to receiving gifts now. :)

New Year, New Goals.

1. Drink more water
2. exercise (just not today since jetlag is kickin' my butt)
3. cook more often and healthier
4. clean regularly (yeah I didn't do/refused to do chores as a kid so this is difficult for me)
5. keep track of what I spend

what are yours so far?