Well, it seems like the time would never come when I would be back in Arizona for the summer, but here I am- almost halfway through it before I head up back to Winter Wonderland, a.k.a. Utah!
Don't ask me why, but for some reason I found almost EVERYTHING to do in this first month and a half other than blog. It's not that I didn't want to, I guess I just didn't know what to blog about. Believe me, my life has never been so boring and uneventful (okay so maybe uneventful isn't exactly the right word) than it has been since I've been in Mesa. In Utah, my life was never-ending to-do list of classes, chores, practices, workouts, grocery shopping, laundry, studying, church, and the occasional social life attempt (HA), tv-show viewing, and frozen-yogurt run. Yes, I was a nerd.
Now that I am home, I've probably done as many productive things in a month that I could do in a week while I was at school. No joke. These are some of the things I have I have been working (???) on/doing...
1. Being with some of my bestie friends
Katie, Raquel, Diane, Nikki & I all went to dinner at El Charro- a delicious Mexican restaurant in downtown Mesa when I first got home! It was so fun and afterwards we went to Lauren Randall Ashby, a good friend from high school's, wedding reception! I love these girls and love hanging out with them!
2. Saw my cousin, Kierstie Foster (Larsen) get married
This was such a sweet, exciting day in which Kierstie, my cousin and friend for my entire life, was sealed for time and all eternity to her sweetheart, Steve Larsen in the Mesa temple! I just love seeing couples come out of the temple, hand in hand, enormous smiles stretching across their faces. I think forward to that moment in my life!
3. Have been cooking- a LOT!
So since I got home, I've had a TON of free time. At first, it was great. I'd wake up, go to the gym to get a nice and sweaty workout in, then immediately jump in the pool when I got home, lay out for an hour or so while reading a book, and just continue on the day doing whatever I felt like doing. Well, let me tell you- that quickly and understandably got OLLLLLDDD!! Well, I've always had a passion for cooking, but since I realized that I'd have a lot of time on my hands, I realized I wanted to learn how to expand my cooking skills and learn how to make a variety of different yummy things.
Some things have been healthy, others not so much, but I have learned a great deal about the science of cooking! I've even become a fan of the Food Network on tv (haha) and have incorporated a lot of what I learned and what I already know into a nutrition/cooking
blog that I am going to do a lot better at updating.
Some of my favorite things I've whipped up are- Turkey Enchilada Casserole, Tomato, Basil & Ham Lasagna, Oatmeal Honey Apple Cake, Black Bean & Chicken Chilaquiles, BBQ Shredded Chicken, Almond-Streusel Cherry Cheesecake Bars, Ham & Potato soup, Key Lime Bars, and Orange Creamsicle Pie! I just think it's so fun to make something out of ordinary, plain ingredients that are boring and lifeless on their own, but when combined together in unique ways, create delicious creations of energy-fueling food!
This leads to another big adventure of the summer that I just returned from:
3. Camp cook at my church's Girl's Camp!
As much as I'd love to cook for 350 people every day just for fun, (??) I volunteered to spend 5 days at Camp LoMia to get much needed hours for the Dietetics program that I am hoping to apply for in February. In order to apply, applicants must have at least 300 hours of Dietetics-related work and/or volunteer experience. umm WOW can you say crazy. Well, any kind of food-prep work clearly counts, and so I thought I could rack up quite a few hours at Girl's Camp. Let me tell you, the cooks at camp DO NOT EVER HAVE A BREAK. Period. We woke up 5:30 every morning to start breakfast, after which we worked on lunch and dinner throughout the rest of the day, and if we had any extra time, we spent that time getting a head start on the next days' meals.
It was exhausting! My feet ached every day and my shoulder literally got sore from all of the monotonous fruit chopping, potato washing, and batter stirring. But I must say, I worked with some awesome people in my stake who, even though they were a little bit older than I am, I got to know pretty well and become friends with. And, since I love to cook, it wasn't such a terrible job... :)
4. I am a volunteer at Springdale West and Grand Court assisted living communities!
This probably seems very random, but again with the Dietetics hours, I'm trying to get as many as I can this summer before school and cheer takes me away from this glorious free time that I have I have already been a few times to help out at both of these great assisted living centers- since Dietitians are often employed at these kinds of facilities, this kind of volunteer work counts quite nicely :).
At Springdale, I work with adults who have dementia. It is a very humbling, humorous, and life-giving experience. More details later. At Grand Court, the residents are more mobile and I have active conversations with them. I haven't done a ton of work there yet, but I will possibly be doing such things as leading exercise classes and other activities for the residents! I find it pretty fun and have a lot of respect and fascination for the elderly, so this is a great opportunity for me!
Well that's about it for now. I love my life and everything in it. I am so blessed. I often think about all the things that I have been given and all the opportunities that I have had and think- why me? I don't deserve all this. All I know is that where much is given, much is required (D&C 82:10!) and I have a great responsibility to give and serve others all I can. It feels so great to know that you have made a difference in someone else's life, even if it's as seemingly insignificant as smiling at someone you hardly know. Don't you think?
in my home, sweet, home of Arizona in a little over a month. I cannot believe it.. this semester has flown by, it's ridiculous!!
