Blogging Before Bed!

I am still amazed at how quickly the week of Christmas flew by and can't really believe that tomorrow is New Year's Eve! For the "big night" (I think New Year's is overrated.) I am going over to Grace and Charlie's apartment, which I am excited about. I have not seen the two of them in awhile, and to me it is the perfect way for me to spend NYE.

I am going to write about some of my favorite parts of break:

Of course there are always the presents (given and received). I was lucky and received a good number of credit card gift cards from parents at work, in addition to a Whole Foods, a Macy's and a Starbucks gift card, chocolates, a "stress free" bath set from Bath & Body Works, a pretty bracelet and Victoria's Secret perfume + a week's paid vacation from my boss. Most of my family members give me money, but with (a lot of) help from me (I made my Mom a list.), I was very happy with my Christmas presents from my parents. I got a juicer, a mixer, a cutting board and a nice garlic press for the kitchen. (Can you tell just how much cooking has become a part of my life?!) The juicer is Amazing! The other morning I made my sister and myself mango surprise: mango, kiwi and carrot juice, and this morning I made a carrot, ginger, apple juice. My GARMIN (GPS for my car) tied for favorite gift. Not only does it get me from one place to another, I can search for restaurants, shopping, public trans, etc. nearby. I also got a lot of socks (typical), a one hour massage gift certificate and some makeup. I think that's everything. Sarah got me a new cookbook: The Complete Idiot's Guide: Vegan Cooking, and Monica picked up a few new shirts for me post-Christmas. :)

I got a lot of people in my family "Between Me and You" journals. I thought they were such a cool idea; I just hope that I get them all back! (http://www.journalsunlimited.com/). From the same store, Flourish Studios (http://www.icanflourish.com/), I bought a lot of my friends rings that support the Putton Project (aka Buttons for Peace Project) in which proceeds go to Dr. Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots Program. I know I do not have a lot of extra money to donate right now, but I thought it was a nice way to give gifts while being charitable. Picture frames are always popular as are my homemade, organic lavender bath salts. (I just love making things!)

On Christmas Eve I spent six straight hours in the kitchen. For our appetizer Christmas Eve that night, I brought some homemade hummus, stuffed mushrooms and spinach artichoke dip. For Christmas dinner I made a "sweet polenta pie," scalloped corn, an eggnog cheesecake (with a homemade graham cracker crust) and a chocolate bourbon pecan pie. In How It All Vegan, the authors describe this pie as "better than sex pie," and I must say that it was definitely my favorite new recipe! :)


My sister came back to Chicago with me on Saturday. After many days of sub zero temperatures, the drive included dense fog and a lot of pouring rain on a nearly sixty degree day.
We grabbed a late lunch at Pho's Thai Cuisine, which is very close to my place, and then we headed downtown. Isn't it funny how you can never find anything for yourself when you actually have the intention to go shopping? The first part of our trip in Forever 21 was very thorough for me, but as time passed, I was too overwhelmed and could not do it it anymore. After awhile we just relaxed with some tea from Teavanna and awaited for hunger to strike: we were downtown, so we figured we should go somewhere good. In the end, we decided on late dinner at Reza's, which offers Persian, Middle-Eastern,and Mediterranean cuisine. We split an appetizer of Vegetarian Shami (Savory patties of minced green vegetables, coated with chickpeas delicately sautéed, served with delicious sweet and sour pomegranate sauce with finely crushed walnuts). It was very good, especially the sauce, which we both used for our table pita bread. She ordered sea scallops for dinner, and I chose a vegetarian sampler which included Couscous,Tabbouli, Falafel, Hummus, Baba Ghannouj, and Dolmeh. I ended up taking a lot of it home with me.

Alright... my eyes are hurting. More to come later!

Thank God it's Friday!

Since entering the work world, I feel that I have begun to appreciate Fridays even more than I used to. As most of you know, today is not only the last day of my work week, it signals the start of my week-long Christmas vacation!! I head out sometime tomorrow.



While a lot of times I blog about my frustrations at work, I do also have some great stories (like the one when I called Santa), and I want to quickly share a few more with you.



Yesterday the kids were working on their writing by making out Christmas lists. One of the boys told me that he wanted a "tuv." Immediately a puzzled look came over my face, and I asked him, "What's a tuv?" He responded, "a thing that you take a hot bath in." "Oohhh!" I said and went to the chalkboard to spell hot tub for this Kindergartner's list.



Later that day one of the other little boys (4) asked me how Jesus flew to heaven. Initially I froze and did not know how to respond except, "That's a good question!" After thinking for a few moments, I asked him if he knew that there are good ghosts. When he said yes, I told him that it was Jesus' "good ghost," his spirit, that went up to heaven- not his actually body. He was satisfied with that answer and did not ask any further questions. That same child told me that his full belly had a baby in it the other day.

The other day when our class was practicing I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, one f my students asked me how to ship a hippopotamus. (This boy is always thinking!)

A short errand tonight, some packing and then I just want to relax. It's been a busy week!

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

That song did not make the list, but the kids will be singing Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Feliz Navidad later this afternoon. Then, there is tomorrow and Friday until I have a weeklong, much needed, break.

I have not had much free time recently. Monday night Dominique and I went to a special sneak peek of Adam Sandler's new movie Bedtime Stories. I definitely would not pay to see the movie: it was fun to do on a Monday night, but I was neither of us were that into it. I miss his earlier movies like Happy Gilmore and The Wedding Singer. Last night I took home one of the little girls from the preschool side and babysat her until about 11:30PM.

I want to talk about my Sunday before it's too late. I woke up that morning in time to do a boot camp class at 11. It felt so good because I definitely have not had as much time to go the gym recently as I usually do. Fortunately it was a rather nice winter day, almost 50 degrees! I met Lauren downtown around 2, and we went shopping. I have so many people on my list that it was a bit overwhelming to shop. I did, however, pick up a scarf for one of my co-workers and a Lush bath fizz for Cristy. After some shopping I finally got in a visit with David, Cristy and Parker. It is always so good to see them. Little Parker slept on my lap for most of the time that I was there. I got there aaround 5 and didn't leave until like 10 or 10:30. Before going to bed I made a delicious corn and potato chowder for the week. Homemade soups are the best!

Shoot... My lunch break is over!

If it Weren't for My Friends and Family,

I honestly might consider leaving Chicago. Don't get me wrong, it is a fantastic city, but these teen temperature days are very hard for me to deal with!

It's been awhile since I last blogged because my computer is down again! I think it may just be time for a new one! Friday was my friend/co-worker Dominiqe's Birthday. Since she is new to the city, I wanted to make sure that it was really special. I brought her a a birthday card, princess tiara and white chocolate mocha (her fav) to work Friday morning. Out director ordered pizza and cake for everyone. That night we went to dinner downtown at Quartino (Ristorante, Pizzeria and Wine Bar), which was a recommendation from one of our parents at the school. It is known for authentic Italian pizza and small plates. After our long week we ordered a pitcher of sangria. Then, Dominique ordered grilled organic veal skirt steak, and I got gnocchi with green beans, potatoes and arugula pesto. While we do know each other from work, which we talk about a good amount, is was nice to shift conversation away from work and the kids and talk about other aspects of our lives. We were both tired from the week post-dinner and headed home.

No matter how much I drink, I never feel good the next day. Therefore, it took me awhile to get out of the house on Saturday. I ran a few errands and did a little shopping before I babysat that night in Evanston. The family gave me a little extra for the holidays, which is so sweet! The girls that I babysat for are incredibly easy. The power going out halfway through the night made it a little interesting, but luckily the two youngest ones were already asleep.

Time to get back to work, but I will right about Sunday asap.

Tea inspiration of the day: "Love what is ahead by loving what has come before."

Tea Inspiration

Not only does Yogi Tea have some delicious teas, I like the inspirational quotes that dangle down the side of my mug when I consume it. Today my tag says, "The universe is the stage on which you dance, guided by your heart." To me they are kind of like fortune cookies cookies, except I get them everyday.

Today was a rough, chaotic day for me. I had finally had it at work and broke down momentarily. (By breakdown I am referring to a couple of tears. It could have been worse!) For those of you who follow my blog, I talk about "Anna" a lot. Well, mostly I talk about the abuse I put up with. In the beginning of my job, things were tough. Then, I saw an improvement. Now, I think things are worse than they ever were before. I know she is only four years-old, but I have been physically abused in same way or another for I would guess five days straight. I feel as though I have tried everything with her: bribes, threats, loss of privileges, notes home, talks with her mom...  Yet, nothing seems to change. When you ask her to do something, she often responds with a loud "no!" She merely smiles when she gets into trouble or hurts another person; she throws tantrums when she does not get her way, and the littlest remarks can set her off. While my psych background does not enable me to "treat" her, I definitely believe that she has some sort of personality disorder and needs help. I know most personality disorders are not diagnosed until later, but she reminds me of someone with antisocial personality disorder.

I am not entirely sure why today was the breaking point. Am I frustrated because I feel like I have tried everything? Is it because I know there is nothing else I can do for this child: while she makes me so angry, there is something off in her body? Does my heart break because I am seeing, for possibly the first time, how psychological disorders manifest themselves at such a young age?Is it because I know the group dynamics of the class would be far better off without her? When I arrived at the school, and came face-to-face with her and her issues, I wanted to help her. I do not think she can be helped though. I talked to my director before lunch, and "Anna" has been suspended for the next couple of days. Her Mom does not know this yet, but she will also be told that she cannot return after the first of the year. 

I have watched this little girl one-on-one before. I have been showered with her hugs, kisses and "I love you!"s. She has drawn me pictures and told me countless stories that make me smile, and I am so worried about her future. I cannot imagine how hard it must be to come to the realization/accept that your child needs psychological help. Yes, her Mom is young, single and busy with work and school, but these factors cannot explain why her daughter behaves this way. 

Work has been taking such a tole on me that I was in bed by 9PM last night. I walked into my apartment, sat on the couch with my roommates and only got up so I could pack my lunch for the next day. I did not even eat dinner last night- very out of character! I figured I would wake up early this morning, but I only struggled when my alarm sounded at 6:30AM. I babysat after work tonight, which is where I am now. Luckily, it was an easy night before the little boy went to bed about 30 minutes after I arrived.

From the events that transpired today, I have been thinking a lot about the role of stress in the workforce. Whatever I end up deciding to pursue in my life, I do not want to get to this point where I feel so exhausted (I was supposed to get to dinner with Grace last night but did not have the energy to leave my house.) and end up crying at work. Then I also start to wonder: Is it the transition to the "work world" that makes me feel this way, or is it this job in particular? If anyone has any feedback, I would love to hear it! 

Run Like the Wind

Hmmm... This was supposed to post yesterday (Wednesday).

I had been encouraged awhile back to try and write in my blog every day, even if it is something small. So here is what I've got in about ten minutes.

Today is my Mom's Birthday. My Dad called to remind me this morning. If he hadn't, I'm not sure when I would have realized. I can't shake off how bad I feel about that. I am usually so good with birthdays, but for some reason I did not write it on my calendar. Now I need to find the ultimate gift! I am thinking a nice necklace.

I got my computer back yesterday, which was a relief. My roommates have been great about letting me use their computers, but it is always nice to have your own. This has never really happened to me before, but last night I got the urge to workout late at night. I left my apartment at 9:30 and did not get home until after 11. I felt an energy about me that I never usually feel at night. I was motivated, and after awhile, I felt like running. I am not usually in the mood to run, so I really appreciated the pre-bed endorphins that I got last night fom some sprints. I definitely slept well!

There are only 15 days until Christmas, and I NEED to get going on my gift purchasing. I do not have anything as of yet, I hope to get a lot accomplished this weekend.

I Can't Take the Abuse Anymore!

This is the third day in a row that I have been abused by "Anna." I try to acknowledge her good behavior, so I gave her a sucker when she followed my directions this afternoon. I told her that if she did not maintain the good behavior, the sucker would go in the garbage. Surprise... She started misbehaving. I took her sucker away and threw it in the garbage. She threw her typical tantrum and so I told her to go in the other room so that I could talk to her. As I turned my back to make note of the incident, I felt a huge smack on my back. It was her. I walked her into the other room as the director came entered. I'm pretty sure she's been stressed out lately, but she told me that she is "not going to do this anymore." When Anna's grandfather picked her up, I had to tell him that she has two weeks two improve her behavior. Also, if she starts screaming tomorrow (like she did today), she will be sent home. It was had news to deliver, but I think it was about time. The classroom would seriously be very different, in a good way, if her behavior improved. There was one point today when I did not really know what else to do. We have threatened her; we have tried to reward her, but I think her needs are beyond my qualifications... She needs professional help!

In other news, I still do not have my computer back, which makes updating my blog frequently difficult. I guess I'll talk about my weekend. I babysat in Evanston Friday night. I left work a little early and got into E-town around 6:30. It ended up being a short night: 10:30. I considered taking the train home, but they thought it would be a better idea if I stayed in Evanston. I ended up on Carryn's doorstep, thinking I was going to read a book 'til I fell asleep. It turns out that she got a solid draft of her paper, and we went over to a holiday party (at 1943). It was so nice to see some people that I had not seen in awhile. That is one thing I definitely miss about the "real world": having my close friends so easily accessible. (And I used to think that it was hard to get together with people. It's a whole new world now.)

Early Saturday afternoon I stopped by Camp Kesem's reunion. Sadly most of the kids attended camp this year, which I did not. For those of you who have never heard about Camp Kesem, it is a week-long camp for children who have/had a parent with cancer. I was involved in Camp Kesem all four years at Northwestern and even spent my junior year as a co-chair. Upon arriving back at home I spent the rest of the day baking and preparing for the "Merry Barry Holiday Party" at my apartment. I made carmel corn and fudge and baked some chocolate chip pecan cookies. They all went over well! :) In addition to my goodies, Melissa made red velvet cupcakes, and there was plenty of holiday m&ms, Hershey kisses and rolos. Holiday spirits included "jingle juice," "peppermint patty" shots and "reindeer rum," which was apple cider spiked with rum. For the most part I had a good turn out by my friends, but there were a few that did not come, which made me sad. Here's a special thanks to Anique, Ashley, Marissa and Dominique! For the rest of you... You missed a good time. Once my computer is up and going I hope to have new pictures posted.

I slept in late on Sunday. Once I got up I wanted to go shopping downtown, but the cold weather and slight hangover was a deterrent. I watched the Bears game and laid around. I went to the gym for little while and then made soup for the week (butternut tomato soup) and sweet potato cornbread to go with it. I like the soap; I LOVE the cornbread! :) The best part of my night last night was talking to Kathryn. Oh have I missed her! She makes me feel a little more normal about the way I am thinking and feeling. As I told her about the cooking and baking I've done this year, she suggested that I should offer lessons (as a way to make some money on the side). I would have never thought about it, but I might now... I keep thinking/hoping that there is a perfect job out there for me that I just have not discovered yet. This is big to announce in a public blog, but in talking to her, I realized why I have felt a little out of sorts lately: I am not completely confident, comfortable and happy with who I am/where I am at in life. So as of right now I am trying to figure that out- big goal! It's kind of a pre-New Years' resolution. She suggested that I try to write down things that I am grateful for everyday.

This morning I made the list on my way to work. I am grateful for:
1. being able to hear Christmas music (and dance to it in the morning when I wake up)
2. my apartment and the job I have to help me pay for it
3. my roommates, my friends and my family
4. technology that allows me to keep in touch with all of these people
5. the ability to read
6. food and the ability to eat it
7. public transportation: while it is not the most reliable, it gets me from place to place
8. sunshine

I felt so positive going into work this morning. I just wish it would have been a better day. Tomorrow's a new day. :) Now for a movie with my roommates.

To be 4 Again

Oh my gosh. I am still laughing. I am in the breakroom for my lunch. but just before one of the girls in my class was not sleeping and giving me attitude. After already making the threat, I told her that it was time for me to call Santa Claus. I get out my cell and am trying to keep a straight face, as Dominique sits not far from me, and I pretend that I am talking to Mrs. Claus on the phone. I tell the girl in my class that Mrs. Clause thinks she should have one more chance, but if she acts up again, I should call the North Pole back. I almost blew it (laughing) a few times. I think all of the kids are a little off from the holidays and not being in school since Wednesday, or earlier for some.

The rest of my break was pretty lowkey. On Friday morning I got my massage at 8:30. There was definitely some tension in my neck and shoulders, and both parts were a little sore on Saturday. Once I got home, my Mom, Monica and I grabbed lunch (at Mary's Market) and went out for a little shopping. We weren't too crazy. Monica needed a new winter jacket. She also got a scarf, some perfume, a few shirts. I got a couple pairs of Bearpaws and some earmuffs. That night we went out to dinner with a friend of the family, the Laisures, at a place called Fiesta Cancun. I was a little skeptical because there used to be a Wendy's in the building, but my vegetable fajitas were delicious! It wasn't your traditional peppers and onions. There was also broccoli, carrots and cauliflower. On the side I received rice, refried beans, guacamole and lettuce. (If I wouldn't have been so hungry that night, I probably could have gotten 3 vs. 2 meals out of the one order.) After dinner Monica and I watched there little boy , Joseph, while his parents visited someone in the hospital.

Saturday was finally my chance to sleep in: til 12:30 that is. :) Obviously I didn't do much that day: went for a run, spent some time at my grandparents and chilled with the fam before I took an 8:30AM train back to Chicago yesterday. Last night I really BABYsat: Gavin is 3, and his brother Grahm is only 6 weeks old! I don't think I've ever watched someone that young. I knew this going into it, but Grahm is a fussy baby. He likes to be held a lot, which I don't really mind. It was just hard to play with Gavin, clean-up, eat my dinner, etc. Speaking of... They left my money to order dinner. I didn't feel that hungry/didn't have a lot of free time with a crying baby, but I knew they would give me a hard time if I didn't order any food. So I called in an order. I told the man on the phone to have the delivery man dial the apartment, and I would buzz him up. Well, the delivery man called me and told me that there wasn't a buzzer. I thought that was odd, but I wrapped crying Grahm in a warm blanket and went downstairs, not realizing that the foyer door was going to lock behind me. Plus, there was no delivery man in sight. Thank God for the buzzer system, or the random neighbor wouldn't have been able to let me back in. Trust me, I was freaking out a bit! Once I got back upstairs, the guy that took my order called again. I ended up having to go back downstairs. I put a newspaper in the door and luckily got my food. The vegetarian couscous was delicious, just a little difficult to eat with a sleeping Grahm in my hands. He did not fall asleep until 9:30. I walked around with him for awhile until he was really out of it, then I sat down, and he slept in my arms until his mom got home. :) I definitely gained a lot of respect for new parents!

I have a feeling this time leading up to the holidays is going to fly by. It will be good though. :)

Happy Tofurkey Day! ;)

Watching Christmas movies, like Miracle on 34th Street and Elf, is an enjoyable way to relax on the holidays and catch up on e-mails (since my computer is down). Do you know what will also help? My massage tomorrow morning. :) My family usually puts our Christmas tree up, but a few strands of lights are currently burnt out. :(

Switching gears: I almost missed my train home on Wednesday. There was a lot of standstill traffic, and I felt like my bus hit all of the red lights. As the stops flashed across the front of the bus, so did the times. After awhile, I had to close my eyes; it was getting way too down to the wire! I got off the bus and pulled my bag up the stairs as I saw the lights of the train coming from downtown. The train ride went by quickly as I read the Red Eye and developed my plans for Thanksgiving food prep. Monica, her new boy (Tyler) and my cousin Joey picked me up from the Harvard train station. We made a couple of grocery stops and then made our way over to my Grandma's. She took me to get a new id, since I lost mine a couple of months ago, followed by my haircut. After that, it was time to get going. After I baked my pumpkin cheesecake and pecan crust, I relaxed a bit before hitting up the bars in the Rockton/Roscoe area. I went to the Village Pub where I met up with Emily and a good number of people that we graduated with. Then, after awhile, we went over to Jim Ez. It is always nice to see people that I have not seen in awhile, but it is also very overwhelming. Not only is the bar crowded and loud, there can be so much to catch up on (depending on the person). It also was not the same without "my girls." Last year everyone in the Super 7 was in town to celebrate the holidays, but Karen and Catherine are out of town; Grace didn't go out; Charlie had to work, and Jess and I ended up missing each other.

I was tired and as a result did not stay out too late. I woke up this morning to watch the second half of the Macy's Parade and to get going on my food. I was really happy with how everything turned out, especially the pumpkin cheesecake and the gravy! (I plan to make biscuits tomorrow morning for biscuits and gravy.) Sadly, I wasn't able to make the mashed potatoes that I planned on, but I improvised and made a kale side dish. Needless to say, I am still filled up from the afternoon's food, and my Mom already asked me what I am making for Christmas. haha

We said Grace at our meal today, but we never went around to say what we are most thankful for. I would say supportive friends and family and good health are the biggest two for me at the moment. I hope everyone reading this had a delightful holiday. Now, on to Christmas!

This is Going to Be a Long One!

I am going on four hours of sleep and am so ready for bed, but I really want to talk about the wonderful weekend I had before I embark on my five day weekend tomorrow! Caitlin got into Chicago Friday afternoon. I knew I would be meeting up with her later in the evening, but immediately after work Dominique and I grabbed dinner at Subway (thanks to Elton's dad) to discuss the kids, upcoming goals, progress reports, etc. I think we both felt like we had more to talk about than we actually did, but either way, I always enjoy spending time with her. Afterwards I had the option of taking the el & the bus or taking a bus. Instead of heading toward the el with Dominique, I thought the bus would be faster. After getting in touch with Sara (It had been awhile.), and talking to her for about 30 mins, I realized that the express was not picking up at that stop. As I started walking I discovered that my toes were very, very cold. I came home, had a quick hot chocolate break and set off for Ellie, Vannch and Delaney's place. Caitlin opened the door, and it made me realize just how much I had missed her! Her visit brought along a good group of people: we ended up staying at the apartment for awhile. Cait, Ema, Anique and I headed to Prost, only to learn that everyone had relocated to Grand Central. I think we had about 30 mins til bar close, but at least we got out for a little bit.

I did not wake up until noonish on Saturday- hadn't done that in awhile. I lazed about until I decided to go workout. I learned that poor Ellie got food poisoning, and Cait was going to chill with her for awhile. Later that afternoon I met Dominique downtown to watch the "Magnificent Mile Disney Light Parade." It wasn't anything extremely long or exciting, but it definitely helped put me in the Christmas spirit. Being downtown with all of the Christmas lights is pretty magical to me. :) How ironic is this?! I stopped into Borders with Dominique and ended up running into Charlie briefly. In regards to location, it would have made more sense to stay downtown and head over to Marissa's (to celebrate her birthday), but my phone was low on battery, and I was a little hungry. 

Marissa lives in a beautiful apartment in Old Town; she looked fabulous, and the Birthday (aka Deloitte) Party was so much fun. I call it a "Deloitte Party" because primarily everyone in attendance was one of her co-workers. She kept apologizing to me, but everyone was really nice, and I enjoyed meeting new people. I was really enjoying myself but also wanted to get over to Ya Chin's going away party at Citizen Bar. Ya Chin and I are in the same sorority. She is one year older than me and was one of my New Member Educators. She recently landed a job working for China's equivalent of the NBA. She and I were never incredibly close, but it was crazy for me to think that I have a lot less likely of a chance to meet up with her. I got a little choked up as I said good bye, and she left me with, "I know I don't have to worry about you. You're a good one. Now go and do something important with your life." I really appreciate the kind words and expect nothing but success from her. :) 

I got a nice workout in Sunday morning before I had a little baking fun. I made a granola I had been eyeing (Molasses Crunch) followed by some chocolate chip cookies with pecans. I had been craving cookies, and these definitely satisfied my sweet tooth. The granola had I unique flavor; the recipe included some lemon zest, which served as a nice compliment to the molasses. After a good amount of clean up, I made my first ever, quick stop in  thrift store. What a fun experience?! There was some old school stuff in there, but I bet you can find some great stuff if you go in a lot. I found a cute,$2  brown lace shirt from Express. Some people don't like to think that these items were somewhere else first, but I think it makes the shopping even more interesting. Caitlin arrived to stay with me around 4:30. We hung out and caught up at my place and then went to dinner with Lindsay at Frasca Pizzeria/Wine Bar. Caitlin and I shared a flight of bruschetta, and the olive oil that came with the bread had a unique flavor to it. Caitlin ordered the prosciutto (olive oil, fresh mozzarella, arugula and prosciutto) pizza; I chose the caponata (tomato sauce, eggplant, red peppers, mushrooms and artichokes). The night concluded by watching the American Music Awards. 

From my long post, you can tell that it was quite the "social butterfly" weekend for me, and it continued into last night. Caitlin wanted to meet some of my students, so she came around 5. They totally showed off for her. Then, Caitlin had told me that she was up for trying some vegan food. I had heard good things about Karyn's Cooked (www.karynraw.com). We headed over to Wells after work and started the meal with a spiced apple cider wine served in a coffee mug. It was delicious and hit the spot on  cold night. We shared a mixed basket of cauliflower, zucchini and mushrooms dusted and deep fried in olive oil. It was delicious! Then we ordered two entrees to share: Classic Lasagna (homemade classic with smoke spinach and tofu ricotta) and a "steak" wrap (thinly sliced tofu/seitan grilled with onion sand peppers with romaine lettuce and chipotle sauce, wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla). The lasagna tasted very similar to a recipe I followed recently. The wrap was not quite what I had expected. The chipotle sauce was incredibly spicy! I liked the "grilled" flavor," but it felt like a lunch sandwich. By the end of the meal, I was stuffed, but we couldn't not order dessert. We split an enormous piece of German chocolate cake. The coconut topping and fudge on the sides was decadent, but the cake itself was not as soft as I would have liked it. I would describe it as dense and dry. That may explain why I just ate the really rich topping. I felt like the service/our waitress was okay- not the best. 

According to Mr. Scott Carr, Cait's Dad, a shot of espresso is the key to re-energizing after a large meal. I don't know about her, but I wish it would have worked a little better for me. We went to State Restaurant to visit Ellie. Then, Anique and Ema stopped by. Ema had a lot of work to do, but despite my very tired, heavy eyes, Anique, Cait and I headed to Guthrie's Tavern. Anique had been raving about it, and now I know why: I felt very comfortable in the small space with painted ceiling tiles. There the three of us played an amusing game of balderdash. If you haven't played it, you definitely should! With the walk home, and a bit more talking before bed, my head finally hit the pillow around 3AM.

I was out solid until my alarm went off at 7AM. The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday was enough motivation to get me out of bed. I definitely felt a bit out of it once the day started though; I don't know how some people do it. After I got home from work there was laundry to be done, dinner to be made, things to be packed and a Large grocery list to be made. I embarked on a large endeavor of planning to cook my first Thanksgiving feast tomorrow. The tentative lineup includes tofurkey, "mighty miso gravy," mashed garlic potatoes with kale, "maple glazed sweet potatoes," green bean casserole and a pumpkin cheesecake with a homemade pecan crust. I hope it all tuns out well! Now it's time to fold some laundry and get to bed.   

And Now I Know Why They Call It "The Greatest Show on Earth"

Yes, that's right. I, along with a large group of preschoolers and Kindergartners, went to Ringling Brothers: Barnum & Bailey Circus this afternoon. I would say that I was pretty spoiled as a child, but I did realize recently that my parents never took me to the circus. Well, it made today even more exciting. As soon as I entered the United Center, there was an elephant painting a picture, acrobats warming up and clowns all over the place. (Fortunately they were all pretty friendly looking.) Talk about being overstimulated. Once the show began, I never knew where to look; there was something going on in every direction of the stage. We were not able to see the entire show (We missed the grand finale), but in our time there I saw trained tigers, dogs that ran to jump and catch Frisbees, horses that carried people, ponies that carried goats, clowns, acrobats, motorcycle riders: 7 total in a fairly small cage and one on a tightrope, clowns and more. The acrobatic tricks and the motorcycle men in the cage honestly made me nervous! I am such a worrier sometimes.

As I sat there watching the show, my mind started wondering: What is it like to be a circus performer? How's the social life? the love life? How does one decide to be part of the circus? What would my parents think if I told them that I had made this decision? How are the animals really treated? I recently read Water for Elephants, and now I feel like I want to read more circus-inspired novels. I was truly amazed at everything that went on at the show as did the students. Most of them stayed in their seats the entire time. That is, unless they were dancing.

This week has gone by incredibly fast for me. I cannot believe that tomorrow is already Friday. Caitlin's coming into town, which I am very excited about, and there is also a large lighting parade taking place Saturday. Then, I know Monday and Tuesday will fly by. I am taking a half day on Wednesday and taking the metra home for the traditional bar crawl pre-Thanksgiving and lunner with my family on Thursday. :)

Besides the circus, today was good for another couple of reasons. One of the fathers from my class left me a card that said, "Thank you for the time you take to teach my son. I'm hoping that one day he's able to attend a great university like the one you attended." It was short and simple but much appreciated. He also bought me a Subway giftcard. Then, I'm thinking most of you remember "Anna." (If not, she is one of the students that made me want to quit my job a few times.) In addition to babysitting her a few times, her grandfather informed me today that I am her "plan B." I had no idea what he was talking about until he explained that this weekend "Anna" said to him, "I want Miss Karissa to be my Mommy. She looks like Sleeping Beauty." I don't think looks are a good indicator of parenting skills, but I was very flattered by the comment. The two of us have built quite a special relationship- I don't think a day goes without her telling me that she loves me, even if I am in the middle of reading a story to the others. Working with her on her anger issues has made me reconsider going into psychology and working with children. As usual though, I still am not really sure.

Tuesdays are my Mondays

I say that because Tuesdays are always more stressful than Mondays: I work longer hours, and there are more kids at school. One of my co-workers REALLY likes routine, and when something does not go according to her plan, she stresses out. Unfortunately, I sometimes pick up on her stress. She does not always speak to me in the best tone, which I do not appreciate. I did switch my Tues, Wed, Thurs hours from 8-6 to 8:30-6:30 so that I have a little more time to myself in the mornings (if I can get out of bed). I intend for this to make a positive impact on my mood. After work last night I met Anique and Eliz and went to my first Second City show. It was a great thing to do on a Monday night. The skits were based on the holidays, and I definitely got in some good laughs. My favorite was a guy "Frost they Snowman" who walked around with sticks as arms.

As for my weekend: It was nothing too exciting but very enjoyable. I went over to Jessi's after work Friday night. She made another delicious dinner: apple muffins, vegetable soup, Shepherd's Pie and pumpkin pie. I stayed over there for a couple of hours and then received a phone call from Lauren. She wanted to finally see The Secret Life of Bees. She, Melanie and Rachel picked me up, and we headed downtown to the movie theaters only to discover that it was sold out! We couldn't believe it; the movie's not even showing at some theaters anymore. I must say... There is potential for some great people watching at the theaters. Lauren and I had a great time seeing everyone coming up the escalators, standing in line, etc. I was going to go back to their apartment but wouldn't have had a very reliable ride home later at night. As a result, I called it an early night. That was okay though because I babysat 8-2:15 on Saturday. Then, I ran my typical errands and relaxed for the rest of the day. Grace came over that night, and we watched The Breakup as we caught up on life.

Sunday was a rejuvenating day for me. I went to a spin class in the morning, followed by a delicious breakfast of cinnamon, apple and raisin pancakes. While it was really cold outside, I found it refreshing. I met my head teacher, Dominique (who I absolutely love), downtown that night to evaluate our students. We had dinner at The Grand Lux Cafe. There were only two dinner options for me, but I ended up loving my dish: Crispy Sesame Tofu served with Stir-Fried Vegetables in a spicy szechuan orange sauce with steamed rice. The dinner allowed me to think about the students in a positive way and why I like the job. When I get going, I have so many funny/sweet stories to share about them. Yesterday one of them whispered in my ear, "You're beautiful." How can you not smile at that? :) We conducted our evaluations and then walked along Michigan Ave for a bit. It was lightly snowing, and it made me excited to think about Christmas time in Chicago (not that most of the decorations aren't up already). Then we made a ghiradelli stop. She was craving a brownie, and I ordered a hot chocolate. I must say... The drink failed to meet my expectations, but it was nice to talk with Dominique outside of the classroom. With so many little ears around, we don't often talk about our love life (mine=non-existent), our goals for the future, etc.

It's about time for me to get back at it, but as I offered Jessi well wishes on the phone last night (She's heading to London to become a certified ESL teacher and then going to Thailand to teach and take scubadiving lessons.), she encouraged me to blog everyday about something I learned. I will get back to you on that one. :)

Today's a Low

and with that being said... I am just going to type as much as I can for these last 15 minutes of my lunch break. (For me writing can be a great form of therapy.) Work/teaching has been frustrating for me this week, which is causing me to question my job in general. I feel like I spend so much of my time at school "controlling" the kid and trying to be consistent that I do not teach very often. Then, when I go home at night, I'm not my usual self. Instead of going to the gym or spending time with my friends, I tend to go home and be by myself. I know that "me time" is always important, but I feel like it's been happening too much. My co-worker posed a good point: maybe it's a full-time job in general that is causing this change. Regardless, I don't feel like myself, and I do not like the way I feel.

I have also begun to question whether or not my talents are truly being utilized as a teacher. Don't get me wrong, I have gained so so much respect for teachers, but I do not think my hardworking, perfectionist personality necessarily makes the best teacher. (My friend Tim, who is teaching English in South Korea, eluded to this as well.) I see teachers as having far more patience then I do. Great teachers never appear to be bothered by much of anything. Maybe it's best not to spend much time worrying about lesson plans. Right now I feel like I am losing my love for working with children, which I do NOT want to happen. As I wrote cover letters and sent out resumes this summer, I realized that every past job of mine has dealt with children. I still love babysitting (for the most part).

I think this is just a bad day, and I'm sure the weather doesn't help either, but I am looking forward to a new day!

Back to Cold, but Some Things are DIfferent!

Like Barack Obama being our President!! Up until Tuesday afternoon I did not have any intentions of making my way to Grant Park. A few people told me that the Chicago Police Department was terrified, and it was probably going to be dangerous. However, once Charlie gchatted me and invited me to join her and Grace in some partaking of American history, I really started to think it over. I declined at the time but couldn't stop thinking about the offer. I currently live in Chicago, so I had the opportunity to partake in the celebration of the first African American President. Yet, based on past news accounts of the way Chicago fans respond to victories (ie the Bulls World Championships back in the day), my stomach felt a little uneasy. Plus, I had to be into work at 8 the next morning. Was the partying/celebrating going to last all night?

On my walk home from work I learned from Jess that Grace and Charlie were on the waiting list to get into the ticketed section. Well shoot... I wasn't that special. My co-worker, Dominique, felt mixed as well. Then, once I got home and spoke to my roommate, Melissa, it was a go! Melissa and I ate dinner, put on blue dresses (It was such a beautiful night: a cotton dress, a fleece coat and flip flops was all I needed.) and met Dominique at Belmont. I have to be honest... I still felt some uneasiness after I made my decision, but I remembered a quote I read and liked at yoga the night before: "Every day do something that you are afraid of." This was mine for the day.

As soon as the train dropped us off downtown, I could feel nothing but positive energy. The scene reminded me of a parade as tons of people walked through the streets. There was a very small "security checkpoint," but many things could have passed by. On our way in I found this awesome sign on the ground that provided a great centerpiece for my pictures of the evening. I will post them soon. We also bought some American flags and buttons to show our support. We probably arrived at our spot around 8:45, Luckily there was a projection screen not too far from where we were standing so that we could watch, and cheer, each time Obama won a state. I felt bad that my Mom, one of the biggest Obama supporters I know, wasn't there with me. I tried to make her feel like a part of it by texting her and calling her when we found out Obama won at 10PM. At first I didn'tknow if he won the whole thing or if he won another state. My sister texted me to be careful and not "get trampled." She also asked me if people were "throwing couches and setting cars on fire."

Believe it or not, I did not see anything crazy at all and haven't heard about anything either. I thought McCain's concession speech was a positive won, and it was great to hear Obama's first speech as President. I am still amazed at how many countries (270) tuned in to our election. I, and so many others in this world, were so happy and hopeful Tuesday night. Melissa, Dominique and I surprisingly caught the first train to arrive, and I was home by 1:30. I will forever remember that night, who I was with, the crowd, etc. I'm not sure what time I finally made it to bed, but it was difficult to wake up the next morning until I remembered that it was a new day. :)

If only my positive thoughts could have continued throughout the day... I've been spending a good amount of time in the preschool classroom lately in preparation for my possible transition. That day one of the three year-old boys punched me in the nose with a closed fist after I put him in time out. He hit me right where it made my eyes water, so I had to leave the room. I guess one of the other teachers really let him have it, so he was apologetic when I came back to the room. (Too bad he spit in my face later that day.) It's situations like that which make me most frustrated. The boy does not respond to any forms of punishment. Anyone can tell that he runs the house and always gets what he wants at home (which is not a positive place for him). From what I know his parents are separated, and his Mom works long hours, which leaves his high school aged sister to care for him. He will definitely be a project for me.

The following night I received a call from my friend Ashley. She wanted to know if I had any desire to go rollerblading with her along the lakefront. I hadn't done that yet, so I headed over there post-dinner, and we went for a rather windy, evening rollerblade trip. Nothing too exciting for the rest of the week. I've been battling getting sick, so I didn't do much at night. Last night I went over to Jessi's house (the girl I met at Soul Vegetarian East last Saturday). She introduced me to a couple of her friends, Staci and Marie, and together we shared an enormous and delicious vegan dinner of minestrone soup, salad, focaccia bread with a spinach and artichoke dip, pasta with sauteed vegetables and a homemade cilantro pesto dip and banana brownies for dessert. She just asked me to bring the wine, so I did, but I felt like my contribution paled in comparison to the rest of the meal. It was really enjoyable to meet new people. Even though I knew I had to wake up at 6AM this morning, I didn't want to leave. I only left with Staci and Marie around 11:45.

This morning's conference in Schaumburg was very informative, and it gave me some inspiration and new ideas to start the week. I was fortunate to grab a nap before I headed to babysitting at 6. It was an easy night: one in bed at 6:30, the other 7:30. I cleaned up and then typed up my week for all of you to read. Now it's time to catch up on other stuff. I may go into Evanston for Northwestern's Founders Day (if I wake up in time) tomorrow, and I am going to The Balanced Kitchen for dinner. It's an all organic, gluten free, vegan restaurant. I cannot wait to try it!

So Confused but Loving It!

With Halloween in the past and Thanksgiving on the way I would expect the 40 degree weather that we had earlier this week. However, I love the 65/Easter-like weather of today! Oh my gosh... I just checked the weather for tomorrow: 75 and sunny! :) This warm weather in November may be attributed to global warming, which is never good. Yet, I can't help but embrace the warmer temperatures. I think this is my ideal climate. I would be happy if every day oscillated between 60 and 80.



Now for my highlights of the week: My friend had her baby boy (Parker) on the 28th at 11:11PM. I went to the hospital for a visit on Wednesday night. It was the first time that I can remember holding a baby that small. He is 8.5 lbs, 21" long and so precious!

Thursday night I ended up watching "Anna" again. We rode the bus home together after work, picked up some spaghetti ingredients, made dinner, watched Hocus Pocus and then read some stories until her Mom came after school. She is such a smart little girl, and I enjoy spending time with her. She told me that she wanted to stay overnight at my house and was sad to leave. I do my fair share of babysitting, but I cannot imagine having her with me every night.

Friday was Halloween! After three days of being in at 8AM, it felt fantastic to sleep in. I got on my low-budget, school friendly Twister costume and headed to work. I am very bummed; somehow I lost all of my pictures from the actual day of Halloween. :( The kids in my class were very cute. I had a boxer, a fireman,Batman, Superman, Little Red Riding Hood, two Princesses and a Transformer. My favorite costume was in the preschool class: a rat from Ratatouille. It was a very laid back day with trick-or-treating, a lot of time outside and an enormous witch pinata, which the kids went crazy over. The witch was taller than the girls in my class. At the end of the day I had a more serious discussion with my director about becoming a head (preschool) teacher at the beginning of the year. I am highly considering it now, even more than I was before.

Later that night I went to my friend Ashley's for a Halloween gathering. She was dressed as Sarah Palin, and her blonde roommate was Hillary Clinton. There was also a Bill Clinton and a Bristol Palin. They were very cute! 3/4 of my way to the gathering I realized that I left my id at home, so I ended up coming back fairly early. I loved being on Belmont and seeing everyone in their costumes. Halloween really is an amazing holiday! There's so much possibility for creativity and fun festivities.

Yesterday, Saturday, was a jam packed day. I woke up around 10:30 to get ready for my journey to the South side (75th St.) for my first vegan meetup at Soul Vegetarian East. I was one of the firsts in line at the buffet, and I also went up for a round of seconds. The menu consisted of Carrot Salad, BBQ Twists, Mac & Cheese, Greens, CornBread and a Lemon Cake for dessert. One of the fellow attendees did a good job of explaining the dishes (www.snarkyvegan.com). I wasn't a huge fan of the cornbread or carrot salad, but I think I will crave that mac & cheese and the BBQ twists often. They had such rich, delicious flavor. The woman who took care of us was so sweet. She also told us about their Sunday brunch, which sounds amazing! I think I'll be heading to the South side again soon. Let me warn you that it is not cheap, and I learned that they don't always have the macaroni & cheese, so make sure to call ahead.

I was a little disappointed that most of the group was an older crowd, but I did meet a really interesting girl at the end of the meetup named Jessi. She lives near Belmont & Clark, so we road the train back together. I learned that she went from being a freshman in high school to a freshman in college out in Colorado. She's working with her Aunt right now as a website designer and will soon be leaving for Thailand to teach English and become a certified scuba instructor. I woke up to a text from her this morning. She invited me over for dinner on Friday with a few of her friends. I thought that was so thoughtful.

While she got off at Belmont, I headed into Evanston for a babysitting job. I had about an hour in between, which was the perfect amount of time for me to meet up with Syd. It had been so long since we talked, and it was great to see her (and Ozzie). Babysitting was easy. The girls are so great! After that I headed home and got ready for a Halloween party! I ran into a lot of people who I had not seen in a long time. I was also very surprised to find myself one of the last people at the party. Then, I got home, and still wasn't tired.

I had a few tentative plans today, but they fell through, so it ended up being a day of relaxation. That seems to be a theme for my Sundays. Okay, long post. I'm done.

Not ready for this weather...

As I write this post, it is 45F in the windy city of Chicago. I actually wore my winter coat and ski hat on my walk to work today. Fortunately it's supposed to warm up by the end of the week, which means Halloween should be mild! :) Speaking of... I had a few friends, and one of the little girls from my class, over yesterday to help me get in the spirit. Before their arrival I baked some goodies: apple pecan muffins and pumpkin spice bread. The bread has great flavor, but a very spongy texture. The muffins, however, were a huge hit! I actually heard Anique tell Eliz, "I didn't think vegan stuff was good." C'mon Anique! I've become quite the food critic. You mean to tell me that you think I eat bland, disgusting food? haha Quite the contrary! I now absolutely love cooking and baking. I spend a lot of my free time reading recipes, shopping for the ingredients and trying new things. Some things don't always turn out as good as I hope, but that happens with any cuisine. For dinner last night I made a "cashew coconut stir fry," which had flavors like coconut milk that I hadn't eaten in awhile.

So back to yesterday: You're probably never going to believe this, but "Anna" is the little girl from my class that I watched yesterday. She came over a little after 2, followed by Lauren and then Anique and E Liz. I thought Anna would be into carving pumpkins and digging out the pumpkin seeds with her hands, but I learned that she did that Saturday night with her "Bubby" (aka Grandma). So instead I was in charge of pumpkin seed baking/ approving Anna's drawings. I made a batch of garlic salt pumpkin seeds and another bath of sugar & spice pumpkin seeds. Every one's pumpkins turned out well (pics to come soon), and the seeds were also very tasty! :) Then, Anna and I started watching Hocus Pocus, one of my all-time favorite Halloween movies. I had to go to a few different Blockbusters to get it. I spent the rest of the night getting organized for my week.

Tonight I am going into Evanston to help the DDD seniors with slating. Then, it's 8-6 Tues-Thurs at school this week. I have a feeling I am going to be TiReD on Halloween. I had a short meeting with my director today just to check in and see how she thought I was doing. I was happy to hear that she thinks I would be a great teacher. She wants me to consider teaching the junior preschool program. As most of you know, I am always up for a challenge. However, I hesitate for a few reasons. First, I love Miss Doss (my head teacher). I think we really have a great dynamic. Second, it took me awhile to get used to the attention span/attitudes, etc. of four and five year-olds. I can't imagine how I would do working with two year-olds. I definitely want to talk to her about it more though. I'm actually going to be in the preschool room 8-10 these next few days.

So here's a funny story. To teach our students about the election process and to encourage good behavior, our students vote on a class president. The class president has special priviledges like being the line leader, getting extra icecream on Fridays, etc. Well Anna was doing the wrong thing this morning, and I made mention that "if [she] didn't change her behavior, [she] wouldn't be in the running to be president." I didn't even think about what I had said until she replied, "but I'm a really fast runner!" haha so cute! :) Speaking of kids saying whatever comes to mind, did I ever write about the time she asked me if I "had a baby in my tummy" post-lunch. That was pretty embarassing; I don't think I ate the rest of the day. (jk) While my lunch break was nice, I guess I better get back to it. Happy Monday everyone!

Warm Fuzzies

It's amazing to me that I'm posting back-to-back days, but the plans that I made for tonight have completely fallen through, so I figured I might as well talk about my night with the girls.

With the nasty weather, Jess and Emily picked me up and we got over to Grace and Charlie's. (Thank goodness!) Charlie got out her marathon/rain jacket and umbrella and cooked on the grill for all of us. We had originally planned to leave the apartment for a bar around 10, but we ended up sharing memroies and catching up until after midnight. The night wouldn't have been complete without Grace's idea to share "warm fuzzies" with one another. There were a lot of laughs and even some tears. We have so many similarities, in addition to numerous differences, but after 5 years we are still best friends! I can't wait for Em and Karen to join us in the city. :)

Did I really just do that?

This is kind of embarrassing but way too funny not to write about. On Thursday morning our school went on a field trip to Bengston's Pumpkin Fest in Homer Glen, IL. Since the buses were leaving at 8:30, I was supposed to be there at 8. (I usually work at 10.) I thought I woke up in plenty of time to get there by 8, but I was running about ten minutes behind. Since the weather's been nice, I usually walk the 40 minutes each way to work. For those of you that know Chicago and its el system, I live approximately a 15 min walk away from the Belmont el stop. I decided that hopping on the el there and heading up two stops to Sheridan would save me some time. (Plus, I still needed to finish putting on my makeup). Well, everyone else seemed to be running late that morning also. I had to run with the crowd to prevent myself from being knocked over. As I ran up the stairs to the Northbound side of the tracks a woman was yelling, "Hurry, hurry! The doors are going to close." So I ran in with the couple of others surrounding me. I was happy to get a seat as I heard the announcement: ding, dong... Doors closing. This is an express train to Howard." Shit!

Knowing that I was going to be outside all day I really bundled up. So now I am sitting on an express train headed to Evanston as I sweat in my tanktop, longsleeve, sweater and coat. There are so many people around me that I can't really remove any layers. Then, I get out my phone to call the school and notify them that I am going to be late. At this point I realize that for some reason I have their fax number in my phone. Wow! So instead of being 5-10 minutes late, I was 25 minutes late. (Too bad the bus didn't leave until 9 anyway.)

We only stayed for an hourish, but the Pumpkin Fest was so cute. We started at the pig races where we all sat in a little grandstand and watched three little pigs race around the track. Then, we made our way over to the petting zoo. I usually think of petting zoos as one and the same, but this one had a zebra, a kangaroo and alpacas! I do have a small fear of petting zoos after having have of my fingernail bit off by a hungry sheep during my childhood. The kangaroo and zebra were off limits, but I pet some baby alpacas. I almost had to leave this area because the girl I was with, who we call "Princess" in the class, wanted to leave because it smelled in there. Haha! She is so funny. One day she started crying during class. When I asked her what was wrong she told me that the cut on her arm was "ugly." I went to get a bandaid to cover up the ugliness. :)

I'm currently waiting for Jess and EmTemp to pick me up. Then we are going over to Grace and Charlie's, where we will be joined by Karen and Cat, to celebrate Grace's birthday! I cannot remember the last time all 7 of us (the Super 7) were together, and I am very much looking forward to it. I stayed up later than normal last night making Gracie a non-traditional Birthday (Carrot) Cake with homemade icing. (I really have become quite the Susie Homemaker! I love it though.) If the rain slows up this weekend, I have plans to go to a haunted house tomorrow night, and I invited some people over on Sunday to carve pumpkins and watch a Halloween movie-just trying to get in the spirit.

I don't think I have much else that's exciting to report this week. I do want to send my blessings to the friends and family of Kristen Roth who recently passed away due to an enlarged heart. :( My Dad called me to tell me Sunday night, and I couldn't believe it. Kristen graduated with me from Hononegah in 2004. We were in Track, RUDE and Student Council together.

My Catchup Day

Sunday's are always my day to try and get on top of stuff: going through my e-mails, cleaning my room, buying groceries for the week, etc. I'm watching Stepbrother right now with my roommate and her bf; it's incredibly foul!

Highlights from the Week:

On Tuesday night I went to my first DDD alum meeting after work. :) There was a safety presentation and dinner, followed by a chance for me to meet some of the other recent grads. There were a couple of teachers there, so that was easy conversation.

After work on Wednesday I went over to Cristy's. She made a Thai dinner for me, Gina and Chiara. Al, Nick and Dave also enjoyed it with us after they got back from the bar. Cristy's doing really well: she is full-term and could have her baby any day. His stuff is all set up, and the overnight hospital bag is packed. I am getting excited! We had the presidential debate on the tv, but I chose to watch baby move in Cristy's stomach. It's truly an amazing phenomenon.

On Friday night I met up with Charlie, Grace, Jess, Ryan and Brian at a place called Louie's Pub on North Avenue. It was karaoke night and soo entertaining! All of the flatscreens had the lyrics up, so everyone could sing along. We were belting those songs out! By the time the girls and I decided to put a request in for Livin' on a Prayer, it was too late in the night. They never played our song. :( Regardless, it was a fantastic night, and I am so excited to celebrate Grace's birthday with the girls this upcoming Friday.

On Saturday morning I woke up around 8 to head into Evanston for Northwestern's Homecoming. It took me awhile to get mobilized. I met up with Ashley, her roommate Karen, Katie and Caroline. Katie drove us all into Evanston. they went up North to the stadium, and I flew solo to 82o Hamlin. There were so many people there! I felt like a broken record telling everyone about my roommates, my job, my apt, etc., but I enjoyed hearing from everyone else. Plus, the tailgat was catered complete with flavored coffee, fruit & veggie trays, chili, corndogs and delicious sweet potato fries! In my attempts to be economical, I didn't buy a ticket for the game. Instead, I went to Nevin's to watch Northwestern beat Purdue. It was a Happy Homecoming. :) Later that night (post-Pita Pete's lunch), I babysat and made some $$! No idea what's in store for me this week...

Something Old Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

The title of this blog was inspired from a wedding I attended this weekend. On Saturday, my friend Kathy, who I have known since she was born, got married in Rockton. I'm not entirely sure why, but I found myself tearing up a lot throughout the night, especially when her younger sister Abby read her speech and when Kathy danced with her Dad. I might have been a little sad because I don't see her as much as I'd like to. When I think about it, our families have so much history. Then, here she is all grown up and married! It's events like this that make me realize I am an adult.

Now let me go back a little. On Friday I received a nice surprise at work: one of my students' mother brought all of the teachers flowers. I can't remember the last time I got flowers! Then, on Friday night I took the train into Evanston to meet up with Carryn for dinner. She grabbed some Pita Pete's, and I got Noodles & Company, and we just took it back to Garnett. It was so nice to see her and to be in Evanston again. (I definitely felt nostalgic!) I didn't stay too long because I had to pack for home/was pretty tired from the week. I caught an 8:30 train from Chicago to Harvard. My Grandma Dar was there to pick me up. We made a quick stop by Target and then to the wonderful, well-known Edward's Apple Orchard. Oh how I love fall foods! I got a warm apple cider donut, had a glass of apple cider and bought a taffy apple, a bag of honeycrisp apples and some apple butter.

My Grandma dropped me off at home. My Mom made me a delicious vegan pizza for lunch, and I sadly watched Northwestern lose to Michigan State. On a positive note, Justin brought over his family new puppy Indy. Indy is a white lab/Golden Retriever mix and so cute (of course)! He was playing in the huge holes that my sister's Huskie (Chiefton) has dug in our backyard over time. After the reception my sister and I were both exhausted, so we called it an early night. Yesterday morning I went to breakfast with my Dad at my Grandma Elaine's house before catching a train back to Chicago. The rest of my afternoon is really nothing exciting to report.

Yea, a babysitting job!

This post would have been a little more negative, but I just got a babysitting job about 30 mins ago. This weekend I totaled up all of my spending from the month of September. I realized that I need to make about $ more a month. I will also have loan repayments coming soon. I wish it was something I didn't have to stress/think about a lot, but I do. After work I went to a bar in Wrigleyville that posted an ad in need of female servers and bartenders. They listen an open interview for tomorrow afternoon 12-5, but I will be at work. I'm pretty sure there was this really pretty, well-dressed girl being interviewed when I went in. The guy at the bar took my resume and told me that he would be in touch. Let's just say that the experience was a blow to my self-esteem. I can't stop thinking about it. :( Anna also had a meltdown today (after a really good past couple of days). She's actually developed a very interesting relationship with me: she always wants to sit on my lap, hug me and just be near me. It's much better than being pinched, hit, etc., but she gets really upset sometimes when I can't give her all of my attention.



Sunday was another day that ended up being completely different than I thought it would be. I ended up going to sleep, with a headache, Saturday night. I planned to go to the Farmers' market and workout in the morning before I met up with Lauren to vegan bake. My phone rang/woke me up at 12:45!! It was Lori, who is now my babysitting job. I called Lauren right away and headed over to her place (after waiting in the rain for the bus for about 30 mins). Together we made fall-inspired Gingerbread Scones with a maple glaze. At first I wasn't crazy about them, but I really liked the flavor after they cooled down and the glaze set in. Later that night I met up with Lori, and her husband Rich, who I really like(d)! They seem like a really young, fun couple.



Monday was nothing significant, and last night, with it pouring rain outside, I went crazy in the kitchen... I made a large batch of butternut squash, sweet potato and apple soup. It is so delicious and "fally"! I think I might make it for my family Thanksgiving. Then, I made "roasted tofu and vegetable napoleon" for dinner. It wasn't too difficult; it was a stacker of portobello mushroom, tofu, sweet potato, zucchini, tomato, roasted red pepper and carrot with an basil/olive oil dressing. That's all for now. I'm watching Project Runway with my roomies. :)

Things are Coming Together

Let me start by saying that I started this post earlier in the week but never got around to finishing it: It feels so good to be "reconnected" to the world. (Now I just need everyone's numbers again!) It turns out that I had not just "left in a hurry" last Wednesday." When I returned home, and looked through my room, I realized that my wallet was no where to be found. As a result, I spent the night calling cta to report my wallet, (I think I left it on the bus?), canceling my credit/debit cards, temporarily disconnecting my phone line, etc. I should have been/am grateful that nothing was used, but it doesn't mean I didn't cry a good amount and go to bed really early- haha! The next few days/nights are kind of a blur. I didn't feel too comfortable going anywhere late at night without a phone, so I just hung out around my place.

On Friday night I got in touch with my Mom who informed me that she bought me a new phone and renewed my calling plan. She encouraged me to go to US Cellular to see if I could get a temporary loner phone. I went there and received one with ease. That afternoon I met up with E Liz at Take Five on Southport to watch the Northwestern game. We watched Northwestern beat Iowa 22-17, which means a 5-0 start for the Wildcats. (If I have my stats right, this hasn't happened since 1962.) After the game I ended up catching up with a friend from school (Sara) for a long time. It hadn't talked to her since I moved in and started my job, so we had a lot to catch up on. That night one of my roommates had a Belated Birthday Pizza Part for one of her friends at out place. Melissa and Greg (her boyfriend) went crazy in the kitchen! They made bruschetta, 5 different pizzas and baked brie. For dessert she picked up this amazing "atomic" cake from Whole Foods. After that I was pretty much in a food coma, so I didn't go out. I also knew I had to wake up early the next morning.

On Sunday I left my apartment around 10 to meet my Mom, Grandma, Godmother and others for lunch at Santorini in Greektown. We were served soo much food, family style: TZATZIKI (thin slices of cucumber in homemade yogurt with essence of garlic), TARAMOSALATA(Greekstyle caviar spread made from the delicate roe of carp), SAGANAKI (Cheese flambe), ATHENIAN SALAD (mixed romaine lettuce with green onions, tomato, oregano, feta cheese, olives, anchovies and Greek dressing), DOLMADES (vine leaves stuffed with 100% certified Angus beef), KEFTEDES (meatballs topped with a tomato sauce and cheese), PASTICHIO (made with 100% certified Angus beef, macaroni pasta, baked in a Bechamel sauce), VEGETARIAN MOUSSAKA (zucchini, eggplant and potato bake in a Bechamel sauce, topped with feta and romono cheese) and GREEK CHICKEN. To top it all off, there was KADAIFI (shredded pastry dough with walnuts and honey syrup) and CREMME KARAMELE (custard baked in syrup). I obviously didn't eat a lot of what was served, but the stuff I ate was pretty good. A lot of people didn't like the food and didn't think they could ever live in Greece. I told them that food on the island is completely different- so fresh and delicious! I don't think it helped that Santorini made food for 50+ people. After lunch I took the bus over to see Mamma Mia at 2. Oh how I love the theater?! I wish I had money to go more often. I liked Mamma Mia, but it wasn't my favorite. In New York I saw Movin Out, which is probably my favorite. Not far behind that is Wicked, then Avenue Q. This season I would love to see Dirty Dancing, Mary Poppins and Jersey Boys. I'm not sure how I feel about Legally Blonde. That night I finally saw a Bears victory but nothing else too special!

Tuesday night I had a dessert date with Charlie at Chaos Theory Cakes & Confections on N. Lincoln. We shared a piece of carrot cake and symphony cake (hazelnut dacquoise, caramelized hazelnuts, caramel, caramel mousse, mocha buttercream). Both were delicious, and the girl that was working was so sweet. She sent us home with some other goodies to try: a caprese cupcake, a strawberry basil cupcake and a green tea mango tart. I was a little turned off by the caprese cupcake but really liked it! They have a lot of different stuff there, so you have to be adventurous. It's a little more on the expensive side, but the bakery is so bright and cute on the inside and for me was a great, quiet place to catch up with Charlie.

After work on Wednesday I met Tessa (my roommate) and her friend Regan at Yakzies in Wrigleyville to watch the game. It was not a good night! Not only did Tessa and Regan spend way too much on beers, but we all know that the Cubs lost. :( Thursday night I had Grace and Jess over for an Oriental dinner. Grace brought sushi. I made my favorite "Asian Noodle Creation" recipe and heated up some butternut squash soup to start. Together we watched a bit of the VP debate. Jess's sarcastic commentary was great! Once the Cubs game came on, we switched to that and went back to the debate during commercial breaks. They left around 10. I stayed up for awhile watching the game, but it was getting miserable, and I was tired.

Yesterday was E Liz's birthday. I went over to her (and Anique & Stacy's) place around ten. Let me tell you, it was hard to mobilize around my typical bed time, but I ended up having a nice time. I talked to Stephanie Sorensen a lot. I had met her before, but we ended up talking most of the night, while everyone else was paired up for beer pong. The two of us were pretty exhausted and decided to pass on going to Schoolyard.

Today has been completely different that I thought it would be. I planned to wake up early and go to a farmers market, but I didn't wake up until almost 11. I was going to try this new restaurant in the loop, but everyone was meeting at noon, and I couldn't get the internet up to get directions. Instead, I went to the gym. Later this afternoon I was supposed to meet up with someone about babysitting, but she had to cancel on me (again). I planned/hoped to visit with Cristy today, but she had errands to run. As a result, I spent the day chillin on the coach watching movies. Right now I'm watching the Cubs game with Greg, and then a group of us are hoping to go out for Karen's Birthday. Let's hope the Cubs can pull it together!!

Here's a special shoutout of Congratulations to Blair and Tim who finished their LSAT today! I hope it went well. :)

Just One of Them Days....

This morning started like any other: I woke up and went to the gym, showered and got ready, made breakfast, got my lunch together, etc. Then, as I was getting ready to leave for work, my roommate asked me to call her cell phone. At that time I realized I didn't have my phone. I gathered up my stuff, left the house and headed to the gym to see if I left it there. No such luck! Then, when I went to try and catch the bus, I realized that I didn't have my wallet with me, which meant I did not have a bus pass or any money. So, I ended up walking the 2.3mi to work. Even though I knew I was going to be late, I tried to think positive thoughts: It is a beautiful day. I'm getting exercise. Then, I passed a dead squirrel laying on the side of the road. :(

I was about 15 mins late and walked in to find a note informing me that my director needed to talk to me. "Great!" I thought. I went to her office and ended up having a long talk with her. She just asked me how things were going. (For some reason I used that question as a lead for me to break down about everything I've been upset about lately... I guess it was building up?!). She kept telling me that I have to stop being so hard on myself. (It's something I've struggled with since I was young.) I set really high standards for myself and feel like a failure when things don't go as predicted. So, needless to say, it was not a good start to the day, but it's going better now.

When I went outside a bunch of the kids ran up and gave me a hug. That made me feel better, and then I played on the playground with them! I'm on my lunch break now and just hope my phone and wallet are both in my room somewhere when I get back.

Positive happenings: Monday night I got a belated birthday present from Caitlin: a set of colorful candlesticks and the first addition for the walls in my room: a plaque that says something like, "Friends are like stars. Even though you can't see them, you know they are there." It really meant a lot to me. Then, I had Grace over for an Italian feast last night. She brought some merlot, and I made minestrone soup, peperonata and charming chocolate cupcakes for dessert. It was so nice to have her over. Then, I finished the night watching Sex and the City with my roommates. :)

1st Blind Date, Check

After work Friday night Mike picked me up from work. We went to Adobo Grill in Old Town and started with fabulous margaritas. Then, I ordered the plato vegetariano (sliced jícama, mango and cucumber with guajillo vinaigrette; sweet corn tamalon stuffed with figs; vegetable tinga steamed in a corn husk; zucchini stuffed with goat cheese), and he got
Enchiladas de Mole Rojo (chicken enchiladas basted in mole rojo, topped with sour cream, añejo cheese, onions; black beans). My dish was good, but I don't think I would rush back there for dinner.

General thoughts on the date: It's hard for me to even remember what we talked about. (For some reason, it's kind of a blur.) It was interesting to not know anything about him, which meant there were a good number of things to talk about. He is a really nice guy, and dinner wasn't at all uncomfortable, but I didn't feel any sparks. I thought he was meeting up with one of his friends after dinner, so I figured I would just be heading home, but I found out that he didn't have any plans. I had my bag with me from work and wanted to head back up North, but I felt bad that he had nowhere to go at the time. We walked around Old Town for a little bit, but then I hopped on the train toward home. If he asked me to go out again, I would, but I would not let him pay again; I don't think that would be right.

I thought I might head out once I got home, but a conversation with my Mom led me to not really want to go out. According to her, she thinks my expectations for daying are way too hight, which makes me not ready for a relationship. In general, this weekend hasn't really been what I thought it would; I haven't met up with any of my friends that I thought I would see. I did have a nice, long workout yesterday afternoon, which felt good. Then, I did laundry for the week, cleaned my room, went to the grocery store, etc. before I went to a "Stress Free Saturday" get together. I was invited over by my friend for "drinks, appetizers, catching up and free facials." What I got to the apartment, I received a 90 min. presentation on Mary Kay, followed by pressure to buy products and become involved in the compay. I felt deceived and did not leave very happy. The facial did not happen, and I hardly got a chance to catch up with my friend. That night I was supposed to make dinner for Grace and Jess, but Jess was babysitting for her sister, so Grace suggested we opt for another night. It made sense, but I was planning on spending a large portion of my night with them.

Once I got home, Tessa, my roommate, and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and walk around Wrigleyville since the Cubs clinched the division. The bars were all packed, so we just walked around for awhile and took pictures (leading to another early night for me), but the energy in the city was amazing, and i loved seeing everyone in red, white and blue. I slept in today and then went to the farmers market in Wicker Park where I loaded up on some fresh fruits and veggies. Now, I'm watching the Bears game and hope to make a nice dinner and bake some cupcakes later (after I pick up a few more groceries).

I don't have any updates on a second job, but I definitely hope to find something soon!

Yesterday was NOT an Inspiration to Teach...

I almost quit... No joke! One of the little (4 year-old) girls in my class is so ridiculous. I will explain the afternoon for you (in case you want to know a little more about my day). In the afternoons, I have the kids on my own 3:30-6. During that time, there is usually a combination of packet work, a craft project and free time. Well, half of the kids were doing their work, and the other kids were off playing. Instead of trying to discipline kids that were not doing their work, I decided to reward the ones who were working diligently. When the time came, I gave a little presentation and allowed the hardworking students to pick their prizes. This girl, I'll call her Anna, didn't get a prize. She tried to rip the bag of prizes out of my hand. When she didn't succeed at that, she grabbed a baton out of the bag. As she angrily pulled it out, she hit one of the little boys in the face. He started crying and covering his eye. For a little background, Anna likes to make people mad, so I didn't yell at her. Instead, I pointed to her "friend" who was crying and told her that I couldn't believe she hurt him like that. She merely smiled, showing no remorse, and went into the other room. I called her back into the room for a time out, and she knocked a box of crayons on the floor. When I asked her to pick them up, she threw them at her classmates and the music teacher and went back into the other room. When I went to get her out of the other roomagain, she refused to come with me and started destroying the two year-old classroom. I picked her up to bring her back into our room. She kicked a two year-old in the head and started pinching me. I called the director, who told me she didn't have time to talk to me. I was so frustrated! Yes, she's four, but I don't deserve to be hit, kicked, pinched, spit on, etc.

Today was a MUCH better day, even though I was kicked in the back by another kid, but I'm kind of getting used to the physical abuse.

If I'm in a a good mood/feeling optimistic, I tell myself that these kids just need love and attention that they may not be getting at home. In these moments, I see myself sticking with teaching. The other side of me says, "This isn't my job."

I must say that the week has gone by quickly though. I can't believe tomorrow's already Friday. Speaking of... After work I'm meeting up with a guy. Last week my aunt called me and told me that she met this really great (single) guy, who she thought that I should meet. She asked him for his business card, and then she gave me his e-mail. I figured why not, so I e-mailed him last week. We're grabbing dinner after I get off work. I'm a little nervous but also excited. If anything, it's company and dinner at a new place.

I've been very bad!

Hi everyone!
Every day, while at work, I tell myself that I really need to update my blog, but when push comes to shove (aka I come home from work, make/eat dinner, pack my lunch for the next day), I feel incredibly lazy and haven't written in over two weeks. After getting an e-mail from my Shanghai loving, ex-roomie (Daphne), I was reminded that some people do care what I am up to. While I would like to start from my birthday and try to do a thorough recap, I know I don't have the energy to do that right now. (I'm in the process of changing my schedule to a 6AM wakeup, which means I'll be heading to bed after I write this.)

Since the last time I wrote was my birthday I just want to give a couple of shout outs to a couple of friends who gave me such fitting presents. Blair mailed me this amazing chapstick that smells like a cupcake! (I put it on every night before I go to bed.) She also got me this scrapbook cardmaking set- so cute. :) Tonight I finally had the opportunity to meet up with Lauren tonight for dinner at The Chicago Diner (her suggestion). It was my first time there, and I ordered one of the weekly specials: Shephard's Pie (lentil base casserole blended with seitan, onions, celery and mushrooms, topped with mashed sweet potatoes and Diner gravy, served with steamed greens) It was good, but I wasn't crazy about it. It was a little cold when I first got it, so I asked our server to heat it up. He was very apologetic and offered to buy us a dessert. Lauren and I shared a peanut butter cookie dough shake (I had heard that they are awesome there.), and let me tell you that I basically licked my cup clean!! Lauren knows how much I love sweets, so she bought me a vegan baking cookbook- so very thoughtful. :)

So about my job, my apartment, my roommates, etc.

My job is going well. There are definitely better days than others, and that mostly depends on the moods of the kids. Even certain parts of the day go better than others. I definitely have my moments when I want to throw my hands up in the air because I do not know what to do, but then there are other times when the work is so rewarding. That being said... I am considering going back to school next year for a Masters in Education. Working in a classroom has made me better understand just how important it is for children to gain a positive sense of themselves, a strong work ethic, etc at a young age. I see how being a teacher would allow me to be creative with the setup of the classroom, the lesson planning; yet I would be thorough and incredibly organized when it comes to tracking the progress of each student, trying to teach using all modalities, etc. The downsides to teaching (that I've thought of so far) are dealing with behavioral issues and the pay, sadly. I feel like each day I go back and forth between wanting to go back to school for teaching or nursing. I definitely plan to do some nurse shadowing and also volunteer in a hospital before I make any decisions. And yes, I know I do not need to decide right now, but I'm a person who likes to have a plan.

While I like my job, I know that I need to pick up something else on the side to make some extra money. There are just too many good restaurants, cafes shops and things to do in the city to try and be living paycheck to paycheck. I've been searching for serving jobs, but I've realized that's going to be pretty impossible when I don't get out of work until 6. I thought it would be fun to work in a bar/restaurant to meet new people and switch up my days, but now I am looking into babysitting and tutoring jobs for the flexibility. Hopefully I'll figure out something soon.

On to my apartment: I love it! I definitely need to personalize my room more, but I fit everything into a small space quite nicely (in my opinion). The location lends me to be less than five minutes away from the Belmont, Lincoln and Ashland buses. I take the Ashland bus to work, which is a quick commute for me. It just needs to be a little more reliable. Yesterday I waited for 30 mins for the bus, making me late to work, even though I was ready for the day earlier than necessary. Back to the positive: My roommates are also fabulous. There is Tessa, Kaitlin and Melissa. All three graduated from Notre Dame in '07 and have great about introducing me to their friends and such.

On the Cubs victory I think I'll finish here and get to bed. I promise to try and be better! More to come on things I've done in the city.

(PS My parents were at Z's no hitter Sunday night- not fair!)