Christmas Break = l.o.v.e.

FINALS ARE DONE!!! I can hopefully start up on blogging again now that I'm not so crammed with everything. Each blog post I make a vow to begin blogging more regularly and more thoroughly.... and each time I return to blogland months later with my head hung low, renewing my empty vows.

My calves are so sore today and I am debating on whether it is from the 7 hours of guitar hero we played the other night (I was an all-star drummer) or from a step class I went to earlier that morning. Maybe the combination of the two?

I love Christmas break. Thanksgiving break is ok, but there is still school just looming around the corner. There is still the constant you-should-be-doing-something-worthwhile-besides-eating burden. It's just a tease. This year may not have been the best either because I got a speeding ticket and some young hooligan smashed my windshield with a baseball bat. Over them. Now Christmas break. School is finally done. There are no hard obligations. Just a little work, a little sleep, and doing whatever you want. I have had big, big plans to clean the apartment and go snowboarding. So far, I have done neither, but have still loved it. I've seen a million movies, played x-box guitar hero for HOURS (next challenge: beat World of Warcraft and join a Dungeons and Dragons cult), and eat like its my job. I have found a new favorite breakfast wrap at Guru's. So I mean I have still been productive.

I still am not in the Christmas spirit. I feel the older I get the more Christmas is just another day. But hey, as long as I get my break from school and work, I am ecstatic! We had our annual Sunday Brunch Christmas party at Little America where I think I devoured enough food for a 3rd world country. And I'm perfectly fine with that. Santa made a guest appearance so I reluctantly (aka elbowing the three year olds out of the way to be the first one on his lap) took a seat and told him what I wanted for Christmas. Also, I got NEW RUNNING SHOES today and am sooooo excited about them! Mine are falling apart! I felt like I was walking on clouds when I tried em on in the store. I forgot how nice it is to get new running shoes. Maybe my knees won't hurt as much when I run now :)

Ask not what your Pumpkin can do for you, ask what you can do for your pumpkin!

That's the way the pumpkin crumbles.

I like cooking. I had some leftover pumpkin so I needed to find something to do with it.

My first endeavor was a Turkey Pumpkin Chili. "Pumpkin in chili?!" you ask. You say, "Why Pumpkin" and I say "Why not pumpkin." It was delicious. If you wish to try it:

Ingredients

• 1 small chopped onion
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-ish pound ground turkey
• 2 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I used the kind that was seasoned with onions, garlic, and green peppers)
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 2 or so cups of frozen corn
• 1 box campbells tomato herb soup
• 1 can green chiles
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2-ish tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Saute the onion, green bell pepper, and garlic with the turkey, and cook until evenly brown. Mix all other ingredients together. Boil and reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 20 minutes. Can top with cheddar cheese, sour cream, etc.

(this is a stolen picture)

After that...I proceeded to make honey whole wheat pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. They were also delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• Optionals:
• Chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all dry ingredients, add all wet ingredients. Mi

x. Pour into muffin tins. Bake about 18 minutes.

If you try any of these, I hope you enjoy them. Have yourself a very pumpkin day. xoxo!

Test? What Test?

I don't want to do homework. I have a test tomorrow that I haven't studied for at all. So naturally I thought: why don't I mosey on over to my blog?! thus...here I am :)

I was in Portland all last week doing interview fun stuff. I think I'm over recruiting. It is draining. My next dilemma: LA or PDX?? Right now I am leaning towards LA. I'm scared but excited to move. It will be weird though. I still don't feel like I'm completely a grown up. I feel somewhat independent...but not a grown up. I wonder if LC needs a roommate.

Thanksgiving is in 2 and a half weeks!!! yahoo!!! My Thanksgiving break will consist of ZERO school (yes!), work, food (a lot of food), black friday festivities (been sharpening my elbows to make sure I fight my way to the best deal...game time...and I am not about to mess around), and me catching up on all the TV shows I haven't been able to watch during school. Am I excited? ABSOLUTELY! well... off to study time... (cue single tear rolling down my cheek)

My Life.

Updates of my life.

This year has been busy but so fun. I have been crazy busy with school and interview season. I interviewed on campus with some of the big accounting firms and have some second interviews coming up. I am flying out to LA next week for an interview on Friday, then going to Portland the first week of November for 2 more second interviews. I still don't know what I want to do yet, but I'm excited for the experiences. I have gotten senioritis. I can't wait to be done with school!

I'm a co-president of UNICEF this year and I love it! UNICEF is an organization to raise money for children everywhere who die everyday from preventable causes. It has become my new passion.

I ran the St. George Marathon 2 weeks ago. It was my 3rd and hardest marathon yet. This is me with my brother in law and sister at the marathon expo.

I've been a good mormon housewife lately. I made amazing cinnamon rolls for conference, some honey whole-wheat bread, homemade chili and french bread. I love cooking. It is my other secret passion.

I love the fall. I love haunted houses, caramel apples, the changing of the leaves, and most of all: sweatshirt season.

Flyin Solo

There is something to be said about exploring a city on your own. I encourage everyone to do this (yes, I realize only about 3 people read this and I'm related to half of them - hey mom!) at some point in their life. You get a sense of independence and empowerment. You can do whatever you want, explore where you want, and make sure you do the things that are important to you. It requires you to rely on yourself and you begin to realize how capable you are.

I've been able to do this a few times in the past year and a half. Last summer when I went to Europe, there were 4 of us together trying to figure out how to get around in Paris, not speaking any French. It was amazing we didn't end up at the Moulin Rouge looking for work. Instead, we stayed at some scary hostels, amazing hotels, saw amazing sites, and have hilarious memories of us trying to get around. I visited Katie in NY and had a solo day while she was working. It was me, my GPS on my phone, and my trusty fold out map (yep, totally looked like a local) to take on the city. I loved trying to find my way around, meet new people, and get a feel for the city. My latest solo adventure was in downtown Portland. The highlight of my hippie encounters was while sitting in a park. A retired hippie with a white beard Santa would covet, faded peace tattoos, a wife beater, cane, and tripped-out eyes walked by me, I smiled, he smiled.

Hippie: You have a lovely smile.

Me: Thanks! You are too nice.

Hippie: you should keep smiling! (crazy eye)

Me: Ok! Have a good day! (please leave me alone now, you are starting to scare me)

Hippie: (walks over to a rose bush, picks a rose off - highly illegal, mind you - walks over and hands it to me) This is for you! Oh, Wait! (proceeds to take off the thorns) A gentleman always takes off the thorns at the bottom so a lady can hold it without hurting her hands! That was spontaneous. Its always more sincere when its spontaneous cause it comes from the heart! (hand over heart) Now have a great day and keep your smile!

Me: (slightly confused and not quite sure how to react) Thank you so much! You are the SWEETEST! Yep, spontaneous stuff is great! Have a great day!

Needless to say, I had an amazing time in Portland and felt like I got a real sense of the place through my wanderings.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a hermit and I love being around people, but I love the learning and exploring each of the cities on my own and having fun little adventures. Til next time blogland. Stay classy... (overused??)

the realm of the singles

And here is my weekly blog update :)

So, I just got off the phone with my mom and had to laugh. I was just telling her about a few of the dates I went on this past week, saying I had fun but I don't know if they are really going anywhere, and I was completely fine with it. She starts going into a whole spiel about how I'll find the right one and blah blah blah... It always makes me laugh when married people are talking to single people. I always get the few cliche musings when talking about dating, and I always go along as if it's the first time I've ever heard them.

1. It doesn't matter if there are a bunch of fun guys there, you only need one (cue smile from speaker, so proud of striking gold with their words of encouragement)

2. This is you're (insert month, year, season, aligning of zodiac signs), I can just feel it!

3. You'll know when its the right one.

4. It'll happen when it's meant to happen.

5. The numerous follow up success stories of the lady's from work step-daughter's friend who was "just like you" and then she met someone in a flawlessly perfect way and, BAM! Love.

*This step is meant to encourage and to inspire.

While most of these things are good advice and probably true, they still bring a cynical smile to my face each time they are pronounced. Then the marrieds throw in the tidbits about how they always knew and never had any doubt and how everything was just always so easy when they were in the dating world and how they never remember any woes while visiting that realm.

On the other end of the spectrum, so many girls (and guys, for that matter) get so worried and walk around in panic because they have been living in Provo for two years and still haven't found their EC (eternal companion). They walk around with their heads hung low, wondering what is wrong with them, why they can't find their knight in shining armor who will take them to the duck pond to feed the ducks, and why the kid who sits in the corner of their biology class who hasn't showered in weeks and picks his nose has a shiny ring on his left ring finger.

The fact of the matter is: being single is great while you are there. Everyone progresses at different rates. You will be ready to be married when you meet the right person for whom you are willing to hang your notched belt for. Enjoy life while you are experiencing it instead of waking up one morning realizing you've missed out on living.

And next time someone gives you their "original" advice - see points above- you can give them the cynical smile, thank them, and continue living your life.

Hello. I'm Abby.

Hello blogland. I'm Abby. So I just moved into a new apartment. Can I tell you how much I hate moving. It is nice to be able to get rid of junk but I have the hardest time letting things go. I'm kind of a pack rat. I had lived at my old place for about 2 years and its CRAZY how much crap you can accumulate in that amount of time! Roommates are such a weird concept. A group of people who, for the most part, don't know each other, sign up to live with each other for an extended period of time. You have no clue who these people are, whether they are crazy, creepy, or any other cr word. I've definitely had a menagerie of roommates over the years. It leads for an entertaining life. Anywho...At last, after many late nights of packing, loading, unloading, carrying up 3 flights of stairs to my new place, cleaning, and more packing, I am finally settled into my new place and loving it... A place to call home.. A place where the people know my name.

So yesterday I went to the women's expo and was amazed at how many dumb diet fads there are! They all claim to be able to help you lose a million pounds in 2 days. For most of them, you will be able to lose weight while you are on the diet. The HCG for example. I think since anorexia was invented it has been clear that consuming only 500 calories a day is going to lead to drastic weight loss. If you are only eating that many calories for 40 or so days, you are going to drop that weight. However, when you start to eat again like a normal human being, some of that weight is going to come back. You haven't made any lifestyle changes, you've just starved yourself for 40 days.

Don't mind my random rantings. Well...pretty excited to be on the blog band wagon. Hopefully I can think of something interesting or at least entertaining to fill this up with. Til next time.