ACCEPTED!

I got accepted to ESCF-Ferrandi school for baking and pastry in PARIS!!!!

Ah, can't believe it! I am so excited to have this incredible opportunity in front of me. There are a lot of things to consider and think about so now it is decision time. I have to decide if I am going in three weeks. Wish me luck. Any advice??

I would be leaving in late January/early February and would literally be uprooting my entire life. Anyone been to Paris? I don't know the city, the language or what I am going to do! Eek!!

But oh how beautiful it is...

Fill in the Blank Friday

1.   The best thing I did all week was     bake 3 different things on Monday - molasses cookies (for momma), sugar free blueberry oat bars (for grandpa) and chocolate eclairs (for Mikey)  .

2.    country music      make me super happy.

3.  Pets are   so amazing and loving and a crazy maniac at the same time   .

4.    my family   is the best thing about my life.

5.  With the cooler weather I am looking forward to    cuddling up with lots of blankets, hot chocolate, beanies, boots, baking....lots!!

6.  Something that's on my "wish list" right now is     some new winter clothes, finding out if I get to move to Paris in 4 months and not being sick right now   .

7.  This weekend I am going to    probably do a lot of laying down and trying to get better. Go figure the only weekend I have off work in over a month and I am super sick :( tonight I am going to see "drive" with mike - looking forward to that.    .

Thanks Lauren for the fill-ins!

HAPPY FALL

All my life I have hated any season that wasn't summer. Summer was the end all be all for me. Hot, hot sun.

For whatever reason I am infatuated with fall and winter this year. I have never been more excited to be cold! So much so that I am longing to live in the snow. WOOOAH..never thought I would say that. Something must be wrong with me...help!

Photos to help you get in the spirit.

PS- I just tried Starbuck's pumpkin spice latte ...um...to die for!!

They Grow Up So Fast

My little Tay-lay is already 9 months old! Remember when I told you that we got her? She was the smallest little thing and oh so timid.

Now, she is a whoooole different animal. It has been an adventure with the little one and I wouldn't change it for the world. She might be a crazy maniac sometimes and make the apartment look like a tornado went through it but she is also always happy and a great cuddle buddy. She always brings a smile to my face!

The one thing Tay does NOT enjoy (but I force her to do it anyway) is swim. Weird, right? Most dogs love it. Maybe she will grow to like it but for now I will continue throwing her into the pool against her will because it is fun and you never know, she might need these survival skills one day.

right?

OH man! She looks pissed!! 

Vanilla Cheesecake

We went out to dinner at Rimel's for Mike's brother's birthday a few weeks ago. It was great but holy mother did they have the world's B E S T cheesecake. It was plain, simple, understated and out of this freakin' world good.

I was telling them how hard cheesecake is for me to make. For whatever reason mine always falls into itself or browns on the top or comes out super thick and gross. I have never made a good cheesecake... until last week.

BOOM SHAKA LAKA! I conquered cheesecake. The trick is patience. Cheesecake bakes for foreverrrr. Literally, this thing baked for about 2.5 hours and then sat in the oven to set overnight. It was worth the wait though.

recipe is here 

MMM... I brought it over to my girlfriend's house while we had a skype party with our friends who just moved to Nashville. I miss them dearly.

DO-NOTS

I mean, donuts.

DoNots is my code name for donuts so I remind myself that I really do NOT need to be eating that.

But sometimes, you just need a donut. There is a reason coffee and donuts are such a cliche. It's because they are GOOOD together. Really good.

I took on a donut recipe and really didn't know what to expect. They seem pretty intimidating but I actually pulled them off fairly well. The key is to make sure you let them rise completely. Don't run them into the fryer because you are so excited like I did with the first couple ones. Let them take their time and puff up so they are nice and airy like donuts should be. Good luck! If you bring them around your friends maybe you will get the somewhat awkward comment of "who does that?!"....ummm, I do.

When the World Stopped Turning

10 years have passed. Can you believe it? Since that terrifying day in 2001 when our lives were shaken, torn apart and our country was tested. I was a freshman in high school and really didn't understand the enormity of what had just happened to us. I was so concerned with that detention that was coming my way if I didn't make it to school by the time the bell rang.

Looking back now, I can't believe the reality of what occurred. I remember watching it on the television and now those thoughts give me chills. Nothing can describe the horrible loss and fear that the American people have faced since that day. My heart goes out to all lose who were lost and hurt during that fight. I admire and respect all the American heros that showed courage and sacrificed so much, even their lives.

I am proud to be an American and I know I will never forget.

Take some time today to remember and reflect. Then raise a glass to our beautiful country! Cheers!

One of those days...

Ugh, it has been an absolute terrible day. I hate to be a downer on this blog which is supposed to be about sugar highs and happy thoughts but today really took it out of me and I am too exhausted to be smiley.

I think it started on Saturday when I had to work the world's worst hours. Honestly, this should be illegal. I worked non-stop from 10 am until midnight. After freezing my booty off outside for hours I walked to my car thinking how tired I was. My alarm went off the next day 3 hours later and I got back in my car at 3:30 am to go back to work.

Talk. About. Tired.

Nothing could help me at that point. I came home and slept another 2 hours and proceeded through the day as a zombie.

Then today I am running around like a chicken with my head chopped off because I am swapped at work. Barely keeping my head above water. I was a little ball of stress and then someone stooped real low. I mean, really...low.

I'm not going to get into the details but let's just say it was extremely uncalled for, unprofessional and made me cry. Yep, its true. Cried like a freakin' child (at work, mind you) because it was just one of those days. This is one the reasons why I can't wait to hear from Paris and move on from working with adult babies.

I just got home from work at 9 pm. Logged in another solid 12 hour day.

Please, PLEASE let this week end as fast as humanly possible. I would so appreciate that.

I need to remember to stay calm and that everything is going to be okay. It is just hard to keep my cool when things and people can be so terrible. Deep breaths, right?

I am thankful for Michael getting me a giant yogurtland in lieu of dinner. FroYo cures almost all problems.

Photo Op

What do you all think about the new blogger interface? It is throwing me off a bit but I think I might end up liking it. 

A few weeks ago when I went to Colorado with Mike and his family we spent one of the mornings taking  family photos. Surprisingly, not that painful. I guess I really am considered part of their family since they wanted me in the pictures. They turned out really cute and fun. Here are some of the good ones...