This girl is on fire. Looks like a girl, but she's a flame.

Well I guess you saw this one coming.  The obligatory last day of the year post recap.  You'll get over the cheesiness of it. ;)

What a year this has been.  What a year!

How incredibly different things can be after one year.  I finished a masters, drove across country a few times, got a new job, and made a pretty big move.  It sure was nice to not have any finals or papers to write this December (but not nice enough to not go back for that third diploma in a few years)!

I feel like I've been flying by the seat of my pants.  I still can't believe this is my life.  The adventures I've had (and plan on continuing) have been pretty insane.  There have been lots of ups this year, and lots of downs too.  The end of 2011 was full of hope for the unknown.  I had no idea what I'd be doing 6 months later.  Hope for the unknown is a wonderful feeling, until push comes to shove and all of a sudden you have two degrees and no job.  Then it gets a little scary....Then it all magically works out, and everyone lives happily ever after.  Except, scratch the happily ever after.  

You idealize what you want for so long and then it finally comes, and it's never what you think it will be.  Life is what you make it.  So I'm going to make it great.  I'm at this weird crossroad of finding myself as a real adult.  Coming in 2013 "Lisa the real adult!" Weiiiiiiirrrrrddddd.   Ive been watching these sitcoms about 20somethings in America, and I'm ready for this 20something's life to start being like those sitcoms.

I was rereading the year's resolutions.    I didn't floss everyday this year, but I did floss more than ever before, so that's a success!  I got that job teaching high school band.  I. teach. high school band.  Craziness.  I never did get to run a race with a friend.  Maybe this year I should just commit to run a race period.  I'm not sure about any resolutions for 2013.  I plan on getting more involved with my church.  I'm hoping to make more friends here doing that.  Yesterday I went to the Bikram yoga studio here.  It's the first time I've done yoga since moving to Houston, and I'm am very excited to make that a part of my routine again.  I'm planning on going everyday before school starts.  I think it will help put me in a good frame of mind to start the new year.

(Oh! Side note!  I got a juicer for Christmas!  Wahoo! I've been wanting one for a while.  I've been a juicing queen since I got back to Houston.  My fridge is stocked to the brim with spinach, kale, celery, beets, pineapple, apples, and grapefruit.)

What was your favorite part of 2012?  I'm not sure if I can pinpoint one favorite part of the year.  It sure did leave me with some moments I will remember forever.  Hiking Snowbird, sitting on the front porch of friend's houses in Salt Lake (yes, they do that in places not the South), the movers losing my stuff for 6 weeks, and countless nights with good food and good people.  

Well here's to 2013!  A year full of health, love, good thoughts, great relationships, and helping others.

Am I doing the right thing?  What am I living for?  Why am I doing this?  What will this mean for the future?  How can I do this better?

Questions I ask myself all the time.  It's so easy to get caught up in everything happening in the world that I forget why I ever wanted to be a teacher. You think you have a clue, and really you have no idea.

OK.  That's enough of my philosophical thoughts.  I booked a flight to Salt Lake City for Spring Break!  I am STOKED.  SO excited.  Going to be in Utah for a week.  Snowbird!!!!

Tomorrow is the last day of the semester, and I feel like there is still so much more to do.  I've still got to pick out some music and make copies to pass out at the beginning of next semester.  I'm so excited to have the next two weeks off.  I'm going to attempt to figure out how to play the clarinet again while I'm home in Alabama.  I've got two reeds and I'm ready to go!  Should be interesting.

I keep meaning to sit down and write a longer post, but I get started and then I just get exhausted.  SO I guess that means it's bed time.

Sweet dreams world.

It's the final countdown...

Down to the last week of my first semester in this world as a teacher.  

This year has been intense. I don't really know how 2013 will measure up after everything that has happened.  I'm sure something completely unexpected will happen to liven up the year.  

I miss the mountains. Especially right now when it is snowing there and it's raining and 70 degrees here.  I can't wait to go out West for Spring Break and ski my butt off.  It'll be so great to see my friends too.  Man is it hard to be the new girl in town.  It was hard that first year in Salt Lake, but this might be harder.  At least at the U I was surrounded by people my age who lived similar life styles.  I'm struggling to find a life outside of what I do.  I realize the grass is always greener on the other side, but at least in Utah I could escape to a hiking trail or snap on some skis and enjoy the nature alone.  Here I just sit on my couch and watch How I Met Your Mother.  Oh boy, I'm becoming one of those complainers that nobody likes.  That's not going to help me make friends out here.  Sheesh.   

It's funny.  Last night I had no problem going to bed at 10pm, but on a school night I'm having trouble getting to bed at a good hour.   

I've got all of my Christmas shopping done.  I've definitely put a lot more thought in to what I buy everyone this year, but it's also been the first year I've had money to spend on Christmas for folks.  It's been a lot of fun trying to figure out what to get for people.  I hope they like their gifts!  It's been a lot of fun picking things out.  

5 days of school, then it's home to Alabama for a week.  I think I'm going to start brewing beer when I get back to Texas for the last week of the break.  I really want a puppy, but I really don't have the time for a live animal, so I figure a hobby is the next best thing.  We shall see.  

HIMYM

I'm obsessed with How I Met Your Mother.  Too bad Ted, Marshall, Barney, Lilly, and Robyn don't count as real friends and I can't hang out with them in H-town.

I need to make more of an effort when it comes to a social life.   I let little excuses get in my way all the time.  I need to just keep going out and enjoying myself.

This week has been a little insane.  There really must be something in the air.

All I want for Christmas...

So every year I always joke that "all I want of Christmas is you."  You know, like the Mariah Carey song from back in the day?  Well this is the first year that the "you" actually has a face and a name to go with it.  Too bad that won't happen anytime soon!

Well then.

Thanksgiving break.  What a beautiful thing.  A great time to regroup and rethink and finish the next 4 weeks strong.  So much has happened in the last few months.  This year has been a huge year of changes. I constantly overestimate things.  I guess that's better than underestimating. .  Hard to believe how fast the past 4 months have gone by.  I still have a hard time believing I'm a big girl, with a big girl job.  I'm not gonna lie.  It isn't the easiest thing in the world.  I'm excited to get established better in Houston.  It's going to take time to find my place in this new life.  It just hasn't happened as quick as I had hoped.  I'm not the kind of person to test the waters with my big toe;  I like to dive right in and it gets me in trouble sometime.  Right now, I just kind of feel like I'm treading water a little bit.

Welcome back, Kotter.

Insomnia ensues, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to do a little blogging.

And now that I'm here, apparently writer's block is becoming an issue as well.

Where should I start?  How in the world did I go the entire summer without a post?  Let's go back to June...

So I finished my awesome road trip home by traveling back via Texas.  The first night of my drive I was hoping to make it all the way to San Antonio, but when I hit Houston I felt like I just had to stop because I was exhausted and didn't have the energy to drive another 3 hours.  I wound up staying at a hotel downtown and then hit the road early the next morning. After a little Facebook post about being in H-town, I started talking to a friend that teaches band in the west part of town about being on the job hunt.  Well he put me in touch with one of the job openings in here, and boom baba boom, a week later I had spent $600 on a plane ticket and was back in Houston.  So here I am 14 weeks later, and I've survived my first summer band experience as well as my first week of working as a high school band director. And apparently I've survived my first high school band director nightmare, though I'm not so sure I can call it surviving since it woke me up and I haven't been able to get back to sleep...

Melissa and me after hiking Upper Calf Creek Falls.

Fast forward to July.  After accepting the job in H-town I quickly started making preparations for the move.  FYI, moving 1,500 miles is NOT cheap, or easy.  Not at all.  Fortunately, I am very blessed with supportive parents who helped out a ton.  We decided to go with a freight shipping company because it appeared to be the most cost effective route.  The idea with those companies is if you have a small move, they come and box everything up, put it in a freight, and then put it on a truck that will be heading in the direction of your new place.  They guarantee delivery in 3 weeks, or so they say.  I knew it would take me 3 days to get to Texas, and I had already planned an awesome Southern Utah getaway with my best Utah girl for the 4th of July so I decided to go ahead and spend one of those weeks sans stuff while still in the 801.  They came and picked up my bed, vanity, skis, and 15 boxes on July 2, then I left for some good ole fashioned-sleeping on the ground-fun.  We got back from our camping adventure on July 7 and I spent the next two days visiting some last minute spots and finishing the last of my packing (for everything that was coming with me in the bug).

A stationary Gadzoom.  Been on this lift hundreds of times.

My last Sunday in Utah, I spent hiking Snowbird.  I went up the Gad Valley side, hiked up to Hidden Peak, and then down the Peruvian side.  I spent about 6 hours by myself at Snowbird that day.  It was the best way to say goodbye to Utah.  Snowbird had become my sanctuary, a place where I went when I needed a little rejuvenation.  I spent so many days on that mountain alone, that if I had had to share the day with someone else on the trails it wouldn't have felt right.

I said goodbye to all of my friends on July 9 with a party that started with pizza at the Pie, and ended at my empty Salt Lake City apartment.  I left town July 10, and arrived in Houston on July 12.  Let me tell you it has just been one adventure after another here.  My apartment is gorgeous.  I absolutely love it.  I'm looking forward to being able to fill it with more furniture, but all in good time.  My stuff that was supposed to get here the third week of July?  It didn't get here until the day after my 26th birthday (August 14, folks).  I slept on an air bed for 6 weeks.  Funny how even not teaching drum corps, I can't get away from air beds in the months of July or August.  (Remember last summer? ) The moving company had completely lost my stuff for a hot minute, but they eventually found it.  So at least now I have a bed, my antique dresser, and I was able to buy a couch two weeks ago.  My t.v. stand is a rubbermaid carton, but that's okay for now!

Roll Tide at Cowboys Stadium!

I've met some pretty awesome people here in town, and I'm really enjoying being back in the South.  There's just something about Southern charm and hospitality.  It's so great to be closer to a ton of friends, family, and of course the Crimson Tide.  I was able to go to the season opener in Dallas with my girl, Frances (who lives in Austin).  THAT was a blast.  No way I could have done that if I still lived in Salt Lake.

Life is crazy, and everything can change in an instant.  I feel like that sums up my life.  I'm on this glorious adventure, and I'm just going to keep following my path.  Who knows where it will actually lead in the next year... or 2 or 3.  If 3 years ago you had told me that I'd be moving to Utah, and then winding up in Texas, I would have called you crazy.  The future has amazing things in store, and this new chapter in life is already off to a great start.

Encourage.

Well I'm over half way to Alabama.  I've driven 1200 miles in the past two days.  Friday I woke up at 4am.  FOUR A.M. I'm insane, but we've been through that before.

I made it to Colorado in record time, I'm sure.  I made a nice little pit stop in Ft. Collins before heading to meet up with Selena at her lovely apartment in Broomfield, CO.  I haven't seen Selena since some of the Brass Angels took a road trip up to see our gal pal/fellow Angel, Kristen back in 2009.  That's forever ago!  It was so amazing to catch up with her!  We went to a lovely dinner at The Kitchen in downtown Boulder.  I'm so impressed with Boulder, CO.  What a beautiful place!  

Yesterday was 500 miles, today was 700.  700 miles normally doesn't sound terrible.  In fact, I've done it many times before...but 700 miles with most of those miles taking place in Kansas?  Oh bless.  The last 100 miles today, all I could think of was how incredibly sick of driving I was!   At least now that I've made it through Borington, USA the drive should be a little more...hmm...populated?

Many people have asked me why I am driving home rather than flying.  My friends, I'm crazy.  Clearly that's the only explanation you need.   Honestly, that's my only explanation for my actions and behaviors these days.  Sometimes, I want so badly to just want the things that everyone else my age wants.  I get these guilt trips from time to time, and desperately attempt to make these things that I should want a part of my life...It never quite works out the way I plan it all in my head.

Anywho, back to the inspiration of this post.  Most of you know that I help out with the children's department at my church.  I've been working with he 4th graders for about 15 months now.  I love it.   I love building relationships with those kids, asking them about their weeks on Sunday mornings, and giving them little bits of encouragement.   I was sent a video of one of the kids that usually attends the children's service in Adventure Canyon.   I watched it and immediately started sobbing.  (In fact the waterworks are about to start up again just thinking about it.)  This little boy isn't in my class, but I see him there every week.  I hope you'll take 4 minutes to watch it, and I think you'll be blown away just as I was.  Oh the things we can do...especially with a little encouragement.

 The things this world could do if we all encouraged each other a little more.    

Master?

Well assuming I passed Advanced Formal Procedures 1 for masters students, I am officially done with my masters degree at the University of Utah.

What a whirlwind.

The past two years have been quite the time for learning, and I have absolutely grown.  I've experienced so many emotions, and met so many people.  It's weird, I thought maybe by the time I finished a masters degree I would have some sort of enlightenment and know exactly how my life would pan out.  I have a much more narrow idea of where I'd like to be in 10 years, but I'm still scratching my head on how to get there.

I didn't expect the whole job application process to be easy, but I haven't expected it to be so hard either.  I've got a third interview in Pleasant Grove this Thursday evening for a job at a k-8 school.   We'll see how that pans out. I really just wish I could push a button and know what I'll be doing in 3 months, but life isn't that easy.

These two years haven't been easy...but I did it.  In a few months I'll have a little piece of paper that says Master of Music.  I still think that's funny. Lisa Tatum - Master of Music.  Tell THAT to my 17 year old self.  It's funny how what you want to do changes over the years, or in my case, doesn't change.  When I was 5 years old, my kindergarten teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up.  I said I wanted to be a teacher.  In the 5th grade, we had to write a paper about what we wanted to be when we grew up, and of course, I was a teacher.  In high school I had brief ambitions of wanting to go to med school, before deciding that I really wanted to major in music education when I went of to my freshman year at the University of Alabama.  Since then I've had times where I want to do something else in music, but I always come back to teaching.  It fits for me.  At least, I think it fits for me.  I suppose my 30 year old self will have a better answer for that than my 25 year old self.

What will future Lisa be like?   It sure will be exciting to find out.  

Late!

So I'm TERRIBLE.  I was supposed to post about this a week ago, but clearly I lack all ability to meet deadlines theses days.  And by all ability to meet deadlines, I really just mean posting on here.  

So I did the Foodie Penpal thing again last month, and I'm already signed up again for this month. =) 

LOVE IT.  My foodie penal this past month was Quinn, and here's what she sent me:  

Getting the box is like Christmas day!   

Dried pear, pineapple, kiwi, and mango!  

Raw California honey! 

Molé Sause!  Love love love Molé!

 Somehow I missed my individual picture   

   of the walnuts, but you can see them in the 

group shot.

                                    

  My little note from Quinn!

                    

Part of the reason I've been so bad about posting is because I had that little thing called 'graduating' to do. I can't believe for different the next few months of my life are going to be.  

Strawberry quinoa whole wheat pancakes

Here we go! Another clean breakfast recipe entry. Hehe. =)  It seems like I post more breakfast recipes than anything else.  I made strawberry quinoa the other day to have for breakfast for a few days.  Last night my friend Melissa and I had a slumber party (after going to the Bee's game) so I got inspired to try some quinoa pancakes.  I've been seeing recipes all over Pinterest for quinoa pancakes, but of course I always have to play around and come up with my own creation.  So in order to make strawberry quinoa whole wheat pancakes, you need to know how to make strawberry quinoa first! So I'm including both recipes.  Quinoa usually takes a hot minute to cook, so don't expect this to be a drive-thru quick breakfast. The reason I like putting it in my rice cooker is because I can throw everything in there and just forget about it while I shower and get ready for the day.   Enjoy!

Strawberry breakfast quinoa.

1 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed)

8 frozen strawberries (cored)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 packets of stevia 

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cups water  

Makes 4 servings (1/2 cup cooked  = 1 serving) 

Put all ingredients in your rice cooker and let cook until done!  Stir so that the strawberries break apart and mix with all of the quinoa.  For this healthy breakfast top with vanilla almond or soy milk and enjoy! 

Strawberry quinoa whole wheat pancakes with strawberry chia compote.

Pancakes: 

1 cup cooked strawberry quinoa

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons Greek yogurt

¼ cup egg white

¼ cup vanilla almond milk

1 packet of stevia

2 teaspoons baking powder 

compote:

6 strawberries

½ cup water

2 tablespoons raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons chia seeds

Makes 8 pancakes (2 pancakes = 1 serving) 

Blend cooked quinoa with all wet ingredients in blender or food processor.  Add in whole wheat flour a little at a time until batter is thick enough.   I like to use coconut oil in my pan to cook the pancakes! 

Of course you need something to top the pancakes with!  Something with more strawberry in it seemed the way to go, so I made a little compote to go with the pancakes.  While working on the pancakes put the compote ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Let simmer while you cook the pancakes, then last minute blend it all together in your blender (after washing out the pancake batter of course).   

Here we are again.

Two posts in one week. Wow, the world must be about to end.

Basically what it comes down to is I really don't want to work on my paper right now.   That's fine....

So I've been watching Friends a lot lately.  It's on Nick@Nite every evening.  So I used to complain about how much I miss seeing Happy Days, Bewitched, and I Dream of Jeannie, but I just love watching Friends.  Now that I'm actually the age of the characters on the show I can totally relate.  I even referenced one of my guy friends as being the "Joey" in our group tonight.

This whole graduating thing is, well entirely frightening.  My life is basically "on pause" for the next few months.  I have no idea what will be happening. Absolutely no idea.  I had 2 good interviews at a school out here, but hopefully there will be more interviews elsewhere.  It's funny and interesting to see the things that happen in your world when it is "on pause."

I bought a tent today!  I am so stoked.  $45 for a 4 person (which really means 3 real people haha) dome tent that is super easy to put together.  We put it together and tore it down in less than 20 minutes. I can not wait to spend the Fourth of July in Escalante again this year.  This tent is going to get some major usage this summer.

Well as random as my brain is these days, that's all for now.  I'm being absorbed into watching this week's episode of Smash.

Burn out shmurn out.

Am I done yet?

The past few days have been like a sneak peek into what it will be like to not have school for a while.  Now, that might sound lovely...and it was...but honestly it has just made my senior-itis worse! I've become that lazy unpredictable person, who can't make up her mind about anything.

2 weeks left.  Wow. How did the last 2 years go by so fast?

This semester has gone pretty well.  I felt like my recital was a success.  Finishing that has absolutely been a huge relief.  It was great to have my parents come to Salt Lake to come see me play.  Dad and Jeanne had never been here before so I took them up to Snowbird to see the resort and have Easter brunch.  They loved it.

I feel like so much has happened this month, and I can't even think of anything to put here.  My brain is really turning into mush.  Haha!

Maybe some bullet points about what has happened this month will help:

• Played an orchestra concert.
• Had the recital.
• Passed my interview with my masters committee.
• Performed Fandago with Gabe and the Symphonic Band.
• Played a wind ensemble concert.
• Played Fandago on Gabe's recital. 
• Rehearsed 5 nights with the opera orchestra. 
• Had an interview at a k-8 charter school.
• Had a second interview at the charter school. 
• Played the opera twice. 

Ok, so those are the big things that have been happening with school/my career.  Add in a lot of other rehearsal time, work hours, and really great hangs (most which happened post recital). 

Really great hangs!  

I really have some amazing people as friends out here in Salt Lake.   I have to send out a huge thanks to my friends here.  I get so much great support here, and it really means a lot.  

Well I feel like that is all for now.  

Hopefully there will be more to come soon!   

Just Breathe

My cup is full.  I've really over done it this semester, and I can see it as it happens.  Any little extra added stress just makes me overflow, and I just can't handle it.  I've been on the verge of tears almost every day over something completely stupid.

These are uncharted waters for me.  No, but really.

And I don't want to seem like some little cry baby, but this isn't easy.  I think my biggest problem these days is that I am so over worked, and I am just not the kind of person to allow myself to fail or half ass anything I do.

I put my entire being into what I do.  Into my friendships, my education, my job, etc.  When other in my life don't do the same I get offended. I just don't understand when I put so much into something and someone else can't do the same thing for me.  I don't know how to handle it.

The older I get, the better I get with handling my emotions and responses to things, but these days it is almost like I've gone back to 18 year old Lisa with the way I handle confrontation.

It's just too much.  Way too much.

Even in normal mode I am one of the most emotional people I know.  I wear my heart on my sleeve.

So I ask that you be patient with me over the next few weeks.  I'm finding my way, even though I still have no idea where I am going.

I know that everything will work out.  I know that I will be successful.  I know that there will be release.
I know all of those things.  But in the heat of the moment, knowing those things doesn't make getting through it any easier...well maybe just a little, but not a whole lot.

I'm doing this.  I'm living my life.  I just need to be reminded to breathe every now and then.  Hanging out with Sadie and Chloe are helping me remember that.

Foodie Pen Pal Part dos

So I participated in Foodie Pen Pal program again this month!It's this awesome thing where all these fold from the U.S. and Canada sign up and then are paired with someone else to be their pen pal for the month.  The premise is to share local and healthy foods with other folks in the country.  There is a $15 spending limit on the food you send, so it can't get too out of hand.  If you want to participate email theleangreenbean@gmail.com and include the following information:
-Your full name
-Your email address
-Your blog name/address
-Your twitter handle (if applicable)
-WHETHER YOU ARE A US RESIDENT OR CANADIAN RESIDENT.  

My pen-pal this month was Dara, who lives in New York!  She sent me an awesome snack box.  

Getting your foodie pen pal box in the mail is almost like Christmas!  It is SO exciting to see what goodies people come up for you!

 Look at all those wonderful goodies I got! 

Dara sent me some nori, baked apples, and veggie chips.  I love nori! I used to eat it in Japan all the time.  The Annie Chung snacks are great.  Those Bare Fruit apples were life changing. No joke. haha. So GOOD!  And all that they are made with is straight up apple.  No sugar, no added ingredients of any kind.  PERFECT for the way I eat when I'm really trying to clean it up and need some munchies.   I have since bought 1 other box of nori, and 2 bags of the Bare Fruit. The cinnamon apple ones are to die for.  

An Odwalla bar, Emerald nuts, and Extra gum.  I've never tried the Extra gum, and I loved it! It reminded me of an adult version of that huge gum we all chewed as children that came in flavors like watermelon, blue raspberry, and cotton candy (remember?).  

Hot Bread Kitchen granola, chia seeds, and homemade oat cookies.  I'm not usually a granola eater, but I think I may become one after trying that granola!  It was Hot Bread Kitchen's 'My Mom's Nutty Granola.'  Very good with some vanilla soy milk in the morning. Hot Bread Kitchen is a local bakery in New York, and I LOVE local.  If I've ever talked about groceries with you, you probably know how much I love local made products and supporting small business.  

Here's my cute note from Dara explaining my box.  She sent me the recipe for the cookies too! I'll have to keep that one in my recipe file, cause they were yummy!  

Thanks so much Dara! I really enjoyed you box and definitely have some new favorite snacks!  

Here's a little something extra for ya. =) Just another reason I love downtown Salt Lake.  Of the things you see!     

P.S. My foodie pen pal to send to was Kelly from Florida.  You can check out what I sent her HERE.   

Job Applications...Wow this is the opposite of easy.

In the past 6 months I've gone from being okay to just staying in Utah and working for a year, to I absolutely have to find a full time job for next year.  What's changed? That little birthday in August which will mark my 26th year.  What's the big deal? 26 is still young?  Not having insurance. That's the big deal. WHAT A HUGE DEAL!  When you're still 25, the thought of not having insurance seems okay, but then the closer you get to not having insurance, the scarier it gets.

So I've gone from only applying to jobs in specific places to applying for jobs basically everywhere.

I've sent in several in California, a few in Illinois, one in Michigan, a few in Utah, and so many other ones that I don't even know where else. Isn't that awful?

I would LOVE to stay in Utah.  I have friends, a church, a support group, and a wonderful lifestyle here, but if I were to get a job elsewhere, but not have one here, I would be forced to move on.

Being an adult is scary.  People keep telling me, you're young and single, you could go ANYwhere.  Does anyone realize how scary that is???


EDIT***

I barely hit publish and went to my Facebook walk where I saw my step mother had posted: God will lead you where you are supposed be, even though it might not make sense at first. You'll prosper anywhere!  

Man does she speak the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!

PB2 Greek Yogurt Oat Pancakes

These pancakes were sooo yummy! The texture was so fluffy!

Ingredients:

• little over 1/2 cup oats
• 1 packet stevia 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed 
• 1 tablespoon PB2.  (Find out more about PB2 HERE)  
• 1 1/2 tablespoon plain greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 1/4 cup soy milk  

Blend all of the ingredients together in your blender! Heat a non stick pan and add a little olive oil.  Cook until golden on each side (just like regular pancakes, silly!)   

This is for one serving!  Please note that all of the liquid ingredients are guestimates! ;)  Just make sure the batter isn't too dry or wet.  It needs to have a thick consistency but still moist enough.  Basically look to make sure it doesn't seem like there is extra liquid floating around in the texture.  If your batter looks too dry I would suggest adding more egg whites before adding more milk.  

Top with about 1 tablespoon (or less) of real maple syrup and enjoy!   

This is definitely a new weekend treat!  

Enjoying every moment.

March 8? Really?  Where is this year going?  Time flies when you're having fun, I suppose... :D

My recital is in 4 weeks? FOUR weeks.  Enter freak out mode.  I'm sure everything will be great.  I'm in a good place a far as all my music goes, but I need to work on endurance at this point.  An hour of solo music is a LOT of music.  It sure is going to be fun though!

8 weeks out until I'm done with my masters.  1 paper, 1 recital, and a handful of concerts stand in my way.  I can do this.  I can do this. I can do this!

We have been in L.A. for the PAC 12 tournament the past few days.  Sunny California... I don't know that I really want to live here, but it is always nice to spend a few days here.  Our hotel was right next to USC, so yesterday morning (after applying for 4 or 5 more jobs) I went on a nice long walk (alone of course) across the campus.  There is something so special about being on a university campus, especially on a beautiful day. Such a strong sense of hope exists, and future possibilities seem endless.  When you're an 18 year old freshman the world is at your fingertips.  My goals have altered slightly in the past 7 years, wow...7 years..., but the world is still at my fingertips.  I hope I never lose that feeling.  That excitement for life!  I'm learning to not let others get me down with their rudeness.   They can do their own thing, but I will continue to do mine.  I don't expect anyone to ever understand.  Hell, sometimes I don't even understand myself!

The future is looking bright.  So very bright, and I intend to enjoy ever moment of it.

Another reason to drink coffee. = )

A story on the Today show just said that women who drink two cups of coffee a day are less likely to be depressed.  I think I'm covered. ;)

Foodie Pen Pal #1

So I was supposed to post about my Foodie Pen Pal yesterday, but I TOTALLY forgot!  Uh oh!

So I signed up for this thing called Foodie Pen Pal at the beginning of the month.  It's this awesome thing where all these fold from the U.S. and Canada sign up and then are paired with someone else to be their pen pal for the month.  The premise is to share local and healthy foods with other folks in the country.  There is a $15 spending limit on the food you send, so it can't get too out of hand.  If you want to participate email theleangreenbean@gmail.com and include the following information:
-Your full name
-Your email address
-Your blog name/address
-Your twitter handle (if applicable)
-WHETHER YOU ARE A US RESIDENT OR CANADIAN RESIDENT.  

It is way worth it!  So much fun!  
My foodie pen pal was Chung-Ah Rhee who lives in California.  Her awesome blog is: http://damndelicious.tumblr.com/

I was so excited when I got my box in the mail!  I told Chung-Ah that I mostly try to eat clean, so she sent me some awesome goodies!  My box contained a box Kashi honey and flax seed cereal, sesame seeds, banana chips, and some amazing homemade chocolate chip almond butter granola bars.


I  haven't had banana chips in so long, and I had forgotten how good they are!  I've been enjoying the Kashi cereal topped with the sesame seeds on days I'm lacking time to make oats and egg whites.  So yummy!

Now the granola bars...oh.my.goodness. You can find the recipe for them here.  I absolutely plan on making them sometime!  I ate one as soon as I opened the box, and then I had to eat another one right away because they were just that good!

So many goodies!  

The letter Chung-Ah included explaining everything.  = )

If you want to see the goodies that I sent out to Holly Coleman, check out her blog: http://thepioneerapron.blogspot.com/

Would you be surprised if I told you I was drinking coffee right now?

Yup, I've got a coffee cup right next to my computer right now.  Maybe that's a little dangerous, but I like to live life on the wild side every now and then.

 I read a quote the other day that said, "The two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you realize why."  The "why."  Why are you here?  Why am I here?  WHAT IS OUR PURPOSE?  I don't know about you, but I need a reason to live.  I NEED reinforcement.  I need to know and believe that I am doing right by my life.  That's why sometimes, in the midsts of things I feel discouragement.  This is a marathon we're talking about, and it is easy to lose your way when you're on mile 6 of 26.  I lose my way a lot, but somehow I keep working my way back to the right path.  One key I've learned to live by is to never give up.  Just keep going.  Just keep running.  Just keep pushing forward.

The whole "it get's better" movement, IT'S TRUE! It is absolutely true, if you just keep going.  When you find your purpose, keep going!  If you haven't found your purpose yet, then keep searching! Keep going!

If you get knocked down 9 times, get up 10.  Another quote I recently read: I would rather live a life of 'oh wells' then live a life of 'what ifs.'  


I'm 25 years old.  I've already had some huge failures.  That's okay.  I tried.  I put my entire self into what I was doing, and it just didn't happen at the time.  You live, you learn, and you move on.  I like to replace 'move on' with move FORWARD.

Here's some encouragement for your Thursday morning:

I CAN DO ANYTHING GOOD!  

I still believe that people are inherently good.  I still believe that I can be anything I want to be, just like you can too!  

Funk?

I'm in a funk, and I just don't know why.  I've felt really lonely the past few days and I have no clue why. I have plenty of friends, and it's not like I've had to spend a ton of alone time lately.  I don't know.  I guess being lonely doesn't always mean being alone. It really is just a weird feeling.  I suppose it is just a result of being so close to graduation. My life has the potential to dramatically change in a short 12 weeks.  This makes for awkward social constraints. I'm going skiing tomorrow.  Maybe that will make me feel better.  There really is something rejuvenation about being on the mountain and seeing God's beauty.

Baked mango and blueberry oat yum yums

 So I the other day I was in a serious baking mood.  =)  Luckily this time instead of making cookies I made that delicious pumpkin goodness and some baked oats for breakfast!

Now, when you eat clean, eating oats for breakfast becomes a standard.  Sure their are other amazing complex carbs for breakfast, and I have an awesome berry quinoa breakfast recipe, but oats are the big breakfast grain in my opinion.  I'm always game to play around with recipes.

These baked oats were so amazing.  It is a must try and it reheats so well.  I've got one more serving left that will be breakfast tomorrow.  When I open my own clean eatery this will absolutely be on the brunch menu!  

Ingredients for Baked Mango and Blueberry Oats: 

• 1 cup frozen blueberries 
• 1/2 cup - 1 cup frozen mango 
• 3/4 cup light soy milk 
• 1 tbsp maple syrup 
• 3 egg whites 
• 1 1/2 cup rolled oats 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 4 tbsp ground flax  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Use safflower oil (or whatever oil you have around) to coat your 9 inch pie dish.  Then distribute the mango and blueberries on the bottom of the pan.  In a mixing bowl mix together the soy milk, vanilla, maple syrup, and egg whites.  Add the dry ingredients and mix well!  Pour the oat mixture over the fruit and pop in the oven.  Bake for 30 minutes until your oats are golden brown on top.  This makes 4 servings!  It really is absolutely delicious!  Mango is already so good, but mango after being baked for 30 minutes melts in your mouth.