UPDATE!

Well, I guess back to school means I should get back to blogging!

For the first time in as long as I can remember, I stayed home ALL summer. Right when I got back home I was lucky enough to find a job with my moms (persistent) help at the Forest Creek Golf Club driving the beer cart and working in The Grill. It was a fun and relaxing job with great hours and GREAT tips!

I spent Monday through Thursday evenings taking summer classes at the local community college. I only took 6 hours but there were quite a few times when I questioned WHY I thought summer classes would be a good idea?! Now being back at Baylor, i'm thankful that I took them and allowed myself more flexibility with my class schedule by knocking those out of the way.

So, here I am back in Waco, Texas studying my booty off and having a great time with friends. I decided to kick "dorm life" to the curb and opted instead for a more spacious apartment with two friends. I thought that having three girls in a three bedroom apartment would mean each of us sleeping in our own rooms but Catherine has been a frequent "guest" in my bed with me at night when she gets scared. Aparently we got a little too used to sleeping two feet apart all last year! Yesterday she started talking about moving into my room and turning her room into a workout room and I had to quickly shut that idea down but reassure her that she is always a welcome GUEST! :)

 My Room! It's travel themed with pictures on all the walls of our family adventures around the world.

The Pad!

This semester i've also decided to join the Wake Boarding Team and Baylor Business Women organization. I'll be sure to update ya'll on how that goes! I'm also thinking about getting involved at the local animal shelter but i'm worried I might not be able to handle not taking a pup home with me. Who knows? Maybe I do need another furry roommate to join Baxter (Kinda kidding mom, dont panick too much!).

So, thats what is new here.

As Garrett would say, Sayonara (goodbye)!!

Birthday Bunny!

For my birthday Peter knew exactly what to get me (maybe it had to do with the fact that I talked about getting a bunny ALL. THE. TIME...?) He completely surprised me and drove up to Waco to give me "Baxter" and all the supplies I needed for him. Baxter is the funniest little guy. He is currently seven weeks old. Catherine and I both agree that he is adjusting to dorm life quite well! Here are some pictures of the little guy.

This is Baxter with his harness on. It has a cute little leash that goes with it!

big foot LOVES to wash himself and he always gets between his toes before bed :)

Lounging in the dorm

Baxter also loves to have his cheeks and face stroked. I flip him upside down like this and he will stay like this until I decide to stop.

Baxter riding in the car in my purse

Here is a video of Baxter playing with me before bed....

I'm so excited to have a new "study bunny" :)

19!

I had a wonderful 19th birthday!

The celebrating began at midnight with some dancing and goofing around in the room.

When I awoke in the morning the room was covered in streamers and balloons hanging from the ceiling. I have the greatest roommate EVER! We got breakfast and headed to class. Catherine made sure to tell everyone it was my birthday and even yelled it in the center of the quad!

When I got out of my classes I got to go to lunch with my mama who drove up from Round Rock. It was great seeing her and we had a good time eating at Ihop, opening gifts, and enjoying quality time together. Boy does she know me well! I got a new recipe keeper so I can now have a place to keep my favorite recipes. I also got a very nice set of Williams Sonoma measuring cups, measuring spoons, and a cute pasta strainer! Our appartment is going to be the place to eat next year! When she left she gave me some cupcakes that her and Garrett had made together. I am proud to say that the baking I do with Garrett is starting to get his creating cooking mind going - he put chocolate chips in the center of the cupcakes. So proud!

Right after lunch I met up with a few girls (Catherine, Megan, and Clara) and we journeyed to the Waco Zoo! It was a first for all of us and it really was very fun. As it was a Wednesday, there were almost no people there. We had a blast seeing all the exotic animals. Catherine loves to take pictures. She managed to take pictures of all the animals in the zoo and even some of the random birds in the trees! 

After the zoo we went to Sonic and had fun laughing and talking over some lime-ades. The day was finished with dinner at a local italian place called Baris followed by the movies.

I cant wait to see what my last year of being a teenager has in store for me!

Hawaii!

A few years ago my father was making fun of Garrett because he had made note that he would like to go to Hawaii. My dad said, "You dont even know where Hawaii is!" and proceeded to make a bet with Garrett that if he could walk up to the map in the office and point right away to Hawaii then he would take our family there sometime in the next two years. Well, my dad must have been tired because he failed to think of the fact that Garrett is upsessed with the history/military channel and frequently watches shows on Pearl Harbor. So of course, G-Man was able to walk right up to the map and point it out. I'm not sure if this trip fullfilled the "two years" part of the bet but I dont think anyone is complaining.
Since Baylor has spring break a week prior to Garrett and Karina's break I ended up flying to Hawaii early and spending a few wondeful days with my grandparents before my mom and gman came a few days later and at the end of the week my dad and sister arrived. It was so fun to just relax on the beach, soak up the sun, eat and cook lots with my gram, and go on little adventures hiking and to the markets. Here are a few pictures!

6 more weeks of Freshman year left!!!

:(

Yesterday the lives of two amazing people were taken from us. We don’t know the events that occurred that took their lives right now but I just pray it was quick and painless. It’s easy to cry and feel depressed but I think they would have wanted us to remember them in a positive light. I’d like to share with you a few of my memories I had with them with the hopes of organizing my own thoughts and sharing the side of Mike and Yoli that I knew.

When I was in elementary school Mike and Yoli gave me my very first job pet sitting. Boy did they love their pets. Watching their dogs meant going over to their house multiple times a day to spend time giving them tons of love and spoiling them in any way Yoli could think of. Dixie was always on medicine for her diabetes and Yoli would have me mask her pills in pineapple cream cheese. I always wondered, “why pineapple and not just regular?” but looking back I realize Yoli couldn’t help but get the best for her babies. They would have extravagant birthday parties for their dogs, Roux Elvis and Dixie Rose, which included clowns, jumping tents for all the neighborhood kids, cake for humans AND dogs, and many more festivities.

After I first got Lucky, Yoli took me to a dog costume party. I still remember driving to the party sitting in the back seat with the dogs seeing a beautiful rainbow in the distance and simply feeling like I possessed all the happiness in the world. Every animal endeavor and project I had Yoli was there to support however she could. She was a mentor to my love for animals and helping in the shelters.  

One day, Yoli and Mike were moving the location of one of their Gumbo restaurants and “hired” me to spend the morning with them helping move and organize things into the new building. Mike was joking and being silly the entire time. After Yoli and I had taken out the last box of items we stood by the hostess stand waiting for Mike to finish getting his things from the kitchen.  While we were standing there Yoli said, “When you’re old enough I can hire you to help me hostess up here!”  Out of everything that happened that day it’s funny I remember that part. I guess the idea intrigued me.

When I was 17, Mike and Yoli opened their new restaurant, Mama Roux’s.  I got an e-mail from Yoli (who never was quite tech savvy) before the restaurant opened asking me if I wanted a job as a hostess. I immediately had a flashback to what she had said when I was younger.  You see, most people would have said that and forgot, not having actually meant it, but not Yoli.

When I first started working Mike and Yoli had a lot to teach me. I had never worked a job other than pet and baby sitting and quite frankly, I knew almost nothing about a real job, especially the restaurant world. Yoli was so patient and never got frustrated with me when I made mistakes. She always made me feel good about the work I was doing and would tell me how much she appreciated my hard work.  Whenever I clocked out she would always tell me, “You get yourself something to eat, we’ve gotta beef you up!” and so I would order a meal, no charge. Mike would always throw in a little something extra even though I didn’t order it, usually a dessert. Sometimes he had me try things like liver and different types of crab and fish. He would pull me into the kitchen while I was working to show me different things like how he was taking live crabs and cutting their heads off.  He went out of his way to teach me and allow me to experience new things, something he didn’t have to do.

I couldnt get it to go upright

 Yoli and I had so many conversations at the hostess stand together joking and laughing with Mike and the staff while business was slow.  On special occasions, such as Halloween, we would all dress up and take pictures together before opening for the night. Mike and Yoli knew how to treat their staff right. They made myself as well as everyone else feel right at home.

They were at my graduation party, generous as ever. Mike took me aside and told me to get a group of 10-12 friends and come to the restaurant for a meal on the house. I never took him up on the offer because I felt guilty at what I knew would be an expensive gift.  I only saw them a few times after that. 

Every summer my dad always goes back to see the man and woman who first employed him. I used to imagine myself doing that with Mike and Yoli. I guess now I will just have to go back to the good memories and work ethic they instilled in me. I will carry on with my involvement with the animal shelters, maybe doing a little more than I usually would for Yoli. I’m thankful that I had the chance to learn from such amazing people and be impacted by them. To say the least, Mike and Yoli will always have a place in my heart. I wish I could have showed them how grateful I was for everything they did for me. I never thought I wouldn’t have the chance. They were a part of what shaped me into who I am today, and I will always be thankful for that. Even though I might not have been a big part of their lives, they were a part of mine.

Two great people were taken from the Earth  and the world will never quite be the same without them.

Preventing The Freshman 15

One of the toughest things about living in a dorm is eating well! Its so easy (and fun) to gorge on pizza, pasta, burgers, fries, and texmex. These foods are terrible for our health when eaten on a regular basis and really don't provide the nutrition and energy needed to get through the day.
So what to do?

I've come up with a few ideas on how to take dorm food and make it nutritional and healthy. I love to know what is in my food and I stick with a "the simpler the better" motto when it comes to what ingredients I use. So here is one of my favotie creations that really gives me energy and tons of nutrients!

We'll just call it the Peanut Butter Yogurt Apple Wrap :-)

There are four basic ingredients in this recipe

FAGE greek yogurt: a great source of protien and calcium - plus a rich creamy texture

Laura Scudders all natural peanut butter (I like the "nutty" kind): a great source of good fats,protien, fiber, and micronutrients - plus a sweet and salty flavor

Green Apple(or whatever you prefer): a good source of fiber and nutrients - plus a little sweet and sour taste to complient the creamy and salty

Whole wheat tortilla: a good source of carbs



 I got the apple and tortilla from the dining hall and the yogurt and peanut butter form the store. While the dining hall DOES have peanut butter and yogurt I prefer to use these brands which are all natural and have much less sugar and bad fats. You can also add banana and honey to this recipe for added flavor and texture.

So here is how I did it...

First, I tore the tortilla in half since the one I had was very large. I diced the apple using a knife. You can also use a grater for a cool texture or do slices for a chunkier wrap. I then spread the peanut butter and yogurt onto the tortilla next to the apple.

Next, I covered the peanut butter and yogurt with the apple.

Then, I rolled the tortilla to form the wrap.

Ta-Da! A delicious and healthy lunch :) I paired this with a glass of water and some chicken soup from the dining hall. Hopefully it will give me the engery I need to study for my economics and math tests tomorrow, I have a feeling it will  be a looong night! Wish me luck.

Growing Spiritually In Higher Education

As a kid (I can say that now that I’m 18, right?) I always attended public school. And as y’all know I’m sure, discussing religion was strictly forbidden. When I chose to go to school here, one of my main concerns was the fact that it’s a Baptist school, a religion I knew just enough about to know that it certainly wasn’t “me”. Now, I feel thankful that I didn’t let that scare me away. One of my favorite things about Baylor is that I’m able to be guided in school by my faith and beliefs openly, even if they don’t match up perfectly with Baptist beliefs. In my months here I’ve learned that it is OKAY and even WELCOMED to question the bible and even the Lord. Instead of having the Baptist beliefs shoved down my throat I’ve been learning to trust the Lord but to question what I believe and where I stand spiritually. This has had me thinking lately… what do I really believe? Can I even claim to be a Christian? I won’t bore you with explaining what I’m learning about myself personally but I would like to share a topic that recently got me thinking pretty deeply. Maybe this will ignite some question’s in your mind about what you stand for and what beliefs define who you are.

                In order to graduate from Baylor it is required that all students attend two years of chapel (held Mondays and Wednesdays for about thirty minutes) and take two courses on the bible and Christianity.  Every Monday in chapel we have a guest speaker come talk to us. This week Rachel Held Evans was the lucky soul who got to walk out on stage and speak to us. Rachel is a writer who is spending one year preparing for her next book on biblical womanhood. As of last October she is and will continue to live life according to how a Christian woman is supposed to live according to the bible. I was surprised to learn some of the things the bible says us women should be doing. She isn’t following all of the rules for a full year but she is going to practice each one for some period of time. Some of the things she is doing include calling her husband Master for a week, camping out in a tent when it is her time of the month, covering her head when she prays, improving her homemaker skills such as cooking and sewing, not cutting her hair, not having authority over a man, not gossiping, and not teaching in church. Her next task will be dressing in the traditional modest clothing from head to toe for one month.

 Women today are strong and powerful but the Bible says that this is basically forbidden. Many people claim that the Bible is law and claim to live by it’s rules. I believe people pick and choose what they want to follow and what they’d prefer to be ignorant to. This being the case, what authority does the Bible really have? If you follow half of a cake recipe but ignore the other half there really isn’t a purpose in having the recipe in the first place, the cake won’t turn out either way!

 Is God angry with me that I am becoming educated instead of perfecting my sewing skills? I don’t think so. I believe that faith is shaped by experiences and effort. Because of this I don’t believe that one book can state everything human kind is supposed to believe. Faith is an individual thing, and while people with similar views can congregate together to celebrate in the Lord, in the end they will all have different thoughts, views, and ideas.

Today, I’m thankful that Rachel Held Evans came and spoke at chapel. I’m also thankful that I go to a school where I’m encouraged to grow spiritually. My days are spent learning how to solve matrices, build databases, and discovering what the economic conditions were like during the revolution. But when all my homework and studying is complete for the evening I’m able to sculpt myself even further by reflecting on spiritual experiences. I’m thankful that I’m in an environment that promotes growing and individualism in faith and belief. And while I don’t believe that the Bible is the book of rules, I do believe that God loves me and invites me to challenge my beliefs. I have a feeling the Lord guided me to go to Baylor for a reason : -)

I hope I didn’t scare anyone away in sharing some of my thoughts and opinions. I invite you to join me in questioning what YOU stand for and who you are spiritually, whether you worship God, Jesus, Allah, or any other higher power.

Below is a link to Rachel Held Evan’s blog and a short video introducing her study on biblical womanhood.

http://rachelheldevans.com/ybw-ten-commandments