Day 2: My day in bullet points

I wish today had been more exciting...

• Woke up and drove my brothers to school
• Went back to sleep
• Woke up yet again
• Showered
• Went to For Heaven's Cakes, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and The Valley Bakery to apply
• Practically forced the girl at The Valley Bakery to take my resume
• Went home
• Made a sandwich (it was delicious)
• Watched an episode of Arrested Development
• Put gas in the suburban
• Picked up my brothers
• Got some laundry going
• Picked up the other brother
• Got bread from Great Harvest
• Did some dishes
• Folded some laundry 
• Made some dinner
• Did some more dishes
• Ate dinner
• Went to Institute
• Went to Linnea's and talked and watched Monk
• Came home and blogged.

What a boring day.  But it's so...typical of my life.

Day 1: An introduction

I've seen other people do this and it seems like a pretty fun idea.  Plus, I need a few reasons to blog.  I've been a lazy blogger.  I mean, blogging about Ikea shopping carts?  Really, Amanda?  So without further ado, an introduction to me:

My name is Amanda.  I was homeschooled for 8 years but managed to not end up with any socialization issues.  I've completed two years of college and changed my major five times.  I went to culinary school.  I've been skydiving and loved it.  I have a bucket list.  I'm obsessed with cats.  And penguins.  I write in my journal too much, watch too much TV, and spend too much money on books for my kindle app just so I can read whatever I want whenever I want.  I play more solitaire than should be allowed.

I'm driven by passion for life, learning, and love.  I fear spiders more than almost anything.  If I don't paint my nails, I'll bite them.  I'm short and I like to dye my hair.  I really enjoy coconuts.  When I think about things too much, Carpe Diem creeps into my mind and I usually end up doing something reckless, but often the result is satisfying, or I at least learn a big lesson from it.

I'm a glutton for sleep.  The end.

"Why would anyone steal a shopping cart? It's like stealing a two-year-old"

Have you ever pushed a cart at Ikea?  Well, all the wheels rotate enabling you to push the cart forward but also spin it around at the same time.  I can see why my sister finds this annoying, but I find it flat out amazing.  Even more so when children are involved.
In the warehouse part of the store they have these big flat carts, so you can load them up with boxes full of things that need to be assembled.  These carts move in the same fashion and are ideal for lugging small toddlers on.

Exhibit A

The warehouse is just like Costco or Homedepot with tons of big huge isles, just begging for someone to run up and down them.  I had Ava and Seth hold onto the cart while I started to run at the beginning of an isle.  As we picked up speed, I jumped up on the cart with one foot (the other served as an emergency break) and we'd glide down the isle, turning from side to side as I shifted my weight.  I'm fairly certain I enjoyed this more than the kids, although I'm pretty sure they loved it.  Ikea is rad.  Don't believe me?  Look up Ikea carts on youtube. 

“Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction"

I wasn't scheduled to work this week on account of my being hired as a seasonal employee.  Because of that I've found myself being super lazy.  I'm not sure what it is about not having anything I have to do that makes me think it's okay to sleep until after 12, but that's what I've done.  I feel so lazy.  I relish the beautiful sleep, of course, but at the same time I feel like I ought to be doing more.

Today I woke up around 8 and found that I couldn't fall back asleep.   I got out of bed, prepped for the day, then went and made a cake.  A dear friend of mine just returned from his mission in Indiana and I figured it would be fun to welcome him home with a cake.  Really, it was nice to have a reason to bake.  I like baking so much but even more so I love baking for someone.  Seeing someone enjoy something I've made is one of the things that makes cooking so wonderful.  

Anyway, I made this cake.  The buttercream recipe is sweet, but delicious. 

I went and picked up my culinary certificate.  Now all I need is a frame so it can go on my wall.

I spent the entire evening at Sam's house playing card games.  It was a blast.

Best day I've had in a long time.  I should start getting up earlier and baking things.

Except I'll probably sleep in tomorrow instead.

Update:: I was up before 9:30 to go to Ikea with my sister.  That's like getting the best of both worlds

"Feeling a little blue in January is normal"

Suddenly I've found myself on January 5, 2011 wondering how on earth I got here.  I feel like time just slipped through my fingers, but I was too busy looking somewhere else to even notice it passing.

Where did Thanksgiving go?  Christmas?  New Year's?  All throughout this holiday season I felt anxious for the actual holiday.  I felt them sneaking up on me, making my mind swirl with how quickly they were approaching.  And then they were gone.  Done.  So much anticipation and preparation for events that stuck around so briefly, I hardly even noticed them.  Don't get me wrong, I had wonderful holidays and I remember them fondly.  I'm just dumbfounded that they're already gone.  That we're already hurdling through 2011 and, before you know it, we'll be preparing for the holidays again.

2011 is going to be my year.  I don't know what is going to happen to make it so, but I can just feel it.  I'm so close to a pivotal moment of my life.  Maybe it's going back to college, maybe it'll moving away from home, maybe it'll be switching jobs.  I've already started the application process so I can be prepared for school in the Fall.  I'm already thinking about cars I might want to buy.

I'm excited for this year.  Kind of sad that last year is already over, but I'm ready for the changes that await me.

2011, show me what you got.

"Being single is pretty good. It's a nice sense of irresponsibility"

What's up with all the engagements/marriages as of recently?
I'm overwhelmed with wedding invitations and pictures of engagement rings.  I mean, I'm genuinely stoked that so many of my dear friends have found love and are choosing to be married in the temple for time and all eternity, but it's a huge wave of them!  I feel like there was a big "let's fall in love" party and somehow I missed it.

But it's chill.  I've been making plans and making pies.

My best wishes to all you engaged/newly wed couples!  

“There is no sincerer love than the love of food"

I don't know if it's just the stunning pictures my sister took or the fact that I actually pulled off all those recipes, but I am so proud of what I made for my graduation party.  I am a chef.  This is reality.

Photos by: Anchor and Bird Photography

Edit:: I know sincerer isn't a word.  It's a direct quote from George Bernard Shaw.