Getting ready to readjust

As most of you know, I have a job interview in West Palm Beach on June 27th..YIPPEE!! It would be so great to live in S. FL again and I also think it would be a great place to transition back into North American life. There are many things that I feel out of the loop on back home such as movies, television shows, politics, etc. I've felt the transition come on more strongly as of late, getting ready to pack up and head to the States. I know it will only get stronger before June 25th. If you're reading this, please say a prayer for me in these next 3 weeks!!

I love All Recipes.com!

For about a year now I have really gotten into cooking (and most recently baking if you read the post from Saturday). My favorite website is allrecipes.com and I go there at least once a day to check on new recipes or to look up something to make for dinner. I wanted to share my favorite recipe with you in case you just might be wondering what to do for dinner tonight (or even lunch!) Enjoy and if you get a chance, let me know how much you liked it!

Chicken Avocado Salad w/Balsamic Vinegar Dressing:

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD

* 3 avocados - peeled, pitted and diced
* 1 pound grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced
* 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, combine the avocados, chicken, onion and cilantro. Pour the balsamic vinaigrette over everything, and toss lightly to coat.

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING

* 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1 clove garlic, crushed or to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 1 pinch salt
* 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, mustard, salt and pepper in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

A few pics of the city I'll miss so much -- Basel

By Your Side

I have had the song "By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North on repeat on my iPod these last few days. It is so reflective of where I've been in my spiritual walk the last month. I went to school with some of the guys in Tenth Avenue North and their songs have always given me inspiration and been exactly what I've needed to hear. I encourage all of you to go and download their new album "Over and Underneath" on iTunes. I am posting the lyrics in hopes you will find the same encouragement and strength from our Heavenly Father that it has given me:

"By Your Side"

Why are you striving these days?
Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying?
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love?
Why are you still searching
As if I'm not enough?
To where will you go, child?
Tell me where will you run?
To where will you run?

CHORUS:
Cause I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands
And my side
They swallowed the grave
On that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I wanna give you life

(Chorus)

Cause I
I love you
I want you to know
That I
I love you
I'll never let you go

Look, Ma, I made a cake!

Yesterday I went to my friend & co-worker, Kelly's house. She is an expert baker and has been promising to show me how to bake a cake for a few months now. I am proud to say that I made my first ever from scratch cake! It's a chocolate cake with white (also homemade!) frosting! We had a few girls over last night for a slumber party and it was a huge hit! Here's a picture of my masterpiece!

The First of Many Good-bye's

Tonight Anne, Amy-Jo, Delynn, Vanessa, and myself all went to Jim & Lillian Rowe's house to do some scrapbooking together. We had so much fun and I completed 3 pages of a scrapbook all about Nice & the French Riviera :) The Rowe's ordered pizza for us and we watched some of Anne of Green Gables. Then we had these amazing chocolate pastries that Lillian made along with some English tea. It was such a great night and we had a blast being with the Rowe's. Unfortunately, Anne & I had to say goodbye to them tonight because they will be going to Canada for the summer and when they return, we will already be gone. I can't believe the time is going by so fast. I have tried not to think about it but on Sunday I will have exactly four weeks left of life over here. Doesn't it seem like I just got here?!?!

I know I have been slack on updating pictures so I've included a few at the bottom. Slide.com and Macintosh are not friends so it's hard for me to do slide shows now :( (Other than that I am quite happy with my Mac!). Enjoy the pics and I will do better to put up new ones more often :)


My parents and I at the Colosseum in Rome



Me & Anne in front of St. Peter's


Me & Anne with our "other halves" Jo & Vanessa...we call ourselves the Fabulous Four and will be so sad when we have to separate in a few weeks :(

Sad Times

I was looking on CNN.com today and was just appalled at what a sad state our world is in right now. With this earthquake in China, the typhoon in Burma, and all the issues in Darfur, it makes me so sad for the people and their families. Tomorrow RIA is having a bake sale and the proceeds will be going to those affected in Burma & China. I have to say that living abroad has definitely made me more worldly conscious of things going on everywhere.

Random Things

A while ago my friend Marcy "tagged" me in her blog and I am just now getting back to it! The tag was for me to name 10 random things about myself. So here goes:

1. I have come to start to love jogging outside by the track across from school. The perfect time is around 5pm when it's still sunny but not as hot.

2. I love love love Broadway musicals. My favorites are Wicked, Hairspray, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Chicago, & Spamalot.

3. I twirl and twist my hair when I'm tired or in a comtemplative (daydreaming) state. It's a habit I've had since I was a child and no matter how short my hair has gotten, I still manage to find a piece to play with.

4. Anything having to do with the Holocaust fascinates me. I think it was such a cruel injustice to the Jewish race and those that were tortured and killed.

5. I love trying new types of food. Since living in Germany I have come to love Indian food a LOT. I am also a big fan of Middle Eastern food with grape leaves being my favorite!

6. When I travel I like to find a spot and take random pictures. It can be a park or a town square. It doesn't matter. Just as long as I can be as creative and random as I want!

7. I want to name my daughter Maggie Kate or Isabel Grace and I want to name my son Declan Elliott or Hudson Blaine

8. I have stopped going to Starbucks as often as I used to. Partly due to the fact that it's so expensive and I can get the same type of coffee at a hole in the wall coffee shop.

9. My favorite seasons are Fall and Spring which is funny since we don't really have those seasons in Florida and I love Florida to pieces.

10. I go to Disney World at least once a year and never get tired of it. Seriously, I could stand in line for hours just to ride rides and people watch.

Now here's who I'm tagging to do the same:

1. Melanie
2. Jeannie
3. Pags
4. Chris
5. Amy-Jo
6. Josie
7. Cherie
8. Aubrey
9. Michael
10. Catharine