PASSED!

Bet you were all hanging on the cliff wondering how I did???!!! :)
Well, I PASSED!!!!! Yeah!!!! Couldn't be happier, and it feels slightly surreal that I get to be a Nurse Practitioner in about 6 months!!!
Thanks for all the support!!!!

SPECs

I have a very important event coming up. Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. It's called SPECs. It's for School. You must pass to go on. Last Summer I didn't pass. But, I'm ready to give it my all. And here is the speech Rocky gave his Son, and it is resonating with me tonight.
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!"
Godspeed.

Homemade Granola Bars

Hi, I shared a recipe on Homemade Granola Bars over at Whole Body Living.
Hope you'll read, and Hope you'll make! 

Interested in learning about your Thyroid?
Head on over to Whole Body Living to see what I wrote about it!
Have a good evening!

School

A league of Their Own is my favorite movie ever. For many reasons.  I call my dad "Jimmy," after Jimmy Dugan in the movie, since he was the one who caught most of my pitches, and he yelled a lot (he claims it made me play better). I love it when the team is in the locker room singing their team song. I love it when they sneak off to go dancing. I love how one minute you are watching it and laughing, and the next minute you are watching it and crying.  Maybe it's the camaraderie. Maybe I love it because I love the game so much. I danced to Now and Forever with my Dad at my wedding from the soundtrack. Get my point? I love this movie.
But, anyways, back to the reason why I'm posting this. As some of you may know last summer I ended up withdrawing from a class that I was nearly done with, only to sit out for a year, to re-take it this past Summer.
I am here to tell you that I studied my tail off this past summer, and ended up doing well in my Summer class.
Now, I am in the middle of the last class I have to take at Creighton before I start my Nurse Practitioner Residency. So far, I've taken two tests, and both have went well (knock on wood now, please). 
I have had a lot of nerves, anxiety, and more nerves about these last two classes than any other class ever. They are hard. They take a lot of time, focus, and dedication to learning the material. But, as Jimmy Dugan from A League of Their Own would say, "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great."
And, guess what? I totally agree.
It was hard to sit out for a year, watch my fellow classmates graduate, and wait and wonder if I could pass a class I struggled with.
But, I am here to tell you, I have put in the time and effort, and the hard is what makes it great. 

Playlist

I recently (as in tonight) got Spotify. It was Jacob's idea. So, giving credit where credit is due.I mainly did it because I like to go to the gym and run on the treadmill, but sometimes the TV doesn't always cut it, so I wanted a way to make a good playlist and get music (the legal way).
Anyways, after perusing many "Playlists," this is what I have so far for tomorrow's workout:
1. Florence + The Machine-- Dog Days are Over2. Feel so Close--Calvin Harris3. My Body--Young the Giant4. Beyonce Run the World--Miss Rowe5. Land of a Thousand Dances--The Commitments6. Good Vibrations--Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch7. Empire State of Mind--Jay Z + Alicia Keyes8. Paranoid--Kanye West9. Bulletproof--La Roux10. Heads will Roll--Yeah Yeah Yeahs11. 300 Violin Orchestra--Jorge Quintero (LOVE this one).12. Born this Way--Lady Gaga13. Cherry Cherry--Neil Diamond
Any suggestions? Send them my way!

Cinnamon Rolls Take 2

Remember when I blogged about making  cinnamon rolls back in February of this year?
I don't recall if my frustration came out in the post. How I tried to make my dough grow with Yeast, and I was pretty sure I killed it...Well, guess what, not this time!
I have been with one of my preceptors since January of 2012, and my last day was in August. I really grew to love this clinic, my preceptor, and the staff that I met along the way.
I wanted to bring something for my last day. Considered Scones. Decided on Cinnamon Rolls.The pan was devoured. Literally none left at the end of the day. And, my recipe? It made three big 9 x 13 sheet fulls of Cinnamon Rolls.As of right now, I have one pan left.
Here are some pictures, and below will be the recipe!

Recipe Link

Rhubarb Cobbler

Hi!
Tonight, I am sharing with you a special Rhubarb Cobbler that came straight from our backyard...
Well, the main ingredient came from our backyard.
I can't tell you how many phone calls I've received from my Dad this Summer..
About my Grandpa's Rhubarb he gave us to plant...
I believe the question was always, "When are you going to make me some Rhubarb Pie?"
Well, classes ended last Wednesday, and I thought it just might be time to pull the Rhubarb.
So, I called Jimmy up on Sunday and I told him I was going to make him a Rhubarb Cobbler.And, here are the pictures to prove it..

I really wish I would have brought my camera to capture his expression with his first bite.Oh well, there is always the other Rhubarb plant!
Here is my recipe:
4 cups Chopped Rhubarb
1-1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract (optional)
2 cups All-purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup Vegetable Shortening Or Lard
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 cup Whole Milk
1 whole Egg

Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a bowl, combine rhubarb, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and almond extract if using. Stir and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and baking powder. Stir together. Add shortening and butter, then cut together with a pastry cutter.
Beat egg and milk together. Pour into flour mixture and stir with a fork until just combined.
Pour rhubarb into a buttered baking dish. Tear off pinches of dough and drop it onto the surface of the fruit, creating a "cobbled" texture. Sprinkle additional sugar over the top.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.
Source

Absence

I wish i was better at keeping up on my blog. You know, blog every week, be consistent. Oh well, some weeks it just does not happen.
We are wrapping up Summer around here, although you would not know it because it is super hot, and no rain for weeks it seems. It's alright though.
I am finishing up my Summer Class, and am feeling very good about that. I will be glad to have that class behind me. 
We had our last slow pitch softball game on Friday night. I definitely did not play well the first few innings, but I came around. And, we won. And, had lots of fun in doing it. Oh, and I acquired a huge strawberry on my hip that hurts really bad. 
We did some yard work today trying to eliminate all the rocks, this will be a long work in progress I have a feeling.
My garden is growing the cutest green peppers. I love it. 
My last day of clinical practicum for the Summer is tomorrow, and I am all in all grateful for what the past year has brought me.
Better get back to making my note cards. Just wanted to check in.

Cucumber Thai Salad

Hi, Everyone!
Well, you may or may not know that I started a cute little garden this past Spring. In all honesty, I grew the seedlings, now Dave waters it everyday for me. I wasn't sure how long it would take to get anything out of it..but then all of the sudden...Cucumbers! Lots of them! 
Here is our very first cucumber..

Isn't it cute?
Anyways, I texted my friend Paula to tell her I could not keep up with how many cucumbers my little garden has started producing, and she sent me this recipe. And it's really really good!
Here is a link to the recipe: 
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/thai-cucumber-salad/
I suggest you all try it. But don't try it if you can't handle spicy things. The jalapeno really gets ya!

Women's Health

Hi!
I blogged about Women's Health over at  Whole Body Living last night.Would love for you to check it out!
Hope everyone had a great 4th, we did!

Grateful

Are you getting bored of my grateful posts?Too bad.Today I am grateful for:1. My husband. He's so supportive, and that's really what I need right now to keep trucking through this class.2. My lists that are crossed off at the end of the day.3. Can't forget family. Thankful for them.In addition, I blogged over at Whole Body Living tonight about Pink Eye. Check it out!

Grateful List

Hi!!Has anyone had a ripe peach yet this Summer? They are seriously succulent. Here goes the grateful list for today...1. The Georgia Peach I ate today--Heavenly.2. The bomb dot com Garlic Chicken Parmesan that the Hubster and I cooked up tonight. Amazing.3. The nice hot weather.4. The fact that I just turned in my research synthesis paper, log, reflection, and took a quiz today.5. My mom. Just cuz. 6. My Dad. Just cuz.7. In fact my whole family, just cuz they rock :)8. Grateful and Blessed, and feeling peaceful about it :)

Grateful

Life has been pretty busy over here. I re-started my Primary class for the summer and in addition am doing my practicum hours to go with it.It doesn't always feel like I have a lot of time to update the blog, but thought I might start a new little series: grateful lists.Simple. Easy to do. And, an easy way to update the blog. So, here's my grateful list:1. I'm grateful for clean laundry, clean sheets, and a clean kitchen.2. I'm grateful for the time I have to study and do my readings.3. I'm grateful for my preceptors who I am learning from.4. I am grateful for my husband who is supportive, and helps me through the little things in every day life.5. I'm grateful for an environment where I can focus and concentrate.6. I'm grateful for family and everything they do to support me.
Love,

Presenting Dr. Derrick Steven Brown

This past weekend was spent with lots of family, lots of friends. All wrapped in love and support for Derrick, as he starts his new journey as a Family Practice Physician!

I'm so proud of my big brother!Job well done, and best wishes to you, Derrick!

Allergies?

Hi, Everyone!
Once again..I have found myself over at Whole Body Living  discussing Allergies and ways to deal with them!Please visit!If you would like to follow Whole Body Living and get automatic updates, scroll to the bottom of  Whole Body Living and enter your email address!
Thanks for the love, I hope you will find time to read!

Veggie Spaghetti

Are you hungry?Because you are about to be...
I whipped up some veggie spaghetti last night, and it was delicious.
Here is what I did...
Sauteed garlic, onion, green pepper, red pepper, orange pepper, yellow pepper, spinach, and artichokes.Warmed up some marinara sauce.Let the water boil, and added my whole wheat angel hair pasta.And, it was so good, and so healthy. 

Hope you enjoyed.

Whole Body Living

Hey Everyone!
I am over at Whole Body Living tonight starting off with a series about Cholesterol!
Head on over there, and let me know what you think!
Hope you all had a great weekend!

Dinner

We made a delicious dinner the other day...
So, I wanted to share..

Garlic Roasted Asparagus ( I prefer to drench in garlic).

And, I adapted my Asparagus recipe from here

                                                  And, I paired it with Garlic/Parmesan Tilapia....

My Tilapia recipe included a little olive oil, a little Parmesan, and a little salt and pepper. 
Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, and dinner is served!

Walks

We went on a walk tonight...
And I snapped a few pictures...
And wanted to share...
So, I hope you enjoy....

Nostalgia

"Nostalgia sometimes includes a general interest in past eras and their personalities and events, especially the "good old days," such as a sudden image, or remembrance of something from one's childhood."

For me, this post comes from remembering my Grandma Becker.
She always had a clothesline in the backyard. She worked hard, and took care of everyone and everything in the house.
So, this past weekend I started dreaming up of how I could have a clothesline in the backyard. Low and behold Dave and I figured a way to put one up...

Isn't it cute?
So, we did that, and we raked a lot of leaves...

And, the puppy got hot, so he laid in the soil in the shade...

And, I needed something to enjoy about yard work, so I wore my pink golf shoes....

And, we enjoyed today, because it was a beautiful day...

Enjoy your day.

Mom

My Mom used to have a staple she'd make when we were growing up...
It was Beef Stroganoff served over rice.
It was also one of my favorite meals ever. So, I called her today to get the protocol down because I wanted to make it..
It's not quite as good as hers, but it does the job..

I served it over brown rice that I had left from earlier in the week. And, it was mmm, mmm good!
Here's the recipe I used:
Beef Stroganoff
1 pound of ground turkey1 8 ounce carton of fat free sour cream2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1/2 cup water2 teaspoons instant beef bouillon granules1/4 teaspoon black pepper2 cups fresh mushrooms chopped1/2 cup chopped onion1 clove garlic, minced2 tablespoons butter or margarine2 cups white or brown rice
1. In a small bowl stir together sour cream and flour. Stir in water, bouillon granules, and pepper. Set aside.2. In a large skillet cook and stir the ground turkey, mushrooms, onion, and garlic in hot butter over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until the meat is browned. Drain off fat.3. Stir sour cream mixture into meat mixture in skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Serve mixture over rice.
Source: Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook: Bridal Edition

Chocolate Chip Cookie

I wanted to make something simple this week...
And, for our wedding my dear friend, Claire, got us The Better Homes and Garden Cookbook: Bridal Edition.
I had not used it, but thought for sure there were probably some good recipes in it.
And, after taking a good look at the book, I realized it had way more than just recipes in it..
Suggestions on how to be a good hostess, how to set your table, how to make recipes for two, it's awesome, and a great gift in my opinion for a bride-to-be!
So, I made some chocolate chip cookies, and had Dave pick up a Godiva Milk Chocolate Bar, that I cut up into huge chunks instead of using chocolate chips...
With no further ado...

The dough is amazing. The cookies are delicious. 
Here's the recipe courtesy of Better Homes and Garden
Prep Time: 40 minutesBake: 8 minutes ber patch (Or, I used the ice cream scoop and made 12 big cookies in one batch).Oven: 375 Degrees F3/4 cup butter, softened (Quick Tip: Don't have patience to let your butter soften? Put in microwave for 5 seconds on each of its sides, and when you have done each side it will be softened)!1/4 cup shortening1 cup packed brown sugar1/2 cup granulated sugar3/4 tsp. baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt2 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces
1. Preheat oven to 375. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until mixture is combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Stir in chocolate pieces and, if desired, walnuts.
2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons two inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minute sor until edges are light brown. Transfer to a wire wrack and let cool.
3. Serve to your husband and expect to be adored :)

Coffee Bar

So, before Dave and I got married, I was dreaming up of ways to decorate our cutesy little house.
One particular thing I wanted to do was to have a "Coffee Bar."
Last weekend, we purchased a bedroom set from one of my mom's clients...
The bedroom set is beautiful, but I did not have room for everything.
So, I took a piece and decorated each room.
The end tables were too big, but they were perfect for my coffee bar!
With no further ado, here are some pictures of my little nook..

The side table is perfect for holding all of those "K-Cups," The rack of coffee mugs frees up space in my cupboards, and overall I love it!

Raspberry Muffin

Noticing any trends here?
For some reason, I L-O-V-E raspberries. And, I really love raspberry muffins.So, I wanted to try making a batch to see if I could make them as good as Wheatfields. You know what I'm talking about if you live in Omaha.
So, I took myself on over The Kitchenarian, since she does a ton of breakfast foods, and a Monday Muffin each week. And, much to my hearts content, I found a raspberry muffin recipe.
You can find the recipe here.
I quickly assembled my shopping list for the grocery store, and was whipping these up in no time.
They are delicious.

And, a perfect quick little breakfast treat.

A Labor of Love

So..
Dave had asked me last week if I would bake something up for the potluck at work for Fat Tuesday.
I said, "Sure!"
I asked him if I could make Cinnamon Rolls because I've been having a hankering to try to make them.
Oh, what a night last night was. 
I was yelling at the dough, I was banging the rolling pin everywhere, I was very frustrated.
First, I was frustrated because I left the butter that was supposed to go in the dough in the microwave.
Then, I was frustrated because I thought I killed the yeast.
But, somehow they pulled through, and they are delicious!
And, in honor of Fat Tuesday, I just had to sprinkle them purple, green, and yellow...

The recipe I used can be found here.
Happy Fat Tuesday!
By the way, what are you giving up for Lent?