All about N.Y.C.

I’m just really missing the Big Apple recently. And the two best friends I got to enjoy the city with for three weeks. When I got on my plane back home, I pulled out my notebook and wrote down until I was emotionally drained. I certainly didn't summarize our entire trip, but I got pretty far into it. I’m just now typing it up, and I thought I could share it on here. It is just memories and laughable moments, and maybe it won’t seem that important to you. But I’m just throwing it out there.

I wish so badly I could remember everything that happened on this trip. But I know through Kaysha’s blog, the pictures, and the memories I have, it will be well-preserved. In three weeks, we saw more than I could’ve imagined. And I don’t just mean tourist attractions either. We saw something in all five boroughs, two states (plus Colorado, if I can count that!) and we spent 22 wonderful days doing so. We got to experience what it would’ve been like if we were locals. Unfortunately, in three weeks we still stuck out like tourists! We saw our neighborhood very well – every time we came home we saw something different. We noticed more restaurants, shops, smells, homeless people in their usual spots; we took the same route different ways we went.

Things got to be routine around the apartment. We got used to Virginia waking up first, then me, then Kaysha, the “caboose.” Our routine of getting ready became clear after a couple of days, including sharing mirrors, putting beds away, and one of my favorites – family breakfast. Then we’d make lunch and head out for the day – to come back later to a warm apartment where we’d put our feet up and turn the air down. At night we’d take turns giving massages while watching Gossip Girl, or just talking as much as we could! We had many trivial conversations about things we’d seen or what we were going to do. But more importantly we were able to share in deep conversations that helped us grow even closer – reminding me of our days at FC! 

When we left the apartment, it was a whole different world. Inside felt like home and out the doors was a new exciting place every day. We started with a map with all we wanted to do. Through the trip, things got erased, added, and crossed off. Some things weren’t going to work out, or didn’t sound as interesting as they once did. We found new things, so we added them! And when we were able to do another thing, it got crossed off! I think people tried to suggest what kind of things we should do, but we definitely took our own ideas – this was our trip! 

Transportation always proved to be interesting, right down to our last cab ride to the airport – five suitcases was a lot! The subway was our preferred method, due to costs, but we found in three we got the hang of it. certain lines cross each other – or don’t, and it’s amazing I could tell you the 4-5-6 line stops at 86, 77, 59, 51, 42, 33, etc. and the express stops! I can see why New Yorkers understand it now – we learned more about exiting/entering etiquette, transfers, steadying your balance, and being preoccupied so no one bothers you. We also took the bus several times, which is a totally different experience. Balance is different – people have fewer places to stand! We saw kind people, crazy people, and plenty of rude people. Even walking the streets takes talent and confidence, which we lacked sometimes, but it was okay. We learned don’t walk signs don’t always mean that, but sometimes you need to double check! And the curb isn’t the best place to stand – stand on the street. 

Going to church was one of our highlights, we were able to meet and reconnect with Christians with all sorts of stories, and connect dots with some we’d never met. It was a blessing to worship with them for six services – three weeks made us feel a part of it. We got to spend more time with Jady and Julianne which was fun to have city friends to do something with. I hope I can go back someday, and I pray God’s blessings on them in their difficulty work. 

We learned how great fully days were, and how calmer days can be just as enjoyable. Some days we’d stop for a nap, and eat dinner and home, and others we’d be out more than that! We got our fair share of walking in for sure. 

Another highlight was food...but that’s another story for another day.

-K

Bible for Grocery Shopping and Cooking in College

Eating in college? Cooking for one? Here’s a few life hacks just for you.

I had no idea how hard it would be to go from cooking for my family of four at home to cooking just for myself. And if learning how to cook for just me wasn’t enough, my budget was scaled back too. So here’s a few tricks I have found for saving time, money, eating healthier, and cooking just for one:

The freezer is your friend.
I buy frozen veggies and keep them stocked in my freezer for a quick and easy meal. The possibilities are endless with these guys. Caitlyn posted a great recipe for stir-fry. Asian is always an easy route for when you are pressed for time. I’m a list person (in case you couldn’t tell), so here’s a list of all the possibilities for frozen veggies:

• Stir-fry
• Oven roasted veggies
• Steamed veggies
• Veggie soup
• Fried veggies (Ok, so not very healthy, but oh so delicious especially if you fry okra.)

Several of these things would be dorm room friendly. Just use a handy dandy microwave or crockpot, and presto! You have yourself a dinner that will make your roomies jealous.

Another note on the freezer: if you really like to cook and don’t mind donating some extra time here and there, cook things in bulk and freeze them in individual serving sizes. It sounds like a hassle, but it pays off when you are spending less money per meal than you would buying frozen dinners. Also, you can ensure that your health is a priority- no funky mystery meat like you get in some of the atrocities in the freezer aisle (unless you are a mystery meat connoisseur in which case, I am seriously judging you. Gross, dude). Here are a few examples of things I have on hand in my freezer like that:

• Individual servings of homemade spaghetti sauce
• Crockpot meals assembled in zippy bags ready to be cooked
• Chili
• Stew
• Soups

Starch. Oh yes.  
Potatoes! Who doesn’t like those? I like to buy a small bag of potatoes and include them in meals every couple of days. Yellow potatoes aka Yukon gold potatoes are excellent for baking. Unorthodox, I know, but you will thank me and then proceed to tell all of your buddies about how excellent this blog is and about how we kept you from starving to death in college or only eating Big Macs for four years… Ok back on task. So, potatoes are a cheap and easy way to beef up your diet the vegetarian way (yes, the irony was intended). Let’s face it- meat is expensive and can send any steak/bacon/chicken/animal flesh lover reeling at the prices at the local Wal-Mart. Here’s a few easy ways to cook potatoes in dorm friendly ways:

• Oven baked potato
• Microwaved baked potato
• Oven potato wedges
• Potato chips in the microwave
• Mashed potatoes (believe it or not, they don’t always have to come out of a box)
• Toss them into a stir fry

Other form of starch that can easily supplement any college diet could include:

• Pastas
• Noodles
• Breads (breakfast cereal, loaf breads, tortillas, crackers, you get the idea)
• Rice
• Corn (You can microwave whole ears of corn. Who would have thought?)

These are cheap and very filling, but remember- starches convert to sugar so don’t overdo it. Only go heavy on starches and carbs if you are willing to put forth some extra effort to burn it. Or you could be like me and embrace laziness and cook accordingly. It’s up to you.

For all the meat lovers:
If your taste buds are causing visions of Thanksgiving turkeys to dance in your head, don’t let them get the best of you and cause you to go hog wild (pun intended) in the meat section of your local Kroger. If you are running on a tight budget like me, you might find yourself forced into vegetarianism, but fear not. There are ways around protein deficiency and starving:

Keep your eyes peeled for meat that is on sale. Most grocery stores will run specials or sales on meat that is about to expire. Believe it or not, almost expired meat won’t kill you. If you use this method of shopping, be warned: you MUST freeze or cook the meat quickly. I usually freeze it. It works best with things like hamburger and chicken breasts. Just portion out the meat into individual serving sizes in zippy bags and toss in your freezer. Next time you want baked chicken but don’t want enough to feed an army, just take out one of your zippy bags and you’re in business.

Buy meat in bulk. It’s usually cheaper if you buy one of those packages large enough to feed the Dugger’s versus one that is more normal sized. The same freezer principle applies as stated previously.

Sometimes meat from the freezer section of the grocery store is cheaper than buying in the meat section. Just keep an eye on the prices and sales. It pays to be a smart shopper. Another note: pay attention to quality. Yes the bag of 80 nuggets sounds like a great deal, but you are really sacrificing quality there. Those things aren’t always as great as the picture lets on. Yes, sometimes food labels lie. This is the world we live in, children. I have had great luck with frozen raw chicken.

Another tip: stay away from meats that have been pre-marinated or rubbed with spices by the butcher. These are usually ploys to get the consumer to purchase meat that is close to spoiling at a higher price than the meat that is far away from spoiling. Also, if the meat has gone bad, you as the consumer will have a hard time detecting the smell because the spices disguise it.

Ok, I think I have imparted all of my knowledge on this subject. If you have more tips for cooking for one or being a clever grocery shopper, please share by commenting below!

Many wishes for peace, love, and good eats.

-R

11 Characteristics to Look For in a Husband, Cause Someday I'll Need One (Clearly)

Okay, I'm doing it. I'm breaking the food chain. 

11 Characteristics to Look For in a Husband:

Disclaimer- I realize some of these (and pretty much all) are opinions. This is a list of things that I think are super important. Feel free to comment on this with opinions of your own! Also, these aren’t necessarily in any particular order. AND, since this post is intended for freshmen, let me preface with this: Don’t date as a freshmen. Just don’t do it. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be thinking about these things. This is your whole life we’re talking about here! Also, these are DEFINITELY not double standards, and should be understood as principles for both parties. 

11. He is your friend.

Being in love is GREAT. But in the long run, that ooey-gooey feeling is temporary and comes and goes. However, a friend sticks with you even when they make you sleep on the couch, and so a friend-centered relationship and marriage is definitely one that lasts. Also, when someone is a TRUE biblical friend, they love your soul as their own and seek to benefit you as they would themselves. 

10. He loves you. 

This isn’t necessarily in that ooey-gooey sentimental feel-good way. (Although that doesn’t hurt). This means that he truly loves you. Love is an action word. It means he proves his love to you through his actions, not just his words. 

9. He loves Jesus.

Obviously this is more important that 10. Seriously, if he doesn’t love Jesus, he has no right loving you. In fact, he should love Jesus MORE than you. I know that’s hard to hear. But it’s true. You are not Jesus, and you can’t save him or his soul. In fact, don’t even bother trying. You’ll fail. Also, don’t try to change a guy. Ever.

8. He makes you laugh and brightens your day. 

This seems dumb and unimportant. I think it is quite the opposite. Imagine when you’re 40 and your up to your ears in soccer, ballet, work and stress. You’re gonna want a partner that you can laugh with and de-stress with. 

7. He's a leader. 

Even if he doesn’t lead everything on campus from devos to singing in chapel. It’s not that he has to be in charge. It’s that he is confident in his God-given right to lead the home. And maybe he doesn’t have this quality yet. But hopefully you see it in his future. 

6. He's honest, sincere and compassionate. 

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a man’s man. In fact, I would I say I personally prefer those types. HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean that he has to be a jerk, too. Honesty  and sincerity are similar, but basically, when you’re married to someone, secrets are not fun and neither is wondering how someone feels about things. Compassion is good for you, too, but I think that one is more for other people. I want the kind of man that will stop and help an old lady mow the lawn, or do random acts of kindness regularly. 

5. He puts God before you and your relationship. 

Honestly, I may think this one is the most important. I don’t know about y’all, but I can tend to be somewhat of an obsessive person, which means that when I have been in a relationship in the past, all I ever thought about was my boyfriend. And let me tell you, that is not healthy for anybody, but it’s especially bad for your spiritual life. When that guy and I broke up, it was like I had to re-introduce myself to God. How crazy is that?? God is the center of everything, and when you put him in the center, everything else falls into place. I’ve also heard it said like this: Spend your life running towards God as fast as you can, and one day, you’ll look over and someone else will be running right along with you, and that’s when y’all just grab each other’s hand and run together. How great?! Best illustration for marriage ever. 

4. He DOESN'T spend every minute with you. 

Let’s be real, even when you get married, you’ll need alone time, as well as time to fulfill other responsibilities in your world. Just like YOU can’t be clingy, you don’t need a boyfriend that is clingy, either. Have your own friends and commitments that don’t involve each other. Now, let me tell you. This advice is advice to myself, as well, because this is one of the hardest ones for me. 

3. He loves kids. 

Maybe you don’t think this one is a necessary part of this list. Maybe you don’t want kids. But if you’re anything like me, this is high priority. 1) I’m an early childhood education major, so my whole life will literally be about kids. B) I want kids more than pretty much anything else in the world, and III) when someone is good to kids, it just shows that they have a warm heart! 

2. He respects you: your body, time, emotions, spiritual needs and space.

This one is really lengthy, honestly. BUT. It’s so important. I realize that guys don’t understand us and that they can be jerks 97% of the time (and usually don’t realize it). That doesn’t mean that they can’t be accountable. Your body is GOD’S, and until you’re married, they have absolutely no right to do anything you don’t want to. Your emotions may be confusing (like mine almost always are) but that’s good practice for both of you to learn to work with each other. I think space is one for some people that doesn’t really apply to me. I could cuddle all day long! Finally, spiritual needs can be different, person to person. 

1. He will pray with you, be open and vulnerable with you spiritually and put God at the forefront of your life together.

Is this pretty much self explanatory? I think so. But anyways, if you can’t be real with your boyfriend about God and let him see your heart and your vulnerability and neither can he, the spiritual aspects of your marriage will fail GREATLY. 

So that’s my list! For the guys out there reading this, I know you’re not perfect and I seem crazy. But that’s not my intention at all! Love y’all to pieces:)

Love and Babies, A

                                                                                      

GUEST POST: Bacon & Bread & Brown Sugar by Megan L.

Bacon & Bread & Brown Sugar

Do you really need more in life than that?  Yes.  Jesus.

But when you happen to have these things, you can make a super delicious meal.  French Toast, apples sautéed with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar, and bacon.  For dinner.  Omnomnom.

I happened to have a half of a loaf of cinnamon bread that needed to be eaten, but I used some regular bread, too, to make the French Toast. 

I used nine slices of bread.  I cracked three eggs into a bowl and mixed them with about three tablespoons of milk.  If you want to add a sweet flair to your French toast, you can add a hint of Vanilla extract and some cinnamon to the egg mixture like I did.

Dip each slice of bread on both sides into the egg mixture and then place the slices in the frying pan on medium heat.  Cook on each side until browned to your liking. 

I only used one apple for my nine slices of bread.  Cut up the apple into thin slices and place in a small frying pan with four tablespoons of butter.  Add four to five tablespoons of brown sugar and one teaspoon of cinnamon (more or less to your liking).  Leave on low to medium heat until cinnamon, butter, and brown sugar create a sauce for the apples.  The apples can be cooked as long as you want, creating softer apples, or not as long to retain some crunch. 
 
Then you have your roommate cook bacon like I did, to counter balance the sweetness of the French Toast and apples.  And you enjoy the smell of the bacon cooking.  
 
And then you enjoy one of the best meals ever eaten.  Bread.  Brown Sugar.  Cinnamon.  Bacon.  And Apples, to make it sound healthier.  

 
Ohhhhhh yes. 

What I used to make this (which fed 2 girls with minimal leftovers):

9 slices of bread
3 eggs
3 tbsp. milk
Hint of Vanilla extract
Ground Cinnamon
1 apple
5 tbsp. Brown Sugar
4 tbsp. butter
Bacon

Happy Eating!

Easiest Muffins in the World

Ingredients: 

• One box of cake mix (I used Moist Delight Yellow Cake)
• One can of pumpkin (15 oz)
• Chocolate chips, if you want

Mix the box of cake mix with the can of pumpkin. Mix it thoroughly with a spoon, and then use an electric hand mixer to finish the mixing. Pour the chocolate chips in, if using them. I suppose you could use blueberries, or nuts, or whatever. Fill the muffin pan and put it in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

I found this recipe on Pinterest originally, and I was skeptical. But it lends to some delicious muffins that may not look the best. They fall apart in your hand, but they taste amazing.

In this picture, it actually looks quite disgusting. Haha

If you are hesitant to try this because you don't like pumpkin, have no fear. You can use chocolate cake mix and you wont even taste the pumpkin. It's awesome!!

-S