1/4 of a librarian!

That's me friends! In a heartwarming Christmas miracle, my cohort has survived first term.  There were many, many times we didn't think we would.  Among the skills we are learning to be Super Librarians we also became adept at coming up with countless metaphors for how much grad school crushes your soul.  Really, I never thought I had such a way with words until library school.  Turns out, library school and "fiery pits of hell" do indeed belong in the same sentence.

In relation to the above, if you value your life I suggest you never, ever, say to a library student the following: "you need a Master's degree to be a librarian? But all you do is check out books!" If you want to unleash a stress-induced, sleep-deprived rant and have your eyes clawed out, then by all means go ahead.  But the next person who says this to me is going to wish they'd never been born.  You really think we'd put ourselves through this hell if we didn't need to?!?!

But it's all water under the bridge now! I have officially been on vacation as of 12/10/11.  My last assignment/presentation were finished on 12/05/11 though so I have for all intents and purposes been on vacation as of that date.  Classes the last week were somewhat of a formality.  Attendance is mandatory in order to maintain our ALA accreditation and not have final exams.

With the exception of Research Methods and Statistics (a required course), next term is shaping up to be 10x better than this one.  I'm taking Introduction to Archives Administration, Children's Materials (birth-7 years): Evaluation and Use, and Descriptive Cataloguing.  I have no class on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.  Classes are three hours, once a week.  I wish they were twice a week like in undergrad.  I found it a lot easier to stay on top of things, and the material was more fresh in my mind.  Course selection was stressful (is anything not stressful in library school?).  I am trying to balance classes I think will make me more employable with ones I think will actually enjoy and will not make me rip my hair out.

I'm trying, as usual, to stuff all my favourite things about home into this break.  I'm doing some yoga, am going to see The Nutcracker, the Stanley Park Christmas train, and Fort Langley, and am trying to set up an exercise schedule with friends.  Even though I lost 10 pounds last term I am definitely not in shape.  It's dreadfully hard to get motivated to workout when you've lost weight rather than gained though.  Plus my brain is so fried from school all I'm good for this days is sitting on a couch curled up a nice toasty blanket.

Hope you are all enjoying your Decembers!

bisous,

LFB

Frugal Toad contest!

The Frugal Toad is having a contest to win a 75$ amazon gift card or paypal cash-enter here!

Financial bucket list!

Somehow or other, I started reading a lot of personal finance blogs.  Must have something to do with being a poor student and dreaming of the day when I will not be a poor student.  Something like that.  My favourite PF blogger is Krystal, over at Give Me Back My Five Bucks.  Not only is she a fellow Vancouverite (ok so I'm a bit of a cheater) but she explains things in clear straightforward terms (I'm not the brightest crayon in the box over here lol).  I'm trying to win her "500 Give Me Back My Five Bucks competition" sponsored by Life Insurance Finder, the life insurance experts All I have to do is blog about my financial bucket list so here it goes:

1) Live within my means (which are microscopic right now).  This means not buying something unless I absolutely need it.

2) Create a real legit looking budget and stick to it

3) Find an app to track my spending-trying Piggy right now.  I really want to know what I'm spending!

2) Avoid putting new charges on my credit card if I can help it (meaning pay for flights home for holidays ONLY)

2) Get a job in my field after obtaining my Master's and pay off my student loans.

3) Save for a car

4) Start an emergency fund

5) Build (okay, from scratch) my savings

6) Save for a down payment on a house

Obviously some of these are short-term and some are long-term, but there you go!  You can enter over at GMBMFB now!

oh hayyyyy there blog

Yes, I'm still alive.  Grad School is no joke kids :P For the past two weeks I have considered my life a success if assignments are handed in on time (how well they are done, that remains to be seen lol), I eat SOMETHING (this may mean cereal and pumpkin pie for dinner scarfed down at 11pm when I finally got home from a 12 hour day on campus, and if I shower.  Hair not exactly did, practically no makeup, and a lot of comfy Lululemon.   This past week we had a cataloguing assignment due (that class can jump off a cliff, seriously.  at least the teacher can) and a reference question.  For the cataloguing assignment we had to choose three non-fiction adult books published after 2008, with one being part of a series, one with the title page in two languages, and one whatever we wanted as long as it was adult non-fiction.  It took my friend and I three freaking hours to find suitable books with all those ridiculous stipulations.  The reference question considered of us being "asked" by an imaginary patron for studies on injury rates in MMA, as he had a John Hopkins study and wondered if there were more.  I have to say, reference work kind of makes me feel like a Super Sleuth hehe.  Then I saw posters for the new Sherlock Holmes movie and I thought, AHA! I am exactly like Sherlock Holmes.  For real peeps, librarians are hard core.  We don't know everything but we can find anything...which is basically the same thing :D

I am officially on reading week, although we have another reference assignment due Monday (whyyyy prof why?!).  Thursday I'm heading up to Toronto to meet my nephew for the first time, and I am so freaking excited! I bought him the cutest little outfit and I want to go to Chapters to pick up The Very Hungry Caterpillar as well.  Like I'm ever going to give him a present that doesn't include at least one book lol.

I have sweet in sour beef stew in the crock pot that I'll have over rice, and it smells so good! Yay for real food!

bisous,

LFB

First week recap, Bridesmaids, and a s'more cupcake

I have officially completed my first week of Graduate School!  I think I've already gone a bit funny in the head, sadly.  I'm reading an article called, "Information as Thing" and it's a bit of a torturous process.  It literally took me several hours to read four pages.  Maybe the fact that I was super tired and having a hard time focusing might have had something to do with it.  And then the author started talking about antelopes. Yes, antelopes.  What do antelopes have to do with library science, you may ask? I am still wondering.  The author used an analogy that if an antelope is in the wild, it is not a document, but if it is in a zoo being studied and researched, and we are learning from it, then it is a document.  He then proceeded to compare antelopes and ships.  I swear a PhD is just a license to write paragraph-long sentences that make up 20 pages of complete nonsense.  I find this especially frustrating as we are taught the importance of not being wordy and not padding our essays in undergrad.  But get to the doctoral level apparently, and it's the more words the better! Harumph.  Clearly I have already reached the status of cranky bitter grad student.  But you couldn't tell, right?  As further evidence:

On Wednesday a few friends and I went to see the movie Bridesmaids at the on-campus theatre.  Yep, there's a movie theatre on campus.  And two Tim Horton's in the SAME building.  Big schools do have their advantages I suppose.  Coming from a school with a total population of 2000 this is freaking amazing.   Anyways being the first week, and seeing as how the undergrads didn't start classes until Thursday, there were many people in the student centre for various frosh-related activities.  As we were walking out a frosh leader (I presume) said something along the lines of, "aww they're just coming out of a movie" in the most annoying "isn't that quaint? how sad and pathetic that they are not 18 and drunk out of their minds" voice.  For real.  As Jen and I said, we are (not) surprisingly ok with not being 18 and drunk out of minds during the first week of classes.  I'm too freaking old for that :P

One awesome thing about grad school: I don't feel (so) old anymore! In fact, I dare say I may be one of the younger ones! Or at least, many people are the same age as me.  Quite a few already have Master's degrees in fields such as history and literature, and there are several older people who are going back to school after being in the workforce for some time.  Oh and yesterday we got to play with yarn.  That totally makes up for the snowstorm of assignments that will be my life until December.  Right?

I also got cupcakes at this fancy cupcake place in the market on the way home as a treat for my roommate and I.  She just finished her first week of co-op.  I got a s'mores one for me and a milk & cookies one for her.  Pictures to follow, but we decided to wait until she gets home from dinner with a friend to eat them together  : )

Les boulangeries

In France I developped a daily (ok, sometimes three times a day) boulangerie habit.  A tarte aux framboise for breakfast eaten on the way to la fac (that's the university, fyi), a petit pain aux trois chocolats for a mid-afternoun snack (did I ever tell you about the time I stopped into my favourite bakery RIGHT AS THEY WERE COMING OUT OF THE OVEN?!?!), and a little something for dessert.  I was obsessed.  And the best part? I didn't gain a SINGLE pound the entire 3.5 months I lived there.  It. Was. Heaven.  Needless to say when I moved to Ontario and discovered a little French bakery located in an indoor market about 60 seconds from my apartment, I nearly cried.  At 2.25$ for a little macaron, I definitely cried.  But Oh. My. Lord.  I got a pistachio one and it just about melted in my mouth. Definitely not something I'll be getting very often :( Donations to the Poor Grad Student Macaron fund are currently being accepted :D Oh, and I asked if they ever had tarte aux framboises (my all time fav) and they said not usually, but I could order them.  For my birthday instead of cake? I think so.

If there's one thing worse than being a poor student...

it's being a poor grad student.  I received my "Notification of Assessment" from BC Student Loans today, and I'm approximately six thousand dollars short of what I need.  Did you know that the maximum given is the same for undergrad and grad students? Freaking ridiculous if you ask me.  FYI student loan geniuses, grad school is WAY MORE FREAKING EXPENSIVE THAN YOUR GARDEN VARIETY UNDERGRAD!!!!!!!!  I'm applying for positions at the library of one of the affiliate university colleges on campus.  They're looking for a few people for 6-10 hours a week.  I really REALLY did not want to work during grad school but hey, what's a poor student with a maxed out credit card who can't get a line of credit to do?  My boyfriend seems to think robbing a bank is a bad idea.  I say he is no fun.  What could possibly go wrong?

Holy lack of updating batman!

I have been severely neglecting my blog, I'll admit.  A lack of comments gave me little desire to write.  I mean, if I didn't want comments I'd write in a private paper diary.  People have public blogs for a reason yo.  Anyways, my blog is going to be getting a re-do soon, and a new name-la future bibliothécaire.  It'll have more of a theme as well.  The name is french for "the future librarian"  Clever, right? See, that B.A. in French came in handy after all! I'll be talking about all things Grad School (specifically library school, obviously) related: classes, social life, being poor, living on a Grad Student budget (and we all thought we were poor as undergrads! HA.), my adventures in the kitchen, etc...

So what's been going on with me? I was offered and I accepted a well-paying job at a museum in my area, but then I was offered a position at a library right down the street from where my boyfriend, the wonderful S, lives.  It is most definitely not well-paying, but hello, I want to be a children's librarian and I will be working as the Summer Book Club Coordinator.  Needless to say it won't exactly pay the bills, which is a little scary considering I'm going back to school in the Fall and already know I did not get a place in Grad Student housing due to the lottery system in place at my school.  This means I will have to find a place off campus, and will probably need to have first and last months rent.  I have never lived off campus before so it's a little daunting.  That being said, the experience I'll get this summer will be invaluable.  My first day is tomorrow.  I'm a little nervous as my expertise is in heritage (I have mainly worked at museums for the past three summers) and I have never run a summer book club for kids before, but I think it will be fun! They said I could do a French story hour too if I wanted, seeing as I speak French and all.

Wish me luck!

Disneyworld recap!

Well kids, Disneyworld was all kinds of awesome.  You know what I noticed though? It's either parents with little kids ore really old people.  Like people in their 70's.  As three 20 something women we felt a little out of place haha.  Anyways we did all the Disney parks (Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot...am I forgetting any) and also a day at Universal Studios.  Hello Harry Potter! We all felt that Universal catered a little more to adults, as there were less cheesy shows and just in general it seemed "older."  There was this one ride at the Harry Potter park that was probably my favourite of all the parks; it was mostly a simulation one so it felt like you were playing quidditch, flying through the forbidden forest, etc...So cool! And they have the park set up like Hogsmeade, with all the stores: Olivander's, Honeydukes, Zonko's, Owl Post, etc...I tried a butterbeer and it was delicious! You could get it in slushy form or...just regualr liquid form I think.  We got slushy.  It tastes caramely, I guess would be the best way to describe it.  We rented a car for 2 days and for the first drove to Daytona Beach.  So much fun! I got a really painful sunburn though that made going on rides the next day a bit of a challenge.  I'm peeling now, it's really quite attractive.  Not really.  The second day we drove to Universal Studios.  We stayed at a Disney Resort so there was no shuttle service there and we were told a cab would be ridiculously expensive.  Guess what else there is in Orlando? A Coach outlet! Actually I had my eye on the Kate Spade outlet but it proved to not have very outlet-y prices.  As in everything was regularly priced but 30% off.  I don't know about you, but 30% off a 400$ bag is still too much money for me.  I found a bag at Coach that I really liked.  It was marked down to 169$ from almost 300$ something and there was an additional 30% off.  I ended up paying 125$.  That's more like it! Speaking of shopping, I picked up some great pieces at an outlet mall in New Hampshire, state of the no sales tax. There is an outlet mall not far from my friends house, and I snagged three pieces at the Banana Republic outlet for less than 70$! Is that a deal or what?! I've had my eye on a short-sleeved wrap top from there for ages and it is like 70$ alone! No thanks! I can see myself doing a lot of shopping at Banana Republic once I start work as a librarian.  And they even have petite sizes! Sadly I quite often have to hem petite pants as well, but at least I'm not wasting like two feet of fabric.

We flew into two nights ago and yesterday went to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, which I absolutely adore.  Now I'm staying at friend's place in New Hampshire until the 20th, when I meet my boyfriend in Ottawa.  I may go up to Montreal in a few days and stay there until the 20th instead...not quite sure yet.

Oh, and this was my flight!

Man tries to open emergency exit door

 The guy they arrested was sitting DIRECTLY behind me! When we landed no less than 8 police officers got on board to take this guy off.  Seemed like overkill to me, but from what I know about the US your law enforcement guys don't mess around! Crazyness!

Smooth Criminal on the cello?

Seriously, how epic is this?!

Maybe some day

Maybe some day I will wear something other than sweat pants and hoodies.

Maybe some day I will straighten my hair again instead of throwing it up in a pony tail with a Lululemon headband.

Maybe some day I will wear makeup on a daily basis once again

That day is after finals lol.

Times they are a changin'

I am thinking that along with my new academic adventure, a new blog name may be in order.  I've been talking it over with friends, and they all really like "la future bibliothécaire" It means "the future librarian" in french.  If you read this, what do you think? :P

Harumph

I am so over this studying thing! SO looking forward to no final exams in Grad School! There will be lots of other work, but finals bite!  I've taken up getting a daily triple triple from Tim Horton's (that's 3 milk 3 sugar...I know, gross!) to get me through these endless days of studying.  I really wish I was in Florida now! Come on May 1st!

Ever since I saw this Banana Republic top on a fellow blogger's blog a few days ago I can't stop checking it out on the BR site!

Super Awesome wrap shirt 

Grr it won't let me post the pic for some reason

Anyways, because I feel like posting a pic here is me, my bff Suz, and her little sister Megan after the B.U. Singers choir show a couple of weeks ago:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ACCEPTED to the Master in Library and Information Science program at UWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Harumph

It snowed yesterday in good 'ol Quebec.  I cried a little (ok, a lot) on the inside.  I bought a bouquet of daffodils on Wednesday from the Canadian Cancer Society's table in the school library.  It's a fundraiser they do.  So I have daffodils on my kitchen table and snow outside my window.  Something is seriously wrong with this picture!

I'm doing my volunteering at the local library today.  It's the activity time with kids.  Read stories, play games, do crafts, all that good stuff.

When I walked into class on Wednesday my profesor asked me if I had gotten any news recently.  I go ummmm no.  He then asks if I had gotten any GOOD news lately? I'm really confused by this point.  He said not to ask any questions.  The whole time he has this cat ate the canary smile on his face haha.  The first thing that came to mind is Grad School...he is one of my references and I thought maybe he somehow knew I had gotten in? But I just got the email from my school last week saying they'd received all my documents and I was expecting to hear back 4ish weeks from then...it had only been a week and a half at this point.  Then I thought it might be the bursary I applied for (which I found out today I got-800$!!), but it would seem weird for him to know about that.  It's been driving me crazy!!  I'm dying here people!

I'm kind of a genius

Guess who got 92% on their last psych of human sexuality midterm? This girl did!

Guess who is NOT in the mood to write a paper on sexual addiction for said psych class? That's right, this girl again.

Guess who went to a Champagne Reception at the Principal's house last night? You got it, this girl! So much fun! There was yummy punch, and the most delicious hors d'oeuvres known to man.  Champagne was passed around to the 50ish soon-to-be humanities grads, and the Principal as well as the Director of University Advancement gave lovely toasts.  The Principal's final words? "You're so close to the end.  Don't screw it up now!" I freaking love our Principal.  The man is an academic rock star (a nerd's favorite kind of rock star, obvs).  I mean, he went to Harvard for crying out loud!

Guess who's going to make homemade macaroni and cheese for dinner tomorrow night? Yay, this girl! I have a burrito left over in my fridge that I'm having tonight.  This girl makes wicked burritos, fyi.

I feel a shopping spree coming on!

I love love love Smart Set for chic work clothes.  I love how all of their pieces work together so you can mix and match to make a ton of different outfits.  I work at museums so I like to look professional but not too stiff and formal.
 I'm loving this adorable

floral blazer

And this beautiful

pencil skirt

Also digging this

black long-sleeved blazer

I'm always on the hunt for well-fitted blazers and pencil skirts, and I always luck out at Smart Set.

What are you go to stores for work clothes?

So over it!

I want to snow to go awayyyyy!!!!!!

I want to wear cute flats with my skinny jeans.

S said he was going to turn his phone off while he is in California because of roaming fees but he's texted me every day so far ; )

My Dad had knee replacement surgery a couple of days ago. I told him to keep his cane because they let people with canes on airplanes first :P

I made whole wheat peanut butter banana chocolate chip cookies last night, after making a delicious peanut pad thai for dinner. Recipe is on facebook.

I aced my psych of human sexuality midterm on tuesday. The prof marked the multiple choice and said I did VERY well. Duh.

I have a headache and I have neuro psych in 40 minutes. I feel this is not a good combination.

As of 5:15pm tonight I officially have two weeks of classes left in my undergraduate career. Holy. Fuck.

This week's Glee was freaking awesome.

I really need to do my nails.

I have no idea what I'll do if I don't get into Grad School.

A DQ chocolate covered strawberry waffle bowl would be perfect right now.

I miss living in France.

The End.

Why?!

Seriously, I think university profs conspire against students or something.  Up until Wednesday night of next week I'll be going CRAZY.  My due dates look something like this:

Monday:
-Read four chapters and do a 500-600 word summary for each (French)
-Read a French novel (which according to the friend that's in that class with me is TERRIBLE).

Tuesday:
-Psych of Human Sexuality midterm

Wednesday:
-10 page French paper on censure and homosexuality

THANK-GOD we had a snow day this week which mean my behavioural neuroscience midterm was moved to the 22nd, because it was scheduled for Tuesday as well!

Reading Week happenings

I know I have been a terrible blogger lately :( I have sooo many questions for my bloggy big sister, and I haven't even emailed her yet :( I really want to redesign my blog but darn school keeps getting in the way!

Reading Week was fantastic.  As I mentioned in an earlier entry, I went home.  Or did I? Hehe I did go back to BC, but I was 16 hours north of where my parents live and where I grew up.  I went to stay with my ex-boyfriend, and see if we could work "us" out.  I'm thrilled to say that we did work things out! We are officially back together.  S and I met when we were 16 at our summer job.  We stayed in contact (thank-you msn!) and in August of 2007 he asked me out.  We dated for almost a year and a half but broke up in December of 2008.  We were broken up for just over two years.  He is sweet, funny, and a lot of fun to be around.  I am smitten and blissfully happy right now : )

Reading Week!

As of 5pm on Thursday I am officially on vacation!  Actually there's going to be a lot of reading getting done this Reading Week-sadness! I have two essays to work on, four chapters to read for my Québec history class and two midterms to start preparing for.  They are on the same day, which really sucks!  Both are psych classes, which means a LOT of information to memorize.  I definitely should have taken child development 2 instead of brain and behaviour though-that class is hard! Stupid brain being all complicated lol. I'm never going to want to hear about neurons ever again after this semester is over lol.

 I am actually in Montréal right now.  I came up on Thursday and am waiting to go to the airport.  I'm going back to BC for Reading Week! It's the first time in my four years at Bishop's, so I'm hella excited haha.  I leave for the airport in three hours!!

bisous!

WILW!

I'm linking up with Jamie over at this kind of love for what I'm loving Wednesday!

I'm *loving* that I got to spend last weekend with my sweet friend Tara and her husband Aaron in Montreal.  We went shopping downtown and to the biodome where I saw the cutest animal ever:

This is a capybara! No the one at the biodome didn't have a purple harness, but seriously, how cute is he?! They look like giant swimming guinea pigs, so of course I want one hehe.

I'm *loving* that tomorrow is my last day of classes and then I am free for Reading Week!

I'm *loving* my Lululemon backpack.  Seriously the best backpack ever!

I'm *loving* the look of this place: The Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino, British Columbia.  Isn't it gorgeous?

Recipe to try: vanilla marshmallows

Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup cold water
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup warm water
2 7-g envelopes unflavoured gelatin powder
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp cornstarch

Stir granulated sugar with corn syrup, cold water, and salt in a small saucepan.  Set over high.  Bring to a boil, and let boil without stirring for 1 minute.  Then stir in vanilla.  While waiting for syrup to boil, pour warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment.  Sprinkle in gelatin.  Let stand 2 minutes to soften.  Line an 8-in square baking dish with overhanging plastic wrap.  Lightly spray with cooking spray.

Set mixer on high, then pour hot syrup in a stream down the side of the mixer bowl, beating gelatin mixture until it is thick and sticky and white peaks form, about 4 minutes.

Scrape into prepared pan, smoothing top as best you can with an oiled spatula or a metal offset spatula.  Let set at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

Whisk icing sugar with cornstarch in a small bowl.  Sift one-third of mixture over top of marshmallow to dust the surface.  Turn out onto a cutting board.  Discard plastic wrap.  Sift half of remaining sugar mixture overtop to dust the surface.  Slice into cubes about 1 in. square.  Roll each cut marshmallow in remaining sugar mixture until all sides are coated.

Happy Sunday!

I'm spending mine chained to my desk.  The topic of the hour is neuro psych.  Did you know that the golgi apparatus produces lysosomes, which are sacs that contain enzymes and whose function it is to break down cellular structures no longer needed by the cell? Well, you do now.  Don't you feel enlightened?  I also have to read two more chapters of my quebec history book and write a 500-600 word summary for each chapter.  I have two midterms on Tuesday: neuro psych and psych of human sexuality.  Oh ya and a novel to read for tomorrow.  I've read it before and the novel quizzes are super easy.  Things like, "what is the father's name?" The book is only like 100 pages too.

Yesterday was library day! Once a month me and a few other girls from Bishop's run an activity day at the library.  We read stories (duh), do crafts, and play games.  Because Valentine's Day is in February I made pink cupcakes with pink frosting and bought different sprinkles and cinnamon hearts for the kids to decorate with.  It went really well : )

Anyways, back to the golgi apparaturus...

Snow Day!

Not officially I guess, but my two classes were cancelled today :D I've been writing out flash cards for the past two days, so I'm taking a blogging break.  Since it's such a snowy stay at home kind of day I think I'm going to make homemade macaroni and cheese for dinner.  Yum! I also have a recipe for brownie cheesecake bars that I'm dying to try.  They have a brownie base and then you mix brownie pieces into the cheesecake batter, pour over top of the base, and voila! Kind of like my favourite dessert EVER: chocolate explosion from Boston Pizza.  It has a chocolate cake base, and the rest is chocolate mousse with bits of cheesecake.  So.  Freaking.  Amazing.

On that note, I think it's lunchtime :D

Recipe: Bailey's Irish Cream Brownies

Taken from The Voice of Joyce

1/3 cup butter, room temperature (Irish butter if you have it)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup Irish Cream liqueur

Irish Cream Glaze
1 tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×9-inch square pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Whisk sugar and cocoa powder into butter until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature, then whisk in egg and vanilla extract.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Pour in butter mixture and Irish cream and whisk well to combine, mixing only until no streaks of flour remain. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 22-26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs (not chocolate batter). Cool in pan on a wire rack before glazing.

For the glaze, whisk together all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over cooled brownies, then use a spatula to spread gently into an even layer. Allow glaze to set for at least 2 hours at room temperature before storing the brownies.

Recipe link: Banana cupcakes with nutella icing

Check the recipe out over at Lil Mrs Housewife: Banana cupcakes with nutella icing

Ugggh

I found a recipe for banana cupcakes with nutella icing but didn't copy it down, and now I can't find it.  I now it was off a blog on blogger.  Any ideas?

Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed golden brown sugar

5 tbsp. butter

1/2 cup crushed almonds

1 (8 oz.) pkg. softened cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)

2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Combine the flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl. With a fork or your hands, cut in softened butter to make a crumbly mixture.

2. Set aside 1/3 cup of this mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture into bottom of two 8 x 8 inch baking pans. (Optional: Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Cool slightly.)

3. Combine cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla in large mixer bowl and blend until smooth. Pour over baked or unbaked crust.

4. Sprinkle with reserved topping and crushed almonds. Bake an additional 20-25 minutes.

5. Cool before cutting into bars.

Makes 32 Bars.

*The bars were very thin with making two pans, so I might throw everything into one the next time I make these*

Adventures in baking

I've been a busy bee! Yesterday I made chocolate chip pumpkin loaf and there are pumpkin cheesecake bars cooling as we type.  I just discovered this amazing cooking blog: Our Best Bites and I'm addicted! My roomie and I are going to make the baked chicken penne tomorrow.  Yum!  I also recently acquired a recipe for homemade chicken strips! It's super easy and uses crushed soda crackers.  In case you haven't figured it out by now I. Love. Food.  A lot.  It's a small miracle I'm not 300 lbs! In fact, I have been known to walk into my roomies room crying that there is nothing with sugar in the the apartment.  All I have right now is oreos, and they just don't do it a lot of the time.  Hmmm I know my RA/friend has sorbet in his freezer...

And like the old lady I am, aforementioned roomie and I will spend our Friday night watching the new episode of Say Yes to the Dress :P The icing on the cake? I'll be working on a scarf I'm knitting for my sweet friend Merran! Sweet Jesus when did I get so old?!

*update* pumpkin cheesecake bars are delicious!

Recipe: Pumpkin chocolate chip loaf

Ingredients;

2 eggs

1/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup pumpkin purée

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp grated orange rind

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 pinch ground cloves (ewww haha)

6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1) In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy, beat in eggs one at a time.  Stir in pumpkin and orange rind.

2) In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, & cloves.  Stir into pumpkin mixture, alternately with 1/4 cup water, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and two of water.  Fold in chocolate.

3) Spread in parchment paper-lined or greased 8x4inch (1.5L) laof pan.  Bake in centre of 350 F oven for about one hour or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean.  Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.  Turn out onto rack, let cool completely.

Stylish Blogger Award x 2

The lovely Nikki @ The Fashionable Wife gave me this lovely award, so here are 7 more things about me (I know you were dying to know :P )

1) My favourite flowers are red roses.

2) I saw The Lion King on Broadway for my 25th birthday.

3) I'm obsessed with Lululemon.

4) I love to bake.

5) I danced competitively for 10 years (tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, song & stage, and contortion).

6) I adore yoga.

7) I always sleep with the window open a little bit, even when it's - 40 C.

I already tagged people, but thanks again Nikki!

Recipe: Whole wheat peanut butter banana cookies

From the Clueless Baker

 

1 cup AP flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/2cup butter

2 med. bananas, peeled and cut into small chunks

2 eggs

*I usually add semi-sweet chocolate chips*

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet, or line with parchment paper.

 

In large bowl stir together flours and baking powder. Set aside.

 

Put into blender container: Brown sugar, peanut butter,butter,bananas, and eggs. Whirl until smooth.

Pour into dry mix and stir until evenly combined.

 

Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet, leaving room for expansion.

Bake for 12 to 15 mins. until set and lightly browned on the bottom

 

Pre-Grad photo photos : )

My friend and roommate S and I got our hair done this morning for our grad photos this afternoon.  I think it turned out quite well.  We'll have to see about the grad photos; my right eye likes to squint when I smile and I could really see it in the ones the photographer showed me on the computer, although my friends claimed they couldn't see anything.

Sweet Potato and Pinto Bean Chili

I'm linking up with Trish over at This Life of Ours for What's Cooking Wednesday(a little late, I know :P )

My recipe is one that actually have yet to try, but I am can't wait to buy the ingredients when I go grocery shopping on Monday so I can try this baby out!

Ingredients:2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 medium onions, chopped (I'll be omitting these-can't stand onions!)

2 tbsp mexican chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

2 cup vegetable broth

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 (28-oz./796 can diced tomatoes

2 (19-oz./540 mL each) cans pinto (or other-I prefer kidney beans), drained and rinsed or 4 cups/1 L home-cooked beans

1tsp salt 

1 tsp crumbled dried oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne (or less, to taste)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (don't have any, so omitting)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.  Add the onions and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the onions are soft-about 5 minutes.  Add the chili powder and the cumin and cook for another minute or so.  Add the vegetable broth and the cubed sweet potatoes, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the potatoes are almost tender-about 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with all the juice from the can, the beans, salt, oregano, and cayenne.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then let simmer until the potatoes are completely tender-about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the chopped fresh cilantro.

Serve with rice or corn bread and sprinkled with shredded cheese, if you like.

Makes 6 servings

So pretty!

I'm loving this sweet puff heart necklace that I found on etsy...but I'm saving my money for Disney!

30 Days of Truth-Day 3

30 Days of Truth

Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself.
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself.
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself.

The failure of my last relationship.

Polka Dots, Pearls, and Pink...oh my! giveaway!

The lovely lady over at this blog is doing a pashmina and pearls giveaway.  Check it out!

Pearls and Pashmina giveaway

Love it!

I'm totally digging this Victoria's Secret cardigan

I'd get it in aquarium, bark heather, black, and winter white if I had the money! Wouldn't it look great with my Tiffany's pearl earrings?

Florida bound!

Exciting news! Yesterday I booked flights for two friends and I to go to Orlando for 10 days after we all finish school in May!!  I found return flights from Boston-Orlando for 250$ each!  My friend Danielle and I were looking at what else to do in Orlando yesterday (Suzanne went home this weekend) and we both want to go to SeaWorld.  We also found a spa that was highly recommended and we are thinking of getting pedicures on our last day :D

Ironically enough it is snowstorming outside right now haha.

30 days of truth-day 2

30 Days of Truth

Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself.
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself.
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself.

I love my hair colour and freckles : )

Stylish Blogger Award!

<<Les mots ne mentent pas>> tagged me to reveal 7 facts about myself and receive an award.  My first award!  Merci!

1) I started french school when I was 5.

2) I'm left-handed

3) I lived in France for 4 months.

4) I'm from Vancouver, BC but I go to university in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

5) My favourite animals are sea otters and guinea pigs.

6) I think westies are the most adorable dogs ever and I can't wait to get one!

7) I'm applying to Grad School for a Master's in Library and Information Studies.  I want to be a children's/youth librarian at a public library!

My blogs are:

1) Nikki @ The Fashionable Wife

2) Joelle @ Love is Home

3) Christin @ A Classy, Southern Wife

4) Amanda @ Amanda & Don

5) Mrs. Chelsi @ Ramblings from a Mom with Cabin Fever

6) Ashley @ Life After the Aisle

7) Teenage Bride @ Teenage Bride

8) French Lover @Our Transatlantic Love

7) Quite Contrary @ Quite Contrary

8) Lindsay @ Lindsay Writing

9) Curly J @ Running From Cupcakes

Honestly those are the blogs I feel I read enough to give an award too.  Can't wait to read everyone's answers!

Wedding pics!

I went to a high-school friend's wedding on Friday, and it was wonderful! The officiant really seemed like she had gotten to know them and my friend and her wife looked so happy.  Here are a few pictures : )

Back to school tomorrow! I'm missing the first day of classes hehe.  Naughty naughty ; ) Flight leaves at 10am, so am getting up at 7.  Bestie is picking me up from the bus station in Sherbrooke : )

30 Days of Truth

Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself.
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself.
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yoursPublish Postelf EVERYTHING you love about yourself.

I hate my legs.  I swear they look like chicken drumsticks! 

Product review: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant

I've been using Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream products since I was little.  Every summer my family would go to a friend's cabin up North and I started to get a rash every time we went.  EA cream was the only thing that made the rash go away.  It's also really nice when you get a cold for under the nose and the upper lip when they get rubbed raw from all that nose blowing.  I found this lip protectant at Shoppers Drug Mart for only 10$ (it's a smaller tin than this one).  The product pictured above is 25$.  I think this is seriously going to save my lips this winter.  - 40 temperatures are not kind to my poor skin :( This makes my lips feel smooth and protects them from harsh weather.  Love it!

Recipe: Vegetable chili with quinoa

Recipe: Vegetable chili with quinoa

Over the summer I became obsessed with quinoa.  I think it's seriously the greatest food ever! So so good for you.  I found this quinoa chili recipe on www.vegweb.com.  Incidentally I also love vegweb.  I'm not vegan or even vegetarian but there are tons of great recipes on there.  I've tried a few and they are all delicious : ) I don't like spicy foods so I alter the spices a bit...definitely leave the chili powder and crushed red peppersout if you're like me.  I forgot one time and made the recipe as is and I couldn't even eat it, it was SO hot.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 carrots, chopped
2 to 3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
14 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
14 ounces refried beans or pinto beans (drained and rinsed, if pinto)
1 cup quinoa
2 cup vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
avocado and cilantro, to garnish

Directions:

1) Heat oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute onions, carrots, and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, red peppers and garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2) Deglaze the pot with tomatoes. Cook 1 minute, then stir in beans, making sure refried beans are fully incorporated. Bring to a boil, then stir in broth and quinoa.

3) Cover and cook over medium heat until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with fresh avocado and cilantro.

Source of recipe: I based this recipe on chili that I had on a canoe trip that ended up being AMAZING.

Makes: 6-8 servings, Preparation time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 30 minutes

*I used 1.5 cups of broth and was happy with the consistency, and I used more beans than the recipe called for.

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I'm *loving* the movie I saw On Sunday with my sweet friend C, The King's Speech

I'm *loving* the Live Clean smoothing cream I recently bought: it's paraben/pthalate/phosphate free, pure vegan, cruelty free, is biodegradable, and has recyclable packaging.  For more info on Live Clean, click here

I'm *loving* the boa scarves I'm knitting for friends.

I'm *loving* that I got to see my lovely friend J for some delicious White Spot and Lululemon shopping.

I'm *loving* that my high-school friend E is getting married on Friday!

I'm *loving* that I was able to find my two psychology textbooks on amazon for much cheaper than at my university bookstore

I'm *loving* Urban Decay primer potion.  It's seriously like super glue for eyeshadow, but it comes off easily with eye makeup remover.

I'm *loving* that I've reached double digits in followers hehe.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Recipe: Chicken Quesadillas

My friends and I are making quesadillas my first night back at school, and I can't wait to try this recipe!

Easy grilled chicken quesadilla recipe

Chicken quesadilla recipe…for 4

*4 large flour tortillas

*About ¾ lb of grilled marinated chicken breast sliced thinly (use whatever marinade you like, a lime/soy based marinade works well for Mexican dishes)

*Sautéed onions and sweet peppers (about 1 big onion, and two sweet red peppers, sautéed until softened

1 heaping cup of refried black or pinto beans

¾ pound of grated cheese…use Monterey jack or a mixture of half cheddar and mozzarella.

Heat your heaviest frying pan on medium, and then spread a thin layer of refried beans over half of each open tortilla. On top of the beans lay the chicken, vegetables and cheese, and fold over in half so you have four half circles ready to be fried.

Lay as many as will fit in your heavy fry pan, and cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until browned and slightly crisped, flip over and repeat for the other side. Hold warm in a low over until all four of the quesadillas have been finished.

These are large enough to make a good meal for one each. Serve with a fresh tomato salsa, a spicy Mexican tomato or tomatillo salsa, guacamole and sour cream.

If you lack any of the above ingredients (except of course the tortillas or the cheese!) you can make these anyways, and they'll still be delicious.

If you wanna get fancy, combinations such as duck confit and mole, brie and pears or seared tuna and mango can transform the everyday quesadilla into a more urbane affair. You might end up sort of missing the point of the whole thing though!

Bold flavors, melted cheese and lots of salsas on the table...that's the real deal.

Recipe from: http://hubpages.com/hub/Grilled_chicken_quesadilla_recipe_The_classic_Tex_Mex_quesadilla