Churros Churros Churros

So...I feel like every time I update this blog, I've changed my plans!

It looks like I'm leaving the full-time job! I'd say I'm sad about it, or even embarrassed or ashamed...but I don't care. I just really don't care. I am miserable and it's not cool. I'm going out today to try to get some other kind of job...ANY other kind of job. I was on call today but they didn't need me (thank gravy), so I have a lot to get done!

I'm going to sew something today. I don't know what...but something. After I get back from town (maybe around 1?) I've got some cleaning to do, but then it's sewing time!!! My husband suggested that I just TRY sewing a bunch of stuff with supplies I already have (which are many) and seeing if it can really be profitable for me. If it works out, than one of my life dreams will be realized! The bummer is that while I'm still at the current job, I'm only going to be able to sew on 1) days off and 2) at night - both of those times are usually reserved for quality time with the husband <3>

My novel is coming along slowly, but at least it's coming along! I re-wrote the chapter outline the other day and hopefully by the end of the week, I'll have chapter 1 done. Garth Nix posted a speach he gave at BYU back in 2005 (I think?) on his website and I read it the other day - it totally inspired me! He said he wrote his first novels (this includes Sabriel, the best book ever) WHILE working his full time job. He just wrote in the evenings and on weekends. There was a lot of other interesting stuff in there as well, but basically it made me realize that I can write whenever I want. If I really want to do it, I'll make time for it! This is true of anything in life, though. So I've been writing on my lunch break at work - I get a whole hour, so I might as well use it for something haha. In any case, I'm even more pumped about my deadline now and I'm really determined to do this! I just hope when all is said and done that I can get the thing published haha!

I cooked something German last week! Aren't you proud of me!?

Hackfleischschnecken

Basically, it translates to "ground meat rolls" - I have to say, it was definitely different! Basically, you make pancakes with lots of spices in them. At the same time, you brown up some ground beef and mushrooms with more spices. While you're doing that, make a sauce full of baccon and onions! Then fill the pancakes with beef, roll them up, cut them into sections, put them in a baking dish and pour the bacon/onion sauce over top. Bake for 30 mins and TA DA! Weird dinner is served! Actually, Regan and I both really liked it. I think next time I will use about 3x as much sauce, though. The sauce was fantastic and there just wasn't enough of it.

I got the recipe from a 2 CD set I bought from the USO last week that had every single recipe that the USO cooking/baking classes have done from 2000 - 2009!! It cost 20$, but there's over 500 recipe's in there! I can't wait to try more of them. While I'm talking about USO cooking classes, I signed up for 2 more for next month! A baking class on the 2nd (next Tuesday) and a SCHNITZEL class (YAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) on the 30th! I'm really excited about both! I had so much fun at the last one!

Last weekend, my husband and I went down to Strasbourg, France with some friends. It was only a couple of hours away, so it was an easy day trip. While we were there, I got my hands on a French cooking magazine! I made up some silly goals for myself while in Venice the other week - From every country we visit, I want to get a cooking magazine and at least 1 (preferably 2) Hello Kitty children's books in that language! I didn't get the HK books in France...but I didn't get the magazine in Italy! So...yeah. I'll keep working on that! I'm thinking we'll visit France on a fairly regular basis, since it's so close and all. So I'll have many more chances to get my hands on an HK book or 2! I have 1 German cooking magazine so far - I'd like to subscribe to one, but I honestly just don't know how. I'd like to get a few more German cookbooks as well (some in German, some in English).

Our friends we stayed with in Italy really inspired me about my goal to learn German! They've been in Italy for about 3.5 years and they're fluent in Italian now! I got some really good tips from them so I'm even more anxious for my skills to improve! So far, I'm still like...a 6 week old child haha. But hopefully by the time we leave here, I'll at least be like...10? maybe 12? haha. One can only hope!