Good grief it's been awhile!

Well I guess that's what happens when school's in session!  So, how about a run down.

The holidays found us enjoying bacon!!  Our Christmas dinner theme was bacon this year.  It was pretty incredible and I can't remember how many pounds of bacon we ended up going through!  Everything (except our beverages) had bacon in it!  Christmas was a very low-key and different with Tiana being out of the country.  There was no one to hand out the few presents we had to distribute between us! The New Year brought huge changes for us.  Starting the 13th of January I've been on sabbatical from Starbucks.  After a minimum of 10 years of service, they allow 1 year off to do whatever -- education, travel, volunteering -- while providing benefits at the rate I was paying for them, my free pound of coffee per week and my discount.  It's been awesome to not work since I also started nursing school this January!  I cannot believe that the 1st of 6 quarters is already finished and behind me!  There were times this quarter that I really wondered what in the world I had decided to do ... and then I went to clinicals.  While I know there was SOOOO much more I could have done in clinicals, it really just inspired and encouraged me that I am on the right track!  What an incredibly powerful experience it was!

One of the things that we've talked about in class is "What is your self-care?"  Well, you all know that I love to bake!  So, I did do a lot of baking during the year.  It doesn't take but maybe an hour and so I would do that and share with my classmates!  They often begged me to please do self-care on the weekends! :-D Since being on spring break I've had some fun with baking, too!  Today I had Ivona over for her birthday and I included 3 of our friends and their kids.  I made these DELICIOUS scones and these awesome mini quiches.  I have to say, the quiche says it makes 10 muffins, but I got about 22 out of this recipe!!  I can't imagine the size of muffins those must have been! So my freezer is stocked with plenty for during the next school quarter!  Oh, and I used green chilies in mine!  So yummy!

Today is very grey and wet, so now that the house is quiet, I think a good book might be in order.  But maybe I should do a chapter of math first!

Good to see you again!