I've come to realize...

I've come to realize that my hair:  can be a more valuable resource to someone else then it is to me.

I've come to realize that when I talk:  I'd like people to listen to me, not just hear what I have to say.

I've come to realize that I've lost:  the ability to let go.

I've come to realize that I hate it when:  people make fun of things that I take seriously.

I've come to realize that money:  is worth saving.

I've come to realize that when I get old:  I hope I don't regret anything that I did or didn't do earlier in my life.

I've come to realize that I'll always be:  determined to accomplish my goals.

I've come to realize that the last time I cried was:  over something important at the time, but silly now, as I don't remember the situation.

I've come to realize that my cell phone:  keeps me sane during long hours working at camp or sitting in class.

I've come to realize that when I wake up in the morning:  I don't ever want to get out of bed.

I've come to realize that before I go to sleep at night I:  wish there was more time in the day to get everything done.

I've come to realize that right now I am thinking about:  the fact that tomorrow is my last day at Creek Run this year, and possibly forever if I end up working in my lab next summer.

I've come to realize that my life:  has the potential to be full of adventure, if I make the correct decisions within the next few years.

I've come to realize that when I get on Facebook:  I won't get anything productive done for at least a few hours.

I've come to realize that today I will: [ah well, today's nearly over.]

I've come to realize that tonight I will:  bake cookies and watch Project Runway.

I've come to realize that tomorrow I will:  spend my last day at Creek Run playing with my campers and saying goodbye to my friends.

I've come to realize that I really want to:  travel and see the world.

I've come to realize relationships:  are difficult to develop.

I've come to realize that love:  is based upon trust.

I've come to realize my best guy friends:  are determined and set in their ways.

I've come to realize my best girl friends:  are always there for me to talk to when I need to.

I've come to realize that my friends in general:  are paving their own ways, but are still willing to stick together.

I've come to realize food:  brings people together.

I've come to realize that summer:  is too short, and makes memories that are hard to let go of.

I've come to realize heartbreak:  is something that I don't want to deal with any time soon.

I've come to realize that crying:  is a good emotional release, but doesn't actually change anything.

I've come to realize that death:  is final; and nothing can change the regrets that it causes.

I've come to realize that I'm sick:  of feeling like I've let people down.

I've come to realize when I'm bored:  I tend to think too much.

Growing.

This summer has really flown by, and honestly- I'm not mentally prepared to go back to school in a little over two weeks.  Not just for the normal reasons of not wanting to go to class, or eat dining hall food (etc), but because this summer break has really been the only time in over a year that I've been able to spend actual time with my family.  I was traveling over winter and spring breaks this past year, and while it's something I love doing, I think the amount of time I've spent with my family this summer is going to make the transition back into school life more difficult than it has been for me in the past.


We were visiting with family friends earlier in the summer, and one of the adults commented that after this summer, wouldn't I be done living at home, because I would have to stay at school more to do research.  On one hand, I would probably enjoy the freedom of living in my own apartment- and I get a taste of that, to some extent, living in the dorms during the semesters.  On the other hand, however, I like knowing that I still "live at home"; that's still where I belong, and I'm not tied down to some other place instead.


Honestly, I probably won't be living at school over breaks like some people do or expect me to do.  Being at home with my family- as much as I complain about it- is more comfortable and more my style (most of the time).  Even when I am at school, I talk to my mom every day.  The way I see it is, it's growing up but not growing apart.  The independence is nice, but so is having somewhere to go back to.

Food!

Dishes that I've made recently and enjoyed:

Ravioli Lasagna
(This is a dish I've been making for a while.  It's essentially the same thing as lasagna except using ravioli instead of lasagna noodles.  Doing this allows you to eliminate the ricotta cheese between the layers and just use mozzarella (and in this case, parmesan too).  It's just as gooey and delicious as a traditional lasagna.  You can use frozen or cooked ravioli; it takes about 50 minutes to cook if the pasta was frozen, and about 20 if it was cooked first- just long enough for the cheese to melt and start to brown.)

Peaches and Bananas in Cinnamon Chocolate Sauce
(Intended as a dessert; also works as a side dish.  This one was a big experiment on my part, since I just added things to the pot until it tasted good.  A little corn starch thickens the sauce, but the main ingredients in it are cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, and cinnamon.  You can use whatever fruits you want- I just happened to have peaches and bananas handy when I made it.)

Meatloaf on Garlic Bread w/ Red Sauce
(This one I even got my cousin to eat, and she ate nearly half of the dish before my aunt got to try some. That never happens when she tries new foods!  The meat used here is just ground beef, which I seasoned and added BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, and a few other secret ingredients.  I added some bacon to the meatloaf, too, which adds an extra level of flavor to the dish.  Another secret to making this dish taste good is using regular garlic bread and topping it with your own shredded cheese instead of buying cheesy garlic bread- it's much gooier if you do it yourself!)

Tangy BBQ Sloppy Joes

(These started out as Tangy BBQ Sliders, but progressed in idea to Sloppy Joes by the end of Memorial Day Weekend.  A spicy BBQ sauce is the key component to this dish, as are grilled onions and sharp cheddar cheese.  Make sure to drain the meat and then add some extra BBQ sauce before plating.)