A Long Time Coming

Alright, it's been quite some time since I last posted. I know, I know...no one will ever read this, so what does it matter? Well, for the sake of posterity, I think I'll have to keep up on the blog posts.
So it's officially been four months since I moved to Minnesota! Wow, time has surely flown by! And honestly so much has happened. I started volunteering with a wonderful organization called Cooking Matters, which works with underprivileged adults and children to teach them how to cook better and make healthier life decisions. I'm a chef instructor and have had the pleasure of teaching some really awesome classes. The organization is really awesome and something I totally believe in. Plus I've met some really cool people, gotten more experience talking to groups of people, and most importantly doing what I love most, helping and teaching people.
Which leads me to my next point of my current employment, which is teaching cooking classes. It's at a really upscale healthclub called Lifetime Fitness. I work with a dietitian making lesson plans and teaching people how to cook healthier. It's so rewarding and awesome, people really just soak it up and really enjoy it. I get so much excitement out of teaching people and having them be so responsive!
Well, everyone knows that I came out to Minnesota to go to school, which I've already finished one class out here. I took a chemistry summer course and got an A in the class! I was so stoked. The final exam was based of the national score, which I scored in the 93rd percentile! I was so ecstatic and really reinforced the decision that I made was the right one. It's also amazing because my teacher also teaches organic chem, which is what I need to take, and he said that I did so well that he would sign a waiver so I could take the second section of gen chem and o chem at the same time, which would really help me in finishing my education in the time frame I wanted. Next semester starts in almost two weeks, so then I'll be taking 17 units! I know, I'm crazy, but I need to get this school stuff done, I'm done procrastinating!
I've definitely been keeping myself busy out here, not only with work, school and volunteer obligations, but I've also become quite crafty! My mother bought me a sewing machine for my birthday, so I've been making some clothes for myself and over this break I'm going to make some baby blankets for people in Jeremy's family. I've also been doing a ton of knitting, mostly making presents for other people, and a hat and skirt for myself. I'm planning on making a sweater as soon as I'm done with the baby blankets. I've also been doing random things with felt, making jam and drying herbs. One of the proudest accomplishments, however, has been my lovely garden! Jeremy and I planted a little plot of land with spinach, beets, kale, lettuce and heirloom tomatoes. In the larger garden we have brussels sprouts, beans, peas, broccoli, more tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and peppers. In our little herb garden too, we have basil, rosemary, thyme, two kinds of mint, parsley and horseradish. We also had some rhubarb that I made some amazing things out of. It's been such a blast and very rewarding to have our very own little victory garden.
That also brings me to another point I wanted to make about my blogging. I have a lot of little projects I'd like to share with everyone, so I've decided to do little tutorials on some projects I've already done and ones I plan on doing. So be on the look out for those!

Two Weeks Notice

Alright, so it's officially been two weeks since our arrival in Saint Paul. It's amazing how I've become so acclimated to Minnesota. It's so nice out here, laid back and really pretty. All of the snow has melted and the grass is starting to turn green. In the morning I sit down with my cup of coffee and look out the window to see all of the different birds. 

Jeremy has already found a job! The Monday after we arrived he was looking for jobs and by lunchtime he already had an interview and the next day he got the job. I'm really proud of him.

I'm already in the process of enrolling in school, getting the transcripts and all that stuff out of the way. Hopefully I'll be able to make it to summer school.

But a really exciting thing is that I'm officially a chef instructor for Cooking Matters, which is affiliated with Share Our Strength, a campaign to end childhood hunger. I'll be doing cooking demos and helping low-income students prepare, cook and shop for foods which are healthy and affordable. I'm so happy to be able to help with this program, because it seems right up my alley.

Wish I could put some pictures up, but it's been icky the last couple of days. I'll get some up soon, promise! Until then, I'll be California dreamin' and put up one of my favorite pics of Great Highway.

The Rest of Our Epic Road Trip

After promising more posts over a week ago, I figured its time to finally get the rest of our trip documented online.

Day 9: Friday March 25, 2011

Decided to go up the Columbia River Gorge up to Hood River because Jeremy wanted to fish and heard there was good fishing. The day started out raining, but that was expected. The deeper we went into the gorge the more gorgeous it became. The waterfalls were so pretty.

By the time we arrived at Hood River the rain had subsided, so we took a little tour around the town and found Full Sail Brewing Company.

 Decided to take a little brewery tour and taste some beer.

After our tasting we went up a little further up the gorge and crossed the river into Washington. Jeremy found an epic fishing spot, but the river was a little too high to try to catch anything.

After a long day of running around the river gorge we decided to head home.

Day 10: Saturday March 26, 2011

After sitting around Brooke's house for a while, we decided to hop into the car and head down to the wine country in Oregon. It was so pretty with lots of barns and orchards. Nothing too exciting to write, but really pretty.

Day 11: Sunday March 27, 2011

After repacking the car we finally left Portland after a week. We went to the coast through the Tillamook Forest and drove up to Astoria. Jeremy and I are huge Goonies fans and consider ourselves Goonies as well! There was nothing we saw about the movie, but I loved the town. It was so cute! I loved it there, it was so awesome, I could see myself living there.

But we had to continue on across the mouth of the Columbia river to Washington so we could make it to Olympic National Park before the sun went down. 

We got a little lost, but got back on track to the 101 through western Washington. There were tons of sloughs (soft, muddy, swamp-like region according to Dictionary.com).

After driving more, clearcut logging became more and more apparent. It was kinda sad, but they do replant.

After lots of driving we managed to find a campsite in Olympic National Park right before the sunset. The campground was right on the beach, so we picked a site and immediately headed down to the beach for low-tide right before the sunset. One of the coolest beaches I've ever been to with lots of driftwood. After the sunset we set up camp and had a campfire before heading off to sleep.

Day 12: Monday March 28, 2011

After waking up early at the campsite we got an early start because there was so much to do and see in the park. Of course, we had to say goodbye to the ocean, because we aren't going to see it for a long time.

 Then we drove through the rainforest and made our way to another campsite next to the most gorgeous river I've ever seen. I'll let the pictures say it all.

our campsite

Day 13: Tuesday March 29, 2011

Left early and headed to Seattle. Didn't get to spend much time there because we had a car full of all our worldly possessions and a dog. Spent the rest of the day driving through Washington and the panhandle of Idaho into Missoula, MT.

Day 14: Wednesday March 30, 2011

Driving through Montana is pretty, but once you hit eastern Montana, it is really boring and depressing. But we did get to see Custer's Last Stand, which was our highlight of the day. Drove all the way to Rapid City, South Dakota, home of Mount Rushmore.

hehehe

Day 15: Thursday March 31, 2011

Woke up in the morning to hit up Mount Rushmore. It's cool, but nothing too exciting. But it's nice to say that I saw it, and it brings a lot of people to help out the economy.

 We also got to see the Badlands, which was cool, like a mini Grand Canyon.

We went ahead and drove all the way though South Dakota, which is the most boring drive ever! I've been on a ton of road trips, but that was the worst leg of the journey because there was nothing on the landscape and no other cars on the road.

But we decided to truck on and drove the rest of the way to Saint Paul.

Where the trip ends, but the journey begins.