Plight of Peanut Butter

Kitchen DIY’s generally attribute from two factors:

 1) Having ample amounts of time to recreate traditional condiments from scratch

 2) Finding new use for the Nutribullet. 

I uncharacteristically craved peanut butter and apple wedges as a pre-run snack.  (I am not a peanut butter fan in the slightest, generally I will opt for kale chips - however I am trying to cut back on my kale consumption as I believe I have become a fanatic/ate an entire bag in two days).  To my disappointment, there was no Jiff to be found, however upon further rummaging I found a quite large container of peanuts and decided I would pull out my trusted NutriBullet and create my own.  If only I could imagine the frustrating voyage I was about to embark upon.

I like big books and I cannot lie

Growing older is a trade off.

Shots of hard liquor turn into glasses of wine, on the couch, in pajamas.

High heels and tight dresses turn into sandals and boyfriend jeans.  

Boozing until 2 am on the weekend turns into calling it a night at 11:30 pm (thats generous) on a Friday. 

The nightclub scene turns to the book club scene. 

Maine: Day 5

Our final Maine day.  

I knew it would turn into a day immersed100% in beautiful Acadia National Park.  We began with hiking Beehive Mountain.  At a respectable 520 feet, The Beehive rises above the terrain near Sand Beach on the eastern side of Mt. Desert Island.  When you arrive at the Sand Beach parking lot
and look back towards the entrance, The Beehive is the dominant geological feature. Generally you will likely see people climbing it's face or standing on its summit.

The Beehive Trail is rated strenuous, and is approximately 0.8 miles long. The trail offers diverse climbing climates, through woods to exposed cliffs. There are iron rungs on the ledges due to steep inclines along the face of Beehive. 

Maneuvering along the rungs (or else I would fall off the cliff)

Maine: Day 4

It was bound to happen.  So much hiking, and climbing, and trail blazing.  Someone was bound to injure themselves, or at the least feel a little sore.  Stephen broke his ankle a while back and was feeling the affects after four days of rock climbing.  We decided to take a break from hiking the trails at Acadia, and head into town – the famous Bar Harbor. 

We woke up late, had our coffee at leisure, and went to find an interesting place for lunch (hopefully with no lobsta).  The wonderful thing about Mt. Desert island, is no matter where you are driving on the island, it's inevitable to run into Acadia or any registered state trails.  We actually took a wrong turn and ended up 'lost', however what we actually came across the gem that is Cooksey Overlook.

Maine: Day 3

MY FAVORITE DAY.  THE DAY THAT MADE ME LONG FOR MAINE LIFE AND DREAD OUR RETURN TO SOUTH FLORIDA.

Our first adventure of the day led us to Bass Harbor – home of a large portion of Acadia National Park, located on the Southwest section of the Island.  This was a very chilly morning, with temperatures barley reaching 65°, extremely overcast, and windy.  Bass Harbor Light House is situated amongst a rocky cliff, perfect for an off-path climbing adventure.  

Maine: Day 2

One of the more memorable aspects of Borderlea was the diversity of wildlife that would roam the property.  Some mornings around 3:00 am, a Red Fox would prowl the yard searching for a vixen with a mating call which sounded as if a small child or woman were being brutally murdered.  While this was the most fear inducing noise I could imagine waking to, it was neat to witness something on such an intimate level; as in directly outside our window.  

A doe would frequent the lavender fields around dusk and allow us to get within 20 feet to take her picture.  We would later discover that she had given birth to a couple fawns in the field, hence the reason we saw her so frequently in one particular area.  

Maine: Day 1

Our first official day in Maine began with us exploring Two Lights State Park in Cape Elizabeth, situated a little outside Portland.  Two Lights offered rocky cliffs, shoreline, and an amazing view of one of the most photographed lighthouse in the world.  Little did we know, this view would pale in comparison for what was to come.

Book Nerd Nirvana

As a teacher, we are entitled to certain perks; lengthy vacations, an endless supply of coffee mugs, and the opportunity to take your students to magical places (mostly within our imaginations).  This past week my 5th graders and I were fortunate to physically travel to a magical place - Islands of Adventure at Universal Studios.  

<3<3<3

 As a chaperone, I hand selected a group of five students to look after throughout the trip whom I knew would feel enriched from more than the thrill seeking aspect of the park (I can't ride roller coasters like I used to).  I wanted my students to experience the thrill and wonders of books becoming a tangible world to explore and astonish.  From Dr. Suess, the Marvel Comic Series, Michael Chrichton's Jurassic Park, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - this was an ideal place for my students to experience first hand how vital is it to fall in love with books.

I have not been shy about my love for all things Harry Potter, and this field trip allowed my true colors to shine through. While I am not permitted to encourage my students to read any of the seven Harry Potter books in school (protesting parents have deemed the series controversial due to wizardry and magical themes),  I did explain to my students how my love for Harry Potter all stemmed from The Philosophers Stone and never ceased to grow.  

Can't travel to Harry Potter World without my Gryffindor Backpack 

 My students said the best part of the trip was experiencing my happiness while exploring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, recalling events from the series, and speaking to park employees in character reprising their roles.  I also spent much of the day explaining major plot lines of Jurassic Park and encouraging discussion on science exploration, what types of consumers each dinosaur would have been, and searching for our favorite Dr. Suess quotes in Suess Landing.  I could feel how excited these kids were to see the words and characters they've spent so much time reading come to life right before them.  

 I hope that the majority of people who visit Islands of Adventure are die hard book fanatics like me and my five students - Whether it's for Jurassic Park, Spider Man, Dr. Suess, or Harry Potter.  Forget all the rides and roller coasters, IOA is truly meant to be nirvana for book nerds seeing their favorite tales come to life.  

What I'm Reading - Fahrenheit 451

"Do you know why books are so important?  Because they have quality.  And what does the word quality mean?  To me it means texture.  This book has pores.  It has features.  This book can go under the microscope.  You'll find life under the glass, streaming past in infinite profusion."

Ray Bradbury's dystopian novel set in the not too distant future focuses on the censorship of books and firefighters who do the incinerating.  As depicted in the novel, fast cars, violent youth, shallow and invasive television programming, intolerance, and substance abuse characterize society.  

Without giving away major plot lines, this book resonated as such a profound read due to the small population of intellectuals who vowed to keep books alive.  Each member memorized a few chapters or entire books in hopes to one day help mankind rebuild themselves around literature and uncensored thought.  

Head Lamps make the best book lights 

I finished this novel in one day - a very light read which will leave you pondering the terrifying implication of a society where it's illegal to read. 

Up next.. Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar

-xx

Soulful Sundays

-xx

Pho-Venture

Part of my reality is that I’m A L W A Y S on the brink of being sick.  My colds never fully develop, or never fully dissipate – I blame the 46 ten year olds I hang out with on a daily basis.  So I’m really interested in brothy soups like miso, or my two favorites Pho and Udon.  This past week I've consumed these soups consecutively. 

{Pho} 

A Vietnamese broth soup with thin linguini shaped egg noodles, thinly sliced beef, bean sprouts, scallions, and basil leaves.  The best part about Pho is the beef.  The broth is served boiling hot with the thinnest slices of raw beef- they’re essentially paper-thin.  The broth cooks the thinly sliced meat right in front of you so the soup is infused with the delicious fats from the beef.   The soup is served with an overflowing plate of basil, sprouts, jalapeño, and lime wedges, and a separate bowl containing the broth, meat slices, noodles and scallions.  

So much beef you can't even see the noodles! <3

{Udon} 

A Japanese soup with the longest, thickest, softest wheat flour noodles I have ever tasted.  Traditionally Udon is served with seaweed and chopped scallions, known as Kake Udon.  I have been on a beef kick and opt for the Niku Udon (Udon, Beef, Scalion & Seaweed) or the Kare Udon (Udon, Scallions, Sliced Pork, Seaweed)

Those noodles though 

Notice the color of the broth - I add so much Sriracha to my soup I have to beg for extra broth to dilute the spice

Both are priced within $10-$12 and each have distinct flavors and textures.  I would die to have a hybrid of Pho herbs and spices with Udon noodles, and all the sliced beef I could imagine :)

At the honey Pig in Atlanta - Korean BBQ 

Shout out to  my bro Brian Mott for introducing me some of the most amazing food I've ever had - still haven't found Pho better than my first bite in Atlanta <33

xx Katie

I LOVE Coconut Oil

I’ve discovered the best kept secret – buy coconut oil and use for EVERYTHING (almost)

I picked up this jar from Whole Foods for about $7 and have used it in place of a variety of items:

-       Use as a deep hair conditioner 1-2 times per week

-       Soften cuticles

-       Rub on knees and elbows

-       Mix with a little brown sugar for an amazing body scrub

-       Swish in mouth to help reduce gum soreness from flossing (this made me want to die the first few times; it get’s easier I promise)

I’ve also seen a few people share an article about ‘Oil Pulling’ on FaceBook.  I verified the validity of Oil Pulling through Snopes, and determined it most likely would not cure my hangover, detoxify my body, or rid my skin of any trace of blemish.   

Nonetheless, coconut oil may not cure any medical ailments, it is still an all-in-one beauty product I swear by.

-xx Katie