End of training means zero work hours.

Trying to grab bus routes before someone else is practically impossible. As a result, I have had way too much time on my hands, and no money to do anything with the time. It seems like most of what you think about when working is vacation and days off. When you actually have those days off...well they are only nice until the money stops flowing and you go broke. No more restaurants and movies for me. As much as it hurts me to say this, school really needs to start up again. I need to work.

On a happier note, I tried to make a picture with my bento today:

The bottom part is supposed to be something like the sun coming up over the trees. I thought it was kind of cute.

おべんとうはたのしです。
おべんとうを食べていますか。
わたしは おべんとう を作っているのが大好きです！

Antipasto.

Summer is almost over! Where did it go? I feel like it just started, but now August is almost here and school will be starting all over again.

I have this posted on the wall in my room. It's just a little reminder that I like to look at every now and then :)

べんとう！

今日のひるごはんはパスタサラダ！

Today's bento came from the left overs of last night. My sister's delicious antipasto salad is one of my favorites. I added in some green grapes with a walnut cup in the middle too. It was a good thing I have such small bento, otherwise I would have probably packed the entire container of pasta for my lunch. It is so good!

Long weekend!

I am running on less than four hours of sleep. What is wrong with me? I guess it is just something about summer and being in college that makes me follow through with poor decisions like that. Most people have really crazy stories behind nights where they were out until 4:30, but not this girl. It was just a relaxing, fun five and some odd hour conversation with a friend. I made snickerdoodle brownies, we watched a movie, and just kept talking after that.

Have you ever had nights like that? You only plan on being out for a couple of hours to finish the movie, and then suddenly time has flown by and it is barely an hour from sunrise. I was tempted to just stay and watch God's work, but since I needed sleep before going to church this morning, I decided it was best to head on home. It is fun doing random things like that sometimes.

I tell you what though, the message hit me hard this morning. I love it when I a sermon is convicting. I don't know if you think that is weird or not, but I just think it helps me to realize the path I am on, and how far it may have strayed from what God has planned. So amazing! We went to lunch after church, and I got to talk to a girl who just got back from six weeks in Turkey. She had a heart for the people and God allowed her to do something about it. We talked a little about her experience, and then got in to my desire to serve at a coffee shop in Tokyo. We'll get more in to that another time. I love talking about it, so I could go on forever.

Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the brownies that I made, but the recipe I used was from a blog called My Own Sweet Time. They were really soft and yummy. Give them a try when you get a chance ;)

White Russian anyone?

I absolutely love going dancing! Especially when my friends come to visit...they actually know how to two-step unlike most of the people who are still in town for the summer.

Yesterday was definitely fun, and we ended up at an Irish Pub to enjoy a good Guinness. Although I do not know how my friend can think any Guinness in the US is good after having tasted multiple glasses from Ireland. I would have been spoiled. Anyway, prior to the beer, I ordered a White Russian. If you have not had one, you should check it out. They are really good when made by the right bartender.

On that note, I have a recipe for those of you who are 21 and up:

White Russian Cupcakes and Kahlua Buttercream
(I got this wonderful recipe from Baked Perfection)

Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 large egg and 1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

1/8 cup Vodka 

1/8 cup Kahlua, divided

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until combined. Add egg and egg white, one at a time. Then add the vanilla, Vodka, and Kahlua. Gradually add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, ending with the flour mixture.

Bake 17 -20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcakes comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Kahlua Buttercream 

1 stick of butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

pinch of salt

3-4 tablespoons Kahlua

Beat butter until creamy, then add salt. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until combined. Add Kahlua 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency.

You should try this out as soon as possible! Irish Car Bomb cupcakes are great too. Maybe I will have to post those up here soon. And I promise I do not usually  have nights like that one :)

Busy, busy, busy!

These last two weeks have been really busy for some reason. However, I am finally done with my first session of summer classes! Thank goodness. The second round starts tomorrow, but this time it will just be Japanese to go along with my job. Let me tell you, driving a bus is a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be. Every time I get back in my truck I feel tiny though. It's weird.

I went to visit my friends at camp this weekend! I love going to see them, but things are definitely different this summer than last year. I suppose that is pretty typical though. Anyway, here are some snapshots of the weekend:

Summer Sunflowers in Oletha, TX

Pistol! - My riding buddy

Sunset on our evening ride through camp.

A mug from the best diner in Van, TX - The Dinner Bell

After the weekend I had to come back and scramble to study for my final while writing a paper, but it was worth it.


Oh and I made another bento for lunch on Monday. Be warned though...it is really sad looking and plain. I wish I would have spruced it up a bit more, but I am short on supplies at the moment. Never fear, one day soon I will have more colors to put into my bento again!

 Green beans on the left, Ramen and a fried egg on the right. The best part is the panda face. Everything else is just sad. Oh well, you work with what you have right? Hopefully the next one will be better.

Be looking for some discussion about grape jelly too. My mom made a batch, and one of my friends made some too. I was allowed to benefit from both, so you might see some photographic evidence on here soon.