Confession

I have a confession to make, I cannot smell... 

I have come to realize that this is a blessing and a curse. It allows me to not smell gross bodily functions, odd odors, and rotten food. However, I do not have the ability to smell all the good things! I feel as if I am missing out on a whole facet of life sometimes. Like I am not able to experience what everyone else is. So many times people ask, "do you smell that?!" and I either happily or begrudgingly reply no depending on if it is good or bad. I am determined to be able to smell. I try really hard and sometimes I think I can, but I wonder if I am just imagining it. Over the years I have come to smell certain things. So far i can smell burning candles, food cooking on the stoves, and my dad's cologne. Just last month I opened the dryer and a huge wave of freshly scented laundry hit me! it was such revelation! I was so excited I didn't know what to do! I kept opening and closing the dryer door to make sure I could actually smell it. So now I can add fresh laundry to my list. And yes, I have gone to the doctor for this and he says that my sense are "maturing," it will just take time (hopefully not too long!). Because I can't smell very well this also means that I do not have good taste buds. I have to heavily season my food in order to fully taste it or else it seems bland to me. This also means that i can eat most foods that people cannot stand because I can't really taste them. When my senses do "mature" I wonder if I will be able to smell all smells or just particular ones. What if they are all good? What if they are all bad? I am praying that it is a mixture or all good! So far I can only smell pleasant smells, let's hope it stays that way!

Bucket List

Essentially, I feel like everyone has one of these whether they know it or not. At some point, everyone says, "I want to fill in the blank before I die!" Writing down your aspirations on paper turns them into goals, makes them attainable, tangible, doable dreams to work towards. There is a sense of fulfillment that comes with imagining the future, as well as crossing off the things that you have done. Some people make a bucket list and store it away. Over the years I have made, redone, and updated my list. Hopefully I will have done most of the things on my list before I too kick the bucket, you only live once right?

1. learn to surf

2. backpack through Europe

3. skydive

4. run through lavender fields

5. scuba dive in Australia

6. deep sea fish in the Caribbean

7. kayak in New Zealand

8. take more pictures

9. see the northern lights

10. learn another language

11. draw more

12. live in a cottage

13. find the best breakfast place

14. see a concert in another country (preferably Mumford and Sons in Europe)

15. run up the stairs of the Empire State Building

16. see a meteor shower

17. find the perfect chair tea latte

18. ride in a hot air balloon

19. run a marathon

20. do the Warrior Dash

21. roadtrip across the US

22. live on a ranch

23. ride on an elephant

24. learn how to ride a dirt bike

25. travel to Israel

Julie & Julia Challenge

There are three things in life that are therapeutic for me:

1. driving

2. running

3. cooking

I absolutely love to do these things and find that I unconsciously think the most while doing them. One thing I have missed this year is the kitchen at my house. I miss cooking whenever I want, making up my own recipes, and cooking for other people. I recently watched "Julie & Julia" and was fascinated by Julie's and Julia's motivation and determination to rise to their personal challenges. They were so inspiring because even though they was surrounded by people that constantly doubted them and told them that they was never going to make it, they never listened. They stood their ground , rose to the challenge, and proved them wrong. Julie promises herself that she would blog about cooking her way through Julia Child's cookbook that contains 524 recipes in 365 days and she did it. Someday I want to make that same promise to myself!

Home Sweet Home

My mother is always sending me packages of photo albums she put together, journals, cut outs in magazines and food that she made. I think my mom is the Queen of Hospitality. When we have people over to the house she wants to make sure that they feel comfortable in every way possible. She will stuff their faces with her good cooking, talk their ear off, make sure they feel at home, listen for hours to people's concerns, and then send them home with leftovers and desserts. Some may think she is trying to put on a show, but if you look past the surface you will realize that she genuinely loves to do this. She doesn't feel the obligation to do it. However, she does want to do it because it brings her and others joy. It's not only the people she loves doing it for, she loves being of service, she loves to help and provide for the people she cares about. My mom has inspired me in more ways than one but I hope that I can someday show this much love to the people I care about also. 

Favorite Dish

I am not the person to have a favorite food. I am mostly the type of person that loves all different kinds of foods and can't choose my ultimate favorite, but this has slowly but surely become my favorite. 

Goat Cheese, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken

original Joelen recipe

serves 4

2 large boneless skinless chicken breast, each halved horizontally

2 oz goat cheese, softened

2-3 slices sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 egg

1 cup breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Pound each chicken breast half thin, about 1/4 inch thickness.

In a bowl, combine the goat cheese, tomatoes, and spinach to create the filling. Season with sal and pepper to taste. Place 1/4 of this mixture on one end of each pounded chicken breast. Roll into a large tube, making sure to keep the filling inside the chicken.

Set up your dredging station but placing the flour in one shallow dish, whisk the egg  in another shallow dish and the breadcrumbs and dried oregano in another shallow dish.

Carefully dredge each stuffed chicken breast in flour to coat. Next, dip the stuffed chicken breast into the whisked egg. Lastly, roll the stuffed chicken breast in the breadcrumbs. Place each coated stuffed chicken breast on a baking sheet and once all are coated, bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.

Modern Swiss Family Robinson

Often times I dream of having a modern day Swiss Family Robinson house when I grow up. It would be complete with various unnecessary yet awe-inspiring features such as: an indoor lazy river, swings, an aquarium, slides instead of stairs, revolving doors, secret underground tunnels connecting my house to my friends' so that we could hang out and see each other, and a huge wall filled with books! This would never happen because if it did I wouldn't be able to believe it and I would never leave my house. However, if it did this is what it would look like...

Life Via Water Slide

This video always reminds me of the days when my friends and I would float down the lazy river. But what if we actually traveled like this in real life? What if we did our everyday activities via water slide? 

First, life would be way more exciting. You could travel anywhere at anytime. You would have an excellent view of the city. This form of transportation is fast and easy. You would never get hot. In the winter they could heat the water in the slides like you would heat a jacuzzi. You would overcome your fear of heights really quick or else you would never leave your house! And the best one, you would never have to deal with traffic or bad drivers ever AGAIN! Barclay did another spin on this advertisement except he traveled on a roller coaster; also an interesting concept. Transportation systems of the future? I hope so!