My beef with baggers

I, Kathryn Renee Mueller, got beef with baggers. I bet you do, too, if you think about it....

It seems like common sense, right? Put similar purchases in the same bag and avoid putting canned-goods with fruits and vegetables; try using as few bags as possible, and for the sake of Mother Earth, NEVER put a single item in one bag because that is just plain wasteful [granted I could fix that problem if I was a better citizen who remembered to bring reusable bags to the grocery store...but that's not the point here]. 

So, what really happens when one goes to the grocery store? Let's take today for example: I was shopping at Walmart because I had to buy a few non-food items. As always, I stood in line and began placing items on the belt, grouping things that I thought should be bagged together - all things in boxes go together, all fruits and vegetables go together, canned and bottled goods together...etc. - it made perfect sense to me. In my estimation, it should have taken about 4 plastic bags. I ended up with about 10.

The question burning the biggest hole in my mind is this: why is it a crime to put non-food items with food items?? I really don't care if my box of tampons is in the same bag as my box of cereal! It most certainly doesn't need it's own bag, and I highly doubt my Mini Wheats are at risk of catching the plague by associating with feminine products. And do you care if your deodorant is in the same bag as your mustard?? I don't. But for some perplexing reason, baggers do....

Oh, the mysteries of life.

Oh, hey 'der. Long time, no blog!

Holy moly, it's been a while since my last blog! A lot has happened during those 10 months of silence. Just to name a few.....

I was blessed to receive an Air Force scholarship for PA school. Just call me Lt. :)

I started dating the love of my life in February, got engaged in April and married in July - my favorite fairytale :)

In the past 7 months, I have lived in 4 different homes, in 3 different states. Holy hell, am I ever ready to be done moving! Yet, I'm guaranteed two more moves before the end of 2013....settling down has never sounded so appealing....

I started rotations. I'm currently in Internal Medicine and loving it! If I wasn't in the AF....I'd be hired! :)

We adopted pup #2 - Bruno. What a doofy blessing he has been. I have yet to introduce him to anyone who didn't fall in love with him.

We also got 2 new rides! Vehicle #1 resulted from an accident where I was rear-ended and the G6 was totaled:

Notice the "Just Married" stickers....

My pretty replacement

And the second vehicle.....a product of having 2 large dogs:

Well, I think that about covers my major life happenings so I'll end with a joke: 

Why did the cookie go to the doctor...?

...because he was feeling crummy!

Haha, who doesn't love a cheesy joke :)

Later gators!

For Valentine's Day

Sorry. I couldn't resist :)

Let's take a poll because I'm indecisive

I should totally be studying right now. But, as usual, I'm finding more fun ways to occupy my time.....like bathing suit shopping for spring break, for example. It's been three years since I bought my last suit (from Walmart), so I think I can justify splurging on something nice.

(This is the part where you enthusiastically nod your head and say: "Yes, Kate, you're totally right. You buy that Victoria's Secret bathing suit!"...and then I will respond by saying: "Okay, good friend, I will!")

Okay, so now that we've cleared that up, I need your help. Should I buy....

...bathing suit A:

Pros: 

• Adorable beading 
• Triangle tops are supposedly the best for unfortunate women like me who are stuck in Tanner Stage 3 (for my non-medical friends....that essentially means small-chested)
• It's orange. I fell in love with the cutest orange bathing suit 6 years ago that I still think about. (Why, oh why did it have to cost $130?!)

Cons:

• I won't look nearly as sexy as Alessandra Ambrosio while wearing it
• Triangle tan lines

.....or bathing suit B:

Pros:

• According to the bathing suit specialists supplied by my google search, bandeau tops are supposedly the best for "boy-type" bodies. Pretty sure I fall in that category...
• That color is AMAZING
• It has a removable strap....aka fewer tan lines
• Cheaper than bathing suit A

Cons:

• A little plain

And the polls are open! Send in your votes!

Skinny love

Surprisingly, I was first introduced to Bon Iver when I was in Uganda. Not surprisingly, the introducers were hipster boys from California. I specifically remember that "Skinny Love" was the first song I heard. And even though the only distinguishable lyrics to me at that point were "come on, skinny love something something here...," I found that I couldn't get it out of my head! And now, three and a half years later, I still can't get it out of my head! I just love it!

I cannot, however, say the same for the best roommate in the world, Amy Luke, who expressed her annoyance at hearing it every time I got a text message. But in my defense, I would like to argue that anyone who has "Save Tonight" as their ringer for 4 years has no room to complain....just sayin' ;)

So anyway, I would like to dedicate this to my dearest Amy. It's been far too long since you've unwillingly listened to this song....

(ps. I love you!)

Oh, and while I'm on the topic of Bon Iver....I'm obsessed with his cover of "I can't make you love me." Check it out:

My greatest invention!

As lunchtime was drawing nearer and nearer, my mind began to wander (surprise, surprise) on what I was going to make for lunch today. I took a mental inventory of the ingredients in my nearly-bare cupbord....tuna, spinach, bell peppers, celery, tortilla shells and a few other odds and ends. So I had the idea....what about a tuna burrito?! "Genius idea, Kate!" I said to myself. But I knew I didn't want the classic tuna...relish, mustard, mayo....boring. So here's what I came up with (measurements are not exact...I just dumped):

3 oz tuna

2-3 tbs mayo

celery

raisins

curry powder

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. minced garlic

dash of cinnamon

dash of ground cloves

splash of lemon juice

Mix it up, slap it on a tortilla and top with cheese, wrap into a burrito and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes and VOILA! Pure deliciousness! Best experiment, ever! Try it!

[I ate it too fast to take a picture. So, maybe next time...]

BIG news!

Starting with the lesser of the two major life changes...

...I discovered the awesomeness that is the ALDI grocery store!

Oh my goodness! How have I lived for 24 years and not known about it's greatness?! And similarly....how does everyone not shop there?! Granted their selection is a bit limited, but seriously, avocados for $1.00!?!?! Bell peppers for $2.00!?! They even have those fancy schmancy scales that tell you your body fat and everything for like $15.00! I'm pretty sure the most expensive item is no more than $30.00. I bought a fantastic 9x13" ceramic baking dish for $6.00!! Are you hearing me, people?! ALDI ROCKS! Who cares if you have to make a second stop at Walmart or Kroger to pick up a few odds and ends. It's totally worth cutting your grocery costs in half! For real, my friends....get on it.

And secondly....

...I WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE AIR FORCE HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM!!! 

WOOOOOOOOOOO!! I'M GOING TO BE A 2nd LIEUTENANT LIKE AMY LUKE!!! AND! Hopefully she will be the one to commission me! How awesome is that?! I feel so incredibly blessed to have received such an amazing gift. I can't wait to begin this new adventure! Praise God! :)

To Whom It May Concern

I'm not this talented....so I'll let them do the singing:

And the world spins madly on...

It has been an eventful break, to say the least....

Montana. Christmas extravaganzas. Catching up with friends and family and a fair share of curve balls to top it all off. Just last night, for example, I hit a deer. I knew it would happen someday. Living where I do it's pretty inevitable, but it was still a shock nonetheless. After three bullets from a policeman, the poor deer is out of her misery but my car, on the other hand, is still feelin' the pain...

Now I'm back in Marietta with moms car and feeling exhausted from the whirlwind of events these last couple weeks....and there are still a few more surprises to come before class starts. I wouldn't object to another break to recover from this one. But hey, "the world spins madly on" (credit to The Weepies for their lyrics) and all we can do is make the best of each day.

This isn't The Weepies' song just mentioned, but it's another of my favorites by Sara Bareilles:

(think we have enough guitars at our house?!)

Friends and Mountains

Three hours and twenty-five minutes...

...the countdown to when I will be flown away from Bozeman, Montana and the amazing people that live here. The short five-day visit couldn't have been better and I will leave feeling even more in love with this place than last year. Even as a warm-weather person, I would love to call this home. Unlike the gloomy winter months in Michigan and Ohio, Montana is alive as ever during this time of the year. The sunshine and beautiful mountain landscape draw people outside to play, in spite of the cold. There is just so much to do! Check out all of the awesome things we did!

Day 1: a beautiful hike through the foothills, followed by a Holsinger Christmas party with great food, great drinks and great company (one can always expect a good time with the Holsinger's...especially when there is chicken jalapeño soup and homemade eggnog involved)

Day 2: I LEARNED HOW TO SKI!!! ON THIS MOUNTAIN!!!

Day 3: Amy Luke got here! And we went snowshoeing on this mountain:

THEN! we went swimming at a hot spring where we were served beer and organic pizza. SO COOL! AND THEN! A girls night out on the town!

Day 4: Hanging out in downtown Bozeman, followed by another beautiful hike up what Katie Holsinger called a "hill"....yeah right! Then after hiking this so-called "hill", we had to catch our breath with drinks at a local brewery and a yummy dinner at home.

Day 5: After a battery malfunction with the Jeep this morning, Amy made it to the airport on time and the Holsinger's made it to work. Now I sit here waiting to go home. I look forward to the holidays with family, but I will be sad to say goodbye to my friends and mountains. Until next time, Montana....

Free entertainment

I'm a very proud mommy of the cutest dog ever. The fact that I love Gabbie is a well-established fact that I'm not afraid to share with anyone and everyone. She's the best thing to ever happen to me...

...and this is one of the many, many reasons why I love this silly girl so much (sorry its a bit dark):

How am I supposed to study for my Pharmacology final with such cuteness taking place in my living room! But I must admit, it's a welcome distraction.

(I was hoping I would catch her burying her toy in the couch. Some days, she will bury all of her toys in the cracks until her nose bleeds from covering them up with her pretend dirt....cracks me up!)

A Cry

No matter what or where I am in my walk with God, this song always convicts me to want more....

For what do I have if I don't have you, Jesus? What in this life could mean any more? You are my rock, you are my glory, you are the lifter of my head.

These are a few of my favorite things!

I had 4 exams this week (yuck), with 6 more to go before break (double yuck). But since it's Friday, I'd like to take the opportunity to focus on a few things that make me happy :)

Like this lovely Trader Joe's advent calender! Mmmmm chocolate and Christmas spirit. I love it! (A big thanks to Meredith Hester for this great gift!)

Another favorite is served in a long-stem glass that contains red wine. Yup. I foresee this happening in my near future....

I've also been ambitiously seeking/trying new soup recipes lately. They're perfect for the cold weather and are great for a quick and healthy meal for the entire week. AND I can drink wine while cooking them! Winning! The one below is by-far the best I've made so far: Lentil stew with ham and greens. Look it up!

And last, but certainly not least, the thought that I will be in MONTANA in 2 WEEKS with my favorite girls Katie and Amy makes me VERY happy. We have lots of girl-time to catch up on since our last visit :)

One more week!

For the first time since being in PA school, I have free time! I don't have any tests before Thanksgiving break and I hardly know what to do with myself! I made some soup, played guitar, watched Big Daddy, played some more guitar until my fingers hurt, and now I'm at a loss for what to do next except go to bed....and I'm completely at peace with that! However, I'm afraid that all of this free time will only make the time between now and being home-sweet-home feel much longer than I would like. I am already planning my contributions to the Thanksgiving feast....

First and foremost, my absolute, most favoritest dish in the entire world - sweet potato casserole:

I'm pretty sure I could make an entire Thanksgiving meal of this dish alone, but since it's not Thanksgiving without turkey and stuffing, I also found this recipe that I can't wait to try - mushroom and rosemary stuffing:

I'm generally not a huge fan of stuffing (gasp!), but I'm hopeful that this fun twist on a traditional recipe will change my mind. And then to top things off, I simply MUST have the best apple pie on the face of the earth. It's granny's special recipe and you'll never taste an apple pie to rival it. Mmmmm....I can't wait!

Of course during all this gluttony, I will be so very thankful to be surrounded by my amazing family. It's crazy how being 5 hours away at PA school makes me appreciate my time with them more than ever. I can't wait to be home. :)

I'm on a roll!

Yesterday, I confessed my severe lack of motivation. BUT! After a great day today, I am feeling very motivated to stop being so unmotivated! As Coach Otterbein unrelentingly quoted at the beginning of every single morning practice, every single year (and I'm sure the football boys are haunted by this): 

"This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good, but what I do today is important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it! When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something that I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, and not loss; good, and not evil; success, and not failure; in order that I shall not regret the price I have paid for it." 

So let me tell you why today was a good day:

1. I made it through another exam in PA school (although, at this point, tests hardly seem to faze me anymore). 
2. I had previously spoken with Marietta's head track coach about getting back into competition-shape while also helping him out at practice. So today after class, I got to strap on the ol' sprinting spikes that have been sadly moping in my closet for the past year and a half. I must admit that after so much time off, I was a bit terrified of the outcome - but I was very pleasantly surprised to find that I've still got it (well...some of it)! And it felt soooo GOOD!
3. I was already in a great mood after running, but the night has continued to get better and better as my phone continues to ring. First, a conversation with Heidi about her latest trip to Gulu, followed by a much-needed catching-up with Mrs. Anna Dunham. I've said it before and I'll say it again a million times more....I have the greatest friends in the world. So if anyone else wants to call, I would be more than happy to chat :)

And this is completely unrelated to all of the above, but I recorded another song today....so if you're not already bored by the rest of this post, maybe you'd like to listen to some Norah Jones - Sunrise.

I'm singing! I'm in a store and I'm singing!

Lately I've been doing a very good job of procrastinating and being, well....just plain unmotivated. It has involved a lot of movie-watching, ipad-playing, house-cleaning and guitar-playing. I should be studying right now, in fact, for my test in the morning. Yet, here I sit playing guitar and blogging. And although I'm not Buddy the Elf and I'm not really in a store....I am singing!

So here is my all-time favorite Ingrid Michaelson song - Giving up. In my opinion, there's just nothing better than some Ingrid to make your day a little bit better.

And while I'm fearlessly flaunting my very humble musical skills (that kinda sounds like a tongue twister), here is another favorite by A Fine Frenzy called Near to You.

"It's the people..."

...but not the townspeople (aka "townies") as the Hillsdale welcome-sign implies. In fact, if you were to judge Hillsdale by the quality of most townies, you may not leave with the best of impressions. But if you were to base your judgements upon the character and community of Hillsdale College, the statement truly maintains it's integrity.

I believe I will always remember my four years at Hillsdale College as one of the best experience of my life. It is where I learned the value of education, where I practiced my love of track, and most importantly, where I met my closest friends. I've become much more appreciative of all of this in the year and a half since graduation. Now that I'm in the "real world" and outside of Hillsdale's comfortable bubble, I've realized that the people of Hillsdale College truly are of a unique variety.....


And all of this just to say that it was great to be back for Homecoming with the people that I love and have shared this amazing experience with. All the hugs and shared laughter was refreshing, even if I am feeling a bit nostalgic in the aftermath. So to all my fellow Hillsdalians, thanks for making Hillsdale College the best school in the nation (Yeah, I said it...we're the best and I don't care if it's arrogant). I look forward to seeing you all next year!

Hocking Hills

Have you ever had that feeling after having 6 exams in 10 days that you just needed to get away?! Hopefully, outside of finals week, none of you have ever had 6 exams in 10 days, but I think you know what I mean. 

So this weekend, Clay and I packed up the tent and drove away to Hocking Hills State Park for some R&R and a much-needed visit with mother nature. She was beautiful as ever:  

Cedar Falls

Cedar Falls pouring into my skull....

my mountain man :)

I call this one "droplets," although you can't
see them very well in the picture...

Unfortunately, I failed to get a picture of Clay in his irresistible red onesy that he wore to bed...butt flap and all. I'm such a lucky girl ;)

My favorite distraction...

...is a kid in church :)

I simply can't resist when their little eyes turn around and give me a shy smile. It's so serious that I should probably avoid sitting near children on Sunday mornings. No matter how great the message, I never fail to spend more time flirting with an adorably innocent baby than listening to the Word. ESPECIALLY when little guy, Eobe, is in sight:

Eobe is the Ethiopian name that means "Job." He is the adopted son of an elder my church and I simply can't seem to take my eyes off him! This morning he was happily driving his toy car all over his fathers face while I sat watching in complete rapture and joy at his preciousness. 

Yes, I am a complete sap, but it is the children who will receive the Kingdom of Heaven, right? Therefore, the more I love kids the closer I am to God, right? I think that's pretty logical reasoning. Good enough for me, anyway! 

Cowboy baby

IT'S FAIR WEEK!

Growing up, I lived for the fair. "Fiske" french fries, snowcones, elephant ears, concerts, the fair-dance, horse shows, crazy carnies, and a whole week to run around like hoolagans with friends. It's like summer camp for hicks, and it wouldn't be fair without a summer romance....

So during this fair-week, I'm especially excited to have the honor of dating a Texan (note: I kinda like dating him during all the other weeks as well). We planned on attending the fair rodeo tonight, and in honor of the occasion, I convinced him to "get all Texan" for me....

When he put on those ostrich-skinned boots and pearl-snap shirt, I thought, "Oh, yeah....that's my cowboy!" :) 

I'm sure he's going to kill me for this, but he's too cute not to show-off...