On the prowl....

   Well hello there again... Been a little while since I have been here. I have been BUSY.
   First off, these last couple weeks have been anything but easy. I think I have fallen into this transition period and finding it tough to be my old self. Just been mopey and icky lately. Reason being- no stability in my job at the tree service in Lincoln. Plus this icky-ness I have been feeling lately has also put stress on my relationship. My boyfriend, bless his heart, has noticed a change in my personality even and it does not make either one of us very happy or ecstatic. Also the apartment is closing in on us too, and becoming just smaller and smaller as we are waiting for our lease to be up... But not until February. UGH.
   So I came up with a BRILLIANT plan last week while looking for the Help Wanted ads in the newspaper and stumbled upon a job fair in Omaha. It was not until the 7th (today) and I found it on Sunday. So I decided that I would stay up here at the farm until at least the 7th and run around the surrounding towns and turn in applications and throw resumes at people and hope and pray something comes up. I have been to town and turned in applications at a local dairy, meat packing plant and a whole bunch of retail spots. Hope hope hope something comes up!!

***UPDATE***
   Got a call this morning from the dairy! Their manager was very impressed by my resume and I go in for an interview tomorrow at 11am. Hopes and prayers go a long, long way when you really, really need it to. I also have to thank my darling boyfriend's parents for letting me stay in their house, eat their food and use their Internet to my advantage. I also plan on making them dinner later on this week ESPECIALLY if I end up getting the job. It will have to happen and I want to make their famous pork and dumplings and it is going to be made with love and appreciation, which makes it even BETTER :D
   Also got the key to our house that we will be moving into as soon as possible, especially if I get the job as well. I could start TOMORROW and move in THIS WEEKEND. I could not be more grateful and thankful for my future in-laws. Both amazing people.

OMG!!

  Oh mylanta, I almost forgot!!

I am loving this fall here in Lincoln, Nebraska and while you're blasting the heat in your apartment (I know I am), and if you suddenly become overheated or just craving something cold and delicious AND incorporates the infamous fall flavor of pumpkin... This Pumpkin Smoothie recipe is definitely something worth looking into making. 

   Homemade pumpkin puree is almost better to use because it has not been processed and there is zero chance of it already being sweetened or have other things in that can possible ruin the taste of the smoothie!! :)

    If you do not know HOW to make homemade puree... There is a simple recipe underneath the smoothie recipe in case you were curious!! :) ENJOY!!

You will need:

• 1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree (almost better)
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

And with this ingredients you will:

Place your homemade pumpkin puree in the freezer for at least 24 hours to help freeze it... You want a SMOOTHIE, remember, not juice. Then take the Ziploc bag of puree out and throw it into the microwave for 1-2 minutes to just soften it up so it will blend well. Throw your milk into the blender and add your brown sugar and pumpkin and blend until its smooth. Then throw it into your favorite cup and sip for great pumpkin taste on your palette. Pure pumpkin bliss, its that simple! :)

PERFECT PUMPKIN PUREE RECIPE...

   Contrary to some beliefs, pumpkin puree is NOT made from the guts you pull out while carving a pumpkin during Halloween... Its made from the actual flesh. Also if you can not find a pie pumpkin (the smaller pumpkins they sell this time of year), you can also use a butternut squash with just about the same end result. I like to be traditional, however, so I try to find a pie pumpkin :) Keep in mind, the smaller the pumpkin, the better flavor but a 5lb pumpkin will suffice and yield about 4 1/2 cups of puree, while a can has about 2 cups. So, basically you can make TWO for the price of one. Hehe.

  Alright... There are two ways to make this satisfyingly delicious (and nutritious) puree... Steam or boil, and I am happy to provide you with both ways.

First, to steam:

Halve the pumpkin, remove the seeds and the stringy guys of the pumpkin. Cut into small pieces and peel each piece. You will not being using the dark orange skin at all. Place in a steamer or a colander, or strainer, that will fit into a covered pot. Either will work. Place over boiling water, cover and let steam about about 50 minutes or until tender. Mash, puree in a blender or food processor, or put it through a food mill... Use in any recipe calling for pumpkin puree... Ahem, see "PUMPKIN SMOOTHIE" above :)

And, to boil, which is a little faster process:

Same as above, halve the pumpkin, remove seeds and the guts... cut into small pieces and peel, once again... Add to lightly salted water, boil for about 25 minutes or until tender.

There you have it... Pumpkin puree AND a recipe you can use it in. You will have a busy afternoon on your hands, but all worth the reward! :)

Onward HO! to Fitness...

   Oh my goodness... I love Zumba. Plain and simple. Even more reason for me to get my personal trainer and fitness instructor certification. This is a couple days late, due to being in almost constant combat with my slowwwwwww computer... Oh well.

   Zumba is something to certainly get hooked into, if you're not careful. In case you have never heard of it, it combines Latin and other different international types of music with a cardio workout. Been trying to go at LEAST once or twice a week with my boyfriend's sister-in-law and we have a blast. It really gets you breathing hard and your heart a-pumping! Even if you have no rhythm at all, it is still possible to get a great workout out of it, as long as you are moving around and attempting to keep your heart rate up. As our instructor says, "Even if you're marching around in a circle, I really don't care. As long as you keep moving." Boom. There you go. 

   It is amazing to me that we have such an obesity problem in this country, when we have options such as Zumba, Spin classes, Yoga, Pilates and other things... To be honest, things like that are only as hard as you make them out to be. AND! if motivation is something you are lacking, think of yourself 5, 10, 15 and then 20 pounds lighter... It is amazing what you can accomplish with that end result in your brain.

   Oh boy, suddenly now I am preaching about weight loss, please slap me... Weight loss and fitness is something that is up to the individual and what they would like to accomplish in a set amount of time.

   Back to Zumba, best fitness class ever created. Period. 

I did it!

   FINALLY!! I did it.. Finally making strides towards getting the career that I want. Planning on heading back to school after our big MOVE to become certified as a personal and fitness trainer. Requested more information at the Northeast Community College in West Point, which is about fifteen minutes from where we will be living! Cant not wait. To be honest, I sorta, kinda miss college... Which is strange for even me!
   Also, I fell into the Christmas spirit a little premature this year... Hung Christmas lights in our apartment and definitely tuned into the Christmas station on Pandora. Holy crap I am hopeless when it comes to this holiday. I tried the "Its not Christmas yet, turn off the Christmas ads til after Thanksgiving", but it didn't work. I am, again, a Christmas goober. Expect more lights going up in our apartment later on in the season... ESPECIALLY after Thanksgiving hits. :)  

Our lovely Christmas decoration... So far!!

I'll update you...

   Oh my goodness where to start! I guess I may as well update what has gone on in the past few months in Lincoln. Or I could start at the beginning... Okay, long story made short-ish... :)

   Well last July (2010)... I went to Ogallala, Nebraska, basically Lake McConaughy, to meet this supposedly great guy I had been talking to online for a little while. He caught my interest a few months back and we got to talking and decided we wanted to meet. So we did.... Anyways we hung out at this about halfway point in between Lincoln, Nebraska and Denver, Colorado for hours, just talking and enjoying each other's company... We did not leave that place until after midnight. On our three and a half hour journey home that night, er, morning, we both decided that we needed to keep this thing going... So we did.

   To make the story even SHORTER... after a few trips back and forth to and from Denver and Lincoln (about 9 months) we made the decision to find a place together to live while he finishes up college and I get out and spread my wings. We found an apartment, found out we can actually stand each other for extended periods of time, not just weekends, and we are now planning our epic, extraordinary move out to the farm. Boom.

   That is where YOU, my family, friends and other followers (I hope!) come in. I am now sitting on my couch in Lincoln, Nebraska updating my exciting new blog, watch my crazy gorgeous boyfriend kick some ass (ahem) at Battlefield 3 on the Playstation... As of today we have now lived together seven months and twenty-four days and honest to God. I could not be happier. This is my life, and I am happy as ever to live it AND! even better, share it all with you...

   So sit back, hit the "like" or "follow" button and prepare yourself for a fun-filled, super exciting ride involving me, my love and our adventures into farm life. I will posting all sorts of things on here from new found interests and hobbies, recipes, maybe some gripes here and there-- but all in my adventures of transforming from a city girl into the farm girl I have always wanted to be... Enjoy :)