Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas filled with family, friends, and Christmas cookies.  We spent an amazing week in the Smoky Mountains and are now enjoying time in Gainesville.  Happy Holidays!

Snow Day

Last weekend, in the midst of cramming for finals, it started to snow.  And it kept snowing... for over a day. 

FOUR inches!!

Being the true Floridians that we are, Hubs and I bundled up in some ridiculous clothes and headed outside for a snowball fight.  For once in my life, I completely kicked Mike's tail in something.  He will even admit it!

this was after just the first few hours of snow



see? snow covered. I win!

 After M admitted defeat, we decided to bring Pouncey out for some play time since he'd been attacking snowflakes through the window all day.  He was so funny eating and digging in the snow and chasing the flakes as they fell. 

Mike began throwing snow balls at him.  He desperately wanted to catch them and would dig in the snow looking for them after they landed.  Too cute!



It's not quite as funny as his kitten video, but he's still pretty darn cute. 

Schrodinger

If you've talked to me at all this past semester, chances are good you've heard one (or five) complaints about my quantum mechanics course.  Because I did not get my undergrad degree in physics, I've had to make up a few of the major courses that I missed out on.  Quantum mechanics is a widely feared topic by physics students so I was terrified going into this course having little interest in the subject and not having taken the prerequisites for the class.  It's been an interesting semester scrambling to keep up with the class conceptually and try to find where in my brain I buried my calculus and differential equations knowledge while staying on top of my regular coursework.  Many tears have been shed over this class so I can't tell you how happy I will be today at 5 when my final is over (yes, my final is on a Saturday, boo.) 

Studying for the exam I've concluded that everything we have learned has brought us to the conclusion summarized in these two figures in the book.  I thought I'd share them with you so you could join in my amusement of the subject. 

I figure if I don't know the answers on the exam, I can draw the cat and see how it goes...

Iced Almond Sugar Cookies

Until yesterday, I had never heard of a Blog Cookie Party/Exchange.  I am someone who is affectionately referred to by my Husband as a "cookie monster," so the idea was obviously intriguing to me.  I think the basic idea is that bloggers blog about their favorite cookie recipe and share them in a collective spot for everyone to get some new ideas for the holiday season.  

With the timing of the “event” coinciding with the kickoff of final exam week, I knew I had to make the cookies that serve as my motivation during most of my late night study sessions.  I thought I would share with you my addiction love for iced almond sugar cookies.  Hope you enjoy!

Cookie Dough

2 sticks margarine (1 cup)

¾ cup sugar

1 tsp almond extract

2 cup flour

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

Mix all ingredients.   

Roll into balls and flatten slightly on cookie sheet.   

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. 

Allow to cool on wax paper. 

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp almond extract

½ tsp vanilla extract

2-3 tsp water to get desired thickness

Spoon frosting onto cooled cookies.  Top with sprinkles (because no dessert is complete without sprinkles). 

These cookies have earned me many A’s… let’s hope they pull through again this week!

Thanksgiving Recap

We spent our Thanksgiving break this year in Texas with my big bro and his amazing family.  Our days were filled with lots of play time with the kids, eating too much seriously delicious food, shopping sales (well, that actually started about 3:30 AM on Black Friday), and enjoying our time with family.  I was terrible at taking pictures but do have a few to share!

Blake posing in front of the fireplace with the "Christmas socks"

boys went on a brewery tour in downtown Houston

yum!

brought back some rootbeer

mike and blake playing xbox kinect- I was sore for days from this silly game

more fireplace posing

my favorites :)

roasting marshmallows

our little quarterback- playing at the playground

probably making us some sand dinners

he loves Tebow :)

Thanks again to our wonderful hosts for such a great trip.  We miss you already!

Work it out

After enduring months of my begging nice suggestions, the Mister finally gave in to my endless requests to join a gym.  Apparently, he was planning on giving me the go-ahead as a Christmas gift and when I mentioned that the membership fees at the YMCA were waived until December 1st, he told me to go sign up!  I was so surprised and so thrilled. 

I enjoy running outside but have missed group fitness classes and the motivation from busy gyms that I haven't had since leaving GHFC.  I tried Vanderbilt's gym many times but the limited classes never fit with my schedule and driving 30 minutes each way for a workout is not something I ever wanted to do.  We now have lots of options including a brand new smaller gym a mile and half away and a huge one a few miles farther.  I've been a couple times and love it! I can't wait till Mike is over his horrible cold so he can come with.