Rambling Rages

I haven't posted in a few days, longer than it usually takes me to update this post, and I feel like I have so much to say. Of course, at the same time, I feel like I don't really have anything good to say. My mind is all jumbled and twisted up and doesn't quite make sense.

So bear with me on this post and try to keep up.

I guess I'll start with the most recent accomplishment: cleaning the house.

Picture from here.

My family has never been big on chores, just washing dishes, and my dad usually cleans the house. But my parents left for the week and I spent all of today trying to clean the house for my calculus teacher, who's going to stay with me while they're gone. (Yes, I am so nerdy that I actually asked my teacher to come stay at my house for a week. Yikes.)

So far I got the patio, the yard, the living room, and the room where my teacher will stay. Unfortunately that means I still have the dining room, the kitchen, and my own room. I guess I am exaggerating a little bit. My house is actually pretty small, and it hasn't taken that long.

But I'm still feeling slightly overwhelmed. Again.

Cleaning, homework, college applications, ESL classes, and that banana peanut butter cake I've been trying to bake for a couple of weeks now and haven't had time.

I wish I was outside in pretty red leaves...

Ugh. So much that I should get done, and then those things that I actually need to do and keep trying to put off.

On a different note, one of my friends (the same one who commented on my lack of weapon knowledge) is now reading through the novel.

Boy is it terrifying giving him the book.

I think maybe this is an irrelevant picture, but...

He's barely started and already telling me that I need to decide on a time period and stick to it, because apparently it's not allowed to have trains and swords.

What if I like trains? Huh? Doesn't that count for anything?

Goodness gracious, it's a fantasy novel; I'm supposed to be able to do whatever I want!

But I guess he has a point, and I guess I should listen. I just don't want to. I want to keep my trains, and I don't want to bring in guns. Guns are stupid. Swords are so much cooler.

On the plus side, he compared my book to Reckless by Cornelia Funke (Not exactly in a positive way) but she's like my favorite author and I take his comment as the highest compliment rather than the insult he meant it to be.

I guess that's enough raging for today. I'm out, to finish cleaning the house and maybe get some homework in there someplace.

Asian Noodles and Ginger Cookies

Asian Noodles for my family, and they turned out pretty good. It feels a little bit scary actually starting to cook-- like now I really am growing up and getting ready to leave the house.

This is not the recipe I used.

Ginger Cookies for Romans on the Roof, since I forgot to bake a snack the last two weeks and my girls weren't thrilled. I've been slacking, and I almost did today, too. But-- the cookies are in the oven, and this time I have a timer set so that they will not burn!

This is also not the recipe I used.

I also made an Orange Frosty, which was really delicious and refreshing and I think it will be a drink I'll remake in the future. Yay for smoothies and oranges and sugar!

This is still not the recipe I used. But you can use it if you want. :D

Hm, what else shall I blogger you guys about?

We went to youth group with the new church we've been going to, Casa De Fe, and I think it's looking like we'll stay with this church. (We've been church hunting since we got back to Mexico this summer, and it's nice to finally just have somewhere we know we'll attend instead of Sunday morning panic because we don't know where to go to church.)

The youth group was pretty good. We went to a coffee shop and I had a DELICIOUS Chai Frappe. Then we talked a little bit about vanity, but more just asked questions about who was the most vain in the group. And then we played Never Have I Ever, and I lost continuously. Apparently there aren't a lot of things I have never done.

I LOVE Chai!

Never have I ever owned a pet cat.


Ugh. I do not like cats!

Never have I ever gone to the same school for more than three years.

Never have I ever been skydiving.
(But I will; I promise you I will someday.)

So yeah-- and Saturday was another long day of garage sale-ing. And super awful tired all day long. And cramps-- terrible cramps all day long.

And a lot of reading; I have done so much reading this weekend, and on a lot of different books. (Check out my Pages and More Pages for a complete and updated list of what books I am currently reading.)

Okay, okay, my ramble is done.

Oops.

And then there comes that moment.

When all of a sudden you realize that you were so busy blogging about lemon bars that you forgot to check yours. And now the dessert that prompted you to write an entire blog entry about how excited they made you is burned.

Brown lemon bars. Yum.

It's incredible how quickly your excitement can drain away. Just like that. With lemon bars that were in the oven ten minutes too long. Who knew ten minutes could do so much damage?

Lemony Treats and Romans on the Roof

What in the world could be better than eating lemon bars on the roof with a bunch of girls while diving into the book of Romans?

Okay, I guess I can think of some things that might be equally good or better. Like maybe drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows while curled up with a blanket in front of a fire on a cold snowy day.

Or maybe reading a really good book on my bed when I should be sleeping.

Or dressing up in a fancy dress and going to a tea party with my friends.

Or eating a frozen Pinguino and drinking an ice cold Coke in a glass bottle after a long day of school.

Okay, okay...

But seriously, I think the lemon bars in the oven are going to taste absolutely delicious. And we'll have ice tea or hot tea depending on the very bipolar weather. And I think more of the girls will show up this time, although the nine that came to my Bible study last week were still a good group.

What am I talking about? You ask.

Romans on the Roof, my project of the semester- a girls' group where we dig into the book of Romans and see what God does with our talk. It's a lot of discussion, some games, and of course, desserts. I've only had one so far, but I'm still extremely excited, and I think the lesson tomorrow is really great.

The whole thing makes me feel older, too. I mean, I'm leading a Bible Study. Me, myself, and I.
Plus, I get to bake delicious treats every Sunday, and it's so much fun. And while it isn't quite the same as cooking, it'll probably still be good practice for moving out of the house and taking care of myself. Baked goods are a necessity, after all.

Oh, and did I mention that I finished draft 3 yesterday? Shadow Whispers is officially on to the fourth draft, and we're almost half way done with that, too. It's going great, and I am so excited to finish it and move on to the second book. I honestly can't wait, and it's taking all my self control to not just abandon the Whisperers and move on to the Remnants.

There you go. There's what's happening, both on the pages and off.