Ellen's Blog

Vermont Cookie Love

Sat, 01 May 2010 14:06:46 -0400

Recently my fiance brought home some cookies from our local health food store (Healthy Living). These cookies were like nothing I have ever had. As a baker I tend to be picky about which baked goods I like, they really must be of the best quality. Anyway, these cookies were baked by a locally owned company Vermont Cookie Love. Long story short, if you find Cookie Love cookies in a store near you do not be put off by their high price tag because they are totally worth it!

The poster to the KDP conference

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:02:11 -0400

The poster to the KDP conference

Memories

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:32:35 -0400

Memories are a weird thing. When do life experiences become memories and not current events? I was asked for a homework assignment to recall some of my own memories and it got me thinking not only about my past but about what memories mean. I grew very upset emotionally when recalling even happy memories because the fact that I will never again be in that wonderful moment. All I have left is to remember what it felt like to be so happy. I’m not saying that I’m not happy currently but I am saying that there is very little in my life that trumps the sheer joy of being a child. Anyway, this got me to thinking about when memories become memories. I have had great experiences within the past 3 or so years but I still catalogue these as current events, not as memories. Will remembering these times bring back as much nostalgia as remembering my childhood many years down the road? I guess I will have to wait and see.

Another thing that my memories got me thinking about is how do people enjoy their lives when they grew up siblingless? ALL of my memories revolve around my brother and the things we did. Okay, not all but I’d say about 95% of my memories are ones created with him. I have memories of independent times like reading my library books and I have family memories. But by far my favorite memories are the ones involving Scott. Life was and is so much more fun with him around which always provides for a good memory. But his lack of presence also provides for some bad memories. One of the things that I remembered were our family walks during the spring, summer, and fall. It was not the actual walks or the places we went that I remembered but the year that Scott stopped coming on those walks. I know now that he had just grown out of family time but I remember the hurt and personal rejection that I felt, as if his rejection of the walks was a direct rejection of me. It is those feelings that I remember on top of the feelings of acceptance (times when his friends weren’t around). I begin to wonder, how can happy memories be so sad? I guess that it’s part of being human.

Isn’t it funny how things that don’t seem important during their happening become some of your best memories. The every day experiences and the routines that you followed for summers on end. I guess it is our memories that separate each and everyone of us. Our memories are how we view the world because someone could have stood in the same location looking at the same thing at the same time but they could have internalized the event so completely different than you. I wonder what my brothers memories are and I wonder if any of them involve me.

That is all. Hopefully you all will all recall some great memories.

And I have become much less wise

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:00:08 -0500

So I got my wisdom teeth out this morning and I’m feeling some pain. The pain is being treated with some ibuprofen and a nice cold milk shake. Anyway, my biggest fear (besides not being so wise anymore) is that something goes wrong and my stitches fall out too early or I do something stupid.

I am staying hydrated and keeping a nice bag of ice on my face but I do hope that some day soon I feel normal again. I want to be able to eat pizza and bagels and veggies. As much as I love ice cream, pudding, milk shakes, and jell-o, I am not sure how long I can survive on liquid food. Geez, I wonder how babies feel!

Well, I am off to go watch some more television, not like that is any different from what I have been doing since 11 o’clock this morning.

My Web Quest

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:49:11 -0500

My Web Quest:

This is the web quest that I created for my Kindergarten class. It is about working together. I would love feedback!

Beautiful stained glass at the Montreal Notre Dame

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:42:13 -0500

Beautiful stained glass at the Montreal Notre Dame

School thus far

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:39:46 -0500

Hi all, sorry for the long (almost two months) break in posting. Since December I have started a new semester at school and I have taken up babysitting. Both of which I absolutely love. School keeps me much busier than I would like but I guess that is what you get when you’re dedicated to school work. Sometimes I wonder how people can feel so okay with incomplete work. I have a hard time sleeping at night when everything is not done and checked off the list. Oh well. One class that has been no work and is 100% fun is racquetball. At UVM we are required to take at least two gym classes and racquetball is my first gym credit. Other than gym I am also taking my practicum classes as well as a phonics class and an environmental history seminar. All of which are great.

However, I decided it would be a fun idea to take this weekend off. I usually have a four day weekend so the fact that Presidents’ Day is this Monday didn’t really make a difference for me but it gave Tristan a three day weekend. Anyway, we decided to head up to Montreal for some good old city adventure. I always think that Burlington is huge but then I go to some place of a much bigger size and I am blown away. I love the city. I love city transportation, I love all the activity, I love the restaurants, and I love people watching. However, I am glad that I do not live in a large city. I was sitting in a coffee shop watching a homeless man beg for money. He followed people down the street and he washed car windshields expecting money in return. All of this made me nervous. I understand that homelessness is a big problem and that people who are fine upstanding citizens become homeless because of one circumstance or another, especially now, but I always have to wonder how someone of around the age of 30 becomes homeless. Is it drugs? Is it alcohol? I wish that I could help. I wish the money that people give is used to buy food or saved to have a warm place to sleep but somewhere deep down I really question that. Homelessness is such a cruel area. You cannot get a job because you have no place to get clean, you have no phone for employers to call, you have no address for mail to be sent to, and worst of all you are going through a rough and depressing time in your life.

Homelessness is not something new to me, we have many homeless people living in Vermont but none of this degree. I wish that all people could have a place to live and a warm meal on their plates at least once a day but I know that’s not going to happen. Anyway, this particular person watching experience made me think. This man was there and I was watching him like a play, each of us in our own separate world. I was so interested but sad and scared at the same time. It was really quite a scene.

This is the wrapping paper I made!

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 19:25:30 -0500

This is the wrapping paper I made!

Wrapping Paper

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 19:20:27 -0500

Hi all, I hope that everyone is having a bearable holiday season. I had my own fun today when I made my own homemade wrapping paper. I came up with the idea late last night and today I got the supplies. I went to Staples and got packing paper. I then stamped pictures on the paper and wrapped all of my presents. Not only was this cheap, I think I’ll have enough paper to last me for the rest of my life for under $3, but it was fun. It is also green because the paper is recyclable and biodegradable which is all fantastic.

On a much colder note we got 11.4 in. of snow last night and this morning which really kicked me into the holiday spirit. It is now 4 degrees outside and we’re are waiting for another storm tomorrow. I also just made homemade fudge (dad style) which always reminds me of the Christmas time.

My brother pulling me behind his snowmobile

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:12:12 -0500

My brother pulling me behind his snowmobile

Not the best picture, sun is in our eyes, but just wanted to...

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:35:38 -0500

Not the best picture, sun is in our eyes, but just wanted to prove that we went snowboarding! This is what we do when Tristan takes a day off :-)

Happy December

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:00 -0500

Hi All! It is now December and it sure felt like it earlier this week! Monday the windchill was -15 degrees when I woke up, burrrrrr. I am looking forward to more snow however. Tristan and I went snowboarding a couple of times this past weekend and even though conditions were not great it was fun to be out on the mountain.

On an even happier note, I am done with school. I still have one class tomorrow but it’s a wrap up class so no real thought needs to be put into it. I have no finals and I am done with all final projects and papers. I now know more about Frances Perkins than anyone would ever need to know. I feel so excited yet at the same time kind of stunned. I have been chugging along with school all semester I haven’t had time to breath and now, all of a sudden, I have nothing to do. Not that I mind this one bit for the time being (I will probably become bored in a matter of days).

I have not yet become bored because I have cleaning I can do. I found my self scrubbing the shower floor today. I cleaned the bathroom (yuck) which is my least favorite job. I can’t believe I now have time to keep things orderly. I think the apartment looks odd without ten children’s books strewn across the living room floor and a frenzy of rubrics on the couch.

Hopefully now that I have more free time on my hands you’ll be hearing from me more often.

Well, I guess we’ll see how vacation turns out. Time to relax and go do some laundry.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:59:16 -0500

I hope that everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving and that the vegetarians of America can survive the day. I am in the process of baking two pies (apple and pumpkin) neither of which are my finest work but hopefully they turn out fine. I feel like I just ended battle with the crust, it did not want to stay together! I also have to make dinner rolls sometime either today or tomorrow. I have not decided when to make them yet.

I also have to do some projects today so that I can just relax after Thanksgiving. I have so much work to do before I get back to school. I am feeling slightly suffocated from all of this school work! I know I can get it done it is just a matter of sitting down and finding the drive to do the work. I have a list looming over the desk of all the things I need to get done as soon as possible and it is a very long list.

Anyway, I hope that everyone has a great next couple of days.

I have not posted a picture in a while. Anyway, I love this...

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:51:06 -0500

I have not posted a picture in a while. Anyway, I love this picture because it is so simplistic! It is from Brugge, Belgium! Credited to either me or Tristan, I cannot remember

Work to Get Done

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:42:52 -0500

As the end of the semester comes to a quick end (four more weeks) the work I have been putting off has started to create a pile that might classify as a skyscraper! Anyway, I’m feeling slightly lost and stressed out because I have too many things to think about at this moment in time. I don’t even know where to begin to dig in.

Sigh, I suppose I can only look one week at a time. Although, that has started getting mind boggling as well. I have recently been thinking about taking time off, however I know this is not a decision I would ever make because at this point I just want to get school done with. But it is always a nice thought: not to have school for a whole semester! It doesn’t help that I am sort of freaking inside about having only a year and a half to get my act together. Hopefully I will have a real job in that time, this stops me in my tracks every time.

I am one girl who is not ready to grow up!

I am Proud to be an American

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:02:35 -0500

I woke up fifteen minutes early and could not get back to sleep so I got out of bed. Of course the first thing I did was check my computer (I went to bed at 10pm) to see who was our next President. I don’t think excited describes my feeling this morning, on the verge of tears with happiness.

I am proud to say that I voted and I voted for Obama, not that in Vermont that means much. However, America has spoken and I’m glad they opened their mouths!

Relieved and happy I can breathe a sigh of relief!

NY Times: Obama’s 338 electoral votes to McCain’s 158 (America has not only spoken but they have shouted)

Fall Is Coming to an End

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:25:19 -0400

I just came inside from a rowdy romp with my puppy and I realized that the weather has turned colder and the trees have become barren and brown. I am mixed with emotions from happiness to anticipation of winters arrival. The cold weather could mean snow however there is nothing worse then I cold and snowless winter in Vermont. I am looking forward to mounds of snow to build huge snowmen with. I am looking forward to hopefully getting up to the mountain a couple times this year or at least a couple more than last year! I feel like there is too much pessimism in the Northern climates about winter when in reality it is such a magical time of year.

Now of course I think every time of year is magical but that’s just my personality. However, winter is definitely in my top four favorite seasons…haha! I can’t wait for snow machines up at my brothers (cross our fingers) and cuddly nights in after playing in the sparkling white stuff all day.

I think my enthusasim for winter wins over the people who whine and complain about the cold. I always say, it is what you make it to be. Winter can be miserable if that is what you want or it can be the best time of the year if that is what you want. I happen to want to make it the best time of the year and that is how it shall turn out.

I say this now but lets see what I say in February after the coldest and longest winter days!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful blustery day!

He's been stuck with me for three years

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:54:13 -0400

So yesterday was the day that marked the three year mark in my relationship with Tristan. All I have to say is that it does not feel like three years. I would say a whole bunch of mushy stuff about how he is the greatest and how I would not be able to live without him. However, if you know me you know that is not my style! I am able to be on my own, I am independent, plus we all know I am the greatest. I suppose what I can say is that Tristan complements my independence and spunk. He does not complete my life but he does make my life that much better. I am a better person for spending three years with Tristan. I am excited to spend many many more years with Tristan. It is not every day that you find a partner who loves you on your worst days and best days and all in the middle.

So we didn’t end up going hiking but we did go to Georgia...

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:22:28 -0400

So we didn’t end up going hiking but we did go to Georgia and Tristan played his guitar again. It was beautiful but oh so cold!

October

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:44:47 -0400

It’s officially October and I am super excited! As of October 20th Tristan and I will have been dating for three years! October 31st is one of the greatest holidays and many important peoples birthday. October also, usually, brings cool temperatures, some rain and beautiful fall colors. I think I am planning on hiking this weekend and if I get any good pictures of fall foliage I will be sure to post.

I hope everyone enjoys the start of the best time of the year, fall! Wake up and smell the crisp fall air and hear the crunching of fallen leaves. It makes me one happy girl!

On another note, I just wanted to let people know that Tristan will be playing is guitar this evening at muddy waters (6-8) and his brother in-law Brian will have is artwork displayed. So if you are in the downtown area you should stop by!