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Sometimes I really want to blog and I have nothing to say.
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This is one of those times.

An Object Lesson

As part of my job, I am in charge of monthly (sometimes bi-monthly) trainings for the other student employees.  Usually we just spend time talking about new policies, doing case studies blah, blah, blah.  They probably aren't very fun.

This past training was a little different.  We got a little creative.

We split the group into two smaller groups.  One came in another room with me and the other group stayed in the first room.  The first room group did 20 minutes of the "boring training" while the other group and I had a little fun.  

I assembled funny little sculptures ahead of time and handed one to each person.  They then had 20 minutes to write instructions on how to assemble the sculpture from raw materials.  They couldn't use pictures, only words.  Here's what the two originals looked like...

After 20 minutes we had them switch rooms.  Those who were writing instructions went and did boring training and the others came with me.  They then got a bag full of raw materials and the instructions from the others and had 20 minutes to assemble them.  This is what they came up with...

It was quite humorous.  They were all similar but none were perfect.  We had them all come up with ideas on how this applies to our office and they came up with some things that we hadn't even thought about.  It doesn't do any good to try to describe those here but I think everyone walked away with a very practical view on why how we do what we do is important.  

Also, please look at the above picture again.  We have a whiteboard in the back room with funny things people have written in their entrance essays and the one in the middle says "The whole essay: I can solve a Rubiks cube in under 30 seconds."  That's it.  Their essay to get into college.  They can solve a Rubiks cube in under 30 seconds.  This is why I love my job.  Today someone from Bangladesh emailed us a copy of a certificate showing that they achieved 3rd rank in the shot put.... not sure how that qualifies them for college but I sure am glad they want to come here!

I Like to Eat Good Food...a LOT

Sometimes, I eat good food that's not actually good for you.  But sometimes I eat good food that is also good for you!  Here are some of my creations so far this semester...

The BEST BREAKFAST EVERRRRR.  Okay listen up.  Here's a delicious and healthy breakfast.  Vanilla greek yogurt, flaxseed, Fiber One cereal, and fruit...strawberries are my favorite and blackberries are also good...basically any fruit is tasty.  This is like CHEESECAKE FOR BREAKFAST.  I'm not joking.  Try it.  You won't regret it.

More breakfast....  Pancakes.  Can't go wrong with 'em.  For these I used a honey, whole wheat pancake mix and added ground flaxseed.  Then I split the batter and made banana pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes and white chocolate raspberry pancakes.  Don't worry, I did not eat them all in one sitting.

Banana muffins with brown sugar topping.

Soup... No idea what this is called but it's got turkey sausage, zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and onions.  Maybe something else but I forget.

Mom's potato soup.  I've already made two batches.  It's that good.

Misc. Lunches....  Triscuit with tomato, mushroom, avocado and lemon pepper tuna.

TACO FROM THE TACO BUS.  These are the best tacos I've ever had, and ever will have, in my entire life.  I get pork tacos with onion, salsa, cilantro and as much lime juice as I can.  Usually I only eat two in a sitting, but last week I went and got three.  And I didn't regret it.

Dessert...  The best part of every meal.  And every pre-meal.  And sometimes the only part of my meal.  I made these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies one weeknight.  They were gone in less than 24 hours and I literally ate at least 20.  

Valentines cookies!!!  Lauren and I had a cookie decorating party and these are the beauties I created.  And I sent some wrapped in bubblewrap to Ohio.  I'm the best girlfriend ever. 

Annnnnnd this was my indulgence tonight.  Fresh, hot scones topped with a scoop of chocolate peanut butter ice cream.  Thor's Ice Cream by Taco Bell.  $1 scoops and two scones for $1.  So this was only $2...including tax.  Hand them the bills and eat.  It's so easy.  So incredibly delicious.  And so worth the calories.

Welp, there ya have it!  A taste of what it's like to be Abigail's mouth this semester.  It's a pretty rockin' job.

Christmas Shenanigans

Just a normal night at the Tucker home...trying to get something out of a light socket WAYYYY up high.  Eli and Nathaniel are holding the ladder up using ropes...Dad, Mom and Meredith are the base stabilizers.  I just documented it.

(from Christmas break 2012)

I'm In!!

This is my "YAY!  I got into BYU-Idaho face!!!!"

No, it's not from four years ago...it's actually from yesterday.  I saw on the BYU-Idaho Admissions facebook page that they were having a contest to post a picture of yourself with either your acceptance letter or just of yourself with your reaction to being accepted.  There were only three entries so I had to enter myself.  I mean, I have to support my office!!

What's a Pummelo? (And Other Strange Fruits)

I asked myself this very question last week as I perused the aisles of Broulims grocery store.  A large, green-yellow fruit caught my eye.  No one knew the answer.  Since they were only $0.99 per pound, I decided to buy one and give it a shot!  It kind of reminded me of Peru.  We would buy all sorts of fruits we'd never seen before and then try them.  We had hits and misses.  Sadly, some fruits I still never learned the name of.

Me and my pummelo...my pummelo and I???

Pummelos have very thick skin!

And it's pink inside!  The perfect fruit for any real girl.  It kind of tastes like a sweeter grapefruit and a hint of pomegranate...yeahhhhhh whatever it tastes like, it's good!

Peru fruit memories...on film. (Please don't judge our appearance...I apologize to Noelle and Breet for posting these without their consent.  I figured after a year we can just laugh about what we looked like....)

 What we learned to be passion fruit...but we called it the booger fruit.

Tuna...yes, it's a fruit.

The forever nameless fruit...  And even though Noelle says at the end that she really likes it, she didn't.  I don't think she ever ate it again but Breet and I would always buy them. 

This is mostly a tour of our kitchen...I find it appropriate for now.  Also, it is our first Peruvian mango.  The mangoes were DELICIOUS.  I hated mangoes before Peru and still don't love the ones that are in the states, but Peruvians know how to eat a good mango.  PLUS, we could get like 5 good size mangoes for an American dollar.  It's a steal!

I love watching these all together because twice we describe them as mushy apples and pomegranates.  Also, I just cracked up laughing at how funny we are.  Funny looking, funny sounding, funny everything.  It was all so new to us and I'm so glad it's all captured on film!

Catching Up

Why is it that I never blog when I actually have legitimate things to blog about?  And then a month has gone by and I keep putting it off because there is just wayyyyy too much to write about that I can't pick.  I think I'll have to settle for another list of sorts.  This will not be an interesting post, just informative.  For all those who care what I've been up to.

-I'm back in Idaho living at Kensington Manor, where I lived last spring and summer.  I only knew one of my roommates (from last Spring) and the rest were all random.  It's weird how I went a year and a half living with people I knew and the past year and a half I always get brand new ones.  It takes getting used to.
- I left some luggage on the shuttle coming up to Rexburg :(  Thankfully it was just a plastic bag with only a few things in it but I lost a nice pair of jeans, my favorite new sweatshirt, a dress and all my makeup (not like I wear a ton but STILL I went the first few days of the semester makeupless.
- I am working THREE jobs this semester.  First (as always), the admissions office.  I am still a coordinator there where I am in charge of hiring new students, training the current ones, putting together schedules, organizing trainings and everything else I used to do before.  There are two other coordinators with me so thankfully I don't have to do all of that on my own!
     -Job #2: The Wellness Center.  I'm only working here 7 hours a week so it's not a ton.  I do wellness assessments on the students and employees here that consist of things like blood pressure, muscle strength and endurance, cardiovascular fitness, body composition and blood cholesterol.  At the end of the semester I am also responsible to organizing an employee breakfast for BYU-Idaho.
    -Job #3: Kensington Manager's Assistant.  This is also a new job for the semester.  I do a lot of office work as far as filing, placing charges on people's accounts, helping with clean checks, cleaning the lounge and community laundry room, other office work and random things the manager needs help with.
- I have only one class.  Research Methods and Evaluation.  My professor started the first day of class by telling us she was just barely hired and hasn't written a research paper since she graduated college 20 years ago.  Perfect.  This will either be a super easy class or a super hard one...I'm not really sure yet.  I'm leaning towards easy though.
- I was called as the Relief Society President again.  This is take 2 for me in this calling and I'm determined to do a better job than I did the first time.  There are definitely things I wish I would have done better so here goes nothing!
- I am on the Student Services Council again this semester.  I did it last spring but not fall because I didn't have time.  I am the leader over the bookstore section.  We are in charge of doing surveys for the bookstore, organizing a few promotional events, maybe doing some secret shopping...I don't really know yet, I have a meeting with the bookstore tomorrow to figure out more what the heck I need to be doing.
- My roommates are pretty fantastic yet again.  Everyone at work thinks Annalise and I had some sort of falling out since I moved out of my apartment with her last semester but we most certainly did not.  They were great roommates, but I had promised a roommate from Spring, Cindy, that if I were here winter I would room with her.  So I am!
- I found my bag I lost on the shuttle!  It was at the lost and found on campus.  I love BYU-Idaho.  And I love my BYU-Idaho sweatshirt.
- I have bought and eaten wayyyyyy too many chocolate chips since being here.  They are my weakness.  But when you find your favorite brand on sale for $1.78 a bag it is hard to resist!
- I've spent more time on the phone this semester than in the last year.  Whoops.  It'll be worth it someday.
- I've missed my Peru kids...a lot.  One year ago I was there meeting them and holding them and learning their names.  Gosh, why did that have to be so great?!
- My room has managed to stay relatively clean.

I'm out of things to say.  I'll try to be better at blogging....