Taking Stock, Vol. XII

Making: ~
Cooking: ~
Drinking: coffee. Miraculously, I suddenly started liking it two months ago.
Reading: not much. 
Wanting: ~
Looking: at Hillsdale College. THEY HAVE AN A. A. MILNE SOCIETY WHERE THEY PLAY POOH STICKS I MEAN WHAT THAT IS MY CHILDHOOD!!!
Wasting: ~
Sewing: ~
Wishing: ~
Enjoying: bragging about my brothers whenever I can. tee hee. 
Waiting: for the leaves to turn.
Liking: ~
Wondering: If I'll pass my driver's test next month. Parallel parking, here we come!
Loving: re-watching my favorite Avatar: the Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra episodes. :)
Hoping: to go see Fantastic Beasts, Dr. Strange (that's my favorite trailer just because of the cape, tee hee), and Rogue One  in theatres. (spellcheck is still idiotically insisting that "theatre" is not a word)
Marveling: ~
Needing: to get into a yoga routine. streeeetch
Smelling: jello in the fridge. My little brother needed to do an experiment a few days ago with jello (something about enzymes), but the little bowls are still sitting the the fridge. Except for the one he ate.
Wearing: dog hair covered socks. Stop shedding, Henry.
Following: ~
Noticing: how messy the kitchen gets when I am the only one who is trying to keep on top of it (the parents are on vacation). Grrrr, can people put away the bread and lunch meat please?
Knowing: ~
Thinking: that Iron man is my new favorite Marvel hero. Aren't you proud of me, Christen? :)
Feeling: amazing now that sweater-weather is here and it rained for like four days in a row. I feel "at home" on rainy days.
Bookmarking: ~

Taking Stock Vol. XI / Links

(oh, hi btw. I'm still alive.)

Making: BREAD. I've been using this fantabulous recipe from Nourished Kitchen. I replaced half the butter with oil because, as much as we love butter, this can become an expensive bread recipe (especially when you use Kerrygold butter) if it takes 1/2 cup every time.
Cooking: ~
Drinking: CHAI LATTES! Homemade or Starbucks (more on Starbucks later).
Reading: Nicholas and Alexandra for AP European History. A colorful and detailed history of the fall of the Romanov Dynasty and imperial Russia. Rasputin was evil.
Wanting: ~
Looking: ~
Playing: All Sons and Daughters and Ellie Holcomb. Apparently guitar music is my jam at the moment.
Wasting: time watching Youtube vidoes. heheheheh.
Sewing: ~
Wishing: ~
Enjoying: my new Pinterest board, "true beauty." It's a good reminder that I should "have courage and be kind" (as Disney put it) instead of stressing out about being skinny or fitting in or whatever. 
Waiting: ~ 
Liking: ~
Wondering: if I will EVER learn to park properly. I mean, seriously, how hard can it be???
Loving: our new scheme to get me to practice driving (yup, got my permit!). Dad shares my love for chai lattes, so we decided that we are going to visit every Starbucks in Lancaster and get some. But I have to drive. So I do, because chai lattes. Duh.
Hoping: one of our week old chicks (Fanny) will pull through. She's been weak since they arrived.
Marveling: ~
Needing: to get into some sort of workout schedule. I had a lot of plans concerning that this summer and poof! they blew out the window.
Smelling: ~
Wearing: lots of Gap. Their jean shorts are the bomb.
Following: Acadia National Park on instagram. My favorite things. 
Noticing: ~
Knowing: how much I love Bible reading once I finally get around to it and that I really should do it more often. 
Thinking: ~
Bookmarking: ~

Taking Stock, Vol. X / Links

Making: coconut milk yogurt! I used The Kitchn's recipe (with a teaspoon of gelatin as the thickener). It's tasty. Also, these muffins. They're like baked oatmeal muffins.
Cooking: nothing, but wishing I had more time to do so.
Drinking: lemon water. In a mason jar. With a straw. Because making things special. 
Reading: Anne's House of Dreams. Also 1984, which is too gray and depressing.
Wanting: pigs! And more pigs!
Looking: ~
Playing: Mozart type pieces. I especially like Emperor Waltz. Also, songs by a Korean friend.
Wasting: ~
Sewing: nothing, but I want to finish a little felt doll for my niece.
Wishing: I could drive already so I could do more of last night; a friend and chai lattes (haha, don't I sound so hip).
Enjoying: doing some of my school outside. 
Waiting: ~
Liking: so many pretty food pictures from Earthly Taste's instagram. 
Wondering: ~
Loving: the sunshine, flowing trees, and the green of new leaves (one of my favorites).
Hoping: to get my permit soon.
Marveling: that God still loves me and helps me up when I'm a bumbling idiot (which has happened a LOT over the past couple months).
Needing: ~
Smelling: ~
Wearing: sweatpants and t-shirts. 
Following: Pine View Dairy's instagram (they have some pretty adorable cow pictures). I'm actually hoping to work there this summer, which will be exciting.
Noticing: what strange faces I make when I'm typing. I should take a video sometime.
Knowing: ~
Thinking: about all the things this school year has taught me. I should do a post about that.
Feeling: excited by all the warmer weather, because  I get to where aaaaall the cute clothes. Like this, these ones, and a couple of these shirts. 
Bookmarking: ~

Taking Stock, Vol. IX

Making: soaked oats from Honestly Nourished. 
Cooking: ~
Drinking: this peach melba smoothie. Okay, so it was more like mango and cherry melba, but it was fantabulous. 
Reading: Anne of Windy Poplars. It's the fourth book in the Anne of Green Gables series. 
Wanting: ~
Looking: through all the delicious smoothie recipes over at Nutrition Stripped. The pictures are so pretty! Saundra, the Stripped Green Smoothie you recommended is looming in my future.
Playing: my Joe Hisaishi station on Pandora.
Wasting: kombucha. There was too much tea for too little SCOBY to ferment, so it grew some mold.
Sewing: nothing yet, but I need to sew button eyes on Matthew's fox scarf as he requested.
Wishing: ~
Enjoying: the extra free time floating about lately. It's amazing how much my day opens up when I don't have chapters upon chapters of reading to do for Omnibus.
Waiting: ~
Liking: the single serving nut butter packets my sister brought us from BB's (the wonderful Amish discount store).
Wondering: when the tradition of sending flowers to girls (before balls and things) stopped.
Loving: the warmer weather! I cleaned the chicken coop, weeded the raised beds, and got some sunshine on my face.
Hoping: I get to do at least half of the summer plans I've been concocting.
Marveling: how much older my nieces look every time I see them! 
Needing: ~
Smelling: ~
Wearing: Under Armour leggings. I'm sort of obsessed....
Following: ~
Noticing: how much better my day feels by getting up an hour earlier. I've been getting up at 7:15ish all school year, and it's fun to see what more I can get done by getting up at 6:15 (for one, breakfast isn't as rushed).
Knowing: ~
Thinking: how strange it is that in a year and a half I will be a senior. :o
Feeling: happy that I have almost four pages of my ten page paper written and I only started yesterday. hip hip hip hooray!
Bookmarking: ~

Taking Stock, Vol. VIII

Making: lots of bread. LOTS of bread. I started a pinterest board (for the foodie in me that doesn't care about "the glutens") full of fancy bread recipes. The boys are quite happy about this latest baking spree.
Cooking: this soup recipe (we left out the ginger). It's real tasty. 
Drinking: kombucha and Lady Grey Tea (my favorite).
Reading: Tale of Two Cities. My, how gory. 
Wanting: SPRING! Yes, yes, it's only January, but sunshine! Bright green! 
Looking: forward to our vacation this summer. Maine and New Hampshire, here we come!
Playing: Celtic music. I've learned that this stuff makes me feel better (which is a good thing to know, since my moods have been out of control recently--at least it seems like it). 
Wasting: ~
Sewing: ~
Wishing: it would either snow enough to sled, or warm up enough to spend some time outside.
Enjoying: exam week. That sounds really weird, but I only had two exams this week, and I finished them yesterday. I didn't have much school to do at all, so instead I've been baking, coloring, listening to Odyssey (I don't think I'll ever stop), and sleeeeeeping.
Waiting: ~
Liking: working out with Mommy. It's fun to work out with someone else, and Mom's been wanting to work out regularly for a while and now I'll be bugging her about it. :)
Wondering: if we'll really get a dog this summer. My brother and Mom have finally convinced Dad that it would be okay. Any breed suggestions? We're thinking a collie.
Loving: my bedroom. I don't have a "theme color", just gray walls and white furniture. That way I can add all the little knick knacks and mementos I want. I have a lot of pretty rocks, cool jars and bottles, postcards, quotes and verses, and dried flowers. It's so cozy and...me. :)
Hoping: we won't have a power outage this weekend because of the snow. Last year (or the year before) we didn't have power for about three days. 
Marveling: ~
Needing: to practice some of these this summer. Dad wants meat pies for his birthday this year.
Smelling: ~
Wearing: socks, which I never wear. It is pretty chilly in my bedroom and downstairs. Our coal stove only keeps about three rooms warm, heheh.
Following: Mewsings London.
Noticing: ~
Knowing: ~
Thinking: ~
Feeling: like I need a movie break. Mark and I have been watching Pirates of the Caribbean (ridiculously, stupidly funny), but I think I've had enough of movies for a bit (like, I've been averaging three movies a week for a while).
Bookmarking: ~

Taking Stock, Vol. VII

Making: beef wellington. Dad's birthday was on Thanksgiving this year, and that's what he requested. It was an adventure, and turned out wonderfully! 
Cooking: oh, lots. Cranberry sauce, green beans and bacon, the beef wellington, pecan pie, soup, lemon curd...holiday weekend stuff.
Drinking: hot chocolate.
Reading: these Royal Diaries I loved when I was younger. I don't have the whole series, but they all look interesting.
Wanting: to make clove-oranges today. 
Looking: forward to decorating.
Playing: Christmas music, because that's legal now. 
Wasting: juices. We got some at BB's the other week, but they're a bit too cucumber-y for me. Maybe I'll get around to drinking them, but they were only fifty cents each.
Sewing: ~
Wishing: we could put up the Christmas tree this weekend, but alas! I have to wait till next Saturday.
Enjoying: sleeping in this week.
Waiting: for Daddy to start this year's reading of "Miracles on Maple Hill". 
Liking: this yummy bread my sister brought over yesterday. She changed it up with rosemary, garlic, and walnuts.
Wondering: ~
Loving: the freedom I feel to toss my plans of working out to the winds, and hang out with my family, cook good food, and stuff my face instead. 
Hoping: I'll be able to get back into the rhythm of school next week.
Marveling: ~
Needing: to find a monologue and sign the contract for my audition that's in a week or so. Yup, I'm so responsible. At least I reserved an audition time all by myself!  
Smelling: evergreens.
Wearing: aaaall the sweaters. 
Following: Butter Nutrition.
Noticing: what a foodie family we are.
Knowing: ~
Thinking: that I totally should have been a hobbit.
Feeling: thankful that all my siblings and their families could be here for Thanksgiving. 
Bookmarking: ~

Taking Stock, Vol. VI

Making: cute labels for our kombucha bottles.
Cooking: lots of chicken stock. We typically roast two chickens at a time, once a week, and make two batches of stock out of the carcasses. 
Drinking: coconut water (BB's score).
Reading: Captain Blood, by Rafael Sabatini.
Wanting: ~
Looking: at Bauman College. I'm very interested in studying holistic nutrition, but not a fan of the new age-y stuff that can come along with it. The Natural Chef and Nutrition Consultant programs look promising, and I haven't found anything suspicious while snooping around their website. Two of their locations are in hippie-central, but they also have a long distance learning option. I've got two years left, but I like to plan. :)
Playing: pop music! I never listen to pop, but I took some of The Art in Life's recommendations (like "Fight Song"), added some of my own ideas (like "Rolling in the Deep" and some Hillsong United), and listened to them while running. Much more fun.
Wasting: time while drooling over recipes. At least I wasn't supposed to be doing anything important (and recipes are important! they inspire, they motivate, they...I'm running out of excuses).
Sewing: ~
Wishing: ~
Enjoying: The Nourishing Buzz podcast. The ladies are fun, the topics are interesting, and they give simple and doable tips. 
Waiting: ~
Liking: Forever 21, Gap, and Loft's petites and X(X)S.
Wondering: if our trees will get toilet papered tomorrow night. The local TP-gang hasn't been particularly active in the past couple years. Maybe they're all in college.
Loving: the trees. This year especially, I'm grateful we live in the country, with hills and hills of beautiful color.
Hoping: for snow. I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again. Not immediately, of course, but anytime after December 1st.
Marveling: ~
Needing: to clean out the chicken coop. humph.
Smelling: nothing. I don't think I notice that sort of thing (plus my nose has been kinda stuffy). 
Wearing: my pajamas until lunch time. Too comfortable and too lazy.
Following: Downshiftology and Honestly Nourished.
Noticing: how much Spanish I actually know when I try to have a conversation.
Knowing: I was much more relaxed with school this week. I tried not to make too many plans and overload my brain, but just got one thing done and moved on to the next, as cheerfully as I could.
Thinking: about all the things I want to make for Thanksgiving dinner.
Feeling: glad I don't have any actual allergies, so I can have something with grains or dairy if I want, and not need a trip to the ER (pecan tart? Don't mind if I do).
Bookmarking: ~

Taking Stock, Vol. V

Making: ~
Cooking: not a whole lot, at least compared to last week! 
Drinking: chamomile tea and chocolate milk.
Reading: the Leviathan series, by Scott Westerfeld. I think this is my third time around. :)
Wanting: to run more, especially outside. Unfortunately, no one else in my family wants too, so I wouldn't have a running partner. Maybe I can bribe someone with cookies....
Looking: forward to when all our mini-butternut squashes are ripe. Stuffed, thrown in a soup, pureed....
Playing: my Pride and Prejudice station on Pandora. 
Wasting: avocados. When Mom and Dad were in England, I kept wishing we had avocados. Little did I know that there was a bag slowly rotting away in the corner. oops.
Sewing: nothing, but I would love to knit little booties for my youngest niece. I don't think I has da skills though.
Wishing: ~
Enjoying: the sunshine of the past few days. I was able to do school-reading outside, which was a nice change.
Waiting: for my analytical essay to come back, butchered by my older sister. Ah well, that is what rough drafts are all about. :)
Liking: all the souvenirs my parents brought back from England (hey, this doesn't have to apply to the internet all the time, does it?). These include little recipe booklets for traditional Welsh and British food, which I'm quite excited about (there's a LOT of lamb involved).
Wondering: ~
Loving: soup I made up last night. I had it for supper, then breakfast, and then lunch! It was just beef with carrots, golden beets, leftover mashed cauliflower, and peas, but I whipped in some dried sage, white pepper, turmeric, rosemary, fennel seeds, red wine vinegar, garlic, and salt. With some chimmichurri and butter to top it off. Delicious!
Hoping: ~
Marveling: ~
Needing: ~
Smelling: honey. See why below.
Wearing: food on my face. I've been slathering raw honey all over my face in the mornings, leaving it on for a few minutes, and then rinsing it off. 
Following: Carrie Vitt, the author of that amazing brownie recipe I linked to last week, and some amazing cinnamon rolls I made on Friday. 
Noticing: the leaves changing color. Gold, rust, and red. The chickens like eating all the berries on the bushes and small trees, too. :)
Knowing: we need to harvest most of the veggies this Saturday (except the kale), since it's supposed to get down to 31 that night. Which means we will have piles of lettuce. Which means I will be eating lots of salad next week. Not that I'm complaining. #saladvore
Thinking: that our chickens are heading for the stewpot. Egg production has dropped considerably in the last few days (even though it's been sunny and warm), and I don't want to buy feed for them during the winter. So maybe we'll butcher them this year and get a new batch in the spring. 
Feeling: pretty good, considering last week's grumpy post. :) PSATs were yesterday. English sections were good, math sections are wanting in...umm...everything. Oh well, it was only practice! School's not as hectic and I think I've got things in order.
Bookmarking: ~

Taking Stock, vol. IV / Links

Making : these delicious fudgy brownies.
Cooking : suppers! Since my parents are over the Pond for their 30th wedding anniversary, I've been in charge of dinner. Thankfully, Mom prepped most of the meat before they left, and the only mishap was forgetting to defrost some kielbasa (we made do with some random ham in the fridge).
Drinking: kombucha. I finally figured out how to make it more carbonated, and it makes a satisfying pop when you open the bottle. :) 
Reading: "Of Plymouth Plantation", by William Bradford himself. Omnibus, yo.
Wanting: to sleep. I have a feeling I'll be mentioning that quite a bit.
Looking: at the computer screen a lot. Between online classes, projects, essays, voice lessons, and random Instagram stalking, I stare at this for hours everyday.
Playing: Hillsong United. At youth group on Sunday we sang "Empires". I really liked it, looked it up when we got home, and proceeded to make a playlist.
Wasting: some arrowroot flour trying to make grain-free tortillas. Whoops.
Sewing: nothing now, but I did sew the ears onto that fox scarf. Finished except for the eyes and nose (and maybe some whiskers).
Wishing: days could be extended to 26 or 27 hours a day, so I have more time to sleep, do fun things, and accomplish schoolwork with minimum stress. 
Enjoying: bahahahahahahaha.
Waiting: ~
Liking: pictures of my parents in England. 
Wondering: how I will deal with all the reading, writing, and experimenting heading my way. I CAN do this, and I WILL do this! 
Loving: siblings. I can call my big sister and talk, have adventures involving (almost) overflowing toilets with my third-biggest brother, and listen to Adventures in Odyssey with my lil' brother.
Hoping: ~
Marveling: at how tiny we are. And that God can find and care about us in this gigantic universe.
Needing: to go to bed earlier. 
Smelling: ~
Wearing: sweaters and socks! It's finally cool enough.
Following: ~
Noticing: ~
Knowing: ~
Thinking: honestly, I'm mostly trying to keep all the due dates straight in my head and figuring out what I need to get done for school. 
Feeling: stressed and nervous about the pSAT in a couple weeks. And about school in general. ugh.
Bookmarking: ~

hmmm, most of that was me ranting about school stuff. Alack and alas, this is my lot in life.

Taking Stock, vol. III / Links

Making : muffins. I've made five batches this week: three of lemon chia-seed, one of blueberry, and one of pumpkin. 
Cooking : tomatoes in the oven. I just had a brilliant, late-night idea that I'm sure someone else has already done. I sliced a fresh tomato, topped it with cheese, and put it in the oven for five minutes. Teeny pizzas!
Drinking: smoothies. Blueberries, pineapple, kale, carrots, lettuce--they all go in.
Reading: all. the. time. Fortunately, we have a treadmill. I've set up a "treadmill desk" and walk while I read. Otherwise I'd probably fall asleep on the coach or chair.
Wanting: a kitten. There, I said it.
Looking: forward to youth group! I've never been part of a regular youth group, but after YXL I wanted to get involved with one.
Playing: "Think of Me" (Jackie Evancho's video). I'm singing this for voice lessons, but the timing is a little tricky. 
Wasting: tea. I'll often make a big travel mug-full for choir or voice lessons, and then I only drink half of it.
Sewing: still nothing. I'm knitting that fox scarf, though. Hopefully it will be ready for Christmas. 
Wishing: We could make it out the Central Market more often.
Enjoying: the feeling of accomplishment. My online Veritas classes started this week, and I decided I was going to concentrate on school all day, and then in the evenings I could check blogs, instagram, etc. It's worked out well, and I don't have those distractions that last ten minutes instead of five.
Waiting: for approval from my teacher to take a class off. Then I can go with my choir to see "Amazing Grace" on Broadway! Love our annual NYC trips.
Liking: pictures of the cutest nieces in the world, as well as pretty pictures my talented friends take.
Wondering: How some people have the time to do stuff outside of school.
Loving: Little Women all over again. I watched the movie on Thursday (I laugh and want to cry pretty much every time. never gets old) and started rereading the book yesterday. If you haven't done either, DO IT NOW!
Hoping: September starts to cool down and we'll have a snowy winter (because I don't have to drive...yet).
Marveling: At the beauty of the crows that have been hanging about. They are not very pretty birds by themselves, but seeing them glide across a still, grey sky is wonderful.
Needing: to cry. Sometimes I get that need-to-shed-some-tears-and-get-out-this-pent-up-emotion feeling. Happens about once a week, haha.
Smelling: a lot of wet mornings. It rained all day today and the poor chickens were soaked.
Wearing: lots of skirts, since I'm doing Skirtember. 
Following: Smitten Kitchen, Caroline Potter, and Urban Poser instagram accounts. Because food! And pretty pictures!
Noticing: the mornings are getting cooler. Maybe it is wishful thinking.
Knowing: everyday is a new day.
Thinking: about all the things I should have done, should be doing, should do. 
Feeling: fairly at peace about above thoughts.
Bookmarking: nothing much. Too much school to do any research, and I use pinterest for all my recipes.

Taking Stock, vol. II

Making: a fox scarf for my brother
Cooking: lots of chicken stock. We have too much.
Drinking: ice water. aaah.
Reading: more Mitford books.
Wanting: a fitbit.
Looking: forward to seeing Joseph (again) at Sight and Sound.
Playing: nothin'.
Wasting: time. duh.
Sewing: nothing, again.
Wishing: our schedule had more room for friends. le sigh.
Enjoying: reviewing Spanish--I didn't forget everything!
Waiting: for the show this evening (as stated above).
Liking: all the birthday cake we've had around recently.
Wondering: if I should sleep or make myself walk on the treadmill. Hmm. Maybe both.
Loving: my littlest niece's sweet smile and my eldest niece's chattering.
Hoping: the hawk doesn't get any of the chickens. He has returned...
Marveling: how similar my Mom and her sister are: the way they pronounce certain words, which words they put stress on, how they play with their hair, etc.
Needing: a nap.
Smelling: heat (when I step out of the lovely, air-conditioned house, that is).
Wearing: cute headbands.
Following: where my stomach leads. Which usually means cheese or something.
Noticing: how hunched over I am while typing this. *straightens*
Knowing: I should be practicing voice lessons.
Thinking: I probably won't.
Feeling: a little guilty.
Bookmarking: articles about GMO's.

Taking Stock, vol. I

Making : plans for this school year. Aaaall the plans.
Cooking : lots of cookies for company this weekend. Oh wait, that's baking. So why are they called cook-ies?
Drinking : Ginger Peach tea, chocolate smoothies, and plain 'ole water.
Reading: A Light in the Window (Jan Karon), The Westminster Confession (a bunch of men a long time ago), and David Copperfield (Charles Dickens).
Wanting: cinnamon raisin bread.
Looking: forward to fall.
Playing: Nothing at the moment. 
Wasting: time on the internet. Instagram is my bane.
Sewing: nothing, but I have lots of things I want to sew.
Wishing: I had some sheep, kittens, or goats (don't tell the chickens).
Enjoying: waking up earlier, which means I get more done.
Waiting: for school to start. 
Liking: ummm...cute pictures of my nieces.
Wondering: Why two of my chickens were squawking frantically yesterday evening.
Loving: the last bit of summer.
Hoping: for a good school year (pSATs--yikes!)
Marveling: at all the truths in the Westminster Confession.
Needing: breakfast.
Smelling: bacon.
Wearing: my fuzzy robe.
Following: Live Simply blog. It's for all those frugal, real foodies out there. 
Noticing: a hummingbird out in the garden.
Knowing: Jesus loves me, this I know.
Thinking: about all the cleaning and cooking I have to help with today. The aforementioned company, you see.
Feeling: hungry.
Bookmarking: cute dresses. :)

----

I thought this was a fun idea. I might make it a regular thing on the weekends, though I'm not putting pressure on myself. During the school year it will be nice to take a break from stuff, sit down, and just review my week.