1 year, 100 posts, and 1 happy blogger!

Today is the one year anniversary of Sweet Somethings and coincidentally also the 100th blog post!

So much can happen in a span of one year: things of greatness, things of sadness, times of great joy and jubilation, deep thoughts, outings and vacations, adventure, love and heartbreak, holiday celebrations, filled with friends, family, acquaintances, picture taking and a whole lot of writing.

You, my loyal readers, have followed me along my finest and not so finest moments, reading, laughing, and even sometimes crying along with me. You even put up with my countless spelling and grammar errors, missing words and run-on sentences.

From one of my very first posts, you were my biggest fans. You continued reading, even when half of it didn't even make sense.

You trusted my baking advice and tried some of my favorite recipes like this and this. You cheered me on when I talked endlessly about all the cool cakes I made in class. And most of all reaffirmed my calling and passion, as I shared in this special post.

You were here listening as I poured my heart out when I was sad or upset about things. Even as silly as letting go of my sweet French student, Tino, last summer. More importantly, when I was thinking back to the scariest day of my life, when I heard my Mom had almost died if it wasn't for my Savior and Protector.  And most recently, having to leave a piece of my heart in Roseville.

Holidays were always followed by pictures and thoughts, which you promptly read along with.
Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, and even Mother's Day, we celebrated together.

You let me talk endlessly about how much I love being a nanny. Reading all about this cool activity and that way of going about things. And always reminded me that I am a super cool nanny ;)

Reader, you were so very patient with me. You let me fuss, whine and talk about how life is just. not. fair. Fussing about people, about how hard I think life is, and finally understanding that it's all gonna be ok.

I experienced a lot of love this year too. In a whole lot of different ways. Here are my favorites, (Mom and Dad get Re-married! Roommate Soulmate Theory) and by the reader count they were yours too!

My loving readers supported my family and I through a big move to Iowa(Home Tour!) and gave a big cheer for me living on my own this summer(Summer Home!)

Most of all, you allowed me to share my heart. My jumbled thoughts about God and the way we should live our lives. You read along as I tried to teach myself  how to be a better follower of Christ and all around person, and while doing so touching your hearts too. Pouring my heart out about love, life choices, and what it means to have humility.

I could never be more grateful for the joy you have brought me by being so loyal. Thank you for every sweet, encouraging, and funny comment you left and even just taking a spare moment to catch up with my crazy life. You are all so special to me. 

With the most love,

Jasmine 

Don't worry.. I really am wearing clothes in this picture. 

Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie

I did it! I did it! I survived double classes! 

After two very long weeks, I finished my Pies and Tarts lab. I was will a bunch of Freshman and one of my favorite chefs, Chef Lavallee. It was a lot of work, a lot less sleep and lots of tissues. Not because I was crying or anything haha. I caught a nasty cold on top of all of the homework and school, and had to suffer through. BUT, I made it and had a great time working with some Freshman!

I dont have a lot to say about all of it, mostly because I am watching the Grammy's and dont feel like elaborating, but I wanted to share some pictures!

Apple Streusel Pie

Apple Pie! 

Peach Pie! 

Strawberry Chiffon ( Not finished with Whipped cream on top) 

Chocolate Cream! 

Lemon Meringue 

Italian Pear, Almond and Cranberry Tart!

Normandy Apple Tart

Chocolate Hazelnut Tart 

Chessecake! 

Fruit Tartlet! 

So, yah, thats about all! 

Also, yesterday I had an interview of sorts with the Pastry Chef at the Inverness Hotel for my internship and she offered my the internship! HOORAY! 

I would love to promise that I will be back to regular blogging, but it probably wont pick up until spring break in a few weeks. Stay tuned for spring break updates, I have some BIG news to tell all of you! 

Until Next Time,

Jasmine 

Beauty in the Breakdown

The hardest thing for me is to find beauty in how messy my life can get sometimes. Today, I had to have a private little attitude adjustment with myself. Kinda like when I would get in trouble in public and my mom or dad would take me to the bathroom to get a little swat on the hind quarters. Obviously, I didn't spank myself but I certainly had to have a heart to heart with the pity party happening in my head.

Side note: A lot of times, I see people post things on Facebook about how their life "sucks" or how they just cant get a break. I get it, I really do cause I've been their more than enough, but I never understood the point of posting it for the world to see. Here's where I might get a little hypocritical though, today I wanted to write about my struggles. Not so I can have your pity, because I surely have enough for myself already ;) But so I can share my breakthrough, my beauty in the breakdown. 

I've been stressed the last week or so, like mucho mucho stress. I think it started with the zit the size of a watermelon on my forehead that is starting to have a mind of its own ( kinda like the kid on Jimmy Neutron who has the talking boil on his face..haha). But it probably more of the fact that this Thursday I start a make-up lab 6pm-12am on top of full time academics and work.

 For the next three weeks, I will be getting up for my first class at 8am and will go to class until 2pm, work 2:50- 5:00pm, then go to class 6pm-12am.  12 hours of school a day... you've got to be kidding me.

In that three week period, I also have 4 essays, 6 tests, 1 group presentation, 1 portfolio due and I need to read a 300 page book.

Accordingly, I also have a very very important interview with Inverness hotel for my internship next Friday and 6 hours of community service.

Can you see why my mind is exploding?

So tonight after I finally got off of work at 7:45, I just wanted to lay in my bed and cry. I felt a sense of hopelessness, defeat and pity. I whimpered a few tears  and told Jordan that there was no way I could do it.

He promptly reminded me that I shouldn't feel hopeless, because I have God on my side and he is my hope. Right on cue, J.

I was being melodramatic, self- indulgent, pitiful, and outright ridiculous.

I started myself a bath, and let myself have 5 more minutes of pity and then spent a little time talking to God.

As I stepped out of the bath, I felt my weight being lifted. I even did a little chant for myself. "You can do it, you can do it! YOU CAN DO IT!" (corny I know)

I also thought of this verse, possibly one of the most used verses after John 3:16 (Go Tebow.. and God)

Why can't I ever trust this verse!? I know it to be so true and yet I let myself believe that life is impossible at times. My God has never forsaken me, why would he start now, when I need him most. 

I see the beauty in the breakdowns of my life when I step back and think about God taking over. I know that my control over things is costing me more than if I would let him have control.. I like seeing it put this way..

I have to continue to remember that He is here to help me through it all, as hard as it truly is. 

I am seriously working on this whole, give God all control and it will work out thing, it take practice weirdly enough. And while God is taking care of everything around me tonight, I will be writing a paper so great that it should be published ( still need a little pep talking, yah know ;)) 

Until Next Time,

Jasmine 

Something Sweet

As I tune out the screaming children, shuffling of those around me and the whimpering dog (yes there is a dog on this plane right now…) I am reflecting on this past trimester,(and how I should have eaten dinner before I boarded). It’s been a quick and fairly painless road. I scoffed as I typed that because this trimester has been the most difficult that I have had thus far.  Like I’ve talked about before I have had issues emotionally and just in general lately. But as I look back, I didn’t have it that bad. I have my school paid for,I have a job, a car, food, a roof over my head and loving friends and family. Do I need more than that?

I managed to scrape by with a B average this term, which I am not proud of. I know some students would pay a million bucks for a B average but I’m not like most. I am disappointed in myself, but sometimes you have to be content with how you life is going, even if that means sacrificing your GPA.  I’m coping, obviously, and I’m not too heartbroken.

Today marked the last day of my sophomore labs. I finished all the labs that looked amazingly daunting last year as a first year, and I feel like I learned a ton. Unlike many of my classmates this will not be my lab though. I have to make up Pies and Tarts this coming term from when I was really sick last year… yippie..  As much as I am dreading having 6 hours of academics, work then 6 more hours of labs in one day, I am excited to be that second year who knows what’s going on and is allowed to be a little bossy ;)

This last sophomore lab was Sugar Artistry. When I saw the second years from last year, I was so intimidated, thinking there is no way that I can make showpiece out of sugar! It seemed impossible. But as I walked through this class this year, it felt natural. I really enjoyed creating a piece from my own imagination and having creative reign over what my pieces outcome would be.

We were required to do two pieces; A pastillage swan and an aquatic  sugar show piece. Pastillage is a sugar dough that you cut out into shapes an allow to dry. Have you even eaten Neco Wafers? Well, those are the same thing, just colored and flavored! Our sugar show pieces were made from many different techniques, from pouring, pulling, blowing, and molded.

I broke down each piece so you could see an example of some techniques.

Pulled Sugar: Pulled sugar is exactly as its named. It is sugar that you heat under a heat lamp in a sugar box and pull. It’s known for its shininess and delicate look. If you couldn’t tell these are Seaweed:)

Blown Sugar: This in my opinion is one of the most difficult processes in sugars. The same sugar solution used for pulled sugar is used for blown. Once again, it is heated under a heat lamp and attached to a hand pump. It’s tricky because if the sugar is too hot or cold it will pop or crack. It took me about a bajillion times to get these three.

Eruption Sugar: This stuff is so cool! Its is a hot cured sugar solution that is colored and poured over ice. It has a mind of its own, but you get the best looking coral ever!

 Poured and Molded: These pieces are poured into molds that I created myself out of clay and then lined with tin foil. It uses the same hot colored cured sugar.

Poured Suagr in Granulated Sugar: This is the same concept as the other poured sugars, but it is poured onto granulated sugar and then covered with sugar until cooled!

Rock Sugar: This is a really cool technique that creates a realistic coral rock. Using the cured sugar, we force crystallization with some royal icing and it explodes and bubbles over into a foamy mess. This is what it looks like once dry.

Here are some poured bases..

I was trilled with my final product. I was the only one in class gutsy enough to attempt a double layered piece.  What do you think?

Chef liked it so much, he asked for to put it into the showcase..

My pastillage piece was far more simple. I chose to say with the classic white and basic styling.

Over all I was overjoyed with my final products and I really enjoyed working with sugar. Maybe that can be part of my future.

Now, I am on my way home. A well needed visit to see my family and friends and be back home for a while. I need to get grounded again and get back to my roots. I really hope being home sets me straight a little.  I’m looking forward to my comfy bed, petting Autumn, sweet hugs from Jack and Chloe, Mom making me laugh and my Daddy holding me in his arms.

Watch out Roseville… I’m back.

Until Next Time,

Jasmine

Silver Plater / Artsy Fartsy

These past few weeks have been rough weeks. I've been struggling with school, work and being very homesick. It hasn't helped that I came down with a nasty cold this week either.

As I wrapped up my last day of Plated Dessert lab yesterday I was feeling confident that I would do well on my practical. Throughout class I was quick, organized and had a clean workspace as I always do. I finished all my products for plating and finished plating my dessert still feeling confident that I would earn an A because of the quality of the work. Confidence must be deceiving because I only got a 81% on my practical. That's like an F. Only to crush me more, Chef practically called me illiterate and told me to get a tutor because I am a poor writer... and then gave me a C- on a project I worked very hard on. You win some, you lose some I guess. In the end I received a B in the class, which I am moderately content with.

Each day in class, we produced a main item, sauce, crunch item, and some garnishes. We had to plate them elegantly. Sometimes I succeeded and they looked great and some not so much. I definitely made progress through the class though!

Day 1 

Main: Chocolate Molten Cake

Sauce: Creme Anglaise

Crunch: Tulie Cookie

Garnish: Whipped Cream and Raspberries

Day 2

Main: Apple Cider Poached Pear

Sauce: Apple Cider Reduction

Crunch:Brandy Snap Cup

Garnish: Cranberry Compote, Whipped Cream, Filigree

Day 3

Main: Cheese Cake and Mango Sorbet

Sauce:Chocolate

Crunch:Chocolate Transfer Sheet 

Garnish:Chocolate piping and Raspberries 

Day 4

Main: Blackberry Chocolate Enterment 

Sauce:Blackberry and Chocolate 

Garnish: Blackberries, Whipped Cream, filigree

Day 5

Main:Sample Plater: Napoleon, Vu la Vont filled with Sabayon, Raspberry Sorbet

Sauce: Strawberry

Crunch: Brandy Snap 

Garnish: Fruit chip, Whipped Cream

Day 6 

Main: Cinnamon Bourbon Ice Cream 

Sauce: Caramel and Chocolate

Crunch: Almond Lace Cookie

Garnish: Whipped Cream, Almonds

Day 7 ( Final) 

Main: Chocolate Hazelnut Entrement and Raspberry Sorbet

Sauce: Raspberry 

Crunch: Almond Lace, Chocolate Band, Chopped Hazelnuts, Isomalt

Garnish:Chocolate piping, sugared Raspberries

After a longggg week in class Jordan and I both needed to get out of school week rut. We had talked about finding some things to do around Denver instead of sitting around the house. So today I planned a surprise date to the Denver Art Museum. We both had been wanting to go and so I picked up him up and off we went. It was driving him nuts not knowing where we were going but he waited patiently to find out. 

Tickets were reasonable and we splurged a few extra dollars to go into the Xu Beihong: Pioneer of Modern Chinese Painting exhibition (sounds intense huh?!), a visiting exhibit with stunning works of Chinese art.  In all the museum was a-ma-zing. The architecture of the building itself is a work of art. They had art for every taste and type, style and shape and even activities to interest kids. As a matter of fact, while we were there, there were 5 or 6 groups of kids going on a tour! Some of the art was weird, some of it was cool and some of it was beautiful examples of ancient art.  We loved all of it. And I fully intend on going back again! Here are a few of my favorite shots of today..

This is a window looking out on Denver! You can see ALL of the Rockies!

Afterwards, I took Jordan across the street to the 7 story Denver Library where we ate our Pb&Js I made for us:) It was a super fun date in the end:) 

Tonight I headed over to the Ladies Basketball game at school with Hails and Emily to show my JWU pride ( haha, hardly..) Us Wildcats are a rowdy bunch. The Lady Wildcats beat JWU Miami campus 97 to 47! You go girlsss! 

Until Next Time,

Jasmine