North Carolina

Hello from…

Hello from the Outer Banks of North Carolina!

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I’m on vacation with my parents and sister. I just wanted to pop in and share some pictures!

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Before I even left for vacation, Jimmy drove out to my house and gave me a care package for the trip (sorta like I did for him when he was working a few hours away for a week). He included all of my favorite things: sun block, peanut butter, snacks, gum, stickers, and Sharpie markers. He’s the sweetest. I’m glad he doesn’t judge me for loving stickers at age 20.

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Hannah and I watched Eclipse during the nine hour drive from Pennsylvania to North Carolina.

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I’ve been enjoying plenty of raw oysters.

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My mom loves sipping coffee on the deck of the beach house we’re staying at.

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I love the deck because I can hear the ocean while I read my Bible.

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Hannah looks older than me. Nothing new about that.

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I played skee ball in the local arcade and turned in my tickets for stickers. Best. Prize. Ever.

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We’ve been saving money by packing lunches each day. Tuna and turkey sandwiches for the win! Yes, my nickname is Stitch.

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My dad is in fishing heaven. I spent about 30 minutes with him in the fishing aisle in Kmart. He was so “in the zone” that he didn’t know I took this picture.

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Cookies have been baked. Coffee has been thoroughly enjoyed.

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The scenery is absolutely breathtaking. I just gape at everything.

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The fish are biting.

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Lastly, what kind of journalism student would I be if I didn’t read the local newspaper?

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Well, that’s all the pictures I have for now. I can’t wait to take more because I’m going to be going on some fun adventures this week.

Where is your favorite place to vacation?

Pretzel Chicken + Updates

Hey there! I promised to share the pretzel chicken recipe I mentioned in my last post.

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Pretzel Chicken with Honey Mustard

Ingredients:
2 cups coarsely chopped pretzels
12 chicken tenders (about 1 lb.), halved crosswise
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup honey

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees . Place the crushed pretzels on a large plate. Set a rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Thread a piece of chicken onto a 6-inch skewer. Repeat with 23 more skewers. Brush the chicken all over with 1/4 cup mustard. Roll each chicken skewer in the crushed pretzels to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
2. Bake the chicken skewers until cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir the honey into the remaining 1/4 cup mustard and serve on the side, for dipping.

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I also created a doggie meal for Lola on Saturday! It’s really simple and only requires three ingredients that most people have in their kitchen.

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Potatoes, Carrots, and Eggs

Ingredients:
2 small potatoes, peeled and chopped into small pieces
2 carrots
2 eggs

Directions:
1. Cut carrots into small pieces. Place potatoes and carrots into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 8 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain and cool the mixture until room temperature.
2. Crack eggs into a small bowl and whisk. Microwave for 30 seconds, and stir to mix. Microwave for another 30 seconds, or until eggs are set. Cool until room temperature.
3. Combine potatoes, carrots in eggs, and serve!

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Three life updates:

#1. My brother moved back to Pittsburgh and is getting married in July!

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My brother and his fiance, Racquel

My older brother was living and working in State College, PA and moved back to Pittsburgh about a week ago. He bought a duplex in a suburb outside of Pittsburgh, and is getting married in July. He’s also going to begin working with my parents for our family’s real estate business. So now, instead of living two hours away, he now lives about 15 minutes away from my family! I am so happy to have him back home again.

#2. I’m doing my internship. 
I’m not going to go too in depth about my internship until it’s over, but I’m writing, researching, and editing for 30 hours a week. It’s challenging, but I like it and the experience I’m gaining in the writing field. I’m learning a lot! I’m also learning that it stinks to work 30 hours a week for free ;-). I’m still teaching spinning, so life has been busy lately!

#3. My family is vacationing in the Outer Banks again this summer!

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I’m so excited to spend a week in North Carolina again soon! Growing up, my family didn’t go on a vacation every summer, so it’s definitely a blessing to be able to go now! I really appreciate it.

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Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Where do you like to go on vacation?!