Wednesday 11 June 2014

Almond Sugar Cookies

After making almond milk, once finished straining you're left with almond but pulp. I didn't want to throw the pulp out so I decided to make sugar cookies using them.

I couldn't find a recipe for the cookies without then using dates and I'm not the biggest fan of dates so I made one up.

Cream 1/4 cup of butter

Add almond pulp, I had about 3/4 cup, but it would have been better with more. (Freezing the pulp works well too because it'll last a long time!)

I added a tbsp of honey, then added about 1/4 cup white sugar.

About a cup of all purpose flour was added.

Now mix!

Roll into balls, then press them flat gently. Or you can use a cookie press.

I baked mine at 350°F for about 14 minutes! Then ate them with a glass of almond milk. 

Results:
The cookies were still raw on the inside, but the bottoms were browned enough that I couldn't place them back on the oven without burning them.
I'd probably try lowering the temperature and toasting the almond pulp before using it. Maybe look at a sugar cookie recipe and alter that a bit.
All in all, the cookie doesn't taste half bad while it's only half cooked.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Butter or Margarine
3/4 cup (more or less) Almond pulp
1 tbsp Honey
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour

Directions:
1) Cream sugar and butter together, add honey, almond pulp and flour and mix well.

2) Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes. 

Grandma's Brooch

Finally finished grandma's brooch! Hopefully it makes it to Korea all in one piece!

26 gauge sterling silver rose, a pearl in the center, with a stainless steel tie tack on the back. 

Monday 9 June 2014

My Buried Life Project

Video:

Author's Note


          Seventeen years, nine months, and eighteen days; that's how long I've been alive.  In that time, a lot has happened in my life.  I've done things I wanted to do and things I didn't.  Soon I'll be graduating and that makes me think, what do I want to do for the rest of my life, what are all the things I've been able to accomplish so far, and where will all these things take me?  With all that in mind, I was able to create this bucket you see below.  Within the bucket list, I have one hundred times I hope to accomplish before I die. There are some things that I can proudly say I can check off the list, and there are others that may have to wait a while until I can begin them.
          Life's an interesting topic.  There are so many things people want to do in life, and so many things we aren't able to accomplish before we die. In my life, I find that I have things handed to me all the time, but when that happens, I don't always take the opportunity.  Because of that, I miss out on all sorts of things. Everything that's happened in my life shapes who I am as a person, even in the tiniest way.  Within the list below, you could probably pick out a few different themes.  One would probably be creativity.  I love making things, it's always been a passion of mine to craft and make things.  I guess the reason for that started when I learned that I couldn't exactly draw using some paper and a pencil.  So giving up on that, I decided that there are others ways to be creative than just on paper.  Art is all around us, whether you consider some things to be art or not.  I took up band classes because I loved music.  Music class in elementary school was probably always my favourite class.  I was also in the school's choir until middle school hit, and even then, although I didn't take choir, I took choral (which is basically choir, but as a class instead).  Music has always been a big part of my life, for many people it is.  It's a way of expressing your emotions through a whole new experience.  All different forms of music are also different art forms.  Singing, playing an instrument, everything.  Along with music I gained an interest in baking.  I love to bake, mostly because it makes people happy.  I love seeing people eat my food and smile.  Lately I've been moving away from the baking aspect of it all and more into the presentation.  Decorating cakes has got to be a new hobby I've picked up.  People eat with their eyes first, and if something looks pretty, people will probably want to eat it more.  I also love seeing their expressions as they look at the cake I made.
          I'm not sure what will happen in the future and I don't know how much time I have left.  I wanted to make a list of things I do before I die that are easy to accomplish, but will take me on a journey. My list consists of things that I am able to accomplish in both short terms and long terms.  Everything on my list are things I've always wanted to do, and things I recently decided would be a good and fun idea.  Thinking about one hundred items seemed difficult at the time, but the second I put pen to paper I was on a roll.  I got forty things in one sitting and it didn't take long to fill the rest of the list up.  When I sit back and think about life, I start to realize that we're not exactly given a lot of time.  Sure it's expected that each person lives to be around eighty years old, but of those eighty years, I've already finished over seventeen, and most of my life I'll be busy working, starting a family, etc.  That means that there won't be as much time to check off everything on my list as I hoped.  That all being said though, I hope to be able to make time in my life to accomplish each and every one of these items on my list.  It may be a long road and there are probably going to be some things that I never finish, but it'll be a fun and satisfying road.

What Now?

          I have my list, I have my one hundred things to accomplish before I die, so now what?  How do I get started, and where do I start?  In my list you may find that a theme within would be adrenaline.  I'm a huge adrenaline seeker. I love that thrill you get.  Sure right before everything I begin to second guess and freak out about it all, but it's always a lot of fun and I'm always so glad I did it.  Like number fifty, I want to live my life with little regrets.  I can't say that I want to live life with none, because that's probably impossible.  There are already things I've done that I regret and there's no way to turn back time.
          There's one place that I've always wanted to go to, and that's Canada's Wonderland.  You don't have to go through the hassle of flying out of the country and you still get to have a great time!  I chose to place "go to Canada's Wonderland" on my list because I found out that I was getting the chance to do so!  I recently won gold in the Skills Manitoba Competition which meant I would be able to go to Toronto.  Within the itinerary was to go to Canada's Wonderland! I was really excited and added it to my bucket list because it not only is something I've always wanted to do, but it's something I can proudly say I've accomplished and can check off.  This past Friday, I got my chance to complete this item on my list.  On Friday, June 6, 2014, I was able to go to Canada's Wonderland and I had a great time.  We walked around in a group consisting of four teachers, Mr. Yak, Mr. Bilous, Mr. Rogowy, and Mr. Cardinal, and four students, Andrew Land, Lauren Slegers, Will Laterveer, and myself.  It was an awesome experience.  We went on as many roller coaster as we could.  Sadly we only had about two and a half hours to go around, but luckily it wasn't a busy day and the longest we waited to get on a ride was ten minutes.  Usually with everything else we were able to get on right away.  We all went on the Leviathan and the Behemoth too which was scary and a lot of fun! Lauren and I sat together for quite a few of the roller coasters holding hands and screaming the entire time!  It was probably one of the best few hours in my life so far.  We all had a ton of fun, and everyone had gone on every ride we could.  I backed out on the Mega drop though because it's just a  ride I can't take, but while they were doing that I went on a different ride on my own.
          I'm so happy I got the chance to finish something off my list and I'm grateful for the experience.  It was a blast spending the time with friends and people I know.  During that experience in Toronto we all became closer and good friends.  Canada's Wonderland was a fantastic experience and I hope to go there again some day with my family.

My Bucket List

1) Plant a Garden
2) Make it out of high school alive! (Complete June 26, 2014)
3) Build my own house
4) Renovate a house to sell
5) Have a picnic in Assinaboine Park in my grad dress with friends
6) Go skydiving
7) Go bungee jumping
8) Make a two or three tier decorative cake
9) Finish making a brooch for Grandma (Complete June 11, 2014)
10) Get over my fear of spiders
11) Get married one day
12) Finish playing the game Persona
13) Learn to apply make up
14) Be the "mom" for the day
15) Make a sundress
16) Build a funky couch
17) Pie someone in the face
18) Get my own place
19) Buy a car... Any car that looks decent and works
20) Finish a painting
21) Make stained glass
22) Hopefully place at Nationals! (Complete June 7, 2014)
23) Go to Canada's Wonderland (Complete June 6, 2014)
24) Travel to Italy
25) Send a note into the sky
26) Make a time capsule to open up in 10 years
27) Go back to Korea to visit my cousins and grandparents
28) Learn to play piano successfully
29) Learn to play the guitar
30) Start a family
31) Make ice cream successfully
32) Begin my retirement savings plan by age 20
33) Go rock climbing
34) Meet the Duggars, Gosselins, Jones'
35) Cook food over a bonfire
36) Sleep out under the stars
37) Write a book
38) Write a song
39) Make a documentary about something exciting in my life
40) Start a fire from scratch (Without the use of a lighter or matches)
41) Make a kite that works
42) Be on Runningman (A reality Korean TV show)
43) Learn to read, write, and speak Korean
44) Get a tarot card reading
45) Change a person's life (For the better)
46) Finish a knitting project
47) Become a cake decorator
48) Become a jeweler
49) Play Sims and finish a life from baby to old age
50) Live life with little regrets
51) Invent a cool machine
52) Start a detox diet for a month or two
53) Create a recipe (Complete June 11, 2014)
54) Plant a tree
55) Read 5 books in 10 days
56) Find out what happened to my Flat Stanley from grade 4
57) Start a pen pal
58) Live with a roommate
59) Hold a penguin, preferably a little blue
60) Visit my elementary school
61) Visit my middle school
62) Break a vase
63) Burn my school work
64) Fill a pillar full of sticky notes
65) Milk a cow
66) Make butter from scratch
67) Take a pottery class
68) Go parachuting
69) Dress my kids in silly costumes
70) Reminisce about the past
71) Sponsor a child
72) Name a star after myself
73) Go on a sky walk
74) Build a cardboard boat that works
75) Catch a fish
76) Go strawberry picking
77) Make my own almond milk (Complete June 1, 2014)
78) Meet Taylor Swift
79) Start a business
80) Take part in a new successful TV show
81) Visit the Seven Wonders of the World
82) Learn a bunch of different illnesses and diseases
83) Get a dog
84) Get a cat
85) Sell something I've made
86) See a meteor shower
87) Visit Niagara Falls
88) Relearn to use chopsticks
89) Make a gluten free dessert that tastes good
90) Take a picture of myself everyday for a year to see the change
91) Get a professional massage
92) Open a coconut on my own without getting hurt
93) Adopt a child
94) Find the perfect mosquito repellent
95) Hold a snake that's taller than me
96) Go to Toronto, Nova Scotia, and PEI to sight see
97) Go to Vancouver to see family
98) Catch a fast moving ball without flinching and screaming
99) Make a photo album full of money throughout the years to give to family and myself
100) Go zip lining

Sunday 8 June 2014

Toronto Day 5

Last day in Toronto. It was such a great experience and everyone there was awesome!  The food was great, and people were great, the city was great. We got the results of the competitions during the closing ceremony. It was awesome!  I was able to win bronze in my category, but honestly, I would have left happy even without placing. The whole experience of going to Toronto was life changing. Although we were only there for 5 days, we felt like a family.

Winnipeg is actually a beautiful city at night will all the lights shining!


Toronto Day 4

Second day of Competitions. Today I was competing as well. It was a long day but luckily after all of it we had the chance to go to Canada's Wonderland!

Here's Everyone but me on the Mega Drop!


Toronto Day 3

Thursday was the first day of competitions. Luckily for me, my category was the only category to compete only on Friday. That meant I had time to walk around the area freely, taking many pictures and videos on all the things I saw. Everyone seemed nervous, but they all did great.
There were so many different categories! It all ranged from media productions to robotics to cabinet making to baking to hairstyling to plumbing!  There were so many more things there!  Taryn Wichenko participated in Job Search, Will Laterveer was in Public Speaking, Lauren Slegers was in Baking, Darren and Benton were in Media, Andrew Land was in Electric Wiring, Lian Pries was in Graphics, Jaden Desserault was in Web Design, and I was in Job Skill Demonstration.

While waking around there were a few "try a trade" things going on and I got the chance to plant strawberries and I was able to take home!



Wednesday 4 June 2014

Toronto Day 2

Today was orientation day for the competition and it was the opening ceremony!  Before all that though, we decided to check out the CN tower! 

Check it out!

We went all the way up to the sky pod and the view was amazing!



After that, we rushed back to the hotel to get ready to ride the shuttle and get to the orientation and the opening ceremony.

Orientation was quick for many people, and after we went to an area where they served good and they had a little dance going on. It was a fun time. The opening ceremony was crazy!  They had lights everywhere and everyone was cheering and there was music!  I felt like I was at the Olympics!

We got home at 9:15pm, and let me just say that I'm exhausted!

So far so good though! Competition for every category except mine is Thursday and Friday, but for whatever reason mine in on Friday. Then Saturday will be the closing ceremony and the metal ceremony!

Toronto Day 1

Woke up at about 6am, ate breakfast, then headed out the door at 6:30am to go to the airport.

We arrived at the airport at 6:55am, and left the port at 9am.

The view was nice.

Along the way we experienced some rough turbulence and Taryn Wichenko screamed and latched onto Will Laterveer. It was quite amusing.

We landed at about 11:30am and went for lunch at the hotel (Which was surpringly really good!) and after we settled into our rooms, we went out shopping in Dundas. The mall there was awesome! There were so many stores and I found a few nice things.

We arrived back at the hotel at around 10pm and headed off to bed.