Don't Forget To Celebrate The Ridiculous!

Girls on the Run!

I have always enjoyed volunteering. As I have become more acquainted with Madison, I decided to find an organization whose passions align with mine.

My co-worker, Christine, is a member of the Girls on the Run of Dane County, Board of Directors.  Christine took the time to sit down with me to discuss what Girls on the Run is all about.  GOTR is an international organization that works with young girls in 3rd-5th grade.  The 10 week curriculum works with these young women to build confidence, self-esteem, and happiness through activities with other girls, ultimately culminating with a 5k event held at the end of the season. 

Last weekend, I attended training, where I met other women who will be coaching in the Madison area.  Each of their stories were inspiring, as everyone has such a variety of reasons for helping young women. 

As part of GOTR, I will be coaching about 15 girls twice weekly.  I hope that I am able to help show these young women all the beautiful qualities that they have to offer.  I am looking forward to making a positive impact in their lives. 

If you are interested in being apart of GOTR in your city, visit Girls on the Run here.

Cheers,

Samantha

Have a Peachy Valentine's Day!

I find baking to be very relaxing.  I throw on my apron, crank up my Regina Spektor Pandora channel, and get in the zone.  I enjoy creating something that doesn't have to be perfect, because it will be eaten anyway.  You can be creative in taste, texture, color, and appearance. 

I had a can of peaches in the pantry, so I decided to go with a "peachy valentine's day" theme. 

Cupcake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Add dry ingredients to a bowl:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 tablespoon of salt

Add these ingredients to your mixer:

1/3 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 can peaches (do not drain) puree'd or chopped finely
1/2 cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
Mix Well

Gradually add dry ingredients into your mixer

When mixed well, pour into cupcake tins and bake for 18-20 minutes

Cream Cheese Icing:
Mix until fluffy
8oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Remove cupcakes and move them to a drying rake to cool.  After cooled, pipe icing and decorate to your liking!

HAVE A PEACHY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Cheers,

Samantha

We're All The Same

I have always loved to travel.  It's the feeling you get when you hop onto a plane to go somewhere new, or the opportunity to taste and see a new culture or area of the world.  I find meeting people and discovering new places as thrilling.  While I can't pick up and travel all the time, I have realized that there is often beautiful people with diversity all around me.

Science is a topic that knows no language, race, or cultural background.  So, when my partner began his PhD, we were opened to the opportunity to befriend people from all over the globe.

Recently, I have found myself spending time with people from Chile, The Netherlands, Japan, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and China.  I have learned about Dutch Christmas traditions, Chilean appetizers, Puerto Rican desserts, and even hand-rolled my own sushi and finished the meal with traditional Japanese tea.

While language can sometimes limit communication, there are no barriers for goodness in human nature.  Too often, we are worried about our own problems, and forget that there is this big beautiful world with millions of people and stories to share.  Many of the people that have helped Madison feel like home, are those who are not from Madison, or the United States!

I plan to continue my intrigue for all things beautiful, no matter the language, race, religion, or background. And while I plan to travel more in the future, Madison is offering a amazing array of diversity in the mean time :)

Cheers,

Samantha