Spring Break 2k13 Recap

I didn't go on a Spring Break trip. I went home, to Rochester, for ten days, and even though I would have preferred warm weather and a beach, I did a lot of things while I was home and took some big steps.

To begin with, Friday I picked Bridget up from school and we went to Dunkin so I could experience my first croissant. I wasn't allergic, but to be honest, it wasn't as delicious as I had expected. Nevertheless, I made progress with trying new things.

That night, I drove up to Buffalo to surprise Andrew. Funny story--he didn't know I was in my way and stayed at the gym extra long because he thought I was running late, and I was stuck on his front porch for about 30 minutes. Oops.

Since I have been begging to go to Niagara Falls since about 10th grade, Andrew took me for a day trip on Saturday. It was so nice to see it up close. It is really pretty, after all.

On Sunday when I came home, I went to Trader Joe's with my mom and picked up--among other things--sunflower seed butter. As I posted about before, this was a major milestone for me, and has now become a major obsession.

Monday, Tuesday and Friday I worked a few shifts at Hollister. Not so fun. But, since I will be getting paid next week, it was a little bit worth it.

Tuesday I went to the dentist by myself--major milestone, and got my hair chopped off. (Not really, just an inch of damaged ends, but it felt like a lot).

Friday night, after an emotional heart to heart with my mom and sister, we went out to eat at Dinosaur BBQ to celebrate Bridget deciding on her first choice college--LeMoyne!

Saturday, my mom and sister and I had a semi-ladies day, where we shopped, got our eyebrows waxed and went to the liquor store (lol). I also tried sushi with fish in it (salmon and tuna--my usual used to just be a cucumber roll). And I lived! And liked it!

Saturday night, my dad made a Mario Batali short rib recipe that I'm obsessed with now. But honestly, I'd eat anything if it was from a Mario cookbook.

Also on Saturday, I sucked it up and let my mom highlight my hair. She does her own every month, and my super picky sister trusts her, and I was so desperate to lighten up my locks I agreed. And now they're all better and not so drab-looking.

Although I didn't go away, this break was great for a lot of reasons. I got to spend a whole weekend with Andrew, which was wonderful. I got to make money which was great. I got to relax sand catch up on sleep, which I desperately needed. But I also stepped out of my comfort zone a bunch of times, and I'm really proud of myself for that. I know they're just baby steps, but they were 20 year old fears that had to be dealt with. And the best part? Nothing went terribly wrong. I sucked it up and made it through, discovering new things I love along the way.

Sunflower Seed Butter

If you follow me on Instagram, you've seen the biggest thing to happen to me in basically 20 years. I ate Sunflower seed butter.  EEEEEEE.

I have been very allergic to peanuts ever since I can remember. I've never tasted it.  I've also been an anxious ball of nerves for just about as long.  For years, I've kept my distance, refusing to eat anything that even reminds me of a nut. But this week, I gathered all my courage and bought a jar of sunflower seed butter.

I had my first bite, my first "PB and J," my first "peanut butter" and toast. And I lived! It's the weirdest thing.  I'm almost 21 years old and I've just lived a whole life without ever eating peanut butter, and I never realized how much it impacted me, until I could finally join almost everyone else on the planet.

[caption id="attachment_363" align="aligncenter" width="392"] My first "Peanut butter" and Jelly sandwich[/caption]

Via Instagram

It was like I was six years old again, realizing that I was missing out on something so common with everyone else.  After I tasted it and realized it was safe, I sat at my kitchen table making a list of all of the things I never got to try that I could finally experience.  I sat down and had a "PB" and J sandwich and I just felt so normal.

Not that I haven't lived a fulfilling life sans-nuts, but being able to not feel like some kind of outcast that people are afraid to get near with their fluffernutters was a totally new feeling. Not to mention, going near and eating something so much like the peanut butter that I've been afraid of so long was a major  step for me.

Yay for feeling normal (finally) !

And, on a side note--I made everyone in my family eat some to confirm that it tastes like peanut butter and is a viable substitute for me.