School, Chicago and so much more....

Where to start?? So I know this is long overdue but I'm just getting around to it! I guess we'll start with school! IT IS AWESOME! I absolutely love it. I won't lie, at times it is frustrating and slightly overwhelming but I really do love it! I have just completed my 9th week of class and I can't believe how much I have already learned! Although I don't really like desserts or chocolates, it's been fun to learn how to make different things. We started out with a week of just basic skills and then we jumped right in to 2 weeks of Chocolate Candies! I know I sent home a bunch and so I'm sure most of you got to try them! If not, sorry! You missed out! :-) Then it was on to a week of Chocolate Showpieces. This was waaaay more fun than the candies!! I never knew all the things you could do with chocolate! It's amazing! I was going to take credit for this beautiful showpiece with the L and say I made it for Lorenzetti but really, Chef Bob made it for his bakery, Lovely. haha. This is really my showpiece. It's nowhere near as good as his but as my first one, it's not that bad!! I think! It is 100% chocolate and completely edible. So after chocolate showpieces we moved on to Sugar Showpieces which was fun but at time it was a little difficult. Again this showpiece is completely made of sugar and 100% edible. Kat thought that I had used cardboard at first but I showed her when she was here that it was indeed not cardboard! haha. The past 2 weeks, I was onto Plated Desserts, with the one and only Chefzilla. She was very hard to follow at times. There are lots of people who are great at what they do but they just can't teach it. She is one of those people. I really only liked 2 desserts out of the whole 2 weeks but again, I'm not a real big dessert person! But I will let you all know that I have learned the infamous "Lava" Cake! I am actually making some for dessert with dinner tonight! I did learn a lot of good information and techniques but I will say that I am glad that section is over. Next week we are on to Ice Creams and Sorbets. I can't wait!!

As for life in Chicago... It is COLD! Cold, windy, rainy, snowy, all of the above! So, I wake up at 3:45am every morning, get ready for school, drive to the train station and catch the train at exactly5am! I ride all the way to downtown and go to school and am there from 6:45am to 12:45pm! I catch the train and come back! It's pretty simple! I just got a job that starts next week and so my afternoon schedule will change slightly but thats about it. To occupy my time on the 3 hours I spend on the train each day, I have been reading. I absolutely HATED reading until my whole loss of vision thing happened, but now thats all I do! I have read 9 books in less that 8 weeks! It's crazy! And they aren't short books either, at least 400 pages or so. That might not seem like a lot to most people, but for me, it's a big deal! Life with Michael and Maribeth is great. We have so much fun. Maribeth and I have even ventured to an adult hip hop dance class! It was interesting to say the least. Michael is an amazing cook and he has gotten me to eat things that before I would have never eaten, like Salmon! And I've eaten more spinach salads then I can count and I love them. haha! I will say that I've stuck to my guns about brussel sprouts though!

As for my so much more..... It's really not too much. But I have been able to see my big brother a few times since I've been out here. I have gone and hung out with him and his friends. It is really fun! All in all things are going good here but don't think that doesn't mean that I don't miss you all like crazy! It's hard and sometimes I cry but I just tell myself that it is not forever! I am coming home March 27-29th. So I will at least be in town for a few days! I miss you all so much and can't wait to see you!!! Love you lots.

Love Always,
Carla Ann