I love swimming and my best stroke is butterfly. I have great friends, one of which also enjoys cooking and baking. I am an aspiring pastry chef and want to attend the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park or possibly one of the Johnson-Wales schools. Before that, though, I plan on attending a college like Grand Valley State or one like that for two years because they have an excellent culinary program and a good swim team :). I am also starting a cooking(baking) club at my school. I probably bake more than I do cook. My favorite things to make are cinnamon rolls, bread (I have finally gotten down French bread consistently), Hershey's Sunburst Chocolate Cake, Empire biscuits, pie, this great New Orleans breakfast casserole, and soooooooooo much more. Every Christmas, my mom's side of the family, usually my aunt, mom, and I will bake a TON of Christmas cookies. We make about 12-14 different types and probably 550-750 total cookies. My dad's side always makes fabulous Italian cooking around the holidays-yummy! My tiny Italian aunt makes Christmas/Thanksgiving dinner all by herself- usually 20 different food items! (25 including dessert!) My triumph would probably be finally figuring out how to make great homemade bread by hand. This is kind of general, but I would also say now when I make a mistake with a recipe, I can usually figure out what I've done wrong and try to fix it the next time. When I was younger, I was making chocolate chip cookies, which were turning out great (a rare occasion-I frequently burn the bottom). I made a special heart-shaped one for my mom, which looked so cute, but when I tried to take out the cookie sheet, it fell off and got all broken and burnt. I've also used baking soda when I should have used powder, and vice-versa. I always, always, always burn microwaveable popcorn and still have a ton of unpopped kernels in the bottom of the bag. I made a jello cake and turned it out too early and it crumbled to bits. A really bad one was when I was microwaving chocolate chips and the bowl was cheap. All of a sudden, there was smoke filling up the microwave. I opened the door, picked up the bowl, and it broke in my hand since it got too hot from the fat in the chips. I have burnt way too many things, including my self. At least I haven't set a cake on fire like my mom :)