Adventures in Heatherland

Saturday night's the night I like

2012-01-29T21:05:00.001-06:00

TJ was home for a quick visit this weekend to take his annual ABSITE exam. Since it has been a month since we spent some quality time together, we decided to head to one of our favorite places for dinner and drinks. It was so nice to relax and enjoy some conversation and good people watching. We ended the night at Urban with some of his fellow residents and being the amateurs we are anymore, we were only good for a few drinks before heading home...and promptly falling asleep on the couch :)

It was a lazy Sunday today. We slept in, did a little shopping, and had a little lunch date too, before TJ had to head back to KC. This stretch was the longest -- only two more weeks before we get to see each other again!

Life as I Know It.

2012-01-24T18:38:00.001-06:00

TJ is finally coming home from Kansas City for a short 48 hours this coming weekend to take his annual ABSITE exam on Saturday. For obvious reasons, I am excited -- everyone keeps asking me if I drive down to Kansas City to see him. I wish. My own work, my clinical rotations, his work, and his call schedule make such a possibility pretty prohibitive. I traded with a coworker so I can have this Saturday off for date night time :)

This work trade effectively made my schedule a little crazy these past two days (all worth it of course). I played ICU nurse Sunday night before turning into NP student for the Monday right after shift change. Change out one ID badge for another, don a white coat and loads of resource books for the pockets, and viola! Only moderate confusion results when you do your clinical rotation the same place you work: "wait, you are a staff nurse and you do this?" Yes. Yes I do.

I cut out a little early from rounding (call it post-call in the medical world) and immediately crashed. I slept from 3pm until midnight, woke up and made a sandwich, watched a Friends episode, and then slept until 7 this morning. Bam. Good as new...although I could use a little caffeine right about now. Leave it to the discussion boards for my epidemiology and health policy courses to make me want to crawl right back to bed. That, and give me a little carpal tunnel from all the typing.

Fortunately for me, the physician I am rotating with is "off" the rest of the week -- meaning today and tomorrow are free days for me before playing ICU nurse again Thursday and Friday nights. Time to catch up on reading, coursework, cleaning, and pulverizing the four weeks worth of folded laundry sitting on the couch before TJ comes home (hey! At least it is folded!). Woot :)

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Sunny and 6 here...

2012-01-19T12:20:00.000-06:00

...meanwhile everyone back home is in the middle of snowpocalypse 2012! It has been spitting snow here during the mornings, but it is always sunny and cold-cold-cold by the afternoon. It definitely has not been a typical midwest winter this year, although I should not complain -- especially since I have to hoof it across the parking lot when I head to my rotations.

Speaking of, I am loving my rotation right now, as overwhelming and exhausting as it is. I feel like I need to read and study til the end of time...and then some.

p.s. I thought my danskos were great, until I have been standing for ten hours straight for the past two days. Turns out my reliable clogs are not so hot at just standing. Any ideas?

Love

2012-01-16T22:04:00.000-06:00

I have decided to stick with love.

Hate is too great a burden to bear.

Martin Luther King Jr.

...so very true...

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what's for dinner

2012-01-12T18:30:00.002-06:00

In an effort to stave off my cold-weather pasta cravings (now that the snow outside is blowing sideways -- so much for sunny and 55!), I am trying to meal plan a little bit while TJ is gone. It is challenging to come up with meals for one, since I am not a leftovers-lover. I made this recipe last Thursday and ate the leftovers for three days after. Monotonous? A little, but oh so delicious. Totally a recipe that could be doctored up a bit as well for all the vegetable lovers out there. So easy too!

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a smatter of fact

2012-01-10T17:08:00.003-06:00

1. Another semester started today for me. My last semester of super-duper full time course work. After this term, it will be mostly clinical rotations for me. Hip hooray!

2. Even after only a day, I can tell this rotation will be kick-ass. The physician I am working with is rockstar awesome.

3. This picture makes me laugh every time.

4. Our New Year in KC was so nice and low-key...and all I have to result from that weekend is this instagram:

5. ...and these work-out crops! I am so pumped I found a pair of these on the sale rack (apparently a last season waistband color) -- they are amazing and don't fall down when I cardio it up.

6. It is getting lonely around these parts with TJ gone for the next two months. Not like we see each other that much anyways, but now we really don't see each other at all. He was going to come up next weekend, but of course, I have to work all weekend. Boo.

7. The weather here is gorgeous. Loving the sun and mild winter and keeping my fingers crossed for more!

8. I got myself some new Asics yesterday to inspire a further increase in my cardio activities.

9. Kicking my pop habit is proving to be difficult. I crave the carbonation more so than the caffeine. I did make it through my three night shifts without any, but flipping back to my daytime schedule for clinicals this week is testing my resolve.

10. The Christmas tree and decor is finally all put away. Sad day. The season went by way too fast this year. Never fear, I still have a pile of candy canes to pacify me :)

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Drink More

2012-01-04T07:00:00.004-06:00

One of my goals for 2012 (and beyond) is to drink more water. I mentioned before that I probably live dangerously dehydrated most of the time, which means this little lifestyle alteration is an absolute must-do. Pop is my one major vice (besides my killer sweet-tooth), and I always keep saying that I need to cut back on this habit.

I should probably practice what I preach to my patients, but half the time, water is not what I am craving. This problem has now been solved. I found these little pods at the grocery store today called MiO. It is like the powder water flavor enhancers but so much better. I got the fruit punch MiO and I have downed a liter so far today. A little flavoring every now and then will definitely help me increase my water intake. I can't wait to see how it affects my skin (hello winter dry skin!). Now...how long before I stop peeing every five minutes?

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Hellooooo 2012!

2012-01-03T16:36:00.001-06:00

new year = new growth = new (*cough* - recycled) goals

Not being the resolution type (too concrete), I made some lofty goals for 2011. Shall we revisit?

1. Run a 5K (or at least be able to). Oops. Let that one fall by the wayside and gained a few pounds instead! Let's just chalk it up to the fact that pounding the treadmill after working a night shift takes too much concentration. Or, I won't make excuses and admit that I was an excuse machine this past year.

2. Take more pictures! Didn't quite make this one happen...unless you count the masses of pictures I took at the multitude of weddings we went to this year. I definitely missed taking pictures of the little moments.

~~3. Continue~~ ~~to plough through my NP program~~ Yes -- one failproof goal achieved! I am halfway through my program and on target to graduate in May 2013.

~~4. Read more.~~ I read a lot of this summer, but am still struggling to squeeze in for-fun reading. A work-in-progress...and at least better at it than last year.

5. Meal plan. Sort of. I am putting this one on the shelf. It is quite difficult to meal plan when I got home during the week around 5, TJ got home at 8, eating dinner at 9, and to bed by 10 or 11. Excuses, excuses :)

6. ~~Get birthday cards~~ out and correspond the old fashioned way more. Birthday cards? Yes! General correspondance? No!

7. Pamper myself. I did get myself a manicure and a few more pedicures than usual this year, but still no massage or facial for me, even with Groupon hitting my inbox daily. To be continued...

8. I would also like to learn to crochet or knit. I knew this one would probably not happen, but I still like to put an ambitious goal out there. Maybe once I graduate.

Now, for 2012!

1. Drink more water. I think I probably live dangerously dehydrated most of the time. I would like to see myself cutting back on the diet pop and reaching for a glass of water much more often, which brings me to my next goal...

2. Limit my pop intake to one per day. I actually do this when I am not working. During the work "week" however? I drink a pop when I wake up for my night shift, and then one or two more throughout the shift. Yikes.

3. Pamper myself! Yes. A definite carry-over must!

4. Cardio! Fitting in more sweat-time is an absolute must-reach goal this year -- and easier for me to commit to than running a 5K (maybe I will make the 5K my ambitious 2012 target goal). 45 minutes = preferable!

5. Be joyful. Hmm. Kind of a broad and ambiguous goal, but I think it deserves a spot on this list. Find joy in the small things -- time with my husband, time with girlfriends, time alone, as well as joy in the hard spots of life (aka my love/hate relationship with my job).

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Happy Weekend

2011-12-30T00:22:00.007-06:00

I still can't quite believe that 2011 is almost over. We are preparing to head to Kansas City to drop off my love for his two month peds surgery rotation. So, though we will be apart for the first two months of 2012, at least we get to spend the last days of 2011 and the first few of the new year together.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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movie time

2011-12-29T23:41:00.003-06:00

I realized I need to get out and see more movies. TJ is the kind of guy that likes to sit on the couch and drink a beer and watch a movie in the comfort of our own home. I can't blame him one bit, since we do have a sweet set-up for movies. But I think there is something about sneaking candy into a theater, picking out the perfect seat (always on the aisle for me), and becoming immersed in the film.

This movie looks heart-breaking and has to be a sure-bet nominee for award season. Though I usually like to read the book before seeing the movie, I think I will break that rule for this one:

And...considering signing up for Netflix after seeing this compilation:

some like it hot

2011-12-27T11:19:00.001-06:00

Well. I am officially an old lady. Not only did I fall asleep on the couch last night before finally making it to my own bed, but I woke up this morning with a wicked sore neck that not even a trip to the gym, some good stretching, and a hot shower could fix. I hoofed it to the store and got myself a hot pack and some Aleve. Too bad it is not as stylish as the hot water bottle cover above...

In other less old lady-ish news, we opened our gifts from family this morning over cinnamon rolls and poached eggs. We made off like bandits -- love, love, love our families :)

Now...off to sleep the day away with my hot pad before another round of work.

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Merry Jolly

2011-12-26T16:59:00.003-06:00

TJ and I had our little Christmas celebration on Friday night, complete with a fantastic dinner for two of beef tenderloin, smashed potatoes (TJ makes the best ones), and asparagus. Gingerbread men for dessert, of course! Hardly any kitchen endeavor of mine is ever complete without some kind of mishap. This time, I forgot to buy beef broth at the store for the red wine sauce (surely our pantry had such a staple!), so the sauce was not a rich and flavorful as it should have been, but tasty none the less.

We also took a nice chilly walk around the downtown lights.

We picked Friday night to open our presents for each other -- tomorrow we will finish our Christmas celebration by opening our gifts and stockings from our families. Cinnamon rolls too! We both worked on and off all weekend (me all weekend), so it definitely put a damper on the Christmas holiday a little this year, sort of an over-before-you-know-it kind of feeling. It was our first Christmas totally just the two of us without any family, and my first Christmas without any kind of trip home -- the past few family has been here, or we have traveled before and after the holiday to see family. We keep reminding each other that we are fortunate enough to be a position to take care of all those folks who can't be with their family on the holiday either -- not very many people get to say they save lives on a daily basis :)

We Skyped my parents on Christmas before I headed out to work for the night -- first time Skyping! I must say I quite liked it once we ironed out all the bugs of the interwebs.

Lastly, this song makes me smile -- I am all about listening to Christmas music into January (bah humbug for the radio stations that stop abruptly after Christmas day).

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by Gayle Peevey on Grooveshark

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Reason 578 Why I Love My Husband

2011-12-22T13:11:00.001-06:00

While bedazzling Christmas presents with ribbons is not his strong suit (he can tie a mean knot though), all his gifts for me are wrapped and under the tree -- including some interesting and hilarious gift "tags:"

Now, all I said was "yes, they have to be labeled." This is what he came up with....gosh I love him.

L-R: Doctor/Nurse jokes run rampant; "I love you lotzer;" "Oops, Heather, I misspelled 'Claus';" our favorite Christmas cookies; hometown places; he definitely is a furnace; have you seen this clip -- so funny! Our older friends called us this for the longest time until they figured out our real names ("oops, I misspelled Meredith too, oh well").

Christmas Cache (aka instagram dump)

2011-12-22T12:58:00.004-06:00

I am finally ready for Christmas! And officially in the Christmas mood! (It took a lot longer this year, probably because I know I will have to work both the Eve and the Day). It has been a busy past week or so since Christmas break officially started. Our weekend was super fun and super social (for us anyways!). We went to my friend's engagement party and finally met her fiance, Max (I super approve):

Can you believe this was my first ugly Christmas sweater party?

Since TJ has been on night float, we have slowly adjusted to sleeping during the day together (it is all about my routine...don't mess with it!):

Though the tree has been up since the day after Thanksgiving, I finally have all our decorations just right....and our place is finally clean! (Who knew we were such dirty birds?)

I can't convince TJ to go with colored lights for the tree, but my little fake ficus gets decked out in colored lights (love the LED ones -- so much brighter and vibrant than the old kinds):

Tags for presents all stamped and embossed.

We squeezed in a movie night after our friend's annual Christmas party this past Sunday:

And....(almost) all my Christmas baking is finished! Peanut butter blossom, butter toffee, krumkake, and gingerbread men round out the treats this year. I just have to finish baking and decorating gingerbread men and make some cinnamon rolls for the weekend.

Bam. Now I can enjoy our tree -- complete with all our lovely presents underneath :)

Send a Call

2011-12-20T18:20:00.003-06:00

Oh my goodness. I just sent a call to a little friend of mine from the man himself, Santa Claus. So stinkin' funny. I can't wait for her to answer her phone :)

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happy weekend.

2011-12-16T18:42:00.000-06:00

Brr. It was 47 and sunny yesterday and 48 with torrential rains the day before, enough to wipe away any snow we had. Today it is 20. That is the Midwest for you. Precisely why I am ignoring all the packing materials from Christmas deliveries (and the rest of our messy place) and groceries on the counter in favor of tucking in with my blanket on the couch and watching Christmas movies all night.

On the docket for the weekend: cleaning (booooring!), date night, and two different holiday parties (!), including my very first ugly Christmas sweater party -- an engagement party for my sweet friend and her fiance!

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Light up my life

2011-12-06T16:26:00.000-06:00

I need new lighting like a hole in my head, but these colored glass lamps would certainly do the trick (I love the jade one especially) -- perfect for my bedside table...or my future seaside-themed creative space (no offices for me, thanks).

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Songs for Monday

2011-12-05T15:40:00.003-06:00

Though not our first snow of this season, we had our first real snow of the season this weekend. The kind that sticks and requires the snow plows to rumble down the bridge by our apartment. Winter is definitely here to stay now -- hello
10 degree mornings! There is a few inches on the ground, just enough to make everything pretty, but not so much that sad snow piles up on the side of the streets.

In non-weather news, my fall semester is winding down and I am busy tidying and finishing all the loose ends of a paperwork-heavy term...plus studying for one final. On my workstudy soundtrack for this chilly Monday is a version of one of my Christmas favorites: The First Nowell, from Merry Axemas, which is one of the few Christmas albums I can get my grinch husband on board with :)

ERIC JOHNSON / THE FIRST NOWELL by Various on Grooveshark

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It's beginning to look a lot like...

2011-11-30T22:25:00.000-06:00

...Christmas!

I got all our Christmas decorations out this past Sunday. With the mild weather we have been having and our crazy come-and-go schedules, it just doesn't feel like the holiday season should already be here. Nothing a little non-stop Christmas music and lying under the Christmas tree can't fix....that and my seasonal addiction to candy canes.

Chick-fil-A

2011-11-30T22:20:00.001-06:00

So amped this place finally opened! Offering a few sandwiches and their chicken nuggets (my favorite), this location is supposed to be a prequel to a store opening in another area of town in about a year. My friend Marc first introduced me to this southern chicken deliciousness about five years ago at a UGA early morning tailgate in Athens, GA.

Fortunately for my waistline, this location is in a bank building (weird? I suppose) with no drive through, so maybe I can find some self-control for once :) Maybe.

Date Night

2011-11-29T12:22:00.000-06:00

We finally got to squeeze in a legit date night 2 weekends ago! We went to Charlies on the Lake -- TJ won a gift card in a raffle this summer, so we figured it a perfect excuse to go out to dinner. I checked out the menu beforehand and it sounded like a nice place, so we dressed up a little (not hard to do when the standing uniform around our house is scrubs and sweats). Admittedly, we were disappointed in the fare. I got a prime rib in au jus and TJ ordered the filet oscar (mine was better as leftovers, which is something I rarely say since I am not a fan of most leftover meals). TJ did swim around in his martini, however -- it was about 2-3 martinis worth for $7. Mediocre food or not, it was wonderful to get out of the hospital setting and out of the house and enjoy each other for a little bit.

I.C.O.N.

2011-11-28T14:06:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness. This stuff is heaven on earth for your hair (and smells so exotic too). Just a little dab on the ends as a heat protectant or at the end when I am all done with my blowout does the trick to keep my hair all nice and healthy. My mom got me a bottle of the India Oil after my cousin recommended it and I haven't looked back since. Amazing.

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Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:25:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone gets to enjoy some turkey and all the rest of the holidays fixings...as for me, I am remembering to be thankful I have a job -- one where I work a lot of holidays (including this one) taking care of other people who don't get to be home for the holidays with family and friends either.

TJ and I are both working tonight and will be enjoying some leftovers for dinner -- not to fear though, we have a belated Thanksgiving with friends this weekend, and a feast to make for ourselves on Sunday.

Besides being thankful for a whole heck of a lot of other things in my life, I am also thankful for this video that definitely just brightened my morning:

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Run away.

2011-11-21T20:23:00.000-06:00

I keep on thinking that I will be a runner one of these days. Sadly, it is no secret that the combination of work and school has nipped the days of my 1.5hour workout sessions in the bud, and the waistline has definitely felt it...not to mention the endurance I once had (let's be honest, I have never been able to run any longer than 10 minutes on a good day). All excuses aside, I found the perfect site to add some inspiration to my workout mix while I bump up my routine and pound/spin away: jog.fm. It is awesome. You put in a minute time and it pops out a list of songs that match the tempo, which is great for me, since I definitely need the beat of music to keep me going! I am looking forward to adding some new songs to my tired rotation.

So. More effort, new music, making the time. Starting now...

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Shine on

2011-11-18T21:33:00.001-06:00

I opened a package today from home thinking it would be some (yummy) homemade jam from a recent wedding (couldn't carry it on) and some crafty supplies, but I also found a little glassybaby tucked into the corner to light up my Friday night.

Thanks dad :)

Lately

2011-11-17T20:55:00.001-06:00

While I know I am not a regular poster anyways, the reason for radio silence around here was due to a surprise trip home for my dad's surgery. I would have been a basketcase just sitting around twiddling my thumbs in the midwest, so home I went. Surprise achieved! I found my mom sitting in the surgery waiting room -- I don't think she quite believed her eyes. When I saw my dad after surgery, he was still very groggy due to all the good drugs they gave him -- he kept opening his eyes and saying "yaya (side note: my brother couldn't say "Heather" when he was little, and ya-ya was all he could say), what are you doing here?" My dad came through surgery with flying colors and the staff at Virginia Mason was awesome.

Early morning ferry into Seattle

My dad transferred out of the ICU and to a step-down floor the day after surgery and went home on day 4 (nice and speedily)!

It was nice to be there and hear things with my own healthcare ears, since non-healthcare people (my mom and dad) tend to hear and interpret things differently. My dad did well though :) He is a fidgeter.

I fit in a little morning breakfast treat time with Alyssa before she went to work -- so nice to catch up on life and all the little things inbetween. Lunch with another sweet friend was lovely as well (although it was rainy blustery day that day, so no pics there).

I caught a red-eye back into town in time to meet up with some old friends in town (and snuggle their sweet baby) , and work Saturday night. Whirlwind indeed.

Now...just making it through this last month of fall semester!

heart to heart

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

My dad is having heart surgery today. His mitral valve isn't working right, so he has to have it repaired. His chordae tendineae ruptured so part of his mitral valve is flapping around (kind like seaweed in the ocean current) and it makes it harder for his heart to pump blood out to the body. Being in healthcare is kind of a blessing and a curse at the same time -- I know way too much about what can happen, but I feel very relieved he is where he is -- I know he is in good hands.

I am being optimistic today and praying for my dad, my mom, the surgeon, the nurses, and all the other awesome people that make success happen.

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French Work-Out

2011-11-07T10:00:00.012-06:00

Leave it to the French to come up with something like this:

Contrex - Ma Contrexpérience - 97s from Marcel on Vimeo.

So fun!

Never ever.

2011-11-02T17:51:00.008-05:00

11.02.2011

Thank goodness.

Ok. That is either me being way overly dramatic, or the truth. We will find out in about a week. I had my semesterly SPEC test-out today (don't even ask what it stands for because I don't know and don't care) -- basically a clinical-type scenario where you go in and history-and-physical a patient, and then formulate your treatment and management plan. Usually, these are no big deal and I never get much more than the typical nerves when you know you are getting video-taped, but for some reason, I was extremely rattled today, felt like I did great on the actual patient part, and then promptly ran out of time with the write-up afterwards. Grr. SO FRUSTRATED. Mainly because I am a perfectionist and have some pride issues (and usually rock the SOAP note if I do say so myself), but whatever. TJ told me I need to get my big girl pants on and suck it up.

In other news, something happened today that I sincerely hoped would wait until at least Thanksgiving:

Oh yes. That is snow. Fortunately it is sloppy wet snow that won't stick around and turn into sad snow on the side of the street. Maybe we can wait a bit longer for that...

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Meep.

2011-11-01T18:21:00.000-05:00

Can I just say that I really want to see this movie?

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Back and running...

2011-10-24T20:34:00.001-05:00

I am back and running after a wonderful week in my hometown. These trips home are never as long as I want them to be, but I did get in some good family time, friend time -- including a brand new baby girl and a beautiful wedding, and some all-too-brief time with my husband before I hunker down for the rest of my semester. Pictures to come (though not as many as I would have liked...)

I did get a new pair of boots out of the trip -- some birthday monies well spent on these lovely boots I have been lusting after for quite a while now:

I am so pumped.

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happy weekend

2011-10-15T00:11:00.002-05:00

Ahh. Fall break. Yes, I am a grown up (sort of), but nothing is making me more excited right now than a nice week long blissful break from school and work. Time for breathing in some good salt water air, sleeping in, (maybe finally picking out our wedding photos two + years later), kicking up our heels at my beautiful friend's wedding, and some time with my long lost love. Happy weekend, happy fall.

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Ruff.

2011-10-13T18:00:00.002-05:00

Well. My life soundtrack song did nothing to inspire my performance on my online midterm. Grrr. It is a flipping miracle my laptop is still alive to be typing this (hoping & praying for some major test edits). Here's to making it through this next day and a half of work, trauma conference, and squeezing in a few precious hours of sleep before I blow this town for some R&R....and a sweet friend's wedding celebration!

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Whimsy for my Wednesday

2011-10-12T18:43:00.003-05:00

Slogging through some powerpoints while listening to one of my most favorite soundtrack songs -- "The Beach Song" or You're So Cool from the movie True Romance (which I actually have never seen) -- I am listening to a remake, but really wish I could find the original somewhere. On a side note, this was totally the song I wanted to walk down the aisle to at our wedding, and really, is just my feel-good-life-soundtrack kind of song.

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A whole lot lighter.

2011-10-11T16:42:00.002-05:00

I just got back from my stylist a whole lot lighter -- not only did I get my fall highlights/lowlights, but I also got about 6 inches chopped off! I keep running my hands through my hair and coming up abruptly short. This is the shortest my hair has been since I started growing it out for our wedding over two years ago now. It was getting to take too long to dry and getting so tangled (high-maintenance) all the time (and a little nappy too), so I needed a change.

I love my stylist -- the salon uses Kerastase, which I love but am too cheap to buy for myself. It makes my hair smell and feel just lovely :)

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2011-10-10T03:42:00.002-05:00

Use those zucchini left over from your CSA, garden, or farmer's market purchases!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake (from my mom's kitchen)

Preheat oven to 325

1/2c. margarine (I am a margarine baker, but I am sure butter would be lovely too)
1/2c. vegetable oil
1 3/4c. sugar
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla
1/2c. sour milk (add 1tsp. lemon juice to milk to make it sour)
2 1/2c. flour
4tbsp. cocoa
1/2tsp. baking powder
1tsp. baking soda
1/2tsp. cinnamon
1/2tsp. cloves
2c. shredded zucchini
1/4c. chocolate chips

Cream margarine, oil, and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, sour milk and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and mix in parts with wet ingredients. Mix zucchini in last. Pour into 9x13 greased and floured glass dish. Top batter with chocolate chips (I mixed them in with the zucchini this last time I made it). Bake for 40-45minutes (I always check on it around the 30" mark). Eat plain or top with some whip!

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twentysomething

2011-10-05T07:00:00.002-05:00

Today marks the start of the last year I can truthfully put "twentysomething" on my header...29 is fine? When and where did my twenties go? One thing I know for sure is that these years have all gone by at lightspeed -- here's to hoping 29 slows down a little bit!

I am heading for a little birthday lunch with some girlfriends today and doing a whole lot of nothing-but-relaxing for the rest of the day. TJ will most likely be slogging away at the hospital until late, so we will be celebrating sometime later (I am all for extending the birthday celebrations!), so in the meantime....happy birthday to me :)

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In a Pickle (Take 3, 2011 Version)

2011-09-29T22:05:00.006-05:00

Tuesday evening, I decided to ditch the studying and do my annual cucumber canning. I picked up some beautiful looking cucumbers and some fresh dill at the farmer's market last Saturday (on a side note, it really makes me sad that the F.M. is almost over), but due to one thing or another, didn't have time until Tuesday. This year is my third year of canning pickles, and each year I tweak the recipe slightly. I have been using a combo of a family recipe and a recipe of my mom's friend -- hopefully this year is perfection (though I must say I can a mean pickle).

First you wash all the pickles. I just toss them into the sink and swish them around for a little while, leaving them in their bath until I am ready. I didn't buy as many this year -- enough for 4 quarts and 7 pints. Last year I made a dozen quarts and almost as many pints, and we are still working our way through those.

All my jars -- I like the wide mouth ones, which are easier to cram.

It takes a long time to heat the jars and bring the brine to a boil, so I actually start this part first and then get everything else ready while waiting for the brine to come to a boil. It helps to have a system and have a little assembly line. I heat the jars a few at a time and then toss more in as I take them out during the canning process.

My little assembly line of spices: crushed garlic (I am trying crushed this year versus whole cloves), mustard seeds, pickling spices, red peppers, and fresh dill. You will also need tongs and pot holders. I like the "ove-glove" that we got for a wedding present, plus my silicone pot holder:

The finished product! I usually wait about 3 months before cracking open a jar.

Dill Pickles

3 quarts. Water

1 quart Vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)

1 c. Salt (NOTE: Must use canning salt)

1 tsp. Powdered alum

This make about 9 quarts. Mix and bring to a boil, whisking together the alum and salt occasionally.

You will also need: pickling spices, mustard seed, garlic cloves (about a whole head for the total amount of I made), fresh dill (I used two bunches for the amount of pickles I made and put a lot in each jar). You generally vary the spices a little bit with each jar so that no two jars are alike.

Take a jar from the hot water bath, pack with your combo of spices and then cucumbers, fill to cover the cucumbers, leaving space at the top. Slap a seal and rim on and you are good to go (and hopefully each jar "pops" indicated a seal).

what's for dinner?

2011-09-20T21:48:00.005-05:00

Well. To be a total complainer, I am just about exhausted. I rounded with my attending physician Monday morning, finished a paper Monday afternoon, went to work as my nursey self Monday night, and rounded again with my physician this morning. It is a stinking miracle that I somehow made a whole dinner tonight instead of just relying on sandwiches. Enter the crockpot -- granted, it was a beautiful day and I did have the windows open, but it is still the middle of September, so crockpot it is. This recipe is bliss -- unlike other recipes, you can pop everything just 2-3hours before you want dinner. It is husband-approved to add to the rotation pile. Farmer's market new potatoes tossed with a little olive oil and asparagus rounded out dinner tonight.

Honey Sauced Chicken

3/4 pound chicken (of your choice) -- I used three chicken breasts

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup chopped onion (or 1/16 cup onion flakes)

1/8 cup ketchup

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, minced -- I added a little extra

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3 hours or on high 1 1/2 hours. Chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce. Serve over rice or noodles. (I also doubled the sauce for the amount of chicken I used)

image &recipe via

A Smattering of Fact

2011-09-14T19:30:00.002-05:00

1. Did I say earlier that I thought this Fall would be better for my sanity? I must have been delusional. My usual school-work-sleep-repeat routine i've been hammering away at for the past year or so is working me to the max.
2. We were able to escape this past weekend for a little wedding weekend getaway to Minnesota -- pictures to come when I finally find my camera cord.
3. We have the windows open right now and I busted out sweats for the first time in months. There is a definite chill in the air.
4. I really hope the weather stays nice until at least the first part of October....pretty please?
5. When we were in Minnesota, I went to IKEA (we don't have one), and finally got the bookshelf I have been eyeballing for the past two years for our closet (those wire racks from undergrad have got to go).
6. I am supposed to be papering away right now on a nursing outcomes assignment. These theory and adjunct classes really are testing my nerves. Not to mention all I really want to be doing is studying and reading about disease management stuff that I will actually be using in the near future (and will prevent me from looking like a putz during rounds).
7. I treated myself to some classy (and hot) new heels to wear to my friend's wedding in October...and booked our flights (yay for frequent flier miles).
8. I have an unholy craving to eat nothing but pasta....
9. ...but my waistline is telling me to ignore this.
10. I just wasted about 20 paper-writing minutes on Pinterest before promply losing the source link for this image. Oh well.

Shoot

2011-09-01T16:58:00.002-05:00

When my in-laws were here two weekends ago, we went trap-shooting. At first, TJ said, "well, I am going to go shooting with my dad, so you and my mom can go shopping or something." To which I said, "Excuse me?" So we all went shooting trap at a little range here in town. I have been there before, but the manager (this world-class shooter-man) always eyes me and says: "do you know how to shoot" and I say, "uh, yeah!" (ok, ok, so I might not be all world-class, but I can still keep up with the rest...)

I am not sure what was more entertaining: TJ and his dad going head to head, or TJ's mom shooting a gun for the first time since forever.

Hopefully we will go back again soon before the weather turns. Maybe this will be the time the manager doesn't look at me like I am "just a girl." (Maybe I should bust out some camo and man-gear instead of wearing girly-clothes too...)

Back to School

2011-08-23T20:43:00.001-05:00

It is back-to-school time for this girl starting tomorrow. Sigh. What a short teaser of a week off between terms. On the plus side, I did truck all over town today to find the planner I have been eye-balling (apparently they sell like hot-cakes). I got it in Plum Petal :) It is a little fancy-shmancier than the one I usually get, but has more room for the month to month listing of things that I like.

I got myself all organized tonight, downloaded all my syllabi (or it is syllabus for pleural? I can never keep it straight), and marked all my due-dates in my planner. Fall term is officially a go!

On a side note, I am super-excited to rotate with an awesome internal medicine physician this fall for my practicum. He has some very progressive ideas for how nurse practitioners should function and so I think he will be a great challenge for me to step up to!

On an extra side note: I don't think this semester will be as grueling as the previous two. Famous last words right there...

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Durham

2011-08-22T19:09:00.001-05:00

On Sunday we went to The Durham Museum with my in-laws. It was the perfect lazy Sunday after a bit-too-late Saturday night. The museum is housed in the old Union Pacific train station, which back in its heyday was (and still is) quite spectacular. They had old train cars to tour through, which my train-obsessed husband loved, and it was fun to imagine the old romance of a cross-country train travel. The Durham also has exhibits of state exhibitions past and the history of Omaha, which was interesting to see, especially now that I have lived here for 5+ years and know more about the town. TJ and I can't believe we have lived here this long without going to this fantastically curated museum -- we will definitely be going back at Christmas time when they put a giant evergreen (from the Pacific Northwest!) in the grand waiting room!

Happy Weekend!

2011-08-18T10:09:00.001-05:00

I am heading into an early weekend friends! My in-laws are visiting, TJ took some stay-cation time, and school is finally out for the summer (ok...a week anyways until Fall term starts)! On the docket for their visit -- farmer's market, dabbling in a little lazy day shopping with my MIL, trap shooting with my FIL and mister, and some eating out deliciousness, not to mention BBQ-ing with our awesome friends we have hardly seen all summer long. Cheers!

image via

flaming heart

2011-08-02T17:03:00.001-05:00

every great achievement is

the victory of a flaming heart.

ralph waldo emerson

Perfect timing for this little bit of inspiration. I am finishing up one big overloaded slog of summer term courses -- my clinical rotation is done, project proposal is done, and most classes will be over in a matter of days. On one hand, I am glad this summer has gone by at a breakneck speed. On the other, I haven't gotten to enjoy much of the essence of summer -- bbqs, runs in the sun, swimming, lazy days. The end of this term marks my 1/3 mark through my doctorate track so I suppose a busy summer is a small price to pay for getting to do what I want in two more years...

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Row away...

2011-07-28T16:05:00.001-05:00

The recently overhauled and remodeled gym I belong to finally got an ergometer (aka rowing machine). I am super excited, mainly because I have always secretly wanted to do crew, and because the old school gym I worked out in at Creighton had a machine I really liked. I started using it a few weeks ago and man-oh-man have I been sore! Arms, legs, back, you name it, it's hurtin', and I am loving it! Bonus: my flabby bat wings (ahem - not the urban dictionary definition...) are started to disappear too!

via pinterest

Grown-ups

2011-07-25T17:14:00.004-05:00

My husband and I are officially grown-ups now -- we bought a car! We have both been driving cars our parents got for us in high school or college, and mister's car is pushing 15 years old and definitely needed to be upgraded! So, with a beautiful and rare weekend off together (Saturday AND Sunday might I add!), we went browsing. Being a typical guy, TJ has been cruising the listings on a daily basis for the past few months. We never actually thought we would buy a car this weekend, but the color was right, the type was right, and the price was right. Our first major purchase together :)

post-edit: for all those curious minds -- we got a lexus rx350...used of course! our friend is a dealer and hooked us up :)

image via

Nordstrom

2011-07-20T11:49:00.001-05:00

While (im)patiently waiting for Nordstrom to decide that my Midwest location warrants a store, I hit up the Anniversary Sale online to buy some new duds. Unlike previous years, the sale this year did not disappoint, requiring some extreme self-restraint on my part!

Though I need sweaters like a hole in my head, I got this cozy-looking cardigan:

I was a little surprised that it was more see-through than the advertising showed (although the link does show it a little more sheer) -- it is definitely more of an open-knit sweater, so it won't be as warm as I thought. Still, very cute on nonetheless!

I was also very excited to find the Philosophy "Purity Made Simple" cleanser on sale as a beauty exclusive. I love-love-love this one-step cleanser, it has such a nice clean fragrance and leaves my face feeling great. I have been too frugal to buy it however, but Nordstrom was offering a giant 32oz size and a pack of cleansing cloths to go along with it. Yes please!

I got a few other lovelies as well. Like I mentioned, I could have gone way overboard with all my "wants," but there are very few things I actually "need." I shopped on the first day of the sale and just went back yesterday to ~~drool~~ look over my wishful want -- unfortunately Nordstrom decided it for me -- these Frye boots are no longer available in my size :(

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Little Penelope Lane

2011-07-20T10:51:00.001-05:00

I saw these Little Penelope Lane headbands today and thought they might be just about right to spice up my hair-do. With my big head it is always hard to find a headband that doesn't give me a headache after an hour of wearing, but these are 100% adjustable, tying at the back for a perfect fit. They come in a ton a fun prints and lovely colors too!

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Recovery

2011-07-18T18:39:00.002-05:00

I am in love with my recent find -- this lip balm is amazing! I had been using the same old blistex balm overnight for years, but this just bumped that out of the way on my nightstand.

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S'mores anyone?

2011-07-11T18:14:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite summertime activities has always involved the opportunity to roast s'mores. Roasting them over the BBQ grills provided on our rooftop deck isn't quite the same (although the view helps a little)...so I think I need to add these to my list of things to make. Soon.

p.s. on a completely unrelated side note. I am not sure what I ever did to waste time before pinterest came along. help!

image via

dinner date

2011-07-07T17:17:00.004-05:00

Our schedules perfectly aligned for us to be able to go out to dinner for our two-year anniversary (two weeks ago now). We went to one of our favorite places, M's Pub -- it is actually the same place we went to this time last year. We had big plans to come home and watch a movie, but someone had to round on patients at 5:30 the next morning, so that didn't pan out. We watched a good thunderstorm instead :)

p.s. hello squirrels! I need to get this man an eyebrow grooming :)

Which one is it?

2011-07-07T17:05:00.001-05:00

I have been feeling this way a lot this summer. Full time school and full time work in the summertime is probably not a good idea. I know I signed up for it, but sometimes, when it is a hot 85 degree day and all I want to do is be poolside with a good book, but instead I am sleeping because I have to work all night, it makes me wonder. Oh well...I am going to go with the "making me stronger" thing...

via pinterest

2011-07-01T12:36:00.000-05:00

I wish we had exciting plans for the holiday weekend -- boating? BBQing? sunning? Unfortunately, I am working all weekend, so I will miss all the fun of the Fourth of July celebrations. The rooftop of our apartment building will likely be jam-packed anyways, so it would be tough to grill. I do think the husband and I will take in some fireworks tonight at one of our local parks -- free concert and all!

On a side note -- TJ's intern year is FINALLY over! He will never ever be an intern again. One year down, four more to go... :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

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convert

2011-06-28T19:49:00.008-05:00

Woot woot! I am officially an iphone convert! We were due for an upgrade/renewal finally and blackberry just wasn't cutting it. Besides the sleeky packaging, I am excited for all the apps -- especially for the medical stuff I can use on my rotations. Now, what to download....

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Carrot Cake

2011-06-28T15:21:00.000-05:00

For a little birthday tasty for TJ, I made him some carrot cake -- something he always eyes whenever we pass a bakery window. This version is part of the Cooking Light Recipe Makeovers series. Not being a huge fan of carrot cake myself, I must admit that it is quite good. I made two 6" layers instead of baking it in a 13x9 pan and and added some nutmeg and cloves per some of the reviews. I also made a plain white icing instead of cream cheese. The only thing is that it took a lot longer to bake than the recipe said. Otherwise? It is a keeper for the recipe file!

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Two years ago today...

2011-06-26T16:34:00.001-05:00

...I married my dreamboat.

I can't believe it has already been two whole years. It has been quite a year -- gone again in a blur of work-school-sleep-repeat, some time with friends, family, and the precious little time we do share together.

Cheers to our next year of adventures together darlin' -- we may have a crazybusy life, but I wouldn't change it for a second. xoxo.

image: jkoe photo

BI-Bound

2011-06-15T15:37:00.001-05:00

I am Bainbridge Island bound this week for my 10 year reunion. Where did the past 10 years go? Looking forward to spending some time with my fam, a few friends, and seeing some old familiar faces. I just wish my love could join me this trip -- no rest for the weary resident.

what's for dinner?

2011-06-09T22:46:00.002-05:00

Tonight I branched out from my usual go-to Cooking Light and checked out a new blog find: La Pomme de Portland and found a yummy chicken marinara recipe -- so ridiculously easy, but met with emphatic approval from husband. It is a one-pot meal of sorts, as long as you have a cast iron pan. The picture above (not from her blog), shows breaded chicken, but her recipe does not use breading, so it is a little lighter. I used Barilla roasted garlic marinara, but I think I am going to try to find the Trader Joe's sauce she mentions. Definitely a new keeper!

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you are what you eat?

2011-06-07T22:58:00.003-05:00

via pinterest

Do I look ok?

2011-06-03T19:33:00.002-05:00

I particularly enjoyed how I scratched above my eyebrow today in clinic and apparently drew enough blood to make an awkward scab that I didn't notice until I got in my car a few hours later. Thanks to my friendly physician preceptor who didn't tell me. Oh well, at least I didn't have something more embarassing hanging out my nose or have a hair-do like this -- which, btw, makes me laugh every time I see it.
Have a lovely weekend!

via the daily bunny

Dirty Missouri

2011-05-31T13:14:00.001-05:00

It is a record year for river swell apparently, with flood levels expected to last through most of the summer. I suppose the Seattle-like rainy weather of late winter and spring have filled the Missouri to the max -- well, that and the horrible winters up north:

We took a little walk down to the riverfront this morning. They have closed the big steel gates along the river wall. That little path dipping down into the water is part of the running path we usually take...and that union statue is about a foot under water. Everyone is freaking out -- "flood watch 2011!' -- but from the looks of it, we still have a good 2-3 feet before the rest of the riverfront is in trouble.

Iowa is feeling a little more nervous -- they are a little lower than most of the Nebraska side .

And of course we went to Kansas City this weekend for some R&R, but couldn't manage to take one picture while we were there...self-portrait in front of the Dirty Missouri though? Why not?!

Happy Memorial Day (weekend)!

2011-05-26T12:01:00.001-05:00

Heading to KC to relax, go plaza-ing, and enjoy some time with tj before I trade in a carefree summer for one filled with work, clinic, and writing papers.

Cheers to a beautiful Memorial Day weekend!

(wish I could remember where I found this pic!)

pin away

2011-05-23T19:22:00.000-05:00

So I am admittedly a little late to the party, but I finally discovered and signed up for Pinterest...SO much better than saving all these photos to my computer and then forgetting where I found them! I think I am officially a convert :)

Nicole + Chris!

2011-05-17T12:32:00.004-05:00

My sweet friend Nicole got married to her love Chris on Saturday and it was fabulous -- she was stunning, Chris was oh-so-handsome in his suit, and the venue was beautiful.

They got married at Superstition Mountain outside of Phoenix. The day could not have been more perfect -- it had been in the 90s the two days before, but it cooled down slightly with a nice breeze the day of. I can't wait to see her professional pics since my camera battery was on the fritz, so I had to take pictures a little more sparingly than I would have wanted. I did get one of their sparkler-lined get away:

So excited :)

It was a fabulous, fabulous day... I was so happy to be a part of it.

Lobster

2011-05-11T13:48:00.003-05:00

Given my love for Friends, stumbling across this photo made me smile. What a cute idea (alas, my husband does not quite share the same excitement for watching re-runs of my favorite show ever over and over and over again. ha.)!

What makes me smile even more is the quickly approaching nuptials of one of my dear sweet friends, Nicole. She was my first roommate and friend when I found my way to the midwest. I am so excited to be there to help her celebrate her and Chris as they start their next adventure. They are definitely each other's lobster :)

Now...if I could just find the words for a toast...

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blonde

2011-05-10T17:43:00.001-05:00

No better way to celebrate the arrival of summer than with some nice blonde highlights -- especially when they are in preparation for my beautiful friend Nicole's upcoming wedding! It is a lovely hot 90 degrees here today. May decided to usher in summer with a nice little heat wave (which is always welcome after a cold winter!). Now, if only I was close to some salt water air.... :)

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just waiting...

2011-05-08T22:15:00.001-05:00

I am home on-call from work...again. Apparently patient census is down across town -- sick patients, that is. At any rate, I am home lounging on the couch with TJ...just waiting.

p.s. Not that I am super complaining of course :) Though the moola would be nice. But on the other hand? Spending veg time with my husband is definitely worth it....
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Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T08:00:00.002-05:00

My mom is the best.

Vivace

2011-05-07T12:40:00.003-05:00

As it so happens, I was fortunate enough to be put on-call last night at work (meaning the census was too low for me to have to go in, but they could call me if they got admits and needed more staff), which meant a nice little dinner out with my mister when he got finally got home. We went to Vivace, which is hands-down one of our favorite little bistros -- yum, yum, yum!

Have a sweet weekend!

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what's for dinner?

2011-05-03T19:39:00.003-05:00

Chicken. Take 2. This recipe was much more flavorful than my last new chicken recipe adventure.

We paired it with some fresh asparagus and a yummy departure from our usual method of oven-roasted potatoes. The sauce is a little sweet and a little tangy and was voted a definite keeper.

Cumin-flavored roasted potatoes (adapted slightly from CL)
Preheat oven to 450
Cut 2 large potatoes into 1/2" cubes
Arrange in baking dish coated with cooking spray
Combine:

1tbsp olive oil
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp garlic (I used bottled minced garlic)
1/2tsp salt
1/4tsp ground red pepper flakes

Mix together and then spoon over potatoes, toss well to coat.
Bake at 450 for 20 minutes.

These are very tasty with a nice spicy kick too. I doubled the "dressing" for 3 potatoes, added slightly more than the garlic and ground red pepper flakes recommended, and also tossed some Lawry's seasoning in for good measure. Yum!

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May Day.

2011-05-01T16:11:00.001-05:00

May already?
Time to get some fresh flowers to perk up our place!

p.s. This means my sweet friend's wedding is only two weeks away...as is the trip to Arizona to celebrate it!

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Happy Friday

2011-04-29T10:47:00.004-05:00

After spending yesterday as an almost complete waste of space on a day off (I cannot remember the last time I had a total day off)...I am now feeling mildly frazzled heading into my next two nights of work...and subsequently studying for finals and wrapping up my first year of graduate school with two comprehensive finals on Wednesday. Oops.

One thing to look forward to -- watching the DVR coverage of the Royal wedding! I really just want to see everyone in their dresses and fascinators. I did cheat and look at a slideshow this morning -- I think Kate's dress was just right for marrying a prince :)

Anyhoo. Happy Friday to all those who do have a carefree weekend!

post-edit: Man. The more photos I see of the royal wedding, the more I can't wait to watch my DVR'd coverage! Stunner!

image via

what's for dinner?

2011-04-28T22:12:00.005-05:00

Mister got home late tonight -- around 7:45, which shouldn't even surprise me since he is on the trauma service right now, and coming home before 7pm is cause for celebration. Nights like this call for quick and easy dinners, and this recipe from my go-to Cooking Light is just that. We both voted it a keeper, with some reservations -- it needed something, either a bit of salt (which is what we did), or some more seasonings. With my serious aversion to peas, I also substituted in edamame. I think the next time we have this for dinner, we will throw it over some pasta or rice. I saw some spoon it on toast too.

p.s. I just thought it was funny that the cookbook calls the sauce rich and savory -- definitely bland and a blank canvas to experiment with!

French

2011-04-25T19:19:00.001-05:00

I consider myself to be pretty good at the standard french braid, but I think I am going to add this beautiful hair-do to my list of things to master.

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Spring!

2011-04-10T22:00:00.002-05:00

...is here! After a teaser of nice weather in March, followed by snow flurries, nice weather has finally arrived. I could not be more excited for warm weather, reading in the sun, and farmers markets (just around the corner)!

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At this moment...

2011-04-06T19:57:00.000-05:00

...Checking out a new find:

A catalogue from Boden landed in my mailbox the other day, and I am slightly smitten with their summer line -- especially this striped top and linen skirt!

I really should be doing school-related activities, but it sure it nice to take a mini-breather!

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what's for dinner?

2011-03-27T19:36:00.001-05:00

I have an aversion to just about most kinds of chili -- I don't do ground meat, or most of the kinds of beans in chilis. This recipe from my in-laws is in a cold-weather rotation in our house.

White Chicken Chili

4 chicken breasts (We usually add 1 or 2 more)
1lb Monteray Jack cheese, cubed
45oz (3 cans) Great Northern Beans (do not drain)
16oz salsa (we usually do spicy)
7oz diced/chopped green chilis
1.5 tsp ground cumin

Bake chicken and then cube or shred (I like it shredded). Throw everything into a crock-pot and heat on low setting for ~4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Yum -- perfect for this (hopefully last) cold snap moving through town. A chili I like, and even better that we can throw everything into a crock-pot and walk away!

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Happy Hour, Happy Weekend!

2011-03-25T19:40:00.003-05:00

Ahhh, Friday. I went out to Happy Hour this evening for the first time in I-can't-even-remember with some girls from my program. Seriously, I don't think wine has ever tasted this nice. It was so relaxing to get out, unwind, and take a breather from my work-school-sleep-repeat routine I have going on (the comradery of classmates doesn't hurt, either). Either way, it was just what I needed to recharge some of my batteries as I bear down on these last 6 weeks of the semester...

Have a restful weekend!

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Spring Break!

2011-03-16T21:33:00.001-05:00

Mmm...Spring Break. Those words sure came at a sweet time in my schedule -- a time when I was just about ready to pull my hair out. TJ and I blew the heck outta dodge and flew to Colorado for the week.

It was fantastic. We met up with three other couples and a single for some snow-time fun. One pair of friend lives in Phoenix and we do not get to see them very often, so that was a special treat. I found a place just outside of downtown Breckenridge on VRBO, which we have never done before. I didn't take any pictures of the house, but here is a view from the deck:

I will take it! We went to Breckenridge on Sunday (superduper crowded) and Keystone on Monday (my favorite). It just such a nice week of not working and not studying and not doing anything.

It is also a week, where this guy got a much needed vacation:

We spent the rest of the week doing a whole lotta nothing with his parents, included a lovely night at the Hotel Monaco in Denver, with some yummy dinner, and a very delicious dessert:

A fancy ding-dong (which I just might have to try to replicate myself sometime soon).

Now. Back to the grind. Seven weeks left in the semester...

Weekend!

2011-03-04T08:03:00.000-06:00

This week is finally over! I have had a very sleepless week between work and school, and am so looking forward to this next week -- Spring Break!!! Sleeping in, hanging out with friends, and hanging out with my hubs :)

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Stitchin' Chicken

2011-03-03T17:57:00.000-06:00

One of my classes this semester is called Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures. This week we learned all about suturing and wound repair, ending the day by practicing on some chickens. Though a little gross, I think I did a pretty good job (all those hemp necklace creations back in the day finally paid off!). Obviously it helps when the thing you are suturing is not moving and not bleeding...

Sunday Funnies

2011-02-27T12:14:00.002-06:00

Wait...you mean I wasn't suppose to do it like that?

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Getting My Learn On

2011-02-20T14:32:00.004-06:00

Just popping in to say how happy I am that I decided to take this many courses this semester! I have some exams this week and I forgot how hard it is to study on the weekend. Oh well...Happy Sunday anyways :) Hopefully it will not find me doing this:

p.s. We did do something fun last night -- out for a little bit with friends and then back to our place for a "friendly" game of Blokus -- which is highly addicting by the way, and a little more difficult after enjoying some reverse happy-hour.

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Call Room Shenanigans.

2011-02-14T07:15:00.008-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day to my sweet husband. So glad I get to spend it with you at work :)

p.s. Just kidding about the call room shenanigans...hospitals are grody.
p.p.s We aren't big on this holiday, but we celebrated last night with some pizza from our favorite little shop and sugar cookies for dessert :)

image via Sarah Rhoads (one of my favorite photogs)

All you need is...

2011-02-12T18:04:00.000-06:00

Not a slinky little number for the holiday of love...but it gets the memo across nonetheless (and a little warmer too).

Snowmageddon

2011-02-01T20:29:00.001-06:00

...has largely missed my part of the Midwest. While everyone else is freaking out, I am celebrating the cancelling of classes tomorrow -- happy to be taking my 2 scheduled exams online instead of in class, as well as getting to have the night on-call from work (hopefully all night).

Our power did go off for a brief moment this afternoon and the wind is howling and blowing snow like crazy. Perfect for a breakfast-for-dinner kind of night... pancakes made with my very favorite mix!

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Mo' Pie

2011-01-31T23:09:00.002-06:00

I really am not that much of a pie person. I definitely fall into the cakes category of people. But I think I would like a slice of this:

When I get a spare moment (taking a mini-break from studying right now), I might have to make this tasty looking confection and enjoy a slice...or two....

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Hyperbole hilariousness.

2011-01-26T21:10:00.001-06:00

As a nurse, specifically as one who spends the majority of her time in the ER and ICU settings, I found this to be utterly hilarious and most appropriate: A story from the blog Hyperbole and a Half.

The 0-10 pain scale and the FACES pain scales just don't seem to communicate the levels of pain as well as this blogger illustrates. Perhaps I should make the case to implement this one?

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what's for dinner?

2011-01-25T16:27:00.001-06:00

Pampered Chef's Chicken Broccoli Braid is one of my go-to dinner choices when we don't have a lot of time. Plus it is good as a leftover (and I am not a leftover kind of girl). The picture above used puff-pastry, but I am partial to the crescent rolls that the recipe calls for. TJ and I are not huge into mayo, so I use a little bit less than the recipe calls for. I used to toss the chicken and everything in a food processor, but lately I have been cubing the chicken whenever I make this. Either way, it is the perfect dinner on the go (plus, you can make the filling in advance and put it in the fridge until you are ready).

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Radiant

2011-01-24T21:58:00.001-06:00

It was almost a heat wave today. It got up to 36 this afternoon! I almost felt over-dressed going outside in my multi-layered look. But...our loft is still brrr-chilly. I love our apartment, but every winter, we try to make it more efficient by covering the windows with that plastic stuff, and I always contemplate the need for drapes (as it turns out 108"+ curtains are quite expensive). Ah, the adventures of living in an old warehouse.

I don't have to get quite this bundled up to sit on the couch, but a fire place sure would be nice. I browsed for one of those Amish heaters, but they got very mixed reviews. I might have to settle for something like this instead.

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Brrrr

2011-01-21T17:25:00.001-06:00

Welp. It is officially freezing here. I think I am in the warmest location in the Midwest with a high today of 10degrees (but it feels like -1). I should consider myself lucky after a quick survey of FB confirms temps in the negative teens by friends in Iowa and Wisconsin. The fact that it is spitting snow is probably the saving grace -- keeping temps above 0! I must confess that this winter has been much more *mild* than last year, but still.

Planning to enjoy this speedy weekend after a day of studying (I survived my first two weeks of an overloaded class schedule -- taking it week by week). Heading out with some friends tonight for dinner...hopefully to be joined by my hubby later so I don't have to play the third wheel. The mister just called to tell me he has to scrub in on a parotid case and won't be home for a "while." Oh the life....

Happy Weekend!

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Back to School

2011-01-11T14:21:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is the first day of Spring semester. I am bound and determined to stay on top of things and come out of this in May with a bang and well-deserved break. Maybe a floor to ceiling library like this would keep me super motivated :)

Or maybe I could spice up my papers with some color. (So scholarly of me!)

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Snow Day!

2011-01-10T12:35:00.000-06:00

Well, the weather man was half right...it is NOT 50 degrees here today. More like 20. And definitely still snowing since yesterday. It is supposed to continue snowing until tomorrow. I am kind of excited for a big dump of snow. We haven't really had that much snow this winter, especially compared with the past few winters. It makes for the perfect day to lay around in pajamas, cozied up in bed with some old Friends episodes and hot cocoa.

But! No official snow day for me. I have to muddle to work tonight -- luckily only about 5 minutes away :)

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This Weekend...

2011-01-07T17:23:00.001-06:00

...The weather man said it could be 50 here or snow 12 inches. Hmmm.

Either way, I will be enjoying my last weekend of total freedom for a few months. It is the last weekend before the semester starts up, and if all comes to fruition with the approval of a certain grad school committee, it could be a whiz bang of a busy semester for me.

We are checking out a little Thai place tonight and then meeting up with some friends. Saturday will hopefully be a lazy day, as will most of Sunday (though I probably should take down my Christmas tree this weekend). We will end our weekend by making an appearance at a resident recruiting function (free dinner and drinks!).

Cheers!

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Better Together

2011-01-04T10:48:00.001-06:00

It was a more than welcome surprise this evening when TJ called to tell me he was coming home at 5:30.

There have not been many times in the past 6months that this man has been home before 7pm. We had a nice little dinner, enjoyed some vino, and took a walk around downtown while the Christmas lights are still up. My weather icon on my phone said it was 28 outside, but I beg to differ -- it definitely felt a lot colder than that. I tried out my new mittens too :)

Happy to be spending time together!

what's for dinner?

2011-01-03T08:03:00.004-06:00

As delicious as our Christmas prime rib was (courtesy of my hubby), we had a substantial bit left over. I discovered this recipe courtesy of TJ's mom, and it is definitely in a rotation in our house. It is ridiculously easy, and great for any beef leftovers. I am not much of a cole slaw fan, so I used broccoli slaw that I found at the store (and cut the amount called for in half). Yum!

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Helloooo 2011!

2011-01-02T10:00:00.005-06:00

New Year = New growth = New (and recycled) Goals.

Let's revisit my goals from 2010:
1. ~~Blog more frequently and with a purpose~~. This includes coming up with ~~a new blog header~~. Hmm...I did blog a leetle more often than last year, but with a purpose? I guess I can cross that one off too, since I don't just write willy nilly :) I just posted a new header that I threw together, but would still like to come up with a more inspiring and fitting one.
2. Run a 5k. Ha. That's funny. This definitely did not happen. I had good intentions and even started a "couch to 5K" plan, but alas, this one fell to the wayside.
3. ~~Cook more.~~ I did cook more this year, but once the mister's residency started and I switched from the ER to the ICU and my work hours shifted earlier by almost two hours, it became a little difficult for me to make dinners for the two of us. TJ is content to eat salad, but I need a little more sustenance.
4. Take more pictures. I did... sort of...Let's carry this one over.
5. Become a homeowner. Thought about it...really wanted to cross this one off the list, but when push came to shove, buying a house was way too stressful. In hindsight, I am really glad we didn't because TJ is never home, so I would have to do all the house-related stuffs.
6. Get a dog. We looked for one. Almost bought one. But we decided to put that off until we have a place with a yard. It unfair to put a big dog in an apartment when we are both so busy.

New Goals for 2011:
1. Run a 5K (or at least be able to). Bringing this one back with a vengeance. I ran the other day and it definitely hurt, but I am going to try to stick with this one!
2. Take more pictures! I feel like so much slips by us, and I want to be able to remember it all.
3. Continue to plough through my NP program -- potentially on track to finish in 3 years (keeping my fingers crossed for some stuff to turn out here)...otherwise it will be 4.
4. Read more. I am a voracious reader in the summer, but not at any other time.
5. Meal plan. Maybe not all the time, but there are so many recipes I want to try and always forget about. This would probably help me cook more too.
6. Get birthday cards out and correspond the old fashioned way more.
7. Pamper myself...I have never gotten a massage or facial, and can count on one hand the number of times I have gotten a pedicure or manicure. This will change!
8. I would also like to learn to crochet or knit, but I know this is a little bit of a lofty goal, especially given my busy schedule coming up.

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Good Bye 2010

2011-01-01T17:51:00.001-06:00

I thought 2010 was going to be the best year. It ended up being a little bit of a bipolar year for us. We celebrated our one year anniversary, went to some concerts (Nickelback, Dierks, and Eric Church), and made it out of the Midwest for a vacation here and there -- including our belated honeymoon to the DR. We also experienced Match Day, which was an utter shock, TJ graduated, and we waved to our friends as they left for their new adventures. Mixed in among the ups and downs were the sweet little moments of day to day life: TJ and I having a day off together, our "Old Market parents" making me a delicious birthday dinner, runs along the riverfront, enjoying a chocolate croissant from the Farmers Market, and so much more.

I am looking forward to a new year and a new decade -- whatever it may bring. Cheers to 2011!

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Christmas Recap

2011-01-01T17:50:00.000-06:00

We had the best Christmas. TJ and I enjoyed 3 1/2 glorious days off together...and my parents and brother came to town to help us celebrate. I was thoroughly spoiled this Christmas :)

Our beautiful little tree

My family arrived the night of Christmas, so TJ and I had our little Christmas that morning. We made homemade pizzas with my parents, brother, and our friends who could not go home to their family for the holiday (she had her baby the next day!). We continued the celebration the next day with some fabulous prime rib (I knew I kept TJ around for a reason).

Walking along the riverfront

I also managed to cram in some baking before everyone arrived:

Krumkake

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Gingerbread Men

It was a beautiful Christmas and end to 2010.