Friday, May 30, 2014

counseling

Yesterday Doug and I had another pre-engagement/pre-marital counseling. Stan had given us an assignment to write our own vows. Not necessarily to use in our wedding, but to talk about our feelings and to express what it means to us to vow our lives to one another. Ever my style, I had writer's block until the night before. But I did it. So at our session Stan read them both, and then had us read each others. His were good. Real good. It brought out a couple tears, which I tried to wipe away nonchalantly, but Stan was joking "oh take a kleenex Anne, I don't charge extra for those". And then I had to talk about why it made me cry, it wasn't enough to just say they were sweet, oh no, not on Stan's watch. So we talked about why they meant what they did. It was good.
Tonight we were supposed to double date in Ann Arbor with Jill but plans went a little awry so Jill, Doug, and I went to Royal Oak. We got mexican for dinner and walked around a bit and then got icecream. Mmmmm... eskimo kisses
hey I didn't know mine was going to be triple the size of theirs, no judgment, but not that I'm complaining too much....
also this picture makes me want to say "big---meaty----claws---" in a voice like Mr. Krabs in spongebob, haha.
Anyway. And here we are enjoying a lovely spring evening
I have also been working on some crafts lately. A little peek:
Normally I like to knit baby hats for friend's having babies, however, all the recent friends having boys and/or spring/summer babies put me in a quandary. I don't really want to spend all that time knitting if no spring/summer baby is going to wear it because it's too hot. So I've been thinking of other crafty baby gifts.
And speaking of babies, shout out to Jenna and her new baby girl, happy birthday Hope!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Memorial weekend

what a wonderful weekend. I had the whole weekend off and it was glorious.
Friday night we had a going-away get together dinner for our doctor friend Josh who is moving to start his residency. It was fun to catch up with friends and celebrate Josh and his accomplishments.
Saturday I was looking in the fridge not knowing what to eat for breakfast when Jill suggested we go out. And we ended up having a very nice roommate (friends!) day that we don't get often enough. We walked downtown to a little cafe where Jill got the Michigan pancakes (with dried cherries, walnuts, and carmelized apple topping- yum!) and I got a chicken salad sandwich, also tasty. Later at the condo I was saying I needed to go to JoAnn's for something for my craft and was saying I didn't want to, and Jill asked if it would help if she came too. Why yes it would! So we went off to Kohl's, Ulta, and JoAnn's. Then I spent a little time crafting. I went out to dinner with my parents and cousin Amy who was in town, and then came back to (re)watch Frozen with Jill. I love little Olaf, he's so funny.
Sunday Jill and I got up early and headed up to her grandma's house on the lake.
We went out on the lake and sped around with the wind in our hair (and Beck's fur).
It was a perfect day. I laid out and read my book club book, we had good food, and later went out for a tube ride which was really fun. You know you have a true bosom buddy friend when they give you their used eye makeup remover cotton ball so you can use it too, and you can uninhibitedly compare your sunburnt butts. Then we ended the night getting icecream and their local icecream place and I got my favorite icecream Eskimo Kisses, and drove back.
Monday I went up to my parents, my cousin Amy was in town again and we took our bikes to the trail and went on a 14 mile bike ride. It was nice. Then came home, grilled up some burgers, and relaxed. I stayed to watch the Bachelorette with mom. Not the episode to watch with one's more conservative mother. The Bachelorette was making her guys strip down and dance for charity. So of course mom had been working on her computer, and that was when she came in to start watching, awkward! haha
But it was a very nice weekend.
Doug had been up at the Pictured Rocks with his buddies and he sent me this pic:
I thought it was both sweet, but also disgraceful of his national landmark defacing, but he assured me it was just drawn on with a charcoal brisket, so I felt better :)
And today back to work. When I got home I opened a letter to find (another) summons to jury duty. So now I have circuit court jury duty July 7, and federal court jury duty July 14. Is that even fair?!? I was wishing I had never thought to myself 'oh cool, I hope I get called for jury duty someday'. Be careful what you wish for!

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Fuds

This week has flown by pretty fast. Monday night watched Bachelorette with my church gals, it was great to see and hang out with them. My girl-time has seriously been lacking thanks to school! So watched that and then slept at my friend's house since she lives very close to work. Tuesday was Bible study at my friend Rachel's church. It was a good study on Ruth. I felt a little strange because part of my wedding vows had been from Ruth, and I had meant what I said. But I guess again it comes down to the fact that it takes two people to have a marriage. Anyway. Rachel always makes me some kind of delicious dinner, and sends me with leftovers. I spent the night at their house after the study since they also live close to work, and Rachel packed my lunch:
Some kind of delicious vegan noodle, white bean, leek, garlic and onion concoction with salad, homemade croutons, and homemade vegan ranch, and roasted broccoli. Yum.
Wednesday I went over to Doug's and we made scrambled eggs and random side dishes from the stuff his roommate left in the freezer when he moved out. Thanks for the green beans and spicy fries, Phil! We got icecream and walked around his neighborhood. On the way back to his house we stumbled upon this scene:
which kinda looks like a bunny masacre, but is really a mommy bunny nursing her little babies. awwwwww
Doug made a joke how he always thought bunnies nursed behind a big screen, which was a reference to how at my church we used to have these partitioned walls up to make it look like all the people were sitting together and it wasn't a huge auditorium with no one in it. Anyway, one day our pastor announced they were going to remove the walls with expectation that God would fill the seats. And in a very Ty Pennington-way, my pastor was like 'take down these walls!' and it was a neat moment, but in the back of my mind I was thinking about how nursing mom's used to sit back there and I thought it was cool because they could privately nurse and still hear the message. Anyway, as the walls were being ripped down I was whispering to Doug about the nursing mother's being like "oh!!" as they were suddenly exposed. So anyway, I was laughing at his bunny nursing room joke.
Doug wanted to get close to the babies, but I had recently heard a bunch of nurses telling horror stories about their cats bringing baby bunnies home and I didn't want to attract any attention to them.
Today I got out 15 minutes from work which made a world of difference traffic-wise so I wasn't quite as grumpy coming home. (It takes me 30+ minutes to get there, it should not take over an hour coming home!) I made potato salad for a friend hangout tomorrow:
And I made these granola bars from my favorite blog girl, altho I would say "I've had better".
(In fact these by her are amazing!! I guess they're more like a cookie, but SO good)

Monday, May 19, 2014

weekend update

The weekends sure fly by when you work saturday.
Friday after work Doug and I had counseling, we talked about the (few) things we have different thoughts on, and we practiced communication exercises like saying something, and then the listener has to say "I hear you said ____" and "I can see how you feel about ___", kinda feels odd to do, but the focus is on listening and hearing your partner. And it works. Then I ended up making dinner and later fell asleep while watching our Redbox rental of The Nut Job. Kinda silly. I'd say save your $1.27
Saturday after work we did a double date, where we made dinner together, then talked and ate, and walked downtown for frozen yogurt. I looked over to Doug to see his froyo was mountaining out of his bowl, and asked if he knew that at that place you pay by the ounce. Whoops! He enjoyed his 14 ounces of frozen yogurt, haha. It was a really fun night.
Sunday after church we drove out to Ann Arbor. My cousin had invited us to a recital her children were playing in. I wanted to take Doug to my favorite AA restaurant. I hadn't been there since my bro was at U of M there forever ago, but they still had my favorite sandwich. Delicious chicken salad melt on a homemade english muffin. Mmmmmm.
(sandwich eaten too quickly for photo)
Another cousin joined us for lunch so that was nice
And the concert was really good too
Those kids were talented! Especially the one in the white shirt on the far right :)
Today, back to work. And then testing out the new gym
I was kind of irritated because first day and I hadn't brought my locker so I had my bag right next to my machine and between another (blocking NO ONE) and I was all alone in that section. Anyway, long story short, was informed of "company policy" of no bags on floor, so left 5 mins early.
Anyway. Came home and tried another recipe from the girl whose recipes are borderline blog-reading-enders for me. But this one was good. (and seriously, click on her link, how does she make her food look so AMAZING?? while mine always looks rather blob-like)
You had to top this dish with a poached egg. I have never made one, so I googled a recipe.
Oh wow, who can resist this scrumptious looking egg?!?
...how about anyone
So my dinner was instead topped with a fried egg and fresh basil from the new plants Jill got for me from the farmer's market
It did take several pots and pans to make this dinner, but it was quite tasty.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

FREEEEE

Another semester down, one more to go! Well after summer break that is. First I wished that we could go straight through, instead of coming back for just 8 more weeks, but it's not even an option, so I will enjoy having one-last-free-summer-before the cold cruel world of full-time work.
I say that, but actually my plan is to work full-time at the hospital this summer anyway. But I do have a couple nice long weekend vacations planned, and I am excited!!
This summer my plans are to:
- Devote a couple hours, a couple nights a week to studying for the NCLEX exam. I have 3 study books to work through.
- I'm debating joining the new Planet Fitness by my house. I actually prefer home workouts, but since I'm an afternoon exerciser with my work schedule (not gonna wake up any earlier than 5:30!) I can just go there on my way home from work. Besides, it will be very hot here in the condo in the afternoon time and Jill will be home and has better things to do than watch me sweatily hopping around. Haha. Plus I called over and they have the new stairmill (looks like a set of stairs) which I absolutely love. Lately I am totally not feeling running. I've been on 2 runs in 2014 and only one of them was even decent. Doug wanted me to do the Warrior Dash with him, but meh, not really interested, especially at almost $75 or whatever it was. So I will be a good cheerleader instead!
- Really looking forward to summer trips! Up to the lake with Jill, Florida in June, Colorado in July, up North in August, and meeting my friend Jill who now lives in Missouri halfway between our states in Indiana to camp and meet each other's boyfriends. Not to mention any other trips up North and boat rides I can get :)
- I'd like to re-read my Mark of the Lion series I got for my bday last year, I have some craft ideas, I want to make good food, and I want to spend time with this guy.
Something tells me it's going to fly bye too fast!

Friday, May 9, 2014

recent eats

my friend Jenna said she doesn't see enough posts about my meals...
not that a cookie is a meal per se, but made this batch for my school friend's bday. mmmm, mostly vegan and threw in the last 1/3 of a jar of pb
it almost was a meal because I ate some dough and 2 cookies!
Becks and his spring haircut. Liz came over last weekend to hang out with me. She was very impressed and commented on Becks and his new sassy kerchief. She always makes me laugh with her commentary of Lord Becks sitting upon his throne (the back of Jill's chair) in the window looking down upon all the peasants (whoever is walking outside).
I made butter chicken for Liz and I
and a batch of molasses ginger cookies
this week I tried making a breakfast casserole. I struggle with breakfast ideas and no matter what I eat I'm always growling a couple hours later. Anyway, this seems good cause I can freeze squares and easily take some with me to work. To make this I used a tube of turkey sausage on sale that I browned, about 3/4 a bag of frozen o'brien potatoes (the one with peppers and onions), a square of that frozen spinach thawed, about 8 eggs, and a half container of cottage cheese. Seemed like a good mix of proteins and healthy carbs and a bit of iron with the spinach.
and tonight's dinner for Jill and I was sweet potato fries with a dip made from sour cream and cajun spices (from 5 guys) and baked chicken salad. Quite tasty, especially the cajun fry dip!
ONE MORE WEEK of school!! (until mid/late August) so I'm busy with studying and online quizzes, reading, homework.
And this weekend is a wedding of one of Doug's friends and celebrating my special momma :)
happy mother's day moms!!!

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

easy as pie

Doug came over on saturday and brought me these:
pretty
We watched the movie Labor Day last week (book- good, movie-ok), and I felt inspired to make a pie. I wanted peach like in the movie, but Doug voted apple, and since he went to the store to buy the fruit, apple it was.
He was in charge of the apple prep
I got to wrap my arms around him and teach him how to use a peeler (he of course made a Ghost joke)
Hey! The guy in the movie looked much more romantic to make pies with!!
turns out you can google the 'pie dough recipe from Labor Day', but not sure I would make again. It was ok. I don't know, I don't like crust anyway, usually I just only eat the fruit/filling anyway and leave the empty pie shell.
they looked like they would overflow
from another recipe site you made a sauce to pour over the apples
And finally we got to enjoy it!!
the only thing "easy" about pie is eating it, it took us an hour or so to make it, but it was fun baking together :) and come peach season I'm making me a cobbler!