This Place in Time

Stargazing on Tuesday

2012-02-13T22:22:00.000-06:00

A week ago yesterday, we arrived home from our trip to Hawaii. I'm sad that Tuesday's adventures were almost two weeks ago! The third full day of our vacation started as a relaxing one.

My mom and dad got up early for yoga, and Ross and I took a sunrise walk and watched surfers. The surf was coming in and LOTS of people were intent on taking advantage of it.

Unfortunately, that also meant that the novices among us were not allowed in the water. No equipment rental, lessons, or snorkeling allowed. I spent part of the morning pouting about this. It was aggravating being so close to the water but not being in it! To be fair, we could wade in the shallow water, but it was just cool enough that you had to really be moving to stay warm once you got wet.

All morning I kept thinking: how cool would it be to be a surfer? Your only job would be to find employment that will allow you to make enough money to support this hobby which, I imagine, is much cheaper than some other hobbies such as skiing or SCUBA diving once you own the board (and, of course, if you already live in Hawaii). Wouldn't it be wonderful to organize your life so that when the weather is perfect, you could drop everything and spend all day doing something that you love?! And I think it's so cool that every wave is different. Unlike running on a trail, surfers literally have a different experience every time they go out-- not just slightly different scenery.

Realistically, I know this would be an anxiety-provoking lifestyle for me... living hand-to-mouth year-round. And what if *gasp* you had to work on the one day the waves really came in? So yeah. Maybe not the life for me, but nice to think about nonetheless. It's always fun to see passion in action.

Tuesday morning left me with a desire to find an outdoor passion that allows me to interact with and find joy in nature. I really enjoyed just being active and outdoors this vacation.

Iced Kona coffee with mom and dad. A good way to start the day!

After these (not so profound) musings, I settled for some pool time in the sunshine. I swam a few laps and enjoyed the long lap lane. Much more fun than turning around every 25 meters. Once my dad was out of his meeting, we all met up and piled into the car. After a quick pit-stop for a picnic dinner and some green juice for me, we headed out. Destination? The tallest mountain in the world.

To be fair, Mauna Kea makes this claim by measuring from the sea floor. When measured from its true base, this dormant volcano is 33,500 feet tall, although it only rises 13,796 feet above sea level. In comparison, Mount Everest certainly has the highest elevation at 29,035 feet above sea level.

There are 13 climate zones in the world and 11 of them can be found in Hawaii... many of them as you wind your way up this mountain. These include tropical rainforest (which we started to see when we went up to about 1,000 feet to see the coffee plantation on Sunday), dessert, and finally permafrost at the peak of Mauna Kea.

prairie-- doesn't look like 'Hawaii'

We didn't venture to the true peak-- that required a 4-wheel drive and time to acclimate. Instead, we drove to the visitor's station at 9,000 feet. We watched the outside temperature drop steadily as we drove up in elevation, and the landscapes did vary radically and quickly.

pine forest

approaching the lowest clouds

sunshine above the cloud line

cattle grazing over a mile above sea level

When we reached the visitor's center, we walked around for a minute and then quickly decided to hike up the biggest hill nearby to watch the sunset. For a few minutes, we had the hill to ourselves. And what a view!

Ross and Dad on the way up

The view from the top of the 'hill' on the mountain

Other people eventually had the same idea, though, so once it got crowded we sat down to eat. Food always tastes better when you've worked for it! It also arguably tastes better in fresh air because this deli counter meal of curried broccoli salad, mandarin orange and beet salad, taro chips, and tuna musubi was so good.

Then we settled in to watch the sun set above the cloudline.

There are no words, but "this is where heaven and earth collide."

Ross liked this picture the best!

Dad and Mom bundled up

With the last remaining bit of twilight, we hiked back down to the visitor's center to look at the stars.

Apparently 9,000 feet is just about the perfect location for viewing stars with the naked eye. You're above the cloud line and the atmosphere thins just enough that the stars are clear (apparently atmosphere is what makes them 'twinkle' when we usually look at them). Yet the atmosphere isn't so thin that our retinal cells are starved for oxygen. Pretty cool! To boot, the Big Island actually has some pretty strict lighting laws in place per the Mauna Kea astronomers. The observatory couldn't get really good funding unless the island complied. Looking at the stars without light pollution is a very rare experience.

telescope picture taken much earlier in the evening

There was a volunteer astronomer there with a big telescope set up allowing us to see a few things up close. Once it got darker, he pointed out a number of stars and constellations with a fantastically strong laser pointer. We saw stars whose circumference is bigger than the entire orbit of many planets in our solar system and others who may have burnt out years ago and we wouldn't know because their light takes so long to travel to earth.

We did get lost on the way home (poor lighting does have its downside, but poor road signage doesn't help). But it was worth it. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Monday on the Water

2012-02-09T23:04:00.001-06:00

Last Monday dawned sunny and glorious in Hawaii and we were all up pretty early because of the time change. I was excited to head to the beach first thing! [Disclaimer: When I look at the pictures on my camera from last Monday, I feel like it should be called "me" day. In my defense, Ross cut his foot on some coral pretty early on and it wouldn't stop bleeding, so he was content sitting on the beach and decided to take a lot of pictures, apparently. My mom took a pool day and my dad was in a meeting all day.]

The day started perfectly with floating yoga. That's yoga on a paddleboard anchored in shallow water. It's challenging at first, but by the second class I was ready to try a few more challenging moves. Planks were especially fun! I'd never heard of floating yoga before the trip, but now I wish every day could start with a relaxing practice bobbing on clear water, with sea turtles below and the sun warming your shoulders as it rises over the mountain!

After that, we went to my Dad's Board meeting breakfast and met all his compadres, which was fun. And breakfast on the beach is never a bad thing.

Ross and I spend the rest of the morning learning how to paddleboard. He cut his foot pretty early on, though, so being a loving and attentive wife I helped him bandage it up and then I left him alone so I could take surf lessons. Oops.

But. I'm SO glad I did it! The instructor and I headed out to where the waves were breaking (not far from shore) and he basically told me where to put my feet and he pushed my board into an oncoming wave. I didn't catch that one, but I did catch the next one remarkably easily. (I don't mean to make that sound self-righteous. I actually mean that it's surprisingly easy to stand up on the board with the wave's momentum holding it. Easier than standing on a paddleboard the first time.)

However, as the wave pushed toward shore, I quickly realized the instructor hadn't told me what to do next. So I leaned sideways and fell off on purpose. Bad idea. We were in very shallow water by then and I got slammed by a few waves before I was able to paddle back out! Apparently the correct thing to do is just to calmly sit back down on your board.

Speaking of paddling back out, that was the hardest part. The beginner's surfboard was wide and I was basically trying to propel myself against the current with the use of my wrists and hands. My arms wore out fast, as did the skin on my abdomen from being rubbed raw.

But it was worth it. One hour of unimaginable fun! I attempted 11 waves and caught 6! Granted, they were tiny waves and I couldn't control such a big board very well. But I never thought I'd take surf lessons and now I want to save up for our next tropical vacation to do more of it!

While we were waiting for waves, my instructor was telling me how he was raised in Waipio Valley in a family of surfers and fire dancers. He said his uncles just took him out one day and he learned how to surf in 2 days when he was 6 years old.

How cool would it be to have such a sense of place? Identity, sense of purpose, I guess these are all things I'm looking for and I really envied him that. Well that, and the fact that he was born and raised in Hawaii! It's cool how people here seem to be judged by what the know (like the knowledgeable coffee farm tour guide) or their abilities (surfers), and not how they dress or do their hair or wear their clothes. I'm sure those are vacation ideals speaking and I by no means saw the day-to-day Hawaiian life, but still. It's very different from, say, New York City. Very refreshing.

After that adventure, we all ate some lunch and took some down time. I was worn out! But eventually I missed the sunshine and Ross and I ventured back out for a quick bike ride before dinner.

The sun sets like clockwork here so after our ride I booked it to a nearby cove and got some pictures.

I'm pretty sure those sunsets would never get old. After that stunning show, Ross and I ate dinner with my parents at Norio, the resort's sushi restaurant.

I ordered a salmon skin roll, but the highlight of the meal was definitely the Fairmont roll, which we ordered to share: tuna, cucumber, avocado, green onion, sesame seeds, and honey miso aioli. With raw fish, I can take it or leave it. But oh, freshness makes all the difference. This was positively buttery without even a hint of 'fishiness.' I could go for another right now!

Good food, good company, and a very good night's sleep following the day's excitement!

Sunday: Kona Coffee and Dinner

2012-02-06T20:22:00.000-06:00

I forgot how much ground we covered on Sunday until I started looking back at the pictures! After the second historical stop, we drove to the town of Kona for lunch. I'm now convinced we need a Taco Del Mar in Kansas City! It was kind of like the Chipotle of tacos. Except they don't charge extra for guac if you order a meatless meal. But I digress.

After lunch we continued south, inland, and up in elevation to Hula Daddy Coffee Farm. Only coffee from the North and South Kona districts can be called Kona Coffee. Picking season had just ended, but we got to tour the farm regardless.

During the growing season, coffee is harvested as "cherries" and then dried and roasted in a seemingly infinite variety of ways to produce different flavors.

Mom modeling a picking basket

sorting table to make sure only the perfectly ripe berries are chosen

Roaster

There are plenty of coffee plantations in the area, but Hula Daddy was the only one offering tours on Sunday. It actually turned out to be a stroke of luck because the company, while not certified organic, is extremely conscientious and the staff was outstanding. To boot, several of their coffees have been very highly rated. The girl giving the tour actually went ahead and brewed a pot of each of the coffees that she talked about because my dad was asking so many questions. Peaberry, oli, sweet... who knew there were so many different types of coffee? And that I'd actually be able to drink them black and taste the difference?

My dad ended up with a bag of Peaberry with beans that were picked the previous month and roasted about 3 weeks before we bought them. I may need to invest in a french press and a coffee grinder now!

After drinking a lot of coffee, we headed down the mountain to eat dinner at Sam Choy's. Of course, we made it a point to eat outside and watch the sunset again. Perfect dining environment in which to enjoy our buttery fish cooked in plantain leaves. Another great ending to a great day.

Sunday: Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site

2012-02-06T19:03:00.000-06:00

After leaving Lapakahi on Sunday morning, we headed south to Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site: one of the best-preserved and most significant heiau (temple) sites in Hawaii.

This was much more touristy than the previous site we visited. The visitor's center had a little film and plenty of displays. And bathrooms :o)

konane = Hawaiian checkers

In 1790 a prophet told King Kamehameha to build a heiau on top of Pu'ukohola and dedicate it to the war god. By doing so, the king would achieve his goal of conquering the Hawaiian Islands. The prophecy came true in 1810. The newest temple sits along "whale hill" and was built by Kamehameha.

No one can enter now unless they're performing an authentic holy Hawaiian ritual. There is an older temple below that and an older one still that is submerged offshore.

Gravity holds the walls together and they were all assembled by hand over the course of a year. Historians believe that thousands of workers formed a human chain 30 miles long to hand-pass the rocks used for the heiau.

The royal courtyard is still there near the beach, the ground flattened from decades of footfalls.

Next to that, there's a bay of shallow water filled with... sharks. Apparently sharks usually avoid shallow, sun-drenched water, but not here. Their presence has been observed in these dark waters for centuries.

Can you count the fins circling in the water?

As my dad pointed out, it's hard to believe that all of this was happening around the same time the US capital moved from Philadelphia to DC and Lewis and Clark began their expedition up the Mississippi!

Sunday: Lapakahi State Historical Park

2012-02-06T18:02:00.003-06:00

We all woke up fairly early on Sunday thanks to the time change. We had a leisurely hotel breakfast buffett (including Kona coffee) to start our day!

What a view to wake up to!

Juices: papaya, pineapple, orange, and a mixture of all three.

The Big Island is deceptively large. It actually takes more than 6 hours to drive around without stopping. There's a lot to do so we had to be quite selective and hit the priorities early on. On Sunday, we hit two historical spots on the Kohala Coast. The first stop was Lapakahi State Historical Park.

The park preserves the ruins of the once-thriving fishing village of Koai'e, which dates as far back as the 15th century.

We took the 1-mile self-guided hiking loop around the windy coast.

I would love to have this view out my front door!

The coast here is a designated Marine Life Conservation District and it was flawless.

We saw carved lava rocks used to dry ocean water and gather salt as well as traditional games.

But more than anything, the rugged coast was a feast for the eyes and I can't imagine picking a better spot for a fishing village.

Despite the wind, the crashing waves were spellbinding and we even saw a few whale splashes in the distance. What a great adventure to start our trip off with!

Last Saturday

2012-02-06T12:39:00.002-06:00

If I had known how wonderful Hawaii was going to be, I would've been up without an alarm on Saturday! As it was, Ross and I got up around 6:30 AM and headed to the airport by 7 AM. Not too bad for a morning flight. The time change was also in our favor on the flight west.

We met up with my parents in Denver and boarded the second flight together. We passed over the Southwest US and before I knew it, it was all water below us.

This isn't too profound, but most of the 6 hour flight was over water. That's a lot of water. I tried to picture a large swimming pool below us, or even the biggest lake I'd seen, and they would still look like droplets of water or puddles compared to the ocean. That's an unfathomable amount of water!

We knew we were starting out descent when we could see coral reefs below the clouds.

Equally impressive, we then saw a mountain top above the clouds!

Before we knew it, we were in Hawaii!

The airport tarmac was in the middle of a lava field and the building itself was just a cluster of open-air pavilions, which was bizarre. But I LOVED Hawaii at first sight! When we stepped out onto the tarmac, it wasn't nearly as humid as we expected it to be. Just plain warm and perfect.

After grabbing out luggage, we picked up our rental car and headed into Kona for 5 PM Mass.

Mass was under a perma-tent while the church raises money for a new building. I actually thought it was really cool for a service to take place like that right on a busy street! People walking near the beach a block away could hear the songs and prayers. Surely it was somewhat reminiscent of Jesus preaching to the crowds on the shores as well.

After Mass, we walked a few blocks to the Kona Inn to eat fresh seafood and witness our first Hawaiian sunset over the water. The food was pretty darn good (Mom, Dad, and I had fish and Ross had a Hawaiian BBQ pulled pork sandwich) but the view was even better.

What a great way to begin our vacation!

After that, we headed to the hotel. I can't believe I didn't take a picture when we walked in, but the lobby was open-air as well, with a wide view of the gardens, pool, and ocean below. Paradise!

Home Again, Home Again

2012-02-05T15:34:00.004-06:00

It's hard to believe that less than 24 hours ago, I was 4 time zones away. It was noon and I was getting ready to eat lunch near the beach and head back out for one more round of paddleboarding. Kansas has never seemed so landlocked or monochromatic. Fortunately, I have rogue sand in the cuffs of my jeans, the lingering smell of saltwater in my hair, a faint tan line (Neutrogena SPF 80 is no joke), a suitcase full of dirty clothes, a surfboard rash, and 1,094 pictures to remind me that this time yesterday, I was in Hawaii!

I think traveling forces you to be happy about being home again, if for no other reason than to sit on a non-moving surface with more than 6 inches of space between you and the nearest warm body. Now if only I could figure out a way for me and everyone I love to make Hawaii home!

In other non-surprising news, stress and anxiety have returned after a truly blissful week off. But like my Dad said the other day, it wouldn't be a vacation unless you had something to take a vacation from! I am so blessed.

Aloha

2012-01-27T21:03:00.000-06:00

I'm hoping to get a bunch of homework done on the plane tomorrow morning so I can truly RELAX for a week!

*Gonna put the the world away for a minute
Pretend I don't live in it
Sunshine gonna wash my blues away

Had sweet love but I lost it
She got too close so I fought her
Now I'm lost in the world trying to find me a better way

Wishing I was knee deep in the water somewhere
Got the blue sky breeze and it don't seem fair
Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair
Sunrise there's a fire in the sky
Never been so happy
Never felt so high
And I think I might have found me my own kind of paradise

Wrote a note said be back in a minute
Bought a boat and I sailed off in it
Don't think anybody gonna miss me anyway

Mind on a permanent vacation
The ocean is my only medication
Wishing my condition ain't ever gonna go away

Cause now I'm knee deep in the water somewhere
Got the blue sky breeze blowing wind through my hair
Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair
Sunrise there's a fire in the sky
Never been so happy
Never felt so high
And I think I might have found me my own kind of paradise

This champagne shore washing over me
It's a sweet sweet life living by the salty sea
One day you could be as lost as me
Change you're geography
Maybe you might be

Knee deep in the water somewhere
Got the blue sky breeze blowing wind through my hair
Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair
Sunrise there's a fire in the sky
Never been so happy
Never felt so high
And I think I might have found me my own kind of paradise

Come on in the water it's nice
Find yourself a little slice
Grab a backpack of lies
You never know until you try
When you lose yourself
You find the key to paradise*

-Zac Brown Band

One Week

2012-01-22T17:04:00.001-06:00

Life has been non-stop for the past week and a half. My days of boredom at home are long gone and that realization is bittersweet, for sure. There's a lot of introspection going on over here and I can't even think about everything I have to get done this week in a very small amount of free time without crying. THE reason I'm going to be able to get through it is that this is my reward...

Hawai'i! To say I'm so excited would be an understatement! Have you ever been? Any recommendations on what to do on the big island?

Doughy Smoothie Bowl

2012-01-17T08:26:00.000-06:00

I've been looking for something a little different to eat for breakfast. I try to mix it up between eggs and oatmeal because both are pretty filling, but both have also gotten a little old lately. This morning, I blended up a doughy smoothie inspired by this recipe.

Doughy Smoothie Bowl

1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats
1 cup milk of choice
3 Tbs. dried, unsweetened coconut
1 banana
pinch of cinnamon
splash of alcohol-free vanilla

I placed these in the blender overnight and then whirred it up in the morning. Quick and easy!

This is a porridge/smoothie hybrid so I actually popped it in the microwave for 45 seconds to take the chill off and then ate it out of a bowl. It would be even better with some crunchy granola, flax seed, or nuts sprinkled on top.

What is Your Life's Blueprint?

2012-01-16T20:11:00.001-06:00

It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day and as I was driving to work today, I heard a recoding of a speech King gave to a group of students at Barratt Junior High School in Philadelphia on October 26, 1967. It gave me a lot to think about as I walked through the spring-like (?!?) morning into work. And a lot to think about as I slogged through a busy, noisy day. It takes a lot of energy to be "on" for 12 hours at a time. Especially when you're on your third shift in a row, which just reiterates this wonderful food for thought:

I want to ask you a question, and that is: What is your life's blueprint?

Whenever a building is constructed, you usually have an architect who draws a blueprint, and that blueprint serves as the pattern, as the guide, and a building is not well erected without a good, solid blueprint.

Now each of you is in the process of building the structure of your lives, and the question is whether you have a proper, a solid and a sound blueprint.

I want to suggest some of the things that should begin your life's blueprint. Number one in your life's blueprint, should be a deep belief in your own dignity, your worth and your own somebodiness. Don't allow anybody to make you fell that you're nobody. Always feel that you count. Always feel that you have worth, and always feel that your life has ultimate significance.

Secondly, in your life's blueprint you must have as the basic principle the determination to achieve excellence in your various fields of endeavor. You're going to be deciding as the days, as the years unfold what you will do in life — what your life's work will be. Set out to do it well.

And I say to you, my young friends, doors are opening to you. Doors of opportunities that were not open to your mothers and your fathers — and the great challenge facing you is to be ready to face these doors as they open.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great essayist, said in a lecture in 1871, "If a man can write a better book or preach a better sermon or make a better mousetrap than his neighbor, even if he builds his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door."

This hasn't always been true — but it will become increasingly true, and so I would urge you to study hard, to burn the midnight oil; I would say to you, don't drop out of school. I understand all the sociological reasons, but I urge you that in spite of your economic plight, in spite of the situation that you're forced to live in — stay in school.

And when you discover what you will be in your life, set out to do it as if God Almighty called you at this particular moment in history to do it. Don't just set out to do a good job. Set out to do such a good job that the living, the dead or the unborn couldn't do it any better.

If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well. If you can't be a pine at the top of the hill, be a shrub in the valley. Be be the best little shrub on the side of the hill.

Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.

— From the estate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On My Mind Lately

2012-01-09T21:25:00.000-06:00

I'm feeling so chaotic and disorganized as of late. Ross was out of town for a week after the New Year and the state of the ~~union~~ apartment quickly grew to reflect the state of my mind. Stereotypes be darned, the man in my life is 1,000,000,000 times neater and more organize than me. Thank goodness opposites attract!

Since I can't type a paragraph without rambling, here are a few things that have been on my mind lately:

-2011 went by ridiculously quickly. It was JUST June, right?

-This winter weather is starting to creep me out. It was nice to cheat the cold in November, and snow-free roads were great for Christmas travel. But seriously? It's just weird. I liked mild winters... in Texas! I feels very wrong here. And if we don't get some moisture soon (just a little, mind you, not a lot) the farmers around here are going to have a very disheartening spring.

-Despite all of my grand ambitions to eventually be a nurse practitioner in some specialty, I don't know if it will ever happen. The NICU has a magnetic pull on me. I go through baby withdraw if I'm off work for more than 5 or 6 days.

-I love Body Pump. But I really miss running. I ran for 1 minute (one measly minute) on the treadmill the other day and my right IT band still hasn't forgiven me. WTF?!

-My schedule is about to get out-of-control busy and I'm a little freaked out. I can rise to the challenge. I must rise to the challenge. I will rise to the challenge!

*It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen. Life will reveal answers at the pace life wishes to do so. You feel like running, but life is on a stroll.* {Donald Miller}

27 Rules for Conquering the Gym

2012-01-06T20:24:00.000-06:00

I love "January Joiners." I practically am one this year. More people = more energy. Here are 27 rules for conquering the gym, straight from the Wall Street Journal. Take it with a grain of salt (I disagree with #4, for example. Anything that gets you to the gym is a good thing.) But most of them are pretty funny!

1. A gym is not designed to make you feel instantly better about yourself. If a gym wanted to make you feel instantly better about yourself, it would be a bar.

2. Give yourself a goal. Maybe you want to lose 10 pounds. Maybe you want to quarterback the New York Jets into the playoffs. But be warned: Losing 10 pounds is hard.

3. Develop a gym routine. Try to go at least three times a week. Do a mix of strength training and cardiovascular conditioning. After the third week, stop carrying around that satchel of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.

4. No one in the history of gyms has ever lost a pound while reading "The New Yorker" and slowly pedaling a recumbent bicycle. No one.

5. Bring your iPod. Don't borrow the disgusting gym headphones, or use the sad plastic radio attachment on the treadmill, which always sounds like it's playing Kenny Loggins from a sewer.

6. Don't fall for gimmicks. The only tried-and-true method to lose 10 pounds in 48 hours is food poisoning.

7. Yes, every gym has an overenthusiastic spinning instructor who hasn't bought a record since "Walking on Sunshine."

8. There's also the Strange Guy Who is Always at the Gym. Just when you think he isn't here today...there he is, lurking by the barbells.

9. "Great job!" is trainer-speak for "It's not polite for me to laugh at you."

10. Beware a hip gym with a Wilco step class.

11. Gyms have two types of members: Members who wipe down the machines after using them, and the worst people in the universe.

12. Nope, that's not a "recovery energy bar with antioxidant dark chocolate." That's a chocolate bar.

13. Avoid Unsolicited Advice Guy, who, for the small fee of boring you to death, will explain the proper method for any exercise in 45 minutes or longer.

14. You can take 10 Minute Abs, 20 Minute Abs, and 30 Minute Abs. There is also Stop Eating Pizza and Eating Sheet Cake Abs—but that's super tough!

15. If you're motivated to buy an expensive home exercise machine, consider a "wooden coat rack." It costs $40, uses no electricity and does the exact same thing.

16. There's the yoga instructor everyone loves, and the yoga instructor everyone hates. Memorize who they are.

17. If you see an indoor rock climbing wall, you're either in a really cool gym or a romantic comedy starring Kate Hudson.

18. Be cautious about any class with the words "sunrise," "hell," or "Moby."

19. If a gym class is going to be effective, it's hard. If you're relaxed and enjoying yourself, you're at brunch.

20. If you need to bring your children, just let them loose in the silent meditation class. Nobody minds, and kids love candles.

21. Don't buy $150 sneakers, $100 yoga pants, and $4 water. Muscle shirts are for people with muscles, and rhythm guitarists.

22. Fancy gyms can be seductive, but once you get past the modern couches and fresh flowers and the water with lemon slices, you're basically paying for a boutique hotel with B.O.

23. Everyone sees you secretly racing the old people in the pool.

24. If you're at the point where you've bought biking shoes for the spinning class, you may as well go ahead and buy an actual bike. It's way more fun and it doesn't make you listen to C+C Music Factory.

25. Fact: Thinking about going to the gym burns between 0 and 0 calories.

26. A successful gym membership is like a marriage: If it's good, you show up committed and ready for hard work. If it's not good, you show up in sweatpants and watch a lot of bad TV.

27. There is no secret. Exercise and lay off the fries. The end.

11, 12, 14, 19, 25, and 26 are my favorite. How about you?!

Carpe Diem

2012-01-04T10:53:00.002-06:00

I have been beyond exhausted lately but this morning when my alarm went off, I actually got out of bed. (Okay, I pushed *snooze* twice and then got out of bed). Why did I set an alarm on "my Saturday?" Body Pump!

Now I'm home a my muscles are spaghetti in the best way possible. Time for a hot bath, and then a CLEANING FRENZY! Today I plan to:

~~-work out~~ done!
-clean the apartment
-try on all my clothes and see what still fits and looks responsible per my monthly resolution
-find something to do with my hair besides throwing it in a frizzy ponytail
-plan some meals for the week and go grocery shopping
-clean up my computer inside and out

This way tomorrow, I can:
-run a bunch of errands (namely, see if any after Christmas sales are still applicable at Ulta (I need big-kid makeup), Lululemon (because, seriously), and TJ Maxx (do they have business casual?);
-go to lunch with a friend (sushi!) and
-study for my last stats test ever!
-go to small group-- it feels like I haven't been in forever

All of this so that Friday, I can:
-go to Body Pump again
-go to a part-time job interview
-hopefully take my stats test, and then...
-RELAX with NO weight on my shoulders before the real craziness of TA-ing and classes begins again!

What are your goals for the week?

Shameless Plug

2012-01-03T12:02:00.001-06:00

If you read This Place in Time on your Google Reader, or via an RSS feed you may not have seen my new tab: Habits. 'Tis the season for New Year's Resolutions but after I came up with and dismissed a few lengthy lists, I realized that one. thing. at. a. time. may be the way to go. Little changes can make a big difference.

Ringing in the New Year

2012-01-02T15:22:00.002-06:00

I had plans for a long post re-capping everything I haven't blogged about in the past few weeks, but first I was too busy and then I had a long day mentally, physically, and emotionally at work yesterday.

2012 has been off to an interesting start. I rung in the new year by working all day NYE and then spilling water on my laptop (NOOOOOO) while I was eating dinner after work. (Lesson learned. Spend less time on the computer, dumb@ss.)

Then I made cookies from the Babycakes cookbook Ross got me for Christmas :-)

The next day, I brought a frozen dinner with black-eyed peas to work with me to celebrate New Year's Day and I got a 10-minute break to shovel it in. As I was ~~eating~~ inhaling my lunch, I recalled that the last time I brought this lunch to work, I also had a busy day and didn't get much of a lunch break. Conclusion: while tasty, balck-eyed peas are not particularly lucky for me. I will just eat them at home from now on ;-)

Despite January 1 being a busy day, it was full of meaningful and sobering moments and I resolved to live more fully this year. I got home at 9:30 pm last night, I ate an Udi's bagel, took a long hot shower, and fell into bed. I didn't even brush my teeth!

I woke up well-rested, certainly, but a bit dazed and I consequently spent the morning and early afternoon in front of the computer doing nothing at all (so much for my NYE lesson). I think that blog-reading is an avoidance strategy for me. Don't want to worry about your own life? Read about someone else's. This is a problem. I really need to sit down and journal about yesterday to process it, but conveniently I wasted all my time and now I need to hurry up and clean the apartment a bit before rushing to a co-worker's house to see some of my favorite babies!

But before I do that, here's what's been happening:

-Ross and I drove to Amarillo on Christmas Eve and went to a candlelight service with Ross' family.

-My sister-in-law owns the Hunger Games which I've been wanting to read. I consequently read a book a day until I was done with the trilogy. Seriously.

-Christmas morning, we opened presents and then spent the rest of the day reading (see above) and relaxing. Overnight, Amarillo went from brown grass to SNOW! We woke up to a true white Christmas for the first time I can remember and it kept snowing all day long.

-I was so thankful I left my laptop at home. I needed a computer detox in a bad way.

-I also painted my nails for the first time in who knows how long. Emily's nails were a plummy gray shade for the holidays and I immediately coveted the polish. (It's Fearless Fog by Sally Hansen).

-I harangued Emily into going to Body Pump with me twice. I think she liked it! I'm jealous her gym offers more day-time classes than mine does.

-On December 29, I hightailed it out of Texas before sunrise to get back to Kansas City to see my family. My mom, dad, and 2 brothers came down for the resurrection of what used to be an annual tradition after Christmas: walk around the Plaza and look at the lights and then eat a huge dinner at Hibachi Japanese Steakhouse with my dad's brother's family. So fun!

-December 30, I got a blissful morning off due to low-census and I went to Beer Kitchen in Westport with my family. Delicious. I want to eat there daily. Then I went in to work around 12:30.

-Work

-Work

-Work

-Lay around and be lazy. And here we are.

Do you have a New Year's Resolution? I had a lot last year, and I'm sure at some point this month I'll look them up and see how I fared. But judging by the fact that I can't remember most of them, I think I know how that's going to end.

I've been making monthly goals the last few months and I like those better. This month's goal (not off to a fresh start considering I've spent the first two days in scrubs or pajamas thus far) it to dress for success.

I'm going to be a TA/clinical instructor for the entire year of 2012. This is no small task. Most of my students will be older than me. I'm 26 but I dress like I'm still in college. If I want people to take me seriously, I can't keep waiting for glossy hair and a put-together outfits and an acne-free face to magically appear. (But... if only that could happen)! Any advice?

Wish me luck!

Month in Review: December

2011-12-31T23:45:00.001-06:00

December started off with a bang. Our small group from church has a 'social' night in between books and we offered to have everyone over to our apartment for a make-your-own-pizza party a la my birthday parties growing up (thanks Mom)! I took a shortcut and bought pizza dough from Whole Foods, but I did let it rise and then tossed it and baked it myself.

We provided pizza crust, sauce, and cheese and each couple brought over 1 or 2 bowls of their favorite pizza toppings to share. Once everyone arrived, we took turns building pizzas and broiling them until the cheese melted. We had salad to munch on while they baked, so I think everyone had a lot of fun and it was very interactive. It was funny, though, that somehow the 'couples' small group ended up divided: girls at one table, guys at the other :o)

My Dad's home-grown and homemade Norton wine was a hit!

And then we were busy from there on out:

-I started the weekend premium position at work.

-Ross made a new dining room table and mirror for us.

-I had a ridiculous headache that started on-and-off in October, started to stick around in November, and grew persistently worse throughout December to the point that Advil and Tylenol wouldn't touch it. I had a CT scan, an MRI, a trip to Urgent Care, lots of tears, and no answers. Thankfully, it started subsiding by the end of the month but I did have sobering moments when I thought I'd live with it the rest of my life. I have a new, tiny, tiny understanding of what it must be like to live with chronic pain. And I'm so grateful that I don't.

Hmmm things don't look nearly as chaotic as the feel up there!

-Interviewed for and GOT a Teaching Assistant position at school! It's going to be a huge responsibility, the the opportunity is a tremendous blessing.

-Thanks to many, many prayers and efforts (prayer works!) and despite all my busy-ness (or, perhaps, because of it?) I started to feel happier. And lighter. And I'm so grateful.

-Saw many of my favorite NICU grads and they're all thriving at home.

-Went to my Aunt Theresa's winter solstice party after work and ate my weight in cheese balls and toffee. They days are already getting longer!!!!!! (there aren't enough explanation points in the world for this statement)

-Finished all of my stats assignments. So far I have a solid A! Whether or not I keep it depends solely upon the effort I expend studying for the last test.

-Finished my Nurse Leadership binder for work. This was a year-long project attempting to prove that I am a professional nurse and I deserve a place on the clinical ladder. We'll see.

-We went to an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party with our small group. So fun!

Part of our White Elephant gift. Delicious!

Gift Exchange

Trying to draw "Deck the Halls"

Love this group

-I got Facebook Timeline and I like the look of it (okay, I mostly just love looking at that panoramic sunset from a kayak trip in the Florida Keys for our 1 year anniversary). But I hate that I now have proof that I've been on Facebook at least weekly since 2006.

-I cashed in an early Christmas gift (thank you Mom and Dad) and joined a gym again!!!! (again, there aren't enough explanation points)

-Went to Amarillo which is wonderful, but driving through Oklahoma City always makes me realize we're so close to Ft. Worth, yet so far away on those trips.

-Had a White Christmas in Texas.

-My family (minus Tommy) came to town after Christmas so we got to hang out a lot.

-Went to Hibachi with my Aunt Karen, Uncle Pete, and cousins for the first time in years.

He knew we were getting a kick of how high he kept stacking the dishes!

-Rang in the New Year... asleep. Because it was my year to work NYE and New Year's Day.

Monthly Goal Evaluation:

This month I wanted to get into the routine of working out again. Six days a week was overly ambitious on purpose, and I'm more than happy to report that I averaged 3-4 workouts a week. I did a lot of weight training (Tone it Up videos, Jillian Michaels 6 Weeks to 6 Pack Abs, and a Lean Legs and Lean Arms Pyramid I found on Pinterest) and was pretty sore they day after a workout-- especially after the Lean Arms Pyramid. I missed workout out on the days I wasn't able to, but I feel like I'm definitely headed in the right direction and I'm ready to kick it into higher gear now that I have access to a gym and classes!

Feliz Navidad

2011-12-25T08:07:00.001-06:00

This day last year, I was practically having a heart attack myself as I coded a baby before 8am. Today, thankfully, is much more mellow. Remember the reason for the season!

Naming Rights

2011-12-23T21:01:00.001-06:00

I see a lot of babies on a weekly basis. I go into withdraw if I don't snuggle someone between 2 and 6 pounds at least once a week (I love my job)! Consequently, I've heard a lot of baby names. And to be perfectly honest, I've made fun of a few. But the ones I've seen aren't anything compared to these. Too funny!

P.S. I'm still ridiculously sore from Body Pump. It's the good kind of sore, but I was walking across the unit like a cowboy yesterday and today. Eek!

Pump it Up

2011-12-21T21:06:00.001-06:00

My gracious and generous parents have contributed to the get-Therese-back-in-shape fund for Christmas and on Monday, I eagerly went to Costco with a friend and grabbed a 2 year membership to 24 Hour Fitness for $319. If my math is correct, that's just over $3 a week. AMAZING!!!

I went with a friend yesterday to walk on the treadmill for a bit and today I went to Body Pump. I have been wanting to go to this class like crazy for a while now. It's a group weight lifting class very similar to the 24 Lift classes I was taking at the gym in Ft. Worth.

I'm actually really proud of the strength training I've been doing at home lately and it allowed me to more or less keep up with the class today, but the only way I'm going to get in 1 hour of strength training at a time is if it's in an encouraging environment with someone telling me what to do next and that's exactly what Body Pump is. I'm hoping to go twice a week now.

What I love most about strength training is, well, the feeling of strength that it gives me. Not just externally, but internally. Whenever I've gotten in a good routine with weights, I'll jokingly flex and ask Ross if he can tell I've been lifting weights. He always laughs but then says yes. But one time he said, "I can also tell you've been lifting because you're more confident." SO TRUE.

Here are some beginner's tips and a great summary of Body Pump from a few other blogs I read. Like Olympic snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler says, “It's not about being sexy but about being strong and powerful and showing girls it’s OK to have muscles. … And that strength and power is beautiful.”

Blessings I Don't Deserve

2011-12-18T06:24:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday, I interviewed for a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) position at school. On Friday, I found out that I got it!!! I didn't have high hopes because the position is to help as a lab and clinical instructor for the ABSN students-- advanced track adults who already have one degree and are switching to nursing. AKA people twice my age. The staff was asking me if I was tough enough for that and I think I kind of wavered in my answer. Of course, I'd rather teach traditional undergrads.

Needless to say, I was shocked when I got the letter of invitation to take the job. I said yes and of course suffered a minute of indecision after that. I'm going to be so busy, but I'm excited about that for once. I think it'll be good for me!

Just Like That

2011-12-11T09:59:00.002-06:00

...and just like that my last Saturday of freedom ended (I stayed up 'til after midnight enjoying it though). I am now on weekend premium for the next 6 months. SO excited about the paycheck and the more predictable schedule. (I've been working every other day since Thanksgiving and it's driving me crazy). I'm less excited about having to say no to things like friends' baby showers and birthday parties. But we're praying that we use the extra money responsibly and we no longer need it in 6 months.

At least my Saturday went out with a bang! One of the couples in our small group had an Ugly Christmas Sweater party and Ross and I were happy to celebrate the season with friends! We went to Salvation Army a few weeks ago and got some ugly sweaters... but they're not very Christmas-y.

At least we gave one of the most desirable (most-stolen) white elephant gifts! I seriously contemplated stealing it for myself when we got the chance, but I didn't. I know the final recipients will enjoy the hand-made caramels thoroughly.

Therapy

2011-12-08T16:44:00.000-06:00

It's a good day when your therapist tells you, "you're under some stress but I can tell you're really happy."

*Insert stunned silence here*

I am now in 'maintenance' therapy sessions now instead of 'let's sort through all of your problems' therapy. The reality is that even if my problems are mostly first world problems, depression screws with your mind and anxiety beefs up even the smallest issues and it doesn't take much for everything to spin out of control.

I'm a little stunned to be in this place. Suddenly I've been booted out into the open and depression is no longer a cloak I can hide under. I kind of like it. I remember busting into tears when I first met my therapist and she said, "I've been there and I am here to tell you that you will get through this. It is possible to have a life beyond this. There is hope."

I know there's a saying that goes, "I'm too blessed to be depressed." This saying has always frustrated me because I feel like it should be true. I am blessed beyond measure and I don't deserve any of it. I serve a loving God and with 20/20 hindsight, I can see why every single thing has happened the way it has this year and over the course of my life.

But depression is an animal. It puts blinders on either side of you and a dark cloud above you and a deep canyon in front of you. I remember reading something once to the extent of, "they say exercise is good for depression, but if you're really depressed then you're just walking around the park, depressed." THAT IS SO TRUE. Depression can be a beast and even if I can't see him and I'm not looking for him, I know he'll show up at the slightest sign of weakness. But now I have a toolbox full of knowledge and support to kick him to the curb when he threatens to stay a while.

I will say that for someone in the throes of depression, medication, when appropriately prescribed and followed up, can be a lifesaver. In Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert says that once she was on the right meds, "quickly, in less than a week, I could feel an extra inch of daylight opening in my mind. Also, I could finally sleep. And this was the real gift, because when you cannot sleep, you cannot get yourself out of the ditch-- there's not a chance. The pills gave me those recuperative night hours back, and also stopped my hands from shaking and released the vise grip around my chest and the panic alert button from inside my heart."

I always had the problem of sleeping too much when depression was at its worst, although sleeping isn't always restful. But the panic button she speaks of? I'm quite familiar with it. What's most important is that she then notes, "those drugs were part of my bridge to the other side." It's probably possible to get to the other side without them if you're willing to use prayer, exercise, diet, lifestyle changes, and counseling right away. But oh my gosh that's a lot of energy to expend when you're depressed.

For me, medications took the edge off and allowed me to function, but I never felt like I was able to thrive. I was so proud of myself for coming off of antidepressants by my 25th birthday. Then thanks to my therapist, I got through last winter without them and I have high hopes for this winter as well. I'm not saying I'll never need them again, but right now I'm in a very good place without them. And after a year of growing closer to God, improving my relationships with others, and visiting my therapist regularly, I finally feel like things are changing... for the better! I was sick of being stuck in the same cycle month after month, year after year. I don't want to speak too soon, but this is the first year since I high school I haven't felt like playing A Long December on full blast and bemoaning:

The smell of hospitals in winter
And the feeling that it's all a lot of oysters, but no pearls

I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass

Yet this is the year I feel like truly, maybe this year will be better than the last. In fact, that song came on the radio the other day and I actually switched the station instead of turning it up. That's huge. It's not the winter that makes you laugh a little slower and talk a little lower, it's depression.

I think Elizabeth Gilbert also captures the wonderful answer of a God who will always answer when you cry out to him: "I'm here. I love you. I don't care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you. If you need the medication again, go ahead and take it-- I will love you through that, as well. If you don't need the medication, I will love you, too. There is nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you... I am stronger than Depression and I am braver than Loneliness and nothing will ever exhaust me."

There is hope.

In the spirit of Elizabeth Gilbert, let me say attraversiamo. "Let's cross over." I am ready now. Do what you will.

December Goal

2011-12-06T12:36:00.000-06:00

My November goal was to just get on the computer once a day for mindless Facebook and Google Reader entertainment. It wasn't perfect, but I do feel like I've cut back and it's more of a habit than an addiction. They best days are when we're out and about and I'm fully busy and entertained by something other than my computer.

I'm excited for my December goal! I wanted to give it a week and see how it was going, and I think it's going to be pretty realistic. I got totally knocked out by this head cold/sinus infection/viral irritation. Not sure what it is, but it's only marginally better after 3 weeks of antibiotics. All I know is that my head hurts and breathing is hard. Add to that the fact that I barely worked out in November and I'm in a sad state compared to September.

I want to get back into exercise, but the headache/breathing difficulty keeps me from doing anything too intense. My goal is to just do some form or exercise 6 days a week to get into the habit of making it a priority again.

Don't think I'm trying to overcompensate or make an unrealistic plan. By 'exercise,' I mean at least 5 minutes of any activity that makes me think, "hey, this is hard. The easier thing would be not to do it." Actually working up a sweat and maintaining an elevated heartrate is most ideal, but not necessary (especially on days I work). It's December 6 and I'm 5 for 6 so far :o)

Who wants to join me?

And how do I get rid of this headache?!

With Thanksgiving

2011-12-05T09:01:00.001-06:00

WOW I'm almost 2 weeks late with this recap. I got a nice little break over Thanksgiving, but since coming back I haven't had more than 1 day off in a row. I actually don't have a lot of pictures from Thanksgiving, but I do have lots of warm memories.

I am beyond blessed that we got to go to Omaha and have Thanksgiving lunch (delicious and gluten-free) with my mom's side and then holiday cheesecake (homemade, best thing ever) with my dad's side that evening. I saw almost everyone on my list. It's been a while since I had such a social holiday vacation.

We took family photos at my grandma's house before lunch and here's what you get:

Ross, Daniel, Tommy, Bobby, Mom, Dad, me

Awkward. Speaking of which, here's a video of my on the day after Thanksgiving when Ross and I took my parent's dog for a walk (I do love the walkability of their neighborhood even though I don't love Omaha weather).

I'm sure you're laughing too hard right now to read more anyway, so that's all I've got!

With Open Arms and Open Eyes

2011-12-01T10:06:00.000-06:00

I'm very receptive to December when it begins like this!

I'll take greenery wherever I can find it!

Month in Review: November

2011-11-30T10:37:00.001-06:00

Where did November go? What a busy month! I got a lot of schoolwork done but fell off the exercise wagon, thanks to a combination of non-running frustrations (running is just so convenient, time efficient, and inexpensive) and this terrible sinus infection.

I also had good days and bad days with my monthly goal. I think it's more bad habit than anything now. I do the best on days when I can turn my computer off at night and don't have a real reason to turn it on again first thing in the morning!

Here's a short review of November 2011:

I applied for a bajillion part-time and PRN positions. I got interviewed for 3. I got one job offer, but it's not the one I wanted so I'm going to sit on it for a few more days before making a decision.

I tied with my friend Rachel for the weekend premium position-- then I got it via coin toss and felt guilty. As of December 11, I will be working every weekend for the next 6 months and I'm praying that God helps us use the extra money wisely so that I only have to sacrifice my weekends for 6 months instead of more.

I am no longer the head of the Developmental Care Committee. It was my own choice to step back, but it's still kind of sad.

Ross and I went to a gala for the Missouri Ear Institute. We had so much fun with my aunt and her friends!

I tried Crossfit. I still have 9 visits left on my Groupon, but it sounds miserable until this headache goes away.

I won a SPIN Pizza gift card :o)

I survived a hit-and-run and I'm so thankful that Ross and his mom have been able to help me with the ridiculous amounts of paperwork that came with it.

I found 30 very good reasons to be thankful.

I made my TV debut (ha)!

Ross and I celebrated a fun Thanksgiving with close to everyone in my family. It was so much fun!

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

2011-11-22T15:11:00.000-06:00

This soup was inspired by a pretty basic Epicurious recipe. I've been making a lot of soup lately because it's easy to freeze and then thaw and re-heat at a later date. I love coming home after a long shift knowing that I can have a hot meal ready in 5 minutes. It keeps me from making poor decisions around granola temptations ;-)

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

3 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
2 lbs sweet potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
1-2 cloves of garlic
1/2 small onion
2 tsp curry powder
1 cup SoDelicious coconut milk
1 Tbs. coconut oil
(optional: use 1 cup of canned coconut milk instead, and omit the oil)

Pour broth into a large saucepan and add sweet potatoes, garlic, onion, and curry powder. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a food processor (in batches, if necessary). Puree until smooth. Add 1 cup broth and process again until well blended. Return the mixture to the saucepan with remaining broth. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk or plan yogurt, and red pepper flakes.

Random Thoughts (Rants?)

2011-11-21T18:27:00.001-06:00

It's been BUSY up in here! I've been itching to ~~vent~~ write but haven't been able to find the time.

1.) Last week my car got hit by a hit-and-run driver while I was in it. I was waiting to turn left and the truck behind me was stopped, but then he decided to try to pass between me and the parked cars on my right. Of course he didn't make it (of course he didn't-- there was no lane there to do so) so he smashed into my bumper instead. IDIOT. Thankfully, I'm okay. And thankfully we have insurance. But insted of writing my final paper for class, I had to spend my days off last week running around town and making police reports. I feel that if it had been a run-down car with a single mom and some crying kids, I would be able to let this slide. But it was a tall guy around 30 with a nice, shiny pickup truck. Trade your truck in for a fuel-efficient car and maybe you can afford insurance, @#$%*!

2.) Today we had our old dining room table in the back of Ross' truck to take to Omaha and hand-down to my brother, but someone stole it in broad daylight right out of the bed of his truck. IDIOT (trying not to use expletives here). Where are people's boundaries these days?!

3.) Now that those two things are off my chest, I have to say it's been a while since I had a teeny tiny baby at work and even though I work with babies all the time, sometimes I still forget how small they can be. I've been taking care of one the past few days and there's nothing more precious than those itsy bitsy fingers wrapped around yours when their palm is barely the size of your thumbnail.

4.) I'm SO excited for Thanksgiving food. Like, really excited. Twice-baked potatoes and sweet potato casserole, here I come! I'm doubly excited that since I have a cousin on each side of the family with a gluten intolerance, my extended family is very open to gluten-free options (although most of my favorites are naturally GF... the only thing I'll really miss is the stuffing).

5.) I miss running. A lot. It was such a time-efficient and convenient workout.

6.) I have had a relentless sinus headache for a month now. Did you know sinus headaches can also = throbbing pain? Neither did I. But it's woken me up several times this week and nothing makes it go away. When my car got hit last week, I was on my way to the allergy doctor seeking relief, but she put me on an antibiotic. I said, "are you sure it's a sinus infection? I only have clear drainage, no fever, no body aches. I feel like it's just really bad allergies with all the wind lately." She said, "nope it's a sinus infection. Take these twice a day for 2 weeks." A week later, my headache is worse than ever so I quit my antibiotics. They say to finish the whole bottle even if you start to feel better, but if I don't start to feel better 15 doses in, I really doubt it's bacterial in nature. I'm pretty much ecstatic for the accupuncture appointment I scheduled for tomorrow. I went a few times this summer and it really does make my headaches better!

7.) I signed my weekend premium position contract today. There are some huge pros and some huge cons to being tied down to every weekend between Dec. 11 and June 11. Fortunately, I don't go out much in the winter now that it gets dark before 5pm and it's going to start getting colder and colder. The nights I do want to go out, I will just have to pull up my big girl panties, enjoy the time I do spend with friends, and leave early enough to get coffee on the way to work the next morning. And I will be watching a broadcast of our church's Sunday sermons every Monday morning. Not the same, but I can do it for 6 months. Thank goodness for our small group on Thursdays. They will make me feel much more 'plugged in' to church while I'm missing it.

8.) Meal planning is awesome. The last few weeks, Ross and I have agreed upon 2 meals to make each week and we actually stick to a list when grocery shopping. It's so much easier to stay near-budget when sticking to the list!

9.) There has been an uprising at work regarding staffing and cancelations due to our low census. Apparently I'm compulsive about saving my PTO and I have a lot saved up, so I've been trying to let it ride when I get forced off a shift. However, other people are starting to get to the point where they are running low on PTO. What happens when you get canceled then? You don't get paid, that's what. Having 'job security' doesn't do much good when it doesn't come with a paycheck. I was at work during the off-campus staff meeting last week but everyone in the unit called in on speaker phone and we were huddled around the phone, listening to the manager talk with our end on Mute. I kept trying not to laugh when people let out exasperated moans and groans or said, "oh, who's that talking?" or "yeah, you tell then so-and-so!" The way we were gathered around the speaker, I felt like a family in wartime huddled around the radio to hear the latest news.

10.) I think that's all, but I'm sure it's not. I'm so forgetful :-)

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Granola Bars

2011-11-20T13:39:00.000-06:00

I mentioned Averie's pumpkin bars a few weeks ago, but I found myself wanting a fresh batch today so I thought it was worth sharing the recipe. I obviously used Averie's original recipe, but I reduced the sugar and a few of the spices, added a pinch of salt, and replaced peanut butter chips with dark chocolate chunks.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Granola Bars

1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients except the oats and chocolate in a bowl and blend well until smooth. Add oatmeal and chocolate chunks and mix until incorporated. Spread batter into a sprayed 8x8 or 9x9 pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

No Need to be Afraid of November

2011-11-18T14:43:00.000-06:00

Every year, I dread September and October because they mean November is coming and November = winter. I don't know if it's global warming or some other weather trend, but the last few Novembers have been pleasantly surprising. Pleasingly fall-like. This one is no exception thus far! We've had a few below-30 days, but it always warms back up into the 50s or 60s. Lately we've had lots of wind, but also lots of sunshine so I can't complain.

These are some pictures from last Sunday when Ross and I took a walk before church. I found out this Wednesday that I got the weekend premium position that was being offered at work, so this will be the last Sunday like this for 6 months. Looking forward to their return already!

Fall Spice Granola

2011-11-17T10:30:00.000-06:00

Here's a quick recipe to utilize those last few bits of pureed pumpkin left over after making your Thanksgiving baked goods. (Seriously, so many recipes call for 1 cup and not 1 can). This is such a low-maintenance recipe. It's easy to tweak: add some almonds, some extra cinnamon, some flax seeds, or whatever suits your fancy.

Fall Spice Granola

2 cups old fashioned oats
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
pinch of salt
3 Tbs. pumpkin puree
3 Tbs. pumpkin butter
3 Tbs. maple syrup
2 Tbs. canola or grapeseed oil

homemade granola + homemade yogurt = crunchy blogger

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine spice, salt, pumpkin puree, pumpkin butter, syrup, and oil and whisk until smooth. Add oats and stir until evenly coated. Spread granola out onto a large cookie pan lined with foil or a Silpat. Bake for 18-20 minutes, tossing the mixture halfway through baking. When granola is golden, remove from oven and allow to cool. It won't be cruncy right out of the oven, but it will harden as it cools.

This recipe makes eight 1/4 cup servings (or, let's be honest, four 1/2 cup servings). It would make a great hostess gift for Thanksgiving if you can hold onto it for that long!

#FirstWorldProblems

2011-11-12T10:09:00.000-06:00

If you're not familiar with Twitter, it's a social media site on which people update their status, post opinions, and share news. If someone wants to discuss a trending or popular topic, they will use hashtags. If someone uses a #hashtag, it becomes a link and if you click on it, you can see what everyone on Twitter is saying about that subject. I am rarely on Twitter, mostly because it confuses me and it seems even more pointless than Facebook (which I'm obsessed with. Don't judge!)

Anyway, there's a hashtag going around in which people say things like:

I had to walk 15 minutes to get to my car today #firstworldproblems

This salad doesn't have nearly enough tomatoes in it #firstworldproblems

My stomach hurts from eating too much Halloween candy #firstworldproblems

I'm ashamed to say that I find a lot of these complaints coming out of my mouth these days. So lets play Cognitive Behavioral Therapy!

I was force canceled from work again because we have too many nurses and not enough sick babies.

Yes, it's stressful, but fewer sick babies is a good problem to have. And I'm blessed to have the PTO to pay for these unplanned days off. Sure, I'd rather use it on a long-overdue vacation, but all my co-workers who did go on nice vacations this summer and didn't hoard their PTO are having to go un-paid these days. Times like these do make me question a career choice where my livelihood depends on having sick babies in the world, though.

I can't get a good night's sleep these days even though I'm so tired.

But I have a nice bed and a warm apartment and a full stomach. Sometimes you can't win them all.

Running is such a convenient workout but now that I've been banned for the winter, getting a workout in is a huge, time-consuming ordeal.

Duh, at least I'm healthy enough to be able to work out and I have insurance that affords me a great physical therapist. And really, I'd be frustrated with running right now anyway thanks to fall asthma.

There's a weekend bonus position open at work. In exchange for working every Saturday and Sunday and forgoing a social life and Sunday church for the next 6 months, I'd be making a lot more money. Given the phone call we got Thursday night, more money sure would be nice. I. Just. Can't. Decide.

There's a point at which talking things over ad nauseam isn't going to change anything. I told my manager to put my name in. May she with the most seniority win. What happens, happens. In the meantime, I'm applying for lots of PRN nursing jobs. Job security feels a lot more fragile these days.

On the other hand, last week's sermon at church mentioned that people who wrote down what they were thankful for every night were significantly happier than those who wrote down what went wrong that day, or even just what happened that day. So you better believe that the Month of Thanksgiving has been extended.

One of Those Elusive Posts

2011-11-11T09:44:00.001-06:00

11/11/11 hasn't necessarily been a lucky day for us.

Isn't that just like life? Our prayers the last few weeks have morphed from, "we're so happy, we don't deserve all these blessings" to me saying, "I'm a little nervous about being canceled from work so often and I'm not sure what God is trying to tell me between grad school, PRN job applications, and the weekend bonus option." But then we got a phone call on Thursday night that left us reeling (no, it's not a life or death matter, yes I'm sure I'll share eventually). And last nights prayers sounded a little something like this: "We're not sure why we're finding ourselves in the same place before the holidays this year as we did last year. What are you trying to tell us? What are we missing?" And we can only cling to the fact that God did some amazing things in the past year and we can only hope that closing some doors right now is just his way of preparing us to see another one that's open.

Peace is Every Step

2011-11-10T20:28:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I lack the words to express what's going through my head, but this really hit home the other day so I thought I'd share:

We can smile, breathe, walk, and eat our meals in a way that allows us to be in touch with the abundance of happiness that is available. We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, a house, and so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive. Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.

{from Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh}

Gluten-Free Apple Cider Muffins

2011-11-05T22:46:00.000-05:00

Around this time of year, apple orchards beckon with their numerous apple varieties, apple pie, carmel apples, apple cider and... apple donuts. I do want to try my hand at apple donuts but today I settled for muffins. These would be great with strudel topping, too!

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup quinoa flakes (or rolled oats)

1/4 cup almond meal

1 Tbs. coconut flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or use cinnamon with a tiny pinch of nutmeg and cloves)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

4 Tbs. vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 Tbs. shredded apple with juices squeezed out (could use applesauce as well)

1/2 c apple cider (I used Knudsen's Cider and Spice with no sugar added)

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients well. Blend we ingredients in a small bowl and then add wet to dry, mixing just until moistened. Pour evenly into 12 prepared muffin liners and bake for 16-20 minutes.

Totally a worthwhile study break!

First, you take the graham

2011-11-04T04:39:00.000-05:00

I know it's not campfire season anymore, but I finally succumbed to this treat on the grocery store shelves:

The picture on the front looks really fake, but Kinnikinnick does gluten-free ingredients right. And I was shocked that these tasted so good. In fact, I like them better than original grahams! If Honey Maid and Biscoff had a gluten-free bun in the oven, this would be it. It's more cookie than cracker but that's fine with me. I've been eating them straight from the box, or crumpled on top of pumpkin oatmeal in the morning. It's like eating dessert for breakfast!

I may have to try them in graham cracker crust for a holiday pie this year. Yum!

*The fine print: I'm in no way associated with this company and I bought the product with my own money. Gluten-free goods tend to be pricey so I like to share what I buy when it's worth the money every now and then!

No-nonsense November

2011-11-03T11:33:00.000-05:00

I think my days of boredom are long-gone. I am now over-scheduled to the max (for me, at least). I have had a lot of lofty goals in the last few months and at the end of the month I look back and either think, "yeah that crashed and burned pretty early on" or, "oh I forgot about that one."

So I have one goal for November: only check Facebook and Google Reader once a day. I'm hoping that I find oodles of either productive or relaxing time when I'm suddenly not sitting in front of my computer for no important reason (too many double-negatives there?)

This means turning my computer off overnight so I'm not tempted to check in first thing in the morning. This also means not checking it last thing at night (hopefully I'll sleep better that way). Lunch break is a good goal, but I don't care about "when" as much as I care about "once a day."

Wish me luck!

Do you have a goal for this month?

Pizza, Please

2011-11-02T01:47:00.001-05:00

Remember when Ross and I celebrated our anniversary at SPIN! Pizza in September? We loved it. In fact, I believe we found an excuse to eat there 2 more times in the 3 weeks following that dinner. It only made sense to join their free rewards club and get discounts and accumulate points. So I started getting e-mails from them and a few weeks ago, I opened one said something to the extent of: "October is National Pizza Month! Share your pizza story and win a gift card." Free pizza? Don't mind if I do.

Ross and I do have somewhat of a unique "pizza story" so I jotted it down and sent it in. And we won! Twenty-five whole dollars to spend on pizza. I'm sure we'll pay SPIN! a visit the day the gift card comes in the mail. Just in case you're interested, here's the story:

Before my husband was my husband, we met at a wedding (I was a bridesmaid, he was a groomsman). When our friends got back from their honeymoon, I decided I needed an excuse to hang out with that cute groomsman again so several of us went to my friend’s house for pizza night. Every couple designed their own pizza and Ross and I were the odd ones out so we conveniently got paired together. I vetoed Italian Sausage, he vetoed veggie overload, but we eventually made a cute pizza and a great first date memory.

June 2007 before we were "us"

When it came time to plan our own wedding, we wanted to serve a reception dinner that went beyond saucy chicken and buttered green beans. When the venue suggested flatbread pizza, we thought it would be a fun option reminiscent of our first date.

A year later, we were in Florida celebrating our one-year wedding anniversary and we made big plans to go to a fancy dinner. But we had rental car malfunctions and ended up ordering Pizza Hut and eating on the beach. Since that ended up being so fun, we decided we’d already had pizza 2 years in a row on September 19 so we might as well make it an anniversary tradition!

September 2009

Last year we were new to Kansas City and ordered Pizza 51, which was good, but nothing to write home about. This past year, I was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance and I was afraid our pizza tradition was out the window. But a co-worker told me about SPIN! Pizza and we celebrated our third wedding anniversary there on September 19 of this year. We have been back 3 times since then, so I think it’s safe to say we loved it! We look forward to celebrating our anniversary (and any other occasion we can think of) with SPIN! Pizza for years to come.

September 2011

Hmmm after writing all that, I'm hungry for pizza again!

Month of Thanksgiving

2011-11-01T15:51:00.020-05:00

Two years ago, I blogged a week of Thanksgiving leading up to the holiday. This year, I would like to extend it to a month-long celebration of thankfulness. Every day of November, I'm going to update this post with another thing I'm thankful for. Feel free to join along in the comments!

This November, I'm thankful for...

1.) Appliances. Let's get this out of the way now because I could spend all month listing them off if I dragged it out. I am so blessed to be able to afford a washing machine and dryer, a dishwasher, and my little space heater. They make my life so much more comfortable.

2.) I'm thankful that I have such a good job. I'm in a rough spot because we have a lot of nurses and not a lot of babies right now. I was force-canceled today and while it was kind of like a snow-day for grownups, we can't afford for it to be a regular occurance. Since it's crazy to pray for sick babies (and stupid... not a fan when co-workers say things to that extent on Facebook), I will pray that our manager will stop hiring new people!!! We have the second-highest staffing numbers in the hospital and 14 patients. For real. So I'm thankful for my job, and I hope that I can keep it this winter when our numbers naturally dip anyway.

3.) That today, at least, I didn't wake up to snow on the ground. The cold, cold rain that started last night and is still dripping down is less than pleasant, but it's mentally easier to accept than snow this early in November.

4.) I'm so thankful I got a day off today to catch up on stats homework, even if it was only 2 of the 5 lessons I was hoping to complete. It's going to be a homework-filled weekend around here!

5.) The StayFocusd app on Google Chrome.

6.) The fun dinner plans we had with friends and family this weekend.

7.) I really wan't a fan of the 5pm sunset yesterday, but this morning I was thankful that it was somewhat light outside when I left for work at 6:20am.

8.) I'm so thankful for my Physical Therapist. She is stellar-- she listens to me, takes me seriously, and always finds a legitimate reason for my pain so I feel less crazy. And then most of the time she can get the pain to go away!

9.) I'm thankful that my Global Health class isn't overwhelmingly difficult (since my stats class is). I love my Global Health teacher (a Midwife who's stories make me question my choice to leave Midwifery school... until she mentions 24-hour on-call).

10.) I'm thankful for all the opportunities in my life, even if I'm not quite sure where they're taking me.

11.) For my friend Amanda-- we're so similar and I still forget sometimes that she lives in Kansas City now instead of 12 hours away!

12.) I'm thankful that even after Ross' stressful day, he was able to pray with me before bed and thank God for today. I love him!

13.) For our church and their morning services. Amen!
*I'm also thankful for and so proud of my brother Tommy, who turns 25 today!*

14.) I'm thankful that I got my homework done more than 12 hours before it was due :-)

15.) I'm thankful that I got to see my mom and my brother Tommy for a few hours this afternoon. I'm also glad that the hit-and-run accident I was in this morning wasn't worse (to clarify: I was hit, the driver behind me was at fault and ran).

16.) I'm thankful for my weekend premium position, and I'm hoping that I didn't trade out a friendship for 6 months of bigger paychecks.

17.) For my Global Health class. I really really like it. It definitely keeps me busy, and I'm learning a lot, but it's not necessarily a hard class. I love my teacher!

18.) For a heater and a warm apartment.

19.) I'm thankful for coffee.

20.) For a good assignment at work. I feel like real NICU nurse again.

21.) That Ross offered to drive me to and from work and even brought pizza home after I worked 3 shifts in a row!

22.) I'm thankful for accupuncture when antibiotics don't help my sinus headache.

23.) I'm also thankful for antibiotics ;-) I don't love taking them, but I'm ready to feel better!

24.) For my family's healthy Thanksgiving meal. Complete with a gluten-free rice dish that to ally satisfied my stuffing craving!

25.) So thankful for family to visit and celebrate with.

26.) I'm thankful for a husband who doesn't mind driving while I sleep.

27.) If I have to wait until the last minute to write a big paper, I'm thankful that there's at least a masochistic thrill I get from finishing after hours upon hours of work all at once ;-)

28.) I'm thankful for a good float day at work because I was so tired after staying up late to finish the aforementioned paper. I'm also thankful that I work with snuggly babies!

29.) A day off, and sunshine :o)

30.) For my brother Daniel, who turns 23 today. I'm so proud of him!

Month in Review: October

2011-11-01T13:46:00.000-05:00

Finally, a month that didn't speed by! I can't believe I wrote my Indian Summer post 3 1/2 weeks ago. And the beginning of October seems like a long time ago. So much has happened between then and now! This month has been long and busy, in a good way for the most part. Did I meet the goals I set at the beginning of the month? Not quite. But it was still a good month in which I got outside to enjoy the changing of the seasons, started a grad school program I enjoy, and actually went out with friends more than once. Here are some more highlights I never got around to sharing:

Lots and lots of squash were consumed this month.


I started allergy drops, which are sublingual and approximately 1,000 times less painful and more convenient than the shots I'd been getting.

My friend Rachel celebrated her birthday at the Cashew. My coworkers are hilarious!

Baby basil leaf from our successful basil "harvest."

I got new running shoes, hoping they'd help my knee pain.

They did not.

I bought a $3 bag of kettle corn at the Ak-Sar-Ben Farmer's Market in Omaha with my mom. Such a good purchase!

Our Hungarian hot peppers seem to be thriving in the sunny, dry fall air. Weird.

Our friend Andy rocked the Cyclo-cross race we went to.

Early October color change

Sunset on a walk one night.

Here are a few recipes I tried for the first time this month and loved:

These brussels sprouts with bacon grease instead of olive oil and 6 strips of bacon instead of pecans. SO good.

These pumpkin peanut butter bars, with an added 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips and 1/4 tsp salt mixed in.

We didn't have any Halloween plans, and I worked the day of, but I wore my spider earrings and my current primary patient's mom dressed her up as the sweetest Hershey's Kiss, which made my day.

Such a fun, productive, sunny month!

Starting out on a Journey {First Day of Class}

2011-10-26T23:28:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I just started classes at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe. This school is an answer to prayer. I first looked into it the day I dropped my online classes at KU because they were literally the only school within a 1-hour driving range that offered classes in person. I was slightly skeptical since I hadn't heard of the school until we moved here and I heard a radio ad. But I have a co-worker who went to undergrad there and LOVED it. I talked to a few people in the Graduate offices and their program is fully accredited, all the classes are in person, and it's pretty affordable for a small Christian school.

Even better, the MSN program runs in 'mini-mesters' which means each class meets for 4 hours once a week for 7 weeks and then you start your next class. So I can be part-time, take classes one-at-a-time, yet still get 2 classes in per semester? Sign me up! This also meant that I could start in October instead of waiting for a new semester to start in January. AND if I need to take a mini-mester off, I won't be months or years behind in the program like I would have been at KU. I was sad about that fact that saying yes to 3 years at KU meant saying no to travel, mission trips, and more. Can I really have the best of both worlds? Is this too good to be true?

I had my first class last night: Health Promotion for a Global Society. I love it. Not only are we discussing "the influence of biologic, environmental, and societal factors on health and wellness of individuals, families, and communities," but we will explore "the idea of professional nursing as a ministry through vocation." Sounds like just what I need.

And, irony of ironies, I showed up to class last night only to find out that the teacher is a Midwife. At the Birth Center I was lusting after when dreaming of a career as a Midwife. I'm not sure what God is trying to say to me, but when I was driving home after class, I heard Jeremy Camp's "Walk by Faith" on the radio. And I realized that for now, all I can do is "walk by faith, even when I cannot see because this broken road prepares (God's) will for me." I am so thankful for His endless love! He has a plan for me even when I can't see it.

And just for fun, here's a video our teacher showed in class last night. I guess statistics can be useful ;-)

I owe you an update

2011-10-25T10:33:00.000-05:00

For those who are interested, I know I never really explained why I was going to school to be a Midwife, and then I wasn't. To make a long story short(er), when I got admitted to the Certified Nurse Midwife program at KU, I had conflicting feelings. I chalked them up to fear and anticipation but the closer the start date got, the more I felt like I wasn't making the right choice.

You see, Midwifery is something I'm very passionate about. It's why I went to nursing school in the first place. However, the NICU has claimed me for now and I wouldn't have it any other way. I got my CNM program acceptance letter in May but as the summer went on and I prepared for the start of school, I started dreading the day I'd have to say goodbye to the NICU. Granted, that day was still 2 years down the road and I kept telling myself that I could stay and work PRN. But the fact of the matter is that between office days and the on- call hours Midwives take, I wouldn't have time for that. And every time I came home with a sweet work story to share with Ross (we had a lot of cute babies this summer), he would say that this is the perfect job for me and I'd wonder why I was leaving such a good thing.

I also grew close to a few NICU moms this summer (mothers of the aforementioned adorable babies). I love and respect 2 of these women especially and while they were happy that I got into grad school and was pursing a dream of mine, they did both question why I was leaving a job I so clearly love. And to put aside my modesty for a moment, both of these NICU moms who had been through so much made it a point to tell me that my care changed their babies' stay. That I comforted them, educated them, and so dearly loved their babies that they felt comfortable with the fact that I was there when they couldn't be. Strike 1 to the idea of Midwifery school, because that would mean a very real possibility of leaving the NICU forever.

Those comments stuck in my head and made me start questioning my choice even more. Every time I had a quiet minute to snuggle I'd wonder if I could leave this for a job in which I only form a bond with the mom and not the baby. In late July, I finally got the opportunity to shadow a Midwife in town. I spent a typical 8-5 day with her and loved it! She was so passionate about her work and it made me realize that where your heart is, is where your job should be. But having never been a Midwife, I'm not sure if I would like it more or less than my current job, and that's quite a gamble. Then when we were talking over lunch, I learned that the Midwife I was following worked part-time, which meant 2 office days a week and six 24-hour on-calls a month. Wait. What?! Theoretically if she got called in for a labor and delivery 6 times a month, she would be working as much as I did and I'm full-time!

One reason an Advanced Practice job attracted me was the idea of office hours with weekends and holidays off. Yes, I know I'm beyond lucky to work 3 days a week for 13 hours at a time. And even though I'm at the hospital at least one additional day a week for some meeting or class or continuing education, I still have it pretty good. Except for the evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. I miss a lot on the days I do work and when we have kids one day, part-time office hours will be very appealing. But I obviously wasn't thinking it through because Midwives aren't your typical Advanced Practitioner. They have quite the demanding on-call schedule and for good reason. But for some reason the reality of it caught me off guard. Strike 2.

Finally, the head of the Midwifery program threw a BBQ at her house the weekend before school started and Ross and I went with our friends Chris and Amanda (Amanda and I went to nursing school together and she's also pursuing the CNM path). I loved meeting all the women there and the students clearly loved being so close to graduating and "catching babies" on their own. But when I started asking them how they liked online classes, their attitude changed. Online classes had been my biggest fear from the get-go. Studying for my RNC test on my own and getting through this self-led online graduate stats class has been hard enough. I didn't know if I could continue this complete self-motivation for 3 more years! I need to sit in a classroom and see and discuss and take notes in order to actually retain what I learn. And the current CNM students just confirmed my fears. They said things like, "I thought online classes would be more flexible but I think they take up more time than just going to class would have," or "ask me again how I like it in 3 years when I'm a few years removed from it." *Gulp* Not the reassurance I wanted. Strike 3.

By the end of the BBQ I was no longer having fun. I was panicking internally and grasping at straws. I really respect the woman in charge of the program who was hosting the party. I had an admission interview with her back in April and have kept in touch ever since. During the party, she was talking to someone else about the expenses of malpractice and how unstable a job at a Birth Center actually was in comparison to being a "laborist" alongside doctors and residents at a hospital (which was suddenly shift work at the hospital again which I was trying to avoid). I realized I do love my hospital employee insurance and had banked on having it as we raise kids one day who will surely be as accident-prone as I ~~was~~ am. Yet I wanted to work at a Birth Center? Clearly those goals don't mesh. So I asked the woman it it was possible to get through school, keep my credentials current but not practice as a Midwife right now, and then try to find a job in ten years or so. As gently as possible, she said I would have a hard time finding a job if I waited more than a year or so after getting out of school. When she said that, I knew Midwifery school wasn't going to happen and I dropped my classes the next morning.

After a few sleepless nights, lots of tears, and lots of prayers, I started looking into other options. A lot of people have asked, why not Neonatal Nurse Practitioner? While it is also a job I admire, and I'd love to participate in rounds like they do and learn something from Dr. P every day, I just can't see myself doing it. What I love the most about my job is the relationships with the parents and while the NNPs have more privileges and more responsibilities (I'd love to go to deliveries) they don't spend as much time with the patients and families as we do. Sure I'd be in the same field, but with a very different job. AND I'd still be working nights, weekends, and holidays. In fact, as a new NNP there's a very good chance I would be back on night shift all over again.

Pediatric NP has crossed my mind as well as Women's Health NP. But I'm so undecided and committing to a specialty like that would still mean leaving the NICU. So I am learning to be at peace with my decision to be 'just' a bedside nurse for now. I guess it's been ingrained in my head for so long that if I'm smart enough to be a nurse practitioner, I should be. But that's not the whole story. In reality, we need nurses who WANT to be bedside nurses. We need nurses who are knowledgeable about what they're doing and are willing to take the time to explain it to the parents after months of high stress and little sleep. And one perk of being at the bedside is that you learn which parents get scared by the big words and which parents are offended when things are too 'dumbed down' for them.

Yesterday I started classes at MidAmerica Nazarene University and in two years (God-willing) I will have my MSN in Nursing Education so I can teach clinicals on the side and help other students become good RNs with a passion for what they do. After all, if every intelligent RN left the floor for advanced practice, your quality of care would be in a very sorry state.

Clearly, I've been needing to get all this out for a while. If your eyes glazed over 2 paragraphs in, I'm sorry! But I'm excited to be starting the next step of this journey.

Hava Nagila {Let us Rejoice}

2011-10-24T21:46:00.001-05:00

One of my best friends from high school got married this past Saturday. What a celebration!

Tina is Catholic and Ben is Jewish, so we got to see a fun mix of wedding traditions.

And the reception at Omaha Country Club was outstanding!

I remember driving around town with Tina in high school discussing what our future husbands would be like. Yes, we had mental checklists. No, we didn't get everything we wished for. But we did get everything we hoped for. Congratulations Tina and Ben!

Too soon

2011-10-20T07:36:00.001-05:00

This morning it was 30 degrees but "felt like" 25. I broke out my winter coat for my walk in to work. It's only been in the closet since the first week of May. Getting it out after less than 6 months is too soon! Cold, cold, go away.

On the other hand, you'd think that the frost we got this morning (I cringed while typing that) would eliminate my terrible fall allergies. Not so, my friends.

Gluten-Free Cornbread

2011-10-17T07:16:00.003-05:00

What better way to follow up one 'corny' post than with one about corn bread? After playing at the corn maze all afternoon yesterday, I was thrilled to come home to a crock-pot full of chili that I'd started that morning. However, chili isn't the same without cornbread. I bought a bag of locally grown and ground blue cornmeal as well as a carton of farm-fresh eggs from the farmer's market this Friday with cornbread in mind.

Since going gluten-free, I've tried several store-bought GF cornbread mixes, but they were chewy or dry or basically not as wonderful as the beloved Jiffy cornbread mix I grew up on. So I bit the bullet and made cornbread from scratch, which I've never done before. And the results were so fantastic, I doubt I'll buy a boxed mix again!

This recipe was borne from an accumulation of Google searches and a stroke of good luck. Fresh ingredients don't hurt, either.

Gluten-Free Cornbread

1 cup oat flour (you can buy this at the store, or just toss a cup of raw gluten-free oatmeal in the food processor)
3/4 cup finely ground corn meal (mine was blue, hence the less-than-golden coloring)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xantham gum (optional)
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbs honey
1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place a pie tin on the top rack.

Mix the oat flour, corn meal, baking powder, xantham gum, and salt well in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, melt the butter and honey in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy and then slowly blend in the butter/honey mixture and the milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated.

Remove the pan from the oven and coat lightly with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan (it will be as moist as cake batter) and bake for 16-20 minutes.

This recipe is everything I could want out of cornbread: a slightly chewy crust and a soft, fine-crumb center. In fact, this was much less crumbly than other gluten-filled cornbread I've had in the past! It even earned a compliment from Ross after I kept obsessively asking him if he'd eat it again and if he could tell it was gluten-free. He said he can't even tell that my recipes are gluten-free anymore. After my recent cookie success and now this bread, I hope that means that my recipes are just plain good and not that he's so used to sub-par baked goods these days that anything decent becomes delicious.

Anyway. I hope you love this bread as much as I did!

Corn Maze

2011-10-16T18:48:00.001-05:00

*Insert appropriate 'maize' pun here*

Today we went to church, lunch, and the corn maze with some of our friends from small group. What a perfect day for being outdoors!

We started out with the green maze and the boys wanted to "race" the girls.

Of course we set out on a leisurely walk and the boys took a running start. Katy was a rockstar navigator, though, and we didn't get lost once! When we got to the exit, the boys were all lounging around looking like they'd been there for hours.

Then the group got brave and decided to tackle the three-mile red maze. Much trickier, but thanks to more stellar (mostly female) navigation, we made it through.

After that excursion, we took over the 'little sprouts' area and started racing each other through the smaller mazes. The boys were hilarious.

The girls thought it was more fun to take pictures.

Katy, me, Jenny

Chris, Jenny, Eric, me, Ross, Katy, Ryan

Even though everyone wasn't able to make it out today (Chris joined without his better half and Andrew and Janelle had a Cyclo-cross race to go to), we had so much fun. We love our small group!

Oops... I did it again

2011-10-11T22:08:00.001-05:00

Instead of being patient with the growing-out process, I chopped my hair off. I think this is the shortest Ross has ever seen it. I asked for a long bob a la Jennifer Aniston (yes, I even brought the picture in to my stylist).

I ~~got~~ lost 5 inches. Long bob my toots. This is short business.

Barely-goes-in-a-ponytail business.

I-want-to-curl-it-for-my-friend's-wedding-in-2-weeks-but-I'm-afraid-I'll-look-like-Shirley-Temple business.

This haircut plus the Himalayan mountain range erupting on my forehead is putting me in Therese-circa-1999 territory. ~~And that's not pretty.~~ Okay, I was actually stunning looking back now in my red-wine-induced haze of kindness. But it doesn't feel pretty right now.

And since I couldn't manage a makeover for myself, I gave the blog a makeover instead.

From this...

To this...

Thoughts?

I found it!

2011-10-10T12:47:00.002-05:00

'It' being the perfect gluten-free chocolate chip cookie! I've obviously been experimenting with a lot of gluten-free cookie recipes this year. Cookies are my comfort food. The entire process of following a recipe, whipping up a batch of dough, and licking my fingers and the beater before putting the cookies in the oven, calms me. And I've found some good cookies. I even invented successful chocolate chip cookie and butterscotch cookie recipes on my own. But. None of them really met the good old "Toll House" taste test. Until now.

I got this now-favorite recipe from Angela at Oh She Glows. The first time I made it, I followed it to a "T" except for the fact that I made a chia egg instead of a flax egg. However, Ross thought the oat flour was too coarse and it made the texture less-than-perfect. So for the next batch, I used the finest flour at my disposal: super-fine brown rice flour.

Also, out of necessity, I used powdered sugar for the second batch since I was out of granulated sugar. I think that made a big difference. A lot of gluten-free recipes use starches instead of flours but I try to stay away from that habit because starches are hard to digest and the whole point of eating gluten-free is to give my stomach a break. However, most powdered sugar is stabilized with corn starch and I think it helped give these cookies that classic chew factor.

Ross approves of the final product and the dough tastes great raw (and since there are no raw eggs, I don't feel bad about eating the dough, either). Without further ado, here's the
perfect gluten-free chocolate chip cookie:

7 Tbs butter
1 Tbs olive oil (I also got good results replacing an additional Tbs of butter with a Tbs of coconut oil)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 flax or chia egg (I'm sure a regular egg works just as well if not better, but I'm a sucker for raw batter)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Bob's Red Mill brown rice flour
1 cup Bob’s Red Mill almond meal/flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon (I used slightly less than that)
1/2 cup Enjoy Life gluten-free chocolate chips

*For a flax egg, mix 1 Tbs ground flax with 3 Tbs water. For a chia egg, use the same ratio but the seeds don't need to be ground up.

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a pan with parchment paper or prepare with cooking spray.

2.) In a tiny bowl, mix the flax or chia egg and set aside.

3.) Beat the butter and oil in a medium bowl until fluffy. Add the sugars and continue to mix well until smooth. Beat in the flax egg and vanilla extract.

4.) Beat in the remaining ingredients adding the chocolate chips last.

5.) Shape into Tablespoon-sized balls and place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10-11 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

How to Make October Outstanding

2011-10-08T09:01:00.001-05:00

How are we already more than a week in, people? October needs to stick around. I'm loving it!

This month I have 2 main priorities:

finish my stats class and get outside as much as possible.

{End-of-month update: So close but so far away from finishing stats. I just took my second test last week
and got a 98%! But I still have 5 assignments and one test to go. It has been a BUSY month.
I was also sad I haven't been outside much in the last week and a half, but for the first
3 weeks of the month, I definitely met this goal! I was out photographing fall,
soaking up the sun on 80-degree days, taking evening walks, and visiting farmer's markets
and corn mazes until our schedule got crazier. I'm proud of myself for enjoying it when I could.
It's still gloriously sunny but very windy and not allergy-friendly out there right now. And thank you
God for not letting it snow here yet.}

But I do have a few more goals in mind for the next few weeks:

1.) Master a new yoga pose. Hot yoga is my drug. It's expensive. It's addicting. But man, I crave that high! However, the half-moon pose and the standing head-to-knee pose get to me every time. I'm sure it's no coincidence that these poses work the areas I'd most like to improve: my abs and the back of my legs. Part of my problem is ankle stability and the other part is fear. But by the end of the month I am determined to make progress, especially in the latter pose.

{So yoga fell off the radar. When I got busier with school starting, the 90-minute yoga class was the first to go. I still think I went 4 times this month, and every time I go I'm so thankful I took the time to do so. I did not master any poses, but I am making an effort to push myself beyond my comfort level in the poses mentioned above.}

2.) Run 3 miles at once. My running speed has improved drastically over the last month. After 2 months off and physical therapy for an injured IT band and a locked up sacro-iliac joint, I started running again in September and I have worked my way up to one very fast (for me) mile at a time. But I need to start working on endurance as well.

{Bahaha. The best made plans often go astray... Tendonitis in my left hip flexor and right IT band started getting worse again. My Physical Therapist and I are practically BFFs now and I'm hoping ultrasound therapy twice a week, stretching, and not. running. will help this winter. Gulp. Running has been my go-to fitness routine for the past 2 years and I hate that it's such a struggle right now. But I'm hoping that giving it up in the short run will enable me to run more in the long run (no pun intended). I have a 2 yoga classes left at my current studio, a Groupon for another studio, and a Groupon for Crossfit. Hopefully these will get the through until gym memberships go on sale.}

3.) Try a new hairstyle. I'm not getting a crazy haircut (must.not.get.bangs.again.) but one of my good friends from high school is getting married this month and I'd like to do something fun with my hair for the occasion.

{By far the worst part of my month. I was so excited my hair was getting long enough for all the side braids and messy side buns that are popular right now, but I went in for a trim to even out my layers and came out with 5-inches chopped off. Grrr. I didn't get bangs, but my hair still has a lot of growing to do and I'm back to the starting point for styling ideas.}

4.) Make a pumpkin pie from scratch. Oh yes, it's happening. I bought a Long Island Cheese pumpkin at my favorite farmer's market this Friday, and apparently as early as the 1800s this gourd has been purported to make the best pie out there.

I'd also love to plan a pumpkin-carving party, but my weekends are booked this month (mostly for work, sadly). Hopefully when we have a house with a patio this can be a big, messy, fun party to plan!

{Well, the pumpkin rotted. End of story.}

What are your plans for this gorgeous month?

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2011-10-07T20:57:00.000-05:00

Indian summer -noun-

Unseasonably warm, dry and calm weather, usually following a period of colder weather or frost in the late fall.

A meteorological phenomenon that occurs in autumn. It refers to a period of considerably above normal temperatures, accompanied by dry and hazy conditions, usually after there has been a killing frost. (We haven't had a frost, but we did have a very cold, cloudy, drizzly week mid-September).

The term 'Indian summer' is also used metaphorically to refer to a late blooming of something, often unexpectedly, or after it has lost relevance. This is comparable to the use of the term renaissance in the sense of 'revival', but it carries the added connotation that the revival is temporary. (Indeed, our pepper plans are confused and have started flowering again. They wish they lived farther south, too!)

I'm sure the warm October/November we had last year and the even warmer October we're having this year are somehow due to global warming. I don't take this lightly, especially if it means that when it does get cold, it will get bitterly cold for long periods of time and remain cold and snowy through the first days of spring, like it has for the past 2 years. But. I love me some sunshine! Any October that finds me doing this...

instead of this...

Is okay in my book!

Month in Review: September

2011-10-01T12:01:00.000-05:00

I've been taking more pictures than ever lately and blogging less than I used to. This leaves me with a memory card full of pictures I'd still like to share of events that happened too long ago to dedicate a whole post to. Hence, the photo dump you're about to witness. September was a great month. It started off with 100-degree temps, dropped into the 50s for one drizzly week, and then mellowed out into the smooth, dry 70 to 80 degree temps I love.

High school football. Frosh cousin Jimmy is a starter and senior cousin John is a trainer.

Osage oranges to keep the spiders out.

Loving the green view on the balcony from our container garden.

September 19 leaves starting to change.

More leaves.

Turning leaves.

Blue skies and sunshine!

1/4 of my allergy testing this month. The nurse said there was only one pollen I'm NOT allergic to.

Beautiful.

Fall decorations!

Anniversary flowers.

Baby butternut squash.

Ross was showing me how his new ~~toy~~ clamp thingie works.

Baby squash!

Can't wait for these to ripen.

Hubbard squash.

Loving our evening walks a few times a week.

What made your September sweet?

'Grate' (gluten-free) Zucchini Muffins

2011-09-29T09:35:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid, I loved my mom's late-summer zucchini muffins. She got the recipe from a Jane Brody cookbook and it had a punny name: 'Grate' Zucchini Bread. Heh. I wanted to re-create the same flavor in a gluten-free muffin, so I dug out the original recipe and started tinkering. And I think I found a winner!

Zucchini Muffins

3 eggs
1/2 cup almond butter
1/3 cyp syrup
1 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup quinoa flakes
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xantham gum

1.5 cups zucchini, shredded with juices drained
1/2 cup walnut pieces

Mix eggs, almond butter, syrup, vanilla, and butter in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Add wet to dry and mix well. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts and pour into lined muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees. 18 to 21 minutes for muffins and 45 to 50 minutes for bread.

This recipe makes 18 regular muffins and they are 'grate' for freezing and taking to work as a snack :o) Enjoy!

Anniversary Weekend

2011-09-25T17:27:00.000-05:00

Ross and I had our third wedding anniversary this past Monday, but we celebrated with a 'stay-cation' last weekend.

We stayed at the Intercontinental on the Plaza and walked to SPIN Neapolitan Pizza for dinner. I was so excited for their gluten-free pizza crust and it did not disappoint. Especially when topped with onion-fig marmalade, prosciutto, and spinach.

After dinner we drifted over to glace for dessert. Yes, it's an ice cream shop but the unseasonably cool weather had me shivering... I got a spicy hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows. Perfect!

We did also get a pint to eat later in the week and it was delicious.

We're looking forward to many more years (God-willing) of being Therese AND Ross.

P.S. Ross finally got me more chocolates to replace the ones the dog at the office ate on Valentine's day. They were worth the wait. Christopher Elbow = dessert genius.

Newlyweds 3 Times Over

2011-09-19T16:15:00.002-05:00

"Like everything which is not the involuntary result of fleeting emotion

but the creation of time and will,

any marriage, happy or unhappy, is infinitely

more interesting than any romance, however passionate."

-W.H. Auden

"A magnificent marriage begins not with knowing one another but with knowing God."
-Gary and Betsy Ricucci

"Marriage is the greatest test in the world...
but now I welcome the test instead of dreading it.
It is much more than a test of sweetness of temper, as people sometimes think;
it is a test of the whole character and affects every action." -T.S. Eliot

"Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads,
which sew people together through the years." -Simone Signoret

Happy 3rd wedding anniversary, Ross!

Local Food Tastes Better

2011-09-06T14:20:00.005-05:00

As I was making a salad dressing this morning and gushing to myself about how awesome Romanian red garlic from the farmer’s market is, I realized I really have a passion for local food and the best way to share your love of a certain type of food is to share that food! Since I can’t feed you through the screen, I’ll settle for talking about it.

*Steps on soapbox. Clears throat. Mi mi mi mi mi mi miiiiiiii.*

Why I Believe in Local Food

I was so blessed to grow up with parents who regularly prepared healthy food for us and lived a healthy lifestyle as a good example for their growing kids. Of course, some things changed in college and I fell for the propaganda telling young women that 100-calorie packs and Diet Coke are good for you.

Thankfully shortly after graduation I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and it’s not an exaggeration to say that it changed my life. I went from counting calories to counting on local, seasonal flavors for nutrition and satisfaction. If you’re looking to add health to your life but don’t want to go on a restrictive diet, I can’t recommend this book enough. My copy is dog-eared, highlighted, and well-loved. The book is a novel of sorts-- it documents a year in the life of the author’s family in which they move to the Appalachian foothills and spend a year, as the author says, “deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air.”

One thing that stood out to me was that American food culture seems to be centered around fad diets and fast food. As Kingsolver says,

together they’ve helped us form powerfully negative associations with the very act of eating… (but other countries) hold to their food customs because of the positives: comfort, nourishment, heavenly aromas. A sturdy food tradition even calls to outsiders; plenty of red-blooded Americans will happily eat Italian, French, Thai, Chinese, you name it. But try the reverse: hand the Atkins menu to a French person, and run for your life.

But there is hope for us yet. As Kingsolver says, “The halcyon postwar promise of ‘better living through chemistry’ has fallen from grace. ‘No additives’ is now often considered a plus rather than the minus that, technically, it is.”

No longer is local food for the ‘hippie’ and ‘crunchy’ among us. It is a reality that our country needs to embrace that can quite literally change the nation’s fate. Kingsolver cites research stating:

if every US citizen ate just one meal a week composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country’s oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week… Small changes in buying habits can make a BIG DIFFERENCE.

But the book isn’t all political propaganda. My favorite chapters are ones in which the author reunites with the miracle that turns a tiny seed into a flourishing plant and rejoices in the taste of a fresh tomato while mourning all the “wasted” meals in which she ate cottage cheese and overly-processed soup.

After finishing the book, I made a beeline for the first farmer’s market I could find and haven’t looked back. I love seasonal eating for so many reasons and hopefully I can convince you to give your local farmer’s market a try. I literally schedule my work around Friday nights at Badseed (my favorite market in Kansas City)!

End-of-Summer Salad Salute

Some people are excitedly gravitating toward the butternut squash and pumpkin spice lattes already. No harm in that, but summer is my favorite season and I haven’t quite had my fill of it yet. At the farmer’s market this past Friday, I greedily grabbed the following:

2 bags of kale

garlic

onions and cucumbers

peppers

heirloom cherry tomatoes (after trying them, I’ve become one of those annoying

people who say they could eat these things like candy. They’re that good.)

eggplant

eggs

and amazing purple Viking potatoes

When I got home, I set about making a kale salad. I was peeling open a head of Romanian red garlic to put in the salad dressing and was pleasantly surprised to find that this variety had 2 huge, buttery cloves instead of the ‘standard’ 6-8 cloves per head of garlic. This constant surprise and variety is one of my favorite things about local food. In a good climate, seasonal eating is anything but homogenized!

For this salad, I used 1 bunch of kale (de-stemmed), a handful of cherry tomatoes (I ate the rest), 1 large cucumber (seeded and chopped), and 1 medium red onion (chopped).

Simply prepare the veggies by rinsing and cutting as necessary, and toss in a large bowl. Then coat with dressing and allow it to sit for a few hours. Kale is one tough leaf and it’s more palate-friendly once it has ‘marinated.’

I think nut-based dressings taste best on kale, especially if you’re new to this veggie. The first time I met a kale salad I liked, it was at Whole Foods and had a cashew-ginger dressing similar to this one.

For today’s salad, I used the Lemon Tahini dressing from Angela at Oh She Glows. Her Better than Bottled Balsamic dressing is what got me on a make-your-own dressing kick in the first place. I prefer that on lettuce salad though, and I usually use something thicker on kale salads. I also highly recommend reading her blog if you’re looking to add some delicious recipes to your life. She’s alternately a fan of veggies and desserts, which makes me think we could be great friends if we lived in the same country!

If you’re looking for something different, Gena from Choosing Raw has so many great salad dressing creations it’s hard to choose one.

And finally, Sarah from Peas and Thank You has an amazing Mmmm Sauce recipe and variations that are pretty much good on anything.

But remember that the dressing is only meant to play a supporting role when seasonal vegetables are the star of the show. Support beyond-organic farmers like Dan and Brooke from Kansas City and buy local food!

*Steps off of soapbox. Smoothes hair.*

So, what do you think of the local food movement?

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Scotchies

2011-09-05T14:01:00.001-05:00

I used to hate butterscotch chips. Chocolate chips cookies have always been my favorite, so why would I mess with perfection? I now know the answer. Sometimes a buttery toffee flavor ups the ante just a bit. When one of my brothers mentioned that he was craving a batch of butterscotch cookies, I jumped at the opportunity to send a care package, but I no longer have normal wheat flour in my aparmtment. So I de-glutenated and the results was fantastic.

Oatmeal Scotchies (gluten-free)

1/2 cup almond meal
1 rounded cup old-fashioned or quick oats
2 Tbs. coconut flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. xantham gum
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 Tbs. butter (1/4 cup)
1 egg
2 Tbs. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 to 3/4 cup butterscotch chips (disclaimer: Toll House butterscotch chips contain barley protein and are not gluten-free, but supposedly Hershey and Kroger brands are... always check your labels!)

In a small bowl, mix together the almond meal, oatmeal, coconut flour, salt, baking soda, xantham gum, and cinnamon. In a medium bowl blend the butter, egg, milk, vanilla, and brown sugar. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well. Add butterscotch chips and incorporate. Place balls of dough onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 7-10 minutes. Makes 12-18 cookies.

10 Ways to Make September Sweet

2011-09-01T11:56:00.001-05:00

I loved my Awesome August goals and review, so I decided to do something similar for September. If this bores you, try it out for yourself and you'll see it's pretty fun!

1.) Create a fitness goal for the month.

I will definitely keep going to yoga 2 times a week, but I'd also like to add in 2-3 days of running (Starting at 5 minutes each time the first week and working up one minute per run each week after that. Thrilling!) AND 3 days of strength training per week via Tone it Up or a workout video.)

2.) Create an academic goal for the month.

I will do 2 stats modules per week (a module is either a lesson with 1-3 chapters + homework or a test). There are 15 modules total and after today I will have completed 4 of them. Therefore sticking with this goal will help me finish by the second week of October. It's a self-driven class that I can take up to 9 months to complete. But I am not dragging this out until March!

3.) Go to the farmer's market weekly.

I LOVE the fresh produce and I'm going to miss it this winter. Store-bought tomatoes just aren't the same.

4.) Focus on 5+ servings of fruits and veggies per day.

Speaking of produce... It seems like I'm always renewing this goal. It's much harder than it sounds, especially on days that I work.

5.) Cook a dinner at least once a week that both Ross and I can enjoy.

I've really been trying to make something both Ross and I will eat. Remember "Therese, Therese will eat no meat and Ross will eat no greens?" We're trying to change that on both accounts.

6.) Take walks after dinner at least 3 nights a week.

Allergens be darned. I'm going to enjoy the sunshine while I can!

7.) Go on 2 bike rides with Ross this month.

Biking is one of the things that Ross and I had in common when we first met. But since we moved and no longer have a paved riverside trail in our backyard, we haven't been out on our bikes together in two years! I rode once and nearly got hit by an idiot driver thanks to the lack of sidewalks, driver's common sense, and nearby biking trails. Ross has had a little more success biking with his boss who knows the city better, so hopefully he can show me some bike-friendly routes this month.

8.) Do a good deed on September 11.

I listen to K-LOVE a lot and they're really pushing for people to honor this year's anniversary by making a positive difference in the world.

9.) Make a new inspiration board.

Having a blog makes it easy to look back at previous projects. I made my last inspiration board in September 2010 and it's amazing how much of it ended up working out.

10.) Live in the moment.

I know this isn't a tangible goal and success or failure is all in my head here. But while I love the crisp, clear days of fall, I spend them all dreading winter. This year I was wearing my winter coat to and from work for most of April. Clearly I'm not ready for winter again so soon. I just thawed out from the last "snowpocalypse"! So I need to learn to embrace the present and not worry about the future because I have ZERO control over the weather, but I can control my attitude about it.

*To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly

in love with spring.* -George Santayana

How are you planing to make your September sweet?!

Edited to add: end-of-month review:

1.) Yoga + running + strength training- About 2 weeks ago, yoga fell off the radar. And I can tell. I'm stiff and my yoga abs are fading. I plan on starting again ASAP. I may have to suck it up and run on work days if I really want to do all 3 of these things regularly. (But I doubt that'll happen now that mornings are dark).

2.) 2 stats modules per week- I've made leaps and bounds, but didn't quite do 2 modules a week. And apparently even though the class stretches out over 9 months, the teachers change on a semester-ly basis. My summer teacher was a PROMT grader, but the fall one took 2 weeks to grade a 7-question assignment (in which I got 100% so she didn't even have to spend time making corrections) and it's been almost 2 weeks since Exam 1 and nada. (Although I'm pretty sure I didn't get an A+ there...) I'm requesting Exam 2 tomorrow, regardless.

3.) Farmer's market weekly- LOVING IT. Seriously. Seasonal bounty is no joke and when I just stick to the produce and meat and avoid fancy cheese and preserves, it's pretty darn affordable.

4.) 5+ fruits and veggies a day- I'm probably getting about 3-6 on any given day. But none of my produce is going to waste, so that's good enough for me.

5.) Dinners that Ross and I will enjoy- We've been crazy busy and don't eat dinner together too often, but I think we got about one per week. We need better planning ahead in October for this to happen.

6.) Walks after dinner- I didn't count, but we've been sure to step outside when the weather and our schedules permit.

7.) 2 bike rides- NOPE. I'm sad about this, but there's just no good trail here (C'mon KC. Omaha just got recognized as a bike-friendly city and you're one of the most bike UNfriendly cities I've been in!)

8.) Do a good deed on 9/11- this didn't happen, mainly because I switched with a desperate co-worker and worked that day for her. Can that count as my good deed?

9.) New inspiration board- I have the stack of magazines, but haven't gotten around to clipping and pasting. It takes a lot of time...

10.) Live in the moment- I've been outside a lot even though I'm allergic to the season, and I've been much more social than I have in years. Seriously. At least 1-2 events on our social calendar every week is earth-shattering. I hope to keep this up as the weather gets colder!

August was Awesome

2011-08-31T20:58:00.000-05:00

Wait.

*shuffles through calendar*

Wait a second. There's no way this is the last day of August.

It's only been, like, 2 weeks since I wrote this post, right?

Is the rest of my life going to continue to accelerate at such a burgeoning pace?!

August actually ended up being a pretty stellar month. Lots of things happened I couldn't have even anticipated when I wrote that post on August 1. Without further ado, here's a recap of my Make August Awesome goals:

1. Have something to look forward to.

In the original post, I said I was looking forward to school starting. Turns out, I was just looking forward to eliminating the fear of the unknown. It's a long story (don't you love it when people say that? I just mean that you get to see a long, rambling post on this subject alone soon) but I opted out of the Midwifery program at the last possible moment and am in the process of setting everything up to start a different program IN PERSON this October. And I actually AM excited to sit in a classroom and take my first class!

2. Create a goal for the month.

Mine was to go to yoga 3x/week. It actually ended up just being 2x/week most weeks with an additional workout or two thrown in at home. I LOVE yoga and I'm really enjoying getting into this practice with my 20-class pass. I can tell I'm improving, especially after my physical therapy session last week (more on that later, too).

I have been lusting after a gym membership for Body Pump classes, but yesterday I found the Tone it Up blog and YouTube channel and I'm in love. These will definitely kick my booty a few days a week until I am able to join a gym!

3. Plan a dinner party or fun event.

This flat-out didn't happen. We're trying to find another couple to go to First Friday with us this weekend, but that's not exactly August anymore. But, unexpectedly, we now have a nice grown-up apartment to host in!

4. Go through your summer clothes and decide what you didn't wear this year and need to get rid of.

DONE! I went through the closet AND the pantry and cleared stuff out. Moral of the story: just because you can fit into something from American Eagle circa 2002 doesn't mean you should wear it in public 9 years later. I also sorted through the mass of papers that was threatening to overtake every open surface in the apartment.

5. Go for a swim!

I really miss the lap swimming I was able to do earlier this summer, but another pass wasn't in the financial cards. However, last week I finally managed to go sit by the pool at our apartment. I wanted to go again today, but apparently all the pools in town are closed due to a cryptosporidium outbreak. Sad! Oh well, at least I have the memory of last week to last me through the cold winter... Okay new subject!

6. Pick up a new cookbook to try this month.

I've made 2 delicious recipes from Peas and Thank You and I hope to make more soon! I also mentioned in the original post that I just wanted to go to the grocery store twice this month. That didn't happen. BUT I am going on a week and a half since going to the grocery store. And so far I've been able to go to the farmer's market weekly, which has been great.

Overly dramatized, of course.

And speaking of farmer's markets, Ross tried eggplant and didn't hate it!

7. Sign up for a fitness event with a friend.

I haven't done this. I literally just started running again on Monday and slow and easy is the name of the game. I'm running 5 minutes at a time, so it's probably undue pressure and expense to sign up for a race right now. But I do still have the Disney Princess Half pipe dream.

8. Plan a vacation with your significant other.

I forgot about this one. I think I need to bring it up tonight!

9. Go out for girls night.

I got to hang out with some wonderful high school/lifelong friends a few weekends ago in Omaha. It was so good for the soul! The most fun I've had in a long time. Erin and I walked around Dundee for hours just talking and losing track of time. The evening air was perfect. And then I met up with Tina for a drink and lots of wedding talk (less then 2 months until her wedding!)

How is this Moscow Mule my only picture from that night?!

I do still need to hang out with Rachel and Johanna from work (seriously ladies, why do we all seem to work opposite days of the week?!) And plan a happy hour with Brie and Chandra- lunch at Lulu's last week was fun so hopefully we can start hanging out more!

10. Eat a local, ripe peach!

Done. And I wish I had more now. I bought a bag on the way back from Omaha a few weeks ago and sliced and froze most of them for future smoothie and baking use.

11. 13-Week Dave Ramsey course.

Ummm no. We don't have the time right now. But I do still want to do one within the next 12 months!

August highlights:

-Getting the all-clear to start running again for 5 minutes every few days.

-Harvesting grapes at my dad's vineyard for the first time.

-Redoing the apartment. We got a new couch and it all kind of cascaded from there. But it feels much happier and more permanent now. Fitting, since we just renewed our lease for another 18 months!

-Changing my life goals. (No big deal, right?) I had a long list of reasons why I was uneasy with my decision to start Midwifery school and I feel 1,000 times better about my decision to pursue nursing education instead.

-Lots and lots of farmer's market delicious. I love vegetables!

-Ross and I started a small group and we love it. Hopefully some good friendships come out of it.

-Speaking of friends, our friends Chris and Amanda moved up here with their sweet baby this month. Clearly KC is the cool place to be!

What was the highlight of your August?

Extreme Makeover: Apartment Edition

2011-08-31T15:19:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all the kind comments on the apartment decor! Now we just have to keep it clean on a weekly basis.

This is my view of cleaning (courtesy of Natalie Dee):

This is Ross' view of cleaning:

Wish us luck!

Extrememe Makeover: Apartment Edition

2011-08-30T11:46:00.001-05:00

{The Pantry}

Seriously, this is all the pantry space we have. There are 4 cabinets in the kitchen that hold dishes, glasses, and baking pans and we're left with these 5 shelves for food (and believe me, I know we're blessed to be able to fill them). But it is annoying that they're so deep; it's really not practical to fill them all the way to the back wall.

Before

This wasn't a huge thing, but something had to be done. I cleaned and organized this about 8 months ago, but it got cluttered again. This time Ross put a shelf up above the washer to help make things more visible. It was cluttered enough that I was knocking stuff over any time I reached beyond the first row of food.

After 1

After 2

We feel so much better every time we walk into the pantry/laundry room now. And we can grab Ziploc bags and baking stuff without digging around and knocking things over. Hooray!

Extrememe Makeover: Apartment Edition

2011-08-29T20:59:00.001-05:00

{The Office}

Our office actually wasn't too bad until recently. There was a long shelf along this wall, to the left when you walk in. But it fell down earlier this summer.

And Ross had built himself a nice computer desk last fall, but I hijacked it with my statistics homework. The desk is on the right when you walk in, and there's a window at the back that looks onto the balcony.

If we ever hoped to have a clear dining room table, we were going to have to redo the office. Ross made an awesome desk with drawer last fall (this picture doesn't do it justice), but he volunteered to get rid of it and make one big desk for us to share. (I felt really bad because his first frame was so nice, but he did this all over the weekend while I was at work). And again, just like the living room we Ross flipped the office around.

New desk on the left. With a purple wall behind it! I did help pick the color, but Ross also did this while I was at work and tried to surprise me with it when I got home. I loved the desk, but it was so dark I totally didn't notice the color until hours later. Oops!

Guess whose side is who's? Haha!

I spy a cute bebe. And my inspiration board!

Chair on the right.

We really love this chair. It was our first piece of 'adult' furniture from a Nebraska Furniture Mart post-Thanksgiving sale last year. It was our Christmas present to each other. Now I wish we'd bought two of them, even though there's no room for a second one! We bought the pillows during Crate & Barrel's winter sale online and for months afterward, just walking by this 'big kid' chair made me smile. When it was by the wall bookshelf, it was the perfect place to curl up with a book and a hot drink. Now that it's by the window, I'll love sitting there in the sunshine this winter.

Finally, in lieu of the homemade bookshelf that fell apart, we finally hung up the Design Within Reach bookshelves I got for Ross for our first married Christmas in Texas. Ross has such a good eye for spacing them!

So that's our happy, sunny office. It's also warmer in the winter, which hopefully means I'll have an added incentive to do my homework!

Extreme Makeover: Apartment Edition

2011-08-28T18:37:00.000-05:00

{The Living Room}

I don't pretend to I have an ounce of design sense in my body. I can tell you if I do like something or don't like something, but I'm not great at creating a cohesive 'look.' I think I exhausted all creative decorating juices when I re-designed my bedroom in high school. (Amazing buttery yellow walls with a beachy theme due to my obsession with the Florida Keys and blue and aqua walls with an ocean theme in the bathroom. Loved it.) Thankfully, Ross has more than enough design sense for the two of us! Although since living with him, I find myself complaining about things like the "poor design" of feeding pumps at work, so maybe he's rubbing off. Sometimes simple is better. And I know Ross will be happy to hear me say that!

This month we finally got around to de-Ikea-fying our living room. I do love Ikea, but Ross and I are both over the age of 25 and our apartment still looked like a student rental. (Granted, we are actually both students again. But graduate students with full-time jobs. And that's beside the point.) Plus, the red couch was fading to an ugly dull orange and sagging in the middle. And the seat pillows had developed holes in the front, so the zipper side was always exposed instead.

The opposite wall held the entertainment center, but I didn't get a picture of the placement before Ross moved it. Here's the big, black, credenza that held our TV.

First of all, we (and by 'we' I mean Ross) thought the layout would be better flipped. It was kind of weird having the couch right by the door so we moved it to the opposite wall by the patio door and put the TV stand on the wall by the front door.

We also wanted to get rid of the red and black theme we'd ended up with so we found a nice brown couch for a reasonable price at Crate & Barrel. We also fell in love with some geometric prints and the white pillow there. The pink flower pillow is from Target this month and the blue blanket is from Target... ummm... my freshman year of college.

Then Ross got crafty and made a 'coffee table' out of reconstructed wood. He was so excited to go to drive out to the woodlot and pick out some pieces.

I'm told it's mid-century modern to go with the couch.

The fun orange elephant is a piggy bank from Urban Outfitters this winter that I fell in love with. Ross has grown to love the whimsy as well!

Then Ross decided to build a credenza to put on the wall where the red couch used to be.

It still needs to be sanded and stained, but you get the idea.

The picture frames and flowers are from Hobby Lobby and the purple vase is from Crate & Barrel. Finally, here's the view when you walk in the door and look to the right, toward the patio.

The rocker is some fancy-schmancy molded chair that Ross loved. I'm so happy we seem to have found a decorating style that's classy enough for Ross (I swear he'd live in a white cube if he could) but colorful and fun enough for me. Such a happy space!

Harvest

2011-08-18T09:34:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, I got to go to Nebraska and harvest grapes on my dad's vineyard. I'm so glad I was able to help out this year! And what a good reminder that "you reap what you sow." My dad has put a lot of work into this land in the last 10+ years and it was so wonderful witnessing that work come to fruition (literally)!

My Saturday started with a beautiful sunrise drive. I-29 has been flooded all summer but what the alternate route lacks in speed (it adds an hour to the trip), it makes up in beauty. What a scenic drive!

foggy sunrise in the valley

flood waters

small town charm

Before I knew it, I was at the vineyard by 9am and jumped right in picking grapes (and taking pictures)!

"I am the vine, you are the branches. All who dwell in me will bear great fruit." John 15:5

Oh hi, Dad!

fun with the sun

1-ton bins

1400 pounds of grapes

15 pounds of grapes makes 1 gallon of wine, which in turn makes 5 normal bottles of wine. Not a bad harvest for a small, organic vineyard! This weekend we harvested the Brianna grapes. Hopefully I can also go up there in October when they harvest the red grapes. Anyone else want to join?!

Gluten-Free Nutty Banana Bread

2011-08-14T21:17:00.001-05:00

I hope it doesn't seem callous to share a recipe after my last post. But when I came home from that funeral on a rainy, cool Friday, I wanted to bake. Because in baking, unlike in real life, following an exact formula will lead you to the expected results.

Nutty Banana Bread (based off of this recipe)
makes 18 regular muffins or 1 large loaf

3 bananas
4 eggs
1/2 cup almond butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 Tbs. butter or coconut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup quinoa flakes
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xantham gum (optional-- the coconut flour and eggs are pretty good binders here)

In a large bowl, mix wet ingredients until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour by rounded Tablespoons into muffin holders, or pour batter into greased bread pan.

Bake at 350 degrees. 18 to 21 minutes for muffins and 45 to 50 minutes for bread.

Amazingly "normal" taste and texture, no? I'm pretty sure this is my new go-to muffin base. I'm going to try it with zucchini and add walnuts next time!

The Lord Giveth

2011-08-12T15:01:00.003-05:00

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the Lord!"
(Job 1:21)

I don't know why God has been calling so many little ones to him lately. NICU patients, co-worker's children, babies not yet born. Jesus says, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them. For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Mark 10:14) But that's so hard to hear when a child going to Him means leaving the parents God gave him to. Parents who loved him and named him and held him, but weren't meant to keep him.

We may know intellectually that Jesus takes these children in his arms and they feel so much joy and love with their Father in heaven, but meanwhile their earthly parents still mourn. No parent should have to drive away from a child in a casket at a cemetery.

An angel in the book of life wrote down this baby's birth.
Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth."

Sunday Night in the Crossroads

2011-08-09T21:45:00.001-05:00

Ross and I actually went out on a weekend evening! An afternoon storm blew in on Sunday. Sadly, it didn't leave as much rain as we needed, but it cooled things down.

The weather was perfect after the rainstorm, so we headed to the Crossroads districts and had a cheese plate and some wine on the patio at Tannin. On our way home, we stopped to look at the new performing arts center and I took a few pictures as the sun set. Ross's employer is the lighting desiner for this project and Ross has been working on it, so he was able to give me some trivia about the building. What a cool (and beautiful) project!

Ross asking me how much I thought this light cost. I never win that game.

This weekend started with a visit to some of my favorite bouncing babies and ended with this sunset. What a beautiful start to a busy week! Did your week start off well?

How to Make August Awesome

2011-08-01T15:28:00.000-05:00

So July flew by. And not in a good way, either.

A lot of stuff went down that I wasn't expecting, I didn't get to Texas like I was hoping, and I barely touched my statistics homework (but can you blame me when it's a self-led class that I have until March to finish?!) This past week went by even faster, and I spent more time stressing about getting stuff done than actually getting stuff done.

Money, school, life, my somehow overloaded schedule: all of these things have been weighing on my mind and the first day of August left me feeling pretty down this morning. August and February are my least favorite months. But after reading the Fitnessista's post today regarding 10 Ways to Make August Awesome, I'm ready to turn my frown upside down. I'm totally borrowing her ideas and filling in my own blanks.

1. Have something to look forward to. School starts August 22! I have been so worried about it because I would rather sit in a classroom and listen to a lecture approximately 10 bajillion times more than I want to teach myself graduate level pathophysiology in front of the computer. But online degrees are less expensive, and you can't get closer than KU Med for the ease of going in to the offices if I need to talk about something (it's literally attached to the hospital I work at). I am so ready to get started and just know how school is going to be. I have a great fear of the unknown and I'm definitely working myself up with anxious imaginings right now.

2. Create a goal for the month. Mine is to go to yoga 3x/week. Mostly in the form of 90-minute hot yoga sessions. Counterproductive during the dog days of summer? Maybe, but the stress-relief and heart-pumping workout benefits far outweigh that fact. Especially since running is a no-go this month as I start physical therapy for my IT band. And keeping a workout routine once school starts will help me with time-management and stress relief when I'm in the thick of things.

3. Plan a dinner party or fun event. This is harder for me, since we don't really have a house/yard to entertain in, but maybe we can plan something with some new friends once we start our couples small group on August 11.

4. Go through your summer clothes and decide what you didn't wear this year and need to get rid of. I'm a total sentimental packrat and I've been needing to do this for a while. With clothes, and with the two boxes that we still haven't unpacked from our move last October (clearly, I haven't missed anything hiding in there). I plan to do a major purge around here so there's less clutter to distract me from studying.

5. Go for a swim! I really loved my 5 swim pass at the local pool last month. Swimming laps is amazingly freeing and relaxing. But it was way too expensive so I need to get my butt to the apartment pool one morning while it's semi-cool. Even though it's way too tiny to do laps, I can still soak in the warmth and sun while it's still around.

6. Pick up a new cookbook to try this month. Done. Hello, Peas and Thank You-- The only cookbook that has ever made me laugh and that I enjoyed enough to read before bed the first night I got it last week. I'm also looking forward to utilizing my current copies of Local Flavors and Clean Start to utilize in-season produce. I'm hoping to just go to the grocery store twice this month and get everything else from the farmer's market!

7. Sign up for a fitness event with a friend. Just did a 5k with my cousin-friend Becky this weekend! But I'm also looking at a 5k for Ross and I to run later this fall. And maybe the Gobbler Grind half marathon again if my knee improves quickly? But don't hold me to that-- it's just a pipe dream right now. I would also LOVE to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February with Becky, but I can't event think about that until I get into the swing of school and know if I can afford to miss a weekend of the spring semester by traveling (or if we will be able to afford the cost of doing so).

~~8. Scope out some new jeans for fall.~~ I'm the pickiest jeans person ever and I tend to buy one pair every two years. So this isn't high on my priority list. Instead, I'm going to roll with plan a vacation with your significant other. Ross and I are in desperate need and we haven't been on a true vacation for 2 years! Since we both go to KU now, maybe a quick jaunt somewhere over fall break is in the cards.

9. Go out for girls night. Girls nights involving Harry Potter (seriously, worse dedicated fan right here) or visiting beloved NICU grads would be much appreciated. You know who you are.

~~10. Eat a pizookie.~~ I eat cookies on a weekly basis, so I'm going to go with my current craving instead. Eat a local, ripe peach!

11. I'm going add an 11th one here, but I might start a 13-Week Dave Ramsey course soon. Not sure how we're going to handle money with 2 of us in school this year.

What are your August plans?! What's your favorite month? Mine are June and October for sure. And December, despite the weather, because it usually involves good family time around the holidays.

Chocolate Tart with Macaroon Crust

2011-07-31T08:23:00.001-05:00

A vegan, gluten-free dessert even Ross loves. This tart is so rich that even I can only eat one serving (okay, two servings MAX) in one sitting. I got the recipe from The Fitnessista and altered is just slightly.

The full recipe will make 1 large tart or 2 dozen mini-tarts. I usually halve this to just make a dozen muffin-sized tarts.

Macaroon Crust:

1.5 cups almond meal (finely ground almonds) or almond flour
1.5 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 dates
1 Tbs. coconut oil
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt

1. Put dates and almond meal in mixer and pulse until evenly mixed.

2. Add the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla, coconut, and sea salt. Pulse until combined. Add a little more coconut is mixture is too sticky.

3. Press the mixture into a large tart or pie pan (I put mine in lined muffin tins and it worked great... just be sure to let it thaw after the final step below before peeling the wrapper off) place in the oven at 250 for 20-30 minutes

Heavenly Filling:

2 1/2 cups soaked raw cashews (soak for at least 2 hours in the fridge and then drain)
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1. In a high speed mixture or food processor, add the cashews, maple syrup, honey, vanilla, sea salt and water. Blend well until smooth and creamy (you may have to scrape the sides several times).

2. THEN add the cocoa powder and blend until mixture is totally smooth.

3. Finally, add the coconut oil and blend until smooth.

4. Then fill your tart shell and place in the freezer to set for at least an hour. Remove the tart from the tart pan (you can run water on the bottom of the pan to help loosen it) and store in the fridge.