Orange with Envy

Last night I was watching the Real Housewives of Orange County... well, on mute, but its not like it makes a big difference. And Vicki and Tamra went on some kind of friend rehab trip to Cabo San Lucas, and Vicki made some kind of remark about how after their dinner of very small salads, they should go down to the beach for a refriending ceremony. Lord have mercy, didn't she learn anything with her remarriage ceremony to Don? Re-doing ceremonies are foreboding. Anyway, I didn't catch much else because this show starts at 10pm and hello, I'm on borrowed time after 9:15.
ANYway... I was thinking I want to go on vacation to Cabo San Lucas. I want to go in the blue water and get tan and drink drinky drinks on the beach... except on beach chairs because I don't like laying on the ground. So I expressed this to my husband, and he was all, ELIZABETH, dentists aren't ever able to retire because they spend all of their money on vacations. And then I got sad. But like... yeah, fine, whatevs. So what if I'm jealous of the RHOC even though I would never never never never trade lives with them? I just want some sun, like this here cat:

He is a being after my own heart.  In other news, anyone want to buy a blue ikea dresser that I spruced up with some white handles? Will throw in free cat.

Oh well, don't mind me. Its freezing here and I'm going crazy.  I'm even less nice than I normally am. And blah blah other people have real problems. Although Joey had a huge presentation today and now its just one more thing done as we MARCH on to (his) graduation. Goooo Joey! So I'm happy about that. I'm so proud of my Joey, he is such a good clinician and so nice to people. Good thing I married him while I still had my looks.

Alrighty then, I hope everyone else is getting through their Monday's OK. Over and out.

 

Southie St. Patrick's Day Parade

This weekend Joey and I went to South Boston for the St. Patrick's Day parade. It was fun, and even better was the crowd. South Boston is the REAL deal as far as Boston goes. Alrighty then, less talk, more action.
Here's a little snippet of our day at the parade:

Yes, Star Wars.

Case of the Mondays

Joey is going to Arizona this morning for a perio conference. I'm going to miss him so much, and so is Leon. Have a great trip Joe Joe. See you Thursday.

Exiled

Do you see this face?

This is the face of a cat who so kindly jumped up on the desk next to our bed and started knocking everything off at 3:31 am. I barely stopped him before he got to the glass of water.  This is why we have rubbermaid water bottles next to our bed... well, usually. Obviously he had to lose bedroom privileges. He's acting like it ain't no thang, but I know he's a little remorseful down in his little cat heart.

Oh Leon.

I will still miss you a lot when you have to go to grandma and grandpa's. We're taking him to Texas in a few weeks, ahead of our big move down to Dallas. This way he can just go on the plane and we won't have to drive down to Texas with him howling his head off. He hates the car.

I only have a couple of months left as a general dentist... and I'm excited for the next step. I'm looking forward to specializing in pediatrics sooo much. I'll miss my coworkers a lot and our friends here. And I'll miss being so close to my grandma and extended family.

I have to say though, I'm ready to move.  Texas! Texas! Yee-haw!

And they are blessed, plus other musings.

I love my new jeans from Old Navy. Joey doesn't love them as much... but whatevs.

oh, don't mind the clutter all around every smooth surface. and it wasn't an accident that I didn't include my make-up less face.

I've been thinking about spring b/c its supposedly around the corner, and thusly have begun a new diet and exercise regime. So, I thought to myself, "self, you have to stop eating so many cheetos." since I only know how to operate in extremes, I didn't eat carbs for 2 weeks. (Well, I ate some on Saturdays.) During week 1 I would have shaved my head for a pizza, but I lost 5 lbs so I felt like it might be worth it. Then a little bit into week 2 was reading the lil bee's post about her brunch and I almost started crying... and I thought to myself, "self, this isn't natural," so I started trying introduce healthy carbs back in... and at first I was eating like a totally normal person. Then last night I was stress eating myself to sleep with Cheetos. I love that delcious treat. And I did brush my teeth afterwards. I feel like that's important to point out. I haven't weighed myself recently because honestly, I don't want to know.

I'm trying pretty hard to eat healthy, and its been about 3 weeks of that now... no McDonalds (I miss you Big Macs!) and the like... but I don't know if I see a big difference. Also, I've started working out at this gym... which is more like a dance studio/yoga like place where all of the workouts involve mats and on occasion these little weighted balls. I think its sort of a good workout, but only one of the classes I went to was pretty difficult and I left feeling like I'd accomplished something. The rest of the time I feel like I'm in there with girls supplementing their eating disorders with mild exercise.  Everyone is pretty and wears make-up, and lululemmon like, whole outfits, and their hair DOWN. Its a little crazy. I was the girl with the dorky ponytail and her Baylor t-shirt wearing pants that kept showing the top part of my bottom, plumber style. Whoops. I bought a pack of classes after the first class I went to, which was the hard/best one, so I'm going to keep going for a bit.

I'm relatively thin, don't get me wrong... but I want to be in better shape, have my clothes fit better... you know, all the usual stuff we say when we don't say what we really want, which is to look so thin that people worry if I'm eating. I think its unlikely I'll ever find myself in that situation. Especially since I'm about to sneak out of my office for a donut.

Maybe its time to start doing P90X in my living room again. I do miss Tony. For now I guess I'll just use up my credits at the girly gym place and see if anything magical happens.

on my mind this Monday morning: losing my mind edition

- its colder than I thought it would be
- is it really 38 degrees? it feels like 28 degrees.
- oh no, mara is out today. I hope she isn't sick.
- if I told you I can't do your hygiene exam, I mean I really can't.
- so don't start recounting the patient's history to me while I'm trying to do an exam on another patient.
- then when I come over and recommend a perio evaluation, don't call that aggressive.
- there you go, thats my best advice, for free!
- you're welcome.
- well, if I'd known that my patient wasn't coming I wouldn't have been so hurried during that last exam.
- I wonder if there will ever be a time in my life when I'm not shocked at how much things cost.
- this morning while the T was going over the Charles I had the overwhelming urge to get off at the next stop and run away from my office.
- and its not like I dislike my job.
- and I don't even want to do anything crazy.
- just swiffer my floors and organize paperwork and files.
- IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?
- ohhhhh lordy.
- and I guess technically it didn't overwhelm me since I'm here.
- and its already lunchtime.
- I'm glad no one can see me eating this sandwich like an animal.
- and I'm going to take a day off in April to swiffer my floors and organize paperwork and files.
- that makes me feel better.
- there's only so much I can get done on the weekend.
- especially when I spend most of Saturday half asleep on the couch.
- but I'm not sorry, I needed that time to veg out. I'M NOT SORRRRRY!
- well, I was a little sorry when my landlord dropped by unannounced and my house looked like a disaster  and I was in my bathrobe.
- hopefully that scene will encourage him to call next time.
- I'm so glad I got chips instead of carrots.
- I hope the afternoon goes well... the morning wasn't that bad afterall.
- well, it was a little bad.
- I just didn't want to end on a sour note.
- I wish the Jane Eyre movie had wider release... I want to see it.
- the one on instant Netflix was super not a great consolation prize.
- it didn't even have the cousins in it.
- this morning I kept thinking "you're like Jane Eyre. be resilient. you're British."
- even though none of those things are true, and well, its not like actually getting to work and getting through the day is anything like Jane's trials.
- she is awesome.
- I hope our St. Patrick's Day shirts came in.
- At least our party is this Wednesday at work.
- That'll be fun.
- Alrighty then, over and out.

"I love you" bread.

I saw this bread on Kristen and Allison's blog, Lullaby Lubbock, and I had to make it. I've never made bread in my life, that's how tempting it is. Kristen made it yesterday with her little munchkins and it looked fantastic.
Joe had a big presentation this morning, and you know how it is when what you can do to help is so limited, but you want to help somehow? I thought I'd make him this bread, and call it "I love you, you'll do awesome" bread, and then somehow it would magically help him. Not that he needs it, because he's the man.
I started yesterday with my coworker and friend Becky. We went to Target during lunch and got a rolling pin and bread pan. The money I spent on that may have negated any warm feelings the bread would conjure up for my poor husband... but its an INVESTMENT.
I envisioned that we would eat it warm from the oven the next morning as we reviewed his notes together. He would feel loved and amazing, and thus obviously have a fantastic presentation...well nourished, heart, soul, and stomach.
I gathered all of the ingredients and got to work last night.

I mixed things together according to the instructions.

And then I had dough. At this point I got a little overwhelmed and had to pour myself a glass of wine.

Then I covered it in plastic and a clean kitchen towel and set it in a warm place. Leon loves bread, and the heater. Don't worry, his head is behind the bowl, not in it.

Then I refrigerated it overnight. I planned on waking up early, taking it out to rest, and then making it with enough time for leisurely eating.

So I randomly woke up before my alarm and got up and took it out of the fridge. I went back to sleep, and turned out my alarm in my half-sleep haze. I proceded to have a pleasant dream about making the bread and getting ready for my day. Luckily Joey's alarm was set for just 30 min after mine, so I was still able to make it. When I heard it go off, my first thought was "OH MY GOD, THE BREAD!" then it changed to "ohhh, its okayyy, I already made it." Thanks a lot dream brain.

So I got up and rolled out the dough. At this point I felt like 'hey! I'm doing it!'

Oh the irony of measuring it with my waist-measuring tape.

Then I exploded butter in my microwave... and had a little re-do melt your butter on the stove in a saucepan.

Then I painted on the butter and sprinkle/dumped the cinnamon/sugar/nutmeg.

I had a lot of butter left over... and when I make it again I'm going to try to use more of it.

I cut it

and again...

and put it in the pan and left it to rise.

Then I put it in the oven.

I think it came out pretty well. Maybe I left it in the oven too long... it seemed a little dry, but still delicious. Joy the baker's seemed a little more moist. I'm going to try it again, maybe this weekend. It was really fun. Of course, we didn't really have time to review notes and lazily munch it... it was more of "I MADE YOU THIS BREAD YOU EAT IT NOW, I'M GOING TO BE LATE FOR WORK!" Sorry Joe Joe.

Nonetheless, I know you're going to do great. If the bread didn't say it well enough, I love you, you're going to do awesome.

Dear Jeans, Please be awesome.

I just ordered these jeans online from Old Navy.


I have wanted these kind of jeans for awhile, and I have delusions of looking like Rachel Zoe when she wears hers.

I have a few concerns:
1. They don't look that flattering on the model.
2. Rachel Zoe only eats venti black starbucks coffee.
3. The reviews were all written by moms of teenagers.

None of these concerns were concerning enough when I saw that they were only $11.97!  I hope they're cool, I want them to work out. I'll let you know how it goes.  I was lured to this site by Kendi Everyday, who linked to a similar shirt like this one, which I also got:



I know, I know... but its YELLOW GINGHAM! And HELLO, KENDI HAS IT! And I need an all-American made-in-China kind of top. Plus, my aunt and uncle got me gift cards for Christmas which covered the whole thing.... so I can totally still complain about paying my taxes and not feel guilty about spending money on clothes. Win win win!

How to go to jury duty

a few weeks ago I was summoned to jury duty, our civic obligation. I thought I'd share with you my experience, as well as a few helpful tips for those of you who may not look forward to it with as much gusto as I did.

1. Get there early so that you have enough time to find AND pay for parking.

 Its your great Amercian privilege!

2. Make sure you wear an outfit that says "I'd be best selected for a one day trial in which I would be named Madame Foreperson, and would henceforce proclaim: 'we the jury, find you GUILTY!'"

3. When you get to the room where the jury waits, remember, chair selection is critical. You will be sitting next to these people all day.

4. If someone annoying or weird sits next to you, ie, someone who is playing heavy metal with some handheld audio device without headphones, drive them away with a crunchy snack, such as Cheetos.

Which brings me to my next point.

5. It is best advised to bring healthy snacks to enjoy whilst you wait.

6. However, if you plow through those, make sure you have ample change for the everready vending machine.

Mmmm, Twizzlers!

7. Bring reading materials, put the impressive ones on top of the stack so that you look smart. Note: bring a Bible if you're worried about getting selected.

8. And spend the rest of your free time perfecting your serious expression, just in case you end up sitting in the front row of the jury box.

And there you have it!

I was nearly selected, but asked to be excused because it was a longer trial, and if I don't go to work I don't get paid... and nothing forms a bias like sitting in a jury box missing my paying workday because Muffy and Buffy from Expensivetown, MA are suing a luxury manufacturer for their luxury piece of crap that they don't like as much as they'd hoped.  Thankfully the judge excused me and thanked me for my service. You're welcome Massachusetts!

And may your jury duty be as blessed as mine.