November.
My arch nemesis, second only to December, maybe third, because January is always lurking... anyways.  Here's to hoping.  For fires in fireplaces, kayaks in little river canyon, smores, ironbowl, turkey, deals on extra secret christmas presents, and actually having someone to share all the above with this year.  I look back and can't recall having a significant other at christmas, my birthday, or valentines day. ever.



maybe this chart i found explains why:

how funny is that! mostly, i believe the trends are due to the majority of facebookers being college coeds and not wanting to be "tied down" on breaks like christmas and spring break, and there is to much pressure to plan meeting family on the holidays, and where to go together on spring break.  

Oh, I pray the trend does not hold true for my life this winter, because that warm sunny face of someone special sure does keep me going when its cold and dreary :)

Cooking together is one of the sweetest parts of community, friendship, and love.

Last night, me and nine of my friends got together and made tacos, mexican pasta, fajitas and all sorts of delicious things. True, the kitchen was crowded, and the divvying up of funds made me stressed but sitting down with everyone was the most heartwarming time to just look at the friends that have withstood the test of time and distance.

I am starting my book Eat, Pray, Love, mostly just because I want to see Julia Roberts in the movie based on the book!

All this to say, I feel so feminine in my cooking adventures and yet so accomplished. I definitely can understand women who feel like that is how to show love. Such a thoughtful process. Cooking for my boy is a whole different kind of fun. Its nice to help each other we sometimes cook for the other after a long day at work or school and its just a sweet gesture. I think boys are just hardwired to be smitten with a girl in an apron and reflexively make profound realizations of "You're awesome, AND you can cook!? How lucky am I?" haha So endearing!

I will plug my favorite cooking website here. Allrecipes is a great resource and you can even insert the ingredients you want in the recipe finder and it will find one with the ingredients you have in your pantry!

Heres to cooking and eating with friends!

been a long time

o this weekend was lonely because dana and amy went to mobile for mardi gras and i stayed home because of the weather :( BUT i had a nice snow day on friday with abby and went to lunch and coffee. it was nice to drive through town and see everything transformed by the fluff. friday night was lonely but not bad i watched movies and saturday i cooked and cleaned and danced around the house and it was nice too. then abby came over and ate pot roast with me it was good! first time to use the crock pot was a success! then today i actually went to CHURCH! gasp. it was nice in fact. the girls are back and all is well. and it may snow again. tonight!

also this weekend gave me time to think about possibilities for my career in the future, think i am going to take the gre this summer! just for options...

cant wait until spring.

how to get pretty letters for your blog!

http://dailydropcap.com

t is a good sign, I believe when it is difficult to update a blog, if that reason is that you are enjoying real life. I am happy this week, haha. Work continues to change and challenge which is great. Obviously there are personalities and patients that are difficult to be happy about, but overall, its not to shabby. I think I am finally accepting what a loyal soul I am. If I am happy somewhere, I think its just as good to invest in what you already have and people you know as it is to start afresh somewhere new. Not sure if I want to risk sacrificing my current state of affairs. I am so luck to have a sweet roomate as well. I hate the days we go through without bumping into each other due to conflicting shifts. She deserves the most happiness and I hope she continues to actively pursue it. I have really really been missing my dear friends who are far away from me. Mainly because I suck at keeping up. But when I talk about yall to people I just gush over your beauty and intelligence and general awesomeness, and it makes me teary.

come back home soon

ere I am at work, working another night shift. I like night shift, but I love day shift as well. What to do? I have too much going on during day shift (students, orientees, meetings,etc) but it's so nice to have quiet and solitude like I do right now. I can see my patients and actually know what is going on with them right now.

I have had a nagging thought in my head today. Why am I so hurried to leave Birmingham? Is it that I am bored, lonely, and feel stagnant? I think I am immovably convinced that the only way to progress is movement. Maybe I should sit on it for a while. Why would I leave my family? My sweet roomate? My wonderful friends? I have seen how distance can ruin solid friendships and I am not sure I want to place it all on the line for the sake of adventure.

For now, I think I will look for adventure in my own neighborhood. Maybe even go a blind date. That's enough adventure right there. Yikes.

feeling one year older

his week has been a solitary one. Coming from a busy and exciting birthday weekend with family and friends to this week of work and lonely nights.

The detoxing is coming along swimmingly dont want caffeine at all! and have had much, MUCH better energy. Made more healthy eating options this week of fruits, salads, chicken, etc.

Most shocking revelation of this week was when I learned of another married friend starting her family and again when I saw a video at work involving a young mother giving birth to triplets: I want a family of my own, I want a husband and a baby. I am not desperate for it, but I can picture it, and I want it. So, just waiting and watching now haha.

well, I was filling out a profile on a travel nursing website and the recruiter was calling me BEFORE I was even finished. I haven't even made a resume or cover letter! I'm not ready for this! I feel like I need to study and take nclex reviews or something. I really don't know how to prepare. College feels so distant and I feel like I have forgotten everything other than 3 West.

The hospital was funny yesterday. The scrambling and constant checking of the radar for the threat of snow. Several people ended up staying the night in order to play it safe and it ended up being the easiest day of work ever. I only had 3 and then 2 patients the rest of the day!

Tonight is birthday with friends and tomorrow is with family. I hope it is fun even though it is artic temperatures!

made some good cupcakes for amy's bday:

Not-So-Plain Vanilla Cake
1 box vanilla cake mix (or white if you can't find vanilla)
1 box vanilla instant pudding
1 cup (8 oz) vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil1/2 cup water or milk
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional, but I'd definitely add it if you're using a plain white cake mix)

Mix it all up and bake it in whatever size pans you please. Frost with any favorite vanilla frosting.

(i used applesauce for the oil and it worked great!)

so far, so good

Well, I haven't had a coke in 4 days! I did have a sprite zero two days ago, but I count it as progress!

I also go a wii!!! Man, I am already sore!

As for resolutions: I read on Don Miller's blog how he thinks that it is easier to envision a story or narrative that you would hope to achieve in the coming year rather than make vague numerical goals.

So. The story I want to weave this year: adventure. Travel. I see myself standing at a waterfall in a mountain stream with towering mountains and fields of flowers. Long car rides to state parks. Someone to teach me how to flyfish in previously mentioned stream. Large apartment with large windows overlooking the city and mountains in the distance. A job where I feel challenged and encouraged daily. New friends to go to coffee shops with and talk about life and love and the excitement of being young and independent.

I hope to see some of these scenes in the near future. In the meantime, certainly enjoying the Birmingam story that I continue to write.