Update

I really got out of the habit of blogging. I recently realized, though, that this is a very important and crazy time of our lives that I really want to record, though. A lot of things have happened in the last few months, and I don’t want to forget them.  So for my own sake, I’m going to go back and record what I can remember of this whirlwind year.

Here’s a summary for now:
Sweet new nephew
Spring Connection group
Spring skiing
San Fran
Mike’s boards x2
Sis-in-law’s graduation
Washington state
Texas

Yup, it’s been a little crazy. Let’s hope I can keep it all straight in my head 🙂

It’s Here

I’ve been impatiently waiting all of October, and now it’s finally here. I experienced it today, and I can’t believe it’s been 10 months since I have been able to indulge.

Welcome back, caramel brulee latte. 

Although many people rave about your older brother, the pumpkin spice latte, I find that it tastes pretty gross. That’s coming from someone who adores all (well, I guess most) things pumpkin. I think the caramel brulee latte tastes kind of earthy and cozy, just like fall. And thanks to the amazing weather we’ve had down here in FL, it is finally starting to feel like my favorite season.

M.D. will tell you that I am obsessed with caramel brulee lattes. And he can give a prime example of me embarrassing him beyond belief one day in October when I thought the delicious drink had come out early.

Scene: Target. Day: Mid-October. I was on the Starbucks web site trying to figure out when the caramel brulee lattes would return, and there it was. Above a picture, it said “Now Available”. I was so beyond excited. I made M.D. come with me to Target after church to pick up a few things and stop by their Starbucks. We came in, and M.D. watched, mortified, as this happened:

Me: Can I please have a caramel brulee latte?
Barista: We don’t have them yet. They don’t come out until November.
Me: Oh…but I checked the web site and it said they’re available.
Barista: It did?
Me: Yes. On the Starbucks web site. It had a picture and said “Now Available”.
Barista: Well the web site is wrong. Can I get you something else?
Me (pouty): No, thanks. 
Barista: I can make you something that tastes almost exactly like it!
Me (walking away): That’s OK. Have a nice day.

M.D. could not even believe that this happened. If he were to tell you the story, he’d say that I mentioned the web site at least 5 times, when I know it couldn’t have been more than 2.

But none of that matters any more. Because I have my caramel brulee latte in hand, and I am content.

On the Same Page

Last night my husband and I were discussing our plans for the next few years, including buying a house and kids. I was joking with him that maybe we should have kids sooner rather than later. His response?

“We can’t have kids, I haven’t been on enough cruises yet!”

I always knew we were meant for each other. 

Moving Day

A lot has gone on in the past few months. My hubs finished his second year of school, took his first boards exam (which he ACED!) and then left me for 6 weeks of officer training in San Antonio. I looked for jobs, found one, quit my job in Fort Lauderdale, started a new job where I can work from home (!!!!) and then picked M.D. up from Texas on a long, fun road trip. 4 days later and this is where I am: In an apartment with boxes all around me. We are moving tomorrow.

I am so excited. This is a huge new adventure for us. M.D. is starting med school rotations, and we have a sweet new townhouse that I am so ready to show him since he was away already when I started looking for a home for us. We’re moving to a city that’s more our speed, where we already have friends living. I couldn’t be happier.

See you on the other side (of the state!)

Goodbye

Early this morning, my Great Gram left this world for somewhere far better. It’s hard to imagine that I won’t be talking again to my vivacious, loving 97-year-old great grandmother again in this lifetime, but I can’t wait to see her in heaven. I know that’s where she is, and I think maybe, just maybe, she sent this gorgeous sunrise for me.

I love you Gram. Thanks for being such an amazing woman and example for me.

While The Hubs Is Away…

M.D. has a meeting at school tonight, which means I was left alone for dinner. When he’s home, I have this serious desire to make him a delicious dinner. I really enjoy cooking and it helps me decompress after a long day.

When he’s away, though? I really lack motivation to make dinner for myself. I usually just throw something really easy together (like grilled chicken on a salad, or dirty rice), but tonight I was feeling even less like cooking than usual. My dinner consisted of:

• Cheese and crackers
• Pear slices (and not even fresh pear, the type that you find in a can and drenched in syrup)
• Leftover cookie dough from these amazing things I made for a March of Dimes bake sale we’re having at work tomorrow

I’m considering adding a cupcake to this list. And it wouldn’t be one stolen from the bake sale, because I made extras in case of emergency. Don’t you think this counts as an emergency?

I’m in serious trouble when M.D. gets shipped off for training this summer.

Amazing Weekend

M.D. had finals through Thursday of last week, so we decided to postpone our Valentine’s celebration til he was done. We had a nice steak dinner at home, and I attempted to choose a good romantic movie from Netflix to watch after.

After seeing some reviews of The English Patient and Hope Floats, we decided to try those. Both were busts. Maybe it was just our mood, but we didn’t enjoy either of them, so we put on an action movie (Unstoppable) and were quite happy with it.

I took the day off of work on Friday since I had to work President’s Day. We slept in and then packed a picnic lunch to take to the beach. It was an absolutely perfect beach day. We hit up Hollywood Beach, which I love because there’s a boardwalk with restaurants, bikers, and palm trees all along it. It’s so cute and I highly recommend visiting if you’re ever in South FL.

M.D. ventured into the water for a bit, but it was too chilly for me when the sun went behind the clouds. I was quite happy to lie in the sun and start up a tan for our trip next month.

I loved the set up our neighbor had going on. They got shade when they wanted, and a perfect view of the water.

It was definitely busy. I was surprised since it was a week day, but I guess I forget that we live in a place where there are tourists all winter. Luckily, we found a nice spot near the water without too many people around.

He looks pretty relaxed for having taken 5 exams that week, doesn’t he?

Squinty, but still a cute picture 🙂

The rest of the weekend was just as perfect as the beginning. Saturday we went out shopping (shocking that M.D. tolerated it) and then out to lunch at Olive Garden. That afternoon we lounged and pretty much did nothing. Sunday I worked on some things for a bridal shower I’m co-hosting in a few weeks, and we spent some time at the pool.

Not too bad for a February weekend!

Christmas #2

M.D. and I flew back to FL on Christmas day, while the rest of his family started the long drive back. We went to my Mom’s house and did Christmas with her and my sisters the next day.

M.D. was looking mighty scruffily at this point.

We enjoyed some cheese from Wisconsin shaped like a cow that my mom’s friend brought her. It was delicious!

We took a quick trip over to my grandparents’ house on the west coast of FL, and enjoyed an amazing meal at our favorite restaurant there, Philippi Creek. My sister Jackie’s boyfriend was able to join us there, too!

By that time M.D.’s family was back in our hometown, and we were able to go watch his sister Sky compete in the annual Disney soccer tournament. She’s an impressive defender, and it was neat to watch her get scouted out by college coaches 🙂

Sadly, we had to pack up the car after that and head home. We had a full trunk. Thankfully the Mini’s back seats fold down so we could stuff it with even more stuff. Between our suitcases for 2 weeks, and all of the gifts that our generous family members gave us, it was hard to see out the back.

We got home and had a day to put everything away and get prepared for our busy weeks back. I also made sure to test out my new espresso maker from Sky and made Cuban coffee! Delicious!

Breckenridge, CO

After our amazing time at the Broncos game, we drove out to Breckenridge, CO to ski. My in-laws have a time share there that’s ski-in ski-out, so it’s pretty fantastic. We get up early, ski, come in around 1 or 2 (depending on how good the skiing is and how exhausted we are), have lunch, go to the hot tub, and just hang out as a family.

Everyone else has skied practically their whole lives, and I just started my senior year in high school, so I am pretty worn out at the end of a day following them down some crazy hills. I couldn’t believe that my dear husband, his sister Sky, and dad decided to have a push-up competition one night.

Another night, my father-in-law had to go to Denver for work, and my brother- and sister-in-law went to visit some friends, so M.D., his mom, Sky, and I had a nice dinner of grilled chicken Caesar salad. The only problem is that the grills are outside. So we bundled up to make our meal.

M.D. manned the grill.

Sky conquered the table?

What a cute picture of my mom-in-law and her daughter.

We did anything we could to stay warm. Thankfully the grills weren’t too far from our room!

I love Breck. It is such a pretty mountain.

There’s my mountain man husband. The guys grow out their beards while we’re skiing. They say it’s “to keep warm”. I’m not buying it.

Sitting in one of those chairs in the sun after skiing is wonderful!

My in-laws. They’re pretty amazing people 🙂 I’m so blessed to be part of their family.

Leaving the mountains. There really was not a lot of snow this year – check out all of the green!

Dentist Woes

Allow me to interrupt this (extremely drawn out) recap of our Christmas adventures. I am just so annoyed at the irony of this situation that I had to share.

I pride myself on my lack of cavities. I had one when I first got my permanent teeth in, and haven’t had any since. I never really flossed, but after my last dentist appointment 6 months ago, I decided to try an experiment. I wanted to floss regularly –  if not every day, then every other day – until my next appointment, and see if they stopped bugging me. If not, forget flossing forever.

So I did it. I was extremely faithful in flossing. I had an appointment today and walked in excited (for once) to hear praises of my dental habits. Instead, I got an attack on my gums. My hygienist stabbed them repeatedly, and then declared that since they were bleeding so much I must not be flossing.

Excuse me?

To add insult to injury in this whole situation, the dentist then came in and told me – Congrats! You have two cavities. See you again soon!

I am never flossing again.