I shall call [myself] squishy

I've been on the couch with my lower back against a heating pad for the last 10 hours. I have watched some TV, slept, read numerous blog posts and stared at the ceiling. I get up now and then to do menial chores, grab a snack, use the facilities, let the dog out, etc. And dance. Casey looks at me like I've lost my mind. Who grape-vines into the kitchen while snapping her fingers and bobbing her head? ---> me.

It's 8:00. Time for my advil. and pretzels. and Cranberry juice. maybe some cookie dough...

me vs the shower curtain

I got a new shower curtain liner. This was a difficult decision for me. I hate the nasty that has creeped all over our the bottom of our current liner, but I REALLY hate the nasty involved in changing shower curtain liners.

I climbed into the shower and wrestled with our crappy plastic shower rings until all that was left was a lonely rod and proceeded to attach my brand new metal hook-like shower rings to the rod and the new liner. Success...UNTIL I triumphantly whisked the liner aside in glee and was met with a screeeeeching sound similar to nails on a chalkboard.

Metal shower hooks and a metal rod do NOT work well together.

I painstakingly took down each metal hook and reattached each plastic ring and slumped over in relief at the normal quiet-ish screech of a whisked-aside shower curtain.

Gosh DARN it my daily life is compelling.

C is for cookie

After a starch-free dinner of broiled mahi mahi, green beans and salad, Andy and I were craving us some cookies.

(note to JMUers: Craving Cookies is now Campus Cookies and while we were not craving Campus Cookies, I've heard good things about them).

Last night I decided to try a new recipe and after a quick Google search I discovered these "best chocolate chip cookies ever," which sounded intriguing. The recipe is super easy, but I always get nervous whenever I reach the "add flour" section of a recipe. In my experience flour doesn't enjoy being confined to a mixing bowl, even my incredible 5 quart Oxo Good Grips (which is one of my closest friends).

This recipe calls for 3 cups of flour, which of course should be added in small amounts as to prevent an atomic bomb of flour. I was worried that my hand mixer would break while fighting the thick dough, so I tried using multiple spatulas, a whisk and even my hands. Not smart. It took forever for me to get the dough off of these different apparatuses (apparati?) and I, of course, resorted to eating copious amounts of cookie goo.

I finally gave my hand mixer a shot and while it greatly struggled and made sad sputtering noises, it got the job done. I popped spoonfuls in the oven for 14 minutes, let them sit as directed and Voila! they were fabulous. Perfect amount of chew. They were also HUGE. I didn't bake all of the dough and plan on freezing the rest today in smaller spoonfuls.

I did not weigh the flour and I don't see any need to. I also used unsalted butter because that's all we had. Next time I plan on using slightly less vanilla and slightly more sea salt. I used about 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips instead of 2 and will absolutely do that again.

My cookies turned out just like the pictures. Love it when that happens!

I love lamp

Andy and I received this gorgeous glass lamp from Crate and Barrel as a wedding gift from our neighbors. It complimented our bedding and bedroom furniture perfectly and I loved seeing it every day. Every day until my hand reached too far for a tissue and the lamp FLEW off my nightstand and shattered all over the place.

It was a sad, sad night.

We found a lovely replacement at TJ Maxx (the C&B one is still available, but it's too much moolah for us to spend on a lamp) and I was just beginning to get over my loss when I saw THIS LAMP, MY LAMP being used in "Color Splash on HGTV. Now all I can think about is how much I loved it and how much I want it back. If you have a spare $100, send it my way. It's all about the Benjamin's baby.

i neeeeed them

itty bitty mixing bowls for prepping sauces/spice mixes!!

ice cream sagas part 2

Went to Klines tonight w/ Andy, Kevin and Jackie.

Peanut Butter Oreo. Faaaaaabulous!!! (cue Oprah)

Came home and watched "Paper Heart" on Netflix because I have an intense crush on Michael Cera. He's just so precious. Andy agrees (but don't let him know I told you that).

I'm finding myself so drawn to the song Charlyne Yi performed in the film. She also does a stinkin' adorable cover of "Nothing Compares 2 U."

You have really long arms....

so why don't you use them to hold me tight?

the ice cream sagas, part 1.

a few weeks ago I was in Springfield w/ my parents and I called Andy to say hello. He sounded agitated on the phone and didn't want to tell me what he was doing.
"I'm with Kevin and Jackie."
"UGH!!! You're at Klines aren't you!?!?"
"I don't want to tell you. I don't want to upset you."
"Gaahhh I'm so mad right now I can't believe you're at Klines without me I feel so left out how could you!!!???"

so when Andy was working late the other night and Kevin and Jackie invited me to go to Dairy Queen, I jumped at the opportunity to get my bratty husband back. See, I would rather be at Klines and Andy would rather be at the Queen, so this whole situation is very upsetting to the person who is being left out. Now I'm in Springfield again taking care of my mom who just had surgery, and guess where Andy went last night?
KLINES! with Kevin and Jackie!

All hell has broken loose.

whoop dee do

I quit my nannying job on Tuesday night. Yowzerz. It was the first time I've ever left a family and I couldn't be honest and say WELL MAYBE IF YOU DIDNT ARGUE ABOUT MY PAYCHECK EVERY WEEK but instead I said "I'm going to miss you, I love your family" and then I sobbed like a four year old for a good ten minutes straight. It was incredibly awkward. I know the crying came from all of the stress that I've had pent up for the last six months that I've been with this fam, but at least it came across like I was just sad to leave.

And the worst part of it was the mom had offered me a chocolate from her Valentines Russell Stover's right before the tears started, so as I'm crying I'm taking tiny bites of my truffle. I didn't even get to savor it. Later I LOL'd about the absurdity of it all.

speechless.

Check out this interactive timeline/map for Lost fans.

Your jaw will drop.

why you shouldn't take a nap at 4pm

HEADACHE. massive headache.

dry mouth. and stinky breath.

crusty eyes.

lines on my face.

cricked neck.

but now it's 5:20 and at least my outfit is cute (thanks santa) and andy is upstairs writing my Valentines card because our date is tonight and it changed from dinner at Kyoto to ordering Papa Johns and watching a movie. and I am completely OK with that.

he got me flowers.

:)

overwhelmed

because my mind is going in all sorts of directions. e.g. ::

ummm our lease ends in May and that's only three months away AHH!

how do I prepare myself for cutting my hours and making a lot less per month?

I think I'll be happier, but... ?

do I have time to make another cup of hot chocolate before work?

my breath smells like hot chocolate.

ooo a commercial for Heather Armstrong's new show on HGTV! can't wait.

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett is a MUST read- I finished it in three days and now I mope around the house feeling sorry for myself because it's over.

re-read "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood last week and it's still one of the most uniquely written book I've ever read. I kept noticing the motifs we identified in high school English class.

I have to make these fish and chips asap.

what am I going to wear for our Valentines Dinner tomorrow night?

I desperately need to convince Andy that he needs all new work clothes.

where are we going to live???

my tummy hurts.

no more hot chocolate.

hate/heart

I HATE

my sinuses.

when things explode in the microwave.

when people cough or sneeze near my face/hair.

my husband's clock.

the king of queens.

nuva ring commercials.

high pitched noises.

sandra rinomato's jokes about property virgins.

those new sketchers that shape your booty.

that andy almost always orders the better entree.

peas that stand alone.

I HEART

cereal.

gmail.

when Casey walks upstairs to go to bed and peers at me through the slats in the stair rail.

Andy's bottom.

my library.

surprise snuggles.

old pictures.

decorating rooms in my mind.

taking walks with my husband.

hulu.

my dishwasher.

drooling.

Let's just take a moment to revel in these gorgeous boots. I wish I had the ankle strength and general balance and coordination and non-clumsiness to wear them. Oh, and $130 bucks to toss around.

I'm loving the bold straps and can picture how perfect these would look with fitted jeans and a boyfriend tee.

Flats are great and compliment my size 7 narrow feet, and I can walk in them without tripping all over the place. I love my flats...yet I rarely find a pair that are as stinkin' HOT as these boots are. And isn't that what we ladies want? Some HOT shoes?

I'd like to find a pair of comfortable heels for NYC, but I have a feeling I'm going to have a tough time with that task. So for the time being I'm going to sit and drool over these.