Fights and Bites (to eat)

So I didn't exactly finish my cookies last night - I got distracted (this happens easily - for instance I'm probably going to forget I have cookies in the oven right now). But I am almost done baking them tonight. I ended up with 38 Kiss Cookies...it probably would have been a full 3.5 dozen but I kinda ate a lot of the dough. It's ok though, because two of them are deformed. The will have to be sacrificed to the cookie gods (aka my stomach).


Here's the finished product of my baking:


The white ones are pecan sandies. For the first time EVER I actually followed my Grandma's recipe and they turned out really well. I usually use walnuts because I always forget to buy pecans and the recipe says to form into logs...i usually do balls. Also, I end up with for less cookies than the recipe says it will yield. But this year I was dead on. Grandma said 40 cookies and thats what I got.


I've come to the realization that I'm really more of a candy maker than a baker. Sure, my brownies are famous, and yeah, I make awesome birthday cakes for the kiddies....but i don't think I'm as good at baking as I am at candy. I always seem to either under or over cook baked items. Here's a sample of the candy I've been making:

Clockwise from the silver wrapped ones: Million Dollar Fudge, Butter Brickle, Million Dollar Fudge with Walnuts, Oreo Truffles, Snickers Fudge, and Cashew Brittle.


And yes, I wrapped every piece of that fudge myself.


As my time in the kitchen has increased lately, I've noticed that when the cat isn't trying to eat the dog, he seems to be picking fights with the refrigerator:

the staredown

the attack

Meanwhile, Molli does to her toy what I'm sure she'd like to do to the cat:

But still, we can't help but remember the peace that once was:

busy bumblebee

Just call me Betty Crocker.

So far today I've made:
6 dozen Oreo Truffles
3 dozen Pecan Sandies
1 pound of butter brickle

and in a little bit I'm going to go finish up my batch up Kiss Cookies (the dough has to be chilled).


All this is in addition to what I've already completed:
1 pound of Million Dollar Fudge
1 pound of Million Dollar Fudge with walnuts
2 pounds of "Snickers"
a batch of cashew brittle


I love to bake but it seems I only do it at Christmas time....which is probably a good thing. Otherwise I'd be a blimp.


Now I just have to finish wrapping all of the presents Joe doesn't have time to wrap. I'm actually kind of surprised he's letting me wrap these, as he really seems to love wrapping. Also, he's the neatest male wrapper I've ever met.

HayZeus seems to like wrapping too:

He and I exchanged gifts last night because it was the only time we'll really get together (alone) for the next week, minus the drive to the UP. We went out to dinner at Bowers Harbor Inn (www.bowersharborinn.com) and had a really romantic dinner in front of the fireplace. It was really fun to get all dressed up and splurge on a fancy dinner (Joe really did most of the splurging). We took some super cute pictures too:


Afterwards we came home and unwrapped presents, had some cocoa and curled up in bed. Basically, yesterday was our Christmas!


I'm excited for all of the festivities coming next week. I really like that we're basically celebrating for a whole week...kinda like Hanukkah :)


So I put my notice in at work on Wednesday - I'd been super nervous to call my boss and tell him because of our staffing problems (and let's face it, no one wants to lose ME as an employee, haha). He was really understanding and thanked me multiple times for giving him a full months notice. Now that I've got that worry off my mind I think I'm even getting excited to move back to the UP. We're hoping to have the chance to look for a place to live when we are up there, but as of right now Joe doesn't even have the time off we're supposed to be in Grayling for (grrr...don't get me started). So I guess we'll see. Either way, I have to interview at Biolife on the 2nd (as a formality) so if he doesn't get things worked out we'll have to take two cars up there...booooooooooooo.


On a downer, Molli isn't so hot...her breathing is frequently labored and her pain meds don't help that situation. The vet had to increase her dose because she couldn't even walk on her leg. Poor pup. I've decided that after the holidays she'll probably be ready for her big nap. Joe got me a shadow box and a kit to make an impression of her paw for Christmas so I can make one last reminder of her. For now though, she gets to go on all the car rides she wants, sleep on the bed, and can have her fill of the beggin bones she loves so much (but is only supposed to have 1-2 times a week).


In other news, the cat keeps trying to eat the dog. Still, they seem to coming to some sort of a peace agreement:

And I swear I didn't position them like that.


Well I must be off. I have photos to pick up from Walgreens and then I have to pick Joe up so I can hit the hay (5am shift tomorrow.)

Goodnight!

Stressball city

I've been a mess for the last 48 hours...a complete and utter stressball. And it was my day off for crying out loud! ugh.


Ok...long story short: Joe's been offered a promtion, but the position is in Marquette. Yeah, thats right, Marquette. The place we used to live.


The problem is I don't know if I want to live in Marquette. I kinda like it down here...I'm not in love with TC, but I am in love with being away from my hometown. And I hate to say it, but I also like being away from my family. I love them and miss them very much, but it's hard to figure yourself out when you're surrounded by expectations and the drama my family creates.


More than that though, I'm afraid of being that girl that went to the hometown college, got her degree, and then worked at a job that a high school grad could do. I'm not that girl, since I would be pursuing my masters while we're up there, but still. At least down here no one knows I don't have that great of a job, and even if they do I get respect for "finally getting out" (of the UP).


Oh, and PS, tons of people up there probably assume I'm a nurse by now, which I'm not. I'm 150% ok with that - I don't want to be a nurse - but it's annoying to have to explain that. Plus, I'm still pretty pissed at myself for failing peds, even though I'd be miserable if I hadn't. I still consider my biggest failure, since I know I have the brains to pass that god forsaken class.


On the other hand, Joe would be making more money and I'm 98% sure I could my old job back, which I enjoyed. Actually, they have a supervisor position open - something I would have been considered for when I was there before. Also, cost of living is lower up there, so we'd have more money to put away for an expensive event (hmm, what might that be?). An internship would be a breeze to set up because I know so many people at the Marquette County Health Dept, and we could probably consider buying a house since Teri would help us with the title insurance and closing. And how sweet would it be to actually have friends in the same area code again? :)


It's a lot to think about, and the wheels are a-turning. Joe has a meeting early next week to find out some specifics of this promotion and to see if it will be worth our while. I'll tell you one thing though - after the bitch-o-gram I sent my managers this morning about how we shouldn't be using our trainees like we are no matter how short we are...I'll feel like a jerk quitting.


Thank goodness I have Christmas under control or I'd probably fall apart.


Deep breath. In with the good air, out with the bad...(my therapist taught me this awesome breathing exercise).

Yeah yeah, get off it...I've been busy.

Actually, I'm not sure if I've been busy. But when you get up at 3am, your day seems absolutely packed...I think because I'm so tired.


Let's see...where to start...


AMAZING weekend with the ladies. We went to a Jimmy Buffet restaurant, the mall, a Mexican place, a kickin' house party, and we had a reallllly nice hotel room (because I rock at making plans). AND on top of all that....Chris asked T to marry him! And *I* was the first person on earth they told. Ahhhh I rule. Of course now I have to deal with the "when are you getting engaged" thing, which is really, really annoying. Because A) Not my call B) It's not a race and C) What's the rush? I don't need some shiny ring to know what I'm doing for the next 100 years, puh-lease. Not that I don't want one, but I don't need it. But seriously, I'm happy for those two.


OH OH OH and on the SAME day T got engaged, my sister found out she's pregnant. We just keep multiplying. On a downer note though, she says she's thinking about Elizabeth or Isabelle for the name (if it's a girl) which I'm super pissed because I've had those names reserved since like...1902. It's ok though, because she's going to have another boy. Just wait. (side note: I told her she couldn't use those names and she replied "whatever, you don't even want kids." NEWS to me...and Joe would throw a fit!).


I know I once gave Joe a hard time about his disdain for the cat, but I'm seriously considering giving him back to the Humane Society. Every single night this week he's woken me up and I've been unable to get back to sleep. So I'm like...UBER crabby. The kind of crabby where Joe asks me if I've had a nap. YIKES.


That being said, I have to go to bed. I was a busy bee today and made enchiladas, walnut fudge, and chocolate-caramel candies (aka snickers). Doesn't sound like much but my enchiladas are awesome and those snickers have 4 tedious layers. But they are sooooo worth it. Night.