Tobago, why don't we go...

We are BAAACKK... from a Caribbean vacation of our dreams. God bless best friends and destination weddings. Kate, my BFF from forever got married last week to her perfect match, Nick. Nick's family is originally from the island of Trinidad, Tobago's neighboring island and under the same flag. Because of Kate's love of the island and because these two are as unique as they come, they decided to have their wedding on Tobago. Thus, as the Matron of Honor, I HAD to go. Did you hear my arm twisting? Right.

So, after 8 years of marriage Brian and I finally got to take that Caribbean vacation (sans kids) and contemplated never coming back. Everything about the island says slow down. I actually don't think I saw a clock the entire time I was there. Though we were coming from Texas (unlike those coming from Los Angeles and NYC), we noticed a definite pace change. Don't order breakfast and expect it before you are hungry for lunch, in other words. The beaches were beautiful. The water was clear and warm. The snorkeling was awesome (I didn't even scream out of my snorkel this time). The locals were lovely. The rum was strong. The 30ish people we traveled there with were incredible company. And I loved it!

We had the distinct advantage over other tourists as we had some semi-local help. Trinidadians travel there for vacation often and those whom we were with were quite knowledgeable. We stayed in rental homes, near the beaches, with people that were used to driving on the wrong side of the road. Uncle Oscar (Nick's Godfather) was the ultimate tour guide and often the life of the party. Brian and I felt like part of the family (we stayed in the family house) and by the end of the week had invited ourselves back.

The wedding itself was beautiful - I absolutely cried through the entire thing. I am not sure why I was so emotional - perhaps it was purely because Kate, my BFF, had found her perfect match and was experiencing the happiness I had always prayed she would find. Kate was shining, absolutely shining, lit up from head to toe. And regarding Nick, a finer man would be hard to find.

Enjoy some pics (most of these are Brian's - I was too caught up in vacationing to actually use the camera much) and dream of your own Caribbean Vacation.

Belated Father's Day

What words can I even say about my husband this Father's day that aren't overshadowed by his actions.? Two weeks ago when we were in Tobago I heard over and over again from the other wedding goers (men and women alike) that Brian was a good man and I had chosen wisely. "Yes," I'd say, and then I'd correct them, "Brian chose me." This fact continues to astound me as I see him grow year by year. I knew I had a good man when I married him 8 years ago. What I assumed, but didn't know, was that he would be such an amazing father.

When we arrived home from being out of the country we got news that a good friend of mine was in need. She had four kids and needed an immediate place to stay and childcare for up to two weeks. Brian said, without hesitation, that she could come stay with us - no questions asked.

Father's day, after church, Brian spent it at a ballgame - which I was working - with 6 kids, 4 of which were not his. Though my sister came along for support and their mom joined them a couple hours later, he shouldered the responsibility like the man I knew he could be. Did he complain about not being able to sit back in a recliner (which we don't own) watching his 52" flat screen (which we also don't own) with a beer in his hand (no way he would drink with that many kids to keep track of)? Not a peep. I would say, "What a man!" but really, I know how much better than the average man he is.

Illegal in 7 States

My husband, Brian, is a random man. He has hidden gifts and talents. One gift we discovered this year (much to my waistline's detriment) is his gift for baking. At this very moment he is making from-scratch waffles - who does that? I don't bother to take the time - that's why they made Bisquick, right? Whatever, he makes things from scratch and as long as I don't have to, I am a happy woman.

Last year sometime we were introduced to a cookbook called The New Best Recipe from the editors of Cook's Illustrated. We came by this miraculous cookbook through a good friend famous for her baking and jamming skills and known as a collector of cookbooks. Brian, ever looking for the next best cookbook was immediately taken with this epic book. This book is right up his alley coming from America's Test Kitchen the editors have taken the best recipes and experimented to make one best way to make something. Oh. My. Goodness. It's like consumer reports for recipes. Brian is in recipe heaven.

So, short story longer, Brian's amazing cookies come from this book. I mean to tell you, these suckers are seriously addicting. As soon as he starts getting out the familiar ingredients I start salivating. When they come out of the oven I start to hallucinate and can actually hear them calling my name. The addiction is only fed by each cookie I eat. You know how sometimes you can eat something unbelievable and then by the third or fourth one you are way over it. Not these things, boy howdy. The only thing that stops me from eating the whole batch right then and there is the thought that I could possibly run out and running out would be bad - withdrawals can be nasty.

I have deemed these cookies (due to their addictive nature) Illegal in 7 States Cookies. Bake them if you dare.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (from The New Best Recipe)
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm.
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (don't skimp on these, buy the name brand)

1)Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.

2) Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

3)Either by hand or with and electric mixer (Brian uses our stand up electric) mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Ad the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste (and taste a lot if you are me when Brian turs around to get the other bowl).

4)the next step has some weird direction about making a ball then pulling it apart and putting it back together or something. Brian at this point has lost interest in directions and just scoops up some balls of cookie dough, throws them on a sheet (we actually use baking stones that are well seasoned) and tosses them in the oven.

5)Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, the outer edges start to harden, and the centers are still soft and puffy. 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time (you would think that this is a direction past the last one and Brian wouldn't do this but trial and error has proved this direction to be key). Cool the cookies on the sheets. Removed the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a wide metal spatula. (Brian discovered that if he removed the cookies and placed them on the rack too soon that they are SO fabulously chewy that they would droop down through the grate of the cooling rack. So, seriously, let them cool - this is also important before putting them in your mouth and subsequently burning your tongue on crazy hot chocolate.)

That's it gang! Remember, I warned you. Any illegal possession of cookies is on you.

Another man's treasure...

Last week we had an impromptu yard sale. Basically, Friday night the neighborhood put up a sign saying that the neighborhood yard sale would be the following day. I read the sign at about 9 o'clock Friday night. At about midnight, after surveying the attic and the closets, I decided that we could, in fact, have a yard sale the next day. I pulled some seriously ridiculous things out. I mean to tell you, I have no idea why we have had an "extra" TV in our attic for 2 years and in storage for a year before that. What I am capable of accumulating is amazing.

In my excitement to get rid of things I pulled out an old Christmas present from my husband. It was a gift from our first Christmas married. He was being so thoughtful when he gifted me with a bubble machine for the bathtub. I think it was supposed to feel like jacuzzi jets, but really it only managed to cool my bathwater off too quickly and ultimately I didn't have the time or the patience for baths and gave up on it all together. I was eager to finally purge this useless item.

My husband, finding sentimental value in the ridiculous machine, pulled it out of the heap. "The kids would love this," he said and claimed that their enjoyment was worth more than the maybe 5 bucks I could get from it. I begrudgingly gave in.

Since then, we have never had two kids more eager for bath time. This just goes to prove the old adage, one mamma's junk is her kiddo's treasure - or something like that. Oh, and I made about $160 in about 3-4 hours; not too shabby for not really having too much stuff out.

Gruene

Did you know that Gruene has the oldest dance hall still operating in Texas? Yup. Looks like these girls were fixin' to dance. If only they could figure out how to get in...

We had a great time with my family (Molly we missed you) and a great meal at the Grist Mill (a turn of the century cotton mill turned restaurant). The lovely old homes and quaint little stores are right up my alley. Gruene (pronounced green) is one of my favorite spots in TX. Take a tube ride down the river and you will soon understand why.

Shriners

Oh, those Shriners. They are still at it - continuing to brighten the lives of children and their parents. Bravo Shriners for all your years and years of work supporting those children in need of medical attention. As a school nurse I have a special place in my heart for those wonderful folks who work tirelessly to raise money for children who otherwise could not afford their medical care.

As a parent, thanks for the face painting and the balloons. You made their day!

Never say "I can't"

This year, with great trepidation, and some serious convincing to an admissions office, I started graduate school. I don't actually have a really clear idea of what I will do with this when I'm done, I just knew that it was time for me to get my master's in nursing. Now, if you had asked me 8 years ago if I would be going back to school I would have said NEVER. And I would have meant it, especially to further my education in nursing.

I wrestled with my identity as a nurse since day 1. I even had a professor tell me I would never make it as a nurse. I carried her voice with me around in my head through my first several years. I questioned myself, was this really my calling? Only after school and emergency room nursing, years into my career did I begin to feel like I fit in to this profession. But, still, why grad school?

After course work began I was seriously doubting I had made a good decision. Still, week after week I seemed to still be in the game. Then the paper came up. Now, you have to understand scholarly papers were the bane of my college existence. I could not write them. More importantly I could not write them and turn them in on time. I would write a questionable paper and turn it in so late that I would lose ridiculous amounts of points. Put me in creative writing circles and I had an easy A. Make me write a thesis driven research paper, Lord help me. I wrote my professor an overly dramatic email about how I was completely paralyzed and could not write the paper.

Despite the overwhelming odds against me, I began that paper. I turned in several drafts the week before it was due and my prof helped me do just some minor tweaking. Then, I took a deep breath, and 24 hours before it was due, I turned it in - a complete and hopefully articulate paper. I know, you can all fall over in disbelief now. I did.

Now, I would have been OK with just the accomplishment of writing and turning in the paper alone. Mission accomplished. I had done the impossible. But, it gets better! I got an email from the professor returning my graded paper. 100%! I think now that you know, I will have officially told everyone. This is how amazed I am. I guess I will stick with grad school for a bit longer. Perhaps you will see that day when I become an advanced practice nurse. So much for never making it... If I never do anything else with my Master's Degree, one thing I know for sure, I will have conquered a long time belief that I could not do something that apparently I can.