BoWA #4

"Life is too short so love the one you got"

Thanks for the reminder Sublime. September is zooming by and it is times like this when I realize that life is made up a million little things that make you happy.

#1 Like when Ross packed my lunch and put this cute little dino in there. So stupid- but it made me smile all day.

#2 Or like any time Ross wears a suit. All of his residency applications are out there now, so we figured we should go get him some new suits. That way he can look super sharp for those interviews. Jos A Bank always has great sales and Ross is a huge fan so we went ahead and hooked it all up. 

#3 Ross's attire lately has been slacks and a button up, or scrubs. In this case, a pair of scrubs about 5 sizes too large. But you take what you can get from the hospital laundry and just hope the drawstring doesn't do ya dirty.



#4 Also picture in scrubs, different day, documentation of Pizza Friday! Throwing caution and budget restrictions out the window we also stopped at our local favorite: Sucre. Their macaroons and cups of cake are so delicious. Our pizza place is in the same shopping plaza. They always have deals and the pizza is so cheap and good. Best Pizza Friday ever!



#5 While we are on the topic of food I will go ahead and share this amazing recipe for salmon I found (link here). Yeah I did that thing where I take a picture of my plate of food. But I just wanted to forever remember this delicious and fresh summer meal in all of it's perfection.



#6 There has been talk for some time now about my parents getting a new TV. This month they finally pulled the trigger and bought a huge TV. It is quite the change from the "small" old one they had before. As you can see, it barely fit in my parent's Durango. Haha.



#7 We had a nice little period where we got some rain this month. I like this flower that I found on my way to work.

#8 The rain is nice because when it eventually (finally!) comes it clears out the sticky air and everything is so fresh- even if still a little warm. One Thursday Ross and walked to the Redlands farmers market and I got this delicious popsicle. I think it was called Watermelon Margarita or something? It had lime and sour orange in it and was perfect for a summer night. I'm embarrassed that I am a dork and constantly forget my husband's watermelon allergy. I was almost force-feeding it to him when I realized it. D'oh! What a dork. 

While You Were Out

Have I explained on the blog before about how Ross and I never take a vacation together?

Okay, well NEVER is not exactly accurate. But it does seem that my employment and his school are forever at odds.

I came back from my super epic New York trip and everyone was asking, "How did you and Ross like New York?!"



Cos yeeeaaaah, we didn't do that together. We also didn't do this, this, nor any of this. But I'm not here to provide you a comprehensive list of all the stuff I do by myself. That's what this blog is for. Instead I just want to feel happy that Ross finally gets a turn to take a little break. He is officially done with his 3rd year of medical school, he has his Step 2 CK out of the way and he is all but ready to apply to residency. He still has a way to go but you learn to celebrate the small victories.

I kicked him outta the house and told him to use what we have left on those beautiful airline vouchers to visit family and friends in Utah. Our motto, as I am pretty sure I have well documented on the blog, is "If you have the time- find the money."

With 4th year and then intern year of residency and so on, you can't count on ever having time. And the money- well after awhile you stop worrying about having so little- so you just find a way.

He's off on an adventure and I am back at work, or sweltering at home in these warm temps. While he is gone I've been doing a complete bedroom over-haul.

Operation: Organization and Donation.



I have to do this while he is gone so I have enough time and space to make a mess and find a solution. On the right you can see that no matter how hard you try there will always be that pile of stuff leftover. That pile of stuff that you're just not quite sure what to do with.



I am proud to say I donated a bunch^ of stuff and threw away even more. It feels good!

My good friend Mary recently started residency at a nearby hospital. She invited me over for dinner so I made a simple dessert. I brought the leftovers to work and people were beside themselves. Really I think it was just nice to have a pick-me-up now that every one is coming back to work after summer break.



In other cooking endeavors, I thought I would make a special treat for Ross's return from Utah and eventual start of a school/ hospital work again.

I present: Brownie-crust Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake!

It is possible that I went a little over-board with the decorations on the top. Like homemade whipped cream!?

I made a Frankenstein recipe combing and piecing together three different recipes.



It involved a brownie crust, topped with a layer of fudge. Next a peanut butter cream cheese cool whip layer, then some Reeses cups and brownie. After that more of the cream cheese mixture, probably more peanut butter cups, a fudge topping then all the decorations.

It was delicious. It sounds kinda hard but it wasn't at all. Except for the brownie part it was no-bake too! 

Palmdale

This summer I have spent quite a bit of time in Palmdale. Maybe I needed some time away from it, but it is one of my favorite places, for so many reasons. Here is a picture dump from the past summer months.

Beautiful sunset on a (rare) rainy day.

Every time I'm in Palmdale my parents treat me! They know all the best places to eat. Like this citrus coconut pecan shrimp. Or nachos pretty much served on Captain America's shield.



I had to introduce my parents to Dole Whips. All the times taking the family to Disneyland growing up, but they didn't know what it was! Ross used the pineapple soft serve but made a tropical/ shark-week themed treat with cheesecake bits, coconut, and a gummy shark.



While we are on the topic of food.... My mom made this amazing blueberry cheesecake with fresh blueberries. Simply epic.



Palmdale means Vallarta. Somehow I ended up there unsupervised. Pan dulce, horchata, and Pelon later, I came out mostly avoiding the pastry section. Settled for a tostada at home.



It was my first time getting the huge Pelon. Because I live large and I've made it. Ross had one taste and was revolted. Just tastes like childhood to me. No idea how I shared those things with my friends and playground kids and came out mostly okay and healthy.

Synge is such a user. He is crazy for ice cream too. He will get up in your face and start pawing at you.



One time my mom jokingly asked Synge, "If I lost my hands in a car accident would you still love me?!"Good thing he can't talk -I don't think my mom can handle the truth. Just look how devious he is.



With the time I spend with my grandparents, I also get to hang out with their cat, Sabby. I like this sassy photo. I captured her at the perfect moment.



Dad and Ross staring so intensely at the broken doughnut machine at Krispy Kreme. Seconds away from jumping in with a toolkit, or maybe just grabbing the machine and shaking it, "WHERE ARE THE HOT DONUTS NOW?!"



They crack me up.

August brings quite a few birthdays for my family, so we all got together for a party. So much food it wouldn't fit on the table. And Snapchat stickers. This snapchat from my cousin of the dog gettin' so intense on dat cookie. 

And homemade waffle bowls! Calvin gave mom and dad a waffle bowl maker but I guess the recipe for it sucks, so I set out to find a better one. Luckily others thought it sucked too so I didn't have to look long before I found one posted in the Amazon reviews. I perfected the method and have since forgotten it, so enjoy a bit of trial and error.

--Waffle Bowl Maker Recipe--

Ingredients:

3 large eggs 

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, melted and cooled

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 c. all purpose flour

Directions:

-Beat the eggs, adding in the sugar gradually, beating until smooth. Add the cooled melted butter and the vanilla.

-Stir in the baking powder and flour, until all mixed. 

-Spray the iron with a light amount of cooking spray- this will make the first ones turn out imperfect but is important for the process. 

-Drop about a tablespoon of batter onto each bowl. Cook for about 40 seconds, open iron and with a towel or potholder to protect your hand, rotate each bowl about 180 degrees so all sides cook evenly. Use the cooking time as a guide and adjust. 

Of course the best part of going to Palmdale is hanging out with your parents! This time I learned that when my mom was little she was absolutely-fan-girl-status obsessed with the series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. 

I've probably shamed her since I've never even heard of the series before. My mom goes into her magical closet and pulls out this old briefcase. She was not messing around when she was 10! She said that it had been forever since she opened this little time capsule. Inside were autographed photos, magazine clippings, and notes from the fan club she had formed. The best part was the script that she wrote. Dang, my mom was even smart and creative when she was 10. That script was super legit, all typed up on a typewriter and everything. That's some major stamina for a kid.

I'm likely forgetting other tidbits and photos from my summer lovin' in Palmdale, but for now this will do,

Makin' Bacon Pancakes in Neeww Yoorrk!

Sunday was a nice lazy day. I think I may be running my sister into the ground pretty quickly. I need to remember to chill out with the itineraries. I thought it would be fun to try makin' some bacon pancakes. Of course inspired by this lovely song that will forever be stuck in your head, compliments of Teo.

It was fun to try something new. We candied the bacon first to make it extra delicious. And it was. No post from this trip is complete without food.

The recipe is easy. You just take a bacon and you put it in a pancaaakke! ... In Neeww Yoooorrrk!
Here is your complete photo tutorial, deprived of that lovely song.