Down from the Mountain

Tune in this evening to hear me pontificate about stuff. Particularly my trip to WV and the failed attempt at a BTR post this past Saturday night.

We had a great trip to WV with the kid but I'm tired as hell. I would really like to go home early today, but I have about 2 more hours left. Lawsy mercy me.

Until this evening,
Molly

Tonight's Show - Rescheduled

Tonight's show is being rescheduled for Tuesday at 11PM EST.

Peace out,
Molly

Shameless Reminder

Granola Muncher

I got a sweet note back from my mom saying thank you for the list and that I answered all of her questions. That's the best part about being anal retentive: we're never shy on painfully specific details. How the hell did I get like this???

My MIL (Mother in Law) gave me a recipe for some granola that she makes all the time. I've now made it about 3 times and have modified it for texture, flavor and calories. For example, I cut the oil content down to 1/4 cup and I don't include whole almond (because all that chewing wears me out, man). I'd like to share my version with you. Its great with some non-fat Greek yogurt and maybe some fresh, cut-up fruit. Bebe helped me make this last batch and it was really fun.

4-5 C Oats
1.5-2 C sliced almonds
1/2 C salted and roasted sunflower seeds (without shells, of course)
1-2 C Pecans, halved or whole
1/2 C flax Seed
1/2 C sesame seeds
3/4 cup Honey (wildflower honey has more flavor, have also used sorgum)
1/4 cup Vegetable or Coconut oil.
1 cup golden raisins (or whatever dry fruit you prefer)

Mix dry ingredients. Heat honey and oil over medium to low heat until combined. Mix well with dry ingredients. Place mixture on cookie sheets (with a lip) or you can use glass casserole dishes. It usually takes me about two total as you don't want the layer to be too thick. Bake in an oven preheated to 325, stirring every 10 minutes for a total of 30-40 minutes. Allow to cool and mix in the raisins. I store mine in an old oatmeal container.

Bam!
Molly

Curbing the Carb Madness

Petit Bebe and I are so freaking excited about our road trip. We talk about it daily. We're actually staying in WV the full long weekend, so we will have a chance to recover from the journey before returning to Kentucky. I even cleaned and vacuumed out my car last night. It smells waaaaaay better.

Basically, I just want to play and visit with the old people. Maybe I'll have an opportunity to drive around town and take some pictures with my old camera. I told Dad that I'm cool with just being good food-wise. Let me splain: My mother has a tendency to go overboard with the food when we come to town, which I know she does out of love, but cellulite really sucks. It'll be homemade chex mix, pepperoni rolls (literally Italian bread rolls baked with pepperoni inside), candy, chips and iced christmas cookies... So in lieu of a health crisis, here's the note I just sent my mama to try to curb any of that madness:

Hi Mom,

Its official, we're headed up Friday and will be in until Monday. Thought I'd get this to you while its on my mind. I'm totally cool to just go easy on food and try to be good most of the time when we're home. I feel like I made up for plenty of lost time (food wise) the last time we were home and in Mississippi. Maybe one night we'll do a hoagie or something.

• 1% Milk for Lilly (non-organic is just fine...I'd rather have 1% non-organic than 2% organic)
• A few small boxes of frozen veggies (broccoli or peas are good) with cheese sauce for Lilly to eat.
  
• No juice is necessary if you haven't already bought it. She can drink milk and water.
• Fruit (bananas or apples)
  
• A baked snack like gold fish or pretzels or something like that.
  

And then you all usually have the normal stuff like eggs and cheese and lunch meat n' stuff. So that'll be fine. I know you'll do what you wanna do but just consider this a guide.

Love ya,
MJ

So, who knows if that will work. I can't tell you the items I had on that list but decided to scratch off because I knew she'd get wrong (we just don't always speak the same food language). Now, my mom is a heart nurse and usually eats pretty healthy herself but still manages to blow it when we come barreling into town. I'll just grab a few must-have's for me and drop them in the cooler before I even get on the highway. Might even be a real jerk and pack the french press. I don't know why, maybe it's old age, but dad will make a pot and drink it for two days now. Or maybe, like I said, I'm a jerk.

Love,
Molly

Onward and Upward!

Molly-Five is alive!

I passed all my classes for my first semester of Nursing School. It was close, but its officially behind me now. That 3 months few by. Its amazing how fast things feel when you are busy during all possible waking hours. And the stress...that shit will make you old.

I had a great weekend. I feel refreshed, revived and renewed...more so than after my week away in the dessert for spring "break". I made a derby pie last night. It was ridiculously tasty and very easy. I'll post the recipe below. Only lost $20 on the Derby and drank many a mint julep. Amen for Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, amen.

Now my brain has transitioned on to new ventures: planning
for vacation at the beach (if we can afford the trip by then....I'm hopeful), getting the old man jobbed and thesis'ed, and getting on to a fun summer in the sun.

Its sunny outside and I can hardly stand it. Just kidding! Its a miracle that is going to end tomorrow, apparently. Might have to make a run to the park with Bebe again tonight, or at least go outside and blow bubbles.

Derby Pie, Y'all - Seriously easy, seriously good.

Mint Julep Recipe - I also found this to be fabulous....multiple times.

Happy Sunning,
Molly

Drunk Post

I got her done today. I think I'll pass just fine. I don't care what anyone says, last minute cramming is very effective. I'm drunk right now so I hope that this post makes sense. Oh well, its just closure any who.

I survived my first semester of nursing school only partially scathed. Is it really this bad at all nursing schools/colleges of nursing? One of my classmates is seriously working toward transferring to another school, but won't it be just like this one? Are nurses really meant to organize the education of people who have very little clue about healthcare? Who the hell else would do it? Isnt' there a format that all programs could buy into that is also adult-student-friendly? That doesn't make us all want to die from stress? Maybe that is my purpose in life...to help figure all that out. Who the eff knows? All I know at 10:46PM on a Friday in May, the Friday before Derby BTW, is that I'm alive and ready to just enjoy life for a few weeks. The end of a semester has never been so meaningful. Now I know why my friend Genderist attended her graduation in her sneakers and jeans. Lets get this biznitch done, shall we?

Happy Derby Day, Ya'll! I'm sure this blog would be more interesting if I was into any of that shiz, but I'm totally not.

Love,
Molly

One more day!

I'm constantly going back and forth between being completely nervous-panicky and then exhausted-weird. Need to find a good place to hide to study this afternoon. Not really interested in being bothered by anyone! So wish I was in sweats and not this silly skirt and dress shoes.

So wish this was over!!!!!!

Ack!
Molly

The Countdown, but not the Final Countdown.

The Final Countdown only applies to impending births of which there are none that I am aware of in my house. The Countdown is 3 days, including today, until I am officially finished with this semester. I'm so done that I'm done. Did I mention that I'm done?

I haven't written much in the last 3 months because I've been busy juggling school, family and work. I don't like that mix so much that I'm dumping work next semester if I can help it. I just want to survive this week.

Friday, after I take my patho final, I will probably sit in the car and cry before I pick up bebe. Then the celebration can begin. I'm so excited to live in a space in time where I can not be constantly carrying stress about school, grades, studying, guilt and a dirty house. Were I can sit down in the evening after I put bebe down and just watch some TV...or bake some cookies or muffins....or go work out. Geez, imagine the possibilities. I got a few gift cards at work this week as a belated "secretary's day" gift. So Friday we get free dinner and dessert and that's pretty awesome. "We" are going to clean the house this weekend. That means that I'll be cleaning the house this weekend.

Next week I make a solo trek to Mississippi to watch my baby sister graduate from grad school. I'm so excited to see her. This will also be my first big trip away from Bebe, so that is making me kind of crazy inside. I'm starting to wonder if I could buy another ticket and just take her with me... Nope, none available. Oh well. I'm sure it'll all be fine.

We'll do some trips to WV this summer and our eventual trip to NC in late July (really need to talk Mom into scheduling these earlier in the summer). The Focker's will be here some time this summer, so that will be fun too.

Other plans:
Back yard sand box!
Another blow up pool for cheap summer fun.
Veggie Garden. I have the wood for the box, just need to slap that puppy together.
I still want chickens, damnit. May not happen this year. We'll see. Maybe I'll actually get over to Southern States this weekend...especially since I'll have allllllll that time.

I always make big plans, because why the hell not? If I just pass my last final and get the house cleaned this weekend, I'll be a happy girl come Monday.

Happy Summer Planning,
Molly