A new cookie....

Okay, so I love looking at stuff on Pinerest.  I'm not sure I would do all the things I re-pin or like on there, but some of the stuff looks so good.  I have cool hair stuff, some workout stuff, and crafty stuff....and then I have a Yummies board.  Well....I saw this post about the best cookies EVER....well, I thought, maybe.  The link took me to someone like me who has a blog and made the cookies...and linked up to the original poster.  OMG!!  These are the BEST COOKIES EVER!!  Unless you don't like chocolate (there is 3 types of choc chips in them), and especially if you don't like Nutella....because these cookies have all of that.

So the name of these cookies (The Best Cookie EVER) is Nutella stuffed brown butter choc chip cookies with sea salt.  So to start with....who knew browning butter was first so easy....and second made everything taste so good!!  NO JOKE!!  I followed the instructions that the ambitious cook set out and it turned out beautifully.

When all was said and done, I don't like air cookie sheets (I already knew this, I got rid of all of mine years ago- but being away from home I have to work with what I have).  So my cookies are a little extra gooey, but they taste soooooo good!!  My mother in law even said she thought she had died and gone to heaven they were that good.

Warning when you go to the site, you will see yummy pictures, and you might get discouraged because you have to refrigerate the dough for 2 HOURS, before actually baking the cookies, but totally worth it!

Saddened and Embarrassed...

 The Connecticut school shooting events have been all of our minds.  Lot's of sadness about what feels like senseless violence. Lot's of anger.  Grief is a process, and there is a lot of grieving going on. My heart breaks for the family and friends dealing with the loss of those they love.  Whether it's from this tragedy or any other.  There are no words.

 I just read several posts on facebook that a friends liked.  Social media can be wonderful and horrible at the same time.  People feel they can be mean, or kind at will, and they feel the need to share that hate or kindness with EVERYONE.  I'm glad I know a diverse group of people.  I'm happy people have many options.  However to place blame and spread hate is just so sad.  One post was a video.  It talked about remember the ones who were lost, and the bravery of people like the teacher who saved her 16 students by hiding them in the closet.  In that video they did not name the gunman because they do not want him to become "famous" or a role model.  I understand this reasoning.

 The next post I read was about someone who blames the gunman's parents for his actions.  Saying that they had money and could of gotten the boy help.  This is the post that made me a little embarrassed to know these people.  They didn't write the post, they just liked it.

Here is my story:

 I grew up in a house where there was mental illness.  I can look back and see it.  Did I have a "normal" childhood?  Sure, it was normal for me.  I have an older brother.  We grew up in the same circumstances.  We both got "help".  There was counseling- individual and family.  There were anger management sessions, and circle groups.  There was a lot of therapy (for the kids) in my family.  Today I feel very well adjusted.  I am in control of my life.  I love life.  I do good whenever and wherever I can.  I feel blessed to have family and friends. If you ask my brother he will say the same thing.  The difference- it worked for me.  The counseling, the therapy, it worked.  It clicked.  For my brother....it's a whole other story.  He has been in and out of jail.  Addicted to drugs. In some pretty crazy situations.  My journey was easier....it worked.  His was harder...it didn't work for him.  He's working to turn his life around in the only way he knows how....now.  I can look back and see that even with everything given to my brother as help....he could of been just like the gunman who shot all those children.  It could of been him, and would it of been my parents fault?

 Do I really want the world to know I was a totally messed  up kid??  Not really.  But do you see that sometimes things, even given everything you can think of to give to fix it, just doesn't work out the same.  My brother and I are oil and water, night and day, different as different can be.....but it could of been the flip and then what?

I just want to close this post with....I don't know what a solution would be.  Tighter gun control? Better Mental Illness availability, tighter school security??  I don't think any of these things would of changed the outcome.  I think it all still would of happened.  I wish the world didn't have mental illness, and a need for guns and security....but that isn't they way the world is.  Sometimes we just have to throw love out there, and keep throwing it out there, and maybe someone will catch on, and throw some love back.

I didn't make it...

A little while ago I heard that the Nike Women's marathon was going to do a race on the east coast.  I was excited, as I've done (sort of) the race in San Fran.  Well I've done it, but it's the source of all my running angst. I really thought it would be great to be able to run in DC (about 4 hours away from here) and bonus it's only a half marathon (13.1 miles).  I knew I wanted to try and sign up.  The Nike marathon is super popular, it's probably because the finisher's "medal" is a Tiffany's necklace.  Yeah, it's pretty sweet!!.

So when my friend Kim D asked if I wanted to try and sign up, of course I was like....yeah!!  I signed up for my Nike Plus account (you had to have one to enter the lottery), and I put my name in (with all my credit card info), and hoped for the best.  Weeks went by, honestly it could of been months....but it was just weeks.  I was finishing up at work and checked my phone.....my friend Kim D texted me to tell me she got in, and asked if I had.  I didn't have an email saying anything.  I told her as such, and she said maybe it's because it was alphabetical.  Hmmmm.  I got home after work and still nothing.  I texted my friend Jeanne, who also was waiting to hear. Then around 10 pm I got an email, the email.  So Sad.  I didn't get in, Jeanne didn't get in.  Only Kim got in.  Maybe we'll go up and cheer her on...or just be sad and bitter at home.  We'll see come April!  *smiles*

Office Holiday Parties

Tis the Season, and since I work at 2 different dental office I get to enjoy twice the fun!  *smiles*  I work at two different offices in almost every way possible.  One of my offices is a single doctor practice, there are 5 of us total that work there.  The doctor invites us and our spouse out every year, usually for dinner and drinks.  This year we did something special, we had dinner, and then went to see "A Christmas Carol".  I was so excited, as I had not seen the Raleigh legendary show.  It was great, and the company was really nice as well.  Afterward the crew agreed to meet for drinks (however traffic had different plans for us, and Jason and I didn't make it.)

The other office has like 25 people working at it, there are 4 doctors!  We pick secret santa names to exchange gifts with each other, and also do a white elephant gift exchange.  We do a lunch for this party, and it takes all afternoon.  It's a great time to hang out with the whole office and have fun!  This year was just as great as last year. Yummy food, great company and fun times stealing gifts from each other.

It's a great time of year to enjoy the company of those you work with all year long in a different setting.  It's nice to be away from the hustle and bustle of the office, see each other not dressed in scrubs.  I'm so lucky to be able to work at 2 great offices.

I love my hot tub!

Somedays it's just nice to go out and soak in the tub for a little bit.  The big tub with all the jets and it makes me happy.  Somedays it's hard to make myself change into a swimsuit and go out in the cold, but in the end it's totally worth it.  Just sayin'.....I love my hot tub.

Ghost Tour

Downtown Raleigh has a Ghost Tour.  I didn't know.  I had friends going to do this Ghost Tour, so I figured I might as well go too!  Jason had no desire to come along, so I went solo (if you don't count my ghost host).  Well, if solo also means with friends!!  *smiles*  Would I do it again, probably not.  But it was a fun night!

A beautiful day for a bike ride

We had a break in the cold weather, and it had been forever since I'd been on my bike.  My friend Jenn had asked me to ride with her on Saturday (it was going to be cold and windy), and I said I would....cause I missed my bike, and my friend.  Turns out we rode on Friday....which was so much nicer.

I had a massage appointment before the ride (not ideal).  However I didn't feel like I could pass up a beautiful day for a ride.  I drove out to Holly Springs after my massage and headed out for 2 hour ride with my friend Jenn, her husband Grant, and her friend...?? I can't remember her name.  (sad I know).

I could tell it had been awhile since I'd been on my bike.  Yikes!!  Still we had a good time.  YAY!!  And I took few pics!!  

Thanksgiving 2012/ Turkey Trot and More..

I have been told there is really only one turkey trot (in Raleigh).  Even though you can look up turkey trot raleigh on google and it'll give you multiple options of places to do your pre-thanksgiving  energy release, there is only one true turkey trot in Raleigh (and the surrounding area).  My friend Kim has told me this, and I guess I believe her, because year after year I come with her to do this turkey trot (even though there are 2 that are closer to my house).  The Ridgewood Turkey Trot is for sure a Raleigh tradition.  This year there were over 3,000 people who took to ridge road at 8 am to trot before the big feast.  Ridgewood Turkey Trot is an 8 K (most turkey trots are 5 K's), so you have to be a little serious if you are going to do this one.  On top of it being an 8K, it's in downtown Raleigh, which means....HILLS.  I love it though, the people out, the costumes, the fun of doing a race with family and friends is AWESOME!  This year Jason decided he would come and trot with us.  (I've only gotten him to do one other turkey trot with me, it was in his hometown...and we had fun then too).  Also my friend Jenn, and Kim's friend who had run the Boston Marathon, and Kim's Mom came.  Jenn, Kim, Jason and I ran together...and Kim's Mom walked, and Kim's friend did her runtastic running all by herself.  We met back up at the end, unfortunately all the food (bagels and oranges, and banana's were gone when we finished), but we were okay with that, it just meant more room for turkey later.

After trotting we came home and got to making our side dishes for friends thanksgiving.  I made the famous mashed potatoes, and some yummy apple spice cookies.  Scout got to lick the mashed potato pot after it was all put in other dishes.

We headed to Kim's parents house where we had a FAB thanksgiving with friends!  YUMMY food and GOOD times!  What more could a girl wish for??

Color Run in Charlotte.

AGGGHHHHH!  I'm not sure why or how I get myself into these things!  *smiles*  I signed up for the Color Run months and months ago.  I was super excited.  The closest one was in Charlotte.  I had a whole gaggle of friends going.  I was excited.  Hmmmm.

Morning of the color run, it was early, and I was tired.  I got up, I got ready, I picked up my friend Kim...we got on the road and drove and drove.  The Color Run people said come early, to avoid lines, it's going to be crazy.  So we got there crazy early, and no lines.  It was okay, it was cold.  We met up with our friends.  I had told my one friend that I would walk with her, she had a foot injury that meant no running for her.  We discussed it awhile before.  As it turns out the whole group walked with her.  We had a great time getting colored.  The funny thing is at the orange area they ran out of the powder (we were the middle of the event) and so people rolled around on the ground to get color.  HA!

Ohh what is a color run?  Well it's a run where you start in all white (or mostly white), and then at every kilometer of the 5K event they throw colored corn starch on you.  It's fun, you turn into a human tie dye art piece.  I paid $65 to do this event, and the money went to put on the event and then to habitat for humanity, good cause for a fun time.

Ahhh, some times you just need a nice glass of WINE!!

After a long day of craziness sometimes it's just nice to come home and have a nice glass of wine.  That's all I'm sayin'! 

My Birthday!

I got back from the trip up to PA at midnight!  And it was my birthday.  I went to bed, then got up in the morning at my usual, I can't sleep in late (especially with a sweet pup who wants morning walks).  I got up and did a birthday run!!  YAY!!  Run's are good.  They make me feel happy, even if I have to push myself out the door.


After the run I decided it so nice out, I should do some work outside.  I hate yardwork!  YUCK!  So I borrowed my neighbors hedge trimmers and went crazy in my yard.  I didn't finish it, but at least I started!  *smiles*  It was quite the experience.  I had bugs flying out of the wicked bushes all over the place.  2, count them 2 got caught under my eye lid.  After it happened the second time is when I called it quits.

I took a nap, cause....yeah that what happens when you have the day off and went to bed late and get up early! Then I got ready to go to dinner with Jason and some friends.  It was a great day!