Odds and Ends

Ok just a few updates...

First, last weekend Wendy and made pumpkin chocolate chip bread. It was delicious!!! The funny thing was since their was so much oil in them the loaves came out really easy from the pan, except for the chocolate chips. I mean, I know it makes sense that way but for some reason Wendy and I thought it was hilarious that there were all these little holes in the bottom of the loaf. Here are the pics:


Next, today I got flowers. From my husband, you ask??? No. I got them from a Department on campus who has been a royal pain in my ...butt... for the past week. They've been unorganized and needed help with very basic things and overall taken up a lot of time I really needed to be spending elsewhere since enrollment begins on Wednesday. But... I walked them through it and was as patient as possible (that doesn't mean patient exactly but the closest I was going to get in such a busy week) and we got it all done correctly with a full day to go. It was amazing. So they realized they were impossible to work with and sent flowers to Chris and I. It was very nice of them.


Lastly, I was in the mood for Alicia Keys so here you go:

Alicia Keys - No One

imeem

So I don't know if I've mentioned how I love imeem. I think I just started using them. Their videos are clearer and better quality than YouTube and don't have their embed codes erased. They have lots of way fun stuff but less videos of people pretending to be the band. They have a smaller selestion but I bet they'll expand quite a bit in the next few years.

Tegan and Sara - Call It Off

Weekend Music

Postal Service - Clark Gable

Favorite Author Fridays - Books I've Been Reading

OK so normally Favorite Author Fridays are prompted by something I read that week. However, this week I've been either re-reading stuff or reading things by authors I've already blogged about. So I just thought for this week I'd give you a breakdown of what I've been reading:

Bleachers by John Grisham - this is our Book Club book this month and it was way better than I expected it to be. I'm familiar with John Grisham as a lawyer, political thriller writer, which isn't really my genre. But this book was about a high school football player coming home for his couch's funeral. It was wonderfully written and I would definitely call it a Man's Sniffle Book. Loved it.

Dragon Bones by Patricia Briggs - I swear this woman can do no wrong to me. I love EVERYTHING she writes. This is the first of a duology, but can be read alone since it wraps up quite nicely. It's about a boy... oh I won't do it justice. Here's a blurb from googlebooks, "To protect himself from his abusive father, Ward of Hurog has spent a lifetime convincing everyone that he is a fool, but now, with his father's death, Ward becomes the new lord of Hurog and must quickly prove himself worthy of the title to keep his throne." Way good. I'll definitely read the 2nd one.

The Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop - These were a reread. A trilogy consisting of Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows and Queen of the Darkness. "Ancient prophecies have foretold the coming of a powerful witch, one who would in reality be not a mere human female but "dreams made flesh," nothing short of Witch herself. She comes in the form of a tremendously brave little girl, whom we first meet at the age of 12 or so when she comes to Hayll seeking instruction in the Craft from none other than Saetan himself. Human beings don't just come over into the land of the demon-dead, and Saetan quickly recognizes who this young girl truly is and will become. "

I love the premise and story but somehow the ending always disappoints me a little. After I read these Nate read them and felt about the same I do. You get drawn in but 3 books later you're pretty emotional exhausted and just want a darn happy ending for your troubles. You get sacrifice and compromise- probably more realistic but not as satisfying.

However, I just heard there are 4 more books set in the same world, one written as in between the original 2nd and 3rd. I think I'll try them and see if they help me feel more settled. Over all recommended but they do deal with abuse (including sexual) so at your own risk.

Dead Over Heels by Charlaine Harris - The 5th Aurora Teagarden book. I really like these. They're cute mysteries without too much stress but a lot of real emotions (which are usually less dramatic). I read this one on an hour at Hastings and it was the perfect way to relax for a bit.

Playing with Fire by Katie MacAlister - cute paranormal romance. Very fun if a little questionable. The 2nd one is out and I'll definitely get it. I read all the other Aisling Grey series that led to this series spin off.

Snakecharm by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes - This is the 2nd book in the Kiesha'ra series. It's what I'm currently reading and since it's so small it'll be done today I'm sure. It looks to be as good as Hawksong, the first book in the series.

Thursday Night Music

Sia - Breathe Me

Bring on the WitchDoctors...

Ok I'm about to over share quite a bit. If you're just browsing through you might want to skip this post on account of how you don't really care about my weird personal stuff cause you just clicked the wrong link when on my sisters myspace account...

So let's get onto it.

Nate and I have been trying to get pregnant for over a year now. At first we didn't mention it because we though how fun it would be to surprise everyone who didn't even know we were trying. There's also the nervousness of telling people in the first trimester. Overall we went into it feeling very strongly that was the right path for us at exactly that time.

I went into the doctor's office got a pre-pregnancy check-up and he said everything looked good so get on with the trying. So we tried and we played and we overall had a good time waiting for things to happen when they would. We used basic biology information to guide us (I am a Bio major after all) and didn't stress much. Overall, a very enjoyable time for all involved.

But then we still weren't pregnant. I have never been 'regular' as far as womanly stuff goes and though I'd been on birth control for a couple years to help that, it started coming back. It got difficult to pinpoint when we should try because my cycle was ranging from 24 days to 72 days long. This was not the fun part. I started stressing that something was wrong and worrying and finally decided to go back into the doctor. At this point we'd probably been trying about 9 months, so we still weren't even officially experiencing "fertility problems" but I didn't want to waste time if something was wrong. Plus I'm overall just a 'know-er'. I'd rather know if something bad's going to happen, know if something good's going to happen, know about surprises, know if people don't like me, just KNOW.

So we did some tests. Nate passed his with flying colors- he got an easy one. I got a super fun hysterosalpingogram. Not the most comfortable procedure I've ever experienced but everything looked fine. So my doctor put me on Clomid (or it's generic equivalent) to force me to ovulate on a regular schedule. He said he would allow me 6 months of that but that was as far as he went fertility-wise, after that we would have to see a fertility specialist. We also started being strict about our chart-keeping and temperature taking etc. We spent money on ovulation tests and pregnancy tests every month. We started taking this seriously and at the same time tried not to stress because that decreases fertility.

Well my 6 months was up about 2 months ago. Last month I talked to my doctor on the phone and he said he would give me 3 more cycles at double the dosage of Clomid. So I have 2 cycles left.

Now a couple months ago I started telling people what was going on. It really started right after the hysterosalpingogram. I got out of the hospital and wanted to be able to talk to people about it. Instead of being a fun, just-between-the-two-of-us secret, it had started to feel like something we had to keep hidden because something was wrong with us. I didn't like that feeling. Also, I didn't like all the hints that people were expecting me to be expecting. When I wasn't trying to get pregnant they were annoying, when I was they really started to hurt. I was doing my best. Why couldn't people leave my private life private? So anyway, we told a couple people, mostly just some family and a couple friends, and I started getting the witchdoctor advice.

Now I'm a Biology major and love science so all the crazy things I heard that had no logical or medical base just blew me away. I mean first-off, why do people feel that the area in which their advice is always welcome, is child-making, bearing and rearing? I'm not sure. And also where did people get these ideas? ancient english folklore? some book they found in the library? their cousin's wife's good friend? Seriously I heard tons of the craziest stuff you ever imagined and I mostly just laughed it off.

The problem is now I'm willing. I'm willing to dance naked under the full moon and kiss certain beetles and use household chemicals in ways I never thought possible. I'm ready for the crazy. Cause I don't want to go down the road of shots in the leg and uncomfortable tests and honestly I'm a little excited to stop having to write down every time my husband and I have sex. It will be nice when that's back to just the two of us again. And mostly I want to have a baby. I'm still ok with the fact that it might not be on my time line but on His but I'm ready to do even the crazy stuff to fulfill my part. I want nothing I have control over left undone.

So...comment. Let me know that thing you heard your ex-roommate's best friend did. Let me hear your crazy theory you came up with in 8th grade science class. Ask the old lady at your work what she did and pass it on. I'll take all the advice I can get.

Bookkeeping- To keep this comfortable for all I will make the comments come to me first before they get posted. This will allow me to not post and yet still read things that might not be for the faint-of-heart or queezy-of-stomach. It means you can be as blatant or graphic as you desire. I can take it- I've worked on cadavers. :)

Don't Register to Vote...

a little language so at your own risk...

What...we're famous???

From: Shawn@magic104.com [mailto:Shawn@magic104.com]

Sent: Friday, October 03, 2008 10:59 AM

To: Nathaniel Mitchell

Subject: RE: corn beef and barley stew with drop biscuits.

Goodmorning! I used your recipe Wednesday morning for Magic Chef. I love corned beef! You have won a $25 dollar certificate to Chilli's. Would you please send me your home address, home and work phone numbers and date of birth? I'll get your certificates ready for pick up as soon as I get your information. Our address at the station is 400 East Britton road. Thanks for sending in your recipe!

And thanks for listening to Magic,

Shawn Carey

Here's the recipe as Nate sent it in. We're making it again Saturday. YUM!!!

1 corned beef roast

8 oz barley

2 medium onions

1 stalk celery

2 quarts beef broth

3 carrots

Cut the corn beef into cubes and brown in a pan. Add beef broth and bring to simmer. Chop onions, carrots, and celery add to pot. Add barley and cook for one hour.

Try it with homemade drop biscuits.

2 cups flour

? cup butter

? cup margarine

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 table spoon backing soda

1? cup buttermilk

? cup heavy whipping cream

Mix dry ingredients, cut in butter and margarine until it has a moist crumble texture. With a fork stir in buttermilk and cream. Use a spoon to drop biscuit sized dollop of dough on a greased cooking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.

ox gets the camera again...

First let me show you the last pic I took with the camera...

OSU on my way to work one morning. Beautiful.

Now here's what happens when Nate gets ahold of it...

yes this is our dogs on the couch- where they're not really supposed to be but it was so ugly to begin with I'm really not that worried.

Baby Hoss begging to be petted.

This is after I went to bed, by the way

My sweet Jesse

Hmmm...

Yep that's what he was focusing on...Doggy Porn!

Katy Perry I love you!!!!!

OK another Katy Perry video. Oh how I love her!!! I could possibly kiss her and like it (Ox doesn't mind). I got this from Pink Sheep. This video kind of reminds me of Jr. High- I'm not sure why but it could be the bike chase. :)

Hot N Cold


Also can she please come live in my closet and dress me everyday. Sad that by the time she get s a clothing line up I'll be too old to wear most of it.

New Template

Ok so I changed my template again. I used one of those pre-made ones. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I should have just stayed with my original format but I was getting bored. Since then I haven't really loved anything I've done. I think I like this one but the whole pre-made thing makes me feel like I'm cheating. I guess I just need to learn how to make it look good on my own.

Cake

This is one of my favorite bands. I honestly could put up several songs from each of the 6 of their albums I own. I love the line "I don't want to sit across the table from you wishing I could run". Sorry I couldn't get the video- they had embedding blocked. LAME!

Cake - Love You Madly

Favorite Author Fridays - Robin McKinley

This was one of two pictures I could find of her. Kind of cute I think. Obviously several years old.

If you like fairy tales you'll love Robin McKinley. Even besides her subject matter, her writing style just screams fairy tale. I've read some of her books several times and one of them I can never quite tell if I love the story or not but it still calls to me (Deerskin).

Ok I'll tell you my real mixed feelings about Deerskin. I think I love it but I don't know if I'd recommend it, certainly not to just anyone. It deals with an awful rape (I think they're all awful but this one is really bad). It also deals with a love of dogs, and having 3 I definately understand that.

I love her strong women characters. They start out less than ordinary and become great with the help of, but not controlled by, men. I noticed as I looked at her bibliography I haven't read any of her recent books- I must repent!

She is married to author, Peter Dickinson. Here's a quote from an article about him, "Many of his protagonists are female. He says, "...women are more observant. I think that girls are much more aware of social matters than boys, and therefore make much more interesting observers."" What a cutie.

Bibliography:

Chalise (2008)
Dragonhaven (2007)
Sunshine (2003)
Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits (2002)
Spindle's End (2000)
Rose Daughter (1997)
A Knot in the Grain (1994)
Deerskin (1993)
The Outlaw of Sherwood (1988)
Imaginary Lands (1986)
The Hero and the Crown (1985) The Blue Sword (1982)
The Door in the Hedge (1981)
Beauty: A retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast (1978)

This will make you happy...

Ahhhhh. Friday just got so much better. Don't forget the sound- it will increase your enjoyment.

When I get an exotic pet it will be an octopus (this will have to be when we move back by the ocean), They are so smart and you make them tanks that go all over your house with puzzles they have to solve. One day...

a few points of irritation/confusion/joy

- ok so sometimes you're walking down the stairs (that are only wide enough to fit 2 people side by side) and two people are coming toward you the opposite way, walking next to each other. There is no way they won't have to adjust their positions, since even if you stop dead still they'd still have to go single file to get around you. Instead of doing this they continue walking normal even glancing up at you once or twice as if you should somehow disappear. Then at the last minute they try to squeeze around you, knocking you into the hand rail and giving a grumbled apology, as if the whole thing is your fault. If you do not shove them down the stairs you have reached saint status.

- sometimes you're sitting at your desk and you hear recorded talking very quietly and intermittently. you look around for the source. The lady normally making noise is being quiet. You check your co-workers desk and can't find anything. You tell her you're hearing voices. No one else can hear them but you certainly can. You start checking nearby offices. They aren't the source. At this point all the people in your area are trying to help you look while showing with their eyes they think you're slowly losing your mind. YOU start to think you're slowly losing your mind. Finally you realize it's your ipod you left your headphones plugged into playing a general conference talk. It's in your purse right next to your chair and has been the whole time.

- sometimes you're walking to class and you see a young black man with a 3 piece brown suit, black cowboy boots, earrings in both ears and a faux hawk (not easy with black hair) and just question reality or the basic saneness of the world around you.

- sometimes you walk to class and when you head for the seat you've sat in all semester you notice someone sitting there (note there are many empty seats all around). Do they not know the unwritten rules of seat ownership?????

- sometimes you are using the stumble feature on firefox and you run across a way awesome blog about pictures of dogs in san francisco and it makes you very happy and takes away some of the bad feelings that were pushing you to indulge in workplace violence.

Ancestry

I don't know why I found this map so interesting but I did. Just something fun.

Thanks!

I just wanted to say 'Thanks' to all the people who've been so nice to me about Cali. I've had tons of nice comments (both on this blog and in real life) and Jeanne even brought me flowers, Gerbera Daisies- my favorite. I'm also grateful my sister Hillary found some pics of Cali when she was little. These are from the Christmas I got her and are taken at my Dad's house. She was so little and cute!

Cali

This Sunday our dog Cali died.

She had learned to climb first our 6 foot chain link fence and then the 8 foot wooden fence. So Nate had her on a chain staked into the ground. The chain was also attached to the kiddie pool they get water from outside. Cali got her stake out of the ground and drug the pool over to the fence to jump over it. The chain was too short or got caught and she broke her neck.

I honestly don't know how to write about this. It is breaking my heart.

Nate got Cali for me the Christmas we were engaged. He picked her out at the animal shelter and took her on the airplane with him out to California, where we were spending Christmas with my family. She was such a cute puppy, only 3 months old. My dad has two big dogs: Titus, a black lab mix and Max a HUGE German shepherd. They tried to boss Cali the whole time and we had to watch to make sure Max wasn't going to assert his dominance too forcefully. However one of the last days we were there Cali got up on the couch (a no-no) and got into the coffee my Uncle Blake had left out. She then tried to take on Max. She was probably 1/6th his size. Since then she always thought she was a big dog that could take on anyone.

Leaving California we drove back to Oklahoma, caravaning with my sister Amber. We got caught in a huge snow storm. One night we were on the freeway all night stuck in the traffic caused by the weather closing the highway. Cali was great. She had the most comfortable seat in the car (the whole back seat) and never made a mess or anything. The next night when we finally got to a hotel room (the last place available) I was scared they wouldn't allow animals so we tried to sneak Cali in. I wrapped her all up in a blanket and carried her to our room through the back door. At that moment the office manager decided to walk back there and Cali barked at him. I automatically said 'excuse me' as if I had sneezed or something. So funny! He of course knew and they just called to tell us they were adding the animal deposit onto our bill. I should have just asked to begin with.

After we were back in Oklahoma there was 3 months before Nate and I got married. Those were hard nights. I was house-sitting so it was a strange place and Nate had to leave every night to go back to his parent's house. Cali slept with me every night keeping me warm (something was wrong with their heater) and safe.

Through the next several months 4 more dogs came into ours lives for us to care for. Cali was always the boss.

Last autumn Cali was in heat and while she couldn't get out of the yard she got some other dog to sneak in. She got pregnant and had 10 puppies while we were visiting Nate's sister, Laura. She was such a good mommy. She cared for all 10 and trusted us moving her and them 2 days after they were born into the car for a 4 hour drive back home. She often seemed exhausted but all her puppies were healthy and happy. We kept one of her puppies, Hoss, which I am now very grateful for.

Cali was beautiful. People at the dog park would always comment about her beautiful reddish coat. She had the most muscular thighs. She was a big baby and always wanted to be a lap dog- even after she got up to 65 lbs. She just wanted to be snuggled down next to you all the time. She loved to run and play and if you threw her in the water she would run around like a crazy dog for several minutes after.

She was our baby since we don't have kids. I miss her so much. I don't know exactly what I believe about animals after death but I know she's happy somewhere and it's only me mourning because I don't get to see her. I love her.

PS In place of Favorite Author Fridays this week I'll just encourage you to read Marley & Me by John Grogan