Poor dog

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Bubbers

Yesterday we took Bear in to have two cysts removed from his back right leg. Although both were taken out completely it was a really rough day. 24 staples, thyroid medicine and one 'questionable' mass later. Overall he handled it really well but I cried for half the day thinking about his actually having cancer or something else that might take him from us. The doc said she thought it would be non-cancerous but not sure if that's because she could tell how upset I was or if she really thought that. But he's home now...we put the spare mattress on the floor and each slept with him for part of the night. He seems almost back to normal so I think it may be harder on us than him. All I know is he has to be okay, he's my baby.

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Preggers Part Deux

How ironic....after months of discussion and internal debate about the teachings from parents, coaches, teachers and friends. We officially decided to stop-not-trying-to-get-pregnant. It makes way more sense to say it that way then we started trying because in all ways of thinking I was assured that we would not 'get pregnant' for quite some time. I was wrong. We're pregnant!

The little nugget is about 5.5 inches long from rump to crown right now and has been baking for about 18 weeks. This weekend we leave for Colorado which will likely be the last vacation before little nugget gets here and I'm okay with that.

I had full intentions of actually blogging on a regular basis but lets be honest...the first trimester was all nausea and no play and the second trimester so far is mostly just eating. So for now...we're pregnant, hopefully coming soon I can share more about how our lives have changed and then what really hasn't. Til then....

2 oatmeal stouts n a microphone

There comes a time where the tides turn
Where I escape your twists and burn
You try to tie me in gray and twine
I can barely breathe without the soft moontime
Echo your cause and I'll be confused
Easier to mold than to be refused
Silly me for I should have known
The time is not with 2 oatmeal stouts and a microphone

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Preggers?

So Captain Safety and I have been together for nearly 8 years and we've lived the inevitable fate of any couple who has been together that long. When we were dating it was constantly being asked 'when are you getting married?'. Now that we're married it's ' when are you going to have kids'. Well...I've come to decide that this whole thing is backwards. As a girl I was told by my parents, teachers, coaches, and friends... 'don't get pregnant or it will ruin you life'. So no offense but it's a bit counter intuitive to think that having children will have an opposite effect, right? Whose with me?!

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Russian Roomie

So a couple of months ago I found out some great news. Captain Safety and I were in the midst of our long-term endurement of living apart in separate states when we found out a dear friend was interviewing for a job right by where Captain Safety lived.

Now when I say dear friend, I don't mean the kind that your grandma has in the small town she lives in. No, this friend is likely one of 4 living individuals who know nearly everything about me. We met at Junior College where we were both on the women's basketball team. We were always friends there but we really became close when we both decided to transfer to the same school to continue our collegiate careers.

We were roomies, best buds, amigos, teammates and quite simply confidants. After 3 more years together at school in Pennsylvania we found ourselves graduated and moving on our separate ways. Me back to Iowa because Captain Safety swept me off my feet, and her to Brooklyn to pursue a coaching career.

Fast forward a number of years and like a gift from above, she accepted the position and rightfully so...moved in with Captain Safety. Now to say I was excited was an understatement. Not only was I nearing in on moving back to the state to be with my husband, but I now had nearly full-time access to my BFF. Simply put, I was happy.

Now I'm not just happy because I get to see this caring, thoughtful, bright and beautiful individual each day. I'm mostly happy because there's a slight chance that I'll wake up some Sunday morning to this:

2011 Resolution...completed!!

Its official...I have finally baked meat in the oven.

It seems strange, even an hour after digestion has set in but I did it. I've never really been confident enough for cooking meat in the oven. Recipes always call for sauces and toppings but I like to see my meat. I mean, I have a real fear about under-cooked meat, who's with me??

Maybe I'm slightly paranoid but when some people say 300 degrees for 1 hour and others say 350 degrees for 45 minutes...well, quite frankly...I become worried. I'm a novice cook so there's still a very real fear that I may cause food poisoning.

But tonight...I was fearless. I picked a meat I've never worked with and ventured into the kitchen with uninhibited ambition (plus it's been in the freezer for over a year so either way it was going to get thrown out).

Here's what I did:

1) Let the meat unthaw on the counter for most the afternoon (usually this would mean in the fridge the night before)

2) Pre-heated the oven to 325 degrees (now the recipe said 300 but again, baking meat fear...that's an actual diagnosis, right?)

3) Heated some olive oil in a sauce pan (this is where I started to go wrong, should've moved this to step 5)

4) Poured two bowls for mixing, one with egg and milk mixture...the second with flour and whatever seasonings float your boat, I chose Lowry's, pepper and some steak dry rub

5) Dipped each piece of meat in each mixture (milk and egg first of course)

6) Toss the meat into the (now smoking heavily b/c I heated it too early) sauce pan and slightly sear each side of the meat

7) Put seared meat into baking dish, I used 9x13

8) Pour one can (16 oz) of french onion soup over the meat, cover with foil

9) Bake for 1 hour and voila

And you know what it actually worked. Cooked through, tasted delicious and Captain Safety like it. Russian Roomie didn't care for the french onion, but after some slight scraping thought it was delish.

Ending Journey

Ending Journey by 4theluvOcheese featuring antique brass jewelry

A painful 11 months of being apart from the one I love is coming to a close

The end of an, errr...of an Era

It has been over 11 months since I've lived with Captain Safety...11 months. So with today officially marking the 'End of the Era of Married Folks not Living in the Same House and Driving 4.5 hours Twice a Week to See Each Other'..(stop for deep breath)...it's only fitting I list what we, I suppose what I have endured:

1) 2 months of hardcore house renovating to get it ready to sell
2) 2 months of keeping that house clean and pristine for showings
3) 1 ruthless negotiation in a down market full of numerous phone debates trying to convince Captain Safety that we were not going to make everything back
4) 3 months of sleeping on an air mattress in a place I not-so-fondly called the Bug Shack
5) Countless twists and turns at work that ended up in me staying on for an additional 6 months
6) One great apartment by the park but was still missing my babies and hubby
7) A short love affair with John Tesh who kept me company on the many Monday and Thursday drives back and forth
8) A sad break-up with John Tesh when he switched over to Christmas music...how could you?
9) And finally....one packed to the brim Ford Expedition all ready for the 'last' trip back to Iowa!

So that's some of it, not all of it. I only wished things wouldn't have been so stressed so I could have written more down to remember for later. As it stands it's coming to a close and with that the 11 months of not being able to openly talk about what we're doing (eh hem, Facebook fear) is also coming to a close, hallelujah!

The last big thing on the list...re-learning to live with Captain Safety and two smelly babies...oy vey!

Coming Soon...

....at the risk that anyone actually reads this I will not divulge what will be happening in the next couple of weeks. All I can say is I'll be able to write about what's actually happening in our lives openly soon!

Summer Vacation : Day 789

The following post is inspired by our summer vacation. Start in California through Colorado and Wyoming then back to Wisconsin.

Vacation 2010 by 4theluvOcheese featuring Old Navy t shirts

Be inspired, be very inspired....

Day 785: Preparing for Colorado

Day 785: Captain Safety and I are on our sixth month of living in different states after deciding for him to move for his job. We're preparing for our annual (minus 2 years) trip to Colorado. This year will be slightly different with a flight to California to help one of my BFF's move, separate drives out to Colorado and a flight back to Milwaukee. But at the heart of the trip, as always, is a week of mountain air, hundreds of wildlife pictures and limited personal hygiene. The additional advantage this year is that this is will be the most consecutive amount of time we've spent together since Captain Safety moved in January.


Today we spent our last day of the week together making a trip to Cabella's to see what treasures might lurk in the Bargain Cave. After circling the parking lot a couple of times Captain Safety finally settled on a spot about a mile back. There was a lot of excitement about what we might find in preparation for our trip but we weren't the first cowboys at the rodeo and instead we walked out with a pair of pants and some hitch lights for Captain Safety. As we emerged from the store I quickly learned the urgency needed for our trip....Captain Safety turned a looked at me with all seriousness and said "I can't believe you didn't buy anything". I always find this to be a funny comment given he once bought my birthday gift from Cabella's and then spent the next week sleeping by himself, haha. Someday he'll learn, someday.