All along my running routes

Now that spring has FINALLLY sprung here in the Great White North, I am slowly trying to get back in running shape. Key word being slowly. But I guess the almighty wanted me to push myself those extra ten minutes that I really didn't want to do the other day. Because when I turned north on the trail for that extra time, look what I cam across:



The sides of the trail were completely covered with all these gorgeous yellow flowers. It was like running through art. So once I was through with the run, I had to walk back and take pictures. Amazing, right?



I do have to say that there is nothing quite like Spring in New York. Almost makes the six month winter worth it. Almost.

As Mr. Snoop and I get ready to leave NY in a few short weeks, I am making a mental list of things I will really miss about this place. I'll probably do an interwebs list as well. Anyway, I will really miss my running routes up here. They are just so pretty. Speaking of, our local news just reported that there will be a Stephen King movie filmed along one of my running haunts in Sleepy Hollow. Pun most certainly intended.



Check it out: http://www.lohud.com/article/20130501/NEWS02/305010085/Movie-based-Stephen-King-book-film-Sleepy-Hollow

Have a good weekend, everyone :)

The Latest

Well, well, well.

It's been a while. Here's what we've been up to, in bullet points:

- We bought a house! After going down to Austin for Easter, Mr. Snoop, Mama Cat, and I drove down Easter Monday for the house hunt. After seeing 10 houses (more on that in a sec), we found two houses that we were happy with. On Tuesday morning, we put down an offer and it was accepted by Tuesday afternoon. Alleluia!

- House #8 had maroon walls and orange trim. Also, it smelled like a giant litterbox. Mr. Snoop counted nine cats. You know that means there were more hiding. There was a litterbox in the bathtub. Ew.

- On a related note, if you are trying to sell your house, why in the hell would you leave it a hot mess? I'm talking piled up dirty dishes in the sink, unmade beds, piles of dog poop in the yard, dirty laundry strewn about, and a weird vampire-esque altar on a piano. Really? Ick.

- Our new house has a huge kitchen with an attached sunporch. I can't wait to move!

- Also, there is a JCrew outlet within thirty minutes of our new house. Excellent.

- Speaking of shopping, I found a pair of Lilly shorts in my size at our Marshall's. $25! Perfect for moving back to Texas, if I do say so myself. It is STILL not warm enough for shorts or short sleeves here. The print on my new shorts is "Garden by the Sea," below:



- In other shopping news, I have accomplished a lifelong goal. Mr. Snoop bought a pink and white dress shirt yesterday. He looks amazing.

- On a less shallow note, the Boston Marathon bombings. So very sad. All events like this are terrible. But as a runner, I'm specifically pissed off that someone messed with my therapy in this way. Races are when you get to celebrate all the hard work and progess--both physical and mental--that you've made. There are some truly crazy people in this world.

Mr. Snoop's Very Bad Day with the law

The week prior to Match Week, Mr. Snoop had a terrible, no good, very bad Monday with the law. We were beginning to feel the pins and needles of Match Week, and it had been a truly exhausting six months. So Mr. Snoop decided to come with me to the grocery store to get out of the house.

[Side Note: You have to pay to park at the grocery store where we shop. The store reimburses you for an hour and has really long lines, so it is a mad dash to get everything done in there. Especially because they ticket if you are 30 seconds over]

Well, those of you who know Mr. Snoop know that he is Mr. Responsibility USA. He washes the bedsheets every saturday morning, always pays bills on time, works out every day, worries when my girlfriends have porches in their apartments that face the street, etc. Basically the guy was made to be a dad. And I love that about him.

Somehow in the midst of interview season hell, Mr. Snoop let his car (It's a subaru. I told you.) registration lapse. Highly uncharacteristic, to say the least. But I didn't just call it six months of hell for nothing. He sent in the registration as soon as he discovered it had lapsed and was waiting to get it in the mail at the time of The Bad Day With the law.

Anyway, Mr. Snoop goes to the grocery store with me. We make it out super quick, like 30 or 45 minutes. And get to the car to discover that we have a ticket. Initially we thought it was a parking ticket. But alas, it was the registration. Boo, right? So that sucked, but whatever. $50. More than our weekly grocery budget but we'll deal. We

get back home and check the mail, whereupon Mr. Snoop discovered A WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST. From the City of Austin. Some of you may remember that Mr. Snoop and a friend got jaywalking tickets there nearly three years ago. While crossing at a crosswalk. During which the little hand stopped flashing midway through. The other 10 or so friends got across before. Oh, and did I mention that this was his bachelor party? And that he had opened up his head water-skiing and required 7 stitches just hours before? Yes, indeed.

Given that it was, you know, his bachelor party, Mr. Snoop and Co. went out and had an awesome time. In that process he lost his jaywalking ticket. Then somewhere in the mix of getting married, going on a honeymoon, and completing 3 years of medical school, he forgot to pay it. Imagine that. So it cost $250 to clear it. BURN. Talk about an expensive walk across the street.

Morals of the story:

- If the little hand stops flashing midway while you are crossing the street, I guess you are supposed to Stop Right There and risk getting hit by cars. Otherwise you are jaywalking.

- If you get a $10 ticket from an eighteen year old cop, pay it.

- Don't Mess With Texas.

In conclusion, let's all say a prayer of thanksgiving that Mr. Snoop's brazen criminal past didn't prevent him from getting a residency in Texas. Phew. Thank goodness for small mercies.

Texas forever

That's right, we're going home!

Source: fuckyeahtx.tumblr.com via Emily on Pinterest

6 hellacious months of agonizing over interviews (or lack thereof) is over. The great irony of all this is that Mr. Snoop matched at his #1 spot. We feel so grateful and blessed. Particularly since well over 100 people applying to Mr. Snoop's specialty did not match into it this year. We take nothing for granted.

The good news has not yet sunk in, though I think it's getting there. Especially because it is snowing/raining/sleeting/nasty-ing here and I don't even care. So yes, it must be sinking in somewhat :)

Now let the great house-hunt begin!

Matched!!

We got the fantastic news on Monday that Mr. Snoop matched into an ENT residency. We are so thrilled and feel so fortunate, but I have to say that the reality has not sunk in yet! We've been waiting for this news for four years. Since he had a small number of interviews, we have been intensively and stressfully waiting for six months. After all that waiting, it is so hard to switch my brain over to actually believing he matched!

Trying to stay occupied until Monday was a good time. Fortunately my Mama Cat was in town and I work Sundays, so I was busy the day before Match/Unmatch. This past Saturday, I decided to occupy my time by making.. wait for it.. Lilly Pulitzer bowties for my cats. I know you are judging me but I just don't care. Look how adorable:



He looks ready to drink a hotty toddy at the grove, don't you think? So preppy. Of course I do have a top in the same pattern. As if you even had to ask.

Since I never was able to think past Monday, I have found myself in an unexpected predicament: finding ways to distract myself until we get the big news about WHERE on Friday. Last night I threw a temper tantrum about how cold our house was, how I much I hate winter, and then had a panic attack about the possibility of Mr. Snoop matching in Wisconsin. Mr. Snoop, ever the expert in the field of taming me, lit a fire in the fireplace and cut up the chicken for dinner. Bless his heart.

After I got my behavior under control, I accomplished the original task I had planned for myself: baking a million cookies for our friends to celebrate Match Week. Any excuse to use adorable labels and treat boxes, right?



Tonight I have a girls' shopping outing, but I am still searching for a project for Thursday night. Also, I can't get my pictures to center. Sorry about that. Til Friday, chikadees!

Winter. What I've learned.

Oh yeah, check out the "feels like" on that picture.

So here we are over half way through (I hope!) this winter. We've reached the point at which I am whiny and irrationally angry about the cold. My skin itches, I haven't seen my arms or legs outside of a shower in months, and I'm craving warm sun. And sand. Even Mr. Snoop is getting sick of it all. We're both really ready to spend some time outside. This being my 4th (and possibly final) Great White North Winter, I've learned some things. About how to keep my wimpy butt marginally warm. Behold:

- Fleece-lined leggings and tights. An absolute necessity. Winter is impossible without them.

- Tall leather boots. In brown and black. I discovered that the more of your body that is covered up, the better.

- Layers upon layers upon layers. Seriously. I wear so many clothes that it is laughable. For example, a typical winter outfit for me involves pants or leggings, socks, tall boots on the bottom half. And then we get to the top. Oh boy. On top I wear a short sleeved tshirt (or tanktop if it is above freezing) as a base layer, one long sleeved base layer, and then one or two sweaters on top of that. And a scarf. No, I don't sweat in all that. I can't remember the last time I was warm enough to sweat.

- Hot beverages. Tea, hot chocolate, etc. I drink hot tea constantly, especially since I work in an old, drafty church. It does help keep a person warm. And hydrated.

- Flannel sheets.

- Do not go outside without a hat and gloves.

- Many people would say wool, but I'm allergic. Hence, layers.

Thanks to listening to me whine. 20 days til March 11th (Match/Unmatch). Fortunately, in the mean time, I just got a groupon for a southern food (I've been needing fried chicken lately) restaurant in the city and my brother is coming up to distract us.

Mid February Randoms

This is what I love about February. You blink and it's halfway though! Here's what we've had going on:

- One month from yesterday is Match/Unmatch Day. This is where we find out if Mr. Snoop got a residency position. I get nauseous just thinking about it or looking at that day on my calendar.

- Nemo! We got well over a foot of snow:

Mr. Snoop shoveled while I stayed inside and made a bright yellow polka-dot skirt for the summer, naturally. We only have one snow shovel, ok? Luckily, we did not lose power or anything like that.

- Now that interviews are over, Mr. Snoop is on a new rotation. Looking at his ID picture, you get the idea that he may be scraping out earwax and boogers or killing you in your sleep with an ax. I mean, 50/50. You decide.

- The first weekend in February we went to parties Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. I'm still worn out. Here we are at one of them, James Bond themed. Where else do you get to carry a fake gun (sorry, I'm a Texan and therefore completely tacky about such things), rock cat eyes, AND a sequined, leopard-print dress? And drink martinis!

Happy Valentine's week, everyone! I hope your week is full of all things pink and sparkly.

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Mr. Snoop and I typically eat at home nearly every night. Thus I usually cook nearly every night. Good for the budget and the waistline, you see. So I tend to make pretty healthy meals. Except this one. Are you ready? Because this is ridiculous. And a total man-catcher. You can find the original version on the Food Network website, but I adjusted this for our budget and needs (ie, I always simplify and will not spend $5 on a thing of panko I'll use just for this). Here goes!

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

3 T unsalted butter
8 oz elbow macaroni (we always do whole wheat)
One large onion, chopped
1 cup shredded chicken (more or less)
3 cloves minced garlic
1 C hot sauce (I used Franks's and we like things SPICY.. definitely halve or quarter if you do not)
1 T flour
2 t dry mustard
1 1/4 C half and half
4 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
6 - 8 oz cheddar, shredded
1/3 C light sour cream
1/4 C blue cheese, crumbled

How To
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a baking dish. Cook pasta til al dente, about 6-7 minutes.
Melt 2 T butter and saute onion until golden. Add garlic and chicken. Stir til fragrant. Then add 1/2 C hot sauce and simmer until thickened, about a minute.
Scoot the onion, garlic, chicken, and hot sauce mixture over to one side of your pan. Melt 1 T butter on the clear side. Stir in flour and mustard to create a roux. Mix your roux in with the onion mixture and then add the half and half and last 1/2 C of hot sauce. Stir until thickened.
Once the sauce is thickened, stir in the pepper jack, cheddar until they melt. Then add the sour cream. Do a taste test here to make sure you have enough hot sauce. If you are like me, dump another half a bottle in there.
Stir the pasta and sauce together in your prepared baking dish. Top with blue cheese. Bake for 35 minutes, until bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes after baking.
Enjoy!

What It's Really Like

So after our DC trip, Mr. Snoop and I went down to Texas for more interviews and to visit family and friends. I think we managed to squeeze in seeing as many of our family and friends as humanly possible in one trip. I came back up to New York (that work thing) and Mr. Snoop kept on truckin with the interviews.

While I was in DC I talked to all of my friends about the interview/match process. They have been so supportive and wonderful. One friend (hi Johanna!) remarked--correctly--that reading here made it seem like I am not so stressed. While I try to focus on the positive, I'm going to lay it all out there. I have to be a bit vague on specifics until we find out our answer to whether and where Mr. Snoop matched in March. But I'll be as direct as a can be:

This process has been hell.

Even though Mr. Snoop is a competitive candidate, trying to match in a top three specialty is really stressful and really difficult. How stressful, you ask? Well, this story should give you a picture. At one point, Mr. Snoop received an interview offer from a program located in a place where we would typically never, ever choose to live. Like ever. And I started sobbing hysterically. Not because I didn't want to live there (and I don't), but because I was so incredibly relieved that he had gotten an interview offer. Even though it was at what we consider the ends of the earth. Those of you who know me know that I am not really that much of a cryer. Things have improved from that point, but it should give you an idea about what this has been like.

Mr. Snoop and I have been so fortunate to have people praying for us. At the risk of sounding totally cheesy, we can feel the prayers and have no doubt that they are working. The upside to all this is that I am learning really good lessons. First and foremost on control: Who is really in control of our little lives, and how much control we actually have. After doing everything possible to put himself in the best position to match, Mr. Snoop's situation is still up in the air and scary. The control thing is one of God's lifelong lessons for me. I get to learn that one again and again and again.

The seond big lesson is on friendship. Spending time in DC and Texas with people we love, care about, and have a great time with gave us a clear idea of what types of people we want in our lives--who we are compatible with in terms of friendship, values, and outlook on life. Our current predicament is interesting in what it reveals about other people. As an introvert (yes, it's true!), I'm constantly observing the behavior of others. What our situation brings out in people, for good or for bad, is beyond telling.

I'm trying to be grateful for these lessons, knowing that they are God's way of humbling me and refining my character. So now I am learning the virtue of patience. Just about a month and a half until we find out if and where Mr. Snoop matched. We have a backup plan. And a backup plan to our backup plan. Plus a backup plan to the backup plan's backup plan. These next four months are going to be so full, regardless of The Match. My goal is to soak them up and enjoy. And as for The Match, this is a pic I took on a run on the interview trail.... here's to hoping!

Trip to DC

Well hello friendlies.

Mr. Snoop and I are back from our epic adventures. He was gone from NY for two weeks, can you believe it? The first stop on our journey (excluding his real first stop for an interview in the midwest) was to D.C. And it was the very best time. There was much brunching and hanging out with girlfriends and karaoke-ing and lounging and hanging out with brother and coffee drinking and celebrating of birthdays. Absolutely divine.

Have we discussed how lucky I am to have such marvelous college girlfriends? Because it is true. Not only are these KD ladies the prettiest, but they are also the smartest, the kindest, the funniest, and the best-hearted girls around. I just adore you gals.

Onward! To pictures! As you can see, there was much (inadvertent) matching of outfits. At some points over the weekend, the following people matched: Jenny + Dave, Mr. Snoop + Tom, and Mr. Snoop + Chris. And probably others, too.

Additional observations from Our Nation's Capital:

- I like D.C.

- The D.C. metro is much better labeled and more civilized than the NY trains.

- Georgetown is a great area in which to run.

- It is a terrible idea to go up the exorcist stairs (see pic) 3.5 miles into a run. I thought I was going to die.

- Pho is delicious.

- My friends think my brother is attractive. This makes me simultaneously proud and slightly nauseous.

- Did I mention I heart my girlfriends?

Next Up... on to Texas!

In Which I Fainted In Bikram Yoga

So we all know I have major issues with winter here in the Great White North, right? Serious ones. What can I say, I am a Texas girl through and through.

This November and December I tackled the issues head on with exercise. Once my initial yoga groupon ran out I went ahead and signed up for another, since the sun still goes down too early to do a good run. Bikram, y'all. You know, where the room is 105 degrees. Great idea when it is 20 degrees outside and the sun goes down at 4:45, right? Sure it is.

So I went to my first class. Tried to drink tons of water that day, like they recommend. Brought my mat, water bottle, and towel like a good girl. Signed the waiver saying I and my nearest and dearest wouldn't sue if I died. Later regretted that one. Wore less/tighter clothing than I am generally comfortable with. Tiny biker shorts and tank top, if you are wondering.

Initially the room felt great. It had only been getting up to like 30 degrees outside, so the heat was most heavenly. But then there were about 40 people in the class. All of them breathing, for some reason. Which creates lots and lots of humidity. Also, {any boys skip this!!} it was the first day of my monthly friend, which means I had some crazy hormones/cramps going on. I thought a heated room and exercise would be great for that, right? Wrong. It gets better. Aren't you so glad I'm sharing my humiliation for you to laugh at?

The whole experience felt great right up til the 8th pose. See?

source

After Pose #8, my head came up and the room went down. All kinds of shaky and wacky. Once I realized that in fact I might pass out, I made a run for the door. Fortunately I was on the same side of the room as the double door. Of which only one side opened. As the room was getting progressively blurrier and shakier, I vividly remember reaching for a door handle and thinking, "This better be the door that opens or I'm goin' down. Right here in the classroom. And I will die of humiliation and never show my face here again." Luckily, I chose wisely and made it out.

Reaching for the handle is the last thing I remember. Blessedly, I did not in fact face plant onto the ground when I passed out. There is a God. I just "woke up" some time later in a forward bend with my fingers on the ground. Having no idea where I was, what I was doing, what time it was, what day it was, etc. I slowly figured out I was in bikram yoga and that thank God, the room was no longer going wiggly. So I sat down, cooled off, and when back in.

As it turns out, I only left for the 9th pose and was back in time for the 10th. But I really felt like I was out for like 15 minutes. Meanwhile, all the sexy bikram people were just grooving along with their poses, all smooth-like. Unlike me, they also had the good sense to remove their mascara before spending 90 minutes sweating in a heated room. I went home and told Mr. Snoop I almost died. He said, "Did it also make you cry?" Yep, on top of passing out I had mascara running all the way down my face. No amount of cute yoga gear makes that a good look, y'all.

Has anyone else ever passed out in bikram, or am I just the Wimp Of All Wimps? I suspect that I am. And just fyi, I did go back for a second class and really enjoyed it. So don't let me tale of woe prevent you from trying bikram!

The Weekend Of All Interviews

That's what Mr. Snoop has coming up: The Weekend of All Interviews. That is to say, 4 interviews in 5 days. ALL across the country. I'm talking Wisconsin, D.C., Texas. The grand adventure begins Friday and ends Wednesday. Now I know that for most 4th year med students, this is totally normal. But since Mr. Snoop is applying in ENT, these interviews constitute the vast majority of the ones he has. Fingers crossed oh so super tight!

And for those of you unfamiliar with this delightful process, no, ENT programs do not pay your travel expenses.

Fortunately, I get to tag along to D.C. and Texas (skipping Wisconsin, did you even need to ask? Brrrr....) to iron Mr. Snoop's shirts and find a place that will dry clean his suit in one day spend time with my most wonderful of lovely girlfriends in those places. Plus celebrate their birthdays! I'm actually getting to see pretty much all of the girls on this trip, which I am SO looking forward to. My college girls and Texas girls are just the very best.

Plus I get to see my brother, aunt, uncle, parents, sister-in-law, nephew, and brand new baby niece. And maybe even some cousins. Did I mention I'd be leaving Friday and coming back Wednesday morning? Yeah. 3 cities. In 4 days. Not really sure how I'm going to pack, which leads me to the other reason I'm so excited to go on this trip...

Temperatures.

Above.

60 Degrees.

I'm going to go for a run! Outside! And not lose feeling in my toes and nose! Yaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy!!!!!

In quasi-related news, I discovered trulia. Oh my dangerous. WAY too soon to be looking at real estate, but what a fun site, right?

2012 Quickie Recap

I saw this floating around the blogosphere, and while I don't typically like these things, I thought it would be a great way for me to focus on the positives of a rather crappy year. So here goes:

Favorite trip? Easter in Austin and a family wedding in Michigan. Here are Mr. Snoop and I at said wedding. Selfie!

Favorite book? Columbine by Dave Cullen. If you liked In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, you should read this, though it is not as gory as In Cold Blood. Well-researched, well-written. Amazing book.

Favorite movie? Hmmm... Les Miserables.

Favorite TV show? Downton Abbey and Boardwalk Empire. Gosh, I am such a girl.

Favorite song? Album? Call me maybe. So sue me.

Favorite purchase? New workout clothes to replace the ones I've had since (yikes) high school. It was time.

Favorite meal out? Peekskill Brewery with Mr. Snoop.

Favorite new recipe? I love to cook! Cauliflower Cheddar Soup from Martha and Spicy Ham and Greens Quiche from Southern Living

Favorite day? March 17. A beautiful, unseasonably warm Saturday. I had just gotten great news about my health after a long, really rough month. So I sat outside in our front yard in shorts (in March! in New York! alleluia!), read a book, and soaked up the sun. It was heavenly:

Favorite development? Running again. It took some hellacious stuff to get me to go there, but I'm so glad I did.

Favorite outfit? Hmmm... anything summery, as usual. I liked the navy dress + coral necklace + yellow purse I wore to the family wedding. And of course any colorful top with white jeans and summery shoes!

Favorite Holiday: Easter, always.

What about you??

Holiday Recap

Phew.

We stuck around here for Christmas. As much as I would have loved to be in Texas, it was nice not to have to fly, especially since we got snow the day after Christmas. Here are some highlights from the last week or so:

- Children's Christmas Pageant at my work. First of all, there is nothing cuter than a children's Chrismas pageant. Ever. Nothing beats little guys dressed up like sheep (+ one cow). Also, it is one of the few children's programs I do not work on, so I get to sit back, relax, and enjoy. Though I did get a little teary since this might be my last pageant there.

- Lots of hang time with my most marvelous sister-in-law.

- Finding delicious tamales for Christmas Eve. I love that we are continuing this tradition even though we are hundreds of miles away from Texas.

- Christmas morning breakfast at our house:

- A Christmas morning double kitty shotgun salute:

- Lots of time with friends who came in from out of town. One of Mr. Snoop's fraternity brothers and my Yessica were both around.

- Les Mis. Holy crap, Anne Hathaway.

- Saying goodbye and good riddance to 2012. It was not the best year for me, Mr. Snoop, or anyone in my immediate family. For many, many reasons. So happy to have the year done with and on to a better year in 2013.