What works for me Wednesday.

This is a really great salad considering it takes all of three minutes to put together. I appreciate it in the hot months when I am unwilling to make my kitchen hot.



Whisk together:

½ cup canola oil
3 TBSP apple cider vinegar
3 TBSP Splenda
1 pkg Ramen Noodle spice packet


Salad:

½ head Cabbage (chopped)
1 pkg Ramen noodles (broken up)
And whatever else you want to put in it.

I added chopped almonds and carrots, but I think mandarin oranges would be good, too….as well as peppers, onions, and ???????

This salad doesn’t “keep” well so wait until just before it is served to pour the salad dressing on.

We are on You Tube!

Check it out!

Our photographer uploaded a slideshow of our wedding to use it for advertising. Enjoy!

Bunny woes.

My beloved Baxter the bunny passed away. Scott buried him underneath the blackberry bush under our front yard. I found him lying on his side next to Gracie in their hutch. My heart aches, but I know he is somewhere hopping around like the young bunny he used to be. It's hard to know that Gracie is alone for the first time in her little life and I cannot explain it to her. Sigh. Goodbye my furry little love.

What works for me Wednesday.

I love tea. Love it. I love the clean taste, the warmth, the choice to have caffeinated or not, the aroma, the spice, the fruity flower flavors. There is an insane amount of choice when it comes to teas. You can drink tea for years and not try them all. (I should know!) It’s my best morning ritual.


And I just do not love the tea. I am in love with my teapot. You see, it’s not a normal teapot. It’s special.


It holds fifteen ounces and not a drop more. It’s the perfect size for one person. And it’s just plain cute!


You can literally get them in any color. It has taken strong discipline on my part to only own one.

The best part about my teapot is that the lid is removable, so you can easily stick it in the microwave. The infuser and lid both come out incredibly easy, but stay in place really well too.
Since the teapot has an infuser, this also allows me to use loose teas (or teas without bags.) If you have a local tea shop, owning an infuser opens up new tasting opportunities.

The Bee House is the company that makes these wonderful pots and you can check them out online here.

Enjoy your tea time!

Wedding Pictures

Tuesday's Tattle tailing

In the spirit of tattle-tailing on myself, I thought I would attempt to let everyone know that I am not perfect. (Readers! This is when you gasp in total shock!) Yes, so here is non-perfect glimpse into my life.

I went through the drive-thru at Taco Bell and ordered two bean burritos. I had two whole dollars, so I ordered two bean burritos. I pulled around to the window and handed her my only card with my new married name on it. Cessna.

“Oh! Are you related to the Cessnas that make the airplanes? You must be so rich!”

I smiled and thought, “Right lady. I am driving a paid-for-Jetta-circa-2001 and ordering $2.00 worth of food and not even paying cash for it. I am rolling in the dough! You should see what I am driving tomorrow!”

But I smiled and said, “Yes, we are related, but really far down into the family tree. So, no we are not super rich.”

Now give me the stinking burritos!!!

Ahem.

Then, I proceeded home to my house where Scott had recently mowed. Since he had not mowed in a while, the dead grass clippings were making miniature hay piles all over the yard.

The bunnies needed food and it would be oh so much effort to actually put more food in their bowls, so I just pulled them out of their rabbit hutch and let them loose to feed on the pretend hay bales.

I would never leave my innocent pet bunnies outside, unattended. Just because they are in a fenced in yard does not make them safe from the neighborhood cats. I would NEVER leave them out without watching them. Just so they could eat. So that I could go inside and eat.

So there you have it. I am not perfect. Just in case you were wondering.

Matchy, matchy.

My sister went shopping with my niece. Upon looking at a couch, she knew it was a photo opportunity.

Some pictures are so darn cute they make your smile hurt.

Enjoy!

IT'S nearly OFFICIAL!

Our offer was counteroffered, then we counteroffered and then it was accepted! So we are officially under contract for our new home!

Here are pictures of it was it sits now as a bachelor pad. Just wait till Scott and I get our hands on it! We have so many plans!

Anway, house as is to follow:







So there you have it. Three bedrooms, two bath and just about brand spaking new. Its really exciting for us!

Sweet Shenandoah Vally Sunrise

How lucky we are to be living in such a beautiful area.

Don't you think so? Happy Friday to all!

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe

Change, even positive changes, can be stressful. And right now, I have more than I bargained for.



First things first. We cannot make an offer on that house that we really wanted. You cannot have a “previously owned modular” in a flood zone and get a loan from the bank without $15,000 down. We do not have $15,000.00 down. (Seriously?!)


Even though the owners have an elevation certificate and the house has never even remotely come close to having water near it, much less in it. It is a beautiful home that was assembled elsewhere, moved and then perfectly renovated. It also has a bubbly stream running through the property. I have learned that freaks banks out.



And I thought only bank robbers had that power…Dang it!



So now we are considering building a home on a lot in Broadway or a darn near close to brand new home in Elkton. Stayed tuned ladies and gentlemen. Update to come.


_______________________________


THEN, after house hunting and dinner last night with Scott, I had a message on my cell phone.

Now enters more choice than I bargained for:



It was from an LVT (licensed veterinary technician) in Charlottesville, Virginia. He got my number from the emergency clinic back-up list in Verona where I worked for several years. He wanted to offer me a JOB!



Let me back up a little bit.



I left the vet world.



And for good reason.

I didn’t have insurance.

I was not making nearly enough money.



But I loved it.



Remember my post with my personal zoo?









Hard core, full heart, loved it.


I saved lives or made them better. Every. Single. Day.

They are opening a brand new referral emergency animal clinic in Charlottesville. They need people who have emergency experience to help staff it. He said I came highly recommended from the vets I worked for and he spoke to. He was willing to match my pay that I currently have. Then he let me know that the licensure at the clinic was stricter and I did not have all the licenses they need.

So they would send me to school via the internet. Train me in the clinic, help me with everything and I would be fully licensed and certified in the emergency world within 18 months. For every A and B I get, they reimburse 80% of my tuition. Then I would get a raise upon graduation.

Since the clinic is just opening, I would not have benefits for about 6 months. (But wait!) This go round I have a husband…who can insure me! Whoa.

The schedule would be 12 hours shifts. 8pm-8am; 7 days in a row. Then I would have 7 days off. 7 DAYS OFF?!? One week on, one week off.

IF, I were to accept this job, I would have to live in Elkton so that Scott could commute to Bridgewater (about half an hour away.) And I could commute to Charlottesville (about half an hour away.)

I really honestly deeply truly like the job I have now. I wasn’t looking for anything better. I have good pay, work in the same place as my husband (car pooling anyone?), and my insurance is completely free to me. I am comfortable. I am happy.

But you know, I never threw away all my scrubs...

But to recap: One year ago I was single, renting, and working at the airport. I am potentially, changing marital status, my name, my job and my home all in 6 months. WHOA!

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe!

Please pray for Scott and I as we make decisions, make changes, and choose our path.
At the epicenter of all of this, I feel blessed that we are purchasing a home when others are losing theirs. And I have my choice among jobs while others are struggling to find just one.

God is good!

What Works For Me Wednesday

Here is a little blurb about something that works for me.

I always have oatmeal in the mornings. It’s cheap. It’s nutritious. I can keep it in my desk and it doesn’t go bad or start to smell. It’s really easy in the morning. And since I am a night person, I need my mornings to be as easy as possible.

The problem with always having anything is that it gets boring.

So I bought canned fruit. Peaches, pineapple, pears, fruit cocktail, mandarin oranges, cherries…you get the idea.

Even though I have the same old plain jane oats in the morning, I can mix it with the fruit of my choice for that day. Oatmeal is transformed into a yummy, healthy appetizing breakfast.
I even started using low sugar version of the oatmeal now because the fruit naturally sweetens it.

Sweet success. It works for me!