Random Thought Tuesday and Life Lately

HI FRIENDS!!! Things have been so crazy, but I have some random thoughts and random life updates.

1. We are LAWYERS!!!!!!! Justin and I were both sworn into the Maryland bar last week and DAMN does it feel good. And so surreal. You work toward this goal for SO long and then you reach it…and that's it. So crazy. 

2. Does the Kmart commercial with the pregnant ladies suggestively dancing for Joe Boxer make anyone else uncomfortable? Nothing against pregnant ladies, but…what is that commercial trying to say?! Please tell me I'm not alone.

3. I often get ideas in my head and can't let them go until I actually do them. Example: I want to make my own cocktail bitters. I will not let this go until I try to make cocktail bitters. It will likely end poorly.

4. Another example? Marshmallows. I made my own marshmallows. I thought they would be this fabulous treat I could give everyone at Christmas. Instead, it looked like Perry pooped on some snowballs. Huge fail. This is what I was going for. 

5. Perry (cat) has been particularly strange lately. About a month ago, Justin came back from his dad's with a box (full of wine we ordered. I know, you're shocked). The box had been in the basement where  Justin's dad's feral cat (Charlie) lives. When Justin brought the box in, Perry, went NUTS. He made that crazy cat howl and completely flipped out. We got rid of the box and cleaned the entire house, but he still didn't come out for over 8 hours. WHAT?! Is he so dumb that he doesn't realize a box is not a cat? We call it the box cat incident. Perry is broken.

6. Perry is also really fat. Piper is not impressed.

7. Is anyone LinkedIn savvy? I understand LinkedIn, and I feel like I should use it, but it feels like a (slightly) more professional version of Facebook. But I don't treat it like Facebook? I feel old.

8. OMG the Entourage trailer. I have watched this an embarrassing number of times. OBSESSED (Eric is the best, hands down. Though I sometimes think about Drama and just smile).

9. As you all know, I love Trader Joe's. Whenever we go, I check the online flyer to find products I might want to purchase. I got SUPER excited about that salted caramel gelato…and it's pretty awful. I plan to force my brother to eat it when he's here this week (get excited Cal).

10. I wish I was crafty. I go on Pinterest (I have a love/hate relationship with it) and see these projects and want to do them, but never do. This year, I bought ribbon with the thought that I would make my own bows for all the gifts we wrapped. It did not go well. Let's just say it ended with a large glass of wine.

11. This city is magical. I took this a few weeks ago on my way to class, and despite the scaffolding, it blows my mind that I walk by the Capitol every day. I LOVE this city. Annnnd I get to stay here for longer than anticipated!!!

Which brings me to my final update. I GOT A JOB!!! Woo hoo! It's been all over Facebook because I'm way too excited (I keep asking Justin if I'm being too annoying about it, so I apologize if I have been annoying). I will be clerking for a judge on the US Tax Court come January. AND finishing the LL.M. in Tax program at Georgetown…full time. It's a lot, but it's only for a semester.

That being said, I will probably abandon the blog for awhile. Justin is taking on most of the duties (he's calling himself the house husband), so I won't get to cook nearly as often. I'm so bummed, but I plan to come back to this one day.

THANK YOU for all your support. Seriously, I get the most amazing words of kindness from this blog and it's just incredible. I know not many people read it, but it makes me happy. And comments and thoughts and replies to the questions I'm asking in my head just make me even more happy. It's nice to know I'm not completely insane.

Love you all. Happy Holidays and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I'll see you in 2015 :)

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Lightened Up Loaded Potato Skins

Hello, old friends!

I feel like I should explain why I've been MIA for the last few months. After we took the bar exam, I was mentally and physically drained. I almost immediately started an LL.M. program at Georgetown Law (to specialize in Tax - yes, I know I'm insane) and for some reason every time I sat down to write it felt forced. I decided not to force anything because it would lose a genuine feel that I think (I hope) my blog has had since the beginning.

I have still been cooking. Pretty much non-stop. And taking pictures. But I just didn't feel like saying anything.

THEN…on Friday, Justin and I both found out we passed the bar exam (YAY!!!!). I woke up Saturday and one of my first thoughts was, "I really want to write." I have no idea what was stopping me before now, and I have no idea if it will come back. BUT I wanted to write and share, so here I am.

Side note: my backup plan if I failed the bar was to open a food truck with my youngest brother, Cal (totally serious). I still have food truck dreams even though I'm officially a lawyer (after I get sworn in), so this will (hopefully) be a side job one day. 

THIS RECIPE. GAH. Such delicious game day food. AND only 75 calories per potato skin - what?!? No excuses.

 This comes from one of two cookbooks I've purchased this year: The Skinnytaste Cookbook. This is an EXCELLENT cookbook. Most of the recipes are naturally GF, so I'm a fan.

Here's what you need (from the Skinnytaste Cookbook . . .

5 russet baking potatoes

For the chili filling:

1 lb ground chicken
1/2 tsp salt
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2/3 cup canned diced tomatoes w/green chills
1/2 cup canned fat free refried beans
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika

Potential toppings:

Scallions
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Light sour cream
Pico de gallo*
Homemade guacamole (recipe coming soon!)

One of the best pico de gallos I have ever had comes from Trader Joe's. I'm sure you're all shocked.

Here's what you do . . .

1. Pierce your potatoes with a fork and bake at 400 degrees for an hour (you can put them right on the oven rack). If you can easily pierce them with a fork, they're done. Remove them and let them cool.

2. In the meantime, make your chili! Heat a large skillet, drizzle some oil, and add the ground chicken and season with salt. Break it up with a spatula and cook until browned - about 5-6 minutes - until no longer pink.

3. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook until the veggies are soft - about 4-5 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Stir to combine and let simmer for at least 10 minutes. I like to let mine simmer for 30 to get it thick.

 4. Slice each potato in half and remove the filling (can be used later for mashed potatoes!) - leave a little layer around the edges so it can hold your chili and toppings. Cover with a little olive oil and salt and put them under the broiler for 3 minutes to crisp up.

5. Remove your potato skins from the broiler and set oven to 400. Fill potatoes with chili and top with cheese (if using). Bake for 3-4 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

6. Add your toppings! I literally use every topping I listed above, but use whatever you like best! Enjoy!

I really love this recipe. It's SO filling and it comes together really quickly. 

I'm hoping to get back to posting more often. It feels so good to be back :)

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Random Thought Monday

1. This post has been a long time coming. I had SO MANY THOUGHTS after the bar exam, but it took me FOREVER to function like a normal person; I could barely put together a sentence, let alone a blog post. After the bar, I constantly felt guilty during the day (I'M SUPPOSED TO BE STUDYING!!!), and I would often freak out and think, "OMG I FAILED!!!!" And then start crying. This phase has passed (fortunately for Justin).

2. J.D., who is the best friend ever and babysat the animals while we took the bar, made the sign above. Not to sound like Gwyneth Paltrow, but it really felt like I had survived something that could have easily taken me out.

3. One of the bizarre side effects of studying for the bar exam were the food cravings. We were in Wal-Mart one day and I HAD TO HAVE a jar of pickles. I ate them like candy while we were studying. Justin, who claimed to hate pickles, slowly started eating them as well. Needless to say, Justin has decided he likes pickles and we have quite the variety living in our fridge at the moment. 

4. On a related note, if you like spicy foods and have not tried Wickles, you MUST get a jar. They are delicious.

5. We need to discuss sprinkles. I LOVE sprinkles - BUT - only a particular kind of sprinkle. You know the soft kind that you SOMETIMES find at ice cream/froyo stores? THOSE are the best. My dad calls them "jimmies," and it's what I call them, but apparently this is not a standard term for sprinkles (asking someone in a grocery store for "jimmies" gets you some really weird looks, fyi). Anyway, sprinkle impostors, the really hard crunchy ones that make your teeth feel like they are going to fall out? Yeah, those suck, but they were the only kind of sprinkle I could find…until recently. We were in our local Wal-Mart and I looked over…and saw jimmies. I have been forcing Justin to buy ice cream JUST so I can put a small portion in a tiny bowl and put my jimmies on top. Yes, I am 7 years old and a (hopefully) soon to be attorney. 

6. Trader Joe's is my best friend for life. I ate this goat cheese in 2 days. Nope, that's a lie. It was closer to 36 hours. SO. GOOD. I'm not even embarrassed.

7. Speaking of Trader Joe's, I have to share the most amazing story to go along with the picture above. You all know my grandmother, Mimi. Well, shortly after the bar, Mimi got her own apartment in our building and moved to D.C. It's a long story, but she's had a rough few months. We took her on her first Trader Joe's adventure a few weeks ago and she LOVED it; they had so many products she liked and everyone was so friendly (which is typical). Anyway, as we were checking out, Justin told a cashier (who had met us before Mimi moved up) that it was Mimi's first TJ's experience and she had just moved to D.C. As we were leaving, he brought her this gorgeous bunch of sunflowers to welcome her to the Trader Joe's family and to the District. It was SO incredibly kind. Gestures like that make all the difference in the world. 

8. One of the benefits of D.C. is that when I run, I get to run from my apartment past the Capitol, down the National Mall to the Monument, and then back home. This is entertaining for a lot of reasons, but one of the main ones is people watching. I saw a man dressed in an orange safety vest without pants with a dog standing on the Capitol steps shouting at people the other day. Life is so good. 

9. I've been convinced I will meet a celebrity in D.C. and we will become BFFs, but this has not happened yet. Justin says it's because I don't go where celebrities go. This should not be as surprising to me as it is because the primary place I have gone (aside from GW Law for bar prep!) is a cupcake place I'm obsessed with in Georgetown. Oh, and museums. I really should get out more.

10. Perry is so broken for so many reasons. He has recently become obsessed with our shower. He insists on opening the door, going inside, laying down, and rubbing his face on the door. This photo was taken right after I GOT OUT OF THE SHOWER. That's right, it's completely wet.

11. On a related note, there are cat paw prints all over my bathroom floor all. the. time. How do you teach a cat, who should know by instinct, not to go into a wet shower?!

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Baked Shrimp and Homemade Remoulade

I SURVIVED!!!

The last two months have been pure hell. I'm 99% convinced that part of the reason all lawyers are required to take the bar exam is to see whether or not you have the perseverance to actually get through it.

BUT. I'm on the other side. August is a magical month. I have so many random thoughts that have accumulated over the last 6 weeks, so GET READY.

I have been cooking like crazy since we finished the exam. I found this recipe while browsing through a cooking magazine at Justin's dad's house. I think it was called Cuisine at Home? Anyway, this shrimp recipe was super simple and the remoulade? AMAZING.

Here's what you need (adapted from Cuisine at Home [I think] Magazine). . .

For Remoulade:

4 tbsp chopped orange bell pepper
3 tbsp mayo (use full fat for the best result - I used Duke's)
2 tbsp dijon mustard
4 tbsp chopped chives
4 tsp chopped parsley
3 tsp honey
2 tsp lemon juice

Use a food processor and pulse all the ingredients until smooth. Add more mayonnaise to balance out the flavor if needed and salt and pepper if preferred. It will be a slightly green color, but I promise it's good. You'll have leftovers - if you only want enough for your shrimp, cut the recipe in half.

For the shrimp:

1 cup bread crimps (I used GF, duh)
4 tbsp olive oil (divided)
4 tbsp fresh chives
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3/4 pound peeled deveined shrimp (serves 2)

Here's what you do . . .

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Toast bread crumbs in 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Pour into a bowl and combine with chives, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

3. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter and the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil. Dip each shrimp into the oil/butter mix, then into your bread crumb mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle any remaining bread crumbs on top to coat well.

4. Bake for 10 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through and the crumbs are crisp (10 minutes should be perfect). Enjoy dipped in the remoulade!

This recipe turned out SO well. The potatoes and greens beans on the side were not as great (the recipe recommended this weird dressing that tasted like honey mustard - blech). These would make a GREAT appetizer and the remoulade goes with all sorts of seafood, so don't throw away the extra!!!

I'VE MISSED YOU!!! It feels so good to be FREE!!! Here's hoping we passed - we won't know until HALLOWEEN (ugh).

See you soon! Happy Tuesday :)

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Zucchini Tots

This is likely the last you'll hear from me until the bar exam is over on July 30. Excuse me while I panic in the corner.

It feels like we've been doing nothing but studying. We took a brief break on Tuesday to watch soccer (for the sake of being honest, I went for the excellent happy hour specials, NOT the soccer), and it was so nice to feel like a normal member of society.

When we got back, I felt EXTREMELY guilty for taking 3 hours off studying, and I started craving pizza, sushi, pasta, and ice cream.

We didn't eat any of those things, BUT (in case you didn't get the point) I am a MAJOR stress eater. And it's not like I crave baby carrots and spinach when I'm stressed (though how nice would that be?).

SO, as the bar exam gets closer, I've needed to find things that taste unhealthy, but are not unhealthy. Hence, zucchini tots.

Justin was SUPER skeptical: "I don't actually have to eat those, right?" And then he ate 1/2 of them. It doesn't taste like a normal tater tot, but they are SUPER delicious and satisfied my fried food craving.

Here's what you need (from Skinny Taste) . . .

3-4 zucchini, skin peeled off
1/2 medium onion, chopped into small pieces
1 egg
1/4 cup of bread crumbs (we used GF ones from The Fresh Market)
1/3 cup of sharp cheddar, shred
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Here's what you do . . .

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Shred your zucchini with a cheese shredder - I used one that looks like this, and it worked perfectly. Then, use a kitchen towel to wring as much water as possible out of your shred zucchini. The dryer, the better.

3. Mix dried, shred zucchini, onion, egg, bread crumbs, cheddar, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix well.

4. On a baking sheet coated in non-stick spray, make little balls with the zucchini mixture. I push mine into little flat pancakes. If you weren't able to dry out your zucchini well, you may want to pop the baking sheet with the little pancakes in the fridge for 3-40 minutes - it helps.

5. Bake for 20 minutes total and flip them about half way through cooking. I also turn on the broiler for about 3-4 minutes at the end to get a nice crisp on top. Enjoy!

I've already made these several times - they hit the spot, and I don't feel guilty, which is a huge bonus.

Thank you all for the amazing words of encouragement. I will be needing them over the next few weeks!

See you on the other side!!!!! #oneanddone

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Random Thoughts Thursday: Bar Exam Edition

Random thoughts: all the reasons and examples of how studying for the bar exam is destroying my brain:

1. This afternoon I desperately needed a break from studying, so I wandered over to H&M for the sole purpose of trying on a romper (see photo above). I decided this would be a life changing piece of clothing and I needed one immediately. In case you all are wondering, I looked AWFUL in a romper. 

2. Our freezer died, so our apartment complex replaced our entire fridge. I wasted a solid hour deciding how things should be organized in the new fridge (that was exact same model as the old fridge). That was a highlight of my day.

3. I've been talking to Piper so much that sometimes when I start talking to her, she runs away and hides under the couch. 

4. For what it's worth, Perry will usually come OUT of his hiding spot when I start talking, so that's something.

5. I started following a Barbri lecturer on Twitter because I liked her so much (for all you Barbri geeks, it's Property Professor Paula. She is seriously amazing). 

6. I have a weird thing about moose, so I got overly excited when we found the moose at the natural history museum and made Justin take multiple pictures of me in front of it. 

7. I've been doing Barre3 workouts at home (amazing, btw) because it's the only workout that actually feels good after being hunched over my notes all day. The other day, I was doing this move where we lay on the floor and do something…but I just laid on the floor and closed my eyes. 

8. There were several food trucks outside our building the other day and one of them was this truck that offers unique popsicles. I almost cried trying to choose the right popsicle. In case you were wondering, grapefruit rosemary was the wrong choice. It tasted like soap.

9. Studying for the bar exam is really awful. The self-doubt is the worst and the amount of information is the absolute worst. I'm definitely trying to stay positive, but it is a challenge every single day. How am I POSSIBLY going to know enough of this to pass this test?!?! Positive thoughts are much appreciated :)

10. That last one was kind of a bummer, so I will end with this: I was walking through Dupont Circle the other day and saw a girl who I was CONVINCED was Hilary Duff. I started smiling weirdly and quickly trying to think of how to approach her, but then it turns out it when she got closer, she wasn't Hilary Duff and I was just smiling creepily at some stranger. I think the worst part about that story is how excited I got when I thought I was about to meet Hilary Duff. 

I love you all. Send me your happy thoughts. 

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Greek Lettuce Wraps

Bar prep is slowly destroying me.

That's an exaggeration. Obviously. But it's really really awful. I feel like an idiot pretty much every single day (why am I not good at multiple choice?! Why do I not know the law after THREE freaking years?!).

That being said, there are a few benefits. To avoid going completely insane, I LONG to exercise every day. Whether it's walking or a dvd (Barre 3 dvds have become my best friend), I am SUPER motivated because it means I have a legitimate excuse not to study for an hour. I will be super fit when this is over (at least in theory). 

The other benefit: we are eating rather well. Another excuse to not study is to cook - I have to eat, right? I randomly threw this together a couple weeks ago and it has become a go-to dinner because it is REALLY fast, really delicious and refreshing, and super healthy.

Here's what you need . . .

1 big piece of boneless, skinless chicken

Cavender's Greek seasoning (see picture)

Butter lettuce leaves, rinsed

Red onion, sliced

Tomatoes, chopped into chunks

Cucumber, chopped into chunks

Feta cheese (use the full fat stuff - the reduced fat just isn't worth it)

Red wine vinegar

Olive oil

This is Cavender's. We use this for EVERYthing - so delicious.

Here's what you do . . .

1. Season your chicken breast evenly on both sides with Cavender's. Saute your chicken in olive oil in a pan for about 6-7 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.

2. Let your chicken sit for about 5 minutes, then cut into chunks.

3. Assemble your wraps. Try to find the biggest pieces of lettuce and put in chicken, onion, tomatoes, cucumber, and feta. 

4. Drizzle evenly with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Enjoy!

You can customize these any way you want. Add extra veggies, use a different protein - whatever makes your macaroni cheesy. 

Did I just say that? I'm going insane. 

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Random Thought Wednesday - All About the Move

This random thoughts post is primarily devoted to the last two weeks, which I will affectionately refer to as "my own personal hell."

1. We'll start with the happy. WE GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL!!!! I am SO excited to be done - can you tell??

2. My biggest graduation concern was my hat, which is apparently called a "tam." I could NOT get my stupid tam on properly. I look like a complete disaster in the majority of the pictures (there is one Justin's dad took where it's actually crooked - omg). I graduated Magna Cum Laude from law school, but couldn't figure out how to wear my hat. Impressive.

The view from our roof. You can see the Washington Monument!!

3. Prior to graduation, the move happened. They packed us on a Friday, loaded on a Monday (Justin's birthday - poor guy), we drove up Tuesday, they unloaded Wednesday, we drove back to North Carolina for graduation on Friday, and back to D.C. following graduation on Sunday, which also happened to be our one year wedding anniversary. I feel stressed just recapping all this.

4. My youngest brother, Caleb (food truck partner in crime), probably thinks I am emotionally unstable after experiencing a move with me.  Cal flew up from Florida to help us move and witnessed several of my breakdowns throughout the moving process (because change and I don't get along so well). I imagine it's difficult to see your sister hunkered down in the kitchen sobbing for no reason, but he handled it well.

5. Frankly, he has no room to judge me.

6. Unpacking is not going well. We are still surrounded by boxes and starting bar prep, so there is little time to unpack. Occasionally, I will go on sprees where I just fling open boxes and put things in random places. This makes Justin crazy. He found a colander in the bathroom the other day. Oops.

Perry camped out under the sink during the move

7. Let's talk about Perry and the move. Perry does NOT travel well. Perry cannot take drugs anymore (see random thoughts incident from a  few weeks ago), so no one was quite sure how this was going to turn out. Long story short, it was bad. He made it to D.C., but he made the trip as painful as possible. And he got a bath when we arrived. Excellent start to our new life in the city!

8. After his bath, he promptly hid behind our washer and dryer. He subsequently got stuck. I hope this cat appreciates the lengths we go to for him.

Piper made a pillow fort when we slept on air mattresses

9. Piper, on the other hand, is loving our new place. One thing Piper does NOT love is the elevator. She crouches low to the floor and completely freezes while we ride. This can be a minor embarrassment when other people/dogs get on the elevator with us and Piper REFUSES to move from her crouching spot on the floor.

10. When the dust settled, I went on my first D.C. adventure with my friend, Nicole. I went to my first ever spin class where I felt like I was going to DIE. They also ranked your performance, but I did not realize there were two screens, so at one point I thought I did so poorly that they just removed me completely (this was not a pleasant feeling for my super competitive self). Apparently, I had just moved to the second screen (I ultimately came in 7th in case you were wondering). Then we went to brunch completely sweaty and gross, which is 100% acceptable in D.C. I'm loving this city so far.

11. Seeing this on a regular basis doesn't hurt either.

And that's it! I survived! Now, we have 9 weeks of bar prep, so if I'm not around as often, it's because I'm crying into my bar exam prep materials.

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Caleb's Gluten Free Cheddar Bay Biscuits

I asked my brother, Caleb, to write a guest post on these biscuits and he said, “hell no.” Frankly, it’s probably better that way. A post by Cal would be laced with profanity and wouldn’t contain any actual measurements. You would all abandon me.

Umm before we get started with the recipe, I have to say THANK YOU for all the sweet Facebook messages, texts, and calls I’ve gotten about my “Random Thoughts.” All the love feels so amazing! This week has been hell (Perry is feeling much better, finally), but having all these lovely comments to read has made things so much better, so THANK YOU!

Onto Caleb’s biscuits! Every time Justin and I visit Florida, we beg Cal to make these for us (and he always does because he’s an excellent little brother). He doesn’t measure ANYTHING. It blows my mind. These turn out perfect every single time.

Me and Cal

He made a copy of the recipe he sort of follows and wrote his own comments. For example, where it says “3/4 cups of milk,” Caleb crossed it out and simply wrote, “bullshit.” Fortunately, I’ve watched him make these enough times that I knew what they were supposed to look like.

Cal's recipe

I made these for Easter dinner and they were fantastic. I actually measured things, so there are real measurements below. I have to say, his are still (somehow) better. He just has the magic touch.

Here’s what you need (from the recipe above and the mind of Caleb Obler) . . .

One box of gluten free bisquick (see picture below)

3 cups of milk (I used 2%)

1 tsp garlic powder

3 tbsp salted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups fresh shred sharp cheddar 

For the topping:

3 tbsp salted butter, melted

½ tbsp. dried parsley

½ tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp salt

Stir together right before you are ready to spread on the biscuits (see directions below).

Here’s what you do . . .

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. In a bowl, combine the entire box of bisquick, milk, garlic powder, butter, and cheese. Stir to combine, but it does not have to be perfectly smooth.

3. On a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, drop a handful sized drop of batter. Do not try to form it – you want little peaks to form on the top of your biscuits.

4. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until you start to see the little peaks brown on top. You want an even browning.

What the biscuits should look like before you put the topping on them.

5. Once you see the browning on the biscuits, take out the biscuits and with a pastry brush, spread the butter/parsley/garlic/salt mixture over the biscuits.

6. Bake for another 5-7 minutes.

7. Remove and eat warm. Enjoy!!

These are some of my favorite things and they were a hit at Easter. They do NOT taste gluten free (aka, they taste awesome).

Many thanks to Cal for sharing his recipe and promising to open a food truck with me if my life falls apart. Our food truck would kick serious ass.

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!

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Random Thought Tuesday

Ya'll ready for this?!

Ew. This does not look like the pretty pictures I see online

1. Can someone please provide me with a healthy "green" smoothie recipe? Every time I make one, it looks like someone threw up in my cup. I'm convinced all the pictures of green smoothies online are doctored to be a gorgeous green color.

2. I recently discovered this phenomenon called oil pulling. Basically, you swish coconut oil in your mouth for 15 minutes each day and it's supposed to clear out all these toxins in your body. I was 100% convinced this was going to be life changing. Day 1: I felt nauseous, but assumed it was the toxins leaving my body. Day 2: I threw up (too much throw up in one post?). I have officially given up on oil pulling.

3. On a similar note, someone needs to invent gluten free saltines.

4. We took Piper for a 3 mile walk last week. And by walk I mean I carried her for at least half of it because she laid down and refused to get up again. I'm not sure if I'm more embarrassed by that or the fact that I put her in an Easter dress on Sunday.

5. Are you all familiar with sock buns? You essentially put a sock in your hair and roll your hair over it and it makes this beautiful bun. I became obsessed with this last week (poor Justin). I used this Christmas sock with green stripes (you have to cut a hole in a sock). It totally worked, but you can see the green stripes through my beautiful sock bun. Only AFTER I had cut a hole in my sock did Justin tell me you can purchase hair-colored donuts specifically to make sock buns. Sigh.

6. We have approximately 2 weeks left of law school and my motivation is at an all time low. I was in Criminal Procedure the other day and we were discussing "attenuation of taint" (Google it if you really want to know what that is) and I started to giggle like a 5 year old. Again, I'm embarrassed for myself.

I will explain why this is relevant to #7 soon

7. My backup plan if this whole law school thing doesn't work out is to open a food truck with my youngest brother (Cal). It would be a gluten free food truck with a smoker. And we would try to sell alcohol, though Justin says this isn't possible. This idea is clearly becoming more appealing as I Googled prime food truck locations in D.C. last week.

8. I am 99% certain that I will cry hysterically in front of our mover because I get emotional about change. I am 100% certain that Justin partly chose our mover because this guy appeared to be capable of handling an emotional woman. Keep in mind, he toured the house during my oil pulling experience, so Justin likely chose well.

9. We FINALLY finished House of Cards Season 2 (I know, we're like a million weeks behind) and OMG. I fully intend to stalk Kevin Spacey in D.C. when I need a break from studying for the bar this summer. Although, did you know that because Netflix owns the rights to Frank Underwood, you can't take pictures of him or with him when he's "dressed in character"? How do I know if he's Frank Underwood or Kevin Spacey wearing a suit?! Life problem.

One of my precious children

10. I'm never having children. I've felt this way for awhile, but it was reemphasized at 11:30 p.m. yesterday in the ER vet with our cat who had a bad (read: violent) reaction to a sedative we gave him to take him to the vet for an exam. And again at 6:30 a.m. when we went to pick him up and pay the bill. He's fine, by the way. He's currently rolling around upstairs high on whatever sedative they gave him at the ER last night.

11. We've gotten to a level of chaos and stress that Justin can see when the crazy comes into in my eyes and will just go get me a glass of wine. This is an excellent trait in a husband.

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Strawberry Margarita

We booked movers this week. A margarita was absolutely necessary

Life is completely chaotic and hectic right now. We are moving in a month (a freaking MONTH) to D.C. (OMG) and it's becoming a struggle to open a casebook for school, let alone read it (ew).

I came home from school the other day and wanted a margarita. We had 0 margarita ingredients except tequila, triple sec, and fresh strawberries.

I was desperate. I worked with what I had and it turned out GREAT.

Or maybe it didn't and I just wanted a margarita that badly. Try making one and let me know:

Here's what you need . . .

1 oz. = 1 shot glass

2-3 oz. of strawberry simple syrup (recipe below)
2 oz. of silver tequila
1 oz. of triple sec
1 oz. coconut water
ice

Here's what you do . . .

1. To make your simple syrup, combine 1/2 cup of sugar and a 1/2 cup of water in a pot. Melt the sugar, then take off the heat. Blend sugar water mix with strawberries.

2. Combine all your ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Add more simple syrup if you prefer a sweet cocktail. I don't love super sweet cocktails, so 2 oz. was perfect for me.

3. SHAKE IT! Pour. If you hate strawberry seeds, strain it with a mesh strainer. 

4. ENJOY! I think this would also be excellent garnished with a little fresh lime, but we didn't have them and I had no intention of leaving the house to buy them.

Easy! Delicious (I think)! Cinco de Mayo is soon, so you should start prepping now. 

PS: How cute are our Easter placemats? They were in our Easter basket from Justin's dad and stepmom and I LOVE them. 

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