Hops 6/29/09

Baby girl #2 is growing and getting so pretty!!

Still settling in

So we're all moved out the old place, but still unpacking here at the new place. I've been studying for boards and recently came down with a vicious cold, so I feel as though I'm behind schedule at home. I've invited friends over for the 4th of July - so that's some serious motivation to get this place all set up before next Saturday!

We really love this new place. It's so quiet. It's so spacious. This one really feels like a home. I could see us living here for more than 2 years. This condo is bigger than some houses! Not the giant homes our brothers just bought, though. (=

Here's some images from the move.

Our old place as an Ikea storage facility (while we still lived there).


We'd often find Barley hanging out in Ikea bags.


A manatee seen on the day we got our keys! It's near the second set of bridge feet (counting from the grass). We've seen manatees on 2 occasions so far. We've also got great views of the dolphins. More than our last place, we get to watch a lot of birds. And boats! Barley loves to sit on the deck and watch everything going on. We need to determine if she's asking to go outside to the bathroom, or just to hang out. She loves it here! She's getting much better at running around on the hardwood floor. She won't jump unless she's securely on a rug. Learned that one the hard way.

Assembling the Ikea sectional. Holy crap, that was a lot of work. Barley didn't let us finish before she decided to try it out.
Boards studying is wearing out Barley, too. I woke up from a nap and found her this way.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

At the request of some other G freers out there (and to show you G full eaters that G free tastes good!)... Please make sure all your ingredients are G free! Some brands of BBQ sauce and canned chicken can sneak it in there. I get my canned chicken at Costco, cheapest place I've found it and it's good quality. Bob's Red Mill makes many fabulous gluten free products/mixes including bread, biscuits, pancakes, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and chocolate cake. However, not all of his products are g free. The ones that are, are clearly labeled. I find most of my gluten free stuff at Publix and the special stuff at Whole Foods. Whole foods has an entire frozen G free section in their bakery. Expensive, but so worth it if you've been missing out on having a bun with your hamburger!! I make this one package into two pizzas because I don't have a pan large enough for just one. Makes tons of leftovers for just the two of us. Yummy!!!

BBQ Chicken Pizza
-1 pkg Bob's Red Mill Pizza Crust (includes yeast packet and instructions; only need to add egg and oil)
-canned chicken
-red onion
-cilantro
-mozarella

I follow the instructions on the pizza crust package. I cook the canned chicken in a pan with some EVOO. Sometimes I add some garlic. I add some of the BBQ sauce to the chicken, and I spread some more BBQ sauce directly on the crust with a spatula (after the pre-baking, of course). It tells when to add the toppings, so feel free to vary what you're putting on top! Now if only I could come up with a variation similar to Pizza Hut Taco Pizza...


Gluten warning:
Lindt Dark Chocolate Truffles After two days in a row of getting sick to my stomach and waking up in the middle of the night in agony, I finally pinned it down to my favorite chocolate truffles. I've been bringing some home every time I go to Total Wine for the past few years. The very last listed on the ingredient list - "barley malt extract". Son of a gun.

Also watch out for imitation crab and soy sauce when you're eating sushi. They've got wheat galore.

Ten year anniversary

Ten years ago today, Brian wrote me a beautiful poem in which he asked me to be his girlfriend. I get goosebumps just remembering it! It's been a joyous ten years. Brian's working today and I'm spending the day packing, moving, and calling the cable company. We'll celebrate on Friday after the move by grilling burgers at our new place and popping open a nice bottle of champagne that I've been saving for a couple of years. We're a pretty low-key couple, and we like it that way.

I received my degree in the mail today! Well it actually came on Saturday, but Brian was the only one home and he was sitting around in his boxers at 1pm so he didn't answer the door. Ha! I guess I finally have "proof" that I'm a doctor. It still blows my mind. "Dr. Hunerdosse" implies that I should know everything there is to know about my field. I know a lot (and I've forgotten a lot)- but there's always more to learn! I'm enjoying my temporary job. It's nice to be making money to do this job instead of paying money to do it. I've seen some very interesting cases and learned a lot in the last month. I wish I had more hours than they've given me, but at the same time I need to chill out and relax a bit. I'm about to work the rest of my life! I have to repay over $230,000 in student loans - there will be no time for resting in the future, might as well get it done now. That's a shocking amount of debt. Trust me, that's almost entirely tuition related. I may live in Miami, but we don't live the high life. If I didn't have Brian (who goes to school for free and it the most amazing support system ever), I'd be living under the bridge down the street. Just to take Florida boards was over $2300!! The most expensive of any state, the most ridiculous abomination of a test ever written, and the state that treats optometrists like dog shit. I just took a review course this weekend (8 hrs Sat and 8 hrs Sunday), so we're all filled with hatred for this stupid test. Somehow I need to squeeze in time for studying. The test is really sneaking up on me. I'll have to hit the books hard after the move. I found out this week that I passed part III of the national boards with flying colors. Woohoo! Now Florida boards are my only huge test remaining. The worst for last. Awesome. (=
Here's a new picture of Hops. She's almost a month old!! We can't wait to add her to the family. Barley's had fun adjusting to the new place as we slowly move in. She can't run very fast on the slippery floors, but she loves everything she can look at from the balcony. Can't wait until we're officially, officially settled!!

Our new address:
Brian and Jocelyn
1881 NE 79th St Causeway
Apt 607
North Bay Village, FL 33141

Does Miami have a real Bay Harbor Butcher?

This post is slightly gruesome, just a warning. For the past 3 days, human body parts have been washing ashore less than a half mile from our condo. Click here to read the full story. I know some of you watch Dexter on Showtime - and this is just as disgusting and terrifying. A real person was chopped into pieces, stuffed into garbage bags, and thrown into the bay. How does this happen? It doesn't even sound real. This killer has to be completely demented. They say all the remains are from one person, which I guess is a relief. But not really. Anyone who would dump human body parts into the bay has to realize that there is a very likely chance that they will be found. There are no outlets to the ocean nearby here. Houses and condos surround the entire area. If the person had a boat, why didn't they go to the ocean? If they pulled off to the side of the road and dumped straight into the water, why didn't they just drive to the Everglades? I'm worried that this person wanted to be caught. I know they're sick and demented, but are they also stupid? I feel like someone that committed such a deliberate act had to know exactly what they were doing. Could this guy have driven by in a boat, one the many that Barley barks at? Could I have seen him? Does his live in North Bay Village? Why did he dump the body here??? Do I pass him on the road when I'm driving? Should I pay more attention to what I see floating in the water? This is crazy, crazy shit. And I live here. I'm keeping the door locked at all times. I'm suspicious of everyone until they find this person. Dexter was entertaining when it was fiction. Now it's terrifying. May God bless that poor victim...

Hops

It's official - we're getting Hops!! (That's another dog, for those of you who haven't heard me talking about a 2nd puppy for what seems like years.) She was born May 17, 2009. She currently looks a little like a lamb or a rat, but we love her anyway. Barley is in desperate need of a best friend in the home, and we've got plenty of love to share. She's actually coming to us from Iowa! Henry's Maltese is Tama, IA will be shipping her to us (it's not as scary as it sounds) in August. Can't wait for her to join our family! For all of you who we've been telling forever that a maltese would just make your life amazing (you know who you are!), here's your chance to have a sibling of one of our pups! http://www.henrysmaltese.com You won't regret it! (=