Ways to say "howdy doody" to your neighbors without freaking them out :-)

So we actually have neighbors now, and I decided to say hello :-) But how can you say hello without a treat? Soooo...my lovely mom (who was visiting) got two-bite brownies from Costco and said I should give those to our neighbors (instead of laboring over sugar cookies as I was planning to do -- her idea = way better...why make sugar cookies when I wouldn't be the main one eating them?). Anyways, so I busted out those cards that I make and decided on some pretty yellow and orange ones with nice little leaves on them.

Side note -- I've just decided to write a whole blog post in the near future about the amazingness of homemade cards and the brilliance of keeping in touch with them. It gives me a reason to send out birthday cards to everyone in my family :-)

Anyways -- I use some cellophane bags, purple curling ribbon, and brownies to make a cute and adorable gift.

 

Brownie Bag w/ card for the neighbors! 

Anyways -- try it, tie the card onto the ribbon so it doesn't get lost :-)

Lemon Curd Recipe + New House

So my parents are here this weekend, and I decided I wanted to make super yummy food for them. Something new and different that I haven't made before...so I decided to make crepes, which are new...BUT I wanted to kick them up with Lemon Curd and homemade chocolate ganache. The lemon curd turned out AMAZING, so I wanted to share that recipe.

Put a pot of water on to simmer, and put a stainless steel bowl or pyrex bowl on top, to make a double-boiler. Have the water simmer, and then put in the following:

--1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
--1 tbsp. lemon zest
--3/4 cup sugar
--3 eggs

Whisk this together continuously for ~10 minutes...it should become thicker.

After that, take it off the heat and add in 4 tbsp. butter (cubed), and whisk it in. Let it cool and you've got yourself some awesome lemon curd that you can put in crepes. If you want a good crepe recipe, check out Laurie's Little Kitchen

Anyways...T- and I have officially moved into the new house, and it is awesome. I love the back porch to eat breakfast in looking at our big backyard, and the front porch to look out at people walking their dogs, cats climbing roofs, kids playing, and cardinals eating seeds. It's got it downsides (the old blinds on a window fell in me the other day...) but overall -- I like not have neighbors above that I can hear, or near me, and coming home to a backyard + garage. It's nice :-)

Right now, I'm going through a life/career crisis...trying to decide between being a doctor and an NP...what to do? I'm having this worry because well...I'm realizing more and more how short life really is, and my desire to spend the first three decades or more in school is limited. Moreover, I have a limited amount of time to spend with the people I love, my parents, T-, my friends, and ultimately the family I have in the future.

I know that after medical school/internship/residency/fellowship etc I will be able to dictate my own schedule and determine what days I want to work and what days I don't want to work.

But the thing is, I don't want to work 3 days a week and call it good. I want to work 4-5 days a week, and have a family, AND get into something bigger and better (policy? education? administration?)

I guess it comes down to...I just don't know. But I'll write when I figure it out.