I'm A Real Doctor Now

So I got a text message the other day that read, “I just got my medical kit.  It is awesome. I feel like a real doctor now.” 

This all started about a month ago when Mr. MedSchool came home and told me that he had to unexpectedly drop $800.  Great, what could have broken (1)? Did we have to fix all the pipes under the house or something? Nope. Mr. MedSchool had to purchase his medical kit.  This kit was full of toys medical tools like an othalmoscope (2), tuning forks (3), reflex hammer (4) and stethoscope (5). 

 Well last week the kit came in and when I arrive home Mr. MedSchool had already given himself a full exam.  He then proceeded to sit on the couch and listen to his heart, his stomach, his head, the TV and me through his stethoscope.  Then hit himself repeatedly with his reflex hammer and laugh after each time.  However he couldn’t look into his own ear or eye (6).  Because of this inability, I became the subject. Don’t fear, my heart sounds find and my reflexes work.  However, I apparently have very black eardrums, and I we’re not sure about my eyes as I cannot keep them open when a bright light is shined in it – particularly when the “doctor” can’t see so he gets as close as he can and takes way too long to look. 

1. And how did you do it?

2. Thing Doctor uses to look in your ears and eyes

3. Tests hearing and stuff like that

4. Like the one that the doctor uses to hit your knee with

5. Yeah, you should totally know that one

6. Although I wouldn’t put it past him to have tried in the mirror. 

You Have to Sign a Waiver for What?

Birthday excitement! We received my nephew's birthday party invitation yesterday.  There was a waiver included.  Like for our safety... we have to sign a waiver ... for the 5 year old's birthday party.  This should be fun.

Disclaimer: We are going rock climbing, hence the waiver.

Yeah you read that right.  5 year old. Rock Climbing.

Hot and Steamy Cards From the Dog

So Valentines is around the corner and Mr. MedSchool and I have our usual tradition planned, nice, quite dinner at home (1).  After just buying a house, doing multiple renovations and purchasing a dining room set (2), Mr. MedSchool and I decided not to get each other anything this year (3).  However, we do have a long standing Card war.  We buy each other cards for every holiday and not mushy, lovey-dovey cards but funny, make-you-laugh-so-hard-you-want-to-cry cards.

Being the procrastinator that I sometimes am (4), I finally went today to get Mr. MedSchool’s Valentine’s Day card.  After wading my way through the wall of people in the greeting card aisle (5).  I looked through the sparse selection left a card with the perfect mix of funny and sweet but keeping with my personality (6). 

While looking through cards, I realized how big the greeting card industry had become.  Where I usually remember there being categories like: Romantic, Funny, For Husband, For Wife, etc., now there are categories like Hot & Steamy, Cards with Sound, For Step Grand Daughter, From the Dog (7).  There were even specific cards for people whose birthday is n valentines, three different versions! Seriously … just buy two cards. I mean it has to suck to have your birthday on another holiday.  How much worse would it be if the one you loved bought you a combo card?

So after picking up my card (and some hair gel), I went to the check out thinking about how commercialized that we had become as a nation.  So, I made sure to grab a bag of Easter candy to console myself on the way home (8).    

1. because we don’t want deal with other people and waiters trying to turn our table on one of the busiest nights of the year. 

2. Craig’s List is the best!

3. Self-administered spending freeze .. perhaps the government could learn something from us

4. Not all the time … just most of it

5. Mostly Men… shocking.

6. Impossible you say? ... oh I found it, I’m good at this game

7. At least there were no Hot & Steamy cards from the dog

8. Seriously, who doesn’t love those Reese’s eggs?

Brownies That Move Mountains

I have found that one of the best ways to thank people is food (1).  Whether it’s thanking some guys for helping you move, a friend for inviting you to a dinner party or a relative whose house you stayed at, food is always to say thank you.

I recently ran across a recipe for brownies from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (2).  The recipe sounded great but a little intense.  I mean there’s a double boiler involved (3) and multiple types of chocolate (semisweet melted, semisweet chips [4], unsweetened).  However, it is completely worth it.  I add frosting to mine as well a ganache or cream cheese frosting make these even better

Outrageous Brownies

Note: These are baked in a 12 x 18 baking sheet.  You can also use two 12 x 9 baking sheets.

Ingredients:

                  1 pound unsalted butter

                  1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

                  6 ounces unsweetened chocolate

                  6 extra-large eggs

                  3 tablespoons instant coffee granules

                  2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

                  2 1/4 cups sugar

                  1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

                  1 tablespoon baking powder

                  1 teaspoon salt

                  3 cups chopped walnuts (didn’t use these, still good)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake!

1. Or beer  

2. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/outrageous-brownies-recipe3/index.html

3. Problem, since my method of melting chocolate involved a microwave.

4. Please use good chocolate!  Like one of the ones that has a percentage of Cacao in it.  Even Kroger has a generic brand, come on