GRANOLA

Currently I'm back on "the wagon", if you know what I mean.  I'm just a running up a storm, eating fruit and veggies like they're going out of style, stretching every night...  The wagon is not a fun place to be.  :)

I kid; I kid.  The wagon can be okay if you make the best of it.  For instance, Leroy is getting lots of exercise on our almost daily jogs.  Yesterday we ran 5.6 km (and then we died a little when we got home).  Do you know what kind of food people "on the wagon" eat??  They eat granola!  So Leroy and I decided now was as good a time as any to try out this recipe I found on the Cupcakes and Cashmere blog (and she found here).

You'll need: vegetable oil, rolled oats, maple syrup, (I also used honey), brown sugar, shredded coconut, (I used unsweetened), slivered almonds, any other nuts you may want, and raisins.  I had a few pecans and walnuts in the cupboard from other baking projects, so I used those up.  And the recipe calls for 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp maple syrup, but I used half maple syrup and half honey.  The recipe also calls for salt, which I rarely add to anything, but strangely I decided to follow the directions this time.  I probably wouldn't add the salt next time.  You just don't need it, people.

The recipe is very simple.  Once everything is mixed together, spread evenly over baking sheets.  The granola filled two of my cookie sheets.

I knew before I started this was going to be a semi-difficult project just because it's the type of thing that can burn easily.  I swear I have the hottest oven on earth because it seems to burn everything!  I never had this problem when I lived at my parents' house.  Since every oven is different, keep a close eye on your granola!  The food network told me it should take an hour and a half to cook the granola but in my oven, it only took 45 minutes tops!  To be honest, I should have taken it out a couple of minutes sooner (although it's still fine).  The moral of the story...stir every fifteen minutes and be vigilant!

After it has cooled you can add raisins (if you like them).  Then enjoy!  I like to eat my granola with yogurt although I'm sure there are more creative ways to eat it.  Maybe I'll eat it as plain old cereal.  I'm crazy like that.  :)

1/2 M.D.

 School finally came to an end!  Can you believe it?  This was certainly cause for a celebration (or three).  Our class was treated to a BBQ by the staff immediately after our exam finished.  It was such a gorgeous Friday I actually was sweating outside (and got some colour)!  That evening we headed over to a classmate's house for a potluck and bonfire.  You have probably figured out we love our potlucks, considering we've had about five in the last two weeks.  That's a bit of an exaggeration but we have honestly had at least three...

The evening was a lot cooler than the day had been so we all had to cuddle around the campfire while we passed out our annual class awards - always a hoot.  In case you're wondering, I received "The Duchess" award for dreaming about the Royal Wedding for the past two years.  Well deserved, well deserved.



Surgeon cake pops our hostess made!  They were adorable!

Saturday we made our first trip to the market and then left for the cabins we had rented for the night.  About twenty of us went and we had a grand old time.  The cabins were on the river with a nice little beach so we were able to lay out in the sun, (fully protected with sunscreen reapplied many times), and have beach bonfires.  Thanks again to L who organized everything, (including renting the cabins, buying all the food, organizing the cooking, buying us an ice cream cake, etc).  You did a wonderful job and we had so much fun!  See you for Intro to Clerkship, 2014!



L and K's car loaded down with camping supplies and our class artwork.

HAPPY BIRTHING!

I have been dying to blog this photo and since I'm currently procrastinating, (my last exam is tomorrow), it seems like a good time!

My whole class has been very excited because one of our classmates is pregnant with baby number two.  I'm especially excited because J is one of my travel buddies from last summer and I love when people, (who are not me), have babies!  For quite a few months now we have been calling the fetus (ha!) Bubba - a nickname given to the baby by her four year old brother.  Somewhere over the course of the semester the nickname stuck and we're all anxiously awaiting Bubba's arrival. :)

Recently I hosted a non-traditional shower for J and Bubba.  It was more of a baby party, really, with our whole class invited - boys and all!  It was a lot of fun (and was by far the most people we've ever had in our house).  We ate all kinds of delicious potluck foods, played weird baby games, and opened gifts.  Leroy was there through it all.  He became the center of attention when everyone was playing the balloon game, (you know, where you hit a balloon back and forth without letting it touch the ground), and he joined in on the action.  He was jumping in the air and bumping the balloon with his little nose just like Air Bud.  We're so proud.  In all seriousness, it was quite a hoot.  (And hubby and I weren't the only ones who thought so!)

Aside from discovering Leroy's doggie basketball potential, the other highlight of the night came when J opened gifts.  One of the boys gave her a thank you card instead of some variation of the classic, "Congratulations!  You're having a baby!" card.  You'll see.

JW, you had already left by the time your card was opened, but you should know your card was a hit.  I haven't laughed that hard in ages.

MAX GREENFIELD'S GENIUS

Have you watched New Girl?

It is my favourite new show of 2012 and if you haven't seen it, you must!  If my sense of humour was a television show, this would be it.  I'm not sure how this is possible, but I find almost every line in the show hilarious.  Zooey Deschanel (you might remember her as the female lead in Elf) is, as they say, aDORKable and her three male roommates are laugh-out-loud funny.

One of the best lines of the season was, "Kitchen island?  Be a man.  Let your counters touch."  It still makes me chuckle to myself.

Zooey Deschanel has another interesting project on the go. Along with two friends, she has created a website called Hello Giggles where you can share and view funny videos, craft projects, beauty products, and various other cute things.  On this site I discovered this amazing piece of genius.  It.  Is.  Amazing.  If you love New Girl and/or love The Hills, sit down and get ready for the next two minutes to blow your mind.  Max Greenfield (who plays Schmidt) made this little video portraying what Schmidt's online dating profile would look like.  (And here's a link if you would like to see some other bonus Schmidt videos!)

SHAKE IT OUT

I have never jumped on the Glee train.  It's funny, too, because I love singing, dancing, and musical theatre.  The music covered piques my interest but every time I watch an episode, I find the plot boring.  For me, a youtube search of recent Glee songs is the best case scenario.  This way I can listen to their music and don't have to watch (what I consider) boring dialogue.  Last week during one of these searches I found "Shake it Out".  This is a song by Florence and the Machine (Dog Days Are Over, anyone?) and I absolutely love it!  In the last few days I have probably listened to this song (both versions) fifteen times.  The gals on Glee did an acoustic version, which adds a different dimension to the song.  Both are lovely so here they are for you to enjoy!

[In other news I ran 5 km with Leroy today.  Go me!  Running outside is a whole different world than the treadmill... The entertainment factor is there, but man, hills are rough.]