Heart all Aflutter

I just finish my 6th patient and am cleaning my operatory and guess who pops up around the corner with this:

My dear husband that's who!

He leaves me a single stemmed rose from one of our bushes that he lovingly nurtures, asks about my day and then leaves me with a kiss. Ahhh, isn't he the sweetest?

A few hours later I come home and find this:

My, hasn't this boy been busy! Now we get to trim the trim together on a rainy afternoon. Makes my heart all aflutter and it is brimming with love. Enjoy your weekend!

Oh, did I mention he also cleaned the bathroom? He did. Kisses all around.

Empty

My fridge looks like this: Pretty much empty. At least to this cooking girl, not much to work with, as you see. But you will be impressed to know that I have cooked these past few nights thanks to a few freezer and pantry staples.

Why is my fridge empty? Because I haven't been grocery shopping for about 1 week. My dear fridge needed to house four 20 pound turkeys. Yes, 80 pounds of headless and pectorally distorted poultry. Why again you ask? To pay back service for a failed YW fundraiser, they delivered the goods and so I must in turn deliver the bird. And no, we did not get to keep one of the glorious deep pit-baked birds. Sigh. Otherwise my fridge would be overflowing with leftovers.

If my fridge is empty that means I am also low on sugar and its various enticing forms (aka ice cream and chocolate.) This is bad. Today I received my crismon assurance that I am also empty, my womb that is. (BIG sigh, sniffle, sob) And a girl is entitled to some confectionary comfort.

Desperate times... So I melt a little bit of white chocolate chips and seeing as there is no ice cream, dip a cone and throw a handful of almonds in for insurance. I will save the almonds for another day. Sad, I know, but I thought running to the store and then checking out with a carton of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie and a box of Supers would be a bit obvious.

See, all better. At least I will be tomorrow. And I will run that cone off tomorrow too.

FHE at the Gunnell's

1. Homemade Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream

2. One Hunky Husband

3. One rip-roaring fire in the family pit courtesy of my Hunky Husband

Manly Man

P: I need a chainsaw to cut all this wood up.

H: Can't you just borrow one?

P: No. I need one.

H: Just to cut up this pile of wood and then...

P: I need tools, I don't have any. I don't even own a drill.

H: Right, so go buy a drill. Honestly, how often will you use a chainsaw?

He bought one. Because he needed it, remember? But I understand. I need things all the time. More clothes, shoes, accessories, etc. Hey, everyone has needs.

Thankful

This time of year everyone naturally starts thinking about all the blessings life brings. Life is funny though, things never really turn out the way you plan. And therein lies the beauty, because it's not about what YOU have planned but what has already been planned for you. I have had a few life experiences that have been rough; not what I would have out right chosen willingly but they have turned out to be my greatest strengths and blessings.

I think the single most defining cumulative moment of my youth was growing up without a father in the home. My parents divorced when I was one and I have never really gotten to know my father and even now I have not seen nor spoken to him since my wedding reception. I am okay with this though. I learned that while I may not have an earthly father I do have a Heavenly Father and this epiphany came during my early teens and has helped mold who I am today. I am strong, independent, stubborn and decisive. I am thankful for this experience.

In my brief married existence my greatest trial and blessing are one and the same; my sweet baby boy Camden. Even as I type this and start to reflect upon my firstborn tears are blurring my vision. I cannot describe what it is like to lose a child and I do not wish it on anyone, yet I have gained a stronger testimony of the gospel and more importantly of the Plan of Salvation. Maybe I would not have learned any other way. Not a day goes by that I don't think of him, don't long for him, ache for him. I love that baby so much and yet I only had 3 short days to have him. But that isn't true, I have him forever and that is what matters most. I am so thankful for my son and the brief bittersweet moments we had with him. I know more will come.

What I am thankful for most is my family. Without them what else is there?

The Seamy Side of Dental Hygiene

This sat down in my chair last week. White 45 year old female complaining of pain and points to her lower front teeth. I diplomatically listen to her concern and ask a few questions to garner more details. I then take my handy dandy periodontal probe to measure the pocket depth of the area in question, (also know to the general public as the pokey thing that makes your gums bleed) the patient is super sensitive and of course the gums proceed to bleed and ooze. I only got a 7mm pocket before she started pulling away for me. (Note: 7mm is bad! 2-3 is considered healthy) I stopped, took out my handy dandy intra oral camera to show her what I was seeing.

The above picture is of the back of the lower front teeth, you can just see the biting surface at the top of the picture, calculus from top to bottom, a solid wall of hardened plaque teaming with gram negative bacteria and harboring infection.

Diagnosis: Generalized severe periodontal disease

Prognosis: Poor

Treatment Recommendations: 1: See the periodontist for many treatments of gum therapy including but not limited to deep scaling and root planing, bone grafting, flapping, etc. OR 2: Full mouth extractions with upper/lower dentures, possibly a few implants to secure the denture OR 3: Do nothing.

The sad thing is I was actually really, really excited and anxious to get my hands in there. Sigh, but it was not to be, she will go the denture route. Now everyone go brush, floss and see your friendly neighborhood hygienist!

Tag! You're It!

I was tagged again, this time by Kelly. I have done this one before and thinking of 7 random things about my self was difficult, here goes another round.

1. I can clean my own teeth and do so frequently, since who takes care of the hygienist? Occasionally my DDS will step in and take over but lately it is all me. If you can't tell, I do have an instrument in hand attacking the lower teeth, a Hu Friedy H6/7 to be exact.

2. I have a hard time with sticking to my guns with "Forbidden" Items, namely sugar and other diet induced insanity. Remember just a few weeks ago I promised to deny my taste buds the pleasure of sucrose and its various forms until Thanksgiving, where then I would succumb and go hog wild on pecan and cherry pie. Well, confession: I Can't DO IT! I have cheated numerous times...loser! Too bad I'm not like Lori who is well over 100 days sans sugar. Rock Star!

3. I hate Beth & Bill in the Morning Aka 99.9 KEZ. And I have to listen to their mindless dribble every Monday and Wednesday. Shoot me when the 24/7 Christmas music starts, they are already playing snippets, as if working in a 3" office space weren't bad enough day in and day out.

4. I will eat just about anything but haven't been brave enough to try sushi, something about RAW fish just doesn't do it for me.

5. I am cheap, frugal, thrifty, chintzy... and I love a good deal. Obviously I love to shop and am always looking for a buddy!

6. I have a dress obsession. Seeing as the most I get dressed up M-F is in scrubs with a ponytail and mascara I like to go all out for Sundays. Full make-up, hair down with big gorgeous curls, accessories, sexy heels, and of course the dress. I just counted and I have 15! Fifteen, fünfzehn, quindici, quinze! Sheesh, I need to stop.

7. Someone left a comment on my last post, user name "bsd" and for the life of me I cannot figure out who you are. If you want to hang out this weekend leave me a name, and for Pete's sake (but mainly mine) make your blogger profile public, or just tell me who you are. Thanks! :)

I Wish...

I want to have beautiful children with my sweet handsome husband, and then raise my kids in the Gospel and see each of them in the temple. Just imagine having your entire family in one sacred place. Heaven on Earth!

I wish I were pregnant and could be so easily and quickly, whenever I choose.

Don't you wish you could wake up naturally? No annoying alarm rudely interrupting your sweet slumber-beep, beep, beep! And nowhere pressing to be, like work~

I wish we were in medical school and actively working towards our goal of MD and I was home with my babies, cooking & baking with a fabulously clean house where I have time to exercise my rockin' bod, read for pleasure, entertain, craft, shop... (yeah, right! this is a wish list remember?)

I wish I could eat whatever I wanted and not see the consequences jiggling back at me, setting up permanent residence on each thigh and cheek.

I wish I have finished my Bachelor's degree so I had more options other than clinical hygiene. I can see myself teaching rather than just performing "cleanings" the rest of my days. This will become a reality, after Phil is finished schooling. Someday.

I wish I was better at keeping personal commitments. Important ones like taking care of my body by exercising regularly and thinking positively about my curvy physique.

I have others, but what do you wish?

Blog Block

I have nothing funny, new or exciting to post. Nothing! Plus Phil gets rather anxious when I spend time bloggin' when we have togetherness to do. I worked all day, he studied and now we are starvin' marvin's and who is going to feed us? Oh, I guess that'd be me. What's for dinner at your place and what do you do when there is nothing new?

Heirlooms and Home Baked Goodness

When my Grandma Fenn passed away my mom got her wheat grinder, which in turn she gave to me! It is the nice old reliable kind from Magic Mill. Yes, still electric but it uses stones to grind the wheat and it turns out nice wheat but still with a bit of texture, not completely fine. I haven't seen anything like it and I am pretty sure you won't find one for retail today. I hope to keep it in mint condition and then pass it on to my children so they can bake bread for their kids and so on. I hope it lasts that long!

Today I pulled it out and tried a new recipe from a professional pastry book Rebecca gave me. I have found my new go to recipe for wheat bread. It is amazing! You must try it, for the recipe go HERE. I converted the weight measurements into cups and spoons for those of you without a scale, which is probably all of you. Here's to home baked goods, warm memories and new traditions.

Broken

I broke my no sugar until Turkey day rule and it wasn't on anything worthy, leftover Halloween candy was just crap, I should have made it count! I think meeting up with Aunt Flo is a good enough reason. I will be back on board today...

And super shout out to Christi for making me a cute header. Thanks! I love it!