mmmm....sushi

I am one of those people who love sushi. I don't know what it is. It is just so tasty. So I had a brilliant idea earlier this week that I would make my own sushi. I went to a Japanese market that is in downtown Salt Lake. It is an older building and smells funny, kind of like the dairy farm where my mom always bought our milk growing up. More than half the items in the store are only in Japanese. There were things in jars I couldn't even identify and vegetables that were unfamiliar to me. So I just wondered around the store until I found the sushi kit, seaweed, wasabi, and rice vinegar that I needed. I felt very strange in the store because there were 3 little Japanese ladies at the register, a little older Japanese lady, and me in all my 5'9" and pale glory. I felt a little out of place. And when I payed for my things the ladies all started to talk in Japanese and laugh. You can't help but think when you are standing there and people are talking in a different language, that they are talking/laughing at you. I always think that when I get a pedicure. They are probably laughing at my huge chubby feet. But then again that is probably my own insecurities. One lady said, "You have a sushi party?" and I just laughed and said, "Sort of."

So I had all my stuff. I was going to buy some smoked salmon to put in it, but didn't find the time to during my errand running. I also don't know where I could buy sushi grade fish. If anyone knows let me know! I had some shrimp at home and other good stuffing's so I figured that would be fine. I added shrimp, cucumber, avocado, and my favorite....cream cheese to my roll. I thought I would make a roll with the rice on the outside and the seaweed on the inside so I could put toasted sesame seeds on the outside (like most California rolls). Not a good idea if you have never made/rolled sushi before. I put too much rice on the outside so it ended up being a fatty roll. I rolled it too loosely so it fell apart when I tried to cut it. I guess it can't be perfect the first time around.

So the next roll I wisely put the seaweed on the outside. and rolled it as tight as I possibly could. It turned out a lot better and cut more easily. And it was yummy! It may not been as fancy as the rolls at all the sushi places, however, it was tasty and less expensive. So now I just need to find some more interesting ingredients to put in my rolls. I am thinking of making tempura shrimp and putting it in a roll. Or maybe I will some day attempt my favorite....the Las Vegas roll, that has tempura on the entire outside. Ya that would be good.

Sunscreen

I am grateful for sunscreen. Having a very fair complexion hasn't been my favorite thing. Especially while growing up. I remember all my friends would be a toasty brown color by the end of the summer and I would be either sunburned, freckled, or maybe slightly tan nothing compared to them though. Also when I was growing up I only remember my mom ever having 15 sunscreen. I am pretty sure that is all they had available in the regular grocery store. So all day outdoor events such as Raging Waters usually included multiple lathering on of sunscreen (to the 15th power) throughout the day, and I would still end up with hot, pink, itchy, painful skin somewhere on my body. Usually my nose, face, and shoulders. I remember multiple times having to nurse blisters on my nose, shoulders, and back. The kind that would ooze and then peel about 3 times before it finally healed. I still have scars on my shoulders as a painful reminder. And I wasn't a sunbather, just a regular kid trying to enjoy some fun outside.

So I am grateful that the sunscreen companies have upped the blockage for us fair skinned folk. I own sunscreen of varying degree's. Anywhere from 15 (my moisturizer face lotion) up to 50 (what I use on my face when I am going in the sun). I also saw a commercial for 70+. That's like wearing a T-shirt almost! I also must say that I am grateful to the person who came up with the spray sunscreen. GENIOUS! It cuts the lathering time drastically! My sister Sara said our parents went to Lake Powell with some 50+ sunscreen and my dad was so frusterated because it was thick as peanutbutter. So a quick spray and a quick rub will maybe convince more people to use it. Less rubbing = more time for fun in the sun!

The reason I bring this up is.... I have had a few days off and decided to spend them by my pool. On Friday I put on my spray sunscreen and enjoyed some time at my pool. However, I somehow missed a bottom portion of my legs and ended up with that all too familliar pink, hot, painful, itchy skin. Blast! The saddest part about it was I could see my finger mark on my legs. I really did try! Luckily it went away after a couple days so Today I went to the pool fully sprayed (probably double) and enjoyed a great couple hours by my pool. And good report. I escaped pink, hot, painful, itchy skin and even have a hint of sun kiss (not tan, but healthy glow) and I enjoyed my day without worry and without remorse. So that is why I am grateful for sunscreen.

Mash Game: Predict Your Future at eSPIN-the-Bottle

So I totally used to play MASH all the time with people well into Jr. High. Thanks to Nicole I got to play again and re-live all the memories. It was a favorite past time in Class and/or Sunday school. I remember we had a rule that you at least had to put one bad thing in each categorie so that you wouldn't always get everything you wanted. I promise I did that. Trust me. If you know me well I hate white cars. And I put prince charming because I couldn't think of anyone else. Enjoy...I know I did. Oh BTW you have to scroll (LAME)

		I will marry Prince Charming.
		After a wild honeymoon, We will settle down in Huntington Beach CA in our fabulous Apartment.
		We will have 5 kid(s) together.
		Our family will zoom around in a White Hummer.
		I will spend my days as a Nurse, and live happily ever after.

Cleaning Out the Closet

Lately I feel like I have been a regular donor at the DI. I watch shows like Clean House or Oprah that have these horrible pack rats and it some how motivates me to get rid of stuff. So last week on my days off I organized under my bathroom sinks, my Tupperware, and the big one...my closet.

I laughed when I read Nicole's blog and she said if she finds something she likes, she buys two of it. I am the same way. But, if I am at the store and I remember I need things like tooth paste, or Windex, I will buy two so I don't have to buy it for awhile. Or I'll buy a cleaner, forget I have it, and buy more. Or I'll go to Costco and get 6 of them, because it is Costco and so you know your getting a good deal and you'll eventually use them. Anyway, So when I cleaned beneath my bathroom sinks I found about 5 cans of Comet (three were open) which is my favorite choice of cleaner (I have white counter tops unfortunately). I also found two bottles of Windex, Two bottles of toilet bowl cleaner (I also have the Clorox disposable toilet bowl brushes so it isn't necessary to have cleaner too), two bottles of general bathroom cleaner, a bottle of Lysol cleaner, two cans of Lysol spray, 3 containers of Lysol wipes, and my "miracle" everything cleaner that is supposed to replace all general cleaners in the house that I got suckered into buying. That is when I realized.... I am a cleaning product pack rat. It was ridiculous. I couldn't believe that under 3 of the 4 sinks I have was filled with cleaning products. So I got rid of most of it, keeping my Comet, because I know I will use that eventually.

Next was my Tupperware drawer. I laughed because my mom has always just had a bucket in her cupboard for Tupperware. I have a whole cupboard of Tupperware. So I decided to go through it and get rid of anything that was either A. gross looking B. melted from the bottom of the dishwasher or C. Did not have a lid to go with it. I was shocked to throw away about half of it because it fell into one of those three catagories. Especially the whole lid thing. It falls into the same categorie as socks. But instead of the dryer eating the other pair, I guess the cupboard or the dishwasher does. I had lids that didn't have a container to go with it and vice versa. I was also grateful because when they are paired up together and all the lids are in one place, it takes about 1/4 the space of the cupboard. I don't really think I am a Tupperware pack rat. I just got lazy and let it get out of hand.

Then there was the closet. So also like Nicole, I shamefully have a wish list of things I would love to buy. It seems to get longer because I try to refrain from giving in to every whim. One of them is one of those expensive closet maid, or easy closet organizers with all the shelves, drawers, shoe organizers, and bars of varying heights. When we lived in our apartment we had a walk-in closet. But now we have a regular closet with sliding doors (It is hard to adjust). It is double bar, so you can fit more things, but is a challenge because the long shoe organizers you hang on the higher bar get interrupted and pushed out by the lower bar. And the system Chris and I had was I had the Higher bar and he had the lower bar. Which was my decision when we moved in and not really fair to him because he is 6'3". I decided it was not working so I decided to take the left half and he could have the right. As I moved my side over I was amazed at the things I found. I have already gone through and gotten rid of at least 6 bags of my clothes since we moved in, but I still found skirts I hadn't worn for a year because I still need to buy a slip, dress pants that I never bought the right shirt for, and shirts I haven't seen or worn in more than 6 months. You always think...well maybe I'll wear it, or I'll buy a slip, or a shirt to go with it. But yet, it never happens. So I got rid of them.

Then as I moved Chris's things to the right side, I organized his T-shirts, dress shirts, pants, shorts, and ... sweaters? I have know Chris for over 5 years and I have never seen him wear a sweater. He always accuses me of trying to get rid of his stuff. Like when he moved into my apartment after we were married he brought a big garbage bag full of shoes and put it in our storage closet. 6 months later when we bought our Condo and moved... along came the garbage bag of shoes that had never been opened. So I made him get rid of it (again, I had never seen him wear any of those shoes either). So he teases me that I just want to get rid of his stuff. Granted I have more stuff than him, but I have been getting rid of a lot of my stuff lately. So I showed him his sweaters and stated my case and he easily said that I could get rid of them. I was grateful he has realized he dosen't need to keep things that he hasn't worn and will never wear. And he didn't even give me a hard time about it.

After everything was organized, donated, or thrown away I felt a lot better. Something about when everything is clean and in the right place that you feel better. And I think I can live without my expensive Closet Maid/Easy Closet.........for now.

Stress

So, I really do love my job. But some days it is very stressful. And since the population boom in Salt Lake City, there are a lot more people (people = more babies). So it makes Primary Children's super busy. We used to have a CRAZY respiratory season (and it was the worst this year!) and then we would have a drop in census between June and October. Well, there has been no drop this year! We are as busy and crazy as ever. So last Wednesday I had to go into survival mode. After being stressed to the max that I was shaking and did not eat my whole shift (which ended up being about 13hr and 45min) I felt numb and was fighting the tears. Usually you can find relief, but when you are the charge nurse you have all the responsibility. So when I was driving home trying to wind down I had a little breakdown. Thank goodness I have a fabulous husband. He made me dinner and cuddled with me until I fell asleep (about an hour and a half after I got home). I try to never bring my work home, and vice-versa. They always stressed that in Nursing School. But sometimes when all your co-workers are experiencing the same type of stress that you are to a certain degree, you just need one person outside the element that you can vent to. So I am grateful my husband can listen to me (even though he doesn't always understand everything I am talking about) and give me a hug. He is very supportive of my little breakdown days. He probably thinks I hate my job, which I don't. I really do love my job. I guess every once in awhile I should tell him about the good aspects!