my favorite cookies ever.

I don't remember where this recipe came from.  I'm pretty sure I just kept looking at a bunch of recipes until my head hurt, so I ended up combining good ideas from different ones together and the result was pretty darn good. So I have stuck to it.  I think I originally made them for Kyle during his first year of med-school because white chocolate is his favorite (no nuts!) so I wanted a great white chocolate chip cookie recipe.  

I make them all the time.  It is extremely rare that I don't always have the ingredients on hand.  Usually I send most of them to the hospital as a treat for the residents; this batch went to our small group as part of our pizza party.  

In the past month though, I have started switching things up.  Really, the base is fantastic and can support whatever flavors you want to add.  For 6 years, that has always been white chocolate.  Yesterday, I used half of the dough with w.c. for Kyle, and the other half I used semi-sweet chocolate chips and raisins.  You could add your favorite nut or other dried fruit, I am sure, with pretty great results.  

For simplicity's sake, I will just do the original white chocolate chip cookie recipe.  Feel free to free style the add-ins to your liking!

Homegrown Hillary's white chocolate chip cookies

1 stick butter - room temperature*

1/2 C Crisco

beat together until smooth, then add :

2 eggs - room temp*

3/4 C packed light brown sugar

1/2 C granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract 

in a separate bowl, combine :

2 1/2 C AP flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

slowly add to the wet mix until well combined. then stir in your add-in :

1 C white chocolate chips (or whatever you want)

Oven is preheated at 350F.  I have always found that the cookies turn out more uniform and easier to take off the cookie sheet if you line it with parchment paper and scoop with a cookie scoop (like a small ice cream scoop).  The first batch usually takes exactly 10 min to bake to perfection (barely golden brown on the edges and almost looks raw in the center), and each batch afterward only 9 min since the pan is already hot.  Ovens vary though so keep an eye on them and always set your timer!

Let the centers collapse a little and then remove to a cooling rack before you store them in an air tight container.  

Makes ~ 4 dozen

*room temp is a necessity.  if the dough is cold (or you pack down your flour and add too much) then they don't spread out like they should and end up dome shaped... still tasty... just look weird.

Trust me on the barely-done appearance... this is how you get nice soft chewy cookies that stay that way for a few days when properly stored.  If you wait for the tops of the cookies to start to brown, then once they completely cool, they will be hard.  Maybe thats how you like them, but that ain't how we roll. 

foodie friday : stir-fry

I used to experiment with stir-fry a few years ago, but more recently it just hasn't been something I think about.  Then a recipe popped up on my phone news feed for Thai ginger chicken stir-fry from the kitchn (recipe).  I only really needed the sauces, so Myles and I hit up the Asian grocery about half a mile from the house. 

The recipe is pretty well written in the directions... but I still made a couple of dumb choices that made this good when I think it could have been great.  So I will share those, and the thing I think would be a good addition for later.  Because I will be making this again!

First, I really don't know the best way to slice chicken breast for stir fry but it always turns out kinda chewy... when at the chinese takeout we order from, it is always nice and tender.  After some research, apparently, part of the problem is that I always slice with-the-grain, the best way is against the grain for smaller muscle fibers.  The other main issue was that I used the leftover frozen pepper strips I had on hand instead of a fresh red pepper.  The flavor was there in the finished meal, but I really was missing that nice crisp bite of a lightly cooked pepper.  A smaller issue was that I used the brown rice I already had, but really would have enjoyed this better with a long grain jasmine rice instead.

Next time though, I think I will toss my chicken with cornstarch before I cook it so that in the end we will have a thicker sauce than we did.  That was Kyle's only complaint...that there wasn't enough sauce to cover the rice.  I think it was just that it was so runny it didn't stick to it enough to really be enjoyed.  Over all though, this was a really tasty dish!

Anyone have any tips or tricks for stir-fry they want to share?  I may need to go out and buy a new wok since I got rid of the one I never liked when we moved...

what we're wearing wednesday : nerd edition

Sometimes feeling "pretty" isn't about getting all dressed up for special things.  Sometimes it is just being so in love with the t-shirt you just bought that you want to share it with the world.  And sometimes... it makes you run to Old Navy so you can get your kid a t-shirt so you can "match".  

On Sunday, Kyle came home from his on-call shift and got some sleep.  I made him and Myles wake up that afternoon... because on Friday I found out that Greenville was hosting its very own Comicon!!!  We had never been to anything like it, and I'm 100% certain I was the most excited of our group of 3.  Not that I am a comic-book collector or anything, but we do devote every possible date night we can to the latest comic book-inspired movies, and a vast majority of our DVR is set to comic book-inspired shows or SciFi hits.  Until Myles came along, we watched a decent amount of Japanese anime as well.  Its a little hard to read subtitles with a toddler all over you though.  

I knew I wanted to find a shirt to take away from the event for me... At first it started to seem like it might be a bit of a challenge... I only saw a few booths with shirts and wasn't in love with them.  And then right before we left, I saw it.  We were both pretty excited about the style of the graphics when we first walked up, and then the guy at the booth spoke up... "these are all of my designs..."  How cool is that?  Dude does great work... check out more from Ian Leino here.  I could not be happier with the shirt that I chose based on Rocket from Guardians of the Galaxy.  He did this type of design with several other heroes. This thing is ridiculously soft and comfortable.  If only they came in toddler sizes... I totally would have splurged on one for Myles.

Despite the major amount of baby carriers and strollers at SC Comicon, there was a major lack of apparel for kids.  Someone could make bank in that niche at the next one.  So since I realized Myles didn't have any superhero t-shirts in his current size... we ran to the best place I knew to get them... Old Navy.  

captain america shirt found here

Now every member of our family has at least one hero shirt to sport ;).  We definitely plan to make it to next year's Comicon if Kyle's schedule matches up.  It was definitely an experience!  Hopefully Myles will be able to enjoy it a little more and not be so cared of the cosplay characters.  In his defense, Groot was a giant.

extra recipe : white cheddar jalapeno spread

Myles' naps are generally when I work on these posts, but I also used to do them at night.  Then I got used to going to bed early with Kyle.  So if this nap-strike carries on, the interruption in my post schedule will continue.  But I really wanted to share this recipe since I had a couple of people asking for it on Instagram last week.  And I sort of have a small backlog of things to put on Foodie Friday.  

Tasty Tuesday?

My aunt introduced this to me while we were in Louisville.  She would buy it at Paul's Fruit Market in their little deli case.  I realized it would be pretty darn easy to make at home, so I did.

This little gem is a great snack.  Or sandwich spread.  Lately it has been on my bagel sandwiches since I found a GREAT bagel place near our house that sells them buy 12 get 6 free on Wednesdays.  

Last year... it was on Wheat Thins as a "I can't stop eating this so now its my lunch" item.  Or on Saltines and put under the broiler until it was all melty amazing goodness.  

I recommend all versions.

white cheddar jalapeno spread

• 1 block sharp white cheddar cheese.  Shredded.
• about 2 Tbs chopped pickled jalapenos 
• about 1/4 C mayo (probably more, but that is a good starting point... you just want enough to get everything to stick together really well... just like pimento cheese)

Just mix it all together!  You can shred the cheese by hand or here's a tip that took me 5 years to figure out... use the shredder attachment on the cheap food processor you got for your wedding and get it done in 10 seconds. 

That is really all there is to it... a similar dip a friend brought to our girl's night from Whole Foods inspired my recent addition of some chopped green onion.  I really like that addition when I use it as a spread for my sandwiches.  This is one of those things that really transforms if you make it the day before you want it... but that has never stopped me from digging straight in.

So go whip up a batch and let me know what you think!  It is really killer as a quick snack option... or  for a get together with friends... like for the basketball tournament happening right now!  Go Kentucky!

a rough day.

"I was incredibly productive around the house last Thursday so was totally ready to enjoy Myles' nap time on Friday; getting a post up and another ready ahead of time to post today.  My photos were taken, ready to be turned into figures for Foodie Friday.  All I needed to do was lay Myles down when he showed signs of being tired and get to work.

He had other plans.

All of a sudden, my waves bye bye when ready to go to his room toddler was crying hysterically when I put him in his crib. We battled it out and he won.  Eventually he fell asleep in my lap for about 15 minutes.  That was the only nap for the day.   Which put and end to our plans to go out for dinner that night.  He then stayed up late; cutting into Kyle and I's precious alone time before Kyle's early bedtime with a 27 hr call day ahead of him.

The next day was sure to be better right?  Oh sure...if you count a total repeat of the day before...except this time he actually stayed asleep for almost an hour in my lap.

Sunday was heaven. He fell asleep in the car on the way home from church, so like a normal day, he stayed asleep as I transferred him to his crib. He napped over 2 hours until we woke him up so we could go out as a family once Kyle woke up.

He slept wonderfully last night, never whimpering in his sleep like he has every night for a week.  So I had high hopes for today.  But it is now 2 pm and he has only had a 5 minute nap in the car. He is completely exhausted but staying busy.  Whining and grabbing me when I go toward his crib.

The only way I am able to write a post now is because I am typing it out on my phone (he attacks my laptop keyboard whenever he sees it)."  

The above section was written in the middle of my meltdown today.  It was not pretty.  I lost my temper several times.  I was a wreck worrying about how this was going to affect my future days.  Sure I can get used to a crappy schedule like this but I'm not the only one that depends on those naps.  Tomorrow is when I meet with my mentors to work through our bible study.  I haven't been able to go back over the material because of this and we try to meet when he is asleep so that we can really dig into the the questions without distraction.  Also, I had tried to do this 30 day yoga challenge, but haven't been able to do it for 3 of the past 4 days.  I really like having that in my day. 

Eventually I did calm down, and since we were OUT of toilet paper, I allowed him to take his paci and blankie to the grocery.  I cancelled plans to serve a local after school program with our small group.  I fixed dinner, and took Myles outside.  I even managed a load of laundry and somewhat decluttered our dining table.  If Myles isn't overly bothered by the lack of nap, then why should I be so affected?

Because I am selfish.  Sure I can be more productive when he is asleep, but him napping also allows me to do stuff that I want to do.  That isn't a bad thing necessarily, but I could do more when he is awake.  And right now I'm just going to have to.  I may not like it, but this is reality right now.  Honestly it is still a pretty easy hard.  It really could be so much worse.  

Even so... I am hoping there is a "reason" for this.  Maybe he is finally getting some molars and instead of being miserable all the time, he just wants extra cuddle time and not to be left alone?  

Its a phase.

Its a phase.

Its a phase.

I'm trying to remind myself of the good moments in these tough days.  How he grabbed my arm this morning on the couch and kissed me over and over again.  How good he really was at the grocery even though I was just waiting for the meltdown to happen.  How he was so happy to explore outside and laid his head on my shoulder and patted my back.  How he found his little horse and made it jump on the walls while I folded laundry.  How he was SO happy to help unload the groceries.  How he kept pushing my face into Kyle's to make us kiss and if I paused long enough I got a few paci kisses from him.   He really is a sweet kid even if he does have a nervous wreck for a mom. 

a calm, good moment after the storm of the rest of the day.

I don't want this space to ever be about me just complaining about stuff, but I also don't want it to only be recipes and outfit choices.  This is real life.  And it is a mess right now.  

room by room : kitchen updated

The kitchen is my domain.  If you want a refresher on what it used to look like you can go here.  I always say I feel like my entire house is so much cleaner if I can keep the kitchen clean.  For almost a year I have known that I wanted to paint this room green, and went out and rounded up every green paint sample in town.  But I just couldn't decide.  To make it a little more difficult, I had already bought the fabric that I would eventually turn into a window topper above the sink, and it was its own type of green.  

I eventually gave up since I had other rooms to work on, but I just was so unhappy with the beige in that room.  So when we decided we would be having a Staycation last month, I revisited the paint samples.  And from left field, Kyle made the decision.  We went way out of my comfort zone and picked a mossy/olivey/much darker green than I ever anticipated.  It is called "Everglade" by Behr in their Marquise collection.

Other than the paint, we replaced the knobs on all of the cabinets, opting for a larger oil rubbed bronze knob than what started out on them.  The coffee bar is a little less cluttered since I removed the espresso machine and we had to replace our regular coffee maker this past weekend.   Oh and the crown molding!  Part of my Christmas present from dad was that lovely addition to the top of all of the cabinets.  Kyle also requested that I move the prep area to the long counter instead of beside the stove, and I have to say it was a great idea!

Looking forward, my dad is planning on removing two of the top drawers to turn them into 1 large utensil drawer.  The large cabinets next to the microwave may get an extra shelf for better use of the space.  Hopefully within the next year I will be able to show off these improvements.  I would also love to replace the faucet with something a little nicer, if not the entire sink.  It is amazing what just a little bit of paint does once again.  What projects have you done lately?

wish list : 28th birthday

In exactly a month I will be turning 28.  Since family members have been beginning to ask what I want, I thought I would do another photo list like I did at Christmas.  Because its fun for me to make, makes shopping a little easier for Kyle, and I think I would just like to be able to look back over the years to see what I was into at this time in my life.  A couple of these things are "needs"to replace the old.. but the rest is just plain fun.

1  Lagoon Ikat SLR Camera Strap by SeeLoriSew on Etsy.  This is such a cute print to just personalize my camera gear a little bit.  For handmade, you can't beat the price of $27 with free shipping!

2  Ultra CHI 1" flat iron in Glistening Peony.  This is a "need".  My current CHI has lasted about 5 years (which makes the higher price point of $90 totally worth it); unfortunately the cord has been chewed on and the wall plug has cracked severely so must be positioned just so to turn on, so it is on its last leg.  I'm going to have to get a new one pretty soon.  How cute is that color?!

3  StitchFix gift card.  I mentioned at the beginning of the month that I thought it would be fun to try out StitchFix sometime.  If you don't know about it; you let the service know what your style is through Pinterest and a detailed style quiz, and a stylist sends you 5 different items to try on at home. If you like what they send, you keep them and they charge you, if you only like 1 of the items, you send the 4 things back with free shipping and they only charge you for the 1 item you liked.  No commitment necessary for an extended amount of time so a gift card would be great to let me try the service out!

4  Sperry Ivyfish Boat Shoe (size7).  Myles received some adorable grey Sperry boat shoes for Christmas and since mine are in terrible shape, I would love to have a new pair to match him this summer!  I thought these were just a major fad in college, but was amazed at how comfortable these shoes really are when I jumped on the bandwagon a few years ago.  This particular pair is currently on sale for $60 + free shipping.  

5  Stylebox by Jamberry.  If you haven't heard of Jamberry; they are nail wraps that are supposed to be easy to apply at home and last as long as a gel manicure (2 weeks) without chipping.  Each box includes 2 patterns of nail wraps, and a few accessories to finish your manicure.

6  Camera tripod.  My other "need".  I use my tripod frequently for family photos or my WWWW posts.  Recently, the top of my tripod (that holds the expensive camera) popped off while I was using it.  I would really like to not be terrified that my camera is going to fall to its death in the concrete carport one day.  Every tripod that I have looked at has mixed reviews and I really don't know if I want one like I had or if I would rather have it on a ball mount, but all in all, I just need a new one.  

Have any recommendations/opinions about any of this stuff?  What type of things do you have your eye on recently?

foodie friday : peruvian chicken stew

The last thing I used that chicken for was this Trader Joe's Peruvian Chicken Stew.  Another super fast, easy, flavorful dish.  I really think it would be great in any variety of ways... do the chicken, or maybe some other grilled meat, or maybe just load it down with veggies! Don't try to find this on the Trader Joe's website... I found it on a Trader Joe's Fan phone app.  I don't think its run by the TJ company though.  

The recipe on the app is as follows (with my modifications in italics) :

1 bag TJ frozen Chimichurri Rice

1 package TJ Just Chicken, Diced / 2 C shredded chicken

1 can Garbanzo Beans

1 carton chicken broth

2 T olive oil

1 onion diced

1 T nonfat greek yogurt / sour cream per serving

half bag of TJ Melange a Trois frozen pepper strips (just cut up a large bell pepper)

1/2 C + TJ frozen roasted corn

Saute onion and pepper strips and corn in olive oil until softened.  

Add entire carton chicken broth, chimichurri rice, garbanzo beans, and diced chicken.

Simmer for 15 minutes

Serve with a dollop of greek yogurt or sour cream

This is not spicy at all, and had pretty good flavor.  It was even better as leftovers.  Kyle and Myles weren't in love with the garbanzo beans so I won't include them next time.  Maybe a softer bean... black beans or something.  I will definitely try this out again!

WWWW & The Circle

It was bound to happen eventually... A set day that I actually really want to post on runs into a new-to-me link up that I really want to participate in this time.  Since I don't really have much to say about my outfits though, you can see the outfit that made me feel really pretty recently (and Kyle helped pick it out!), while you learn more about me.

So welcome to What We're Wearing Wednesday meets #TheCircle by Kiki at In Its Time.  This month's prompt is Blog Name Stories. 

Homegrown In Ky

not

Homegrown Inky 

(major winky face here)

I just found this at Old Navy last month... it was "Just In"... unfortunately it isn't even on their website now!  Anyway, I paired it with some grey tights since it is short, and some consignment-found red Gianni Bini heels for a pop of color.  Oh and my new TheJonesMarket necklace of course!  This dress didn't have much shape to it so Kyle grabbed the belt to fix that.  I think I can only pull off these flowy pieces if there is a print like this so that it doesn't look so awkward to cinch it in with a belt at the waist.

Kyle and I were raised in the same region of Kentucky; we met at college in Kentucky; we were married in Kentucky; I had my first real job, and he attended Medical School in Kentucky.  When I started this blog, we had a pretty good idea that we would be moving away from Kentucky for the first time.  Partly by choice, partly by necessity, partly because we felt it is what God had in mind for us, partly because we wanted to get used to being away-but-not-too-far-away before the Air Force sends us who knows where after residency.  I knew I wanted this space to document our transitions, our uprooting and becoming parents and figuring out our new roles in a new place.  But for the name; I wanted to constantly be reminded where I came from.  The place that brought me into adulthood.  The place that grew me.  

No matter where we are, be it our current location; 7+ hours away from our friends and family; or any number of places nationally or internationally that are in our future with Kyle's career; nothing will ever change the fact that we were Homegrown In Ky.

foodie friday : crockpot whole chicken

Most of the time I like to grab a rotisserie chicken from whatever grocery store (usually about $5) and shred it for various recipes.  The flavor is good and always adds a little something to whatever I am fixing.  But they are pretty small so don't go very far.  This time I decided to grab a whole fryer chicken (about 4.5 lbs and just over $5) and cook the whole durn thing in my slow cooker (inspired by my friend ThatWinsomeGirl).  I rinsed it and patted it dry and then rubbed it with a paste of the spices I wanted for my upcoming meals.  In this case, garlic, salt, smoked paprika, chili powder, and cumin.  I put it in my 3 qt slow cooker so it just barely fit, but I wanted it to be in contact with as much of the heat as possible.  I cooked it on High for a couple of hours until it started to bubble (all juice from the chicken, I didn't add any liquid), and then dropped it down to Low for about 4 more hours or so until I had time to deal with it.  Pulling it out was a little difficult because it just completely fell apart.  The meat was so much more tender and juicy and flavorful than any rotisserie chicken I buy, and there was about double the meat I normally pull off.

First I fixed some white sauce enchiladas.  These are different every time I make them.  Sometimes I just use the chicken with some cheese inside.  Other times I have added black beans and corn.  This time I did sautéed peppers and onions with cheese and a little salsa mixed in with about 1/4 of the white sauce.  Load up your tortillas and put them in a greased pan.  The white sauce is 8oz sour cream, a can of cream of chicken, and a small can of chopped green chilis.  Spread the sauce on your assembled enchiladas and then generously sprinkle on some shredded cheese.  Bake at 400F for about 25 minutes until cheese is melted and starting to brown on the edges.  These are great with some salsa and avocado served with them.  This time using fajita/small flour tortillas, we had 9 enchiladas.  Kyle requests these regularly, and Myles is a huge fan as well!

The second night, I grabbed a box of Pasta-Roni angel hair pasta and herbs, roasted some cherry tomatoes and squash for 15 min on 400F with some olive oil and S&P, and threw in some more of that chicken.  Myles and I loved it, Kyle once again ate it just because that was what I fixed.  I will say that since tomatoes aren't in season, these were pretty sour despite their red color, so I wasn't as happy with them as I'd hoped I would be, and I was really wishing the whole time that I had remembered to grab some mushrooms at the store.  But for dinner done in 20 minutes, you can't really beat it.

I still have about 1/3 of the chicken left, so might toy with a chicken salad recipe today or something; have any suggestions? This would be great in a pot-pie or on nachos as well!

Want more food ideas?  I'm linking up at gatormommyreviews today so go check out the other great recipes!

currently

dreaming :  I was really upset at the idea of never seeing snow when we moved down here to the south. But now we have actually had a bit of snow several times, and I am already shocked at how much I feel annoyed by it.  So right now I am dreaming of the warmer southern weather that I thought we would have down here.  Of our neighborhood streets showing off their blooming landscapes.  Soon.  Soon there will be flowers again.

planning :  Next month is my brother and I's birthday month so since he lives halfway across the globe, I need to have his present ready like now to mail off.  He just got his Christmas present last week.  Thanks Shutterfly.  What do you get for someone that buys whatever they want, when they want it?  For me, I am toying with the idea of trying out Stitch Fix for the spring.  It sounds like an exciting little adventure to have once don't ya think? I may really need to break down and use Pinterest though for the best results.

making :  A lot of fake lattes at home.  I was getting annoyed with how much coffee grounds it takes to make just enough coffee for me to drink in the morning...and how little more it takes to make enough for 2 days worth.  So lately I have been fixing double the amount to drink regular coffee on the first day and I refrigerate the extra.  Then the next morning, since I don't really like the taste of reheated coffee alone, I throw in a generous splash/pour of milk to reheat, and top off with some homemade whipped cream and cinnamon for a fake latte extravaganza.

baking :  I made a big batch of cookies last week to enjoy during the staycation.  I figured out the best cookie dough recipe several years ago when we moved to Louisville, and it has been used over and over and over again to make white chocolate chip cookies for the residents.  This time I switched things up and did some white chocolate, white&semisweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate chip with raisins and walnuts.  Maybe I will eventually post the recipe.  Maybe.

watching :  What are we not watching?  Kyle and I have a ton of shows that we keep up with during the year, but I do have some that only I watch.  Currently I am keeping up with Arrow, The Flash, Reign, Once Upon a Time, Downton Abbey, and The Americans. 

I am once again linking up with Anne and Jenna!  Go say hi!

winter staycation 2015 recap

paint the kitchen.  explore the area.  go to IKEA.  switch television providers.  organize/rearrange kitchen cabinets.  go to the zoo as a family.  get time alone.  bake some cookies.  eat Henry's BBQ.  eat somewhere new.  get Kyle's car serviced.  get my car serviced.  go to the dentist.  get haircuts.  hang the newly framed painting.  repaint the chalkboard coffee table.  soak up family time.  

We managed to do most of what I had planned!  We ended up with 2 snow days in different parts of the week that I had never planned for, so things had to be shuffled around a bit.  Day one of our Staycation was spent with me climbing around the kitchen FINALLY getting paint on the walls.  It really makes such a huge difference and feels like such a big update.  For about $25 you really can't beat the power of paint.

Myles was able to experience real snow and he thought it was pretty cool.  He followed his dad around and picked up sticks for him.  It was all pretty awesome to him until we took his wet mittens off.  He didn't really like touching it for real.  We managed an afternoon at the zoo on day 3.  It was sunny up at our house and felt awesome so we packed light, and then when we got downtown, the clouds rolled in and it was rather frigid.  So we went fast; Myles didn't mind at all, he really thought the animals were awesome and had tons of fun getting to walk around the zoo on his own.  

Day 5 we tried a new-to-us restaurant, one that has been recommended several times and we pass it every Sunday on our way to church : Southern Culture.  Well-done southern food.  We had a difficult time ordering, everything sounded amazing.  We both want to go back to try out other things.  Kyle got the sweet-tea Salmon, and I ordered the shrimp and grits for Myles and I.  It was much spicier than I planned, but Myles LOVED it.  I can't wait to give this place another try!  

On Day 6 (the day we were supposed to get up to 10" of snow but only ended up with 2") we "explored the area" by making the 1.5 hr drive over to Charlotte, NC to hit up IKEA.  Myles had a blast!  I shopped while Kyle watched Myles explore and get into everything.  I liked that the store was split up well into breakable areas followed by more kid safe areas... Dining stuff followed up with rugs followed by lighting followed by bedding... so he had areas he could have a reprieve from the stroller and "explore" without us having to worry he would break something.

Day 7 was extra short haircuts for me and my mini-man with our favorite Miss Charla.  Day 8 was car repair for Kyle and a first birthday party for a residency friend, and Day 9 was chill at home worrying Myles might have another virus, with some last moment alone time for me.  Yay Target/Starbucks!

Sometimes a Staycation is what you really need, and man did we need it.  It really would have been a bad idea to try to go back to Kentucky with the weather being so unpredictable, and the ability to be productive and relax was something I really needed in my life at this moment.  Some things are just easier when you have your partner there to lend a hand.