This weekend and New J-O-B

This weekend I prepared myself for returning to the work force. I was excited (to get a paycheck!) but nervous because I don't know anyone. When I am stressed I usually want to fill up time. On Saturday I decided to fill up said time with making Martha Stewart cookies! And boy did that fill up time- like all afternoon!

I wanted to start with the picture...since they are pretty amazing! The cookies are called Firework Cookies and they are really for 4th of July but I didn't have that kind of patience- plus it is normal to celebrate June 11th with Firework Cookies right? It is basically a sugar cookie- which takes awhile to make because it involves: making the dough, refrigerating it for at least an hour, rolling out the dough, cutting out the cookies, putting the cookies back into the fridge to harden them up, and THEN baking them. Time consuming.

The icing is royal icing. You make it with classic white and then put some of the icing in small bowls and tint it red and blue. The icing technique is actually simple, again just time consuming. You start with your white circle, then you pipe concentric circles of red, or blue, or both (Imagine a bull's eye and that is how you start). Then you take a toothpick and just drag it through the color. When you drag the icing in one direction and then the other direction they look like the picture above. You can also do a curve effect and it looks more like a pinwheel. (below)

On Sunday we spent the day on my husband's best friend's boat. I thought cookies would be fun to bring! All the boys greatly enjoyed them and I stand by the old saying that the way into a man's heart is with food. Regrettably I have been blessed (i.e. cursed) with pale, ivory, English skin and no matter how much suntan lotion I put on (LOTS) I get horribly sun burnt. I will spare you a real picture but imagine this and you get the picture.

Well yesterday was my first day of work- and yes I was super excited to show up with my rad new sunburn. The day went well at first. I am in orientation for two weeks so I don't have much action yet. I am still kind of concerned over whether this actual position will qualify as "clinical"- but they did say after six months they may be able to move me to a more lead therapist position. I suppose we will see. Anyway the day was fine- until I went to my car. At lunch my car would not start. I assumed it was the battery and didn't really worry that much about it. After the day was over a girl helped me attempt to jump it- to no avail.

Now let me say that I have had some crappy and unreliable cars in my life and due to this I consider myself a car jumping expert. I mean really it is a skill I have unhappily learned. I know what I'm doing and nothing would make my car start. My husband was convinced it was probably my starter. Proceed to me calling a Honda dealership and dissolving into tears when I find out that a starter is over $700! Then watch Meredith, in her manic state, to become very excited when she realizes her warranty covers starters. Tears again- AAA is cancelled. Happy again- my warranty covers towing!!

Imagine Meredith two hours later in a black car, sweating in over 90 degree heat when the tow truck FINALLY gets there just to find out- oh it is my battery and I'm fine. Oh what a day.

But then I had a great reminder of why I love my husband when I came home to Chick-fil-A and ice cream that he picked up. I really am blessed : )