Sweets

If it were scientifically possible to induce diabetes by simply eating lots of sugar and therefore putting significant strain on your pancreas to make insulin, then the past two weeks or so would have done it for me!

It's all been a blur since returning from the MMVR conference. Tom treated me to a wonderful breakfast at Patty's Eggsnest when I got back from MMVR and this hot chocolate set the stage for the sweets to begin!

 Along the road to more sweets, the construction project at our condo got more real as they covered our sliding door in plastic as they prepared to remove the deck and the siding.

 This means that we have had very LOUD noises on our roof and the deck from about 7 AM until 4:30 or 5 PM. So, Tom and I get out of the house pretty early and do all of our studying away from home. As such, I'm subjected to the never ending supply of some sort of goodies that just "appear" as if from nowhere in our lounge. Last week, apple pie was waiting for me on the counter in the lounge and I couldn't help but take a piece. it was just too pretty to avoid.

 And, when I feel as though I should complain about having to study away from home, I remember that while it's rare, I do get the chance sometimes to get an amazing window seat in the South Campus Center with a view of the water.

 I had to return something I had ordered on-line to the mall the other weekend and stopped by Express with Tom to see how much their suits were (for him and I). We couldn't help but laugh at some of the fashions coming out. Check out the new style of dress-wear for 2014. You think I could be taken seriously at my next conference with this combo? Tom was tempted to buy it right on the spot :)

 Well, there was no shortage of things to do in school so one Friday night Tom and I decided to bake together. We couldn't decide on a single kind of cookie that we both wanted to eat so we ended up both making batches - one for me, one for him. 

 Tom went with Peanut-butter chocolate chip.

 And I went for white-chocolate raspberry (thanks aunt Ann for the recipe!). So delicious but it took us more than a week to get through all the cookies even after giving some to a new neighbor that just moved in below us (she must have gotten a screamin' deal for moving into what feels like a war-zone sometimes!)

 With all the rain, it was exciting to see the daffodils come alive and bring the spring-time vibes to Seattle.

 As we prepared for finals week, my study group and I snuck in a brief surprise birthday party for DeeDee. My study group (which Tom started calling "magazine and wine parties" because that's what we would sometimes rather be doing than studying) decided to surprise DeeDee with wine (champagne actually), magazines, flowers, and (of course) a birthday cake! It was an odd sight I'm sure for someone to see us popping a bottle of champagne on campus on the weekend before a final but we split it between us and another study group so we all had a sip, relaxed, chatted about life and then dove back into studying. It made the long day that much better!

 Plus, it was painful to study when it looked like this outside--so we made sure to take in a few walking breaks throughout the weekend as well.

 Well, after 4 finals and a lot of hard work, the Winter quarter has finally come to a close. To celebrate, my classmates and I celebrated pi day on 3/14. Just like last year, we had a great turn-out (as you can see from the photo!)

 Danny was our host for the event and the judging was intense. We had two different kinds of strawberry pie, two kinds of apple (one made by yours truly--the lattice top one), a cookie pie, pecan pie, cholocate coconut, coconut creme, peanut butter chocolate, peach-raspberry and blueberry.

 As last years winner of the pie contest, it was a tough group to compete against! We were all shooting for the title of Optimum Pasillis Pistor (roughly translated to master pie baker).

 once we took a little nibble of each kind of pie-- our plates looked like an explosion of deliciousness! Do you see what I mean about diabetes though? I mean seriously-- who eats this much pie in one sitting?

 You can see how happy people started out--and imagine how full and miserable we felt afterwards :)

Danny kept thing tense as we awaited the counting of the votes. He read the tally and informed us that the winning pie was a peach-raspberry pie---it was soo good!

 And here's the winner celebrating her victory.

As if that weren't enough sweets, I was invited to a brunch this morning to just relax and celebrate the start of spring break with friends. Of course, the left-over pie from pi day made an appearance as well a TON of other carbohydrate and sugar-full foods like cinnamon coffee cake, donuts, fruit salad, scones (which were yet again a hit dad--thanks for the recipe!)

I didn't eat breakfast before going to the brunch at 11:30 and I didn't feel like eating again until tonight. I'm so ready to take a hiatus from sugar and carbs for at least 12 hours :). I say 12 hours because I'm convinced that no matter how much pie I eat--I will always be ready for more without much lag time in between.

I neglected to take pictures tonight but we had a lovely dinner with Tom's family this evening to celebrate Katie's completion of a warehouse management program at Bates Technical College. We met up at a great little Mexican restaurant and laughed the evening away. What a pleasant start to a week away from the classroom! Tom still has a paper (due tomorrow evening) that is vying for his time, but we are very much ready (and in need of) a little break away from a library, a book and this apartment! One more quarter to go and I transition to clinical medicine and Tom transitions to externships. Whew...time flies.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll just go roll into bed and sleep off my sugar coma. Perhaps a work-out is in order tomorrow?