Birthdays and Life...

TGIF everyone! I mean seriously, what a crazy emotional week. That is just life though and trust me, I am full of emotions!

Last Sunday Kent and I celebrated our 39th and 35th birthdays. In the past we have had blowouts which has included appearances by a Neil Diamond impersonator (who also shares our birthday)
He was the WORST impersonator, which made is all that better. (YIKES...look at my boobs in this shot!)

Back to the current year. Since we are going to Palm Springs in two weeks we didn't travel anywhere, we did a one day stay-cation. I sent Kent an evite a few weeks ago and he was so excited when he opened it, but then realized he was the only person invited. Kent loves a party, but his muffin just didn't want it this year. Next year..when he turns 40, a blowout for sure. I really wanted to just spend the day with Kent and do some fun things that were all a surprise to him. We started with brunch at Cafe Campagne in the market. If it wasn't so packed I would have taken a photo of my croque monsieur which can literally bring a tear to my eye it is so delicious. We had mimosas and frites and loved that it was semi-sunny.


After brunch we went over to Sur La Table, my form of porn, even though I am packed to the gills with kitchen items and I am only a mediocre cook. Kent can not pass up a sale so a newly coveted cheese plate was mine. Upon leaving Sur La Table we ventured on down to the SAM (Seattle Art Museum) for the Michelangelo drawings exhibit and an awesome exhibit of Alexander Calder, who does amazing mobiles. When we were in Venice and went to the Peggy Guggenheim museum she had several of his pieces that were hung throughout her house. Kent was excited to go the museum and we spent about 2 hours there.

After we left the museum we walked across the street to the Four Seasons and went to the Art Bar. I had the delicious dill martini (sounds gross, but quite refreshing) and Kent had a beer.

This was sort of our relaxing and recooperating spot as we then ventured on to Spa de Lago for mani-pedi's. I know what you might be thinking, but it is my birthday too. My girlfriend Susan gave me a certificate there and I really wanted to pamper myself. I had Fran's chocolates and champagne ready so Kent couldn't complain.


The lady who worked over his feet was a riot. When she started doing his treatment I looked at her and said, "the lady who does his feet normally is really crappy. Good luck." Her mouth dropped but Kent started laughing because I am the once forced by that cute smile to work on his feet. I hate it, feet gross me out. I love my husband though and I've just realized that when I pull out that pedicure basket of mine, that means a couples pedicure awaits me.

After I had my fabulous appointment with the OPI color "I'm fondue of you" I gathered our things and we were headed to the last planned event. I have been wanting to eat at Delancey's for several months now. It is a husband/wife team who own the place and the wife Molly is a pretty popular blogger, her site is Orangette.blogspot. I love her photos, her recipes and her overall style. I decided to invite a few of Kent's friends to join us, as I know how much he really does like having a birthday together. Delancey's is the type of place that takes reservations for parties of 6 or more. The place is really small and without a reservation, your looking at an hour plus wait. Well word sort of spread that I was doing Delancey's and I suddenly found us with 13 people who wanted to join us. Crap, that is 1/4 of the restaurant. Molly was awesome though and they just rolled with the punches. We had amazing pizza, like I wish it was just Kent and I as I would have eaten ten times more!





As I noticed the line getting longer and longer and longer I knew we had to give up our 2 tables. Most people split except for Monkia and Miles, our fun friends who we spent Christmas Eve with at the drag queen show and NY's Eve at the moisutre festival. They are a riot and we walked across the street to A Caprice Kitchen for dessert. Delicious!

This was the best birthday I have had in a long time. I feel blessed in many ways and look forward to whatever happens in this upcoming year. Of course I want to get pregnant, but I wanted to last year too. Time and crappy drugs will tell!

Having the last word...

Am I a "know-it-all?" Do I always have to win an argument or have the last word? This is really on my brain right now. I find myself often dishing out advice, generally it is asked of me, but at times I know I need to have the last word. Today at work I found myself with a 1 out of 2 "win" with disgruntled patients. No specifics to mention, but I'm sitting here thinking to myself, "how could I have handled this better?" I think I need better negotiating/listening/problem solving skills with angered individuals. Hell I need better skills with happy individuals. Even in my marriage there are days that I know that serpent tongue of mine can lash out and whip Kent across the face. It's a tactic I've learned throughout the years to protect myself, but one that I'm not always proud of.

I had some pretty good revelations today about what I consider "fact finding" but might very well come across as "condescending or rude" to the recipient. Kent and I have been heavily weighing our options when it comes to housing. We are keeping our triplex and will be moving this spring/summer. Do we rent, do we somehow buy? Well it appeared renting was our only option but I smelled some creativity out of Kent recently as he has been scouring RedFin like mad. Last week-end we went to a few open houses and holy shit it is going to suck to leave my awesome place and live in a crap hole. Look at this beauty Kent made...



Back to reality...There is nothing like a real estate agent explaining a home as "a great opportunity for someone with contractor skills." The fine print on that comment..shit hole that I will more than likely live in. When I said "I do" to Kent, I also said I do to contractor visions and nightmare projects. Kent is awesome though and I know he has our best interests at heart. We struggle a bit with my vision not being so keen as his and my constant questioning of "how" and the disbelief that the vision is possible. I know that Kent and I have different communication styles as I'm a lady and he's a man. I might need to pick up The Male Factor, a new book on Amazon. It talks more about relationships in the workplace between men and women, but it generally all boils down to communication styles and perceptions.

I'm sort of rambling a bit today, but there is a definite swirl up in this brain. I don't want to be a know-it-all. I'd like to be thought of as determined, compassionate, educated and concise. Generally though I'm pretty damn emotional and that gets the best of me. I use to be so cool, now I frickin' get hives on my chest. I must remember if I become a negotiator to wear a turtle neck...but sometimes those damn cheeks of mine get flushed too! Oh..the travesty of having passion (aka an opinion that I damn well want you to understand).

Other than my know-it-all attitude things have been pretty calm and nice around the Davis household. We are still rockin' our fitness. Yesterday we met at the stairs and I did 5 sets, that's 1250 stairs up and down, or the equivalent of 62 flights of stairs. That is no joke people. I thought I was going to die on my last 50. Oh, and I didn't mention the running in between the sets. I'm weighing myself tomorrow, but I'm already a winner as I know my body is smaller. My new fat pants (recent purchases) are a bit looser. My lady business should be kicking in soon and then that drama starts. It has been so nice to not have that rolling around in my brain and those bad, bad drugs playing with my passion, ahem, emotions. We are leaving President's Day Week-end for Palm Springs so if my business doesn't come by early next week, we won't be timed right for an IUI, so then we will skip another cycle. I'm not happy about it, but this vacation was planned a long time ago and I see a big yellow ball in the sky and a heated pool with my name all over it.

Potpourri

I haven't touched my blog in over a week, I feel out of sorts a bit and I just didn't feel like writing anything down. I've just been all over the place this past week. Things have been fabulous and then swoosh, my emotions kick in and I'm in the dumps. I have had some awesome revelations over the past few days about money, stress and fear. They are all rolled up into one giant ball and every once in awhile it gets flung at me and nails me right in the gut. Knowing a little more of what I've been able to "uncover" in the deep parts of my brain has definitely helped. I'm not going to hash it out here, but hopefully I will be able to remember this mantra and not allow myself to go into such stressful places.

This past week I've been reminded of how lucky we all are after the earthquake in Haiti. I complain about my tendinitis, a headache, shin splints etc, but truthfully, that sheer pain and torture those people are going through is almost unbearable to watch. All of those kids who are without parents. All of those parents without their children. I get confused by disasters and the why's of their place, particularly in a religious sense. An area that is already on the verge of being one of the most distraught in the world, and now they face this. I don't really know how to react, but seeing the photographs and video makes me humble as I sit in my lovely home.

Kent and I are still doing awesome with our fitness and nutrition. I can not tell enough people about taking a daily dose of fish oil, the true oil, not the capsules. I put a dose into about 2oz of Kefir and gulp it down. Kent and I both have been excellent about our supplements, water intake and exercise routine. I really need to work on my stress levels though as stress will wipe out all of these other really proactive things I have been doing.

This upcoming week Kent and I have our birthday on Sunday. I'm looking forward to a positive week and a fun week-end. I can't believe I am going to be 35. Really, it just seems like a pivotal age of no longer being a "young" person. I did get an Iphone this week-end to make my best attempt at getting hip like the kids and an old lady in the grocery store yesterday stopped me to tell me how beautiful my skin was. I guess being 35 with technology and botox on my side is how I will ring in this new birthday. Here's to a good week for everyone.

TGIF

I'm feeling excited lately about how focused I've been. There has to be something about not being on any fertility drugs right now, but really, I think there is more to it.

-I have worked out 5x this week! In the rain, in the cold and at 5:30am!
-I have continued taking my daily dose of fish oil and all of my vitamins!
-Sleep..I've been conscious about going to be when I feel tired. Last night it was 9:30 which is unheard of for me.
-Pre-planned dinner on Sunday night and successfully cooked all this week.
-Did more research about PCOS and finding anti-inflammatory foods. It makes a difference.
-Focused on the good, the positive and a healthy future.

The best part...today is Friday and I have not over booked us for the week-end. I have a multitude of recipes I want to try out and freeze and new items to add to my revised PCOS friendly diet.

Yeah Friday!

What did I sign up for?

Today was my first day of bootcamp, something I haven't participated in for over a year. I've been plagued with health problems for awhile..broken sesimoid bone in my foot, tendinitis in my right elbow and a weight gain of 30 pounds that has given me a second ass (like super high on my hips, like a nice tire). Today's camp was a very physical one that involved running, sprinting hills and climbing stairs. I was one of the last to finish, but surprisingly, I didn't care. In the past I would have finished at the middle to beginning of the pack. That was the past though. That was 30 pounds ago, 1 1/2 years ago and a lot less stress. The point is I did it. This is my 3rd work out this week and it is only Wednesday. Woot Woot!

I'm coming out

Crap, I outed myself at work today and I'm furious at myself. No, I'm not a lesbian, I'm a non-ovulating woman who struggles with baby talk under pressure. Here's the quick and dirty. My boss was discussing with me the trials of the Seattle school district and how he would like to give me some information on picking a house in the right neighborhood, how to change districts etc, if Kent and I were planning on a family someday. I had briefly mentioned a year ago that we wanted a family and we sort of discussed my work schedule and obligations and the flexibility around this. After he made this statement I felt the flush of my face kick in and I was visibly upset. I couldn't come up with a lie about my sudden watery eyes and I'm just pissed. I basically said that we have been trying for awhile and we are having some fertility complications. I explained I was on medication and it is so mood altering that some days I can barely make it to the end without wanting to rip the face off of anyone 10 feet around me. My boss gets this as his family came from the help of science. I feel so upset right now about this, and I don't quite know why. I don't want the poor me look or the next time work is really stressful for it to be thought that it is all in my head (or moods by the drugs) and not the simple fact that I am overwhelmed with work.

I feel sad right now. I haven't thought about babies for several weeks, and it has been awesome. I've been taking care of myself with good food, my vitamins (including daily fish oil) and fitness. I'm excited by all of the plans I have made us for throughout 2010. This planning though is really a precursor to focus on the fact that I am travelling, going to concerts, plays etc to help me get through the months of waiting to see if we are pregnant. It's good to be occupied by something other than my lady business.

Diana Ross...sing it! I'm coming, out...I want the world to know...got to let them know.

Just Breathe

Kent and I had a great week-end. New Year's Day we woke up without hangovers (I was the designated driver..how responsible of me). I made us a yummy egg and bacon panini and we sat around and relaxed. We were invited to two separate eating events, one traditional Scottish the other traditional Japanese. Let's just say that by the end of the evening my gut was freakin' out.

Our first meal was at 1pm, a traditional Scottish meal served by a long lost roommate of Kent's that he reunited with in the parking lot of a Dick's drive-in (sounds dirty, but it's a burger joint). The couple, Peyton and Aimee love to travel and this traditional meal of Haggis, Neeps and Tatties and Mushy Peas is a tradition for them. Peyton happens to be a pretty gourmet cook and he scoured the land for the ingredients of haggis, which is a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Peyton came up with about 70% of the ingredients to make it, which by the way I don't really want to know were, but struck out and found a place in Oregon who ships fresh haggis. I will have it known that when they invited us over and told us the menu I said yes, we will come, but no, we will not eat. I've always been a sucker for peer pressure and Kent and I found ourselves be talked into trying it. The haggis was sliced and then fried and covered in brown gravy. I took all of 2 bites, but I did it. This wasn't on my NY's resolutions, but damn it, I'm penciling it in because who in the hell would have thought I would ever accomplish that. The Neeps and Tatties are basically mashed yellow turnip or rutabaga and potatoes. The mushy peas were mushy peas with a mint sauce. I liked the side dishes very much. It was a fun lunch complete with homemade creme brulee and good conversation.


I'm so bummed I left my camera, but here's something I stole off of wikipedia

After our first eating event we stopped off at my friend Susan's to see her no named baby who has since been given the name Jayce. He is just a little nugget who was sitting with dad and that was fine by us. Those brand new ones freak us out, so fragile! Our visit was short as we headed to our friends Chris and Shannon's house for Sukiyaki. I love this dish. It is basically very thin slices of beef in a yummy broth with vegetables, crazy vegetables that I don't have a clue what I am eating, but they taste great. You leave the table bloated like a crazy woman from all of the soy sauce, but it is totally worth it. Every time Chris's mom Sumiko comes to town I ask for a lesson to this dish, but I realize she doesn't measure, she just pours things in. I'm a cook only if I have an exact recipe.

The rest of our week-end was spent organizing, love it! and relaxing. It was so nice to have some time off to tackle some projects and then enjoy a movie. We went and looked at a couple of houses, but this is just not an easy task as housing is a nightmare in Seattle. I questioned if we should live in the suburbs, but I just don't see that happening. I'm so close to downtown that I could walk...not that I ever have, but the point is that I can. One house looked like it was 30 miles from downtown (an exaggeration, yes, but I could never walk that far). This moving this is sort of scary for me. I struggle with change, but it will be fun to live in a new part of town. More than likely we will be renting a home, which is fine as we will still have our current home. I hate the idea of paying a strangers mortgage, but it is a temporary thing. We are both breathing, relaxing, eating well and taking care of ourselves. This is our only job for the time being.