AT1 Happy Hour

On Thursday, Ross and I attended the DC JDRF's Adults with Type 1 Happy Hour. I've been to the happy hour before, but this time, Ross was in tow and I was alittle more at ease knowing I knew atleast one person. We got there around 6pm and we immediately welcomed by a group of people who are on the AT1 board. Everyone introduced themselves and we got drinks and got to talking about what we did, how long we'd had diabetes, and how we were diagnosed.

There were several people who were diagnosed as children and a group of us that were diagnosed as teenagers. There was a brother and sister pair snd a dad with type 1 whose daughter had been diagnosed in February. We talked about pumping, Omni-podding, and wearing a CGMS. We talked about insurance coverage and health reform. We talked about taking shots and exercising. Ross was a champ; chatting up various people about the benefits of CGMS and giving a bit of his perspective on diabetes technology.

I'm so thankful the DC JDRF started this group. It's always nice to meet and talk with people who know exactly what you're going through.

Ross' observation: "I may have been one of the only people in that room with a working pancreas".

FYI: For those of you in the DC-area, check out http://www.jdrfcapitol.org/adults-with-type-1/ for more information about the AT1 group!

The Big Move

This weekend, my parents and I ventured to Richmond, VA to move my little sister into her freshmen dorm at Virginia Commonwealth University. As I've mentioned, I still see her as being 6 years old (and in a cast with no front teeth after an unfortunate fall down the stairs in our house), which is completely silly since she's 18, gorgeous, and taller than me.

We managed the unloading and setting up of the room in record time. Kudos to VCU for making move in, especially into a HUGE building, pretty seamless. The streets were blocked off so we pulled right up to the curb and then got to check out one of those big laundry carts like the cleaning staff uses in a hotel. We had all of Beck's stuff into her room in 2 trips and totally tag teamed the room set up, with my mom making the bed, me filling her drawers with clothes, and my dad setting up her computer. We trekked around campus to check out the theater and hit the bookstore. After an extremely emotional "see ya later," we hit the road and left Beck to her next big adventure.

She has decided to document her first year at school, as a theater major, and you can check out her blog at This Little Light of Mine. Tell her her big sister sent you!

What's you fondest memory of your freshmen year of college or your first year away from home?

Wordless Wednesday: Revealed

Yesterday photo was a recent snapshot of Tucker, our Yorkchon. We have a futon in our den and Tucker decided to push several of his toys under there. Being the timid little guy that he is, once he got under the futon and couldn't reach his toy, her got scared and wouldn't move. Ross actually had to pick the futon up so Tuck would come out, but not without taking a snapshot of him first!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Hump Day! Today begins a new feature here on Low Snacks and Lip Gloss, Wordless Wednesday (except today there are words!). Every Wednesday, I'll be posting a picture of people that are important to me, things that make me laugh, Tucker, or who knows! I invite you to leave me a G-rated caption in the comments section for the photo and on Thursday, I'll let you know what the picture is actually about.

My Nana Hazel's Curry

I was fortunate enough to eat a lot of great food while we were on vacation in Montana. Between my favorite greasy tacos, chicken from my favorite bar, bbq fixings, and my Nana’s home cooking, we were definitely well fed.

On Monday, Nana Hazel made a delicious curry for dinner, after Ross and my Papa Woody got home from a long day of fishing (fyi, they didn’t catch a thing except for grasshoppers.). The house smelled absolutely wonderful the entire day and I badgered Ross with text messages to see when they would be home so we could eat:

“Am hungry. The house smells great. Hope you haven’t been eaten by a snake. Please come home soon.Kthxbye”

Nana grew up in Southend-on-Sea, England after World War II. She cooks traditional British food like a champ. Her Sunday roast makes tears come to my eyes it’s so good. Her Yorkshire pudding is something that both my mom and I try and replicate and ultimately fail at, every single time. . She makes Toad-in-the-Hole (sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding) and amazing chips (French fries) and a trifle that my mom talks about in complete envy. She doesn’t use a lot of spices, but the food still is rich in flavor and always memorable.

The curry that she makes is ever so easy and something that she learned to make from her brother, my great uncle, Brian. He was known for making this around Christmastime and having friends and family over to share with him.

It reminds me of family.

First, gather a package of stew beef and chop the pieces in smaller pieces (roughly ¾ inch pieces). Slice an onion and two large carrots. On medium high heat and in a large pot, sauté onions in extra virgin olive oil until they are translucent. Add the stew beef, a few (yes, few-she doesn’t measure) tablespoons of curry powder, and some flour. Allow the meat to brown until most of the pink in the meat is gone. Add three to four cups of water and the carrots. Allow the stew to simmer for several hours (the longer it simmers, the more tender the meat will be). Then add a packet of Golden Curry sauce mix (Nana uses medium hot). Stir to desired consistency. Add more sauce mix as necessary and make sure everything is well combined and heated through.

Serve on top of rice and enjoy in the company of those you love.

34. Learn a new G-rated joke every month for a year (3/12)

Q. Why DIDN'T the skeleton cross the road?
A. Because he didn't have any guts!!!

14. Visit my grandparents in Montana with Ross

This past week, we crossed off another item on my 101 Things list. Ross and I had been planning our Montana trip since March and I feel like it sort of snuck up on us. I hail from Great Falls, Montana, thanks to the fact my dad is retired Air Force and met my mom (a Montana transplant via England) while he was stationed here. And while my Nana Hazel explained that “the city is going to shit,” I still love it.

Why? Because the sky is different there. Because everything seems alittle brighter. Because there’s no humidity and my hair didn't frizz. Because some of my favorite people in the entire world live there. Because my favorite restaurant is there. Because people are just alittle bit more relaxed.

They wear boots and cowboy hats. They go to rodeos. They 4-wheel through the mountains and camp. They go to the river and swim in the creek. They fish and they hunt.

Me? I don’t do any of that. But I appreciate the lives that they live and I’m imagining that it would be pretty great to have a house with some land, to be able to look out in the morning and see that big, beautiful sky.

Also, I think I would look pretty sweet in a pair of boots, and an awesome cowboy hat.