Thankful~Psalm 147

1 Praise the LORD.
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the exiles of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.

5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.

6 The LORD sustains the humble
but casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
make music to our God on the harp.

8 He covers the sky with clouds;
he supplies the earth with rain
and makes grass grow on the hills.

9 He provides food for the cattle
and for the young ravens when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of a man;

11 the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.

12 Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion,

13 for he strengthens the bars of your gates
and blesses your people within you.

14 He grants peace to your borders
and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

15 He sends his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.

16 He spreads the snow like wool
and scatters the frost like ashes.

17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles.
Who can withstand his icy blast?

18 He sends his word and melts them;
he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word to Jacob,
his laws and decrees to Israel.

20 He has done this for no other nation;
they do not know his laws.
Praise the LORD.

What more can I be thankful for than a God who loves me? I know I don't deserve anything, but my blessings are many in numbers. Eternal life through Jesus Christ. Hope. A Godly, hard-working husband that I can grow and learn with. A giant pup. A house. A job. Parents that loved and enabled me. A country in which I can worship freely. A lifestyle that I can do pretty much anything that I choose. Health. Good hair. Even if all of these earthly things vanished, I still have God. I still have hope in Him. I have eternal life, and for that I will praise the Lord and give thanks!

because we all need a laugh

These are some of my favorite websites to check out when I need to laugh. I'm sure most of you have seen these sites. Leave a comment if you know of any other funny (but not inappropriate) blogs!

Stuff Christians Like

Cake Wrecks

Awkward Family Photos

Unnecessary Quotes

heavy

As I promised, here is my weight-loss post. I must say that it grinds on my nerves when non-medical people give medical advice, and I'm sure (actually, I know, because I live with one) that most medical professionals won't agree with everything I say or do. Read at your own risk!

When we got married over three years ago, I guess I started getting lazy. Not lazy, I worked 45+ hours a week, went to school at night, and commuted two hours each day. I ate what I could, when I could. During the spring of 2007, I tried the Slim Fast diet for over two months. I was ALWAYS hungry (and ill, because I was so hungry) and I walked and ran, but I didn't lose any weight. I gave up. That fall, I hit the gym hard core and lost about ten pounds. The spring 2008 semester was much busier, and I didn't go to the gym that much, and when I did, I didn't push myself. I was also staying in Jasper, taking care of my mom during the week and my husband on the weekends. This went on for several months. I ate a lot of comfort foods, which caused weight gain. When mom went into the hospital in January 2009, we ate out three meals a day. We didn't have time or energy to cook. The stress and grief in the following months didn't help my weight, either. I blew up, quick. I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, without thought. I would justify my poor habits by saying it was just temporary, while I was grieving. Even the clothes I had recently bought weren't fitting. This summer, I was shopping and trying on clothes and I had bulges in places that I shouldn't. Nothing looked good on me. I didn't feel good. I was unhealthy. I looked unhealthy. I felt unhealthy.

I decided that day it was time for a lifestyle change. I haven't shared much, because I didn't want my failure to be public if it didn't go as planned. I am not a self-disciplined person. I want what I want. This type of personality leads to failure from the start when forced to diet. I knew that depriving myself of foods that I love was just going to make me more miserable and feel worse, but I knew I had to do something. I went and bought some vitamins. I take one Centrum Women's Health every day, along with two fiber capsules. I know that nutritional value is important. I also take my vitamins with food, so I don't vomit. I swapped to skim milk. I measure out my cereal according to the package directions. A portion of food is about the size of your palm. Yep. And I don't clean my plate. That is just ridiculous. Some things to think about...A SMALL order of french fries has 230 calories. Twelve ounces of juice has more sugar than a can of soda, and no nutritional value. I eat more fruit, either fresh or dried. I still eat dessert, just in much, much smaller portions. Chris and I split a lot of meals. I do cook a lot, so I plate our food, then store the rest to avoid the temptation to eat more. TheShubertFam doesn't really buy into the organic thing. I did A LOT of research when my mom was first diagnosed with cancer. "Organic" just doesn't make sense (and Chris agrees with me on this one). There is so much information on that I need to type a different post. However, I don't like preservatives. YUCK. If I can make it, I don't buy it. Salad dressings, sauces, anything. I try to not open packets. No Hamburger Helper, frozen dinners, or canned soups in my kitchen. I don't make my own chicken stock, but I use low-sodium so I can control the amount of salt. Before I eat something, I ask myself, "Does this have any nutritional value for my body?" I don't count my calories, because I think that can lead to obsession. I only weigh myself every few weeks. We don't even own a scale!!! I think that takes a lot of pressure off of me. Thursday night, Chris and I each ate a double cheeseburger (from The Oasis in Cottondale) that made my arteries clog up just from looking at it. But that's okay, because I don't eat like that every day, or even every week. It's all about balance, my friends. I have lost ten pounds since August. I am happy with my weight, but I still have to become healthier with some of my lifestyle habits! I still struggle with exercising consistently. I walk the dog regularly, which I know has helped. Now that I've lost weight, I jiggle in places that just shouldn't jiggle. I have also started spending more time reading the Bible. I have to contribute my weight loss to God. I have been prayerful and thoughtful about my body and taking care of it.

With all that being said, it has not been easy. I want to grow old with my husband (if that is God's will) and being overweight was interfering with that possibility. Being overweigh increases risks of diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, high cholesterol, and those things lead to things like kidney and heart failure and strokes. No thank you, I don't want any of that. I also know that Dr. Hubby will trick, er, I mean talk me into having some kids in a few years. I want to be as healthy as possible when that time comes. My weight loss is NOT about looking a certain way (although I am pleased with my flatter tummy) or becoming a tri-athlete, it's about being healthier. God created me, and I need to take care of my body.

I know weight is a very sensitive topic for most people. I have struggled with body image issues for many years. I am not an expert. I am a (somewhat) normal person losing weight and keeping it off and getting healthier, and these are some things that have worked for me. I would appreciate your prayers as I continue on this journey!

a wish list

I've tried really, really hard to not think about the holidays. You know, it would probably induce a pity party or something. So instead, I am typing a meaningless post about some ridiculous stuff that I have my eyes on for my birthday or Christmas...Maybe Chris and my dad will take a hint :)

These shoes. Well, not that exact pair, a customized pair. With my initials. I don't even know if shoes that tone will work at all, but it sounds like a good idea. And some cute workout clothing to match my customized shoes.

This hair straightener. It was tested by Good Housekeeping and got great reviews for battling frizzies in humidity. Plus, it's so much cheaper than a Chi.

Some clothes from Anthropolgie. Sigh for Anthropologie. By the time I can afford to shop there, I will be too old and I will look like one of those mid-life crisis ladies that tries to dress like a twenty-something. I love looking though. Wouldn't this dress be perfect for a Christmas party?

A pair of black cowboy boots. I have some awesome camel colored ones that cost a small fortune (so does this pair) but boots are SO COMFORTABLE and a great pair never really goes out of style. I look at it as an investment rather than a sunk cost...

A beach house. Or a beach trip. Whatever, I'm not too picky.

This was fun to do! What's on your wish list?

Trick or Treat!

Brooks was the inspiration for this pumpkin carving. I found the template here. Didn't Chris do a spectacular carving job? TheShubertFam wishes everyone a safe and fun and Happy Halloween! (By the way, we totally ditched the trick-or-treaters and went and ate some Mexican food. We are not very friendly neighbors.)

At night, with my iPhone camera

ands, if, or buts

A random compilation of theshubertfam updates. I realized that I have been blogging about stuff but not about us. I don't like "Dear Diary" posts. It's just not the way I'm rolling these days. All of my dear readers (and even the nosey people) need to know what's going on with us.

I have lost eight pounds since August. And I'm back in my skinny jeans. But now my dress pants need to be altered. If I could just tone up my flab then I will be rockin' out. And I will work on a post about my weight loss.

Dr. Hubby is on his OB-GYN rotation. And he is applying for fourth year away rotations. If he gets it all worked out, we will be traveling A TON next year. Rochester, Minnesota. Nashville, Tennessee. St. Louis, Missouri. One of the Carolinas (Wake Forest area, maybe?). There are other places that I can't really remember right now. It is overwhelming to think about. And even if he doesn't get it all worked out, we will still be traveling A LOT for residency interviews. It's getting real, folks. But if I get my dream job, we are much much more likely to stay in Alabama...

And Dr. Hubby lost his pager last week. He came home and the pager clip was on his pants but no pager. And it made him really upset. But nooo I didn't laugh. But did you know if someone loses a pager then UAB sends new ones?

I got a job a few weeks ago. But it's not my dream job. It's a retail job. And my dad and Chris and Brooks aren't so happy about it. But now that I am getting used to it, it's actually fun. And it's something I can continue part-time if I get another job. And I am waiting to hear back from my dream job application. It will be a couple of weeks. If you would pray for me, I would appreciate it. And I know that God has a plan, so it will all work out for His glory.

Tuesday would have been my mom's fiftieth birthday. And it was a hard day. And I miss her so much. And it's hard to believe that this was a year ago. But I didn't want to not do anything (my dad had already put some flowers on her grave), so I went to Publix and bought a cake. Chris, Brooks, and I ate some that night. There is still a lot left. If I eat the rest of it, then I probably won't need to get those pants altered.

And the AcneFree is still working well. If I remember to use it. But it bleached out my green phone case. No joke. That stuff is for real.

I have been wearing these boring panties for YEARS and I'm trying to branch out. Even though sometimes I feel like it, I'm not middle-aged yet. And so I bought these panties a few weeks ago after reading on another blog that they are wonderful. One size fits all. But they aren't comfortable AT ALL. So I bought some of these panties last week and I LOVE LOVE LOVE THESE PANTIES!!! You must go get some. I love the Dream Angels bras, but never tried the panties. Spectacular. Comfy and no lines. You're welcome. The next time I see you in person I will wonder if you are wondering about my panties. Not really. That would be weird.

And Brooks gets a little bit smarter every day. And he really hates me leaving him for work. He doesn't understand. And he goes and gets his leash when I am getting ready for work. And It really makes me sad. But one day I will stay home with him again. If the government doesn't take over health care. But that's a totally different topic for a totally different day.

Chris and I are doing The Love Dare Bible Study with our Sunday School class. And it really is helping us communicate and be better, more Christ-like spouses to each other. But we are a week behind because of our work schedules. If people took the marriage more seriously, divorce rates would be a lot lower. Seriously, of all the new marriages each year, half will end in divorce. (That doesn't mean the overall divorce rate is fifty percent, but it is still alarmingly high.) Shouldn't we married folks be standing up and taking action and "fireproofing" our marriages?

If you aren't bored by this post, then thanks for reading this sporadic update of our little life, dear followers. And I'm working on some more really good post ideas. But don't get too excited, we all know what a procrastinator I can be. And is it just me, or are we cool enough for our own reality show?

happy fall, y'all!

A witch bowl full of apples.

"Why is it a witch bowl?" asked Dr. Hubby. Because it is my bowl.

I made this centerpiece. Pretty fancy-smancy, eh? Mini pumpkins and gourds and pine cones and "fake-corns" (acorns from Hobby Lobby, per Dr. Hubby) and apples on a three-tier cake stand. And my brown scarf wrapped around the bottom.

I found this cool dish in my parents' basement. It was made in 1970. I think it is rockin' cool, and someone hand-made it. Not sure who, though. It has some initials on the bottom.

Isn't he the cutest? I love him, even though he ignores the camera.

Fall Scene-I should have swept the porch before making pics but I was too lazy.

Stay tuned for a Halloween picture. I also have some Bath & Body Works Kitchen Spice hand soap and a cute kitchen hand towel and some very fall-ish candles from there. Yum! We have roasted marshmallows in the fire pit a few times. I bought some candy for trick-or-treaters. I have been making all kinds of yummy soup on these rainy fall days. Hooray for fall!

housework: saving money

Saving money is not my strength at all. I am a spender. I love to buy shoes. And go out to eat. And buy stuff for the dog. I just like stuff. Living on a med school budget and my current job situation has really made me have to tighten up lately. Here are some things I do:

• I have started shopping at ALDI. I was a skeptic at first, but I had to give it a try because my friend Erin always gets great deals there. Milk is $1.49 a gallon. And a three-pack of bell peppers are $1.99. It is spectacular, as long as you don't mind store-brand stuff.
• I tear dryer sheets in two pieces. They last long and I haven't noticed a difference. I also don't use dryer sheets on towels because it makes them less absorbent.
• I called and negotiated our cable/Internet bill and saved $27 a month. I told the cable company I was going to have to cancel our service if I couldn't get a cheaper deal. I also got about twenty extra (sports) channels added, in addition to my savings. I recommend you do the same. Phone bills, medical bills, and interest rates are all negotiable. The worst a company can do is say no. You can always find somewhere else to provide services.
• I LOVE Sam's. I buy items like paper towels, laundry detergent, Cascade, dog food, beer, toilet paper, Clorox wipes, Diet Coke, and pretty much all of our housecleaning stuff there. None of these things are perishable and the prices are much much cheaper than Walmart.
• I use the freezer. I am not a fan of next-day leftovers, but if I make a big pot of soup or chili or chicken and dumplings, I freeze the leftovers in a Ziploc bag. On days I don't feel like cooking, I just thaw it out and dinner is ready! I also wash, chop, and freeze veggies like squash, zucchini, mashed up avocados, bell peppers, onions, and celery. It saves time and money.
• I paint my own toenails. A foot file is about $4. For French pedi just get some white polish and paint the tips and then clean up any smudges with a q-tip dipped in polish remover.
• The Shuberts go to matinee movie showings. Much cheaper and less crowded.
• You know the Coke Rewards points that come with Coke boxes and bottles? I enter them online and redeem magazine subscriptions. I haven't paid for magazine subscriptions in about two years.

I wish I was better about using coupons and looking up sales online. I know a lot of places offer $50 gift card restaurant gift certificates for $25, and I wish I could be better about taking advantage of those. There may be other things I do to save money, but this is about all my brain is coming up with now. Your turn! What do you do to save money? Is there an area you wish you were better about saving?

stranded

Have you ever been stranded? It is a most terrible position in which to be. I have a stranded story (and it happened in Walker County) that really made me think about some things. I will share. You may laugh and think it's corny, but I know you're gonna read it because I am just that fascinating.

My grandparents from Florida came up for a quick visit earlier this week. They were staying with my aunt in-the-middle-of-nowhere, Walker County. I have been there many times, but usually Chris drives me. Brooks and I went for a visit. I turned into the wrong driveway, and I realized it almost immediately. I could still see the main road. I put my car in reverse, and began to back down the driveway (which was a steep hill) not thinking about all the recent rain, and my giant SUV slid into a ditch. The entire driver's side was leaning and wedged against an embankment. I tried to shift gears and get out, but I was afraid I would damage the car, or get stuck even worse in the mud. I was SO MAD at myself. I hate doing dumb things like this. My dad was underground in the mines performing an inspection, my husband was on call at the hospital in Tuscaloosa, and my cell phone had no signal. I really love and respect my husband and my dad, but any time I get in a situation from doing something silly, I get lectures, questions, and maybe comments that make me feel even sillier. So I was just a teeny bit glad I couldn't call either one of them to tell them about my latest predicament.

I climbed out of the car (really, I had to push the passenger door up with my legs) in my brand-new super-cute striped heels (my poor dog-child was having a full-blown panic attack in the very back of my giant SUV) and walked down the driveway waving my cell phone around to try to get signal. I called my Grandaddy and told him the road I was on, and he said he was on the way. I was worried because my grandparents usually drive their Toyota Camry when they come to Alabama, and I knew that wouldn't be much help. I waited and waited and waited. It was drizzling rain, there were mosquitoes, and Brooks was panicking even more because I was having a full-blown panic attack at this point. I kept thinking, "Are there gonna be some crazy rednecks that are gonna shoot me for being stuck in their driveway?" I wondered if I should try to flag someone down to help pull me out, or if I should go ahead and call a tow-truck. I was just so angry at myself for messing up, and I could still see the main road for cryin' out loud! I just hate doing dumb things like this. My parents raised me to be a mostly-responsible adult. Getting stuck in the mud is NOT RESPONSIBLE. As all these million things were going through my head, I realized I feel stranded in my life right now. I can't seem to land a job, Chris is super-busy all the time, I miss my mom a little bit more every day, I have no idea where we will be moving, and my life is just so different than I had planned. I absolutely believe that the exact place I am in right now is where God wants me. I am not in a comfort zone by any means. So I feel stranded, but really I'm not. God is with me. He will put me in a different place when He sees fit. All I can do is ask God to help me. All I can do is cling to Him during these difficult times. He has always provided for me, He is providing for me now, and He will continue to provide for me in the future. But I have to ask Him to provide for me. To save me. To take away the sin and the mistakes, even the unintentional stuff, but especially the intentional sin and struggles. I didn't ask to for my difficult situation to be taken away, I just asked that God stay with me. As I stood there in the rain, swatting off mosquitoes, I just began to cry. God is the same, He is so good, regardless of where I am or how I feel or my latest mistake. And He used getting stuck in a ditch and having to ask for help to get my attention. I cannot fix my situation. I cannot take control without causing more damage. I must wait, and trust God.

My Grandaddy got there about minutes later (and he drove their 4Runner this trip, whew). It seemed like a lot longer to me. He didn't say one single negative thing to me, he just hugged me. I was just glad that he was there. He evaluated the situation, and told me to get in the driver's seat. He stood in front of my car, and told me which way to turn the wheel. He guided me, and I listened. After a few seconds, I was out of the ditch. No tow truck, no dents or scratches, no damages to the driveway, or injuries for the dog-child or myself (or my new shoes). The situation wasn't nearly as bad as I had created it to be in my head. I knew if I kept tyring to get out of the ditch on my own, then I would have inflicted more damage. As silly as I felt, I had to ask for help.

Psalm 121
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

I always feel like my thoughts make sense in my head, and I have a hard time getting them out of my head and explaining to others. It has been laid on my heart to share this experience. I ask God for guidance and direction daily. How can I feel stranded when the creator of the universe is my God? I have said it before, but it really is so comforting to have a God that I can go to with all of my problems and just ask Him for help. The help doesn't always come in a way pleasing to me, but in a way that glorifies Him. He has saved me from the ultimate predicament, death. Do you ever feel stranded? Do you have a difficult time asking others for help? Do you have a hard time asking God to save you?

bacne-a sort of gross post about back acne

Bacne is Gross, with a capital G. My bacne started in January. I dismissed it to stress, and started using Neutrogena body wash, which didn't really help. I tried spot treatments, and that didn't really help either. It just seemed to get worse. Two weekends ago, I announced to Dr. Hubby that I am going to go to a dermatologist. I know, I know, you all are probably wondering why I waited so long to do anything. I hate going to the doctor. I am a terrible patient. (Ironic, huh?) I put it off as long as possible. Anyway, my darling Dr. Hubby looks at me and says, "All you need is some retinol cream and that should clear it up." I think my mouth fell open. I said, "You have watched my bacne get worse and worse for eight months and you JUST NOW decide to tell me I need retinol???" I am not proud to say it was in a very harsh tone, but I was a little perturbed. Then Dr. Hubby proceeded to tell me he just learned about retinol treatments (like how they work and all that jazz) the previous week. Oh. Okay. He isn't a doctor yet, after all. So we went to CVS in search of retinol cream. We looked at AcneFree Severe. The cleanser contains benzoyl peroxide and it also comes with a retinol cream to use at night. Dr. Hubby was convinced it would work. I thought it looked like knock-off Proactive. It was $29.99 for a four-step system, and it came with a bonus spot treatment cream. I decided it wasn't that much for all that, so we got it. I started using it that night, on my back and on my face, because my pores on my face have gotten ginormous. I use it day and night, according to the instruactions. I think that following a routine is really important in acne treatment. Within four days, my blackheads were gone. Within a week about 70% of my bacne was gone. I still have a few pimples on my shoulders, but I am seriously amazed. And no, AcneFree is not paying me to say all this. The cleanser does bleach out wash cloths and I have been wearing a white shirt under my clothes just in case of bleaching. Sometimes I put some of my regular moisturizer on my face to prevent over-drying. I understand that acne treatments are different for everyone, and acne doesn't go away, but it can be controlled. I have also never had to deal with problem skin until early adulthood, so all of this is new to me. I just had to share.

Light the Night: A Special Tribute to a Special Girl

Let me start of by saying that last week was a hard week for me, as far as my grief. No real reason really, I was just sad and having a pity party for myself. Sometimes I feel like people have forgotten about my mom, or I feel like I am the only person that misses her. I know this is not true AT ALL, but it's just one of the things I contemplate at my pity parties. Tuesday night, I laid in bed praying and crying, asking God for peace and comfort. I must digress to say it is so comforting to have a God that I can go to with my issues and weakness and struggles and HE WILL PROVIDE for me. Over the next two days, I got three TOTALLY UNEXPECTED phone calls from people just calling to check on me and tell me they miss my mom, too. Friday some dear family friends called and invited me to dinner, some people that most definitely miss my mom almost as much as I do. I can't make this stuff up, folks. My God is continuing to provide for me, even my seemingly petty and selfish needs.

I guess you are wondering about the special girl mentioned in the title of this post. As if God didn't show up enough last week and carry me through my issues, I got an email in my facebook inbox Monday night. This is what it said:

Hey Amanda!

I don't know if you know how much you know about the Light the Night fundraiser, but it's just a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for research on blood cancers. We asked people at church to donate money to it, and I just wanted to let you know that I made the donation in memory of your mom since she has battled a blood cancer too. I figured everyone at church would be happy about that too since she was so important to so many people. If you want to see the website, the address is http://pages.lightthenight.org/al/Florence09/BeccaRoberts

Hope you are doing well.
You're still in my prayers.
Love,
Becca

***

What else can I say but W-O-W?!? God continued to show up during my weak, selfish moments. Becca is a year younger than me. We went to middle school and high school together, and we also attended the same church during that time. A few months ago she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Becca is a very special girl and I admire her for turning her less-than-ideal situation into something that will benefit others. SHE IS MY AGE, DEALING WITH A HORRIBLE DISEASE, AND SHE IS HELPING OTHERS. Again, W-O-W. You can read about her on the above link, and I hope you do. You may even feel led to donate, and that is great if you chose to help the cause financially.

I asked her if she minded if I shared the link on my blog, and she told me to go for it. Of course she doesn't know how greatly this impacted me, and I am not even sure this post can convey how grateful I am for the works God is using (and has used, and will continue to use) through others to help me through my struggles.

I hope this spiderweb story makes sense. Thanks for reading about my struggles and about Becca...

housework: let's make cake!

Okay, I LOVE LOVE LOVE baking. It just makes me happy. My mom passed along her love of baking to me. Here some tips for cake baking. You should listen to me. My cakes rock out.

-If you don't have a Kitchen Aid mixer, save your lunch money and buy one! It is so useful for baking. I LOVE my Kitchen Aid mixer.


-Measurements matter! When baking (anything, not just cakes) you CANNOT eyeball ingredients. It also matters what type of measuring instruments you use. Don't use eating utensil spoons. Use real measuring spoons. Level off dry ingredients, and don't over/under fill the cups.

dry ingredients measuring cups

liquid ingredients measuring cups

-I like to line my cake pans with parchment paper then grease and flour them. I use Crisco shortening to grease the pans (with my hands, fun!) and then sprinkle flour and shake off the excess. I have also used that Baker's Joy cooking spray, and it works fine, too.

-Preheat! The oven needs to be pre-heated for at least ten minutes before you begin your baking. Don't open the oven until the timer goes off! And set the timer according to the directions!

-Don't over-mix the batter, just until ingredients are blended. About two minutes is standard. Scrape the sides and bottom to make sure everything gets incorporated.

-Ingredients are better when they are all the same temperature, so set the eggs out at room temperature for fifteen minutes or so. Butter for frosting needs to be left out for about thirty minutes (I usually set the butter out after I put the cakes on the cooling rack, see below.) Don't let the butter get too soft, or your icing will be a hot mess.

-Cool it! Let your cakes stand for ten minutes in the pan (set the timer so you don't forget) then flip them out onto cooling racks to cool completely. If you don't let the cakes cool in the pan first, then they will most likely fall to pieces. But if you let the cakes cool too long they will stick to the pan. Ten minutes, no more no less.

-Please, please, please don't use icing from a tub. It is so gross. Homemade icing is so simple and can make a box cake really yummy. Some of my favorite icings:

Vanilla Buttercream

Cream Cheese I put pecans in this frosting for Dr Hubby's favorite Hummingbird Cake. This frosting is great on Red Velvet box cupcakes. (If you want nuts in frosting, toast the nuts-about half a cup-in the oven for a few minutes first for some extra flavor. Yum!)

Strawberry Buttercream My favorite!

Troubleshooting-My number one trouble-shooting tip: If the cake didn't turn out right, you didn't follow the directions OR you used a crappy recipe. I think I addressed the main problems people have when baking cakes. Please leave a question/issue if you have any! I find that Southern Living has the best cake recipes, and their recipes never need to be adjusted. I don't really like decorated or themed cakes, I like old-fashioned style cakes that taste good. Now you are wanting some cake, huh?

Some links to some of the other cakes I have made:

Sugar & Spice

Chocolate Chocolate

Pupcakes

Italian Cream Cake

I was going to post a pic of Chris's birthday a few weeks ago, but I can't find my USB cord...I think Brooks hid it from me.

Med School-Letter One

Dear Med School,

It's me, Amanda Shubert. I believe you have taken my husband and I am writing this letter demanding him back. I have figured you out. You still have many people deceived, but I am on to you and your trickery.

When people find out that Chris attends medical school, we usually hear something like, "Oh, what a great career choice," or "Wow, you're gonna make a lot of money one day." Oh Med School, have you ever fooled people. You have crept into our marriage. You have become the determiner of where we live, when we will have children, and how often we get to spend time as a married couple. Sleep schedules are pure chaos because of you, Med School. Pagers, texts, emails, phone calls, it never stops. The ever-increasing cost of tuition-let's not go there. We all know that we will be indebted to you forever, Med School. Most conversations revolve around you, Med School. My husband spends so much time with you that he has a difficult time talking about other things. I know you are trying to take away his social skills too, but you are no match for me and my friend, Sociology.

Med School, you do have a lot of annoying characteristics, but I guess you really aren't all bad. After all, you have taught my husband an awful lot about, well, medical stuff. He is great at answering random medical questions from friends and family, and he even is good a diagnosing issues, too. I think he has probably saved many lives already. He also seems to be especially popular among the little old ladies. And one day, like fifteen or twenty years from now, the money will probably be worth all of your hassles. But until then, I will continue to fight you for time with my husband. And no, Med School, I am NOT ready to meet your older brother, Residency.

Until we collide again,

Amanda K Shubert

housework: making a schedule

Let me start by saying I am in no way an expert housewife. But I must also say that staying at home has given me an opportunity to work toward perfecting (ha) the art of housekeeping. I also have no children, which I think allows my house to remain in a mostly-clean state. (If/When I do have kids I plan on locking them in the crate with Brooks so I can get stuff done.) I am a self-proclaimed procrastinator, and I have never cared much for schedules. Confession Time: CREATING A SCHEDULE FOR OUR LIFESTYLE HAS MADE EVERYTHING SO MUCH EASIER. I also never have to really clean house. I do a little bit everyday so I really never feel overwhelmed with housework. When I do go back to work, I WILL maintain my housework schedule. I still have a pretty good bit of procrastination left in me. I don't plant out every single minute of my day, I just have a list of things that need to be completed by the end of each day. I have decided to share some of my favorite tips that work for us and our household.

Weekends-I make a weekly menu. Then I make a grocery list. Making a grocery list is really important. It saves time, money, and prevents stress of trying to decide what to cook for dinner. If it's not on the list that week, we aren't buying it. I also make enough granola for Chris's breakfast for the entire week.

Monday is laundry day at theshuberthome. (I understand if there are more than two people in your house there probably needs to be more than one laundry day.) Having a designated laundry day keeps Chris from asking me when I plan on doing clothes. (Of course if there is an urgent need I don't refuse to wash clothes but having a designated day really cuts down on doing a million loads a week.) I DON'T USE LAUNDRY BASKETS. That's right, I put all of our laundry baskets in the attic a few years ago. All laundry baskets are good for is preventing me from putting away clothes immediately. Seriously, it takes about two minutes to fold clothes and hang everything on hangers. Then it is done and I don't have to dread putting away clothes. (That is the worst part of doing laundry, isn't it?)

On the same topic, I don't put dirty dishes in the sink. It is a wasted, inefficient step. As soon as the dishwasher finishes running (or first thing in the morning) I unload it. Then all the dirty dishes go straight in the dishwasher while I am cooking. There really isn't any clean-up after cooking. Chris is even on the no-dishes-in-the-sink wagon. Wiping out the sink after each use with a towel or Clorox wipe will keep it from getting grimy and gross and smelly.

I sweep the main part of the kitchen every time I finish cooking (or sometimes while I wait for dinner to finish cooking). This makes mopping so much easier. Plus, who likes walking on a gritty floor?

We have, um, just a little bit of a dog hair problem at our house. There is almost always little fluffy dog hairs on the coffee and end tables. I polish the tables a couple of times a week, but sometimes I just knock off the hair with my hand. Yep, that's what I call good enough housekeeping.

Oh, the dog hair. We will never get rid of it all. I do have to vacuum every other day. The only way I think I could get out of this is making Brooks live outside, and I think we all know that's not gonna happen. If I don't vacuum that often and just let it go, then I have to stop and empty out the little vacuum bin way too frequently. I also started throwing an over-sized beach towel on the love seat where Brooks naps, then when company comes over I toss the towel. Ta-da, it's dog hair free. Well, mostly dog hair free.

Febreeze plug-ins are fabulous. They don't smell too sweet, just clean. Febreeze is also great for pet bedding. Speaking of pet bedding, it really needs to be washed once a week or your house will stink like a giant dog. Trust me, I know.

Bathrooms: I keep Clorox wipes under the sink and give everything a wipe down as needed. Sometimes after I get out of the shower and the mirror is all steamy, I wipe it down with a towel. More good enough housekeeping. I also keep a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser in the tub.

Okay, I could go on and on. Look for more tips and tricks to come. And of course, my housekeeping schedule most likely won't be applicable with your lifestyle. But let's hear it. Do you have a weekly schedule? Do you wish you had a schedule? What are some of your scheduling tips and tricks? Please share! Happy cleaning!

momentary impulse~a somewhat ridiculous but sweet tribute to our dog

***Warning-Really, really long post. About a boy and a girl and a dog. Bail out now if you have a short attention span.***

If you have known Chris for any length of time, you probably know that he attempts to plan out every moment of our lives. A few weeks after we got married, we had a discussion about getting a dog. In our six years of dating, we never once talked about even wanting a dog. Chris said no dogs in our brand new house. That would be destructive and would dramatically decrease the value of our home. Anyway, one Sunday afternoon, we decided to go to the GBHS, you know, just to look. Chris had never even been to a humane society (growing up, that is the only place we ever got our dogs) and didn't really think that humane society dogs were good enough. We looked at one dog, but didn't really feel a connection. We walked around one more time, and Chris told one of the volunteers that we wanted to look at this little white puppy. Actually, it was a rather large white puppy. We thought he was a few months old, but no, just eight weeks. We waited in a room, and she brought him in, cradling him. He was just chillin'. She set him down, and he started running around like a maniac. I was sitting in the floor, and Chris was standing there, watching us. Brooks (who was called Dakota by the humane society, ick) walked up to Chris, put his little giant puppy paw on Chris's leg, and looked at him with those intoxicating sweet eyes. Chris said almost immediately, "Okay, we'll take this one!" Sucker. Chris went back the next morning to fill out the paper work and get him settled at home while I was at work.

the day we brought him home-he was 8 weeks old

a few weeks later, still trying to get used to everything (I really have no idea how someone could have left him at the humane society...look at that face!)

a little bit bigger...

before we (er, I) let Brooks on the furniture, he would just nap under our bed

1st Christmas! (Trying to capture this oh-so-sweet picture is the reason our pup strongly dislikes all things Christmas.)

helping with the flower bed, he's about 8 months here. And he is STILL growing.

Check out the tongue!

one of my favorite shots ever

my guys

The photographer rarely gets her picture made...Brooks is 14 months here, and already way bigger than me!

trying his paw at retrieving

We had so much fun at the beach!

He's not so sure about this stuff...

our sweet little fam

Brooks was a spontaneous decision. Fortunately Chris and I are somewhat responsible adults and we stepped to the plate of training a puppy. I wasn't really sure about having such a big dog in the house. We became experts at crate training. When Brooks was a few months old, we got a privacy fence hoping he would stay outside some. Well, he suffers extreme separation anxieties, and prefers the crate. Except on days like this. And we have had many fun adventures, like this and this. Brooks is also the inspiration to some great posts about how wonderful Chris and I think he is . This week marks his three year adoption anniversary. I must admit (although you couldn't have convinced me three years ago that I would EVER say the following) big dogs are more fun. We like to jog as a family. Saturday we even went hiking together. He is always ready to play and never has a bad attitude, unless I am forcing him to stupidly pose for blog pictures. Brooks has really been great for our marriage. He is a very active dog and it helps keep us active. We have also had to agree on puppy parenting techniques. Now don't get me wrong, we don't regard our dog as a person, but we have definitely had to get on the same page about our expectations for him. Brooks has been a great addition to our little family and we are looking forward to many more great years with him!

watch this

Hunter Street did this a few weeks ago. Just watch it, I can't really even say anything about it except that God is in control, even when it may not seem like it.

my guys

typical day (mobile uploads)

Brooks, not on the furniture. That would be gross. Chris says no animals on the furniture. (And how can a dog have SO MANY toys??? We constantly trip over them. As soon as I put them in the basket, he drags them back out. Every single time.)

window treatment
too big for the bed (and he still sleeps with Ducky almost every night)
***Not for the faint of heart***He isn't drooling on the furniture, because he isn't allowed on the furniture. Yeah, okay. It got about, oh, ten or so inches long before I wiped it. He slept through the entire event. Chris couldn't believe I made and emailed pics of this, either. So gross. That's just how we do things.

desk job

hiding from the thunder (in my closet) & we are a Charmin household, in case you were wondering

begging to get on the couch with me

this doesn't' look comfortable-maybe he is trying to spell out a message to me???

me & my boy

So during the day, Brooks mostly sleeps. Or hides from me trying to take his picture. I send Chris mobile pics throughout the day, since he is so busy now and we really miss him at home. These really are decent pics to be taken with my on-the-fritz crackberry. I guess our schedules will continue to get busier as time goes on. Typical day for us: Wake up (sometimes 4:30am, sometimes 5:30am,) and I fix breakfast and help Chris get out the door. Sometimes I go back to sleep, sometimes not. I cook, and bake, clean, vacuum, make granola, lay out clothes, watch Food Network, apply for jobs, ride my (stationary) bike, eat Nutella out of the jar, read, stuff like that. Sometimes Chris doesn't get to come home for a few days, which is confusing for Brooks and sad for me. We are learning to deal. I am attempting to make arrangements to pass my time, but I am not ready to share all that just yet. In other Shubert news, Chris's cancer research is still going great, even though he isn't at UAB anymore. He will present again at UA in September, and they just started working on a new paper. I can't believe the third year of med school is already going by so fast. It has been one bizarre year for our little family and I don't really see anything slowing down soon...

You & I

I love this song. So I am posting the lyrics on my blog, on a most appropriate anniversary weekend.

don't you worry, there my honey

we might not have any money

but we've got our love to pay the bills

maybe I think you're cute and funny,

maybe I wanna do what bunnies do with you,

if you know what I mean

oh, let's get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of france

let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters

and teach them how to dance

let's get rich and build our house on a mountain

making everybody look like ants

from way up there, you and I, you and I

well you might be a bit confused

and you might be a little bit bruised

but baby how we spoon like no one else

so I will help you read those books

if you will soothe my worried looks

and we will put the lonesome on the shelf

oh let’s get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of france

let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters

and teach them how to dance

let's get rich and build our house on a mountain

making everybody look like ants from way up there

you and I, you and I

oh, let’s get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of france

let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters

and teach them how to dance

let's get rich and build our house on a mountain

making everybody look like ants

from way up there you and I, you and I

by Ingrid Michaelson

A Time for Everything (Ecclesiastes 3)

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

botanical garden

a day at the lake

What am I to you?

I guess it depends on who you ask, but since it's my blog and I am asking myself, I am going to answer. (This is a sign of mental instability, huh? Oh dear.)

I am a God-fearing lady that recognizes (though never enough) that I am a terrible person that has been saved only by the grace of God. I realize that nothing I do will make me good enough for God, but thankfully all I have to do is accept Him and believe! How wonderful! Sort of on the same topic, I don't think that God punishes His people. Jesus paid the price for my sin, and that is that. He suffered so that I wouldn't have to. Not saying that He doesn't allow bad things to happen, because He does. I am constantly working on my eternal perspective. Buddy (the pastor at Hunter Street) says that the most important thing about you is your concept of God. Think about that for a while...

If you have ever talked to me longer than five minutes, then you know that I am absolutely smitten over my husband. Sure, I hassle him on a daily basis, but he really is my most favorite person ever. He is so talented and driven and I am beyond blessed to be able to share a life with him! I am so proud of how he has made goals and worked to achieve his (and our) goals. He is proof that if you work hard, you can be successful. We have been together almost nine years (wow) and married for almost three! We balance each other. Are we always happy? Negative. But we realize that unrealistic expectations and basing actions upon feelings will let us down. Every time. I tell Chris the reason marriage is a lifetime commitment is because it takes that long to get it right.

Of course I say I am a dog-lover, but I really only love my dog. Ha. Just kidding. Sort of. I tell Chris all the time that Brooks is the best "thing" he ever bought me. Brooks is just so hilarious and fun and sweet. We got him a few weeks after we got married, and Chris and I agree that theshubertfam wouldn't be the same without our sweet little pup. I can say with a ninety-nine percent level of confidence that we will never get rid of all the dog hair. He is totally worth the extra vacuuming and dusting. If Brooks could speak English, he would say that I am his favorite person ever and I should never ever leave him in the crate again.

If you ask my friends who I am, I am sure the answer would be a mixture of loud/funny/flaky/ridiculous/way too domesticated friend that NEVER calls them, so they must always call me. Hmm, I need to be a better friend. For sure. But I do pray for my friends almost every time they cross my mind. I hope that helps me be less flaky? Most of the time I am very forward with my thoughts. I feel like I am an approachable person. I love to laugh. I am working on being a better listener.
Of course, you know I lost my mom to cancer. The grief over her physical death has been a process. Sometimes I feel like I am the only person that misses her. I know that's not true, but it is something I have been dealing with lately. I rejoice in the fact that my pain is temporary. I really don't want to sound like a broken record in my posts, but I miss her terribly and I hope you don't mind reading my thoughts as I learn to cope...

I am sure some people would call me lazy...in fact, I am pretty sure people say that. And it's true, depending on your standpoint. I cook three meals a day, clean, and do a lot of other random things (gardening, working on my fitness, playing with Brooks, online shopping...) that take up the day. I do think that it gets on people's nerves that I don't have a job yet. I have applied for jobs, but I am reluctant to take a job that I don't really dig because I am afraid I won't ever advance my career and education (yeah, yeah, Chris won that argument, ha). I am also loving this break! It seems like I was in school forever! I have also used my free time to work on my marriage and myself. I have spent some time reflecting, and I will probably share more things I have found, besides this post. I feel like this break is a once-in-a-lifetime deal, because third year of medical school is crazy-busy and fourth year we will be traveling all over for interviews, and then intern year we will be moving, then kids, and, well, you get the idea. So I don't think I am lazy, but it's okay if you think I am.


What would Dr. Hubby say about me? He says that I am a better writer than a talker. He would probably also say that I should go to grad school and quit wasting my mind staying at home and become his sugar momma again, even though I know he secretly loves me staying at home. He would probably also say that I am so random and I have a difficult time concentrating. He loves my cooking. I don't really know what else, I mean, he says a lot. Maybe we will be fortunate enough for him to leave a comment and let us know what he has to say...

Other random, useless information about me...I like shoes, and painting my toenails, and changing m hair color (see above pictures), and eating good food, lemon drop martinis, fountain cokes, and all things music. I am very much in touch with my inner thirteen year old. I love Twilight, and nineties music, and ice cream.

Okay, so I didn't type all of this to bore you, but I feel like my blog is taking a new direction, and I felt like I needed to get all of this on here so I can improve the quality (and frequency) of my posts! So tell me, who do you think I am?