The Family Biz

on November 18, 2010

More moonlighting as clinic secretary tonight. The Husband is getting busier and busier (he is an acupuncturist and just opened his clinic in Charlotte). Busy is a good thing. 🙂

That is my secretary face. Slightly confused, but trying to be helpful. Also, my outfit is pretty lame, but itâ€™s hard to dress for the â€˜officeâ€™ when you havenâ€™t actually worked in one for 3.5 years (I worked from home at my old job, too). Basically, I have no proper attire so I just throw stuff on and hide behind my giant oak desk. Being helpful.

I also bring dinner!

Thatâ€™s dinner + dessert on a serving tray in the front seat of my car. I was feeding the Husband, my father-in-law, and myself.

Dinner on the desk:

So, I made a giant pot of:

Whole wheat pasta
Roasted potatoes
Stir-fried broccoli
Kidney Beans
Tikka Masala sauce

It was a pretty good dinner for something that I transported in my car! 🙂

Now, you might also be wondering about that dessertâ€¦

I (attempted) to make Jennaâ€™s Pecan Maple Bites but unfortunately, I totally did something wrong to the recipe. Donâ€™t get me wrong, they still tasted amazing, but they donâ€™t look like hers did!

I had two. And then I had a major blood sugar drop. 🙂

Iâ€™m going to lay my forehead on my lovely secretary desk and take a nap now. 🙂

{ 66 comments }

Virginia @ YtotheUmmy November 18, 2010, 8:06 pm
OOH those pecan bites look good. perfect for thanksgiving! 😀
holly @ couchpotatoathlete November 18, 2010, 8:08 pm
Pecan and maple sounds so delicious. I’m glad your Hubby’s work is staying busy!
Lucy November 18, 2010, 8:12 pm
Caitlin, I think it’s cute how supportive you are of your husband and his business. You two are a great pair:)
Michele @ Healthy Cultivations November 18, 2010, 8:13 pm
Actually, I think the skirt is cute.

And those pecan maple bites look mighty good… several of them would be great!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey November 18, 2010, 8:13 pm
I definitely worked the secretary route in high school – it was a good job because you can get other stuff done too! 🙂
janae @ hungryrunnergirl November 18, 2010, 8:14 pm
You are a good wife!! That dinner and dessert looks so good. I don’t think the dessert would have made it all the way to the office:)
Kelly November 18, 2010, 8:16 pm
You are a good wife and DIL and your outfit is cute, especially the shoes!
Jenn November 18, 2010, 8:17 pm
Caitlin, I just wanted to tell you how beautiful your picture for the blogger calendar is! You look so gorgeous (as usual!) I have a serious blogger girl crush on you 😉
- Caitlin November 18, 2010, 8:20 pm
  hehe thanks 🙂 I was channeling my inner Farrah. 🙂
  - D November 18, 2010, 11:09 pm
    how come you didnt talk about this in a post?!
    - Caitlin November 19, 2010, 7:48 am
      I tweeted it 😉
- Andrea @ Run, Eat, Date, Sleep November 19, 2010, 9:34 am
  There’s a blogger calendar!?! I wanna see!
  - Jenn November 19, 2010, 9:55 am
    Janetha talked about it over at mealsandmoves.com!
Halley (Blunder Construction) November 18, 2010, 8:20 pm
I think you are suiting the secratary role quite well. If I had a secretary, I would greatly appreciate anything that comes to me on a serving tray! 🙂 I sort of like the office vibe, but ideally I want to work from home in the future.
Annie@stronghealthyfit November 18, 2010, 8:23 pm
Oh, hope you feel better 🙂 I’m finally starting to be able to have some foresight about the effects of sugar before I eat something super sweet! Sometimes. I’m still working on it.
Hope November 18, 2010, 8:23 pm
Mmm pecan maple bites…who cares what they look like mmmmm hehe
Trish November 18, 2010, 8:23 pm
I think you look cute! And I am loving the shoes.
Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) November 18, 2010, 8:26 pm
I love your secretary look! I am having a bad secretary day for my husband. I finally had to say I can’t take on any more right now…I am over my limit. Anyway, dinner looks delicious and the bars sound like an incredible flavor combo!
Laurie November 18, 2010, 8:26 pm
How is that jarred sauce??? from Target, right?
Your outfit is perfect for the office!!! very professional looking!
- Caitlin November 19, 2010, 7:51 am
  It’s pretty good! Good ingredient list too.
G November 18, 2010, 8:31 pm
I love your secretary face!! Your description of the job as trying to be helpful made me laugh out loud! 😀 I’m sure you are very helpful!
RhodeyGirl November 18, 2010, 8:35 pm
I love that we live very similar lives but in very different ways!!!
Heather November 18, 2010, 8:41 pm
i recently did a post on not having a normal wardrobe. I work from home too so i never know what to wear!
Tab - Just Weighing In November 18, 2010, 8:47 pm
I must have one of those bars immediately if not sooner! Even if they didn’t turn out the same, they look amazing!
Camille November 18, 2010, 8:52 pm
What a nice wife doing office work!
I think the bars look really good!
Jamie @ Food in Real Life November 18, 2010, 8:58 pm
My work wardrobe was really ridiculous until about a month ago when I finally invested in some new stuff. It’s sweet that you help out the hubs and cook dinner too. What a great wife you are! 🙂
Dee November 18, 2010, 9:03 pm
Your dinner and dessert look AMAZING. I will definitely be bookmarking this post for future reference! 😉
Laura (Starloz) November 18, 2010, 9:13 pm
i love your red shoes!
Marie-Journey to Body Zen November 18, 2010, 9:13 pm
Im going to try to make the maple-pecan bites for Thanksgiving. They look delish!
Maddie (Healthy Maddie) November 18, 2010, 9:22 pm
Yum! The maple pecan bars looks good. Maple and pecan is such a good combo.
Lili November 18, 2010, 9:24 pm
Very nice that you and your husband Make a strong “team” and that you get to help him in the office.
That whole wheat pasta dish look great and there’s nothing wrong w/ your office outfit and it’s very cute! For an easy change, you can also use the same skirt w/ a tucked in tank top and unbuttoned sweater, using same pieces and a diff look. Sometimes we have more options than we think in our closet 🙂
- Caitlin November 19, 2010, 7:52 am
  See you are so much more fashionable than me!!
Annette November 18, 2010, 9:36 pm
That dessert looks truly decadent and YUMmY! 🙂
Susan November 18, 2010, 9:36 pm
Your pecan bars look fantastic! So I have a question for the hus – or for you. I recently saw an accupuncturist who told me that I should cut out wheat and sugar from my diet to help with digestion, blood and overall health. She told me that Americans generally eat too much of these things and that our bodies can’t process it well. I tried cutting back for a while but it’s HARD! Do you or the husband have any thoughts on this? You eat bread and occasionally sugar and seem to be just fine! 🙂 I’m just kind of curious about a second opinion from someone in the same field. THANKS!
- Caitlin November 19, 2010, 7:53 am
  Well, I guess it depends on what condition you have that she recommended you cut out wheat and sugar. Everyone is different, of course. I have blood issues too and the doctors recommended I eat more meat and less dairy (so I just ate less dairy). 🙂 Has she given you any supplements?
  - Susan November 22, 2010, 12:00 am
    Thanks for answering! Yes, she gave me supplements. Some for the blood and spleen and heart. Tiny tea pills. I should go look at the name. I haven’t taken them because I’m a little freaked by it but I guess I should trust her, since she is licensed and knows what she’s doing and also, since entire continents of people take them!
    - Caitlin November 22, 2010, 8:44 am
      Yes 🙂 I think you can trust her. Chinese doctors are very careful about where they get their herbs from.
Jaime@If You Lived Here You'd Be Home Now November 18, 2010, 9:38 pm
All I have to say is ….YUM.
Carla November 18, 2010, 9:43 pm
OMG! All the food looks amazing (drooling like a dog, amazing). ESPECIALLY THE PECAN BITES! And in my opinion yours look yummier than Jenna’s (sorry Jenna). They look like a sticky delicious treat. I am so making those for Thanksgiving. THANKS FOR SHARING!
Mary @ Bites and Bliss November 18, 2010, 9:58 pm
That’s a really gourmet dinner for at the desk..definitely beats the heat-n-eat meals most people have!
Jen November 18, 2010, 10:17 pm
Busy is GREAT! Sounds like things are off on a solid roll for the hubby’s clinic 🙂 I must remind myself to never show my hubby your blog or he will expect me to show up at his office with dinner :O
Caitlyn (A Spoonful of Life) November 18, 2010, 10:21 pm
You win secretary of the year for bring dinner into work!! Even though you do have incentive given it’s your husbands clinic. But still…!!

And you’re dessert looks just delicious! No one would know the difference.
molly November 18, 2010, 10:32 pm
Caitlin,

Out of curiosity, did you ever make a decision about MV? I thought the discussion on the blog raised some pretty interesting points, and was curious how you felt in the end (less about the act but more about his right or lack their of to return to the NFL). Either way, keep being a supportive partner! Your husband is lucky!
- Caitlin November 19, 2010, 7:56 am
  In the end… I think that I would love to see the NFL create stricter hiring practices. People commented that there are footballer who have convicted manslaughter records, etc. I DO think footballer have a responsibility to be role models. I thought it was interesting that so many people said “MV isn’t a role model, he’s a footballer.” But I do something wrong on the blog, people accuse me of being a bad role model. 🙂 The truth is that EVERYONE in a public position is a role model, whether they like the idea or not. The NFL is in a public position and therefore should try to be a good role model by not hiring convicted violent felons.
  
  That being said, MV has a right to play under current rules, so be it. However, I still won’t cheer him on.
  
  The discussion was good because it made me think more about ‘the role model’ issue as well as how the NFL should really set higher standards.
  
  You??
Krystina (Basil & Wine) November 18, 2010, 10:41 pm
They look good to me! Give yourself some credit. 🙂
sarah k. @ the pajama chef November 18, 2010, 10:55 pm
they look good to me 🙂
Katy (The Singing Runner) November 18, 2010, 10:55 pm
Dinner looks yummy!!! 🙂 I’m jealous! I have no food right now in my apartment! 🙁

Your dessert looks yummy! I’d eat it! 🙂
Nicole @ yuppie yogini November 19, 2010, 12:06 am
Secretary face….i love it.
Marina November 19, 2010, 1:19 am
Dinner pot has some great ingredients!
you’re a perfect secretary, bringing food like that 😀
Lauren November 19, 2010, 6:52 am
Whatever girl, I think you look adorable in that outfit. And I actually think your pecan bars look even better than the bites. Because lets face it, who can just have a bite of maple pecan anything? 😉
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin November 19, 2010, 7:39 am
That meal definitely beats take-out! Especially those maple pecan bars. Who cares what they look like, as long as they taste good! 😀
Faith @ lovelyascharged November 19, 2010, 8:24 am
Ooh, those maple pecan bars sound so quintessentially fall! I don’t think they look “wrong” at all 😉
Julia @ Brides Up North November 19, 2010, 9:00 am
Ha ha ha loving your “confused but trying to help secretary” face!

I was thinking your outfit was nice by the way!!

Julia x
Brides Up North
Aby November 19, 2010, 9:03 am
I love reading your blog and seeing what you come up with. Those pecan bites look too amazing. One thing that kinda disappoints me though is seeing the use of ableist language like “lame” being thrown about. You can read a great blog post about it here: http://disabledfeminists.com/2009/10/12/ableist-word-profile-lame/ If we’re talking about health and positivity here, it seems like it would make sense to avoid terms that harm others, even if the harm is unintentional.
- Caitlin November 19, 2010, 10:43 am
  Thank you for this. I always appreciate learning new things!
Jenny November 19, 2010, 9:10 am
You just described my typical dinner…pasta, veggies, sauce…
I actually like the outfit! The red shoes jazz it up 🙂
Johanna B November 19, 2010, 9:19 am
I think your maple pecan bars look yummy. Wouldn’t mind having one with a cup of hot chocolate this morning. Of course, I’d spend the rest of the day in a funk from all the sugar.
Gracie November 19, 2010, 9:42 am
I’m so happy to hear…er, read that the family business is going well!! You’re a great wifey 🙂
Megan November 19, 2010, 10:25 am
I made Jenna’s Maple Pecan Bites too and they did not look like hers! I thought I seriously overcooked them. They were really difficult to cut and I thought they would be rock hard. I didn’t try one, but the boyfriend has deemed them A-freaking-MAZING with an espresso, so I guess it doesn’t matter what they look like 🙂
Carrie H November 19, 2010, 11:16 am
I think you look cute! I’d wear that to my work on a “fancy” day, lol. 🙂
Kristin (Cook, Bake and Nibble) November 19, 2010, 12:18 pm
Girl, I am a chef and I made those pecan bites and they didn’t come out looking the same- yours look like mine did! She is amazing with the baked goods. I am more of a cook than a baker, anyway 😀

xo
Amber K November 19, 2010, 12:19 pm
I was 17 the first time I was a receptionist. I basically just wore whatever shirt and black pants or skirt was clean. Although that was definitely one of my least favorite jobs. I basically have hated any job where I would get yelled at or lectured for things that were beyond my control!
Ali @ Food, Fitness, Fashion November 19, 2010, 12:39 pm
I actually think you look cute! I am loving the shoes!
Katie @ Healthy Heddleston November 19, 2010, 2:04 pm
It’s nice that your husband has evening hours. When you right about helping out it always seems to be in the evening!
Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) November 20, 2010, 12:31 am
You are cute 🙂 I like your secretary face!
Kami November 21, 2010, 2:46 pm
I justed tested these pecan bars for Thanksgiving. I veganized them by using earth balance and soy milk. I also swapped AP flour for gluten-free. They look like yours and taste awesome. I mark it as a win.

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