Dear Dunkin Donuts

I have been a fan...neigh, an obsessed admirer...of yours since birth. Growing up on the East Coast, where there is a cute little white building with pink roof on practically every corner, I was spoiled by the abundance of vanilla creme filled powder sugar covered deliciousness. Oh..and Boston Cremes and crispy coconut coating. Oooh... and don't even get me STARTED on the Munchkin donut holes! And the creamy goodness of your hot chocolate!

Sadly, I moved to Utah 15 years ago where there is no Dunkin Donuts in existence. Nor is there one within a 1500 mile radius...give or take a few hundred miles. I have learned to make do with buying a few dozen of your ooey gooeyness when I've traveled to New York, Connecticut and Boston over the years, smuggling them back in my suit case. I had resigned myself to this and had even felt like I'd moved on from the tears and tantrums over not having one of your perfectly powerdery smelling stores near me.

And then Dunkin Donuts...just as I'd accepted the delicious donuts at the neighborhood Harmons as my new faves, and pretty much gotten you out of my mind, you started selling your coffee in the local grocery stores. As if THAT alone was not enough, you started advertising on tv your donuts and breakfast sandwhiches. Taunting me with pictures of my past love. I feel that this is cruel and unusual punishment. No one (namely me) should be subjected to this kind of torture.

I stand up for all Dunkin Donut lovers out there shouting "You should not advertise in areas that you don't have a damn donut stand"! There! I 've said it. And you even made me swear. Way to go Dunkin Donuts. WAY. TO. GO. I hope you're proud of yourself.

Let's play the Fortunately Unfortunately game.

Unfortunately I found an unopened package of Halloween Oreos in the cupboard yesterday. This is an unfortunately because usually I am crippled by the powers of the Oreo. I have been known to eat an entire package in one day. Yikes!

Fortunately we have jr. fat boys in the freezer and after eating 1 of those (ok, 2) I was able to resist the Oreos and only eat about 10. or was it 15?

Wait a minute...maybe those are both unfortunately's. I'll have to think about this while I eat another Oreo.

I have a very vivid memory from my childhood. We were visiting my Nana and Pop Pop in Florida, and Jen and I were sleeping out on the covered back porch...or at least trying to anyway. My parents and grandparents were making such a ruckus in the living room playing tripoli that I couldn't fall asleep. I remember listening to them laughing and carrying on and wishing I could be out there playing with them.

As a teenager my mom wanted to teach us how to play but I always resisted, I was too bored or too cool in my mind to play a game with my mom. It wasn't until this summer, long after Nana and Pop Pop died, that I finally gave in and learned the game. We played outside my Grandma's room the day before she died, with my mom, sister, and my Aunt Kristin, who has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

I wish I had learned to play while my grandparents were still alive and could have added another fond memory. Now when I play this game I will be reminded of my family and the love that I feel for them and how fleeting life is. I will try to remember to never be too cool to play a game with my mom and to create special memories that will last the rest of my life.

I have a new addiction. Reeses Peanut Butter Cup milkshakes from Iceberg. This is a problem for several reasons. The obvious ones being that I am quickly beginning to resemble a humvee tank, the blood in my veins is slowly being replaced with ice-cream, and they are expensive at $4.48 a pop.

However the less obvious problems are the most important and are also the reasons why I should never ever EVER eat these milkshakes again.

1. I am lactose intolerant
2. I am allergic to peanut butter

Ok, ok, no need to panic. I have a pill that I take that helps with the lactose thing (I want to make out with who ever invented Digestive Advantage One A Day lactose therapy - Please come forward if it was you). And the peanut butter allergy is not life threatening. It just causes a minor problem of exzema on my face, eye, hands, feet, ok just about everywhere. So I take a benadryl and rub some cortizone cream on it. And rub my eye on the carpet. No biggee...totally worth it.