EMBRACING THE CRAZY!!

I am...

2011-03-07T01:45:00.000-08:00

I've been noticing that all I blog about these days is my life as a mommy...& let's be honest, I AM a mom..what else do I have to blog about? A lot, actually, because, you see, I am more than just a mommy...I've seen this on a few other blogs & like the idea..so let's go!! Here is what I am, BESIDES a wonderful mama ;):

I AM A RUNNER!
I love being active! I have always played sports, & run & jumped & skipped :) Running is hugely therapeutic for me..it helps me get my stress out & keep me balanced. I ran through my entire pregnancy & started back up shortly after having Aiden & I highly recommend staying active during pregnancy..as long as it is safe..you will be doing yourself a HUGE favor!

I AM A CHOCOHOLOLIC
To balance out my running, I eat chocolate. LOTS of it! Don't let me fool you with my fruit..I love my chocolate, & will happily consume an entire bowl of chocolate frosting straight off my finger!

I AM AN AVID READER
Man, I love to read! Give me the choice between books or the tv & I'll pick the book every time. I grew up being read to by my mother, & spent summers riding my bike to the library to load up on Nancy Drew, Boxcar Kids, Anne of Green Gables...everything!! There is no better escape than a book! Barnes & Noble is my favorite store & luckily (or maybe not, for my paycheck..) there's one 5 minutes from me.

I AM A NURSE
I honestly so not remember when I decided I wanted to be a nurse, but I have been in the medical field for 10 years now! I truly enjoy taking care of people & easing their discomfort & teaching them. I'm currently an oncology & bone marrow transplant RN, & while it is one of the most challenging positions I've ever held, it is incredibly, incredibly rewarding.

I AM A WIFE
Before I was a mommy, I fell in love. With an amazing man who opens my car door, cooks me breakfast, anticipates my needs before I even know them..I fell in love & fall even further every day.

I am so many things..& the beauty of having so many different aspects to my personality is that they all join together to make me one pretty decent human being!

What do you define yourself as?

Drumroll, please!!

2011-02-18T19:00:00.000-08:00

I renewed my driver's license.

That expired last June.

Yup, I've been driving around illegally for about 9 months. I just couldn't stand the thought of facing the DMV with my son in tow. I could barely stand the thought before I had a baby. Just imagining the lines, the paperwork, the stinky crazy people (there's ALWAYS a stinky, crazy person when I've gone in the past, and they always find me!) was almost enough to make start taking public transportation. Almost.

So I called the DMV to make an appointment. I'd heard you could do that and thought that it was a fabulous idea..no? Well apparently appointments can only be made online. Not over the phone. But the website was down and the lady on the phone said I'd have to come in to the DMV to make an appointment...okaaaaay...she did remind me that in order to renew my license I'd need to bring with me two pieces of mail proving my current address, and identification in the form of social security card, birth certificate and/or passport. Oh, and my first born child..or an arm or leg.

Of that list, the firstborn child was looking like the easiest option, and here's why: I didn't legally change my name until two weeks before Aiden was born. I don't know why, I just didn't. So, my social security card has my married name, but every other piece of identification has my maiden name. No two papers matched up, AND I realized, while looking for all this stuff (no, it was not all in a secure place, like it should've been..) my birth certificate is missing...AGAIN. I had to apply for a new one when I got my passport..I'm thinking maybe they didn't send it back to me with my passport...hmmm...looks like I'll be standing in line for that, too. (btw, it is INCREDIBLY easy to apply for a birth certificate in Utah..which makes me wonder why it's so freakin hard to get a driver's license...?)

So. I brought my Social Security Card to prove I'm me, my marriage license to prove that the last name on my SS card is actually correct, and my passport (which I'll now have to change to match my new driver's license) as my second form of ID. Oh, and two Dr's bills, with my current address. Yeesh.

I put all of the above paperwork in a large envelope, for safe keeping, loaded Aiden and I into the car, and set off for Hell, er, the DMV.

Got to the DMV (w/o screaming, might I add...a major coup!) The DMV I selected is brand new & nice & shiny (even has drive through renewal for vehicle registration..nice!) It is also at the point of the mountain where it is nice and WINDY!

Right.

So, got there, grabbed all my crap out of the front seat & went to get Aiden out of the back...and a gust of wind hits me...

Envelope blown away! Contents scattered across the parking lot! My entire identity is disappearing right before my eyes!

I'm sure quite a few strangers got a major laugh at my expense that day, as they watched me frantically scurrying across the parking lot trying to stomp on my SS card, marriage certificate, etc. before they were lost to the hands of Mother Nature (I was more worried about who would find them, and what they would do with them..)

Luckily, a kinda guy took pity on me & helped me chase down everything. Luckily, I had not gotten Aiden out of the car yet..'cause I can just see how awesome that would've been!

After I had retrieved all my papers, I sat in the front seat of the Jeep, regaining my sanity & considering not even going in to face the DMV demon after my ordeal. Then Aiden began to scream & I figured 'eh, I've come this far, might as well finish the job!'

So I marched in to the DMV, filled out my paperwork to apply for a license...aaaaand...was out in 20 minutes!

It was a breeze! (Pun intended!)

When I was a young girl...

2011-01-31T00:12:00.000-08:00

OK. So that wasn't actually that long ago..but I AM starting to feel old! I'm finding grey hairs (which might have had something to do with why I got highlights & bangs..to up my 'cool' factor!) & my eyes are looking tired all. the. time. (might have something to do with working night shifts & a baby..)

ANYWHO.

Right.

So.

When I was younger, and out & about having fun & dating..I never gave much thought to the fact that all these boys I liked to flirt with were some woman's son. Then I had Aiden & now EVERYONE is SOMEONE's baby. It's true. It really is. But, I'm really only particularly concerned with MY little baby boy. See, I remember how I was when I was dating...and I swear if some girl is mean to my little boy...!!!!!

OK, I know that I can't be that crazy mom. I just can't go out & egg a girl's car if she breaks my son's heart. But I'll sure want to! And I'll have a hard time not actually doing it! But I won't.

However, I did have this genius epiphany the other night about what I CAN do when it comes to Aiden dating. See, during highschool, there were multiple occasions where, instead of going out to a pricey restaraunt for a date/dance, my friends & I (with a lot of assistance from our mother's) would make a nice dinner at home. It was great! Yummy food, cute decorations, waaaay cheaper! I always was so greatful to my mom for helping me out with this. She really was (and still is) the greatest mommy ever! So, I want to be that great mommy, too. And come Aiden's first dance I'll offer to make dinner. And you know what I'm going to make? The exact same dinner I made for Jeff and I the other night:

Garlic sauteed chicken cutlets with broccoli & blue cheese sauce!

Sounds delicious, right?

It is!

Know what else it is?

Super Stinky!!

Yup! Bad breath will reign SUPREME! There will be NO kissing!

In fact, they won't even want to hold hands...

Case in point: after eating this meal Jeff informed me that it was quite tasty. But that I would not be coming within a few feet of him for the rest of the night. And he was right :)

Mommy wins!

Guess What I want for Christmas....

2011-01-14T02:25:00.001-08:00

So you all know that I'm obsessed with sleep, right? Riiiiight? Well, if you didn't, you do now. I am truly obsessed..I can't stop thinking about sleep..example: I read an add in a magazine for some super energizing beverage & I'm like 'that sounds great. You know what sounds even greater? SLEEPING. Then I wouldn't need the caffienated beverage! Then, on the next page of the magazine I see some super skinny model in some super cute dress & I'm like 'oh, she's cute..I like that dress, I bet I'd look cute in it, too..but you know what would make me look REALLY cute? Sleep.' Yeah..'cause I've never looked so tired & blotchy & OLD in my life! Not when I was dating my husband & up till 5am with him, then at work at 6:30am till 3pm, all while going to school. I looked freakin' uh-mazing then. Now, I just look like someone smeared my mascara under my eyes..permanently. Ugh.

OK, so, the point of this post is to tell you a funny sleep story. Aiden & I took a little trip to the mall yesterday. We shopped. We strolled. Then we got a sandwich. And while we're sitting in the food court enjoying our turkey-&-provolone-on-wheat-with-apple-slices I notice that Aiden is eyeballing the carousel a few yards away. He keeps twisting in his highchair to looooooook at it (have I mentioned he is INCREDIBLY mobile these days? And that I haven't babyproofed anything in my house...it's AWESOME!) So I decide he'd probably like a ride on the carousel. We pay our ride-the-carousel-fee & select a nice looking pony. I buckle Aiden on, he grabs the bar & put my hand on his back..we start spinning...he's loving it..then about 6 mins in to the ride he just suddenly slumps to the side & slides right off the horse into my arms! Yeah, I kinda freaked out! My mind is racing through possibilities...did he choke? Did he faint? Do I have a fainting goat for a son? THEN, I realize that nothing that dramatic has occured...oh, no! My son has simply been spun to sleep. While sitting upright.

If that doesn't tell me he's tired, I don't know what will.

Blog Strike

2010-10-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

Don't take this personally, guys, but I'm going to quit reading your blogs if you have a baby! Why, you ask? For your own safety! Because if I have to read one more post about how your baby 'falls asleep completely on their own without a peep' I WILL hunt you down & kill you. Got it? I'm happy for you..& I like you..but reading that makes me hate you.

Now.

This is the part where you all jump in with your sleep strategies & 'training'. I WANT to hear your advice. UNLESS. UNLESS. It involves crying it out!! Because I won't do that. Call me crazy/silly/softy etc. You may be right. But I won't. We tried that for a while..and this is how it went:

Aiden screaming. Aiden Screaming. Aiden SCREAMING. Meghan bawling. Hysterically. Go in to check on him & 'reassure' him. Aiden SCREAMS & grabs frantically at any part of my body he can get his tiny hands on. Go out. Cry in hall. AIDEN SCREAMING. Go in to check....PUKE everywhere!!! More times than once. The only variation was when it was BLOOD everywhere, 'cause he bit his tongue. He doesn't wear out. He doesn't calm down. He does. NOT. sleep. And while it may work for some people..to me it feels torturous (to me & him) & I feel like I'm breaking my child. Because after all the crying..it takes HOURS to calm him down to a whimper. And then he won't eat.

So. I love you guys. And I would like to hear your sleep advice. But I'm warning you..if you mention crying it out..I WILL be annoyed :)

Peace!

*UPDATE*: I just want to make abundantly clear that I don't think you're a terrible parent if you do/have use(d) the CIO method of sleep training. I'm not judging anyone here..there is no one size fits all & you do what works for you & your kiddo..that's what's important.

Smokin' Hot, Baby!

2010-08-04T15:09:00.001-07:00

So, I got all ambitious the other night...fired up the grill! Crazy, right? Why would I do such a thing?

No. Seriously. WHY would I do that?

The grill is my husband's domain. Somewhere around our second year of marriage I got him this AWESOME, double sided Char Grill. One side for charcoal. The other side for gas. The man loves to grill old-school most of the time, & I felt he deserved to do so in style, while also having the option of flipping a switch for the convenience of gas grilling. Man, I'm an awesome wife!

Back to the story...

Grills get hot. It's their nature. I mean, they ARE supposed to COOK things..which entails heat. And they're designed to get hot without, um, self destructing. Or so I thought.

So, yeah, I'm all ambitious..I decide to grill some chicken for dinner. On the gas side, of course. I ain't messin' with charcoal, man..that stuff freaks me out (seriously, it does. Wussy, right?)! I flip on the burners, I push the light button, the grill springs to life! Awesome! I turned the burners down to medium heat, throw the chicken on, & go inside to work on a salad (well rounded nutrition folks!) I go check on the chicken about 10 minutes later..all is good in the hood!

Jeff calls to let me know he's on his way home..I'm choppin up some veggies..I'm in my cookin' groove. I hear Jeff pull up & think 'Yay! Back up is here!!' (for Aiden..cause entertaining a 5 month old all day can get wearing, some days). Well he came slamming through the garage door & yells 'Meghan! Are you alright?!' And of course, I'm all 'Yup, great! Why do you ask? Oh, hey, you're gonna be so proud of me..I'm using the grill to GRILL CHICKEN!' And he's like, 'Well, it looks like the house is on fire out there..come see..' So we walk outside..& sure enough! Black smoke is billowing out of the garage! The smoke is so thick you can't really see anything in there..it was nuts!

We're still not sure what I did. Jeff managed to get the grill turned off. Apparently the thermometer inside the grill was reading around 1000 degrees!! Man, I've got mad skillz! Poor Jeff is shopping for a new lid for his grill. 'Cause it melted. Yeah..MELTED!!

In other news, I have impressive talent in the 'backing up my car' department. I was running early to work the other night & figured I deserved a treat..so I pulled into McD's drive through to get one of those quite yummy frappes (not gonna lie..they ain't too shabby.) And I'm perusing the menu as the drive through guy says 'I can take your order whenever you're ready'. Well, I wasn't seeing my frappes...THEN I noticed I was in a KFC drive through! Cool! So I backed out of the drive through..90 degree turn & all! Woo hoo!

And I think I've made a big enough fool out of myself for one post!

Hmmmm...

2010-08-02T10:39:00.001-07:00

My brain's felt too helter-skelter & slugish lately to sit down & write an actual, coherent post on this here blog o' mine! In fact, I'm struggling right now to string words together in an INTERESTING fashion (I hate it when my writing doesn't have any 'spark'!) So..here's a list of 'I Wonders' that have been streaming through my brain as of late:

I WONDER:

-If I'll ever get a full nights sleep ever. Again. My mother informs me that no, I will not..& I believe her! 'Cause once Aiden's 'sleeping through the night' (what idiot coined that phrase? I want to beat them!) He'll get teeth. Then nightmares. Then he'll be a teenager before I know it & I'll be waiting up for him! On a tangent..in highschool I never understood why my parents felt the need to do that..now I get it.

-Will my house ever NOT be covered in piles? Piles of laundry. Piles of paper. Piles of dishes. Piles of chew toys (baby's & dogs) & blocks. The answer, yet again, is NO. I'm not that motivated most of the time! I will accept the fact the my bathrooms, kitchen & floors are sparkling clean, & that's better than nothing!

-Will my skin ever be clear again? Before I even knew I was prego I started breaking out. And it's been downhill from there. I use ProActive. I use prescription meds (have since I was 16, honestly). All I can say is THANK GOODNESS FOR BARE MINERALS! That stuff saves my vanity :)

And now, on a more positive note, 'cause those 'I Wonders' seem a bit negative..

I WONDER:

-How I got so lucky as to have my husband! He is so amazing. I know everyone's husband is (usually...), but I think mine is better than yours :) Just sayin! He cleans our house, he grocery shops, he supports our little family, he does Tri's & builds fences & decks..& fixes my car & installs gas lines...PHEW! In all seriousness, I love having a man who is so motivated & a 'jack of all trades' as my husband. He puts me to shame. Did I mention he is the most incredible father?

-Can my baby boy get any cuter? Can I fall any more in love with him? I suspect the answer on both counts is YES! I look at him & I just melt..his gummy grins & flapping, grabby little hands...WOW!! This is so corny, please forgive me, because I used to absolutely hate it when mom's said this before I had my baby..but you just can't know how pure love can be, & what an incredible experience it is, until you're a mom!

-Will all of you in the Salt Lake area sign up for This Race with me? It's not long, it's not hard..you can walk it, if you want! It promotes healthy habits & positive body image in girls & women..which is a 'cause' near & dear to me. It's women only..no stinky boys...:) You know you want to!

Have a great day, y'all!

Dear Little Bug...An almost 4 months letter!

2010-07-07T16:23:00.001-07:00

That's officially my nickname for you! But the little part won't be accurate for much longer! You are getting so big & chubby :) at least by your standards..grow, baby, grow!

I can't believe that you're almost four months old, little boy. You are 16 weeks today, actually! We've come a long way..I finally feel like an official 'mommy' these days. I know what you're cries mean (most of them, at least:), & I can predict your needs pretty well now...so you actually aren't crying a whole lot! Yay! You love playing with mommy & daddy better than any toy, & we absolutely love playing with you, too :) You've got the cutest chubby cheeks & little rolls around your wrists! You drool non-stop! Seriously! I thought you might be getting ready to teeth (& you might be..I'm not sure) so to check I ran my finger over your gums. You took this as an invitation to gum down on my finger & GRROOOWWWWL! It was so cute :) You also love to suck on your dad & I & on yourself...you gave yourself a hickey the other day! You've got the funniest feet: they're little chubby rectangles w/ the toes squiiished on there..I've taken pictures:

You love to stand on those chubby feet..you are SO strong! Sometimes you get mad at me when I make you sit down.

Your most favorite thing in the world is to talk. You love it when we talk to you, and you babble right back like you know exactly what we're saying.

You are growing so fast..& I love it, but it makes me sad, too. Soon you'll be a little boy, & I want to remember all this stuff: how much you love chilling in your stroller while I run, how half your naps are IN that stroller! How you love to click your tongue & cuddle with your dad & me...I could go on & on..but I won't :) I'll just post another pic to show everyone how cute you are! I love you, little bug!

Happy Birthday, Loverboy!

2010-06-30T15:20:00.000-07:00

Jeff's Birthday was on Sunday, & man do we know how to partay! :) Once again, I didn't upload the pics in any particular order..I just don't think about that till after they're uploaded! Plus, a lot of these pics are for the grandparents, & they don't care what order they're in!!

He's destined to be a Utes' fan..which is a plus, cause I like red way better than blue!

Don't mind my weird looking smile in this pic..just focus on the cute little boy!

See? Like I said: SOOO cute!

Intense Daddy/Son convo...something along the lines of 'Dad, you look like Wolverine w/ those mutton chops!' lol

Open mouth, insert fist! It never gets old!

Yummy birthday breakfast! Blueberry French Toast...mmmmmm

Jeff's been coveting this pic for a while..

Aiden enjoyed breakfast, too! I know feeding him this 'broke' a bunch of 'rules'..but rules are made to be broken, baby! Esp if bluberry french toast is involved!

MAN, those mutton chops are HOT!

Rockin' out in his Metallica onsie..already has good taste in music! haha

He's a big fan of this octopus..we need to name him..any suggestions?

Looking quite studious in his Bumbo! He loves that he can sit up for a bit on his own :)

THE END

Where's the, um, oh, wait..crap.

2010-06-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

This story's too funny not to tell..

So, I went to the grocery store today, list in hand. My hubby's work is having a BBQ tonight & he had two dishes he wanted to take. He kindly wrote down the list of what was needed, & off to the store I kindly went, 'cause I'm nice like that :)

Once in the store I perused over the list so I could categorize it & not have to run all over the place. Vanilla ice cream, check! Diet Mountain Dew, check! Frozen raspberries..check! Wait a sec! What's that one say? I cannot read his handwriting! Ugh! So I called him, oh, 5 or 6 times. But he was out back working on our deck, & didn't pick up. OK. Fine..I'll leave that till last & call him again. But he still didn't answer. SO I decided I'd ask someone else if they could read his handwriting, 'cause sometimes a fresh pair of eyes is all it takes..right? I figured a man would have better luck, since he was, ya know, a guy. So I searched out a nice looking dude (I made a point of making sure he a wedding ring on his finger, that way my asking couldn't be misconstrued as interest..how smart am I?:)

"Excuse me, my husband wrote this list down, & I CANNOT read what this is..can you help me?"

The gentleman kindly looked at the item I was pointing at.

"Um, I think it say croutons..yeah..I think..um....."

We both realized what it said at the exact same time. His face went bright red. "Oh, crap!!" I thought. HOW DID I NOT READ THAT????!

I'll give him credit. He did mutter what it actually said as he power walked away from me.

Hope you guys are smart & can figure it out!

haha

Shout out to my 'Home Hubby' & Chalk Art Festival!

2010-06-21T15:36:00.000-07:00

Poor Jeff! I worked the Saturday night before Father's Day..so his first Celebration of Daddy was super lame! I was trying to sleep as much as I could since I had to be back to work that night..so...yeah. Nada. I'm sorry babe! I have to tell you guys, he is such an amazing dad! I knew this right from the start, but going back to work has made it even more apparent! I have no qualms leaving my boys at night when I go in to work, 'cause I know that Jeff has got everything under control and that our little dude will be happy, safe & loved all night :) Aiden sure loves his daddy!

Next on the agenda: Friday night we went to an awesome Chalk Art Festival hosted by Salt Lake's Foster Care Program..all these artists come & share their talent on the street that runs right down the middle of the outdoor mall! It's so fun to walk through..we went a little early in the evening, so a lot of the pieces weren't actually done, but it was still fun! We went with our friends, Mike, Shan & their little guy..we always have fun with them! Yay for good friends :)

And THAT's the father of my child...! haha

I LOVED the eyes on this one!

Cute little dude :)

Jeff invading our son's personal space!

Family pic..yay! Can I just say I love, LOVE this stroller! It makes my runs & walks SOOO great!

Aiden likes to stuff his fists in his mouth lately..even if there's a blanket in the way!

The onsie says it all! Our little boy adores his daddy..his face lights up when his pappa walks in the room :) Man, I love my boys!

Stay Awake Strategies..

2010-06-21T02:02:00.000-07:00

So. I've gone back to work. On night shifts. Ugh. When I was pregnant, I knew this would entail sleep deprivation, but thought I'd be able to handle it pretty well. Silly me! I am SO tired! Tired isn't even an appropriate description of how exhausted I am. Exhausted isn't even a good description!! Yeah. I'm complaining :) Deal with it :) See, I thought I'd be able to nap when the little guy slept. Problem is..he DOESN'T. LIKE. TO. SLEEP! Baby's are supposed to sleep a lot, right? RIGHT??? Apparently not our child. He likes to play, & babble, & be so stinkin' cute I could eat him up! But he does not like to sleep. And that makes me sad..especially when I've worked 3 of the last 4 days & still have one more shift ahead of me...I'm in desperate need of your guys' assistance! How do you stay awake when all you want to to do is sleep?

SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!

p.s. Don't say caffeine, I already use that trick, & I can only use SO much of it, anyways, without it bugging Aiden...

Mean Girls

2010-05-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to write this post for some time now, but just haven't quite known exactly what I wanted to say..but since I just want to say it, I'm not going to bother with eloquence, and just get it out there!

Girls/Women have a bad rap: catty, gossipy, back-stabbing. And let's face it, sometimes we come by that reputation quite fairly..it's probably safe to say that at one point or another we've all done something to land us in the 'Mean Girl' category. In high school I used to say that I preferred to play soccer with the boys, 'cause they'd knock you on your butt once or twice & be done with it. Girls, though, they scratched, & pinched, & whispered nasty things about your hair the whole game through. I once had my jersey quite literally ripped off & scratch marks clawed down my back by a girl! And you better believe I tried my hardest to make life hell for that girl the rest of the game! See what I mean? Totally vengeful. Even if I do think I was justified that time!

Now, as a mom, I've noticed that there's a whole new category of 'mean-ness' when it comes to motherhood. Oh yeah. Massive judging goes on about what other moms let their kids eat, how they dress them, school them, sleep training, breastfed vs formula....Oh. My. Gosh. It's ridiculous! Here we are, doing what I think is the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life, & instead of playing nice with the other 'team members' we spend a butt load of time tearing each other down!

EXCEPT, here's where I want to set the record straight! Mom's can be wonderful to each other. And I have been especially lucky in this department. So, this is the part where I say a HUUUUUUGE THANK YOU to the women who have helped me more than words can say, with the transition into mommyhood! You guys really don't have to read the rest of this..feel free to skip to the end, but I just want to say thanks to these girls!

My sister-in-law, Heather, is an amazing mother to her two little kiddos..& she started helping me out while I was still pregnant..did my baby shower invites (they were so cute!), gave me advice, has lent me baby clothes galore, & the bassinet that's saved my life..& I'm sure some other stuff, too! Then, when everything got a little crazy, she & her husband took our dog while I was in the hospital, made us dinners, offered to clean our house..I really can't say thanks enough to her!

My friend, Cheryl, is so great..a Supermom, if I ever knew one! Went through & finished nursing school with two little boys & a husband in Afghanastan..WOW! The advice, the sanity, the phone calls..the offers to take Aiden when I'm ready to pull my hair out! The pedicures & chocolate..& lending me her glider, 'cause dang those things are pricey! My brain is intact today because of her :)

Aaaaand, my friend, Shan. We go back to when we were newly married neighbors, living next door in our townhouses..helping each other out then, too, with dogs & house sitting. She had her little boy a few months before me, so it was all fresh in her mind. And man did she go the extra mile for me! Lent me her swing, her BellaBand (highly recommend those things!)..plenty of other things, I know, but just can't remember right now (I have a list, don't worry, you'll get it all back!) She, too, has had a hand in my sanity, fielding one or two crazed phone calls about how my little boy just won't fall asleep!

I can't forget Jill..awesome mommy numero 4! Lunch & walks with her are so relaxing..something which is essential when my days feel like whirlwinds of puke & diapers! Not to mention good, sound, breastfeeding advice & all her extra diapers that don't fit her little guy anymore (that's a money saver right there!).

Last, but not least, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Amber, for her advice on reflux, & Holly, for her advice on how to navigate & survive those first couple weeks at home. Both of their advice has been absolutely priceless!

So THANK YOU girls! From the bottom of my heart! I swear I'll be returning the favor to you guys with your next kids, or your present kids, & to other new mommy's, even complete strangers at the store! Because, quite frankly, I just don't want to be a mommy- critic! It's hard enough as it is to figure this craziness out without someone telling us we're doing it wrong! So There!

Saturday Mornin' Photo Shoot for the Grandparents!

2010-05-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

I'm actually surprised our little guy was in such a good mood this morning..he's had reflux pretty bad & it's made him miserable! We tried all the non-medicinal treatments (change mommy's diet, elevate the head of his bed, keep him upright for 30 minutes after nursing (that is super time consuming, btw, since he'd scream if I set him down!)) None of it seemed to help. So we went in to the pediatrician & got him on some Zantac. I know it'll take a few weeks to really be effective..but he already seems a bit happier! Thank goodness..'cause it sucks when your baby hurts & nothing you do helps :(

Laughin' at mom & dad :)

I love this face! I can't quite figure out what he's thinkingwhen he makes it!

The stare down w/ Daddy!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!

2010-05-09T12:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Mom's Day to all the mommies out there..this time around I actually realize all that my mother went through to be my mom..what an amazing woman she is! I hope I can be half the mom she is. And the pics I promised...feast your eyes on the cutest little boy I know !

Long Time Comin'

2010-05-06T09:41:00.001-07:00

So it's been an eventful 6 or 7 weeks since I've posted...This mom thing? I love it! But it's an adjustment! People talked about the crazy sleep schedules, the gallons of bodily fluids, the erratic hormonal roller coaster...Well it's all talk 'till it becomes reality! And oh, what a reality it is!

For starters..that 'drama' I mentioned at the end of my last post? Well, no one mentioned to me that toxemia doesn't just go away when you deliver. In fact, they all made it sound like having your baby would instantly cure the problem. Not so, my friends, not so! It can stick around for a couple MONTHS after delivery! Yup. Well, I didn't know this (a couple people have said 'you're a nurse..how did you not know?' Well, I'm an ONCOLOGY nurse..not an OB nurse (I hated the subject in nursing school, actually!) and...AND...I'm a new mother! My head is not in the nursing mindset, thanks very much! Treat me like I'm any other patient, please!

Right.

So back to the drama: a few days after having Aiden, I realized I was having POUNDING headaches. My OB had told me to check my blood pressure at home, but let's face it, I had other things on my mind. I finally did check it..and it was still just as high as when my Dr freaked out & induced me. We wound up in the ER that night..& I went home on blood pressure meds, which I just barely got the OK to stop taking. Hmmm...woulda been nice to know all that before I dropped $150 on an ER copay!

Aiden is growing SO fast! But no chunking out for our little dude..his growth is all length-wise! The kid is a freakin' piece of spaghetti, I tell you! I don't think he'll ever be a roly-poly baby..friends babies who were born after him already weigh more than he does! Not that he's malnourished..he just has the Newman/Thornley metabolism..so he's pretty much destined to be a lurp :) I was kinda worried at first..but after some research learned that exclusively breastfed babies tend towards the leaner side..& I'm a-ok with that!

ANYWHO, it's the most incredible thing to watch his little personality grow :) He is a very stubborn & super strong little boy..already holding his head up completely on his own so he can look around (he is a very curious little man, & gets really mad if he can't see things) & pushing up to stand on his twiggy little legs! He's started 'talking' back to us & giving us those cute little smiles..yeah, I'm in love!

I won't bore you, cause I know that a lot of this is only interesting if it's your child..but I will post pics tonight..'cause I don't care who ya' are..they're freakin' cute!

Once Again...

2010-04-09T07:33:00.000-07:00

My friend, Wendy, has done a fabulous job photographing my little family..& this time Aiden's more than a belly bump :)

Jeff&Meg+1

Thanks, Wendy!

Prepare to be inundated!

2010-03-27T08:02:00.000-07:00

What is about to ensue are a lot of words & a lot of pictures (in no specific order, might I add..I have yet to really figure out how to properly download photos to my blog!) In fact, I can't get them to line up the way I want, so they'll be randomly distributed throughout this post.

So, as y'all can tell..our little boy is here! YAY! A tad bit earlier than expected..& now that the dust has settled, we're ok with that!

On Friday, March 12th, I went in for my usual appointment..pee in a cup, check my vitals..blah, blah, blah.
Medical assistant pumping the cuff on my arm: "Huh. Your blood pressure's kinda high..that's weird..you run low."

Me: Well, I was a little rushed this morning..we can recheck it..what was it?

Medical Assistant: 150/90

Me: That's not too bad.

Got in, saw my Dr..she said re-check the blood pressure after I'd chilled in the waiting room a bit & asked if I had any headaches..not really, that I can think of..So, we rechecked the BP..it was still a tad high...

Dr: Why don't you come back in on Monday & we'll recheck it

Me: OK..my husband & I have a trip to Moab this weekend..are you still ok if I go?

Dr: Sure, just take it easy & come back in next week.

So we traipsed off to Moab..Jeff was riding in a fundraiser for Huntsman Cancer Institute..that's a whole 'nother blog...it was fun & I took it easy & just walked the doggy & chilled at local coffee shops.

Came home on Sunday. Went in to my Dr (saw a different guy, though) on Monday..pressure was still high so that Dr sent me home w/ a 24-hr pee collection (don't ask!). I asked that Dr if I could go into work that night..I really didn't want to use vacation time until I had our little guy.

He said: It's a night shift, right? Should be a little slower (hahaha..all my co-workers are laughing now..yes?)..sure, you can go in.

So, I went in to work Monday night. Notice I'm kiiiindaaa having a headache.."hmmm, wonder what my BP is" I think. So I check it. 175/110. Oh. OK. Higher than I though it'd be. Not awesome. So I kept rechecking it. And it stayed high. And I was getting a little nervous. So, just to be safe, I called my Dr on my way home from work & left a message w/ her nurse. Juuuust as I'm snuggling down in to bed my phone rings. It's my OB's nurse.

Nurse: We would like you to come in today.

Me: Oh. OK. Sure..what time?

Nurse: Now.

Grrrreeeeaaaaat.

I will now abbreviate: I went in. They put me on 'strict' bedrest but told me they'd be surprised if I made it 2-3 more days before inducing me. I laughed at them. Work was wonderful about helping me get 'called off' my Tuesday night shift (so I didn't have to use vacation time), & friends brought me books & chocolate (thanks Cheryl, Kelly & Heather!). I kept checking my BP at home. It stayed sky high even while I was flat on my back.

Here comes 3AM Wednesday morning..Are those contractions? Seriously? Well..they're not strong, just regular..every 5 minutes for 3 hours. And my BP? 190/120. Jeff was 'mildly' concerned..& I'll be honest, knowing what I do, I was a little nervous about stroking out at this point. So at 6AM I called the OB on call. She heard my BP's & told me to come in to be checked. I fully expected to be sent home to chill some more, but packed a bag anyways. Good thing I did. 'Cause they decided to induce me. HOLY. CRAP. I was SOO not ready for that!

So. Anyone here ever been on high dose magnesium sulfate? Raise your hand (hi, Amber!). Anyone ever had your guts torn out, eyeballs removed, legs turned to jell-o, all while being told 'PUUUUUUSSSSHHHHH'!!!! I really don't have adequate words for how freakin' AWFUL that stuff makes you feel! Magnesium sulfate, in high doses, is used in toxemia to relax muscles, which in turn, prevents seizures & strokes in someone w/ high blood pressure. Which, for me, equated to 3 different catheters (how much easier would it have been if they just left the first one IN?), cause I wasn't going to be walking on those jell-o legs, being unable to hold my head up at times & puking while pushing through my contractions. I opted for an epidural..which, I was extremely grateful for while I dilated from a 4 to a 10 in the space of about an hour..but when it came time for the pushing, I felt so out of control because of the Mag Sulfate, that I let the epi wear off pretty much all the way so I could feel when I needed to push. I'll be honest, it hurt like hell..I have a whole new measuring stick for pain. But I felt in control. Jeff had to basically fold me in half towards the end of the 2+ hours of pushing, & I felt so exhausted I was 'sleeping' in between contractions..haha! Side note: My husband is amazing. There is absolutely no way I could've done this without him..He physically & emotionally kept me going when I absolutely felt like I couldn't. And the second that I got to touch our little boy's head..it was all worth it, & I just couldn't stop crying. From that moment on, love has a new definition for me.

So at 11:04 PM we had Mr. Aiden. 6lbs 3 oz & 19 inches long & for that reason i'm glad i had him a month early or he'd of been huge! However, I was NOT glad he came early at the time, because after a few short minutes of getting to hold him, they whisked him away for further respiratory evaluation. Jeff went w/ him, & I'm so glad he did..our little guy had 2 episodes where his oxygen levels dropped dangerously low, leaving him unresponsive & gray..Jeff said he's never had a worse moment in his life. It bought the dude an instant pass to 24/7 monitoring & oxygen. My nurses were awesome & rolled my huge bed into the nursery after I was all straightened out & let me touch his foot..I went right back to feeling so helpless..I couldn't move out of my bed because of the magnesium & my little boy couldn't be taken out of his bassinet or unhooked from the wires & IV's he was now connected to..saying that the situation sucked is an understatement. All those wires & IV's hooked up to my little guy just broke my heart.

But, long story short, I believe in miracles & prayer (thank you everyone) because Aiden turned around pretty quickly, & only had to stay a couple extra nights in the hospital. The hospital social worker was great & worked it out so that even though I was discharged the day before Aiden was, we got to 'board' for free in our room so we didn't have to leave him. And now we have our little baby dinosaur (you should here him growl:) home. There's more drama following this whole story, but I'll save it for another post!

You still reading this? Wow! :)

To make a long a story short...

2010-03-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

He looks just like his daddy & we think he's the best thing since sliced bread! More to follow soon..

Getting my Domestic Diva on..

2010-03-10T14:30:00.000-08:00

Yeah. So. I looked back at the first pic I ever posted of me 'showing' today. And I must say..WHAT was I thinking?? To all the people who told me me 'honey, that's not showing..just you wait!' You guys were right! It hurts to say it, but it's true! *sigh*

ANYWHO, I figured I'd better get up the '35 week' pic before it's too late. I know I'm going to have to get even bigger over the next couple weeks..but I'm not quite sure how that's going to happen! I feel huge! Yeah, yeah, I know..there are girls who are 'more pregnant' than I am out there right now..but I feel stretched to the max! The skin on my tummy is numb from being stretched out so much! As you can see..if I'm at home, I'm wearing yoga pants (Oh, & usually NO bra..TMI, I know! I put one on the for pic..you guys are lucky!). I have a couple pairs I rotate through..& that's it! Jeans are not my favorite thing these days..even the cute maternity ones I got a while back..I can not STAND to have anything pulled up over my belly anymore..so that stupid panel gets pushed down to my hips..where it doesn't do the job of holding the jeans up anymore..so I walk around like a two year old gangsta' constantly hitching up my pants!

And Kateka..I'm not wearing heels anymore! No. I. Am. Not. I don't care that it's still freezing outside..it's flip flop time! Or my knock-off Uggs (I may own a pair..but I still maintain they are butt-ugly..they're too convenient for me to care, though.) I made the mistake of wearing a pair of my cute boots to dinner the other night..halfway through I could feel my feet expanding! Those suckers were OFF (it took some serious tugging) the second I got in the car!

I know I have it REALLY good compared to a lot of girls. I know that! I'm still exercising (waddling on a treadmill counts..oh, yes, it does!), I'm not on bed rest (whew!). So I'll stop complainin!

The domestic diva part of this post, you ask? Well, today I am making homemade cinnamon rolls & brownies (Jeff has a fundraiser at work tomorrow). They are not done yet. I WILL be posting pics, though..'cause I know I'm going to be stinkin' proud of the end result! Which I will then swiftly inhale! Also, my floors are all vacuumed & my laundry is 75% done..that makes me feel like a diva!

*SPARKLES* EVERYONE!

P.S. That pic up there makes me look like I have tree-trunk leg goin' on. I don't. It's the pants. Just sayin.

Update: I finished the cinnamon rolls & brownies. And they looked amazing & were delicious! However, my motivation to take pictures was gone..so you'll just have to take my word for it!

A picture's worth a thousand of'em..

2010-02-22T10:49:00.000-08:00

I have this friend, Wendy Anderson, who is a fabulous nurse I work with! She's ALSO a faaaahbulous photographer :) (I DO have a point..keep reading)...anywho, I haven't felt especially 'hot' with this whole pregnancy thing, but I've heard from quite a few people that I will miss it when The Dude is here. So, in order to 'boost my confidence' & make some memories, Wendy did a maternity photo shoot for my husband & I..and let me say, she did SUCH a great job! I'm a terrible 'model' & was goofing off the entire photo shoot..& she still got some wonderful pics that I love & will love to look back at! If ya feel the urge, check'em out:

Meg&Jeff

AND, if ya need an excellent photographer, I highly recommend her!

Much ado about..

2010-02-17T10:57:00.000-08:00

Before we get started, quick question: WHY can I never get my text above the first pic? Huh? If you guys know the secret, do tell!

NOW, updates :) Jeff is working on 'building' his new love: his triathalon bike. I'm a little concerned for my position in his affections right now....ahem! Jeff has a talent I must divulge at this point: he is an AMAZING online shopper! Me, I don't really like to shop much. And that's ok, 'cause Jeff loves to, and any cute clothes I have he bought! He can find these incredible deals, too. I hesitate to buy him anything, because I know he can find the same thing, or better, at half the price of what I pay. It's super annoying! But super handy when purchasing the components for a bike that could be ridiculously expensive, otherwise.

Moving on to VALENTINE'S DAY! Jeff made me a really yummy surf & turf dinner on Saturday night (I worked Sunday): shrimp, filet mignon, and lobster tail. I love it when he puts on his chef's coat & gets cookin'! I don't know what it is about a man in the kitchen, but he looks so dang good in that thing! And the dinner? It was SO yummy! He also snuck a pint of my favorite ice cream: Haagen Daaz Chocolate Peanut Butter, into the freezer..which I did not discover until the next day..that boy knows the way to my heart!

And me? I'm just getting bigger every day! Thankfully, it feels (and looks) like The Dude has dropped down..for which I am very grateful! It's nice to be able to breath a little bit! I'm not quite sure what weeks I am in these pics, but I'll give an estimate..

29 weeks:

28 weeks:

And sometime I'll post week 31!

How was everyone else's V-Day?

Call To Arms!

2010-02-10T19:35:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all!

I've got some 'facts' for ya!

A) Cancer is a cause that is quite close to my heart.

B) It is also something my husband, Jeff, cares about a lot, especially since his father is a cancer survivor.

C) Jeff is an incredible road biker (he's got the sexy calf muscles to prove it, too!!)

Combine A, B, & C and this is what ya get:

In about a month, Friday, March 12th through Tuesday, March 16th, Jeff will be road biking in the 'Skinny Tire Festival' in Moab, UT. This is an event that is aimed at raising money for cancer research for the Huntsman Cancer Institute here in Salt Lake City, UT. While we're more than happy to donate all the moolah needed for the ride, we'd LOVE it if anyone wants to help Jeff out in being a 'Hometown Hero'! If you get the itch, just click on this link:

http://www.huntsmancancerfoundation.org/netcommunity/newman

Then click on the BRIGHT RED BUTTON that says 'Donate On My Behalf Now' & do your good deed for the day!

C'mon! You know you want to!

Fiiiibbbberrrr!

2010-02-10T07:09:00.001-08:00

One of my 'pet peeves': When I buy a new bread, trying to be healthy, & it tastes like cardboard! There is no way I'm wasting two loaves of bread..but it sure is torture working our way through it! Maybe I'd better learn my lesson & just stick with what I know we like..even if it doesn't have my daily intake of fiber in one slice!

Do any of you guys have a healthy AND yummy bread to recommend?

Firm Believer!

2010-02-04T09:47:00.000-08:00

I know I've said this before..and I'll probably say it a couple more times: If you're given the OK to do so, I'm a big fan of exercise during pregnancy!! This time I'm not trying to toot my own horn, either, I promise! Just hear me out..

After the last three shifts at work, my back has been killing me! So yesterday, at the suggestion of my very sweet hubby, I went & got a prenatal massage. And if was wonderful! It felt great & was SOOO relaxing. But my back, sadly, was still really achy after..and I was bummed about that.

So, this morning, after tossing & turning all night trying to get comfy, I laced up my sneakers & headed to the gym, figuring that if the treadmill was too tough today, I'd just stick w/ the elliptical. I walked in the gym with a hitch in my giddy-up (yup, I just said that:), & walked out with my back & hips feeling 100% better! Yay!

All I can chalk it up to, is I guess my muscles just know what they like! And they like to move!

P.S. The dude gets really active when I'm exercising, & I like to imagine him in there jogging on his own little treadmill, or swimming laps like his daddy, while I'm working out..totally cracks me up!

Hey Y'all!

2010-01-26T10:45:00.000-08:00

Since I'm feeling rather dizzy right now (low blood pressure, I'm assuming..nothing too alarming.) & my motivation is at an all time low, AND I need to post a lil' somethin' on here, I guess I'll update a bit!

So. Like I said: feeling dizzy. That is happening a lot more frequently lately..& really, I'm just chalking it up to low blood pressure..which I'll take over high any day! It happened at work the other day so I checked it & I was 88/50..I'm usually in the 120's/60-70 range so that's a little low..BUT 'they' say it's pretty normal in pregnancy, so I don't think I'll stress about it.

Speaking of stress..I was doing really well there for a while..but I find myself worrying more & more this past week or so, and I don't like it! Stressing STRESSES me out! And it's silly, especially since it's usually over things that I can't control. I'll be running around at work, sit down to do something & be like 'Hmmm..haven't felt the dude (yeah, I call him 'dude') move at all today! And yeah, I know that's normal, esp when you're moving & busy. BUT, being crazy, I go nuts, & I sit there & poke & prod him & jiggle him, & he'll wriggle a bit, & I'll think 'There you are! But seriously, move MORE! I know you're probably sleeping, & I'm annoying you, but if you don't do a jig like, RIGHT NOW, I'm going to freak out, ok?' Of course he doesn't listen..& then I Google 'fetal movement'..blah, blah, blah..you see where this is going? Yeah. I need to chill.

In other news...Jeff has been workin' his booty off! He's working on his Masters right now..in addition to his full-time PLUS job, PLUS training for his Tri in May (did I mention it's an Iron Man? Yeah..my man is awesome!) he is also getting all sorts of schtuff done around the house..like building storage closets in the garage, putting together our guest room (something I shoulda done before I had a bun in the oven), etc. etc. Good thing someone in this marriage has motivation right now!

And for a random tidbit: I would like to go ONE day w/o having to change my shirt at least two times! This belly o' mine has become a catch-all for whatever I'm eating &/or drinking lately! It's ridiculous! I never considered myself a messy eater/drinker..but apparently I am! Eating a sandwich? Tomato on chest! Drinking juice? Nice puddle on the belly..and my personal favorite? Running away from friend trying to pay for lunch? Squished eclair in the boob department! Awesome! (Yeah, Jill, that was YOUR fault!)

Alright! I feel I have done my blogging duty! Go forth & have a marvelous day!

To the lady at the gym...

2010-01-14T07:12:00.000-08:00

Who was on the treadmill next to me. She kept looking right over and STARING at me..nothing sneaky about it. So finally I took my headphones out & STAAAARED right back. And she sweetly said:

"I don't think you should be exercising like that when you're pregnant."

Um. Ok. Thanks DOCTOR!

For a split second I had no idea how to respond..then my usual attitude kicked in & I told her that:

A) "I don't think it's any of your business!"

and

B) "It's actually much healthier when you DO exercise while pregnant!"

'Cause, woman, My labor will be easier because I've exercised this whole pregnancy. My little boy will be smarter & healthier (Yeah, they've done studies..and this is true!) because I've exercised this whole pregnancy. I WILL have my bangin' body back much quicker after I pop the little dude out BECAUSE I'VE EXERCISED THIS WHOLE PREGNANCY!

SO THERE!

P.S. Yes, I'm bragging a little bit..'cause dang it, I want to! haha

I Resolve....

2010-01-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

"Man, I'm tired!" Those are my favorite words these days..because, well, it's true! I've had my second trimester 'energy spurt' & as I'm heading into my third (I've discovered there's varying opinions as to what week the third tri begins, oddly enough!) I can feel my energy draining away. It might have something to do with the basketball I have strapped to my front, & my inability to find a comfortable sleeping position..I'm not sure!

ANYWHO, as I was doing laundry this morning, & sighing over how MUCH of it there was to do, I of course thought to myself : 'I am SO tired'!

THEN I started thinking about how much MORE tired I'll be when this little munchkin is not so compactly packed & easily portable..when he's waking me up & I'm back at work on night shifts & there's still laundry to be done, and dishes, and errands, and, and, AND......!!!!

THEN I started freaking out a little bit about how I was going to handle it, because, quite frankly, I'm a terrible, terrible person when I'm sleep deprived..& from what I can gather, sleep deprivation is just a part of motherhood...

SO, there I am, in my laundry room, getting ready to hyperventilate..when I realized that if I keep freaking out like this I am going to miss out on something very important:

ENJOYING BEING PREGNANT.

Yeah. You heard me right: ENJOYING it! As some of you may have gathered..I'm not really of the school that absolutely 'loooooooves' being pregnant. I know you women are out there. And you're crazy, ok? How you can enjoy being clumsy, dropping things, taking an eternity to get shoes on, heartburn, etc. etc. is beyond me! (Feeling him move in there is pretty cool..THAT I'll give ya!)

But I'm going to make a 'New Year's Resolution' to enjoy, to my greatest ability, the rest of my pregnancy..because soon my/our life will be forever changed. And I'm excited for that! Really, I am!

ANYWHO, to those of you who have experienced pregnancy: What did you enjoy about it? And what did you do to relax? And to those of you who haven't had the 'pleasure' yet..what do YOU do to relax (I need suggestions!)

MAN, that was kinda a corny post!

25 weeks & Counting!

2009-12-29T16:45:00.000-08:00

Yup. That's me with hair in my face & gettin' bigger by the day..but that's part of the preggo deal..yes? I am going to brag for a second & tell you guys that those jeans are pre-pregnancy. And now I'm going to shoot that bragging in the foot 'cause those jeans are SUPER full of lycra & low cut..so of course they still fit..they're being stretched to me new size! haha :)

I had a whole fun prego update post ready to go in my head..but I'm way too hungry to put in the effort right now..so I'm going to pass. I WILL post on Christmas..eventually!

BUZZZZ.....

2009-12-28T10:11:00.000-08:00

SO. Guess who didn't sleep last night?

And is sooooooo tired today at work..where being alert is of utmost importance, mind you!

So..guess who broke their 'no-caffeine' rule, and had just a little bit? (We're talking about a quarter cup, people, so don't judge the pregnant chick!:)

Except, apparently breakfast was out of my stomach already, so the caffeine has full reign..and now I CAN'T. STOP. VIBRATING!!! Augggghhhhh!!!!

Lesson learned..apparently I'm now a light weight & highly susceptible to 'controlled substances'..haha. On the plus side..I AM a little more alert!

It's a......

2009-11-18T11:43:00.000-08:00

BOY! We have ourselves a little mini-Jeff, guys! I, for one, am pretty stoked about that! Honestly, I just want a healthy baby, whether boy or girl. But, I was kinda thinking it was a dude from the beginning...Jeff was certain it was a girl, and he had me pretty much convinced by the time our ultrasound rolled around. So, when the US tech said 'Oh, it's definitely a boy!', I was actually kinda surprised! I know Jeff was, too..it was pretty funny:) I will definitely say it was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had, getting to see the little guy flipping around in there! Apparently he likes his hands behind his head so he can 'sun tan', haha. The US tech was really nice & super informative & talked us through the whole thing, pointing out all the good stuff: kidneys, healthy brain, closed spinal cord..we have a healthy baby on our hands, and that makes me so happy, since I'm the perpetual worrier & always envisioning the worst possible outcome in everything.

On to the next thing of importance: Baby Bump Pics! You guys are sweet to want to see them, & I finally feel like you can kinda tell, so without further adieu:

Thank goodness for Shade shirts..those things are so nice & long, stretchy & SOFT!

If you can't tell by the expression on my face, I'm not much of a picture girl..I just feel silly..but oh well :)

Side note: I find myself oddly in to the show 'Glee'. Please don't make fun of me, guys! I'm not much of a TV girl, but this show is turning into crack for me..how weird...ANYWHO! Have a good one! :)

OH! btw..I'm 19 weeks..yay!

Did I REALLY just do that?

2009-11-09T04:39:00.001-08:00

I thought it was a myth...like the Yeti, or the Loch Ness Monster. But I'm here to tell you it's real, & it's fearsome..a true force to be reckoned with: The dreaded PREGNANCY BRAIN!!!

Yeah, yeah, yeah...laugh if you want to! I sure did! Seriously..who forgets keys & wallets & small children?? Hmmm...make that person ME!

Last week, I forgot my purse...got to work & realized I had absolutely no way of paying for food to feed my ravenous appetite!! Luckily, a kind co-worker took pity on me & bought me lunch (Thanks, Rachael..you're aweseome!)

I've been setting things down & coming back an hour later looking for it! Dialing phone numbers & forgetting who I'm calling....

However, the crowning moment was last night: Forgot my shoes! Yup.

I don't like to wear my work shoes anywhere but work (the things are crawling with nasty hospital germs, despite being boiled in Clorox on a regular basis!) So, Jeff & I went to his parents for some good ol' Sunday dinner. I packed all my work paraphanelia into my car so I could leave straight from there. I remember pulling my shoes out & leaving them by the garage door...and that's where they stayed, apparently! 'Cause I got to work..& no shoes to put on! Now, work requires closed toed shoes to be worn. This indeed was a dilemma. LUCKILY, I had a pair of cute, red, Keds Ballet Flats in the back seat. Closed Toed. Rubber Soled. Oh, did I also mention blister-inducing, arch-killing, & back-breaking??!

No one does sore feet like a pregnant chick. I'd like to top that: no one does sore feet like a pregnant NURSE! Geez Freakin' Louise!! This night has got to end before I chop my feet off!!!

Anyone have any memory tricks? This could get old fast!

One of THOSE days!

2009-10-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

And by 'THOSE' days I mean a truly great one! Do you ever wake up in a really wonderful mood, feeling productive & happy for absolutely no good reason except that you have a damn good life? This post will annoy the crap outta' me next time I'm grumpy, I'm sure, but for now I just want to wish you all a fabulous, perfect weather, day..which I will be enjoying by actually cleaning my house, paying my bills & jogging my dog..I hope your day goes just as great, guys!

Dear Comcast...

2009-10-05T07:42:00.001-07:00

PLEASE bring your glorious service to my neighborhood! PLEASE!! I can't take waving around the little, plastic 'modem' thingy from another, slower, less superior company, just PRAYING for '4 lines of service', instead of 3...(or heaven forbid, 2 lines!) anymore!! Because when I find a spot with 4 lines, it's usually in a spot where I can't set said plastic thingy down! And, it drains my energy, and my motivation, which is in short supply right now as it is!

And now...RANDOM THOUGHTS:

I'm growing oddly fond of Rachael Ray's talk show (yikes!). The only time that I watch actual TV (we don't have TV..see above prayer as to why..this is actually a good thing, though.) is at the gym. And her show is pretty entertaining. Not to mention, the food she features usually motivates me to run harder! Faster! Stronger! So I can eat it! On a slight tangent: I can't stand her '30 Minute Meal' cookbooks! 30 minutes, my foot! Every recipe requires a gazillion (yes, a gazillion) ingredients. Half of which I can only get if I travel to Zimbabwe. Anywho.

I really want to get the dust ruffle on our bed! We've been in our house for a little over 3 months, & I want to be able to hide stuff under there without seeing it. However, last time I tried to get a dust ruffle on that bed by myself, I broke the entire contents of a bedside table. No bueno. I'll just have to ask my brother to help me next time he's here...I feel guilty asking Jeff when he's so busy digging sprinkler lines in our back yard.

I need to get an oil change for my car. The dealership we take Jeff's truck to is cheaper than anywhere else. But I have to plan ahead, because they don't usually service Volkswagons..and apparently their parts come from Zimbabwe! Or Germany. Either or.

Well, I'm off to walk my dog in the very chilly, crisp, refreshing fall weather we've got going on here! Good day to you!

And another month's gone by...

2009-10-02T15:54:00.000-07:00

I really suck at this blogging lately. Really suck. *sigh*

So. Since you guys are awesome enough to take an interest in my life & ask questions that I have yet to answer, I'll update:

I'm 12 weeks along with this pregnancy 'fun'..& I officially hate any woman who 'loooooves' being prego. Hate them. I don't know how some people wait this long to break the news..cause you only have to spend about 5 seconds with me & I'll:

a) spill the beans (I'm terrible at keeping my own secrets..I CAN keep other peoples' secrets..just fyi..haha).

b) bite your head off. My tolerance for stupidity has shrunk to nil..so don't cut me off in traffic, make a snarky remark at the post office, or tell me my butt looks bigger (this one is aimed at my well-intentioned sister, who thought it was a compliment?). I will kill you. And then you will wonder why I'm so cranky. And then I'll tell you (see 'a').

c) puke on you. Which sucks. Not just for me, but you, too! However, this HAS made for a couple funny stories..like me throwing up in my patients' rooms..in THEIR puke buckets. Gross.

So..there ya have it! I know, that in all reality, I have it really good compared to a lot of women..but that hasn't stopped me from complaining :) So thanks for listening to me, guys. I'm going to redouble my efforts for a positive attitude!

Anywho, this whole post makes it sound like I'm not happy to be preggers. But I really am! Leave out the nausea, the 13-year-old amounts of acne & the pinched butt nerve...and I'm pretty freakin' psyched to be cookin' a baby :) I just can't wait 'till you can actually tell! I can tell. My hubby can tell. My jeans can tell. (And apparently so can my sister!) But no one else can. And in all reality, the baby bump is truly on visible if I've eaten a big meal :) So, I'm sorry Kateka, but I don't have a pic to post, yet. But I will! Soon :)

Have a good weekend :)

Pardon my whining...BUT

2009-09-08T06:57:00.001-07:00

I WANT MY FOOD BACK!!! Yes, that's right! I want my food!! My spicy salsas & chips, my gourmet pork chops & steaks cooked a la Chef Jeff!! My Chocolate....Oh, how I want my CHOCOLATE!! I'm sick to death of toast & saltines, toast & saltines...oh, and cereal! Seriously! A couple weeks ago my pee turned this freakish green shade..it scared me a bit (too much info, I know..too bad!) Then, I realized that basically, all I'd been eating for the last couple days was FORTIFIED CEREAL! Oh, and my prenatal vitamins...sooo...my body was peeing off all the extra viteys. Ah. My bad!

So, back to that food thing: I love food! I've always had a good appetite..but, apparently this little, wonderful (notice I said wonderful!) parasite I've got growing inside me right now has stolen that joy from me! And I want it back! Mostly, I want back my water...I really love water. And right now, it's making me gag. *sigh*

Right then! I've vented! Thanks guys :)

Pucker Snafus!

2009-08-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

So. (I've noticed I start a lot of my posts with 'SO'..& I'm ok with that!). SO...in trying to keep my mind off the nausea & backache/cramping/wanting-to-die (which WebMD, FitPregnancy & Google, inform me is normal w/ early pregnancy..which I should probably know..I mean, I AM a nurse..btw if any of you mammas out there have anything you'd like to inform me of, warn me of, or scare me with...please, PLEASE divulge your secrets! Holly, I'm talking to YOU!) AHEM!! I digress....

In trying to distract myself, I found this funny little blurb on MSN about kissing, informing me of the multiple ways in which you can 'Kill The Kiss'! For those of us out there that were/are free with their lips (sorry, mom!), these 'Kiss Killers' are old news. But that definitely doesn't keep them from being funny..especially when they made me recall my own experiences!

Kiss Killer #1: Attack of the Mouth! Just like it sounds: full on assault! I dated this guy right before my hubby, who must've thought kissing was a contact sport that required a helmet & full set of pads! Or fake lips. I was so excited for our first kiss (you know how it is!). The anticipation was killing me! I just KNEW it was going to happen...he inched closer...closer...& then DOVE onto my face! Suction in full force, teeth gnawing ferociously! I went with it for a couple minutes, thinking maybe he'd get tired (haha). No such luck! When I started tasting blood, I decided to call it quits..kissing is supposed to be fun, & THIS was worse than going to the dentist! I lost chunks of my lower lip to that experience!

Kiss Killer #2: The Grandma Peck. You know..that chaste little, closed lipped dab. And, OK, I'll admit that any grandma kissing I've experienced has been completely & totally my fault. I call(ed) them pity kisses. And you shouldn't do it, ladies!!! It just gives hope where there is none!! Unfortunately, I didn't realize how heartless this was until I was out of highschool..sorry to all the boys I pity kissed!!

Kiss Killer #3: Bad Breath. *sigh* I've probably also been guilty of this one with my hubby. My philosphy is if everyone eats the garlic & onions..it doesn't matter! Right? According to my hubby, WRONG!! He is a stickler for good breath..so if I want any action, I brush, floss, Listerine etc...all in hopes of a good smooch :)

Kiss Killer #4: Going Off-Target. This is my favorite!! So (there's that 'SO' again!). Imagine a romantic setting: candles flickering, sexy music playin'...I'm trying to be all seductive & go in for some nice, hot lip action!! I'm really gettin' into the kiss (which, in all reality, is only nanoseconds in) when I realize 'Man, Jeff's tongue feels really weird! It's kinda knobby!' Jeff then snorts & pushes me away!

'Um, babe, um, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!!'

'I'm kissing you..I think..'

'Yeah, uh, that's my nose!'

Oh. OK. Wow. My bad! haha :) Who knew sucking on someones nose could be so sexy!! As a disclaimer, though: It was dark, ok?!

Anywho, I'd like to hear your guys' funny stories...so 'fess up, people!! Oh, and give me the dirt on being prego!

Thanks!

HMMMM.....

2009-08-19T01:30:00.000-07:00

What to write, what to write.....Well, for starters, I must lead a very boring life!! I WANT to update my blog. Really. I do. But I just can't think of anything to put on here.......

I guess I could blog about the really awesome grilled veggie kabob recipe I've been eating practically every night for the last 2 weeks (you've tasted it Jess, tell the people..is it not delish??:).

Or the Real Soccer game the hubs & I went to this last weekend (man, we gots no skillz..seriously, I was gettin' bored by the end of the second half...which is sad, since I'm a soccer chick.)

Or about going downtown with my favorite gal, Cher, and her two little kiddos! It was so fun hangin' out with her, chillin', scoping out the rings we want our men to buy us..watching her cute kids run through the fountain...SO fun!! Must repeat!

Or the fact that my hubby is working on our backyard...ripped out a whole bunch of weeds w/ a Bobcat (got a killer sunburn in the process), and is now faced with a giant pile of boulders to play with..he loves gettin' dirty!

And. Last but not least....apparently Jeff & I are official members of the '2 Pink Lines Club' or the 'Plus Sign Club' or really whateva' the hell you wanna' call it club....any way you spin it, it means, to be blatantly obvious: I've got a bun in the oven!

How's that for a grand finale?

SO! I guess I DO have stuff to write about! Too bad I don't take pictures :) And too bad I'm not feeling creative enough to elaborate on the above activities...but at least I'm puttin' in some effort, right? And it's the thought that counts!

Swim, Bike, Run....Potato Style!

2009-07-26T14:51:00.000-07:00

So, as I'm sure you're all aware, Idaho is THE place for fun! Burley, ID, to be exact! Yup! Jeff & I were wondering what all the hype was about, so we decided to go on up there & check it out for ourselves...so we registered for the Spudman Triathalon as a team...awwwww!

We weren't disappointed!! We stayed in the Lake Walcott State Park in our toyhauler (THE way to travel, folks..I love camping, but a trailer ain't a bad way to go!). It was so pretty! And full of mosquitos! Yay! I have a gazilion pictures that I'm not going to bore you with..(I also do not have the patience to wait for my internet connection to upload them) but you should all be jealous!

Saturday was the big morning, it was perfect weather! Jeff did the swim & bike, and I did the run (I know, I know, I had it easy!) So, since there was (was? were? I'm a little sketchy on the appropriate grammar here) only the two of us, pictures were a little tricky to get..I got some killer ones of the swimmers..but good luck picking out who is who! After all the hooplah, we snagged a stranger to take one pic of us in all our glory:

And I DID get this one of Jeff lookin' all sexified in his swim cap...daaaaamn! haha

All in all, it was a really great way to spend the long weekend...good company, good exercise, good locale...Just look at that sunset!

THE END.

Exactly what you'd expect at 5AM...

2009-07-20T04:20:00.001-07:00

I am tired. Physically so, yes. But emotionally, even more so. Please forgive me if what ensues is mildly emotional, & bear in mind I'm sleep deprived :)

I want to be a good nurse. I want to be a GREAT nurse. I really think that patients deserve the best. Everyone has their own definition of what a good nurse entails. To me a very large part of being the best is the emotional aspect. Especially in the field I work in. Oncology. The dreaded 'C' word: Cancer. This may sound twisted, but I love it. I get to know my patients & their families much more than I would on a med/surg floor, an ortho floor, or OB. But it's a double edged sword...because while I get to share the really great moments, the remissions & succesful transplants..I also see the suffering. I will never claim to understand or know what pain & sorrow my patients & their families go through with this battle. I would never presume to. But while they're fighting, I want to support them in any way that I can. If that means I cry with them, I cry. If it means I just listen, I listen. Or I just get them a red popsicle....

I've been crying & listening & popsicle-ing in this area for 5 years now. Some of my coworkers have been doing it for 3 times PLUS that. (I have A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. coworkers..that's a whole 'nother post.) And I go through these ups & downs, cycling through...doing really well at leaving work at work for a couple weeks, or months. Then a couple weeks where I have to go for extra runs just to get everything out of my system. These last couple weeks have just been a challenge. And I have to let it out...because it's not fair. And it sucks. And no amount of ativan or morphine or dilaudid can fix it the way I want to. I do not understand why these incredible people have to go through what they do just to live & take another breath..while the rest of us get to enjoy walking outside without worrying about an infection. And eating without nausea. And sleeping without pain.

BUT. I can't leave. And I won't. And I don't want to. Because I absolutely love my job. And I've done it long enough now that I know it's a phase. And soon my coping skills will ramp back up & I won't be so bummed...I really can't imagine any other area I would love so much. I take away a lot of perspective from my job. SO. On that note: thank you for letting me vent. And THANK YOU to my amazing coworkers! You guys help make this job what it is. You help make this job what I love!

This great guy I know...

2009-07-18T14:14:00.001-07:00

Just graduated last weekend..(hard to do when you're working a fulltime + job & making your crazy wife happy!)
Put new brakes on my car so I won't die!

Man I love this guy!

Sounds So Sweet...Ooooh Mexico!

2009-07-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

OK. So. Since our internet connection is slower. than. SNOT!! These pictures are not in the order I would prefer. But, really, what does that matter when I'm blogging about MEXICO!? I'm going to split the trip up into palatable bits..not only to increase my post-to-comment ratio (haha), but for my sanity's sake..I will lose it if I have to upload more than 3 pictures at a time!!

We started off the trip in Cancun (so cliche, I know..but a FUN cliche!) And basically spent the majority of our time on the chairs & in the water as seen in the picture above. Ahhhhhh! White, sugary sand between our toes! Slushy, cold pina coladas! Water SO blue & SO warm! The perfect amount of shade & the perfect amount of sunscreen (kinda, I got a really bizarre tan around my bikini line..I won't be posting pictures:)..& the occasional weirdo for entertainment..like the mid 40's mom hanging w/ her 18 y/o son & his 'entourage', who kept asking all the buddies if she was still hot. Seriously? She wouldn't want to hear my answer!

We were within walking distance of a shopping center that had lots of Oxxo's (the Mexican convenience store of choice) so Jeff got his fill of Manzana Lift..a mexican apple soda that he just can't get enough of..more on that later! And we hadn't been there long enough to be annoyed by being offered varied assortments of wares & services every 5 steps yet, so it was all part of the experience!

The water & view really were gorgeous & Jeff & I would end the night sitting on the practically empty beach listening to the waves..oh that I could end every night that way!

On our last morning there we took a group photo for some friendly folks and they reciprocated by taking ours:

As a side note: I considered it quite the accomplishment that I managed to make my hair look quasi-presentable most of this trip (hair really wasn't the priority). With how short it is I pulled off a faux-ponytail w/ headband look that was quite easy to do..yay!

I leave you with a pic that pretty much sums up the entire trip nicely: flip-flop tan lines & sandy toes..it doesn't get better than that!

Or does it....? Stay tuned!

It's that time of night..

2009-07-07T01:49:00.000-07:00

THAT time of night! What does 'that' mean, exactly, you ask? It means that I'm at work. Sitting in front of the computer. Done checking my patients' charts. Done medicating them. Done poking them, prodding them, prying them...trying to resist the urge to go check on them! Because if I go in their rooms ONE MORE TIME they'll hate me! THAT time of night entails: Me drinking too much caffeine, yacking my co-workers ears off about random, pointless stuff until THEY hate me, checking the clock, checking my med lists...aughhhhhhh!!!! Basically, THAT time of night means that I'm going stark, raving mad! I've checked all the blogs that I like (people, update please!), dinked around on Facebook (no one's on at this time of night...honestly!), finished my book...*sigh*. I wish I were home right now, downloading my pictures of Mexico & blogging about THAT. Better yet, I wish I were back IN Mexico! Didn't take long for me to be ready for a vacation again! Speaking of vacations.....

I'm going to plan a trip to Boulder, CO for this fall for Jeff & I!! I read this great article in National Geographic Traveler highlighting Boulder (yup, we subscribe to it!) & I HAVE to go now! I mean, geez, CO isn't a long shot from Utah & I adore exploring new places! I love road trips! Hell, I just like being out of town! And as long as I have a trip on the horizon, I'm happy! I haven't quite decided yet if it would be better to fly or drive our toy-hauler up there (probably fly, with gas prices..esp when we're towing)...I'm comparing prices for places to stay. As far as I can tell there's no KOA super-close to Boulder..so that might get ruled out. BUT, we love our toy-hauler..having our own space, cooking our own meals..taking our doggy with us! With our toy-hauler we are a neat little package: We can pack our bikes, food, clothes, crap & schtuff & go play! And that's what I want: to be outdoors, sun on my skin, dirt under my nails, hubby & doggy by my side..hiking up a gorgeous mountain! Not sitting here, in a sterile hospital, listening to those grating call lights go off every. freaking. second. I'm so stir crazy!

So. Once of these days I'm going to post my Mexico pictures. Really.

*disclaimer: I love my job. Really & truly. But I love being outside more. And just so you know, not all night shifts are this slow. Just posting this will probably curse me with the shift from Hades tomorrow night!

We're Baaaaaaaaack!

2009-06-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Goodby Mexico..Hello piles of boxes! *sniffle*. It has been an incredibly busy last couple of weeks...my how the time has flown by! We are semi-moved-in to our house. VERY semi. I'm coaching myself through my box-&-pile-induced-OCD panic attacks with lots of loud music, deep breathing, chocolate & running..haha. You think I'm kidding!

We left for Mexico a week after we got into our house..it. was. SO. GREAT!!!!! I won't go on & on, 'cause I have pictures to post that will tell the story much more effectively than me rambling on & on about the beaches, the water, the fish, the pina coladas..the beaches...you get my drift ;) SO. It's back to work..I'll be posting pics soon..hopefully..apparently Comcast doesn't service our little neighborhood of two houses :) Actually, they don't even recognize that our address exists! I think Jeff & I should take this opportunity to go off the grid & back to Mexico! haha. SO, until I have interent service: Adios Amigos!

SO!

2009-06-09T07:32:00.001-07:00

Even though I just finished a 12 1/2 hour night shift, and am pretty dang tired..And because I haven't said it enough in the last couple weeks: I. AM. SO. EXCITED! I'm too excited to go to bed!! Becauuuuuuuuuse: We are closing on our house tomorrow!! After I get off work tomorrow morning I get to drive over to our new abode, signaturize (yup! That's a word!) some papers & begin the moving process :) I'm incredibly psyched to get out all of our furniture again..hang my decorations on the walls...have a place to call our own. YAY! Life is SO stinkin' good! OK. My energy rush is waning..it's off to sleep I go..y'all have a nice day, now!

Starting to feel old...

2009-06-04T17:55:00.000-07:00

Why, you ask? Well, it's not because I had a birthday yesterday, even though I did, and it was fabulous! Lots of birthday wishes (thank you guys!), and I got spoiled rotten by Jeff (no surprise there!). Or maybe I'm feeling my age because my knees were achy this morning on my run (nothing ibuprofen won't fix:) BUT, most likely, it's because my little brother graduated highschool today! With an Associates degree! I think that rocks!! And I'm pretty dang proud of him!

'BOUT. DANG. TIME!!!

2009-05-31T15:14:00.001-07:00

DISCLAIMER: This post is chock-full of bold, CAPITALIZED, exclamation marked words..bear with me!!!!

Soooo...it has been quite some time since I've last posted (try 6, yes SIX, months!!). By this point, I'm sure no one is really reading my blog anymore. Gee, I wonder why! :) Plenty has happened in those six months: holidays, trips, a THIRD anniversary (which we went to Moab for). Lots & LOTS of ups and downs in the quest for a home...all interesting stuff (in my opinion). BUT. All I would've written about was my bad attitude. Seriously. I sank into a pit of griping & grumping, witching & moaning, etc. etc. etc. over the winter. The pit of despair (aka: basement)! (make sure you say this in a groggy, scratchy voice like the albino from Princess Bride!) Poor Jeff. Not the girl he married. *sigh* ANYWHO, good weather is here (the most effective anti-depressant, for me!) & I'm very determined not to become that negative, pessimistic wench EVER. AGAIN.

Oh! About that house thing....for those of you who work with me & hang with me on a regular basis..WE FOUND ONE!!! Yes, I know, you've listend to me gripe about the process endlessly. And for that I thank you:

THANK YOU!!!!

It must've been irritating listening to me go on ad nauseum. So truly, I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. It was cheaper than therapy :)

And that's all I wanted to say, folks: I'm back! I've been married for 3 years! We've found a house! YAAAAAAAAY! I will now commence posting on a regular basis. If anyone really cares :)

I'm in a good mood today...

2008-12-12T14:49:00.000-08:00

BECAUSE:

~It's Friday. Which means it's the weekend, and I get to spend time with my hubby!

~My kickboxing class this morning ROCKED!

~Cafe Rio with my friend Wendy & her cute little munchkin also ROCKED!

~I stood my ground on the phone with the agent from American Express until she put me on the phone with her supervisor & they realized their miscommunication...boooyah!! (Phone Cajones are AWESOME!!)

~All my laundry is folded..yay-o-yay-o-yay!!!

~Dishes are done.

~Bathroom is clean.

~I walked my dog whilst listening to music ='s INSTANT ENERGIZER!!

How has your Friday been?

MOTIVATION...

2008-12-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

Mine waxes & wanes, comes & goes..has it's highs and lows, just like everyone else. Lately, my motivation has been at an all time low though. (Note the lack of posts the past two weeks..I know, I know..I'm sorry!) I lost my mojo!!

Now honestly!!

I know that I decide how I feel & how I react to the world & people around me! I know this! I firmly believe this!! But these past two weeks I've been in a funky funk..I've been blaming it on the change of season. The fact that we're currently residing in a basement & I don't get anywhere near the same amount of natural sunlight I used to when I was an 'above ground dweller'. Can't blame it on not exercising..because I've still been doing that (and it's a good thing too, or else my hormones would seriously be outta whack! Exercise is my inner witch control!) Definitely can't blame it on the hubby..he's perma-positive (love ya, sweetie-o). So what was it?

I don't know.

BUT, I woke up this morning feeling more sparkly!! (Spirit fingers, everyone!!!) And I'm going to blame that on the fact that it is December 1st! Granted, I'm not feeling especially festive quite yet...but I will get there. I. Will. Get. There!!

SOOOO, I would like some advice on how y'all stoke the Christmas spirit!! C'mon...don't be shy! I WANT, CRAVE, & NEED comments on this one!!!

I will now leave you all with a quote from a personal favorite show: How I Met Your Mother:

"When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True Story."

~Barney Stinson

Does that quote rock, or what?

Ya know what's contagious????

2008-11-07T15:07:00.000-08:00

'A big, ol' smile'!! (Direct quote from Dr. Cox on Scrubs..haha :)

Let me start my story at the beginning!! I went to get my hair trimmed today (yay!). But got stuck in traffic on the way home (boo!!). Then I got on the freeway going NORTH to where we used to live instead of SOUTH to where we now live!! You'd think I'd quit doing that...but I don't. So, a trip that should've been a 15-20 minute drive took me, um, well, AN HOUR!!

So, I finally got home. And the guilt strikes!! My poor doggy, she only got a short walk this morning, she's been stuck in the house..I feel so bad! So, I fanangled into my runnin' shoes and coat, and got the bouncing (quite literally) puppy out the door. I was gonna' walk myself down to Beans n' Brews and get myself a tasty treat!

The first 5 minutes of the walk I grumbled a bit..dumb, cold weather..stop sniffing so much, silly dog..yadda, yadda, yadda (Seinfeld fans, anyone?). But then, I started noticing how many smiles, and waves, and 'hiyas' I was getting..and ya know what? I started smiling too :) Then the girl at B&B gave me my drink for free 'cause 'she felt like it', and my dog was cute! Wow! People are nice. They really are..and I would now like to pass on to all y'all a big, ol' SMILE!!

There are days...

2008-11-04T15:42:00.000-08:00

That I am inexorably drawn to chocolate! And I cannot deny it's seductive call...

And because it's dark, I feel justified. It's practically a health food!

What's your vice?

Sisters are the best..

2008-10-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

Want to know how I know this?

I have a sister of my very own. And she is amazing.

Know how else I know this?

My patient last night has a sister (sisterS actually).

Her sister stayed with her all last night.

And helped her drink orange juice.

And walk.

And sat staring at her in the dark when she FINALLY got some sleep.

And said to me "I'm afraid she'll stop breathing."

So was I. (I didn't say that, don't worry:)

She tickled her back, and held her hand...she was just THERE.

And today she'll go get her blood drawn to see if she's a match to be a donor for her sister.

Sisters are the best!

Shut your mouth when you're talking to me!

2008-10-27T22:28:00.000-07:00

I try diligently to be very 'professional' at work.. & it's really not too hard to do, especially since I'm allowed to wear pajamas as my uniform & give my patients controlled substances! My weakness, I've discovered, lies in the language department! Oh yes! Stress is a constant quite frequently..and swear words really aren't acceptable..SO, as I mutter profanities under my breath (Why is your blankety blankin heart in that weird rhythm?? Where is your gosh freakin dang vein?? Oooooh GOOD! You're coughing up big chunks of blood!...btw, I didn't use to have such a trucker-esque vocabulary..it all started with this job!) SO, back on track...I have to come up with appropriate 'fillers'..I started with the usual: gosh, darn, dang...but those have gotten boring..and as time has passed I have moved on to words/phrases that can only be described as genteel and, well, ridiculous: Goodness gracious me! Oh Dear! Holy Hannah! Yes. It's true. I sound like I should be crocheting & sipping Earl Grey (no offense if you do either of those things..they are both very cool in their own right.)

If only I could quit swearing in the car.

So this is 'blove'..la la la la

2008-10-26T23:29:00.000-07:00

My husband 'bloves' me! Yeah, yeah, I know it was only a typo in the text he sent me at work, but still..it warmed my heart! It's like a bloated love! So full it's about to pop..and spew molten, sticky, sweetness...ewwwww.....

So, how do I know he 'bloves' me? At the risk of making this one of 'THOSE' posts..let me count the ways:

~He rubs the knots out of my back.
~He makes me yummy gourmet dinners (the pork chops & risotto were A-mazing!)
~He cleans my car

OK, because I don't want to bore you, those are my current favorite three!

Let's hear you guys count your ways..that your 'significant other' loves you..

Is there anything better...

2008-10-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

than a CRISP, FALL, DAY? I submit that there is NOT! :)

I've decided Autumn is my favorite season! For now.

Stacker VS Stuffer!

2008-10-22T07:28:00.001-07:00

My hubby & I have 2 distinctly different cleaning styles. He stacks. I stuff. And that was fine in our townhouse. He happily stacked his papers & magazines & I discreetly stuffed them into cupboards & baskets every couple of days. Then when he wanted to know where that one paper was, about that one thing in that one place, I knew I hadn't thrown it out! It was somewhere in a couple hundred different hiding places. SO much easier..lol!

WELL, now that we're occupying J's parents' basement, my stuffing style has been slightly cramped, so to speak. Quite surprisingly (and to my relief) I've somehow managed to decrease my anxiety about clutter, so I don't actually have mini panic attacks anymore. BIG PLUS! But it does still drive me a little nuts once in a while. (On a side note, did you know that house hunting generates A LOT of paper?? It does.) Today is one of those days that it's driving me nuts. So wish me 'happy hunting', or whatever it is that will help me...I'm going on a stuffing spree!

RN to her patient...

2008-10-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

I know you're sick. And I can see how that would make you cranky. But PLEASE don't take it out on me!!! I am trying to help. Really.

You know what I hate...

2008-10-15T10:50:00.001-07:00

Cleaning the bathroom. Especially the toilet. Yuck. I feel like I need to boil myself in scalding hot Lysol afterwards..I refuse to do it if I've already showered for the day. I, the nurse, who isn't fazed by puke, blood, guts..am sent into dry heaves whilst cleaning the porcelain throne!

And that's really all I have to say!

Was that really necessary?

2008-10-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

I was blog-stalking tonight at work (*gasp*..I know you all do it, too!!). And as I jumped from blog to blog, numerous thoughts ran through my head: "wow, this girl is funny..I'm not that funny!" or "this chick is one deep thinker..I should stop being so shallow & do more 'self-searching'"...and on & on. I also read some of the comments to these posts..and it truly shocked me how many people left really nasty, mean, anonymous (anonymity makes normally 'nice' people incredibly beasty!!) comments..ouch!! I, luckily, am not so embroiled in the blogging world as to have a large audience reading my schtuff (phew!), which has kept me aloof from most/much of this back-biting. But in reading all these blogs I realized: Everyone blogs for different reasons. Some people do it to keep in touch, some people do it to get a response, some want to get their voice out there, or just need an outlet, or enjoy writing. No matter what the reason, if your blog is public, it really is peoples' 'right' to comment what they will..and if you don't moderate your comments it's much easier for them to do so. But why do people feel the need to be so downright awful? I guess if we could answer this question in general the world would be a much nicer place...I digress...ANYWHO, this thought process led me to this next one: 'sometimes I THINK really mean things..I don't post them, or say them..but catch me at the wrong moment & my mind is full of catty thoughts...That makes me pretty hypocritcal to be judging these anonymous commenters. BUT WAIT..at least I don't spew my meaness out!! I definitely don't think I'm better than anyone, but I do believe that the ability to behave nicely when your urge is to NOT be nice is what makes the world a very SEMI-decent place to exist in. (I could really go for a long time on how NOT decent the world is..but that's not my point at the moment...I'm digressing again:)

SO, the point I'm making: I'm going to continue trying to be nice to pretty much everyone I run into..in the cyber-world, or in person. It is becoming less and less attractive to me to be mean. I will stand up for myself when the situation truly calls for it. But if someone else wants to be snooty I will not let it ruin my day!

Good Day Sirs & Madams!!

Out of a rut!

2008-10-07T10:09:00.001-07:00

I've been in an exercise rut..I love to run, so I have continued to do so..but after a very 'run-full' summer I needed something new..and my knees were begging me to change things up! I have discovered it: the kickboxing class at my gym! Whoa! It kicked my trash in ways that running never has..if anyone is interested in going with me I have guest passes & would love the company..you WILL be sore afterwards!

Something Old, New, Borrowed, Blue!

2008-10-07T08:00:00.002-07:00

So, I haven't done a post that isn't a 'Tag' in a bit & I just read my friend, Kateka's, blog, & she posted about how she and her hubby met. Which reminded me she told me I should do a post about how Jeff & I met..so for anyone who cares (I certainly do!), here goes: *names will changed on some people!!

I was the girl who thought there was a good chance I would wait for, and marry, my highschool sweetheart, *Mitch, after I sent him off on his mission..So, off he went!! I wrote him, but also dated quite a few other guys while he was gone. There was one who was particularly persistent, *Satan, who kept coming back, even when I told him I didn't want anything serious. Well, sooner or later, I guess I just broke down, despite my common sense (& the fact that my mother HATED Satan:) & started dating him more frequently. It was a really dark time & if I'd stuck to my guns life would be very different..So I am actually very glad that I had that experience because I may not have met Jeff if I hadn't.

SO, a couple weeks after I FINALLY ended things with Satan, I decided to move in w/ a coworker/semi-friend of mine, *Ellie. I was looking for some drastic changes in my life & this felt like a good step. One night, after a couple weeks of living together, she asked if I wanted to go over to her friend's house. Her friend was a computer nerd & was going to fix her laptop for her :) ALSO, he had a really 'hot' roommate I could meet! Ellie knew that I had just ended that rotten-egg relationship & needed to get back in the dating game. (About this same time, Mitch got home from his mission & we were dating as well..things felt pretty awkward most of the time for me. I know it's because I had changed so much from my 'Satan dating experience' & Mitch & I were no longer the same people we had been..which makes sense, 'cause who wants to be the same person they were in highschool?)

Back to going over to get the computer fixed: We went on over to Ellie's friend's house. Knocked on the door, door opened..low & behold, there sits a vision in khaki shorts & a button down!! haha :) Jeff was the 'computer nerd friend' (he is WAY too good looking to classify as a regular computer nerd!) & *Adam was the friend..who was also a good looking guy in his own way, but not my style. Well, we hung out for a bit & then Ellie & I headed home.

Fast forward to a couple days later. Ellie asked if I wanted to go hang out with Jeff & Adam again one night. 'Sure, why not?' was my response (well, duh!). I wasn't sure how to broach the convo to Ellie that I was more interested in Jeff than Adam. I knew that Ellie was dating someone else seriously and that Jeff was truly 'just a friend'...so it shouldn't be too hard.

Long story short: we went & hung out. Jeff paid more attention to me than he did to Ellie. She didn't like this. I found out that this was because Jeff was her 'backup plan' in case her current relationship didn't work out!! (I did not know that some girls actually do that!) Well, she got miffy every time Jeff & I hung out (if you read a couple posts back you know that 'hanging out' entailed working on the townhouse Jeff was building at the time). My solution became 'don't ask, don't tell'. She rarely took interest in my personal life, so I didn't feel the need to tell her the details. (I know this all sounds like some catty, soap opera situation, but I was not intending to behave like a bee-yatch). I actually wasn't sure how serious Jeff was about me, so I figured if we dated occasionally but nothing serious came of it, no harm, no foul. We were becoming pretty decent friends through the tiling/painting process that was our form of dating, and if friends was all that came of it, I thought I'd be ok with that. Obviously, one day the light dawned on Jeff & I & we realized that what we had was much more than just a construction 'buddyship' & that we were pretty deeply in love with each other..and better yet, good friends. SO, we decided to get married around New Years 2006 & got hitched that May 4th! The only catch was that I had to break the news to Ellie, who had no idea we'd even been dating by this point..yikes!

So there it is! My life has never been the same since & it's never been better :) I love ya, sweetie-o!

Me, Myself, & I :)

2008-09-29T01:14:00.000-07:00

This is what I do on night shifts when I'm trying to stay awake...TAG, YOU'RE ALLLLL IT!!

I AM..Soooo tired, & I feel misplaced..I guess that's what happens when you don't have a 'permanent home'.

I MISS..Jeff. I miss him so much! I want to be curled up in bed with him..listening to him snore..& I miss our doggy, Zuky..she's so dang cute!

I THINK..I should be less selfish. I also think I should eat healthier than I have the last 2 weeks...I've drunk my weight in diet coke & pepsi!

I WANT..to go to sleep. To find a house. To save moolah. To start a family..eventually :) To not have the munchies so bad right now and to NEVER DO LAUNDRY AGAIN!

I HAVE..the ability to sleep anywhere, anytime!

I SEARCH..for a good book! Seriously, guys..I just finished an awesome one and can't seem to find another fabulous read..HELP!!

I WISH..I didn't get so resltess. It seems like I always have to be doing something or I feel useless. I also wish I were one of those girls who knows instinctively how to do my makeup, hair & dress cute!

I HATE..seeing Jeff uncomfortable or feeling sick. I just want to make him feel better!

I AM..still so immature..

I FEAR..not alot, actually. I do fear losing the people I love. Or watching them suffer.

I ALWAYS..second guess myself. I'm working on just sticking to my first decision.

I LOVE..Jeff. Family. Zuky. Running. Chocolate. Caffeine. Perfect temperatures. Laughing. Lip Gloss. Giving the perfect gift...

I FEEL..blah. Not a bad blah. Just a restless blah :) A 'life on hold blah'.

I HEAR..call lights beeping. Elevators dinging. Fluorescent lights buzzing.

I SMELL..hospital..sterile..coffee

I DON'T..understand why I have such bad knots in my shoulders..haha

I WONDER..where we will end up living.

I CARE..a little too much what people think of me. But I'm getting better at that, and narrowing it down to just the people that matter :)

I REGRET..Nothing. I learn from everything. Wait a sec..I DO regret not being nicer to some of the guys I dated. I was pretty mean. But it DID all work out for the best!

I AM..didn't I already do this one? I am lucky, lucky, lucky!

I BELIEVE..That everything will always work out. No matter what.

I DANCE..terribly!! Think Elaine from Seinfeld!

I SING..the most random songs when I'm at work..it drives my coworkers crazy!

I WRITE..the newsletter for our unit. And on this blog. I used to write stories when I was in Jr High & Highschool..I love/loved English! Sometimes I think it would've been really cool if I'd done more with the creative side of my personality.

I WIN..the lottery every time I kiss my husband! It's the best feeling!

I LOSE..patience after a long night shift. And my hair when I wash it. I'm afraid I'll go bald!!

I NEVER..return personal phone calls in a timely fashion. I'm terrible at it. I don't call back for a day. Then I feel guilty that I didn't call back, so I wait longer...ahhhhh!!! It's not that I don't love my friends and family..I do. It's a matter of selfishness, honestly. I will get better at it!

I LISTEN..not as well as I would like to. I talk too much.

I CAN..start an IV in practically anyone. Make yummy eclair cake. Run for hours.

I READ..anything that catches my interest. That includes shampoo bottles. I try to find the whole alphabet on everything..labels, boxes of mac n' cheese, hair gel..HOWEVER, I really do refuse to read to Twilight books. I tried to get into the first one and it totally turned me off.

I AM..crazy! But so is everyone else :)

End of an 'Era'

2008-09-23T15:20:00.001-07:00

So, the event that I never thought would take place has: We are moving from our townhouse! We sign papers with the buyers tomorrow. Jeff and I are still in shock, and I'm mildly superstitious, still refusing to say that we've actually sold for fear uttering the words will jinx everything & they'll back out last minute. (If that truly is the case I will be too angry for words, seeing as we've packed all of our lives into boxes & are currently storing it at Jeff's parents' house, where we will be living until we find a home of our own.)

I'm not surprised to find that I am more than a little sad to actually be leaving our first home together. This is where we fell in love with eachother. Seriously. Our dating relationship consisted of nights spent in the townhouse painting, tiling & eating fast food :) We didn't go out to movies or restaurants (we only went on one date together before we got married, to ColdStone:). Instead, we got down and dirty & worked together. Jeff taught me how to use a tile saw in the garage, how to properly paint a house (I thought you just painted over whatever color was there first.) I discovered that he was a person who isn't afraid of hard work & a good challenge...who spent all day busting his butt at his job & then turned right back around & worked another 6+ hours of grueling manual labor because he wanted to (he loves tiling, paint, etc). And he got to see me without makeup, sweaty & mad (he made me get up on the ladders to paint the stairwell cause I was lighter!) ANYWHO, the point I'm making is that this house took a basic dating relationship & turned it into an amazing marriage. We are leaving behind memories of the best kinds. However, luckily I don't leave behind the guy I got with the house :) And, we get to go do it all over again when we find a house to move into, and make new memories! But I will miss our first home, where we started our life together.

I'm such a lucky girl!

Random...

2008-09-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

Have I told any of you how much I love Pandora.com? I'd heard from various people that is was a fun little music website..then my friend, Jill, told me she liked to use it a couple months ago..well I've been hooked since! ANYWHO, I'm packing up the last little things in our townhouse (that's a whole 'nother blog) and Pandora is providing the entertainment..woohoo!

Sionara, amigos!

Baby Bump Alert!!

2008-09-19T21:40:00.000-07:00

My high school friend, Lisa, discovered a couple months ago that she and her husband are pregnant with triplets!!! They already have 2 adorable little girls & are excited to add more to the fun (Jen, I know you're salivating at the thought of THREE babies at one time!! :) However, as you can all guess, 3 kidlets (plus two) are not cheap! They are entered in a 97.1 ZHT (you know, the radio station) contest to win a nursery for their upcoming bundles o' joy! They need as many votes as they can get and you can ONLY VOTE ONCE PER PERSON or they risk being disqualified!!! So pass on the info...PLEEEEASE. Help a hot mamma and follow these directions:

Go to www.971zht.com/pages/babywatch.

Lisa is NUMBER 124!!!! The pic above is the one posted on the site! So, vote for 124 & help out an awesome girl..and if ya don't, I'll beat ya with a stick :)

You can vote Sept 19th-Sept 26th..get movin'!

One Word Answers at 4:30 AM!!

2008-09-16T01:57:00.000-07:00

1~where is your cell phone: Pocket
2~Your significant other: Jeff
3~Your hair: dishwater
4~Your mother: gorgeous
5~Your father: Determined
6~Your favorite thing: Jeff
7~Your dream last night: Death (disturbing, I know)
8~Your favorite drink: caffeine
9~Your dream/goal: home
10~The room you're in: hospital
11~Your hobby: running
12~Your fear: failure
13~Where do you want to be in 6 years: Mom
14~What you're not: quiet
15~Muffin: topping
16~One of your wish list items: House
17~Where you grew up: Bluffdale
18~The last thing you did: FINALLYatedinnerat1:30am (yup, that's one word folks! Thanks for grabbing it for me, Cher!)
19~What are you wearing? scrubs
20~Favorite gadget? Ipod
21~Your pets: Zuky-girl
22~Your computer: IMac
23~Your mood: inadequate
24~Missing someone: Jeff
25~Your car: Jetta
26~Something you're not wearing: earrings
27~Favorite store: GotBeauty
28~Like Someone: Jeff
29~Your favorite color: Red
30~When was the last time you laughed? Tonight
31~Last time you cried? Tonight

I tag Amber, Becca, Misty, Cheryl, Courtney, Heather Carr, Jen, Kateka, Mandy, Mariah, Rachael, Stephanie, Chelsea, Tiff & Wendy! *whew*

Man Tag!

2008-09-14T23:48:00.001-07:00

So, if you read my blogs, you can tell I'm pretty head over heels in love with my hubby :) Anywho, I got tagged for a 'Husband Blog/Sweetie Blog' by Mariah..so now's my chance to brag about my most favorite person in the world!

1~Where did you meet?
We met through one of my roommates. I had recently broken up with a pretty awful guy a couple months back & my roommate thought that I could date her friend's roomie..who had also just broken up with someone. Well, we went over to meet 'the guys' and there was the friend: Jeff. I was MUCH more interested in him than his buddy. The rest is history!

2~How long did you date before you were married?
9 months. We actually didn't date very seriously until about 3-4 months before we got hitched, believe it or not. But when ya know, ya know! The moment of truth came for both of us on Christmas Eve..we hung out the first part of the evening together at his place..then I drove to my parents. I missed him so much on the drive to my parents that I dissolved into tears! He says he felt much the same way that night..awwww :)

3~How long have you been married?
Two years & almost 5 months...funny thing is, I can't imagine my life without him..it feels like we've always known eachother.

4~What does he do that surprises you?
I never cease to be amazed by Jeff...he is a very multi-faceted person:) HOWEVER, I was initially quite surprised by how much he loves to garden! He has an impressive green thumb & could happily spend hours on end planting, digging & watering! I know that when we have a real yard it will always look awesome!

5~What is your favorite feature about him?
His eyes..they change color all the time!! Brown, green, gold..I hope our children have his eyes! I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that his beard grows in RED & he has really hot calf muscles!

6~What is your favorite quality about him?
He is the most positive person you will EVER meet! And this positive attitude is what is constantly challenging me to be a better person. He never complains about work, even when it's keeping him up 24-7 & he always sees the good side to any situation..I truly aspire to be more like him in this area!

7~Does he have a nickname for you?
Haha :) Early on in our marriage we were making fun of rappers' names: 50 Cent, Eminem...etc. I mean, c'mon!! So we came up with our own 'rapper' names: He's '2 Bits' (A british version of 50 Cent) & I'm 'Skittle'. Sooooo corny..but dang, freakin' funny! We also call eachother 'Babe-a-roo' & 'Sweetie-o' alot.

8~What is his favorite color?
Wow..I don't think we've ever asked each other this question! But I'm going to say Blue, cause literally every other shirt of his is blue..and he looks simply smashing in it, might I add :)

9~What's his favorite food?
He's a meat man, that's for sure! He loves his steak & ribs! And he makes dang tasty ones, too! OH! He also loves the peanut butter Cap'n Crunch! And peaches :) And, this dish his mom made growing up: Poor Man's Fish & Chips!

10~What's his favorite sport?
Jeff isn't really a 'sports' guy, per se. He'll watch a football game & go to baseball..but he doesn't really watch sports on a regular basis. He is a powerhouse road cyclist, though! He is also an amazing swimmer!! He's been swimming since he was a baby & he's got really strong arms (I love his arms!) So, he digs his triathalons!

11~Who said I love you first?
He did..I think we both knew that we loved each other long before we said it..but we were both playing our cards very close. I had butterflies for days after he said it..you couldn't get me to stop grinning!

12~When & where was your first kiss?
Well, I don't remember what canyon, or by what river..but we packed a picnic, hung out by a river..ate strawberries and whipped cream for dessert..and then he kissed me till I was dizzy! :)

13~What's your favorite thing to do as a couple?
Absolutely anything! We love to bike together & camp. And our special hobby is house hunting..lol..we love looking at houses! And cooking..well, he cooks, I eat what he makes!

14~Do you have any kids?
We have a dog...I think she's a good start..lol.

15~What is a hidden talent he has?
He is REALLY good at finding me cute clothes! lol. Actually, seriously, he's an AMAZING LISTENER. People who hardly know him will spill their guts to him! He just has that reassuring, comforting vibe.

16~How old is he?
32 buckaroos!

17~What is his favorite type of music?
He listents to pretty much everything..but old school rap will always have a special place in his heart..haha.

18~What do you admire most about him?
What a hard worker he is. If there is a job to do, he will get it done. No complaining or procrastinating. He has an amazing work ethic!

19~Do you think he is going to read this?
Sure do! :) He always reads the blog..he says that it's a way for him to get inside my head when he's not home..haha.

I love you sweetheart!

I tag Amber, Becca, Misty, Cheryl, all 3 Heathers, Jen, Kateka, Mandy, Rachael, Steph, Chelsea, Tiff & Wendy!

Love Your Body!

2008-09-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday the 6th was the Wasatch Women's run and walk! It was a 5k/10k event to help promote healthy body image in women..which I personally think is a huge issue in todays society. I fear for the day that I have a daughter and I have to figure out how to tell her she's beautiful, despite what society & the media are shoving in our faces. I don't often advertise this, but when I was in Jr High and highschool I had issues related to healthy eating habits. I know I was not the only one. To this day I cringe when I remember what a personal hell that was and it breaks my heart to hear ANY woman or girl speak negatively about themselves. I still face days that I don't really think I look that great, or feel that 'hot'..and yet again, I know that I am not alone in feeling this way. It is so much easier to look at someone else and say 'I want to look like THAT' than it is to be happy with yourself and how you look. Some friends from work did this awesome event with me, Shelly and Tammy, and I just want them both to know that I think they are amazing, STRONG and gorgeous women!! I enjoy their friendship!

Post run...WE ROCK! :)
Man those chicks look smokin'!

Trying to blow a kiss to my hubby..hehe :)

And where would I be without my number one fan & support group? Jeff is ALWAYS there for me..and he tells me I'm beautiful when I have greasy hair, haven't shaved my legs in a week, am not wearing makeup & have stanky breath! Every girl should have their own Jeff! He also reminds me that celebrities look great 'cause they have a team of people to do their hair & makeup for them..PLUS they get to be airbrushed in their snaps! haha :)

SO, I know this will sound corny, but I really want to challenge all my girlies out there to treat themselves right and remember that they are beautiful!! Say it to yourselves every day, or call me and I'll tell you you're hot!

United Way Day!

2008-09-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Note to self: Jeff will probably kill me for posting this picture of him....hehe:) btw, if you're wondering what the green stuff is in the upper, left corner..I shut a tree branch in the door!
Earlier this year, my sweet hubby (ok, crazy, from the looks of the snap above) invited me to get involved in a group called Young Leaders with him. It's a group of professionals who "use their time, talent, and resources to effect lasting change in our community" (I'm quoting from the Director of the Young Leaders Program, April Harrison..who is a pretty cool girl, btw). Yesterday we had the opportunity to do some painting in the Boys and Girls Club in Sugarhouse. It made for a very satisfying way to spend time..who can turn down free breakfast, good company, & paint fumes? Honestly! ANYWHO, we were busy wielding paint rollers most of the time, so I didn't get a lot of photo ops, but thought I'd post a couple I got towards the end :)
We TRIED to not get paint on the floor..but that was pretty unavoidable!!

And Jeff giving attitude...I'm glad none of the kids were around to see such a disrespectful display..haha :) I love you, babe-a-roo!

What an awesome day!

That's not what you think it is...

2008-09-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

I have a new, favorite treat! We went & tried it out last night, and I'm hooked..which unfortunately for Jeff, means I'll be craving it 24-7. I fear for the days I'm pregnant, cause I already have terrible cravings..haha. ANYWHO, it's not the icecream you think it is, folks..it's GELATO!!! MMMM :)

Some of you may have already discovered this treat..good for you! I, on the other hand, was curious every time I drove past the new little shop by our house, but was deterred by memories of Pistachio flavored, graininess..bleh!

So last night I got called off work (I was SO sad..lol), and we decided to go check out Bellissimo's..we walked in the door to this:

WOW! Now, I'd always been told that gelato is better for you than icecream in the calories and fat-content department. I don't particularly care, 'cause if I'm going to eat a treat I'm more concerned w/ it's yumminess factor :) But the fact that this stuff really IS healthier than icecream will not hurt it's cause with me, since I'm a mild health-nut!

The first bite was quite heavenly..BETTER than ColdStone (yes, really). The flavor selection..oh my! Raspberry, coconut, diablo (insanely rich chocolate), pineapple...truly yummy stuff! I'm sure there's more shops than just the one up in my neck of the woods (which I can promise I'll be visiting more often, despite the oncoming cold weather) and I recommend you go try this stuff out! Your tastebuds will thank you :)

You know you're a nurse if....

2008-08-20T03:32:00.000-07:00

I was reading through an old email of mine..and these crack me up every time..because they're true, true, true! All my nursing gals will agree..and if you guys thing of anymore..let me know!

*discussing dismemberment over a gourmet meal seems perfectly normal to you
*you have the bladder capacity of five people
*you believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if the phrase, "wow, it is really quiet" is uttered
*you mutter, "great veins" when being introduced to a complete stranger (this ruined many a good date for me, btw)
*you believe chocolate is a food group :)
*you have ever restrained someone and it was not a sexual experience.
*you think that caffeine should be available in IV form. (It is, btw, but not to a poor, stressed out nurse!!)
*you have been exposed to so many x-rays that you consider radiation a form of birth control..not to mention CHEMOTHERAPY..yikes!
*you have ever had a patient look you straight in the eye and say, "I have no idea how that got stuck in there"...this is scary, people..AND TRUE!!
*your feet are flatter and tougher than Fred Flintstone's (they also need nightly massages...if only!!)
*your immune system is so well developed that it has been known to attack squirrels in the back yard!!
*you get an almost irresistible urge to stand and wolf your food even in the nicest restaurants
*you refer to motorcyclists as "organ donors." I know this is morbid, but if you don't wear a helmet..IT'S TRUE!
*you are the only one at the dinner table NOT allowed to talk about your day at work.
*your idea of fine dining is anywhere you can sit down to eat..which would be anything my hubby makes..YUM!
*you've ever had a patient with a nose-ring tell you "I'm afraid of shots."
*you've ever sworn you are going to have "NO CODE" tattooed on your chest...I WILL do this at some point..the things I've seen....ugh
*the front of your scrubs reads “Nurses…here to save your butt, not kiss it!” I actually had a nursing prof who had this one her license plate frame..I thought it was hilarious!
*you believe some patients are alive only because it’s illegal to kill them.
*you recognize that you can’t cure stupid.
*you own at least three pens with the names of prescription medications on them.
*you believe there’s a special place for the inventor of the call light.
*you believe that saying “it can’t get any worse” causes it to get worse just to show you it can.
*you wash your hands BEFORE you go to the bathroom..I'm conviced I have most of the scary viruses out there already, actually :)
*you believe that any job where you can drive to work in your pajamas is a cool one.
*you consider a tongue depressor an eating utensil...fat chopsticks, people!
*eating microwave popcorn out of a clean bedpan is perfectly natural.
*you’ve placed a bet on someone’s blood alcohol level.
*you’ve told a confused patient that your name is that of a coworker and to call if they need help..hehe:)
*you have seen more penises than any prostitute could dream of.
*your family and friends refuse to watch medical sitcoms with you because you spend the whole time correcting everyone and pointing out upside down x-rays...I feel bad for Jeff when we watch House & Scrubs!
*you don’t get excited about blood, unless it’s your own...and even then, it's iffy!
*your idea of a good time is a cardiac arrest at shift change...this is when codes ALWAYS happen..never, ever fails!
*you believe that the government should require permits to reproduce.
*you’ve had to leave a patient’s room before you begin to laugh uncontrollably...the things we hear!

AhHAH!

2008-08-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

I think I figured out why we haven't sold our townhouse: Bad karma because of my attitude! Case-in-point:

I worked last night, so I was DEAD asleep! I quite frequently don't turn up the volume on my phone when I sleep days cause I DON'T WANT TO BE WOKEN UP! Well, I guess our realtor called to see if someone could walk through this afternoon. I didn't hear the phone ring. The other guys' realtor called. Didn't hear the phone ring. So they came and POUNDED (when I say pounded, I ain't kidding! I though there was some kind of emergency for someone to be banging away like that..which is why I dragged my butt out of bed after FIVE minutes of ruckus..I usually ignore it.) The real kicker: our realtor KNOWS I work nights, so he KNOWS if I don't answer the phone during the day there's a 99.99999% chance my backside is glued to my mattress.

And there they stood.

Them: Hi! You didn't answer your phone so we thought we'd just come over. How are you?

The light dawns as to who they are and what they want! *DING*

Me: (in a REALLY pissy tone) I was sleeping.

Them: Oh! Do you want us to come back later?

Me: No. I'm already awake. You can walk through now. (I will admit I was being the most discourteous person at this point..I'm protective of my sleep when I have to be up at ungodly hours.)

Them: Ok. Cool. Thanks.

So they waltzed through, like they hadn't just destroyed my sanity while I sat on the couch and fumed in my robe, reading a Women's Health magazine article about stress & how sleep can affect it. Really?

Them: Well thanks! You have a beautiful home, even when it's not spotlessly cleaned!!??

I'm not kidding. They said that. And just so y'all know..my house can never be considered that dirty, even when it's at its worst..I don't have kids to do that for me yet!

Me: *blank, pissy, stare*

Them: I'd love to show your place again..when is a good time?

Me: When I'm not sleeping. I answer my phone when I'm available to have the house walked through.

And out they went!

I know I was rude. So were they. I really couldn't care less.

Staying awake....

2008-08-18T02:57:00.000-07:00

A. Attached or single? Attached
B. Best friend? Jeff :)
C. Cake or pie? J's molten lava chocolate mini-cakes he makes for me when I have a bad day.
D. Day of choice? Saturday..it's the only day I get to spend completely with Jeff!
E. Essential Item? Cell phone and lip gloss
F. Favorite color? Red!
G. Gummy bears or worms? Ummm..neither..chocolate..but if I have to choose Sour Patch Kids
H. Hometown? Bluffdale, UT
I. Indulgence? Jeff's cooking!!
J. January or July? July, for sure! The 4th is my favorite holiday!
K. Kids? One puppy :)
L. Life isn't complete w/o? My hubby and our families..which includes our dogs!
M. Marriage date? May 4th, 2006
N. Number of brothers & sisters? 4 brothers, one sister!
O. Oranges or apples? Oranges..mmmmm
P. Phobias? Friends, family, or me getting cancer!!
Q. Quotes? "God grant me the courage to change the things I can change, the serenity to accept those I cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference."
R. Reasons to smile? Too many: Jeff, Zuky, my family, the fact that I have a job, a home, enough food, I'm healthy...would you like me to keep going?
S. Season of choice? Spring and fall..perfect running weather!
T. Tag some peeps! Y'all know who you are!
U. Unknown fact about me: I always slam doors & cupboards..so Jeff always thinks I'm mad when I'm cooking!
V. Vegetable? I know it's a fruit but, tomatoes!
W. Worst habits? Procrastination!!!
X. X-ray or ultrasound? they're both useful in their own rights..haha
Y. Your fav food? Jeff's coffee-rub ribeyes, his amazing ribs, yummy salads....
Z. Zodiac sign? Gemini

CAN. NOT. STAY. AWAKE.

2008-08-18T02:10:00.000-07:00

My eyes feel like they have sandpaper for eyelids.

Wondering why I don't work a normal, 9-5, Mon-Fri job. Because I love having 4 days off a week, I guess.

Counting the hours, minutes, seconds till Jeff & I leave for Bear Lake. It CANNOT come soon enough.

Drinking ice-cold Diet Coke..it's making me freeze..it's keeping me awake..I HATE being awake at 3 AM!!!

I love my job. I love my job. I love my job.

Provo Canyon 1/2 Marathon Trail Run!!

2008-08-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

So, I actually got pictures of this 1/2 marathon..woohoo!! It was a really great run! Jeff and I took our toy hauler down to Provo to 'camp' overnight so we wouldn't have to get up quiiiiite so early for me to catch the shuttle bus up the canyon. We still got up at 4:40 AM..lol. ANYWHO, I ran with my sis-in-law, Misty, and her friend, Lilly..both awesome chicks! I decided there is very little that can beat good friends, good scenery and good tunes while running!

Misty, Lilly, and me..these girls were so fun to run with!

Um, yeah, that IS my 4 month old cute nephew, Ethan, (4 months, right Misty?) she's holding. Misty is my role model!! WOOHOO!!
My very sweet hubby, who has woken up waaaay too dang early for all my runs this summer and always smiles about it! He is the best and I love him SO, SO much!

So, we came, we ran, we conquered! I took some way cute pics of Misty's kids but since they're her children I figure I'll let her post them on her blog! haha :) We went to IHOP for breakfast after the run and thoroughly enjoyed the heck out of our pancakes! Another Saturday morning well spent!

AAAAAARRRRRRRGHHHHHHH!!!!!!

2008-08-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

I am in a truly pissy mood at the moment (I've been moody a lot lately, but this tops all my recent 'moments', unfortunately.) WHY am I pissy? Because if one more real estate agent calls to look at our townhouse and then CANCELS, or DOESN'T EVEN SHOW (w/o the courtesy of calling to cancel, might I add!) I'm going to go postal!! Today is especially bad because I just got off three night shifts. I'm tired. I was sleeping. Jeff called to let me know someone wanted to come look at our place in 30 MINUTES!! (I am TRULY SO SORRY for snapping at you, babe! I know it's not your fault) Great. So I hauled butt to straighten up and then they cancelled. FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC!!! (Since this a 'family friendly' page I'm leaving out the expletives. But believe me, I've been spouting them! Sorry to my mother!) I'm just so discouraged..the house we've been building is done. Fine. Final walk through next week. And no one will buy our townhouse..which surprises me, because everyone LOOOOVES it when they walk through: the custom tile, the custom paint, the location (and in case you're wondering, it IS priced extremely reasonably..no one can manage to get a loan,though)..blah, blah, blah. If everyone loves it so much then why won't they just BUY THE DAMN PLACE!! So I can move into my dream home with my hubby...is that too much to ask? I have been hoping and praying and wishing (you know how the song goes..) And now all I have left to do is vent on my blog and eat a fruit chiller, which, btw, are my new obsession (my mother introduced me to them). I highly recommend them: DELISH!

I also highly recommend buying our townhouse!

THE END!

Friendship

2008-08-01T10:04:00.000-07:00

FRIENDSHIP, n. 'The state of being friends'. Well THAT'S about as mundane and self-explanatory as you can get!! I have another definition (i found it back in highschool, where it was quite accurate at times!) FRIENDSHIP, n. 'A ship big enough to carry two in fair weather, but only one in foul. The sea was calm and the sky was blue; Merrily, merrily sailed we two. On the tipsy ship, with a dreadful shout, The tempest descended and we fell out.' ~ Armit Huff Bettle. (Devil's Dictionary).

So, what do you folks define friendship as? Is it the person who answers the phone at 1AM to listen to you sob? Or the person who drops everything to come help you, no matter what? (that's my sister, btw). Are you still friends when that person finally tells you she thinks you're being immature and you need to quit being selfish and taking advantage of people? I guess we'll find out..

Ode to...RANDOM THINGS!

2008-08-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

So I basically just downloaded whatever was on our camera and decided to blog about some of the pics..haha! So, our house in Lehi is almost done (if we actually move into it is a whole 'nother blog!) I really like the fireplace and kitchen cabinets:

Also, can I just say, I totally love our puppy! She is such a great friend :) Here she is just chillin' while I water our plants..she listens to everything I have to say and occasionally gives good advice!

And where would I be without red shoes?? I LOOOOOVE red shoes! Especially if they involve heels..some may think these are hideous. I personally think they are fabulous!

And those plants I was talking about? Here's one of our baby rosebushes..which started out basically as a twig in the ground..it looks awesome! All 'cause my sweet, green-thumbed hubby can make anything happy..even a rosebush!

Right-o then! Thanks for viewing my random thoughts :) Have a great day!

It's That Time Again...

2008-07-23T02:36:00.000-07:00

Ahhh...the magic of 4 AM..trying to stay awake! I've been wanting to post on the last weekend since we got back from our little road trip...so now's as good a time as any...

For starters..I forgot to pack the battery for our camera..so no actual pics :( Which stinks, cause there were some awesome photo ops! Let me 'esplain: Jeff and I loaded up the car Friday afternoon and hauled our butts down to Circleville (nice little town outside of Bryce Canyon). There is nothing there, except the ranch we stayed at, and a cafe that seemed to fry EVERYTHING it served..lol. Now, why would we do this? BRYCE CANYON HALF MARATHON, BABY!!! My spunky and schexy friend, Jill, recruited me to run, along with her, her hubby (Yay, LJ), her sis, Denise, and Denise's buddy, Darrell. And it was GREAT, folks! SOOOO gorgeous! Picture this: running through one of the most beautiful national parks in THE WORLD at 6:00 a.m. (YES, 6:00 a.m..we got up at 4 to get there..haha) with the sun coming up on the amazing red rock...it truly DID look like this!!!:

I was in heaven! I honestly feel so alive when I'm running! Add to that fresh air, great scenery and some tunes..for those of you who are runners..you know what I'm talking about. It is, quite frankly, the best rhythm to get in :) Problems melt away in sheer running bliss!

I wax poetic...but it WAS a great run! I was SO happy to have Jeff there to support me :) Such a trooper! Worked hard all week, then drove down with me, woke up early to take us to the start, and was there to blow me a kiss at the finish line :) I'm so in love with my hubby! And it was great to be there with friends, too. Jill is just my all-around-girly! I love ya, Darlin' :) And many thanks to Cole's parents for letting us stay in their beautiful ranch..very generous people!

SO, How were your weekends? :)

A Birthday & A Victory!

2008-07-12T13:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my mamacita! She is an amazing lady who has been through a lot. I can honestly say that she's taught me so much about grace under pressure and putting the people you care about first. She is absolutely not a pushover, but she will never set out to cause someone else harm or distress. She is always, and always has been, there when I need her..whether it's because I needed someone to cry to, or just to talk to..she is an excellent listener, which is a rarity in many people. And to boot, she is just gorgeous! Definitely a very Classy Lady in every way!! I love you, mom!

This picture was taken last week on the 4th of July..and I just had to put it in here because I think she looks beautiful :)

So, I also have to add as a side note: Jeff conquered the giant weeds in our side garden that so terrify me! He's my hero :) And then he made me hold one to help 'overcome my fear' haha :)

Such a stud!

And such a wuss!

Just another day...

2008-07-08T08:46:00.000-07:00

So, to start off with: Our house in Lehi/Eagle Mountain is almost done! It looks like we should be living in it already from the outside! I love it! So hopefully we will get to move in! Take a look:

Next on the agenda: Irrational fears! Everyone's got'em: midgets (yes, you, Heather :), spiders (totally understand that one), heights, small spaces, needles..the list goes on and on. Some make sense and some don't. I googled phobias and found some really weird ones: Pentheraphobia (fear of mother-in-laws!! And just to be clear, I am NOT afraid of my mother-in-law..I like her very much. And seeing as it's her birthday today: HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOANNE!), Spectrophobia, which is fear of looking in mirrors..which I can actually understand, too, especially in the dark. ANYWHO, the thing that started this all: I have an irrational fear of LARGE WEEDS! I don't know why, but they freak me out in a very real way! So, this morning, I was weeding our front little garden and decided to 'conquer' this fear by trying to pull the GINORMOUS weeds growing behind our AC unit. I got all psyched up to grab this thick, spiny, leafy, grotesque parasite....and all I succeeded in doing is scaring our dog and a neighbor kid biking by, by yelping loudly and jumping a couple feet up and away from the weed the second I got my fingers around it! Yup, that's me: a big wuss! So I pulled all the small weeds in our back and side gardens and Jeff is going to have to be the man of our marriage and save me from the big weeds! Pathetic :) Oh, and in case you're wondering..I looked for 'fear of weeds'. The closest I found was Anthrophobia: Fear of flowers. But I like flowers. So, here's to fear of large weeds! And to wishing, praying, and hoping that Jeff and I will get to move into our house..where I will have lots and lots of large weeds to look forward to pulling!

One more thing...

2008-07-02T08:48:00.001-07:00

So, this post is to commit myself to QUIT BEING ADDICTED TO PERFECTION!!! I have been this way for really as long as I can remember (I recall combing my carpet at one point as a child so it would all GO IN THE SAME DIRECTION!) And it's killin' me, Smalls! (Semi-Sandlot movie quote, for those of you who don't know..yeesh!) The past couple weeks I have really been TRYING to focus on letting go of the small things. I have a very hard time with that. Dishes in the sink? Gotta get'em done! Floor needs vacuumed..step right to it! Then, 11:30 last night, as I'm lying in bed, exhausted from 3 hellacious shifts at work..shoulda' been sleeping..but NO! Full on anxiety hits! Oh my gosh! I have 3 baskets of laundry, the dog has spread her fur all over our house, the sink is full, I need to sweep, I haven't made anything more nutritious than Mac n' Cheese...AUGHHH!!! I think I actually slapped my face and said 'snap out of it!' And I totally mean to do just that!! This is something that has the potential to make me miserable if I don't just STOP IT! I have SO much to be thankful for in my life and I'd better just enjoy it and quit freaking out about everything that just doesn't matter :) So, if any of you catch me combing carpet, would you please smack me in the back of the head? Thanks :)

Belated Happy Birthday!

2008-07-02T08:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Jeff! Happy Birthday to Jeff! Happy Birthdaaaaay dear, Jeffrey Scott Newman! Happy Birthday to Jeff!! So, if ya can't tell..Jeff had a birthday! He turned 32 last Friday, June 27th. And hardworking guy that he is he still worked half a day! Geez! We left for Brigham City that afternoon though, to 'glamour camp' (that's what I call it, since we have a toy hauler to sleep in and it doesn't really qualify as camping!) before our MS bike ride the next day. He is such an outdoors kind of guy and that is exactly how he likes to relax and celebrate..so it was perfect! We had a yummy steak dinner that night at Maddox and then were up & at'em early the next morning to hit the streets, baby! ANYWHO, I just want to tell him I love him so much! I really enjoyed the bike ride and just relaxin' with you babe :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Weekend Continued....

2008-06-24T02:11:00.001-07:00

As the previous post tells, Jeff and I were out late Friday night. We continued the weekend revelry early Saturday morning: Up at 6 AM for a training ride in Kamas with the Zions Bike Team: The Z Team!! WooHoo! (I really do mean the 'WooHoo', btw..I love being outdoors and biking.) Out in our sassy orange and black lycra! Let me tell ya, it was beautiful up there! Busy, too...there were a couple other events going on in the area and the roads were filled with other bikers and runners. ANYWHO, the whole point of this post is to let Jeff know how much I enjoy spending time with him. I tell him this frequently, probably to the point of annoyance, but it's true! I feel so lucky to be married to my best friend! We can do anything together: garden, cook (Jeff mostly does the cooking..I taste test..lol), bike/work out, housework...obviously ANYTHING..and it's fun! This was so apparent to me as we whizzed around (he goes much faster than I do) looking at houses and mooing at cows (that was Jeff..he loves to communicate with the animals of the world..ya shoulda heard him barking to the seals in Cali!). There is no one else I would rather be with. It was also really fun to have Jeff's parents up there..Joanne, J's mom, is a member of the Z-Team too, and a wicked biking chick! After the ride the team got together for a BBQ at one of the members parents' home..yummy burgers (courtesy of, who else, Jeff.) I must say, that was a great weekend!

Fun! Fun! Fun!

2008-06-24T01:08:00.001-07:00

This is long overdue, but it's 2 AM and I'm not feeling so productive! So it's blogging time!!

This last weekend Jeff and I went out with Jen, Cheryl and their hubbies! It was so fun! (At least it was for us girls..I hope it was time well spent for our male halves!) We went to Rachael, our wonderful coworker's, wedding..it was good to see her so happy :) And then to the Texas Roadhouse for dinner..where we basically spent the rest of the night! I'm sure our server was annoyed beyond belief by how long we stayed there...and by how unbelievably loud we were! (I had no idea how rowdy we could be!) I'm also fairly certain the waitress I just about knocked over while trying to 'join' the line dance was mildly peeved..but we were paying customers, and I know I left a good tip..so what the hay! No one got injured! I must say I was greatly impressed with the guys' movie quoting abilities (and their talent for telling embarassing stories about us girls!) And Cheryl and Jen: I just love getting together with you guys! I learn something new every time and I know that it'll never be boring! I just love you gals :) Thanks for an entertaining night! And thanks to our husbands for being so tolerant! I know Jeff wasn't feeling so hot, but sweet guy that he is, he still came out and played! I love you, Sweetie-o!

FRIDAY THE 13TH!!

2008-06-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true..it's Friday the 13th! Yikes! I've never been a superstitious person...don't toss salt over my shoulder if I spill it and turn in a circle and all that jazz (I can't even keep my curse remedies straight!) At least, I didn't think so. But then I got to thinking, and realized that indeed, I AM! At least when it's related to work. And I'm sure all you gals I work with can agree: if you're having a good shift, you won't usually come right out and say 'wow, it's so quiet today/tonight!'. And for good reason. I've only uttered that phrase once in my life while at work, and the day immediately went south from there! From that day on, if the thought enters my mind, I keep it to myself and bite my tongue!

SO, to the actual point of this blog: I would like you all to tell me what YOU'RE superstitious about..if you are. And if you want to make fun of me, feel free to do that too :)

I Am Completely Overwhelmed...

2008-06-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

By how blessed I am in the family and friends department!! Guys, I could just cry at how lucky I am! Yesterday was my birthday..24 years..wow, so old (yeah, yeah, I know..I'm still a baby)! Unfortunately, Jeff had to be out of town in sunny Miami for work..and I know he feels just awful about it. But babe, honestly, I understand and it doesn't bother or upset me one little bit!! And of course, Jeff being Jeff, he STILL found a way to spoil me from across the country..more on that in a sec.

SO, to start off, I got phone calls from EVERYONE..my sis-in-law (thanks Heather..I'm sorry I didn't answer my phone!), my mom, my dad, my bro..my parent-in-laws..PHEW! And more than one person posting on MySpace. Kami, my wonderful friend, took me to breakfast at The Original Pancake House..YUMMY!! And then we went to my favorite little boutique, Got Beauty, and proceeded to 'get glam' w/ every available eye shadow, lip gloss and bottle of glitter in the place! We looked SASSY by the time we got done!

When I got home, my bouncing doggy and 100 beautiful sweetheart roses (the cute little, good smelling ones) greeted me! Jeff, always looking for ways to make me feel more and more spoiled, sent them to me..and I just about cried! (ok, I DID cry..). Babe-a-roo, I know you're going to read this, so I'll say what I can't say enough: I couldn't have found someone more perfect for me than you! You're my sunshine and I love you!

I then got to go to lunch with my sister and mom. They are my best friends..I mean, how can the two people who went through every up, down, and sideways moment in my life and were there for me every second, not be? I love you guys SO much!

But wait! I still got to go to dinner with 'mah girlzzz', Cheryl and Jen (Wendy, we missed you!!) (Just so y'all know..I didn't pay for a single meal yesterday!) We laughed & cackled through an entire dinner and then went and trolled the mall like 3 teenage chicks! I always know I will have a hilariously wonderful time with these 2..I'm sure we scandalized quite a few people while we were talking in the parking lot of TGI Fridays!! Just a reminder, Cheryl...in 2 weeks...;) haha!

And just as I was winding down, I pulled into my garage..and there were two guys standing behind the driveway holding a cake! My very kind neighbors, Kenner and Jake, baked me a cake! Which we promptly ate, after they sang me a rousing 'Happy Birthday'! (They claimed they'd been practicing all night).

So, that was a long post..and it can't even begin to convey how loved and spoiled all of you made me feel yesterday! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! There really aren't words to explain..I am truly so, SO incredibly blessed to have the most amazing husband, a wonderful family, and 'totally tubular' friends!

Rules of 3

2008-06-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

Since I don't really have anything interesting to write about in my life right now, and because it's always fun to do these little 'tag' things: I was tagged by Mariah..the rules are as follow: Write 3 Joys, 3 Fears, 3 Goals, 3 Current Obsessions/Collections, and 3 Random Surprising Facts About Yourself..haha!

3 Joys

1~ My hubby & our families

2~Our spunky doggy

3~Running

3 Fears

1~Losing Jeff or any one of our family members

2~Making a serious mistake at work

3~Failing the people I love

3 Goals

1~Move into our new house (is that a goal..i don't really have any say in whether it happens or not..haha)

2~Get better at controlling my moodiness after night shifts so I don't drive J crazy!

3~Do better at budgeting for groceries

3 Current Obsessions/Collections

1~Blogging..haha

2~Eye Shadow (I know some will find this hard to believe since I don't often wear anything more than mascara to work, which is where most of you see me, but it's true!)

3~Eating Jeff's gourmet meals he likes to make on the weekends!

3 Random/Surprising Facts About Me

1~I'm constantly trying to stop myself from talking too much! It doesn't work...but I will continue in this valiant effort.

2~As much as I love to talk..I don't really like talking on the phone..it feels so awkward to me.

3~I eventually wind up hating every purse I buy..it doesn't matter how cute I thought it was when I purchased it..I will ultimately think it is the ugliest, most un-stylish bag I've ever owned!

I now tag: Amber, Cheryl, Heather Harbaugh, Heather Carr, Heather Doney, Jen, Kateka, Rachael, Steph, Tiffany and Wendy!

Wasting Time!

2008-05-28T04:17:00.001-07:00

SOOOO, I'm doing this because if I don't do SOMETHING I will fall asleep and never make it home after this ETERNAL nightshift! I swear I've done this questionare in a million different forms..but here goes:

How long have you been married? Almost exactly 2 incredibly wonderful years..just had a great trip to San Fran to prove it (I'll post the pics some day!)

How old is your spouse? 31 (almost 32..but people would never guess it, he looks pretty dang young.)

Who eats more? Well, you would think Jeff, but this is a tricky one to answer..because I think I eat more FREQUENTLY..which could ultimately equal more food....?

Who said I love you first? It was a joint thing, honest. We were both very hesitant to put ourselves out there..but I had the urge to say it for months before I did!

Who is taller? Oh, definately J..I can almost match him with some of my heels, though.

Who sings better? I don't think I've ever heard Jeff ever try to sing seriously...he's always joking around.

Who is smarter? We're both experts in different areas..so together we make one Einstein.

Who controls the T.V. remote? Jeff, and I really couldn't care less.

Whose temper is worse? I'm definitely the moodiest of us, and J is SO patient with me! But we have this great understanding of each other where we can tell if the other is starting to get rubbed the wrong way, so we can walk away from it for a while...sounds corny (and annoying, I'm sure, but it's true!)

Who does the laundry? Joint effort. I think J is actually more persnikity about seperating whites and colors..haha :)

Who does the dishes? Once again, joint effort..but we have an agreement that if 1 person cooks the other usually does the dishes..but I always do pots..J hates'em.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Jeffrey Scott Newman

Who cooks dinner? Now the real question here is who cooks the BEST dinners? And that answer is Jeff, hands down! He is chef extraoridinare (did I spell that right?) Honestly guys, he makes the most amazing meals!

Who is more stubborn? We're both pretty stubborn, but I think I win here.

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? I think it's me..I have a terrible guilt complex and I can't stand to hurt/upset the people I love.

Who has more friends? Does it really matter? I'm married to my BEST friend, and that's all that's important!

Who has more siblings? Me..my poor, poor parents..haha

Who wears the pants in the family? It's a give and take, depending on the situation..but we never make decisions without talking to the other person!

OK, so when ya'll get bored, do this survey!

Living

2008-05-26T00:43:00.000-07:00

I was asked tonight by a patient if my job makes me live in fear. This isn't the first time I've been asked this question..or at least a similar one, by patients or their families. And I have to admit that some days every mole is cancerous, every bruise is hiding leukemia. But I didn't want to say this to my patient..her reality is rough enough right now and she doesn't need to deal with my problems. But I hate being fake and shallow, and I wanted to give her and honest answer. So off the top of my head all I could think of was 'No. It makes me live in love.' And that was good enough for her. So she rolled over and went back to sleep (it's 2 AM, no one should be up right now!). And I walked out of her room. But now as I'm sitting down to chart, her question comes back..and my answer. I'd just said what first came to my mind. But the more I think about it..it's true. I'm constantly reminding myself that no matter what I do, I may not be able to prevent the people I love, or myself, from some day facing cancer, or a car accident, or any other terrible, life changing event. And so, with that continuously in my thoughts, I've decided I don't ever want to miss a chance to say I love you. To snuggle and hug and talk..and laugh. I don't want to waste time bickering over things that don't matter (laundry, dishes, missed phone calls, etc). I'm always reading the newspaper and shaking my head at how sad the stories are..always thinking 'I'm so glad it's not me.' It's always someone else. But one day, you are the someone else. And I think that that is one of the greatest blessings of my job: every day I come here..I walk away more determined to live my life in love! I know it sounds corny, and I know when I read this a few days from now I'll wonder what I was thinking. But it's true :) So, to all my family and friends..I don't tell you this enough: I LOVE YOU!

CONGRATS HUB-A-ROO!!

2008-05-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

We went out to dinner tonight with family to celebrate Jeff's V.P. title FINALLY coming through! He works so hard and really deserves this :) I love you, Sweetie, thanks for everything you do for me and us...I am a lucky, lucky girl!

Bryan (bro-in-law) , Bill & Joanne (J's parents) Heather (J's sister) & J & our cute little niece, Lexi (who is now going to be a big sister...CONGRATS Heather & Bryan!!!)

He looks tired (and red)...we were outside working on our gardens at my parents all day (thanks Mom & Dad, for the garden space!)..I hope it all grows :)

Lexi LOVED her mom's spaghetti! She's got such a spit-fire personality!

BTW, we went to Stoneground, this great little restaurant in SLC...the food is AMAZING! I highly recommend it if you're looking for something other than your run-of-the-mill Chili's or Applebees..but I'll warn you now: when they say some of the dishes are spicy, they ain't lyin'!

DOMESTIC VICTORY!!

2008-05-15T08:15:00.001-07:00

As some of you may not know, smells are a big deal to me! (Jeff knows this quite well) Especially at home..I'm obsessed with making sure our little home smells good at all times..I hate cooking all things malodorous (bacon, fish, greasy things that require frying) because the stank sticks in the house (AND my hair, for that matter) and it reminds me of every abode I ever went into as a child that was grungy, poorly cared for and all together 'yucky'..I can't stand it! It makes my skin crawl. ANYHOW, the point of my whole story: Saturday Jeff made an absolutely scrumptious meal of Horseradish Encrusted Halibut..it was SO yummy! However, the downside, as you all can guess by now, is that the smell stuck around. And then we realized it was sticking around much longer than we expected! We took out the garbage, I put orange peels and baking soda down our garbage disposal, washed every towel in the place...the smell persisted..not in a 'puke your guts out' kind of way. But in a PERSISTENT way! Well, today, my friends, I have victory! I've wiped every cupboard and Lysol'd every coutertop..and I think I win! The smell has been evicted! If not, I'm sure you'll hear about it :)

Green Thumbs!

2008-05-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

I am extremely pleased with us (Jeff and I)..because we did some gardening yesterday! And after the digging and weeding, our yard (when I say yard, I mean small square of dirt..haha) actually looks like it could have some potential! We haven't really felt the need to do much with our back 'nook' as of lately because we're really hoping to sell our townhouse, and the yard looks clean and presentable. But yesterday, Jeff decided we should have fun with what we've got while we're here...he's always been the one 'botanically inclined' out of the two of us (he cooks, he gardens...what in the world do I do??:) SO, we researched some heat resistant plants, (our back yard tends to get quite warm in the summer, I mean, it IS the desert here, people!) went and got said heat resistant plants, and PLANTED them! (And yes, I helped!) Since I'm so pleased with our work I took some pics. I know they're nothing incredible, but I'm happy! Have a look-see!

Happy Anniversary To Us :)

2008-05-04T10:55:00.000-07:00

It is amazingly gorgeous here...we're in this really neat cottage in this cute little town, Point Reyes, SOOO relaxing!

It's about time!

2008-05-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

I have a dark secret to admit: I haven't painted my toenails since October of 2007! Yup, that's right...6 months without new paint...a whole half a year!! So in the months following October, the cute little Halloween themed pedicure I'd gotten slowly peeled off into oblivion. The skull and crossbones were still present for Christmas (that's mildly morbid, now that I think about it), but come February I took initiative and scraped'em off..leaving just smudges of orange (I'm surprised the polish lasted as long as it did..tough stuff!) And that, too, finally got clipped off. So, see, I didn't neglect my foot hygiene..they still looked presentable, if not mildly knobby (I'm a little concerned I have Hobbit-esque foot tendencies, even though I know it's probably because of my running shoes). Every once in a while I'd look down at my nekked toenails and think 'gee, my feet would be much sexier with some paint on'em' but that's as far as it would get. Then yesterday I realized I'm going on vacation to a sunny, beach-y place..and wouldn't it be nice if my feet looked festive? I raced upstairs to dig out my nail polishes...but they'd all dried up and seperated! NO!! So today I was a women a mission: NAIL POLISH! My sole purpose in going to Target was to find a cute color. Granted, I also came away with new mascara, cheap sunglasses, a blue shower pouf....haha :) But I also got nail polish: Speedy Hot Tamale! (the name just SOUNDS sassy!) And as proof (because most of you will never see my toes) I took a pic! (and just so you all know, that smudge on the 2nd toe of my left foot isn't paint..it's a scab from when I dropped a glass pan on my foot earlier this week.)

Exhuberance!

2008-04-30T04:53:00.000-07:00

SO, I'm sitting here...putting off hanging my Mag Riders (I'm extremely aggravated by people's magnesium needs at the moment..lol)..and I just have to say: I may be annoyed with the thought of having to go hang yet ANOTHER medication on my patients, but I am extremely pleased with myself for FINALLY figuring out how to use 'digital scrapbooking' to jazz up my blog page..WOOHOO!! Now stick THAT in your pipe and smoke it! Oh, and another reason for my 'exhuberance': I am at the end of my shifts for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!! I can not tell you how excited I am to be leaving for San Francisco this Saturday with my hub-a-roo for our anniversary bash! I'll take some great pics and have new blog-fodder when I come back..so y'all have a great day, kids! :)

TOP CHEF!

2008-04-27T07:57:00.000-07:00

So, Jeff is the culinary genius in our household (we'll have you all over for dinner sometime and he'll knock your socks off..I'm tellin' ya!) ANYWHO, I made a little foray into the world of yumminess this morning in the form of PUFF PANCAKES!! You make them w/ this cool cast-iron pan..pour the batter in and they come out like little pancake eclairs! (i'd have taken a pic so you could all understand what I'm saying, but they were delicious and we instantly inhaled them!) I am quite excited, because I have serious issues making even normal pancakes..I can't flip them :) So I just though I'd take this opportunity to brag a little..haha!

Ahhh..Vacation!!

2008-04-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to add some pics from our weekend o' fun in Lake Mead:

I've never been to Hoover Dam..it was awesome! But also crazy how much the water goes down each year! The Dam pays completely for it's upkeep through the energy it provides..but they're saying that soon it won't be able to provide the mass amounts of power it currently does for Vegas..YIKES!
Jeff, being strong and silent ;)

He looks cold..and yet so hot! haha

Sexy hubby running!

OK, that was fun..lol.

Mmmm..yummy!

2008-04-26T16:53:00.000-07:00

I wanted to include some pics of Jeff from his tri...just to show ya all how dang hot he is!

JUST FOR JEFF & JEN!

2008-04-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

So, as my hubby and Jen have so kindly pointed out, I haven't written anything new lately..haha:) WELL, we've been busy, geez Jen!

So going back to work this last week really stunk after our wonderful little mini-vacay in Lake Mead..the weather there was perfect (a little windy, but where is there NOT wind these days?) I was so proud of Jeff for his triathalon..he did awesome!! My husband has got the sexiest muscles! ;) AND it was just the attitude adjustment I needed. I was leaning towards being more pissy than usual..haha. Do you ever notice that? You get stuck in the routine of work and errands and housework and after a couple weeks of this you're edgy and snippy. I don't know about anyone else, but I do. I used to be so proud of the fact that I wasn't a 'moody' girl. Well, apparently, I lied, because I can be one of the moodiest people I know these days!

And today we went out to look at our house that's being built in Eagle Mtn/Lehi (it's, like, 3 feet inside the Eagle Mountain city limits...I don't like to tell people we're building in E.M. cause their 1st response is 'Oh, wow, that is SO far away!') ANYWHO, I'm feeling a little torn about the house..I'm SO excited when we go out to look at it: the basement is poured and framed, and now the main level is framed too! But then reality sets in and I remember that we haven't even sold our townhouse yet..and if we don't sell the townhouse, no house in Eagle Mountain for us!! :( So I'm playing this little mind game with myself: If I don't get too excited about the house, I won't be so upset when we can't move there because we don't sell our townhouse! I used to do that when I was a kid..don't get too excited about a good soccer tryout, cause then if I don't make the team I won't cry..does anyone else do this? Yet, at the same time, I'll be sad if we do sell the townhouse too! Because then I'll have a longer commute, we'll have to spend more on gas..the list goes on and on..I think I definitely worry too much..haha:) And when it comes down to it I really will be happy anywhere as long as I have Jeff! Anywho, if anyone knows someone who's looking for a REALLY nice townhouse in the Salt Lake area..send'em our way!!

On a side note: does anyone want to take Yoga classes with me? I've started doing yoga at home on my own but I think it would be fun to try some classes!