This Semester in 10 Points

1. Cherish the wins and the losses equally.  They both make you stronger and more confident.  
2. Never, EVER leave bubbles in the syringe with a former insulin educator checking your syringe!
3. Enjoy the people you are surrounded by.  Life is much better when shared.
4. We all freak out, but the true measure is being able to take a deep breath, recover, and move forward.
5. Laugh at yourself.
6. Your timeline is not God's timeline.  You have to move along His schedule.  He knows the best for you, despite what you may think.
7. Remember to say thank you.  
8. SMILE
9. Do not wear red thongs underneath white pants.  Panty-gate 2010.
10. I am truly thankful to have supportive instructors, friends, and family to walk beside me on this journey.  I know that none of this would be possible without any of them.

Need to Share This!

The need for festive desserts that are not super time consuming is great, at least in my book.  Today, I put together a really simple cake that turned out pretty well.  It's a pretty white cake playing peek-a-boo with red cranberries.  Here's the recipe:

Cake:
3T butter
1c sugar
2c flour
1/4t salt
1c milk
3t baking powder
3c fresh cranberries

Mix first 6 ingredients until well incorporated.  Gently fold in cranberries.  Bake for 35 minutes at 350.

Butter Glaze:
1c butter
2c sugar
2T flour
1c milk
2T vinegar
2t vanilla

Bring all ingredients to a boil.  Drizzle over cake and serve.
**Just as a side note, I thought the amount of glaze was too much.  I like sweets, but not overly sweet sweets (if that makes any sense).  This could easily be taken down 1/2 and still have plenty to cover the cake.

Better Late Than Never

8 years ago (and 10 days) this little guy came into our lives.  It is hard to remember the time when Xavier was only 9lbs 6oz.  The time slips away so fast.

He was the serious one, always watching.  His smiles were few and far between.  He was especially concerned when his sister came around.

When those smiles did happen, they were enough to melt your heart.  Happy, smiling, chubby baby.  What could be better?

The blond curls do me in!  The End.

The bigger he got, the sillier he got.  It probably doesn't help that he runs from the heart and will do anything anyone asks, especially his big sister.

Again with the curls!  Gulp!  The smile!  I could eat him up!

Then he started getting more grown up.  He asked for a mohawk.  Then he wanted a red mohawk.  As a side note, I'm pretty sure the bird was in love.

And then he had wheels of his.  He was almost unstoppable.  He must have been saving the smiles when he was a baby.  There is hardly a day that goes by that this boy does not smile.

  Sometimes he can hardly contain himself.  Asking him to be a serious ninja is almost too much for him to bear.  Asking Xavier not to smile is like taking away the caffeine from a nursing student, it just doesn't work!

8 years later we have a silly, smiling boy.  He has all the potential in the world.  He loves science.  He can barely contain himself, especially if he knows the answer to your question.  He is growing by leaps and bounds.  One of his favorite gifts was a watch, and it seems to add 10 years to him.  I am proud of who he is and who he will become.  This is one amazing kid.

 Happy birthday, Xavier!  

Coupons

I never really liked coupons.  I found the work really tedious without much reward, until lately. Maybe I'm just getting cheaper in my "old age."  Technology has made getting coupons so much easier.  The ability to add coupons to a loyalty card is awesome.  A few clicks equals a few dollars in savings.  It really can't get much easier.  Not having to clip coupons is a huge plus in my book.

Last weekend, I took Xavier to get a new winter coat since it is actually getting cold now.  We hit up J.C. Penny since it was having a sale.  The original tag cost for it was $70.  We ended up getting the coat he loved for under $17.  It isn't a wimpy coat either.  It is nice and thick, has a good collar, and a hood.  That was a little thrilling, I can't lie!  Since we saved money on the coat, he was able to get a pair of shoes he really like that aren't basic tennis shoes.  Yes, even boys need to add a little pizazz to their wardrobe.  I even got an extra coupon for the next shopping visit to J.C. Penny.

The best part of finding coupons is being able to save on more organics, whole grains, and natural items at the grocery store.  The ability to feed my family the very best I can and saving money on top of it is a huge added benefit.

Life in Perspective

I have never been more thankful to have 3 healthy kids.  Today, I observed the fragility of a new life that was born at 24 weeks.  It's amazing that medicine is able to save this little life.  Before, it was certain death at this fragile age.  It is a harsh battle, but most of these little bodies are able to adapt and do okay in the world.  The parents and caregivers in this situation are amazing.  I am truly humbled by everything I saw today.

Success!

Yesterday was spent in bed, reeling with abdominal cramping that almost made wish I was having a baby.  At least I would have something to show for all the pain.  Luckily, things were a better today, and it was time to get back into the swing of things.


Sometimes the small things need to celebrated to keep all the wheels turning and life moving forward in a positive way.  So, here's mine, especially after yesterday.


My mom is an awesome bread maker.  That is not her only talent, but it is the one more requested.  I have never really given bread making a try.  I guess our family let's everyone's talent shine in their abilities.  Mom has bread, my aunt is an amazing dessert maker, my grandmother has mashed potatoes, and I have gingersnaps and sweet kids (I jest, I jest.  They are pretty amazing though.).  

Anyhow, tonight was the night I decided to give bread making a try.  I have to say it was a success.  I made garlic knots.  (If garlic isn't your thing, I'm pretty sure any other fresh herb would work.)  I was surprised at how much easier they were to make than it was in my mind.  There really is nothing better than the smell of rising bread... MMmm!  With the knots, I made risotto.  The snobby, expensive, need a tie at a restaurant kind of risotto.  This is also really easy, time consuming, but easy.  This risotto is one of Jay's favorite meals.  


The best thing about dinner is being able to sit down at the table, pray together, and talk.  The kids talk about their silliness.  We listen and laugh.  Nothing makes the day better.  If they would just chew with their mouths closed, all might be right in the world!  


Recipes
Sun-dried Tomatoe and Sausage Risotto

3 tbsp butter, unsalted

1 1/2 link 3 oz sausage, sweet italian

3/4 onion, yellow (~1/2 cup)

1 1/2 cups rice, arborio

1/3 cup tomatoes, sun-dried, in oil, sliced

1 1/2 tbsp wine, white dry

3 cups chicken broth, canned, low sodium (I used 4 cups of broth and 2 cups of water to used the entire container of broth)

3 cups water

12 spear asparagus, cut into 1" pieces (~1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup cheese, Parmesan, low sodium, grated

Bring the chicken stock and water to a boil, then simmer.

In a separate pot, place the butter and melt over medium low heat.

Slice the sausage into 1/2" pieces and add to the butter.

Saute for approximately 3 minutes until browned slightly.

Add the onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.

Now add the rice and cook stirring constantly to toast the rice, approximately 2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and add the white wine and stir until all the wine has been absorbed.

Add the broth 2 oz at a time adding more as the liquid is absorbed.

After 12 minutes, add the asparagus and continue to cook stirring constantly for about another 6 minutes.

Once the rice has been cooked to "al dente", add the Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes.

Season with salt and pepper. 

If the broth has been used up before the rice is cooked, add hot water in it's place.

Garlic Knots
     10 garlic cloves, minced
     6 tbsp unsalted butter
     1 tsp, plus 3/4 cup warm water
     1 1/2 tsp rapid-rise yeast
     2 cups all purpose flour
     1 tsp salt


     Warm oven to 200 degrees.  Turn of when it is heated to this temp.
     Grease a large bowl.
     Cook garlic, 1 tbsp butter, and 1 tsp of waste over low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is straw    
     colored (8-10 minutes).  Let cool for 10 minutes off heat.
     Strain garlic butter through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl, reserving garlic solids.
     Whisk remaining water, 1 tbsp of garlic butter, garlic solids, and yeast into a cup until yeast dissolves.
     Mix flour and salt.
     Slowly add water mixture in a steady stream until dough comes together.
     Continue mixing until dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl.
     Turn dough out onto a clean work surface, knead briefly to form smooth, cohesive ball.
     Transfer dough into prepared bowl, cover in plastic wrap, and place in oven until dough doubled in size.
     Punch down dough on floured surface, roll dough into 12x6 inch rectangle, cut into 12 strips.
     Roll into ropes, tie each into a knot, and tuck in the ends into the middle.
     Place on baking sheet, covered with plastic wrap, and return to oven to rise for another 20 minutes.
     Remove knots, heat oven to 500 degrees, remove plastic wrap, and bake for 5-6 minutes.
     Brush with remaining butter, cool on a wire rack.
     Best served when warm!

I'm Just That Kind of Gal

I...

1. find baking to be a major stress reliever.  I take to goodies into school so I don't consume them all and become 400 pounds.  (400 pounds dressed in all white = not cute!)
2. still like some 80's movies - The Never Ending Story, Labyrinth, Goonies to name a few.
3. am so very thankful to be surrounded my so many awesome, down to earth, honest, funny people.  They motivate me to be better on a daily basis.
4. still love running even with my time for it is shrinking.
5. am drawn to glitter.  It's a bad, bad habit because it is a fine line between elegant and tacky.
6. am a sentimental sap.  I can tear up just thinking about the kiddos getting bigger.  Their achievements make me smile and cry.
7. am not as organized as I want to be.  This really makes me feel out of whack at school.  I don't like that feeling.
8. like fruity, umbrella drinks.  I love sushi and Thai food too.
9. should probably be studying right now.  It is never ending.
10. am a germ-a-phobe.  Microbiology and nursing school are not helping this.  I refuse to wear shoelaces on clinical days because then I have to touch them to get my shoes off.  I'm thankful we can wear pants.  The nursing uniform used to be dresses with white stockings.  The first time someone bleed, peed, or threw up on my legs, I would be done!  Check please! 

Awkward in the Dark

Jay and I had a date night last night.  We decided to do a very grown up thing and check out Zanies.  This was our first experience with live stand up comedy.

We arrived early.  Why?  We had to beat that mad Wednesday rush to get a good seat!  Or... something like that.  At Zanies, you have to buy 2 items off the menu.  I guess that makes up for the lack of cover charge.  The price of the fried bar food was similar to a movie theater, expensive for not in the basket.

We sat in the middle of the stage.  That was a mistake.  There was a whole 20 people in the audience.  The host came out and stared directly down the middle of the room.  Remember where we were sitting?  He would tell a joke and wait, looking right at us, for a laugh.  It was one of those times when you break out into a cold, awkward sweat because you know he is watching you, judging his success on how many times he sees you laugh.  OY!  There were some local comics that were pretty funny.  They were able to get the whole room laughing.  The main act, Lahna Turner, was a musical comedian.  She was funny.   The Mayonnaise Song was my favorite song of the evening.  Overall, it was a good grown-up night.  We were able to do a grown up activity for the first time in a long time.

Just as a side note.  If you on stage, no matter the size of the audience, make sure the under-roos are adjusted appropriately BEFORE you go on stage.  Let it be known, in case there were in questions, digging in the booty region on stage in not funny.  It's really gross!

What a day!

This morning was one of those mornings when I should have stayed in bed with the covers up to my eyeballs!  Here's the deal-io.

Get up, check to make sure Paige is up and moving (otherwise known as getting ready), and hop in the shower.

Get dressed, style my hair, and put on lotion.

Go to jewelry box to put on ring.... ring NOT there... ummm!??!?!  Stop, double check, try not to freak out.  Ring is still not there.  CRAP!  Tell Jay, double crap!  Commence pulling apart the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room.  Go through all trash cans slowly.  Dump out Ozzy's (the robotic vacuum) dirt canister.  Triple crap!

Try to retrace my steps from yesterday... ummm... went to church, studied, umm... No clue what else I did!  No one said I had to remember yesterday!

Jay had to literally force me out of the house so I can get to class to take a test this morning in med/surg.

Force myself to compose before walking into the school doors.

Move to the back of the room and assume testing position.

About halfway through the test I hear Jay's voice.  Uh?  I must be hallucinating because he should be on his way to Nashville.  Look out the door and see Jay with a gynormous grin.

Try to get instructors attention to leave the room!

Cry, laugh, rejoice!

The ring was found at church in the pile of toys I disinfect to clean up the babies room by Jay.  He was 2 hours late to work because he stayed behind trying to find my ring.  All together now... AWWWW!!!!

Morals of the story:  get your ring sized frequently because you never know when it could slip off your hand.  Always keep your important possessions insured!  Have amazing hubby's that will take time out of their day to see you smile and to hear your sigh of relief!

Glistening

I won't forget the T-shirt I saw that said, "Southern women don't sweat, they glisten."  This was in the back of my mind as I ran this morning. I find it's easier to go running after getting everyone out of the house then trying to rush back to get everyone ready for the day.

The mornings have been cold.  The air burned my lungs. I was happy because it meant I was moving and working.  This is a happy contrast of sitting in the classroom where a lot of my time is spent lately.

This morning my thoughts were scattered as I padded along the park path.

I use this time to talk to with God more and more.  I'm sure that isn't what He intended, but it was quiet and it helps get my mind off my burning lungs.  I know I'm not alone in doing this, especially as I passed an elderly gentleman walking along carrying his rosary beads.

Clinical this week was a reminder that not all nursing work is glamorously taking care of ill.  A lot of it is going to be helping people get out of bed, dealing with diapers (again!), having patience when communication is broken and the patient is frustrated because they cannot say what they need or want, and having conversations with those that are TOTALLY on the crazy side.

Mistakes can happen.  Boy do they hurt the heart!  The point is to be able to pull yourself back up and keep moving.   Don't worry this wasn't a mistake in the clinical setting!  Just another reminder that everyone makes mistakes.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming weeks.  The clinical rotation changes.  I will be slinging babies soon.  One of these weeks we only have one test.  That will be a nice change from the 2 or 3 a week!  Maybe I will be able to breathe again before Thursdays.  Yes, I do hold my breath from Monday to Wednesday!  Another amazing talent learned in nursing school.


"I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much."
~ Mother Teresa

Mmmm...good!

I realize that it is still a little warm out for soups, but I made a really yummy soup tonight that I thought I would share.  This is probably going to go into our quick fix rotations for our busy weeknights.

Sage Mushroom Soup

1 white onion
5 celery stalks
16 oz mushrooms, sliced
40 oz veggie broth
1 c cream
1/2 c brown rice
4 T flour
2 c sliced chicken breast, cooked

Preheat pot with a T of oil or butter.  Dice onion and celery.  Throw into pan and begin to brown.  Sprinkle flour over veggies and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes.  (The flour should be pretty much absorbed into the veggies.)  Add 1 cup of broth, stirring vigorously.  Make sure to get all the way down to the bottom.  You do not want to burn the flour.  The mixture should turn a creamy consistency, continue to stir.  Once you cannot see any flour at the bottom of the pan, add the rest of the broth, and bring to a boil.  While you are waiting for the pot to boil (don't watch or it never will!), sauté the mushroom until golden brown.  Add the mushrooms to the pot.  When the pot has boiled, stir in the rice.  Lower the heat and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes, or until your rice is done.  Add cream and chicken when about 15 minutes remain on the clock.  Salt, pepper, and garlic to taste.

Voila, a masterpiece in a pot!  I served this with some freshly sliced French bread.  Everyone here loved it, but my house is very easy to please.  Try it and let me know what you think!

Roller Coasters Weekly

Tests, tests, and more tests is a pretty accurate description of how this semester is rolling through.  We are bouncing from test to test each week of class from this point forward.

I think the hardest part of testing is the after test nerves that is coming out in the form of questioning your answers.  UGH!  It's hard not to be drawn in.  Although I try really hard to just walk by.  This makes me feel great and horrible at the same time.  It feels great to have my answers validated.  On the other hand, it is walking into a bundle of nervous energy that just passes to each person like a bad case of hiccups.

My secrets... preparation, break, and prayer.  I study every chance I get, to the annoyance of my family.  I also realize when I need to walk away and take a breath.  Each morning, I pray.  Pray to have all the knowledge that I have stuffed into my brain somewhere to come back out, appropriately.

I forgot to mention celebration.  I think I am getting to the point that I don't celebrate the big things so much any more.  For example, some of us are going to Sweet Cece's to celebrate surviving the past week of tests and passing them.  It's not about the grades.  It's about being able to progress and LEARN each step of the way.

What was I thinking?

This week was the first week I seriously questioned my sanity about my schooling.  I left school yesterday feeling very defeated.  Pharmacology is my nemesis!  Even studying drugs can mess with you mind.  After our test yesterday, I was in bed and fast asleep by 830.  I know I can overcome, but holy smokes!

I was always taught when taking on a huge task always know the real reason for doing it.  For me, taking on nursing school was about having a career.  Not just any career, a career that will leave a positive impact on the world and provide versatility.  A career that requires humility and provides mercy and grace.  A career that is a network, or a family, just by entering the field.  A career that changes nightly, and even by the minute, and is never the same 2 days in a row.

I am so thankful to have clinical days.  Being on the floor, rubbing shoulders with real nurses, and providing care is what is going to keep me going for all the semesters I have left.  Our instructors make us feel smarter and give us credit for thinking on our feet, or critically thinking.  I think they might even be a little proud of us.  It feels awesome to be able to leave the hospital knowing I did the right thing instead of leaving with a touch of fear because I just didn't know how I did until the clinical ticket came back.  I think I will forever be afraid of the letter U because 5 of these will make my nursing career come to a screeching halt.

I have to keep myself aware of all of this.  Otherwise, I will end up huddled in a corner rocking and crying wondering why I did this to myself and my family.  It's easy to forget the good and the potential for greatness when I am overcome with the feeling of defeat.  All it takes is one foot in front of the other to keep moving forward.

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look no only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

~Philippians 2:3-5

Procrastination

I am obviously putting off my school work by blogging instead.  There are so many points that have stuck out to me this week.

I have finally put running back into my schedule.  Although, I'm not running every morning, I am getting out 3 days a week.  Not too shabby considering the time constraints our family is operating with.  I feel so much better getting back to running.  It is definitely giving up 3 hours in my week to feel 100 times better during the week.  I wish I could bottle those endorphins for psychology on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.  It might make it a little more tolerable to sit through.

My laundry has stayed caught up this week.  That is a miracle in and of itself.  I told Xavier this morning that if I found any more boy socks scattered around the house and in the van, he was going to be in charge of laundry.  Low and behold, he was running around the house making sure things were picked up and there were no socks to be found.  Too bad he doesn't understand that he WILL be in charge of his laundry VERY soon!  I guess I will keep that little nugget of knowledge to myself right now.

School has been moving quickly.  This semester seems to be all about taking off and running with the knowledge we have.  I think that is great.  At the same time, it's hard to wrap your head around everything to make sense of it.  There is no slowing down or looking back at this point.

Mending Broken Hearts

We became a family of 6 Thursday evening.

Jay is a very determined man.  It is often mistaken for stubbornness.

One thing he is more determined to change then anything is his family tree.  One side of his parentage has left a wake of pain and destruction on the lives of many of the little ones brought into the world.  For the past 7 years, Jay has been trying to make a change in lives of two of his half siblings he knows best.  Last night was the first tangible step in this journey.  His half brother will be staying with us for a while.

The kids have immediately taken to him.  They love him without a second thought.  I think this is one of the best qualities each and every one of our kids have.

More than anything we want to model family to him.  We want to show him there is greatness in being a family unit, not just hurt.  We know he will be welcomed into our community.  Southern hospitality is an excellent thing, even it if seems to freak him out some.

Only time will tell, but I'm sure this is going to be a move for the better.

“What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories.”
~ George Eliot

N2, Week 2

Week 2 is officially over.  What a week!
Uh-May-Zing!!

This week we were in the hospital.  I love clinical days!  It's overwhelming, but completely amazing to be in the hospital working with real medical staff and real patients.  I was able to spend time in a critical care unit working with 3 patients between 2 nurses.  It's funny how the basics we all rolled our eyes at when learning come back into play when working on the floor.  I guess the real moral of the story was the most trivial task, making a bed or combing hair, is never too little to the patient.  Even if they fight you the whole way, they really appreciate the time that was spent making them more comfortable.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love this?  Let me remind you just in case, I love, love, love the field I am going into.  I love being able to have flexibility both in time and in path.  I have yet to meet a nurse that hates their job.  Of course, I can do without the weeks of 3 tests piled on top of each other, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get to the finish line... with a smile on my face... hopefully.

What didn't work this week?  Running.  Today was the first day I was able to lace up my shoes and go for a run.  I hate that, but it is what it is.  Laundry.  The boys were out of shorts today.  Don't get me wrong, they still have pants.  I'm not going to send them to school in their under-roos, which are clean in case you were wondering, and I know you were.  Dinner planning and grocery shopping.  There wasn't any, period.  This week was a lot of asking the kids what they wanted for dinner and giving it to them.  Luckily, we have some pretty good decision makers.  They chose things like lasagna and salad.  We were just lacking in time between school, after school activities, financial classes, and trying to squeeze in time for studying. Oh well!  I guess there is always some push pull in life.

Another reason this week was pretty amazing, no trips to the ER with my lovely, clumsy children!

No Rest

I am almost through my first week back to school.

This is what my days are going to look like for the most part.

• 430 am - get up to run at least 2.5 miles before starting the day
• 500 am - back home and get ready for the day
• 630 am - take the boys to early care at school
• 645 am - call Paige to make sure she is alive while waiting on the bus
• 7 am - arrive at school or hospital, depending on the day
• 1-2 pm - finish the school day
• 2-4 pm - study as much as possible before kids start coming home, or sit through pharmacology
• 430-6 pm - Taekwondo 2 days a week
• 6-630 pm - inhale dinner 
• 630-830 pm - small group or F.P.U.,  1 night a week each
• 840 pm - fall on my bed exhausted 
• 845-1030 pm - get out of bed to study
• 1030-430 - dream of pizza

These are very long days, but they seem to fly by.  Hopefully, the semester will go by just as fast.

I am trying to make it a point to not let the semester get to me.  I have an awesome group of people to surround myself with and an even better study partner.  It is refreshing to go into class and laugh.  I think the key is going to be a) going to bed on time, b) enjoying the semester to the best of my abilities, and c) not becoming stressed and bogged down in the tiny details.  It also doesn't hurt that we are no longer the low men on the totem pole. 

Enough blabber-gabbing!  Time to get back to the books!

Time Flies

I thought I would have oh so much study time in the couple of weeks the kids were in school before I went back.  Boy was I wrong.  I don't think I have had busier weeks.  The time has just flown by.  It is now less than 12 hours before we all sit back down and go through another semester!!  I just keep telling myself to B.R.E.A.T.H.E.

This weekend was Paige's friend birthday party.  She was surrounded by so much love.  I'm so, so thankful for that.  We tried to keep it small,  just with people we knew well to keep the tween drama down to a dull roar.

They spent hours in the pool.

They enjoyed handmade malts delivered straight to the pool.  Everyone had milk mustaches afterwards.

Some of the boys were able to play Wii games.  Luckily we have 4 controller wheels.

Of course, Paige was able to open gifts from everyone.

I'm not sure that grin has left her face yet.

I think the best moment of the day was after almost everyone had gone home.  Paige received money, which is actually an awesome gift in our house.  We have the kids separate their money into 3 envelopes spending, saving, and giving (modeled after the Dave Ramsey program).  We have been doing this for over a year and it is really working to show the kids how to manage their money.  Jay and Paige were sitting down to figure out how to split up all the money and gift cards.  We figure she is old enough to set the amounts for each.  Paige put $15 into giving.  Then came the big decision.  She still had $75 in cash, $50 in gift cards, and 2 envelopes to fill.  Paige was very mature and put the $75 into saving and $50 into spending.  The funny thing was, she never batted an eye.  She even know how she is going to use the giving money.  She is a cat lover and there is a local cat shelter that she is dying to volunteer for.  She wants to ask what supplies they need and buy some for the shelter.  Wow!  That does the heart good!

Heart Tugs

Yesterday was a real nail biter for me.  I was worried when I left Jacob as school that he would be upset about having to go back to school.  Luckily by pick up time, he was the excited Jacob we all know and love.

This morning was filled with talks of responsibility and good behavior.  Jay and I were really stressing to Xavier about the importance of modeling good behavior for his brother while at school.  It would be nice to include all the time and forever, but that seems too big for a second grader who is stuck in the now.  

The boys walked to the bus together.  Jacob was barely able to contain his excitement.  He was reminded by Xavier to look both ways when crossing the road.  They can work well together when they put their minds to it.  Xavier is going to take Jacob to the right spot where they wait for their teachers to take them to their rooms.  I think deep down inside he was happy to have Jacob to show off to his friends.  Not everyone has a little brother, especially one with seven stitches above his eye.  That is cool stuff in the second grade world.

I have put kids on the bus for the first time two other times.  It seems like it should get easier.  It really doesn't.  I waved and watched the bus head down the road.  I walked back to the house with a tightness in my throat.  This was the last first day to ride the bus we would experience.  I know there are other firsts yet to come, but that didn't stop the slight tug on my heart and a few ragged breaths at the sight of the bus doors closing.

[UPDATE] Day 0.5

Today was Jacob's half day transition into kindergarten.

I thought he was going to be thrilled.

He was less than thrilled.  This was the boy who was asking non-stop if it was his day to go to school.

The teacher had told us on parent orientation day to make the drop off quick, so I walked him into the gym and said good-bye and went to take his nap mat to the teacher's room.

The last picture I have of him is sitting on the gym floor, legs crossed, and chin in his hand.  It was enough to make even the most hardened heart break.

Hopefully, the day will get better as he actually gets into the groove of school.

**********************************************************************************
I picked up Jacob this afternoon.  I prayed the entire way to school that it was a good day.

Success!

He was all smiles and happy to know that he would be coming back to school tomorrow.  It was made all the better when I told him tomorrow would be his first trip on the bus.  He pulled out the projects they had worked on during the day.  Kindergarten is the best grade at bringing home cute art projects.

And of course...

"Mommy, when we get home can I have snack?"

Things I've Learned This Week

1. Time flies, especially when staring down nursing school.
2. Jacob is the calmest kid I know when it comes to injuries.  If I don't freak out, he won't freak out.  He cracked me up at the hospital asking the nurse who was restraining him, "Can you get off of me now?"
3. Big brothers can watch out for little brothers when they are struck by guilt for crashing little brother's head into the kitchen island.  He did a good job looking out for him at church during a large group activity.
4. I have run out of holes on my belt.  Not a bad thing, just inconvenient.
5. I am fascinated by watching my robot sweep for me.  It's amazing how he (Yes, it is named, Ozzy, and is now a he.  He was named this because he can't seem to go in a straight line.  It seemed fitting.) can get himself unstuck in some of the strangest places.  I haven't seen him get stumped yet, surprisingly.
6. The early mornings are getting cooler.  I hope this means fall is right around the corner.  This summer was shockingly hot.
7. I will miss the summer, even though if was filled with sibling fighting.
8. I have dusted off my ironing skills to save on dry cleaning every week for Jay's clothes.  He looks nice in a suit and tie, but I will miss the days of being able to throw his clothes in with the regular laundry.
9. It just clicked that next year will be a very big deal for our household.  It will not only be graduation, but Jay and I will have been together for 15 years.  P A R T Y, somewhere!
10. "The only lifelong, reliable motivations are those that come from within, and one of the strongest of those is the joy and pride that grow from knowing you've just done something as well as you can do it."  ~Lloyd Dobens

It Must Be Genetic!

The scene: Friday night, 5 p.m.

The plan: Early dinner and take Xavier to his Tae Kwon Do belt testing

Enter Life!

I asked the kids to set the table so we could sit down for dinner.  The next thing I know, Paige is running out the the kitchen yelling "Blood!  Jacob is bleeding!" and Jacob is coming out of the kitchen with blood streaming down his face.  JOY!  Jacob hit his head on the edge of the kitchen island playing with his older brother.

I grabbed a napkin to clean up his face and assess his injury.  He had a 1 inch laceration above his left eye.

This picture really doesn't do it any justice, but it was a meaty, bloody cut.  I called Jacob's doctor's office, but they were not going to see him so late in the day.  The next call was to Jay.  "Don't freak out, but Jacob has been hurt."  "Do you want me to come home?" he asked.  "No, but we are on the way to the emergency room."  

I grabbed a kitchen towel and an ice pack and we were on the way to the hospital.  The absolute worst time to have any sort of emergency is 5 'o'clock.  We hit every red light and the traffic was miserable.  Jacob was a trooper.  He thought it was pretty cool that he could look like a pirate.  I couldn't get him to say, "AAargh!" though.

We arrived at the emergency room.  Of course there was a wait, but he hung in there.  I can right most of the wrongs in his world just by making room on my lap.  He told his story, I filled out paperwork.  He told his story, the nurse took his vital signs.  We waited in the emergency room.  We were "fast tracked."

Finally, we were taken back to be seen by a doctor.  Jacob was swabbed with numbing cream to prepare him for stitches.

Jacob is freaking out at this point, scared and inconsolable.  Can't you tell?  Haha!  I think he was just excited to be able to watch cable channels, which we don't have at home.  Finally, the doctor came in to put in the stitches.

Seven total.  Jacob stayed perfectly still.  He was a picture of grace under pressure.  The nurses were impressed by how great he was.  I guess it isn't often they get a 5 year old that isn't crying and making a fuss about being in the emergency room.  This kid has touched real hearts and brains.  A needle and thread are not going to scare him!  They even decided to release him from being restrained by practically laying on him and give him a special treat for being such a strong boy.

Everything was made better watching the Disney channel and having popsicles.

2 hours later we were on our way back home.

"Mommy, when we get home, are we eating dinner?"
"Yes Jacob."
"Good!  I'm starving!"
"Of course you are."

It's a tough life, I'm telling ya!

An Oozy, Sweet Kind of Love

I love this picture.  They are my great grandparents.  I'm not sure what the occasion was, but the love just oozes off the corners of the picture.  They are my inspiration.  I wish I could ask them what their secret was and share it with the world.  Everyone should be able to experience this kind of devotion in their life.

Today marks the 14th year Jay and I have been together.  I have to admit it hasn't all been rainbows and unicorns, but we continue to learn and grow together.  We have made huge growth in the last year thanks to good friends and an awesome church.  I have never been more proud to be his wife.  He works hard to make it possible for the rest of us to follow our dreams.

One day, we will be have a picture taken like this, but we will write our secret to success on the back.  "A great marriage is not when the 'perfect couple' come together.  It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences."  ~ Dave Meure

Weekly Challenge #5

I just finished grocery shopping sans 2 kids.  It was heavenly!  Jacob was more than willing to help grab stuff.  He was able to read labels and grab a lot of items on his one.  One benefit to this is having eyes closer to lower shelves where the stores seem to stick the cheaper items.  Total spent this week was $77.  The only processed item I have in the fridge is Boca (meatless) burgers.

I have been packing the kids' lunches everyday.  Poor Jay is stuck with leftovers for the majority of his lunches, unless he ventures over to a DeliDave's downtown.   The kids normally take a sandwich, grapes,  crackers, carrots, cucumbers, and a sweet treat that I made on Sunday.  All of the items were packed up into individual servings so I can just toss them into their lunch boxes the evening before school.  I did try to make their sandwiches ahead of time, but that didn't seem to work out so well.  It's been a pretty good system so far.  It does mean that Sunday's are pretty hectic days trying to bag up all the items and making treats for everyone.

Last Weeks Successes:

• Creamy Alfredo with Edamame
• Most places put some type of meat into the Alfredo sauce.  I substituted that for shelled edamame.  The sauce over whole wheat pasta makes a whole grain, protein 1,2 punch.
• Black Beans and Saffron Rice with Fried Plantains
• Sauté onions and bell peppers together, season with garlic, cumin, cayenne, and cilantro.  Add cooked black beans.  Mix all together with saffron rice.  Yum!  Plantains are a tough, grainy version of bananas.  They need to be cooked twice to make them easier to chew.  Sauté the plantains until soft.  Place them in a large bowl and mash them until smooth.  Form small pancakes sized patties and brown on each side.  Dust with cinnamon.  
• Grilled Cheese and Pear Sandwiches
• A sweeter twist on plain grilled cheese.  On one side of bread, spread your favorite jam or jelly (I used my mom's blueberry jam), top with cheese and sliced pear or apple.  Grill until golden brown and cheese is melted.  

Have a good week!

Storytelling

Have you ever noticed how stories get  more grandiose the more times they are told?  One of the favorites my mom and I like to tell is one camping trip gone wrong, very wrong.

My mom has worked for the Forest Service for ever and a day.  She is now a district ranger in charge of her own piece of forest.  (Of course there is a lot more to it, but I prefer to keep things simple.)  Before that she was a hydrologist.  This basically meant she got to play outside in water during good weather and was stuck inside writing reports in bad weather.  As I got older, I was able to go on more of her adventures and help with water testing, finding bugs, and mess around in the creeks and rivers while she was working.

One late August, Mom had a 15 mile backpacking trip planned to a lake on a mountain top for sampling.  I was invited to come along.  She was planning on using llamas to pack the majority of our supplies.    How could I resist llamas?  Taking the llamas divided our group into 2.  The first group led the llamas.  The second group followed behind because llamas and dalmatians do no mix.  The fist couple of miles were uphill on switchbacks.  Everyone was good, even Mom's newer employee, who was more of a desk jockey than an outdoors woman.  I still have no idea why she worked for the forest service.  Anyhow, after a couple more miles we ran into snow on the ground.  No one had really prepared for snow.  It was late August after all, but we marched on.

The farther in we got, the worse the weather became.  The wind was blowing the hard, crystalline snow from the ground into the air.  Then, it started to snow.  The further in we got, the deeper the snow became.  We could no longer see the trail to the lake, but the lake was always "just over the ridge."  We kept moving.  Exhaustion was starting to set in.  We had been moving for hours, through snow, and leading the llamas was not as easy as it might sound.

Around mile 8, Mom was starting to worry.  She had a large group and didn't think we were going to make it all the way to the lake.  She told everyone to keep an eye out for anything that would work as shelter overnight.  We found an abandoned mining shack and decided to call that home.  The walls of the shack were covered with scratch marks.  There was some debate about whether the marks came from a bear or a porcupine.  Neither of which I really wanted to run into in the middle of the night.  Mom started working on getting food prepared, others were getting the llamas tied down for the night, and the rest of us worked on getting sleeping bags and pads laid out.  We all ate dinner and laid down.  The desk jockey employee started to waterproof her boots.  She then told us she had just bought them the day before our adventure.  The other seasoned employees groaned and tried to look away before she could see the idiotic looks she was getting.  Why would anyone decide the best time to waterproof boots was after you had been hiking in snow all day?  Why would anyone buy boots the day before a major hike?  Did she enjoy blistered feet?  Why did she work for the Forest Service?  We turned out the lamp and tried to get some rest.  I woke up in the middle of the night because my eyes were stinging.  It felt like someone had thrown sand into them.  Mom gave me ibuprofen, her fix all, cure all.  One of the guys in the group said he was feeling the same way.  Uh oh!

The next morning, Mom started on breakfast, and we started packing up the llamas.  I went outside and could not see.  I told Mom and she rolled up a bandanna and placed it over my eyes and told me to stand out in the sun to get warmed up and stay out of the way.  We were not going to continue on.  Three people were unable to see, the desk jockey had blistered feet,and it had snowed all night.   Mom was now leading a band of blistered and blinded hikers.  She was ready to get out of the wilderness.  Mom and the llama outfitter tied the llamas together and told the blinded folks to go ahead.  They would pick up the rear.  They had been saved from blindness because they had transition glasses.

How were we going to pick our way through the snow and get back to the trucks at the bottom of the mountain?  The blind would really be leading the blind!  Have no fear, for the dalmatian is here!  The dalmatian had his very own red pack.  This was the key to getting us out of the wilderness.  He was told, "Go home Ringo!"  Off he went.  I had a bandanna completely covering one eye and partially covering the other.  The only thing I could really see was the red moving off in the distance.  I was following behind completely trusting this dog to get me out of the wilderness.

We all safely made it to the bottom and back to the trucks.  Those of us following the dalmatian made it out much faster than those leading the llamas.  Later, we learned that many of us were snow blinded on our hike in.  The sun rays bouncing off the snow had burned our retinas.  Not only that, but we all had varying degrees of wind burn.

One last detail to mention.  This was about a week before my freshman year of high school.  I remember wondering if I could convince Mom to let me miss a few days because my face was sliding off.  You laugh.  This wasn't such a funny site.  I could have passed for a zombie because of all the blisters and strips of darkened, burned skin.  Luckily, everything healed in time.  I would never have convinced her to let me stay out of school anyhow!

Things I've Learned This Week

1. My mom makes awesome jams and jelly's!  I might have a new favorite with this year's batch of blueberry jam, but I only have one pint.  It will probably take another pint for me to really be able to declare a favorite (hint, hint)!
2. My husband may have grown up in California, but he's really a southern boy at heart.  
3. Our house will never be without butter and real mayo... see above.
4. The kids going back to school leaves a very quiet house and a very worn out mommy by late morning.
5. I definitely believe kids take on their own personalities.  I'm not too sure it is related to birth order, but maybe it is.  I'm not the biggest fan of psychology.  I have a little momma, a clown, and a little lover for my 3.
6. God works in awesome and mysterious ways.  To see it in action really takes my breath away.  His plans are far greater than ours.
7. I'm ready for fall.  Having super curly hair in the heat and humidity of the south leads to super frizz.  No amount of styling product can make my little friends lay down and stay there.
8. Nothing makes a house smell better than baking something in the oven.  The smell blankets the whole house.
9. I have been blessed with true friends, and I'm thankful for them each day.
10. I feel cooler if my knees aren't covered.  This helps me cool down some when I'm running.  How was that for a completely random statement?  I'm impressed with my randomness.

Quiet

It is so quiet in the house now that the bigger kids are in school.  Jacob hasn't started school yet, but I'm pretty sure he is content to not have his older brother and sister pestering him.  He has been happily coloring and reading for hours now.  I almost don't recognize him.  I have been able to get a lot of things done around the house.  I've called upstairs a couple of times just to make sure he was still alive.

 So much for the quiet!

"Mommy! It's time for lunch."  His life revolves around food.  He wakes up and immediately asks for breakfast.  Jacob probably dreams about food too!  He grabbed a plate, went into the fridge, and grabbed out the prepared lunch items.  It was his own little buffet.  He set his plate on the table, grabbed a napkin, and started eating.  "Momma!  Can I have a drink?  Make it with ice please."  

He grips my heart!  

It was a glimpse into his future. It was definitely a nice picture. 

I know I'm not the only mom that has experienced this.  If I am, please don't ever share that with me!  I feel crazy enough as it is.


P.S.  He just woke up from his nap.  His hair was standing straight up, and his eyes were still puffy with sleep.  The first words to come out of his mouth:
     "Can I have snack?"

'Twas Night Before School Started...

... and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, just a fat cat playing with her toy mouse.

It is almost like Christmas Eve in my house tonight.  The anticipation is pulsing through the house.  The two bigger kids start school tomorrow.  They couldn't be more excited.  I keep telling myself to enjoy these days because I'm sure the days of leaping out of bed and running into school will not last much longer.

We have been preparing the kids for tomorrow for about a week now.  It sounds funny, but our house needs to be a will oiled machine in the mornings by the last week of August when everyone in the house will be out of the door by 8.  The kids have been going to bed earlier.  They have been waking up like it was a school day.  They both have school clothes picked out, from shoes to under-roos.  I spent the majority of the day getting ready to make 5 lunches by dividing out crackers, grapes, carrots, etc into individual bags.  I have sandwiches made up and ready to go too.  It is all ready to be thrown into lunch boxes  Water bottles are filled and in the fridge.  Hopefully it will all help to make things flow easily in the morning.

This school year I have kids getting on the bus at 7 a.m. and 7:55 a.m.  I'm afraid my oldest will be walking into school a zombie.  She is just like her dad.  They need plenty of time to wake up in the morning before the brain juices are flowing.  Can you say early to bed?

Speaking of early to bed, I should probably head that way too.  Wish me luck in the morning!

Weekly Challenge #4

This week we have only one meal that has meat in it.  I wasn't really doing this on purpose.  It was just how the recipes fell.  The kids go back to school this week.  I'm still trying to find the right combination of items to stick in their lunches to make them fun, healthy and not too boring.

Successful Recipes this week:

• Strawberry cake - YUM!
• Basic 4,3,2,1 cake recipe (4 eggs, 3 cups of flour, 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of butter), cream butter and sugar together, add eggs one at a time, slowly mix in flour.  The bake time will depend on your pans, but I usually stick with 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  When your kitchen smells like cake, the cake is usually done baking.  Slice strawberries between each layer.  Ice with cream cheese frosting (2 blocks of cream cheese, 1 stick of butter, 4 cups of powdered sugar, 1 tbsp of vanilla).  This was a perfect summer cake with super ripe and flavorful berries between moist layers of cake and topped with sweet, but not too sweet, cream cheese frosting.
• Salad
• It is so easy to forget how nice it is to have a cool, crisp salad on a hot summer's day.  I mixed iceberg with spring mix to add crunch and coolness to our salad.  Sliced almonds, dried cranberries, shredded cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, make it a generous and healthful meal.  
• Lasagna
• On the complete opposite end of the spectrum as salad, but it's so good and gooey with melted cheese, tomatoe sauce, and ground turkey.  I served it with salad and warmed garlic bread.  If the oven is on, might as well go all the way with the carbs!  This was a surprising success because it filled up all 3 kids with only one serving.  That day will go down in history and will probably never repeat itself.
• Snack of the gods
• This is one of those things that I probably shouldn't admit, but it's so good!  A local grocery store sells chipotle flavored tortilla chips.  I devoured these with a pineapple chipotle salsa.  It's amazing!  The salsa has big chunks of tomatoes and pineapple, you could almost talk yourself into thinking it was good for you.  Everyone has a weakness right?  Right!?

Things I Learned Last Week

1. I am starting to worry about the amount of food my kids ingest.  I think such large amounts are abnormal. We aren't even to the teenage years yet... Be afraid, be very afraid!  They have been compared to goats and bottomless pits.  I have yet to run into anything they won't eat.  I'm not complaining about the latter though.
2. Making cream cheese frosting during the summer isn't the best idea.  I guess it doesn't help that we keep the thermometer at 78 degrees to help keep costs down too.
3. Looks don't matter.  It's the taste that counts!  (see above)
4. I am toying with taking refined sugar out of our diet.  There is sugar packed into a lot of grocery items you might not think about: spaghetti sauce, crackers, and the list can go on and on.
5. I've been looking into vegan baking.  I found it is easy to do egg substitutes in more savory items, but not so easy in sweeter dishes.  I think 4 and 5 kind of go hand in hand.
6. I am not above bribery to lure the kids into doing what I would like them to with good behavior.  I think I should be more ashamed to admit it.  I will really be hurting when ice cream is no longer a good reward.
7. Taking tags off of new clothes is a bummer, especially when clothes shopping in mass.
8. Labeling new school supplies for 3 children is an even bigger bummer.
9. I learned how to hem pants so we didn't have to pay $30 to get Jay's new suit pants hemmed.  It was surprisingly easy, and it definitely didn't cost $30 in materials or time to make it worth going to a tailor again.
10. “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” Proverbs 12:25  I should put this on my badge for school since I had the remarkable ability for getting the most confrontational patients last semester.  

Craziness with a 9.25% Discount

This weekend was Tennessee's tax free weekend.  School supplies, clothing, and technology were without sales tax.

My aunt and I decided to brave the crowds and make the best of this chance at an almost 10% discount.  Every little bit helps after all.  We were really on a mission to find pants to fit my very tall and very skinny children.  I think they might have space alien genes.  If they could just stop growing, I would be able to sit by the pool sipping umbrella drinks instead of shopping for clothes.  We also had to find shirts with collars for Paige.  Her new school has a very strict dress code that is similar to a uniform without calling it a school uniform.  Apparently all the other parents at her school were also looking for these shirts because each store had a very limited selection.  We were able to find enough to get the kids started for the school year.

Did I mention rule number one for clothing for my kids?  They are not allowed to wear white!  All three of them have the ability to roll their lunches down the front of their shirts.  If it were an Olympic event, they would have many gold medals decorating their walls.

I have strange kids and this weekend just re-confirmed it.  I enticed the boys to come shopping with me by bribing them with different things.  No, I am not against bribery, especially when they have to try on several pairs of pants to make sure they go past their ankles!  Xavier was enticed with a new pair of sneakers.  His old sneakers found their way into the garbage can on the last day of school.  Jacob was enticed by a new lunch box, one that wasn't his brothers in a school year past.  I think the amount of choices really boggled his mind.  He went up and down the aisle several times before he finally made his choice.  He has a very discriminating tastes after all.

All in all we were successful.  They are all going to be clothed on the first day of school.  They will all have their backpacks filled with the necessary school supplies, and they all have their very own, not hand me down lunch boxes or backpacks.  WooHoo!  High five to my aunt for sticking in there with the craziness of shopping with the kids and having the sense to kill a shopping expedition into a store when the checkout line wrapped to the back of the building.  Thanks!  I don't think I could have survived the weekend without you.