Tag! i'm it!

well, my sis tagged me so here goes...(visit her blog to see what she answered to the questions marlabaltes blog). [I'm going to tag Tim, Brad, Tara, and Mike; All of which will probably not accept the tag challenge (except maybe Tara :) but o'well, such is life...]

8 things I am passionate about:
-My family and friends (which includes my coopy dog)
-Movies
-Being cozy as much as possible (weird, i know)
-I'm finding a new passion for children and their families with Cancer/Heme/Immune disorders
-Learning new things
-Enjoying everything about Autumn when it is here
-Yummy foods: ice cream, sushi, big pickles, greek salads, diet coke, red wine, Italian, Mexican...
-Shopping! (I wish that wasn't on here, but if I'm honest, it really needs to be on the list)

8 Things to do before I die: (in no particular order)
-have a home near a large body of water (lake/ocean)
-Get in as many family vacations as possible!
-Strengthen my FAITH in GOD
-Go to Ireland, England, Hawaii
-Raise my daughter to be a compassionate, intelligent, FUN loving, healthy, confident woman
-write a novel or screenplay
-be comfortable with death, not afraid
-plant a luxurious, peaceful garden at my home that Tim will build for us

8 Things I often say:
-to Tim, "Let's put on our cozies (aka jammies)"
-to Tim, "That house looks cozy?" or "I'm glad I don't have to get cozy in that house!"as we drive by random houses
-"O'well"...i say this way too much when there is silence in a conversation
-to my family, "I love you"
-to Tim or whoever, "Can you imagine?"
-"Bean Pie!" (to Alex when I see her in the a.m. or if I haven't seen her for awhile)
-to Tim, "What should we do for dinner?"
-"Such is life, I guess"

8 Books I've read recently: (hmmmmm, honestly haven't read 8 books recently. Wish I could say that I have. I'll do 8 things I've seen/read or am reading/heard recently/learned)
-Reading (still!): Missing Mom Joyce C. Oates
-Seen: Huff (2 discs of first season! amazing acting!)
-Heard: a little boy (6 yr, with AML (type of leukemia) say, "It just hurts...and I'm tired." regarding his cancer and his feelings about it. His honesty and self awareness was amazing.
-Learned: to have a new appreciation for everyday of life and not dwelling on the crappy parts of days, but instead focusing on the good parts...and how INCREDIBLY blessed I am to have a healthy child thus far in life
-Seen: The Family Man (watch it every season!)
-Heard: Bush say more stupid, defensive, non-sense crap about places and people in the world he can't even pronounce!
-Going to read: Good Calories, Bad Calories
-Seen: some old episodes of My So Called Life

8 Songs/Pieces of music I could listen to over and over: (this is nearly impossible to pick only 8!)
-The Killers: Mr Brightside
-Sia- Breathe Me
-Amos Lee- (anything by him)
-Alex- singing twinkle twinkle little star before bedtime
-Cold Play- Fix You
-Ben Folds Five: Lullabye (and Gracie)
-Damien Rice- Blower's Daughter
-311- Amber

8 Qualities I look for in a friend:
-Sense of HUMOR!!!!
-There when you need them (to celebrate or to cry)
-Loyal
-Understanding
-POSITIVE
-Similar values
-Caring
-non-competitive!
-

Christmas is COMING!!! and an award...for ME!

Here is an award my sis gave me for being just the best damn blogger EVER! I'm always talking about the most crucial topics, educating readers-my thousands of readers, saving the world, etc...you get the picture:) Thanks, Sister! It was really fun to receive! I will search high and low for the perfect award for you! Be waiting...patiently waiting!

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On a seperate note, CHRISTMAS IS APPROACHING!!!!!!!!! The most absolutely fabulous time of the year. I can't wait! I want to buy all the christmas decorations i see! I want to put my tree up NOW!!!!! Maybe this week! I can't wait until Alex knows more about Santa and baby Jesus! How fun and special! And I can't wait to start watching the movie ELF like at least 6 times before Christmas, and if I'm really

lucky ON Christmas! I can't wait to have everyone open their gifts! I love that part! (ok, i sound like a five year old on sugar rush!)

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Work is well. The bean is even better. We snuggled for a long time at bedtime and I took advantage of the opportunity to appreciate every second of it. To really be grateful and thankful for a healthy child and all the joy and blessings she brings to our life, the little girl she is and the woman she will become. My job definately has created a constant need to give thanks to God for my babe, my whole family, and this life that is so extremely short, but so sweet.

Here's a pic of Al and my sweetest most beautiful neice, Maizie Marie---Christmas 2006.

Al's Christmas Jammies...that she still insists on wearing as much as possible! Even though they are entirely too small now! I will have to go to Target to get a new pair!

Look at that girl! What a bean pie!

Love is Blind....

So, to preface this rather cute story there needs to be some background information. Alex goes to a wonderful day care, "school" as we call it, and she and we are very happy with it. However, there is one little boy in her class that ALWAYS has an immense amount of boogery goo coming out of not one but BOTH nostrils! And it's not just a clear run as is commonly seen among the younger kiddos with the germ sharing, but it is THICK, GREEN, SLIMY, GOO BOOGERS! It is disgusting! It is noticeable enough that both Tim and I both noticed it and brought it up to each other. He is now known to us as "Snot Nose" and when we are taking Alex to school we avoid this boogery monster as much as possible. In fact, I hate to say it but we rather dislike this kid strictly on the boogery nose basis--CONSTANT DISGUSTING Boogery nose. I feel bad for these feelings, and I'm/we are not proud of them. But I'm sure any parent reading this can empathize...or non-parent for this matter. It's like her teachers just gave up on trying to keep it cleared of disgusting schmootz all the time...I can understand how exhausting it would be because it would probably take nearly 20 baby wipes to get it all cleared away...and to repeat this over and over all day? Well, it's tiring just thinking about it...not to mention a less than desirable task.

Just the other day a woman Tim works with (whose daughter is in Alex's class and SNot nose's class) were discussing that strep was going around their classroom. Without Tim saying anything, the always very polite and quiet woman said, "It was probably that snotty nose kid who always has snot streaming out his nose" or something to that effect. Even she noticed! Ok, anyway, I digress...

Tim came home last night with a story that only illustrated the fact that our daughter is already rebelling against her parents' wishes for her...ALREADY! He said when he was getting her daily note out of the notebook he saw Alex, for no real reason other than on her own whim, hug Booger face and THEN tried to kiss him!!!! On her own! YUCK! Tim said he went along with the hug, but as the kiss was approaching he quickly intervened!

I guess in her defense, as I'm sure she will have impecable taste in all aspects of life and stray away from booger infested boys in the future, it just so happened that Snot Nose was not snotty on this particular evening! And maybe, afterall, that is why she was hugging him and wanting to kiss him. Maybe she was trying to show him that life can be much sweeter without gooey messes malingering below one's nose....that is how I like to think it anyway... What a wise ol' bean pie she is...teaching life lessons so young! Or maybe she just has a bigger heart than all of us and felt sorry for the poor kid and took her one snot free chance to give him an understanding hug.

Earth Happy Products

Below are some Environmentally friendly products I've grown really fond of and wanted to recommend them to others! All of them are non-toxic, biodegradable ingredients, and not tested on animals in any way. Some may cost a little more, but if you can afford it it is the responsible thing to do. [Finally a trend that makes sense and is worth following through with!]





Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Laundry detergent (found at Kroger/grocery stores) cool website!
comes in smaller container but you use a third the product with each wash in comparison
to ALL or TIDE, etc. I've tried both scents and like them both. Very mild.

Seventh Generation Products (Kroger) print out coupons from their website!
They have tons of products. I've only used the dish soap and all purpose cleaner. They
state that if every household in America replaced 1 25oz petroleum based dish soap with
their 25 oz product, we could save 81,000 barrels of oil, which could heat 4,600 homes for
a year...or just conserve oil since we will be running out EVENTUALLY.

Method Products (Target/BIGGS and probably other places) if you order online you can save $
They have every product you could think of as well. check them out! i haven't found one
yet that i don't like---actually, i take that back. I am not a fan of the surface wipes. They
dried out quickly. if you use them up quickly it may not be a problem.

Kiss My Face (Target, Kroger, etc) really cool website!
These are organic body products. i really love the lotions, and i've used the bar soap. i like
the bar soap but don't use on kids---really stings when they get in your eyes. i want to
try more of their products soon

Palmers Cocoa Butter
smells like vanilla, works super well, had vitamin E in it...use it on my daughter and she
has extremely sensitive and dry skin and it works well for her...i use it to. used it with my
pregnancy and didn't get horrible horrible stretch marks--->not sure if was the lotion or
not, but i like to think so!

Body Shop lots of good deals on their website!
My sister-in-law just started selling body shop products, though youcan also buy them
online and at a Body Shop store. I didn't know the products aren't tested on animals and
they are natural products that are also environmentally friendly! I ordered shampoo,
conditioner
make-up and some lotions. I tried the lotions and love them and they smell super
yummy! they also do a lot of charity things which is always good! Way better than bath
and body works!

Please share any products you know of or use that are also earth and animal friendly!!!!

Halloween and Pumpkin Patch

Here's the bean! She refused to wear the hat part that went with her costume. I wore it while we trick or treated. I looked wonderful in it in case you were wondering.

Here's one where she is actually smiling. She did a lot of "unsure" looks for most of the night until we let her eat the candy we were passing out. I think next year will be more exciting for her.

Happy here, or course, because she has a sucker

This is her heading back after we made it to the end of our yard. It took some coaxing, but she agreed to go to 3 houses with me.

Here's one of the treats she got (a goody bag)...she wanted to go immediately home after attaining this prize--though she held it at arms length the entire walk home.

Here's her carving pumpkins. She rather enjoyed this. Only we should have started sooner. It was quickly approaching bed time and her attention span was very short.

Grandpa, Baby Jack, and Al the weekend before Halloween. Again, she wouldn't even wear the head part for a second! What a turd!

Sticker mania. She is totally in to stickers...not quite sure what to do with them or what to think of them, but she loves to wear them and carry them around on her fingers.

This was taken at a pumpkin patch/farm thing we went to. She was definately UNDERWHELMED with the whole experience. She liked the hay ride but that was it. Tim and I rather enjoyed it, however. We should have gotten a babysitter! They had amazing food!

She finally agreed to hold a pumpkin so I could take a picture. She hated every second, I think! ha!

Oh my God, do they grow fast...

My babe is turning TWO in one month and 1 day...I can't hardly stand it. I love watching her grow up, everyday is something new and exciting and I can't get enough time with her. My heart honestly grows bigger for her every second I know her. I want her to stay a little baby. I mean I don't, but really, yes, I do. It would allow me more control, more time, more say, but mostly more time...

Today, Tim and I were those parents...THOSE parents with THAT child---in the mall. The child that you see with THOSE parents, those parents who have no control, NO SAY, and the child with everything to say, attitude gallore, and well, it was humbling...to say the least. Though, I will say, we handled it like pros...poser pros, but pros all the same. We continued with the time outs despite her persistance in NOT having a time out and crying/whining/going limp when you try to pick her up or move her back to the time out...how do they know to do that at this age...go limp, just hang there, their hand in yours, you holding them up, their legs dragging on the ground...You know exactly what I'm talking about...its quite a beauty and quite genious for not quite a two year old. In her defense, she was VERY tired and we were in KOHLS, my least favorite store, hunting for men's socks...the perfect mens socks I might add, that had to meet all the right criteria. Anyway, we all survived, and I was happy that we stayed strong and remained steadfast in our convictions that a time out was in order.

I will post some Halloween pics hopefully tomorrow! (I just heard a report on the news that they've found candy that was tainted with bleach--by someone passing it out from their home. Nice.)

night shift, creepy story, toddler talk, and my credit cards!

Night shift and my creepy story...

Well, it's been quite some time since I've had the chance to post. Things have been pretty busy around these parts! I did my first two night shifts on Sunday and last night and tomorrow I work a day (classes). I was terrified of doing nights. I dind't know how I could possible stay up all night and function. It is pretty crazy how you can feel you body beggin you to go to sleep and the whole circadian rhythm thing become really apparent. I got so cold I had to wear a contact isolation gown around for a few hours. I got very sick to my stomach and dizzy but it only lasted for a few hours on the first night...and as we approached 7:30 a.m. I loss some serious brain power! The strangest thing happened last night/this a.m....First, I should explain that all the nurses in the hospital wear locators that have an emergency button on them that we can push at any time if we are in trouble (only work on our own floors) and they also are hooked in to a computer system that allows the unit manager to locate us if we are needed. For example, if i can't find my preceptor, i can ask the unit manager to look her up and the computer will tell her what room she is in by finding her locator. Anyway, that being said, my Preceptor andI were in the med room this a.m. (very early, like 3 a.m.) and we heard this strange beep (the emergency locator beep) but it wasn't either of ours. We opened the door and asked the unit manager if our locators were going off for some reason, like if some how the button got pressed (which would have been nearly impossible)...she said, "No, it's not either of you guys...who else is in there?" there was no one else, just the two of us. We told her that, and she said, "Well, there are two 'unknowns' that are locating in that room right now as well as you both"...It was very creepy, and we just had the feeling that someone else was in there. My preceptor said eerie things like that happen a lot on evening shift. She said she never believed in ghosts or anything like that until she started working there. And a lot of people have died on this floor which makes it even more unsettling. It was really really weird. Also, I had to use the bathroom last night but someone was in the one on our unit...so i had to walk to a further one off the unit. I had to go into an office area completely off our unit, so no one was around and the lights were all dimmed. I wasn't scared until I was walking back to the floor and thought someone was walking behind me. I looked, and no one was there, but i was just sure someone was there behind me. I kept feeling it, and then when I passed another hallway, the feeling stopped, like whoever it was turned to go down the hallway. But, still, I saw no one. That really creeped me out and I picked up the pace to get back to my unit. Very bizarre!

But, alas, I survived and it wasn't quite as bad as I imagined. I'm not looking forward to working tomorrow, but at least I just have to sit in classrooms. That won't be too hard. Plus, it's halloween so I get to look forward to trick-or-treating with the bean and Timmy.

Halloween....

Alex is going to be a lady bug...or part of one anyway. She won't wear the part that goes on the head, so I guess Tim or myself will wear that part so people will know what she is. We won't be actually going to the doors, just walking the neighborhood looking at the costumes. We did this last year at Tim's folks' and it was pretty fun. He blogged about it, I think, we had a funny run in with a crazy man. I will take some pics, but right now our hard drive is down on our main computer so I can't get my pics online for awhile. bummer. I will post as soon as I can, though.

baby talk...toddler talk....

So, sometimes I feel like Tim and I live with a foreign exchange student or something...Alex. Trying to decipher her words can be quite a challenge sometimes. It is like she has renamed common household items or tasks and given them her own unique word, sometimes just reusing words that already exist but just for different things...sometimes they sound like the American version...other times, they are clearly another language. And she almost always follows her sentances with "yup"--though i finally realized why she does that...sometimes when i've finally figured out what she's saying, like if she says, "poopy e-it", to verify i'll say, "coopy eat it, yup". So, now, my daughter thinks adding yup to the end of her sentances is just the way you do things. great. i only have myself to thank for that confusing tid bit! i now to say, "that's right!"For example:

Milk= "moop, yup"

Daddy do it= "daddy dooey, yup" or "mamma dooey, yup"

Blankie= "b-b-b-b, yup"

coopy= "poopy, yup"

play= "bye"

bye="bye"

drink="ish, yup"
spoon= "moon, yup"

and for nearly all animals, instead of going by their name she just uses the sound the make...i think that is common though? anyway, i could go on, but i realize, this is probably only interesting myself and to tim. ;)

Credit cards...

We are officially out of credit card debt! except for my gap and von maur, but those are very small balances and i'm not planning on closing them, so we aren't too worried about them. we had racked up some debt when i was in nursing school, and when i wasn't working when i was pregnant...but, I got my loan forgiveness check from work and we put it towards our debt, and the rest will go to fees for getting a mortgage for our house. While we still have umpteen zillion in school loans, it feels good to NOT owe money to damn credit card companies! we will no longer be using credit cards, except for emergencies---real ones, not shopping emergencies due to sales! ha!

conclusion....

well, that about covers it. i can feel myself getting extremely tired and it is taking me longer to type. i got up early this afternoon, allowing myself to only sleep about 4 hours after my night shift, in hopes that it will allow me to sleep through the night and feel ok tomorrow. here's to hoping!

tim's b-day is this weekend...i hope we do something fun. he's taking a half day off on friday and we are spending the day together, with alex, of course...and then maybe getting a sitter for later! fun times! after wednesday I have almost 6 days off! I only have a 3 hour class on thursday, and then a 3 hour class next wednesday! then i work nights through next weekend--when i'll make $10 over my hourly! that's worth it!. after next weekend, i go back to days for like 6 more weeks or until i'm done precepting...so, there are perks to this nurse business afterall!! ;) after i'm here a year or so, i'm hoping to transfer to hem/onc's day hospital/day clinic where I will work no nights, no weekends, and no holidays, and only three days during the week, and the emotional factor of this field will also not be so intense in the clinics! it will be a beautiful thing!