My Husband's Best Friend

My husband has a loyal and dedicated friend that he has learned to treasure and protect over the years. I must admit, I often find myself jealous of my husband's best friend. He is always by his side. No matter what. Without fail. They share early morning breakfasts and late night snacks. They cozy up together during the morning news and the nightly sports reports. They might even find some time to watch Heros and laugh until they cry watching The Office.

Oh, sometimes I join them, but I am often forgotten. Not on purpose, mind you. But, forgotten none the less. I am the third wheel whenever the two of them get together.


Sometimes I take matters into my own hands and try to become more familiar with this best friend. Oh, how I long to be a part of this relationship. But, my husband's own jealousy and lack of control always leaves me empty handed, alone, and watching something with a ball flying through the air. They seem to share all of the same likes, dislikes, and passion for all things sports related.

I am certain I could share in their passions and broaden their minds, if only they would let me. I could open up a whole new world to them. One of shopping while still sitting on the couch and a plethora of romantic comedies, along with my beloved 80's movies.

If only my husband would let me hold the remote control...

Maybe then I could find something a little more interesting than basketball to watch on my TV.

One day his grip will loosen up and I will have myself a new, battery operated best friend. And, I too, won't let go.

Maybe THAT is why his grip is so tight...

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Random things I learned while substituting in a daycare last week...

--snack time comes twice a day. Counting carbs and calories is unnecessary.

--a lunch of beanie weenies is loved by all. (I mean, who knew?!)

--there can never be too much playtime.

--or too many restroom breaks.

--painting is fun. Even more fun when you "accidentally" paint your friends.

--saying, "I'm sorry" repairs all mistakes and "accidents." Really.

--little, portable cots are cozy when adorned with Dora, Bob the Builder, and Blue's Clues blankets and lovies.

--2 hour naps are NOT overrated.

--sucking your thumb makes it even more delightful.

--smiles are free.

--so is snot.

--hugs should be given often.

--butterflies are BEAUTIFUL.

--so are frogs, snakes, and lizards! (Again, who knew?)

--the letter "U" is so much fun when painted, buried in the sand, hooked together to make a chain, acted out, and read about.

--being a preschool teacher is an awesome gig. It really got me thinking... I'll keep you posted!

March Madness!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It has been a very busy spring day over here in our neck of the woods...

or has it?

We couldn't play outside...

The swing set was frozen...

The grill refused to heat up...

Ah...but, every good mom has some tricks up her sleeve. I bought a couple of cookie decorating kits on clearance after Christmas. The cookies were already baked and the kids got to "color" them with markers. They really enjoyed this little activity, plus they had a yummy treat when they were finished.

Bruiser is my little artist...

And, Dimples? Well, he "ROCKS," just ask him! (At least that is what his cookie says.)

This weather has given a whole new meaning to March Madness. We are fighting off some cabin fever and I am wearing warm winter socks. (gasp!) My Spring pedicure is covered up and my sandals are tucked away. Between freezing rain, sleet, and snow, we are experiencing a break in our beautiful spring weather.

Come back, spring! Why have you forsaken me?

Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

The letter writing is over. At least for this week. Nurse Boy and I think we are surrounded by some pretty strange neighbors (as you could tell by Wednesday's post). We recently came to the conclusion that when you think EVERYONE around you is weird, YOU must be the weird one. So, we realize that we are the weird neighbors on the block since we are certain that everyone else around here defines the word WEIRDO.

To each his own, right?

Or, like the neighbor behind us commented when my husband shared that he was a nurse, "Well, everybody's gotta do something..." (Imagine a smirk as he looked down his nose at my Nurse Boy.)

Yep. Gotta love 'em.

Enough of our neighbors and trees and name calling. And, don't even get me started on the neighbor girl who peers over the privacy fence while we are eating dinner on our patio asking about our meal. Nope. Don't get me started.

On to happier things like dinner. Yum! Tonight is one of my favorites.

Oven Ranch Chicken
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1 (0.4 oz.) pkg. dry buttermilk ranch dressing mix
1/3 cup light sour cream
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1. Combine bread crumbs and salad dressing mixin a shallow dish. Place sour cream in another shallow dish.
2. Dip chicken in sour cream, coating well. Roll coated chicken in bread crumb mixture and place on greased cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

If you want to go all out, this stuff is great with mashed potatoes.

We aren't sharing any of this with our neighbors tonight. I'm just saying...

Our Very Dear Neighbors (Insert Sarcastic Voice)

Dear Not-So-Friendly Neighbors,

When we moved into our home, we noticed that you had a not-so-healthy tree in your backyard that was touching our roof. I knew that tree bothered me for a reason. We approached you politely to make sure you were OK with us trimming some branches off of our property. Of course you were, it didn't come out of your pocket. We would find out later that the tree in question had always been a sore spot between the previous owners of both of our houses. You were cold and unconcerned.

The next few years you remained cold and distance. Unless your children were taking part in a fund raiser. And, to be a friendly neighbor, I bought tickets to a pancake breakfast and am the proud owner of overpriced chocolates, candles, and wrapping paper. You still remained cold and distant. That was OK.

Until your not-so-healthy tree fell onto my roof, right above my boys' bedroom...

The previous owners had feared this for years. Frankly, so had I. Now it had come to pass.

I was dusting my room when I noticed that the tree seemed to appear much closer to the window than normal. I ran outside to see what I had feared. The tree was laying across our roof. You, our neighbors and owner of the sick tree, noticed this problem before I had. You were just waiting for me to discover the wreckage.

Thanks for the knock on the door. Thanks for the phone call. Thanks for making sure everyone was OK. Thanks for the apology.

Oh, wait. You didn't do any of that.

No, you came over when you saw that I was outside on the phone trying not to cry. (No, that wasn't a logical reaction. But, how does one respond when a tree is resting on one's roof?) You PROUDLY informed me that it wasn't your problem since it was now on our property and you wouldn't have to spend a dime. You also told me that you make a lot of money and can't wait to move out of this neighborhood. Well, played, my friend. Unfortunately, you were right. It wasn't your problem and, apparently, it wasn't your concern. That is the law in this here fine state.

Nope, you wouldn't have to spend a dime, have someone some come out ASAP to remove the tree, get bids, schedule the repair, and decide which is more important: a roof or private school for the kiddos. You wouldn't have to claim this on your home owner's insurance. You wouldn't have to shell out money for the crazy deductible.

Nope. And, you did just that. Nothing. Offered nothing. Did nothing. Haven't spoken to us since.

So, when your other sick tree (you know, the one I mentioned on that fateful day) fell on my van, it was very hard to be nice. Sending your 10 year old to the door to tell me was an excellent touch. Telling me that you planned to cut down the tree the next day was ridiculous. Wanting to yank the tree off of my van, without worrying about more scratches, made my blood boil. And, I really love how you act like you can't speak any English when we have these problems. Apparently, you are aware that I "No hablo Espaniol." Yet, I notice how you and you wife hold down jobs here in America and are able to handle a mortgage. Sorry, I am NOT buying the whole broken English thing. I am at a loss for words. (Well, maybe not, when I look at how long this letter is.) No sorry's were spoken, only some silly smirks.

And, yet again. It isn't your claim. Nope, it is mine. I am just thankful Nurse Boy was at work. If his car had been parked in the driveway, it would have been totalled. I know, I know. Not your problem.

So, when Nurse Boy got home, he sawed away at the wreckage. Piece by piece we pulled the tree (OK, very large branch) off of the van. Yes, we placed every last piece in your yard. I am sure you understand. And, since you are going to cut down that tree tomorrow, it won't take much more to clean up that debris. Oh wait, tomorrow was actually yesterday since it happened Monday and today is Wednesday.

I know. I won't hold my breath. Maybe tomorrow means this weekend in your home land.

And, don't worry. Sunday's sermon and Tuesday's Bible lesson were both on forgiveness. God is working on me. After all, God does have a great sense of humor. I do love Him for that. But, I am finding it a little difficult to love you right now. I'll get there.

Just don't let anymore trees fall in this direction, K?

And, CUT DOWN THAT TREE....

Oops. Please...

Mrs. Nurse Boy

Letter to Lake "Snobivira" Residents and Police Officers

You Stink!

Everyone of you!

Especially the police officers!

I must start out with a disclaimer. I realize that I should not drive over the speed limit. I realize that it is my own fault when I get clocked driving over the speed limit with my entire family in the van. I realize that I often go faster than I should.

BUT...

Your shameless speed trap is ridiculous. Going 35 on Holiday Drive is a bit painful already for a person like me. Dropping the speed to 25 directly across from the entrance to your golf course should be a crime.

I know that you think because you are rich, you should get your own police department. But, there are not that many of you, so the cost of your own police department is high. You are not rich enough to pay for the police "protection" out of your own pockets, though. It is obvious that the only reason you drop the speed limit across from your community entrance is because you want to pay your police officers with the speeding ticket proceeds. Either that, or your average age is 75 and you don't have quick enough decision making capabilities to be able to pull out into the sparse 35 mph traffic.

Also, police officers for Lake "Snobivira," You are sell outs! You have a job that entails working a speed trap 90% of your time on the clock to protect a bunch of snobs that look down on you, too. You are helping the rich steal from us average county residents. I am sure they give you a quota, because if you don't give a certain number of tickets your salary does not get paid. Is that what you thought you would do when you went to the Police Academy?

Here is my promise to you. I will not avoid your precious entrance. I will drive by it every chance I get. I will go 15 mph. I hope your leaky bladders drain in your pants while driving behind me. I hope your prunes kick in right then. I hope your Viagra wears off. I also promise to flash my lights at every unsuspecting person coming the opposite direction to warn them of your ridiculous trap.

By the way, it has been a year since my ticket, and I am a lot less bitter now.

Can't you tell?

Mr. Nurse Boy

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Well, we survived Spring Break and we are back into our routine. I am still tired and a little bit sore from painting. I am very happy about all of the changes we made and I appreciate our house just a little bit more. I do plan to share Sweet Pea's room with you in the very near future. I am still fine tuning the overall look. Sweet Pea LOVES her "new" room and thanks us often for painting it.

So, now for some random thoughts before I get started on the endless laundry...

***Today it is VERY windy around these parts. The last time it was this windy, our neighbor's tree fell on our roof. Well, let's just say that I currently have another issue with a branch of theirs today. I plan to post more later this week. Grr....

***I gave myself a pedicure this weekend. (I know! It was about time!) Now that my toes look proper, it is officially sandal season. I LOVE sandals. I HATE socks. I wear sandals until my little toes are completely frozen and numb from the cold (well into November). Once I put my sandals away for the winter, I feel like a little part of me dies. After I give myself a pedicure and pull my sandals back out, I am alive and well! I love you, spring!

***Speaking of sandals, I think I could use a few new pairs. A girl could NEVER have too many sandals!!!

***Sweet Pea even got some Dora "flip-flips" this weekend. The only thing cuter than my feet in sandals, is Sweet Pea's stubby little feet in sandals. Even without the pedicure.

***Nurse Boy took 3 days off of work last week. Originally he had planned to be in New Orleans for the entire week on a mission's trip. He was so excited to go and serve the Lord while building homes. The date of the trip got moved and he will now be unable to go due to his class schedule. He was very disappointed, but I saw it as an opportunity to get some projects done around here. I think he would have rather been in New Orleans. But, our house does look much better. And, he will have more opportunities to go on other mission trips. I know that is a huge desire of his and God used this trip to reveal that to me.

***This weekend my Italian mother made Ricotta Pie. Doesn't that sound just awful? Well, it is delightful! Well, maybe that isn't the right word, because I am pretty sure there is nothing LIGHT about it. But, it just might be my favorite pie EVER. So, why am I telling you this? Well, my mom left the boys a piece of pie for them to spilt and eat today. I am eating that very piece right now! I am such a bad mom, but I just can't waste that piece on two boys who only seem to appreciate chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese. Nope, can't do it. It is all mine. Trust me, they will LOVE the trail mix I throw at them when they get home! Shhhh...don't tell Nurse Boy, because he won't think trail mix will be OK. He is going to be looking for the pie.

***If you don't have a good Italian cook in your life, you need to get one! Those Italians don't mess around in the kitchen. They know what they are doing! Now, I am craving the ricotta cookies my mom makes. And, to think that I once thought ricotta only belonged in pasta. How closed minded of me.

Happy Monday!