Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

May you rejoice in celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior!

With all of Our Love,

The Nurse Boy Clan

Monday's Random Musings

in pictures...

Today was a day for some fun in the form of sprinkles and sugar!

Today you don't get random thoughts, just random pictures. I called in some help in the form of two grandmas. One was my very excited mom, aka, "Bubby" to my little ones. The other was a dear friend who considers herself a grandmother to many. They both made the time delightful! I put my OCD aside and we went to town!

And, NO, my kitchen will never be the same again! I am pretty sure we will be picking up sprinkles well into the hot summer months!

Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Time for another recipe with my favorite ingredient! And, because I know so many of you are always on the edge of your seat waiting for these recipes (do you hear the sarcasm in my voice?), I should let you know that the next 2 Fridays will most likely be recipe free. We will be doing some light blogging, but I will probably be up to my elbows in sugar cookies and ham. Not at the same time, mind you!

Zesty Skillet Chicken
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (or just add garlic powder to you liking)
1 Tbsp. oil
1 can Del Monte Zesty Diced Tomatoes with Mild Green Chilies
1 can Golden Sweet Corn, drained
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese

1. Cook chicken, onions, and garlic in oil over medium high heat 5 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
2. Add tomatoes and corn; simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is gone. Sprinkle with cheese; heat until melted. Serve with rice.

We have been on Christmas break for approximately 1 1/2 hours. Both of the boys have already cried, the house is trashed, Sweet Pea has turned into the bossiest 2 year old around, and I have had to answer the question, "Can we play the Wii?" more times than I can count. I'd say we are off to a pretty good start...

I can do this for 2 weeks, right? RIGHT?!

Kids Say the Funniest Things

This will be short because I have laundry to do and, no, this is not Mrs. NB.

Sweet Pea has been quite the talker all her 2.5 years, but she is now using more and more English. She has been more fun to listen to lately. The other day she was siting in the car and announced, "I not five, I two." I have no clue where that came from. We were not talking about her age at any point.

MNB was at school teaching library today while I was home with Sweet Pea and she at one point told me she was hungry. I said o.k., just a minute and I will get you something. It was probably two minutes later and she looked up at me and said, "I not hungry, I Sweet Pea." It is fun watching those little wheels turn up there in her head.

Bruiser got into the van today with some presents for MNB and I for Christmas. They were all wrapped up and looking good. He asked if I was going to open it right then. I said no, we would put them under the tree and unwrap them on Christmas. He said we would be really sad if we waited for Christmas. When we got home, MNB and I went ahead and unwrapped them figuring they were ornaments or something. One was an ornament and one was a calendar. Bruiser was so excited as we were opening them. He could barely contain himself. He was beaming with pride as we told him how we loved his gifts. In this case it was better to receive than to give.

It is so fun seeing the world through our kids' eyes!

Our Christmas Favorites: Part 2

We're back with our list of favorites. We know we left you hanging and it must have been difficult to get a full night's sleep while waiting for us to finish our list. Well, we don't disappoint...well, we might. You'll just have to read to find out.

Favorite Christmas Cookie?

Mrs.--This one is a tough one. I have a sweet tooth and, well, I just happen to love all Christmas cookies. I make Scotch-A-Roos that I am famous for, but they aren't my favorite. I love my sugar cookies with icing and crushed candy canes on top. They are so simple and I love them this time of the year.

NB--I love the sugar cookies with crushed candy cane also, but I am going to have to go back to mama's cookin' for my favorite. She makes a cookie that is a mini pecan pie. It is ooey, gooey and oh, so good. I am not sure if it is a Christmas cookie, but she only makes them at Christmas time.

Favorite Place To Be On Christmas?

Mrs.--As a child, it would have been my grandparent's house in Omaha, Nebraska. Ah, the memories. As an adult, I honestly love being in our own home. The kids can rip into everything and play all day without me worrying if we are missing important pieces to every new toy that has been freshly removed from it's package. We host Christmas and my family comes to us. It is exhausting and wonderful all at the same time.

NB--Any where but here. I agree that it is nice to not have to worry about the great toy relocation project, but it is more relaxing when I am not watching my own home get destroyed. I am happy to help out, but I also like leaving. You actually have more control at someone else's house, because you can leave whenever you want. I am also more likely to get a nap in at someone else's house. The wife's nap radar is very sensitive at home, and she hates it when I enter into the perfect bliss of a nap. As soon as my body achieves that perfect relaxation, and my mind starts to slip into unconsciousness...BRAD! I awake to my wife's soothing and loving voice. I hold nothing against her since she is always working very hard and deserves the help. That is why I would like to spend Christmas at your house. It all about the nap. (By the way I'm not sure why my wife would say Brad. It's not like I would compromise my tight veil of blog security by revealing my real name.)

Favorite Christmas Memory?

Mrs.--Wow! This one is tough! I am going to say the year that Nurse Boy proposed. It wasn't a romantic proposal. (Do you even KNOW Nurse Boy? Romance is NOT his middle name. FUN, yes. ROMANTIC, not so much.) It was just a special year. We knew then that we were really in this thing called life together. Oh, but then there was the Christmas right after Dimples was born. I loved that time after we officially had a family and started planning all of the traditions we wanted to begin with our own family. I really don't have a great answer for this one...

NB--As a kid, my favorite Christmas memory was the year my Dad was going to have to go to Beirut, Lebanon to consult. He was in the Army. He was not going to fight, just to plan apparently. He was gone for Christmas. Just before he went, he took the family to Brown County State Park in Indiana. We stayed in a cabin and played games. That was when my dad taught me how to play Euchre. (The greatest card came ever!) We exchanged gifts and I got my first boom box. I was either in third or fourth grade. My parents worked hard to make that Christmas special and it was. As an adult, it was when I went to my wife's Grandparent's house for Christmas. It was before her grandfather was too far down the path of Alzheimer's. It was a privilege to be there and get a glimpse of my wife's childhood. I got to experience her memories and I loved it. It was in Omaha and it snowed a lot. I love the snow and love it when winter is winter. She won't let me talk her into moving up north, though.

Mrs.--Have I mentioned that I hate winter?

Favorite Christmas Movie?

Mrs.--Hands down, A Christmas Story. You know the one..."You'll shoot your eye out!" I still laugh when I watch that movie!

NB--The Mrs. may have stolen my thunder, but I can't say the same thing. I am going to pick Elf, because anytime you can have your main character chug a 2 liter of soda, let out a belch louder than a sonic boom, and then ask, "Did you hear that?" Well, you have my vote for best movie.

Favorite Christmas Song?

Mrs.--Well, of course it has to be O Holy Night. Makes me cry every time. But, just to mix things up a little bit...growing up we had The Muppet's Christmas Album with John Denver. Can you believe that it was a record that we played on a turn table? (Yes, I am that old. Just ask my kids.) I still love that album. It makes me think of Christmas growing up. They do a 12 days of Christmas that puts everyone else to shame. I found this album on CD the first year we were married and I snatched it up right away. There's just something about that Miss Piggy's singing...though, I don't think anyone else in my family agrees.

NB--As far as the song that makes my neck hair stand up the most, it is "O Holy Night". I love that song. I also really like the "Christmas Canon" by Transiberian Orchestra and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings" by Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan. Those songs made my i-pod. I like to mention my i-pod a lot since it is the most hip thing about me. It is almost as hip as my before mentioned boom box back in 1985.

So, hopefully you are all still awake. We hope this got you thinking about all of your favorite things this time of year. Hey, if you want to join us in listing your favorites, leave a comment! Even better, blog about your favorites and leave us a comment telling us you did so. We want to read all about your Christmas favorites too!

Our Christmas Favorites: Part 1

So, we are both taking part in a little list of our favorite things about Christmas. That's right, we are BOTH writing today. No, don't leave. Stay with us and reminisce...

Fresh or Fake Tree?

Mrs.--I have NEVER had a fresh tree. NEVER. And, I don't feel like I am missing a thing. Maybe that is because I have never had a real tree. However, fake trees are pretty, don't need to be fed or watered, are simple to put up and tear down, and ours is even pre-lit. How is that for saving time, money, and my sanity? The family wins when mom has her sanity!

NB-- I grew up with a real tree every year. I remember loving the smell, but hating to water it. I was the youngest, so it was my job to tunnel through the presents and under the tree to water it. I can see the fun of the family trip to select the tree every year, but I am glad to not have my tree turn brown and lose all its needles either. I have deferred to the Mrs. on this one.

Favorite Ornament?

Mrs.--I love all of our ornaments that are personalized. My favorite is one that has 5 frogs on it. Each frog has one of our names on it. I bought it for Nurse Boy our first Christmas with Sweet Pea. Why frogs? Our wedding invitation had frogs on it. It was a fun wedding invitation and we decided we wanted to be unique. Honestly, I think most of the relatives hated it. We loved it. So, frogs always make us think of our silly wedding invitation.

NB--My family grew up as Treckies. I have seen every adventure that Captain Kirk and Spock have been on. The Mrs. thinks my affinity for Star Trek is illogical. The Mrs.'s Grandmother gave me a light up Star Trek ship one Christmas. It is not the original Enterprise, I think it is a ship from Deep Space Nine, but that woman got me. I miss her.

Mrs.--I hate that ornament.

Favorite Tradition?

Mrs.--Growing up, my Dad's side of the family spent the night at my grandparent's house on Christmas Eve. All of us kids got up before the light of day to see what Santa brought. We were like sardines with all 13 of us in the house, but I loved it. Now, I love taking the kids to look at Christmas lights while they are in their pj's.

NB--We don't do Santa because of three reasons. #1 The Mrs. felt lied to when she found out Santa was not real. #2 I feel no particular sentiment toward Santa. I remember finding out Santa was not real and asking if we still get presents on Christmas Day. When the answer was yes, I did not care. So, I don't feel like my kids are missing anything. #3 The Mrs. and I grew up knowing the Christmas Story, but it was not the main part of Christmas. We wanted to make that the main part of Christmas, so Santa got the boot. It was a big black one. With that said, we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus every Christmas Eve and eat chow mien. We then put the kids to bed and play with, I mean put together, all of their new toys. We end the night with me dominating all the family in some card game. They have started playing Uno all the time because, frankly, I am an obnoxious winner. I hate Uno because there is no skill involved. I think I am going to start cheating so it will be fun. For me. Not them. I'm getting excited thinking about it.

Mrs.-- Nurse Boy stinks at UNO ;0)

Favorite Gift Ever?

Mrs.--I never have a good answer for this one. I love gifts, so I am just usually thankful for receiving them. (Especially sparkly, clear rocks. Big ones. Hint, hint.) As a kid though, it had to be the year my grandparents gave me the Barbie Dream House. It was huge and spectacular! It also helped that all of my friends drooled over it...

NB--My favorite gift as a kid was Optomis Prime. I was in fifth grade and really excited about my gifts. We decided that we would open one gift on Christmas Eve. My mom was trying to get me to open OP and they accidentally had me open some wind up diver that was a bath toy. I didn't even take baths anymore. I don't know what they were thinking. I don't think my mom knew what they were thinking either when I opened it up, so she had me open another present. Long story short, my sister and I opened all of our presents on Christmas Eve that year. We loved it. I loved my OP so much I don't think I broke him for at least two days. From that year on, we got to open at least one gift on Christmas Eve.

Favorite Christmas Meal?

Mrs.--It has to be HAM. I love ham on Christmas. Growing up we always had turkey. Now that I host Christmas, I demand ham.

NB--Ham! Honey baked. The Mrs. gets a cheaper Aldi version that is only slightly less tasty than the HB kind and I love it.

So, come back tomorrow for the rest of our favorites. We know you are on the edge of your seat...

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Time for some random thoughts...

**Yesterday, it was 62 degrees when we piled into the car at 9:00 AM to drive to church for the Christmas program. The evening ended with a freezing rain/snow mix and temps in the teens. This morning it was 3 degrees. 3! Have I mentioned how much I hate winter? That is just mean!

**My nine year old likes his football. Yesterday, he was watching one game on TV while tracking another one on the Internet. All. By. Himself. He is only nine. I, of course, hate football and cannot believe he is my son. Nurse Boy is so proud. My Dad said he always thought Dimples was going to be a pastor but he now thinks he might be a bookie when he grows up. I was hoping for something a little more, well, respectable.

**I still do not have my Christmas cards finished. This is the latest I have ever drawn this project out. My dining room table is in a very sorry state.

**I sent Nurse Boy to the store this weekend. With a very long list. He took about twice as long as I would have and he took a nap afterwards. I have to do this kind of stuff to him every now and again in hopes that he will appreciate all that I do around here. And, why I always seem to return from the store in a mood that does not fit well with the holiday spirit. There is nothing merry or jolly about the grocery store this time of year. I don't care how loud you pipe that Christmas music over the loud speakers. I want to be sitting by my Christmas tree and sipping hot chocolate while listening to "Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas...," not in aisle 7 with the lady that has no control over her 14 kids that are fighting over who gets to pick out the cereal for the next week.

**My two year old has learned the phrase, "I do it!" But, you see, that would be great if she actually did things all by herself when it would be helpful. Like when I am cooking dinner. Or, maybe sneaking in an adult conversation on the phone. Or, scrubbing the toilets. Oh, no! She can't do anything by herself then. She screams, "I do it!" to me in the mornings. When we have to get the boys to school. On time. And, none of us are really morning people. Sweet Pea takes FOREVER to get dressed on her own. I can get her dressed in one minute flat. Mornings are really turning out to be a lot of fun around here! Nurse Boy is thrilled that his is out of here well before the light of day. If he isn't, he should be...

Time to finish those cards...AGAIN...

Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

You will all be happy to know that Nurse Boy is getting the color back in his cheeks and has even been crossing a thing or two off of his Honey-Do list. He has returned to the land of the living! Oh, he is not 100%, but I no longer want to shoot lasers out of my eyes when I see his sorry self wrapped up in a blanket moaning on the couch. He is functioning again!

Yesterday Nurse Boy even went shopping with me while my Dad watched Sweet Pea. (However, I think Sweet Pea may have watched Papa. She kind of runs the show when he is around. He once told me that he doesn't want to say "no" to the kids unless he has to. They all have their Papa right where they want him. He knows it and so do they.) Nurse Boy shopped with me without whining, moaning, groaning, asking what time it is, asking how many more items I need, or even asking where the bathroom is in every store. Yes, my kids do those things, but they have learned from the PRO. No one could be worse than Nurse Boy at the store. But, yesterday he took me out to lunch and then the marathon shopping began. With all smiles. He didn't even mutter about the money we spent. It was very impressive, I tell you. I felt so loved!

So, it is Friday and I do have some chicken in the freezer. Want to know what's for dinner? I love this recipe. It is simple and easy. Are we seeing a theme on Fridays?

Simple. Easy. Chicken.

This recipe was given to me by a very sweet coworker (and awesome 1st grade teacher) when I got married. Thanks Mary! This is one recipe that I have hung on to.

Golden Chicken Breasts

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

10 1/2 oz. can golden mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

garlic and onion powder

3/4 cup crushed Ritz crackers

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1.) Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish and arrange breasts.
2.) Combine soup and milk. Pour over chicken.
3.) Sprinkle with garlic and onion powders to taste.
4.) Cover with cracker crumbs and dot with butter.
5.) Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Delicious! Believe it or not, this one is a hit in my home. Yes, some of the little ones scrape off the "topping," but they all eat it. Enjoy!

The Ornament

Nurse Boy here. Yes, I am back. I am nursing this cold and I think I just might make it.

The Mrs. and I got married in January of 1997. We started dating our last month of high school and continued through college. I was slightly slow, so we had been dating for 4.5 years when we got married. You add on the almost whole first year of marriage you would think that I knew my wife before our first Christmas together. As I am sure you can imagine, I found out I did not.

We went out and bought our first Christmas tree and it was time to decorate. We did not have very many ornaments that had meaning. At this time we only had my wife's childhood ornaments and the mass produced ones that came in packs of twelve. So, my wife introduces me to our new tradition.

"We should buy each other an ornament every year for Christmas."

I thought, that is stupid. Why on God's green earth would I want an ornament every year for Christmas? I said,"O.K.".

She mentioned it more that 10 times, so I knew that I had to get her an ornament. I honestly did not know where to get this ornament. I did not think that real people spent 12 bucks at Hallmark on one ornament. There was a bargain seasonal store near our apartment at the time, so I went there on Christmas Eve. It was sort of the dollar store for Christmas. It looked like someone had just barfed Christmas in there. I had no clue where to go. I found a pair of ornaments that were angels and I thought they looked nice, so I dropped my 99 cents and was out of there. I put them in a box and wrapped them up.

When the Mrs. opened them, she literally cried.

They were not tears of joy.

I found out the angels were not just plastic ornaments, but they were light covers. To me that was a bonus. Not to the Mrs.

Apparently, I should have gone to Hallmark. I am not a sentimental person. I don't get sentiment. I do get tears, tearing of robes, and gnashing of teeth, though. I would like to say that I learned and got her a great ornament the next year, but it took me about eight years to understand what she meant.

We still hang those "light covers" on the tree every year. Now we laugh every time we look at them. So, I actually bought us memories all those years ago! Who knew?!

In Sickness and In Health...

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Nurse Boy came home last night thinking he was on his death bed. Are you feeling me, ladies? You know the look: watery eyes, a red nose, and ugly red sweats. No, I am not talking about jolly old Saint Nick. Oh. No. I. Am. Not. Nothing jolly about this miserable man.

He kept mumbling something about a sore throat, a runny nose, and all of his aches and pains. Wades of Kleenex surrounded him. He plopped himself down on the couch, where I served him his dinner. After he filled his belly, he rolled over and went to sleep. At 7PM. While the kids ran circles around the couch for the rest of the night. While I cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, bathed the kids, read to the kids, made lunches, packed snacks for the kindergarten class, and laid everyone down. Only to come downstairs to put Nurse Boy to bed and work on the dreaded Christmas cards that won't stamp, address, and mail themselves.

I am not heartless. I KNOW Nurse Boy feels awful. But, he has a COLD. He WILL live. Why does he think it is the end when he gets sick once a year? He never gets sick, but when he does...HOLD ON. Me, on the other hand, I seem to get whatever the kids bring home with them. Nursing them back to health doesn't always pay off for me. And, when I am sick it seems the sympathy well has dried up. (So, I am being a little dramatic. I AM a woman, what do you expect? Plus, you haven't seen nothing yet until you have been in our home with a sick Nurse Boy.)

The worst part about MOM getting sick? SHE still has to work. SHE has to clean, do laundry, pack lunches, plan meals, cook dinner, etc. SHE doesn't get to call in sick, EVER. And, by "SHE," I of course mean ME.

In all fairness, Nurse Boy tossed and turned all night long. He then got up and went to work. I guess that says something about his work ethic. Or, maybe his desire to contaminate the rest of the hospital. I am expecting him home early. In bed with a box of Kleenex. With a bell or cell phone by his side to contact the catering service in our home when he has a need.

I will be a good wife tonight. Maybe again tomorrow. Please, Lord, let this past quickly. It will be for the best for our marriage and my sanity.

I do love you, Nurse Boy. I just didn't know EXACTLY what I was committing to when I said, "in SICKNESS and in health." In all fairness, you men do give that phrase a whole new meaning! Where was that little tidbit of information in our premarital counseling?

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Ready for some randomness?

**We barely survived the chaos of last week. After many late nights, sore throats, runny noses, and lots of tears I can honestly say I am ready to tackle a new week. And, since I was battling some major PMS all last week and self medicating with lots of chocolate, you can bet that was me with the tears. Lots of them. Poor Nurse Boy. No wonder he doesn't want to pay for all of my waxing. Maybe he wants to apply that money to some other professional help for me. I can really be a bear at times. But, thankfully, not a hairy bear!

**It is my opinion that if you leave your Christmas lights up on your house ALL YEAR LONG, you should at least turn them on during the Christmas season. If I have to look at your lifeless icicle lights in 100 degree heat, you can at least light up the cold, dark nights with them during the winter.

**Whose idea was it to randomly wrap Christmas lights around the trunk of a tree? Don't get me wrong, I am all about the net lights you can throw on your bushes. Those are easy to put up in the bitter cold. They are even easier to take down in the bitter cold. But, to just wrap a string of lights around a tree trunk and call them Christmas lights is something I just don't get.

**Why do I always stress about our Christmas cards? Why? I always spend too much time on them and am disappointed with the end result. This year I am stamping 80 of them. I think I have a screw loose.

**Do you know how many housewives it takes to change a light bulb? Me neither. I think it is starting to drive my kids crazy that somethings in my house just have to wait until Dad comes home. Light bulbs and batteries are on my list. Not for any real reason. Just lazy, I guess. It gives Nurse Boy something to look forward to when he comes home.

**I am thinking about taking Nurse Boy to the salon for some eyebrow waxing. I am smiling just typing this. I am totally serious. I want him to experience what I go through. I have seen some men getting their brows waxed. He won't die. But, I do promise to bring the camera...to post pictures later! Later on we could work on highlights, low lights, and some spiky hair. I would love to watch him squirm in front of Stacey and Clint on What Not to Wear. We could toss those hoodies for good!

Time to get to back work on the Christmas cards...

Here is my Question

Nurse Boy here.

The Mrs. revealed to me how much she spends on her haircuts now. That is a lot of money and she doesn't just get her hair cut. She highlights and low lights it. That is a separate trip and a lot more than a cut. She also just started getting her eyebrows waxed. Yes, she pays someone to yank hair out by the root. Apparently, once you wax, you don't go bacx. And, no I won't start to wax my back no matter how much she begs. But wait, that is not all. She explained to me that normal shampoo and conditioner somehow don't work in her hair. Apparently the FDA, or whoever the governing body for cosmetics is, does not know what they are talking about when they approved those regularly priced shampoos. She can't get her make up there either. Not good enough.

So when I hear all of this, I can't help but to wonder this one question.

When did I become her sugar daddy?

Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

So, I am taking a break from my online shopping to help you all out for dinner tonight. I am doing a lot more online shopping this year and I am so afraid it is going to bite me in the butt. I mean, what if there aren't any presents under the tree on Christmas morning? Do I just say, "Your presents will be here in the next 5 to 10 business days. Merry Christmas!" Or, do I wrap up pictures of their future gift to be? The biggest problem is that I am too cheap to pay for any upgrades when it comes to shipping. I think that is all a big crock and I am going to keep my money.

And the underside of my tree bare.

Maybe not...time will tell.

So, it is cold outside and we are all much too busy to spend endless hours on dinner (like I ever have). Today I am sharing one of my favorite chili recipes. It is simple, easy, and has my favorite ingredient...chicken! This is mild, so add kick if you like.

Quick Chicken Chili
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves, diced
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
1 pkg. (1.25 oz.) chili seasoning mix
1 can (15.25 oz.) whole kernel golden sweet corn
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained

1. Combine chicken, undrained tomatoes and seasoning mix in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until chicken is done.
2. Add undrained corn and drained beans; simmer 5 minutes or until heated through.

Make some corn bread and enjoy!

I won't lie and tell you that my kids will even let this stuff touch their plates, much less their lips. They think all chili is evil. Nurse Boy and I love it and we don't have to share.

Now, back to shopping without the crowds...

Poop, Couches, and Gas...

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

So, just out of curiosity, I decided to do a little detective work. OK, so it was nap time and I didn't feel like doing the laundry or the dishes. They're not going anywhere, right? (On second thought, I should have taken a nap!) I decided to see what people google that lands them on my blog. It is scary stuff, people!

cut-my-hair-real-salon
Why, yes! I do get my hair cut in a real salon, thankyouverymuch. But, I don't think this blog was quite what they were looking for...

picture of jelly substance in feces
Yes, you read that right. Nurse Boy is proud in a very weird way, being a GI nurse and all.

how to sew buttons on a couch
OK, so you all probably know by now that I don't sew. Not even buttons. And, I would never touch a couch. Too valuable.

poop shut up jokes
OK, I KNOW that we didn't blog about those. Those are told at the dinner table while Nurse Boy and I shoot stern looks at the boys and act like we would never laugh at such immature things. We save the laughter for when they are in bed.

poop pull up
Yes, we have dealt with our fair share of poop in pull ups. Let me take this opportunity to tell you that Sweet Pea is POTTY TRAINED!!!!! It is official...we are finished with diapers forever! We really should throw a party and celebrate. We have been dealing with diapers for almost 9 years. Please, DO NOT do the math and tell me how much money we threw away or just how full the landfills are because of my three children and their Huggies that will live on longer than all of us. Please, just CELEBRATE with us!

"out of gas"
Yep, that is me most days.

male nurse birthday cake
Really? That is one weird birthday cake. Maybe THAT should be Bubby's assignment for the next birthday cake.

Kind of makes you wonder why you read this blog, doesn't it? I think it is because you have dishes and laundry to avoid as well!

Yum, Yum!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Are you ready for a shallow post?

I made a discovery that I think everyone should know about. I discovered Chex Mix Select in, get this, DARK CHOCOLATE! Beware! This stuff is very addictive. And, you may not want to share. I hid my bag. Oh, yes I did. Those kids would have devoured it before they even knew what they were eating.

It is pure heaven in a bag!

OK, so I know what you are thinking. It is holiday time. I don't need another thing to snack on. But, look at this:

So, my photography skills are lacking. With all of the technology we have today, you would think I could get my camera to focus. But, you would be wrong.

It says 60% less fat. In smaller letters under that it says, "than regular potato chips." Drat! I don't even eat potato chips. At least not on a regular basis. So, I am really not saving any fat. Just adding, I'm sure.

I just love that they are acting like this stuff could have anything remotely healthy about it. However, it will be healthy if everyone around here just leaves my bag alone! Give the woman her bag of dark chocolate goodness and no one will get hurt!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

So, it has taken me all day to post this...because it IS Monday. And, not just any Monday. The Monday after Thanksgiving. This is when we want to sit down and relax. However, this is when the festivities have only just begun. Yikes! This is often a time of much excitement and, well, STRESS!

So, I shall reflect on the last week.

**The boys had a little Thanksgiving program at school last week. Dimples has always been a ham. We noticed this trait around 4 weeks. No joke! Bruiser definitely hams it up one on one, but I had NO IDEA he was fearless in front of an audience. He had me in stitches as he proudly, and loudly, sang his songs and recited his poems. And, yes, I forgot the camera. Figures.

**I have always HATED stuffing with a passion. (Hey, were you expecting this to flow or something? It is titled "Random" for a reason. Stay with me.) Nothing that resembles a bucket of vomit should ever be placed on the table. Stuffing is dry, bland, and has mysterious things smashed together. However, my mother has been on a quest to make stuffing that I would like for many years. I really don't know why she bothered, but she did it! Her stuffing is amazing. It is moist, a little sweet, and she even puts the onions in the blender for me before placing them in the stuffing. I know, it sounds like I am twelve. I have always hated the texture of onions. Crunching into them is g-r-o-s-s. The flavor isn't so bad. The crunch is awful. My mom has perfected stuffing. It is even wonderful without the gravy.

**Why do mashed potatoes and gravy taste so good on Thanksgiving? Honestly, on any other day, I could take them or leave them. But, on Thanksgiving, they melt in my mouth.

**My grandmother taught me how to make a homemade apple pie when I was a young teen. Every year after that, I made the apple pies on Thanksgiving and Christmas. She acted like she was passing down a privilege that required much talent. Hindsight, she wanted someone else to make the apple pies. I took the bait and am still making the apple pies. I pride myself in the large quantities of cinnamon and sugar mixed with butter and apple goodness. No recipe, just the right amount of everything. OK, so I have been known to place a few questionable pies on the table. My biggest fans are my husband and my father. They will devourer whatever apple pie I place before them. You see, they are fans of the cinnamon. Martha Stewart thinks she is living on the edge when see puts TWO TABLESPOONS of cinnamon in her apple pie. All I am saying is she ain't seen nothing yet! Truth be told, I can't wait to teach all of my children the art of making the perfect apple pie. Not that I hit perfect every year. Wait a minute, yes I do. Just ask my husband and my father.

**Lastly, why must my children ask for dinner on the night of Thanksgiving?! Do they not know that the Thanksgiving meal in the afternoon is the ONLY meal served that day. You are to eat until you need to unbutton your pants. Then have some apple pie. With ice cream. And, DO NOT ask to eat another thing until Saturday morning. I honestly thought I was going to be sick while I pondered what I was going to fix them for "dinner." OK, so maybe the kids are the ones who have it right. After all, they can all still button their pants.

OK, so I did it. I actually got today's post in. We have something going on EVERY night this week for the next 6 days. I love the excitement, but I don't want to be this busy! So, here's hoping we all survive the craziness of this week and find sometime to enjoy being together!