Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Today's post is subtitled:

~Random Thoughts While at Urgent Care~

That's right, today I spent the entire morning/afternoon in Urgent Care with Sweet Pea. A very hot, whiny mess of a child. Don't worry, she spent most of the day in my lap, thus making me rethink my decision to pull out sweater apparel for the day. Not such a great choice when you spend the day with a hot pad, I mean feverish little girl, in your lap. We survived. Barely. We are now home with a documented whopper of an ear infection, Motrin, and amoxicilin. Tomorrow is a new day. For that, I am so very grateful!

So, now for my randomness..

~Why am I always out of Motrin when I need it the most?

~The same goes for band aides... not that I needed those today. Of course not, I have 2 full boxes.

~Why must I fill out a form to verify that I feel safe in my own home when I am bringing in my feverish child to be seen for an ear infection?!

~One look in Sweet Pea's ears and I thought the doctor was going to turn me in for child abuse.

~Apparently, Sweet Pea's ears are full of wax despite my obsession with Q-tips.

~Yeah, I know Q-tips have been deemed evil, but I love them and constantly chase after my children with them.

~No matter, her ears were still full of wax and had to be flushed out. Good times.

Some thoughts that raced through my mind while I was at Urgent Care...

~Free Popsicles for the little ones... good.

~No Starbucks in sight... bad.

~104.2 degree fever... miserable.

~Motrin... lifesaver.

~Time to snuggle with my little girl... priceless.

~Copay... $25. (Gotta love health insurance!)

~Coughing kids are everywhere.

~As are the sounds of crying, whining, sick kids.

~If we didn't come in with the Swine Flu, odds are we were just exposed.... YUCK!

Look where I found Sweet Pea this evening. Asleep on the stairs. Sound asleep. Poor baby. I haven't seen her feeling this bad in a very long time. Here's hoping she is back to her happy, chatty self tomorrow!

Monday, you have not been kind to us... Tuesday, you can't come soon enough!

Things That Make Me Smile

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are thankful for so much this year!

Something that always puts a smile on my face is when my kids have both sets of grandparents together at the same time. I pray they will remember these times when we are all together. Precious memories!

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours!

Randomness~ On Tuesday!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Right now I should be cleaning, cooking, and snuggling with my little princess who has a cough that would make you think we have a full grown German Shepherd living with us. (I think she has the very "croup" that all of the preschool parents insist is not contagious while they drop their kids off and run to work. Gr...) My in laws are coming in town for Thanksgiving and I am hosting both sides of the family on Thanksgiving Day. My to-do list is long and yet I find myself watching Dancing with the Stars and cleaning every closet and drawer in the house. I guess everyone will just have to pretend not to see the dust. But, I sure hope they check out my kitchen cabinets. WHY do I do that?!

Now, for some randomness...

We celebrated both of the boys' birthdays this weekend with my family.

I still cannot believe they are 10 and 7!!!

We had a little bit of a Star Wars theme. Who in the world would buy Dimples a Lego set with 500 pieces? Oh, wait... that was me.




Surely, I wouldn't have bought him TWO different sets?? But, I did. I blame Nurse Boy. He turns into a 7 year old when we enter Toys R Us.

We even bought Bruiser an electric guitar. Honestly, WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???

Here is the cake my mom made. Not really the best example of her skills, but the boys loved it and it was simple for her to throw together during the week.


The light sabers even lit up on the cake!

My brother (on the left) and Nurse Boy stole the brand new light sabers from the boys and, well, looked ridiculous as they "battled" in my family room. Do they EVER really grow up??

The answer, as you can see, is NO!

Happy Birthday to my little guys!

Where Has the Week Gone??

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

I missed Friday's post, I know. This week has been busy, crazy, a blessing, amazing, and exhausting.

Nurse Boy and I had two very important meetings this week. Both were church related. Lately, we have been struggling with exactly how God wants to use us. Last year, we obeyed God and started going to a "new" church. Quite honestly, we have loved the church from the very moment we walked into the building, yet it has been somewhat of a challenge to get connected and figure out how God wants to use us where we are now planted. We have also come to the conclusion that it takes a while for a new church home to feel like family.

Now that we are one year into this new chapter in our lives, God is giving us direction. Our meetings this week were divine appointments. Nurse Boy will be using some of his medical expertise to bless the congregation and staff. Nurse Boy and I will also be planning some exciting stuff regarding Marriage Ministry. We have really felt a tug in that direction for a long time, so I can't wait to see what God has in store! I am sure I will be sharing more in the future.

I also had a HUGE project that I was working on. About a month ago, Dimples's teacher asked me to paint a chair for a special silent auction at his school. Each classroom was given a chair to paint and auction off. Since I have almost ZERO talent in that area, after much thought, I told her that I was CERTAIN there was someone else better for the job. Turns out, she didn't agree. I could read the disappointment all over her politely sad face.

Man, that look gets me every time.

So, being the professional procrastinator that I am, I finished it the night before it needed to be lovingly placed on display in the school hallway. And, by "I," I really mean "we." Yeah, I guilted Nurse Boy into helping me pull off a miracle.

Except, I think a miracle would have looked a lot more spectacular.

So, are you ready to see my pathetic attempt? First, I should also share that about a week ago I found out that the minimum bid for a chair was $65. $65!!!!!

Can you FEEL the pressure?!

Cute, don't you think? Yeah, it isn't mine.

A little bit abstract... but, still not mine.

I really wish I could claim this beauty! Not mine, either.

Yep, here is my chair. So NOT worth $65.

This morning the school was open for breakfast, a book fair, and the infamous silent auction. I held my breath as I sized up the competition. Biding was open. I was slightly relieved to see that only about half of the chairs had bids.

I almost couldn't breath when my eyes fell on my creation.

But, GUESS WHAT?!?! It SOLD!!! It may have only been for the minimum bid of $65, but it SOLD!!! About half of the chairs did not sell and will be raffled off later this year.

Now, THAT was a miracle!!!

Things That Make Me Smile

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Can you guess what makes me smile?

Walking home with my boys.

Love it.

This is the first year they have gone to a school that was close enough to walk to.

Our afternoon walks start off with just us girls. We sing our ABC's, chat, and...

RUN!


But, we always stop to hold hands at the intersections.

Once we get to school, we are greeted with some smiles and...

energy!

Maybe even a quick game or two of soccer with some new friends.

Did I already mention ENERGY?!

I get to chat with the boys about their day, share smiles and giggles with their friends, and listen to the "large" amounts of homework they were all unfairly assigned. ;0)

Yes, I am the only mom walking down the street with a slew of kids, but I love it. I think I will just enjoy being the "cool" mom for as long as I can. We all know that can change at any moment.
It is a great way to spend an afternoon.

That is, until it starts to get cold.

(I don't do cold so well. When it is cold, you will see me in the carpool lane. The carpool lane NEVER makes me smile.... )

But, a walk with my kiddos and their friends always puts a smile on my face!

Double Digits!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

I know it is Monday, but my random musings will have to wait until next week. Dimples celebrated his 10th birthday yesterday.

How is that possible?


I have NO idea!!


I remember the day of his birth so well. I remember every detail, every emotion, every scary moment, and every happy tear. It was an emotional day that changed me forever.


Dimples was our first born. He was the first to make me a mom and the first to make us a family. Nurse Boy and I had no idea how much our lives were going to change. We also could never have predicted how full our lives would become.

Happy 10th Birthday, Dimples!

You are an amazing boy! You are a natural born leader, you love spending time with family and friends, you are a hard worker, your passion for learning is contagious, and your kindness is heart warming. You love God and desire to serve Him well. You enjoy almost anything that involves some form of competition, but aren't afraid to lose. You always desire to do your best and aren't afraid of a challenge.

We are so proud of the gentleman you are becoming. We pray you continue to follow the Lord with all of your heart. May you continue to be an encourager to those you are around. Your fun personality and amazing smile are your best trademarks. Use them well!

Happy Birthday, Dimples!

Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.


It is Friday. Finally. It has been a busy week. Both of my boys were born in November, so we have "birthday-itis." Add Thanksgiving, and this month is simply CRAZY! But, I must admit that it is a fun CRAZY.


However, I will rethink that statement when I find myself in Toys R Us this weekend. Why is that place always so crowded? Don't all of those people know that we are in a recession? And, don't those parents know how to play nice?


Sorry, I digress...


So, wanna know what's for dinner? Wanna a recipe for 2 meals at once? Wanna have a frozen meal in the freezer for next week? Want something besides chicken?!


Well, today is your lucky day... Tonight you can kill two birds with one stone. You can make dinner for tonight AND freeze a meal (or 2) at the SAME TIME!

Pizza Burgers!

All you need:
1 pound cooked ground beef
30 oz of pizza sauce
3 oz. of pepperoni, cut into small pieces (We use turkey pepperoni)
2 cups of mozzarella cheese
garlic powder, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
onion, to taste (optional, my kids hate onions, of course)
16 hamburger buns

In a large bowl, mix together the cooked ground beef, pizza sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Fill buns with meat mixture. Yes, it really does make at least 16 sandwiches!

This is what I do with the leftovers:






I individually wrap each sandwich in foil.








I place all of the individually wrapped sandwiches in a zip lock bag and stash them in the freezer. When you are ready to use the leftovers, simply place them in the oven (still in foil) at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. They do heat up faster if you let them thaw before you stick them in the oven. You can even microwave them, but they might be a little soggy.

These are simple and tasty--kind of like a sloppy joe with a pizza twist.

Have a fabulous weekend!!!!

Things That Make Me Smile

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

This should really be titled, "Things that make me go YUM!"

Every October I have to have this stuff.

Just during October.

Not before.

Never after.

It just screams fall.

It is so yummy.

But, my hips will never thank me for it.

Nope. It certainly does not fit into one of my healthy alternatives.

Hey, you can't win them all!

Meet my October addiction:

Candy corn, pumpkins, and dry roasted peanuts.

I have spent the last couple of weeks in detox.

I am all good now.

Until I come face to face with a pumpkin pie...

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Excuse me for a second while I climb out from under the leaves....

Um, yeah, we have just a few. The stupid leaves refuse to blow into the neighbors' lawns. And, the neighbors refuse to mow, mulch, or rake even the tiniest part of our lawn. Nope. They draw a perfectly straight line and turn up their noses at our leaf-infested lawn. Well, I might be exaggerating a little. Not about the straight line, but maybe about turning up their noses.

Maybe.

Ready for some randomness before I pick up the boys from school and excitedly point them toward the rakes?!

~ This weekend I overheard Nurse Boy mumble something about the starving children in Africa and, "Just stop complaining, eat your lunch, and be quiet!" I could not contain my giggles. When did we officially become our parents?!

~Poor Nurse Boy also lost his cool when Dimples started to whine about the endless raking that was to be done this weekend. Nurse Boy's response? "So, you don't want to rake? You just want ME to do ALL of the work for you?" Dimples quietly picked up the rake and got busy.

~Nurse Boy has turned into his parents, no doubt.

~Is it wrong that I often giggle when Nurse Boy loses his cool? Truth be told, he almost never loses his cool. We won't discuss my behavior. Yeah, I am always as cool as a cucumber... in hot and spicy salsa. It just makes me feel better when he loses his cool every now and again.

~I found a $25 gift card to TGI Fridays in the bottom of a toy basket.

~It is almost enough motivation to start cleaning and organizing around here.

~I did say ALMOST.

~Dusting... may I ask, WHAT IS THE POINT?! Yet, I still do it faithfully every single week.

~Is it possible to take a good picture of three kids in hopes of a fantastic Christmas card photo? Without yelling at them? Without taking over 100 photos?

~I am here to tell you that it is not possible. 100 photos later, I have 3 big, fat "maybes."

~I guess I should have gone the professional photo route after all.

~Was it worth my sanity to save a couple of bucks?!

~But, I do LOVE picnik.com! Maybe I can make them LOOK professional and photo shop a smile or two in...

~Wonder if I can also erase the tears? Yeah, I should get an award for making my kids cry while trying to take a jolly, happy, heart-warming Christmas photo.

~Why, YES, I am still available to come snap some heart-warming photos of your clan!



I know, I know. I won't hold my breath!

Happy Monday!

Wanna join me? Leave me a comment and I will give you some linky love!



Check out Brandi's randomness HERE!

Michelle posted over HERE!

Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Friday... and I am not sure how that is possible. This week has raced by. This weekend is full of possibilities. Soccer season has ended and beautiful weather is in store.

Except for the leaves that currently cover our yard, roof, gutters, and cars. Man, do I have a love hate relationship with our old oak trees!

So, never mind. This weekend will be full of raking, bagging, and much, much more raking. At least I know our neighbors are hoping we get around to it. Me? I am hoping there is a leaf fairy that will visit us in the middle of the night.

Today I would like to share one of our favorite dishes. It is made with ingredients that I always keep on hand. It is one of my standby dishes. It is perfect when I don't FEEL like cooking or I don't think there is anything in the pantry. Plus, the ENTIRE family gobbles this stuff up!

You will need:

garlic powder

Terriayki marinade

chopped onions... dried or fresh

Don't forget the chicken! You can use breasts, thighs, drumsticks, etc. My kids currently prefer "chicken on the bone."

Cover the chicken with terriakyi. Next, sprinkle on the garlic powder and onion according to your taste.

Bake the chicken at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

YUM!

Have a terrific weekend!!!

ABC's of My Life

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Shana tagged me a few weeks back in a fun ABC list. I am just now getting caught up and have finally gotten around to joining in on the fun!

A - Age: 35... YIKES!

B - Bed size: Queen... the perfect size!

C - Chore you hate: Laundry and Bathrooms... duh!

D - Dog's name: No dogs since boy #2... Hey, I've got my hands FULL!

E - Essential start your day item: My friend, the snooze button

F - Favorite color: Blue

G - Gold or Silver: Silver ALL. THE. WAY, baby!

H - Height: 5'3", on a good day ;0)

I - I am: still in love with my husband!

J - Job: Mom to my kiddos and part time preschool teacher (12 whooping hours a week)

K - Kids: 3

L - Living arrangements: Blessed to own our home... well the bank still does, but whatever ;0)

M - Mom's name: Phyllis

N - Nicknames: MOM

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Gallbladder--JOY!

P - Pet Peeve: Nurse Boy's driving-- Yeah, I'm gonna pay for that one!

Q - Quote from a movie: I couldn't remember one if my life depended on it!

R - Right or left handed: right

S - Siblings:1 younger brother

T - Time you wake up: By 7 am, YUCK!

U- Underwear: YES!

V - Vegetable you dislike: beets and Lima beans-- Does anyone really like Lima beans?!

W - Ways you run late: I always blame it on the kids... that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

X - X-rays you've had: My tailbone, 7th grade, don't ask...

Y - Yummy food you make: Baked ziti and apple pie

Z - Zoo favorite: I have no idea. How about anything behind a thick, glass wall?

I think I am suppose to tag someone, but I know a lot of you have already done this. So, how about letting me know in my comments if you want to play along?

Monday's Random Musings

aka~ RANDOM-MESS!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

I am finding my way out of the piles of candy to post this. Maybe next I can find my way to the treadmill. Here's hoping that a few hours on that bad boy can erase a couple, OK, several Almond Joys. Man, do I love those things! If they are wrong, I am afraid I just don't want to be right. The amount of candy we are housing over here is ridiculous! I think it is going to find its way to a better, safer home very soon. One where I do not reside!

On to my randomness so I can burn some calories and rid my home of sugar...

~ "My forehead is squishy!" (Sweet Pea's contribution this week. Fitting, huh? I know. I should be so proud! You can tell she is a prodigy just from that one quote, can't you? I blame her father.)

~Nurse Boy always says that he can tell she is a girl by the way she talks to herself. All. The. Time.

~I would normally roll my eyes at that one but I often find myself in public places, like the post office or the grocery store, talking to myself. OUT LOUD. Yeah, it is kind of hard to play that off.

~It is not good to visit someone who just had a C-section and make them laugh. Repeatedly. How come Nurse Boy and I always forget that?

~It is good to go visit and take in that baby smell!! I miss that smell. And, those fuzzy little heads. And, the sweet cries...

~Sweet Pea wants a baby brother now. NOT. GOING. TO. HAPPEN. Mama is finally getting 8 hours of sleep every night. And, let us not forget that I now clip the Huggies coupons for OTHER PEOPLE.

~I do not miss the diapers. Nope. Not one bit.

~Do these just scream fall or what? YUM! Nurse Boy ventured into the Russell Stover's store a few weeks ago and left with these. They were AMAZING!

~On Saturday, Dimples and I were driving down the highway when we spotted the most incredible sight EVER. We saw a man riding on his motorcycle with a Batman costume on. I spotted him in my rear view mirror. I could see his bat ears and his cap flowing behind him. It really was cool. So cool, that I missed my turn.

~Can you tell that I am a mom of boys? Hey, for a moment, even I thought Batman just might be real. It was a fun thought...

~Here is a picture of my Mad Scientist, Peyton Manning of the Colts, and my sweet little Ladybug!

~And this, my friends, is a ladybug who fell fast asleep after a yummy chocolate bar! How precious is that?!

~Lastly, I loved my extra hour of sleep with regard to Daylight Savings, but this pitch black sky at 5:30 P.M. STINKS!

Happy Monday everyone... and, PUT DOWN THE CANDY!