Monday's Random Musings

It is Monday, yet again.  The boys have the day off, so we spent the day being lazy.  I got "all crazy" and let them play video games... for as long as they wanted.  It amazes me just how long they will sit there and stare at the screen, pushing buttons, and talking to the cartoon images on the TV.  I am pretty sure they lost a few brain cells today.  Oh, well.  We all needed a lazy day.  Mine was spent folding an abnormal amount of laundry.  I think I, too, lost a few brain cells.

Time for some randomness..

* I love listening to Sweet Pea sing "Hallelujah" repeatedly while dancing around the living room with her arms raised to the heavens.

* It is almost as entertaining as me trying to spell "hallelujah."  Seriously.

* Spell check was invented just for me.  You are welcome.

* I may be a "retired" elementary school teacher, but I have never been able to spell to save my life.

* Nurse Boy is of no help to me in this area.  He, too, struggles with spelling.

* Miraculously, both of our boys are awesome at spelling, no thanks to us.

* It is officially fall now that I have some bright yellow mums sitting on my front porch.

* I am celebrating fall by searching for pumpkin recipes.  I simply cannot get enough pumpkin this time of year.  It is my obsession.

* Don't even get me started on candy corn and peanuts.  So good.  And, pretty.

* This weekend we had a garage sale.  I can't even to begin to explain the rush I get every. single. time. someone pays me for something I almost threw away. I LOVE to purge!  Love, love, love it!  The fact that I get to make a little cash makes it even more delightful!

* Some neighbor boys came inside the house today and reported that our house smells like "candy."  I guess my new apple cider candles are actually hiding the cat box smell.  I am always afraid our house smells like a huge cat box.  YUCK!

* Last night, we spent the evening sitting around our fire pit.  Drinking homemade hot chocolate on a crisp fall evening while sitting around a fire with my family is definitely a little slice of heaven.  Loved. It.

Happy Fall, Y'all!!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Monday.  I am tired.  I need to straighten up the house, run some (not so fun) errands, and (of course) do a few loads of laundry.  Sounds exciting, huh?!

Time for some randomness...

* My closet is a MESS.  I really need to do something about it, but the sight of it paralyzes me.  I think I will just close the door and ignore it.

* A few weeks ago we thought we heard a squirrel in the attic.  We immediately called a company to go check out the situation.  $149 and 20 minutes later, the overpaid man in the jumpsuit tells us we have mice in the attic.  Another $16 later, Nurse Boy enters the attic with enough traps to make the mice pack up and move.  He catches nothing... because we don't have mice.  No critters.  Just some cobwebs.  And, a depleted bank account.  Apparently, we were just imagining things.

* It is expensive to use your imagination.

* Yesterday I found my husband watching football in our bedroom while laying on a pile of clean laundry.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  When I inquired as to why in the world wasn't he FOLDING the laundry, he looked surprised.  In his defense, he said he was "resting gently beside our clothes" and he was eventually going to fold them.  (Liar!)

* You will be happy to know that I let him live.

* This year the kids will be spending every Sunday evening at Awana while Nurse Boy and I will have a weekly date night.  We all are loving it!

* I NEED an eyebrow wax ASAP!  It is surprising just how happy that can make me feel.  It is an instant pick me up.

* It is starting to feel like fall and I am loving it!  And, craving all things pumpkin.

* Pumpkin + hot chocolate= 2 of my favorite fall things.  Not necessarily together.

* Bruiser pulled his first all nighter at a sleepover this weekend.  He came home in tears and begging to go straight to bed.  He spent the day redefining the word "crabby."

* Note to self:  NO MORE sleepovers for Bruiser.  My patience can't take it.

Happy Monday! 

Come back next TUESDAY for a fabulous giveaway from CSN stores!!!  Yet another chance to win an opportunity to do some online shopping for FREE!  I love giving stuff away!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Since school is back in session, I have decided to bring back my Random Musings on Mondays.  Honestly, I am not normally a fan of Mondays.  The house is usually a mess, the laundry promises to be a mile high, and my list of errands is always scary long.  Thus the randomness.

So, here I go...

**Yesterday, the drummer at church had on a bright red t-shirt with a huge Elmo face on it.  Funny shirt, but horribly distracting.  His poor wife. ;0)

**Poor Nurse Boy needed to caulk our shower this weekend.  He rushed off to the hardware store Saturday evening and conquered the caulk isle.  Or, so he thought.  Around 11 PM he decided it was time to tackle the shower, only to discover he bought the wrong caulk.  Truth be told, EVERY SINGLE TIME he has had to purchase caulk in our 11 years of owning a home, he has returned home with the wrong caulk the first time.

**I couldn't understand what was so hard about picking out caulk until I entered that crazy isle.  Seriously?  Who knew there were that many caulk choices??

**Nurse Boy ran to Walmart around midnight on Saturday night to see if they had the right kind of caulk.  They didn't.

**Walmart, if you are going to be open 24 blasted hours a day, why don't you actually carry what we need?

**I love self-tanner!  Just thought you should know.  And, I don't mean the kind that turns you orange or makes you look scary.  But, when you are as white as I am, any little bit of color helps.

**We had Dimples' soccer team over to our house this weekend.  They had practice, watched some DVR'd World Cup Games, and ate pizza. 

**13 ten-year-old boys can be pretty noisy, silly, and smelly.

** Not too mention, they sure can pack away the pizza!  Scary!

**I am thinking about upgrading my cell phone and joining the texting world.  I am starting to feel left out.  Or old.  Which, I am not.

**This weekend we celebrated Nurse Boy's birthday with his favorite cake that his mom made for him during his childhood.  This year I made it, which is always risky.  For some reason, he claims that neither my mom or I can make it EXACTLY right.

**My favorite part about the cake?  It has PINK icing!  Ha!  I married a man who is man enough to be a nurse AND have a pink birthday cake.

**He is either a keeper or batting for the other team.  Here's hoping he is a keeper.  (Ha!)

**I am blessed to have married my best friend.  He knows me better than anyone else.  Sometimes he just needs to hear how much I appreciate and love him.  I bet your spouse needs to hear it, too!

Happy Monday!

Mondays Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Monday, so it must be time for some random thoughts...

**Why is it that every single time I decide to grow my hair out, I can't actually follow through with my decision?  I can't stand that in between stage.

**I am determined to make it through this summer without a haircut.  Brace yourselves, it ain't going to be pretty.  (My hair, that is.)

**I took Dimples to the dentist today.  Braces are in our very near future.  I don't even want to see that receipt.

**Bruiser will also need braces, so no relief there.

**Sweet Pea, you are my only hope!  Come on, permanent teeth, GROW IN STRAIGHT!

**At the dentist office, I indulged in a little reading.  I found myself reading an article about how actress,  Jennifer Love Hewitt, went from fat to fit.  Ohhhhh pleeaassee!!!!

**I pray Sweet Pea never reads a ridiculous article like that one.  I am determined to not pass on my own body image issues to here.  She will always be beautiful to me!

**How is it that I can find the time to paint my fingernails, yet I never seem to find the time to REMOVE the polish when it is chipped and looking gross?

**My van is (finally!) in the shop and I am cruising around in a brand new rental.  I have never hated my van more.  Mini vans have come a long way in the last 11 years!

**I just found an open bottle of glue on my couch.  I don't even want to know.

**I love this time of year when we can eat juicy watermelon all the time.  However, my kids have an amazing gift of covering my entire kitchen in sweet, sticky watermelon juice, no matter what threats I throw their way.  I won't even go into the stains on their clothing!

**Maybe I am not such a fan of watermelon, after all.

Happy Monday... and, remember to come back on Wednesday for a fabulous giveaway!!

Randomness... on a Tuesday

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

I have been off of a schedule for so long that I seem to have lost my "bloggy groove." Normally, I enjoy posting random thoughts on Mondays. Lately, my Mondays have been so random that I haven't even gotten around to posting. I am hoping to get myself back on a schedule. This blog is really our Family Scrapbook. I enjoy posting pictures and funny "snap shots" of our lives, so one day our children can look back at our memories. I am blessed that anyone else even bothers to read this!

So, today I am attempting to get back into a routine. And, before I do that, I MUST tell you that I will be having a giveaway NEXT week. It promises to be a FANTASTIC giveaway. I am thrilled that a company wanted to bless my readers. I will reveal the date of the giveaway this Friday. I am so excited that I have an opportunity to give something back to my faithful readers. I can't wait!

Now, time for some randomness:

**I was rear ended on Memorial Day. Car accidents immediately rob you of your time, money, and they are simply a pain in the... bumper! It feels like my van will never get fixed.

**However, there is something I hate more than a fender bender. That is the search for a new car. We are currently trying to scrape up enough cash to buy a used mini van. It honestly gives me hives just thinking about it. We haven't had a car payment in 7 years and I sure don't want to take one on now with Nurse Boy in school. But, Nurse Boy's car in on it's last leg. I fear it most go soon, or we will be towing it to a junk yard.

**We once bought a 2 year old mini van that didn't run after 5 days of owning it. I think that explains the hives. Surely that can't happen to us more than once, right?!

**Yesterday I found toothpaste on the toilet seat. I don't even want to know...

**I recently bought some "all natural" deodorant. I didn't realize that it would truly make me smell "all natural." Not quite what I was going for. Apparently, all of those ingredients I can't pronounce in my stick of deodorant actually give me the results I am looking for.

**Why must I spend every Sunday morning in the bathroom with the ENTIRE family?!

**It turns out orange pop and cameras are not a good combination. (More on this another day.)

**I love late summer nights. It is those early summer mornings I could do without.

**God did promise not to flood the earth again, right? We have had so much rain lately, that I am beginning to wonder.

**Lastly, why is it that every time I mop the kitchen I seem to find my own foot stuck to the floor an hour later?

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.


It is Monday. Enough said, right? Sweet Pea and I are staying home to nurse our little Bruiser. He is under the weather today. I pray he is the last one to drop and we can start enjoying this beautiful spring weather.


Time for some of my Monday randomness...


* Last week I bought a new pair of "sporty" flip flops to go with my stay-at-home-mom uniform. They gave me a blister. And, yet, I keep slipping them on as I head out the door. You would think I would learn. Apparently, I am a very slow learner. Or lazy. I'll call it loyal.


* Is it ever possible to deep clean your home when you have children? I find it maddening to thoroughly clean one room, only to walk into a disaster zone in the very next room. I think I will finally get the house clean in 2020.


* Last week, Nurse Boy and Dimples were home sick for several days. Fevers, congestion, and ear infections were running a muck throughout our home. They woke up Saturday morning claiming to be back to normal.


* I celebrated by asking them to do some much needed yard work that I had been avoiding. I am not sure they appreciated my excitement.


* Is there anything sweeter than the sight of a man doing yard work?


*Yes! Cooking dinner... but I wasn't going to press my luck.


* Am I the only one who can't watch cooking shows with male chefs because it could be considered cheating on my husband? I suddenly find them very attractive as I in vision my husband coming home from work, heading straight to the kitchen, throwing on an apron, and making a healthy, well balanced meal for the entire family... while cleaning up the kitchen as he prepares the meal... What? It could happen!


* OK, not as long as I am married to Nurse Boy. And, sense I plan to stay married to him, I must not watch the likes of those handsome male chefs luring me all over the cable channels. Must. Turn. The. Channel.


* While Nurse Boy and Dimples were celebrating their new found energy, Bruiser started complaining of a headache and sporting a fever of his very own.


*Of course, we discovered Bruiser's fever AFTER he came home from his soccer game where he dominated with 5 goals! OK, he is 7, "dominated" may be a bit of an exaggeration. But, considering he had a fever all the while, "dominated" might actually fit what he did that morning.


*So, to recap, we had 4 visits to Urgent Care, 3 visits to the pharmacy, 3 sick boys, and 2 healthy girls last week. I pray it stops there!


Happy Monday!!!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Monday, so I am going to dust off the ol' blog and share some of my random thoughts about our broken spring. It was such a long, cold, snowy winter that I just can't believe that spring isn't cooperating. That is, until this week. At least that is what they are forecasting this week. Rumor has it that spring will finally arrive. But, honestly, what do they know anyway?

Time will tell.

In the meantime, I will share some randomness with you...

* Despite all of my protests, it can snow in spring. We got 9 inches on the first day of spring. How rude!

* Soccer season officially began 2 weeks ago. Our boys have yet to play a single game. Spring hates us and keeps raining or snowing on our fields.

* My flip flops still haven't seen the light of day.

* I LOVE to wear flip flops, but they are still collecting dust in my closet due to the cool weather. I miss them more than you know.

* My toes haven't seen the light of day since November.

* Must get a pedicure. SOON.

* I always know it is officially spring in my home when I spot muddy footprints starting at the front door and leading all the way up the stairs to the boys' room.

* We NEVER wear shoes in the house.

* Of course, the ONLY time the kids break that rule is when their shoes are COVERED with mud.

* You may think we have that rule because we have nice carpet in our home. Ya know, clean and well maintained. I wish. But, one time we were at the soccer fields when I witnessed a boy throwing up on the sidelines. During the next hour I must have watched 80 people (unknowingly) walk right through the vomit. Now I mean business when I tell my kids to take those bad boys off! They really have NO idea where those shoes have been. Yuck!

Happy Monday! Here's hoping I can dust off my flip flops this week!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Spring Break~~ Day 1

Today we slept in a little (YAY!) and met some new friends at a children's wonderland...

The place was full of inflatables and tunnels. The kids had a ton of fun, ran off a lot of energy, and bonded with some wonderful new friends.

The best part? I bonded with some new friends as well.

While we were at this fabulous play place, I made a few random observations:

* No matter how much you feed your kids before leaving the house, they will constantly harass you for food as soon as you arrive at your destination.

* Prepare to be interrupted every 5 seconds when chatting with your friends.

* The deeper the conversations, the more the interruptions.

* Your children will start asking to leave approximately one hour after arriving, only to announce they are BORED as soon as they walk into the house.

* There is always a bully in every crowd. A bully who seems to have been dropped off and abandoned. Seriously, WHERE ARE THEIR PARENTS??!!

* If you look hard enough, you will always find some other kids acting up more than your own. Is it wrong that that somehow makes me feel a little better as a parent? I guess it shouldn't, since you are probably looking at my kids and thinking the same thing.

* If it is a place that requires the kids to take off their shoes, plan to spend the last half hour searching for matching pairs. (While the children sit and watch your frantic search because "they are sooooo tired and hungry.)

All in all, it was a fun day. I am proud to say that I wore the kids out! And, that has been a challenge since the weather here has been cool, gloomy, and wet. Nothing at all like SPRING. Oh, wait. It isn't spring yet. Why in the world do we have "Spring" Break in the winter?? But, then again, what do I know? I just pay taxes around here.

Happy Monday!!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.


It is Monday and I am finally recovering from The Head Cold of 2010. It was the head cold that I ignored and went about my daily tasks as if I felt fabulous. It was the very head cold that then placed me in bed for 1 and 1/2 days with the TV being Sweet Pea's babysitter. Yeah, I am paying for that one right about now. She is having some withdrawal from the TV and I am having some withdrawal from my bed. But, we are (mostly) better now. And, surprisingly, I have NOT been nominated for mother of the year.

Time for the Monday Random-mess:

**Fuzzy slippers make everything better. Seriously, they do.

**So does a box of tissues when you have The Head Cold of 2010.

**Spring, you'd better not just be teasing me with your sunny weather and warmer temperatures. No one likes a tease.

**And, let it be known that Spring and I will no longer be on speaking terms if it abandons the Midwest AFTER I finally shave my legs.

**The kids no longer own a matching pair of gloves, so spring really cannot come soon enough.

**I am pretty sure I will find the missing gloves after I finally give up and throw out all of the single, matchless gloves.

**Nurse Boy and I are proud to be law abiding citizens. We desire to set a good example for our children. That being said, Nurse Boy was awarded a speeding ticket after a very long 15 hour work day, when I was home sick with the kids.

**He was going 10 mph over the speed limit. Yes, he was speeding and shouldn't have been. He had just left the hospital, after walking several blocks to his car where he fell in the mud. It was 10 PM and he was covered in mud and other bodily fluids that I don't even want to think about from the GI Lab.

**Where was that police officer's compassion?

**Is it wrong that I hope he shows up for a colonoscopy this week?

**Don't answer that.

**Maybe he will come down with The Head Cold of 2010.

**OK, that wasn't nice either. I'll stop now.

Happy Monday!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Monday and I awoke with a head cold. Fun. Just what I need after dealing with the stomach bug of 2010 last week. The floors need to be vacuumed, the dishes need to be washed, and the laundry is laughing at me. Yep, a typical Monday. Except, I ignored all of that and joined Sweet Pea for a glorious nap today.

However, when I awoke, the Clean House Fairy had missed our home. Yep, a typical Monday, indeed.

And, while I usually have lots of willing helpers, this is where I found all of my men yesterday afternoon:

Watching THE hockey game.

Don't they look helpful? All sprawled out on the unmade bed?

Yeah, not so much. Plus, when USA lost, they had even less motivation then before.

Time to pop some frozen pizzas in the oven and snuggle up under a blanket. Happy Monday, everyone!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Sigh. It is Monday. We have been pretty busy and I have had a bad case of writer's block. I have had a few things weighing a little heavy on my heart the last few weeks. Thankfully, nothing serious. Just life. So, in honor of Monday and keeping things light....

Have you ever had one of THOSE weeks? Well, I did!

* We ran out of bar soap in the shower. (Seriously, it feels like I am at the store every other day. How can I repeatedly forget the bar soap until it is nothing but a sliver of yuck?)

* My built in microwave died. In the middle of one of my cooking marathons.

* Extra bills and a determination to remain debt free means I can't run to the store to buy a new one right away.

* I never realized how much I used that thing until it became an over sized timer for my kitchen.

* I thought my oldest child had made a really poor choice this week.

* Of course, I was told about my son's poor choice by another mom when he was sound asleep for the night.

* Am I the only one who can't sleep when that happens? By the sound of Nurse Boy's snoring all night long, I am guessing the answer is, "Yes."

* I am getting a cold. Plus, I can't seem to sneak a nap to save my life.

* Bruiser has been congested for about 3 weeks. We finally took him to the doctor for them to tell us he has a cold. Silly me, I was looking for new information.

* Nurse Boy is finally feeling my pain and wants to figure out how to purchase a microwave before Superbowl Sunday.

* The men in my life are VERY excited about the Superbowl.

* In case you live in a cave, the Colts are playing in the Superbowl.

* Since we are originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, we apparently bleed blue and white and must teach all of our offspring to trash talk anyone who is not a Colts fan.

* I say "apparently", because on Superbowl Sunday I will be celebrating the END of football season! (Just like I do every year.)

* Oh, and that sleepless night over my son's poor choice? It was a big, fat waste of time. (Nurse Boy was right after all!) Turns out, after MUCH investigation, my son had actually made several smart and intelligent choices during a difficult situation.

* So, instead of beating myself up as a parent, I will thank God that Dimples had a sound mind to make smart, mature decisions.

* Being a parent is by far the hardest thing I have ever done or ever will do!

* Being a parent is also the most rewarding thing I have ever done or ever will do!

Have a fabulous Monday... if that is even possible on a Monday ;0)

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Today I am sharing some of my random thoughts from Sunday morning. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

*Alarm goes off too early.

*Frankly, if the alarm is going off, it is too early.

*Hit the snooze... 5 times. It really is amazing that my wonderful husband puts up with such behavior!

*It is COLD when I get out of bed. Plus, I am already running late.

*Yep, this is a set up for a relaxing, happy, joyful morning... NOT.

*I should mention that my entire family shares a main bathroom. Good times. Especially on Sunday mornings.

*Boys are goofing off and come out of their rooms in short sleeves.

*It is 4 degrees outside. Need I say more?!

*Boys goofing off in the car.

*Bruiser has been in the car for 4 whole minutes, yet he STILL hasn't buckled his seat belt.

*Did I mention that he seems to be moving in S-L-O-W M-O-T-I-O-N this particular morning?!

*I lost it.

*Yep. I yelled.

*Loudly.

*ON OUR WAY TO CHURCH.

*After much thought and reflection, I muster up an apology when we get to church. God has really been dealing with me and my short fuse.

*I park myself in Sunday School. The topic? Parenting.

*The challenge? One change you can make immediately to be a better role model for your child.

*I swallow hard. God is really trying to work in me. Anger MUST take a hike. It is noted.

*Just when I feel like a horrible, no good, very bad parent, God encourages me during worship.

*On the Solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.

*I am NOT standing in sinking sand.

*The sermon topic? Change is necessary. Our pastor was referring to the church, but I AM part of the church, aren't I?

*I get it, God. Time for change.

*And, I don't even have to do it on my own! (Good thing, too.)

*Thankfully, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

*Thankfully, I am NOT!

Happy Monday, everyone! Off to have a joyful day. It will be joyful because I have some major help from above!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Monday, so that must mean it is time for some randomness... or mess. I'll let you decide.

~This morning I awoke to my 10 year old whispering in my ear. I lifted my head CERTAIN that it was 3 AM. I was wrong. I couldn't have been more wrong. It was 45 minutes later than I normally emerge from my sweet slumber!!!

~I knew one day that my dear friend, The Snooze Button, would fail me.

~Waking everyone up abruptly with lights and a "PLEASE hurry this morning!" didn't go over so well with the younger two.

~I had to skip my shower and wash my hair in the kitchen sink.

~Yes, I know that is a little white trash. I'll own it.

~Reflecting on my morning, I am now worried that Sweet Pea never brushed her teeth. Yep, I am up for mother of the year.

~My thirties have not been kind to me. I REALLY need to wear makeup. However, this morning did not allow for such luxuries.

~Miracles do happen. The boys made it to school on time and Sweet Pea and I made it to work on time. I am NOT kidding, it was a miracle.

~Although, I probably looked like anything BUT a miracle.

~The brake light would not turn off in my van today. Figures.

~When Bruiser came home from school today, he asked me if I was sick. When I said I felt fine, he said my eyes looked red and weird.

~Um, yeah. Those are called dark circles under my eyes. They happen to be the ONLY Italian gene that was handed down to me. Yeah, I am so thankful.

~More like my Mary Kay lady is thankful. Thankful that I buy concealer in mass quantities.

~I could have inherited the thick, dark hair or the olive complexion. But, no. It was the dark circles (under my blue -very Irish- eyes) ever since the tender age of 3. And, they have only gotten darker.

~Our Christmas tree is STILL not decorated.

~My kids think they are abused since our tree is still not decorated.

~To top it off, my Christmas shopping has barely begun.

~I think I need a personal assistant, don't you?

Happy Monday! Here's hoping that my best friend, Concealer, and I get to spend some quality time together tomorrow.

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!

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!

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!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here with nothing but randomness!

So, I fell off the bloggy train over the last 2 weeks and I have a lot of catching up to do. Two weeks ago, Nurse Boy and I left the kids with my parents and headed to a small, historical town about 1 1/2 hours away. We booked two nights in an Old Victorian Bed and Breakfast and signed up for a 2 day marriage conference. We enjoyed each other, spent a lot of time discussing all of our new insight into our marriage, and took in the sights of the town.

So, may I present to you some randomness from our weekend of bliss...

~~Old Victorian homes are beautiful, breathtaking, and rather creaky.

~~No little people entering your bedroom at the ridiculous hour of 6 AM is fabulous. (And, NO, I do not consider that morning. That, my friends, is still nighttime.)

~~A 10 AM breakfast is GLORIOUS!

~~A hot breakfast made by someone else in THEIR kitchen-- Words cannot describe!

~~If you walk through an antique shop with uneven floors and everything rattles, does that mean you're fat? (This one is Nurse Boy's.)

~~Is it a bad sign if your heater and defrost only work in your van when you are going over 40 miles per hour?

~~Why does that stuff only happen when you are away from home?

~~Going on a trip with a color blind person during the fall is slightly annoying when he has to ask if the leaves are changing colors.

~~For the record, the leaves are GORGEOUS this year. Not that Nurse Boy would know.

~~Look what we came home to:

~~Yeah, the kids convinced Bubby and Papa (my parents) that they MUST experience a banana split. I guess they have never had one before. Since Bubby and Papa were certain that our children must not be robbed of such an experience, they bought bananas and every other topping known to man. We came home to them making their own banana splits. They were VERY generous with their sticky, runny toppings.

~~In MY kitchen.

~~Welcome home!

~~That night I snuggled with Sweet Pea and asked her if she missed me. She very matter-a-factly looked into my eyes and said,"Nope."

~~I don't think "factly" is a word, but I am still going to use it.

~~The boys didn't miss us either.

~~Do you want to know a little secret? We didn't miss them. I know that sounds awful, but Nurse Boy and I really needed a break and they were in VERY capable, loving hands.

~~Eating banana splits.

~~But, we were all happy to be back together. Plus, we are all recharged to take on this thing we do together called life.

~~And, we honestly love our life!

Happy Monday!!!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Monday. Nurse Boy is staying home with the boys today. They have the day off. Ironically, I am the only one who doesn't have the day off. I even agreed to work some extra hours today. And, it is Monday. I know I already said that, but who agrees to work EXTRA on a Monday? Certainly NOT ME.

Except I did.

So, Sweet Pea and I are going to go play with some preschoolers while the men stay home and destroy the house. Oops. Did I type that out loud?

Here's hoping the house isn't destroyed when I come home! As a matter of a fact, I am certain that the laundry will be cleaned, folded, and put away. I am also positive that the bathrooms will sparkle and the kitchen will smell of homemade bread.

Yeah, right...

Ready for some randomness... or randomess, as Jewel stated last week? Fitting, huh?!

~The other day I heard the song, "I Think We're Alone Now," by Tiffany. It almost made me want to put on a sweater dress with some leggings and go to the mall. ALMOST.

~Speaking of the sweater dress, they are selling them at Old Navy. Really? It is really making a comeback? I am pretty sure I will not be sporting that look again. It brings back too many memories of fifth grade in Mr. Graber's class when I... ahem... entered womanhood and my mom had to tell him why I acted weird and had to go to the restroom with my purse one week out of every month. Nope, not wanting to relive that time in my life.

~Last week the boys interrupted a very important episode of Project Runway to come downstairs, in a huff, an hour after their bedtime. The complaint? Bruiser was licking Dimples. WHAT?!?! Apparently I am raising zoo animals who are caged up in bunk beds.

~I wonder how Bruiser will avoid bedtime tonight?

~The other day Sweet Pea was complaining about the "de-gusing" vegetables on her plate while she was dipping her grapes in ketchup. I can't make this stuff up, people!

~Mocha Chip Java Chiller, you are unfairly yummy. Stop calling my name every time I pass a Sonic. You don't play fair with all of your coffee ice cream goodness.

~I hate it when people pull out right in front of me when I am driving and there is no one behind me for MILES.

~Last week a little boy at preschool was wearing a Run DMC t-shirt. He is three. And, I am pretty sure he has NO idea who they are. It made me smile all day long.

Want to join in? Let me know in the comments and I will send some linky love your way!

EDITED TO ADD~
Check out Jewel's randomess HERE.
Michelle has posted her randomness over HERE.

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Monday and I am already behind on my to do list this week. Yeah, that is the sorry truth. The truth that now seems to be my life. I am counting on all of that changing in about 18 years or so. Yeah, I am blaming it on the kids for now. Once they are gone, I am going to have to find another excuse.

But, you came here for some randomness, didn't you? Here it goes...

----Last week we passed a church with a sign out front that said, "Exercise daily... Walk with the Lord!" I love that! Plus, when I get lazy and skip my workout on the treadmill, I can feel less guilty now. I AM exercising daily! I wonder what my doctor will think about that theory?

----Bruiser had quite the soccer game this weekend. We played a coach who was certain that all of his players' college scholarships were riding on the game. They are SIX!

----Oh, and let me not forget about Dimples' 8 AM game that was rained out. Only, our family showed up to the field... dressed and showered... yes, my makeup was on... 8 AM... on a SATURDAY! Grrr....

----I remember when Saturday morning was used to catch up on sleep. Well, I vaguely remember. It was 10 years ago. If my memory serves me right, it was glorious!

----I am thinking about my Christmas Cards already. It is a sick obsession of mine.

----One of these days a family photo shoot is going to send me to the hospital. I find myself stressing over every detail. Is it really too much to ask for us all to look put together for a total of ten whole minutes?!

----Yes. Yes it is.

----The other day Bruiser was asking when he could move out of our home. He wasn't in trouble, nor had he been. We asked him why he was looking forward to moving out of the house. He quickly responded, "Cuz, I need to get out of this house."

----My sentiments some days, too, my son. ;0)

----I am a horrible front seat passenger. HORRIBLE. I OFTEN hit an imaginary brake on the floor and brace myself with the ceiling. I blame it on the fact that I am a better driver than Nurse Boy, so what's a girl to do?!

----We had a wonderful visit with some friends this weekend. They have some land and live in the country. We were admiring their horses while we were there. Dimples noticed a sign on the horse fence and read it out loud to Bruiser and Sweet Pea. "DO NOT TOUCH! ELECTRICAL FENCE." Guess what Bruiser did? Yep. He not only touched it, but he grabbed it tightly with both of his hands. Now, before you call SRS, the fence wasn't turned on. But, Bruiser did not know that. That kid will try anything once. I blame Nurse Boy.

----No wonder why I am going gray!

Have some randomness? If you give me some linky love, I will give you some in return. Just let me know in the comments that your post is up!

Happy Monday everyone!

Edited to add some linky love!
Head on over to read Lisa's post, over at Boondock Ramblings.
Don't forget to check out Brandi over at My Three Bubs.
And, go read my friend, Jewel's post at Down In My Little Valley.
Suz is joining in on the fun, too!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here for yet another exciting Monday.

Yep, it is Monday. And, I am home with a sick Sweet Pea. I actually think she is better today, but she was running a fever last night, so we are laying low just in case. Here's hoping it is nothing!

Time for my random thoughts...

-----I am not a coffee drinker (at least not the black stuff that comes out of my boring coffee maker) but, what is it about a $4 cup of designer coffee that makes it smell and taste oh-so-good?! Once that cup is in my hand, I am certain that I deserve a small beverage that is the equivalent of 2 hot lunches for my boys.

-----Yes, I am drinking one right now. I just KNEW that I deserved one since I am stuck at home with a sick kid. Never mind that she seems fine. I DESERVE it!

-----Our trees are dumping acorns by the bucketfuls. This is no good for a family that prefers to be barefoot in our yard. Ouch!

-----I have been watching a lot of Supernanny reruns. That lady is a genius! Not to mention her "miraculous" ability to solve every family's problems in 60 minutes. Oh, the beauty of editing.

-----I would love to edit out some of my life. Let's start with the middle school years, shall we?

-----The older my boys get, the louder Nurse Boy's voice is on the soccer sidelines. He seems to be oozing competitive spirit. I will start praying for the high school years now.

-----It is never good when you lie back for your brow wax and the hair dresser asks if you want an upper lip wax too.

-----Thanks. I was completely (and happily) unaware that I have a moustache.

-----Since I refused the upper lip wax, I am now certain that everyone is staring at my moustache and not my raspberry pink lip gloss.

-----I shalll NEVER have that lady wax my brows again. Thanks for the new paranoia, lady!

-----Why do I still get zits? I am in my thirties. Didn't my teenage years count for something?

Join me for your random thoughts in the comments or with a post of your very own! Happy Monday everyone!!!!

**EDITED to say that Theresa is playing along over HERE!
And, check out Michelle over HERE!
Don't forget Jewel over HERE!