T-Rex named Sue

Nick really loves dinosaurs right now. Ryan asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I told him I wanted to Nick to see T-Rex Sue at the STL science center. It was inexpensive and a really neat experience. It is a cast of the actual T-Rex that is in the Chicago Field Museum. I can't believe how big that thing really is!

Nicks First Real Snow

Nick and I both have a snow day again. It snowed so much more last night. (Betsy I hope you got as much as we did!) I wanted to take Nick out yesterday, but it sleeted all day. When we got up this morning to find "no school" we looked out side to see what awaited us. We have over a foot of snow!

Nick watching daddy clean of his car. Don't you like the plumbers crack?
Can I taste it mommy?

Nick loved the snow until he lost one of his gloves and his hand got wet! We tried to build a snowman, but it is definitely not packing snow!

It has been a while since I posted. I have a lot to catch up on.

• I started a new semester on the 20th and can tell you that by far this is my most exciting! I get OB for 8 weeks and then Med-Surg! I really wanted to specialize in OB to begin with, but when my mom got sick I thought I was interested in Oncology. Being in clinicals for OB have shown me what I really want to do! It is great!
• Nick is having a little problem with the potty. When he is at daycare he does great! When he comes home I constantly remind him to use the potty. He does okay, but then every evening he poops on his floor....takes off his clothes and poops on the floor EVERY NIGHT. He even took his clothes off one day and peed on his bed. We put him on the potty at the same time every night because that just seems to be his schedule. Didn't help I am not sure what to do anymore. I have tried time-out, and taking things away, but then I remind myself he is only two.
• We have mice....We set traps and caught two, but now they are getting smart. I set three traps and laced them with peanut butter. In the morning when I check them the peanut butter is gone but no mice! I got the sticky pads and still no mice. GRRR!
• My 30th birthday was great! It started out kinda shaky because I didn't receive my yearly anticipated call from mom, but I got many wonderful birthday wishes from so many people! My husband even got me a $100 gift card to Victorias Secret...guess the Granny Panties aren't doing it for him anymore!
• I am so excited about the snow. We have not had snow yet this season. Nick has never been able to play in the snow so I can't wait to take him outside. We just have to wait for the sleet to stop.

Sarah Sellz Giveaway!

I love giveaways...I never win, but alway compete. My friend Sarah is having a giveaway. Purses, accesories, etc. She has great merchandise! I have purchased a few and have NEVER been disappointed. Check out her blog and leave a comment for your chance to win.

http://sarahsplayground1.blogspot.com/

GOOD LUCK!

In two days I will be turning the big 3-0. I am just sure my husband has some extravagant surpise party planned for me for this big milestone. (yeah right!) I hear so many people talk about being scared to turn thirty. To me thirty is just another number. I say bring it on. I feel like thirty marks a time of change and new beginnings in my life and honestly I welcome them. I thought I would try to post thirty things you may not know about me or that I would like to change about myself in honor of this big day.

1. I played in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas in 2005. I was able to meet some of the big wigs you see on TV. It was really cool.
2. On August 15th, 2005 I had to have half of my liver removed because of tumors that weighed nearly eight pounds. They were caused from birth control pills. I was in the hospital for 7 days and am now unable to ever wear a bikini again because of the scarring. The doctors told me that I would never be able to have children.....three months later I was pregnant.
3. I feel guilty about not being able to spend a lot of quality time with Nick while I am in school.
4. I let my husband (for the most part) chose my sons name...Nicklaus Tiger....I get to name the next child.
5. I have baby fever, BAD!
6. I miss my mom today as much as I did the day she died.
7. I have a facebook page. It is kind of addicting, but I feel like maybe I'm too old for something like that?
8. I enjoy drinking wine. Especially dry, reds.
9. I am really close to my family. For those of you who know my family, enough said.
10. I like to watch forensic shows. They give me nightmares, but I watch them anyway. The crazier the better
11. I miss my friends from Newton. I wish I had not lost touch with them. In the new year I want to do my best to keep up better.
12. Sometimes I need to take a step back and realize that Nick is only 2. I could be a better parent.
13. When I go to the store, I try to purchase things that are organic as long as I can fit them into our budget. Dang it is expensive.
14. I also try to buy everything whole grain. Expensive too
15. I have numerous "green" shopping bags, but I ALWAYS forget them. You would think I would use the paper bags, but no I opt for the plastic. Something I need to work on.
16. I got many, many nice things for Christmas, but my favorite things were my gift cards to Starbucks.
17. I love to cook, but we eat out alot.
18. We very rarely sit at the kitchen table to eat supper. Usually it is in front of the TV. This is something I should change now while Nick is still young and receptive.
19. I love to grill and eat outside on my patio. I would love to get my husband to share this passion.
20. I fly off the handle very easily. This is a big downfall of mine.
21. I am a purse fanatic.....Thanks Sarah. You help keep this guilty pleasure of mine alive!
22. I have had Nicks pictures taken a few times, but NEVER for his birthdays. I am very disappointed about that. This year he will have 3 year old pictures. We have never had a family picture taken either.
23. I would like to know how to post a link without typing www.etc.
24. I wish my mom would come to me in a dream. Other people tell me she has come to them, but why not me?
25. I love to read. Mostly non fiction and autobiographies.
26. My house is always messy. I try so hard to keep it clean, but with a two year old and a dog it is sooooooo hard.
27. I have fantastic In-Laws who are helping me get through school.
28. I still have some Christmas decorations up.
29. I am thinking about selling Longaberger.
30. I want to find a Church. I continue to say this, but for some reason don't follow through. It is not like back home where you would know every face you saw when you walked in. This is the one thing I want to change this year.

After reading Jamee's post about being addicted to caffeine, I got a real chuckle when my friend Rachel (who is addicted as well) sent me this picture in an email. I thought I would post it for Jamee. Wow, two posts on my blog in a week. You must be pretty special :)

For Jamee

Crispy Chicken Parmesan

1 chicken, cut up and skinned

1 1/4 c. Miracle whip salad dressing

2 c. Cornflakes

1 c. grated Parmesan

1/4 tsp. pepper

Heat oven to 350. Brush chicken with salad dressing. Mix crumbs, cheese and pepper and coat chicken. Place on baking sheet and bake for one hour or until tender.

Heidelberg Soup

5 medium potatoes, diced

3 medium onions, diced

cook in 4 cups of water. After boiling for one minute add 1 pkg of frozen mixed vegetables and cook for 3 -5 minutes. Add 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup and 1 lb of Velveeta. Cook until cheese is melted and veggies are tender.

Have you had a chance to try any of these recipes yet? Let us know how they are.

NOT AGAIN!!!!

Woke up to:

frozen pipes

the nastiest, dirtiest pull up ever

and then

I got puked on....again!!!

Please go away flu bug.

We Have the Bug

The last couple of days have been...well, lets just say filled with way too many bodily fluids. On Wednesday I started to have a really sharp pain in my stomach. I couldn't get comfortable in any position. By Friday I could barely stand the pain so I called the doctor as soon as I woke up. I ended up having a cat scan because they were worried about my appendix. Thank goodness that was not the case. I have a cyst on my ovary that is causing me pain. I also had a touch of the flu bug. FUN! The in-laws offered to keep Nick on Friday night so I could rest. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

6:30 am Ryan's phone rings. Nick has been throwing up since midnight. GRRRR! The in-laws bring him home and even though I am not well myself I get up to care for my little man. I offered him fluids, but as soon as they would hit his stomach (I mean instantly) up it would come. He could not keep anything down. He was beginning to look quite dehydrated. I called the physicians exchange and they suggested he be seen at Children's. So we made the trip to STL. After a bag of fluids and some anti-nausea medicine, Nick was a whole new child. All was good through the rest of the evening and he even slept in his own bed. No more episodes. I was thankful for that and thought the worst was over.....WRONG!

Nick came into our room at about 7am with the same symptoms. Thank goodness the Doc sent home some of that fantastic medicine. All is well with Nick, but now I have a bigger baby to care for...Ryan has the flu!

Fantastic Giveaway!!!!!

My blogger buddy Christina is getting ready to start up her own custom web design business....

You can go to her website to register for a chance to win one of your very own.......

What's included:

2 or 3 column layout

Custom background and colors

Custom header with or without pictures of your choice

Custom post signature

It was really hard to post this because I really want to win, but visit her for your chance to win!

http://christinagblogspot.blogspot.com/

Twenty minutes of my night last night.....

Okay...So last night was one of those nights. It was around 9:30 pm and Ryan was on his way home from his friends house. Nick was crabby from not having a nap all day and I decided it was time to go to bed. I set his sleep timer so he could watch Oswald to fall asleep. (I know, I know, kids shouldn't watch so much TV) Anyway, when the TV kicked off out came Nick. No clothes like normal. He really likes to undress himself when he doesn't want to go to bed. So I step into his dark room and feel something warm squish between my toes. About that time the smell hits me. I do the one legged hop to the light switch only to notice he has pooped on his floor and I stepped in it. This is not the first time he has done this either. GRRRRRRR! So I hop to the bathroom set Nick on the pot, clean myself and my son up and proceed to clean up his floor. I get Nick dressed and back to bed, once again turning on the TV sleep timer. I kiss him good night and close his door. I no more than sit on the couch when I hear this very loud crash. My motherly instinct told me exactly what had happened. I ran to Nick's bedroom to find a screaming, terrified child. He had tried to climb on his dresser to mess with his tv and the dresser and TV both fell over. He came out of the situation with only minor scrapes on his ankle and leg. I have NEVER been so scared in my life. He continued to assure me that "I will neber do dat adin mommy! Dat sdared me." I know my mom and God had to be watching out for him last night.

Welcome Home Uncle Jesse!

Here is a video of my Uncle Jesse's homecoming from overseas. He has been there quite some time and now is able to spend two weeks at home before returning on the 15th of this month. I am so glad he is home safe and sound with his family

The newest member

Hello everyone...meet Sushi, our new pet beta fish!

Probably not the greatest name

in the world for a fish, but hey a little humor is always welcome!

Nick loves him...he was so excited to get him that he shook him up at pet smart and made him throw up. Didn't know that fish could throw up, but let me tell you they do!

Here's to Sushi!