Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day!



Memorial Day has taken on a new meaning since Uncle Adam entered our lives. Uncle Adam is my sister's fiance. He is lovely. He is active duty military and we are all prepping for his deployment in August. It is going to be a long 9 months or 12 months until we know that he is home safe and sound.


I saw servicemen and women and always appreciated their service - now I feel it. I know that there is so much more than a serviceperson there. There is a girlfriend, wife, daughter, mom waiting for their man to return. My sister is already hurting just spending her time with him until he leaves.


When we travelled to Virginia, Naomi would run up to everyone she saw in uniform, shake their hand and say thank you. It was precious. Granted, half the time they had no idea, but it was really cute.


So thank you to our servicefriends and loved ones. Be safe and come home soon! To their loved ones waiting, thank you. I know your heart hurts - and I hope that your loved one comes home safe and sound......

First Day of Summer Vacation

I can't believe it! The school year is over.


IT seems like just yesterday, I was pregnant and getting teary over sending these two to school.....

So much has happened to these two crazy kiddos of mine. Trey has learned fractions, is almost caught up with his class reading, he won a football championship (GO PLATINUM!), and became a big brother again.

Naomi has grown 4"!!!!! It's crazy! Little weed! She has learned to read, do double digit math, and awed her teachers! (That's PP for you). She has turned into this intelligent little girl who can do the splits and is working on a back walkover and is learning how to back-handspring!


Well, here they are without further ado - yesterday morning before they left on the bus!

GO DONALD GO!!!

(Adam Taylor/ABC/AP)

We are HUGE Packer fans! That might actually be an understatement. Both Keegan & Trey have Packer themed bed-rooms, Naomi has more than one cheerleading outfit. Keegan sees any sport on TV and screams, GO PACK GO! We saw a woman at the grocery store wearing a Packer shirt and Keegan ran up and said GO PACK GO! They thought (what I already know) he is just too cute!


We never watched Dancing with the Stars until Mr. Donald made his debut. We are so worried (as a family) about his future with the Green Bay Packers. We love him so much. Our Trey admires him to the core.


But for now we will celebrate this wonderful victory! YAY! DONALD DRIVER!! WOOT WOOT!!!!!

Nitrous Anyone?

So, I have horrible teeth. I really do. They disintegrate during pregnancy.

So, today I had my crown (the real one) and then I had a filling.


During this visit and the last one they gave me this great stuff called Nitrous???


WHY HAVE I NEVER HAD THIS BEFORE?!?!?!?!??!?!


That stuff is amazing! I would go see the dentist all the time if that stuff was routine. I really like this new dentist (and not just cause he gives me nitrous - even though it does sweeten the deal). I really didn't like the last one. He had a man-crush on my husband. Not that my husband isn't wonderful, I just hate talking about how wonderful he is with a man for an hour or so.

You walk in the door, Hi Fiona, how's Chris???


Really?!??! That guy who doesn't floss?!?!? He isn't flossing still, thanks for asking!

Chris asked me who the new dentist is and I am kinda afraid to tell him. Maybe he should keep going to the old guy, I don't want my new dentist to like him more than me again! I'm the one who's mouth pays the mortgage!




Side note - I am so excited, one of my dear friends birthed her twins today (and looked amazing by the way [and no I don't think that she reads this]). But say a little prayer for them. They were a little early and are in the NICU and Mama Bear is sad.

For my friend Tenille

I love you Tenille! I snapped this, uploaded it....didn't like it...went back to take another. They were gone.

From Scratch Brownies

I wanted chocolate last night. We had nothing in the house. So, I decided to try a new recipe from scratch. Well, the pan is gone between the 5 of us that eat brownies. I think that the kids woke up early to sneak down and a grab themselves one before school....


1 2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
2 Tblsp water
2 lrg eggs
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 325. Grease 9X13.

Combine butter, sugar, water. Stir in eggs & vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, & salt

Mix dry ingredients with wet.


Stir in chips. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 20 minutes or so (I want to say that they cooked a lot longer but I was making dinner at the same time- I know I checked them twice and put them back in). So, just take them out when they don't leave brownie mix on the knife or toothpick or whatever you use to check for doneness.



So YUMMY~ the white chocolate is just the frosting.


Oooohhhhh you could frost them.

First Day

I did it! (and right now I sound like Keegan). I worked my first 12 hour shift. Did I cry on the way to work? Yes, yes I did. I had taken a picture of Halle for the road. It was a nice night at work. I was steady with a sympathetic charge nurse who did NOT overwork me. Another friend reviewed my charting. It definitely took a team to get me through the night. All of my passwords had expired. I had been locked out of every system. I had to check one cervix and I found it! A lot easier said that done! I have to say I was EXHAUSTED though! I left the house to bring Halle and Keegan to the sitter, got halfway there and realized that my breastmilk was on the counter. So, back home...sigh. I slept like a rock....I was exhausted. I still am come to think of it. It felt good to be back. I was ready! 6 months was a LONG time to be gone!