Under the Tucson Sun

the last three months

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Things she has done:

Slept through the night (even though it's not a regular occurrence yet)

Finally rolled from back to front

Jumped in her jumperoo instead of just standing in it

Had her 1st Thanksgiving and Christmas

Gone up 2 diaper sizes....she's now rocking the 3s!

Started on solids (oatmeal, bananas, pears, avocados, and sweet potatoes)

Visited Texas and New Mexico twice!

Almost completely unsupported sitting

Met Santa

Trying to crawl

Laughed and talked

Melted her mama and daddy's heart on a daily basis

I just love this girl!

What to do on a 2 week vacation at "home"

2012-01-18T16:24:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else, when referencing their parent's home/hometown, say they are going home when they go to visit their parents?

Even though our home is in Tucson, my "home" where I feel all warm and fuzzy will probably always be the Texas Panhandle.
Please tell me that I'm not the only one who feels that way....

Well anyways, we are currently on the tail end of this wonderfully long Christmas break from AZ life. It's been pretty wonderful..there is something so beautiful and comforting about the barren flatness that is the Panhandle!

So what have we done during this stay..well I am gonna tell you...in list form because that seems to be my 2012 trend :-)

Take a break
Revert back to Annie's newborn sleeping schedule...I sure did miss those early morning hours....not...
Take more breaks because of the above lack of sleep.
Make 8 key lime pies completely from scratch...our new Christmas tradition!
Take a break after making and sampling said pies....declare them perfection and lapse into a sugar coma.
Load up the pies and take them to those friends and family members that are on our must see list....mind you this takes place over 3 days because of our little one who feels the need to either nap or have a melt down. (Don't worry Annie...your mom was the same way,well she still is...).
Show off nearly 6 month old child to everyone in town....because she is something of a local celebrity. You should have seen everyone at church....she stole the show :)
Take another break, because, well because you can!
Soak up all the grandparent and great grandparent time that can be had by Annie in the span of 2 weeks. I hate that they are so far away!
Attempt to order a new car...complete failure.
Research cars that have the options that we want.
Breathe in all the Texas air you can.
Enjoy this break, spend time with family, escape reality, and make memories!

This is what we did on our 2 week break from reality!

(I realized after being back in AZ for 2 weeks that I failed to publish this....oops)

Happy 2012!

2012-01-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year!

Playing catch-up....Christmas edition

2012-01-04T12:34:00.001-07:00

I feel like I missed Christmas....

Do you all ever feel like that about a holiday?

I mean I know exactly what we did that day, but it was just a little underwhelming...for a few different reasons.

1. I was supposed to work Christmas. And while many people had commented "Oh that sucks," I was kind of looking forward to it. You see I work on a pediatric "cancer" floor, and we were going to make it one Merry Christmas for all of our kids that were in there! I felt like if I wanted to really get into the Christmas thing being super far from our family that would have been the way to do it! However, I was put on call (which I loved spending the day with annie and the hubs, getting the last few things packed up for our trek to Texas). This meant that I had no food to prepare for Christmas dinner....except well toast and peanut butter and some eggs. And did you know that only about 2 places are open Christmas day? So we ate a Furrs....which was pretty ~~interesting~~ awesome. And I spent a good bit of the day holding my phone in anticipation of being called in to work.

2. It was Annie's 1st Christmas and I didn't go all out. She didn't have Christmas pajamas, wrapped presents from her parents, or cookies left out for Santa. Again, I was anticipating her coming to see me at work to be our little family's Christmas celebration.... I also failed to read to her the Christmas story out of Luke, which I am most sad about....because let's face it, that's the real meaning of this season!

3. We drove all Christmas night and half of the day after to get home to Texas....which in theory was an incredibly smart idea. You see, annie is sleeping (or was sleeping until we came to Texas) long stretches at night...somewhere between 6-10 hours. And it made sense to try and drive the distance to our hometown (about 13 hours) while she's doing the majority of sleeping. Well we weren't anticipating the ice/snow storm that we encountered about 4 hours from home. So we spent the early hours of 12/26 trying to stay warm in our car at a gas station in Tucumcari, NM. And then when it started getting light again, we braved the scary roads and got the rest of the way home (even if it took nearly twice as long to get there). Memories right?

BUT, no matter how off I felt about it, I would be wrong to not point out all the blessings from that day. I have a great job, a wonderful family, the opportunity to "come home" for the holidays, safe travels at a time when many cars were not as fortunate, and a husband and baby who were good sports about it all!

And now for the best part of the post...PICTURES!

in the year to come...

2012-01-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

Although I have many posts to write to catch up on what has been going on in our lives since my last post, I wanted to jump on the New Year resolution bandwagon.

I typically don't make any. Mainly because I don't follow through and they usually involve losing weight, and I find it very annoying to try and get fit when the rest of the world is trying to do the same thing (mainly when it comes to the gym being overcrowded!).

However, I've decided that this year will be different. I want to DO more, LEARN more, and CHANGE things for the better. So maybe it's worth writing it all down, in an attempt to motivate myself in a month when I will need it!

And without further ado....~~because I know you all were on the edge of your seats!~~

My ~~12 or~~ 13 Goals for 2012

Do some form of physical exercise every day that I am not working (5 days out of the week). Preferably a walk outside so both Annie and I can get some vitamin D.
Try 12 new healthy foods (that would be 1 a month, does anyone have any suggestions to get us started?) Here's hoping that both Rhett and I like at least a few of them?!
Try to carve out 1 afternoon/night a month to have a date night with the hubs. Being so far away from any family has made it difficult to justify leaving Annie to spend time with just us 2. We know it's so important, and I really miss getting to go see movies!
Read 12 new books (that aren't mainly pictures books with a few lines that rhyme). Any suggestions?
Turn off the tv a little more often, or at least cut back on some of the mind numbing reality tv that I watch. (And when our contract ends with Direct TV maybe just get rid of it....again).
Get more comfortable using my sewing machine. I want to complete 24 projects before the end of the year. Thank you pinterest for the inspiration!
Blog at least once a week....if for no other reason than to document Annie's milestones for our family.
Keep a better record of Annie's life. I've done a pretty poor job during her first 5 months....here's hoping I do a better job over the next year.
Finish up the wedding and baby scrapbook that a sweet friend started for me! (seriously all I have to do people is add the pictures!!)
Cook more healthy meals for us. And try a new recipe every week!
Strengthen the friendships that I have made in Tucson and in all other aspects of life. Also, I want to set aside time every week to talk/skype/email our family!
Become better stewards of our money. If we hope to become a 1 income household in the next year or so, we need to budget better, save more, be better and more consistent about tithing.
Attempt to read the Bible in 1 year, but if that doesn't happen, at least spend time in the Word every day, growing, learning, and applying the scripture in my day to day life.

Phew...well if you made it through reading all of those I am impressed! Here's to a productive and memorable 2012!

How to make...

2011-12-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

Spice Tea!

Over Thanksgiving I caught a fungus....and by fungus I mean a cold. All I wanted was some Spice tea, because I truly believe that it's a cure all for a sore throat! AND it's delicious! So I finally made it today....long after my sore throat was gone, but you see it's chilly out here in the desert, and chilly mornings deserve spice tea as well!

Now the recipe!

1-1/4 cups Tang (yes Tang!)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup instant tea with lemon (I couldn't find any with lemon, so I just used unsweetened instant tea)

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t ground cloves

1/8 t salt

Mix all the ingredients together and put in a storage container. Add 2-3 spoonfuls to a mug and then add hot water. Mix and enjoy (it's good for the soul)! I added some lemon juice to mine and it tasted delicious!!

Playing catch-up

2011-11-04T19:50:00.002-07:00

So here's my attempt at getting back into blogging. If I actually finish this post, it will be 2 posts in a week people! I'm on a roll! :)

I have failed at the whole monthly update things with my sweet baby girl....so how about 3 monthly updates in one (and by updates I really mean pictures)?

Sounds good right?

Seriously though...how does 3 months fly by?

In it for the long haul!

2011-11-01T09:16:00.001-07:00

3 years ago, at this exact moment that I'm typing, I was getting married to the most wonderful man in the world.

During these past 3 years we have weathered quite a storm: job losses, moving, loss of a great man, leaving dear friends, struggling to make new ones, and trying to figure out what the heck we were doing!

But ya know, I wouldn't trade it for anything. You know why? Because, with all the hardships, we have had a fantastic journey! We grew together through it all, our relationship is stronger than ever, and that man still makes me laugh like no one else can. AND he gave me the most amazing gift in the process....

this girl

I am so incredibly thankful that God brought these 2 imperfect people together, to form an imperfect life together.

Here's to many more!

Well....

2011-08-10T12:50:00.000-07:00

We FINALLY had a baby!

Our little Annie was born about 1.5 weeks late by C-Section. I was convinced that because of her stubbornness she was destined to be a red head, but alas she is a little brunette!

We completely in love, and at times a little overwhelmed!

So without any further ado....pictures and video!

Labor and Delivery Playlist

2011-07-03T09:00:00.016-07:00

I posed this question on my facebook, and enjoyed the answers so much that I wanted to share with my blog friends! Oh and if you all have any other suggestions feel free to let me know!

Random Labor thought...

2011-07-02T22:12:00.000-07:00

So this baby is due to make her appearance any day now...and I have one question that runs through my head constantly.

What would I do if my water broke in a public place?

Would I feel the need to ask for a mop and clean it up before going to the hospital?

Would I freak out, say screw this, and get out while my amniotic fluids are collecting on the floor?

I know that for most women, you are already at the hospital before your water breaks, but folks...I'm not most women.

I am quite the hot mess....

So my question to you all is, what should I do if my water breaks in a public place?

Nursery debate and pictures!

2011-04-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend we officially began work on the nursery.

We painted what I thought would be an easy on the eyes yellow, and got the big furniture into the room.

Here's Max trying to get in on the action....or at least his tail.

And our bedding choice, MONKEYS!

So here's the question. What's your first (and honest) opinion of the wall color. I will give you some choices:

a) WHOA my eyes hurt, wish I would have been wearing sunglasses...
b) Looks good!
c) It's a little much at first, but it's growing on me.

I like the wall color in natural light, but at night it's a little much. I'm hoping that when we start adding more things to the walls and in the room, it will look a little less shocking. I really have no desire to repaint the room, so we may resort to sponge painting the walls with a lighter color...

Oh and because I promised to post it, here is the most precious baby picture that I have ever seen....

Post vacation blues...and other late night ramblings.

2011-03-29T23:26:00.000-07:00

Since I decided to disappear again, this may be more an eclectic post than on one specific topic, so please bear with me.

1. I failed to let anyone who may still read this that the sweet baby I am carrying is a GIRL! Yay for pink, and bows, and all things girly! I have a fabulous profile picture, but I am at work at the moment, and don't have access to the file. I fully intent on sharing it with you all, hopefully before the baby is born!

2. Work and life has been incredibly busy. Or I should say that I have no idea where all the time goes. I do a lot of laying in bed when I am not working, and I don't necessarily feel the whole "you're growing a baby" can be a valid excuse. I mean when will I start wanting to nest and get things ready for the baby?

3. We just go back from the most wonderful vacation! We drove from Tucson to Midland, TX to Houston, to Austin, back to Midland, and then sadly wound up back in Tucson. I think it was so wonderful, because it was all focused on seeing family and friends, spending time with people we love, and seeing some of the best parts of Texas. I mean, honestly, Texas is the best state, and the green parts are fabulous (i.e. Austin, and Houston (only in the winter/spring for Houston though). I forget that grass is supposed to be green sometimes... I spent my 27th birthday with people that love us, and it couldn't have been better!

4. So coming back from such a great vacation, put me in a huge funk. My work schedule was all wonky (working like 2 nights on, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off, 2 on) which left me feeling like A)I never got to see my husband, B)I couldn't get anything done, and C)withdrawn, sun-deprived, and sad. Even though we have been here going on 2 years, I have yet to feel that true connection. Yes, we have found a church that has helped fill a void that we were missing for a while, but we don't have really any go-to people. My transition to a new unit, took me away from people that knew me a little bit, to a whole new unit where it's just hard to get established all over again, even though I work with some great people.

I miss having someone I can call up, schedule a lunch date, and just talk to. We know some great people, but it's hard, because I feel like they already have their people, and they don't really need any more. The awkwardness is hard to get past, and I know the more I put myself out there, the more friendships I will make, but it's SO hard when I feel like that's all I do, and continually yield no results.

If you made it to the end, you deserve a hug! I hope you all are doing wonderfully, I have done my best to read everyone's blogs, but haven't been the best at commenting! Again, I will work on this....

motivation where are you?

2011-01-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

First I want to thank you all for the sweet comments over my last 2 posts. You don't know how much your comments have brightened my day! I'm bad at responding back individually, but thank you all...so much!

-------------------

Over the past several months (including pre-baby), I have lacked some serious motivation. I would blame it on the fact that my job afforded me little time to get anything done from Monday morning till Friday night, and that I could barely catch my breath over the weekend, before I started again. Then I blamed the fact that when the baby "appeared," I could barely hold my eyes open for the 8+ hours at work and hold down the metaphorical cookies, before crashing into my bed at a consistent 8PM.

Now I'm supposed to being the glorious 2nd trimester (15 weeks) and feeling energized and wonderful....and well I feel the same if not worse than I did at 7 weeks. I caught some nasty cold making me feel like I was hit by a mack truck, and the nausea is still there. (And please don't tell me it only gets worse....cause I like being optimistic that I won't feel this bad for the remaining 6 months, even if I don't feel any better). I no longer work the 5 day a week job, which I am so thankful about, but I have no motivation for anything.

So I am asking all you readers out there, how do you motivate yourself, because more than likely you are all busier than I am, either with kids, clubs, hobbies, more difficult jobs, etc. I feel overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done, and I know that's a huge part of my problem. How do you break things up into "do-able" tasks, stay motivated through it, and still get it all done. Ideally I would love to spend an entire day, organizing all the crap in our house, cleaning every speck of dust, and still have time to breath. I know that at this point in time that is not realistic, and part of the reason why I can't get myself started on all the projects that need to be accomplished!

So please any input would be greatly appreciated. Cleaning used to be cathartic to me, it is what would keep me sane during nursing school, but now I just let it all pile up, and stress me out!

fear, unworthiness, and faith

2011-01-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

When I came to the realization that I was pregnant in November, about a million things went through my mind, but I want to talk to you about 3 major themes that these thoughts could be categorized into: Fear, unworthiness, and faith.

Fear
This pregnancy came as a shock to both of us. We weren't going to really start trying until January, and we had recently talked about waiting even longer, so that Rhett could start school, we could get some bills paid off, and we could get more prepared for parenthood. Well, obviously these were not the plans God had for us.

I had the fear that Rhett would be upset that this had happened, and I am happy to report that he was more excited by the positive pregnancy test than I was.

I had the fear about how my body would tolerate this pregnancy. I didn't know if my heart would handle this well, if my lupus would cause more problems, or if I would have problems with my blood clotting and potentially causing some major complications.

I had the fear that we wouldn't be able to afford this. I have always wanted to stay at home with our babies, and we have been actively saving for a "SAHM fund" since March, but would it be enough?

I had the fear that since I was changing jobs (more about this in another post), that it would be too much change all at once.

I had the fear of an unhealthy baby. After being a pediatric nurse for so long, I have been inundated with sick kids. I have seen so many different diseases, from cancer to birth defects to terrible life altering accidents, that it has always made me worried that this would be my fate.

And I worried that I had been drinking too much diet coke before I realized I was pregnant.....out of all of these fears, this is the one that makes me laugh!

Unworthiness
In several different aspects of our lives, we have been inundated with couples who are struggling to start their families. Several women in our Sunday School class are struggling with infertility and all the feelings that go with that.

Another couple is aware that they are in fact infertile and they are struggling with adoption.

Others that I either know or know of have dealt with recent miscarriages, deaths of the fetus late in pregnancy (38.5 wks), or infant deaths shortly after birth.

I look at all these women who have been struggled so much with what many would consider the most guaranteed female roles, and wonder why we have been blessed with conceiving so easily. I was SURE that it would take us a long time to get pregnant, that I would probably miscarry (because of the lupus), and none of that has happened. I struggle with the guilt of not initially being overjoyed when I looked at the positive pregnancy test, when so many of those women close to me would give nearly anything for the same results.

Faith
And through all these questions and concerns, God has a plan for us. There is a reason that I am pregnant, and I have found a great peace in regards to all the fears that I have highlighted previously.

I have been blessed with a healthy pregnancy. I have had some pretty difficult and lingering morning sickness, but as a fellow coworker said to me, "It means that baby is healthy." At the most recent ultrasound, baby has 1 head 2 arms, 2 legs, and a strong heart rate.

Through everything, I feel so blessed. I have been given an amazing opportunity and can't wait to see where everything leads!

I have been busy!

2010-12-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

Knock knock.....

Is anyone still out there?

-----------------------------------------------

Life has been CRAZY! SO many things happening, and this is why I have been MIA for the better part of 3 months(ish). I have my reasons, but most importantly I have been busy....

Very busy....

growing something very special....

something that looks a little like this....

And we are about 95% positive that it's human, but the verdict is still out!

So this can count as our official announcement. With many more details to come later!

Even though I haven't been very present in the blogosphere, I have been doing my best to keep up with everyone's blog. I may not be commenting, but I have been reading! Along with the baby, many other changes have been happening, and I honestly do hope to be a better blogger because of them!!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and will have a safe New Years! Love to you all!

He did it!

2010-10-28T21:42:00.001-07:00

The Hubs got a blog!

Check it out!

you are in for quite a treat!

Binding up my broken heart

2010-10-11T21:17:00.000-07:00

God is so good!

Can I get an AMEN?!

I know it has been a while, and that was unfair for me not to update you all sooner! I have so appreciated all the prayers that you all have spoken over Rhett and me during this time. I felt them during the "unknown" period of this whole situation. God gave me peace and understanding no matter what the best course of action would need to be.

That being said...

I got incredible news when I went to see my surgeon 2 weeks ago!

NO SURGERY!

I am not quite sure how my cardiologist and surgeon came to this conclusion, but my heart looked better during the cardiac cath than the echo had originally made it seem. The concern about the left-to-right shunt is something that they both feel has been the same all my life!

So they both feel that my heart is stable enough for babies (which I am so excited about), but my OB wants me to see a perinatologist for counseling of my risks first.

God is so faithful and His timing is perfect. I am so thankful for this news, and can't wait to see where our next chapter in life will lead us.

And through it all, my heart will keep on beating...maybe not the lub-dub you all hear with yours, but a whoosh-whoosh, just the way I have always liked it!

I always liked to do things my way and be different....and if you don't believe me, just ask my mama!

The heart of the matter

2010-09-26T20:08:00.001-07:00

I write today to offer an explanation from this post. Beware, it is very long.

The past month or so has been a whirlwind regarding my health. Actually, I need to back up a little to explain where I am at now.

I was born with a VSD. So basically all my life, my heart has made a "whooshing" sounds instead of the normal "lub-dub" that a heart should make. It has never caused a problem or been a concern for me, other than the pre-medication before a dental appt. (Ehh that's kind of a lie, ~~but for this story's sake, it has always been somewhat benign. Another day I will talk about my other health problems~~).

While I lived in Albuquerque, I had the opportunity to participate in a research study that also found a nearly undetectable ASD. However, my heart was still very healthy, and neither of these murmurs caused any problems.

Fast forward to August (of this year), and I went to establish care with an OB/GYN, because Rhett and I were looking to start trying for babies in a few months. Upon hearing about my cardiac history, she felt that it would be best to be looked over by a cardiologist and have the necessary echocardiogram performed to verify that my heart was healthy enough for pregnancy.

I knew that there would be no change, so I happily made my appointment, battled the Monsoon to make it to said appointment, and plopped down on the table for them to press on my chest with a sonogram machine for 20 minutes. During this time the tech said things like, "Wow, how come you never had this repaired? We never see adults with these kinds of murmurs." And then I start to feel uneasy, concerned that he can see things that may indicate my heart is not as healthy as I had thought.

Well, my fears were confirmed about 5 minutes after the test was over. The cardiologist came into the exam room, and told me pretty bluntly that my heart pressures were more than double what it was 3 years ago, and that he wanted to send me to a surgeon to talk about repair. I, of course, start crying, and the conversation continued like this (between sobs of course),
Me: "What kind of surgery will this mean."
Cardiologist: "More than likely Open-heart surgery."
M: "What is the recovery time for it"
C: "About 2-3 months"
M: "If I lost the 30 lbs I have gained since 3 years ago, will it go back to normal?"
C: "Probably not"

I left the office a complete mess. I went in thinking that it would be a run-of-the-mill appointment, him telling me that everything was fine, but it wouldn't hurt for me to lose some of the extra weight I had packed on.

Well not so much. obviously...

So I met with the surgeon a week ago (that was the important appointment I had), and he basically said that he thinks I will need the surgery, that it will be open-heart, but I could go back to work after 4-6 weeks, and the full recovery would be 2-3 months. He also stated that during the operation he could repair both defects and not just the VSD (which was causing all the problems). As difficult as this was to hear, I felt that God's timing couldn't have been more perfect. He gave the OB the foresight to have me checked out, which revealed a fixable defect, that would have had the potential to seriously affect me and the baby I may have been carrying.

Pretty incredible huh, God never ceases to amaze me in the protecting hand He has on my life.

Well the surgeon ultimately wanted me to have a cardiac cath to verify the need for surgery, because sometimes the echo can sometimes be wrong.

I had this done Friday. And after a brief, drug-induced discussion in the recovery room with the cardiologist, it revealed that my pressures appeared better than they had previously on the echo, but my heart was still shunting blood from the left ventricle to the right ventricle at a rate of 1.46 (if you are confused just remember that your heart SHOULD NOT do this at all). The actual cut-off point for surgery is 1.50. So, I am just below the need for surgery. However, my doctor did say that he would recommend surgery IF I wanted to get pregnant.

And then I passed out in the restroom right before I was discharged. That was neat. At least I didn't wind up with a bruise on my face like the last time I fainted. That ~~is my typical MO.~~

So that's where I am. It looks like I will be having surgery, and it will probably be in November (with nothing confirmed yet), because I kind of want to get it over with!

Even after hearing that I will be forever changed through this operation, I feel so incredibly blessed through it all. I know that through every trial and hardship, there is are reasons why we go through it. God knows my heart (in more ways than one) and my desires for kids, but He also knew that I wasn't physically and mentally prepared for them, at least not yet.

Through it all I have felt incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by loving people and many many prayers. A special thank you goes out to my sweet husband, wonderful family, and all my old, new, and blog friends

I know that most importantly, my heart is in the Ultimate Healer's Hands.

"What did Max do" Wednesday

2010-09-15T06:49:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for the kind words yesterday! I greatly appreciate your prayers and I know the others I mentioned do as well!

To lighten up the mood today, I decided to bring back WDMDW!

Max has had a pretty boring few months, other than getting to spend time with his uncles and aunt....Baxter and Scooter (my folks dogs) & Molly and "unnamed dog who went my about 10 different names while we were there" ( Marmie's dogs).

Unfortunately I didn't get any good pics of those butt-sniffing reunions, but here are a few recent ones!

Here is my little old dirty dog showing me some love! He's so cute!

When I see this picture, I like to start singing the song..."Every move you make, every step you take, Max is watching you!"

I hope you all have a great Wednesday! Just remember we are halfway to Friday!

a heavy heart

2010-09-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Dear friends I come before you today to ask for your prayers for things not only happening in my life, but to some sweet people around me.

#1-Please be in prayer for a friend, former coworker, and sister in Christ, CP. After having many symptoms, she had a hysterectomy and the pathology came back this week showing a rare form of agressive uterine cancer. She is the person who made me feel like I belonged when I was living in Albuquerque. She encouraged me, invited me to be a part of a life changing Bible study, and loved me like a daughter. Pray that she continues to remain pain free, and if it is His will that her scans this week will show clean lungs, and hope for a complete cure. If not, pray for peace over her and her family.

#2-Prayers for my sister-in-law, Melissa, that she continues to recover from her unexpected surgery! That little precious baby of hers missed her mama!

#3-Prayers for a current coworker's husband Harry. He is suffering from cancer (I believe chronic lymphocytic leukemia) caused from effects of agent orange. I don't know a whole lot other than he has dealt with many health issues over the years including cardiac arrest on 3 different occasions, the loss of a kidney, and severe diabetes. She (my coworker) is an amazing person. She works after everyone goes home (except for me) as a housekeeper, and she has the biggest smile on her face. She is a believer, but her husband is not, so also pray that God touches his heart during all of this.

#4-And prayers for myself and Rhett. I have a very important doctor's appointment on Thursday morning. What this doctor says, will affect us both pretty significantly and change my life forever. I promise to post more about this when we have some answers. I am asking for peace in this situation and patience.

Thank you all. So many terrible things are happening to people, but through it all I can see the provision and love of the Lord.

Belated birthday love

2010-09-13T07:00:00.006-07:00

Well I missed posting about Rhett's birthday because we were in a fun little city called New York!

So in honor of him now being a year older and even more handsome.....Here are the 26 reasons why I love my husband.

#26-You are really tall (like 5 ft 18in)

#25-You have a really awesome name

#24-You have a wonderful family

#23-You love said family

#22-You love my family

#21-You like to make fun of how my brother sighs (don't hate Sean)

#20-You have mad dancing skills

#19-You have some mad singing skills

#18-You are so easy going

#17-You usually do what I tell you to (i kid i kid)

#16-You like to drive

#15-You have an unreal amount of knowledge on a lot of random (and sometimes completely useless) things

#14-You like watching Prison Break with me

#13-You eat my crappy cooking, even when I make white chili with crunchy beans

#12-You do love my cookies however

#11-You try really hard to do sweet things for me, and most of the times you succeed (except with the cinnamon-raisin bagel).

#10-You make everyday an adventure

#9-You let me complain about stuff and don't hate me if I say mean things

#8-You have that lovely little angel kiss on your head

#7-You don't compromise your principles or morals for anything

#6-You always make me laugh and have the best one-liners

#5-You are respected by so many people

#4-You are weird like me (and aren't afraid to admit it)

#3-You are a godly man and continually going further in your walk with Him

#2-You make me feel beautiful

#1-You love me, and made a promise to love me forever nearly 2 years ago. Thank you for making me the happiest girl in the world that day!

knock knock

2010-09-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

who's there?

Kelley.

Kelley who?

I'm afraid that is the blog this has become...."Under the Tucson Sun" who?

It's been a busy few MONTHS!

However, I will try to be less absent and more entertaining!

Why?

Because Max has sure missed all the lovely comments he used to get!

So here's to turning over a new blog leaf!

How to salvage the work week...

2010-08-31T07:36:00.000-07:00

You watch this! Seriously, one of the best videos I have ever seen!

Keeping it real

2010-08-18T20:38:00.001-07:00

Is anyone else WORN OUT when you get home from work?

Well WE are!

Ridiculously worn out in fact, and in effort to not eat out every meal (which we nearly do, but who's keeping track right?) I have been ~~unsuccessfully~~ utilizing the crock pot.

After the latest unpleasantly, underwhelming creation on Monday, we were both so tired that we just decided to go to bed. We had both worked an incredibly long day, and just said to heck with it all!

Well, fast forward to today, and the still unwashed crock pot full of unpleasant food.

We both decided it was time to tackle the "Pot of Despair." And then watch more Prison Break.

So here's how the conversation went.

Rhett: Well I guess I should clean the crock pot.
Me: Do you have the Haz-Mat suit because we may need it.
Me: So I think you should throw the fermenting meat into the trash, run and throw it into the dumpster, rinse it out and then just fill it up with soap.
Rhett: Sounds like a plan.
Me: But make sure to put some water in it too
Rhett: Well I was just going to fill it up with soap until we run out of every type of soap we own, laundry, dish, AND hand soap.

This is what happens when the toxic food fumes get to you.

And in case your wondering, no one died in the cleaning of the crock pot...It's actually still soaking in soap AND water at the moment.

Tuesday morning sing-a-long

2010-08-17T06:09:00.000-07:00

My life is pretty boring.

And I'm generally just fine with that.

That being said, Rhett and I are weird people.

And without further ado, here's my morning story.

I was doing my normal morning thing, laying in bed, with the news blaring in the background, catching up on the internet that hasn't changed much from 8 hours ago.

Rhett was getting ready, and comes over to give me a goodbye kiss. Well, I added in a friendly tush tap, which happened to be on the cheek with his wallet.

I then proceeded to start singing, "He works hard for the money....so hard honey honey."

The end.

Nothing like a tush tap, and sleep deprivation to inspire a sing-a-long.

(Sorry for wasting a few minutes of your life, I hope to crank out a real post soon!).

Google Reader is making me a better blogger...

2010-08-10T20:49:00.004-07:00

Or at least commentor!

I have blogged before about how much I love Google Reader, but hated the fact that I couldn't leave comments through it. Well thanks to another blogger, I have found Google Reader's saving grace.....

The NEXT button

And what does this button look like?

So here's how it works.

1. Click the button and you are taken to the most recent posts, as per your Google Reader.
2. You get to view the post on the Blogger's actual website.
3. Comment immediately
4. Then continue to the next!
5. It marks the posts as read in your blogger!

Amazing huh? Nearly perfect!

So now you probably want to know how to get it?

Right?

Well follow these steps!
1. Open Google Reader
2. Click on Settings (right upper corner)
3. Select Reader Settings from the drop down menu
4. Click on the "Goodies" tab
5. Then follow the directions for the "Put Reader into a bookmark" section!

Easy right?

Well I hope you love it as much as me! Most of you know by now that the simple things are always the most exciting for me!

done and did it

2010-07-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

(Side note: 2 posts nearly on consecutive days....I'm turning over a new leaf!)

I am obsessed with TV, specifically reality TV.

If it is produced, I will more than likely watch it.

Mr. Rhett does not like this.....one bit.

But come Friday, I will be saying goodbye to my beloved cable reality shows.

How?

We are getting rid of our cable.

We will only have channels 2-28, and this is just so we can watch the news, and for me to get my home shopping on.

(Everyone likes a good reason to watch QVC and HSN right?)

right?

Why are we doing this?

#1- I waste too much time watching tv and the dvr. Nothing that I watch is truly meaningful (at least in regards to reality shows). I need/want to spend more time with God, Mr. Rhett, Max, house chores, and sewing (and blog!). The TV is just too easy of a distraction, and I can't stop myself from watching it. I would eventually like to get rid of any sort of programming, but I need baby steps here. This is a TV detox folks!

#2- Cable is expensive! With the DVR, we are paying around $75 for extended cable. Come Friday, we will pay $21 for basic no box. Strong work Team Lawrence!

#3- My mind is slowly turning to mush. I need something intelligent to keep my brain from running out through my ears!

#4- If I had a moment of weakness and needed to relapse, I can watch the shows for free ONLINE!

Wish me luck. I am really excited to see what will happen with all my new found "free time!"

FOUND (I think)

2010-07-25T21:46:00.000-07:00

A few months back, I wrote about what seemed to be a never ending search for a church.

Well, we may have found one!

But first, I have a side story to tell you all.

I went to a small Methodist college in Texas, and I LOVED it. I was meant to go to a small school. I met some of the most wonderful people, and left there with brothers, sisters, and supportive adults who really cared about me and wanted me to succeed. My professors and the President of the college knew me and we still keep in contact.

Well, while Rhett and I were trying out yet another church, we sat down in a traditional Methodist church in the retirement community about 10 minutes south of us. I look up at the pulpit, then turn and tell Rhett that I knew one of the ladies sitting up there. Well in fact it was a former professor, who has since retired and become a part time pastor. Even though her church isn't the church for us, I feel that God allowed our paths to cross 4 years after I graduated. It was so nice to see her! I love McMurry!

Ok, now back to the original topic. We went to a new church this morning, at the invitation of a new friend, and felt welcomed. Finally! There were people our age, that were so nice, and they invited us to their 20s-30s/Young Marrieds Bible Study.

It has been one year of searching, dashed hopes, loneliness, and prayer, but it is always in His perfect timing!

At the movie show...

2010-07-18T07:55:00.000-07:00

When I see incredible movies, I like to pretty much let everyone know. And this weekend, we saw two fantastic movies!

Last week I started listening to The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson. I am only 1/4 way into the audio book, but I found out that the movie was on Instant Watch on Netflix. And from what my coworker told me, it followed the book very closely, so we watched it.

And I've got to tell you, many of the things about this movie shocked me. Parts of it made me feel physically ill (I don't want to reveal why, because I don't want to ruin the book/movie for anyone), but it moved quickly and I thought it was a really good story line. It is a swedish film with subtitles, but very good. Just a warning, in parts it is very violent and there is some nudity, so if you don't normally watch those movies, maybe read the book first, then decide if you want to watch the movie.

And by far one of the best movies I have seen in a while is Inception! I wasn't really on the band wagon to see this movie, because the trailers are so vague, BUT you NEED to see it!

It is a little long, but it moves so quickly and you are trying to just wrap your mind around all the concepts that are being discussed, that you just don't realize it. It stays with you even after the movie is over. Rhett and I are still thinking about it! There is some "shoot 'em up" type violence, but overall it's a very clean movie.

So folks, go grab your popcorn and sodas, and enjoy some thought provoking flicks!

All images courtesy of google images.

How to make...

2010-07-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

English Muffin Bread!

I love to bake....but I just don't feel like I have the time anymore, nor do I want to heat up my entire house during the Arizona summer.

So what does this girl do? She finds the best bread recipe that requires a minimal amount of oven and prep time!

And without further ado, I bring you this recipe!

Dry:

3 Cups flour
1/2 Tablespoon sugar
1teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1-2 Tablespoons cornmeal

Wet:
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (or 1 packet) + 1/4 cup warm water (combined)
1 cup warm milk
1 Tablespoon shortening (or butter, approximate measurement)

1. Combine the yeast and warm water, and let sit.
2. Combine all dry ingredients and mix together.
3. Throw in the shortening/butter and incorporate into the dry ingredients.
4. Add the warmed milk and yeast mixture.
5. Knead for a minute or so (or if you are lazy like me, use the dough hook on your kitchenaid).
6. The original recipe said to divide the dough into 2 pans, but my bread pans are too big, so I put all the dough into 1. Before doing that, I sprayed the pan with Pam, and dusted it with cornmeal.
7. Let it rise until it's double in size....about 2 hours.
8. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes (that's right 15 minutes!)

One tip for this finished product is that it does need to be toasted to taste the best! I hope you enjoy this recipe! The bread is relatively healthy, and you can change it up and use whole wheat flour and leave out the shortening, and I can guarantee it will still be delicious! It also freezes well!

I adapted this from a recipe found here.

2010-07-01T21:29:00.002-07:00

ONE

2010-06-30T04:00:00.004-07:00

One phone call changed our lives forever.

One day we will never forget.

One man that is missed terribly

One year ago today.

Please don't let One day go by without letting others know how much you love them. You never know what tomorrow will bring.

We miss you Steve. You were an amazing man, and we will never forget your stories, smile, and laugh.

Epiphany!

2010-06-14T07:59:00.000-07:00

This story is divided into 2 parts....mainly because it's so disjointed, and I'm not creative enough to connect the 2 stories!

Part 1:
Lately, I have been feeling a little old. I am now 27, and don't understand how the last 4 years since college have flown by so quickly!

Part 2:
Every week at work I attend a Neuro-Oncology Tumor Board.

Say What?

Think of it as a House episode, where doctors sit around discussing specific patients, and coming up with the best treatment options to treat neurological cancers.

I'm still not to sure why my doctor needs me to go, but it's quite an interesting forum.

So anyways, last thursday I was sitting in Tumor Board, and they were introducing a new patient who happened to be a 26 year old female.

This was about the point where I zoned out, and started thinking about how old I am. And I was thinking, "Man, I wish I was still 26. I feel so OLD."

And then I looked at the MRI films of this patient, and noted the birth date.....

3/**/1984

I then realized I was only 15 days older than her.

Which led to my realization that I am in fact 26.

And that made my day!

You see....I have been thinking I was 27 for several months (granted I did realize I was 26 at the time of my birthday, but apparently I forgot that 2010-1984=26). And I have shared with several people that I am 27.

My family has always said that underneath the red hair, I am a natural blonde....and I am believing them more everyday!

So I will now enjoy the remaining 9 months of my 26th year of life....thank you very much!

Jumping in

2010-06-07T06:44:00.000-07:00

As you know from one of my recent posts, I love the pool. I have always been fond of the water.

Every summer, my grandma would take me to the pool with her, and while she did water aerobics with the "don't get my hair wet" ladies, i would swim and swim and swim (sometimes with one of her old-fashioned swim caps on! I was a hottie). You would have to bribe me to get out of the water (the bribe would consist of a grilled cheese, with a side of ketchup and cajun fries...ohhh the memories), and then my mom would usually take me out again later in the day!

Then in 7th grade I joined my schools swim team, and I was in a pool year round! Swimming saved my life (totally not joking, but that's a topic for another post). I was never good at sports, but put me between 2 lane ropes, and I could get some work done (and I enjoyed it). I swam competitively thru my freshman year in college, and then my social life started to matter more than it had before.

Well fast forward 7-8 years (gasp...i feel really old), I am in need of an exercise intervention! So I have decided that the running thing didn't work out....I will try swimming.

So today this is what my fat butt swam (all distances are in yards):

2 X 200

4 X 100

8 X 50

____________

1200 yards

And then I pooped out, but that's not too bad all things considered!

So there you have it.

Day 1 of the Exercise Intervention-COMPLETE!

Any suggested workouts would be appreciated!

What have we been up to lately?

2010-06-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

In my blogging absence, this is what we have been up to!

1. Both of us have been working like crazy people! Rhett's job is jam packed with things that need to get done. As for my job, people haven't stopped getting cancer, so I've been super busy as well! We are enjoying it all for the most part, and are just happy to be employed!

2. Meeting new neighbors at block parties and game nights!

3. Fighting off killer bees...well not killer, but they sure were scary!

4. Spending Memorial Day with our wonderful friends in Albuquerque. I didn't take any pictures (sad sad day), but some of our sweet friends did! We definitely miss everyone there, and we didn't want to leave, but it was great to spend time with them!

5. Eating way to much of this! Be still my heart! This stuff is INCREDIBLE!

6. Painting! We are on a mission to get our house painted this summer! It makes sense since Arizona summers are unbearable, and why would we want to get out of the house when it's 115 degrees outside? Not me!

There's much more, but then I wouldn't have any blog material! So that's all for now! Have a wonderful Sunday!

Summertime scents

2010-05-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

Before we lived in a year-round Summertime state, one of my favorite things about summer was all the smells that go along with it. They bring back all the wonderful memories of growing up, summer vacations, and adventures along the way.

So without further ado, here is my list of must have summer scents.

1. Swimming Pools!

I grew up about 20 hours away from the ocean, so I LIVED in the pool growing up. What can I say....I'm a Pisces and am a fish. The chlorine smell brings back so many wonderful memories or summers spent with my grandmother, cousins, my swim team, and eating ice cream sandwiches and macaroni and cheese after a long afternoon in the pool.

Am I the only person who would crave Mac and Cheese (the blue box kind) after hours in the pool?

I am a weird one...

2. Sunscreen!

It is a summer necessity for the pale red head, and smelling it floods my mind with wonderful moments remembered. Please friends, wear your sunscreen. We have seen so many people come to my clinic with Malignant Melanoma, and that stuff spreads like WILDFIRE! If you do nothing else this summer....put on that sunscreen!

3. Bath and Body Works Sweet Pea Body Spray.

I discovered this scent during college and LOVE it! It reminds me of college days, my "sorority," and all of my wonderful friends! Oh how I miss the McMurry years!

4. Calgon Hawaiian Ginger body spray.

Can you tell that I'm not much for overpowering perfumes? The body spray in my opinion gives the perfect amount of refreshment, without suffocating those around me!

Anyways, I LOVE LOVE this scent. In high school, my dear friend Amanda introduced me to this smell, and it just reminds me of those summers when she would visit and we would spend time catching up (and getting into some trouble)!

5. Bar-b-Que's

Who doesn't love the smell of a good cook out? Seriously? Who doesn't love the smell of meet grilling and spending time with friends and neighbors?

Seriously? Find me someone who doesn't, and I will show you a pig that can fly!

6. And my new favorite scent, Febreze Hawaiian Aloha Air Freshener.

This spray is like summer in a bottle! It's wonderful, and what I love most is that this Febreze collection of air fresheners helps to eliminate odors and not just cover it up!

I hope you all have a safe and wonderful summer filled with memories, friends, family, and fun!

(All images courtesy of Google Images, and I was not paid for any of my endorsements, I just wanted to pass on my love for these products to you!)

Drumroll please!

2010-05-24T06:52:00.002-07:00

And the winner is...

***

#9

Q, La, and Gooner said...

I would choose this one:

http://www.csnsofas.com/Palliser-Furniture-4609322-PAF3509.html

It looks pretty comfortable!

Congrats La! Email me at kelleyandrhett@gmail.com and Jessica from CSN will get your gift certificate in the mail!

Thank you to everyone for entering! I hope you all have a wonderful Monday, and hope to start blogging more regularly from now on!

"What did Max do" Wednesday

2010-05-19T07:43:00.000-07:00

Max loves the dirt....

I have decided that while we are at work, he is just rolling around in it.

But it makes him a happy boy!

(Don't worry, he has gotten a hair cut and a bath since these photos were taken!).

Don't forget to enter my giveaway! Only 3 more days left!

If you have a case of the Mondays then....

2010-05-17T08:09:00.003-07:00

Host a Giveaway!

I was recently contacted by CSN stores, and have been given the opportunity to giveaway $40 to any of there over 200+ stores.

CSN stores have a wide variety of things to choose from, like a sleeper sofa, kitchen items, home decor, and shoes.

Just browsing through the different sites, I love the fact the many of the items featured have free shipping, and the prices are very competitive. How can you go wrong?

So how do you enter?

Well that's easy!

I'm giving everyone 3 opportunities to win the $40 gift card!

#1 (Mandatory) You must be a follower and/or subscriber of my blog to enter this giveaway. Make sure to leave a comment telling me that you follow my blog, and you're automatically entered!

#2 Blog about this giveaway and let your friends know about the opportunity to win some free stuff (and leave me a comment letting me know you did this!).

#3 Go to this CSN store, and let me know your favorite sleeper sofa! Why a sleeper sofas? Well because who doesn't love a good sleeper sofa? It's like a couch, but it's also a bed! BONUS!

Mine just happens to be this one!

Good luck everyone! The giveaway ends on Friday the 21st at 5 PM Pacific Time!

And I hope everyone's Monday goes quickly!

In the mood for a.....

2010-05-13T06:02:00.000-07:00

GIVEAWAY?

Well stay tuned because Monday I will have a great opportunity to win a fabulous prize!!!

Baby Pains

2010-05-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

I have an announcement to make....

my womb is begging to be "with child."

I have come down with a case of what some people lovingly call...

BABY FEVER.

I have a few ideas about why this may be happening....

#1. It probably has something to with this sweet addition to the family

Welcome to the world Miss Hannah Joy! Your Aunt and Uncle can't wait to spoil you rotten!

#2. 3 of my current coworkers are about to have a baby, and 4 of my old coworkers have or are about to have a baby.....and they are just sooo cute!

#3. I no longer work exclusively with kids....which makes unable to remember that they cry, need things, and will prevent Rhett and I from going to the movies anytime we want!

#4. I am approaching the end of my 20s, and hear the resounding tick-tock of my maternal clock!

#5. This movie...

I mean seriously....can you watch this and not feel your womb yearning?

So I will be getting my baby fix Friday by watching the above movie in the theater....

And if anyone would like to send us their squooshy baby to love on....email me....and I will send you our physical address!

(By the way....parentals and family members of ours...please don't misinterpret this blog post as our announcement of pregnancy....We are indeed NOT pregnant!)

Ladies...We NEED this!

2010-05-02T06:56:00.001-07:00

4/19/95

2010-04-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

Do you remember where you were?

I loved the original...

2010-04-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

and I also love this version.

Heard this on the radio this morning and had to share it with you all!

conversations with my husband...

2010-04-05T21:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight I let my husband pick our dinner location...

Bad Idea.

It was this place called El Pollo Lucky (Not to be confused with El Pollo Loco). It was not such a lucky establishment. If I am too sick to go to work tomorrow, I will know who to blame.

Anyways, here is an actual conversation we had while dining at the ~~fine~~ creepy establishment.

Rhett: How's your dinner?

Me: Eh it's not terrible (BTW I was lying).

Rhett: I'm sorry we came here..

Me: I'm not, this could have been my favorite place to eat. And if we wouldn't have come here, we wouldn't have found out that it wasn't.

I'm telling you that we have non stop excitement in our household!

Empty = Full

2010-04-04T06:41:00.000-07:00

It was no coincidence that Beth Moore's message last week was so appropriately timed for this Easter Season. I want to share some of what she talked about today. Soak it in friends, it is some GOOD stuff!

Luke 24:5-6
"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has RISEN!"

Because the tomb was EMPTY, NOTHING in our life is meant to be EMPTY; it is meant to be FULL, full of Grace, Faith, Proclamation, Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace!

Because of Christ's Glorious Resurrection, the tomb alone is EMPTY!

Are you living your life to the fullness that God has intended? I know I haven't, and Beth's message was a wake up call for me.

I hope you have a wonderful Easter, remembering what we are truly celebrating!

We are what we are, because He is who He is!

I choose Joy!

2010-04-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

This is a 2 part post, so bear with me!

1. At work I have to take a shuttle in because the parking situation is not ideal near the University of Arizona. As I was getting onto the shuttle yesterday, the driver (who happens to be my favorite) commented to another passenger how I am always smiling. I quickly thanked him, and commented on the fact that I don't have a very attractive angry face, so I don't want to scare everyone away even if I'm in a bad mood.

But that comment got me thinking. Over the years, I have learned that a smile can greatly improve not only my mood, but those around me. It is a conscious choice I make to plaster that smile on my face, because even if I'm not feeling the smiley-ness inside at first, it will quickly spread to those around me and in turn affect my attitude in a positive way. I want to be a person that can be referred to as "always smiling," because I want to show that I feel joyful even if a situation may be less than ideal (like the partially awake state that is the beginning of every morning). An old college friend of mine used to say, "Happiness is a choice." And it truly is, as is Joy.

On most days, I don't feel that I have much to offer, but if I can bring a smile to another person's face, joy to their heart, and show the love of Christ through it all, than I have offered much more than I can ever hope for.

So I choose Joy! What about you?

2. When I saw the post title, I instantly thought of my soon to be born niece, Hannah Joy! Her sweet mama Melissa, has had quite the pregnancy and will finally be able to get off bed rest. Prayers were definitely answered, and as of tomorrow she will be carrying a term baby! We can't wait to meet you Miss Hannah Joy! Will you all just take a moment to pray for Melissa, Aaron, and their precious baby! Pray for a safe delivery and healthy Mommy, Baby, and Daddy (and that Daddy doesn't pass out!).

I hope you all have a blessed weekend!

In search of a church

2010-03-30T06:29:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons why I didn't like the idea of moving. Finding a new job, new doctors, new friends, and familiarity were the major reasons, but another big one was finding a church.

When we were living the "high life" in the apartment, we had found a church we really liked attending. It was close to the apartment, we learned so much from the sermons, but we had a hard time feeling especially welcomed. Now we live about 30 minutes away from that church, and would like to find something a little closer.

So we began our hunt for a church. More than anything we just want to have a place to feel welcomed and grow in our faith. A bonus would be either a young marrieds group or even a life group that we could connect with.

Well we have searched, and searched and found some really "special" churches in the process.

This past Sunday was quite a doozy though...definitely not our cup of tea.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to find a church that can become our church home?

Happy Tuesday!

Strong work NBC

2010-03-22T06:00:00.003-07:00

Fact:
I watch way too much TV

Fact:
Most of the TV I watch is trashy reality crap manufactured to make my brain melt and ooze through my ears.

Fact:
Due to my trashy TV watching, my husband has adamantly refused to watch TV with me.

Fact:
The new NBC shows are allowing us to watch TV together and be entertained in the process.

What new shows am I speaking of?

We are really loving Parenthood. It's nice to have a good family centered drama on TV again!

The Marriage Ref is HILARIOUS! I was a little skeptical at first because some of the panel had a poor marriage history themselves (i.e. Alec Baldwin, Madonna, Martha Stewart), BUT it all makes for a hysterical show! You must watch at least one episode....you will be glad you did!

I have yet to watch this with the hubs, but I really love it! These celebrities show us a real side of themselves, and have discovered a pretty amazing family history in the process. If you can get past the constant Ancestory.com plugs, you very well may enjoy this show!

Alright friends! Happy TV watching! Hope you have a wonderful week!

*All images courtesy from Google Images*

Flowers for my birthday...

2010-03-18T06:00:00.002-07:00

**This is a little late, but worth mentioning**

My husband tries....not always successfully to do sweet things for me. Even if it doesn't pan out the way he would like, there is no doubt a hilarious story behind it all.

Like the time he wanted to get me flowers for our anniversary. He didn't know a florist in Tucson, so he used his handy dandy GPS to try and locate a flower shop. It led him on a 4 hour trek across all of Tucson (which is very spread out, and aggravating to drive through) from dead end to closed florist. He went to different suburbs, and was shut down. He finally did find a florist, and came home with some lovely flowers. I'm not sure if it was worth all the trouble, but he's sweet spend the time finding them!

Fast forward a few months, and I come home to these flowers on my birthday...

...in the smallest vase possible.

He tries....and I love him for that!

"What did Max do" Wednesday

2010-03-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

Max is a dog of many talents.

He can chase his tail, scale the distance of chairs to countertops, bury bras, and melt the hearts of all humans that meet him.

But did you know he can play a mean game of cards?

Watch out World Series of Poker, You will have some serious competition for our Max!

How to make....

2010-03-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Rhett Pasta

Long ago, when I was just starting out as a nurse, and Rhett was an equally poor college student, we lacked funds to go out to eat. We ate a lot of sandwiches, and what has since come to be called "Rhett Pasta." It is our go to comfort meal, and I hope you can enjoy it as well.

Step #1 - Gather the ingredients: whole grain pasta (we have to get the fiber in some how), Italian seasoning, Oregano, Olive Oil, Cayenne Pepper, Ground Turkey, and the most important ingredient....heinous amounts of Mozzarella cheese.

Step #2-cook the ground turkey and when it's almost done add a large amount of italian seasoning (Rhett told me to say until the turkey turns green, but that made me lose my appetite).

Step #3-Cook the noodles according to package instructions, drain and then add the olive oil. This is another step that Rhett would prefer to drown the noodles, but I add ~2 Tablespoons and mix well.

Step #4-Add heinous amounts of Cayenne pepper. You basically want to turn the noodles red. However, if you are weak and cannot handle the heat, then add as much as you can handle. True Rhett Pasta is looks like Christmas: Red, green, and white.
Step #5-Sprinkle with Oregano, and mix well. Again use your judgement on the amount of Oregano...we use quite a bit.
Step #6- Spray a casserole dish with Pam and start layering the dish. 1st with a layer of pasta.
Then a layer of turkey.
Then the 1st helping of heinous amounts of cheese.
And then repeat once more with the noodles, turkey, and cheese.

Step #8- You can either cook it on 400 degrees until the cheese is melted or broil it. I find that cooking it at 400 for 5-10 minutes helps to melt the middle layer of cheese!

Step #9 - Remove from the oven and enjoy the warm, noodle-y, cheesy, spicy goodness!

SO there ya have it....Rhett Pasta. It is delicious, and provides room for many variations. We prefer the original version, but have fun with it! And enjoy!

Thoughts on a special Friday...

2010-03-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

1. The Marriage Ref is a hilarious show. You should watch it....like right this moment. I plan on dedicating a whole post about this....don't you worry!

2. The Beth Moore study that I am participating in has been absolutely wonderful. It makes every Thursday quite a LONG day, but it's always worth it as I reflect on my drive home. It's like water for my parched soul.

3. I love these....

Be still my heart.

they make me happy, and that makes this time of year wonderful in a candy sense....not to mention for other obvious reasons.

4. I'm really excited for the new job. This has been a long week, with only 1 real day of meeting all my new coworkers (the rest was tons of orientation). However, everyone is so nice, and helpful, and I am hopeful!

5. I have a wonderful feeling that my 26th year of life will be better than my 25th! Yesterday marks the end of the "Quarter Year Crisis." Happy 2nd quarter to me!

6. I don't know which flavor of cheesecake (from cheesecake factory) I should choose for my birthday dinner. Suggestions?

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! I hope it's full of sunshine and happiness for you all!

Something I love!

2010-03-02T06:09:00.001-07:00

I'm just gonna say it.

I'm a member of the Small Boobie Club.

I'm loud, proud, and well, small.

That being said, I basically live in sports bras. I mean, when I wear scrubs 5 days a week, there really is no need to wear a normal bra. Comfort is key to me.

I have found the most amazing sports bra! It's super comfortable, and am officially in love!

It's the c9 by Champion Seamless Sports Bra from Target.

The fact that it is seamless is key! I have had some of the same bras with seams, and I start chafing after a few hours!

Now, seeing as I am a Small Boobie Club (SBC) member, I don't know how supportive they would be for non-SBC members. BUT, after reading reviews, it appears that they are quite supportive.

And the best part is they have some super cute colors and patterns!

So if you are in the market for a new sports bra, I would recommend swinging by the athletic section of your local Target and checking it out!

*I have not been compensated in any way for this recommendation. I did indeed spend $16.99 plus tax on my turquoise sports bra, and I am glad I did!*

Rainy Days never get me down!

2010-02-28T09:33:00.004-07:00

It's raining in the desert today!

And I love it!

You see, we live in the land of perpetual sunshine. It's a great place to live if you suffer from SAD. Always sunny, and nearly 365 days of "great" weather. I don't consider 120 degree weather for 4 solid months as great weather, more along the lines of punishment, but I will take that over snow every other day for 4 months!

I feel that on rainy days, it's ok to sleep in, stay home wrapped in blankets, and eat warm comfort food. It's even more enjoyable when it falls on a weekend!

Granted, if we had rainy days as much as Seattle does, I may not like them as much, but seeing as they are incredibly sparse here, I just love them!

How do you all feel about rainy days? Love them or hate them?

Now Mondays....I will have to agree with Karen Carpenter there, they do always get me down!

Textbook question

2010-02-27T20:42:00.002-07:00

As I attempt to make my house a home, I have one question.

What do I do with all the textbooks from college I don't want? Between the 2 of us, we have at least 15 large books, and honestly we don't want or need them.

I wish I had been as smart as one of my nursing school friends who sold them on ebay as soon as we graduated! Amber, why was I not as smart as you? They have seriously been in boxes for nearly 4 years!

For the most part, my nursing textbooks are all out of date, so selling them on ebay won't really work. I would really like to take them somewhere and give them away, but I don't know where.

Any advice friends?

Ghosts of the Crapper Closet!

2010-02-24T20:32:00.006-07:00

Dear Friends,

This is the post of all posts. Don't believe me? Well then keep reading!

In our house, we have what Rhett has termed "The Crapper Closet." It's a handy little closet with a toilet. It provides privacy, and allows more than one person to use the bathroom area at a time!

For the past few weeks, Rhett has been fighting the "Ghosts in the Crapper Closet."

Don't look at me like that...my husband is ridiculous....if you have been reading this blog for more than a day, you will have realized this already.

So I felt that this would lead into an excellent "How-To" blog post. And because my husband loves me, he ~~grudgingly~~ wholeheartedly agreed to film this video and was an excellent teacher.

I think he really missed his calling.

So without further a-do, here is "How To Fight the Ghosts in the Crapper Closet."

And I apologize for making you tilt your head....Some moron shot this video....

Before I was a Lawrence....

2010-02-22T15:44:00.002-07:00

I was just another girl, living life and blogging on different sites.

So I thought it would be fun for you guys to look into my past....

The past meaning Xanga and LiveJournal of course!

I left the old blogs on sad notes. I was struggling with my move to New Mexico, but rereading those posts remind me that this difficult transition in Arizona will also pass.

However hidden in those blogs are some wonderful memories. The beginning of my relationship with Rhett, the absolute stress of nursing school, attempting to have a social life, and heinous amounts of annoying quizzes.

Read if you like, and get ready for the mother of all posts....either tomorrow or wednesday!

So excited!

2010-02-19T16:17:00.004-07:00

Beth Moore is coming to Tucson!

I have had the privilege of taking part in 3 studies of hers while in Albuquerque, started a new one in Tucson, and got to see her at Living Proof Live in Albuquerque.

She has a passion for God, and it's contagious. If you have never had the chance to take one of her studies, go here to find one near you!

So I have an offer to extend to anyone who wishes to see her live. We have some spare bedrooms, couches, and an air mattress and if you can make it here, you have a place to stay!

Mark your calendars for March 26th and 27th!

Let me know if you are interested!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2010-02-18T08:20:00.002-07:00

Hello Friends!

I'm BACK!

I have missed you all so much! The past few weeks have been overwhelming, crazy, and full of both excitement, and complete boredom.

Here's the quick run down.

January 21st-Last day as school nurse.

January 22nd-My parents came to visit.

January 25th-My parents left to go back home, and 1st day of clinic nurse job.

February 1st-(0700) Interview at different job, (1000) Got a job offer.

February 3rd-Put in my two weeks notice.

February 17th-Last day at clinic job.

So on paper that doesn't look like too much, but it was quite the month.

So yes, I am job hopping yet again!

Why you may ask? I want to be a nurse. I want to go to work every day and make a difference in other people's lives. I want to respect myself and the job I have.

I could not do that at the clinic job that I just left. It wasn't what I was promised. I basically got yelled at daily from cranky old people or drug addicts because we didn't have their narcotics ready for them. I didn't sign up for that and I am just thankful that another opportunity presented itself as quickly as it did!

So here I am presented with 1.5 weeks off, and I plan to use this time to my advantage.

Do you guys remember this song? It was totally on the radio as I was driving home yesterday. How appropriate huh?

Have a wonderful day!

Closing time - every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end

BTO

2010-02-08T06:44:00.004-07:00

BTO, otherwise known as Blogging Time Off.

Dear Blog friends,

I have been pretty terrible about blogging and more importantly reading your blogs! Starting this new job has been a little rocky and I am just totally uninspired right now. Nothing incredibly exciting has happened in the past few weeks and I am just so run down!

I have a feeling that in about 1.5 weeks I will be feeling a lot better! So until then, I will be taking a break. I will continue to do my best to read everyone's blog, but I have a feeling that I will have an obscene amount of posts to catch up on when I actually have the time and energy to read them!

So now I leave you with 2 important facts.

1. the PW oatmeal crispies are delicious! Best oatmeal cookies ever!

2. Google image labeler is an addicting game, but at the moment my brain feels like it's liquified and slowly leaking out of my ear, so I am no good at it right now.

Goodbye lovelies! I will be back soon!

"What did Max do" Wednesday

2010-02-03T06:00:00.002-07:00

I didn't realize that Max was in a commercial.....

P.S.-I promise to be a better blogger soon....I have missed reading about all of your happenings!

Take that Jenny McCarthy!

2010-02-02T20:46:00.001-07:00

EDIT: I should say that I am very pro-vaccine, it hopefully is very obvious. I believe in them, and feel that they are incredibly safe. I also believe very strongly for you to be informed regarding your health and your children's health. Don't just take my word that vaccines are safe, if it is something that you aren't sure about, research it! But always, check your sources. The internet gives us a wealth of information, but it also gives us a lot of false or unverified info as well!

My biggest issue is that the Jenny McCarthys of this world have started this movement causing people to be in fear of vaccine. It is unreal the amount of parents that would come into the clinic I used to work in with false information about vaccines. Be informed, and not from "celebrities" that use scare tactics to create their following.

Autism is a real disease with a lot of unknowns about it. Let's support research that would actually prevent another child from being diagnosed with this serious health problem!

"What did Max do" Wednesday

2010-01-20T17:21:00.001-07:00

This is why I love my husband.....

2010-01-19T20:21:00.005-07:00

EDIT: I don't quite know why no one can see the video...it makes me sad...so I will try reposting it! I know that when I was investigating the matter, I could load it on Safari, but not Chrome and I didn't try Firefox.

Anyone have an idea how I can fix it?

EDIT #2 - Maybe it's fixed?

To fully enjoy this video, please tilt your head or computer screens to the side.

It's hard to believe I snagged such a hunk!

Questions for my lovely friends!

2010-01-15T15:26:00.004-07:00

Dear Bloggers,

I used to lift weight routinely during High School. I had a routine put together by my swim coach which helped us with our stroke, strength, and endurance.

But now I'm nearly 8 years post High School, and have been out of the weight training regime for some time now. Can any of you share with me a successful lifting routine? I want to get back into it, but I have to go with a plan, otherwise I just stare at the equipment and talk myself out of doing anything.

Please include the number of sets and reps you do!

Thanks for the help.

My thighs will thank you!

Actually, my butt, arms, gut, and clothes will also thank you!

Well you should add in the wallet because if I don't get my act together I will have to buy even more "fat clothes."

And for good measure include my husband in there....even though he signed up to love me for better or for worse (unless that's the part he fell asleep through) I would like to resemble the woman he married....not the 100 lbs heavier one he will have by the end of this year!

"What did Max do" Wednesday

2010-01-13T16:00:00.005-07:00

I have so many great pictures for WDMDW.

I can't contain my excitement!

On with the post!

Max doesn't really know snow.

Ha that rhymed.

When we went to Texas for Christmas, and it was one of the first white Christmases in a long time! It was so wonderful, but Max didn't enjoy the cold. So one day he needed to "mark his territory," and he didn't want to stray very far.

Hence.....

The dog water bowls are located right by the back door.

At least he melted some of the ice.

The story of the flaming pop tart...

2010-01-11T06:09:00.003-07:00

Let me let you all in on a little secret.

My husband + toasters = bad news

Maybe I should modify that equation:

My husband + pop tarts + toasters = bad news.

Now, here's the story about the flaming pop tart.

I used to have a toaster. I had it for oh 5ish years (i think). It was a good toaster. It never let me down. It wasn't really expensive, but it got the job done.

Well, fast forward 4 1/2 ish years. I am now married, living in Tucson, and have a husband who doesn't know how to work a toaster. He tries to cook a pop tart one day, it breaks inside said toaster, and he basically mashes all the pop tart innards into the toaster.

Well instead of spending hours trying to clean it, or watch my husband try to electrocute himself, I make the decision that the toaster has lived a good life, and retire it to my trash can.

Now before you tell me how wasteful that was, please understand that my sanity and time is worth more than a 20-30 dollar toaster. Please don't judge me. I felt bad enough doing myself.

Ok anyways, fast forward to Christmas. My mother-in-law, Marmie, heard of our toaster plight and we got a fancy toaster.....

We were happy to have something to make our bread and pop tarts warms and toasty, PLUS it added our favorite disney characters to said pastries!

So my husband decided to use it upon our return to Tucson. It was a typical morning. Rhett was downstairs getting his lunch ready and fixing his breakfast. I was upstairs getting ready. Well, I started to smell something, but didn't pay much attention. I then headed downstairs to complete my morning routine, when Rhett shared with me a story of his recent adventure.

He apparently put 2 pop tarts in the new toaster, and then continued to get things ready. He made his lunch, stared at the wall for a bit, and started to get the juice out. He took the cap off the juice and then smelled something burning. He turned around and smoke was billowing out of the toaster. Knowing that 1. the smoke detectors were about to go off, and 2. the pop tarts were 2 seconds away from catching on fire, he ran and put the toaster outside.

He then proceeded to shake the juice up (without the lid on) and probably curse. Because honestly, that's what I would have done.

But by golly, those blackened pop tarts had mickey's face on them!

"What did Max do" Wednesday

2010-01-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Max went for a jog this past weekend.

He started digging....

IN A CACTUS!

That is a cactus....stuck to his head.

My dog is stupid.

You would think he learned his lesson.....but apparently he wanted to chew on it.

Silly Dog

Luckily, he was a trooper when I went to remove it, and only one of the spines was stuck in his head. He didn't even whine. Needless to say, he may think again before digging into a cactus.

How to make.....

2010-01-05T07:00:00.002-07:00

Spicy Pretzels!

Get excited....these are delicious. They are actually pretty healthy if you don't pay attention to the sodium content or the heinous amounts of oil in it!

1. Gather the ingredients. Please don't judge me for the jug of oil. We don't typically have that much oil, but we got a deep fryer for Christmas. More on that in another post!

2. Combine the spices together. Make sure you get all the lumpies out! It will make for an unhappy surprise if you get a hunk of cayenne later!

3. Now you can empty the pretzels into a big bowl or a gigantic tupperware container with a lid. After trying it both ways, I prefer the tupperware! It makes sure that every pretzel gets coated pretty nicely!

4. Pour the heinous amount of oil all over the pretzels. And then either shake it up or stir the pretzels to get completely coated. The shaking provides a nice anger release! I'm a fan.

5. Sprinkle the seasonings all over the pretzels. Then repeat the shake/stir step. Some of the seasoning will settle on the bottom of whatever container you use. Try to scrape it up and get that on some pretzels.

6. Empty the contents onto paper towels. I covered some cookie sheets with paper towels so I wouldn't risk ruining my granite. Do whatever you want....don't complain that I didn't warn you though!

Now let them "dry" for about 7 hours. This is a perfect snack to make at night, that way you wake up to large amounts of pretzels for breakfast.

Spicy Pretzels

(al la Vibra-Whirl employee)

3/4 cup Oil

1 Tbsp. Lemon Pepper

1 Tbsp. Garlic Power

2 T Ranch Dressing Mix (this is an entire packet)

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 lbs. Pretzels.

(I halved this recipe and to make it a little easier to work with)

Enjoy friends! It's worth the extra jiggle to your butt!

Come on January 21st!

2010-01-04T18:33:00.004-07:00

I quit my job today.

I guess I should back up a little bit here. I got a job offer during the Christmas break. I'm incredibly excited and ready for my future with this new job. I thought I was 100% ready to leave my school nursing job.

Well resigning from a job was a lot harder than I expected. I work with 2 amazing health assistants. I said goodbye to one today, the other one tomorrow. I had to tell my amazingly supportive boss that I was leaving today. I have to tell my favorite school I'm leaving tomorrow. You see I hate to leave these people, people who have grown to become good friends and respected colleagues of mine. BUT I want to love my job again.

I don't love my job. I like many of my coworkers, love a handful of them, but that's not enough if you are unhappy with the day to day grind of what you do.

For my whole life, much of what I have done is to make others happy. Whether or not I sacrifice my own happiness or desires, I am a people pleaser...through and through. I love being able to make others happy, but I can't with it affecting my livelihood. I would stay at my current job to make others happy, but I can't remember being so unhappy in a job. It's affecting me, my poor husband, and our dog (ok the dog part was added for effect).

So I am breaking free, and following my heart. I don't know what the new job will bring. I pray for new challenges, ample opportunities for growth and personal development, meaningful personal relationships, and patience during the whole transition. I don't know if this will be my forever job, but I believe that God has brought this opportunity into my life and I have a wonderful peace about it.

Conversations with my husband!

2009-12-31T07:58:00.003-07:00

We are back! And I have about 600 posts waiting for me in my Reader. So I will make this short and sweet.

Last night as I was getting dinner ready, my husband was on the phone talking to his dad. You see Rhett's step-sister Lindsy had a baby yesterday! A very exciting time! Until my husband made a doofus out of himself....

James (Rhett's dad): Lindsy had her baby

Rhett: That's great! (spoken like tony the tiger)

James: Yeah

Rhett: Are they all home from that?

Me: (eavesdropping) Are you kidding? She JUST had the baby like an hour ago. How would you feel if you just pushed an 8 pound bowling ball out of "you know where" and then was immediately kicked out of the hospital. GEEZ!

Rhett: well that's not what I meant...

James: *Incessant laughter*

Rhett's just learning so much about babies! I think we should wait a bit longer before we have little rhett's and kelley's.

Happy New Year's Everyone!

Be safe tonight!

Congrats to.....

2009-12-22T06:54:00.002-07:00

Just kidding....

You will have to go here to find out the winner from the joint giveaway!

Thank you all who entered! It's always wonderful to meet new blog friends and have new things to read about!

On another note, I forgot to bring my camera cable, so I may be a little slow on the new posts until we get back to Arizona!

Enjoy time with your family!

Why didn't I think of that?

2009-12-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Lovelies!

I have a 2 simple questions for you:

1. Do you own one of these?

2. And do you hate that they sometimes don't get portions of the dry ingredients thoroughly mixed in with the rest of the batter?

ME TOO!

That's why someone smarter than me invented this:

So go buy one....today...seriously....it will change your life! I bought mine at Crate and Barrel, but I know they are available at many different places.

And I wasn't paid for this, but I love it, and wanted to spread the knowledge love.

Success...is measured in the small things

2009-12-15T12:18:00.006-07:00

Today is my 200th blog entry, so don't forget to enter my Joint Giveaway with Katie! You have until Friday at 5 PM Pacific!

-----------------------------------------------------

Over the past year (more specifically the last 6 months) I have been packing on the pounds. Some call it the newlywed weight, I call it the "newlywed-transitional-changing job-leaving friends-not liking new job" weight. And as you know from this post, I have started to work on those love handle-thunder thigh issues that are plaguing me currently. I finished Week 5 Day 2 today and it felt great! I love that I ran 8 minutes (twice) and didn't die. Small steps people! Tomorrow will be my 1st 20 minute run in a while, and I want to thank everyone that gave me song inspiration! It has really made a difference!

Anyways, I have been feeling great and my clothes are fitting better (instead of resembling casing on a stuffed sausage). So in honor of this I wanted to share with you a conversation I had with the hubs yesterday.

Me: My scrubs are finally getting looser

Rhett: That's good

Me: Yeah I know, I no longer have to stretch them out with a squat when I first put them on

*I then demonstrated what I meant to the hubs, and he couldn't stop laughing*

Success in the small things people! At least the morning workout makes up for my poor food choices during the day!

Guest post and giveaway!

2009-12-14T14:11:00.010-07:00

Everyone get excited! Today is a special day! My sweet friend Katie is guest posting! And to comemorate this wonderful occasion we are both hosting a giveaway! Just it time for Christmas!

Get ready to meet an incredible woman!

-----------------------------------------

Oh I am so excited today! My name is Katie and am so happy to announce that Kelley and I want to share some holiday cheer with you! So... we are doing a giveaway!

Now, if you have been here anytime at all you know that I am cold most of the time. And I'm a BIG fan of chocolat. And Miss Kelley is so joyful and pleasant that she usually entertains my crazy ideas. So we have jointly decided we will be gifting one of these! Sorry, but you will need your own cup. And the saucer is optional, but recommended.
We might even throw in a box of these, if we are feeling especially merry on Friday!

So... to be eligible to win, there are just a few things you need to do...

A. Follow our blogs (mine is found here), and...

B. Leave a comment about your favorite holiday treat! (A comment for Kelley's blog = 1 entry; a comment on mine = a second entry (or vise versa)).

3. Then, if you would like one additional entry, blog about us and leave a comment saying you did so (at either of our blogs!).

So that is a total of three (3) possible entries for each of you. Any questions?

Now, your comments should be in by Friday at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. And we will randomly choose a winner over the weekend and will announce on Monday morning!

Immediate family (ahem, Rhett and Mr. RH, you, unfortunately, are ineligible to win).

Cooking out of your pantry/freezer #1

2009-12-10T06:00:00.001-07:00

Who hates going to the grocery store?

*I am raising both hands*

Well if you're like me and avoid grocery shopping like the plague, I hope to provide you with some meal ideas that allow you to stay home instead of venturing out into the "war zone"!

So to start it off right, I wanted to share with you a delicious chicken casserole recipe.

This is a super easy and yummy dish that one of my college roommates shared with me. I really don't know what the proper name is, so I will call it:

Chicken Crescent Roll Thingy

You will need:

-1 can of crescent rolls (ok I know this shouldn't be kept in your pantry....this is a "fresh ingredient")

-1 can of cream of chicken soup (You can also use any cream of soup: mushroom, broccoli, etc.)

-chicken (this can be chicken breast or canned chicken, I know that sounds weird, but it actually works really well in this dish)

-cheese ( I prefer mozzarella)

I decided to use fresh chicken this time, because it was on sale. Sorry I know the whole premise of this series is not needing to go to the store.....I'm a fraud. I accept it. However...I usually use canned chicken because I can't cook chicken worth a darn...

Anyways, chop the real chicken up or shred the cooked chicken.

Put a few tablespoons of meat in the center of the crescent roll. A good general rule is take the amount of meat you have and divide it into 8 equal servings. This way every crescent has the same amount of meat in it.

Next wrap the corners around the meat.

Place in a casserole dish. I actually doubled this recipe so we would have leftovers for lunch this week.

Cover the crescents in the cream of chicken soup ( or your fav soup).

Cover it in cheese....because that makes it extra yummy!

Acknowledge your little helper with the green and red eyes. He's a good doggie patroller.

Bake at 375 for about 20 ish minutes. It takes longer than just regular crescents because of the soup, so just assume it will be done in 15 mins, and then check every few minutes. It's not so good if it's undercooked!

Hungry Yet?

And there you have it! A quick and easy dinner! Serve with your preferred veggies! I know...there's no color on the plate. Sue me....it was yummy!

Chicken Crescent Roll Thing:

1 can of crescent rolls

1 can of "cream of" soup (I used chicken)

2-3 chicken breasts or 1 can of chicken (sold near the tuna....i know it sounds gross like spam, but it's not...I promise...I mean I would eat it straight out of the can...but it works here)

cheese ( I used Mozzarella)

1.Shred up chicken

2. Put equal amounts of chicken into each crescent roll and roll it up.

3. Cover the rolls in the soup and then sprinkle with cheese.

4. Bake at 375 for approx 15-25 minutes, until the crescents are cooked completely.

Enjoy!

"What did Max do" Wednesday" returns!

2009-12-09T06:35:00.006-07:00

Oh I have a sweet pup....but was he hurting for a haircut. The last one he had was back when he was supporting the gay pride.

Here's his before:

Yes that's 7 months of hair growth....and dirt from the back yard.

And now the after:

Don't ya just want to squeeze him cause he's so cute?!

Needing some inspiration!

2009-12-08T07:12:00.004-07:00

Ok people, I need to get a playlist together to keep me motivated during the longer runs coming up in my Couch to 5k program.

Please let me know what songs get you pumped up when you're working out!

Have a wonderful day!

separated at birth...

2009-12-07T06:42:00.000-07:00

sometimes I force my husband to watch my crappy reality shows. Once of them being The Real Housewives of Orange County.

They all drive me completely crazy, but Lynne especially so.

While watching the most recent episode, my husband started singing I Don't Want To Miss A Thing by Aerosmith. He feels that Lynne and Steven Tyler are the same person....

So let's take a look and you can decide!

Same person?

I think so!

I CAN actually cook!

2009-12-05T19:29:00.003-07:00

I just surprised both my husband and myself with the dinner I cooked us tonight.

It was delicious, and I can't believe I actually made it!

You see I love to bake, and most days I am pretty good at it, but making a meal to eat...I pretty much suck at it.

Generally, Rhett will suck it up and eat whatever I make, because he doesn't want to upset me (the time he ate the White Chili with the crunchy beans comes to mind). And then there was the one time he just couldn't do it, he flat out couldn't finish my concoction, because he would vomit in the process.

But tonight...he ate it! AND when back for generous seconds!

It was super easy and if you like something with a little spice to it, you must try it!

Chicken Chipotle Tacos
from Cinammon Spice & Everything Nice
Makes about 7-8 tacos, depending on size

1 Yellow Onion, diced
Vegetable oil, for sauting
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Chipotle Chiles in Adobo, seeds scraped out, minced, plus 1 tablespoon of the Sauce
3 cups cooked Chicken, rough chopped
1 teaspoon Oregano
1 teaspoon Chile Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt & fresh black pepper
1/4 cup water
Guacamole, recipe to follow
Flour or Corn tortillas
Your choice of fixin's:
Sour cream
Shredded Cheddar or Mixed Mexican Blend Cheese
Shredded lettuce
Diced Tomato
Diced Onion
Salsa
Lime wedges

1. Saute the onion in oil until translucent, add garlic and saute until fragrant, add Chipotles and saute for a minute or two.

2. Add chicken, oregano, Chile powder, salt, pepper, and water. Mix well and heat over medium-low heat about 8 - 10 minutes, stirring often.

3. Serve in heated tortillas with fixin's.

I hope you love it as much as we did!

I love you Google Reader, but....

2009-12-04T14:25:00.003-07:00

I wish you could figure out a way for me to comment on other's blogs without needing to navigate away from you!

I would be a much better commenter, and not have an onslaught of comments on a poor unsuspecting blogger friend!

------------------------

You see...I tend to read blogs, and wait to comment after about 6 posts, because I'm a lazy jerk.

So please Google...figure out a way to do this....because some days my fingers are tired of clicking!

2009-12-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs to read this!

Have a wonderful day!

Trying to get fit...

2009-11-30T06:32:00.003-07:00

EDIT: Blogger doesn't seem to recognize the table when I copy and paste, so if you are interested in this plan, visit there website here. Basically every row is a week, and every column is a day. I'm pretty computer/blog stupid!

Hello Blog World!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! It's always great to spend time with family, and eventually I will understand the best way to divide our time up among different folks.

I just wanted to share with you all what I'm doing to try and lose some of this newlywed/moving/unemployed weight (ahem about 20 pounds,yuck).

During my senior year in college, I discovered my love for running. I loved the feeling during and after. It was how I destressed and lost about 10 pounds in the process. I ended up spraining my ankle for the last month or 2 and it took me a long time to get back into it (like around 3ish years).

Well I'm picking it back up, with the thanks of the couch to 5k running plan.

You can read more about it at their website, but it's a great way to ease into the running. Right now I'm at Week 3 Day 1 (well I did that this morning), and it has been great! If you need a way to ease into running....here's your plan!

eek	Workout 1	Workout 2	Workout 3
1	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
2	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
3	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)
4	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
5	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes) Walk 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking.
6	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 25 minutes) with no walking.
7	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
8	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
9	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).	The final workout! Congratulations! Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

Have a wonderful week!

A time to reflect on all of my blessings

2009-11-26T07:00:00.005-07:00

As this posts, we will be driving to Texas to see family and friends. This past year we have been so incredibly blessed and I just wanted to share these blessings with you all.

I am blessed....

-to have a wonderful husband who loves me even on my worst days!
-to have amazing parents. No matter how old I get, I can't imagine not needing my mom and dad. They are the reason I am the person I am today. They provided me with so much, and taught me so many amazing lessons.
-to have amazing in-laws.

Amy, you remind me to laugh about everything. You have raised wonderful children and I am so blessed that your son chose to put up with me. I know you have been through so much this year alone. The love that you and Steve shared is something that many people never experience, and those memories will be there with you always. You continue to amaze me with your strength during the past year, I just wish there was more we could do! Thank you for accepting me into your life.
James and Kara, you both have given so much of yourselves to us and I am forever grateful. From the moment I first met you both, I knew that I had been accepted into a wonderful family. Thank you for welcoming me and providing me with so much love!

-to have a strengthen relationship with my brother (in part because of his awesome wife). We fought so much, but you are still my brother. I look forward to the new chapter in our lives now that we both are married and getting along! And thanks for finding me an wonderful sister-in-law!

-to my wonderful sisters-in-law,brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews.

Melissa and Aaron - Thank you for just being down right awesome! You teach us so much about dealing with life during the good and bad times! I am so happy that you will finally be welcoming a precious little Wee Wag in the future! I can't wait to meet him or her! And tell him or her, how awesome their Aunt Kelley is!
Jennifer - I think you are pretty much fantastic! Thanks for always making me laugh, and for having such an wonderful son! (Caleb, remember I'm your favorite red-headed aunt!).
Robert - We are praying for you, and whatever you need, we are here for you! I look forward to getting to know you better!
Lindsy - Can't wait to meet that little man in your belly! You have raised wonderful kids, and we are here for you!
Danielle - you are a rock star! Need I say more?

-for our jobs. Even if I complain, I am incredibly thankful for having one, when so many around us don't!

-for having a roof over our head, food in our tummy (and on my hips, gut, and thighs), and getting to sleep in our incredible California king mattress again!

-for the little joys we experience daily! I have a wonderful Health Assistant at each of my schools, who bless me daily with different things. They encourage me and help me to feel welcome here!

-for amazing friends who continue to remember about us, even though we moved to another state! Thank you for keeping us in your prayers!

-for my faithful readers! It's one of the highlights of my day, when I have comments! Thank you for caring enough to read about my senseless postings!

-my silly Max. You are a doofus...but I still love you!

-for a wonderful and loving God. This has been a difficult year for us, but even when things were at the absolute worst, He provided every step of the way. I know that if I will just put my COMPLETE faith in Him, I will never be disappointed.

What are you thankful for?

Oh No!

2009-11-22T07:00:00.003-07:00

What has the world come too?

What ever will we do without this or this?

I'm going to go stock up RIGHT NOW!

You can't have it both ways America!

2009-11-20T08:56:00.007-07:00

I am feeling a little ranty the past few days, if you couldn't tell from my last post. So today will be my last rant for a while (can you tell I'm PMS-ing?).

Facebook has morphed into quite the website. By just logging on, I can find out the latest gossip, news, and random facts. However one thing I have gotten quite annoyed with is the political back and forth.

A friend from high school posted a link yesterday about this online gift shop called Cafe Press. I guess there are shirts and bumper stickers out there referencing Obama and Psalms 109:8 (side note I wanted to put the verse up, but the parental controls at my job wouldn't let me navigate to an online Bible page...a little sad that they have officially blocked Jesus at work).

Anyways, the verse goes something like "May his day be few, let another man take his office."

Now may I start off by saying that the use of this verse, or any verse out of context referencing the death of our leaders, other world leaders, or anyone else is completely deplorable. I am sickened that anyone would wish death on our president or anyone else. Whatever political affiliation you are, it should make your stomach hurt and your heart break that someone would wish death on anyone.

President Obama has a difficult job. I feel that our country is terribly divided, broken, and hurting. We are waging war abroad and on the home front. Whether it's with weapons or words, we are fighting. Whether you agree with him or not, he is our President. As Christians, we must pray that God gives him guidance and clarity with every decision he makes. I don't care if you're liberal, conservative, moderate, or apathetic, the we have a duty to prayfor our leaders and each other, not to spew venom.

Now I will step off one soap box, and then step right back on another.

Back to this friend from high school. I think she's a wonderful person, and by no means is this "attack" directed towards her, but more about actions of Americans everywhere. You can't go around saying "I hate Bush, I hate McCain, I hate Palin, I hate every conservative minded person ever born," to turn around and be unable to take criticism about the leader you think will save the world. The same goes for those that are the "I hate Kerry, I hate Clinton (bill and hilary), I hate Gore, I hate every liberal that ever walked the earth."

I think the Obama/Psalm 109:8 thing is revolting, but it's no different than wishing Bush was dead, or spewing hate about anyone that doesn't have the exact same views as you.

Our country will never heal if we can't learn to accept our differences, agree to disagree, and learn to love one another. Why can't we all learn to see the beauty of the color gray, instead of having to make everything black or white.

God loves our differences, why can't we learn to love each other?

I think you weren't hugged enough as a child

2009-11-19T07:00:00.003-07:00

Dear Speidi (a.k.a. Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag),

How do you go to sleep at night? You are so hateful, disrespectful, and mean when talking to others or talking about anything. You claim to be Christians, but your actions don't show it. You aren't showing the love of Jesus Christ when you publicly defame reporters, regular people, or your "friends." You claim you are the villain Spencer , and honestly that is something you have to make right with God. Jesus spent his life spreading love and the Truth. You spread only lies and hate. He died for our sins. Your ego and self righteousness will lead to your demise.

All the money in the world, can't make up for the fact that you probably weren't hugged enough as children. You can be a celebrity that people actually like and respect, but you choose to help spread hate in an already tragically lost world.

I know that you won't actually read this, but it hurts my heart that you are in the public eye teaching lessons to kids that think it's ok to treat your elders the way you do.

I know middle schoolers that show more respect than you do.

In closing, I hope that you actually realize that being a Christian is more than saying you are, but actually showing it in your actions, words, and thoughts. Jesus can change your ugly heart.

Sincerely,

Kelley Lawrence

P.S. - I'm not perfect, and I never claim to be, but I ask God's forgiveness when I mess up. That's all you have to do. We are all unworthy of God's Salvation, but He loves us anyways.

Ready for the weekend!

2009-11-18T06:46:00.004-07:00

I have some random exciting news......

I feel like What Would Max Do Wednesday will be resurrected. Mr. Max will be meeting his cousin Baron next week, and I'm sure all sorts of craziness will ensue, so get ready!

Anyways, back to the original post inspiration.

I can't wait for the movies that are coming out this Holiday season!

Here's my must see list for this weekend:

1. The Blindside

2. New Moon - I'm kinda over the whole twilight obsession, but I really liked the books, so I still want see the movie

What other movies are you guys excited about?

#2s

2009-11-17T17:16:00.003-07:00

EDIT: Pretty sure I realizes that the titled could be perceived as bathroom humor.....I apologize. I've been living with a gross boy for too long.

---------------------------------------

Here is my short list of Twos:

1. We went to the gym again this morning...2 days in a row. This is seriously a record.

2. Interview #2 occurred today. I don't really know what will happen. It would be a per diem position, and I wouldn't receive benefits (which is ok, because I have insurance through Rhett). My first interview last week seemed more positive, but honestly, whatever happens I will be ok. So I will just wait and see!

3. I have 2 legs, 2 hands, 2 eyes, 2 ears, and 2 arms.

That is it for my #2 post.

Working on the married weight gain

2009-11-16T06:24:00.004-07:00

Well people...

I've had it.

I'm fat.

My gut has gotten quite large. My thighs are starting to get that ripple that babies have (cute for babies....not for nearly 26 year olds). Everything jiggles, and I have gained like 2 sizes.

So I've had enough. No more.

I feel like crap (tired all the time and moody) and don't want to spend my 20s like that.

Funny thing is that I thought I might be pregnant, so I've taken 2 tests....nope I'm just fat....no fetus growing in there (which is totally fine with us!)

So today I started my weight loss journey.

I dragged my husband out of bed at 5 am, made him drive me to the gym, and we worked out for 25 minutes. I know it's not much, but it's something. And "luckily" we are both incredibly out of shape, so we can encourage each other.

Here's my plan.

MWF mornings I will follow this running plan.

T/TH morning I will lift weights (still no plan for that, so any suggestions would be great).

On all the afternoons, I will do something (besides sit on the computer, watch TV, and eat).

Here are some of my ideas...

-Walk the dog

-Clean up around the house

-30 day shred DVD

-Something on FitTV

-go swimming

Any other suggestions would be quite welcome!

So wish me luck...we have already been to the gym this morning, and I hope to keep it up!

How to make.....

2009-11-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

The Smashing Pumpkin Smoothie a la Keva Juice

Ohhh people....this time of year all I want is pumpkin and cold weather and soup.

But seeing how we moved to the Desert where it is still consistently in the high 80s, soup just isn't gonna work.

SO, the next best thing is pumpkin pie in smoothie form....it's sooooo good!

1st gather your ingredients:
The key is to get the pumpkin pie mix (in a can). That keeps this super simple!

I goofed up though and didn't get non-fat yogurt...ooh well.

2nd Mix it up....like liquify the crap out of it....you don't want chunks of ice!

3rd Enjoy!

Copy cat Keva Juice Smashing Pumpkin smoothie

1/2 cup of canned SPICED pumpkin (aka pumpkin pie mix)

3/4 cup non-fat milk

4 scoops of non-fat vanilla frozen yogurt

3/4 cup crushed ice

original recipe found here

This is why I love our family...

2009-11-10T21:07:00.003-07:00

Rhett and his Marmie being friendly to the fellow drivers....while listening to their main man Elton John!

Shopping adventures with the husband...

2009-11-08T19:12:00.007-07:00

In general, my husband is kind of a doofus. Now I mean that with love, but I'm constantly looking at the things he has done, and left scratching my head at the pure ridiculousness of it...

like grocery shopping.

Example #1

Attempting to help the cashier, rhett started loading our cart with food that had been rung up.

Now you may ask, what's so ridiculous about that?

He didn't sack them. He just started putting the bananas, yogurt, garlic, etc. in the cart by themselves, so that it would appear it wasn't paid for. I then proceed to look at the cart, then at him, and ask why he couldn't see the importance in putting them in sacks. He then realized what he had done, and busted up laughing.

Silly Rhett.

Example #2

(this isn't really an example, but we couldn't stop laughing about it last night)

We get in the car after the grocery experience, I then spot a mosquito on his face. Without a second thought, I slap him in the face, and see the look of shock on his face. I explain that there was a mosquito, and look at his face expecting to see a smooshed bug....instead there was this...

Yes, another human's blood on his face and my hand.

Pretty ~~neat~~ disgusting eh?

So there you go.

I hope this made sense!

Random thoughts on a Friday...

2009-11-06T14:18:00.003-07:00

Here's some of the randomness coming from my brain today....

1. I failed (I mean epically failed) at dinner last night. I attempted to make hamburgers (Rhett grilled them and I seasoned them), and they were so bad, he didn't finish eating them. It is the only meal that he has never finished of mine.....he even ate my crunchy beans (that was when I tried to use dried beans for a soup, and apparently didn't soak them long enough).

2. We are going to see this movie today after work...

and Rhett is so excited....he's been waiting in anticipation for it to come out for weeks!

3. I find it quite sad that I learn the name of my fellow co-workers (the teachers) by facebook stalking them. At least I finally was able to put a face to the name of about 5 teachers yesterday.

4. I am so happy it's friday....and that the school recognizes Veteran's Day as a holiday!

5. I have feel so old when I have no idea what new slang words or abbreviations mean. I have had to reference Urban dictionary like 5 times in the past few weeks.....so pathetic!

That's it...not too exciting, but I'm trying to be better about updating!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Rejection

2009-11-05T12:35:00.003-07:00

I receive the Proverbs 31 emails, and even though I don't always read them, today I did, and it really touched me. I have been dealing with many feelings of rejection (my current job, my difficulty in finding jobs, trying to make it in our new reality) and it has been weighing very heavy on my heart. This helped me put it into perspective

--------------------------------------------------------------

Rejection

Nov 5, 2009 Lysa TerKeurst

"For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance." Psalm 94:14 (NIV)

A few months back I got a phone call I'd been hoping for over 15 years to receive. It was the slightest crack in the doorway of a dream.

I was hesitantly excited. When you have wanted something for a long time and it comes close to becoming a reality, it's thrilling and terrifying all at the same time. Suddenly, your heart shifts from neutral into this vulnerable place where acceptance co-mingles with rejection. And you are all too aware things could go either way.

Following the call, I packaged up my application to send and let my mind prematurely celebrate.

Then I waited.

And waited.

And nothing.

Feeling like a foolish girl who'd bought a prom dress before actually being asked to the dance, I sheepishly called to inquire whether or not my application had been received. I was told it had been and if I hadn't heard anything yet, I should assume it was a "no."

Ouch.

That's when you go sit on your back deck, close your eyes, and decide whether to let the tears slip quietly down your cheeks or blink them back in an act of courageous defiance.

Rejection stinks.

I mean it really stinks.

It stunk when Saxon Palmer didn't ask me to couple skate in the 5th grade. It stunk when my Dad left our family. It stunk when I thought I was getting engaged at the very dinner my college love broke up with me. It stunk when each of my book proposals for years were declined by publishers. And it stunk when I sat on my deck and processed this situation.

Sometimes things like this just simply stink and there's no cheery rainbow or pot of gold around the next corner. The musi c doesn't crescendo as the hero in the story scoops you onto the side of his horse and the two of you ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after.
Sometimes it just is what it is. And that's that.

But God's girls have a beautiful promise tucked in our pocket that lets us smile even when tears puddle in the corner of our eyes. Even when there's no rainbow, pot of gold, or galloping prince, we have the promise of redemption.

On the other side of every death there will always be a resurrection of some sort. Maybe not a resurrection of our circumstances. And maybe not a resurrection of things lining up like we thought they should. But there will be a resurrection. Jesus has insured that.
Nothing in this world can permanently strip hope from our lives when we know we do "not follow cleverly invented stories…about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" but we follow the reality of the Risen One (2 Peter 1:16, NIV). He is our resurrection.

He is our hope.

He is that beautiful reminder that rejection from man never means rejection from God.
And He is the one who is weaving a story into our life that will one day make sense.

Dear Lord, I know You suffered the sting of rejection in a much more intense way than I ever will. And while this rejection is small in the grand scheme of life, it feels huge in my heart right now. Will You help me process this? Will You help me see past it? Will You let this fragile heart feel the warmth of Your acceptance and love today? In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst

Next Stop....

2009-10-31T09:47:00.002-07:00

VEGAS!

How do you celebrate your first anniversary?

Well....VEGAS of course!

We are pretty pumped! Tomorrow is our actually anniversary and we will be spending that, walking the strip, eating at the Eiffel Tower, and going to see "O" at the Bellagio!

I will update with pictures and a recap of our 1st year of marriage when we return!

I dare you to watch this and not cry...

2009-10-20T16:08:00.001-07:00

I don't think Max could ever be this close to an elephant....

thoughts on jobs

2009-10-17T06:48:00.003-07:00

Hello again everyone....it's me Kelley....the long lost author of this silly blog.

After reading many comments from my last post, I felt some clarifications were in order!

1. I am still employed as a school nurse.

2. I am not sure if it's my forever job.

3. I am soooo blessed to have a job.

4. I am really quite homesick (for both Albuquerque and my family)

Let me explain the job interview.

I was contacted in June (while still in NM) about a job with the pediatric bone marrow transplant clinic at University Medical Center here in Tucson. I interviewed for it, it seemed right along the lines of what I was currently doing at my Albuquerque job, and they really wanted to hire me. Fast forward 2 months. They were still trying to hire me, but budget cuts and lack of funding prevented it. So that meant no job, but I was able to get a job as a school nurse. Fast forward another 2 months, and I get a call that there is another position the manager of "clinic that could not hire me" recommended me for. I interviewed and am not selected "because of my lack of management experience."

At this point I don't know what I really want. I have been happy at my job this week, and I pray that it will stay that way.

Regardless of what happens, I had great advice from a former coworker and amazing friend, Cyndi. She left me a comment that completely changed my attitude about the whole situation. It said,

"You are so precious. The job will come just as the proposal, Rhett's job, sale of old house, purchase of new beautiful house and all the other blessings God's given you. I love you and miss you my sister in Christ."

God has provided for me every step of the way. It took me almost a year to really learn to love Albuquerque, and it may take me just as long in Tucson, maybe longer. He provided an amazing job that I loved and more importantly brought wonderful people into my life. He hasn't brought me out to the desert to wither up and die, He will provide everything I need, but I have to be willing to give that control over to Him.

Who knows what will happen, but anytime I want to complain, or start feeling sorry for myself, I will give those concerns over to the Lord, and relinquish my control on the situation. I mean seriously, I haven't made my situation better when I try to fix it myself, so why do I keep trying to do it?

Thank you Cyndi, for giving me such attitude changing advice!