Ryan the Calepitar

As Sergeant Stink would say it. He found his "calepitar" at Grandma Jana's house, inside! He gave it a name too, Ryan. Grandma Jana and Sergeant Stink came up with a cozy habitat in a jar filled with sticks and leaves. When it was time to go home, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to take this along... but Grandma Jana wasn't letting me leave without it! I thought it was dying because after we brought it home it really wasn't moving a whole lot. I figured after dropping and rolling around on the floor of the car during the ride home, he had some serious "calepitar" injuries.

Well, Thanksgiving morning we woke up and there was some weird stuff going on in that jar. I saw what looked like a dried up caterpillar and this brown thing. I thought it died. It took me a minute but I found out it was the skin shedding and a cocoon!! We now have a very thrilled 5 year old and a soon to be butterfly/moth/flying thing plus a little education on metamorphosis.

Thanksgiving Benny

So, my sweet Benny boy says to me the other day, "Mom, I like to lick my cheeks cus my cheeks taste good!" As he wore his grape juice stain in mustache form, like he does every morning. He was even wearing his boxers only still when he said this to me, so it made me want to snuggle and squeeze the love out my cute baby. Which I would have but we were in the car taking Sergeant Stink to school. (He likes to stay in his jammies or boxers while we take brother to school). I chuckled and said, "I bet! They look tasty to me!!" So I tried to get a picture of this, and he suddenly became shy about his yummy cheeks... no such luck.

Yesterday Morning chef Benny wanted to help make cinnamon rolls for our Thanksgiving breakfast. For those of you that don't know... Benny loves to cook and help in the kitchen a lot. So I made some hot chocolate for us, put on Jon & Kate Plus 8 and we started.

Here he is, and they were yummy, I bet as yummy as his sweet cheeks. And yes, he even did it in his boxers. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy 4th Anniversary Baby!!

11/13/04

Okay, so I am late on blogging this and everything else!! I have been super busy with Nursing School ending so tonight, being its over (yeahyeh) I am doing some "back blogging".

I am so in love with my husband and really, truly enjoy the life we share together. I can't believe that it's already been 4 years... it goes by so quickly, yet feels like I've been with him forever. So, I have decided to share a story some of you might not know about our wedding day. This is in honor of our Anniversary of course. :)

The Butterflies

On the "big day" Steve had Benny and Sergeant Stink. Now, Benny was only 4 months old and still nursing at the time. Being the bride and all, I had to go through a series of primping to perfection for our day, which took all day. So Steve had the kid duty until we met at our wedding place. So right before I was going to walk down the aisle, I wanted to hold my sweet Benny. Well, when I took him into my arms the child was all over me... starved. I found out that he didn't get fed all day. So, I was a little upset at first, but the sweetest gift came out of that, and then a not so sweet gift. I got to nurse my Benny baby right before the aisle which was a soothing, motherly experience in a world of it's own. Then, being late down the aisle... caused everything to move back. Well, we were supposed to have a butterfly release during the ceremony. Having a wedding in November, comes with chilly evenings. So we got our chilly evening as we went to release the butterflies from the box and they decided it was too warm and cozy inside the box to come out. I blew at them... nothing. Oh well... we laughed... and my baby got fed... and we still got married... and I still love him to pieces.

BTW: Thank you Chels for the best 1st Anniversary gift: a butterfly wind chime and a card that said "This butterfly will fly".

Yeah, not the butterflies story you were thinking when you first read this huh. I am happy to say that we got to release them the next day and they flew on that warm and sunny afternoon...

I'm There.

Yes, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel because I am standing right in it!! Nursing School is over. I had my final yesterday and my last clinical day ended two hours ago. I can't believe it. This day is here. I can say that I was so fortunate to go to a school with great instructors who I feel prepared me as well as a new Nurse could be prepared. I have met some wonderful people, and made lifelong friendships along this way. Thank you Lord for getting me through this and doing it oh so graciously.

I start my preceptorship on Sunday. I work eight shifts with my Nurse and then I have my pinning ceremony in December. I take my "boards test" with the AZ State Board of Nursing sometime soon. I have applied and just waiting to hear back so that I can pick a date to take the exam. Passing that exam will allow me to get my license and work as a Nurse. Now is the time I start looking for my RN job... eeeeeeeeee! That's so exciting, yet nerve racking. I started off wanting to do NICU, still do but not quite sure. Maybe tele, who knows where I will find my landing spot. All I know is I am so darn pumped for this chapter to be over, and to start a new one.

T-Bawlers

My lil' guys just got done with their first season of being on a team together. They played TBall... Benny's first season, and Sergeant Stink's second. It was a blast for them and even more enjoyable for me to watch. They had this really hot coach too... named Steve. :)

Coach Daddy did a magnificent job with the team and I really cherish all the effort he made for our kids and the others to have an awesome season. It really came from the heart because working 2 jobs and having a cranky wife in Nursing School really showed the love and effort on his part to put this together. We were so blessed to have such a rockin' team: they were mostly the boys from our street and then a few other super cool people that were joys to meet.

Some memories that I have from them is Sergeant Stink going after the ball, no matter where is was headed. Yeah, the ball could be on the other side from where he was and he would still run for it. Benny was more intrigued with the fine dirt that is on the BBall field than running from base to base. My sweet boy would just stand there in awe sifting the dirt through his fingers. Yeah, that really didn't leave good marks inside a black interior car. Good job boys, love ya!!

A Little Late

But better late, than never... right?! We are busy, what can I say. Sergeant Stink and Benny had a wonderful Halloween. Stink was a "Skeleton Zombie" and Benny a "White Rhino Ranger". They were too cute. I'm a bit jealous I must admit.. I had clinicals so Steve was on the trick-or-treating duties. When I got home the boys were already indulged in candy and occupied with friends. I was greeted with "Mom, don't kiss me right here with all my friends please." courtesy of Sergeant Stink. Huh, fine then! Even though my view is he is way too young to start with that line. They enjoyed the rest of their night with our wonderful neighborhood friends in the cul-de-sac until about, eh, 10ish. The sugar just kept em' goin'. It was good to sleep in the next day though!!


Since then, my sweet Benny knows how much his mommy loves chocolate. So he will pick out chocolates from his Halloween bag (when I say it's okay of course) and give them to me. Sweet or what? I love that kid! It also scores him an extra piece of sugar too. :)

Josey

Why do you not tell your sister about your "you-tube" posting??

Because she'll share it!!

HA! I love it... my sweet sister trying to obtain cheap fame! You got it!