First Day

I survived my first day of school.  I feel like it was a huge accomplishment because it was not very fun.  It should have been really easy because two of my labs were canceled so I only had one class.  No, it was mega stressful and I got a headache early in the day and it didn't go away until 10pm.  It was manageable until I was sitting in lecture, then it got worse, and then it got even worse when I got home.  I took two Motrin at school and they didn't help at all and so I took two Aleve when I got home and those finally helped a few hours later.  Yikes, let's hope the rest of the days aren't quite as horrible.

I'm not even sure what was so bad.  I hung out with a few people I met all day.  We got a table in the library and studied for a few hours before lecture.  I did some work-work for about two hours and then switched to reading for my lecture class.  It took me a bit longer to read because I was interested in the stuff and didn't just want to skim through it.  Then I decided I wanted to go for a run before lecture.  By the time I changed, headed out, and got back I only had 15 minutes before class so I had to change super quickly (while I was still sweating) and run to class.  The class was pretty good but they went over so many different things for lecture and lab and community clinicals and exams and quizzes that I was pretty lost.  It was a bit intense. 

Here are some observations I had throughout the day:

1) When people around you stress out, it makes you feel worse.  I need to surround myself with more people who have positive energy because it was not helpful that the people I was sitting with were stressing over everything.  I am really trying to approach school the same way I did work and that is with a positive attitude and with a calm outlook.  I can stress or I can not, and I will be in the same place and still have the same amount of work.  I would prefer to not stress.  We'll see how long that lasts.

2) A lot of people are already friends and I feel like an outsider. Not the best feeling, but I hope I find some people I really connect with.  The people I hung out with yesterday were really friendly and fun, but they were already friends and they didn't really click with me in the sense that we were going to be best buds.  Maybe after a while we will bond, but it would be nice to get to know everyone and to find some common souls.

3) Running in Baltimore is WAY different than running in DC!  When I lived in Baltimore before, I ran up in the northern part, but now I am in a completely different section of the city.  Most of the streets were ok and not too sketchy, but there weren't a lot of people out (walking around or running) and it felt way different than the streets of DC that are filled with runners, tourists, Secret Service, etc.  It was pretty though and a nice route.

4) My days are a lot more busy than they were at work.  I had more down time at work where I could take a breather, chat with my co-workers, make a phone call, etc.  Yesterday was pretty full of reading, working, and attending class.  I guess I got a run in there but it felt like everything was so much more scheduled, and it is.  I am bound by my classes and study times and I don't really make my own schedule.  However, it is exciting and fun learning new things and being in a school environment.  

5) The bus ride is much shorter!  It was so nice getting to class and home in less than an hour combined.  So much less time wasted on a long commute.  Of course,  no napping or anything, but I can deal with that without too many problems.

6) I can still drive a stick shift.  Ok, not really related to school but kind of is.  We got our new car from my co-worker and it's a stick shift.  Ivan made me take it out for a drive and I didn't die once.   I learned how to drive on a stick shift and my first car was a stick shift that I drove for about 6 or 7 years.  I didn't particularly enjoy it and I will always prefer an automatic, but it is kind of like riding a bike.  Once you learn you don't ever really forget.  I drove it home from the bus stop yesterday and am still slow going into 1st gear but I moved and didn't die.

I think those are my only comments.  I am on the bus heading back to school today.  I have some readings to skim before my 9am class and then I have an afternoon to get some more work done before heading home (my afternoon class was canceled).  So, first day was a mix of everything: excitement, stress, nervousness, interest, and everything in between.  I will be happy when I feel like I have things figured out and get into a routine!  And I miss my fun co-workers and hope I meet people as cool as they are.

And because I have no pictures of school yet (I am sure snapping candid photos around school would not help me make friends), here is a fun picture of Evan from this past weekend.

We went to the playground a bunch of times throughout the weekend and he wanted to bring his fox each time.  Mimi made it for him and he put it down the slide numerous times.  He also gave him a few kisses here and there.  It was pretty adorable.  It looks like he's picking his nose here, but he's not.  If you look closely you can tell he's just pointing to your nose - and that is because in order for me to get him to look at the camera, I asked him where his nose was.  This is him showing me his nose!

[EDIT:  It is now later because I didn't have time to post earlier and Day 2 of nursing school is a lot better.  I don't feel quite so overwhelmed.  And I met a new friend which is nice and she's in my lab group so we will be working together a lot.  ]

Thursday's Random Thoughts

I had so many thoughts about what I was going to write about today, but now I can't think of any of them.  So, I guess I'll give you some randomness.  Here are ten random thoughts floating in my head.


1) All I can think about right now is my PiYo Drench workout that I did this morning.  I was in Downward Facing Dog (my least favorite yoga pose EVER) and sweat was dripping off my thighs and my chin.  I was really sweaty.  And my legs still feel a little wobbly even sitting on the bus.  That workout was 48 minutes, so it's the longest one.  I kinda miss the beginning workouts that were only 20 minutes.  I will say my triceps pushups are getting better and Ivan actually noticed a smidgen of a muscle in my arm - so maybe I'm getting stronger....even if I spend a lot of time in child's pose!

2) An amazing thing happened this week.  Remember a few posts ago I mentioned that I wished I had a person that was 100% devoted to helping me out (for free - because I realize that that is a paid position)?  Well, God must have heard me because as I was complaining to my co-worker (for the umpteen millionth time), she said her dad might have an extra car that we could have.  Just like that.  And he did and he's willing to sell it to us for $1.  Not only that, but he's been running around town getting it ready and sprucing it up.  Yesterday he took it to get a new battery and was going to pay for it himself, and then when he explained that it was for someone who was going back to school and couldn't afford a car, the guy said he's donate the battery and put it in for free.  The whole this is just amazing to me and I feel like someone must really be looking out for me...because how often do people give you cars?  Never.  Even my parents didn't give me a car when I was in high school, I had to use all my savings bonds to buy their old car (mainly because they didn't have enough money to buy themselves another car, so they needed my money to put down a down payment on their new car - not because they were mean people or anything).  This car is significantly older, but it is still a gift that humbles me to the core.  And I do realize that nothing is free in this world and that it's gonna cost money to transfer the title, etc., and it's gonna cost gas money and maintenance and things like that, but it will be so helpful.  I can officially stop worrying about how I'm going to get to clinicals.

3) August has been a month of lasts.  Today is the last time I'll see my favorite co-worker (she's going on vacation next week), I had my last staff meeting on Tuesday, my last DC commute is coming up, my last paycheck, my last partner call, etc.  September will be a month of firsts.  First time wearing scrubs, first nursing lab, first nursing class, first time working as a consultant, etc.  What an exciting and scary time this is!  My stomach is in a constant state of butterflies.

4) Yesterday I tried Oats in a Jar for the very first time.

I had a bit of peanut butter left so I just put my oatmeal in there and warmed it up in the jar.  That way what was left of the peanut butter was softened and melted right into my oatmeal.  It was delicious.  I don't buy peanut butter too often because I eat it too fast, but the next time I do I will definitely be making this again!

5) Today I am going out for lunch, courtesy of my favorite co-worker.  We are going to i Ricci and I CANNOT WAIT.  I have already looked at the menu a million times as I drool thinking about what I'm going to order.  I love Italian food and rarely get it because Ivan doesn't like it.  Plus, lunch with my friend is always spectacular.

6) Evan got a new bedroom set yesterday.  Some close golf friends of ours had an entire bedroom set (bed, mattress, box spring, dresser, night stand, desk) that they were getting rid of and asked if we might want it for Evan.  Umm, yes please!!  Even though he still sleeps in our bed, one day he will need his own bed and this bedroom set is beautiful.  The wood is in amazing condition and is super high-quality.  I can't wait to decorate his room (on a budget...).

7) I can't decide what to do for Evan's 2nd birthday.  I know I don't want a party, but I still want to do something special.  A cook-out at the lake?  A family bike ride?  A trip to the zoo?  Rocks at the Nature Center?  I don't know.  I have to work that morning because another coach will already be gone, so we'll have to celebrate in the afternoon, but I still want it to be something he really enjoys.  We'll see.  Birthdays are stressful.  We are thinking of buying him a balance bike but I can't decide.  Anyone out there have a balance bike for their kids?  Do they like it?  Hate it?

8) Talking about sleeping.  Last night we had a super cuddle session in our bed.  Evan slept in my arms all night long, curled up right next to me.  I loved every minute of it.  When he does eventually move to his own bed, I will be a bit sad.  Cuddle time during the middle of the night is the best thing ever.

9) Ivan has liked every dinner I've made all week.  It's a miracle.  After ever dinner he has said, "That was a great dinner" (well, he says it in Spanish so I guess he doesn't say that exactly) and he only says that when he means it.  Often he says, "Thanks for dinner, it was ok but maybe don't make it again".  I make sure to write down all the dinners he likes so that I keep them in good rotation.  His favorite meal to date is my mom's Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup.  He asks for it at least once a week and I make it probably twice a month.

10) On Facebook it's Throwback Thursday, so I figure I'll post my pic here too. 

This is an old picture from college (I'm sure it's obvious, but I'm the girl on the left in the gray Army shirt) - the first time I went to college.  We had a Model OAS team and each spring we'd head to DC to compete with all the other teams.  Our school took it mega-serious (although plenty of others took it as a time to party in DC) and it was a super stressful class, but I have some great memories from that time.  And surprisingly I am still friends with some of these girls!  I really hope I meet some amazing people in nursing school, although it will be hard to top the amazing people I met in undergrad and graduate school previously.  As exampled above - I really do have very special and amazing friends that I probably don't deserve.  Over the years they have done so many things for me and I'm not really sure I've done as many things for them.  Hopefully one day I can repay everyone for all they have given me in life.

Ok - those are my ten random thoughts!

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Tell me two random things floating around in your head.

Did you love or hate college?  Are you still friends with your college friends?

Random Tidbits

I have a lot of random things floating around in my head so thought I would share them all in bullet style.  Everyone loves a post filled with random thoughts right?

1) Yesterday was a beautiful run day.  I was thinking I would just do about 3 miles but it was so nice and I felt good running that I ended up doing my regular four miles.  Rarely do I set out with a lower mileage in mind and then switch to a higher mileage, so I must have really felt good.

2) Ivan and Evan met me at the bus stop yesterday.  I love when they do this.  It is the best feeling in the world when I get off the bus and see Evan and my hubs standing their waiting to walk me home.  And we actually had a family dinner together too.  All three of us, eating at the same time.  It can be so hard to juggle all of our schedules and get dinner ready and all sit down together, but we have done it twice this week.  A miracle!

3) After dinner the boys sat on the sofa and took their shirts off.

Evan was eating a yogurt bar (Yasso Sea Salt Caramel - yum!!!) and Ivan was eating his lunch that I had packed for today.  I thought I was getting ahead of the game by quickly putting the left-over dinner into a container for his lunch.  Nope, he decided he was still hungry and ended up eating all the left overs.  So, then I had to pack him another lunch.

4) Yes, I pack my husband's lunch.  People think this is funny but my mom packed my dad's lunch every day (and mine too) and I know lots of wives who pack their husbands' lunches.  I do it mainly to save money.  If I didn't pack his lunch than he'd just buy lunch and we'd be out all that money each week.  Much easier and cheaper to just put a quick breakfast and lunch together for him to eat.

5) This past weekend I got to babysit my nieces.  I took out the splash table and the babies loved it!!

They splashed for over an hour.  It was so cute!!  My other two nieces were there also, and they had just as much fun.  These two babies steal my heart.  They are exactly three months apart and complete opposites when it comes to their looks and their personalities.  My son is darker skinned, dark haired, and dark eyed and my niece is pale skinned, pale blond, and very light hazel eyes.  My son is quiet and reserved around people he doesn't know and my niece says hi and waves to every person on the street.  They are too cute.

6) Today I started a new workout called PiYo.  

My friend from years ago (like we were both born in Greece and then both lived in Japan and England at the same time) became a Beachbody Coach and I was somehow convinced to buy PiYo and join a challenge group.  PiYo is a combination of yoga and Pilates.  I'm not sure it's going to turn me into the muscle machines that they show on the covers of the DVDs, but we shall see.  I could use more stretching in my life so it can only help.  I felt like the workout I did today, Define:Lower Body, wasn't too hard but now that I am sitting on the bus my legs do feel a bit rubbery.  

Here's my two month schedule.

I taped it to my bathroom wall so that I would be reminded and motivated every night to wake up super early and get my workout in.  Yes, I have to do it before work...so at like 4:15am.  Let's hope I survive!!!

7) This morning when I pulled out Ivan's coke this is what I saw.

I felt like I should put it back so that we could share it, since we are soulmates obviously, but decided it was stupid and I wasn't giving into the Coke's advertising gimmick.  But, he better not decided to share with anyone at work!!

Ok, those are all my tangents.  Hope you have a great day.  I am a bit tired so need my bus nap!

Tell me two random thoughts about your day!!!

Let's Get Random

Don't be too shocked, but it is Thursday evening and I am riding the bus home and have an urge to post.  I'm not sure why because it was a busy day and I am tired, but when an urge to post hits...I don't ignore it.  No, wait, that's not true.  I often ignore the urge to post because I am too busy and can't find the time.  But I have no excuse because I am on the bus and there is never a lot to do.  And my bus friend isn't riding (although he gave me a ride this morning so that contributed to me not getting my nap in and being tired) so I am not talking to anyone.  Don't get too excited though because I don't have much of value to post about.  So, here are a bunch of random thoughts.

1) My necklace broke.  Yup, that beautiful necklace from yesterday fell apart.  I wonder if it was a sign that I was being too greedy.  I felt like I should have only bought one or two things from my Stitch Fix box but I just really loved four of the things and thought that settling on three was a good compromise.  Not when one of those things breaks within the first eight hours of wearing it.  How tragic.  And it wasn't cheap.  I was quite perturbed, with myself for buying it and with the company for selling something that would break so easily.  My coworker happens to be a jewelry fixing expert so she said she can put it back together, so I am hopeful.  I did write a comment to StitchFix too, but I had to complain last time when my shirt shrunk in the wash so they probably think there is something wrong with me.  I think in my note for my next fix I am going to say not to give me clothes that I have to hand-wash or dry-clean and to only give me toddler-proof accessories...because although Evan didn't touch the necklace, I apparently can't handle grown-up jewelry either.

2) I got waxed today in preparation for the summer pool and I forgot how amazing it feels (sorry if any boys read this, but I kind of doubt they do).  Because even though it's a tad painful during the process...it is fabulous afterwards.  Waxing is amazing.  Don't worry, I am not going to show a photo of this.  That would be weird.

3) On my way back from the waxing joint I passed the Popped Republic gourmet popcorn truck.  

Umm, yummy.  On Tuesday I passed the Ben and Jerry's Core Tour truck and snagged a cup of their new salted caramel ice cream for free (it's delicious, if you were wondering).  The popcorn truck wasn't free and I was determined to stay strong and go back to the office and eat my lunch.  So I did.  However, my veggie soup didn't look that appetizing anymore.  And I couldn't get my work done because I kept thinking of pop corn.  Yummy chocolate caramel popcorn.  After a while I got up and made some hot tea thinking that would do the trick.  

Obviously not because I have this delightful photo.  Along with the photo of the bag above.  I felt like it was my responsibility to get this popcorn in the name of productivity.  I couldn't afford to have a unproductive afternoon, could I?

It was quite tasty.  And I probably still have some stuck in the teeth.  I will admit that I might have eaten one handful too many and my tummy is sugared out now.  I left the rest at work in case the craving comes next week.

4) The World Cup starts today and my husband is over the moon.  I was in Honduras two world cups ago ( I can't believe it was that long ago) and it was awesome being there for that.  It was such a unifier.  I could go anywhere and the game would be one and I'd be welcome to watch.  It's not as fun here, but it's still fun.  And the husband is beyond excited.  Honduras plays on Father's Day and I sure hope they win!

5) I am tired and have no idea what I am cooking for dinner tonight.  We already had our lazy dinner of eggs and beans so not sure what else to have.  I made chicken soup last night but it's possible the husband ate all of it.  Pasta?  Stir fry?  No clue.

Alright.  That is all the fabulousness that I am going to leave you with today.  Enjoy your weekend and Happy Father's Day!!!

10 Random Musings

Here are ten random thoughts floating through my head this morning.

1) Today I was hoping to get a nice nap in on the bus.  But then my bus friend drove by and picked me up instead.  I got to work 20 minutes early but I am now super tired - it's kind of rude to sleep while someone is driving you to work.  The nights have been rough for the past week.  I am still sick and coughing up a storm all night.  And Evan is still not really comfortable and has at least one "fit" at night where he wakes up and decides he wants to climb off the bed and then roll around on the floor in anger.  Regular coffee, here I come!

2) I am in love with these stamps.


I am tempted to buy lots and lots of them since they are forever stamps and then I can put them on my letters for the next few years.  Seriously, it is 10x more fun sending bills when you put a Harry Potter stamp on them.

3) I tried doing our family budget for next year and it doesn't look good.  When I added up all of our necessary expenses (rent, car insurance, electricity, etc.) and then subtracted the money I was getting from loans and the hub's salary, we were short $2,000.  And I didn't put things like gas and food in there.  We obviously have to eat something, even if it's just eggs, pasta, rice, and beans.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that shortfall, but I have a feeling I'm gonna have to pray a lot and hope this path that I've chosen is the same path that God has chosen for me...otherwise things could get scary towards the end of the school year when our cash dries up.

Another random school thing - I have a "Set-up for Success" day in June where I go to the campus and they review anatomy and physiology and teach us drug calculations, etc.  Is this kind of like having to read books over the summer but for science?  It's a bit scary when you have to have a review session before classes even start!

4) I am trying really hard to eat healthier.  No more eating an entire pan of brownies. I'm not saying brownies are out of the question because it's not worth living if you can't enjoy cakes and brownies at times.  However, honestly, once I've stepped away from 10lbs of sugar for a few days it's not so hard to show a bit of restraint.  And I feel a bit better too.  Not as better as some of those healthy food blogs say you will feel, but a little better.  And I feel a lot better about myself!  This was my healthy dinner yesterday.

I made Teryaki stir-fry with tofu.  It was pretty delicious.  I actually made my own Teryaki sauce - so much easier and better than the store-bought stuff.  And it made a lot so I froze the rest in ice cube trays so I can take a few "ice cubes" out and use them whenever I want.  I ate this over quinoa...quinoa that has been in my fridge for over a week but doesn't have mold growing on it yet.  Thank goodness.  I also then enjoyed an ice cream bar and a glass of wine, so as you can tell, I'm not eliminating sugar from my diet or anything.  But I am trying to make sure I eat bigger, healthier meals for lunch and dinner so I'm not shoving entire bags of chips in my mouth the second I arrive home from work because I'm famished. 

5) I have some scary, new addictions.  First, the Dugger Family.  I know!!!  How embarrassing!!!  I just find them fascinating and I LOVE big families and always wished I had lots of brothers and sisters (really Mom, why didn't you have 17 kids!!!) - so I live vicariously through them.  I started watching the season from the beginning and I'm on Season 6 now.  And I also bought their book and read it too.  It's not that well written, but it was still interesting.  In between that show I have been watching Season 3 of Dance Academy.  Another embarrassing thing to admit.  It's about a group of teens in dance school in Australia.  I love it.  I love dance movies and tv shows so of course I love this.

6) Evan is obsessed with golf.

He loves hitting his golf ball and can actually hit it most times.  I can't wait until we can all play as a family - how fun will that be!!!  And oddly enough, he plays golf left handed.  He plays and writes with his right hand for other things but for some reason he's a lefty golfer.  Funny, huh.

7) This weekend I am taking my nieces out for special days.  I'm taking the oldest out on Saturday for a special day with Titi (me) and then I'm taking the middle one to the Zoo on Sunday with our family for a special zoo day.  I CAN'T wait!!!  At first I was afraid they might be too nervous to venture out alone (they like to go places together but rarely separate) but my sister said that they both want their special days with me so it sounds like it is going to work out.


8)  Our pediatrician just started requiring all patients to be vaccinated (she used to see patients that preferred to avoid vaccines).  She has a Facebook page and you should have seen the ridiculous comments people made.  I'm not going to get on a pedestal and talk about vaccines, but people were saying completely untrue things.  One woman said that natural immunity is best and we should all just get polio and measles and tetanus so that we build a natural immunity and then the diseases would be eradicated that way - like typhoid fever and scarlet fever were eradicated.  Umm, really?  Minus the fact that people can die from those diseases and so some people's "natural immunity" might be death, but typhoid and scarlet fever haven't been eradicated!!!!  Plenty of people get typhoid fever in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.  And Scarlet Fever?  Really?  That is caused by Group A Strep - the same thing that causes strep throat.  Yeah, it's not as common anymore because we have antibiotics - but people still get it!  I understand that people aren't as educated as I am about health issues (it is my job, so I tend to know more than the average person), but before I post or talk about fact-like things, I do my research and make sure I know what I'm talking about.  And I definitely do my research when it comes to Evan.  And I make sure I don't just look at websites that say what I want them to say - I try and get a few opinions from different resources because in this day and age you can find any website to support any illogical thought but that doesn't mean it's right.

Ok - long tangent.  I just couldn't believe that comment.

9) I have an upcoming work trip to Atlanta and I can't wait to see my ATL friends.  It has been so long and they have babies now and it's going to be so fun.  And my mommy is coming to take care of Evan and so I get to see her too.  Not much because I have to be at work things all day and all night, but I'll get to see her for a little bit.  And Evan gets to see his Mimi and hang out with her all day.  He is going to be so excited!!!

10) When I first started this post I thought that 10 random things would be really easy but after #7 I was struggling.  And now I don't have much at all.  Except that since April, Verizon has gotten their switchboards screwed up and so a bunch of sick elderly people were calling my office phone wanting a Lifeline phone (you know the "if you've fallen and you can't get up").  I guess there was some Medicare deal where they could get a phone for free and when they dialed the number (which wasn't my number) they were transfered to my phone.  Literally, I was gone for a week of vacation and came back to 99 phone messages from frail sounding elderly adults asking about their phone.  And when I was in the office the phone rang off the hook so I stopped answering it because they didn't understand that they had the wrong number and each call took about 10 minutes of me explaining and it was taking up my entire day.  So then I would get really nasty phone messages (I had to listen to some of them if I was trying to get to an actual message) talking about how I should be fired because I'm never at my desk and that I'm a horrible person because I don't return their calls, etc.  I returned a few calls in the beginning but I can't return 99 calls.  Or even the 15 calls I was getting a day.  Thankfully it has slowed down (our phone and HR people have been working on it) and I only get about one or two a day now - but it was a phone nightmare.  Luckily these people just wanted phones - they weren't using their Lifeline phones because they had fallen.  That would have been way more tragic.  I do hope they got it worked out though because I would hate for these people to never get their phones!

Ok - there are my ten randoms for the day.  How about you?  What is something random going on in your life?  What embarrassing TV shows are you watching these days?  Have you bought Harry Potter stamps???

A Hot Run and Other Random Thoughts

The warm weather is finally here!  I am not sure what I am going to do about running during the day because usually once it gets hot I don't run at work anymore.  However, it is so difficult to run at home that I just don't want to give up my lunchtime runs.  So, for now I will just sweat and be smelly at the office.  Yesterday I did 4.5 miles in the humidity.  It was only about 83 degrees out but the humidity has returned so it kinda felt like running in a light sweater.  I do need to remember to bring a water bottle because I was kinda thirsty.

You can't really tell how sweaty I was in this picture but sweat was literally pouring out of my pores.  I cooled down after awhile and was able to put my work clothes back on.  At least I got my run in.  Tomorrow is an off day and then I have track on Wednesday again.  

It was a good thing I went for a run because my coworker brought in these delicious Italian Lace Cookies.

They were extra yum.  I made myself wait until lunchtime to eat them, even though she brought them at 10am.  I was really tempted to sprint to the kitchen the second I got the email, but I showed a smidgen of restraint and waited.  Then I ate one while my lunch was cooking and I ate the other one as an afternoon snack.  I forced myself to wait until 3pm.  It was hard, but I succeeded.  Who knew cookies could have such power!  

Not too much else to share today.  My bus broke down so now I am on the local which takes a gizillion hours longer than the express (realistically it takes about 50 minutes longer).  Bummer.  Hate when that happens.  Maybe I can sleep for longer.  I am really looking forward to the day I don't have to commute to DC.  I will most likely be commuting to Baltimore for school, but that is shorter and less crowded.  It will be awesome.  I hope.  At this moment I feel like anything is better than my current commute!

And what would a post be without a picture of Evan??

Evan is obsessed with the fridge.  He likes to point to things and act like he's going to eat them, but he's not.  His new thing is to sit and play with the bottles.  Obviously I don't let him play in the fridge because it is a huge waste of energy but sometimes he sneaks in there when I am unloading groceries or getting food out for dinner.  At least he can't open the fridge by himself yet...at least for now.

Hope you are all having a wonderful Tuesday!!

No Pictures Randomness

Here are a bunch of random thoughts going through my exhausted brain...

* The only thing that got me out of bed this morning was telling myself that I could fall asleep again on the bus.  I am one tired chica.  I tried my best last night to get to bed early but I missed the bus yesterday so I got home extra late.  Some days commuting really frustrates me.  I mean, it always frustrates me in the fact that I leave work at 4:50pm and don't get home until 6:30at the earliest, but it frustrates me even more when the bus comes early and leaves me behind, like yesterday.  I got there with four minutes to spare and the bus had already come and gone.  I had to wait another 35 minutes before another bus came.  Or worse, on Thursday all the express buses were canceled so then I had to take a local and that adds on at least 30 minutes to my already long ride.  Grrr.

* Boo.  I just wrote a bunch of things and it was all erased.  I hate when that happens.  I guess I will start over.

* My contacts are bothering me.  Very annoying as I just changed them and I have cleaned them numerous times.  They should be wonderful.  There is always one bad pair in the bunch, and I must be wearing them.

* Ivan's eye drops for his cataract surgery cost $115.  Isn't that crazy?  I guess that's cheaper than my haircut.... But still, it's a lot of money to pay for some eye drops, especially when you have insurance.

* I have made some good pinterest recipes lately.  I will have to do a post soon with my finds.  Most have been great.

* This week Ivan and I are celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary.  Wow!  Time flies!  I am trying to decide if I want to see Divergent or Veronica Mars.  I read Divergent when it first came out and enjoyed it a lot.  However, I watched every episode of Veronica Mars while I was on maternity leave and felt like we became best friends.  Tough decisions.  Noah also looks really good, but I will probably wait until that comes out to rent.  I have also really wanted to see Dallas Buyers Club, but haven't had a chance to watch it.

* I have an accepted student's open house at Hopkins on Friday and I hope that I can convince them to give me some money.  And a lot of it.  And I hope that I hear back from Maryland soon because the chance that I can afford Hopkins is so slim that I would feel so much better if I had another option.

* I can't fall asleep because someone brought the kid on the bus and is now singing to them.  I am trying to remain calm about it because I have a child and I know I'd be so stressed out if I had to bring him on the bus - but I am so tired and was really looking forward to a nap (see the first bullet).

Ok - share some randomness from your day!

Tuesday's Random Thoughts

I don't really have too much to say today so I thought I would just say a few things that are on my mind.  And I have no photos, so those few things aren't gonna be as interesting without pictures.  I really need to get the camera back out and start taking more pictures!

* It's supposed to snow again tomorrow.  I am kind of over the snow a little.  Yes, it looks pretty and all but it can be a pain.  It's hard to run with the snow and ice and every time I walk the dog or take Evan out in the stroller I have to dry the dog and the stroller off because they track in so much mud.  Yeah, I know we have plans to one day move to Vermont and they get snow until April, but maybe it will seem different.

* Evan is starting to get a cold or something and I really hate when he's sick.  He is so sad looking and his little coughs shake his entire body.  Plus he doesn't sleep well and just looks miserable.  I am hoping it's just a cold and not the flu or pneumonia or any of the other sicknesses that went through the daycare last week.

* I still haven't heard from the Peace Corps about my Description of Service.  I have a feeling they are never going to find it.  I really, really hope that that doesn't affect the possibility of getting a Peace Corps scholarship if I get into Hopkins.  It probably will, but it would be nice if it didn't.  I guess I will be happy that it is just that form that I'm missing  and not something vital to my application like a transcript or something.

* Yesterday was my sister's 30th birthday and I felt bad because I think she was disappointed.  Her hisband had a meeting and had to leave at 6:30.  I made her a cake and came over and we ate and opened the few presents from me, but I think she was sad that it wasn't super special.  That there wasn't a bigger fanfare for leaving her 20s.  I guess since we are all going to Disney to run and that was the "big" thing she wanted to do...it made her actual bday less special.  Hopefully our Disney trip will be fun and make up for it.

* We had a really great book for book club called Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt.  I loved it.  It was sad and really tugged at your heart strings but was worth the read.  Plus, two of the characters had AIDS and it took place at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the late 1980s...so I found that really fascinating.  I recommend reading it.  I am excited to discuss it.

* I haven't done the dishes in two nights.  They are just sitting in the sink.  I was so tired last night that I didn't have the energy to wash them up after coming back from my sister's.  Plus, I ate a few meatballs and 1.5 pieces of really sweet strawberry cake for dinner so was probably in a sugar coma.  Ivan said he's wash them this afternoon, but with a sick boy he might not get a chance to...and they'll be waiting for me when I get home.

* I am really sad to hear that Shirley Temple Black passed away.  I loved The Little Princess - that was one of my favorite movies as a child.  My sister and I watched it ALL the time. 

Ok, I think those are the random thoughts I have for now.  Evan was up a lot last night so my brain isn't working too well.

What random thoughts are floating through your head?

What was the last good book you read???

Random Thoughts

I don't have anything in particular to tell you, so I'm just going to give you a bunch of random thoughts that are floating through my head today.

~ It is freezing yet again. This is getting to be old news, but I think this is the coldest winter I remember in Maryland.  My toes are frozen from waiting for the bus.  And my cheeks.  I brought running clothes to go running at lunch but I think it's only going to be like 12 degrees out so I don't know if I brought warm enough clothes.  We'll have to see if I can make it.

Evan in the backpack waiting to go out and walk the dog in
in the freezing cold.

~ I have reached that age when exhaustion isn't flattering.  I remember when I was in college and I'd stay up all night studying and the next day I would look fine.  Maybe a little glassy-eyed, but that was about it.  Ha, not true anymore!  Now I get deep, dark circles under my eyes and they (my eyes) look like they've sicken into a deep crevice.  And I look old.  Yesterday I only got a few hours of sleep and when I went to the bathroom at work I looked at myself in the mirror and was appalled.  I looked so old!!  My eyes were sunk so deep into my skull I could barely see them.  Not a flattering look at all. I must get more sleep.  I didn't do too well last night so we'll start tonight maybe.  I'm not sure why I can't get to bed before 11pm.  I remember back in the day when I would try to be in bed by 9:30pm.  How was that even possible!!

This picture has nothing to do with anything except that
the other day I found a bunch of my kitchen utensils in the
garbage and I can only blame this munchkin.

~ I need a new TV series to watch on TV that is on Amazon Prime.  I tried watching Alias but it was really hard to follow.  I couldn't keep up with all the plot twists and turns.  I may try it again later, but I had to take a break.  So. Now I am watching Quantum Leap.  I loved that show as a kid and it's fun to watch.  There are only two seasons though, so it won't last too long.  Did you watch that show as a kid?

~ I am going to Houston tomorrow for a work trip.  My sister is driving over from Dallas to watch Evan while I present at and attend a conference.  I am excited she is coming.  I am excited about the conference too.  It is looking to be a very forward thinking conference and like it.  They have free childcare!  And they have "Scent Free" sections so people who are sensitive to scents (like smelly perfume, cigarette smoke, etc.) can sit in peace.  I can't sit there because my deodorant and shampoo are scented, but I really like the idea.

~ I am having so many problems getting my nursing school applications in.  Just when I think everything is golden, something new comes up.  Hopkins wanted my Description of Service (a document that I wrote that states everything I did in my two years in Peace Corps) and now Peace Corps says that they can't find it.  What???  How can that be missing?  Grrr.  Not sure what that means exactly, but Hopkins has a really great Returned Peace Corps Volunteer program and offers scholarships and now I am afraid I won't be eligible.  Boo.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they find the document buried under my maiden name or something.

Ok, enough random thoughts for today.  My eyes won't stay open.  The black bus abyss is dragging me under.

Thursday is almost Friday, right?

I don't know why some weeks feel so much longer than others.  This week should feel short since I worked from home Monday, Wednesday, and tomorrow...but no, it feels long.  And I don't know why I can't get to bed before 11pm these days.  I do know actually.  Evan.  Yup, I am blaming it on my son.  Ever since we moved he has had serious problems falling asleep and even when I know he's exhausted, it still takes him at least 30 minutes before he's asleep.  And since I stay with him until he falls asleep, that means for at least 30 minutes I am with him and not doing night time chores.  I decided a long time ago that I didn't want to let him cry himself to sleep and I believe that he shouldn't ever have to fall asleep alone (if he doesn't want to).  So, I realize that this is a consequence of that decision and I'm not complaining about it, I am just saying that he used to fall asleep in five minutes and now he doesn't.  I don't know if it was the trauma of moving or the confusion of vacation or what, but I hope our bedtime routine shortens soon!  And that he starts going to bed a bit earlier...instead of 9pm.  I really need more than 5.5 hours of sleep a night.

Yesterday he was obsessed with these prongs - he sat in this chair and played with them for longer than you would expect!

Yesterday was super busy at work and then I had a coffee date with a good friend.  Remember one of my 2014 commitments was to be a better friend?  Well, I started by calling some friends I hadn't seen for ages and making plans with them.  My friend Heather was first on that list.  I hadn't seen her for almost 9 months or so.  She was one of my best friends in high school and there is no reason we should have gone so long without seeing each other.  Coffee was fun, although Evan made it a bit of a challenge, and it was nice catching up.

It did mean that I didn't get my run in though.  I was going to go between work and coffee but I ran out of time.  So that means I am going today and tomorrow and Sunday if I want to get my runs in.  I think I am doing 4 today, so nothing too scary I hope.  I am running with my coworker and I think I've just about convinced two other coworkers to join us in the future.  We'll see if that ever happens!

You might be wondering what that is.  That is my favorite Christmas cookie, the candy bar cookie.  My mom sent me home with a few extras after Christmas and that was my last one.  It's a sad day when you eat the last Christmas cookie.  A sad day indeed.  I had to document the yumminess of that cookie and give it the respect it deserves.  Cookie, you will be missed.

And since this post is full of random bits of information, I will continue down the random path.  Yesterday I made a Hello Fresh meal.  I hadn't ordered a box in a while and then I forgot to pause my orders after Christmas so they sent me a box, but they sent it to the wrong address so I cancelled, but it was too late so they refunded my money and the box was shipped to my old address (that is an prime example of a run-on sentence).  I wasn't sure I would get it , but I did.  It wasn't the best box of food this time around, but it was ok.  On Monday I made a spicy shrimp with rice and that was good; however on Saturday I made a beef stroganoff that had no taste whatsoever.  Yesterday I made chicken kabobs with creamy leek risotto.  The kabobs where really good, they were marinated in a honey-olive-oil-spices mixture that turned out to be really good.  The leek risotto was interesting and not entirely delicious.  However, somehow the leeks permeated everything so all my clothes and bags smell like that risotto.  Not pleasant.  Go away leek smell!

Ok, that is all and I am tired...so adios!

Hope you have a great Thursday!!

Prolonging the misery

As you may have noticed, I didn't blog on Tuesday like normal.  Why??  Well, it was a snow day so I didn't have to work!  Yay!  I actually did some work because if I don't get my annual report written by the time I leave for vacation then I have to write it in Vermont.  Not what I feel like doing in the least.  I also studied a bit for my Chem lecture exam (it's cumulative, how mean is that?), but then it was cancelled.  Although it gives me more time to study (maybe...I am moving this weekend), it also prolongs the misery.  I thought I would be all done at this point, but no, I am still thinking about chemistry.  Now I have to take it on Monday instead.

The snow was beautiful though!

That's the view off the balcony, for the next two days.  Then we will have a new view and our new view looks into a parking lot, so it won't be as pretty.

Here's the view from the front.

Pretty too!  We didn't get much more than three inches but it was enough to cover everything and make it peaceful.  I love snow!

Yesterday my friend came over to help pack while I worked and she packed up all our dishes!  I was trying to make dinner last night and I had to unpack my knives because I couldn't cut up the chicken!  And she only left us dessert plates so Ivan kept saying she was putting us on a diet by making us eat such small portions.  That didn't stop Ivan though...he just had five helpings.  

And Evan has turned into a tortilla theif!

Here he is in the bedroom.  He grabbed Ivan's tortilla off the sofa (yeah, maybe if Ivan ate at the table we wouldn't have this problem) and then made a mad dash for the bedroom squealing the entire time. It was hilarious.  And just as a note, the bed is completely unmade because we are lazy and it's on the floor because Ivan took it apart already for the move.  We kinda like it on the floor though.  Ivan doesn't want to put it back together!

And one more random bit of info.  I was reading Caitlin's blog, Healthy Tipping Point, and she had a post about an amazing organization called Healing Horses.  It really sounded like such a wonderful place and maybe some of you were looking for an organization to donate to for Christmas or a new place to champion so I thought I'd share it.  The post that Caitlin wrote was beautiful, so I would highly recommend reading it.  If I had an extra $25 this month I would definitely donate!  But I don't.  I will next month though so I'd love to sponsor a horse.

Ok, that is all I have to report.  Most likely the next time you hear from me I will be in my new place!  I can't wait to get out of this dump.  Now that I've been forced to move, I realize just how horrible this place really is...and I am so thankful we are leaving.  And Whole Foods doesn't even open until the end of July so that's not even going to happen for a while.  Plus, Whole Foods is a money suck so it's probably better for me to be far away! And then I can continue supporting the local organic stores like David's and Roots instead.

Happy Thursday!!

Motivation to run when you don't want to and odd impressions

Sadly I think my body has adjusted to the new time.  It was a great few days where it felt like I was sleeping in.  Today I overslept and got up a half hour late...so no more feeling like I am catching up in my sleep.  Too bad.  It was nice while it lasted.

On Tuesday I went for a lunchtime run, which is nothing short of a miracle because I haven't gotten out for too many lunch runs so far.  I was extra proud of myself because I did not want to go at all.  I had been cold all day and the thought of putting shorts and a t-shirt on was not appealing, especially since it was cold outside and I had forgotten to change my clothes out for warmer attire.  However I texted my friend and she told me to go.  So I went and I ran as fast as I could.  I only did a three mile route, but I did it fast.  My legs were sore yesterday.  And like they say, I didn't regret it.  That's usually one of my motivating phrases is that you never regret going for a run when you are finished, but you often regret not going.  Very true.  I have another one today so I am hoping to be motivated to go again.  I also chatted with some running friends and am trying to plan a few fun runs together on Saturdays, since golf is over.  I miss running with people and I hope it works out.  They are much more serious runners and have been doing half marathons and marathons since we all had babies, but I can still keep up with them...I think.

On Tuesday I got back from class and Evan and Ivan were asleep on the couch.  I put Evan in his crib and didn't think anything out of the ordinary.  When I woke up, Ivan informed me that he had cut Evan's hair, himself.  WHAT!!!!

Check out those bangs! It's reminiscent of bad haircut photos from school pictures!  Ivan said his hair was in his eyes so he tried to shorten it and Evan kept moving so he kept having to correct it.  Nice.  Luckily after his bed head went away he looked a little better.

Except it looks like he has aged five years.  Where did my BABY go???

And a random piece of information.  I was chatting with a friend from high school who said that I come off as a complete bad a$$ and that when we were friends in high school she was intimidated and a little jealous of how independent I was and how I appeared to not need anyone or anything.  She said I still acted like a bad a$$.  I thought it was the funniest thing because I can tell you right here and now that I am the most un-bad a$$ around.  I cry at sad commercials.  And I never feel independent or like I don't need anyone.  She was one of my best friends in high school and I remember always worrying that she wasn't going to want to be friends with me anymore.  It was funny chatting about it because she had always intimidated me when we were young and I was intimidating her right back.  It makes me think how different appearances can be from the real you, even to people who are close to you and know you well.  I told my husband and he laughed for a good ten minutes about me being a bad a$$.  I guess you can't fool everyone! 

Alrighty...time for some shut eye on this bus of mine.  Hope you have a glorious Thursday!!

Random Thoughts on Thursday

I don't have much to say today so I though I would just throw a bunch of random thoughts at you.  And maybe I'll throw in some random photos too.  Nothing like a bit of randomness to get us through a Thursday, right.

~ I didn't fall asleep until almost midnight last night.  I got home from class around 10:45pm, made lunches, washed dishes, washed my pump, got ready for bed, and then couldn't fall asleep for a while.  After thinking so hard for three hours in lab, it's hard to shut my brain off.  

~ On Wednesday after lecture I did two hours of work before crawling into bed and then I slept in until 8am.  It worked out really well because my mind was sharp from doing a billion conversion problems and I knew it would take me a while to zonk out.  So instead I started my work day early and then went to bed. I got a decent amount of work done before bed and then slept a little late.  Win-win.

~ One of the reasons I was late last night was because I met an old,old friend after class.  Andy and I waited tables at Riccutti's and then Luna Bella back in the day.  Like way back in the day...over ten years ago.  We used to be super good friends and he even came to visit me in Atlanta when I was in grad school.  Now that we are both married with kids we never see each other.  The last time I saw him was three years ago at his surprise bday party.  However, we both have class on Wednesdays that go until 10:20 so we chatted for a short while after class.  It was fun to catch up.

~ For my husband's bday my nieces made him a bday card.  My husband actually nailed it to the wall. And not a hidden wall, nope he nailed it right next to my large Ansel Adams print above the fireplace.  Definitely front and center of our living room.  

~ I haven't put laundry away in two weeks.  Both hubs and I are grabbing clean clothes from the hamper.  Hubs keeps complaining about how wrinkled his are.  I don't seem to care.  This weekend I swear I am going to catch up.

~ The photographer who did our family shots sends us photos every once in a while from our photo shoot and I love them.  I am so happy we went with photos instead of a big party.  The photos of Evan are priceless.  I just hope the photos of me turn out and I stood up straight in them.  My posture has been atrocious this past year.

Serious cuteness!

~ I am reading a book called Shucked: Life on a New England Oyster Farm about a woman who quits her cushy job to learn about shucking oysters on an oyster farm.  It's for our family book club and I am learning so much about oysters.  Except I hate oysters so I can't appreciate the author's love of the mollusk (Are oysters mollusks?  I'm too lazy to look it up).  

Ok, enough randomness for now.  Hope you are having a wonderful Thrsday!

Wanting what you don't have

I don't usually want too many things that I can't afford.  Of course there are times when I wish I could travel more or buy new clothes or things of that nature, but those are just fleeting thoughts, nothing that I ponder too much.  Hubs and I don't have a ton of money, but we have enough to make us happy and enough to feed, house, and cloth our family.  However, with the beautiful August weather we are having and the feel of fall in the air, it always makes me pine for a house.  Not an apartment, not a rental, but our own little house.

I don't usually mind our apartment.  It's the perfect size for us and I've never wanted to own a huge living space unless I had a huge family.  Plus, it's in a great neighborhood and is located close to where I catch the bus and where my hubs works and within walking distance to my sister's.  All great qualities that, most of the time, overshadow the fact that it's falling apart and is on the verge of becoming a trash dump (a dump for which I pay practically a quarter of my yearly income).

But on these nice days, I would love a deck with a fenced in yard for Evan and the dog. 

Source = google images

 How nice would it be to sit on that deck and enjoy the end of summer days???

When it's nice out, I make sure to pop Evan in the stroller and take Dolce on a nice, long walk.
 
We live in a beautiful neighborhood with bike paths through the woods and two lakes close by that you can walk around.  The neighborhoods are pretty to walk through and there are always runners and bikers and walkers out enjoying the weather.  However, for some reason, no matter how many walks I take, I still can't get enough fresh air.  I get back to my apartment and still want to be outside. We have a small balcony off our living room but it's not really conducive to sitting.  The mosquitoes are horrible because the trees are so close (practically on top of the balcony) and Evan can't really crawl around and play out there.  It's not as fun as BBQing on a deck and spending all day outside in the yard.

Source = google images

I mean, if I had an outdoor space like this one, I'd spend all summer out there!  So nice and relaxing and Evan and Dolce could play in the grass and have a grand ol' time. 

I'm assuming one day we'll be able to afford a nice, little house.  I'm not interested in a big house, just something small like this.  I love the bungalow-style house!

Source = google images

Maybe when we move out of this ridiculously expensive location know as the DC Metro area.  My good friend lives in Omaha and was selling her house for $64,000.  Umm, you can't even buy a parking spot for that much in the DC area, let alone a living space.  And she had an adorable little house, not a cardboard box.  I don't need a big house, just a small three bedroom, two bath with a yard.  In a family-friendly neighborhood.  I like the house below, but the fact that all the houses have bars on the windows in that picture make me think it's not so family-friendly.

Source = google images

I've been hesitant to buy something here because I've always felt like I didn't want to settle here (and because we can't afford anything).  But maybe after nursing school we'll move somewhere we'll want to stay and I'll make enough money to get a loan on a house (and the houses will be cheaper).  Not sure how that will work if I'm taking out more loan money for nursing school, but one can dream, right?

Obviously you shouldn't covet what you don't have, but it would be nice to own a house one day.  And then we could fix it up the way we wanted and wouldn't always have the cheapest fixtures (which is what people do when you rent - they put the absolute cheapest stuff in the house because they don't want to waste money on a rental).

Until then, I'll be glad that at least we have a great neighborhood and places to get outside (as many people don't even have that).  And we'll just spend afternoons at the park.

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What is your dream house?

What is something that you dream about buying one day?

So many things to say

It sure has been a while and boy do I have some things to tell you.  Don't get too excited, it's not anything really great, just random tidbits.  Last week Evan was sick so I didn't get to post.  I usually post on the bus into work (like now, it is 6:31am), but since I didn't take the bus, I didn't find the time.  Evan is very clingy when he's sick.

And adorable.  Isn't that the saddest/cutest face ever.  He was too sad to go in the stroller so I used the mei tai to walk the dog. And he fell asleep.

No worries though, he is much better now.  His fever went down and although he has a bit of a rash, he's back to his normal self.  And I'm back to work.

And back to school tomorrow.  But let's not think about that now.

This weekend was nice and relaxing.  It was the last week of my summer golf session.  I love the last week of sessions because everyone is so relaxed and happy.  Most of the girls will be back next session, which starts after Labor Day, so it't not a long goodbye.

The most exciting thing I did this weekend was join Costco.  I know, I may be late to the bandwagon, but I'm still not 100% sure we'll use it.  I will see.  We didn't do any shopping, just looked around a bit. Sunday morning was packed so we didn't feel like fighting the crowds.  I hope we love Costco though!

And I finally went on a run! That's a miracle.  I met my sister at 7:30am and we ran around three miles. I have a 5k coming up soon and I'd really like to do well. Plus my parents are here that weekend so they can watch Evan and I don't have to run with the jogger.  Normally I wouldn't mind except that the course is really narrow so I wasn't looking forward to maneuvering around people.

I also tried to get some cleaning done and Evan did his best to untidy everything I tidied, along with make a bigger mess than existed before.

Here he is is playing with the diaper liners.  I can tell you, that was really fun to roll back up!

On Saturday went over to our old neighbors' house for a BBQ.  It was a lot of fun.  They are hilarious and love Evan, so that is a good mix.  Plus, I got to drink one glass of wine.  I hadn't had a glass of wine in months.  Like 6 or so,  it was good.

I also went to the grocery store and spent way more money than I should have.  This seems to be the norm.  I think I need to re-do my budget and adjust the grocery section.  Groceries seems to be more expensive and now that I can't feed Evan just breast milk, I guess he is costing some money too.  $100 a week is just not going to cut it anymore.

On the way home from the grocery store the car in front of me had a bumper sticker that said "I survived the Bataan Memorial Death March."  First I thought he was a survivor of the actual Bataan Death March, but then realized it was the Memorial Death March which takes place in March is White Sands Missle Range, NM.   That is quite an accomplishment - as the Bataan Memorial Death March is serious business. 

 

That's pretty much my update - very random and sporadic.

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Would you ever do anything as serious as the Bataan Memorial Death March?

   - Yes, if I had a team and some time to train.  Alone?  No.

Any other Costco fans? Or other big box stores?

  - I like Costco the best because they treat their workers really well and are a great company...unlike some other big box stores that belong to bad companies.