RIP Martin

I knew it was going to happen. It was only a matter of time. Martin, like Frankie, was a fair fish. They don't live long. But I mean, who can blame them? They spend their life in a pet store, until bought and transferred into individual bags, where they sit in a dark cooler, waiting on someone to "win" them at the carnival. They have to be slung around at the fair, then drove home. They finally have air and clean water, but they are so wore out and scared that they just want to rest. Then eventually, they realize that the small fish bowl and a few flakes of food are all that they'll ever know. I believe at this point, they become depressed and stop thriving. Martin stopped eating a few days ago, and just kinda hung around. After dinner tonight, we noticed that he was floating at the top of the water, lifeless. Ian wasn't here to point it out because he's spending the night with his Boo-Boo (his great grandmother). When he returns tomorrow, I am going to have to let him know about Martin. Not because I want to make him sad, but because he WILL notice. Sometimes I think he pays more attention to the little details than I do, which is crazy, because I would consider myself borderline OCD. On the bright side, meet Ziggy, Ian's new pet betta fish! He's gorgeous!

P.S. Do you know how hard it is to take a picture of a fish that is constantly swimming or hiding behind the plant?  That's why you can see my eye and my arm. I had to turn my forward facing camera on, put it in front of the bowl where Ziggy was hiding, and look through the bowl to get a picture of him. Haha!

Ian's Birth Story (A Father's Point Of View)

The first thoughts that cross your mind, at the age of 19 when you find out you're going to be a dad, are overbearing. Whether you've waited your whole life for that moment or not. You suddenly realize that the world isn't going to revolve around you anymore, but a creation of you, that will live, breathe, sleep, and eat. You now have created a human being with someone you love more than anything else in the world. You'll be making your best friend a mother, a wife, and a hero.

In February of 2010, the first month of pregnancy started.  Over the next nine months, we overcame several obstacles.  Morning sickness, cravings, mood swings, bodily changes, decorating a nursery, baby showers... Then suddenly- it's almost over. Before you know it, the forty weeks has passed right before our eyes.

On November 12, 2010, we arrived at our prenatal appointment, early as always.  We were both playing on our phones, waiting for what we didn't know would be our final ultrasound. "Straver!" the nurse called. As we entered the ultrasound room, I remember my palms being sweaty. "Mmm...Hmmm...Ahhh." The ultrasound technician is making all kinds of noises.  I remember thinking to myself, "What the crap is this lady doing?" She gives us pictures and tells us Dr. Dunn would be with us shortly. When the doctor enters, he says we are going to have a very large baby, one his tech is guesstimating around 10 lbs. He then tells us he would like to see us on Monday the 15th, where we would decide to have a natural birth or c-section.  He tells us that we'll be having a baby soon. Panic sets in as we both sit in the car in complete silence. This is a whole week earlier than our due date. As a very restless, nervous weekend came to an end, we decided that a c-section would be best. Dr. Dunn was very pleased with our news and had us check into the hospital that night.

We get to the hospital. We had already previously registered, so our room was ready. The nurse comes in, checks Erica's cervix, starts an IV, hooks her up to the baby monitoring machines, and says that she'll be in momentarily to place the Cervidil on the cervix and then they would start Pitocin. Well, this didn't sound like any c-section we had ever heard of, so I immediately went chasing after the nurse to question this. She said that this was what the Dr. had ordered. Erica starts to panic and tears flood her eyes, because she already had to change her birth plan, and now, it was being changed again, without her knowledge. The nurse calls Dr. Dunn who says we're there for a c-section in the morning. The nurse then comes back in and discharges us, only to tell us to return at 5 a.m.

Another restless night. I tossed and turned. Erica, bless her heart, didn't sleep a wink. We get there the next morning only to start the process all over again. It turns out, that the nurse should have never discharged us. Now they've had to restart the IV all over again. The nurse had no clue how to properly start an IV, and after about 10 minutes of digging in Erica's arms, I asked for a new nurse. This nurse got it in the first stick but it was placed directly on top of her hand because the previous nurse had done so much damage to the veins in the arm.

Our c-section was scheduled for sometime after lunch so were just being lazy and talking and visiting with what family we would allow to visit. Two men busted through the door at 8:30 a.m. and said "Mrs. Straver are you ready?" Of course she replies "No, you must have the wrong person, I'm scheduled for after lunch." We were then informed that there has been an opening and Dr. Dunn was ready for us now. She starts to panic as they tell her I must wait there. I put a bunch of protective jumpsuits and robes on and waited for someone to get back with me.

Time passes. At 8:55 a.m., a man walks into the room and says to follow him, and not to touch anything. We get to a large set of double doors where he tells me, "Just a few minutes and I'll come get you. At 9:05 a.m., I enter the room, a large but very cold room, fully staffed with the doctor, anesthesiologist, and 4 or 5 nurses and techs. I'm directed to the head of the operating table to be by Erica, who is drifting in and out from the large dose of anxiety medication, because she had a major panic attack.

Things seem to be going in slow motion. The doctor says, "Okay we're going to break your water now", and as the table shakes you can hear liquid being sucked out of her body. I thought it was pretty fascinating. It was only a few moments and the doctor says, "Wow, there's hardly any water. This is the stickiest baby I have ever delivered." "Erica," the doctor says, "we're going to start pushing now." He starts pushing from the top of the abdomen until the baby is out. The whole table shakes and jerks. She is still pretty much knocked out and has no clue what's going on. I'm having cold sweats. I'm nervous and my mind's racing. Suddenly you hear a cry and Dr. Dunn says, "Yep, that's a boy!" At 9:19 a.m. we had an 8 lb. 6 oz. baby boy, measuring 20 3/4 in. long. I'm then instructed by two nurses to come cut the cord. Ian is finally here. He's wrapped in warm blankets and put into my arms. Tears fill my eyes as I bend down to show Erica our perfect creation, telling her that he has hair. She looks over and smiles before she passing out again.

As we are hurried down the hall and into the nursery you can see both of our families, stuck to the glass. All you can see are big smiles, finger pointing, and cameras. Ian was so quiet. The nurses cleaned him off, gave him a bath, and took his prints, while he never uttered a sound. That was, until they had to stick his little heel to get some blood, and give him his shot. His cry was strong and deep. He had a great set of pipes on him.

Several hours had passed before Ian could leave the nursery and Erica was finally brought back to the room. The nurses were instructed that there was to be no family until we said so, well that went over like a lead balloon. Family started pouring in. Erica only had a few moments with Ian before the family started taking him and passing him around. It was like we had no control, but we couldn't have been happier that we were surrounded by such a loving and caring family. Finally a break, us time. We were both exhausted from the day, but of course, we wanted Ian to stay in the room with us, even though the nurses offered to keep him in the nursery. I dozed off, thanking God for my precious baby boy and for Erica.   I was so blessed.  They way I loved Erica changed. I would never look at her the same again. Just when you thought you couldn't love anyone anymore, I could, and I did.

I jumped up in a panic, because my alarm hadn't went off. Ian hadn't cried, the machines didn't go off, it was peaceful. I had woke up, somewhat disoriented from exhaustion, only to see Erica sitting up in the bed, playing dress up with her new bundle of joy. Feeding him, holding him, and snapping a gazillion pictures. My heart melted then again. The nurses had just forgot about us, so I was playing daddy and nurse, changing diapers and bloody bed pads.

We made it through the night! Our first night as parents, and we made it.  We were now working together as a team in a world of what seemed like mass chaos. We were told that we couldn't breastfeed, and we still, to this day, do not know why were were told that. Bottle feeding it was. Ian wasn't eating like he should but a nurse who called herself "Grandma Pat," came in and slung him over her shoulder. She gave him a pop here and there and slammed that bottle in his mouth while saying "Sometimes you gotta be a little firm and press that nipple way back there." Erica and I were scared to death but the nurses magic worked, and he began eating like a pro! Ian started looking yellow. He had to have scheduled heel sticks to test his bilirubin levels and make sure his jaundice wasn't getting any worse. Yellow he was, but still so perfect. I remember changing his first poopie diaper. It was so black and sticky, and had no smell!

The time had come. It was checkout day. The cold air hit you as soon as you walked outside, only being four short days away from Thanksgiving. I get Ian in the car, with Erica sitting beside him, and we start the three mile journey to our small, homey apartment. What should have took about ten minutes, ended up taking about forty. As a new father, I was terrified of driving around with my precious cargo. I should have been used to it. After all, I had been driving him around for nine months!

What a work out, carrying a new baby up the stairs in his carseat carrier, to our apartment. Finally, nuzzled away at home, the visitors slacked off and we got to return to being a normal family. Erica was limited to what she could do because of a the c-section, so I let her take the bed and rest up. I decided to keep Ian in his bassinet in the living room, while I slept on the couch. The first night home, Ian cried and cried. I remember holding him and crying, asking God to please tell me what to do. Finally, a sudden peace came over the house and he slept like a rock. Erica and I had to wake him up to eat. We had made it again. Our first night home as parents.  

Hours and days ran together, with exhaustion to follow. But it was well worth it, because they begin the best days of our lives. We finally had a complete family, which is what we both desired. Ian gave me motivation to finish college and become a nursing home administrator, and Erica to be a nurse. He got our lives on track. We know we want him to have the best, and have a childhood better than we had. To this day, almost 3 years later, we work diligently to make sure that each day for him is better than the previous. He is our first born, our pride and joy.  He is the twinkle to my eye, and the beat to my heart. He is Ian Bronx Straver.

Written by, Jerod Straver

RIP Frankie

Remember the goldfish Ian won at the fair?

After dinner tonight, my sister noticed that the fish was dead. Laying at the bottom, lifeless. I knew Ian would be upset, so I took the fish, wrapped it up in a paper towel and was planning on flushing it.

Just then, Ian came running into the kitchen and asked where his other fish went. (I never updated on this, but he went back to the fair with his grandparents and got another goldfish, who we named Martin.) I calmly explained to him that Frankie got sick and it was his time to go. He, of course, asked where he went. I had to explain to him that his fish died. And that's the word I used. Died. Why shelter him from it? He doesn't quite grasp the whole concept of death, but it is a natural occurrence, and I had rather him hear it from me than someone else.

I squatted down and unwrapped Frankie, to show him that he was not longer moving or breathing. Ian said "Aw, man! Frankie died." I sadly smiled and said "Yes, sweetheart. Would you like to take him out and bury him in the yard?" He responded yes, so there we went.

I wrapped the fish back up, grabbed a flashlight, and a spoon. When we got to the yard, Ian told me where to put him and I began digging a small hole. We laid the little fish's body into the hole and covered it with the dirt and a small rock.

We held hands. I said a sweet little prayer, and we said "amen" in unison. It went much smoother than I had envisioned. I expected tears and screaming, but he seems okay with it. I told him not to worry because he still had Martin, and that if that one became sick, we would find him another fish, maybe even a pretty beta! His eyes sparkled at the idea of getting more fish!

I'm hoping that I did the right thing by letting him know about the fish instead of hiding it from him. You always see the shows on TV where the child finds a box in the yard with a cat corpse in it and runs inside to scream "You told me Mr. Twinkles ran away!" If it meant enough to him to notice, I didn't feel like lying to him, even over something as small as a goldfish.

Rest in peace, Frankie.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:

• 2 canned chicken breast
• 1 regular sized bag of Doritos
• 1 medium onion
• 1 can Rotel
• 1 can cream of chicken
• 1 can cream of mushroom
• 1 lb Velveeta
• pinch of parsley
• pinch of chives
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• This recipe takes more preparation than anything. So start by cutting your Velveeta into bite size pieces for easy melting. Chop your onion. Open all cans. 

• Since the chicken is already cooked, drain the water off and dump it into a bowl and shred. I just wash up and shred it by hand. 

• Take a pot and pour both soups, the onion, and the Rotel in. Mix well. Put onto medium to high heat and wait for it to get good and hot. 

• Once it's hot, start putting the cheese cubes in, stirring to prevent sticking. 

• After the cheese is melted into the mixture, remove it from the heat.

• To prepare the casserole: Take a casserole dish, layer it with Doritos. I always smash the bottoms ones to create a nice even layer. Then spread half of the chicken onto the chips. Then pour half of the soup mixture onto it, making sure to cover it nice. Add more chips, the other half of the chicken, then top with another layer of chips. Pour the remaining soup mixture on top, making sure it's well covered. Sprinkle the top with parsley and chives for a pretty presentation. 

• Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the cheese and chips are cooked on top. Let sit for 5 minutes, then serve. 

This is a favorite in our household. And my bestfriend can eat a whole pan by herself! It pairs nicely with whole kernel corn!

Enjoy!

Fried Egg Ranch Burgers

First of all, if you have never tried an egg on your burger, you don't know what you're missing. Originally, we got the idea from a restaurant called Godsey's. Jerod loves their burgers, and his favorite one, has a runny egg on it. He still to this day eats his eggs runny, but I can't. I love eggs, and I love eggs on burgers, but please, I want my yolk done. 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb hamburger meat
• 1/2 packet of Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbs worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbs soy sauce

Directions:

• Mix all of the ingredients together.

• Form patties. A little trick we use to make perfect patties: Form the patty and take your thumb and hollow out a little bowl like dent in the middle. It should kind of look like a donut. This way, when the patty cooks, the middle won't bubble up! 

• Cook until they are as done as you want them. I only say this because some people really do eat medium rare hamburgers! I've witnessed it!

• Top with cheese if you want to make it a cheeseburger!

• Top with a fried egg!

• Then top with the veggies and condiments of your choosing!

We LOVE these burgers! 

Enjoy!

Shrimp Ramen Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of pre-cooked shrimp, tails removed
• 1 bag of tri-color coleslaw mix, or any bag of vegetables you choose
• 1 medium onion
• 2-3 packs of Ramen Noodles
• 1 tsp of chopped garlic
• 1 tsp of paprika
• 3 tbsp of soy sauce
• 1 tbsp of butter
• 2 cups of water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Turn your burner on high. Add butter to the skillet or wok. Chop your onion. Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook until onions are translucent. (About 3 minutes)

Then add your shrimp. They are already cooked, so a good toss to warm them will do fine. I let mine cook for under a minute. 

Then add your coleslaw mix, or vegetable mix. Allow this to cook until the vegetables are the firmness of your choosing. For example, I like my cabbage done, not crunchy, but if I were using broccoli, I would want it more steamed then cooked down. 

Add your noodles and the water. I used 3 packs of noodles because I was cooking for 4. Toss the veggies and the shrimp over the noodles and allow the water to soak up in the noodles. The noodles will cook fast. After about 4 minutes, stir it all together. 

Once everything is stirred together, add the paprika and soy sauce and let simmer for about a minute. Toss them again, then serve!

This was something that I just threw together last minute, and it turned out great! Not to mention cheap! 

Enjoy!

District Fair 2013

The fair is in town this week, and we decided that we would go tonight. That was a bad idea.
It's armband night, which means everyone and their cousin is there. I hate to say it, but these people come crawling out of caves to come to the fair. It's fun if you're in highschool, going with your friends. It's fun if you're taking your children. It's fun even for a date night.
But I cannot stand those that leave their kids at home, only put half of their clothes on, and go to the fair every day of the week like its the best thing that has ever happened to them. And to top that, they can't even act civil. Acting like a loud, belligerent idiot in public is not okay. It really bothers me that when I take my son to potty, that I have to kick underwear and vodka bottles out of the way of the toilet.

On the bright side, Ian had lots of fun. We decided before we went that he wouldn't ride any rides this year. He's not even 3 yet, so we thought that he would like it better next year when he could ride them by himself.

So we hit up the petting zoo! He loved it. Petting and feeding the animals was a blast. I loved seeing his eyes light up and him giggle when the animals licked the food pellets from his little hand.

(Ian is sitting next to me and said that this alpaca wanted some eggs and bacon. 

And the baby one wanted a Pop Tart. He has such an imagination. Haha!)

Then we went to play some games. Ian is such a good throw, that he would throw the ball completely over the stands. He never won any of the games, but the people working the stands were such good sports that they let him pick out a few toys anyway!  

 

He even "won" a goldfish! We named him Frankie!

We stopped at the concession stands and got some grub! I love fair food! Kettle Corn, Bloomin' Onions, Turkey Legs, Funnel Cakes, etc. 

We ended up getting a Cookies N' Cream Funnel Cake, which was heaven! I don't have a picture because we began eating on it as soon as we got it. Imagine: A funnel cake, topped with powdered sugar, then covered with crushed Oreos, and smothered in icing. I'm glad that I chose tonight as my cheat night. Jerod got a deep fried Snickers, and Ian got a deep fried Twinkie! 

After eating, we played a few more games, then stopped for a little photoshoot. We are so dysfunctional that it didn't go too great, but we did manage to get a few cute shots! 

We decided to let Ian take a pic of Mommy & Daddy, if he would have been focusing on the phone instead of telling us to say cheese and giggling, I think it would have turned out cute! Here's one of the best ones!

All in all, we had a blast! I didn't exercise today, but I did just chase a toddler around the fair for 3 hours, and couldn't have had more fun. I'll take that!

{Weight Loss} Motivational Tips

I woke up today with no intentions of exercising. I felt bad. Not sickly, but just not motivated to do anything. I went about my day as normal, but I ate a huge supper, and even had a soda. I felt guilty and ashamed. But I realized that I just needed a little motivation. I went out to smoke just a little while ago, and decided to listen to Itunes Radio. Jared Leto has his own station now. Just a big heads up, I LOVE HIM. His music is amazing, soulful, sensual, and inspiring. After listening to a few songs, I came in and exercised. Afterward, I thought to myself, "Did that just happen? What made me change my mind about it?" I don't think it was the music, necessarily, but that the music calmed me and made me think about myself for a bit. I shed all of that guilt and got back to business. After my workout, I decided it was time for a blog post, and after doing a little research, I found an awesome list of motivational tips HERE! These are a few of my favorites:

• "Eat your dinner on a blue plate and you'll discover that you need less to feel full,” advises color intuitive expert Elizabeth Harper.

• "Wear red during your workout." According to Harper, red energizes your system, boosts your confidence and empowers you to action.

• Drop the "perfect" mentality. Did you slip up? Have a moment of weakness? That’s OK, says Valerie Berkowitz, Director of Nutrition for The Center for Balanced Health. “Use any splurge as motivation to get yourself back on track,” recommends Berkowitz.

• “Write down your goal and sleep with it under your pillow” recommends Feng Shui expert Donna Stellhorn. Literally ‘sleeping on it’ (your goals) will help incorporate that energy into you, and may help you manifest them sooner.

• Donate your "fat" clothes. Instead of holding onto your ‘heavy’ clothes –visualize yourself in your new wardrobe, recommends fat loss boot camp Stephen Cooper.

• Get a theme song. Rocky had a theme song, so why shouldn't you? It sounds corny, but playing it (even singing and dancing along to it) can really boost your spirits when you are feeling uninspired and help you check back in with your motivation.

Foods I Dislike

Tonight, while planning weeknight meals, I noticed that I have to be the pickiest person alive when it comes to food. Here's my list!

• Bananas
• Bologna
• Hot dogs, unless in a Sonic corn dog.
• Mayonnaise by itself, on sandwiches, or in salad. Cooked in a recipe is sometimes okay. 
• Mustard
• Licorice
• Beans, unless in prepackaged red beans & rice.
• Peas, unless in chicken pot pie.
• Beets
• Liver
• Avocado
• Sauerkraut
• Bell peppers, unless they are stuffed, even then I won't eat much of it.
• Runny eggs
• Sliced carrots
• Cauliflower, unless it's mashed from Ruby Tuesday.
• Cooked tomato
• Jalapenos, unless in pico de gallo.
• Vienna Weiners, potted meat, Spam, etc.
• Watermelon
• Celery
• Pumpkin
• Cold cheese
• Canned green beans
• Cottage cheese, unless cooked in lasagna.
• Tootsie Rolls
• Cooked apples
• Chocolate chip cookies
• Turnips
• Sweet bread
• Honeydew
• Nuts, any kind- I'm allergic.
• Pimento cheese
• Sweet potatoes
• Fresh blueberries
• Wasabi
• BBQ sauce
• Steak sauce
• Salads, unless it's a mista salad from Lazzari's.
• Chocolate pudding
• Tapioca pudding
• Ranch dressing, unless it's resturant made.
• Deviled eggs
• Cocktail sauce
• Hot sauce
• Dr. Pepper
• Tofu
• Pizza sauce
• Cucumbers, unless in sushi.
• Relish
• Eggplant
• Fruitcake
• Corn tortillas
• Chili, unless on cheese tots from Sonic.
• Malt Balls
• Cheesecake

What foods can you not stand? Whether it be taste, smell, texture, etc. Spill the beans!

{Weight Loss} Weigh In 9/17/13

I've lost 7.4 lbs in 2 weeks! Go me!

20 Things A Mother Should Tell Her Son

I found this list about a year ago, and forgot about it. I can't remember where I saw this list, so I can't give the author credit, but I loved it so much that I saved it in a Word document on my computer. As I was cleaning out my documents, I remembered why I loved it so much. These really are great tips. I've already used #3, #10, and #13!

Ian (a few hours old) and I.

1. Play a sport.  It will teach you how to win honorably, lose gracefully, respect authority, work with others, manage your time and stay out of trouble.   And maybe even throw or catch.

2. You will set the tone for the sexual relationship, so don't take something away from her that you can't give back.

3. Use careful aim when you pee.  Somebody's got to clean that up, you know.

4. Save money when you're young because you're going to need it some day.

5. Allow me to introduce you to the dishwasher, oven, washing machine, iron, vacuum, mop and broom.  Now please go use them.

6. Pray and be a spiritual leader.

7. Don't ever be a bully and don't ever start a fight, but if some idiot clocks you, please defend yourself.

8. Your knowledge and education is something that nobody can take away from you.

9. Treat women kindly.  Forever is a long time to live alone and it's even longer to live with somebody who hates your guts.

10. Take pride in your appearance.

11. Be strong and tender at the same time.

12. A woman can do everything that you can do.  This includes her having a successful career and you changing diapers at 3 A.M.  Mutual respect is the key to a good relationship.

13. "Yes ma'am" and "yes sir" still go a long way.

14. The reason that they're called "private parts" is because they're "private".  Please do not scratch them in public.

15. Peer pressure is a scary thing.  Be a good leader and others will follow.

16. Bringing her flowers for no reason is always a good idea.

17. Be patriotic.

18. Potty humor isn't the only thing that's humorous.

19. Please choose your spouse wisely.  My daughter-in-law will be the gatekeeper for me spending time with you and my grandchildren.

20. Remember to call your mother because I might be missing you.

Medicine Storage & Organization

Does your medicine cabinet look like this? Are you constantly having trouble finding that one medicine that you need?

Photo Credit: 5andahighchair.blogspot.com

There have been many times that I have searched the whole bathroom for some acetaminophen. And I can't tell you how many times I've had a panic looking for a medicine syringe to give Ian some medicine to calm the fever and pain associated with teething. After lots of searching and playing around with what best suits our family, I came up with this!

These are Sterilite containers from Target. I just printed out the text and taped it to the drawers with a little clear bandage tape. The one on the left is a lot bigger than the one on the right. The drawers are sorted into categories based on symptoms and body systems. Being a nurse, I found this project to be super fun!

Here's a little run down! 

Prescription/Vitamins: This, of course, is for medicines you received from your doctor and vitamins. For example: my husbands blood pressure medicine, anxiety medicine, depression medicine, etc. prenatal vitamins, fish oil, multivitamins, etc. 

Allergy/Cold & Flu: This is for things such as Benadryl, Mucinex, Vaporub, Chloraseptic, Zyrtec, various cold and flu medications, etc. 

Digestive: This is for things such as Pepto Bismol, laxatives, Imodium, Gas-X, Tums, stool softeners, dietary supplements, Pepcid, etc.

Topical: This is for things such as Neosporin, Benadryl Itch Stick, Triamcinolone Cream, Mupirocin Cream, etc. 

EENT: This stands for eyes, ears, nose, and throat. This is for things such as Visine, ear drops, Orajel, cough drops, etc.

Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever: This is for things such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin) , naproxen (Aleve), aspirin, Midol, etc. I also put my nighttime sleep aid in this drawer. 

And let's not forget the first aid box!

This little box has everything in it, and I do mean everything. This is where I keep Ian's fever medicine so that I can get to it, the thermometer, the cooling strips, and the medicine syringe quickly. This box includes: blood pressure cuff, thermometer, otoscope, medicine syringes, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide (we are out), medicine cups, steri-strips, Band-Aids, medicated bandages, gauze, and much more underneath it all! I still have things like iodine, syringes with needles, and medical goggles from my kit in nursing school. I even have an unopened sterile catheter kit. Who knows? I may need all that one day. Haha!

{Weight Loss} The Machine Review

It's finally assembled! I am so glad that I wasn't the one assembling it. It may have cost me $250, but I didn't have any of the tools, and it took the poor man 4 HOURS and a TON of sweat and curse words.

Here is the finished product!

(Please excuse that crappy window treatment. It was here when we bought the house and we haven't changed them yet. Basically, this whole room is a challenge and needs a makeover.)

 

It comes with the little magnetic "key" that allows the machine to start, and once pulled off, the machine shuts down. I have actually had to pull it for safety reasons already. Guess who's toddler thinks it's "super cool" to exercise with Mommy? After that little incident, I make sure that it is put up high enough that he cant reach it. It also comes with a heart rate monitoring chest strap, which is a little uncomfortable at first, but you get used to it. It's nice to know what rate your heart is pumping at while exercising because there is a certain rate, for every age group, that is best for fat burn. The screen reads the time you have been on the machine, the distance you have walked, the calories you have burned, and the speed at which you are walking. The heart rate will only show up if you have the strap attached properly, and will flash at the bottom left corner. 

At this moment in time, due to the fact that I have lived a very sedentary lifestyle, I can only walk on this machine for 8 minutes. To compensate for this, I walk on it 3 times a day. My goal is to be up to 15 minutes/twice a day by next week. All in all, I LOVE it!

Honey Garlic Chicken (Crock Pot)

Ingredients:

• 1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 c soy sauce
• 1/2 c ketchup
• 1/2 c honey
• salt & pepper to taste

Instead of using a fresh pack of chicken breast, I used these frozen tenderloins. And to save time with the garlic, I used some that is already chopped. I guessed that 3 cloves would be about a tablespoon.

 

Directions:

Place your chicken in the bottom of the crock pot and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. I also drizzled a little olive oil on them. 

Mix garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, and honey in a bowl and stir. Because of the consistency of the honey, it's hard to stir and will clump. After a few minutes of stirring, it softens and mixes well. 

Add mixture to crock pot.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

It is simple, quick, and delicious. I served the chicken over some white rice, and spooned some extra sauce over it. I paired it with brussel sprouts, although any vegetable would do!

Enjoy!

The Little Things...

As I was digging through boxes of old paperwork from my past job, hunting for my BLS Certification Card, I came across this little gem. I had looked for it before, and thought it had been lost in the move.

(The name is pixelated to protect identity)

When I saw it, I instantly knew what is was and who it was from, and it brought tears to my eyes. This picture was hanging in my locker at work (See the bandage tape at the top?) from the time I received it, until the time I quit working there. This picture was from a patient I took care of on the Med Surg side of the floor I worked on. And no, I didn't work in pediatrics. This lady was a frequent flyer, always in for wound care to both lower extremities, and she had a slight mental impairment. I was always really careful during her dressing changes even telling her stories to distract her from the pain, held her hand when the wound care specialist visited, and I always made sure to get her a chocolate milk before they were all taken. One day, when I went to check on her, she said that she forgot her crayons from home and asked if we had any. I told her that unfortunately, we didn't. After checking on the rest of my team, I made a trip up to the pediatric floor and asked around for some crayons, and luckily, I was able to snag the next to last package. I sprinted back up to the floor to give them to her. When she saw them, she began to cry, and gave me a hug. She was so overjoyed that I went out of my way for her. When I went to tell her goodbye at the end of my shift, she gave the drawing to me. I've cherished it ever since. 

This is the reason I wanted to be a nurse. Not only to take care of people, but to show them love and compassion when they need it most; To make their day a little brighter. 

My Top 10 Guilty Pleasures

Q: What is a guilty pleasure?

A: A guilty pleasure is something one enjoys and considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it. The "guilt" involved is sometimes simply fear of others discovering one's lowbrow or otherwise embarrassing tastes, such as campy styles of entertainment. Fashion, video games, music, films, and junk food can be examples of guilty pleasures.

Now, here is my top ten:

1. Smoking
2. Fountain Coca Cola
3. Sweatpants/Gauchos
4. Driving without a destination
5. Expensive makeup
6. Listening to men with accents
7. Garage sales/Flea markets
8. Butter
9. Granny panites
10. Popping pimples, blackheads, etc.

Homemade Snow Globes!

Recently, I've been searching for crafts and little projects that my toddler could help me with and enjoy. I just tested this one out. It worked great, so I thought I would share it with you!

Supplies:

• A jar with a tight lid. I used an old jelly jar from some of my grandpa's homemade peach preserves. But an old pickle or olive jar will work just fine! Even a plastic jar would work if it has a good enough seal. 
• A small plastic figurine. I used a Spiderman action figure- since superheros are in right now, and Ian is obsessed with them. 
• Glitter. A single color or several colors. Whatever you choose!
• Super glue. I used the up&up Target brand. 
• Water. Nothing fancy, just tap water!

Make sure the jar and lid is clean and dry. The lid needs to be especially dry so that the figurine adheres well. 

Super glue the figurine to the inside of the lid. It helps if the figurine has a flat base. Roughing the bottom with a little sandpaper may be necessary if it has problems adhering. Let this dry fully. I let mine sit for 30 minutes.

While it was drying, I added glitter to the jar. I chose 3 different colors. There is a happy medium with glitter. Too little and it won't be visible. But too much and it takes away from the subject in the jar. So I always use a little less. 

At this time, you can add water and shake to test the visibility of the glitter. I have many of these jars, so I was able to use another lid for the test. If you don't have another lid, add some water, and stir with a spoon to test. The picture isn't great, but theres quite a bit of glitter. So I'm happy with it. 

I didn't take a picture of the next step, but what you do is make sure that the jar is mostly full of water and glitter. If the figurine on the lid is dry, slowly add it into the jar. If it starts to overflow, scoop out some of the water and try again. You don't want the jar so full that you can't shake it, so I left a small rim of air at the top. 

Add a little of the super glue to the edge of the jar and the inside groove of the lid. This will keep little ones from being able to unscrew the jar. 

And voila! You just made a snow globe!

{Weight Loss} The Machine

It's here! It's here! My Treadclimber is here!

Looks great, huh? Then why am I so p***ed off? 

1. This machine cost me over $3,500!

2. And it was thrown out on my driveway while no one was home! Um, excuse me? Hi, let me leave this expensive equipment in broad daylight so someone has the opportunity to snatch it! (They would have a hard time. It's very heavy. But still, it could be done.)

3. They left it IN THE RAIN! AHHHHH! WHY? Do they not understand, if I get this assembled and it does not operate properly, that I am going to go insane on their a**?!?

Here's a pic after we got 2 of the boxes inside? Do you see that puddle?! And that's the control panel part that goes by the handles. 

It's now all safely inside, IN THE DRY, waiting on the assembly crew!

So even though I am still a little irritated with the delivery, I AM SO EXCITED THAT IT'S FINALLY HERE!

Stay tuned!

The Ferro Family

Just about every girl on the planet has read the 50 Shades of Grey Trilogy by E.L. James.

You know how it goes- rich man with troubled childhood uses painful sex tactics as an escape from reality, meets nice girl, reels her in, theres a little mystery and a little action, then they fall deeply in love, happily ever after. These were great books, with steamy sex scenes! I never thought that I would be the girl who read erotic novels. I mean, my grandmother reads them, my mom used to read them, and now, I read them. While two-thirds of my Nook library is erotica, there is a series that I have been particularly fond of lately.

The Ferro Family Novels by H.M. Ward

The novels are broken into 3 series for each of the 3 brothers.

The Arrangement follows Sean Ferro and his call girl, Avery. This series currently has 9 installments.

Overview for the first installment of The Arrangement:

FML is becoming Avery's motto. Just when she doesn't think things could get any worse, they do. When her car stalls out at a busy intersection and she gets out to check under the hood, a guy steals her car. Armed with a dress and a pair of Chucks, Avery runs after the thief. When a hot stranger offers to help, she can't say no. That's how Avery meets Sean Ferro, the totally sexy, totally damaged guy with more secrets than she has time for. Avery doesn't have time for anything anymore. Her is life falling apart and it's not just the car. It's everything, and it doesn't matter how tightly she tries to hold on, there's nothing left to hold on to. With the sudden death of her parents, it's only a matter of months until Avery's shot at college is gone, and she's living in a cardboard box. Other students have their families to rely on when things get bad. Avery has no one. But there's one option, one incredibly sexy, morally devoid, option. If Avery takes a job as a call girl, one guy could save her. One client. One time. She just has to say yes. 

Damaged follows Peter Granz (Ferro) and his student, Sidney. This series currently has 2 installments.

Overview for the first installment of Damaged:

Life sucks. And, as soon as Sidney picks up the pieces something always knocks her back onto her butt. It's never pretty, but this time is different. This time pretty isn't even the right word. Peter is the personification of perfection. It's like he fell off his angel perch in purgatory, because let's face it--any guy that hot has got to be naughty. He was probably sent here to ruin her life. Peter is beyond beautiful with his sexy blue eyes, dark hair, and toned body. Add in his charming wit and Peter is everything Sidney ever wanted in a man, but when things get hot and heavy Peter shows her the door. Sidney takes the walk of shame and leaves. It's the end of the worst blind date ever. Her life couldn't possibly reach higher levels of suckage, but it does. The next morning everything comes crashing down. The insanely hot guy from last night, the one that saw her half naked, is teaching at the front of the class room.

Stripped follows Jonathan Ferro and the woman who broke his heart, Cassie. This series currently has 1 installment. 

Overview for the first installment of Stripped: 

The V Card. Virgin. Most of us want to punch that sucker ASAP, and hide the fact until then, but not Cassie Hale. Three years ago she frickin' covered hers in glitter and laminated the thing, proudly telling me that she's waiting for the perfect guy. So when I see her half naked, tangled together, rolling around on the floor with another stripper, I'm kind of shocked. Okay, that's an understatement. I'm enthralled. I have to know what cracked her picture perfect world and landed her here, and I hope it's something horrible-an event that broke her the way she broke me. Because, that's who Cassie Hale is--the woman who stole my heart and crushed it in her hand

After reading all of these, I've noticed that they all intertwine at certain points throughout the novels, as well as bringing in mentions from her other two series Scandalous and The Secret Life of Trystan Scott. (Which I also highly recommend.) With them all being tied together, I think reading each series brings the whole story together. 

Each installment isn't actually a book in itself. It's actually more like a few chapters. And while it seems silly, it is actually a great marketing plan. At the end of each installment, you cannot believe that it has ended and it leaves you begging for more. Each installment ranges from $.99-$4.99, although most of mine were $2.99, and can be purchased for Nook or Kindle. I don't buy paperback or hardback books, so I am unaware if there are any for these series. I believe that every cent has been worth it. 

My favorite series used to be The Arrangement. It is well written, and I could relate to the lead female character. But after reading Stripped, I am hooked! It has to be the best book I've ever read by H.M. Ward, and believe it or not, it was very romantic, sensual, and all in all steamy, BUT there was NO SEX! I am anxiously awaiting the release date of the second installment!

Check THESE out! They are totally worth the time and money!