a little jar of heaven

That's right! These beautiful shiny jars are filled with SEEDLESS black raspberry jelly! HOME MADE by myself! Well, with a little help from a very good friend!

Let's just say it was a LOT of fun making it...and I will NEVER tell you how much sugar is in a batch of jelly! EVER. It's heavenly! Our berry bushes did not let us down this year!

Tomorrow and part of Tuesday I get to play 'camp nurse'. First time as camp nurse... with a bunch of Teenagers! YIKES! We'll see! I'll use this as a test run...to see if I EVER want to play camp nurse again! Wish me luck!

Decade?!

Last Thursday, June 16, was mine and Justin's ten year wedding anniversary! TEN YEARS! I remember thinking during the first year....'10 years is a long way off!' Boy was I WRONG! Time has FLOWN BY! Every year on our anniversary I want to get married all over again. Of course in a different location, different colors, different flowers, different dress each year. Just to mix it up!

Our wedding day was SO much fun! Surrounded by family and friends, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day! Complete with violin music, smiles, tears, hugs, bubbles, a hay ride with the wedding party and a little bit of boogy on the dance floor! The only thing that went wrong? All of the groomsmen, ushers, minister and groom decided to shine their shoes moments before the event. There were tea-light candles placed in tuhle across the stage to give a 'soft glow' to the set. I bet you have guessed by now something caught on fire....NOT the tuhle! But the toe of the ministers shoe! He stepped back and flipped the candle over, igniting the toe of his shoe. Justin, myself and a few attendants were the only ones who caught this mishap! And we paid for a new pair of shoes for him! Not because we had to....because we felt bad! ;)

Below are a few pics from the day. Taken from our wedding album by Justin's Iphone. Not the best quality....but 'back then', digital camera's weren't popular and were way to expensive if they were around! this would be the quiet moments AFTER the ignited shoe!

YES, that is a HAY wagon we rode off into the sunset on! The entire wedding party and significant other fit on that wagon! My best friends brother was sweet enough to drive it down mainstreet to the reception! Maybe a little bit 'country', but a TON of fun!



Ahhh the memories. Wonderful ones they are of that day! I love reminiscing about the event and wish we could do it all over again every year! It's been a busy, educational, wonderful decade....we're looking forward to what the next decade brings us! (Hopefully a little more relaxation!)

Friday Firsts

It's almost Friday...so I'm getting my 'friday firsts' up and running early this week!

There have been a number of 'firsts' in the last couple of weeks:

First catheter placement....as a nurse NOT on orientation! I guess i should say, my first catheter success since third semester of school! OVER a year ago!

First 12 hour night shift. The first 10 hours were GREAT....the last two...way too long.

Tomorrow is Aubrey's FIRST trip to Silver Dollar City! It's going to be a hot day....it's 9:55 p.m. and she's still running around the hotel room. Tomorrow should be a fun day. (If you aren't familiar with SDC, check out www.silverdollarcity.com ) We're in for some fun!

Here's a cute quote from the Aubster herself:

Last Friday we spent a few hours in Urgent care to find out she had an ear infection. Memorial Day we took a family trip to the pool. On the way there I told her she couldn't get her ear wet because she has an ear infection. That night in the bathtub, I was rinsing the soap out of her hair and she informed me 'mama, you can't get my ear wet, I have an ear confection!'

Have a WONDERFUL Friday!

Happy Mama's Day!

What does this red Geranium,






Plus this yummy cherry chip cake,








Plus this lovely floor lamp have in common?

Grandrich Torchiere Floor Lamp Grandrich Torchiere Floor Lamp

Online


Happy Mother's Day...to ME!

Justin put Aubrey in charge of shopping for my gift for mother's day. Or 'mama's day' as she calls it. While I was sleeping after my night shift, Justin and Aub packed up and went into town. While they were checking errands off the list, he asked her what she wanted to get mommy for mama's day? She confidently replied ' a lamp for papa's room'. Papa's room is our guest bedroom where my parents stay when they come to visit. He asked her if I told her that was what I wanted. Nope. After questioning her several times that the lamp was what she wanted, they walked out of the store with the above 3 items. Aubrey selected them herself.

I guess I needed a lamp for Papa's room! However, I do not recall EVER thinking that or saying anything of the sort. Perhaps we have a future interior designer on our hands!
I DO love cherry chip cake, she selected 'rainbow chip' frosting to complete it. And red Geraniums. These flowers were my grandmother's (my mom's mother) favorite flower! I remember summers as a kid with her car port covered in pots of red geraniums! Sweet memories!

HAPPY MAMA'S DAY!

Firsts...

Today's post is named 'firsts'. It should be Friday Firsts, but I am writing it 2 days early due to the fact I WILL be sleeping all day Friday and probably won't be coherent enough to write anything that makes sense!

Below are a few 'firsts' which happened in the past week for our family:

- I have officially and successfully finished my FIRST week of working NIGHTS, 11p.m. - 7a.m.! (Hence the fact I will be asleep Friday) As a nursing school grad....it is rare to find a RN position on Days in the specific area you want. If you are a grad who landed a position on days...kudos to you! I am not that fortunate. HOWEVER, I don't mind nights. I am able to stay awake suprisingly well and make sense of my job. Good thing, right?! I am NOT a fan of my completely opposite schedule of my husband and daughter. But, this schedule isn't forever!
Oh yeah...and who ever thought it was OK to call the meal you eat or break you take at 2:00 a.m. 'LUNCH'?! It is NOT lunch....it is simply a break or a snack! Hello 4th meal.... :(

- First make-up disaster....Aubrey broke into my Mary Kay stash and opened up a brand new, off the shelf, ready for someone elses' face... cream blush. The color pictured above. Smeared it across her forehead, ran into the kitchen and said 'daddy look! I'm beautiful!' His reply? 'Aubrey....where did you find that? is that mommies make-up?!' Her reply...'DON'T TELL MAMA!'
Unfortunately I was in the shower, missed the entire show, but did get to hear 'DON'T TELL MAMA!'. Her face was blush free when I was done stalling and 'pretending' I didn't know what was happening. Justin didn't grab a picture of her either :(

- First screaming and kicking tantrum, courtesy of Aubrey. Yes, this past week has also brought with it a brand new form of misbehaving! Arguing to get your way and when you don't get your way, let's scream, kick and cry! Yes, we are trudging our way through parenthood and childhood dealing with this issue, like any normal family. We have discussed this matter with her, laid ground rules, talked about how it hurts mommy and daddy's feelings etc. etc. So after a few days of being exhausted by this action, Aubrey was being, for lack of better words, an ANGEL yesterday! ALL DAY! I felt like I should be walking on egg shells, wondering when the switch would flip?! IT DIDN'T FLIP! She was wonderful...and wonderful today as well! Since she was so good, we were in downtown Springfield and stopped at this adorable little cupcake shop, so cleverly named 'the Cup'. Delicious little treats awaited us inside. This was Aubrey's FIRST trip to 'the Cup'. I informed her this treat was special because she was being such a nice girl and making good choices etc. She ordered the cupcake with sprinkles and I indulged in the peanut butter and chocolate one. We sat in the chairs by the window and had a fun 15 minute mommy/daughter time eating cupcakes and watching people and cars. She had a LOT of fun! As we were getting in the car, she said to me in an almost 'bossy' type voice 'mama, I have something to tell you....' I thought 'here we go! Good bye SWEET Aubrey....what is she about to say!' I said almost reluctantly 'yes?....' Aubrey: 'You're a GOOD mama!'
Need I say more?!


In the mean time... keep tabs on your family 'firsts' this week!

birthday party...toddler style

Monday was my birthday and I had all day to myself! When Justin and Aubrey came home, they suprised me with a 'party'. This party was planned and designed by none other than Aubrey. Hence the decor! A Care Bear cake with Rapunzel plates/cups and noise makers. And to top it off a fancy ballerina kitty card! Hysterical!

While we were eating our cake Aubrey asked 'Mama, where's all the people?' My reply? 'Aubrey, when you get to be grown up like mommy and daddy, you don't always have a lot of people at your birthday party'. She wasn't too distraught by it, the cake/frosting soon set her free of her worry of not many people at our party! Fun times!

Birthday memories

SO today is my BIRTHDAY! I know as we get older a lot of us don't like to necessarily celebrate our age. I will admit, I turned 31 today! And have spent much of today reminiscing the past. Past birthdays and the past year of being 30. 30 was VERY good to me! My biggest accomplishment in the year of 30 was graduating Nursing school and landing an RN position! I decided last year on my 30th birthday that I was going to SLOW DOWN in life and ENJOY! My 20's were definitely 'roaring 20's' and flew by faster than I wanted! So I am making it a priority to enjoy every moment, to enjoy friends, to enjoy family and take my time, to not commit to a million things and if it will take away family time or relaxation...perhaps I should re-valuate it!

I have chosen to take today to myself! I have stayed home and organized, cleaned, napped and just sat down to watch a little t.v. Maybe I should have rented a good classic movie...but for me, the peace and quiet, the stillness of the house, the cloudy rainy day outside made for an amazing pajama and nap day!

I have been reminiscing about past birthdays, primarily from my childhood. I wish I could post the pictures I have in my head for you to see from my childhood birthdays! Before I could invite friends, birthday parties were filled with family! It started early in the morning, or the night before. I remember my mom and grandmother sitting in the kitchen boiling potatoes and peeling and chopping pounds of them for home made potato salad! I can hear the sound of the ice cream churning while my parents made their famous home made ice cream recipe! I remember how embarrassed I was to sit in the middle of the room with my cake and candles and everyone singing 'happy birthday' to me! I HATED to be the center of attention! I hated unwrapping the gifts in front of everyone and loved it when someone struck up conversation so that for a split moment their attention would be on someone else. Yes, I am an only child, but my home was filled with 20-30 family members on my birthday. Mom and Dad, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and close family friends sharing laughs, stories, hugs and good times. It's days like today I wish so badly, so much so it makes my heart hurt, that I could go back to those birthday celebrations surrounded by the people who loved me most! Making memories and eating the best home made food on the planet!

Birthday memories as a child are amazing. And today I spend reminiscing all of them!