These Days

These days, nothing special has been happening around here.

Last Sunday I was initiated into Sigma Theta Tau International.  It's an honor society for nursing students.  I was very happy to be asked to joined, seeing as how I have never had this opportunity before.  I have always had mediocre grades - nothing good enough to get me into an honor society.  So, my mom was thrilled and so was I!!!  

This past week has consisted of working, cleaning, grocery shopping and a trip to the vet's office.  I have started doing all of my grocery shopping at Publix because I can save more money there than anywhere else.  Can I just tell you, I LOVE going to Publix.  Everyone is always so nice, they know exactly where things are, the store is always so clean, and I can save tons of money there with their buy one, get one deals.   I may have to drive 30 minutes to get to the nearest one but I would probably drive an hour just to go to one - it's that good!!

Our trip to the vet's office was a little scary.  Kolby has been limping around for weeks but Thursday night when I came home, he would not let me touch his back leg.  He bit me several times when I was trying to pick him up to comfort him.  I was terrified he was going to need surgery that I really can't afford at this time.  When the doctor came into look at him, Kolby wouldn't let him touch his leg either.  So, they ended up giving him some sedation so they could look at it closer and get an x-ray of his leg.  It turns out that he has a 'soft tissue injury'.  We are just giving him some medicine at home every day and if he isn't better in 5 days, I have to take him back.  He's supposed to take it easy, so I have been picking him up and taking him down stairs and making him lie down a lot.  As I type this, he is standing - he has been standing for 2 hours now.  I guess it hurts him to lie down so he just stands.  Several times, he has laid down and yelped out.  Adam thinks it's just psychological but I think he's really hurting.  What dog bites their owner when they try to comfort them if they aren't really hurting??  I just hope he gets better real soon.

Some other interesting news - I registered to take my boards.  I'm not telling anyone the date because I don't want to be nervous but I can tell you it is within the next 2 months.  :)  Keep me in your prayers because this test cost me $385 and if I don't pass, I have to pay it all over again - I do NOT want to have to do that!!!

Diets, Exercise, and Weight Loss OH MY!!

I am participating in the Show Us Your Life at Kelly's Korner once again.  This week, we are discussing techniques for weight loss.  Since Sunday I have started watching what I'm eating.  I found this great website through my People magazine called Spark People.  It's totally FREE, which is what drew my attention to begin with.  There is a place to log in your food, exercise and water intake and there are discussion boards. The best thing is that I can get this as a free application on my iPhone - that way I can take it with me everywhere and log my food after I eat without having to wait til I get home or get to a computer.  It keeps track of all your calories, fat, and carbohydrates and lets you know how many more you can eat that day.  It will also analyze your diet at the end of the day.  So far, I have lost 4.5 pounds!  I have 15.5 to go but I think that is a great start to my first week.  I wonder how much I was actually eating before I started watching my diet??

I've also started going to the gym.  I haven't been able to go many days with work and all but I go when I can.  I can't wait to be able to fit into all my jeans that have been sitting in my closet for several years now.  If it doesn't work this time, I'm going to have to say farewell to my old jeans.  I will miss you but it's just not going to work out.  :(

Good luck to everyone out there trying to lose weight and work on their Resolutions!!  I just can't wait until this weather gets warmer so I can get outside and do stuff.

New Years Resolutions

Kelly's Korner has started back with her Show Us Your Life Fridays.  I have never participated but I want to start.  Kelly's first Friday is for New Years Resolutions and Goals.

I have been thinking a lot about my New Years Resolutions in the past week.  Not only do I want to do the normal things like lose weight, pay off bills, etc but I want to do things for my community and try to help others.  So, after thinking and contemplating my resolutions, I came up with these.

1.  Be able to fit into my jeans that have been sitting at the top of my closet for 3 years now.  I want to be comfortable in my own skin and be able to shop and buy anything I want without having to go up a size in my jeans!

2.  Get out of debt!!!  This is a biggie for me.  After being in school full time for a year and not working that much, some bills have been neglected and need to be paid off!!!

3.  Volunteer more - whether it be at the church or some organization.  I have always wanted to do Big Brothers Big Sisters but never did it.  I think this year would be an excellent year to start this.

4.  Be a better friend, girlfriend, sister, and daughter.  I have neglected my family and friends in the past year because of school.  I hope I can make it up to them this year!!!  I will attend more functions with my friends and not use the excuse of I'm tired and don't want to go anywhere.  I need to become more social!!!

5.  Make it to church every weekend, or at least on my off weekends.  I work every other weekend so sometimes on my work weekends, I just want to get caught up on things at the house or sleep in.  I have got to stop doing this and get my butt out of bed and at church!!!

6.  Get more organized.  My office is a mess - but this is due to school.  I haven't put everything up because I have to start studying for boards really soon.  I don't want to put it up just to take it all back out.

7.  Become more crafty/creative.  Is this even possible???  I have been good this past year - I have learned how to do more things by watching DIY and HGTV.  I even subscribed to magazines I would have never thought I would be interested in.  It's fun to make things for the house.  I always get a sense of pride when someone asks me where I got something that I have made.

So, that's it for now.  I hope I can manage meeting all these goals.  Right now, I'm going to get up and get into the shower.  Last night was a late night after watching Bama win the National Championship - we didn't get into bed until 2 am and I have to work this weekend.  I'm savoring every minute I can lie in this bed!!!

*****I forgot one very important goal!!  I said at the beginning of December I wanted to participate in a half marathon in March.  I had a plan to start training.  If any of you know me - you know how much I HATE to run.  I figured with a goal like this, it would help me focus and I could lose weight at the same time!!  So, I will be blogging later about my plan!******

2009 Recap

January - I met Adam and we have been busy building our lives together ever since.  I began my clinical classes for school, little did I know how hectic it would be nor how quickly it would fly by.  I met the Neurology team at Children's and I have loved being with them ever since.  We went to New Orleans for Blair's Bachelorette party.  I went back to working at Children's in the Special Care Unit but just part time while I finished up school.  

February - Adam and I celebrated our very first Valentines together.  He gave me tickets to see Dave Matthews Band and I gave him a year subscription to a Beer of the Month club.  We also went to see Zac Brown Band at Workplay.  Amy Pate turned 28 and we celebrated her birthday at Twist and Shout.

March - My baby sister turned 22.  It was the 16th anniversary of my father and grandfather's death.  Blair got married to Jason and it was such a fun wedding!  We went to see Jamey Johnson in Atlanta at Wild Bill's.

April - I turned 28 and had a cook-out at Shannon's house with all my great friends there.  The Swine Flu made it's appearance and the country was terrified.   Adam moved to Huntsville to begin training for a management position, which we didn't know would happen as soon as it did.

May - Danny, my mom's boyfriend, passed away after battling 18 months of pancreatic cancer.  We went  to Elizabeth and Matt's wedding on Dauphin Island.  

June - I began my adventures in Coupon clipping!  I started back full time at Children's in the Special Care Unit.  I began clinicals in the CICU at UAB.

July - Adam moved back home after he got a job as the manager in Cullman!  We were so excited!

August - Adam and I bought a house together.  My first house!!!  We painted, cleaned, and moved in without air conditioner - it was VERY hot.  David, my aunt's boyfriend, fixed our air conditioner before we started moving big things.  I began clinical back with the neurology team at Children's.

September - I traded in my Trailblazer and bought a Tahoe, which has been what I have wanted since I could drive!

October - We dressed up as Daisy Duke and Uncle Jesse for Halloween and joined all our friends for Nightmare on 18th Street in Lakeview.

November - I had to work Thanksgiving but I didn't miss out!  We had Thanksgiving at our house with my whole family here.  Adam enjoyed Thanksgiving with his family while I was at work.

December - I graduated from UAB with my Masters.  Had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed decorating our home for the first time.  My family came over again for Christmas in our new home with lots of delicious food!

This year has been full of exciting times, too many to list on this blog.  I'm sure you all have had an exciting year but I feel like God has more than provided us with happiness this year.  I can't wait to see what's in store for this upcoming year.

Happy New Year!!!

Super Movie Sunday Funday!!!

Even though my kitchen looks like a bomb went off in it, we made time to go see The Blindside today.  We haven't been to the movie theater in a long time and I told Adam that I wanted to do something with him instead of working on the kitchen.  Since I have days off during the week, I can work on that stuff but when he is off on the weekends, I'd rather just do something with him!  This movie was awesome.  It made me really think about how I treat people and how I should be more generous because someone much less fortunate may be in real need of something as basic as a meal or a warm place to sleep.  I don't know that I could ever open my home to a complete stranger but I could make arrangements (like Sandra Bullock said in the movie).  :)  It also made me realize how lucky I am to have a loving mom that has provided for me all these years!  Thanks Mom!!

I hope you all get a chance to go see this movie!  Has anyone else seen any great movies lately?  I personally can't wait until The Lovely Bones comes out.  I plan on reading the book before I watch it but it looks like a fabulous movie!

Yummy Divinity!!!!

When I was little, my mom and I would have a baking extravaganza during the holidays.  We made fruit cake cookies, fudge, and a little white candy called divinity.  Not everyone has had this candy but it is delicious.  I made some during Christmas for the first time in years and it actually turned out great.  The thing that makes this candy so hard to make, is that you can't make it when it is a humid day.  The sugar in candy attracts water, aka humidity, and it will not shape up like it is supposed to.  I made mine on a day when the humidity was about 60%.  That is a little high for divinity but it turned out and I was very surprised!  I wanted to share my recipe and some pictures from when I made it.  

Ingredients:  2 2/3 cups white sugar, 2/3 cup light corn syrup, 1/2 cup water, 2 egg whites, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (I actually used pecans but you really don't have to use either)

Put your sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan on medium heat.  

Only stir a little at the beginning to get all the ingredients mixed but after this do not stir it.  I know you'll be tempted, only because I was VERY tempted to!!  You must have a candy thermometer to measure the temperature of the candy as it cooks - I got mine at Wal-Mart for close to $2.  You want to let it come to a boil at a medium heat.  Let it boil like this until your thermometer reads at a 'hard boil', or 260 degrees.  

While you're letting this boil up, you'll want to prepare your egg whites.  Beat the eggs whites in a mixer until stiff peaks form.  I say put it in a mixer because once your other mixture is done, you're going to pour it into the egg whites while it still mixes.  

So, as I have said, once your boiled mixture has reached 260 degrees, pour it in a thin stream into your egg whites while your mixer is going.  Add your vanilla at this time - I always forgot this part when I was little.  

At this time, you're going to want to let the mixer do it's job.  At first, your candy will be very shiny but you're going to want to let the candy have a dullness to it and also want it to form stiff peaks when you raise your beaters out of it.  It took me nearly 15 minutes to get to this point but it may not take you this long.  During this time, set up your wax paper so you can spoon out the ingredients.  

After you have reached the formed peaks with your mixture, you can mix in your pecans or walnuts into it and it's now time for the fun part!  Grab 2 spoons and start spooning out small portions onto your wax paper.  If you have someone at home with you, it's a smart idea to let them help you because the candy will set up very fast.  Each batch will make about 25 to 30 candies.  Now, you have your finished product!!

Doesn't it look delicious???  They're so easy to eat too, which can be a good and bad thing.  I am bad about going into the kitchen and grabbing 4 or 5 at a time!  So delicious but so much sugar!!!

These candies are good for valentines too - you can put red food coloring in them and they turn out a lovely shade of pink!  Hope you all enjoy making this yourselves!

Thanksgiving 2009

Everyone came over to our house for Thanksgiving this year.  It was so much fun having everyone over at our new house.  Not everyone has seen it since we did all the work on it.  We had a lot of great food including ham, sweet potatoes, lots of great sweets, and turkey and dressing.  Anna Kate was so much fun this year.  She is now 2 years old and her personality is starting to show.  We had her a little birthday cake to celebrate her 2nd birthday and she loved it!

We have a lot to be thankful for this year and hopefully we will have more to be thankful for next year.

We decided that the little dot in the picture was Moma Lou!  Aunt Kim, Mom, and Jessica

Adam relaxing after filling his belly

Happy Birthday AK!