I Said A Naughty Word...

So, my friend invited me to a book club party the other week. I'm a big fan of reading and I thought it would be a great way to get to know some women my age. I was also told to bring a Christmas tree ornament....easy sneezy, right? Well, I picked one out (shh...from my very own tree)....that I absolutely LOVED. I would stare at it when it was hanging from the needles and revel over its beauty. Since Joel and I are trying to save money and because the ornament did not have any sentimental value, I decided to bring it in all of its glory. I would have been thrilled to receive this Christmas tree ornament, and frankly, I was very sad to give it up...but since I'd rather be able to go on vacation again (preferably before I'm 90) and also pay off my school loans...I've taken to cutting a few corners. This happened to be the corner I chose that day. (Usually, I just say no to Diet Coke or bring a bagged lunch to work). Anyway, fast forward to the book party. It was a great gathering of ladies. Lots and lots of ladies...we talked about the book we all read and then moved onto playing the white elephant Christmas tree ornament game. Things were going well....until I noticed that all the women would ooh and ah over all the ornaments and then enquire "Where did you get that from?" Answers such as "Pier One, the Christmas Store...the_____ kept being tossed around the room. I began to panic! What was I going to say? I couldn't very well tell them that I found it on my tree. I also could not tell them that a friend bought it for me, because someone who previously lived in our house had bought it and left it behind. I briefly thought about lying...but I can't lie about anything and the guilt would have plagued me to my death. Then it happened...and I told the truth which happens to be the "naughty" word I said. That's right...the R word. I know you've all thought it and many have even used it. REGIFT. That's right. I regifted. After I let the whole group of women know my terrible deed, I was HUMILIATED! Way to make a first impression on 20 women that just so happen to go to my church! Yikes...I'm turning red as I write this. Anyway, I learned my lesson...because I really miss my gorgeous ornament and the pride I gave away with that r word!

Boys Don't Defer

Boys don't defer. This is a very simple fact that has taken me years to comprehend. You see, I've been living in a girls world all my life. I grew up with three sisters and my high school class was 80% female. Naturally, I articulate "girl language" quite well. Thus,boy language often seems quite foreign to me. You see, girls have these known rules that we ALL follow...and if these rules are broken...it makes girls upset. Here are some different unspoken rules we girls usually follow.

1. Girls must defer to one another at least 3 times.

2. If you have both deferred at least 3 times...then the girl with greatest need wins....no matter how vehement her deference is. (For example, if one girl has only eaten a skinny cow all day and there is only one piece of lasagna left for supper..they would both defer until the girl who only ate the skinny was eating the piece of lasagna).

3. The girl who wins the deference ALWAYS thanks the girl who deferred.

You are probably wondering where this "boys don't defer" post came from. Yesterday our fridge did not have a lick of food in it. We just got back from vacation and had not had time to restock. My husband gets up earlier than I do and packed his lunch with the last two pieces of bread. I was therefore left with some fruit, a hot red pepper and a skinny cow (and no car since we share one). I chose to eat the skinny cow. We did have one large piece of lasagna left for supper. I was expecting my husband would defer to ME since he had had a sandwich for lunch. And he did...2 times..and then ate it. I was shocked! Obviously I was the one in greatest need! He had a sandwich for lunch and I had a measly skinny cow! (This is a reduced fat/calorie dessert for those of you who do not know). I was the one in greatest need! He did not even follow the last girl deference rule and thank me as he was eating it. He believed me when I said it was okay if he ate it. Naturally, I was quite upset! How RUDE! After stewing about how hungry I was and how inconsiderate he was, I remembered a side comment my mother-in-law made this past weekend "boys do not defer." I then realized that I was speaking in my silly girl language...and of course my husband did not understand these silly girl rules I follow! I then forgave him for eating the last piece of lasagna, and decided my girl deference rules are rather silly!

Back to Life..Back to Reality....

Have you ever noticed that you and your family get a little cranky when returning home from a wonderful vacation? Well, I DO...here's some phrases that may indicate that you just returned or are returning from vacation...

1. Why are you going so slow? You REALLY need to speed up...Ohhhh...look, we just missed that light. Hmmpph...(I won't say who said this one)

2. Me-"Back off you big Galute!!" (yes, I do call Joel a big galute when I'm only partly annoyed with him...he thinks it is kind of funny).

3. Me-"What do you mean we spent too much on ________? I did NOT! I promise you...scribble, scribble (that's me calculating what I spent)....see...way under what you said!"
Him-"Well, we spent it on something!...we spent it on living...it's fine."
Me-"Well, maybe we shouldn't get a___________, and we don't have to buy _______."
Him-"Caron, stop worrying about it....we are just fine."
Me-"Well, lets not go out to eat again until next Thanksgiving...and we can skip Christmas presents for us and we can walk to work and...."
Him-"Caron, seriously, things come up sometimes..."
Yeah..I'm a bit of a worrier sometimes...:)

4. Me-"I forgot my purse"
Him-"What?! But it was right there on the ________-?"
Me-"Well, I still forgot it...with my phone and my wallet, which has my license and credit cards....and btw..I need money tomorrow for ________"

ohh...money! and driving.... the perfect topics for fighting! (not that Joel and I ever fight :)!!! just discuss..;)

I'll Always Be a Minnesota GIRL!

So, this is the first year I will not be spending any of the holidays in Minnesota. I didn't think I would be sad about that fact, but I really am. I love seeing my nieces and nephews every year (and their parents too, of course!)....but since I'm a workin' woman now, I can't! I will probably never live in MN ever again... but I will always be a MN girl at heart! I wear my U of MN sweatshirt proudly and always cheer when we win a football game (even though I could really care less about football!) But, since I've moved down south, I've been asked a lot of funny questions about my home state...I think some southerners think that Minnesotans are close relatives to the Eskimos or something...:)!

1)Here's the most popular question asked of me.
"Do you miss the snow?"

My answer-
"Only on Christmas day!"

2)Another very popular question
"Do you miss the cold?"

I always say "NO!!!"

3) "Do you ice fish?"

I think to myself..."hmmm...do I look like an ice fisher?" but I answer..."no, but my brother-in-law does...he pretty much hunts and fishes any animal that moves."

4)"Can you say _______" again?" (insert nose, bag, rag, sag, bob jones, or anything with an O in that blank."

I say "Shut up...Minnesotans actually have one of the purest forms of English in the USA."

5) "Do you remember the coldest temperature you lived through in MN?"

"I don't really remember...I do remember my breath crystallizing on the dashboard on the way to school some mornings. Once my father took a cup of hot coffee and poured it over the snow and it turned to ice before it hit the ground."

So there you have it folks...a short synopsis of my background...I'm now off to pack for my Thanksgiving trip to SC!

Daily Shower Cleaner

Lately I've been going a little Daily Shower Cleaner CRAZY! I just love coating my shower walls with the stuff (don't ask me why?!? I have this new found obsession with squeaky clean grout). Unfortunately this concoction is not cheap, so I decided to look up a recipe on google. I found one that costs about 35 cents a bottle. I didn't want to keep the secret to myself...so I thought I'd post it (a recipe is a essentially a list after all!!). Kudos to "What She Said" for the great recipe! I can't wait until my store bought cleaner is gone so I can try it out! (I know..I'm such a nerd!)

4 cups of water
1 cup of Hydrogen Peroxide
1 cup of 70% Isopropyl Alcohol
4 tsp. Dishwasher rinse agent
1/2 tsp. dishwashing liquid

Little Miss Domesticated....

Lately, I've been trying to work on my housecleaning/organization skills. My mother-in-law is always, forever inspiring me in this regard. I do believe she is the ultimate hostess/house cleaner/planner! I aspire to be this way....here's a peak into the way I used to clean as a teen....

1. Throw everything in a pile...shove it all in the closet.
2. Throw it all in a pile...hide it under the sink.
3. Clear a space off my bed...go to sleep...
4. Friends coming over? Throw all of my clothes in the wash...(then I wouldn't have to fold them and put them away into my very messy drawers..ahh..my poor mom!)

Yep...you got it...I was pretty much a BIG MESS. Then I met miss Abigail Annie in college. She always knew where her keys were. Her notebooks were nicely organized. Her clothes were always neat and folded and she always had matching socks. I began to think that maybe my throw in a pile method wasn't so stellar. (although I always told my mom that I was organized in a pile sort of way-she always told me I would wish I were more organized in the future...but who listens to their mom at that age?:)

Over the last few years I've worked on my cleaning skills, but I've still been feeling like I was playing grown up. I do the dishes, iron and vacuum, but I never had much time to SCRUB my floor and the grout in my bathroom (don't worry, I cleaned them...just not as well as I do now) Plus, since I wasn't bringing home ANY of the bacon....I really felt young. Hopefully, that will change soon:) Maybe someday I'll even be as organized as Miss Abigail and my mother-in-law. I can dream, right?

It's Time to STOP Wearing American Eagle When...

So, I love AE. I think they make the most comfortable clothes in the world and they aren't as expensive as J. Crew or Anne Taylor. The problem is that I'm 27...almost 28 *shudder*.....I've decided I CAN'T even step foot into AE anymore. Plus, I'm a principals wife....I don't really know what clothes I'm supposed to wear for that role...but probably not AE ones:) I have been asked when I was going to start wearing ugly, frumpy principal wife clothes...hopefully I'll never have to do that.
So, You know it's time to stop wearing AE when...

1. A 15 year old asks you to dance at his high school homecoming (I'm not even making this up....this really happened to me)

2. Your patients continually question if you are old enough to care for them.

3. You are married to a principal...who doesn't recognize that you are not one of the high schoolers when you surprise him and drop by the school (yes, this did happen once).

4. The rest of the staff at your husbands school also thinks you are a student when you first meet them (when Joel is not around of course). They also question why you are going to the principals office....They then look really surprised when I call Joel by his first name :)

5. Your husband won't give you a hug in public because he's afraid someone will mistake you for a high schooler...making him look like a bad principal (I'm glad he's sooo careful!)

6. You're 27...yep...I guess that's really the real answer here....time for me to move on to the adult clothing stores.

His Thoughts/Her Thoughts

Before I got married, I had dreams of road trips with long conversations, supper with long conversations.....eating breakfast with yes...LONG CONVERSATIONS. I learned very early on that women have about a billion more things on their mind most of the time. Here's my example....

Her thoughts...
hmmm..I think tonight was really fun. I hope I didn't offend _____ when I said ____. I really hope she didn't take it the wrong way....hmm...but the food was good...but I really should not have eaten that______. I feel so fat...I feel like a big, fat, fatty. Ugh...I need to be more careful tomorrow. It was really funny when _____ said ______. Ha...that was so great...hmm...I wonder what Joel is thinking about the evening..."What are you thinkin' about, hun?"

His answer..
"oh, nothin"

Me...
You can't be thinkin' about "nothing." That is physically impossible.

Joel..
"Well, I was thinking about the gas mileage we are getting"

My thoughts..
Gas mileage..seriously?

Another evening...

Her thoughts...
I love being married. I have the best husband in the whole, wide world. He is sooo great and smart. I wonder when we will get to go on vacation again. I think it would be so fun if we could go to______. I'm gonna hafta shed a couple of pounds before we do that though...Yikes..a swimsuit. I hate swimsuits. Why do guys get to wear big, baggy clothes...and we're stuck with tight, little things? It's so unfair. I wonder if I would rather be forced to wear a swimsuit to Wal-Mart...or jogging down the street...hmm..that's a hard one..I'll have to remember that one and ask Joel on our next road trip. Ha...I can store up some baby names too. He'll LOVE that. It's funny, cause he used to like talking about that stuff when we were dating..but he doesn't now..I wonder why. Hmm...I wonder what he's thinking about right now..."Joel, what are you thinkin' about?"

Joel.....
Oh nothing.

My thoughts...
Seriously, do I have to tell him that it's not possible to think of NOTHING?

My answer...
"Seriously, I want to know what you are thinking about!"

Joel..
Oh, I was just wondering when I have to take the car in to get the oil changed. I was also thinking about when ____________ made that awesome touchdown.

Me...
"Don't you ever think about anything interesting? Gosh, it seems like it would be so easy to live in your head for a while."

My thoughts.
"Seriously, I want to have a brain like that. No worrying about what you ate, no worrying about what he/she said...no worrying about whether I chose the right outfit for the evening...just oil, cars, and sports....seriously...I need a brain like that...although, it does sound kind of boring...hmmm."

Joel's thoughts (as my brain wonders about everything mentioned above...)
I think I should probably rake the yard this weekend

And this is what I have learned in my first year of marriage folks. Don't get me wrong...Joel and I do have great conversations! He's very intelligent (much smarter than I am :)....it just seems that his thought life is sooooo much simpler....oil changes, cars, work and sports....I think I need to learn from him!

Fun Size

Since it is the eve of Halloween, there has been an abundance of candy coming my way. It is all "fun size." I always wonder why they name these itty-bitty candy bars "fun." I can understand why a king size snickers is "fun," but these bite size mini's just tease you with their chocolatie goodness. I have come to believe that fun size is really from the devil. Here's why...

1. I'm sure these fun size candies were made specifically for Halloween...hence they are CLEARLY from the devil :) (j/k...I do think it is a fun holiday).

2. I've always been one to watch what I eat. These fun sizes are TrIcKy! I always think to myself when diving into a big bowl of small candy "One can't hurt me, right? It's not like I'm eating an entire candy bar?...mmmm...that was good...I think I need to try the reeses peanut butter cup one too...and I can't leave out the twix and snickers...I LOVE Twix and Snickers!....ooohh look! There's a 100 grand...I have to eat that crunchy, chocolatie goodness" Then I add up the calories I consumed from trying to eat just one fun size and realize I really devoured an entire KING size...plus some..See they ARE the devil.

3. They should really be named "You can't eat just ONE size." I think the point above demonstrated why.

4. They should also be specifically labeled with the exact calorie amount...and they should also say "I may look like a fun size, but you won't be thinkin' you are such a fun size when you are struggling to button your jeans next week." Seriously, I think these small size candy bars are the reason America is becoming obese. I would never buy a candy bar...but put these stinkin' fun sizes in front of me...and I let my guard down and consume WAY too many of them!

You May Be a Cheesy Couple If......

So, I'm sure we've all gone through the cheesy couple stage in our relationships. You don't think you are cheesy when you are going through it...but YOU ARE.

Therefore you are a cheesy couple if:
1. You use pet names in public.

2. You are always hugging, holding hands, kissing...all the time, even when you are around your friends (you really need to stop this).

3. You do not have any children, but call your husband "daddy" or your wife "mommy" when telling your pet to go to your significant other (I'll admit it...I'm guilty as charged when it comes to this one). At least we don't call each other this in public! (people might start to wonder)

4. You continually talk about your siginificant other even when they are not around...even if you are at your friends wedding, bridal shower, wedding dress shop, ect (you really need to stop this!.. This may be considered more annoying than cheesy....wait I'm gonna take a leap and say it is DEFINITELY annoying)

5. You whisper secrets in your significant other's ear and YOU BOTH giggle....

6. You giggle in general when together.

That's my list for now folks... What do all my readers consider to be cheesy? It's okay..you can make fun of Joel and I...we can handle it now that we are no longer newly weds :).

My Mom's Ugly Sweat Pants...

As I get older, I'm starting to understand why my parents liked things the way they did...Here's a list of course..

1. My mom's ugly sweat pants. My mom bought these hideous purple sweat pants at walmart in the early 90's (maybe the late 80's...who knows) She wore those things for YEARS. They were egg plant purple. Eventually they became polka-dotted with bleach stains. They were also cuffed at the bottom. When I was growing up I never understood why she slipped into those things the minute she arrived home. I think I do now. I now have my own pair of ugly sweat pants. Granted, they are NOT cuffed at the bottom, but they do have bleach stains on them. I LOVE these pants. They are so comfortable. I can't WAIT to put them on when I arrive home after a long, long day!

2. Peace and Quiet. As many of you know, Joel and I share a car. For the most part, I love the fact that we have to share car rides every day. It gives us extra time to be together. I also love the fact that we only have to pay insurance for ONE vehicle. Sometimes, this does impede our freedom just a bit. The other day Joel picked me up from work after a LONG 13 hour day. I just wanted him to ask me how my day was and tell me what we were going to eat for supper. I was yearning for some peace and quiet. Unfortunately for me, there was a radio interview with the Norfolk Christian Basketball star, James McAdoo, airing. Since my husband LOVES sports, especially basketball, he had the radio blasting when he picked me up. He could not miss a WORD of the interview. I understand this completely, I mean he is the principal of Norfolk Christian....but I had been answering call bells the entire day. Noises had been blaring in my ears for 13 hours! I just wanted some peace and quiet. I now understand why my parents enjoyed riding in the car without the radio on. *Sigh* I'm getting soooo old!

3. "Is there snow on the ground? Then we can't turn up the heat! Put on a blanket!" This is a phrase my parents used when I was growing up. I used to BEG them to turn up the heat! But, my parents refused to until the first snow STAYED on the ground. My sisters and I would walk around bundled in blankets. I guess I understand the rationale behind this now that I pay my own heating bill.....I'm just glad I live in VA and we don't have to wait until the first snow sticks to turn on the heat.

Well, that's about all for now folks...I better get back to the books.

What Decade Should You Have REALLY Been Born In?

Have you ever wondered if you were born in the wrong decade? I never really thought about this much when I was younger...but it's really been crossing my mind lately. I think I should have been born in the 50's. Here's why:

1. I think I'd make a pretty good housewife and mom. This is what I've always wanted to do (I just wouldn't admit it before I was married)...Making cookies and washing clothes for my sweetie sounds good to me! Why do I have to be all empowered and get a job?? It seems that in this day and age I have to be a good housewife, mom and EMPLOYEE. I feel so pressured.

2. I like the t.v shows from the 50's. Life just looked simpler.

3. Poodle skirts look they would be fun to wear.

4. I love sipping on fountain soda pop, and eating burgers and fries. Thus, since many people frequented diners in the 50's...I'd fit right in.

5. I'm pretty sure women weren't expected to be as thin back then. I like that.

6. I'm also pretty sure no one was digitally fixing pictures of models back then. That's nice too.

What do you think...do I belong in the 50's?

Things Have CHANGED.

Since I've gotten married...some things have changed for the better.

1. I now make my bed every day. Before I was married, I really wondered what the purpose of 'making my bed' was. I figured I would just be heading back under the covers in about 12 hours anyway...what was the point? Now, I really do like the look of my made bed. Good thing my hubby is a neat freak:) If only I felt that way about doing the dishes after I've been at the hospital for 13 1/2 hours:)(although, I am pretty good about doing the dishes when I'm not working at the hospital...unless i have a test the next day)

2. I put my shoes away. I used to feel the same way about my shoes as I did about making my bed. I was just gonna wear them again in a few hours anyway, why bother putting them away?

3. I drink coffee. My hubby also introduced me to this. Wheewww...I really need that caffeine for those long days at the hospital.

4. I have short hair. I'm not sure if I'm excited about this or not. Sometimes I like it...and many times I don't! I miss being able to wear a ponytail.

5. I have a dog. Gosh, I just love my dog. She's kind of a silly gal...but I love her anyway. I get mad at Joel when he makes fun of her...but I'm so glad he got her for me.

6. I don't nap as often. I am a NAPPING freak. I could lay down and take a 2 1/2 hour nap any time of the day. This kind of interferes with being a grown up though...so I've been cutting down.

Well, I guess this list goes to show you that I'm sooo much better off since I married my hubby. He really is the most amazing guy ever. He even let me watch t.v. while HE did the dishes the other day...awww..I love this guy!!!

Things I just CAN'T let go of....

1. My running shorts. I bought these my freshman year of college (yes, my FIRST freshman year). The other day I noticed that they weren't staying where they were supposed to when I ran. I gleefully thought for a moment that maybe I had lost a bit of weight...and then realized that the elastic was probably stretched out. These running shorts have seen me through all different shapes and sizes...my trainer shape, my double decker oatmeal cream pie a night shape, my marathon shape (word from the wise...just because you are training for a marathon, it does not mean that you can eat as many root beer floats as you want!) and the shape I am now. These poor shorts have been with me for about 8 years and they are my FAVORITE. I just can't throw them out.

2. My childhood teddy bear. I wish I could say that Coco-Marshmallow was JUST my childhood teddy bear...He was actually my adult teddy bear too. I didn't give him up until I was engaged. I still keep him in my closet. I just can't get rid of him...he's seen me through far too much in my life! I know you all think I'm crazy now!

3. My orange Reeses Peanut Butter Cup t-shirt. I actually did throw this t-shirt out about a week ago. I had it for FAR too long. I figured that since you could see through it...it was probably a good time to let this one go. It was just SOOO comfortable!

4. My Diet Coke with Lime habit. I just LOVE this stuff. Pretty much the only time I gave it up for an extended period of time was when I thought I was pregnant. Wheww...that was a rough week.

5. School. I know, I know..it's crazy. I hate school. I hate studying...but now that I am on the brink of graduation, I keep thinking about different certifications I could get to increase my nursing knowledge. I also think about taking Spanish classes so I can become fluent in the language.

Well..that's my list. What's hard for you to give up?

New Would You Rathers...

So, I haven't written any 'Would you Rather's' lately. Here you go.

Would You Rather

1. Shower every 30 minutes or every 30 days?

2. Pass gas in front of President Obama or your mother-in-law?

3. Snore in church or in a board meeting at work?

4. Have the ability to read people's minds or have x-ray vision? (I stole this one from the Would You Rather game)

5. Lose your wedding ring or forget your anniversary? (another one I stole from the game.)

6. Skip (instead of walk) everywhere you go or hop up and down on one foot whenever you talk to someone.

So, there you go folks. That's all I can come up with for now :)

Ridiculous!

Today I was flipping through a Women's Health Magazine while I waiting for Joel at the gym. An article called "How to Be Funny" caught my attention. I wondered what tid-bit of advice they could possibly be giving in a health magazine. After reading the article, I realized they should stick to fitness advice.

1. They suggested wearing a mustache?!? What? If one of my classmates came to school wearing a mustache, I would be evaluating their mental status...not laughing at their "joke."

2. The author also suggested staying away from babies because they would upstage you. This may be true...especially if you are really bad at telling jokes. There may be a reason people think babies are funnier than you are:)

3. Laugh really loudly after you tell your joke. Hmmm....isn't that a well known social fauxpas? That's almost as bad as repeating your joke until someone gives you a [courtesy] laugh.

4. Not only are you supposed to laugh at your own jokes...you're supposed to refrain from laughing at others jokes in order to show them that your humor is more 'sophisticated.' Okay...I guess in order to be funny, you have to be selfish? Is that what they are saying?

I've decided that I'm going to stick to my unfunny self, continue playing with babies and enjoy laughing at my friends jokes. The formula suggested sounds like a recipe for "how to be snotty."

Someone else's list...

So I thought this list was pretty great....lately I've been too busy and exhausted to think of my own! Maybe that will change when I graduate!

Men Funnier than Women, Really?

While I was on an amazing vacation with my husband, he made the comment that he and his friend (who I will allow to remain anonymous only because of my gracious spirit and forgiving heart:) had surmised that women just weren't as funny as men. This is what he backed his statement up with.

1) He and his friend never laughed as hard around women as they did around men.

Really, I wanted to slap my husband for even entertaining such a chauvinistic idea. Gosh...I still smart just thinking about the statement. I've surmised that men think they are funnier then women because

1) Women laugh at all of men's jokes in order to spare their feelings. Seriously, girls, can you remember going on dates and just laughing because you didn't want to sit through an awkward silence after a flop of a joke? I'm sure you can commiserate with that situation and many other types of similar ones that don't involve dating. Men just aren't as kind in this regard. A female tells a flop of a joke, and the man will not provide any courtesy laughs (unless maybe she is his boss). Thus, I have explained why men have super inflated ego's regarding their humor! I guess it's all our fault!

I wrote this post, not because I want to bash men (I love my hubbie to death). I just wanted to clear up this misconception that men seem to have about humor. It seems to me that both sexes are really funny. Men DO make me laugh, but never as hard as my girlfriends make me laugh. I don't think ANY man has made me laugh so hard that my cheeks hurt, and my abbs felt as though I had just worked them for 10 minutes. Therefore, we're both funny! Women's humor just appeals more to women and men's humor to men-Of COURSE. Whewww...I'm glad I cleared that up.

Allow Me to Introduce Ms. Abigail Annie.

So this is a blog written by my long-time college friend Abbey. She's 1)witty 2) a good writer 3) original...you get the point. I think that I may lose all my blog readers out there to her! :( (except my loyal family that is :) Happy reading! PS. Definitely read the post about buns and milkshakes!

It's SOO Hard To...

When I was on vacation earlier this summer, I thought about a number of things in life that can be really hard to deal with. Some of these are serious, some aren't. Feel free to add to the list.

1. Break-up. No matter what, break-ups are hard. I'm sooo glad I never have to go through this again! I feel for everyone that goes throught a break-up...especially if you are the dumpee rather than the dumper.

2. Shave your knee caps. No matter how long I work on eliminating every single hair on my knee cap...one always seems to escape the razor somehow!

3. Understand physics. I took a physics class in college...I'm glad to say that I never have to take one EVER again.

4. Live through highschool. I hated highschool. I feel like something is wrong with me since I didn't really enjoy this time period in my life.

5. Figure out what to do with one's life. I always wished I was someone who always knew what type of occupation I should pursue!

6. Get rid of hiccups. I don't care if you drink water while your standing on your head, or you hold your breath until you turn blue..none of it works!

7. Kill spiders. I'm pretty sure this is one of the hardest things ever!! I scream every time I do it.

8. Eat hospital food. I've never been a patient in the hospital..but as a student nurse I can say that I never want to eat any type of hospital food.

9. Say good-bye. I hate good-byes and majorly dread them. Not only because it can be sad, but also awkard. Do I give my brother-in-law a hug, or a hearty handshake? What about the relative I've only met a couple of times?

10. Eat protien powder. I hate it, hate it, hate it! You are supposed to put this nasty concoction in plain water, but I can only stand it in smoothies. Bleck..it's so gross.

365th Day of Marriage

Today was the 365th day of our marriage. I thought I would be creative and write a list of 365 things my husband and I did for the first time this year. It was much harder than I thought!! I was only able to come up with about 56 things! So much for the creative list I wanted to give my husband! Here are a few of the exciting things we've done in our first year of marriage.

1. We honeymooned in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
2. We took a four-wheeling ride through the Sierra Madre.
3. We traveled to Boston, Bar Harbor, North Conway and Burlington for our summer vacation.
4. We spent a day in Charleston
5. We went camping in the Shenandoah Valley.
6. We visited friends in DC.
7. We spent Christmas in MN.
8. We visited family in TN.
9. Most importantly, we discovered one anothers quirks and learned that we love each other all the more for them! (Even if it is a little annoying that I ask a million questions...and he thinks every sport but baseball is important to watch)
10. Whewwww...It's hard to believe we crammed all of that into one year!

VACATION!

So I have been dreaming about this day for MONTHS!!! I'm going on a month long vacation! Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much I will blog during this period of time. I know you are all eagerly anticipating my next list...but you may have to hold onto your hats a little longer :) Until then...comment on my facebook do's and dont's blog!!!

Facebook Do's and Don'ts...

Do write interesting status updates.
Don't write status updates that give a play-by-play of what you do or think every hour. For example...I'm going to the mall, I'm sitting on the couch, I'm parking in the driveway...I'm sleeping....I'm bored...

Do update your relationship status.
Don't post a status update announcing that your wife left you today. (yes, someone has really done this)

Do fill out quizzes or add applications that you like.
Don't send out all of these quizzes and applications to your friends.

Do add people as friends.
Don't assume that all of your facebook friends are real friends...cause they aren't!

Do write a blog or status update about how happy or excited you are about something (unless it violates the afore mentioned rule of course)
Don't write a blog or status update about how utterly depressed you are...you can message that to your real friends..or maybe you should call someone if you are feeling that badly!

Do post a a profile picture of yourself.
Don't think of facebook as a way to advertise yourself as "hot."

Can you think of anything I should add here?

My NOT-To-Do list...

I think my husband and I dream about our summer vacation every single day. We are both completely drained. I decided I'd make a not-to-do list because it is not something I usually get to make....I think nursing and school are just two big to-do lists...anyway, for the not-to-do list

1. I'm not gonna study...no way, no how (this only applies when I'm in New England)
2. I'm not gonna say, "Well, I really shouldn't eat that piece of cake."
3. I'm not gonna go to bed at 9:30...unless I really want to.
4. I'm NOT even going to think about the hospital.
5. I'm not gonna do dishes (again this applies only when I'm in the NE..of course I'll help you with dishes when I'm in SC, Linda)
6. I'm not gonna get up before 7:00
7. I'm not gonna think about my weight
8. I'm not gonna wash my hands after I go to the bathroom (okay, maybe I'll wash my hands after the bathroom, but that's IT...my poor little hands need a break!)
9. I'm not gonna think about my future career and all the stress it's going to bring me.
10.I'm not gonna vacuum
There's my not-to-do list..I hope you get to write one for this summer too.

Same old...same old...

Do you ever tell people something that elicits the SAME response by everyone? Here's a few things I hear OVER AND OVER!

1. When people ask what I do, I tell them that I am a nursing student. I practically have the response memorized "oh...you'll be able to do anything with that! That's such a great career...especially in this economy!"

2. People often ask where I am from. I say "MN." Most people immediately respond "ohhh..MinnesOOOOOta"

3. When people ask what my husband does I tell them that he is a principal. I usually get a confused look when I tell them this. I then tell them that he is 33 and not 55.

Oops...I Did It Again...

Oops..I did it again! No I didn't play with your heart, I gained weight! (For those of you who don't know, this is a famous Britney Spears song). All that hard work after Christmas, and I'm almost back where I started! How depressing. I just can't seem to find a balance. For some reason, I don't like to survive on this-(these are a list of the foods I was eating when I was down to my goal weight)

1. Carrots, carrots and MORE carrots
2. Chicken buillion
3. Diet Coke of course
4. Sandwhich
5. Oatmeal
6. Eggs
7. and a very limited amount of whatever Joel cooked for supper....

Can you see why I don't like to diet? I feel like no one can tell if I've gained five pounds, so why torture myself? So, all you successful dieters out there...give me your secrets. How do you maintain without becoming a Nazi dieter? I need some balance!

I LOVE MY DOG!

My husband surprised me the other day and brought home a miniature snauser. She is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received...here's why

1. I've finally found someone more cuddly than I am!
2. I really believe that pets are good therapy for the soul. She makes me laugh and just sits with me when I'm studying.
3. She follows me around the entire house...which makes me feel really important!
4. She's just GREAT...I LOVE MY DOG and my husband since he was generous enough to get her for me!

One Of My Many Dating Horror Stories...

I sent "The Case of The Misplaced Kiss" into a blog about dating horror stories months ago! If you want to read about one of my most embarrassing dating experiences...go here

I Missed My Anniversary!

So, I was going through some of my old posts and realized that I have been blogging for over a year now! Wow. Here's a few things I've learned along the way.

1. Don't check your statistics...it may depress you.

2. Don't be surprised when people know you through your blog. (I got this a lot at my wedding!)

3. You may go through a stage of blog hate....I didn't update my blog for a few months one time and everyone was wondering what was wrong.

4. If you don't blog about raising children you are in the minority! (At least I feel like most blogs I happen upon are all about kids)

Lazy Days...

Our school gave us a free day off in the middle of the week. This is how I took advantage of my free day.

1. I watched an episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch (obviously there was nothing on)
2. I took a two hour nap.
3. I watched the end of a movie.
4. I talked on the phone for 45 minutes.
5. I cleaned the office for about 20 minutes.
6. I blogged....wow..what an unproductive day!! It's fabulous!

Bad Habits Just Don't Die....

Last night I took a quiz that assessed my character. Wow, was it revealing! It definitely nailed my weaknesses on the head. It really shouldn't be surprising since people have been telling me that I need to work on these areas my whole life (err...umm...yes...I may stress out a bit, but that's not a REAL character flaw is it? :) Well, here are a few habits that just keep rearing their ugly heads up in my life. I won't reveal what the quiz was talking about, that's a little too personal for a blog...but here are a few habits that you may identify with.

1. You all know that Diet Coke is a weakness for me. My husband and I even made a deal..if I only drink one a day and lose some weight I can buy a new pair of jeans. I even told him that if I drink more than 1 a day he should make me cook breakfast in the mornings....Guess who's cooking breakfast tomorrow? Yeah, it's sad that I value Diet Coke over sleep. On the other hand, my husband has to do the dishes if he eats more than 2 desserts a week...I must say that I've thoroughly enjoyed letting him scrub the pots and pans...

2. Accepting a compliment. I do say "thank you" whenever anyone complements me...but in my head I always make up an excuse as to why their complement doesn't count. For example, my instructor told me that "I'm going to make a great nurse" Instead of thinking, how great of complement that is I instead think something like "but she doesn't know that I've forgotten sooo much anatomy and physiology or ect, so I'm not really going to be that great of a nurse." I need to just say "Thank you" and BELIEVE that my instructor knows what she is talking about!

3. Cleaning my make-up brushes. This is disgusting. I don't clean my make-up brushes. I just keep using them day, after day, after day....I figured I've lived this long....why start now? :)

4. Eating chocolate chips out of the bag. I always tell myself that I'll only eat a couple...somehow that couple really multiplies.

5. Stressing. If you've known me for any time period at all..you know I LOVE to stress. Well, love isn't quite the right word...but I am definitely a professional stressor...anyone else suffer from this bad habit?

Now that I've revealed my bad habits...what are your bad habits that "just won't die!?"

"When 30 Was Old"

I remember listening to Deana Carter sing "Strawberry Wine" as a teenager. One of the lines was "when I thought 30 was old" I used to think that think 30 was really old...but now it's right around the corner....As a teenager I thought a lot of things...here are a few thoughts from the past.

1. I thought I would be married by the age of 22.
2. I thought high school and college would be the best years of my life (thank goodness my life is much better now than it was then)
3. I thought it would be fun to go on dates with lots of different guys...until I went on dates with lots of different guys and realized it was NOT fun at all...(boy do I have some stories)
4. I thought my wedding day would be the best day of my life...and believe me..it was GREAT...but I think actually being with my husband day in and day out is so much better.
5. I thought I'd be a stay at home mom my whole life..
6. I also thought raising children "couldn't be that hard." (I don't even have any yet..and I already realize how faulty my thinking was)
7. I used to think I wasn't "that much like my parents" until one day I caught myself singing and saying all the phrases my mom used to.
8. I used to think that it was easier to be an adult and not have anyone "telling me what to do."
9. I also thought that staying up really late was fun...I now like to go to bed around 9:30.
10. I used to be so disheartened if I was at home on a weekend night...now I look forward to it...
10.

Ways To Procrastinate...

So...I may appear to be a person that does not procrastinate much. I start studying for my next test 2 weeks before hand. I'm the nerd that gets to school at least a half an hour early...yet, I've found that I STILL find ways to procrastinate. Here they are.

1. I check facebook...entirely WAY too much-especially when I'm studying.
2. I watch "just one more episode of friends...I need a break, right?"
3. I write a blog.
4. I vacuum my floor...AMI, CMI and Cancer can wait, right? (I'm studying cancer and immunity right now)
5. I take a "20 minute nap."

How do you procrastinate? None of these things are bad things...but if I cut them out of during my study time..my study time might not take as long as it does:)

I Just Feel Like Eating Cheese....

There are many times when I just feel like eating cheese.

1. I went on a diet after Christmas...I really missed eating cheese.

2. When I study for an extended period of time...I just feel like eating cheese.

3. When I make my morning cream of wheat..I just feel like adding cheese.

4. When I get home from clinical...I just want a piece of cheese.

5. When everything seems to be too stressful...I just feel like eating cheese.

Could this explain why I've gained three pounds back? Grrr...now I'm frusterated...I think I'll go eat a piece of cheese (J/K)

Shopping

Have you ever gone shopping and decided NOT to buy that item you really like and then regret it later? Here's how to tell if you really wanted/needed that item.

1. You think about it all the way home.
2. You think how great that item would have looked on your wall or on your figure when you are at home.
3. You try to find the item on the interenet.
4. You think about driving 8 hours in order to go get that item.

My friend, husband and I went to Charleston a few weeks ago. I found a picture that I absolutely LOVED...but I decided to be economical and skip the purchase. I still think about that picture a lot! :( This is a time that I WISH I hadn't been economical...my husband was ready to buy it...but I decided that we SHOULDN'T buy it. Oh well...I guess that's a few bucks I can spend on something else.

Cheesy Church Signs

So, I've been noticing a lot of cheesy church signs lately. Unfortunately I can only remember one. I'm hoping you can add to my list!

1. We believe in UFO's. Unity, Forgiveness and Outreach.
2. Lost? Use GPS. Gods Plan of Salvation.

I'm an ALL or Nothing Kind of Girl

My sister revealed this fact to me the other week...I'm definitely an all or nothing kind of girl. Here's a few facts to prove it.

1. If I can't exercise like I'm training for a marathon or iron man...I don't want to do it at all.

2. If I screw up on my diet...I don't just screw up a little, I eat 5 oreos, a piece of cake and 3 diet cokes in one day. If I remain resolute, it's impossible to get me to eat even one little jelly bean.

3. If I can't clean my house to the point of perfection I want it to be..I leave it for a day that I can. This day sometimes does not come for a couple of weeks.

4. If I plan a study day...it's an ALL day study day. None of this studying for an hour here and there kind of stuff..


hmmm...I'm beginning to think that this all or nothing mode of thought isn't such a good thing...Does anyone else suffer from this mode of thinking?

Reading List

As you have probably guessed, I have this obsession with lists. I REALLY like book lists. So, I am going to list the last five books I've read or am currently reading and I encourage you to do the same.

1. Watership Down. My husband encouraged me to read this one. I can't say it was my favorite. It was okay, I just got a little sick of reading about rabbits after a while.

2. 1984...So, I've been reading this since my honeymoon. I can't seem to finish it. I'm stuck in a really boring part right now...but I WILL finish it because it is part of another book list I want to add another check to.

3. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox. I've only read fifty pages so far..but it has really peaked my interest.

4. Churched. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, this book. If you grew up in a fundamentalist baptist church, this is the book for you.

5. My Sisters Keeper. It actually took me a while to get through this book. It was an easy read, but I guess I just didn't love it. It has an interesting plot line though.

So, tell me...what books have you been reading lately?

I've Diagnosed Myself

Since I'm in nursing school, I've diagnosed myself with about ten different diseases. Here they are.

1. When I was having heart burn, I thought for sure I was suffering from ventricular tachycardia.

2. After I ruled out v-tach, I was positive that I was in the beginning stages of GERD....that kept me from drinking soda for a few weeks.

3.Once after I drove to school and had to stare into the sun for a while, I began seeing flashes. I was very worried that some sensory problem was beginning to manifest itself. Could it be a detached retina? Am I suffering from a brain tumor? This made me slightly paranoid

3. The other day, I rubbed my contacts and when I tried to look at the computer screen, everything appeared blurry. I therefore logically concluded that I was begining to show signs and symptoms of nearsightedness. I wondered how I was going to explain bifocals as a 27 year old.

4. I've also diagnosed myself with the stomach flu many times. Today for instance, my stomach started acting up because I was so nervous about my final exam. I even made an escape plan in case I became violently ill in the middle of my final. My stomach was fine of course..I just had to settle down a bit.

5. I think I've also diagnosed myself with OCD. I've become very obsessive about washing my hands. I even sing the ABC's and scrub vigorously to the jingle going through my head. I won't tell you what else I do to make me think that I have this disorder. You may think I really do have a problem. Just because I microwave my washcloth (in order to kill off germs) at least once and many times 2 x during a dish washing session..doesn't mean I'm crazy...right?

6. Sometimes I think nursing school CAUSES me to have health issues. How am I supposed to sleep, exercise, eat healthily, keep my house clean and organized, remain socially active AND maintain a good GPA in school?...They teach us to tell our patients to be sure and do all these things...but I guess it doesn't apply to us nurses.

Weighty Matters...

So..I've done it. I made my New Years Resolution of getting down to a specific weight... I've decided that..

1. Losing weight isn't much fun if no one notices! :(
2. Although no one has noticed...I do like the feeling of loose jeans once again. No more asking my husband if my pants look to tight to wear out of the house.
3. I must be conceited since I'm sad that no one has noticed my weight loss...
4. I also wonder why I work so hard...if no one can tell the difference:)
Oh well...I'm off to go eat some food at a friend's house...

Weird Things I Do When Stressed....

Here are some weird things I do when I become overwhelmed or stressed.

1. I've been known to put cheese in the cupboard instead of the refrigerator. I've also put cereal in the fridge and have started to put the milk in the cupboard.

2. I suddenly lose everything. The other night I took money out of my husbands wallet to pay for parking the next day. I could not find it ANYWHERE the next morning....I was sure it was going to turn up some place odd...like maybe the refrigerator...but I found it in my bag later on that day.

3. I become increasingly messy when I'm stressed...my books get spread everywhere...I have a million note cards spread throughout the house...AND THEN I get really stressed out about being too messy and go on a cleaning spree when it is time to go to bed.

4. My thoughts become consumed with what I'm stressed about...I think this causes me to be increasingly nerdy. I've even started taping myself reading my notes and listening to them as I drive to school and run other errands.

5. I've run up the stairs at least three times in a row...When I reach the top of the stairs I forget why I was going up there...then I run back down and remember...and then I reach the top and forget...it's a vicious cycle!

6. I think about chocolate chip cookies.

7. I dream of running away and quitting school:)
What do you do when you are stressed?

25 Things About Me...

yes...I've been sucked into the newest rage on Facebook...The 25 Random Things About Me List. I decided I needed to add it here too, since my blog is all about lists.


1. I secretly hope that one day my husband and I will be contestants on the Amazing Race.

2. It's my goal to visit 100 countries before I die (so far I've been to six...Canada, Mexico, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Turkey and Brazil)

3. I love to watch "What Not to Wear" but decided I can't anymore because it makes me too dissatisfied with my wardrobe.

4. Someday I want to do an Iron Man Triathalon, although my husband says the equipment is too expensive! :)

5. If I had to give up chocolate or cheese for the rest of my life...I think I may choose chocolate...

6. I've taken classes at 5 different undergraduate institutions.

7. I use Diet Coke with Lime as an "eye opener" every morning.

8. I was engaged for 4 months before I got married.

9. My husband does all of the cooking in my house...and all of the grocery shopping.
He's the best!

10. When I was younger I wanted to be a truck driver/physical therapist. I wanted to drive the truck so I could travel and be a PT so I could help people.

11. I used to mow the yard using a riding lawn mower. I thought it was cool until I was about 12.

12. My parents started making me wear a bike helmet when I was 13. I never really rode my bike after they enforced that rule.

13. I hate it when people scratch their jeans with their fingernails.

14. I cried when I got my first B in highschool.

15. I'm a big study nerd.

16. I have some of the best friends in the world...even if I don't see them often.

17. I got stuck in a baby swing at Manthey Park when I was 11.

18. I wear a huge fur down North Face Coat....in VA...because 40 degrees is freezing!

19. I have a weird ability to spot deer on the side of the road while I'm driving.

20. I love my family!!

21. I once fell flat on my face in front of my boss on my very first day on my job.
(ohh...the memories)
22. I had really short hair for a year.

23. I sometimes cry when listening to a sad country song.

24. I talk in my sleep...apparently I order chai tea lattes.

25. My husband and I met on e-harmony....after my parents signed me up and I told my friend that I hoped I didn't meet anyone online because that would seem so loserish!

If Only Someone Had WARNED ME!

Here's a few things I wish I would have known...

1. I wish someone would have told me about the marriage 15. I felt fully informed about the freshman 15, but I didn't hear a peep about the marriage 15! It's very devastating to pull on your pre-marriage pants and discover that they are uncomfortably tight...as well as a bit unsightly! Luckily, I'm fitting back in my pre-marriage pants, but there was a few months that I was quite disconcerted about my growing weight. WARNING TO NEWLY MARRIED COUPLES.....just because you are incredibly happy and content..doesn't mean the food won't stick to your hips or waist..or whatever!

2. I wish someone had told me what profession to choose. I've had the HARDEST time deciding. I'm very educated..I just don't have anything to show for it!

3. Laundry...I never knew that 2 people could make so much laundry! I wish I would have known this before I got married...and maybe I would have decided to take over teh mowing responsibilities instead of matching socks and folding a billion pairs of underwear...(j/k...I love doing this for you Hubby!)

What do you wish someone had told you?

No..I'm NOT Dead.

People have been commenting on the significant break I've been taking from blogging....Here's why.

1. I was contemplating the importance of blogging in my life! :) I decided I needed to exercise more and blog less.

2. I was trying to sort through my nursing life.

3. I just didn't have the energy!

4. I was busy eating, spending time with family and of course STUDYING....

So, dear, loyal few that still follow my blogs..I didn't quit. I just decided to take a short hiatus from the pressures of blogging...(ha...I know that's silly)