Ok Dad, I'll get it for you

After Evan's bath last night I hear Bill and Evan talking...

Bill, "One game and then it's time for bed."
Evan, "But I want to play TWO games!"
"Well, I want a million dollars."
"OK Dad, I'll get it for you! Now can I play TWO games??"

So cute!

Australia anyone?!

So today when I got the mail I received a packet of information to go to a Nursing Convention in Australia. Sounds amazing right?! I thought so too! The tuition is $3300 and includes hotel and all group activities and seminars.. but doesn't include airfare to Australia and back.... which is a 33 hour flight AND $1100!! My tax refund would cover it however, I would then be broke for the rest of the year. So spend the money on an awesome experience or save my money and possibly go to Australia with Bill later in life???

Remembering You

Seeing the loss that some of my friends have dealt with lately really has me thinking about all the friends I lost a few years back. Highschool was pretty rough. Not so much the school part of it but the fact that I lost 8 friends in three and a half years. Some that I wasn't very close to, but others that were my best friends. Teachers told me that I "hung out with the wrong crowd" and that they'd drag me down right with them. But most of these people were the kids I grew up, so of course I didn't listen.. Looking back now, it seems so crazy. Going to funerals was like second nature... that feeling should not be normal for anyone, especially at 17, but it was for me. And wierdly enough, I thought everyone my age went through this.. until I went to college and my friend Josh passed. My friends there didn't know what to say, they'd never known anyone to die, let alone someone so young.

Of all the people I lost through those years, one in particular still makes me tear up. Forrest was like a big brother to me growing up. He lived next door for as long as I could remember. He was my brother's best friend and quickly became one of the family. He did whatever he could to look out for us.. all of us. I remember when I started partying my parents said that as long as Forrest was there, I could go. Because they knew if he was there nothing bad was going to happen to me. I remember getting mad at him because I'd try to talk to a guy and he'd come over, put his arm around me and be like "don't you know this is my little sister?!" and walk me to a group of girls. His energy was amazing, and his smile would light up a room. Hearing that he was gone broke my heart, and still does. I can't believe it's been 8 years...

I've never been one to remember dreams. I've woke up and thought to myself "that was wierd" but never actually remembered the dream.. except for once. The Christmas after he passed I dreamed he was sitting on my bed and he told me not to worry, he was okay. It was so real.. some times I wish I'd dream of him again, but I never have. I'm sure he's my angel, still looking out for me.

Now when I think of Forrest I wonder what he'd be like today.. if we'd still be as close as we were then.. I wish he could've met Evan and Bill.. and his nephews (they look just like him).. I could go on and on..

He'd be 29 tomorrow. Crazy.

I love you and I miss you.

Surviving the Dentist

At my last dentist appointment I took Evan (this is what they told me to do) to watch me have my teeth cleaned. Then, made him an appointment to go with me the next time. So for the past week or so we've been talking to Evan in preparation for his trip to the dentist. We even went as far as downloading a game to his Leapfrog where you clean teeth- in an effort to make it seem "cool." The morning of our appointment he tells me that he's excited to go to the dentist and that he's going to have "sparkly teeth." Meanwhile, I'm thinking yea right.. he's probably going to get in the chair and freak out! Finally, we get there. I go first. He sits and plays his game, periodically looking over to check out what's going on. Then I'm done. "MY TURN!" -he yells, and jumps into the chair. Then, I realize.. I was much more afraid of Evan going to the dentist than he was. He did awesome! Sat there very patiently as they cleaned his teeth, and then told everyone for the rest of the day that he went to the dentist!

Evan eats healthy... but I don't!

When I was growing up I was the pickiest kid you could ever meet. I would not (and STILL will not) eat hamburgers- why? I really have no clue. I've never had one, and yes I know that seems so extremely wierd to almost everyone! They just don't look appealing to me. I would eat hot dogs out of a napkin- because I didn't like bread; and I do NOT drink white milk. My mom pretty much catered to me.. she allowed me to continue my pickiness by doing things like making spaghetti sauce and having the hamburger separate so I would eat it. I later learned this is because she is just as picky as I am! In recent years, I have gotten better. I eat 10 times more then I did when I was a kid. Going away to school and then living with Bill probably has something to do with that.

So when I had a child of my own I told myself that I would not allow him to be a picky kid the way I was. He at least has to try everything on his plate- in return Evan eats practically everything! Mission accomplished.

My next goal is to keep him eating healthy! He loves fruits and veggies so I try to get him to eat them frequently and to stay away from fast food as much as possible! Next problem?! Bill and I do not set very good eating examples ourselves. Evan will eat a good breakfast of eggs and fruit with a glass of milk and then I'll have a cereal bar... and Bill doesn't eat breakfast. Evan will eat dinner and then Bill will bring him and I fast food on his way home from work. Hmm.. could this be a problem later? Is Evan not going to want to eat healthy foods because he doesn't see us eating them?! I'm not saying we never eat healthy, but we rarely have the chance to eat together because of work schedules so we worry about Evan and then the two of us eat whatever we find. Maybe I'll have to start forcing myself to eat better, it definitely wouldn't hurt!

My Booky Wook

Last night I started reading a new book... My Booky Wook by Russell Brand. For those of you who are completely clueless to who that is... 1. Katy Perry's hubby, and 2. he's in the movies: Get him to the Greek and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. But anyways, I wanted to read this book because I think he's extremely interesting and he just has a crazy personality. The book is written by him, which I like because it's not him telling his story to someone and then them writing about it- it's his words.. and you can hear his British accent as you read it. I am only on chapter 3 but I can tell it's definitely going to be an interesting book- it talks about him facing drug, alcohol, and sex addiction. So if anyone out there is looking for a good book, go pick it up!

Cost: I bought it on my Iphone for $9.99. So you can probably find it a little more or a little less depending on where you look. But $10 isn't so bad!

Things I learned in 2010

About a week late, but hey- better late than never!

2010 definitely had its ups and downs, but I think overall I learned a lot about myself that I am hoping will only make 2011 a little easier than 2010!

Probably the most important thing I learned is that I am my own worst enemy! I think that sometimes I don't realize how good I have it. I have a wonderful family and amazing friends- but sometimes I get a little out of control and those wonderful people are the ones that pay for it. I was always a party girl and sometimes its hard for me to set that life behind me in order to be a good girlfriend, mom, and friend.

Don't sweat the small stuff! I know everyone says this but it really is true. I used to constantly nit-pick at Bill for little things that get on my nerves but I'm starting to realize that some of those really aren't worth the argument. I have to admit this hasn't completely gone away and probably never will, but I really am trying!!

Little kids amaze me! Evan (and my friends' children) constantly amaze me. It is absolutely insane that you can put an Iphone in front of a 3 year old and they know exactly how to use it! He is like a little sponge, learning as much as he can, as fast as he can. He is now in the stage where he is asking how things work or trying to figure it out on his own. I love this age...

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!

So happy when I woke up this morning to see snow on the cars! Don't get me wrong, I love warm weather- but the fact that it's January and I live in upstate New York we all know that warm weather is still a few months away! So in the winter my motto is that if it's going to be cold then I'd rather have snow on the ground. I'm not talking an inch or two, I want SNOW, and lots of it! Yes, driving in the snow sucks, but when it's freezing cold outside and no snow on the ground there is absolutely NOTHING to do! I want to take Evan sled riding and maybe even snowmobiling this year... So to all of you who woke up and cursed the snow this morning... LET IT SNOW!

Textbook buy back

I'm sure that anyone who has ever gone to college and bought hundreds of dollars in books is just as annoyed by this as I am but- how is that you can buy a book for $50-100+ and then when you sell it back you get practically nothing?? Sometimes makes me wonder if its really worth selling them back. But then again what am I going to do with the books?! NOTHING! They'll sit on the book shelf and never be opened again. Now I know sometimes the books are outdated and they give you very little because there is a new edition but, I have this book from this past semester that I'm only being offered $7 for and the school is still using the book- and here's the kicker.. they're selling it for $75 USED!! I think it's time for the schools to share a little bit of the wealth because they obviously bank on these books... multiple times if you count how many times they buy it back and then resell it. UGH! So frustrating!!