The next Paula Deen...

Ha! I wish! I sure do love cooking though!  Maybe since I am starting to cook more and experimenting with my cooking, I might be half as good as Paula Deen when I have great grandchildren (yes, I said great grand).  Since the lifestyle change I have been trying to cook more, although they may not be the healthiest meals, they sure are delicious!  Two of the meals I made last week I felt were "bloggable."

One night I decided I wanted to cook something with the okra that we picked up from the farmer's market.  After looking through our collection of cookbooks, I came up with my own idea on how to cook okra and tomatoes.  Then I had to decide what I could cook to go with the okra and tomatoes...I settled on baked chicken.  It turned out pretty darn good! 

The start of the okra and tomatoes...bacon always makes everything taste better!

The yummy okra from the local farmer's market

add in the tomatoes and few other key ingredients

then add the okra and voila...okra and tomatoes!

Dinner is served- baked chicken with okra and tomatoes served over rice! Delish!

The next "bloggable" meal started when I decided to cook some pork chops.  I usually smother pork chops in some sort of gravy, but this time I didn't want to.  So I turned to one of my favorite food blogs, Annie's Eats, and found a recipe for parmesan crusted pork chops.  The recipe was very simple and the chops turned out great!  My next decision was choosing sides...so I went with what we had...sweet corn and asparagus.  I remembered another recipe that I had flagged on Annie's Eats, where you topped asparagus with tomatoes and feta, so I tried it out.  I love tomatoes and feta cheese so I knew I couldn't go wrong!

seasoned pork chops (I took it upon myself to add the seasoning I prefer)

dip chops in parmesan cheese, then egg, then bread crumbs

then drop them in the skillet (P.S. I LOVE cooking in a cast iron skillet!)

asparagus with tomatoes and feta

Another yummy dinner!
(Please excuse the poor picture quality...1 I am not a photographer and 2 they were taken with my iphone.) 

Since the lifestyle change that I previously mentioned, the hubby and I have completed week 1 of Couch to 5K! Woohoo!  We were supposed to start week 2 yesterday, but my crazy sleeping habits/schedule didn't allow me to get out of the bed until after lunch.  We don't like going to the gym after lunch because it's a mad house.  So week 2 of Couch to 5K will start on Wednesday.  

Hope you have a great first week of AUGUST!

Hosting Bunco

I love throwing parties!  In fact, if I could pay the bills by doing it I would!  I'm excited about hosting bunco in August...really, one week away.  (Can you believe there is only one more week until August?! Where did this year go?)  After lots of different programs and frustration I have finally created a collage of my inspiration for my month's bunco.  (Thanks Mary for the final working program!)

Although bunco is not necessarily a party, I am still a theme freak, so of course I had to come up with a theme for August bunco.  Since football season is just around the corner I chose tailgating for the theme.  I have encouraged all the girls to sport their favorite team's attire.  I'm assuming there will be lots of LSU and Saints shirts and jerseys worn.   On the menu is...sliders, mini hot dogs, waffle fries & loaded baked potato dip, jalapeno popper dip, veggies, fruit, cake balls, soft drinks, and of course some adult beverages.  I hope it all turns out delicious! I'm excited!  It's so much fun to get together with all the girls and hang out and relax...and winning a prize is pretty nice too! 

Lifestyle Change

DIET...it is most definitely a four letter word, if you know what I mean! Something always motivates me to start a new diet, but never fails, I do not stick with it.  I'm not good at counting calories or skipping sweets or following the diets where you can have this food on a certain day and this food on a different day.  It just doesn't work for me.   I do like to see immediate results when I do something, and dieting never has an immediate result, so that must be why I get discouraged.  I don't feel that I am obese or even that overweight, but I am definitely out of shape.  My clothes don't fit quite like I want them to.  I wasn't super comfortable in my bathing suit at the beach.  I would like to wear one size smaller. You get the picture.   And I will be the first to admit that I eat terrible.  I am infamous for picking up Wendy's breakfast on my way home after work (and of course I don't get fruit or anything remotely healthy).  My biggest weakness is ice cream.  I can't say no to a juicy cheeseburger or a piece of fried chicken! But something has got to give!  I have been having terrible acid reflux.  I eat Tums like they are candy.  I took a round of Prilosec (which I must say did help!)  But the reflux is still happening and it is causing awful nausea.  I should probably get it checked out by a specialist, but the nurse in me wants to try to fix it myself before having to pay an outrageous bill (because the insurance I have now is pretty terrible).   I have decided that instead of a diet I need a lifestyle change.   I need to be more conscious of what I eat and how often I eat.  I love vegetables, so I need to eat more of them!  From this day on I am making a promise to myself to make all efforts to eat right and exercise.  Speaking of exercise...that word is like a foreign language to me these days.  I have a membership at a gym that I can guarantee you has not been put to use in at least 10 months.  I find it very easy to make excuses not to exercise, and being tired is the #1 excuse.  Well heck, maybe if I exercised more I would have more energy and then I wouldn't be so tired all the time. Much easier said than done.  Along with my eating lifestyle change, I have decided to make exercise part of the lifestyle change as well.  Jon has agreed to start the Couch the 5K workout program with me (I always need a side-kick, someone to motivate me and make me go!)  So this Couch to 5K program lasts for 9 weeks.  You work out 3 days a week for 30 minutes each day.  I have downloaded the app, and I'm all geared up to get started.  I have heard great reviews so hopefully by September 24th I'll be able to run a 5K without any problem!  Maybe if I'm lucky I can run in the Race for the Cure 5K on September 17th and actually run the whole time!  Wish me luck!  This lifestyle change can only be a good thing...

Here are a few quotes I read that I had to share...


"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas. "


I've decided that perhaps I'm bulimic and just keep forgetting to purge.  ~Paula Poundstone


"That's not sweat, it's my body crying!"




Here goes nothing...

Back to Reality

So, I'm back at work after a week long vacation.  I really enjoyed my time off of work and away from home, especially since I spent it laid out on the beach listening to the waves.  To be honest, though, I did miss home, and I most definitely missed my dogs!   It was so awesome to pick them up and see how excited they were to see us!  I think we were just as excited to see them too! :)  Anyway...here are a few pictures from the trip.  (Most of the pictures were not so cute, so I'm only sharing a few!)

 Jon and I ordered a "Mother Fokker" @ a pizza place called Fokkers

 Me with the younger, but not so little, brother

 Me and the sis at AJ's

 We decided to go ride go-carts and I can assure you we were the oldest ones there!

 Me and the hubs! :)

Below: the crew before parasailing

This is what I did most of the time...wore my awesome hat from Marley Lilly, read my Nook, and relaxed! It was nice! I hope you find time to relax and "getaway" from reality!

Ready for some R & R

Lately I feel like I have been working like a dog! (Not sure where that phrase originated from, but if you were basing it off of my dogs, it would mean I have in fact not worked very hard.  My dogs have the life-they lay around and cuddle with us, play in small spurts, eat, and sleep!)  Back to the subject at hand...I have been working quite a bit lately...but it's all in preparation for our week long vacation here...

We are headed to the beach in Florida this week and I CAN NOT WAIT!  I plan on sitting on the beach with this these two beauties in my hands...

I also plan on building a sandcastle or two, playing some mini-golf, shopping, eating delicious food, and spending time with my family! We will be staying with my parents and my brother.  My sister is going to be able to come down for part of the time and stay too, which will be nice because I haven't seen her since March!  My grandparents and aunt, uncle, and cousin will also be down there.  It's going to be a great time! I am so ready to relax and maybe get a little tan! I also plan on spending lots of quality time with this guy...

He sure does make life so much more enjoyable! I love him! :)

Your Smile

Remembering you today and everyday...

Your smile said it all!

Miss and love you more than words can say!

Some people come into our lives and quickly go,

Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts.

And we are never, ever the same. 

Getting ready for Baby Julian

Jon and I went to DFW this past weekend to visit with some friends and help shower them with gifts before their precious baby boy arrives in August.   I'll tell more about our full weekend later, because first I want to tell you about Adrianne's way cute baby shower.  It was hosted by 3 of her close friends (Kara, Katie, and Lisa).  They went with an owl theme and really made the place look cute! 

This was the banner hanging in the kitchen.  Isn't it super cute?

All the yummy food...

and the super delicious cake!  A full-time nurse/baker on the side made the cake! What an awesome job she did!!

The cookie buffet/party favor! Very creative!

Adrianne amongst all her gifts!  Julian is already one spoiled little boy! :)

This was at the entrance and gave each guest the opportunity to write a piece of advice for the mommy and daddy to be and hang it on the tree. What a sweet idea!

Me and the mommy-to-be, Adrianne!  

I am so excited for Adrianne and Ruben and I know that they will be amazing parents!  I can't wait to meet baby Julian! I know he will be precious!!

Happy 4th!

We are headed to DFW to visit with some awesome friends and to celebrate Independence Day! Hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend!

TGIF!!

Jon and I with Ruben and Adrianne (aka awesome friends)!

God Bless America!

Late 20's...

OK, so I'm back at it. I have decided to really be committed to this blogging thing. I have found quite a few blogs that I stalk...ahem...I mean...that I am dedicated to reading, and it has made me want to be more dedicated to writing on mine. I may not be a daily blogger, but my goal for now will be to at least blog once a week. I think that's a pretty obtainable goal.

So on to a real topic...it's my 27th birthday! Thinking back to when I was in my early 20s (crazy to be able to say that), I pictured my life to be totally different than it is. I'm not really sure what I thought I would be doing with my life at 27, but I never pictured it to be this great! Now that I'm in my late 20s (I guess I can refer to it as such), I have a completely different outlook on life. I have realized that each day is a new beginning and a blessing none the less. I realize how precious life is and how important it is to make the most of each day given to us. Enough with the sappy stuff...I'm super pumped about being 27 and where my life is at this moment. I am married to my best friend, we have 2 super cute pup kids, my family is wonderful and crazy all at the same time, and I have definitely chosen my friends wisely, they are all too good to me!

My sweet husband took me to dinner for my birthday!

Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you. -Dr. Seuss

Oh the things that can happen in a year...

So it's been over a year since I have posted anything and I decided to get back in to it. Lots of things have happened in the last year! Short recap with pictures...

I started a new job in a PICU here in Shreveport... (tie dye day at work)

I really love my job, and I am very thankful to be able to take care of kids every day! It is such a rewarding and fun job! The people I work with are really great too, which always helps make work more enjoyable!

After 8 months, that seemed like an eternity, Jon and I were able to move in to our first new house! We had it built and were able to pick everything out and make it our very own! It was so much fun!!

Jon and I did not take a big vacation this year, but we have made a few short weekend trips to visit family and friends.

We went to Fort Worth for the weekend and stayed with our favorite couple, Adrianne and Ruben. We made it to a Rangers game and had the best seats, thanks to Jon's Uncle Jimmy!

Fourth of July weekend we took a trip to Dallas with Jon's parents to visit his uncles. We went to eat at some great places, went shopping, watched the Addison firework show, and even made it to Prestonwood for church. It is always a lot of fun to visit with Jon's family!

Last but not least we went to New Orleans so that Jon could visit LSU-New Orleans CRNA school open house. We had the chance to visit with our friend James who is currently in CRNA school there now. It was such a fun trip and great to get to visit with James!!

Most importantly Jon and I got in engaged this year!! Yahooo!!

Jon took me to eat at The Mabry House for my birthday and we sat at the chef's table. The food was outstanding and the surprise proposal was even better! As you can see in the picture above, I was so excited! We immediately started picking out a date and planning the wedding! I'm sure that most of my post to follow will be about wedding planning, because that seems to be what takes up most of my time these days!

To sum it up...Life in the past year has been very eventful, and I am very blessed and thankful for the life He has given me!

I haven't updated in a while, and I don't have a legitimate excuse really. We have been busy, but not with anything new. I finished with my orientation in the PICU (well actually I am currently working my last shift on orientation as I type this blog). I am loving it so far. It is a lot different from H/O and Cook, but it is still wonderful! I am happy with the decision I made to move, although I do miss my friends in Fort Worth. Speaking of...Jon and I went to Fort Worth for a quick trip this past Wednesday and Thursday. We met Cindy (from Cook) and her daughter at a restaurant called "Twisted Root." It was a neat place! Once you order your food you get a name of a famous person, instead of a number, and mine was Jenna Jameson and Cindy's was Oprah. That was pretty entertaining! After lunch we met a man from a moving company at the apartment and finally got the quote for the move...$3300!! Thank goodness my new job is going to pay for it (at least we are hoping! I will find out for sure later today) Wednesday night we met Jon's uncle Jimmy at his favorite mexican spot in Dallas, Mia's. It was also very good! Later that night I had to make a trip to Cook and visit my people! Thursday we went to Dallas and had lunch with Jon's uncle Jeff and then went to pick out granite for our kitchen and bathrooms! It was a quick trip, but I really enjoyed the time I was able to spend with Jon and also with his family and my friends in Fort Worth!
The house is coming along! I need to post some pics on here, I know. They have poured the slab, framed it, put shingles on, and wired the electricity! The brick is supposed to be put on this week! I am so excited about that! We debated about what brick to use and then once we decided, we had to then decide what mortar and how to do the mortar...too many decisions! I am enjoying building the house, although it is a bit overwhelming at times. I do know that I am ready for it to be finished so I can move in! Living with my parents is really not bad, in fact it's a good thing, but I miss having my own place.
Jon is enjoying his job. He is still on orientation, working days, and he is so ready to be on his own and working nights (I am too!). We don't see each other on the days we are working because he is on days and I am on nights, but at least we have the same days off! He did get an e-mail from the job where he first interviewed in Shreveport (the job he really wanted) saying they had a position open and they wanted to know if he was still interested. Unfortunately he signed a contract where he is, so he has to stay put for 2 years. He was a little disappointed, but also very flattered because apparently 30 other people applied for the job.
That's basically where we are now. Just working, living with our parents, trying to save money, and patiently waiting for our house to be built. Until next time...

Home Is Where The Heart Is

We are back home in Shreveport.  We left Fort Worth on Wednesday with our cars loaded down about 3:00 and made it to Shreveport around 6 or so.  We unloaded the cars and went straight to meet some friends for boiled crawfish! YUMM!  It was definitely a great welcome home dinner!  Ever since we have been home we have done nothing but spend time with our friends and family.  It has been so wonderful to be able to see my parents and my brother everyday and to run errands with Jon and his parents.  I am excited to be home!! Tomorrow I start my new job at Sutton Children's Hospital.  I am excited about that too, but I am also pretty nervous.  This first week will simply be hospital orientation, so I will be bored out of my misery this week, but next week I will begin in the PICU.  I am a little scared but looking forward to learning a totally different area than H/O.   I already miss the H/O kiddos at Cooks and still think about them and pray for them every night.  They have definitely made an impact on my life, even in the short time I was there.  I have a greater understanding of the power of prayer and the awesome work God does because of the opportunity I had to work with those children.  I pray that God has lead me to an even greater opportunity, and I am so thankful for the ability to be a nurse and care for children; it is definitely my calling.  

On a side note...everything is about to get started on the new house!  They are framing up the slab on Friday and then hopefully will pour the slab the following Monday!  I will have pictures when all of that begins!!

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.      1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Today marks 3 years for me and Jon!! It's crazy to think that a little over 3 years ago I was on my way to Austin for a girls trip and I get a phone call from a random guy that my hairdresser gave my number to. I'm glad I answered and I'm glad I accepted his invitation to go on a date, although I insisted it be a lunch date and I meet him there. He, being Jon, turned out to be the love of my life! I couldn't be happier and I am so thankful to be with him! I love you Jon! :)

There is no place like home

So the decision has been made...we are moving back to Shreveport.  I found a job working in the PICU at Sutton Children's Hospital in Shreveport, and Jon is most likely going to work in the Cardiac Care Unit at Willis Knighton in Shreveport.  We are both excited!  I am finding it hard to be too excited because I will miss my job at Cook Children's and all the wonderful people I have met there!  But like I told my mom, you can make new friends but you can't make new family.  So I will be home with my family and still be in touch with all the new friends I have made.  I am very nervous about my new job, because it is a great responsibility, but I am also very excited and anxious because I know that I will learn a lot!  We have plans to build a house, so I will be living with my parents and Jon will be living with his until our house is finished.  This was a difficult decision for me to make, but I prayed about it and weighed the pros and cons and I have decided that this is the next step.  I am really excited and looking forward to what the future holds!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 

New York City

When Jon and I first met and were getting to know each other, we started talking about traveling.  I told him that I had always wanted to go to New York and he told me that he would take me one day.  I didn't think it would come true so soon!  We left for New York on Easter Sunday and came back four days later.  It was an incredible trip!  We did all of the "typical touristy" things, went to Battery Park to check out the Statue of Liberty, went to Ground Zero, saw the Brooklyn Bridge, went to the top floor of the Empire State Building, walked around Central park, etc.  We were also told to do a few not-so-touristy things...so we went to Serendipity and drank frozen hot chocolate, ate a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery, ate at Tavern on the Green, and racked up on purses in Chinatown.  We had a really good trip and had so much fun spending time together.  There are too many pictures to upload so I included the link to all of them. 

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=431116008/a=48541434_48541434/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish

Update on Moving Status

Jon and I are still thinking about moving back to Shreveport.  We love living here, but we are missing home pretty bad.  Jon has an interview in 2 weeks at the hospital he really wants to work at in Shreveport.  The manager told him that there were 3 people leaving, but he doesn't know how many people they will hire to replace those leaving because they are already overstaffed.  If they do hire someone, it won't be until late July or early August.  I went ahead and applied for a job at a children's hospital in Shreveport, but I have not heard anything back.  If we do move back we would like to buy/build a house.  We found a neighborhood that we would love to build in, but we have to find a builder who can build a house in our price range that meets the qualifications of the neighborhood.  Another thing we are thinking about is that if we build, we would have to start building no later than July/August and keep our fingers crossed that it would be finished in time to close by December 1st, that way we would be able to receive the tax credit being offered right now.  If we can not find a builder to build what we want, where we want, for the price we can afford, we will start to look for a house once we find jobs.  It's a lot going on, but it's pretty much all in slow motion.  Basically Jon and I both have to have a builder lined up ready to build (if we find one that works out for us), then we have to both find a job, give the builder the word (or contact a realtor to find us a house), and move home and live with our parents until our house is built (or we find a house we like).  It's a waiting game now and then once we find jobs the race will be on.  I have prayed about this for a while now, and I feel this is what we are supposed to do.  If we do not find jobs in Shreveport that we want, then it was just not meant to be.  I am doing my part, Jon is doing his part, and God, well of course he's putting his plan to work.  We'll see what happens...

What's been going on...

It has been a while since I have updated, so I am going to try to condense things as best I can.

Starting where I left off...

Jon's parents came in the last weekend in February to help celebrate his birthday (which was February 28th).  We had a great time! Friday night we went to eat dinner with his parents, his uncle Jeff and his wife Mandy and their daughter Maddie, and also his uncle Jimmy.  We spent the rest of the weekend with his parents and had so much fun.  On Monday I took Jon to eat at Texas de Brazil.  We could hardly walk out of the restaurant because we were so full.  I think Jon had a great 27th birthday!

at Pappasito's with Jon's family

at Texas de Brazil

The following weekend we went to "Texas Mardi Gras."  It was basically a texas country music festival in a huge warehouse.  We had fun, but it was very crowded!  We found some new bands we like, and of course Jon came home and downloaded some of their music!  One thing that was similar to Mardi Gras in Louisiana was the fact that girls were flashing left and right for beads.  It was worse than actual Mardi Gras in New Orleans! I was a little shocked and annoyed at the same time!  Sommer and Michael met us there to watch the Eli Young Band.

My granny turned 100 this year!  She is a Jehovah's Witness so she does not celebrate holidays, including birthdays, so we had a "family reunion" in order to celebrate the milestone.  It was great to see all of my family, especially my granny.  Happy 100th Birthday Granny!

Jon and I have become pretty good friends with a girl I work with, Adrianne, and her husband, Ruben.  They actually just got married on March 21st here in Fort Worth.  It was a beautiful ceremony and reception and Adrianne looked gorgeous.  I am so happy for them! 

Congratulations!

a few of Cook Children's H/O nurses

Jon and I went to our first pro-basketball game this month.  It was so much fun!  Jon's uncle set us up with a man he knows and we got some pretty awesome tickets to the Dallas Mavericks vs Miami Heat game!  It was a great game and the Mavs pulled off a win right at the end!

This was definitely shortened, but I am going to try to stay on top of updating more.  We are headed to New York in 2 days, so I will definitely be posting a blog about our trip!

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Life has been pretty much the same...working, sleeping, hanging out with Jon on my days off.  Recently Jon and I have each been faced with a difficult decision.  To make a long story short, Jon is not totally happy with his job.  He is homesick often because he has not made any friends here in Fort Worth and his parents and all of his friends are back home.  It makes it harder on him when I am working and he doesn't have anyone to hang out with.  So Jon decided to apply for a job here in Fort Worth in hopes to be happier (shorter drive, hopefully nicer people at work, and maybe make some friends who live in Fort Worth).  He went for the interview, and  is still doubting staying here.  There are a lot of things that are causing him to want to move back home and a few things, mainly hopes, wanting him to stay here.  He is trying to weigh the pros and cons and come up with a decision this week because he will have to let the new job he applied for know if he will accept or not.  Then based upon his decision, I will have to decide what to do.  If he wants to stay, hooray, no decisions for me. If he decides that home is where he really wants to be, then I will have to decide if I will stay here alone or move back home.  I do get homesick and miss my family and friends often, but I do love my job and the hospital I work at here.  I don't feel that I will find a job back home like the one I have here.  I have also made friends here who I enjoy spending time with, so I am not as homesick as Jon.  I hope and pray that things will work out here in Fort Worth, but I want what is best for Jon and what will make him happy.  It worries me and makes me stressed out, but I have to put my faith in the Lord and believe that He will direct Jon's decision based on His plan.  

The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you."   Psalm 32:8

Valentine's Dinner at Piranha Killer Sushi