Daily Musings of Nothingness

Ben was sick last week and now he is back to his happy, giggly, messy self. Sam is sick this week. I would rather my almost 5 year old be sick than my almost 2 year old. Not that I want Sam to be sick but he just lays around, rests, and is willing to be cuddled. Ben cried and was irritable, constantly. Any questions.

I went to the school this morning to get the Read-A-Thon daily prizes organized. The principal forgot to draw the winners and announce them. Tomorrow I'm going to do it for her and give her a written note to read and hope it gets done correctly tomorrow. If you want something done right....

I went to Brad's office after the school. I didn't have much to do. Tobie showed me the inventory list we have to do for tax purposes. I really hate stuff like that. We'll do it later.

We had someone come over tonight and talk about renovations on the new house. I wonder how we will pay for them? Cash or loans. Now or later. convenience or total inconvenience.

I miss Rochester's library. A LOT! My new one only lets me check out 50 books at a time. Can I get a gold card for the library. They don't know who they are dealing with. 50 books at a time; what a joke!

I reread Twilight. It was better the second time. Just like the movie.

I spent Monday cleaning my house. I got rid of all the little clutter piles that mysteriously appear around the house. Today you could never tell that that was how I spend President's day.

Yesterday Ben wrote on the wall with a pencil and on my computer screen with a pen. Brad said that he was lucky it happened while he was at work.

When Rick came over this evening he asked Emily what grade she was in. Her reply, "I'm in first but I read at third."

Ben loves to wear shoes. Especially mine, Brad's, Emily's and Sam's.

I took a nap today and I didn't even feel guilty about it. It was lovely. Unfortunately, the kids made a mess in my office. It was worth it.

I made dinner tonight (shock!) and everyone loved it and ate it (shock again!!). Emily even gave me a hug for making the best dinner ever. Hawaiian Haystacks: 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed added to 2 cans of cream of chicken. Dilute with milk to desired consistency. Serve over rice. Top with Chinese noodles, cheddar cheese, olives and add a dash of lemon juice. Emily will have the left overs for lunch tomorrow.

I love Emily's lunchbox-sized thermos. It keeps food hot or cold. Makes packing a lunch much more imaginative.

Even though I had a nap today, I'm going to bed now. Thanks for reading my random thoughts. I should do more posts like this. So easy!

Grateful Sunday

It has been forever since I have done a Grateful Sunday post and I figured I should do one this week.
This week I am grateful for....

• Our new house! We will close in late March (sorry I haven't posted pictures).
• My new calling as Primary Secretary. I was disappointed to leave my previous calling-teaching the 14 year old Sunday School class but it is nice to get to know some new people.
• Book Club. I finally got invited to a book club. Oh how I missed being with people who loved books and talking about books. Carma, I'm so glad I get to be your neighbor!
• Steve, Tobie and Maddy V. We went out with Steve and Tobie for Valentine's Day and their oldest daughter Maddy who was home for the weekend watched all our kids for us. Steve and Tobie even paid for dinner to thank Brad for a favor he did for them. It was a wonderful Valentine's Day evening. Thanks!
• My MIL, Dianne, for watching Ben and Sam so I could help at Emily's class party. I was hoping Brad would be home in time to watch the boys or else I would take them with me but Brad had a late appointment scheduled and Ben was sick and grouchy and I didn't want to take them after all. I decided I wouldn't go but then Emily actually asked for me to be there. I appreciate Dianne taking the time to help me out.
• The Jason and Ashley Y family. Brad and Jason have been friends since Brad was 12 and we have been friends as a couple since before Jason and Ashley got married. They came over to play games on Friday but Ashley and I ended up sneaking away to watch Twilight again. Thanks Brad and Jason for watching the kids! Thanks Justin and Hannah for playing Powergrid with Brad and Jason.
• Cheap movie theaters. It is so much more fun to see a movie knowing you only paid $3.50 instead of $9. With that price you can actually afford popcorn! Which is only $3.75 for a large.
• My new nephew, Dimitrie. He turned 2 weeks old on Friday. We are so grateful he was born. It was a close call during his delivery and we thank Heavenly Father he is with us and healthy.
• Winter. I actually don't mind it but I'm glad it doesn't last forever. Brad has taken up skiing and it is fun to see him enjoying every ski trip (except for the first one).

Have a great week!

It Feels Like It Is finally Over

This post is a few weeks late but definitely news worthy.

Brad took his Neurology Boards in November. There were a few stressful weeks previous to the test while he tried to work full time AND study-flashbacks of medical school and residency. But all his hard work and years of studying finally paid off. Brad is now a BOARD CERTIFIED NEUROLOGIST! We are truly excited! He did very well if I do say so myself. We are very grateful because the test cost about $4,000.

So a big CONGRATULATIONS to my very dear husband.

Now I feel like we are finally done with the schooling part of our lives. We have been married for 15 years and now the only ones who are in school are the kids-hee hee.

I never thought we would get here. Now that we are here, I'm not quite sure what to do with myself.

Scuba Experience

Brad has always wanted to go scuba diving. I have never in my life wanted to experience scuba diving. Once when we were visiting an aquarium, we walked through a tunnel that gave you the experience of being surrounded by marine life. Brad mentioned how cool it would be to scuba and see everything up close. I replied, "Why do you need to? This is just as good and you don't get wet!"

Getting wet has been the issue for me. I don't enjoy water. I don't like getting my face wet. I take quick showers and don't really swim. Although I do enjoy going to the beach, I like to keep my face out of the water. It seems silly but I had tubes in my ears until I was 10 years old. For 10 years all I heard when I was near water was, "keep your head out of the water." It is no surprise I don't like to get my face wet.

I also don't enjoy boats. This is also caused by other "traumatic" boat experiences when I was young but I won't go into that now.

Since scuba diving involves both boats and getting wet, it has been extremely low on my list of things to do before I die. Actually, it has never been there and probably won't ever be....But now that has all changed. Here is the story:

As I previously mentioned, scuba diving has been an interest to Brad for many, many, many years. Now that we have a bit of wiggle room in our budget, Brad has been actively pursing ways to spend this wiggle room. Last Friday afternoon, instead of coming home from work, Brad "dropped by" the local dive shop. He was informed of a scuba experience the next Friday night. It only cost $20 per person and they take you to the local aquatic center and give you a mini lesson, strap on the gear, and let you try scuba diving while assisted by trained professionals. Needless to say, he signed us up. Both of us. Yes, me. The one who has absolutely no interest in scuba diving. No interest. No desire. No way Jose!

He basically gave me no choice in the matter. HE REALLY WANTED ME TO DO THIS! REALLY WANTED ME TO DO THIS! So being the good wife that I am, I agreed, timidly. I dreaded this date night all week. I "forgot" to call a babysitter despite being prodded by Brad on a daily basis. Eventually he cornered me into calling someone before I "forgot" again.

(I know this story is long but I'm writing it for posterity's sake) So Friday arrives and I am sick to my stomach ALL DAY (because of nerves-I get that way when I am worried). By 3:30 I am in bed about ready to throw up. Brad comes home and tells me I don't have to go with this sad little puppy dog face and tells me I can just watch him. Well, that really does not sound like any fun at all, does it? Brad informs me that our good friends, Jason and Ashley, are going to join us for the dive and that makes me feel a little better-Ashley probably hates water more than me.

Time passes and it is time to go. I pull myself out of bed (darn it!) and get ready. We go to dinner and meet Ashley and Jason at the pool. We are a little early and Ashley and I commiserate while complimenting ourselves on being nice wives that are willing to do such a big thing for our husbands. By this time I am actually trembling.

We change into our swim suits (I bought the cutest little cover up at the end of the summer for $4 at J.C. Penney's. It looks fabulous with my swim suit if I don't say so myself-hee, hee) and met the instructors. They were very nice and tried to put Ashley and I at ease. After some difficulty finding the correct size of equipment for me (it turns out I need kid-sized fins). We were ready to be instructed. The instructors were fabulous! They did such a great job teaching us and helping Ashley and I feel comfortable in the water and with the equipment.

They helped us get used to the gear and the underwater breathing experience gradually. Eventually, we were ready to go to the deep end. It took me a bit of time to feel comfortable but soon I was swimming around, throwing torpedoes, and having fun. Only once did I feel claustrophobic and had to swim to the surface to calm myself down. One of the instructors immediately followed me and helped me go back down. It was such a good feeling knowing that they were so aware of us and ready to help us.

We stayed in the water for over an hour and by the end I felt really good. I had problems with my mask slipping and leaking but I was able to clear it underwater without problem (I probably need a kid-sized mask as well). When the time was up and we got out, they asked us how we liked it. I actually replied, "Awesome!" Can you believe it? I actually liked it! Me, who never, ever, ever wanted to experience this actually said awesome. Brad then asked me if we should book the Honduras dive trip with the dive shop. I said I would need more time in the pool before I felt more comfortable but I would seriously consider signing up for dive lessons.

Do I even have to say that Brad was so happy. He thoroughly enjoyed the experience, despite a leaking mask (his had a slight crack and maybe his beard/moustache got in the way), and he was thrilled that I liked it as well. It was a fun experience. I was glad I had such great instructors and friends to share it with. Ashley had a good time but had a lot of difficulty with her ears. I hope that doesn't hold her back.

Now Brad is really pushing for that Honduras trip. I'm not sure if we will go but I did say yes to dive lessons.

Now Brad, I did scuba dive even though I didn't want to and enjoyed it. Just don't get your hopes up that I will ever, ever go whitewater river rafting with you. That is just asking too much!

What Happens in Vegas...

Brad and I took our first "real" trip together since the end of residency. At first it was supposed to be a business trip-some medical meeting (business write offs, etc.) but it ended up as a just-for-fun trip. Two other couples came along with us-Steve and Tobie and Mark and Denise.

We flew to Las Vegas Thursday morning. Brad's mom took Ben and my mom came up to stay with Emily and Sam. It was a perfect fit.

We stayed at the Wynn which was a very nice hotel. That night we saw Momma Mia! I was so excited. I loved the movie and Tobie and Denise had previously seen the musical in Salt Lake and Las Vegas and had raved about it. Brad was a sport and came with me. He enjoyed the second act much more than the first. I enjoyed it all!!!

Friday was filled with SHOPPING!!!! I have never been much for designer clothes-I can't bear to pay exorbitant prices-but I tried on some FABULOUS clothes!!!! I have never had clothes fit so well. I have lost about 13 pounds since I moved from Minnesota and it was so fun to try on "skinny" clothes. I tried on about six dresses that were amazing. Tobie and Denise told me to buy one but I can't bear to pay $200 for a dress. But it was fun!

That night we ate at The Capital Grill which was very nice and delicious. We then went to see Ray Romano and Kevin James. They were so funny. My cheeks were sore from laughing so hard. I was a fan of Everybody Loves Raymond and King of Queens so it was exciting to see them perform.

On Saturday Brad and I took it easy. We ate at the Wynn's Brunch Buffet and it was so delicious. It was so much better than any other buffet I had ever been to including The Davenport's brunch buffet in Spokane. (So much for those 13 pounds huh!). We browsed more shops and even tried on $20,000 diamond rings (Brad promised years ago to replace my wedding ring since we only bought what we could afford as poor college kids.) We didn't buy but it was fun to look.

That night we were supposed to go to The Comedy Stop at the Tropicana with the other couples but they decided it was too late since we had a 7:45 am flight back home the next morning. But Brad and I had taken it easy all day and we were ready to spend a night on the town. So after a few phone calls we ended up getting tickets to Phantom of the Opera. We paid for the cheapest tickets and they ended up moving us to the expensive seats. It was a great show. We had seen it before in San Francisco in 1995 but this one was so much better. Raoul's voice was amazing!!!

It was the perfect end to a perfect trip. We flew back early Sunday morning (a little too early in my opinion) and reunited with our children. They were happy to see us and enjoyed the cheap souvenirs we brought home for them. Thanks Mom and Dianne for watching our kids. We know they enjoyed it. We hope you have both recovered. Thanks Brad for planning a great trip! I really need a vacation.

PS We also stocked up on playing cards. Hand and Foot anyone....

100 DAYS!

Brad informed me today that he has 100 DAYS left in his residency. I never thought this day would come. I haven't been keeping track but now that we are this close....I think I might.

Does anyone know how to post a countdown counter?

200 Days

Today is a milestone in our lives. Brad only has 200 more days left in his residency (not that he's counting down or anything ;)

We can't believe it. Our long journey is almost over-5 years of graduate school, 4 years of medical school and almost 4 years of residency.

Two hundred days seems like nothing.

Happy Anniversary

It was a beautiful summer day 14 years ago that I married the most perfect man in the world. I was barely 20 years old; Brad was just 22. We had just finished our sophomore year at Ricks College. We were headed to BYU, a small, old apartment and a promising future ahead of us! I was planning on being a social worker and Brad was a molecular biology major with plans to go on to graduate school to get a Ph.D. in Cell Biology. (Brad was going to join the Air Force to complete medical school through their training program but changed his mind a few months before we got married). We were very much in love and looked forward to many adventures ahead of us.

Fast forward 14 years and how our lives have changed! Both of us changed our careers from what we expected (I ended up teaching special education and Brad completed a Ph.D. and Medical School). We now have 3 beautiful children and look forward to only one more year of residency!!!!!!

This blog is dedicated to my dear husband. I'm stealing Angela's anniversary blog format and using her idea with some modification.

Things you compliment him on while in his presence:

• He works so hard providing for his family! Even though residency is challenging he keeps trudging on (he now has a countdown - 10 months to go!!!)


• He is a fabulous dad. When Brad walks in the door there are usually huge screams and a stampede of feet rushing to see him. Then the climbing and jumping on Dad begins. The kids love to play with and look forward to his arrival everyday. This is because they know Dad will play with them and spend time with them.

Compliments you make about him to your friends:

• He is so helpful with everything from cooking (he is a great cook) to cleaning.
  
• He is supportive of me having "my time". Always willing to take over the kids for Book Club, Girls Night Out, shopping. Many times he has even watch my friend's kids and our kids so I could go have some fun with friends.

Traits you married him for:

• He is smart. He does have an MD and a Ph.D. Need I say more. But I will...When I was in Young Women's I remember making a list of qualities I wanted in a husband. #1 was an intelligent man. I realized Brad was smart right away and really admired that. At Ricks' Brad had the highest grade in his Organic Chemistry class and ruined the grading curve for many people. My grade soared my 2nd year at Ricks because if I wanted to be with him, it would be at the library while he studied or worked in the computer lab.
  
• He plans for his long term future. I was impressed that he seriously considered his future and worked hard to make it happen.
  
• He is nice. Simple as that, he's nice.

Days you cherish being together:

• Our wedding day (this is an anniversary post). It was a wonderful day!
  
• The birth of each of our children. I love watching him cuddle our new babies. They look so small in his arms. I also love how much he looks after me in the hospital. He makes sure I am comfortable and taken care of which really worries me in the hospital.

Material things you could give him if you just inherited a fortune:

• A million dollars and a new car (inside joke-every time we ask each other what do we want (for whatever reason) we always respond "A million dollars and a new car" even if it is to ask what do you want for dinner (I know - really silly).
  
• Some kind of computer or other high tech gadget (I'm so technically challenged that I wouldn't even know the coolest thing - but Brad does!)

Things you would miss the most if he left for two weeks:

• His listening ear. He always listens to my rambles about my day. As soon as the kids are in bed or sometimes as soon as he walks in the door. I talk his ear off about what happened that day, what I'm thinking about, what I'm reading, or anything else. When we were newly married, I used to tell him the plot of the book I was reading. It wasn't until years later that I discovered he really did not like listening to this (he actually hated it), but I never realized it.
  
• His help with the kids and house. No matter how long a day he has had, he comes home and helps with the kids or picks up the living room or does the dishes. During his intern year, he would be so exhausted but he would still play with the kids. So many times he would fall asleep on the floor with the kids playing and climbing on him.

Thoughts that crossed your mind when you first met/saw him:

When I first met Brad, I was working at Jacob Lake Inn near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon as a waitress. John, one of the owners, introduced Brad to me while I was prepping some salads for one of my tables. John introduced Brad to me as "Jennifer" which I really don't like to be called. It really annoyed me but since I was busy and distracted I didn't really pay much attention. Later, I realized I couldn't remember his name and I kept calling him Brian. It is funny because when I introduced Brad to Mom she kept calling him Brian (without ever hearing me do it or mention it).

Favorite dates:

• Eating bread sticks at Craigos once a week watching Star Trek - The Next Generation (doesn't that sound nerdy). We had to scrounge up our loose change to afford it.
  
• Brad and his roommates planned a date where we started at Deseret Industries to pick out each other an outfit. I found Brad an incredibly ugly shirt and pants. (The pants were former uniform pants and Lori, one of the other girls in the party, and I picked out matching pants for Brad and Andrew. Later, when we were changing into the clothes, Andrew couldn't fit into his so he and Brad switched. The whole night Brad's pants were so tight on him; I think they eventually split.) They made us a spaghetti dinner and we had to eat with kitchen utensils on a garbage bag. The guys took our original clothes and dropped them off at a neighbors. Later that night we had to knock on about 10 doors in his complex and ask them if they had our clothes. Kind of embarrassing but really fun!!!!!

Funny/odd things you love about him:

• I used to hate peeling my own oranges so Brad would do it for me. Before he would hand me a slice, he would give it a little kiss. Isn't that sweet and romantic.
  
• He leaves me notes sometimes in the morning before he leaves for work.

Places you have lived together:

• Utah
• Texas
• Minnesota
• Soon to be Idaho

Favorite future vacations you look forward to:

• Alaskan cruise
• Europe especially Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, and England
• New York City
• Caribbean cruise
• Hawaii
• Australia/New Zealand
• I could go on and on...

Things you look forward to doing together later in life:

• Build our dream home
• Travel!!!!

Now and Then