Christmas Corner

Here is our first little Christmas tree. There isn't too much room in the basement for a big tree or a lot of decorations, but the coziness of it all is really nice and of course the fireplace and Grandma's antiques add a nice touch. We are loving the holiday season and are very grateful for all that life has brought and continues to bring. Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Happy Birthday To You!!

Today Kevin is 23 years old!! Happy Birthday babe! Of course he had school and homework to do, but he finished fast and I had work off so we got to have dinner, dessert, and presents here at home with Grandma and Grandpa Thompson.

Kevin has found a new favorite place to eat. He loves the Wing Coop, which is just a few blocks down the street from us. That was his request for his birthday dinner so we ordered a bunch and brought it home to eat with grandma and grandpa. Then it was "cake" and present time. I got Kevin two shirts and a game that he has wanted for a while called FLUXX. He'll have to teach me how to play it.

His real birthday present came a little early though. So about a month ago I surprised him with Trans-Siberian Orchestra tickets. It was on Nov. 25th and let me tell you it was an amazing show!! Tons of musical talent and lights!! These are a few pictures from his birthday surprise a month early.

NeilMed WARNING!

Ok so I had heard that rinsing with a sinus rinse and gargling with salt water would help prevent the flu. One day when I felt a little sore throat coming on I decided to do so. Kevin has a NeilMed nasal rinse so I was set. It was my first time doing this and it couldn't be that complicated right? Well it isn't, but it's me you are talking about. . . :) I was trying to just go for it and rinse my sinus right out. I pushed the negative pressure bottle so hard up my nose it went right through my ear popping as it went. Kevin told me "um. . . . you weren't supposed to do it that hard. . . " Well the next day my ear started to hurt and progressively get worse. That night when I got off work I was in excruciating pain! Kevin looked up some things on line and we determined I had a bad case of swimmer's ear. We tried putting rubbing alcohol in my ear to evaporate the water, warm oil and heating pads to ease the pain, but noting worked. The next morning at the insta-care we found out that I had an ear infection. I got antibiotics and numbing drops. Nothing seemed to be helping though. The pain kept getting worse and it spread to the back of my ear, down my neck and down my jaw. One night it got so bad I almost went to the emergency room. We didn't do that though, I ended up taking a lortab that I had from a previous prescription. Anyway to make the story shorter I went to the insta-care again and the Dr. said the fluid got into by mastoid sinus, which is a sinus behind your ear and the infection had just spread. I got a boost of antibiotics and they said just to keep taking the pain pills. It wasn't serious unless the pain got worse after that visit. I'm doing pretty good now with the pain under control despite the clogged ear still and ringing, but it seems to be nothing serious. Kevin also was a great husband and took really good care of me, Thank you Kevin! But just a warning to those rinsing for the first time, DO NOT squeeze the negative pressure bottle up your nose, just lightly push.

Halloween

Halloween this year was pretty uneventful. No dressing up or partying for us this year. . . We were able to go visit my sisters and take the nieces and nephews trick-or-treating! That was a lot of fun and the kids looked great in their costumes. It was something fun to go do before I had to head back home and work the graveyard shift at work. I had offered to work for someone who loved Halloween so she could have fun on her favorite holiday. She had planned on working Thanksgiving for me, but needless to say that didn't end up working out for her. . . oh well. We did have fun though being with family and being together!

Pumpkins Kevin and I made.

What we were doing last year at this time. . . .

Halloween last year while we were still at CEU. My roommates and I dressed up as the decades and I was "the 70's" (I guess. . . That was the best I could do in one day at the D.I. in Price). Kevin was "mullet man", we couldn't decide what else to call it. . . . We dressed up and went to the Halloween dance. The good ol' days!!

IT'S OFFICIAL!

I passed my RN state boards a few weeks ago, I am officially a Registered Nurse! It's been a long road, but I am so grateful for the experience and the education I have under my belt now. It is nice to have finally reached this goal (and not to mention the pay raise :) Life is good and we have been very blessed.

Just to update. . . Kevin is now interning at an Architectural firm instead of working at Sports Authority. This will be good for him to get some good experience in that field of work and use his many talents. Today was his first day and he seems to enjoy it so far! This will also give him plenty of time to get good grades and work hard in school too.

Update

Kevin and I are doing well. He is really busy with school now and with work. Poor guy hardly has time to take a break. I am grateful for a hard worker though. I am enjoying my job and am learning a lot! Which is good because hopefully it is preparing me for my NCLEX test for nursing so I can officially be an RN. I was supposed to be taking it today, but Kevin and I thought I could be better prepared so I extended it until September 25th. I should be studying right now. . . so I better not make this too long. Maybe those perfect chocolate chip cookies will have to wait.

It says "Passing Score Guaranteed" This book better work! Wish me luck :)

The Apple DOES Fall Far. . .

Ok, so I was craving some good ol' chocolate chip cookies with my yummy Ghirardelli chocolate chips that I got from one of my Bridal showers. . . Look at what happened!! What a waste of really good chocolate chips. I don't know what it is. Everytime I make chocolate chip cookies something goes wrong, ie. too thick/crunchy, or runny/burnt. I must not have gotten the cooking gene that my mother, Chad, Gina, Amanda, Nick etc. got because we have some amazing chefs in our family. Well maybe if I dig deep and keep practicing I might get it. . . I am determined to master the art of chocolate chip cookies though; they will not get the best of me. I am tempted to try another batch right now.