Run Well Finish Strong - Jean Stockdale

While Im uploading 2 photos of my latest cakes I figured I would share. The first one is for a 09 graduate she loves Elvis.. and the 2nd for my friend Amanda and her Luau Party last night.

( Read more... )

Hi everyone. Im still alive and very much kicking. Just non-stop busy. I promise I still keep up with you guys lives once a week I hop on for the scoop.

As for me and my family we are great.

Everyone is doing wonderful. My life is just SOOO busy working full time and once I get home at 530 its a rush of dinner, baths and play. Weekends are cram packed.

Im still very much into working out and losing weight. SLOWLY but surely. Im done 15 lbs since the new year I feel wonderful.

My Marriage is flourishing and we are in love. :)

The kids are adorable and growing way to fast.

Today is Easter Egg Hunt at the church so they are both looking forward to that. Ive been working on their basket for what feels like weeks. Picking up little items here and there to make it vs spending 30+ at Walmart for crap in a basket. BTW Walgreens has their 64pk Crayola Crayons with the sharpner built in on sale for 1.99 this week (normally costing 5.99). Gonna add that to Skyler's basket and their diapers are B1G1 50% off making them 4.99 a pack. The Walgreens brand is the same company that makes Parent's Choice Diapers at Walmart. If you go back to the pharmacy and ask for the coupon book (it says 50dollars in savings on the front and is a trifold) it has a 2.00 off per pack coupons in there making the diapers 2.50 a pack. This happens every few months and I stock pile on diapers and pull ups for months to come :) Liam's 2nd birthday is approaching us next week! He chose tractors for his theme.. My lil' country boy. Ive got a wedding cake to do for this coming up Saturday. My first offical wedding cake. :/ SCARED YES!

I gotta get my hair blown out and straighten and wake the kids. I'll leave you with a photo from last weeks photo shoot with a local photographer.

One of my few resolutions this year was to get off the extra weight. I knew what this would require both healthy eating and working out. The first part is a matter of planning for me the second part being the struggle.
I had already canceled my YMCA membership. Finding no time to use it now that I wasn't staying home with the kids. Add in the Mom guilt of leaving them at yet, another daycare service, vs spending time with them.
Adrian (a coworker and friend) were discussing this issue over lunch one day. We came up with a great yet would we REALLY do it plan. Wake up before out kids were up and before we had to do our morning routines and go the gym together.
We are 2 weeks into it. Successful! Workout starts at 4 AM and stops at 5 AM crazy? Yes, but Im soo dedicated. I have no guilt of leaving the kids nuzzled in their beds asleep with Daddy. Ive lost weight and inches and i feel fit.
Lucky for me Adrian has been down the personal trainer 6days a week road. She knows all the Ins and Outs of dieting and exercise. So shes my coach through all this. Im on a VERY strict food plan and the exercise has me sore all the time. I love the challenge thou. I can already see results so that pushes me even more.

My 90days will hit the 31st of this month. So full transition into full time working Mom has finally adjusted for the kids and myself.

My job title is : Cytotechnologist Tech

What does that intell?

I run the Cytology Lab for GI Pathology. The company primarily deals with GI specimens however we do surgicals as well. The Cytology Lab deals with tiny cellular specimens. We see no patients the doctors use us to process what they collect and send them back the results.

In my lab my 2 primary specimens are: Pap Smears and Esophageal Brushings.
In addition to Non-GYN specimens:
Gastric washings/brushings, Urine, Bladder washes, Pleural fluid, Ascitic fluid, Pericardial fluid, CSF, Fine needle aspirations, Sputum, Bronchial washings/brushings, and BAL.
I receive them via doctors offices and hospital's.

I accession the specimens once they are delivered by gross description and inputting the patients information into our client software. Next comes the lab part were I spin down the cells to put on a slide to manually dip in 20 different solutions/dye's. Once coverslipped I send it over to the Dr. Lazar for him to diagnosis. He hands me back the results and I input that into the client software and send the doctors the results and sometimes the patient as well. I also have to do all my own inventory and ordering.
Thats in a nut-shell what I do.

However, it doesn't stop there. Once Ive done my work for the day I venture out into other departments to help out.
Embedding tissue or grossing in specimens in the main lab for the Pathologist.

Hence, not alot of down time :)

If you wanna know more specifics just ask. I could go on and on about it...

I love my job, I love my company and coworkers. Its awesome to come to work to a job you love and look forward to.

So getting into my Monday Groove. Im gonna update. But first I wanna know what you gal's wanna hear about? There so many things I could update on.. Ideas:
1. My new job
2. Marriage
3. Kids
4. Picture Dump
5. 2009's healthy living adjustments..

Or.. whatever you wanna know...

Remember how my company was throwing the Holiday 60's Themed party? I have a photo to make you laugh.
( Read more... )

I feel... old. Old isn't bad, not when you have the perks of being old - grown children, grand children, and someone who has been getting old right along side of you. But old alone? Tough.
Provisions, its up to me to see it. Its up to me to embrace it. It hardly ever looks like what you expect or comes from the place you thought it would. Im sure this is what makes Him God, and us, simple benefactors. Its not about life settings and having or not having.

Where did this all come from? My Dad's 50th birthday, today. We did a shin-dig over the weekend. With 25 close friends dressed in black and a big SURPRISE awaiting him around the corner. Surprised? that he was!

Resolutions? .. 2 actually.
1. To update in here weekly.
2. Weight, always weight.
Kick off for both start today.

INSANE!

My den is just indescribable.

I got up at 3:30 for some tackling of the christmas presence that overtook my den. My couch, my floor I haven't seen either in days!
Our routine was go to X house unwrap, eat, and unload into the den. Rinse repeat over and over again.

I can actually sit on my couch now while untwisting hundreds more twisty ties. I have 27 Dresses to watch while doing so.

Back to that. ...

Merry Christmas

Im enjoying our 4 day weekend. I also got a early Christmas gift from the hubby. A new lens for my Rebel XT. So here are some shots with the 50mm.
( Read more... )

I know Ive been MIA for some time, thanks to Liz ;)

She's right, its that time of the year. Plus working FT now and the kids have been sick. Naturally daycare EEEKIES got the best of them in week 2.
Skyler Croup with a touch of pneumonia
Liam Bronchitis

Yesterday was the last day of antibiotics and steroids for the both of them. I know Im suppose to go back for a follow up appt. But... Do you really have to do those? ugh my time is few and far between now that Im working again.

Still LOVING my job. However hating and feeling massive guilt of leaving the kids at daycare. Which I don't expect to change, ever. Its just the Mommy in us. Skyler LOVES it and Liam not so much.

Im still trying to adjust to not getting home till 5ish then slip into power mama roll of dinner, cleanup, washup and bed routine. Its fastpace and I get sidetrack with wanting to just sit on the floor and enjoy the kids then realize OPS its bedtime and they are all wound up. Ek.

Im off Thursday and Friday this week. I plan to stay in PJ's with the kids as long as possible. Its exactly what we did this weekend. No worries but spending good ole quality time with them. Ryan was out of town in Nashville to see the Titans lose their 1st game this season.

Maybe put up the tree? Or buy a slim line one this year to put up. My house is shrinking lol. I don't wanna take up half the living room with gianto tree.
Wonder if there are any Black Friday slim line tree sales?...
Ive got my list started for Black Friday. Althou Christmas is already bought and paid for just needs wrapping. I always run across more stuff I wanna get the kids.



Coffee cup is empty time to get ready for my Tuesday!
Have a wonderful Turkey day!!!!!!

P.S. If you have a Bass Pro store go visit Sat or Sun from noon till 5 they have a really cool set up at ours. Free Santa picture and all kinds of stuff for the kids. Handmade craft too. They have a info page on their webstie if your intrested.

Its been ages since Ive dressed up for Halloween much less a themed Christmas Party. So I need some help.

My new company is throwing a 70's themed Christmas party at the Hilton. Ive already been to the local party store only to find peace sign necklaces. Bummer. Im at a loss.

Ryan is coming along with me. So a his/her costume would be ideal. But at this point Im just trying to find SOMETHING 70s to wear.

Where do I go? What do I look for? Clueless here.

The other night we were all 3 laying in the big bed (Ryan, Skyler, and myself). Watching Go Diego Go, Im sure, since thats all she wants to watch as of late.

Skyler hears police siren. Whats that Daddy? She knows obviously since we have one parked in our driveway.

Ryan reached over and turned on his walkie to hear what was going down.

A car accident down the street.

He told Skyler someone had a car accident.

She paused and got a realllly serious face. "OO no, will the policeman clean up the pee pee in her carseat?"

We didn't have the heart to tell her no or begin to explain it to her. She was just confused why we thought this was so laughable.

Thing 1

Thing 2

Guess who goes to Orientation and Drug Testing today?

Yep, I scored the job. Ok not THE job I interviewed for last week. She offered me a better paying one thou :)

I am a Cytotechnologist Tech.

I will be working in the Lab with the Cytotechnologist. Just her and I diagnosing cancer and other cell based diseases.

I train Mon and Wed of this coming week and start work next Monday.

Time for some scrub shopping.

Happy Halloween!

I had an interview on Wednesday and look to hear something back this coming Monday.

Why?

Because the company is wonderful. Gi Pathology

Great pay and benefits, 4 wks of vacation from the get, 4-6 bonuses a year, small owned business that includes alot of perks. My MIL works for them.

I put in an application with them when I found out my job was coming to an end in February and they just now have an opening for me. The interview was for a Histology Clerk. Prepping the specimen for the histologist to diagnosis.

I LOVE being a SAHM however January is coming soon. I will no longer be getting umemployment and we will have to do something. Ryan will have to get a 2nd job or I will have to get a job. To afford life.

So I'll keep you posted on the job front.

Sunday was our church's yearly Round Up Sunday. Where everyone dresses in ridiculous western attire and there's alot of clunking boots and annoying hats everywhere. The preschool wing is adorable thou. Little girl with braided hair and boys in overalls, boots and hats. Soo cute. Its also high attendance day where you "round up" all your friends to come join you for church. All the kids get a special gift that day and then after service its to our big open field beside the church that has an explosion of activities.

This year it included a petting zoo, pony rides, numerous hayrides, moon bounces, a helicopter that landed for us to explore, and of a chilli contest that included hotdogs.

( Read more... )

This weekend was packed with Festival Activities for the Fall season.

Saturday was the Harvest Festival on base at the Lazy Ranch where they house all the horse's. Its always a nice place with free entertainment for the kids. So I took the kids while Ryan worked and a friend and her sons joined us.
( Read more... )
Have a good week Ladies!

I am struggling for ideas for Liam for Christmas. Many of you gals have lovely little boys and have been through this age already. So.. I come to you.

Liam is 18months old but will be 20months when Christmas rolls around.

He isn't into to TV at all at this point. So character things like the newest Elmo just isn't his style.

He does notice and yell DOG when he see's one and that makes him happy and cars. He enjoys making boyish car noises and driving them on surfaces.

So .. I was thinking a car track/ramp? Ryan and I went to ToysRUs to get one but soon left empty handed because there was just THAT many. We were both overwhelmed at which one to get him. Skyler is soo soo easy to buy for, to me. But Liam, not so much. LOL Do any of you have car tracks you kids love at a young age? Or a toy they got at almost two that they couldn't live without you recommend?

Thanks ladies

Im so glad God blessed me with that Mother Instinct.

I did infact take Liam back to the doctor's first thing yesterday morning. What was diagnosed as Pneumonia was infact Croup.
I won't be taking the kids to any local family doctors again. Only their pediatrician.

Then came the troubling news that EEEEKKKK Liam had a penny in his throat!!!!!!!

They called an ambulance to rush him and I off to Le Bonheur (where Skyler spent the first month and half her her newborn life) to have surgery. The Ambulance was a precaution. The penny was up and down and if it turned laying face down it would cut off his airways. So off we went while Ryan dropped Skyler off at my Mom's I rode with Liam in the ambulance. Dr. Eubanks, Skyler's surgen, did the procedure of removing the penny. They just sedated him to sleep and went in via his mouth with a scope and removed it. We got discharged late late last night and we are all home and happy. He still is getting over croup but his breathing has improved 100%. Now Skyler is running a 101 temperature and Im guessing developing croup herself. We have steroids on hand and will beginning treating her with that. Fun fun.

Ryan and I still have NO IDEA when he ingested said penny that is now a keepsake in his baby book.