Could it be??

More snow?? Seriously??!!?? I swear, Friday, I dressed the kids in shorts and tanks and today I had to pull their winter coats back out! No need to worry, if it does happen to snow, it shouldn't last too long...looks like the temp will be close to 70 by Wednesday!

Oh, how I love Mississippi weather!

Another test. Another week. Another year older. Another favorite

Another test.

I successfully passed another test! It may not seem important, but with only 5 tests the entire semester, there's no failing a test or it could ruin the whole semester!

Oh yeah, I made an A!!


Another week.

7 weeks down, 9 to go until the end of the semester! Time flies when you're having fun being forced to spend almost every waking minute with your head in a book studying!!

Next week: my first care plan


Another year older.

Yes, one year closer to thirty. I feel so old...and I have proof...

Went to get my eyes checked this week because my sight has been rapidly decreasing and I have migraines almost daily...I indeed needed glasses. to wear all the time. and my doc told me to give them a week or so to get adjusted to them and if I've still having problems to come back and he will change my prescription to a bifocal....WHAT! a bifocal...if that's not being told you're getting old, then I don't know what is!!

Another favorite.

I just love coffee. Caramel Macchiatos to be exact. Or so I thought....

I have become hooked on Caramel Frappuccinos all of a sudden! I was craving one tonight so I decided to google and make my own. I found this recipe and did a little tweaking...here's what I came up with...

Hazelnut Caramel Cream Frappucino

Prepare triple strength coffee. I filled my coffee maker to 10 with water and used 1 1/2 C of coffee. After it brews, you will need to chill it. About 30-45 minutes in the freezer works great if you're impatient like me!

Combine the following in the blender:

2 C ice
2/3 C triple strength coffee
2/3 C milk
1/3 C caramel sauce
1/3 C Hazelnut coffemate creamer (I like hazelnut so I added. Also could try french vanilla or mocha, yummy!)

Top with whipped cream and a little drizzle of caramel sauce! Tastes pretty darn good! Hope you enjoy it as much as I am right now!!

In case you were wondering...

I'm still alive!! Stressed beyond belief, but here!

Nursing school is absolutely wonderful!! Ask me the same question during finals week and I may have a different answer!! No, really, it's going so good!

I have passed two tests (an A and a B), learned to do vitals, assessments, giving a bath, changing bed linens, and have read so much! I was told not to get behind on the reading and that is so true. With 2-4 chapters each lecture, it would be so easy to get behind and they don't stop for you...they will take off and leave you behind so I have learned to be prepared!

I started clinicals today. I have been dreading the first day of clinicals because this semester we are in a nursing home. I am not the best with smells and have been warned the nursing home has a very "unusual" smell. I prayed for my sense of smell to be decreased as I walked in the door this morning.

I found my group, we had orientation, and I got my patient assignment. As I got on the elevator to go to the third floor, I started to panic. I got off the elevator and suddenly forgot everything I had learned....what do I do first, what if my patient starts yelling at me, or what if he/she doesn't want me there....I seriously stood at the door, frozen, for what seemed like eternity. I had to go in; we only had 20 minutes to get everything done. So I knocked...

And suddenly, as I walked into the room, the fear and anxiety subsided and everything came back to me! I did what I needed to do and did it well, I thought. When I left the room, I was shocked how natural it came. I was relieved it was over, yet so excited I wanted to go back!!!

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The kids are doing great! Hannah turned 5 last month! Emma Kate is growing like a weed! Morgan and Bella are still enjoying school! And Ethan is still Ethan! Getting into everything and refusing to be potty-trained!

I will leave you with some pictures from the last few weeks...Pictures that I took with my new camera!!! I was so happy to finally get a new camera! Not that I have time to take a lot of pictures, but the ones I do take turn out so beautiful!!

Speaking of beautiful...isn't she just the cutest!!??

A day in the park! This is the only time Ethan will let me get pictures of him!

Bowling Fun!! The kids LOVE bowling!!

The picture on the left of Emma Kate...can you see how bad she wants to get out there and play with everyone! She will be crawling before we know it!

It's about time...

Better late than never, huh! I finally took the time to sit down and go through our Christmas pictures! As you can tell from all of the pictures, the kids had a blast this year! Hope you enjoy!

The Family! This was at my mom's house the Friday after Christmas. Can you believe all 7 of us is in the picture....5 of the 7 looking at the camera and smiling! I will take that and be happy!

Christmas Eve was a little different for us this year. Morgan and Hannah went to their dad's and Bella to her mom's. This was the first year like this, so as you can guess, I was pretty sad. Didn't really feel like Christmas Eve without everyone home. But, there's always next year!

So it was just Alan and I, Ethan and Emma Kate, and Alan's parents for Christmas Eve. Can you tell Ethan had a BLAST opening all of his presents! And Emma Kate's! And mine! He just wanted to open them all!!!

Emma Kate just sat back and let everyone do it for her! She just calmly watched as Ethan ripped through all of her gifts!

Ethan woke up pretty early for Santa on Christmas morning! He loved all of his presents. Anything airplanes or dinosaurs and he's all for it!


I just LOVE this picture of him! He "flew" this dinosaur all over the house!

He had a fit over his Star Wars power wheels!

The girls didn't come home until Christmas Day at 2:00 so we had "Christmas Afternoon"! It just wasn't quite the same on Christmas morning. I didn't get too many pictures of the girls opening their presents. They had them all opened before we knew it!

Kickin' a bad habit

I didn't make a lot of resolutions this year...just 3...

1. Pass my classes
2. Loss the baby weight
3. Stop biting my nails

I have been a nail biter for ALL of my life! I know, it's a bad habit! I've tried to stop so many times and have been unsuccessful. Usually if I get acrylic nails they will grow, but just as soon as the acrylic nails come off, my real nails are gone...I get bored, I bite them. I get stressed or nervous and I really bite them!

Well, with me starting school and not being able to wear acrylic nails anymore...I have to stop biting them! And besides, working in the environment, all the germs, the thought of it just grosses me out! Not that it didn't before, I've just become more aware of it!

I've told Alan or the kids, if they see me biting my nails, to slap me!! I will say, it's been two days and no slaps....Yet!!

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Oh, I gotta share some funny quotes from Hannah today!


We were getting ready for "Mommy and Me Day" and I was doing her hair....

"Mommy, I don't want pink-tails...can you do black-tails, I don't like pink!"


It's been raining for the past few days and we are all sick of it.
Here's Hannah's thoughts on it!

"God sure is taking a long shower...You think he will be done soon?!"

Getting back into the swing of things

Anyone else, have a hard time getting their kids up for school this morning??!! Morgan DID NOT want to get up and she just cried and fought with me on everything...from what to wear, to what she wanted for lunch, and all the way to getting out of the car at school.

This is our first "back to school after Christmas Break" and boy was it tough. It was almost like the first day of school all over again.

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Speaking of first days of school...mine is Thursday! I am getting so nervous!

I've had to get shots (oh, like 5 of them!), a physical, a drug test, finger printing and a background check, uniforms, shoes, stethoscope, scissors, and books...

And speaking of books, 15 to be exact! $800 worth of books...But I paid no where near that much. How you ask??!! Ebay! And Amazon! I will never buy books from the school bookstore again!

So you wanna know how much I ended up paying for them all?? You will never guess! About $150.00!!!

Crazy, huh! Yes, some were used, but it perfect condition! And a few I found were even new, still in the wrapper! I think the cheapest one was like $2.00 and the most expensive was maybe $25.00! I was so excited! And so was our pocketbook!

Happy 2009!!

Just wanted to wish everyone a HAPPY 2009!! We spent New Year's Eve and Day relaxing! A calm and peaceful way to start off the year on the right foot!

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Did you notice.....My blog got a makeover!! Thanks to Melanie at Sassy Chic Designs! She did a WONDERFUL job!! I LOVE it!! Go check her out! Get a new look for the new year!! Thanks again Mel!

Merry Christmas from The Youngs

We hope everyone's Christmas is as wonderful as ours has been!! We have definitely has a lot of firsts this year!

Off to pick up the girls from their dad's/mom's and then come back home for Christmas at our house!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Ms. Emma Kate

...she is just growing so fast...She weighed 12 lbs last week! She is finally off the breathing treatments for RSV and is doing so much better! Here are a few pictures I took of her this past week!

...In her bumbo seat...She loves this thing! I was letting her watch tv with the kids and I turn around and she is sound asleep! Precious!

...Being Stylish...Have you seen these little leg warmers for babies and kids??!! Well...you know me...el cheapo...I searched and searched for a tutorial on how to make them and I found one here! So easy to make...and a lot cheaper! Here she is modeling her Christmas pair!

...eating with a spoon...She's been going through a growth spurt the last few days. She's wanted to nurse every hour so we've been supplementing with formula a little more and now added cereal. She just loved it!

And the Winners are...

I picked the winners this morning with Random.org and here they are!

The winner of the women's scarf is.....EMBER

And the winner of the kid's scarf is...TASHA

Congrats to both of you!!! Check your email so I can get all of your info and get the scarves out this week in time for Christmas!!!

THANK YOU to everyone that entered the giveaway!!

It's Snowing, It's Snowing

Yes, the reports of snow were true! We woke up to sleet this morning and by early morning it began to snow and actually stick! We are expected to get 2-5 inches total! WOW!!

Schools let out early of course. Alan had already left for work and I had to go get Morgan with all of the kids...So I dressed Hannah, Ethan and Emma Kate and went out to start the car and realized that there was snow ALL over the truck! I start panicking because we don't have a snow scraper...So I start running around the house looking for something, anything to use to scrape the windshield. I finally find this thin, plastic cutting board that I bought at the dollar store the other day. Hey, it worked. Desperate times call for desperate measures!

I finally get on the road after loading the kids one by one in the truck. Let it be known that I have NEVER driven in anything like this....Needless say, by the time I got to the front of our neighborhood and after sliding on the road numerous times, I was starting to really panic....to the point I called Alan and was hyperventilating and crying! Yes, the thought of having all the kids in the truck and possibly wrecking caused a full blown panic attack!! Alan finally got me calmed down and explained to me that I needed to "pump" the brakes. I make it to the school (thank goodness it's only about 5 miles away!) and g0t back to the house safely! Whewww!

I let the kids out to play for a little bit when we got home....They had a blast!

Yes, you will notice they need hats....It normally doesn't snow so we aren't winter weather prepared!

Looks like I need to make them some scarves, too! Speaking of scarves....Have you signed up for my giveaways?? Go here and here to leave me a comment and get entered! Drawing ends Friday!

One Hundred!!

So, ya know know if I did something special for post #99, I just HAVE to do something for #100, right??!!

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!!

Yes, a second prize for one of my readers, because I appreciate ya'll so much!!!

What will it be this time??!!

A Kid's Patchwork Scarf!!

Because she needs to be sylish and hip too!!

The striped fabric on the front is so adorable! I did an alternating patchwork design on the front. The back is a pink fleece and I will add one initial of your choice.

So, you wanna win it??!!

Just leave me a comment! Easy, right??! What a wonderful gift to give to that special little lady in your life!

You have until Friday at Midnight to leave a comment (with email address) and I will choose a winner Saturday morning with Random.org!!

If you have already added yourself as a follower for the other giveaway...You will automatically get a second entry. Post about BOTH giveaways and get an additional entry for EACH giveaway....And of course, if you order from my Website, you will get FIVE for EACH giveaway!

GOOD LUCK and HAPPY COMMENTING!!

***You don't have to have a blog to win...Just leave your name and email address in the comment and/or place an order and you will be entered!***

Happy Almost 100...

It's almost my 100th Post Blogiversary!!

99 posts exactly! It's taken me since August 2007 , but I'm just about there!!

And how am I going to celebrate???!!!

With a

GIVEAWAY!!!

I am going to recreate a scarf like this

FOR ONE OF MY READERS!!

This scarf turned out so cute!! I LOVE the paisley fabric on the front!! It's backed with a soft, warm fleece. I will applique one initial of your choice.

So....what do you have to do to win it???!!!

Just leave me a comment! That's all you have to do and this could be YOURS! How easy is that?? Right in time for Christmas....Keep it for yourself or give it as a gift!

So you have until Friday at Midnight to leave a comment (with email address) and I will choose a winner Saturday morning with Random.org!!

Want extra entries?? Three ways:

1. Follow my blog and come back and leave another comment letting me know you're a follower an get an entry!

2. Post about it on your blog and come back and let me know you posted an get an entry!

3. Place any order through my Website and get FIVE entries!!

GOOD LUCK and HAPPY COMMENTING!!

***You don't have to have a blog to win...Just leave your name and email address in the comment and/or place an order and you will be entered!***

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Oh, I loved those comments thinking my "Special Announcement" was I was pregnant....Yeah, I think KNOW we are done!!

Gotta Love It

Mississippi weather that is!

Yesterday: cool, breezy upper 60s

Today: high 72...possibility of tornados

Wednesday/Thurdsay: highs upper 40s, lows upper 20s.....possibilty of freezing rain/sleet/snow

I just love hate the fact that we can turn on the a/c and heater in the same day! That's Mississippi for ya!

Too bad it's not closer to Christmas! Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a white Christmas??!!

You know what?! I take that back...The thought of snow sends Mississippians into a panic...Run to Wal-Mart and stock up on water, non-perishable items just in case you can't leave the house for a few days....People here do not know how to drive in the snow...Nor need to because most end up on the side on the road.

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You MUST stay tuned!!! I have a special announcement to make later in the day!!! You DON'T wanna miss out!!

Not Me! Monday

It's that time again!!! I had so much fun last week so I'm gonna play again!!

And away we go........

I did not have another fiasco in the kitchen this week! Nope, I am the best cook and I never have any problems! Especially not while making this wonderful fudge that I've made tons of times. I did not boil it too long and it did not set up like a brick. Seriously! It did not take pounding it on the counter to break it up! Oh, and I was not making it at midnight because I did not want a snack. Of, course not. I am on a diet.....

Yeah, I did not try to start a diet right here at the holidays. What wasn't I thinking??!! My diet was to consist of yogurt, rice cakes, water....you know, "diet" food. Please don't tell anyone, but I did not find myself eating rice cakes while I was not on the computer all day today and I did not look down and find like 6 gone from the package!!! Yeah, for some reason I really don't think I started my diet off on the right foot... I'm sure rice cakes, only in moderation, would constitute a diet!

And did I tell you how I am the best driver....I never get road rage and my children never hear me yell at other drivers....What kind of mom would do that??!! Oh, I am also great with directions! I never get lost. Not even on the way to my own house! None of this took place this week.....After picking Morgan up from school, I was not talking on the cellphone and did not forget to turn right instead of left, finding myself headed home instead of to the bank. I did not have to yell at the car behind me because he was kind enough to let me over after having my blinker on. So after getting headed in the right direction, (still not on the cellphone, of course) I finally made it to the bank.....only to not realize it was the wrong one!!!

Oh, I can't forget to tell you how nice I was to the lady in the photo department at Wal-Mart. See, I uploaded my Christmas cards to have them printed out on Tuesday, 1 hour of course, even though I knew it would it probably wouldn't be 'til the next day until I went to get them. I go Friday, knowing they definately were ready, only to find out they weren't....What didn't I do?? I very kindly thanked her and let her know how I grateful I was that I would have to make another trip to come back and pick them up....What wonderful service they have! Of course I was not rude....I mean, it is Christmas time ya know!!!

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So, do you have something you need to be honest about and get off your chest....

Go here to read the rules and join in the fun!

Happy Monday!

Remodel? Not Really

After working on my blog pretty much all day...I think I finally have it fixed....I tried to do a little remodling, but, as you see, I reverted back to the original...with a few minor changes....This html coding is difficult! Yeah, it's my fault I'm an el-cheapo and won't pay someone to do it for me!

I lost my complete blogroll, so if I've left you off, please let me know!! Or if you're a reader and I didn't have you on the list, let me know also!! I will add you!

Oops...

Is right!! No, I didn't delete all of my wonderful blog friends....I attempted to upload a new template and as you see it obviously didn't work.... So, please be patient with me as I update my blog!

Just one of those days weeks

Four sick kids, two trips to the doctor, and lots and lots of medicine! That's what my week has been composed of...

It all started last Sunday with Morgan and Hannah having a little cold. I immediately started medicine...In our house, when one gets sick, we all get sick.....And this time was no different. By Monday night, Ethan and Emma Kate were stuffy and feverish, but the girls were better. After being up on and off all night, I decided to take them to our pedi to get medicine (Did you know OTC cough/cold medicine is not recommended to children under 4?? I did't)

So Ethan had an upper respiratory infection along with double ear infections. He was put on a decongestant and antibiotic. Emma Kate had a upper respiratory infection and was given a decongestant. Tuesday and Wednesday was rough. Medicine every 12 hours intermittent with Tylenol for fever. Ethan was feeling a little better by Friday, but Emma Kate's cough was getting worse and seemed like she was having difficulty breathing. I just had that "mom" feeling that she was worse and needed to go back to the pedi before the weekend. And my feeling was right. She now had a double ear infection. They also did a nasal swab and diagnosed her with RSV. Not only did she get an antibotic, but also a nebulizer for breathing treatments.

Oh, it doesn't end there...just gets better. Didn't leave the pedi's office until about 5 pm and we dropped the prescription off at CVS (2 hour wait to get it). Go back to pick it up only to find out they couldn't fill it because the pedi forgot to sign it and their office was already closed. Had to then call the after-hours clinic, wait for the nurse to call back, tell her what's going on, wait again to get on-call doc's approval. Finally, she calls it in to CVS, I go back to pick it up (keep in mind it's about 10 pm by this time) and find out that they are out of the nebulizer meds. They call around to about 4 different stores and finally found one that had it. Oh, and it was about a 25 minute drive away....I finally get home about midnight. Whewww, what a day! I give her the breathing treatment and Amoxil and we get in the bed about 1 am!

Wait....there's more!! We woke up about 7 this morning to find her with red splotches ALL over her body! She had an allergic reaction to the Amoxil. We call the pedi's office and immediately give her Benadryl. She was better about 30 minutes later.

I felt horrible! She's never had Amoxil, I should have waited a little before I put her to bed. I checked on her during the night, but didn't turn on the light. It was so late and we were tired, but I should have waited....Thankfully she didn't have the reaction I have to penicillin (swollen throat, difficulty breathing). So grateful for that!

Needless to say, we've enjoyed the low-key afternoon! Back to studying.....Finals next week and I've had to put school on the back-burner this week so I have a lot of catching up to do!!

Yo Gabba Gabba

No, I didn't just make up those words! If you have kids, I'm sure you've heard about Yo Gabba Gabba on Nick Jr.

What could be better than 5 toy monsters named Muno, Foofa, Plex, Toodee and Brobee, along with DJ Lance, teaching about different issues all while singing and dancing? Nothing to my kids for that 30 minutes the show is on...They sit still and anything that makes Ethan still that long, I am all about!! Hey, I need just a little quiet time during the day, even if it's only 30 minutes!

Don't tell anyone, but I have a favorite song from the show (*blushing*) Actually, the song goes something like "Don't stop, don't give up", but my version (the way I swear it sounds like they are saying) goes, "Don't stop, donkey-butt" Much better version! And, I will admit, I find myself beboping around the house singing it...Great mental picture, huh?

5 Random Facts at Me

1. I won a car about 5 years ago!! You'll never guess what I had to do in order to win it! I sat in the car for eleven days....Yes, I typed that right! ELEVEN days! Holy cow! That was eleven days without a shower, eleven days sleeping and eating in the car, and eleven days just sitting there waiting. Waiting for what you ask? For the other 5 people to get out of the car! It was a contest for a local radio station called "Live In It To Win It". 6 people started out. We were only allowed get out twice a day, 5 a.m. and 5 p.m., to go to the bathroom, brush our teeth, and stretch. Finally, about 10:30 p.m. on the eleventh day, the other guy decided to get out and go home....And I walked drove away with a brand-spanking new Chevy Impala-it had just 7 miles on it!!!

2. I went to Paris when I was 17. I was a cheerleader in high school and was chosen to be on the All-American team, along with 2 other girls from my squad. We had a choice to go to a few different places to perform and chose to go to Paris. We performed at Disneyland Paris and in front of the Eiffel Tower! It was so much fun! The only thing I regret was not being as interested as I should have been about the sights. We went to the Louve and saw the Mona Lisa, walked and shopped the Avenue des Champs-Eleysees, and took a boat tour down the Seine River. Paris is beautiful and I hope to visit again someday and appreciate what it has to offer.

3. Speaking of traveling, there are so many places I hope to have the opportunity to visit one day. Once the kids are grown and out of the house, my plans are to travel the world! Just a few places I want to go: France, Italy, Australia, and I would love to visit each state atleast once!

4. I lived in Montana and Seattle as a child. I remember Montana was too cold and Seattle was too rainy! And now I live in Mississippi where it's too humid!

5. I hate wearing socks, they make me feel claustrophobic!! It can be the dead of winter and I'm sockless. I even wear my boots without socks! The only, extremely rare, exception....the socks have to be really, really thin. And I wonder why my kids are like this!!