Currently

Mailing...birth announcements and thank you cards.  River is so kind and patient when it comes to photo shoots and I had the best time taking photos and mailing them out to friends and family.   

Looking...very postpartum these days.  I've lost most of my pregnancy weight but things look a little bit off, if you know what I mean.  It's as if the postpartum body is a puzzle whose pieces don't quite fit together anymore.  My boobs are huge so most of my tops don't fit.  My hips are still wide so most of my pants don't fit.  And my abs, oh sweet baby Jesus, my abs.  Will they ever be the same?  I am practicing grace and patience with myself and remembering the old mantra: nine months up, nine months down.  This body has done some amazing work and it deserves to be loved regardless of my ability to wear my skinny jeans or not.  

Wearing...lots of leggings with tunics, maxi skirts, and flowy tops.  I have two pairs of maternity shorts that I am still wearing, begrudgingly so.  Most days at home, I am in yoga pants and tshirts and loving every minute of it.  I am thankful that when I return to work in a few weeks, I have the luxury of wearing scrubs everyday.  This definitely helps with the postpartum transition.

Making...yummy dinners thanks to my maternity leave status.  Being able to cook dinner without the pressure of rushing home from work is absolutely priceless!  I am able to start my dinner much earlier, usually when the little kids go down for their naps, and then I am able to have everything on the table before anyone can have a low blood sugar meltdown. I will miss this luxury when I go back to work.  This week's favorites: Tomato basil chicken with pasta, pork loin wrapped in bacon with onion, garlic, rosemary, and eggplant pizza.  

Reading...

An excellent article explaining ObamaCare.

Elizabeth is back and damn is her blog good.  One of my absolute favorites.

"When I Have Kids I Will Never".  HA!  Yeah right.

25 Habits I strive to practice on the regular.

Tiny drunk adults sounds completely right on.

Birth world caricatures: these generalizations drive me crazy.

Stereotypes about New Orleans that could not be further from the truth.  I actually had to google "mint julep" when a friend of mine from Ohio kept insisting that since I'm from the South, mint juleps should be a regularly served beverage in my household.  Not true, friends.

I hope that I am as wise as my mother someday.

I remember going to see Clueless in the theater with a bunch of my girlfriends the summer I turned 16.  That Cher was a smart cookie.

This synopsis of Whole Foods made me laugh out loud.

A super informative parenting blog written with heart.

If I knew then what I know now...

Working on...our garden and revamping the front of our house.  This week, I planted mustard and collard greens, cabbage, and broccoli.  We painted our front door red, ripped out all of the hedges in front of our house, and tore down the railings between the columns on the front porch.  Next up: repaint the shutters, columns, and light fixtures.  Here is the inspiration board for our project.

Watching...the new seasons of Parenthood, Vampire Diaries, and football galore.  The Walking Dead premiers on Sunday night, woohoo!

Linking up with the lovely Randalin

Currently

Eating...Less and less.  My appetite is officially over it thanks to this big baby boy pressing on my internal organs.  Heartburn has rid me of my cravings and I just don't feel as enthusiastic about food as I normally would.  I've been eating a lot of fruit, cereal, and smoothies.  And, let's be honest, ice cream.  One can never have enough chocolate ice cream.

Watching...Shawn and I decided to get into a new show over the summer since most of our favorites are on hiatus until the fall.  We started watching "Sons of Anarchy" on Netflix and seriously zoomed through the first 5 seasons in about 3 weeks.  SO GOOD!!  Why have we never gotten into this before?  We are officially addicted and can not wait until season 6 starts next month.  Also, this trailer of "The Walking Dead" season 4 has me on the edge of my seat!  Hurry up, October!

Excited for...the baby, football season, the end of 100 degree temperatures and the start of fall, Isabelle's first day of school next week: the obvious.

Linking...Celebrities read mean tweets: hilarious.  I am not on Twitter and have no desire to be.  It seems like a really nasty and negative place.  But I love seeing these famous people make light of the ignorance (Kid Rock's is classic).

The CTFD method, my personal fav.

An ode to my favorite city: any New Orleans resident can attest to this.

LOVE this article on toddlers.  They are little dictators by nature but it's our job as parents to keep them in line.

How many of these did you sport?  I was a HUGE fan of the mini buns.

I love this blog, this family, this life.  Shawn and I often talk about doing this: selling everything and just taking off.  These people actually had the balls to do it.  SO inspiring.

This is actually a typical conversation that goes on in her house anytime Shawn walks in on me watching The Real Housewives.

Russell Brand makes these "journalists" look like the complete morons they totally are.  Why do these people have jobs?!!  Jobs delivering news stories?  I love you, Russell.

Loving...life right at this moment.  This is a time of transition for our family and the wave of change flowing through our lives is palpable.  We are taking our time these days, enjoying each other, soaking it all in.  We hug a little bit longer, listen more intently, and stick together as much as possible.  It's our last few weeks as a family of 4 and we are making every single day count.

And what post is complete without a photo?  Here's a good one: my giant belly in all its glory.  Taking bets on baby's birth weight now aaaand go!!!

Life Lately

Life lately in bullet point format:

• This weekend is Isabelle's 6th annual dance recital.  She called me at work today and said, "Hey Mom, I'm making a list of everything I need to pack for rehearsal tonight.  I think I have it all under control, I just need you to stop and pick up some bobby pins, okay?".  My heart literally almost burst with pride: A. Because she made a list and B. Because she is such a pro at this stuff, so confident, so professional.  I can not wait to watch her on that stage.
• Shawn and I somehow managed to get both kids in bed by 7 pm last night (they were both exhausted from swimming all afternoon).  We took advantage of the free night to ourselves and watched "Django Unchained" and ate a lot of ice cream.  I loved the movie, it was classic Quentin Tarantino: dark humor, just enough gore, amazingly developed characters, and one liners for days.  And I somehow managed to stay awake through the whole thing: a legit miracle these days.
• Our garden is bursting with produce right now, so much so that I've been spreading it around to friends and family and storing things away in the freezer for later.  Every single one of my expectations for the benefits of a raised bed garden have been unbelievably exceeded.  We are learning so many lessons along the way and have already decided on a few things we will do differently next year, like expand and create several different beds for instance.  But it has been such a fun year of gardening and I look forward to piddling amongst my plants every night.
• Speaking of gardening: this is such an informative blog: http://gmo-awareness.com/
• It's the start of summer and everyone is super into fitness right now, bikini season and all.  I have friends doing boot camp classes, CrossFit, vertical barre.  I must admit: I am jealous.  I am still exercising as much as my pregnant body will let me but I am so excited to hit the gym REALLY hard without the limitations of pregnancy.  Swimming is my saving grace right now: I try to get into the water as much as possible and just move the whole time.  Feeling weightless, getting sun, and burning calories all at the same time.  On that note, it's time to head into the kitchen for a snack...
  
  
  
  I stole this photo from Ashley: Brees on the boat, cracking a smile after I let her sip on
  my coveted cream soda.  That little smirk makes up for any grumpy toddler 
  behavior displayed before said soda drinking.  

Currently

Laughing at: things my patients say.  I hear some pretty comical things throughout my
day while taking care of these sweet/sometimes crazy patients.  They can make you laugh, 
cry, grateful, and pissed all in the same visit.  Here are a few conversations I've had so far 
this week at work:

1.  "Damn, you are getting fat!!  What is your problem?!  You're turning into a real fat ass
with that big gut of yours!

I'm pregnant, Mr. ____.  My belly is getting big because I'm having a baby.

Oh, well, shit!  That baby of yours must be a fat ass, too!"

2.  "I haven't had a bowel movement in 4 days, I need you to try and dig it out of me.

That's probably not necessary.  Let's try getting you a laxative, drinking more fluids,
and eating more fiber first.

No, I'd really rather you dig it out.  I can't explain it, but I really like the feeling of
someone doing that."

3.  "I'm so glad you are here.  My last home health dropped me and I've been on my
own.

I'm sorry to hear that.  We will try to help you in any way that we can.

Ok, cool.  Just make sure you come and see me in the morning.  I start drinking around
noon and get pretty drunk by mid-afternoon.  I'm kind of a mean drunk, too.  The last
home health didn't take too kindly to that sorta stuff."

Listening to...
"From Nowhere" by Dan Croll
"Miracle Mile" by Cold War Kids
"Sweater Weather" by The Neighborhood
"Stay" by Rihanna
"Entertainment" by Phoenix

Excited about...our new piano!!  Shawn's been dying to get a piano into our house for
years but, seriously, who can afford such a thing?  Last week, our close family friends
decided to get rid of their family heirloom piano and offered it to us at an amazingly low
price.  Shawn jumped at the opportunity and had the piano delivered before I could even
have time to say YES.  We put it right in the big open space in front of our staircase and it
looks like it was always supposed to be there.  I've been making calls to get Isabelle
started with lessons and laughing at Brees who can't walk by without banging on the keys
while singing at the top of her lungs.  I am so excited that we were able to purchase such
a beautiful piece from a family we love so much.  The memories they created on the piano
in their home will now continue in ours.

Reading...I just finished "Bringing Up Bebe" by Pamela Drukerman.  This book was a
good read but it was, in no way, earth shattering.  The methods of child rearing practiced
by the French as observed by the writer are not necessarily a "method" but more
common sense. It reminded me of the conversations I have with my mother and aunts
about the differences in mothers of my generation and the mothers in their generation.
My mother was not all up in my business when I was growing up.  She didn't worry
about engaging me, boosting my self esteem, or providing the perfect organic/paleo/
gluten free diet.  She believed in raising strong, independent children who could think
for themselves rather than have an adult rush in to solve each and every one of
their dilemmas.  If she felt like playing with us, she did.  If she didn't, then we played on
our own.  And we didn't dare walk into an adult conversation and interrupt.  There was
a saying in our family: "Children should be seen and not heard".  Meaning: do not speak
unless spoken to unless your pants are on fire or an adult has given you permission to do
so.  We were expected to eat whatever was served for dinner whether we liked it or
not.  Snacks were a treat, not an all day, everyday occurrence.  In public, we were expected
to sit quietly, mind our manners, and follow the rules.  If we misbehaved, we were
taken outside and disciplined accordingly. My mom didn't sit at the kitchen table with us
every night assisting with homework.  We went to school all day, not her.  We should
know how to complete our own homework because we should have been paying attention
in class.  My mom and aunts and their friends didn't curate our playdates.  They let us
loose outside and told us to have fun and be back before dinner.  Our imaginations were
the curators.  We had chores, our household was run on a schedule, and we knew
what consequences we would face should we not comply with the rules.  And guess what?
I grew up to be a healthy, happy, well rounded adult who, for the most part, has my
shit together.  Her "method" or lack thereof worked!  And now she just sits back and laughs
at me when I tell her about the newest trends and fads lighting up my Pinterest board.
Truth be told, my mom is French.  My whole family is, actually.  Maybe that's why they are
so ahead of the game on this "Bringing Up Bebe" hype.  Or maybe it's just that we, as
modern day American moms, just eat stuff like this up with our overpriced, Etsy
purchased wooden spoons.  We are the information generation, the moms who
constantly want to better ourselves and give our kids a childhood to write home about.
Maybe we're not so different from our moms or the moms in France than we think.  We
just like our parenting to include labels and books and studies and child psychologists
backing us up.  We like to feel as put together and purposeful as the car organizers we
just purchased on Zuilily.  I think that I fall somewhere in between my mom and
today's modern mom: I'm not quite as hardcore strict as my mom was but I'm also not
a hipster.  I try to find a happy medium, a good balance, a simple and loving way to boost
my kids to their full potential without hovering over them 24/7.  And, hopefully, we
won't screw them up too bad.  That's all any of us can ever hope for, right?

Currently

Reading...The "Matched" trilogy.  While on a family outing to the bookstore, I asked one
of the store employees to help me find these books because I didn't have the authors 
name handy.  The very kind man said, "Oh, sure.  They are right over here in the young 
adult section".  Shawn smirked at me: OF COURSE they would be in the young adult 
section.  All I could do was laugh at myself.  Why am I continuously drawn to books 
about young forbidden love?  Especially young forbidden love where supernatural 
forces and/or dystopian societies are involved?  I just can't help myself.  To make up for 
my completely immature selections, I also picked up "The Room" by Emma Donoghue.  
I'm halfway through the "Matched" trilogy now and loving it: the concept of the Society in 
this book is so intriguing to me.  And the love story, well, you know...

Preparing...for spring.  We are busy bees around these parts as we shake off our winter
blues and begin planning all the fun things we will grow and build and repair outdoors in
the coming months.  I finally convinced Shawn to help me (let's be honest: to help my
dad) build a large raised bed garden for the vegetable garden of my dreams.  My boys did
not disappoint and, after tilling up the land this past Sunday and purchasing all the
necessary lumber, I arrived home from work to a beautiful planter awaiting my approval.
I was thrilled to see this beauty next to the barn, all fresh and ready to be filled with
compost and soil. I have a separate area near the back porch that I plan to use as a
garden space for Brees to dig and plant and play in.  And I'm also planning to jump on
the bandwagon and create a fairy garden for Belle.  She's at the perfect age for this kind
of project: so eager to choose the pieces herself and paint things exactly as she wants them.
It should be a fun and exciting spring for all of us!

{Is this beautiful or what?!  Our new raised bed, courtesy of my big ideas and internet research 

mixed with Shawn and my dad's carpentry handiwork.} 

Clicking on...this video made me cry huge tears of joy.  What wonderful kids these boys
are!

This video made me laugh until I almost peed my pants!  I felt horrible for this girl but
her facial expressions are hilarious!  As you often hear down here in the deep south, "Bless
her heart!".

This post is spot on and sparked a very lively and interesting debate among the women in
my family last weekend.

Jessica is a book guru.  This list of series to read is the bomb.

This post made me miss my grandparents so much that I cried big ugly tears.  Such a
beautiful tribute.

Kate's maternity photos are breathtaking.  What a beautiful mama.

How beautiful is baby Emory's nursery?  

Lesley is documenting her baby weight loss journey.  Such an inspirational mama!

So inspired by Ellen's back porch make over plans.

I have been loving Vanessa's Week in the Life posts.

Enjoying...this season in our lives.  I feel blessed to have my family, our home, good
health, and a job that I love.  I have come to a place where the simple, everyday
moments resonate so deeply inside me.  I try to take a moment each day to reflect on
these small yet spiritually large blessings in our lives, to thank God for choosing me to
spend my life with these people.  Yesterday, as I was leaving a patient's house, she leaned
out the front door and called out to me, "Bye bye, Mrs. Olivia!  I love you, sweet girl!".
You hear things like that, from people you barely know, and you realize that this world is
a place full of love around every corner.  We can cultivate that love, the positive energy,
and we can use it to strengthen us in our daily lives.  We can use it to make us better people.

Currently

Eating...stuffed cabbage rolls using this recipe.  One of my favorite patients has the
biggest, most amazing garden I have ever seen.  He gives me big bags of veggies every time
I go to see him and for that I am truly grateful.  This week, he gave me a gigantic head
of cabbage as well as a pound of ground venison from the deer he hunted this year.  I
decided to combine this collection of homegrown goodness and try my hand at cabbage
rolls.  They were delicious, hearty, and a real crowd pleaser.  Score.

Reading...this list of moments that restored our faith in humanity this year.

This list of albums that are all now 20 years old.  Out of this list of 29, I was only missing
3 from my collection: Mariah Carey, Archers of Loaf, and Stereolab.  The caption at
the beginning of this list reads "Sorry if this makes you feel totally ancient".  Yeah, it
doesn't.  It makes me feel f*cking awesome and blessed beyond belief to have been
a teenager during this epic time in music.  Long live the grunge!!!

This adorable pregnancy announcement.

This article on motherhood and why we're not failing.

This awesome list of songs and the moments they remind you of.  (Vanessa, see the list
of 29 above).

"Tell The Wolves I'm Home" by Carol Rifka Brunt.  Amazing so far.

Considering...a new hairdo.  But, I'm a chicken so it probably won't happen.  My long
hair and I are best friends, we go way back, we make each other comfortable.  Maybe
a different color?  Could I be a redhead?

Missing...the outdoors.  It's been raining here for 10 straight days.  Louisiana is quite
a miserable place to be in January.  It's cold and rainy and we are cooped up indoors and
we are not happy about it.  But then February comes with its warmer temps and peeks
of sunshine and Mardi Gras parades and the world gets a little bit brighter again.  

Currently

Currently...

 

Catching up...on blogging.  I've been such a slacker lately, I have so many posts in 

my draft folder that I really need to finish up and publish.  I miss writing and taking 

photos and being intentional about capturing memories.  One such memory I am catching 

up on: The Breaking Dawn midnight movie premiere that my girlfriends AKA The 

Nerd Herd attended last month.  5 movies and almost 4 years later and oh what fun we 

have had: waiting in lines that got longer as the series progressed, giggling like 

adolescents, enjoying the whole experience and the anticipation leading up to it.  I feel 

so blessed to have an amazing group of girlfriends, even more blessed that we never 

take ourselves too seriously and support each other's ridiculous obsessions.  This year, 

we did the movie premier big: my girlfriend, Shannon, rented out the birthday party room 

at the movie theater!  Taking it to the next level my friends!  We had hors 

d'oeuvres, reserved seating, and were ushered in without having to wait in line!  We 

were able to spend a few hours together before the movie just spending time together 

and enjoying a night out.  The movie was awful and cheesy (to be expected) but I loved 

it.  I'm a sucker for vampires, epic love stories, and pop culture phenomenons, what can 

I say?  

Reading..."The Passage" by Justin Cronin.  It involves two of my favorite things:
vampires and the end of civilization.  Apparently I've become on of those people who
is obsessed with end of the world scenarios.  This one, about a government experiment
gone wrong (go figure), is quite the page turner and makes me a little scared to take
the trash out after dark.

Listening too...
"What The Water Gave Me" by Florence and the Machine
"Rosemary" by Deftones
"Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons

Cooking... this fudge recipe.  Only three ingredients and about 5 minutes of work?
Yes please!!  This is a super yummy recipe that my family demolished in half a day.  I plan
to add some of this deliciousness into my next batch of brownies. 

Linking...
Thank you to Charlie for introducing me to my kindred spirit.  I will never be the 
same again.

This video made me laugh at myself and my Instagram shenanigans.  "I'm so hellbent
on documenting!!!".

I love this post on staying in the picture.

I Heart Organizing is a Type A personality's piece of internet heaven.  I reference
it constantly.  This post on Christmas decoration organization: genius.

P.S. Thank you for your amazing words regarding my last post.  Shawn and I read
every single comment, every email.  We love you and thank you for your encouragement. 

Currently

Currently...

Anticipating...the weekend!  Two whole glorious days off to spend with my favorite 
people doing our favorite things: playing outdoors, napping, watching football, and cooking.  
I have taken to cooking at least 2 large meals on Sundays: one to eat for Sunday dinner 
with leftovers for Monday and another meal to freeze.  I was unsure how I could pull off 
that much cooking in one day but, with the proper amount of planning, it has actually 
worked out really great.  It saves me so much time during the week and it does my 
heart good to look inside my freezer and pull out a yummy, nutritious meal.  

Buying...a few winter wardrobe staples.  I purchased this pair of boots in black yesterday
and I am giddy over them.  I am short, only 5'3", with muscular legs.  I have always had 
a hard time finding boots that fit my firm calf muscles.  Most boots I've tried are too 
tight and uncomfortable and don't look very flattering on my short frame.  But I 
wandered into JCPenney to stock up on some Sephora goods and eyed this pair of boots 
from a distance.  They are comfortable, fit perfectly, and were reasonably priced.  
I'm thinking of buying them in brown as well...

Needing...to get back into the gym.  It has been so long since I've been that I'm 
actually embarrassed to admit it to myself.  My constant search for balance is always
putting Shawn and the girls and our house and work at the forefront, my own
personal health has taken a backseat these last few months.  I want to head back to the
gym BEFORE the holidays, dropping a few extra pounds before the turkeys and pies
and stuffings come marching through with a vengeance.

Ignoring...Facebook and the multitude of ignorant, racist, uneducated posts that
have clogged up my newsfeed since the election results were announced.  Reading some
of the things people have posted honestly makes me lose my faith in humanity just a
little bit.  But then I remember these words spoken by our president on the eve of
his reelection, I hold tight to the memory of my husband and I watching the results
and sharing in a historic moment, I treasure the feeling of hope and enthusiasm I felt
when I woke up this morning to an America that is moving forward.  These words, they
are the words worth reading, not those on Facebook:

"These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty. We can never forget that, as we
speak, people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to
argue about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did today.
But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America’s future.
We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America,
open to the dreams of an immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to
our flag...I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as
our politics suggests. We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than
the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states
and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America."
President Barrack Obama

Currently

Watching..."Parenthood".  If you are not yet watching this show, START NOW!!  It is 
such a compelling story and a beautiful look into the ups and downs of a family.  I 
connect with this show on so many levels and can identify with each and every one of 
the characters.  This season is pretty intense so far and I have cried my way through 
every episode!  

Listening to...the following:
1.  "Wild" by Royal Teeth
2.  "Honey" by Us and Our Daughters
3.  "I Will Wait" by Mumford and Sons
4.  "The Past Recedes" by John Frusciante
5.  "Wanderluster" by Band of Skulls

Inspired by...the last few months.  We're at a point now where we can look back and
see real, tangible progress.  We don't feel like we're drowning anymore, we feel like we
are actually getting somewhere.  Shawn's recovery is still far from over and we are
definitely still struggling to make everything work but we are moving at a good pace.  I
feel like we've been through the stages of grief: denial, anger, depression.  And now,
4 months later, we are beginning to see signs of acceptance.  I am inspired by our journey
so far, by our ability to adapt and overcome even on the days when I felt like I could
barely breath.  I hope to write more about this experience as I continue to process it all,
to share with you the inner growth that occurs with such tragedy.  I am a different
person now than I was before this accident, more open and aware and alive.  But part of
me still feels lost.  It's a strange paradox that I am working through.

Anticipating...my best friend's baby shower this weekend.  We've all been so busy
this past year and I have not had a day with my girlfriends in literally MONTHS.  I am
so excited to share this special day with my girl, to celebrate this new little life that she
has been so patiently anticipating for quite some time now.

Planning...lots of projects around the house.  Shawn and I have been tackling piles
of unfinished business left and right: sorting and organizing and improving.  We are
currently in the process of sprucing up our office, a space completely neglected since
we bought our house 3 years ago.  This is my inspiration for our office space.  Can you
even believe the fact that we don't have an IKEA here in Louisiana?  Isn't that sad?  I
could walk into that store and literally purchase every single thing I need for our office
space in one sweep!!  Get with the IKEA program, Dirty South!

Currently

Currently...

Achieving...career goals.  It is still incredibly unbelievable to me that in the middle 
of this gigantic shit storm that has overtaken our lives these last few months, I recently got 
a significant job promotion.  My company is growing and expanding by leaps and 
bounds and recently opened up a new branch 10 minutes away from our house.  Guess 
who was selected to be the field RN for the entire branch?  ME!  Yes, the woman with two 
small kids and a sick husband has been entrusted to lead a team, open up a brand new 
office, and expand a company.  On top of that, I have also been placed in charge of training 
all new nurses that come through our division.  What?  Apparently I have everyone fooled 
into believing that I am totally put together and trust worthy.  I am counting every single 
one of my lucky stars and working my fingers to the bone to not let these people who have 
so graciously put their trust in me down.  What an amazing opportunity.

Reading..."The Maze Runner" series by James Dashner.  It is an incredibly 
bizarre series that leaves me feeling both intrigued and frustrated simultaneously.  I just 
can't get enough of post-Apocalyptic world stories.

Listening to...The Civil Wars.  This is some of the most beautiful music I've 
heard in a long time, completely stripped down and wrapped in love and passion and 
beauty.  They make me miss my husband's guitar playing but also inspire me to pick up 
my own guitar again and bust out some harmonies with my lover.

Enjoying...my daughters.  They are both at such interesting stages of their 
lives: Isabelle has matured so much and is a wonderful conversationalist.  We sit together 
at the kitchen table every night, doing homework and drinking herbal tea.  She loves 
blueberry vanilla with a teaspoon of local honey.  She feels big with her very own mug, 
loves that we have such a special time to share with one another every night.  Brees is 
really starting to communicate and has finally started talking.  She can say at least a 
dozen words now, my favorite being "mama".  That moment when your baby looks at 
you, reaches her hands up, and says "mama": it's soul touching.

   

 

Currently

Currently...

Disliking...the never ending heat.  I know, I know: you're tired of hearing me complain
about the heat.  But, seriously, we're over it.  It was 97 degrees today with 75% humidity
and all I could think of were scarves, pumpkins, and hot chocolate.  Sadly, we
won't experience such joys for at least another month of two here in the deep South.

Drinking...an iced chai latte.  I very rarely ever eat out during the week, diligently
packing my lunch and a road cup full of herbal tea with me every morning.  Such
discipline saves money and calories and that makes my heart happy.  But, today was
grueling at work and I decided to splurge just a little.  I stopped at my favorite coffee shop
on the way home and got a latte and a double chocolate muffin.  The barista even warmed
my muffin for me, melting the chocolate chips just so.  The simple pleasures in life are
really priceless...

Learning...more about my camera.  I get lazy sometimes and shoot in "P" mode,
never getting the exact shot that I originally envisioned.  I've had my eye on a big girl
camera upgrade for a while now but have promised myself that I must fully commit
to shooting in manual full-time before taking the plunge.  It's just so intimidating!  Were
any of you scared to make the leap?  How did you finally commit?  Any tips you'd like
to share?

Loving...the fact that there's a football game on TV right now!  I'm typing this post
during commercials of the 2012 NFL season opener Cowboys vs. Giants game and we
could not be more thrilled.  We are huge football fans in this house and life just feels
more complete when the sounds of a cheering crowd fill the room.

Managing...life.  Aren't we all?  I currently have 3 different to-do lists stored in my
phone, grocery shopping that needs to get done, a few different projects needing my
attention, and a slew of errands and doctor's appointments to tackle.  What's new?  Week
to week, it's all about staying organized, level headed, and positive.  Whatever gets done
gets done.  The rest is just lagniappe.

Currently

This week, I though that it would be fun to hear what Isabelle is currently up to.  She is 

such a curious, energetic little girl and I am constantly amazed by how much she has 

grown this summer.  She will be entering into the third grade in less than two weeks 

and I can only imagine the adventures she will take us on this school year...

Isabelle is currently...

Listening...to "Call Me Maybe" by Carley Rae Jepsen.  It has a lot of energy 

and is really fun to dance to!

Daydreaming ..about my new school.  I am starting a new school this year for 

the third grade and I am really excited to meet new friends.

Wanting...a golf cart so that I can explore the woods behind my house and find

 new species of birds.

Looking...at a book about animals.  My favorite animals are dogs 

and elephants.

Writing...in my diary.  I like to write about my life and how my days go.  I

 like to draw pictures of birds and my family and I have a special bookmark to hold 

my place.

Liv is currently...

Listening...to No Doubt's new song, "Settle Down".  No Doubt is one of those bands 

I have grown up with: from screaming out the lyrics to "Just a Girl" with my best friends 

in high school to dancing along to "Hella Good" at the local bar on Friday nights, they are 

just one of those bands that I'll always love.  This new single is at the top of my 

summer playlist and the lyrics really hit home: "I'm a rough and tough and nothin's 

gonna knock this girl down."  Preach, Gwen!

Daydreaming...about cooler weather, camping, hiking trips, and football.  I 

have autumn on the brain with all its crisp temperatures and pumpkin spice scents.  I 

long for a cup of hot chocolate and the sounds of the NFL wafting through the house.  

Fall really is my favorite time of year.

Wanting...to eat as clean as possible.  Shawn's healing process has been an 

amazing journey of cleaning up our act: health wise.  One of the most essential parts 

of getting him well is ensuring that everything he puts into his body is nutritionally 

sound and good.  I have put a lot of time and energy into cooking our family the most 

organic, unprocessed foods that I can, something I've always strived to do but now feel

 even more determined to.  What I've found is that we all feel better as a result. 

 The healthier you eat, the more motivated you are to eat even healthier.  It's exciting to 

see your mind and body react in a positive way to the things you put into it.

Looking...at a pile of laundry that needs my attention and most likely will not get 

it today.  There are more important things to do, like climb into bed with a good book and 

a cup of tea.

Writing...it all down.  My calender is full, my reminder lists long, my grocery

 list constantly replenishing itself.  Putting things on paper make them seem

 more manageable to me, gives my brain something to chew on.  My weekly menus and 

to-do lists make me feel in control amidst a world where I know damn sure that I

 actually have very little control.  It's all a matter of perspective.

Currently

Currently...

Cooking...summer veggies.  The above photo is last night's dinner.  No official recipe, 

I simply tossed in a green bellpepper, red pepper, zuchinni, summer squash, tomatoes, 

red onions, and sweet corn.  Simmer in extra virgin olive oil and then top with a 

grated cheese of your choice.  Shawn likes his over rice, Isabelle and Brees pair a bowl of 

this concoction with a grilled cheese sandwich.  Delicious!

Making...it all work.  I am accepting help when it is offered to me, learning to 

overlook the imperfections in my home, and celebrating the smallest triumphs.  If we can 

all make it out of the door in the morning clothed and in one piece, that is good enough

 for me.  I am making lists and staying organized, getting rest when I can and 

remembering to stay focused and patient.  I am a work in progress.

Working on...getting my husband better.  Getting his medicines prepared 

every morning, changing his bandages every evening, helping him to shave, and even 

giving him a haircut.  Nurturing him through this time has been incredibly fulfilling, 

has brought us closer than I ever imagined.  I have never been so grateful for being a 

nurse as I have during this time: to have the knowledge and skill set to care for him in 

an effective manner, to have the contacts and networking capabilities, to have the 

confidence to know that what I am doing is making a difference, no matter how small.  

This time has helped us to understand our vows so deeply: In sickness and in health.  

{My first experience as a barber!  Shawn was in desperate need of a haircut and so I 

went for it, right there in our bathroom, with my Dad in the background overseeing.  I 

love the look on Shawn's face in this photo: scared out of his mind!  I am happy to report 

that all went well: no skin was cut, no uneven hair lines.  Another life skill to add to 

my repertoire...}

Reading..."Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver.  She has been 

a favorite author of mine for years and this book just reaffirms my love for her literary 

voice.  This book chronicles Kingsolver and her family as they start their life anew on a 

farm, living off the land.  It is a a refreshing and inspiring journey of a family in search 

of simplicity and a deep rooted understanding of the earth.  

Listening to..."Mumford and Sons" station on Pandora.  In love.

Currently

Currently...

Missing...being outdoors.  We've reached that point: the time of year when 

summer becomes unbearable and the temperatures soar into the upper 90's most 

days.  Even the water in our swimming pool is warm.  Since getting home last week, we 

have been hiding out indoors between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm, saving our outdoor 

time for the early mornings and late afternoons.  The gardens are suffering and so is 

my front porch swinging time.  I long for fall and we are not even in August yet. 

 Oh, Louisiana, I just can't quit you!!

Dreaming...about dreaming.  I haven't slept soundly in many moons.  I am the 

last to go to bed and the first to wake up, my days stretching longer and longer.  The

 best part of being in the hospital for 3 weeks: we took lots and lots of naps.  This 

weekend, Shawn and I are planning a Sunday afternoon nap date, no exceptions.  I will

 be lazy and indulge myself in a nap before my undereye circles become any 

more prounounced.

Loving...being home again.  The smell of our house, snuggling up on my couch, 

cooking in my own kitchen, bathing in my big bathtub: there really is nothing like being

 in your own sacred space.  I have loved catching up on all my emails and blog reading, 

sifting through my favorite magazines, putting fresh sheets on the beds, eating 

homegrown tomatoes.  This place is where we belong.

Laughing...at a story one of my patients told me today.  She went to the 

grocery store, stocked up on her weekly supplies, got home to unload everything 

and realized that she still had her hot rollers in her hair.  She laughed at herself and 

said, "Now this is why I love getting older: people look at me with curlers in my hair 

and just think I'm old and bat shit crazy!  I don't ever have to be self conscious the way

 that I was when I was younger because people just expect us old folk to do things like

 that.  It's liberating!".  My patients always have a way of making me look at life in a half

 full kind of light.

Wishing...for good health, positive thoughts, and continued strength and courage. 

 It takes a lot of work to make it through a crisis the way that our family is attempting 

to: mentally, physically, and spiritually.  I pray that we can continue to navigate through 

this time with grace and love, relying on each other and believing in the magic 

of possibility.