thankful thursday (a little early)

happy thanksgiving everyone! how can it be the end of november already? this year has literally flown by!

we have so much to be thankful for... i don't want to miss that in the hustle of our day to day schedules. we get so consumed with all the things we have to do and all the worries and stress that are part of it all that i think all the blessings we have can be easily overlooked.

i am so thankful for an amazing hubby who loves and adores me. and loves and adores our baby girl. we are both spoiled ladies :-) he works his booty off to provide for us. he's letting me chase my dreams right now! i get to be a stay at home momma and a full-time student and he supports it all 100% halving our family income was one of the scariest things ever, but he never doubted. i'm thankful for all the little things he does for us. he knows me better than anyone else in this whole wide world and he knows when i just need to escape the house to go the grocery store alone or to help with the babes so i can study. i am thankful for my bub.

i am thankful for our amazing daughter! it's hard to remember what life was like without her. she is such a little joy! our sweet baby girl is full of happiness and sweetness and love. she's curious and determined and smart. i'm so lucky to be her momma. i can't wait to see what the months and years ahead of her will hold. it is a true privilage to be able to raise her.

i am thankful for a safe, warm home. it's not big or fancy or even all that quiet (silly highway!) but it's ours and it's cozy and generally always smells lovely :-)

i am thankful for two cars that run. two paid off cars! so one of them is OLD and sorta worn, ok, alot worn. but they both run and get us where we need to go.

i am thankful for good health. we are blessed beyond anything we could hope for or deserve in this department. i am thankful that bub, nugg and i are all healthy as can be.

i am thankful for God's provision in our finances. as is the case for many these days, money is tight. it doesn't make sense that our bills all get paid each month, but they do. and it's been that way since i quit working over a year ago. God is good to us! i hope we can be good stewards of what we've been so graciously given.

i am thankful for family! i'm so lucky to have so many awesome people that i call mom, sis, uncle, aunt, father-in-law, cousins... all of them. they're supportive and loving and i cherish them all!

i am so thankful for friends. they are our family here in nashville. we are so blessed by you all! life would be impossible without the amazing people we get to call our friends. it's impossible to do this baby-raising thing alone - we are surrounded by support and love.

i am thankful for our church. it's massive and it's been a little hard to get connected, but it's a great place with amazing teachers and we are lucky to be part of such an amazing congregation.

and on a silly note...
i am thankful for pinterest, fat-free vanilla steamers, "pharm phlash" study cards, my awesome classmates who help me out when my brain is fuzzy from being up with the babes all night, a sweet kitty who might claw everyone else, but loves me :-) mental health drugs and modern family.

gobble gobble my loves!

one last day

only one more day of class and then i'm off for the rest of the week! woohoo!!! we have a conference tomorrow and since i presented at the last one, i got to make snacks for this one. i made about 75 mini blueberry muffins. what is it about a mini muffin (or mini anything for that matter?) that is just so stinkin' awesome?!?

we're having a quiet little turkey day here at home this year, just the three of us. i plan to make a mini meal. the menu i came up with is as follows: a turkey breast (i've got an ina garten recipe!), green bean casserole (bub's fav), sweet potatoes with the marshmallows on top (an emeril recipe), cranberry sauce, rolls, pumpkin pie and pecan pie. yummo! i'd love to make the paula dean corn casserole that i love so much, BUT since it has like two sticks of butter and a pound of cheddar cheese in it and we have no one to help us enjoy it, i best just leave it off the menu. or else you'll read my next blog about the time i OD'd on corn casserole.

nuggie is changing by the second it seems. she's walking pretty well all around the house now. she's even got the hang of stepping over things like the little ledge from the baby gate. she's saying more, though i doubt anyone would understand her but bub and i. she says, "all done", "mine", "bye bye", "mama", "dada", and she's starting to try to repeat everything we say - it's precious :-) lately she's obsessed with putting things into other things (did i already blog about this???) for instance today she carried around a plastic jar and smooshed her socks in to it and even put the lid back on. yesterday i found a fork and a chunk of bread in one of the living room end tables. she's such a sweet little weirdy :-)

christmas cards are on their way!!! i just placed my shutterfly order. i can't wait to send them out! the holidays are going to be so much fun this year. we're planning to take nuggie to see santa for the first time. i can't decide if we should do the mall thing? cheekwood is have a deal - $10 a family gets you kid friendly activities, cookies and a pic with santa. seems like a good deal?? i'm new to the world of santa visits. any advice?

i STILL haven't seen breaking dawn - BUT sweet bub has planned a date night for us on wednesday to go see it. i can't wait!

well that's about all for now :-) happy monday loves!

LIST!

my brain is mush - again - seems to be the theme. it's list time!

- we were all sick this week. again. for real. i've now had TWO awful sinus infections in the past two months. nuggie is on like her fifty gajillionith cold and bub actually even got sick this week too. we were a pitiful pack. say a little prayer that nuggie gets to feeling all better soon, she's particularly pitiful as she's not allow to partake of fabulous little things like nyquil and nettie pots.

- holy frippin' frap and a half - i managed to pull off a B on my pharm test today. after the week we all had, this is no small miracle. i'll take it though! because you know what... i'm working my ass off. i've never in my life been so busy, but so in love with something! being a mommy/wife/house manager/full time student is hard, but i love it and i'm glad the hard work is paying off. (now if i could just fit it some gym time, hmmmm)

- a dear friend and i are having a zombie-thon saturday. oh yes, it's true and you're jealous... nothing but zombies ALL DAY LONG! sweet friend even mentioned getting raspberry syrup so we can have "bloody" waffles :-)

- nuggie is being dedicated at our church this sunday. we go to a massive church. i hope she doesn't get up on stage and totally melt down. though, she probably will, b/c that's our nuggie and that's why we love her :-)

- bub and i are going to see demetri martin tomorrow night. i got him tickets for our anniversary last month AND we're using a groupon to get sushi. well, bub will get the sushi. i will sit quietly and hold in my vomit, b/c raw fish is for flipper, not humans. but whatev - he likes it, i'll suck it up and win wife of the year.

- men, what's the deal with this "no shave november"??? my sweet handsome hubby now looks like he should be "acting" in some adult film. creeper 'stache to the max. make it stop. please.

- ATT, your cable sucks, like for real. like makes me wish for comcast again. IT'S THAT BAD. that is all.

- ok, i best hit the hay, nuggie will be up before i know it.

sugar - you're a cheaty b

so, so, so... sugar. you little devil you. i'm in a sluggish state tonight b/c i fell for the sweet wicked treat.

i went most of last week stuffing apples in my face whenever i had a sugar craving. then yesterday i had the itch to bake something - so i made chocolate chip cookies. the best i've ever made mind you... so how could i eat just one, or two, or 9? ugh - i am so sick now! i feel like i'm in a fog, my belly is full of ick and my blood sugar is swinging in all sorts of interesting directions. oh sugar - you evil temptress!

in non-sugar related news... did you see walking dead tonight?!? why on earth is there a barn full of walkers? when will they find sophia? is hershal gonna go all bad ass on the group and kick 'em off his land? i need answers people - STAT!

i'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of next week. i basically have it all off. we have class mon and a conference tues, but no tests, no clinicals - nada! soooo - what will i do with my few days off?

in no particular order i plan to...

- watch all the stuff i've been dvr'ing for weeks now. i've got dirty soap, once upon a time, parenthood, new girl and some other goodies to catch up on.
- clean my house. the good deep cleanings have been non-existent since classes started. i try to do one little project a day, but i'd love do a good spic and span sorta job
- go see breaking dawn. don't judge.
- call friends. if they'll still have me. i've ignored everyone for the past few months. i'd love to chat with my long lost dears.
- sleep. we'll see if nuggie allows this - but if she's asleep, i WILL be asleep too!

hope you all had a most wonderful weekend!

your treats are just tricks

hello. my name is babbling brooke and i have a problem. i'm totally and completely addicted to sugar. it's sorta gross. like i'm for real addicted. one night a couple of weeks ago bub was working late and i had half a box of vanilla wafers for dinner. a few days ago our sweetest sweet neighbor brought over a plate of warm, homemade spicy cookies with pumpkin fabulousness icing and the whole batch was gone by morning. if i get up in the middle of the night to make a bottle for nuggie i literally MUST eat a graham cracker. i for real have a problem.

so, i'm quitting. cold turkey. no sugar at all starting tomorrow. none. zip. zilch. what's the big deal you say? well, it's all i crave. i'm gonna go nutty. it'll be tough. but maybe this will help me drop a few pounds? or get some energy back in my life? can't hurt i guess? so if you see me the next couple of days and i look like one of these cookie zombies - quietly back away and don't you dare eat your halloween candy in front of me.

speaking of zombies. a show that i was utterly repulsed by when bub first starting watching it has turned in to a new favorite. THE WALKING DEAD! if only their zombies looked like cute little ginger bread zombie men like in the pic... but they don't! they're bloody and gory and SOOO gross - and i LOVE it! well, mostly. i still shield my eyes a little when major gore is going down. if you're not watching it - please do. i need some friends to chat with about it. my sweet neighbor friend and i will be holding a zombie-thon in the very near future - please join us if you like :-)

just checkin' in

whew - it's been a minute since i blogged. life as usual is crazy...

we took a little trip out to oregon to visit the fam. it was lovely as always! nuggie was sick most of the time and teething, but we had grammy and auntie there to help. nuggie also has really taken a liking to her sweet uncle :-) they shooed bub and i off for a date night at this amazing place with a wonderful view of the city. it was glorious! we had a yummy dinner and drinks and talked. a much needed night with my hubby. another day mom, sis and i went out shopping and they totally spoiled me! i've been wearing some pretty scuzzy duds since i'm a chunky monkey now and i don't fit in to any of my old clothes. but that's silly. i am who i am and this old body of mine is a bit heavier, but it's because of our sweet nuggie! i wouldn't trade a few jean sizes for that sweet baby angel of ours... so why do i beat myself up about being heavier all the time? so momma and sis got me a few new clothes that fit and oh what a difference it makes! i'll always be hoping to lose the weight and i'm gonna keep working on it as i can, but a pair of pants that really fit can make the world a better place!

nuggie is walking now! sorta! she takes a few wonky steps back and forth around the living room. it's amazing!!! and she's getting her top two teeth now. my sweet baby is growing up too fast!

school is going ok. we're getting close to winding down for the semester. i'm hanging in there. clinicals are going great and it looks like i will pass and go on to the next semester - ole!

it's november! i want to do some fun fallish crafts - any ideas??? maybe a new wreath? maybe i'll plant some mums?? i LOVE this time of year!!