Watch Party!

If you know me, you know that I love all things bling. So, when I found out the information for a lady who does watch parties, I jumped all over it! I had a bunch of friends from the ward and from school come to our clubhouse, and we commenced with the watch band making. The best part about these watches was how inexpensive it was to make! I was able to make each band for roughly $7, when in the past, I've been buying them for $22 each. It was a fun afternoon with friends, and now I have a lot of cute jewelry to show for it!!

Halloween!

As you can see, I'm doing everything I can to catch up on the blogging that I've neglected over the past few weeks!

Halloween came and went this year, and it was so much fun! I was having a hard time getting into the Halloween spirit- I didn't even dress up, but it was so much fun watching Hazen enjoy his first REAL year trick or treating. It's crazy to think that it's his 3rd Halloween, and looking back at how much he's grown each year. It makes me just a little bit sad. This year, Hazen was a Fireman. We were able to hide the costume until the week before, and I'm glad that we did, because now, almost 3 weeks later, he's still wearing his fire hat to bed, and just about EVERY PLACE that we go. It makes him happy though, and he's not hurting anyone. When we dressed him in his costume, he was so excited! He absolutely adores all things fire, and you could tell that he was thrilled to be a "real live Fireman"!

Once we got all dressed up, we headed over to Heather's house, where Hazen was ecstatic to see his cousins. Abbie went Trick-or-Treating with her friends next door, Hannah Montana, I mean Mia, Max, and Hazen decided to go at it together. Max, true to form was more interested in eating than running from door to door. He would be a good house or two behind everyone else, just chomping on whatever candy he could get his cute little hands on. He was the perfect "Wild Thing", as he was covered in chocolate before the trick-or-treating even began! Hazen, on the other hand, ran screaming from house to house. "Go go go go!!!" It was hilarious! I'm not sure he even knew what he was doing, but he was sure excited to knock on people's doors, and then say "Thank You Mommy" every time.

After, we went back to Heather's house for dinner in a pumpkin and homemade doughnuts. The more time I spend with my family, the more grateful I am that we all live so close. We have SO MUCH FUN together, and I always feel so at home when they're around. It doesn't matter what stress I have going on in my life, I know I can always make a joke with Heath, count on a hug from my Mom, or obtain some comforting words from my Dad. I wish that Heidi and Rob lived nearby. How many people are lucky enough to say that they live within 5 minutes of most of their family? Hazen is SO HAPPY when he's with the cousins and Grandma and Grandpa! After Hazen was sufficiently exhausted, we headed home, and fell into bed. It was a great Holiday!

Cooking Mama

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I've found that I go in spurts with cooking and being a completely lazy piece of crap who wants to grab something to eat every night. I've been trying REALLY REALLY hard lately to try to cook more, and I've come up with some delectable delights.

Cobb Salad. This meal was SO EASY, and it was incredibly delicious. It kept me stuffed for hours, and it was a healthful, well-rounded meal. I need to make this again. Maybe this week? Sounds good to me!

Chinese Cashew Chicken and Pork Pot Stickers. This meal was a little more time intensive than I may have otherwise thought, but I was able to feed the WHOLE fam (Grandma/Grandpa, Heather and Fam) without having to really blink at the amount of food I was making. That was my favorite part of it- I hate it when you try to cook for a lot of people, and the undertaking becomes incredibly difficult.

Shrimp Bisque. I got this recipe from my friend, Megan, and I quickly realized that it was the most unhealthy meal I might have EVER made. With that said, WOW. It was so freaking delicious, and I look forward to making it for my family in a week when they're here for Thanksgiving!

I need to stop being so lazy about cooking. I feel like I've been blessed with a talent to cook, and to do it well, so I need to utilize it at every possible chance!

Round Here

I feel bad for my posterity that I haven't been doing a fabulous job updating the blog lately. Things are SO.STINKING.BUSY. I got Bronchitis like, the 3rd week of school, which took me out for a week, and kind of screwed me over, but I've been able to recover from the time that it took me away. We're all so lucky that Hazen has stayed healthy thus far (knock on wood.....), and we've avoided the dreaded Piggie Flu. :)

Jason is working a ton, and doing well in school this semester. We have mostly the same classes, which is fun, because I really enjoy having my back scratched during school. It's nice having someone to keep me company, as this semester has been lonely. Jason really excels at clinicals and in skills lab. He's found his love, which is ER. Jason's actually been able to do way more at clinicals than I have, and he does it well. I'm a little jealous. :)

I've just been trying SO HARD to do well in school this semester. I have mental health nursing, Med/Surg, Microbiology, and Oral Communications. Mental health is the bane of my existence. The teacher that I have has NO BUSINESS teaching, and I find it insulting that she's even employed as an instructor. When we have questions in class, she tells us to "Google it", which is unacceptable. It's really taken the wind out of my sails this semester. I joke that "PB" is stealing my soul. She gives me rage. I count down the minutes until I never have to sit in one of her classes again. Too bad I have her for TWO CLASSES next semester. I quit. Microbiology is giving me a run for my money. It's supposed to be an easy A, but I'm struggling. I joke that I'm failing micro. I'm actually getting an 87%, but it's the same thing, isn't it? :) Oral Communications is easy. Med/Surg is NOT easy, but I love that class. The teacher is brilliant, and is truly invested in her student's succeeding, and gives them the tools to do just that without enabling them. She's the female version of Duane, my A&P teacher than i just adored. This semester has been really, really, really hard, though. Not so much mentally (which is has), but emotionally. I go to school, and I feel really alone. I miss Ashley. I think that finding the best friend I'll ever have when I was so young has done me more harm than good, because it makes being hurt by friends now as an adult so much worse. I'll just pay my dues, get out of school, and then move to Seattle. Sound like a plan, Ash?

Hazen is my little ray of fiesty sunshine. Sometimes he's such a booger who really likes to press my buttons, but he's also such a sweet little boy. He's snuggly, and sweet, and smart, and funny. Heather's been watching him while I'm at school, and he loves her more than me. I'm actually not joking. In all honesty, it makes me REALLY sad that he calls her Mommy more than he addresses me as such, but at the same time, I'm counting my blessings over and over again that when I can't be with him, he's being taken care of. She loves him, and he knows it. Heather is my best buddy. I sure love her. Hazen has been wearing his fire hat non-stop since the week before Halloween. It is driving me crazy. In good news though, it's kept me from having to take him to get another haircut, which he so desperately needs.

So, we're good around here. 9 months left of school, and hopefully things will look up, but who the crap even knows. At least we have each other, right?

Photo Shoot with Mommy!

No one will care about this post, but my blog book will!

Hazen loves to go get the camera and ask to take "Fictures" with Mommy. We try to make funny faces; this kid is hilarious. When I was making a "sad face", Hazen turned to me and gave me kisses without me even asking. It was so sweet, and I'm happy that I was able to get a picture of such a cute moment. Hazen always keeps me happy and entertained when Daddy is at work!