I'm in LOVE with the Nate Berkus Show

I can't lie. I didn't know about the Nate Berkus Show. I've heard about it, from a few different friends. But I had never seen it. I had seen Nate on Oprah. And I adored him. Recently, I stumbled on the show. My life has never been the same since!



Literally, that 1 hour block, has changed my life. Nate has some of the best people on his show. Everything from cooking to decorating to fashion. So many tips. Lots of great new websites, blogs, and new places to look and explore. I've learned so much! Now I have a show to tivo and watch when my little ones are napping. By the way, those cupcakes, I'm so going to try them! :)

I'm Going to Miss Him!

Way back when, I started watching Live. Regis was hilarious! I didn't watch all the time. But I watched whenever I was home from school. Mostly while I was hanging out with my grandma. Then I went off to college, and med school. There were very rare days, that I'd have off. But I always tried to start my days off, with Regis.

I watched as he looked for his new co-host. And I silently prayed, that it would be Kelly. She was so fun! So much like Regis. They seemed good together. When I got pregnant, and pretty much left the "working world," Live became my show. Every morning, I'd watch Live with Regis and Kelly, as I did laundry. Yes, all these years later, I still watch. Not every day. But most days.

My favorite part of the show, is the first 15-20 minutes. Otherwise known as "Host Chat." The silly stories, their opinions, sports updates, family pictures, all of that. I LOVE it!!! When I've been feeling bad, or sad, I could count on Regis, to make me laugh. :)

This is the beginning of Regis' last week on Live. I'm sad. I can't lie about that. Every day, they've been counting down. And my heart has been getting heavier, and heavier. No one will ever take Regis' place. I hope that he continues to have a public job in entertainment. Because I'm sure going to miss him, every morning. My coffee and laundry, just won't be the same.

Bones

I missed Bones last week. And I've had it at the top of my list, to watch, since Thursday night. It still hasn't happened. And it looks so good...



I've waited since last May, to see what's going to happen next. I guess I should stop blogging. Maybe I can catch part of an episode, while I'm trying to wake up. And before my kiddos get up. But somehow, I can't get myself out of bed. And we don't have a TV in our room. I could just watch it on my laptop....

Is there any show that you've been waiting for? And that you still haven't seen. This is the one for me. My hubs first got me interested in Bones, during the Summer 2010. It was our guilty pleasure. We'd stay up late, on the weekends, and watch. I'm pretty sure, that we watched 3 seasons, that summer. Maybe we need to make this a weekly, TV watching, date. It could be good...

Blogging and Fall Nail Polish

First of all, I don't usually blog this much in a week. But I'm pretty sure, that I've blogged every day this week. I'm blaming that, on me, trying to fix my blog. No lie! So I'm signed on. Working here. And I say, why not? Like when I was searching for some yummy nail polish. Tonight. I put into google, "Fall nail polish." And this picture pops up...

I searched and searched for the source, but nothing was working. Don't you HATE that? I really wanted to know, about each one of these colors. All I was getting from google, was that the page had been moved. :( Any way that you put it, I'm loving these colors!

I'm never going to buy a Chanel nail polish. I'm not that crazy! I could probably buy 5 nail polishes, for that price. And well, I'm almost 100% positive, that you can find Logan, Daniella, and I at Target tomorrow. Looking for similar colors. Yes, this mom of 4, is dying to paint her nails, these delicious colors!

I Want...

I happened to catch, all of 5 minutes, of GMA this morning. It happened to be a crazy morning. One that was supposed to be easy going. Patrick was taking our 3 oldest to school. I was going to just hang out with Daniella. Taking down Halloween decorations, fixing my blog, and maybe taking Daniella to Target. Who doesn't like a random trip to Target?

But things got a little crazy. Logan forgot his backpack. So I made the "mad dash" to get it to him. It was super important this morning. "Show and Tell" day. My car was giving me a bit of trouble on the way home. I stopped and left it off at the mechanic, and waited for a ride home. Yes, I caught the last segment of GMA. As Daniella and I walked through the door. It was a good thing too. Look at what I saw...

I first heard about this book from Lola. But I hadn't seen it. And I didn't know when it was coming out. But the stars aligned. I got to see this cute turkey cake. That Buddy was teaching America how to decorate. The perfect addition to any Thanksgiving! Actually, Daniella made me promise, that we'd make that turkey. But who am I kidding? The second I saw it, I was already making plans. And honestly, who doesn't want to semi-bake and decorate like Buddy? I've always wanted to semi-bake like the Cake Boss. And if I can learn something about decorating, that's a total bonus!

Add this to my Wish List. I'd tell Patrick to get it for me, for Christmas. But I don't think I can wait that long. I know, I'm bad! Tomorrow, Logan's class is going to Barnes and Noble, for a field trip. Daniella and I are also going. It wouldn't be a bad thing, if I stumbled on a copy or 2 of this book. Because I hear, my good friend, is also wishing for a copy.

Grab Some Coffee, Let's Chat

The last few weeks have been crazy. And busy. I've tried to keep up. I've typed, organized, decorated, shopped, spent time with friends, enjoyed my family. Did I mention, I'm also in charge of 12 fundraisers from right before Halloween, to New Year's. I'm exhausted!

But I've been blogging. Trying to keep up with this little sweetheart. That I've grown to love, over the last few months. But honestly, I haven't been checking my own blog. You know, typing in my url, and reading. I was trying to respond to my comments. But nothing was working. So I contacted Blogger. And waited.

Meanwhile, I was still blogging. The other night, after the kids were in bed, Patrick and I were just hanging out. I was blogging about our sons, and my hubby was catching up on e-mails. I'm pretty sure Patrick was wondering what I was laughing at. He headed to my blog. This blog. And quickly asked were my posts were.

My response, "What are you talking about? They're on the blog." When I looked at my blog from his laptop, there were only a handful of posts. Nothing since mid-September. When I looked from my laptop, I saw everything. What was going on? So I got on the family computer. Again, it looked like the blog, that I saw on Patrick's computer.

I quickly contacted Blogger. I crossed my fingers. I didn't panic.Why? I type and save all my blog posts on Word, then I post them on Blogger. I'm still waiting to hear back. It's so frustrating! Something similar happened in late July, or early August. It wasn't so bad then. I'd only been blogging for a few weeks. In less than an hour, I had everything fixed.

I'm taking things into my own hands. I'm going to be re-posting things. I'll post them on the same date and time, as the original. I told you I was a little odd. I just don't have the comments, that were posted on each post. Has anyone else had any trouble like this? Any problems with Blogger? I've had some issues blogging. And I've only been at this since June...

But I'm staying positive. I just don't want people to think I'm weird. Blogging about things from July. Or posting 10 posts in a day. I'm just trying to fix things here. Heck, I'm still learning here. And I find it a success, when I can post 3 times a week. :)

I'm also trying to figure out, how Lola posted that top banner. How does she get certain labels up there? I'm going to have to call her. I want that! Maybe I'll link my twitter and Facebook pages too. So much to do. I hope I find the time. Friends, is blogging always this complicated?

Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween everyone! How was everyone's day? Are you already all "Halloween'd out?" We're not. And we've been at it since Thursday! Yes, Thursday. Logan had his Preschool, Halloween Day. Since he only goes to school Tuesday-Thursday, Thursday was our day to celebrate. Logan, Daniella, and I dressed up. We packed up our Halloween cookies, that we made and decorated. And all those bags for the class. It was such a fun day. Daniella got to be in the parade too. She was loving it! Getting to hangout with all the big kids.

Friday was also a crazy day! We all headed to the hospital, right after Ethan and Madelyn were out of school. Dressed up. To hangout with some of the kiddos and their families. There were lots of crafts, cookie and cupcake decorating, and some fun movies. We had a blast! It didn't hurt that Patrick came out, dressed up like Dracula. The kids loved it!

Friday night, we all "vegged out." Ordered pizza, and watched 3 Halloween movies. Patrick worked. Secretly, I can bet, that he's been looking forward to this week. You'd be surprised by the people you will see in the hospital. Crazy!

Saturday night, Patrick and I headed to the Halloween Ball. It's a fundraiser for the hospital. That I've been slaving at for months! It turned out great. And Patrick and I had an incredible time! Lots of good food, fun friends, raising money, and dancing the night away.

By Sunday, I didn't want to get out of bed. But the 2nd of the hospital fundraisers was Sunday. A Family Event. A Halloween Carnival and Trunk-or-Treating. So much fun! All the hospital staff came, dressed up, and with their families. A lot of money was raised. The hospital is trying to add another "Playground" for the kids. And they're so expensive!

And today hasn't disappointed either! Ethan and Madelyn had their Halloween parties at school. Oh ya! More Halloween treats. The 5 of us dressed up. The entire school was so fun! It was a like a Halloween Carnival. The different booths had fun Halloween games, that were educated. So fun! Patrick came by, during his lunch break. Dressed up! So that we could all enjoy a "Goblin Lunch" together. :)

After school, we came home. The kids were so excited! We made a yummy, Halloween inspired dinner. It was a special dinner too. Patrick was able to join us. Honestly, from Monday-Friday, we rarely have dinner as a family. My hubby usually doesn't come home until the kids' bedtime. Sad. But true. Tonight, was definitely a treat!

Our regular babysitter came by. She handed out candy for us. I didn't want to miss the trick-or-treating. But I also didn't want to be the only neighbor, not handing out candy. And our family went trick-or-treating. I've never seen so much candy in my life! Tomorrow, our kids are going to pick out their favorites. Then, we're going to donate the rest. To the troops. I'd rather that they have our candy. And it not go to waste. Yes, our family had a great time! I can't wait until next year. Now I'm  going to go enjoy some chocolate...

Lash Out Loud

I've mentioned this a few times on here, I enjoy makeup. I'm not very talented, in makeup application. But I try. When I was a teen, I yearned for makeup. To be able to buy it, and wear it. My parents were strict about it. Finally they gave into my constant pestering. If I could afford it, I could wear it. This jump started my work ethic!

My first purchase was Maybelline Great Lash. And some random lipstick and lipgloss. Did you notice that? I remember the mascara. But the lip products, not so much! I honestly wore Great Lash mascara until after my first daughter was born. I'm not lying!

I don't know what it is. Great Lash was my favorite! It never failed me. Not once! And I stuck to it. Later, I got into Max Factor 2000 Calorie. That was such a miracle worker! And I owe that tidbit, of makeup knowledge, to Lola. Who bought me, my first tube. Unfortunately, Max Factor picked up, and moved across the pond. I was on the search for another perfect mascara.

I'm going to get honest here. I'm a little bit of a cheapskate. Who wants to spend $20-25, every other month, for mascara? Not me! I'd rather save that money to buy a good moisturizer, or perfume. Not mascara. For the last few years, I've been trying out all kinds of mascara. I'm pretty sure, I've tried every mascara at the drugstore.

Covergirl's Lash Blast is what I've settled on. I liked the look of my lashes. It's waterproof. Without killing my lashes! And I have that full look. I liked it. But I wasn't "In Love with It." Do you know what I mean? In steps in my friend, Manders. She introduced me to Maybelline's new mascara, Lash Out Loud.

When I found out about Lash Out Loud, I had to go out and buy it. Immediately. And I was instantly in love! I'm not lying. On our way home, after a long day, I had Patrick stop at CVS. With 4 sleeping kids in the car, I raced in. Bought 2 tubes. I just knew that I'd love it. I've been using this mascara for almost 2 weeks now. I haven't found anything, that I don't like about it. That funny shaped brush, well it does wonders for your lashes!

You might wonder, why I'm so passionate about my mascara. The truth is, my daily makeup includes mascara and lipgloss. That's it. I run errands like this, take the kids to school, go shopping, pick up my kids,  etc. Don't tell my wonderful Mother-in-Law. She's such a lady. And believes passionately, that a woman should get all dressed up, have her makeup done, and her hair looks amazing. Every time you leave the house. Her daughter-in-law, well rarely gets all done up. For those every day type of things. But you can guarantee, I'll be reaching for this pink and green tube, for a very long time!

Dressing Up

Halloween costumes. Usually, they're an easy subject around here. We order Halloween costumes in early September. That way we get, what we want. Oh, and with my first 2 kiddos, I got to pick out their costumes, until they were 5. Yes, when they started school, they wanted to pick out their costumes.

But this year was a whole other issue! Life got busy, and before I knew it, it was mid September. OK, it was only 2 weeks off schedule. Not too bad. I sat each one of our kids down, and we searched for their perfect costumes. Logan and Daniella knew exactly what they wanted to be. Months ago!

Logan wanted to be Mr. Potato Head. It had been talked about, since the summer. My son is only 3! But he knew exactly what he wanted. And we were OK with that. Until, we couldn't find the costume anywhere! He hid under his bed for 2 hours, before finally agreeing to find something else. Too bad I'm not crafty. It doesn't look like a hard costume to make. Maybe I should really invest in a sewing machine...

We compromised on a Train Conductor. "Just like Thomas' friend." I don't know. Logan said it. I just went with it. And he was happy. When the costume came in the mail, he was over the moon! But the Mr. Potato Head, he's still asking about it. We'll get to that in another post...

Daniella was easy as pie! Since we went to Disney World, and honestly, before that, she's been all about Minnie Mouse. This costume happened to be on the front page. Although, there were cuter ones, she was hooked on this one. I also picked up some tights and cute shoes. Let's just say this, our baby knows exactly what she wants. Exactly! I'm starting to believe, our 2 youngest are going to be more opinionated, than our oldest 2. :)

Costume picking took a little more time than I thought. Especially when it came to Madelyn. She couldn't decide what she wanted to be. There were some pondering and searching going on. Lots of talking involved. Asking of friends, what are they dressing up as. Changing our minds. And finally settling on a Gypsy. I don't think Madelyn was 100% sure, when we ordered it. But now that she has it, I'm positive, that she's so happy with her choice. And all the gold jewelry that we bought too! Pretty fancy for my 1st grader...

I've said it at least a hundred times before, Ethan is so easy going! He's just like Patrick. When we visited NASA this summer, he was over the moon. My son, is totally a science and math kid. OK, he likes sports too. But you know what I mean. On the ride from NASA to our hotel, he turned and told me, "Mom, I want to be an astronaut for Halloween. Because I want to work for NASA when I grow up." Really? Easy as that. It took us all of 2 seconds, to decide on which costume he wanted.

And that left Patrick and I. We need to dress up for this "Halloween Ball" that we're going to attend. We don't usually dress up as a couple. But we thought it would be fun. And we don't have to worry about warmth. We're going to be wearing these costumes to the ball. And our costumes from last year when we take the kids trick-or-treating. Dracula and a witch. After lots of talking, dying with the prices, and negotiating, we settled on Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. Isn't that fun? I can't wait until Halloween! It's going to be fun. The makeup and jewelry are going to be so fun too!

And honestly, I can't wait to see my hubs dressed up! I'm telling you, this is going to be a fun Halloween. It's going to be so busy. But I'm positive that we're going to enjoy ourselves. And for next year, I need to remember, to get our order in earlier. It was a little stressful this year. I'm sure Logan would appreciate that. Did I mention? He's still talking about Mr. Potato Head...

A Little Fun

I had planned on blogging, about our weekend today. More specifically, Patrick and I's Date Night. But I'm getting old. And last night, kicked my bootie. Patrick and I have been relaxing all day. Very unusual for us! But we're enjoying it. The kiddos are in bed. And I'm catching up on a TV show or 2.

In so many words, I'm not really in the mood, to blog about my weekend. I'm ready to relax, and go to bed. But before that, I did want to blog about something. That's because of Trina. And this fun "Fill-in-the-Blank," that she had on her blog. So here I go. I promise to blog about our fun tomorrow!

1. My current obsession is decorating our home. Our kids' rooms are essentially, the only "finished" part of our home. And after chatting with Lola, I really want to get started on this. Maybe we'll convince her to come back here, and do the job for us. :)

2. Pinterest is something I always want to sign up for. But I always get sidetracked on the internet. And I forget. This might be a good thing. I can imagine, spending way too many hours, on Pinterest!

3. My greatest strength is multitasking. I'm really good at that! I've gotten good at doing 20 things at once. And I'm pretty sure, it's a good thing.

4. Self doubt/worth is my greatest weakness. I've been working at it for years! Hopefully, one day, I'll feel better about myself. I see this as an ongoing project.

5. My life is perfect right now! I've never been so happy. My family is happy and healthy. Our lives are moving in the right direction. And things seem to be falling into place, for our family. We're blessed.


6. In high school I was not really cool. I was quiet. A nerd. And part of a Dance Team. That I never really felt like I belonged in. I'm glad all of that, is now behind me.

7. When I’m super tired my body aches, I can't think straight, and at some point, I get incredibly moody. It's not good. And I'm trying to work on that.

Dr. Hart

Let me start off by saying, we don't watch a lot of TV in our house. It was never a rule. We just had other things, to fill our time with. Mostly, we like to play games, read as a family, and be outside. Even before Patrick and I had kids, we weren't much of TV people. Probably because when we weren't studying or working, we were trying to catch a few ZZZ's. Life as an MD,  guess.

Recently, while I was waiting at my kids' school, one of the other moms came running to my car. I was a little nervous. Was I parked somewhere I wasn't supposed to be? Was something wrong with one of my kids? Why was this lady running so quickly?

Well, all was well. This other mom just wanted to talk about TV stuff. Like, was I watching "Hart of Dixie?" Nope. I hadn't even heard of it. What is this show about? I'm thinking, it has to do with the South. Hello, Dixie! But as this other mom kept talking, I instantly knew why she thought I should be watching it. It's about a doctor. A young doctor.

Somehow, all these people, think I should be watching all TV shows, about doctors. Yes, I'm an MD. Married to another MD. But honestly, I don't watch every doctor show out there. In fact, I don't watch much TV at all. But I thought I'd give it a try. So I asked what channel it came out on. She said the CW. I almost wanted to laugh. ALMOST! You see, I've never watched a show on the CW. I just figured it was a channel, targeted at teens.

Tonight, I gave it a try. Honesty, it was pretty funny. Now that we live in the South, I understand a lot of this show. Something, a few years ago, I didn't know anything about. I probaby wouldn't have understood some of the jokes. But you know what, it was funny! And when Patrick got home, I was cracking up.



You see, I save my TV watching, until after our kids go to bed. After I watched the 1st episode, I immediately wanted to watch the rest. I'm saving the episodes that I'vee missed, for later this week. But honestly, give it a try. If nothing else, you get to laugh a little, and forget about "real life." Next Monday, I'll definitely be watching Dr. Hart again.

Serenity

Immediately, this prayer came to mind. Patrick and I, came out to Tennessee. Our good friend, and her baby, have been through so much! It pains me so. My heart just breaks for them. Both of them. To have gone through so very much, so much hurt and pain. I don't really want to go through all of it. I think you should read the story from Hillary, herself.

Recently, a colleague of ours, contacted Patrick. If he'd be interested in this surgery. We all agreed. It was for such a good reason. I called my parents. And they agreed, to come and stay with our kids. For about a week. Because Hillary needs us. Plans were made. And here we are, in Tennessee.

The surgery was completed. A complete success. Complicated and long. But successful. Patrick and Dr. Sam were the lead surgeons. I sat with Hillary and her brother. As we were updated, I would explain to them exactly what was going on. I tried to keep my friend distracted. To keep her mind off of what was going on. I did everything that I could, to be a good friend. A comfort. A solid support.

Baby C is now doing well. Actually, better than expected. Which is such a relief. My friend and her baby girl, deserve such a good life. To be healthy. To be happy. I want that for them. For these amazing souls. I've only known for just under a year. But I swear to you, I feel like we've known each other for a lifetime!

This prayer, was just perfect. As an MD, we are trained to think,that we can do it all. We should be able to fix every problem, that comes our way. Every single time. But in reality, we know that we're just human. Not every situation is fixable. It's unfortunate. Heartbreaking.

The Serenity Prayer, was the one prayer, that I had hanging in my locker. The very first day that I worked at the hospital. At the beginning of every shift, I read it. And at the end of every shift, I read it again. It's the one thing, that gave me courage, when I was full of fear!

Yesterday's surgery, required courage, wisdom, and serenity. We all pray that Baby C will heal. Completely. That she will have the same chances in life, that my own kids have. I pray that God gives grace, wisdom, and patients to my friend. Most of all, I pray that God gives my friend strength. This is a long road that she's on. She needs all of our strength, love, and prayers. Please say an extra prayer, for this beautiful family.

I Want This...

If you know me, you know that I haven't always been a decent cook. It's no lie. While most girls were learning the basics from their moms, grandmas, whomever, I was studying. Dancing. Working at the mall. And dreaming of being a doctor. I didn't have time, to think about silly things. Like how would I feed myself, when I moved from home.

In college, I was horrible! I sporadically ate. Whatever I could find, whenever I'd remember. I wasn't a fan of the cafeteria. I avoided it like the flu. Even fast food, seemed impossibly difficult to get a hold of. So eating, was the most random thing I did. For years.

In med school, I got worse. Honestly, I lived off of hospital food. Jello, sorbet, and graham crackers with PB, became my staple foods. I'm not going to lie. My kitchen, was rarely used. Unless, Patrick was around. He grew up, with an amazing mom. Learning all about things like cooking, cleaning, those sorts of things. His dad also taught him all about mechanics, basic house fixing, etc. Me? Well, I could ace any exam. I knew how to save lives.

But things changed. After we got married, Patrick and I would cook together, at least one night a week. He was slowly teaching me the basics. When I got pregnant, I completely embraced all things domestic. The Food Network, became my "Holy Grail."

I also have my dear and close friend to thank. She is an amazing cook and baker! You should try her yummy creations. In fact, Patrick and I used to hire her. To cook for us, when we entertained. I was still learning. Not quite to "Guest over for dinner," status.

One day we had this long talk. About things like cooking. See, Lola completely self-taught herself how to cook. She comes from a family of amazing cooks. But other than one aunt, no one really taught her. Like most of us, she realized that she needed this basic skill, shortly after leaving home. Much trial and error, watching PBS and Food Network cooking shows, and lots of cookbooks later, Lola is the most amazing cook!

My first cookbook, came from Lola. It was a local cookbook. That I still have. Lots of yummy recipes. Food that Patrick had grown up eating. Lola not only taught me about cooking with methods, not just recipes, but about collecting cookbooks. We'd go to thrift shops looking for old cookbooks. And we'd hunt down our favorite new cookbooks. Yes, my friend taught me a lot about cooking. I'm so grateful! And with that, she sent me a link about this cookbook.

First of all, I really enjoy watching Marcela's show, Mexican Made Easy. Such delicious food! Simple, easy to make, and so delicious! Have you ever watched the show? It's one of my favorite cooking shows. Between, I hear that Marcela is going to be on a bit of a "tour" of sorts. She's scheduled on lots of shows, in the coming weeks. I hope I get to catch her cooking on daytime. I always learn so much from her!

This cookbook is now on the top of my "Must Have" list. When can I go to the bookstore? I really want this one in my collection. And I'm positive, that my family would benefit, from this simple purchase. We're big Mexican food lovers around here. Oh, well is doesn't hurt that we're also Mexicanos.

Welcome Back!

I didn't realize how crazy, "Back to School" would be. Patrick works 100+ hours a week. And I respect that. He's providing for us. And this job, it's something that the 2 of us talked, at length, about. I especially love, that Patrick works so hard Monday-Friday, so that he has Saturday and Sunday off. Just so he can spend time with our kids and me.

With that, comes a lot of responsibility for me. Yes, we're lucky. I get to call on some help. From time to time, I call a friend/babysitter. Who helps with my kids. If I'm busy with work, or have a lot of things, I can call for some help. It doesn't happen much. But when I need the help, I can get it.

The last few weeks have been crazy! I've been so busy. We now have 3 kids in school. That's 3 teachers to meet. 3 Parent-Teacher Conferences. 3 groups of parents. Thankfully, only 1 PTA. Which now, I'm a big part of! I didn't see that coming. But I was elected. And I'm going to look at that, as being a blessing. Oh, and I'm the "Class Parent" for all 3 of these classes.

Count to 10. I need to breathe. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I'm feeling like a bad parent. A bad mommy. I know that I shouldn't. But it's just the way life is. I question these things, when life gets tough. We've had so much going on. I know that Patrick feels bad. He wants to be around for all these events. But he has to work.

Earlier, when I was putting Daniella down for a nap, she hugged me. So tight. And kissed me. Whispered in my ear, "Mommy, I wuv you." In that second, I knew all of this. was well worth it! I'm going to get through this. I know, once the kids start to settle into school, and we get a schedule going, it's going to be OK. Thank goodness, that we did most of our "Back to School" shopping, weeks ago. That, plus all of this, might just push me over the edge. Until then, I'm going to curl up, and watch some TV. And eat a little chocolate. Yes, life isn't that bad.

Oh So Pretty!

Again, I took to google for some inspiration. Patrick and I have been talking. We want to actually decorate our bedroom. And that means, we both have to do a little research. You know, make a plan. I don't want my hubby to feel uncomfortable in our bedroom. And I still want it to have feminine touches.

So I've googled, and googled, and googled some more! Then I found this collage. What beautiful pictures! There's something magical about them. I love the light. And these colors. There's just something magical and romantic about them.

I wanted to jump for joy, when Patrick agreed. We're thinking about the middle color, as the wall color. And white and green for the bedding. The 1st 2 colors would be great accent colors. Yes, I'm loving these colors. And I realized something yesterday. The light shines into our room, like that last picture. Great news!

This is a good jumping off point for us. We've lived here for 4 1/2 years. And haven't really done much to our bedroom. It's time. It's time that Patrick and I have a space of our own. The craziest part, is we have the perfect white chair. With that green, in the simplest print.Oh, and that light fixture, would be absolutely perfect! All we have to do now, is to really start looking for the bedding and curtains. Always a great place to start. The rest is about collecting the perfect accessories. Oh, I can't wait!

Makes Me Smile

Some days, you just stumble on something, that makes you smile. It makes you completely giddy. From the inside out. Heck, you feel like you could be a kid again. That's how happy it makes you. That's the feeling I get, when I see these pillows!

I want a bunch of them. With a big white couch. The kind that is so comfy, you sink right in. With a bunch of these pillows. I can imagine long afternoons of reading there. Or hours of cuddling with my kiddos. I think it could be so fun. This might just give me some inspiration. For that one room, that I have no idea what to do with. Yes, these pillows make me smile. And I want a room that will do that too!

10 Years of Wedded Bliss

Dear Patrick,

I can't believe it's been 10 years! Do you remember our wedding day? I don't think it could have been a hotter day. I thought for sure, my dress was going to melt off of me. 105 degrees outside. We knew how to pick the day! I couldn't have felt smaller, in the Cathedral. So huge, and majestic. So much history. So many couples before us, had gotten married there. But I was never so sure, that we were perfect for each other. I knew we were made for one another.

It didn't matter that our wedding was small. That only our parents, grandparents, and a few other friends and family were there. We could have gotten married, just by ourselves, and it would still have been perfect! Just you and me. And God. All that we needed.

So much has happened since July 7, 2001. So many good things. A few tough times. I've always had you to lean on. To depend on. Your strong arms. Your caring heart. Do you remember it all? The crazy meltdowns. In that tiny apartment. Where I swear, we could hear our neighbors breathing. When I'd fall apart, after 48 hour shifts. And I always had you, to comfort me. To tell me it was going to work out.

You've always been here for me. Wanting me to be happy. Making sure I get the things I need. And want. It never mattered to you, where we lived, what kind of furniture we had, or where we'd go. You just wanted me to be happy. I've never felt so loved. Never!

There were days, when I felt less than perfect. Horrible even. Unattractive. Tired. Just not good enough. But you've always had a way, to make me feel amazing. Like I'm the most beautiful woman, inside and out. You just have this way. Even when I was covered in baby food, hadn't showered in days, hadn't slept in weeks. You still made me feel, like I was the sexist woman on the planet.

And these amazing babes that we have. All 4 of them! Made with so much love. The perfect balance of you and me. I love how they've changed our lives. Made us better people. I always knew that you'd be an amazing Daddy. But when Ethan was born, you completely outdid any expectation, that I ever had. So incredibly loving, gentle, kind, nurturing, and knowledgeable.

In the last 10 years, we've been through so much. But our 4 kids, are definitely the most amazing blessings! We've gone through so much. Accomplished so much. Walked hand in hand. Making a better life for ourselves. Improving the world around us. And making a beautiful and loving family.

I couldn't imagine going through life with anyone else. There is no one else in the world, that I'd want at my side. No other man that I'd want to love. Not other man that I'd want to love me. No other Daddy for my babes. No. You, Patrick, are my other half. My better half. I'm only whole with you. The only man that makes me complete. The man I wanted to marry 10 years ago. The man I want to live with, until eternity. The best father in the world. I couldn't imagine going to bed, without you. Feeling your strong arms, wrapped tightly around me, as I sleep. My morning is not complete, without waking up in your arms, looking into your eyes, and getting my morning kiss.



This song, still makes me think of you. Every time I hear it. Our first dance. So many date nights. It just reminds me of you. Of you and me! Yes, 10 years ago, I made the best decision of my life. To become your wife. I love you babe! Happy Anniversary! I can't wait, to see what the next 10 years, have in store for you and me. 

Love,
Your Brookie

Getting Real

I want to use my blog to be real. It's not going to be a "Sugar Coated" blog. But a place of "real life." Of struggles and triumphs! It's time to get a little real here.

I know what people think. When I say that my husband and I are both doctors, people think we're rich. We have it all. We've never struggled. Life was handed to us. The good life. But the reality is, we've struggled a lot. We've only begun to "enjoy life and our hard work" in the last few years.

Both Patrick and I, come from working class families. When I was younger, I was in band, and later I was on a dance team. I had to do so many fundraisers, to be in those extra curricular activities. My parents worked hard. They provided for their family. But we didn't have a lot of extra money. We didn't go on lots of vacations. Mostly, we went camping. And once, we went on a family vacation.

I wouldn't say that we were poor. Our needs were met. We had enough food. We had everything we needed for school. We got new clothes, twice a year. But there were definitely hand-me-downs. When we became teenagers, my siblings and I all got jobs. We wanted money to spend, so we worked.

When I was really young, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. I knew it would cost a lot of money. I worked the entire time I was in high school. Ya, I spent my money on things like school dances, and clothes. But I saved well over 50% of my money. For college. And when I went to college, I still worked. I used as much of my saved money, as possible. But I did have to take out student loans.

Through college and medical school, I worked. But I still had to take out loans. After medical school, Patrick and I had a combined debt of 6 figures. It scared me to be honest. I saw this debt, and thought, we're never going to have the life, that we want. How are we ever going to pay this back? When?

Lots of thoughts flooded my mind. I felt like I'd never own a home. We'd never be able to have a family. How could we get married? It was a daunting feeling. I'd go to sleep thinking about it. I'd wake up in the morning, still worrying.

When Patrick and I moved, it was tough. We moved to a southwestern state. A border town. The cost of living wasn't too bad. We were both going to be working at the same hospital. We set out. We made our plan, and went for it.

We sold my car. And packed up Patrick's car. We loaded our stuff. Which wasn't much. Let's just be honest. And we drove across the country. I remember our last 2 gas stops. Both Patrick and I were hungry. Our snack supply was dwindling. Our cash was also fading fast. That 2nd to the last stop, we literally pulled out our calculator. Tried to calculate the cost. Wondering if we were actually going to make it. From that point, to the next gas station, I cried. I wasn't sure, if all of this was going to be worth it.

It didn't matter that we had all of this knowledge. Or that Patrick and I were finally going to be "real doctors." It didn't matter. How could it matter, if we couldn't get there. If we didn't have the means to survive. It was a tough road. But Patrick was always positive. Always telling me that we'd find a way.

Patrick and I moved into this teeny, tiny apartment. It was literally 2 rooms, and a bathroom. The rooms were so small! One room was our kitchen/dining room/living room. Big enough for a couch, and little more. The other room, our bedroom. Nothing more than a full-sized bed fit in there. We had a mattress to sleep on, 2 outdoor chairs, 4 bath towels, and miscellaneous supplies. We lived in this place, until I got pregnant.

Our apartment complex was called the "RHH." The Residents' Hell Hole. That wasn't the real name. But that name, that many people gave it. It was nothing but residents and medical students living there. The rent was a few hundred dollars. We had no AC, cable, internet. Heck, we didn't even use the heat in the winter. There were 2 small washers, a dryer, and a clothes line in the renter's office.

For years, we worked. We worked hard. Payed our student loans. Didn't splurge on much. A big date night for us, was going to dinner at Bennigan's, and renting a movie. And that was rare. But our debts, honestly weren't going down. It was disheartening. I started to wonder, was all this education really worth it? I was doing a job that I loved. But I wasn't happy. My financial anchor was killing me. No matter what Patrick said.

Then Patrick took on a job. Working on the border. It was risky. But it definitely paid better. We still worked at the hospital. But Patrick also worked 30 hours a week, doing border work. Soon, we were talking. We wanted to move forward in our lives. Not be these poor residents forever. And I needed to do something. Because I was starting to get depressed.

We decided to start a family. I was about a year from finishing my residency. Patrick was a full on MD. I started to see the light. I got pregnant a few months later. We moved. Funny thing is, we moved to a place were housing was more affordable. Further, but more affordable. We rented a home, from another MD. Patrick and I commuted almost an hour both ways, 7 days a week.

Just 3 months before Ethan was born, I completed my residency. Patrick and I decided that I should take some time off. And that's what I did. He continued to work hard. Patrick was also working research, writing for various publications, anything to keep us afloat.

And here is where I have to stop and say, Thank You! To all of our friends and colleagues. They were so incredibly kind to us. The threw us a baby shower. Helped us, as much as they could. By this point, Patrick and I had finally bought a real bed, we had a cheapo kitchen table and chairs, and we'd even managed to buy some living room furniture. It was used. But it was ours!

For Ethan's nursery, we bought all the furniture from a nurse. I think it cost us $150 for a crib, dresser, changing table, and a rocking chair. Patrick and I splurged, and bought some new sheets for the crib. We bought some very basic supplies. But we were happy.

For the next 3 years, we worked hard to make our life work. Our family had gone from 2 to 4. Soon after Madelyn was born, Patrick and I had a serious conversation. It was time to take a "flying leap." We needed to do better for ourselves. But more importantly, for our kids. Patrick started to research new hospitals, new positions, new possibilities. Patrick wanted better for all of us.

During the time that we were in the southwest, Patrick had worked hard. He'd worked for the positions that he got. He did a lot. So he decided to apply for an incredible job. It was a complete leap of  faith. a "Holy Mary" of sorts.

18 months later, he got the job. And we were moving across the country. We moved to the southeast in January 2007. In about 7 years, Patrick and I had been paying down our debts. We hadn't even paid 5%. It as crazy! We paid above the minimum payment. But it wasn't making much of a difference.

We did 3 things with the incredible signing bonus that Patrick got. We bought a house. A real home. A glorious home! I cried, when we signed the papers. Second, we paid an incredible payment. Let's just say, with one payment, we paid half of our student loans. Which was A LOT! Lastly, Patrick and I finally went on a "Honeymoon." We'd never really traveled before. Our wedding had been tiny. On a "Penny Budget." Our trip to Paris, was magical! And it must have really been. Because that December, Logan was born. :)

I'm happy to say, 4 years later, we're debt free. We own a home on the lake. And our original home. Making Patrick's commute, just minutes. We both were able to purchase new cars. And like they say, we're making our house a home. Buying furniture. And completing our family. Daniella was born just over 2 years ago.

Life has not always been easy for us. There are a lot of things, that I'd like to do differently. If I could just go back in time. But lots of these things, have made us stronger. The tough times, strengthened Patrick and I's relationship. We value our family more than anything in the world!

We've had our times, when we had $5 in the bank, $20 in our pockets, and had to buy food for our kids. There were lots of sleepless nights. We slept on a mattress, on the floor, for years! And shared one car, until after Madelyn was born.

But now, life is starting to calm down. Patrick and I are able to provide for our family. Our kids are able to go to Catholic School. We have 4 college funds going. And we are able to add to them every month. Pretty much, we are a debt free family. It's not always easy. I'd love to take vacations. My dream would be to completely furnish my home, with a decorator. Better yet, to be able to hire Lola to do it.

I'd love for my husband to slow down on his work. To cut down on his hours. But I know, there is a reason for it. We want to provide for our kids. We want them to not have to work as hard as we had to. We're not going to hand our kids everything. But I don't want them to worry about paying for college. Or worrying about their next meal. That's important to me.

Patrick and I want our kids to live safely, and comfortably. To not grow up, wishing that they had been able to be in sports, or a certain activity. We want our kids to have every opportunity that we can provide. That's important.

We've had some pretty low lows. But Patrick and I, well we've worked hard. Hard to dig ourselves out. Hopefully, we'll never have those nights, of going to bed hungry again. Hopefully, I get to be a SAHM until all our kids enter school. It's important to value our family first. All the things we've been through, have definitely been well worth it. At least for Patrick and I. Because now, we have this beautiful family.

I Miss These Tacos...

The one thing, that I miss the most about the southwest, is the food. All the street vendors, and family restaurants. Yum! Especially tacos like this...

Yes, tacos just like this. With tons of fresh salsa. And a big agua. Or pina.Yum! I've been craving this food for a while now. Yes, I cook Mexican food. Yes, Patrick and my Mother-in-Law make amazing meals. But I miss these tacos. The ones, from that little restaurant. The one that's only open in the middle of the day. Maybe we just need to take a visit. Just for a few yummy tacos. :)

Sweet Peonies

I have a little confession here. I'm not a great gardener. Usually, I go out and buy flats of flowers.You know, already blooming. Plant them, and pray that they last longer than 2 months. My husband, he's in charge of our garden. Which always has yummy veggies, berries, melons, and herbs. Patrick always tells me, the flowers are my responsibility. And with his work schedule, I know they have to be. I'm still amazed at how he keeps our garden going.

I will admit this, I've always dreamt of a beautiful, lush flower garden. I've wanted our backyard to feel yummy. And so full! Well, we have a gardener that comes in. He keeps the grass looking gorgeous, and the trees trimmed nicely. But the flowers, I've never asked him to go there.

I can't lie. I dream of roses, peonies, lilies, and hydrangeas. All the flowers just like that. I'd also love a few fruit trees. I dream of these things. Of sitting outside, surrounded by this beauty. But I have no clue how to start. I know what I like. Actually, I've had a list going for a few years. Of things I absolutely love. My list is quickly growing. Right on top of my list, is lots of beautiful peonies. Just like these...

I finally asked our gardener where to begin. I'm going to start getting some lessons. Learning lots of tips and tricks. Because I want gorgeous flowers. We're going to start, with just a few things this year. 3 peony plants, and a peach tree. Yum! I can't wait to begin! All I can think about, is beautiful pink peonies.