It's Definitely Summer...Bye June!

In June,

My sweet little sisters stopped being so little and turned 17 years old – can’t believe only one more year before they are ADULTS. 

Sister Singer went rocker chic and performed at her last choir concert of the year.

Gardening Mom celebrated her birthday and got a big birthday surprise – the newest member of our family, Little Diego!

Handsome Husband’s family hosted another one of their annual Golf Tournaments.

Gardening Mom took me as her hot date to a benefit for TACA: Talk About Curing Autism, and I had a little chat with a Real Housewife (from the franchise television series…not like, a real housewife – post to come!)

Best Friend Cute Apartment graduated with her (second!) degree in interior design, and will definitely be helping me decorate our future place (whether she likes it or not!).

Handsome Husband and I celebrated the engagement of my dear coworker and friend, Nurse Vegas and her very sweet fiancé.

Hat Dad got some presents, and an awesome dinner celebration for Father’s Day.

Handsome Husband and I went on a date!  This shouldn’t be noteworthy, but we don’t go on them too often these days, so it totally was – we should work on this.

We celebrated Lil C turning 1!  His real birthday is the 4^th of July – Happy Birthday, Lil C!

Best Friend Cute Apartment joined the blogosphere officially, and started her own blog!  If you like cute blondes with lots of sass and an eye for interior design, do yourself a favor and check out her new blog, Diary of a Blonde.

Quotable Tuesdays

Grateful Sundays

This week I am grateful that my family loves Handsome Husband.

I tweeted about this yesterday, and have been thinking about it lately.

I am so very grateful that my family loves HH nearly as much (maybe more sometimes) as they love me! It has not always been this way with exes - Hat Dad hasn't really been a fan of any boy I introduced him to until Handsome Husband.  It took my family a little while to warm up, but since they have, it's been all love in this family!

Gardening Mom and HH work for the same company, and love to bore me talk about work all.  the.  time.

Hat Dad and Handsome Husband talk sports, shooting, and other guy stuff that Hat Dad never had a son to talk to about (although I'd like some credit for being pretty into shooting and off-roading for a girly girl).

My sisters and Handsome Husband relationship continues to make me smile constantly.  I just love that they love him.  Sister Swimmer chats with us, and likes to go to eat out with us, and I'm pretty sure Sister Singer texts HH more than she texts me (I might be slightly jealous).

I am so grateful that I found a man that not only do I love and adore, but that my family also began to love and adore.  I truly believe that Handsome Husband was just what our family was missing to make it complete - that is until my sisters get married (which better not be for a long time, little girls!!), and our family gets to grow to perfection again.

Early on in the love affair between HH and the family - Summer 2009

 On our wedding day - February 2011

I have gained a few more followers (thank you!) since I last tried to make Grateful Sundays a link-up party, so I thought I'd take this chance to ask again if anyone would be interested in linking up if I opened Grateful Sundays up.  Would you like a weekly reminder to be grateful for something, even if it's just a quick blog post to honor something (or someone, or some place!) in your life?  Please let me know in the comments if you'd be interested!

Happy Hour

I am sipping on lemonade during Happy Hour today (but looking forward to sipping on cocktails at real-live Happy Hour later tonight!).

Lately, I have been having some down days at work - you know how it is, there are ups and downs with everything.  So, because I am really making an effort to be more positive lately (I may or may not be known to be a bit of a whiner), I'd like to talk about some of the things I love about my job at the Pediatrician's Office.

I love new babies.  They have that new baby smell (way better than new car), and are so so so small.  And until you make Mommy and Daddy undress them, they look so peaceful and adorable.  It's also so sweet to see both parents at the appointments, as it is not very common past the first few months.

I love the continuity, and watching the kids grow and change with each appointment.

I love getting pictures that the little ones have drawn for me, stickers that they want to share, when the ones just learning to talk say my name, and hugs from our miniature patients.

I love looking out the window and seeing an ocean view.

I love meeting parents who are so friendly, and interested in my life - there are really people out there who care about what you have to say and who you are even if you are in a service position for them.

I don't love giving shots, but to be honest I don't really mind it.  And I love knowing that a few seconds of pain and a couple tears is all it takes for me to help to protect children from some really awful diseases.

I love doing lab-work - it makes me feel like a little scientist girl!

So that's what I'm thinking about and loving during Happy Hour today.

Things Thursday: Things I Would Like To Be Doing Right Now

1. Lying on a beach in a fun tropical destination.

2. Eating pizza (I have been having insane pizza cravings lately - but holding out until Lil C's birthday party on Saturday!).

3. Shopping for cute summer dresses and fun sandals.

4. Taking a nap.

5. Working a fun super top-secret project for our upcoming Arizona trip!

6. Swimming - I can't even remember the last time I was in a pool.

7. Floating around in the river in an innertube - which I will be doing in just over one week from today!  Arizona cannot come sooner!

Or this could work - you'd never lose it down the river!

8. Taking a bath in this bathtub:

9. Laughing with Handsome Husband.

10. Drinking a glass bottle of wine with Nurse Sarcasm.

Quick and Easy AMAZING Fruit Dip Recipe

Over Memorial Day weekend last month, we went to a BBQ at the Lake to celebrate Twin Unicorn's Homecoming.  It was potluck-style, and Handsome Husband and I brought a few things - one of which being this awesome fruit dip.

The first time I ever had this dip was when my Aunt Kathy* made it.  My Aunt Kathy passed away nearly two years ago now after a brave long battle with cancer, and I think that has a little to do why I love this dip so much.  I also just love it because it is seriously AMAZING - just like everything Aunt Kathy made.

This dip is so quick and easy, and so tasty!  I could (who am I kidding?  I do) eat this shizz by the spoonful!

Sweet Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

Yields ... uh, about the amount you see in the photo above.  

This recipe isn't about exact measurements.

2 8-oz blocks of cream cheese

1 large size jar marshmallow creme or fluff

1/2 regular size container of whipped topping (I use generic instead of cool whip...dare you to taste the difference)

Allow cream cheese to soften to room temperature.

With hand or stand mixer, blend cream cheese and marshmallow creme.

Slowly fold in cool whip.

Voila!  SO easy - the time consuming part is cutting up the fruit.  Which is why, if you're me, you make the dip and you make your husband cut up the fruit.  Teamwork = dreamwork.

*My Aunt Kathy was not even a blood relative of mine, but from the moment I met her she felt like family and I couldn't help but claim her as part of my family.  More on her, and my other Delaware family another time.

Quotable Tuesdays

GIVEAWAY Winner!

Thank you so much to those of you who entered my very first giveaway here at Stress Case!  I am so happy I got to host this giveaway, and so very grateful to Nurse So Crafty for offering up her adorable apron to be given away!

I'm pleased to announce the winner of the adorable handmade apron is...

Comment #4

Barb K!

Congratulations, Barb - I will be emailing you right away, and please contact me here if you see this and don't receive the email!  I hope you love the apron!

Thank you again to the readers of this blog and everyone who entered this giveaway from the bottom of my heart - I hope to be able to host another fun giveaway soon!

Wedding Recap: Surrounded by Our Best Friends

Handsome Husband and I were so lucky to be surrounded by our closest friends when we said our "I Do"s and for the entire day.  Everyone says this, but we really do have amazing friends.  For many of our wedding party, our wedding was the first they had ever been in!  They were all so excited - and (as if I needed more) their excitement was contagious!

Obligatory formal photo

(From L-R: Cousin Ronomon, Groomsman Concussion, Dr. Groomsman, Brother AG, Groomsman Ken Doll, Groomsman Music, Best Man Dodger, Handsome Husband, Me, Maid of Honor Fashionista, Sister Singer, Bridesmaid Cute Apartment, Sister Swimmer, Bridesmaid Kindergarten Teacher, Bridesmaid Swagger, and Bridesmaid Does it All)

Something a bit more our style

See what I mean about the excitement?

The clouds loved the camera on our wedding day!

These infrared photos were something HH was so hoping we would be able to get - and they turned out amazing!

Next time, I will share with you our ceremony, and one of my few disappointments from our wonderful wedding day.

Wanna catch up?  First my lovely bridesmaids shower me with love, then we headed to Palms Springs for a bachelorette weekend!  Bridesmaid Kindergarten Teacher shared her birthday with us on our rehearsal dinner, and two days later we got an early wake up call on our wedding day!  The boys got to sleep in before they got ready, and I (thank goodness!) managed to squeeze my booty into my wedding dress.  Handsome Husband and I saw each other for the first time on our wedding day, followed by bridal portraits, photos with my ladies, and photos with HH and his best buddies.  HH and I took some romantic portraits with one another.

Grateful Sundays

This week, I am grateful for Hat Dad.

Hat Dad is one of the most sincere people I know, and when he compliments you, it resonates in a way not many people have a way of making others feel.  He has always wanted what's best for me, and always given me unyielding support.

Hat Dad is kind, and loving and very encouraging.  He will be your biggest cheerleader, and help you to realize how much potential you have.

He would do anything for his daughters, and his love and support is inspiring.

I Love You, Hat Dad!  

Happy Father's Day!

InstaFriday

I am linking up for the first time ever this week for InstaFriday at Life Rearranged this week!  I am currently celebrating with Best Friend Cute Apartment (who is promising she is starting her blog super soon - I will showcase her here as soon as she does!) in honor of her graduation, so I don't have much time to blog - but want to share some pictures from the week!  Love this InstaFriday idea - might be linking up more often!

This week,

Little Diego did a lot,

...drank out of a big boy cup,

took little naps with other family members,

got even cuter,

...and even spent time in my bathrobe pocket!

I went to "An Evening for Autism," and supported a lot of causes - and wore this outfit!

Went shopping at one of my favorite stores - Daisy Shoppe.

Had to get some blood work done :( - mysterious nausea trying to be diagnosed (and no I'm not pregnant!).

And most importantly, got to watch Cute Apartment graduate with her second degree - Interior Design this time!

Things Thursday: Things That I Don't Understand

1. Gravity

2. The joy of gardening (sorry Gardening Mom)

3. Why the more you sleep, the more tired you are

4. How anyone can not love the color pink

5. Why I'm not famous

6. How computers work

7. Why little Diego doesn't want to be my best friend

8. Why you can't keep your eyes open when you sneeze

9. How this year has flown by (seriously, it's already almost July?!)

10. ABGs (no matter how hard I tried in nursing school, I never understood these!)

Ten on Tuesday: Lovin' Life

I am linking up with It's a Crafty Life for Ten on Tuesday this week in honor of Best Friend Cute Apartment's impending graduation (she walks in 3 days!).

Best Friend Cute Apartment and I managed to create this tradition of a certain pose we do when we take photos together and somehow it got nicknamed "lovin' life" - perfect name for us, because (especially when we're together) we are two fun-loving girls!

And so, as a graduation present of sorts (who doesn't want 10 photos of them making smooch faces on the internet for graduation?), I present to you...the top 10 photos of Cute Apartment and I lovin' life!

1. Lovin' life at the second anniversary of my 21st birthday - March 2011

2. Lovin' life at a MasqueRAGE party - July 2008

3. Lovin' life at a Thanksgiving-Themed Party - November 2009

4. Lovin' life in 80s attire - May 2008

5. Lovin' life in Palms Spring for my bachelorette party - January 2011

6. Lovin' life at the beautiful bridal shower she hosted for me - January 2011

7. Lovin' life with awesome shades - June 2008

8. Lovin' life at my wedding - February 2011

9. Lovin' life in Seattle, where Cute Apartment is from! - August 2007

and last, but certainly not least...

10. The original lovin' life picture...the one that started it all...

Lovin' life at Cute Apartment's 21st Birthday! September 2006

Happy Graduation, Cute Apartment!  We will be lovin' life during the ceremony, and even more so when we get cocktails later that night!

PS. Am I the only one who does it - has designated "must-take" photos with different friends?  I totally have one with Best Friend Fashionista, Ms. Does it All, and Swagger is always trying to get me do this strange back-to-back MK&A pose with her?