The joys of my Boys!!

So many things have happened in the past 2 weeks and I've definitely been slacking in the blog area! I started my clinicals! I'm in a Drs office 2-3 days a week seeing patients! Within the first hour, I was hooked! I knew that this was exactly what I wanted to do the rest of my life! I love going in and talking with each patient. I even found an enlarged liver with hard bumps (probable cancer) and a heart murmur in my first week and was very proud of myself. Writing prescriptions is taking some getting used to but all in all, I'm loving it! I have quit working in the ER. Between school 1 day a week and clinicals, it was just taking too much away from my family. I'm fortunate that I can do this and blessed to have such a supportive husband. On to the family- Jonas and Nolan are learning new words daily...including "potty." We have been working for several weeks on using the potty but until tonight, all the boys would do was sit on it. I wasn't complaining though. They would sit for an hour if I'd let them! But then tonight- NOLAN USED THE POTTY! I got all excited and was dancing around the bathroom saying "Yay, Nolan you used the potty! Go Nolan!...etc" you get the idea! Nolan started dancing around and then looked up at me and said "I potty!" Ok, I'm overly proud but hey- Nolan used the potty! Here are some pictures from the past week! Enjoy!

Nolan showing off his potty skills...he takes his blankie & a book to potty :)

Jonas has to watch everytime he gets on the potty

Jonas telling mommy that he's done...or in his words "all done"

Best Friends

Sweet Nolan in his favorite place...rocking!

Brushing their teeth on mommy & daddys bed

Dad- this picture is for you! The boys in their "Future Goldwings" suits!

Jonas fell asleep eating lunch :) He is such a stinker!

My little boys...

Its official! My boys can now take off their clothes, take off their diapers, and RUN from mommy! Oh the excitement at our house :) Just thought I'd take a few minutes and post some recent pictures of the boys. We went for their 18 month checkup and all is well. They both weighed in at 26lbs and were 33 inches tall! I know I say it a lot, but they are so much fun! They are using more words and are hilarious to watch together! Chris has taught them how to give "dap" which is touching fist together. He'll say "Jonas, give daddy some dap" and Jonas will come running across the room to give daddy dap while saying "dap, dap, dap"...its so cute. I tell you this because while we were seeing Dr. Lin, Nolan looked up at him while Dr Lin was in the middle of his assessment, held up his fist to Dr Lin, and said "dap"....it was so funny! Dr Lin had no clue what to do so I had to help him out! I'll post a video soon of the boys giving "dap"...until, enjoy the pictures!

I finally caught him! He thought it was funny!

My big boys LOVE chili

Jonas letting me know that he needs more ;)

Nolan ended up with both bowls- they like to pass things back and forth- lovely, I know

Nolan being Mr. Artist- he really gets into it!

Jonas painting

A little upgrading....

After several threatening emails (just kidding) of people wanting to see the new bedrooms, I've finally given in and posted pictures even though I'm not finished with the boys playroom and still don't have the rug in the boys bedroom...but you win- here they are! It all started a couple weeks ago when my pregnant sisterinlaw brought a book of nurseries and childrens rooms over to my house to show me the ones she has narrowed it down to. Chris and I had been talking about painting the boys room and toning down the bright orange stripes of their nursery. Nolan can just about climb out of his crib so I had been looking at getting them "Big Boy Beds" too! I got their bed (actually its at moms because I'm sanding it and painting it black instead of it having a wood finish) but we decided to leave the boys in their cribs until spring- that is unless Nolan out-smarts us! I looked at the book and fell in love with this room- and made my own version in the boys room! As soon as I get their bed finished and put together, put the rug down, and finish hanging everything on the walls, I'll post more pictures. But with school starting back and being in clinicals several days a week, my postings have been scant! I've also posted pictures of the boys playroom at the bottom- they absolutely LOVE their room and I LOVE that its childproof and has a gate so I can get some things done around the house! Enjoy and tell me what you think!

A few "before" pictures...



Supplies after a trip to Hobby Lobby

Tbe boys painting artwork for their new bedroom

The letters before I painted them

Their new bedroom, looking in from the hall

Names on the wall

Their cribs

The curtains that I made myself! After hours of sewing, they turned out great!

The armoire in their room

Reading corner = mommy with both boys in my lap rocking and reading bedtime stories..

As you can see, I'm still working on painting all the artwork for the walls of the playroom...

First look inside Jonas & Nolan's new playroom!


Closet with riding toys

Building & Basketball corner

They LOVE their tents & tunnel

A view of their playroom looking out into the den in the basement...

Suggestions Anyone?!?

I've been a real blog slacker lately! I guess life just got too busy and I promise to update soon... But for now, I have 2 things that I really need some imput on...

1. Shoes!! Yes, my closet is absolutely FULL of them, but believe it or not, I don't have a single pair of comfortable dress shoes! I started clinicals today and was so excited! I got up extra early and got dressed! I couldn't believe it was finally my day to evaluate and diagnose patients on my own! So off to the Drs office I went wearing dress pants, my white lab coat, and knee high boots! Let me tell you- by the time I walked into the 6th patients room, my feet were KILLING me! Thank goodness it was a pelvic exam and I got to sit down...yes, I was excited about that! So here's the question- does anyone know of a brand of shoe that is dressy & trendy but also comfortable? My feet are DYING to know :)

On a side note- my first clinical day was AWESOME!! The Dr I am with let me dive right in. I was evaluating, ordering labs, and writing prescriptions by noon which was thrilling and exciting. I have worked so hard for this! Being in the ER for the last 5 years has really REALLY helped me out and I feel like I got a jump start. The Dr is great and I love working there! I am with him 2-3 days a week thru April and I'm so excited!!!

Now onto #2- Chris and I are members at Grace Baptist Church in Karns. We LOVE our church and couldn't imagine leaving....until now. Before we had kids, it was easy to get up and make the 40 minute drive. We were always the first couple there for Sunday school. However, having kids has really changed everything and while I wouldn't take my kids back for the world, getting to church in Karns is too hard! Our Sunday school class starts at 8am which means we have to leave our house by 7:10 am on Sunday morning in order to park, drop the boys off in their class, and get to ours! We put our house up for sale last year in hopes of selling and moving closer to the church. Believe me when I say that a lot of prayer has went into this decision! We took our house off the market a couple months ago because the housing market is so slow! Now that this has happened at TVA, I doubt our house will sale anytime soon! So we need a church! We would really like to find a church around here with a large number of young families and that has a contemporary service. Not that churches that sing out of hymnals and play the organ are bad, its just not what we're used to or looking for. So does anyone out there have any suggestions. I've heard there is a church in Kingston, but I have not heard the name...

I will try to update our blog this week with new pictures of the boys and catch you up on them...they are so precious- but then again, I'm partial! Hope you all have a great week!