Redheaded Ramblings

Our big scare...

2012-01-27T11:35:00.003-05:00

As I have blogged about in previous posts, I have a cognitional heart defect and have been monitored more closely than normal during this pregnancy. I have been having echos done every trimester and they have looked good so far. Last week I had my 3rd trimester echo and then worked all weekend, feeling just fine. On Monday I got a call from my cardiologist who said the pressures in my heart were significantly higher and he recommended me being seen by a specialist at a bigger university hospital. I then talked with my OB who agreed. After talking with Tyler, we decided to go to Duke University which is about 3 hours away.

On Tuesday, My OB spent most of her morning on the phone trying to get in touch with a Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor (MFM- basically a high risk OB). On Tuesday around lunch, she called and said she had spoken with the doctors and they wanted me to come down and get admitted as an inpatient that afternoon so I could meet with the whole team and they could run tests in a more timely manner than trying to get it done outpatient. If my pressures really were that high she said they were planning on delivering me early! After a small freak out moment, I gathered my composure and started getting my things together. I had no idea what to bring! Was I going to have a baby this week? in a few weeks? What kind of clothes do I need? Should I take baby stuff?By early afternoon Tyler was able to leave clinical early and we headed out. So many thoughts were running through my head! It is not good to be a ICU nurse and former nursery/NICU nurse married to a med student. We know way too much!

That evening we arrived at Duke and we were taken to the Labor and Delivery floor. We had a great nurse and doctors to come meet with us and talk about a plan. They gave me my first of 2 steroid shots that evening to help mature Audrey's lungs in case she had to be born soon. All of the staff was very reassuring and I felt like we were defiantly in the right place. I knew if anything happened they would be able to take care of Audrey and I.

The next morning I had a repeat echo done by a tech who specialized in doing them on adults with repaired congenital heart defects. He was so smart and did such a thorough job. He showed me things on the echo and explained exactly what he was looking for. Thankfully, my heart pressures were elevated but not nearly as high as they had originally thought. I also was able to have an ultrasound to check on Audrey. She is doing just fine, weighting at about 5 lbs and measuring about 2 weeks ahead in length. This was also a relief to hear. That afternoon a cardiologist that specializes in pulmonary hypertension (which is what my higher pressures are called) came by after looking at my echo. she said everything looked good to her and she was not worried about my higher pressures since I wasn't having any problems. She explained that she expected to see them higher because during pregnancy there is more blood volume being pumped through She said she would look at it again in the morning with some other cardiologist and would let us know if any further testing such as an MRI or cardiac cath was needed. She said both would be safe for the baby if they thought that is what I needed (though I had concerns). That night I received my second dose of steroids to help mature Audrey's lungs.

The next morning, as promised, the cardiologist came in and said she had reviewed my echo again with the other doctors and they were also not concerned (praise the Lord!). She also said that the plan of care for me would be no different with an MRI or Cath so they didn't think I needed either (hooray!). This is what the MFM docs were waiting on. After hearing from cardiology they came and talked with me about "the plan". They said they would let me go home (yay!) and have me see my OB this coming week. In 2 weeks I will come back to see them and have another echo just to make sure nothing drastic has changed with my heart. Then I will see my OB again the following week. The week of Feb 20th we will go back down to Duke and be induced around the 21st. I will be 36 weeks then and Audrey will be closer to term. I will be watched closely but they are going to let me labor and have her vaginally. If for some reason there are issues they will do a c-section. I will then go to ICU for at least 24 hours so they can monitor me more closely. The good news is as long as Audrey checks out ok she is allowed to come with me! We know we will be in good hands and cant wait to meet our little girl!

We are so thankful for all of the text and calls! It was such a whirlwind and there were so many unanswered questions we tried to keep things on the down low. We are so lucky to have such great friends who offered to do anything for us and took care of our 4 legged child while we were gone. We are blessed and Thankful...

Ha...

2012-01-19T15:44:00.000-05:00

4D Ultrasound try...

2012-01-10T17:30:00.003-05:00

This week baby Audrey is 30 weeks old and weighs about 3.6 lbs. We tried to do a 4d ultrasound but she was being silly and rubbing her eyes and sucking on her arm and hand so we could not get a good picture of her face. We will try again in a few weeks and see if she is being more cooperative!

Tyler was able to go with me to this appointment and we talked in length about the pro's and con's of vaginal vs. caesarian delivery due to my repaired heart condition. Dr Altizer was going to speak with my cardiologist and maternal fetal medicine doctors today and see what their concerns are as well. Starting this week, I will be having weekly fetal non-stress tests to make sure Audrey is not having any problems. I will also start seeing my OB every other week. It looks like the plan for now is to deliver at 39 weeks (by induction or c-section) as long as everything continues to go well. That means only about 9 more weeks until we get to meet our sweet baby... EEK!

Christmas in Dixie

2012-01-10T16:37:00.005-05:00

Tyler and I were fortunate enough to be able to spend about 2 weeks in Mississippi with our families around the holidays. I'm glad we were able to work this out since Tyler will be starting residency this summer (hooray!) and he will probably not have much time (if any) off during the holidays for the next few years.

We decided to drive from Virginia to Mississippi during the night to avoid traffic and made it to my grandmother's house at about 10 am Christmas Eve morning. After a quick nap and light lunch we were ready for the festivities to begin. My family has dinner and opens presents on Christmas Eve and Tyler's family has lunch and opens gifts on Christmas day so thankfully, the Christmas holidays are not too crazy trying to get from one place to another on the same day.

My cousins and I- Christmas Eve
Tyler and I Christmas Eve
Caroline and I- Christmas Eve
My family- Christmas Eve
All the grandgirls and Austin with our grandparents- Christmas Eve

Tyler and I- Christmas Eve at the Whittington's lake house
Merry Christmas... 27 Weeks Pregnant
While I was home I celebrated my 27th birthday on New Years Day. I love DQ ice cream cake...and it covered my pregnant belly in the picture =)

While I was home I found out that I had failed my 1hr glucose tolerance test and had to have a 3 hr one done (no fun!). Thankfully, I passed my 3 hr test and don't have gestational diabetes. That would have created a whole new set of issues... and I wouldn't be able to satisfy my sweet tooth for the next 10 weeks.

We are excited for all of the new changes to come in 2012! Tyler will start residency, we will be moving to a new town/state, starting a new job, and most importantly becoming parents!

River Pictures

2012-01-03T19:17:00.005-05:00

Wow... its been a while! Tyler and I are enjoying some much needed time in Mississippi visiting our families for the holidays. I will update more on another day but I wanted to share these two beautiful pictures Tyler took while walking by the river. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

More pregnancy humor...

2011-11-27T18:28:00.001-05:00

21 weeks...

2011-11-13T13:22:00.002-05:00

Well I've made it past the "half-way" mark... YAY! Since I am not sick anymore these weeks really seem to be flying by so fast! It's hard to believe that in just a few more months we will have a new little girl at our house. Baby girl has been more and more active as the weeks have gone on. I love feeling all of her little wiggles! She still doesn't have an official name yet but we are working on it! Naming a baby is SO much harder that I thought it would be! We want her to like her name because she will be called that for the rest of her life.... no pressure =).

I have received several requests for a "belly picture" so here it is...

Tickled PINK!

2011-11-02T17:15:00.005-04:00

We've had an exciting week in the Crisp house! We just returned from a great visit to Mississippi and were able to pick up my new mommy mobile! We got a 2012 Ford Edge and LOVE it! We had been thinking about upgrading my Ford Focus and knew we were going to need something with more room and this seemed like the right fit for us!

Also this week we were able to find out that Baby Crisp is a GIRL! We still haven't finalized a name but I will update when we do. While in Mississippi I was able to have a fetal echo done by one of my Pediatric Cardiologist and the baby's heart checked out perfect! Everything else looked good with the baby at our ultrasound and we are so grateful! We count our blessings everyday and are so excited to meet this little bundle!

Baby Crisp Update...

2011-10-03T13:00:00.005-04:00

Hello October! I am so excited to see fall arrive! I love EVERYTHING about fall... colors, smells, weather, decorations! Another thing I'm loving this year is that I am feeling MUCH better since I am finally in my 2nd trimester. Everyone kept telling me to hang in there and I'm so glad they were right! I am not as sick, have more of an appetite, and have more energy. Praise the Lord! I went to see my OB this week and everything is looking good! I am not showing much yet and have only gained 2lbs but I'm sure that will all change soon! I also had an appt with my cardiologist and an Echo done. He said everything is looking good and he is going to review my case with some of his colleges at UVA just to make sure we are doing everything we are supposed to. For now, he is leaning towards me having a scheduled C-Section to reduce stress on my heart but no final plans have been made. I just want to do the safest thing for Baby Crisp and I so I am on board for whatever the doctors decide. I don't have any more doctor appts in October but in November (the 2nd to be exact) we find out if we are having a boy or girl. I am SO excited!!!!

Tyler has been trucking right along with 4th year rotations. He was in Kentucky last month and LOVED it. This month he is in Mississippi at UMC. The Crisp house if very quiet (and clean...ha!) because he also took Doc with him. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself for the next several weeks! Luckily, I will be flying down to MS for the end of the month to visit with family/friends while Tyler is finishing his rotation. I can't wait! I miss my boys so much!

A little humor...

2011-09-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

12 weeks and counting...

2011-09-09T18:10:00.005-04:00

Today I had my consult visit with the high risk OB in Roanoke. He was very nice and reassuring! I was also able to have another ultrasound and hear the heart beat. I don't have much of a "baby bump" yet but I'm getting there. Right now I basically look like I've had one too many doughnuts. I did invest in a little lifesaver today called a Be Band. It is a stretchy band you can put over your jeans so you can wear them unbuttoned but they still stay in place. I had started having to unbutton my jeans some so I'm excited about having this little invention. As I'm approaching my 2nd trimester I am FINALLY starting to feel a little better! I still can't eat much meat but I have more of an appetite and don't get nauseous as often (praise the Lord!). I will have a fetal echo around 21 weeks and we are scheduled to find out if we are having a boy or girl on November 2nd...I can't wait!

Baby Crisp was being stubborn this morning and didn't want to cooperate but after a little coaxing by the ultra sound tech the baby had a little fit and started moving around like crazy. It is so strange to see the baby move on the screen but still not feel it... maybe in a few weeks!

This picture shows the outline of the face a little better...

Finishing up the summer with a BANG...

2011-08-25T14:34:00.005-04:00

Wow...summer has flown by! Tyler and I have been very busy and my blog has been neglected. It has been a whirlwind few weeks! Tyler took his oh so important boards at the end of June. He did VERY well and we are excited to see what opportunities come his way for all of his hard work. Also, he has started rotations for his 4th (and last!!!) year of Med School. He has worked so hard and done such a good job over these past 4 years...I am so proud of him! Ok, Let me do a quick cathch up on the end of summer.

At the end of June we were able to make a quick trip to Gatlinburg (which we loved) to share in one last wedding of the summer. Our friends Max and Sara were married in a little chapel at the top of a mountain. The views were breathtaking! If you look closely in the background you can catch a glimpse. The drive up and down the mountain was a little scary but totally worth the view! Max is in Tyler's class and we have been friends with him and Sara since we moved here. The are a great couple and we look forward to enjoying the rest of the school year with them.

In other BIG news Tyler and I found out that we are going to be parents in March!!! I am due March 21st to be exact. We got to see our little jelly bean for the first time on August 10th. The heart rate was 158 (very good!) and the baby was measuring right on time. In this picture I am 8 weeks along.

I am about 10 weeks now and am doing pretty good. I sleep ALOT and have been battling nausea pretty badly but hoping things will get better soon! Zofran has become my best friend...ha! Because of my heart issues the baby and I will be followed very closely. I will be seeing my OB here mostly but going to the high risk OB in Roanoke a few times. We are very excited and can't wait to meet this little one! I have my next ultrasound in 2 weeks. It is a little more detailed and will check for any genetic problems such as downs syndrome. So far everything is looking good and we pray everyday for a health pregnancy and baby.

Fedewa Wedding Weekend!

2011-07-03T19:05:00.017-04:00

Happy July!!! Tyler and I had another wedding this weekend, and like the last we had SO much fun! Our good friends Michael and Shay got married in North Carolina in Micheal's hometown called Oxford (cool huh?!). They are both medical students in Tyler's class and also the parents of Doc's sister Maggie. We love them so much and were so excited to share this special weekend celebrating with them!

On Thursday night we (the bridal party and dates) all met up at a bar and grill in town and had a good time getting to know one another.

On Friday morning the guys played golf and the girls had a luncheon. Both groups had tons of fun!

After lunch, we changed and I helped Shay decorate for the rehearsal dinner. It was held at a cute old house in downtown Oxford that has recently been turned into a restaurant. The food was delicious!

The wedding was held on Saturday at one of the local churches and the ceremony was beautiful! Afterwards we went to the country club for the reception. Everything was so nice and we all had such a fun time! Those Fedewa's really know how to have a good time!

The cakes...
Isn't this cool?!

Officer and a gentleman...The new Mr. and Mrs. Fedewa...

The First Dance...

Love her!

The groomsmen/groom singing to Shay...this was so cute and funny! The picture does not do it justice!

Tyler and I met lots of new and fun people this weekend and we all had a blast together! The boys were so fun to be around and their dates were just a fun!

Ocracoke, NC

2011-06-20T12:49:00.023-04:00

Last weekend we had the pleasure of going to Ocracoke, NC for our good friends' (Charles and Amy) wedding. We had heard the outer banks were beautiful and we were not disappointed!

In order to get to Ocracoke, we had to ride a 40 minute ferry. Doc was not a fan...

Our Ferry's name was Roanoke..how ironic!

The first night we had dinner by the boat dock and timed it just right to watch the sun set. It was a great way to begin our weekend!

We stayed in the Blackbeard Inn. Blackbeard was a pirate who supposedly shipwrecked right off the island of Ocracoke. They actually just found a anchor they think belonged to his boat! We thought we needed a picture with him before the wedding =)

The wedding was held at the lighthouse...it was such a neat place!

Dinner after the wedding... YUMMY (and beautiful)!

One day we took Doc for his first beach experience. He is not a water lover so it took some coaxing to get him interested but he warmed up to the idea quickly and had lots of fun. Unfortunaly, he drank too much salt water (can you say bad parents?!) and the result was not pretty... lesson learned

His favorite part of the beach was the sand. From previous post, it is apparent how much Doc loves snow...we think he thought the sand was just warm snow =)

Goodbye Ocracoke...

Fun in the Sun

2011-06-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

WOW! I'm so thankful to see June! During those long winter days I never believed this warm sunshine would return! We actually reached a record in our county on May 30th of having temps above 90 in the month of May. Now, this Mississippi girl just had to let out a chuckle but I am enjoying every ounce of sunshine I can (while wearing sunscreen of course!) Virginia really is so beautiful and I love living here so much! With the looming reality of moving next summer, I am trying to take in all of the beauty and savor my last year in this beautiful state.

Here is a golf course (The River Course) Tyler likes to play. I always enjoy when he invites me to ride with him! This was a gorgeous day to enjoy my husband's company, the sunshine, and the river. I love being close to water... reminds me of my hometown that is built on the Mississippi river.

One of the perks of being a nurse is having weekdays off. On Tuesday some of my friends and I decided to take advantage of the warm weather and go tubing down The New River. Unfortunately, the river was too high and they were not allowing tubing so we will have to save that adventure for another day! Although we were disappointed, we decided to try and find something else to do. After some discussion we went to Craytor Lake and hung out at their "beach" area. The water felt amazing and the sunshine was wonderful (especially since I feel like a vampire working night shift...ha!) What a GREAT way to start out the summer!

Relay For Life 2011

2011-06-01T14:57:00.007-04:00

On May 20th Montgomery County held their annual Relay For Life. As before I teamed up with my friend Cynthia and took charge of the team for our hospital. We had such a fun time and were very successful! Our goal was $5,000 and we raised well over that! Our small community once again had the most money raised per capita in the country! This year over $150,000 was raised! Here are a few pictures from the night...

Chocolate Chip Cake

2011-05-04T08:00:00.002-04:00

While our visitors were here we made a chocolate chip cake. This cake is easy to make and oh so yummy so I thought I would share the recipe with my fellow bloggers...

Ingredients:

(Cake)
1 Duncan Hines Yellow Butter Cake Mix (I used Kroger brand and it was just fine)
1 small box Jello milk chocolate instant pudding (again I used Kroger brand)
8 oz. sour cream
1/4 cup water
1 cup oil
4 eggs
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

(Icing)
1 stick margarine
2 tablespoons cocoa
5-6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box powdered sugar

Directions:

(Cake)
Beat first 6 ingredients together. Add chocolate chips and pecans. Spray 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.
*This cake has a tendency to not be totally done by 40 minutes in some ovens so be sure to use a toothpick or fork to check the center before removing from oven.

(Icing)
Combine first 4 ingredients and bring to a rolling boil. Add powdered sugar and stir quickly until ready to spread. Spread evenly on cake (spreads well even if cake is still warm).

I recommend you enjoy with a tall glass of milk or coffee =)

Post-Easter Visitors

2011-05-03T18:57:00.009-04:00

The day after Easter my Dad, Sister, and grandparents came up for a quick visit. We did some shopping, eating, coffee drinking and visiting. I'm so glad they were able to visit (even though it was short!).

Doc was the center of attention as always and loved every minute

Doc says "Hotty Toddy"

He loves his aunt Caroline

Item of the Week: 2 dummies...

Photo ops... Caroline and I

Dad and Docster

My sweet grandparents

And of course, my favorite Med Student (who only has about 4 weeks left of his 3rd year...hooray!)

We missed my mom who was at a teacher conference in New Orleans!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-23T15:30:00.003-04:00

Spring is finally here! I have enjoyed watching the flowers and trees really come to life these past 2 weeks! I'm so thankful for the beautiful seasons we are able to enjoy here in Virginia (even if it means a snowy winter). I am starting to work on my flower pots and will soon move on to my flower beds (yay!) Tyler and I are getting excited because my dad, sister, grandmother and grandfather are coming to visit for a few days this week! Doc will enjoy the extra playmates and we of course will enjoy the company! I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter with your family and friends!

Brother/Sister reunion

2011-04-18T17:18:00.006-04:00

We were excited to have one of our friends, Shay, stay with us Sunday night since she had a meeting in town today. Doc was even MORE excited to have his sister, Maggie, come for a visit. Shay and her fiance Michael got Maggie from the same breeder as Doc and they have the same dad. They have many of the same mannerisms and even look very similar. I really want a second German Shepherd (when we move to our next house and hopefully have a yard) so having Maggie visit was a nice preview to having 2 big (shedding) dogs in one house. They played and played and wore themselves out. Since they were moving most of the time few pictures were taken but I was finally able to snap a few when they finally crashed.

A few suggestions...

2011-04-12T16:41:00.008-04:00

Ocean Potion Ever Glow lotion! I discovered this a few years ago in college and I love it! It only takes one application to start seeing subtle results! I just put it on after I get out of the shower and it does it's magic! I have always wished I could be tan so this is the next best thing =). The best part about this lotion is it smells like oranges and doesn't have too much of a "self-tanner" smell. So if you are hopelessly pale like I am this is the perfect spring/summer lotion for you!

GEL EYELINER! So as many of you know I am a fan of makeup (sometimes a little on the dramatic side...ha!). I especially love eye makeup...probably because I'm a redhead and have no color =). Anyway, for about 10 years I have used liquid eyeliner, which most girls find really difficult to use, but always came easy to me. When a friend suggested I try gel eyeliner I must admit I was a little skeptical as I am not a big fan of change... BUT I'm so glad I decided to give it a try. It is super easy to apply (I really think anyone could do it) and you can make it as thick or thin as you like. I have this Maybelline kind and so far I am loving it! It stays on great (even through 12 hour shifts) and doesn't smudge! I just had to share and suggest you try it!

Hair cuts all around

2011-04-09T21:44:00.002-04:00

Another rotation month has come and gone...I can't believe it! Tyler finished his surgery rotation this week and will be home with Doc and I for the next 4 weeks (Hooray!). He really enjoyed it (as I knew he would) and impressed the surgeon (as I also knew he would) with his knowledge, skills, and personality. He will be doing Family Medicine here in town this month so we are looking forward to some extra family time!

This weekend everyone in the Crisp house got a fresh look! Doc went to the vet and had a bath and his nails clipped (have to protect the new floors ya know...ha!), I gave Tyler a hair cut, and I got one too! I have been struggling with the decision "to cut or not to cut" for a few weeks but my hair had gotten so long and it was giving me headaches and making my neck hurt too. It got to the point that I couldn't even really wear my hair up for any amount of time (a terrible problem when you are a nurse!). So, today I took the plunge and chopped it off. After the first few snips I already felt lighter...ha! The weather today has been quite rainy so my curls have become tighter as the day has gone on. I'm hoping my "summer cut" will bring warmer temps sooner than later! Here's to hoping...

NEW floors!

2011-03-27T20:34:00.005-04:00

Our new floor are FINALLY done and Tyler and I couldn't be happier! We chose a distressed hardwood for the living and dining room and a darker vinyl for the bathrooms and kitchen. Since the wood is distressed it doesn't show scratches from the big dog-child and the darker vinyl doesn't show any dirt. We love them! The guys finished on Thursday afternoon and then it was my turn to clean, clean, clean and get things back in order. Here are a few pictures (they don't do them justice though!)

Downstairs bathroom where it all began...

Dining room...

Since the water damaged the wood floors we were able to redo the floors all the way through the living room...bonus!

Since we were already redoing floors, we opted to spend a little extra and do the kitchen and upstairs bathroom so everything would match...

Making Progress

2011-03-11T23:20:00.005-05:00

After lots of measuring and discussing our options, Tyler and I have finally picked out the new floors to be installed after "The Flood" (which you can read about HERE). We upgraded our wood floors and are putting the same vinyl we picked for the bathroom in our kitchen and upstairs bathroom too. We think this will add a little extra appeal when we put our house on the market this time next year (Scary...I know!). It will take about a week for the flooring to come in and they should be installing them by the following week. I'm so excited...I think it's going to look GREAT! I will add picture updates when I can!

In other news, Doc and I are preparing for another month without Tyler. He will be back in Bluefield starting Monday for his surgery rotation. Even though I hate when he is gone, I'm excited for him because I know he is really going to enjoy being in the OR. He will hopefully get to work with some of the anesthesiologist too (His true love).

Since the weather has been pretty nasty this past week I am looking forward to some much needed sunshine time with this sweet boy...

Ha!

2011-03-07T12:30:00.000-05:00

How many dogs does it take to change a lightbulb?

2011-03-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

This was too cute not to share...

1. Golden Retriever: The sun is shining,
the day is young, we’ve got our whole lives ahead of us, and you’re inside
worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?

2. Border Collie: Just one. And then I’ll
replace any wiring that’s not up to code.

3. Dachshund: You know I can’t reach that stupid lamp!

4. Rottweiler: Make me.

5. Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with
my squeaky toys in the dark.

6. Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let
me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I?
Pleeeeeeeeeze,
please, please, please!

7. German Shepherd: I’ll change it as soon
as I’ve led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven’t missed
any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried
to
take advantage of the situation.

8. Jack Russell Terrier: I’ll just pop it
in while I’m bouncing off the walls and furniture.

9. Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? I’m
sorry, but I don’t see a light bulb!

10. Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can
still pee on the carpet in the dark.

11.?Chihuahua?: Yo quiero Taco Bulb. Or
“We
don’t need no stinking light bulb.”

12. Greyhound/Saluki: It isn’t moving. Who
cares?

13. Heeler/Australian Cattle Dog: ?First,
I’ll put all the light bulbs in a little circle…

14. Poodle: I’ll just blow in the Border
Collie’s ear and he’ll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house,
my
nails will be dry.?

Keep going…

How many cats does it take to change a light bulb?

Cats do not change light bulbs. People change light bulbs. So, the real question is:

“How long will it be before I can expect
some light, some dinner, and a massage?

The Flood

2011-03-03T12:59:00.007-05:00

Since Tyler is doing ER this month at the same hospital I work at, our schedules have been the same a few shifts. Last weekend we both worked Saturday and Sunday nights. On Monday morning we came home to what I refer to as "The Flood". Our main floor bathroom had somehow overflowed while we were both gone for 12+hours and flooded out entire bathroom! There was so much water it had come out into the kitchen on our wood floors and leaked through the ceiling of our basement and soaked the carpet. When we went down to the basement that morning it literally looked like a waterfall coming from the ceiling...not cool! We had to have a clean-up company come and dry everything and check for moisture. They pulled up some of the floors to make sure it was all dried and cut a hole in the ceiling where the leak had occurred. Here are a few pictures....

The Culprit
Main Bathroom

Kitchen...all of these floors are going to have to be replaced...they go through our whole living room as well

The basement

The contractor is coming today so hopefully we will be able to develop a plan to where we go from here....what a MESS!

Our FAVORITE BBQ sauce

2011-03-02T22:05:00.009-05:00

Wow...I've been a bad blogger but I'm going to try and work on that! Life has been busy this third year of med school! Each month is different for Tyler and in turn for Doc dog and I. Some months he is in Bluefield, WV and others he is here in Christiansburg. This month we have enjoyed having him home while he does his ER rotation. He is really enjoying all of the diversity and has even got to do some suturing. Last month he did OB in Bluefield and really enjoyed it as well....but his love is still anesthesia =). I am so proud of him and all of his hard work! I can't believe we are only a few months away from being done with this third year!

Ok, enough rambling! Back to what I wanted to share. As most of you know we love Gatlinburg and one of our favorite things to bring back from a trip is this BBQ from here...
It's called Pappy's White Lightnin and is the perfect blend of BBQ with just the right kick of spice. We love to use it on new things when we can so Tyler recently made some ribs. They were DELISH! If you are a BBQ lover like we are I highly recommend you to try this one!

And what's a blog post without a picture of our four-legged child who is still working us with those eyes...

Video-Doc in the Gatlinburg Snow

2011-01-18T11:26:00.009-05:00

Tyler and I FINALLY got a new camera (hence, all of the pictures!). We discoved how to make videos with it too so Blogger beware =) Here is one of Doc playing in the snow with some children while in Gatlinburg...

Snow+Kids=Doc heaven!

Snowed-in

2011-01-18T11:06:00.001-05:00

On the way back to Virginia Tyler, Doc and I stopped at one of our favorite get-aways, Gatlinburg. We love to stop for a few days whenever we get a chance and our journey back from Mississippi was a perfect opportunity! For my birthday Tyler surprised me with a couples massage apt we would get while we were in Gatlinburg. Unfortunately we were no prepared to get snowed-in! We missed our massage and had to get a gift certificate but we had a wonderful time being snow-in! Here are a few pictures...

This dog had fun on all our travels but he sure was glad to get back to his own house!

Since we missed our massage because of all the snow we have a great excuse to go back down to Gatlinburg for a weekend! Yay!

Mississippi Christmas

2011-01-18T10:16:00.013-05:00

I had to work Christmas this year (Oh the life of a nurse..ha!) so we went down to Mississippi after Christmas for a visit at the end of December. We had such a GREAT time seeing our family and catching up with friends!

A RARE moment in the Freeman house caught by my Dad

Doc even shared the couch with Caroline =)

My Birthday "cake and coffee" get together

At The Lake for Christmas with the Whittingtons

So much fun getting to see everyone! It was nice to have a break from all of the snow and freezing tems! We look forward to our next trip down south!

Crisp's Visit

2011-01-18T09:11:00.013-05:00

Whew! What a bad blogger I have been! Life got busy during the holidays so please allow me to place catch-up over the next few post.

At the beginning of December Tyler's parents came for a little visit! We were so excited to have them here for a few days and Mrs Donna turned the big 5-0 too! Since we only live a few hours from DC and Tyler's parents had never been we decided to take them on a little quick trip. We had lots of fun!

The Crisps with the Capital in the background

Photo op in the lobby at our hotel

Mr Tucker is such an animal man...he even fed squirrels in DC...ha!

We met some celebrities...

And we even met a beautiful German Shepherd =)

All of us in front of the Capital

We were SO glad the it snowed a little bit a the end of their trip! These Mississippi folks just don't get to see this white stuff too often!

We had so much fun and LOVE having visitors! We look forward to another visit from them soon!

2 new Thanksgiving dishes

2010-11-26T21:41:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Tyler and I are so blessed and have so much to be thankful for! This year, and the past 2 years, we were unable to go to MS for Thanksgiving because of our work/school schedules. We really missed being with our families but joined our friends at their house and enjoyed some wonderful food and even better company! Here are a few new recipes we tried out this year. Tyler actually made both of these (to my defense I made other things too...ha!)

This first recipe is one we found in the most recent Better Homes and Gardens magazine. We both love mint chocolate chip flavor so these were right up our alley!

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 pouch sugar cookies
1/2 butter softened
1/4-1/2 teaspoon mint extract
6-8 drops green food coloring
1 egg
1 cup creme de menthe backing chips (we could not find these so we just used mint chocolate chip chips)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks (we used dark chocolate)

1. Mix cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg in bowl, until soft dough forms. Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks.
2. Using small spoon drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.
4. Enjoy with a large glass of milk =)

This next recipe is defiantly not a traditional Thanksgiving food but we had some crawfish we needed to cook with so Tyler made this from our Southern Sideboards cookbook.

CRAWFISH QUICHE

1 10 inch pie shell partially cooked (deep dish!)
1 lb shelled crawfish tails
4 tablespoons minced shallots
3 tablespoons butter salt
Dash ground nutmeg
white pepper (he omitted)
5 tablespoons of dry white wine
1/2-3/4 lb mushrooms, sliced
3-4 eggs
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 tablespoon tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch pepper
1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese (we used pepper jack instead)
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare pastry shell. Saute the crawfish and shallots in butter for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Add the wine and cook another minute. Allow to cool. Saute mushrooms in a small amount of butter and set aside. Beat the eggs in a bowl with cream, tomato puree, salt, and pepper. Gradually blend in crawfish and taste for seasoning. Add the sauteed mushrooms to mixture. Pour the mixture into the pastry shell and sprinkle the cheeses over it. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 30 minutes at 375 or until quiche has puffed.

They were both so good and a GREAT addition to our feast!

I just had to share...

2010-11-14T14:15:00.004-05:00

With the holiday season quickly approaching I just had to share this sweet email I received...

A Nativity Scene was erected in a local church yard one night and the folks came across this scene. An abandoned dog was looking for a comfortable, protected place to sleep. He chose baby Jesus as his comfort. No one had the heart to send him away so he was there all night.

We should all have the good sense of this dog and curl up in Jesus' lap from time to time.

This is too sweet not to share...not to mentioned that the dog breed is a "shepherd!"

A Fun Fall Weekend

2010-10-25T11:19:00.008-04:00

Tyler and I love this time of year and have been enjoying our time together on the weekends when he would come home from Bluefield. On Friday Tyler finished up his Family Medicine rotation and this means he will be back home in Christiansburg for the next two months...YAY! This weekend we had so much fun! On Friday night we introduced The Sherman's to The Chateau Morrisette (a favorite of ours as many of you know). On Saturday we enjoyed the day in Roanoke and on Sunday we carved pumpkins and ate chili with our friends Ashley and Matt. We look forward to more fall fun especially now that Tyler is home until January!

Can you find the Doc pumpkin?

On a more serious note, here is a video worth watching. One of the girls in my "med school wives" bible study, Christine, is one of the leaders in a organization called Freedom 4/24. Most of us are blessed beyond what we know! I thought I would share this video in hopes that it would touch your heart as it did mine...

*In order to watch the video and not hear my background music scroll to the bottom of the screen to the green music box and click the pause button. This should pause the music so you can watch the video*

Quick trip to Oxford

2010-09-27T23:05:00.002-04:00

What a great weekend! Tyler finished up with his Internal Medicine rotation and test on Friday and we headed out for Oxford, MS. Since we got a late start on Friday we stopped in Nashville for the night and then arrived in Oxford for the fun to begin on Saturday morning. We were SO excited that both of our parents (and even my sis) were able to come to the game!

After buying some Rebel attire and having lunch we hit the grove.

We were excited to finally see the controversial quarterback Masoli play...here he is at the Walk of Champions

My sister Caroline came up with some of her friends for the game. When did she grow up?

We had awesome seats and I really enjoyed getting to be with my parents for the game!

The weekend went by way too fast but it was worth the long crazy drive! We hope the Rebels keep playing well because we are planning on going to the Tennessee game in a few weeks!

A much needed weekend together

2010-09-20T11:20:00.006-04:00

From previous posts you know that Tyler is away this month and next doing rotations in Bluefield, WV. He is able to come home on the weekends but unfortunately I have been working the last 3. Last Wednesday was our 3 year anniversary and I had this whole weekend off, so we decided to go to our favorite place to celebrate...Chateau Morrisette winery in Floyd, VA. We had wonderful weather and were able to sit out on the porch and enjoy the sunset. Our meal was fabulous as always and we enjoyed being able to have a much needed "date night". It's hard to believe we have been married for 3 years now...it makes us feel old =)

Last week I won tickets at work to the Virginia Tech/ECU game on Saturday. It worked out perfect that I was off and Tyler was home. It was my first Tech game and we had such a great time! Regrettably, we weren't thinking and forgot the sunscreen and I am paying dearly..uggh!

Sadly such a fun weekend had to come to an end and Tyler had to return to Bluefield early this morning. This is his last week of Internal Medicine rotations and then he will begin family medicine. Although I hate he is away during the week, we both agree these weeks are going by really fast and for that we are thankful! Tyler is doing well in the hospital being with the residents and attendings and I enjoy hearing about his experiences every evening. Being in the hospital is definatly more fun than being in the classroom!

Tyler will be in back in Blacksburg on Friday to take his end of rotation exam and then we will be headed here...

We couldn't me more excited! We haven't been to a home game at Ole Miss in 2 years! They will be playing Fresno State on Saturday and one of the guys in Tyler's class who went to Fresno is making the trip to Oxford with us! Although the Rebels haven't been playing well this season we are excited about just being back on campus. My sister is coming to the game with some friends and both of our parents might get to come to the game too! We are hoping these next 4 days go by quickly so we can begin another fun weekend!

Hello September!

2010-09-02T18:03:00.010-04:00

Hello September...I love you! I am so excited to see September arrive! I love this month for many reasons including: Our Wedding Anniversary, My husband's birthday, the promise of cooler weather and fall colors soon, college football and mellowcreme pumpkins! If you can't tell fall is my FAVORITE season! I love the smell of the air, the clothes, the decorations...ahhh I'm so glad it's that time of year again!

Tyler has almost completed his first week of rotations. He is doing well and enjoying being in the hospital verses the classroom. The only bad part is that he is in Bluefield, WV during the week and weekends when on call. Unfortunately when he will be home on the weekends I will be working (for the next several anyway...just how my schedule worked out this time..sad!)

While Tyler has been away I have been trying to keep myself busy. One thing I have been wanting to try is jewelry making. So, I have watched several you-tube videos and tried making a few pieces. They turned out cute but I know I will get better (and faster) with practice. Here are a few of my creations (the pictures are not great...my poor camera is dying a slow death I'm afraid)...

I am so thankful for my Doc more than ever since Tyler has been gone! He keeps me company and makes me feel safe. I love my sweet boy!

A Happy Ending

2010-08-26T17:08:00.005-04:00

Our summer is ending soon but it has a happy ending...Tyler got his score back on his boards and did really well! He is pleased with himself and I am proud all of his hard work payed off! I go back to work Friday and Tyler starts his first rotation (Internal Medicine) Monday. Our lives will be back to "normal" and summer vacation will be over (sad!). I am excited and scared to see what this year of rotations brings. Each month Tyler will be rotating to a different specialty and therefore have a different schedule each month. He will be doing several of these rotations (including his first one) in Bluefield, WV, which is about 1.5 hours away. Depending on his schedule he will be staying in WV during some of these months. I know everything will work out as it should...I can't believe he is half way done!!!

In other news I tried out a recipe I borrowed from one of my fellow hometown bloggers. It was so good so I thought I'd share (I'm sure she won't mind!). Thanks Stephanie for such a great recipe!

INGREDIENTS:
4 skinless boneless chicken breast (about 1-1/4lbs)
1 egg (slightly beaten)
3/4 cup of Italian bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese
1 jar (26oz) Marinara Sauce
DIRECTIONS:
*Preheat oven to 400 degrees
*Dip chicken in egg, then bread crumbs, coating well
*In a 13x9in glass baking dish, arrange chicken
*Bake uncovered 20 minutes (+25 degrees for metal pan)
*Pour the marinara sauce over chicken, then top with cheese
*Bake an additional 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink
Serve if desired, with hot cooked pasta
Makes 4 servings

Baby Austin is HERE!

2010-08-21T17:54:00.007-04:00

Austin Lane Perry was born this afternoon at 1:11 weighing 9.5lbs and 21 in long. This sweet baby boy belongs to my cousin Sarah and her fiance Jamie. I am so excited for them and wish more than ever that I could be there to hold this sweet chunky man =) Don't worry Austin, I will spoil you from afar until I get to meet you in person!

Our little beach vacay

2010-08-20T21:34:00.013-04:00

Let me start with a confession... I am not a beach person (or so I thought!). After the winter we had here in Virginia though, I was craving something warm and tropical. A few months ago when Tyler and I were dreaming of vacation, going to the beach was totally not my first choice. As time went along and funds became tighter (thank you med school) the beach looked like the best decision. I am so glad we made that choice! Being a redhead the beach really scares me =). Now don't get me wrong, I think it is BEAUTIFUL and I love to listen to the waves, but becoming a lobster in less than an hour even with sunscreen always makes me a little skeptical. I have had some TERRIBLE sunburns in my younger years and don't ever want to relive them!

I had mentally prepared myself and was equipped with SPF 50 and 90 when our trip began. I was able to really enjoy being on the beach and stayed out in the sun just long enough to get a little pink but not cooked (Thanks to my husband who made sure every inch of my exposed skin was covered with sunscreen). We had a WONDERFUL time and only wish we could have stayed longer! I can't wait until our next beach trip!

This was the view from our room. It was so nice to wake up to this every morning!

This was my view from "our " spot on the beach...

This is Tyler soaking up the sun. He studied so hard this summer so I was glad to see him relaxing...

I love flip flops!

One night we went to a place called "Broadway on the Beach" where we discovered Margaritaville! The wait for dinner was 1.5 hours so we decided to do a little shopping in the stores nearby while we waited.

And it was totally worth the wait! I love a good margarita and Jimmy Buffett did not disappoint!

What's a meal at Margaritaville without a "cheeseburger in paradise"? It was SO good!

This was a really cool margarita maker that only worked when the song "Cheeseburger in Paradise" played in the restaurant.
Going on vacation with just your husband is lots of fun but it also usually means not many pics as a couple (much like honeymoon pics of just one person or the other...ha!) On the last night we met up with one of my friends from work and her boyfriend for dinner at an all you can eat seafood buffet. We tried to take this picture after dinner but clearly my camera (and I) was still thawing out from the FREEZING restaurant so the lens was blurry and we didn't know it....sad! In the pic Tyler is sporting one of his new golf shirts (thanks Crisps!). He was in golf heaven in Myrtle Beach and was able to play with some guys he met while we were there (if you know Tyler, you know how good he is at "networking"=)).

I am so thankful we were able to take this much needed trip but we were so glad to see this sweet face again!

Spicy Pimiento Cheese and my SWEET boy

2010-08-05T10:24:00.008-04:00

Let me start by saying I love Pimiento Cheese! I recently talked to my grandmother and she was telling me how they made their Pimiento Cheese by using words like "some" cheese and "a little bit of" jalapenos. Unlike my husband, who can throw things together by "taste" and make them wonderful, I require direction! I also am somewhat OCD and really feel I need concrete measurements and clear step by step instructions to make things the "correct" way. So, with my grandmothers help we found a recipe in May's issue of Southern Living. If you have ever read this magazine you know that they like to make things from scratch but their recipes always turn out fabulous. The recipe I found not only had the regular ingredients but onion, pecans and jalapenos. I was really just craving good 'ol "plain" pimiento cheese. So I took the recipe and omitted a few things.

One of their suggestions was to not use pre-shredded cheese because freshly shredded cheese made a difference. One thing I learned from this is that I need a new "good" grader =). BUT freshly shredded cheese is SO good!

MY (kinda spicy!) Pimiento Cheese~

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Mayonnaise
1 (4 oz) jar diced pimiento, diced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (4 oz) jar jalapenos, diced
1 (8oz) block extra-sharp cheese
1 (8oz) block sharp cheese

Directions:
In a large bowl stir together mayonnaise, pimiento, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper, and jalapenos. Shred the cheese and add to the mixture. Can store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

*Warning- this is SPICY so omit the jalapenos and/or red pepper if you don't like spice. I love hot foods so it tastes wonderful to me!

Doc and I have been spending lots of quality time together since Tyler has been studying all summer. Sometimes he likes to lay ON me (I am under the blanket) instead of WITH me...

"Mom, this is SO boring...can we PLEASE just go on a walk or something?"

How could you say no to this sweet face??!!

Many Prayers Needed...

2010-08-01T16:48:00.007-04:00

Well...Tomorrow is the BIG day Tyler has been preparing for over the past several months (years really!). He takes the USMLE tomorrow which is his boards test. He will take another one on the 10th. These test will determine residency selection (WHOA!) in a couple of years. He has been studying SO hard and putting in countless hours. I am very proud of him and all of his hard work! Please say a prayer for him to have a clear mind and calm nerves. I know he will do GREAT!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6

THEN after his test on the 10th I will be off for over 2 weeks and Tyler will be "free" until rotations start in September! We are planning a little trip to the BEACH! We are both looking forward to this much needed break...Can't wait!

EASY Lasagna...Yum-o

2010-07-20T18:02:00.009-04:00

I made Lasagna this week and thought I would share my recipe. As most of you know by now I usually only make meals that are quick and easy...this is no exception. Lasagna is a great meal to freeze and save for later or take to a friend. This recipe will feed 8 adults and makes great left-overs (Tyler and I like it better the 2nd day)!

EASY LASAGNA~

Ingredients:

1 lb. beef ( I use lean)
32 oz. Ragu ( I use traditional flavor)
1 box lasagna noodles (I use whole wheat)
24 oz small curd cottage cheese (I use fat free)
3 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup water

Directions:

Brown meat in skillet. Add Ragu and water. Bring to a boil and set aside. Spray 13x9 and layer beginning with meat sauce and ending with Parmesan cheese (meat, noodles, cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan) in 2 layers. Cover tight with foil. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Happy Sunday

2010-07-11T17:09:00.007-04:00

We have had such beautiful weather this past week (even with the heat wave!) My husband has been deep in board study for about 2 months now. I am very proud of all of his hard work but I will be glad (and he will too!) when this is all over in August when he finally takes his boards. Yesterday he took at practice test to see how he has progressed and did REALLY well! He is very smart and I know he will do good job on the real thing as well. With all of Tyler's studying I have had to find something to occupy my time.

Doc has been the usual fun companion- snuggling, taking naps and playing with his daddy on breaks. Doesn't he just look so innocent?!

I on the other had was going stir crazy until I discovered (via instant Netflix) the world and obsession of 24. Jack Bower has taken over my free time and I feel as though I MUST keep watching the next episode to find out what happens next. If you have not fallen prey to this show I warn you not to begin watching unless you have ALOT of free time on your hands.

I have also been finding some new recipes to try. With the recent heat wave I am reminded of summers in Mississippi (though still not as hot and humid) and have been inspired to try my great-grandmother's praline recipe. They turned out perfect!

Southern Palines~

Ingredients:
2/3 cup half and half
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons melted margarine
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Direction:
Combine sugar, half and half, and salt in a deep bowl. Mix well. Stir in butter. Microwave 8 minutes, stirring once. Stir in pecans. Cool about 1 minute. Beat by hand about 3 minutes until mixture is creamy and begins to thicken. Drop by Tablespoons on wax paper. Let stand until firm.

Hope everyone has a Happy Sunday!

So true....HA!

2010-07-07T00:39:00.002-04:00

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-03T08:22:00.004-04:00

Happy 4th of July! I am proud to be an American and so thankful to all of the soldiers who fight to allow me to live in the "land of the free".

God bless America,
Land that I love, Stand beside her and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above;

From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam,
God bless America,
My home, sweet home.
God bless America,
My home, sweet home.

6/30/10

2010-06-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

Today is important for 2 reasons:

Reason #1
Today is my momma's Birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU! My parents leave Friday for an Alaskan cruise. Though I am a little jealous, I hope they have lots of fun!

Reason #2
ECLIPSE! This was my favorite book of the Twilight Saga I, along with the rest of America, got wrapped up in....CANT WAIT!

Nursing...

2010-06-29T11:40:00.001-04:00

2 sweet recipies...

2010-06-23T08:00:00.002-04:00

When our company was here this weekend we enjoyed a couple of yummy deserts and I thought I would share the recipies. They are both really simple (which I love)!

Blueberry Desert~

Ingredients:
2 cups of sugar
2 sticks of melted butter
2 eggs
bread
blueberries (washed)

Directions:
Spray a 9x13 pan and cover bottom with blueberries. Pinch apart pieces of bread to cover the blueberries (the more bread you use, the more crust you will have). Mix sugar, butter and eggs and pour over bread. Cook on 350 until brown and bubbly.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake~
Ingrediants:
2 rolls of chocolate cookie dough
2 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
2 cups sugar

Directions:Spray 9x13 pan. Spread one roll of dough on pan. Mix together cream cheese, eggs, and sugar. Pour over dough. Spread other roll of dough on top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

A fun family weekend!

2010-06-22T12:55:00.012-04:00

This weekend Tyler and I had the pleasure of having my parents, grandparents and sister (and Chico) come for a visit. We had such a good time!!!!

On Friday we had a cook-out to celebrate their arrival. The weather has been so nice in the evenings so this was the perfect way to enjoy it. Tyler did a fantastic job on the grill!

The next day we enjoyed a trip to Floyd, VA where we ate at Chateau Morrsette and enjoyed the Floyd Jubilee downtown. The food was delicious as always!

After the harsh winter I have really been struggling with what to do with my flower beds. Well, my green-thumbed parents and grandparents came to the rescue.

The loot...

The end result...SOOOOOOOOO much better!

I love my yard men =)
After we cleaned up from the yard work we all went shopping and then headed to Texas Roadhouse.

We had so much fun and are thankful for all that they did/do for us!

A good way to begin the week

2010-06-09T11:10:00.008-04:00

Tyler and I have had a nice week thus far. We started the week on Sunday by having dinner with the Sherman's at their beautiful house in Roanoke. Dinner was WONDERFUL and the company was even better. We had such a good time! We were even given a fresh loaf of homemade bread to take home. We have enjoyed some wonderful sandwiches! I just LOVE homemade bead!

I was also excited to notice that some of the flowers I had forgotten about during the long winter had started to grow and bloom....yay!!!

AND, last but not least Tuesday was big Doc's 2nd Birthday. He was spoiled as usual. Our friends brought hims some doggie ice cream which he loved.

And he was also given an Ultimate Busy Bone. This thing was HUGE but he was able to finish it off in a little under and hour...whoa!

Unfortunately this year I could not find his birthday hat...

Easy Quiche

2010-06-09T10:55:00.007-04:00

I tried a new quiche recipe this week and thought I'd share. It's from one of my favorite websites for recipes www.kraftrecipes.com

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 onion, chopped

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

4 eggs

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 frozen pie crust (9 inch), thawed (I suggest using a deep dish crust!)

HEAT oven to 375°F.

COOK mushrooms and onions in large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in spinach.

BEAT eggs, milk and dressing in medium bowl with whisk until well blended. Add spinach mixture and cheese; pour into crust. Top with bacon.

BAKE 50 min. or until center is set and top is golden brown.

Then we finished the meal with some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies....yummmm!

Congrats....

2010-05-30T19:36:00.002-04:00

to the new Mr. and Mrs. Casey Smith! The wedding was beautiful and we were so glad to be a part of your big day!

Critical Care Nurses do DC

2010-05-22T17:48:00.007-04:00

I was blessed enough to be chosen to attend the Critical Care Nurses Convention put on by National Teaching Institute. This year the conference was in Washington DC. I have been to DC a couple of times but its always neat to be able to go back and be able to attend such a GREAT conference. I was surrounded by 7000 + other Critical Care nurses (quite a humbling experience) and each day I was able to choose several sessions to attend on various topics concerning Critical Care. I was overwhelmingly inspired and am SO proud to be a nurse!

This is us in the "Super Sessions" held for everyone each morning...

We never knew what to expect! One morning we were greeted by Indians representing several different tribes and they shared a inter-tribal dance with us. It was amazing!...

And another morning we were greeted by a marching band...

Each afternoon we finished up with classes around 5 so we were able to do a little exploring. This is China Town (DC style) and of course we ate Chinese for dinner...

And we just had to go to Union Station...

On Wednesday we has what was called "nurses night out" sponsored by the exhibitors that came to the conference. From 6:30-10:30 three of the Smithsonian were open just to us nurses! We started out with a yummy dinner right in the middle of downtown...

It was so cool having it all to ourselves!...

I had to wipe the drool off of my lips as I took in all of the exquisite jewelery...It was breathtaking, especially for a jewelry lover like myself. The pictures just don't do them justice...

And this is the Hope Diamond!!!...

Just an example of each section of gems...these are Topaz...

There were also some other really beautiful natural stones in these rocks...

Julia Child's Kitchen...

The first ladies exhibit had all kinds of neat things including jewelry, china, and dresses...

Fonzie's Jacket...Heeeeey...

Apolo Ohno's speed skates from the Olympics this year...

Kermit the Frog here...

At one of the booths you could turn yourself into a neanderthal...so...this is what I would look like...

A REAL mummy! It was completed with such care and precision....

This reminded me of Night at the Museum so I just had to share. Can't you just see them coming to life after hours =)...

We had so much fun and I am SO thankful I was able to attend!

Sweet Baby Brady is HERE!

2010-05-15T21:00:00.004-04:00

As mentioned in a previous blog our friends were expecting a sweet baby boy any day. Mr. Brady finally made his appearance on Wednesday May 13th. He was 6 lbs 12 oz and 21 in long. I LOVE babies and nothing brings me greater joy than snuggling with a new little bundle. Mom and baby are home and well. Brady's daddy is in Tyler's class and his mommy is a nurse at my hospital. I look forward to watching this little man grow over the next few years!

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for"- Unknown

I see some....

2010-05-06T15:25:00.004-04:00

Deck sittin' in my future...Ahhh...

A new hobby?

2010-05-06T10:59:00.010-04:00

I wanted to do something creative for our friends who are expecting their baby (Brady) any day now. They are HUGE Red Sox fans and are decorating the nursery with a baseball theme. Here is my little project...
Maybe I will start painting some canvases to sell on ebay so I can have money for more fun purchases...hmmmm

In other news this week is nurses week. I love what I do and know that being a nurse is my true calling. I have the best co-workers who are heroes everyday. Here is a little poem I found that I thought I'd share...

Give me strength and wisdom,

When others need my touch;

A soothing word to speak to them,

Their hearts yearn for so much.

Give me joy and laughter,

To lift a weary soul;

Pour in me compassion,

To make the broken whole.

Give me gentle, healing hands,

For those left in my care;

A blessing to those who need me,

This is a Nurse's prayer.

I love ebay-ing!

2010-05-05T13:30:00.012-04:00

As mentioned in my previous post, Tyler and I love ebay-ing! Sometimes I fear Tyler might try to sale me on there if I sit still long enough =). Besides our new Keurig coffee maker here are a few of my most recent ebay purchases...

A Claddagh bracelet hand-made in Ireland...

I have wanted a Claddagh ring for some time but now that I am married and have a real ring of my own a bracelet will do. I just love the story and tradition that surrounds this symbol. In Ireland this was a symbol to the world of your relationship "status". If a girl was single she would wear her ring on the right hand 4th finger with the heart facing outward revealing she was available and her "heart was open". If a girl was in a relationship she would wear the heart facing inward. When the girl got engaged she would place the ring on the left hand 4th finger with the heart facing outward. And finally when the girl was married she would turn the heart inward. Neat huh....I think so =)

A German Shepherd Patch for my scrub top...

Yes, I love my dog and I can't help it!
A David Yurman ring...

Totally a guilty pleasure of mine! I have coveted (ok maybe that's too strong of a word!) David Yurman jewelry for several years and finally worked a few extra shifts to buy one of my own. I love it and am not ashamed of my big selfish purchase =)

Last but not least 2 German Shepherd watercolor portraits by Ron Krajewski...

I told you I love my Big hairy (and sometimes destructive) Dog!

I could easily become addicted! There seems to be an endless amount of possibilities and SUCH good deals! **sigh**

Our new toy

2010-04-26T20:26:00.003-04:00

Tyler and I LOVE ebay and finding great buys. Our newest toy is this Keurig coffee maker. My parents had one when we went to visit at Christmas and Tyler has been wanting one ever since. He found an unbeatable deal on ebay and we received it this week. Needless to say we have been putting the free sampler pack of coffee to use. If you are a coffee drinker this is a must!

Catching up with the Crisps

2010-04-26T19:43:00.004-04:00

I have been away from the blogging world for some time it seems. Not much has been happening in the Crisp house lately. Tyler just started his last block of 2nd year! He did so well last block on all of his tests...I'm so proud! He had a week off before this new block started and we decided to make the long drive to MS to see our family.

Chico bullied Doc like always and even ate Doc's food...poor Doc =)

Tyler has missed hunting so much since he has been in school. Turkey hunting is his FAVORITE so he went EVERY morning with his dad and was able to snag this turkey early in the week. He was pumped...

On the way back to Virginia we stopped to attend a wedding in Jackson, MS. The bride and groom are both in Tyler's class and both happen to be from Mississippi (small world). We have become good friends and were so glad to be able to share this special day with them! Luckily we made it out of town before all of the bad weather hit. Please remember those who lost loved ones and property in the Yazoo City tornado.

And last but not least Tyler and I are turning over a new (and painful) leaf and trying to eat a little healthier. With our crazy schedules nutrition is not a priority but we are working to change that. Tyler cooked this meal of salmon, mahi mahi, and asparagus to kick off our healthy new cuisine. He said it was inspired by Chef Andrew Sherman (who graciously cooked a similar meal for us in the fall).

We are back in the grind but so thankful for the time we were able to spend with our family!

No matter how good of a nurse you are...

2010-03-29T18:43:00.004-04:00

Feeling Springy

2010-03-20T11:53:00.010-04:00

The Crisps are so glad to see signs of spring! This warm weather has put me in the mood for this...
I love angel food cake and I just happened to have these strawberries for an extra treat! Big Doc is also glad the LONG winter is over. He is excited to be able to get out of the house and has been spending most of his days on the deck in the sun. P.S. please don't judge my dead flowers in the pictures... I will work on them soon =)

Last night I went with a friend to see Alice in Wonderland. It was sooooo good! I have always loved this book and have been waiting to see the movie since I saw the preview last summer. AND I think I have received inspiration for a Halloween costume! What do you think?!

Spring Fever

2010-03-12T11:07:00.003-05:00

We are so thankful things are starting to thaw out up here! As of today I can officially say there is no more snow in my yard! I have not had a snow free yard since before Christmas so this is a reason for celebration! We even had temps in the low 60's at the beginning of the week and were able to take big Doc to the park. These few little hints of spring are giving me spring fever for sure! We are planning on visiting Mississippi for about a week in April and I can't wait to wear tshirts and flip flops!

Speaking of Mississippi, one of the things that helps me cope with being a Med School wife 14 hours away from family is a weekly bible study. This bible study is wonderful because it is made up of other Med School wives like myself. We are able to vent if needed and share advice with women who are all in this same season of life.

Right now we are doing a study by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs called Love & Respect. With a husband in school sometimes we start to feel like we do most of the work to keep life moving and that we don't get to spend the quality time with our husbands that we need. This thinking causes us to be hypersensitive and disrespectful to our hardworking husbands. This study is really opening our (my) eyes to see how men desire respect from their wives instead of love. To women this sounds silly because we have been wired to desire love over all. The study is based on the verse in Ephesians 5:33 when Paul writes "Each one of you also must LOVE his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must RESPECT her husband".

Women are by nature loving, but not respectful. This is why we as women are called to respect our husbands because this is something unnatural to our nature. Our culture has taught us that for someone to be respected they must do something to earn it. This is not the case in a marriage. Women must show their unconditional love AND unconditional respect to their husband. This has been an eye opener for us and we are excited to continue to learn how showing respect to our husbands will encourage them more than we thought possible. I recommend this book to anyone who is married. It will open your eyes to see how your spouse thinks and why they react to situations the way they do.

Broccoli Bread

2010-02-27T11:13:00.005-05:00

After a long stretch of work I had a few days off and decided to try a few new recipes. One of them was this Broccoli Bread (its more like cornbread). It was a hit at our house so I thought I would share.

Broccoli Bread~

INGREDIENTS:
1 stick of butter
1 package of frozen broccoli, chopped and thawed
1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix
1 chopped onion
1/3 cup milk
4 eggs, beaten well
2 cups shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Melt butter in pan. Pour half the melted butter into mixing bowl with other ingredients. stir well. Pour mixture back into pan with other half of butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min (it took a little longer in my oven).

My Lifesaver this winter

2010-02-18T22:31:00.006-05:00

As you can tell by previous post we (along with the rest of America) have had a pretty rough winter. As a nurse I wash my hands about 384787989843874 times a shift. The combo of the cold and constant hand washing has done some damage to my hands. This has been my lifesaver this winter. So if you have hands (or any area of your body really) that need a little TLC I highly recommend this product. It has made such a big difference that I just had to share...

In other news... Today we actually had a little sunshine!!!! I don't think I have ever been so happy! I have been buying a few little pots and things for my deck. Tomorrow I'm going to buy some cute red adirondack chairs. When the snow melts (which can't happen soon enough) I plan on having a CUTE deck this spring...hooray!

Snow Play Date

2010-02-13T15:36:00.005-05:00

Doc and Maggie have been feeling the effects of cabin fever this week too! We decided a play date at the field would be just the cure. Aren't they BEAUTIFUL?!

Snow and King Cake

2010-02-11T20:23:00.012-05:00

wow...2 post in a day...can you tell I'm stuck inside =). As promised here are a few pictures I took earlier in the week before we got 4 more inches. These pictures will make you cold just looking at them...guaranteed!

Since I was trapped inside I decided to try making a King Cake. Tyler and I both LOVE them and up here in VA they have no clue what they are. This recipe is from http://www.hollyclegg.com/.

The Snowman is even upset...

2010-02-11T10:31:00.002-05:00

My thoughts exactly Mr. Snowman...
Winter has been CRAZY! We have had so much snow that everyone is trapped inside most of the time. I will post some pictures soon...I'm having a hard time making myself go out to take them though =).

Kentucky Trip

2010-02-07T14:25:00.008-05:00

Tyler and I had a nice little trip to Kentucky during his break from school. We were able to escape VA right as the snow started. It snowed the whole way through WV and things got a little tricky but we made it! This ice/snow driving is no fun! While in KY we were able to hit on a few highlights of the state. Basketball is a HUGE deal! We enjoyed a basketball game at the Rupp Arena because Ole Miss happened to be playing Kentucky while we were visiting. Although Ole Miss lost, the game was fun and the experience of the Rupp was really neat!
Another biggie in KY is horse racing. We drove through the famous Keeneland tracks but there was not much action this time of year. The track was bigger than we expected! Maybe one day we can take a trip during the Derby =)

Lastly KY is known for the "Bourbon Trail". One afternoon we drove to the Maker's Mark Distillery and took a tour. It was really neat to see how the whiskey is made. It's quite a science! I think my favorite part was watching them dip the bottles in the trademark red wax.

We were glad to get away for a few days and escape being snowed in during the big winter storm. We have TONS of snow on the ground and actually had to come home a day late because the roads were so bad. We are really glad to be back home with our Doc. We sure do miss him when we travel without him!

January Happenings

2010-01-26T17:04:00.006-05:00

This month has gone by sooo fast and we have just been trucking right along. At the beginning of the month I reached the 25 year mark...not really sure how I feel about this! Old man weather has not been kind to us this month. The snow from Christmas week JUST melted this week (finally!). We have had several days and nights of ice and snow. This is lovingly refer to this as a "wintry mix" and is never a phrase I like to hear on the news. As I type this it is snowing again. I actually went shopping today in the snow and didn't think twice about it...does this make me a Yankee? If I was in Mississippi I would have been locked in my house with a weeks supply of water =). Doc of course welcomes any and all snow that comes our way...ha!
Yesterday was a big day for the 2nd year VCOMers because they found out where they would be doing their rotations when 3rd year begins. Some people will even be moving out of the state! We are sad (but excited) for our friends that will be leaving. We are thankful we get to stay here since I love my job and we own our house. It is so hard to believe that med school is half way over! HOORAY! Next week Tyler has the week off so we are going to Kentucky for a few days to get away. We are also going to be able to catch an Ole Miss Basketball game at UK and Tyler is going to meet with the Director of Admissions for the Anesthesia program at UK. This is one of the programs Tyler is looking at for residency so we are just going to check it out. They are also opening up a NEW hospital this year and it's awesome! We have heard it is beautiful there so I'm excited!
In other news....THE SAINTS ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!!!!! We don't get to catch many Saints games up here in Virginia but we were excited to get to watch them win this big game and move on to the Super Bowl...can't wait!

Until next time...STAY WARM!

A CUTE video and an EASY recipe =)

2010-01-13T11:31:00.006-05:00

I got this link in an email and thought I'd share with all of the dog lovers out there...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H17edn_RZoY

CROCKPOT RANCH STEW:

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground beef

1 onion (chopped)

1 can Rotel

1 can corn

1 can Ranch beans

DIRECTIONS:

Brown meat and onions together. Combine meat and all other ingredients in crock pot. Cook for 8 hours on low. Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Christmas week

2009-12-31T22:06:00.013-05:00

Christmas week was a crazy one in the Crisp house. I worked 6 nights in a row in order to be off for several days around Christmas. During my work stretch we got 24 inches of snow in Christiansburg!!!!!! I loved seeing all of the snow BUT I actually had to hike out of my neighborhood to get to work then got stuck at the hospital! It was an adventure for sure and something I will never forget. Doc LOVED the snow as always and felt it was his personal early Christmas present =). Since I was stuck at the hospital I was not able to take many pictures but here are a few provided by my husband...

On Tuesday we headed south to Mississippi for Christmas with our families. We literally experience a 50+ degree warm up. We left Christiansburg with snow on the ground and had the AC on by the time we hit Natchez....definitely a shock to our system! We unfortunately did not take many pictures with our camera but we had a wonderful time! Doc got lots of attention and we were blessed with way too many presents. Tyler and I were so good in fact that we had to rent a uhaul to bring back all of our loot =)

We would like to wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR and look forward to what 2010 holds!

Nutcrackers and BBQ

2009-12-15T16:37:00.007-05:00

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas season! It seems to have come so FAST this year! Tyler is wrapping up exams this week and I am getting ready to work for a few nights before we make the long journey to Mississippi for Christmas! While Tyler and I have been busy these past few weeks Doc has been fulfilling his duty as guard dog. Instead of guarding against the "bad guys" coming into our house Doc feels that we have already let some "unwelcome visitors" in. These so call "unwanted visitors" happen to be my nutcrackers =). My mom was actually Clara in the Nutcracker Ballet when she was a little girl and has collected nutcrackers ever since. When Tyler and I got married I started collecting them too. I love them BUT little did I know my big German Shepherd would not. This has been the scene in our house for the past few weeks of Doc "guarding" the nutcrackers. If he is not sitting and looking at them he glances their way when he walks though the room to make sure they are in their spot being "good". We have laughed so much at him!

In other news here is a BBQ Beef recipe (another slow cooker) I tried out this week and it was SO good!

INGREDIENTS:

1 (3lb) boneless chuck roast

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

salt/pepper to taste

1 (18 ounce) bottle BBQ sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place roast into slow cooker. Sprinkle with garlic powder and onion powder, and season with salt and pepper. Pour BBQ sauce over meat. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

2. Remove meat from slow cooker, shred, and return to slow cooker. Cook for 1 more hour. Serve hot.

The first snow...and an easy slow cooker recipe

2009-12-05T13:30:00.007-05:00

Today we had our first good snow of winter and it was beautiful! Doc man LOVES the snow and would play out in it all day if we let him =). Personally, I think it's more fun to sit by your Christmas tree when there is snow falling! Here are a few pictures...

I have been trying out a few new recipes and here is an easy slow cooker cranberry roast. Slow cooker recipes are great for us 1. because we have such crazy schedules and 2. it makes your house smell wonderful!

INGREDIENTS:

1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix

1 (3 lb) beef chuck roast

1 (16 oz) can jellied cranberry sauce

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place onion soup mix in bottom of slow cooker. Place roast in the slow cooker, and top with cranberry sauce.

2. Cover, and cook 8 hours on low.

3. Remove roast, and set aside. Set slow cooker to high. Whisk together butter and flour, and slowly mix into the liquid remaining in the slow cooker to create a thick gravy. Serve with the roast.

It was oh so easy and delicious! See?!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T10:39:00.001-05:00

TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING,BUT I JUST COULDN'T SLEEP.
I TRIED COUNTING BACKWARDS,I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP.
THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED -THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE,
BUT I FOUGHT THE TEMPTATIONWITH ALL OF MY MIGHT.
TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION,
THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME INFATUATION.
SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR,
AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE, FULL OF GOODIES GALORE.
GOBBLED UP TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES,
PICKLES AND CARROTS, BEANS AND TOMATOES.
I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND,
'TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I ROSE OFF THE GROUND.
I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE SKY,
WITH A MOUTHFUL OF PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF PIE.
BUT, I MANAGED TO YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES....
HAPPY EATING TO ALL - PASS THE CRANBERRIES, PLEASE.

MAY YOUR STUFFING BE TASTY,MAY YOUR TURKEY BE PLUMP.
MAY YOUR POTATOES 'N GRAVY HAVE NARY A LUMP.
MAY YOUR YAMS BE DELICIOUS.MAY YOUR PIES TAKE THE PRIZE,
MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF OF YOUR THIGHS!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

Meet Miss Maggie

2009-11-24T16:26:00.004-05:00

Our friends, Michael and Sha, recently got a 6 month old German Shepherd named Maggie. She is Doc's little sister (well half sister to be exact... they have the same dad). She is so pretty and reminds us so much of "little Doc". We took them to the park and they had a great time running. They even both splashed around in the creek! Such a fun time!

The Whittingtons Visit Virginia

2009-11-06T10:56:00.005-05:00

Tyler finished his block with great success and very good grades! I'm so proud of him! He is off this week and I arranged my schedule to be off most of the week as well. It has been wonderful to spend time together without med school in the way!

On Sunday Tyler's grandparents made the long drive from Mississippi for a visit. We really enjoyed having them! One of the things we really wanted to do while they were here was take them to the winery in Floyd, VA (http://www.chateaumorrisette.com/). We love to eat there on occasion and thought they would enjoy it too. We went for lunch (which was a new experience for Tyler and I) and did some wine tasting. It was wonderful as always! We actually have reservations for tonight because we did not know when we would be taking them so we are going to go back for a date night before a new block starts! I'm so excited!

This is a picture of the gang after a delicious lunch!
And I just had to put one of the Parkway. Most of the leaves have changed and started to fall but the view is still breathtaking!

Amy's Wedding =0)

2009-10-28T10:55:00.005-04:00

Saturday, I had the pleasure of being the Matron of Honor in Amy's wedding. She was such a beautiful bride and the wedding was so wonderful! Congrats to the new Mr. and Mrs. Campbell!

Thankfully Tyler is in his last week of this block! He has had LOTS of tests and LITTLE sleep but has done very well so far (Hooray)! He will have a break next week and I am off most of the week too. Tyler's grandparents will be coming for a visit next week as well so it should be fun!

I survived Metallica...

2009-10-21T13:47:00.007-04:00

On Saturday Tyler was able to fulfill one of his dreams...going to see Metallica in concert. It was intense to say the least. Here are a few pics...
I am feeling a little under the weather...ughh! On a good note though I will be flying to Mississippi in the morning to spend the weekend in Natchez and be in Amy's wedding...so exciting. Hope I can just shake this sore throat and cough!

Just a quick update

2009-10-11T01:17:00.004-04:00

Not much new to report in the Crisp house these days. Tyler is eyeball deep in studying and will finish up this block at the end of October. I have been working lots and learning lots as usual =). I have learned more in this year of ICU nursing than I could have ever imagined! Who knew that after the sweet babies I would enjoy taking care of adults this much?

Fall is my FAVORITE time of the year and the leaves and weather are changing as we speak! I can't wait for the peak of the fall colors...it's so beautiful here in Virginia this time of year. I will try to post some pictures when the leaves have changed more.

Doc is as spoiled as ever. I told Tyler that if our children are as spoiled as this dog we are in trouble! He now enjoys having a "pallet" to sleep on....oh boy!

I am looking forward to the next few weeks! Next weekend we are going to a Metallica concert. Yes, you read right....Metallica. One of Tyler's life long dreams has been to go see them and I am so excited for him! Me on the other hand...well I hope I survive =). Don't get me wrong... I enjoy them every now and then but a few hours might be too much to handle...ha! Then on the 22nd I'm flying to Mississippi to be in my best friends wedding on the 24th. I am so excited for her! I'm glad I will have another chance to visit with my family for a few days! When I return I will have the pleasure of working Halloween night...I can't imagine the stories I will have to tell...

FUN weekend in Music City!

2009-10-04T20:55:00.013-04:00

Tyler and I had a BLAST this weekend in Nashville! On Friday we enjoyed a little retail therapy and then that night we had the opportunity to enjoy a show at the Grand Ole Opry! Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month the theme of the night was "Opry Goes Pink" Every performer (mostly women) wore pink! We got to see lots of great singers including Carrie Underwood (love her!), Jo Dee Messina, Terri Clark and Lorrie Morgan.
On Saturday we enjoyed hanging out around town and then went to the Ole Miss vs Vandy game. The weather was PERFECT for football! After the game we went out downtown with friends. Fun was had by all =0) Thanks Steve for showing us a good time!

I am so thankful to have been able to have such a fun weekend away with Tyler! It was well needed! Please keep him in your prayers over the next few weeks. He has about 15 test left for this block and not much time to prepare for each of them as much as he would like. Until next time enjoy this wonderful fall weather!

Happy Anniversary!

2009-09-15T11:21:00.005-04:00

Two years ago today I married my high school sweetheart....

Labor Day Weekend in Oxford

2009-09-08T09:08:00.007-04:00

Tyler and I had a GREAT Labor Day weekend! Tyler was off Friday and Monday so we decided to make a trip to Oxford for the weekend and then go to the Ole Miss vs. Memphis game. On the way down to MS we stopped in Nashville to see our good friend Steve. He took us around town and we ate some yummy food! It was a nice way to break up the long drive!
We got to Oxford on Friday night and enjoyed riding around campus and walking on the square. Oxford has changed since we were last there over 2 years ago! On Saturday we went shopping on the square and around town and enjoyed some steak cooked by Mr. Estes. We didn't take any pictures (sadly!) but enjoyed it just being the two of us! On Sunday we met some friends and headed to Memphis to the first Ole Miss game of the season. We really wish it would have been a home game but beggars can't be choosers. We had so much fun!!!!!

We were able to FINALLY get home to Christiansburg on Monday after many hours of driving and being in lots of traffic. We were glad to see our Doc man too!!! We hope to MAYBE catch another game before the season is over....we'll see =)

Where has the summer gone?

2009-08-23T00:55:00.008-04:00

So were has the summer gone? It seems like it was just May! I really enjoyed having Tyler home and not studying ALL of the time like usual. It was such a nice change! He has already started his 2nd year! I am so proud of him..he is doing such a good job! I know it is tough to balance school, family, and fun. Besides spending time with Tyler and taking a few trips I have been doing lots of reading and have finally finished the Twilight series! I loved it!!! If you are a reader I suggest adding this to your list!

Doc's Granzy (Tyler's mom) sent Doc some spending money and he bought a rope bone and a stuffed beaver. Thanks Granzy!

Tyler and I hope to one day be able to get another German Shepherd...a girl =). We were looking at his breeders site and saw that she had put a new girl and boy on there. They reminded us alot of Doc and remembered him having a brother and sister who looked alot like them. What do you think?

This is Doc's mom and Dad.....

This is Doc's litter. As if you couldn't tell Doc is the 4th from the left. Aren't they so cute? We wanted to take them all home with us!

This is Doc beside the new older dogs his breeder has placed on the website. The white is female and the black and tan a male. They look like the bother and sister on either end of the puppy picture to us...hmmmm

Mississippi Girl

2009-07-31T22:37:00.011-04:00

Wow...I can't believe that July is over! Where has the summer gone?! Doc and I have really enjoyed Tyler's break from school this summer! We know that he will not be able to spend all of this time with us when school starts back in a few weeks!

A few weeks ago Tyler, Doc, and I were blessed to be able to spend 2 weeks in Mississippi visiting with our family and friends. We had such a good time! Doc got lots of attention from his grandparents and great-grandparents (and a few scraps of food I'm sure...ha!). He even made some new 4 legged friends and took his first boat ride. We are looking forward to visiting again around Christmas! (I will be back in October for Amy's wedding =0) )

Independence Day

2009-07-05T14:17:00.008-04:00

We had a nice relaxing 4th of July! Doc enjoyed the nice weather out on the deck....
For dinner, we went to Charles and Amy's house and grilled out. AND it also happened to be Amy's birthday so we enjoyed an ice cream cake from Coldstone =0). Doc and Moe love to play an I could only get one picture of them when they were being still. This is after they dug a hole and played in the dirt (thank goodness Doc is getting a bath on Tuesday!) All of his friends are golden retrievers...I think he believes he is one too! After dark we were able to sit outside and enjoy the fireworks they shot at the high school by our neighborhood. I love living in such a nice little town!

The weather has been SO nice here! I even had the windows open most of the afternoon....this would NEVER happen in Mississippi in July! Speaking of Mississippi, we will be headed south to visit our family and friends for about 2 weeks. We leave on Thursday!!! While we are excited to see everyone we are not excited about the HOTTTT weather we keep hearing about....

Visit to Washington

2009-06-26T10:54:00.025-04:00

Tyler and I went to DC for a few days with our friends Charles and Amy. Charles is in Tyler's class and Amy is a nurse at MRH too. We had a hotel in a great location right by union station so we were able to either walk or ride the Metro everywhere.
On Tuesday we went to the Red Sox vs. Washington Nationals game. We had a great time! I loved the "President race" during the game and we had a view of the Washington Monument from our seats. Then we enjoyed the beautiful night after the game.On Wednesday we were able to walk around Washington and see the sights. We walked to the White house, The Washington Monument, Ford's Theater, and then toured the Holocaust Museum. Tyler and I enjoy learning about the Holocaust and often watch movies and documentaries on the subject so we were really glad to be able to visit this museum. We even were even able to hear a first person account of the Holocaust from a survivor.
On Wednesday night we took the Marta over to Alexandria, VA. This is such a neat little town where all of the presidents use to live and play. We love walking around and seeing all of the little shops. We were able to eat at Gadsby's Tavern where George Washington loved eating with his friends. The food was WONDERFUL!

I just couldn't help myself...

Date Night Celebration!

2009-06-22T15:26:00.010-04:00

On Saturday Tyler and I went on a date to our favorite resturant Chateau Morrisette (http://www.chateaumorrisette.com/) in Floyd, VA to celebrate the end of Tyler's 1st year of med school. We went here for our 1 year anniversary and we could not wait for a chance to go back! The food is the BEST we have ever eaten! We were able to sit outside on the porch and enjoyed perfect weather, peaceful mountain views and a beautiful sunset. Here are a few pictures but they do not do it justice...

Doc's new friend...

2009-06-15T13:52:00.005-04:00

This is Doc's new friend Denali. She is a sweet German Shepherd who lives in our neighborhood. Her mom is in Tyler's class and decided they should have a play date. They had fun and we enjoyed Meagan and Jamie's company so we will do it again sometime soon!

P.S. This is Tyler's last week of school and we (Tyler, Doc and I) are so happy!!!

Eat, Spit, Be Happy...

2009-06-13T08:22:00.002-04:00

So...my husband is addicted to sunflower seeds. This is what I found in the office after a few hours of studying...
I think he needs help!

Happy Birthday Doc!

2009-06-08T17:02:00.008-04:00

Happy Birthday Doc! We can't believe our baby is 1! We have enjoyed him so much and look forward to many more years! Here are a few pictures from his special day...

P.S. We did not feed Doc any birthday cake...we enjoyed it for him =0)

Relay for Life 5/29/09-5/30/09

2009-06-07T17:13:00.020-04:00

Relay has come and gone! Cynthia and I had a great time being the team captains for the hospital! We raised almost $5,000 which was our goal. Montgomery County was in the top 10 of the country for funds raised per capita again this year. The grand total raised was around $130,000. The hospital's theme this year was "Hula for Hope"so our tent had a luau theme. Here are a few pictures from the night...

Caregiver Lap

Team Lap

Relay Fun with crazy nurses

The GREAT band

Luminaria Service...so beautiful

Getting late...and silly

"Miss" Relay

We've been up ALLL night...

Go Vote!!!!

2009-05-19T11:50:00.002-04:00

Will NBC be surprised??

Here's your chance to let the media know where the people stand on our faith in God, as a nation. NBC is presently taking a poll on "In God We Trust" to stay on our American currency. Please send this to every Christian you know so they can vote on this important subject. Please do it right away, before NBC takes this off their web page. Poll is still open so you can vote: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/
This is not sent for discussion. If you agree forward it, if you don't, delete it.By my forwarding it, you know how I feel. I'll bet this is going to be a surprise to NBC

The world will have a little less laughter....

2009-05-18T23:40:00.002-04:00

On Sunday my dad called before church to tell me my cousin had been killed in a car wreck on Saturday night. What a shock this was! Tom Rye was a dedicated police officer who was always full of stories and laughter. His laugh was contagious!! Life is so precious and short. Take a little time to tell those close to you that you love them and thank God for bringing them into your life!

Here is an article that was in the Vicksburg newspaper today....

Nine days short of his 40th birthday, Warren County Deputy Sheriff Tom Wilson died early Sunday morning when his cruiser flipped on U.S. 61 South.Today, his colleagues remembered Wilson as an officer with an infectious sense of humor who was as dedicated to the badge as he was to his family.“This was not a job for him, it was a calling,” said Sheriff Martin Pace. “I’ve never met anyone who so thoroughly enjoyed his job day in and day out. He loved serving the people of this community, and it showed.”Wilson, a deputy since January 2008 and a Vicksburg police officer for 16 years before that, heard dispatchers calling to check on an ambulance crew shortly after 1 a.m. The medical personnel had lost radio contact and Wilson was southbound to check on them.It had been raining and Wilson’s sedan apparently hit a pocket of standing water on the four-lane highway near the intersection with Grange Hall Road, hydroplaned and flipped. He was pronounced dead at the scene, said Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey. An autopsy performed Sunday cited trauma to the head as the cause of death, Huskey said.Vicksburg Police Lt. Bobby Stewart said he could tell Wilson was going to be an exceptional police officer from the day Wilson joined the force in 1992.“We just hit it off right away. He would actually work the shift before me, and then stay on to ride with me so he could learn more,” recalled Stewart. “He had an eagerness to learn, and he wanted to be as knowledgeable about the job as he could be. Every time he put on that badge and uniform he gave the community 110 percent.”Stewart had been on the force for three years when Wilson was hired after completing criminal justice studies at the University of Southern Mississippi. Wilson, Stewart and Billy Brown — who joined VPD in 1991 and has been with the sheriff’s department since September 2008 — formed a brotherly bond as the young officers learned the job together. Their families have spent countless holidays together, and they always looked forward to getting together each year for a Super Bowl party at Wilson’s home, said Brown.“I started calling him ‘Brother’ years ago, and that’s all I’ve called him since,” Brown said. “Tom was just the most complete law enforcement officer I’ve ever met or worked with. It was a career he chose at an early age, and something he always wanted to do. Tom had the same philosophy as I do: What makes you a good police officer is that you have a strong moral character in your personal life and a strong family foundation. Tom lived that philosophy.”Wilson would have celebrated his 40th birthday on May 26. He is survived by his wife, Betty, two children, Tyler Tharp, 19, and Colin, 10, and his parents, Tom Jr. and Shelby Wilson of Hamburg. Services for Wilson will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Bowmar Baptist Church on U.S. 61 South, with visitation to begin at 9 a.m. Burial will be at Green Acres Cemetery. Riles Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.After graduating from Warren Central High School, he went to USM, where he helped pay his college costs by working as a campus police officer. He also had a three-month internship with the Warren County Sheriff’s Department.Pace said Wilson was about two miles from the ambulance when the sedan flipped.“He was volunteering to help out. Typical Tom Wilson,” Pace said. “It’s truly like losing a family member. It’s tough, but probably the greatest tribute that we can make to Tom is to continue to serve the people of this community in the most professional manner possible — which is exactly what Tom would be doing if he were here.”The Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol is working on recreating the wreck to determine the cause, said Sgt. James Walker. Pace said there is no indication Wilson would have been traveling at a very high rate of speed in response to the call, and noted the stretch of U.S. 61 South where Wilson was killed is notoriously dangerous in wet weather.“That’s a treacherous stretch of highway that is notorious for holding pockets of water,” he said. “It appears at this time that the vehicle simply hydroplaned. He was not making any evasive maneuvers or anything like that.”The scene was less than a half-mile from where an SUV driven by then Warren County Coroner John Thomason hydroplaned off the highway and into a gas pipe on July 22, 2006. Thomason was killed in the wreck, which resulted in an explosion and fire.Brown said the atmosphere around the sheriff’s office will never be the same without Wilson, nor will his career or personal life. “The hardest thing is going to be going back to work. It’s not going to be the same job,” he said. “We worked together for 16 years. I’m never going to form that kind of bond and kinship again — that’s what hurts so bad. The last part of my career is not going to be as fruitful as the first part because he’s gone. You can’t replace him.”Along with is dedication to the force, Wilson was remembered by Pace for his ability to find a silver lining in every situation.“He was just plain funny. He had an incredible sense of humor, and he never lost his enthusiasm for life,” he said. “He enjoyed life every day.”Wilson was the first officer in Vicksburg or Warren County to be killed in the line of duty since jailer A.H. “Holly” Koerper was stabbed to death by an inmate while working alone the morning of July 6, 1976. Last week was the annual memorial event for officers killed in the line of duty. Wilson, who was working nights, was also the first officer on the scene 4 minutes after a call to Friday night’s mobile home fire in which two toddlers died.

A Texas size surprise!

2009-05-11T13:16:00.026-04:00

Tyler and I had such a fun long weekend! We have been planning for months to fly to Texas this past weekend for Tyler's grandfather's 80th surprise party. BUT we kept this all a secret and surprised his parents with the visit as well. We had such a wonderful time with the Crisp family in Texas!

On Thursday we few into Houston and went to as Astros vs. Cubs game at Minute Maid park....and it was LOTS of fun! A great start to our trip!

On Friday morning we drove over to Nacogdoches, TX to begin the surprises! We really enjoyed visiting with papaw Richard since we had not seen him in almost 2 years!

Then Tyler's parents arrived and were shocked to see us there! Look at these handsome Crisp boys!

His grandfather still did not know about his party so Mr. Tucker went ahead and gave him his birthday present a day early...a new gun! Needless to say he loved it!

On Saturday the guys were able to get papaw Richard out of the house for a few hours while we set up the backyard for his party. It was a great getting to see everyone! I have never been with so many Crisps at once..ha!

It's almost that time...

2009-04-27T13:34:00.005-04:00

Well It's almost relay time!!! Another ICU nurse and I have taken on the great task of being team captains for the hospital for this years Relay for Life. It has been very busy and overwhelming at times but our team had done really well with all of our fundraising. Little Montgomery County is actually #6 in the nation per capita on funds raised! Yesterday we had the Survivor dinner at the local high school and we had such a large crowd! It was wonderful! As a nurse I see so much cancer and how awful it can be for not only the patient but the family. It seems that everyone has been impacted somehow by cancer personally. My grandfather was a wonderful man loved by many. I watched this strong man's body become weak and frail because of cancer. He always had a great sense of humor and a story to tell. Since I was working in Jackson, MS at the time I could only see him when I was visiting Natchez for the weekend. I was fortunate to see him for the last time in good spirits and laughing and that is how I will always remember him. I hope that one day this horrible disease will be totally curable. Here is the link to my Relay for Life page....Check it out! http://main.acsevents.org/goto/ashleycrisp Please pray that our Relay event this year is successful!

In other news Tyler is taking finals this week! I am so glad that this long, tough block is finally over! We are almost done with first year! Tyler will have a week break after finals and then one more block that ends at the end of June. First year is almost done! HOORAY!

A good start...

2009-04-19T22:59:00.003-04:00

It is FINALLY starting to warm up some here in Virginia so I decided to start working on the flower beds. I have hated them since we moved in so I was glad to get my hands dirty and add a little color. I have just planted a few petunias but it's a start. I love flowers! When Tyler has a little more time we are going to dig up all of the "junk" bushes and other random plants and replace them as well. I can't wait to have it all done =0)

Front beds and pots by the door...

Flowers on the back deck...

Studying...

2009-04-16T21:50:00.003-04:00

Sometimes Doc helps his daddy study...

Easter Weekend

2009-04-12T21:08:00.006-04:00

On Saturday we went to Salem with some friends and watched the Salem Red Sox single A team. The game was lots of fun to watch and the Sox won...=0). There were mountain views all around the stadium and it was beautiful. After the game they had a fireworks show that was really great. It was a good (but cold) day.
Our Easter afternoon was BEAUTIFUL so we decided to take Doc to one of the local parks and let him run...and run he did. He had such a great time! He has such a fun personality and we are really going to enjoy having him outside now that the weather is FINALLY warming up. Here are a few pictures from our little outing...