A Big Rut & The Big E

I'm in a bit of a rut. A winter rut. I'm pretty sure all of MN (or the Midwest) is in this rut, but can it be OVER already?!?!

Today is the first day of more winter Spring. There is even an annoying Bubble Guppies episode on right now about the first day of spring. "Its such a beautiful day-ay-ay-ay!" Shut it little mermaids, and your odd under-the-ocean sunny day. Last year it was like 70 already, stunning weather. Which is probably making this long winter even worse, because last year's was so mild. I mean, I have pictures of going to the park in fall jackets in January. Blah. But I'm very ready to be done playing in the snow. Truth be told, I have been avoiding it for almost a solid month. I haven't brought the kids out while nannying for weeks, simply because I resent that it is still so freaking cold. And fellow mommies you know what I'm talking about here - how long can this routine of spending 30 mins getting snowsuits on for 20 mins of snow play, if that, last?!

Last year end of  March UP NORTH

Okay, enough of my ranting. I had to get it out, because my husband annoyingly adorably loves winter. Its creepy. We have been finding things to do though! We have been playing more inside: board games, indoor playgrounds, went to MOA last week (hooray toddler Tuesdays), "crafting", dance parties, movies, and lots of playing dress-up/with toys. Googling "games to play with preschoolers" has also been quite helpful. Seriously, google is my bff when it comes to finding junk to do with the kids. "Stuff to make out of pipe cleaners" has become a recent favorite when it is just me & the kids at home. So far the glasses have been a favorite. Next week we're making bunnies and flowers at work though! And hopefully this time Aaron & Jake don't end up stabbing each other with them.

Okay, no more winter blues. I was informed I needed to do an update on the Fam. I've gone to the OBGYN 3 times in the last 2 months. Can I first of all say having a male OB is awkward as heck?! But anyhow, I have been going because of pain in my uterus that my doctor thinks is Endometriosis. He thinks we caught it early on because I have only been feeling it for a few months. But also thinks it is the reason that John & I have managed not to get pregnant the last 3 years even though we haven't been using birth control (yes TMI, blah blah). So ,I have now been on the pill for 2 months (the hormones can help apparently), and the pain is mostly gone. It doesn't debilitate me for entire days anymore anyways. But he said if it continues to help and the pain gets even less, I just need to stay on BC. Forever basically. Which has thrown some odd emotions at me lately. We both felt we had been done having kids, but it makes me a bit sad that my body & a doctor have decided it 100% before I have. Like what if John somehow agrees to have another baby in the future once the kids are in school or something? And if the BC doesn't continue to help, or basically makes it at a stalemate, they first do a minor surgery to get rid of it, and if that doesn't work to stop it the end game is a full hysterectomy. I don't know, its just an odd feeling. And there is no way to know 100% what it is without doing the first minor surgery. So, I just sit here for a few months, and go in for another check in 3 months. Woohoo. But, I'm switching to a female doctor. Dr. Nielson is too much of a creepo.

Anywho! John is still working at Wells Fargo (BOOOOO evil bank). Seems to like it. We get sweet banking perks since he works there, which is nice! Its a different schedule to get used to, but we're making it work.

Brooke & Jake are doing great. Jake has been completely OFF his asthma medicine for 2 months. Such a blessing to have him healthy! I'm watching him like a hawk, but he seems to be doing well. Didn't even wheeze with his last cold! Both kids are in gymnastics through the city. It is so fun & adorable watching them do their classes :) Brooke started an evening preschool class, which she absolutely loves. She looks forward to it all week. Especially because her God-Mommy is her teacher! The only thing she is upset about is that they don't teach you how to write letters yet, so we work on that throughout the week; while we work with Jake on knowing all his letters. He is such a quick learner! He has all of his uppercase letters down, now just working on the lowercase.

I think I need to keep this up better. It really is a good release! We do have our internet back, so it should be much easier now :) Happy first day of "Spring", and I hope it is much warmer where you are!

And The Award Goes To....

Dun, dun dun... Me! Joking, joking. It is the "Liebster Award" passed around to people with blogs. It was passed on to me from my friend Sarah at Representin'. She is lovely, funny, and understands my hatred of the monthly drill weekend ;-) So check her out!
As you can see I haven't blogged in quite a while! We have been without internet since the end of October(due to John's time without work for 6ish weeks, that money has been needed to catch up on necessary bills), but I figured I should take some time out of my watching NCIS on my break at work to do this because it looks fun. And internet will be coming back to our apartment in a few weeks, so I can actually keep up; yay!
So this Liebster thing is basically you do 11 random facts about yourself, answer the 11 questions you were asked, create 11 new questions, and nominate up to 11 new people (with less than 200 followers)! Sooooo here goes.

Facts About Nicole
1. I'm obsessive about getting my hair trimmed every 8-10 weeks. I hate split ends. This last trim I got had happened about 12-14 weeks (yes, I was freaking out) after my prior one, and the stylist left some split ends. I went to my normal stylist the next day and she got all of my ends for me and evened out the growing out-ness of my bangs. I shall never leave her again.
2. I love holiday crafts. Me & the kids + the nannied kids are all heading to Michael's for V-day craft supplies this afternoon!
3. Superhero/action movies are my favorite. Girly movies are lovely too, but I would happily watch The Avengers over 27 Dresses any day.
4. I also can't read girly books. I have tried to read 4 different Nicholas Sparks novels... oh my word. I suffered through about 3 chapters in each and had to be done. The movie versions are much better to me!
5. I just found out I have Endometriosis. It kinda sucks and is painful, but me & my OBGYN are going to be BFFs for the next few months while we figure something out to "fix" it.
6. I genuinely enjoy school. I'm super excited to start back at it this summer!
7. I have a strong sense of smell. If something smells weird in the apartment, I smell it out until I find out what the culprit is. It drives John nuts :)
8. I have huge feet. Size 10 (sometimes 10.5 ever since having Jake). And I'm not exactly "tall" at 5'5, so I'm always buying shoes based on if they make my feet look smaller!
9. I love being outside. I cannot wait to bring the kids camping and hiking this summer, I hope to instill a love of the outdoors in them!
10. I dislike having to dress up for things. Besides holidays/weddings; those are fun. I think that is a big part about why I love my job so much... I can go to work in sweats and a hoodie and its perfectly acceptable. Nanny win!
11. Playing "active" games with the kids is my favorite part of my day. Hide & go seek, red light green light, dance parties, treasure hunts.

The Answers
1. What are your last 5 Google searches?
What channel is HLN Network on Direct TV
2001 Chevy Trailblazer
Somersault
How many pages in Game of Thrones
Sushi Tango, Minneapolis
2. What is your first memory?
Pushing my brother off my grandparent's fireplace and him hitting his head before my first day of preschool. We are awesome siblings.
3. What is one decision you have made that you will never regret?
Having both of my kids. I have ALWAYS been very pro-life, but when it came down to that time of unplanned pregnancies I was terrified. I looked into my options, prayed a lot, and finally came to the decision that they both had a plan, so who was I to decide to to change God's plans? They are both such immense blessings to our lives, I'm so glad I made the right "choice" in keeping our beautiful children.
4. What's one thing you would try if you knew for sure you would be great at it?
Opening a foster home for kids of all ages. Its my dream to foster kids and treat them right. If I knew for sure I would have the funding and could help so many kids, I would do it in a heartbeat.
5. "The Notebook". Yes or No?
Most days, no. But if I'm already in a crummy/sad mood, it is a great movie to continue being sad through.
6. What would you do if you had $1 million, and only an hour to spend it?
Buy a plane, and as much fuel as the remaining money could find it. Then I could still use that money for a long time, to do my favorite thing; traveling!
7. What is your dream job?
Interior Designer. Designing layouts of houses every day... I know, I'm weird. But I LOVE it. I can't wait to help design our own home some day.
8. Do you believe in "love at first sight"?
Not at all. Lust, obsession, "holy crap hes hot" - yes. Well, except when it comes to having kids. there is definitely that feeling when you first see their adorable yet nasty covered with junk selves that you're like "Wow, I am going to love this little person for the rest of my life"; and it is amazing.
9.  What did you want to be when you were a kid?
A vet. Until I discovered I would have to care for EVERY animal, not just dogs and horses.
10. If you could change one thing about your wedding day, what would it be?
Getting pooped on by a bird. Walked outside onto the terrace, and immediately had bird poo on my shoulder/chest. Everything else was amazing though! Oh, and being pregnant, wouldn't recommend it haha ;-) The day becomes much more exhausting!
11. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?
Beaches, sleeping in, time to finish a book or two, my husband, an interesting history to the place, and a LOT of exploring of where ever it is we happen to be.

And here are the nominees...
Strawberry Cutiepie
Walking on a dream.
Molly Crocker Cooking
The Rasmussen Family Blog
My Pulchritudinous Life
....and anyone else who has a blog that I'm not following! (P.S. Send me the link to your blog, I love reading them!)

11 Questions for my nominees
1. What is a used-to-be favorite outfit that you are now horridly embarrassed about?
2. Best breakfast cereal?
3. What is something you always had on your wish list as a kid and never received?
4. Favorite fairytale, and why?
5. Do you have a favorite quote, and what is it?
6. If you could switch lives with anyone (living in the present) for a day, who would it be?
7. What are 3 songs that make you feel good?
8. What is your favorite genre to read?
9. Villain you would most want to be (from any movie)?
10. Do you want to live as long as possible (even if you end up getting sick), or would you want to die before "old age" sets in and you can no longer do everything you love?
11. God gives you any superpower you want, what do you ask him for?