Date Night... Disaster Avoided

We have been doing much better about trying not to eat out as much so for Date Night Erin was finally glad to have an exception. She had been craving a salad from Chili's all day. At work, I went out to pickup Chili's for my co-workers. Immediately after ordering online, Erin texted me. An email notification popped up on m laptop and she was jealous.

Later, we got Chili's Curb Side To Go because I wanted Panera. At Panera, we start taking a few bites and Erin starts to pick at her salad, then throws down her fork and starts to tear up.

E: "I can't eat this. This is SO stupid."
K: "What's the matter?"
E: "It has Blue Cheese. I can't have blue cheese. Can we go back?"
K: "It's okay. Let's just get a salad here and put your chicken strips on it."
E: "They don't have ranch and bacon bits. I've been looking forward to this all day. This sucks."
.... A full cry and balling is getting geared up ...
K: "Hold on... Let me check"
.... A little later....
Panera Manager:"Garden Salad with Blue Cheese and Bacon Bits.?.. Just kidding with ranch."

Crisis avoided. Relatively good movie using our last free movie coupons to see Switch (though recommend as a good rental on a comfortable couch).

P.S. When seeing a movie in the theater... Try to show up ten minutes late to miss the previews. Previews these days show most of the good parts of the movie or too much of the plot....

It's that time of year again

Kevin had the day off yesterday so we went to Target and registered. It was a lot of fun, mostly

because I enjoyed a large diet coke while we did it.

I'm barely showing, right?? No, this is immodest me registering just one precious year ago for our wedding. Registering for a wedding is so much easier than registering for a baby. When you're registering for your wedding you just register for cute stuff you want...and a brita, not things that are crucial for an infants survival. Plus I want everything to semi match. A farm bouncy with a blue pack n play? No thank you.

Then when we got home:

K: Can I watch my show?

Me: I don't know why you record this trash (Rookie Blues). And no.

K: Why not?

Me: Because I'm watching Teen Mom.

Baby Moon to San Diego

Co-workers and friends all suggested that we take a little vacation somewhere before Erin gets to pregnant and I start work and school. So, we decided to spend a long weekend in San Diego. We both have been down there many times for specific events, but never really to just hang out and explore.

Erin's main reason for wanting to go was to check out the Mormon Battalion museum. About a year ago, they re-modeled they place to look more authentic. Before it looked like a LDS Bookstore converted into an art gallery. Now it is really cool and fun for the kids and adults too. A main mural inside, I think, is of Mormon Rocks out in Cajon Pass. We realized that next time we stay in San Diego, it will be much better to stay in a hotel in Old Town.

Another reason for the trip, Erin wanted to check out the Whaley House. The house has been in Old Town for a while and I will let Erin explain it's significance.

The third reason for going down to San Diego was for Michael and Joanna's wedding. Ryan and Katie Stouvenel spent the night in our hotel room the night before. We all went down to Balboa Park to walk around and hang out while Joanna took pictures. Lots of family and friends showed up for the event and we all had a good time, especially as the sealer was crackin jokes. We used to all gather together for a friend lunch afterwards but everyone had to head their own direction and many had to head back up for the sealing. So my Dad and Bro joined us for a trip to Hodads. Recommend the place except for on a Saturday during the summer. Took two hours to get food.

One night we checked out Seaport Village. Not kidding, this is what Erin found in the first store right off the parking lot. She really wanted the clock. Maybe for Christmas......

I have always been a fan of the water. Something very peaceful about it. Maybe it's time to add an annual sailing trip along with the annual Joshua Tree trip.... This might be a good time to announce that the 6th Annual Joshua Tree is postponed because of BBD.

Of all the times I have been to San Diego for sailing, soccer, and temple trips, I hadn't been to the Naval Museum since I was a young boy. Looks like this trip, this would be as close as I could get. Maybe next time. It's pretty cool to walk the deck of a carrier and walk through a submarine.

We started to realize that night life in downtown San Diego was pretty nice. Pretty clean environment and lots of things to do. Hopefully in the future, a conference or trip with allow us to visit again and stay in the Gas Lamp district so we can walk around and explore again.

All in all, we had a really nice trip. After 4 days, it was nice to get back home. Now, as Erin enters her third trimester, we are anticipating taking it easy through the rest of the year we get to enjoy the next greatest thing to happen in our lives.

You'll be the grandest fellow at the Suburban Parade

Ok so last night around 1am Kevin's knees found their way over to my side of the bed, so I pushed them back.

K: What is your problem?!

E: Your knees were on my side.

K: It's because of the suburban parade.

E: What suburban parade?

K: The suburban parade...

K: I don't know why you're laughing it's really legit. (Awake Kevin never says legit.)

E: What is it?

K: Redlands hosts it ever year. People fix up their old suburbans and parade them.

K: You're shaking the bed. Go laugh somewhere else.

E: Ok, so the suburban parade is coming, but why did that make you put your knees on my side?

K: Because I was making room for it.

E: Kevin, do you know what you're talking about?

K: Yes.

E: What?

K: The suburban parade.

And that was it. I almost got out of bed to look up "Redlands Suburban Parade" but Kevin told me this morning he doesn't remember any of it. Thankfully I do.

Kevin Passed. Graduated. Hired. Enrolled.

So, if you haven't been following Erin and I so far in 2010, you have missed out on a lot. But over the past month, I have passed a few milestones in the school/career department.

In late May, I took the NCLEX exam. In mid June I found out that I passed! Took some clearing up of paperwork, but finally got word that I passed. No more checking every morning to see I was a RN before my feet even hit the ground.

Then, also in mid June, Erin and my parents convinced me to walk at my commencement ceremony. I didn't want too at first, but once there, I was glad I was pushed into. All the years of work and effort seem to culminate with classmates and friends. Kind of cool.

Then just today, I was offered a position at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital. I currently work there as a secretary and will start full time as a RN at the end of July.

Oh, and let's not forget that it looks like I will be chasing another degree in the Fall. I am still teetering over pursuing a nursing education degree with clincal specialist in pediatrics or favoring the nurse informatics route.... Got most of the summer to decide....

In the meantime, I am grateful to all the friends and family that have shown support throughout the years. I couldn't have gotten this far without all the help around me.

Holding my Breath

Since school got out at the end of March, I was studying for my nursing license exam through the end of May. It was nice to get out once in awhile aside from studying and working to have some fun. Of course with Ryan, that usually involves doing something fun. On a great afternoon, we went golfing down on Waterman.

Our wives joined us riding along and making comments. And, yes. I was wearing flip flops and Erin forgot to grab some shoes for me. We didn't really keep score, just played until our backs started to hurt and wives started to wine....

Frogs and snails and puppy dogs' tails...

We're having a boy! They say that boys take up all your energy when you're pregnant, I believe it. At the end of the night, aka 8pm, I'm out.

Check out this racy photo.

Closeup of his face. He obviously looks like his dad.

That's all from lala land. Kevin's been wonderful. What a funny, handsome, loving husband he is.

-Kevin (juuust kidding. Maybe)