Jamaica Mon!

We arrived home from Jamaica late last night. We had a great time! Apparently Brian and i were "Jamericans" this week because it was our second trip to the island. Although Payton didn't really start to feel better until Wednesday. We were doing the daily phone call to check in, but I was worried about her. That was the only damper on our entire stay. She started eating again on Wednesday night to all of our relief. I thanked Betty for making her all better by the time we got home! She seems to be back to her old tricks this morning!

Home sick again...

Well, I should have kept my mouth quiet! Payton developed a fever and stuffed nose yesterday. I took her to the doctor (we are leaving on Sunday for Jamaica) and she seems to just have a virus. Her appetitie has been poor the last couple of days as well and yesterday afternoon and evening she really ate nothing and just sipped on some juice. So this morning she woke up with the dry heaves (YUCK!). Brian was home this morning with her and I left work to be home this afternoon. She seems to do better the longer she is up. Then after her nap she is terrible again. She just whines and shivers. Thank goodness that she is drinking just great! Hopefully this is just one of those 24 hour things!

The big 3-0

Well, yesterday I turned 30! Brian is teasing me that he is no longer married to a woman in her 20s. Nice huh? I have been busy taking an Oncology class in Rochester at the Mayo Clinic this week and getting up at 4:30am for a couple of days really caught up fast! I guess I do feel older:)

Payton has been just a little stinker eating lately. One day she eats everything in sight, the next night we can't get anything in her for dinner except a yogurt. I know it is normal, but it sure does frustrate mom! Here is a photo of her brushing her teeth before bed... now who could get upset at that sweetie I ask!!??

Playing outside...

Well we were able to take Payton outside to play in the snow today. It is in the mid 30s, but the sun is shining and the sky is totally clear. We still have snow so we had to enjoy it. We pulled her around the yard in her little sled, and she actually only whined for the first couple of minutes. They she seemed to enjoy it. Although I think that mom and dad enjoyed it more!

More snow...

We are currently getting our second snow storm of the week (it isn't too much snow, about 8 inches for each storm). Last week we were in the 40s-50s daily. On friday I pulled into our driveway are realized that we had no snow in our yard. The kids in town must love no school for 2 days in the same week! Lucky for me my 2 days off this week happened to be on the same days as the snow. We get a lot of drifts here in MN with that wind. BRRRR.

I am happy to report that the Stewards (all 3 of us!!) are finally healthy! It has been a couple of months since all 3 of us were without a cough, sniffles, sore throat..... I shoud knock on wood! Brian and I are on vacation in a little over a week!

Quiz we stole from Lisa!

This was cool Lisa so we are giving it a go:)

Tina:
4 Jobs I've had:
1. Registered nurse (Lowell General Hospital, District One Hospital, Owatonna Clinic)
2. Lab Tech- Saints Memorial
3. JC Penney sales associate
4. Tilden Mine summer student employee
Brian:
1. Quality Assurance Engineer
2. Electrical Design Engineer
3. Co-op, IBM
4. Golf Course Ground's Keeper

4 movies I can watch over and over:
1. While You Were Sleeping (my favorite too Lisa!!)
2. Never Been Kissed
3. Old School
4. Harry Potters
1. Old School
2. Matrix
3. Die Hard
4. Office Space

4 Books I can read over and over:
1. Harry Potter series
2. Anything by Judith McNaught
3. Pride and Prejiduce
4. Anything by Mary Balogh
1. Read...what's that???

4 Places I've lived:
1. Owatonna, MN
2. Dracut, MA
3. Lowell, MA
4. Sunderland, MA
1. Same as Tina

4 Places I Want to Live:
1. Appleton, WI
2. Really anywhere in the Midwest, oh wait a minute we are already there!!!
3.
4.
1. Anywhere Tina is! :o

4 TV shows I love:
1. According to Jim
2. Survivor
3. Two and a Half Men
4. Lost
1. Good Eats
2. Mythbusters
3. Lost
4. This Old House

4 Highly Regarded TV shows I've never watched a minute of:
1. Sopranos
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. NCIS
4. Without a Trace
1. American Idol (proud not to have seen this!!!)
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Without a Trace
4. Skating With Celebrities

4 Places I've Vacationed:
1. Las Vegas
2. Orlando
3. Jamaica (and we are going back in a few weeks:))
4. England with my orchestra in high school
1. Las Vegas
2. Orlando
3. Jamaica
4. Washington DC

4 Places I Wish I Could Vacation:
1. Hawaii
2. Italy
3. Australia
4. Spain
1. House boat on Lake Mead
2. Yosemite
3. Austria
4. Anywhere Tina is! :o

4 Favorite Foods:
1. Mexican, NO BEANS
2. Pancakes
3. Brownie, rice krispie treats
4. Pizza
1. Mexican, lots of beans!
2. Pizza
3. Chili
4. Steak

4 Sites I Visit Daily:
1. Friends' blogs
2. yahoo.com for email
3. target.com
4. Pottery Barn Kids
1. blogs
2. Mining Journal
3. Detroit Freepress, Lions
4. yahoo

4 Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:
1. on vacation anywhere!
2. at the hair salon getting my hair done (it is so long! I am going in the morning!)
3.
4.
1. at the dentist
2. getting a prostate exam
3. getting a colonoscopy
4. at the dentist while getting a prostate exam followed by a colonoscopy!

Interstate

I watched a show on the History Channel the other day about the interstate highway system (its the 50th anniversary don't ya know) and it got me thinking: who do we know that doesn't live within 20 minutes of an interstate? Of course you have to rule out everybody in the UP that we know. But since leaving the UP, I haven't lived further than 20 minutes from an interstate (I'm including metropolitan loops such as I-495). And I've lived in six different residences in that time. Tina's sister in Appleton is proabably more than 20 min, but not much more than 30. Scott might be just far enough north of Duluth to be outside of 20 min too. So, if you live far from an interstate, tell us about life on the "back roads".

This may be my favorite snapshot of Payton!

Sorry it has been a while!

We have been busy around here! My sister Nicole came out with her 2 youngest kids for a long weekend. We had a great time. Although next time I think Brian my consider going to see Nicole's husband Jason and get away from us ladies! He did have our 8 month old nephew here, but it just wasn't the same:)

Payton is keeping us on our toes around here. She is really into the tantrum thing when we are in public. She starts out awesome, but when she is ready to leave she is just DONE! Just love those screaming kids with parents wrestling with them as they throw themselves on the ground don't ya! ha ha... She really isn't bad, just a couple of times she has been just awful. Gotta love toddlers!

Work has been just wonderful for me! I love the new job! I can't remember a job that I have actually enjoyed going to until I starting working with Oncology. Giving chemo isn't easy, but it is SO rewarding! It helps that I really enjoy my co-workers.

Brian is always busy at work which is probably why he hasn't blogged in a while, but he is doing great. He and Payton are getting over ANOTHER cold! This one was pretty bad for both of them. I never got it though, knock on wood!

Sorry again we haven't been writing lately... We do enjoy reading everyone elses though!