The Better Half of Life

God's Beautiful Planning

2012-01-26T23:58:00.000-08:00

I had sort of unintentionally committed to taking a month long break from blogging, but the unusual nature of events that have taken place in the past 24 hours have brought me back.

It all started yesterday morning when for possibly the first time in my entire life, I was late for work. I am in the middle of my night shift rotation, so naturally, I thought all the shifts I was scheduled to work started at 11 PM. Boy was I wrong. I apparently made the highly unusual decision to pick up a DAY shift on one of the days I was suppose to have off and then proceeded write it down incorrectly in my planner. Needless to say, two voicemails and one awkward and panicked call later I headed into work almost two hours late.

THANKFULLY my managers and co-workers were super nice, and understanding...and instead of feeling highly anxious and rushed to get all my work done, I surprisingly had a really nice day.

The weather was also amazing. When I left work, I think it was over 40 degrees and sunny. I don't know what is going on, but I don't really feel like I am living in Minnesota this winter.

My evening was pretty uneventful. My personal trainer was really flexible and was able to push back my session so that I wouldn't have to cancel...and I was even able to get a quick nap in before hand!

Finally, when I crawled into bed shortly after 10 PM I resisted the urge to shut the ringer off on my phone like I normally do. I think it was in part due to the fact that I missed those two calls from work this morning because I forgot to turn it on when I woke up, but I'd like to think that there was something more...

At midnight I got a phone call from a family member that needed me. That needed to come over. That needed to talk, and needed a place to stay for the night.

What if...
I really was suppose to work the night shift, instead of the day shift?
I had a bad day?
I had turned my phone off?

Moments like these remind me that God is in control. He planned every minute of my day. As unusual as it was for me to be late to work, if I hadn't, I might not have left my phone on...and if I had picked up a night shift instead of a day shift I would have missed the call, and the opportunity to be there for someone that needed me.

A Whole Lot of Nothing

2011-12-29T22:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas was a little rough on me this year. The week leading up to it I was struggling a lot with thoughts about my Grandpa. Plus, I had to work...and I sort of came to the realization that unless I switch my specialty, or become a stay-at-home mom I will never get a full Christmas with my family again. If I stay in the department I am in, I have to work every other holiday and the years I don't work we will be visiting Jared's family in ND.

The day after Christmas I got the best present ever! At 5:30 AM I got a call from work saying that I could have the day off. I was so happy I almost cried. Of course a day off in the world of nursing means using vacation time, or no pay...but it was totally worth it, and meant that I would have an entire week off!!!!

It's been glorious. Jared has been on break from school, and not working either so we've been able to spend a lot of time together doing absolutely NOTHING! Seriously, if I leave the house once or twice to do something simple like go to the gym or grocery shopping I have considered it a successful day.

On Hiring a Personal Trainer

2011-12-15T14:28:00.000-08:00

Hiring a personal trainer was probably one of the best things I have done in a very long time.

In my last post I wrote a little about how I have slowly started to get back into a workout routine over the past two months. The more I was in the gym, the more I felt like I was missing something- strength training. I wanted to lift, but wasn't really sure where to start. I've tinkered around with weight machines in the past, and even have taken a few BodyPump classes, but the equipment always felt awkward and nothing every stuck. So I hired a trainer.

It is definitely an investment...but I think it's worth it. My mom has had both her knees and a hip replacement. My dad can barely walk because of back pain. I'm a nurse, which is actually considered a high risk job. On average, in a 8-hour shift a nurse lifts 1.8 tons. Which means If I don't take care of my body now I will likely need to find a new career in 20 years.

How am I paying for it?
Hiring a trainer wasn't exactly in our monthly budget...but I've been putting a little money away from each paycheck so I was able to afford an introductory package of three one-hour sessions. I also don't actually work full-time, so I also decided to commit to working two extra shifts/month to pay for two thirty minute session each week. I'm also going to buy the largest package up front because I will get a big discount and end up paying only $27/session instead of $45/session.

What I'm learning?

Foam rolling is awesome
Apparently I have tight abs (???)- never would have thought this
I am capable of a lot more than I thought I was
I actually really like working out
I need a massage really, really bad!

Why I Hate Working Out

2011-12-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

Exercise and I have a on-and-off again relationship. I actually enjoy it when I can get into a pattern, but what I hate most about it is how hungry it makes me.

Over the past 6-8 weeks I have slowly gotten back into a routine...I started with fitness yoga, then added some jogging/walking intervals, now I'm beginning to take come cycling/spin classes and I also just hired a personal trainer (more on that in a different post).

Yesterday I worked-out twice: spinning in the morning for 45 minutes, then my first training session with my personal trainer (which was mostly an assessment to see where I am at).

But right now I blame my hatred for working out on the cycling class...because the second I finished class yesterday I felt hungry, and I have not been able to stop eating every since.

My hunger has been insatiable. I feel like I have been walking into the kitchen every 30-60 minutes to look for something to put in my mouth. I have eaten a ham & turkey sandwich, a large bowl of homemade acorn squash soup, grilled chicken w/roasted veggies (twice), a slice of pizza, chocolate whey protein shake made w/almond milk, ice cream sandwich, apple pie, scrambled egg w/bell pepper & cheddar cheese breakfast wrap, lots of fresh veggie/fruit juice a la my juicer, broccoli w/cheese sauce, apples w/peanut butter, peanut butter by itself, almonds, english muffin toast with lots of butter and peanut butter, oatmeal and the list goes on...and I am still hungry.

I'm hoping our double date to Hell's Kitchen tonight will bring me some relief. Otherwise I might have to eat my arm.

What a Mess

2011-12-01T10:27:00.001-08:00

Last night I had the good intention of using up food I already had to make dinner instead of going to the grocery store for a major shopping trip.

I'd say I was relatively successful, but I did end up with a minor problem. I cooked so much food that we will likely be eating mashed potatoes and acorn squash & apple soup for a month.

I also ended up with a ridiculous mess.

The other day one of my co-workers made a remark about how every time she works with me I never sit down, and she has to remind me to take a break. She then went on to say that if the way I work is any reflection of how I am at home, my house must be spotless.

I couldn't help but laugh at that point...and I told her I wished my house was spotless but unfortunately my type A personality is limited to work and school projects.

I am a very messy cook. I think the above pictures are evidence of that. I might also add that those picture were taken after Jared and I each did a sink full of dishes...but I can't blame my cooking adventures for the entire mess. After all, it doesn't take three pairs of shoes, a pile of mail and yoga mat to cook.

The good news:

The soup tastes like Thanksgiving in a bowl, and I was able to freeze some of it so next time I'm feeling like soup or am to0 tired/busy to cook I already have something made.
My kitchen is halfway clean.
I have the day off so I can finish cleaning the kitchen.

My other plans for the day include:

Washing the walls in our downstairs bedroom
Paint the ceiling
Begin to paint trim
Meet with a personal trainer at my gym for a free consult
Fold my laundry
Finish my grocery shopping
Clean the bathrooms
Watch a Christmas movie
Start my bible study
Attempt to finish "Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God"
Figure out how to hand the last three frames for my picture wall:

Eeek!
I need to get going.
I have a lot to do!
Wish me luck!

It's Been a While

2011-11-27T20:56:00.000-08:00

Since I blogged last...

I worked 8 days in a row.
We had a construction company at our house to fix the damage from the ice dams we had last year and we ended up with a new roof, a new ceiling in the bedroom on our main floor, a new wall in our future nursery and some more insulation.

We went to North Dakota for Thanksgiving.

We met with a priest and had two hours of premarriage counseling, and yes, I really do mean PREmarriage counseling...we are hopefully going to have our marriage blessed in the Catholic church sometime around our 5th wedding anniversary because Jared is Catholic, and I am supportive Baptist wife.
I finally got to meet my new baby niece.

Jared and I practiced our child bathing skill with our adorable nephews.

I have made no progress on the photo wall.
I tore down all the wallpaper in the main floor bedroom...now I am left wondering what the heck I should do with this room.

Before

After Wallpaper Removal

I read "24 Hours" by Greg Isles and now I am onto "Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God" by Francis Chan which is a book I am totally loving and find very inspiring.
We had a energy audit done to our house...I think we are going to end up living in our house forever.
We are now sponsoring a child through World Vision. His name is Jonatan, he is 8 and lives in Guatemala. Please pray that we will be good sponsors!

...and I'm back to working the night shift for two weeks, so who knows when I will blog again.

The Beginning of a Picture Wall

2011-11-14T14:37:00.001-08:00

I'm working on a project!!!!

I'm going to be the girl that went from not hanging a single picture in her house in over two years to having an entire wall of pictures.

It might take me a couple of weeks to finish the project because it appears that three of the frames I picked up from IKEA don't actually want to hang on the wall, I also need to decide and print out the pictures I want to fill the frames...and of course I am now working eight days in a row before going out of town. But hey! As long as it gets done before the new year I will be happy :)

Vegetable Nursery Theme

2011-11-09T13:58:00.000-08:00

I lied in my last post because I'm not going to write about sinfully delicious food. I'm going to write about how I almost made my first purchase for baby today. And no, this is not my way of announcing I am pregnant...

I went to IKEA today to pick up some picture frames for a house project I am working on. Of course instead of heading right to section I needed to be in, I walked around the entire store. I call it research...I figured I would get a few ideas for future projects, but what I didn't expect was to get side tracked in the children's section.

But oh boy, I got excited!!!! They have a ton of vegetable themed toys and nursery decorations...if I was pregnant I probably would have bought everything in the TORVA series, and then some.

A few of my favorite items:

Vegetable Textiles

Broccoli Shaped Toys

Squeaky Carrots

When I do finally get pregnant, I don't want to know the sex of the baby before birthday. Which means we will need neutral decor for the nursery...and since I'm crazy about food, I think a vegetable/food theme would be a lot of fun!

Overreacting

2011-11-08T07:19:00.000-08:00

I have a problem with overreacting.

There, I said it.

I'm not sure if it's because I'm female, more hormonal lately, or because I hate feeling like I am not in control...but the past two weeks have been a little rough.

It started with pay day. I always pay our bills the same day we get paid. Which I'm not sure is the best idea because I go from thinking "Yay! We got paid! We have money again!" to "Oh my goodness...we better cut some corners otherwise we aren't going to make it to the next paycheck! Jared! You better not spend any money!" A huge emotional swing.

Then I flipped to working the night shift (11 PM-7 AM)

I got my period, and I haven't gotten acupuncture (which has really been helping me) for a while...so needless to say I was a mess.

I had to work an extra hour on Sunday due to daylight savings.

I bawled my eyes out when I shared a link on facebook to a necklace that I love/want, and someone I went to high school with, who I'm 99% certain is a atheist, then shared a link to a website that gives a scientific reason why mountains move...my heart broke for him.

Jared wants to move to North Dakota.

I went to bible study and felt like God was speaking to me in regards to the conflict Jared and I have about moving to North Dakota- and I'm just going to be honest, it's been tough. The words sacrifice and compromise are not always easy to swallow, and I cried a lot.

Looking back on the past two weeks...I feel so ridiculous.

God has provided us with more than we will ever need. Not only do we have money left in bank with just a few days left before our next payday, but I got a check in the mail for an amount that made me smile only a few days after I got distressed about our financial situation.

I have a job. Work has been slow, and I only have one shift left before I flip back to days- I am thankful for all of that.

It's my own fault my period sucked this past month. I haven't followed-up with the acupuncturist like I should have. Now I have an appointment scheduled for tomorrow.

I don't have kids, so I probably get more sleep than most people!

I've been praying for God to use me to spread the great message of His love, mercy, grace, and power- and He is!

Jared and I won't even consider moving to North Dakota until he is done with school, and we've regained some of the value back in our house...so I have at least two years before we even discuss the issue seriously. Lots could happen before then...and there is a equal likelihood that we'll end up staying in Minnesota. Instead of getting worked up about what might happen sometime in the distant future, I need to be thankful for the work God is doing on my heart. I'm due for my reminder that He is the one in control, and it would be silly for me to fight Him on that. God is obviously calling me to keep a more open mind, and a more open heart...so I am going to work on that, in all aspects of my life. Even if I don't like what He is trying to tell me.

That was a lot, but I think God is renewing my spirit today. I am only human, so I thought I would share my struggles just in case anyone else out there is in the same place I am.

I think my next post will be about food, LOL...something really delicious and terribly unhealthy.

I ♥ Food

2011-11-06T18:05:00.000-08:00

I've been a little obsessed with food this past month...and especially all the deliciousness I see on pinterest & the food blogs I read. Here are a few of the meals we have tried recently...

Chicken n' Biscuits

Source: eatliverun.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Shrimp Pasta with Oven Dried Tomatoes

Source: annies-eats.net via Sarah on Pinterest

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites

Source: eatliverun.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup w/Coconut for the Crock-Pot

Source: red.food.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Next on my list...

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs for my pizza obsessed husband

Source: lickthebowlgood.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

and Peanut Butter Mounds Bars to balance out all the juicing and healthy eating that I do and don't blog about :)

Source: eatliverun.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Family Pictures

2011-11-04T01:46:00.000-07:00

Today is my Grandmother's birthday.

Although, the truth is I never knew her because she passed away from lung cancer on my Aunts wedding day, when my mom was only 16.

My mom would talk about her sometimes, but not very often...but when she did she would usual mention how beautiful she was.

...and then over the past year, my Uncle posted some pictures of my Grandparents that I had never seen before....

Notre Dame Prom 1946

Their wedding day 1947

Don't you love the way my Grandpa is looking at my Grandma??? He was so in-love with her...

I absolutely love looking at pictures of my Grandparents and seeing how different family members look like them...and trying to figure out whom I look like.

So what do you think?

I never really thought I looked like her until Jared said something when he first saw her picture. What I do know though, is that when I am older I am bound to inherit her chin/neck...

It's an inevitable genetic trait...the women on my mother's side of the family get saggy as they get older, and we tend to loose our chins. Oh well.

Here is a picture from my brothers wedding! I don't think I ever did a post about that...

I Like ______.

2011-11-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I came across a generous living campaign...and it brought me to tears. It is such a great reminder that we are faced every day with opportunities to make a difference in another person's life, and it makes me want to do more.

Changing the Way I Pray for Others

2011-10-31T19:27:00.000-07:00

In bible study, we are reading the book of Acts and learning about the Holy Spirit.

During our last discussion question we are always basically asked in what way can the rest of the group pray for you in regards to what we have learned this week, and one response has completely changed my attitude on how I should be praying for others...

One of the ladies in my bible study group asked that this week we pray that she has more boldness in prayer- instead of telling other people she will pray for them she wants us to pray that she will have the courage to offer them prayer right then and there.

How awesome would that be if we started to lift one another up in prayer immediately after we heard their cry? What if instead of praying privately, when we are most comfortable, we prayed outload so that the individual we what to lift up can hear our petition to God, and prayer for their relief and protection.

How often do you tell someone that you will pray for them, and them forget about it? I know I am guilty of doing this way too often, or only praying for the person once...

I want to change the way I pray for others. I need to change the way I pray for others.

My goals:

Start praying for people on the spot when I recognize their need, or they ask for help
Make weekly list of people that I need to pray for and keep it in a place I am guaranteed to see it at least twice a day (my bathroom)
If I tell someone via their blog, a discussion board, Facebook or some other form of social networking that I am going to pray for them- send them a message or e-mail containing the contents of my prayer

How can I pray for you this week?

Leave me a comment with your e-mail address, or send me a private e-mail via the link on the right side of my page and I will send you a copy of my prayer for you.

2011-10-31T06:30:00.000-07:00

I saw this on facebook...not sure what the original source is, but I thought it was kind of cute so I figured I would share it.

My words: Lovely, witty, sweet & graceful.

Happy Monday!

My Weekly Confessions

2011-10-20T16:34:00.000-07:00

I recently put my coffee maker in storage to make room for a juicer, which I am totally in love with. Bye, bye coffee maker...which is now in the basement.
Beet, carrot & orange juice.
I like fruit and veggies...and next spring we are planning on having a nice, but garden!

Jared tilling up the dirt for our garden.
Cooking from scratch not only soothes me, but gives me a sense of accomplishment. Homemade pizza dough.
Yoga is my work-out of choice. Source
Numbers 3 & 4 are activities that help me relieve stress...in combination with curling up in front of the TV in by pink, fuzzy rob and watching a movie.
I love tea...but I always drink it in a travel mug, even if I am at home.
I've actually been trying to avoid the caffeinated brands as of late...and trying to drink the seasonal blends that I had left over from last year, so I can stock up again once they hit the stores.
I will swear to the day I die that acupuncture works. Source.
I like to read murder mystery/crime/legal thrills & about food. I'm currently a little addicted to books written by Greg Iles.
I love Dexter & Mad Men...the problems is, I don't have cable or any special channels so I can't watch any new episodes.
I hate when my tupperware cabinet isn't organized.

Fall Family Photos

2011-10-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Jared and I had the pleasure of meeting Leah when she took some beautiful family photos of us.

We have been meaning to have pictures taken of us for a while now, but between all the moving we have both done in the past 18 months we never had to opportunity until now. I am so happy with how they turned out. Leah was easy to work with, and it was so nice to finally meet her!

I am hoping these will be the only/last set of family pictures we have taken as only a family of two. Who knows?! Maybe this time, next year we will be booking a maternity session!

Check out Leah's photography website for a few more pictures of us!

Unconventional Work-Out of the Week

2011-10-13T02:14:00.001-07:00

CPR

An unfortunate, but inevitable event. I've been a ICU nurse for two years now, and this was the first time I have ever had to do chest compressions. I consider my self lucky to have made it this long...
The next day I ached. My abs especially, but my arms and back a were little sore as well.

Pole Dancing

Pole dancing was fun for a little while, but I've never been a dancer and I couldn't remember the choreography very well...I also wasn't in the best location to watch the instructor so I felt that I spent a lot of time staring at people trying to figure out what to do.
It can definitely be a great workout. The two friends I went with were dripping sweat when we finished.
I would do it again if there was a class specifically for beginners, or I have the opportunity to take a few classes with the same choreography...and I probably wouldn't wear heals again because I think they were the reason why I ended up with a nice bruise on my foot.

Faith

2011-10-09T08:49:00.000-07:00

We are saved by faith, not by works.

We don't have to earn God's love and forgiveness, He gives it freely to those who love Him wholly, admit their wrong doings, and call Him Father.

Our faith is exemplified by how we act, but it is not what we do that ultimately saves us. It is what we believe.

God gave His one and only son as a sacrifice so that we could be saved from our sins and spend eternity with Him.

Ephesians 2:8 It's by grace you are saved through faith.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Have a joyous day! I wish I didn't have to spend this beautiful Sunday sleeping...but I am blessed to have a job that I love and that allows me to serve God by caring for others.

His Love is Deep

2011-10-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

Furious
Bethel Church

Pole Dancing

2011-10-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Next Wednesday I'm going to take a pole dancing class...LOL. It really wasn't my idea. A girlfriend took advantage of a living social deal and she doesn't want to go alone, so I told her I would tag-along.

I think it will be fun...or maybe just funny. Either way, it will be something new and good to see my friend again.

You Look Fresh

2011-10-06T06:24:00.000-07:00

I think telling someone that they look fresh is one of the most awkward things you can say to a person...and I cannot count how many times someone has said this to me since I have become a nurse.

To me, "You look fresh" means "Hey! You shower and sleep. Way to go!" Seriously though, how am I suppose to reply to a comment like that? Because I'm not convinced it is a compliment...apparently I don't look good, or cute. I just look rested and clean.

So I smile and say...

"I think it's the color I'm wearing."

or

"I sleep well."

Fall Fun

2011-10-05T14:13:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling less than inspired when it comes to blogging lately...I'm not sure why. I just don't feel like I have anything interesting to share.

Last weekend Jared I were finally able to spend a whole day together without being distracted by work, and school. We started the day with lunch, browsing at a new thrift store in the area and picking up a few supplies to steak-out a vegetable garden for next year. We then went to Pine Tree Apple Orchard and picked up some pumpkins.

Then, we headed to Stillwater where we did a little antiquing and finished the night with a dinner cruise.

All in all, it was a perfect fall day.

Refurbished Chairs

2011-09-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Jared and I picked a few Windsor chairs from Craigslist for $10 a piece. We already had four...but I wanted two more, with arms, for each end of the table.

Ta-da! We decided to go with an antique blue because I love color, and because I thought two more white chairs would have been too much.

We're getting closer to having a finished room! Now we just need curtains and at least one picture or decorative item on the wall.

My Apologies

2011-09-23T17:56:00.001-07:00

I have been a bad blogger lately...but it's all been for good reasons!

My list of praises

I found a bible study to join!
It's officially fall
My three month Hepatitis C test results came back negative. (I still have one more check)
Jared's health scare appears to be a little less scary. Although, we still don't have a lot of answers yet.
Jared is doing well in school, and has already had a interview for a internship that could potentially lead to full-time position in a field he really wants to pursue...he also might be able to switch to the adult (vs. undergrad) program and graduate in 21 months vs. 2.5 years...and only go to school once per week!
I have been feeling incredible lately! The past few years I have struggled constantly with feeling fatigued...but lately I have been feeling great. Like GREAT, GREAT! So I figure I am just going to go with it and stay as busy as possible :)

In God's Hands

2011-09-15T07:02:00.000-07:00

Today I had my three month blood draw for my second exposure to Hepatitis C.

The past few months have been very nerve-wracking. I am not normally a very anxious person, but my anxiety level has been through the roof...so HOPEFULLY the test results I get in the next few days will give me a little peace of mind until my sixth month check.

I'm trying very hard to cast all my fears, and anxieties onto the Lord...but I have to be honest, I am REALLY struggling right now. So if you could keep me in your thoughts and prayers, I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

My Bathroom is Finally Cleaned

2011-09-12T06:45:00.000-07:00

Rotating between working days (7am-3pm) and nights (11pm-7am) is killing me. My body is so messed up and when I am on my night rotation I can't do anything besides eat, sleep and shower...so my husband cleaned the bathroom and here are a few pictures!

Before

This is what our bathroom looked like when we bought the house...within the first month or two we removed the shower doors and replaced it with a rod & curtain we already own and I ripped down the top layer of the fishy wallpaper border. When I say I only removed the top layer of the wallpaper I mean for the 1-1/2 years there has been lots of visible wallpaper glue on our walls. It was just lovely.

After

New sink fixture ($34), and new light fixture ($34).

A much needed towel rack.

DIY chalkboard/towel hook project.Both function and fun. For a long time I have been wanting a space to write bible verses, so I am encouraged to memorize more scripture and this was the perfect spot.

New hardware for the vanity- we already had the handle from when we replaced the hardware in the kitchen, and the knobs were bought at target for less than $20.

And the BIGGEST change is that we replaced the fan ($120). Our old one was super, SUPER loud. It was awful not only because it didn't work well, but also because if one of us were to shower when the other was sleeping we would be woken up instantly. It was a pain in the butt to replace, and Jared ended up cutting a big hole in the ceiling which had to be drywalled...but it was totally worth it. The other day I was in the shower I thought I had forgotten to turn the fan on because our new fan is so quiet I couldn't hear it while the water was running.

It's hard to capture the true color that we painted the bathroom, but it's grey. I am on a mission to paint every wall in my house, and I knew I wanted to make sure one room was grey...and this was the perfect place to do it because there is a little grey in the tile on the walls, and it actually seems to have brighten up the small space.

That's it! Nothing too crazy, but it has made a world of difference. Before, Jared and I both couldn't set foot in the bathroom without thinking about how much we hated it. Now, all the imperfections have been camouflaged. It has become a more tranquil and pleasant space...and waiting a couple of years for a full remodel doesn't seem so bad.

Next Project

We are going to paint a couple more chairs we bought off Craigslist ($30) for our dining room.

Disconnecting

2011-08-21T19:53:00.001-07:00

Last week Jared got some unexpected, not-so-great news in regards to his health. It certainly could have been worse, but we still have a lot of questions…he has another appointment in a month and I’m hoping that we will find some sort of peace with the information we get.

So needless to say, I didn’t clean my bathroom this weekend…instead, we went camping.

I probably won’t be posting pictures of our bathroom update until the end of the week now because after I get off of work tomorrow we are going to Duluth, MN to continue our outdoor adventures with three more days of sleeping in the wilderness.

I hate the mosquitos, and sleeping on the ground…but I don’t think there is anything better than being forced to disconnect from technology to enjoy God’s beautiful creation, the INCREDIBLE August weather we are having, and spending true one-on-one time with people that you love. Camping is easily one of my favorite activities.

Dining Room Update: All Ready for Dinner!

2011-08-19T07:30:00.001-07:00

In April, Jared and I went out looking for a table for our dining room, and picked up a harvest table for $100 at a antique store in Anoka, MN.

What I loved about this table is that it can comfortably seat six people, and the sides fold down so it can be easily pushed back into the corner of our dining room- which will give our future kiddos a little more space for their daily activities, but can also be easily put back in place just in time for dinner.

The problem was, when we bought the table the previous owner tried to scrape the varnish off the top of the table which left it with a really uneven finish.

So my handy husband got to work…and over the past three months he has slowly stripped, sanded and refinished our beautiful find.

But of course a table isn’t a table isn’t much use if you don’t have any chairs. So I did my research, and decided that I wanted Windsor style chairs. I then scoured craigslist for several weeks before finding four chairs that were within our budget, and had the thinner spindles and more delicate craftsmanship…

Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of the chairs we bought (for $40) before we spray painted them…but they were in decent shape. They had some nicks and scratches, but the biggest problem they presented was that the color of the wood just didn’t match the table very well and it would have been A LOT of work to sand them and stain them. So we decided spray painting them was a great solution- it didn’t take a lot of time, and gave us the finish we wanted.

All together now…

I have to give most of the credit to my wonderful husband for this project. He did all the labor…I just bought the table, picked the colors, found the chairs, convinced my him that spray paint is awesome, and pushed him to finish.

There are still a few more things I want to do in the dining room before I call it finished (add curtains, put photos on the wall, possibly add a rug or cushions to the chairs), but I’m so happy with how the table turned out! The finishing touches will come with time. I’m just so excited that I can actually use this room now, and I can’t wait to host a double-date, dinner night!

Jared has also did some awesome work in the bathroom, but I need to clean before I share pictures of those updates. I’m still recovering from my best-friends wedding, our trip to North Dakota, my sister-in-law’s bachelorette party/the bachelor party that was hosted at our house the same night, hosting four of my brothers friends at my house so they could attend his wedding (!!!!), and a week of working night shift…so needless to say, I don’t think I am going to be in the cleaning mood until early next week.

Busy, busy, busy!!!

2011-08-11T09:24:00.001-07:00

Last Friday my best friend got married…

Then we went to the middle of nowhere…aka Jared’s hometown, and we spent some time at the farm he grew up on.

Then he took me to his heaven on earth…where he hunts.

Now I am back in town…I am hoping to finish updating the bathroom today. I also have a bachelorette party to go to, and I need to find a silver pair of shoes for my brothers wedding THIS WEEKEND!!!!!

Husband & Wife: Conversation #4

2011-08-10T20:46:00.000-07:00

Jared: You have pretty blue eyes.
Me: Thanks.

(Pause)

Me: Wait…you meant pretty blue eyes as in I have very blue eyes.
Jared: Well…yeah, but your eyes are pretty too.

Not as planned…

2011-08-02T20:13:00.000-07:00

I don’t want to talk about it…but I do want to say that FOR THE RECORD I did not ask Jared to replace the fan/heat lamp in the bathroom. I simply asked him if he thought I could spray paint the old one.

This story will be continued when I know what is going to happen to the hole that is now in my ceiling…

Okay…so maybe I will saw one more thing about the whole ceiling fan debacle. Jared did actually have the new one installed, but when we flipped the switch on nothing happened. After this happened about three times I turned to him, and with a big smile on my face, and said:

“Well, at least it’s quiet.”

After six hours of labor intensive work, and no progress…Jared didn’t think my comment was very funny.

Third Time’s the Charm

2011-08-01T21:47:00.001-07:00

Jared and I are in the process of updating our bathroom. I am hoping that by Thursday we will be nearly done…

Originally, I thought we would just be changing the shower curtain and throwing a little paint on the wall…but oh no…it has turned into much more than that.

We changed out the faucet with no problems…it was about a $40 project. But switching out the light fixture over the vanity has proven to be a much more difficult task.

This is how our bathroom originally looked:

…and our original bathroom light fixture (upside down and without the lamp shades):

I didn’t snap pictures of our first two attempts to switch out the light fixture above our vanity because to put it nicely, it would have stressed out Jared…and to be truthful, when Jared dropped the G.D. word on attempt number two I almost peed my pants, and cried.

However, third time appeared to be the charm for us. We finally found a fixture that worked.

The problem we were having is that there is minimal space between our light and our medicine cabinet. The first fixture was an absolute no. The second one should have worked in theory, but the weight of the light covers weighed it down just enough that it made it difficult to open the cabinet doors…and for only $39.88+ tax+ my husbands soul, the third fixture was a winner.

Are you Pinterested?

2011-07-28T20:13:00.001-07:00

I’ve been a member of Pinterest for about 24 hours now…and I am completely obsessed.

Image Source

It is a invite-only website that basically lets you “bookmark” all your favorite things to share with others, and also allows others to show you their sources of inspiration. It’s pretty cool.

If you are interested in joining, and need an invite, shoot me an e-mail. Otherwise, if you want to follow me, or see what I find interesting/inspiring/like you can find me here.

New Shower Curtain

2011-07-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

Lets face it…it takes me forever to make decisions. Especially when it comes to decorating my house.

I have been looking for a new shower curtain, to replace the one we have had for over three years, for about six months now. I’m not even going to try to explain the rationale behind why it has taken me so long to buy something…it just has, and that is just how long it takes me to make decisions about anything.

Yesterday I decided I had put off purchasing a shower curtain long enough, so I bought two…with the intension of returning one of them, of course.

Option #1

Option #2

Now for pictures of the choices in my house…

…and the winner was…

Option #1

Our long term goal is to completely remodel our bathroom. However, since that is going to cost a lot of money, my short term plan is to switch out the shower curtain/rugs, and then paint the upper portion of bathroom walls.

I originally thought that option #2 might work if I painted the walls a slightly more bold, or darker color…but I think it was just too light. Plus, if I got with a more neutral wall color it will be easier to switch out my shower curtain in the future.

Now I just need Jared to sand/smooth out the walls (I removed a wallpaper border), to pick a paint color, and find some new rugs!

Movie Review: Friends with Benefits

2011-07-26T19:48:00.001-07:00

Jared and I have seriously cut back on our movie watching. We actually cancelled our blockbuster online subscription when they closed most of the stores, which meant we weren't able to make in-store exchanges anymore...and we've stopped going to the theater on a regular basis due to the rising prices, and unpleasant experiences- such as a musty smelling theater (apparently they just cleaned the carpet...we ended up leaving because it triggered my asthma), and EXTREMELY loud sound (you know it's bad when you half-deaf husband says it's loud).

Today however, we decided to go to a different theater (Carmike)- one that is actually really close to us, has lowered prices and offers deals such as $1 pop and popcorn on Tuesday or $5 off a large popcorn and pop combo.

We ended up seeing "Friends with Benefits" staring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake (my celebrity crush). To be perfectly honest, you basically get what you expect with this movie. It wasn't bad, but obviously it isn't life changing either. This movie is funny, the chemistry between Mila and Justin is definitely good...and of course, the movie ends how you think it will.

Image Source

Although, as a Christian I struggle with how much emphasis is put on sex in both movies and television shows today...there are just so many other aspects of a relationship and the development of self that I think it is just ridiculous that the media has to focus so much on the physical chemistry between two people.

I also don't buy it when celebrities say that sex/romantic scenes don't effect them, or their real life relationships because there are so many people watching you that it is just awkward...I don't believe you can be thatclose to someone and not have some sort of physical or emotional connection.

Husband Approved

2011-07-24T14:42:00.001-07:00

I hate shopping. I find it both physically and emotionally exhausting. I hate sifting through the racks of clothes, and I would rather be sitting on the couch in the comfort of my own home then undressing and redressing under harsh lights and full-length mirrors.

I avoid the mall like a plague, and 90% of the time I am either in my pajama's, or scrubs...and I basically use the same outfit for an entire week when I am forced to leave the house.

So how Jared and I ended up at the outlet mall on Sunday...I'm not sure. I think it had something to do with the fact that when we were out running errands on Saturday I told Jared I would rather drive out to Cabela's (40 minutes away) then set foot in Gander Mountain (which we were driving past). But the truth is- I just wanted to go home and never thought that we would actually drive out to Albertville that weekend.

It was a gorgeous day...and surprisingly a pretty successful shopping trip. I bought two items from Old Navy right away.

Then we stopped at a whole bunch of other stores, but were in and out pretty quickly once we realized there was nothing for us. Being quick was definitely key to this peaceful trip…usually I take my time to peruse since I don’t shop a lot and after one or two stores Jared looses his patience.

Then, just before I was able to call it a day we stopped by Ann Taylor and Jared actually picked out an outfit for me!

Not bad, right?! Now I just need a new pair of shoes, a trip to the salon, and a reason to wear it!!!

Love is Forever

2011-07-20T04:16:00.000-07:00

Four years ago today…I married my best friend.

July 20th, 2007

So I figured it was about time I uploaded my highlight video so I could share it with my family and friends. (Seriously, I just did this last night…)

Jared and I don’t have any big plans to celebrate. I mean, it’s Wednesday, we are both working night shifts and we have a lot going on this week...we actually even discussed picking another day to celebrate our anniversary this year, but I think we’ll just go out for dinner and call it good.

I say next year we’ll actually have to do something nice…I think a five year wedding anniversary is worthy of a little getaway. Plus, next year, our anniversary is on a Friday of a weekend I won’t have to work vs. the middle of the week…so I think it will be mandatory for us to take a trip up North to celebrate. Maybe we’ll talk about it tonight at dinner

My Wish List

2011-07-15T04:05:00.001-07:00

I’m not typically a girl with expensive taste…I love practical gifts.

For instance: An electrical toothbrush, a $3 salad saver….and, as my mom likes to reminisce, the best day of my life was the day I made the JV soccer team (as a 7th grader) and she bought me two pairs of jeans and a few shirts from Kohl's.

So needless to say…the following list is a DREAM compared to my every-day wants. I literally spend nothing beyond what I need. My money is invested in quality food, my husband, my house, and my debt.

A new computer…which I am feverishly saving for.

A Vitamix…because they are apparently the BEST blenders on the face of the earth- and I know if we had the money to buy one Jared would let me buy one

A white watch…because it goes with basically everything, and I am always wondering what time it is.

I also really, really, REALLY want to go on a cruise!!!!! AND this whish list item is actually a MAYBE because my husband is so

A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!!

He is 100% supportive of me going on a cruise with my girlfriends…unfortunately, I’m not sure all my friends who say they are up for a all girls vacay are actually UP FOR IT! But I am bound and determined to make it happen in then next six months…at least with one of my girlfriends!

Blueberry Banana Bread- Make This NOW!

2011-07-09T11:37:00.001-07:00

I don’t bake a lot because I don’t trust myself, or Jared for that matter, around bake goods.

But every once in a while, when I come across a good recipe, I dust off my bread pan, break out the baking supplies and have a good time.

This bread came from a recipe from Emily at Daily Garnish. In case you have never had Greek yogurt, I suggest 2% Fage which I buy in the natural foods cooler at my grocery store. If you’re not sure what to do with the rest of the container of yogurt after making your bread- Greek yogurt is a AWESOME substitute for sour cream. I also like to mix a little with a bowl of fresh fruit, which is usually what I eat for breakfast.

Jared and I have already eaten half…it is incredible! So moist. The blueberries didn’t even taste like they had been baked. (BTW I only had to bake my bread about 45 minutes, but this will probably vary depending on your oven so keep an eye on it!)

Jared even told me he think he just fell a little more in love with me because of the bread…and that it was the best banana bread he has ever had!

Then he posted that statement on facebook…

Which is odd because he doesn’t frequently make public declarations of love for me I guess it really must have been good.

Nice Surprises

2011-07-07T11:31:00.001-07:00

This morning I was feeling a little sad…but fortunately my sadness passed quickly.

I mean, how could it not when I woke up to this:

And…

a newspaper so I don’t forget what was going on in the world the day I turned 27, LOL!

My husband is the best!

Sad Day...

2011-07-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

I think birthday's are generally exciting days...but today I'm feeling a little sad because my Grandpa isn't alive to celebrate with me.

I used to have strawberry shortcake every year, for my birthday, and I can't help but think about the year my Grandpa tried to bake the angel food cake from scratch- it wasn't good, but it was most definitely made with love.

Other Grandpa thoughts that make me sad today...

-My Grandpa also stopped shaving/started growing his beard when I was born.

It's been over two months since he passed away and I still cry almost every day.

What?! I’m 27?!

2011-07-07T02:38:00.001-07:00

First of all, the following picture is not very flattering...but I had to share it because my friend McKenzie is G.R.E.A.T!!!! She invited me out for a girls night tonight- sushi and drinks- without knowing that it was my birthday tomorrow...and after telling her how great her timing was because it kept Jared from taking me out for sushi for my B-Day she really did it up...

After dinner, we continued the fun my going back to her place...where she also happened to have some cake on hand!!!

I had a BLAST! There were three of use- and we worked together on the same unit that I was hired to when I was originally began working at The Mad House...so it was great to talk about work with people who understood me, as well as about life in general and of course relationships…

I don't make friends easily...I've been hurt by a lot of people in my past...I'd rather have a few close friends v.s a lot of acquaintances.

Unfortunately, a lot of the great friends I've been making lately seem to only be temporarily present in my life because either I move, or they move...for instance, my new friend McKenzie and her husband are only living in Minnesota until next August due to the military...which completely breaks me heart.

**********************************

By-the-way...do you think I look 27?!?!

I know I might be crazy, but I associate the age 27 with wrinkles because my preceptor for my nursing internship (in 2008) was 27 and she has some nice little wrinkles going on...

I don't know how old I really look, and I guess I don't care...but I sort of secretly think I look the same now at the age of 27 as I did at the age of seven...

I know that is not a realistic thought…but I definitely don’t feel 27.

We Bought a New/Used Car!

2011-07-06T14:00:00.001-07:00

I wish we could say that this purchase was made the Dave Ramsey way, but we have been focusing a lot of paying down our existing debt that we weren't able to pay for our vehicle in cash.

Of course, we could have purchased a less expensive car...but since we are hoping to become a family of three later next year we knew we needed something more reliable than the vehicle we already own.

I am a huge, HUGE fan of Toyota's because they are very reliable, run forever, and quiet. I have driven them all my life thanks to the generosity of my parents...so of course it was only natural that I would want the first car I purchased myself to also be a Toyota. The problem is, they are very expensive so Jared really urged me to consider other vehicles.

Even though I told Jared I would consider other vehicles, I secretly told myself I would only buy a Toyota. But after consulting consumer reports and car soup, I realized if I wanted to be the most for my money I needed to consider other vehicles.

When we finally made the decision to purchase a vehicle, we actually ended up only looking at two cars...and we actually only looked at the first car because the second car (the one we ended up purchasing) wasn't available to view until the next day, so we stopped by a dealership to view and test drive a similar vehicle to make sure it was really what we wanted.

What did we buy? A 2007 Subaru Forester.

And my two favorite features…

Heated seats…and my massive sun roof!!!

(Jared loves that the car has a trailer hitch)

It’s actually really hard to find used Subaru’s so when we found one that only had 72,000 miles on it, in such great condition, and with all the extra features that we wanted we had to jump…and so far we are both very pleased with the purchase, and we are hoping to have it paid off between December and February. Which we think is a very realistic goal since we just paid off another student loan!!!!

Yoga Challenge

2011-07-05T20:39:00.001-07:00

The holiday weekend has thrown me off…of course it didn’t help that I worked, but actually was off Friday and on Monday (which doesn’t usually happen on typical work weekend). So all day on Monday, July 4th, I kept thinking it was Sunday.

It’s now Tuesday night and I still feel confused.

So back to yoga...I can’t remember if I did anything last Friday. I know I didn’t practice on Saturday because we ended up having a house guest from England at the last minute, and then on Sunday and Tuesday I did yoga for digestion using these videos:

I like the second video better and ended up using it again tonight after I did some planks and half series of sun salutations- focusing mostly on the down dog and chaturanga poses.

I think the yoga of digestion REALLY works. I first did it Sunday night after eating way t0o much at a BBQ, and before going to bed because I was feeling really full and bloated. I spent about 20-30 minutes doing the poses and when I was finished I could hear my stomach gurgling and almost felt a little hungry when I was finished, LOL!

Frustrated

2011-07-05T13:34:00.001-07:00

Remember when I wrote about being exposed to Hepatitis C last November???

Good News: All my test results came back negative.

Bad News: I was exposed AGAIN.

I'm really not a careless person, and was exposed while doing a simple task according to protocol. So it is just plain frustrating...the waiting, worry and anxiety...

Jared and I have also been talking very seriously about trying to start a family...but now, even if I wanted to try to get pregnant I have to wait until February.

My Yoga Challenge: Days 3 & 4

2011-07-01T11:41:00.001-07:00

Wednesday

-Fitness Yoga @ Shoreview YMCA

After a bad day at work, I headed to the gym hoping that yoga would be sort of a reset button for my day…

Unfortunately, relaxation was not on the agenda for this particular class…I did not care for the instructors style. I didn’t feel like each side of my body was worked equally which probably had a lot to do with the fact that she kept forgetting which side we had just focused on. Needless to say, it was pretty frustrating and I was actually looking forward to the end of class

Thursday

-Yoga for bedtime relaxation @ home

I was feeling pretty sore from three days in a row of 1 hour yoga classes, so I let my body rest and focused on how to use yoga to help me sleep. So I watched the following video a few times and then did the exercises and used the breathing techniques at my own pace while I was in bed.

I feel asleep pretty quickly, however due to the fact we had a heat index in the low 100’s yesterday and I don’t have air conditioning I can’t say I got the most peaceful night of sleep.

I think yoga is helping with some lower back pain that I get intermittently. I use to sleep on my stomach all the time, but haven’t been able to in the past year or so...last night I gave it a try, and ended up sleeping on my stomach most of the night on my back without any problems. So maybe all the hamstring stretching I have been doing lately is helping?!

My Yoga Challenge: Days 1 & 2

2011-06-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

Monday
-Fitness Yoga @ Shoreview

Today was the first day I went straight from work to yoga, and as soon as I stepped on the mat I knew it was exactly what I needed. My feet were so tight that it almost hurt to stand, so it was good we did a lot of stretching.

Then I deloped the desire to be able to do cran and side crane.

Source

Maybe in 44 days???

Tuesday
-Fitness Yoga @ Emma B YMCA w/Jenna

Tonights yoga session was GREAT!!! I really like the instructor, Jenna. We warmed-up, got a great strength session which was followed by ab work, flexibility and then savasana.

I really liked that there was a strong emphasis on the strength portion- I was challenged, but in a way that made me feel strong and good about myself! I was also happy that I was able to get into bound extended side angle pose really easily.

Source

My Personal Yoga Challenge

2011-06-27T19:40:00.001-07:00

Yoga is relaxing, and it makes me feel strong and beautiful.
I LOVE yoga!

Source

So...over the next 45 days I am challenging myself to practice yoga 5-6 days per week.

My goal is to increase my energy level and finally be able to make it through a sun salutation series doing REAL chaturanga because right now I can barely do a modified charuranga (on my knees).

Source

Of course, I am going to listen to my body...so if that means all I do is spend 10 minutes in savansana or meditating to clear my mind after a stressful day at work, I will consider that a successful day.

As of now, my plan is to mostly do a mix of classes at my gym, and DVD's at home. I would like to take a few classes at an actual yoga studio because I think I would learn more than I do at my gym, unfortunately there is only one yoga studio near my house and they only offer heat yoga classes...which I want to try, but not until I feel a little more comfortable with my practice. So I might try a studio near work, or I might try doing CorePower Yoga on Demand.

Reduce, Reduce, REDUCE!

2011-06-26T16:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening I picked up a few boxes of my belongings that I have been storing in one of my parents garages...

I honestly cannot believe how much CRAP I have hung onto for so many years!!! Seriously...some of the stuff was meaningful, but a lot of it was embarassing, sad, and most of it was just plain J-U-N-K!

Seriously, who needs to hang onto a speech about gun accessability that I can only imagine I wrote in high school...or a box full of broken knickknacks, which I have known were broken for at least five years????

My goal was to go quickly go through my stuff and reduce my boxes by about 50%...and then at the end of the summer I would like to go through everything again- after I've dejunked and organized the rest of the house.

I think I was pretty successful! I got rid of a lot of boxes, and filled three-fourths of our massive outdoor garabage and the enitre recycling bin!

Now I need to work on my basement...

Quick Political Rant

2011-06-25T22:18:00.000-07:00

Last night I was watching the news, and of course there was a fair amount of coverage about the fact that New York passed a law allowing same-sex marriage...

What REALLY irritated me was the commentary about how as of now the state will not allow people to pursue legal action against churches for discrimination if they are not allowed to wed in a particular religious establishment...like someone would even consider doing this!

Since when did it become an expectation that everyone becomes supportive of one another? I am all for respect, and tolerance...I think agreeing to disagree is an important part of every healthy realtionship. However, it seems like now I/everyone/every establishement is expected to support lifestyle choices of others even when I don't really agree. You know what I mean?

I'm really not even talking about gay rights. I've actually been bringing this topic up to Jared pretty frequently about a variety of political and social issues such as parenting, obesity, war, legalization of drug issues, etc.

America has become sooo liberal, and I feel like I am being forced to adopt a neutral value system, and support freedom of choice instead of believing in right vs. wrong, or good vs. evil.

So you cares if you drive your car on the left side of the road when everyone else drives on the right...freedom of choice, no???

Dead Deer

2011-06-15T22:04:00.000-07:00

WARNING: There will be a graphic image of a dead animal in this post

Jared and I found a dead deer in our yard yesterday evening...this was definitely a first for us, and we had no idea what to do.

Our first reaction was to call the police because at the very least we figured they could tell us what to do/who to call...but the only number I could find was for the administrative office, and of course it was closed by 5:45 PM. So then we tried calling animal control, the DNR and a number of other services with no luck.

Finally, we were able to get a hold of someone from Minnesota Wild Life Management, and they kindly informed us that it would cost $150 for them to come out to our house the next day to remove the carcass. Are you kidding me?! I told Jared I would rather drag the thing into the street and make the city deal with it.

Now, I figure, as long as we remain home owners we will likely find other dead animals in are yard...People die. Plants die. Animals die. Stuff like this just happens...or does it???? Here is a picture so you can judge for yourself...

This animal did not die naturally. It also did not get hit by a car, wander in our yard and die...it was mauled to death. We know for a fact that this doe was killed within 24 hours of when we found it because Jared mowed the lawn yesterday. He was out there all day, and didn't see a thing so we are convinced it had to have happened while we were both working the overnight shift Tuesday into Wednesday.

I should also mention that there have been bear sightings within the Twin Cities Metro area in the past week, with one being a few miles away from our house...Jared is a hunter, and of course took a much closer look at the doe than I did and he thinks there is evidence that the doe was dragged by the neck. However, because it rained last night and again this afternoon all evidence of tracks had been washed away so we're not sure what sort of animal killed the deer but Jared is concerned that it could have been a bear, or wolf of some sort and that it might come back.

Our plan is to call the police in the morning and get their advice...I'm just not willing to concede to the fact that no one else is worried about how this animal was killed, and that I have to pay to get it removed.

Cooking Without Meat

2011-06-14T18:35:00.000-07:00

If it weren't for Jared, I would probably maintain a mostly pescetarian lifestyle when it comes to food.

The reason why I eat meat most of the time is because The Husband doesn't think it is a meal unless it contains meat...actually, Jared doesn't really believe meat is meat unless it's beef. It's not that I dislike meat, I just prefer veggies and fruit and by the time I usually finishes those courses of a meal I am typically satisfied.

So for the first time since Jared has been home I made a meat-free meal. I made vegan sloppy joes, AKA snobby joes...and I gave Jared a 24 hour notice.

The problem was, Jared either didn't listen to me or he didn't understand what I was saying because tonight he got upset when I was making dinner and told me he thought that I meant I was going to use ground turkey instead of ground beef. LOL

I thought the meal was really good, and I will definitely be make snobby joes again. However I think Jared was too upset about the lack of meat to give me a real evaluation...but he went back for seconds, and then packed some for lunch...so obviously it wasn't a total fail ;)

I Am a Grill Master!

2011-06-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

I am by no means a great cook, but I've never made anyone puke or given them food poisoning. I like to mix thing up, and I love to cook with fresh ingredient. I also hardly ever make the same thing twice.

Now that Jared is back in town, I've started to have fun in the kitchen again...because lets face it, it's always more fun to cook when you are doing it for someone else. Which is one of the many reasons why I bought Jared a grill for his birthday this past April...I was hoping that it would inspire him to cook for me every once in a while now that I am a working woman. (When I was in school I cooked for Jared almost every single night...and I think he only cooked for me twice in those two years. Hamburger Helper! Mmmm, mmm.........blech!)

What I wasn't expecting is that I would enjoy having a grill so much! I think buying a grill is definitely the best thing I have done all year!

Tonight I took a shot at grilling steak, and oh boy was it goood!

Perfectly pink!

...and only one slice of pinneapple was a causualty to the flame.

Meals like this make me question why I ever eat out. Even by spending a little extra money on quality ingredients, we still end up saving money in the long run...and what's even better is that we had enough steak leftover to make a second meal. I love it when I don't have to worry about what I am going to bring to work for lunch!

What day is it?

2011-06-05T23:16:00.000-07:00

One of the questions I have to ask my patientswhen I assess their mental/neurological status is: "What day is it?" The problem is, most of the time I myself, have no idea! LOL.

I guess that is one of the hazards of being a nurse. When you work weekends, and flip between days and nights the days all seem to blend together.

I just can't believe it is June!!!

Where is this year going?!

South Dakota Vacation

2011-06-02T11:14:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, Jared and I went to Rapid City, South Dakota to visit some friends, as well as to do some hiking, and site seeing of a few of America’s National Parks & Monuments.

View Full Album

We visited Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse (big disappointment), Jewel Cave National Monument (which houses the worlds second longest cave system), and Sylvian Lake.

It was nice to get away…I got a lot of reading done, and I decided that I wouldn’t mind living in the Mountains someday because they are so beautiful. However, I do not want to live in the Mountains in South Dakota, LOL :)

Work with What You've Got

2011-06-02T09:16:00.000-07:00

I don't spend money on clothes, shoes or accessories for my house. I spend money on food. I love food!

The problem is, I usually buy way too much when I go to the grocery store. Especially when Jared and I were living apart. Recently, I have found myself throwing away fresh produce that went bad because I didn't use it fast enough. I have also gotten into the bad habit of not checking my cupboards before I go to the store which means I end up with a lot of duplicate items that I never end up using.

My goal this summer is to plan better, and use what I have. I think I am going to drive Jared nuts because I am going to wait until we are down to the bare minimum before I do my shopping and it's going to force both him and I to get a little creative.

I am also going to go shopping once a week instead of every two+ weeks because that way I will hopefully buy a little less and be forced to use what I have before it spoils.

So here is what I've got right now...

Not a lot...some frozen fruit, tilapia, a few pieces of frozen chicken and about a bag and a half of frozen veggies.

Not much here either...some salad mix, half container of plain Greek yogurt, eggs/egg whites, a cucumber, carrots, cheese, milk and strawberries & blueberries.

...and that's it! Tuna, peanut butter, butternut squash, brown rice, protein powder, oatmeal, a few nearly empy bags of nuts & dried fruit, a sweet potato, two tomatoes, a can of pumpkin, gluten free spaghetti noodles, a couple bags of dried beans, etc.

So yeah, if I asked Jared to make me a meal right now I think he would throw a fit. But I see a lot of possibilities to get us through the next few days...

Breakfast: flavored oatmeal w/scoope of PB, protein shake w/frozen fruit, eggs, or Greek yogurt w/the last handful of multigrain cheerios & fresh fruit + cup of coffee

Lunches: Salad w/tuna or chunks of squash, sweet potatoe or beans + beans cuccumber and tomato w/glass of milk

Dinner: Grilled tilapia or chicken w/brown rice and frozen corn or edamame w/bottle of beer/water/milk

I'm really tempted to go grocery shopping right now because I have found myself with an unexpected day off of work (I'm on call), but I'm going to try my best to hold off one more day so I have time to plan. I would wait until Sunday evening to go shopping, but Jared and I are planning to have friends over for dinner on Saturday so I should probably make sure I have some enough to feed them :)

Highs & Lows

2011-05-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday I finally made the plung...after many, MANY months of wishing, hoping and wanting I bought a Kindle!!! After consulting facebook first, of course.

To top it off, I was able to buy a barely used one from my sisters boyfriend for a great price!

My facebook status later that night...

THEN

10 minutes later

My computer

DIED!

Like died, DIED!

Most people might be upset that they lost all their files...I'm just upset because my Grandpa bought me this computer...

I rushed to the Apple Store early the next morning, before we left for vacation and found out my hard drive is likely the cause...which can be replaced, but considering I have had my computer for over four years it might not be worth it. So, for now, Jared and I are back to sharing his computer...which I hate, mainly because I hate his HP but also because I hate sharing :(

At least I have my Kindle.

I'm halfway through my third book in less than a week :)

One Month

2011-05-29T19:33:00.001-07:00

One month ago today, my Grandpa died.

For the most part I would say that I am okay...but I don't think I could say that I've been anything better than just "okay." Most days I feel like I have a knot in my chest...I'm on edge, and feel like I frequently feel like I am on the verge of crying but can't.

I know with time things will get better...that I won't think about him every day. That I won't cry over a dying patient because all I can think about is my Grandpa...I know eventually the reflex I have to visit my Grandpa, and say goodnight to him when I stop by my parents late at night will disappear...

I know it just takes time for all of these feelings to work themselves out...but then again, a part of me doesn't want the saddness to go away because I feel like if it begins to disappear, so will my memories of him.

A song that I have found comforting over the past month is "Blessings" by Laura Story...

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

(Chorus)
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if the thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Chorus

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home

Chorus

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

Welcome to the World William!!!

2011-05-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

Meeting William for the first time!

So perfectly precious!!!!
William Clair born at 8:15 PM, May 23rd, 2011.
7 pounds 15 ounces, 20 3/4 inches long.

Proud Uncle, and his new little buddy!

So happy to meet you William! I can't wait to watch you grow-up!

A Lovely Little Afternoon

2011-05-23T23:51:00.001-07:00

I am really loving my job right now...and even though it sometimes stinks working every other weekend, and flipping between day and nights, I LOVE having random week days off. What's even better, is that because Jared gets time off in the middle of the week too. So yesterday, we had a really nice little afternoon off together.

At first I wasn't sure if I really wanted to leave the house. I was pretty tired, but between Jared's talk about wanting to go get biscuts and gravy and feeling the need to look alive in case we needed to go welcome our nephew into the world I found to motivation to get up and get out.

Our first stop yesterday afternoon was to the Longfellow Grill, which is a locally owned chain of restaurants that pride themselves on fresh, made from scratch food. We also over heard one of the waitress tell a table that they do their best to get all of their ingredients within a 90 mile radius of the Twin Cities.

One of the biggest things I missed about living in Minnesota last summer was eating outside. I cannot tell you how in shock I was over how few restauraunts in Morgantown, WV offered outdoor seating...especially considering the fabulous weather they have!

The Longfellow Grill was great. I loved the atmosphere despite it being on a fairly busy road. It's right next to the Mississippi River, and the atmosphere was very laid back and casual. I ate the fish tacos and Jared had the cheese steak.

My meal was pretty good, I loved the sauce on top of the taco and the use of fresh cilantro but I thought the seasoning on the fish was way too strong. I couldn't even tell I was eating fish...Jared's meal on the other hand was pretty darn tasty. For some reason, neither one of us had great luck when it comes to ordering cheese steak sandwhiches, we always feel like we get jipped on the cheese. That was NOT the case yesterday. His sandwhich was full of cheesy goodness, and the fries were great. We also enjoyed a couple of beers from the local Lift Bridge Brewery. Jared had a Pale Ale, which he liked and I didn't...I thought it was a little pungent, and I enjoyed the Farm Girl Belgian Saison. I love Belgian beers, and this one didn't fail to impress me. It was smooth, fresh, and almost had a slightly sweet/fruity flavor. Perfect for a nice, Spring afternoon date.

After lunch we headed to Minnehaha Falls for a little walk, and to snap a few pictures. We discussed how lucky we were to live in Minnesota, and in a city that offers so many outdoor activity space. (It doesn't suprise us that MN is considered the fittest state in the U.S.) And I told Jared my dream would be to actually live in the city (Minneapolis) vs. an outlying suburb. Though, I think my wish fell on deaf ears because Jared would like to live on a farm in ND...so suburb it is.

We ended the afternoon by stopping by the hospital my inlaws are at...there was no baby at the time, but we wanted to make sure they had everything they needed and knew we were available for support. We ended up taking my brother-in-law down to the cafeteria for a quick dinner. A few hours later we got word that our nephew, William Claire, made his way into the world! Because I had to be at work last night we weren't able to go back to meet him, but that's on our agenda for today!

Spring Cleaning

2011-05-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

Spring cleaning is in full force in our house. Jared and I are on a mission to clean, and then reduce all of our belongings by about one third.

For the past 14-18 months we have packed most of our belongings away as we moved around the country pursuing our careers and school, and I've been totally amazed by how little I actually need to live comfortably.

A week before Jared came home I cleaned the upper part of our house from top to bottom, and then at the end of last week, we tackled the kitchen. Oh the kitchen. *Sigh* The room I knew that would bring us the biggest headache of all...

First we removed everything from the kitchen.

...including the cabinet doors because they were in serious need of a scrub down.

Then we decided since we had taken off all the cabinet doors, we might as well replace the hardware. The old stuff is picture above, and the new stuff below...

After three days of cleaning EVERY nook, cranny, piece of cookware, plate and kitchen utensil we were finished....

P.S. My sister-in-law is in labor right now!!! After being a week over-due, she finally went into the hospital last night to begin the induction process- whatever that means. We just got word she just received her epidural and is 6 cm dilated. Jared and I are very excited because right now all our nieces and nephews live in ND. This will be the first little Ross to be born locally :)

Jared is back!!!

2011-05-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

Right after my grandpa died I didn't have anything happy to blog about which is why I haven't written anything lately...I pretty much threw myself into work, and cleaning. I also began counting down the days that Jared would be back in Minnesota.

Jared is now officially home, for good!!!!

I cannot believe that we have lived apart for over nine months!!! Seriously! Nine months?! If I had just gotten pregnant when he left, I could have a baby right now. It's sorta weird to think about...we were apart long enough to give life to another human begin.

So needless to say I am doing much better now that my husband is home :)

Updates:

All renters have moved out of our house. It is just me and Jared now, and it is wonderful!
We had an insurance adjuster come yesterday to assess the damage that was done to our house by ice dams this past winter...now it is time to find a contractor :-/
I am insanely obsessed with watching Dexter right now...

Image Source

I quit my second job today. I really like the hospital, but after my Grandpa died I realized I need to cut back on work, and live a little more. So this is a good thing. My last day will be June 17th.

Jared and I are going to South Dakota for Memorial Day! We will be visiting some good friends, going camping, and I might get to see Mount Rushmore too! I am very excited because the last time we tried to make it to SD we ended up getting stuck in Jared's home town for a week because of bad, rainy, windy weather. NOT COOL. I told Jared if the weather is bad this time we aren't leaving town...so I'm hoping for a nice weekend because I REALLY need to get out of here. I need a long weekend of fun to clear my head, and not worry about anything family or work related.

Grape stomping with our friends in 2008

House updates to come!

Dancing With the Angels

2011-05-04T06:45:00.000-07:00

Today we say goodbye to my Grandpa...

I cannot wait to see him again, in heaven!

2011-04-30T14:02:00.000-07:00

Into paradise, may the Angels lead you

George Burge DeWitt
December 12th, 1918 - April 29th 2011

Update

2011-04-26T22:34:00.000-07:00

My Grandpa is still hanging in there, but he is basically being fully supported by medication. My family want to give him a chance, about 24-36 hours, but if he doesn't look better in the morning we will likely transition him to comfort cares. Meaning we will stop treatment, and provide him with the care and support he needs to pass peacefully.

Last night, my sister hydroplaned and flipped her car on the way to the hospital to see my Grandpa. The state trooper couldn't believe she was able to walk away virtually uninjured. However, she did get a concussion, and this is the third one she has had in the last three months.

It's very weird knowing what I know because I am a RN in a ICU. Now I am experiencing the other side...what it is like to be a family member with a critically ill loved one. This experience is certainly going to make me a much better nurse when it comes to end of life issues.

With that said...I'm coping. As much as I would like to sit by my Grandpa's side 24/7 I have realized that I am not capable of that. It's interesting how physical grief can be. I have lost my appetite. I feel nauseous. My brain is yelling at me to get some sleep, yet I rarely feel tired. And this afternoon, I literally sobbed so deeply from my soul that I collapsed in a half dressed heap of saddens in the middle of my bedroom floor.

However, I have found some contentment. This afternoon, my mom said to me "Time is never wasted on love." Those words brought me some peace knowing that I am capable of loving another person as much as I love my Grandpa. Because as much as I love my Grandpa, I also know God loves both of us even more...and I find comfort in knowing that.

I also find peace in knowing that there are a whole bunch of people waiting for my Grandpa in heaven. My Grandpa use to says when he died he wanted everyone to have a party...and although I may not be up for it, a part of me will certainly rejoice knowing that he gets to be welcomed in the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ, our one and only Savior.

Urgent Prayer Request

2011-04-26T04:04:00.000-07:00

My Grandpa is in the ICU.

It doesn't look good.

Please pray for peace and comfort for both him and my family.

When the Husband's Away...

2011-04-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

The wife will play...with his grill!!!

Although, my version of grilling looks a lot different than the husband's since I skipped the meat.

I had a lot of fun! I've never grilled before! It was really easy, and delicious!

I cut up the grilled veggies, and made a delicious, and super filling salad. I think my favorite were the grilled portabello mushrooms.

...and the sweet potatoes. I have a sweet potato fry obsession.

Student Loans: Two down, three to go!

2011-04-22T10:28:00.001-07:00

Jared and I paid off another student loan today!!!!

Jared and I knew this day was coming for over a year...last year when we filed taxes and found out that we would get a few extra tax breaks because I was a displaced worker, we made the decision that our entire tax return this year would go towards paying off one of my student loans.

Our new game plan:

Jared: Continues to pay the mortgage w/his disability, but any additional money he makes from working this summer, or from his basic housing allowance that he gets for going back to school will go towards paying off student loans.

Sarah: Pay the rest of the bills. Follow Dave Ramsey's debt snowball. I.e. put the money that was allotted for the loans that have been paid off towards the remaining student loans. Then all extra money that comes in will go towards saving for a down payment on a new car & house projects.

When Jared is back in town, for good, we plan to do Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. I'm not sure if we will be able to follow the program to a T because right now we are borrowing a vehicle from my parents...and we may need to purchase something soon. But we are going to try really hard!

Midweek Updates

2011-04-20T18:13:00.000-07:00

Jared turned 30 last week, and over the weekend we had some fun with his new grill!

Last weekend I inherited a beautiful china cabinet!

We also finally bought new blinds for our dining room which has been without blinds for nearly 8 months.

Originally I wanted bamboo roman shades, but I just couldn't justify spending $80/window. So I did a lot of research on all different types of window coverings, and in the end I decided to just stick with the basic, cheap, plastic blinds that only cost $5.

Our house doesn't have A/C so whatever we get will probably end up getting really dirty when we open up our windows this summer, so I need something that is either going to be easy to clean or cheap to replace. Plus, in some of the rooms I want both curtains AND blinds so I need to keep costs as low as possible.

Before we replaced our blinds they were mounted on the outside...

Now, they are mounted on the inside. Which I think looks a lot better.

Husband & Wife: Conversation #3

2011-04-14T22:06:00.000-07:00

Me: I can't believe my sister gets to go to England...

Jared: Do you want to watch a video on how to install a toilet flange? Will that make you feel better?

Source

I Need Benadryl STAT!

2011-03-31T08:01:00.000-07:00

Jared and I just had a pretty serious conversation about having babies...and now I feel like I need Benadryl.

What is wrong with me?!

I want children...I really do. But the thought of physically getting pregnant...paying for for insurance...finding a daycare provider that will work with my weird work schedule...it all makes me physically sick.

Seriously, I am very dizzy and itchy right now. My head feels like it is both floating and spinning. I got so anxious during our "when will we have babies" conversation I wanted to scream at my husband to stop talking! (FYI, I didn't scream...he sensed the anxiety in my voice before it got that far).

************

I think what I need right now is to go to the pet store to watch the fish. I find fish very soothing.

The day before I took my RN licensing exam, Jared drove me out to the test site so I knew where I was going, etc. On the way there, I had my first (and only) panic attack, ever! After finding the building I was going to take my test at, he took me to the pet store where I stood, sniffled, and watched the fish for 30 minutes. It was very relaxing, and made be feel much better. I passed my test the next day in the fewest number of questions possible...I think it had a lot to do with the fish ;)

Husband & Wife: Conversation #2

2011-03-30T19:45:00.001-07:00

Jared: "Can I be a stay-at-home dad?"

Me: "Sure. You just have to figure out how to get pregnant first."

FYI: We have this conversation at least twice a month...and it always go the same way.

My True Life

2011-03-30T07:48:00.000-07:00

The other day I realized that this coming up weekend I will have three days off- in a row!!!! So what do you think I did???

I Panicked.

...then I picked up the phone and called the unit I was originally hired to, and hated, at "The Mad House" and told them I could work both Saturday and Sunday.

Although I won't get paid overtime because I don't work 40 hrs/wk, I will get a $100 bonus for each shift I work because it is not my designated weekend...plus working will not only fatten my paycheck, but keep me from spending money. So I suppose there is a silver lining to my brief moment of sheer stupidity...and then of course the possibility they wont actually need me.

...I know that is what you are thinking, right?

Cat, or Baby?

2011-03-28T02:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went over to my parents house, and spent the evening hanging out with my family. During this time, I announced that Jared and I were thinking about getting a cat.

Now, let me explain a couple of things...

I am not really a pet person.
We never had a cat growing up...we had dogs.
I have always preferred dogs over cats.

So of course, my dad asked me why in the world I ever want to get a cat. To which I replied:

"Well...our house is too small for a dog, so Jared wants either a cat or a baby."

Source

My dad and grandpa both voted for the baby.

DIY Mason Jar Chandelier

2011-03-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

Jared was on Spring break last week, so of course, he came for a visit...and naturally, I put him to work :)

First, I had him finish the dining room by putting up baseboards. Here are some pictures of how our dining room has transformed since we bought our house in July 2009!

Then we tackled a DIY project...we made a chandelier from mason jars. For the full tutorial go to Kara Paslay Design.

We started with a trip to The Home Depot for most of the supplies...

*Steel Nipples (picture: corner)
*4 Keyless Sockets (picture: middle)
*4 in PVC cap (picture: left)

*Wire/18-2 lamp cord (instead of buying a 250 ft roll, ask someone in the electrical department to cut you 50 ft...you'll save $35.)
*#10 washers
*Small hose clamp
*4 inch offset crossbar
*3 inch machine screws (to attach the ceiling plate to the crossbar)
*2 wire nuts
*Chandelier bulbs (we ended up returning the ones that are pictures, and getting round ones)

*Hex nuts (that will fit your steel nipples)
*4 inch offset crossbar

We ended up switching out the 4 in PVC for a ceiling canopy...it saved us money, and came with the 4-inch cross bar.

Then we went to Mills Fleet Farm and bought canning jars in three different sizes.

...and wal-lah! We ended up with a chandelier!

It didn't turn out exactly the way I wanted it to because ~~the husband~~ someone sorta rushed through a step, cut the wires, and then when we back-tracked everything fell apart...but I am still very happy with the end result. It's very unique, and a great conversation piece!

Cost: less than $100 + my husbands soul...let's just say by the end of this little project my ears were burning and my husband turned to me and said:

"Thanks for not getting upset with me for all my swearing...though, I'm pretty sure I'm going to hell."

What I'm Loving Wednesday

2011-03-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Link up here!

Right now I am loving all things vintage! Especially this picture of my maternal Grandparent's from their wedding day: May 1st, 1947.

I'm also love these tea house door knobs from Anthropologie. I would really like to find something similar for all the doors in my house.

Right now, I am inspired by mason jar lighting...and am thinking there might be a DIY project in the near future. The light fixture in our designated dining room space is in desperate need of updating.

Source

Source with full DIY tutorial!

And who wouldn't love this Luxe Jersey Crossover Dress from Ann Taylor Loft?! ...I just can't bring myself to buy it because I feel like winter is never going to end :(

I've been working in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at "The Mad House" for almost three weeks now, and I am LOVE, LOVE, LOVING my new position! It is soooo much better than where I was working before. I am feeling really blessed that I was able to transfer to a new department...

Lastly, I love that my husband is on Spring Break and is spending the week with me!

This picture is from one of the best nights of my life...Jared and I went on a dinner cruise with a couple of our friends, and we almost eloped the next day.

You're Richer Than You Think

2011-03-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago my church did a series of sermons called "Financial Recovery." During the last message, the pastor challenged us to think about the purpose of money once all of your debt is paid off, and your bills are taken care of.

He then made reference to a website called Global Rich List, where you can see where you rank in terms of how rich you are compared to the rest of the world.

I'm in the top 1.55% of the richest people in the world?!

Let me just be honest and say right now I feel completely ridiculous for ever wishing I had more or anything...

A Financial Victory!

2011-03-05T10:54:00.000-08:00

Source

Sometime between November and December I told Jared that over the next six months I wanted to create a $6,000 emergency fund.

Unfortunately, up until this point, Jared and I have not been great savers. At first we blamed it on the fact that I wasn't working and Jared's income didn't allow us to save much...then we blamed it on maintaining two households while we owned a house in MN and I was working in WV...but those were just excuses. Because somehow, during that time, we always managed to have enough money to eat out, and we were able to afford a trips to Washington, DC and Cozumel, Mexico!

So we got a little more serious...because even though Jared is not working right now, I still depend on him to pay our mortgage every month, and he depends on my income to pay the rest of our bills. Which means if a tragedy were to strike our family, neither one of us would be able to last very long without a significant amount of added stress.

Over the past few months I got a second job, became a workaholic, started putting money into savings immediately after I go paid, and we have both tried to cut back on my extraneous expenses...and lets just say it has paid off BIG TIME!

Even with the $1,250 ice dam set-back, today we just blew our goal out of the water! (Thanks to the VA screwing up on Jared's housing allowance the past two months...and getting a big, fat check with all of his back pay...)

I find achieving financial goals completely intoxicating and addictive! Jared and I are now talking about our next goal. Next, we want to refocus on paying down our student loan debt while continuing to saving a small amount each month for house projects, and the purchase a second vehicle ( because the car I currently drive actually belongs to my parents).

10 Week Fitness Goal

2011-02-23T20:29:00.000-08:00

In ten weeks I want to run a 5K.

Source

This is actually a fairly significant goal for me because I cannot even run a mile...well, I might be able to if I really tried but I guarantee you it would take me 12+ minutes, and I would collapse as the end.

There are two different races I am interested in entering, but I can't officially sign-up for anything because I work every-other weekend, and I am transferring to a new department next week, so I don't know which weekend I will be working...but that doesn't matter because there are two races on consecutive weekends that I am interested in, so I could at least run in one of them.

The races I am interested in are:

Get-in-Gear on April 30th, and
The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on May 8th (Mother's Day)

I'm pretty excited, especially since this gives me exactly enough time to train according to the Couch-to-5K program...so that's my goal! To run a 5K in about ten to eleven weeks + continue the yoga I have been doing at home & the gym two-three times per week.

Happy Wednesday!

2011-02-16T10:47:00.000-08:00

Yoga!

Source

Acupuncture

Source

Pima Cotton Sheets
Source

Old Movies/Musicals

Source

J.Crew Customer Service
Source

J.Crew is allowing me to return my $250 bridesmaid dress that I bought in September because my friend is pregnant, and due two weeks after her wedding date so they are canceling the wedding...it's a beautiful dress, and I would keep it, but I don't have a reason to wear it anywhere so it's nice they are letting me return it.

I also LOVE 40 degree weather we're having in Minnesota!
The fact that today is my last day of orientation at my second job.
Starting Friday I have six days off!!!! Which is much needed after working thirteen days in a row...
I get to see my husband this weekend!!!!!

*If you want to know what other people are loving, or join in on the fun...go to Jamie's blog!

My Husband in the BEST!

2011-02-10T23:36:00.000-08:00

My lack of posting in the past couple of weeks has been due to the fact that I have worked 27 of the last 32 days...total sickness, I know. But I do it by choice, and I don't typically complain about how much I have to work because I like getting a paycheck every week....

So anyways...my husband is really THE BEST!

He came to visit me last weekend even though he knew I wouldn't have a lot of time to spend with him.
He's just so darn cute, and
He's been spoiling me rotten this week!!!

Not only did he surprised me by coming into town a day early...then he showered me with gifts...

First, I got Terry Walters' "Eat Clean," and "Clean Start" books.

(Photos from Terry Walters' website)

The second package I got contained a health food I have been wanting to try for a while now...Chia seeds, which can be added to just about everything and is a Omega 3 superfood.

Then, without warning, I was surprised by a third package!!!

SUPER nice exercise bands that I think even made my sister, who even played basketball at a Division I school, jealous!

Then last, but not least, I got these beauties...

The BEST part was...that none of these packages came on the same day, and three of them came after he left town again. Two of the packages he told me to look for, and the other two were total surprises!

For someone like me, who LOVES to be in control, is super sensitive to details, always likes to know what's going on, and is very hard to surprise...I've gotta say, I was very impressed! The little sneak has been keeping a very close eye on my Amazon wish list!

Now, I must go roasting my vegetables so I have something to eat while I am at work tonight!

Have a great weekend!

Husband & Wife: Conversation #1

2011-02-04T11:26:00.000-08:00

Jared: "You need a day off."

Me: "Why?"

Jared: "Because I am sick of looking at your post about finding the perfect couch. You need to update your blog."

Ahh yes...a day off would be nice! But that's not going to happen until Sunday.

The Perfect Couch

2011-01-24T13:15:00.000-08:00

Is there such a thing as the perfect couch??? Because I'm starting to think that I will never find one. Jared and I have been all over the Twin Cities looking for a couch that I love, and we haven't found one yet. And yes, I say a couch that I love because Jared knows the decision will ultimately be mine. Of course, I do care if he thinks it is comfortable...so I'm not being totally selfish.

So here is what I am looking for:

Must be...

Comfortable
Raised off the ground because of our heating vents
Less than 100 inches in width
Affordable, but not poorly made
From somewhere other than IKEA

I would prefer...

If it were a right facing sectional
That it be a sleeper sofa since we have a small house and may not always be able to have a guest room

Couch #1
From: Schneirdman's
Price: $1,175

Pros: Right facing sectional, raised off the ground, not microfiber, sleek & modern style, appropriate width, color, price, appeared fairly well made, able to see it in person & try it out

Cons: I would like the right facing side to be a little longer; not a sleeper sofa; comfort was okay, but not fantastic- though it had potential to get better with time

Couch #2
From: Pottery Barn
Price: $1,999-$2,999

Pros: I love the curved corner wedge which will allow us to maximize seating; lots of fabric choices. The style is exactly what I am looking for.
Cons: I haven't seen it in person, or been able to try it out; I would probably want a high quality fabric which would make it slightly more than I want to spend; shipping costs

I'm not in a rush to purchase something right now because my sister and her friend are still living with me, but with that said, I would buy a couch tomorrow if it was exactly what I was looking for or being sold for the right price. My goal is to have a new living room furniture by June...so the search is on.

I have ANOTHER new job!

2011-01-23T13:28:00.000-08:00

Wait...didn't I just tell you I got a new job???? Yes, I did, but this one is different.

I swear, I am not typically one of those people that changes jobs every-other month...even though this will technically be the fifth position I have had in the past 15 months.

My recent employment recap...

For six weeks before I moved to WV I worked as a direct care coordinator in a home for individuals with disabilities (they knew there was a possibility I would not stay with them for long)
For 10 months I worked as a RN at a big hospital in WV working on a Medical/Surgical/Trauma ICU, this was my first nursing job.
I have currently been working as a RN at "The Mad House," in Minnesota, on a progressive care unit since September
In December I accepted a second position working on a casual basis at a health campus that focuses on holistic care, and integrative health. I just started orientation last week.
My NEW job...will still be at "The Mad House," but I will be working in a ICU.

So maybe it's not really a new job because I am just transferring to a different department...IDK. But what I do know is my current manager isn't very happy about this change, and told me she is not sure when she will be able to allow the move to happen. So who knows when the change will actually occur, but I am hoping for the end of February/early March.

What I do know is that I have not very happy with where I am at. I haven't written about my job much lately because all I would be doing is venting and I've been trying really hard not to be so negative about the situation. For a while I was thinking I just needed some time to adjust, but I've recently come to realize that I'm not the only one who is unhappy with where I am at. There are a number of people I work with that are very frustrated and actively looking for a new job, at a different organization. But rather than leaving completely ~~(because my benefits are great)~~, I want to try working in a different department.

I know I've written about this before, but I am such a HUGE believer in doing what makes you happy, and changing your situation when you're not. So that's what I am doing. We all spend too much time working, and thinking about work to not be happy with what we are doing...so I'm finding my happiness, and I'm confident I will find it. This past week I began orientation to my second job, and I have felt more valued and appreciated in three days than I have in the past year at either one of the other organizations I have worked at as a RN. So I am very hopeful.

With my transfer at The Mad House, I will be cutting back on hours which will allow me to work more hours at my second job, which is great because I think my personal values match up better with organization #2. So who knows...maybe the transfer will be great, but if not, there is always the possibility that my casual job could turn into something more full-time which would allow me to ditch The Mad House all together.

Dan & Laura, Getting Married!

2011-01-17T22:53:00.001-08:00

I've been harboring a secret...almost two months ago my brother asked me to go ring shopping with him! I was beyond honored and thrilled that he asked me, and I had so much fun but it was nearly killing me to keep my mouth shut.

Well, now I don't have to because he is engaged!

Last night my brother's fiancée came over and tried on my wedding dress...

It fit her like a glove!!!! I'm not sure if she is actually going to wear it or not, but it is an option...she is looking to save money where she can, so I offered and told her I would not be offended if she decided to wear something else.

Though, I'm not going to lie, I will probably be a little disappointed if she doesn't wear it. I always thought it was such a shame I was only able to wear it once. Plus, it made me very happy to see it on someone else :)

So, that was a lot of fun...I am however a little perturbed with small town North Dakota cleaner that preserved my dress three+ years ago because the modesty panel for the corset is missing. They may or may not be getting a call about that...I haven't really decided if it's worth my time to lodge a complaint.

2011: Financial Goals

2011-01-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Whoops! I didn't realize I hadn't blogged in 9 days! My excuse: Jared was in town.

Over Christmas, Jared and I decided that we needed to SERIOUSLY talk about a budget. We have said so many times that we are going to do this, and then we never do.

Jared and I are doing just fine financially...but with that said, we haven't been very smart with our money. We haven't been saving/making smart investments/paying of student loan debt like we should be. We don't spend more than we have, but we also don't really pay attention to where our money is going.

So last week we sat down and talked. Here are the steps we went through...

Talked about our income- which varies because I am paid hourly
Made a list of all of our bills- anything that we get a statement for
Discussed our "additional" expenses, i.e. gas, food, personal items, going out with friends
Conversed about tithing
Set goals in specific dollar amounts for: Savings, groceries/food, and gas
We decided all the money I get from my second job will go straight to savings
Determined the order in which we would pay down our student loan debt

We have known for a long time that we spend a lot of money on food. Going out to eat is something Jared I enjoy, and it is what we do often...and something we have been doing even more in the past year because our living arrangement has been so odd.

I also think I tend to spend more money than I need to on groceries because I don't plan well enough, and use the food I already have sitting in my cupboards. So our some of my food goals:

Eat out only 1-2 times per paycheck- which includes fast food & food from the cafeteria at work (I am hoping to completely eliminate fast food...expect for maybe Chipotle, and Noodles & Company)
Use what we have, and wait to shop until we absolutely need to
Plan meals around what we have left in our cupboards
Buy only 1-2 weeks worth of food to avoid waste

Tomorrow I am going to take money out from the bank and put it in an envelope, and do my best to stick to my budget!!!

I probably have enough food to last me a couple of day still...

You're only seeing one shelf because I share my kitchen with my sister and one other girl...this one is mine.

...but by mid-weekend I will be out, and I have to work so my plan is to go shopping today because I know if I don't I will end up eating out and continue to grab whatever is most convenient well into next week because next week in addition to working at "The Mad House" I begin training for my second job.

One the menu for next week:

Sandwiches to use up all the bread Jared bought, and
Something with beans...because I have a lot of dried beans.

2011: Year of the House

2011-01-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

I have a few New Year resolutions in the works, but one thing I know for sure is that this year I want to focus on making my house a home.

Jared and I bought our house in July 2009, and less than four months later I moved to West Virginia. So needless to say, we haven't accomplished much in regards to fixing up, and settling into our house.

There are a lot of things we would like to do to our house from big projects such as redoing our bathroom, to smaller things like painting and hanging pictures. Right now, I feel like our house lacks functionality, and comfort. So, over the next 362 days, I hope to bring a little personality to our humble abode.

Clearly, fixing up a house costs a lot of money...so I'm going to start with the small stuff. Undertaking a bathroom remodel just isn't in our budget this year, but we're going to start saving for one! In the meantime, here is a list a few thing we would like to accomplish...

Finish painting & replacing the baseboards
Buy new linen and accessorize the bedroom
Buy a couch
Start hanging stuff because so far we have NOTHING on our walls!
De-junk. (Ideally we would get rid of 1/3 of our belongings)
Organize our basement/seasonal items
Put gutters on the house
Set up a guest bedroom

...and guess what?! We've already started working on the dining room.

Before

Picking the color...

We went with the middle color, which is: Dutch Boy Artisan Pottery OR48. However, we had it color matched into Behr paint and primer.

After Painting

I personally don't think the color looks as pink in person as it appears in the pictures. To me, it looks a little more orangie-red/sandstone...so basically, what we need to do now is paint the vents, the closet door (you can't see), and put up baseboard before it is ready to furnish!

As for furniture...we're not going to do much because it isn't a very large space. We'll put a China cabinet that I am inheriting from my Grandpa, and a table in the room.

Goodbye 2010!

2010-12-31T10:05:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how quickly the year has gone by! So much has happened...

November 2009 I landed my first job as a RN and moved to WV, where I was all by myself.
I made some wonderful friends.
I cared for actively dying patients...and those experiences have changed me forever.
Jared made the decision to move to WV in March 2010.
Jared spent a few days in the hospital with a mysterious rash/illness.
My mom came to visit me in WV, and we spent my birthday/the fourth of July in Washington, DC.
In August Jared moved to ND to go back to school, and I was prepared to spend the fall, winter and spring in WV all by myself...but then I landed a job back in MN!
I moved in with a friend from work while I got ready to move back to MN...and it made saying goodbye to WV very hard.
I moved in with my parents, temporarily, and started a new job in September.
We went on a vacation to Cozumel, Mexico.
Got exposed to Hepatitis C.
Scored a SECOND job! Though, I don't start for another couple of weeks.
Jared and I recently had our first experience dealing with unexpected damage to our house.

I had a rough couple of months making the adjustment moving back to MN...but since moving back into my own house I am much happier. This year has had some challenges, but was also filled with many blessings. I'm so excited to see what the next 365 days have in store for Jared and me!!!

I moved, again!

2010-12-28T10:48:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, I officially moved back into my house.

I have now moved four times in 14 months. I am so much happier now then I was when I was living at my parents house. It's not that I hated living at my parents house, but I was cooped up in a 9x10 foot room most of the time and it just got to be depressing. I missed having my own space, and kitchen to cook in.

My sister is still living with me...she will be moving out when Jared is finished with the school year and is back in Minnesota.

Although I LOVE my house...right now Jared and I are feeling pretty discouraged. After spending the Christmas holiday with his family we came home to find severe ice dams on our house and water damage in four rooms.

It's a little hard to tell, but the ceiling on one of the bedrooms was water stained & was starting to sag. We had water dripping out of a light fixture, and paint bubbling and pealing in our upstairs bathroom & spare bedroom.

I would have to say this is the first time as home owners we have had to deal with the unexpected...thankfully Jared has been around to help and was able to get some of the snow off the roof himself and things have begun to dry out. As I type this, there are people on my roof removing ice dams and our insurance adjuster suggested we wait until spring to make a claim so that we can include any roof damage that may have occurred.

All I can say, is that I am very thankful Jared and I have been able to save a little money over the past few months and that I had over 30 hours of overtime on my last paycheck. Ice dam removal is not cheap.

What's in your purse?

2010-12-23T00:51:00.000-08:00

True story: I walked into Target with these items peaking out of my purse.

I didn't realize they were there until I swung my purse off my shoulder and into the cart. Then I was frantically trying to rip the tag of the snowman because I wasn't sure where my mom had bought it and it looked like a Target item...as for the massive lighter, it was for lighting birthday candles. LOL.

I have to say these are probably not the weirdest items I have ever carried around with me. In high school, I found heavy duty industrial inlaid scissors in my purse and I could remember why I had put them there...

Source

I'm talking big, heavy, metal ones...

Pet Names

2010-12-15T07:30:00.000-08:00

This post is not about pets in the animal form. It is about a person that I treat with special favor, my husband. The Husband.

Jared and I started dating December 14th, 2004. So naturally, over the past six years, I have called him a lot of names. I will spare you from the inappropriate ones, and give you a list of a few that I use on a regular basis...

Jerry: Often used when I lovingly tell him how ridiculous he is being right before I flash him a loving smile, of course. "Oh Jerry..."
Jiggles/Jiggly J: I think the first time I used this nickname I was being snarky, but it made us both laugh...of course there are other reasons why this nickname has stuck. It's catchy, he likes to jiggle his man-parts in front of me (TMI???), and sometimes when he laughs really deeply his belly jiggles and it's very enduring because it signals to me that he still finds me amusing.
J and J.J.: His initials.
J-la: This one has lost a lot of steam, and is usually only used in my private thoughts when I am perfectly content, and thinking about how happy I am.
J-Love: This is new, and stemmed from a random thought I had about J-Lo. I'm interested to see where this one goes...
Nancy/Negative Nancy: I gave him this nickname around the time he started calling me Margo. As is Margo from National Lampoons Christmas Vacation...aka an insult! At the time, I also thought he was becoming more negative...so I began calling him this very frequently because I knew it would eventually get on his nerves, and I could bargain with him. I offered to stop calling him Nancy if he stopped calling me Margo. All is far in love and war, right?!
Honey and Babe: Used ALL.THE.TIME. Especially when I want something from him ;) But seriously, I probably call him babe or honey more than I use his first name.

Now here is a photo montage of my husband.

Work, Work, Work

2010-12-13T23:54:00.000-08:00

I am blogging at 2 AM...why?

Because I am working a double.

Usually I work from 3 PM- 11:30 PM. Tonight I volunteered to not only work my normal shift, but stay an extra eight hours. At first I told them if they wanted me to stay then I wanted tomorrow off...but then I told them if they really needed me I would work my normal shift tomorrow evening as well.

No, I am not crazy.

I get paid hourly.

Hours 0-8 = Regular pay
Hours 8-12 = Time-and-a-half
Hours 12-16 = Double pay

Enough said.

Plus: It doesn't hurt that night shift is usually pretty quiet, and that Pizza Lucé delievers until 2:30 AM.

Nevermind...

2010-12-09T09:29:00.001-08:00

After writing that last post I upset myself even more and ended up calling Jared to tell him how hurt I was, only to find out he had been planning to come visit me all along...he just couldn't leave until this afternoon though because he had a basketball game last night, and his parents had come into town and needed help doing some shopping for their bathroom remodel.

As Jared would say...

"You always ruin all your surprises."

To which I reply...

"Then don't upset me so much!"

Jared and I are horrible at surprising one another. He can't surprise me without making me mad, and I can't just can't keep my mouth shut long enough to actually surprise him with something.

For the record: I still cried. As soon as he told me he was coming I bursted into tears of relief and between sobs I told him "Next time just tell me! I've wasted a lot of time being angry and hurt!"

Oh! BTW, Jared also has Monday off from school too :)

Bad Mood

2010-12-09T08:49:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning Jared found out he didn't have class on Friday. YAY for him! Because he also never has class on Thursday which means he has a four day weekend.

So what does this have to do with my bad mood? Well, I don't have to work Friday night, Saturday or Sunday and Jared is not using his time off to see me...and the part that hurts me the most is that I don't think he even considered it.

When we were still in WV, and he decided to Bismarck...I guess I was just led to believe Jared would use most of his free time to come visit me once I was able to get a job in the Twin Cities. Since relocating back to MN...I see him once every five weeks.

I feel like I have been really understanding, and supportive because my husband loves to hunt, and it's hunting season...He has gone to his parents (who live 2-1/2 hours away from Bismarck) almost every weekend since the middle of October and I haven't complained once because I know he will probably never have this opportunity again. But seriously, enough is enough.

So my plan is to pout for the rest of the afternoon. Shower. Go to work. Cry one more time. Then make some plans with friends, and celebrate payday by doing something nice for myself.

So Blessed

2010-12-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

A little over a year ago, I moved to West Virginia to start my first job as RN after many months of job hunting...

Today, I am back in Minnesota, I work at "The Mad House," and I just accepted a offer for a second job.

My job at The Mad House is only a 0.8 FTE, meaning I work 32 hours per week. (For my non-nursing friends, most RN positions now-a-days are not a full 40 hours/week). I'm not entirely happy with my current job, so a few weeks ago I decided to look around for a second job thinking if I got my foot-in-the-door in another healthcare system in the Twin Cities that 1. it would be easier for my to apply for full-time positions on that organization, or 2. I would realize my job at The Mad House isn't so bad...

So my second job is just a casual position meaning I only have to work four shifts a month, but I can work more if I want to. The hospital is a little far away from where I live, and it's small, but the campus is beautiful and they do a lot it alternative therapies which I think is pretty cool.

My next obstacle is trying to find people to switch shifts/work for me so I can get my training in...I have some time though. I won't be starting until the middle of January.

Alternative Christmas

2010-12-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

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This year, Jared and I have decided not to give each other Christmas gifts. In addition, we have also asked our parents not to buy us Christmas gifts either.

Jared and I feel incredibly blessed this year. Of course there are a few things we would like to have, but we want for nothing when it comes to our basic needs. We live a very simple life, and we like it that way.

When we began thinking about compiling Christmas lists this year, we honestly just couldn't think of anything we really wanted. At least not anything that is within our typical Christmas gifting budget. (The only thing we really want right now is to buy new furniture our living room...the stuff we own now is all used cost us about $50 total, lol). So we've decided that rather than buying a lot of small, frivolous gifts for each other that we would instead take that money, and buy gifts for Toys-for-Tots, and to make donations to other individuals/families/charities that are in need this holiday season.

Source

We've also asked our parents that rather than buying us gifts that they donate to individuals who have greater needs than our own. We made a few suggestions on how they could do this, but also encouraged them to consider a cause that was important to them.

Of course we realize that giving gifts to loved ones can bring a person a lot of joy, so we also told our parents that if they felt so inclined to buy us a gift in addition to making donation in our honor, we would like the gift to remain under $20.

I LOVE Christmas...but I have to admit, in recent years I have had a more consumeristic attitude towards the holiday season rather than actually celebrating its true meaning- the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. So I guess this year, Jared and I are hoping shift our focus and get back to the true meaning of Christmas by celebrating in a alternative way.

Payday, Bills, Anxiety

2010-11-28T14:35:00.000-08:00

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Truth #1: I get very anxious when I don't pay my bills immediately after waking up on the days I get paid.

Seriously. I sometimes wake up extra early, and I pay my bills in bed before I have the opportunity to do anything else. If I don't do this, I get super tense.

Truth #2: I pay 80% of my bills with one paycheck. I usually use the last paycheck of the month to pay the following months bills. Ex. My last paycheck in November is used to pay most of my December bills.

Truth #3: I think paydays suck. I hate that nearly 30% of my gross pay never makes it into the bank.

Truth #4: I get paid by the hour...which sometimes makes me feel like I am still in high school.

With that said, I am so thankful for my job, and the ability to pay my bills. Jared and I are blessed beyond measures. For the majority of our marriage, only one of us has work. Which has allowed each of us to take our time pursuing our dreams.

Of course a large part of this has to do with Jared's service in the military...but it's a blessing nonetheless. Even though we live a fairly simple life, I just don't know how most people make ends meet every month. So although payday usually brings stress and anxiety with it, I can't help but also feel very humbled and blessed. Especially this time of year.

Stay Tuned!

2010-11-25T22:16:00.000-08:00

Jared suprised me by coming into town on Tuesday! I wasn't sure he was going to make it for Thanksgiving because there was a big storm that was going to hit North Dakota on Wednesday, which was the day he had been planning on leaving. But the little sneak decided e-mailed his teachers, and skipped class so he could make it home to see me!!!

So clearly I'm not blogging much this week because my attention is focused elsewhere. But stay tuned! I'll be back before you know it!

BTW: Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!

Before I went to work, I filled up on this... Source

Then when I got to work, I filled up on this:

Source

One of my co-workers made some delicious fried rice!!!

Excuse me now while I go watch a Christmas movie with the husband!!!

Morning Glory: Have you seen it?!

2010-11-19T23:04:00.000-08:00

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Was anyone as excited to see the movie "Morning Glory" as I was?! I couldn't wait for it to come out!

So here is my review...

This movie is about a TV producer, Becky (aka Rachel McAdams), who is fired from her job at a local TV station. After searching high and low, she lands a job as the executive producer of a national morning show, "Daybreak." The problem is, the show isn't doing very well and one of the co-hosts is only there because of a minor stipulation in his contract with the TV station. Although he could be the solution to poor ratings, he is making Becky's job very difficult.

Overall, I definitely liked this movie. I paid $5 for my ticket, and wasn't disappointed. I LOVE Rachel McAdams, and I think she did a fantastic job in this movie. I love how in all of her roles she is able to embrace the character. Her emotions and reactions are fantastic!

To be honest, I thought the romance between Becky (Rachel McAdams) and Adam (Patrick Wilson) would be more significant that it was. It would have been nice to see them develop that relationship a little more, but I also liked that it wasn't the focus.

There was only one blatantly obvious costume/editing mistake that I noticed (I don't have the best eye for those types of things, but they annoy me!), and I thought the ending was cute. I would definitely recommend this movie for a girls-night because I'm not sure men would find this one very entertaining.

My rating: 3-1/2 out of 5

True Stories from The Mad House, Part 1

2010-11-16T22:19:00.000-08:00

I've decided to nickname my new job "The Mad House" because it literally feel like I just went to the circus every.single.day.

So here are my stories from tonight...

We admitted a patient who faked shortness of breath to the point where the doctors thought about admitting her to the ICU...she did this so she wouldn't have to spend the night in a shelter.
The same patient mentioned in #1 yelled at the nursing assistance because she thought that the NA "threw" her toast onto a plate instead of placed it there nicely.
I had a doctor order a continuous infusion of 1 L of fluid per hour...with no stop time. I'm sorry, are we trying to drowned this person from the inside?!
I almost stepped in a pile of puke because my patient apparently leaned over the side of their bed, vomited on the floor and then went to sleep without telling anyone.
Someone asked for diet water.
A patient wouldn't let the phlebotomist take blood unless she gave him a carton of milk.

Sad as these stories may be, they are all true.
...and this was a "slow" night.

**Story #1 makes me sad, but more than that, it makes me angry. I am sorry that this person is homeless, and hates staying in a shelter...but they took a bed away from a truly sick person that needed it, and that upsets me.

On the bright side...

I got a compliment on my scrub top, was told by two people I looked good in violet, and I didn't look like a monster when I got off of work!!!

I also didn't get any chocolate stain on my bottom while wearing white pants! (And yes, I have sat in chocolate while wearing white pants before...and subsequently I stopped wearing white pants, and eating granola bars...)

I got a free flu shot at work!

Prayer request: A couple weeks ago, piece of equipment malfunctioned at The Mad House, and I was splashed in the eye with body fluids...and as a result I was exposed to Hepatitis C. To top it off, I wasn't treated per hospital protocol (which I didn't know at the time) thus increasing my risk of contracting this untreatable disease. It will be able six months before I know whether or not I have Hep C or not, so if you wouldn't mind- please pray for my well-being, and peace of mind. Thanks :)