Last Post of 2006

So its 10:48 and I am sitting here waiting for my hunnie to get home from work, we are so bummed out that he had to work late tonight and we may not be able to ring in the new year together...but such is life, right? :o(

I cant believe 2006 will be over in an hour...the year has just flown by, and I wanted to reflect on it a little before I crawl into bed and pass out

In 2006 I...

-Started Nursing School

-Went on a fabulous Caribbean vacation with Michael and his family

-GOT ENGAGED :o)

-Got a new job that I love watching the cutest baby ever

-Got a $1,000 scholarship, yay for free money!

-Re-connected with a life-long friend that I am so happy about

-Gained 10 pounds

Ok so I am not so happy about the last one, but late nights of studying, fast food, and no time for the gym will do that to ya I suppose, I have gotten my butt back in gear and I think Michaels as well, so it will come off in no time. 2006 was a great year for me, my favorite year yet...I feel like right now my life is filled with so much happiness and love, as well as a sense of accomplishment with all I have done in nursing school, its been a really rewarding year and I hope 2007 will be even better.

Here is what I predict and hope for 2007...

-I will graduate Nursing School

-Michael and I will save up as much money as possible

-I will pay off my credit cards

-Michael and I will purchase our first home

-I will use my endless supply of scrapbook stuff!!

So how do you feel as you reflect on 2006 and what do ya'll hope for 2007??

Wishing all of you a safe and happy New Year!!!!

Arizona here we come

What a crazy couple of weeks!!!

I am in Arizona right now, spending the week with Michaels parents, and its soooooo nice! I havent thought about school ONCE, its been so long since I have been able to do that!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, I know we did. We spent Christmas Eve with my moms side of the family like always, about 60 people, all family and friends that we call family, all go to my aunts house and we eat dinner and open gifts, its really fun and my favorite time to get together. Christmas morning we spent with my parents and my sister, and then hopped on a plane and flew to Arizona and have been here since. We went house hunting yesterday and saw the most BEAUTIFUL homes that I wanted to buy right there...all under $300,000....in California, we cant find anything under $500,000, and what we are looking for would be well over that...so its nice to dream while we are here, and look at what we like and dont like. Its just amazing what you can get for your money, I am so so so excited to seriously start looking in June of next year, since we will be here in December 2007!!!

Something super exciting (and kinda sad), I saw snow for the first time this weekend!! We took a road trip for the night to Sedona and Flagstaff and it was snowing, it was soooo beautiful, I will post pics when I get home!!

Just a quickie post, hope everyone has recooperated from the holidays!!!!!

FINAL-ly

So today is my final for this semester, woo hoo!!! I admit I didnt study all that much, but I justified it by getting really good grades on the previous exams, so I am not losing sleep over it. Hopefully after the final I can get some Christmas shopping done, I havent really done all that much, so hopefully I can put a big dent in it today.

The ugly sweater party this weekend was a blast! I only have a couple of pictures, I am waiting for my cousin to e-mail me better ones and I will post them, there were some pretty funny sweaters! I drank a little too much wine, but other than that it was fun! I think we will make it a family tradition, its another excuse for us all to get together around the holidays, which is always so much fun, I just love a house filled with family and friends, and good food too!!

This week is going to be kinda crazy, and then the following week we will be in Arizona! My parents bought us plane tickets for Christmas to go out to Arizona, we were planning on driving, so it will be SO nice to not have to be in the car for 7 hours, the flight is just about an hour long, and the airport is only 30 min from our house. I cant wait. Michaels mom thinks we are driving in the day after Christmas, we are totally going to suprise her by flying there ON Christmas...and we are going to play an evil trick and call her on Christmas day and say the car wont start and we wont be able to make it...when she sees us she will be so happy, I cant wait!

Hope everyones having fun with last minute Christmas shopping, I know thats what I am doing this week!!

From the fabulous Nichole W...

A-Available or single: neither!
B - Best Friend: Michael, Sara, and Michelle
C - Cake or Pie: Cupcakes!
D - Drink of choice: Diet coke
E - Essential item you use everyday: cell phone, lip gloss, flat iron
F - Favorite color: pink
G - Gummy Bears or worms: regular gummy bears and sour gummy worms
H - Hometown: Simi Valley, Ca
I - Indulgence: hhmmmm....at the moment truffles from costco!
J - January or February: Feb because of Valentines Day :o)
K - Kids & Names: We would like 3-4 kids, and the names...First born child will be Mathew or Madelynn (depending on the sex), and I love too many other names!
L - Life is Incomplete Without? The love of my life and my family
M - Marriage Date: May 17, 2008...sooooo long away!
N - Number of Siblings: 1 sister
O - Oranges or Apples: apples with peanut butter please
P - Phobias or Fears: Car accidents, a fire in my house, and losing someone I love
Q - Fave Quote: "I'm in love I'm in love and I dont care who knows!!!!!"- buddy the elf
R - Reason to Smile: its the holidays!
S - Season: I have to agree with Nichole...summer!! I love sandals, cute pedicures, blonde hair, a TAN, shorts, etc etc...
T - Tag 3 or 4 people: Michelle, Kat, Jody, and Araxi
U - Unknown Fact about Me: I ratted out my best friend in 5th grade for lighting a match in class. who does that?
V- Vegetable You Don't Like: brussel sprouts
W - Worst Habit: biting my nails, cutting people off when they are talking
X - Xrays: never broken a bone
Y - Your Fave Food: everything :o)
Z - Zodiac Sign: Libra

I just like to smile, smilings my favorite

Ok if you have never seen the movie Elf, you should be shot. I just love that movie, and I think I quote it at least once a day!!

So basically there is like less than 2 weeks left until Christmas, and the list just keeps on growing. I work today and tomorrow, and Thursday is a girls day out that I am super excited about and could care less about working on my "to-do" list, and then I have clinical Friday and Saturday, and a final on Monday that I will be studying for. That leaves me less than a week to do all my shopping, gotta love waiting til the last minute!

We picked up our Christmas Cards last night at Costco, I would post it but some people that read this will be getting one in the mail and I dont want to spoil it, it came out super cute!!

My poor little Nathan (the little guy I babysit for) had surgery yesterday and has his arm in a full cast, he had a ganglion cyst on his wrist and so they removed it, hes only 14 months old, so babysitting him today should be interesting to say the least!

I had the healthiest breakfast today...chocolate truffles from Costco, they are soooo good!! You get 2 huge boxes for like $10 or something, and they are really really yummy!

I know you all want to run out and buy this lovely holiday sweater, so sorry to break the bad news, but I won it on ebay and will not be selling it as it is so beautiful. This is the sweater I am wearing this weekend to the bad sweater party, what do you think???

Weekend Woes

This week was such an odd week in clinical. First, I had a patient who was only 27, which is really rare for a medical-surgical unit like the one I was on, its almost always people over 60. The weirdest part...he was SO CUTE!!!!!! I have never ran into something like that, but I almost felt like I was blushing everytime I was in his room. Now dont get me wrong, I love Michael more than anything in this whole world, and would NEVER do anything like that, nor would I ever be un-professional as a nurse, but it was just so odd. The whole 2 days I took care of him he had his shirt off, and he had abs of like steel and arms that were to die for!! My other guy was such a sad story, he had Alzheimers so bad that he didnt even remember his own childrens names, I just felt so sad. He didnt know where he was, who he was, or what he was doing there. It just broke my heart into a million pieces to see his kids come in and he had no recollection of who they were. I really feel that when that happens to people, their spirit is already in Heaven, and that is why their memories are gone. Ugh it was just so hard. I also had a patient whose wife recently passed away, on the day of their 60th wedding anniversary, and he was crying the whole day, it made me so so sad. Ok enough nurse talk.

Spent the day today making Pumpkin Butter, and its sooo good. Especially on a slice of hot toast, YUM! We are sending goodies to Michaels family back east this year (like we did last year), and we gotta get them out this week, so its crunch time. I have half the pumpkin butter done, and then we will be making Bannana Walnut bread as well, yum!

Sooooo much Christmas shopping to do! I dont even want to think about it thats how behind I am.

Hope everyone had a great weekend, happy thoughts to Arleena who may be having her baby boy this weekend, so happy for her and her hubby!!

Last one.

I promise.

If you have not tried these cookies, please leave your house immediatly and run and buy 5 boxes. They are seriously SO good...a mix between a thin mint girlscout cookie and an oreo, but even BETTER!!!!!! (in case you cant see they are Trader Joes brand)

p.s.

Please tell me I am not the only one who is obsessed with these cheap cookies??

Oh Christmas Tree

Where the heck are you??? Its almost Christmas and we dont have a tree yet, my parents need to get the ball rolling around here!!! We have been super busy with work, school, my dad got in a car accident (hes totally fine) and totalled his truck, and then the next day he took the spare car and broke that too! Hopefully decorations will be up this weekend, I cant wait to have my own house to decorate, I LOVE the Holidays!!!!!!!!!

My favorite part...The family bad christmas sweater party, its next weekend and I am soooo excited!! This is the first year we are doing this, but I think its going to be an anual thing, I cant wait!! I just bid on the most hideous sweater on e bay, so cross your fingers for me that I win!!!

TWO weeks left of school this semester, I cant wait!!!!!!! I have a 3 week break that I am super excited about, the week after Christmas we are heading to Arizona and I get to hang out with Michaels parents, and also see Erins house and hang out with my girl Shanna who will be a NEWLYWED!! shes getting married next Saturday and I am so happy for her!! (check our her blog, www.mynextthirtyyears.com ) And then I might be going to Vegas for a few days to visit with my girlfriend Krista who just had a baby in October, hes so cute, check him out. How cute is that outfit?!?! He looks just like her, I cant wait to meet him finally.

I have no Christmas shopping done, seriously, none. I am so behind its not even funny, and I have no time!!! ahhhhhhhh

Mi Vida Loca

Ok so why is it that this time of year always seems so overwhelming?? Between school, and the various Holiday to-do's, my job, Michaels parents being in town, etc etc...it never ends. I totally forgot about making home-made goodies to send to his family back east this year...I think instead of 20 different cookies like we did last year, I am going to make this yummy pumpkin spice bread with a little 8 ounce jar of apple butter, it will make it much quicker and easier than last year (last year I also wasnt in school so I had tons of free time!). I hope they like it (if not then tough!!).

Here is another cute photo from our photo shoot with Michelle, I love this one!!

Shouts to my girl SHANNA who is getting freakin MARRIED in two weeks!!! Cant wait to see her when we go to Arizona the week after Christmas, so super excited to see her girls again and her new hubby!

Michaels parents are in town this week, its been so nice to see them. Michael took them along with my mom yesterday to see the place we want to get married (I had to work). They all loved it, my moms only concern is that its outside and it will be in May, but hello, its California! It barely rains all year let alone in May. So...there is a possibility that it may get changed to June or July, we shall see. That may work out better for us considering I am going to apply for the RN residency program at Childrens Hospital and hopefully will get in at the begining of the year...if thats the case then we would push it back for sure. Who knows, its still all up in the air. It bums me out, but in the scheme of things, whats another month or two??

Meeting Michaels parents for breakfast this morning, if he can ever get his a$$ in gear!!!!!! I swear waking this boy up in the morning is impossible sometimes, he doesnt want to even see the light of day before 10am. Then Clinical this afternoon and again tomorrow morning...after this weekend we only have TWO weeks left of clinical, and then I am officially half way done with nursing school. I cant even believe how fast time has gone, blows me away sometimes. Just cross your fingers I make it through this Clinical rotation, this instructor is a killer!!

Gobble Gobble

Happy Turkey day everyone!! Hope everyone has a wonderful day filled with family and yummy food!! I know I am!

Michael and I along with my dad are headed off to my aunts house, a few aunts houses actually. So excited about it, havent seen the fam-bam in a while and I need my fix!

Also made some YUMMY to die for pumpkin gooey cakes...if you havent made them, you HAVE to! You will not be disapointed!! Its a Paula Deene recipe and you can find it on foodnetwork.com.

So in light of Thanksgiving...I am thankful for so much today. I am Thankful for my wonderful Mom and Dad, even though they may make me crazy at times. I am Thankful for a sister who is growing leaps and bounds and is doing so much better than I ever thought she could. I am Thankful for Nursing school because it has given me the opportunity to learn and experience WAY more than I ever expected. I am Thankful for my in-laws to be and I cannot wait to see them on Christmas! I am Thankful for Katie and Jess (my best nursing school buds), without them I would go crazy. I am Thankful for every single one of my friends. And mostly I am Thankful for my health and blessings in my life.

What are YOU Thankful for today?

{No Subject}

So basically tonight I was chatting with my mom...and come the first of the year she wants to quit her managment job and sell the house and move to Tahachapi with my dad...not sure where the heck that leaves me...kinda worries me.

Michael has been living with me for about 3 months or so...and we have a couple thousand dollars saved up...right now its tough with the Holidays, but we are doing a good job (I should give him the credit really, he is saving it all). Our goal is to have $10,000 (although I would like $20,000) saved by the time we move out of here...which should be this time next year, or so I thought. I am not sure if my mom is just going to up and leave and leave me to fend for myself (so not like her)...or help us buy a condo, or rent something, or what. I didnt push the subject because she said we would talk about it more after the first of the year...so we shall see. Dont get me wrong, I would LOVE to live somewhere and have it just be Michael and I...but that doesnt leave us much room to even pay the bills on our salary, let alone save money. Should be interesting to see how it all pans out (I didnt realize my mom was so anxious to move, she said today "the only thing keeping us here is you" which made me feel just great! lol).

Weekend was dedicated to all school stuff, as always. Nothing fun to report!

Forgot to post this...My best girlfriend Michelle took pictures of Michael and I for our Christmas Cards and save the dates for our New York wedding...LOVE the way they came out!! Will post more later!!

Jingle Bells Jingle Bells...

Ok its official, I can play Christmas music in my car and I am SO excited about that! I LOVE this time of year, even though its not a "winter wonderland" in California, I just love it!

Got this cutie survey from my Suzy to get everyone into the season...if your reading this I better see it on your blog!!!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Both please...just not together. And with the eggnog, extra rum!!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? he lays them out under the tree at our house...yep, still, even though I am 24
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I love small white isicle lights on the house...however my parents are obsessed with the HUGE colored bulbs so I just close my eyes pulling up to my house and admire my neighbors!
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Michael and I have hung it over our bed the last 2 Christmas's!
5. When do you put your decorations up? Day after Thanksgiving
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? hhmmm...tough one. I would have to say turkey breast with herb butter and cornbread stuffing with sausage and apple, its sooo good!
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Waking up with my sister on Christmas morning and running out into the living room before waking our parents up to see what "Santa" brougth us. Hey I still believe and its still working!
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? He's at the North Pole right now
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, with my moms family we all get together and have fun
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Me and my mom pull out the ornaments box usually and put ornaments and lights on it.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Never in my life have been in snow
12. Can you ice skate? Yep
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? thats a tough one...I think I got a bike one year that I was in love with and rode the entire day
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? My family
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Pumpkin Gooey Cake (thanks Michelle!)
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas Eve at my aunt babys house with all my family...I love being in a house filled with my family and yummy food!
17. What tops your tree? I dont think we have a tree topper actually
18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Giving
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? hhmmm...probably Jingle Bells or Holy Night
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Yum!

I cant believe its already almost Thanksgiving! Hopefully everyone is planning on spending it with family and friends...I know I am!

Ok so I know I just posted a buttload of pictures, I wanted to show them to Michelle and it was just easier to post them here...these are kinda like the theme that I would like for pictures of me and Michael at the beach...I love all of them! So sweet and simple, yet fun too!

Nothing at all exciting to report...working on a care plan thats due in a week...and preparing myself for CLINICAL tomorrow, ugh, I just HATE clinical. I cant wait for tomorrow to come and go...you have no idea!!

So yea...its not even 9 pm on Friday night, and I am off to bed. Seriously...I cant wait for nursing school to be done!!!

Photos I love

Poor Unfortunate Blog

I have been neglecting you. So sorry.

Geezo...things have just been madness around here, but I guess thats just going to be the story of my life and I am just going to have to get used to it.

Last night I was at dinner with Michael since we wont be together for the next 4 nights (he works til midnight and I am fast asleep when he gets home), and the table next to us had this elderly man, probably about 75 or so, and a young girl who was probably 16 or 17 (obviously his granddaughter). The girl was obviously so un-interested in being there with him, almost like she was embarassed, and she barely engaged in conversation with him the entire time...and he was sitting there with the brightest smile on his face, so happy to be with his granddaughter, talking about anything and everything at the same time...and she was TEXT MESSAGING people...I couldnt help but to cry because I was just so upset inside that this girl was going to regret that when her grandpa passes away...My grandpa passed away about a year ago, and I would give ANYTHING to be sitting at that table having dinner with him one last time, literally, anything. I am sure I was the same way at that age, but as I have grown older and somewhat wiser, I have come face to face with the harsh reality that people dont live forever, as much as we would like them to. I just wanted to walk over there and tell her to enjoy him, especially since he looked like such a sweet grandpa like my Bumpa was. Gosh, I miss him so much.

Ok so I have come to the conclusion that everyone and their mother is pregnant right now...it must be in the water!!! My babysitter (the lady I babysit FOR I should say) just told me yesterday they are trying, and I have about 7 friends from high school that are pregnant right now...its so weird. I think I have come to a point where I am not so much jealous over that not being me (probably because my life is just so crazy throwing a pregnancy in the mix is just NOT possible), and I am excited to get to that point in my life...I am excited to be done with school and have my degree, and then i can focus just on my husband, and getting pregnant, and having our first child...with no stress of how I am going to provide. Granted I have nothing against anyone who has a child without a degree, I just know myself and know the things I worry about, and being able to provide for my future children is a big one. So...as much as the baby bug bites me every now and again, I am excited about where I am in my life right now, and happy for the time down the line when it will happen :o)

So Michael has decided for sure that we are going to be doing another wedding in New York after our California wedding...I am excited about it, but a little stressed at the same time. We arent going to do the whole ceremony again, but we are going to have a reception with a DJ, food, alcohol, etc...and we decided that we want to wear our wedding attire again (at least I do, how cool to get to wear your wedding dress twice?!?!). I also want to hire a photographer (or try to con a friend from here that I could fly there with me) to take photos of Michael and I in the streets of New York...Here are some pictures I found on the knot and I just LOVED them and think it would be so cute. (New York is a huge part of Michaels life, his father was born there, and was one of 10 kids that all live there, so every summer and winter he flew to New York). We arent sure when exactly the wedding will be, probably June of 2008 (our other wedding is May 17th, so mark your calendars!!!). It should be interesting to try to plan 2 weddings...we shall see!

Nothing super exciting to report...off from school today for Veterans day, woo hoo!!!!!!!!! Please remember those family members and loved ones who served as Veterans for our country today, thats what the day is all about (not just a holiday like I just got excited for! lol)

WHY on earth did I choose NURSING?!?!

I swear to God...days like today make me wonder why I chose such a fast-paced, crazy career like nursing. I had the worlds WORST day in clinical...I cant even begin to explain it...everything was behind starting from when I got there, I have an instructor that is on my butt about every single thing that I do (which is fine, its what shes there for, but it was my first flippin day back in an adult-care setting, give me a break lady!!)...had 2 patients who had tons and tons of meds, not to mention every health problem/ailment you could imagine...I dont know how I made it through the day, I got home at 8pm, and have to be out of my house tomorrow morning at 6...this is going to be a loooooong weekend!!!!!!!!!!!

Melting Pot

So last night Michael and I went to the melting pot for our anniversary dinner...and it was, hhmm, interesting. I am still not sure if I liked it 100%...it takes a while to eat there too, because its like courses. The appetizer was great, it was cheese fondue with french bread, veggies, and granny smith apples to dip...YUM, seriously, soooo good. Then you choose what meats you want, and they bring you a plate of RAW meat...it totally freaked me out. They bring you like this oil that you cook the meat in...and it was good, but I just really really didnt like the idea of raw meat at the table!!!!! Then they bring you dessert...which is a pot of chocolate fondue (you pick the kind you want, they have tons!) and strawberries, pineapple, bananas, brownies, cheesecake, pound cake, and marshmellows to dip into the chocolate...that was super yum!!! Again, I still am undecided, I dont know if I would go back, but we had fun and thats what counts!

Things have been crazy lately...since starting this new job Michael and I barely see eachother, which is a bummer, but its good at the same time because it keeps me busy, and I can study when I am at work which is awesome. Although I have an exam on monday that I am so not prepared for...and I have clinical all day today and tomorrow, and then Sunday family pictures...which I am so super excited for!!! I always find a way to fit in studying though, so I am sure I will do fine!

I guess I should be studying instead of blogging!!

2 years ago today...

This picture was taken. (I know you all just LOVE my costume, lol)

Its mine and Michaels 2 year dating anniversary today...its so crazy how fast time flies!! We are celebrating on Thursday since we are both working all day today (and he works all night so I will barely see him!), we are going out for a romantic dinner at a fondue restaraunt, I cant wait!! Yum!

Seriously, Michael has changed my life in so many ways it blows me away. He has taught me so much, and I will be thankful for him every day of my life. He has taught me to be thankful, he has taught me how to laugh at times when I didnt think anything was funny, he has taught me how to make the most of every day because you dont know what tomorrow holds, he has taught me to love more than I ever thought I possibly could, and most of all he has taught me to be patient because all things will happen when they are meant to happen...I am the most blessed girl in the world to have a man so wonderful in my life, and I cant wait to spend the rest of my life with him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fun Weekend

For the first time in a while I actually had a fun, enjoyable weekend. Michael and I both had Saturday off, so we went with my dad and sister to visit my grandma and great grandma (who is 97) up in Los Alamos. Michael has never met my dads side of the family, so it was nice to get to see him with them, he loved my grandma, and she fell in love with him because he is Italian, lol. My grandma had a stroke a year ago right before my grandpa passed away, and she is almost back to her pre-stroke self, which is so nice to see. She has her heart SET on me wearing her wedding dress she wore 58 years ago on MY wedding day, and I dont know how to break it to her that its not my style. Here is a pic of what it kinda looks like...its LOOOONG, and off white (I am wearing bright white), and long sleeved and has a high neck, the total opposite of what I plan to wear!!

I am so honored that she wants ME of all her granddaughters to wear it, but its not not the dress for me. I have a year and a half to break the news, I am sure I can come up with something good between now and then!

Nothing super exciting to report...somehow I managed to get some food poisoning or some bug last night, I was up at 2 am puking my guts out, NOT FUN!! I ate the same thing as everyone else, which is what makes it so weird. My stomach is still un-easy. Hate that feeling!

I hate the time change...it feels SO late and its barely 8:30. I think I am going to bed super early tonight!