BLINDS AVAILABLE FOR SALE

blinds available after April 16th

(our move out date)

Life Lately

So, I have been horrible at the whole blog thing.... again. By the time I get home from work, we get dinner made, dishes done... spending time on the computer is not on my list of things I want to do! I want to be with my hubby!

Braden and I have been up to lots of fun things! For Thanksgiving we were able to go to Washington D.C. and visit family out there. We had a direct flight (and can I just say that those are heaven sent??) Braden and I went to the mall and visited a few museums. I made us stop and eat a really gross cookie because I was starving (and if you know me, i get grumpy when i don't eat) and i was not happy about the trek across the city in the rain to find the metro, but we arrived at the station, picked up by the family, and off to cafe rio we went. Did they know i was grumpy and craving cafe rio?? they must have! bless them.

The next day was Thanksgiving. There was lots of cooking, eating, sleeping, eating, soccer, more eating that day. I also was in the middle of the book the hunger games.. i couldn't put it down! So I spent most of my day in the kitchen or in bed reading.

The next few days were spent going to Virginia for some black friday shopping, going to an orchard and cutting down their christmas tree, lots of walks, and of course eating. it was a great trip!

Since then, we have celebrated our 4 month anniversary, bought our very own christmas tree, decorated our apartment, gone up to midway, made a gingerbread house( thanks mom for all of the stuff!) (we came in second place... we had an ice fishing pond with teddy grahams as fishermen and goldfish swimming around... even had brown sprinkles as you know what in the pond...details friends... details!)) visited a live nativity here in Salt Lake in the glen, where there was a live camel!, im in the middle of making the star for the tree, (i tried making the tree skirt, but there is no way it will get finished for this christmas, but don't worry... next christmas will be here before you know it!), i am trying my hand at my moms AMAZING toffee, spoke in church--inspired by my mom and her amazing heart, gone to school, gone to work, gone out with friends, subjected to braden to hours of christmas music and movies, and much much more!

we are so happy to be in our fun apartment and making friends here. we are thrilled to see where we end up and what is in our future together!

Quilting

Back in September I took a quilting class and loved every second of it. This week I dropped my quilt off to be quilted and in 4 short weeks I should have it back and ready to go!

Here is a sneak peak....

We are alive

Well it has been ages since I've posted

Lots of things have happened

Graduated from Nursing School

Got engaged

Passed the NCLEX

Got an apartment

Got married

Left the country

Went back to work

Here we are!

Life is busy and we are so happy!

I'm going to try and be a better blogger...

But who's counting?

15 days

6 posts

4 tests

1 paper

GRADUATION, CINCO DE MAYO, ONE HAPPY GIRL!

One of those days... uh weeks

Do you ever have days that nothing goes right?

You drop something a million times?

You forget to do something?

You don't do your best at something?

Something breaks and you can't fix it?

Just have a really bad, no good day?

I'm having that kind of week.

Ugh.

But...

It can only get better from here, Right?

Yes, and it will!

There is something waiting for me in my mailbox at home.

Registration for something is in the works.

It looks like the sun is coming out, and it looks like there is a new delivery of doughnuts at the store next door.

Semi-Real

Today, I felt like a real nurse. I know this is silly, but I had my own phone, and though I don't have access for the medications for our patients, I felt the most independent I have my entire experience as a capstone student. I didn't have to hunt my precptor down, and follow her around like a kid follows their parent. I didn't have to walk in another patients' room to ask her a question.

it was aWeSoMe!!!!

thank you Ashley thank you phone one more small thing I forgot to mention... I only have one more shift left of clinical as a student.

done. DONE. DONE FOREVER!!

Okay, I lied it wasn't a small thing, it's huge, and it is bitter sweet sad to leave the people I have become close with, but so excited to start my future and for whatever happens.

A botched blog

Yesterday I tried changing things around on the blog. It didn't work out so well. The colors for my background are supposed to be much brighter and there isn't supposed to be a band on the top like there is. I spent last night so frustrated over it, and tried fixing it for over 2 hours. Yes, I know I have more important things to do with my time. I thought about even starting over. Then I just needed to step away from the computer, take a deep breath, and come back another day. Today was that day, and still, I can't figure out what I have done!! If anyone has any helpful advice PLEASE HELP!!!

Love,
the confused and frustrated blogger

The Bachelor

alright people lets be honest here

the bachelor was filled with drama and some cheesy moments

but when the drama isn't in your life, who doesn't love it??

i wanted emily to win so bad, and i wasn't able to watch it the night it aired.

i had braden record it and he wanted to watch it with me

(don't worry i think he probably enjoyed it more than i did!)

i had told anyone and everyone not to talk about it in front of me, i wanted to watch it for myself

tuesday night rolled around and i watched it, and that's right, emily won!

i then watched the after the final rose show, people were shocked when she said no, i wouldn't marry him right now. think about it people, she had gone on a whole 5 dates with him during the show, hasn't seen him in 2 months (or however long it is), and she has a daughter. as real or as fake as this show is, she isn't marrying him just because he happens to be a hunk, she wants to date him longer, and get to know him better, isn't that a good thing? i think it is. besides, i think their southern accents make them a much better couple. i am stepping off my soap box right now

May 5

announcements are ordered

+

capstone hours are coming to a close

+

47 days

=

gRaDuAtIoN!!!!!!!!

Quotes

i have always loved a good quote. but as of late, i keep hearing or reading amazing ones, and i am so sad that i forget who it is by, so, i am going to work harder on fixing that problem. i will now occasionally put some quotes on the blog. here is the first one, enjoy!

invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

-william ernest henley

St. George

quite a while ago, a fairly big group of us went to st. george for a long weekend.

we let the "old people" hidden inside of us come out as we played croquet in the pouring rain

we celebrated presidents day with cake with countless candles and fun facts about past presidents

we taped tacks on our foreheads and balloons on our bums tucked our arms in our shirts, and all crammed in a garage trying to pop each others balloons (hilarious!!)

played soccer, had a home-run derby on a muddy baseball diamond (runnning in the mud isn't as easy as it may seem, but it's also a lot more fun that it may seem), ate lots, and laughed even more. we don't see these friends very much because they live in provo, so it made it that much more fun!

Student of the Month

this is jake. not only is he my baby brother, he was also student of the month at clayton.

yeeah!!

i'm always happy to celebrate anything with a treat

so i took him out to his favorite frozen yogurt place, red mango. mmmm!

Catching up

today is the day i am catching up on a few blog posts.

i know they are out of order, but it isn't the end of the world.

One Time a Year

One time a year these little lovelies come out to tempt us all

Of course I can't resist

I happened to buy a box...or 2..or 3...or 4... or... well, lets keep that number a secret

Tonight as I am working a night shift, I find myself walking to my locker to sneak some

A cookie here.... 2 cookies there... and before I know it... I will be soon opening another box.

What should I open next?

The always classic thin mints?

I think yes.

Multitasking

I think I have fooled myself into thinking I can multitask.

Unless it's the kind where I listen to music while cleaning; I can't.

I've got major things coming up and I don't want to mess up any chances of doing the best I can.

So, a resolution from now until at least the end of this semester and post NCLEX...

NO MORE MULTITASKING

When I am studying, I am studying.

The cell phone will be on silent (not just vibrate), g-chat won't be pulled up, and my to do lists will be written in the morning so when I am studying, I won't stress about what else I have to do, and the chance of forgetting to do it.

Blogging is the only thing I can't think of how to resist, other than will power... I just can't waste time.

Sorry in advance if I don't respond quick enough, or don't answer.

This is the real deal.

I secretly love

I secretly love french bull dogs

(and love it even more that hunky Hugh Jackman has one)

*

I secretly love The Bachelor

(I know some think it's trashy, and it can be... but I can't resist!!)

*

I secretly (not much of a secret though) love my bowls from anthropologie

I have almost every color

(only missing 2, don't worry, i'm workin on that)

*

I secretly love that Jake g-chats with me while he is at school

(it's like our texting, since he is sans phone...and if you know me, i can't resist a text message!)

*

I secretly love that Bradens nephew calls me Uncle Tara

(I'm not even Aunt Tara)

*

I secretly love that when I look out the window at work I see the same people everyday and they each have a nickname

*

I secretly love that Braden makes me feel like I am good at anything

(even if I'm truly not)

*

I secretly love corndogs and big macs

*

I secretly love that I went to dinner with my fam and B the other night, and a cute old couple were walking down the street and when we paid, got up, walked to the car, and started driving off, they were just barely turning the corner (the corner was only one building from where we saw them)

*

I secretly love things to be clean

(grateful for a mom who keeps our house so nice and the yard lookin so good!)

*

I secretly love that I can tell my mom anything and she will make me feel better

(even if she doesn't think she did...she did)

*

I secretly love that my cat loves cheese and doughnuts

(I love both things too! ha! go figure.)

*

I secretly love my sappy romance novels

(but don't worry, none of the ones with nearly naked couples on the cover, those are not as quality as others)

*

I secretly love lots of things

*

But secretly, sadly, I should be studying, and not blogging

Day after Valentines

Valentines Day was filled with fun!
I went to work, wearing red scrubs, and my Valentines earrings from last year
I had a special delivery of flowers for my mom

I called Braden when I got off work, and he didn't answer
Tried again
Still, no answer
He called me back and said he had taken a nap
(I didn't believe him, he sounded much too awake-I thought he was being cute and buying me flowers- he insisted he was really taking a nap)
My mom made a delicious 'Fruit Pizza' on a sugar cookie- to die for
Got ready wearing a pink cardigan and my anthro valentines earrings from mom
Met up with Braden, and he had already gone earlier to get me flowers, I got them right as I opened the door

He even wore a red shirt I had given him (how festive!)
We headed on up to Ruth's Diner for dinner (wehre I left my left overs on the table, came back in less than 5 minutes, and they had already thrown it away- SAD!!
Came home, watched a chick flick (which B picked out himself, impressive)
Ate a midnight snack.

I was so happy to spend the day with my family and my Valentine.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY
a day late

Space Case

These last week or so I have become the biggest space case.

I'm pretty sure school has really been getting the best of me.

I thought I had a massive school project due tomorrow, along with a test tomorrow, a test, a quiz and a paper, and other assignments due tonight.

I spent all day working on that blasted project, looked in my planner to see what else I needed to do, and guess what? The project wasn't due tomorrow, it's due next week! AHH!!!

I am so happy I have it done and don't need to stress over it. But I definitely could have used the study time for this test I have tomorrow.

I lost my keys, and probably spent 20 minutes looking all over for them. They were in the drink holder on the side of the car door. Nice.

I totally spaced a family party on Sunday. Ooops! My bad.

This portion is going to be a mini-vent session or as I just studied for my test tomorrow, "Catharsis" (nerd..I know)

So if you don't feel like reading about whining or complaining, stop reading now.

1. I am not sure why my car has been the target for some people, but yes, it got broken into a second time. The goods this time? 2 dimes, a piece of paper, and a ring. I would have just given you a dollar and a notebook if you wanted it that bad!!!

2. As of late, I have had some doubts about nursing. I love what I am doing at my clinical site for capstone, I just don't feel like I have found my place yet. I am feeling very discouraged that I just haven't found anything that I am totally in love with. This has lead me to think did I make the right choice? Will I ever find something I am happy with? I am sure it's just I am so stressed with school and all of these assignments that won't help me (i.e. posting 6 responses to a discussion topic that most people end up saying, yes, great idea I agree to). I know that somewhere there is a point, but I am feeling to buried in homework, I can't seem to see it quite yet. I am glad that I am not alone in feeling this way. I was talking to a dear friend the way to class last week, and she felt the same way too!! What's goin on here?!?!

3. Cold weather. It is time for you to stay away. I don't like feeling like I just got pierced with icicles when I walk outside.

4. There are days if I wonder if anyone hears me. I was at a study group last night, I would say the answer to something, no one would respond. Someone else would say it, and everyone would go Yeah thats it! I thought about not responding anymore, but I decided I wouldn't do that. I kept responding, and they kept either not hearing or just ignoring. Either way, my fingers are crossed that one night of studying will get me a passing grade on this test!!!

5. I love food. I hate eating so late at night (like right now, 1am and all I want to do is pay a visit to the kitchen and find something tasty!)

So, of to the kitchen it is, and wrapping up this vent session! I am waking up in less than 5 hours to get up, do some last minute review, go to breakfast for a birthday celebration, and go take the dreaded psych. test. Here is to a great day tomorrow, a completed project, and an exciting blog post hopefully tomorrow (at least I think it will be fun).

Punxsatauny Phil

(image via google)

Punxsatauny Phil made his annual appearance this morning
The best part about this??
He didn't see his shadow...which means?
AN EARLY SPRING!!!
Let's get rid of this 1 degree weather we have been experiencing, bring on the fun spring weather, shorts, and a graduation in may
P.S.

I am even more excited for spring so that I wont be cold anymore. I made hot chocolate this morning to bring to class, I treked across campus in the cold, finally made it to class, set my thermos down, and next thing I know, I push it off the table and my hot chocolate is now warming up the floor, and not me. Sad day.