Buddy's new trick... maybe

My teacher e-mailed this too us and I just had to share it! I'm totally loving this. I'm thinkin' I know Buddy's new trick :o)

Lesson #4

YAY!!! Last one folks! Hopefully in 6 days from now you will be able to check my blog and see that I have graduated!! Anyway~

So, I used to consider myself to be really organized and efficient. Yeah, no so much. The last two and half years, I have felt like this...

Okay, maybe not that bad, but close! Luckily Jared is amazing and totally helps with everything! Cooking, cleaning, etc. I have definitely learned how to be even more organized and efficient with my time. I've had to learn how to prioritize big time! Now, I'm not claiming to be a pro at any of these by any means, but I think nursing school has taught me how to be better at them.

So I will leave you with one question...

sorry, saw this and got a kick out of this. I think this is totally and utterly wrong to actually do! But a great picture

Um... Hi!

Hi!! So here's an update on our little family:

Jared's doing great. He, fortunately and unfortunately, had his scouts not show up to a camp out that was planned. So he got to stay home with me :o) I feel horrible they didn't show up. Such is life though, I guess. He's been busy with a lot of odds and ends stuff at work. Other than that... the last couple of days he's been playing handy man. One of the main drains in our house is clogged... unfortunately it ran onto the carpet too. Not to bad, but yeah... no fun. We ran a snake tool thing down it like 3 times, which helped a bit. Gotta call a plumber in tomorrow though.

I've been busy studying my little rear off for my finals... okay, just my high acuity final. I'll take that test a week from tomorrow (May 2).

Um... today I had the opportunity to accompany 3 friends while they sang in sacrament. We had another friend on the violin! I think they did awesome... piano player was alright. So fun to just play and bare testimony through music!! YAY for the gospel, good music, talents, and many other great gifts we have.

We got to see my mom today too! :o) She's in town for the week. So excited... I'll get pics if she lets me. Other then my mom being in town, we'll also be honored to have Jared's paternal grandparents this next week. As well as being able to see Jared's older sister and her family! Going to be a fabulous week! I'm so excited. If only stinky finals weren't next week. Grr... oh well. Hope you all had a wonderful Easter!!

Lesson #3

No, I didn't forget to post yesterday. I was just way too busy. Jared was awesome!!, stayed home, and helped me study and get together a game plan. He also got me lots and lots of chocolate the other night. :oD Anyway~ this is just going to be a short one so I can get on to the studying.

yes, the IV bag says genuine chocolate :o)

There is a time and season for everything! It's best to not get ahead, or behind, what season Heavenly Father has planned for you. When I first graduated high school, I thought I could be in and out of college in 5 yrs. tops. Yeah, it'll be 8 yrs. in June since I graduated high school. Having gone through nursing school now, I know I COULD NOT have done it so fresh out of high school, and without Jared! Some one pushing me to succeed and to take care of stuff (like dinner, finances, etc) while I studied.

This lesson also goes with being a mom. As much as I long to be a mom, I know Heavenly Father will bless us with a child when it's HIS time, not mine.

2 WEEKS... hopefully

three post in one day?

hehe yeah, three post in one day. Keep finding pictures I forgot to put on here...

This is a group of women I'm getting to be pretty close with! They are all three amazing!!! There were two or three others suppose to come, but unfortunately they couldn't make it. Anyway~ the two with kiddos, Sharon and Shauna, are adoptive moms. Heather and I are hopeful adoptive moms! LOVE ADOPTION!!!!

Poor Buddy

At Wal-Mart a while ago we found colored bubbles!! SCORE!!!! We decided to try them out.... because we can. lol

One night I asked Jared to feed Buddy (we feed him in the morning, and at night) and this is what I came to find....

Poor Buddy was getting once piece at a time. lol

Our amazing weekend... last weekend

So I'm a little late on this post, but you know... better late then never, right? Last weekend we had a fabulous weekend!!! To start it off, we had a new niece come into the family!!

Welcome Hannah! Congratulations Josh and Jill!!!

That night we went to a wedding reception for one of Jared's college friends. It was a beautiful reception. So much fun meeting some of the people Jared hung out with before, catching up with the ones I did know. It was a great time.

Sorry Wendy! I had to post this.

To end the weekend, we headed up to see one of our gorgeous niece's baptism. Such a neat experience. Look how clean and pure she looks??

Jared's very talented sister-in-law made the dress! This picture doesn't do it justice. So amazing!!! Loved it!

Jared playing with the kids while we wait for the treats!

Lesson #2

If anyone needs a reminder of what I'm doing, read here before going on.

So, going on to lesson number 2...

When I started nursing school, I had an image of what it would be like, how things would play out, and other similar things. I'd say things totally changed for me after the first semester... probably even after the first week! lol I learned that although I may have something in mind, doesn't mean He has the same thing in mind. This, I have always known, but it's become more of a reality. I have had to learn to do what I can to change my will, my thinking, to what His will is.

I got this lesson a little bit first semester, but it didn't hit HARD until after a year of being in nursing school. This is when I really wanted to drop out. I failed med/surg 1 by 0.04%! Barely missing it! This meant I'd have to retake the class, putting graduation back (my original graduation date was Dec. 2010), and would no longer be part of the hospital program/cohort. I was seriously going to die. After the initial shock, tears, and heartbreak... I got my wonderful hubby to give me a priesthood blessing, I did lots of praying and searching...

I was able to see all the many, many, many x infinity blessings that came from retaking the class and being out of the hospital program. I'll share two of them with ya real quick

1) Taking the class again has helped SO much. I was able to understand the material even better, making all the rest of the nursing school much easier.

2) Being out of the program allowed me to quit working. I admit, at first I was hard headed and refused to quit! It took me like 6 months to admit that I needed to stop working. I hated the thought of being without a job, not having that outlet, and not having that interaction with patients! Let me tell you, once I quit and focused on school, I loved life again.

So~ to sum up... I've learn to change my will to His will. Not the easiest thing to do, but if you do... life is so much better than you can EVER imagine!!

I've been tagged

So my LITTLE! ... okay, so she's physically taller then me, but I still think of her as my little sis. Anyway~~ she did a Q & A thing on her blog and tagged me. Normally I don't do these things, but I figured what the hay... give people a chance to know random things about me, right? Also! On a friend's blog, she answered 4 questions that I thought would be fun to answer too. Just a warning ... I think one or two questions repeat. Sorry. Oh, and just to warn you... this is a little long. I tried to break it with pics. Hope it helps. So here we go!

Dream job~ I almost got it!! Being a nurse and being a stay at home mom.

I know some of you are probably thinking lame-o! But I really enjoy caring for others, little kids, and I can't wait to have both of those things in my life... as a job!

Favorite drink~ Hmm... I would have to say ... frappes!!! It's these really yummy drinks that Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe does...

It's pretty much thin milkshake... best way to describe it. So good!!

Most important beauty secret~ Okay, so I am not much one for looking pretty to be honest lol. I really wear make-up on Sunday... I'm getting better about doing my hair somewhat cute. So I don't know that I have a beauty secret to share.

If you had an all-expense paid vacation, where would you go~ Oh my!! We actually had this chance... we didn't choose where we went, but we got an all-expense paid vaca to Bahamas!!! It was a BLAST! I want to go back so bad. If I could choose anywhere though, I'd have to say China! I've always wanted to go experience things over there.

If you had 3 wishes, what would they be~ 1) be with ALL my family forever

2) live somewhere were it's always nice and warm... not to hot, not to cold

3) to never be sick, allergies included! Hate being sick or when my allergies act up. It's the worse!

If you could have one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be~ one type? Thai!

I don't think I could ever get tired of Thai good. It's so yummy, flavorful, and healthy!!

What's one talent you wish you had~ I wouldn't mind being able to sing! Music is everything to me and so I try to sing... when I'm alone, in my car type thing, but yeah... I can't sing lol

Biggest celebrity crushes~ Honestly, I don't think I've ever had a celebrity crush. I was like obsessed with Backstreet Boys when I was young teenager, but that's probably the closest I got.

If you could look into the future, would you~ HECK YA!! I can be patient, if I know when things are going to happen. Like I don't mind waiting for us to be placed... I just want to know WHEN we'll be placed. I like to plan and organize. Unfortunately you can't do that with life.

What made you start a blog~ To be honest, adoption. Started out as a way to get our names out there. But I've really enjoyed blogging and getting my feeling written. It's a good type of journal for posterity.

What was the happiest day of your life and don't say the day you got married or had a kid= lame~ Well, so far my wedding day was! lol Picking another day SO far, to be honest... I'd probably have to say the day I was accepted into nursing school.

yes, this is totally accurate lol

Yes nursing school has been the greatest trial I've experienced, but it's one I would not change for ANYTHING! To find out I was finally accepted and getting that much closer to achieving one of my dreams... I was on cloud 9!!

Top 4 book recommendations~ serious?? I'm not much of a reader. I think I could honestly do this one though. Um... 1) Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls!! I had to read it for one of my classes. INTENSE! Loved it! Great insight was little kids think when parents aren't the greatest caretakers

2) Believing Christ by Stephen E. Robinson!! So good. It's a great insight to the atonement of Christ and how to better apply it to other areas of your life, not just repentance.

3) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

4) Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

What's your guilty pleasure movie? Last Song with Miley Cyrus!! Love that movie!!!

What's your worst habit~ I know I have LOTS of bad habits. I just don't know which is the worse. Probably nagging, constantly cleaning up after Jared... when he's still not done cooking and needed what I put in the dishwasher :o)

What golden girl would you be~ Rose! I'll admit... I'm naiive and take things to literally sometimes.

four places I go: 1) school

2) church

3) grocery store

4) wal-mart

four fav. smells: 1) cooking food, especially cookies

2) clean! like, right after you've cleaned the bathroom. mmm

3) flowers

4) babies!

four fav. t.v. shows or movies: 1) 7th Heaven- yes, I'm a nerd like tha

2) Phineas and Ferb

3) 30 Rock

4) Last Song

four recommendations: 1) live life to the fullest, you only live once

2) never be afraid to be who you are

3) Rely on Heavenly Father and Christ for EVERYTHING!... atonement is essential!

4) You're never to old to want your mom!

Well there you go folks! Me... in a nut shell lol

Nursing school

Warning: this is a long post! Grab the chips, soda, and get comfy on the couch!

As of today I have 4 weeks left of school! Truthfully, I am so full of mixed emotions, I don't know where to begin. I am so excited, nervous, confused, and anxious! Mostly, I'm feeling out of steam and like I have no more "fight" left in me. I think part of it is because as of right now I'm not officially passing a class (I am getting a 76% test average and I have to get a 78% average to pass). In order to pass this class I have to really work hard. Normally I'm all about hard work but, like I said, I don't know that I have it in me to fight for school. Fight for my family, adoption, church, ... anything else... I'll fight. No question, no second thought, I'm there to the end!!! School... not so much. I'm not wanting to fight any more. School has been the hardest thing EVER! for me. I've never enjoyed school. I know hard work is part of life, but I have NEVER felt this emotionally drained before. My amazing husband and incredible mother have been life savers in getting me through these last 2 1/2 yrs. Anyway~ Jared said something to me this morning that really hit me. I know it's something my mom has told me before but... what do mothers know ;o) totally just kidding!! My mom is one of the smartest ladies I know. I don't know, it just seemed to really hit today. What was said is that making it through these last 4 weeks will depend largely on my attitude. Grr! So, in order to change my attitude, try to get my fight back... I have decided that each week... starting today... until I graduate I will write a posting on what nursing school has taught me and the great experience it has been.

SO!! Lesson #1 nursing school has taught me that I really can achieve and do hard things. There have been numerous times that I have wanted to quit, felt like couldn't do it, and just wanted to drop out. I can't tell you how many tears I've shed, the numerous times Jared and my mom have had to comfort me, and the incredible amount of encouragement I've gotten from ALL of our family (yes, both sides). I understand now what the pioneers mean when they talked about angels pushing their handcarts when they thought they couldn't go on any longer. There were so many times that I would say or think... if I could just get through this next test. If I could get through clinical. If I could get through this semester. Miraculously I have made it to that point and beyond!

Which brings me to... I definitely could not end this posting, have gotten through nursing school, or do ANYTHING I do if it weren't for Heavenly Father! He has carried me through life so much that I know I couldn't do a half of a percent of what I do if it weren't for Him. His guidance, His love, and His atonement.

Book Scanner

Recently Devin's Grandad Hurst has been putting together some family history stories for an upcoming family reunion. I have been scanning many family documents for him. One Saturday I was asked to scan several pages from a family history book that was bound. Many of you have copied pages from a book but as you know it is quite difficult to get a good scan. Especially around the binding in the middle. Being a very nerdy person I knew that Google has been scanning books using digital cameras. I will say that Google's setup from what I can tell uses 4 infrared cameras 2 for each side of the book and then use software to create the image in 3D and then flatten the image to take care of the curve on the page. While this setup is really cool I did not need such a setup. I did some research on line and found a much simpler setup. So I spent some time building a book scanner.

I wanted to do this in the least expensive way possible. So I built my scanner for $31. I will say that $26 was spent on the camera tripod. The rest was spent on a piece of glass to flatten the page and a can of black spray paint. The rest is built out of cardboard and scrap wood. Notice the long bolts holding the base together the board broke in half.

The scans came out in good condition. I will say better than putting the results on a flat bed scanner.

Luckily the book only had text on the right side of the page so this ended up being much easier to put together. I really had fun putting this together and getting the pages scanned.

Mullets and Mohawks

The last time I got my hair cut was early September. So my hair has grown a little since then. Devin has been trying to get me to cut my hair for a long time. For some unknown reason I do not like being told I need to cut my hair. I believe I am about as grown up as I want to get and I can decide how my hair looks. I now this is not really true but that is what I want to believe. As a result I had a mop on my head.

For months I told Devin I would get a hair cut if she would give me a Mohawk. Devin feels that this type of hair cut does not reflect well on me and would have nothing to do with my desire to get my hair chopped. Wednesday morning I got up and pulled out the clippers and gave my self the most awesome hair cut in the world.

It is not just a Mohawk it is a Mohawk Mullet. That is right an M&M. Devin took the before picture but would not take any other pictures. I had been talking about my desired haircut for a while and Devin's Grandparents wanted to see my awesome due. So during lunch I went to see them. They loved it.

I invited Devin to come along but she refused stating that she did not want to be seen with me in public. The whole day was filled with similar statements. After I came home from work Devin said we should go to the store for something. I asked if she really wanted to go with me and she said no and changed her plans. Every time something like this happened I laughed. I thought my wife was not prideful but I guess she feels she was to good to hang out with me. (You should read that last statement with large sums of sarcasm) The reason I wanted to do this hair cut on a Wednesday is because that is scout night. I wanted to let my boys lop off my hair so the boys took of the mop.

Now I have a much shorter haircut.