I like how he has Russell's work shirt all bunched up underneath his fat body. I always wish that all my nieces and nephews could hang out with him more - when he's all mellow like this.
He's always crazy excited when they are around.

This weekend was crazy. It seems like I saved up everything that I needed to do (and could have been taking care of all week) for Saturday. Anyway, some good news - Russell fixed my sewing machine! Is there anything he can't fix? I don't think so. Ooh, another thing. I found out more about my clinical next semester and I am so psyched! The first eight weeks is at a long term care facility (that's what they call nursing homes now) and I knew that. After that, they are going to send me all over. Day surgery, endoscopy clinic, OB ward. I am seriously so excited. I have to get my scrubs and I need a new pair of shoes - they have to be black or white. I've heard they are really strict about their dress code. Oh, who am I kidding, I just want to buy a new pair of shoes!

I can register for classes on April 3rd. There are two general ed classes that I still need to take and they have to be in different fields. I really don't want to take a foreign language. I would love to learn another language but I don't want to get graded on it. Does that make sense? Will you make fun of me really bad if I take a theater class? Please don't... because I'm taking it.

It's Friday. But I just heard some bad news. A cold front is blowing through Boise tonight and there's even talk of snow. What?! Snow? Am I not on Spring Break at this very moment? When I was in Vegas and Spring Break would roll around, I used to think it wasn't warm enough yet for Spring Break. Now I'm in Boise. Right now in Vegas? What? 70˚? Boise? 40˚. That's right. 40˚. I didn't know how good I had it.

If you combine half winter windshield washer fluid and half summer windshield wiper fluid, is the freezing temperature the average of the two?

It's 1:00pm. I'm in bed. Watching Sleepless in Seattle with a cup of hot chocolate and a cupcake, feeling bad for myself for having had to go to the dentist this morning. Two lost fillings and no insurance. And my mouth still tastes like the smell of the dentist's office...

You like those period pieces? Those costume dramas? Anything produced by the BBC? Go watch North and South right now! If you have Netflix you can watch instantly. It's so good! Go. Now.

Ah, the first day of Spring Break. It's 1:00 and I've already accomplished everything I set out to. I went to the gym.

Now, I plan on picking up the kitchen, moving my modem into my bedroom, plugging in the PC and watching instantly as many Netflix movies as I can squeeze in to half a day. First on the list, North & South, recommended to me by a fellow book group participant.

The pictures. I almost forgot. I never showed off the boots that I got for my birthday. It's been rainy here and I am not complaining. And the fridge. I'm wondering if this might be a good method to curb any mid afternoon snacking. Am also wondering if it's worth the ridicule I'll get as soon as Russell gets home...

I am supposed to be doing a Neuro case study right now but I can't concentrate.

Why? Why hadn't someone made me join a book club sooner!? It was so fun. It was only 4 other girls but they live right around the corner from me and it was just fun! I can't wait for next month.

I talked to the Primary President today and it isn't CTR A, it's CTR 8. They are the 7 turning 8 year olds. I think it's going to be fun. I think Sunbeams are easier but I think it's going to be fun. This Sunday is my first week.

I've got a busy weekend ahead of me. It's okay, though - my Spring Break is this week!
1. Go to the choir brunch 9:00am
2. Go to school & print out my lesson
3. Go to Deseret Book and buy some fun new teacher things
4. Give my stinky dog a bath
5. Clean my dirty house

Oh crap! Russell's home - I have to go pretend like I've been doing my homework!

A few things I thought about this afternoon while I was getting ready to leave for my book club:

- ironing these khakis makes absolutely no difference
- that heavy starch smells so good
- I can register April 3 or 4th
- should I take that Contemporary Birthing class?
- I hope that pregnant girl at work has a girl
- why is that "magical amount" tobacco commercial song always in my head?
- why haven't we ordered that part for the Scout?
- why are we still having freezing overnight temperatures?

I'm on my way to the book club. We read The Scarlet Pimpernel. I've never read it before and I did get pretty into it. I got so guilted into joining this book club and I am actually going. On Thursday night. At 7:00pm. Do you know what that means? I won't be watching Lost until Friday. I just started singing Don't Cry for Me Argentina. At least it isn't that tobacco commercial song...

I thought this week was going to be so crazy. So crazy. I hyped myself up so much that every time I'm sitting at home, I feel like there is something else I am supposed to be doing. It's okay though. I'm not supposed to be doing anything else. I know because I have a list.

On Sunday one of the Bishop's councilor's called me and asked if I would teach the CTR A class. I said yes (heck yes, if you want me to be exact) but I don't know how old they are! Is that the class right after Sunbeams, the 4-5 year olds? I don't know but I am already thinking about my first week "get to know you" games. Any suggestions?

Our Relief Society birthday thing was this week and we made Belgian waffles. Holy schnikies! They were incredible. So, so good. I'm posting the recipe over on my recipe blog if you're interested. I ate mine with a mixed fruit topping and whipped cream. Now I have to buy a waffle maker.

Russell has Wednesday and Thursdays off now. He bought some new waders and went fishing today and I would not be shocked to hear that he has made some last minute plans to go tomorrow as well. Cross your fingers for some delicious bass (not really, I think he's trout fishing).

Meatloaf, although I hate the name, is what's for dinner and it's good. Mmm. Mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

There is just something about clean sheets. Am I right? Every time I change the sheets, which I usually do on Saturdays, I get excited to climb in bed. But something seems very wrong about doing so before I've taken a shower. Like it's sort of a waste to climb in between those fresh, fresh sheets before I'm clean myself. There is another thing I do every time I change my sheets; I vow never to let Otis sleep in my bed again. Guess how long that lasts.

We heated up some frozen tomato sauce that we made right before our huge basil bush gave in to the cold winter weather. It was so good. I made some garlic knots to go along. They turned out pretty well, too. I heated up some butter and added a couple cloves of garlic and then brushed it on my rolls and baked. They were tasty but I think we can do better. Roasted garlic next time? I don't know. Any suggestions?

I love eating a well balanced meal, don't you? Something feels so good about all those veggies on your plate. We tried a new recipe last night and it was really good. Easy, too. Do you eat pork tenderloin? You are seriously missing out if not. It's easy and fast to cook and they call it tenderloin for a reason - it's tender. And delicious. Anyway, I didn't follow the recipe exactly, it needed longer in the oven and when it was cooked through the sauce was already thickened. My way was easier. I'm sticking to it next time. Anyway, I'm getting side tracked here. We ate our pork tenderloin with steamed asparagus and a salad, too. It was good. And balanced. Or it seemed like it, anyway.

I'm on my way out the door to turn in my scholarship application to the Nursing Department (man, they are totally loaded), so wish me luck. In the future, I mean. Getting the scholarships that is. Wow, I'm having a rough time spitting it out today. What's that you say? The delete button? Why no, I haven't heard of it.

It's Friday!

It's coming. And this is how I know. Spring. Oh, I cannot wait.

A few things:
- I rode my bike to school today. I have to leave the house at the same time so I'm not really saving any time driving and I'm for sure not burning any extra calories.

- Russell has gone from a 6 day work week to 5. Yay!

- My sewing machine fell off the ironing board this weekend. I don't think I can make my table runner for the sparkle power sew along. I took it apart to see what was up and I got it to work sort of but something is still not right.

- We watched Beowulf this week. I admit it. I liked it. I had to read it in high school. I just wish it wasn't that weird cartoon/computer animation crap.

- We did injections today in class. It was fun.

Things I've learned in my nursing skills class:

1. hand hygiene
2. also, how to spell hygiene
3. how to apply sterile gloves (harder than you think)
4. how to use a gait belt (even though I'm pretty sure they don't use them anymore)
5. how to take someone's vitals
6. including blood pressure
7. the "principles of ergonomics" - did you know that most hospitals are adopting "no lift" policies because so many nurses get hurt trying to move their patients? I didn't.
8. how to give a bed bath
9. including "pericare" (take a wild guess)
10. hospital corners
11. how to make an occupied bed
12. how to record intake and output
13. how to apply restraints
14. how to remove staples and sutures

I also found out recently that next semester my clinicals will be "off-site" at an extended care facility. To me, this is the saddest kind of nursing. It might be a rough semester.

Things I learned when I watched The Business of Being Born:

1. Everywhere else in the world 70% of births are attended by a midwife
2. In the States it's 1%
3. Obstetricians are surgeons
4. One in three births is by cesarean section in the States

If you have Netflix, you can "watch instantly." After watching, I don't think I could be an OB nurse, for ethical reasons. Really, it's good. Watch it and then call me so we can discuss.

P.S. I got a 94 on my skills test. I'm going to be, like, the best nurse ever.

Things that make me want to stay in bed on Monday morning:

1. the temp on the thermostat (67!?)
2. what? Otis is still in bed
3. the impending doom I'm feeling in regards to that skills test
4. down comforter, I love you
5. clean sheets, I always change them on the weekend, they smell so good like Bounce
6. no good cereal
7. no brown sugar for oatmeal
8. no milk, even the crappy cereal isn't an option

I would have stayed in bed if Russell hadn't called and tried to catch me talking with that sleepy voice. And if I didn't have a quiz today. And if I didn't see these that I'm so excited to make.

I posted a few recipes and a good new tip. I think it counts as a list...

His bottom lip is sticking out. What? What's that you say? This is only funny to me? Oh, my bad.