What's new, what's new. Hmmm. Not really much.
I have one week of one class left this semester. The last assignment is a paper about a journal article that I've already written the draft of so it's pretty much done.
Let me tell you about this journal article. There is a school in Virginia that makes their nursing students wear an "adult disposable incontinence product" and sit in a wheelchair for 6 hours. Wait. It gets better. They are required to wet themselves and remain wet for the last thirty minutes. If you want to graduate, you have to do it. They say that the reason is to "engender empathy for disabled patients with urinary incontinence."
Another nursing school I am glad I'm not attending...

Last night I tried to finish up my final for one of my classes. I had to do a head to toe assessment on someone. Russell volunteered. Well, I volunteered him. He says I do that a lot. Anyway, I stayed up a little tiny bit later than usual to try to get it done and I slept so terribly! I kept thinking over and over, "awake, alert & oriented to person, place & time." Better than that dream I had after I watched Narnia that Russell just reminded me about. He thinks it's really funny when I am barely awake and try to describe my weirdo dreams. Bride & I used to do it to each other all the time. Is this post going nowhere fast or what? Maybe not fast enough, huh?

I went to Cost Plus (I have a 25% off coupon, e-mail me if you want to use it too) and Target today. I got some DP and M&Ms (and new mascara!) - I am so ready for all the good shows tonight. I've opted to watch The Office and 30 Rock tonight and watch Grey's Anatomy online later. I think I've made the right choice. We had Chicken Club Salad for dinner tonight. I like it a lot (I said that with the Forest Gump voice, so you know.)

Today was a dang good day. Let me tell you about it. I didn't have to get up until about 9 and I stayed in bed and watched The Hills. I got up and felt motivated to clean up a little bit. I actually got a lot cleaned up and then I took a bath. I don't know what it is about The Hills, it makes me want to do my hair. Anyway, I talked to my sister for a little while really about nothing and that was nice. Our phone call was interrupted by another. I got the job that I interviewed for as a Nurse Apprentice. Could not be a sweeter setup, let me tell you. I start that in a month. Okay, then I went to school. It was our last lab, optional but not really. We practiced IVs and injections. I know you guys think I'm a total weirdo but it was fun! When we started, I was a little nervous about Jolie giving me an injection, can you tell?

This is me giving Jolie an intradermal injection.










This is me inserting my first IV catheter. I got it on the first try and yes, behind me is a toilet seat with a bucket under it.

I feel like I start every post off with an excuse. Yeah, yeah. Every one is busy, right? Okay. Great. I can skip that part from now on.

I got my letter from the State Board of Nursing so I am officially allowed to get a job as a "Nurse Apprentice." I am excited and I have a bunch of interviews coming up. Wish me luck as far as that goes.

It felt like spring was just around the corner and all of a sudden they are screaming, "SNOW" again on the news. I'm pretty tired of it - mostly because I am so psyched to get started on our garden. Russell has been working on the things he can. He made this path out of a bunch of broken chunks of concrete he found. Isn't it cool? We're planting around the outside and in the middle. Russell caught Otis a couple mornings ago laying on his side in the pile of dirt.

We took a little drive out to Nampa to get some manure for the garden and the yard. An entire truckload. Isn't it so weird that we grow our food, that we are going to eat, in another animal's poop? I can't think about that too much.

We bought another raspberry bush; these ones are Fall Gold, yellow raspberries. They are going to make the prettiest fruit tarts this summer. We also got a Huckleberry bush. Russ really wanted that one.

We're having Chicken Potpie for dinner tonight and I'm posting a recipe for Lettuce Wraps later on...

I went to the mall this weekend. I haven't been to the mall since... I seriously don't remember. When did I buy that Smooth & Seal? Whenever that was. A long time ago. Anyway, I went this weekend. Can I tell you something? I love Banana Republic. And I love buying dresses. I think I would rather wear a dress than any other outfit. I tried this dress on. Even though it was $120. On sale. A bit over my budget. I tried it on anyway. I even went so far as to think about what kind of shoes I would buy to go with it. I even went to Macy's to see if I could find the shoes. I did. I had a dream about them last night...

It was so insanely nice outside today. It's about time. It got up to 70 and Russ and I went and played a little tennis. It was really fun even though when we got to the courts we found that the strings on one of the two rackets I have were broken. We played anyway and it was fun. I let Russell use the good racket and I used the broken one and I still beat him but don't tell that I told you (and don't ask how much longer I've been playing).
We made it to Edwards Greenhouse today as well and we picked out all of our seeds. This year we're growing carrots, radishes, zucchini, green onions, green beans, and cucumbers from seeds. Next month or so we'll get all of our tomatoes and peppers. We bought another black raspberry bush and this one is already 2 years old so we should get some berries. I seriously can't wait. Have you ever had so many berries that you just couldn't eat anymore? I have not. Ever.
I've also decided that I need another dog and I know what kind I want.

Could you say no to a puppy this cute? If you could, you may be dead inside.

Guess what! I just got a sweet new gig for next Fall as a Peer Advisor in the Nursing Department! If you say that only nerds/dorks/weirdos/some other variation that implies something similar get those jobs, I'm going to punch you. I should probably stop threatening you guys, shouldn't I? Okay, I'll be very sad and you all know how I deal with sadness (I punch things). Anyway, I registered for classes and I'm super psyched. I can hardly wait for summer to be over. (P.S. That was a joke.)

Not a whole whole lot going on around here. Just a couple things I've been thinking about:

- Why is everyone so afraid of bacteria? It's not bad. Your body is FULL of it. It's not bad!

- Why does it seem like crappy ovens follow me around? Maybe I need to quit baking. We made this pound cake (which is totally a keeper recipe) and it was supposed to bake 70-90 minutes. Mine baked 55 and it was still over baked! Whatever.

- I started looking for a summer job last week. I'm actually excited. I've really been in the mood to shop lately so a few extra bucks will be nice.

- The eight year olds are going to be a challenge. I am not going to be able to get away with copying a little picture for them to color every week. Also, I can't forget to remove ALL the extra chairs before class starts.

- April is going to be insane. It's the end of the semester and there is a butt load of crap going on. It's okay, though. I've already made a big calendar for the month so I know what's up. Also, how is it April already?

- Since I just said "butt load of crap" (is butt load one word?) I thought of Nacho Libre which apparently I'm going to have to buy again because it skips, like, a lot.

- All the good shows are back on this week and I am so psyched! Also, have you watched that show Miss Guided? It is totally funny. Chris Parnell is in it. It will make you laugh. Unless you are dead inside.

Wednesday is a good day. I love school ONLY days. It is still a little chilly (a bit more than just sweatshirt weather) but I opted to ride my bike. It doesn't look that chilly in the picture, huh? Please ignore that scary garage.

In my skills class today we did NG tubes. In the past, they required students to insert the tubes into other students. They discontinued that practice (at my school at least). A nasogastric tube goes into the nose, down the esophagus and into the stomach. Even though I only inserted the tube into a manikin, it was still a pretty good lab. My teacher said that she worked somewhere once where the NG tube was in a patient's lung and they didn't check to make sure that it was placed correctly and they fed the guy. Into his lung. I bet that didn't feel good.

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!