Happy Thanksgiving!!!

     Happy Thanksgiving ya'll!!

My thankful list(not inclusive or in any particular order)

1. My husband and best friend Bradley. Everyday I am more grateful for the relationship we have. God for sure had a hand in our meeting and I'm grateful for it everyday.

2. My sweet daughter Raelee. She is everything. Her sweet spirit has brought so much into our family. I can't imagine life without her in it.

3. Family. Brad and I are blessed with the best families. I am so grateful for the friendships we have with both sets of our parents. 

4. Jobs. I am thankful that Brad and I are both employed  and were raised with having a great work ethic and view of work.

5. This great country. I am so, so, so thankful to live in America.

6. The military. Where would we be without them?

7. Health. I am thankful for our good health and that of our families, especially my mom and Brad's dad. I'm thankful that they are both here to celebrate thanksgiving.

8. Books! I went to the library today, I've been on a dry spell lately, it's been a few weeks since I've read a new book and I've been craving one so bad. I hit the jackpot on this visit. I think I might have found a few new series to read. 

9. My home. As much a pain home ownership has been this past year, I truly do love my home and am so thankful to be able to afford it.

10. Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This brings so many blessings into my life there is no way to list them all. 

11. Technology? Depending on the day, I might not like this so much lol. But for the most part, I know it's a blessing to have.

12. My new gun. I am super excited to learn how to shoot and maybe go hunting? Tomorrow I'll get to shoot it for the first time and I.can.not.wait!

13. Florida. I truly do love living here. I think it's such a neat place and there's so much to do.

14. Good movies and TV shows. "Once Upon a Time", "Revolution", BD2... 

15. My hair. This probably would not make the list were it summer lol.

16. A stove and oven that works.

17. The new Taylor Swift album. Love it!

18. My new curtains that still aren't hung up. One day...:)

19. Camping trips. Love getting away and just being.

20. Myself and the awesome life I have. Not the perfect life, cause it's far from there, but this awesome life :)

Fabulous week of work! I finally felt independent(ish). Definitely not ready to fly solo, but the dots are starting to connect. It is really neat to take care of someone throughout the labor and birth process. Such a neat bond is created with my patients that I've had only a few times in my previous years of work. It's so special to work all day(s) to get this sweet little spirit to earth safely, to be tracking the  baby's heart rate and contractions and how to baby's handling it all. I already feel a connection to the baby and then to finally see the baby born is such a special feeling. I love it!
     I'm sitting here looking at Raelee and I'm amazed at how fast she is learning and growing. She is such a person now. The things she says are constantly cracking me up. Every time I get off the phone now, she'll ask me" Was that Me-maw  Matt-matt, Papa, Daddy, who?" Then she says "What did (insert name) say to me?". Ha, since everything is definitely about her in her world! She is so happy and sweet all the time, I have been so blessed with her.  She is still in love with books, I redid her room this week, packed up a bunch of her toys and put almost all her books in their place. She loves to read. The other day, she woke up from her nap and read books for over an hour. I though about getting her a few times, but figured she just needed some alone time and sure enough, after about an hour, she knocked on her door and said "I'm ready to go backstaires(that what she calls going downstairs) now mommy". She is getting so strong too. If you haven't noticed she kinda has a big head. Well I think she is finally growing into it. Last night in gymnastics she was able to hold a handstand for over 5 secs, which doesn't sound that long, but she's never been able to hold herself up at all due to her heavy noggin. She was so excited for herself, it was really cute to see.
     Anyways, just my thoughts today. Hope everyone is having a grand Friday!

 

Random

     Well so far I really like working in Labor and Delivery. The 12 hour days go by so much faster. The days are definitely busy, but not as physically demanding as nursery days. I would come home from those completely wiped out. Now I come home tired, but energized at the same time. I took care of my first patient that did a completely un-medicated birth and she rocked it! It was an awesome experience. She was so in control and calm the entire time, it was pretty inspiring. I still miss working in the nursery(a tad), but I honestly am not missing post partum(other than missing my co-workers).
     We're getting trees cut down in our yard(for free!!!) this week. This guy is selling the lumbar. I'm super excited to see what our yard starts to look like as it gets cleared more and more.
     On a sad note, I bought a new CD(The Civil Wars) who I've been dying to listen to in the car,  but........the radiator in my car has a hole in it, the same day I bought the CD. And Brad's car doesn't have a CD player. I know I could just listen to it in the house, but it's just not the same as jamming in the car. Hopefully Brad will be able to fix the car this weekend. Is it sad that I'm more upset about the CD than the car? Lol, I think I'm just getting used to something always being broken, whether its on the car or the house. That's life for us :)


   
   

Lately

    It's been an interesting last few weeks. We took Raelee to Disney World for the first time, which was AMAZING!!! The wonder and excitement in her eyes was so magical. Makes me want to cry thinking back on it. She was so, so, so happy to see all her "friends" as she calls the various Disney characters. She was the first child of the day to meet Micky and Minnie Mouse, it was so cool that I was nervous! She took lots of pictures with them and even got a certificate saying that she was the first to meet them of the day. Since daddy missed that part(so sad) he had to privilege of taking her on her first ride, the teacups(which awesomely enough make me sick, so I was not sad to miss this). Raelee LOVED all the rides. I wish I could post all the videos and pics, because she was so stinking cute! She even went of her first roller coaster, though they measured her 4 times just to make sure she was really tall enough, she looks so little. I rode with her on this one and we sat in the very first car and Raelee loved it! She kept saying that it went fast and tickled her tummy. Dumbo of course was the favorite ride of the day. We watched the fireworks that night from behind the castle and let me tell you, it was awesome! They were being shot in the air all around us, we had to keep spinning to see them all, and then it was raining too...seriously a magical moment. Brad's parents were able to go with us, it was awesome to be able to spend that time with them. Disney, downtown disney, IKEA, getting a new stove, and the debate, what a vacation! 

     We were sooooo excited to have a new stove and oven, we've been ovenless since last Nov. and down to 1 stovetop burner. Then the new one wouldn't fit...by just a few inches...noooooo!!! Poor Brad had to spend the first day back cutting our counter tops trying to get it to fit, then our well had a pretty major leak, and we had a pipe bust and leak to the downstairs  all within the 2 days of being back home. Add to that was some personal drama, so that was not a great weekend. But the house is fixed, we're able to cook, we have water..so yay!!!

      Monday I started my labor and delivery training and it.is.awesome! I was definitely super, super nervous, but I feel like I've learned so much in just a week. Not to be braggy sounding, but I've worked post partum and nursery for over 7 years, so I've pretty much seen it all, and it had gotten very mainstream for me. Which is good, but at the same time I want to continue to grow in my knowledge and ability as a nurse, so I'm so glad for this chance to become a L&D nurse. I hope reading the fetal monitor strips clicks soon, I feel like that's going to be the hardest part for me. But I already can read more off of it then I could Monday, when it was just a bunch of squiggly lines, so that's a plus. I really have liked coming home from work energized, it's so fun to learn something new. Seeing a baby born, and being part of that birth is pretty much the coolest thing ever!!! 

First day of...

     Today was a day that I honestly never thought would happen. Not in a it took forever to get here kind of way, but an I honestly did not think this would ever be something we would deal with as parents kind of way. It's the day that Raelee started at a preschool. We have been so blessed that my BFF has been able to watch Raelee and be her second mommy on the days that I've worked for the past 2 1/2 years. It has been wonderful. Brad started his new job awhile back and we were in complete denial that the commute would be an issue. Drive Raelee 30 mins and then drive an additional 30+ mins to work? Sure, no problemo! Unfortunately, for time and gas, plus the fact that Brad was late for work almost everyday that this was attempted just did not work for us anymore. I was mentioning to my co-workers just how tough mornings have been, when one of them mentioned that we should send her where her kids go. It's right by where Brad works. Another co-worker piped in that that's where her kids go too and that they love it there. Then I found out that yet another co-workers kids go there, another is trying to get her kids there, and that another nurse in the hospital's girls go there too. Whew! They all had rave reviews. I called, just to see, I still was not sold on the idea, but wanted to see what they offered. They had an opening in Raelee's age classroom, we went for a tour, and that was that. I loved the facility. Raelee did too, she did not want to leave. After much prayer, Brad and I both felt that this was the right move for her and us at this time. When I said I never planned on sending her to preschool it was because A) I honestly feel that I can teach her what she needs to know and B) My plan was for her to stay at my BFF's with her little friends, she's had such a great experience there. But plans change, however much I try to plan every detail out. I truly feel that this is an answer to prayer. Raelee will go three times a week on the days that I work.We were able to get a cheaper price because of that, and because Brad will be able to pick her up right when he gets off, which is earlier than most parents get off work. Today was Rae's first day and she loved it! They said that she did wonderfully. I haven't really gotten a chance to talk to her yet in detail about her day, she was asleep when I got off and now we're doing the dinner bath routine. Raelee usually talks, alot, when its time for her to go to bed, so I'm sure I'll hear all about it soon...

We've had big changes here in the last month and another big change to come! Brad started his new job at Chiles High School, which we're SUPER excited about. It'll be much easier for Raelee and I to surprise him for lunch now that he'll be closer to home. Then for me, my big change is I've switched back to full-time hours(but not full-time status) because I will be starting my training in L&D at the end of the month. I am super excited and nervous. I love mother-baby nursing and have been wanting to increase my training for a few years now, and now I have to opportunity for that. It's a 12 week training and then I will continue to work full-time hours for at least another 6 months after that. I have already increased my shifts in the last month, so we've been having fun getting used to our new schedules. Let me tell you, we have been TIRED! Then to add to that, we've been battling with out hot water heater for the last week and a half. It's finally fixed today, I am so excited to take a hot shower again. One element went out, it's supposed to be super easy to replace, you just drain the heater. Well ours won't drain, the plumbers couldn't even get it to drain today when we finally called for assistance. So our plan B was to run it on one element, but it started leaking Tues night and was hitting the electrical wires, super scary! The plus side of having a handy husband is you save money fixing stuff. The downside is a week and a half of no hot water, before said husband finally admits defeat. I'm glad that the plumber had issues with it to, it made Brad feel better. And more good news, they were able to replace the element using some tool that kept the water from pouring out, so we saved a ton of money by not buying a new one. Yay! Now we just need to fix the car and get a new oven and we'll be golden :) I've felt so old school lately, not having an oven and having to heat water on the 2 stove burners that work to take baths. I'll be glad when all our appliances are up and running... at one time...ahhh that'll be the life!

Camping, take two

Okay this is a super long post, and probably not too exciting for ya'll to read, but I wanted to make sure I wrote this down so I won't forget any of it. So you've been warned if you get bored :) Pics to be added later.
     Brad, Raelee and I headed down to Vero Beach, Florida this weekend for our friends, Logan and Maggie's wedding. Brad and I had a great idea to save money and have an adventure with Raelee by camping instead of  paying for a hotel room for just one night. Raelee was so sad when we went camping without her, she's been telling us ever since that she wanted to go camping too, so we thought this would be the perfect time. Well...it did not really work out that way. When we arrived, it was pouring rain, like the can't see out the windshields, brakes don't want to work so well because of all the puddles you've been driving through kinda rain. Thanks to my sister the weatherwoman of the family, we knew that in 2 hours it should clear, so we drove on down to Vero and found the hotel the wedding was to be at and then went and ate dinner. Sure enough at 8pm, clear skies, so we drove back to our campground. Now I've camped alot in Florida, and have always had great experiences at the state parks. This one broke that record. We will not be going back there. First the mosquitoes were out of control. Brad was ate alive while he set up the tent, Raelee and I stayed in the car for our own safety during this. Then all night we were being bit by bugs, we thought it was mosquitoes in the tent, we kept squishing them, but we still kept being bit. Well after getting some sleep last night and talking to our parents, we think it was some sort of sand gnat or no see-ums that were getting through the tent screens. I was so tired, I didn't put it together that none of the other tents had their screens open. Yeesh! Poor Raelee looks like she has chicken pox on her tummy and back. So anyway, back to the adventure. Lights out was supposed to be at 11pm, but other campers were still blaring their music at 1 am! I was not a happy women. We quickly decided that this was not the family campground we are used to staying at. When I had went to the rest room earlier, Brad escorted me so I didn't get snatched, and the women in the restroom were very drunk and very obnoxious. Right after I went in, a guy walking up to Brad and asked him if I was his girlfriend. Brad replied that I was his wife and the guy went on to say "she ruined it man, she ruined it" and walked off. Ummm...okay? weird. So back to our night, at 2:45am Brad was cracking me up, he was so sleep deprived he told me and Raelee to pack up, we were going to a hotel. I had to talk him outta that one lol. We got up at 6am to get ready for the wedding. Raelee pee'd in the middle of the public bathroom floor and then I dropped my dress on the wet floor. At least it had just been cleaned and mopped. All in all, I think we looked pretty good for no sleep AND having camped. I'm sure the other campers were very confused by us walking out all dressed up lol.
     The wedding was awesome. It was on the beach. Super beautiful and chill at the same time. I fell, holding Raelee when we walked onto the sand. I recovered quickly though and didn't even get wet sand on my dress. Score for me! But I pulled a muscle in my thigh, that's killing me today. We got super nervous because while we were waiting in the chairs on the beach it started to drizzle, but when Maggie walked out the sun burst through. It was prefect timing. I loved the little touches they used to personalized everything, Maggie's dress was one that had to be laced down the back, and she wove a green ribbon through it to match Logan's tie. It was so unique and super cute. Then Maggie's nephew had a bucket of colored sand that he walked down the isle and threw on the white sand. They had two bottles and the guest wrote messages to the couple and rolled up them up and put them in the bottles. Then I really like how after the best man and maid of honor spoke, Logan and Maggie each spoke about their love and families. It was really sweet. I'm so glad we were able to go.
     We were really worried about the drive back to Tally due to the lack of sleep, but it turned out to be a really good drive. Brad and I had some really good conversations and it was a really good time to kinda reconnect. I realized again how blessed and lucky I am to have him as a hubby. So all in all the trip was worth it for the memories, and Raelee says she had fun camping, but I definitely will not go camping the night before a wedding again. But it was nice to save the moola :)