Tid bit of nothing too crazy!

I don't have much to report right now...just wait until Saturday rolls around...I will have lots to say and pictures to post! Looking forward to the kids' party. I will be making homemade chili and we will BBQ hot dogs (so chili dogs)...it is always a classic at the parties and easy to do, and yummy delicious! I asked my friend, Angela, if she could make her really good warm cheese dip (also compliments the main dish)...she is my hero for saying "yes" to that! I have to bake the cakes on Friday, I think...still contemplating what to do about the cakes...

Work was fine yesterday; actually my first shift was great (because I got to work in my unit), but my 2nd shift, they sent me over to another unit, 3 South. I don't care for that unit at all! Makes me so thankful to be working on 3 North. 3 South is just busier and more contagious infections floating around, like MRSA, C-DIFF, Hepatitis C...the list goes on...it freaks me out. My 3 North unit is considered to be the "clean" unit...meaning that stuff isn't around. I like working with the familiar faces and people that "know" you and "get" you. BUT I do realize that floating to other units is part of the job...so I go and do! At least I get paid for it!

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY KENT!!!!!

Our little man turned 6 years old today! What a cutie. We gave him his presents from us this morning, told him he can pick out where he would like to go eat today; and I believe we will take a nice drive today. Our family loves to do that...grab some coffee and hit the road! Last night when I got off work, almost midnight, I was going down memory lane...six years ago, I was walking that same hall trying to progress my labor. What an experience that was...the process to give birth to Mr. Kent! I always walk past the labor & delivery hall when I go to and from work...so fresh in my memory! I would have never imagined six years ago that I would be walking those halls again, but for work! Six years. Six years. Hello, SIX YEARS!

Yesterday, when I dropped Kent off at school, I stopped in his classroom to drop off cupcakes and little bottled waters for Kent and his classmates. When I came home from work, I saw 15 handmade birthday cards from Kent's classmates! So sweet! They all had "Happy Birthday Kent" written on them, and Jake was also the theme in his cards. Jeff was telling me that Kent was sharing about how much he misses Jake, so all the kids drew their version of our black dog, Jake. Very touching. Kids are extremely connected with emotions and understand more than we give them credit.

Hello Autumn...Welcome!

Yes, today is the first full day of Autumn!! Last night our temperature got down to 31 degrees, our first official freeze of the season...which helped change some leaves to their yellow lushness. Also, we lit another fire in our wood-burning stove because that "official freeze," made it cold in the house. Okay...so you will see two pictures of our house...with NEW paint colors! Jeff and I were so over the tan walls every where...so we went to Home Depot yesterday and I painted the rest of the day and most of the night to get the job done! The dining room area is painted with "warm nutmeg," and the office area is "spicy Cayenne." The pictures NEVER give the colors justice...but for those of you that will be joining us for the kids' birthday party; you will get to see in real life! Wonderful! It has improved our home so much! Makes it feel more warm and welcoming and cozy (of course). Jeff was cute, he put it like this..."Before I felt like we were living in a college dorm room, with all the light colored walls. Now I feel like we are grown-ups living like grown-ups." ;-)

Come "packin" on the old trestle...yee-haa! I said YEE-HAA!

Today we had a little family outing. Went on an old forestry road about 25 minutes away from our house, and went to an old logging trestle, built most likely around the late 1890s-early 1900s. Jeff and his Dad actually discovered this trestle, when Dad and Mom Stafford were out visiting a few weeks ago. We walked down a little canyon that I am sure runs like crazy with water in the Spring. Then all of a sudden, these old log structures! I have never seen a trestle built the way this one was. It almost looks like old wood cabins or something; but it was a trestle built over the little canyon. Also next to the trestle were some ancient Indian drawings/carvings on the rocks. Crazy! You can see the shapes clearly. There is so much history over there, but nobody knows about it, or have at least mentioned anything about it. So cool. I love it when we discover places like this. Old and with a story to tell. Oh yeah, I love the picture with Jeff's back towards the camera...relates to the title of this post ;-)

Well hello Nana and Pappy. This is a call out to you!

Here's to you both...since you are not mentioned so much in my blog...I just had a nice conversation over the phone with you two. I love and miss you both. Talk to you soon!

Let me tell you a little something, about a little something

First picture is Samantha just looking cute as can be. I had to place her by my favorite crates ;0) Second picture is of my glass pumpkin jar filled with orange lights next to my other decor pumpkins, set up on a side table. Just random goodness!

I go into work today, my third day for this week. I am off tomorrow, then work on Sunday. Our work weeks start over on Sundays...so how they have scheduled me just feels like I roll right into the next week. I also worked Tuesday, and let me tell you something...I had one of my worst migraines plus dizziness and shakiness. Yes, you would assume I didn't eat, but this had nothing to do with not eating, because I did eat before all this happened. It started when I was driving to work and I got so dizzy, I blanked out for a second! Then it just continued all the rest of my shift. Jeff even stopped by my unit to drop off my prescription pills for when I get dizzy. The thing is, I haven't had my dizziness in a long time and then it returned. I am feeling better today (thank goodness). But even on our evening walk yesterday, I got dizzy again. It is crazy how it just starts up. So enough of that.

Jeff is busy working on his steam engine. Once again his genius is at work! Jeff amazes me all the time. Yesterday we ran into Flag to do some errands and he got a haircut. What a stud. I love it when he gets a haircut. We have been having the most beautiful weather...in the 70s during the day...chilly nights. Great time of year...official autumn starts on the 23rd of this month, so that means six days!

A crafty day spent on a ranch

Yesterday, Samantha and I went over to my friend, Jennifer's house to make my Christmas cards. Yes. I said Christmas cards. Last year I didn't have time to make them, so I ended up buying cards and that is no good! Little Samantha was also creating her own artwork with markers and stamps. She has the creative bug and so does Kent :-)
It was a beautiful day on her property (a ranch just outside of Williams). She has a garden and I took a picture of one of her three pumpkins currently growing. This pumpkin is perfectly shaped...just wait until that thing starts to turn orange! Jennifer is battling gophers in her garden. She had a good size watermelon growing and the dang thing ate half of it! Jennifer and her husband are on a mission to get rid of those annoying rodents... if the gophers go after her beautiful pumpkins...she just might lose it...because growing season is coming to an end rapidly. I also took a picture of the barn that sits on their property, it is over 100 years old, and looks like a painting with the backdrop of yellow flowers draping the meadow...breathtaking.

Tractor time and a little bit o' Fall on our table!

Jeff was adding more cinders to our drive way today and the kids were having a great old time chasing that tractor! Don't you all worry, Jeff knew where they were at all times :-)

Now this is a "taste" of my fall decorations on our dining room table. I plan on adding to it, along with my fall stuff that I have placed outside (think pumpkins)! The colors are so pretty, and at night when I light all these candles... it is just so magical!

We Will Never Forget

Fire in the wood-burning stove?! Say What?

Yes. Yesterday we started our first fire in our wood-burning stove. It was chilly...like, we need that good warmth please. Autumn temps have been around...we will see how long that lasts. Last night when I came home from work, it was already 38 degrees at around midnight. It smelled so good outside, the crisp air and fireplaces burning. Lovely.

Yesterday at work was supposed to be my last day of "training" but they were short a PCT, that the Charge Nurse asked me if I would feel comfortable to take on patients by myself. I said sure! She reassured me that I will have lots of help if I get overwhelmed or need assistance with anything. So I took on eight patients on my own (under the Rn's , of course). I did that my whole shift and I felt comfortable with my tasks. I have had the most amazing patients, and I do like my job. I was super busy yesterday! The busiest I have been since I got started (because I was on my own this time). It is a rewarding job. I enjoy helping people. So far, it has been a good experience. I also have so many stories from all of my patients. Everybody seems to open up to me...some cute, strange, horrible, sad or funny stories of their lives.

I dropped Kent off at school this morning, and he was so cute. Right away he waved at one of his friends (he has the same "Cars" backpack, I figure that's how they clicked) and I gave him a kiss and let him in the playground. I was watching him for a few minutes. He was playing around on two super huge tires. To be a kid again, ahhh. Kent also received a birthday party invitation from one of his classmates named Hedi! Sweet that he is invited, however, I am not surprised. After all, he is a lady's "little" man already! :-p

Hello Hello Hello!

So it is my second week of work. I worked yesterday evening, I go in today and I work tomorrow evening. I don't mind my days being scrunced together; it gives me a longer stretch of days off. However, next week it starts to break up a bit. Work one day, off one day, work two days off one (you get the idea). I am learning a lot at work. I have taken control on many tasks already. I know how to do Accu-Checks, of course vitals, emptying the foleys, help shift a patient in their bed or ambulate them to the restroom, etc. I work with a lot of great nurses and PCTs. Its a good group of people. Last night before my shift was over, a couple of RNs and I got into a laughing frenzy! Helps out in a fast past, hard working, stressful environment! I purchased some expensive shoes for work. Had to. Last week my back was in so much pain, even when I wasn't at work. Ever since I birthed my children, I have always had a weaker back. It comes with the terriotory I suppose.

By the way...do you smell pumpkin bread, or pumpkin candles? Do you see how the sun has a more golden light? Oh, Labor Day weekend is over...Autumn is approaching and FINALLY after I finish work for the week, I will be bringing out all of my fall decorations! I held off until after Labor Day...but now...I am a wild Autumn woman out to start the season off right! Get excited! I said get excited! :->

A lovely visit with Dad and Mom Stafford

Dad and Mom Stafford were here for a visit for a few days. They left today. Such a great time with them. We ate out at the Cracker Barrel a few times, did some shopping, took a short train ride on 4960 steam engine (always a wonderful experience). I took some pictures of them, the kids and their Airstream trailer. It was a stunning Labor Day Weekend! We just love them so much :-)

Take down that music!

So, at first I thought it would be nice to have music playing while reading the blog...I have changed my mind. I always end up pausing it because I suddenly get annoyed. It was nice while I had it, briefly...maybe I will add music later, like around Christmas time. I just wanted to post that :-) This is my last day of my first week at work! I will post about it another day.

Accomplised my first day on the job!

Jeff took a couple of pictures of me, in my scrubs before I headed off to work yesterday. I was a nervous wreck! However...I did survive the night! I worked with so many nice nurses and PCTs. I trained with two PCTs, Belinda, for my first four hours, and Christina, my last four hours. It is a different world in that hospital! Also crazy how the first part of my shift is like busy busy busy; and the last part of my shift was busy, but quiet because it was bed time for patients. I got to do somethings on my own, like charting, emptying the urine & measuring, taking vitals, accu-check, etc. I work again this evening and tomorrow evening. I am exhausted already! I got home at midnight, crawled in bed at 12:05, but couldn't fall asleep until after 1:00am because my mind was racing with what I just experienced at work. The kids were up before 6:00am, I was in no mood to start my day, so I gave them their breakfast, put the Disney channel on and went back to bed. I slept in tell 8:00am and Jeff was getting ready to take Kent to school...I wanted to do that, so I quickly pulled on some jeans and a sweatshirt and took Kent to school. Kent was happy about that...little guy.