Long and strange journey.. wrap up.

When I started this journey two years ago, I couldn't believe it was actually happening. I had been let down by so many other schools (over 10 to be exact) and I just never thought I would get it. Well that proved wrong in October 2011. 

The start_ here: Where I wrote about nursing school and my goals for the next 2 years as listed below

      My goals by the end of 2011:

            - be married _ CHECK!

            - graduate with a BSN_ Almost CHECK (dec 17th, can't come soon enough)

            - have a home _ CHECK!

            - 2 years experience _ CHECK!

            - A job_ CHECK!

Look at me go on that check list.. woo hoo! 

Week one of my journey_ here: I was in a bad place and very very low self esteem and thought every one was out to get me. My first semester was my hardest was written about here. All about trials and tribulations.

Well it is all coming to an end. In 17 more days I will walk across that stage and it will be the end of this epic battle. These past 2 years have bee more of a learning experience than anything and in all reality I can't believe I did it and can't wait for it to be over. It has truly been amazing.

A class summary from community health clinical:

"This course has expanded my opinions and horizons of community nursing into other aspects of nursing that I wasn’t aware of and what it meant to be a community health nurse. I never really had a passion for something entering nursing school or something that stuck out at me more than others. As I tried things and crossed them off my list i slowly realized that the things i was most passionate about were the things outside the hospital. Nursing school set you up to have a hospital based job, but i knew that wasn’t for me. I knew I wanted something different. In mental health clinical, I fell in love with the substance abuse program. Than i had community health clinical and everything changed. I guess i just never realized what was all encompassing in community health nursing. I found my passion and glad to report I am going to be a community health nurse and do something i am pasisonate about. "

Work-OUT!!

Woo-hoo! it is time to get this butt into gear. 

Goal: lose 30 pounds by the Illinois Marathon.

Yes_ the FULL MARATHON.

That is April 28th, 2012. 

I WILL RUN 26.2 miles and complete number 7 and lose 30 lbs.

What are your 2012 goals?

This week I have ran 5 1/2 miles (Monday) and did a belly dancing video (Tuesday).

 This week has been awsome so far. 

Black friday

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I love black friday. Let me tell you a secret I am not a BIG fan of shopping. I get bored and tired in about 15-30 mins and I am done. BUT i love black friday.

When I was younger my mom would take my sister and I out every black friday very early in the morning and we would wait and wait. It was out little tradition.

This year I was in Minnesota with peters aunt and uncle.

Does anyone know whats in Minnesota?

Bueller?

THE MALL OF AMERICA!!!

Oh the Jackpot. I had never been there, but was determined to go. 

We started our black friday adventure around 9 o'clock on thanksgiving day at Michael's. They had 30% off your entire purchase and on sale items. 

It was by far the best black friday experience to date.

Everyone there knew what they wanted (myself included) It wasn't crowded and the employees were super nice. I told you best experience.

By the time we got home we got an adrenaline rush and wanted more.  

Around 1120p, we left for the mall of America. I wanted to go to Macy's and Peter and his uncle wanted to go check out best buy.

Psst.. they have a theme park in the middle of the mall.. pretty awsome right?

Anyways, there was a small mob outside of Macy's and as soon as the doors opened we went in, walking fast and up the escalator we went. 

To find the shoes.

I found two pair I loved and that was that.

I tried them on and picked one out and went straight to the register.

Simple, I know.

Well, when I got to the register they rang up for 150 and none of my coupons would work.. boo.

The sales associate told me they were $119 and that is what I paid! score!

They were normally $200.

The most impressive thing about that night was that we were done and out of there by 1230. 

pretty impressive, huh? I thought so.

Here they are. I love them and the best part is I can wear them to work.

Did you but anything on black friday, if so what did you get? Did you just go to watch the people?

Thanksgiving..

I am thankful for

my wonderful husband,

my awsome family,

and my life.

This week, we went to Minnesota not as planned but we were there as expected.

We were planning on flying there, but on saturday morning we woke up to low clouds.

So we had to drive for 8 hours until we got there. 

We drove thru Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. 

There is some beautiful country up there.

We spent Thanksgiving with Peter's uncle, aunt, 2 cousins, grandma, aunt, step-dad and mom. 

Some of peters uncles and aunts I had not met until the wedding,

 so it was pretty cool to go to there house and actually meet them and hang out. 

What did you do?

ANOTHER ONE..

I know i know, what you are thinking. 

Another something you joined. Well, yes!. but no more gift exchanges (as of right now) but a running thing.
Running has been a part of my life for so long that I love it and the way that it makes me feel. But lately things have been on the decline.l. i gained a lot of weight right before the wedding mainly stress and eating go hand and hand. Well my goal for next year is to run two marathons and hopefully lose 30 pounds. So i better get a move on it, than right? RIGHT.

Well, now that we are all caught up. I joined a running booty buster thing/challenge for the holidays that promotes running and other work out things.

Can someone give me a shot o motivation please and thank you.

Advent Calendar tutorial

SO I posted about the advent calendar I made for my gift exchange partner here.

Here is a tutorial and price break down. 

Note: So, I am a college student and I am BROKE! but i love making hand made things so please do not judge me for how much I spent on this whole project.

This project was so super easy and you can be as creative or as plain as you want.

Ok, the advent calendar.

Start with a background for the calendar, a fabric you like what ever.

I found these dishtowels I really liked at tj max 3 for $5.99. I used the tree one for the front the red gingham pattern for the back to make it more durable. 

Than cut out squares. I am a little funky so I made the boxes differing sizes and shapes. 

Placed them on the towel and pinned them. 

I sewed each square on three sides. I also sewed the top part. 

I used felt for these parts, its super cheap and easy to use.

I cut out numbers using a fabric I purchased for super sale at Jo-anns and needed it to go with my color scheme. This was for a gift exchange and her favorite colors are red and turquoise so it was perfect. 

I sewed the the two towels together using regular technique (right side together and inside it out)

 before putting the numbers on. 

The numbers and top part are glued on because I was being lazy. 

Next I used left over fabric and felt from other projects and made the top. 

Days til christmas part..

and wa-la!

Break down:

Kitchen Towels: $5.99

Fabric: $1.50

Felt: $ 0.50

----------------------------------------

Total: $8.00

Not so bad, right?

Gift Exchange Part II

So as you know I might have a small addiction to entering gift exchanges as mentioned here.

Well I finished my gift for this exchange 

This is what I sent my partner.

I made an..

advent calendar and mailed some candy to go with it.

What do you think?

New Edition..

We have a new addition to our little family. 

We have the two of us..

Alex the dog.. 

AND

Our latest addition.. Dahlia the CAT..

love her.

In conclusion,..

So.. Today we had to take a big, no scratch that MASSIVE test today that predicts our percentage to pass the NCLEX (state boards) after we graduate. Our school requires an above 90% to pass the NCLEX to pass this test. Well, today was pretty much what the whole semester is all about.  If we go back 3 months to September we took the same test and that predicted what we had to do through out the year. On the first test I did not do so hot, so this test I was a stress maniac. To help calm some stress  I ditched my last clinical for class had breakfast with a friend and tried to calm down. Well, I PASSED!!! I am so happy and relived.

Psst.. I am going to graduate whether you want me to or not. I am going to do this!

Care Plans

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So, let me tell you a little about nursing school (since I am almost finished). 

The first semester you get told you can't do it, the second semester you can't keep up, the third semester everything changes and sucks and the fourth you get told you won't have a job. 

Thats nursing school in a nutshell. 

Well, as a nursing student you learn to over analyze people and try to be detectives, even if it is not your passion and figure out whats going on. 

Well, you ask how do you do that?

You write a 20 page paper called a care plan about ONE PERSON and all of the shit going on with that ONE PERSON because they never listened, took their drugs and sat in front of a tv (usually, not always). 

Well, I am happy to say I do not have to write any more care plans in my nursing career as a bsn. 

woo hoo! 

I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.. almost.  

Reception 101

So all the way in SEPTEMBER I promised you something I could not keep to recap on our wedding. I know I suck. So I posted about the ceremony here. Now we are going to talk reception, the fun stuff.

- Venue (same one already accounted for, one stop shop)
- Table and chair rentals: $200
- DIY'ed table cloths, runners and napkins: $200
- Paper lanterns and lights: $100
- Band: $750 for all night and the lead guy played the violin for the ceremony. IT was a blue grass band and it was absolutely amazing. (my family was awomse and loved it)
- Card and gift table: $10 made from left over table cloths and things we had bought a few frames and things
- Centerpieces: $10 my dad made the boxes, we filled them with rice and bought sticks. made flowers out of book pages.
- mason jars: FREE my grandma use to can
- candles: $20
So       -----------------------------------------------    Total: $1,290 or about 17.2 % of our budget
I think that was awosme.. we will talk about food and booze next time.

What do you think? What did you do for the reception part of your wedding?

Your favorite cookie?

So I think I have found my new favorite cookie.. Let me back up and tell you I am a modern cookie monster that takes after my dad and I LOVE COOKIES. Once my dad was driving to work around the holidays with 2 bowls of cookies and ran into traffic (it was LA traffic) and he hate almost all of them on the way their. Yeah.. those are my genes. I am proud. Anyways.. my new favorite cookie .. is

THE GINGER SPICE COOKIE aka the ginger snap

ooey gooey chewy delicious-ness

recipe found here

Love them.

and its fitting because if you do not know me .. I want to be on the local roller derby team and my name would be GINGER O. SNAP. 

Oh yeah.. I am one tough cookie. 

(source)

Also, Does this happen to anyone else? LIKE ALL THE TIME?!

When I say pasta.. what do you think?

Yummy.. who doesn't like pasta?

No one.. LOVE IT!

Well I bought that stuff at the grocery store this week on a whim. I had been wanting to try it for the longest but lo and behold its expensive. It was on sale this week and picked it up.

 

Turned it over to find this recipe. Seems simple. I used whole wheat pasta, orange peppers, and a ton of spinach (which is calls for).

Wound up with this.. It was delicious. 

We loved it. Definitely going to make again.

 Any new items you have tried lately?

I have been entering myself in all kinds of things lately.. first was

This gift exchange, which I talked about here.

Than I entered 

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Pile on the Miles 2011

It is a motivation to keep running during november to keep off the pounds sponsored by Run Eat Repeat and I have to say we are in week 2 and I have been good so far. IF you run over 5 miles a week you get entered in a raffle. I probably wont win but its fun to think you will and hey its pretty awsome motivation for the cold weather starting to brew outside.

And LAST BUT NOT LEAST.. I entered into another gift exchange ( I think I may have an addiction), but who doesn't like free home made things?

I entered this gift exchange because I follow Linda over at craftaholics anonymous and LOVE the concept. This one is usually a little more personal and only one gift instead of 5 but last time I did this in July, I ran out of time and sent chalkboard coasters and handmade flowers. Hopefully I can do a little better this time. =/

Anyways, Are you guys doing anything fun or have you entered in any competitions lately?

Holiday Gift exchange

Woo Hoo! The Holidays are here, are you as excited as I am. As mentioned in this post I have been a scarf making machine. Well I love the "infinity scarf" or cowl or whatever you want to call it and is very handy in those winter months in the midwest (where I live, now).

Well, I joined this gift exchange (above) a week or so ago and I am so excited with what I am making for 5 lovely ladies.

Handmade crocheted hats and sewn infinity scarfs

Close up.

Do you like them? Would you wear them? If you joined what would you make?

scraves..

Don't you just love winter just for the scarves and hats you can wear? I do.

Well, I found this pretty great tutorial from H is for Handmade and this is my scarf worn 3 different ways.

Have you made or bought any awsome scarves lately?

My latest BIG project..

So I have mentioned our friend Jessie several times on this blog here and here. Well we couldn't have done the wedding without her. Her birthday was on saturday and for the last two months I have been slaving away trying to finish it..

I made a blanket that fits at the foot of their bed or can be used as a throw..

Jessie is ALWAYS cold..

The pattern follow the scales of the dragons on the pillows down below..

as seen here..

and here..

What has been your last project for you or someone you know?