I'm 24? When did that happen?

5 years ago today I turned 19. Seventeen days after my 19th birthday I married my best friend. Today I turned 24 and in 17 days I will celebrate my 5th wedding anniversary with my best friend, lover, and corner stone. He is amazing and I wouldn't change a thing. I was SO young but I would do it all over again! All of it.

I was 19 he was 23. We were and still are living our fairy tale. Ask Jake and Toni-we are freaks :]

Here we are doing what we I love most! He would rather be four wheeling but snowboarding is my total happy place. :]

Birthday Wish List

I have a very old Singer sewing machine. It was a great machine to learn on but with all the projects I have been doing it cannot keep up anymore-literally-it does not even feed the fabric through anymore I have to yank pretty hard to get it to to sew properly. So for my birthday I really really really want this: It is a Brother c6000i. It has all the features I need/want. So keep your fingers crossed. I really want this!

New Style Needed

I need a new style. I have had the same style for years and years. I need help! Please help! The only thing I request is that I can either pull my hair back with a clip or up in a top knot (pony tail). If you have any ideas please send them my way. I need all the hair love I can get. I know there are many of you out there with amazing creative thoughts so use them on me! Please, please, please!

Yellowstone Part 1

NEW JOBS COME WITH NEW PAINS

Emotional pain can be much worse than physical pain and can even create physical pain due to the emotional trauma. No, I am not traumatized by my new job but I do feel less 'fulfilled'. I absolutely love working at WJCC. It is very rewarding and I have learned so much. Maybe I am so attached because it was my first nursing job or maybe I am just impossibly addicted to the innocent love and trust these beautiful people have for me every day that I am there. I was there 5 days a week but due to my new full-time job I cut back to only 2 days. It breaks my heart. I miss my residents when I am away from them. Why did I decide to leave? WJCC is my first job and is not a skilled facility. Being a Registered Nurse I I cannot fulfill the skills that I worked so hard to become at this current facility. Moving up to a skilled facility not only allows me to regain my RN skills but it also generated more $$. I worked really hard to be where I am today and I deserve the compensation for my hard work and dedication to my career. I'm not saying that WJCC isn't compensating well but moving up from a Intermediate facility to a Skilled facility makes a big difference in the financial department.

To make a long story short I really do love my old job and I really and truly ache for them the longer I am away from them. No one can care for them as much as I can (at least that is how I feel).

Have you ever walked away from something you love? Have you ever chose growth over the safety?

Can't Eat Due to the HEAT!

Yes when it is scorching hot outside I can't eat, neither can Mr. Rad. It is too uncomfortable. So what does that mean for us? We can't starve ourselves? Here are a few of my fave Summer foods that are cool and light.

Broccoli Salad

1 1/2 C Fresh Broccoli
3/4 C shredded cheddar cheese
4 bacon strips
1/4 C chopped onion (I like to use my cheese grater so it gets really small and fine)
3 TB Lite Mayo
2 TB white vinegar
1 TB white sugar
1/4 C sunflower seeds (optional)

Combine broccoli, cheese, bacon (crumbled), and onion. In a separate bowel mix mayo, vinegar, and sugar. Pour over salad and mix well. Sprinkle seeds over salad and serve.


Pea Salad

1 1/2 C frozen peas
1/2 C cheddar cheese
2 TB finely chopped onion (I use the cheese grater)
1/4 C mayo
1 1/2 teaspoon mustard (I like to use fancy dijon but you can use any)

Combine all ingrediants, chill and serve.


Cranberry Salsa

Bag of Cranberries

1/3 White onion chopped

1-2 Jalapeno

Cilantro
Sugar to taste

Blend ingredients into a semi mush, chill, serve with chips.

QUILTING

Here is another one of my awesome quilts. I finished it almost a month ago but because of Squid I have been really busy. He is really time consuming. I love him to death and wouldn't change a thing though. He r0cks.

Squid Meets Photobooth

Flower Beds and a Squid

We Bought a Mower and Became More Adult

As if graduating from nursing school, buying a house, and becoming an RN wasn't enough of a leap into adulthood. If someone would have told me 7 years ago that I would be married with a career and an amazing life I would have not believed them. I always pictured myself graduating and living in a apartment with my girlfriends and finally moving out on my own for a while before I settled down. I didn't picture myself being married at 19 at all growing up. =] but I wouldn't change a thing. Being married to Steven has opened up more doors than I could have done for myself. I never would have ever been addicted to four wheeling that is for sure. Being done with school now makes me realize I could never have done it without Steven supporting me and pushing me along. He is my everything and without him none of what I have would be possible.


Crazy deep thoughts. Wow! And it was all because we bought a lawn mower.