Thursday, February 22, 2007

2peas challenge and a few thoughts of the morning

I haven't done a challenge on 2peas in quite some time but decided that I would today! The challenge is: When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up????

I have always wanted to be a nurse! I obtained my LPN in 1996 and kept going to school for prereq's for RN school and graduated with my RN in 2001. I had always had a goal to get my bachelors so I am currently working on my BSN and should be done in Spring 2008! It is so close and I can't wait! Then after accomplishing my BSN, I would love to take classes in regards to photography and graphic design. I don't want to get another degree as those are getting expensive but taking a few classes to get a better feel for these things I would thing would be fun.

A few thoughts of the morning:

I am tired and have to be at school for 8 hours today. I really hope that my teacher in my first class lets us out early so I can have a little lunch, otherwise, I will be in class for the whole 8 hours. At least I only have to go to the first class once a month and the rest of the time it is online. I am not sure I could do this once a week!

I have been stressing over this paper that is due on Monday that I am having difficulty finding articles for. I hope that she sheds some light today in class and that it will help me in finding articles.

I ended up doing the exam online last night for my theories and research class and it ended up taking me to long! I finally went to bed about 0330. I am sure I will be able to sleep good tonight!

Oh, and the tree issues that I have from the ice storm are quite frustrating. I had some guy come out to my house yesterday and gave me an estimate of $1200!!!!!!! I told him that I wanted to get other estimates but I have only gotten one other company to call me back and I am on the list which I was told could be at least 6 weeks. The tree is big but that is crazy!!

I have been excited about getting to have my nieces this weekend but they have all these activities that I have to take them to. It might not leave us that much fun time after all. One of my nieces is in the orchestra at school and she decided to sign up for something this weekend. And these activities lap over so I think my Mom is going to help me pick up one while I stay with the other.

I am excited about having time to scrapbook which I might just have to stop whatever studying I have and scrapbook! My nieces would enjoy doing that too. I got a magazine the other day, "Easy Patterns for scrapbooking" and would like to give some of them a try! I have noticed articles in the Creating Keepsakes magazine that do this and now there is a whole magazine filled with them! So fun!

Ohhh, and I am excited about watching Grey's Anatomy tonight!

Okay, enough with the thoughts. I have got to get ready for school! :-)

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Busy day


My day didn't quite go as planned yesterday. While I was at the Mudhouse yesterday afternoon, my allergies started bothering me even more and I couldn't stop sneezing. Despite all the sneezing, I was trying to at least get the research done for my paper I need to start writing and then the internet quite working. So I packed up and did a few errands I had to get done before going back home. I hate it when I get into these sneezing fits as I don't get anything done! I didn't get the cleaning, my research or any scrapbooking done as I had hoped. I had a meeting at work today so I didn't get ready in a slow matter since I actually had to be somewhere. I like it when I can get up have a little breakfast, take my shower and then do things around the house. I won't get to do this tomorrow either as I have class all day. Yuck!

I have to get this research done today so I can start reading my articles and tomorrow when I have class she is going to talk about the paper and what she expects. I was really hoping to have my paper written and then only have to make changes with whatever tips she gives in class. I have my cute nieces Friday, Saturday and Sunday so I want to be able to spend fun time with them but I will have to set aside time everyday to work on my paper. My nieces might have homework to do also. I am sure they will work with me.

I keep thinking about what my nieces and I can do while they are with me. I have never had them for this long but I am excited about it! I guess I have to take Jasmine to her basketball game Saturday morning. I haven't made it to any of her games so I will have to remember to bring my camera! We have to be there by 1045 in the morning. I have a hard time getting us all ready to get somewhere. Three girls and one bathroom doesn't work very well! I hope that the weather stays warm this weekend and we will have to go to the park. I will have to think of some other things that we can do!

Yesterday, the tree guy that called me back that didn't want to give me an estimate gave my name and number out to another guy. He called me this morning and I was wondering how he got my number. The other guy didn't ask me if it was okay to give my number out but this guy told me that he would give me an estimate so I told him I wasn't going to be home this afternoon and I would be tomorrow either so he was going to stop by and look at the situation and write me up an estimate and leave information regarding his company. After I got done on the south side of town today, I decided to stop by my house on the way to the Mudhouse to see if he had been by but I didn't see anything. I am anxious to see what the estimate is going to be. A house nearby me was having work done and I thought I would get the number off there truck but by the time I got done at my house, they had left. It looked like they only used trucks though so they might not be able to do my yard. I am ready for this tree situation to be over with!

I am going to work on getting some of this research done and review my college algebra for tomorrow. :-)

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Spring!!!


We are finally having some spring like weather with the high in the 60's today! The warmer weather makes me happy!

This morning I started making more phone calls to tree people. I called 3 more today leaving messages with 2 and one actually answered there phone. She told me that it would be 6 weeks before they could give me an estimate. She also gave me a name of another guy that might be able to help me too so he called me today and I told him that I was looking for estimates at this time and would decide who to use when I got a few estimates. He told me that he only wanted serious people and I didn't sound serious since I wanted to get estimates. WHAT???? We talked a little more about the work I needed done and then told me, "I don't mean to be rude but I am going to have to turn this job down." All because I wanted to compare with other companies. The two people that have called me back won't do the work I have. I am unsure if the people I am waiting to call back will even do this job either. I am on a waiting list with one company that told me that it could be six weeks before they can get back with me. I am going to have to live with this tree a little bit longer.

Today on my goal of getting things clean has been slow but I did get all my towels clean and the rugs cleaned in my bathroom. My goal for tonight is to get my bathroom straightened up and my bedroom. Then a little scrapbooking! I am at the Mudhouse right now getting ready to do some research for the paper I have due next Monday. If I have trouble finding research articles, then I am going to go to the library at school and ask for help.

Today I went to one of the LSS and found all kinds of new cool pet papers and embellishments from ki memories! I am so excited to use it! I need to change the ink in my printer so I can print pictures at home. Since it has warmed up outside, it has been more comfortable in my little bonus room. Yay!

I believe the warmer weather my be stirring up my allergies though. I can't breathe and I am sneezing a little more than normal. Yuck!

Monday, February 19, 2007

Vacation!!!!!


I am soooo excited about being off from work for 7 days! I know it will go fast but it will be nice to hopefully get some rest. Plus I get to spend time with my nieces! They are soooo cute!!!!!

I had made some phone calls last Friday about getting this tree taken out of my yard that fell over in the ice storm but having some problems with this. The first person I called has never called me back. The second person I called finally called back later that evening and then proceeded to tell me that he wouldn't be able to help me if he can't get a truck in my backyard. He did give me a number to call of someone he recommends that specialize in backyards. I need to call them plus I found two others in the phone book today that I might call too. I am sure these people are busy and I hope that they can get to me soon!

I am hoping to get Pandora and Chloe into the vet this week to get groomed. It has been a year since Chloe has been groomed and made into a lion kitty. Her hair is back now and I have been able to keep the tangles out of it. This will be the first time that I have had them bath her and she didn't have tangled hair. I am sure they will be glad that they just have to bath her. I think the experience of a lion kitty was interesting but hope that I never have to do that to her again! I will have to tackle Felix myself as he acts up so bad at the vets! They would want to sedate him so I will just handle him myself. I don't like them to sedate my cats for just a bath.

I have too much homework to get done this week though. I have a test due by Thursday online and I still need to work on my College Algebra homework. I also have a paper due in one week that I need to figure out how to start. I need to find 5 research articles on a nursing theorist. Yuck is what I say to that! My theories and research class hasn't been one of my faves.

I really hope to take a little time out of each day while on vacation for cleaning, scrapbooking and school. I am not going to try to get everything done in one day but just little doses. Sometimes when I start cleaning though, I keep cleaning! I guess if that happens, that would be okay! I think I am going to work on my college algebra and enjoy my napster tunes while sipping on ginger peach tea! Yum!

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Pending vacation


I am excited about Monday morning as I will be on vacation for seven days! I am so ready for a break and have enough time to spend on my school work. I am also going to straighten my house up a little more and hopefully find the floor in my extra bedroom where I tend to store stuff I am unsure where to put. I am also hoping to fit in some scrapbooking too! The weather is supposed to be warming up next week too. I am so ready for that!

At the later part of my vacation, I am going to have my neices for a couple of days too!!! I am so excited about having them! They haven't gotten to spend the night since November because of my work/school schedule. I am going to try to plan some fun stuff for us to do!

I have to work tonight but I am not in charge tonight. I hope it is a good night!

Friday, February 16, 2007

Surviving College Algebra


I had my first test yesterday and I felt pretty dumb! I don't understand the purpose of domain and range and the function of x. Why do I need to know these things? Ummmm . . . . . . I had quite a time with a few sections of the test but I finally asked a few questions and then a light bulb came on on how to do the function of x and the domain and range. I am sure me asking these questions helped my score and so instead of walking out of there felling dumb, I felt like I had a better chance on making a good score. She posted our grades fast! So, I ended up with an 84% so I am curious what I did wrong and hope that we get to see our test. I am happy with my grade but wish that I would have scored higher. I like having a bigger cushion if I get mind boggled on something later on.

Did anyone watch Grey's Anatomy last night? Oh my! I wasn't quite expecting the ending and can't wait to see the conclusion! I didn't understand the two people at the end when Meredith was awake and said, "Am I dead?" On one of the MB I read, they said who those two people are. I am anxiously awaiting my next DVD from netflix for season 2. I am trying to get caught up to date so I can understand things a little better. I can't wait till next weeks episode! They can't kill off Meredith, she is the whole reason for the show!

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Macy Gray!!!


I LOVE Macy Gray! She is my friend on myspace and I learned last year that she was coming out with a new album in the Spring. I went to her website tonight and the release date is March 27! That is also Jasmine's 10th birthday. I can't wait!


I have always loved her style but then after getting to go see her LIVE in St. Louis in August 2005 I totally dig her style! She is awesome in concert and would love to see her live again! I even caught a bottled water that she threw into the audience and still have that bottle of water! :-) I am getting excited about the new album! I just wish my town would play her music on the radio but that doesn't stop me from being a HUGE fan! :-)

I have been sitting in the Mudhouse tonight studying my College Algebra and trying to stay awake! I got a few hours of sleep today but I keep wanting to just go home and lay down but I have been fighting the temptation. At least until I get all the homework done and then I am going to start reviewing each section on the parts that aren't as clear to me as other parts seem so simple.

I had better get back to the studying, had to take a little break!

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Inspiration


I am sitting here in the Mudhouse working on my college algebra and getting inspired by the art on the wall. It is photography that has been taken in different parts of the world. Yum! I really think I want to pursue more in photography once I get done with my BSN. I am going to have to start saving for one of those cool digital SLR cameras. Ohhh, so exciting! I would love to travel and take pictures around the world!

Since getting back into scrapbooking the last couple of years has made me want to learn more about photography. One hobby can lead to another! I don't have the time to put into scrapbooking like I would like because of school and work but looking forward to when I graduate and I can do more of the things I want to do!

I also get inspired by some blogs regarding scrapbooking and photography . . . .

One that I really enjoy is rnjetta. She is an RN like me that enjoys scrapbooking. I find her layouts inspiring and glad that she removed the password protection on her blog so I can start reading it again!

I also get inspired by Elsie Flannigan which also lives in the same town I am in. I find this exciting because she will do classes at the LSS sometimes. She has been busy with traveling but I hope that she will be able to have some classes soon! I keep checking out the calendar at the LSS and hope I don't miss it!

I also love the multiple photo scrapbook blog. I have started a file on my computer of layouts I have seen on the web to hopefully scrap lift later.

My friends at scrapjammies also inspire me and they just started online crops with challenges. I didn't have the extra time to participate in the challenges but hope to be able to someday.

Here is a website of photographer Tara Whitney. I love her photos! She inspires me to learn more about photography. There are some other photographer blogs I had saved in my favorites before one of the computer crashes I had last year but can't find now.

I love sketches as it helps me figure out where to place things on a layout and pencil lines have sketches as does Becky Fleck's page maps.

I love freestyle book and the all about me book. I also have (somewhere!) Elsie's book of 52 challenges which I have somehow lost. I am not sure how I have misplaced it but I have. I hope I find it as I have it autographed! I also get inspiration from my Autumn Leaves calender and I am in a group on Yahoo! for calendar girls from 2 peas.
I am sure there is more that inspire me but this is what comes to mind at the moment!

I would like to make a scrapbook of my cats and how I came about getting each of them and there personalities. I got me some new pens today at Hobby Lobby with my 40% coupon that I would love to use! Maybe after I get my college algebra homework I will try to be inspired!
The Mudhouse is getting busy again. I am having trouble getting my homework done as I can't spread out on the small table I am sitting at. I believe I need to leave as I am not getting to much accomplished here! Just thinking about things that inspire me!

Friday, February 09, 2007

Crazy week


I was looking forward to Friday as I was going to relax and enjoy myself plus go to a crop with my sister. Jasmine is ill so she is staying home with her and my allergies are bothering me plus I have had about 6 hours of sleep in the last two days. We cancelled the crop. I thought about going by myself but realized how I wasn't prepared to go so I decided to just get some rest instead.

I am currently sitting in the Mudhouse relaxing a little and need to come up with a game plan for my next assignments at school. I have my first college algebra test next week and these chapters don't seem to hard. I am sure soon I will be wanting to go back to these first few chapters! I also have another paper due in two weeks. I need to start figuring out what I need to get done for it. I had a paper due this morning at 8am and I had to write my personal thoughts on a nursing theorists regarding a CD-ROM that was at the library. I had a hard time getting to the library with the hours I work. Of course, I get it done the night before it is due! I set my alarm for 3am to get up and write out my thoughts of the theorist I listened to. I never could get back to sleep after that. Crazy!

My yard is starting to look a lot better thanks to my Dad's help! I was going to take a picture of the brush pile today and last night while I was at class, the city was in my neighborhood and picked them up. I am glad that they are gone! My Dad also bent my gutter back in place so hopefully that will hold for a while. My next big thing is finding a tree guy to get rid of the tree in the backyard and to take care of my other big trees that have limbs partially broken. I never want to go through another ice storm! This has been a huge mess!! It is also interfering with my plans for my tax refund! :-)

I guess I should get to business and do some studying.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Good news!!!!!


I was worried about my Theories and Research class because I thought that the discussion board was due on Saturday morning. I even set my alarm to wake me up in the middle of the night to do the assignment as it was due at 0800. I got it done about 0430 and went back to bed. Then I got to thinking that it might had been due on Friday at 0800. When I looked at the syllabus it was due Friday at 0800!!!! I thought this wasn't a good way to start out my class! But today when she posted the grades for the discussion board I got all my points!!!! YAY!!!!! I have a theory review paper due on Friday at 0800 and I need to somehow get to the library as I am to watch a CD on nursing theorist. Working night shift and getting to the library is a challenge. I had brought my planner to work last night so on my break I could fill it in. I got interrupted as admitting needed the charge nurse. There is no rest for the charge nurse!

I was planning to only sleep a few hours after getting off from work this morning but I ended up sleeping until midnight! I was hoping to get to the Mudhouse to sit in a warm place to get my homework done. I feel tired still so maybe I can get some sleep and wake up early and get all this stuff done that is due for my college algebra class and maybe get to the library before going to work. I have a vacation coming up at work and it can't come soon enough!!!

I am excited about this Friday as my sister and I are going to a crop at one of the scrapbook stores! I can't wait! I seem to get more done when I am not at home. Part of that reason right now is it's too cold in my house! I wish my house had energy sufficent windows but the cold just radiated from them making my house have a coolness feel to it. I am ready for some warmer weather! I hope after class on Thursday that I can start planning on what I am going to do at the crop! :-)

Monday, February 05, 2007

Stress . . . .


Oh my! I miss the days when I wasn't charging as much as I am now. I cherish the days that I am not in charge anymore. I get called to the phone as someone seems to always want to talk to the charge nurse and I feel like my time is cut short with my patients sometimes. Our census was low this weekend which is unusual so I had to float staff to other floors and that seemed to send the day shift in a tizzy! I went by the numbers . . . . The day before I had enough staff and then the nursing supervisor pulled staff from my floor to help another floor and I had to hear about it yesterday morning too. I was frustrated when I got off from work today but glad that I don't have to come back tonight! :-)

Anyway, I need to get some sleep as I need to wake up early and get some studying done and work on my college algebra homework. :-) I thought a cute cat picture was in order!

Friday, February 02, 2007

Sneezy and cold day


I woke up with a stuffy nose this morning that quickly turned into an allergy attack! Finally, after my second dose of sudafed and a dose of claritin, the sneezing has slowed down. I hate day like this!

I had a dentist appointment this afternoon that I wasn't sure on how well it was going to go since I was sneezing. I was able to do okay and didn't sneeze when they were working on me. I learned that when they are spraying water in your mouth and you can't breathe through your nose, it isn't a good thing! I thought I was going to choke but she realized this in time and gave me the straw thing before that happened! I have a cool dentist and dental hygenist! :-) As long as they don't get the drill out, I don't mind visiting!

I got my taxes done today and getting a good return back this year. I am sure part of my return is going to go for tree removal. I do think one thing I would like is to get a desktop computer and sync my laptop and desktop. Then hopefully save the rest for homeowner mishaps that may come up! :-)

Maybe more later, but I need to get home to meet my sister. We are doing her taxes tonight!