So Close

Hard to believe it was over 2 years ago that I was accepted into the BSN program at Weber State. I now have just 2 weeks left of school left, and I will be done! Woo Hoo! I have 3 papers left to write, and I am so burnt out I can't think of a thing to write about. Blah!
I am looking forward to starting my blog again. I have had so much nursing writing to do in the last few years, I have neglected the blog. Hopefully, the neglectfulness is nearing an end!

Happy Birthday Hottie Scottie

Happy Birthday to my Husband! As you can see, we ran the risk of burning down the house tonight with FORTY-TWO candles. Scott was a good sport and blew them all out the second we finished singing "Happy Birthday to You." (I did see him close his eyes for the briefest of seconds to say a little wish.)
He looks pretty great for being 42. Of course, I am not tall enough to see the bald spot on the back of his head. But from a shorter perspective, he looks almost the same as he did when he was 32.

Things I am grateful for

A Smaller Bum

Sweet Nephews

Fun Family

My Chicks with their Chicks

The love of my life

I meant to post the pictures in the other direction (the bum picture was supposed to be the last one). But I wanted to post about how many things that I have to be grateful for.

1. The smaller bum. Really. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be smaller. This year of losing weight has been interesting for me, the things that I have learned have been so helpful. I like eating less. I really do. Honest. It feels better. When I put on a skirt, or a pair of pants and they are only size 10 (instead of 20) it is quite satisfying. And it was a matter of smaller adjustments, not huge ones. I really should start regular exercise, though. I imagine that will be the goal for next year.
2. The sweet little boys. Noah and Ian. Oh, my gosh! I wanted to eat them up! I got to spend some time with them last night, and they both have the sweetest personalities. I really want my sisters to move back to Utah! PLEASE?!
3. My sisters (even the flat one next to me). And my auntie and cousin. I am so indebted to my first family for all the tolerance of me while I was growing up. They are the best, most wonderful family ever!
4. My little girls. Look how funny they are. Scott and I actually caught them after they had brought the chickens in the house to watch TV with them. (I think the things might be potty trained-they didn't poop once. My girls give me so much joy!
5. Truly, the love of my life. I have been so blessed by the incredible gift of my husband. I am not sure what I did in my life to have deserved this blessing, but I am happy that Heavenly Father loves me enough to have given him to me.

I am grateful for many other things: my job, my bunnies, my dogs, my cats, my luckywife stuff, the Gospel, my warm house, good food and so many great friends!
Happy Holidays all!

Summer of Love

This is the new talent I discovered!

Isn't this flower gorgeous? It just makes me happy to look at it!

This is the chicken coop that we made as a family. Fun!

What a busy, fun summer it has been. I got to have 2 laproscopic knee surgeries, I have the cutest little scars on both knees! I am so glad they match! Well, one of my knees still has the stitches in it, but soon there will be matching scars. I can hardly wait until I get to ride my bike again.

Scott got to go to Germany while I did lots of laundry.

I was able to make a chicken coop with the family's help. Super fun activity, I highly recommend it! I am so happy that the chickens are all still alive and well. They are very happy in their home. I was quite sure that after we had our tragic experiences with the parakeets, that we were doomed to be an avian-free zone. But in some instances, I think the chickens actually enjoy teasing the dogs. And the cats maintain a healthy distance from the chickens. The chickens are a pretty healthy size now.

We spent a day at Lava Hot Springs at a family reunion. Great times were had by all, despite the storm!

We went to Bear Lake for a few days and so enjoyed the beauty there. We found an incredible field of wildflowers in the hills South of the lake. This was an amazing sight that I have never seen before in the mountains of Utah/Idaho. My camera's battery died, so I will have to tell the story forever as an unlikely fable. But the colors! The colors were amazing! Every color and every native flower imaginable was there in the fields. And the fields went on for miles! All the rain we received early this spring benefited the flowers this summer.

I have found a new fun talent. I have been making these cute little necklaces out of sterling silver and copper. It has been exciting to manufacture and play with the little things and discover the different styles that I can come up with. (Thank Heaven for an understanding husband that has gracefully looked the other way while I spent $$ with this little hobby.)

I enjoyed my kids this summer so much! I know that they don't think I spent as much time with them as I should, but I reaffirmed to myself that they are the perfect girls for me and I love them!!!!

I lost 65lbs! I must admit that it took much longer than the summer to do this. I have been actively trying to lose weight since November '08. I couldn't believe I let myself get to the 65lbs overweight point. I have learned so much about myself, but I think the most important is that I can't eat like a pig. It is still a little hard to believe that I have lost so much. But clothes don't lie, and I have a whole closet full that used to fit me and don't anymore. (Thank goodness! I looked like a cow!)

School is about to start next week. I am also looking forward to this strange new chapter in my life! This is the first year in 12 that I will have no kids to take care of during the day. MY YOUNGEST IS STARTING THE FIRST GRADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought this day would never come, but here it is!

Can I say that I am a little excited about this prospect? I am trying to think of the many things that I can accomplish while I have all this time at home! Well, I must add that the girl's first day at school is also my first day at school. So, I will be having my fair share of homework, too. Also, I am going to volunteer some time at the school, so there will be more time gone. But, I think that perhaps I will be able to get some real deep cleaning done in the house. Like carpet washing. And maybe one day when Abby gets home from school, she won't have any carpet in her room (her room is the animal-designated toilet-it is so so so GROSS!) So many plans..ha ha ha (evil grin and hands wringing).

Life is good, you know?

Kristie, Queen of the Tile

Kristie Queen of the Tile
& her sidekick, Murphy

Hallway Tile

Hallway Detail

Front Room

Well, finally, I am finished with the tile. My one week job ended up taking 3. But I think I am learning that home improvement jobs usually take 3 times longer than you expect, so I guess I am right on target.

I am still weak and weary from the whole project and my hands may never fully recover. I know that I will be having bilateral knee scopes this summer, so I am pretty sure that they will be okay.

Today is our 17th Anniversary and this is Scott's present. Happy Anniversary!

My Funny Leila

My puppy Leila has the cutest personality. I caught her tonight playing in the sprinkler system. I really do give her water to drink...just wanted to clarify!

My First 4.0

So, I can hardly believe it. It took me until I was nearly 40 years old. But I guess at least it did happen before I was 40 years old.

I got a 4.0 in my first semester back in Nursing school.

I have always been a mediocre student. My philosophy in school was "Why worry about it? A 'B' is good enough." So, the fact that I really wanted to do well and understand concepts was a little refreshing to me.

Oh, if only I could help my kids to see the wisdom.....I guess maybe that will take until they are 40, too.