SMILE

This background is just so fun i could not pas it up!! Finals are coming up, wedding getting closer and stress is piling on.. So when i was looking for a cute background i loved this one!! you can not help but smile and think life is not so bad!! Jared and i are getting me all moved into our apartment so then I can study all weekend.. But, one semester down and one semester of becoming an RN!! Jared is so great to me. I have an amazing family and friends.. So dont let the rains storms that are coming ruin your day!! Remember the blessings in our lives from a smile form a friend or the blossoms finally coming out!! Live is hard for everyone i think, but lets keep smiling!! life is to short to be in the doom and gloom mood!!! So i better say sorry to Jared for being ms grumpy pants and tell you I love ya!! hope everyone is rocking finals, enjoying their new homes, playing lots with their adorable kids, or just enjoying whatever life is throwing at you!! Aloha with love!!

Shout out to my Girls!!

I just got home from my bridal session with my amazing photographer Jill Witt.. I had so much fun and have to say that she is so fun to work with!! How could you not love hearing"your so cute" over and over again!!! My long time friend Mary came along and was a great helper in moving my dress where is needed to go!! I have so many great friends!! Tonight all my girls from school are throwing a "bachelorette" party, i know its going to be interesting to say the least!! I am definitely blessed to have so many amazing friends in my life!! A big shout of thanks to all my GIRLS!!!

not a post for the weak of stomach!! nursing school fun!!

OK so this post is not for the weak in stomach. I am in nursing school and this is a HUGE part of my life right now. In fact i should be doing homework instead of blogging!! Oh well.. ok so the pictures i am going to post are of some awesome classmates of mine. We had the lab where everyone learns how to place a NG tube (nasogastric). This means that the tube goes up the nose and down into the stomach. We placed this and a feeding tube. We use these in the hospital for many different reasons. As an EMT i learned how to do this about 4 years ago and have placed many. However, i was all for learning again and watching others learn how to as well. Of course we learn how to do this on a dummy. The teacher then asks if he has a volunteer. I was all for it. I had one placed last time i was taught how to place them. I am also one that believes we should experience a lot of procedures we have to do at the hospital to pt's so we know how they feel. I believe this is a way to we can learn how to help them be comfortable because i have honestly had the same procedure done to me. I had my turn recorded on video. i am not quite sure how to post it so that may come a little later. I will however, show some pictures of my tough nursing classmates!! This is an awful feeling and i give props to anyone who tried to let someone perform this skill!! sorry if these pics make you queezy, i tried to warn you!!

Where did everyone go?

This last week has been a little different for jared and I. All my roommates have moved out before their lease is up.These were some of the funnest roommates i have ever had!! From spending everyday at the pool, then watching Anna turn bright red from UT sun to wondering where the frog went that escaped a fellow roomies room, to carving pumpkins and having a huge group date the memories are set and made to last!! Last summer was a blast and i am excited that everyone is leaving to get married.. The Bishop thinks there is something in our water for all of us to get engaged with in a month of each other and then married in about a month of each other as well!! you decide!!
Courtney bought a townhouse and she lives there till she gets married (the week after us). She has been gone over a month i believe. Anna is never home and is always gone with her fiance. I have seen her once in the last two weeks.. And then there is Karlee. I was so sad to see her go!! There are just some people we are meant to know in life and i truly believe she was one of them!! She left a little over a week ago back home to Washington to get ready for her wedding on the 25th of April. I am so sad i am missing her wedding!! Jared and Glen (karlee's fiance) got along so well, sometimes too well (stinky boys)!! Towards the end it was glen and karlee on one couch and jared and i on the other. We watched movies or whatever was on TV.. it was fun to have another couple with us who is also trying to stay in line till they get married!!
it is weird now to have the apartment to myself. Of course Jared is there most of the time but the place is so big and barren it seems.. I move out next week to our place so i am not far behind in the moving process.. Now if i can just get used to the idea that i will have a boy as a roommate!!!

my best worst picture EVER!!!

OK so i know i already posted today but, i had a funny moment i thought i would share.. As many of my friends are aware we all have to renew our drivers license when we turn 26. I went in today thinking it was going to be a breeze. I would fill out my paper work and be on my way.. Not such a chance!! The place was packed, apparently the DLV is the place to hang out at on one's lunch break.. Anyways, I was filling out the paper work and talking to the cute little man at the front desk when it was my turn. Then he looked at me and states "you know you have to get a new picture today don't you?" I would have been offended if I was not so shocked. I had just got a new license last Jan 2008 so i did not think i was going to have to get a new pic. I think the look on my face said it all, he just laughed and told me to wait for my number to be called. As i sat there i quickly wondered why the little old man would even ask me that.. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, i look so awful today!!! I had seriously rolled out of bed, threw up my hair and put on clothes thinking "i hope they match, oh well i am just going to fun errands." Not once did it cross my mind i was going to have to get my picture taken. I was honestly more annoyed i had to get a new license this month and then get a new one next month after i get married. So as i am sitting there pondering, my number is called and i go up to a counter with a girl all done up for the day looking just as cute as ever!! I asked her if i really had to get my picture taken today and she just smiled and said yes.. I asked her what i was to do since i am getting married next month and she told me they will issue me a temp license today and i need to come back in with my marriage certificate and i will then get another license.. i immediately asked if i could have my picture taken again when i came in again and she said sure.. I was relieved!! I then took the eye test which was a miracle i passed. HINT: when going to the DLV to renew ones license, do not sit in front of where they take pictures. The flash is so bright you will see stars for a while and then the eye test is much more complicated to take!!!
So i unwillingly go sit and wait for my name to be called to get my picture taken. The girl calls my name and i grudgingly go up to the camera. I read the info to make sure it is correct, which it will be for maybe two weeks till i move to our apartment. I then double check that when I come back with my wedding certificate i can have my picture taken again. She assures me i can and puts a note on my paper that i want a new pic when i come back. I then sit and smile my best for the worst pic of my life. When it came up on the camera i busted up laughing. I looked like i had been hit by a truck before i went in. My hair is all frizzy, my eyes are swollen because i slept more than my usual 6 hours and i had no make up on and to top it off i was sporting an awesome double chin!! My shirt even looks crooked on my shoulders. It was like an elementary picture day all over again!! She asked if i wanted a retake (felt like she was begging me to retake) but, i just laughed and told her no, it was not going to get better than that. I now have the best worst drivers license picture!! I guess I dont get all dazzled up every day and i am lucky if i put make up on more than once a week. So this is the real me.. take it or leave it.. when i go in next time i should be so dressed up, i will look like i am going in for a glamour shot session!! that would ROCK!!!

Are you Ready?

So much is going on in life right now, i am not entirely sure how to keep up.. When people ask when i am getting married they immediately say "that is next month!! Are you ready?" The truth is yes I think we are as ready as we can be but, when people respond like that i tend to get nervous and go over the checklist i have in my head. I think i run through it alone 10 times or more a day. What is funny is i feel like we have FOREVER till the wedding. We have six weeks this Saturday and i just feel like its not getting any closer. The good news is i have finals with nursing school at the end of this month. All i do is study or complain of how much my brain hurts from studying. I do not think that i have thought this deeply about medicine in so long. I have my EMT and i taught the class at Dixie State so a lot of what i am learning is the same as that. However, I still feel the need to do some of the reading we are assigned. I still have not mentioned busy work. I think the Nursing programs thrive on busy work. I have never had so much homework in my entire life. All i do is write careplans and other busy work through out my day. Here is a little idea of what my usual week entails.

Monday i have class at 1130, a group of us usually get there about 9 to study and go over somethings before class. This class goes till 1, and so after that we meet in the student lounge to do more homework, ie. quizzes, careplans, med sheets, test redo's, projects, etc. We usually then hurry off to our class at 330 which is our nursing class and stay in that class till 530. I then trudge my way home trying to think how i can get our of making dinner that night. ( jared is always so understanding) jared is usually at my apartment grabbing something to eat before he heads off to class after working all day. I grab some wedding stuff and go over it really fast with him (so he feels somewhat involved) and give him a hug and kiss and send him off to class. After jared leaves i pull out my trusted laptop and get to more homework. I usually am working on it till my brain hurts so bad that i cant think anymore or i want to cry.. lol whichever comes first.. I usually jump on facebook and talk to some friends and let them know how wedding plans are coming, that i survived another day and so on. That is just my MONDAY.... Tuesday i either put in a 12 hour shift at the hospital or i have lab for 3 to 5 hours that day. I study that night, try to give Jared some attention and not to fall asleep at 8 that night.. Wednesday we always have a test on what we learned on Monday in class. So i am there at about 830 or 9 to study a little and take the test at 10. I then have class at 1130 which i must admit i NEVER pay attention in!! i am usually working on other homework or doing stuff for the wedding.. for example, yesterday i addressed and put stamps on wedding announcements!! That class gets out at 1 and we are free till 530 which i then go to the hospital for clinicals till 11 PM. I usually work Thursdays a half shift so i am back up Thursday at 515 AM and home around noon. I do more homework and run errands i have neglected during the week. Friday i usually put in another 12 hour shift at the hospital and come home ready to go right to bed.. Jared is great on Fridays!! He is usually getting a movie and something for dinner.. There are a couple of Saturdays that i have a 12 hour clinical that day instead of a clinical on Wednesday so Jared and i try to keep other Saturdays clear so we can see each other somewhat because, we know its not going to get any better as more nursing semesters come on.. I am not telling all this to complain i promise. i honestly think being this busy is a blessing while being engaged. Granted i am ready to pull my hair out, but i love that i am always on the go. In fact i have a random day today where i have the day off, i am caught up in almost all of my homework and i have just a few errands to run. I am not really sure what to do with myself!! I am sure i will find something..there is always something out there that i could be doing!! I have great friends who drag me out of my crazy life and make me go to dinner with them and feel somewhat normal again. The girls i go to school with are also amazing. Most of them have families and are doing everything i am. I have no idea how any of us do this, but we all want to finish school so bad we just keep going!!! Jared has been a trooper through this and tells me all the time that he is ready for whatever is to come. He is so funny, we will be reading our scriptures (ok he reads, and i listen), i fall asleep and he nudges me and asks me to tell him what he just read about. I somehow can repeat everything he read and go right back to sleep. The next day i always say i feel bad we did not read our scriptures and he justs looks at me, gives me a kiss and laughs.. It takes me a minute to remember that he read the night before to me. The other day we were out delivering invitations to his home ward and he ran from house to house never complaining. It was freezing outside so i stayed in the car. I think we delivered 50 that day and he did not complain once.. He really must love me!! i was cold just watching him run around outside!! Well that is all for today.. i better get going and go run some errands!! till next time.. aloha!!

nephew # 3 !! Leioni James Ika

I am happy to announce I am an aunt again!! Jared is learning the Uncle thing very fast.. My brother Aaron and his wife Lindsi welcomed Leioni (named after my dad) James ( after Lindsi's dad) Ika to the world on March 24th!! He is a healthy baby and weighed in at 7 lbs 12 oz and 21 1/2 inches long!!! He has hair and is just adorable!! I now have 3 nephews and 2 nieces and they are the loves in my life.. I am amazed at how much i love them and am excited to one day have a family of my own!!
When we went to the hospital Jared was very hesitant to hold Lil Oni (that is what i call him). He was scared he would hurt him. He had me make sure he was holding him right before i could let go of the baby. Jared has not been around babies in quite a long time so when we decide to start our family i know there are going to be some good stories!!! I must admit working in the ER and such I am not one to do "the whole baby thing!" so i will have some stories to share along with Jared:) Malia ( my niece and lil oni's older sis) is so stinkin cute.. She is not really sure what to call him so she sticks to Chubby cheeks!! I have tried to tell her what his name is and she is content on calling him Chubby Cheeks.. I love it!!
Before the baby was born Aaron and Lindsi did not tell us the name so we called the baby TBD (to be determined).. Trae ( his 6 year old, older bro) decided that the T stood for Trae. So Trae calls him TraeBD.. This poor child id going to be so confused.. Trae loves to hold him and love him.. malia is content looking at him, telling him how cute he is and then going on her way.. our lil Miss independant!!

NAP TIME

Nap time for papa and lil Oni.. I was sitting there on my birthday thinking of all the things i am grateful for. As i look over i see my dad and Lil Oni curled up on the floor sleeping.. Any0ne that knows my father, knows this is the one thing he does best. he is such a hard working guy that when he lays down he is literally out in minutes. So i have to capture this moment. Nothing to me is as precious as our two "little ones" all snuggled up and sound asleep.. I think these two are meant to be the best of friends!!

LITTLE FEET MAKE LARGE IMPRINTS

I had to add a picture of his little feet. They were sticking out of the blanket and i was again taken back at how little they are. I was reminded of how little we all started out as and where my little nephew had just come from. I know he was with loved ones who have left this life and those waiting to come. i was am amazed at the little things in life that humble us to remember the big picture!! i love this picture and i am so grateful for the new edition to my brothers family!!!