J Bean

I'm with this little guy about 20 hours a week. He is 6 months old and is beginning to teethe...not fun. Last week it was beautiful, so we spent plenty of time on the porch. I hate that winter is going to rob us of the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy the sunlight. In just a few weeks, it is likely my big coat will be dusted off and will be prepared for a long winter of keeping me warm.

Until then, I plan to stay on the porch as much as possible.

Autumn Arrives

I have plenty of reasons why I haven't blogged. Mainly, lack of time. Nick and I have been swamped. The semester is in full swing for both of us. I had two exams on Tuesday (including my first nursing test) and they have consumed all of my "spare" time. Last weekend consisted mainly of studying, but we found time to watch UCLA upset TEXAS (the #7 team in the country)!! 


This weekend we are treating ourselves and spending a day in Cape Cod with the dogs. Trouble hasn't been to the beach since we moved, and Gillie has never been. It should be a great day. We deserve a full day off...


I got my scrubs in the mail today, and it makes me excited to think about all of the clinical rotations I will be wearing them to!

 

Fall arrived very quickly this year. It has been raining all week, but I attempted to get a picture of one of the trees near our apartment. The leaves are falling off already and I'm hoping ALL the leaves don't fall off just yet. I need time to wander the city with my camera.

The Famous Chalkboard

As promised, here is our gigantic chalkboard sitting on top of it's new home. It needs to be filled in with books and some boxes to store misc "stuff" in. I don't have a clue what any of the writing on the board means, but I can tell you it is somehow engineering-related! haha

Pao!

Nick and I made Kung Pao chicken for dinner again tonight and I finally captured a non-blurry photo.  

We had dinner with good friends last night and this morning we took the dogs to Larz Anderson park to run around. I can never quite get a photo of Gillie as she sprints, but today I did. She has a hilarious look on her face anytime she runs.

              

They love each other

After the dog park we both spent the afternoon studying and doing homework and went for a run around the reservoir together. Another very busy week ahead for both of us, but they manage to go by quicker than I can keep track of them, so next weekend should be here before I know it. Our weekends have been wonderful and I hope we find time to keep them that way.

Goodies

Some of the fun things in my "nursing bag:" (My uniform should be here anytime!)

Saline Solution

Bandage scissors and other fun stuff

My very own stethoscope!

BP cuff

Fundamentals

My first nursing lab started this week, and for the first time, I actually feel like I'm almost a "real" nursing student. We brought our stethoscopes to class and we paid for a big duffel bag full of "stuff" to use in the lab. We have sphygmomanometers (aka a blood pressure cuff) and a ton of other items.  We practiced taking each others' blood pressure and other vital signs, and my arms are sore after having my blood pressure taken over 10 times in a few hours. The clinical instructor seems great and I'm optimistic about the semester.

Near the end of the lab, two nursing students came in and told us about their experience thus far. They are exactly one year ahead of us, and they told us that the last four months had been an exhausting, but rewarding experience. The summer schedule (for me, next summer) is supposedly brutal and I have yet to hear from anyone who has been able to work while going through the 3 clinical rotations during that time. I am mentally preparing myself for the possibility that I might not have time to work. Right now I am working 42+ hours/week and that might be cut in half by next semester. I have never just gone to school and not worked, so I am not even sure what they would feel like.

Nick decided to take one class rather than two for the semester. He will be preparing for the phD qualifiers, so he will have his hands full. He has decided that we should "chart" his blood pressure and see how it changes as he approaches the exams. I am excited that I have a "patient" but I will leave the charting up to him. haha

Our weekend was spent cooking (Kung Pao chicken and homemade macaroni and cheese) and relaxing at home. The dogs were relentlessly begging for attention much of the weekend, so they got some long walks to release some energy. 

Fall weather is here to stay. We have had temps consistently in the low 70's and it gets much cooler at night. I saw one of the trees on my way to school that had already turned orange/red! Soon my camera will be working overtime...assuming I have two minutes of free time to get outside and take pictures. I still haven't taken photos of Nick's new chalkboard set-up, so hopefully I'll get one posted soon. 

Below is a picture of the basil plant that I haven't killed yet. :)

Back to School

My fall semester began last week, which is shocking because I can't seem to figure out where summer went. I got fitted for my nursing scrubs last week and I should be getting them in a few weeks, which will make it feel official! I had my first nursing class yesterday, and it's great to finally learn about taking patients' vital signs and learn more relevant information, as opposed to memorizing organic chemistry structures and formulas.

Nick started his semester today, and he will be done with his master's degree classes in December! He is planning to take his phD qualifiers in January, and after that point, it should be much more laid back for him for the remainder of his program. 

We spent last weekend hiking with the dogs and cheering on the bruins with the UCLA alumni group. Sadly, our bruins look to be having another rough season so far, but we are accustomed to that feeling.

Our hike last Sunday was a nice get-away. Trouble decided to go swimming in a disgusting pond, but he smiled so big that we felt too guilty to put him back on the leash. He sprinted through the woods and Gillie screamed at him to stay close to us.

     

Wyoming In Words

I never wrote about my trip to Wyoming because as soon as I got home, I was slammed with work and school. My trip was great and it was the first time our family had been together in far too long. The 6 of us spent the weekend in the mountains and relaxed. Erin and Ryan are changing constantly, so each time I see them I feel like I have to re-learn what is going on with them. Megan drove up from Colorado and it was the most time I've spent with her in years. We cooked an incredible dinner Saturday night, and on Sunday we headed back to my parents' house and Meg headed home. I spent Monday with the "monkeys," as I call them. Erin and I got our nails done and Ryan and I made a trip to the video game store so he could pick out birthday games. The 3 of us went to ice cream, and they constantly crack me up. I also got to have lunch with my mom and dad, and catch up with each of them individually.  It was a wonderful trip and I am hoping that the whole family will be heading to California for Christmas. 

Happy 8th Birthday, Ryan!