night owl.

I am officially a night owl. It's no secret that I struggle with sleeping at night anyways but ever since I've been a night nurse my sleep schedule is all over the place. Anywho, I get exhausted sometimes and often times it happens at work from about 2am-4am you start to hit what we night owls call the wall. oh yeah, not fun.
But thank goodness I work with hilarious and awesome people that we help break down that wall. The respiratory therapists are the best at this and they have become some of my best buddies and they-well one in particular, keeps me on my toes.
exhibit A: one of the many pranks I receive from him. He loves to mess with my cart-however his all time favorite is to turn the cart completely around and then re-arrange everything on the top as it was so it doesn't look backwards at first glance. Leaving me reaching with keys in hand, clueless. I caught on and he got bored so he started mixing things up with my cart such as...

Exhibit B: I got the point across to stop messing with the cart but that doesn't stop him. The pranks continue such as his most recent joke...

Yes he went for the diet coke. Good thing he's hilarious, and makes work fun or else he'd have a major butt kicking. Although, he's got a hilarious joke coming his way when he least expects it I'm gonna get him so good : )
until then I'll continue to: to get scared as the therapists jump out and scare me, not answer their phantom/ghost call lights attempts, and join in with their radio banter, sarcasm, and inappropriate jokes.
Thank goodness for co-workers. seriously even outside of the therapists my aides and other night nurses are awesome. go night crew!

hank the tank.

I've wanted a truck, FOREVER! There's many things I love about them and I just couldn't wait to have my own. Unfortunately there has beeen lots of waiting.
I always wanted a Toyota Tacoma-fire red style. Well I didn't want to just jump in a decision and buy the first one I came across-good thing too because that one was a salvaged title, so I looked and My brother in law's buddy Ricky looked. Ricky used to sell cars and he seems to be an expert on good deals. Well he couldn't find any Tacoma's, but he found a Tundra. We talked about it and decided I'd go drive it in a week. Meanwhile, 2 days before I was supposed to go look at it my mom notified me a family friend was selling his Tundra. I thought about it and decided if I was looking at tundra's anyways it was worth a shot. I test drove it that night and fell in love with the thing, even though it was white (I never thought I'd drive a white vehicle since I hated them so much). But things changed and I found myself making an offer the following day, at the bank the next morning, and by that afternoon I had the keys in hand and was the owner of a Toyota Tundra.

the kids love it too. All Sunday Kez would respond to the question, who's truck is outside? with me truck!

I love it : )
His name is Hank.

ode to Howie.

Ode (but not a real lyrical poetic ode: more like a ode of pictures) to my car Howie. For journaling purposes:

I never had a car my freshman year of college, I had no need for one. Who drives on pure ice in -31 degree weather in Idaho?? not this girl. Plus at the time I had a boyfriend who was driving back and forth to visit from Utah who would always take me on adventures outside of town on weekends(or home for the weekend) and I also had some awesome roommates that I hitched a few rides home with or a ride to the Walmart on the other end of town. I had no use for a car and when winter hit I definitely didn't want one.

Things changed when I got accepted to SUU, Cedar's a little bigger than Rexburg and I was going to have a job which would also require driving. So I began buying a car to my parents loaded up the little Malibu and headed to Cedar City.
believe it or not everything I owned fit in that car and I used to be able to move myself without my dad's help-that one time : )
pardon the large and in charge Kleenex- bloody noses

I inherited or more so stole that lovely bright orange lei from Spencer aka Spencee. He was in my ward and Jeni and I were riding with him and as we made fun of him being girly with it I stole it and put in my car. He went on a mission never to see it again. Malibu was a popular car at the time and that bright orange is still the only way sometimes I can find my car or distinguish which one is mine. Thank you Spencee. That Lei also brought on the name Howie-my roommate Julia at the time had a friend over one night who said who's is the malibu Howie from Maui out there? lame enough he's been Howie ever since.

Much to my father's dismay Howie saw a lot of the off road. I liked to pretend he was a truck 90% of the time. don't worry daddio I was still careful : ) however this spot pictured below happened to be a favorite of mine and Jeni's for off-roading adventures. After a good rain we'd take our cars down to this spot and go muddin. this spot also was part of our drive's we'd always take and one late night this spot served as the reason I got pulled over for the first time. Future reference: mudding in trucks, and not in the early hours of morning and cops won't think you're drunk.

Speaking of drives Howie's seen it all, well seen a lot. He had his first real road trip adventure when he took us to Vegas for Jessie's bachelorette party, been as far north as Logan, and he's even made the drive over the mountains to Ol Piute county (which is where I'm pretty sure his missing HubCap lies...). Outside of road trips there were many drives around town-that's what I love is getting in and just going for a ride-three peaks, Enoch, and the love bumps were the fav's. Many best friends of mine have been passengers of Howie's and over the years he's kept us safe and me ticket free : )
It hasn't been all sunshine and fun over the past 4 years, there were more than a few vehicle mishaps I got to experience first hand with Howie.




and let's not forget stewart...

When I started nursing school, commuting to clinical after clinical Howie got me there. Fourth semester was not only rough on me, but poor Howie started to take a toll of the miles he'd accumulated in my behalf the past years and especially that semester (going home as much as possible, st geezy 3 times a week, and New Harmony many times for Cyndi). Howie started to struggle and the bills came as repairs were made. Howie got me home and out of Cedar City just like he'd brought me in, however he was back in the shop before too long due to my mistake. (I don't know if I mentioned this accident but for my sake I'm not going in to details...)

we made it out okay, a little broke but okay and Howie didn't stop there. He trudged through and the summer's held some more repairs such as belt replacement, etc... a lot of cash went into him. He's still gotten me around despite the creaky door, and the hole in the windshield washer fluid container (=no windshield washing capacity).
However, the time has come where Howie is not safe, not really I just registered him so he passed, but I worry about him and it's time for a new vehicle. Which is why I'm proud to welcome a new member to the Brittany Olsen family... a truck.

I'm not gonna post pictures or info yet-wouldn't wanna steal howie's thunder. I just felt a lil credit was due to the little car that's gotten me through college, and been there for me through a lot the past 4 1/2 years.
thanks for everything lil Howie, I'll never forget the memories. I hope the best for you in the small future.

tradition.

I love traditions and tis the season for the start of many.
1.Black friday.
I don't really know when this tradition started but it's one that us girls in the family always look forward to, to go battle out for the deals. The boys not so much-well at least Taylor. He made it one year just to see what it was like and he has not been back and rolls his eyes at the words black friday : ) This year walmart opened at ten pm so we went early, thank goodness too because I had only slept about an hour and a half that day when I got off the morning and as you can tell by the glasses-I was exhausted. But I still fought hard and came home with good deals. The DVD's were worse than a rock concert mosh pit.




2. Christmas decorating day after thanksgiving.
When my grandma passed away in February the grandkids received a lot of her things. I inherited a lot her antiques, favorite games she had, salt & pepper shakers she'd collected, etc.. well something else I got was a mini christmas tree. I technically cheated at the tradition because I put it up a few days ago but yesterday after decorating at the parents house I came home and decorated it and hung up some lights. I love christmas decorations!
some of my favorite ornaments....




my pretty sweet stocking I got a few weeks back with the ladies in the st. geezy Tai Pan

Thanksgiving

Today I'm thankful for:

Being home for the holiday.

My hilarious and awesome family to share it with.

Amazing food and delicious desserts.

Games, laughter, more games, and much more laughter.

A night off work to enjoy it all.

Happy thanksgiving!!!

Thankful for day 6

Today I'm thankful for: life.
For the opportunity I have to experience life and have the experiences and adventures that I have and the ability I have to wake up and start over everyday and to try to make each day a better day than yesterday.
I'm also thankful for this beautiful place in which we live, and for the surrounding mountains.(I'm even more obsessed with sunsets lately and especially here in the UC over looking Utah lake. B-e-a-utiful!!)

(My attempt to get my face in a picture with the sunset seen above)
(a sunrise but still nonetheless beautiful. made getting off work late more tolerable)

I'm thankful to be safe where I live, for the freedoms I enjoy, and for those who fight and sacrifice to keep it that way.
I'm thankful to be living and for the time in which I live because heaven knows if i was back in the pioneer days I'd of been killed off.

What are you thankful for today??

thankful for day 5

Today I'm thankful for: Friendship!

I've always believed that people come into our lives for a reason, and how lucky I am to have been blessed with such amazing friends! We've had the best of times, and they've been there for me through the worst of times. I'm thankful for the memories, the laughs, and for the good times and adventures (many more still yet to come)!!

thanks for everything. love ya'll!!!

What are you thankful for today???

day 4 of thanks

Today I'm thankful for: The Gospel.
- that I get to be with my family forever, and know that I'll get to see them all again someday.
-Prophets, and for the modern revelation we receive. (love conference)
-the peace and comfort.
- the church leaders and missionaries who sacrifice their lives and their time for the church. And as I've seen from personal experience both from my dad and now my brother and best friend, the sacrifice is beyond huge.

*Elder Taylor Olsen aka my studly brother


*Sister Jacqueline Shields aka my BFF Kobe


PS. I'm grateful for Monday's and for the e-mails that come associated with that day. I love hearing from them!!

and last but not least...
-prayer and the ability to receive some sort of direction in this crazy life because heaven knows I'm a horrible decision maker.

What are you thankful for today???

thankful for day 3

Today I'm thankful for:
May seem strange but I'm around a lot of really sick people that make it easy to remind myself to be grateful for things like the use of my legs, my mind, etc...
I've had the opportunity though to be reminded of my health outside of work lately. My roommate is friends with a girl who lives beneath us and the other day she(Sharon) asked if I'd be able to help her out. Turns out she needed her blood pressure checked a few times a week and to save her having to go to a free clinic down in Provo she called sharon and asked if I'd be willing to do help her out. No problemo!!
Well let's just say this girl is amazing, she has Lupus, and has other health issues such as a previous stroke before, hence the latest concern of her blood pressures starting to rise . This girl is under the age of 30. Well she's not letting her disease win and is the head of a department at BYU, is still going to school to get her masters, etc... But her days are not without difficulty and there are some days her disease wins.
Let's just say she not only made me feel grateful for my health but also made me feel extremely whiny, useless, lazy, and ungrateful. She's inspired me this past week to say the least.

What are you thankful for today??

Thankful day 2

Today I'm thankful for:
Diet coke (and lots of it)
Music-life wouldn't be as great without it!
Coats. Sweats. Blankets. And all the other things that keep me warm.

.give thanks.

My sister and I were talking the other day on our way to Fairview about this car accident that happened to a family from Eagle Mountain-the one where the 7(??) year old boy was in the burn center, his dad was there with him while the mom took the one and three year old boys to visit family in Wyoming and ended up getting in a car wreck that took all 3 lives; and I also exchanged another depressing story where my co-worker lost her fiance in a car accident 2 weeks ago while he was away back east on business, he left behind three children who had already lost there mom years ago. As we talked about these depressing stories we talked about how this time of year brings out the worst accidents and other terrible things start happening to great people. But in retrospect it's also the time of year that brings out the best of people, and makes people realize how lucky they are to have the things they normally take for granted.
on that note such begins my week of thanks. I'm a day behind so I'll have 2 thankful for's today....

#1. It would seem abnormal and weird to not make my first thankful for my family. I'm grateful for the examples found in my family of sacrifice, service, friendship, and love. I have amazing parents, that I wouldn't be able to live without, seriously! I'm grateful that I have siblings who I consider best friends. For a brother in law who fits right in and is just like a big brother that I'd never had. And of course for the cutest kids ever who brighten my day no matter what, and are a great reminder of what really matters : )




#2. My job. I know I say so many negative and depressing things about my job but when we get past the politics of healthcare, the new nurse frustrations, and the stress I truly am grateful for my job. There are many without jobs-including former classmates of mine, and so I really shouldn't ever complain because I've been lucky to be employed as a nurse for a little over 6 months now (WOW!). I'm grateful for my co-workers who have become great friends and help get me through the night with their humor, and sometimes treats : ) for the patients who teach me about life and who keep me laughing even on the worst of nights. Quick Stories: I have this patient who always asks me about my days off replying "Now don't leave out details because you know I live vicariously through you...". Their amazing and hilarious. I recently had a little lady whose home was a little further south and one day the aide came to find me saying that she couldn't understand what patient needed/wanted. I went in and came right back out with orders of what the aide needed to do. The aide starred in disbelief as to how I figured it out so soon, and asked "how'd you know?" my response: "I speak hick". the end.
I have a stressful job. I have a somewhat frustrating job some days but I have a great career and am blessed to have the opportunity to interact and meet some amazing people on a daily basis, and hopefully somehow change their life for the better. For that I am grateful.
I don't have a work picture...I would have one of me and Kez in my scrubs when she came to see me on Halloween but she's a clever little things and deleted it off my phone before I could import.

What are you thankful for??

ps. Looking outside makes me realize that in the morning I'm gonna be thankful for my covered parking spot.