3 Years...

It's been 3 years this month that I've been working as a CNA. Holy Cow time flies! I can still remember my first day of class and how I went home practically in tears telling my mom that I was quitting the class and was no longer going to be a CNA. My mom of course, being the rational and positive one, informed me that I was not going to be a quitter after the first day and that I was going to go back and give it my all. I'm so glad I have a mom like that and even more grateful that I listened to her. Getting my CNA has been one of the smartest decisions I've ever made.

Over the past three years I have had the blessing of taking care of the elderly in two different nursing homes and one assisted living facility. It's funny to think that I was one of those kids who absolutely hated going to the nursing homes in primary. When the adults would make us go around and shake their hands I was so scared of them and couldn't wait until we got out the doors and I was free from what I believed were the crazy people. Now I practically live at my job and have adopted so many grandparents over the years.

Of course there is always a down side to what I do... I have lost a lot of those that I took care of and grew close to. Death is something that learning to deal with comes with practice, and I've had lots of it. I'll never forget the first resident I cried over loosing, and how I thought to myself, "how am I ever going to do this?" Now I can't help but smile when they go because I know their in a way better place and out of the pain that some have fought with for so long.

I have learned so much about life from those who are on their way out of it. Many I've crossed paths with have been such an inspiration to me of how to live life with love, passion, health, ambition and determination. Old people are also the most blunt people and they can usually make or break your day. However, my residents never fail to bring a smile to my face when I see them every day. I love them all so much! I truly do think of them as my own family. Granted I do look forward to being a nurse one day and getting a change of scenery in the medical field, something besides Geriatrics, but for now I couldn't ask for a better job.

Not only have the patients/residents I've met and taken care of made an impact on my life but I've also met some of the most amazing people through my fellow co-workers. Some of them even changed my life in ways I never would have imagined. People always tell me that it takes someone special to do what I do and to be honest I don't always see it in myself but I definately see it in those that I work alongside on a day to day basis. I can honestly say some great health care professionals lie in ones I've met/worked with. My job reminds me of my belief that everyone I meet really truly is for a reason, whether big or small.

It's amazing how what seems like the simplest decisions/choices end up making the biggest differences in my life : )

Finally!!!!

My nursing application for SUU's nursing program is finally done and in!!!! Hallelujah! I just turned it in today, and talk about being a procrastinator because it's due by noon on Friday. Phew! Now I just hope the department checks their mailbox daily so their for sure to get it. The stress of getting it in may be over with but now I continue to wait to see where I'll be come Fall '09 and what I'll be doing. Waiting is a very frustrating thing for me and I just want to have my future all planned out(well as far as schooling goes that is).
The benefits of getting in to the nursing program at SUU would be:
#1. I would know where I would be attending school come fall and I could start making plans like roommate's and housing.
#2. I will know my graduation year. No more guessing how much longer I'll be
in school. And it will only be 2 years instead of 3.
#3. I would graduate with my bachelors, not just my associates.
#4. I could possibly be accepted into the program with some fellow co-workers
who also applied, and that means I could already know some of
classmates.

They are all really good reasons to get in but there would be a down side to getting accepted.... right now part of me loves where I'm at in my life and that if I don't get accepted here I could go pretty much anywhere else I want. If I get in I'm going to have to get used to the fact that there's no leaving Cedar City for two years, minus my weekend trips to Provo. It would be really hard but I can do it!!!

Superbowl Sunday

Gotta love the Superbowl...parties : ) This Superbowl Sunday was probably the funnest one I've had. The weekend itself was already really good, my friend Brook came down for a visit along with some guys from Logan & Orem who also used to attend school/live here. Our friend Cody and his roommates were throwing a party for the big game and not only are they big into the game but their whole front room is a projector screen and love sacs.



The weather was amazing for February and the boys took full advantage of it by playing their own little football game. Us girls took advantage of the sun as well by rolling up our pant legs and cheering the boys on.




Of course it wouldn't be a Superbowl party without food and I snacked pretty much all afternoon! Rice and Meatballs, Chips and Dip, Oreo's, M&M's, Veggie tray, and tons of Coke were some of my favorites. A Few of my other friends were also watching the Superbowl so right before halftime we stopped in to say hello to them, sample their snacks and leave haha.

I was personally rooting for the cardinals to win, but even though my team lost it was still a great day and I had so much fun.

Beware Cedar City

The world is so disgusting and messed up these days, seriously! Even here in little ol' Cedar City the nastiness of the world finds you. This post is a voice of warning to women in cedar city and also a minor vent session: There was a sexual assault here in town last night, the second reported one this week! According to my friend that works with the police department cedar has had more rapes in the past few weeks then Dixie had all last semester. It disgusts me really, not to mention makes me even more paranoid then I already am. Getting raped or even just attacked is my biggest fear. I get so mad when I think about how someone can be so sick in the head to do something like that to someone, someone you perhaps didn't even know, and never did anything to you. If I was ever to run across a man who had done something and hurt an innocent girl like that one day I would have to restrain myself from ripping him apart from head to toe. I have no tolerance for it at all so I just have to say girls of cedar (and everywhere really) Be safe and watch your back, because you never know. Lock your doors and windows and seriously don't go running outside, especially by yourself, not a good idea. That is all : )

Rascal Flatts tickets!

Rascal Flatts is coming to Salt Lake on Feburary 26 2009 in the Energy Solutions Arena and I'm going to be there!! woot woot! My sisters and I got tickets and I'm so excited to see one of my favorite country music bands live I can't wait! I plan on getting all decked out for the occasion, getting an awesome button up shirt, tucking it in to my jeans, my cowgirl hat, and boots! Those I still have to buy but it's on my to do list when I get paid on monday : )

I'm going to be an aunt : )

yeah you read it right, I am going to be an aunt! My sisters pregnant!!!!! Oh man I am so excited! Mostly excited that I can finally tell people and talk about it, because having kept this secret since Christmas has been really hard(okay so I told a few people but for such a secret I did pretty darn good!). Well as mentioned Ash and Jake told their immediate family the news on Christmas day. My mom loves wooden plaques with sayings and quotes on them so they had bought one reading "Grandma knows best, have another cookie". When my mom unwrapped it I had just barely opened my own present so, being a little pre-occupied I hadn't looked up until I heard the word grandma. The next minute went something like this: I immediately looked up, stared at my mom for a second and then looked at them, proceeded to stand up, yell "no way" multiple times, and then...yes I started to cry! I seriously was so excited I could not stand it, you can imagine me then being told to not say anything until after the appointment. So here it is my official announcement posted with permission from the proud mommy herself : )

I'm going to be an aunt come August! but I guess technically I kinda already am.

Life right now...

Well my life right now could be said in a saying from a song "School's out forever!". Okay so school for me may not be out for forever but 8-9 months is a really long time! I'm currently not taking any classes this semester since I finished all my SUU nursing program pre-requisite classes last semester. I figured since I'd just be in a waiting period to get in I would move back home, but I tried to sell my apartment contract and apparently no one is looking to move to cedar city right now because I had no such luck. So I changed my plans once again(for some reason I'm really good at doing that) and have now become a workaholic! Even though classes only started a week ago I have already started to feel like an "outcast" when I'm with all my friends and their talking about classes, homework and complaining about professors. This is my first time not being in school during an actually school year and I never thought I would say it but I miss school!! I love my job I really do, but it has definitely been a week full of adjusting to change. One of those changes happen to be I don't get ready in the mornings like I used to so I actually look forward to doing my hair when it comes time to go out and play/party. I also look forward to wearing something besides my work uniform and sweats or jeans are immediately put on when I get off work. I'll make the adjustments I'm sure of it and it will actually be so nice to have one less life stressor out of the way, but for now it feels like school is out forever. Looking on the positive side though it gives me way more free time to do whatever I want : )

Pictures for J.Love

About three weeks ago, the weekend I was home for my sisters sealing, I got to meet up with the amazing McKinleys for some Christmas shopping and little treat at Yoasis. It was so much fun! I loved that I got to see them, it's not all the time you get to hang out with your married friend, and being miles apart most of the time makes it even harder. The yogurt was amazing of course, and we had to take a picture together before we parted, which ended in a photoshoot because we couldn't stop laughing and like usual Danny captured some of our "best" moments(including where she almost pushed me off my chair). Seeing as how I'm the slacker I am, it's weeks after I told her I would post them for her to steal. So here you are my little friend. And as always I love you : )

My Holly Jolly Christmas

I'm behind....

Yeah I know it's 2009 and that Christmas is already two almost three weeks in the past but my break was so awesome that I couldn't not post about it. First of all I got to leave Cedar for about 11 days of the break and that in itself was amazing!! Yes I do love Cedar but being home is way better. I got to Provo on the 18th and ended up crashing as soon as I got home I was so exhausted. I was able to attend my good friend Brittany Herdman's wedding reception on the 19th and meet the new main man in her life. And I must say she looked absolutely looked gorgeous, and I'm so happy for her.

Friends from high school @ The Reception

During the Break My school's team was playing up in Orem @ UVU so considering my obession with basketball I had to go to the game. Luckily for me my little brother and Dad enjoy watching it just as much as I do so they came with me. (and don't ask about the score because SUU should have totally won, but lost in the second half).


My first sunday home it was already time for Ash and Jake to get back from their cruise so I rode with to take my little "niece" to get reunited. It was good to see them and know they were back safe, even if they were tanner then me : )


Don't worry I'm not going to do an entry for every day of my visit but some other highlights of the trip included: playing with my little adopted nieces and nephews, seeing some amazing movies, actually sleeping(but of course having dreams about work), playing games with the bro's, shopping,celebrating my dad's and bro in law birthdays, garlick family christmas party, tons and tons of eating, but most of all just hanging out with and being around those I love the most!

However, I do have to do a little posting just for Christmas Eve, seeing as how it's the biggest day all break for my family. That morning I woke up and went with Ashlee to go pick up my new little niece dog Kimber. The next few hours were spent chasing her around the house attempting to teach her not to chew on everything, bathing her, then hiding her from Jake.

One tradition of Christmas time is that my two best friends and I meet up at my parents house for gift exchange. Seeing as how all of our lives are crazy we finally found time to do it on Christmas Eve, and oh man I have to say that I love my girls! We always have so much fun together and I swear I am laughing the whole time. Of course we had to have a photo shoot, to document everything we do and like always we took a lot. But here is just a preview of some that were on my camera.




Another tradition of Christmas Eve is our family Christmas Dinner. My brother in law's younger brother Rich was able to come spend Christmas Eve with us, and it was really fun to have him there. We all sat down to an amazing meal my mom had slaved over all morning, read the christmas story, and opened one of our christmas presents. It was then finally time for Reina/Jake to get their christmas present.



She's so cute! I love her. Naturally, we all went outside to play with her and watch Jake act like a little kid on christmas who just opened the present with a toy he's always wanted until we were all pooped and ready to head to bed. Our final tradition on Christmas Eve is that we sleep outside on the patio, and yes it is freezing cold to sleep outside in December but I love it. My brother Tanner went to work to find enough sleeping bags and blankets for everyone and after we'd all created our beds for the night we huddled in and took cover.




I'm sooooooo grateful that I was able to go home for Christmas and be there for the amount of days that I was. I loved every minute of it! I love my family and friends up there so much that no matter how many days I get to visit it's never enough and I always groin, complain and yes sometimes cry when it's time for me to head back to Cedar. Thank you to everyone who helped make this Christmas special, fun, and memorable, I love you all : )

Family Pictures

As all of us know Christmas is a time for Christmas cards to be sent to loved ones, usually including updated pictures of children and such. Well I by no means have my own little family so I came up with the idea to send Christmas cards of our apartment family. My roommates were just as excited about the idea and we all planned to be home one night to take family pictures, then assembled the cards at walmart, and sent them out. We were going to type a little lettter to go out with them, to tell family members and friends a little bit about each other but we were really short on time. So here are some of my favorite ones we took(some of them are kinda crazy that we took for the fun of it all):