My State is Drowning!!!

I don't keep it a secret that I am Rhode Island Born, and I am very proud to call that little state home. My parents have been off handedly mentioning that it has been raining like crazy there lately; but I honestly didn't think much of it because we usually have really wet winters there.

This morning, however, when I was sitting in the break-room of the ER about to punch in for the day I almost spit out my coffee when I saw this on the news.



My Little State made National News! I guess now i'm really glad that my parent's home is built on a hill, so all the water just rushes past them.

Thanks for keeping me informed Mom & Dad. =)

Cool Runnings

My running has been going GREAT!

I ran on the treadmill today, completing week 7 day 2 of The Couch to 5-k

When I was finished I had ran 3.4 miles, and burned almost 400 calories.

Please believe me when I tell you that THIS PROGRAM WORKS!!!! When I started this I couldn't even jog from my apartment to our leasing office (about 3 min) without keeling over; today, a short 7 weeks later I ran (RAN) for 25 minutes!

I was sort of sad when I realized that I will be done with this in two more weeks, but then I realized that the lovely people that developed my app came out with the Bridge to 10K...awesome...

Buying a Home

I'm still here! Kyle and I have been going back and forth about his next tour, should we try to stay here? Should we move? Where should we try and go? After about a million years a month or so we have decided to try and stay in San Diego. I do like my job here (even though I am starting a plan to move to Labor and Delivery sometime after my year of ED is up in September) and we have good friends here, and if you can't be home in Little Rhody, Southern California is a damn good place to kill some time =). Now if we do get to stay here ::fingers crossed:: we want to buy a house. Now I do love our wonderful luxury apartment complex with it's 50 pools and bikini clad SDSU students who never seem to actually go to class ever, but I am sick of paying all this $$ in rent and seeing no return. Ok, so we're gonna look to buy a house.

That's where it ends..we WANT to buy a house. Doesn't mean we know a freaking thing about ANYTHING about buying a house, I know you call a Realtor, they show you some places, then at some point a large sum of money is exchanged while people sit at a big table saying big words like "escrow" and "APR Fixed mortgage." Other than that you got me.

"Your dream home, light open floor plan"

This is how I feel. My future home feels like it's just a dream, just an outline. I feel that the home for me, complete with walls I paint whatever color I want and a kitchen big enough to hold all of my cooking stuff, where we don't have to have the cat's litter box in the spare bathroom, seems so far away. I need help.

Thankfully I have a friend that recently bought a condo in the same area of San Diego that I am looking at so I e-mailed the Realtor she used tonight. Hopefully he will give us some insight into what the hell we are supposed to do.

I know some of you guys are homeowners, any tips for us as we start this process?

Motorcycle?

I am thinking about learning to ride a motorcycle,

some people are surprised by this considering I am TERRIFIED of crashing in a motorcycle.

I have been tossing around this idea for quite some time and after talking about it with a fellow friend I have decided to take the steps to get my M licence this summer, starting with a beginner course offered through the California DMV.

I will probably be the most conservative rider you will ever meet, you will never see me poppin' wheelies going 100mph on the highway (and I have seen that while driving, and it scares the sh*t out of me) I will ALWAYS wear my armored leather jacket that I WILL buy before ever going on the road (and even then it will probably take me quite sometime to get on the highway.) But I want to try it. You only live once, and if you're smart, I think it's entirely possible to have a safe time riding a motorcycle (notice that I didn't say "no crashing in a motorcycle"...I'm not stupid)

But you better believe that when I do crash I will be wearing this...awesome

Once I take the class this summer (the girl I want to take the class with is in school until May so I'm gonna have to wait for June) and I get more practice I will probably invest in a used bike to practice on. I'm kind of glad I have to wait a few months, it will give me more time to decide if I really want to pursue this as a hobby (and set aside $$ for riding protection and gear) I have herd good things about the Kawasaki Ninja 250; it's a bike designed for beginners. Here it is...




awesome......so yeah I have found 08' or 07' models online for a fair price, so we'll see what happens


any of you ride? have any tips for a beginner beginner like myself?

Updates

So I have been somewhat anti-social over the last two weeks. I don't know if you guys have ever felt in a similar mood but over the last several days I have had little desire to talk to other people. I have been screening like crazy, so sorry to all of the people I haven't talked to.

On the upswing I have decided to blog about all the stuff I have been up to over the last two weeks.

• C25K - I have been utterly STUCK on week 7 of the couch to 5-k. Partly my lack of consistency is to blame for that. The other part is my brain playing tricks on me. I know that I am capable of doing the entire 25 min run without stopping; lately I have been getting through the first 10 min no problem, but once I hit 15 min the little voice in my head says "why don't you just walk, just for a minute, what can it hurt?" Today I listened to that stupid voice for two minutes before I gave in. It's all a mind game....and it's making me very mad.
  

• Cooking - I have been doing a lot of cooking and baking lately but unfortunately I have been way too lazy to post (and I haven't remembered to take pictures of my meals). Over the past week I have made:

1. Slow Cooker Pork
2. Cuban Sandwiches
3. Teriyaki Noodle Bowls
4. Spaghetti and Meatballs
5. Meatball Grinders
6. Salads!!

• Some Self Reflection - I have been thinking a lot about where I want my career in nursing to go, mainly - where I want to end up. This usually throws my mind in a flurry of advanced degrees, certifications and specialties, all of which are completely overwhelming to me. Now I do like the job I have now, working in the ER is so challenging and satisfying. I work with a wonderful group of people and I get to see some really cool stuff, but I just don't think ER nursing is where I see myself in 5 years (or even in 1 year). I have such an unexplainable draw/interest in OB nursing that I want to get into that field ASAP to figure out if that's where my true passion lies. I got the contact information for the Nurse Educator on the OB floor at my hospital and hopefully next week I can meet up with her and pick her brain about what she does. If I really like Labor and Delivery Nursing I could definitely see myself as a Nursing Educator for a L&D floor someday.

So anyway that a little about what's been going on with me lately. Hope everyone is having a good week so far! Only three more days till Friday!!!

Completely Random Post

So I'm sure most of you were thinking that I was peac'ing out with last nights post. "Well we're never gonna hear from her again huh?" Well I guess what I really wanted was just to give myself the wiggle room I really wanted; to post when I wanted to, and to give myself a break when I needed to.

I had the day off today which was nice. Tonight I'm going with a good group of friends to The Stone Brewery for dinner. You know stone right?



Yes, yes you do (you arrogant bastard! if you are still lost, just google it & you'll figure it out) Anyway should be a good time.

In other news I was standing in line at Vons today buying some last minute groceries for tomorrow's yummy dinner (slow cooked pork.....delicious!) and I see this on the magazine rack...


Are you serious? Can't she leave well enough alone? Am I the only one whose outraged by this? I just about stopped obsessively following forgot about her and now this? Who is watching her children? I hope she's not leaving them with her D-Bag ex-husband. Ugh....

Show us Your Life: Favorite Charities

This week we are supposed to share our favorite charities. I have been meaning to get more involved with charities but there are some that I have been giving to on a regular basis and are very dear to my heart.



The last charity that I gave to was the American Red Cross, specifically for Haiti Relief. I felt really

A charity that I have been giving to for many years during the Christmas season is Each animal offered can provide the family with nutritional support as well as a sustainable way to earn income. They speak of their approach as a "hand-up, not a hand out." I LOVE THEM!!!

Personal Leave

To all of my wonderful followers,

I have decided to take some "personal leave" from the blog. Lately I have felt that my posting is less about wanting to and more about feeling obligated to. I have been doing a lot of soul searching lately about what I feel I need/want out of this blog and I feel that at this moment in my life what I really need is the ability to vent out some of my most personal feelings. The problem is I want in no way to have this blog turn into my vent sessions, 1) because I don't want you guys to have to read it and 2) because I have no desire for all of the Internet to know all of my secrets.

So I have decided to start keeping a journal instead (mostly taking the advice from a dear friend) and am finding it very fulfilling. Now I am not saying that my posting will stop. I just don't want you guys to be surprised if it's less than it was before. I want to be able to devote more of my time to my journaling.

Thanks for sticking with me!

Little Rhody Girl

Show us Your Life: A Typical Day

This week on Kelly Korner's Show us Your Life Series she wants us to describe our typical day. My days are COMPLETELY different based on if I'm working or not. So I'll take you through both

Work Day!

I wake up around 1 hour before I need to go in. (my hours vary, always 12 hour shifts but the start time varies between 7-10am) Alarm goes off, I hit snooze at least once. Get up, shower, scrubs, coffee & bagel. Morning news for 20 min while I eat breakfast; car, get to work with 5 min to spare.

I Walk in, punch in, get my assignment. I have three patients, bed 1, 2, 3. Bed 1 goes home, bed 2 needs pain medicine, bed 3 goes to the floor, get pain meds for 2, ambulance bring in someone to 1, clean bed 3, triage bed 1, bed 2 vomits, new patient in 3, put in orders for 1. Clean basin for 2 & ask Doc for nausea med, assess patient in 3. Chart, chart, chart. Draw blood, get urine sample, start IV in 1, Get vitals on 2 and give nausea med. Put in orders for 3, start IV in 3, pt gets short of breath during IV start, call respiratory for treatment, assess lung sounds. Bed 1 calls for help to the bathroom...

This process repeats for 12 hours, with a lunch and some breaks (if I'm lucky =)

Punch out, go home, quick sandwich or leftovers, T.V. for about an hour, decompress and pass out.

Day off!

Much more of a relaxed day, up around 8, fruit and oatmeal, get the sneaks on, running by 9. Back around 9:40, shower, change into jeans, errands, CLEAN the house. Quilt, Blog, laze around. Meal Plan, make dinners to freeze for the hubs during work nights. Make tonight's dinner. Read on the couch, play with the cats. Kyle gets home from work, Hang out, eat dinner together, laundry, movie (or LOST); in bed with book around 10:30 (or earlier if I have to work the next day).


The days I have off make the days I work more bearable (don't get me wrong, I LOVE my job but it's basically go go go all day, makes for an exhausting 12 hours)

Little Rhody Girl shows you her life

I have decided to start participating in Kelly's Korner's Show us your life weekly post. I have been thinking about starting a weekly post for a while now but I have been unable to come up with my own idea. So many of you have such good ideas and I was afraid I would inadvertently copy someone's post. Kelly's idea is such a fantastic one and she encourages a lot of participation so I figured this would be a good one for me. So tomorrow when I get home from work I will start with the first post and continue from there.

Interested? Checkout The Schedule here!

Now Grey's is over, and my hubs and I have mutual dates with the inside of our eyelids, work tomorrow!

Goodnight everyone!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know it sounds like a mouthful right? Well it is! A mouthful of cookie deliciousness!

I have recently (well not RECENTLY) discovered Brown Eyed Baker, another lovely foodie blog. I originally used her site last December when I wanted to learn How to properly Ice my Christmas sugar cookie cut-outs and earlier this week I saw this recipe and I knew I just had to make them. She describes them as "the ultimate trifecta of cookie goodness;" and I have to agree with her.




Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Brown Eyed Baker

Ingrediants:

1 cup all purpose flower
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside

2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside

3. Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars with mixer on medium speed. mix in eggs and vanilla. Turn mixer on low. Slowly add four mixture until combined. Stir in rolled oats and chocolate chips.

4. Using 1/4 c. scoop out dough and form into balls. Using the fingertips of each hand, grasp the dough and pull it apart. turn each half 90 degrees and push together, careful no to smooth out the jagged edges on top formed by pulling apart the dough. (this will give you the crinkly top that is oh-so-nice)

5. Bake in preheated oven for around 10 min until sides are golden brown and tops are puffy. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 10 min before transferring onto wire racks. Store in air tight container.

Grab Milk, Enjoy Immediately!

Footnote:

Just so you guys know, I made it though my run today without stopping. I might have at times been jogging at such a slow pace that little 80 year old biddies in their powerchairs probably would have passed me, but I NEVER walked, and I am SUPER proud of that. (so of course I made baked goods, because that just makes sense!)

My Running Shoes

I am 2/3 of the way though week 5 of the couch to 5K running plan, and I am feeling freaking amazing!

Today's workout consisted of

5 min warm-up walk
Run for 8 minutes
walk for 5 minutes
Run for 8 minutes
5 min cool down walk

I took a nice slow pace and I got though it unscathed. Although tomorrow I have to run 20 minutes straight, and I'm a wee bit terrified that halfway though my body will collapse and I'll be found hours later by one of the millions of snooty people who live in my neighborhood while walking their dog that is the size of my foot.

But I'm no quitter!

Wish me luck!

Gonna Fly Now (Theme From "Roc...

Audiobooks

I am the kind of person who needs to have something going on while I am sewing, cooking, cleaning, basically doing anything in the house. Sometimes I feel like I enjoy the background sound. I usually have the T.V. or radio on, but lately I have become bored with both mediums. Everything is the same, I needed a change. So I decided to try an audio book.

On friday I went and picked up a few from the library, I am already 3/4 of the way through my first one. What a great way to read a book while cleaning, working, sewing, or doing anything else in the house while Kyle is at work.

Here's what's in the CD player now.

The Rescue - Nicholas Sparks


Song Yet Sung - James McBride

Lord of the Rings Book I -The Fellowship of the Ring

Any of you guys ever try Audiobooks?

Google Calendar

Am I the only blogger that has a tennage stalker-ish lover obession with Google and how wonderful it is?

I think not.

Yesterday I finally figured out how to sync google calendars to my iphone, and the heavens opened up, and it was good.

Now all birthdays, holidays, and work type things are easily accessed and/or updated via my phone or via google, sweet. Now my widget on igoogle is actually, well, acurate; so I can move it from down in the corner where no one could see it, to front and center on my igoogle window.





I also wanted to point out one other thing....




Since I have had at least 100 unread blog posts in my reader for the last month (due to my lack of bloggy-ness) I feel good to be able to look at that empty window, finally. =)