Catch Up #3 - Nursing School

I finished nursing school!!!!!! Yay!! It was two years worth of cramming, empathy, irritation, tears, smiles, laughs, realization and gratitude. Graduation was a bittersweet day. I have met four women who have become like sisters. I know that we will be in touch and continue a lifelong friendship.

The week before graduation, I got a phone call to put in an application for a position at the facility that I have longed to work at for years. A few days later, I got called for an interview!!! That evening, I received another call with the offer of a job!!!!!!! Cannot believe that I am so blessed. My first day is going to be June 23. So very excited to be a nurse at the birthing center that I have held in awe.

Catch Up #2 - 30 by 30 Progress

It's been a while since I updated on my list of 30 things to complete before I turn 30. That birthday is now less than a year away, so I'd better hop skip to it!!! Here's my last post on the progress. And below is the update.....

1. Run a half marathon - I completed the Nike Women's Half Marathon on 10/17/10. I hope to run the same half marathon this year. 
                                                      UPDATE!! I did run it again....in 2011 AND 2013!!!!!

2. Begin (and hopefully finish) nursing school - I've been moving up the wait list for our local Junior College program FAST. It's looking like I may be able to start the 2 year program this January. If not January, then for sure August of 2012. This means that pending I don't drop out, I will finish before my 30th birthday : ) 

                                                              I graduated nursing school on May 20, 2014.

3. Visit New Orleans again - putting this on my list may have been a little ambitious. I'm hopeful that this trip might take place the summer after I graduate from nursing school, meaning that I will still be 29.

This is still looking ambitious. We just did a trip to Vegas, and have a vacation planned to Mexico in August.
4. Go backpacking at Five Lakes Basin - maybe next summer.

5. Grow a garden - see #4. Do you think a topsy turvey tomato plant counts????

6. Become a wake boarder - to do this, I must wakeboard. Updates to come.

7. Hike Bishops Peak - hoping to cross this off the next time we go to SLO.

8. Bake something from scratch - I seriously can't believe I haven't done this yet. 

9. Organize all of my photos and place into albums - I'm hoping to do this when we unpack all of our belongings that are currently in storage due to the house remodel.

10. De-clutter and simplify my home - I consider this in progress because we had to clear out 90% of our homes contents. Whilst doing so, I got rid of a lot of stuff. When we move back in, I plan to do another round of clean out and declutter.

This is complete as much as it's ever going to be. I have realized that no matter what, there will always be "stuff". I don't have it in excess, but it's there. I'm human.

11. Take a California road trip - I should probably decide WHERE in California I want to go, as this would be something good to cross off next Spring or Summer : )

12. Learn yoga and meditation - In progress. I've learned some meditation, and I love it. Still trying to get my butt to a yoga class!

Several yoga classes have been attended. And you know what? I don't really love it. It's okay, but if I'm hauling my butt to the gym, I like a little more action!!! Meditation has helped me settle down in the evenings. I am by no means an expert, but the little I do know works for me!!

13. Go wine tasting - finally went last January to Amador County with my girls and LOVED it!!

14. See a Broadway show

Saw and LOVED Rock of Ages!!!!! I WANNA ROCK!!!!!
15. Compile a cookbook of all of my favorite recipes - I took the easy way out with this one a started a recipe blog. Soooo, I guess it will never really be complete since I'm always adding stuff. However, I met my goal of compiling all the recipes I enjoy, so there.

16. Learn to drive and launch our boat

17. Have one day of shopping where I buy whatever I want - I'm hoping I can do this once I'm a nurse.

18. Visit Las Vegas - this ALMOST happened last May, but then we decided to save the money to put toward the house project. Someday....

Done May 1-4 2014. Matt and I went and did the strip sight seeing and also attended supercross motorcycle racing finals. It was a blast!

19. Treat my Mom to a spa day - again, once I'm a nurse. Maybe this will happen on the same day as the shopping : )

20. Play a round of golf with my husband  - I've done this a few times now. It's fun to be out in the sunshine doing something different and active with Matt!

21. Eat rattlesnake

22. Learn to barbecue - I now do the majority of the grilling. I've mastered, veggies (mushrooms, peppers, asparagus, squash), fish, tri tip and chicken. One last thing is pork!

23. Open a retirement fund

24. Get reacquainted with the piano

25. Landscape our backyard - I've thought about this A LOT since starting the house project. Once that's done, I'm sure this will be the next thing we tackle.

26. Go to an amusement park with my husband - honestly? I was at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with him at the beginning of May. I feel like this kind of counts, but at the same time it doesn't because we didn't go on any rides and that's the whole reason that I want to go to an amusement park with him.

For my birthday in 2013, we went to six flags. It was a blast!
27. Learn to make my own green cleaning solutions - in progress. I have the recipes, now I just need to take the final plunge and actually make and use them. Would help if I had a house to clean.

I made the recipes.........annnnnnnd, they didn't work for crap!!! May consider doing some more experimentation in the future, but for now, I'm okay with using the chemicals!
28. Ride a trail on my bike - completed in Tahoe last summer.

29. Find a skin care regimen - love me some Mary Kay because I'm hip like that!

30. Reinvent my wardrobe - in progress. One factor of this is funds. I do feel like I'm dressing more like a 26 year old and less like a 19 year old. That is a good thing.


Well, 14 down, 16 to go!!!!! Guess I'll be busy these next 10 months!!!!

Catch Up #1 - Our House!

Since the last 'real' post I did, I haven't updated with pictures of our home. To make this guy short and sweet, you can see progress posts here, here,here, here, here, here, and here. Whew!!! That's a lot of links, but ya know? It was a long ass project!!! Sooooo, anyway, here's what the joint looks like now. We're pretty happy with it. Now onto the yard!

The kitchen. All we really did in here and the laundry room was paint and replace flooring.

Upstairs bathroom. It is two separate areas, one with the sinks and another with the toilet and tub/shower.

Here's the additional tub/shower and toilet area.

The entry/hall to the stairs and master

Living room - don't mind my FIL and sweet hubby!! Where the two french doors are is where the fireplace (on the left) and sliding glass door (on the right) used to be.

Dining area.

Transition area from living to dining.

Where the new fireplace is. In this picture, it isn't completely finished. We covered it with cedar and it has a really nice beachy look. To top it off, we installed a concrete hearth with a ton of colored broken glass in it.

Powder room off of the entry hall. Some more concrete on the floors and counter.

Master bedroom. Love our french doors.

Different angle of master.

My, I mean our, amazing closet!

Master bathroom.