Friday, November 28, 2008

Chicago and Thanksgiving Update

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So.... I'm back. I've been doing a LOT of traveling the last week. It's been GREAT though!!

Last Saturday morning my parents drove me to the airport. I got there 2 hours early because I've never flown by myself before, so naturally I was a little nervous I wouldn't be able to find my way around. Well... I got to my gate within 20 minutes. So I sat at my gate, had a latte, and read for about 2 hours before boarding the plane. The plane ride was so incredibly fast!! It seemed like as soon as we hit elevation we were going back down. It was crazy! I got to Chicago Airport and basically ran people down because there was this very attractive man waiting for me at my baggage claim. :-) We got my bag and headed back to his college. I got a little bit of the tour, and then we headed to the train station by his college and rode an hour into the city. (By this time I was already a little tired of the traveling....)

We got into the city and did some exploring. Here is our day in pictures:
It really is the windy city--Look at that hair! Me in front of the Sears Tower

I can't decide between the one above or below for my FIRST EVER EXPOSAROONIE CHALLENGE!!!! Anyone have any suggestions?
Or this one:

That might be the winner.....

Anyways..... Matt and I in Millennium Park
Yes, we took our picture in the big bean! HAHA Such Tourists...
Us with a huge Christmas tree on the Magnificent Mile!Waiting on the parade to start--It was FREEZING!!! We stood in this same spot for like 2 hours. I was honestly so frozen solid that when we went to walk, my body honestly hurt.
Mickey Mouse kicked off the parade--the christmas lights that light up the Magnificent Mile trees all lit up at Mickey's command. Who knew he was so powerful... Hehe!
Santa ended the parade-of course. A really crappy picture of him though...I had lots of children standing in front of me so it was hard to get good pictures when I was trying to keep them all from knocking over the barricade.


After the parade-making it out of downtown Chicago was a NIGHTMARE! We tried to eat at the Cheesecake Factory downtown. The wait was 75 minutes!!! No way we were waiting that long... so our romantic dinner that night was spent sitting on the floor of Union Station eating chinese food out of a Styrofoam to go box! :-) hehe! That was pretty funny....

We rode the train back to Deerfield and went to bed.

The next morning we woke up early to do some MORE traveling! YAY!!! We drove 2 hours up to Madison, Wisconsin to visit some friends ouf ours. Skye and Janna moved there this summer when they got married. We went to church and then ate at this place called The Old Fashioned. We got brunch. It was so yummy!! Then we went shopping in downton Madison. Except for the fact that Matt and I BOTH left our wallets in his car on accident. OOPS!

We went to this really fun hat shop. Janna and I decided we looked good in red hats and thought we might become members of the Red Hat Society! HAHA!
Skye can also rock the Santa Pimp hat pretty well... haha

We hung out with them in Madison and stayed for their weekly Sunday Night Movie Night. We watched The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Monday we just hung out around Matt's campus. We had a "library date" for a couple hours as well. Did some homework. How cool are we?!

We finally ate at the Cheesecake factory to celebrate our 3 Year Anniversary-Which actually isn't until December 2nd. But, we won't be together then. So, we celebrated then instead.

Tuesday- I spent in the library while Matt was working and in class. At 4:00 we headed home for our 11 hour journey! Mapquest says it should be a 9 and a half hour trip.... well... again.. we left at 4:00. We got stuck in some MAJOR Chicago rush hour traffic! We ended up making it to Fairmont, WV at about 4:30 am. It was no fun at all. I slept a lot of it... and Matt says I would wake up every like hour or so and yell "I'M SORRY!" because I was trying so hard to stay awake because I didn't think it was fair of me to drive while he was driving so long and so late at night. I just couldn't help it though! I was so tired of traveling I just wanted to sleep!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. It was GREAT! :-) My mom made all kinds of good new things. She made cheddar biscuits like at Red Lobster, and some kind of good wild rice and brocolli stuff. It was so good!! Thanks mom, for being so great and such a great cook! We called her Diana Dean (like Paula Dean). I show you a picture of her nice Thanksgiving sweater she was so proud of.
My brother told her never to be seen out in public with him with that on. HAHA!! Only she can pull it off....

This morning I woke up and did some Black Friday early bird shopping. I'm so excited for Christmas Break!!!


This is really long and I feel like I've wasted enough of your time now..... so I'm gonna end this here.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!

Friday, November 21, 2008

Owned.

Take that ATI test!!!! You've been served! LOL!!!

I pretty much completely destroyed my test today. I was so nervous about it. You have to have a 68% to pass.... well... I got a 75%!!!!!!!! I have NEVER done that well!!!! I'm finally figuring out how to take these tests! When I saw my score I ran down the hallway over our classroom building with my hands up in the air!!! LOL!!! Then I did a little dance!

I'm finally at home for break! I'm so excited! My parents are taking me to the airport at 6:30 in the morning!!! Well... we're leaving then and I'll get there at 8:30. I'll be in Chicago at 11:15 tomorrow!!!! WAHOO!!!!

I'm so excited to see Matt!!!!!!!!!! :-) YaY!!!!

Updates from Chicago probably.. or when I get home!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Is it....

Saturday Yet?!?!?!!?!?!

In the library for a few hours then heading back to my room to watch Private Practice! :-) then probably back here to the library to study more.....

so over it.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Good Day :-)

So... let me just tell you about how my day went down. But first, a little history about this past weekend...


So I spent ALL weekend in my dorm. I only went out like TWICE for maybe an hour. I studied seriously ALL weekend! Here's why: My test schedule this week was SUPPOSED to be...

Research test today. Maternity ATI test (standardized online test. BIG TEST) Tuesday. and Mental Health ATI on Friday.

on top of that.... we were supposed to have no clinicals tomorrow, but a poster presentation fair from 10a-2p. and have our ATI before that and THEN have class for 2 hours.

Thursday Clinicals for mental health.

Well....

We had our research test today. I was in full fledge STRESS OUT mode about this test because my 2 previous tests in that class were not so hot. Well... we all told her how much we were stressin'.. and she gave us a GROUP TEST!!! That's right! So we all got A's!!!!! WAHOO!!!!! I needed that so bad.

PLUS, our ATI that was supposed to be tomorrow got MOVED until Dead Week (the week after Thanksgiving break!) At first I was bummed about that because I really wanted to have no worries over break. But, I have other stuff to do over break.. so just add it to the list. Plus, I kind of needed the extra study time.

Our research poster fair for tomorrow--- CANCELLED!!!! Due to the chance of 4-8 inches of SNOW tonight!!! THAT'S RIGHT! It's SNOWING!!!! :-)

So tomorrow= FREE DAY!!! a.k.a sleep in then get work done day.

We still have our mental health ATI on Friday... but it'll be alright I think. Just gotta study the rest of the week for that!


What a good day!!! I don't know what got into our teachers but they were GREAT today!! :-) I love it when that happens!!!!!

Enough about school......

4 DAYS TIL I SEE MATT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAHOOO!!!!!!!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Tiffany Tagged Me:

Tiffany tagged me... So I decided that since I just woke up (yes at 1:00 PM! I slept 11 hours last night! better than the 5 hours a night I've been maintaining all last week!) So I figured I would go ahead and do it before I start studying for the day...


My life isn't too random right now.... it's pretty much routine... but I'll attempt to write 6 random things about myself... So Here Goes....

1.) I am addicted to caffeine. I'm beginning to realize more and more how much I honeslty need to cut back.. but with only getting 5 hours a sleep a night (as I mentioned before) it's seriously hard to stay awake in class, and work, and THEN STUDY ALL NIGHT with out caffeine. But, for Matt's sake and having me around for a long time... I'm trying to cut back some. Little by little. Diet Coke and Pumpkin Spice Lattes though.... ahh....

2.) I like to clean. Yesterday, my "me time" that I hadn't had in about 2 weeks... was spent CLEANING. It needed to be done... otherwise my "me time" would have been a much needed NAP, but I was beginning to not be able to walk in my small cubicle of a dorm room. It doesn't take much unorganization to make this small room look like a disaster. Anyways... I thoroughly enjoyed my "cleaning me time!"

3.) I love this time of year. I become nostalgic and it just seems so happy! I'm so excited for next Saturday to go to the magnificent mile lights festival next weekend. It's gonna be Christmas in a big city! I have always DREAMED of going to NYC or a big city for the lighting of the Christmas tree and it's gonna happen!!!! Plus, Matt and I are gonna try to make it there to see Jason Mraz perform live FOR FREE!!!! (that's right Tara and Tiffany Newcomb! ;-) ) But I don't know if we'll make it... due to my flight.

4.) Music is my therapy. I constantly have to have music on. In the car, in my room, in the shower, walking to class (when I had an IPod)... it's just my therapy. It keeps me calm and relaxed. I love it. I love playing the piano as well. We have this ANCIENT piano in the lobby of my building and I played it last night and it felt amazing and just relaxing. I've taken lessons since I was 8 I believe... with the exception of a couple years break after graduating high school. But, I am still taking at the college level (this is my last semester...)

5.) I tried being vegetarian once. (about 2 months ago maybe?) I wish I could do it.... but eating in a cafeteria every day makes that very hard. I do want to be healthier though.... someday it'll be easier when I can cook for myself. LOL

6.) My bed is my favorite place to be in the world. I was telling Matt about this on the phone the other night. Honestly, after a long day of work and school and studying... laying in bed is just so amazing. I love having lots of blankets and fresh sheets and lots of pillows as well. I wonder if that has something to do with being all bundled up in the womb (sorry.... let me remind you that I'm in maternity nursing right now and I just studied all week for a test on being in the womb. LOL) I just love bed (obviously... I spent 11 hours in it asleep last night... and most of the day today will be in it with a book in my lap. I better change positions often so I Don't get a pressure ulcer! That'd suck!)

So there you have it. 6 random things about me. A little insight into me.... :-)

I've been thinking about who I should tag.... I know some people don't like doing this but I thought this a good chance to see who ACTUALLY reads this blog.. and decided that I'd tag some of the bloggers that I love reading about. 1. Emery from Moms are For Everyone. 2.) Ashley from Clever Blog Name Here 3.) Wishcake from simply, me 4.) Shannon from Design Gal, and her handyman 5.) Tara from T@r@dox (even though she gets this a lot...) 6.) , Shalane from You Eat Like A Girl. 7.) Last but not least, my cousin Rachelle

Hope all of you participate. I love learning random stuff about other bloggers and friends! :-)

We'll see who actually reads... LOL!

Friday, November 14, 2008

2 down, 3 to go!!!!

Well.... one week down of my 2 weeks from you know where!!!

I did pretty well on my maternity test today I believe. Studied pretty much my life away for it though.... My test Wednesday wasn't so hot. It was really hard. I don't know what I got on it, and I'm kind of wondering if I really want to know.

My room is a DISASTER right now. I have dirty dishes that umm... well let's just say I would have to wash something if I want to eat anything because all of my dishes are dirty (not that I have that many... but still...) my laundry bag is overflowing and I have not cleaned the bathroom in oh.. about 2 weeks (my suitemates might have done it once in there...LOL). So... right now, it's Friday afternoon.. and my "me time" (i forget what that even means..) is going to be spent CLEANING!!!! and listening to music of course. Maybe a little dancing around the room... HAHA!

Then, dinner and back to studying for my 3 tests next week. I honestly told someone today that I am anxious for finals week because I'm pretty sure it'll be easier than this past week and next. INSANITY!!!!!!!!

ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW I GET TO SEE THIS GUY IN THIS CITY!!!!!!!!
CHICAGO HERE I COME!!!!! :-) We're driving home Wednesday before Thanksgiving together to spend Thanksgiving here of course and then he'll go back on Monday after Thanksgiving. I can't wait to spend OVER A WEEK WITH HIM!!!!! I've seen him 4 days in 3 months!!!! That's just not fair. HEHE!!!

Friday, November 7, 2008

Just sayin'....

In the next 2 weeks before Thanksgiving Break.... I have 5 tests. BLEH!!!! No Fun for me for the next 2 weeks!!!! Bleh!!!

I'm at home this weekend just relaxing and doing homework, reading and studying a lot. I am gonna have some fun tomorrow and see some old friends. I'm really excited!! :-) Other than that.... read, study, read..


Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Barack The Vote (excuse the cheesiness....)


HAPPY ELECTION DAY!!!!!! I hope every exercised their right to vote today! No matter who wins today... their is a bigger hand in all of this...

We'll see what happens....

Monday, November 3, 2008

Who Am I?

After reading someone's blog today out in blogworld.... I began to question who I am....

I think this is something I've been thinking a lot about subconsciously lately.. because quite frankly I feel like I don't have the time to think about it right now.

I'm a 22 year old girl who is still trying to figure out who I am.... is that okay? Should I know this already? I feel as though in most aspects of my life I'm pretty confident in who I am... but the more I thought about this just a few minutes ago.... I'm really not entirely certain of who I am. I guess it's because in this part of my life right now I don't feel settled. I feel as though I'm just here in a place that I know I'm not going to be forever. I can't feel as though I'm settled. I want with all I am to be settled. I am ready for that establishment in my life. I feel ready at least.

Sorry for the rambling... I'm still pondering on all this... maybe I'm just emotional right now. I'm not sure... what to think really.

Nursing school is so hard... it's hard to find time for yourself. I would love to have a day right now to just do what I want and not feel guilty about it.

It's so hard being 10 hours away from Matt. I know that people do it all the time.. the long distance relationship that is... but it's not easy at all.. I think it's easier due to the fact that we've been together for almost 3 years but it's definitely not an easy thing.

This is just all the stuff I've been thinking about thrown into a big pot of craziness...

sorry for the rambling and all the "who am I?" blah blah blah.... but just needed to get it out there...

Sunday, November 2, 2008

$5.00 Prom

Halloween was fun this year! I planned a $5.00 prom for the group that I'm in on campus called Campus Crusade For Christ. "Cru".... The goal is to be as cheap and well... as ugly as possible really...

It was so much fun! I went all out with the cheesy stereotypical prom stuff.

Here are some pictures from the night.Me and my hott date, Lauren!
(that's me in the blonde wig if you couldn't tell!)
Me and Jordan... so funny. Becca and I. She helped me plan the whole thing.

It was so much fun! I set up the nice photo background like Prom... it was hysterical.
We Bobbed for Apples...

We Danced like crazy!
We played this nasty game....


It's hard to see.... but they are feeding them baby food and whoever finished the jar first won. It was really funny!

We had Prom King and Prom Queen.... Matt and Becca. LOL!



It was a really fun night. Afterwards I went to one of my friends' house party for a little bit...
I went as Sandy From Grease... and my friend Rayner was the chick from the Guns N Roses November Rain video and her boyfriend was Axel Rose. They were too cute. :-)

It was a great Halloween.


Yesterday we had our Community Baby Shower for our Maternity Nursing Class. I am so glad it's over. The planning for it was intense. It was starting to take over our lives. It went really well though and we actually had a lot of pregnant women and families come through. We gave away a TON of prizes (a baby crib, stroller, mom massages, make up, gift certificates, bassinet's, and all kinds of goodies) and we had different information there too... WIC was there, a group of midwives from town, and family dentists, and each of the nursing students had different stations... mine was Infant Care so I gave away pacifier's and talked about how to handle your baby and take care of the umbilical cord, circumcision care, etc. It was really good.

Now back to studying. I can't even believe it.... but there are only 4 weeks left in this semester (excluding the week I have off for Thanksgiving Break!) I can't believe this semester is almost over... but I have TONS of work to do before then. So.... back to that...

Hope everyone had a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!! :-)