This is what I have learned while getting ready for my flight on Thursday:
Our country's terrorist threat level in ORANGE and this apparently means the threat of terrorism is high.
Carry-on's are limited to one bag and one personal item. Personal items are purses, laptops, shoulder bags...
There are strict rules allowing anything liquid on board. Anything liquid in a carry-on bag or personal bag has to be in bottles no greater than 3.4 oz and these bottles have to fit in ONE quart sized clear plastic zip bag (they specifically mentioned it could not be a fold over sandwich bag) and there is a limit to one bag per person. Liquids include lotion, liquid foundation, face wash, hair spray, ect.
Be prepared to take off your shoes, jacket, jewelry (this includes ALL piercings. If the metal detector goes off and its because of your piercings you will be asked to remove them)
Don't wrap presents. Security personnel will unwrap them for inspection.
Put all undeveloped film in carry-on luggage. The checked baggage screening will damage the film.
Carry-on bags have to weigh less than 40# on American Airlines and no bigger than 45 linear inches.
I am still not completely sure whether you can take a flat iron in carry-on luggage. (If they refuse to let me take mine, I will be royally pissed.)
They recommend getting to the airport an hour and half before your flight is scheduled to depart.
Be ready to board at the departure gate 15 mins prior to scheduled flight or risk losing your seats.
And don't expect the airline to pay for anything that gets damaged along the way.
It almost would be easier to drive!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Airport Security
Little things I love about you
1. they way your hair fro's out when you run your hands through it
2. the special freckle on your right cheek
3. the way you drive, especially a manual... such confidence
4. the way you look in your motorcycle get-up
5. your ability to get out of trouble
6. your Curve cologne.. always takes me back to when I was 13
7. how you and Siera sleep on your backs, side-by-side
8. the way you love your family
9. your tattoos.. they represent part of you
10. because you love me
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Decisions and Babies
To begin this blog, I must make sure you know the plan Chase and I have. Graduate college (accomplished!), work here for a couple years, take travel assignments so that we can see everything we have always dreamed about (and make great money while we are at it), settle down, start a family. I don't know how many years before the family thing happens. I just know it can't be right now. Now back to purpose of this blog. As a nurse in this area, most of my patients are elderly. And without fail, sometime throughout my shift, I will be asked by one of these patients if I am married and if I have kids. They ask me other questions as well, probably from some instinctive urge to know something about the person they are trusting to take care of them... or they are just lonely, but those two question I can always bet on getting asked. My answers is always the same " yes I am married. no i don't have kids. waiting to grow up. I am only 21." Their answer is invariably "21 is old enough." In their generation, probably so. Mine generation, probably not.
One night, I went through all this with a patient. Instead of the answer I expected, he told me this..... His daughter fell in love with her highschool sweetheart, graduated highschool, got married. But they put off having kids because they wanted to get through college (this story is too close to mine). They kept putting it off after that until one day they found out she had cancer. I don't remember what kind now, but he said she had to have a hysterectomy. It crushed her. He told me to live in the moment because you never know.... Soooo yeah I was double-thinking the things I thought I wanted and the order I want them in. It is funny how we all make a billion decisions everyday thinking we have all the time in the world. But we just don't know. So, what do we do? We make a decision, hold tight, and pray-really hard-that it all works out in the end.
By the way, I am sticking to my plan.
Chase and His Tank
Chase loves fish. Chase loves fish tanks. Chase loves Petco because the sell both. To be honest, I have always been envious of those people who have a passion, or just something they enjoy enough to spend hours everyday doing whatever it is they love. In Chase's case, researching saltwater tanks, different fish, coral, sand....I still am not completely sure what all he looks at... But I notice that he loves it and that makes me happy. He works hard to maintain his tanks and I have found it can be a hard job. I usually try to become mysteriously absent when that starts to happen though.. He recently joined a club call 'Keepers of the Reef'. They have meetings every month and what is really cool is that they help new members get started (because starting a reef tank can be expensive). Chase had already been given an emerald crab and some coral. He is very excited about all this and it is contagious. There is always something new about the tank when I get home and he loves to show it off. So, here are some pics of his second love......
Browsing Myspace
Browsing myspace can be bittersweet. I see the ppl I, for the most part, grew up with getting married, having babies, at out-of-state univerisities studying to become doctors, lawyers, teachers. I browse the profiles of the ppl I loved and the ones I never could get along with. If I knew then what I know now, I think I would have done things differently. But then, I guess, I wouldn't be who I am now. The things I didn't try out for because I was too shy... wasting away beautiful days crying over the boy who wasn't really worth it... being worried about failure but not realizing that I had the rest of my life to think about that.... Now that I am older, I can appreciate all those ppl I went to school with for their own personalities, the things that made them uniquely different from everyone else, without the prejudice of an adolescent. And I wonder. If given the chance to change anything, would anyone really choose to not change a thing?
Friday, May 22, 2009
Flight to Dallas
I am leaving for Dallas on May 28th. Mom and I have decided to fly and I have never flown before. I am very excited!!!! I love visiting my family in Texas. I always make it a point to drive by our old house. I can't help but wonder what my life would have been like if we had not moved and I have grown up there. Would my mom have been a nurse? Would I? .. I try to talk to my Grandma on the phone as often and I can. It makes me sad when she says she wishes I was there with her. I wish I could be. How hard it would be to only see your child and your grandchildren a couple times a year, and if times are hard, less than that. That is how I know I will never leave my Momma. I may travel, but I will always come back home to her.
And so, here I am trying to pack for the trip. I do not want to check any bags so I am trying to fit everything into one carry-on bag (thank goodness I have a big purse). I am a heavy packer, always have been. I like to plan for the unexpected. It is hard for me to only bring what I need, not necessarily everything I want. It reminds me of a quote from a book I am reading by Jodi Picoult:
"You can boil your life down to a single suitcase, if you desperately have to. Ask yourself what you really need, and it won't be what you imagine- you will easily toss aside unfinished work, and bills, and your calendar to make room for the pair of flannel pajamas you wear when it rains; and the stone your child gave you that is shaped like a heart; and the battered paperback you revisit every April, because it was what you were reading the first time you fell in love. It turns out that what's important is not everything that you've accumulated all these years, but those few things you can carry with you."
I just keep telling myself that Grams doesn't care what I bring as long as I "come home". And she is right.
To Chase
Congratulations on Graduation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We all love you very much.
Can't wait to travel with you, baby!
When I Feel Frustrated
When I feel frustrated I............
1. Roll my eyes.. A childish habit, but one that is hard to control.
2. Refuse to listen to any suggestions to solve the problem no matter how wonderful it is. I am one of those ppl who beat their head against a brick wall (for several minutes..sometimes hours) until I realize the best answer is coming from the person I have been ignoring all along.
3. Sulk.
4. Have an insane urge to lay down and sleep. Maybe it is an unconscious desire to dream the frustration away.
When I Feel On Top Of The World I......
1. Laugh frequently.
2. Want to go out to eat.. I must associate this with celebration..?!?!
3. Make silly jokes
4. Gives hugs and kisses
Idol Concert
Wellllllll, I know this may sound dorky but I really enjoyed American Idol this year and am thinking about booking tickets to see their concert. It would be something to look forward to this summer and the tickets really aren't expensive. I'm looking into the St. Louis, MO concert which is on August 29th at 7pm. My momma is interested... hopefully Chase would like to go..Eva Lauren..Karla and Darrell. If anyone is interested let me know.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Colds
I have a cold... Those four little words can strike fear in the hearts of anyone within 3 ft of me. Why? Because colds are the worst. You aren't sick enough to stay in bed, but you are too miserable to be a functional member of society. Since I have had this for going on 4 days I thought I would blog a little bit about it.
A cold often starts with feeling tired, sneezing, coughing and a runny nose. You may not have a fever or you may run a low fever , just a degree or two higher than usual. You may also have muscle aches, a scratchy or sore throat, watery eyes and a headache ( I have ALL these symptoms). As the cold worsens, your nasal mucus may turn from thin and watery to yellow and thick.
A cold usually lasts three or four days but can last up to 10 days. Many adults will have a least one or two colds a year, and most children will have five to eight. Colds are most common during months when people tend to gather indoors, such as in the winter.
What can you do to feel better?
 | Stay home and rest in bed, especially while you have a fever. |
| Stop smoking and avoid second-hand smoke, which can make cold symptoms worse. |
| Drink plenty of fluids like water and fruit juices. Try frozen flavored ice (Example: Popsicles). Fluids will help loosen mucus. Fluids are also important if you have a fever because fever can dry up your body's fluids, which can lead to dehydration. |
| Drink hot tea with lemon and honey to soothe a sore throat and help loosen the mucus in your nose. Eating chicken soup can also help loosen the mucus. |
| >Don't drink alcohol. |
| Gargle with warm salt water a few times a day to relieve a sore throat (1 tsp. of salt in 1 cup of water). Throat spray or lozenges may also help relieve the pain. |
| Suck on cough lozenges or hard candy to quiet a cough. Try to use ones low in sugar. |
| If a child is too young to blow his or her own nose, you may try a suction bulb to remove the mucus. (A cold mist vaporizer may also help.) |
Becca and Beer
After work this morning, Becca ( a co-worker of mine) and I drove Gainesville (which is where she lives) and she showed me around her town. It was 77 outside and sunny! So, of course, the windows were rolled down, the radio turned up, and the beer tops were popped!! We just backroaded and checked out different places. It reminded me of how much I loooove summer! Erin ( another co-worker), Becca, and I have made plans for this summer. They are as follows: get off work at 7am; grab our bags that include swim suits, sun tan lotion, and cell phone; head to the river/creek/lake; layout, get tan, and drink beer.. Bud Light or Busch Light depending on which girl you ask. Sooooo excited!
Friday, April 10, 2009
PS 3
Ok so I get a call from my husband saying "I want to trade the Wii in for a Playstation 3".... Those are the last words I wanted to hear. Visions of having to buy new $50 games and other accessories flash through my head. But, as I have come to find out in my little-over-a-year marriage to Chase, he is ALWAYS able to get what he wants and at a good price. I don't care how impossible it sounds, Chase can walk into a store knowing what he wants and walk out with what he wants and somehow we lost no money on the deal. Needless to say, I don't bet against him. So, I reluctantly agree and tell him he has to be able to do it without spending any money. I come home several hours later and find out he was able to trade the Wii and the games with it for the PS 3 and he didn't spend but a few dollars. He was so excited about it that I couldn't help but smile. And since PS 3's play Blue Ray disc he rented a movie on blue ray for me so I could watch it. How sweet!
KT's BBQ
Wednesday afternoon Chase, John, and I cruised over the Gassville and ate at KT's BBQ. I had heard that it was a pretty good place and was excited to try it out. The three of us had a great time! It's a small place and you order at the front counter just the same as you would a fast food joint. I had the pork sandwich with coleslaw and baked beans. The baked beans were soooo good! Chase and John both had the smokehouse burger and they both loved it. I definitely recommend it as a cool place to eat.
Before and After
T
These pictures are in the wrong order..Start here at the bottom and go up. Siera looked so bad before she was groomed!! We had her skirt cut really short this time because her hair has a tendency to become matted. Suzie, of course, gets absolutely no tangles at all. They are so different and I love them both!.. As I am working on the blog, Siera is right up in my face. And I must say.. there is nothing as sweet as a freshly bathed, newly groomed schnauzer! mmmmmmmmm you guys no what I'm talkin' about... :)
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Ashley's Krispy Kreme Doughnut Bread Pudding
There's, like, a hundred different versions of this recipe. I only make it for special occasions or when I want to suck up to somebody, because it is so sweet it makes your teeth hurt. And I don't put raisins in my bread pudding; raisins are a Yankee thing. I think they look like bugs.
To begin with, use a 13 x 9-inch glass pan. Preheat the over to 350.
Here is what you need:
2 dozen Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts, torn into little chunks. Put the chunks in a large bowl.
3 eggs, beaten. Don't add them to the doughnuts yet.
1 can sweetened condensed milk. Add to eggs. Beat together.
Vanilla flavoring to taste. Add to milk and egg mixture. Use one teaspoon if you don't like strong vanilla flavor, add more if you do. The whole point is to make the bread pudding the way you like it.
1/2stick of melted butter.
Cinnamon to taste. It takes way more cinnamon than you probably expect, but start out with a little and keep adding until it tastes right.
Pour all of this into the bowl of doughnut chunks and stir. It'll be too dry, because now you have to make a choice. You can either put in a can of fruit cocktail, with the juice, which gives the pudding enough moisture- and in a weird way the fruit cocktail cuts down on the sweetness- or, if the idea of fruit cocktail in your bread pudding gives you the heebie-jeebies, just start adding milk, a little at a time, and stirring it in, until the texture seems right to you, not so juicy that it's soup but moist enough that it's kind of like a lumpy cake batter.
Now you have another choice: chopped pecans or no chopped pecans. I love it with chopped pecans. If you decide to use them, add I cup to the mixture and stir.
You can also add a little nutmeg, about 1 teaspoon if you like. I usually don't.
Pour into pan and bake for 30 mins. Check with toothpick to see if it's done. Take it out and let it cool. Add a glaze if you like, then dig in. If you don't want to fool with the glaze but the pudding looks naked with nothing on top, then buy some cans of ready made frosting and put it on. Talk about a sugar overload. Whoa, Mama.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
My Top 10 Guilty Pleasures
1. 80's music- I know it can be cheesy and I know it can be stupid but I don’t care. When Everybody Wang Chung Tonight comes on, I’m singing along.
2. TLC's What Not to Wear- I love Stacy and Clinton. And this show is interesting without requiring too much brain power. (I also want Stacy and Clinton to be having a little something going on the side - I know he’s gay, but I don’t care).
3. The Dallas Cowboys- their glory days have been over for awhile, but I still remember all my Dad's friends coming over to watch the Cowboys play when I was little. It was roudy and fun and I still can't help but watch and secretly wish for them to do well.
4. Sappy romance novels- I will never admit this to anyone's face but on occasion I love a good love story. Who doesn't love to relive the thrill of falling in love? With that said, you will never catch me reading them in public.
5. Little Debbie Snack Cakes- I never buy them but if you offer me one I won't turn it down. This is a true guilty pleasure because they are so good going down but you feel so guilty afterwards.
6. Smirnoff Ice- It goes down so easy. I love this crap.
7. Buying ridiculously expensive body lotion- Terralina, baby! What can I say? It makes a women feel sexy.
8. High heels- I rarely wear them. I am miserable when I do. But they are hotttt!
9. Pajamas- I like sexy ones, cute ones, grandma-ish ones. Rainy days + PJ's = Bliss.
10. Speeding- at least 5-10 mph over. Maybe it is my impatient nature, maybe the power-trip, or the adrenaline, but damn it sure is fun.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Drinks and Good Friends
This is my plan for the rest of the week... Read a book the rest of the night. Tmo is payday which is also grocery shopping day. Friday I have EMR classes at the hospital from 8a-2p. Then work Saturday and Sunday night. WHEW!... However I do have plans for fun in the near future. My good friend from nursing school.. and well before that... John Milner called today to talk about our new career as RN's! We talked for a good hour about all that we have done and made plans to get together with other members from our class and celebrate passing the NCLEX!! And if I know John like I think I do, this will definitely involve drinks and a good time! Can't wait :)
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Weeds on Showtime
Chase and I love love love this series! Season 5 starts this summer on Showtime. Become addicted with us........:)
February 28th
Ok, so Feb 28th is catching up to me. Most days I feel confident and ready to take the NCLEX and other times I am scared to death. Professionally and personally I would be devastated and embarrassed if I happened to fail but I tell myself it happens to the best of us. I feel like I will pass and I am definitely ready to get it over with... I start nights tmo and I am soooo looking forward to it. I love the ppl on the rotation I will be on, and I think it will be a lot of fun!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Murano
The picture really doesn't do the damage justice. The windshield is cracked so much that the rearview mirror is hanging by a wire inside. The sun roof is busted and water is leaking in. A limb that you cannot see in the pic fell prior to this and busted the left tail light and left a dent in it. Also, just a couple of hrs ago, another limb fell right on top of the one in the picture. It is so depressing all I can do is laugh and think..' this is why i have full-coverage insurance.' Hope everyone else's things are fairing better than ours!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
MY TEMP IS HERE
My temp came in!!! I start on Monday and I could not be more excited. Now I can worry about something else... like passing the NCLEX :). I scheduled myself to take it on Feb 28th. I have a good month to study like crazy and I plan to do so!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Temp License
As soon as I get my temp license I will be able to begin working as a RN. It is taking longer than normal so I have been pretty anxious lately and contracted a case of the "bots" (blahs). On Monday I plan to call and inquire about it..maybe speed up the process. I have been enjoying being at home though. I told Chase that I could totally be a stay-at-home wife. He said "I don't think so, scooter!" Hahaha It has been nice having the time to clean and catch up on laundry but I do need to begin work asap so remember me in your prayers. Love you all!
