I am very excited to announce that today I start a new Weight Loss Challenge. The hospital is hosting a contest for employees. There is a $5 entry fee, the competition last 12 weeks, and I could win $250! Wouldn't that be nice in October for Christmas! There are also weekly prizes. An added bonus is that for every pound lost by employees the hospital is going to donate $5 to the backpack program in Salem. I am not 100% sure but I believe this program helps put food in backpacks so that needy kids have healthy snacks at home over the weekend. Pretty cool huh!
The contest starts this week so I don't have any loss to report yet, but I wanted to share my plan of action. I am going to be counting points again and I am going to be walking on my 4 days off each week. I have downloaded a Couch to 5K program that I am going to try. I plan on taking the kids with me, they can ride their bikes in town while I take advantage of the great bike/walking trail we have in St. James.
I am super excited about this. I have struggled with weight gain ever since I went back to school and have tried to shed the pounds but between school work and family it just never happened.
BTW this is my first "scheduled post". I have never taken advantage of that before but since it is Weigh-In Wednesday I figured I would!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Stay at Home Parents? Seriously?
So let me start this post out telling you guys how much I love my job! Seriously! Yes there are days when I want to shake all the people that seem to come into the ER for pain medicine, but my heart instantly softens because a member of my family is dealing with drug issues. So I even use those patients to learn from. Anyway, I love my job! I love all the people I work with, and I have only cried on the way home once! My boss is great, she is very family oriented, she has three boys herself so I am sure she understands. Anyway, after we got home from Florida and I got my first "real" paycheck we started sitting down with the budget. I knew we were paying a ridiculous amount for daycare (to the tune of $170 a week), but wasn't sure how the schedule would work with my job so I wanted to wait before I made any major changes. Naturally, because I love my children, if I was off they stayed home with me. After all I have missed so much with them the last three years. And suprisingly Scott has started keeping them home with him when I am at work (answered prayer her folks!). I think he enjoys having his little fishing buddy around.
So this issue of daycare was weighing very heavily on my heart. I knew it was insane, I knew our money could be much better spent elsewhere, and who else is better to raise their own kids than their own parents - duh! So I approached my niece about watching the kids. I think for the month of July and first part of August there were 6 days when Scott and I would both be at work. She agreed and this is howI we became "Stay at Home Parents".
Now there have been challenges. Remember when you were a teenager, life was so carefree. No biggie if I call off a day, right? Huge panic set in for me because I could not find anyone. I actually was able to switch the days I worked (here's that good boss). And I twisted Miss Cheryl's arm and she is gonna keep the kids every once in a while for a few hours (occasionally I have to go into work and Scott is heading home from work so there is a small gap).
The kids are so funny, every once in a while they will look at me and I can see it in their little eyes, they are thinking why is Mom here. I am having a hard time not being an absolute bum now, but I am working on that too.
God is good ladies!
So this issue of daycare was weighing very heavily on my heart. I knew it was insane, I knew our money could be much better spent elsewhere, and who else is better to raise their own kids than their own parents - duh! So I approached my niece about watching the kids. I think for the month of July and first part of August there were 6 days when Scott and I would both be at work. She agreed and this is how
Now there have been challenges. Remember when you were a teenager, life was so carefree. No biggie if I call off a day, right? Huge panic set in for me because I could not find anyone. I actually was able to switch the days I worked (here's that good boss). And I twisted Miss Cheryl's arm and she is gonna keep the kids every once in a while for a few hours (occasionally I have to go into work and Scott is heading home from work so there is a small gap).
The kids are so funny, every once in a while they will look at me and I can see it in their little eyes, they are thinking why is Mom here. I am having a hard time not being an absolute bum now, but I am working on that too.
God is good ladies!
The Results are in!
So, I know you all remember that I just recently graduated from RN school. Yeah me! Did you all remember that I had that one last test to take - my nursing boards test?
Well I took those boards, on July 7th. I kept telling everyone 7/7 had to be a lucky day! So I went up the night before and stayed at my dad's house, I had to be there bright and early at 7:30 am. The test is a computer adaptive test which basically means that if you get questions right they give you harder and harder questions until they feel you have passed a certain number of hard questions. The minimum number of questions is 75, the maximum is 265. Big range here huh? Prior to my test date, 4 others from my class had taken the test, all of them got 75 questions and they all passed. So I am feeling pretty good about my odds, but they all took a $400 review course that I did not take, I went to the beach instead. Priorities right?
Anywho, I got there, had to do fingerprints, palmprints, give a DNA sample (ok not) and got situated at my computer. I remember looking at the clock on my computer and it read 7:45. I remember a brief prayer of a clear head and calm. And so I began. The first question wasn't so bad, I felt pretty confident, I must have gotten it right because they kept getting harder. I remember I got lots of OB/Newborn which was a huge blessing for me! I recall seeing question #68 and then quit paying attention to what question I was on because I knew I would get myself all worked up if I got to #75 and had to keep going. The next thing I remember is a big blue screen, I had a brief moment of panic thinking oh no the computer froze I have to start over blah blah blah. Then I realized I was done.
I left there (practically running) feeling so confident that I had passed. But 48 hours is a long to wait to get results and of course by Friday morning I had myself convinced I had failed.
Friday morning I had to work. At Salem they are super strict about what websites you can and can't access. Luckily I was able to get onto the website for my results. Of course I had about 10 people standing around me as I was looking them up. But guess what? I passed!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I printed out that paper, highlighted the part that said passed and showed it to anyone and everyone that would look. When I got home that night my family had me a wonderful cake made, dinner cooked, Hannah made me a certificate that said #1 Nurse! It was one of the most memorable days ever! I still sometimes tell my husband - "Do you realize you are married to an RN?" He just laughs. I love it! And I am so glad this phase of my life has come to an end!
Well I took those boards, on July 7th. I kept telling everyone 7/7 had to be a lucky day! So I went up the night before and stayed at my dad's house, I had to be there bright and early at 7:30 am. The test is a computer adaptive test which basically means that if you get questions right they give you harder and harder questions until they feel you have passed a certain number of hard questions. The minimum number of questions is 75, the maximum is 265. Big range here huh? Prior to my test date, 4 others from my class had taken the test, all of them got 75 questions and they all passed. So I am feeling pretty good about my odds, but they all took a $400 review course that I did not take, I went to the beach instead. Priorities right?
Anywho, I got there, had to do fingerprints, palmprints, give a DNA sample (ok not) and got situated at my computer. I remember looking at the clock on my computer and it read 7:45. I remember a brief prayer of a clear head and calm. And so I began. The first question wasn't so bad, I felt pretty confident, I must have gotten it right because they kept getting harder. I remember I got lots of OB/Newborn which was a huge blessing for me! I recall seeing question #68 and then quit paying attention to what question I was on because I knew I would get myself all worked up if I got to #75 and had to keep going. The next thing I remember is a big blue screen, I had a brief moment of panic thinking oh no the computer froze I have to start over blah blah blah. Then I realized I was done.
I left there (practically running) feeling so confident that I had passed. But 48 hours is a long to wait to get results and of course by Friday morning I had myself convinced I had failed.
Friday morning I had to work. At Salem they are super strict about what websites you can and can't access. Luckily I was able to get onto the website for my results. Of course I had about 10 people standing around me as I was looking them up. But guess what? I passed!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I printed out that paper, highlighted the part that said passed and showed it to anyone and everyone that would look. When I got home that night my family had me a wonderful cake made, dinner cooked, Hannah made me a certificate that said #1 Nurse! It was one of the most memorable days ever! I still sometimes tell my husband - "Do you realize you are married to an RN?" He just laughs. I love it! And I am so glad this phase of my life has come to an end!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Thinking about it. . .
So I have been strongly thinking about restarting my blog. But I definitely want it to have a new focus, so you guys tell me. What do you want me to write about? I have a few posts brewing in my mind such as. . .
The day I got my results
We are sorda stay at home parents now
New routines
Featured Family Members
Did you know we have a dog?
What's your favorite Staycation Location
Bedroom vs Playroom
I might tackle a few tough topics just for fun like - becoming "members" of a church, To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, Birth control vs Natural Family Planning vs God's Will, and Divorce to name a few.
and of course lots of posts with pics of our fun, amazing, relaxing, reconnecting summer.
Oh and a few little surprise posts that might give you all some insight into my crazy, mixed up mind.
Hope everyone is having a great summer!
Jaimee
The day I got my results
We are sorda stay at home parents now
New routines
Featured Family Members
Did you know we have a dog?
What's your favorite Staycation Location
Bedroom vs Playroom
I might tackle a few tough topics just for fun like - becoming "members" of a church, To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, Birth control vs Natural Family Planning vs God's Will, and Divorce to name a few.
and of course lots of posts with pics of our fun, amazing, relaxing, reconnecting summer.
Oh and a few little surprise posts that might give you all some insight into my crazy, mixed up mind.
Hope everyone is having a great summer!
Jaimee
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The End
So in the past week and a half I have been doing alot of thinking, soul searching you might call it. Here are some of the questions I have been pondering:
Am I the only mom out there who reads other people's blogs and feels like the crappiest parent/wife in the world? Or doubts her status as a "Christian" because I don't proclaim it on every post?
Why is it people will post stuff on facebook that is just down right mean and hurtful? What kind of example is that?
Why do I feel like my worth on this earth is determined by what other people think of me instead of how I feel? Why do I allow people to make me or my family feel this way?
Why do I feel my attractiveness is based on my pant size? Can I not be attractive at a 16? Do only single digits = beauty? If they don't why do I think they do?
Am I the only mom out there that is ok with her kids eating sugar, staying up late during the summer, playing until they drop, and gets a kick out of their attitudes? Seriously, I don't want a "Yes Sir" child, I don't want my daughter to grow up without her own ideas and feel she can't go against the grain because it might be construed as misbehaving. Would I want her to go along with something I morally object to just because everyone else is? No I would want her to be strong and do the right thing. Do I realize that she needs to learn the balance between being disrespectful and having her own opinions? Yes I absolutely do, but I don't want my kids to just do what they are told. I want them to understand why they are doing something. Did George Washington "obey" his orders from the English, or did he go on to be the first president of this great country?
Anyway, this could go on to be a very long post if I "let it all out", but I am not going to. However, I am going to be shutting down my blog in a few days. I need to quit comparing myself to everyone else and concentrate on being the best Christian, mom, wife, and nurse I can be. Don't take offense, but I won't be reading your blogs. Not for a while anyway. But I would love some good old fashioned girl talk, so feel free to call me up anytime or send me an email.
Am I the only mom out there who reads other people's blogs and feels like the crappiest parent/wife in the world? Or doubts her status as a "Christian" because I don't proclaim it on every post?
Why is it people will post stuff on facebook that is just down right mean and hurtful? What kind of example is that?
Why do I feel like my worth on this earth is determined by what other people think of me instead of how I feel? Why do I allow people to make me or my family feel this way?
Why do I feel my attractiveness is based on my pant size? Can I not be attractive at a 16? Do only single digits = beauty? If they don't why do I think they do?
Am I the only mom out there that is ok with her kids eating sugar, staying up late during the summer, playing until they drop, and gets a kick out of their attitudes? Seriously, I don't want a "Yes Sir" child, I don't want my daughter to grow up without her own ideas and feel she can't go against the grain because it might be construed as misbehaving. Would I want her to go along with something I morally object to just because everyone else is? No I would want her to be strong and do the right thing. Do I realize that she needs to learn the balance between being disrespectful and having her own opinions? Yes I absolutely do, but I don't want my kids to just do what they are told. I want them to understand why they are doing something. Did George Washington "obey" his orders from the English, or did he go on to be the first president of this great country?
Anyway, this could go on to be a very long post if I "let it all out", but I am not going to. However, I am going to be shutting down my blog in a few days. I need to quit comparing myself to everyone else and concentrate on being the best Christian, mom, wife, and nurse I can be. Don't take offense, but I won't be reading your blogs. Not for a while anyway. But I would love some good old fashioned girl talk, so feel free to call me up anytime or send me an email.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
New Purse
Oh I did some shopping yesterday before we went for our massages and got this purse. I know, a Coach purse and a massage in the same day?! But yep I did it! I have a big girl job now so I earned it!
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