Day 334

After all the holiday food, my husband and I found ourselves at the gym this morning. An hour and twenty minutes on the bike and I was finally starting to feel like I had probably burned off a couple of servings of pumpkin trifle...

The weather was unusually warm today, so we opted to take the dogs for a walk when we got home. The 11-year old and a friend were out playing basketball as we left, two dogs excitedly pulling on their leashes in anticipation. 

As we rounded the corner on the way home, my husband yawned loudly and said that he had been up most of the night before at work helping the public. He declared that he was gonna take what he refers to as a "Papaw nap" since his grandson was born. 

We were pleased to note that the boys were still going strong when we turned into the driveway. And as we passed by the two pre-teens, the 11-year old's friend asked, "Will you play with us Mr. Little?"

We stopped, and I smiled at my husband, at the same time holding my hand out to take the leash of the dog he had been walking. And as I stepped into the house and closed the door, it was with the sound of tennis shoes hitting the ground and a ball swishing through a hoop.

Tonight's picture represents taking advantage of playing with your kid. As I snapped this picture, it was with the realization that not every kid is lucky enough to have a parent who will/can play with them. And not every parent has a kid who will ask them to play. Although technically I guess it was the 11-year old's friend who asked him to play....Papaw got his nap, albeit later than he had hoped. But the truth is he got much more than a nap- he got memories.

Day 333

Some things just never get old.

When all of the pies were brought to the Thanksgiving table, I went to the fridge and pulled out the Reddi-Whip. I then proceeded to go to our smallest member of the family, a toddler boy of about 3 years old. I told him to "open up" as I began to shake the can.

The older kids immediately knew what was happening and began to surround us excitedly. The poor little boy looked nervously around but opened his mouth obediently.

The only thing I regret is not getting video.

His eyes got as wide as egg yolks as soon as I pressed my finger to the trigger, and he was immediately overcome with giggles, only to be muffled by the white cloud of magical puffy sugar that now took residence in his mouth.

Everyone, big and small, whooped with laughter and applauded, encouraging the young man to "go ahead and eat it"

"Uh-uh" he said as he shook his head, mouth still open with white foam sticking out and giggles still escaping his mouth. He laughed and snorted until most of it came back out of his mouth, and his grandma helped wipe up the remnants of his first Cream-In-A-Can experience. Soon there was a line of children in front of me, pie forgotten in lieu of getting a turn at the infectious topping.

Today my son and I woke up to find that my husband had taken the leftover pumpkin pie to work today. Not that we were going to eat it for breakfast or anything......"Oh well", the 11-year old said. "At least we still have Reddi-Whip". He proceeded to tip his head back like a pro and squirt a plume of ribbony cream into his mouth.

We giggled. Who needs pie?

Today's pic represents the fun of being a little bit silly and playing with your food, as well as the joy of a child's laughter as they experience something for the first (or hundredth...) time.

Day 332

Another of my favorite days of the year comes to a close.

Black Friday.

I do start Thursday night, but not until 10 PM or so. I have a girlfriend who loves this event as much as I do, and we met at our mutual favorite store in the world- Gabriel Brothers. It was almost empty, which we took as a good omen, for our goal is always to avoid the masses.

You see, my view on Black Friday is not necessarily about getting the best deals of the year. It is about focusing for 24 hours on getting all my shopping done for the season so that I can relax and spend the rest of the holidays with my family, without feeling pressured about heading out into the insanity that is the mall closer to Christmas.

Well, and there is the cold truth that I love to shop. That is definately a motivator. I can do it for hours and come home with barely anything. Drives my husband batty.

 But my husband is totally supportive of my annual tradition. He just shakes his head when I drag myself home after almost 24 hours of supporting the economy.

It helps that Black Friday is in the middle of football season though.

I'm headed back out now for one last final round with my BFBFF ( Black Friday BFF). We are gonna hit the outlet malls- they closed at 2 AM this year and that just wasn't enough time for us to get through every store! 

I have crossed >90% of gifts off my list in less than 24 hours. I was reviewing said list when a young man working at Aeropostle noticed me and asked me to show him how I did things on my IPad (yes, I had my IPad with me at 2AM in the mall...). 

"Are you a professional shopper?" He asked, a little slap happy giggle escaping his tired face.

"Well, I'm a professional Black Friday shopper at least". I showed him my written list of people and gifts, my black folder/binder which had all my coupons neatly organized alphabetically, and my IPad app which had all the stores and their sales available along with a list of flagged items I had chosen to look for.

"Whoa lady. You weren't kidding when you said you were serious".

Nope.

Today's pic represents annual traditions and being able to cross things off your list. I got a hell of a deal on this T-fal pan. $14.99 baby. But I got so much more too- a night/day spent with a dear friend, gifts for people I love, and the special comradarie that exists on Black Friday between strangers. I have never been in a nasty situation like many people talk about. You know me- by the time I get to the end of the line I have made new friends with the people in front and behind me :).

Day 331

I know what you are thinking. Happy Birthday? Don't you mean Happy Thanksgiving?

Nope.

Today my step-grandpa turned 87. So although we had pumpkin and pecan pie, we also had chocolate birthday cake complete with sparkling candles.

Eighty-seven years is a long time to live. And trust me, this guy isn't slowing down. He still lives in his own home, drives, excercises, goes to church....and has a girlfriend that is much younger than he is.

I asked him what the secret to living 87 years is. He took a minute to think about that, then answered, "A healthy lifestyle, family, I take my medicine like I'm supposed to, and loving God".

Seems simple enough. Until I heard what he does for a "healthy lifestyle". He gets up every morning and rides 5 miles on his stationary bike. Then he lifts weights. Oh, and don't forget the 86 (now 87) push ups and sit-ups that he does.

Every day.

Um...I can't do one push-up, so I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna make it to 50...

Tonight's picture represents a different kind of celebration on Thanksgiving. I love little old men. Just think about everything they have seen in their lifetime. They are like walking history books. Think it's funny that Grandpa will only buy things that are Made in America? Well, Grandpa served in the armed forces and saw things we will never see in order to defend our country. He grew up in an era where patriotism just had a different aura. Think it's cute that Grandpa says he won't shop at Kmart? Well, did you know that he does that because Kmart at one time sponsored a famous golfer who made a racial comment? That doesn't make him cute- it makes him awesome, especially since he grew up during a time when standing up for Equality was unfortunately not the norm. So Happy Birthday Grandpa- may the next year of your life be filled with family, love, God, and...well, push-ups.

Day 330

At seven this morning, I found myself sitting at the kitchen table with my mug of coffee, looking over my To Do list for the day. All in all, it wasn't bad:

- Toast bread
- Cook onions and celery
- Make crab dip
- Shopping (the 11-year old needed khakis and dress shoes)
- Go to Mom's (help her with any prep work)
- Finalize plan for tomorrow's 5K

I lounged around a bit and perused Black Friday ads, but  by 9 AM I had two cookie sheets of homemade bread cut in cubes and toasted on the counter drying. I then brought out my frying pan and stuck an entire stick of butter in it to melt. Wow- I haven't used that much butter in anything since....last Thanksgiving probably. It was yellow and gorgeous as it slowly melted in my pan-be still my beating heart.

Wait. Crap. I didn't mean that!

But Holiday meals are not ones to pull out the margarine tub for. Yes, I try to put more meat and vegetables on my plate than stuffing and mashed potatoes, but then I get to the gravy and....oh hell with it. This is why I exercise, right?

I used more butter with the second round of stuffing prep, then put the onions and celery swimming in their golden bath into the refrigerator- right next to the two pounds of sausage I had cooked up the night before for the cornbread stuffing...

I moved on to artichoke-crab dip, whose first two ingredients are mayonnaise and cream cheese. Yeah, baby. Can't go wrong with that combo. Real mayonnaise (which is a little disgusting when you plop it out of a jar, by the way) and  thick cream cheese joined crab meat, artichokes, and fresh ground Parmesan cheese.

There's lemon zest and green onions in it too though- that's healthy...

Tonight's picture represents cooking with love and butter. Because there are times in life when you just have to cook with the real stuff. I prepared this food with love for my family, and when they moan at how rich and creamy the crab dip is, it will make me happy to know that I have given them a moment of pleasure from something I made from scratch. I may have also given them an increased chance at a heart attack as well, but hey- Thanksgiving is one day in my profession we call "job security".

Day 329

When our older two children were small, they...struggled...with forgetting to turn out lights when they left a room. So I talked to them about how electricity cost money, and proceeded to give them $1.00 at the beginning of the week. 

This seemed like a great idea to them. Until they found out that every time they exited a room without turning the light off, I took $0.25 from their allowance.

But it worked. Within a month, lights were being turned off and I had come out on top financially most likely due to the $$ saved from my $2 per week expenditure. 

Then they went through a phase in which they left everything on the floor. EVERYTHING. With a new baby and 2 dogs in the house, anything on the floor was fair game to get chewed up or slobbered on. And that's not including what the dogs would do...

Once again, I gave each child a speech about how "things" cost money, as well as $1 at the beginning of the week. Each time I picked something up of theirs, I placed it in a trash bag with their name on it. Then, when they wanted or needed something that was in the bag I charged them $0.25 per item.

Needless to say, I made money on that one for awhile. But they learned.

When I came home from work today, one of the first things I found myself doing was laundry. Suprise, suprise. I don't necessarily mind doing laundry. There's something....orderly...about separating the colors and materials, then folding the clean linens into their designated piles, and putting them away neat and tidy. I don't know why I like that...

But then I opened a sock that had been put in the wash still balled up in a wad. And a rainstorm of dirt and dog hair descended upon my perfectly tidy stacks of clean undies.

Oh, it's on.

There are now Three Rules of Laundry Engagement in our household:

#1. Any clothes left on the floor of the bathroom or a bedroom will not be washed by me.

#2. Any pants that are not separated from underwear when put into the laundry will also not be washed by me. 

#3. Any socks that are not turned the right side out WILL NOT BE WASHED BY ME.

These new rules were announced at the dinner table, and the only response I got was downcast eyes and forks of chicken-and-noodles being shoved in so fast I thought they would choke.

Tonight's picture represents the empowering feeling of declaring war against the enemy, and the enemy is Enabling.When they have to go to work/school without their skivvies or socks on, let it be a reminder that they should have more respect for those who do things for you. I am the first to admit I have a long way to go myself- I am definately an enabler. But today was a step towards recovery. And sanity. As long as I can resist picking the clothes up from the floor....

Day 328

Simple post today.

As I drove to work this morning, I was struck by a bank of clouds to my left that were blocking the sun from claiming the day. The edge of the cloud literally shimmered with a thin line of golden light, where the sun was attempting to conquer the grey cumulus with it's power.

It was violently beautiful, almost like a war against good and evil, dark and light. I snapped a few pictures with my phone as I continued down the highway (don't tell my mother...).

I read a little blurb on Facebook last night that talked about the reality of what a teeny-tiny speck the Earth is in relation to the universe. Our world is so infinitely amazing and beautiful, teeming with life and possibilities. It's truly overpowering to think what else could be out there in the known universe, and it's very easy to get close-minded to this when you are living the day-to-day reality of Life on Earth.

Today's picture represents a snapshot of Life on Earth, and how significantly insignificant our planet is in the scheme of things. I saw another blurb on Facebook about weird photos that trail cameras had supposedly taken. Several indicated pictures of aliens or ghost-like creatures, and at first I laughed it off. But who knows what may be out there...

Day 327

Today is a day that I just have to brag on my kid.

Somehow, I have seriously hurt my back. I think it started as a pinched nerve, and has moved to the muscles from trying to compensate. I have slept in a recliner the last two night, unable to lay flat or on my side. I have woken up screaming in pain from a sudden stabbing sensation going from my neck to my waist. I have dreaded burping, coughing, or even breathing deep, which triggers such a painful spasm that I cry out. I have taken Advil around the clock since Friday night.

And I had to go to the grocery store today.

There really just wasn't any way around it. I haven't been for three weeks, so the pantry and fridge were more than sparse. Plus, I hadn't done any of my shopping for Turkey Day this week, aside from a few cans of chicken broth and pumpkin earlier in the month when they were on sale.

Since I couldn't come up with a good dinner plan that involved chicken broth and canned pumpkin as the two main ingredients, I gave in and made my shopping list. It was a doozie, so I reorganized it to hopefully run parallel with how the store is laid out, making the trip a little less fretful.

Then, I enlisted help. The 11-year old usually groans if I tell him he needs to come with me to the grocery store, but today was a little different. I explained that my back was very sore and that I needed him to help me push the cart, grab things from the shelf, load and unload the car, and even put the groceries away once we got home.

He didn't say anything for a moment, and I could see the turmoil in his eyes- "Holy crap I don't want to do all that!" and "I want to help my Mom because I know she doesn't feel good".

I decided to make it a little more bearable by paying him $5 per hour that he helped me. That perked him up quite a bit. On the way to the grocery I told him about a friend of mine who used to give her teenage son the grocery list and cash money that was budgeted for that week. He was told that he had to get everything on the list, but whatever was left over was his to keep.

That got a spark in his step. "Really? Can we do that today?"

I explained that I didn't think he was quite ready for that, but we would use this trip as a practice session to learn how to compare prices, look at food labels for nutritional value, and use coupons to our advantage.
We started walking into the store where he commandeered  a cart and asked for me to hand him the list.

He was amazing. He hung in there for almost two hours, and actually said he was enjoying himself. He learned how to not only compare prices overall but how to compare them at an "ounce for ounce" kind of level, helping to determine what is truly the better deal. He also learned that there are certain things we just don't go cheap on at our house- like toilet paper, for one.

When we got to the yogurt section, I asked him to turn the cart around and head back toward cleaning supplies. "But that's not next on the list", he declared, obviously alarmed. " Cream cheese and butter are next on the list".

I explained that my list was probably not in the exact order of how the store is laid out, and he still murmured, "I'd still rather buy things in the order they are on the list..."

Good God what have I created?!

Checking out, I'm not sure who was happier that we came in under budget- me or the 11-year old. The cashier was smiling as we took guesses at the total while he swiped our purchases past the ever-ready laser scanner. By the time we got home, unloaded, and put everything away, he had "worked" for over two hours. He even took the cooler out of my trunk that has been there since the end of football season....

Tonight's picture represents a mother's thankfulness for her child's help when she is not feeling herself. You can't see it, but he is actually holding the grocery list in his right hand as he pushes the cart. He looked like a little adult today. Until he asked if he could have one of the free cookies they leave out in the bakery section, of course. I'm off to take a hot shower and lay on my heating pad- but not until I pay up the $12 I owe my personal assistant for the day.

Day 326

Today I got to eat lunch with a couple of long-standing girlfriends that I used to work on the fire department with. The three of us haven't been all together in quite some time, but we fell into rhythm instantly, as if it had been only yesterday that we were together last. But after lunch, we veered from the normal girlfriend type of afternoon. 

We went to a women's self- defense class.

This was a free class at one of city's fire stations, put on by a charitable, non-profit organization. As we walked in, I noted that there were about 20 of us, ranging in age from teens to sixties. We took our seats and met the founder of Assert, a charismatic woman bursting with energy and an obvious passion for empowering women.

Now you may think that a self defense class is mostly learning fancy ways of kicking a guy in the balls. But interestingly, this class was much much more than that. We spent the first half of class listening to statistics, watching videos that taught us about perception being aware of your surroundings, as well as what the difference between being "assertive" and "aggressive" is.

We learned there are three main things you can do to stay safe. It is called "the Triple A" ( as in AAA):

Awareness- We watched a video where we were supposed to count the # of things that changed throughout the scene. We were able to name six things- different flowers on the table compared to the beginning of the video, the lady had a different hat on, etc. And remember-there were about 20 of us in this class...there were 21 changes. Huh. Guess my awareness could use some work. We talked about running with headphones on (guilty), and to pay attention to what is going on (hasn't that same guy passed me in the grocery store 3 times now and is somehow checking out the same time as I am?).

Avoid- Listen to your gut. And don't put yourself in situations where you can become a victim. Don't park next to a van. Don't walk and text at the same time. Don't lay on your stomach in the park and read a book- put your back against a wall or a tree where someone can't as easily sneak up behind you. Use the buddy system, and opt for the grocery store whose parking lot is well lit even if it's a little farther away.

Action- Yes, this is where we got to practice kicking Bob the dummy in the balls. But the theme of "action" is really to have a plan. I have spent a lot of time in my career planning and preparing for all sorts of disasters- mass casualties, Ebola, etc. I hope this is training I never have to use, but it sure can't hurt to think about and practice what I would do. Maybe it doesn't get as far as having to kick someone in the balls. But maybe you recognize an unsafe situation or creepy person and take steps to report it- to a store manager, security guard, etc.

The last half of class was spent practicing using our God-given weapons- voice, elbows, fists, knees, and feet. Bob was the poor dummy who felt our wrath, and it was amazing how empowering it felt to poke his fake eyes out...

But then we had to go 1:1 with Bob. The instructor stood behind him and acted out a scenario. And although I knew it wasn't real, I was suprised at how real it actually felt. When they advanced on you with the dummy, it was very different than standing in a circle and pretending to kick at a groin. They advanced and touched you with it, forcing you to react and literally fend him off.

I am proud to say, I kicked Bob's ass. Actually, I broke his nose then ran like hell. But afterward, I felt more secure that I could actually react and defend myself in a situation, a proud moment from someone who is not usually an assertive personality. Even my girlfriend of almost 20 years was suprised, and gave me a high five as I sat back down.

Today's picture represents learning how to be more aware, and that it's ok to be assertive. If someone makes you feel uncomfortable, it's ok to remove yourself from the situation. It's ok to tell the person asking you for directions in the parking lot to ask someone else and stay away from you. And it's ok to have a plan "just in case", and practice it so that you can be prepared. I saw a lot of statistics today about victims. Don't be a victim- be a "victor", and if you get the opportunity to take a class like this please do. Yes, I could have spent those 3 hours doing something more "productive" (grocery shopping, cleaning, etc), but I'm so glad I took the time to do this instead. So watch out creeps- this Gigi is ready for you!

Day 325

For a period of time during my young childhood, I lived in my grandmother's house. Living with Grandma was great from a child's perspective, and I will be forever grateful for the time I had with her.

But living with your grandmother exposes you to a few things that most kids don't see. Like Grandma with her hair in crazy curlers and smelling like permanent solution. Or worse yet, Grandma without a bra in her housecoat every morning...

My grandmother came from a generation where pantyhose were an everyday occurrence. I can still remember her stockinged toes peeking out from a pair of those soft, fleece-like slippers you can only find at Kmart these days. You know, the ones that are slip-ons with a plastic-like bottom and have the little roses embroidered over the top. 

Today I wore "street clothes" instead of scrubs, anticipating a day mostly spent in my office due to lower acuity on the unit.

This was Mistake #1.

Mistake #2 was wearing my favorite boots. They are cute, cute, cute (their most important feature of course), and although they have about a 2-3 inch heel, are more comfortable than most heeled boots would be.

At least for the first 6 hours on my feet...

Eleven hours after arriving to work, I finally went into my office to gather my coat and purse. This wasn't hard to do, as I had thrown them on my desk that morning as I hurried back out to help my first nurse of the day. 

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE helping my nurses(yes, you are all "mine"). I'd just rather help them in my tennis shoes! I drove home with visions of a hot shower and a stiff drink, anxious to relax and begin a weekend of Thanksgiving preparations.

When I walked in the door, I barely said hello to my family before zipping out of my boots and sliding my favorite pair of sandals on. I literally groaned as the soft, flat interior of the sandal cushioned my foot, and my husband looked over the side of the couch to see what I was doing.

"Long day?" He asked.

By the time he finished those two words I was already behind the bar pouring myself a drink. 

"Ah...that kind of day, huh?"

I winked at him and started shuffling toward the shower that I swear I could hear calling my name. "Your'e gonna take that drink into the shower?" He asked.

"Yup". 

As I looked down at my feet on the way to the bathroom, I was instantly reminded of my grandmother and her stocking/slipper combo. Maybe Grandma was on to something, I thought- I wouldn't mind hanging out in a housecoat and slippers without a bra right now for sure.

Tonight's pic represents memories of a loved one from your past, and the heavenly combination of liquor and hot water after eleven hours in heels.

Day 324

I gave in. I couldn't help it. It was just sitting there and looked so bland and in need of a little fixing up.

I wrapped my first Christmas present.

Our guest room serves dual purpose as both a place for visitors to rest their head, and a place for me to get my craft on. There is a full size bed complete with dresser, bedside table, and lamp. But there is also a large table and two walls worth of organizational racks and drawers, filled with ribbon, paper, stamps, stickers, yarn, pens, markers, tapes, scissors,  etc.

Winter time is when this room gets it's workout. It is where I have labored over homemade games for our Christmas party, cut paper into all sorts of shapes and sizes for scrapbooks, cards, and gift tags.

And yes, it is where I wrap presents.

There is just something that makes me happy about taking an ordinary object and making it look special. Even when our older kids were toddlers and we were dirt poor, I still spent many extra hours "curling" ribbon with my scissors to make each and every gift look as festive as possible. I wrapped everything individually- boxes of crayons, coloring books, underwear....I guess I figured I like to wrap, and the kids love to open wrapping paper so...win, win right?

I do use gift bags for certain things, but tend to lean towards trying my best to put even odd-shaped gifts in boxes so that I can get out my paper and scissors. So if you get a gift from me and peel off paper to find a box that has a Keurig on the outside of it- don't get your hopes up... I love measuring, cutting, and neatly folding the paper, then finding or making the perfect bow and tag to match. Some years I have had "themed" paper for each family member- zebra striped paper with big thick red ribbon for when my step-daughter went through her animal print stage. Paper with deer on it and burlap ribbon for my step-son the bow hunter. Transformers with metallic ribbon for the littlest boy of the bunch. And good ole' Santa Claus paper for my hubby, since Christmas is his favorite time of year.

Tonight's picture represents anticipation of a favorite time of year, and my love for all things organizationally crafty. I limited myself to one gift, and used a gift bag instead of getting out my paper and scissors. Then I got out my spreadsheet, put an "X" in the "wrapped" column next to this person's name, then highlighted that same name to show that there is nothing left to do or buy before the big day of giving. I returned the gift, bag and all, to it's pre-labeled hiding spot ("LOCATION" is another column on the spreadsheet...), and went to go make dinner- singing "Here comes Santa Claus" under my breath.

Day 323

Homework. I don't miss it one bit. But somehow, even though I don't have homework, I still find myself spending hours each evening helping the 11-year old with his.

Tonight was a challenge, for sure. The printer wouldn't work, and the computer crashed twice in the middle of typing out a Word document. Pay Word document that hadn't been saved on a flash drive of course...

Much, much later than anticipated,the homework got finished. All I wanted was a stiff drink, bit instead I grabbed two pieces of chocolate and handed one to my son. " We so deserve this" I said.

He smiled and put the chocolate in his mouth, and we both switched gears for what was left of the evening. For once, he didn't complain about having to get ready for bed. I think he was just as relieved as I was to be done with schoolwork and was ready to call it a night. When I went to kiss him goodnight he said, "Thanks for helping me Mom". 

I smiled down at him, something I hadn't done in the last few hours. I told him I loved him, kissed his cheek, then headed for a hot shower to wash away the memories of bibliographies and ratio problems.

Tonight's picture represents relief at finally finishing something that has not gone according to plan, and a son's quiet thank you that can immediately make all the pent up frustration from an evening melt away.

Day 322

The older I get, the more difficult it is for me to get a good night's sleep. I wake up several times a night, either from body aches or hot flashes. At first my husband thought I was trying to get romantic when I started stripping off my clothes, and he was a bit taken aback when I growled something along the lines of, "Touch me and die"...

This morning when I walked by the 11-year old's room, I found him curled up in the top corner of his bed, with his head literally hanging over the side of the bed. Sometimes he gets driven to the corner recesses of his mattress by one of the dogs, but neither were in sight this morning (they were curled up in the warm spot I had left in my own bed. And no, not that kind of warm spot). 

Oh how I wish I could sleep like that. There was a time in my life where I could sleep just about anywhere and in any position. Now I feel like falling asleep on the couch is an adventure....

Two out of three of our kids have always been "active" sleepers. We used to draw straws  to determine who had to sleep with my step-daughter on vacation in hotel rooms. You could wake up with bruises after a night "snuggling" with her...

Sleep is so important for kids. I can tell a definite difference in the 11-year old's behavior when he goes a night or two without enough sleep. Same goes when he increases his activity level dramatically but doesn't adjust his sleep, such as when football practice starts. By Thursday evening he is usually telling us goodnight before it's his traditional bedtime, giving in to the exhaustion that has him nodding off and drooling on the couch by 8:30 PM.

I am a big believer in sleep for adults as well. I can go without sleep just fine when I need to, but don't ask me to do it for a prolonged period of time. I'm a 6-8 hour a night kind of girl, and less than that for more than a day or two affects every aspect of my life- my job, my excercise, my patience level with helping the 11-year old with homework...I also can feel my overall immune system weakening without enough shut eye. My throat glands start to swell and I just feel...well, tired.

So tonight's picture represents the importance of a good night's sleep, in whatever position makes you the most comfortable. His head was actually even farther off the bed when I first found him- he had pulled it up a little by the time I got my phone and took the picture. An apple a day is not bad advice, but so is making sure you get your rest. You don't have to sleep the day away- a solid 6-7 hours most nights will keep your engine humming just fine. So sweet dreams, my friends. I'm crossing my fingers for a hot-flash-free night!

Day 321

As you may have seen on the weather channel, the midwest was hit with quite the snowstorm last night and into this morning. Pictures erupted onto Facebook of the quiet winter wonderland found outside of our windows- thick, heavy snow that clung to the trees like icing.

It also clung to my car. Four inches of it, and I needed to be at work to teach a class about 7 AM. Somehow, that took a bit of the glitter out of the situation. Especialy since I couldn't remember where I had put the gosh-darn  window scraper since last winter...Schools were closed as well, and with both my husband and I in situations where staying home from work was not an option- I was stuck leaving  with the knowledge that the 11-year old may be alone and stuck in the house all day.

Six or seven years ago, my parents bought a house that is only a few streets away from ours. And over those last six or seven years, they have saved my butt on hundreds of occasions. Sometimes it has involved something on the simple side of the scale- a cup of sugar, a special sort of tool needed to complete a project, or a place to stash Christmas presents from my nosy husband and son.

But other times it has been a panic call from work asking for help to pick my son up from daycare, take him to a sports practice, or the bus stop on cold and/or snowy days like today. This morning's text involved a mixture of these things, asking if they would mind picking the 11-year old up for the afternoon and hanging out with him so that he wasn't cooped up in the house all day.

Now I trust my 11-year old. He makes relatively good choices. I wasn't expecting fire, or strippers, or even inappropriate cable-watching to occur. But I did have a good hunch that his day would mostly consist of video games, You Tube, and stupid television shows....

Once again, my parents gladly swooped in and ensured that the 11-year old hadn't burned the house down. He spent the afternoon eating Subway for lunch and watching Transformers with Grandma- I get my love for alien robots honestly :).

After needing to spend an extra unanticipated hour at work, I arrived at my parents house tired and hungry. The 11-year old was ready to go home, and I knew that our dogs were probably more than anxious to go outside. I chatted with Mom for a minute, then told the 11-year old to get his shoes on.

"Are you hungry?" Mom asked. "I made lasagna and can put some in a container for you to take home."

I took a moment to think about what awaited me in the fridge at my house....2-day old pizza, less than half of a chicken breast, eggs, or yogurt. Wait. Crap. I ate the yogurt for lunch.

"That sounds great Mom. Thanks."

But that one word- thanks- just isn't enough sometimes, although it is heart felt. As I shrugged off my coat and shoes at home and placed the lasagna in the microwave, I took a moment to realize how lucky I am to have the parents that I do. Because that lasagna was a whole lot tastier than 2-day old pizza.

Tonight's picture represents a parent and grandparent's ability to be able to help out in all sorts of ways, from little to ginormous. I hope that I get the opportunity to be the grandparent that picks up their grandkids at the last moment to help out, allowing the chain of love and support to continue from one generation to the next. They say that everyone eventually turns into their parents- well I for one, am very ok with that.

Day 320

When it comes to tools available to me on the computer, it will come as no surprise that I adore Excel. The ability to make spreadsheets, graphs, and tables just makes me....complete.

But there is a program that takes a very close second place in my heart....Power Point.

In my job, preparing and giving presentations is relatively common. Luckily, speaking in front of others has always been a strong suit of mine- I can thank my years of choir and Showchoir for that I think.

Power Point has allowed me to turn what could be a boring lecture on things like cardiac anatomy into a fun, interactive experience for everyone involved. I intentionally put movement and funny pictures up on the screen, helping to keep things light and hopefully trigger nurses' memory about my topic in the future.

My love for making Power Points got heightened when I discovered Google Images. Wow. Game changer for sure. One of my first times using Google Images I was doing a presentation on the process nurses use when they need to call a physician about a patient condition: SBAR

Situation
Backround
Assessment
Recommendations

When I went to Google Images and typed in "Situation", I (very) unexpectedly got hundreds of pictures of some half-naked guy who calls himself "The Situation" on a popular reality TV show. I promptly placed his picture on the slide talking about the first "S" in the process- bet they won't forget that!

This weekend I spent hours preparing for a series of cardiovascular lecture I will give tomorrow. And although the work wasn't easy, I have to admit I had a bit of fun making the Power Point come to life. I usually start by just getting all of the facts that I want on there, then add all the animations, backrounds, and yes- pictures.

One of my mantras at work that I use with my staff is "Know Your Patient". This can mean many things, but the core of it is to understand what is really going on with your patient so that you can better plan for their recovery and be aware of pitfalls that may come along the way. Did your patient have lung surgery? Well, that's nice, but what KIND of lung surgery did they have? A lobectomy? A wedge resection? Were there adhesions or did they do a decortication? Which side did they operate on and why did they operate? Do they have a new lung cancer diagnosis or are waiting for the results of the biopsy done in the OR? All of these things paint a clearer picture and are so important for us to know and understand each and every shift to ensure the best nursing care possible.

So tonight's picture represents using today's tools to help get your point across in a memorable way. As you can hopefully see, I have taken a picture of a Hindu goddess and "pasted" a picture of myself on the head. I use this picture over and over and over again in all of my lectures, to drill the importance of it into their spongy minds. If just one nurse stops and asks the question of their peer, "Yes but what KIND of lung surgery did they have?" I will have done my job!

Day 319

Superman gets to wear his symbol underneath his clothes. So today I took a cue from him. I wore my GILF tank top underneath my sweatshirt. 

That's right. I said GILF. I even wore a black bra underneath. Cuz that's how I roll.  It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I haven't done laundry all week...nothing at all...

I got woken up twice yesterday- once around 5:20 AM to be told my step-son and his wife were heading to the hospital. Almost 16 hours later, I was once again awoken, but this time with a pic of our first grandson.

Wow. So many emotions. Happiness of course, but also a mix of pride, guilt, relief, nostalgia...and then I got a text from the new father:

"He is perfect".

Yep. I cried. I didn't bawl, but shed a few emotional tears over the wonder of a new baby. A child is a gift. I don't take pregnancy and a safe delivery for granted- being a nurse and working with child-bearing women over the years has taught me to respect both. 

Everyone is healthy and happy, with the usual mix of whoo-hah soreness for mom, PTSD for dad, and eyelid puffiness for Junior. They are a great team though, and I know Gigi will have to stand in line to spoil him.

Tonight's picture celebrates getting woken up by a phone call for good news, and the emotional joy of seeing the boy you held in your own lap cradle his newborn son. Gigi and Papaw love the three of you beyond words, and the 11-year old was quite impressed that you pushed him out of "there". He was under the impression babies were much smaller when they are born I guess- "that must have hurt!" He said with a half- disgusted and half-amazed look on his face. That's right son. Remember that, especially when you have a wife of your own one day!

Day 318

I rushed home from (finally!) getting my hair cut this cold, Friday evening- not because I had a social agenda. But because the 11-year old did.

Tonight was his first school dance. 

It was a Sadie Hawkins event, informal with a theme of fun. Did you know that Sadie Hawkins was actually a cartoon character? She was a...homely country girl who couldn't catch a husband. So her daddy claimed one Saturday to be Sadie Hawkins Day, where a race of all bachelors in town would take place in a field. The one that Sadie chased and actually caught, then dragged (kicking and screaming) across the finish line got to be her betrothed.

All the spinsters in town loved this idea, and it became a yearly tradition. The night BEFORE the race they had the Sadie Hawkins Dance ( kind of like Homecoming I guess...)where presumably the women wore heavy boots to stomp on the bachelors feet while they danced- making it more likely for them to catch their injured prey the next day.

It's a bit....praying mantis vs. Hunger Games I guess, but the Sadie Hawkins dances these days are much less violent. The 11-year old did come home with a hoarse voice, but no swollen toes or feet.

He actually didn't argue about wearing an outfit that didn't boast a sports' emblem, and allowed me to "do" his hair differently- there was totally hair goop involved. He wore deoderant AND a spritz of Dad's cologne- it's the best he's smelled since the baby powder and lotion days.

As I sat in line behind a string of vehicles at the school's entrance, I realized I was probably more nervous than he was. I kept asking questions and making suggestions ("are you going to slow dance with a girl? Make good choices. Will there be snacks? Be sure not to fart while you're

dancing with a girl"). He just rolled his eyes a little and patiently answered my questions, resigned to the fact that he has an embarrassing, neurotic mother.

Hey. I may have been in my pajamas, but no one could see that, and I totally had great hair going on.

Two hours later, I picked him up in the same place, again full of questions. But before I could even get the first one out he announced sheepishly but proudly that he had hugged his "girlfriend" for the first time. "We hugged" he stated, matter-of-factly. When I asked him if he danced with her, he looked at me like I had two heads. 

"Did you dance at all?"

"Not really", he replied.

Huh. Maybe he was afraid someone would step on his toes...

Tonight's picture represents a night of firsts along the road to teendom. His huggable girlfriend was texting him before we got out of the parking lot, so I told him to just say no if she invited him out to a field tomorrow.

Day 317

About five years ago, one of my nurses was on light duty after a shoulder surgery. I kept her busy with paperwork, filing, stocking, and other secretarial-type work. One day, I gave her some data and asked her to put it into a spreadsheet for me. She nodded enthusiastically and went back to her designated area to begin.

When I checked on her progress, I was suprised to find her sitting at her desk, with paper, pencil, and ruler in front of her. The computer wasn't even on. when I inquired what she was doing, she replied, " Building your spreadsheet".

Huh. It had never occurred to me that she may not know how to use Excel. 

Today I had a daunting project in front of me, and after I made a list of things to do in order to complete the task, I decided that a spreadsheet was next in order.

I can't explain it, but something made me pull out paper, pencil, and ruler. There was something oddly satisfying about building my own horizontal and vertical lines.

Ok maybe not that odd. It totally makes sense with my personality...

Today's pic represents going "old school" and the satisfaction of creating perfectly straight horizontal and vertical lines. Do you even still have a ruler at your house?

Day 316

If there is one thing that I am a little girlie about, it's jewelry.

I do love my bling.

It doesn't have to be fancy, expensive stuff. But aside from my wedding ring, I very rarely wear the same set of jewelry two days in a row. I have them neatly organized in a case that hangs on my bathroom wall, with overflow in a drawer that contains it's own organizer. Each day, I move through the sets of jewelry one by one, ensuring that they each get equal time against my skin.

Geez. Sometimes even I am a bit disgusted with how OCD I am . That's just ridiculous, Stephanie.

 But please don't ask me to change...

This morning, I threw caution to the wind and picked out two specific pieces of jewelry to wear. Both were silver based, and both had hearts on them, so I at least could keep the "matchy-matchy" beast that resides in my soul at bay.

These two pieces of jewelry were given to me by the units that I managed in a previous life. Each unit, unbeknownst to the other, presented me with a token to take with me and remember them by- something that I will cherish forever.

The necklace was from my cardiac intensive care unit- a silver chain, with gemstones in the heart-shaped pendant it bears. The bracelet was a gift from my cardiac step down unit and sports a round charm which dangles and catches the light- on one side it has my name engraved, with a heart engraved on the other.

I had a very important meeting today. One in which I felt the future of how nursing was going to be represented at my hospital would begin to be shaped. I had done research, taken notes, and was prepared to speak my mind- something that is not always easy to do, especially when what you are proposing means change.

Some may wear a power suit when they have an important meeting. I myself  usually go for power shoes- nothing makes a group pay attention more than a 5'11" woman in 3-inch red patent leather heels.  Maybe you had a lucky jersey or pair of socks when you played sports. I have a guy friend who swears he got "lucky" every time he wore a certain pair of underwear when he went out on the town. Others have rituals before their favorite sports team plays, or before they go to a casino.

As I got dressed this morning, I purposefully put on these two pieces of jewelry, like a knight placing their armor before going to battle, or a vampire slayer applying their necklace of garlic and holy water. I wanted the spirit of the past to be with me today, so that each time I saw the bracelet catch the light when I raised my hand to speak, I would be reminded of the group of people who helped me learn how to speak up for others and how important it is to do so. Every time I felt the weight of the pendant swing on my necklace, I was reminded of how they entrusted me with the awesome responsibility of being their leader, and the weight that this carries, even now when I am no longer with them.

Eight hours later, we concluded the meeting with some definite progress on how we envision nursing to lead themselves in the future. I am fortunate to have leaders there who make me feel empowered to speak my mind, ask questions, challenge ideas, and collaborate. I know that I probably annoyed or angered some people with my thoughts- but my past has taught me how to deal with that, and to know that I probably am doing my job right if that happens. I also hope that others who have been resistant or nervous about speaking their mind in the past see how having your voice heard (in a professional way, of course...) can be such a powerful thing. Maybe they will start to feel more confident to speak their minds as well. I sure hope so.

Tonight's picture represents Talismans, and having the courage to speak up for yourself and others. For where would we be in this world without people who had this courage? What if Martin Luther King had backed out of his "I Have a Dream" speech? What if Susan B. Anthony had just decided to go with the flow and not advocate for women's rights? What if Florence Nightingale hadn't challenged what was known and advocated for change to nursing practice? So tonight I thank each nurse that I have worked with and for who has empowered me to become a leader, in both formal and informal roles. I put my jewelry back in their assigned slots tonight, smiling as I did so, and thinking of how the past has a funny way of helping shape the future.

Day 315

When it comes to movies, I don't necessarily fit the mold of the "typical" female. I much prefer an action movie or thriller to drama or the dreaded "chick flick".

Unless it's Magic Mike. That one was ok.

But in general, give me Jason Statham over Zac Effron any day. Marvel over Nicholas Sparks. And just about anything with Harrison Ford is more than suitable.

But if you were to ask me what my favorite movie of all times was, the answer is simple:

Transformers.

I can still remember sitting in the movie theater when the first one came out. When Bumblebee and Optimus showed themselves for the first time, the entire theater (adults and children alike) went, "whoa..." in unison. I was dumbfounded into speechlessness, and overtaken by happiness to see my childhood heroes come to life so realistically. 

Tonight my husband surprised us by announcing after dinner that he had bought the most recent Transformers movie today at Target. I'm not sure which of us was the most excited to watch it to be honest. We took our appointed seats on the couch, and prepared to once again be swept away into a world of Good vs. Evil- alien robot style.

My two favorite Autobots have given their lives over the last few movies (I won't tell you which ones in case you haven't seen the movies), but I still get a little thrill when Optimus and Bumblebee transform for the first time in each movie.

Tonight's picture represents the magic of childhood heroes come to life, and of great leaders. Optimus is the ultimate good guy and leader- I mean, who wouldn't follow that guy anywhere? The word "Autobot" has become synonymous with "good", and I will never tire of hearing him say, "Autobots...roll out!" Awesome.

Day 314

"Be prepared".

I always thought that was the smartest saying. I tend to live my life by this motto, which has both helped and hindered me throughout the years.

I tend to be the "worst case scenario" type of person, the one who always has to say, "yeah but what if....". I tend to think through every step of a process, imagining all the angles and possibilities so that I can be prepared for whatever is thrown my way.

This worked in my favor when I was helping to construct a new cardiac intensive care unit. I was able to think through every possible scenario, so that in the end the staff at the bedside could care for the patient as effectively and efficiently as possible. I chose exactly where I wanted the lights (as well as what kind of lights to install), the outlets, the light switches, sink, needle dispensers, etc. We moved around the printer, medication dispenser, utility rooms, and other core areas of the unit several times, just to make sure it was perfect. I made the architect do mock-ups of the room, letting us figure out it the heart monitors were at the right height and if we had enough room to get a bed through the doors when 10 other pieces of equipment are in the room. In the end, I think the end product is awesome- a tribute to my OCD and "what if" personality.

On the personal side of this motto, I tend to over pack whenever we go anywhere. Extra pair of underwear, medications, nail file and clippers, rain jacket, band-aids...you get the picture. My family makes fun of me, but all the jokes go away when someone needs a Band-aid...

Recently at work, one of the nurses made a comment as to how she would love to wash her patient's hair really well and get all the tangles out. I promptly went into my office and came back with a bottle of hair detangler.

"You keep hair detangler in your office?"

Yes, I do. Patients with mussy hair is a pet peeve of mine, so I tend to keep a bottle just in case I need to do an emergency hair treatment. That's not wierd, right?

Right?

When I was a new manager, I learned the secret to success as someone who oversees a large group of females. I always kept a base of three things in my office- chocolate, Advil, and tampons. I would even bundle the three items together in a little baggie, making it easier to hand out. The staff knew they could come get a "care package" any time, whether they needed one or all three of the items within.

I have continued that tradition of sorts in my new role, keeping a small "just in case' bucket. It has an assortment of things- napkins, Tums, cough drops, and yes- hair detangler. Every time I pull the bucket down from it's shelf I get a little smirk from the staff member who is there to receive whatever they may need (I have a bit of a reputation for "being prepared" at work. OK I have a reputation for OCD...). But the smirk quickly fades as I raise an eyebrow at them and hand over the item from my bucket. Yeah, that's right. Make fun of me all you want, but I will be the one with the Tums every time administration buys us pizza for lunch.

Today's picture represents being prepared. So forgive me if you are ever in a situation with me and I ask, "yeah but what if...". But I'm definitely your girl if you ever need a Band-aid on the fly.

Day 313

Extra credit.

Gosh I miss extra credit, don't you? Wouldn't it be great if you magically got some kind of extra credit in adult life?

Like maybe socks and underwear would magically never touch the floor again  if you washed AND folded all the laundry in one day.

Or maybe your partner agree to give you a backrub because you cleaned the toilet in his and your son's bathroom, instead of just your own. Because some days that seriously deserves extra credit.

But alas, surplus points are reserved for the academic world. And this weekend, the 11-year old earned his in Science.

Today's extra credit project was on viscosity. The first trick for the poor kid was figuring how to actually say "viscosity"- he tripped up on the word almost every time. Eventually, we got through reading all of the directions, and set about the task to discover how fast a penny sinks in a glass of water, oil, and corn syrup.

We dropped three pennies into each liquid, timing the descent with my stop watch each time. The results were then transferred to a spreadsheet (oh goodie a spreadsheet!) provided by their teacher. And although we discovered that the penny traveled through water the fastest, the true extra credit was actually about volcano lava. They had been studying volcanoes at school and particularly about one city that was dangerously close to lava flow.

"Now that you have completed the experiment, how could this knowledge and technique be used to help towns that live near a volcano?"

Well crap. I had no clue. I just knew which cup the penny dropped the quickest in.

Luckily the 11-year old had his thinking cap on. He announced that scientists could use similar methods to gauge how viscous the lava is, and therefore how fast it will travel. That would allow the city to know how much time they had before needing to evacuate.

Huh. Good thinking kid. I guess I better just go back to my laundry and toilet cleaning.

Today's picture represents extra credit and science projects, as well as the human mind's amazing ability to come up with solutions to problems. And I'm still gonna ask for that back rub tonight...

Day 312

Yesterday's water park adventure continued into today, after the boys all came back to their hotel rooms somewhere between 2 and 2:30 this morning... But by 8:30, the 11-year old was dressed and ready to start a new day.

Thank God the hotel had a Starbucks...

As three o'clock in the afternoon rolled into sight, I had endured more than my share of humid, chlorine-filled air in the waterpark. We packed up all our gear (why does it always seem like you have twice as much junk to take home than what you brought?!) and coerced our boys out of the water with the promise of stopping somewhere on the way home to eat.

I had three 11-year old boys in my Honda on the way to Appleby's, and I couldn't decide if I was horrified or entertained by them...they had some of those universally annoying prizes that are found at every video arcade- whoopie cushions, light-up thingys, and magnets that make clacking sounds when you put them together. They also carried on quite the conversation amongst themselves, obviously oblivious to the parent in the vehicle...at one point I had to interrupt and ask "Why in the world do you even know what that means?!"

"We are in sixth grade, Mrs. Little", the one pre-teen who had made the comment said.

"Yeah. We're men now", agreed the other.

Well, men with whoopie cushions at least.

After cheeseburgers, quesadillas, wings, and ribs for all, we rolled our full bellies and bodies back out to our cars for the last leg home. The air had gotten chilly, so the heater came on in the car. Within ten minutes, both boys were knocked out cold, lulled by a full belly and a warm car to la-la land.

As I looked over at my 11-year old, I had a flashback to the years when I would look behind me in the car to see him sleeping in his car seat. Where has the time gone to? Gone are the chubby cheeks and fingers of childhood, to be replaced with cheekbones, an actual jawline, and the beginning of masculine hands. 

So tonight's picture represents a parent's flashback to their child's younger years. I had made several comments during our trip to other parents about how nice it was to finally have all three children grown up enough to at least not need me to follow them around at the swimming pool anymore. We talked about this, of course, with mixed drinks and beer in our hands as we watched the plethera of other parents with toddlers and small children in the wave pool. I have done my time, happily holding on to children in the pool and riding water slides til everyone's fingers are pruny. And although the majority of me is glad to be past that stage, there are moments that I am hit tremendously by how fast time really does go by. So go play with your kid. Because before you know it, they won't be a kid anymore. 

Day 311

A water park. In the winter.

Why didn't I think of that?!

Today we celebrate the end of football season with an overnight team party at Great Wolf Lodge. And what a great idea this was. All the boys got to run around like animals, burning up energy that has been repressed since the end of the season.

And more importantly, the parents got to sit around and drink, something else that got repressed during football season.

 

So tonight's pic represents the tradition of end of season sports parties. And adult beverages....

Day 310

The average temperature in Wichita Falls, Texas is between 31 and 55 degrees during December. Why is that important?

Because Gigi and Papaw are spending Christmas in The Lone Star State. With the first grandbaby due any day now (!!!), we have decided to take the 11-year old and spend Christmas away from home for the first time.

We were all set to drive, but tonight I decided to look at the cost of flights just for fun. I was happily surprised (especially during the holidays) to find that we could fly and rent a car for a total of only $200 more dollars than driving, and without the wear and tear on our own vehicle. And without driving for 16 hours one way with an 11-year old and my husband...

Sold.

So tonight's picture represents anticipation of a new family member, and that dual feeling of happiness and nausea as you plunk down $$$ for airline tickets. Hopefully Mother Nature will take pity on us poor Ohioans and pull out a temperature in the 50's while we are there. Either way, I am sure it will be warmer there than here, and it won't matter anyway cuz I will be busy snuggling with my new grandbaby!

Day 309

If I could actually get out of bed when my alarm goes off, it would be a miracle I have every intention of getting up as soon as the alarm goes off, but somehow the gravitational pull of my pillow wins over.

If I could ever actually do everything on my To Do list, it would be a miracle. I have every intention on completing everything, but the damn thing just keeps growing and growing.

If I could remember people's birthdays, it would be a miracle. I have every intention on getting each person a hand-signed birthday card, but the truth is I'm lucky to do that for my husband and kid.

If I could remember to take the trash out on Wednesdays, it would be a miracle...

I am getting to the point in my triathlon training, that I am really gonna have to start working out in the morning before work in order to do what I need to do and not detract too much from my family time.

Remember my whole "if I could actually get out of bed when the alarm clock goes off" statement?

Tonight's picture represents good intentions. I packed my bag tonight with everything I would need to swim at the YMCA tomorrow morning before work. I should be able to jump out of bed, throw on my suit and sweatpants, and walk out the door. Cross your fingers...

Day 308

A couple of years ago, I told one of my (younger) nurses that her patient needed a new INT. She looked at me blankly and asked what that was. I explained that it was an older term for IV- "Intermittent Needle Therapy". She looked at me like I was a dinosaur for a moment, but vowed to put in a new...IV...before the end of her shift.

I didn't think too much about it until today. I was helping another (young) nurse turn and bathe a patient. As I did so, I had the patient do as much for herself as she could to help strengthen her arm muscles. I told her that we were getting her "Jane Fonda" in today. 

The patient smiled and nodded her head, but the other nurse gave me a familiar blank look. 

"You know... Jane Fonda," I repeated, pumping my arms like I was doing arm curls for effect.

Nothing.

"You don't know who Jane Fonda is, do you?" I asked glumly. She nodded her head no.

"She's like the...oh, crap what's her name on that TV show..." Needless to say, I don't watch TV hardly at all. I poked my head out of them room and hollered at another (young) nurse. 

"Miranda! What's the name of that young brunette exercise lady on that weight loss show that's so popular?"

"Jillian Michaels?"

"That's it! Thanks!" I started back into the patient room, then popped my head back out.

"Miranda! Do you know who Jane Fonda is?"

Nothing. 

I finished helping with the patient and explained to my younger peer that Jane Fonda was the Jillian Michaels of the 80's. As I started walking down the hallway, I passed by two other nurses. "You guys know who Jane Fonda is, right?"

Nothing.

Oh for the love of God... When did I become the old nurse on the unit? I can still remember when I was the baby!

"Sharon!", I hollered, starting to panic. Sharon came around the corner, ready to do CPR or intubate someone (raised voices in an ICU get charge nurses jumpy). "What's the matter?"

"Do you know who Jane Fonda is?" I asked desperately.

"Of course. Nobody wore leg warmers better than Jane Fonda".

Whew. 

Yeah, I used to be the baby. And now, I'm the "seasoned" nurse. I took a few minutes to reflect on that while I drove home, and decided that I was truly ok with that. I'm at a stage of my life where I have the opportunity to share with others my knowledge and experiences- whether professional or personal. I may not have been able to produce Jillian Michaels' name very easily, but at one point today, I had every nurse on that unit (except Sharon :)) come to me with a question, or to collaborate with me on something. I also got a text today from one of my children's friends, wanting to talk about life. I love helping others, whether it's in nursing, life, or social trivia.

So today's picture celebrates being the seasoned nurse. May we all remember where we came from, and do all that we can to help grow others throughout life. Be a role model. Be approachable. Be alright laughing at yourself when you can't read the #$%&ing heart monitor without putting your reading glasses on. Share your experiences, both good and bad, so that others can learn from your successes and failures. Leave a mark, an impression, a standard for them to follow. It's so important for everyone to have mentors, and hopefully one day they will thank you, even if it's only in their mind as they complete a task that reminds them of you. Of course, if they choose to think of you in a financial sort of way that would be ok too... Just sayin'.

Day 307

I have decided that it is a good thing I'm already married. Because if not, I would seriously consider marrying my new sweat pants.

Unlike my usual yoga-type pants, these are loose and have fleece lining. Pair them up with a matching hoodie (of course I have a matching hoodie), and I may just never put jeans on again.

This is the kind of outfit to wear when you have the flu. Or are having an Indiana Jones movie marathon. It's the modern day housecoat. I even wore them to the grocery, although I admit that was pushing it for me...

I reluctantly put them in the dirty laundry. It was time. But you can bet they are going to the top of the comfy-pants stack in my closet as soon as they are clean. And that's saying something, because usually they would go at the bottom of the pile so I could wear the next pair in line in an even rotation...

Tonight's pic celebrates sweatpants, and the joy of being warm and cozy without waistband marks when you sit down. So bring on the germs and Harrison Ford- I am prepared! Let me know if you want a pair- I have friend who can hook you up :).

Day 306

There is a saying: Men are from Venus and women are from Mars.

Or maybe the men are from Mars and women from Venus. But "Venus" rhymes with "penis" so...never mind. You get my point.

One of the many differences most women have from men (other than having a Venus) is our ability to carry on prolonged conversations with each other. My husband just cannot understand how I can go out to "dinner" with a girlfriend and come back five hours later. "You never talk to me that long", he says.

Cricket. Cricket.

Today I had a three-hour coffee with a girlfriend. Yep. We sat in Starbucks for three hours over one cup of coffee. But I'm pretty sure we solved everything from World Hunger to The Meaning of Life. So I think that's pretty good for three-hours work. You should see what I can do on two cups of coffee...

Later this afternoon, I got a phone call from a girlfriend I hadn't talked to in months. So of course, we had to chat for a minimum of an hour. We talked about family, friends, work, and the hell of getting older and trying to keep up with people younger than us at the gym. Ok maybe it was a little over an hour...

Then tonight, I got to have a prolonged text conversation with another girlfriend who is my shopping, spread-sheeting, party-planning twin. Some of it was serious and some was silly, but I counted 70 separate text balloons spanning over an hour. That being said,  we now have outlines for what to do for Thanksgiving, my 40th birthday, her next two big birthdays, as well as promises to each other concerning nursing homes and making sure we have our pearls and heels on even after we are old and senile.

Tonight's picture represents the power of girl talk. Even if we accomplish absolutely nothing, I still walk away feeling better than before the conversation. So tonight I am thankful for my girlfriends, and all the talking, phoning, and texting we have done over coffee, margaritas, wine, and ok, every once in a while food. I love you all!

Day 305

Today is November first. You know what that means.

Only 55 more days until Christmas.

Today I started my shopping with a trip to one of my favorite stores, The Olde Farmstead. This is a locally owned business that specializes in comfortable, high-quality country-style home furnishings and gifts. The first weekend in November every year, they have a tremendous sale which I use to stock up on candles, tart burners, Christmas ornaments, and anything else that catches my eye that day.

This morning at the breakfast table, my husband asked me what my plans were for the day. Although it sounds innocent enough, in actuality this is his way of figuring out how much football he is going to be able to watch.

Now I myself like to watch football once in a while. But I cannot for the life of me understand how people sit and watch game after game for hours and hours. Seriously. I would get a bed sore.

So as I was perusing my favorite store, a picture on the wall caught my eye and made me smile. "We interrupt this marriage to bring you football season". How poetic. And  I realized I must not be the only wife out shopping while her husband watches men in tight pants knock the shit out of each other- I mean, they have a sign about it for God's sake.

But the ugly truth is, I don't really mind that my husband watches football. Because I actually get so much more done on days where I don't have to worry about matching our schedules up. Plus, if there is something I really need or want my husband to do, the magic of DVR allows him to make me happy while at the same time not missing any of his game. I got three hours of house cleaning in today, plus a workout, Christmas shopping, grocery shopping, the library, and I even made a practice round of pumpkin truffles for Thanksgiving. Yeah, that meant I was at the grocery in my sweatpants at 8 o'clock on a Saturday night, but not all of us can have wild and crazy social lives, ok?

Today's picture represents sports widows, be it football, golf, hunting, or fishing. I love my husband, and I love the time that I get to spend with him. But I also like clean bathrooms- I actually had all three of them clean at the same time, and forbid my husband and son for using them for a minimum of 3 hours. That's all I ask for on a weekend- just three hours with clean bathrooms. That's not too much to ask, is it?