Dear 2012

You have been exhausting.
I am putting you away.

There have been many awesome things about you.
Like this little munchkin.
But mostly I wanna say "bye bye"

THE END!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KENDRIX!

Looking at you,
everything about you,
is like stepping back 25 years.
You are exactly like your dad!

EXACTLY!

Happy Birthday little Man!

MEOW-Y CHRISTMAS

CARAMEL O'CLOCK.

It's that TIME of year!
TIME for dipping caramels.
TIME for wrapping caramels around pretzels and then dipping them.

My favorite recipe is well used.

Now to find all the TIME! I have linked up to Homestead Revival!

WHAT A WEEK!

Busy.
My two days off from the ER were Thursday and Friday.
I spent those two days in Zone Conferences for my new calling.

I drove to different towns each day and saw this:

The mission has a fleet of cars.

While the missionaries are in meetings and trainings, there were gentlemen in the parking lot checking the fluids and changing the oil.
I thought it was cute.
But then again, these are 19-21 year olds driving them.

Then I was able to just enjoy learning my job and listening to the training these missionaries received.
It was pretty awesome.

I was pretty tired from the previous days work in the ER and knew that my only two days off were going to be spent in these meetings.


I was a little overwhelmed and a little cranky.
I worried about how I would get everything done.

But then I walked into the room full of these sweet missionaries.
They give up two years of their "normal" lives to serve the Lord and others.

It was such a beautiful feeling.
I came away from both days so energized and humbled.
I feel incredibly blessed to be allowed to have this experience.
Next time you see those young men in their suits and ties with name badges or young ladies in dresses with name badges, smile and wave.
Invite them in.
You won't regret it.

Now my weekend is being spent in the ER.
Today was most entertaining.

Walked into 3 patients within 10 minutes of the beginning of the shift.
The third one.....

....well little first time momma decided she was going to deliver too early.
Prolapse cord and a foot first!
Yikes.
Thank goodness for a great L&D nurse.
I'm just a plain ole' ER nurse.

Within 20 minutes of getting to work there was a special arrival.
All 3 pounds of him.
He's a champ and doing great!

Can I just say I love working with Nita?
She didn't seem flustered at all.

Me?
I'm not sure my heart has stopped pounding yet!

And we left Becca unattended in the ER. She didn't even break anything!

THANKSGIVING FAIL!

All the family came home!
It was good times.

In planning for the big Thanksgiving feast
I came across a #10 can of olives!
Only $8.00!

Perfect!

An olive for every finger!

What is wrong with this picture????

I didn't notice until right before dinner is served.

The word "sliced" escaped my notice.

So much for an olive for every finger.

IT'S OFFICIAL

I have been called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

As a Service Missionary.

I was contacted by the Pocatello Idaho Mission President and his wife.
They were given my name as one who may be willing to serve in the capacity of a nurse.
Perhaps you've seen those missionaries with their name badges.
Or maybe you've seen people wearing the yellow "helping hands" T-shirts
assisting clean up efforts after hurricanes, tornados or floods.
There are countless ways that the church allows us to serve.

The necessary paperwork was filled out.
I've had a couple of meetings with them and away I go.
I am one of four nurses in the Pocatello Idaho Mission serving in this capacity.

I actually won't go anywhere.
I will continue my regular life with the exception of taking phone calls from missionaries
 (those with the last name between L-O will be my responsibility).
 I will do a "phone triage" or
if necessary I will go visit to determine if they need to seek further medical care.
It's a bit more involved than all that, but I am excited to serve.

I always thought I'd have to be old and retired to serve a mission.
Well, I'm not retired!

I expressed to the Mission President's wife my uncertainty of knowing if one of the missionaries needed further attention.
She smiled and told me to relax.
 "Just treat them as you would your own children", she said.
I told her that my third child suffered from a broken hand for 3 days before I decided maybe it really was broken.
His hand was the size of a watermelon.
She smiled and told me I would do just fine.

In today's past political climate,
it would be impossible to not know at least a little bit about LDS people and the church.
Regardless of political leaning, it would be impossible not to admire the dedication of Mitt Romney,
his generosity with his inheritance and the fact that he didn't take a paycheck as Govenor of Massachussetts.
He has lived an stellar life.
He's got an amazing wife and family.
The LDS Church was definitely under a microscope.
Hopefully, we were able to be an example of good.
If you want to learn more about the church I know that there are missionairies worldwide that would love to meet you.
I would also be thrilled to send you a Book of Mormon.

Seriously, I would.

BECAUSE I {CAN}

Literally.

It is so much work.

And I love every minute of it.

This year I stepped out of my comfort zone and canned BACON.
Weird huh?

It's wrapped in parchment and stuffed in the jars.
No water added.
Used my pressure canner at 15 psi for 90 minutes.

When you're ready to use it, fry for a second and tada!

Use it for whatver you would use bacon for.

Unusual stuff I've canned:
Fruit cocktail.
Meatballs.
Cherry pie filling.
Chicken soup.
Beef stew.

Of course there's the normal stuff.
Chicken.
Peaches.
Applesauce.
Pickles.
and of course Salsa.
Can't ever have enough of that stuff.

Certainly is time consuming.
Probably doesn't save much money.
But it is relaxing.
Convenient meals for later.
And did I mention I love it?

Linked to Homestead Revival.

CANCEL THE BBQ!

Cuz I can't find it.

Probably won't be eating on the patio for a day
or two.

I guess the gardening is done for the year.

So is the canning.
I was canning chicken outside 3 days ago.

It's sorta pretty.

CHRISTMAS WREATH CANDLE burning!
Favorite smell ever.

I also baked 2 DOUBLE batches of banana bread this morning.
I had 12 brown bananas.
Yuk. Who does that?

The girls have that deer chicken in the headlights look.

Yes, I am listening to Christmas music.

 

Lovey makin' tracks in the snow.

Now she's all snuggled in front of the fire.

So it's cold. And slick. And cold.

Bring it on!

I AM AFRAID

It may be snowing by the end of the day.

FOOT WARMER

If a cat will sleep on my feet
I will love them forever.

And don't ya just love the heart on his side????

WHAT HAPPENED TO SEPTEMBER?

DINNER FOR THE ROOFERS

Cooked and cooked today.
Made a huge pot of soup with a left over roast.
EVERYTHING went in it.

We're also having BLT's for dinner.
Is that not a brilliant way to fix bacon?
(Thank you Pinterest!)
I also made Apple Bars from this site.
I threw in a handful of huckleberries.

My house feels and smells like FALL!

The roofing continues.

ALL of the decking on the entire roof had to be torn up.
It was rotted and in splinters.

We have a serious trash bin in the driveway.

I hope they can see light at the end of the tunnel.