As most of you know, I just recently completed my first full month on day shift at work. Wow, it has been quite an experience!
The first week went very smooth with a great patient assignment and with the luxury of focusing solely on the time adjustment. But then week two came.....
I spent the second-fourth week relearning to chart in our new computer system, (you just gotta LOVE Cerner! haha) learning the in's and out's of our new "space age" like radiant warmer beds, trialing a new feeding pump, which I will surely veto, and then learning the day shift norm:
* Sending/receiving two kiddos from the operating room: wouldn't be so bad if they worked around my schedule or even stuck to theirs- lesson learned, be flexible!
* One MRI: of course not standard, poor baby required me to administer sedation, but that was actually a great learning experience.
* Not one, not two, not even three, but FOUR patient discharges. This is actually a much larger task sometimes than imagined! Two to quite difficult families. One Dad which made quickly learn you have to draw the "your wont walk all over me" line on the first day. Another lesson learned!
* "Orienting" to the Pediatric ICU in order to prepare to "float" down there when they need extra help, which I had heard is every NICU RN's nightmare! It really went smooth, it is just a challenge to be out of your element and do things so differently.
Overall, there have been times that I have been incredibly happy with switching over to days, times where I nearly came home in tears threatening to switch back to nights. Surprisingly, some of the most rewarding moments have been family interactions. It feels so good to have families look you in the eyes and say thank you, request that you care for the their baby in the future, or trust in your opinion and advice, and most of all have them say "I think I will actually go get lunch today, I know she is in great hands".
Friday, June 11, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Life
An angel opened the book of life and wrote down our baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book, "Too beautiful for earth."
These words still resonate in my mind as though I just read them. I am still longing and grasping for just an ounce of the strength it takes for loving parents to truly accept this as their reality.
I had both the blessing and misfortune of sitting on the sideline of this occurrence through recent months.
I couldn't have been happier than the day I walked into work late February to find what a precious little baby that was so peacefully sleeping, awaiting 12 hours of my loving care to begin. I can say it was truly a special feeling when I looked into that isolette and saw the miracle that lay before me. A special heart string was tugged and I was a "primary nurse" for the first time. It was so amazing the moments of pride and joy in which I relished as this baby graduated first in diaper size, respiratory support gone, then to a crib, and next thing I knew I was bathing, dressing, bottle feeding, and cuddling! It was a small glimpse into motherhood a way I had not before experienced this closely. This past weekend was a huge one, as this precious baby which I loved dearly has gone home to one of the best families I have known.
All the while there was another precious baby nearby. I came to care for this little one in many of the same ways I did my primary patient, taking moments of joy as good news arrived and moments of deep sadness as bad news was slow to set in. The term "unofficial primary" was applied to our relationship. From labs and procedures to surgeries and medications, even attempts at life altering medical consults, everyday was full of surprising changes. It seemed as though this little one just couldn't catch a break. In late April the sad news came that we had hit the "beginning of the end" and to just "be prepared". Caring for this precious baby became increasingly more difficult, as even simple nursing tasks would cause quite dramatic changes. This past weekend was a huge one, as this precious little baby was layed to rest.
As I drove to the funeral I couldn't hide the swarm of butterflies in my stomach and the uneasiness in my mind. I called my Mom hoping that a chat would help put me at least slightly at peace and help me get it back together, which helped only slightly. As I arrived and walked in, those feelings again returned full fledged. I couldn't help but wonder if the parents would even know who I was- after all, I was the "night nurse" that most parents had never meet. I entered the chapel and approached the family slowly as I tried to form words. As I approached, all of my fears melted away as the Mother glanced my way and smiled. I spoke my words of condolence, thanked them for sharing their angel, and hugged the parents. They thanked me for being there to support them and for the months of love and care which I had provided. I was then down the path to speak my peace to the precious baby. I had never seen her so beautiful, so peaceful as that moment. I couldn't help but smile as I saw many of her favorite things lying by her side. As I took my seat and fought the tears which had begun to swell, I couldn't help but think- Why?
That is the moment I sat and began to read-
An angel opened the book of life and wrote down our baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book "Too beautiful for earth."
As the service concluded, I watched this Mother maintain the strength to stand and bid farewell to every guest in attendance, thanking them for the support they had offered. Her tears were few and her words were many. I felt so incredibly envious of her resilience and strength.
These words still resonate in my mind as though I just read them. I am still longing and grasping for just an ounce of the strength it takes for loving parents to truly accept this as their reality.
I had both the blessing and misfortune of sitting on the sideline of this occurrence through recent months.
I couldn't have been happier than the day I walked into work late February to find what a precious little baby that was so peacefully sleeping, awaiting 12 hours of my loving care to begin. I can say it was truly a special feeling when I looked into that isolette and saw the miracle that lay before me. A special heart string was tugged and I was a "primary nurse" for the first time. It was so amazing the moments of pride and joy in which I relished as this baby graduated first in diaper size, respiratory support gone, then to a crib, and next thing I knew I was bathing, dressing, bottle feeding, and cuddling! It was a small glimpse into motherhood a way I had not before experienced this closely. This past weekend was a huge one, as this precious baby which I loved dearly has gone home to one of the best families I have known.
All the while there was another precious baby nearby. I came to care for this little one in many of the same ways I did my primary patient, taking moments of joy as good news arrived and moments of deep sadness as bad news was slow to set in. The term "unofficial primary" was applied to our relationship. From labs and procedures to surgeries and medications, even attempts at life altering medical consults, everyday was full of surprising changes. It seemed as though this little one just couldn't catch a break. In late April the sad news came that we had hit the "beginning of the end" and to just "be prepared". Caring for this precious baby became increasingly more difficult, as even simple nursing tasks would cause quite dramatic changes. This past weekend was a huge one, as this precious little baby was layed to rest.
As I drove to the funeral I couldn't hide the swarm of butterflies in my stomach and the uneasiness in my mind. I called my Mom hoping that a chat would help put me at least slightly at peace and help me get it back together, which helped only slightly. As I arrived and walked in, those feelings again returned full fledged. I couldn't help but wonder if the parents would even know who I was- after all, I was the "night nurse" that most parents had never meet. I entered the chapel and approached the family slowly as I tried to form words. As I approached, all of my fears melted away as the Mother glanced my way and smiled. I spoke my words of condolence, thanked them for sharing their angel, and hugged the parents. They thanked me for being there to support them and for the months of love and care which I had provided. I was then down the path to speak my peace to the precious baby. I had never seen her so beautiful, so peaceful as that moment. I couldn't help but smile as I saw many of her favorite things lying by her side. As I took my seat and fought the tears which had begun to swell, I couldn't help but think- Why?
That is the moment I sat and began to read-
An angel opened the book of life and wrote down our baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book "Too beautiful for earth."
Tiny Angel
For a brief and fleeting moment, an angel touched the ground;
With tiny wings and halo, and sweet soft angel sounds.
Blessing the lives of others, in beauty and in grace;
Those who saw the angel, knew God has kissed her tiny face.
The angel came for reasons we may not understand;
A journey brief, with gifts so great, and guided by God's hand.
So rest now tiny angel, your work on earth is through;
In the beauty of God's perfect love we saw his gift in you.
As the service concluded, I watched this Mother maintain the strength to stand and bid farewell to every guest in attendance, thanking them for the support they had offered. Her tears were few and her words were many. I felt so incredibly envious of her resilience and strength.
It is moments like this that make you truly and sincerely thankful for every blessing given in life. I am so incredibly thankful for the people, friends and family, that are truly a part of my life, enriching every day of my being. I believe those relationships are where strength like that comes from.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Abnormal Psychology
Cheapskate
Tightwad
Penny pincher
Stingy
All words that have been used to describe me- even to the extent of being told today “I squeak when I walk”. From a very young age I started over valuing every dollar in my possession- for field trips when I would be given $20 to spend lavishly, I would try and compare the worth of every object I desired to the amount of work my parents would have put in to earn that dollar- regularly I came home empty handed and returned the hard earned money to its “rightful owner“.
Still to this day, I can not come to accept the idea of giving an hour worth of pay for one t-shirt, two hours for a pair of shoes, or what brought on this whole idea- 5% of my monthly income for a cell phone bill. What makes it even harder to swallow is the fact that my hard earned money is going towards a service, not an object- I cannot go to the store to touch and analyze the quality of phone minutes, I can not choose the color, texture, size, or shape. In fact, I can hardly choose the quantity by which I purchase- it either comes in gas station register like quantity or in Costco sized bulk appropriate for a family of 10! Since when do cell phone companies have the right to tell me what phone I can or cannot buy? The cable company doesn’t tell their customers what TV they have to purchase to obtain a specific service plan, (I am not included in that group since we thrive on bunny ears and netflix in my home), Internet service providers do not require the highest quality Internet if you chose to have a high end computer, and I didn’t have to buy the Tempur-pedic mattress set with my designer bedroom furniture. Yet, cell phone companies require you to pay an additional $15-$30 a month if you would like to purchase a non-shoddy phone . I have been through the “free” phone instance before and, as we all know, quality, reception, battery life, and even speaker volume are the sacrifices you are making. This puts us in quite a pickle- stay with the dreaded Sprint for service (not a desirable option at all- their customer service is quite atrocious), switch to Verizon or AT&T and enter into a contract being told what I HAVE to buy and be near robbed monthly (would I choose this relationship option when picking friends? Hmmm), or boycott the industry all together with NO ONE standing by my side? Oh, the dilemma’s of life and adulthood :)
I spoke extensively about my issue today with the person it affects the most- Jason. I started the conversation by informing him to not be judgmental, but that I really felt as though there is something major wrong with me and that I might need psychological help. After a moment of laughter, I walked him through Bed, Bath, and Beyond and pointed out about 40 items I would love to own ranging from $1.70-$30, but then explained every thought in my mind as I rationalized each item out of the cart- some because I have similar items at home, (good reason, right?), others because once I divided up what they would cost per month vs. the benefit I would receive from using the item- it was deemed not necessary, (starting to sound crazy, I know), and the cheapest item, a pack of gum (which was desperately needed after an onion filled lunch) was nearly vetoed because we have gum at home, (even eliminating the onion odor I was emitting nearly didn’t happen!). Getting to the point, in the end, I left with three items- the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter (it will truly save a bundle on tomatoes this summer), a blind cleaner, (only after figuring up how many hours I currently spend cleaning blinds by hand and what else I could use that time for), and the pack of gum, which Jason sincerely thanked me for.
In all the ways these choices affect my life "negatively" (mostly just according to others), it is gratifying and offers a great since of security going to bed each and every night knowing we are near debt free (a near payed off car and mortgage weighing on me), are invested in a growing 401K, live off of only one of our incomes, and have a nice nest egg in the money market. I asked myself all day long- Do I in fact need to seek out a psychological analysis? What is important to us? What in fact are our priorities? Where do we want our money to be going? Is Dave Ramsey crazy and are we just cult-like followers?
In the end, I concluded that I knew the answers all along- I am doing what makes me happy. Once a cheapskate always a cheapskate, even if I do squeak when I walk.
Tightwad
Penny pincher
Stingy
All words that have been used to describe me- even to the extent of being told today “I squeak when I walk”. From a very young age I started over valuing every dollar in my possession- for field trips when I would be given $20 to spend lavishly, I would try and compare the worth of every object I desired to the amount of work my parents would have put in to earn that dollar- regularly I came home empty handed and returned the hard earned money to its “rightful owner“.
Still to this day, I can not come to accept the idea of giving an hour worth of pay for one t-shirt, two hours for a pair of shoes, or what brought on this whole idea- 5% of my monthly income for a cell phone bill. What makes it even harder to swallow is the fact that my hard earned money is going towards a service, not an object- I cannot go to the store to touch and analyze the quality of phone minutes, I can not choose the color, texture, size, or shape. In fact, I can hardly choose the quantity by which I purchase- it either comes in gas station register like quantity or in Costco sized bulk appropriate for a family of 10! Since when do cell phone companies have the right to tell me what phone I can or cannot buy? The cable company doesn’t tell their customers what TV they have to purchase to obtain a specific service plan, (I am not included in that group since we thrive on bunny ears and netflix in my home), Internet service providers do not require the highest quality Internet if you chose to have a high end computer, and I didn’t have to buy the Tempur-pedic mattress set with my designer bedroom furniture. Yet, cell phone companies require you to pay an additional $15-$30 a month if you would like to purchase a non-shoddy phone . I have been through the “free” phone instance before and, as we all know, quality, reception, battery life, and even speaker volume are the sacrifices you are making. This puts us in quite a pickle- stay with the dreaded Sprint for service (not a desirable option at all- their customer service is quite atrocious), switch to Verizon or AT&T and enter into a contract being told what I HAVE to buy and be near robbed monthly (would I choose this relationship option when picking friends? Hmmm), or boycott the industry all together with NO ONE standing by my side? Oh, the dilemma’s of life and adulthood :)
I spoke extensively about my issue today with the person it affects the most- Jason. I started the conversation by informing him to not be judgmental, but that I really felt as though there is something major wrong with me and that I might need psychological help. After a moment of laughter, I walked him through Bed, Bath, and Beyond and pointed out about 40 items I would love to own ranging from $1.70-$30, but then explained every thought in my mind as I rationalized each item out of the cart- some because I have similar items at home, (good reason, right?), others because once I divided up what they would cost per month vs. the benefit I would receive from using the item- it was deemed not necessary, (starting to sound crazy, I know), and the cheapest item, a pack of gum (which was desperately needed after an onion filled lunch) was nearly vetoed because we have gum at home, (even eliminating the onion odor I was emitting nearly didn’t happen!). Getting to the point, in the end, I left with three items- the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter (it will truly save a bundle on tomatoes this summer), a blind cleaner, (only after figuring up how many hours I currently spend cleaning blinds by hand and what else I could use that time for), and the pack of gum, which Jason sincerely thanked me for.
In all the ways these choices affect my life "negatively" (mostly just according to others), it is gratifying and offers a great since of security going to bed each and every night knowing we are near debt free (a near payed off car and mortgage weighing on me), are invested in a growing 401K, live off of only one of our incomes, and have a nice nest egg in the money market. I asked myself all day long- Do I in fact need to seek out a psychological analysis? What is important to us? What in fact are our priorities? Where do we want our money to be going? Is Dave Ramsey crazy and are we just cult-like followers?
In the end, I concluded that I knew the answers all along- I am doing what makes me happy. Once a cheapskate always a cheapskate, even if I do squeak when I walk.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Vacation, vacation, vacation!
Since our last post, Jason and I have done quite a few things with the time we have actually had together. Best of all, we were blessed with time off and used it wisely to squeeze in two wonderful vacations. 
In January, Jason's first trip staying in Florida and visiting Disney World. This was quite an experience, as we were there for the record low temperature in Orlando, then even better, beat it the following the day. Due to the weather forecast predicting 60-70 degree weather for our trip, we were most definitely ill prepared for the cold- as a last resort, we ended up catching a taxi ride to the nearest Walmart for some warm attire. Needless to say, these were not the best additions to our wardrobe since everything warm was picked over and near non-existent. We had quite a few great laughs at "creative" layering. We also found much humor in the "extreme weather photos" the news stations were broadcasting of kids poor attempts at building "sleet men" and people scraping their windows. Even better was the news anchors attempt at educating the public as what sleet actually was. But with cold weather in Florida, the perks are on high in Disney World- with short to non-existing lines and minimal crowds, we were able to experience most everything in the park. Aside from the visiting all of the parks, we really enjoyed our resort being in the Downtown Disney area which is home to many specialty restaurants and shops. Overall, it was a wonderful experience and we look forward to visiting again someday with our family. To see all of our pictures:
Most recently we were able to make a road trip to New Orleans in late March. This was by far one of my favorite trips I have blessed to be able to take with Jason, even when I take into account the near 14 hour drive. New Orleans is such a wonderful place- full of treasures, phenomenal history, and intriguing diversity. All of which I am a sucker for. When you arrive you truly feel as though you are in a whole new country and more than once have heard that a passport should be required to visit. We invested in a Visit-Ticket, which grants admission to 40+ museums/attractions, which I would highly recommend for any first time visitors. Some of the inclusions we visited:
A guided French Quarter walking tour and Ghost and Spirit walking tour
Cruise the Mississippi on the Steamboat Nathez
Visit Oak Alley and Destrehan Plantations for a taste of Southern plantation life
Attend a Creole cooking class for a sampling of local cuisine
Visit the various Mardi Gras/art/historical museums
Antique shop on Magazine St where we purchased two beautiful 1940's armchairs
Spend an afternoon at a local art fair in one of the many historic parks
Walk through Audubon Aquarium of the America's- one of the countries best
Take a guided boat ride through an alligator inhabited swamp
We had a wonderful time and cannot wait to return and experience the inspiring "southern hospitality", wonderful food, and beautiful locale. The link for that album:
In January, Jason's first trip staying in Florida and visiting Disney World. This was quite an experience, as we were there for the record low temperature in Orlando, then even better, beat it the following the day. Due to the weather forecast predicting 60-70 degree weather for our trip, we were most definitely ill prepared for the cold- as a last resort, we ended up catching a taxi ride to the nearest Walmart for some warm attire. Needless to say, these were not the best additions to our wardrobe since everything warm was picked over and near non-existent. We had quite a few great laughs at "creative" layering. We also found much humor in the "extreme weather photos" the news stations were broadcasting of kids poor attempts at building "sleet men" and people scraping their windows. Even better was the news anchors attempt at educating the public as what sleet actually was. But with cold weather in Florida, the perks are on high in Disney World- with short to non-existing lines and minimal crowds, we were able to experience most everything in the park. Aside from the visiting all of the parks, we really enjoyed our resort being in the Downtown Disney area which is home to many specialty restaurants and shops. Overall, it was a wonderful experience and we look forward to visiting again someday with our family. To see all of our pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=142309&id=680153924&l=aceb040779
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=142531&id=680153924&l=116c55dcf5
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=142531&id=680153924&l=116c55dcf5
Most recently we were able to make a road trip to New Orleans in late March. This was by far one of my favorite trips I have blessed to be able to take with Jason, even when I take into account the near 14 hour drive. New Orleans is such a wonderful place- full of treasures, phenomenal history, and intriguing diversity. All of which I am a sucker for. When you arrive you truly feel as though you are in a whole new country and more than once have heard that a passport should be required to visit. We invested in a Visit-Ticket, which grants admission to 40+ museums/attractions, which I would highly recommend for any first time visitors. Some of the inclusions we visited:
A guided French Quarter walking tour and Ghost and Spirit walking tour
Cruise the Mississippi on the Steamboat Nathez
Visit Oak Alley and Destrehan Plantations for a taste of Southern plantation life
Attend a Creole cooking class for a sampling of local cuisine
Visit the various Mardi Gras/art/historical museums
Antique shop on Magazine St where we purchased two beautiful 1940's armchairs
Spend an afternoon at a local art fair in one of the many historic parks
Walk through Audubon Aquarium of the America's- one of the countries best
Take a guided boat ride through an alligator inhabited swamp
We had a wonderful time and cannot wait to return and experience the inspiring "southern hospitality", wonderful food, and beautiful locale. The link for that album:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=162069&id=680153924&l=ccef085
We have much enjoyed over these last couple of years living life "vacation to vacation" and are very much looking forward to planning one last big trip this year in September when our schedules permit us to both be away for another week :)
We have much enjoyed over these last couple of years living life "vacation to vacation" and are very much looking forward to planning one last big trip this year in September when our schedules permit us to both be away for another week :)
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Time
I resorted to searching quote websites for a witty and clever quote about time to use as an excuse as to why I can never seem to find enough of it to actually write blog posts, but I had no such luck. In fact none of them I found actually worked in my favor. Here are few that I like quite a bit:
Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends.
Time is the cruelest teacher, first she gives the test, then teaches the lesson.
Time is but a handful of sand- the tighter you grasp it, the faster it runs through your fingers.
For disappearing acts, its is harder to beat what happens to the eight hours that are supposedly left after eight hours of work and eight hours of sleep.
Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.
This last quote hits close to home for us as of late. For the last year and a half Jason and I have gone a minimum of twelve days a month without seeing each other at all due to my required night scheduling and Jason's ever so unpredictable retail work schedule. I have truly come to love working night shift- it comes with great professional autonomy, the guarantee of few to no visitors, on site parking, and a wonderful shift pay differential. With that said, I have recently been offered the opportunity to transfer to working day shifts, which many of you know, I have chosen to accept. I truly feel as though I am starting a new job as the shifts are "as different as night and day"- (you can all thank Jason for my "punny" wording). But, with all things in life, I have to weigh the sacrifice versus benefit, and in the end my home and family life will always prevail and win. As many of the experienced nurses eloquently stated- Jason and I are one of those "lovey dovey" couples that actually still like each other and desire to spend time together. As much as I dislike the idea giving up the pay, working with all new staff, and catching a shuttle to work, I know I will be very happy with decision once I adjust.
Back to time being an issue, it is now 4am and tired has hit. I best be heading to bed so that I don't sleep away my Saturday. I vow now to to take some time, in the midst of my planned spring cleaning frenzy, to blog and update on the time lapse from my last post to this point.
Good night!
Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends.
Time is the cruelest teacher, first she gives the test, then teaches the lesson.
Time is but a handful of sand- the tighter you grasp it, the faster it runs through your fingers.
For disappearing acts, its is harder to beat what happens to the eight hours that are supposedly left after eight hours of work and eight hours of sleep.
Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.
This last quote hits close to home for us as of late. For the last year and a half Jason and I have gone a minimum of twelve days a month without seeing each other at all due to my required night scheduling and Jason's ever so unpredictable retail work schedule. I have truly come to love working night shift- it comes with great professional autonomy, the guarantee of few to no visitors, on site parking, and a wonderful shift pay differential. With that said, I have recently been offered the opportunity to transfer to working day shifts, which many of you know, I have chosen to accept. I truly feel as though I am starting a new job as the shifts are "as different as night and day"- (you can all thank Jason for my "punny" wording). But, with all things in life, I have to weigh the sacrifice versus benefit, and in the end my home and family life will always prevail and win. As many of the experienced nurses eloquently stated- Jason and I are one of those "lovey dovey" couples that actually still like each other and desire to spend time together. As much as I dislike the idea giving up the pay, working with all new staff, and catching a shuttle to work, I know I will be very happy with decision once I adjust.
Back to time being an issue, it is now 4am and tired has hit. I best be heading to bed so that I don't sleep away my Saturday. I vow now to to take some time, in the midst of my planned spring cleaning frenzy, to blog and update on the time lapse from my last post to this point.
Good night!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Home for the Holidays
This holiday season was definitely one to remember :)
With this being the first holiday season Jason and I were both working and just our second being married, we had a lot to figure out! With shopping, hosting, and two families to spend time with we were overwhelmed with both excitement and anxiety to get everything ready.
Of course, we had to wait until the last minute to do shopping, squeezing it into the Friday and Saturday before Christmas :) This is all with exception of a select few gifts I braved homemaking, which actually turned out quite well! Then came the house cleaning..... this a task which Jason and I both equally dislike and will put off until absolutely necessary.
Christmas week quickly approached with us being treated with Kari, Brett, and Chase arriving in town from Utah Monday afternoon. It had been over a year since I had seen Brett and several months since Kari and Chase had visited. We had the pleasure of hosting a family dinner Monday night for which I bravely cooked a 5lb roast plus 2 lbs of chopped veges- since I rarely cook for just the two of us, cooking for eight adults, especially the "in-laws", was a bit terrifying :) Everyone was a good sport about it, even the hour delay in dinner time and seemed to like it enough to eat. Of course I am also kidding about my in-laws making me nervous, they are truly some of the best people around and I consider myself quite blessed to have them in my life.
Tuesday quickly approached filled with more last minute holiday shopping, dinner of personal pizzas hosted by Kristen and Steve, and Kristen and I pretending to watch the Utah game in Vegas with the guys.
Wednesday Kristen, Kari, Shauna, and I spent the afternoon going to see the Nutcracker- a Kent family tradition. It had been quite some time, I believe since elementary school since I had actually gone to see it rather than watch my VHS version. After the show we stopped at Gate's to bring home a BBQ feast for the family.
Christmas Eve I again woke at 7:30am as I had all week (this is rare occurrence with me working nights) and decided to do just a little more Christmas shopping. I took a little to longer than expected and sleep didn't come easy once I finally tried to nap :( After a 1 1/2hr. nap I woke up to get ready to head to the Kent's for Christmas Eve dinner with our family. We has a wonderful meal of turkey tenderloin, ham, and of course all the festive sides.
Then came the ice.......
I had to drive into to work that evening, which Jason was not to happy about. We have only had our new Accord since March and were not quite sure how it would handle in the sleet/freezing rain disaster that had been coming down for two hours at that point. I left for work an hour early and got there just on time :(
Over night is when the blizzard set in snowing anywhere from 6-12 inches, depending on which meteorologist you chose to listen to. The highways were covered in snow drifts and the ice was still dangerously slick with the highway patrol advising no one drive.
I was thankfully able to get a ride to Independence with Ashley, a good friend from work, that had an SUV rather than staying at the hospital for Christmas. Jason then picked me up and we headed home to pick up gifts for our family. We were able to visit my Mom and open gifts with my siblings as well as visit Jason's side of the family for opening gifts and to wish Kari, Brett, and Chase farewell.
I made it home and to bed by around 1pm to squeeze in 3 1/2hrs. of sleep before returning to work Christmas night.
Overall, we had a wonderful holiday getting to spend time with all of our amazing family and so thankful for all the wonderful gifts, kindness, and flexibility with our hectic schedule. We are now so looking forward to a new year full of adventure, family (with a new nephew and brothers returning home from missions), laughter, and joy!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Cruise 2009
Jason and I are definately guilty of blog neglect and have finally decided to take some time and get back on track! We are only a month late on this, but here is an update about our cruise :)
We had such a wonderful time!
It started off with our first experience with "days at sea". It was so nice to get to sleep in and extra nice in the cave interior room we chose! We started off our days at sea with breakfast and the dreaded omelet lines followed with exploration of the ship and attempts to take advantage of the planned activities. The only complaint about days at sea- crazy sun bathers! They scope out lounge chairs at 7am and dont move-literally!- until sunsets! I felt rather sad for them and the poor condition of their leather skin, but also very annoyed that there were very few options left for anyone else to sit down! We were finally able to find two chairs right next to the adults only pool which also happened to be on the same deck as the pizza, ice cream, & burgers and fries! Our second day at sea was spent on the water slide, minature golfing, playing cards with our new friend, and attending the various farewell event and shows-including our favorite, the Love and Mariage game.
That first night was also our first experience with "Elegant night", which I must say, we felt extremely underdressed for! There were women parading around in floor length ballgowns and men in tuxedos! I understand the thrill of dressing up, but wow, I couldnt imagine packing that stuff or spending that much time getting ready while on vacation. Maybe we will try it out next time :)
The other new thing to us was the assigned dinner tables. By the second night we really had come to love it- only because we had really hit it off with the other couple we were seated with. They were a wonderful newly wed couple our age on their honeymoon from North Carolina. As usual with cruise dining, we were very impressed by the appetizers and the main course, but let down by most of the desserts :( They all looked very impressive, but the flavor did not live up to our expectations.
Our first port of call was Georgetown, Grand Cayman. We booked an excursion to go out on the Jolly Roger- a restored pirate ship. We had a blast with our mock battles against the cruise ships in port, scrubbing the deck, and walking the plank. The crew of the ship were great with acting and dressing the part. After that we spent te afternoon browsing around the shops and walking through all of Georgetown. We stopped for lunch at Breezes, a small seafood restaurant on the third floor above the street front shops. The food was wonderful, but cost alot more due to the horrible exchange rate. Back on the ship that night was the Rockin the Promenade party. We had alot of fun with our new friends dancing, laughing at/with those brave enough to karaoke, and playing the slots in the casino.
The second port was Isla Roatan, Honduras. We spent the day taking a bus to the opposite side of the island to visit Gumbalimba Park. When we arrived we were outfitted and headed to the ocean for snuba! Isla Roatan is surrounded by the second largest barrier reef in the world which we were dive down to the ocean bottom and discover! It was truly an amazing experience to be among the tropical fish and beautiful coral formations. After snuba, we used the rest of our time to go on a private guided tour through out the park. The best part of the park tour was getting to play with the capuchin monkeys! They are so playful and just as fascinated by us as we were them.
The next port of call was Belize City, Belize. We booked the Raiders of the Lost Mayan Tomb excursion. We boarded a bus and took an 1 1/2 bus ride out of the city into the jungle. We stopped at an outpost where we were instructed to apply a generous amount of our insect repellant then fitted with harnesses, helmets, and gloves. From there we began our hike up the side of a mountain- this is when we realized why the bug spray was necessary! The mosquitos in Belize are crazy- they would still swarm and attack us regardless of the bug spray, which I am guessing they have grown immune to! We finally made it to to the mouth of the cave where we began the real adventure. We were guided through the multiple chambers of the cave making stops at a variety of spots used by the Mayans for ceremonies and rituals. We crawled through small opening, rappelled down cliff sides, ziplined across the jungle canopy from the mouth of one cave to another, walked swinging rope bridges, and treked through waterholes all before riding down an inclined traverse back to the jungle floor. We then boarded the bus and headed off to a jungle BBQ for lunch before returning to port.
Our final port of call was Cozumel, Mexico. We arrived and boarded a ferry to take us to Play del Carma on the main land. After arriving, we met our guide to take us to Xcaret Ecological Park. Much to our surprise, there was only us and another couple with their daughter that booked this excursion! We all walked to our bus which happened to be a quite nice Greyhound like bus with reclining seats and all for just the six of us. After arriving at Xcaret our guide took us on an educational tour of the bat cave, Mayan village, deer shelter, jaguar island, spider monkey island, and the butterfly pavilion. After our guided portion, we were taken to the entrance of the under ground rivers. We were given life jackets and adviced of the very cold water temperature, but told this is a cant miss! We took the stairs down to the entrance and rushed in- it was freezing! The river had such a current that we were able to just kick back and float. As we got further down the river we began to feel where the water met- the top half of the depth is freezing fresh water, the lower half is very warm salt water. It was an amazing eperience to feel such a temp difference and have a freezing torso with really warm legs! We floated for 45 minutes underground in the cave with various spots in the roof opening enough to slightly let the sunshine in. After we made it to the end, we continued our tour of the oark. We were able to see the dolphins, huge sea turtles, sharks, sting rays, vast array of sea creatures in the aquarium, flamingos, bird sanctuary, as well as the orchid and mushroom farms. We also took some time to walk along the ocean which was bordered with natural pools/cenotes and lounge in the sea of hammocks on the cliff overlooking the ocean. With so much left to do, it was sadly time to head back to the bus. We definately plan on returning Play del Carma for an extended stay and another visit to Xcaret!
Overall we had a wonderful time and can't wait to start planning for our next adventure!
We had such a wonderful time!
It started off with our first experience with "days at sea". It was so nice to get to sleep in and extra nice in the cave interior room we chose! We started off our days at sea with breakfast and the dreaded omelet lines followed with exploration of the ship and attempts to take advantage of the planned activities. The only complaint about days at sea- crazy sun bathers! They scope out lounge chairs at 7am and dont move-literally!- until sunsets! I felt rather sad for them and the poor condition of their leather skin, but also very annoyed that there were very few options left for anyone else to sit down! We were finally able to find two chairs right next to the adults only pool which also happened to be on the same deck as the pizza, ice cream, & burgers and fries! Our second day at sea was spent on the water slide, minature golfing, playing cards with our new friend, and attending the various farewell event and shows-including our favorite, the Love and Mariage game.
That first night was also our first experience with "Elegant night", which I must say, we felt extremely underdressed for! There were women parading around in floor length ballgowns and men in tuxedos! I understand the thrill of dressing up, but wow, I couldnt imagine packing that stuff or spending that much time getting ready while on vacation. Maybe we will try it out next time :)
The other new thing to us was the assigned dinner tables. By the second night we really had come to love it- only because we had really hit it off with the other couple we were seated with. They were a wonderful newly wed couple our age on their honeymoon from North Carolina. As usual with cruise dining, we were very impressed by the appetizers and the main course, but let down by most of the desserts :( They all looked very impressive, but the flavor did not live up to our expectations.
Our first port of call was Georgetown, Grand Cayman. We booked an excursion to go out on the Jolly Roger- a restored pirate ship. We had a blast with our mock battles against the cruise ships in port, scrubbing the deck, and walking the plank. The crew of the ship were great with acting and dressing the part. After that we spent te afternoon browsing around the shops and walking through all of Georgetown. We stopped for lunch at Breezes, a small seafood restaurant on the third floor above the street front shops. The food was wonderful, but cost alot more due to the horrible exchange rate. Back on the ship that night was the Rockin the Promenade party. We had alot of fun with our new friends dancing, laughing at/with those brave enough to karaoke, and playing the slots in the casino.
The second port was Isla Roatan, Honduras. We spent the day taking a bus to the opposite side of the island to visit Gumbalimba Park. When we arrived we were outfitted and headed to the ocean for snuba! Isla Roatan is surrounded by the second largest barrier reef in the world which we were dive down to the ocean bottom and discover! It was truly an amazing experience to be among the tropical fish and beautiful coral formations. After snuba, we used the rest of our time to go on a private guided tour through out the park. The best part of the park tour was getting to play with the capuchin monkeys! They are so playful and just as fascinated by us as we were them.
The next port of call was Belize City, Belize. We booked the Raiders of the Lost Mayan Tomb excursion. We boarded a bus and took an 1 1/2 bus ride out of the city into the jungle. We stopped at an outpost where we were instructed to apply a generous amount of our insect repellant then fitted with harnesses, helmets, and gloves. From there we began our hike up the side of a mountain- this is when we realized why the bug spray was necessary! The mosquitos in Belize are crazy- they would still swarm and attack us regardless of the bug spray, which I am guessing they have grown immune to! We finally made it to to the mouth of the cave where we began the real adventure. We were guided through the multiple chambers of the cave making stops at a variety of spots used by the Mayans for ceremonies and rituals. We crawled through small opening, rappelled down cliff sides, ziplined across the jungle canopy from the mouth of one cave to another, walked swinging rope bridges, and treked through waterholes all before riding down an inclined traverse back to the jungle floor. We then boarded the bus and headed off to a jungle BBQ for lunch before returning to port.
Our final port of call was Cozumel, Mexico. We arrived and boarded a ferry to take us to Play del Carma on the main land. After arriving, we met our guide to take us to Xcaret Ecological Park. Much to our surprise, there was only us and another couple with their daughter that booked this excursion! We all walked to our bus which happened to be a quite nice Greyhound like bus with reclining seats and all for just the six of us. After arriving at Xcaret our guide took us on an educational tour of the bat cave, Mayan village, deer shelter, jaguar island, spider monkey island, and the butterfly pavilion. After our guided portion, we were taken to the entrance of the under ground rivers. We were given life jackets and adviced of the very cold water temperature, but told this is a cant miss! We took the stairs down to the entrance and rushed in- it was freezing! The river had such a current that we were able to just kick back and float. As we got further down the river we began to feel where the water met- the top half of the depth is freezing fresh water, the lower half is very warm salt water. It was an amazing eperience to feel such a temp difference and have a freezing torso with really warm legs! We floated for 45 minutes underground in the cave with various spots in the roof opening enough to slightly let the sunshine in. After we made it to the end, we continued our tour of the oark. We were able to see the dolphins, huge sea turtles, sharks, sting rays, vast array of sea creatures in the aquarium, flamingos, bird sanctuary, as well as the orchid and mushroom farms. We also took some time to walk along the ocean which was bordered with natural pools/cenotes and lounge in the sea of hammocks on the cliff overlooking the ocean. With so much left to do, it was sadly time to head back to the bus. We definately plan on returning Play del Carma for an extended stay and another visit to Xcaret!
Overall we had a wonderful time and can't wait to start planning for our next adventure!
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