Valentine's Day/Night

I had an interesting day yesterday. I actually got up and worked out! I cleaned the house. Then I called my friend (whose jeep got stolen out of their driveway in a nice part of Denver) and told her I was on my way over tot ake her to Whole Foods (since she had no way to grocery shop before her fam got here from PA I offered). I love Whole Foods. I bought Cam seom fresh ground honey nut peanut butter. Anyway on our excursion, Matt (em's fiance) called and said they found the jeep!!! So, I took her to the impiund lot (very ghetto I might add, not as nice as the ones on CSI). Em and I stayed in the car until matt got there. Keep in mind it was crazy snowing and traffic was about the get mondo bad (rush hour in denver is from like 2:00-7:00). Anyway, so we get to the counter and they say... oh too bad, they called you all the way down here, and there is a hold on your vehicle for fingerprints. WHAT!?!?!? Why didn't they tell us that before? So, em gets in matt's car, and I drive out of the ghetto behind them. Don't worry, It only takes me AN HOUR to get home. Boo.

So, I was supposed to be kicked out of the house so cam could set up for vday, and this was his chance. I got home at 5:30 and was sent straight to the office. I got his stuff ready while he was in the kitchen. I come out to see the Melting Pot in my living room!!!! I LOVE THE MELTING POT!!! We had some fancy cheese fondue with veggies and bread to dip in. then the kicker... turtle chocolate with fruit and cheesecake to dip in! Cam also got some very nice pinot grigio and had roses at the table! He had the foot bath all set up and rubbed my feet, and let me pick a girly movie from on demand! Way to go Cam! I am in the works of making homemade vanilla icecream with (his fav) crumbled up thin mints in it!!!! YUMM-O!

The night was amazing! Even though cam thinks he is getting a sinus infection...boo.

Yeah for husbands!

The FW Zoo

This is a pic in front of the Cannon house before we left for the airport sunday morning.

This was our trip to Plano the first week of Feb. L to R: Alec 11, Cameron 23, Liz 25, LeaAnn 25, Blake 26, David is taking the pic! We were at the Zoo in Ft. Worth and it was a little nippy (hence all our outerwear).

We got to see lots of very cute animals, and a weird crocidile looking thing that i thought was a statue, but was real, with very sharp pointy teeth.

oh my husband

This pic is after he jumped, and he is in the shower.
This is during the jump into the 30 degree water in the pool at the Cannon house.
As you can see he is all geared up with very facy gear: tights that wick away water, socks, shorts, a thermal undershirt, and a dryfit tshirt, not to mention the gloves and bike helmet!

He ran straight from the pool to the shower and jumpe din with all his clothes on.

He said he was numb for awhile. Hmmm?

That's my husband.

Thank goodness for the handy man

I put this pic, b/c I want to send a shout out to these peeps. I miss them.
Our hot water heater was making weird noises Thursday morning, but the office ignored us. Then when we got home, the pilot light was out in our heater (and it was cold outside) + the noises. Normally a pilot light wouldn't be a big deal, but we need some new part. I slept with 100 blankets. Then the office people sent someone out yesterday morning, and he took one look at the hwh and said we needed a new one. Thank goodness we live in an apt and dont have to pay for it!



I am also a big dork and bought some brillo pad like things so I could scrub the things under the burners on the stove. they were encrusted with black hard caked on baked on boiled over food. they are now silver and shiney! I am now working on some pans that are the same way! Boy I am exciting!



Cameron FINALLY got to turn in his 17 page paper. So he is done with his january intersession class and can focus on his normal 13 hours. He is currently mountain biking with his friend, the extreme (steve)...cameron is pancake.



I hung out with my friend Lisa yesterday. She is cool. I think she must be famous b/c she writes songs and is in a band and all that cool stuff. But the most famous part about her, is when she goes and sings, she actually gets a Green Room!!!! She's so cool. If you wanna see something really gross that might make you throw up (this is what we saw yesterday online) go to: ebaumsworld.com and search butt pimple. Then Lisa, Cam, and I went to Noodles and Company. Their mac and cheese was outa this world!



It is supposed to snow monday and tuesday. Boo. They said on the news there has been snow cover for 53 days... the record is 62 days in '83-'84. I think we'll beat that sissy record.



I think the Synthroid is starting to take effect!!! I want to call it the 'roid... but then it sounds like I am talking about hemmorhoids... which I most certainly am not.

My dear friend the pet rescuer

I feel like I am becoming just like my dear friend susanne. Which most of the time isnt a bad thing. She used to live in a place where stray dogs were magnitized to her. She would take them in, name them, and then cry when she had to take them to the pound/dog rescue place. We always had to reassure her that they were going to find a great home, and NO pounds killed the unwanted dogs. I remember a specific dog named Barney, and even I was sad when Barney had to go. So, back to the story at hand. yesterday I was at work when the wound care nurse shows up with the cutest puppy that you ever did see. It was a Yorkie and she found it in her neighborhood, and no one claimed it for 2 weeks. it was a little boy and he was using his puppy face to win me over. apparently he had been to someone else's house and didn't work out with their dog, so he was back looking for a mom. well, cameron happened to be dropping a starbucks drink off for me at that time, and saw the little booger. We will call him Snickerdoodle. Snicker won cameron's heart over, and cam said we could have him for a TRIAL RUN. Well, snicker and schnooze DID not like each other. I don't know the full story, but cam called several hours later, and we had to bring Snicker back to the hospital. A wonderful family (of a respiratory therapist) took him. Snicker now gets to play with a 7 year old boy!!! I loved Snicker and he was soooo sweet. This is a pic of what he looks like. More like the one on the right than the left. He has real floppy ears!

Anyway, the synthroid has not kicked in yet, and I am anxiously awaiting the day that I have full Liz energy again.

It is 58 degrees outside today (a miracle in itself) and all the snow is melting away. I almost died when I saw someone riding their bike along the river. There's a river in Englewood leading to Cam's school..... I almost forgot! But the bad news is that it's supposed to start snowing again this weekend. But the highs are in the 40's... so maybe it wont stick?!?!?!?

Schnooze spent the weekend at Uncle Steve's and behaved until she peed and pooped on Scott's rug. But she's feeling a lot better, and was very excited this morning when I took her out and she could see the grass and walk on it! It is much softer than that nasty hard packed snow she's been walking on for forevers.

Hashimoto's Disease

This is Hakaru Hashimoto. In 1912 (Fig. 8-1) Hashimoto described four patients with a chronic disorder of the thyroid, which he termed struma lymphomatosa. The thyroid glands of these patients were characterized by diffuse lymphocytic infiltration, fibrosis, parenchymal atrophy, and an eosinophilic change in some of the acinar cells.(1) Clinical and pathologic studies of this disease have appeared frequently since Hashimoto's original description. The disease has been called Hashimoto's thyroiditis, chronic thyroiditis, lymphocytic thyroiditis, lymphadenoid goiter, and recently autoimmune thyroiditis. Classically, the disease occurs as a painless, diffuse enlargement of the thyroid gland in a young or middle-aged woman. It is often associated with hypothyroidism. The disease was thought to be uncommon for many years, and the diagnosis was usually made by the surgeon at the time of operation or by the pathologist after thyroidectomy. The increasing use of the needle biopsy and serologic tests for antibodies have led to much more frequent recognition, and there is reason to believe that it may be increasing in frequency.(2) It is now one of the most common thyroid disorders.

Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks the thyroid.

Today I went to the Endocrinologist. And I found out I have Hashimoto's. Apparently my parents gave it to me, since it is an autoimmune disease. Boo for genes sometimes. Anyway thank the Good Lord it can be treated with hormone replacement therapy (Synthroid). Just 1 pill a day at bedtime. She did another ultrasound to make sure she knew exactly what was going on. It was not multi-nodular like the other doc said. It was what Dr. Panzer called "moth eaten". Basically it had some pits all over because my body is eating my thyroid. And she did say I have a goiter, but it will get better with the meds. It is not a big goiter...don't be alarmed. And no it's not big enough to dress up or put bows on it.

The doc was really cute. She asked where I got my hair cut b/c she needed one. And she moved here from Boston about a year ago with her husband who is a Cardiologist. He cracks open chests and does implants. Anyway... she said he was looking for nurses... and I said, hey give him my name! How cool would that be? Anyway, come to find out, she has a mini schnauzer too, and his name is something like schnoopy :). They are from germany and did their schooling there. Then they went to Cleveland Clinic for Residency, then Boston for Fellowship, then moved here because of his job! Anyway, she has Hashimoto's too, and I really like her. We might even set up a play date for our dogs!

So, also I forgot to tell you that Schnooze got sick like before AGAIN on sunday. It was another $650. Boo. I brought home 24g IV's and IV fluids in case it happens again. Also we finally got to take our car in to get fixed and have been driving a rental car... a Mazda 5. It makes us want a new car soooo bad.

We go to Plano tomorrow for Lea Ann's birthday!!! Yeah for home!

Sophie Rabus, a cute poot!

Yesterday I got to meet Sophie for the first time. At first she was mad, but as the day went on, she was the cutest happiest baby in the world. When I first got to Susanne's parents' house in Loveland, Sophie was HUNGRYYYY!!! So Sus fed her and we just talked and hung out. Then Sophie fell asleep and we went to Schmidt's for lunch. It is a little German place and it was yummy! Then we went to starbuck's and got carmal apple ciders. Sophie was getting hungry or poopy or something and started crying so we went back home. Then, I got to feed Sophie! She is sooooo cute when she eats. Then I burped her (and let me tell you, formula burps are stinky!!!). Then I accidentally taught Soph a bad trick... I was playing with her pacifier and bopping it on her nose and taking it out of her mouth, and then she didnt want to keep it IN her mouth.... I am a badddddd friend. Sophie and I just stared at each other making cute faces. Then, Sus and I got the bright idea to have Sophie ride on Abel's back (the dog). But Abel kept sitting down (he mighta just been mad at us, he's old). So we took sophie's pic while she was sittin, laying, and bothering Abel :). THEN... Sus's dad got home from work, and offered to take me to dinner (this was at the price of missing my online jeopardy quiz yto get on the show, but i figured Sus's family is MUCH more important). So we went to a cute little place in Loveland downtown. Soph was sooo good the whole dinner! Then when we got back to her house, I GOT TO FEED HER AGAIN! But this time she acted like she was dying of hunger.... thank goodness we got the bottle made in time ..... close call. She is just a little pumpkin and I want to steal her (until she cries). This was good enough birth control for me for awhile. I figure once Susanne moves out here, then I can have a baby b/c she will show me what to do :)
PS: we didn't win the $254 million dollar lottery...sorry folks.

I am awesome...

I am so awesome...
love
Cameron

I am an organizing foo'

This is the organizing craft cart I bought on sale at Target for $20!!! It is filled with plastic drawers labeled for each of Cameron's classes (for papers and such that usually end up on the floor). With this cart, it clears off the desk so Cam can actually open a book on it.
Close up of the cleared off desk.
Far away pic of cleared off desk. The mosquito bobble head on the right of the desk has a story. Cam went to Minnisota to see John Piper speak at his church. Cam went to the mall of america, and the state "bird" is a mosquito, so Cam bought me one :). I also bought the lamp on the right b/c Cam keeps stealing the ones from the living room. The lamp on the left has a burnt out bulb, and we have another one he got at a garage sale and I am always afraid it will shock me... needless to say we still have it, it just has no bulb.

boring saturday

Well, cam and i didnt do much today. we woke up late (after eating din at emily and matt's then girls winning at cranium then sledding down a dangerous crazy hill). we decided to work out at the Y b/c we are both getting to be fattys (well not really but we feel like it). then cam has studied all day while i tried to knit a hat with circular needles for the second time. it was a really good hat the first time but it was wayyyyy too big. the second time somehow it got all twisted up and it almost made me cry to undo it. so i started a scarf. but my thyroidism has kicked in to full gear and i feel tired all the time and it takes a lot for me NOT to fall asleep on the couch all day. Schnooze is feeling a lot better and she is even jumping around and playing with her toys. wednesday i get to drive to loveland to see my dear friend susanne and her baby girl sophie. cam starts classes on monday. we have a fellowship thing at our house sunday. friday we got our new washing machine and it is as cam would say BALLS! in less than 2 weeks the cannons are flying us to Plano to see them all for LeaAnn's bday!!!
My dear cousin (who taught me how to make scambled eggs in the microwave when we were wee) inquired how to make sushi at home... so i will try and tell you.
#1 you need sticky rice (whole foods or organic store has it in bulk) when you make this sticky rice you better look on the internet... it's complicated and takes a long time
#2 seaweed wraps
#3 salmon or eel or tuna or shrimp tempura
#4 avocados, carrots, cucumbers, egg omlet, cream cheese
#5 rice vinegar is key, so rice doesnt stick to your hands
#6 bamboo rollers
#7 lay the wrap flat on the roller, put some rice and other goodies in it, roll it up, chpo it in bite size rolls :)
#8 very difficult, you probably need to be with someone who has done it before... but it is super fun and a great entertaining thing!!!
you would also need soy sauce and wasabi, and sake or japanese beer! and when you buy the seafood, you gotta make sure it's sushi quality, you dont want to get diarrhea on your first time!!! jsut come to denver and we will give you a free lesson!!!
We are going to the bar with steve... peace out.
GOOD NEWS>>>> JULIE MALECEK IS MOVING HERE IN SEPT!!!!

Wednesday Schmensday

Today I have a class from 12-2:30 or something, and it's all about EMar. EMar is scanning a patient's armband and then scanning a medication. It basically prevents errors. The class is so long b/c old people don't get computers. Young people however will do fine. Anyway, Cam had to go to school to study for his final, boo. Schnooze is doing well guys, just to let you know, she seems back to her old self again. Although we do have to feed her 5x a day and give her medications 2x a day. Anyway.... tonight will be fun though. After the class, Emily and I are going to While Foods to buy stuff for sushi tonight. We are gonna start making it early, b/c the rice takes like an hour to cook. We made sushi before and it was so much fun, but now we are making it at our house... WITH ALL THE NEW SUSHI STUFF sus and chris got us for christmas!!!! Keep praying for my thyroid, it's scaring me. I know it's probably not, but I feel like it's smooshing my throat closed... I don't go to the doc til I dont know 2 weeks or something.

Also, you know how I got hit... WELL... we thought we would screw the system and keep the money since the cars not THAT bad... oh don't worry, the estimate was only like $160... woo hoo... So we will still get it fixed :).

My cousin bought a house yesterday, and it's so cute... (laurenandbrad.blogspot.com) I want to live in a house :(.

My sister is awesome, and now she works mornings.... I hope she doesn't fall asleep and all the kids run loose and go crazy :).

I think my mom doesn't have electricity... she has not contacted me since the ice storm.

My friend and her little baby boo are flying into Denver today, and I can't wait!!! I finally get to pinch those little butt cheek (Sophie's, not Sus's).

My friend that I worked with at Deaconess (chrissy boyd) is doing traveling nursing in Denver... and she's living in Littleton (close to me), so I am pumped. She was in the sorority with me, then i quit and thought she hated me, but she didn't think I liked her, and in Nursing school we realized we both liked each other.... and so now we are friends :). Crazy I know. But she's cool!

My other cousin said it was below freezing in SoCal (do i sound cool because i said socal?)... Isn't it supposed to be like 70 there???

We met some cool people Michael and Lisa and they are from MI, and they sing and play guitars and keyboards, and they record music and make CDs.... at some point i will tell you their story, but they are way cool and remind me of me and Cam :).

I love you all, thanks for reading my blog!

This is schnooze's little wrap from her IV. This is where she was shaved and Cam gave her a tattoo so she would look tough.

Poor Schnoozy

Oh Man... lots of crazy things going, but I will try to fit them all in.
#1 my cousin Lane makes me so jealous (laneadair.blogspot.com) just read it. My other cousin Lauren flipped a house, and it's the coolest (laurenandbrad.blogspot.com)

#2 I have been sick for about 5 days coughing, sneezing, headache, grossness, and don't worry i sneezed so hard yesterday morning, i strained a muscle in my back. How embarrassing. Seriously. I went to the Dr. today and he told me some stretches to do, and gave me some Tylenol #3 (which is the only pain meds i have ever had in my life) (it's weird).

#3 Yesterday Schnooze didn't feel well, and threw up in the morning. Cam took her out to pee, and then we left for church. We came home to 2 big poops and a diarrhea spot. Then throughout the day she got worse. Throwing up more and more, and a few diarrheas, one we caught in time to get her out, the other explosive and on the kitchen floor. More throw up and more diarrhea later, we moved her to the bathroom with her bed and 2 rolls of paper towels. It started to get scary, b/c I knew she was dehydrated. But worse of all, it was getting bloody, and pretty bloody i might add. So we started looking for Emergency Vets and how much that would be. We called and talked to a tech who said we should probably bring her in and it would be $95 for the visit (which didn't seem SOOOOO bad).
We get there and poor little thing was so pitiful I almost was crying. They said she probably had some bacteria called HCG and it was VERY treatable, but she needed to stay the night and get and IV of fluids and some anti-nausea meds, then in the morning take her to our regular vet.
Well it was hard to leave my little baby, but she was in good hands. I didn't sleep at all last night, b/c I kept waking up thinking about Schnooze. We picked her up this morning and she seemed to be back to her old self. We dropped her off at the vet and she is getting more IV fluids and making sure she can hold down food and water, and we will get her later today!

#4 Crazy drunk lady (who come to find out was 8x the legal limit... no biggy right..yeah whatever) who hit my car, STILL has never contacted back her insurance, and so they are finally gonna come look at our car to see when we can get it in or whatever. And they said they would call todya before they came, but yet gave us no time frame. So annoying. I told them to call back at 3pm, but Cam still isnt back yet...AHH!

#5 Cam's parents are flying us to Plano for Momma Lea Ann's birthday!!! It will be the first weekend in Feb! Cool huh?

#6 Uncle Kim & Derek are the rockingest uncles ever and their wedding present to us is a new washing maching. our old one smells like burning belts everytime we wash :). It is coming Friday!!!!

#7 that is all i can think of. My head hurts so I will go lay down. Miss you!

My husband is so smart!!!

Cameron told me yesterdaythat he got his grades back...while his face was beaming! Let me first tell you what the grading scale is 93-100 is an A. He made all A's (5) and (1) B-!!!!!! Totalling 15 hours of Graduate school! Aren't you so proud of him! Way to go Cameron!
He also has today, tomorrow, and Friday left of his intersession class!!!!

Thyroid business suckaaaaaas

So, first off let me say that I AM FINE! Here is a little story about a thyroid. I went to the doctor for a check-up. She felt my thyroid and said it felt a little big. She wanted me to get some blood work done (TSH and T4) and get an ultrasound of my thyroid. So, the next day I was able to get the ultrasound, and the U/S tech said I DID NOT have a goiter, but it didn’t look smooth (which it’s supposed to). Anyway, that was Thursday, and the tech said their radiologist would read the report that day and have it faxed to my dr’s office by Friday afternoon. Of course I worked Friday, and was worried all day long about having cancer or something else??? So, my good old friend at the hospital said… well why don’t you just call the Dr’s office and have them call you at work!! GREAT IDEA! Now, why didn’t I think of that? Anyway, they said Dr. Barton would call around 5:00-5:30pm. So I am of course awaiting the call the whole time. She calls and says I have a multi-nodular thyroid and my TSH was a little on the high side (which really means I have hypothyroidism… seems weird I know) (my lab was 6.something… normal is 0.4-4). She said I need to see an endocrinologist. So I made an appt but I can’t get in until the 30th…boo. Anyway, a multi-nodular thyroid means some areas are working overtime, and some aren’t working at all. Which promotes a GOITER…AHHHH! So really at anytime a goiter could pop up. Susanne said she would put little bows on it and dress it up, Angie said we could paint it in themes…like a pumpkin, an Easter egg, a witch’s wart… whatever. Anyway, I should be okay, unless a goiter pops up and closes my trachea shut. But I think I would notice not being able to breath.

On another note… I had my interview a week ago on Wednesday, and well… it went fine, but I didn’t get that feeling about the hospital that I have with others. I just didn’t really like it. It’s 11 miles away (Swedish is 2), it’s under a lot of construction, if there was another snow disaster I would have to stay the night there b/c my house is too far away, and the big kicker, I’d end up having to pay $1000 just to transfer (my sign on bonus was $5000 at Swedish, if I get $7000 from new job taxed, it’s only $4000 that I actually receive… so in turn before I get my tax return I have to pay $1000 to Swedish…. So that was a big kicker). It kind of sucks a lot, b/c I want to work on a cardiac floor so badly and I feel like I am losing a lot of knowledge about the drugs and heart and whatnot. BUT… I think for the time being, even though I will have to start wearing a uniform soon, I will stay at Swedish but keep my options open. I technically have to endure 13 more months…BOO…but I do have a few really good friends there.

On a much cooler happier note… my friend Emily invited me to go on this thing called a snowshoeing hut to hut trip. You basically strap on some snow shoes and trek for a while and end up at a hut (it’s all furnished with beds, mattresses, and a stove, and bathroom), we just have to bring a sleeping bag, food, and clothes!!! Super cool huh? I am pumped! It’s at the end of March… so cool!!!!

And, of course for the 4th snow storm on Dec/Jan… I will be at work AGAIN. The third one, they did not call a disaster, and this one they shouldn’t either. They are saying the snow will start Thursday afternoon, snow Friday, and Saturday, about 3-4” everyday MAX! So we should be in business. Susanne and Mike are supposed to come in they don’t get snowed out! I can’t wait to see little Sophie-bee!

More snow...again

Well, let me just say, it has been a wild ride! I worked Christmas day, and it really wasn't that bad. I worked with some great people, and ate some great food (and lots of it). Meanwhile at the house.... Cameron and Steve were having manly McXmas. They didn't wake up until late b/c they had sledded in the middle of the night, played Xbox, and other boyish things. Christmas day they did more of the same. When I got home, they had planned a terrific dinner for me. Duck, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, etc. It was yummy! The next day Cam and I ran errands and saw a movie! I had to go back to work on the 28th (thursday)... and wouldn't you be so happy to know that I got stuck in the Snow Disaster Plan AGAIN>>>AHHH. But, it wasn't as bad as last time, and the snow wasn't coming down as hard. I convinced the boss to let me drive home b/c we have chains and we only live 2 miles away. I basically had to sign in blood that I would return Friday. Which I did without problem. The system ended up working me.... long story, but i worked several hours on friday, was able to go home, but had to come back for saturday and sunday. Anyway, it was crazy, and I was so glad to come home to a SUPER CLEAN house (by cam) on Sunday night. We had lots of people over for new years eve, and used the balcony with snow still piled high on it as our ice chest!!!! We ate, drank, and were very merry!!!! I slept in until 11:00... a record for me since highschool i think!!! The snow is still really deep, but all roads are completely clear except apt complexes and things like that. Today is a great day, Cameron started school again (not so great, but it puts him in a routine), i got all the paperwork and finances in order, i finally got a dr's appt (just a checkup), and i FINALLY got the courage up to make an appt for a haircut... it is at 4pm today!!! Tomorrow we will finally get our car registered in CO and get CO plates, and at 2pm I have an interview at St. Joseph's hospital, Cardiac Unit!!!! I also have today, tomorrow, and Thursday off of work, so I am pumped!!!! It has been super cold outside, and I don't think the snow will ever melt. I love the snow, but am getting a little tired of every patient I have having a broken hip/leg/head from falling on the snow/ice. I am sorry I didn't blog sooner, but well, you know...? Hopefully Progressive will call us soon saying they spoke to the drunk driver who hit me, and I will be able to get the car fixed up shiny and new!!!!! Until then.... here are some snow pics!

SO MUCH SNOW!

So, wednesday it started to snow, Cam got me to work fine though. There was crazy talk about having to go into Snow Disaster Mode, but I thought nahhh. Anyway, minute by minute the snow got worse and worse. They put us in Snow Disaster Mode, which means, you are not allowed to elave the hospital until we are out of the SDM. So.... I got to spend 36 straight hours at the hospital. Lucky enough for me, Cam was able to get me some clothes and stuff at 2pm so I could change. And I was also lucky that the night shift was able to get there, so I could sleep. It wasn't a great sleep, but at least I got some. I worked all day Thursday (I was scheduled anyway), but some people had to stay at work even though there was enough staff, just sitting around, just in case night shift couldnt get there. It was NUTS... people were mad, angry, crying, upset, it was a disaster in itself. I decided that i would leave that night anyway, b/c this was too much. What were they going to do, fire me??? I already had an interview set up that next day at another hospital... SUCKAAAA! So, they ended up lifting the SDM at like 3ish. I called Cam to ahve him start digging the car out, it was completely covered. It took him and our neighbor 2 hours to get both the cars out. Luckily Cam had gotten snow chains the day before. It stopped snowing at 3, but total it snowed 32''. CRAZY!!!! I got to come home that night, and it was so nice to see my husband again! We almost got stuck a couple times, but we made it. Friday the interview got canceled and I will go sometime in the next few days (after christmas). Saturday we had our christmas!!! It was fun! Today we are having dinner at Matt & Emily's house. I made a homemade apple pie and pumpkin pie!!!! Yumm!! I have to work tomorrow and that is sad. But cam and steve are having a Manly Mc-Xmas Party all day long, including Xbox and Rum nog! Yeah for friends!

MVA = motor vehicle accident

So... this is my day.... go to the grocery store to get millions of things we are out of (plus some scruptous things for tortilla soup), unpack it all, eat some lunch (with pistacio nuts), go to the yarn store (spend lots of money), drive down the road busting out to Indigo Girls, stop at a light to turn left... HEAR A LOUD BOOM... oh wait.... I got rear-ended... by a drunk lady on drugs... awesome(who happens to think she is pregnant... (pregnant + drugs = awesome for fetus???)so she is taken to Swedish..on my floor). So, i cry a lot, am shaking, (it's also really cold), some man next to me says she almost ran him off the road and was driving all crazy and he thinks she's on something and i should call 911. So, I do this while she's looking for insurance. she comes to my car getting too close for comfort (i am getting that really uncomfortable feeling, like right before a patient gets combative), and at that moment, an officer comes. I get her info down (even though it was expired). The officer tells her he had three calls on her already and they had been looking for her. she proceeds to cuss out the officer and get crazy. they cuff her and put her in their car(and they tell me she has to go to jail). they were so nice and sweet (and then i remembered... my friend deb's husband is a cop in sheridan... i wonder if these guys know him). So, I ask one of the guys, and he says... no he's right over there (with crazy girl). Small world!!! They took care of me!!! Anyway, they had to wait for a lady cop to come so she could pat down the crazy girl. I have to wait awhile, but it wasn't so bad. My bumper was pretty gross and parts of it were broken off, but it was okay. and i was okay. Anyway I get home and after all the hubbub of calling both insurance people, her's calls back and.... SHE HAS INSURANCE!!!!!!!! WOO HOO!!! I was so worried! Anyway, all this time, Cameron was climbing Mt. Bierstadt in snowshoes with some friends! So, my plan was to make them all my mom's famous tortilla soup... but that didnt happen right away. Cameron came home with a dozen roses in hand, and lots of hugs!! I ended up getting the soup made for the other 5 people, and they loved it! So, during all this craziness.... last week or so i had applied at another hospital, and they called in the midst and set up an interview for Friday (the day i get to see the Phelps!)...but that is good! Anyway I praise the Lord she hit me and not anyone else b/c she oculd have killed someone, and praise the Lord I wasnt hurt, the car wasnt bad or anything. We have an appt after christmas to get the car fixed and to have a rental car during this time. So things are good!
1. Cam said it was cold and snowy and crazy, and i will post pics later of his excursion!!!
2. Sus is sick with an upper respiratory infection... she sounded so bad, it made me want to drive her some tortilla soup!
3. The tree is filled with presents from our awesome family.
4. Steve is spending christmas with us
5. Cam and Steve have plans for Christmas day (while i work) and all of them involve egg nog and rum!
6. it's supposed to snow soon
7. I love mail and christmas cards
8. I also love posts... post baby!

Christmas parties!

Last night I went to a Christmas party! It was at Heidi's house and was oh so much fun! I bakesd some sugar cookies and made them all Christmasy, and also dipped those long pretzles into white chocolate and then sprinkled them with sprinkles... super cute. There were 8 girls there, and a baby boy 4 months old! Anyway, it was just nice to be around girls for a change (nice ones anyway).

On another note, I talked to Susanne yesterday, and I could hear Sophie in the background, and her noises were super cute (until she cried). But Sus said her cord fell off last week and they can give her baths in her cute little bathtub thingy now! There are new pics on her blog... go see!

And for the kicker.... I still strongly dislike my job, and it makes me mad everytime I have to go (which thank goodness is only 3 times a week). But I applied at another hospital in Denver, and it is 11 miles away. But they have a brand new cardiac unit, and I LOVE CARDIAC PATIENTS!!! I also love old people, and I don't get many of those around the multi-trauma unit... boo. Another big crazy thing is this hospital is going to uniforms. They chose not to listen to our emails about our reasons why this isn't a good idea, and they totally disregarded our petitions. Anyway, we can choose from wine or carribean blue. YUCK! That goes into effect in Feb, so I hope I can get this new job and be out before then. I love my cute fun colorful scrubs!!!

Cameron is in the midst of studying for finals... 3 more left after today!!! He had to turn a big part of his Thesis in today, but that is a good thing! And after all his crazy finals, if the weather is good, he will climb Mt. Bierstadt in snowshoes with his counseling friends. He is crazy, but adventurous!!!

We have just been getting ready for Christmas and a lot of crazy things get in the way... but we are trekking along.

Shout out to Gabs... Congrats on your graduation miss Masters!! Now we can call you Master Gabriele!!!

Have a good day people, I love you!! PS to the Phelps clan... we are probably gonna see you the saturday before christmas if that is okay!!!!

working out...

So, this is bad when you haven't worked out in so long that you go to put your tennies shoes on and they don't fit anymore. Well that was me this morning. First off I have to say my feet haven't grown since 7th grade. Second I have to say I think they are growing. Third of all, I really did work out like a couple months ago :). Okay, so a few days ago I realized that I am super out of shape (it was while I was trying to truck through the snow to take Schnooze out) and just gross. So I decide after working monday and tuesday I will get up early and take Cameron to school then I can have the car to go work out. I think in my head I will run 3 miles and it will be awesome. The minute I get up and get dressed to drive him, I realize my shoes are super dang tight.... and they hurt?!?!?!? So, after I come back, brush my teeth, and take dog out, I go to Kohl's and buy a brand spanking new pair of Nike's (they are cute... light blue and green on white and gray). I put them on in the car and go to the Y. I decide my knee hurts too bad to run on the treadmill, so i Elliptical it for 3 miles. Go me!!! I watched 2 episodes of scrubs on my ipod and that made it go faster... even though it did take me 46 minutes. I wasn't training or anything. Anyway I felt so good that I even did some weights. THEN... i came home and i am making 2 corndogs... don't tell anybody :). My plans today are to: help my friend heidi (isnt it cool i have a friend named heidi???) finish her scarf (and she might make me lunch too!!), then wrap some more presents and hopefully take them to the post office, and knit someone's scarf i am working on (even though she knows who she is and is related to me :)). Cam wants to take this free avalanche class in denver tonight at 7pm, but hello people it's the season finale of America's Next Top Model (i didn't get to watch any this season until sunday and it was a marathon of them). But we may still go to the class, b/c that's cool. I miss everyone! Shout out to Deaconess!!! Love you!