Can I get some cheese...for my WHINE?

Me after seeing the Holiday Schedule. UGH!! Thanksgiving...Christmas Eve, not to mention New Year's Eve and New Year's Night. I mean why do I write a request for which holidays I want to work if you are going to plop me where you want anyway?! On the bright side...I have a job, and I get to see newborns. Smile :D ...not  ;(.  Its my blog and I'll whine if I want to...sing to the tune of Its My Party. All for now. Gobble Gobble.

Thankful.

So, the last couple of weeks my facebook family has been leaving posts everyday for what they are thankful for. I thought I would just wrap it up in a blogpost. So here goes.. First, i'm thankful for all my friends that have been there for me. Some examples are the friends that told me that it is ok to grieve, that its ok to put myself first. I'm very thankful to a friend that stood by me when I thought all was lost. I am thankful to the friend who taught me to enjoy life..and to plan on living my dreams..whether going on a trip, going to school..just to enjoy life. Its thanks to her that I have discovered that I can travel...if I put my mind to it. And I love to discover new places. I am thankful to the friends that helped me to laugh again..and laugh hard.

I am thankful to have had two amazing parents for as long as I did. Yes, the time was way too short. That leaves me thankful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Because I know not only will I see them again, but we are an eternal family. That gives me great peace. I am thankful that I got to spend Saturdays hanging with my Dad while mom worked. Even though I disliked going to Ole's, Builders Square, Home Depot...etc. I have some great memories..but I enjoyed the trips to the thrift stores the best, my favorite was Deseret Industries on mainstreet. Don't ask me why...just because. I am thankful that my Dad took the time with me to show me to cook. I really enjoy cooking. Sometimes adventurous. Like tonight. I have made turkeys before. I have cooked thanksgiving dinner before, but tonight...tonight i'm brining my first turkey. In a brining bag thats inside a home depot bucket. It smells lovely. I hope it turns out. I am thankful for the relationship I had with my Mom. I am thankful to her for showing me to be spontaneous. For showing me how to persevere when the going gets tough. For her example and her faith in me when I wanted to throw in the towel. For her telling me no matter who I become in my career that I am doing fine. For unconditional love and support. I am thankful for monthly shopping trips with my Grandma Josie..for the converstaions I would have and the experiences I would have with her and my Dad. Oh I miss them!!

Tonight at midnight, marks five years that my mom has been gone. I can't believe it. Sometimes I feel like it was just yesterday. I remember being thankful for a stranger that gave me a hug while I sitting by myself crying in the hospital lobby late one night. I am thankful for the human spirit. Yes, people a lot of the times think of themselves. But I have seen too many times the caring spirit. I am thankful for the patients that I have taken care of as a CNA and LPN. My healthcare career spans about 13 years now. So that probably means I have taken care of hundreds, if not thousands. I just did something silly..I did a calculation..an estimate have you of how many patients I have taken care of over 13 years. Roughly 14,000 people. If you take an account of  eight patients a day, three days aweek, 24 patients aweek, x by 4 weeks. 96 patients a month x 12 months and then by how many years i've been doing this. HOLY COW!! Some patients I have loved taking care of, some have been a challenge..to say the least. But I am thankful for them too..because all my experiences help me to grow as a nurse. To have the compassion and to listen. Because I have been on the other side.

So..thats what i'm thankful for. Hope you have a Very Happy Thanksgiving.

Love, Cindy

Here are some pics of pre thanksgiving week...
On Friday the 16th...me and Theresa attempted roll making.

At first..not looking good. Although it looked like an excellent science project. Brains, anyone?  ;)

Our finised product. The ones on the left we got lazy and just cut with a pizza cutter. They were good! And they didn't land with a thud.

I brined my first "Hollywood Turkey"...thank you Pioneer Woman. It was fantastic.

Lilly made it out of her bed for dinner at the table. A true miracle of Thanksgiving. :)

The End of an Era.

The time is almost here! Breaking Dawn 2 is coming in less than four days. I can't believe it. The whole Twilight thing for me helped me to rediscover my love for reading. Who knew? And I do like the movies too..but I will always say that the books are always better. I discovered Twilight in 2007. I was a little late on the bandwagon, but jumped on nonetheless. Discovering love for Twilight and sharing that with friends and sharing the frenzy has been fun. I remember reading through these books in a matter of days. But who would thought I would be reading 400, 500 page books without batting my eyelashes?!After not wanting to pickup a single book after nursing school. And the movies, it been traditon these last four years to go to every premiere..ahem (I missed last years premiere. Don't worry...I went in the morning after work.  ;) ) As the last movie comes out on the 16th...well 15th now, I'm so stinking excited about that. What will I do next year?! Sob...just kidding. Thanks Stephanie Meyer for rekindling, no pun intended...my love of reading..and introducing girls into reading that might not have. :) Pictures to come of twilight madness.

                                                        We're ready!!! Two hours early....

Its Your Turn!

Shuffle, Shuffle...Post..Post! It always seems like I catch up on stuff on my weekends. With it being chilly and all, might as well! Okay i'm throwing down the gauntlet. Its now your turn..Time to answer the questions to the Famous..Liebster Award. Congrats, you won! Now pay up... :)

The Rules :

1. Post 11 things about yourself

2. Answer the questions the nominator made for you

3. Create 11 more questions for the blogs you nominate

4. Choose 11 people and link them to your post

4. Go to their page and tell them too

5. Oh, and of course, no tag backs

1) We'll start easy:milk chocolate or dark? And if no chocolate..umm tell me your replacement. I rely heavily on it now. Salted pretzel Milanos...try em!

 

2) Your favorite book...besides the scriptures. Tell me why I should read it.

3) If you could learn any other language, what would it be?

4) Favorite foreign dish or food?

5) If you could purchase anything right now, what would you get?

6) If you could spend a 30 minute lunch with anyone, who would it be?..Living or  no longer here. I'm curious to know.

7) What is the most important thing to you?

8) What is your top 5 on your iPod? Or other music devise...

 

9) What is your favorite childhood show or movie?

10) Any awesome memories you'd like to share? [when i say that, what's the 1st thought that comes to mind?]

11) My last question comes from a prior post that I did on Oprah. It was about your personal calling. We all have one. What is your calling in life? Profound, I know.  ;)

 

Bonus Questions!

 

1. Paper or Plastic?

2. Favorite Instrument...or one you wish you could play?

3. Favorite Vacation Spot...

4. Nastiest smell you came across?

 

Good Luck. May the Force Be With You. I will be heading out into the cold to a release book party. I'm excited. Be blogging later kids. :) P.S. i'll answer these when I COME BACK.

AND...I'm back! Here are my answers...
1. I'm on a chocolate fix at the moment. I like milk usually. Although, Peppridge Farm Dark chocolate milano with crushed pretzel is quite yummy. Salty and Sweet!

2 I have alot of Favorite Books. Although, this time I want to give a shout out to Twilight. The books are always better. But I kinda like the movies too! Vampires, true love..action? Love it.

3. For all intense purposes I guess I should learn Spanish. But I would love those that choose to live here to learn English as well. We communicate. I know excellent Spanglish. ; )

4. Has been Pancit from the phillipines...now that i've been to Italy, white potato cheese pizza.

5. I made a purchase last night...local band. Best album I bought in awhile!

6. For my lunch break company, it would for sure be Mom and Dad. I wonder what I would ask in the 30 minutes?

. 7. The most important thing for me is my faith.

8. My Top 5...

   1-One Direction- Live While We're Young
   2  Phillip Phillips- Home
   3  Imagine Dragons-Its Time
   4   Fun-  We Are Young
   5   I found this last night on youtube...take a listen.

 

 

9.  Favorite Childhood show or Movie...Goonies, Annie, Full House, Growing Pains..yada yada.

 

10.  See my last blog post. :)

 



11.  My personal calling- I think that my personal calling is to help. In my profression I help..but I mean just in general. When I am out in the public such as standing in line, people will always start a conversation with me. I think I have a knack for listening...sometimes my skills are lacking, but I do try to help others.  Enough about me...Your turn.

Liebster Award.

Thank you to my friend Tiffany for nominating me for the prestigious Liebster Award. Such an honor! What is this you may ask? The word liebster is german for favorite, dearest, beloved, valued, sweetest...it's also used at the beginning of letters and prayers, etc. :) that's awesome.

It's an award given in the blogging world for people who have less than 200 followers....whew. i'm cutting it close there ain't i?..:P Me too Tiff.

 

The Rules :

 

1. Post 11 things about yourself

2. Answer the questions the nominator made for you

3. Create 11 more questions for the blogs you nominate

4. Choose 11 people and link them to your post

4. Go to their page and tell them too

5. Oh, and of course, no tag backs

11 little things about Cindy-

 

1. Well numero one...if you have been reading this blog, you know I took a trip to EUROPE! :D
Yes, I am STILL posting about that. I'm behind. Nothing new.

2. I am a native of my hometown...and I have never left. Not even the side of town !

3. Back in the day when I was born...Sunrise Hospital was not within the city limits. Crazy, I'm not even that old...I swear!

4. I am an orphan. Its true. Miss my Mom and Dad everyday!

5. I have some of the BEST friends in the world. They make my day...which brings me to...

6. Facebook- I like to reconnect with old friends. Kind of an addiction. Its my world.

7. I won a $5000 shopping spree. Truth! Meadows Mall..Black Friday, I was buying my first digital camera..on sale. I slipped a little card in the bin to see if maybe i'd win? I got the call 1/2 an hour later.

8. I was flying to Salt Lake City and I heard while in the air..we we're preparing to make an emergency landing. I was fine until the lady across the aisle started making goodbye phone calls..then I started freaking out. I mean, I missed my parents..but I wasn't ready to see them yet. I still had things to do! The front tires that help the plane land woudn't turn I guess? They would come down, but we wouldn't be able to turn the corner. We were met by police, ambulances lining the runway. Yeah, that was fun. I still fly thank you very much.

9. I love trying new food. Sushi..well I'm beginning to appreciate it. I'd like to try Indian..but my favorite has been Mexican. Yumm.

10. When I went to London, we were there for the last marathon of the Olympic Games. That was so amazing.

11. I do love to blog! I wish the people that I follow would update theirs. But to each their own. I don't even scrapbook anymore. After so many posts I print mine up. Voila! I don't need to be crafty craft..or crafty-crap. HaHa! ;)

 I hope this lets you know a little about me.....

The Questions....This is Only a Test.

1) We'll start easy: ritz crackers or saltines?

   Easy Peasy. Ritz! Saltines...when i'm sick.

2) Your favorite place to be/relax/hang out?
  Hmm...to relax a beach or maybe on a couch in a empty room on my lunch break at 2 am? Ssshhh.

3) If you could learn any other language, what would it be?

I should learn Spanish. I want to learn Italiano and French now.

4) Favorite foreign dish or food?

I love filipino Pancit. But a new recent favorite has to be from Italy. Besides the Gelato, White Potato pizza, best stuff on earth.

5) If you could purchase anything right now, what would you get?

Easy! Imagine Dragons latest CD..itunes..whatever.

 

6) How do you feel about no-shave november?...i'm curious to know.

I didn't know about no-shave november. But since I haven't..I guess i'm pro.  ;)

7) What is the most important thing to you?

My Faith.

 

8) Do you doodle when you are in meetings? what do you like to doodle?

Not really..I really can't draw. Seriously. I might doodle some curly q's. But I usually write notes. :)

 

9) What is your favorite childhood show or movie?

Goonies, Clue, Annie..Star Wars, Diffrent Strokes, Growing Pains..I could be here for awhile.

 

10) Any awesome memories you'd like to share? [when i say that, what's the 1st thought that comes to mind?

I went to a singles activity to the Coon's ranch in Hidden Valley. They own Anderson Dairy. After the activity was over..we were thirsty. So I drove to the nearby town of Logandale. I drive down the big hill going into the valley in the dark, and I see a cop parked on the side. I'm driving slow because I don't know what the speed limit is. Then...I get pulled over. For driving too slow! He asks me if I have had anything to drink, my friends in the back of my car say to the officer...She's Not Drunk...She's Mormon! Mortified..that's me. I didn't get a ticket either. :)

11) Which population do you have more fun with...kids or adults? generally speaking....

Today..adults. I don't know with kids..yet.

Bonus Questions....oh boy.

1) What's the nastiest smell you've ever smelled?
I'm a nurse...we'll just leave it at that.

 

2) If you were forced to step in something mushy, what would it be?

Muddy Sand, because i would be on the beach.

3) What's your favorite instrument?

Violin. I played for 8 yrs..I think.

 

4) If you were hit by a car, how would the story go? did you die? i hope not! then you wouldn't be around to answer number 5!

If I were hit by a car? I would just bounce off. No biggy. And walk away. Yup.

5) If you survived the car incident, i'm dying to know, do you prefer shorts or pants?

Pants, of course.

 

There. It is done! If you have read my post...you have been challenged. Now get to it! I look forward to hearing from Shauntae especially and of course the ladies of In Good Company. And anyone else who reads.

Checking In.

Hello, hope you're all having your best week ever! For our relief society mtg this week, we all celebrated our best day ever. I was asked to be one of the speakers. I heavily relied on my blog to relive my best day ever....and I had some major butterflies, and a lump in my throat as I approached the room. To my horror, I found the meeting had already started, and here I thought I was getting there early. I practiced mst- Mormon Standard Time. And they started early, yikes! But, I was right on time. And it went off pretty good, the activity was alot of fun, I miss coming..I usually work on Thursday nights. I visited some friends in the hospital this week. Lilly and Ranae. With my mom's death date coming up, I find it hard still to walk through the hallways of the rehab facility that she spent two trips at. Never was fond of that place...and my Dad died there too. Oh well. Work has been going ok...at least i'm working for now. I'll be finding out soon what will happen. I've been dealing with the stress of that. It hasn't always been easy, but I remember what I've accomplished and that there is a plan..no matter what the outcome will be. Heavenly Father is mindful. I just need to keep remembering that. As my doctor said to me the other day As one door closes, leads to a new door opening with all the possibilities that I haven't seen. I loved that. Just what I needed to hear. I can't sleep..and I should get up in the morning, and not sleep it away. We shall see how I do with that, seeing its 2 am now. But I felt like writing. Nothing hugely noteworthy. But blogging nonetheless. I can't believe that November is here already. I'm being truthful in saying I don't enjoy this time much...But, I will try to get through the best that I can. And hope it passes quickly. But I will try to be thankful..I've started a gratitude challenge on Instagram- I'll be posting pics soon. And I have had a blogging challenge given to me..more info on that later. But sorry if I sound melancholy..but its my blog. And I write what I want.

Here's a video that I'm really loving right now- In less than 16 days, I will be in a theatre watching Breaking Dawn 2...Now there's something to be happy about. :D