We went to the snow today and had so much fun. It's amazing that we live where it gets 115 degrees in the summer and live only 45 mins from some snow in the winter. It was nice to visit but I could never live in mountains or in the east where it snows. We went with our friends and their kids and had so much fun throwing snow balls, sledding and drinking beers at the lodge bar.
My snow bunny
Adam and I tubing down a hill
View of the park
A random elk that was friendly
On our way home
Merry Christmas a day late! I worked yesterday but my wonderful boss lady let me off in time for a wonderful afternoon dinner. It was so yummy and the best part was I didn't have to cook. I did make a pie Christmas Eve as my contribution. It turned out so yummy. We ate lots of food, played Wii sports, and opened presents. I think I was in bed by 8 for another day of work today. I think I saved money by working because I probably would have been out shopping for the bargains. I hate crowded malls though. I guess who likes them! Here are some pictures I am attempting to post. Miss you all-
Adam and the girls
Wii bowling, such form
I have always been very book smart but sometimes I lack common sense. I want to believe I have gotten better over the years until something brings me back to the realization that things have never realy changed. When I was younger, my lack of common sense led my family to many years of teasing. If anyone would make a dumb comment, you had pulled "a Lisa." For example, when I was in college, I asked the lady in the cafeteria line for a GIRL cheese sandwich. She said, as opposed to the BOY cheese we have in the back? Who knew it was GRILL cheese? I had learned something new! I used to wonder why the planes didn't hit the stars not realizing how much distance was between the two. While typing on the computer to my sister a while back, I wrote, " well you minus well just call me later." She wrote back, "yeah I might as well".....Oops! Who knew it was might as well. When you say minus well fast, it sounded good enough to me. Once again I keep learning new things! That brings me to current day. Yesterday I was talking to someone at work and said in a sentence, well "Long behold, there it is...." I was corrected: It's lo and behold! I even had to google it because I was so sure for once I was right. Once again, I pulled a Lisa. I don't think things will ever change. I can deliver a baby, but don't ask me anything about grammer, spelling, or geography. What the heck is the loch ness monster anyway??? I think I'll have to pass on that one.
I'm back from vacation! Going back home always feels more like Christmas with all the memories and traditions. I had so much fun that it was really hard to leave. I was able to get all my shopping done, went on walks with my mom, went to dinners, lounged on the couch, and visited with my brother-in-law and sister's family. I just love them and their babies. It went by so fast, and now it's back to work tomorrow. I'm off for New Years though where we will be camping in the desert. I love campfire and smores! After christmas I will attempt to post pictures. We bought ourselves a new camera for christmas, but it's wrapped under the tree. I just love this time of year. Oh and my husband gets home from Vegas in a few minutes so I'm super excited!
When I became a labor & delivery nurse, I worked at just about the best hospital in orange county and never thought I would leave Hoag. I was trained well, learned so much, loved the other nurses and enjoyed bonding with the patients, their families, and their lives. They were excited about the planned baby they were expecting, and I felt so appreciated for being there to help them along with their labor. Then we moved!
I took a month off work to get settled, and then got bored. When I started working out here, I wasn't really aware of how different of an experience it would be. My manager is great. She has always worked at more rural hospitals and deals with social problems really well. You have to definitely adjust if you want to work in this town. The patients are young, mostly between 14-20 yr old and still in high school. If I have a patient that is my age (27), they are "Old," or on their 5th baby. The other day I had a 20 year old on her 5th baby! There is a lot of drug use out here, no one knows who the father is, and if they do they are not involved or present for the delivery. We are lucky if they have all their teeth! During their labors, I have gotten cussed at, and was told by a young girl she "wanted to kick me in my freakin face." I find myself comparing Hoag to my current hospital and although their are major differences in the type of patients, I am glad I work out here. I feel there is a need for teaching the youth. I have learned so much about myself and how to tackle the tough issues, and how to be more stern with their irresponsible behaviors. I am not as naive to the drugs use, and social problems that are out there. I am more grateful if I DO get a patient that is married, happily planned the birth of their baby, and are mature in both age and intellect. It's refreshing!! Another big change for me is the rate of adoptions out here. Thank god some of these babies aren't going home with their careless druggie mothers, and are going to a more loving home. Sometimes I think about taking them home too.! We love on them, dress them in cute clothes and sometimes name them until their "parents" arrive to meet them. Besides the patients at work, I have met some really wonderful friends.
I think it is all part of growing up and expanding my wings to a new environment. The skills of delivering a baby will always remain the same, it's the patients that change from hospital to hospital. It makes me realize I could be a delivery nurse anywhere after taking on these amazing daily challenges! I feel old out here to have a baby....maybe I should get started! Someday I will.....
I really can't complain about my job! I am thankful about having a job although every morning that I have to get up at 4:45 I complain. I grumble in bed when my alarm goes off, I huff and puff all the way to the bathroom, and sometimes even stomp my feet. I'm such a baby! Sometimes I even look over at my husband who is snoring the morning away and glare. How dare he be sleeping while I'm awake!!! Haha. Mornings just aren't my thing! I envy people that just jump out of bed at 7AM without an alarm clock, and are HAPPY about it. I wish I was like that. How does your body do that? I will keep sleeping and sleeping on my days off. Thank goodness I only work 3 days a week!! So that's why I really shouldn't complain, because although they are long 12 hr shifts, sometimes I have 5 days off. That's not normal! Well yesterday I went in at 3PM-11PM. My drive is 45 mins so I got home close to midnight, but I got to sleep in yesterday. I was so much more pleasant when I got home. It's amazing what sleep does for me. And my husband brought me food for dinner because he was at a basketball game for his niece out in Bullhead City. They came for a tour and I showed them my new baby that was just born. By doing that shift yesterday, I got today off, and now I am off for 7 days, without taking vacation! I love my job right now. I plan on visiting my family at the end of the week and doing some christmas shopping in CA because my options are limited out here in the sticks. There is NO TARGET! I am going to go have some girl time, and since I am working christmas day, this is my christmas with my family! I can't wait to do nothing. I love vacations!
When Adam and I got married and moved to Timbuktu Arizona, all we had surrounding us was his parents, brother's family, a few cactus and a whole lotta dirt. I am grateful for his family, but we left our good friends back in California. I knew this change would be hard for me living away from my family, but somewhat of a major struggle for my husband. My City-Boy husband, who was used to fine dining restaurants, a more exciting night life, and many many SINGLE friends. He was moving away and leaving his childhood friends behind for a very small town with not a whole lot to do. He was leaving "The Guys" that when we first met, were his life.
It's so nice to see him change and grow up. His attention is more on me and our future together. It was an adjustment the first few months of our new life, but after a year and a half we have adapted quite well. We love our life and our lazy days on the couch. Especially, saturday trips to walmart to grocery shop is by far one of Adam's favorite things to do :) Haha
We still don't have any close friends that live in town, but we have each other. We've tried to make friends, but the quality of people our age in this town is very poor. So we have what we call our "weekend friends." Since this town is a tourist town, many of our summer boating friends come every other weekend to their homes. We all take our boats on the lake, have dinners/drinks and are grateful for their visits. Without them we'd be lonely. Then it is nice to retreat back to our home and just have each other in between their visits. A few weeks ago we had our friends Stefan, Mary and little Tess stay with us, which was refreshing. Last night we met some nice friends our age (through Adam doing their loan) that just bought a fixer-upper, second home here and will be visiting quite frequently. Yea, for more weekend friends! I think they are way better than the non-existent friends we don't have in Havasu. So that's how we get by, although we do miss all our friends! Maybe someday we will move back, but in the mean time we welcome ANY visits from out weekend friends and family!
Welcome to our Blog. I am a new blogger. My sister has gotten me into blogging and although I don't have kids YET, I hope to share with you our life out in Havasu, so that we stay close to family and friends!
I have always loved Christmas time. We put up our fake tree after thanksgiving, got it all decorated, and have been listening to Christmas music ever since. An interesting thing happens when you get married. The way my family used to do things and the way Adam's family does things starts meshing together to create our own traditions. It's a neat feeling to start our own traditions. Today we put up Christmas lights. Anyone that knows our family growing up, knows that we used to go all out with the lights, holiday yard displays, and the staple gun. Little did I know I married a guy that is an "expert on Christmas lights!" I learned something new about my husband and his resume. Among other odd jobs such as delivering pizzas, working at Ross in the shoe dept, selling Christmas trees at a farm, and a front desk associate at a health club, Adam put up Christmas lights for rich families in Orange County. So, in Havasu our homes are all made of stucco. That means no wood trims to staple lights to and so last year we decorated our bushes and I was saddened by how lonely our house turned out. I have been begging my husband to figure something out that would allow us to at least put lights on our house. I didn't feel I was asking too much. So he finally gave in! We set out on a mission today to walmart, home depot, and lowes and found the last few boxes of eve clips to hold the lights on the house. I guess they are a popular item in Havasu as they sell out quick. So this year we have lights on our house and Adam did a very "professional" job with the lights. I am so happy! It feels more like christmas, and I don't have to settle on my house looking poor and pathetic with lights on the bushes. Since we are adding each year, maybe next year we will buy large blow up Santa's, and snowmen.....maybe we will become the Griswold's!
