My Holiday BF Shopping

My dad and me at Mad River Mountain 2006
Walmart Midnight BF run

Early friday evening run to Kohls

Kohls

Got:

1 - frame $9.99

1- Holiday night light $8.99 (i miss my fireplace)

1- Yankee candle $1.99

Saved: $29

Coupon used: $10 off $20 purchase

Spent: 11.68

Walmart

(3 dvds not pictured)

Box sets ($12 each)

- S1 Sons of Anarchy

- V5 Family Guy

- V6 Family Guy

- V7 Family Guy

Blurays ($5 each)

- Dark Knight

- Family Guy Dark Side

- Live Free Die Had

- Legion

- Independence Day

DVDs ($1.96, except 2 were $5)

- The Bourne Identity

- Fantastic 4 Silver Surfer

- Speed Racer

- The Girl Next Door

- Xmen The last stand

- Ice Age

- Gone with the Wind

- The Hangover

Total saved: a lot!

Total Spent: $103.01

The breakdown.....

Most of the movies are gifts for Rob and I (some are from me to him, a couple from him to me and will be wrapped under the tree), a few Rob used his tip money to buy, and just 3 are for us because we can..... Kohls- I've been wanting the night light because it's so cute and it waas on sale, the frame will be used to hold a family picture that we'll take later this week, and th candle was a filler item because i had to spend $20 for the coupon- will be gifted! Truth is that I don't have many to shop for and none of these items (or similar ones I could have bought) would have fit in. Of course I could have gotten a few dvds, like maybe an extra Ice Age and held unto it until I found it a home but... 1. I didn't even think of that and 2. that would kind of be unnecessary spending. Now I'm just waiting on a few packages to arrive and Thursday going to scope out Ikea & take a nice photo that I'll be putting in a frame for us and in a frame for my dad. Other than a last minute deal for Rob and some little stocking stuffings- my Christmas shopping is complete. Will be mailing my packages in about 2 weeks and less than 3 will be done with Nursing 1 and on my way to Rocky Top (aka Tennessee).....Merry Christmas!

Countdown to Turkey....

So... normally I'd have my bird bathing in fruity, salty brine but hey I'm lazy! Will do tomorrow, along with a couple other pre-prep items and bake my fabulous pumpkin pie. I love to cook but without having more family to enjoy it I have scaled down my Thanksgiving day feast to the bare minimum- Turkey, gravy, stuffing (of the stove-top nature), real mashed potatoes, scalloped corn (aka corn pudding), rolls (of some instant kind- no point in making them homemade b/c it makes a lot), deviled eggs, apple & pumpkin pies, and of course the pre-dinner veggies/dip/cheese/crackers!

• Ready for Black Friday? Here is my favorite sneak peak site...
• For the drinkers out there, I got an email about a rebate for booze... yeah i know... so maybe you can save a little a by a few bottles but drink it slowly & responsibly!
• If you haven't gone to Vista Prints yet, they have added a few extra freebies, like note pad! I want it but after placed a couple orders- i'm debating over the shipping..hm... check'em out!
• Head over to money saving mom for info on how to get a free Slurpee at 7-11 on Black Friday (there is one just down the street so... i might get it)
• Just so you couponers know there WILL BE coupons in this Sunday's paper (usually holiday weekends don't but PG insert will be this weekend) Preview here

So an update on my holiday shopping...

Just need to finalize my brother's family, maybe get my mom something for the stocking, take & print nice picture for my daddy, and.... the hubster!

Another B

for test 4. Can't complain, actually happy with this even though i don't feel that excited. I guess it's cause i got an A on the last one and all that stuff..... I feel sort of like the idiot that is goofing off at the end of the race b/c they seen the crossing line in sight and are being cocky and stuff.... then they trip or something stupid happens and someone else wins. You ever felt like that?
Nursing 2 will be full of challenages like patients that are dying or cancer patients who are post-op, plus a stint in the mental ward! I could start hyperventilating now but my coping skills are to not think... just take it one day at a time. At least when it comes to school..... Gonna take care of my duties tonight and take a long relaxing bath.... Tomorrow I get my first hospital badge...

Stress Busters!

I know the holidays are fast approaching so I thought I'd post a few tips about coping with stress and preventing a major meltdown! I found these in a little magazine so I can't take the credit!

1. Talk it out
2. Take up a hobby (knitting is peaceful & can be done anywhere, even while watching tv)
3. Yoga (or anything that gets your body moving)
4. Breathe- deep breaths
5. Say no
6. Turn off the cellphone
7. Eat right
8. Relax neck/shoulders (get in the hot tub or ask spouse for a little massage or just loosen up with some stretches)
9. Visualize peace (this is like a nursing intervention, take a 5 minute vacation by looking at a picture of the beach or something, you tube as some ideas)
10. Walk (try it alone or maybe with others or just turn up the MP3 player & enjoy a little audio therapy!)

My 11th personal suggestion... Look outside yourself. No matter your situation it could be worse- you are still alive so be thankful. Remember and give thanks to whomever (I prefer God or just thanking my husband for some little thing he did). It's too easy to project your mad mood or whatever onto others when they (the others) really had nothing to do to deserve it (they didn't cause your mood so you shouldn't "blame" them). So, maybe if you are having a bad day, step outside yourself- make a cup of hot chocolate (for yourself? then make another and give it to whomever is there -mom/dad, brother/sister, child/spouse) and don't forget to say "i love you". It seems like the holidays = busy-time so take a moment to appreciate and give love back.

Freebies from Vista Prints

I just put in an order for Vista prints!

I got a mug (not pictured), 100 Holiday post cards, 10 Holiday cards, 140 labels, and 1 pad of sticky notes for shipping only! I already got a free tote bag, pen, and calendar - all customized!!

The mug and calendar are going to be gifts and the labels I made them into to/from labels since we know we will be moving again at some point since we don't own a home.....

Total: $12.08

Saved: $50.96

To get your free, customized stuff go here!

I'll be using the labels and postcards for years!!!!

Week ??

So I think week 12 is about to start... Tomorrow I have a demo (male cath) which should go well. Then I gotta book it back home so I can study study study for Monday's test (# 4). Then tuesday is going to be hell - simulation ahhhhhhhh! I hope and pray that i'm not the main nurse, I can not run the show! Wednesday will hopefully go well.... I need to spend a good chunk of time looking at a chart so I can do my nursing care plan next weekend. After about 3 pm wednesday then I can finally take a deep breath and relax.... Thursday is just a practice math test and hopefully that will go ok. Then my awesome date Friday!!!! And basically will spend next weekend doing the care plan, reading a few chapters, & planning my T-day menu/strategy.

Just a few more weeks (really 1 month) of studies and what not then I'll have a break woo hoo!

But then.... it goes up a level on the stress factor with Med/Surg & weekly clinical- where I'll actually do things- like bath a strange and possibly ill client..... Dear God, if it's not too early, please let all my clinical client/patients be understanding and friendly, and most of all patient! Save the angry and uncooperative ones for one the job....

• Go here for the latest leaked Black Friday sale ads! I'm addicted to this site, although I usually just stay home and shop online, who knows- the hubs and I may attempt a BF outing this year......
• I made a trek to Publix today (no pictures) and got some sweet goodies like BOGO Nestle chocolate chips - thinking of trying a white chocolate vanilla version of the "Chocolate Lovers cake" I made for my b-day. There is no recipe for it but i think I can make the needed substitutions.... too bad I forgot the sour cream- maybe I'll pick it up tomorrow hm..
• Did you get your Turkey yet? Go here for some Butterball coupons (plus a male in rebate if you buy there turkey & Disney's christmas carol!) I did a few days ago, went on a trip to albertsons (since it's far away now) to get the Buy 1 Get 2 Free meats, had turkey's on sale 69 cents a pound and since I haven't seen any better deals I grabbed one. Me and the hubs spent about $72 on meat (3 pork loins, 3 full racks of ribs, 14 chicken drumsticks, 18 boneless pork chops, & one 15# turkey) Now we just need some steaks and/or beef roasts and we'll be set for months! And yes we love pork!
• Christmas Carol coupon here for Bluray combo pack ($10 off)
• For some odd reason a memory of an old movie popped into my head last night, forgot the name but eventually (through a little online research) recalled the name- Margie (1946). Sadly though it's not very easy to find.....

Well my study break is long over now... gotta get back at it!

Happy Nov weekend

Today I pleasently surprised to get a $10 Kohls giftcard and a letter from McDonald's with 2 free McRib cards in it! Score for me! I also got an email from TooJay's loyality club with a free dessert coupon in it, not pictured.

Rob and I usually hang out on Thursdays because I have a short day at school and he is off, so we went to thte Waterford Lakes shopping mall or whatever to get some dog food at Pet Smart and go to Target. We decided to have lunch at Too Jay's because i haven't eaten there since we lived in South FL and i love it. I got the special (open face roast beef with mashed potatoes & Rob got the buffalo tender meal with mahed potatoes- it had like 6 or 7 tenders awesome!) Then of course we had to top it off with some of their wonderful desserts, they are so cheap ($2.50 slice of cake) and they have a dessert for 2 deal - $4.50 for any 2 slices of cake! Only sad part was it was lunch time so I wasn't able to get my favorite "dinner" meal... Guess we'll have to go back....

So... Nursing school..... Clinicals? Eh...it was ok, would be better if I didn't have the pressure of "goals" to meet each week, like the care plan and asking certain questions/topics. I'd totally be cool if I didn't have to accomplish the extras! So I'll be glad when it is a week before T-day and I'll be done with the clinicals until nursing 2. I did manage a 10/10 on my quiz thursday, amazing! I was so tired Wednesday too!

So.... this wednesday will probably equally suck because Rob works a double and I'll be having my long clinical day...so dinner will probably be some kind of fast cooking frozen thing. BTW where is my husband? He's been working since 7 am and it's almost 6.... tummy grumbling....