I'm Just Telling My Story

Hello...Check Out the Verse of the Day!!!

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Do you think it's okay if I write that on the dry erase board they give us to calculate our meds on???? Because I so am! ;)

What is it that you are "fearing", or being "dismayed" by, what is it that YOU need strength and help with today???? For me it's the test, but for so many others the problems and worries may be SO much bigger. Just know that the Lord is with you and will uphold you. :)

And on that note, I'm out of here to take the test.

This Is How I Feel....

______________freaking out....ahhhh, less than 12 hours. Getting ready to go to bed, getting all my stuff together to take with me, 2 forms of ID, etc, etc...if I start getting stressed tomorrow, I'm just going to close my eyes and go to my happy place "WDW" and imagine I'm on this ride....and then think of Alayna's expression...and laugh, and feel all better...

good night! Oh, and I so picked up the twitter thing....for the love, what am I doing???

Excuse Me While I Relay A Message....

to my grandmother. :) (She reads my blog and I don't know her new phone number).

Dear Grandmother,

I made your Homemade Chicken and Dumplings just now and YUMMMMMMMMMMMM, they are good. Aren't you proud of me???? I also made your Homemade Macaroni where you make the cheese sauce....how do I make it less greasy? Jer said it was fine though. Oh, and we need to set you up an email account...can  you have Ton email me with that address. Oh, and I made your roast, Yummmmm, not today, last week, roast and dumplings don't sound too good together, but I would eat it. So far I've cooked EVERY day in July. :) I hope that didn't put strain on your heart...I know it was rather shocking. Call me or email me.

Oh, and here is a picture to prove it...yes, I'm still wearing my robe and it's almost 3pm, and yes, i realize it looks as if my middle fingers is not being nice....it was hard to hold the food up and press the button and also put the screen down at the same time....but I just wanted to prove I made it.

Love ya,
Monique

Okay, thank you....back to studying. I took two tests then had to reward myself by making dumplings, it was so worth it too. This cooking isn't that hard. I wish I would have tried it sooner. ;)

24 Hours From NOW....

Depending on when you read this post, that title may not be accurate....ahhhhhh, 24 hours from the minute I'm typing this I will be taking the NCLEX. I have one final day of studying....I think I'm reviewing Med-Surg all day today. WOW...I feel sick to my stomach....let's talk about something else...

The Tanner's kicked our tail in Spades last night. We were winning until Lisa and I got to talking about scrapbooking and my game got kind of thrown off a bit. Jer got really upset with me because I made us lose two hands....(sorry Jer, i will never let that happen again).....

Hmmmm, what else....I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have a few more respond to the question two posts down about blogging. I have a meeting on Wednesday with someone who I need to share this kind of info with. I'm VERY excited about it and I want to be able to take actual quotes from the blog here...you know, to support my idea. ;) SOOOOOO if you did not see the post and you don't want to scroll down a bit...THIS IS THE LINK...A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE. :)

Alright, that would be it for me for today. Oh, and I'm thinking of picking up twitter....not 100% sure, do any of you "twitter", is that the proper terminology????

Have the most amazing day today and I would LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to have your prayers for my NCLEX test....like if you just want to take off work the rest of the day and pray for me, that would be TOTALLY cool...or just a short little, LORD PLEASE HELP THE GIRL, would work too.

Okay, back to the books....have a good day!

Monique

The New Basic Grey....

is now over in the CHA Peeks. ;)

Enjoy.

A Few Questions For You.....

Hey there. :) Good Thursday Morning!!!

I have a favor to ask of you....would you be EVER so kind to answer a few questions for me....I am on my hands and knees and BEGGING for you to answer these questions....(well, I'm not on my hands and knees and right now bc I'm typing, but I do have my lip poked out...does that count)????

Obviously if you are reading this you are familiar with "blogs"....so my questions are.....

1. Do you "HAVE" a blog and if so, how long have you been blogging?
2. If you answered YES to the above question....What is your "driving" force behind blogging...to journal your thoughts, allow family to keep up with you...what motivates you to blog?
3. If you DO NOT have a blog, why? I know some of my friends who don't have a blog say that they have a boring life, or they have no clue what to write about, or is it that you just maybe don't know where to begin to start a blog?
4. If you Do NOT have a blog, would you like to learn? If you had someone to help you through the process of starting it up, etc, etc....would you blog?
5. Whether you blog, or don't blog....do you feel like "blogs" have connected you with someone, or built a relationship with someone that may have never been built if it were not for the blog??? Does that make sense? Have you created a friendship, a relationship...even if it's a long distance friendship through a blog?

Now, this will REALLLLLLLLLLY help me out to get some good input. Any thoughts about blogging I would LOVE to hear....what you love about it, etc, etc....just ANYTHING.

Alright...that's all for me today. Studying OB all day....maybe a little lab values and meds. :)

Okay, do you have all the answers in your head you are about to type out???? You are going to answer the questions....aren't you?????? PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE. :) Even if you have never ever ever posted before, or this is your first time to the site....PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE...don't I sound desperate?????

Have a great day!!!

Monique

Good Wednesday Morning...

Ahhhh, the start of another day. On the agenda for me....yep, studying. I posted a bunch of "CHA stuff" in the little section devoted to "CHA stuff" this morning and now am ready to hit the books.

I cooked "breakfast" for dinner last night. My gravy did not turn out like I think it should have....(sigh), I didn't have as much grease as she had called for in her recipe...I had about half of what she called for, so it didn't have much taste...even Jer wouldn't act like it was okay...I mean he ate it, but he didn't really make a big to do over it like the other stuff I've been cooking. I guess this is a learning process. :) But hey, I have still officially cooked EVERY day in July....I see in a mini album coming from this. ;)

Alright, short and sweet post today. Looking forward to church tonight...Yay.

Okay, I hope you have the most amazing amazing day today.

An AMAZING Video on Worship

Since we are talking about worship, I thought I would share a link with you that has such a POWERFUL video about worship on it. I watched it a few weeks back late one night when everyone was asleep and I just sat there and cried...I watched it again a few minutes ago and just thought I would share it here. It's about a new CD that Hillsong Music has released. Have I mentioned here how I would LOVE to attend a service at Hillsong Church in Australia...well I have wanted to go there for a LONG time. Pastor Chris and a few others just went to their big Conference there last week, and I had been watching them talk about it on the Hillsong Website, when I heard they were going I was SOOOO way jealous. Anyway....I have been dreaming up ways that we could attend next year. Don't get me wrong. I know that God is everywhere, but I am just taken back with the heart of worship these people have...I watch the videos of their worship, and I just want to be right there in the middle of them....so I am just going to go ahead and say right now that I am going to do everything I can to be in Australia, July 7th-10th of 2009. :) :) :) And to my Aussie friend Ruth, hey, we really might get to meet. ;) How cool would that be??? Okay, I know you are thinking I should be studying....but these are my breaks....I have taken SEVERAL tests today...the first one was my lowest score, which didn't do too much for the confidence....but then I did much better on all the others, still averaged out to be a good score all in all. Oh and Tracey, two thumbs up on the music you mentioned in the comment. THANKS...I actually know several of those songs, and didn't know who they were by....so I will be making some additions soon to the sidebar, I actually already made a couple of additions. ;) Thanks!!!! Okay, back to studying....Oh, and I am totally spoiling Jer with this cooking every night, he just called to see what was on the menu. I told him I thought I was going to just give it a break tonight and we could eat cereal....he didn't like that idea....so I'm actually headed to the kitchen, and am going to listen/watch a DVD that a lady did about the NCLEX, answering test questions or something, I think it's some kind of review....just changing my studying up a bit. ;) Hope you are still having a great day...this should be the last post for the day. Monique

I Had Another Thought....

I was listening to my worship music (I moved the songs around a bit)....if you have a second, really sit and listen to the words of the first and second songs...and if you have even MORE time, sit and listen to a few more....they have really just been a HUGE refreshment to me this morning....

Some things that stand out to me in this song "You Are Great": How great is HIS love. His mercies NEVER fade (thank goodness). He redeemed this heart in me. His grace is ALL I need. My heart has been SET FREE. YOU ARE GREAT LORD!!!!!!!!!

The song "Have Your Way": It's just my prayer right now...it needs to be my prayer EVERY day...but this past year I have just come to realize that I want my life to be used for Him...in whatever I do, be it scrapbooking, nursing, being a mother, in everything I do, I want Him to have His Way!!! Seriously, if you have a second LISTEN to the words of this song...man, it's good.

Amazing Grace: I love this new version of such an AMAZING song. He will be my shield and my portion, as long as life endures....and like a flood His Mercy rains, unending LOVE, Amazing GRACE. I am so glad that His love is unending, His mercy is like a FLOOD.

Jesus Paid It All: Well, my goodness, the title of the song says it all. He washed away, all my sin, and all my shame. Praise the One who paid my debt, and raised this life up from the dead....such a great song.

Rescue:  This world has nothing for me...I'm going to follow You. There is no other name, which I am saved by....NO OTHER NAME "saves" me....and one more time...THIS WORLD HAS NOTHING FOR ME.  Why do we search so hard to find fulfillment in the world???? No status we obtain, no amount of money, no "person", will EVER bring lasting contentment. Yeah, it might bring "comfort", but status can be taken away pretty quickly, money can disappear, and people will disappoint you....that's why this "world" really has nothing for us...man, that's good stuff.

Salvation: I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this song. It's gonna be alright!!!!! It will wake you up a bit... ;) His word never fails!!! Salvation is here and it LIVES IN ME. You are Alive, and you live in ME...how stinkin' cool is that???? If that doesn't make you excited I don't know what will. God made a way for me.

Okay, I need to get to studying. I could sit here and go through every song. It's still before 9:30, so I am doing good...I even got the house all cleaned up earlier this morning...so I'm doing good right???/

Do you have a "favorite" worship song that you would like to share with me???? I am always searching for new songs...I LOVE worship music, if you haven't noticed that by now. Even if your favorite is one I have listed, let me know...this is a fun topic!!!

(I also just posted Sassafras Peeks on the SUMMER CHA 2008 Peeks....can't wait to get my hands on ALL of it)

Monique

Coming Up For Air....

Who knew studying for the NCLEX could be this much fun??? (I'm trying reverse psychology on myself)...really in a very very weird way, I'm enjoying it...(that's not reverse psychology...I kind of am). I will finish  up my NCLEX book on Med Surg Nursing today and then move back to Mental Health...very interesting topic to blog about...right????

In other news. This weekend was another fun weekend hanging out around the homestead. I even scrapbooked. YEP. It was VERY nice. We started Friday night off by dressing the girls like cows and getting free Chick-fil-A meals...it was Cow Appreciation Day. Don't you just love Chick-fil-a???  I had heard about it a while back, then V mentioned it on her blog, which reminded me that we needed to do it....then completely forgot again until that night. So we are still sitting at $5.89 on the eating out total for July.

Saturday we took the girls to get ice cream....with their FREE ice cream coupons from the kid's meal at Dairy Queen. We had used them last month and the lady just told us to keep the coupons, she was just going to throw them away...ummmm, okay. So the girls were eating their ice cream and I was kind of sad that we weren't able to enjoy the fun, and I remembered a little something Carol introduced the girls to a while back. If you don't want your book or toy, or whatever Chick-fil-a gives you, you can return it for ICE CREAM. So luckily the books were still in the car. Ummmm, so me and Jer got ice cream as well. :) How sad are we??? Hey, but it was FREE.

Sunday was church. Fun times had by all, then yesterday it was back to the books. Elizabeth came over yesterday afternoon and spent a little time with me until the kiddos got home....we ate, then headed to The University of Montevallo for her to take pictures of the girls. Can I say that my girls normally are GREAT about getting their pictures made...but yesterday was not the best day. I guess I really wasn't thinking about how tired they would be....they stayed up the night before LATE, then got up early for VBS, then swam the rest of the day...so they were WIPED out by the end of the day. I think she got some good shots....I was that mom...you know THAT mom....that photographers say just don't come while we take pictures. I kept saying, "come on Alyssa, smile, that's a fake smile, quit starring into the camera like that".....Oh I was bad. Anyway, it was a fun time and it was VERY nice getting to see Elizabeth.

In "work" news. My friend called me yesterday to let me know that position I would like at Brookwood  IS available, and the Nursing Director wants me to call Human Resources today and apply for it...so hopefully when I get the news this time next week that I passed the NCLEX, then I will already have all the paperwork done and can head straight to work. WoooHoooo. Her phone call was an answer to my prayers....I have not heard from her in a couple of weeks, and yesterday while I was studying I just said LORD, come on now....am I going down the right path...am I doing the right thing....I ask Him this frequently. Anyway...Elizabeth and I were talking about "jobs" and I was telling her about my friend, and I said I wasn't sure if I should do that or just work in another area...and you can ask Elizabeth, my phone rang, I picked it up, and it was my friend...it was SOOOO crazy insane. She then told me all about this job, so there you have it...I will take it as confirmation that the test is going to go well on Saturday and that I will get this job, and that I'm going in the right direction. We shall see.

Alright, I need to get to studying. Oh, I also worked this weekend on a few ideas for Small group next semester, and I am trying to figure out a way to include some of you from out of town in on this...it should be fun...actually it's going to be way fun. It might be a couple of weeks before I share it all, I really need to focus this week on all this test stuff.

Okay, if you would like to say a little prayer this week for me, here are a few things you could pray for:

That I would stay focused on my studies.
That I would retain all I'm reading.
That I would not be anxious the day of the test.

And, I'm also asking the Lord, (because He knows what the questions are going to be before I take the test) that He would kind of direct me to the right things to study for those specific questions. ;) Hey, He can do that!

I hope you all have a great great day. And again, thanks for the comments on the parenting stuff...I enjoy reading what your thoughts are on this. I'll hopefully start that all up on Monday of next week after I finish all this NCLEX stuff. ;)

Enjoy your Tuesday!!!!!

Monique

Heidi Swapp Summer CHA 2008 Sneak Peeks

Okay, okay, this one deserves a FRONT page post, I'll also put it on the Summer CHA 2008 Page of Peeks I'm finding as well...but you know I love me some Heidi, so I had to put it here. ;)

At the Very bottom of this post I posted some Tim Holtz items he will be releasing...he created some Masks...one of my favorite items of Heidi's.

I will explain what a few items are and then the prices.

The clear extras - $3.49. Black florals - $3.99  Ghost frames - $2.99
Mini Clock Overlays (come 3 to a set)- $4.99 Stickers - $1.49 Verb Stickers - $2.99
Mirror Album - $6.99 Clear 5x7 Pages that go with album $5.99 a set
The black bling is $4.99. Foam Board Alphabet - $6.99 Glossy Alpha $3.99
12x12 Paper - .99 and 12x15 paper $1.19 Clear Alpha Stamps $9.99

I Have A Confession....

After OBSESSIVELY reading the Pioneer Woman's blog...I want to live out in the country. I mean, WAY out, well, maybe not WAY out, but you know what I mean. I want to have a garden. I want to grow all kinds of veggies and I want to grow all kinds of fruit. I want to learn how to can...yep, read this post she just made today. I want to have a big open field for the girls to run and play in...doesn't that just seem like the life? I know life isn't always greener on the other side....but for some reason I have just been having this urge to live like this....maybe it's that we went and picked blueberries the other day and I had soooo much fun doing that. Maybe it's the fact that the girls and I have been reading Felicity (the American Girl books once again), maybe it's my grandmother talking to me about canning and how her mother did that all the time...or it could possibly be that I'm insane...good possibility.

Jer always says if we could live anywhere, where would you want to live. I normally say just in a little subdivision somewhere, close to town. He always wants to live out in the middle of nowhere....hmmm, maybe he's been praying about this...because I'm having a change of heart. :)

Are you a big city person or a good ole' country girl??? Would you just pack up and go to a more simple life if you had the chance...although I think working out in the garden would be harder work than just going to the grocery store...but so much more rewarding. 

Okay, break time over for me...got to get back studying....I've been taking "mini" exams today....so far I've taken 7 of them...I found two more NCLEX books I had from when I graduated, for some reason I got really excited when I found them, and that really scared me once I got to thinking about it. I should not get excited about finding an NCLEX book...oh well.

Have a WONDERFUL WONDERFUL day. Thanks for the parenting comments. It's just another something that I'm thinking deeply about. I also posted a few more peeks over there on the Summer CHA Sneak Peek section...I think MM, Maya Road and a few other new ones...can't remember. Okay...back to studying. :)

Monique

July 19th...8am....

Okay, that's the date and time I will be taking the NCLEX. My heart is beating out of my chest...the email just came across with my authorization number to sign up...and this date was the first available. OH MY GOODNESS. I think I might puke.

Just FYI, I added My Mind's Eye Summer CHA 2008 Peeks a few seconds ago to the sidebar link over there. (Summer CHA 2008 Sneak Peeks). There is one of the Christmas lines that's oh so cute. ;)

Alright, please leave a comment below with your thoughts on parenting...what you find hard, etc, etc....I really really want to know other's thoughts on this. :)

What's Your Educational Background in Parenting????

Crazy question...huh? I have been thinking A LOT lately just about life, my future plans, dreams, goals, etc, etc. And I keep coming back to my "Job" as a mother. I've had this "job" for a while now...I think it's the longest I've kept a "job". I had the store for 4 years, before that I just worked retail at Macy's and Dillard,'s...and worked with youth, etc, etc....but we are talking 7 years of being a "mom". 

Now, let's talk about my educational background in parenting. I mean, I went to college, then to ministry training school, then to nursing school...but I didn't go to "parenting school". How strange. I mean, I had to go through 2.5/3 years of school to be a nurse. If you want to be a teacher at a school, well you have to have a degree, I'm pretty sure of it. If you want to be a doctor, I do think you have to spend a few years in med school. You can't even be a cashier at Macy's or Dillard's without sitting through a few "training" sessions. When I pass my NCLEX (because I so am going to pass), I will have to take Continuing Education Classes to maintain my license. Do you get where I'm going here??? Why is it that we will be paying school loans for the next no telling how long for Jer's "computer education" and we don't even think another thing about it. We get Master's Degrees, and whatever else can be obtained for our "normal" jobs, but when it comes to our MOST important job we will ever have, well, we invest very little into it? Okay, okay, I'm not saying that we need to get "degrees" to be a parent, lol....please for the love of everything, don't think I mean that. I am simply making the point that we USUALLY just have to "learn" along the way about parenting. Don't you agree?

Learning along the way can be VERY frustrating. Sometimes it's the best way to learn though. It doesn't matter how many times I read the book about inserting an IV, until I was in the ER with a man having a heart attack and doctors all around him and complete craziness going on and the nurse just hands me the stuff to start the IV and says, do this really quick...ummmm, can I say you learn very quickly how to do it, and it was so much better than the "book" version. It was the ONLY time I got an IV inserted on the first try....sad I know...I'll work on that. Anyway, my point here is...EVEN IF you had this MAJOR education on parenting BC (Before Children) would it be any easier??? You see, BC (Before Children) I had read almost ALL of Dr. James Dobsin's books on parenting. I was even a daily listener to his radio broadcast. If he recommended a book, I bought it...like the NEXT day, and had it read by the end of the week. I worked with youth, and I just knew that I would be a rockin' mother one day...I mean come on, I would so have it going on...I mean I looked at all these kids I was working with and thought...good grief, I need to teach these parents a thing or two. (Lord, again please forgive me for that...YIKES...soooo wrong).

Then the day arrives. You know...you become the "PARENT". Well, if you are a parent, then I am sure you don't even need me to blog any farther. You realize you know NOTHING....or am I the only one that feels that way? You are just thrown right in there and ready or not...the parenting has begun. Are you feeding them the right things, do you give them a pacifier, do you breastfeed or bottle feed, do you allow them to watch this show or that show, or T.V at all, do you send to private school, public, or homeschool. Is it possible to be consistent in a daily prayer time with them? Is it possible to be consistent in discipline? Do I yell too much...man, why did I yell? Do I allow them to date? What about their friends? What time is curfew? I believe it gets harder along the way.

So this was on my mind ALL day today...it's really actually been on my heart for a while over the last few weeks....but today the Lord just totally confirmed to me that I'm going in the right direction....You see, I'm on a mission. I'm on a mission to be a rockin' mom, an educated mom, and I'm pretty fired up about it. I'm not going to go enroll in psych classes (I've taken several actually), but I am going to try doing everything I can to be the BEST mother possible. I know when I had the store, I was always reading some type of dumb business magazine, or reading this article or that article about marketing or something like that...but I'm on a mission to study the Word and how it applies to parenting. I decided that today. Yep, watched two messages from LifeChurch.TV and have two more to go...the first message was focusing on the verse that the girls have been memorizing this week. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. THEN, get this....tonight's message at church...SHUT UP....on PARENTING. FOR THE LOVE...OKAY, I get it Lord. Thanks, because me and HIm so had a discussion today that He was going to have to clear some things up for me....Thanks Lord for taking care of that...I knew you would. ;)

I just want to encourage you...chances are about 90% that you are a FEMALE if you are reading this...(sorry Jer, I know you read it)...but you may or may not have kids...but can I tell you..YOU HAVE THE MOST AMAZING JOB on the face of the planet if you are a parent. Don't underestimate your importance. You are not perfect, yes, I am sure you are going to mess up...but the LORD has entrusted you with a VERY SPECIAL gift.

I don't have my notes on me from the message tonight, and I took two Tylenol PM, because my head was killing me tonight and we ran out of regular and I'm having a hard time keeping my eyes open right now...but basically, I just want you to know that I'm going to be posting TONS about this...I mean to the point of INSANITY....why? Because, it's something I'm passionate about right now...and it's been a while since I have had a STRONG STRONG STRONG passion for something that I want to apply to my life and help others apply to their own lives. I wrote down many many verses and will share with you tomorrow ASAP, or ASAIWU (as soon as I wake up). I hope you don't think I've just totally went off the deep end. Jer sure did after I was talking 90 miles an hour on the way home about this without taking a breath, and then being on the point of complete breakdown because I felt so passionately about this, I just want this to be a main focus in my life right now...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this...am I the only one who feels like they don't have it all together, but want to so badly??? Please, don't be a lurker today...I am passionate about this, and I want to hear your thoughts.

Hope you sleep great if you are reading this right after I hit send...but if you are reading in the day...well then, have the most amazing day ever!!!

Summer CHA 2008 Sneak Peeks....

I know, I know...I don't have a store anymore...but it will take a good two or three shows before I can get the sneak peeks out of my system...I just can't resist the excitement of seeing the new items for the first time....I have to have peeks....and besides that...if I read another nursing question I think my head was going to explode, so I took test number 4, (i made higher than the first and second test but a little lower than the third) oh well, I still think I'm doing okay. Anyway, after the completion of the test I rewarded myself with some hunting of the latest sneak peeks out and posted them on a special page (see that link on the left sidebar, under how much I've spent in July on eating out), just click that and you can stay up to date with the latest sneak peeks. :) Pink Paislee and the cute cupcake album from Maya Road...OH MY GOODNESS. Here is the link if you don't want to move over to the left sidebar. ;) SUMMER CHA 2008 SNEAK PEEKS.

Okay, now I will go find that July menu to post. ;)

NCLEX News and My Culinary Adventures

Hey there...long time no post. Soooo, the girls are with my mother again today while I study....you know, for the NCLEX. I have taken 3 practice tests, and I feel pretty good. My score has improved each time and the last one I took yesterday improved by 10%. That's pretty good. I've got all my paperwork turned in. The Board of Nursing called today to verify that I actually wrote down the right date of graduation. He said, Ms. McLean...did you know that you wrote down 2005 for your graduation date, :) Ummm, yep, that's right. I think he was a little confused as to why it took me three years to apply for my license. He then said...you do know that you have to take the NCLEX. :) Ummm, yep, planning on doing it next week. I didn't even bother going into the whole reasoning behind the three year wait...I'll just let him wonder. I do have to say that I'm ready to take this. You can only sit at a table for 8 hours a day for so long reading questions and not feel like you might go insane. My goal is to take it the end of this week (Friday), but I'm not sure if they will have all my stuff processed, so it may be mid-week next week. I am hoping it's this Friday though. :)

Sooo, the reason I haven't been posting is because I am turning into quite the "Paula Dean" around here. Yep, I know, I know...your mouth just dropped open....Monique, cooking....why, yes I have been.  I cooked several different things on the 4th. I made my grandmother's baked beans, yummm, Jer said it tasted just like her's...you add a little spicy mustard, ketchup, brown sugar...soooo good. I also cooked twice baked potatoes from the Pioneer Woman's site, Fresh Corn Casserole, Chicken sandwich with Bacon and Cheese,  and the Apple Dumplings again. :) Can I say one more time how obsessed I am with this lady's site. Good grief. I love how she takes pictures of each step. I think that is how I have been brave enough to try all these things. I can actually get a visual picture of what I'm suppose to do...how sad am I???? I still haven't forgotten about my July menu. I typed it out...will try posting it later today. I made Spaghetti on Saturday and then we had leftovers on Sunday and then I made Lasagna last night and I even made dessert, a cherry pie with cream cheese filling type of thing, not sure what to call it. We shall have left overs again tonight. I will go ahead and admit that I spent $5.89 at Chick-fil-a on Thursday. I had my doctor's appointment and left the house without eating, and was STARVING in the dr. office, then I knew I was going grocery shopping after that and I was by myself, so I justified it by telling Jer that I figured it was better for me to spend $5.89 and not be hungry going into the grocery store, because really that saved him money...right, because surely if I were that hungry and in the grocery store I would have bought more...right???? Sounded good to me. I think he bought it. I will have a running total on my sidebar to keep me accountable on the whole eating out thing.

So that's about it. We stayed around the house this past weekend. I don't think we have ever been in our house for that long straight. We bunkered down Thursday night and didn't leave until church on Sunday. I got three albums started for the lady I'm making some projects for....it's been fun to create. I finally got all my room set up downstairs, and then an area for the girls to be creative. They love it and I do too.

Alright, I really need to get back to studying. I will post my menu in a bit...promise. :)

Monique

Raise Your Hand If You Do Monthly Breast Exams...

Yep, I'm talking to you. If you don't, then stop what you are doing...go in another room...or if no one is around feel free to sit right where you are...(I'm not watching)...and do one RIGHT NOW. Yes, right now. Remember it is best to always do this a week after your monthly cycle...but it can't do you any harm to do one right this second. ;)

Okay, now that you have done that (because I am trusting that you did) if you ever find anything make sure to go get it seen about. Today I went to the doctor because I found a place about SIX months ago that I have just been putting off and putting off. I was like 99.9% positive that it wasn't anything, I mean, I knew that I felt it more right before that time of the month for me and it got smaller after my cycle, but it still bothered me...then it started hurting, etc, etc....sooooo I just called and made and appointment and went. I explained to him that I knew that it was probably nothing and that I waited and waited, but I just figured, what the heck, I might as well get this seen about. I was tired of wandering what if....he reassured me that usually lumps are not anything bad, BUT it is important to get them checked out. He said that women wait all the time just thinking, "oh, it's nothing", and six months later they are in a mess. Anyway, everything ended up being okay with me, but I just thought that I would challenge you all to do those monthly self exams, go get a mammogram (go with a friend), I so asked Vanessa if she wanted to make a date out of it...we could go do lunch then go have a mammogram...I think she thought I was crazy.

And just FYI, because I ask lots of questions when I'm at the doctor, I asked what are you suppose to do, or how are you suppose to know WHAT is a "bad" lump. First, he said if you EVER notice something different to get it checked out. But he said most "bad" lumps are hard, almost like a piece of gravel, a hard pebble, gritty almost. They are usually not round and easy to move around...if that makes any sense. So there you have it. If there is something you are concerned about just GO, don't wait. When I was moving my grandmother into her apartment, a lady who was there had just found out she had breast cancer, and my grandmother asked how long she had known the lump was there...and she said for a couple of years. Don't wait guys...go get it checked out. And come on, it's really not that bad....they even have cool front button gowns now at my doctor's office, I mean, whoever invented those were genius.

Oh, and while I'm just giving random breast info out...because I'm not thinking I'm going to talk about this every day on my blog, I mean that would be kind of weird. If you normally have tender breast before your monthly cycle, you can take Vit E and it also helps to watch your caffeine intake and chocolate, and less smoking. ;) Cool? Alright.

I hope you all have a great 4th tomorrow. I just got back from Publix and finished my monthly menu. (again, I will work on that post this weekend). Oh, and last night was INSANE, they estimated over 8000 in attendance. Worship totally 100% ROCKED....Carol, glad you came, and Janna it was nice waving at you, Lisa, sad you had to leave early, and Amy S. it was SOOOOOO cool running into you, that made my night. Oh, and Lynse...I think it's so cool having a "blog" friend that I met through blogging, kind of sort of, even if we don't know each other all that much we kind of do...you know what I mean. And can someone tell me what I was thinking wearing the shoes I wore to the Event to the thing last night...we stayed and cleaned up the massive lawn, and my brain was not working when I put those shoes on, I had flashbacks to the Opryland Hotel. Alright. I'm out of here. Oh, one more thing...tomorrow, let's let our Photo Shoot Friday Challenge be, you guessed it....taking 4th of July pictures. ;)

Have a great weekend.

Monique

Which Sounds Better To You???

Doesn't the term Striae Gravidarum sound so much better than stretch marks???

Let's use it in some sentences.

I am so glad that during my pregnancy I was able to acquire striae gravidarum.
The striae gravidarum on my stomach is so eye catching.
I love wearing a two piece just to show off my striae gravidarum.
My husband loves my striae gravidarum...at least that's what he tells me.
I want to have ten more kids just so I can get some more striae gravidarum.
I am a proud owner of striae gravidarum.

I just think it sounds much better...but maybe it's just me. ;)

Okay, back to studying.

Good Wednesday Morning!!!!!

I have been SOOOOOOO looking forward to today...it's the big night at church....Worship and Fireworks, and tons of food. YUMMMM. If you are in the area and want to see some of the best fireworks this 4th of July and get FREE hot dogs, cotton candy, and other yummy stuff then you need to head on out to Church of the Highlands...it starts at 7pm. After worship is over, then you can go hang out on the lawn...bring a lawn chair, blankets, just whatever and the fireworks will start at 9:00. We can't wait.

Well today I am studying OB. I took a practice run at the test and I'm good to go with Medical/Surgical. Just need to review OB, Pediatric, and Mental Health. I am going to give one day to each of those. I feel pretty good about the OB, but I didn't do too good on the pediatric part on the test yesterday...so I need to really focus on that....

Anyway....I got up a little before 7am yesterday and I finished the book "The Last Lecture". What an amazing story...and he SO likes DisneyWorld...that makes me smile. He has to be an amazing guy for that...right? Anyway, the last two chapters I cried so hard that my eyes were puffy the whole rest of the day. So now I must finish my Five Love Languages of Kids book...I have to do this because there is another book I'm wanting to read that several people at church have been talking about and I told myself I wasn't getting it until I finished my others....Hmmmm, what else has been going on....

I made my July Menu out and we went grocery shopping last night. WOW. If I had my camera I would have taken a picture of the buggy...it's never been that full (remember, I never cook). We still have to go get all the meat and veggies at Publix tomorrow night. I told Jer once I got this cooking down, then I will start collecting coupons and looking for the best deals, but I have to take it one step at a time. :) I think we have decided to go cold turkey (I think) with the eating out. I will post here the second we cheat. I will also try posting my menu later today. I just have it written out...I will try typing it up in a bit, but I only have 5 more minutes left in my break before I get back to OB. ;)

Finally, I love finding a new blog that is "life" inspiring. Yesterday after reading that book and crying my eyes out, and realizing my little problems are NOTHING compared to others.... I find Amanda's blog, she left a comment on my last post and I followed the link...and the rest is history. I had to finally just take the laptop away from myself. I mean she is ONLY 20 years old. 20...and this girl just inspired me beyond words...I told her I think I can spend a month reading her blog to just catch up on her whole story. WOW. Oh, and read this particular post of her's...Vulnerable Days. I mean come on...how true is this??? Why do we have to be fake and hide who we are...hide our hurts...okay, I will keep on if I don't stop...because I want to link several other of her posts....good stuff. :)

Alright, I'm 4 minutes over my study break. I hope you have the MOST Amazing Day today!!!!

Monique

200 Questions Down....Thousands More To Go...AND WHAT GROSSES YOU OUT???

Boy, oh boy...I got some MAJOR studying done today. 200 questions may not seem like a lot for a full day...but I write a million things about each question and even if I get it right, I write down everything it says about the subject and why each answer is right and wrong.

Anyway...in a weird way I am having fun. I'm feeling much more positive about passing...we shall see.

I just got finished answering the questions in the "respiratory" section. All you men and women who work in this area...I am in awe of  your ability to handle this. First, I have a VERY hard time watching someone else have a difficult time breathing...I mean I almost hyperventilate right there in the room. I feel as if I am needing to breathe for them. I will never forget my first patient...I had to leave the room...I thought I would pass out. I mean, I can watch a chest be opened, a baby born, and many other things...but labored breathing...it stresses me out. AND THEN you have the word...the one word that makes me gag to hear it...SPUTUM. (I just gagged when I typed it). I may not even be able to finish this blog post. I can handle any other bodily substance...I mean I may not enjoy it, but it doesn't make me gag. I was so embarrassed the first time I ever had to measure the container that you know...holds that stuff, and thankfully it was behind the head of the bed of the pt, because I gagged like 10 times before I got it written down. I told my instructor that i just didn't think I could take it....she said that all nurses usually have their one thing they just can't handle....that same instructor had a word that she couldn't stand either, and I can't think of it to save the life of me...but I remember thinking...huh??? That grosses you out....(that's going to totally bug me that I can't think of it)....anyway....(edit to add: I remembered it...she was grossed out by Pus...I mean that is kind of gross, but I can handle it)

So there you have it...a random, gross post. I have no clue why I even shared all that, but it's late, NCLEX questions are roaring through my mind, and my brain is on overload. I do have to say that I know people are praying for me, because I am actually getting questions right, lol.....I mean the majority of them I'm getting right...and I know that HAS to be God.

SOOOO, do this for me...if you pray every day or have never prayed before, or pray from time to time...it really doesn't matter...just say this real quick:

Lord, help Monique remember all this nursing stuff, give her confidence, and help her pass the NCLEX on the FIRST time.

Thanks guys...see, that was simple.

Alright, I guess it's time for bed. Tomorrow on my breaks from studying, I'm working on a meal plan for the month of July. We are going to experiment with NOT eating out. Not sure yet what the rules yet are going to be...if we are going to allow once a week or what...going Cold Turkey is going to be hard...how often do you eat out...if you are still reading at this point. :)

Good night.