Taking donations...

So, I've decided how I want to celebrate my 50th birthday, but it will demand a large commitment on your part. Send cash now, I only have 2 yrs, 2 months to save up. Really, it will be worth it to empty your coffers for me. I mean, really wouldn't it be worth it, just to put a smile on my face? I thought so.

Art Home at Palais de Tokyo for more photo's to seal the deal.

I think I'm totally worth it, so start sending me the cash. Euro's will also be accepted. Yes, it is in my favorite place in the world...Paris. Or as us natural french speakers say...."Par-eeeeee". Okay, not so natural. My french withers year by year, which isn't saying much since I only had a 4 yr old ability to begin with. But hey, I have 2 yrs to come up to par, and found another site, Alliance Francaise which has lessons, which I WILL TAKE as soon as I get me a job!

so...welcome to my dream.

Hookers green

no, I'm not speaking about a nauseous prostitute, just a name of one of my watercolor paints. I just thought it might grab someones attention since I don't have anything life shaking going on here in my blog....

Well let's see what's new with me...

nada...nothin'....zilch etc...

I am applying still all over the place, and now I'm trying to hunt down the boutique hospitals (my term). You know the little hospitals with a couple hundred or less beds. These are wonderful little hospitals, but they are not easy to find. They usually don't have a website, a nurse recruiter, or any information you can find! So hunting is what you have to do to find them! I went to 4 of them on Friday, dropped off resume/ap, and now I wait. I took and passed the NRP class (Neonatal Resus. Program) so I can better try for those NICU jobs. CHOC finally opened their new grad jobs, so I applied there, and I'm waiting. They can take until Dec.15 to notify. I also applied for the local hospital for their new grad program, but I know they REALLY look for a BSN, so I would be surprised to hear from them. I will take an EKG class later this month, so I can better apply for all those Tele/ICU jobs.

I am still plugging away at watercolors. It is definitely more difficult now, but still just as enjoyable. My lemons came out so much better the other day. And we worked on more monochrome still-life's, but actual objects. So dang hard. But so dang fun. My homework is to make sunshiney clouds and stormy clouds. Remember when my homework was concept maps? Me too, it makes me laugh...and cry for those of you still making those horrid things.

Halloween was very fun. The daughter was Luke Skywalker, and the boy was batman. They both are regressing, because you know, nerdy is now cool. The hubby and I took turns handing out candy. Weird.... it was the first year we were both doing that. Usually one of us was with the kids. *warning, warning, sneak peak into empty next syndrome!!!*

I've started a new exercise regimen (that I am breaking at this moment...) to get up earlier, get exercise clothes on, and NOT to hit the computer until I have exercised. Well...I had a good two days before breaking it. I will still go though...really.

In home news, we found out we have a MAJOR termite infestation, Here's the mound in our backyard that we had thought was one of our kids mud pies.... All right, that wasn't in our yard, because if we did have one of those, we'd just rent a chimpanzee, give him a stick, and be done with them, right? No, we have the wood kind, in the whole bloody house! So THAT'S why our house has gotten more squeaks in the last few years! Oh good, hubby has a major pay cut, I don't have a job, and here, here's $1000 bucks! Urgh.

And yesterday, my hubby had a really stressful day, with a fellow cycler crashing, and dieing! to then be revived.... (thanks to some quick thinking CPR for over a half an hour, and Prayer!) and then he had to chase a mousy down that our sweet kitty brought in for him to cheer him up. Poor Eric, quite the day.

Well that's all the news I can think of. Have a lovely week.

a bit of a funk...

Well not much new for me these days. Just continuing on the job hunt. Last week one of my best friends from college finally got a job after ten months, so I was sooo happy for her, and then I fell into a self-pitying funk for myself. Waaagh. She tells me about her interview, and she was amazing. They actually gave her strips to look at, define, and suggest what meds would go with which heart block! And she got all of them right but one! Well they all but offered her the job that night (her interview was at 10:30pm!), but called her first thing in the a.m. to get her back to sign all papers! What I learned from this was that I was definitely not prepared like I could be when going in for an interview. So... after my pity party, I got myself back to the bloody computer to research interview questions. I will be much MORE prepared next time. So today, I will call for status updates. I also signed up for an NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) certification class, so I can better prepare/apply for any NICU jobs. The prob...is that these classes are PRICEY!! And um... don't have a job... Well you get my meaning. So I will take this class on Halloween day, it was the only one I could find before Nov. 1st which is when I want to apply for a NICU residency job is. And I am still trying to get some of those flu vaccine jobs!

In other news, my watercolors class is still fun, and yes..I am not a natural! My oldest sister: drawing, brother and other sister: advanced ceramics, mother: oils, son:drawing, daughter: painting, husband: drawing, me: ummmm, I like to look at perty art. Disgusting, ain't it? Ah well. It is fun playing though. *These are what we've been doing this semester. color wheels etc, supplies, fruits (hey, the top right one was not done by me, but my teacher, but I did do the pear, dangit!), Learning shading, the orangish one was the first try, then the green.


Daughter is working, and dancing, and has a bit too much free time on her hands. Son is competing today for an FFA thingy, and is still growing taller. Hubby is cyclo-racing and enjoying it.

We all (family) went to a wonderful friends Oktoberfest party. We had so much fun, it shouldn't be legal. But it was, and we did.

That's it for now. If you are a pray-er, please remember me as I continue to look for a job, especially that I do not throw tooo many pity-parties. Have a great week!

just pluggin along...

Yes, I am, albeit sloooowly.
Still looking for jobs. I have applied to probably about 10 more jobs, though I'm really hoping to hear back from Hoag for a couple of really great jobs there.
Meanwhile, we've been celebrating my hubby's birthday. He has finally caught up to me. We get to share this age for about 2.5 months before I pass him up again! We went into L.A. to the Peterson museum, and The Grove. We had such a fun day, I LOVE L.A.! On Sunday while the kids and I went to church, Eric was in another cyclo-cross race. He is loving his new bike race hobby.
Bryce was in his first FFA competition, the Greenhand comp. Their school got 3rd place. More importantly though says he...."I'm the only guy with 5 girls, it's great". So yeah, agriculture is very verrrrry important to the boy! haaahaaaa.

Kierstin has been laying low, not her busy season yet (in the spring, she'll have her animals, and plant sales), so she's been working on her hobby which is photography, and lately...watercolor painting.

That's it for us. I hope you are all doing well, have a great week!

Happy Fall, and Halloween!

with heat & pressure...

just like with diamonds... something of value must come from pressure and heat. Well, it definitely feels like I am feeling both of those. I have had a few interviews, and MANY rejections for nursing jobs. In fact this morning I applied for a job, and about 15 minutes later, they had already rejected me! Part of the reason I've had so very many rejections is that I will apply for jobs that are not just for "New Grads". Why? Because there are sooo few jobs listed under new grad. In fact, the interviews I DID have were not listed for new grads. Anyway... it's been very depressing, and I really appreciate what all these folks have been going through after losing a job, and hunting for a new one. This last wk was particularly hard. My poor little ego. Well I am continuing to apply. Last night I applied for 3 more, this morning 2 more. I will do some more "drop-by's" since they seemed to help me the most.

In other parts of my life... I am enjoying being around home more, spending more time with kids, and relaxing in the evenings. I know! Isn't that weird? That was when I would ALWAYS be back to the books or writing those %@*# nursing maps! I feel a little giddy each and every night. I still have a hard time sitting through TV, but I find other things to do. My favorite activity EVERY day, is to make a tea, and sit in my front yard watching dusk. It's my absolute FAVORITE time of day, and I become nearly "gleeful". During these moments, I'm in shock that I don't have a heavy tome on my lap, or flashcards fluttering through my fingers. So weird after 8 years (give or take a semester here and there with no classes) of study and nursing school. I am still in total shock. My watercolor class is still absolutely delightful. I can't say I'm very good, but it's so fun to be doing something "left-brained".

My kids are doing well, and my boy has adjusted well to high school. I think he has found his niche, and is doing so much better than elementary and even Jr. High. He continues to make $ every day, getting lunches for those who don't want to battle the lunch lines. Cracks me up, what an entrepreneur, eh? He gets $1-2 from each person each day, and brings his own lunch so he loses none of it. So funny. The daughter is enjoying her last year of high school, and her first job. I think she is feeling a little melancholy too, with the changes she knows she's going through and what's to come. She has gotten back to art, which is great, because she can let some of that emotion flow through her brush/pen.

Hubby did his first cyclo-cross race, and did well. I believe he came in 20th? He may not have placed high, but he looked great out there! We all went to cheer him on, it was very fun. We celebrated with In & Out. (blaach :p) He's enjoying teaching Film and Journalism. This is the first time EVER that he's gotten to teach an elective course. It's hard work since he is making the curriculum, but he's loving the change of pace.

Well I do believe that's about it for me. How the heck are you? Thanks for stopping by, and please leave a comment when you do!

still in the waiting room...

still waiting to hear from one hospital for the oncology position. I wanna call, but I already did on Friday...dare'st I do it again??? I don'tst knoweth. Oooops sorry, sometimes I slippeth into Shakespeare. I have another interview at UCI hospital, which sounds amazing and closer on Thursday, so we'll see. I am not so great at waiting.

So, I will head off to the gym, all this sitting around is driving me crazy. Have a great week all, and um...Happy Fall.

Girls just wanna have fun...

Sense & Sensibility

So this has definitely been a fun month for me. On the 19th, we had the second Jane Austen Book Club, this time we discussed Sense & Sensibility, my new fave. I loooooved this one. And the PBS mini-series was wonderful, and stuck to the book completely. We met at a little coffee shop at Crystal Cove Beach for breakfast. It was a beautiful day and we had a great time. We even stopped at Rogers Gardens on the way home to look at Fall/Halloween stuff. We had so much fun, and all the teens made it this time.

Theeeeeeeen, the following weekend, we had our scrapping wknd. A big group of us went up to Big Bear to a scrapbook cabin. We had beautiful weather, not tooo hot which was lucky for us since the house has no AC. We celebrated a good friends birthday with Sprinkles cupcakes (the red velvet ones are to die for!) and we all came up with our very own Stripper names. How? What's the name of your first pet as a child? Mine was Tramp. And your first street name as a child, mine was Barbata. So... my Stripper/Porn name became Tramp Barbata. We did everyones, and it was sooo hilarious! It really does work, try it! In fact, tell me yours, they totally crack me up!

I had pre-planned my pages, imagine that! so I got about 5 layouts done, which is waaay more than I usually accomplish. The house was completely adorable, and we all got our own beds, so it was heaven.

My big news job-wise is I got a second interview with OCMMC, and I will be having another interview at UCI medical center next Thursday! I am sooo excited to have gotten that call! On Monday, I am supposed to find out if I get the 3rd and final interview for OCMMC, so we'll see! Butterflies!

Have a great weekend, and please do let me know your Stripper name.

Fall is coming...

(The view from my Widow's Walk) (Okay, so maybe it's not, I live in Suburbia for pity sakes, but a girl can dream can't she? And my sky was almost this perty)

I absolutely LOVE Fall! And I know it's not officially Fall, but I can feel it in the air. Yesterday at dusk, the sky was amazing, with beautiful layers and colors, and there was a cool breeze. I was in heaven. So I sat out in my front yard with my hot tea, and just enjoyed it. My hubby joined me, it was so nice. Even though I keep whining for a porch or a viewing loft, I was darned happy with my plastic chair on the grass. (the viewing loft or widows walk is my GREAT idea. I just want Eric to build this on the roof so I get a better look at the sunsets. I don't know what the big deal is, just some wood, nails, and some plastic chairs. I think it is an amazing thought, don't you???) That's a widows walk. Of course my house is a really small little house from 1950, but I think my little house could pull it off. Sorta.

So, I haven't blogged in quite a while, and I do apologize, but there is less to chat about when someone is not holding the proverbial exam/paper/concept map gun at your head every other day! And let me tell you, it's WONDERFUL, and you will get here if you're not here yet {Kirsten especially, I know how darned antsy you are! :) }

The job hunt continues. I must have about 30 or more aps out there. And the exciting thing that happened last wk still baffles me. I went for a meet & greet, and ended up getting an interview for an opening that I did not know about! I was absolutely thrilled. Two days after that, I got a call for a second interview with the Director and Manager of Oncology of said job. So, yesterday I had that interview! It was so exciting and terrifying. It went well I believe, but they are interviewing hordes more in the next 2 wks, so I wait. I hope to still interview for some jobs that are closer, but we'll see.

My hubby is now training for Cyclocross (a bicycle race over a cross-country course, with steep hills, turns, and sometimes muddy terrain, that occasionally requires a rider to carry the bicycle over fences and up stairs) in place of triathlons. He is excited about it, and I like the idea because I can actually watch one, aaaaaaaaaand they are not as early as those absurd 6am races! These run at a respectable 9 or 10. Much more humane to my way of thinking don't you think? And they run during Fall & Winter, my FAVORITE seasons.

My boy is on the Cross Country team, and I guess I worry because he has issues with his knees. Today he limped to school, but not because of his knees but his ankle. Hmmmm. And the big news about him, is that he has officially passed me in height. He's so cute.

The daughter got her very first job at Togo's and she is loving it. She is pocketing away the dough saving for a car. She will get busier with FFA this year as it is their 50 yr anniversary at her school. She's got a bit of Senioritis, but she's been responsible so far about homework and such. She loves her classes this semester since she no longer has math or French, and she has Novels and Sociology.

Well that covers it all for me, how are you doing?? What's new with you?

....I'd like to thank my agent...

So, I got this freakin fabulous award, cuz I'm so awesome from Kirsten over at Order & Chaos and believe me, she's awesome. She lives in a home of testosterone, poor thing with 2 teenaged boys and a hubby! ; ) aaaaand she's in the midst of nursing school!

Rules of the Award:List five current obsessions.Pass the award on to five more fabulous blogs.On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them.When you post your five winners, make sure you link them as well.Don’t forget to let your winners know they won an award from you by leaving a comment on their blog.

5 of my obsessions:

1. Learning languages: signed up for french today, but the teacher was not up to my hiiiigh standards! Hmph!

2. Museums of Art: oooooh, can spend 6 hours easily staring at the stuff.

3. France and traveling in Europe: LOVE to be around other cultures, yet not third world discomfort.

4. Taking classes: I LOVE learning and will always find something new I want to learn. For example, over the years i have taken the following: french, sewing, baking (various) cooking, cake decorating, and today, watercolors.

5. Caring for ill and outsiders. aka nursing.

5 freakin' fabulous bloggers:

Living Dead Nurse she cracks me up with her dry, sarcastic humor, and she's darn smart.

Paris breakfasts beeeeeeyooootiful watercolors. Thus the watercolors class I began today.

N is for Nurse the most amazing L&D nurse. She has had amazingly crazy mothers, so she's got great stories. And now...to top it off, she's just moved so her hubby can be a priest with the Eastern Orthodox church. (I hope I said that right)

I AM (y) RN a gal after my own heart. I watched her go through nursing school, and now she is in her first job. I see what she goes through/feels, and know that I am just a few steps behind her. I learn from this yogi.

Adventures of Student RN Tiffany A student nurse shlepping through her now second year of nursing school aaaand newly married to a dude in the service. She is sassy, and full of fun!

Pics of August

Hi Uncle Tim! Well I just found out my hubby's brother, my BIL reads this blog, to hear what's going on here (he lives in Maryland), and sadly, I am generally talking about myself! So! I wanted him to see what my man's been doing. He's keeping alive, the tradition in my family of giving your 18 yr old daughter a Hope chest/Cedar chest. It is beautiful, and he whipped that baby out in about a week.

Mammoth Lake

We also went to Bodie ghost town that was fun, on the way to the Mammoth area.

And we visited the beach of course, and frolicked there. Well Uncle Tim, I think that brings you up to speed! How are you? Do you have a facebook yet? Look us up, we all have one!

And of course hello to everyone else. I continue to job search. I have an ap in for about 15 or so jobs. My next step, other than watching and applying on line is to start job drop by's. I will first call, said drop bys to get names of recruiters before I go, so I at least APPEAR organized or semi professional. I have to tell you my mood swings have been monumental. My poor family. I HATE being in this "waiting-room". I hate not having my plans all lined up! All of the new grad programs will open in Oct-Dec. Yeah, you know 10 positions with 300 aps. Dreadful. But I will JUMP into the fray with Gusto! Or maybe just gusto.

To cheer myself up, I've signed up for a french or art class. "Or" because I am on a waitlist for them. Whichever one I can get in, I'll nab. My first choice of course would be French. I know, I know, Spanish would be more logical, but this is to cheer me, and that would do it, French or Art. I have to have something to look forward to, because the job hunt is just dreadful.

My mom has gone back into the hospital with some intestinal probs, so all prayers are really truly appreciated, thanks. I am on my way there now with a heavy heart.

Have a good weekend y'all. Let me know how the semester is for you who have jumped back into nursing school. What will you be clinicaling in? Yes, I just made up that word, and I think it's lovely. Clinicaling, or even shorter...clinicing. Yeah, I did it.