Prettiness!

Guess what guys!!!! I'm blogging from my brand new laptop! **jumps up and down**

Isn't it pretty!?!?!?!?

I could have hugged the FedEx guy when he knocked on the door this morning, if I wasn't a UPS girl of course. My Uncle Clyde would dis-own me!

Anyway, can't chat long, got stuff to do! You know... like play with my new shiny computer and put all my junk on it. And maybe if I have some free time I'll go grocery shopping and study, maybe. BUT...When I'm done with all that, I will have some new things to share, and more often (I hope), now that I have my very own laptop to blog from that works!

Did I mention it's shiny, and pretty?

I'm a Nurse!

You may have noticed that I've mentioned a few times in my previous posts that I've graduated!!!! What's that? You didn't? Then PAY MORE ATTENTION PEOPLE! This is a BIG deal! lol... Just kidding, I'm sure ya'll are quite observant bloggers. And I'm also sure you're ready to see some pictures of the event, aren'tcha? Well, here ya go!

Here I am all decked out in my cheesy dress and pantyhose!

Like my hat? lol...

I love this picture of me and my baby brother :)

My Aunt Lisa and Uncle Clyde surprised me and came in from Kentucky just to see me graduate! They rock!!!

My Family :)

Lined up waiting to get my certificate.

My turn! I used to hate this lady, she just about made me cry in clinicals. Looking back, she was one of the best teachers I had. Once I proved to her, and myself, that I was intelligent and confident, life got A LOT better.

Lighting our Florence Nightingale Lamps and saying our Pledge.

All done! I'm a nurse!

Mommy gives it 2 thumbs up! Derek says "thank goodness it's over, let's go eat!"

Sportin' my graduation gift from my Mommy. A new HOT PINK and personalized stethoscope.

Trying it out on my brother....

Yup, It's official, no heart. LOL.

My after graduation lunch party :)

Now I'm just spending my days relaxing, and studying for my state boards. I'm hoping to get approval to test sometime soon, and then I can work on getting into RN school, and possibly working.

Getting to Know You Sunday!

So I've never participated in Mannland's Getting to Know You Sunday before, even though I've been reading everyone else's posts about it for a while now... but what better day to start than today!?!?! We're starting things out with a twist - She has a guest blogger this week, and the questions are written by a man!

1 - Why did you start blogging? My friend Jess had started a wedding blog that I was following religiously, and then my cousin started one, and I just followed suit because it seemed like a fun way to pass time :)

2 - Who's the one blog friend that you would want to meet most in "real life"? Hmmm, that's a tough one. Probably my very first swap partner ever, Jordan. Sadly, she has stopped blogging... but we were like the same person, just in different states.

3 - Why are you always concerned with losing that "extra 10 pounds" when chances are your husband/boyfriend/friends tell you that you look just fine the way you are? Because it would make ME feel better and more confident in a bathing suit. I live in Florida people! We spend a lot of time in bathing suits!!!!

4 - What's the one thing you wish guys could understand about you? The importance of communication!!

5 - Tattoos. How many do you have and how many are visible when you wear your "everyday" clothes? Zip, zero, zilch. Not a single one.... boring... I know.

6 - What was the best year of your life and why? 2008. We purchased our very first house, all on our own. It was a HUGE accomplishment. Especially since I was only 23 at the time. We remodeled the entire thing. I quit my very first job. I entered nursing school. And I moved in with the love of my life. Oh! And we got my Monster Baby :)

7 - Name three things you would do if you were a man for one day. Pee standing up, outside, just because I could. Walk around with my shirt off. Go a day without shaving my legs!

8 - What's your alcoholic drink of choice that usually raises a few eyebrows? My typical drink of choice isn't very unusual, but the one I enjoy that usually raises some eyebrows is Jim Beam and Mt. Dew.

Super Duper Coupon Clipper!

Yup, I'm the girl with the STACK of coupons at the register.

Don't hate.

Just for you Jess- since you called me a dork for making a trip to Walgreens tonight before my coupons expired. Let me show ya'll what I got for less than 50 bucks!

• Walgreens brand spray sunscreen - buy one get one = 2 for $7.99
• Gillette Fusion Shave Cream - 2 for $5 plus a manufacturer coupon for $1 off = 2 for $4
• Walgreens Isopropyl Alcohol - Walgreens coupon for 99 cents
• Trident Gum - 2 packs on sale for 79 cents each
• The Blind Side on dvd - Walgreens coupon for $16.99 (My Grandma's bday gift - she loves Sandra Bullock!)
• Chex Mix - buy one get one, plus a manufacturer coupon for $1 off! = 2 for $1.99!!!!
• Folgers Coffee - on sale for $5.99, plus a manufacturer coupon for 55 cents off
• Kiss press on nails for my Mommy to try - Manufacturer coupon for $2.00 off = $3.79

Grand Total = 12 items for $47.03

That's like $3.92 per item!

I'm usually pretty good about keeping a steady stash of coupons, but I've decided recently that I'm going to try and be a little bit better about not letting them expire. I've started following more bargain blogs and I'm going to try and plan my shopping trips in advance so I can utilize most of my coupons. It takes a little bit of extra time, but it's worth it. Today I was on Walgreens.com and happened to browse through their weekly ad. They have a nifty button that allows you to click on the items you would buy, and add them to your "weekly shopping list". I did this, and then printed it out. Before I left, I went through my stack of coupons and grabbed all of the manufacturer coupons I had for the items on my list, and off I went. I saved $28.70 by planning ahead! Definitely worth it, don't you think???

Nail Polish... and MORE!

Better late than never, right?

No... I still didn't get my computer back. Actually, it officially took a crap so I'm NOT getting it back. What I am getting though, is a brand new Sony VAIO. WOO! Yay for graduation money to help me afford such an expensive electronic that I simply cannot live without!!!

Isn't it purty? And it shipped out yesterday!!!! It should be here on the 31st! Time for another WOOO!!!! lol...

Anyway, back to the point. I'm still using the boys laptop, but I took the time to upload pics to my "Amy Temp" folder so that I could share with you all the goodies I got in my swap package!

My super awesome swap partner Lori sent me some great stuff! I was really surprised when I came home to BIG box on my front porch - I couldn't wait to open it up and see why on earth it was so big.

This great nail care kit was the reason! It's full of all kinds of goodies, including a nail dryer! I think that's my favorite part. I simply HATE waiting on nail polish to dry, it's the worst. And a bonus, the company that makes it supports the National Breast Cancer Foundation. I always love products that help me, and others, all at the same time :) She also sent a great little pouch and a few bottles of nail polish.

Unfortunately, there was a dead soldier in the mix. A super cute pink from Ulta just didn't make the journey from Tennessee safely. But it's okay, because three other awesome colors did.

Thanks Lori! Hope you enjoyed your package from me just as much! And thanks Gwen for hosting such an awesome swap!!!!

I would also like to thank Gwen's swap partner for introducing us all to Seche Vite Top Coat. After seeing this post about it, I picked some up, and it's AMAZING! Seriously. It gives you that "just came from the salon" shine, with super fast drying power, just like at the salon!!!!

Public Service Announcement

I just heard on the news that Tequila may help you strengthen your bones!

No really, I looked it up... check it out!

SAAAWWWEEEETTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a newly graduated nurse, I thought it was pretty important to share this news with you.

Step aside milk, tequila is where it's at! Plus, when you add a little lime, you've covered your fruit for the day too! :)

Bittersweet...

Today was my very last clinical day as an LPN student!

As much as I am excited to graduate, and begin my career as a nurse, I was so sad leaving the floor! For the past 8 weeks I have spent every Monday, Thursday, and Friday on the 5th floor of the most amazing facility I have ever had clinicals at. The staff was composed of the kind of people I want to surround myself with every day when I go in to work. They always treated us with respect. Unfortunately, as student nurses, we don't often see this. Most of the time we are considered "the worker ants". We are expected to do the dirty work that the employees simply don't want to do. Many times, they will stop what they are doing, and waste their time, to seek out a student just so that they don't have to do it themselves. Acts like that were hardly ever seen here. The staff was more likely to offer to help YOU, than ask YOU to help THEM. It didn't matter what level of training they had. The treated us like we belonged there. They would offer to let us do procedures with our instructor which often held them back so that we could get as much experience as possible. If they asked us to do something, it wasn't to make their life easier, it was to help us learn. They always took the time to answer our questions, as silly as they might be... and never laughed if they asked us to grab something and we grabbed the wrong "something". They would just offer to come with us and show it where it was so that we could find it next time.

Sadly, this facility doesn't hire LPN's. I can only hope that I will find some place just as special to work at until the time comes when I am an RN and I can go work there too. They were inspiring to me. It's a great feeling to have smiling patients who have amazing things to say about their nurses and the hospital that they are in. Being in a hospital is never fun, and nobody really enjoys it, but the patients in this hospital always had great things to say about their experience. I hope that I can always give that feeling to my patients. I want to be the kind of nurse that can brighten the gloomiest room, and put a smile on the most irritated patient. I think I'm headed in the right direction, and the staff that I was exposed to at this facility made me realize that I can be that person.

Farewell 5 Atrium.... Until we meet again... You will be missed!

A little behind...

On my blogging these days!

Last week I received my fantastic Nail Polish and More Swap package, and I can't wait to blog about it! But sadly, my laptop has been out of commission in the internet world for a few weeks now so I'm sneaking in some Facebook and Blogging time on the boy's computer while he is at work. Lord knows as soon as he gets home his face is glued to it until we eat dinner and start watching Lost. (Yes, I've exposed myself to the addictive world of Lost. We started watching Season 1 on dvd a few weeks ago and we are SO hooked!!!) Blogging anything with pictures is a royal pain because I don't want to keep uploading and deleting pictures on his laptop, and then I have to make sure I don't delete any from my camera that I don't have uploaded on my own laptop yet. Actually, who am I kidding, I'm lazy. It's just not convenient. BUT, I'll get to it soon, I promise.

I haven't had too much going on these past few weeks... just school, and clinicals, and we went to the Keys for the weekend in between. I don't think you've missed too much in my life. The good stuff comes next week.... One of my bestest friend's, Melissa, is coming home on leave from the Marines to visit for a week, and I graduate from LPN school on Tuesday!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOO!!!! Hopefully I'll have working internet by then and I can conveniently tell you all about it! With pictures of course, because my personal paparazzi will be there for sure. (aka - Mom, Step-dad, One Day Mom in Law, and Grandpa)

Stay tuned...

Giveaway!

My friend Jess over at Living on Sweet Tea is doing a giveaway!

Our friend's Mom is starting her own product line of soaps, shower gels, lotions and other pamper products. She'd like to get the word out about her handmade products and wants one of you to try them! To help her out,Jess is giving away a gift set in your choice of fragrance!!!!

Head on over, and sign up!