All Grown Up

With my new full time job I get benefits and make enough money to live on our own. My dad called me yesterday asking me when I could get off his health insurance and when I could get off his payroll. It was a turning moment in my life. I felt so grown up. I can fully support my family. BUT its SCARY. If I don't work I can't pay my bills. I know everyone in the world pays their way but this is the first time in my life I can ACTUALLY pay my way. It liberating!

Its also a great motivator. I never had much motivation to work.. most of my family and friends already know that! But now its up to me to pay for our lives. That is a daunting thought but the best motivation I ever had to actually work. I started calculating how much I could make with over time and working holidays that I was like yes sign me up for more work! Who thought I would ever say that??

So the older I get the more grown up I am feeling. I love the freedom that comes from making my own money and being able to actually go out to dinner and enjoy it. Not think about how much does a diet coke cost.

Growing up does have its down falls. For example Bryan is in California hanging with the family while I am still in Florida working until the 22nd and then I can leave for California. I also have to return home the 28th to get back to work. I know this is what normal people do but I only know the student life. I am transitioning into the working world and its so weird! But I cannot complain, I am so grateful to have a job!

Christmas Decorating

Today we put up our Christmas decorations and nothing is more magical than a house decorated for Christmas. I love it. It makes me happy. It brings back so many memories and family traditions. I cannot wait until we have a home of our own and can put up Christmas lights outside. The only thing missing now is our tree- which we will pick up after Thanksgiving!

Bryan and I make it a family affair. We both decorate the house while watching a Christmas movie and eating Christmas cookies. It really puts us in the Christmas Spirit and gets me excited for the next month.

This Christmas might be a little different this year because I have to stay in Florida to work while Bryan get to be with his family in California. Now I will get to have the Christmas week off but not the whole month like a student. It is making me treasure every moment we get to do family things and holiday celebrations together.

Working Woman

I GOT A JOB!!!!! Most of you know that already but I want to journal the story of my first RN job!

I graduated Nursing school in July and took the state boards in August. I have never been so nervous in my life to take a test. It was much easier than I thought it was going to be. Once I got my official RN license I started drafting my resume. After about 2 weeks of drafting, much peer review, and attending a resume class I finished it. It was now time to apply to jobs. I started applying to every RN job within 30 minutes of my house. I applied to over 300 jobs and in 10 different hospitals. After about 3 weeks I started getting discourage and scarred. I would call the nursing recruiters at different hospitals and they all said call back in January or some would not even speak to me! SO I applied to nanny jobs... I will be honest i had no intentions of ever being a nanny but just applying to the jobs made me feel better. I thought about applying to some retail positions until I get my RN job. I would spent 5-6 hours a day finding and applying to jobs. I was determined to get hired.

The next week I get a call from a home health agency wanting to hire me. I will be honest I have no idea how they even got my resume. I was so EXCITED. I always said I would never work in home health, but someone wanted to hire me. It gave me a lot of confidence. SO in the beginning of October I started working for a home health Agency as an IV nurse.

Even though I was working I kept applying to hospital jobs. I enjoyed the home health job way more than expected but my dream has always been to work in a hospital. One day I called Palmetto General Hospital's recruiter and we had a great conversation. I asked him if there was anything I could do to help get my foot in the door and find a job. He took time to talk to me. He said call back in a week and I did. I called back and he asked me about working on the telemetry unit. I said I would love that. A couple of days later I get a call from the Director or Nursing for the telemetry unit asking to come in for a interview. Later that week I go in for the interview. I was so nervous. Bryan and I practice all morning my interviewing skills.

The interview was on a thursday. I had to work all day and rush down to Miami afterwards. I left work late and was so nervous I was going to be late for the interview. I really think God got me to my interview on time. I thought I answered every question great. Then, they started asking me medication questions and I got nervous. I answered them to my best ability but left the interview thinking well I didn't get that job. On my way home I called Bryan to see if I answered the questions right. I DID. That experience taught me to trust myself more. I always tell myself oh I am a new graduate I don't know much. But the truth is I do know a lot. The very next day I get a phone call form the recruiter saying they loved you and want to hire you!! I almost cried. I had to get some things in order but I got my dream job!!

2 weeks later I signed the contract. Its a full time job with benefits for a 2 year contract. I got a great sign on bonus and so excited to finally put all my schooling to work!! I feel so blessed and truly believe Heavenly Father helped me get this job.

Pumpkin

I love Fall. The colors, the weather and PUMPKINS. My whole house is decorated with pumpkins. Here are some pictures.

The Fall colors I love
5 Pumpkins on my entertainment center
My favorite Pumpkin.

Pumpkin center piece, pumpkin napkin holders and pumpkin table cloth.

I kick off fall with my mother's pumpkin bread. I add chocolate chips to it and sometimes make a cream cheese buttercream frosting to ice with. We love it and Bryan craves it all the time. Here is the recipe.

In one bowl add

3 1/2 C flour

2 1/2 C sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

In another bowl add

1 tsp nutmeg

2 C pumpkin

1 C oil

4 Eggs

Mix liquid with dry ingredients. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. I start checking it at 50 to 55 mins.

Golf

Lately, we have been really into golfing. Bryan has been playing since he was 14 but the other day we both went to the driving range. I borrowed some of his clubs and hit some balls. I loved it. It was nice to get out the house, a break from applying to jobs and do something together. We tried road biking together and that was a disaster!! Even though we are on different levels we can be next to each other talking and playing. Its a good marriage sport!!

SO after we went to the driving range Bryan said lets go to the golf store. We did and he wanted me to look at clubs. I was not prepared to buy any clubs so was only looking at the cheap ones. I did not really like them. I could tell neither did Bryan. I just felt like after I get semi decent I would be able to tell they suck! About 1 hour later after looking at different clubs and deciding I don't want any, I randomly picked up a set, played it and loved it. I said these are it. They are high end but I only got 1/2 set. Instead of getting 14 clubs I got 7 (something like that)

During this whole process Bryan was not saying a word. It was driving me nuts. Later he told me he wanted me to make the decision not him. So about 2 hours later we left the store with a set of clubs and the cutest bag ever. We have been golfing together as much as possible ever since. Its a great stress reliever for Bryan and time spent together. Now we are looking at golf vacations...

This is my golf bag and clubs.

Where Dreams Come True

My Brother's family went to Disney World again this year and we drove up to vacation with them. We love vacationing with them and LOVE disney world. This was Bryan's first and he was impressed. He loved it. While we were there he kept talking about our next trip!!

Saturday it RAINED all day, but that did not stop us from playing. We did Hollywood Studios all day but around 5PM we got too cold and too wet to go on. So that night we went to the Pent house and watched the firework show from there.

The view from the penthouse during the fire work show.

Estella and Me.

The girls hanging out. Logan and Lauren drove over as well.

Loving Disney in the rain!
Bryan and I at Epcot.
US with my Brother's kids. We love them!

Can't wait for my next Disney Trip!! I hope it soon.

I Love Music

I love music. It makes me so happy. Ever since I was little I would sit on my bed and just listen to music. I would fall asleep to it, clean to it and study to it. I sometimes look forward to cleaning because I know I will be listening to music as I clean. I rarely take a shower without my radio blasting. I also love listening to morning shows on the radio. I look forward to the traffic report. I don't even drive in the morning and always listen to the traffic report.

Music moves me. I can listen to a song over and over again and love it more each time. I have been listening to Taylor Swift everyday since October and I still can't get enough of it. Certain songs instantly put me in a memory that I love. When I am in the car I turn up my radio and sing and I am happy.

I don't know where I am going with this besides the fact that I LOVE MUSIC.

Back to Reality

I feel like my summer is over and I am starting my real life again! I was on vacation for almost of month. First we went to California and hung out with Bryan's family. We went to Mammoth for the weekend. It was beautiful and relaxing. We mainly fished which I truly enjoyed. It reminded me of my being young and going fishing with my dad. Those were times I loved and always remember. I caught so many fish. Bryan and I had a contest. Who ever caught the most fish would win a prize. I WON. He got me an XBOX kinect but I felt like it was too much for us and we would not use it a lot so we returned it. I was just happy I finally beat Bryan at something!!

Bryan Fly Fishing.
The biggest fish I caught. Bryan wanted to keep it. So we had it in the boat but then the fish started gasping for breath and I could not watch and started to cry so Bryan put it back in the water.
Bryan fishing.
I caught the first fish of the trip. It was tiny.

Right after spending time with my Bryan's family I flew to Utah to help my sister with her new baby. She had a baby boy Noah and he is the cutest thing ever. He loves to be held and cuddle so I would hold him all day long. I felt like I was not much help because I could not get Ava away from Marissa. So I took care of the baby, which in the end was the best!

Ava and Noah. She loved him. She would say, "My baby."

Ava happy because she was getting ice cream.

I returned home from Utah and immediately starting packing up our house to move. It was a stressful and hard move but worth it in the end. We are finally settled in and I can actually relax now. I also signed up for my NCLEX-RN test. It is the state boards for nursing and once I take this test and pass I can get a real job!! Bryan got me the Kaplan review course and I am so grateful. They have a 93% pass rate and I think I really needed it but was too scared to get it. I am glad Bryan surprised me and got it for me!

I feel like my life is back to normal. I don't know if that is a good thing or not. I liked being on vacation for a month and spending time with family. I got home Sunday night and Monday night I was ready to leave Florida to hang out with my family again. I have a count down to my NCLEX test because afterwards I am flying to New Jersey to see family again! I CAN'T WAIT!!!

A Move I never want to do Again

We made it! We moved 3 miles down the street into our new place. It was the worse move ever. First we did it the cheap way aka do it yourself.. Never doing that again. Second it was bloody hot. Third we moved into the 3rd floor and going up those stairs 100 times is just plain brutal. Forth it just sucks to move. BUT we had awesome help from our friends in our ward and the missionaries. We could not of done it without them.

Pros of our new place

1. Cheaper

2. Third floor

3. QUIET

4. Better location

5. Nicer management

6. Hot tub

7. Online bill pay

8. NO more trash bags that I have to buy

9. Washer and Dryer in our hallway and not in our garage

10. Bigger deck

11. More cabinets in the kitchen

12. Pantry

13. Roman Tub

CONS of the apartment

1. Smaller

2. Smaller closets

3. Less counter top space in the kitchen

4. Small fridge

5. Low ceilings. The bathrooms feel a little claustrophobic

Well the Pros out weight the Cons so I guess it was a good decision to move. I NEVER want to move again. I am dreading the day that we have to.

FAT

This is just a confession..

Lately, I have been feeling so fat. I know why and don't want to analyze my eating and work out life style. I just want instant skinniest! I want to wake up and be skinny! Someone please invent a pill where I take it at night and wake up skinny in the morning..

Here are the reason I feel fat.

1. I really am..

2. I have been bored and baking a lot. Not a good combo.

3. Traveling a lot lately and eating out

4. Stopped my workout regime. I was doing it 6 days a week from January till May. Since May I have not worked and out.

5. Whenever I feel skinny I stop working out and eat like crap.. then.. I feel fat and start working out again... its a vicious cycle.

6. I give in to my sweet cravings every time.

7. I throughly enjoy food.. I need to learn to enjoy food and not indulge it.

Whenever I start to feel fat I become depressed and mean. I become unhappy and all I can think about is how fat I am. I don't like who I become when I get this fat feeling.

SO starting Monday (I am sick right now) I am going to eat super healthy. I know losing weight it 70% diet and 30% exercise. For the next month I am going to be out of town and need to really focus on my food. I am going to start my work out regime again. Mainly I need to eat healthier and less.

I am not saying this so I get tons of comments saying you are not fat. I am mainly writing this to release my emotions and motivate myself to change.

To build me up after this depressing post..

Something I love about myself: Once I make up mind to do something, I do it. When I decide I want to lose weight, I always do. I think that is why I also always gain weight. I know I can lose it again. BUT one day I will be old and not be able to lose it and its not healthy for your body to yo-yo like I do.

Jersey Wish List

This weekend we are going to New Jersey... YEAH

Here is the list of things we want to do..

1. EAT Jersey Pizza, cheesesteak, ice cream, cheese cake, fudge, popcorn and more!

2. Hot Tub

3. Go to Custard Hut

4. Bike ride on Boardwalk

5. Beach

6. PARTY with the family. I am so excited to see my nieces and nephews.

7. Try to get some sleep but probably won't..

8. Praying that my sister brings her Xbox kinect and we can dance to Michael Jackson

9. Miss our flight so we can stay longer!

P.S. I have been working out for 2 weeks just to prepare myself for this weekend trip of eating..

First

This week has been full of many first for me.

I went to Taylor Swift Concert. What more can I say!

Singing Sparks Fly.

Taylor Swift is in the purple singing Speak Now.

Singing Back to December.

Singing Our Song.

I wore hoop earrings for the first time in my life. Bryan LOVES them.

I sang in front of my ward for a talent show. I was forced. I did not want to do it and will never do it again!

Side note= I have to thank Bryan for making my week of first. I would have never gone to Taylor Swift concert or wear hoop earrings if it was not for him.

Summer Treat

I feel like within the last week summer has really begun. I don't know why. I keep thinking "Summer Time is here finally!" So to kick off our summer I decided to make a Key Lime Pie. I have never done it before and it was delicious. Everyone loved it. And it was so easy. I never knew Key lime pie was that easy. Also the recipe I made was not too tart. Here is the recipe and when you have your next party make this!

I froze my overnight. Also once you take it out of the freezer serve right away. I did not do that and I no longer had frozen key lime pie just regular key lime pie.

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch cream of tartar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 lime, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Mix graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Press into 9 inch pie plate and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
2. 
   
3. Separate 2 of the eggs, placing the two egg whites into a mixing bowl. Reserve the yolks in another bowl.
4. 
   
5. To the yolks, add one whole egg, lime juice and sweetened condensed milk. Whisk until smooth. With clean mixer blades or a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until stiff, but not dry. Fold whites into filling mixture. Pour filling into partially baked crust.
6. 
   
7. Bake in preheated 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 10 to 15 minutes or until set. Let cool at room temperature, then freeze 4 hours to overnight. Just before serving, whip cream with 2 tablespoon of sugar to form stiff peaks. A Serve decorated with whipped cream and lim e slices.

• 
  

HOME!

This week Bryan and I got a notice saying our rent was going up. We were not surprised but believe we have the worse location in the complex and they could not raise it! We live next to the gate on a busy highway. What more can I say!

Even though our rent went up we did not want to drive around for days looking at tons of apartments and homes. I really did not want to move into an "apartment feel" place. We live in a town home now and like the "homey" feeling. Bryan just told me to get over it!

On Friday, (Bryan had school off) we went to breakfast and decided to drive along this one road we like. They have a few rental properties and though we would look at 2 or 3 of them. We were driving and I told Bryan just go to Camden Apartments. I have been there before and knew they were comparable to where we live now.

We walked in and saw that they only had one design of a three bedroom town home. It was exactly like ours but only a few dollars less. For the money its was not worth the move. A few dollars less, smaller square footage, no way! BUT they did have a three bedroom DETACHED garage on the third floor for a ridiculous price. Bryan and I almost fell off our chairs, it was so cheap.

We left saying we will think about it. I got home and instantly hated where I lived. Knowing that I could get pretty much what I have now (the new place is about 100 square feet smaller) for 500$ less I was why am I living here? So I told Bryan this is a deal and I don't think its going to last long and I think we should take it.

Two hours later we were back at the new complex signing papers and giving them a deposit. I felt good the whole time and was actually excited.

BUT then we got home and I started to panic. I was like our current place is awesome, bigger, more closets, and a town home. Why am I leaving? I thought we would live here for 4 years. I seriously thought we made a mistake. Then, Bryan looks at me and says Janelle we are saving so much money we can do so many more fun things instead of being house broke! I knew he was right. I want to do so many things here but our budget does not allow it. Now with our rent being so much cheaper we can do so much more! That makes moving 2 miles down the street worth it!

Last night my dream was about how I was going to decorate the place.

Garden

I have always wanted a garden. One of the big reason why I wanted to buy a house in Florida so I could have a huge garden. BUT, I was so scared to actually start one. I was nervous I would kill my plants and that would mean I have no motherly instincts...weird I know.

BUT, when my mom was in town we went to home depot and bought planter boxes, soil and herbs. I have basil(from my mother-in-law), mint, cilantro, and parsley. I chose those herbs because they are the ones I use most. I was so excited. We set up the planters and put them on my deck. Ever since I check on them daily, water them daily and make sure they are growing properly. I feel like a very good mother to them. Now, I want to get a tomato and peppers plants!

I started my count down to...

Most of my friends know that I am OBSESSED with Taylor Swift. I think I have listened to her new CD everyday since it came out in October. I am going to her Concert on June 2 and I am SO EXCITED. Bryan gave that to me as my birthday present and I have been giddy ever since. So its official- I have started my count down to Taylor Swift Concert!!

22 Days and counting...

Now All I need is my Taylor Swift T-shirt!!

Uncle Bryan and Ava

Ava LOVED Bryan while she was in town. I was chop liver to her. She would wake up and ask for him. He studies in our office so Ava would knock on his door and wait for him to answer it. At one point Bryan was studying and Ava was on his lap coloring. Watching them interact was so cute to me. I know Bryan is going to be a great dad. He loves to play with kids. Ava is very particular about many things. Things you would think a kid did not even care about. For example Ava wants certain people to get her out of her car seat. I was never allowed to do it. But Bryan was. We were at the pool and Bryan left to get lunch and Ava would follow him and stand at the gate and watch him walk away. They would cuddle on the couch together. Bryan and Ava had a blast together!

Bryan rubbing her face and she was starting to fall asleep.

Uncle Bryan studying and Ava coloring.

Let the Memories Begin!

My sisters and I drove up to Disney World. We met Brandon, Michael-ann and the kids there. All I can say is that it was a blast. I literally did not want to leave. Its so magical and brings back so many memories. You can act like a kid again and not look like an idiot. When I got home I told Bryan we are going to be a Disney Family.

Sunday- Drove up, checked in and immediately went to Magic Kingdom. We did the rides with Ava. She loves rides. All day long all she says is rides!

Monday- We went to Magic Kingdom in the morning. Once it got really hot we went to the pool for a few hours and that night we did Hollywood studios. I believe this is the best way to do Disney World. Play in the morning, relax by the pool in the afternoon and then go back to the parks.

Tuesday- Alisha and I went to Epcot and rode the rides. Then, we went to Hollywood studios to ride our favorite rides one more time. We met up with Brandon and Michael ann and the kids by the pool. Marissa went to Magic Kingdom again so Ava could ride more rides! That night we all went back to Epcot and hung out and walked through all the countries. I love Epcot. You feel like you are in the real countries. The food is so good there. We ate this authentic Mexican restaurant in Mexico and it was delicious.

There is so much to do there. We had 3 days and probably only did 25% of all the awesome things we could do. I was constantly amazed at all the detail Disney puts into its architecture and rides. You feel like you are in Disney Country. I forgot all my worries.

In Hollywood Studios

Waiting for a ride!
The Princesses!

Ava loved the live shows.
On Main Street