and then she said... are you kidding me??

for those wanting the transcript... ;)

2011-09-21T21:38:00.000-05:00

i've had several messages saying that people couldn't watch my pinning speech, so i thought i'd post it here for your reading pleasure. :P

i've neglected my blog way too long. life has just been soo crazy. finishing the lpn program, finals, pinning, PASSING BOARDS!!!!!!, and starting back to school to finish my rn...whew. so yeah. i'm going to try to be back. it may be sporadic at first. but i've only got a little over 8 months to go and i'll be DONE WITH SCHOOL!!!!! i'll have my LIFE back! i'll be able to focus on something besides tests and studying. woo hoo!!!

speaking of tests and studying...i have a really tough one tomorrow night. i need to get back to this mess. i'll leave you with my speech. ps. i told myself i wouldn't cry while i was speaking...yeah, nice try. :P

faculty members, fellow students, family and friends, welcome.
    i would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow classmates for choosing me to speak tonight at our pinning. i know it was just because i'm the only one in the class that doesn't mind speaking in public (just kidding). i am honored and humbled to be standing here in front of you all. :)
        you should be a nurse when you grow up...
    i heard this several times when I was younger and i always responded with a resounding NO WAY. having been diagnosed with crohn's disease at age 13, i had spent too much of my time in hospitals, and i was not about to willingly choose a career that would place me there every day.
    when i was first diagnosed, i had no idea the impact crohn's disease would have on my life. i had never been hospitalized, but suddenly found myself with an IV in my arm awaiting my very first colonoscopy--um, i'm sorry--you're putting WHAT WHERE?? needless to say i was terrified.
    after many years of doctor visits, medications, hospitalizations, and surgeries, i became bitter and angry. every day was a struggle. but after one last life saving surgery, my outlook changed. crohn's disease would not defeat me. i would not let it, and i wanted to somehow help others do the same--but NOT as a nurse. my mind was made up, and it would take something extremely significant to change it.
              three and a half years ago, i developed fistulas in my skin in which i needed to change the dressings and repack the wounds every day in order to allow them to heal. it was painful. and disgusting. but it was by far the coolest thing i'd ever done. i cracked up when I realized, yes, i am meant to be a nurse.
    so here we are. we are nurses. it seems like yesterday that we were sitting in the big classroom in the other building wide eyed and freaked out. nothing could have prepared us for the things that we would experience in the next two years. flashcards redecorated many of our houses and even the dashboards of our cars. we spent late study nights gulping gallons of caffeine just to try to figure out what in the heck parasympathomimetics meant. even in our sleep we were not exempt from nightmares of writing those dreaded careplans!!! nursing diagnosis: anxiety related to never ending tests as evidenced by nausea, tachycardia and diaphoresis.
    we all have overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. we have become more efficient and achieved more than we ever thought we could. and we finally figured out what parasympathomimetics are!! in the last two years we have gone from being strangers to being a team...a family. we have seen each other at our best, and our worst. we have fallen apart together and picked each other back up again. we have persevered.
    yet, we didn't get to this moment by ourselves. the past two years, you, our families and friends have stood by us as we stressed and worried, cried and laughed, and bailed on you yet again because we had to study. we apologize. but we also thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting us and standing with us as we reached for our dreams. without your sacrifice and encouragement, we would not be here.
    i would also like to thank our instructors both in the classroom and the clinical setting for standing with us and teaching us. you have imparted much knowledge, experience and wisdom to us and for that we are forever grateful. you have been incredible role models and your hard work has given us a foundation in which we will continue to build on for years to come. thank you!
    After tonight, many of us will go our separate ways. Some of us will start new jobs, some will continue their education, one of us will even serve our country deployed overseas. i have never been more proud of myself or my nursing buddies. this is our night. this is OUR night! the night we have sacrificed and worked so tirelessly towards. tonight, my friends, we are nurses. congratulations!!!

LPN pinning ceremony

2011-07-25T09:12:00.004-05:00

my classmates voted me class speaker for the pinning ceremony. i was so honored to write it! :)

i was pinned thursday night! i'm officially a nurse! well...a pinned nurse...i still have to pass boards to be totally official. i will be continuing on to the RN program in the fall...3 more semesters and i'll be done!!!!

because margarine freaks me out...

2011-04-17T17:38:00.002-05:00

i don't know about you, but margarine freaks me out a little. a few years ago, there was some kind of email deal going around about margarine being one molecule away from plastic...and now, i've had chemistry and microbiology, and several (like lots) of nutrition classes and i understand that even a difference of a molecule makes it a whole separate substance...BUT the truth is, margarine is fake fat.

FAKE FAT. cause the real stuff isn't bad enough.

yeah...just freaks me out.

so. i use the real deal. stick butter. hard, sticks of butter. it just feels better to me.

BUT...

what do i do when i have a lovely yummy biscuit, or some toast, or a muffin, or zuchinni bread, or banana bread, or pancakes, or waffles, and all i want is some spreadable butter?

my mom started me in on doing this back when i was in high school.

take one stick of butter and a half cup of extra virgin olive oil (equal amounts). cut up the butter into small pieces and put it in your mixer. beat starting slow so you don't slosh oil all over your kitchen, then work your way up to full speed. i usually let the mixture whip for about 10-15 minutes. it will turn fluffy and a pale yellow/white color. put it in a tupperware bowl, snap on the top and let it firm up in the fridge. it will be the consistency of margarine after it's been in the fridge for awhile.

perfect. spreadable. tasty and easy. not fake and not freaky.
try it! you'll never know it's not...margarine. :)

note from my mom...

2011-04-14T21:39:00.002-05:00

dear renee,

remember when we were shopping a few weeks ago and i told you to hide your eyes so i could pick out your easter candy??? well...the easter bunny got hungry. sorry.

love, mom (aka the easter bunny)

miss you, sweet friend

2011-04-03T13:33:00.000-05:00

1987-2011

Erica Christine "Kiki"Dumey, now face-to-face with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Beloved and cherished daughter of David A. and Deborah R. Dumey; precious and fun-loving sister of Kara (Chad) Mihalick, Bryan, Leah, and Hannah; treasured granddaughter of Gilbert L. (the late Dortha) and Cindy Hoch; dear niece, friend, neighbor, and co-worker; special friend of Andrea, Mary, Cheryl, Amanda, and Allison. Erica never met a stranger and lit up the room simply by smiling; she charmed everyone she met. She spoke truth with love, and lived on the edge of whatever she pursued, but mostly, we remember her for bringing unprecedented joy into our lives. Her "What's up, Baby?" is forever ingrained in our hearts.

Erica graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma Baptist University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Spanish Education. She pursued her passion of hairstyling at LaPlante Hairstyling and Barbering in 2010-11. Her talent was quickly recognized and clients asked for her by name. She was active in her church, The Journey, and found many loving friends there.

If desired, donations in Erica's memory may be made to: Locks of Love, the American Red Cross, the Mental Health Association, The Journey Church, the charity of your choice or simply give flowers to someone you care about, a practice Erica loved. Erica will be missed every single day, but it is with absolute assurance that we know we shall see her again and spend Eternity with her.

one...

2011-03-21T20:14:00.000-05:00

1. one of the best feelings in the world is taking a shower in your own apartment after a stay in the hospital.
2. i am ok. just got a virus and got dehydrated. the joys of living with an ileostomy (named howie...if you haven't been introduced).
3. howie can be a punk. but he keeps me alive...so i put up with it.
4. i'm tired.
5. i love spring.
6. i also love having my windows open and a fan on.
7. i really want some hot wings right now. but i know my body would not be pleased.
8. this list is really random.
9. i blame the tiredness.
10. that is all.

spring break project...

2011-03-14T22:41:00.000-05:00

my parents got me this BEAUTIFUL mirror for my birthday. dad came up today and put it up for me. :) love it!!!

a bit of advice...

2011-02-24T22:39:00.003-06:00

putting a steamy washcloth over your face for a few minutes followed by dabs of peppermint oil on your forehead will help alleviate a headache.

note: do not get the aforementioned peppermint oil in your eye...while it will make you forget your headache...it will leave you with fiery blinding pain in your eyeball.

not that i would know or anything...sigh.

updates...

2011-02-20T17:59:00.000-06:00

i have turned 30. i am coming to grips with this.

i have lost 4 pounds. this helps with the turning 30 deal.

sometimes i clean my apartment with my homecoming queen tiara on. because it's funny.

i ate my first turkey burger tonight. i liked it.

i will probably undo all of the healthy-ness of that burger with junk because the girls are coming over for a movie. i like this also.

that is all.

psalm 23 a friend's interpretation

2011-02-11T10:05:00.001-06:00

“i am going to live in the house of the Lord forever! that’s a promise He made to me a long time ago. what a deal! and what’s more, His goodness and love will follow me as long as i live and even into eternity.

while on this earthly journey He has prepared a bountiful table laden with all good things. my enemies observed all this and marveled at His willingness to supply all my needs.

the cup of my life has spilled over many, many times, allowing God’s blessings to encompass others. the oil of the spirit is soothing and healing to all it touches.

the rod of his instruction and counsel has been my mainstay. goodness knows i’ve needed His loving discipline more than once.

what provides protection and stability any more than his staff? i can think of none. it has kept me steady on an unsteady pathway. i can only imagine the calamities and pitfalls i have been spared because of His love.
what a comfort to know that He is with me and i need not fear evil.

in the “valley of the shadow” He is there, guiding me. He’s been there too, you see, so He knows how to comfort when death comes to a saint. isn’t that a glorious thought!

oh the beauty of quiet waters --not rolling and billowing, but serene and peaceful. what a blessing as my soul is restored and strengthened. it is said a sheep will not drink of water that is angry and troubled. i’m one of His sheep and He knows how to take care of me.

green pastures that are lush with sweet grasses are provided for my nourishment and i can rest in this meadow as long as i like. thank you God for R & R.

i do not want for anything--oh, probably i think i really need something, but my wants are taken care of by His gracious hand. oh how he loves me. (& you)

what a shepherd! what a privilege to be called His sheep. the first three words of Psalm 23 says it all. the Lord is . . . “

dear coworkers...

2011-02-10T09:47:00.002-06:00

i am happy to do things for you. it is my job to be here and answer your many questions…your many, sometimes stupid questions. i, however, now have a question of my own.

would you please ask nicely, rather than demand my assistance, as well as say please when you need help? doing this will make me much more likely to acquiesce to your request. it will also make me less likely to stab you with my letter opener.

thank you for your consideration.

news coverage from snowmageddon

2011-02-04T00:04:00.002-06:00

it seems that the blizzard that was forecast this week missed us...much to the dismay of our local meteorologists. my friends, tony and kathee, are HILARIOUS and shot these videos during the "terrifying" storm. :)

snowpocalypse 2011...

2011-02-01T21:05:00.000-06:00

in honor of the blizzard...here are a few photos from years past.

blizzard of '82. my mom says i learned to walk during this storm. the snow was taller than i was. :) and my cute dog, tippy. i miss that guy.

dad and i have always been good buddies! :)

mmm...snow. tastes like yum!

image of the day 29:365

2011-01-29T23:15:00.001-06:00

i think i've cracked...

2011-01-27T11:39:00.002-06:00

i joined the mbu way of life team challenge at work today. i think it has something to do with my lack of sleep and extremely high stress level...my judgement has to be impaired!

here are the guidelines:

Exercise (any type)= 1 point for every 15 minutes of exercise up to a maximum of 15 points per week
Attending monthly “Healthy Hour” presentations= 30 pts each meeting
Every 1% of personal weight loss= 100 points
Every 1% of personal weight gain= 100 points
To maintain/ must be in healthy BMI range/ must maintain within 2 lbs. of beginning weight= 200 pts
Returning on Feb. 1st with no weight gain since last session= 50 points
New member that has not participated with the last year= 50 pts
New recruit on team that has never participated= 100 pts (limit 200 pts)
CPR/AED current certification= 50 points
First Aid current certification= 25 points
Keeping daily food journal (must include a unit of measure such as, calorie, WW points, portion sizes) = 50 points per month
Reach my goal points= 25 pts each or 100 if you reach all three
Weigh-in, May 2nd at 10:00 a.m.- 250 point deduction for not weighing in

-my goal-

to look like this:

not this:

i guess this means i need to put away the bag of gummy worms on my desk...or maybe i should just finish the bag and make a clean start...what do you think?? haha! :)

new semester...

2011-01-26T07:55:00.000-06:00

i've hit the ground running this semester...already had 2 tests...and aced them both!!!!! love it!
so, in honor of my victory, i'm posting one of my favorite video clips and songs.

i got an A, i got an A, i got an A, hey, Hey, HEy, HEY!!!!!

image of the day 20:365

2011-01-20T09:31:00.000-06:00

1am outside my apartment this morning. woke up to maybe 8 inches of snow outside. snow day for me! probably more snow pics to come if i can muster up the motivation to leave my warm bed. :)

image of the day 19:365

2011-01-19T22:14:00.002-06:00

ok, so...if you know me well, the fact that i am IN LOVE with this photo is going to totally blow your mind.

photo courtesy of white loft studio

i am so far away from being a crystal chandelier, pink ribbon, heart-y kind of girl...but for some reason, this is just...mmm...perfection.
so much i love about this photo. shallow depth of field...gets me every time! the hearts cut out of book pages...i can't even tell you how much i love this. and while normally, i'm all out for vibrant, bold, saturated hues, the subtle tinges of color bring out the romantic that usually hides out behind my tough supergirl-ness.
i think i might let her come out more often...i kind of like her. :)

image of the day 18:365

2011-01-18T23:15:00.001-06:00

"frayed"

image of the day 12:365

2011-01-12T22:07:00.001-06:00

my grandpa had open heart surgery today. he's stable, in icu. tough and strong.
things are still touch and go. we'll see what the next few days bring. please keep him and my family in your prayers.

love you, gampa!

someday...

2011-01-11T20:30:00.001-06:00

when i've married that rich surgeon...you know...the hot one that loves jesus...the one that's just been waiting his whole life to meet me...that one...yeah...when that happens...i'm going to live in a house that looks like this at christmas. :)

image of the day 10:365

2011-01-10T14:01:00.000-06:00

me and the punks :)

rainbow on NYE

2011-01-03T08:45:00.000-06:00

st. louis had some severe weather on new year's eve...there was a pretty large tornado that touched down a few miles from my apartment. luckily no damage...however, this was what we saw at my parents' house the same time the tornadoes went through:

sad day...

2011-01-02T10:11:00.000-06:00

poor little vivie is getting older. i almost cried when i saw this...

there's a whole lot going on with this pic...the empty gas tank, the emissions light...but most of all...my little jetta viv has crossed the 100k mile marker.

here's to another two years at least! i need you to stick with me until then buddy. :)

where ya been, kid?

2010-12-23T02:36:00.001-06:00

i hate this LOOOOOOOOONG chasm of time between posts. i hate it like i hate a new journal. i mean, i love a new journal. there's such possibility...such potential...such PRESSURE! the first blank page mocks me. it says...renee...this journal is a sacred space...fill it with your many profound and amazing thoughts. and i have them...profound amazing thoughts. i do. it's just when i'm buried under medical textbooks, those profound thoughts get squished by words like parasympathomimetics, and beta-adrenergic agonists...and rhinorrhea. rhinorrhea is the medical term for a runny nose. i'm not lying. look it up. i think that's hilarious! but i digress. wait...one more thing...i can't write in a lined journal. it's too confining. i need clean sheets of no lined paper...preferably of a heavier nature (cardstock-ish, if you will) and some type of gel ink pen. even better--a super fine sharpie. i do my study notes like this too. i know...i'm a freak of nature. i've learned to deal with this.

where was i?
blank pages, rhinorrhea, profound thoughts, new journal, chasm of time...oh yes!! now i remember...

chasm of time. i feel that when there is such a lapse in time between my posts, i really have to wow you when i come back. that leads to the pressure and the squishing of the creativity...which leads to more time because i just don't have anything to write...and then it spirals out of control and a whole month or more passes by.

sheesh.

so, i could bring you up to date on the specific details of my life the last few months, but really, this sums it up...i studied, i worked, i studied, i slept, i ate, i studied, i studied, i studied, i studied, i freaked out, i studied, i panicked, i studied, i took my finals, i passed. the end.

now that you're up to date...and i'm officially on christmas break from both school and work, there's room for some profound-ness. or at least some content instead of the nothingness i’ve left you with for the past month.

i'm back!!!!

merry christmas!!!!

another song...

2010-11-10T08:52:00.000-06:00

sometimes when you're struggling, you don't have the strength and the energy to get through the day, much less have some eloquent words to describe what you're going through.
school is...well, let's just say i'm hanging on by the tips of my fingernails. i'm discouraged, i'm tired, i'm frustrated. but just when i say, it's not worth it...i get a little bit of encouragement. kinda like there's someone bigger there that has a plan or something... ;) so yeah. here's another song that nailed it for me this morning.

you look around
it's staring back at you
another wave of doubt
will it pull you under

you wonder
what if I'm overtaken
what if I never make it
what if no one's there?

will you hear my prayer?
when you take that first step
into the unknown
you know that he won't let you go

so what are you waiting for?
what do you have to lose?
your insecurities try to hold to you
you know you're made for more
so don't be afraid to move
your faith is all
it takes and you can
walk on the water too

so get out
and let
your fear fall to the ground
no time to waste
don't wait
don't you turn around and miss out
everything you were made for
i know you're not sure
so you play it safe
try to run away

if you take that first step
into the unknown
he won't let you go
even when a storm hits
even when you're broken
even when your heart is telling you telling you to give up
when your hope is stolen
you can't see where you're going
you don't have to be afraid

so what are you waiting,
what are you waiting for?
so what are you waiting for?
what do you have to lose?
your insecurities try to hold to you
you know you're made for more
so don't be afraid to move
your faith is all
it takes and you can
walk on the water..
walk on the water too

-britt nichole

psalm 16:5-11

2010-11-04T23:18:00.000-05:00

Lord, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. the land You have given me is a pleasant land. what a wonderful inheritance! i will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. i know the Lord is always with me i will NOT be shaken, for HE is right beside me. NO WONDER my heart is filled with JOY, and my mouth SHOUTS His praises! my body rests in safety. for YOU WILL NOT leave my soul among the dead or allow your godly one to rot in the grave. YOU WILL show me the way of life, granting me the joy of YOUR presence and the pleasures of living with You, forever.

{emphasis mine}

adventures in man-world...

2010-10-31T16:45:00.003-05:00

i am a country girl...a country girl that relocated to the city. a country girl who isn't afraid of dirt or work, who rides tractors with her daddy, and shoots a rifle and a pistol with the best of them...yet, i've chosen to live in a densely populated, wealthy area of a super cool city, with a schnuck's, whole foods and a target one block down the street. i am single. i am independent. and i'm a girl.

last night, my aforementioned tractor riding daddy, mentioned that he noticed i had a tail light out on my car.

a sense of dread permeated my being.

i HATE dealing with anything car related. it seems like every time some car issue pops up, i always get stuck dealing with some chauvinistic guy who thinks i'm a brainless idiot.

i admit, i don't know a whole lot about cars. and i don't claim to. but, i don't know anything about rocket science or brain surgery and i don't find that many scientists or surgeons treat me with contempt. now that i think about it, i don't know many rocket scientists or brain surgeons...but i digress...haha.

back to my tail light...dad says to go to autozone to get a new bulb...and that they are pretty nice about putting things in for you if you ask.

so this morning, off to autozone i go.

when i got there, a super nice guy looked up the bulb i needed (not all car guys are bad. i will admit it.). unfortunately, the one i needed wasn't in stock. again, super nice guy was super nice and called another store to check availability. success! and off i drove. all the while hoping i wouldn't get pulled over for having a tail light out.

when i reached the next store, there was a line...so i patiently waited while the man in front of me discussed the oil pan troubles on his chevy with the guy at the register. register guy animatedly discussed options with the guy and laughed it up for a bit when the poor guy realized what an involved project he would have to undertake.

i thought to myself "cool. maybe another nice guy to help me out."

i thought too soon.

i stepped up to the register and said "the _____ store just called about a tail light for a jetta. he said you were holding it for me"
blank stare.
"okay, i guess he didn't talk to you. i need a tail light for an '02 vw jetta."
"what's the number?" car guy gruffly asks.
"i'm not sure, the other store said you were holding it"
"what's the year of the car?"
"'02 vw jetta"
"over here" and he walks away. not sure if i should follow or not, i walked over to the aisle where he stood.
"here's what you need"
"thanks! that's great." while i was paying, i casually asked "would you happen to be able to put this in for me?"
"i've never touched a jetta before." he abruptly replied.

really?? really??? you work at autozone. i've already watched you chat it up with chevy guy. and you can't put in a tail light? i'm sure that you learned that in auto shop kindergarten!

is what i thought--instead of saying that out loud, i just smiled and said "don't you worry. i'll do it myself." and i walked out the door.

when i got home, i searched my car manual for instructions and they went something like this:
it is becoming increasingly more difficult to change light bulbs in cars as you must sometimes remove other parts in order to reach them, so we recommend letting the dealer change any bulb.

oh thanks.

well...it really shouldn't be that hard. i mean come on. it's a light bulb. i climbed in the trunk and within just a few minutes, had the cover pulled and the bulb changed.

a feeling of extreme macho-ness came over me. I JUST FIXED MY CAR!!! I CAN CONQUER THE WORLD!!!!!!!! :)

take that you, car guy!

other things i could never do...

2010-10-27T21:59:00.000-05:00

earlier this week...or was it last?...anyways, i posted the video of those super awesome little jump ropers. i was super impressed and succumbed to the realization that i would never in a million years be able to do that. tonight i saw this video on my friend randall's blog. super crazy. and honestly, i really wouldn't want to try it at all because i would break myself. so good job you, mr. unicycle man. i am awed by your talent...and also hope you have good health insurance. :)

play with play-doh while at work?? yes please!

2010-10-25T16:52:00.000-05:00

we had a fall harvest luncheon today at work (the students were off on fall break) and the activity was a play-doh creation contest. we didn't win (we were ROBBED!!!), but it was still fun! here's our table's submission:

what could be more "fall-like" than a cornucopia?! there's talent here, people. pure unadulterated talent!!

this one is a little blurry, but again...the pure play-doh sculpting TALENT displayed here staggers me!

can we have more days like this at work???? :)

you gotta see this!!!!!!

2010-10-21T09:05:00.000-05:00

holy schmnoly. this is awesome!!!!!

coolest halftime show ever!!!!!!!!!

you will love it! who knew you could do so much with a jump rope???!!!

ever wonder???...

2010-10-14T22:18:00.001-05:00

what gummy bears left in a hot car look like?

my parents went to colorado to visit my boys a few weeks ago and while they were there, they bought me some gummy bears...because they like me a lot a lot...and gummy bears are my favoritest candy ever. but they also forgot they bought them and left them in the hot car. THUS...renee got gummy chunks from rocky mountain national park. HILARIOUS!!!! and despite their deformed appearance...delish.

the end. (of this post...and the bag of bears.)

:)

since i've been taking two tests a week since the first of august...

2010-10-13T20:19:00.001-05:00

i'll keep with the theme.

what is this?

a. gross picture out of one of my medical books
b. a hickey
c. a dog bite
d. a tattoo of someone's lip print
e. none of the above

if you picked e, you are correct. this is, in fact, a picture of my arm. and it's a bruise from an IV. an IV i got almost 2 weeks ago.

nice right? i've gotten a lot of comments...including the ones from the above question. yeah hilarious, guys. thanks. :P
i've had countless IV's in my life...i go every 8 weeks for a remicade treatment. but i've never had one look like this. you can actually see where the cannula went in the vein. so weird. and so gross.
i'm hoping it fades a lot more before the wedding i'm going to on saturday...

it won't match my little black dress!!! ;)

lofty goals week:

2010-10-05T00:29:00.003-05:00

it's lofty goals week here at renee's house. money is tight...and so are my pants. ha! SO...i've decided since i have a wedding to go to in two weeks, i need to shed a few pounds of flab. i also need to go to the grocery less and empty my freezer/pantry. i did a half hour of cardio tonight. dinner last night was eggplant, chicken and mushroom parmesan.... tonight-broccoli, zuchinni, ham and cheese quiche.

i'm super excited! and i'm such a nerd.

here's the recipe for my quiche:

4 eggs

a few generous splashes of milk

some handfuls of any cheese you want (i used an italian pizza blend)

about 2 cups...maybe probably a little more...of any veggies, meat, mushrooms you decide (i chose zuchinni, yellow neck squash, broccoli, and ham) remember...this is clean out your fridge/freezer/pantry time

a couple handfuls of flour (3/4 cup-ish??)

minced onions...i put in about a tablespoon-ish (pretty much just dumped it in my hand and mixed it in.

salt to taste...black pepper if you want...but my body says no. black pepper is pretty much poison in my body. i also add a little bit of garlic to the veggies while they are cooking.

brown meat and set aside. add veggies and minced onion to the pan and saute in olive oil until they are a lovely golden brown color. beat eggs, milk and flour together and add cheese, and other veggies/meats. pour into a greased pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. eggs should no longer be runny in the middle when done.

as you can see, it's pretty much an add as you go kind of deal. you can use more eggs if you're feeding a larger crowd. just adjust as you like. :)

try it! you'll like it! well...i hope. :) i like it anyway!

night kids!

images of the day: SANCTUARY

2010-10-03T20:19:00.003-05:00

whew!

2010-09-28T22:26:00.003-05:00

so, it's been a really rough semester...like REALLY rough.
i've started to get this almost panic attack feeling when i'm waiting for my computer to load the website to check my test grades. it's only about a 3 or 4 second wait, but my heart pounds, i can't breathe, and my muscles get all tight. the last few times my grades have been EXTREMELY discouraging...

like...throw-in-the-towel-i-am-a-complete-and-utter-failure kind of discouraging--

NOT TONIGHT, KIDS!!

28/30!!

that brings my pharm grade up to an 85.5%!! an 85% is passing...and i have been hovering at an 83% for the past 2 or 3 weeks. eat that, you pharmacology!!!!!! i will conquer you!!!!!!!!

ugh.

2010-09-22T19:14:00.000-05:00

thanks for using the largest box you could find for my 3 lipglosses, bath and body works! now i know why the shipping was $5.99!!!!

i am drowning this week...

2010-09-19T19:27:00.000-05:00

in words like:

acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
parasympathomimetics
sympathomimetics
muscarinic agonist
cholinergic crisis
adrenergic agonist
alpha-adrenergic antagonist
catecholamine
autonomic tone
cholinergic

quite frankly...it's making me feel ALL-ERGIC.
so if this is my last post ever...you all will know, i've had an "ergic" crisis of my own.

it's been nice knowing you...

for my nursing buddies...

2010-09-15T19:07:00.004-05:00

so i think we've all psyched ourselves out. some of you are discouraged...you're working harder than you ever have in your life and it's not seeming to pay off. you're wondering if you're going to make it. you're wondering if you've made right choices. you aren't sleeping. well, boys...this is where it ends.

push play please.

now. play it again...while reading these words

the miracle speech renee version:

great moments are born from great opportunity.
and that's what you have here tomorrow night, boys.
that's what you've EARNED here, tomorrow night.

one test.

if we test ten times, we might fail nine.
but not this test. not tomorrow night.
tomorrow night, we test.
tomorrow night, we stay with it, and we shut it down because we CAN!
tomorrow night, we are the greatest nursing students in the world.

you were born to be nurses -- every one of ya.
and you are meant to be there tomorrow night.

this is your time.
failing time -- is done. it's over.

"i'm sick of tired" (did any of you catch that in the video?? i'm sick of tired. haha) hearin' about what hard tests these are.

SCREW 'EM!

this is your time!!

now go out there and take it!

my own little show...right here in the office...

2010-09-13T16:25:00.002-05:00

"one of my favorite things about you is that you're always the first one to laugh at your own jokes." --kelsey, my ever faithful and funny and HONEST, student worker.

why am i doing this again?

2010-09-12T22:12:00.003-05:00

did i really agree to pay to sacrifice my time and relationships to go to nursing school? did i really elect to give up 2 nights a week and every other weekend plus study time on top of that for 3 years? did i really decide that all the stress of working full time and going to school full time would be worth it in the end?

yes. yes, i did.

what in the heck is wrong with me????

perfect start to a rainy morning...

2010-09-10T08:51:00.000-05:00

homemade apple cinnamon muffin with SERIOUS apple chunks from the cafe upstairs

and a chai latte from the perk (FREE because i filled my frequent buyer punch card)

love it!

happy friday!

are you up for it?

2010-09-09T21:24:00.001-05:00

as i said yesterday, the ladies in my mom's office have challenged each other to a month of sit-ups. sit-ups, crunches, whatever you want to call them and however you want to do them...as long as there's an up and a down. anyways, my stomach...well, let's face it...my whole body...is flabulous...and accountability is super awesome for me because i never finish what i start in a workout and i hate to work out alone. i also think this could be a great jumping off point for a more intense workout routine in the future. i'll start a habit and then maybe...cross your fingers because i want to love to run, but i hate it...work up to a 5k. or that's what is in my head anyway.

so, here's how it works:

week 1: 25 for 5 days, 2 days off
week 2: 50 for 5 days, 2 days off
week 3: 75 for 5 days, 2 days off
week 4: 100 for 5 days, 2 days off

so it's baby steps, but i'm totally ok with that. and you can start wherever you want. i started last night with 50. let me know if you want to join the challenge and we can all check up on each other!

signing off...gotta take care of mine before bed.
sweet dreams!!!...of flat abs and stomach muscles of steel!!!! :)

AWOL for awhile...

2010-09-08T21:43:00.003-05:00

i need to get back in the habit of ~~daily/weekly~~...ok monthly posts. i'm so bad at this game right now. amazingly enough, my apartment has remained mostly uncluttered lately, so i guess my hiatus has been productive.

school has begun for the fall semester. i can officially say i'm a 2nd year nursing student. when i finish this year, i will be iv certified (if i pass the test)...which is super exciting! and will have 1 year left in my program. much of my time lately has been spent studying. i spent 18 hours studying for the fluid and electrolyte test last week...1 chapter...the most difficult test of the year...and it was last night. i pretty much had the text memorized...and i think i still scored a Q....maybe even a Z. haven't gotten the scores back yet, so time will tell i guess. spent a very discouraged night last night in lecture BECAUSE I DON'T FAIL TESTS!!!!!!!!!!!!! (i'm not a perfectionist at all :P), but have since realized that everyone in the class was apparently in the same boat as i was...what can i say...chemistry has always made me hate my life, but I WILL PREVAIL over electrolytes!!!!!!!

in other news, i'm super excited about the fall temps. fall is my absolute favorite season. cool, rainy...with GORGEOUS colors...delightful foods and drinks...and pumpkins!!!!!! it's almost pumpkin carving season. my annual pumpkin carving party has a tentative date scheduled. this will be the 5th anniversary of the awesomeness!!! holy cow! GET EXCITED!!!!!!!!

i did 50 sit ups tonight. i'm joining my mom and her office ladies on a challenge. i'm not sure what the final number is supposed to be, (as you can see, i pay attention well) but i definitely need to get in shape. i've gained several pounds since being in school. back on college student time, i've been eating at weird hours and have just plain been making bad choices. this has to stop!!! and it stops here!

now i'm off to bed. 9:40! so early! i love it! i can't remember the last time i've been in bed at that time! sweet dreams!

ok, so...

2010-08-24T22:11:00.002-05:00

david crowder is weird. and this video, even weirder. honestly...i had to click off the screen to listen to the song because it just freaked me out. but i love the song. i love it. so yeah...check this out.
ps. i want to be just like the guy in the very back playing the violin.

what i've been reading...besides medical textbooks... :)

2010-08-24T07:13:00.000-05:00

"what we believe about God is foundational to our whole belief system. if we have wrong thinking about God, we will have wrong thinking about everything else. what we believe about God determines the way we live. if we believe things about Him that aren't true, we will eventually act on those lies and end up in bondage...this is a lie that few women consciously believe. most of us would never say "God is not really good." we know better. theologically, intellectually, we know that God is good. but deep in many of our hearts, there lurks a suspicion that He may not really be good--at least, that He has not been good to me. i believe that this is a lie at the core of much of our wrong thinking about God...once we doubt the goodness of God, we feel justified in rejecting His will and making our own decisions about right and wrong. the Truth is, God is GOOD. whether or not His choices seem good to us, He is good. Whether or not we feel it, He is Good. Whether or not it seems true in my life or yours, He is still good...hannah whitehall smith put it well when she said, a great many things in God's divine providences do not look to the eye like goodness. but faith sits down before mysteries such as these and says "the Lord is good, therefore all that He does must be good no matter how it looks. i can wait for His explanations."

"God is good, and everything He does is good." psalm 119:68

lies women believe--nancy leigh demoss

busy girl!!! a bit of my work lately...ENJOY!!!

2010-08-22T14:03:00.000-05:00

my cousin, amy, and her new hubs, aaron

adorable

rings...gorgeous!

she's got you now, aaron!!!

the dumey fam

this shot makes my heart smile

love these girls!

engagement photos for drew and jess

i love how these guys crack each other up!!!

my inbox when i left the office this afternoon...

2010-08-18T17:34:00.002-05:00

sigh...

why i love the cardinals...

2010-08-11T14:56:00.002-05:00

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/St-Louis-Cardinals-teach-Cincinnati-Reds-a-lesson-081010

different...

2010-08-05T21:33:00.001-05:00

i am an only child. and although i strive to break through the stereotypes...one stubbornly sticks around. i like being different...this is mine...and i've got the only one. which is why i love etsy. i can spend hours browsing the handmade one of a kind items on there. i mostly gravitate toward the jewelry...where i found this LOVELY gem:

yes, it's a fork bracelet! how much fun is that? i love it! check out the shop here. just don't clear out my supply...i'll have to pitch an only child fit. ;) no one wants that!!!

gotta cut loose!!

2010-08-04T21:18:00.000-05:00

if you've been around for awhile you know that this is my dad...

he's usually pretty quiet and super easy going. in fact...mom and i usually describe him as a few inches from a coma. he's not always this way though...once in awhile he comes out of his shell and dances to some kind of fun music in the kitchen or the living room...never in public though...until a few weeks ago.

a few weeks ago, my cousin, katie, got married. her reception was the most fun i've had in i can't remember how long. this is katie and her husband robbie

it's hard to tell here, but she was just a little excited. ;)

back to my dad...one of our favorite songs to dance in the kitchen to is footloose. remember the movie with kevin bacon?? and the part where he's teaching his friend to dance?

he can imitate the whole thing. it's hysterical. so...when footloose comes on, it's time to dance. and i had to do some coaxing...but i succeeded!!

we were an instant hit!!

sometimes you just gotta cut loose!!!!

thanks for dancing with me!!! love you, dad!!!!

2010-07-28T08:28:00.004-05:00

beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.
--miss piggy

i've been remiss in my bloggingness. i'll come back...i promise. lots to update.

identity

2010-07-04T09:10:00.001-05:00

"define yourself radically as one beloved by God. this is the true self. every other identity is illusion " --brennan manning

just once...

2010-06-28T18:25:00.001-05:00

"i hate having a cold...it's bad enough being sick, but anybody can have a cold...i mean, i'd like to have a good illness...something different...impressive...just once i'd like to be able to say, hey...i don't feel so good...my leg is haunted."
--lorelai gilmore

i don't have a cold...but i have a nasty virus that just keeps hanging around. i'm going on day 4 of the nastiness. spent most of the morning yesterday at the ER for fluids as the lady at the walgreens clinic couldn't really do anything other than send me there. there goes $75 for a doc to say i have an unidentifiable virus and he can't do anything for it other than send me home to rest and drink gatorade. exactly what i've already been doing!!! gah! i'm feeling a bit better today, but my fever is still up and down. looks like another day off work tomorrow.

kinda wish my leg was haunted...but that would be freaky...so maybe not. ;)

we haven't had...

2010-06-25T13:22:00.000-05:00

an are you kidding me moment around here for awhile...but i think today warrants one. it's my weekend off class. my weekend off. i had plans...one of which was a massage!! super exciting right? i work all day, go to clinicals 2 nights a week, and have class both days from 8-4 every other weekend. i need a break. a break for something fun. instead, i'm sitting here on the couch with a sinus headache, sore throat, aching muscles and a fever.

and then she said...are you kidding me?!?!?!

happy father's day!

2010-06-20T09:24:00.000-05:00

love you dad!!!!!

in keeping with the theme...

2010-06-19T10:37:00.066-05:00

i've been changing some things up in my apartment the last few months...sometimes you just need to do that. :)

i updated my bathroom from navy blue to green...sorry i don't have before pics. just picture a blue shower curtain and blue rug...boring. i think the green is so light and fresh. it also makes my tiny bathroom seem so much bigger!

i tried several different frames with this photo...but this one looked the best. it's nice to be a photographer and have a limitless supply of wall art. ;)

i found the green vase at an antique mall when we went to hot springs, AR for spring break. funny...it had a crate & barrel sticker on the bottom. but it was $6 so i'm definitely not complaining!
i pulled the r and s from my bedroom. i had paris spelled out on my dresser. way to be resourceful, renee! ;)

before, i had old license plates in a row down this wall. i really liked them, but they didn't match the new colors. i've had these mirrors for a long time in my living room. i bought them at gordmans. they're super fun and i think they look like bubbles. i think this is my favorite part of the bathroom.

it's so nice to change things up! i've got several other projects in mind...curtains, and new prints on the wall for the living room...and my sunroom/library/office has never been finished. not sure what i want in there. maybe i'll post pics and get your opinion.

hope you enjoyed the tour! :) more to come.

my very first real big kid purchase

2010-06-18T17:03:00.000-05:00

goodbye tired, old, falling apart, ripped up couch. you served me well...you served my parents as well as my uncle's family and whoever he bought it from in 1987 well. it's time for you to retire. off to goodwill you go next week. thanks for the...sitting. :)

welcome home cute-fluffy-just-hugs-you-when-you-sit-down couch!

whew!!!

2010-06-17T23:23:00.002-05:00

so ~~i'm a technological idiot~~ my blog has been experiencing some technical difficulties...i still don't have disqus back up, but i'm kind of afraid to mess any further. at least the comments are back up! geesh...it's been since saturday! funny how when you have the ability to blog sometimes you just don't want to. and then when you can't, you have all sorts of amazingly intelligent, hilarious things to share! ;)

and they will get shared...but i've been studying all night and i'm ready for bed.

coming soon:
adventures in labor and delivery clinicals
new couch--my very first, all on my own, big kid purchase!!!--pics to come!!!

sweet dreams kids!!!

testing 123

2010-06-17T22:20:00.001-05:00

comments temporarily down...

2010-06-12T09:45:00.000-05:00

i know i know! all of you are just dying to comment...but alas, alack, i'm having some technical difficulties...aka renee is an idiot and can't figure this new template html out.
so please be patient. it's hard i know. ;) it will be up and running again soon!

do feet shrink?

2010-06-10T17:47:00.003-05:00

notice i didn't say stink...i know feet stink...mine don't...and if they did, i would never admit it. haha. but i did ask the question: do feet shrink?
i'm just curious. i didn't think they ever did. i mean, after you're full grown, your feet stay the same size, right???

i thought so...i've never researched it...which is probably what i should be doing...but talking about it on my blog is funner.

i didn't think feet changed size...

but they must. because i used to wear a 7 1/2 ALL the time. the last few times i've bought shoes, i've bought a 6 1/2 and two 7's. it's just weird.

i can't think of any other reason other than my feet must be shrinking. or, they are just making shoes smaller than they used to.

maybe i'm just weird...

what do you think?? (about the feet question...not whether or not i'm weird...thanks) :)

once in awhile...

2010-06-09T20:17:00.007-05:00

you just need a break.
once in awhile...you don't feel creative.
once in awhile...you can't make your thoughts coherent.
once in awhile...you just don't have anything to say.

all of the above has been me for awhile. i'm not sure if it's been exhaustion, burn out, depression, or just flat out boring life syndrome...but i just haven't felt it lately. my mind reels with thoughts that i just haven't been able to articulate.

that being said...i'm still not there...maybe i'll get there by the end of this post. who knows? but i do know that i need to give a few updates so here goes.

several weeks ago, i asked for prayer for a certain test that would make or break my future...you know...no big thing. haha!! i was sooooo nervous. the test was my final in my dosage calculations class. i've never been a good math student. give me something to read, write or draw and i'll kill it everytime...but math?? i was TERRIFIED. i took 2 vacation days from work to study and literally worked from the moment i woke up to the late late hours of the night. i worked countless problems, i memorized hundreds...well, not hundreds...but remember, i said i'm not good at math...i memorized hundreds of formulas and seriously dreamed numbers through the night. but i was ready. i didn't realize it at the time, but i was ready. when i sat down with the 8 page test (yes, 8 flippin' pages!!!) i began work and took it one at a time. i worked through each problem forward and back, then waited on pins and needles for my instructor to grade it. i watched her red pen tick off each problem and i don't think i even took a breath.

i got a 97%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i wanted to scream, but there were still students testing so i held it in until i got out the door and then i exploded!! i've never felt so satisfied with a test in my life. i had worked and prayed so hard and my score validated that. it was amazing.
so if you read and prayed, your prayers were definitely answered. thank you. from the bottom of my heart! :)

i had a two week break from class and i think my body just shut down. i honestly can't remember anything that i did at this moment. weird.

so sorry about that. it's just mental block i guess.

i did get to travel to salem, il for a very good buddy's wedding over memorial day weekend...

jordan and i became friends in college when our singing groups traveled together. i often jokingly referred to him as "the fetus"...and well, he grew up! as fetuses tend to do. haha! he and kasey are the CUTEST couple and their love story gives me hope. :)
congratulations! your wedding was beautiful! i love you both!

i'm kitty sitting this week...

she is CRACKING me up! curious lucy, full grown, but still very much a kitten, runs and jumps around my apartment like i've never seen! it's hilarious!

anyway, now, i'm back in school...week 2 of my ob rotation. i had orientation for clinical last night and loved it. i'm hoping i'll feel the same by the end.

so...that's about it for now. it's 9:20 and i'm tired so i think i'm going to hit the bed...i can't remember the last time i've gone to bed this early...but i guess i need it.

goodnight all! more to come...sometime. :)

the view from my sunroom tonight

2010-05-26T19:36:00.003-05:00

we had a quick fly by thunderstorm this evening. lasted about an hour. heavy rain, high winds, lots of thunder...and it left this behind...

you can see the double just a little to the right...

the image is a little dark, but it was the best i could do through the window of my sunroom. still gorgeous, i think!!!

lots of thoughts going through my head...

2010-05-23T22:57:00.004-05:00

...but none of them are coherent enough yet to post. if i did, it would pretty much just be pieces of sentences...

i'll be back soon. but i'll leave you with some calvin.

kelsey *shaking my head

2010-05-17T11:17:00.002-05:00

kelsey, my student worker has cracked me up again...and it's only 11am.

kelsey: don't you have a tattoo, renee?
me: no, i don't
kelsey: are you sure?

yep, kels. pretty sure on that one, thanks! :) haha

serious business...

2010-05-12T23:22:00.002-05:00

alright you blogger buddies...if you follow me on facebook, you know that i've been just a little stressy this week (understatement of the year).
i had my fundamentals final on tuesday and i have my dosage calculation final tomorrow. i did better than i thought in fundamentals and have ended with an 88% in the class. not an A, but it's passing and that's all i can ask for at this point.
HOWEVER...
my dosage calculation final is super serious. my grade on this test determines continuation in the program. in other words, if i don't pass with a 78% i will be kicked out. yipes!!!!!
i've studied my bootie off (even took a vacation day today to study) and i took a "pretest" tonight. ended up with an 85%...so i think i'll be ok, but for all you prayer warriors out there, i could use some big ones!!!!!!
the test is comprehensive...and we can't use calculators. all math. all gross.
so, if you think about it pray for clarity, recall, and no stupid mistakes for me at 5:00pm.
thanks guys! now i'm off to bed. i've done so many math problems today, i'll be dreaming numbers...but hopefully it's all worth it!!!

outside my front door tonight...

2010-04-30T22:30:00.008-05:00

severe storms blew through the st. louis area tonight, but right before they began, i happened to look out my front window to check the sky...this is what i saw. i quickly grabbed my camera and stood out in the rain to get a good angle...in my snoopy pajama pants and a tank top, might i add...ptL i was wearing a bra! :p i'm so stinkin' classy! ahem. anyway.

i've always loved rainbows. i don't see them very often...which makes them all the more special. they are a promise.

¹² and God said, "this is the sign of the covenant i am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: ¹³ i have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴ whenever i bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, ¹⁵ i will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. ¹⁶ whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, i will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." --genesis 9:12-16 niv

yet another of the many promises in the bible of God's love and protection.

tonight during the storm, i was browsing facebook, and i read a status that my cousin, mindy, had just posted:

"getting a picture of how i must look and sound to God on days things don't go exactly as i think they should or want them to. the girls are panicking about the storm. i keep telling them to trust us, and that mommy and daddy will protect them. they continue to panic."

my life hasn't exactly gone the way i thought it would. it would look a whole lot different if my plans had succeeded...i would have been married...probably have started a family by now...very surely be living in a whole different state. but instead, i was steered in an opposite direction. an opposite direction not without its happy times...but also not without its hurts. those of which sometimes...a lot of the time...leave me feeling left out and left behind.

"hey God," i cry in my whiny voice...(sometimes i whine to God.) "God, i'm right here. ready. not sure why these things that i want aren't happening. they are happening for my friends. what is it about me that what I want can't happen!?!? don't forget me, God!!!!!!!!" sometimes i can be pretty bratty.

other times, i'm more panicky...

"hey God," (that's usually how my prayers start...really respectful, huh.) "God, i'm not sure if i can handle this. God, really. it's too much. i'm not strong enough, i'm scared, i'm not sure i'm going to make it."

trust. a word i've struggled with my whole life. it's a hard one to swallow. especially for an independent...and for lack of a better word...spitfire...such as myself. i'm extremely stubborn, and i LOVE to be in control. not necessarily in a lead position...but i like to have control...over my emotions, over situations, over...MY life. and it sometimes makes me panic when i realize that i don't have any of that.

but wouldn't it be easier, i ask myself, if i could just trust that He's got my life all planned out?

it totally would!

but i in my childlike "little picture" world, can only see what storm rages around me at the moment. i can't see what my Daddy does. i need to learn to trust...or at least learn it better.

so...until then, He will keep sending rainbows to remind me of His love and protection and infinitely perfect plan for my life. and i'll keep looking out for them. :)

you might have had to be there...

2010-04-30T09:24:00.002-05:00

but today i made the jooge fall out laughing. julie is one of my most favorite people in the world. i just don't know what i'd do without her. we sit in opposite cubes at work and talk over the wall all day long. well, more like crack each other up all day long.
this morning, we were talking about those no-bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies that are sooo delightful. and since i'm not a huge fan of chocolate (i know! i'm super weird.), we wondered if one could use white chocolate instead (because i LOVE white chocolate).
WELL, we decided to research it...and jooge, being the amazing recipe finder she is, found this one. i may have just died and gone to heaven.
she said she was going to make them for marcie (her daughter...and another of my favs) and send them to her (she lives in hawaii...lucky duck).

conversation that ensued:

me: um when you make them, you need to bring me one.
jooge: only one?
me: mmm...maybe four.

i don't know what it was, but she thought that was the most hilarious thing ever and we both just busted.

SO, on monday, i'm getting FOUR no-bake white chocolate coconut oatmeal cookies!!!! CAN'T WAIT!!!!!! :) :) :) :)

a little behind...

2010-04-29T09:59:00.005-05:00

remember a few weeks ago when i said i had easter egg pics?? yeah, i'm just now getting around to posting. i'm home sick today, so i had some extra time to post. i might as well be a bit productive while i lay on the couch. :/

so...without further ado...

last year we did 2 dozen eggs. the fun didn't last long enough, so mom and i bought 3 this year. we're crazy aren't we?!? mom also picked up a few fun decorating kits from last year's easter closeout sales. we had tie die, glitter and foil to play with.

all set up and ready to go...

just waiting for the color to be dark enough...

look at what i did, mom! ;)

me in all my non showered glory. yikes.

notice my partially polished thumbnail. i had tried some new colors at the store the day before and didn't take it off. nice.

ah, a better shot of the thumbnail...but having trouble with the decorating kits, we went back to our own creativeness. isn't this awesome?!?! i love it!

what a mess!

finished product

super fun!!

what do you think?

thanks, cause i was confused...

2010-04-23T10:55:00.003-05:00

notice on the back of a package of cashews i just bought:

ingredients: cashews, peanut oil, and/or cottonseed oil and salt
allergy information: this product is manufactured in a facility that also processes peanut containing products.

note to self...

2010-04-19T22:49:00.004-05:00

some of my latest...

2010-04-18T22:59:00.009-05:00

i got to spend a bit of time with my camera over spring break. he had been long neglected. :(
these were taken at garvan woodland gardens in arkansas. enjoy! :)

a personal best

a close second...

tulips make my heart smile...

a little black and white...

mmm...texture...

pansies always make me think of alice in wonderland...

love. that is all.

dear spring, thank you for gracing us with your presence! :)

clinicals...revisited

2010-04-11T22:25:00.002-05:00

day 3 and 4 successfully completed. i've gotten over my aversion to nursing homes...for the most part. it's still very depressing, and i know it's not where i want to end up working...but i'm becoming more confident in my caring for the patients. i was assigned a patient with a stage 2 decubitus ulcer (bedsore). the wound gets packed and redressed every day. yesterday, my instructor watched. she asked at first if i wanted to see her do it and then i would do it the next day, but i jumped in and told her i could take care of it. she let me do it on my own today because she said i did such a great job yesterday!!!! very exciting!
i'm definitely sore tonight...this desk job girl isn't used to transferring patients that weigh the same as me from bed to wheelchair back to bed all day. :) feels good!
so yeah. one more weekend and i'm finished with this rotation. then on to OB.

bring it on kids!

bullet list...

2010-04-01T18:50:00.004-05:00

random thoughts and happenings:

student story of the week-i work in a university and this week, a student turned in an application for grad school. i noticed some writing on the back of the app, and finding this odd, i thought i'd read what it said. IT WAS A GROCERY LIST! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?!?!
me-life has been tough lately. nothing terrible...just tough. work, school, study, take a test, work, school, study, take a test, work, school, clinicals...
clinicals-first rotation-nursing home...heartbreaking. i am not a fan. way too depressing. i would hate my life if i had to work there day in and day out. enjoying individual patients, and tasks, but over all, not my cup of tea.
tea-english breakfast is my choice for straight up morning tea. a chai latte is my pick when i'm splurging...
splurging-i've had 3 frozen cokes in the last 3 weeks. it's been over a year since the last one. i don't usually drink soda! this needs to stop...
stopped-got stopped by a cop 2 weeks ago. my very first speeding ticket. i was totally guilty...12:30 in the morning, had to pee, tired, raining, just wanted to be home...$93 mistake...
mistake-life is so crazy, i'm making a lot of these. i've got so much going on, i can't really concentrate...and my blonde roots show...
show-LOST is KILLING ME!!!! but in a good way! i can't wait to find out what is going on! like i said before, my questions better get answered...or we are going to have problems...
problems-i've been demolishing the problems in my dosage calculation class...last three test scores 105%, 105% and 100%. i have never done that well with math so this is super exciting...
exciting-i have a 3 day weekend! i am so ready to sleep in and relax for a few days!!
days-are longer now...I LOVE SPRING!!!!!!!

i've been really bad at this blogging game. sorry kids! i'll try to do better. easter eggs will be colored this weekend so i'll have photos to post...i still need to post a few from spring break! ei yi yi! i'm so behind!!!
hope you all have a great easter!!

love.

what color is the sky in your world??

2010-04-01T18:05:00.001-05:00

ephesians 4:1-6 --the message

2010-03-25T10:42:00.004-05:00

"...i want you to get out there and walk--better yet, run!--on the road God called you to travel. i don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. i don't want anyone strolling off down some path that goes nowhere. and mark that you do this with humility and discipline--not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

you were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. you have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness..."

things that CRACK me up!!!!

2010-03-24T20:18:00.004-05:00

i'm proctoring a test tonight (=sit and watch students so they don't cheat for 4 1/2 hours and get paid fat money while also studying for your own test) i finished studying...amazingly enough...so i thought i'd browse some funny things on facebook (God bless laptops and wi-fi). have you ever looked at the bumper sticker app? some of them literally make me fall on the floor laughing...

"where i'm from we don't have junk in our trunk, we have honky tonk in our badonkadonks!"
seriously...badonkadonk...is there a funnier word?

"my knight in shining armor turned out to be a loser in aluminum foil."
ouch!

"darling, i'm right in the middle of being fantastic...could you bother me later?"
love it!

"hi. i have cool socks on today."
thanks for sharing.

alright. better get back to watching. :)

i would like you to know...

2010-03-24T14:13:00.002-05:00

that i’m on my 3rd shower of the day…

1. early this morning. in the real shower.

2. mid-morning when I dumped tea all over my desk and a stack of applications

3. walking out of my apartment going back to work after lunch…apparently they were powerwashing the outside of my building. Thought they were done with my door and breezeway…guess not.

sigh...

just haven't been feeling it lately...

2010-03-21T20:28:00.005-05:00

i've been really bad at this game lately. but i just haven't felt creative, and i've just been plain worn out. last week was spring break. my parents and i went to hot springs, arkansas. it was so nice to relax!! amazingly enough, i left my textbooks at home! i know! what in the world?!?!

anyway, i've got a block and i just don't have the brain power to post, so i'll just leave you with this...

my fav shot of the week--garvan woodland gardens, hot springs national park, AR

i'll be back...sometime. :)

thought...

2010-03-14T10:36:00.001-05:00

"...it's as if clarity comes in a word--undivided. once i commit myself to moving forward regardless of the internal/external wind blowing against me, i discover the way of living that has no pre-charted path because it is uniquely my own. but it is not my own in the sense that i control it's outcome...it is my own because it is the only journey created for me. all of our journeys are that way...created for us. our sole purpose is to move forward living as an undivided person, walking down One unique road unmoved by fear, doubt, pride, shame, guilt, confusion, circumstance and any other wind that blows. that is the truth."
--monty hobson

post-its...because there's just no time!!!!!

2010-03-09T10:13:00.001-06:00

pardon me, my blonde roots are showing...

2010-02-23T11:06:00.004-06:00

i don't know where my brain is today. i must have left it somewhere or turned it off during the night, cause it sure isn't in use today.

ever have one of those days? i hope i'm not the only one. i'd feel pretty stupid.

this morning on my way out the door, i had several things to carry. i put my key ring in my mouth so i could open the front door and when i stepped outside and closed the door, i had a frantic thought "what did i do with my keys?!?!" umm...dummy...they are in your MOUTH!

amazing that i survived the drive to work...or even managed to get my shoes on the right feet! ;)

at work, i use post-its on EVERYTHING. i have every size and they are my lifeline. once in awhile, they tend to walk away...certainly, we don't have post-it stealers in my office. NEVER! anyway, when they "walk away" it really gets on my nerves. i mean, seriously...quit taking my stuff!!! :) so when i noticed a few minutes ago that my precious little stack of post-its wasn't where i left it yesterday, i immediately blamed the post-it stealers. i searched my desk drawers, underneath my keyboard, my cubemate's desk...just to be sure. nowhere to be found. so i went over to julie's desk (she keeps the office supplies) and begged for a new pad. my wish was granted and as i turned to walk away, i noticed a small orange stack of post-its on her desk...right where I had left them yesterday while looking for a phone number. sigh.

here's hoping i remember the way home tonight! *rolling my eyes*

because I NEED COLOR!!!!!

2010-02-22T17:26:00.007-06:00

my boss got me some potted tulips for my birthday/valentine's day. they were big and red and GORGEOUS! when they opened all the way, they were as big as my hand!

but then, like all flowers eventually do...

they withered.

i had to cut them off the stems and throw them away.

it was sad.

so i fixed it...

don't they make your heart smile?

the people in my office just look at me and laugh.

eh, i'm used to it. :)

it's a woman's prerogative...

2010-02-21T21:19:00.004-06:00

to change her mind...

well, it's on order...my stethescope. :) i drove to scrubs and beyond this afternoon with 2 colors in mind...orange and plum. but i just couldn't decide. would i really like the orange one after i spent the money? would i wish i had bought the plum? or what if i bought the plum and regretted it later? i just couldn't decide.

when i got to the store they only had a few colors in stock...neither plum nor orange was available. either way i'd have to order it. well...half of the decision was taken out of my hands immediately when we realized that the scope i had decided on didn't come in plum...but the orange was WAY too neon.

so back to the drawing board.

we looked at several different colors and finally one of them felt right.

a relaxing color. a cool color. the color of a favorite place...the ocean.

littman classic II se in caribbean blue.

i think i made a good decision. :)

award...what?!?!?!

2010-02-17T19:35:00.002-06:00

i was shocked and flattered to find that my little blog has been given an award by my not in real life friend jenny. {however, jenny, if we ever wanted to be in real life friends i would SO not object :) } i'd like to thank all of the little people who helped me to achieve such a prestigious award!!!...wait...i'm the only writer...guess that makes me the only little person around. :p anyways... jenny, your pics and stories never fail to make my heart smile and your continually encouraging comments are so appreciated! thanks for thinking of me in giving this award!!!!!

per the rules of winning the award, i'd like to
pass this award on! the rules are simple:

1. thank the person who nominated you for
this award and insert a link to their blog. (check)

2. copy and paste the award into your blog (check)

3. share 7 things about yourself. (see below)

4. pass on the award to about 10 other
bloggers who you recently discovered and
think are great! (in no particular order) (see below)

so, 7 things...should these be 7 things nobody knows about? or just 7 random things?? guess i'll just wing it...

i am really little. at 5'2", there isn't a short joke that i haven't endured. it used to kind of bug me, but i like it now. being little helps you fit in small places when needed...my climbing skills are pretty dang awesome...and we all know the saying "good things come in small packages" we've got exhibit A right here folks *i'm pointing to myself* ;)
i am extremely quiet and shy until you get to know me. (bane of my existence!!! ugh!)
strangely enough...public speaking doesn't bother me at all. in fact, i really enjoy it. (i'm such an oxymoron! or maybe i'm just a moron! who knows?!)
i don't like blue food. blue candy, blue drinks...i get asked about blueberries...they are more purpleish than blue so i can handle them. i don't know what it is. blue food just grosses me out.
i am one of the many millions of people addicted to LOST. (and all i can say is that this season BETTER ANSWER MY QUESTIONS OR WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!!!)
even though i'm 29, i still check the closet before i go to bed...and i lock my bedroom door at night.
i have a small tiny miniscule dream of becoming a doctor someday. small. tiny. miniscule. probably never would pursue something that crazy big...but it kind of sticks in the back of my mind...you know...right there in the back...behind all the other junk that's crammed in there...to be continued...

ok...so the rule was pick ABOUT 10 people to give this award to...

my choices...
the envelope please...

there are 5...

rachel
sarah
emily
leah
and last but not least...
katie

whew! that was a long one! time to get back to my studying! thanks again, jenny! this was fun!

celebrate renee day :)

2010-02-14T22:12:00.002-06:00

today is my birthday.

yes. i was actually born on valentine's day. :)

i am 29. for real. :) next year i might be 29 not for real, but we'll see. hehe!!!

such a good weekend! i had class, so i spent the weekend at my parents' house...since they live closer to school. had a great dinner friday night...mom's homemade pan fried chicken...there is truly nothing better!!!! then pizza (if you've never had casey's pizza YOU MUST!!!) and a movie saturday night. got out of class early this morning, so i got in a nap and had some more qt with the m&d...then braved the snowy nastiness back home to stl. then, had dinner at spac fac with some equally brave buddies! :) like i said...good weekend!!!!!!!!

29 is gonna be awesome! i just know it! :)

i spilled the beans...

2010-02-09T21:58:00.008-06:00

i almost missed it! and i actually have a good one to post this week, rach!
i made it rain yesterday in my office. I made it rain black beans.

So I went over to my friend, missy’s, desk to chat with her and my friend, isaac, (who sits next to her) for a bit yesterday morning. missy has this little flowerpot with ink pens that look like flowers on the tabletop above her desk. they look kind of like this:

super cute right?? see the coffee beans that hold the pens?? important info...keep that in mind...but substitute black beans for the coffee beans.

well, once in awhile (like at least once every day) i feel the need to use these pens as a microphone to enhance a point i’m making…because i’m just a little dramatic...just a little...sometimes...well, alright...all the time. :)

i think you may know where this is going…

i went to grab a pen and accidentally knocked the whole thing over…pens and beans and all. they RAINED down on missy, her desk, the computer, the floor. we all cracked up and i probably turned 14 shades of red. it was sooooo funny!!!! they were EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!! and i think everyone in my office heard it and came running to see what had happened. i’m still cracking up.

what an idiot!!

ps. i did help clean it up. just so you all know. and now when i walk by the desk, isaac quietly moves the pens just out of my reach.

party pooper!!!!!

an update and some other stuff...

2010-02-05T10:14:00.004-06:00

lots of votes came in for my stethoscope color. thanks for the comments everyone! you've helped a lot! :)

i actually sent an email out to some of my friends and coworkers as well. here are my three favorite responses...

julie: i choose orange! and this is why...orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow (you will need lots of both). it is associated with joy (which you bring to many), sunshine (you are MY sunshine), and the tropics (we LOVE the tropics). orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation. that's why i choose orange!

debbie(my boss): this is a very hard decision :) it depends on what color your scrubs will be (is that the right term?). i would say cobalt blue, purple, royal blue or raspberry. now, the reason i can’t narrow it down is this: if your scrubs are light blue, royal blue would be pretty. if you’re going to have pink scrubs, raspberry (or even red) would be nice. if you’re working with kids, brighter is better. plus, you want yours to be different so in case someone mistakenly picks it up (nice way to say it, huh?), you’ll KNOW it’s yours.
i’m absolutely NO help at all, but i feel very, very honored to be a part of the process :) oh, and plum would also be very nice! – actually, it would go with ANYTHING! do you happen to know how absolutely precious you are? well, yes, yes you are.

mom(CRACKED me up!): i am thinking some shade of blue. you will tire of the bolder colors and you may feel out of style in the future if style colors change. the blue will go with many colors you already have in your wardrobe and won’t clash as much as a burgundy or orange might clash. i kind of like the ocean blue because i like the ocean, but the ceil blue is also nice. BUT now i must think about the daughter. your new favorite color is purple so plum or lilac might be the color you are leaning toward so if i chose plum or lilac i might get the extra points and i’m all about extra credit. but if you want to go ahead and become a doctor you might want to get the black because that would definitely look doctorish. i don’t really like the gray because it is too sad of a color and i wouldn’t want any nurse coming at me with that color hanging around her neck. now let’s take into consideration raspberry. you have a friend that was a raspberry before she was married but now her name is changed so you probably wouldn’t want raspberry because you would have to change the name to richman and i don’t think richman is even a color. let’s look at hunter green. shades of green are my favorites but you are definitely not me and you have different thoughts and emotions…as well as shoe sizes…but i don’t think shoe size is part of the question. OK, on to the shades of red which also would take in the peach color. you are definitely not a pink kind of girl, although you have recently changed into more of a girl than in the more recent past so you might consider a red or peach but i kind of doubt it. red is the color of blood and i don’t think that is the best choice because if someone splattered all over you then you would never know if your scope was clean or not so i would say definitely not red. as you can see, i have spoken about each color and have not made a definite answer to you so ………..how many points do i get? and what do i win? and how will you ship my prize? and can i get the prize in any of my favorite colors?

sooooo...i bet you're all waiting with baited breath to hear what color i decided on. i gave no clues as to which direction i was leaning. i didn't want to bias anyone's decision. :) well...i haven't made the final decision. oops! more waiting for you! eh, it just keeps you coming back for more! haha!

i will say that i have narrowed the choices down to 2. drumroll please......

orange and plum!

so those of you who picked those get double points! like they say on who's line is it anyway...the points mean nothing...so sorry bout that. anyways...

i love the idea of having a bright, cheery, DIFFERENT scope. i've never had a nurse with an orange one...and that's saying something coming from the girl who has practically grown up in hospitals. but...this winter i've really become partial to the color plum. i've actually given serious thought to redoing my bathroom in plum and chocolate...will let you know if that happens...but i digress...for now, i haven't decided between orange or plum. my next move will be to actually go shopping and make the final decision when i've seen them in person. i'll keep you posted!!!

in other news, school is going well this semester. i've been a little stressy this week...we've missed several classes (6!) because of snow already and i've been overwhelmed with the pace my instructor has set trying to catch up. ugh. however, i got a 90% on last night's fundamentals test. only missed 4 questions. and one of them was a question i had the right answer the first time but then changed it. i SO know better than that! gah!!!

that's about it for me right now! this post is getting really long, so i'll leave you with one last thing...because who doesn't love calvin and hobbes??? :)

IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! life altering decision!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-02-04T09:13:00.002-06:00

well, not really...but it got your attention didn't it?? :)

i have to make a decision. and soon. are you ready for this?

what color stethoscope should i get?? :) it’s going to be a good buddy for awhile so i need to pick the perfect color.

please leave me your comments!!!!!! your reason for picking the color must be included…and double points if you pick the one i’m leaning toward. :)

http://www.steeles.com/catalog/LittmannColors.html

happy gh day!

2010-02-02T08:22:00.002-06:00

kelsey strikes again...

2010-02-01T15:31:00.004-06:00

so remember my student worker kelsey from this post?

she's precious. and funny...the girl cracks me up on a daily basis.

she told me this today...

"you're the type of person people want to do tests on...you know, like medical tests...you know??...don't do it on the rat, do it on renee..."

not sure if i should be offended or scared or what... :)

at the end of the day...

2010-01-26T20:55:00.000-06:00

we all deal with things in a different way, don't we?

dear spring...

2010-01-25T20:56:00.002-06:00

oh how i long for your dewy mornings; your warm sunshinyness and your blue skies; your sweet smelling iris and daffodils; your fresh yummy fruits and veggies; i miss your occasional thunderstorms; i miss wearing flipflops...and most of all, i miss late nights at the shaved ice place with my friends.

winter has left me with gray skies, frigid temps and dry, itchy skin that no amount of moisturizer can quench.

please come back to me!

yours faithfully,

renee

today is...

2010-01-21T08:18:00.001-06:00

national hugging day...
you know what to do...

image of the day 20:365

2010-01-20T21:32:00.003-06:00

"most profound...was discovering that the anchor she had been clinging to so tightly also yielded the rope that bound her feet to the floor. in what appeared to be a desperate loss of security...the cord was cut revealing her defining truth-she had wings...and was always intended to fly..." --kristen jongen

(image courtesy of www.mysoulsoup.com)

found this note on my door...

2010-01-10T09:39:00.003-06:00

from my apt complex...

"for all you polar bears out there.......

have you ever wondered what it was like to go swimming when there is snow on the ground???

well, here is your chance to find out!

the pool will be open tomorrow for one day only!!!

**swim at your own risk**"

have i ever wondered?!?! NO!!!

swim at my own risk?? no kidding! it was -5 in st. louis this morning!

i'll be staying huddled up under my warm blankets. k, thanks.

funny conversations in a hospital room...

2010-01-09T15:16:00.005-06:00

my mom has been in the hospital this week...that's what brings up this topic. side note...so weird for our roles to be reversed...normally i'm the one in the hospital bed. don't worry, she's fine...

she's been on the lovely clear liquid diet for a few days and i was there with her last night when she got her tray. on the tray was a precious little cup of red jell-o which brought up the conversation "why don't hospitals make jigglers for their patients??" they are super fun and we really think it would go a long way in lightening the mood of a patient drinking just boring broth. who wouldn't love getting a plate of jell-o with a cookie cutter on it?!?!? the fun could on for hours...or maybe we are just easy to entertain. hehe. it probably takes a little more work and more packets of jell-o which would be more expensive. but come on, what does jell-o cost...$.50/box? and i'm sure hospitals can purchase in bulk. so yeah...idea people...there's one for ya.

our conversation about jigglers led us to the question...how do you eat your jell-o? i mean it's jell-o. not really much substance to it. how many ways could there be? do you squish it through your teeth and swish it around before swallowing (like my mom...so funny...)? do you slurp it off your spoon like spaghetti (like me...) or are you of more normal persuasion who doesn't have strange thoughts like us? haha...

seriously...we want to know...

2010-01-08T14:00:00.002-06:00

i know it's been awhile since i've blogged and i promise, i'll be back. just not right now...

i did, however, have to share with you all that i got a cup of ice water while i was getting labs drawn on my lunch break and the straw is bendy. you know the kind. the exact kind i was using during the ladybug fiasco...

not gonna lie...i kind of have the heebie jeebies.

she ate WHAT?!?!

2009-12-27T22:10:00.008-06:00

christmas...season of giving, receiving and eating lots of yummy sugary snacks. i absolutely love it. and christmas eve dinner in the scott house is chicken cordon bleu...my favorite!!!!

but this year, i had a little before dinner appetizer...that wasn't so appetizing...

if you don't know me IRL (in real life) you need a bit of important inside info for this story...i drink constantly (not alcohol). i am never without a glass of water or gatorade or some other liquid substance. sometimes i think i was a camel in another life. ;)

back to the story...i fixed a big glass of gatorade, stuck in a straw and walked away. i walked away to help my parents with something in the garage. i was helping. i was doing good in the world...well...doing good in the scott household anyway. i stepped away for only an hour.

upon my return, i picked up the glass and headed toward the bathroom to get a shower. feeling thirsty, i took a big swig and felt something in my mouth. thinking it was a piece of ice, i crunched. something wasn't right. my mouth immediately filled with the nastiest taste one can imagine and i immediately spit into the sink. when i looked down, i saw a smashed ladybug.

that's right. a smashed ladybug.

completely grossed out, i tried to breathe...i tried to look away...no dice.

don'tthrowupdon'tthrowupdon'tthrowupdon'tthrowup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i threw up.

and kept throwing up.

and then i threw up some more.

hearing me from the kitchen my mom came running. "are you sick?!?!" all i could do was hold up one finger and shake my head...all the while still hunched over...retching into the toilet.

"what did you do?!?!?!?!"

finished, i could barely get the words out.

"a ladybug crawled up into my straw and i didn't know, and i crunched it. merry christmas to me."

i'm all for trying new foods. it's one of the joys in my life...but a ladybug...that just crosses a line.

i'm still a little grossed out.

merry christmas everyone! hope your appetizers were better than mine!!!!!