'Tis the Season

Here we are at the close of another semester (woooo whoooo!!!). Crazy to think it's already been 6 months since I started this journey in achieving my career dreams. Two semesters down and six more to go. I am happy to announce that all of our original people have survived and continuing on to the next round. This semester was very unusual to last semester. Brookline received full accredidation, nationally and regionally so there was three times as much students. With that, we have come to know many of the new students were not very accepting of our group and the competition seems to be increasing when comradabilty should be at it's best. It's important to know who your trustworthy classmates are and what we can all bring to the table to help out. I've become pretty close to a few and am very grateful to come to know them better. Along with the influx of students, there were a few professor who did not return. This resulted in existing professors taking on the extra load and stretching themselves to the limit, but they pulled it off nicely. I'm noticing on the new schedule, there are a few new professors for the upcoming semester. This semester was double the load of the first semester and I still managed to pull off straight A's. This was such an accomplishment for me and really proved to myself that if I sacrifice and stick to my timemanaging, being an excellent student while maintaining two part-time jobs and a vibrant homelife is possible. Next semester will be my second to last general education round and then onto a full dose of nursing classes with higher grading perameters. Bring it on! I've been happy to be on such a lengthy break. We have got a three week break for the holidays and start back Monday, January 06, 2014. I am going into my second week now. For the first week, I over came seasonal sickness (despite having my flu shot), finished all the Christmas shopping, got the house in order, caught up with Ashley and Shana with watching the new Ron Burgendy flick and shopping, relaxed with my boy and puppies, and slid in a Tempe St. Lukes tele shift on Friday with my favorite work peoples. This week, I plan to work St. Lukes on Monday, spend Christmas Eve. with my family on Tuesday- were doing the gift exchange and having a potluck style dinner at my sisters this year along with a home gift exchange that night, ride to Globe for Christmas Day with my boys family and then, off the Las Vegas with Jordon, Ashley and Shana until the 29th of December. To tie up my third week off, I plan to work all week between Banner and St. Lukes with the exception of going to the white out Authority Zero show with my boy, Matt and Sarah on New Years Eve. Even though I work during the day, night time should be good times had by all! I'm looking forward to it because I haven't seen them since high school and the lead singer of the Ataris is putting on an acoustic performance. Super stoked that we got 2-for-1 tickets! Snap! Did I mention Jordon is moving back to town!!! So excited!!! He'll be here Christmas Eve. and will be staying with us for a while until he gets up on his feet. It'll be so nice having him back in town. I'm so proud of him. He has achieved his Associates Degree in Business and plans to continue on to his Bachelors in Business through a private college once he returns to Arizona. He has landed a fabulous job at Chase Bank and things seem to be stepping in the right direction for him. I'll finally have a workout buddy and someone I can confide in as a friend. He has been one of my bestest friends since high school and has been there through thick and thin. If there are few people in this world that truly know me, he is one of them. Welcome home, Jordon! All in all, it's a busy time (as always). However, I am enjoying ever minute of it. I think I'm living more life now as a student then I have in a long time. It's a great feeling. Martin supports me 110% and I couldn't ask for a better man to stand by me during this crunching time. Along with everything going on, I wanted to show him a token of appreciation and have decided to take advantage of some travel deals and enjoy in trip to NYC together in February. He has never seen the sights of the big apple and I wanted to give him an experience he wouldn't forget. We plan to tour the entire city. He's so good to me and I appreciate all he does. That's all for now! Peace <3

Knowing When to Stay Under The Radar

Knowing when and when not to keep a low profile is challenging. For the lack of better words or putting it bluntly: knowing when to shut your mouth, butt out of the conversation and leave you two cents out of it. I've always had a sense of social anxiety and this makes me seem awkward to people at times. I've always tried to fit in where I can, but on my own terms- not losing myself and my personality in the process. I'm often quiet at first and as time goes on, I tend to get a sense of what is acceptable and form accordingly (knowing boundaries). In grade school, I was always shy and often bullied because of my unusual name. As I developed from childhood to adolesence, people changed the way they viewed me. They were nicer to me and perhaps, a little more accepting. I started to form a raw attitude, I didn't let people run over me anymore. I started to stand up to the taunts and comments of people. Overnight, I developed a different reputation by far. I hung out with most of the same people. We all had the same changed interests. Aside from my changed attitude, I develped physically aswell causing boys to noticed me more often too. High school brought a mix of emotions and reputations. For the first half, I was accepted into a group of like nature- rebellious and outgoing. For the second half, I joined more extra curricular activities that went against most of the social norms within the group I had unofficially been made a member of. Therefore, things changed for me. I became more responsible and aware of the reputations that may be formed of me in the community if I continued of the path I was dangerously on. I changed my lifestyle, yet again. My high school flame and I parted ways, I formed new friends, changed my appearance, and formed a leadership disposition. The leadership persona landed me to be socially awkward (yet again) and made it hard to fit in to the "cool" crowd. However, I stepped up to the plate and started making myself accountable for the commitments I made and decided to join the military after high school. I was 17 years old. After I was medically discharged from the US Air Force, I made mulitple failed attempts at community college until I decided to live life by traveling and working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Throughout this experience, I found it hard to form new friendships and step out of my comfort zone. During my employment, I've always tried to remain anti-political. I enjoyed socializing with co-workers, but always kept a distance. My mom always instilled in me that there is a big difference between work life and home life (dispite the relationship that formed between Martin and I- he is the exception and we no longer work together). There is an importance in knowing how to make boundaries. I guess this is why I seem to to the same in my recent college experiences. It is not that I don't like to make new friends, I have a hard time knowing what to do or say to form a friendship. Oftentimes, I try to make a commonality within experiences in the conversation or make an offer to put forth information or things to people. Consequently, that can be seen annoying by "being a know-it-all". My intentions are purely to make productive conversation and to be helpful. I don't want to seem boring, I know I have things to bring to the plate. I am just a very independent person and find it hard to relate to many people. One day, I hope to overcome this fear of social acceptance and social anxiety. It will take alot of hard work and self reliance. But until then, bear with me. I know who my friends are- they are the one's who have been with me (no matter how weird, moody, and ever changing I am). My family is always a concrete relationship for me also. People skills are an important aspect of one's social make-up and have a grave impact on the success or failure of someone. As much as I try to be social, I must learn that sometimes being a good listener is just as effective. Peace

Can a Girl Get a Break! Yes, Yes I Can!

...from school and work that is! Let's back it up a bit and catch up on a few things.

 

First Semester of School

 

Was everything I had imagined it to be and more. Naturally, I was very nervous of the academics and fitting into the crowd and small group of nursing students who I started this program with. I tend to be the observer in class typically. This time around, I was determined to prove I was serious about my education and genuinely wanted to be there. I think I accomplished that goal.

College mathematics was challenging but I kept on top on subjects week by week to ensure I didn't fall behind. I was sure to study the book religiously, week-by-week, day-by-day. I was so paranoid of being the student who had the "dear in the headlights" look and got left behind like so many of the failed attempts to take the same class in the past. The instructor was unlike any I've had in the past. Entirely a good thing nonetheless. He has this fun-loving, easy-going personality and a scattered way about him that leaves no student behind. I really look forward to having him as my instructor for my next two math classes in my upcoming semesters: Intermediate Algebra and Statistics. I finished the class with a 96.9%- not to shabby :)

Introduction to Sociology was interesting, to say the least. I found this subject very interesting because it was something I found that I could really apply to everyday life. It was everywhere... it was like a dissection of the way we live and how we perceive people. I can honestly say... I thoroughly enjoyed it. The teacher was young and a bit feisty at times, but very precise and organized. I really liked the flow of her class. She involved slides, facebook quizzes and improved my rusty writing skills. I completed her class with a 99%.

That means straight A's! Another first... I've always settled for a C average. It feels good to accomplish great grades for how hard I have worked to get here.

I have got to know each and every one of my classmates over the course of the semester. Though we may not all agree with each other all the time, we have formed a little family amongst ourselves. A few of us got together at Kabuki (a sushi place) during finals week to celebrate the end of the semester. A classmate and I have even gotten creative with studying- at a wine bar for midterms and movie grill time after some school crunch final study time. I believe I have made some strong friends and am very excited to continue my journey with them.

 

28th Birthday!

 

In the mix of finals week, I celebrated my 28th birthday! I was surprised at how much I was remembered this year. It made me feel really loved and appreciated. I got to sleep in as I didn't have school and took the day off from work. My mom took me to breakfast at Ihop and we saw The Conjuring- a really good scary movie. After Martin returned from work, my mom dropped me off and he took me to Joe's BBQ and Joe's Farm Grill for lunch. We visited a casino on the way home where he mostly gambled and I followed. We also stopped for my birthday drink from Starbucks and a scoop of beloved Blueberry Cheesecake ice cream from Baskin Robbins- yum! Honestly, I was so full at the end of the day, from all the food during the day- I didn't have room for dinner or feel like doing anything. So we settled on Jumba Juice for me and Churches Chicken for him and cuddle/ pass out time at home. I was showered with many gifts. My mom got me new seat covers for my lil shark, a phone case, and Safe Haven (the latest Nicholas Sparks movie). Boy got me the black burlap Toms I've been eyeballing, goofy socks, and a cowboys jersey. Lisa got me Wella (an ammmmmazing shampoo and conditioner from Ulta), a Victoria Secret gift card and Heavenly perfume also from Victoria Secret. I had a wonderful birthday. Not to mention to 40+ birthday posts  on Facebook! Thaaaaank you lovlies! I'm not so much into the whole party scene anymore- it's all about spending it with the people you love and who love you.

 

Adjusting to Work Schedules

 

Work has been ridiculously slow as of late. Working Banner on the weekends has worked out fabulously. I don't feel alot of stress and they are really understanding. I'm pretty positive they've all been in my shoes in some time or another. However, I have been "on-call" alot of the time because of the slower census (at least one of my two days during the weekend). My personal time off (PTO) has dwindled significantly and leaves me a limited amount to plan for any get-a-ways. I have left myself available for St. Lukes at least 2-3 days/ week since the beginning of the semester in May. I usually only get 1-2 days/ week though. I can usually "make it" with just 1 day a week but anything above that is definitely appreciated! It makes me nervous for the future but I'll just have to be careful and plan financially. So far, Banner covers my bills and St. Lukes covers my hefty tuition. It's a definite tider-todder and I am sadly looking forward to Winter census (snowbirds increase the number of patients in the hospitals).  

 

Adjusting to Roomie Life

 

It's been working out nicely. I've always been a pretty private person, but I have to admit, the house seems a little less lonely these days. There were some curve balls with the bills and adjusting to blending in finances with some hardships that have hit us along the way like job stability and the loss of a vehicle. However, we have managed with the help of each other. I haven't been able to coupon or cook as much since I've been so busy with school, so it has been nice that Kristie helps out. Even though it gets messy around here, they all pretty much help out in keeping the house clean as well. Having a girl around to talk to and have "girl time" with has been nice. I feel like Kristie and I have got to know each other pretty good. She's a good person. I am thankful they agreed to room with us.

When I get where I need my personal time, it isn't hard to just go upstairs and watch a netflix in my room with the puppies or do some homework in the loft area. Something I have had to lax up on is my "neat-freakiness". I pretty much know others don't necessarily like things the way I may like them... so I stick to to upstairs area.

 

Staycation and Boy re-connect

 

The first week of my two-week vacation was dedicated to spending time with the boy during his week long "staycation". Things had been getting pretty tense lately because the pressures of blending the balance between my school/work routine and his stressful job as a manager. We didn't have alot of money because it has all been going to keep us afloat so we decided to just spend the time together and let whatever happens... happen this week. For once, we didn't have something scheduled or someone expecting us to be somewhere, aside from watching my baby nephew a few days and taking Kristie to work every morning. We kicked it all off with our very first NFL football game. It was the pre-season game between the Arizona Cardinals vs. Dallas Cowboys. It was exciting! We accompanied most of Martin's family. Majority of us were dressed in Cowboy's shirts and jerseys (with the exception of two Cardinals fans: Jose and Alex). We rode in separate vehicles and we decided to park at a church across the street from the large University of Phoenix stadium in Glendale, AZ. On the way, we saw loads of tailgaiters with big screen TVs, crazed fans, boomin' music, BBQs, and parties galore. I gave them credit because the 116 degree Summer weather was making us sweat so much some of us got dizzy, woozy and nearly passed out. The game went by as most do (remembering from high school), the players practiced before hand, made their big entrance, the cheerleaders cheered, there were some nail biting moments between plays and in the end, the Cardinals defeated the Cowboys. Aside from catching the new Star Trek flick, lazy home TV days and eating out all the time, we took a road trip to Jerome, AZ. Riding to Jerome, AZ has been something I had been attracted to since an old co-worker had mentioned the little town to me about 2 years ago. I had done some research on the prior copper mining town enriched in history and a "haunted" histroy. Now, with a population of a little over 500, the town does not disappoint. It is a fun-loving, friendly hippie town with a string of shops selling random tidbits like ghostly things, knit supplies, general store, a few wineries, bed n breakfasts, hotels, fudge and candy shop, clothing and odd n ends. We visited the historical mansion museum that gave a in-dept history of the beautiful, scenic town on top of the mountain overlooking Cottonwood, AZ and Verde Valley. I loved the Victorian Style homes that surrounded the town. They are just the type of home I've always yerned to own one day. I fell in love with the feel of the town as we went wine-tasting at this shop with a young free-spirit who was visited by her ex-boy- a skinny man with no shirt, overalls, a beard, love for ketchup, and armpit juice for dayssss- they shared a passionate hug before he departed. After he left, she shared with us a little insight about the culture of the town. She referred to the towns people as a community and mentioned they were all family. She shared she was single, but she never felt alone. I could totally see myself settling there if I were single. Hell... old stuff, old houses, ghostly feel, wine, bed and breakfasts, need for naturalistic medicine, yoga and hippies... my kind of place. I don't think it would be a type of place where Martin could  settle. Lastly, today has been a day to "tie things up". I went to the mall (something I haven't done in a long time). I spent my Victoria Secret gift card, got some uniform pants and had lunch at Johnny Rockets with the boy. We spent the rest of the day watching TV and actually got up to umph to cook dinner: Boy's Famous Noodles.

 

House Dreams and Pre-Planning

 

I was house dreaming and browsing again :) Visiting Jerome, AZ got me into "house fever" once again. I looked up various areas of interest: Tempe, Miami, Jerome to name a few. Miami is, by far, the cheapest and most practical. Time shall tell. I do, however, want to start brainstorming things I may want to incorporate into the grand plan. What appliances I may want or color schemes, what furniture I want to find or other pinterest ideals. My goal is to buy cheap and make it my own. I know it'll be alot of work but it'll be a labor of love. Even though I know it'll be a while before I can make those dreams become reality, it is nice it know I have a dream to shoot for besides school.

 

Gearing up for second semester

 

The second semester is still a week away but I've decided I will start preparing for it this week. Rumor is I will have a difficult teacher in one of my class and I am nervous for that. I think if I review a few of my old lessons, it'll give me a leg up. I have all my next class folders prepared and looking forward to the challenge... more straight A's!

Commuting: Mass Transit Style

Today I decided to put my unlimited transit pass to use. I arrived at at the Park-n-Ride about 6am and onto the light rail platform about 6:08am. I waited about 12 minute until the next one arrived, which wasn't really that bad for waiting times. I could think of times in New York where I would have to wait up to a half hour for the train in the subway. During my wait, I made sure my pass was validated and noticed a fellow student in the BSN program! Immediately I thanked God for sending someone of common interest to accompany me on my first journey to school from Tempe to Phoenix.

 I had remembered this guy from orientation. Specifically- because he was late due to the traffic his Greyhound bus from LA hit. He has up and moved his whole life to AZ to finish his schooling in nursing. Through all the credits he transferred in, he only has to do the last year of the program. He seems like good people- responsible, adventurous and outgoing. Kinda a free spirit that isn't afraid to get up and go anywhere on his own. I admire the gut that must take and all the adapting that must come along with that. I dont really know if I could say I could indendently move to an unknown place alone. When I moved to New York, I was with someone and we knew people where we were going. Through speaking with him on the way, I learned that he's was born and raised in LA and went to college in the islands. How cool! He was very kind to me. 

During the ride, aside talking with my classmate, I mostly observed. I'm a people watcher as it is and riding the light rail- there is definitely an arrayment of people with all kinds of personalities. We came across a middleaged Native man going to school for a butchering trade, a talkative, young, Hispanic woman who worked at a gym (she was obviously going to late opening) and a wine-o who appeared to be mentally ill with the way she was hootin' and a hollerin' at everyone surrounding her. However, I had none of the usual anxiety because someone was with me. I usually just resort to my trusty iPod and sink my nose into studying. Once we arrived at the end of the light rail stops, we caught a free connector bus to assist us the rest of the way. The connector bus stopped right in front of the school on 25th Ave./ Dunlap. 

After class, I managed to make my way to the bus stop in which Devon told me to catch the connector bus. Then, I successfully made it to the light rail homebound. There appeared to be a lot of people catching the AZ Diamondbacks baseball game. Most people like to take the light rail because it stops right in front of the stadium and there's no parking fee or trouble finding your car afterward that way. I had forgotten to "validate" my pass and was instructed to validate it at a passing stop. That would require me to get off the train, tap my pass to the machine outdoors and quickly get back on the train for depart before I had to wait another 15-20 for the next one to arrive. Mission accomplished. It feels good riding green. I'm saving gas, milage, traffic headache and wear-n-tear on the lil shark all for $25 a month. Not to mention, the study time and a guaranteed way to school- not matter what. Not to shabby. 

First Day Jitters and Happy Extras

I slipped into a green wrap around dress and brown gator skin heels, pinned up my curled hair, painted my eyes and lips in full pin up and put on my black framed glasses. With a lengthy commute, full of traffic, I was on my way to nursing orientation. Once I arrived (15 minutes late), I entered the classroom and put my name on the list for student IDs. A woman took my picture and I scanned the room for a seat the take. To my surprise, I recognized a guy I had been in drama with in high school. He was a AJHS graduate of 2004. We briefly caught up. Since high school, he had served in the Navy and had been married and divorced. He mentioned he had attended Brookline in the past for the Medical Assistant program. I was so relieved to have found someone I know and can be my buddy through this experience. The teachers and instructors introduced themselves, went over policies and procedures, and gave a brief overview of what our lives would be like over the next 2.5 years. It was meant to be straightforward and intimidating. Boom- it all felt so real! After the classroom portion, the rest of the class went on a tour of the campus. Since Chance and I already had a tour, we traded contact info. and parted ways.

My first day of school was yesterday! I woke up and got ready with the business casual outfit I had laid out the night before and left an hour and a half early to ensure I would get there on time. On the way, I noticed the new Starbucks drive thru ibuilt right next to the freeway. I spun through and treated myself to an everything bagel with cream cheese and a tall passion tea. I arrived 45 minutes early and thought I should familiarize myself with the campus. After walking around for some time, I went to the nursing office to sign my student ID and wound up sitting in the student lounge (kinda like a mini cafeteria) to kill time. I noticed a refrigerator for the lunch I brought and a microwave. After a while, I put my ear buds in and worked on a search-a-word I had found in one of my old bags when preparing my backpack the day before. I observed as waves of students came in and quickly found their fellow classmates. It all seemed like such a small world community. PCT students, BSN students, Pharmacy Tech students and etc. all hanging out with their own small groups. I envisioned what my class my be like later on down the road. When I entered the classroom, I noticed the 8 other students in the class were all from orientation. I noticed the friend I had gone the high school with and we buddied up. The college mathematics teacher was laid back and seemed to teach with an informal method. He hand wrote the in class assignment as well as the homework we did in class. The work consisted of mostly fractions, decimals, order of operations... and all things I had done before. I must admit- I was super nervous taking a math class since it had been 6 years. However, I felt that I caught on to what was happening pretty quickly. That seemed to subside the anxiety of diving into my first day. Not to mention, Chance is awesome at math and he sits right next to me :). After class, I picked up my laminated student ID and we were fitted for our nursing uniforms. It didn't take long for us to get through the fitting portion. Although some of the other classmates seemed to think it was a fashion show with how long it took them with a body mirror in all. After the fitting, my school day was over. I wished my friend luck in his biology class and went home. 

Once home, I took a huge nap with my puppies and woke up with a text from my Momma. Good thing too! I would have over slept and would have never made it to our first country dance lesson. I quickly got ready and headed to Denim and Diamonds. I was amazed at how many people had come to the lesson. The dance floor was packed! The lesson was West Coast Swing. It was confusing during the step-by-step portion but I caught on when I watched the instructors throw it all together. I was trying to catch my mom up on the first couple steps during most of the lesson. Fortunately, there was a guy who offered to help me and another woman on our steps after the class was over. It was nice of him. Mom and I left shortly after sipping a coke and water with lemon. We talked in the parking lot for about a half an hour about various odds and ends. I finally left for home about 8:30pm and arriving about 9pm. Boy was happy to see me. He hoped I would be canceled today.

Turns out- I was canceled today! We have had today off together and it's been nice. We've stayed in our bum clothes all day- made breakfast, watched Netflix movies, took the puppy mutts for a walk, and absolutely nothing else. Just a whole day together :). Nice!

Pre-Starving Student Get-a-Way to San Diego!

So we kinda flew by the seat of our pants for this one guys and gals.

We had talked about and planned for this but not really knowing for sure about the fund situation. We didnt want to set anything in stone until we knew for sure. With a little finagling and switching things around, we decided Friday night- we were going to be California bound for the weekend. This was going to be my last weekend off before starting school officially and I just wanted a fun, stress free get-a-way before my life comes to a vacation holt during the next 2.5 years. Unfortunately, Ernest couldn't be with us due to the unfortunate death of his fraternal grandmother in Bakerfield, California. The boy and Ernest's wife, Kristie and I loaded up and left town about 10am this morning. We stopped at 3 casinos along the way to see what freebies we could score and to get a break from the road. The first one was Cocopah near Yuma, AZ. It was smaller and we had been there before. No free play but we walked out $20 up- nice for the gas tank. The second one was right before the Arizona-California border (also eye sight from the Mexico border). They gave Kristie $10 in free play- she walked out $7 richer and away we went. I fell asleep in wake up and realize we had reached our third casino of the day (Viejas) about 20 minutes away from San Diego. This reservation is the most beautiful, well kept reservation I have ever been on. The mountain side views, well kept yards, bus routes, roadside farm market, outlet mall with coach, Gucci, Nike etc... you can tell they put alot into their community. Maywether happened to be at this casino tonight for a fight so the place was hoppin'. We, apparently, never signed up there so the gave us all a free voucher for the buffet. The buffet was worth $20.99 in value but OMGoodness- this buffet had everything from seafood, Chinese, Mexican, Greek, steakhouse, down home cookin', dessert, $5 all you can drink (alcohol)... Needless to say- we pigged out! Once we rolled ourselves out of there, we headed to the crowded motel we had reservations at. Oh man was I greatful we planned ahead- they we completely booked up. Now it's time to go to sleep... Night all!

Goooood morning from beautiful San Diego! The air is so fresh you can just smell the ocean! The greenery is breathtaking and I love thats there is so many trees. It's windy and cloudy today. Not so much for perfect beach weather but were going anyway. It's in it's 60's. Thankfully, we brought the right clothes. After looking near and far for a Denny's... we found one on the way to Mission Beach. We loaded up on biscuits and gravy with generous amounts of bacon and made our way to the boardwalk. I figured we didn't drive all that way to not jump in our swimsuits and enjoy the beach. Kristie and I walked the coast- collecting seashells and Martin jumped the fridged waves until the lifeguards pulled everyone to shore due to a choppy current making its way. It was unexplainable just how good the sand felt beneath my feet as I made my way to a nice spot to lay out on my beach towel- headphones in place and hat on... just soaking in the seabreeze and peaks of sun through the clouds. Once we were done sitting on the beach, we went to Luigis for lunch. I got the giant slice and let me tell you- I could've made 6 regular slices out of this monsterous $5 work of yummy goodness. Naturally, I couldn't finish it so I took some to-go. Kristie and I enjoyed some white chocolate butterfinger fudge for dessert as Martin played in the arcade in the amusement park near the beach. By that time, it started to sprinkle. We scurried to the car and decided to head back home. Funds were quickly exhausting as were our energy levels. Martin drove as we casino hopped to the few we missed on the way up. A few gave $5 free play (for Cinco de Mayo). We didn't do as well coming back as we did on the way to San Diego but pretty much broke even for the most part. When we drove through the mountains, it got down in the 50's! The fog was thick too. I stayed awake through that part- I always like to be there in case Martin needs me. I drove from Yuma, AZ back to the valley so Kristie and Martin could get some shut eye for work Monday morning. We got home about 1am. We pretty much unloaded and we were out! All in all- a very relaxing, fun and much needed trip! I'm happy we took the plunge and got away.

Vintage Cottage Dream

1071 West Live Oak Street, Miami, AZ

Something about this little cottage makes my heart go pitter-patter!

So here's a little background. Back in October 2012, I had a wild hair up my rear and I felt the yearning for the "next step" in life. Naturally, I evaluated the financials and thought- let's look at houses! Don't want to rent forever, right? I would love to have my home paid off in my 40s so I can enjoy my future retirement.

Therefore, I started working on my credit score and the search was on! I looked at a lot of listings in Queen Creek, San Tan Valley (where we rented at the time) and Martin's home town of Miami, AZ. Outskirts and suburban towns always appealed to me- not only for the price, but for the peacefulness of a smaller environment. I always imagined it being a place for the future- A simple place to settle down with kids and a family.

What can I say, I've always been a small town kind of girl.

I narrowed down the search and this cottage was one of the few we chose to view.

After viewing the bombers we looked at, this little fixer upper seemed like the perfect starter home for us.

The home has 2 bedrooms, both just about the same size with good sized windows and limited closet space. The bathroom had this retro looking yellow tile with a old fashioned tub and simple sink. The kitchen is roomy with a decent amount of cabinet space. A dishwasher and gas stove is always a plus. The eat-in dining room located off of the kitchen is a perfect amount of space for a 4 seater table and is delightfully brightened by a window overlooking the front yard. An addition built on the back of the home was a good feature for entertaining. I could just imagine Martin working in the workshop located in back of the house and enjoying his man cave time back there. The yard is clean, complete with a huge shade tree, built in flower beds and a nice front porch. The home soaks in 1966 vintage richness. It has hardwood floors and aged doors. The outdoor paneling is vinyl. The downside is- it need some TLC. The roof needs to be replaced, electrical needs to be upgraded, cosmetics need upgrading. My dream has always been to buy an older house with charm and make it my own. I believe things have more value if you make them your own.

Very few houses grab my attention like this one did. I hope to buy this house or one something like it after I graduate school. Once I make an RN salary, I'll be able to comfortably afford a simple house payment aside from city rent for the townhouse.

My heart just pours with excitement of the dream plans I have for this home and the potential it has in my future mind.

I know there isn't much that comes to mind when people think of Miami, AZ... but it seems like home. It seems like a family environment with an antique feel. It's the type of town that everyone, knows everyone. Families get their kids involved in school and sports. The town goes to their games and attends church. There is a single movie theatre and a handful on mom-n-pop shops and restaurants. Some of the best Mexican food ever! The weather and scenery is always near perfect since it's in the mountains. Cooler in the Summer and snows in the Winter. Gardens are grown easier too.

<Sigh>

One day...

Darla and Going Green

Living in Tempe, I've noticed people are much more outgoing and naturalistic. I love it! I've noticed mass transportation is widely used as oppose to hopping in the car for the first resort. When we visited a Art Street Fair down Mill Avenue a few weeks ago, I noticed alot of bicycles and parking racks. It reminded me alot of when I visited Holland. Bicycles used more than cars in downtown areas. Usually parking lots are for cars- not here. There were limitless rows for bicycle parking. Busy mothers and fathers biking their kiddos via bicycle attachments to and from points of interest. With that, I've done some research to see what options are locally offered to make life a little easier in the event "Plan B" ever occurs

(if my lil' vavoomba breaks down).

The Banner I work for is in San Tan Valley where no mass transportation is available. I can carpool or ride the bus as far as I could. Monthly bus/light rail passes can be purchased from human resources at a discounted price of $25. On the other hand, when I work St. Lukes there are a few more options.

Orbit is a small community transportation line that offers 5 routes throughout the City of Tempe for Free. The flag down method seems reasonable for the short, blue shuttle buses. It is a good resource for shopping, entertainment, transport to the light rail or all about getting around town.

The City Bus is always a great option. Although there is a fee, the discounted monthly pass I can get from work will be fantabulous for this. The City Bus can transport me to school and local errands. Not to mention, it has a bike rack.

I am proud the announce I am the proud owner of a vintage bicycle I thrifted from a local thrift shop. Originally priced, $25 brought down to $17.50 with the Saturday 30% discount. It's old and could used some TLC but she works! The paint is worn, the tires are sun dried and the chrome could use a shine. She did come complete with her original front headlight and rear light, in which I am in hopes of restoring. I can't wait to fix her up and make her sparkle. I plan on adding a basket for future errands, a cup holder for drinks and a ringer for safety. Seeing the bicycle brought back old, childhood memories of my brother, Brian, and I fixing up and riding our bikes everywhere in California. I immediately named her Darla! Name seemed fitting enough- she looked like she may have been born in that era.

I took her for her first ride down the canal last night. I rode from Rural Rd. to McClintock down the well lit path. She clicked and spun like a dream for an old gal. I think I was more nervous than she was. Last time I rode I bike, I biffed it pretty hard in Holland and landed a huge bruise on my thigh. Yeah- THAT was a fun one to explain after returning from vacation when my boss (at the time) walked me into her office and asked me if I needed help getting out of a "bad situation".

I think I may have rubbed off on the boy though- he wants one of his own now so he can ride with me.

When school starts, I can used the City Bus to the Light Rail or carpool with classmates.

All healthy, green options! Time consuming, but great options.

Spinning Whirlwind of Events: Work Training/Extra Hours * Kiddos for the Weekend * Organinzing the Stock * San Diego Plans * Date Night Success * Boys Birthday and New Car * School Anticipation

Work Training/Extra Hours:

Phew! I have been working my tooshy off as of late!!! I've been averaging about 60 hours a week between my full-time hours at Banner and my PRN hours from St. Lukes. Craziness!!! Banner has been so generous as to provide the opportunity to achieve all my necessary trainings before I start school too. Therefore, within a 3 week span... I completed a lab training to draw blood, Basic Life Skills training (CPR for health care professionals), Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Program (CPI: a defense course to maintain care, welfare, safety and security to myself, my coworkers and my patients on a last resort basis) and ACED days (a yearly skills check off). Hey... extra knowledge and fundage never hurt anyone :) I am truly grateful for the learning opportunities my job provides for the grand ole price of FREE.

Kiddos for the Weekend:

I took time off to help Martin with the kids for the weekend. His mom was going out of town to see the love of her life (none other than GEORGE STRAIT). This was the last tour he was doing and didn't have a Arizona date so she traveled to New Mexico for the weekend. We drove to Globe to pick up Anna, Alex and Auntie Girlie Friday night. They loaded up their things in the SUV and away we went. Mary was nice enough to fill up the gas and drink coolers for the gang. Nakiel came to play with Anna and Alex- whoa nelly! There must have been an elephant in the house with the amount of running in the house! I took them to the pool and we bbq'ed hambergers after I hit up the sales at the thrift shops all morning. After an accidental crackage of an iPod, we decided it was best to do something a little less active. We loaded up all the kids, got snacks at the dollar store, and went to see Warm Bodies at the movies. The movie was a romantic comedy about a zombie who turns human after falling in love with a human girl. Pretty cute. My sister picked up Nakiel after the movie and we relaxed. Sunday, we headed to downtown Tempe to fix Anna's iPod. While we were at it, I figured I would throw Martins crack iPod in there too for his birthday. When we got to Mill Avenue, there was an Art Festival going on. We walked around to kill time and went to Paradise Video to rent The Hobbit (it wasn't in Redbox yet). We met Chris later that night so he could take the car and the kids back to Globe for school Monday morning. It sure was a busy weekend but eventful.

Organinzing the Stock:

Monday night, Kristie and I had our work out for us with this job! The closet we called our "stock closet", filled with all of our couponing treasures, looked like the incredible blob. On Saturday (aka: 50% off day at Goodwill), I thrifted some shelves for a grand total of $6!!! Turns out- they're PeRfEcT! We had talked about getting shelves and organizing the closet since we moved in in the middle of February. However, we continues to scout out those deals and simply "threw" stuff in the closet. Soon, things piled up and things collected... and collected... and collected. Needless to say, there was lots of organizing involved, but shazaam! We ended up with a beautiful, very organized pantry/"stock closet" in the end. Now, I can open the door and just admire it with the the things we have come to accumulate. I say with great pride that we have come together and accomplished a common goal in that we will be able to successfully keep the household afloat during the challenging times ahead.

San Diego Plans:

I figured since we were all home after Kristie and I gave the stock an overhaul, we would make the reservations for he upcoming trip to San Diego. We had been meaning to do it for a while, but with our crazy schedules... it was hard to get together. We agreed to stay at the same Motel 6 Martin and I stayed in two years ago (Hotel Circle). It was a perfect middle ground between the Gas Lamp District and Mission Beach. The Gas Lamp District is a "happening", downtown spot where mostly young and middle aged people get together at local eateries and shops. Last time we visited here, we caught the UFC fight and drinks at a local bar and ate the most awesome fish tacos with mango salsa! I've heard it's a pretty hoppin' spot to party at night too. Mission Beach is one of my favorite San Diego Beaches... free parking, Luigi's Pizza- where you can get a slice of pizza as big as your head, waterside entertainment and amusements and surf shops. We are renting a car too- give our little vavroombas a rest and save the miles and wear-n-tare hardship. Can't wait to get out of town!!! It has been 2 years since our actual vacation. This will be the perfect relaxation get-a-way before school starts.

Date Night Success:

Since Martin and I have come up with weekly "date night", I have noticed that we have come closer. The wording "date night" makes it more official in that we are setting special time aside to not worry about the everyday push and shove for a night (day, at times) and just enjoy each others company and have FUN! Communication has definitely improved. It makes me feel like we are still "dating" and not just shackin' up (live-in boyfriend/girlfriend). So far, we've been to a revolving sushi bar, Harkins, Native New Yorker for "wing night", and various restaurants for his birthday.

Boys Birthday and new cars:

Martin started out the morning earlier than I did. He snuck out of bed about 7am to play XBOX with Ernest before I finally crawled out of bed at 9am. Once I was up, I got ready. I tamed my out-of-control hair by curling it, applied some light make-up and slipped into a white sundress with embroidered flowers. I had picked up the dress from a 75% off sale at the hospital gift shop during the Fall season. Ernest wanted to spend the day with us and I'm glad he did. Martin always enjoys hanging out with him.

Once everyone was ready, we piled into the Mustang and went to Denny's to cash in on Martin's free Birthday Grand Slam. I had the $2 order of biscuits and gravy with a side of egg whites scrambled with cheddar cheese and mushrooms. Once we were finished, we went to Fort McDowell Casino- our favorite local casino. To our surprise, he had $30 free play and an additional $30 to spend in the restaurants. I suggested we save to restaurant rewards for another night since we just ate and we agreed on an All-You-Can-Eat Snow Crab date night sometime. We all played for a couple hours. Martin and I have our favorite machines we usually go to: Genie, Big $1 Wheel, Pharaoh, Vegas Hits, Superman, Puppies: D.O.G....etc. I always joke with the boy that one day we'll be one of those cute lil' elderly couples walking an inch at a time with walkers in hand straight to the casino. Martin and I came out with nothing and Ernest broke even. It was fun- we hadn't been there in a while.

We proceeded to Joe's Farm Grill in Gilbert for (once again) a free birthday meal but for lunch this time. Nothing beats free. I had an order of their delicious garlic fries and he ordered a burger with fries. The make their own pickles and might I just say this: YUM! The weather was fabulous! Perfect mix between sunny and overcasty with a cool breeze. We started to sit on the picnic tables under the huge trees until I got chilled and we moved inside. This may sound weird but here it goes... the had the neatest themes bathroom I have ever seen at a restaurant! Yes, I said bathroom. It was white with silver accessories, built-in wall displays of barbie-style and men dolls. There was also an actual TV with a space doll themed show playing. Not to mention, very clean. FYI: Their sister restaurant, Joe's BBQ, also offers a free meal on your birthday- if anyone is interested. Feeling stuffed to the gourd and tired, we went home.

After being there for sometime, we started talking about Martin getting a car before school starts in May. We out our heads together and came up with a great plan. After hearing back from a dealership located in Show Low, we started exploring our options in the Valley. Martin shot up and off we went- down payment in hand. After some running around, we realized going with Cactus Jacks would save us $3,000 off the total price of the vehicle with the same monthly payment. We searched the parking lot looking at all the Certified Pre-Owned vehicles and one sparkled out in the crowd. A royal blue 2006 Chevy Malibu SS with black leather interior and a SUNROOF! We had talked about getting a car with a sunroof for road trips and this was perfect. The test drive was smooth and the engine was in excellent condition. There were a few flaws in the cosmetics in the interior but nothing that can't be fixed. 86,000 miles for something within our budget- couldn't go wrong with that. With the payment plan we agreed on, the car would be paid off in 2.5 years. Martin grinned from ear to ear. Standing there in disbelief, we signed the paperwork and drove off in Martin's birthday car. WOOO HOOO- I love it when goals are accomplished!

We ended the night with dinner at Hooters with Kristie and Ernest. Martin drove, of course! We ordered an order of fried pickles for starters since they were on the happy hour menu. The boy ordered his usual bone-in chicken wings and beer and I ordered my usual- bleu cheese burger with cole slaw. Instead of the traditional dessert for your birthday freebie, they let him spin a wheel with a variety of goodies listed for possible prizes. Just so happen, the wheel notch broke off when he spinned it. They determined it was a toss up between free dessert or a themed t-shirt. He choose the t-shirt to hang in the man-cave.

On the way home, I remembered the call I got from my sister this morning about Butterball Turkey Bacon being $1 at Albies. Turns out, they sold out but I got a rain check for the price. While I was there, I picked up a large piece of cake to light up and make wishes on at home.

Once we got home for the night, the boys started in on the XBOX while I put candles on the cake and had the boy make his wishes. We divided the small piece into four cake bites accompanied by a bowl of chocolate chip ice cream. Perfect ending to a long day :)

SIDENOTE: If you're looking for FREE or cheap stuff to do on your birthday. Research is the best thing to do. You'd be surprised at what pops up on the search engine on the computer!

School Anticipation:

I AM SO NERVOUS and ANXIOUS!!! I think the waiting part is killing me more than anything! School Orientation is officially set and the payment is in the account ready to go. We have been preparing for this since December and have done so much between then and now.

Drum roll please... recap on things we've done:

*Moved and got roommates

*Got a second car

*Set a budget (got rid of all the bills we could), applied for scholarships and set payment plans

*Stocked the freezer and stock closet

*Got a computer and accessories (ie: student desk, computer chair and mat)

*Switched work schedules

*Got misc. items for the home

*Set a projected schedule to prepare for decreased time spent together (ie: house chores and date night)

That's a whole, heck alot of change for a couple of months! We been able to achieve all of this in the short 4 months we've been at this. That makes me one happy girl!

So c'mon May 6th! BRING IT ON!

Peace! <3

Date Night and Setting Healthy Routines

Weekly Date Night Tuesdays is one way we've been getting back together and focusing more on "us" then the craziness of everyday life. With starting school soon, I'll never have weekends off and won't leave time to spend together unless we make time. I always cherish the time we spend together. Last night, after a long day at work, we went to the revolving sushi bar we took Jordon to when he visited not long ago. We had to wait about 15 minutes to get a spot but the long long ahead of us dwindled in no time at all. I couldn't wait to get my hands on some Vegas Rolls and Martin was drooling over Ell Rolls. We talked, played and joked throughout dinner. I felt so connected to him. It was nice. It actually felt like an official date. What can I say... Im still a goushy romantic. We held each other and spooned like a fresh couple. So we came up with a plan: Date Night Tuesdays. Doesn't have to cost a fortune or anything at all... as long as we're getting out of the house and spending time together. I hope we can keep it up. I had a good time and I think he did too!

Along with that... Call me super organized, but I decided to dedicate days to certain chores as well to ensure house chores get done when things get cray. Like... Laundry on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Dusting, sweeping, mopping and vacuuming every other Wednesday. Clipping/Organizing coupons and organizing bills on Sundays. Food shopping once a month and couponing on Mondays. Nothing set in stone, of course, but its a good start anyway. All of it should be pretty manageable, even if working the same day. Once I land this goal, I'll work on meal planning again. I used to make all my meals in a day for the entire week. I would like to get back to that habit. In time, anythings possible.

Good night all!

Cheap Skate? I Call it Smart Frugal Livin'! Plus... A Visit from a Dear Friend.

Lately, I've been thinking of ways to bring my spendage down monthly.

I read an inspiring article from a family of four living off of $14,000 a year by purely budgeting, thrifting, and making as much homemade things as possible. This amazing individual is a stay at home mom who made a way for her family to live as comfortably as possible while her hubby goes to school and they receive nothing for income except $14,000/ year from the GI bill. Through living a thrifty life, they paid off their cars and paid cash for the home they bought. Pretty awesome, if you ask me. Her blog is www.blissfulanddomestic.com. Check it out!

Overall, I guess I found this to be such good reads because it ties in with my New Years resolution I set for myself this year. I vowed to live with less and find peace and happiness with simplicity. Money doesn't have to make the world go round- being creative, prep and research makes that possible.

Since the move, we've put our things away and started to fall into the everyday 'routine'.

Little changes I've made as follows:

*Hanging out clothes instead of using the dryer

*Scored a breadmaker (I named her "Wilma") @ Goodwill to make homemade bread

 

*Eating out less and making more food from scratch

*Map out my errands to save on gas

*Going to my favorite discount theatre as oppose to full price ones

*Set monthly budget goals as well as vacation goals

*Dived into couponing again to save on grocery budget

*Try to pay with cash to be more aware of what is spent

*Discovering that there isn't any shame in thrifting things needed as oppose to buying brand new

I can't say I'm a pro at it but I can say I'm trying to make changes to live a little more comfortably. Soon, I won't have the income I have now so sacrifices need to be made. I won't be poor but I feel that, if anything, this way of life will make my life much more enriched. Since I've been trying to see things in a different light, so to say, I've started to notice the beauty in enjoying the walks in the day with the dogs, the visits to the library or the local book store to catch up on good reads, a swim at the community pool, batting/fishing at the park or time at the local coffee shop to catch up on emails. There is so much more to do besides spending money everyday.

Did I mention one of my best friends came to visit this week from Indiana?! We had a great time! We did an arrayment of things while he was here and we still managed to keep within my goals.

Although I worked Mon-Weds, we still had a jam packed week.

 

Tuesday night, we 'visited' Jack Reacher at the local discount movies for $2 Tuesday.

 

Wednesday, I worked from 3am-6:30pm and Jordon caught up with other friends.

 

Thursday, we kicked off the morning by making homemade pancakes with blueberry syrup from scratch.

 

Afterward, we ended up bowling at the AMF in Tempe. With my discount card and instant text discounts... We played 5 games including shoe rentals for $10! I hadn't been bowling in what seemed like forever! It was so much fun. Jordon smoked me but I did learn a new bowling technique from him. Buy one, get one free Blizzards at Dairy Queen and making homemade wheat bread with crockpot broccoli cheddar soup passed time until dinner.

 

Martin, Jordon and I ate at a revolving sushi bar. The sushi spot was truly unique... Offering a variety of sushi, rolls and other treats ranging from $1-$2 a plate weather one sat at a booth or bar style- end of the day... I was stuffed for $7.

 

 

 

Friday, I woke Jordon up with the aroma of homemade Cinnamon Raisin French Toast. Afterward, I packed up supplies for sandwiches with a thermos of our broccoli cheddar soup and fresh wheat bread for a lunch. We headed off East toward Apache Junction to hike Silly Mountain. We took the easy trail that showed an amazing view of the city and the Superstition Mountains not to mention the blooming wildflowers (always a rare occassion for Arizona).

 

 Jordon wanted to visit my mom so we stopped by and we all visited and ate the lunch I packed together. On the way to the freeway, we drove past his old house he lived in during middle and high school. He was saddened by the weeds and poor up keeping of the yard but smiled when he noticed a surviving orange tree he and his father planted when they lived there. The changes our old high school (Apache Junction High School) made memories flood back in our conversations on the way back to the house. Burnt and exhausted, we took a nap upon returning to prepare for a long night out. Once awake, we munched on some In & Out Burger where I learned about the unadvertised 'animal style' option. Jordon told me about this option way they prepare to burgers with the works- extra sauce and loaded veggies on the burgers at no additional cost! I got all decked out in white leggings and a black shirt that outlined my figure with hair down in a head band. We were off to Amsterdam, a gay club in downtown Phoenix, where we met up with several of his buddies.

 

The club was very nice and clean. It was like 2 clubs in one with two rooms that offered completely different vibes. One was pop-like with dark lighting and the other one was hip hop with neon lights and a white environment.

 

The second one was busier than the first. The club had beautiful patios also with secondary bars. I served as the designated driver so I didn't get see the drink pricing but there was no cover.

I danced and had a lot of fun.

 

I'm such a people watcher and the variety of fashion, people and personalities kept the night alive. We closed down the bar- leaving at 2:30am and getting home about 3:00am. Boy was still awake playing Xbox and drinking some brews. Bed was calling us all by that time.

 

Saturday, Jordon played basketball with some of his friends that left me time to sleep in and make my favorite egg scramble (including sautéed mushrooms, onions, cheddar cheese and red and green bell pepper) with a side of fried sausage for breakfast with my babes. Once Jordon returned, we all got ready for the day and went to see Zero Dark Thirty at my favorite little discount theatre. This time, we stopped at CVS and got snacks to bring in since it was going to be such a long movie. The movie was good and better than I expected. It basically followed a CIA agent through her story as she brought down Osama bin Laden. An advertisement showed us if we brought our stubs in, we got a free scoop of Thrifty ice cream with the purchase of a cupcake or cake pop. Thrifty ice cream has a soft spot in my heart because my brother and I used to gather our saved change and walk to a Thrifty Drug Store down the street from my childhood home in Ontario, CA to splurge on scoop from their in-house ice cream parlor. Naturally, we went! We got a red velvet cupcake that proved to be amazinggggg and a scoop of pecan praline ice cream that I thoroughly enjoyed. Once we got home, we ordered the UFC fight and Jordon treated us to Little Caesars Pizza for dinner. My stomach was a knots after that! During the fight, I put a corned beef brisket in the crockpot with potatoes and cabbage and let that baby simmer. With the left over cabbage, I made some cabbage soup. I also baked some Irish Soda Bread. It took all night to cook and finally finish cooking at 4:45am the next morning. While the stuff was cooking, we chatted about his conflicting thoughts about staying in Indiana, planned a possible New York vacation, and watched a movie on Netflix until we feel asleep. It was nice talking to him about randomness. It was nice to have a friend here to catch up with.

 

Sunday (today), we woke up about 11:30am and I made biscuits and gravy from scratch for breakfast. We vegged, watched movies and tennis matches on tv until Jordon had to go. He left at 4p to the airport. Everyone busted into the delish corned beef and cabbage for dinner.

Of course, I made homemade Irish Soda Bread too!

 

It was nice to feel a sense of family during this St. Patrick's Day. Memories flooded my mind of past years on this day while watching the news airing stories on various traditions and the different meanings behind the holiday. To be honest, I wouldn't change a thing. Today was a good day.

That's all for now :)

Moving Blues, Smart Boy and SNOW in the Valley!

 Ugh... the hacking and gagging of moving- where to start! Is it the slow packing accumulation of all of your things ranging from the things you use least to the necessities? Organizing it all? The shelping of all those boxes (bins) to one central location before loading? Getting and packing the u-haul? Changing over all the utilities, misc. bills and mail? Riding like the Beverly Hillbillies with a packed car to the tee including the "kids" and all the loose crap that'll usually fall between the cracks. Rushing to unpack the u-haul so you can return it, pay an arm & leg for it, and pray it's the same condition returned as rented.

The knitty, gritty: so we completely procrastinated this move right down to the second. I packed lightly at first... took everything off the walls, packed the DVDs and books, decor and other things we don't need on an everyday basis. I left the rest of the packing until a couple days before "moving day". I left the boy to pack up the "man-cave" room. I tackled pretty much the whole house in a couple day span and placed everything in the dining room for loading. The boy's idea of packing was sitting in front of the TV and playing with his man toys while "packing". Yeahhhhh- the room was still not packed the morning of the move. He eventually got it together on his own time and terms.
He had to run to work and we didn't get started until about 11am. His brother helped him move all the contents of the house (minus a few loose car loads including the "kids" and the baby in the back seat) into and out of the u-haul. I had to rush pick up the keys and be available for the cable peeps to install the cable in the new casa. Luckily for me, it took up most of the day and I got out of the loading and unloading- hehehe. Whoops- did I say that? Hey- I did all the packing- that's a fair trade, right? I took pictures of all the 5-day walk through boo boos and listed them for the rental company. Towards the end of moving day, it was getting dark and quitting time was more than wanted- I dropped off the baby and we had a "family BBQ" with the boys and Kristie for helping with the big hurrah.
Boxes were everywhere for the next couple days! The toilet upstairs decided to leak into the kitchen cabinets about the microwave after boy used the "throne". I laughed when I told him he basically marked his new territory. The rental company fixed it and all was good again minus the list of minor things that need to be fixed. The "kids" are adjusting well, even though routines have changed since we are now in a 2-story. The way it is set up... our private domain is basically upstairs and there's plenty of room downstairs to make everyone comfortable. Still a 3 bedroom/ 2 bath but this has a balcony and small yard with a grapefruit tree, community pool and tennis courts. Did I mention... there's a STOCK CLOSET!!! Couponing heaven. I have a nice spot for my study corner in the new and improved man-cave (complete with min fridge and microwave). Our yard isn't as big but just big enough for everyone. There's a good amount of space for storage too. My hopes is getting the clutter put away and have a pretty nice set up. My drive to school is only 30 minutes away and there is tons to do nearby! Drive to work is now 1hr commute but when I go to weekends during school. Plus side- St. Lukes is minutes away. It won't be bad. All in all- Perfect starving student pad- low maintenance, good price, nice area, lots of space, accessible transportation in a pinch. We have yet to clean and turn in the keys to the former living quarters... but we'll get there.

Boy has announced he plans to return to school too! Spir-of-the-moment but good plan. We should graduate around the same time. It's not definite- but highly potential. He plans to do the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant 2 year program at Brown Mackie College in Phoenix, AZ. The school is only two streets up from where mine will be. He seems motivated. He has already taken the entrance exams and plans to begin sometime in August 2013. He has another meeting this coming up week. Proud of him and his initiative.
I set in the financial plan for the program I'll be attending this past week. With all the accumulated fundage- it looks very promising and possible. I also took a tour of the school. It was small but very personal. The nursing department takes over a complete "wing" or side of the building. I got excited as I walked the hallways and toured the classrooms- it is finally happening! Eeeekkkkk!
Announcement: Hell has officially frozen over! That's right- it snowed in the East Valley yesterday (2/20/13). "Phoenix Blizzard" as it was announced on the news. I noticed the gorgeous mountain top view I could see from work. The mountains were incredibly covered with snow as I walked patients down for discharge. The Superstition Mountains were especially snowy- right down to the bottom! My mother called me as I was getting out of work, telling me of the snow flakes falling onto her windshild as they were driving home. After a while, I noticed Martin was running late- 30 minutes late. I started to worry and I texted his mom, asking if he was with her. She had come to town to host a family birthday party for Anna at Amazing Jakes in Mesa, AZ. She texted me earlier telling me she might be running late due to possible road closures. The roads coming from Globe, AZ were very snowy and slick. That being said, when Martin arrived- I started to give him a hard time for being late when I noticed he was shaky and upset. I noticed the snow caked on the sides of the windshield as he explained he was in a near car accident. Apparently, a large truck slammed into a car in front of him- spinning the car and nearly hitting him. Thankfully, he swerved and avoided the accident. His heart was racing. I didn't catch the severity of the situation until I drove down Ironwood Drive (Gentzel) toward US 60 and I saw the smashed car sideways in the middle of the road- blocked by Pinal Sheriffs' and traffic for miles. I thanked God he was alright. As I got closer to the freeway, I noticed snow clumped on the side of the road and slick spots in the roadway. Even though there were regular dare-devils blasting through the freeway, I cautiously traveled much under the speed limit all the way to the birthday party and on the way home. Pretty view- dangerous conditions and multiple pile-ups!Peace! <3

Get-a-Way Casino TIME and a few more Tid Bits

It's been a while since I've written a line or two and I've noticed some dust collecting under my writers thumb so here I am :)

iWe finally got away on a little day road trip yesterday! It was quite the adventure. We started out out morning at 7:45am boarding the Cliff Castle Casino Luck Bus! The admission was $10 per person. It departed from the 99 cent only store in Apache Junction, AZ. We were the only younger couple who boarded from our location. We stopped at 2 locations in Mesa and 2 locations in Scottsdale. On the way, there was an on board movie, The Notebook, which is one of my favorite Nicholas Sparks flicks. Martin never saw it before and even admitted it was a good movie. After a while, we started to notice the clouds were hanging lower and there were clumps of snow on the sides of the road. We were awake the whole time.

We arrived to Cliff Castle Casino in Camp Verde, AZ about 10:30am. The casino gave us $25 in free play with an additional $10 to me since I had never signed up for their players club before. We were hungry and decided to eat at the Johnny Rockets located in the casino. We grubbed down on some cheese burgers, chili fries, bacon-cheese fries, and later a butterfinger shake. Yum mmm mmm. We jumped from machine to machine with no luck of our own. We usually just play the penny machines. We noticed many jackpot winners and good vibes around us. Unfortunately, none rubbed on us. We had a good time though. We left with less then we came with but our heads were high. I napped on the way home as Martin finished out The Notebook and watch Tower Heist. The was a lot more snow fall on the way home and it was pretty to watch the snowflakes dwindle from the sky onto the wide open mountain spaces that laid out to the sides of the road. Once we departed the bus, we had a nice dinner and drinks at Chili's and went home.

It was the perfect get-a-way for two stir crazy people who needed to get out of town on a thin stretched dime. It was simple but adventurous and fun.

On another note, we move next week! Snikes... That came fast! I have to admit that I am truly sad about leaving the house but I have to believe it is for the greater good. We found a townhouse in Tempe. This will cut the commute to school 30 min oneway. We also accumulated a lot since the last post. I've been the Craigslist queenbee! Got a used washer and dryer for $50- mismatched and dented but it works and beats the laundry mats! Student desk for $15 and a free office chair (cant wait to get my study corner set up). All in all, not a bad deal for a grand total of $65. I put a few things on layaway like a rug for the living room and a small tv for our room. I repaired the bookcase and dresser to refrain from buying new ones and arranged for the bed frame to be welded. We'll do some packing today and the rest during this next week. Moving day is February 15th and approaching FAST. There is an unexplainable amount of nerves and anxiety about all the changes that are happening and are yet to happen. I feel like shutting down at times to avoid everything but that won't fix anything or make it happen. I have to remember to take things one day at a time. When I think of everything as a whole, I get over whelmed. It's hard not to. Martin is a good support system. He puts my worry heart at ease. I set everything up at Banner to go part-time in May, working only weekends. Leaving me to stay with my sister during my work days. This will give me time with my family but Ill have to be away from home every weekend. With faith, determination and courage... Anything is possible.

One of my best friends, Jordon, is coming to stay with us March 11-17, 2013. I can't wait to see him! It'll be a definite positive to all of this stress. By that time, the dust will have settled from the move and we can have some fun before school starts. Sushi and shenanigans here we come!

More recent, Walking Dead starts again tonight! Marathon with my boy today :) It's the little joys in life that make everything worth it!

Ta ta for now!