Meeting Jim Butcher

I LOVE Jim Butcher's books. He writes The Dresden Files books and there are 8-9 books already out and more to come. The new one called Changes just came out and I was debating whether to buy it because money is tight and I didn't want to spend frivolous money if I didn't have to (not that books are frivolous, but diapers and formula are more important). Matt convinced me to go to Borders in Lee's Summit (a town south of Kansas City with the closest Super Target) and see if they had it on sale. The book was $13 and some change so we got it. When I was at the check out, the lady said "Are you coming on Monday?" I'm thinking, what for crazy lady? I don't have money to blow on books! Apparently Jim Butcher was going to be there Monday night at 7pm for a reading and book signing. I got all the details and was excited. I got up at 0715 Monday morning and got the boys ready to go. We went to the bookstore and got our wristband to get our book signed. Then we did normal stuff and went back around 6pm. It was super cool. Jim Butcher's sister was standing next to me and we chatted for a while. People asked questions and he answered them. One of the things I like about his books is that his character, Harry Dresden is a smart aleck with an awesome, make me laugh out loud, sense of humor. Jim Butcher has the same sense of humor that his character does and I was laughing lots and loudly, because who laughs softly? Anyway, I got my book signed and a picture of my boys and I with Jim Butcher that I will post when I get it uploaded to the computer. It was an awesome time and the most excitement I have had in a while.

What I Learned from Red Velvet Cake

For my sister-in-law's birthday on Tuesday I made red velvet cake. I had never made it before and I learned several things. Here they are:

1. It takes TWO ounces of red food coloring to make red velvet cake. That is two bottles of red food coloring, and not the bottles you get in the four pack of food coloring either. Two index finger height bottles.
2. Be prepared for your kitchen to look like somebody had their caroited artery opened up in your mixing bowl. It was AWESOME! (but I like that kind of thing). It actually reminded me of a scene from Sweeny Todd.
3. You can make buttermilk from 1tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and almost 1 cup of milk. I never have to buy buttermilk again only to have it go bad before I use it all (or go more bad than it already is).
4. Never wash your red velvet cake dishes in the dishwater first because the water will look like someone's caroited artery was emptied into the sink. It just looks wierd as you try to wash the rest of your dishes.
5. For only this recipe, the cooking time on the recipe was exactly right and I was dumb and overcooked it. I think this is the only time I have cooked something for the exact amount of time and had that be correct.
6. Red velvet cake does not have to have cream cheese icing. As a matter of fact, some of the "authentic" recipes say that cream cheese icing is wrong. It is supposed to have a cooked milk icing that sounds really good but that I didn't use.
7. Neither Better Homes and Garden cookbook nor The Joy of Cooking had a recipe for red velvet cake. I had to go to Google. I think this is the first time I have looked for a cake recipe and not found it in my cookbooks. I was sad.
8. Most importantly, I really like Red Velvet Cake. It looks like the cake is bleeding and it has a good flavor and is very moist. Sweet!!

Snow

So, it is Christmas Day and we have lots of snow on the ground with more coming down. I worked last night and am waiting for the day shift nurses to get here so I can give report and go home. The precipitation started yesterday afternoon around three, when the rain turned to sleet and then to snow. I don't normally have to leave my house before 6:15pm to get to work by 6:45pm. However, last night I made sure I was in the shower at 5pm and out of my house by 5:45pm to get to work with plenty of time to navigate the weather.

I would like to think that I am a tolerant and kind person, however this morning has tested my patience. Several nurses have called and said they were stuck in ditches on their way and I feel bad for them - they attempted to come to work. They got up early to get out of their driveways and come to work. Then there are the people who called at 6:15-6:20am to say they were stuck in their driveways. What I want to know is why they are just now getting out of their houses and into their driveways. We had a blizzard advisory before people went to bed last night, so why didn't people get up early to check conditions, get themselves out of their driveways, and get their butts to work. I am trying to be kind and understanding, but really i'm just annoyed that I have to be here until others get here. I want to go home and go to bed. I don't want to get stuck in the snow on the way home. I want to get paid my time and a half for work last night, but since I'm on orientation, I don't get the holiday pay. Sometimes life doesn't work the way you want.

New Stuff is Always Exciting

New Stuff is Always Exciting...

For example, getting a new toy/movie/gadget is always a cause for celebration in my house. We get the "new stuff" and play with it right away - maybe all day. When I first got my iPhone I spent lots of time on it fooling around. We usually get a new movie home and open it up right away and watch it. If it's something I have really been waiting for, like the new Star Trek, I will watch the movie, then all the special features, then maybe the movie with commentary. However, after a while new things get less exciting. My iPhone is still way cool but it has lost some of it's inital excitement (however, new apps always make me happy).

A new job is like that in lots of ways. I was soooo excited when I was offered the new job. Boy was I excited. It was the job I wanted and I was so glad that they wanted me too. Then it took two whole weeks to start orientation so I was anxious to start. Once I got to the orientation, I was super excited again because I got my badge that says Emily, RN (Woot) and I could use it to clock in, etc. I even used payroll deduction in the cafeteria and that was exciting (although that is super dangerous).

Today is my first day on the actual floor where I will be working. I was excited to get up and come to work today, even though I had to get up at 0530. I was excited to clock in and start my day. Everyone here is super nice and I feel very welcomed. However, I feel like some of the initial excitement has worn off. I know that sounds bad, but let me explain. My preceptor feels like she doesn't need to show me some things because I will be working nights and everything is so different from days to nights. That is a bit frustrating. I know it's true for some things, but it feels like a cop out so she doesn't have to slow down and show me things. Maybe it's because I am just so tired and our patients are so good today - who knows. I am still excited about my new job, but now I am waiting to go to nights to start my "real" orientation. Maybe the "new stuff" excitement will return my first night. Then again, maybe not. I may be lucky to stay awake the whole night :)

Back To The Land of the Living

I have decided that since my life issues have seemed to be resolved right now that I can start to blog again. I took and passed my state boards in October (on Will's birthday) and have started orientation for my new job at a local hospital. I shall be working on the cardiac/pulmonary/telemetry floor. Basically we get patients who are moved from ICU but are still very critical. It is going to be AWESOME! I get to go to heart monitoring class, stroke class, and do advanced cardiac life support, where I learn how to run a code and push medications during a code. I'm super excited. I got my badge a couple of days ago and it said RN and I showed it to anyone who would listen.

Blake is now almost 4 months and weighs about 20lbs. He's HUGE and super cute. Will is three and terrible, but he's cute too. Matt is in school right now and is pursuing a degree in education. GO MATT! Life is good and all is well. I'm going to take this time to enjoy the relative calm that is my life before something bad happens, as it inevitably will.

My Trip To The Hospital

So, I went to the hospital about three weeks ago to have a baby. All went well and we have a new baby boy - Blake Matthew Ware. He was born August 27th at 0755 and was 10 pounds 2.6 ounces and 21.5 inches long. The whole experience was fine - the baby is great but being tired and trying to feed the baby is very stressful. Anyway, I had been there for three days when Matt went to the cafeteria to get a soda and something to eat. When he came back, he had trouble getting the door open. We had been having trouble with the door the whole time I had been there and the nurses said they had lots of trouble with that door but the whole wing was getting redone in October, so they just had to tough it out. Matt couldn't open the door on the outside, even when banging on the door, so I got out of bed to open the door. Well, I couldn't get it open either. The outside handle was a flat plate that you had to push to get it open and the inside had a big hook like handle to pull open the door. For some reason the handle of the door was not attached on the inside anymore and would not pull back on the bolt. I was stuck in the room for about 15 minutes while the maintenance man tried to get me out and then had to call for back up. He actually had to crawl through the server that connected the inside of the room with the outside to store supplies for the nurses. It was very interesting.

I thought it was funny and actually took some pictures that were way too dark to see anything. Blake was sleeping in the room with me and we were just fine. Matt was outside and he was VERY MAD. My mom was outside too - I think she was fine. After they got me out I did get to move rooms, which I requested while stuck in my room. Matt was mad about the whole thing because it is a serious safety issue that they could have addressed when the handle was having problems but choose to ignore. Matt's point was that if I had gone into cardiac arrest or started hemorrhaging, they couldn't have gotten to me in time to save me. The crash cart would not have fit through the space that the maintenance guy had to crawl through. I see Matt's point, but I still think it was funny.

Good Days With Toddlers DO NOT Come in Threes

You know how they say good or bad things come in threes. Well, that does not apply if you have a toddler. Yesterday Will and I had a great day. After I got up and went to the OB doctor, came home and had a nap, Will and I went to both Sam's Club and Wal-Mart for groceries and he was an almost perfect angel. He ran away once, but it was easily taken care of and he didn't run far. I was hoping for another great day today. What I ended up with is frustration, water and cat food all over my kitchen, a disaster in the bathroom, and an uneaten grilled cheese sandwich. I took my nap today around 11:30 and got up in time for Will's movie Tarzan to be over and for him to take a nap. I played on the computer while he napped. When he got up he took a bath and splashed water everywhere, but that is ok. Then I took a shower, but first I fixed him a grilled cheese because he was soooo hungry. He was supposed to eat while I took a quick shower and then we were going to play. The grilled cheese didn't get eaten, I heard a crash from the kitchen, and Will showed up with a wet butt and wet feet. For some reason he wanted to feed the cat but the cat already had clean water and food. Instead, Will ended up dumping the cat's water all over the floor and he put the food in the now empty but still wet water dish. I don't understand. He also decided he wanted to go potty so sat on the big toilet without his diaper (which had to be removed because he sat in the cat's water and he was wet) and proceeded to put his whole hand in the toilet water with some toilet paper and then drip it everywhere.

I'm so frustrated and angry, but at the same time I realize it's kind of funny. I can't really punish him because I want him to want to use the potty and he was just trying to feed the cat because he was hungry. Maybe tomorrow will be better.