Happy Thanksgiving!

There's a lot to be thankful for all the time, but here are a few of my highlights. Sound off in the comments about what you are thankful for this year!

I'm thankful for my husband who supports me in all my craziness and even encourages me. He makes it all worth while!
I'm thankful for my job and the fact that it gives me the opportunity to help people. So far the people I work with have been awesome and I've looked forward to going in each night. Some of them think I'm weird to be so excited to be there, but this place has real potential to be the best and I have the opportunity to help make that happen with them.
I'm thankful that today I get to start evening shift on the locked ward. It's a big deal and I'm going to meet the most interesting people there. Added bonus, my patients will be awake and interactive and I get to sleep with my husband at night! Yay!

I'm thankful that the kittens I first saw in October have come inside and are slowly getting used to us. It's been less than a week and already they will lay out in the open and eat in front of us. They don't like being touched yet, but we can approach them with out them freaking out now. I think they are between 8 and 10 weeks old and we have no idea what their sexes are yet. It'll be a surprise.

Cerberus

Tanus

Kate our gray chicken hurt her leg, but she's healing up and we're all thankful she is back outside with the other chickens. I don't think she liked being inside and watching her hobble around out there makes me smile. Hopefully in a few weeks she'll be back to normal!

Healing nicely!

Yesterday we discovered our first egg! I think Alexis laid it. It's tiny, but perfectly formed. I hope they stay spotted!

The first egg!

I'm super thankful that my household has come through this year almost intact and has even managed to grow a bit We will never be the same, but we are in the homestretch now and 2015 is going out on a super high note. I'm really thankful for everything I have and the chances we will have. 

Life is great and I get to find the awesome in every day. That is something to be thankful for. 

I got a job!

I started my new job at a mental/physical rehab center about a week ago and it's been great! At first I was sad that I had missed my chance at the hospital job, but I'm really glad my second choice had an opening. The only full time they had was graveyards, but I'm grateful to have gotten it.

I'm getting used to working the graveyard shift faster than I thought I would. The first few days I was a zombie and I was so tired I felt nauseous and dizzy. I could only catch 2-3 hours of sleep and it was miserable. My husband drove me for the first few days until I was more accustomed to the shift. I really appreciated that (he probably kept me from squishing myself and others) and now I'm able to sleep an almost normal number of hours in a row and I'm feeling better.
I'm really enjoying getting to know my patients and the other staff there are really helpful. I haven't gotten my access card yet so anytime I need to use the loo or get supplies I have to get someone to let me in. No one has complained or refused me yet and they help me when I ask. I wish the training period was more than 3 days so I could learn the unit better and have my card before I'm on my own, but that's what school was for. I think it's going well though.
I hope I will be happy there and it feels really good to be out in the world again.

It's starting to bloom!

My Book is finished!

Here is the big project I've been working on. I won't admit how long it took, but it took well over a week. Most of that time was me fussing with the paper and getting the folds just right. I love how it came out! I got the know how from Sea Lemon  on YouTube. She has some really great videos that are fun to watch.

All sewn up.

I used upholstery thread in three colors to sew the signatures together. It was soothing and the needle was dull so I couldn't hurt myself. I think that was my favorite part, although after sewing for a while my fingers were sore. 

I needed my husband to help me get it in the press (2 cutting boards with clamps) the first time. Paper can be slippery and I was afraid of popping my stitches.

Pretty ribbons!

In my usual fashion I went a bit overboard with the project. I watched the videos so many times I knew exactly where to stop it for the part I needed. I just wanted it to turn out well and not be like any other Book out there.

I love this fabric!

For the spine wrapping I chose a really pretty print. I wanted something better than an old sheet scrap to hold it together. My knowing that it's there makes me smile.

Super soft cover!

The blue leather I used to cover it was what set off this whole project. I originally got it to make power bags 10 or so years ago. I made the bags I needed then put the rest away, I had forgotten I even had it. 

Then I found it again when I was looking to re-cover my old Book. It's a 3-ring binder that I rarely use because it's hard to hold and bites me when I rearrange the pages. I wanted to breathe new life into it, or at least make peace with it. My poor husband said I should make a Book myself. That started the wheels turning and I was off!

The front paper is great!

On our anniversary weekend he took me to get the ribbons, glue and the end paper so I could finish it. He also got me the little corner caps. He's so sweet!

A little wrinkled, but that's ok.

I added a pen holder to both covers so it will always a pen when I need one. The back paper came out a bit wrinkled. I probably moved it getting it back in the press, but I think it adds character.

It opens well!

The real test was opening and shuffling the pages. The Book worked like a charm and nothing fell out. It even opens nice and flat for easy writing and reading. I was a little worried it would be stiff; I went a bit crazy with the glue.

The perfect touch of  bling.

I love the little brass corner protectors. They are pretty and functional. I want to try and emboss a swirly pattern on the cover to really finish it off. I hope it works, if not it still looks great!

It's a big Book!

I'm really proud of how it turned out, especially since this was my first time making a Book. It's around 500 leaves and is 11" x 8" x 3". It's the perfect size for recording a lot of info while still being manageable. I can comfortably hold it while standing if I want. 

I am very happy with my Book and now I need to find my ruler so I can start using it! 

I can't believe it's been so long!

Yesterday was our 11th wedding anniversary and I was lucky enough to spend it having fun with my husband. I can't believe it's been so long, it feels like only yesterday that we got married.

 He got us a chocolate mousse cake from Costco that I had been wanting for a few months. He even made sure to get the one with the least amount of white on it because I like chocolate better. It was the perfect cake, very rich, I hope it freezes well because it's huge. We had sandwiches and watched the movie Hocus Pocus. It was a great day!

Super tasty!

Over the weekend he helped me with a project I have been working on for almost 3 weeks now. He made it fit when I had trouble squishing it in the press and lining everything up at the same time. Thanks to him it will be better than if I had done it all myself. I'm glad he helps me when I need it!

It's going to be a big book!

He kept the chickens occupied while I tidied their yard (I think they like him better, he has bigger hands and can feed more of them at once). He's so patient with all our animals.

All in all it was a super great weekend and I'm really glad we got to spend it together. I plan to keep him for at least another 11 years!!!

They like him too!

Actively searching elsewhere now

It's been almost a week since I applied for more positions at the hospital and I haven't heard anything yet. Since that's where I really want to be I gave them all the time I could, but times up. I still have hope (it just won't die!), but maybe that's not going to happen for me at this time in my life. I'm still obsessively checking my job page there for any changes though.
I'm researching other places to work more thoroughly and have started applying. I'm pacing myself to about 4 a day so the number grows steadily until A: I run out of places in a 10 mile radius; or B: I get a job. There are a ton of places here if I'm not to picky.
In the meantime, my dear husband and I have decided to take up yoga and got some disks for clearance to try out. I'm not very good at it yet, but it's only been about 6 days and I'm already noticing an improvement in my flexibility. Even my knee seems happier now.
I feel great when I do it and it lasts almost the whole day. Plus, the scenery they have in the background helps to pull me out of the tiny world I live in. I'm trying to do it for 3 days then take a day off, that way I don't over do and it seems to be working for me.
The little grasshopper is still here and I've named it Jimmy. I've found out that it's not full grown and will probably stay until it is. Today it's been raining all day and the little thing really seems to be loving it.

Jimmy likes the rain.

The chooks don't like the rain very much and every time I go check on them they are hanging out in their house.

Is it dry yet?

However they all come out to eat from my hand, well almost all of them.

Snack time run.

They gather eagerly under the overhang while I scoop some out, then they peck my hand empty before going back inside.

It is snack time!

All of them except Kate, who's normally the friendliest. I wonder if she's put off by the big, blue laundry basket on my head (I can't find my umbrella).

She's having none of this nonsense!

I didn't get the position.

Sadly, I didn't get the position I applied for at the hospital. I really liked the person who interviewed me and I'm sure he just found someone with better qualifications than me. So, after finding out that I didn't get my first pick of spots I consoled myself with pizza and ice cream while making a new plan. Next time I'll play it cool and pretend I'm not super excited. I'm just grateful I found out so fast and can try again.
This morning I applied for the 4 positions the hospital has that I'm even remotely qualified for. I hope I get one! I really want the hospital because it offers the best benefits and will work with my schooling when I go back for the nursing degree. It's also where I worked for most of my life and I want to go home.
If I don't I will be applying to long term care and rehab facilities. I'm sure I would be happy with one of them, but I'm a stubborn little booger. If I don't try I can't succeed, right?
Now the waiting is on and I have cold pizza to munch for lunch!
Wish me luck please!

Bombs away!

I interviewed at the hospital!!

Yesterday I had an interview at the hospital and I think it went well. I was a bit nervous when I got there because I want this position sooooo badly. I was probably a bit hyper seeming when we started, but I was just so excited to be there.
 I answered his questions honestly and tried to stress the facts that I'm flexible, friendly, and dependable. I let him know that I would happily work any shift and the holidays and I look forward to overtime. I hope the fact that I've worked in the building before will be a plus now that they are a different company.
I really liked the man who interviewed me, he was friendly and very informative about what to expect if I got the job. It sounds like the new company is all about the patient which is what I want too.  I really feel like this is the place for me.
The problem was that he had answered my questions so well while we were talking that when he asked if I had any questions I just stared at him like an idiot. My mind went blank and I froze. It had been going so well until then. (Smack self in head!)
We wrapped up the interview and he said he had more interviews this week, but I should know sometime next week if I got the position. I really hope I get it! I know there are other ones in the hospital, but I applied for this one because I think I could learn a lot from it. Wish me luck!

On a side note, this little grasshopper has been hanging out on my rose bush for the last 3 days and I think it's adorable! It's a beautiful florescent green. and goes well with my bush.

He's cute!