Vacation

I think I wasn't the only one who went on vacation this past weekend.  Details coming soon...

Nail Challenge Update

Okay so I know the two week challenge isn't over until this Saturday but I'm writing to tell you that my nails didn't last. However, I think, it was my fault and I'll explain.

Here is the after picture:

Pros
I liked the finish smooth and shiny
I liked how when I used hand sanitizer the gel finish on my nails didn't get gooey or "eaten" off
I liked how long they DID last (at least 3-4 days)
I liked how strong my nails were
I liked the manageability

Cons
I didn't like how precise you have to be when applying the gel
I didn't like how in order to "cap off" the edge of the nail you should have slightly longer nails
I didn't like how you buy the expensive starter kit and only have one color included
I didn't like how a new color costs approximately $10 give or take a few bucks

Ultimately I'm a "picker".  I love to pick at my nails and hangnails subconsciously and this challenge was no exception.  If the gel isn't applied exactly on the nail and some of it gets on your cuticle then you can peel it off but then you risk peeling too far into the nail bed.  Hence you risk taking off more than you expected and the nail finish is weakened.

I would love to continue using this product because overall I loved the way my nails looked, but does it hold up for the advertised two weeks...no.  In my experience no, this product doesn't last that long.

Trivia ?

Does anyone know what this is used for regarding nursing usually located in the med room?

Sweet 16 / Sunday School Craziness

I have had a pretty busy weekend because our family hosted a “Sweet Sixteen” birthday party for my daughter on Saturday.  I just can’t get over how old she is getting, and ready to have some freedom!  She officially turns 16 next week but we’ll be out of town on a much much needed vacation, so we had the party a little early.  

It looks like someone threw up decorations in our garage

One of her “big” gifts was a chunk of money from her dad and I that will go towards a car for when she’s ready to buy one.  She was so thrilled that she was pretty much speechless and pleased.  She takes her driving test at the end of next month and I’m praying all goes well.  I’m sure she’ll do just fine; I just want her to feel good about herself and do the best job that she can.  I know it’s not easy being a teenager growing up in our micromanaged household, so a little freedom in the form of a driver’s license is the perfect thing for her.  That and a J-O-B!  That should come in a few weeks because we’ve already got her a pre-interview and a promise to be hired after all the college kids go back to school at a fast-food joint.

Then on Sunday (yesterday) our church held it's first service in their new building and my hubby and I helped tag-team teach the Sunday school service for 4-5-and 6 year olds.  The first service we only had 10-12 kids and things went pretty smoothly, we were able to follow a lesson plan about the story of Esther, sang and danced, and ended with a snack before parents came to pick up their kids.

The second service went differently, we ended up with 24 kids (and even though the room seemed big enough with the other class size it quickly became too small) and all four of my family members helping out.  Shortly after all the kids were checked in, we realized there wasn't going to be any structure.  We just tried to survive the hour long service.  My hubby sat and read bible story after bible story, my daughter was taking kid after kid to the bathroom and helping calm down upset kids.  My son was the snack hander-outer and he basically (with my approval) kept handing out animal crackers to keep kids happy, while I just helped keep the volume down and break up kids from fighting and kicking each other.

The room was small, but everyone survived

It was an experience and the kinks will need to be worked out for future Sunday's so it makes sense that I'll be helping out only every 8 weeks AND we've collectively as a family have decided to only help out during one service instead of both.   WOW!

Tuesday Thrift Store Finds

I don't thrift store shop as much as I'd like to, but I think I scored big today!  Check out my finds:

This bed linen reminds me of the show The Partridge Family, I so totally dig it!

I'm not one for lime green anything, but couldn't pass this beauty up

Did you happen to catch it's a Nine & Co. handbag?  Sweet...score!

I didn't mean to have a cleavage shot, but wanted to focus on the white necklace, it was screaming my name

Do any of you go thrift store shopping?  If so, what kind of deals do you usually find?  Usually I'm looking for clothes, but love when I stumble on great accessories too!

Tips For Healthy Nails

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Thanks to one of my readers “K” for asking do you have any tips on how to keep nails healthy?! (ie: polishes, cream, oils?) Because I’m no nail guru I searched the internet and found an article from Reader’s Digest that suggests the following tips on how to keep your nails healthy.

The following information came from here, so read on and enjoy learning how to keep your nails looking their best!

Nails make it easier to pick up small things, clean a frying pan, and scratch an itch. They also provide an external sign of your health, with weak, brittle nails often signaling some nutritional deficiency. Ignore your nails and you could wind up with painful ingrown nails or annoying fungal infections.

Follow these 14 tips for not only well-groomed, but healthy nails on all 20 fingers and toes.

1. To keep your nails hydrated, rub a small amount of petroleum jelly into your cuticle and the skin surrounding your nails every evening before you go to bed or whenever your nails feel dry. Keep a jar in your purse, desk drawer, car — anywhere you might need it. Not a fan of petroleum jelly? Substitute castor oil. It’s thick and contains vitamin E, which is great for your cuticles. Or head to your kitchen cupboard and grab the olive oil — it also works to moisturize your nails.

2. Wear rubber gloves whenever you do housework or wash dishes. Most household chores, from gardening to scrubbing the bathroom to washing dishes, are murderous on your nails. To protect your digits from dirt and harsh cleaners, cover them with vinyl gloves whenever it’s chore time. And for extra hand softness, apply hand cream before you put on the rubber gloves.

3. When pushing back your cuticles (it is not necessary to cut them) come in at a 45-degree angle and be very gentle. Otherwise the cuticle will become damaged, weakening the entire nail, says Mariana Diaconescu, manicurist at the Pierre Michel Salon in New York City.

4. Trim your toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails. This is particularly important if you have diabetes.

5. Dry your hands for at least two minutes after doing the dishes, taking a bath/shower, etc. Also dry your toes thoroughly after swimming or showering. Leaving them damp increases your risk of fungal infection.

6. Air out your work boots and athletic shoes. Better yet, keep two pairs and switch between them so you’re never putting your feet into damp, sweaty shoes, which could lead to fungal infections.

7. Wear 100 percent cotton socks. They’re best for absorbing dampness, thus preventing fungal infections.

8. Stretch out the beauty of a manicure by applying a fresh top coat every day, says Susie Galvez, owner of Face Works Day Spa in Richmond, Virginia, and author of Hello Beautiful: 365 Ways to Be Even More Beautiful.

9. Make your nails as strong as a horse’s hooves, and take 300 micrograms of the B vitamin biotin four to six times a day. Long ago, veterinarians discovered that biotin strengthened horses’ hooves, which are made from keratin, the same substance in human nails. Swiss researchers found that people who took 2.5 milligrams of biotin a day for 5.5 months had firmer, harder nails. In a U.S. study, 63 percent of people taking biotin for brittle nails experienced an improvement.

10. Add a glass of milk and a hard-boiled egg to your daily diet. Rich in zinc, they’ll do wonders for your nails, especially if your nails are spotted with white, a sign of low zinc intake.

11. File your nails correctly. To keep your nails at their strongest, avoid filing in a back-and-forth motion — only go in one direction. And never file just after you’ve gotten out of a shower or bath — wet nails break more easily.

12. Massage your nails to keep them extra strong and shiny. Nails buffing increases blood supply to the nail, which stimulates the matrix of the nail to grow, says Galvez.

13. Polish your nails, even if it’s just with a clear coat. It protects your nails, says manicurist Diaconescu. If you prefer color, use a base coat, two thin coats of color, and a top coat. Color should last at least seven days but should be removed after 10 days.

14. Avoid polish removers with acetone or formaldehyde. They’re terribly drying to nails, says Andrea Lynn Cambio, M.D., a New York City dermatologist. Use acetate-based removers instead.

Let me know if any of these tips/hints were helpful for you.

2 Week Nail Challenge

If you’re like me you probably cried inside knowing that once you got to nursing school you were told no.more.nail.polish.  I love to live on the wild side and express that through my nail polish choices.  I have a bag full of different colors and top coats that my daughter and I love to wear especially in the summer months.  But I was always wondering if there was a way I could still wear nail polish during my schooling without the color being too flamboyant or the finish not chipping off (and causing nasty microscopic bacteria to grow and fester spreading germs to others).

That all changed for me yesterday.  I found a nurse working alongside me in the OB department who ALWAYS has a manicure done to her nails.  I figured she just took her hard-earned money and went to the salon.   But as it turns out I was wrong.  I was just finishing complimenting her nails again when she told me she made a tiny mistake on one of her nails.  I looked closer and saw the mistake but asked if she did her nails herself and she said yes.  I have to pause the story people because her nails, I kid you not, looked salon quality including the gel overlay that looks so beautiful and shiny.  Anyway she said she uses a gel polish hardening kit at home including a light that cures the polish to the nail.  I was so intrigued I looked it up online and sure enough I found what she was talking about.

The product is called Nailene Sensationail and here is the picture and video.  Go ahead and watch, it's fun and I have plenty of time to wait until you're done but continue reading when you get back.

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I purchased my kit right after I got off work yesterday from Walmart for about $50; I know that seems like a lot of money.  But if you like to have beautiful nails and can’t/don't want to afford salon prices this is the system for you.  My kit calls for enough nail product to last 10 manicures so if you do the math, in just a matter of two uses the investment will have been worth the upfront cost.  (This is not a paid advertisement for their company either, I just am impressed.)

It took me a while doing all the steps and sitting under the light, but by the end of my process here is my finished look.  

I didn’t want to cover the entire nail with the color because I love,love,love the French manicure look and in about two weeks we’ll see if this investment was worth it.  I’ll try to do a follow-up with a two week picture so you can see the results.  

Keep in mind I work in the medical field and every time I “foam in and foam out” using hand sanitizer from each patient’s room, in times past that stuff used to eat away my other nail polish, so I’m kinda worried but excited to see if this product can stand the test.

  If Nailene works well, I'll be using it during my schooling (keep that on the down-low and don't tell my instructors...hehe)

Either way for now I’m loving how shiny and strong my nails feel after just one use.  Thanks goes out to my friend from work who told me about Nailene.

Is This Normal?

I don’t know if it’s just me but does anyone else get the feeling of jealousy, when they start work and see a co-worker leaving from the shift before them looking excited to leave.  All the while you have a feeling of ‘oh great, another 8, 12 hours ahead of me’ quickly flashes through your mind before you start your shift?  Is this stinking thinking?  Will this pass?  Will I ever go to work excited to work?

Part of the problem is that sometimes as a nurse’s aide you’re not valued in the healthcare field, hence people can throw a lot of work your way or expectations of the “grunt” work.  Keep in mind the job isn’t glamorous or so difficult, but it is hard work!  Every time I go to work I fear my patient load will be too many, or that their acuity level will be too demanding for me to handle on my own.  I fear that I’ll have a handful of isolation patients that will require a lot of my time “gowning up” just to go in and out of their rooms.  Unfortunately other patients aren’t forgiving of the time spent helping all of my other patients.  I don’t like to have co-workers sit and complain or cuss and groan about their jobs because it brings the whole team down.  I don’t like nurses thinking that aide work is beneath them and that they can’t help bring a patient to the toilet.  I especially don’t like our floor being low-census and needing to be pulled to a completely different floor foreign to what I’m used to. 

I’m just wondering if I’ll have the same trials as a nurse, and if by taking out the responsibilities as an aide, will make my job as a nurse any easier or rewarding.  So many times on my way into work I smile at employees just getting off their shift or just coming on, and I’m met with a grunt or no acknowledgement at all.  I don’t want to be that kind of employee that doesn’t find favor in what I am doing.  I want to feel renewed, and refreshed and good inside through my shifts, but as time goes on I’m not sure that is even possible.

I am encouraged when I read the Word and it says in Philippians 4: 10-13, I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Also in Matthew 11: 28-30 where it is written, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Amen for God and his reassurances daily even in my discouragements.

95% Boooyaaahhh!

Ow Ow, just got my final grade for my summer class and it feels good!  Not a bad way to start the fall with a great summer grade!

Medical Monday

Hi everyone, welcome to Medical Mondays.

I'm linking up with Jane at From A Doctor's Wife to chat and get to know others in the medical field through our stories/writing.  I heard about this link up from Red at The One With the Red Stethoscope.  Check out both these blogs to learn more and I encourage anyone interested in the medical field to give it a try.

Now I'm going back to watching the women's 200 meters Olympic races.  Go USA!

Birthday Roll in the Mud

This past weekend was my birthday and what better way to usher in another year of life than to compete in a 5K.  Not just any 5K, but a girly, dirty, muddy 5K called The Dirty Girl Mud Run held in Welch MN at a ski resort this past Saturday August 4^th. 

The following pictures were taken by the ski resort employees who entered the race.  I, on the other hand, entered the race with a group of ladies from my church ready to get muddy.  I had been so busy days leading up to the race working but once we were there I thoroughly enjoyed myself catching up conversing with other women of faith.  My daughter ran by my side the entire time, urging me to get muddier at every turn, hill, and mud pile.  I obliged her of course and even slapped some mud on her back to show my enthusiastic side.  After the race the so-called showers were just a sprinkler system and hoses shooting out cold water that took my breath away as I tried to clean off.  Since we left right after the race to head home we didn't get completely clean until we got home.

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Look how muddy these ladies got

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This is one of four mud pits where you have to "army crawl" under the white ropes through the mud

This is a picture of my carload of ladies feet after the race not completely cleaned yet

I tried to soak our muddy clothes to loosen the dirt, but all I got was a tub full of mud 

Moving on, I’m thrilled to show you all a few gifts my hubby bought me for my birthday. 

From left to right my new insulated lunch box from the Rachael Ray series, a purple Nalgene water bottle (I just love the smaller spout so I don't spill all over my clothes), a fancy $25 backpack from Embark, and two necklace/earring sets that look so cute.  Besides clothes and supplies (notesbooks, pens, and pencils) I'm all ready for school to start.

After receiving all of these gifts it would be hard not to organize and ready up my bookcase and study zone for the looming school semester to start in 29 days.  Woohoo, second to my last semester of school is starting before I know it.  Lately I’ve been going over NCLEX questions and reviewing areas of my studies that are weaknesses for me.  I’m most super thrilled because my hubby has (once again) budgeted our family's finances successfully enough to allow me to work only 4-6 hours per week after school starts again in the fall.  He’s my hero, and this should allow for optimal studying and taking ownership of a great semester academically holistically!!!

Scalp Burn / Brain Burn

Two days ago people… only two days ago, I burned my scalp during an all-day affair at the waterpark with my kiddos.  What sucks is when you have a career where you wear your hair in a high pony or bun and all day long you think you’re wearing your hair too tightly but in reality it’s that your head is actually burnt and your scalp is screaming for sweet relief.  Meanwhile I was so busy putting sun screen on my kids, in fact I forgot to rub the thick protectant on my own back, and since my kids left to go tearing across the park to the nearest slide I’m baking under the merciless sun unaware until two days later where I can’t find enough scratching posts to rub my back on because my co-workers can’t/don’t want to scratch my back.

Anyway, only 33 days until I go back to school, and guess what??  This is going to be my last fall season at this school.  Not going to lie, I’m kinda sadden by that fact, albeit only a little sad, not a lot sad.  Reality is sinking in that I’m going to be graduating in 9 short months and after a little social gathering with some of my nursing student friends last night, I don’t think I’m prepared to be a nurse.  I know same ‘ole story with me complaining that I don’t think I have what it takes to be a “real” nurse, so I’m sorry for airing my insecurities but I do have valid reasons to be concerned.  I’m not like my counterparts, things don’t stick in my mind, they slip and slide around in my brain but I can’t just grab facts and pull them out when I need them.  Take yesterday for example when I told you about my social gathering and my friends are all talking up their summer nurse internships and what they are experiencing for example details such as medical open wounds that I just can’t remember.  Explicitly they were talking about a woman having a c-section and being sent home with a third degree open wound, then verbatim they went through all the different open wound stages and definitions and while some topics sounded familiar I didn’t recognize the details of what they were talking about.  YIKES, I just wanted to bury my head in the sand, instead I just shook my head and said uh huh, yup, right…all the while inside I was shaking my head thinking darn I should have memorized more or paid attention better.

I guess this is my cue to hit the books a little before school starts, practice some NCLEX questions, and do a lot of praying for my future (-;