Hello my name is Christine and I am a Nook addict

Ok I am more than in heaven with this thing. A cheap bookstore at my finger tips.. OMG am I ever in trouble.

So I have decided to embark on a journey through the world of Jane Austen. I have been a fan of the movies and now its time to embark on an expedition of sorts. The complete works of Miss Jane starting with Emma continuing on to, in order, Lady Susan, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion (which I can't wait to read) Pride and Prejudice and finally Sense and Sensibility. All for a mere pittance of 99 cents total!

I also have two other books that I am half way through and a series of books I stumbled on that of course, if you knew me at all you know; Once I start a series, even if its in movie form, I HAVE to find out what happens next. Why am I a 35 year old women reading Percy Jackson series, the new Lost Hero series & the Witch & Wizard Series... pretty much at the same time?

I got a Nook

Now I just have to figure out how to use it. LOL They have How to use your Nook classes and B&N.

21 years ago...

I met the love of my life. We have had our ups and downs. Some days I wasn't even sure we'd make it through. But once upon a time a girl met a boy and they...









Lived ever after, even it wasn't always happily.

Puppies 5 1/2 weeks

This is usually how it is. The triplets are all usually together and Moo and Tika, the smallest, and first born, of the group are together.

Tika is going to her family for Christmas, she'll be 6 weeks so it should be fine. She'll be a spoiled little girl.

Finally here is a good picture of Moo. As all his spots are getting darker every day I hope to get a good picture of those too. Imagine all the white you see speckled with Dalmatian spots. WTF are these dogs mixed dogs with I wonder???

Forcing the Christmas spirit

With 5 days till Christmas, we have finally decorated the tree, however, we are not decorating the outside of the house this year. I made some christmas cookies and did some shopping. Although with that too, I have a few more things to pick up and can't really afford to buy the big gifts right now the kids each want. Its kind of a depressing Christmas season for some reason. I have no idea why.

I have a job, I make more money and I feel broke. Weird. I think I just need to sit down and look at the budget and get some control. Then maybe I can trim the fat, get the kids the after christmas, spend the gift cards, presents that they really want.

After all I am working the 24th, 25 & 26th. I think that's why this year just doesn't feel right.

School Part 2

Ok so I start Essentials of Nursing-Health & Safety. Which is a more in depth review of Care planning and the Nursing Process. I am exempt from Essentials 2, because of my NCLEX-PN. So then its Micro and Humanities I have not decided which course I want to take yet for this one. My choices are music, world religions, ethics and humm I forgot the other. I am leaning toward world religions or ethics.

School Part 1

OK the game plan has been set the info has been given. I have dropped the expensive 4 year program and am starting Essentials 1 & 2, followed by Micro and Humanities for this semester.

Um.. yeah I think that's it.. yeah that's it... Ummmm? LOL

Puppies 4 week update

They are all so funny. The triplets as I call them (Smith, Wes & Sako ) are a riot and love to play with people. Tika ( aka Lucy as her new family is wanting to call her) is a peanut of a thing and the smartest of the bunch of course. Moo is cute as hell a peanut and well a bit standoffish. He is not sure about people and thinks the vacuum makes good eatin'.

They are all lapping, piddle pad training & eating soaked puppy chow. Mommy could care less if they ever ate. So guess it's a good thing that they took to food easy enough.

So in reverse birth order:



Wes
Smith
Sako
Moo
Tika

And so...

Yeah the ADN option has opened up and I can start classes this coming January. Its accelerated so I can finish in about 10-12 months as long as I am able to finish my 8core classes and 2 co reqs within the time frame of 5-6 week intervals.

At this point the key words are faster progression. It would make more since to be able to have that RN sooner. The money opens up faster and the BSN part can come in later.

With that said though of course nearly all of the hospital jobs for RNs are saying BSN preferred, and there are no new grad jobs. So of course there are some hurdles to everything... but since I have a job already the options are plentiful after getting that RN because even if I have to continue to work in LTC until I do manage to get that coveted OR position, it comes with a hefty salary increase to help pay off my other student loans.

Now to hurry and get my ducks in row on this other track and get moving.

Of course now I have to tell the other school that I would rather defer placement.

But come on.. bust my ass to get to NCLEX in early 2012 or bust my ass to get to NCLEX in 2014?

Just when I think a decision has been made...

Options open up and I change my path. 20% reduction in cost, employer contribution & graduation in 2012 instead of 2014... I may need to rethink my plans.

Ah Christine you have such good ideas...

I love hearing this at work from my Charge Nurse. Its all starting to come together and the bigger picture is that I can actually see where my critical thinking skills are really coming in handy with this group of residents!

Now if only I can figure out a way to rid ourselves of a few of the big PIAs among them ;-)

July 2014

Is set to be my graduation date from LPN-BSN program. Is it me or does this seem like it is going to take forever? The only road blocks for me are that I have to repeat A&P I & II... although I think I should since I can promise you that in the mode I took them I didn't learn a whole heck of alot. On the plus side I don't have to take an entrance exam again or take Chemistry... lol

So my schedule for the next oh.. 3 1/2 years looks like this.

Year 1

FOUNDATIONS FOR GENERAL EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS 12/20/10 1/31/11 MON
INTRODUCTION TO ORAL COMMUNICATION 2/16/11 3/16/11 WED
INTRODUCTION TO FINITE MATHEMATICS 3/22/11 4/19/11 TUE
ETHICS IN MANAGEMENT 5/11/11 6/8/11 WED
HUMAN NUTRITION 6/15/11 7/13/11 WED
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I 7/20/11 8/31/11 WED
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II 9/7/11 10/19/11 WED
MICROBIOLOGY 10/26/11 12/7/11 WED
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY 12/14/11 1/18/12 WED
CRITICAL THINKING 2/1/12 2/29/12 WED

Then finally the core nursing classes begin!!

Year 2
INTRODUCTION TO COLLEGE OF NURSING 3/21/12 4/18/12 WED
PROFESSIONAL NURSING ROLE 4/25/12 5/23/12 WED
THEORETICAL BASIS FOR NURSING PRACTICE 5/30/12 6/27/12 WED
PHARMACOLOGY I 7/11/12 8/22/12 WED
PHARMACOLOGY II 8/29/12 10/10/12 WED
PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT 10/17/12 11/28/12 WED
MEDICAL/SURGICAL NURSING I: ACUTE 12/5/12 2/6/13 WED

APB/001 ASSESSMENT PERIOD 2/13/13 2/20/13 WED AKA Clinincal/HESI

Year 3

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND GLOBAL HEALTH 2/27/13 3/27/13 WED
PSYCHIATRIC AND MENTAL HEALTH NURSING 4/3/13 5/1/13 WED

APB/002 ASSESSMENT PERIOD 5/8/13 5/15/13 WED AKA Clinical/HESI

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE AND INFORMATION TECH IN HEALTH CARE 5/22/13 7/3/13 WED
MATERNAL - CHILD NURSING 7/10/13 8/21/13 WED

APB/003 ASSESSMENT PERIOD 8/28/13 9/4/13 WED AKA Clinical/HESI

COMMUNITY AND FAMILY NURSING 9/11/13 10/9/13 WED
PEDIATRIC NURSING 10/16/13 11/27/13 WED

APB/004 ASSESSMENT PERIOD 12/4/13 12/11/13 WED aka clinical/hesi

HEALTH POLICY, LAW, AND ETHICS 12/18/13 1/29/14 WED

Year 4 ( Feb-July)
MEDICAL/SURGICAL NURSING II:COMPLEX AND GERIATRICS 2/5/14 4/2/14 WED

APB/005 ASSESSMENT PERIOD 4/9/14 4/16/14 WED aka clinical/HESI

NURSING LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 4/23/14 6/4/14 WED
NURSING SYNTHESIS 6/11/14 7/23/14 WED

Blah... teenage boys

Anyone want an emotional 16 year old, spoiled, self entitled... breaks his Mom's heart type of kid? Comes with his own attitude problem.

Urgh! Why is it that some kids can throw around the word hate and its no big deal to them?

I am not liking the teenage boy phase as much as I used to.

More drama than the girl!

Puppy Update

3 weeks old and we have started feedings with solid mush and are going to start "potty"training too. Breeders say to section off areas of their environment so they learn to "crate" train without a crate so that they will house break easier.

So since we have gated them into my master bath and set up their bed for sleeping and the eating area is separate I think they will be able to learn. Aussies are very smart dogs!

Orientation

Is on the 13th... wow it seems like it was forever ago that I was writing just about the same title onto my blog...Could it really have only been Tuesday, January 6, 2009? Wow here we are coming up to 2011 and it feels like not much has changed, but it has. Its been nearly 1 year since I graduated nursing school ss an LPN. Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Revisting these posts has made me just about as excited as last time... except, I know how bad its going to be.