Happy Sunday everybody! I hope you had an awesome week 🙂 I had a full week so this is probably going to be a long one…

Monday: Today was my first day at my new job! It was just basic hospital orientation, but I was still so excited. I had my morning smoothie, a turkey wrap and salad for lunch, and we went to Applebee’s for dinner. They have an amazing grilled chicken with grilled shrimp and mushrooms on top with red potatoes. Yum! Kyle, Chance, and I went on a run before we went to dinner. We ran 1/2 mile, walked 1/4 mile, ran 3/4 mile, walked 1/4 mile, and ran 1/2 mile. The weather was great, and we both did really well!

Tuesday: Orientation take 2! Smoothie, salad, and I don’t remember what we had for dinner… This whole no camera thing has really made documenting things hard! Praise the Lord we went to TMobile and got new phones tonight! The guys in the store were soooo nice and stayed over just to make sure everything switched over correctly. We’ve had great service so far and the prices were awesome. They even had a deal that if you traded in a phone and got an iPhone 8, then you got another iPhone 8 for free. Woo hoo! We also took Chance for a walk once we got home.

Wednesday: Orientation day 3! I did a mini morning yoga session and had my smoothie. I do this yoga video every morning, and then add on a longer one if needed/if I have time. It really changes my day for the better.

For lunch, I had a salad with lettuce, chicken, blue cheese, cherry tomatoes, and light vinaigrette dressing and sea salt and vinegar kettle cooked chips. I now have an unhealthy love for blue cheese which I need to get under control…

We then headed to IV insertion lab. It’s crazy how much more comfortable I am with starting IVs than when I first graduated. It was one of those things that I thought I would always be scared of. Shows how much a little practice (or a lot) can do.

I needed a little pick me up because the rest of the day was online learnings. This hazelnut, almond milk cappuccino hit the spot.

Today started off a little rough because I side swiped a car when I was parking in the parking garage at work which I have NEVER DONE. Literally have never even rear ended somebody so this was devastating to me. I left my information and had to keep telling myself that it was going to be okay. Luckily, my car took more of a hit than the one I hit. What a way to start out the morning! Anyways, when I came home, Kyle had dinner cooked and had my favorite coloring app set up on his new tablet. I’m a weirdo and coloring relaxes me. I literally sat there and colored three pages while Kyle finished dinner. He grilled a bunch of chicken and burgers. We had grilled chicken on pretzel buns, and they were DELICIOUS. Yay for comfort foods! We then headed out for a long walk to finish the night. I love night walks with my two boys, so relaxing and comforting. *Side note that I feel like I have to include, I do NOT go out at night or pretty much anytime by myself. I ALWAYS have Chance with me and Kyle whenever he isn’t working. I believe there are good people out there, but this world is also a scary place and we have got to be on guard at all time. So whether that’s getting a dog, pepper spray, a handgun, whatever it is, take it with you and learn how to use it. Your protection is ultimately in your hands and your hands only. My best friend is SO KNOWLEDGEABLE about this topic so I am sharing one of her posts below. Read it, soak it in, and use it.

“This country has changed, so accept it. WOMEN, accept the fact that you can’t go for a blissful run with headphones in. You can’t go to a girls night out and then walk home by yourself. You can’t go to the grocery store with your children and nonchalantly let them run. You can’t, for one second, let your guard down. What you CAN do, is be knowledgeable and prepared! You can go for a run, but take pepper spray or a knife with you. You can go to a girls night out, but always stick together. You can take your children to the store, but always be aware of your surroundings. You can also get a carry permit and a handgun and learn how to use it appropriately. There is absolutely no reason you can’t do things you enjoy, but don’t be ignorant to the fact that this world isn’t what it used to be. You simply can’t afford it.” – Shaylynn

That gives me goosebumps every time I read it. Thank you for your words, Shay. They could possibly save someone’s life.

Thursday: Chance and I started the morning with a walk.

Then I had my smoothie and watched some of a facebook video by Jordan Lee Dooley. It was all about living our purpose. I’ve learned so much through this study so far, and we’ve only just begun. I love it!

I barely ever get to wear cute clothes because I am always in scrubs so I am living it up this week while I can!

Work was allllllllll computer system learning so I knew coffee was a must. I had an almond milk cappuccino with a pump of sugar free cinnamon syrup.

Lunch was a caesar salad with chicken and pretzels and hummus. The main hospital that I was training at had large windows all over the lobby so I sat out there to get some sunshine while I ate. It’s a natural pick me up 🙂

I may or may not have had another almond milk cappuccino after lunch… 😀

Only one more day of having to wear my orientation badge! This is my “I survived computer training” selfie.

My box from Chewy was at my door when I got home! I LOVE this company. I order Chance’s food, greenies, treats, and pretty much everything from this site. They have everything, it’s cheaper, and they autoship it every month so there is no forgetting and having to run to the store at night for food! Also, they sent this super cute note with his second package. How sweet?!

Chance and I headed out for a walk before I had to leave again! It was SO NICE outside. I wore leggings and long sleeves and was still comfortable. This is my favorite kind of weather. YAY FALL IS COMING!

My mom and I met at The Wine Stable in Pendleton for dinner before I headed to bible study. I had a salad with arugula, tomatoes, grilled steak, blue cheese, and light balsamic dressing. It was DELICIOUS. I love nights with my mom. At bible study, we had a great talk about living our faith out in the world because it can be super hard sometimes. It is so amazing having a group of girls to bond with and talk about life with every week. I am so happy to be a part of this amazing group of women. Find a small group! You won’t regret it.

I got a random burst of energy (probably all of the coffee I’ve had this week) and knew i had to get it all out. Chance and I headed out to do some sprints! I just did it based on how I was feeling so I didn’t have a set distance. I just went until I couldn’t go anymore, and it felt so good!

After every walk/run, we make Chance sit outside the door while we take him off his leash and open the door. It teaches him to wait until we tell him he can get up. It’s the little things that help with puppy training! Look at that good boy…

After we got back, we were both exhausted. I showered and Chance laid outside the door. Then when I got in bed, he managed to migrate to the floor next to the bed. hahaha He was beat. At some point in the night, he managed to get himself into bed and slept. Little baby!

Friday: LAST DAY OF GENERAL ORIENTATION! I have enjoyed my first week, but I am so pumped to get on my unit and work with patients again.

Yoga and my morning smoothie for the win.

Early morning mile walk. It was so nice outside, and the weather was perfect! I mean, look at those skies. These walks really give me the time to soak in God’s beauty and makes me take a step back from this crazy life.

Last day of getting to wear cute clothes to work! I really need to clean my mirror…

I had an almond milk cappuccino on my drive to work.

So funny nursing confession… I haven’t been around most medications a part from chemo and other cancer related medications for almost two years. We had to take a general medication exam this morning, and I was a little nervous. Turns out, most of what I learned in school stuck with me and I passed! I was so relieved and it made me realize how much I have learned while being a nurse. It was a good feeling! I guess all of those hours and hours of studying in school paid off even after taking my boards 😀

I got a big bowl of fruit post test. It had pineapple, cantaloupe, and grapes. I am so excited to be able to have a place to store my own food at work again because this cost me five dollars!

Officially done with orientation! Woo!

So I have been wanting to do this for a while, and I decided to stop pushing it off and do it for myself! I signed up for smile direct club and am getting invisible aligners to fix the spacing issues in my smile. I was scared that people would think I was being vain or silly by doing this, but you know what, who cares! I was letting dumb reasons keep me from doing something I really wanted to do. Enough of that! I headed to Avon after work for my FREE fitting and consult appointment. The girls were SO SWEET and explained everything to me so well. They made my molds by using this 3D scanner. It was so cool!! It literally took 30 minutes, and I was done. They sent me home with a sample of their whitening gel and my own brightening light. Next, a doctor will look over my scans and send me information of what my smile will look like when I am finished and how long it will take. The average is 6 months. Isn’t that amazing?! Also, it is SO MUCH CHEAPER than any other type of teeth alignment, and the aligners are barely noticeable. I am so ready to get started! I left feeling so excited.

I picked up a Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken from panera on my way home. It is one of my favorites for sure!

After eating, I brushed my teeth and used my whitening gel and light for the first time! You just paint the gel on your teeth and put in the mouth piece. It plugs into your phone, and you use it for 10 minutes twice a day. I already can tell a difference, and I have only done it twice!

Chance and I then headed out for a long walk. There is a path that goes all the way around my apartment and the neighborhood next to me, through a park, and then back through my complex. It totals about 3 miles so it’s perfect!

The path is so open and beautiful.

My new podcast obsession! My cousin, who also happens to be in my bible study, introduced me to it! It’s called Girls Night with Stephanie May Wilson. Steph is an amazing blogger and entrepreneurer who has a passion for loving women and helping them realize their worth through Christ. She covers a million different topics and interviews a ton of other women. I. Love. It. This episode was about finding your fitness happy and concentrating on being healthy, not skinny. So good!!

Kyle requested more pictures of Chance and I for when he is gone from us for a few days for work so we had a little photo session while we were out. I think they turned out pretty well considering every time I turn on my camera, Chance looks the other way. He’s a little camera shy, but he is so cute!

Two cool things from our walk! On the left is a sign that someone had hanging on their fence. How funny is that?? Kyle would love one of these so I am ordering one for his birthday. He prides himself on how protective Chance is of me so it’s pretty perfect. The picture on the right is a new dog washing station our apartment complex bought for everybody! I guess they saw that we all use the car washing station to give our dogs baths. How nice is that!? I am pumped!

Chance and I finished at 3 miles!

I’ve been dealing with a lot of headaches lately so I made a bath with epsom salt and lavender to help me relax. I hold a lot of tension in my shoulders which causes a lot of my migraines. This helped a ton! I also used my Dead Sea Mud Mask while I relaxed. I love this mask SO MUCH! It pulls out so much gunk off my face (gross, I know) and feels amazing.

I had a smoothie with frozen raspberries, blueberries, almond milk, and protein powder. Then we were off to bed!

Saturday: 

I woke up at seven and the sky was so beautiful, we headed right out for a morning walk.

I spent the rest of the morning cleaning. I did the floors, carpets, bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, counters, cabinets, and fridge. It felt so good to get everything done! I love cleaning, it relaxes me and makes me feel so much better.

Chance and I then headed to my parents’ house with Jimmie John’s for my dad and I. My mom is out of town so I am helping her make sure he gets fed! I also needed help with choosing my new insurance, and he wanted to look over my car. I truly don’t know what I’d do without him! He makes my cars last forever, and he explained all of my insurance stuff with no problem and helped me pick the best options possible. Love him!! It was so good to have some daddy-daughter time! Chance also loves him to death. My dad rough houses with him, and he loves it. Then Chance calms down and goes and lays on him. So cute!

Post playtime, he had to make sure the coast was clear and then take a nap.

Once we got home, we went on a quick walk and I got ready for going out with Lexie for her birthday!

We went AXE THROWING! I can’t explain to you guys how much fun we had!! We went to Ragnarok Axe Throwing in Castleton. I found a groupon that included an 1 1/2 of throwing for $55 for both of us! The first 15 minutes or so included us coming up with funny names and learning how to throw the axes. They are all about safety so we felt totally in control once our instructor walked us through the different throws. We then went through a series of game show like challenges against another team. It was a great way to meet new people and make awesome memories. It was actually pretty exhausting! My Fitbit even tracked it as a workout. Hahaha If you’re in the area, I highly recommend Ragnarok. The workers are so kind and really know what they’re doing. Our instructor actually grew up throwing tomahawks with her family so she really had a passion for it and knew her stuff. GO GO GO! We plan on taking Kyle and Lexie’s boyfriend, Shane, back ASAP!

Lex is obviously a pro, and I am obviously not… 😀

Once I got home, Chance and I headed out for another walk. Side note, the shorts I have on are my new favorite shorts. The brand is RBX and they are super lightweight and soft. Jaycey gave them to me, and I am obsessed.

It was so beautiful outside, and Chance and I had a great walk!

While we walked, I listened to Girls Night again! This one was all about blogging so it was super helpful to me!

Once we got back, I finished cleaning and had popcorn for dinner. Don’t judge, I haven’t been to the store in 2 weeks! I’ll have to take care of that on Sunday. I paid my bills and finalized my budget for September and then headed to bed.

Sunday: Here we are, back to today! Chance and I were up at 7 again.

We walked one mile in the awesome morning weather. I listened to another podcast episode while we walked. This episode is about how to not let social media make you feel bad about yourself and constantly compare yourself to others. I definitely struggle with that, and I am excited to listen to the rest of this episode while I am out running errands and walking today.

I did a little yoga session to help loosen up my shoulders. I have got to figure out how to not hold so much tension in them. Anyone have any tips?

I had a big cup of coffee with vanilla almondmilk creamer while I wrote this recap post.

I took a break to make my go to smoothie, and someone stole my seat….

Chance is standing on the couch/ windowsill and was watching the puppies outside. It was so funny. Usually, seeing other dogs makes him nervous when he’s inside, but he just stood there wagging his tail. So cute!

I took a break to grocery shop, food prep, and go on a long walk. But now I’m back, and I’m going to finish this!

It was a little warmer outside than I planned for, but it’s always freezing in Aldi and Meijer so it worked!

NERD ALERT: I got so pumped when I saw the Spirit Halloween sign. FALL IS COMING PEOPLE.

Almond milk cappuccino for the win! I am a firm believer in treating yourself so when I know I have a bunch of errands to run, I grab a coffee or kombucha to go along with me. It’s the little things.

The picture on the left is my haul from Aldi and the picture on the right is my haul from Meijer. Praise the Lord that there is food in my home again! These groceries will last me close to two weeks with maybe having to pick up a few things in between. Healthy eating does not have to break the bank!

It took about 30 minutes to clean and cut up all of my fruit and veggies that I will snack on for the next two weeks. It makes reaching for a snack when I’m hungry so much easier! I feel a ton better now that I’ve switched out my processed sugars for fruits and my potato chips for organic chips and salsa or veggies and hummus.

Chance and I headed out for a 3 mile walk when I got home. It was so nice and sunny outside. I wore a hat because my scalp will burn due to my hair being so blonde and thin. Protect your skin, people! I finished my podcast from this morning, and then moved on to another one. This one is about finding our worth in perfectionism and how that can lead to anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. This topic holds such a special place in my heart, and I love hearing other people’s stories on it. Our stories are so powerful and can truly help so many people.

Now I am off to get cleaned up and wait for Kyle to wake up! We’re going to grab dinner and have some much needed family time. I hope everyone has an AWESOME labor day, tons of yummy foods, and lots of laughs with family and friends!