HELLO FRIENDS! It has been a long time. I’m so sorry I have been so MIA lately. I won’t make any promises that I’ll be right back to blogging every week, but I am going to do my best to get more content out for the foreseeable future. This post is going to just be random updates from the last few months, and then I will get back to my normal weekly recaps next week (hopefully).
I’ve been pretty busy with work for the last few months. My full time nurse job at Vanderbilt has transitioned more into navigation which I am enjoying. I am working more with patients by helping them understand their treatment plans, help with referrals and appointments, and just being their main contact person if they need anything. I still go into the office one day a week and work from home the rest of the time. My office has just changed locations. I am also still working my part time nurse job- I try to spend a few hours every evening on it so I don’t have to try to get all my hours in on the weekend. It’s been working pretty well for the last few months! I am starting to get the hang of my schedule now.
Kyle’s brother got married in the beginning of October in Kentucky, and it was a beautiful day! The weather was perfect, and we had a great time celebrating Tyler and Jessie.
We stayed in the cutest and CLEANEST airbnb in Lexington. We opted for an airbnb so that Chance could come with us. I’ll link it here if anyone needs a place to stay in Lexington!
Pet travel tip: Put a dog bed in the backseat! Chance doesn’t do well in the car. He paces and whines most of the time. If it’s a long trip, he’ll settle down for a few hours once we get on the interstate, but he jumps right back up again if we get off at an exit for any reason. We use a car hammock like this one. We started putting his bed in the seat too a few trips ago, and it helps a TON!
I love decorating our porch for Fall! I don’t do a ton inside. I have some little pumpkin decorations that I put around the house, but the porch is always my favorite. However, next year, I am getting fake mums. I have fought the urge for year, but the mums I buy only last maybe a week every year. I have researched and tried so many different things, experimented with different amounts of shades, etc. but I just can’t keep them alive. But I love the way they look so I am just going to get fake ones next year!
My in laws gave me a monthly flower subscription for my birthday this year, and I LOVE IT SO MUCH! It’s definitely one of my favorite gifts. They come at the end of each month, and it’s so fun to see what the arrangement is every month.
Jaycey’s bachelorette party was at the end of October so naturally we did a Halloween theme. It was so fun! I bought the pumpkin baskets at Target and filled them with party favors like matching buttons, t shirts, temporary tattoos, candy, water, etc. A friend from home made the cookies for us- didn’t they turn out so cute?? I don’t know how she did it. I ordered this frame from Amazon, and we all signed it with our kiss marks.
We started the day at a place called Pulp & Pine in my hometown of Anderson. We all picked a project to paint, and I loved the way mine turned out. Isn’t Jaycey the cutest?? We had shirts made that have different, goofy pictures of the groom on them, and we all wore them for the party.
My sweet nana went to be with Jesus the first week of November. She was admitted to the hospital for what was initially thought to be severe hydration on October 29th, and then she quickly went downhill. I headed home on November 1st and stayed the night in her hospital room with her and my mom on the 1st and 2nd. We were able to get her moved to hospice at my Aunt’s house on the 3rd, and she passed in the early hours of the 4th in the comfort of my Aunt’s house and surrounded by her kids and grandkids. Community Hospital Anderson took such great care of her so my mom and I put together a little care package for them. Working in healthcare is not easy, but I am so thankful that hospitals are full of such compassionate and loving people. I miss my nana dearly, but I know she is so happy to be reunited with my poppy.
I stayed home for about a week total. I am so thankful for my amazing coworkers and boss who helped pick up the slack for me so that I could concentrate on being with my family. My nieces and nephews always bring so much light to our lives, especially during this hard time. I’m so thankful for the family I have.
We threw a surprise baby shower for my sister in law, Cassie, the following weekend. It was so nice to have something happy to concentrate on. And we pulled off the surprise! It was so fun. So many people who couldn’t make it sent gifts, Cassie’s mom hosted and created the beautiful food arrangement, my other sister in law, Anne, brought the incredible cake and cookies, and my mom and aunt came in early to help decorate. We are SO EXCITED for the baby to come- the due date is December 23rd.
Jaycey got married on November 20th! It was a BEAUTIFUL ceremony, and she was the most stunning bride. We had a blast at the reception, and my legs were still aching on Monday from all the dancing. WORTH IT.
I didn’t have a whole lot of things to buy decoration wise this Christmas season, but I did want a new tree collar. I loved the one I picked up from Hobby Lobby plus it was 50% off! I also picked up a few little trees and some cookie tins so that I can put together some goodie baskets for our neighbors this year.
Cassie’s parents hosted us for Thanksgiving day this year, and it was a wonderful time. Kyle had clinicals the day before and the day after so his parents came for Saturday and Sunday. We had a Thanksgiving meal with them on Saturday and went to the Christmas tree farm to pick out our Christmas tree. I even prepared my first turkey this year, and it turned out so good! I was so happy. Thankfully my mother in law and Kyle helped me figure out when to take it out of the oven. Without them, I would have definitely overcooked it. I mostly followed this recipe. I also went by some tips from Cassie and her mom. I first preheated the oven to 500 degrees and cooked the turkey in that for about 30 minutes, and then I lowered it to 325 for the rest of the time. I melted butter and added italian seasoning and minced garlic and poured it all over the turkey, under the skin (BLAH), and inside. I also stuffed the turkey with an onion, a ton of garlic cloves, and a few carrots. I think the total time I cooked the turkey was about 2.5 hours. It was an 8lb turkey. Kyle used his Meater to monitor the temperature.
I love how our Christmas card photo turned out this year. I ordered the cards from Zazzle and sent them out last week.
I put together a little snack station for all our delivery drivers this year because I ordered like 75% of our Christmas gifts so we appreciate them extra right now! I am sure they are insanely busy right now. It was really fun to put together, and I got the free sign template here.
I ordered my favorite SPF from Tula on Black Friday and decided to pick up this face mask stick too. I had heard good things about it, and it did not disappoint! The stick makes it super easy to apply, and it draws out all the impurities without drying out my face too much.
I’ve been trying out some new foods to try to get in some more protein, and these are four of my new staples.
Kyle has been SO BUSY with clinicals for the last few months so Chance and I soak in every moment we can with him when he is home. He is currently in his OB clinicals.
I spent the weekend wrapping presents. Does anybody else LOVE wrapping presents? I could do it for hours and not be bored. I bought most of our gift wrap at TJ Maxx this year, and I love how it all turned out. Kyle and I absolutely love picking out gifts for our friends and family. Now we just can’t wait to give them!
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Questions for YOU! Please comment below so we can chat.
- How was your Thanksgiving?
- What’s your favorite holiday to celebrate?
- Do you prefer a fake or real tree?