Photos from August 2008

Hoping a new computer comes soon!

As you can see, I am trying to update our blogs look...BUT my laptop died and I am transitioning to another so I do not have my programs on this one {this one is not my permanent new one} so I cannot finish the look until I get photoshop on this or my new computer...ugh!!!

Tomorrow morning I am giving my resignation letter to my manager. It will depend on which side of her bed she gets up on as to how it will go. Wish me luck! :)

AS for updated pictures of Garrett...he is now 6 feet tall and going to high school! Seems so long since I have been able to get pictures on here... ha! Soon enough I will have a new computer and be back to normal.
It is en-route and will be here soon!

More later...

New Job, Diabetes, and Computers!

I officially accepted the position with the Cleveland Clinic. I will be the Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology Research Nurse starting October 6th. Yahoooooo! I am really happy about this. The position sounds great for me. I will be working autonomously and yet together with 2 other nurses heading up research projects as well as clinically. I am happy that they want me to work clinically with them so I can work on acquiring hours to take the Certified Diabetes Educator exam (hopefully in a year). The people in the department are really nice and are excited that I am going to be working with them. It's such a good feeling to be loved!

On another note, Steve, our cat, was diagnosed with Diabetes this week. He has had the classic signs of diabetes for a couple of weeks now {I was in denial} weight loss+increased appetite+increased thirst and urination. He is on two shots a day of Lantus Insulin. The vet wants to re-check his urine for glucose in a few days and blood work in a few weeks to see how everything is working for him. He has been on insulin since Wednesday and already has more energy and seems better. He is psyched because the vet wants him to eat wet food {which has always been a treat} and less dry since the wet is higher in protein and lower in carbs.
What can you do! He's part of the family.

So my laptop has unofficially died! Ugh! I have been switched over to another one in the interim but I feel lost without my own. All my programs are on MY computer ie: photoshop, printing press, all my photos...
My last few posts have been kind of boring since I am not sharing any photos with you. I have so many that would be fun to share BUT I can't. I will have to put a slide show on here when I actually get them into this computer. I have taken so many since the last time. My Mom was here, park photos, Garrett, Garrett, and more Garrett! :) I will have some soon...I promise! WHY I ask all the time, am I NOT on a MAC? WHY? well because I can't afford one right now but still, WHY?

I am going to go work on getting my photos switched over so I can share. :)

Woo-Hoooooo!

I got a call last week...random call from the Cleveland Clinic. I was on the couch, drugged and trying to sleep off some pain, but I answered anyway. It was the Pediatric Endocrinology Department calling to ask me if I would be interested in interviewing for a Research Nurse Position with them. {Am I hallucinating or did someone just play a REALLY bad joke on me?} So, I took the bait. "Yes, I would be interested in talking to you more about this position AND how did you get my name? I didn't apply for this."

{side note} I do insulin pump trainings for kids who are going onto pump therapy for their diabetes. The clinical coordinator (Kim) and the NE Ohio sales manager (Kathleen) BOTH gave them my name and thought the position sounded like it was designed for me! {smile}

Today, I went to the Clinic for the interview. If anyone who reads this blog remembers back to February when I interviewed for a similar position with another hospital (the one I currently work for) and you may remember how grueling the process was...8 hours...8 physicians...30 minute increments each, 4 nurses...a lot of waiting...

Today was much different. I went in at 2:30pm met with the department administrator and then was asked if I would like to sit in on a presentation by visiting physician who does lots of research projects on growth hormone. Then at 3pm I went in with their nurse practitioner (who I already know from working on projects for the Camp for Kids with diabetes out here *which was great!*) we chatted it up about the job, about camp, any chit-chat about people we both know. 3:30ish I met the medical Director along with the two nurses and a clinical coordinator {at the same time} and heard more about the position and what it's like to work in their group. As Dr. Rogers (med. director) was talking, I could have sworn I kept hearing him offering me the position but in my mind I just kept thinking, 'he's just talking hypothetically'. Well folks, He wasn't talking hypothetically. He offered me the position ON THE SPOT and asked when I would like and could start. He thought my attitude was a great match for their team! But just to make sure he was really serious, his Nurse Practitioner reassured me he was serious. :)
After a lot of babbling, drum roll please, I GOT A NEW JOB TODAY!
I go back to work on Monday after being off work for 3 weeks and I can give my notice!!!! I can not tell you how happy that makes me in my heart and soul! YEAH!
Woo-Woo! Mama got a new job!

Down and Out

I have been down and out for the last week and a half or so. Had some surgery and have been on my butt trying to recover as soon as I can. I am fine and all is going well. It just takes a lot out of you to get back on your feet~ even with the help of vicodin! ha ha



I have been keeping tabs on my friends and family through the Internet, email, and blog-world as I sit here though. :) My lovely sister, Rita, tagged me to say she loves my blog so I get to share a few blogs I like to read and keep up with. {caution} I have to admit, this is the first time I have been tagged so bare with me!

Here goes:

Here are the rules:
(1) The winner can put the logo on their blog.

(2) Link the person you received your award from.

(3) Nominate at least 6 other blogs.

(4) Put links of those on yours.

(5) Leave a message on the blogs of the people you’ve nominated

...so now I am passing along the tag to those who's blogs really make me laugh and make me aspire to be more!

Stephanie Pedersen You are such a great friend and I love to read your blog: funny, kids, husbands, and crafts! You are Superwoman when it comes to making anything! :)


Kendra Wirig She Rocks! 3 boys and a laugh a day! I admire your photography skilss to no end and still look at the pics you took of Garrett and they take my breath away!


Jen Harvey Sweetest girl on the block! We have to get together for the canvases and a card night!


Shelley Renolds I only know you through the blogging world but I am such an admirer of your photography and the love you have for your family.


Jennifer Pebbles I am a blog-stalker of yours! I read and laugh and get all kinds of ideas from you. I admire all your work and get to other really cool blogs through yours! If we lived closer, we would have to be friends! ha ha


and just for the fun of looking at beautiful photography, Audrey Woulard, your photos ROCK!


More of my friends need to start blogging so we can keep in touch and read about each others lives and see each other through pictures!

NOW THERE IS A GOOD CHALLENGE!

FRIENDS NOT BLOGGING YET~ IT'S TIME TO START! :)

Chow for now, dear friends!

Block Party

Here are a few pictures of our fun and successful Block Party!

Where have I been???

Oh my where have I been? It's been how ling since I have posted anything? Almost a month! Oh my goodness! Time flies by when you are busy and having fun.

Well, we were in New Hampshire for a ten day vacation. We rented a little cottage on a picturesque lake in Wolfeboro NH just a bit (2 hours) north of Boston. My side of the family has seemed to invade this area since we all grew up and left home. My parents and brother live in the next town over, my sister Stacey and her family live in Wolfeboro, and my other sister, Rita, and her family live in the next town up, Mirror Lake. It's so nice up there that you almost get lost in the nostalgia of summer.

We arrived in Boston (on Friday) to a beautiful sunny and warm day. It was beautiful. We drove an hour north to Brian's Mom and Dad's house and about an hour later these dreadfully dark clouds started to roll on in and thunder started to boom. We got a terrific thunderstorm during dinner and it didn't stop raining (except for brief moments) until the following Friday. There was even a funnel cloud and talk of a tornado that touched down in WOLFEBORO NH. It rained and rained and rained some more but it didn't dampen *well it did dampen* but didn't hurt our fun. We went swimming until it was lightening out, the kids got out til it stopped and then got back in again. We ate lots of yummy food {I did have an AWESOME lobster roll} and spent time with all of our family. Garrett had a blast with all of his cousins and played until he was seeing cross eyed every day. He loved every moment of being there and so did we.

Since getting back, I have also been busy working on putting together our annual street Block Party. Whew! It's a lot of work to try to put together a fun party for around 100 people. I put together the invitations and made most of the plans for the day. It started out with a parade with the kids riding bicycles and the Euclid Beach Rocket Car leading the way with LOTS of noise and music. Then the car zipped off and took people on rides for an hour. Then we played some games and had a really fun cake walk. Around 4pm a city Firetruck came by for the kids to see but had to leave shortly after getting there due to an emergency. We had a bunch of games planned so it simply lead into game time with sack races and "how many people can we stuff in a car". From there we had a potluck dinner/dessert and a raffle of prizes from local businesses and people on the street who made things. We played a couple more games and a pinata after and dinner to end the night. It was a great success and we had more people come out than any other year we have been living on this wonderful street. It is so nice to know you have great neighbors who care especially when you live far away from your family. I am proud that our street party was such a success but mostly I am proud that we had such a great number of people who came who got to mix and mingle and meet those who live around them and to see just how great it is.