Happy Halloween!

What a fun weekend.  Jack and I made our costumes on Thursday night, so that I could wear mine to work on Friday.  I was even voted one of the best costumes in the costume contest.  If you look closely, you can see a little pink bow in the baby’s head.  Hehe.  Saturday night Jack and I went to the Trunk-or-Treat at church and had fun passing out candy and seeing everyone’s costumes.  Tonight, we had our friends, Erin and Nate and their son, Charlie, over for dinner in a pumpkin.  It was yummy and fun.  The best was the individual size tapioca pudding pumpkins.

 

Halloween 2010 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Elder Uchtdorf’s Challenge

Jack and I sat down tonight to listen to Elder Uchtdorf’s talk: Of Things That Matter Most.  He talked about simplifying our lives as we turn our ways to the ways of the Lord.  Pheww!  I think that is my lifetime struggle.  It really is so easy to be busy.  If I cut everything out that’s on my calendar, I have lists of things waiting that could fill it right back up!  Sooooo… it’s my challenge for the next 6 months to seek a better balance in choosing the better part and refocusing on what matters most.

Swan’s Ugly Ducklings

Tamara, Lacey, Tate, Annette, Raimee, Monique, Liz, Tanyia, & Kay

 

     Have I mentioned what a great place  I work for?  SWAN Rehab (South West Advanced Neurological Rehab) is an outpatient neuro clinic.  We specialize in all things neuro.  The majority of our patients have had a Stroke or a Brain Injury.
     Tanyia and I started about the same time and Monique has been our OT mentor.  (Monique was my clinical instructor for my fieldwork time.)  Sadly she is moving on to another setting to broaden her experience at an acute trauma hospital.  Tonight the whole clinic got together for dinner to wish her a farewell.

 

     I’m so thankful for all that I’ve learned from Monique about how to continue the stroke recovery process and all of her out of the box ideas.  It won’t be the same without her!

WE are HEALth SoUth

I have been working for HealthSouth Rehab for almost 4 years (since I moved to Phoenix).  I work there per diem a couple of days a week (which means that I give my availability and they schedule me when they need the extra help).  It is an Acute Rehab in-patient hospital.  Last week was National Rehab Week.  It was fun to celebrate with all the Rehab docs, nurses, therapists, and patients.

Saving Money, One Hair at a Time

    I don’t really enjoy getting my hair cut, and I like paying for a haircut even less. Every time I go, I think about how Jack cuts his own hair and how he’s so willing to take new risks. Today, I did more than think about it- I had Jack do my hair cut.

    I tried really hard to not give any negative feedback in the process because I was determined to be happy with my haircut no matter how it turned out. Like Jack said, in the worst case scenario we can just go pay for a haircut after all. I ended up doing some of the front of the haircut myself, and I’m about as pleased with the results as I normally am with any haircut. I was even able to keep a bit of A-line.

    Right now, I’m actually window shopping online while Jack writes my blog post for me.

Get Together

                    Melissa was in town for an extended weekend in honor of Max’s birthday.  Grammy, Melissa, and Maile came over for family dinner tonight.  It was nice to get together and hang out.

 

Melissa also brought my finished Americana quilt.  (Doesn’t it look great!)  I had pieced the top together (with Andrea’s help on the layout and fabric choices) over the summer when I spent a long weekend in Henderson and Melissa offered to quilt it with her long arm quilt.  She used red white and blue variegated thread and even quilted stars into the pattern.  Pretty cool.  (I don’t have a separate family room from living room yet, but someday when I do, I want to theme the Family Room in reds, whites and blues.)

Landscaping

       Jack and I went to a Landscape show this evening.  It was nice to be outside and enjoy all the different yard ideas.  Here are a few pictures Jack took of ideas we liked.  Of course, these are all just ideas to store up for the future, but it is fun to look.  We are planning to put grass in the backyard (right now it’s just dirt and scattered weeds).  So, that will be our landscaping project for the Fall.  We need to grade the ground, so that when it rains, the runoff will go where we want it and not pool on the patio.  It really is nice that Jack enjoys yard work so much.