Moving…Again

Eric and I are moving out of my mom's house we've been renting over the last year. She is getting married and preparing to sell the house. Plus, Eric and I's belongings have been sitting in storage over the last year and it's time to pull them out again and be among our own stuff again! We didn't want to buy a house just yet because we really don't know how much longer we want to stay living in Alabama and are trying to keep our options open. Ideally Eric and I would like to move back to Idaho…so if the opportunity presents itself we'll take it. In the mean time found a super nice 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment in Spanish Fort, AL. that we are moving into next weekend. We have quite a bit of purchases that will need to be made because we sold most of our larger items before we moved cross country from SLC, Ut. to Daphne, AL. We need a new TV, Chairs for our dining table, and a washer and dryer. We also want to sell our couch and buy a larger one…thinking a nice comfy sectional. We also are in need of a second car, so we've been car shopping too. Eric has been driving my dad's car for the last few months and we are ready to return the car he so graciously lent us and get Eric a good reliable car. He has his heart set on a truck or SUV, which I would love too! Since we already have a smaller compact Toyota corolla that gets great gas mileage, and Eric could literally walk to work from where we will be living. Plus having an SUV would be good for our outdoorsy lifestyle. We need a larger vehicle to toe bikes, kayaks, and whatever else. We are looking for a good deal so if you know of any let us know. Other than that my new job is going well, other than the complete information overload I have been experiencing. Eric is always busy with work as well, and works a lot off the clock at home now too. We are looking forward to listening to General Conference next weekend. We listening to a prophet's voice.

I have attached some pictures of the model apartment that we will be moving into. The apartment is beautiful. We will be on the 3rd floor over looking the pool and will be steps away from the awesome fitness room, wifi internet bar, and beautiful clubhouse. We can't have our own grill there due to safety code so its good we will also be right next to the pool area where the brand new gas grills are for us to use.

This is a picture of the pool, which is amazing and has one of the beach walk ins. I also like this picture because our apartment we are moving into is the one on the top floor overlooking the pool. I'm also excited to be on the top floor because we get to have vaulted ceilings. 

This is a view of the living room if you are standing in the sunrrom…yes we have sunroom!!! How cool is that!!! It is just an extension off the living room but it has lots of windows and a lot of natural light!

A glimpse of the opposite side of the living room and sunroom

The kitchen and dining room isn't as big as some of the other apartments we looked at, but it is still a good size, and since we get a discount on rent because of where Eric works, we get this brand new beautiful apartment for the cheapest price in the entire area of 2 bdrms available.

The Master bdrm! You have the beautiful on-suite bathroom, super high ceilings which I love and huge walk-in closets!

The guest bathroom! excited to have 2 full baths. In our last apartment we only had a 1 bdrm and 1 bath…and you had to walk through the master to get to the bathroom which was awkward when we had guest. So we are happy with the extra full bath.

The 2nd bdrm is massive and almost bigger than the master!!!!! I love it!!!!! It also has huge windows, high ceilings and a walk in closet as well. It also has an on-suite bathroom! Ooo la la!

We are excited to move!!! With a second bdrm we will be ready for visitors in no time…that reminds me…hahaha we need to buy a second bed hahaha…oh man!!! If furniture wasn't so expensive!!! hahaha

Keep Calm & Nurse On

It's official!!!! Lesley Nicole Hale, RN, BSN! That's right….I have initials after my name now!!!! I took my NCLEX last Tuesday, which is the National certification test for all nurses! The very next day I think I checked the website every 5 minutes. I kept checking but the results had not posted by 9 AM like I heard they would be. I walked from my bedroom to the kitchen to get a glass of water and then back to the bedroom. In a matter of a minute or two, I already had 2 missed phone calls and a text message from a friend congratulating me! I freaked out called my friend and she told me she just checked the website and saw my name pulled up as a registered nurse!!!! I just screamed I was soooooo excited! $25,000 dollars for one year of school all relied on me passing this test! It was such a relief to know it had all been worth it! I will never have to experience the stress of studying for and taking the NCLEX again because its a National Cert. If we move back out west eventually like we want to, I just have to send in paperwork and pay to be licensed in that state.

I also really need to pass this test because I recently just landed a job at the only Trauma 1 hospital in our area, The University of South Alabama Medical Center. I was hired as an RN for the 3rd floor, which is a "VIP" Med/Surge floor, but basically we get all the post-op cardiac patients, post-op Bariatric patients, and all other different patients. The staff on that floor are GREAT! Lucky for me while performing my practicum at this same hospital in the Burn Center, I was pulled to the 3rd floor one day to work, and I got to experience what this floor had to offer! My nurse manager is wonderful and I am so excited to be working for someone I like so much. I have completed all my drug and background checks, and filled out lots of paperwork and just got my badge made on Thursday. I start orientation tomorrow and will spend the rest of the week in it. The following week I will begin orienting on the floor I'll be working on, and get to start working with patients again! I am so excited to get to improve all my nursing skills!

I am so grateful to my husband and family who made it all possible for me to go back to school to advance my education! I never thought I would end up going the nursing route but I have been so blessed throughout the last year, and I am so excited to start bringing in the big bucks hahaha… well big bucks to me! Going from two incomes to one income the last year was very hard and a huge sacrifice for the two of us, but we are definitely seeing our hard work and sacrifice turn into things that are honorable. I am so grateful to a Father in Heaven who has been watching out for me and guiding me down this path! He definitely knows whats best for me and my little family, and I hope now that school is finished Eric and I can begin the next chapter of our lives and be able to expand our family by two feet soon! :)

Graduation and Hale Visit

Well by now you all know, I graduated from the University of South Alabama with my Bachelor's in Nursing on July 26!!!! It was a surreal day to be walking across that stage again, but it was exciting to have Eric by my side. I was so blessed to have my in-laws Van and Susan fly in for my graduation. They also got to stay for a whole week with us!

We did so many fun things while they were here. We ate at some of our favorite local southern spots, went to the movies and saw Wolverine, went for morning runs, went shopping in Fairhope at the boutiques tasting every flavor olive oil and vinegar there is, fishing, delta airboat ride, tour of the USS Alabama Battleship, and spent a full day in Gulf Shores at the beach and farmer's market. We were sad for Van and Susan to leave but are trying to plan a trip for us to see then around Christmas time! 

Eric escorting me across the stage

With Van and Susan

With the Winberg Family

With my biggest cheerleader! I would not have made it through without him!

My Graduating Class of Accelerated BSN students! Many long days and nights spent with these friends! So happy we all graduated together! I'm really going to miss seeing some of them every day!

On the pier in Daphne looking at crabs with Van

Eric and I on our very early morning delta airboat tour!

Susan and Van on the tour! Wind blown and all!

One of the many alligators we spotted on the tour! This was a 10 footer. We got a very detailed education on alligators and birds in the delta! It was awesome!

The view on the way back to the dock. Not a bad way to start the morning.

On the tip top of the Battleship. By this point I think we were all melting it was so hot and humid that day, and we had just climbed what seemed to be 40 flights of stairs

, and Susan had bonked her head on a tiny metal doorway, but we all have our smiles on.

Van and Susan in Gulf Shores

Outside Mary Anne's where we had lunch in Fairhope

Downtown Fairhope

The men fishing off the pier in Fairhope. We got caught in a bad thunderstorm and got drenched, but we had a fun night drying off eating pizza and watching movies.

We already miss mama Susan and Papa Van!!!!! Hope we see you soon!

He's 31 & Some Family Fun

Summer has been busy, busy, and full of activities. If it' not girls camp and youth conference, it's birthdays and vacations. My sister Nina and her hubby Taylor came down to celebrate my nephew Gabe's 5th Birthday with all the family. It is hard to believe that my little baby is 5 now!!! I was so glad they were able to come in town for a week to visit! We can't wait to have Nina and Gabe back in town next week along with my wonderful in-laws, and Uncle and cousins for my nursing school graduation.

My younger brother Aaron's 23rd Birthday Party at the house. We had the best steak ever and lots of yummy food to celebrate! We missed Eric though cause he was working. Ended up having to save him a plate.

With mom

My sister Nina, Taylor and Gabe…not their best photo ever bahaha

Nanny and Allie

Bowling fun!

We've spent days at the pool, and I'm glad to see Allie's bathing suit we bought her for her Birthday has been put to good use this summer.

Eric also Had a big day on July 10th! He turned the BIG 3-1!!!!! Can't believe I met him when he was only 24. It has been a great 7 years of birthday celebrations! I had planned to take him to Destin, FL. to the best water park EVER!!!! But the weather wasn't good so we took a rain check and instead spent the day going to the movies and to dinner. After the movie all my family met us at Chill, for some yummy birthday yogurt! We have had a wonderful summer and after next week, I plan to enjoy it  a lot more!

 This cute little baby has now grown into the most wonderful friend & husband anyone could ask for. I can't wait to have little ones just like him!

The day before his birthday I got this pic text from him bahaha. What a Goobe! I love him! 

Birthday date!

Orlando Panama Canal Zone Reunion

For those of you who need a little background on my family, my mom's family moved from Montana to the Panama Canal Zone when she was 1 years old. My grandfather got a job working on the Panama Canal. She grew up in the Jungle and on the Atlantic side of Panama. My dad is 1/2 Panamanian, spent some of his childhood in Panama and then moved to Alabama, when he was about 10 years old with his family. After he graduated high school, my dad moved back to Panama where my mom and him eventually met and married. Panama is also the place where my older brother Eric was born. I am connected to Panama not only through my dad, but also my mom. YOu'd never guess with her red hair, and green eyes :) 

Every year, the "Zonians" as they are referred to, have a huge reunion in Orlando, FL. I've known for a while that my mom was planning on going to the reunion this year, but with school, and work at the hospital there was no way I was going to be able to make it. Well, my preceptor took a week off for vacation resulting in me with a week of vacation because I am not allowed to work without her presence, since I work under her license. The morning my mom was to leave she stopped by the house to say by, and instead invited me to join her for week in Orlando! Eric told me to go, so I packed quickly and jumped in the car with my mom and we headed to Tampa. My Uncle Bill and his wife Debra live in Tampa, FL. so we stayed 2 nights with them until we could check into our hotel in Orlando. While in Tampa we went to this indoor trampoline place called Airheads. We had so much fun Jumping, playing dodgeball, and flipping around. 

We also had a girls day and went and got mani's & pedi's. On wednesday morning we drove the short hour over to Orlando and met up with my Uncle Stuart, Aunt Manuela, and cousin Amanda for breakfast at the hotel. We then headed over to Sea world and had a blast with the sting rays, dolphins, Shamu, and all the other fun sea animals. The weather wasn't very good in the afternoon so most of the rides shut down due to lightening. 

Back at the hotel we met up with the rest of Allen family and went to dinner at the Poolside Bar and Grill. Yummy.

 Thursday morning was the start of the reunion so after a morning workout and a delicious breakfast at the Buffet, I went back to the room to do homework, yeah I know! Ugh! It didn't take long to finish everything and then I met my cousin Amanda down at the pool! After catching some sun my mom and I went for hot stone massages at the Hotel spa. Divine! That evening we met up again with the Allen family for a yummy dinner at the Italian restuarant in the Hotel. When all the "grown ups" left for their high school class reunions for the night, I took my cousin Amanda to Downtown Disney to walk around and see the fireworks. We had fun dancing, shopping, and walking around picture taking. 

With mom

With mom and Amanda

L to R: Mom, me, Amanda, Stuart, Manuela

The Marriott Orlando World Resort

Legos

Lego Family…and me!

Amanda with frozen goofy

I'm suppossed to be cold but I like scared instead bahaha

One of my favoirte art pieces in the disney art store…If only I had a nursery to put it in wink wink  :)

Friday morning was full of reunion fun. We went and checked out all the vendors selling goodies. These vendors sold everything from Panama T-shirts to jewelry made out of hamburger seeds, and purses. My uncle Brian Allen just published a book and had a table set up to sell. He also had a book reading that afternoon, which was awesome!!! I was so proud of him! We had an Allen family reunion at Landry's seafood Restaurant that night and then went night swimming with my cousin Amanda.

Autographing books..He is kind of a big deal. Check out his awesome memoire book, "My Paradise Lost: Misadventure to manhood in the Panama Canal Zone

" By Brian Allen. The book is available on Amazon and Kindle.

 Saturday morning we woke up worked out again, went to breakfast, and then headed over to Aquatica. Aquatica is the Seaworld water park. We had a total balst and stayed all day! That night we went to the Panama Canal Ball. It was fun getting all dressed up and spending the evening dancing to panamanian music, although I did spend a good deal of the night keeping an eye my mom and swatting away all the pervy guys hitting on her. LOL! 

The group of us, plus mom taking the picture

My mom and Aunt Lori

Amanda and I

Everybody though Amanda was my mom's daughter and I was Lori's daughter. :D I've been told that my whole life that I look like Lori, some people call me Lori all the time cough, mom. JK

Picture with the Storers'. They were my mom's family's best friends and neighbors in the canal zone.

Sunday morning we woke up and had one last big breakfast everyobody before jumping in the car and heading back home. It was a wonderful, spontaneous trip, and I am so glad I got to share the week with my mom and the rest of the Allen crew. I also got to see some of the Winberg family at the reunion that was a wonderful surprise. My uncleTito, and my cousins Karen and Stephen made it to the reunion, and it was great to see them there.

Breakfast with the crew…and at the end in the back…see if you can spy me. :)

The 5 remaining Allen Kids. Steve was surely missed, as was Granddad and Fefe! I'm sure they were with us in spirit that week.