Conference on the Beach

Yep! That's right! Eric and I spent Sunday listening the General Conference on the beach! Don't worry…we didn't swim. There were red and purple flags flying so it wasn't really safe to swim anyway. We left the house early in the morning and headed to Gulf Shores. It was cool when we first arrived to the beach, but by the time conference started it was close to 80 degrees, sunny blue skies, and a nice breeze was blowing. We walked up and down the beach looking for seashells, took naps, and suntanned. Love quality time with the hubby, love the beach, warm weather, and listening to Conference!!!! Not really loving the sunburns!

Promotion

Eric got a promotion at work to Supervisor! We are very excited for him to advance within the company and for the pay raise :) I am a little sad because I know this means he will be gone even more than he is already with work, but it is a much needed blessing, and I couldn't be more proud!

Other good news:
1) I am in the top 15% of my class at the University and have been asked to be in the University Honor Society.
2) Eric's parents are coming to visit us for my graduation in July.
3) Eric has a new calling at church. In addition to being the 11 yr old boy scout leader, he is now the newest Gospel Principles teacher.
4) 2 weeks until I finish my Adult 2 Class/Clinical!!!! You have no idea how excited I am for this class to be over! No more 3 hr nights of sleep, 4 am wake up calls, 72 hrs worth of paperwork a week, or papers and test every weekend.
5) Spring has sprung and today it was 81 degrees here and sunny! SO ready to breakout my swimsuit and hit the beach! I have never needed a tan so badly!

Easter in Dixie

Eric and I are finally home with my family for Easter. This is the first time that we have been able to celebrate with them since we met 6 years ago. Easter weekend started a little bit earlier for me than expected due to some unexpected events at school. Thursday morning at 9:30 I was headed back home from Mobile instead of staying at the hospital and I also had friday off of school. With all this extra time I know I should have utilized it wisely and got a lot of work done and instead I just enjoyed my long weekend off of school :) Oh well!

Saturday morning I went with my mom to her bootcamp workout class. Mind you I have not had an intense work out for quite some time due to my crazy school schedule and I must admit a lack of motivation on my part. The class was held in downtown Cathedral Square in Mobile. After a brutal hour of running and every lunge and squat you can think of, we made our way over to the Spot of Tea for breakfast. Yummy! I got the Monte Cristo and it was divine. Following this we went home showered and went to lunch with my mom's friend at the Olive Garden, followed by shopping for easter clothes and easter dinner. Then we made our way over to my brother's house and visited with them until dinner time. We all went to Champy's, a really good fried chicken joint here in Daphne. It was also very good. Eric finally got off work and tried to meet us there for dinner, but unfortunately he is still learning his way around, and I guess he misunderstood me when I told him the name of the restaurant, so he ended up eating his meal take out at home :(

Sunday morning was lovely. We all donned our Easter Sunday outfits and headed off to church for a beautiful 3 hour long service. Afterwards, we rushed home to take pictures, cook easter dinner, and hide 100 easter eggs in the yard for the grandkids. We had a blast enjoying a very yummy dinner, the egg hunt, and watching the Duke/Louisville basketball game. My sister-in-law's parents were in town and were over at out house for easter. They are from Kentucky and are huge Louisville fans. We were a little upset because in our household we are all huge KU (Kansas Jayhawk) fans and they lost in overtime this weekend. So even though we are bummed out our team was out of the tournament we enjoyed watching the other games this weekend.

Eric and I have enjoyed many Easters together over the years. Since Easter 2009 he has surprised me with Easter baskets, candy, flowers, jewelry boxes, love notes, even a Kindle, but this year we kept it simple. We exchanged easter baskets of course. He knows me well and included a few of my favorite candies…Godiva Dark chocolate truffles, Reese's, Starburst jellybeans, but my favorite of all gifts came in a little tin egg. Inside the egg he had written the most beautiful of all letters I have ever received. He handed me the letter before we left for church but I had no time to open it until I was sitting in church. When I read the letter, a stream of tears quickly began to flow and I was overcome with emotion. I love my husband so much and I am so blessed to be sealed to him in the temple for time and all eternity. He is my best friend, and the love of my life. We have been so blessed this Easter season and are so grateful for our Savior who gave everything,  even his life, so that we could all return to our Heavenly Father someday. He suffered for me individually and knows my heartaches, my sorrows, my burdens, my pain, and can lift these from me though the power of the atonement. I am so very very blessed!

Here are a few Easter pictures we took yesterday. Enjoy and God bless!

After Church

Us with my mom

With my Dad

Easter baskets

Group shot minus the photographer

Daddy's girl

My brothers with my mom

Eric rocking on the front porch

Thomas egg hunting with his daddy's help

Allie even found a few eggs

Thomas's big Easter egg from the Easter bunny

Walking around outside the house

Allie wasn't that into it…maybe next year :) 

Thomas has enough candy to last him till Halloween!

Arts & Crafts

This past weekend Eric and I along with my dad went to arts and crafts in downtown Fairhope. We had a wonderful time walking around to all the booths and eating yummy fair food. I was super excited when I found out that they were selling turkey legs (my favorite)! We had fresh squeezed lemonade, and enjoyed the beautiful blue skies and warm sunny weather. We all ended up a little sunburnt by the end of the day, but it felt nice to once again have some color to my skin. All this studying indoors is affecting my skin color. :)

Gorgeous day!

The Dogwood Trailmaids! I think the one in the yellow is named Lemon Breland!

Sucking down some fresh lemonade

Eric checking out some cool sculptures!

Resting under the big oak tree!

My high school friend's band performed and we were able to catch them playing! 

After a long day in the sun, Eric and I grabbed some frozen yogurt from Chill! It was delicious and refreshing! I love days where I can just enjoy me and Eric time! We are looking forward to spring, graduation, summer vacations, and hopefully some visitors! 

Nursing School: Over half way done

I'm over half way done now with my BSN program and coming up for air before I start back to school on Tuesday. I just completed my OB/Peds rotation at the hospital and it was amazing. I experienced things that at one point in my life I questioned if I would ever get to. I witnessed to births, vaginal and c-section, drew blood gases from an umbilical cord (which is slimy let me tell you) and I worked in the newborn nursery. The newborn nursery for me was my happy place. I loved assessing all the new little babies, and giving them their first baths. Working with those babies made me hungry for my own. I can't tell you how many baby dreams I've had since starting this last rotation. I also spent some days in the NICU and PICU. I actually got  to assess a baby who weighed 1lb and saw a baby who was born and weighed 14oz. Ahhh, crazy! It truly is amazing how far medical technology has come. I will be starting my last big clinical rotation before starting my practicum on tuesday. I can't wait to get these 7 weeks over with because it will be mostly downhill from there. 152 days till graduation!!!! Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!! I can do it, right?? Let's hope so. I did pass my mid-curricular HESI! yay!!!! One less thing to worry about :)

From white to blue, now I'll be back in white….did I mention I hate the white scrubs! :(

Mardi Gras

The past few years my dad's side of the family…the "panamanian" side…and all my cousins plan a reunion at Mardi Gras. We had a blast this year going to the Daphne and Fairhope Mardi Gras Parades and introducing Eric to his first real taste of it all. I think he is slowly getting used to my huge crazy fun amazing wonderful family. I am so lucky to have such a close knit loving relationship with all my cousins and aunts and uncles. Get ready to be photo bombed!!! I have a lot fun times to share with you!

Some of the floats at the Fairhope parade

My cousin Kerri and I showing off some of our catches!

Cousins Kristen and Kerri! We had so much fun!

My brother Aaron and his girlfriend Nadia!

Eric at the Daphne parade, his very first mardi gras ever!

When we got home we had to show off all of our loot!

Family night after seeing Identity Theft with all the cousins at my Tia Ali's house!

Awkward family photos! Bahaha!

Getting lovin from my sweet nephew Thomas!

We also squeezed in celebrating Kerri's Birthday. She trurned………48!! Yeah can you believe it! I guess to look like that at 48 I should teach Zumba! :)

Dad with his brother Tito and my 3 aunts, Odie, Ali, and Millie!

Thanks family for a fun Mardi Gras season!

Sweetie Pie Day

Eric and I kept it pretty simple this Valentine's Day due to school and work schedules. We exchanged gifts, kisses, and saw Safe Haven at the theatre! I love my Sweetie Pie!

Love notes and flowers from my honey! He also cleaned the whole house for me, and is giving up his XBOX for a whole month :) lol! I guess he sure knows the way to my heart! :)

I also gave Eric some candy and new cologne! He smells lovely now :)