all in the family

yesterday we went up to Ogden and watched my sister graduate from nursing school. yes, my family has yet another nurse in the family. it was so much fun to see her and how happy she is. i am so stinking proud of her and this accomplishment.
it was such a fun day to spend with family and help her celebrate her day. i remember when i graduated from nursing school and what a relief it was to know i didn't have to take anymore tests (with the exception of those pesky boards) or write anymore papers.
my aunt and grandma came up from california and it was so nice to visit with them.
what a beautiful day.
congratulations stephanie!!!

the graduate!

getting her diploma :)

3 generations, 5 nurses.

my l♥ve and me

west desert

this week, steve and i went on a quick getaway to the west desert. it was just for one night, but it felt so good to get away and enjoy our first camping trip of the season.
we tried to get close to the wild horses, but all we saw were some antelope.
we enjoyed a nice hike behind our campsite. it got pretty hot.
but the dogs were able to eat some snow since mama forgot to take water on the hike.

we did some target practice.

i wasn't half bad.

loved our little campsite.
but the weather didn't hold out so great. there was some serious wind and rain that night. but our little tent held up quite nice. me, steve, jack, marley. one cozy, happy family in there.
and we packed up just in time for the hale storm. it started coming down, fast, and big old ice chunks. the poor pups were not fans. it soon let up and we enjoyed the scenic route home through cows, winding highways, and small towns. such a good time. but it sure felt good to get home and take a nice, hot shower.

dear husband

i love you. more than those words can do justice to. i love the way you love me. i love you because you take me the way i am. i have never been a believer that there is one person for everyone, but i think God quite possibly made you just for me. or rather, me just for you since you are older than me. but still, we just go together so darn perfectly. you get me. i get you. and even when one of us makes the other mad or sad, we know how to make it better, and quickly. despite how nosy and "in your business" i always am, you put up with me and love me unconditionally. i just have to thank you for that. and i hope you know how grateful i am for you and that i used to pray for you. that God would let me find you, and that when i did, i would know. and boy did he let me know. i never ever thought that i would find my guy so quickly, but when it's right it's right. and with us, it's right. thank you for loving me and respecting me for who i am, even when i do something a different way than you would or disagree with you. thank you for letting me be neurotic and OCD. thank you for letting me be...me.
i love you not because you are perfect, but because you are perfect for me.

i♥u

inside my mind

with the weather getting so gorgeous out, and steve being off of work for his surgery, you would think i had tons of exciting stories of us enjoying the outdoors and basking in the sun, but no. i don't have any of those for this year...yet. instead, i could tell you endless stories of patients at the er who have scabies that i now need to be treated for (preventatively of course), or women who complain about having an orgasm every 30 seconds. i mean, seriously, is that really a reason to visit an er? or the standard car accident with no seat belt who will probably never regain consciousness. because let's face it, if i can see your brain matter outside your skull, that's no bueno. hint:wear your seatbelt people!
but it's not going to be that kind of post. because really, i think the stories of er patients are only enjoyable to me, or others who have sick, twisted minds that have been tainted by years of working with/for the "best of salt lake", and i use that term loosely.
so instead, i am going to share with you all what has been on my mind lately. while i enjoy my brief glimpse of daylight during my drive home from work in a windowless er these last few days, watching the gorgeous sunset and seeing all of the people out enjoying walks and time at the park, i am reminded of the things i love.
i love the smell of fresh cut grass.
i love seeing the flowers and trees blooming with new life and that it reminds me of a fresh start.
i love seeing jack grow and become a big dog and how he and marley interact.
i love standing outside barefoot or in my flip flops and not being cold.
i love lingering outside on the porch or in the back yard talking about nothing and everything with the love of my life.
i love that while i am writing this post, the mr. is in the kitchen, apron on, cooking me dinner after a long day at work. AND he did the dishes. AND is now playing video games.
i love the smell of laundry. i seriously could and do sometimes do it all day long.
i love that the days are getting longer.
i love having my mom in town for awhile and that we can get together any day of the week.
i love sleeping under the starts. no tent, just under the stars, and the moon is so bright, you don't need a light.
i love the water and can't wait to put that suit on and jump in. well, i can wait to put the suit on, but i still want to jump in.
i love that it's baseball season.
i love that ruth's diner will soon be having their rib dinner on thursday nights.
i love that i can ride my bike. i just wish the hubs could ride his with me. stupid shoulder surgery.
i do NOT love that steve's surgery will probably prevent him from playing softball games this summer.
i am pretty sure i will love going to the drive-in if i can convince steve to take me.
i love how different our dogs are. their individual personalities make me love them even more.
i love that while i work and bring home "the bacon", steve is being such a good housewife while he's off work. doing laundry and all.
i love that even though steve looks like a mountain man (he hasn't shaved once since before his surgery 6 weeks ago), i still love him more than i did the day we got married.
i love that even though money sucks, life is still so good.
i love that i grew up by the beach and got to spend time sitting and watching the waves, with no one around.
i love that i learn something new everyday i work.
i love my family.
i love my imagination and that i am a daydreamer to the fullest extent of the word.
i love when you find out why something happened the way it did, when it didn't turn out how you thought it should (follow me on that one?)
i love country music.
i love going for drives with no particular destination.
i love pictures.
i love a clean house.
i love memories and that remembering something allows you to live it twice.
i love quotes.
i love dreams and hope for the future.
i love blogging and blog stalking. am i the only one out there? the hubs seems to think i am.
i love sweets. but my scale hates them.
i love that this list is so long and there is probably not one person still reading.
i love that jack johnson is totally on my "list" and steve is okay with that. heck, the guy is on steve's "list"
and i really think i could come up with a lot more things that i love, but i will spare you.
but seriously, there are just so many things in this life that make it awesome and i am so grateful that i am able to experience it. LIFE IS GOOD!

i just like this picture.