My Weekend vs Everyone Else

As a nurse with my schedule my weekends are random times during the week. I do have every other Saturday & Sunday off, but often my weekends fall on an idle Wednesday and Thursday. It often works out fine for my husband and I when trying to plan outings with friends and family. However, sometimes it can get really annoying. I'll be all pumped to go downtown or go see a late movie on my "friday" but my husband will be a little too tired (seeing that it's only his Tuesday). We make it work though. 

Most of the time I really like that my weekends aren't the same as everyone else. I get to enjoy empty stores, no traffic, short lines, and a lot of other benefits when everyone else is at work. Today I had a great visit with my mom and brother. 

Ya I make my (mom's) dog pose a pic with me:

I also did a little early birthday shopping for my niece (can't get over the cuteness of this bunny): 

Did a little reorganizing. Want a shag? Love these new rugs: 

I hope you all have a splendid weekend! Back to the Monday grind for me.

DIY Mugs

DIY is a word I like to blanket on anything that I do that I find to be creative (let me tell you, my creativity is limited). Here is a super easy DIY that was really fun to do. Here are the simple steps:

1. Find some white ceramic mugs, plates, or bowls.

2. Get a ceramic pen or paint pen from your local craft store.

3. Think of a design you want to draw on them. 

4. Do the creative drawing!

5. Place in oven at 350 degrees for 30 mins.

6. Let cool, and enjoy!

Here are the ones I made:

Here is the front of the second one:

And the back: 

Have fun and let your creativity brew!!

New Traditions

I believe I just started a new tradition for myself. Today I had some me-time doing some retail therapy. I felt like I was in the mood to shop. Crazy how many stores were having huge sales. Things I wanted for Christmas at half the price.

 I like this new tradition. 

From my finds - boots, candles, nursing items - all in all SUCCESS! 

Any excellent retail-therapy finds lately? 

What new traditions have you created?

Our First Christmas

This first Christmas season as a married couple was absolutely wonderful. Because I had to work Christmas and the days surrounding it, we had our celebrations a bit early. 

On Friday we spent the entire day with my parents, my brother, my sister and her boyfriend.

Here is me before heading over to my parents house:

Brother and me (I'm wearing the sweater he got me - good shopper!)

My twin sister in her pretty bow:

The adorable couple:

We had a blast at my parents house opening presents, eating a ton, and playing a few board games. We didn't leave their place till after 10! It was a great first Christmas.

On Saturday we had a Christmas just Cory and I. It was super relaxed. We opened up a few presents from each other and our stockings. I truly have the best husband - he got me an iPhone. Oh. Ya. 

Sunday we made our way to his parents house. Similar story as on Friday. Lots of fun and lots of good food. 

Us (I'm pretty much wearing mostly Christmas presents - cardigan, flannel, and scarf):

My little Christmas attire (I loved that bow):

All in all it was a great weekend. Even though we didn't celebrate Christmas on Christmas day, we took full advantage of the days were we could be present with our families. Making memories with the ones you love and rejoicing over the birth of our Savior Jesus is the way to be celebrate (in my opinion). 

Here's a little pic of me at work on Christmas day:

Can't forget the reindeer, AKA Allie:

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! 

3 Christmases

In nursing school they warned us (more like imprinted in our heads) that as new grads we'd be forced to work all holidays as well as nights. By only the blessings of our Lord I do not work nights. Never have and never will. To add to that, I did not have to work Thanksgiving nor do I work New Years Day. It seems as though our professors either wanted to scare us, or they wanted us to imagine the worst outcome possible so that when we do get holidays off we would treasure them more (hmm..I'm going with number 2). 

However, duty does call this Christmas season. I work Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the day after Christmas. Oh well though. Fortunately, this work schedule now makes divvying up the holidays with our families a whole lot easier. We'll have a full day devoted to my family, a full day devoted to his, and a full day for ourselves. I think it could not have worked out more wonderfully. 

And what better way (besides spending time with your loved ones) to spend Christmas then to help others who can't be home feel a bit better. 

No matter how you're spending Christmas this year, treasure each moment and the people you are with. 

Merry Christmas!

Isn't this hat so fun? It was my grandmothers.

Homemade Beef Jerky

For the first time I made. . . Beef Jerky. And might I say it was delicious. Absolutely delicious. I followed this recipe. It was super simple and turned out super yummy. Cory and I decided that we'll be making this as a Christmas tradition, as well as before we go camping, and at random times (yes, it's that good). 

I'm very proud of how I'm branching out with these random recipes. Makes ya feel pretty good when a daunting recipe turns out well. 

Photo via Art of Manliness

If you have a man in your family, I definitely suggest you try this recipe. I'm giving a batch away to my father-in-law.

Happy cooking!

Nicknames

I really like my job. It's fulfilling. I get to work with some really great people, and it pushes me to go beyond myself. It's also a lot of fun. I get to hear so many (often crazy) stories from my patients. One thing I've been noticing lately though, are the nicknames that my patients call me. 

Nurse (for the obvious reason - patients can't remember our      names)

Doll

Hun

Babe

Mommy (remember my line of work, some people get confused)

Sweetie

And the latest, Kitten. 

This work can be funny. Some of the words that come out of my patient's mouths never get old.

And here's just a pic of my snowy view from work (love the little snow we'e been getting!)

What make work extra special for you?

Nothing for granted

With all these tragedies occurring right now, it makes me stop and remember how truly fragile life is. God has His will for our lives but sometimes evils of this world try to stop Him. Right now I am making sure the people in my life know how much their lives mean to me. 

Lets all try not to take for granted what really matters in our lives - the people we love. 

Praying for all those affected by the recent shooting. 

Holding dear to my marriage and my sweet husband right now. 

My supportive loving family (at my bro's HS graduation)

Who really matters to you? Have you told them lately?

Christmas Decor

Christmas time is here and with that means Christmas decor! I love coming home to a house filled with Christmas lights, little elves, mistletoe and everything that makes a room feel (and shout) "..it's the holiday season..". 

Growing up, decorating my parents house involved getting boxes and boxes of decorations from the garage and placing little trinkets in every corner of the house. I loved doing that. It felt just right for my parents place. In our home now I put Christmas decorations in every room. Not over-zealously like in my parents place. Just special decorations to remind us of the season. 

The Nutcracker is from one of my years in Ballet

Got to have Cinnamon-scented Pinecones

Christmas colored straws

A cookie tin (my Grandmothers)

Our first tree! And little things to make me smile

Merry Christmas and happy decorating!!

Hello

My name is Leah and I live in Portland Oregon with my husband Cory. I'm a Nurse and he's a Mechanic. We have a lot of (big) dreams for our life together! 

This is me.

This is the love of my life Cory.

Some things about me/us:

1. We love Jesus.

2. My nickname was Peanut as a kid.

3. Cory's nickname was Bean.

4. I love to dance - used to do ballet, enjoy swing dancing, and random dance parties in the kitchen.

5. I really like food and am trying to become better at cooking.

6. I want to travel to Europe.. really, really bad.

7. We love dogs and have two names Gretta and Lucy.

8. Cory is a home beer brewer (and a darn good one too).

9. My weaknesses include chinese food and Pink Moscato. 

10. I have seen just about every episode of Cops. 

This little blog is all about our little life, the life of Bean & Peanut.