Last night at SMMC....

Last night was my last night at SMMC!!!  I have wonderful co-workers that celebrated with me two nights in a row!!!  Tuesday night, everyone brought something to make paninis....my FAVORITE!!!!  It was wonderful!!!  In between our pt. cares, meds, and charting, we ate and were merry!!! 
Last night, a CA Linda, who happens to make amazing cakes with homemade buttercream frosting decided to treat me again!!!  Anyone that knows me, knows that I LOVE buttercream frosting...and believe me, I had my fair share of cake!!!  Linda, as awesome as she is, even took some pictures throughout the night that I want to share!!!

 Barry was my preceptor when I first started at SMMC!!!  As time went on, I think he precepted EVERYONE!!!  Barry was a quiet, but sneaky guy!!!  He loves to play tricks on everyone.  One time Barry made me cry, not on purpose, he just said the wrong thing when I thought my life sucked....I look back now and laugh at the look on his face when I burst into tears.  It took him until midnight to talk to me again!!!!  He is a great guy and an awesome nurse!!!!

Pete was on of those guys that was always full of useless knowledge!!!  He knew something about everything and he would go into lengthy stories about each one!!!  The two years that I worked at SMMC, he would always talk about his beehives, making honey, his apple trees, and pressing apples to make apple cider....I ALWAYS asked him to bring me some...he never did, until my last night!!!  I got a jar of fresh honey, and several apples off his apple tree!!! 

Susan, oh Susan!!!  I could ALWAYS count on this girl to have a smile on her face no matter what!!!  She has a smile that lights up anyone's world, no matter how bad it is!!!  I could ALWAYS count on her to plan our fun nights out or having get togethers at her house!!!  I could ALWAYS count on her to join in on my shopping sprees when we should have been working!!!  I could ALWAYS count on her to have a great heart to heart!!!

This is greatest IA EVER!!!  Missy saved my rear end many times when I needed something ordered stat or needed a Scooter's run!!!  She was ALWAYS up for a good conversation, and we had many!!  She always went above and beyond to keep us nurses happy, even when she was on the recieving end of a nurse with a bad attitude because a patient was crashing or a doctor wasn't so nice!!! 

Not only did Linda make a wonderful cake, but she brought frosting so that everyone that I worked with could sign the cake!!! 

KimBerly, Kelci, and Susan signing my cake!!!

During my 2 years at SMMC, I have met some wonderful people!!!  I have made many friends as well!!  My career seemed to blossom, and I was taking care of some of the most sick patients, and I learned so much from my co-workers.  I learned about life as well, the people that I worked with looked out for me when my life seemed to fall apart, when I had some to exciting to share, when I needed advice, or when I just wanted to sit and chit-chat, which most of them will tell you that was something I was very good at!!!  I loved my time at SMMC and will always remember the people, patients, and families that crossed my path and touched my heart!  I'm headed to a new journey in life, but I will never forget you guys!!!  If I get lost out on this journey and loose my way, I know that I will always be able to find SMMC and be at home!!! 

I will miss you guys, and you will always be in my thoughts and prayers!!!  Look forward to me calling you in the middle of the night to get the lastest on SMMC!!!!  Bye for now.....

packing...the most dreadful thing EVER!!!

Unfortunately, I had to work all weekend, so packing was no where in the plan!! Now, I'm rushing around packing and I hate every minute of it!!!  I have two more nights working at SMMC and then I'm done!!!  My mom and dad, and little sister are coming to KC Friday night and are moving me out of my apartment with the courtesy of my cousin and a friend on Saturday morning!!  I can't wait to be in TX, however I'm not looking forward to living out of my car for a week...:(!!!  Thank goodness, my great friend Karisa as offered up her spare bedroom!!!  Well, back to this dreadful packing!!!  At least, I'm almost done!!!

Sin City!!!!!! ;)

My sisters, Mom, and I headed to Las Vegas this last weekend for a mini Bachelorette Party for my older sister!!!  We met up with my cousin Kathyrn, and her mom from California and had a fabulous time in Sin City!!! 

Limo ride to the Venetian!!!!

Friday we spent the day walking around.  We had lunch at Margaritaville, and walked over to the Bellagio to purchase "O" tickets!!!  After we got back to the hotel, we passed out for a little nap!!!  Tori needed a massage because she fell at work previously that week and hurt her back.  The airplane ride and walking did her in!!!  We went to "O" Friday night, and it was AWESOME!!!! 

After "O", back at the Venetian:

On Saturday, we walked around the Venetian shops in the morning.  For lunch we walked next door (which is really like 2 blocks away), to the Mirage to pick up the "LOVE" tickets and we met Kathyrn and Virginia Mae for lunch at a deli that Virginia Mae likes!!!  After lunch we headed back to the Venetian to hit up the pool and Tao Beach (a pool club)!!!  We were hanging out at the pool since Tao Beach was SOOOO busy, and we saw all these girls with "TEAM VIENNA" shirts on.  My cousin finally asked one of the girls about it, and she said that Vienna was in Tao Beach having her Single and Fabulous Party...so we invited ourselves to the party and made an appearance!!!  Saturday night we went to the Mirage to see "LOVE"!!!  AMAZING!!!!

Shopping in the Venetian:

                                       

We all needed a new pair of sunglasses before we hit the pool:

                                         

Single and Fabulous pics/pool pics:

                                     

                                       

VIENNA!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      

                                       

                                        

                                       

Pics from before and after "LOVE":

                                         

                                        

                                                  

On Sunday, Kathyrn was leaving and VM was having a friend join her, so we said our goodbyes to them and went our own way!!!  Mom and Jera wanted to walk the strip and Tori and I did not, so they left earlier and started walking!!!  Tori and I walked to the Bellagio and had a few drinks there, where we eventaully met mom and Jera for a cab ride back to the Venetian!!!  It was so freakin' hot everyday that walking one way and cabbing it back was the best way to go!!!

Pics at the Bellagio:

                                                    

                                             

Sunday night, Mom took us out for a nice dinner, we hadn't had an actually dinner the whole time we were there because it was so hot and we were out doing whatever we wanted when it was time to eat that we always just got something small!!!  After dinner we went to the Blue Man Group!!!  These men were so funny!!!!  It was really audience interactive!!!  After the show, they came out and took pictures with everyone....man, the people in the crowd waiting to take pictures with them were so RUDE!!!  They were pushing up to the front, and you know me, I'm not one to keep my mouth shut...so I had a few things to say to the forgieners that were pushing my sisters and I!!! 

BLUE MAN GROUP:

                                            

We flew home on Monday, and that was it...our vacation was over!!!  It was a great time, and I love spending time with my sister's and mom!!!  All trip long we were saying, "It feels so weird not having Dad here."  It was our first "girls" trip, and I'm thinking we need to do one every year!!!! 

This week has been filled with paperwork and more paperwork as I'm preparing for my first travel assignment!!!  I'm getting so excited!!!  I only have 5 more days of work at SMMC...then I'm off to TX!!!  YAY!!!! 

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX

I finally have my first assignment as a travel nurse!!!  I'm headed down south to Corpus Christi, TX for a 13 week assignment in a neuro/surgical ICU!!!  The best part is...I'll finally be back on day shift!!!  :)  I'm super excited that I now know where I'm headed and I have something to look forward too!!!  My parents are coming on July 31st to help load up my apartment, and they will head back to western KS as I am headed south to the beach to live for 3 months!!!!  Hopefully longer!!!  If I like the hospital and the city, I will probably extend my contract to get me closer to Christmas!!!  I can't believe that I said that word...Christmas!!!  It's coming so fast!!! 
This weekend I'm headed to VEGAS with my sisters and mom to have a mini bachelorette party for my older sister that is getting married in Sept.!!!  We have been looking forward to this trip for a while now, and it's always nice to get away for a girl's trip!!!  Keep your eyes open for some crazy pictures!!!!