Lessons Learned

This week, I learned that I am but a mortal woman....

I had every intention of blogging this week, BUT then I woke up and real life set in and there simply are NOT enough hours in the day.  Especially, when you are in Nursing School :)

But, I'll take a stab at recapping (it's been eventful....as ALWAYS).

WAIT FOR IT......

Oh Yeah!!

When the kids hit the ripe ole age of 12 and 13 I thought it might be OK for them to ride the school bus. 

THOUGHT is the key word.

They thought I was a flaming idiot for sitting on the front porch waiting on them and even crazier for taking their pictures.  Turns out, I'm really glad I took them.  They serve a dual purpose.  Any time I can multi-task these days, it's a good thing.  This was their first and LAST bus ride EVER.

With my schedule being a "little" hectic these days, I thought the bus option may relieve a little stress on the days I really need to stay at school and study or practice a skill.  We kind of live in the middle of nowhere.  I tried looking up our address on the county website to find out what bus they would need to get on after school and where it would drop them off.  It couldn't find me, so I called the county office.  The lady was so nice and told me what bus it would be and that my house would be the FIRST stop.  They just had to get on the bus and it would drive STRAIGHT to our driveway.  So, Monday, we did a dry run.  I knew I would be home when they got off the bus and that way if there were any issues, I could just come get them.  Unfortunately, the nice lady didn't tell me that only 5 (two of which were mine) kids from the middle school rode that bus.  It makes a stop at the High School and fills up before it makes that first stop at my house.  NO THANK YOU.  I learned all about sex on the bus, saw my first condom on the bus and got into my first fist fight on the bus in this very county.....and that was with kids my own age.  My children will continue to be car riders even if that means I have to break my neck to get there, thank you very much.

So, we move on to Tuesday....

It was Blue's Birthday!!  We had a full night of soccer.  Dalton had practice and she had a game and by the time all of that was over, we only had enough energy for McDonald's.  BUT, she did get tickets for the Taylor Swift concert in October and she was OVER THE MOON.

Wednesday got a little hairy.

I was at school (far from my children) and I got this....

Along with text messages of "I ripped my fingernail off", "I'm crying" (my kiddo doesn't cry), "I don't know what to do", "It hurts so bad"....  Please remember I am at school and for the first time in her life, I can't come to her, I can't leave school.  So, she's crying, I'm crying and I'm calling Jeff.  He has to leave work, drive 19 miles to her school to look at her broken fingernail....Good times.  It's a good thing he loves us both.  Jeff, thank you for filling in the gaps I'm leaving lately.

It's her bird.  Later that night, as I was wrapping it up (you know it hurt/hurts) she said, "Mom, I've broken my foot during warm ups and played the whole game on it, but this fingernail defeated me."  I was still laughing about that today.

That brings us to today.  Today, we had catheter check offs at school.  Unfortunately, that is worthy of it's own post.  I passed, but I did something my instructor said had NEVER happened before.  It's getting late and I have to go pack.  I am leaving early in the morning for a little MoZart Retreat in Louisiana and my Blue is going with me even with her broken bird.  Mo, thank you for letting my girl come, she has been dying to ever since you announced this.  I'm going to turn off my brain for a few days and see if any of my creative juices can still flow.

 I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Kacy

Same Ole Same Ole

I wish I could say my scenery has changed from my last post, but unfortunately, IT HASN'T.  Jeff did buy me a new table/desk this weekend.  He is supposed to pick it up tomorrow.  He says the dining room table just isn't going to cut it.  I kind of agree, but didn't realize I had the liberty to just purchase new furniture.

I guess he REALLY hates the table in here.  I have been planted in this chair ALL weekend long.  Unfortunately, I think I will be planted here for the next year and a half :)  I even gave up my farm on Farmville....now THAT is serious stuff.

I had my first Nursing School nightmare last night.  I spent most of the day yesterday doing my Clinical Orientation paperwork.  Last night, I did my site specific orientation.  I'm going to be working on an Oncology/Orthopedic floor.  That really got my brain going and I woke up in a cold sweat sometime early this morning terrified because I didn't know how to handle a situation.  Of course, as soon as I woke up, I couldn't remember what the situation was.  Unfortunately, I think there will be many situations I don't know how to handle.  Thank goodness for school :)

2 bits of EXCITING news....

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know my best friend's daughter Haleigh competes in pageants from time to time.  Not very often, but occasionally.  WELL, Miss Priss took her first title last night.

Meet the new Teen Miss Desoto County!!  Woot Woot!!  We love you Haleigh Ash!!  You were

AHHH-MAZING!!!

Second,

I AM LEAVING FOR WEST MONROE, LA ON FRIDAY FOR THE FIRST EVER

MOZART RETREAT!!!!!!!!!

Everybody knows Mo, right??

If not, go here.  She is Angel Jake's Aunt and the bombdiggity on all things creative.  I'm going to absorb some of that creativity and just have an enjoyable weekend with other women (who I don't know) and CHILL doing things I love to do.  Thank you Jeff and Dalton and Savannah for giving me this time.  Last I heard, she still has one opening.  I'm already driving if somebody wants to board the bus, let me know.

I'm off to study for my second Medical Terminology Test for tomorrow.  Pray for my kids, too.  We are doing a test run on the bus tomorrow afternoon.

Kacy

HOT Friday NIght

Don't be Hatin'!!

I know you want to put on your favorite striped PJ's and then add your favorite hot pink peep toe ballet flats just to feel sexy and sit at your dining room table in the middle of your den (that your husband is STILL griping about) and study all night.  I'm sorry we can't all be as lucky as I am.... 

OH HOW I CRACK MYSELF UP.

It appears that I may be spending many more Friday nights like this over the next couple of years.  To make it even better, Stella (the dog) is laying under my chair and she has a major case of gas.  PERFECT.

Today, I spent my day off from school, at school, practicing catheterizing a mannequin for 3 and a half hours.  Then I got to go to a friend's house for a Cabi party.  It was my first experience and I'm pretty sure I'm hooked.  LOVED IT.

Then I finally picked out the shingles for the roof.  (Maybe public humiliation really works.)

Looks like I will be sitting in this very chair, at this very table, all weekend.  Not much to report on, other than HOMEWORK.  If something exciting comes up, I'll holla.

Cya,

Kacy

Dalton is a RED BELT!!

I'm just going to go ahead and admit to not really getting the whole Taekwondo thing.  Dalton has been taking classes for the last three years, although he took about nine months off last year to adjust to competitive soccer and middle school.  But, he LOVES it.  So, like a good mama, tonight I sat and watched him test for his Red Belt and succeed.  Even though I couldn't have told you if he did something wrong or not, it made my heart smile.  I gave my seat up to the parents of a girl his age who was testing for her Black Belt tonight.  I figured my good spot for photos would be better served with them considering the huge accomplishment she was making.  I ended up in the back and couldn't get a good shot of Dalton.  I'll score one next week during class when is wearing his Red Belt with pride :)

I didn't get to practice my Cath skills today, because they sent the ENTIRE Freshman I Nursing Class for a drug test today to an office that had a total of two people giving the tests.  If I'm not mistaken there are 87 students at this point.  Of course, I had the extra large coffee this morning and had to wait just over two hours to pee in a cup.  I gave new meaning to "My Cup Runneth Over".  Anyway...some of my group decided to be dedicated and go to school on our day off tomorrow to learn this important skill.

Several people have asked me lately, why Savannah changed her name to Blue.  Trust me, it gets complicated at times.  Especially on the soccer field (where she spends the majority of her time) when she is in her red uniform and they are playing a team in blue uniforms.  Parents from the other team look at us like we are crazy, because everyone from our stands is cheering for Blue.  Anyway, Jeff started calling her Blue when she was a tiny little thing....

It was those eyes.  They are much lighter now, and some days even more of a hazel color, but she made it clear she did not want to be called Hazel.

For good measure, here is a picture of my sweet boy too.  These are just some pictures we took over the summer.  We had a fabulous 10 day vacation to Sandestin this year.  I wish I was there now.

He is so stinking cute and so sweet to his mama.  I think it's just a boy thing. 

Oh what I would give to be back at the beach.

This picture wins the award for my FAVORITE of the whole year.  If this isn't the Acree's, I don't know what is.... 

Instead of being on the beach, I'm at home where the temps have been fabulous and the windows have been open all week. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend.  We are actually home this weekend and then if I'm not mistaken I'm out of town for the next 3 weekends.  I plan to spend quite a bit of time at my table in the middle of my den.  I managed to empty ALL of the laundry baskets in the house tonight.  That is serious business around here and very rare.  Oh, and one last thing, besides idiots in the car rider line at school, I think this is my biggest pet peeve...

Seriously???

Kacy

T-I-R-E-D

Ok Gang.  It has been a LONG day. 

I started off by dern near flunking my first ever nursing test.  I didn't flunk it, but I got about as close to close can be, especially considering "flunking" in nursing school is a normal HIGH C.  So after I regrouped and sat through a Nutrition lecture, I came home and did what most normal people would do.  I moved the dining room table to the center of the living room so I had more room to study and could still be in the center of things going on in my house.

Yep, right up in the middle of the den.  Isn't that what you would have done??

Then, I wrote two papers, took Dalton to Taekwondo, came home and watched a little over an hour of videos on interesting topics like this one....

Good stuff...NOT.  Poor men.

Dalton has a Taekwondo testing tomorrow night.  If I'm not mistaken, this is for his RED BELT which will officially make him a board breaker.  I'm so proud of him.  Blue (have I mentioned that is the name my child has officially declared for herself now??) has a soccer game tomorrow night.  I think I have testing duty. 

One last important happening today....After nearly flunking my test today with a C, I decided I needed a large Diet Coke from Sonic (that's normal isn't it??).  While I was waiting on my Coke, two young girls pulled up to the bay next to me to get them a Diet Coke, too.  The only difference, they were on HORSES.  Only in Mississippi. 

Y'all have a good night and pray for my C making self.

Kacy

????

Back to school today after a long weekend.  Things are finally starting to feel real.  I didn't have to report to Allstate immediately after class today.  Even though I haven't worked for several weeks, I still had to get moved out of my space.  I was there for 5 years and I accumulated a lot of mess during that time and a lot of pictures.  Moving out was a chore.  I think Allstate can now officially be considered a thing of the past for me.  It feels really strange.

What do you guys do with pictures that you have framed?  Most people that know me very well, know that I am a HUGE Hal Jaffe fan.  My kids even modeled for him and are still in his some of his ads.  Anyway, I have thousands of dollars of photos from over the years and not enough space to display them.  How do you store things like this?  I have to do something.  I'm terrified they are going to get messed up.  When I start showing you pictures from around my house, you will see I'm not kidding.  I literally have no more wall space to display these things.  That's it.  It's time to build a new house....  It really is, but that won't happen until I get out of school (but that doesn't stop me from looking at floor plans).

My first test in Nursing is tomorrow.  I'M A NERVOUS WRECK.  To make matters worse, I opted to stay home and study tonight.  Only one problem, I left my books in the truck and asked Jeff to take it to soccer practice and fill it up with gas for me :(  UGHHH.  Looks like it's going to be a long night for Kacy.

I'm used to a blog full of pictures.  I can't take pictures at school.  I actually signed something to that affect today saying I wouldn't take any.  Most would be pretty gross even if I could.  Today I learned how to insert and remove NG tubes and had the honor of learning proper administration of a cleansing enema.  I'm going to pass on the insertion of soapy water in my rear-end for any reason, but I guess I can add that to the repertoire of skills I am learning.  S-C-A-R-Y.  Ewww, maybe I could threaten the kids with something like that too, LOL.

We are about to crank up some major house renovations.  That should provide us with plenty of photo ops.  My house still looks like it did two years ago when we bought it, with the exception of FINALLY getting the kitchen in.  Oh, and the roof blew off back in March and Jeff hasn't found the time to get it fixed.  Nope, in six months, he has not had a spare moment to get the roof put on this house.  I picked out the new roof in April but he was too busy when we were there that day to order the material.  I'm gonna go out on a limb too and guess he's done no less than 25 roofs for other people during that time.  Keep in mind, he doesn't step foot on an actual roof.  He has a crew that does it.  In order to secure that crew for the day, the phone call would take just less than two minutes (I've listened in on many of those phone calls).  But he has been so busy he just can't get ours scheduled.  I'll go ahead and let you know that the roof I want is a special order (of course) and takes 2 to 6 weeks to come in once it is ordered (and mine isn't ordered yet).  He did, however, find the time to build a huge storage building out back.  You know how it is, who really needs a roof anyway??  I'm wondering if it will be finished by January???

Let me get this first test behind me and I'll get some BEFORE pictures posted.  Have a great night, I'll be up late and I'll let you know how the test goes tomorrow (unless I fail).

K

Hi from Atlanta

Well, the blog is officially under construction.  I found a new background I liked, but I'm too tired to figure out the new banner.  I just don't have the energy to watch a You Tube video tonight, but I'm getting there. 

We are in Atlanta this weekend for a soccer tournament.  We arrived last night about 11:15 and have been up since 5...BOOOOO!!!  We get to sleep in tomorrow until the late time of 7:30, GEES.

OK, I'm going to give blogging another honest effort.  I took some flack over my blog awhile back.  It kind of just made me angry to be honest.  This is MY blog and I don't require anyone to read it.  I didn't appreciate being told that my content was inappropriate at times.  Unfortunately, it's just my life.  I don't make this mess up.  I guess my life is inappropriate at times or at least that was how I took the criticism.  If everyone were honest with themselves, I'm pretty sure their lives would be "inappropriate" at times, too.  I just choose to share my life and all of the crazy things that go along with it.  Writing about the weather just isn't something I'm interested in writing about or reading about.  I also choose to tell the truth and not create a fantasy world as my online persona.  What you read here is what you get.  Come on over and see for yourself, or just ask my best friends.  They will tell you, every bit of this is true.  My days aren't always good and I don't choose to cover it up.  You get the good, the bad and the ugly on here.  So after months of missing my blog and several requests to bring it back, here I am.  I found for awhile that Facebook was easier, but to be honest, I'm becoming more and more put off by FB.  I actually just "defriended" about 300 people and may remove more.  No fear, the people I got rid of weren't really friends anyway.  They were more like colleagues and since I sold my agency, YES YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY, I don't see the need to be "friends" with every real estate agent and banker in Desoto County anymore.  No offense to anyone, but your listings were taking up a lot of my news feed.

I am two weeks into nursing school and I'm fairly certain that will provide us with PLENTY of blog material.  I learned this week that I am good with putting on a gown, but I flunked taking it off.  Jeff said that sounded about right....we won't even go there.  NICE.  Who flunks taking their gown off???  That would be me. I have to repeat that skill.   I truly hope you CAN teach an old dog new tricks.

Thanks for the encouragement to write again.  I needed it and am looking forward to chronicling my nursing school journey and the life of a stay at home mom.  Have I mentioned my kids are teenagers and have been invaded by evil two headed monsters?  They stink too.  Lord help me!

Phone Dump

Hang in there, this one is kind of long...Not in words, just pictures.

I got a "Smart Phone" for Christmas a year and a half ago.  I love my phone for many reasons, but I don't like the fact that the darn camera on there is SO much more convenient than the large Canon I LOVE.  I used to take my camera everywhere I went and have slowly gotten away from it because of this phone.  Last week, I finally took the time to sit down and figure out how to move the pictures off of the phone and on to my computer (that was no small task).  It's so easy to take them with the phone and upload to Facebook to share, although, I will say that Blogger has gotten faster.

This is one I took of Blue (have I mentioned she prefers that name now????) one morning just after she had gotten up.  She has these huge voluptuous lips in the mornings.  I call her Big Lips Boom Boom.  She won't like that I put that on here, but I don't think she reads....

 This was our trip to the orthopaedic doctor.  She was channeling her inner zen.  She has MANY of the symptoms of RA that I have.  She has been thoroughly tested and right now we just treat her with a prescription  anti-inflammatory. Hopefully, we can keep it with just that and she will grow out of a lot of her issues. We'll get to more of that in a bit.

 This looks like we were in a hotel room somewhere.  I can't remember where exactly.  We've spent a lot of time in hotels in the last year.  Soccer tournaments times 2 kids keeps us pretty busy.

She calls this "Praying Mantis".

 The Dalt Man at his first Taekwondo Board Breaking class.  He was so proud.  He broke ALL of those boards by himself.  (I was pretty proud myself.)  I still have the boards and need some creative ideas on what to do with them.  He wants to keep them.

 Just a random day when Dalton had soccer practice and Blue didn't.  This was how we entertained ourselves on that particular day.

 My favorite place on Earth.  I'm headed back on July 1st for TEN WHOLE DAYS!!

 My favorite cat...Tony the Tiger.  During this process, I found there were more pictures of him on my phone than other one thing.  I guess I like him more than I thought.

 This was ANOTHER trip to the orthopaedic.  This was prior to X Ray.  The doctor made me a bet that she had broken that long bone in her foot.  He drew on it so they would know what he wanted to look at.  He was right.  She broke it.  And then she broke it again in the same spot about 4 months later.  We took more time off and then did several weeks of physical therapy.  So far, we haven't had anymore trouble out of it :)  Jeff and I cringe everytime she hooks something with that left foot, although both breaks were NOT from kicks with that foot, but rather a plant.  We also changed her cleats...if it happens again...well we just won't go there.

 I walked in and found this one night...That's her daddy's belt.  She acts a lot like him, too.

 These are pictures of pictures...but they are too cute to pass up.  This was way back in the day at Chuck E. Cheese.  (I hate that place!!)

 That is Dalton's bird.  This was another trip to the ER.  My kids got in a fight and Blue smashed Dalt's finger in the door.  It was pretty bent up and black and blue.  NOT A GOOD DAY.  Blue would like me to share (right now) that this was an accident :)

 These are my pendant lights that still have not been hung.  Jeff did bring a fellow over today to mud the sheet rock around the fireplace so I can paint and he can install the mantle and new TV.  Tomorrow, the insurance adjuster is coming out to look at the roof and all of the interior damage from these crazy storms we've had.  Hopefully, this will get the ball rolling on getting things finished up around here.  We've been here for almost two years....this is getting ridiculous.  Blue has a friend spending the night tonight for the first time ever and I can't even believe I allowed it.  I love her friends, but I hate my house.  Well, I love my house, but I hate that it's not finished.

 This is poor Izzy after she was hit by that car.  She spent a long time in that collar :( but she's all good now.  This broke my heart and was really hard on all of us.  In the end, we saved her leg and that's all that mattered.

 Jeff and the kids before singing Christmas carols at a nursing home (aren't they cute?).  Jeff, Dalt and I love doing this.  Blue is completely creeped out by the whole thing and waited in the lobby.  I had to bargain with her just to get her there.  She was going to stay at home by herself.  Hopefully next year, she will come willingly.

 Our Christmas Card this year.  I was happy with how it turned out...I even had gifts wrapped under the tree this year ahead of time.  I like the more creative cards.  That's more my style as opposed to the traditional card.  Don't get me wrong.  I love those, too.  These just tend to fit my family a little better and our personalities.

 This was a picture I took during the Christmas Service at church.  I love all of the candles.  I've been going to church here for the last 14 years and this is always my favorite service. 

 Speaking of my house and the improvements that need to be made...how about the camo chimney my husband put up?  He put a fireplace in and SHOCKED me with his choice of siding....This actually just got covered up about two weeks ago.  Do you see why I'm embarrassed to have people over??

 This is some embroidery/applique work I wanted to figure out how to do.  One night when I was ready to throw my machine through the window, I figured it out....but I still haven't done it (story of my life).

 I took this one snow day...we had MANY this year.  I don't drive on the white stuff.  As a matter of fact, I don't drive if there is a threat of the white stuff.  I don't drive well in the sunshine, so I figure it's best for everyone if I just stay off the roads.  Doesn't Tony look thrilled?  Oh and I don't play favorites with Blue, I SWEAR.  Dalton is not a fan of having his picture taken and Blue loves it so much she takes pictures of herself....didn't want anyone to think I was loving one child more or something.  Blue doesn't like to talk to me but Dalton does.  I just can't "show" you that.

 My new favorite BLING...and I have the matching bracelet.  Gotta love Chico's jewelry!!  And those big rings, cover up those gnarly knuckles.  Those pointer finger ones are the worst.

 This was something I wanted to make.  Blue likes these and I refuse to pay that much for something that would be more fun to make anyway...

 This was probably another snow day and we were bored...I had a highlighter handy...one thing lead to another....

 Blue's Easter Bunny sucker/cookies on a stick...A couple of them turned out good, some of them gave me nightmares....

 I got up one morning and found these things EVERYWHERE.  I thought this one hit the nail on the head...

 Somehow, we ended up at Marlowe's one night after soccer practice.  This really was an accident, but we had a blast and even bought a T-shirt.  Elvis is getting cooler and cooler to me the older I get.

 I've had this twice in the last year...That's my computer at work.  I'm over it.

 My feathers...I couldn't resist.  One of the kids at the kid's school said, "I wish my mom was as immature as you are."

 My sweet Mother's Day card. 

Love those babies. 

Rock Out.

K