Observation Tuesday: Volume 11

This is what I am observing on my computer background right now. The Cutest Nephew In The World.

One perk to working weekends, I get to come home on Monday mornings and go to bed. It makes the world seem better.

I can't wait to go home in just 4 days! Which means airplanes. Which means more interesting observations.

Working from home

I'm currently in the process of doing my NIH online Stroke Scale Certification for work. Lets just say it involves 6 scenarios, with 12 questions each, and each question has a 20 second video that takes about 8 minutes to load. I'm also going crazy. Hence this random blog post about exciting recent finds/things I'm doing.

Did you know there is a brand of mason jar made by Knox? This happens to be my future last name so this discovery at an antique store got me a little overexcited yesterday. They will become part of my wedding centerpieces as well as have some prominent feature in my future home.

I'm dying to make this recipe for Gooey Butter Cake. But need a legitimate excuse, other than say, my half birthday tomorrow, because I would end up eating all of it, and I really don't need that.

My current project involves knitted potholders in red and white for my future kitchen. Also, I may have gone a little overboard buying the $1 yarn at Michaels and don't need 15 for myself so if you'd like one too, just let me know :)

My First 'Brodiery Project

I got an embroidery kit for Christmas and just finished my first project! I'm in love. I have 6 other projects already lined up and may have just gone to Michael's for more thread :)

Book Reviews

I made it a New Years Resolve to read more books, more specifically to 24 this year (roughly 1 fiction and 1 non fiction a month). Unfortunately I started the year with this book.

I saw this appealing cover on the shelf of the tiny library here in Lubbock since the other 12 books I wanted to read weren't there and thought, "hey, I liked Life of Pi, this could be good." I was wrong. It's the story of an author who meets a taxidermist writing a play about a donkey and a monkey. It does not get any better from there.

Read my sentiments about this book here.

Thankfully the next book I read was not as awful. In fact, it was quite good. This book, The Violin of Auschwitz by Maria Angels Anglada (translated from Catalan), is a poignant story about a violin made in a Holocaust concentration camp. For as long as I can remember I've been fascinated by the Holocaust and therefore really like most books set in that period. This one was no exception. It's a quick read and I recommend it if you enjoy this type of book.

Christmas Crafts

Everyone has now opened their presents from me so I can now blog about them.

First, I made my mom these felt flower pins. I found the guide on how to make the Chrysi pins and made them a few days later. Very easy and super cute pinned on a scarf, jacket or sweater. Or you could attach them to a belt. Or whatever.

Second, I knitted my best friends scarves. The colors and details were picked based on their personalities and the colors I know they wear. I've been working on them for months! I was pretty proud of how they turned out.
Finally, my mom also received this wreath, which is probably my favorite homemade craft so far. You can find the tutorial here. Very easy and no skills required. I found the balls in the target $1 section (after searching Michaels AND Walmart and finding no cheap options) and I got the yarn on sale at Michaels. It could be cute to make for any holiday I think, perhaps pinks and creams for Valentines day?

Observation Tuesday: Volume 10

1) Some cooking education for you: wholemeal flour is the English term for whole wheat flour.
2) As much as I love love love Christmas music, I like that the pressure is off after Christmas and I can again freely listen to whatever I want. Yes I know, I am pressuring myself, buuut just go with it.
3) It's coldish here and I am not mentally prepared for it.
4) I enjoy buying Christmas stuff post-holidays. You cannot beat 75% off a bunch of stuff for next year.
5) Want to smile and also have an annoying song stuck in your head ALL DAY LONG? Watch this.
6) That's all I've got today.
7) Oh, if you're my sister, get on skype!

My 2011 resolves

This year I completely missed the countdown to 2011 and ball drop. I was in a patient's room in the hospital putting in an NG tube, looked at my watch and realized it was 12:04. Talk about anti-climactic. Then today, I slept for about 9 hours and showered, therefore completing all the goals I had set out to do. Big day, I know.

I decided I should think about what I want to do this year and I would blog about it, since I'm not one to keep things to myself. So, here is my preliminary list of goals, both personal and professional, for 2011.

1) Get married!
2) Refinish 5 pieces of furniture
3) Get chemotherapy certified at work
4) Join the local Oncology Nursing Society chapter
5) Give more random gifts
6) Embroider some stuff
7) Move into my first place with my husband and make it our home
8) Make some new traditions for our family and continue old ones
9) Travel to Cancun (helllooo honeymoon!)
10) Read 24 books (12 for fun, 12 to better myself) & write them down! (since i have a terrible memory)
11) Start saving for retirement and possibly going back to school
12) Take more pictures
13) Get involved in a church in TX
14) Keep my blog updated with things I'm doing