December

Well the year is just about over! And what a year it was. I finally graduated from Nursing School!!! Then we had our big move back to Washington. We've had a good time so far and just as long as there is snow on the ground that Elly can play in she's a happy girl!
Here are some pics from the last couple of weeks. We spent our Christmas at home and later that day went to Carl's Dad's house to visit.
We also drove up to Chinook Pass to play in some snow and go sledding for the first time!! The snow was a little hard so hopefully it snows again and we'll play in some fluffy stuff instead!

GRADUATE NURSE!!

OMG 2009 finally has something good to offer me and that is graduating nursing school. I am so done with all the classes and the 2 years that it took me to really get here. I am done.
On a bonus note Carl is back in Texas. I am such a happy girl and have missed him so much. We went to pick up Elly from daycare and she was in shock. She had no idea he was coming. She sat there in a shock for a bit and then got up and ran to her daddy. It was so sweet and she won't let him out of her sight. He can't go to the bathroom by himself hardly. She missed her daddy so much and so did I!!! So hopefully we never have to do this again because we won't do it again.
I can't wait now to move to Washington and really get my life started. I am a Graduate Nurse until I take my NCLEX up in Washington and then I'll be an RN. Our family is back together and well we want to add to it so hopefully we'll get that going this year as well!
I'm so happy this horrible year is over and ended on a wonderful note because I am DONE!!!!!!!!!
I'll post pics of graduation later!

Halloween!!!

Elly got to dress up twice this year. I know insane. But on Friday she was grandma's accessory at work as a black cat and then on Saturday she was a cute mermaid. She had a blast and now she can't stop talking about Thanksgiving and Christmas!!

October

So we're still just busy going to school. Carl started his new job working for his Dad in Yakima and I have 6 weeks left til graduation!!! Elly is doing good and we finally decided we needed to paint some pumpkins.

AHHHHH Rain

So if you haven't heard anything on the news about our central texas heat I'll fill you in. This summer has had 68 days at 100 or above!! the record is 69 set in 1925. So yea 2 more days and this would have been the hottest summer but instead it is the 2nd hottest summer. A few days ago it started to rain. And I don't mean a few clouds of rain but it has been raining for the last 5 days straight pretty much. So we've had a bit of flooding because of the amount of rain in the short period of time but we so needed it. As I type this it's pouring rain again!! Ok it's been raining all day.
So there is a lake where my mother in law lives and behind her house is a runoff to the lake. Since we've had so much rain the runoff now kinda looks like a stream. Well the crawdad's have come out of the ground and from the lake and ventured up the runoff. I've seen crawdad's behind the house. Crazy but true. So I decided to catch a few to show Elly and let her enjoy them for a bit. So I caught 2 and brought them home and once Elly woke up from her nap we played with them. One was kinda old I think and didn't care much for us so I could pick him up no problem and hold him and show Elly. The other one was younger and reactive. Even looking at him from above or moving my hand and it immediatly put its claws up to defend itself. It was quite funny because he would fall over backwards doing this! I took a few pics of us with the crawdad's!

Hanging out in the yard

Breast Cancer

So there have a few new developments in my family on my mom's side. Apparently breast cancer runs in the family. WHO KNEW??? No one. My mom has 4 sisters and her youngest sister was diagnosed just last year in oct got a lump removed and underwent chemo and radiation. As far as I know she is going ok. Now just 2 months ago one of older sisters was diagnosed. AAAGGHHH!!! This time she had lost some weight and started to really get concerned with that lump. She was getting YEARLY mammograms and they still didn't pick it up. The surgeon told her she probably had it for 2 years!!! It was found in the lymph nodes but no word yet as to where else it has been found. She had a total masectomy done on one side and is starting the chemo and radiation as well. There is another sister who has had 6 lumps removed but none cancerous.
So now I've convinced my mom to get genetic testing done to see if she has the marker for it and as soon as I get insurance and it's covered I'm totally getting it done as well.
This totally sucks and almost makes me rethink having another kid. I'm only hoping that in 20 years when I start approaching the age where my Aunts starting getting diagnosed our healthcare system comes up with something to help assist with better diagnosis and screening of this cancer. How is it that mammograms the tried and true test done to find cancer didn't work??? I'm so frustrated and now so worried about getting it and passing it along to Elly!! I totally wish the next kid is a boy now so I don't have to worry about this.
The other thing is that breastfeeding and having kids is suppose to help but both aunts who were diagnosed had 4 kids and breastfed!!! How does that work with the whole breastfeed to prevent breast cancer? I guess it isn't helpful if it runs in the family. I'm just hoping my Aunts don't have anymore cancer and my mom doesn't get diagnosed!!!