Hey hey hey burrito lady

I have been on the verge of some kind of illness for the last few days. I finally got a fever...it was inevitable...so I am trying to lay low, sleep a lot and hoping to cure myself that way. I have four 12 hour shifts ahead of me this weekend and I sure don't want to waste my vacation time being sick at home. I guess my crazy schedule is finally paying me back. And I suppose it was only a matter of time.

Luckily I have made the executive decision to take the summer off grad school. I've decided I care less about graduating in December and more about getting more tuition reimbursement from my work by dragging it out another semester and a half. This means that the paper I turned in on Monday was my last paper I need to write til September. That's pretty kick ass. This also means...more time to do whatever this summer. Come May (when clinical teaching is over) I will not know what to do with myself! Oh wait...take pictures, go boating, relax, get tan....ok, deal! Twist my arm.

So I feel like a bit of a weight is lifted off my shoulders...I don't have as much to do which is good so I can focus on feeling better and relaxing a bit more. : ) I am finally getting back into a boot camp routine...sadly I missed it the last few days but at least I'm on my way. That feels good.

Next week we leave for a cruise. My hubs, my brother and his girlfriend, my mom, and my two aunts are all going on the newest Royal Caribbean ship...the Oasis. We are all so excited to be able to go together. It was a very generous Christmas gift from my mom and we are super thankful to her for it. We will be spending a day in Miami beforehand and almost two more days there after the cruise. It should be a great time : ) The ship has a Starbucks, a zipline, surf simulators, dozens of restaurants, and more...I am more excited for the ship itself than the destinations!

Tonight I made a super yummy dinner that I can even claim as an original recipe (as original as you can make a burrito : ) ). I am most proud of my salsa invention.

Bri-licious Burrito w/ Fresh Avocado Salsa

In the burrito:

• Grilled chicken breasts
• Sauteed peppers/onions (red, green, yellow)...I mix in some cilantro and olive oil as well
• Rice (we used spiced mexican rice)
• Shredded cheese
• Avocado salsa

• Optional (and delicious): hot sauce/buffalo sauce

How to make Avocado Salsa:

Combine:

• 1 can mild rotelle with green chiles
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled & sliced
• 1/4 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 lime, freshly squeezed
• Cilantro, chopped...to taste
• Salt to taste

• Optional suggestion by Jason which I am sure is good...add corn : )

I love fresh veggies!! Especially sauteed in oil!! : )

Jason realizing those Chipotle worker's job isn't so easy after all!

not bad my love, not bad

My burrito...with hot buffalo sauce : )

 I am proud I had a recipe win... : ) or at least a salsa win...the burrito itself is clearly a knock off. But delicious nonetheless.

I am going to get back to my relaxing, sleeping, and hopefully healing. Here's to hopefully working all four of my shifts this weekend... : )

And a quick thank you again to my awesome and sweet hubby for the flowers you brought me home yesterday...they are so pretty!! : ) See facebook for a picture if you're curious!

I found this long lost picture from Mexico...how's this for relaxing? Boats! Good night!

Crossroad?

I am attempting, semi-successfully, to stay awake super late so I can sleep in super late before my night shift tomorrow. Best part of night shift, hands down. Only problem is I've been up since 5 am for clinical...so I'm getting just a tad tired.
When I get this tired and delirious I worry and think about stuff a lot. So I will write this post...maybe I'll publish it, maybe I'll just keep it saved for myself. Guess we will see.

The smart thing of me to do would be to write the two papers that stand between me and getting done with my current grad school class. I could be done a week early if I would just work on it now. Hmm...nah.

Instead I will worry about what I should do with my life next. As I've stated previously and as many people know, I like to try new things and be busy. A lot of those new things I try don't pan out into an actual permanent hobby/job...but are rather a passing phase that I get bored with quickly. That's why teaching clinical suits me so well. It's a short term commitment that I love...but it's just that, short term. There's not really enough time to get bored with it or sick of it. I love my my regular job and don't see myself going anywhere anytime soon but I do often get a little itch to try something totally new. I've tried night shift and the float team and that's going pretty well, so why do I have the itch still?
I think it's because the end of grad school is finally within my reach and it seems only natural that I would start a different job once I have my masters. But when I think about it logically...I have a fabulous schedule which allows for tons of days off during the week, a fulfilling job in and of itself, and a great employer. This would be ideal for when we have kids. But on the other hand, there's a part of me that feels drawn to try something more. I am getting my master's in nursing leadership and management. I am not sure what I would do with that beyond teaching, but there are many more options than there are now for me. I just feel at a loss...should I leave a job that I love for the potential of making a difference in a different way as a nurse leader? If I wait to see how I feel til after we have a baby (and who knows when that will be), I fear I may never try something more, but then if I change now, I fear I will regret it once I have a baby and long for my current flexible schedule back.

Just reading back on that last paragraph stresses me out. Why do I worry so much about things like this? I guess I just feel like I am at somewhat of a crossroads. There isn't an actual job offer on the table or anything else I am looking at, but I feel like I need to decide if I even want to wander down that road at all. If only I knew for sure how I will feel once I am a mom...that would be so helpful. But that is just another unknown variable. We could have a baby in a year or in five years, who knows.
How do people make these big life choices? Please, do tell.

And then there's photography. I love it. And I am loving taking pictures and making a little money along the way. I would also love to delve into that a little more (especially when I have more free time this Spring/Summer) ...so how do I choose?

Alright, I think I've let out a lot of tension by writing that down and suddenly just realized I need to sleep...I may not even make it upstairs! Eyes are heavy.

But I do have to say, Jason and I DVR'd the last season of Dexter and just watched them all in a row this week....this season was real good. Watch it.

Goodnight all. Happy almost weekend.

Mexico : )...in pictures!

I finally had a chance to get my pictures on the computer from Mexico.

Me and 4 other awesome ladies went to Cancun for 5 days/4 nights last week. We stayed at the Riu Caribe resort which  was very nice and better yet it was all inclusive....can't really go wrong when trying to take a reasonable trip.
The ladies I went with were my old nursing friends from 8th floor. They are all 7th floor nurses now and I am on the float team, so it was really fun to hang out with them for an extended period of time. I roomed with Kim, she was so fun to room with. We had a great time.
I tried more margarita flavors than I knew existed. Guava was yummy but my very favorite was mango-strawberry. So good.
We did a lot of laying in the sun (though it rain a bit), relaxing, eating, drinking, and napping. I finally got around to reading The Help which I have been wanting to do forever but hadn't had time to. I really liked it and now cannot wait to see the movie.
While we were there I also had some time alone...in quiet...with no cell phone, no computer, no iPad...just me, my book, my thoughts. It was so wonderful. I always find myself taking time to sit by myself, look at the ocean, and be thankful for the fact that I was able to come to such a beautiful place. Being around a body of water really relaxes me and makes me think about life and what I have and all the things that make me so happy. Oceans especially do this to me...but lakes too...which is why I am looking forward to the summer more than ever now!
Here are some pictures from our trip. Erin, Jackie, Lois, and Kim...I had a kick ass time! You are a fun group of gals, that's for sure! I brought my nice camera but never wanted to bring it to the beach in fear it would get wet, sandy, or stolen! So all these pictures are from my point and shoot which I also love   : ) ...so portable on trips!

checking out the resort and getting ready for lunch

Lois and Kim

My first plate of food..carbs galore!

the evil birds who swarmed our table

our beach

Erin

Our personal drink dispenser...in our room!

view from our balcony

Margarita bar

this lady did a margarita shaking dance each time she shook the shaker

first night at the Mexican restaurant

We wrote the room number on Lois's hand in case she got lost! Haha

My favorite drink of the whole trip...the mango strawberry margarita

View from my beach chair on day two...

Erin and her coconuts!

Yes....

Waiting for the rain to pass the next day...went shopping!

The sister Riu resort's beach

Jackie and Lois : )

everyone reading

it was pretty much a red flag everyday...windy and wavy!

Lois, myself and Kim

me and Erin

not all for me...but all delish!

We bought out the guy on the beach selling swimsuit coverups basically!

storms rolling in....

storms won't stop us!

or them...I want this boat someday!

then it was pouring so we went bar hopping around all the bars we could find in the hotel...

Jackie

pretty much sums it up

clearing up!

last night...

me and Kim

fried ice cream at the asian restaurant

the last night...watching the superbowl in the sports bar of the hotel!

It was a blast ladies, let's do it again next year!!

Back to life...(and a manly recipe)

Ok folks, I'm back from Mexico and it was fabulous. I feel refreshed, motivated, and have a feeling I may have been dealing with a little seasonal depression before I left because I feel totally rejuvenated. I had no idea how low-energy I was. The sun is a miracle worker. I have some cute pictures from the trip but will include those in a post later this week...still gotta get those pics on the computer.
I got back this afternoon and am waiting (not patiently....as evidenced by my many texts to Jason) for my hubby to get home from work. He started his first big trial today and I am so excited for him...but I also want to see him. ASAP! He's coming to pick me up in a bit and we are going out for some Mexican food at a place nearby. I know, I know...just got back from Mexico, going out for Mexican...what can I say, I love it and am not ready to let go yet.

This post will be short and sweet but is dedicated to my awesome hubby. A week or so ago, he made dinner and asked to be featured in the blog. I happily obliged and thought I should start a manly men recipe series. Jason's favorite meals aren't exactly difficult to make and in fact sometimes it just requires picking up the ingredients and assembling them on a plate...but they are tasty enough to deserve a blog spot without a doubt. This is one of Jason's staples that I didn't try until just about 6 months ago. I thought it sounded gross, weird, and like a freakish combination. But wrong was I, it is in fact VERY good.
So here goes!

Jason's Manly Kielbasa

Slice kielbasa (we use Hilshire Farms), pan fry it own oils until crispy and cooked

meanwhile, cook kraft mac and cheese (just the regular kind, not the deluxe)

lastly, cook a bag of frozen corn...the sweeter the corn the better

if you're manly, combine it all on one plate and mix it up....and enjoy, the flavor combo is killer

if you're girly, separate them nicely on your plate...that's ok too : )

And that's it! Easy enough right?! It's not exactly healthy but there is turkey kielbasa and that's a little lower in fat...but when we go with this, we go all out. It's ok once in a while.   : )
Stay tuned for stories and pics from Mexico and some engagement pictures in a week or so! Hope everyone had a fabulous start to their week!