Brad and Elly: Frozen the Life Saver and other stories

Let's see, what has happened to us since last post. Well, I graduated! I passed all my last tests, I walked at my graduation, and Brad and Tacy cheered me on. Granted, the graduation was a little lame (we didn't walk across a stage when they announced our names...just across the floor in front of the graduates. I love pictures of what we do, but I am horrible at actually taking them, mostly because I chicken out (yes, I get worried that people will be bothered by me requesting that we take a picture). Lame, I know. It was so nice to graduate though, to think of all I have accomplished these past two years and to sit with so many friends. That was the best about nursing school, I became so close with so many people!

After graduation, I started working full time (3 days a week). Then my grandmother passed away. She was 99.5 so it was not unexpected. It was actually a happy thing for our family. I love my grandma so much, and I do miss her, but she was so ready to go. She has been ready and waiting ever since Grandpa passed away December 2009. Luckily she passed away at a good time for us, it was the monday after graduation, and I had three days in a row off. So I got one of the co-workers to take my Friday shift, then we drove out to California (in our nice new Mazda CX-5) Friday and spend Friday-Monday there with my family. My sister and I sung "I Am a Child of God" together at the funeral. It was great singing with Katie, it's been over ten years since we last sang together. We enjoyed the time with my family, and we went out to eat a lot (we can't go to CA without going to BJ's and my parents took us out for my birthday as well to this place called Farrell's which is a ice cream/burger diner place). We had fun and ate lots of yummy food.

About our new car, so we have been looking for a while, or I guess more talking about a new car for a while. We loved our civics, but Tacy and a toddler car seat sure do make a civic feel small. Then only question was which civic would be get rid of. Well, after our trip to St. George in April (10thish) our blue civic over heated. We spent over 2 hours in Cedar City on the drive back at a mechanics having the car looked at. They replaced the radiator cap and couldn't find a leak. We drove home, but the car was still getting hotter than normal. We took it to our mechanic the next day and turns out the head gasket was warped, so exhaust was leaking into the radiator fluid, which in turn was heating up the engine instead of cooling it down. Because of the mileage on our car they recommended a new engine. The best deal they found on a used engine would have cost as much as the car was worth.

So we seriously began looking at cars. We test drove the Nissan Rogue, The Honda CRV, and the Mazda CX-5. We worked out a great deal with Mazda and got the CX-5, traded in our blue civic and drove home in a brand new white CX-5. Exciting stuff. We did look at used cars, but for low mileage vehicles, they weren't much cheaper than brand new. Now the Mazda is Brad's baby (well it's Tacy's car, but Brad has done so much to protect this car - all weather mats, seat protectors to protect the seat from the car seat and protect the driver seat from Tacy's feet).

cuddling with two animals

Next was my birthday and Tacy turning 21 months. I worked the day before my birthday and the three days following my birthday (including mother's day). For my birthday, Tacy and I slept until 8, we watched a movie, Brad came home and we went to brunch at Sill's and ate delicious breakfast: scones, pancakes, eggs, and sausage! We went shopping (I only got one shirt, but it was still fun), we went to coldstone, and we went to Dickie's because I'm addicted to their beef brisket. The day ended with me scheduling my NCLEX-RN (nursing boards to get my RN).

Mother's day, I worked, came home at 7, and ate pie to celebrate my birthday (with all of Brad's family). The apple pie was delicious. Mother's day was well, not really special when you work. But Tacy did hug me. This is a big deal because Tacy had a faze where she was not good at hugging the parent who worked all day. I came home pretty emotional that day because Tacy hadn't hugged me the night before, I worked all day, was tired after working 3 days in a row, and Tacy cuddled up with an aunt instead of hugging me. But I did get a hug by bedtime, and I calmed down.

Other than working, I have been studying for the NCLEX. Maybe not studying as great as I should be, but I have studied. I have a week until the test and I'm nervous about passing but excited to get it over with. So I'm trying to study, and work, and still be a good mom and wife. Brad is working 3 days a week now. He has been carving sling shots in his spare time, and made some delicious shish-ka-bobs yesterday. We are still waiting to hear about Campbell. In the mean time, he has started the application process again for next year.

the yummy shish-ka-bobs

Tacy is wild and crazy, her hair is getting so long, and she is loving the warm weather which lets her play outside a lot. She can say quite a few animal noises, we are still working on jumping but she is getting closer, and she will now watch lots of different disney movies (Frozen is still her favorite). Oh yeah, Frozen is the only thing that calmed her down during our drive out to California. It's a long drive for a toddler. She started screaming to the point of throwing up. We spent a long time in Winnemucca trying to clean her and the car up, as well as eating and buying drugs. Having Frozen on the tablet and being able to let her watch it was our lifesaver. Granted, we watched that movie 3-4 times just driving to California and back, and after that trip she has wanted to watch it every day....but it makes her happy. I have since gotten her to watch Brave, Little mermaid, mulan, and toy story. I think Brad might have had her watch Lion King. We also like watching Mister Roger's neighborhood. But Frozen is what she requests and sings to. Let It Go is not my favorite song but Tacy loves it. She even sings and dances to the music during the intro to the movie. Brad and I can quote almost the whole movie and performed a couple duets during our car rides.

'fixing' the chair with her toothbrush

tempter tantrum under the piano bench

After my NCLEX next week, we will then head back to California for my sister's baby shower. Then we will work. Tacy never ceases to amaze me with how big she is getting. She can wear 24 month shirts now. she put on her jammie pants almost all by herself last night (granted they were backwards so they were a little tight on the bum and lose in the front...but we celebrated her success and I didn't want to break her heart to take them off and fix them). Tacy now helps me put my own shoes on, and she likes to wear daddy's. She also loves sun glasses, granted we had to buy her cheap dollar glasses that are much to big for her head because she broke her $5 kid sun glasses. I love this little girl so much. We have been reading 2-4 books a night before bedtime. And this week has been a big stuffed animal loving week. She is carrying around one of them all the time or sitting and cuddling with one constantly. She currently has three in bed with her. I love when she carries over her big Sully who is as big as she is (he read with us tonight). So adorable.