Sneak Peak

I'm so excited, I just couldn't wait. The paint isn't even dry, the painter left 4 minutes ago, and the room will look so cute/different with the bedding and furniture......but I just had to share.


It is beautiful....although I'll have to get used to pink....since I've never been a "PINK" girl, and with a son I've trained myself to keep away from the girly stuff. This girl thing is taking getting used to, but is looking like it is going to be fun!

Toddlers, Winter Wonderland, and other Randomness

This morning we woke up to a winter wonderland. How fun. Before the day got started, we came down stairs, turned on the Christmas tree lights, opened the curtains, and listened to Snow (see below for the movie version).

Speaking of Jacob and music. He loves listening to "songs." He has his favorites. Snow ---White Christmas, Going on a Bear Hunt --- SteveSongs, On a Flying Guitar ---- SteveSongs. And if it were up to him, we would listen to these songs constantly. Thankfully he can be appeased by telling him it all over and another song is coming on. At the end of a song you'll quite often find him clapping and shouting...."GOOD SONG!"

I've been sewing a bit so far this week. I made 2 skirts......I'm using them instead of wearing PJ's at home all day....a skirt is even more comfy. I used this super easy tutorial. Although I wouldn't wear these out and about...they are perfect and modest for lounging around the house....and NOT scaring the neighbors when they come knocking on the door. One of the skirts I made, I used a Maxi dress I picked up on super clearance this fall. I just cut off the bottom part and made it into a skirt. Easy Peasy! Yes, that is one I'm wearing above.

I'm also sewing the bedding for our baby's crib. I'm going slow, since it is probably the most detailed/big project I've done, and I have some super nice fabric....I'm so scared to ruin it! But so far so good. I'll post pictures when I'm all done.

Jacob has been staying up late because he keeps getting hungry between 8-9:30 at night. He must be heading into a growth spurt. It isn't like I don't feed him, but he doesn't eat well for me, only his dad. So if John isn't home for dinner.....it tends to be a long night. This morning he woke up before he had enough sleep because he was so hungry.....so he is back in bed for some quiet time...I couldn't stand the whining any more.

But he seems to be doing better, so I'd better go get him. We'll be staying home today doing housework and sewing. Have a wonderful day!

Quiet Day at Home!

p.s. Macy's sale starts today. Not sure how great it will be, but I may check it out...armed with my $10/$25 coupon of course.

Getting Ready for Baby---Take 1

In our house, I put things together....for the most part. John always helps out with the huge stuff, his big desk, beds, and large book shelves....but for the most part, I put things together. Toys, computers, A/V setup, etc. That's fine with me...I'm pretty good at it. So, getting ready for baby involves some setup......bassinet put back together, crib mattress heightened (eventually, she won't be in there for a while...Jacob still sleep there), Swing assembled (I refuse to do that one), car seat installed, rocker moved around (once again not giant pregnant lady's job). So, as I was putting the bassinet back in order I thought of sharing a couple of things we did to get ready for baby this weekend.


1. Walgreen's had a super sale (with coupon OF COURSE) on Huggies Supreme diapers. So John and I bought 42 packages in 42 separate transactions over the course of 2 days at 2 different stores. Now....where to store them all. I think if you look under the beds at our house, you will find diapers.


2. Put the bassinet together. Here is the lowdown....I love my bassinet. It is an Arm's Reach Co-sleeper. It sits along side the bed so your baby is close but not in bed with you. I love it. But it has it's draw backs.


Cons:

• It is expensive. We bought it and didn't buy other things like a stroller or crib for a while.

• It just about kills you to put it together. Here are pictures of me putting it together for the first time a week before Jacob was born and a week after he was due. Yikes! My mom was there just to make sure I didn't hurt myself or go into labor because she doesn't put things together :)
  
  
  
  • Because it is hard to put together, it is NOT portable. It is too heavy.
  
  
  
  Pros:
  
  • It is sturdy
  
  
  • It can be used as a free standing bassinet in another room if you want.
  • It can be used as play yard...as long as you just leave it in one place. See above. I used it as a nap place for visiting children and time out place for Jacob. It has hardly moved in 2 years in the play yard position
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This is pretty much the one I have. I have it sideways against the wall by the bed right now, because 8 month pregnant women cannot get in bed with it in the way.
  
  
  

  Next weekend's to do list:

  • Finish putting away all Jacob's baby clothes
  • Hang up/put away all Baby sister's clothes. They are organized already.
  • Put away a huge pile of Junk I have upstairs. It has been waiting for a day when John and I can do it together.
  • Possibly put Jacob's car bed together and start "helping" him sleep in a big boy bed. Oh that is going to STINK!

  So, now you know more of the obsessions of a pregnant lady. Probably the most boring info you've ever read...unless you are looking to buy a bassinet, want to see pictures of a huge pregnant lady, or you are my mother and interested in EVERYTHING I do! But you can always count on a mother for that!

Macy's One Day Sale

So, I read these blogs on couponing....I keep a close eye on groceries and toiletries as I've mentioned before.

But I thought I'd mention something I've never seen on those blogs......Macy's One Day Sales

History: January 2008, Jacob was 4 months old, Bergen and I were forging our sisterly bond and discovering new "common" interests. We saw (I can't remember which one of us) the add for the Macy's sale, and we decided to go. Bergen had a ton of gift cards from Christmas, and I had a paycheck coming that was all for ME. So we went....and we discovered morning sales, 50% off items already marked down 50%. We both got some great stuff. We soon learned that Macy's has one day sales every month or 2. And for the last 2 years, nothing has ever been as good as that sale. But every once in a while you hit the mother load!

So here is the DownLow:

• Everything will go on sale. If you can possibly live without it (if they sell out of your size before it goes on sale) just watch it closely until it goes on sale.


• Unless you need something very specific (IE a interview suit, party outfit, the perfect jeans, the perfect shoes, etc) NEVER buy full priced there. I never buy anything less than 50% off, usually not under 65% off.


• Learn where the clearance racks are. Seriously, I NEVER stop at racks unless they say 50%, 65%, 75%, or 85% off.


• Coupons.....if you see a One Day Sale commercial on TV, look online at Macy's website they almost ALWAYS have a coupon. Read the exclusions, sometimes they do exclude certain brands.

• Macy's return policy is SUPER! They will take anything back. Bergen's taken shoes back that had no box, that she wore once and they were uncomfortable. They took them back and gave her in store credit, no questions asked!


• Don't be discouraged, you won't find something at every one day sale....many sales go by and I find NOTHING. Don't buy something just because it is a good deal. They have these one day sales ALL the time. January is usually a good time because they are trying to get rid of their stock for inventory. But if you miss it, don't worry there will always be another one.


• Every One Day Sale is really a 2 day sale. Yes, you read right....there is always a preview day. It is the exact same sale, the exact same morning specials, coupons work the day before.....it is just a gimmick to call it a One Day Sale.

Okay, lets get real......the sale is just a gimmick to get you in the store, so you'll buy other stuff. They'll always have other things on "sale" that aren't such a good deal. Just be DISCIPLINED! Take cash only! Take a calculator if you need help. Sales associates are always willing to ring something in to check the price after sale reductions.

Some of our deals:

• I just bought my nephew a snow/winter coat. It is Nike brand, originally $85. It was on a sale rack for 14.99. After the One Day Sale reduction and my coupon....it came out to $4.99!


• Bergen just got a nice pair of jeans. Org: $85 I think they ended up being around $8.


• I bought a sweater for a gift, Org: $114. I paid $35.


• Bergen and I just bought some shirts that all were originally in the $30-$40 range, and they all averaged out to be $4 each after sale reduction and coupons.
• I've bought $90 pants for $15

I hate to "dig" for good deals. At Macy's I don't. I just head straight for the clearance racks, go to my size, flip through.....it is FAST and easy. I don't spend lots of time doing this. Just on Wednesday I spent 45 minutes in the store (Jacob was in the stroller and we were on a time crunch) and I hit Men's clearance, children's clearance, women's underwear clearance, and linens clearance. All in 45 minutes. See, don't waste time, don't dig, just get good deals or get out!

So, if you are changing clothing sizes, pregnant, want something "different," just feel like getting a new outfit but are on a budget, looking for a nice gift on a budget....try it out. I must admit, some Macy's are ghetto. We are lucky, Bergen and I, that we have a nice Macy's. It's not Nordstrom or Sax, but it is pretty nice for our little town.

I hope this little guide helps. So, if you get a bit of cash for Christmas, check out the One Day Sale that they will have in January.

p.s. No I don't get paid by Macy's. And No I don't have a Macy's credit card. Although card holders do get a bigger discount...it is worth the extra 20% not to have the temptation to spend more than I have.

p.p.s. Dillard's has a killer sale on shoes the first day of January. If you are drooling over some amazing boots, that is the time to get them!

Deck The Halls

How fun it is to have a kid who wants to help, even though it takes 10 times as long, it is fun to share experiences with him. He is a big helper all over the house, and today he helped me make Christmas cookies. He also had a great time "helping" me decorate the tree last week.

Maternity Jeans Revisited

So, here we are 3 months after I wrote my first Maternity Jeans post....and I have been wearing my refashioned pants for quite a while. I thought I'd share some tips I've learned along the way, in case anyone else out there is interested.

First off, Adri at Mama Mia is probably who's idea I follow the most closely. But the chic at Grosgrain explains making the band better.

Who would want to do this project: All pregnant ladies, I'd think! But if you can wear your jeans or even maternity jeans UNDER your belly, go for it. That is what I did with my first pregnancy and it was comfortable and easy. NOT SO MUCH this time around. This little one is laying lower, or something, so nothing is allowed to be worn under without some amount of discomfort...meaning that I've had to utilize the panel the entire pregnancy.

Why are these "home made" refashions better: Unless you spend HUGE money on really well made maternity jeans, maternity jeans you find at Motherhood or JCPenny, etc, don't fit! They either have too much stretch making them shapeless (the last thing you need when you already feel like the blob), or they are cute but fit weird in weird places (especially if the junk in your trunk increases during pregnancy). These home made refashions take great regular jeans/pants, that fit everywhere besides your belly, and you just alter them to fit the belly. GENIUS!

Tips:

• Make your own panel out of Polyester with LYCRA fabric. you can find it at JoAnn's. 1 yard will make several panels. I used black.
• Don't use the pre made bella bands (or that type). They didn't seem to be strong enough to hold up to the tugging....which you will do to get the pants on....since there is not waist band to use in pulling them up.


• Instead of doubling the tube/panel to sew on the pants, I just made a tall version of Grosgrain's. I sewed the raw edge to the jeans, and hemmed the top edge. This way I can fold it in half or wear it full panel as the belly gets bigger. It also seems to hold the jeans up better this way.


• Use Adri's method of cutting in front, or else you'll find yourself with a panel that starts WAY TOO LOW in front. Believe me, I did this.


• Try to find jeans/pants with a higher waistband. Thankfully this style is coming back! Since you'll be cutting the waist band off, it gives you more jean in the end. Low rise jeans turn into REALLY low rise jeans after they've been refashioned....and it is harder to hide the panel under your shirt.


• HIPS DON'T LIE. I just had to write that. Well, for me this pregnancy, my hips have spread out faster (and maybe wider?) than the first time around. Meaning, the cute pants I refashioned at 22 weeks no longer fit at 32 weeks. They fit everywhere else, but the hips .... they had something different in mind. So, you may find yourself needing to refashion more pants in the later part of your 3rd trimester. I just refashioned what I hope is my last pair of jeans for this pregnancy..... and since I need the confidence boost, I actually spent good money on these jeans.....because I feel experienced enough I didn't worry about messing it up. Practice makes perfect.

Hemming: Well, as long as I was refashioning jeans....I decided to learn to hem my own pants. Normally I would never do this.....I would have the store or a tailor hem them using the original cuff. But since I've been buying a lot of my pants online, and I don't want to spend extra money on dumb maternity jeans at the tailor.....I figured out a middle of the road solution. It is better than the goofy hem, just folding them under (which I have done, it is okay on cords, but stupid on jeans), but not as great as the in store tailoring.

So Stephanie at Barefoot in the Kitchen and the chic at Dacia Ray explain the same method. In the end, it looks from afar like the upscale hem. BUT when you look close you'll see there is a fold, which is annoying to me....but not annoying enough to pay someone to alter my jeans for me. It is super easy, I did this to a pair of jeans this morning in 15 minutes. It turned out great.

Bottom Line: Having a well fitting pair of regular jeans that you refashion for maternity wear makes you/me feel much more comfortable in jeans and pants. Pants seems to be the biggest hurdle in maternity dressing (besides the whole wedding/dance/party outfit dilemma), and this Maternity Refashion has made wearing pants during pregnancy (which is a must for our mountain west cold weather) so much nicer.

Leave A Candle in the Window

Last night I heard this song again for the millionth time (you can listen to it by scrolling to the very bottom of the blog)......seriously I've grown up listening to it......but this time it reminded me of someone in my life. I wondered if he knew that I'd always be here for him? Have I made sure to tell him lately?

Maybe this is a stretch.....maybe I was in the right frame of mind to attach a popular song from the 1970's to an essential teaching of Jesus Christ. But I wanted to share both, and get you thinking......Is there someone you care for who is "moving" (as the songs says)? Do they know you'll "leave the light on?"

Sometimes when we don't share our feelings of love and compassion with one another.....someone ends up feeling lost. Take a minute to make a call, send an email, give a hug, or say a prayer for someone who may need to know they will always have a friend in you.

Have a great weekend!

LONG AS I CAN SEE THE LIGHT
(J.C. Fogerty)
Put a candle in the window, 'cause I feel I've got to move.

Though I'm going, going, I'll be coming home soon,'Long as I can see the light.
Pack my bag and let's get movin', 'cause I'm bound to drift a while.

When I'm gone, gone, you don't have to worry long,'Long as I can see the light.
Guess I've got that old trav'lin' bone, 'cause this feelin' won't leave me alone.

But I won't, won't be losin' my way, no, no'Long as I can see the light.
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Oh, Yeah!
Put a candle in the window, 'cause I feel I've got to move.

Though I'm going, going, I'll be coming home soon,

Long as I can see the light.

Long as I can see the light.

Long as I can see the light.

Long as I can see the light.

Luke 15: 4-7

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

“And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

“And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”

Food Storage & Couponing

I wanted to share some pictures of my pantry/food storage closet. I wanted to share this for several reasons;

1. To show show myself when I'm feeling overwhelmed that I did get some projects done before the baby was born.


2. To share with my friends and family some of my thoughts on Food Storage and Couponing


3. To allow myself to be "cased" by hungry thieves. So if you are casing my blog because you are starving and need food....just knock on the front door, I'll be happy to share my food.

So, Food Storage. I'm not really going to get into the food storage from the perspective of having food on hand for a rainy day. I really have a strong "feeling" that it is very important, and I've written about that before. Just not today.

• I only store food we actually eat. I love to cook from scratch, so most of my food storage are just ingredients I can put in meals I make.


• My food storage mentor Alaura told me, only buy things in sizes that you'll actually eat. having a bucket of beans is great.....but will your family go through the bucket before it goes bad? If not, spend a little more money and buy in sizes you can easily manage. I like #10 cans. I buy my powdered sugar and brown sugar in 2lb sizes. You get the idea.


• I learned to save cans. The pasta sauce we like the best is Classico. It comes in Ball jars with a Regular Mouth opening. They hold just over a quart. I've been saving them all year, and now this year I just had to buy lids and rings, and I was able to can in them. Big savings and great way to re purpose. Plus there are a lot of other great uses for glass jars!

In March of this year I started couponing. I started because there was a phenomenal deal on diapers at Walgreens, diapers CHEAPER than Costco and nicer diapers too. I've broadened my horizons to more than diapers since then, and I really enjoy myself. I have to say, it was pretty easy because I have a wonderful mentor, neighbor, and friend Natricia who holds my hand through it all.....and she figures out all the deals, I just follow her lead!

Here are some reason I hesitated to start using coupons before and ways I've found to tailor Couponing to me and my family.

1. Clipping Coupons takes a lot of time. Yes it does. There is no way around it. But I decided that it was like making money. The time I put into it was like I was going to a job....when i looked at it that way, and saw all the money I was saving I felt better. Here are 2 ideas on how to cut the "time" down in clipping coupons:

* File your coupon inserts from the Sunday paper by week. Don't clip until you need an actual coupon. Most websites list coupons by the week they came out in the paper, so it is easy to pull the insert you need.

* Clip only the coupons you will absolutely use, put in a binder, I sort mine by food or product type. I take my binder to the grocery store, so if I find a deal I wasn't planning on, I have all my coupons. Of course this only works when I'm up to date with all my clipping....which in the last 6 months has not been the case.

2. I like to cook from scratch. All coupons seem to be for pre packaged and processed food.

* There are many many coupons for pre prepared food. But, I have found that I save the most money on non perishable and toiletry items, for which there are also many coupons. I get soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, hair gel, body wash, razors, chap stick, etc....all for FREE or under $1.00. This saves me enough money, that I save over all, even when I buy a lot of fresh produce and ingredients.

* I'm not a snob. Lets get real. If you zoom in on my pictures above you'll see that I have about 7 cases of Campbell's chunky soup, and tons of jello mixes. There are foods that we like to keep on hand that are pre prepared. If you wait around long enough, you will get a good deal. John's favorite canned soup is Campbell's Chunky Veg. Beef soup. I just got 6 cases for $.032/can that included taxes. Now I don't need any more for at least a year.

3. Coupons are only worth a savings of $0.55. How will that save me enough money to make it worth my time?

* So this is the biggest lesson I learned from Natricia. Do not use a coupon unless it is in conjunction with a sale & a promotion. Otherwise, you are not getting the best deal.

Here is an example. Not just a sale. But also a promotion. Example. This week General Mills is having a promotion and Albertson' s is having a sale at the same time. GM is offering $10 off your next purchase when you buy $25 worth of participating products. I'm interested in the Cheerios. A 14 oz box is on sale for $2.00, with the promotion it brings the cost per box down to $1.20. Plus there is coupon for $1/2, so the cost per box (when you buy $25 of products BEFORE coupons) is actually $0.70 each. Now here is the kicker....as if that wasn't great enough.....this weekend Albertson's may be sending out "double" coupons, or twice the value coupons. So my coupon will be worth $2/2 making each box $0.45 each.

I'll never pay more than $0.50 for a box of cereal again.

4. I don't' have time to run all over town grocery shopping each week.

* trying to get every deal will burn you out, and you still won't get every deal. I only "coupon" at 2 stores. Walgreens and Albertsons....they are each 1 mile away from my house. Some people prefer Walmart, Safeway, Winco, Target, etc. What ever is best for you....only choose 2 stores. Only buy what you'll eat. And if you don't get the deal....it will come around again....don't worry!

5. I've been able to share my couponing items that I get for free or really cheap with others. It is such a good feeling to get a good deal, but even better when I can freely share my food and sundries with shelters or family who need them.

So, After all this....I have to admit there is a learning curve. Did you understand the paragraph in #3? I hardly did, and I wrote it, and I've done scenarios like that many times. There is a learning curve, and it takes time and patience. But I have been able to build a food storage and save us a lot of money in the long run. These deals also work with toiletries!

I guess I'm not trying to convince anyone of food storage or couponing....but I do want to share something that has blessed our family so much this year! I've also made a great friend out of it all! In the upper left hand corner you'll see three couponing blogs that I love.

p.s. I just read through this post. I had 2 thoughts. When I write posts I always think of my Brother in-law Dan and wonder if he reads my blog, if he does he is the one I'm most worried will think I am a terrible writer. Weird huh!?! But second, it kind of looks like I've got it all together, with this pantry post and the post about mums from before where my lawn looks so manicured.

Here's to keeping it real....which you know I love: I'm in my pj's, it is 4:23pm, I haven't showered. My kitchen is a mess....actually my whole house is a mess. My lawn wasn't mowed or weeded in a month. Finally as a gift to my hardworking husband, I hired someone to mow, trim, and weed while John ran the marathon. The mums just happened to bloom right after that. There you have it! Reality Check!

Mums

I wait for this all year! Fall is my favorite season, and it is kicked off with my mums blooming! They are so big this year, the one of the left obviously gets more water, it is 3 times as big as the other one. I'll split the big one into 3rds this year, and plant it around the other side of the house.

I love mums, I've planted them before at a different house. They are so easy to care for, just prune once a year and water. They look nice and green all summer, even in the heat, and come fall when everything else has lost its color....BOOM. We have fuchsia/purple.

So if you get a mum to decorate your porch this year (I just picked one up for $3.99), don't throw it away when the blooms die...plant it...it is hardy and easy to care for, and gives you rewards the next year. Another similar flower is the Aster, it has a more delicate flower, is also very hardy. So if you get a mum this year, remember to plant well before the ground freezes so it has time to take root. It may not bloom the year after planting....but you never know....Mine did!

Disney Land

This weekend John and I took our full time staff to Anaheim California. The purpose of the trip was to finish up some orthodontic training John has been receiving. As a BIG HUGE "thank you" for all the hard work and commitment the girls do for us, we spent every waking hour, outside of the seminar, at Disney Land. It was great to spend time with Sarah and Gennifer, hanging out, laughing, being funny. Thanks girls for all you do, and a fun time at Disney Land.

Enjoy a few pictures from our weekend.

Cool glasses huh!?!

You know John loves animals. He wants

this whale as a yard statue one day!


I got yelled at for taking this one.

I guess no flash photography was allowed in

the Haunted Mansion!

Yes, I realize my eyes are freakish. I was holding my

eyes open for so long waiting for the flash! Yikes!

Just about to board Space Mountain. So fun!

These last two pictures are from 230 Forest.

It is our favorite restaurant in California. The picture of the

shrimp dish above doesn't do justice to the BEST

appetizer on the planet.

* I know you are all wondering, "where is Jacob?" Jacob stayed home safe and sound with my Parents. They were so kind to stay with him. But we sure did miss him.

Luxuries

Does my son need these toys? N.O. You know who needs these toys.....M.E. Okay, I'm sure some of you are saying, "Sara, do you really NEED these things?" Don't get literal with me. But seriously, of course I don't need this pile of plastic, neither does my son. But this pile of plastic helps me wash dishes, fold laundry, eat lunch, watch Biggest Loser, read a few pages of my book, answer the phone, do payroll, get showered, clip coupons, straighten my hair.....you get the idea. I'm thankful for my luxuries.....but what I'm really thankful for......my son who drags all his toys to me (whether I'm on the couch or in the kitchen) and plays on me or very very close to me. What are toys with out a mother? I guess they are just useless pieces of plastic after all.


*this corner of toys was just weeded through....I had to take out many toys he had stopped playing with, although it didn't stop him from dragging out everyTHING from the toy basket and spreading all over the room. Also, you can't see his growing collection of match box cars and Fisher Price Little People cars, animals, and people, but they are there!

Key to Great Work Out

Tips for the best workout you've had in a few weeks:

1. play great heart pumping MP3 on ipod

2.Save over $100 on groceries at Albertson's

on your way to the gym

I'm not kidding, saving that much hard earned $$ made me feel so great, I had a much improved work out.

see how happy I am ;)

Things I can do

Sometimes I feel like there are things people don't know about me that I think are cool....but I can't share due to time or situation. I'm not talking about private or personal things of course. I'm talking about things I do at work, things I learned about in a different time in my life. I'm good at things or are interested in a lot of different things, so I thought I'd share.

Here is one. I'm actually pretty good at this to:

Starting an IV

Tips if you ever have to get an IV placed in YOU:

1. Put your two (first and middle) fingers on the inside of your wrist just under your hand., covering the delicate blue veins you see there. NEVER let anyone try to start an IV there! If they are trying, they don't know what they're doing. JUST SAY NO! Ask for someone else. These little veins look tempting, but are too small and delicate, and they are too close to your tendons in that small area, all the movement from the tendons on the veins would cause irritations and possibly infiltration and infection. The only reason you would let someone stick you in that area is for a Radial Arterial Line, that is completely different than an IV.

2. Ask your nurse if he/she can use lidocaine to numb the area before starting the IV. I SWEAR by this technique. It allows me to be slow and careful, not worrying about hurting my patient, so I don't miss or blow veins. But, if the nurse has never done it before, you're better off just going with what they are good at...don't want to be their guinea pig ;)

3. I have a personal rule, only try 3 times. If I'm unsuccessful, I ask a collegue to come start the IV for me. After 3 attempts, I feel as if I just get worse because of frustration and the patient doesn't like it either. So, if a nurse is having a hard time starting an IV, after the 3rd try ask for someone else to try. It is your IV, your care....you are in charge! I'm pretty good at IV's (you don't have to actually see an vein to start an IV. Cool huh!?!), but sometimes timing or anatomy are just not with me.....just because someone can't start an IV on you doesn't mean they aren't good or at least competent....it just isn't in the cards sometimes. That's why you should be proactive in your IV placement.

Sneak Peak

What is this, you ask?
Thank you for asking!
This is a cute diaper cake......but not quite right.


Getting cuter

Stay tuned for the final product. You'll love it. Check out my Diaper Cake blog post (scroll toward the end) from last year while you wait for more pictures coming soon.