Boomerang!

For those of you who don't know, I quit my job at Wendy's (THANK GOODNESS!). I have 2 new jobs! I am doing some private CNA care for my Dad's Aunt Jewel, and I got a job at Boomerang Bookstore! Boomerang Books is AWESOME and I love both new jobs! They keep me busy, but the checks will make it all worth while! :) Sa YAY ME for having 2 great jobs! :)

Another video!

Easton and Keagan came over today to help Aunt Ashley and Grandma rake all of the leaves in the backyard.... We made this video special for Aunt Shelley and Uncle Deven, we sure do miss them, and we miss the babies too!!!

Remy
Kasen and Remy

More twins!

Remy
Kasen
Remy
Both Babes
Kasen

Best Birthday ever!

My sister Shelley had her babies on my birthday, and so my mom and I drove down to California at 3 am on monday morning, we got to the hospital at 1 pm, just after the babies were born! I was able to stay and keep my mom company until this morning, and I loved being able to see the new babies! Kasen Gordon Stephens and Remy Elizabeth Stephens were born October 11, 2010- Kasen is 5 lbs 6 oz, Remy is 4 lbs 10 oz!

Remy
Me and the twins!
Remy
The twins!
Proud Grandma!

Trauma, Horror, and Tears

My Most Traumatic Experience This Year............

(Warning: The pictures are not pretty, proceed with caution, and don't blame me if they make you sick!) :)

Ok, so for people who don't know about the story, I went to California with my mom, my sister, and her 4 children to visit my sister who has recently moved to Huntington Beach.

The trip was going great, until the day at the beach. Ok, the beach was a blast, however, the sunscreen I used was a generic brand, and I was unaware that the generic brands don't really protect you like the big name brands.... so even though I had sunscreen on and I was re-applying, I got burned, I got FRIED!!!!

So the rest of the trip I was miserable, I had blisters on both of my legs (which I have posted pictures of), blisters on my chest, and blisters on my back (I do not have pictures of anything on my chest or back, but if you see me in person, you can see the 2 lovely scars on my back) therefore, I could not sleep, I could not lay down! I spent my nights trying to sleep in a sitting position on chairs, it was miserable.

When we got home from our trip on a saturday evening, I was dying. My feet were so swollen because the blisters were cutting off the circulation, and I could not feel my feet.... So at 11:00 that Saturday night, my mom took me to the ER and then.......

When they finally called me back and took me to a bed in the ER, the doctor came and looked at my legs and ripped the blister right off of my left leg, I started to bawl, it hurt so bad, then of course cause that was not bad enough, he removed the junk from the wound, shoved it in my face and said "This is just bacteria build up, this is where infections start!"

Thank goodness for the sweet nurse who finally spoke up and said, "She is clearly in pain, can we give her something?" Then of course the JERK of a doctor sighed and said, "I guess so."

While we were waiting for the morphine to kick in (by the way, I had to get the shot in my blistered arm) (before anything started to touch the pain I had to have 2 shots and 2 doses through an IV) the JERK of a doctor came up to me as I am in tears and says "Well do you just want to do this yourself, it is just like popping a zit." (And NO, it was not like popping a zit!)

So after the morphine finally started to take the edge off, the 2 nurses had to come and de-blister me and dress the wounds (I had severe 2nd degree burns). I felt it all and I was bawling, but at least they were sympathetic and were telling me "I am so sorry, we are trying to be gentle." They removed blisters from my back, chest, and legs.

After being skinned alive, I was sent home with a prescription for percocets (which were my best friend for a while), some ointments, gauze pads, tongue depressors, coban, tweezers, and scissors...... The Nurse sent us home after telling me that the skin around the wounds will eventually blister and I will have to remove them my self.

Thank goodness for my mom! She was such a good sport, she dressed the wounds on my back and chest, and for the first few days she even did my leg wounds, and it was not a fun job, but she did it anyway, she was the greatest, I could not have gotten through it without her!

And Shell, Just because this horrific experience happened when I was visiting you, don't think for one second I won't be out there again soon! (I will just bring Coppertone sunscreen!)

Now for the pictures.........

Here is a picture of the blister on my right leg, I took this in Vegas when we stopped there for the night on our way home.....
This is the blister on my left leg....
and here is another picture of the blister on my right leg....
Here is the open wound on my right leg (yes I have a lovely scar)
Left Leg open wound....
see how swollen my poor feet are.... (thanks to Aunt JoDee for taking me to get the fabulous pedicure, we went to Le Nails and the lady did a great job, I told her just to stay below the dressings, she was very nice and very gentle, and it felt great for my sad feet!)
Here is a close up, see all the little blisters, I had the remove those with the scissors and tweezers, I was bandaged from my ankle to my knee at one point!
Getting better..... (just a little leakage at this point)
YAY!!! All Better!! I wore dressings on my legs for almost a month! My back healed after a couple of weeks, my chest healed after about 1 week, but the legs!! Oi!

I am all better now and I will be the Poster Child for Coppertone Water Babies Sunscreen (that is the sunscreen that the EMT who was helping out at the ER told me was the best).

And what about that EVIL JERK of a doctor????? I filed a complaint with the hospital, the Doctor in charge of complaints in the ER called me and had me tell him what happened, then he said, "Well, I will talk to him." Yeah, thanks for nothing, JERK! Oh well, I did what I could, but I also told him that if I ever go back to that ER and he is my Doctor, he will not touch me! I will not go through that EVER again, talk about BAD bedside manner!!

So, that is the most TRAUMATIC and HORRIFIC experience I have had all year (lets hope nothing worse happens!)

Finally Got A Job!

I am happy to announce that I FINALLY got a job! I was working temporarily at my cousin's bookstore, which was SOOOOOOO fun! I loved it, but unfortunately I am not needed long-term.. :(. But I did get a job working with my friend Brandi at the Wendy's right off the main street exit in Lehi, it is not a CNA or Phlebotomy job, but it is a way to get the bills paid! I will be working the evenings, so from 5 pm -close (which is about 1:30 or 2 am) so that will be interesting!

More 4th Pictures!

Here arte more picture from last night, celebrating the 4th of July....

Me and Saylem
Me and Easton
Gage, Saylem, Keagan, and Grandma Liz
Me and Keagan
Me and the Hooper boys- Cayden, Mayson, Gage

The 4th of July in Park City!

So this year our family was able to spend the 4th of July at the Condo in Park City, so we got to watch the fireworks last night on the golf course. Here are a few pictures of the festivities!

Mayson, Me and Max
Gage, after 1 Hamburger, a TON of watermelon, and some cookie!
Mayson, Me, Max

Uncle Nate and Peter Cetera....

Ok so on Thursday I went with my mom up to Logan to see my Uncle Nate in his Independence Day Concert with the choir that he is in (we love going to his concerts and never miss a show!) So the special guest for this concert was PETER CETERA! My mom and I didn't know that until we got there, and it was so much fun! My grandparents didn't like him though, they said it was just noise and my grandpa said he was uplifted by the choir then shot down into the cellar by the "other guy"! It was so funny!!!! My mom and I really enjoyed the concert, both parts, and it was so fun to see Grandma and Grandpa, and talk to Uncle Nate after the concert was over!

Girl's Camp

So I went to Girl's Camp on Tuesday, and I found out I was going on Monday, long story but I had so much fun!!! My Camera died right when I got up there so I didn't get many pictures, but I will post pictures when the other girls send me copies of theirs!

Isaac and the Diet Coke

I am so proud! Isaac has learned from his Auntie Ashley that Diet Coke is irresistible!! He attacked the can while i was holding him, don't worry, the can was empty, but the fact that he couldn't resist the urge to try it was so funny!!!

LOGAN HERE I COME!

Ok, so I am so excited to be heading up to Logan this coming friday..... I am heading up for a birthday party for my friend but I am so excited to see my grandparents, and any cousins available for a visit, (hint hint hint!) :)

Still Jobless....

Ok, so I am super bummed, I have had a bunch of interviews and no one ever calls me back! I was really excited for a job at the Utah Valley Specialty Hospital, but of course after making me wait all weekend wondering if I got the job, I call the lady yesterday and she said she already filled to position..... DANG IT!!!!

Oh SNAP!

So today for Mother's Day I went over to Andrea's house to make Ginger Snaps.... I started to mix the ingredients and cook them, to my dismay the cookies did not turn out! I was befuddled about the! I couldn't figure out what I had done to mess up the cookies, I followed the recipe to a T and did everything Andrea told me to! Andrea then made a new batch and they worked out wonderfully! The Professional Ginger Snap Maker decided that the reason why mine did not turn out and hers did is because she told me to used the butter instead of her shortening (she has done it many times), but the butter she had in her fridge was LIGHT MARGARINE! That is why they didn't turn out, so it was not MY fault, but really SHAUN'S fault because he was the one who bought the LIGHT MARGARINE! (hahaha).

So these are my cookies looking sad and rejected in the garbage can... (boo hoo hoo)

And these are Andrea's cookies, beautiful and perfect, a true work of art! (booooooo) (just kidding andrea! I love you!)
So the lesson in this sad story? DON'T BUY LIGHT MARGARINE! (at least don't use it to bake cookies!) :)

Well the waiting game continues!

Ok so I had another job interview for a hospice company here in Provo, the interview was on friday..... They told me they should have a decision by the end of this week, but the waiting is the WORST part!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!! This week is going by so slow, and I don't want to get my hopes, but I think I kind of have, so lets cross our fingers!!!!

Disappointing....

Well, I just found out today that I did not get the job in Salt Lake, so the search continues.... If anyone knows of any jobs for CNA's or Phlebotomists, let me know!

I guess we will see....

So I had a job interview yesterday to work in the Surgical Trauma ICU at the Intermountain Medical Center, I think the interview went well so we will see what happens, I will hopefully know by the beginning of next week..... CROSS YOUR FINGERS!!!!

I DID IT!

I passed my test tonight so I am now a certified phlebotomist!! AHHHH! I am so excited!

A little update.....

Ok ok ok, I know it has been forever since I have made a post, so here it goes.... Since my last post I have had some good news.... and some bad news....

The bad news happened first so lets just get it out of the way... I have recently become unemployed..... Long story, don't really want to go into it right now, so yeah..... It has been a pain finding a job right now, but I am working on it.

Now for the good news.... Because some people I know BUG me every time I see them (out of the kindness of their hearts... Courtney....) to get my nursing degree, I have taken one small step towards that goal since I have become unemployed.... I started a Phlebotomy class..... I will finish the class tomorrow---- EEK!!!! I have been a human pincushion and I have even had the pleasure to draw blood from friends who were kind enough to come to my class yesterday..... Brave Souls! Tomorrow I will take my skills test and then I will be certified in the State of Utah as a phlebotomist! WOO HOO! I am slowly getting closer to that pesky nursing degree.... Hey if anyone is brave and has good veins, I still need a pin cushion for tomorrow!!! Hehe. I tried to take a picture of my bruises on each arm and hand, but of course my skin is too light and the picture didn't work out.... But I am sure you all can imagine!!!

I love ya all and I will try to be more regular in my posts!!!

I'm Still Alive....

Ok, I know it has been FOREVER since I have made a post, but I promise you, I am still alive, I have been CRAZY busy working, and babysitting for sisters, and working, and babysitting for sisters..... as you can see, that is my routine.

I am going to try to post more often, but lately, nothing exciting has happened, therefore, I have had nothing good to post. Keep checking though and hopefully 2010 will be full of fun and exciting events to talk about!

Much Love!

Smash