It's been a while!

It seems like it has been forever (it doesn't just seem, it has been) since I last had a post and ironically, I think I was busier then than I am now?

Since the last post I passed the NCLEX and got a job as an RN on a busy telemetry floor, and - well there is no and - I haven't really done anything else!  After being in nursing school for 2 years and having to constantly study or prepare for clinicals,  I kind of like just going to work and coming home.  There's really no preparing for your next shift ahead of time - except getting sleep!

Since I mentioned the NCLEX, I figure I should go into a little bit more detail.  The one major thing to note is that it is a very very very stressful event.  I know every teacher will tell you to calm down, take your time blah blah blah, but it's kind of hard to do that when you have been preparing 2 or 4 years for this moment (and had to pay a lot of money just to sign up for the test). AND you have a job offer riding on passing, and it would be totally humiliating to call your future boss and be like "Um ya, I failed, still want to hire me after I take this test again?"  My stressful experience was exacerbated by this:

While I was waiting outside the door to the testing center, a girl comes up with a bag full of food.  I was in the zone and didn't want to talk to anyone so I was a jerk and stood with my head down and didn't make any eye contact.  An older gentleman walks up and makes a comment to her about how she looks like she's in it of the long haul.  She replies with "ya, I am taking the NCLEX and it can last for up to 6 hours so I brought snacks." After this, I decided it wouldn't be too bad to talk to someone who is going through the exact same emotions that I am, so I broke the ice with something like "NCLEX? me too, when did you graduate?"  She replied with "December (2013, it was September 2014), this is my 3rd time taking the test, I am trying out  a new strategy so don't get frazzled if you hear me coming and going every 15 minutes or so during the test."  Then my stomach sank to the floor and I got even more nervous than I was before!  Her third time?  UGGHHHH!!!

Moral of the story: DO NOT TALK TO ANYONE AT THE TESTING CENTER!

Anyways, I felt even worse when the computer shut off.  I finished in about an hour and 10 minutes, got 75 questions exactly, thought my last question was super super easy and convinced myself that I failed.  Then I felt even more confident that I failed when I walk into the lobby and who is sitting there munching away?  Miss 3rd time!  So I cried on my way home, while my husband is trying to convince me that I passed and that the last question type that I got statistically meant that I passed (according to google - and they are always right, right?).  We all know I passed (kind of gave that away above), but it is just so nerve wracking having to wait for your test results. I went over every question that I could remember in my head for 2 days, and focused on the ones I knew I got wrong, which convinced me even more that I failed.  I wish they could just give them to you right then and there!!!

I think that's all I have for now, I still am subscribed to ipsy, boxycharm and fab fit fun vip, although I think I might cancel some or all of them, I have so much makeup and samples and crap that I am overflowing, and the 31.00 per month for ipsy/boxycharm and 200/year for fabfitfun can be put towards a new vehicle for me.....which I desperately want!  As long as I continue to get these I will try to put up review posts.  I also want to put up a post about the MAC Cinderella collection, and maybe one about a few new things I got from E.L.F, and some product reviews/raves about a few things that I found that I think are now holy grail status for me.


If you made it this far, thanks for reading!

This is how you wait for your ATT!

Anyone who has graduated nursing school has had to endure the wait.  This is the time from graduation until the respective board of nursing and pearson vue (the testing center) get their shiz together and give you an ATT, which basically means "Yep, we read this paper from your school saying you graduated and your background check doesn't show any nefarious activities, now go take your boards!"

So, I've heard this process can take MONTHS, and you basically have your hands tied because it's an actual person inputting that they received your background check, graduation info, etc. and they can only go as fast as they can go.  I graduated exactly 18 days ago (not that I'm counting), and still have no ATT. I just want a J O B, with a paycheck - is that too much to ask for?

Our school utilizes the Kaplan Review Course and I do have QBank questions and sample tests to do, but I wanted to try to pace myself with those so I don't finish all of the questions and then still have to wait even longer for my boards.

So how do I occupy my new found "free time" (at least I think that's what this is...)

I have literally cleaned my house from top to bottom.  I even deep cleaned my refrigerator and stove/oven.  The only real chore I have left is laundry and dishes, but those are never ending tasks and you can only go as fast as the washer/dryer and dishwasher run sooooo.  I moved my son upstairs to his new bedroom then transformed his old room to my office/makeup room/craft room/mom's hangout where the door locks.  This entailed literally throwing 7 years of saved up kid stuff out a window and either donating it or junking it depending on condition.  Then, I went through all of his current toys and clothes and got rid of all of the broken, taken apart, worn out toys.  Once that was done, we moved everything else upstairs.

Then I got to work on my new room!  I painted the walls a nice neutral sandy beige color (I think it was called Mexican Sand?)  I transformed an antique dresser that was my Great Grandmas into a shelving unit of sorts.  The drawers were all broken and it was a fake wood grained pistachio green (no joke), so I got rid of all of them except for two drawer fronts.  I mixed up a pretty dusty sky bluish color from paint I had laying around and slapped on a couple coats over some primer.  Let me tell you, it turned out beautifully!  The only thing I have left to do is hang those drawer fronts with some hinges to make a couple cabinet spaces.  I also hung some makeshift curtains out of fabric that I found upstairs, they will work until I find some that I like  better.  I also hung up a cabinet/shelf thingy that I won at a Chinese auction and painted this the same color as my dresser and added some white "distressing" on it.  This makes great storage for my nail polish and perfume and such.  Then, only because I was bored and found a cool stencil lying around, I decorated the back of the door, that probably no one will see, ever.  But it looks so cute, so who cares!  Here's some pictures of the progress so far.....

My Stenciling......

My antique dresser that I painted/re-purposed

Close up of dresser.  The two drawer fronts will be hung with small hinges to make some cabinets.

Makeshift curtains and my wall cabinet

Desk area...

 The only thing I have left to deal with is the floors.  When we moved in, there was pink marbled carpeting in here.  I left it in until I decorated Cay's room in a spongebob theme.  Under it was hardwood that needed refinishing.  We sanded it, but never got around to sealing/staining it.  Well 6 years later, it is covered in stains from a certain child spilling anything and everything on it.  I have decided that I am going to slap some white pain on it and be done with it.  I've researched and found that porch and floor enamel is the best way to go, so that's what I bought!  Now, I just have to find a night where I can start painting and just do it!

I also started our bathroom reno.  This just consisted of taking down the bathroom surround and putting in a new window and some tile.  I still have to paint the walls, but I am looking for a new vanity and I don't want to paint until I purchase one (pure laziness on my part, the vanity will cover a piece of drywall that we used to patch up a hole in the wall, I just don't want to mess with filling in the joint/hole right now...).  Here's a few before and after of the tub surround....

Before...

I found an old window!

New Window....ripping out some walls

The finished product...

I am so happy with the results!  It's amazing how much bigger our tiny little bathroom looks now.  I like having a window to let in some natural light too.

That's all I have for now.........