Sunday, November 30, 2014

Happiest Hockey Players On Earth



{For every long mile of the 1447.9, let there be two minutes of uncontrollable laughter}



{for every "hurry up", let there be one "take your time"}



{for every grudge you've been holding, let there be one act of forgiveness}



{for every worry about the condition of your clothes, let there be a friend who reminds you that your style is not why you are loved}

{for every long line, let there be gratitude for two short ones}

{for every minute spent holding a phone, let there be ten minutes of holding a stick, playing vs. Orange County W 7-2}

{for every game won (vs. Vacaville Jets 2-0) let there be a spontaneous dance party in the locker room}

{for every game won of hockey (vs. The Rinks 4-2) let there be one offering of service ringing the bells for the Salvation Army}

{for every irritated thought towards a rude player (The Rinks (again) W 6-1) let there be one handshake offered a stranger}

{for every squabble, let there be a group hug - with 55 people total!}

{for every rainy day, let there be an extra one of sun}



{for every moment spent analyzing your game, let there be one praise for legs that can skate, no matter how fast}

{for every moment you give the gift of yourself to the ones you love, let there be a memory that lasts beyond the tournament}

{with open hands, open eyes, and an open heart, this second place trophy can be different than in the past}

{for the first time in a long time, today I tasted the sweetest part of life}

{Because now I know this day doesn't have to be perfect like the Bruins hockey players Max was so excited to watch practice after Markus' game, not even close.}

This day was not about winning the championship...or getting the most points...or polishing those blades until they shine. This day was about gathering together with our messy, flawed human hearts in an effort to make happy memories that will outlive me, Markus and Max. 

And that messy, flawed heart beating inside me felt peacefully and imperfectly full. 

Friday, November 28, 2014

19 Foods You Need To Try In Disneyland

WHERE TO EAT IN DISNEYLAND

When I was nine years old, since my family and I were living in Anaheim Hills, we decided to get annual passes to Disneyland. Even after we moved to Oregon in the fall, we drove down quite a bit to LA. I guess we got our money’s worth, there was so much food we wanted to try!
So this week since we were in Anaheim anyways for Markus' hockey tournament, I decided to make a list of all the foods we love to eat while at Disneyland. I am kind of obsessed with making lists lately, if you haven't noticed. If you’re going to spend money on overpriced food, it might as well be the best of the park!

1. Mickey Mouse Pancake at the River Belle Terrace in Frontierland [Disneyland]


2. Lobster Roll at Harbor Galley in Critter Country [Disneyland]
3. Barbecue Chicken Sandwich at Hungry Bear in Critter Country [Disneyland]
4. Corn Dog at Street Car on Main Street [Disneyland]
5. Broccoli Cheese Soup in a bread bowl at Pacific Wharf Cafe in Pacific Wharf [California Adventure]
6. Lobster Nachos at the Cove Bar in Paradise Pier [California Adventure]
7. Bacon Wrapped Asparagus at Bengal Barbecue in Adventureland [Disneyland]


8. Portobello Mushroom Philly at Award Wieners in Hollywood Land [California Adventure]


9. Veggie Tater Bake at Flo’s V8 Cafe in Cars Land [California Adventure]


10. Cream Cheese Filled Pretzel at the Refreshment Corner on Main Street [Disneyland] (also want to try the one with jalapenos!)
11. Beignets at Cafe Orleans in New Orleans Square [Disneyland] (also available at the Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney
12. Dole Whip at the Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland [Disneyland]
Pro tip: There is an inside line that is shorter than the outside line.



13. Fried Pickles at the Carnation Cafe on Main Street [Disneyland]
14. Turkey Leg at the vendor in front of the Golden Horseshoe Saloon in Frontierland [Disneyland]
15. The Monte Cristo at Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square [Disneyland]
16. Pommes Frites at Cafe Orleans in New Orleans Square [Disneyland]





17. Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Sandwich at Pooh’s Corner in Critter Country [Disneyland]


18. Matterhorn Macaroon at Jolly Holiday Bakery on Main Street [Disneyland]
19. Cherry Milkshake at Carnation Cafe on Main Street [Disneyland]

How many of these have you tried?
What’s your favorite thing to eat at Disneyland?

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Gratitude

My friend, I am thankful for you. Words cannot express how grateful I am for your companionship on this journey … for loving me “as is”… and for encouraging my writer’s heart. May the sweetest aspect of life—to love and be loved—be experienced by you and your family this holiday season.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Things To Do When Your Dog Dies:

Listen to Stand By Me
Wear a big sweatshirt
Eat Ramen
Clean your room
Go for a walk in the rain
Make paper cranes
Find recipes to make later
Read hockey magazines
Bake banana bread with a friend
Organize old Pokemon cards
Think about how beautiful the night sky is
Draw a picture
Go to a cafe
Sleep on a pile of blankets
Ask someone to hold you
Cry
Be okay at some point
Visit the library
Frame a photo of when your dog was healthy and happy
Sit with someone
Remember there are always cupcakes



Saturday, November 22, 2014

Age

Max {15}

Cole {16}

Aria {14}

Age ~



is merely the number of years the world has been enjoying you...





Morgen {19}

Mom {73}

Monet {47}


Thursday, November 20, 2014

Hockey Time



Markus with coach Mikko, Jeff, Greg and Tony 


Saturday, November 15, 2014

I Want To See His Smile

As Max was packing for his hockey tournament this weekend, I watched and waited. I started thinking...

I will study you. I will listen to you. I will watch your face when I use certain words. What brings smiles? What brings pain? I will make a note. I will use words that build you instead of break you. When I see that something I do makes you feel sad or rejected, I will remember and try not to do it anymore.


I will tell you all the positive things I notice about you, instead of pointing out where you fall short. There’s enough people who will do that. I will be your encourager. I will be your #1 fan. I want to hear you laugh. I want to see you smile. I want to watch you shine.

Max, I want to love you by your book and witness your amazing story unfold. Go get 'em in Rochester. 

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Love Story: Companionship

Reading through some emails today made me think about companionship - and how it is hands down one of the greatest blessings in life!!  I so hope you have felt it too!!!  I think it can come in so many forms - through a spouse, sibling, friend, child, parent, or pet.  I've said before that Markus when he was little my little buddy. He was so cute.  And well - I think potential boyfriends & girlfriends that you meet on line can even feel like companions on those days you would otherwise be alone.

Today I had to post this picture (taken in July before she got sick) of our CUTE dog who we love.  Molly is the dog of my oldest son. Yet she has been with me through so many good and bad times, and licked the tears streaming down my face when I was going through divorce. And yes, her cancer is back, and just like that she is about to die. :( We had surgery done and X-rays and drug treatments and injections but it has infiltrated her lungs and bones now and made her go blind. Max carries her outside everyday for her to go potty and Markus gives her medicine to her wrapped up in a piece of cheese. She couldn't have been a better companion.  

Who is your companion? Have you had any pets die? How did you help your children mourn?

Sunny Sky's


Sunday, November 9, 2014

Favorite Fall Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancake and Waffles

I can't help but share. This is our absolute favorite fall breakfast lately...

Pumpkin Pancakes and Waffles.



They're so simple and smell so good. I just made some for Markus and his friend Beau who spent the night. Morgen came home from a concert at 3:16 am and then my phone rang at 4. Work calling to see if I could come in today. Seriously?! 4 am?! I already traded today for next week so I wouldn't have to miss Max's team playing in the championship game this afternoon. 

I have some new post ideas - stay tuned.

-- 

Something fun

My nephew came in YESTERDAY from California. He served a mission there for the past two years. I was super excited to see him. Tanner's mom, my sister Lara, could not contain the tears of joy. She had one huge welcoming party planned. It was also my Mom's birthday- what a fun gift! :) 

Miracles

Do you believe in miracles? I do. And I wanted to share this story of...

My sister's husband Todd

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Every Child



I read this talk by Rita Pierson and loved this quote:

  1. Teaching and learning brings joy.

  2. Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.

    I love that. And I am so grateful for  coaches and teachers who live it. 

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

My Best Attempt At Writing About Birth



It is hard to even explain how unbelievably beautiful, healing, amazing, and life changing this miracle called birth is.

Seriously. It was unreal. It took me to a place of complete vulnerability; healing and progress began in ways that I needed; the face to face human connections were out of this world; and there was such a ridiculously beautiful true love and acceptance for this mother and her baby (and most importantly, I think, I felt more love and acceptance for myself.)



My nursing cohorts and I had hopes that the labor and delivery experience would be meaningful to our education; that we would feel it was worth it to learn about; that we would experience things that we had never experienced before; that we would feel the time and effort was worth it no matter what area of nursing they were hoping to be working on. And well, it's safe to say that most people were so happy they did. One friend said she could have left after Day 1 and it would have been worth the cost of tuition. The clinical group even begged our instructor to do a birth a week from now so that we could do a repeat of the experience. And one guy told us it would be a CRIME to not offer the opportunity again and again to others. Honestly, I looked at each nursing student like...holy crap $#*@!!! We took a risk. We put ourselves out there to learn this thing. It was scary to do it. But it unfolded better than we ever could have imagined. It was a massive day at IMC (19 babies in one afternoon). And mostly, a massive feeling of satisfaction to know that some dear people got to have their babies and experience something beautiful for their souls.

Here's how it all went down...

The first day of clinical was in the lab and we all collaborated on the birth of a mannequin mom and baby. 

Our instructor, Tara, gave out papers with different scenarios on them with each of the different roles involved. 

I could hardly believe it when I read Certified Nurse Midwife on mine. 

I was a bundle of nerves.  Oh....it's a strange thing to meet people who know about you and perhaps expect a lot of you. Because I'm just like all of them! Seriously. I'm no different. Students told me they were nervous, too. Ah, the ice was broken quickly. And they were all so lovely and warm and happy to be there. Oh man, it was really incredible to just be there with everyone. Even though they were all so smart and competent to me that I had moments of feeling intimidated.

Our first day at the women's center arrived at 6:30 am on a Tuesday. 

And get this...I felt as if I was home. Really, really home. I don't know, I just felt drawn to this unit. And I LOVED our patients like we were already friends. It was like we had enough common thoughts and struggles and intentions that somehow we were just connected in some way. There were twins being born via C-section that I was originally assigned to. In fact, they went in shortly after the doctor came in that was so familiar to me. Anyway, that part was really amazing. I wish I could have taken pics of some of their beautiful faces. HIPPA laws prohibit this though. 

People that I did have assigned to me and the nurse I was shadowing had various backgrounds which was kind of a thrill to me. I'm glad the hospital reaches people far and wide as I believe it makes this a welcome place for all. There were single women, married women, divorced women, a mother of 10, people from multiple different religions, some that were not religious at all, and people from all over the intermountain west. 

We started right in with our first stage assessment. Tara and the hospital team created some incredible experiences for us. Parents to be seemed to be loving the anticipation. Though going all natural was difficult for a few. I mean, it's a completely new experience. Contractions set in. Pain will raise their heads. Some had to adjust their threshold to the level of labor they were in. Until the epidural started to do it's magic. People started to have some noticeable improvements in their pain, smiles, and overall radiance. And everyone agreed that it was so much easier to do the labor as a GROUP with an entire medical team serving them and preparing all the trays and tools. Plus, I think everyone eventually caught on to how fast some of the first time labors could be. Morgen needed a ride from school so I ran out to pick him up on my lunch break. When I walked back in to the labor I was attending she was pushing. Can you say fast? How about having a baby during lunch? 

The arrival was incredible. We all held a leg or an arm and supported this first time mom by being there. WOW. My heart was about to burst. We ALL felt unbelievable love and acceptance for each other that moment. It was a human experience I'll never forget.

The next weeks continued as we essentially followed the same schedule only on a different unit (maternity, nursery, NICU, postpartum, antepartum, and breast feeding classes).

And yes, I got to hold babies. I bathed and dressed and swaddled and rocked and fed babies...It may seem like a small thing, but I am guessing it was the best moment for all of us - to stand there and have these little people you love and respect help teach you about assessing newborns - to have someone touch you. To have your body and any flaws you might have just there and possibly being seen. And also to hold their little tiny hands. 

And there were also some additions to the schedule :) : Morgen got a text from his friend, Dalton, that his mom was in labor. So he got to stay at the hospital and hold a baby that day. :). Those clinicals were INCREDIBLE and some of my favorite moments of the entire semester!! LOVED working and chatting with each nurse about nursing and love and healing. How I wish we could all be working partners all the time.

Also, one member of the staff was someone I talked to about working on that unit after I graduate (she was actually leaving IMC next week and moving to McKay Dee since she just remarried and moved up there). At our clinical post conference Tara taught an incredible class on maternity. Every word that woman spoke to us was worth gold. Other additions to the schedule: ice cream therapy! YES. It was pretty awesome. Tara is truly a gifted soul and a woman of so much strength and wisdom. You can't imagine how she is able to bring our group to some moments of learning. She was valuable and gave us feedback on our papers that taught us how to really write an APA format and like it. Most of us got at least a 90 as she was so good. (How I wish she had been my nurse when I was in labor!!)


A favorite treat was talking with Morgen about his friends little sister. 

These people are truly wonderful and brought SO MUCH love and care to everyone there.

I left the maternity clinical feeling completely in awe of the entire 4 weeks and in awe of each baby that came. I love them all so much. It's an experience I'll never forget. 

XO,

B

P.S. THANK YOU for your interest!! There is some hope for this blogger to get her act together. :) 




Monday, November 3, 2014