Just add ice cream!

A sweet family friend took a terrible fall a month or so ago and wound up with a severely broken ankle held together with lots of metal.  Ronnie asked me to do a little care package to cheer her up.  I put together this "Just Add Ice Cream" box.  It turned out super cute!  I added toppings like chocolate, caramel, nuts, cherries, and a variety of sprinkles along with waffle cone bowls and cake cones.  The cute little scoop, stickers, and shakers were touches from an ice cream themed basket I had just won at a silent auction.  They topped everything off perfectly.  I'm really happy with how it turned out and I know our sweet friend was too.  

Springtime in the backyard

As winter melted away we began to see glimpses of spring. Yes, they were usually chased away by freak snow storms or icy winds, but I am going to go out on a limb and hope I don't jinx it-- I think spring is here to stay!

Our backyard has had quite the transformation in the last month. We added a fence for both privacy (fences make good neighbors!) and for the pups. They love being able to run. We added some deck furniture, flowers, a little garden and it finally feels like a place we can relax in. I love it. 

Before: 

After: 

Our front yard got a dash if color too!

Happy Easter!

Easter kind of snuck up on me this year.  Maybe it was because it has been so cold for so long... I really don't know.  We "egged" our neighbors on the Friday before Easter.  They have two sweet kids that we so enjoy and we wanted to bless them in a fun way.  We stuffed about 30 eggs with candy and little toys and hid them all over the front time.  Our timing was perfect as their daughter arrived home from school about twenty minutes after we were done.  She had so much fun collecting the eggs.  She ran inside to grab a bag and kept telling her dad she would need another one if there were more than a few more eggs!  It's funny how we are blessed when we bless others.  

Med Tech.  Clinical Laboratory Scientist.  Not many people know what we do and fewer still know how we do it.  We are the ones that are unseen and often forgotten, but we play a vital role in patient care, diagnosis, and treatment.  In fact, over 70% of a patients diagnosis comes from us!  From blood smears and differentials to electrolytes and hormone levels, and wound cultures to transfusions.  We do it all.  

I love my job and take great pride in my skills and my coworkers.  

This was my first year as a real Med Tech and therefore a "real" participant in Lab week.  [SIDE NOTE: I've been out of school for a year and been working at Eskenazi for over 9 months!!!  WHAT???]  It was a week full of fun (and treats!) that made the days seem to fly by.  We had pizza one day and Olive Garden another day, then of course leftovers for a couple of days.  We had contests like "match the pet to the tech" and a cookie bake off and of course prizes.  All in all, it was a fun week celebrating our careers and the way we care for patients.  

Green Clean Part II

Recently, I went from this...

...to this.

I haven't spent enough time with all of them yet, but I thought I would share a few of my favorites so far.  

Granite Cleaner:

I've been using this for almost a year now and it is great!  Hubby says it is his favorite too.  It's simple to make, smells good, works well, and is versatile   I use it for my granite counter tops, as well as general clean up on the tile and other hard surfaces (not wood).




o   1/4 cup rubbing alcohol (you may also use vodka)
o   3 drops of dish detergent
o   1 cup water
o   A few drops of essential oil (to help mask alcohol smell).
Recipe courtesy of Mama Cheaps


Window Cleaner:

Okay, this works GREAT.  I will admit I was thoroughly surprised.  I'm totally sold on this one.
o   Equal parts: white vinegar and water
o   1 tsp dish soap (preferably unscented if you plan to add essential oils)
o   10-15 drops of any citrus oil (I personally like grapefruit) or Lavender is always a great cleaning scent
Recipe Courtesy of bloom doula



Furniture Polish: 

So far so good with this one.  It works really well and is SO much healthier than Pledge.  I think it's a keeper for sure!
o   2 tsp olive oil
o   1/4 cup white vinegar
o   2 cups water
o   10-20 drops of Lemon, Lime or Lemongrass
Recipe courtesy of bloom doula




Poo-Pourri:
Okay, this was probably the one I was most excited about.  Have you ever seen this stuff?? It is seriously the greatest!  I first heard about it over five years ago and I don't know how we ever went without it!  Need to know more about it?  Check out their commercial here.  You wont be sorry.  You can pretty much use any type of essential oil combination as long as you have about 70 or so drops.  

o   3.5 oz. water
o   30 drops wild orange
o   30 drops lavender
o   30 drops lemongrass
o   1  4 oz. dark glass spray bottle
Courtesy of Little House on the Valley