Green Clean

I cant believe we are hopping forward into April already!!  Where has the time gone?  I feel like moments are rushing by and I can hardly catch my breath.  Do you ever get those moments where you are thinking ahead to the next few weeks and months and in your mind the year is already gone?  That's what life is like right now.  We have lots of things coming up... trips, visitors, meetings, work stuff, and house projects.  I'm trying hard to live in the moment and not for the next event on my list.  

With time whirling around me, I am still managing to plug on though my 2014 goals.  One of my goals is to be cleaning chemical free by 2015.  As some of you may know, I cleaned houses for a year when I lived in Georgia.  It was certainly not a "fun" job and I tried my best to move more into nannying and out of home care, but my time cleaning gave me an appreciation for "green" cleaning supplies.  Trust me, when you spend hours breathing in fumes and gagging on chemical odors, you learn to appreciate clean air.  I had several families that chose to use green cleaning supplies like Shacklees and Seventh Generation.  I was so grateful for that and I vowed that when I had my own home to maintain, I would do the same thing.  

Now, I'm still a huge fan of Shacklees but I started looking into home-made cleaning supplies, especially those containing essential oils.  I wanted to be simple, cost effective, and naturally CLEAN.  I didnt know much about oils but started using lavender water to clean counter tops about a year ago.  I've added a couple more lavender and vinegar base concoctions to our cabinet over the last few months and tried several variations of recipes.  Hubby was quite skeptical as his nose tells him that only that chemically smell is clean, but even he has come around and began to associate the sweet and calming smell of lavender and even the tangy smell of vinegar with clean [it can be done!].  

After a bit more research, and with hubby's reluctant blessing, I took the plunge.  I bought my first set of 6 essential oils: lavender, lemon, orange, eucalyptus, tea tree, and peppermint from Eden's Garden along with a Young Living Purification Oil for good measure.  I compiled all my favorite recipes from pinterest and got started.  My timing could not have been better as we have company coming to stay at the end of this week.  I cant wait to try out some new home-made cleaning products and let you all know how they work!  

Groove Book

Okay, I had to tell everyone about the coolest App I discovered a couple of months ago.  I'm kind of a memory junky.  I love pictures and scrapbooks of all kinds and have a stack of photo albums and a zillion framed pictures to prove it.  I print pictures ALL THE TIME which costs a pretty penny.  But for the most part, my iphone pictures have stayed on my phone which is sad considering my phone is my most handy and accessible camera for those spur of the moment photo opps.

Ronnie saw Groove Book on the Shark Tank in January right at about the time I started seeing it on Pinterest.  It sounded too good to be true:  $2.99/month for up to 100 4x6 prints bound in a cute book- THIS INCLUDES SHIPPING.  We took the risk and signed up and I couldn't be more pleased.  The prints were great quality (keeping in mind that these are low resolution cell pics that can often times be a tad blurry when you take them) and the price is unbeatable.  Trust me.

For those wondering how it works, all you do is

• Download the App
• Upload pictures from your cell phone
• And wait for your monthly close date!

A few days later, your book arrives!

The possibilities here are endless.  You can print last months pics, create a book for an event or trip, or print a theme book (all my puppy pics)!  Since all the pages have perforated edges, you can also tear them out for your own photo books or frames!  Another plus is once you create an account, you can access your account from other phones.  Ronnie did a book on his phone the month after I did mine on my phone.

We have been very impressed with Groove Book and are excited to continue receiving memories in the mail.

PS~ Let me know if you want a code to get your first month free!

Humble Hubby Brag

Just had to take a second to brag on my amazing husband.  He has conquered so many projects this week that I have probably lost count.  He has made phone calls, scheduled appointments, sat in meetings, worked on projects, and run errands all while continuing to clean up the house for me and take care of three little pups.  He is pretty awesome.  I dont know what I would do without him, especially on full weeks like this.  :)

Sulley and his Snow Spots

While the rest of the midwest is enjoying the "warm" weather (barely above freezing), Sulley seems to still be mourning the lack of snow.  He has spent all winter going outside in it and is willing to play a bit while Boomer and Mia try their hardest to avoid going out altogether   The snow has melted in the last few days and Sulley seems completely confused about where to do his "business" outside.  The poor thing doesn't seem to know what to do without a pile of snow to pee on.  As the patches of snow grew smaller and smaller, he diligently hunted them down in the far corners of the yard when he had to go.  Now, with no snow at all, he wonders aimlessly for a bit before reluctantly settling for soggy grass.  I think he will be the only one excited when the next polar vortex hits tonight and tomorrow.  ;)

This was on one of our -45 degree days when all the dogs had trouble with cold feet.  We passed the boots around all day.  

Big Dogs

Well, we seem to have adjusted to life in the dog house, though I had my doubts that we would get to this point.  Everyone seems to be a part of the "pack."  Play time can get a little rowdy with three little dogs especially now that the puppy can fully hold his own.  He gives Mia a run for her money when it comes to tug-o-war and chase.

Care Packages!

As many of you know, I have a love for snail mail.  There is nothing quite like getting a letter or package in your mailbox when you least expect it.  I just wanted to share a couple of the fun packages I sent out last month.  I had fun with them.

A box of sunshine

A "Heart Attack" for Valentine's Day

Three years

It's hard to believe it's been three years already. Some days it feels like a lifetime. We've lived a lot and learned a lot the last few years. 

Ronnie took me on a surprise anniversary/New Years eve date. How sweet is he?!?  It started by  visiting the spot where we got engaged. We got there right at sunset. Breathtaking. Then we went to Prime 47 Steak House downtown. It was delicious!  And they even gave us a free dessert!

I'm lucky to have married the man of my dreams.  I love you, babe.

Christmas

The Christmas Season is already drawing to a close. I am sad to see it go so quickly. Between the late Thanksgiving and the hospital move, I feel like I hardly got to enjoy it! Ronnie had a great first Christmas living at home. He decked the house out in lights and helped me make the interior warm and festive as well. We were able to entertain a few times in the past few weeks which also brought cheer to our home. We spent our Christmas up in Ft. Wayne with my Grandma and my mom's siblings this year. It is always so fun to get together with everyone and goof off a little bit. The DELICIOUS Christmas feast never hurts either. ;)

Christmas decor

This year we have so enjoyed decorating the house. Since it's Ronnie's first official Christmas at home, even he has been in on the fun!

Historic Times

This week has been full of packing, moving, unpacking, and strange schedules as Wishard Hospital makes the historic move two blocks west to become Eskenazi Health. As we leave this grungy old building for a shiny new one, we have been reminded at every step of the rich history of Wishard Memorial Hospital. With over 150 years of service to the community, Wishard has played many roles including being a place of healing for soldiers during the Civil War and a place of learning as one of the nations first nursing schools. Today, Wishard-Eskenazi stands out as the regions top burn center and level one trauma center, and I couldn't be more proud.

While I'm sure I wont miss the basement cockroaches and speratic leaks and breaks, I will miss the secret passage ways and stories that go along with this old building. You see, Wishard has history for me too; history that began even before I started working here. Both my parents worked here in the Wishard basement after graduating from college; my mom as a cytology tech and my dad as a med tech. I've heard stories about their days down in the basement and I even work with some of their past coworkers now! But leaving Wishard is only the end of a chapter and I for one am beyond excited for our new home as Eskenazi Health.

The new Eskenazi boasts individual rooms for each patient, a new Clinical Decisions unit, a rooftop garden, the second largest parking garage in Indiana, snazzy art pieces, and all the latest innovations that earned it a green leaf certification. And best of all... the lab is NOT in the basement! We graduated all the way up to the second floor! After several tours and a bit of wandering, I have learned my way to most of the most necessary locations: lab, locker room, breakroom, cafeteria, and of course Starbucks. I'm so excited to be a part of something so amazing, and while it has been a bit stressful, I can honestly say I have enjoyed the ride.

All of our boxes arrived at the lab yesterday and a select few of us spent the evening unpacking and organizing each lab bench. Today, the instruments are being set up and validated. That leaves a scant few of us here at Wishard today to run the few samples that trickle in from the ER and units. Tomorrow is the big day. Over 200 patients will be moved, with the help of the Indiana National Gaurd and Navy Reserves as well as EMS, volunteers, and police, to the new hospital. We will be working from 2 locations starting tonight until everyone is out. Yes, this is a legistical nightmare that we are just begining to comprehend. It comes with a 12 hour shift starting at 3am tomorrowm, too.

Wish us luck and say a few prayers as we end this move and begin this exciting new chapter!

For more info about our move, check out:

• WTHR:  Eskenazi facility rises above old Wishard
• IndyStar:  Eskenazi Hospital prepares to open
• IndyStar: Eskenazi Hospital Tour