monthly catch up .

October has come and gone, it's now November and blogging continues to take a backseat to things. I'm starting to miss it. I actively follow quite a few blogs and somehow manage to squeeze in time on a daily basis to catch up on everyone else's life, but it takes a lot to sit down and write about your own. It's funny too because I have no idea who most of the people are, we've never met, but yet through the wonderful world of blogging we've snuck our way into each other's lives. I have had the opportunity to communicate via blog comments with one of my readers, not sure how she first stumbled upon us up there in Canada (I can't help it, I'm always curious to know how others find us), but we've both enjoyed what the other has to say, so if you're reading, Hey Jenna (and no, she's not my sister but Hi to that Jenna too:)!

I'm not too sure where to begin, the last month and a half has been somewhat of a blur due to the chaos of school but I managed to sneak in two fun weekends during that time, both were spent with family which is always nice.

Halloween was by far the most exciting thing for the kids.

Max was totally disgusted by digging out the pumpkin guts. Check out his face, this was right before he started gagging.

Lila was not as disgusted but this whole process only held her interest for about 10 minutes.

It seems like forever ago now but they had a fun night. This was the first Halloween in six years that I had to miss.

Max decided that he was going to be an army man.

Lila was ladybug girl.

For me Halloween was the first night of OB clinicals, so while the kids visited the dorms for candy, I visited with moms and babies(sigh). Babies, they're just so darn cute, and squishable. I'm partial to the chubby ones too, ugh those cheeks! Night two on OB was really my night, my first labor and delivery, and it was AMAZING! I truly loved every minute of it. I had the perfect patient, we laughed and joked throughout the night and when she pushed I pushed. I know, it sounds crazy, at one point I realized what I was doing and I'm like "wait, what the heck am I pushing for?" Apparently this is a common thing with OB nurses.

Clinicals have now come to an end for this semester and for that I am thankful. I love clinicals and I really do enjoy my time there but there's still a lot to do and that is one thing I can cross off my list as completed. On another exciting note I picked up my cap and gown for the LPN graduation (I'm not planning to attend the ceremony but we pay for it regardless so it was there for me to pick up) and was also handed the cords, for graduating with honors. I'm pretty pumped about this, this program is incredibly difficult, it's been my life for the past year and will continue to be through this next year. So graduating from this portion of the program with honors made me feel good, I'm halfway there. On a side note, Lila has enjoyed using the cords as a fashion accessory, most of the time they are being worn as a belt.

Aside from the hustle and bustle of school my holiday "To Do" list is actually coming along quite well:

• Shop for "Santa's gifts" 
• Order Christmas Cards
• Address Christmas Cards
• Begin listening to Christmas music on Pandora (ABSOLUTELY, well when Josh isn't home anyways:) He tends to make fun of me if I start listening before December so I like to keep that on the down low.
• Create family holiday menus (in progress)
• Holiday baking (well the little I actually do)
• Shop for everyone else (in progress)
• Wait for the snow

I actually do love the first big snow fall of the year, everything covered in white, it's beautiful. And I love the excitement on the kids faces, to them it's magical, it means winter is here and Christmas is coming, and right now that's all that matters.