Spark and the ICU

Just wrapped up my LAST clinical of the semester and I am thrilled! Being in the ICU was an awesome experience.  I'm fairly certain that I want to be an ICU nurse after my experiences there, though I'm keeping my options open until I've gone through Pediatrics (still thinking I'd love the NICU too!) and Maternal/OB.  Just a few of the things I saw/did during this rotation: someone's eyeball popped out, patients crashing/coding, ventilator patients, female circumcision, and limb amputation.  Crazy, right? I loved every second!

Now that I'm home from what I hope will be my last night shift ever for a while, I'm going to nap hard before B and I head to Austin for Thanksgiving.  We'll be packing up the pups and spending a few days in my parents' house which is currently under renovations. Cross your fingers that the crew is hard at work putting in baseboards and a toilet today! Otherwise, B and I will each be on a couch and we'll be using my parents' master bathroom for all our necessary business. 

PLEASE let us have more than one toilet in the house!

Before I slip away to La La Land, I am giving away a FREE box of Spark!  Yup, a whole box of Spark, in whatever flavor the winner wants.  All you have to do is join up with Sami and I for our Holiday Clean Up AdvoCare 10 Day Cleanse!  Your entry for the giveaway is your purchase of the Herbal Cleanse. When you buy from me, I'll automatically have your name put in the drawing.  Purchase by Monday, December 2nd to be eligible.  Winner will be announced Tuesday! If you buy a whole 24 Day Challenge then I'll have to come up with an even better giveaway - maybe Spark and some Slam? We'll see!

Sami and I will be starting the cleanse on Monday, but you can always start a day or two late and just follow along. Use #HolidayCleanUp to join in on the fun!

Happy Pre-Turkey Day! Get your sweatpants ready!

xoxo,

Cait 

PS - The giveaway for $40 cash is still going on at JustJacq. There are just over 100 entries which means you've got a great chance at winning it just in time to spend it on some cute holiday accessories!

I did it! And some other exciting news!

First, I have to say THANK YOU for the love and the kind words of support this weekend when I ran my first half marathon! I plan on writing a full recap later this week but I cannot say enough about how much it meant to me to see your messages, your texts, your "likes" and the support on the blog, Facebook and IG.  I never would have had the balls to attempt this if it weren't for the blogging community that helped me believe I could do this.

I have never been happier or colder!

This week is going to be a busy one for me, just like it will be for many of you.  It started with the half marathon, continued on Sunday with a family dinner to celebrate my birthday, and now I'm about to get ready for the first of two consecutive night shifts before we head to Austin on Thursday for Thanksgiving.

To say I'm worried about slacking off now that my BIG GOAL is over and done with combined with the holidays and holiday drinking that is right around the corner would be an underestimate.  I just work better and feel more balanced when I have something I am working towards.  I haven't pinned down the next race or event yet so instead I'm focusing on my diet.  I love enjoying the holidays, which means feasting and drinking to my heart's content with my friends and family. But just on the holiday.  Not for the four weeks between holidays, Cait!

To combat the holiday weight gain, Sami and I are hosting another round of the AdvoCare 10 Day Cleanse.  We'll be starting it on Monday, December 2nd so you still have plenty of time to order! (Order by Wednesday with 2 day shipping and it should arrive Saturday.  I've found that 2 day shipping, for whatever reason, is usually only $1 more than regular with AdvoCare!)  I'll be posting a shopping list and some meal plans over the weekend so you can plan accordingly. On instagram, tag all things cleanse related with #holidaycleanup so we can all see what each other is doing to be successful!

If you're interested in doing the entire 24 Day Challenge, you would finish that on Christmas Day (or a day early, if you'd like!).  The 24 Day Challenge starts with the 10 Day Cleanse which means there is always time to decide that later.

Basics for the 10 Day Cleanse:
- Comes in Citrus or Peaches and Cream
- Drink the fiber shake the first 3 mornings and the last 3 mornings
- Take the Probiotic Pills on mornings 4-10
- Take the Herbal Cleanse Pills at bedtime for days 1-7
- Cut out alcohol, soda, creamy sauces, sugar, candy, fried foods, processed foods, white flour, and partially hydrogenated oils (personally, I cut out all daily and gluten since it just agrees more with my system!)

The cleanse is NOT a starvation diet or a crazy juicing plan.  You eat real food! Just not crap food!  I always work out on the cleanse and I'm typically eating more food than I usually do, just making better choices about that food.

I'd love to answer any questions or concerns you have about the cleanse! Leave me a comment or shoot me an email: yfgblog@gmail.com.

Hope you'll join us for the cleanse! Time to clean up our holidays, ladies!

xoxo,

Cait

PS - I'm part of a CASH giveaway over at Just Jacq! Enter below or on her post. Ends Nov. 30th!

$40 Paypal cash straight to you! 

 

To enter, simply enter through Rafflecopter. a Rafflecopter giveaway

some good news

I mentioned yesterday that Thursday's night shift was less than stellar, which is putting it lightly.  After sleeping the day away I had a slightly better outlook and then some good things came my way.  Doesn't life have a funny way of working out?  Just when you think things are down and out, some good comes your way.

It made me step back and realize that even in the struggles I am incredibly blessed and these challenges are just part of the journey.

So on to the good news...

(1) I made the Dean's List for the summer semester!

Don't judge - I study in my Beats and without makeup.

This wasn't on my radar at all and it just showed up in the mail last week.  It reminded me that the hard work does pay off and now I'm more determined than ever to keep it up.  Plus, I'm halfway done with the fall semester which means I'm also halfway through the program! CRAZY!

(2) My loans were forgiven!

After wrapping up my last year of teaching, I found out that I was eligible to have my undergraduate loans forgiven in exchange for completing 5 years at a Title 1 school.  The amount varies based on grade level and content, but teaching 8th grade science put me in the highest category. I submitted my forms this summer, had them returned because they were expired, resubmitted the forms, and then basically didn't hear anything.  I assumed that I would have to start paying on them again come graduation and I had accepted that being in crazy debt was my reality.

Then I got an email on Friday saying something about "thank you for your payment." I panicked thinking that my automatic payments had started back up and I wasn't prepared for that - they've been in deferment since starting nursing school.  However, when I opened the email I saw this instead:

I actually spit out my Spark when I saw the amount.  That's more money than I've ever had at one time.

And my heart almost stopped.  It took me a few hours of checking the email and logging into my account to actually believe it.  I'm still in shock a little bit!

Yup, those loans are actually paid off! I feel like a huge weight has been lifted.

(3) The giveaway I won from Kaara and Jacquelyn arrived yesterday!

During September, Kaara and Jacquelyn hosted the Move It Challenge and for each week you linked up with your fitness you were entered to win an Advocare Cleanse.  And I won! I didn't realize that I would be getting so many amazing goodies so I'll let the pictures do the talking.

How cute are these messages Kaara wrote around the box? Made me even more excited to open it!

Advocare Slam, Bowl Game Berry

Advocare Herbal Cleanse, peaches & cream

blogilates blender bottle

crocheted coasters

Advocare Spark, pink lemonade

Advocare Coffeccino, mocha

bracelet

earrings

crocheted head wrap

adorable card

I've never tried the Coffeccino and I love mocha flavor so I'm really excited about that.  And the Slams are perfect for my night shifts at the hospital.  Plus, I'm dying over the crocheted items. They are so soft!  I love it all and I am so excited about it! Please stop by Kaara and Jacquelyn's blogs to show them some love - they are wonderful girls that I'm so lucky to have found!

I'd love to hear what good things have come your way lately! And I know it's cheesy, but thinking positively about the things that are challenging us really does make a difference. I encourage you to try next time something has got you feeling down.

xoxo,

Cait

PS - that blender bottle is perfect for the Fiber Drink that comes in the 10 Day Cleanse. I'm starting on Tuesday with Mel and Holly.  It's not too late to order yours!

picture post & SIBGSL

Not really feeling like writing much these days, with nursing school and some personal issues going on.  But I feel bad to have abandoned the internet for so long so I'm updating with some pics.  Hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July holiday!

PS - SIBGSL. What, you can't decipher my acronyms?  Sorry I've been gone so long. SIBGSL. Duuuhhhh.

Bought some crazy pants and a great shirt.  Recognize the dressing room?  pants // shirt

Testing day outfit... cute but comfy.  shirt // necklace (accessory auctions, old) // pants (Forever 21, old) // flats

Another test day option AND trying to look profesh for group presentations.  Ignore the dog photobomb. dress (J.Crew factory, old)  // belt (Gap, old) // blazer (Banana Republic, old) // flats

Obsessed over these sweet little bracelets.  fox // sparkly bangles (J. Crew Factory, old)

If you haven't had the Wings N Waffles from Breakfast Klub, then you aren't living right.  Get to Houston.  Call me.  Let's grab brunch.

Ready for my momma's birthday brunch! (Ignore my ugly feet) hat (Loft Outlet, old) // necklace // maxi (Old Navy, not online) // sandals (Tommy Hilfiger, via Marshalls)

Happy Birthday to my beautiful Mom! (Bet you thought she was my sister, right?)

My moms LOVES glitter cards.

Detoxing from the Wings N Waffles while studying.

Movie night with my BTF.  Saw The Heat and it was HILARIOUS! Go this weekend.  But don't bring the kiddos.

Celebrating the 4th with my handsome nephew.

The kid moves too fast to get a decent picture with my iPhone, but you still get the idea.  Half-naked toddler + fedora = melting heart.

Drinking pineapple-tinis from Superman cups... doesn't get more American than that!

Hopefully I won't stay away so long again before the next post.  Enjoy your weekends!

xoxo,
Cait

PS - If you got this far, my good friend IRL has a GREAT giveaway going on for a few more days. Go check it out and enter - super easy!  grrfeisty's giveaway!