Thoughts From a Frazzled Mind

I am finding that it is very bittersweet to arrive at the end of a semester.  This week I taught the final lecture for the fundamental students and they will take their final exam next week.  After seeing the same students day after day, sharing experiences both in class and in clinicals, and getting to know each of them personally it is hard to know that they will be moving on to bigger and better things.  I will miss them in the fundamentals class.  However, I recently found that I will get to teach them again next sememster in their pharmacology class, YEA!  And, I will get these same students in their 6th semester for their Maternal/Newborn class.  So, it isn't like I'm never going to see them again.  It is just that they were just babies in the world of nursing when they started my class 15 weeks ago, and now they have some great knowledge and skills and are ready to embark on the next challenge. It is a little frightening to be starting a new c...

We are so fortunate to be associated with such a large circle of friends!  Many of which are now are serving in high church callings.  And to our good fortune, they seem to still like to hang out with the  heathen Olsens. On December 30 we had a game night some of our good friends.  Mont and Marilyn Parrish. Dave and Jodi Wilding, and Troy and Carol Herzog all joined Kim, Shandra, and I for a wild and crazy night of games. We played Taboo, of course. One of our favorites.  We first played guys against girls and the guys complained the whole time about the girls' ability to read each other's minds and get the answers right.  The girls won by a landslide the first game.  The second time we decided to have the girls and guys intermingle on the teams,  It was amazing to see that the score was much closer when the girls were helping the guys! We also played a hilarious game of the Wildings called "Telestrations".  With this ga...

Remodel update We finally got my living room put together!  (It isn't completely done, but done enough that we can use it!)  The fireplace turned out fantastic!   The carpet is fabulous!  We got extra thick pad so it is very soft.  I broke down and bought new furniture - got a fantastic deal, I think!    The bookshelf at the top of the stairs is absolutely beautiful!  Kim used the same flooring that is in the kitchen for the top.  All of my scrapbooks fit with lots of room to spare. It feels so glamorous in the living room!  It almost doesn't feel like it should be mine - but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!  My only problem now is how to decorate it. The ward Christmas Party found us sitting on Santa's lap!  It was a wonderful party where the primary children and YMYW performed a live nativity. Bonnie, Jodi, Santa, Audrey, Marilyn, and Ashley New Stake President and Bishopric We knew that a w...

There is a castle on a cloud, I like to go there in my sleep, Aren't any floors for me to sweep, Not in my castle on a cloud. There is a room that's full of toys, There are a hundred boys and girls, Nobody shouts or talks too loud, Not in my castle on a cloud. There is a lady all in white, Holds me and sings a lullaby, She's nice to see and she's soft to touch, She says "Cosette, I love you very much." I know a place where no one's lost, I know a place where no one cries, Crying at all is not allowed, Not in my castle on a cloud. BJ's angelversary - one of my least favorite days of the year.  It is the one day when I thoughts of the trauma and tragedy seem to find their way into my head no matter how hard I try to shut them out.  It is always a day when I feel nostalgic and I quite often find myself buried in the memories of my scrapbooks. This year I decided I wanted to spend the evening in "controlled" tears, so Shandra and I grabbed Jo...

 Fun date for Kim and I!  On the day after Christmas we hopped the Frontrunner train and rode to Salt Lake.  Riding the Frontrunner was so nice!  On the train we could just relax, no worrying about traffic or the weather.  Since it was snowing, I especially enjoyed the ride, since I normally panic anytime I am driving in snow!  We caught Trax and headed to the new City Creek Mall, we did a little sightseeing and grabbed some treats at Kneaders.  The view of the Salt Lake Temple from the mall was incredible!  From the mall we walked across the street and spent some time at Temple Square to see the lights.  We haven't been to Temple Square for several years, so it was very nice to wander around and take in the beautiful lights, listen to the recorded Christmas Story message, and see and hear all of the wonderful displays and messages in the visitor's center. Later that evening, Jodi and Dave Wilding met us and we headed to a wonderful...