A recap of the past year!!

Well, it's been a while since I've last posted, but it really has been quite the past, what like 10 months! (No, no child yet, though!) Back in October I ventured out to Oregon, both Joe and I did, and did a site visit of a place I was looking at for a job. I was terribly unhappy with what was going on at St. Marys and feeling I was being pushed out my by manager. So I kept my options open and I started looking for opportunities. Our venture out there was a blast!! I got to interview at 2 great hospitals. One in Coos Bay, OR and the other in Eugene, OR. If we had chosen that was where we wanted to move, I would have chosen Eugene. That hospital was absolutely amazing!! Did I mention it was beautiful?! If anyone has been watching the new show One Born Every Minute, that hospital is fairly identical to the one I was looking at. VERY NICE! Anyways, after visiting, and getting an interview at home here, we decided we wanted to stay and I took a job over at St. Lukes as an inpatient PT at the hospital. It was the BEST decision I have made yet however very tough. I knew I was unhappy at SMDC but making such a big change after 5 years there was tough. I do know now, that I am more happy being at SLH and know it was the right move. SLH is so different from SMDC its amazing! I never really knew that until now. Calm, relaxed, and it's serious about patient first. Not pushing so much about money and administrative driven. its all about the patient and I love that! I'm not constantly looking over my shoulder wondering what I did this time or what I didn't do. I am honest when I say I'm so glad I made the switch. Nothing much happened around Christmas. A typical xmas in for our family I must say! Same w/ New Years. Nothing big. Dad stayed w/ use for a couple of weeks in February and March. He's doing great!!

In February I played in the Womens Bonspeil in Superior. It was so much fun!! Below is our team, minus our Skip (my mother in law) Donna. Anyways below in the red is Tina, myself, and Meg. We placed second in the B event, so we actually played really well!! Even beat the Canadian team in the morning!!!! Thats a huge accomplishment. Fun fun and more fun. Didn't think I was going to enjoy this sport, but its been a blast! Everyone should get it a try, I must say, I got a new broom (PINK!!) and new curling shoes (also PINK) all of which has helped alittle this year too. We ended up 3 overall at the end of the season this year, so that was exciting as well!

Also in February, my parents where asked by Kyle if he could marry their daughter, of course they said yes. So that means, Emily is ENGAGED!! They aren't too sure when or where the wedding will be yet, but its looking like sometime next year it sounds! Another trip in our near future that means!!

And in March, Joe and I look our trip to Jamaica agian!! We left on March 3rd and flew to Montego Bay where we stayed at the Iberostar Hotels. It was beautiful! We didn't do too much other than relax on the beach, but sometimes that is all you have to do!! Sitting under a cabana and reading was so relaxing! A couple of swims in the ocean, alot of drinking at the swim-up bar. (Ok, I only did that really once because I paid for that later. Don't drink in the sun and forget sunscreen....ouch and ooooh) We did do one big trip though. We took a catamoran ride and snorkeling adventure! It was a three hour long trip and it was amazing!! I am including most of the pictures in another other post just because they take so long to upload sometimes. Anyways, I got to hold a Sea Euchin and a Sea Cucumber!! It was such a werid feeling, but fun!!

We did dinner one night w/ Joes vendor that we got to visit down there and that was breath taking, if I dont' mind saying so myself! We ate out on the porch of a beautiful hotel called the Palmyra. Ron LIVES there most of the year and we were informed anytime we want to come back to visit we have a condo he'll let us HAVE for the time we are there! Anyone want to join! LOL It was amazing there! he even said if we wanted we could have Emilys wedding there. I"m still working on getting her to have it down there, but it looks like Denver is winning so far. Joe got to go out again with this group of men to a Jamaican Jerk place, seriously the best Jerk you will probably ever eat!

Before we knew it, we had to leave and we were back in the states. If anyone wants to know, Atlanta is the worse place to be your first point of entry in the country. I'm not say, but I'm saying. Customs was horrible and stupid! But I'm not going to go any further with that. We ended up not getting to Minneapolis until late, 11:45 thursday night. Needless to say we headed to bed. That following Friday we did some shopping up in Albertville and then dinner with Jessica that night! Its always good to see old friends!!

Other than that, we are just working like crazy, oh and running too! We are planning on doing a half marathon relay this April down in St. Cloud. A 10K is just the perfect distance if you ask me! Then I am also planning on running the Whistlestop again this fall. Not sure if it will be the half, but who knows, I may get ambitious and think about the full! We'll see! Oh, we'll also be down in the Cities much more this summer as we got season tickets to the Twins!! YEAH!! I will be honest, I'm not so much a baseball fan, but I think I can grow to like it a little more. :-) Thanks for reading and I hope to have more to write sooner than later!!