full Fall

Seeing as how I've managed to post 0 blog entries in November and only 3 in October, I'd say you can officially call me a blogging slacker.  Not a whole lot is new with the Dunn's.  Here we go with a random update (which always seems to be my fav):

*We finally watched The Hunger Games movie...and then I finally started the first book...and then I forgot I was reading it until I just now saw it on the coffee table. Whoops.  I really liked the movie and liked the book too, but I must have just forgotten about it.  I need to get back on reading that.

*We have had a busy Fall with weddings.  Two weekends ago we traveled with some other family to Gatlinburg, TN for my uncle's (step-uncle's?) wedding.  It was an amazing weekend.  There were 8 of us (Matt&I, mom, Grandpa Jerry & Mary, Jim & Janice, Tracey) that shared a big, beautiful cabin in the mountains of Tennessee. The cabin was in the same complex that the wedding/reception were.  It was absolutely beautiful down there.  The views from the porch were incredible.  Being in a cabin with these 7 other people was a blast! We had SO much fun just being with each other.  Matt, my mom, and I drove down Friday night after Matt got off work so we didn't even arrive to the cabin until 1230 am.  Everyone was still waiting up for us and playing cards.  We all ended up staying up until 5 am that night! Cards, cocktails, and catching up was the theme and it was perfect.  There was also a little karaoke thrown into the mix. We all slept in on Saturday and then made our way to Cracker Barrel.  After an awesome and much needed breakfast the boys split off to go to the store and the girls gathered to stop by a huge Christmas store. That evening we celebrated Brian and Erica's wedding at the outdoor ceremony (weather was perfect) and the after-party in their cabin.  Fun had by all :).

Welcome to the family :)

Cabin!

all the girls love Matt

*This past weekend was Lauren and J Dan's wedding! We had all been waiting for this since last Fall.  What an awesome weekend! We started off Friday by having all the bridesmaids get together for lunch and a nail appointment (at which I smudged my nails,,,I bet they get so annoyed with that!) and then we had the rehearsal that night.  The wedding day started off bright and early with Panera bagels, fruit salad, and hair appointments.  It was such a relaxing and peaceful day.  We were never rushing (until we got too used to relaxing and then realized we all had 7 minutes to change before the limo got there!) and got to take our time getting ready and hanging out.  Then, we took the limo to the church where the girls got our pictures taken.  After the ceremony the whole bridal party took the limo to Harry's where the bride and groom dropped us off to go finish their pictures.  Hi Harry's, don't mind if I do!  After a group picture behind the bar, we made our way to the reception.  We had a blast with the photo booth and dancing.  Perfect weekend! So happy for the newlyweds :).

Hi beautiful bride! 

handsome hubby

Abby! She came back from CA for the wedding and I am SO glad she did.  We had a ball....like always :).

momma

hilarious!

*I worked this weekend and then Thanksgiving is this week! I ended up trading out of working Thanksgiving Day (and into Christmas Day and Eve...bleh) so I could be with family at my Grandma Claudette's.  This will be the first time since our wedding 2 years ago that all the uncles and their families will be together, including my Uncle Jay who was diagnosed with colon cancer this past Spring.  I am so happy to be able to be with everyone.  This whole working holidays thing stinks...but somebody's gotta do it!

*I am in a struggle with when to put up Christmas decor.  I really really really want to put lights up out in front of the house, but I don't know if we will get around to doing it. Someday. 

* I have started being TL (team leader) at work.  TL is basically the assistant to the charge nurse and keeps control of the 3rd floor of the NICU.  It has been an awesome learning experience and has opened my eyes to more than being a bedside nurse.  It's interesting to see the flow of the unit and how to make everything run smoothly.  I love being able to help nurses when they are busy with their assignments or need an assistant with IV start, labs needing drawn, etc.  You are the one everyone comes to with questions, issues, and catastrophes so you have to be on your game. 

 *I also decided to join the PICC team (central line care team).  There are a small group of nurses at work who are on this team.  They are the ones who change the PICC line dressings on the babies according to our policy and under sterile conditions.  It's nerve-wrecking because one wrong move and you can mess up the PICC line, cause an infection, or even worse- pull it out.  That would make for a very angry Nurse Practitioner who would have to come and spend hours to reinsert one. I pray that never ever happens to me! There is a long list of steps to change the dressing and you have to be very meticulous so that line stays germ/infection free. The more you open that line up to air, the higher chance it has of becoming invaded with an organism and the last thing our babies need is a blood-stream infection. The team is also who gets called when someone has a question about their PICC line or the dressing itself whether it looks ok or needs to be changed. It will take awhile to become fully trained but I am excited to get started! 

Happy Thanksgiving!