#7. Dream Job, Easter recipes, & nursing surprises

7. What is your dream job, and why?** recipes for Resurrection rolls and Pineapple Dream Cake on the bottom of the post :)

These questions sure make me think. 

Thinking.... thinking....

My very first thought was professional ice-cream taster. Too bad I'd have to exercise too much :/

Growing up, I wanted to be a variety of things. I can remember, at one point or another wanting to be these:

1. Olympic gymnast (is that even a profession?)

2. Veterinarian (unfortunately, I am allergic to cats and my childhood prediction that there would be a "shot" available to cure me of this by the time I became old enough to be a veterinarian hasn't worked out yet...)

3. Professional chef with my own themed restaurant

4. An ambassador (this was in high school)

5. A doctor

6. A nurse (hurrah!)

7. A teacher

8. A non-profit traveling service giver

Well, as you know, I did just recently get my nursing degree and am now working in a neonatal intensive care unit. As far as nursing goes, this very well might be my dream job. I will openly admit that nursing is not what I thought it would be. I'm not really sure what I thought it would be, but I'm pretty sure it did not include getting up at 5 o'clock in the morning and working 12 hour shifts. I can't complain about the 4 days off a week though! Yeah! 

Some things I didn't realize I would be dealing with as a nurse (these do not all apply to the NICU):

1. charting. I never knew how much paperwork there was! I spend about 1/4 of my time just writing down what I've been doing the other 3/4 of the time! It's crazy!
2. I already mentioned the 5 o'clock in the morning routine. Ew.
3. Liability. I think that was the scariest lecture I ever had in nursing school - about how if you make one little mistake, you can go to court for it! It is so so important to be meticulous and careful.
4. Giant diapers. I am not trying to be rude or impolite, but I simply had not imagined myself wiping bums for my career. Luckily, the diapers in the NICU don't bother me one bit!
5. Patient families. They are often more work than the actual patient. I have found that hospitals are roaming with crazy people who feel entitled to everything, including my pen.
6. It's fun! I am really grateful to find out that I really enjoy even the technical aspects of nursing. Maybe I'm a weirdo, but I like starting IVs (if I get them on the first try), working with equipment, and using my skills to help people feel better. 
7. Code PINK! This is random, but I had no idea that people stole babies from hospitals. Just so you know, if you try it we are going to all a code pink on you and you will get caught. The end.

I've already raved about the benefits of working in a NICU, but I really think it might be my dream nursing job. I could also see myself enjoying the ER or life-flight. 

As for my other dream job... I can't wait to be a mom. I am seriously so excited! I know that it is going to be a lot of hard work. Heck, I am always so grateful to go home from work to get a break from the crying babies and I'm only there for 12 hours - then I get to sleep! Not true with real moms. There is no time off. But, I look forward to raising kiddos, teaching them about the world, taking them on adventures, teaching them about God, reading them books, watching them grow up, and trying to help them all along the way! I am also super excited to see Brian be a dad. He is just going to be the best dad. I can tell. 

He likes kids a lot. So much, in fact, that he gave one of my primary kids one of his plastic Easter eggs full of jelly beans on Sunday. Right after I told the poor child he couldn't have another one because he already had 2 and everyone else only got 2. I told Brian he probably shouldn't do that with our own children and he agreed that unity is the best thing. I wish we taught primary together - I think we would learn a lot about parenting in that few hours every week. I love my team-teacher though!

Lately, I also want to be a photographer. I am saving up my money to buy one soon(ish)! Nikon or Canon, Nikon or Canon?

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Ok, short update on what has been going on... Bullets are nice and concise, so I'll do that:

• I am officially on my own at work now - no more preceptor (no more security blanket! Aaaah!)
• We had some friends and family over for dinner on Easter and we made our first roast - delish! We also made a delicious cake and Resurrection rolls (see pics below). Resurrection rolls are awesome because they are hollow inside - like the tomb! Found the recipe for them on this cute blog.
• Went to a friend's temple sealing on Friday and got to see old friends and my mission president and his wife. They are so wonderful and boy was it great to see them.
• Brian took a tour of my hospital floor on Friday while we were in Salt Lake and loved it!
• We had dinner at The Pie. I have not eaten that much cheese in a long long time and probably won't again for a long long time.
• We went to the new City Creek mall and checked out stores like Coach and Tiffanys (whoah) as well as ones more in our price range like H&M and Forever 21. Didn't buy anything for ourselves though except a Diet Coke and a few pairs of earrings from Claires to wear to work.
• We got the Pass of All Passes to use this summer and we can't wait to use them!
• I have been slacking a bit on blogging - thus this extremely long post. Sorry!

2nd photo couertesy of http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/ 
My recipe below!

this picture is actually from my freshman year because I made the same cake then with my best bud Megan, and I didn't take a picture of ours this time. It is super delicious, easy, and relatively healthy! 

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RECIPES:

Resurrection Rolls (adapted from above mentioned blog)

1/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 cans (8 oz each) Refrigerated Crescent Rolls

16 large marshmallows

A little less than 1/4 cup butter, melted

This is SUPER easy and fun for Easter. Our guests thought they were not only cool, but delicious as well!

1. Preheat oven to what it says on your crescent package (mine said 375 degrees)

2.  Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl 

3. Roll one of your large marshmallows in the melted butter

4. Roll the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon sugar mixture

5. Wrap the buttery sugary cinnamony marshmallow in one of the crescents - make sure you pinch up all the sides really well so not much marshmallow can escape during the baking!

6. Bake for about 10 minutes (until crescents are golden)

Result: Delicious crescent rolls that are HOLLOW on the inside (like the tomb!) but have a delicious sugary cinnamony marshmallowy coating on the inside. Delish. I think I had 4. Before dinner.

Pineapple Dream Cake (adapted from Food and Family)

2 cups whipped cream (I used lite)

1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple

1 package (5ish oz) vanilla pudding mix

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 angel food cake cut into thirds

chopped/sliced strawberries

Easy peasy. 

1.  Mix the whipped cream, pineapple, vanilla pudding mix, vanilla extract, and as many chopped strawberries as you want (or no strawberries - you can save all of them for the top if you want).

2.  Put the mixture between your layers of angel food cake and on top of course

3. Top with strawberries

4. Chill for at least an hour

5. Enjoy every delicious bite!

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Oh! and if you would like to read more of the 30 questions, click here!