A Wiggley Wiggley Christmas...

Today Lilly's school did their Christmas program. They offer three shows in the morning during school hours which I thought was so nice since I work in the evening.

This year the second graders sang a song from the the Disney show the Wiggles. It was really cute. Lilly really got into it as you can see ....

After the program, we were able to sign Lilly out of school an hour early given the fact it was half day and they were getting out at 1230.

It was nice, The.FOUR.of.US, stopped by the fancy smancy McDonald's in La Jolla and grabbed lunch before I started work =)

It's Wednesday and so the week is halfway done, and best of all, I'll be off ALL WEEK next week and we've got lots of FUN things planned for the week! Can't wait!

I also have to say THANK YOU to Peggy and Woody, my coworkers, for my Christmas present: Dinner from P.F. Changs! My first time eating food from there and it was DELICIOUS! What a great way to end my night at work!

Oh Christmas Tree...

We got the tree up, later than I wanted to have it up, but it's UP!

Lilly's friend, Kali and Karla came over after church to help clean and put up the tree.

They were really cute, putting the toys away and they even grabbed a broom and dust pan and started sweeping...of course Jacob was helping by taking the toys out of the bin! Bad boy, but we love him!

This year we let the girls take control of the tree, they could decorate it however they wanted to and they did a BEAUTIFUL job!

Afterwards we had pizza, hot chocolate and hot apple cider, we had a wonderful time!

My coworker got me this counter last year, I love it!

Today was just a wonderful day all together. Jacob was able to stay in nursery without me there for the third hour.

I stayed with him during the second hour to see how he would do and it took him a while to get used to all the girls but he didn't cry after me when I left for Young Women. I was so proud!

Jacob and his new friend Ella =)

I taugh in Young Women today, and let me tell you my lesson topic was the answer to my prayers!

Association with Others was my lesson topic and as I reviewed it through out the week before I taught the lesson, I just felt all my frustrations lately start to discipate.

It's important to reach out to others, try not to judge others, and pray for greater love.

Everyone in my life has made an impression in my life in one way or another.

For everything I have accomplished, I did NOT do it alone. I had help from someone or something along the way and I am ever so grateful!

Away in a Manger...

Everday as Michael drives me to work we past the San Diego Temple and we noticed they put up the Nativity scene up so it's viewable when driving on the 5 freeway. It's so lovely.

I told Michael to bundle the kids up and bring them with him to pick me up after work tonight and we all headed over to the Temple to see the decorations and see the Nativity scene.

We didn't get over there til a little after 9pm and as soon as we drove in I was so excited to see all the lights up, it was just beautiful. Just being on the Temple grounds, you definitely can feel the spirit.

They had music playing too which was wonderful. The Nativity scene wasn't lit by the time we got there. Lilly kept asking to see Baby Jesus but because it was decorated to face the freeway you can't really get a good view of the scene from the dark.

The cold weather just made it feel more like the holidays, I really enjoyed ending the night with a visit to see the decorations at the Temple.

We stopped by California Pizza Kitchen for dinner and then headed home for snuggle time under the blankets and a movie before bed.

My loves...forever and always...

The view of the Temple from CPK, still gorgeous.

The most wonderful time of the YEAR indeed!

Happy December to all...

I don't have to hear all the complaining about me playing Christmas music now, YIPPEE!!!

Well there are still some bah humbuggers at work that don't like it, but don't worry, I will lighten up their hearts a little and before you know it they will be humming Christmas songs with me...haha...I'm just being hopeful....

As Mikey was driving me to work today, I wished him a Happy December. He looked at me, smiled and changed the station to KYXY...I thought it was cute.

When I got to work, I was so excited when I saw them putting up the tree in the lobby at work. The hospital hired a designer to decorate the tree, I was glad I got to see it being worked on when I got in. They also placed a ton of poinsettia plants all over the hospital, so beautiful.

And everytime I walked down the hall from the SCVC to the Hospital I see the tree lit up at the end of the hallway and I just get this feeling of pure JOY in my heart! I love it!

I think it's wonderful that the hospital decorates during the holidays, the comments I hear from the patients are just wonderful. You can tell it makes them feel better. I can't emphasize it enough, how grateful I am for a job that makes me appreciate everything I have so much more...You'll hear me say it a million times...and I'll keep on saying it. Helps me to keep my mind and my heart more open to everything around me....

Snapped this as I was leaving work...isn't is a beautiful sight?

From the Courtyard near the Cafeteria, you can see the tree inside.

I love all the days leading up to Christmas...the music, the lights, the Christmas tree, decorations, smiles...I can just go on and on and on...

 

Then Christmas day arrives and I get a little sad...because I know it's over and KYXY will stop playing Christmas music...haha..

 

I'm just being dramatic, but really I do get a little emotional Christmas day.

 

But every year we celebrate Christmas up til New Year's Day so I have a lot to look forward to...

 

We have a tradition of things to do every Christmas...

 

Keep up and you'll see....

 

Delirious...

Oh my, how I have neglected this blog....

I guess I just have too much going on right now...and just can't seem to get on a computer to type my day away...

Due to issues with my breathing this fine day, I have been encouraged to stay home...

So home I am, and quite frankly, I don't want to type my day away...

Although there is a lot of updating to do...

I think I will stay warm under my blanket and watch Christmas movies galore on Hallmark or Lifetime...

And as for my breathing problems, I feel much better than this morning...

Who would have thought having two kids could affect your breathing? Could it be? Am I allergic to my children?

Haha, just kidding...

I saw my doctor, she said I'll live, but she introduced me to a friend named INHALER, that will help with any future flare ups...

Can't wait to meet my new friend when she's ready at  RITE AID =P

Hope all is well with the very few, possibly none of you that do read my non sense! HAHAHA....

Happy Thanksgiving from the RIGGINS =)

I LOVE YOU...

It's easy to get caught up in the little things in life and in doing so, I tend to forget what really matters...

I have to admit, the littlest of things would get me all emotional and bothered...but today 2 very important events reminded me of what DO matter.....

Event 1: I had a patient come down for a scan, the doors to the scan room opened and I saw this man that was tall and thin and honestly he looked like a victim of cruel punishment in a concentration camp. Except that wasn't the case, instead the battle this patient was fighting was CANCER. He was so thin and fragile and in so much pain. He was cold so after I helped him get onto the scan table, I went over and grabbed a warm blanket from the warmer and as I did this, I don't know why but I thought what if this was my family member? Even closer, what if this was my husband? My Michael...

After I got him his blanket I looked at his arm band to confirm his name and date of birth and I realized he 

was only two years older than me and here he is fighting this horrible battle with cancer. 

I've been thinking a lot lately, compared how I was from the first day I started this job and how I am today. Yes it's true, I've kind of learned to deal with my surroundings, but I don't think someone can ever get "used" to this. It's hard seeing someone going through these struggles with cancer and certain illnesses and it's even harder seeing their family going through it with them.

Event 2: The emergency department had admitted 2 patients, an elderly couple.The wife 90 years old, the husband 88.  I thought it was cute how they put them in a shared room with their gurneys next to each other so they could be by one another.

I brought the wife over for her scans and told her husband we'd take good care of her. He replied with a smile and a thank you. She became very restless during her visit with us and started trying to get off of the scan table, we had to use restraints on her so she wouldn't get hurt but it wasn't strong enough.We eventually had to call her nurse over to give her another sedative. This patient had dementia and because she wasn't used to what we were doing she was frightened and worst of all her husband wasn't there by here side. She yelled for him and kept saying, "I wanna go home, no more."

We told her to calm down, we're almost done, do it for your husband so you can go back to see him soon...I could tell it helped her calm down a little...

So you might be wondering how did they both end up in the ED together...

The wife was laying on the couch and she fell, the husband who has COPD (chronic.obstructive.pulmonary.disease) relies on an oxygen tank that distributes oxygen to him through a nasal canula that he wears in his nose. 

When his wife fell, he tried to help her, but being weak himself, he couldn't do it on his own, so he decided to go get help from a neighbor but didn't take his tank with him. On his way to get help, he got weak and dizzy and as a result fell and hurt himself.

The neighbors called the the ambulance and they were both brought in. 

Now here's what really got to me, when we were done with his wife in the ED, I took her back to the room. I said to the husband, "She's back!"

He asked me how she did, I told her she's a fighter and fought us at first, but she did it. He smiled. I'm sure he knew that was going to happen.

He looked over to her told her "Welcome back, I missed you."

I put her gurney a little bit closer to his,  and as I was walking away I looked back and she was trying to get off to go to him, but couldn't because the rails on her gurney were up. I saw her reach for him and I saw the look in his eyes. 

I will never forget the amount of love they had for each other. I could see it in his eyes, his pain because there wasn't much he could do for her at the time.

Of course when Michael came to pick me up from work, I hugged him a little longer than usual. I love him so much and I know that when we grow old together I will love him just as much as the first day if not MORE.

I know every wife will say they have the BEST HUSBAND, but I really do have the best husband. He's also the best father to our children and I love seeing him with them.

Neither of us are PERFECT and we often get into our little disagreements. I'd be lying if I was to say every day is a perfect day because it's not, but I can say that at the end of everyday, we try to make sure we tell each other, "I LOVE YOU," and mean it. And hug and kiss before we say good night.

I feel that this is really important and without it we wouldn't be as strong as we are...

So with that said, FAMILY is what MATTERS...

Michael.Lillyanne.Jacob

 

I don't live a perfect life, I just live a BLESSED one, I can't say that enough...