A Year of Updates!

 Well, I must say A LOT has happened since the last time I posted on the blog so I apologize for the plethora of pictures but I just figured I would give you a small sampling of all that has happened over the past year.  The picture post above is from on of the UNC football games I was able to attend this past Fall (2014) Season!

 My Dad turned 60 this past Nov. 2014 so we all came in for the weekend to celebrate, it was a surprise for him!!

 Here we are celebrating an amazing Thanksgiving Holiday (my favorite holiday)!

 This past year for Christmas it was just Christopher and I in town so that means this year for Christmas everyone will be coming which will be wonderful!

 Before leaving UNC, which I knew would probably be approaching this summer I wanted to see some of the sites that I had not seen yet and this was one of them! I love NC!

 Even though nurses do not wear white coats when working, we did have a white coat ceremony to represent our dedication to the profession and for the excellent care we want to provide our patients.

 This actually happened in Oct. 2014 (so a little out of sequence) but we all ran in a half marathon together in Cherokee, NC! It was great fun!

 

My Uncle Bill came in first place for his age group, everyone did a fabulous job!!

  

I had the opportunity to interview at Chandler Hospital in Lexington Kentucky and I have accepted a job working in their ED as a brand new graduate RN. I started June 29, 2015 and all is going well! I am very busy and there is SO much to learn, it is going great!

 I was able to make a DC trip with some friends before heading out of NC, we had a great time and I was able to see my cousin and his family while we were there too!

 We, of course, made our annual Creeper Trail bike trip and had a great turn out. It sounds like everyone wants to keep up the tradition even though I have moved away, we will try to make it happen!

The kids were able to come visit for a week again this summer and we had a terrific time! We went camping, caving, family decoration, hiking to a waterfall, played lots of games, and enjoyed GrandMama's great cooking!

 It's official, I did really graduate from nursing school and I passed my boards (on the first attempt - always a relief!)

Before leaving NC, Daniel came down from Virgina and went with me to Cape Lookout which is part of the outerbanks! We had such a great trip, the weather was perfect and the water felt great!! I was able to get a stamp in my National Park Passport Book!

Before I started working, I had to squeeze in a backpack trip because who knows when my next chance will be, so we got together a great group as evidenced below and put in 30 miles in three days! It could not have been a better trip! The AT never fails me!

 

Elizabeth came home from her mission this summer and we are so glad to have her back on American soil! We will be sad to send her back to BYU in a few weeks but have enjoyed having her while we could!!

  This summer we had a Dunn Family Reunion, I was only able to go for 2 days due to work commitments but as part of the trip we had a tour of Neyland Stadium and it was pretty awesome! 

Summer Break

Hello! It has been a while! The past few months have been busy with lots of studying and learning and new adventures in the hospital taking care of all kinds of different patients.  I have just begun my third of four semesters in nursing school, time is flying by.  In just a few short months, I will begin applying for jobs in anticipation of graduation in May '15.  Right now, the top of my list of places to move are Asheville, NC, Charlottesville, VA, and Roanoke, VA! This list could always change but this is what I am currently thinking.  During my summer break, I spent all three weeks at my parent's home in TN and it was a wonderful break.  I spent time volunteering at a local hospital, working on projects with my mom, training for a triathlon, and spending a full week with David, Kate, Mary, Christian, and Sarah.  It was a wonderful time!

A Few More

  Here are a few more pictures that did not download the first time around.  While I was home for Thanksgiving, I got to visit with two of my good friends from high school, Julie and Mary Kate, and their families.  They both of cute children and I was excited to get to play and hold them.

 Each year my siblings and I draw names so that we each get one sibling a gift for Christmas, this past year, Jamie had my name and his family spoiled me with the gifts that they got me.  He bought me a new pair of boots to help me push forward with my hiking of the Appalachian Trail!!!

 Over the Christmas holiday, Anotina had her 8th birthday and was baptized in Tennessee while they were here for Christmas.  We all got to be a part of her special day and we went out for lunch together as a family afterwards to celebrate her special day!!

2 Months In - 14 To Go!

It is hard to believe that two months have already come and gone since I started nursing school.  Spring Break has started for the next week and it will be nice to have a few extra minutes to breathe.  These past two months have been busy with lots of learning going on.  I have been learning so much that will help me be the best nurse possible - I even gave my first real shot a couple weeks ago to another student in my class.  In two more short months, we will be starting our clinicals in the hospital, helping other nurses take care of real patients.

Here are a few pictures to update on my comings and goings since the end of 2013! Enjoy!

 Steve and David came to visit NC and Mama and Daddy happened to be in town so we got to have David for the evening!!

 Elizabeth prepared all Fall season for her upcoming mission.  She was able to attend the Raleigh LDS Temple to receive her Endowments! It was a great day for us to all be together.  She has already been on her mission for two months!

 I was able to go home for Thanksgiving and we had the missionaries over for our Feast.

 My church congregation does a Christmas Program every year and I was able to play the dulcimer with several other friends, Uncle Bob, Lisa, and Ava came along with Mama and Elizabeth!

 This year I had the opportunity to see the Creche display in Apex, NC. There were hundreds of Nativity scenes set up for viewing along with different musical performances throughout the evening.  It was a beautiful event with many beautiful scenes from all over the world.  Here are two of my favorites - this one was from New Zealand...

 Travis, Collin, James, and Camilla came with me!!

 Every year our family goes Christmas Caroling to different families we know in our community.  My parents went for the first time when my oldest brother Jamie was a baby - 35 years ago.  This year we got to visit Anthony DeeDee Booher.  They are both great and work with my Dad at the Bill Gatton Honda store.  It was a very special visit and we loved being in their home.

 Here is the gang that got to come home for Christmas this past year!!

 One of our outings consisted of a visit to Grayson Highlands to see the wild ponies.  It was pretty chilly but the sun was out shining brightly and the ponies made a great showing!

 Before Elizabeth left on her mission, she had a chance to give a talk at church and we were all still home for the Christmas holiday.  Both of my dad's two brothers and their families were also able to come for the talk and visit afterwards together.  It was lots of fun getting to all visit together!

 Just 6 weeks after Elizabeth left for her mission, Christopher arrived home from his.  As you can see, he is sooo happy to be home. It is hard to believe that two years have already come and gone.  we are excited to have him home and see what's next for him in life!!

 Classic airport picture after he got home!!!