It's the Final Countdown!

Okay, so today is the day! I am going to be posting my very LAST (tear) blog post for my Technical writing class. I am going to try to keep up the ol' blog for all of my educational endeavors, in case I don't, you can keep up with me on here. If you are just now seeing this blog for the first time, HEY! I have been using this blog for the last two writing classes in college. I attend Lane Community College, in Eugene Oregon. My last assignment for my Technical Writing class is to write a proposal of some sorts. You can read about this assignment here.  I decided to take the opportunity to write the proposal on putting our daughter, Olivia in Childcare.

"All mommy wants to do is get her homework done!"

Olivia not wanting to let mommy get up

After about two weeks of preparation, and multiple drafts, here is my paper in full! Hope you like it, and hope Aaron really takes it seriously :-)

 ______________________________________________________________________________

MEMORANDUM

---

TO:               Aaron Smith, President of Smith Household INC.

FROM:          Crystal Smith, V.P & Domestic Engineer of Smith Household INC.

DATE:     February 25, 2016

SUBJECT:     Part-time Child Care for Olivia Grace Proposal

Aaron,

As you know I completely enjoy spending time with our two children, but along with my extensive, ever growing job title and responsibilities that comes with those titles, I am also a full-time student. I find myself noticing the need to socialize our daughter, create a structured environment, as well as continue her yearn for education based activities. I am proposing that we enroll her in an education based child care facility 2 days a week. Attached is the proposal, which includes, but is not limited to, the cost, schedule, and benefits to this proposed plan.

Sincerely, with love,

Crystal Smith

 ______________________________________________________________________________

 

INTRODUCTION

As Vice President and Domestic Engineer of Smith Household INC., my daily tasks are varied, yet extensive. The various titles that fall under my job description are, but are not limited to: Housekeeper, Chef, Event Planner/ Activities Coordinator, Teacher, Accountant, Psychologist, Chauffeur, Personal Assistant, CFO, Nurse, and Head of Procurement, just to name a few. While, yes I love my job, and enjoy a busy day, some days I would like to be able to rest my head on a pillow before 1 a.m. Not only do I have all of those titles under my belt, I also go to school full time. I spend at least 90 hours a week completing my job tasks, and I do it with little to no complaint. With this proposal, I am hoping to free up time from my day in the morning to take care of the tasks that I usually do from the hours of 10:30 pm - 1 am.  Enrolling Olivia Grace into a child care facility for only 12 hours a week will not only improve my productivity level, but increase morale within the company.

PROBLEM & SOLUTION

The time in which it takes to manage a corporation such as Smith Household INC. is extensive. The hours spent doing said tasks, racks up to, on average, 90 hours a week, and not all the tasks get consistently completed. There are many issues that have been arising with Olivia when I feel that some separation from the home and me would be beneficial. First issue is her complete obsession/need to be around me at all times. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy having her be my sidekick, but in order for me to work diligently, and get the things done that are required of me on a daily basis, I need some independence instilled into her so that she is not needing to be with me at all times. Second, I would like her to gain positive socialization skills. Ones that require her to interact with other children and adults. Third, and most importantly, in order for me to be the best I can be for this company (my family), I am going to need to start getting some sort of recharging time. Recharging time is, in my case, sleep. I stay up until at least 1 am doing homework, getting final things done around the house, and preparing for the next day. Running on 4-5 hours of broken up sleep does not bode well on anyone. Especially when what is required of that person is to be mentally, physically, and emotionally stable and alert. I am in no way saying that having Olivia around is a burden, or a hassle. But I do feel that there is a solution to all of these issues.

Having Olivia attend a childcare facility will allot me the extra hand in order for me to be more efficient and focused on certain tasks. It will cut out at least 10 hours of work time for me, allow me to be able to rest in the evening with my family,  enjoy some one on one time with Jaxson, as well as give Olivia some independence and socialization skills. There are prerequisites to where and what type of facility she will attend. The location has to be accredited with the state, has to run an education based program, be within 10 minutes to the office, offer part time positions, and be within the company’s budget.

PROPOSED LOCATION

After doing extensive research, which included interviews and tours, I have decided that 5c’s (Creswell Christian Child Care Center) is the best option for Olivia Grace. It runs an education based curriculum from ages 5 months to 5 years old. If we choose, it also continues through grade 12. 5C’s checks every box of my criteria list. The hours are 4 days a week, 3.5 hours a day. The cost of 5C’s is $210/ month, which after researching, is very reasonable.

BENEFITS

The schedule will go as follows: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we will be up, fed, dressed and ready to go by 8. She will arrive at 5C’s by 8:30 am. I then will take Jaxson back to the company and utilize that time to get what needs to be completed completed. I will pick her up right before 12, so that we can return for lunch, and Olivia and Jaxson can have their quiet time. This, in turn, will allow me more uninterrupted time, which I will most likely utilize for school work, and fitness time.  This will allow me to be more focused on being present with them once they break from their siesta, as well as more prepared for the evening tasks of that day.

PROJECTED COST

As previously mentioned, the monthly fee that we would be acquiring is 210. That breaks down to 52.50 a week, and $3.75 an hour. I feel that this company can cut back on other expenses in order to add this into the budget. The account in which the entertainment budget is pulled from can be reduced by $75 a month, The petty cash that is normally used to pay for random outings can also be deducted by $75, due to Olivia not being in the office Monday through Thursday, that reduces the amount of outings needed to be made. The last $60 can come out of the food budget. With her being gone, the food intake and waste will be less.  Below is a chart showing the old budget, and the new projected budget.

Current Monthly Budget	Projected Monthly Budget
Food:                                                 $600	Food:                                                 $525
Entertainment:                                   $270	Entertainment:                                   $195
Petty Cash/ Random Outings:           $150	Petty Cash/ Random Outings:           $90
Childcare:                                              $0	Childcare:                                          $210

CLOSING

In order for me to become the best mom, wife, student, neighbor, member of society, and V.P. of this company, I need to be able to get more rest. This change

can guarantee that you will see a happier, more pleasant, and rejuvenated person. As well as a more independent, structured, happier toddler. There is no set contract on how long she is required to attend 5C’s, so I propose we start on a month by month trial. I appreciate the time that you took out of your day to read this proposal, and I hope that you consider my proposition. 


 _______________________________________________________________



So there you have it! My last writing assignment for my college career! I hope that you have enjoyed taking part in my education. I am going to leave you with a little cuteness!

My first born, my tough girl, my dancer, my singer, my light, my love!

Fun day at the park

Nothing but love for her brother in Bend, OR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His smell is intoxicating, his kisses are addicting, and his snuggles are my life!

 

 

 

If There Is No Struggle, There Is No Progress

So, in my Technical Writing class, we were assigned as our last big project, a proposal. 

Not like this proposal

The night Aaron asked me to be his wife 

but like a business, or workplace proposal. You can see the assignment requirements here, but with this proposal, I decided to do something that would benefit me in the real world. I decided to write this proposal to Aaron, as if he was my boss, and suggest that we put Olivia in child care part time. (More on that actual proposal later)
We have been working on this project for about 2 weeks now, and my teacher has asked for a progress report. As some may already know, when you are given a large report of some sort to do at work, often your boss or supervisor will ask for an update on your progress. This assignment is to educate us students on how to write this in a professional manner. 
Here is my progress report:

_________________________________________________________

Memorandum

______________________________

To:              Sandy Jensen

From:         Crystal Smith   

Date:          March 3, 2016

Subject:     Progress Report on Child Care Proposal

This report is to inform you on the progress that has been made on the requested proposal on integrating child care into my family. The results that I have had while completing this proposal has been great. There have been minor set backs and issues that have come up, which I will explain more on that later, but I have been able to work around them, and found resolutions to. I am still on track to complete the proposal by March 13, 2016.

Progress to date

In the past two weeks I have researched, prepared, and outlined my thoughts in order to come up with a rough draft. I have found a great deal of information to share with you about how we would be able to integrate child care into our budget and schedule. I needed analyze our budget to see if it is even feasible,research and decide on 3 facilities, tour those facilities, and narrow my choice down to one. I do have a completed rough draft minus some minor details, as well as the budget chart. I have had two individuals from the class peer edit my paper. I am hoping to get more editing done, as the more the paper is seen the better it gets. The suggestions that my peers have made are on point as to where I want to go with this proposal. Since the bulk of the work is done, I am now going to work on making a chart/ graph to have a visual aide on the budget.

Problems Encountered

There have been very few problems that have occurred during this process. One was not being able to get a hold of two facilities in a timely manner. Even though I am working with a deadline, I needed to be able to not only contact the care facility to get information, but I feel it was detrimental for me to tour it as well. I wanted to see what went on at these locations, see how they interacted with the children, experience the activities offered, as well as how Olivia felt about each place. The second, and last issues was the budget, I am having a hard time finding a clean and concise way of making a display (visual aide) of our personal budget. I am sure that I will find a way to get it done.

Future Progress

In the next 5 days, as stated before I plan on completing the graph, finish final edits, and posting it on the blog. The last thing that I need to do is find a good picture/ pictures to accompany my proposal.

Conclusion

Although there is still much to be done, I feel that my overall progress has been on schedule. I do not feel that having the entirety of the project done by March 13, 2016 is unreasonable. It is a very realistic deadline and I do not think that I will have any issues meeting that deadline.

_____________________________________________________

 

Hope you are enjoying being apart of my education journey. I am going to leave you with a picture I took last week of Olivia and I doing our  "schoo-word" (1 year old talk for homework):

Olivia Grace 20 months old- 2/28/16

 

I now present to you... *SAID IN BEST PRESENTER VOICE*

Along with the feasibility report, that was due in my writing class; we were asked to create a presentation to go along with it. You can find mine here. :-)

Feasibility Report

In my writing class we were assigned to write up a mock feasibility report. I am pretty proud of it, if I do say so myself. :-) Here is the assignment in full :


          ____________________________________________________________________

**(Every paper should have a title page)**

FEASIBILITY REPORT

To Dr. John Smith D.D.S.

1234 First St.

Eugene, OR 97401

February 5, 2016

Crystal Smith

The results are in.

For my technical writing class we had peers test out our instructions. We were instructed to write a user test memo. Here is my memo:

To:        Sandy Jensen, Writing 227 Instructor

From:        Crystal Smith

Date:           February 1st, 2016

Subject:    User Test and Report Memo

INTRODUCTION

My instructions are a step-by-step method for flossing your teeth. My target audience is anyone who has teeth and want to keep them healthy and prevent future gum disease or decay.

OBJECTIVES

My objective is to bring awareness the importance of flossing, as well as the ease of flossing. My instructions are designed to be concise, clear, and easy to follow to anyone, including children. Additionally, my intentions are to test the instructions and be able to relate aythe results of those tests.

METHOD

• My draft had very minor edits that needed to be made in order to become my final draft.  
• My test readers were Dona Daubenspeck, my husband, Aaron Smith, and Austin Scarle. These testers were a great choice because I did not know two of them so they appeared and were unbiased, as well as honest with their critiques. My husband was a great tester because I feel, he can be, and was, tougher on me than a stranger would. He seemed to be more brutally honest with me.
• The location of the tests were in their own home, which is exactly what I was hoping for and expecting.
• I wanted the testers to learn how to correctly floss their teeth.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of my test were that my instructions were thorough and concise. The only issue that one tester reported was that I needed to put a mirror as an optional item needed. It was a pleasant surprise to me how in depth I had to go with something so, or so I thought, basic. I am glad that I took the time to write down every little step, as if I was teaching my almost two year old how to floss her teeth.

CONCLUSION

I learned that when writing instructions on anything, not just flossing your teeth, I need to make sure that I am clear with my instructions, I need to not assume that the audience knows what I mean, instead say it, and that illustrations make a large difference in how people interpret the instructions. The only revision I had to make was to add an optional mirror to my items needed portion.

A Lost Skill

I decided to switch my major about 3 weeks postpartum with Jaxson. Since then, I had my routine appointment with my dental hygienist to have my teeth cleaned. I was very excited to talk to her and see how things in the dental field have changed since my days as a dental assistant, more than 5 years ago. As the appointment went on, it came as no surprise to me that she said the biggest issues when it comes to oral hygiene in people is the lack of flossing. She also said to me that it wasn't just people not flossing, but people truly not knowing the proper way to floss, in order to be thorough. It was then that I decided that I would make it a priority to teach and show my daughter how to floss. For those that need a bit of a reminder, here it is!

Overview

The purpose of these instructions is to teach people the proper way to floss your teeth. Most cavities and periodontal disease begin between the teeth. While yes, brushing is important, the bristles of your brush can't reach in between your teeth. To keep your gums and teeth healthy, you should remove the plaque between your teeth at least once a day after brushing them (instructions on brushing here), and before using mouthwash, preferably before you go to sleep.

Warning

If your teeth are too tight to floss or if it catches or tears, call your dentist. These are problems that need to be addressed.

Warning 2.0

If your gums are infected they'll bleed when you floss, and that is to be expected if you are just beginning to floss. After a week or so of regular flossing the bleeding should go away.

Materials Needed

1. Mouth full of pearly whites

2. Dental floss of your choosing

3. Your two hands :-)
   

     

        **Optional** Mirror

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Obtain the proper amount of floss

  Start by opening the floss container, and pulling out the

 dental floss from the container. Break off about 18 inches. 

Fig. 1 Floss. There is an abundance of different kinds, 
your dental healthcare professional can recommend one 
for your needs.
Image Source: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/category/hlth0002.html
       
        Step 2: Prepping for oral insertion

Fig. 2 About one inch of floss to use.
Image Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Floss

You then will wind the ends of the floss around the middle fingers of each hand, leaving about five inches between your hands. Pinch the floss between your thumbs and index fingers, leaving about one inch in between to work with.       See Fig 2.

            Step 3: Insert the floss 

Fig 3 Insertion of floss. Be careful not to force floss. 

Image Source: http://www.orident.pl/uslugi_dentystyczne/periodontologia.html

Gently slide the floss down between two of your teeth, using a rocking motion. (Be sure to not force the floss in, or to snap it into place.) You may find it helpful to use your thumbs to gently push the floss in between your teeth. Once the floss reaches your gum line, curve and pull the floss tightly in a C shape around the side of the tooth and slide it under the gum line. (Be careful not to push the floss into your gums. You can cause damage to the gums.)  See Fig 3.

            Step 4: Clean those teeth

Fig 4 Move on to the next section of teeth. 
Image Source: http://www.watereefamilydentistry.com

Once you have completed steps 1-3 you are now ready to clean the teeth. Clean the surface of the tooth with an up and down motion, not side to side until the surface is clean. When all the plaque has been removed you will hear the floss start to squeak. Then you will pull the floss around the next tooth and repeat the process. Unwind the floss to a fresh section, and gradually work your way around the mouth cleaning both sides of every tooth.

   

           

 Step 5: Enjoy the feeling

 I can't speak for all, but for me the feeling of a clean mouth 

is the best feeling ever! Now that you are all done flossing,

 throw that floss piece away and enjoy!

   

Closing Remarks

Some may choose to use mouthwash after, some may not. Either way, if you continue to floss I can guarantee that your next appointment with your hygienist, they will notice a difference! Now you know why brushing your teeth is just HALF the battle!

Updates! 

It has come to my attention, that unlike me, not everyone can floss their teeth without looking in a mirror. So having a mirror in order to see what you are doing until you get the "feel" for it, is optional. 

Fork in the road.

For those who have read my blog, and kept checking my blog in hopes of another post, I am eternally grateful, but I am also sincerely sorry that I haven't posted in quite a while. I was busy with other things in my life, I am a MOTHER! Yes, Aaron and I had a daughter, Olivia Grace. She was born July 2, 2014, she is a perfect beautiful, smart, and charismatic little girl. But that isn’t it... we also had a little boy!!! Jaxson Thomas! He was a complete surprise and came just 14 months after our princess. So needless to say I have been one busy lady! 

Olivia Grace Smith July 2, 2014

Olivia Grace 5 months old

Jaxson Thomas Smith Sept 26, 2015

Jax 3 moths old

Jax 2 months old

Our annoucement to the world!

Continuing my education while being a stay at home mom to two is probably the most difficult thing I have ever done. Yet, it is by far the most rewarding! I did take a small break from school when I was nearing the end of my pregnancy with Jax, due to complications (more on that later), but I am back in the swing of things as of last week. I have completely, well not completely, changed my goal of being a nurse, to being a dental hygienist. After having my babies and being home with them for so long, I really had to do some soul searching. I realized I was too selfish to forego weekend soccer games, or nighttime baths, or holiday events with my children, as nurses schedules often require. I still wanted to stay in the medical field, but I didn’t want to start all over with schooling, so I saw that Hygiene had almost all of the same prerequisites.  So here I am! 

"With enough coffee you can do all things"- one tired momma!

I am taking yet another writing class, technical writing to be exact, and thankfully I got the amazing (in my opinion the best) instructor at LCC. Sandra Mardene, is my teacher yet again! She tends to like, no, LOVE, technology and so her class, once again, is formatted around blog posts.   So here I am, resurrecting my ol' blog :-) I also am in a place where I am able to catch up my personal family blog as well. If you are interested in checking out my family's blog click HERE! And if you want to get to know Sandy a little more, and why I love her so, her blog is HERE! 

I am excited to learn the art of technical writing, because I am sure I will be using it in either Nursing or Dental Hygiene in chart notes. Well as you can see my life is quite busy, but I am determined to keep up with this blogging business :-) 

Since this is supposed to be my "professional" blog, how do you feel about me incorporating my personal life into it?