Music Monday

The Johnsons 2011

The last time we took a family picture, Nate was only 7months old (he will be 3 in January)...so we were loooong overdue:

Johnson Fam 2009 - my lactating state is quite apparent o_O

We found our photographer on Groupon and he was awesome!!!!! Little Nate was laughing so hard at every shot and all his pics turned out so cute! Yesterday, we got to pick up the big print for our wall: 

Did you grow up taking family photos every year like me? Is that a tradition you want to keep going (or start) in your family? I would love to see your family photos so share a link in your comments!

Daddy's Rock

Big Nate has been on full time afternoon night duty with the little one and let me just say, Daddy's rock!

Since this arrangement, Nate has been SLEEPING in his own bed. ALL NIGHT. Boom.

Nate laughed at me because now I'm always suggesting that we watch TV in bed or go get in bed extra early just because we can spread out hahaha!

I don't care, this is a monumental moment in the history of our household. All I know is, when baby #2 comes (whenever that may be), he/she will be starting out in their bed from day one.

Before waking him up for school

Wordless Wednesday: Boys

What Nate does on a road trip to pass the time. Yuck.

Music Monday

The youth choir at New Life always sings this one...enjoy!

Weekend Re-Cap: Football and Birthdays

There are more pictures than words here, but this weekend we finally made it to my parents' to see my youngest brother play football. Yesterday was their last game of the season and we had a blast! Especially little Nate, who loves him some Jordan - when he has a football shirt on, he is "wearing Jordan." When we watch any college or NFL game on TV, he yells "Go Jordan! Touchdown!" The overprotective mother in me doesn't want him to play football, but I think his dad and uncles will have me outnumbered on this one...

"Let's Go Jordan!"

Nate doing some football move dance he made up

Saturday was also my Dad's birthday! He and my mom went to Chicago to celebrate after the game. I'm so thankful for my parents and for being to celebrate them being in our lives :-D 

Aren't they cute? Their stylist and my mom's make-up cred to me ;-)

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Happy Sunday!

Wordless Wednesday

On Saturday, Nate and his dad made a pizza (disregard messy kitchen haha):

I love his "deep concentration" face...LOL

Time for a New Schedule

As stated earlier, something is off, and I need to rework my schedule a bit... I took the same layout I had in the PreMed Life "Day in the Life" article, and made it applicable to how I want to change things up for the next test. If I post it on the blog it will make me more accountable, right? 

6:00AM:  Wake up and quietly get dressed before it is time to get the little one up - who recently has been getting up on his own at 6:30. If I have enough time to pack our lunches I'll do this now too.

6:30AM: Wake up Natey and get him ready...

6:50AM: Move to the kitchen to fix a quick breakfast for me and the little. (Hubby has been handling this role before he leaves at 6:30 by fixing me an omelette and toast...such a doll) Natey likes waffles :-)

7:00AM: We’re out the door and on the way to daycare.

7:15AM: Walk Nate to his classroom and leave after a big kiss and hug.

7:20AM: Back on the road to campus for class.

7:45AM: Park. Go get coffee - this is only if I don’t bring some from home, but some mornings require espresso…

8:00AM: Settle in a study room and start studying until the first recorded lecture goes up at 9AM

9AM-12PM: Class. I am going to try not physically going to class from now on. I am hoping I am more engaged and productive because I will minimize all distract and make sure that I don't space out...not being there = more engaged. How ironic...

12:00PM: **WORKING** Lunch. No time for casual convo anymore...

1:00PM-until: Lecture, Lab or ICM stuff 

Depending on the day, I will either be done with class at 5PM or 3PM. Whatever the case, I will stay at school and continue to study. 

7:00PM: Dinner. Spend time with the family and start getting the little one ready for bed.

9:00PM: Do anything I have remaining to do in order to get ready for the next day.

11:00PM (12 at the latest): BED. The End. 

**Somewhere in there I need to also fit in hubby time...I think I will also have to declare a moratorium on social media between the hours of 9-9...or in general :-/ Oh and I won't be watching any shows on the days they actually air...

Alright come on, let's do it!! :Natey voice:

Music Monday

So apparently this was a popular wedding song, and rightfully so. It has such beautiful words and music behind it...

 

Grateful Fridays.

Little Nate, less than a week old, smiling in his sleep

TGIF! But I'm so glad I have more to thank God for than just because it's Friday.

I haven't done one of these posts in a while, and not thinking about all the wonderful things I can be thankful for probably is affecting my lack of perspective right now. So here we go...

I'm thankful for... 

...the first block of exams are behind me. Despite the immense stress, there was minimal/repairable damage and I am ready to get to work so I can SMANG round two - yea, I said "smang" because smashing AND banging them is a must. LOL

...my Nates for all their support and encouragement

...for the food on our table and the clothes on our backs

...that our bills are paid each month

...for our HEALTH and STRENGTH

...for the protection, mercy, AND favor that God bestows upon us each day

...for my marriage and the friend I have in my husband

...that I am in medical school :gasp: Yes, I can't deny it no matter how hard it gets. I am grateful to be here.

...for fall :-)

I hope you all take some time out to think about all of the many things you can be thankful for.

Have a lovely weekend!

"If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive the week.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of the world.

If you have money in the bank or in your wallet, you are among the top 80 percent of the world's wealthy.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not."

Author Unknown

What I Learned from the Kardashians...

Photo Credit

I was super excited to find out that the "American Royal Wedding" b.k.a "Kim's Fairytale Wedding" was being aired over my fall break because that meant that I actually had time I could sit and watch it without feeling guilty about the work I should be doing - not that that stops me from watching TV any other time...but still...lol

Anyway, Keeping Up with the Kardashians is the only "reality" style TV show that I have consistently kept up with (no pun intended). There is something about their down-to-Earth, yet at the same time, kind of nuts home life that keeps me watching.  Between those three, and Tia and Tamara, I can vicariously live out my childhood dream of having a sister...LOL

While watching the two-part show, and realizing that it was FOUR HOURS LONG (thank goodness for the fast forward on DVR), I figured if I am able to learn something from it, the hours were not a total laze-fest. What can I say, I'm a self-proclaimed nerd. That is the time it takes to watch four lectures, and time is money, people...

Nuggets of Kardashian Wisdom (lol): 

Photo Credit

1. Despite disagreeing with the choices those in your family may make, at the end of the day you will ALWAYS be there for each other.
2. "Want to make God laugh? Tell Him your plans." - Lamar Odom. I know he didn't pen the saying, but I was excited to see him dropping knowledge on the young men...LOL
3. Deciding to change (or not to change) your lastname should be YOUR decision, and no one else's. And just because you don't, that doesn't mean you are "less down" for your husband than the woman who does. 
4. Do not take having your parents (or children) around for granted. There is always someone out there who would love to have more time with their mom or dad - and that is something no one's money can buy. 
5. When it comes to the wedding, some grooms actually want to help plan more than their bachelor party. Make sure they feel included and valued - not that you planned your dream wedding years ago and can just "insert any man" into his spot.
6. Premarital counseling and/or simply having those important conversations about marital expectations can prevent some of the silly little fights couples have when they start blending their lives together. With that said, make sure you spend more time planning your marriage than you do your wedding. 
7. NO ONE is immune to wedding-related drama. Whether you plan it in a year, three months, or 9 days, don't let it cause you to forget what your wedding is all about. Breathe.
8. Blended families can be just as "natural" as biological ones. "Step"-parents don't have to be treated as such.
9. There really is more than one family out there who gives all their kids names that start with "K"...you thought these would all be serious? LOL sorry...
10. Whether you have Kardashian money or not, every couple deserves for their wedding day to be their fairytale - and their marriage their happily ever after. 

Photo Credit

Surprised? So maybe there was more reality in it than we give them credit for...

Congrats Kim and Kris! May you have many, many happy years together :-D

Did any of you watch the show? Can you think of anything else we could take from the special (both serious and not so serious...)? Did any of it remind you of your own wedding drama? 

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday to My Josh!!

Today is my little brother Josh's Birthday, so this one goes out to him!  

Happy 19th Birthday My Love!!! 

Baby Josh with his happy big sister and brother (and Dad...lol)

Toddler Josh

       

High School Graduate Josh (+ siblings)

He is a freshman at Loyola University this year and I'm so proud of him!

I can't believe the '92 babies are in college now...

Reflections of the Exam Week That Almost Broke Me Down.

Ouch.

No, really that is all I have to describe the events of last week that I still would rather not talk about until I get all my grades back - and I am praying that what I will have to talk about will be better than how I felt while taking the exams.

My exam schedule:

Monday:
Pathology Lecture Exam 8AM-10AM
Pathology Lab Exam 2PM-4PM

Tuesday: Off

Wednesday:
Intro to Clinical Medicine
Psychiatry Mental Status Exam 8-9AM
Gastroenterology, Neurology, Physical Diagnosis 9-11:30AM

Thursday:
Genetics 12-2PM

Friday:
Neurology 10AM-1PM

Whew. Even now, it is all a blur.

Every now and then I have that mid-exam freak out while half-way through a question (Friday, it was around question 57 - I had to get to 125...) my mind wanders off about how I "don't know anything" or that "I am going to fail", but I have to stop right then and tell myself to calm down. People are always surprised to find out that I deal with test anxiety, but it's something that you have to actively work on to go away. And it definitely helps to know that you prepared enough for the exam - which I questioned myself about all week.

Some Ecards

I am so relieved it's over, but I have to definitely re-work how I do things, because there was not one exam where I didn't feel like I was cramming until the last second. I know I put the hours in. I barely slept, barely saw my family, and was constantly thinking, dreaming, breathing my notes - but something was off. Last year, I wasn't cramming or missing out excessively on sleep, but I walked out of most of my exams feeling pretty good.

I need to be more efficient with my time - class time and study time. I need to work SMARTER and not necessarily HARDER.

Keeping My Face in the Sunshine

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow" - Hellen Keller

Photo Credit

Pastor Ramsey is finishing up his series on changing your attitude about life. I haven't physically been in church in over a month - epic fail, I know. But I have been streaming in, and yesterday little Nate and I actually went. Even when I end up down in the toddler play room, I still walk out blessed. After my exams, I was feeling quite defeated and everyone has been telling me to put things into perspective - i.e. the hubs and my mom. So Sunday just reinforced everything that was already said to me (the fact that I needed to snap out of it).

The following are some of my notes from the series:

• "You are what you THINK" - your attitude projects your future.  

• Anger and bitterness are sins too, and God will judge you based on that.  

• You have to see that if your attitude is off, it may be sinful.  

• You may not be able to change where you work (*cough* or what grade you get on your exam despite how hard you think you studied) but you can change your attitude.   

• Your attitude will either lift your to the next level or prevent you from getting your promise. 

•  You do not live your life based on the script that you wrote. You live it based on the script that HE wrote. 

•  Don't claim God's promise if you can't trust God's process.  

•  Real faith involves trust, and trust involves being at peace.

•  Let the peace of God rule in your heart. YOUR peace is YOUR decision! 

•  When you submit yourself to God's peace, you can't be frustrated.   

• Bitter, angry, and disappointed people push the very people away that can help them to change their situation - bitterness clouds our eyes. 

•  Frustration hinders your ability to be thankful. (THIS.)

•  A relationship with God will restore my identity. 

Happy Monday! Be blessed and encouraged! Even the best of us get the wrong attitude at times, but we can't stay there...

I heard once that God isn't going to do things for us that He gave us the power to do ourselves - so I'm taking responsibility for my attitude.

Music Monday

They play this every morning when I am on the way to school, and it definitely helps me get a little hype for the day ahead ;-)

Wordless Wednesday

Making 20/20 Vision Fashionable (AND Affordable!!)

Something about not sleeping and wearing contact lenses just doesn't mix. The red, blood-shot look isn't becoming in the slightest, so my glasses have made a recurring appearance recently. And since this will probably be a regular occurrence this year, my sexy, yet intellectual (HA!) med student look might need a little upgrade...

Isn't it amazing how a new set of frames can change your look completely? I've always been a fan of the dark framed, thick, statement-making eye glasses...So, of course, the popular retro and wayfarer look is really growing on me.

I haven't had much of any time for retail therapy this year to find a new set of specs. And even if I did find some, my student loan budget doesn't really allow for the price that I usually pay for glasses... However, it never occurred to me that you can even find frames online that won't break the bank. That was until I learned about GlassesUSA.com:

Upon visiting their site, you can find all of the trendiest glasses sorted by frame size, color, style, and even by lens type - so if you are quite visually challenged (like myself), or need multifocal glasses, no worries!

Because there is so much to choose from, you may be unsure about what look you want to go with. You can see which one(s) look the best with this cool feature called "Virtual Mirror" where you can "try on" different looks! Genius.

Finally, after you see that not only is the selection amazing and the eyeglasses you chose look amazing on you, you realize that the prices are UNHEARD OF. No, really, I'm being serious. GlassesUSA boasts both a 110% price guarantee and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

And on top of their already discounted prices, they are running a sweet back to school deal and even have something special for the blog readers!

• BOGO SALE: Buy any pair of glasses valued at $50 or more and get a second pair of glasses FREE! Code: Back2School
• Take $25 off any order of glasses with Transitions lenses with the code: Trans25
• Take 10% off any order. Code: Blog10

What are you waiting for?! Go SEE for yourself...hehe get it?

**DISCLAIMER: MrsMommyMD.com was compensated for this post.**

Check Me Out in PreMedLife Magazine!

My poor little blog has been terribly neglected since the pre-exam hustle. And I wish I had some great content lined up, however, during exams I have a one track mind so, sorry folks...

To hold you over through this week, because I know you miss me so much (LOL), you can check out some of my writing in the "Day in the Life" feature in the fall issue of PreMedLife Magazine!! I'm super excited about this because it is my 2nd non-blog feature :-D

Also, if you have any pre-med students in your life, this magazine is a great resource for them while in undergrad and as they navigate the application process. So even if it's not to read my feature, it is definitely a great site/magazine to check out!

Just click the cover above to be re-directed to the article and let me know what you think :-)