Wordless Wednesday: Thanksgiving 2011

YUM...can you see the anticipation on my face? haha

Brothers!!!

My mom's parents

My brothers Carey and Jordan, with our cousin Kendall - don't mind Jordan's face lol

My brother Josh and I

The hubs, Carey and I

My little cousin Billy

Nate and our cousin Ava

The kids table :-)

My mom, her brother, and their parents

Saturday was also Grandaddy's 85th birthday so we celebrated after dinner 

My child loves cake...Yes, he is licking his spoon

My First Thrifting Adventure

Photo Credit

Last week on my first day off I tried my hand at thrifting...I got some great tips from my BFF in LA and from Mimi over at Lipgloss & Binky, searched on a few thrifting blogs and I was on my merry way...

My first stop was a Goodwill OUTLET...Who knew? Well, the premise of the outlet is that after the clothes don't sell in a regular store they get sent here and they are sold for .69cents per pound!!! They bring out these HUGE bins filled with stuff and they rotate the bins every hour. It was so overwhelming...but I walked away with a plus size shirt with a print that I really liked - brand unknown, a Lands End white men's dress shirt, and a purple Sonoma Lifestyle duster sweater. I spent $4.32.

So then I planned to hit up another Goodwill in a more affluent part of town. On the way, I stopped at a Salvation Army that I passed and it was definitely a miss...But when I got to Goodwill it was one of the nicest I had ever seen. And it didn't have that old clothes smell either. There I got a 100% Cashmere sweater in tan and a grey NY&Co. sweater both for $4.42 - neither were on sale, but they were in great condition so thats a steal to me...

The next day I started having buyer's remorse - mainly from my outlet purchases, but the hubby reminded me that I didn't spend a fortune so it wasn't a huge loss...I realized that I was just lacking inspiration, so I started googling what to do with big over size shirts LOL... I am starting to love the idea of having unique stuff that no one will have...and for CHEAP! I need to get a skinny belt, but here are the two looks I had this weekend with some of my finds:

What do you think? Have you or would you consider thrifting?

If you are looking into trying it yourself, here are the tips/sites I found:
Ginger and the Geek
Painfully Hip -> this site might end up being a new favorite spot...

Let me know how it goes and link up!!

Music Monday: Tis the Season!

I have been listening to Christmas music for the last two weeks...I am always more than a little eager to get my Pandora station and playlist going. So now that it's officially the Christmas season, you already know ;-)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday. May the food be good and the memories unforgettable! I am trying to have a year round spirit of gratitude, but here is my Thanksgiving edition. I am thankful for:

...For my relationship with God. It is nowhere near where I want it to be but I am so grateful for all of the seen and unseen blessings he has given me and my family.

...Almost being half way done with my second year.

...That I have this extra time off to spend with family.

...That our family has food to eat every day and a home to come back to.

...The good health of my family and friends.

...That my little brothers are all doing awesome and I am so proud of the young men they are growing into.

...For my Sonshine little Nate :-)

...For the love and support of those close to me and have my best interest at heart.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

xoxox

This Week in Med School...

Block two started last Thursday and ended on Monday, so that pretty much took over my life... Nothing big to report other than the fact that I had a MUCH better handle on things this time around, and all praise to God, because I think I finally have the hang of second year - better late than never!

Peep the confidence level going into the test this time:

Can you say complete 180? LOL

Photo Credit

Okay, okay, let's rewind a bit to two weeks ago and I will tell you about my general surgery SPD session.  Once again we were sent over to the simulation center where our small groups rotated to 4 different stations - 45 minutes each - and got to practice some common things you might see in general surgery.

Station 1: A vascular surgeon gave us a quick presentation on vascular disease followed by a tutorial on using a venous doppler
Station 2: A surgery resident walked us through placing a foley catheter and naso-gastric tube in dummies
Station 3: A general surgeon instructed us on looking for direct and indirect hernias and we practiced finding them (on a dummy too)

 Photo Credit 

Station 4: A breast surgeon talked to us about breast cancer and we practiced performing a breast exam and explaining how to report a lump correctly

It was definitely a lot of fun! I am still keeping my mind open but ENT has really been the most interesting for me. Of course, I have a lot of clinical exposure ahead of me so I am just enjoying the chance to get to try everything.

After exams I was beyond exhausted. Sooo happy that we have 5 days off for Thanksgiving break, and it feels so good to sleep in (and don't get me started on all the food I am about to eat)!

Wordless Wednesday: Facetime

I video-chatted Natey while I was studying and he just laid by the phone looking at me...

My heart melts. 

Facetime

Going to be honest, this student mommy thing is getting harder/sucks... :-/

Music Monday

Grateful Fridays

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

I'm thankful for... 


...all of the veterans, including my grandaddy who bravely fought - and are still fighting - for our freedom.

...the holiday season I love is coming quick! Which also equals the end of the semester. WOOT WOOT...

...for my new friend 5 Hour Energy!

...for having heat in our home for the cold nights.

...for our health and strength.

...for the pleasantly warm weather we have had.

...for all of the support and prayers of my family and friends.

...that I am getting closer to my clinical years - I registered for Step 1 this week!!!

...that Thanksgiving break is so close I can feel it! Family time, sleep, and food - it's going to be
A-MAZ-ING!

Have a restful weekend everyone! xoxo

Kreativ Blogger (The Link Up Part II)

The always lovely Candace at New York State of Mom linked me to her Kreativ Blog Award post, so now you have the joy of reading even more about yours truly! :wink: So here goes: 

Name your favorite song: So hard to choose... 
"No Greater Love" - Fred Hammond
"Lesson Learned" - Alicia Keys 
"Daughters" - John Mayer
"My Cherie Amour" and "That Girl" - Stevie Wonder

Name your favorite dessert: This peach cobbler dessert thing the Hubby makes...DELISH

What pisses you off?: America's public school system and health disparities. 

When you're upset, you: If I'm really upset, I lose my apetite. If I'm upset but don't take the shut down route, I get really focused on school work... So as a result, I lose weight and get A's. How ironic. 

Your favorite pet: Our family dog Samson. He's a white german shepherd that grew up with us, and thinks he's the 5th child. 

Black or White?: Depends on my mood. Black is timeless but white is so crisp - and both are elegant. 

Your biggest fear: To spend my life doing something other than what God put me here for. 

Best Feature: My communication skills...and my eyes ;-)

Everyday Attitude:  To be better than I was yesterday. 

What is perfection?: God's love for us. It's perfect and fearless. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear..." 1 John 4:18

Guilty Pleasure: I looooove those days when I don't get out of bed for anything except for food. It's extremely lazy and extremely wonderful. 

Random Facts:

• My parents wanted to name me Angelica and my Grammy wanted them to name me Elizabeth. 
• I love to read and I prefer real books to electronic ones. 
• I love to sing but not in front of people. 
• I am a neat freak.
• I have very traditional ideas about life and marriage despite how non-traditional my life is - like my continuous urge to be June Cleaver. 

Ok, now to link up (in no particular order). Make sure you stop by the blogs of these lovely ladies. They are all pretty boss... 

Money Matters Mama

The YeYo Diaries 

The Prissy Mommy

Science of Marriage

The Chocolate Knot

JordynRose

An Amiracan Story

Bibs and Baubles

Bossy Girl in the City

De Su Mama

The Link Up! (Part I)

One of my favs, Mimi from Lipgloss and Binky tagged me in her award season link-up, and I am FINALLY catching up...First of all, you should definitely go and check out her blog. She is one of those moms who has mastered the art of being fab...

So now you get to learn ten random things about me:

1. I love being a mom. Like, I don't know what I thought life was about before Natey came along.

2. I don't like being called "Jazz".

3. I have a VERY diverse music taste.

4. I'm the oldest and only girl of 4.

5. I used to commute almost 2 hours one-way by train to go to high school.

6. My mom is one of my closest friends.

7. I was on Oprah with my dad for Father's Day when I was 9.

8. I knew I wanted to be a doctor by age 7. My parents knew when I had a strange phobia of acquiring communicable diseases and illnesses like meningitis, e.coli, and HIV. My mom says I told her I wouldn't play over at other kids' houses because, "I wasn't sure if they used bleach".

9. I love OLD movies - like "Imitation of Life" and "Mommy Dearest". Oh and, not as old, but still great "Steel Magnolias", "Baby Boom", and "Terms of Endearment".

10. I can't dance. :gasp:

Ok, so now I have to link up with 10 other blogs (in no particular order). Make sure you stop by the blogs of these lovely ladies. They are all pretty boss... 

The Kimble Krew

Mommy Delicious

Fit Momma V

The Young Mommy Life

Tiny Blue Lines 

Mertinso

Surviving Medical School and Motherhood

Baby Makin(g) Machine

Man Wife and Dog

Fearless

Wordless Wednesday: Johnson Photo Booth

Neurology? Maybe...

Photo Credit

Even though this class is absolutely horrendous in the sheer volume of information we are required to memorize and recall, I think I really like the clinical application part of it. When it does finally click for me I actually feel like a real baby doc...

The semester is still early and there is still so much to learn but I will definitely be keeping neurology in the "back of my mind".

Haha I'm so clever...note sarcasm ;-)

And yes, I know. I'm all over the place.

Music Monday

This Week in Med School...

It was actually a pretty busy week. I won't bore you with the little details and I'll focus on the fun and exciting stuff :-)

Monday... During of afternoon session ICM we sat down for a session with a Geriatrician and a counsel of elders who talked to us about what it is like to get older. Our guests were 74, 80, and 90. They were all aging VERY well. Honestly, the woman who was 90 shocked us all when she disclosed her age. It was great to be able to ask them candid questions about their experiences in life, with their health, and other things like how their decision making might have changed as they got older when choosing doctors.

Tuesday... During the oncology session of ICM we had a visit from a woman who is currently being treated for stage 4 adenocarcinoma of the lung. If you follow me on twitter, you might have seen a quotation that her oncologist/our teacher told her that would be important for the first weeks after her diagnosis, "People are either protons, neutrons, or electrons. Surround yourself with protons." This session was humbling in so many ways in that it put a unique perspective on a diagnosis that no one wants to get. She seemed as though she had mastered the skill of maintaining a positive outlook on life despite what is going on. And we all could see the manifestation of that mindset in the fact that although her first physician had given her 30 days from her diagnosis, it has been almost more than 2 1/2 years. Take THAT cancer.

Wednesday... During our afternoon session ICM of the week we had specialty diagnosis for ophthalmology. Just like with ENT we got to practice some of the basics in the field on each other. I wasn't too eager to volunteer for an elective procedure this time, so I declined to have my eyes dilated - among others...lol Our hosts were opthamalogy residents and they all seemed to love what they do. IU is completing the state of the art Glick Eye Institute, and it was pretty sweet to get to tour the new building. Did you know that a cataract surgery can take as little as 3 minutes to complete?! Craziness...

Here is the video of a surgery, but DISCLAIMER: DON'T WATCH IF YOU ARE SQUEEMISH.

Thursday... The day before Friday.

Friday... Neuro web exam this weekend, so that's going to be the highlight of my Friday evening. Keep me in your prayers!

This (Last) Week in Med School...

I should have posted this last week but you know how that goes...

Photo

Last week was our ear, nose, and throat (Otolaryngology) specialty diagnosis session during ICM. So far, I've had an open mind about what I want to specialize in despite previously favoring ENT, but this experience gave me that feeling AGAIN that I might end up going the ENT route.  Even during the didactic lectures I was loving it.

After a demo from one of the faculty otolaryngologists, we broke off into examining rooms to go through the basic ear, nose, and throat exam on each other. And thennnnnn I volunteered for a laryngoscopy!!! This is big because I am not one to normally volunteer for stuff, but my group watched a resident travel through my nostril, down my throat, and to my vocal chords. They numbed my nose - which was a little uncomfortable at first, but after that it was smooth sailing. It was awesome!!!!

Here's a video of what they did (but this isn't me...lol):

 

My IUSM blog is struggling so I think I'm going to make this a weekly occurrence... You care.

Things My Toddler Says

Cheese!

"Shhhh Da, be quiet. I want to hear a mouse!" I assume he meant: "Be quiet as a mouse." LOL

"Come on MommyDaddy" (We're one unit)

While getting ready for church I put on my heels and he says, "Mommy pretty. Mommy a princess?" And I said "Thanks Nate!" and he looks at his dress shoes and says, "I a princess too!" LOL!

Grabbing his play stethoscope after I listened to his heart sounds with mine "Mommy, I want to play doctor too!"

"What's that mommy? Coffee? I want coffee too!"

:Whining while trying to put on his pants: I can't do it!!!
Me: Yes, you can. You can do all things through Christ that strengthens you. (We usually say this in the car on the way to school like I did growing up. But I think this was the first time I said it to him while we were inside)
Nate: No can do all things in the house. Can do all things in the car!

"Help me! Ayudame" We can thank our friends Dora and Diego for that one...I didn't master commands until highschool haha

My car has been making funny noises, so they hubby has been driving it to work. First thing Nate says to me when he wakes up: "Daddy take your car?" o_O excuse me little boy why are you so grown...haha

"Da, I need choclick nilk..."

"Night Night Mommy. Sweet Dreams. I love you..."

:While begging him to put on his doctor costume so we could take pics:
"I DON'T WANNA BE A DOCTOR! I DON'T WANNNA BE A DOCTOR!!" Duly noted, kid...

My heart melts.

Wordless Wednesday

Fall weather and studying isn't so bad when you've got caramel apples ;-)