Gynecology!!!

These last seven weeks have been filled with all kinds of surgical awesomeness!

It's been great to explore all the different types of surgery: open, vaginal, and laparoscopic. But, I've spent the majority of my rotation learning all things laparoscopy with the Minimally Invasive Gyn Surgery Division.

Laparoscopy is cool, but it is not something you just jump into. You make tiny incisions and use a camera while you to view your instruments working on the inside. So much hand coordination is involved that I was not born with. Let me just tell you, I was initially feeling like a hot mess on all accounts. But, luckily, I have some great, patient teachers and during this block I was able to get through my first hysterectomy EVER. And amazingly, it was laparoscopic.  And then I did another one.  And another one, and another one... 

There is nothing like residency. This daily process of being so intimidated and nervous about doing so many things that you have never done before. And then, you just do them. And once you do them, not only do you feel like a boss, but you have learned so much and want to jump right back in learning and doing again. 

Of course, not every day is filled with huge career defining milestones, but each one definitely has little steps moving me towards the goal and you can't ask for anything better than that. 

Last Thursday, the gynecology team got together to celebrate the end of the rotation. Usually it's a cozy dinner, but our team decided to spice it up a bit - i.e. dinner and then going to the Ariana Grande concert in Raleigh. Aside from the hilarity of being mistaken for parents picking up their children of the concert, it was pretty amazing!!! And then the next day, I was back in the OR and then clinic because it was a school night. Oh, adulting...

Not my typical Thursday night...

And in other diva news...this happened...

Big girl bed! And a new interest in coffee apparently. Now, only if we could get her to use the potty...

And my baby boy is requesting collared shirts and ties for picture day...I cannot with this six year old swag...

Picture Day!

*Besos*

Framing Like a BAWSE...

Yeah, I said it.

On my vacation week I accomplished a goal that has been years in the making. Printing and framing all of the pictures we have amassed digitally to my little heart's content.

I wanted to share with you lovely peeps in case this is one of your goals too. And hopefully, it will save you some time {and money}!

First, you're going to need pictures... LOTS of them... YEARS of them... in my case.

If you are able to do a bit of long term planning and have at least one week or so to get your photos by mail,   you can stalk Shutterfly and Snapfish for their deals. Usually, both sites will do FREE or even penny 4x6 print promotions, so you are basically just paying shipping for decent quality photos. Larger size prints usually don't go on sale, but joining their email lists will get your 30-50% coupons periodically...

I also really love the concept behind GrooveBook. They allow you to upload your pictures straight from your phone and print them into a photo book with perforated edges for easy removal.

Cute books for safe keeping or tear out for framing...

You subscribe to the service for only $2.99 per month, and get a photo book each month. Sadly, I wasn't very impressed with the quality of my prints. They are not high glossy photos and the clarity isn't too great. I'm kind of a picture snob now...lol

But I think it is a great option for someone who has a ton of pictures that they don't necessarily want to frame. Or for someone who doesn't want to risk losing their digital pictures if phones, photo sites, etc ever crashed on us one day :GASP: Of note, your photos print out on paper that is a little bit larger than standard 4x6 photos, so you may have to do some trimming if you choose to frame.

If instant gratification is your thing, you can send your prints straight to your neighborhood CVS, Walmart, or Walgreens. These spots will usually have prints done within an hour. The frugalista in me has gotten into a habit of googling and searching my email for coupons anywhere I buy. I was able to score some great deals on larger one hour-photo prints too!

In addition to photos, I discovered now a lot of people are using printables online to add flair to walls as well. I found the cutest FREE printable for Isabelle's room, sent it to Walgreens for printing, and it turned out great!

Next, you're going to need frames. I have pretty decent-sized empty walls all over so I wanted lots of pictures in each display. 

• I used a lot of frames we already had, of course, but also found some cheap frames I could buy in bulk on Amazon. 

                   

• I was able to find more collage frames - one in particular was a steal from Walmart and holds 21 photos...More bang for your buck, right? 

And finally, you obviously need a strategy and some time... 

• I looked to Pinterest to get collage wall inspiration, but ultimately, I played around with my frames taking pictures of different layouts for some displays. 

• For our stairs, I have to give the hubs all the credit. His engineer mind went to town photo-grid style and I was in loooove. 

• Over my vacation week, I was able to dedicate intermittent time over a couple of days to get things set up and ready for Nate to hang when he got home from work...haha

He was a great sport...This was one of many moments that shows he is my soulmate...Picture hanging vision achieved. 

Front Hall

Kitchen-Breakfast Nook Wall

Stairs

Upstairs Hall

And that's it! I'm even more in love with the house now because I can see all the people I love when I walk around every day.

Look out for more decorating posts...because I'm totally inspired!

I want you all to get in on the fun too, so try Groovebook and Snapfish for yourself! Here is a coupon for a free GrooveBook and for 40% off your order at Snapfish. Enjoy!

http://snapfish.extole.com/v2/share/6191203096603780046