Life Post-Turkey

Hello Hello! How are you, guys? I really missed blogging. So, since I finally have time to catch my breath, here I am (10 pounds heavier)! I hope some of you had more self control when it came to food then I did during the holiday. I went CRAZY. One would have thought that I had never experienced Thanksgiving before because I just kept stuffing myself. But, I gotta say that it's nice to overindulge on holidays like Thanksgiving. Not only did I get spoiled with delicious food,  but also with wonderful company. I had such a good time visiting family out east. We laughed all night. I couldn't ask for anything more!

On Friday, after all the Thanksgiving fun, Connor and I had our engagement photo shoot! Before the shoot, Connor and I were frantically throwing clothes everywhere trying to decide what we were going to wear as if this would be the last time we were ever getting photographed. Thankfully I put together a solid outfit after 10 minutes. Connor, who never takes more than 5 minutes getting dressed, wasn't sure what look he wanted to go for. And to be fair, I was being pickier than usual! I was just so nervous because every time I see engagement photos on the internet, THEY ARE PERFECT. Are they real?! Are those models!? I don't know, but they look like movie stills! So I felt like there was a high bar to be met there. But then I took a couple of deep breaths and remembered that expressing our love in the picture was the most important aspect of the photos. And we have so much of it that we wouldn't have a problem. Also, professional photo editing is phenomenal.

So we followed our photographer to this beautiful park and took pictures by the water, under trees, on a bridge... it was awesome! It really made me feel special. By special I mean, lucky to have found someone that I could do these ridiculously silly, but romantic things with and have so much fun the entire time. It made me feel like I was in a cutesy romantic comedy and I loved EVERY second of it! I can't wait to see the pictures. We should be getting them by next week! :)

Please excuse the paper plate! :P

Saturday was kind of a wasteful day for me, I have to admit. I was just so exhausted and lazy. I didn't even cook! We bought pizza and watched a movie when Connor was done studying. Connor, unlike me, was extremely hard at work. He studied all day long, so I was very proud of him as I sat on the couch wearing my lazy pants and furry socks.

Yesterday, I decided enough was enough. I need to be productive! For me that translates to cleaning and cooking. So I cleaned the house and finally found the courage to open my defrosted 5lb turkey breast in the fridge. I got the scissors cut the bag and... freaked. Raw meat has never been my strong point. It's frightening to me, but I've come a long way! I mean, a very long way. There was a time where I couldn't see raw red meat without gagging. Literally gagging. The raw turkey had some parts that I was just not very fond of, so thankfully, Connor came to my rescue and cleaned its insides! After that, I was good to go. We rubbed it with some seasoning, popped it in the oven and I began all my side dishes. Everything was delicious! I encountered a bit of a speedbump with my sweet potato casserole, but nothing some steaming couldn't handle! I was so proud of myself (and Connor for being the turkey sitter). I felt like a real woman... very similar to the first time I used my big girl vacuum.

Going back to work today wasn't the easiest, but thankfully the day went by very quickly! Let's hope the next four weeks do the same. I'm ready for Christmas time!

<3 Mandy

Almost Turkey Day!

Hi guys! Hope you all had a smooth Monday. Knowing Thanksgiving is just around the corner is really helping me get through these few days! I just cannot wait for all the good food and relaxtion time that is coming our way. Connor survived his manic Monday full of exams! He had an OMM written exam at 8:30 this morning, an OMM practical at 11:00 and an Anatomy practical at 2:30. AHH I don't know how he does it, but he gets it all done with a great attitude! He was a little loopy this morning. The nerves were really getting to him. When that happens, he gets VERY silly and energetic (if you know Connor, I mean more than usual), so it's interesting to say the least! ;P He said it was very difficult... as always. But when he got home, I had dinner ready and that cheered him up! I made balsamic chicken with pecan rice and broccoli. It was really yummy!

Connor signed up for the Tough Mudder in April. Can't say that I'm over the moon about it, but I'm happy that he's doing something for himself that he will enjoy. He works so hard, so I'm supportive of anything that allows him to get his mind off of school for a little. It's a very intense (and dangerous) race which includes a 10-12 mile run, jumping into freezing water, and getting shocked by 10,000 volts... So, if you're not as crazy as my fiance and his NYCOM buddies that are all taking part in this race, then you know why I'm not crazy about it! But like I said, whatever makes him happy! (Am I trying to convince you or myself? haha) Thankfully, Connor is physically capable. That gives me faith that he'll return to me in one piece! D:

He's also hoping that you can make a donation to his Tough Mudder page. All donations go to the Wounded Warrior project. If Connor raises $150 on his behalf, then he receives a discount on his registration fee. If you are at all interested in helping (which both Connor and I would be very grateful for), here is the link: Tough Mudder Donations

Yesterday, we went to Mrs. D's annual Soup Social and it was incredible! There were so many delicious soups like French Onion, Baked Potato, Roasted Tomato (with tiny grilled cheese sandwiches), and Italian Wedding. They were all so good, along with all of the incredible desserts! Words do not do this party justice, really! It always leaves me astonished and looking forward to next year's soups.

Oh, and this Friday, Connor and I have an engagement photo shoot with the photographer we booked for our wedding! I'm so excited. Hopefully I don't get a horrible pimple or anything! I've been planning my outfit since Saturday! I just can't wait to take incredibly romantic (and I'll admit slightly cheesy) pictures with my handsome boy. Can't wait to show you guys how they turn out.

Love, Mandy & Connor <3

Can anybody spare a quarter?

Hello loved ones! Just want to update you on some great news. Connor got his score back on his Anatomy test and he got a 100! I'm so proud of him. I think it was great motivation for him to keep chugging through this tough month. School has been very intense for him the last two weeks. I don't think Sandy helped, either. He's been having very long days and tons of work to do, so he's starting to feel overtired. It'll be nice for him to relax on Thanksgiving.

Isn't he such a qt?! 

He has two practicals on Monday: one for OMM and another for Anatomy. So the studying madness hasn't slowed down at all! I think the intensity of the year definitely picked up and it happened so abruptly! Hopefully Connor's morale stays up. I've been making him good food and rubbing his head when he gets tired and I think that's been helping. :)

Oh and just to update you on the migration. If you haven't noticed the picture to your right, Connor has migrated BACK to the couch. I like it though because he's closer to me now! I get to check out some of the crazy things he's learning. He truly amazes me for knowing all of this stuff because it is ridiculously confusing. I'm not sure how his brain works, but good for him! He's my science rockstar :) Right now he's studying NSAIDS... again!

Today I went to the laundromat and had such a mess of a time there. It was just awful. I didn't have enough quarters (and no cash to put into the machine), so I walked over to CVS to get cash back for buying overpriced make-up remover cloths and toothpaste, and I realized my debit card wasn't in my wallet. So then I had a panic attack and had to drive all the way home (in said panic state) to find the card. After searching through what felt like a thousand leather Coach purses, I finally found it! So I run back to the car, drive to the stop sign at the end of my street, and realize YET AGAIN the card is no longer in my sweaty palm. So I turn around, drive back to the house, search the sidewalk and BINGO it's on the ground...mocking me. To make a long story short: it was a laundry fiasco.

All of this hysteria over THREE QUARTERS. I wanted to scour the street for quarters because I just couldn't believe the chaos that a lack of three quarters could bring into your life. I feel as though they must be everywhere, just lying around like little treasures. I even thought to myself in my state of desperation that maybe I can just stand in front of CVS begging for spare quarters. But that doesn't work because people truly prize quarters. They are of actual value and not given away like trashy pennies. Who ever is in desperate need of a nickle or a dime? Those are such rare occasions at the register when you're buying a single item like mouthwash. I just want my own washer and dryer in my own cozy home that are always accessible and don't obnoxiously eat all of my lunch money in quarters. I can't wait for that day. And on that day, I will bow down to those machines and praise them for the convenience they will bring to my life.

Moving on! The laundry is done and I don't have to worry for another seven days. Phew! Mom's coming to visit this weekend and she's joining Connor and me to Mrs. D's annual soup social! She's very excited to see what it's all about. I know she'll be amazed by how wonderful everything looks (and tastes)!

On Saturday, I have an appointment with a possible photographer. Hopefully this one goes well!
Have a great Thursday, everyone. One day closer to Friday! YAAY.

<3 Mandy

Wedding Dreams and Messy Tables

Happy Sunday, friends! How's it going? I hope you're having a relaxing day and enjoying this great (but eerie) weather. I find it a little scary how drastically our weather is changing. THESE ARE THE END TIMES! Kidding. I'm definitely not going to be another person who obssesses over that end of the world nonsense. But really... we have to do something to address these wacky weather patterns. If it's going to snow, stay cold! Give me more snow, more days off, and more baking time! I'll take more blankets too. I love a good blanket to stick my cold tootsies in.

On Friday I had a blast with my friend Kim who came over to visit. We had great conversation, drank some Velvet Devil wine (it's delicious and you should try it), and danced around my spacious living room like crazy broads. It was so much fun. Love a good girl's night! Connor's friend Matt stopped by too, which was great. He makes us laugh. I was so happy to have company over so they could eat the leftover brownies I had! Otherwise, I'd eat them all. :X

Yesterday I visited 2 florists, which was kind of a hassle,  unfortunately! Call me naive but I wasn't expecting it to be so much work! I thought I'd walk in, show some pictures, and they would make my wedding dreams come true. Now that I'm back to reality, I know that there's much more to consider! I realized 1. I have expensive taste in flowers (WHY are the prettiest things in the world always so expensive?!) 2. Bonding with your florist is super important and 3. Putting a wedding together requires a vision, and shockingly some people just don't get that!

After learning all of these things, I realized it's a blessing to find someone who understands what you want. When I found it, I felt so relieved and decided to go with the florist that I trust to make my wedding as beautiful as I imagine it to be. It might be one day, but it's one day that you'll remember forever. Growing up I never dreamed of a wedding. I never imagined the dress, or the flowers, or even the guy. I even thought maybe I would never get married, live in a swanky one bedroom apartment, and fill my oven with expensive shoes. But Connor changed all of that for me. Without even trying, he made me believe in the whole fairytale of love. I can't imagine living without him and all the joy he brings into my life. And now I can't wait to celebrate us finding each other with the most beautiful, romantic and special wedding possible! So what I'm saying is... I really need those pink peonies... ;P

Anyway! Enough with all the mushy stuff. Connor has been studying like crazy for the past two days in preparation for his Musculoskeletal exam tomorrow. He's been taking over sitting at the kitchen table with his laptop and all of his textbooks since Friday. Last week it was the couch and the coffee table. I don't blame him for moving. He's studying constantly so a change of scenery is much needed for his sanity. But I gotta say, I can't wait for the next big migration (hopefully back to the desk this time) and end all of this studying madness for at least 2 days! :)

Tonight I might be baking again. Not sure what just yet, but I will definitely fill you in when it's all done!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday,
Mandy <3

And I'm Back!

So I took a little hiatus from blogging because of our very busy weekend away. But I hope you guys have been anxiously waiting for the next post! :D *Fingers crossed* We departed for Ohio onThursday evening because school had been cancelled for the rest of the week, so we figured we could get a head start on the long drive. School closing for the whole week was such a blessing! I felt like a little kid all over again, jumping on my bed wearing over-sized pajamas and thanking the man upstairs for working some magic and keeping me home.

To fill you all in: the road trip was a blast! We had so many laughs along the way (trust me there were a lot... 11 hours worth of laughter BOTH ways, so you can imagine). And the wedding was beautiful! I'm so lucky that my first wedding was a great one. It was magical, emotional, beautiful... all those happy, giddy things that you associate with love and weddings. I had to seriously fight back some tears. I spent 30 minutes doing my makeup, so ruining it was just NOT an option. I'm scared for my own wedding and what it will do to my fancy makeup. I just have a very strong feeling I'll be crying almost the entire time, weeping like a crazy lady.

I get overcome with emotion easily. I'm not even exaggerating. When Connor proposed to me, I couldn't even speak. I covered my face with my hands and was sobbing so hard that it was silent. You know what I mean, right? Like when you were a kid, and something so unimaginable just happened to you and you cried so hard that not a single peep could escape out of your mouth because it was clogged with air and overwhelming emotion. That cry was always legitimate, never brought on just for dramatics. But let me clarify. This was not because of something horrible. I was truly in disbelief that it was really happening, and that I was actually being proposed to by the love of my life. This was it, the moment I had imagined for so long. I couldn't even say "Yes!" until he asked me a second time to marry him and then I realized I actually needed to give a response. It's not like this was a movie that was going to keep rolling without the next line. Everything felt so cinematic. It was raining, people were watching, Connor was on his knee wearing a cute tie... Well, anyway! I just gotta make sure to get extra waterproof mascara for the big day.

After all the wedding excitement, I got home and realized I need to get cracking on my own wedding that is in less than a year. Unfortunately, I don't have Jennifer Lopez around to plan my wedding (fortunately though on the flip side because in that movie she also steals your fiance for her compensation as your wedding planner). I'm going to have to do this myself! So this Thursday I have a potential photographer stopping by to show me some pictures and give me prices. Hopefully he's not too expensive and I won't have to awkwardly sit around thinking of ways to end our meeting and masterfully move him out the door. Next on the to do list: Make consultations with 2 florists, and set up my bridesmaids dress appointment!

Today was my first day with the little kids. They were very cute, but the entire day consisted of make-up SLO tests. It was the most absurd thing I've ever seen testing Kindergartners. But you can't fight city hall, right? Poor babies. I can't wait for it to be over and actually have some fun teaching time with them.

Connor had DPC for the second time this week. He is the "doctor" in this scenario of a three year old named Emily. (Could it be any more fitting for him? I mean, really. It's like a sign from up above.) So his professor pretended to be the three-year-old, crying and complaining of pain all over. Connor did a great job and asked her if she wanted a sticker or a lollipop. He got some credit for that because this was their first time doing pediatric stuff. Cute. Supposedly, the little patient has swelling in her hands and feet and has a family history of blood disorders. What's your guess? I'm guessing some kind of clotting issue. But I don't know! I teach ESL. I would ask Connor what he thinks right now, but he has his serious studying face on. When that face is on, I'm quiet as a mouse. It's serious business saving lives, so I'm not getting in the way!

It's snowing, I ate some Italian wedding soup, baked some yummy brownies. I really can't complain about today. Tomorrow would be even better if it were a snow day, but I know that's not happening! Especially after all those days off because of the hurricane. *sigh* On Monday, I made the most delicious pesto pasta with spinach, broccoli, and chicken. It was too good. I carbo-loaded like a marathon runner (sans the marathon).

Hope you all enjoy the rest of this snowy evening!
<3 Mandy