Embracing the Moment

After being told by my very genuine father-in-law that my blog was becoming "stale," (Thanks, Dad in law for your honesty! ;)) I thought I should finally come out of my writing coma and get right back into it!

Connor and I have been really enjoying our break together... I think a little too much because it is flying right by us! Soon enough we will be right back to our work routines. I'm certainly not looking forward to that. I've been in such a relaxed state, just thinking about going back to work makes my eye twitch and my throat dry up. Next Monday morning, I will be like a 7 year old crying and yanking at my bed sheets. I shudder just thinking about it. Let's go back to dream land now.

So far, Connor and I have traveled all over to visit family for the holidays. I hope all of you had a wonderful and happy Christmas! We had such a blast celebrating our first Christmas together as a married couple. It was extra special because my family joined Connor's for an extravagant X-Mas Eve dinner at my in-law's out east. It was so much fun and the food was incredible, as always. I really can't brag enough. It's just that good! We had the tenderest filet mignon I could ever imagine tasting, along with many other goodies. There's seriously nothing like holiday eating! I can't remember what life was like just a week ago because I started stuffing my face every 2 hours. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it...Yikes.

My family stayed over our little home and we spent Christmas morning together eating a yummy breakfast and opening gifts. It was the perfect way to spend the holiday, in my opinion. I couldn't be happier.

We also did some shopping last weekend and got some great deals at the outlets! I bought a really great Coach purse and wallet, and Connor racked up some great shirts at J.Crew. The deals are too good to be ignored!! Well, we had to take advantage of all the sales because we sure won't be shopping like this again anytime soon! After the holidays, my wallet starts coughing up dust, which is a sign to start saving again.

How could I not mention this sooner? It's New Year's Eve! I'm sure I just gave it away that I'm not doing anything super noteworthy tonight. NYE is kind of overrated for me, and I just can't understand all the hype sometimes. I get that it's very intriguing to be able to reinvent yourself for a new year. I myself get intrigued by that, too. But quite honestly, NYE is way more depressing to me than it is exciting. I find it sad how time is so fleeting and how most people and things rush life just to get to another goal or time. I wish  we could appreciate the present much more than we actually do. I know that not everyone treats NYE as some throw away of the old and in with the new, but that's often the idea represented by it. I guess when it really comes down to it the day is all about hope. People need hope in order to feel motivated and like they are moving forward. And a fresh start in a year has that exact appeal that they are searching for. I can't argue against the power behind hope. I certainly have many hopes for the upcoming year: I hope Connor does outstandingly on his boards, I hope I survive this first year teaching without anymore tears and hair pulling moments, and I hope my husband and I can enjoy more time together, despite our hectic schedules. However, I do want to take time to say that we are free to resolve to do anything at any time in our lives, not just one day of the year. And if you are going to resolve to do something for the year, let it include enjoying the present because in the blink of an eye, it's gone.

2013 has brought me so many memories. I got married to my best friend and got my first teaching job . So, I have a lot to be thankful for. Who knows what this year will bring our way. I will be hopeful that it will be nothing but good things. I don't know if it could top this year, though!

Okay, that's all for my cliche rant! I wish everyone an exciting and safe New Year's Eve! Make sure you get that lucky kiss at midnight. Can't wait for mine with my hubby! ;)

Love,
Mandy

Brownies make everything better

Hey guys, I'm happy I'm posting within the same month. I'm patting myself on the back for this one. I hope everyone had a great weekend. I couldn't be more bummed that it's already over. How could it be that we are already back at Monday? This routine of human life is quite cruel to us.

Connor and I have been going to church almost every Sunday lately. I'm thankful he got me back into going because lately I really need the time to search deep within myself for peace. In that hour, I try to remain thankful for the all the good things I have in my life... mainly my wonderful husband, my health, and my family. I'm trying to work on staying hopeful about things in general. I know that life can't always be easy. That's not how we learn and grow into better people. This must be one of God's tests that I must pass. I know I'm certainly failing now, but I think I'll get there in some time.

In the meantime, I'm praying and keeping myself busy with things I love to do. I try to limit the amount of time I spend doing work at home because I was becoming overwhelmingly bitter and just unpleasant. Unfortunately, I didn't get much work done at school this week because it was report card week. So this weekend I had to bring A LOT of work home. Major disappointment. But I did manage to carve some time out for myself. Connor and I spent Saturday shopping around for a bed. We bought a queen size mattress about a month ago and have been sleeping sans bed for just about that long! We gave our full size bed away to my parents to have for when we visit upstate. It's crazy how quickly I got used to the view down below. It wasn't TOO bad. We, of course. had a box spring, which gave us a little lift. But we decided it was time! We were done living like moochers crashing on someone's floor.

The real push to buy the bed was the $300 gift card we received in the mail from Verizon Fios for signing up 3 months ago! It was such a nice surprise. I forgot we were even getting it. We decided the best thing to do with it would be to buy the bed that we so desperately needed. We went to Ikea and got a really awesome bed for $400! I couldn't be happier. Now I feel like I'm sleeping in a hotel bed. That was a great pick-me-up after a pretty crummy week. Despite having Monday off, the week felt like an eternity!

I am seriously looking forward to the Thanksgiving break. It will be SUCH  a relief from the monotony. I'm hoping during my break I can become a normal person again and feel some kind of relaxation. It will also be nice to get away. Leaving the state will be such a nice mini-vacation. :)

Tonight, to get myself out of my Sunday depression, I baked paleo brownies. My friend made them over the summer and they were honestly the most delicious brownies I had ever tasted. I know some people think it's impossible for healthy treats to be as good as the original (unhealthy) version, but, for me, this was WAY better. They were light (not greasy at all), but still rich and yummy. Plus, I was so happy to break into my coconut oil stash. I've been stocking up on coconut oil as if the apocalypse was approaching. I can't see it on sale or else I have to buy 2 jars. It's usually so expensive, but I've been getting good deals on it lately... like $6 a jar!! :O Unheard of!

I hope you all have a lovely week! I'm praying very hard that it will fly on by... especially Wednesday (stupid after school meetings, BLAH).

Love,
Mandy

Against the Grain

Hello everyone! Almost an entire month later, here I am! I apologize yet again for my inability to write more consistently as I used to. Unfortunately, my job continues to eat up my energy... among many other things..

Lately, I've been in a bit of a funk. When I first started this blog, I promised myself and the readers of this blog that I wouldn't let it go down that dark, familiar road known as Negativity. I would avoid being pessimistic about Connor's hectic journey, and the affect it would have on our marriage. Luckily, those initial concerns I had really have not taken a toll on us. Of course, there are days when I just want to come home from work and spend all my time with him until bedtime, and we just can't. He has loads of work to do, and I just have to take my hour of dinnertime and be happy! That sometimes gets me a little bummed, but for the most part, I'm pretty used to it by now. Not to mention, seeing him be so successful makes all of the sacrifice worth it. He's completely flourishing in all of his endeavors and that has somehow left me looking into a mirror and questioning: Am I flourishing?

I've been getting really down on myself with my current career choice, and how it has been a bit of a letdown. I have always been a bit (okay A LOT) of an idealist. I always imagined the world full of creative possibilities and magical wonder. I  promised myself I would never cage myself just because societal expectations told me to. I was meant to be who I am and not what others wanted me to be. That motivation to dance to the beat of my own drummer always took me down a more bumpy road, but I never once believed I was making a mistake. I wasn't lying to myself--I was living the most accurate version of the life I wanted. During my college years, I was happy with myself and where I saw myself in ten years. I had lofty, creative endeavors and I would reach them all.

Everyone Almost every person over the age of 30 told me I was unrealistic, and that someday I would have to tame my wild spirit and be more pragmatic. My mother was metaphorically beating her head against the wall trying to get me to realize that I was making my life more difficult than it needed to be. The people of the world value stability. The more stable you are, the more successful you were in the eyes of others. So that day finally came, like clockwork, when I decided all my dreams and all that I wanted for my life was unreachable. All of it would lead me to financial insecurity and frustration. With that realization came the decision to choose pragmatism and security because that's what adults have to do. We cannot afford to be selfish because we don't live our lives for ourselves. We live it for the future--for the house we plan on buying in years to come, for the children who have yet to be born, and for the bank accounts we hope to cushion our comfortable lifestyle.

I am now in the middle of my decision to be what others expected me to be and am now faced with dissatisfaction. (This is the negativity that I foreshadowed just a paragraph earlier, if you couldn't tell.) I feel creatively stunted and pressured to limit myself on an everyday basis. I feel regret for time that I now cannot get back when my options were endless and could have done so many other things. Now, thousands of dollars in debt for an education that has led me, not to my ideal profession, but to functionality traps me in my pragmatic prison. Yes, the bitterness could not be more realistic. I choose "reality" and I am now living it in its realest form.

What does this mean for me? ...because simply wallowing in disappointment gets us nowhere. I shouldn't sit around admiring the walls of the hole I dug myself into. I could blame others, but why? Everything was done by my own volition. Do I rediscover my idealistic roots? Do I get even more realistic, and remind myself that I have a husband in medical school who needs a supportive wife, and not a whimsical fairy living in dreamland? I am still figuring all of this out. Some people decide to live their dreams, and some people decide live for comfort: to stay within the boundaries they created for themselves for fear of instability and failure. What I do know is that in years to come, I don't want to look back at my 25 year old self and think, "What was I thinking? You had all the time in the world to live the life you wanted, and yet you chose stasis out of fear."

Forgetting our childhood imagination appears to be a prerequisite to adulthood. You can't pass go without checking your creativity and all of your captivating idiosyncrasies at the door. Choosing to become the standard is somehow the objective looming over our heads. But that doesn't have to be the norm. For some, practicality was, is, and always will be their driving force. For others, it's not. I know no matter what you choose takes bravery. It takes guts to choose something with everything you have and stick with it. I did that the day I married my best friend and would do it a million times over. Love has been the only thing I've chosen with everything I have.

Now if I could find the equivalent in my professional life, then I will have wholly found Eudaimonia. Glad I could end on an idealistic note. :)

Love,
Mandy

Fall Season = Cold/Flu Season

Hi guys! I hope everyone has enjoyed this Fall weather we've been having. Last weekend, my mom and niece visited and we went to a pumpkin patch in town. It was so much fun! We bought 2 big pumpkins to put next to our big basket of mums. We also bought a yummy, homemade pumpkin bread loaf. Delicious! Nothing like the Fall season.

Unfortunately, Fall has also brought with it ILLNESS. Connor was sick all of last week, and now it's my turn. :( UGH. I have been fighting this horrible cold now for a couple of days, and I can't take it anymore! I'm going through tissues like crazy and I'm sick of sounding like a 90 year old man. It also stinks not being able to do my normal routine. I'm just really looking forward to feeling healthy again. :(

Connor will be shadowing the gastro doc tomorrow while I snuggle on the couch with my pillow and a box of kleenex. He's been really getting into his time at the gastrointestinal practice. He's also getting really good with IVs :O I'm not sure how he can handle doing something like that. Hence why I'm am but a mere educator while he is a student doctor. I can't even bare to watch someone else put an IV into an arm let alone be the person doing the jabbing. 

His study schedule has been pretty consistent. BUT that will soon change because his next content exam is quickly approaching. So the small amount cuddly time I get is going to go right out the window! Major bummer. Hopefully, it will come and go painlessly. 

Progress reports go out next week, so I spent the past 2 days writing comments. Not very fun! Doing that on top of everything else (planning, grading, MAKING A GAJILLION COPIES and praying hard that the copier doesn't crap out) wasn't really that great. Thankfully, it's done and submitted! I'm starting to quickly realize that the responsibilities of being a teacher never really end. You could try  to get to the end of that pile of work, but as soon as you do, another pile falls right back down onto your lap. There is literally no such thing as an "end" to all of it.... well of course, not until June 27th! That will be quite a nice end to the madness. Until then, might as well cozy right on up to that pile and get acquainted. Hmph.

Last Sunday, I decided to make a cozy, Fall meal with lots of color. I didn't have a complete plan, but I followed my instincts and I made this!

It was so delicious! I made a lemon chicken with rosemary and roasted red and sweet potatoes. I sauteed the chicken in a pan while I broiled the potatoes in the oven. It was savory and sweet. And I made enough to have leftovers for the next day, which made my Monday very easy. Gotta remember this meal for future dinners! :)

 

Things to look forward to:

1. Pep Rally! I really love the Pep Rally at the HS. It reminds me of all the fun of being a teenager and how much I wish I could go back and really appreciate all of it. And it's also so wonderful to see the kids really enjoy it.

2. Halloween!! My all-time favorite holiday! Last year, Hurricane aka Tropical Storm Sandy totally ruined Halloween for me! I got 2 doorbell rings the whole night, which was a complete letdown. I was totally excited to have my first Halloween in my own house, but that was a bust. So I'm really looking forward to this year's. 

3. Soup Party!! My mother-in-law throws an annual Soup Party (which I blogged about last November) and it's coming up soon. It is one of the best Fall celebrations ever, and I can't wait to eat, drink, and be merry.

Stay happy and healthy, everyone! It's Fall which means beautiful, cool weather and cold and flu season! Gotta take the good with the bad, I guess!

Love,

Mandy

Behind the Curtain of Teaching

Yes, I have come back from the dead! I apologize for taking such a long hiatus. Starting my first year of teaching has seriously hit me like a ton of bricks. It's been really time consuming and just as exhausting as I dreaded it to be. It's not only lots of work during school hours, but also at home. I barely get to come home, relax, and spend time with hubby! :(

I'm hoping that I will soon fall into a routine that will allow me more free time at home. What I have learned so far from just my first 2 full weeks of teaching:

1. Kids today are SERIOUSLY not the same as past generations. This isn't one of those comments that your grandparents made like, "Oh, back in my day...." despite sounding like one. Children today are very different. They have access to way more than we ever did in our youth, which is simultaneously beneficial and harmful.Their perspective of the world can become too complex for their maturity level based on what they learn from unfiltered media. Does this mean children should be brought up in a bubble? Absolutely not! But there should be some progression to them obtaining knowledge about specific things. They are also generally more daring, vocal, and repelled by authority and traditional education, i.e. lecturing, note-taking, obeying classroom rules, and doing anything non-technological or hands-on. And yes, most children by nature have never really liked those things, but in the past have felt much more obligated to follow directions regardless of liking it or not. This tells me education needs to take a new direction.

2. Just because someone is a certain age doesn't mean they are an "adult." Plenty of "adults" I have encountered do not live up to adult expectations, i.e. being professional, caring, ethical, and just. We expect certain behavior from people based on age, and I think that leaves us feeling frustrated and confused. Some people, despite years of experience, don't learn how to be kind or fair to others or even themselves.... And some young people will leave us happily surprised with their maturity, which is always wonderful!

3. Being a teacher requires an excellent sense of balance. You need to know how to balance the energy of a classroom (having fun but also learning), your home life (lesson-planning/grading but also unwinding), and your relationships with colleagues (being respectful of one another despite having differing teaching styles and opinions). All aspects of the profession require you to constantly monitor your behavior and how you prioritize your responsibilities. This is just a good skill to have in any profession.

4. Caring TOO much makes you TOO vulnerable. This is an extension of #3. As a teacher you want nothing but the best for every one of your students and for them to succeed. However, we can only do so much and the child has to meet you halfway. Leaving yourself too emotionally involved isn't healthy and can often leave you feeling disappointed and cynical. Your expectations will not always be the same as theirs. Teaching is a job and as much as it involves being a passionate individual, it is still just a job.

5. Being considered a "good" teacher is so variant depending on who is doing the judging. Trying to prove to others that you are "effective" at what you do is dangerous to your skill. It will most likely render you "ineffective" because you're no longer enjoying what you do, but instead are constantly evaluating yourself using another person's scale. If you leave your class feeling like you did the best job you could possibly do, were fair to every student in the classroom, and also enjoyed what you did for at least 70% of your day then you can go home knowing you are a "good" teacher. People expect too much from teachers and wearing yourself thin does not prove anything to anyone.

Those are just 5 of the many things I have learned so far, and I know plenty more are to follow. I have already been on such a roller coaster ride of highs and lows that I can understand so clearly why teachers are some of the most caring, stressed-out, and intelligent people I know. Anyone who really believes teaching is an easy profession is truly ignorant to the reality of it all. The courage that it takes to guide another human's future and hope that he or she follows that course that you set before them is immense. And crazily enough, I am almost positive teaching takes about only 30% of the courage it takes to be a parent.

I know I haven't updated much about Connor's side of things. I felt it necessary to spare a post on what is eating up most of my life (and to be fair now half of his life also). Connor is a great team player and listens to all of my rants and helps me cook and clean up after I'm worn out from my day. I'm so incredibly thankful to have him as a husband and best friend. He's been doing such a great job with balancing school and our life at home together. We make sure to eat dinner together every day and have an hour after dinner to just unwind on the couch. That's my favorite part of the day. :)

On a really happy note... Fall is almost here! So looking forward to apple and pumpkin picking and baking lots of pies!

Love,
Mandy

Happy Beginnings

Hi guys! Can you believe August is practically over?! I'm still coping with how quickly this month flew right by. Tomorrow is my orientation for the newly hired staff in the district and I'm a little anxious about it, but also very excited. I've worked so hard to get to this point, so it feels so rewarding to have finally reached this point. But I'm also anxious about all the big changes that are coming my way. I know my days of lounging, cooking elaborate dinners, and baking delicious treats are going to be SERIOUSLY limited now. And just the thought that I am going to be in charge of 30+ students' academic futures is a bit scary! When I get freaked out, I remind myself that I earned this position and I am capable of handling whatever comes my way. :)

These past three weeks have been somewhat difficult. It's been a challenge adjusting to Connor's new study schedule. It seems like when he's home that's all he does and I've been really missing our free days together. I was so used to it before Summer started! I got far too spoiled, and now it's like the beginning of first year all over again. :( I remember how hard it was to adjust to then, and, in reality, it isn't as hard as that. This summer was just particularly special because it was basically a long celebration of our wedding, so going back to having very small amounts of quality time wasn't a breeze.

I'm already getting used to it and have accepted it as our new normal. I keep reminding myself that it's not only hard for me, but also very hard for Connor, too. I know it isn't easy to go to class then come home to just sit down at a desk and study all night. I try to make it as bearable as I can. And I'm realizing that having a good attitude about it is the best way to do that!

Since all of this crummy stuff has been going on, I'm excited for a new beginning and starting the school year optimistically. Before I kick off the school year, Connor and I will have one last hurrah at the beach this weekend! I'm hoping the weather is great, so I can get back a little of my summer tan. Yes, I'm already tan! I know.... ;)

Oh I have a picture of my new hairdo! I chickened out and didn't cut off very much, but I did get layers! My hair feels much lighter and healthier. I figured I can cut off more if I choose to later on. But once you cut too much, you can't go back!! D:

This past Sunday, Connor and I went out east and celebrated my brother-in-law's birthday. I baked him an Oreo cake and he really liked it, which made me soo happy! It really makes baking that much more enjoyable for me when I get to see other people loving the food.

I also made a homemade eggplant pizza the other day and Connor really liked it! This was a little accomplishment for me because he's not crazy about vegetable pizzas. He'll eat it and like it, but just won't really enjoy it. So when he said that the eggplant was really good, I smiled and squealed to myself. :P

Look at that handsome man eat!! I still get butterflies ;)

Love,
Mandy <3

The not-so-easy swing of things

Hi guys! Connor started his second year this Monday and got right back into it, which was a little bit of a bummer. I was hoping they'd ease into it, but then I remembered this is medical school we're talking about! There's no such thing as ease! Ease is a luxury that the beast of medical school does not afford us, so I just had to get right back into it, as well!

Before he left for his first day back, I forced Connor to take a picture haha

How do I do that, you might ask? Well, I make myself busy cooking, baking, & organizing. (Luckily, I'm still on Summer break and can enjoy having free-time). I have already tried 2 new recipes that I absolutely fell in love with. Two days ago, I found a recipe online for quinoa veggie wraps, but I decided to adapt it a little. I added grilled chicken strips, pink beans, and avocado. They were amazing! I tossed the pink beans into my quinoa along with some chopped red onion, then added the chicken, sliced avocado & tomato. I wrapped it up tight in a whole wheat wrap then grilled it until it had cute grill lines! :P Connor really enjoyed them, which was a delight to watch. Definitely adding it to my quick work week meals! It only took about 40 minutes total to prepare!

This morning, while rolling around in bed for a good ten minutes, I was imagining a plate of golden brown pancakes on a plate with warm syrup drizzling down the sides. However, I was not in the mood to stuff my face with unhealthy carbs that would leave me feeling hungry again an hour later. Then I remembered another fun recipe that I saw on Pinterest of blueberry greek yogurt pancakes. Lately, I have been such a freak about eating greek yogurt everyday. I have seriously become addicted to it. I buy this really delicious dark chocolate chunk granola and eat it for dessert or just as a snack in the middle of my day. But I digress! I had plenty of greek yogurt at my disposal (and blueberries) to attempt the pancakes. While I was making them I was a little skeptical because the consistency of the batter is a little like a mousse.. not the usual thin, runny batter of regular pancakes. But they turned out to be so tasty! I'm questioning ever making pancakes the old way ever again! They were fluffy, moist, and packed with flavor and protein! :)

Tonight for dinner I made some mashed sweet potatoes with turkey meatloaf and string beans. I enjoyed so much I had a SMALL second plate :X. I couldn't help myself! I've been so in the mood for the Fall season that I needed to recreate Thanksgiving just a little bit!

So what is my medical student husband up to? He is beginning his year with staph infections! Exciting, right?! Yes, we are back to discussing all the yucky things our bodies are capable of doing. The pretend "patient" his group is attempting to diagnose/treat came to the office with a raised bump and surrounding rash on his cheek. He works on a farm on Long Island and is 45 and originally from Honduras. There are so many other factors that my non-sciency brain cannot retain that brought them to investigate a staph infection as a possible diagnosis. Stay tuned to discover the result!

Moving away from yucky stuff.... I am getting my haircut next week and I'm so nervous! My hair has grown so much in the past year and a half and I'm not sure if I'm totally ready to part with even an inch of it. I will decide soon enough how much I'm going to cut off! It's just getting very burdensome and heavy, and I think I'm ready for a fun change now that Fall is headed our way! :) I'll be sure to post pictures after I take the plunge.

Oh and my city date with my mom to see the musical Chicago was a blast! It's very risque and has some great humor. The singing and dancing was also fabulous. My favorite part was the song "Razzle Dazzle." I wanted to quickly snap a picture of all the cool effects, but I was scared I'd be arrested or something awfully similar. But at least I have a wonderful mental memory of it! The cast did such a spectacular job! Bravo!

Love,
Mandy

Preparing for/Dreading Y2

Hello family and friends! I hope all of you have been staying cool this summer season and doing lots of fun things outdoors. Connor and I have been trying to soak up every last bit of our break before he heads back to school next Monday. :( Yes, I said it. Next Monday! Where did the summer go? It seemed to slip right through our fingers. So here we are at the cusp of  summer's end and the beginning of year 2.

Things I will miss about Summer and NO medical school:
1. Sleeping in
2. Having a totally stress-free home
3. Listening to tv/music at a normal volume
4. Seeing the front of Connor's head
5. Cuddling on the couch for hours at a time
6. Not finding index cards all over the house
7. Being able to plan days out completely guilt-free and not worrying about exams

Should I just end it? Yes, yes I will end it because I fear this whole post will become a sad collection of all the things that this Summer gave to us and all that we are saying goodbye to with the oncoming year. Year 2 has a terrible connotation to it. All you have to do is mention year 2 and it will give any medical student a cold shiver down his/her back. It is one of the most difficult years (year 3 will also give us quite a beating) and it won't be easy getting out of it with much of our sanity intact. The boards at the end of the year will hang over heads for many months to come...... yikes.

On top of all the stress of Connor's difficult year ahead, this will also be my first year teaching! As much as I am excited, I am also terrified and anxious of all the unknowns. I know I will not only get through it, but I will do a great job! (See how I've got this pep talk business down-pat?) It won't be easy and I still have so much to learn, but I will make it through! I keep reminding myself of how Connor survived (and thrived) in medical school during his first year. He is such an inspiration to me of how anything is possible when you maintain a good attitude and work hard. This upcoming year will be a challenge for the both of us, but luckily we're going into it together! :) So lucky to have an awesome teammate by my side.

Enough about all of the heavy stuff headed our way. Last week, I celebrated my niece's 5th birthday! I cannot believe how big she is getting! Just to torture myself, I started sorting through all of her baby pictures and getting emotional about how quickly time flies. And how unfair it is that we have to see cute, chunky babies turn into mini-people with real opinions. UGH. (Why do I keep slipping into bummer town?!) SO, we had a blast at Dorney Park and watching Brianna have a great time going on the rides. She was a little picky, so unfortunately we had to see her get on a carousel and a swing ride multiple times. :/

Also, Connor celebrated his birthday a couple of weeks ago too! I got him a new pair of running sneakers. Thankfully, he really liked them. :)


My birthday is coming up in just a few days!! Next week is my mother's birthday, so we're combining our birthdays and going to see the musical Chicago in the city. I'm really looking forward to it because I haven't been to a musical in such a long time.


Enjoy the rest of summer as much as you can! It is flying by... :(

Love,
Mandy

Our Honeymoon

We left for San Juan, Puerto Rico 2 days after the wedding, thankfully! Because that gave us just a little bit of time to get our lives kind of back to normal before leaving.

The day after the wedding, a major clean up of the house was in order. Our home was a mess from everyone coming in and out, and making bagels and mimosas. My kitchen was gross!! Connor was so sweet--he swept and vacuumed while I washed dishes. We also needed to go the bank, shop, and pack all before leaving for the airport on Wednesday at 4:15am. We spent all of Tuesday shopping and packing and didn't get to bed until midnight to then wake up at 3:30. UGH. Needless to say, I was SO cranky when Connor woke me up! I kept telling myself, "WHYYYYY did we leave all the packing until the last minute?"

Somehow, we were right on time to leave for the airport. We had a car pick us up, which eliminated so much stress. We bought egg sandwiches at an airport deli and waited to board. As soon as I got on the plane, I fell asleep and didn't wake up until I heard a message about us needing to make an emergency landing in Bermuda. Yes, an emergency landing because a woman on the plane got sick. I felt like I was in a movie. I rarely fly, but when I do... something crazy usually happens. I think I might be jinxed. Luckily, the woman was fine, but the emergency landing delayed our arrival in PR for another 2 hours. Yuck.

When we finally made it to our destination, we were exhausted and starving! But we were so excited to be at the resort! It was so pretty! The weather was gorgeous and we couldn't wait to put on our swimsuits. Our view from the room was perfect. The restaurants on the resort were incredible... expensive, but incredible. Our favorite restaurant was called Lemongrass, which was a fusion of Asian and Latin foods. We ate yummy sushi made with lobster, yellow plantains, and churrasco (Spanish fried steak).

We took afternoon and night trips to Old San Juan, which were so much fun! We took tours of the fort, El Morro, and El Castillo de Cristobal. It was so cool to see all the history. It was a little exhausting though with the insanely hot weather! We refreshed ourselves with street ice treats coquito (an coconut icy) and piragua (shaved ice with syrup over it). SO yummy! We also enjoyed all the local restaurants. All the dishes were so tasty. I definitely ate my fair share of yellow plantains (they are my favorite!). One of my favorites was a chicken mofongo dish, which is mashed yellow plantains with garlic and butter and filled with chicken.

By the end of the trip, I was kind of excited to head back to our NY lives as relaxed, tanned newlyweds and see our families again. I couldn't wait to watch our wedding video and relive the day again. I still can't believe it's over, but I'm so happy to enjoy summer as a married couple with no more crazy planning! Now it's time to start saving money, so we can buy a house by the time Connor graduates!  HOPEFULLY! I'm staying optimistic.

Stay cool in this hot, hot heat!

Love,
Mandy

Our day 6.30.13

This lady here is officially a Mrs!!! :) I have been so excited to update you guys on how the rest of my wedding week and honeymoon went! First off, I have to say that since the wedding, I have felt a bajillion times more relaxed. I didn't even realize how stressed out I was on a regular basis during all that intense planning. I am so happy that I can enjoy the post-wedding bliss now.

Our rehearsal dinner on Saturday night was a blast! And the food was out of this world DELICIOUS. It was so exciting seeing everyone the day before the wedding and talking about our anticipation. It just made me that much more excited for the big day.

The morning of the wedding day was HECTIC. I think that would even qualify as an extreme understatement. I used to imagine sitting around in a robe, sipping on a mimosa while a bunch of people fuss over my hair and makeup. I was wrong... way wrong. Hair and makeup took so long, so of course, we were running behind schedule. Not to mention, it was about 90 degrees and almost 100% humidity. So my curly-haired self was in a hair spraying panic. By the time we got back to my house from the salon, the photographer was already at my house taking pictures.  This began the next phase of freak out mode. Bridesmaids were frantically dressing themselves in my bedroom. My mother was dressing my flower girl in the poofiest tulle dress you could imagine while doing her makeup and trying to dress herself. My father was rooting around the house looking for things that needed to go to the reception hall. It was pure mayhem. I could barely catch my breath! So I said farewell to my calm wedding morning expectations and started to find humor in all the wackiness. I literally did not see what I looked like until I got to the ceremony. WHAT?!

 On the way to the ceremony, it started drizzling, which at that point, didn't even phase me. I was just so excited to see Connor! When we finally got to Manhattan College, I wanted to run out of the limo and down the aisle. The anticipation was killing me. But unfortunately 15 pounds of dress, a veil, 4.5 inch heels, and a seriously heavy peony bouquet stopped me. Oh and did I mention, before getting to the chapel, you have to climb a fairly large staircase?....

By the time my dad and I made it to the chapel, my stomach was in knots! I heard the piano start playing my song to signal my procession and all of a sudden, as expected, a waterfall of tears!! It was the most emotional moment of my life. I was so happy, excited and in disbelief that the moment had finally arrived. My favorite part of the ceremony was our love letters that we wrote to each other during the unity candle lighting.

On the drive to the reception, Connor and I drank champagne and relished in all the excitement of being newlyweds! It was such a special time to celebrate together by ourselves. It was so memorable. We finally got to the reception and took a bunch of pictures outside. Luckily, it stopped raining during my ceremony! I was hoping for more sunshine, but I'm told rain means lots of luck! ;)

We danced the night away, ate delicious food, laughed and cried! It was such a special day. My only wish is that it didn't fly by! Everyone kept telling me how fast it would go, but you really don't get it until it's your own wedding. It seems like it was all over in the blink of an eye! All that planning for one incredible, magical, fleeting day.


I will be updating on the honeymoon very soon! :)

Love,
Mrs. Mandy!

Finally got my silver lining!

Hi guys! I have such exciting news to share that I couldn't postpone writing a new post any longer! For the past 6 months I have been waiting to find out if I would become a permanent teacher at the high school where I work. Last Wednesday, I got some of the best news ever! I was hired as a full time ESL teacher starting in September! I couldn't be happier! The past year was really difficult with Connor just starting medical school and me finishing my Master's. Money was TIGHT to say the least. (It still is, of course, with the wedding approaching.) It is such a relief to know that starting in the Fall we will be in a much better place financially. I wasn't sure what was going to happen if I didn't get the job, but thankfully, I don't have to worry about that anymore! No more subbing!

I'm pretty nervous about all the work that is to come, but it will be so wonderful to finally get to do what I love and went to school for! So to all those teachers out there who are losing hope in finding a job, I hope I can be even a small inspiration. It can happen!! Stay optimistic and keep working hard. It will absolutely happen, if you don't give up. :)

So with all this good news coming my way, I can't wait to party with everyone I love at the wedding! 6 more days!! :O I'm promising myself to enjoy this wedding week as much as I can! It'll be over before we know it!

Love,
Mandy

Summer Lovin'

Okay, so I feel like an embarrassed puppy that peed on the carpet. Right now, I'm backed into a corner giving you sad, puppy eyes and seeking forgivness. I've abandoned my blog for longer than any respectful blogger should. All I can ask is that you forgive me for my neglectfulness!! :(

I have to say my life is not complete without this blog. I had phantom limb syndrome for the past 2 weeks. I knew it should have been there, but it just wasn't. Okay, so now is the time when I flood you with excuses about why I haven't written. I'm going to try to avoid that route and just say... I am getting married in 10 days and today is my FIRST day of summer vacation. Yesterday was the last day of testing at the high school, which means I can now be a human being outside of work and have a life of my own! I'm very excited to put all my energy into this wedding and making it as wonderful as possible.

Almost four years ago, I met Connor. How cliche it will be of me to say it was love at first sight; but, how else can someone explain the world completely melting around you into nothingness as you stare into another's eyes wondering how life ever meant anything at all before this person was in your world? Yes, okay, so now you get it, right? Love at first sight. Now, is that to say I allowed myself to show this to Connor right upfront within the first hour of meeting him? UM NO! I'm a Leo! I'm a prideful, stubborn lioness. It takes time for me to soften my hard exterior and show my vulnerability. So naturally, I played tried to play hard to get. Until 2 weeks later, I gave up and told Connor: "I think you're rad." And to which he replied: "I think you're rad, too." This was 2009, not 1989. BUT that was the first word that came to my mind when I thought of him. Don't judge me. Love does funny things to your brain.

Anyway, fast forward to today. We are 10 days away from becoming Mr. & Mrs. and we couldn't be happier. Stressed, but happy! I am so looking forward to the honeymoon and all the relaxing that will come with it. 

So about that medical student who was the inspiration behind this entire blog: He's really enjoying the OMM preceptorship because it's entirely stress-free, aka the antithesis of medical school. He's been learning different methods for all parts of the body. And when the weather is nice, he rides his bike to and from school. Summer is such a nice delusion from reality, isn't it? September will welcome us with it's claws right in our backs as we desperately scramble for every last bit of Summer. But for now, let's enjoy this delusion...deeply!

I can't wait to share wedding pictures with you very soon!

Love,

Mandy

25 More Days until Wedding Bells!

AHHH! Hello, it's just me in wedding planning HELL. The wedding is 25 days away and I could not feel more overwhelmed with all that needs to get done! Thankfully, Connor finished school on the last day of May, so he's been such a big help. While I'm at work, he's been making phone calls and working on the seating chart. Today, I went to my bridesmaids first fitting, which went really well! They looked beautiful and the shoes matched (thank God!). After, I came home to dinner already made for us! Connor made grilled chicken, vegetables and brown rice. I was so happy and thankful because I was exhausted after running around all day. So lucky I have such a great teammate! ;) (Thanks to all those years as soccer/lacrosse player, maybe.)

So, I had my second dress fitting yesterday and it was MAGICAL. The dress fits like a glove! I can't even believe how well it fits. It's like it was made for me! It looks totally different than when I tried on the sample (in a VERY good way). The sample was HUGE and ivory, so it was difficult to imagine what mine would look like. The dress completely surpassed all of my expectations. I have my final fitting on the 20th and I'm hoping I can bring it home that day! I'm tired of going to the city! Too much traffic.

Thankfully, this Friday is the last day of classes at the high school!!! So excited to be done with classes. After this week, we will just be proctoring regents exams. Much easier days ahead, which is what I need with all this wedding craziness!

Connor will begin his preceptorship for the summer next Monday. So I will tell you all about it after he has orientation and we learn more about what he will be doing. :)

Love,
Mandy

Showered with Love

Okay, so I've completely fallen off the face of Blogger. BUT I'm back! The past week has been so busy, but in a very good and fun way. First, I want to update you on Connor's robotic patient lesson. Connor was the leader, so after his team made many efforts to help resuscitate the cardiac patient, he had to say that he would have no other choice than to pronounce the patient dead. HEAVY stuff, right? Well, that was the whole purpose of the situation--to teach the students how to tell a patient's family member that he or she did not make it. Connor said he was very caring and took his time listening to the family member express her concerns. As he was telling me the store, I keep thinking how well this profession suits Connor (and NOT me!). I don't think I would be able to handle such things, but that is why I'm a teacher, not a doctor!

So anyway, now to the more FUN news! This past Sunday was my amazing, super incredible and
wonderfully girly BRIDAL SHOWER! My shower was not a "surprise"...I knew the day and time. However, the whole party blew my mind. The decorations, the food, all the people who came, and all the gifts left me speechless. It was all so beautiful and special. The entire time I kept telling myself how lucky I am to have such an amazing family. My mother-in-law was the host of my shower and she really went above and beyond to make every detail count. Everything was so pink that I just could not get enough of it. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a true girly girl, so everything was out of a dream for me.

So grateful for all of the amazing gifts that I received. I got lots of cool things for the house; Connor and I are having a blast looking at everything and putting them in special places in our little home. Now I can't wait to have a real house, so I don't have to store so many of my pretty things away! lol. In time, I know! We have a long way to go still, but it's something to look forward to!

This week is AP testing, so I'm proctoring... which translates into "I'm having a crummy work week." I hope everyone else is having a better one! But I'm getting through it with a smile on my face because Saturday is my BIG FITTING DAY! I cannot wait to see my glorious white dress hanging in that fitting room. I am going to probably scream and cry simultaneously. I can't wait to tell all of you how it goes.

Also, Connor and I met our new priest yesterday. Our original priest became really ill and we were devastated to hear the news that he wouldn't be able to do our ceremony (and that he was even going through such a difficult situation). We grew close to him during our time at MC and knew that he would be able to speak of our love personally. Thankfully, our new priest is so kind and jovial. I have faith that he will make our ceremony just as loving as we hoped it to be. After meeting with our priest, we visited Manhattan College to speak with the music director about ceremony music. The meeting went well and before we left campus, we walked to the chapel just to imagine the ceremony that will be taking place in 39 days!! It was so emotional. All of the memories that we have in that chapel when we went to school there and when we met just came flooding back to me and I felt so happy! Love is such a wonderful thing and can make you feel as though anything is possible. I'm so grateful I found that and can go back to where it all began and make it official!

I hope all of you have a week with some kind of magic in it. Look really hard for it! Finding those little moments can make mundane weeks so much better.

Love,
Mandy <3

May is for Mothers

Hi guys! Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day filled with love. This weekend, I was so lucky because I was able to see both of my moms (mom & mom-in-law). So, my weekend was filled with motherly love and I was so grateful. There is truly nothing like the love of a mother to make you feel cared for and special. Thank you to all the mommies in the world that fill our world with plenty of nurturing love and affection! I am personally such a mama's girl. My mom is my best friend and wouldn't want it any other way! It has been that way since I was (an even tinier) munchkin. And if one day, I am blessed with a cutesy baby girl, I would hope we would have the same relationship. So, for my mom: Thank you for being so wonderful! <3

On Saturday, my mom visited and during her visit, we went to her first dress fitting. We hadn't seen the dress since February, so we were so excited. When my mom had first tried it on, it was in black. But we ordered it in a steely purple color. Just knowing we were going to see it in a different color made us really anxious. Thankfully, it was a beautiful color! Perfect for summer. It was such a happy, beautiful dress. And my mom looked GORGEOUS in it. I really couldn't be happier. We had to send it to get altered, so it will only get better!

The next day, Connor and I visited his family out east. We had a lovely, relaxing day filled with sunshine, flowers, and really good food. Momma D is a really great gardener and cook, so it was a beautifully delicious day! The patio was decked out with flowers and we ate filet mignon, grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, green beans, a cabbage & kale salad, and portobello mushrooms! Yummmm. We were lucky and brought home some leftovers (which Connor and I already devoured).

Tomorrow Connor has his second robotics lesson, which I am just as excited about. I wish I could be there to see what those robotic patients look like!! My imagination gets carried away thinking about it. The robot will be an emergency room patient with a cardiac problem and Connor is the team leader! :) Last time, he was the one intubating the patient (he was in charge of airway management). It was very stressful because they make it as realistic as possible. So the pressure is certainly on. If I remember correctly, the team leader just watches and makes sure everything goes smoothly. So, this encounter might be a little easier for him. But I will certainly keep you posted!

So far, the end of the year craziness hasn't hit yet for Connor. Maybe by next week it will. It'd be nice if it never does and we just roll on out of the semester! Wishful thinking, right? For me, just 20 more school days before regents exams!! WOOO. I can't wait to say bye-bye to this school year.

Oh and (before I forget to mention it) the florist appointment went really well! The sample centerpiece was beautiful and everything I hoped it would be! I'm so excited to see the effect of 13 of them filling our reception room.

Hope you all have an easy, breezy work week! :)

Love,
Mandy

Cinco de Mayo Festivities

Happy Cinco de Mayo!! Hope all of you had a beautiful day and perhaps celebrated with chips & salsa.. maybe even a margarita?! Connor and I celebrated our one year of being engaged by going to the Planting Fields Arboretum. It was so much fun and we took plenty of pictures! It was so nice to have some time out of the house together and enjoy the gorgeous weather. I can't  believe we've been engaged for ONE WHOLE YEAR. It really has flown by! I guess that's a good thing. :)

Yesterday, my mom and niece visited, which was nice. I was happy that Connor got to see them because he hadn't seen them in awhile and Bri always misses him! We had our own little pizza party in the house and watched Twilight Breaking Dawn part 2 haha. Thankfully Connor was (and, really, always is!) a trooper and joined us in watching it.

May is finally here, so the countdown to the end of Connor's first year officially BEGINS! There are only 20 more days left until it's over! We are both looking forward to it. Today we bought paint for our living room, but probably won't get to it until after Connor finishes up this month. Soon, he will inundated with end of the year exams and other overwhelming responsibilities. Last Thursday, he had his presentation and he was very happy with how it went.

I was so proud of him for handling it so well. While he was getting dressed up in his dapper suit the day of the presentation, I was quickly eating breakfast before heading out to work and I asked him how many people would be watching. He told me (in a completely unshaken voice) that all of the DPC students are there, and sometimes the dean shows up. Now, if it were me, I probably would've been throwing up all morning, shaking, unable to eat anything. Connor, on the other hand, was absolutely cool and calm. He jovially ate his nice, big breakfast, smiling the entire time. That is a quality that I would pay good money to acquire!!!

This Thursday will be a big day for wedding planning. We're going to the reception hall to decide on the menu, visiting the rehearsal dinner restaurant to also decide on the food, AND going to the florist to see samples. AHH I'm so excited I could scream. I just want to see peonies! Lots and lots of them! I'll probably be squealing the entire time :X

Oh and how could I forget to tell you! I had my first hair consultation and loved it! My hair stylist was incredible. So I booked the salon and can officially cross that off my to-do list. Phew.

16 more days till my first dress fitting! The anticipation is seriously killing me!

Love,
Mandy

Looking Back and Feeling the Love

Hello hello, friends! How was your weekend? Connor and I had a busy, but fun-filled weekend, which was nice... until I realized how exhausted I am today! On Friday, I had a wine night with my girly, Kim. I realized drinking wine out of a leopard-print goblet probably isn't the best idea because you think you're having one glass, but in reality it's the equivalent to 2 and a half. I certainly had fun, but the next morning my tummy hated my guts... literally and figuratively. Then on Saturday, we went to a BBQ that one of his friends from school had at her house. The party continued all day basically, so by Sunday I was POOPED.

Since I was living it up all weekend, I had to do all my chores and errands on Sunday. (Don't Sundays just stink?) But luckily I found the energy to get everything done! I also finally exchanged Connor's wedding band for a smaller size. Hopefully this one isn't too small. I might freak out because it has been seriously annoying trying to get this done. The ring needed to be ordered in a size that wasn't available anywhere, so we had to wait until the jewelry store was able to get the ring. Lucky us! But after all my hardwork, I stopped by Banana Republic Outlet for their 50% off sale, and bought myself an awesome beach hat for the honeymoon! It came out to be like $17! I think it's totally worth it. Connor said I should keep it forever, so I can wear it on our beach trips with our future kiddies. How cute is he?!!? Really though?!!

On Friday, prior to my wine night, I baked a blueberry loaf with walnuts to surprise Connor when he came home from clinic. I've been kind of slacking in the baking department (but for a good reason!). I've been really trying to watch what I eat with my first dress fitting quickly approaching. But then Connor made a remark about how he missed my baking and I immediately felt like CRAP. Although, it was nice to hear how much he appreciates it! :) Never miss a good thing till it gone, right? Anyway, so then I got a little crazy and also baked chocolate cookies with chocolate chips. Terrible for my "diet", but a dream come true for the boy.

To make up for some of my calorie splurging, I've been making lots of yummy salads. They are so good, and also a nice, quick meal to make for myself! :) Really convenient for those days when you're not in the mood to cook an elaborate dinner. This happens to me when it starts to get warm outside, so salads become my get-outta-jail-free card.

Connor is really stressed because he has a ton of work right now. He has a presentation on Thursday (his topic is Dermatitis Herpetiformis) and on top of that has to get his learning issues done for Wednesday. I feel terrible because I can't really do anything to help! All I can try to do is make life easier with cookies and trying to be quiet as I can... which I'm naturally not that great at, but I've been getting better!

The other day I thought back to when Connor first started this med school journey this past August and can't believe the progress we both have made. In the beginning, everything was so new, stressful, and scary and now we have fallen right into our groove. It certainly is still stressful (that will never go away), but in a different. It used to be stressful adjusting to the radically different lifestyle and the nervousness about us surviving this insane journey without killing each other. Now, I have absolutely no doubts about whether or not we can get through this process happily and still with our sanity intact. I keep telling myself how silly it was to feed into all the ridiculousness that I would read on the internet. Every relationship is different and go through challenges differently. Luckily, Connor and I have so far experienced minimal challenges this year. And yes, it is only first year, but it still has proven to me that we only strengthen each other when one of us is in need of it. We really are a great team and I'm so grateful of that. He knows that I will always do my best to support him and to make this journey as easy possible for both us. We depend on each other in such a balanced and loving way, so I know only good things will come out of all of this. :)

As we embark on our last month of Y1, I really couldn't be prouder of him for almost reaching the finish line. He got through it without barely breaking a sweat! ;) I'm so happy that I'm marrying such a strong-minded and motivated person. He makes me want to be the best version of myself and I really can't ask for more than that in a partner.

Love,
Mandy <3

Suffering from piles... of work?

Is anyone else in disbelief that April is almost gone? I know I am. But I am happily surprised by how quickly this month is passing. It just means I am that much closer to the big day! All this planning is really starting to wear me out. As exciting as it all has been, I'm just ready to enjoy everything that we've worked so hard to set up. It's just become so burdensome! Any free time I have, I'm just stressed out by all that is still left to do. It makes relaxing very difficult to say the least. The only thing keeping me sane is Connor's amazing sense of humor. He reminds me that all of this wedding planning madness isn't really what matters. We found each other and that's what counts. Two seriously cool cats are coming together to start a seriously awesome life together! ;)  I can't wait to get to the blissful newlyweds phase and hang out on a beach in Puerto Rico until my skin melts!

Anywayzz. This weekend, I visited my mom and stayed with her while Connor was out gallivanting in West Virginia. I had a blast spending quality time with her and my kooky niece. We had plenty of girl time and I loved every second of it. We played games, watched movies, went shopping, and baked brownies... I fell asleep with my niece holding my hand while we were watching Hotel Transylvania and when I woke up at like 11:30, I saw our hands and my heart melted like butter! She's just the best little girl in the world. I hated that it had to end, but I was really looking forward to seeing Connor!

Connor loved the Tough Mudder competition. He finished the entire 11 mile course in about 5 hours... in one piece! Which is all I ever wanted! :) He survived all the mud pits, electroshock therapy, and the "arctic enema" (this involved him jumping into a dumpster filled with ice-water). He really wanted me to post the link to the site, so you can see it for yourself! ;) Click on the obstacle names and it will link you to pictures and videos.

So after our fun-filled weekends apart, we are back home now and back to the routine... Enjoying each others company,  but not the routine, for sure. Connor is cramming for DPC and I am dreading week 2 of exams! :( When will the school year end?! Not soon enough! This weeks learning issues are already driving him crazy, which means I get to stare at his lovely profile hunched over his desk all night for the next three days! Thanks a lot med school! 

To end on a funny note, Stedman's Medical Dictionary taught Connor and I that "piles" is a medical term for hemorrhoids. HAH! FYI: I found this out because I've been looking at vintage advertisements on pinterest lately, and this lovely one popped up:

Love,

Mandy <3

Finding those sweet silver linings...

I'm not so happy about this week... or the fact that it's only Tuesday! :( This week the students have lots of testing and it's very stressful for both them and the teachers! Unfortunately the testing will go into next week, so the end is nowhere in sight! UGH. This weekend I'm heading upstate while Connor heads off to the Tough Mudder competition. I'm a nervous wreck about it and just want it to be over. With the tragedy that just happened yesterday in Boston, I am just not comfortable with letting my fiance travel hours away! But I have to stay faithful and hopeful that he will be okay and get home safely. :/ I also hate saying goodbye. I'm awful with them because I'm way too emotional. I cry almost every time I say goodbye to my mom, niece, or Connor. I just can't help it!

The only silver lining I can get out of all of this yuckiness is that I'll finally see my adorable niece. I haven't seen her in so long and it's been so hard for me to cope with that! Going from practically seeing her every day to now only seeing her twice a month has been truly difficult. I'm trying to get used to it but it's not easy.

Connor took his content exam on Monday, so thankfully all of that stress has been alleviated! As usual, he said it was difficult and he's been panicking about how he did. I keep trying to assure him that he did well. I know this because of his track record! ;) So my confidence is based on facts. Now, he's working on the pancreas and all things related to it. Today he didn't have any classes, which allowed him to really catch up after all that content exam cramming. He also managed to make me dinner! It was so great coming home to a handsome boy in the kitchen cooking a meal for us. Have I mentioned how lucky I am? :D

This past Sunday, Connor and I went to his brother's (and our future sis-in-law's) engagement party. It was so much fun to get dressed up and celebrate love! Plus the cake was super yummy! I usually don't eat the cake at parties because it's sub-par and not worth the calories, but I really enjoyed this cake! And therefore ate the whole slice. :O

When I got home I decided to make dinner even though I was not really in the mood. (Mind you, I hadn't cooked since Thursday...embarrassing.) Since the coconut shrimp turned out so well the other day, I made coconut chicken bites and they were equally delicious! We couldn't stop popping them into our mouths. It took quite a bit of time to make, but it was definitely worth it. The savory sweetness is to die for!

So although I started this post on a down note, I'll try to end on a happier one: I called Kleinfeld and my dress should be coming in with the next 2 weeks! AHH Can this be real?! I am beyond excited!

I'm hoping that this week turns out better than I expect it to...

Love, Mandy <3

I saw the sign and it read "Reality Bites"

Hello friends! Happy hump day! Don't you wish it was at least Thursday? Yup, me too. There's a thunderstorm brewing outside and it's so strange listening to it. It's been so long since we've had one. I think this means warm weather is officially here!Thankfully, Connor's home while this storm is raging, otherwise I'd be a little spooked...

So last night Connor and I went to a 90's themed party (yes, on a Tuesday night like we were young and crazy college kids again). It was so much fun getting dressed up and actually living a life at night. We've grown so accustomed to going to bed by 10pm and waking up at 6am during the week that we never have the energy to do anything once the sun sets. But once I heard that it was a 90's party, I was pretty pumped for it. I am so nostalgic for the 90's that it's ridiculous, so any opportunity to relive those glory days is one I shall not miss! I went for the grunge look and Connor did more of the bright colored clothes thing (he wore turquoise colored pants).  I'm not sure what genre that is...  hip hop maybe?! Kim joined us for the party and we both ended up wearing denim vests like the good 90's children that we are! Dancing the night away to the Spice Girls, Savage Garden, and Ace of Base was just what I needed to feel acquainted with my old, fun

self again. My legs are actually a little sore today :X ....yeah, I need more gym time...

As you could imagine, getting up for work today wasn't the easiest thing to do. Unfortunately, college allows you more time to recover from those crazy nights out. It coddles you and rubs you gently as you bury your face into your pillow. Adulthood, on the other hand, gives you a hard slap in the face and continuously kicks you in the ass all day. Not very nice. Back off real life. I'm sick of being your slave!

Despite feeling like I was shoved in a bag upside down and beaten with a baseball bat all day, I still don't regret it!

SO back to our dismal reality here... Connor is in full time studying mode for his next, big content exam. Thankfully, it's getting easier and he's figuring out how to get through it with most of his sanity still intact. The exam is on Monday, so we are both looking forward to it being over! Also, today  he was assessed by his DPC facilitators and he got an A! Very proud of my hubby-to-be. Such a smarty pants.

Connor and I have been so excited getting RSVPs in the mail! Keep them coming! :D

<3Mandy

Can you unclog my sinuses, please?

Thank God tomorrow is Friday! What a fast week! For that, I am extremely grateful. It wasn't easy getting back into the groove of school after having so many days of rest. Today I was a complete zombie. Just no energy pumping through me whatsoever. Not to mention, I woke up in a nasty mood! Poor Connor..... He wakes up and is ready to go! He can chat, watch tv, do jumping jacks, whatever. I, on the other hand, need like 45 minutes to acquaint myself with the idea of functioning before I can even utter a word. So today, being so sleepy, I was just not a bright ball of sunshine. Sorry, Con! I know you still love me! :P

Today I was subbing in the high school and had a normal day. Normal as in I was asked to prom by one of the students. Just another day of my life looking like a sixteen year old! :( People keep telling me that it'll come in handy one day, but for now... it really sucks!

In other news! I was suffering from bad sinus pain today (I assume because of my seasonal allergies) and Connor did some OMM on my face! It was actually really good! He did this lifting this on my sinuses and pushed his thumbs down my nose. I couldn't believe it, but it really worked! The pain has subsided and I'm so proud of my cutesy med student. I'm also happy that I inadvertently helped him study for his OMM practical coming up on Monday.

Coming up for this weekend: Pre-Cana! Holy mittens, I hope it's somewhat fun because it's an all day gig. At least, we get a breakfast :) I can't wait to get all churchy with my almost-hubby. (That sounds almost inappropriate, right?) Weird!


Happy Friday, everyone! Sail through it!
Love, Mandy

Playing Ketchup

Howdy guys! I've been getting into the habit of waiting too long to update and then overwhelming you with a post the length of a short story. For that, I AM SORRY! :(

Spring break was as lovely as I imagined it to be. I had my fiance all to myself and didn't have to share him with that mistress we call "Med School!" ;) We had so much fun hanging out, painting the house, and going out to lunch. It was a dream that didn't last long enough, of course. All good things are good because of their fleeting quality. But I'm just happy that I got to enjoy a whole week of quality time. I visited my family upstate the weekend before last, which was fun. And it was so nice to have some of my mom's Spanish cooking, which I missed dearly. I never really make it because I love making it a treat when I visit my mom. It makes it that much more delicious! I also got to see me scrumptious niece, whom I always miss. We went to the movies and saw The Croods in 3D. Very cute movie! I recommend it to anyone at any age. The humor is so wonderful and smart. We all loved it and can't wait until it comes out on DVD.

As soon as Connor and I got back home, we started painting the next morning. First, we did the bedroom in a gray color and the transformation was incredible! It instantly became an actual bedroom. I can't believe the power that just a can of paint holds. The bedroom is now my favorite place in our home, which certainly wasn't the case before! It was so white and sterile lol. Now I'm really looking forward to getting a big people bed... aka a queen size! Connor thinks we'll get lost in it, but I don't see that as a problem. Getting lost in a bed seems like the best place to get lost, in my opinion!

Anyway! We moved on to painting the bathroom the next day and it was much more of a taxing process with all the corners and  going around the bath tub and toilet.  BLAH. But it looks so fresh and so clean (like the Outkast song, remember it?). We are so happy with all the work we  Connor did. Connor really did the bulk of the work, OBVIOUSLY. But I did do an excellent job with painting the edges where the roller couldn't get to!

I'm happy to say that I didn't get TOO lazy over break with my cooking. I tried a coconut shrimp recipe from pinterest and it was phenomenal. I wish I had pictures to show of my crispy creations, but they took so long to make that by the time they were ready, Connor and I inhaled about half of them. I also made it with broccolini and couscous. SO yummy and Summer-inspired. Yes, I'm saying Summer because Spring is just not greeting us graciously enough. I want more warm weather! We want more, we want more!

Easter was so much fun! As per tradition, I joined the "D" clan out East for the annual brunch at a family friend's beautiful home. It is always wonderful and there is so much good food. I unforunately am on my "wedding diet nutritional plan," (God, I hate to use that word) so I didn't get to indulge on some of my favorite breakfast foods like french toast and bagels! However, I did have a couple of bites of a pink cupcake then gave the rest to Connor. YUM. I can't deny anything pink! It's a weakness of mine. We also went out to Southhampton (my first time being there). I loved it! I mean, who doesn't love mansions, beautiful stores and beach views? It was like being in a movie. For a second, I thought maybe I could be Sabrina Fairchild (after she came back from France and became sophisticated),  but then I realized that it was just a dream. And I am not Audrey Hepburn. :(

Won the jelly bean contest!

OH and wedding invitations are officially on their way out today! WOO HOOOOOO! I couldn't be more relieved to be finished with that monstrosity of a project. And now the wedding seems so much more real now that it will be announced to over 100 people! In just 89 days, I will be a Mrs! AHH. Yesterday, Connor's wedding band came in and it is so beautiful. Beautiful in looks, yes, but also in it's meaning. It's such a huge step getting married and it means so much to me to be doing it with the man of my dreams (and the coolest guy in the universe)! I couldn't be more excited to be his wife! :D

I think I end every post like this lately... hmm. I'll work on adjusting that! lol. The wedding butterflies are really taking hold now.

So it's back to reality. Connor's back to work on DPC issues and has his serious study face back on. OH bummer.

Love,
Mandy