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