Weekend Recap

This weekend was so nice and much needed. Forrest and I seem to have something going on every weekend which means I have to get things done during the week when I have school commitments. I do NOT like to get behind (on reading, cleaning, laundry, groceries, etc). I love to be organized and stay on top of things but man is it hard! I have class Mon & Tues from 8am-4pm and clinical 6:30am- 3pm Wed through Fri, then I come home to change and go to gym from 4:30/5 to 6/6:30pm, then head back home and make dinner, eat, clean kitchen, then read or do class assignments, then off to bed hopefully by 10-11pm. It just seems like there is never enough time to run errands, clean, or even just relax!

So this weekend, we stayed in town. Friday night we went out for dinner to Roadhouse and I treated myself to a margarita and filet. The weather was cold and rainy so it was nice to come home and get comfortable in the house. We ended up going to bed at 8:30 that night haha!! Saturday we woke up, ate breakfast, Forrest went to Bellville to meet his uncle, and I did some cleaning, laundry, and GOOD grocery shopping (new recipes, new snacks with pretty labels since I am a sucker). It was so nice to just go up and down each isle and not be in a hurry. Then Forrest came home, went swimming, and then we went to the gym and I again, was not in a hurry- ran my two miles. Forrest ran 6 miles which makes a total of 26 miles that he has ran this week. For dinner, I made a new recipe from Rachel Ray for turkey chili- kinda spicy with a kick to it- we liked it!

Then today, we went out to eat for breakfast. There is a new IHOP in town so we thought we would try it out (since it will not stay new and clean for long if you know what I mean). And, just FYI: there is a menu on the very back that has meals for under 600 cal that are just as good and without the guilt. Afterwards, we went to Barns & Noble for a couple of hours- Forrest read Triathlon books and I read nursing and healthy eating books. Then we went up to the mall to get Forrest a couple of new pairs of jeans and use his Sears gift card. We came home, I made some paninis and fruit salad for lunch and we watched some tv shows that we had recorded from the previous week. Then Forrest took Lil Girl to the park while I started my reading for tomorrow.

Now, we are home, I took a quick study break to blog, and Forrest is reading the book he got to day. It feels so good to be prepared for the week ahead! Happy Sunday everyone and have a great week!

O and one more thing. I found a good recipe for a breakfast smoothie. It does have quite a bit of ingredients but it is so good and you could probably skip a few. Here it is: (it makes two large servings)

1 banana

1/2 apple

1 kiwi

1/2 cup frozen berries

1 cup OJ

1/2 cup soy milk

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt (I used vanilla)

3 tbs peanut butter

2 tbs flaxseed oil

1/2 cup tofu (I skipped this)

2 tbs aloe vera juice

I also added a little bit of ice to make it a little more icy.

Housewarming Party

Saturday night, Forrest and I drove to Houston for Amberly and Aaron's "New year, New house" party to celebrate their new gorgeous home in Bellaire. Amberly's 30th birthday happened to be around the same time so Aaron surprised her with a big cake and made a little announcement to honor her. The event and their house was extremely nice- in fact, every time I would turn around there was a waiter/waitress there to hand me a drink or h'orderve (and yes, I had to google to make sure I spelled that right!)

I was so surprised and excited to see Ashley and Danny there. Danny is Forrest's old college roommate and Ashley is his girlfriend of several years- she actually lived right next door to them. We all hung out a lot in college but they live in Houston now so we don't get to see them very often. I didn't get many pics during the party, mainly just the "after party" when there were only a few of us left- so much fun!!

#1 Fan

I wish I would've started blogging from the very beginning, but the holidays kind of consumed my time. So a little over a month ago Forrest started to train for a triathlon. He signed up for the sprint in Galveston this April and plans to complete the Ironman 70.3 in Austin this October. He might do a few other events in between for practice, but for now these are the two he is registered for.

As of today, he is running between 3-6 miles about 4 days a week. He just started swimming about a week ago. He is swimming about 1/4 mile taking breaks in between- this is the hardest part for him so far because he is having to figure out good form, breathing, etc. I went with him this past weekend to watch him and offer any advice although it was many years ago that I swam. I might not be able to get in the water and swim like I used to but I remember a lot of the things I was taught. He enjoyed my company and coaching tips and by the end of his practice, he had already improved so much.

So lastly, he is going to start cycling now that he has a bike. We shopped around this weekend and found one he liked for a good deal at Aggieland Cycling. He of course had to buy a few accessories like some apparel, shoes, and a helmet. We had to order the shoes because apparently his feet are bigger than the average triathlete, but they are the kind that clip onto the pedals. Fancy, I know! I didn't even know this kind of stuff existed until now. It is like a whole new world when you get into these kinds of events.

I am just so proud of him and really enjoy being a part of this whole process. He is so dedicated and I know at times he is thinking "what the heck did I sign up for" but he has really stuck with it. I know this training takes so much time and patience to get to where you want to be and I am just so proud that he has come as far as he has in just one month. I can already see changes in his body (which is nice!) but really the most important thing to me is his health and accomplishment.

I will continue to blog about where he is at as far as training and most definitely post pictures in a few months of his very first triathlon. For now, here are some pics of his new things!

He has lost about 10 lbs and I have really noticed a difference in his muscle mass.

I liked this picture of him!

Gotta Look Professional!

Yesterday we had an all day event, the HSC Luncheon & Convocation. All of the Texas A&M Health Science Center schools got together including Baylor College of Dentistry, College of Medicine, SRPH (School of Rural Public Health), College of Pharmacy, and of course the youngest of them all- the College of Nursing!

And, don't ask why they make us wear white coats...it is just plain silly if you ask me!

O, and one more thing: IV CHECK OFF's TOMORROW! Which means after tomorrow, we are "qualified" to start IV's during clinical as long as our patients consent to it. So nerve racking but BIG milestone for us nursing students!

Last Night of Freedom

Tomorrow is a big day! FIRST DAY OF SPRING SEMESTER! We are taking Adult Health I (Med/Surg) which is a biggie, Mental Health, Nursing & the Aged, and last but not least, the one I think might be my favorite- Nursing Care of Women, Families, & Newborns. We will spend most of our time in simulation or in the hospital, having only 1 1/2 days a week spent in the classroom.

Also, starting this year, I am on the class council serving as the Accelerated Class Representative. Which means, this Tuesday I will be a part of a student panel held for the new class. This is a chance for them to ask us any questions that might help them prepare for their first semester. Then on Wednesday we are required to attend the HSC student luncheon which means guess what, no class that day! Don't worry, they aren't letting us off the hook that easy on our first week. We have already been assigned readings and videos for the first day which I finished so that I could watch the Bachelor with Forrest!

Anyways, our class is going to be pretty busy this semester but I am sure by the end we will all say it went fast.

That's it for now...off to watch our show. We are rooting for Tenley!

Slumber Night

This is my last post for my Ca trip and then I will be all caught up with blogging...phew! Like I mentioned on an earlier post, one of my favorite things about going to visit my sister is being able to lounge around with her and Reagan. That is why I stay for so long when I go...I want to have time to do NOTHING with them. It makes me feel like I am not in from out of town which is the way I want it to feel like when I go.

So on my last day in Ca, us girls had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen and that night we slumbered in our p.j.'s with popcorn and a movie. It was so fun and just the best way to end the trip for me. The next morning, we headed to the airport, I jumped on a plane headed for Dallas, my dad picked me up, I ate dinner with my parents, then I drove to College Station to see my husband who I missed INCREDIBLY.

So now I am home sweet home but of course back to skyping and talking on the phone with my sis and Reagan before starting school on Tuesday! ;)




I know my sister reads my blog so I want to say to her and my very giving brother-in-law:

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for inviting me into your home for 10 days, showing me some of the most beautiful places, and most of all, letting me spend time with Reagan that I will cherish for the rest of my life. She is the most special little girl to me, and I miss her to pieces when we are apart. I love you all so much and am grateful more than you know for the time with your little family.

Love,
Sister

La Jolla & Laguna Beach

Like I said before, my sis and Darrin REALLY know how to entertain. This past weekend, they took me to La Jolla beach then to Laguna beach the next day. Since I have been to California a few times now, they like to think of new things for us to do when I am in town. Isn't that so nice? I cannot be grateful enough because they know they don't have to do that for me! Anyways, we made it to La Jolla on Saturday just in time to see the sunset. The sunsets in Ca are absolutely stunning and even neater to watch on the beach. The colors are so bright and change so quickly- I could not get enough pictures! After the sunset, we went to my sis & Darrin's favorite Mexican restaurant nearby and had the BEST guacamole dip...I think I ate more than the three of them combined! We watched the waiter make it and think the key is the orange they squeeze on top and the finely chopped jalapeños. I am going to have to try and make it at home sometime!

Saturday, we woke up early and headed to an awesome breakfast place, my sis had been wanting to take me to. She knows how much I love breakfast and this place was famous for their pancakes. We ordered strawberry banana pancakes with some eggs & bacon. It was such a treat and great way to start out our day. Then we headed to Laguna beach where we did a little shopping, mainly walking, around. We did find a MUST- cute summer/beachy dress marked down to $15. Later we drove through Huntington beach and stopped to eat a late lunch at Cheesecake Factory and had our favorite, the chopped salad. After eating we headed back to Laguna to see the sunset and Darrin found the perfect spot. We went down some stairs (that almost looked private) and enjoyed the beach where it looked like nobody else really went...like a secret spot! It was like a dream, so breathtaking to watch the waves rolling in and the sky change colors. It was seriously heaven! I wished Forrest could've at least been there for that part of the trip because it was so incredible.