Monday Madness 4.26.15

First - my apologies for not having the Monday Madness Link Up last week. It's back this week so I'll hope you join me!

Second - Yes, I did work all weekend again. So lets talk about some random shiz again, k? Here we go...

7 Tips for Making the Most Of Your Externship

I am so excited! A week from today I will be doing interviews for my externship placement. I really can't believe it, but I'm still so excited. I'm ready to get out of the classroom and get some real would experience. Mainly, I'm ready to have a normal job/work hours and get back to regular life.

It's haaaaapening!

Full House is being rebooted as Fuller House staring my favorite character DJ Tanner (Candace Cameron Bure)! Here's the scoop: DJ is all grown up with two children and one in the oven. She is recently widowed so aspiring-musician Stephanie and single-mom-to-a-teenager Kimmy Gibler move in to help her raise her two sons and baby. Such a cute premise! Here's a fun tidbit: The show's name, Fuller House, comes from DJ's husband's name - Tommy Fuller. Full House is my all time favorite show. I own the entire series and have seen every episode. I even had a Full House board game growing up! You can bet we're getting a Netflix subscription next year!

Candace Cameron Bure

I wanted to be DJ Tanner when I was growing up. As an adult I totally want to be Candace Cameron Bure. I mean, how gorgeous is she? #GirlCrush

Here are some of my latest and favorite grocery stores finds:

Panera Bread!



Throw back Gatorade

Spring tops - yes, I bought these at Meijer!

Duggars on the cover of People

Speaking of Duggars... did you here that Jessa is pregnant?

Love those Duggars!

Hey, don't forget to follow me on Pinterest and link up below!



What a Week!

What a week! As everyone knows, my blogging has been scant due to my school and work schedule, but I even failed to get the Monday Madness link up going this week! I had a personal health issue that I was dealing with this week and would like to share it to bring awareness to being proactive.

On Saturday morning when I got up for work I was in tons of pain. A portion of my right breast was raging red and inflamed. I felt around the area to see if there was anything else going on and I did find a hard nodule/lump near the nipple area. I took some ibuprofen and by Sunday most of the pain subsided. I called my mom on Sunday night after work to get her opinion (she's worked off and on in health care for 20 years). Based on my description she figured it was a cyst, but suggested that I not sit on it and get into the doctor right away.

I left school early to see my GYN on Monday and after examining the lump my doctor was able to say whatever it was it was infected! She also felt it was most likely a cyst. I started on antibiotics that night. I was sent for an ultrasound on Wednesday at the Betty Ford Breast Care Center which is an amazing facility! The ultrasound and examination by the radiologist concluded that I have a sebaceous cyst. The radiologist also checked the surrounding tissues for any abnormalities or abscesses that needed to be drained. My breast was negative for both and otherwise healthy! I will finish my course of antibiotics and continue to monitor the mass for any changes.



The thing is, if I hadn't been in pain I probably wouldn't have noticed the lump so quickly. I never do self breast exams and overall don't pay much attention to breast health.

Do self breast exams monthly. In any circumstance - whether it's your breast, your back, your stomach - if it's abnormal, see your doctor. Don't be embarrassed to go because your afraid it will turn out to be nothing. It could be nothing, or it could be something. Take charge of your own health!

Five Things for Friday 4.17.15

Happy Friday people!

//1// I performed my first injections this week and I loved it! Here are some of my classmates and scenes from this week:

Tiffany and Lissy

//2// My tennis crush Andy Murray got married last weekend. My sister texted me an article to inform me.

This is how the conversation went:
Me: I hate her dress.
Courtney: I hate his. lololo.
Me: I'd still bone him.
Courtney: U r really weird.

//3// I bought this big ass bag of cheese from the grocery for no other reason then I really love cheese.

//4// In Duggar news...

 Jill and Derek had their baby! Israel David was born via emergency C section on April 6.

Josiah Duggar (18) has entered into a courtship with Majorie Jackson (17). She seems super cute!

//5// My favorite Pinterest find this week is a recipe for New York Cheesecake Cookies. Um, yeah!

Have a happy weekend!



Belly Potty Training for Puppies

Scout came into our lives nearly six years ago. When we got him as a 10 week old puppy my husband Nick proclaimed he was going to teach Scout to ring a bell to let us know he needed to go to the bathroom. I think I said something to the affect of 'Good luck with that.' Man, did I eat my words. It actually worked! Scout was trained to ring a bell when he needs to go to the potty!

Here's how we did it successfully:

1. Show your dog the bell after you hang it.
2. Help it associate the bell with positive things by holding out treats near the bell and ringing the bell when the dog comes to retrieve the treat.
3. If your puppy dislikes or is scared of the sound of the bell, teach it to be comfortable with the bell before using the bell as part of potty training.
4. Help your dog learn to ring the bell. When you’re taking the dog outside for its schedule bathroom time, set it first next to the bell and use its paw to ring the bell while saying “outside.” Any hint of a ring should open the door for both of you to go out. Praise your dog when it rings the bell!
5. Another option is to say “outside” and tap your fingers on the wall or door next to the bell--without ringing it yourself--to encourage your dog to lift its paws to the bell.
6. Be sure to show your dog that the bell is now associated with going out to use the bathroom, not just with getting a treat.

Other helpful hints:

Just a few occurrences of the same pattern of cause and effect will set the association in their minds.

Take the bell with you when you and your dog travel. Similarly, send the bell with your dog if it stays at another home while you’re away.

Spring Break Recap + Monday Madness Link Up

First, I'm blogging this from my deck and my doggie is frolicking down in the grass. The weather is starting to get better and better!

Second, Spring Break officially ended on Friday because I work the weekend.

So, I did nothing productive as far as school or housework goes during the week. I didn't even go the grocery. Instead I was lazy. On Monday I went and got a pedicure and since the weather was super nice Nick and I played catch in the yard after he got home from work. We then decided to shoot BB/AirSoft guns off the back deck. I really don't like guns in general, but sometime the BB guns are fun. I'm sure the neighbors love it.

Scout also got some quality time outside!

On Tuesday I headed back to my former place of employment to visit some of my favorite co workers! It so weird being there, but not going there to work. On Wednesday I visited a friend and her two kids (ages 19 months and 2 months, brave girl!). Thursday was a work night so I took the day for myself. Friday was much same since I had to work on Saturday and Sunday.

I took the liberty of catching up on my favorite shows. I was 6 episodes behind on Scandal and watched all of them.

Spoiler Alert: So glad Jake didn't actually go off the deep end, but is really trying to help David Rosen.

Also, can we please kill off Rowan?! I've had enough of him, thank you very much.

I finally finished the last episode of Season 4 of Downton Abbey and started my Season 5 DVDs! I'm super sad that Season 6 will be it's last. Watching Downton just makes me want to own a really cute tea set. I don't even drink tea.

Clearly my TV life is much more interesting than my actual life.

Today is my first day back to school in over a week! I am now in Phase II of the program. I can't believe in 8 weeks that I will be starting my externship and taking my certification exam. Also, Phase II means injections and blood draws! Yikes!

Have a super week!

Living Room Make Over - HELP WANTED

With the end in of school in sight, I've been thinking about what I want to spend money on when I'm back to work. A vacation is a must, but I'd also like to work on making our house more homey. The living room is full of neutrals and browns and it's boring. I am terrible at decorating and I need rehab help ASAP.

I would love suggestions for you. My blogging friends are the most on point and have the best ideas!

See? Super boring and bland. The furniture needs to stay because it's new. I'd be willing to change out the lamps and end tables if it will make for a better design, but my TV storage cabinet thing needs to stay.

We have a blue in the adjacent kitchen and dining area and it's somewhat open to the living so I would need a color for the living room that compliments the blue.

I need ideas for wall paint color, décor, and window treatments. HELP!

Here are my idea boards that I don't even know if I like.

Reading lamp, $30 / Chrome table lamp, $15 / Red bedding, $37 / Primitives By Kathy rustic home decor / Pier 1 Imports throw pillow / Square throw pillow, $26 / PANTONE SMART 16-1334X Color Swatch Card, Tan

White lamp / Jaipur Rugs ivory throw blanket / Surya square throw pillow / Pier 1 Imports throw pillow / PANTONE SMART 16-1334X Color Swatch Card, Tan / BEHR Premium Plus Ultra 8 oz. #UL260-3 Suede Gray Interior/Exterior... / Charlie Table Lamp White Target Australia, $23

Spring Break Cocktails: The Dirty Shirley

A delicious, grown up Shirley Temple!

2 oz. vodka

4 oz. lemon line carbonated beverage (I like Sprite Zero)

1 oz. grenadine

1 maraschino cherry

ENJOY!

Our Unconvential Easter + Monday Madness Link Up

There were no Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies, or home cooked meals in our house this Easter. Holidays are really weird for Nick and me. In the past few years his family hasn't put anything together/hosted and my family is about a 10-12 hour drive away. We're tending to spend holidays just the two of us.

We were on our own again yesterday so we decided to go to the movies! Nick and I went to see Cinderella. I remember loving the animated movie as a little girl and was excited to see the live action version.

Before I get into the movie I have to tell you that it was a ghost town around here. No one at the movies, most of the stores in the mall closed, and no one and I mean no one on the roads. #UberConservativeWestMichigan

Ok, so back to the movies.

It was awesome! It was so neat to see it come to life. It was whimsical and romantic and the costumes and sets were out of this world! Lily James was the perfect Cinderella. It was such a great lesson in being kind, but also having the courage to stand up for yourself. I hope my nieces get out to see it.

Can we just talk about Cinderella's ball gown? Out of this world.

It was even more magnificent on screen. I found these two really fun articles on how it was made: Cinderella's Ball Gown - It's All About That Dress! from people.com and Cinderella Dress Maker Reveals How She Move Her Magic from dailymail.co.uk. Can I please have a dress like this and a ball at a palace to go to?! #EveryGirlsDream

I finished out the day with napping, reading, and watching the Miami Open final.

My man Andy Murray has been playing great this season, but hasn't been able to clinch any victories. I think if he works on his stamina he'll get even better this season!

I miss my family.