It's Been Too Long...

I've neglected my blog baby for too long now -- life has seriously been so busy -- the last 2.5 months have consisted of buying a house, traveling across the country for 10 days, my computer graphics card dying, training somebody in my last 2 weeks of work, packing, cleaning, moving to a new city, setting up house, having visitors, visiting family, Rick starting residency...so this post is mostly a note to myself - I needed to write down all of the posts that have been building up in my brain.

- Framed oversized mirror tutorial
- Summary of April
- Summary of May
- Rick's graduation
- What we learned through the process of purchasing a home
- our trip to California! (in the process of narrowing down the 750 photos...)
- Where to eat in San Francisco

...I'm sure I'll come up with another as I scroll through photos to jog my memory. I've got my work cut out for me but I can't wait to post!...as I mentioned above, my computer graphics card quit on me (it did this before and then started working again...but this time it's for good...I've tried getting it to work every day for the last 3 weeks...it's a goner) SO that means Rick and I share a computer now...which was difficult while he did all of his pre-residency requirements...but now I should get plenty of time on here to catch up...because unfortunately (for me) he'll be spending most of his time at the hospital...

I've got to finish preparing for my second interview with a company - wish me luck!

he MaDe it ...get it?...MD!

In case y'all didn't notice -- we had to update the blog header because Rick is no longer an "almost" dr. -- he's official!  

& here comes the freight train of residency!

Easter...3 weeks late

The train of life has not slowed down one bit over here so I'm very behind but trying to catch up on blog posts!

Easter is one of the holiday's we do at Rick's family's house every year and this year it came early for us since J&L's baby girl was due right around Easter...every year after the kids have their traditional Easter egg hunt, we get to have an adult Easter egg hunt -- however, since Meg just had a baby and Lindsey was about to have a baby...conditions weren't really great to have them running around (let's just say it gets really competitive out there).

SO my mother in law came up with more low key alternatives this year...a wheel of fortune type game and PLINKO (she's the cutest) Rick and I won. I promise our Easter gathering isn't all about the money.

Tess and I made a fancy Easter bonnet

cutie Tess

Easter basket #2 from my parents. Ma gets us the best treats!

This was the first year since we've been together that we were at our own house on actual Easter. It was really nice because without all the hustle and bustle and competing we really got to focus solely on what Easter is really about.

"To all who accept Him as Savior and Lord, His literal resurrection means that life does not end at death, for He promised: “Because I live, ye shall live also.” (John 14:19.)" -Ezra Taft Benson

I am beyond grateful for the knowledge that, through Christ, families can be together forever.

March Extras

March seems like forever ago - we started it off with a bike ride downtown...

 our traditional 'in front of this same fountain every time we ride bikes picture' except there was nobody to take it for us

it happened to be the Mardi Gras parade which we didn't have much interest in staying for but ended up having fun 

I got a laser to the face at the dermatologist, more on that here.

We finally experienced Joe Patti's Seafood & loved it! Even got a picture of Mr. Joe Patti himself ;) 

MATCH DAY - possibly the most stressful, exciting week this year. 

The Relief Society General Women's Meeting happened and I got to hang out with these lovely ladies

We wrapped up March by celebrating Rick's match at Texas Roadhouse...a favorite of ours lately, we're yet to be disappointed. knock on wood

Life kind of slowed down for a week after Match Day...and it's pretty much been a high speed train since then! [i.e. the process of buying a house, traveling, Easter, job hunting, selling anything and everything we can, and pinching our pennies!] ...oh and the train is still going full speed.

That reminds me of a favorite quote: “Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey…delays…sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling burst of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”― Gordon B. Hinckley

We're trying to enjoy this 'thrilling burst of speed' & be grateful for our many, many blessings :)

aaaaaaaaaand one last thing, it wouldn't be complete if I didn't post some monthly food pictures: 

P.S. RICK GRADUATES IN LESS THAN A MONTH!!! Woooooooo, so proud. Although, as he would say, "I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel...but it's a freight train" ...

A Dermatologist & a Laser

In January, I went to the dermatologist & got a shave biopsy of a spot on my nose (click here for reminder)

I went back six weeks later and the stinker was wanting to come back...now that we knew it wasn't malignant, we went with the second option which was zapping it with a laser to cut off the blood supply.

I got to wear some goggles and then got 5 or 6 zaps that made me jump/twitch every time...it felt like a rubber band snapping...and I went home with a large spot on my nose.

You may be wondering why in tarnation I am posting this but personally, I like to see a progression of what things "should" look like but couldn't find anything online for this, so I tried to take a weekly picture in case anybody else has to experience the laser.

< (sitting in a room with this contraption for 30+ minutes almost made me chicken out.) 

Here's the 4 week progression:

Week 1 it looked like a dark mole, week 2 it got really red, week 3 it was faded red and I started to get nervous and think this thing wasn't going to fade, and then week 4 it was all of a sudden much much lighter....and it's gradually lightened since. 

I was super self conscious about my new polka dot but I'm very happy with the results -- especially compared to the results I had 6 weeks post biopsy! 

*I applied sunscreen every morning & a steroid cream day and night for the first 2 weeks. & I avoided the sun.