Back to the Grind

This week has been quite the week.  I both love and hate spring break -it's great to have a week off, but it's hard to get back in the swing of things, I'm exhausted!   I had my anatomy lab practical on Tuesday and ended up with another A!  Yay!  I have been reading and taking notes on the chapters I didn't finish over spring break (I did manage to finish one chapter), and this weekend I will catch up and start working on my condensed versions.  I have an anatomy quiz on Monday and the exams for both anatomy and micro are a week and a half away.  We are really getting into the meat of the material and there is so much to learn and remember.  I'm glad that there is only about a month left!

This summer won't be much of a break, however.  I will be starting my MCAT studying as well as a CNA course (hopefully) the weekend after finals, boo,  then I'll take the MCAT in July and will start looking for a part time CNA job.  Part of me is wondering if I should reapply to KU, but then the other part of me says "you got an interview last year, there is something about you they like."  I'm going to stick with it for one more try, unless I am not doing well on my practice exams.  There is no point in going through it if I can't bring up my score.

I know if I apply to WSU's PA program I have a pretty good chance of NOT getting in this year, but I still want to apply.  Why, do you ask?  Well, it will be a good learning experience.  I will learn how the application system works, what is needed to send in everything, how they process letters of recommendation and all the little details.  If I were to get an interview that would be a huge bonus for me, and would allow me to better prepare for next year.  I will be as prepared as I can be this time around, but I have a feeling that my lack of experience will keep me out this go around.  I might as well see how the process works.  The only thing I will be out is the money, and hey, there is always the chance that lightening will strike and I'll be accepted.  :o)

A Different Color

If you read yesterday's post you probably noticed the afghan I started to crochet.  I wasn't real crazy about the blue, and when I posted the picture I really decided that I wasn't crazy about the blue.  Soooo, I went home and dug through my yarn, had a brilliant idea to ORGANIZE my yarn by utilizing a couple of storage drawers that were no longer being used, and switched out the blue yarn for red.  Ahhh, much better.  I think the red works better with they shades of brown/tan I used.  Looking at the pictures gave me an idea to get some grays and use that with the blue to make a similar afghan - who knows when that will be though.  :o)

A Yummy Dinner!

Last night I went to the store and by the time I got home I was starving! So I cubed up some chicken put some extra virgin olive oil in the pan with some garlic and threw in some asparagus along with it.  I then added some garlic pepper, alpine touch and regular pepper and cooked it up.  I served it over rice, and boy was it delicious! 

I haven't worked out much this week because I have been really enjoying my week off from classes.  I know I haven't done much, but isn't that kinda the point?  :o)  I do plan to take Friday off from work and use it to study a bit, clean a bit and enjoy my last day of no classes for a couple of months.  I have a lab practical on Tuesday, so I have been studying for that all week and reading some, so it's not like I have been a total slacker.  ;o)  I managed to organize the cupboard where we keep our containers and lids, underneath the kitchen sink and even the pantry.  I think tonight I may drag out my summer clothes - it has been pretty warm the past month, so I think I can put away most of my winter stuff. I also started crocheting a bit, I haven't been too serious about it because I know I won't be able to do anything with it after this week, but I needed to get some crocheting in - I was going through withdrawals.  :o)

Here is what I have done so far. I have only done a few rows of the tan, and about 4 rows of the blue.  The rest I started last summer.  I am not sure if I like the blue or not.  I am kinda thinking I should have gone with the maroon on this one.  Hmmmm, I might just do that.

What a Week

Wow, this week has been a blur! Brad was home again this week until Thursday morning.  He FINALLY went to the dr. and they figured he had pneumonia, which explains the fevers, and it developed into bronchitis.  They asked him to stay home a few extra days to help his lungs clear up, so that is what he did. 

I got my grades back for my exams, and I got a 98% on my anatomy exam!!  I was super excited - until I checked my microbiology grade.  I got an 88%.  Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent grade, but I felt so much better about it than my anatomy exam.  This is a perfect example of how when I feel I did good on an exam I do bad, and when I feel like I bombed it, I do good.  :o/   But, then I learned on Tuesday he dropped quite a few of the test questions because they were over material that he said would not be on the exam, so I ended up with a 116%!  The class average for that exam was 55%, and only three people got higher grades than me - 92,92 and a 90.  There may have been one more in there, but 92 was the high, which makes me feel a little better.  I am definitely not looking forward to the next exam though! Genetics and antibiotics = lots to remember.

Next week is SPRING BREAK!!!! I am so excited!  Can you tell?  :o)  I still have a bunch of studying to do - anatomy lab practical the Tuesday after, and two chapters of reading/note taking each in anatomy and microbiology.  Even though I still have lots to do, I don't mind so much because I don't have to go to class.  This frees up so much time! 
 


Last weekend the fam and I went to the drive in and watched THREE movies for $10.  Safe House, Ghost Rider and Underworld: Awakening.  They were all really good, but Safe House was my favorite.  It was great to see Ryan Reynolds in another serious action role. 

BodyRock WOD

This past week I have been refraining from sugar and eating low carb meals.  I have to admit that I cheated a couple of days, but it was a crazy week.  I had a couple cookies the other day and I had a glass of wine last night and a Mike's Lemonade Thursday.  I am weak, what can I say.  :*) 

I do plan on doing the Show It Off Workout out today, and possibly the Hard and Tight Workout as well because I didn't get a chance to do it Wednesday.  I was hoping to do it last night, but I got home too late so I had a glass of wine and celebrated being done with exams for another month instead.  :D 

Last night during the micro class exam, a girl passed out from low blood sugar and stress.  I had already finished my exam, so I wasn't there when it happened, but it sure made for an interesting lab.  Last year there was a student in my genetics class that passed out halfway through lecture and caused quite a commotion. I wonder how often this type of thing occurs.    

High Five for Friday

Linking up with Lauren again! 

1.  Hubby is feeling much better and is back to work.  He still has a bad cough and doesn't have much stamina so he plays out by 11:00pm, I am guessing he may have a touch of bronchitis. 

2. Finished with all my exams for the week!  Woo hoo!  I am not sure how I did on them, but I am pretty sure I have at least B's.  

3. I'm down to 115(-ish)!  I have have been weighing in at 117-121 for a couple of years and it seemed that not matter how hard I worked out or how good I ate, I could never budge the scales or my waste band.  This past year (since May of last year) I have been more dedicated and just stuck with it and I am finally seeing results!  My clothes fit better, I have more muscle tone and I feel better about myself again.  

4.  I have been at the same job for 5 years and I still love it!  

5.  It is one week closer to spring break!!!

Powerful

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BodyRock Workout of the Day

Today's workout, Hard and Tight, is a rep challenge.  I'm not crazy about these type of workouts mainly because they are pyramid style, but they are killer. This is another workout that only has pictures as a tutorial, but you still get the gist of it.  I have a feeling I will be modifying some of these exercises towards the end.  :o)

So far my week of no sugar and low carbs is going well.  Last night was a little rough though, I wanted a Mike's lemonade so badly!!  But I was a good girl and drank my water.  I got on the scale this morning and I'm down to 115.7!  I haven't seen 115 in two years!  I have noticed that my close are fitting a little looser and I look a lot better in them.  Even after my backslide from last month I can see a difference.  This really helps keep me motivated, specially with classes and studying.  It's so easy to say, "naw, I'll skip working out to study".  I just need to keep the momentum going over the initial hump where it is easy to skip working out and on to the point where missing a workout actually bothers me. When I reached that point with P90X it was awesome.  Working out became a priority and I would work my schedule around working out.  I can't quite do that right now with classes, but I can still fit the workout into my schedule almost daily - NO EXCUSES.  I WILL get that six-pack by summer.  :o)~

Times Fun When You're Having Flies

A lady I work with says that and it crack me up.  I'm a dork.  Yesterday I, along with another coworker were recognized for our 5 years of service to the Foundation at the Board of Directors meeting.  I can't believe I have been here this long - time really does fly!  I truly feel blessed to have the job that I do.  I enjoy coming into work every day, the people I work with are awesome, and I know the work we do is for a great cause.  It may not be my dream job, but I enjoy what I do and I am thankful to have this opportunity. 

The gift, a paperweight, presented to us.

Working out and Water!

My BodyRock Workout of the Day is Tighten it up. There are no videos for this workout, just pictures to illustrate how to do each exercise, but they are familiar exercises.My plan is to go home after class, workout real quick - should only be a 13 min workout plus warm up and cool down, and then study for my anatomy exam tomorrow.  My class on Tuesday and Thursday is right after work, so I go to Blimpie's on campus and get a turkey and provolone sub on wheat for dinner.  It's not terribly bad and it's way better than the other alternatives around campus, plus it saves me from having to wait until I get home to eat.  Think about it right now is making me hungry! 

I have to say I feel rejuvenated after taking a couple weeks off from working out. I know sometimes taking a break is good, and with being sick last month it felt nice to relax a bit. My eating habits were ok, but started to slide downhill this weekend; we had pizza and mac and cheese with tuna, but oh they were sooooo goooood! :o)  Along with eating healthier, I am trying to drink more water throughout the day. I normally have a mug of water on my way into work, then about two cups of coffee in the morning (I don't drink the full cup, but I do refill it), then another tall glass of water mid morning and for lunch, and one to two more glasses in the afternoon. If I have class I fill up a water bottle to take with me,  and if not I go home and drink another cup or two there. I often have a beer or glass of wine when I get home, which I am trying to cut out this week, so I don't have as much water as I should at night.  I know it sounds like a lot when I write it all down, but I know there are some days I don't get in quite as much as I should. 

Speaking of which... off to get some more water!

High Five for Friday!

Soooo glad it's Friday!!  I sure say that a lot, but I am.  Sometimes I feel that I am wishing my life away, but I really just wish weekends would last longer!

1.  Sleeping in!!  I can't wait to do this Sat and Sun. 

2. Getting an A on my anatomy lab practical.  One down, two to go!

3. Looking forward to spending the weekend snuggling up with my honey... and my books.  

4. Psych's back!

 

5. WSU is in the top 15! This close to top 10 - woo hoo!

Linking up with Lauren From My Grey Desk again, have a great weekend!

Workouts?

If you haven't noticed I have been slacking in the workout department lately.  I wasn't feeling the greatest with my cold and I decided to wait to start the new 30 day challenge this week.  Monday I decided to skip my workout in order to study because I thought I had a test Thursday and still had some reading and note taking to do (I found out Tuesday it was pushed back to next Thursday).  Then Tuesday I came home after class and was too tired to do anything.  Brad has been home sick with a fever, so I put together a simple chicken soup for him, snuggled for a half hour and then went to bed early. Last night I came home and planned on studying, but I watched a movie with Brad and did a little review. See a pattern here?  LAZY!  Actually, it was quite nice to take a little break from studying to enjoy some quality time with my honey.

Since I have been a little lazy/sick/busy and it is the beginning of March, I decided that I would wait to start the February challenge on Monday.  I know I am a month behind, but this way I won't have to wait for them to post the new workouts and I can plan my weeks accordingly.  I am still going to incorporate the P90X legs and arms into my workouts on the weekends and will start that this weekend.  I have been pretty lazy about that as well, so I really need to step up my game.  It's hard for me to want to workout when I am in classes because I feel guilty and think I need to use that time for studying, but the truth is, working out will help with my studies and make me feel better.  Plus they are short and intense and there really is no excuse to skip. 

Next week I am also challenging myself to go a whole week without sugar and to cut back on carbs. I have been slacking in the diet department lately as well, so I need to get back on track.  I don't eat a lot of sugary items to begin with, but I want to challenge myself to really pay attention to the things I do eat and to make better choices. The bad part is, I'm starting this just about the time for the Girl Scout cookies we ordered from my sister get here. :o(  I will have to hide some in the freezer for later.  :D