BoWA #4

"Life is too short so love the one you got"

Thanks for the reminder Sublime. September is zooming by and it is times like this when I realize that life is made up a million little things that make you happy.

#1 Like when Ross packed my lunch and put this cute little dino in there. So stupid- but it made me smile all day.

#2 Or like any time Ross wears a suit. All of his residency applications are out there now, so we figured we should go get him some new suits. That way he can look super sharp for those interviews. Jos A Bank always has great sales and Ross is a huge fan so we went ahead and hooked it all up. 

#3 Ross's attire lately has been slacks and a button up, or scrubs. In this case, a pair of scrubs about 5 sizes too large. But you take what you can get from the hospital laundry and just hope the drawstring doesn't do ya dirty.



#4 Also picture in scrubs, different day, documentation of Pizza Friday! Throwing caution and budget restrictions out the window we also stopped at our local favorite: Sucre. Their macaroons and cups of cake are so delicious. Our pizza place is in the same shopping plaza. They always have deals and the pizza is so cheap and good. Best Pizza Friday ever!



#5 While we are on the topic of food I will go ahead and share this amazing recipe for salmon I found (link here). Yeah I did that thing where I take a picture of my plate of food. But I just wanted to forever remember this delicious and fresh summer meal in all of it's perfection.



#6 There has been talk for some time now about my parents getting a new TV. This month they finally pulled the trigger and bought a huge TV. It is quite the change from the "small" old one they had before. As you can see, it barely fit in my parent's Durango. Haha.



#7 We had a nice little period where we got some rain this month. I like this flower that I found on my way to work.

#8 The rain is nice because when it eventually (finally!) comes it clears out the sticky air and everything is so fresh- even if still a little warm. One Thursday Ross and walked to the Redlands farmers market and I got this delicious popsicle. I think it was called Watermelon Margarita or something? It had lime and sour orange in it and was perfect for a summer night. I'm embarrassed that I am a dork and constantly forget my husband's watermelon allergy. I was almost force-feeding it to him when I realized it. D'oh! What a dork. 

Idylwild: Attempting to Beat the Heatwave

I am really trying really hard to not complain about the heat. Partially because I just know that I tempt fate and wherever I move next will be hotter than here. I try to take matters into my own hands but that doesn't seem to work either.

I always equate the mountains to cooler, breezy temperatures. After so many sweltering mountain experiences, you think I would learn my lesson. It's just not true in Southern California mountains in the summer.



Thinking that we would give the mountains another try, we headed up to Idylwild to hang out for a bit.



Although it wasn't a lot cooler temperature-wise, it was fun to get out of the house and do something different. Pretty much my favorite thing to do: wander. It is also where I first fell in love with chocolate covered cheesecake, so Ross and I got one, this time covered in Butterfingers.

We walked around the little stores. Trying on funny hats and seeing that truly, the demographic here is more for winos.



I liked this shop that had a yard full of colorful rocks. They were super cheap but Ross wouldn't let me get a dozen.



What?! He doesn't want these strewn around our apartment so he can stub his toes around every corner? Ridiculous.

UCLA v BYU Game

I'm not a football person. My BFF Brigette and I often commiserate how much we hate football. Her husband Aaron and his buddy always get tickets to the home UCLA games. Ross thought it would be fun to go to one (since they buy extra tickets). When he found out BYU was playing them he was pretty eager to see if we could be Aaron's +2. Even if it's football I will take any excuse to hang out with Brigette and her family, so we made it happen!

And before we knew it A big ol' group of us- 6 adults and one Asher were on our way down to LA for the game. As you might be considering, yes- Ross and I in BYU gear and every single other person in UCLA. That's friendship, no drama just a little rivalry. We did the whole tailgating experience, which was really fun. BYU doesn't really have anything quite like the depth and breadth of tailgating at this game. Aaron and Matt go to these games all season so they are seasoned professionals in the art. They have their ez-up, portable amp, grill, coolers, tables, chairs.



Matt's girlfriend made this awesome cornhole game. You gotta play cornhole while tailgating (says the person who hasn't done either). It was this day that I learned that Brigette and I are unsurpassable and unstoppable cornhole teammates. We were undefeated until Matt's parents came around and beat us out. That's fair.



The food was amazing. The main dish was carne asada tacos which was so delicious we just ended up eating pieces of carne asada. We also had fruit and stuff but tacos are kinda main dishes and appetizers and fruit and vegetables anyways.

I should mention that by the beginning of the game I knew more people in that stadium than any BYU home game I ever went to as an undergrad. It all kinda snowballed. Word got out about the game and then Ryan and Jen were driving from Arizona to come. Then Mom and Dad were on board. Then Ali was flying in from New York to join in as well! Also one of the people I work with is a UCLA alum and came to the game with his family. It was fun to be able to meet up with everyone at different points and say hi.



On the way to the stadium!



The game was incredible. Both teams were undefeated going into it. And for as great a team as UCLA is, BYU was really able to play well.



The game was so close and at the last minute- when for sure we thought sweet sweet victory was ours- we lost it. It was so heartbreaking to be so close! I've never invested myself so much in any sporting game. Even our UCLA friends felt sad for us and we didn't bother with banter afterwards.

The game was so close and at the last minute- when for sure we thought sweet sweet victory was ours- we lost it. It was so heartbreaking to be so close! I've never invested myself so much in any sporting game. Even our UCLA friends felt sad for us and we didn't bother with banter afterwards.



Win or Lose- our spirit nails looked awesome. Top: Jen with BYU and the world's tiniest paw print. Middle: Ali with mixed art of her two alma maters and a variety of paw prints. Bottom: Me keeping things simple.



I wasn't expecting to have so much fun at the game but it was a really incredible experience and fun opportunity to spend time with friends (and eat tacos). Thanks Lucas family for the invite!

Residency Applications

As the years of medical school have wore on, I have found myself less and less interested in the whole process. But mostly the process. The first year I was all about when the exams were and what courses he was taking. The second year I spent obsessing about test scores and researching options for clinical placement. Now Ross is in 4th year at what is pretty much the most important step in medical school.

RESIDENCY APPLICATIONS

Ya know, where he will be working for the next three years... as a DOCTOR.

Last year I was making this insane spreadsheet with all this information about residency. I was texting all my friends and asking a million questions. But now that day has come and gone, I'm not too worried about it. It is all in Ross's hands and I have a calm feeling that life works out. It is going to be okay.

This disturbs me so much.

As an International Medical Graduate you don't always have a lot of things going your way. You are recommend to apply to about 5 times as many places to ensure you match into a residency. As a result, Ross picked a lot of random hospitals that were considered a little more "safe." Just in case he doesn't get call-backs from his tops. I was laying on the couch being lazy while Ross researched at the table in the kitchen.



R "Between Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, which do you prefer."
K "Hmm, I guess Connecticut although it's probably more expensive."
R "What about Albany? How far is that from Ali?
K "Sure."
R "How do you feel about Virginia"
K "Good."
R "What about Pennsylvania?"
K "I don't know. It's nice."
R "Philadelphia?"
K "Scary."
R "Baltimore"
K "Only a little less scary."
R "Florida?"
K "Ehhh."

That's about how the conversation went as we rolled through practically every state in the union. I only care about matching. If we end up in West Virginia I will buy a banjo and shotgun and remember that it's okay. Life works out just the way it is supposed to.



Failure comes from the life we create in our head. And it pretty much never works out to be the way you expect it. Maybe you end up spending two years of your life in a developing country while your husband goes to school. Maybe you do dumb job after dumb job that you hate because you just really need to make rent. And it is frustrating. And it is hard. But that's okay.

At least you already figured out the PTAL right?



And you don't yet have to think about how you could possibly start paying off loans on a residency "salary" next year.



Right now you can still dream about loans being paid off before you die. That sounds good.



Residency isn't a real job. For his specialty, he might make around $50,000. My friends "oo" and "ahh" at this.



Knowing about loans and interest rates, that makes me want to pass out. Not in a good way. Besides the fact that he went to school for 8 YEARS- and half of that income will go to pay off student loans, a quarter of that will go to taxes, AND he will have just spent upwards of $10,000 just to apply to residency, then yeah, we are pretty much the Trumps. True Love:



But yeah! He finished third year of school. AND he has applied for residency. So yay!

Inkodye Table Runner

Earlier this year my best friend Brigette gave me this awesome craft kit from Darby Smart. She knows me all too well. Crafts = way to my heart. Well, pizza too but that's a little shorter lived.

The kit was for an Inkodye Table Runner, and I was pretty excited because never had I ever heard of anything like it. When she explained it to me I felt like I was in some wizarding world mix of Potions class and Transfiguration mixed with Home Ec. Count me in. 

Unfortunately living in a crummy apartment your options for a five foot long full sunlight spot are limited. And I really didn't wanna mess this one up. Luckily my parents have plenty of space and sunshine so I patiently waited to do it there. 

Turns out I picked the perfect weekend with great sun but not scorching heat and also- the perfect size TV box for the project. 

Clipped some foliage first to look at all our options. And mapped it out a bit. 

Then we got to work spreading the dye. I actually love that it's a bit uneven. Gives it a nice earthy/artsy feel. 

Watching it develop was really fun. It started as a beige color and got progressively darker until it reached its rich plum color. So beautiful!

Some leaves blew off half way through but I like how some imprints are darker than others. The ferns are my favorite. 

I was a little nervous about messing it up, but it turned out fantastic. I would be interested in getting more dye and doing other projects with it. 

Thanks for the fun project Brigette! I love the way it turned out. 😊

First Day of the Last

I remember being in college, every loved to post about their last first day of school. It's probably not true with the amount of grad school happening, but it is still fun to say. That's why I write this post title with a grain of salt. Ross has begun his final year of medical school.

But then you also have residency.

and fellowship.



But at least it is his last first day of his final year of paying tuition. So I will take that.

It is amazing how much difference a year makes. Here he is 3rd year. And also his first day of medical school and white coat ceremony!

Now he's starting his 4th and final year of school before his earns his MD. You can tell I can't care less cos this picture is all awful and blurry looking.



Just kidding of course. He's so close. I will take this time commemorate how far we have come:



How hard he has worked, forged in the flames of Hell adversity.

And everything he has to look forward to: 

And how good he makes scrubs look: 

Before we know it he will be applying for residency.

While You Were Out

Have I explained on the blog before about how Ross and I never take a vacation together?

Okay, well NEVER is not exactly accurate. But it does seem that my employment and his school are forever at odds.

I came back from my super epic New York trip and everyone was asking, "How did you and Ross like New York?!"



Cos yeeeaaaah, we didn't do that together. We also didn't do this, this, nor any of this. But I'm not here to provide you a comprehensive list of all the stuff I do by myself. That's what this blog is for. Instead I just want to feel happy that Ross finally gets a turn to take a little break. He is officially done with his 3rd year of medical school, he has his Step 2 CK out of the way and he is all but ready to apply to residency. He still has a way to go but you learn to celebrate the small victories.

I kicked him outta the house and told him to use what we have left on those beautiful airline vouchers to visit family and friends in Utah. Our motto, as I am pretty sure I have well documented on the blog, is "If you have the time- find the money."

With 4th year and then intern year of residency and so on, you can't count on ever having time. And the money- well after awhile you stop worrying about having so little- so you just find a way.

He's off on an adventure and I am back at work, or sweltering at home in these warm temps. While he is gone I've been doing a complete bedroom over-haul.

Operation: Organization and Donation.



I have to do this while he is gone so I have enough time and space to make a mess and find a solution. On the right you can see that no matter how hard you try there will always be that pile of stuff leftover. That pile of stuff that you're just not quite sure what to do with.



I am proud to say I donated a bunch^ of stuff and threw away even more. It feels good!

My good friend Mary recently started residency at a nearby hospital. She invited me over for dinner so I made a simple dessert. I brought the leftovers to work and people were beside themselves. Really I think it was just nice to have a pick-me-up now that every one is coming back to work after summer break.



In other cooking endeavors, I thought I would make a special treat for Ross's return from Utah and eventual start of a school/ hospital work again.

I present: Brownie-crust Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake!

It is possible that I went a little over-board with the decorations on the top. Like homemade whipped cream!?

I made a Frankenstein recipe combing and piecing together three different recipes.



It involved a brownie crust, topped with a layer of fudge. Next a peanut butter cream cheese cool whip layer, then some Reeses cups and brownie. After that more of the cream cheese mixture, probably more peanut butter cups, a fudge topping then all the decorations.

It was delicious. It sounds kinda hard but it wasn't at all. Except for the brownie part it was no-bake too!