2 semesters down, 3 to go!

I have successfully finished two semesters toward my goal of becoming a family nurse practitioner! Hooray! This semester was tough.. getting married right smack in the middle of it didn't help.. but it's over! Now for a 4 week break. And some much needed time with my family for the holidays. Next semester, I start clinicals in woman's health and pediatrics! I'm very excited about this but also not quite sure how I'm going to get all the hours in and still work full time. I guess we will see how it goes!

Photographer review: Denko Imaging

Let me start by going over the reasons why we went with these particular photographers..

First, they are a husband and wife couple so it's basically two photographers for the price of one. Most photographers charge a whole lot more money to have a second photographer, where Denko is always the both of them.

Second, their pricing is reasonable. Again, two photographers for price of one. And we got an engagement session included in the package for only a small bit more. Still, much cheaper than a lot of other photographers we looked at. On top of that, we only had to pay half of our bill before the wedding. The other half isn't due until we get the pictures! One less things to pay off before the wedding.

Third, they had no time limit. Most photographers we looked at were only 6 hours with the option of paying hourly for more time. Therefore, if you had the photographer go with you while you're getting ready in the morning they're probably cutting out of the reception hours before it's over.

And lastly... because Mike wanted them. Most things with the wedding Mike just let me do whatever I wanted. Choosing photographers was different. He had very strong opinions about who he liked and didn't like. I did agree to go with Denko because their work is very good. I talked to other people I knew that had used them or been in weddings they have photographed and they all said good things. So I let Mike have this one.

Now, onto the review!

We got our "sneak peaks" a couple weeks ago and I was really impressed! The pictures that we got turned out great! We got the rest of our proofs last night... 1179 unedited photos! That's a lot of pictures. I will say that we got some really good pictures, however, I am a little disappointed in the pictures that we didn't get. We took very few family pictures... and when I say a few, I mean, one with my parents and one with Mike's. No pictures with grandparents. No siblings. No pictures with family members that came from out of town. That was really disappointing to me! Anyone that knows my brother knows that he does NOT dress up. This was the second time I saw him in a suit EVER! The other time was my aunts' wedding when he was about 10. There are pictures of him with the groomsmen since he was in the wedding but none with my sister and I or just myself. I did get a few pictures with my sister since she was in the wedding party though.

We only took TWO group shots of the whole bridal party! TWO! Yes, it was freezing and we were trying to take them on the balcony.. but there is no reason we couldn't have done more inside. We did get a few pictures of me with the bridesmaids and Mike with the groomsmen though and those are good. To go along with the lack of bridal party pictures, we didn't get any pictures of me with the groomsmen or Mike with the bridesmaids.

Maybe it's my fault for not making sure these pictures were done, but seriously my head was spinning. I was being pulled in a hundred different directions so I don't think it should have been up to me to make sure these pictures were done when they are pretty standard to every wedding.

So, would I recommend Denko to someone else? Sure. BUT, I would tell them to make a list of every family picture and the different bridal party pictures you want so that you can make sure they get done!

We didn't even dance

Evan's dad was supposed to pick Evan up from the reception around 8:30-9pm (the reception was over at 9)... However, he was having car trouble that day. Fortunately, one of my friends lives near him and offered to take Evan to his dads when he left. Shortly, after dinner the friend that was to take Evan to his dads was not feeling well and wanted to leave. I REALLY wanted Evan to stay. I mean, it's my wedding.. it only happens once and I knew I could find someone else to take him to his dads after. But, since Evan knew there was a possibility of going to his dads he wanted to go. As much as I wanted him to stay I knew that if I made him stay he would be in a bad mood, and I didn't want that either. So I let him go.

Mike and I aren't able to go on our honeymoon until June since I am in the middle of the semester, so it was back to work and school the following Monday. When Evan came home from school that Monday, he was in an awful mood. That mood continued through Tuesday. We could not figure out what was wrong. I called his dad and asked if Evan had said he was upset about something and he didn't. I called his nana who gets him off the bus since I'm at class and he didn't say anything to her either.

Then, Wednesday Mike text me while I was at work and said he knew what the problem was. Evan had said that he didn't even get a chance to dance with me at my wedding. For months, Evan and I have been talking about dancing at the wedding and since he left early we didn't get a chance to. Tears instantly filled my eyes. I hadn't even realized. I was off the next night and had a talk with him about how he was feeling.. and how it made me feel. I explained to him that I really wanted him to stay but it was his choice and he chose to leave. And that you can't expect to get everything you want to do done if you leave early. I told him I was upset we didn't dance also.

So we came up with a solution! Well sort of... obviously we can't go back to the wedding and dance but we are going to another wedding this weekend. Evan doesn't usually go with Mike and I to weddings. Mostly, because he's with his dad but also because he doesn't want to go. The wedding this weekend is my cousin's wedding so there will be other kids there he knows.. and we'll get to dance.

We also decided we don't really get to see eachother enough right now because at night I am either at work or school. So, once a month Evan and I are going on dates. Just him and I (Mike is not allowed). We went in both October and November and both of us are really enjoying it!

Finally the big day!

October 22, 2016 was finally the big day! The day we had been planning for 10 months! And even though the day was amazing, I must admit that it wasn't what I thought it would be. Now don't get me wrong, it was one of the BEST days of my life! It was the day that I got to marry my best friend and the day that the three of us officially became a family. But when you dream of a day for what seems like your whole life, it's easy to be somewhat disappointed.

I am not typically a nervous person, and as the day went on and the ceremony grew closer I became a nervous wreck! I don't like to be the center of attention and I especially do NOT like to talk in front of people. So the thought of standing up in front of 200 people made me extremely anxious. After the ceremony, I was no longer anxious about being in front of people.. my mood changed to stressed. I felt like I was being pulled in 100 different directions at once. I couldn't eat... I tried, and every time I took a bite I thought I was going to throw up. Matter of fact, I did throw up 2 or 3 times. Looking back on it, I really wish I could have just calmed down. I definitely would have enjoyed myself more.

Besides being anxious/stressed, the weather was something that we were not sure of for the entire week before the wedding. The ceremony was supposed to be outside, and although it did not end up raining we pulled the ceremony inside because it was so cold and windy. This would have been fine, however with the way it was set up people at the tables could not see the ceremony. And no one told my dad that there was chairs set up right in front of Mike and I for family (to make sure they could see).. so after walking me down the aisle my dad went back to his table and couldn't see the rest of the ceremony! Fortunately, the ceremony was only about 5 minutes so people really didn't miss a whole lot!

Throughout the whole thing, I kept a smile on my face! I really did have a good time and it was so good to see friends and family that I had not seen in a long time.

30th Birthday/Bachelorette Party

So I'm behind.. like way behind! 2 months to be exact... My birthday/bachelorette was a success! So much fun. We ended up not going on a wine tour which was fine since I would not have seen Mike the whole day if we had. Instead, just a few of us went to 3-4 wineries (Mike included)... Then the guys dropped us girls off at Tony R's for dinner to meet the rest of the bachelorette party. From there we went to a few bars on Market St. I, however, cannot hang like I used to and was ready to go home by 8:30pm! I looked at Tara and told her I wanted Mike, so after some convincing she called him and he came to join for a few and took me home!

Never enough hours in the day

This week I am just plain exhausted! I guess that's expected when your plate is not only full, but overflowing! I work tonight, have a Doctor appointment tomorrow (physical and flu shot for school), and then 30th birthday/bachelorette party all day Saturday. Did I mention I have a patho exam on Monday?! Ugh... Hopefully I'm either not super tired tomorrow or not super hungover Sunday so I can get some studying in 😩

Another month, another post

Time is just flying by! It probably doesn't help that I am incredibly busy. Working full time at the hospital, going to school full time (which feels like a 2nd job), and wedding planning (31 days!). Let's not forget that I'm turning 30 on Saturday! So let's throw a 30th birthday/bachelorette party into the mix! That doesn't even include things going on with Evan (who is usually just as busy as I am) or Mike! 

So what's going on with them?! Evan is back in school. He's still doing karate 3-4 times a week. He was in a tournament all day last Saturday where he took 1st place in sparring and 3rd in forms! He also participated in a push up contest, as well as, a board breaking contest but did not medal. Cub scouts has started back up for the school year. Mike typically takes him to those meetings, which is a nice bonding experience for the two of them. Apparently, scouts is going to be much more involved this year than years past. I sort of expected it to get more involved as he got older, but ugh my life does not need more chaos.. Evan has also decided to join band this year and that starts the beginning of October. 

Mike pretty much just goes with the flow of things. He picks Evan up from practice and helps to make sure he gets to where he needs to be. 

All in all, life is good! Crazy busy, but good!

August stitchfix

At first when I received this months stitchfix I was pretty disappointed. I was not crazy about any of the 5 items.. until I tried them on! I think that's one of the greatest parts about stitchfix. It forces you to try on items that you might not usually. That was definitely the case this month. In the end, I chose to keep all five items!

The first item was a black dress. Not that I didn't like the dress, but I was really hoping for a white dress to wear to my bridal shower. I do have a few other weddings to go to so the dress will definitely get some use. It's also really comfortable!

The second item was this jacket. Again, I was not crazy about it. I tried it on anyway and it was really comfortable and something that will go with a simple jeans and t-shirt.

I really like this sweater. I actually got a similar one when I did stitchfix a few years ago. I like this piece because it's versatile. It can be casual or dressy depending on what you're wearing it with.

 

This top is a little more dressy than I wear typically so I didn't think I would get much use out of it. However, I am in school to become a Nurse Practitioner and have clinicals starting in January. This is definitely a shirt that I would be able to wear in a clinical setting. I put in on with a pencil skirt and it looked really cute!

This last item is the one that I did not care for at all, even after trying it on. However, with the way that stitchfix is set up and the fact that you get a 25% discount if you keep all 5 items, it would have been more money to send these shoes back and keep the other 4 items. So I kept them. And I'll never wear them. In fact, they're a little small. So I will most likely see if I can sell them.

That's it for my stitchfix review for August. I decided to cancel my fix for October due to the wedding so my next review will probably be sometime in November!

August already?!

This summer seems to just be flying by! I cannot believe it is August 3!! Since my last post I had my hair trial.. Absolutely LOVE it! I also found some navy shoes to go with my wedding dress. 

I have ordered Ningxia red and started a 30 day detox program through young living (message me if you'd like details)! And I'm diffusing a lot of stress away and peppermint to keep my mind at ease with everything going on!

Also, I just received an email from stitchfix that my latest fix is on its way; so hopefully there's a cute bridal shower outfit in there!

All but two of my textbooks are ordered and have arrived ($$).. The last two, which of course are the the most expensive are unable to be rented 👎🏻. My forensics elective has already been posted online so I'm making an attempt to get a jumpstart on that!

Evan has spent most of the week so far at Cub Scout camp (830-4 mon-thurs). He's loving it and sad when he has to come home every day!

That's it for the quick recap today! For questions about Young Living essential oils and/or stitchfix message me!!

Wedding update! Less than 100 days!!!

Has it really been a month since I posted last?! My schedule doesn't seem to be any better even after taking school out of the mix!

Wedding update. We're officially 95 days from the wedding!!

We have decided on a wine theme. We're using wine bottles for centerpieces and spray painting them various shades of gray/silver and white and printing glittery navy numbers on them for table numbers. Baby's breath and either a single white rose or calla lily coming out of the top of the bottle. When we have some that are completely finished I'll post pictures.

We also had our food tasting Sunday with Corning Catering. We were quite impressed which is probably a good thing since the caterer had cancelled on our first scheduled appointment. Mike is one that always seems to think everything is going to go wrong so if this tasting hadn't gone well, I think he would have wanted to switch caterers and I'm not sure I could deal with that right now! Anyway, it went really well. All of our parents (and Mike's step-parents) were there. They even had the table set with the linens we would use at the wedding. It was nice to see how the colors would look together! We had a TON of food. I think all of us were thinking we would get a bite or two of each item, but we had a full meal. They first brought everyone out a plate with garlic mashed potatoes (amazing), a vegetable blend, a stuffed shell, bowtie pasta with a red sauce and an alfredo sauce, and some beef from a carving station. And as if that were not enough, she brought out three plates with 3 different kinds of chicken for everyone to try. Since our wedding is going to be in the fall, we're having a bread table so she also brought out a tray with banana bread with dark chocolate chips and blueberry bread! Everything was delicious and we certainly did not leave hungry! When we were done, the caterer allowed us to take home whatever we didn't eat and her and I went over a few final details.

As far as our venue (Logan Ridge Estates), I started to get a little worried. I had heard from someone I know that they did not have a very good experience with the owner. However, after talking to Mike we decided that much of what we had heard seemed to be a miscommunication between the owner and the bride and we would not let it get to us. Also, another girl I work with is getting married there next month, so I want to talk with her after and see what her experience is like. My guess is that hers will be much better and my mind will rest easy. After all, I have not personally had a bad encounter with the owner at this stage in the planning process! I did chat with her briefly the other day with some questions regarding the pricing at the bar for the reception and whether we were able to have our rehearsal dinner on premises and she got right back to me!

The bridal shower and bachelorette party planning is under way, however, I know very little about either so no updates on that end!

June stitchfix

It's that time again! I was so excited to see the stitchfix box outside my door yesterday. I have decided to make my stitchfix deliveries every other month but they do have monthly options and options that allow you to pick and choose when you'd like them. Many of the items that I receive are more money that I would typically spend, however it is so convenient and you can write a little note to the stylist asking for specific items you may be in need of. For example, I said that with my next stitchfix I am looking for summer sandals/flats and dresses to wear to weddings and my bridal shower. So, we'll see how she does with the next one! 

Here is what I received this month..

Last month I received a tote and told the stylist that I liked style and size but did not care for the color so she sent me a tote similar this month and I love it! And it's reversible!! The first picture doesn't do the color justice. It's somewhere between a mint green and a light blue. I really like the color but I'm not sure I have much to go with it.

The other color option is brown. I like this a lot more than the light brown/tan that they sent last time. I also like that one of the options is a more neutral color since I don't have much to go with the green/blue that is the reverse.

Another reason I love this bag is that their is an optional insert which makes the bag more of a purse, giving it the option of pockets. Take the insert out and you have a plain tote with no pockets.

Obviously, I chose to keep this bag! Although it's $68, I feel like this is one of the bags that you can use anytime anywhere. I think that I will get a lot of use out of this bag. Had it not been reversible and the color was the green/blue, I probably would not have kept it only because I don't think I would have gotten much use out of it. Having the neutral, brown option sold it for me!

This shirt is incredibly comfortable! I really was debating on whether to keep this one or not, but decided to return it because I simply didn't LOVE it. $58 is a lot for a shirt you don't love. Had it been a little less I probably would have kept it.

This halter I did not like at all! The style is just not me...

This is the other piece I decided to keep out of this box. I like stripes, not sure why.. but I always feel like I look good in striped shirts. This shirt is also very comfortable. I think this is a shirt that can be very casual but also can be dressed up. The back is really cute with the open circle towards the top. The top and bottom of the circle are also twisted material which give it a little different feel than your regular t-shirt.

 

I love summer dresses, however I am not really a fan of red. I also did not care for the style of this one in particular. The top is very blousey, which I don't think really works for my body type considering I am small chested and don't have a lot of curves. 

Before you receive your box you are charged a $20 styling fee. If you decide to keep at least one item, that $20 goes towards the item(s) you keep. If you don't keep any of the items you lose the $20. However, I have never had a box that I did not like AT LEAST one item.

Also, with stitchfix you get a 25% discount if you decide to keep all 5 items. For this particular box that would take $71.50 off the total price! Plus the $20 styling fee. That would be $91.50 off the total or $194.50 (instead of $286). Although this is a great deal, I never keep items I don't love. There have been times when I did keep items just for the discount and they sit in my closet and never get worn.

If you'd like a fix of your own, check it out HERE!

Jonah's Golf Outing

Last Saturday was the 2nd annual Jonah's Golf Outing held at Willowcreek golf course in Big Flats, NY. What a wonderful event! The event is a fundraiser for the local Children's Miracle Network which provides much of the funding for the area NICU. My friend, Hollie and her husband, Andy, have put this fundraiser together as a way to give back to the NICU due to the fact that their son, Jonah was born 3 months prematurely. Jonah is now 5 or 6 and although he has his struggles, he is a true inspiration to everyone around him.
This year the fundraiser donated over $8000! Pretty amazing for being a small community and it only being the second year!  After the golf tournament, there was food, drinks, and raffles at Tag's restaurant (another great place... and great concert venue too!).

Nurses 💜 wine!

Last Friday a bunch of the girls from work and I went on a wine tour. We truly lucky to live in such a wonderful place with lots of lakes and wineries so close! The weather was beautiful and it was great to have a day to relax with these lovely ladies!

May oils

Last week I got new oils in the mail. This month I ordered: Lemon, Cedarwood, Lemongrass, Cypress and Orange. I just love lemon! I often diffuse it alone or put a drop or two in a glass of ice water.

Cedarwood is one that I learned about in one of Kari's online classes. It's great for sleep since it helps to produce melatonin. Last night I diffused it with lavendar in my room and slept like a baby.

 

Cypress I ordered because I saw on pinterest that it can help with bedwetting (Evan has had issues with this forever... but that is another story). So I plan to mix it with a little coconut oil and rub it on his belly before bed to see if it helps. At this point, I'm willing to try anything!

 

I also found a recipe for a flea and tick spray for the dog that uses lemongrass and cedarwood so I purchased those to try that.














Orange smells wonderful and is good for cleaning (along with lemon) and I have also heard that it can be added to toothpaste as a natural teeth whitener!

Engagement Pictures!

About a month ago, Mike and I had our engagement pictures. We really aren't picture people and probably would not have had them done if they weren't part of our wedding package. It also gave a chance to meet our photographers and for them to get to know us a little bit before the day of the wedding.
Denko Imaging did our engagement session. They are a husband and wife team and very laid back (which we loved). They did everything possible to try and make us feel comfortable during the shoot. They did a 4 hour session and were able to go to multiple different places for pictures. I know that 4 hours seems like a really long time to take pictures (we thought so too).. but afterwards we appreciated it. Not only did the longer time allow us to take pictures at multiple sites but it gave us time to get comfortable in front of the camera, which we could see when looking at the proofs. When we got to choose which pictures we wanted for editing we ended up going with many of the ones from later in the day simply because we looked more comfortable.

Here are a few of my favorites!

Mike and I would highly recommend Denko Imaging to anyone! Great people, great price, and two photographers for the price of one!

Big news on the Young Living Blog!

For those in the Young Living world, there is an amazing promotion going on for May! If you decide to join Young Living this month $190 gets you 15mL Melrose, 5mL Manuka, and if you're in Essential Rewards you also get 5mL Cedarwood.. FREE! If you're just joining this month, you're in luck because the starter kit almost gets you to the $190 alone! So on top of all the great things in the starter kit, you could get 3 additional oils FREE! And the more you spend the more you get, including a dew drop diffuser! If you are interested in trying these great products now is the time to do it! Contact me for more information Member #3763932 or check out the young living blog here!

Manuka essential oil supports the appearance of healthy-looking skin, making it the perfect addition to your favorite skin care products. Diffuse Manuka to enjoy its complex scent that’s reminiscent of honey and Tea Tree or add it to your shampoo, body wash, or lotion to reduce the appearance of blemishes.

• Diffuse alone or combine with a citrus oil such as Tangerine, Orange, or Grapefruit for a refreshing aromatic experience.
• Apply a few drops of Manuka before shampooing your hair to invigorate your scalp.
• Add to your favorite skin care products to help your skin stay bright and healthy-looking.

Melrose^™ is an exclusive blend that brings together four of our rich, aromatic essential oils for a uniquely fragrant experience. Combining the skin-supporting properties of Tea Tree and Melaleuca Quinquenervia with the spicy scent of Clove and the herbaceous notes of Rosemary, Melrose is a delight to diffuse and a treat when applied topically.

• Apply to your wrists, temples, neck, or any desired area to enjoy Melrose’s inviting scent all day long.
• Add to your shampoos and lotions to support the appearance of your hair and skin.
• Diffuse throughout the day to fill your home with the complex fragrance of Melrose.

Ahhh... is this class over YET?!?

I consider myself to be pretty laid back. I tend to "go-with-the-flow".. however, this class is driving me CRAZY! I get my work schedule 4-6 weeks ahead of time, so the fact that the entire syllabus has been wrong (including test dates and due dates) has been really frustrating.. to say the least! I have pretty much just let it go and not said anything all semester until she decided to change the final exam date. It was originally scheduled for next wednesday 6-8pm and now is next thursday 1-3pm. To most people this would probably not be that big of a deal, but since I work next Thursday night it is. I had scheduled my work around my exams which means I have next tuesday and wednesday off. Thursday I will need to sleep while Evan is at school (approximately 8-230pm). Once he gets home, I get ready for work, help with homework, and make dinner. I then have to leave for work by 6 in order to make it to work by 7. If I were to take an online exam 1-3pm, I would not only have to wake up early but Evan would come home right in the middle of the test. I feel like she should have to stick to the syllabus and the original time... or if the time needed to be changed it should have been done more than a week ahead of time. Am I over reacting?! Should I just suck it up and take it at the new time?? Good news is the class is almost over... and since this instructor only teaches an elective, I will never have to deal with her again!

April Stitch fix

After 2 years I got another fix! And I must say that the stylist did pretty good. I decided to keep 2 of the 5 items sent. So let's take a look into my stitchfix box!
The first item I kept is the Market & Spruce Chaplin Hooded Anorak Cargo Jacket. I fell in love with it as soon as I put it on and I was in need of a new spring jacket so it was perfect!

I have to mention that I just LOVE that they send style cards for each item!! That way you at least have an idea of what it could be paired with, especially if it's something you wouldn't typically wear. The second item I kept is a pair of Mavi Ruxin boyfriend jeans. I do not typically wear this style jeans, but I had put in my additional information for the stylist that I am a nurse and when I'm not working I'm usually running Evan around to his various activities or lounging at home. These jeans are perfect! So comfortable!!

 I would like to add that sometimes the items sent may be a little pricey.. the jacket for $80, which for a jacket is not bad. These jeans were $90! I do not look at the price tag until after trying items on. I feel that had I known how much these jeans were I would not have even put them on. Honestly, I almost didn't keep them even after seeing how much they were but Mike saw how much I loved them and told me to keep them.

The next three items I did not keep. The first being the RD style ferra maxi dress. I love summer dresses, however I tend to drown in a traditional maxi because I have no curves. That was certainly the case with this dress. Super comfortable, just not for me.

The next item was the Papermoon Mixed Material Knit Top. Again, super comfortable but not for me. The shirt was navy in the front and then had a polka dot design on the back. I felt like I was wearing it backwards and Mike agreed.

The third item I chose to send back is the Street Level Parker Tote. I really like the tote but did not care for the color. The style card just shows a sketch of the tote but it was a light brown/tan color. I really don't have anything that would match it. I also didn't like the fact that their were no pockets in it. I did let my stylist know in the review that I would like the tote in dark brown, cream, or black so maybe I'll be seeing it again!

Overall, I was very pleased with this fix since it was the first one I had gotten in a couple years. The goal is that as you continue to get fixes and review each piece as to why you did or did not keep each item, your stylist will get to know your style better and be able to send you more items that you will keep!


For those of you that don't know about stitch fix you can check it out here.