Short & Sweet - Gallery Wall

After finding out Chris got Blacksburg as his rotation site for the next two years, we've decided to paint and redecorate a little to make this apartment as much of a home as possible.

When it comes to decorating, I may be the most indecisive person you'll ever meet.  I try to find pieces that I can use for years to come, but still have it be something that fits my style today.  Living with someone means blending your styles together.  Chris told me I can do whatever I want in the living room when we paint and redecorate later this spring/summer.

For years now I've had my eye on doing a gallery wall with pictures from different trips we've been on and places we've seen.  I like the idea of throwing a small shelf with a few accent pieces on it as well.  If I were to settle on the idea of a gallery wall, I don't know if I could make up my mind what pictures to put up.  I found the two below on the right from the New York Times Archive collection at Pottery Barn.  I love New York City - the city of dreams, where anything can happen.  Pictures of the city are so versatile, especially if you print them in black and white, you can mix and match your colors as often as your heart desires.

What are your thoughts on a gallery wall over a couch in the living room?  Have any of you ever been creative and put one together?

Short & Sweet - Week Recap

After officially turning in Chris' rotation selections, we find out today where we'll be in July!  It's so nerve-racking yet so exciting at the same time.  I think we're both just ready to know at this point.  On the topic of medicine, I have recently become addicted to Grey's Anatomy.  Until now, I just listened silently when my friends chatted about what happened on last night's episode.  I now understand the drama of being caught up in the show.  Thanks to Netflix, less than a week and I'm already through the first season and half of the second.  I don't think pacing myself is possible - this show is 100% addictive!  It boggles my mind how doctors can stay up and pull 30+ hour shifts and still be coherent enough to save someone's life.  I guess that comes from years of getting 2 hours of sleep a night in med school.

Recently at the gym, I've been leaning more towards the stair master than my usual choice of the elliptical.  The big machine that literally towers over the rest looks daunting, but trust me, it gives you an amazing workout!  Last night when I got on, I told myself I wasn't stopping until I'd walked the 86 flights of stairs in the Empire State building.  Well, I did just that!  Granted it took me longer than 10 minutes, which is the current record, but I still did it!

 

The other night I was driving through town when an emergency vehicle with their lights and sirens on came speeding down the road.  It absolutely amazes me how people do not slow down or even attempt to get out of the way.  I guess those are the same people who do not pull over when they see a funeral procession going down the road.  Maybe it's because I was raised right and I have respect for others, but if you see an emergency vehicle speeding with their lights and sirens on, by all means, please pull over and get out of the way - you could help save someone's life!

Short & Sweet - Surviving Winter Weather

When they started forecasting winter weather for this week, I thought this could finally be the snow I've been hoping for all season.  Little did I know Mother Nature had a couple feet of snow in mind for Virginia.  After getting around 22 to 24 inches of snow in two days, I really started to think about how I should properly bundle up to venture outside.

 

 

Let's talk scarves!  When it comes to clothes, I tend to lean towards more neutral colors so I like to mix it up with a scarf.  Scarves can show your mood, the image you want to portray, and help brighten a dreary winter day.  Whether it be a casual day at the office, shopping with friends, a formal evening, or a day cozied up in a ski lodge, any of the below are perfect to keep warm in the wintertime!

1. Halogen Stripe Scarf, available at Nordstrom
2. Metallic Dot Scarf, available at J. Crew
3. Leith Stripe Scarf, available at Nordstrom
4. Pattern Mix Scarf, available at J. Crew



Boots are a definite must have for winter weather!

Whether you prefer to dress it up or look casual, these boots will definitely keep your feet dry, warm and toasty!

1. Frye Melissa Button Boot, available at Nordstrom
2. UGG Bailey Button Boot, available at Nordstrom
3. Hunter Original Tall Gloss Rain Boot, available at Nordstrom

 

Beat the winter weather blues by dreaming of somewhere warm!

 

 

 

 



Teriyaki Chicken Lo Mein

Chris has been craving Asian noodles for a while now.  When it came to dinner time last night, we were faced with left overs or going to Kroger to pick up ingredients for a recipe.  We quickly scratched the left overs idea and decided since it was Saturday night, we had time to cook together and enjoy a nice dinner.

Asian noodles it was.  Thanks to Pinterest, we found a recipe, adapted it a bit, and threw some teriyaki chicken on top. This turned out excellent, was the perfect serving size for two people, and will definitely be a repeat recipe in our house.  The lo mein pairs well with hot and sour soup.  I hope you enjoy just as much as we did!

INGREDIENTS:

Lo Mein:
14 ounces pre-cooked lo mein noodles
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 can Stir Fry Vegetables (carrots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, celery, bamboo shoots, baby corn, red bell pepper)
1/3 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons EVOO
Sesame seeds

Teriyaki Chicken:
3-4 thin chicken breasts
Teriyaki glaze/marinade (make sure it's the thick glaze)

DIRECTIONS:
1. To start the chicken, season with salt and pepper and heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Brown both sides of the chicken until no longer pink in the middle.
3. After the chicken is browned, brush on the teriyaki glaze and let it saute for a few minutes.  Flip the chicken and repeat the glaze.  The teriyaki glaze will start to thicken the longer it sits on the heat.
4. Combine the hoisin sauce with soy sauce in a small bowl and mix well.
5. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute the garlic, green onions, and red onions until aromatic.
6. Add the drained and dried stir fry vegetables and saute until brown.
7. Add the lo mein noodles and mix well with the vegetables.  After the noodles are lightly browned, add the mixture of soy sauce and hoisin sauce and stir well to coat.
8. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with the sliced chicken breasts.

Short & Sweet

This week has been one of the busiest weeks in a while.  Whether it was work or home, it seemed like there was always something to take care of.  Taking on new responsibilities at work during the same week that Chris and I were deciding rotation sites for the fall was definitely a whirlwind.  If I could think of a more compelling phrase to express how glad I am that it's finally Friday, I would use it right now.  But at the end of this crazy busy week, all I can think to say is TGIF!

I've recently finished reading Nicholas Sparks' The Wedding.  Just like all of his other books, it was a tear jerker.  The ending had a twist that I never saw coming.  Definitely a must read for anyone who has enjoyed his books in the past or is looking for a real life love story.

A couple weeks ago I saw a commercial for Dole Fruit Smoothie Shakers.  Their marketing department would be proud of this consumer - 2 days later I went and bought 4 of them to try out for the week.  These are a must have for anyone who enjoys a healthy start to the day.  They have frozen yogurt and real fruit beads that you mix with juice, I choose orange juice.  Just shake for a minute and you have a delicious smoothie.

With all of the Super Bowl commercials that were aired on Sunday, Budweiser definitely took the prize in my book for most touching.  Both of their commercials made me cry almost instantly.  If you haven't seen the 5 minute making of the "Heroic" commercial, I urge you to watch it.  Although I do not have an immediate family member or close friend in the military, two of my friends are married to military men and I cannot imagine the feeling of joy they have when their husbands return home from a deployment.

When you think you've had enough and are about to blow...

Joyful versus Jittery

One thing that being in the real world has taught me is there is such a thing as being joyful and jittery at the same time.  Starting my first real job two years ago and shortly later moving to a different state are milestones that have taught me so much.  Both of them were unbelievably exciting and terrifying at the same time.  Your first real job out of college teaches you a lot.  My first thought was excitement, then the thought crossed my mind of why in the world would someone trust me, I had no experience.  Moving to a different state just a few months later was again, exciting.  The jitters set in around the time that I was taping up my last box.  Most recent college graduates experience these feelings, may be in different situations, but the feeling of being both joyful and jittery at the same time is something you can't really explain.  It's one of the best feelings, not knowing what the future holds, but being 100% ready to take it on.

Chris is finishing up his second year of medical school which means it's time to pick out rotation sites for this coming fall.  It seems like they range from sunny Virginia Beach to the mountains in North Carolina.  I had a feeling that rotations would be scary.  It's also very exciting when I think that he will actually be seeing patients and treating them alongside a doctor.  This is the reason we moved to Virginia, for him to learn how to become a doctor and it's truly exhilarating when I see him suit up in his white coat with stethoscope in hand.

The next two years definitely will be the epitome of joy and jitters.  Two years of rotations, interviewing at residency programs, looking at possible towns to spend another four years in, searching for jobs and apartments, moving to a different location…all sum up to one more great adventure together.

Adventures are meant to be joyful and jittery.  They are supposed to give you those little butterflies in your stomach and make you giddy.  I know both of us are ready to see where the next couple of years will lead us.