Cucumber Peach Green Smoothie

I've tried green smoothies in the past, but I always seemed to make them too calorie laden. I mean, come on, a 600 calorie, non-meal replacement smoothie really isn't the best way to go. I recently had a few numbers come back higher than I'd like on some blood work so I got to researching what I could do easily and without much effort (just being honest) to get healthier. I don't eat McDonald's every day, I just don't want to give up my chips and Julio's salsa. :)

Anyway, one of the things I found was obviously eating more fruits and vegetables, and an easy way to eat all of that is in liquid form. (If you want to debate juicing vs blending, I'm not here to do that. I have a blender therefore I blend. Plus it's super easy to clean. Also, see laziness note above.) Thankfully I stumbled upon simplegreensmoothies.com which has great two-serving recipes that are yummy, easy to follow and simple to halve. I've signed up for the July 30 day challenge where they email you recipes for the week with a shopping list, and you make one green smoothie a day for 30 days. I'm impatient though, and didn't want to wait until July so I started my own daily smoothie regimen early last week. I'm twelve days in, day I'm loving it. I haven't gone too crazy experimenting with different greens or veggie/fruit combinations so I haven't had a smoothie yet that I had to just choke down.

All in all, I'm already feeling good at least about my increased fruit and veggie intake. I'm prone to hippie-leaning tendencies so I've even gone as far as adding a tablespoon of chia seeds to each smoothie. Did you know that one tablespoon has 11 grams of fiber?! No more rabbit food cereal for me in the mornings! I've also been making different/better choices during lunch and dinner which seems like progress. I'm planning on going back in 6-8 weeks to see if this one change has made much, if any, difference in my blood work numbers. For now though, I'm enjoying slurping my nutrients in the morning. One of my current favorites is a light, refreshing green smoothie made with cucumbers and peaches. It's delicious!

Cucumber Peach Green Smoothie

1 cup greens (spinach works great, so does kale)
1 cup water (if you like coconut water, use it here for a more tropical taste)
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1 small cucumber, sliced
1 banana
1 Tbsp chia seeds (optional)

Blend water and greens until smooth. Add other ingredients and blend. Enjoy!

Becoming a Nontraditional Medical Student - Part Four

So after a year-long hiatus from blogging I guess I have a bit of catching up to do. If you read Part One, Two, or Three, you might have been wondering what happened. Well, I didn't get in, not for the fall of 2013 at least - I ended up waitlisted at every school at which I interviewed. There was a chance I could have been accepted in May or early June, but since the Texas application opens in early May (and AMCAS in early June) I decided to go ahead and reapply. If I got accepted I'd only be set back a few hundred dollars, and if I didn't get accepted at least I'd have my application in early for the next go around.

Writing this a year after the fact, I'm able to gloss over how difficult it was not to get accepted the first go around. Many tears were shed to say the least. This process has shown me how rough waiting can be and how important it is to keep moving forward. Thankfully I'd spent my first application year volunteering and shadowing - things I wasn't really able to put on my 2013 application since I'd worked nonstop up until applying. I was, however, able to bolster my 2014 application and interviews by having those experiences.

I submitted both my TMDSAS and AMCAS applications the first day I was able, and I truly think that helped me this time around. Out of the 20 schools I applied to, I received early (August and September) interviews to three schools, two in Texas and one in Chicago. I was fortunate enough to receive an acceptance to the school in Chicago in October - I was going somewhere to med school! I was even more fortunate to receive an acceptance to my top choice, UTH, in mid-November. I was exiting HEB when I got the email. I most definitely fell against a giant pile of fireplace wood just outside the exit and started crying - I'm that girl. :) I received one more interview after that but was able to decline since I already had the acceptance I wanted in hand.

It has been a long road getting here, and I'm not sure I could be more excited/anxious/over-the-moon about starting school in two months. I have some nontrad application tips coming soon so make sure to stay tuned for that.

A New Start

After a year (time flies!) of not blogging, I've decided to begin again. I'm starting medical school in Houston in a little over two months which means moving farther away from family and friends, and I want a way for them to keep up to date. Plus, I'm just excited to chronicle life as we buy and move into our first home and as I start school. I'm hoping to post a few times a week so here's to beginning again - I hope you stick around!

Promises to Keep by Jane Green

Promises to Keep by Jane Green is another book I picked up from the bargain bin at Barnes and Noble. The story centers around two sisters who love each other yet could not be more different. One, Callie, is a grounded wife and mother of two who is a successful photographer while the other, Steffi, can't seem to remain in one place, at one job, with one man for any span of time. Since Steffi feels like she has finally found her calling as a chef, Jane Green interspersed delicious recipes after many of the chapters in the book. It is difficult to write a decent synopsis without giving too much away which would be an injustice for this novel. All you need to know is that Promises to Keep is a wonderfully written tale of two sisters and their love and devotion to each other. As a disclaimer though, if you're an emotional reader like me, I would read the last few chapters with a few Kleenex on hand. It's a worthy summer fiction read.

Your Journey

I don't know about you, but these words ring so true in my life. I think I need to begin reminding myself of this... often.

Memorial Day

Please thank a soldier today for their service. My brother is a captain in the Army, and I never fully appreciated our military personnel until someone I loved began putting his life on the line for me, you and everyone else in our nation. Regardless of whether you agree with our country's military strategy, thank a soldier. They fight for us, and they never seem to get the recognition they deserve. So on Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for all those who have served and given their lives for us, thank a soldier who continues to put you and our nation above themselves.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

I received State of Wonder by Ann Patchett in my Christmas stocking this past year. The story revolves around a Dr. Marina Singh, a pharmaceutical researcher, who is sent into the Amazon to try to find her colleague who has gone missing and is presumed dead. To find him though, she must face a woman from her past that she has tried to forget and deal with the emotions that go along with remembrance and forgiveness. Singh encounters all sorts of obstacles just trying to get to the Amazon and even more once she arrives. State of Wonder kept me turning the pages and wondering what would happen next. It is definitely a worthwhile read if you enjoy (not-so-distant) science fiction.

Adjust

A great, if often difficult reminder:

The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande

In The Checklist Manifesto, Atul Gawande presents what a checklist is, what it is not, and how checklists have improved the quality of performance in many different industries. From surgeons to pilots to world health outreach, Gawande outlines how checklists can be implemented and even includes a checklist for making checklists. Don't let the seemingly boring subject matter fool you - this is an entertaining book that will no doubt open your eyes to how you run your every day life as well as how various industries choose to operate. If you're looking for an easy yet intellectual non-fiction read, this is most definitely a book that should be on your (check)list.

Sewing Spaces

Not many people I know have enough room in their house for a dedicated sewing space, but a girl can dream, and I'd take any of the rooms below.

                                                               Modern Home Office by New York Architect Incorporated

                                              Eclectic Home Office by Santa Ynez Media And Blogs Going Home To Roost

                                                      Eclectic Home Office by Vancouver Media And Blogs The Locker

                                                                       Spaces by Other Metro saidosdaconcha.blogspot.com

Spicy Chick-Fil-A Cows

I couldn't believe what I saw driving down the highway the other day. Firefighting Chick-Fil-A cows that go up on a billboard! They were huge! So I did what any rational person would do and took pictures as I drove past.  :)

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

I picked up Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah from the bargain bin at Barnes and Noble, and it is hands down the best bargain book I've ever read. It's actually one of the best fiction books I've ever read. Winter Garden is the story of two sisters and their very different lives. As their ailing father passes away, they are left to deal with their eccentric and distant mother who has promised to tell them a story that will forever change their lives. It is a gripping tale of love, healing and the possibility of redemption even after years of hurt. I have lent this book to countless people for them to read, and I highly recommend adding it to your reading list and library.

Up by Jawbone - A Review

This is not a sponsored post. I simply have this product and want to share my opinions of it.

I purchased my UP by Jawbone three months ago. I'd been wanting a pedometer for a while, but I had yet to find one that fit my qualifications. First and foremost: it couldn't be a clip on model. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I cannot stand things clipped on my pants. It bothers me and makes me feel unprofessional. Plus where do I put it when I wear a dress? Some models you can clip onto your bra, but I have never been one to stash things in my bra nor it is cavernous enough in there for me to forget it's there. Actually, that was really my only qualification - I wouldn't be forced to clip it onto my pants or where it somewhere it doesn't belong.

When I read about the UP I was intrigued. It's a bracelet? That tracks my steps, and my sleep, and is a place where I can log other activities and my food? Of course, you have to use the app for most of that, but the app is free and has a great user interface. After reading more about it I knew that I wanted it, but due to it's decently high cost ($130) we decided I would think about it for a few weeks. If I still wanted it after that time I could get it. (Sometimes I have a tendency to really want things, but a week later I couldn't care less. We put this policy in place to counteract that. Lars has the same rule for himself so it works out nicely.)

Now that I've been living daily with my UP for two months, here are some observations:

• I am often amazed by how few (and sometimes how many) steps I walk in a day. It's not as easy as you'd think to get in the recommended 10,000 steps. If I'm working all day at my desk even if I work out 45 minutes I sometimes don't get in all of my steps. On the other hand, I volunteer at a hospital in town, and there are days I'll walk all 10,000 steps in one three hour shift. It just really depends. 
• I usually walk and strength train for my exercise. The app has about 15 various exercise activities that will satisfy most people's tracking needs. If you do some obscure form of exercise just know that you might have to choose "other" for tracking your daily exercise.
• I love the food tracking aspect of the app. Yes it takes a bit to add your foods to the food library, but if you're anything like me you often eat the same things (at least for breakfast and lunch) so it's not that difficult. It's been interesting to see how the nutritional value of the foods I make at home once I put the recipe ingredients into UP.
• On the food aspect, my main issue is that the app sets your nutritional daily values for you without really taking anything into account but your height, weight and gender. It has my daily carb intake set to what is in the middle range of a low carb diet. I am not on a low carb diet so when I look at my overall day, it always tells me that I'm over my carb limit. 
• To be fair, on days I eat a decent amount more carbs than others I have noticed that I don't feel on top of my game. Although I still eat more than 100g of carbs a day, I feel better on the days I don't eat 250g of carbs. I might not have noticed that without my UP tracking it.
• You have to press the button to put it in sleep mode so I've forgotten a few times, but it is amazing to have data validating a good (or bad) night's sleep.

All in all, I am very satisfied with my UP, and I would definitely purchase it again.

Envelope Clutches

I'm currently obsessed with envelope clutches. Surely I'm not the only one who thinks that a normal-sized clutch is just too small. I mean, how am I supposed to fit all my essentials in a bag that barely fits my phone and some chapstick? An envelope clutch easily solves that problem and fits everything I could possible need.

Envelope Clutches by awmc56 featuring pink clutches

Pushing Motherhood

I know that each one of us are at different stages in our lives, and I'm in the stage where it seems like everyone around me is getting pregnant with their first, second, and even third child. We're in a day an age where sometimes motherhood chooses us when we least expect it, but we're also have so much more control over when we choose to have children than women did even just fifty years ago. The question that plagues me (and maybe some of you) is when is the "right" time? I know, I know. There's never a right time, but we still try to get as close to that ideal time to begin motherhood as possible. What has resulted is a nation of women who are delaying motherhood (for better or worse), and that's the idea behind the aptly titled documentary "Pushing Motherhood".


FILM SUMMARY: Pushing Motherhood is a documentary about Sybil and Linda, best friends on the road to becoming mothers later in their reproductive lives. We follow the two women as they unpack the reasons why they waited so long, and discover both the costs and benefits of deferring motherhood into what medical professionals call “advanced maternal age.”  (from Kickstarter) 

I personally can't wait to see the film, and I hope they're able to receive full funding to complete production. What do you think? Are you waiting or did you choose not to delay motherhood?

Window Design

I've been seeing a number of interesting and beautiful window designs lately. I'm a total sucker for great windows - whether it's leaded glass, stained glass, or just a different design. I love natural light!

                                    Traditional Living Room by San Francisco General Contractor Upscale Construction

                                                Contemporary Entry by Chicago Architect SPACE Architects + Planners

                                           Spaces by South San Francisco General Contractor Dijeau Poage Construction

                                                  Traditional Kitchen by Saratoga Springs Design-build Witt Construction

Bright Sandals

Perfect for summer don't you think?

Bright Sandals by awmc56 featuring leather shoes

Worn on TV

Do you ever wonder where Jess from New Girl got that awesome dress she wore last episode? How about the jacket Mindy Kaling wore on The Mindy Project back in January? I do. ALL THE TIME. I finally ran across a great site called Worn On TV. They find either the exact match for an outfit or find pieces that are close to a match. They do this for 20+ TV shows. I only wish they had one for the character of Angela on Bones. Seriously though, go check it out. It's what I've always wanted but never had the time or the patience to compile myself.

White Kitchens

I have yet to be able to have a white kitchen - you can't exactly paint the cabinets in a rental. I just love the crisp simplicity of an all white kitchen. Along with some great windows, it adds a freshness to a home, don't you think?

                                            Contemporary Kitchen by San Francisco Architect Feldman Architecture, Inc.

                                           Contemporary Kitchen by Portland Architect Alan Mascord Design Associates Inc

                                                          Traditional Kitchen by Flemington Architect Pickell Architecture

                   Contemporary Kitchen by Greenville Interior Designer Linda McDougald Design | Postcard from Paris Home

                                                       Modern Kitchen by Toronto Interior Designer Croma Design Inc

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

I stole this book off of my brother's Christmas list this past year, and after my parents purchased it for me, my mom even bought herself a copy. Charles Duhigg, in The Power of Habit, writes a compelling case for how habits work, how we form habits (both with and without conscious thought), and how we can change our habits even when it seems impossible. Duhigg includes a number of anecdotal stories such as why Americans began using toothpaste after centuries of deeming it unnecessary. And no, it's not because we wised up and realized it was better for our health to brush our teeth - you'll be amazed at what the reason really is. There's plenty of hard science in the book to satisfy those who want to know where in the brain habits form and how they do so. However, the book is not bogged down with so many statistics and scientific jargon that it would keep anyone from enjoying and learning from it. If you have any interest in why we do what we do, day in and day out, and how we can alter our own habits, The Power of Habit is a fantastic read.