Vacation Day 7 & 8: Shopping and Rangers Opening Day

Justin and I decided to go in to the Metroplex a day earlier than the Rangers game in order to shop. And shop we did! We dropped Mandi off at Doggy Day Camp and went straight to The Parks Mall in Arlington. There I bought our Rangers shirts, new shoes, and some much needed capris. (for some reason all of my capris from last summer had holes in them!) From The Parks Mall we drove to IKEA in Frisco. As usual, this was a long and painful excursion. I love IKEA, but that place just wears you down! (in retrospect, this shopping trip was way more horrible now that I've realized I bought the wrong sized kitchen shelves!)

(My first pair of Toms!)

Justin surprised me to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory after a long day of driving/shopping. I had never eaten their before and loved every bit of it! I ordered the seared salmon. Delicious! We topped dinner off with a slice of Godiva cheesecake. It was a nice end to a tiresome day.

Friday was Texas Rangers' Opening Day 2011!! We got up early and drove back to Arlington for the tailgate. There we were able to see our family and some friends from last year's Opening Day. The sun was beating down on us and made for an unseasonably hot Spring day. Justin and I ate hot dogs, chips, fruit salad, potato salad, chocolate, nachos, and popcorn! The Rangers won and all was well!

(Katie, Justin, and me at the tailgate.)

(Justin eating his hot dog!)

(Opening ceremonies at the game.)

(Larry's seat, the only one with shade!)

I enjoy spending time with Justin's family and taking part of their Opening Day traditions. We are always sad when we have to go back home.

Vacation Day 6: Blue Bell Creamery and Bluebonnets

Today Justin and I visited the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham, TX. This is something that I have wanted to do for a long time! We took a tour inside the creamery to discover exactly how Blue Bell ice cream is made. Unfortunately, no cameras were allowed on the tour so our pictures are all outside the creamery. :(

(The two of us in the garden area outside the creamery.)

(A statue outside the creamery.)

The tour was about forty-five minutes long and included a short film, walk through the creamery, and a scoop of ice cream from the parlor. On the walk within the creamery, you get to see Blue Bell ice cream being made, packaged, and frozen. It was neat to see what flavors they were making today! (Dutch Chocolate, Banana Split, Moolinium Crunch, and Homemade Vanilla--yum!) I was a little disappointed to see that they had stopped making ice cream sandwiches for the day.

Employees at Blue Bell have the saying, "Eat what we can and sell the rest." They do just that! The break room is filled with all sorts of Blue Bell goodness that the employees can have while at work. There was a commercial being filmed today and they had all sorts of ice cream snacks for the film crew. At the end of the tour, we got to partake in some ice cream ourselves. You can choose whatever flavor you want of the ten or so they have available! Justin and I both chose Caramel Kettle Crunch which is vanilla ice cream with caramel and chunks of caramel covered kettle popcorn. Delicious! This ice cream was once sold in stores, but is no longer being made. So sad.

(Caramel Kettle Crunch)

Everywhere we go, people love Larry. Naturally, the tour guide gave Larry some Homemade Vanilla ice cream so as not to be left out! He love it!

(Larry eating Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.)

After the tour, we sought out a field of bluebonnets to take pictures in. Luckily, we found this one that was on our way back home!

(The two of us in the bluebonnets.)

Next door to the field, was Trapper's Cabin Gallery which had a really eat looking tree. We took some pictures there too!

(The two of us in the tree.)

(The two of us making silly faces in the tree.)

(Justin Romack or Edward Cullen--you decide.)

Today was fun! I love making memories.

Vacation Day 4: A Visit to East Texas

Yesterday we went to East Texas to visit with our family and friends. At first, the drive was dark and dreary, but as soon as we got into Lufkin the clouds cleared and the sun came out! The azaleas and pine trees were beautiful.

We went to Cafe Del Rio with my parents for lunch. It was nice seeing them and catching up. I will have to say, Cafe Del Rio is no longer the best in my eyes. The atmosphere is different now to me. Is it just me or is it darker in there? I could barely see my food! The waitress was excellent and the food was good. Nothing compared to Chuy's though. So that's it. I no longer miss Cafe Del Rio.

Since we bought a new dining room table, we had to return the other table to Justin's parents. Justin worked on their computer which is kind of a tradition of us visiting them. :)

In the evening, we drove to Nacogdoches to visit Justin Pohlmann, Shay Pohlmann, and Jeremy Petticrew. I love those guys and it was a blast hanging out with them. I miss spending more time with them. We all ate at Jimmy Johns which is a nice addition to Nacogdoches. That is the first sandwich restaurant for Justin to enjoy! We probably stayed too late visiting, doing a crossword puzzle, watching the dogs play, and looking at pictures, but we had an awesome time.

The drive back wasn't bad. We got in late, but were able to sleep in this morning. Now it's time for a super lazy day...

Vacation Day 2 & 3: Dog Park, Grilled Fish, and Sunday

We spent most of Saturday morning sleeping in and relaxing. Our main goal of the day was to take the dogs to the Dog Park. I ate my Chuy's leftover shrimp taco and we were eventually out the door to the park.

It was a beautiful warm, sunny day for the Dog Park! Of course, because of that, everyone else was at the park as well. Larry trailed the fence most of the time and attempted occasionally to be a "real dog" and run with the pack. Mandi was by our side the entire time. She was obsessed with the tennis ball and only wandered away when she wanted to intercept another owner's game of fetch with their dog. (This forced me to "fetch" the ball myself and apologize to the owner when returning it.)

After forty-five minutes of fun out in the heat, we were ready to go back home and get some water. Before this though, Mandi took it upon herself to go swimming for the first time! So, home we went with two stinky dogs. They were tired though!

(Mandi's horribly wet paw.)

(Larry in sleep mode.)

For dinner we had grilled tilapia, mashed potatoes, and broccoli! I really enjoy having a gate on our patio because the dogs can join Justin when he's grilling. I also like how the sun is out longer now, so it is easier for us to do things like grill. It was delicious and fun!

Today, we got up early and made a trip to Temple for Justin to play with Adam Fischer at Vista Community Church. I always enjoy last part of the trip when the sun is rising over the farms. The church services went well and it wasn't long before we were on our way back home.

(Justin tuning his snare.)

As soon as we got home, we ate lunch and then took a looooong nap! Not as long as we've logged in the past, but definitely longer than we have a in a while. No worries though, it's not like I have to go to bed early to go to work tomorrow! Next up, was a quick workout at the gym. NOT fun since we have been out of practice. (We hope to fix that this week.)

And now I am sitting and listening to a baby monitor for our friends Ross and Cheyanne. What a relaxing weekend! A little bad news from the weekend though: we noticed Mandi was limping and saw that she ripped her pad. We think it was from the Dog Park. So now she is wearing a makeshift bandage so she doesn't lick it.

(Justin's handiwork--and a poor pitiful dog.)

~~~~

Here's to a great week ahead!

Vacation Day 1: A Walk, Dinner, and a Movie

I could have ran to my car when I got off of work yesterday! This past week was so stressful and made me realize how much I need to develop a plan to deal with stress so it doesn't bother me for long periods of time. Plus, it's just not healthy to be stressed so many days out of the week. And over things I cannot control! So, to say the least, I was very happy for Friday.

I plan to post what we do each day of our "Spring Break". I might miss a couple days, but don't worry, chances are all we did was sit around in our underwear anyway. Can I count the weekends as part of our vacation when I normally get that off? I will. It makes me feel better.

(Mandi, our dog, in the front yard and ready for a w-a-l-k!)

After I got home and voiced my anguish from the horrible week, Justin and I decided to take the dogs on a walk. Mandi was very excited because we haven't been on regular walks since Larry's knee surgery. I brought my new camera to practice taking pictures.

(Justin's shoe and Larry's paw--they are a team.)

Although short, the walk was nice. The fresh air was what I needed after I got over the initial frustrations of figuring my camera out. (It has been so long since I took the photography class that I've forgotten everything.)

After the walk, Justin and I went to dinner at Chuy's. We were going to go to Texas Roadhouse, but that place is crazy every.single.night. Chuy's is awesome though! It is our replacement for Cafe Del Rio, a mexican food restaurant in Lufkin that we will forever miss. The employees at Chuy's always greet us when we walk in, knows Larry by name, gives us seats to wait in, offers a braille menu to Justin, and makes awesome food. You should definitely go the the College Station Chuy's when you get a chance!

We ate on the patio which is the perfect place for conversation, and we can sit closer together. Plus, the weather was great for outside eating!

Whitney and Josh Taylor, our neighbors, invited us to see Limitless with them at, get this, the 11:30 showing! I am an early to bed, early to rise kind of girl. We had a great time and I didn't fall asleep during the movie not once!

Limitless was kind of a "trippy" movie that included romance, action, disgusting bodily fluids, and suspense. Overall, it was a good movie. I recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind weirdness.

First day of vacation down...nine more to go!

Vacation Time...almost

As soon as I walk out the doors of the Physician's Centre tomorrow, I will be embracing something that is very foreign to me--a week of vacation! I haven't had a full week of vacation since our honeymoon and I am excited to be able to sleep in and watch daytime television.

The past several weeks have been stressful for the both of us. Now that we both have jobs, we tend to get a little carried away with the going-ons of our work life. Plus, I work at an allergy clinic and allergy season is in full swing. The weeks ahead will be busy, long, and stressful. It will be refreshing to enjoy non-stop togetherness next week in preparation for the chaos.

We aren't completely sure what every day will hold, but I plan to take pictures and update you on any fun things we do.

Before vacation, I must get through one more day at work. One.more.day.

Life in Bryan: Entertainment

The BCS area has a small town feel, but is packed with so many fun things to do! Justin and I have tried our best to experience a little bit of everything this past year. I can't wait to see what else we discover this upcoming year.

Movies

Since living here, Justin and I have watched so many more movies than we every have! Yes, Nacogdoches/Lufkin had a movie theater, but the tickets weren't $4.50 for a nighttime movie. (HELLO! What a good deal, right?) No longer will we wait for a movie we absolutely want to see to hit DVD. This, my friends, is a perk. Should I mention that we are still using our SFA student id's? Is that bad?

Broadway

That's right, BROADWAY! One day I heard an advertisement on the radio for the Beauty and the Beast broadway show in OUR town. Oh my, when I heard this I was dropping major hints for Justin to take me. He did, of course, and it was amazing! I have always been very partial to anything Disney and have loved theater most of my life. I got teary eyed just hearing the opening song which sounded IDENTICAL to what I've heard on the movie since I was little. It was beautiful. It was perfect. And it was all just three minutes from my house.

Recently, a co-worker had a spare ticket to Mama Mia, which she offered to me. I had never seen the movie and I'm very happy the live performance was my first time to see the story. I loved every bit of it even though I sat by myself. The best part is the end where the entire theater is turned into a huge disco party! I suggest that you see this show if you can.

Aggie Sports

We definitely jumped on this bandwagon too late, in my opinion. You have not experienced a sporting event until you've gone to an Aggie game. The yells, signs, and straight up Aggie spirit makes for a fun time no matter what the outcome is. (Of course, we'd ALL prefer when the Aggies win.)

I recently went to an Aggie basketball game. Justin and I took his brother, John, and sister, Katie. We bought our white Aggie shirts and enjoyed the game! I can't wait to go to a football game this fall! Justin is at the SFA vs ATM baseball game as I type. I'm most definitely jealous!

~~~

I can't wait to see how many more new experiences I have this upcoming year!

Life In Bryan: Our Living Quarters

When we were looking to move to Bryan, we had a difficult time finding a place to live. We couldn't decide if a house would be the best thing for us, but we would have loved to move in one! Unfortunately, most of the houses in Bryan that were in our price range, were not in a decent location. Justin and I had fallen in love with the neighborhood another band member was in, so we rented the two bedroom/one bath town home next door to him.

The two of us are notorious for living in a place and not making it "our own". In Nacogdoches, it was a year before we hung up any pictures! I'm just always so scared I'll mess something up, that I don't do anything at all. Now that we have been here for almost a year, we have decided to make this place feel like home. In the past two weeks we have managed to:

1) Fix the front door from leaking air (by hanging our renewal notice over their heads)

2) Attach a gate to our back patio (again with the renewal notice...)

3) Replace broken blinds (yes, the leasing agency did this too)

4) Hang vertical blinds on the sliding door (that's all us...no more hot/cold living room!)

5) Buy a new dining room table (the other was a hand-me-down that was on it's last leg)

6) Tear down the TACKY wallpaper in the bathroom and paint it to match everything else in the house (special thanks to my brother-in-law, Nick)

I see picture hanging, curtains, and plants in our future! All this to say, I really like where we are right now. Although I never imagined us to be in a place without a backyard so long, I really like our home. I like to continue to make this place our home too.

We've decided to stay here for at least one more year (most likely more) to take advantage of the cheap rent and to save as much as we can. And I'm okay with that.

Bridging the Gap

Over the last two weeks I've been thinking that I would really like to dust off this blog of mine. So many changes have happened over the last year. It would have been nice to journal each and every direction our lives have turned.

Here's the overview:

The Move

In April of 2010, we moved to Bryan, TX. We live in a town home that is tucked away in a quiet neighborhood that is, at the same time, surrounded by all sorts of fun things to do. I love it here. A park is just a walk away and our gym is just a walk away in the other direction. There is also a dog park right down the road where Mandi and Larry can run free!

Do you remember this post where I said there were some major changes coming up? Probably not. Well, go read it if you can't remember. The big change was moving here. Since Justin was so involved in Clairmont, we decided moving to Clairmont's home was the best decision. Plus, driving back and forth from East Texas was killer!

Since we've moved here, Justin has left Clairmont. You'll have to read all about that on his blog though. No matter why we originally moved here, I love that we are here now!

Work

Obviously, along with the location change came a new job for me. I got a job at a local allergy and asthma clinic as a front-end receptionist. It was tough at first because my trainer didn't really want to train me, there was a lot of employee drama, and I was just the new girl. Luckily, the office made several changes. The drama-ridden employees left, and we hired several positive people!

The most recent change was my promotion to Assistant Manager! I'm excited about this opportunity because I think I have mastered the receptionist role by now (5 years in the making) and look forward to learning something different.

Teaching

When we moved to Bryan I applied for the teaching program at Blinn College. (it is an awesome program!) I filled out the application, sent my records, collected references, and went through the interview process. I was excited about the opportunity to reach my goal of becoming a teacher despite the move away from SFA.

Unfortunately, the interviewing faculty members decided that I needed more professional experience in the public school system. I didn't make it and was crushed. This was now the third time this door was shut for me. There is no way I'd be able to make a living as a substitute teacher or teacher's aid in order to gain the needed experience. So for now, that door is shut.

A week or two after I received the letter of rejection, my office manager offered me the position of Assistant Manager. Today, schools here, and in the surrounding areas, are on hiring freezes, salary freezes, and giving bonuses to teachers who resign. I firmly believe that door was shut for a reason, and am okay with that now.

Justin

Shortly after Justin left Clairmont, he got a job as a social media marketer with our friend Ross who moved in to the town home behind us. This job has been a huge blessing for us, and is something Justin enjoys doing.

Justin has also played with various people, promoted different artists, and has made many friends in our community. He's been busy! To get more details, you must go visit Justin's blog, and read it for yourself!

~~~~~

And that catches you up to where we are now. Let's see where this goes...

Snow Day 2010

It actually snowed in East Texas! I'm used to it snowing, but never ever does it stick. Well, until Thursday night...

I knew there was a chance for snow. I was expecting the usual rain/snow mix that just looks pretty falling. Justin was out of town, so I was in my warm apartment watching a chick flick. After the movie I noticed there were a lot of voices coming from outside. I looked out and it was snowing! REALLY snowing!!


So naturally I get Mandi leashed up and go outside with everyone else. I learned very fast that it was dangerous to have Mandi outside with it as slippery as it was, so I put her back inside the apartment.

There were neighbors I've never met and children I never knew our complex had outside. Everyone was enjoying the snow in their own way with their own friends/family.

I admit, I was very sad Justin wasn't here to enjoy the snow with me. I know he hates to be wet and cold, but I love to experience "firsts" with him. Well, this *was* my first time to play in the snow so I wasn't going to let Justin's absence get me down! I decided to build a snowman.

Wow, it is kind of hard to build a snowman! That or I just lack the necessary skills. I tried to observe others' techniques, but they were able to gather snow 2x or 3x as fast as me. I had my mixing bowl and pink gloves on and gathered as much as I could.


Do you like him? Does he resemble a snowman in the least? He has a blank face because I couldn't stick the baby carrot in without his head falling off and the blueberries I had wouldn't stay in. I had to go back in because I was *freezing* and the snow had turned into rain. Yuck. I knew for sure the snow would be gone the next day.

Wrong again! While I was asleep it snowed more. I peeked out the window Friday morning to see this beautiful snowy day. I put my robe and my gorilla slippers on and let Mandi run around outside. My boss even called and said that I could have a Snow Day!


My Snow Day was wonderful! I played with Mandi outside for a while, opened the blinds to see the beautiful snow all day, and even made cinnamon snow cream! Now Justin can't give me a hard time for having our snowman wreath up in February--it snowed for Pete's sake!

A New Lifestyle

For a while now, I've been trying to change our lifestyle a bit towards the healthier side. My family has a history of obesity, heart disease and diabetes, so I really want to stay as healthy as I possibly can. I've never fooled myself into believing I could change everything all at once, but I feel like every baby step counts towards something.

Here's what I've (we've) accomplished so far:

-We have changed our diet. If you only knew how picky my husband is, this would surprise you! We have fully switched to ground turkey in place of ground beef. I just recently worked in whole wheat flour and hope to stick with it. I've been making a fruit smoothie every morning and eating veggies for snacks. We have slowly transformed our meals to healthier options. I'm proud of what we've done so far just because Justin is so picky!

-No Caffeinated Beverages...I'm the only one really trying to do this. No, I'm not saying I won't get a sweet tea from McDonald's every now and then, but I'm definitely trying to stick with water and Sprite Zero on most days! I want my energy to be real and not fake.

-Made ourselves more active. I'm not where I want to be regarding disciplined daily exercise. We have made a point though to be more active each day.

--THE GOAL--

I guess the main reason I'm putting this all down is because I want to see my/our progress. Maybe now that it's out there I'll be more convinced to wake up each morning early enough to exercise. :) I really have a strong desire to live a healthier lifestyle. I know I'll feel and look better. Plus, it's good to change our lifestyle now rather than when we have children who are used to eating one way and having to change it all around.

Filling in the Holes

I've noticed that most of my posts have been "updates". Just a list of things to document the events of my life that I've never filled you in on. I do this because I can't stand to have holes in my blog. I don't want to revisit this blog later in life only to wonder what happened in between "this" and "that".

In the last post, I filled you in on what happened during 2009. Guess what--I still have holes! This is February 2010, which means I now must update you on January. You'd be surprised at how much has changed!

Work...

I'm still the Assistant to Benefits at my company. I've learned the skills for the job and am no longer the "new person". Well, I'm still a new face, but I don't feel as though it is holding me back.

I've had many new opportunities through work. I am assisting our Corporate Trainer with leadership development which has been an amazing learning experience. I am also on a Wellness Committee which has given me a chance to get to know other leaders.

Teaching...

I still want to teach one day. Up until recently I had only one more test to take before getting into the PBIC program. Unfortunately, laws change too quickly and my 4-8 English/Language Arts/Reading certification is obsolete. *sigh* I have to be a generalist now which means I have to take a completely different test than I already took. Back to square one...

The good news is now I have no excuse, but to be certified in the level I want to be. (EC-6 Generalist) I was originally going the easier route.

Justin...

I'm not sure if you've heard, but Justin is now in a band called Clairmont. We've been traveling with them quite a bit lately and it was just announced that Justin is their drummer! You can read more about that here.

With this comes a lot of change. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for *THAT* update. :)

2009

Whoa! It's been awhile. Well, a year to be exact and we all know how
much can change in a year. So, in order to avoid making 2009 the
"forgotten year", I've decided to copy others' posts and make a list.

Ladies and gentlemen, 2009:

January:
My first month away from Anchor Radiology in two years. The job search
was on! I almost got a job as a surgery secretary, but they weren't
impressed with my longevity. Instead, I started my job as a front desk
receptionist at my in-laws' office! I started the daily commute from
Nac to Lufkin.

February:
We bought our first car in our very own name. (silver 2008 Honda Fit)
Justin was gone for gigs and I was home with Mandi watching gushy
romance movies.

March:
I graduated from Thomas Edison State College!

April:
This month was full of eye doctor visits for Justin and gigs. In
other words, we traveled a lot! Justin's family also hosted a
graduation party for me! I attempted to grow a tomato plant and
failed miserably. Justin went to a family reunion with me for the
first time.

The Blurr:
So, I'm debating whether this happened in April or May...it was all
one stressful blurr! We were in a wreck on the way home from the
Melton's house. The driver was intoxicated and our new car was
totaled! We walked away with just a few burns and bruises.

May:
We got our brand new car...again (red 2009 Honda Fit). Justin went to
see a specialist in Houston to hopefully find out why his vision is
decreasing. We learned there was very little that could be done.

June:
Justin and I went to the Texas Blueberry Festival for the first time!
There were many Justin-less days this month while he was on gigs.

July:
At the beginning of the month I was a bachelorette while Justin was on
a gig. I seriously searched for a job in Nacogdoches. I found out
that it would be easier to get in the PBIC teaching certification
program than I thought!

August:
I quit my job with the in-laws and started my new job as a Benefits
Assistant. Back in Nac! Justin and I also celebrated our 2nd Wedding
Anniversary with a weekend in Dallas. Unfortunately, it rained a lot.

September:
I fought the frustrations of being the "new girl" at work, cleaned the
house a lot, made homemade pizza and cinnamon rolls for the first
time, and accompanied Justin on a few gigs.

October:
We purchased our season passes to Six Flags, went to a U2 concert,
spent a lot of time on the road, studied for my Texes exam, and
survived massive amounts of rain.

November:
After weeks of studying I took the 4-8 English/Language Arts/Reading
Texes exam...and passed! On my way to being certified to teach!

December:
Justin graduated from SFA!!! This will be the first time in our entire
relationship that neither of us are in college. Weird.

Last Day at Anchor Radiology

Another big change that has happened in my life is the closing of Anchor Radiology, my place of employment. I was told in late August that as of December 30th I would no longer have a job. This bit of news came as a big shock to me because it seemed as though the drama of hospital politics had subsided, but unfortunately it had not.

So today was my last day working for Anchor Radiology and I have to admit that it was a very sad day for me. Not because I haven't had enough of the politics--cuz I have! Not because I'll miss working on the weekends--cuz I won't! And not because I love performing those tasks dealt to me because certain people are lazy--cuz I don't!

I'll miss Anchor Radiology because I loved the crazy mix of personalities the radiologists had:

Dr. Fit-He is a brilliant radiologist. I'm calling him Dr. Fit because he is the only doctor I know who his so concerned with his own personal health and fitness. Dr. Fit exercises daily and is a strict vegetarian. He doesn't mind reminding you that red meat will give you breast cancer and chocolate will make you more prone to Alzheimer's Disease--while you are eating those things. MSG's are his worse enemy. Dr. Fit is very fun to visit with and was a very kind boss.

Dr. Teddy Bear-He is the oldest in the bunch and is a generous radiologist who truly cares for people. Dr. Teddy Bear loves to eat and bought us food on Thursday's because that is when the doctors' lounge serves plain ol' sandwiches. When he dictates reports he is the only radiologist that sounds like a news anchor. Dr. Teddy Bear is a laid back individual who rarely gets excited. When he loses his pen he always blames it on the "dope fiends". Dr. Teddy Bear was a pleasure to work for!

Dr. Giant- He is SO tall! He speaks Spanish to his wife for fun, and travels all over the world. Raman Noodles became his favorite dish for lunch. Dr. Giant was the President of Anchor Radiology and my main boss. He had a huge heart and always took the time to talk to the patients. He fought for me and the techs when he had to because he said that we were one big family. Dr. Giant has such a big heart that he worries about everything in the department...EVERYTHING. Unfortunately, this characteristic often made him a little OC. He wanted everything to work well so the patients would benefit. Although he was annoyed with me sometimes and I with him, he ended up being a great boss.

Dr. Music-Many were scared of Dr. Music because of his gruff personality. I quickly discovered that he was a very caring person who realized hard workers when he saw them. He will tell you upfront if he does or doesn't like your work, which I admire. Dr. Music loved music of all kinds. I have never met someone who enjoyed so many different genres of music. Dr. Music was a rocker in his day and has passed his musical genes on to his son who plays wordly music. He tells stories of his younger days when he was a "ladies man" and all the people he's met along the journey of life. I will never forget his stories. Dr. Music is a Tennessee man through and through who loves to be in nature. He is also the more liberal one of the bunch.He encouraged me more than any other radiologist which may seem weird to those who thought he was mean. You just have to get to know him!

Working with Anchor Radiology taught me many things. I learned that not all adults are mature, and people rarely take pride in their work. I learned the different bones in the body. I realized that it is possible for people to work hard to get their dream career, and be miserable when in it. My eyes were opened to hospital politics which has changed my view of medicine forever. I now know how to choose what doctors I want for myself and which pediatricians I DO NOT want for my children. I learned how amazing radiology is and how it has changed healthcare.

Yeah, I'll miss those radiologists even though they griped a lot. It's weird when I think of all the time I spent with Anchor Radiology. Monday thru Sunday I would be working in the Reading Room. Anchor Radiology was the topic of conversation many times between Justin and me. We saw each other's faces a lot, and I'll miss everyone.

We'll see what happens next...

Thomas Edison State College

One change that has happened since my last post in August is that I transferred from Stephen F. Austin to Thomas Edison State College. I mentioned this in a previous post, but I had no idea how it was going to work then. Luckily, I only had to complete 19 hours of electives to be finished with my degree! The semester seemed like an uphill battle though because I had a lot of work to do in order to get those 19 hours.

I am proud to say now that I am FINISHED! Well, at least on my end. All the paperwork has to be approved for me to get my diploma in March, plus my "mentors" have yet to grade my work. I am praying hard that everything works itself out.

Overall I am happy with my decision to transfer to an online school. Like anything there are pros and cons.

PROS:
-I was able to finish my degree sooner which allowed me to avoid so many student loans I would have incurred.

-From my point of view the students are much more mature. I have taken online classes through SFA and the students there felt like they could speak to the instructor however they wanted because they weren't face-to-face. Thomas Edison's students were there because they wanted to learn...probably because they are older.

-Online classes force you to read the textbook, so I think I learned a lot more in these classes than I have in face-to-face ones.

CONS:
- I do not get a graduation ceremony. All of my college career I have looked forward to the day I would walk across that stage, so I am sad about that.

-I do not like to write! All of the work consisted of reading and writing. Boring.

-I missed the interaction between my classmates and professors. I felt that very little experience on the instructors part was incorporated into the class.

Now that I am basically a college graduate, I look forward to just working and coming home to my husband, not schoolwork. After I get my diploma I plan to start a program so I can earn a teaching certificate.

In summary...Thomas Edison State College is the real reason I haven't blogged and I am glad I transferred because I.am.finished...basically.

A WELCOME NOTE

Hi! Thanks for stopping by my brand new blog! I thought it was due time to convert my blog into a Romack one. :) Other than the name there aren't any differences in my blog.

During my 4 month blog hiatus there have been many changes in my life. I can't wait to update on those changes and keep you updated on life within the Romack house!

Stay tuned...

~Angela

What's Up

Yes I know that my blog has been lacking for a while. Now that the Fall semester has started I hope to get on top of things and post more regularly. At least school will force me not to ignore the computer once I get home. :)

For now I will give you an update with the going-ons of my life...

~As you know, Justin and I went to Austin not too long ago for our 1 Year Wedding Anniversary. We had a blast! There is so much to do there and we couldn't even do everything we wanted. Don't worry, I will do a couple posts on the trip soon. I don't care if it is "old news".

~In the last couple of months I have made some MAJOR decisions regarding my education. I am transferring from SFA to Thomas Edison State College. This seemed like the best decision in order for me to complete my degree in a timely manner. I will give you more details in the next week or so...just please pray for me as I make this big transition.

~This last week has been full of moving furniture, dusting, and other home repairs. We are trying to make the place more "home-y" since we are staying here for a while longer.

~I've been sick lately. I originally thought it was from the above dust--and dog fur! Nope. I just have a virus or something. I am feeling better now, but I think Justin might be getting it.

~This Friday Justin and I will be going to Dallas for his much delayed eye appointment. We are also going to see his PawPaw to get our teeth cleaned. (did I mention I'm scared of going to the dentist?!)

You should now be mostly updated. I'll be posting again soon...

The Dreaded Task

Is it just me or does this title sound like a chapter out of an adventure novel? "The Dreaded Task." If your answer is "yes", then good! Adventure novels always have the most dramatic titles to further illustrate how important the topic is AND the topic I will be typing about is very important.



Now you smarties out there might notice that I have a picture of groceries in the upper left hand corner of this post. You might think that you have me all figured out. That my "dreaded task" is grocery shopping. Aha! You do not have me all figured out so now you are forced to read on.



So I don't have a problem with grocery shopping. In fact, if given a list I LOVE to grocery shop! The cart traffic and screaming children really don't bother me. The free samples are a plus. And I don't mind going around in circles just to find one.stupid.tub.of.ricotta cheese!



Cooking isn't too big of a deal to me either. Although I admit that I usually avoid cooking for people other than my husband at all costs, I will cook for you if you give me constructive criticism only. Wait. Scratch that. I don't think I can handle any kind of criticism in that area yet. Let's just say that I will cook for you if you are willing to eat.



The only chore I dread more than dusting and fixing the sofa's slipcover is MEAL PLANNING. I want to be so organized and have things planned so well that I don't waste a freezer full of food. And to me, that is the hardest thing ever. I'm not creative enough to come up with fresh, new ideas for meals. I'm not disciplined enough to stick with the plans and use the ingredients. And I'm not talented enough to create my own meals off of the hodgepodge of ingredients and leftovers I have after going off the meal plan.



Today is grocery shopping day. Which means I should already have a grocery list planned out. And I don't. Because I hate it. Too bad we have to eat at some point.

Is there a specific chore that you dread the most?

Got any tips for meal planning?

Do you like to eat?

Bookworm

I remember the moment everything seemed to "click" when I first started reading. I would read every single sign to my mom when we drove down Timberland Drive. I'm sure it was annoying. Especially when I exclaimed, "Mom! That food place is Whatta-Burger not Water-Burger!" I read everything aloud. Once my older cousin, Justina, said, "Would you read in your head for once!"

My parents had a lot of books for us kids to read. And I really am greatful to them for that. I've always wanted to do the same for my children. When I was in middle school I started collecting children's books so that I could one day give them to my kids. Every time there was a Book Fair I'd buy one children's book.

Here are some of my childhood books. I don't have them, but I plan to one day!

[It's Not Easy Being A Bunny-Part of the PJ Funny Bunny Series]

[Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss]

[The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room]

[There's a Wocket in my Pocket by Dr. Seuss]

And let me tell you--nothing beats a good children's book! The gorgeous pictures, funny characters, and lessons taught are priceless. I read my fair share of "adult books", but I still enjoy reading short stories.

So I love to read. That is one reason why I've chosen to teach general education. I think it would be very rewarding to witness that turning point for a child. They come into your class not knowing how to read and leave reading all the posters and things on your walls. I know it may not be just like that. One can dream though! No matter what grade I get, I do hope to show them that reading is fun.

Take a walk down memory lane with me...

What was your favorite children's book?

My Friday

I have always enjoyed the "My Friday" posts over on the Todd Blog. How else can a girl find out what The Wrights are up to? Call? Email? Visit? Surely not...



Once a week you are guaranteed to find a post that's not about music, chicken sandwiches, or cool movies. And I like it! Some might find it stalker-ish, but I like to read about what people are up to. How was your day like? I don't want crazy details or anything...but there is something to say about how a person spends their free time. Anyway, that is why I like "My Friday" AND that is why I have decided to take Todd up on the My Friday Movement. That and I was put on the spot when Justin was talking to him on the phone.



Let me preface this by saying that my Fridays aren't full of free time. Friday is actually the busiest day in the radiology department. Therefore, I usually get home later than 5pm with not much time to have a whole list of cool things accomplished like sitting on my porcelain throne, a trip to the zoo, or a long drive back to Lufkin. So this shall be short and choppy...



I woke up later than I wanted to today. 8:50am to be exact. I showered, got dressed, took the dogs out, and sped off to work around 10:20am. (making sure to kiss my husband before I left...I think)



Work was slower than usual today, but still busy with PetCTs and all. I basically sat around listening to opera music, answered phone calls, listened to a lot of complaining, filled out paperwork, and surfed the internet all day. Oh, I had creamy chicken noodle soup for lunch and I have never noticed how disgusting it looks when it falls out of the can. Gross.



I got home around 5:30pm to a husband and two dogs that needed to go "busy". Wait, that sounds all wrong...Justin didn't need to go "busy", just the dogs. So we took them out, fed them, and planned our trip to Wal-Mart. At this point I was not in a good mood at all. I do.not.like. Wal-Mart after a long day of opera music. We bought big blinds to replace the ones on the patio door and a shower curtain liner. Big spendas!



After that we went to Taco Bueno. That is Justin's compromise with me. Because I love me some Taco Bell, but for some reason he disagrees with me.



We came home and ate our Bueno. We tidied the house up a bit. Then I freaked out because Mandi was playing with a baby lizard. I DO NOT LIKE LIZARDS! She killed it after ripping its' tail off. (which was still wiggling)



Drill Bit Taylor was the movie of the night! I liked it. I really wanted to see a drama tonight, but we were limited to Red Box picks only. :( The movie was slow at times...but I love watching any movie so it was fun!



And that was MY Friday!



TGIF. And now go watch some Boy Meets World for me!