A Weekend in Lexington

Hey y'all! Can you believe it is already August 1st? Where has the summer gone? I spent May - June studying for the NAPLEX, and Tyler has spent June - July studying for the bar exam. Last weekend we took a trip to visit his mom and Kip in Kentucky, and it was the first time we had gotten to just hang out and relax together the entire summer (well, that's what it feels like to us anyway lol). We had a wonderful trip! When we arrived, we headed straight to dinner at a local favorite, Malone's. They have the most amazing salad there. It is called the Lexingtonian, and it is to die for! I had salad, a filet, and mac and cheese. You just can't go wrong with that dinner choice y'all!

After dinner, the boys headed back to the house while Rhonda and I did a little shopping. We went into Ulta to look around, and then we went to Bath and Body Works. I'm not sure if it is still going on now or not, but while we were there, the 3-wick candles were buy one get one (and y'all KNOW I got one.. okay two LOL). They also had their wallflowers on sale for 5 for $18, so naturally I got five of those as well. I am a sucker for a good sale. Not to mention, they had out all of their fall scents! I'm sharing what I picked up below. Also, if you signed up for coupons via email, you should have a $10 off of $30. Run don't walk to the nearest Bath and Body ladies!

These are my all time favorite fall scents. The Pumpkin Pecan Waffles is my absolute favorite! 

I like to have the same wallflower scent as the candle I'm burning, so I got the same two scents as above. Also, I picked up this adorable white pumpkin wallflower plug in. I think the next time I buy new fall decor I'm going to go with muted colors of grey, cream, and light green/blue instead of the typical browns, reds, oranges, and greens.

These images were borrowed from the Bath and Body Work's website.

After we picked up our new fall scents, we headed back to the house and spent the evening watching TV together and talking. The next morning Rhonda and Kip cooked us a big breakfast. We had bacon, sausage, eggs, and biscuits. After we got cleaned up, we went on The Tour of Homes. We got to see new model homes and some homes that are currently being lived in all throughout Lexington. Some of these houses were over a million dollars and were huge mansions. I loved getting to see all of the detail put into these homes, the high design, and the decor. Just a heads up, wallpaper in the powder room looks like it is going to be the new hot trend LOL 

After the tour, we went back to the house and grilled out. We had hot dogs, pasta salad, and baked beans. We loved our visit with Ty's family! It was long overdue! I'm so glad the timing worked out that we both had some days off so we could make the trip. 

On the way home I had to get a strawberry lemonade from Wendy's.. it is my current obsession. If you haven't had one yet, you MUST try it! I don't want to know how much sugar is in it though LOL

It stormed off and on during the trip, but I was able to capture this beautiful rainbow! 

Now that we are both working again, it is time to get back into our normal routine. Today I went to the grocery store for the first time in forever. We needed to stock up on a lot of things, which I always hate to do because it ends up being so expensive. Instead of aimlessly going up and down the aisles at the store, I decided to sit down and make a list. I referred to a cookbook my grandmother got me called Quick and Easy Dump Dinners. All of the dishes in this book can be made using one pot or casserole dish! I love the idea of cooking a home cooked meal for dinner even when I don't have a lot of time. I thought I would share with y'all some of the meals I picked out to cook over the next couple of weeks. By writing out my ingredients, I saved time and money. I shop at Kroger, so I went to the website and found coupons for any items I had on my list. These automatically load onto your Kroger card and are applied at the register when you check out. Plus, I can build up Kroger points to get money off of my gas. Today I got 20 cents off/gallon! Everything I got today will feed Tyler and me for several weeks. We eat out some during the week, but I usually try to cook for dinner as often as possible. We also eat leftovers, but I know some people don't like to do that. A lot of the ingredients in these recipes you can already find in your pantry.  

Italian Stir Fried Chicken and Veggies

1/4 cup Italian dressing

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 bag frozen Italian style veggies

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

hot cooked rice

Best Baked Ravioli 

1 bag frozen ravioli (I use cheese and spinach combo)

1 jar marinara sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups baby spinach

parmesan cheese

Chili Mac

1 pound lean ground beef

3 cups hot water

1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)

1 envelop of chili seasoning

1 box of elbow macaroni

Velveeta cheese slices 

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Chicken breasts

1 pound baby red potatoes

1/2 pound baby carrots 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon of your favorite seasonings (I like garlic powder)

Oh So Easy Chicken Dinner

4-6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

1-2 cans of green beans

2-3 potatoes, cubed

1 packet of Italian dressing mix

1 stick of butter, melted with 1 teaspoon of Lawry's Seasoned Salt

Some of these ingredients I already had on hand, but I did have to pick up a few things at the store to make these meals. I also picked up light vanilla almond milk (for our protein shakes) and some stuff to make salads for lunch (lettuce, pepperoni, shredded Italian blend cheese with croutons and a little ranch dressing makes for a delicious lunch!) By making the list according to recipes, I ended up buying things to make meals for the upcoming weeks instead of random items that I might end up not using. I thought I would share the ingredients for the recipes I plan on trying. If y'all try any of these and change up any of the recipes, let me know! I love finding new things to try!! While typing this blog, I have dinner in the crockpot. One last quick and easy meal I love is BBQ chicken. I put two chicken breasts in the crockpot, a small can of pineapple (chunks), and half of a jar of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. In just a couple of hours you'll have a delicious dinner ready! Until next time.. Take care y'all! 

Blessed

"Fear though not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." -Isaiah 41:10

Last Thursday, my sister was on her way to stay with me for a couple of days. We were going to lay out by the pool and just relax. I was sitting in my bathing suit talking to Kelly on the phone when my mom beeped in. She was calling to tell me that my papaw was being admitted to the hospital through the emergency room. I panicked. I would like to think that in an emergency situation I would be able to compose myself and do whatever needs to be done at that point in time. I am just not that person. I knew I needed to get over to the hospital quickly, but I couldn't process how. Tyler told me to get out of my bathing suit and into some regular clothes, and then he drove me to the hospital. I called my mamaw on our way over, and I could tell in her voice she was very upset and nervous. I didn't know what to expect when I got over to the hospital. I took the elevator up to the third floor and cautiously walked into my papaw's room only to find him standing up and walking. What a relief! They ended up sending him straight up to his room as opposed to making him check in through the ER which surely would have been a long, drawn out process. His room was gigantic and very nice! My mamaw was sitting in a chair in the room with him, and her little hands were furiously shaking. You could tell that it was a big surprise to both of them that he had to be admitted that day. 

They had initially gone over to get images taken of his heart after he had a not so great stress test performed. His regular heart doctor of over twenty years was out of the country, so papaw was being cared for by one of his colleagues. At the time, this really stressed us out. The new doctor was wanting to do a heart catheterization on my papaw - a procedure his regular doctor had been trying to avoid for ten years. We were all very nervous and worried. The family spent the day together laughing and talking at the hospital. Papaw felt fine, and we were just trying to keep everyone's spirits up. That night around nine, Kelly and I told papaw goodnight and left to go home. As soon as we walked out of his room, we both burst into tears. I had been fighting it all day, and I know poor little Kelly had been too. We were very nervous, worried, scared, sad, upset, anxious.. you name it, we were feeling it! 

The next morning we headed over to the hospital bright and early to see him before the heart catheterization. The doctor had a talk with us and explained the heart cath was an absolute must. He had seen a blockage on the images that he didn't like. He said we would discuss further options after he does the heart cath. That tells me he was expecting to have to put in a stent or do another procedure. Before papaw was taken back to be prepped, we all gathered around him, held hands, and prayed. My uncle Freddie led the prayer, and tears filled my eyes as he was praying. I felt God there with us. 

They took papaw back, and the long wait began. After several hours, they called us back to speak with the doctor. He wasn't saying anything, so my mamaw asked, "IS HE OKAY?!" The doctor said the procedure went fine........ (I was expecting a big BUT here). The blockage was minimal and much less serious than what he had thought. That's God, y'all! We know the blockage had to have been bad because: 1) They wouldn't let him leave the hospital the day before. They told him it was possible that if he went home for the night he could have a heart attack and die. 2) They obviously saw something they thought was very bad for them to have done the heart catheterization. I explained to his new doctor that his regular doctor wanted to avoid the heart cath at all costs. The doctor said he understood that but this was an absolute must. He wouldn't have done that if he thought it was something minor. 3) He was preparing us for another procedure. He kept saying after the heart cath I will come out and discuss the options. He was planning on putting in a stent. 

We all prayed so hard. I do believe that God touched my papaw that day. A quote from one of my favorite movies, The Notebook, says it best: "Science only goes so far, and then comes God." Studying in the science and medical field, educators teach you that there is a reason for everything. One thing causes another. This treats that. As a pharmacist, I take that knowledge and apply it as best as I can. As a Christian, I know there is more to it than just what they teach us in school. I also apply that knowledge daily! 

We are all so fortunate that our sweet papaw is going to be okay! My mom hosted a dinner for the family last night to celebrate papaw's health and to spend some time together. She had steaks, mashed potatoes, million dollar spaghetti, french bread, cornbread salad, two desserts, and some crab legs especially for papaw. They're his favorite! It was so great getting to spend time with everyone! We love our papaw so very much, and now I know to cherish any time we get to spend with each other. Thank you Jesus for taking care of my sweet pap and keeping him here with us. Papaw told me he prayed to God to just be with him throughout this and that His will be done. I told pap that I prayed for him to be healed and to get to stay here with me LOL That made him laugh! Papaw was my first baby sitter, my Bible story teller, my advice giver, and my comforter. He has always been there for me throughout my entire life. God blessed me by making him my grandfather! I love you Pap! 

A Walk Down Memory Lane

We are so happy to be spending time with our Pap at mom's cookout! We matched perfectly and didn't even plan it!

Summer Lovin'

Hey y'all! I wanted to do a quick blog post since I have some free time before I go to work today. As most of you know, I passed my boards and have been training over the last week and a half with my employer. My training period is almost over, and I will actually be working on my own for the first time this weekend. To say I am nervous would be the understatement of the century, but I know the best way to learn is to jump right in and do it! I am absolutely loving going to work everyday.. I know what you're thinking since I've only been at it for about two weeks, BUT working will beat sitting at home studying all day every. single. time. 

Unfortunately, Tyler is still stuck at home studying for the bar exam, which he will take soon. Prayers would be appreciated! I still say it was by the grace of God that I got through my exams. I was prepared, but I have pretty bad test anxiety. I studied the entire prep book, but the morning of the exam was a disaster! I got myself so worked up. When I sat down to take the test, I said a prayer and asked God to just be with me and help me to calm down so I can read and understand the questions being asked. I know it was because of Him that I got through that! 

Since I've been working, Ty and I are trying to adjust to our new schedules. Sometimes I work morning shift, which I prefer, but then there are evenings I don't get home until almost 10:00 at night. That means we are trying to plan meals out for the week, so expect some upcoming blogs to be on things we have tried out for lunches and dinners! Last night I made a Pinterest favorite, Million Dollar Spaghetti, and Ty and I FINALLY cut into our year old wedding cake. My mom did a fabulous job of sealing it up and freezing it because once it thawed, it looked exactly as it did on our wedding day. Unfortunately, neither of us actually ate our wedding cake on our wedding day because we were so busy running around, so last night was the first time either of us had sampled it. The cake was strawberry with strawberry preserves glazing the cake and a rich buttercream frosting. My mom kept the cake at her house in the freezer for us, and I hadn't had a chance to go home and get it which is why we are eating the cake almost a month after our one year anniversary LOL 

Last weekend was my first weekend off of work since I started, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Saturday Kelly met Ty and me and Berry Hills for lunch, and then we had a sister movie date and watched The Secret Life of Pets. It was so cute! We laughed through the whole thing! On Sunday, I went home to lay out by the pool and visit with my family. It felt like it was the first hot sunny day that we've had in awhile, and I soaked up every minute of it! Mom made my favorite dinner: pinto beans, fried potatoes, and kraut and kielbasa. She even made brownies for dessert! We ate (twice) and floated in the pool. My mamaw, papaw, gran, and Bub stopped by to visit, and Taylor came up and brought Bo! We LOVED visiting with them! I'm telling y'all that baby has us wrapped! We love him so much!

Just look at that grin!

His uncle Jim sure does love him!

I hope y'all have a great rest of the week! I promise to blog more now that I don't have to dedicate all of my time to studying. The problem now is that I am working a lot and not doing any fun things to blog about LOL but I will try to start posting more frequently! Until next time.. take care y'all!