Arts & Crafts

This past weekend Eric and I along with my dad went to arts and crafts in downtown Fairhope. We had a wonderful time walking around to all the booths and eating yummy fair food. I was super excited when I found out that they were selling turkey legs (my favorite)! We had fresh squeezed lemonade, and enjoyed the beautiful blue skies and warm sunny weather. We all ended up a little sunburnt by the end of the day, but it felt nice to once again have some color to my skin. All this studying indoors is affecting my skin color. :)

Gorgeous day!

The Dogwood Trailmaids! I think the one in the yellow is named Lemon Breland!

Sucking down some fresh lemonade

Eric checking out some cool sculptures!

Resting under the big oak tree!

My high school friend's band performed and we were able to catch them playing! 

After a long day in the sun, Eric and I grabbed some frozen yogurt from Chill! It was delicious and refreshing! I love days where I can just enjoy me and Eric time! We are looking forward to spring, graduation, summer vacations, and hopefully some visitors! 

Nursing School: Over half way done

I'm over half way done now with my BSN program and coming up for air before I start back to school on Tuesday. I just completed my OB/Peds rotation at the hospital and it was amazing. I experienced things that at one point in my life I questioned if I would ever get to. I witnessed to births, vaginal and c-section, drew blood gases from an umbilical cord (which is slimy let me tell you) and I worked in the newborn nursery. The newborn nursery for me was my happy place. I loved assessing all the new little babies, and giving them their first baths. Working with those babies made me hungry for my own. I can't tell you how many baby dreams I've had since starting this last rotation. I also spent some days in the NICU and PICU. I actually got  to assess a baby who weighed 1lb and saw a baby who was born and weighed 14oz. Ahhh, crazy! It truly is amazing how far medical technology has come. I will be starting my last big clinical rotation before starting my practicum on tuesday. I can't wait to get these 7 weeks over with because it will be mostly downhill from there. 152 days till graduation!!!! Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!! I can do it, right?? Let's hope so. I did pass my mid-curricular HESI! yay!!!! One less thing to worry about :)

From white to blue, now I'll be back in white….did I mention I hate the white scrubs! :(

Mardi Gras

The past few years my dad's side of the family…the "panamanian" side…and all my cousins plan a reunion at Mardi Gras. We had a blast this year going to the Daphne and Fairhope Mardi Gras Parades and introducing Eric to his first real taste of it all. I think he is slowly getting used to my huge crazy fun amazing wonderful family. I am so lucky to have such a close knit loving relationship with all my cousins and aunts and uncles. Get ready to be photo bombed!!! I have a lot fun times to share with you!

Some of the floats at the Fairhope parade

My cousin Kerri and I showing off some of our catches!

Cousins Kristen and Kerri! We had so much fun!

My brother Aaron and his girlfriend Nadia!

Eric at the Daphne parade, his very first mardi gras ever!

When we got home we had to show off all of our loot!

Family night after seeing Identity Theft with all the cousins at my Tia Ali's house!

Awkward family photos! Bahaha!

Getting lovin from my sweet nephew Thomas!

We also squeezed in celebrating Kerri's Birthday. She trurned………48!! Yeah can you believe it! I guess to look like that at 48 I should teach Zumba! :)

Dad with his brother Tito and my 3 aunts, Odie, Ali, and Millie!

Thanks family for a fun Mardi Gras season!

Sweetie Pie Day

Eric and I kept it pretty simple this Valentine's Day due to school and work schedules. We exchanged gifts, kisses, and saw Safe Haven at the theatre! I love my Sweetie Pie!

Love notes and flowers from my honey! He also cleaned the whole house for me, and is giving up his XBOX for a whole month :) lol! I guess he sure knows the way to my heart! :)

I also gave Eric some candy and new cologne! He smells lovely now :)

Day of Relaxation

I had the best day at the spa today! Eric's parents gave me a gift card to my favorite spa here in Point Clear, AL for my Birthday and today I finally cashed in on it. I seriously live in the most beautiful town in America. This is the Gand Hotel where I went for my spa day.

Since I had a gift card I thought I would go all out and try something new, so I got a warm stone massage!

If you have never tried it you must go out tomorrow and get one! It was the best massage I have ever had! I splurged a bit and got an 80 min. full body massage. Like the picture below, the therapist takes hot stones and hot oil and rubs you down head to toe! AMAZING!

After the massage I retreated to this beautiful quiet room where I soaked in the Jacuzzi, drank lemon water, ate granola and read a magazine. Then I hung out in the steam room for a while before leaving. 

I told Eric I am meant to live a life of luxury. :) I love spa days!

Jam Session

Thought I would share some of the songs I've been jamming too recently! Nothing like some good music to make you feel good! "Music take us where words cannot."

First up, Kelly Clarkson and Vince Gill's Duet- "Don't Rush". I love singing this song in the car, shower, or just around the house. It makes me happy!

Next is my FAVORITE Hunter Hayes song on his new album, "What you gonna do"! Eric and I agree he should have made this a duet! But I absolutely love this song!!!!

Next is Kelly Clarkson's "Catch my Breath"! Can you tell she is kinda my favorite right now! I love all the anthems she sings! She is a tough cookie, ballsy, and hard core! She is the BEST! I want to be like her when I grow up! BAHAHA

Okay lastly, I have to share this song because I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE, did I mention I LOVE this song!!! Grace Potter and the Nocturnals- "Stars"! This is my chillin song!

L.T.B.

L.T.B….. also stands for lift, tone, burn, and is the motto my new place of workout, and I've been doing a lot of that this weekend. As a Birthday gift from my mom, I received a gift card to attend Pure Barre! I don't know if many people have heard of it, and it is seriously the best kept secret! "Pure Barre is an intense, non-impact work out that utilizes small isometric movements done at the ballet barre which promises to lift tone and burn fat; the followers of pure barre claim it is the fastest most effective way to transform your body." It is seriously a killer work out but probably unlike any other I have ever done. The isometric movements we do have me shaking and my muscles burning yet I don't sweat uncontrollably like I do at zumba class. It is more like a mixture of ballet, yoga, and pilates. It is awesome and I already feel the burn…in fact I feel it EVERYWHERE! I ache in places I didn't even know I worked out. Here's to reaching my goal weight! and my goal toned body!

Oh and as a side note…I've been doing really well with eating healthy! I made a very expensive but much needed grocery shopping trip this weekend and loaded up and pantry and fridge with healthy foods. I've been drinking water mostly and skim milk occasionally (with my breakfast shakes). I'm sticking to lean meats, veggies, and fruits, and trying to stay away from processed foods and carbs as much as possible. I do eat whole wheat bread and tortillas occasionally to get some grains in, and stick to low fat cheeses, nuts with no salt, and diet sodas when I feel like eating something like that. I also have been trying to keep my portions small. It's crazy because I can already tell my stomach is shrinking and I get full a lot faster now. My issue before was eating out because my family eats out all together at least once if not more than that a week. I have found that if I put half the meal in a to go box as soon as I get my food, then I will eat a smaller portion and I stick to ordering meals that are in my "healthy foods" category like fish, and chicken, steak even, and then steamed veggies. I don't completely ban myself from eating certain foods but I try and stick to one bite (just a taste) to quench my craving. I am using my fitbit religiously right now and if I stick to my plan I should be at my goal in April!! Woot Woot for ahead of schedule!!!

Pure Barre! L.T.B. !!

The Big 2-5

It's true! I turned 25 on Tuesday! I had a wonderful Birthday…well sorta hahaha. It all started when I found out that I would be in clinical all day on my Birthday from 6am-3pm. Ahhhh! When I arrived to the parking lot where the staff all park our cars to catch the shuttle to the hospital, I locked the keys in my car with my lunch box. So I spent the day working my bum off in the PICU and never ate. Plus my mom had to bring me the keys to get back in my car! YIKES! yeah not quite the start to my birthday I would have wished for but it turned out great. I arrived home to find Eric had played sneaky from work and stayed home all day. He cleaned the house and had a nice dinner already to cook. Unfortunately I never got to eat that meal because Eric invited all my family over at 7 for cake and I didn't get home till 6:30. By the time we celebrated and had cake and they left it was almost 9. It was too late to eat dinner and so Eric and I just cuddled up and hung out before I had to head off to bed again for another early morning. I got a few Amazing gifts for my Birthday. First off, Eric's parents bought me a spa package to my favorite spa in the area. I am so excited to go get a massage and pedicure and whatever else I choose to get. Eric got me a Fitbit one and he bough a second for himself. It is a wireless activity and sleep tracker. He thought they would be good for us to wear as we try to be healthier and monitor our activity and health. I'm so excited to setup my account and start using it. We are making a competition to see who can travel the further distance in a day by walking, running, or whatever and who burns the most calories. Nothing like a little competition to get us back in shape quick!

I guess there is a scale on its way that comes with an ap for my iphone. So when we weigh in we can keep track of our progress. From all this you would assume that he and I are overweight hahaha but we're not, we are just really excited about trying to be healthier in all aspects of our lives.
I got to celebrate my birthday with me family the weekend before my birthday at Moe's BBQ. They have the best BBQ anywhere around, and you know the South has good BBQ. It was fun and loved the family time.

I love my husband! Happy Birthday to ME!

The family at Moe's BBQ

Sweet Allie is getting so big!

So is Mr. Thomas!

I feel so blessed to have so many people in my life who I love and love me too hehe! Thanks again to all my FB friends out there too! I feel so loved and blessed to be able call you my friends! Here's to being OLDer…and hopefully WISER! :)

NOLA

I would have written this post sooner but I've been having computer issues. Apparently I just have way too much saved on my computer between the movies, music, and pictures I don't have any more space to load all the pictures from my camera from Eric and I's trip to NOLA, also known as n'awlins….or New Orleans for those of you who really don't know what I'm talking about! Eric is working on getting me a new hard drive for my Mac, so until then... I can only share the photos I took from my iPhone/Instagram.

Eric and I made the 2.5 hr. drive down to New Orleans Saturday morning the 29th and stayed through the night of the 30th. We stayed at the Hilton on Saint Charles Street, and felt very spoiled in such a fancy hotel. While we were there we spent time at the Riverwalk Marketplace looking through all the shops, ate at Drago's (best charbroiled oysters we have ever eaten!!), walked around the French Quarter, ate beignets at Cafe Du Monde, went to BMC (a Jazz club - we danced and listened to good music), ate breakfast at The Ruby Slipper (recommended by a local and was well worth the hour wait in the freezing cold for a table), again spent the day walking around the French Quarter visiting Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the French Market ( the oldest market in America), and enjoyed all the shops we could go in. It was a blast just spending time with Eric…3 days straight, uninterrupted, and just having fun together. Eric keeps telling me he isn't happy with me back in school cause I'm not fun anymore. I told him I'm glad I'm back in school because I hate staying home all day having to try and find things to keep myself busy…I told him if I had a baby I would be okay with it though…bahaha hint hint. Enjoy the pics: (hopefully I can add some better pics soon).

Beignets and hot chocolate at Cafe du Monde

BMC Jazz club in the French Quarter

Listening and dancing to good Jazz!

More Jazz….you can seriously walk down the street and there are people on every corner playing or singing jazz music.

At St. Louis Cathedral

Freezing our bums off waiting for breakfast! We had the BEST breakfast! Expensive but worth it!

Inside our hotel!

Shopping in the French Quarter…Eric really wanted to buy a voodoo doll but resisted the urge! Bahaha!

Waiting for Mr. B's…this is where I had a bout of impatience and we left without eating… so I promised Eric I will take him back again sometime and we will eat there. 2 hours is just not worth it to me.

Every year Eric buys me an ornament for our Christmas tree an it's supposed to symbolize something meaningful we've done together during the year.  This was mine this Christmas…he was nice enough to let me pick it out. 

We had a wonderful trip and our looking forward to my graduation and hopefully many trips to follow!

Resolutions

Every year 90% of people do not reach their  New Year's Resolutions. I actually feel like I did pretty good this year just reaching 1 goal! I actually got accepted into nursing school and we moved to the South, but instead of saving we actually spent most of our savings moving to Alabama. I guess it was worth it to keep resolution #1, and thats what it is there for, but I hate not seeing thousands of dollars in our savings account anymore. I also wasn't as healthy as I would like to be this past year because…and yes here begins…. my list of excuses, but being a college student again has ruined me. I am back to my old eating habits of college life, where a granola bar for breakfast, ramen noodles for lunch, and pizza for dinner happens…. And happens more than it should. I haven't been cooking like I did before I went back to school, and Eric has actually lost weight because of it. Me on the other hand, have not…and I don't feel healthy like I want too. I also never feel like I have or make time for working out, and no longer have a gym membership since we moved, so I really have some work to do. So it is time for me to make resolutions for the year 2013.

Drum Roll………..Here they are: (Lesley's) Resolutions for 2013

1.) Hit my goal weight by July 26, 2013 ( Nursing school graduation day). I'm 5'6" and my goal weight is 125. I don't have too far to go, but I want to be there by graduation day, because Eric and I want to celebrate my graduation with a cruise to the Caribbean with friends and family, and I want to have my ideal body before reaching resolution #2.

2.) Make a baby! I can't believe I am sharing this very personal goal for life, but it's true. Eric and I have been waiting  for me to finish school before starting our family and I will be graduating in July! I don't think we will ever feel ready enough to take on this task financially so we just need to do it and let the puzzle pieces fall into place. 

3.) Start a new career as a nurse. I still have no idea what specialty I would like to work in as a nurse, but my goal is to get hired as a nurse, and start this next new chapter of my life after graduation.

4. ) To buy or begin renting our own home. Eric and I are very blessed right now to be living and renting my mom's home from her, but it won't be long before she is ready to get back into her own space. Eric and I would like to have our own place before this happens :D. No offense mom, we love you…just need our own space.

5.) Help Eric reach his career goals. My poor husband works his bum off to support us, while I go to school and I couldn't be more grateful or proud of him for his work ethic and his dedication and love for me. After I am through with school in July I want to help him reach his own personal career goals. Wherever this may take us, is where we will go!

Bring it on 2013! We are ready to tackle you head on!

!!!!HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!