25th BIRTHDAY Day 3

My friend Diane threw Jenny and me a GREAT birthday dinner. I don't think I've had a better birthday dinner. It was a memorable night hanging out, talking and laughing with good friends from school. We dined at the Macaroni Grill and had a talented opera singer sing happy birthday to us in Italian. One of the best memories of the night was telling the stories of how each of the couples got engaged. So much laughter. I loved that night. I wish Eric could have made it but he was busy studying for a test. Thanks Diane! You really made my/our night SO special.

25th BIRTHDAY Day 2

My school (University of Colorado School of Pharmacy) had a Winterland Masqurade Ball at the DenverTech Hyatt on Dec 3, 2010. This was part of my birthday celebration weekend, because Eric agreed to dress up and dance with me on account of my birthday. If this ball had occurred on any other day, I would have had my work cut out for me in convincing him to come. 

Eric and I usually duck out of dances early because one of us doesn't like to dance socially, but this dance was different. I made Eric, ahem- I mean one of us dance and I had one of the funnest nights I've had in a long time. 

Eric was a great sport and I appreciate him coming and dancing the night away with me. One notable event  to mention that I will have a hard time forgetting, was the upperclassman girl in the black dress who was drunk off her arse. She couldn't even walk in a straight line... and so she resulted in holding onto a railing and dancing with her butt sticking out into the crowd. She then saw a guy she wanted to dance with, stumbled over to him, bumped and ground him for a second before she fell right onto her back... with legs wide open. YIKES. I was embarrassed for her.   

All in all though, I had a great time dancing and watching my fellow peers (I'm not proud to say this) behave in their drunken state. Why they chose to drink so much at a nice event I don't know, nor condone, but they were doing what they chose to do, and have to suffer the consequences of looking like fools in our professional community of becoming doctors of pharmacy. 

Enjoy the photos!

25th BIRTHDAY Day 1

My 25th birthday aka I am now a quarter of a century old, was wonderful. One of the best birthdays of my adult life. Last year my birthday was less than par, it really kind of sucked, and I guess I had to have a bad birthday to appreciate and marvel at this years great birthday weekend. It all started with my birthday day. Eric woke up at 5am to make me a delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs and bacon *yummmm, bacon!*
If I don't have the best husband in the world than I'd like to meet him. Not only did Eric wake up before me to make breakfast before I had to leave for school, but he made my breakfast into an awesome heart shaped face with hair! Too awesome.

At school, my friend Christine made me delicious, moist cupcakes, which we shared with our friends. It took me back to elementary school when we would make cupcakes for our birthday and share them with our entire class. Christine also got me a caramel apple candle which scents up our entire home, highlighters (because we sit next to each other in class and share my 5 highlighters everyday) and a gift certificate to Staples (because we are just that nerdy and love school supplies). She's an awesome friend AND we live right next to each other. What are the odds... we interviewed on the same day (I still remember her, slightly, from our interview on Feb.1, 2010), we became friends, found out that we lived next to each other, and now carpool to school. She's also one of the smartest people I know.

For my birthday dinner we celebrated at Outback Steakhouse, thanks to my parents-in-law for sending me a generous gift certificate. Eric and I ate delicious steaks and dessert cheesecake. We also had a not-so-great waiter who forgot about us, to which the head manager had to take over. Outside the restaurant, as we were getting into our car, I got to enjoy a spastic, sa-weet dance from Eric who was rocking out to a Christmas jam. What a perfect end to a perfect day. Eric always achieves putting a smile on my face and laughter into my heart, I love him so much!

Notice the fancy, maroon, sweater I'm wearing... yeah, it was a birthday gift from Eric. He picked it out without my input and I love it, I'm so impressed with him. The gift I'm unwrapping above was a secret surprise Eric was working on for a month before my birthday. See girls, isn't he the best! It was a Scentsy ~ a decorative wax melter that scents up your entire house with different smelling scents of your choice. I LOVE IT. 

This and That

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to blog more. I like to capture what happens in my life through some means of a journal, and right now I blog about once a month... if that. I also think it is very important to WRITE, and so, here I am, Jan 2, 2010, commencing on my 2011 resolution. 

The above picture was taken by my dad after our Thanksgiving feast. Have I blogged about our feast yet?? I think I may have, but it was so noteworthy that I'll mention it again. My dad made the best *untraditional* Thanksgiving spare ribs I have EVER had. They were out-of-this world delicious. And as a side note, Eric and I were at my parents house on the 30th for our Christmas/New Years celebration, and this time my dad made the best homemade fried chicken Eric and I have EVER had. My dad is quite the chef. Actually both of my parents can cook very well... I wonder why their skills were NOT passed onto me???

After spending time at my parents, Eric and I headed home to decorate our FIRST, ever, Christmas tree. We've spent four Christmas holiday's together as a married couple, and this is the first time we've had enough time/energy/money/motivation to get a tree. Our tree is so beautiful and I think we should keep it up all year... while listening to Christmas music all year as well. 

Ella didn't know what to think when we had to put some of our furniture in her room (our master bedroom closet) to make room for the tree.

Eric and I love our home and are so grateful for it. 

Turkey Day

This Thanksgiving holiday was GREAT.

Besides the fact that I had TWO major tests to study for, I simply ignored school and had fun with Eric and Ella and my family.

Thanksgiving day was spent watching the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade and the Purina dog show, while I cooked up a storm: morning rolls, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes, and a pumpkin pie. We headed over to my folks house for the best Thanksgiving meal I've ever had. It was so delicious... and so not traditional.

My dad made the best spare ribs I have EVER had. I'm still drooling over them. My mom made some delicious pot roast, and all of their food combined with mine = Thanksgiving feast.

The funniest part of Thanksgiving was when I was getting up from the table to get something and I noticed that Ella had something in her mouth. I told her to "drop it" and she spat out one of the rolls my dad had given her. So basically the rolls I made were crap (everyone politely agreed) and my dad was trying to slip Ella the rest of his roll, but Ella doesn't eat fast or discretely, and so he chastised her for that. We were all laughing so hard. I guess you kinda had to be there.

Black Friday meant that Eric and I were standing in line at Walmart (much to my chagrin), to buy a TV we've been wanting for awhile. We woke up at 3am and finally left the store at 6am. It was so busy! Eric of course had to set the TV up at 6am, and then we decided it would be a fun idea to watch a movie on it at 6:30am. After the movie we fell asleep and didn't wake up until 2pm.

That Friday we also set up our Christmas tree. This was a monumental occasion, as I have wanted a Christmas tree since we've been married (3 years this December!) but we've always been too poor or too lazy. We put up our tree, and put up lights outside on our porch, and decorated the house while listening to Christmas music. I don't know your definition of fun, but I was having a blast!

I was supposed to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving but my turkey was still frozen and my parents had already made so much food, so I left the turkey making until today. It was so hard! Eric and I didn't know what holes had what in them and we were pulling out bags and things, not knowing what the heck we were doing. I just pulled the turkey out of the oven and I have to say it looks gorgeous. Ella was pretty excited.

And I guess I have to include my gratitude list, or else I would be frowned upon by the Thanksgiving gods.
1- I am grateful for my husband who does so much for me and our family and his friends. He is the definition of charity and I am so lucky to have him in my life- for eternity! He makes me laugh and smile and makes me a better person.
2- I am grateful for my dog Ella. She truly brings so much happiness to my life and I love coming home and seeing her wag her entire body in happiness.
3- I am so grateful for my family. They are so wonderful to Eric and me and they are so fun to hang out with. They take such good care of us, bringing us food and meals when we are so busy and don't have time to cook.
4- I am grateful that Eric and I are so blessed to be in the programs of our choice- medicine and pharmacy. We've been blessed to get into schools in the same state and we are so happy to be learning some crazy cool things.
5- I'm grateful for my in-laws. They are so nice to use to come to CO to fix our condo/computers and to visit and to send us gifts and fun emails. I have the best in-laws and I'm so lucky to have them as family.
6- I'm grateful for friends. I have the best of friends and they are so special to me.

I know I've been blessed with so much and I am so grateful for all that I have. Happy Thanksgiving!

Dr. Bain

Dear Dr. Bain,

I passed your test! Woot woot! And I did much better than I initially thought. I might even celebrate a little.

Your non-failing student,
Andrea

Dear Dr. Bain

Dear Dr. Bain,

Your test on metabolism smashed me to the ground and stomped on my head, repeatedly. I thought I knew oxidative phosphorylation, the citric acid cycle, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, glycogenesis, beta oxidation, the cori cycle, the urea cycle and how they all intertwine, but apparently you know more than I do, especially at creating monster tests. Thank you for smashing my rapidly fading dreams of Rho Chi.

Your student,
Andrea