Christmas Break

I'm back! I have been busy thoroughly enjoying my Christmas break. Right after my last school final, I flew to San Francisco and had a great time catching up with some of my best friends. I came home for a couple days and then flew to San Antonio to visit my fam. Unfortunately, I got the stomach flu and spent most of the weekend in bed. I went back home for a couple days and then Taylor and I flew to Utah for a week. I don't know what I was thinking when I was planning all this. It was a whirlwind but it made my break seem very long and I have this last weekend to recover before going back to school on Monday.
My mom, brothers and sister all came to Utah for Christmas so it was one big family Christmas. My mom rented a house up in Midway for the Christmas weekend and we really had a blast. They headed home and then we spent the rest of the time with Taylor's family. I took some pictures of our adventures. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

We went swimming in the crater at Homestead

We went tubing in Park City

We took a carriage ride on Christmas Eve

We opened our presents on Christmas Eve (yes we know we are too old for this picture but my mom insisted)

We saw two bald eagles sitting right next to each other (didn't get my camera out fast enough)

We ate at our favorite restaurant, Cafe Rio, five times. (don't judge)

We took pictures with Taylor's family.

Deli Boy

When I first met Taylor he was a manager at Gandolfo's New York Deli in Provo. Anyone who has lived there remembers this great sandwich shop. We would always go out after Taylor got off work and he would always smell like deli. I don't quite know how to explain the smell  but if you ever find yourself in Provo, go down to the basement of Gandolfos and you will smell it. I use to tease him about it and call him "deli boy" but secretly I LOVED it. Just the thought of the smell makes me smile. About a month ago we ran into the new owner of Gandolfos in the Dallas/Fort Worth area at a charity event. He and Taylor ended up talking for over an hour and last week Taylor accepted a job offer. Taylor will be starting at Gandolfos at the beginning of January. I am so excited to have my deli boy back. This is such a wonderful opportunity and I so him proud of him. This past month he has been working full time at Vivint, part time at Gandolfos (trial run) and has been going to school full time. (I know he is crazy) On top of everything, he has been keeping the house together and been so supportive of me. I am such a lucky girl.

NOLA Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving Taylor and I went to New Orleans. We had such a wonderful time. We spent Thanksgiving day with my mom's family which was really special. I never met my grandfather and my grammie passed away almost six years ago. My Aunt Dot who is really my grandma's cousin, grew up with my grandma and is so much like her, a real spitfire (as are most of the women in the family). Her husband "Uncle John" is so sweet (as are most of the men in the family to be able put up with us spitfires) and together they tell the greatest stories. Thanksgiving day was spent with all of their family and everyone had such a good time. There were tears all around when it was over. For the rest of our trip Taylor and I explored the French Quarter. Since this was Taylor's first time in New Orleans, my number one goal was for Taylor to fall in love with the city, just as I had. I believe our trip was a success!

Sisters.

Can you spot the rooster in the tree?

We are standing under the rooster.

After the feast, we walked down the street to Lake Pontchartrain

St Louis Cathedral, where my Grammie was baptized and went to church.

Who wouldn't love this city?

Occupy New Orleans

An MRI Horror Story

For the last seven months I have been having problems with my back and today I went to get an MRI. When I walked into the imaging center I immediately knew something was not quite right. It was a very sketchy place and smelled terrible. It also is never a good sign when they give you five different forms to fill out involving injury attorneys and medical lawsuits. I was quickly called back and the receptionist took me down a hallway and out through the back door. We went through what only can be described as a "backyard" and up some steps into a freezing cold, smelly trailer. I know, it sounds like the beginning of a horror movie.

In one corner of the trailer there was a little curtain to undress behind and change into a gown. Once I came out of the dressing room, I took about 5 steps to the MRI machine. I laid down on the hard table which was smaller than me! Next they cranked up the table to the level of the MRI and pushed me in. I have had MRIs before and this is the smallest machine I have ever seen. As I was sliding in, my arms were pushed in by the sides of the machine. I don't think I would have fit if I were any bigger. I think it was an MRI machine for children. Now I have never considered myself claustrophobic, but once I was all the way in, I felt like I was in a coffin and my heart began to race. I then closed my eyes and tried to pretend I was on a beach through all the pounding. (Why is it whenever you are in a creepy situation and you close your eyes, all you can think about is horror movies? I don't think the pounding helped)

After what seemed like an hour, the tech pulled me out and began trying to ask me a question. He didn't speak English but I eventually figured out he was just checking to make sure I wasn't wearing a bra...the procedure hadn't even begun. He then pushed me back in and another 3 hours passed by (really only 45 min) and then it was all over. I went back to the "changing room", got dressed and made sure all my belongings were still in my purse. I then made the trek out of the trailer and waited for them to put the scans on a disk so I would not have to return. Whew. Luckily I am still alive and I now I can say I have had an MRI in trailer.  See for yourself, it's pretty creepy.

The dressing room: They were nice to provide a lock box, however, the key was metal so what was I supposed to do with it?

 I tried to snap a pic while I was running as fast as I could.

                                                                         The trailer.

The Little Green Moster

I am writing today to warn you about the little green monster. It is a very serious threat. It has the potential to ruin relationships. When I see it, I am filled with frustration and resentment. You may be thinking I am referring to greed, when in fact this is a completely different species, one of toothpaste. I know I sound crazy but it's true. It comes around about once a year when I forget to buy the toothpaste with the attached lid. Somehow the lid of regular toothpaste always gets lost. (I am not mentioning names but lets just say for 19 years I never lost the lid)  Soon enough, the monster appears and then I remember why I always use crest night time toothpaste (It has a lid that can never be lost). Luckily my mom saved me when she sent me some good toothpaste for Halloween. When you have a dentist for a mother Halloween always includes some new toothpaste and toothbrushes. Now the monster is gone and we are back to marital bliss.

Warning: the picture may contain content not suitable for young children.

It's Gone!

Day 108: I am happy to announce the picture is gone!
So here is the story, at the beginning of most medical professional schools each student receives a white coat. It is like a backwards graduation. The ceremony came and passed. I was very excited to start school and meet all my future classmates. However, before I could carefully plan my first impression, a picture of me (there were 400 other new students mind you) receiving my white coat was featured on the school's front page. Most of my introductions went something like this:
Me: "Hello I'm Emily"
Student: "Are you the girl from the website?"
Me: "Yes...awkward silence" so I began to fill the silence with "Yes...would you like my autograph?" Not sure which is worse.
Besides ruining my first impressions it also lessened my chances of flying under the radar with my professors. Especially when my cute little anatomy professor told me it was "a very nice picture." It is safe to say I didn't even enjoy my 15 min of fame on campus but now 108 days later it has been removed and I can surf the schools website in peace. Here it is, one last time, for those of you who didn't get to see it.

Brother

I received this picture message today that reminded me how much I miss my little brother Max, the one with his head in the leopard's mouth. He is so funny. Plus we have a lot in common, just look and see.

We both love ice cream, especially dip n dots. 

We both are cat whisperers.

                             

We both are royalty. (He is the reigning King of Fiesta and I just have the attitude)

 

 Enough said.

We both love basketball and hockey.

We both love cookies and feather boas.

We both like to use our creativity to make things. 

 Isn't he handsome?

Yes that's my other awesome brother standing behind him, isn't he handsome? I really wished I could have been playing at Disney World instead of studying physiology this weekend.

Cat Mom

My husband and I got our first cat during Christmas 2008. We had flown from Utah to Texas to spend the holidays with my family. It was the first cold day in San Antonio and we heard a terrible, awful, horrible noise coming from across the street. We found a young cat who obviously was not enjoying the cold weather. (I should have known right then we were soul mates) We took the cat into my parents house and it turned out to be the sweetest thing. It was about six months old and had no home. Naturally, we flew him back with us to Utah where we proceeded to move because our current apartment would not let us have him. What can I say? We had fallen in love. We named him Moby and he has been apart of our family ever since.
About a year ago we stayed with my family for a while and our cat really bonded with their cat. Once we moved up to Fort Worth, Moby really began to act out and let us know he was not a happy camper. (he would chew all our electrical cords, shoes, glasses etc.) He needed a friend especially with me in school all day and Taylor working and going to school. Moby is a very social cat and if left alone too long will howl until we get complaints from the neighbors. So three months ago, we went and rescued a baby girl we named Bella. They were instant best friends. They are completely inseparable. I have been taking Bella to the vet to get all her shots and she absolutely hates riding in the car. Moby happens to love it, so on our last trip I came up with the brilliant idea to take Moby with us and Bella was much more calm and happy, lucky for me. After days like that, I think I might just be capable of having offspring. Where as other days (like when I accidentally leave one in the closet all day) I have second thoughts.
Warning: The cuteness might make you explode.

Baby Moby

Baby Bella

Spooning

No I never pose my cats...maybe tried but it's impossible.