The New Job, and other updates since I fell of the face of the blogging earth!

So yes, it is true, I have finally graduated from pharmacy school!!! I am so happy to be done with it all. Just have to get through the boards (and pass) and I will be home free. On another note, I have already started my first job I will have as a pharmacist. So far so good...I love it. Will I probably love it in a few months...no. The best part is when you are learning all the new stuff and the days fly by. Do I think I will like my job more then other people like theirs....yes for sure. I am a dork and I do like what I went to school for so I hope that sustains me for the next 20+ years of working!

On another note....the diet went splat. The last couple weeks have been hectic with graduation and starting a new job and a million different things. So I am officially starting my diet and exercise plan today. And the best part...I have a friend who is going to do it with me! So hopefully I can get my butt in shape quickly. My dad has done it in 4 months, so why can't I? My mom has done it in like 6 months, so why can't I? I don't want to be the only one left behind. I think it might be a little easier now that I am settling into a routine and job that I can plan my workouts and my eating schedule better. Cross your fingers for me! I don't want to go into my 30s feeling like a lump of lard. :)

And now for the important part....Stella update. She is getting so big now. She is such a big girl. Eats snacks all by herself (see messy picture below). She is also sitting up on her own now. She hardly falls over at all. We have also moved up to the regular bathtub for baths. Still waiting on the crawling...she doesn't have much desire to get up and go yet. We will see. In the meantime...check out the new pictures of my girl!

Cute outfit her Grammy Lisa gave her for Easter.

Hanging out on the beach on out playmat.

Too cool with our sunglasses at the beach.

Messy feeding herself face.

First "big girl" bath time!

"Why do you want to be a Pharmacist?"

I get that question ALL the time! And the true answer is….I HAVE NO IDEA!!! Please always expect some eloquent speech about why it’s important to me….but I DON’T HAVE ONE. I guess it was just a way for me to be financially independent and make good money and not have to depend on finding a financially secure man to take care of me (not to say that isn’t a huge plus!) People always look at me crazy when I say I have no real reason. The most annoying is when other pharmacists ask me that in the whole “my life is so horrible, why would you do this to yourself” way. Then when I have no answer they tell me I’m crazy. Nice. 9 years of education and you people are trying to make me feel like it was a waste of my time….really? At least almost as often as I come across these negative people, I come across the people who applaud me on my career choice and tell me what a bright future I have! All those negative people lead me to question number 2 that I hate….

“Why do you have to go to school for so long to count pills?”

This is probably one of the HUGEST misconceptions of pharmacists and the most annoying question to be asked. It is pretty much belittling my education and my career choice in one simple question. There are so many other options then being a retail pharmacist. And retail pharmacists can do so much more for their patients if they put a little effort into it! Guess what….as a hospital pharmacist I NEVER count pills! For those of you that are interested in what I actually do….I enter orders physicians have written for accuracy (which they are wrong 50% of the time) and appropriateness (which they are also wrong about 25% of the time). You may not think this is not important because errors only happen to some people once in a while…but that is because we help to CATCH the errors before they reach the patients. If people knew how many errors pharmacists catch on a daily basis they would be amazed! But order entry is only a small part of the job. We respond to Code Blue and Code Trauma and provide needed medication preparation on the spot in these situations in the hospital. One of the largest things we do it patient medication dosing. In the hospital under approved protocols we can dose patients’ anticoagulants (Coumadin, heparin, etc), antibiotics (vancomycin, etc) and dose TPNs (nutrition for patients who cannot eat). We look at the patient’s labs, history and information and determine a proper dose, order labs and levels, etc. And guess what….the doctors ask us to provide these services for them so they don’t have to do it. No they don’t need to check our orders or co-sign them off…pharmacists do it all but themselves.  So next time you ask the above questions, ask yourself if you would like a person with a 6 month technician degree dosing your blood thinning medication to prevent strokes, blood clots, and heart attack…..or a pharmacist that has had extensive education in medications and disease states.

There are many other questions that bug me…I will write about them at a later time. These questions were at the forefront of my mind today. Yes….because some annoying person asked me!

Oh and I wrote this yesterday but forgot to post it...so...2 blogs for today to make up for yesterday!

The Dreaded Diet Plan

Yes….I know it sounds horrible, but I am actually pretty excited this time around. I really need to get in shape before Stella starts running around and I can’t catch her! So I was reading another blog (yes I am a blog stalker) and she recommended this website “my fitness pal”. It is simply a calorie counter and exercise counter. It takes your weight and factors in your age and height and everything else to determine how many calories you can have per day to lose about 2 pounds a week. The crash diets work, but are impossible to stick to. So I am hoping my obsessive compulsive personality helps me to feel the need to track my calories everyday! The great thing is their database is HUGE! I entered Sprouts kettle corn and it came up! Same with Omaha steaks products and everything else I could think of….another huge plus since I HATE entering the label off products! Lastly…it has an iphone app! So I happily logged all my information in today. I have set personal goals for myself and will be rewarding myself as I reach them. And now since I told you all about my proposed diet and exercise plan, there is no hiding from it!

I have already started taking Stella on 3 mile walk/runs a few times a week, but I will need to step it up even more! If I ever become pregnant again….don’t get too excited, it’s a long way off….I don’t want to feel like the blob that I did towards the end with Stella. I don’t really care much about the actual number I weigh….I just want to FEEL fit! So as a graduation gift to myself I have decided to buy myself a bicycle and a bike trailer for Stella to ride in. Hopefully that can also become a part of my workout routine!

So if any of you crazies want to lose weight and get in shape with me….hop on my band wagon!

(P.S. I will be celebrating my graduation on May 21st with MANY margaritas, but I promise to work out every day the week after. )

Oh and I am going to try to write a blog every single day this month!!! A little extra challenge for myself!

Here are some pictures of Stella in her jogging stroller!

Easter Fun!

So I thought I would post up some pictures from Easter this year...mostly all of Stella...not surprising. :)

Stella's Easter Basket...candy included for Jason

Sylvester checking out the goods.

Cute bunny ears with Mommy.

Stella checking out the goods.

Eating an egg...yum.

Eating my bunny pez dispenser.

Playing with my bunny Mrs. Potato Head.

What mom....sylvester was eating the grass...why can't I?

Stella and Uncle Ryan!

Top Baby Items in Our House

Top 10 Baby Items Our Family Can’t Live Without (in no particular order)(pictures included are the ones we have!)

1) Bouncer Seat ($30-40)
We love the bouncer seat! Stella sits in it when Jason is studying in the office. We used it when we first started feeding her solids. We put her in it on the table while we are eating dinner (not recommended unless extremely careful). While folding laundry….whenever. She has loved that thing since she was really little, and still does!

2) Whale Tub ($20)
The. Best. Bathtub. Ever. Period. We love this tub because of the “speed bump” in the middle. It allows her not to slide down into the water and we don’t have to hold on to her during the whole bath. She loves it because she can wiggle around and be crazy and be all independent!

3) Pacifier Clips ($5)
Stella had this wonderful habit of spitting out her pacifier as a game when she was mad. Always when we were standing up so we had to keep bending over to get it. Once I had enough of this we got these clips. They come in great colors and designs and attach to clothes really well. Really great in the car when you are reaching into the backseat trying to find the pacifier in the carseat frantically while the baby screams her head off. You just find the cord and pull and….presto….easy find pacifier. No more panicking and pulling the car over. (PS we like these Avent Pacifiers too…she wouldn’t take any other ones)

4) Mem.bers Ma.rk Gentle Infant Formula ($19 for 48 oz!!!)
So some people may think we are horrible for giving our baby “horror” generic formula. Well let me say that Stella is slightly lactose intolerant and we tried all the brand name formulas and she was gassy and fussy all the time. I read reviews online that said this was a good one. I counldn’t believe you got 2x+ more formula for half the price of the brand names! Best part ever….Stella had no more gas…no more fuss. It works great. Has the exact same % of all the ingredients in the brand name stuff so why not?

5) Playmat with music and lights ($50)
This thing is a life-saver! We can put her on the playmat in the morning so we can get her breakfast ready and eat our breakfast. She loves the music and used to kick her legs like crazy to the beat when she was really little. Now she spends her time scooting herself around it in circles while she grabs and eats all of the hanging toys! Love this one specifically!

6) Mo.by Wrap ($40)
As some of you may know, Stella was and still is and anti-nap baby. She loves to sleep at night, but naps….not so much. So this was a lifesaver for us when she was really little. I wore it while doing household chores and Jason wore it while studying an she would just fall right asleep and hang out with us while we got important stuff done!

7) Wireless Security Surveillance System ($70)
So I looked and looked at all of the “Video Baby Monitors” on the market. They were all so expensive ($200+) for the nice ones, and the reviews were just ok. So being the broke students we are we kept putting off buying a monitor. That is until I saw a deal on Woot.com on a Uni.den Video Security Camera for $70! It had all the features of a baby monitor, plus a really nice big screen viewing monitor that wasn’t as bulky as the baby monitors. The sound is SUPER loud so we can even hear her breathing and there is no static at all!!! GREAT BUY!!!

8) Powdered Formula Dispenser ($6)
So we tried a few different brands of formula dispensers for the diaper bag and this is the only one that makes the cut. The Sassy one is annoying to use and gets all gunked up with formula and water. We love the Munchkin one!

9) Jogger Stroller ($120)
This stroller is a great buy. I didn’t realize how much nicer the jogger strollers move! We take this one on walks all over the place and it is great. Especially if Stella is crying because we can take her out and carry her and steer the stroller with one hand WAY easier then the travel system stroller! Thanks for the stroller Gramps and Nana!!!

10) Bab.ies R Us Brand Supreme Diapers ($25 for 120 diapers!)
At the baby shower we were lucky enough to get a million different packs of diapers! The great side of this is we could see which ones we liked the best! The Hug.gies and Pa.mpers worked well but they are so expensive! But we actually found the the B R Us brand work the best for us! She never pees or poops out of the diaper in these ones and they hold A LOT of Liquid. Best part…super cheap!

So sorry for the really long post, but there are a lot of preggos out there that are trying to figure out what things to buy. These are just our preferences, but all families are different!

Dinners, Dinners and More Dinners

So lately I have been feeling like I can never figure out what to make for dinner. I open up the fridge or cupboard and can't think of even one thing to make for dinner. I have been in a cooking slump since I became pregnant with Stella. I love cooking....so this is a really sad time for me these days. I finally decided to become proactive and start a weekly menu plan. That way I can decide what we will make for the week, go shopping and be prepared.  This plan also has an extra perk....the list is posted on the fridge, so Jason has NO reason to act like he doesn't know what to start making!  Week 1 was last week. Here is what our menu looked like.
Week 1
Monday: Dad's Casserole and Salad
Tuesday: Flat Iron Steak, Squash, Parmesan Risotto
Wednesday: Crock Pot Thai Style Ribs, Rice, Carrots
Thursday: Beef Stroganoff with Egg Noodles
Friday: Eat Out....LOVE SUSHI....Yum!
Saturday: Hamburgers and French Fries
Sunday: Pasta with Marinara and Spicy Chicken Sausage

This menu may not sound very exciting for you, but it is to us because we have been in a constant cycle of eating crap. Here is the menu for this week.
Week 2
Monday: Cheddar Chicken Breasts, Rice, and Broccoli
Tuesday: Ground Beef Tacos
Wednesday: Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon, Egg Noodles, and Salad
Thursday: Chicken Stir Fry and Rice
Friday: Ribeye Steaks with Balsamic Reduction, Roasted Potatoes, and Salad
Saturday: Burgers/Hot Dogs and French Fries or EAT OUT!!!
Sunday: Stuffed Sole, Green Beans, and Potato Balls

So far so good. Jason has been taking out stuff for dinner and helping out! Plus we have good dinners and leftovers for good lunches! My plan is to try a new Crock Pot recipe every wednesday....so if you have any good ones send them my way. I am also trying to add at least one new main dish or side dish every week so by the end I have a bank of dinners to pull from so we don't get bored.  Now if I can just stick to this plan for the next 40 years or so I should be set. ;)

So I thought I would start a blog....not sure if this a great idea....

So I decided to start a blog about all of my favorite things in my life...my little family, my school, my work, and my hobbies (baking, cooking, camping, etc). I have never really been much of writer so this is a huge undertaking for me. I just thought it would be nice to have a place for family and friends to go to see what is going on in our life, and get updated pictures of our little girl ;).  I have a few blogs I am really addicted to....so it's about time I stop blog stalking and start writing one myself! Going to try to write at least one or two a week, so if you are interested stop by and read soon!