Pumpkins Please!

Happy Halloween everyone and a very Happy Friday to all of you!

A Day in the Life of a Dental Student

As promised, here is this months "a day in the life" post. Because my schedule varies so much, I plan on posting a new version of this each month. Last month our focus was on root canals, this month it is something else entirely. Things move fast! Here is my current typical day...

October Budget

This was meant to be a no buy month since my budget is almost non-exsistent, but that did not happen. This is in part because there was a good bit of weight loss this month and needed some new tops to accommodate that :) so I'm ok with this months purchases. First I ended up doing some online shopping at J Crew Factory during my ER visit (I'm blaming the morphine for that one). The rest is all from Target. That place is so dangerous. I always end up leaving with more than I had originally bargained for. Yet, I never seem to regret my additional purchases. 
Tsk, tsk, tsk...When will I learn? 

Monochrome

As you can see, it's a pretty dreary day here. One of those days where you just want to stay in bed with your pup and your pjs. Unfortunately that wasn't an option, but thankfully it's Friday! We have an exam and then 6 hours of lecture aka no dental labs so I couldn't pass up an opportunity to wear real clothes instead of scrubs...I'm beginning to loathe wearing scrubs. As I didn't have a lot of time to spend on outfit planning (after all I did have a test to cram review for), I decided to keep it simple and go with a monochrome look. 

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Fall is my favorite time of the year to cook because I love anything with squash, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin. I have made these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies three times this month already. They are delicious, yet super easy and quick so I thought I'd share my recipe.

Farewell to Fall Break

Today was my first day back to school after a week off for fall break. And instead of feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, I was just miserable. The first day back is always the hardest. I so long to be back in Boston with my husband. But for now, this time apart is necessary in our lives. Instead of moping about it, I thought that it would be better to reminisce about our last day spent together walking along the Charles River with our pup.

An Impromptu Date Night

I'm still in Boston visiting with Tom for my Fall Break. And when he got home last night, he announced that he was taking me shopping. What a great husband! In the center of downtown Boston is a row of the most beautiful brownstones, but instead of housing people, they host some of the most beautiful things. 

Hit the Road Plaque Giveaway

You may not know this, but October is National Dental Hygiene Month. That's right folks, a whole month dedicated to improving your oral health. I am very much a proponent of dental public health and a big part of that is dental education. I thought that if I could use this blog to help even one person improve their dental hygiene and thus their overall health, then writing this post and hosting this (non-sponsored) giveaway would be worth it. So in honor of national hygiene month, here are some recommendations on maintaining your oral health.. 

A Few of my Favorite Things

A few weeks ago, the lovely Ele over at Inspirationele (how perfect is her blog title?) tagged me as being one of her favorite bloggers. And I have to say that I am beyond honored. Ele is a medical student and a fellow life & style blogger, one of those beautifully ambitious women striving to make her dreams come true. So to have such an amazing person think highly of me, well it just feels good. She asked me to answer a series of questions on a few of my favorite things, which I am more than happy to do. So Ele this one's for you. 

A Night at the Boston Opera House

The other night, husband and I headed to Boston's Theatre District to spend the evening at the magnificent Boston Opera House. From the moment we walked through the doors, we were surrounded by gilded ceilings, damask wall coverings, and giant slabs of marble. It was sheer opulence! 

Sunday Brunch & A Walk in the Park

Today Tom and I decided to head to the Boston Public Garden to enjoy the beautiful weather here. Fall has come a little late to Boston this year so even though there is a chill in the air, the leaves are just now starting to change colors. It made for a beautiful morning walk.

Burgundy Basics

Today marks the halfway point of the Fall semester. Woohoo! I just have to get through today's test on medical examining and four hours of class before Fall break officially begins. Then tomorrow, PJ and I are headed off to Boston to spend a week visiting with hubby. What better way to celebrate then by showing my happiness inside and out with a feel good outfit?

NBDE: National Board Dental Examination

Every licensed dentist has to pass a written national exam and a regional practical exam. I start taking the national boards in August. Now, this may seem far away, but there is a lot of material to cover. And this has to be juggled along with my regular school schedule. Thus, I decided to start studying early. 

Here is what I'm up against.....Part 1 of the boards is an 8 hour exam with about 400 questions from the following areas: 

Anatomic Sciences

Biochemistry-Physiology 

Microbiology-Pathology

Dental Anatomy and Occlusion  

See why I'm starting now? 

Weekend Reset

I've got one week to go! One week until Fall Break! One week until I can sleep in! One week until I'm in Boston spending time with my husband. But it's going to be one heck of a week. I have a pretty heavy workload, but don't worry because it's all going to get done. And the best way to start off a good week is with a weekend reset. So I cleaned my apartment from top to bottom, cooked dinners for the week, studied non-stop, and packed in some errands.  

Friday Five

I can't tell you how happy I am to see this week come to an end, it's kind of been pretty terrible for me. On Monday, I had to leave school early and head to the emergency room. I was in such excruciating pain that I couldn't walk or stand. I was poked and prodded all day before they made a diagnosis. Thankfully, it wasn't an appendicitis like they originally thought, but rather a ruptured ovarian cyst (sorry TMI?). I spent the next several days being miserable in bed. But even during a week like this, there are always good things to be found and to be grateful for. So here are my Friday Five.  

1. A Loving Support System 
I'm so thankful to have such a loving husband, who sent me flowers and a family that constantly checked on me. And to my faculty and close friends at school, thank you for your help and well wishes.  

One Year Anniversary Weekend Recap

Hello All, I thought I'd do a quick post on how hubby and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. Because of our school situations, we weren't sure if we would have the opportunity to spend the actual day together, but luck was on our side. Husband flew in on Saturday and we decided to stay in the city since he had to fly back to Boston on Sunday. We grabbed a quick lunch, enjoyed a relaxing couples massage, and did a little shopping. And that evening we headed out to dinner together.