Smarty Pants

I love medicine. One of the last classes I have to take to graduate is medical abbreviations and so far I find it extremely interesting.

If you know what this means you are smarty pants. 

Meds ad lib helps c. c/o Sx.

Happy Wednesday!

Swimwear Favorites 2012

It's that time of year again when all the cute swimsuits come out even though its snowing outside! And I'm jumping on the bandwagon early since I'll need some for our second Hawaiian trip in APRIL! Of course to celebrate my parents coming home in July, and graduating from BYU in August. A little out of order, but oh well.

Bows are big this season

And so are stripes

But one thing I'm head over heels for is ruffles. Ruffles add just a bit more femininity to some of these swimsuits that can show every little crease and line.

Two trends I am seeing everywhere that I think it really appealing is more sweetheart necklines vs. triangle bikinis and thicker swim bottoms vs. string bikini bottoms. How refreshing that we can have cute swimsuits without worrying about everything falling out!

Any great swimwear finds? I would really love any suggestions.

Colored Skinnies Project: What was I thinking?!

Sorry this has taken me SOOO long to post. I've just loved wearing these skinnies so its been hard to catch them when they're clean and when I have time to go take some photos in them. But here they are finally!

So this definitely may have been the craft project that went over my head...I had a couple mistakes but nothing serious. It just took all stinking week LONG. So all those cute trendy colored skinnies have been speaking to me in all these multiple store windows...but their price tags haven't. For ex.

Nordstroms BP $42

Gap $70

Express $65

I had really written off ever getting a pair because a married lady only working part time can barely make ends meet to afford the bills...but when I found a pair of corduroy pants at the Gap Outlet for only $7 the little cogs in my mind got turning. And then I found some perfect purple burgundy clothing dye at the store for only $3 so altogether with some added effort and work I got exactly what I wanted for a fraction of the cost and I love it just that much more because I made them myself!

So I started with these tan bootcut cords...

that I got at the Gap outlet for $6. The first step was dye-ing them because the fabric had to be pushed, stretched, and washed multiple times after dye-ing them.

I used dye I really liked the color of from Walmart for $3 making the total of my spent cost on this project under ten dollars. Go me! The next step i.e. issue was that I wanted skinnies and these were bootcut. The good news was that I had a pair of Gap skinnies from last year that I love, so I used them for a trace comparison to know where to sew the pant legs in.

And this is the end result...

After some practice shots and my husband yelling, "I hate this!" we got some good ones. I'll make a photographer out of him yet!

Say What?: Flight health

 
How fitting this post is compared to how recently Jared and I bought our second set of tickets to the beautiful paradise my parents are living in currently. We found some super great deal tickets through Delta for only $646 roundtrip per person which compared to how much we spent for our December tickets is literally half the price. Once semester is out we're off again for a little over two weeks. I can't wait!

But when I ran across this article a week ago I just had to report to you on it. It's important information for anyone that is planning on flying in the near future.

"Potentially dangerous blood clots in the legs known as deep venous thromboses (DVTs) got the nickname "economy class syndrome" from widely publicized incidents involving passengers on long-haul flights."

(source)

Symptoms of DVT's can be any of the following...

• Swelling in one or both legs
• Pain or tenderness in one or both legs, which may occur only while standing or walking
• Warmth in the skin of the affected leg
• Red or discolored skin in the affected leg
• Visible surface veins
• Leg fatigue

And if a clot breaks free and travels to your lungs or makes it to your brain it can cause serious health complications including health attack, shortness of breath, seizures etc. 

If that doesn't make you worried I don't know what does. Of course health, age, pregnancy, elderly and previous clots all factor into the probability that one will be more inclined to develop a blood clot in your legs. However would you believe that so does where you sit on the plane? 

In fact studies have been done to show that those who sit in the aisle have a lower chance of developing a DVT in comparison to those who sit by the window or in the middle. This is because those who sit by the window are less likely to get up and move around on a long flight because they don't want to make everyone get out of their seats. Additionally those who sit by the window have less room in general to move around and thus are more likely to develop a DVT. 

So if you're going on any long flights, even if you sit by the window or the aisle, get up at least once or twice and try to keep readjusting your legs every once in a while.

Desolation Peak to SLC Overlook

Jared and I played on monday instead of being responsible adults and going to class. We decided it was high time to take Adeline on an extended hike, and boy did she enjoy it! We are planning on making hiking a more frequent activity for our family.

Four hours of hiking in ankle deep snow left my feet frozen, and both of us very worn out, but Adi had a total blast. If you didn't know any better you'd think we white-washed her, but now she kept chasing the little bunching of snow balls from our footsteps. She's a crazy little stinker but we love her! Any good hikes you love that allow dogs?

Say What?: Onions make me Cry

 
Ever been that person who starts cutting an onion when cooking something and you just can't hold back the tears? Have you ever wondered why? If its just if you're allergic or if you get sad at the idea of cutting a vegetable? Well, I have found an answer.

When you cut into an onion, you rupture its cells, releasing enzymes that produce a gas called propanethial sulfoxide that when it reaches your eyes creates a mild sulfuric acid which hurts and causes your eyes to water. Which makes you look like you're feeling sad for a vegetable. Whimp.

But there is an easy fix! If you keep the onions in the fridge or chill them in the freezer temporarily before cutting them, it slows the release of the enzymes and therefore not causing you to weep. Additionally there are more enzymes near the bottom of the onion so cut that last. Happy cooking!

(source)

Birfday Boy

My hubs turned the big 2-6 last thursday and we had a little get together with friends to celebrate with a potluck italian dinner and some delicious birthday cake I made myself. I know, go me.

Look at that big breath he took...and yet the candles still won. I bought the fun sparkler candles that re-light when they get blown out.

Happy birthday Jared, your 26th year will be amazing I'm sure!

Dear Valentine

We had a great little rendezvous with our friends Chad and Lisa at my absolute all-time favorite restuarant Red Rock. Fried Green Tomatoes, fresh brewed Cream Soda, and Goat Cheese Salad. 

My valentine's outfit was from some inspiration I saw on J.Crew. The only thing I didn't have was the silk looking shirt which I successfully found at my first ever trip to the new H&M. 

Don't make fun of my attempt at modeling my sassy outfit. I'm not good at that. Maybe practice?

Either way my husband thought I was pretty stinking hot.

And I promise I'll improve the photography shots I take of my outfits. I can do better.

iphone

Last May when I dropped my old second hand 3g iphone in the toilet and it didn't work I went to get a new phone, and instead of getting a brand spanking new iphone 4 I picked my htc inspire. And I regret it everyday.

And I can't get a new phone through AT&T until November. I found this awesome iphone case that I seriously want to buy. Heaven help me.

Monday thoughts

Be courageous!

My type of romantic flowers

You know how its really typical for any special occasion like an anniversary, birthday, valentines, Christmas, new year's, etc. to receive a complimentary bunch of long-stem red roses? They make you so happy when you first get them, you get to clip the ends and put them in the with the special magic water enhancing powder to make them last longer. And then they still die after only a week at best. That's more depressing than how happy they actually made you when you got them.

At least it is sad for me. Maybe its because I feel like I don't like watching something die when I feel like I'm a healer, and a carer. So a little over a year ago I told my husband that I no longer wanted cut flowers, I would rather have a pretty potted flower or plant. Something living, something that I can care for and won't die.

With Valentine's coming up plus my birthday -hint hint Jer- here are my top five favorite beautiful potted plants that won't die on you a week after Valentine's.

Azalea-blooming indoor year long plant $16-$20

Kalanchoe-blooms from Oct to Mar $7-$10

Begonia-blooms year round 

Gardenia- blooms on and off $20-$30

Smells HEAVENLY.

Orchid- blooms in the right environment $5-$10 

Screams Zen. Everyone should have one. Unless you kill plants easy.

The one thing each plant has in common in this list is that they are easy to care for and do well in almost every environment. And plants make the air cleaner, and they are so much nicer to look at and last a lot longer than cut flowers!

Happy Valentines on Tuesday!

Say What?: Cracking your knuckles

Continuing with cracking myth's (no pun intended) I wanted to concentrate on something that I personally have an issue with, and that I have been chastised for over years because of this habit.

"cracking knuckles causes damage such as arthritis in the joints"

-Your mom

The cracking sound is actually the gases that are produced in the fluid that surrounds your bone ends i.e. joints being released from the synovial fluid once the joint capsule is stretched. This allows for better range of motion and stretches the tendons and muscles surrounding the joint capsule.

Yes, cracking knuckles can be gross. Sometimes I even cringe when I hear someone crack their entire back or do the hard twist of their head to the side thing. But no, cracking your knuckles is not the cause of arthritis. So next time your mother says to 'stop that' because it causes arthritis, you can tell her she's wrong. As a matter of fact it can actually decrease your chances of getting arthritis.

Instead you can tell her that it causes capsular joint loosening and eventually can lead to weakened grip. Sound better? Studies and testing are ongoing to prove this but cracking knuckles has been shown to lead to a correlation in decreased grip. So if you're a habitual cracker (I am under stress) then you may want to find another way to release the tension. Maybe a stress ball for while taking tests or count to ten and think namaste?

Hawaiian Christmas II

The next day Jer and I set out to do the most tourist popular hike Diamond Head Crater because its just one of those things you have to do when you go to Oahu.

The broad, saucer-shaped crater now Diamond Head was formed about 300,000 years ago during a single, explosive eruption creating the crater.

The origin of the English name, “Diamond head” came from 19th century British sailors who thought the sparkling, clear calcite crystals were diamonds.

 
One of our goals was to go do things that the local's only know about, so after some research and advice from people who we knew that were natives, we had a long list of must do's for Oahu. One of them was this short little hike if you could even call it that. The spitting cave of Portlock, which was located on the south east corner just west of Diamond Head in a multimillion dollar residential area. However, the views and tide was just amazing. The spitting cave of Portlock is so named because its a little cave that has been hollowed out by the tide and when the surf comes in fast and hard enough, it spits out water and mist making it a spitting cave.

It was a little path that was covered by huge trees on both sides so that if felt like a tunnel, and then it opened out on this view which was just breathtaking. This wasn't exactly a well known 'hike' so it really wasn't marked at all. Not tourist friendly if you will.

And then of course, we had to go explore. We saw this super rusted ladder that had been bolted into the side of this little cliff and of course Jared was all for climbing down. I personally think I about had a panic attack.

Did I mention it was a REALLY far way down?

The surf was rather violent that day (it had been stormy) but even then I never did get a great picture of the blowhole in action. The native's say its a really rare thing, but when it happens its extremely unique.

Say What?: Being cold can give you a Cold

 
You know how when you were young and your mother said that during the winter when you got cold, that's what caused a Cold? Or when someone says you could catch your death of the cold? While this made sense to our undeveloped minds that accepted what seemed to be a logical concept, that being cold caused the Cold; its really more of a correlation than a causation.

“Colds are caused by viruses, and the contact with these viruses usually occurs inside from air droplets” 

 (source)

Kind of a nasty thought, but the cold virus actually grows/multiplies in your nose, and that by sneezing, coughing, or touching your nose combined with poor hand-washing practices is how Cold's are spread. So maybe the myth that being cold causes a Cold was believable was because winter is when its cold and when outbreaks occur; however it is really the coincidence that when you go outside and are cold it causes your nose (and almost everyone else's) to run and by then consequently wiping your nose with your hand (gross) or a tissue, you could be causing the virus to spread by then touching objects that someone else has or will touch i.e. toys, public drinking fountains, door handles, keyboards, handshakes.

So stay clear of anyone who has a runny nose or just coughed right? Well, yeah that may get you so far but another Cold myth is that all people who are contagious are those who are showing symptoms, but actually 25% of those who are infected with the Cold virus only have an asymptomatic reaction meaning they don't have symptoms!

So for those that don't want to get sick, wash your hands FREQUENTLY. Not just after going to the bathroom. Additionally avoid touching your hand to your mouth or nose or eyes if you haven't just barely washed it. And I mean still wet kind of just washed it.

And for those that think that hand sanitizer is a cure all, think again! As taught in Microbiology, handsanitizer is only effective if allowed to stay wet on your hands for approximately a minute. However because of the high alcohol in it, it evaporates really fast especially if you rub it in, which makes it useless against killing the germs. If you're going to use it, put on enough to wet your hands, especially fingers, and don't rub it in. Let it stay on wet for about a minute and then it will really be effective.