What I've Been Up to this Spring

I'm a camera card clearer procrastinator, so I realized I had pictures that I have never put up anywhere!
Here are the random adventures of this spring so far...
Catherine came up to Columbia for a fun weekend

Part of the group was reunited, at least for a little while

Watched Robert play for the first time in a USC uniform during a Spring Game vs Wofford

FDHS Oyster Roast

 Brunch at Toast (a favorite new CHS spot!)

Valentine's Day Dinner-In

 Sweet Vivie smiles

Celebrated Christie's 24th Birthday Celebration at M Vista

Birthday Girl's First Professional GF Birthday Cake

 Celebrated Elisabeth's Birthday at Peninsula Grill

The Birthday Girl with their Famous Coconut Cake

I'm still dreaming of these scallops

Banana Pudding

Happy Spring!

Lacy & Wes' Wedding Shower

Last Saturday was Lacy and Wes' Couple's Wedding Shower. {That sentence really tested my apostrophe skills..hope I got it right}  It was fun to get with the speech girls since we've been traveling this semester.  I love any reason for a party, especially to celebrate such a fun couple!

My party date drove up for the occasion

Speech Girls
Sara, Laurin, Kaley, Christie, me, Lacy

Lacy and Wes playing Fiance Game (think The Newlywed Game pre-wedding)

cute shower invitation
(a little blurred for privacy of the hostesses)

Can't wait for April 14th to celebrate their BIG day!!!

I know I chose the right profession when...

{either that or I am really nerdy, I will accept that too}

1. I got wayyy too excited about a Smart Board. Seriously. I had a little tutorial at the clinic today and I am obsessed!! (I know I'm way behind the curve on this and all my Speechie friends who student taught think this is old news) But I have seen so many cute ideas/lessons/games today that I actually said out loud 'I want to stay in school so I could use this awesome thing!'  I get it honestly.... My Mom said Smart Boards made her want to return to teaching.
Kid you not, best thing since sliced bread.

2. I was thrilled by a new pack of pens from Staples. I stood in line for 20 minutes today to order the multi-colored pack. Because why would I want to write in black if I can write in fun colors?!

3. I printed new return address labels and it put a smile on my face. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to send more snail mail and these labels totally motivate me.

Template found here: Source: daffodildesign.com via Rachael on Pinterest

I'm so simple, school supplies make my heart happy.
Happy Friday Eve.

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Fall Dinner Get Together

Christie and I hosted a girl's night last Thursday. Since we've been traveling so much this semester, we don't get to see our Columbia friends a lot.  The weather was starting to get a little chilly so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to try out a Pintrist soup I've been eyeing.  Everyone liked it and I almost felt guilty because it was SO easy!  I dumped everything in the crockpot in the morning and it was ready for company at night.

 Easy Crockpot Potato Soup

1 30oz bag of frozen shredded has browns

3 14oz cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup {GF variety worked great!}

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 pkg. cream cheese {I used 1/3 fat--I red fat free won't melt}

In crockpot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.  About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted.  {the soup wasn't as smooth as I liked, so I put some in the blender until smooth}
Serve with cheese, sour cream, crumbled bacon, and green onions.

 {recipe via: http://pinterest.com/pin/365928880/}

I also made a salad with walnuts and pears with an Apple Vinigrette:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp grated sweet onion
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup finely chopped apple
Whisk together ingredients and pulse a few times in the blender

{recipe via: http://southernfood.about.com/od/spinachsaladrecipes/r/bl90416e.htm}

Dessert was Chocolate Square Oatmeal Cookies {I'll post that recipe tomorrow}

Dinner was so much fun--we need to get together more often!  Thanks for coming over Graham, Lindsey, and  Lizette!  And thanks for being the party planner Christie!

White Coat??

When I first started my practicum at the hospital, my supervisor told me I had to wear a white coat.  Umm, excuse me? I thought doctors wore white coats?!?  Turns out I was wrong.  So I bought my coat and was ready to go.   After a few weeks I still feel pretty silly walking around the hospital wearing a white coat when I really don't feel like I know what I'm doing!  (The other day a doctor asked me what a code was after it was announced--um I have no clue what Code Blue vs Code Red means however I think you should!)

First day of Hospital pic

So off I go to the hospital...

Finding the Silver Lining

This was the text convo between my roommate and I last week:

Me: Hope you have a good day at the hospital and see lots of strokes!

Christie: Thanks!  Hope you get to see some babies! 

We're both in hospital placements this semester but we like totally different things--she loves adults...not exactly my cup of tea.  But last week 2 things happened that helped me see the silver lining...

~I got to witness a lady post-stroke who can barely write her name or phone number, write 'I love you' to her daughter.

~I also saw a man say 'Hey Sis' as his sister walks in the room...this was the first time she'd heard his voice since his stroke...something she thought she may never hear again.

Talk about melting my heart...so sweet and a great reminder that working with adults can be just as rewarding as working with the little ones. 

The BIG Test

Tomorrow I'll take The BIG Test aka the PRAXIS.  I have to pass this test to be a Speech-Language Pathologist.  Basically they ask you anything and everything that I was supposed to learn over the past 2 years.  How do you even start to study for that???  
You have to get 60% to pass--that sounds low.  I would hope I know more than 60% of the material necessary to do my job?! The problem is we are certified to do so much..there is no way you could know 100% of what we are certified to do.

In my PRAXIS prep class the instructor read the book, 'Testing Miss Malarkey'  It's so cute!  The book is all about how big standardized tests can get blown out of proportion and helps kids not to have test anxiety.  Maybe one day I'll be reading this book to my clients :)

'The Principal is literally flipping his wig over which pencils to order, students in art class learn the correct way to fill in circles, and Mr. Fitanuff is teaching yoga to help de-stress kids before the test. Even worse, children are denied recess, and parents are concerned about property values.'


So here we go...got my #2 pencil ready (it has to be non-mechanical---I have to go buy one.  No, I haven't owned a regular yellow #2 pencil since about the second grade)

First Day of 18th Grade

Thursday was my LAST first day of school!  {weird.  I won't know what to do when I'm not in school}

It's hard to end Summer and get into the school mentality...but Fall also brings jeans, boots, and football so it's a compromise. 

Robert's first day as a Gamecock!

The night before school started I proposed to Robert: I would drive him to class across campus if he agreed to a first day of school picture. We had a deal :)

Here's to my last year of grad school!