I'm finally done with my week of exams! I decided to do a vlog to answer some questions and save some time! (It ended up being over 10 minutes of me talking and I don't know how to edit it...good luck with that!)

I took a long weekend off to travel back to Cincinnati to spend time with family and get away from med school for a few days. I probably won't be able to visit home until Thanksgiving so it was great to spend sometime with everyone and not have to think (much) about school. (Although I still studied!)

My Week in Pictures:

I spent most of my time the last few weeks here...

Studying things like this...

So my room ended up looking like this:

And after I was done with exams, I came home to these:

Then I went home to celebrate and relax which included a trip to Oktoberfest Zinzinnati:

With this guy who is growing a beard:

Then I hung out with this guy:

Nick and my mom collaborated to make me this:

My mom gave Nick her wedding ring to use towards my engagement ring awhile back (which I had no idea about). Instead, Nick had it made into a pendant that I could wear and always carry my mom (and dad) with me! What a thoughtful, wonderful gift! I don't have the words to describe how much it means to me but I love it!

So that's my weekend! I'm hoping to come back to school Monday revived and renewed and readying to kick butt with school & getting healthy!

What's good, blogland? First of all, if you aren't watching The Hills retromarathon on MTV because you're at work right now, I feel for ya. I really do. This show just gets better and better every time I watch it. LC is my stupid face making soulmate! And who doesn't have a Jen Bunney or Heidi in their life? In 40 years, we will call this "classic" TV that will forever be in syndication of Lifetime.

This weekend wrap up contains my last "hoorah" before the panicky feeling of moving and uprooting my life begins starts NOW. Two weeks from yesterday, I will throw all my junk in several vehicles and become a resident of Indiana for the next 4-8 years. This isn't like college where I know I'll be coming home on weekends and breaks. This could be permanent.   But I'll save all that anxiety for another post. This is supposed to be fun!

After running some errands on Friday, I started my 4.5 hours drive up to "The Region" or the part of Indiana that claims to be Chicago, much to the chagrin of anyone that is truly a resident of the city. The drive was pretty enjoyable. I went to the library and borrowed several "Now" CD's - Now 9 is pure perfection, by the way. I also got a couple books on CD - Pandemonium & Requiem by Lauren Oliver. I read the first book - Delirium - a few years ago and LOVED it so I'm finishing the series. I'm a huge fan of dystopias and the writing is beautiful. Definitely a must-read for all you fans of The Hunger Games and similar books! Yes, I still read Young Adult fiction. 

A little background - every summer (at least the last 4 years) my close group of friends gets together in someones home town for a fun weekend, usually in the middle of the summer. Now that we've joined the adult world, things are VERY complicated. Work schedules, school schedules, weddings, prior obligations - it's hard to plan anything we can all be at (three of the eight people couldn't make it!). I'm sure it only gets harder from here. 

Our first Girl's Weekend in Cincinnati!

Friday was a relaxing day. We all got acclimated and went to Mexican for margarita's and yummy food. I gave in and had a few margs -  I couldn't resist after that long drive! I also had a few chicken fajita's - yum yum! 

Saturday we packed up the cooler and headed to the Indiana Dunes on Lake Michigan for a relaxing day at the beach! The weather was perfect - low 80's, breezy, and low humidity. The water was beautiful and just the right temp! Unfortunately, I didn't do too well with the sunscreen so now my back is an angry red color. My first (and last) sunburn of the summer. Boo, hiss.

After the lake, we all got showered and dressed for dinner! We went to a cute little pizza place in her town which was perfect since we didn't eat much for lunch - just some snacks we packed for the beach.  

After dinner, we wanted to check out a brewery in our host's town. This is when things went "downhill" in a good way. First of all, the beer was good! We all ordered different things and just shared and took sips of each other's beer. I guess once you're out of college, you start to appreciate more than just Miller Lite. The best part was all the girl talk! It doesn't happen very often where we are all in one place and able to chat for as long as we want - no obligations or places to go. I will miss this like crazy in the coming months...

Sunday morning meant it was time for everyone to go home - all in different directions. The next time we'll all be together will probably be Homecoming in October, if we can even make it! Getting old sucks. Oh - and our friend's mom made us the BEST protein pancakes for breakfast made with cottage cheese and a few other ingredients. I'm totally going to find a similar recipe and try it out at home! 

Now it's time to recover and get to work! I have a long to-do list of things I've been neglecting until now. The biggest issue is purging all the crap from my room - I need to get rid of clothes I don't wear anymore, papers, books, etc. - basically anything that is going to make moving difficult. I want to start school refreshed and renewed! No clutter. Am I the only one who saves old tests and notes thinking I'll go back and use them one day? Probably. 

Have a great week, everyone! And don't forget to enter the Sony Cybershot Camera GIVEAWAY here!

It's Wednesday and I'm just now getting around to talking about my fantastic weekend so it must have been good, right? RIGHT!

Any week with less work days is always a positive to me. For those counting, I only have 4 MORE DAYS of work left and then I get to start sleeping at night and praying I haven't completely messed up my metabolism.

On Friday, we had the Kenny Chesney concert which Nick and I went to with his parents (they are hip and cool like that) plus we didn't have to drive. I was totally expecting to run into more people that we knew throughout the night but that wasn't the case - just a few people Nick works with. Oh well. It was still a blast minus the rain. Seriously, what's with all the rain? Send some to the southwest, please!

As a side note, people are just disgusting. By the end of the night the women's restrooms were covered in an inch of water and the girls behind me in line were not wearing shoes. Are you serious? You aren't wearing shoes in a concert bathroom? I hope you've had your tetanus shot! 

After too much beer and a late night, we woke up super early to drive to Bloomington for my sorority sister's wedding.I was super disappointed that I ruined my 2+ weeks of no soda and no fast food when we got Burger King on the way...both of us needed something greasy to say the least. Then the real fun began! I don't know what the best part was: seeing my friends again, being back in Bloomington, or celebrating my first friend wedding. 

Up until now, all the weddings I've been to have been those of older family and friends, but no one my age. I guess we are starting to enter that stage of our lives and I couldn't be more excited!  

The wedding itself was beautiful. I'm a bawl bag so of course I cried during the ceremony. When I first saw the bride, tears welled up in my eyes.  She looked gorgeous with a radiant smile - I can't wait to experience that first hand one day!

After a full Catholic mass (I LOVE church weddings and I love mass. Maybe I should go more often then...), we headed over to the Indiana Memorial Union for the reception. The whole wedding was perfect and simple - nothing too over the top with the main focus on the couple and their love that started in Bloomington at college! I'm such a hopeless romantic...swoon! So reception pictures:

The best part was the after party! All of our friends met up at our favorite local spot - Nick's English Hut - and it was like returning home. I remembered all the football and basketball games I had watched over the years, my 22nd birthday playing Sink the Biz with friends & family, our last senior sorority dinner, and random nights filled with laughter and friends (plus some Biz fries). 

A little later into the night, the bride, groom, and whole wedding party showed up at Nick's (in their full wedding attire)! It was pure Hoosier perfection!

When I was finally forced to go back to the hotel for the night, I had the mother of all breakdowns which I totally knew was coming. Bloomington is such a sacred place for me and it's where I did A LOT of growing up. The day I stepped foot on the campus I was a shy, insecure 18 year old and in just 4 years I made a complete 180 (well, almost. I still have work to do). My life completely changed when I decided to attend IU and when I met my friends which is why I'm so crazy about that place. It's hard to explain but every time I come back to visit, I feel like I'm coming home. 

Unfortunately on Sunday morning everyone had to rush about in different directions to get back home and prepare for work. Emerging adulthood is rough :). Before we left for Cincy, Nick and I decided to make a quick stop to Assembly Hall. Lucky for us, there was a basketball camp going on so the buildings were all unlocked! 

So that was my bittersweet weekend of celebration. I was really happy I worked so hard during the cleanse - I really loved my dress and a lot of my clothes are starting to fit better! Still, this weekend also reminded me how far I still have to go in all my goals (standing next to beautiful, skinny girls will do that). Now is not the time to get complacent!

Say what? I was super shocked and excited that Mer in America nominated me for the Liebster Award a few days ago!  Thanks girl :)  I love this kind of stuff!

This is what you do to nominate your fellow bloggers: 

Acknowledge the blog that nominated you (Thanks Mer!)

Tell 11 facts about yourself

Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger created

List 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you believe deserve some recognition

Post 11 questions for them to answer

Notify them that they've been nominated

You can't nominate the blog that nominated you

11 Facts about Pretty Strong Medicine (Hey! That's Me...Heather)

1. I’m an only child. 
2. I want a big family one day - like a basketball team of kids. With matching hair bows for the girls & bowties for the boys.
3. I don’t like boats or water or getting my hair wet. But I do like sitting by the pool drinking margaritas.
4. I own over 200 t-shirts - thanks to cheerleading, my sorority, and school. (Any T-shirt blanket makers out there?)
5. I can peel a banana with my toes.  Yes, I won money because of this.
6. I wear size 12 shoes and my running shoes are size 13!!!  Anyone else think I should be 6’0” tall?
7. I was a cheerleader for 9 years - competitive & school but I wish I would’ve stuck with competitive instead of switching in high school.
8. I don’t like touching raw meat so I rarely eat it unless someone else makes it.
9. I am a converted Catholic - I wasn’t baptized until I was 13.
10. I’ve worn glasses since 3rd grade, contacts since 6th, and braces 6th-9th.  I was super cute with my GOLD braces and glasses in the middle of my ugly, awkward stage.
11. Peanut butter is a food of the gods. 

11 Questions from Mer in America
1. You have one hour left...who would you call?
Oh goodness...I can’t pick just one person!  Probably Nick or my Mom...and anyone else I could get in touch with in an hour. 

2. In one word, describe your personal style.
yoga-chic (the hyphen makes it one word, obviously.)

3.What music do you listen to when you are sad?
I gravitate towards Alternative - Shinedown, Theory of a Deadman, Evanescence - you know, the emo-kid-eating-icing-in-her-bathroom kind of music.

4.If you could pick another time period to live in, when would you live (i.e. 20's, 60's)?
I would love to have been part of the “greatest generation” - those who grew up during The Great Depression and World War II.  I love the 1920s-1950’s.  The ‘60s are when things start to get weird...

5.Do you run...and if so why?
I do something in between a jog and a prance - if you call that running, awesome.  I run because I’m starting to enjoy it, it requires very little equipment or time, and it’s a socially acceptable activity.  But really...it seems like everyone runs and I was feeling left out.

6.What is the healthiest thing you eat or do?
I laugh a lot!  If make me laugh, we are basically best friends.  It adds years to your life so stop Grumpy Cat-ing it up and crack a smile!

7. What is your unhealthiest habit?
Using food as a coping mechanism.  Unlike exercise or writing or dancing in my room, food doesn’t ever help the problem.

8. What is your favorite movie?
That’s a toughie.  Probably Legally Blonde.  I love Reese Witherspoon!  

9. If you were a color, which one would you be and why?
Glitter.  That’s a color, right? Because...it's pretty & makes everything better.

10. What is your favorite reality/competition TV show?
There are so many great ones - definitely a guilty pleasure of mine.  Probably The Biggest Loser because it’s pretty dramatic but also inspiring.  I've also always wanted to go on The Amazing Race...

11. What is one thing you will never forget to tell your children someday (or currently)?
I will always love them and support them no matter what (but that's no excuse to not make good decisions or do something with their lives). 

I Nominate:

Erika @ Stethoscopes, Style, and Grace

Nicole @ A Heart Like Mine 

Dani @ That Fitness Chic

Ashley @ Work That Ash

Kailagh @ Love Always, Freckles

Andrea @ Fluent in Sparkle

Cortney @ The Little Things...(and Vodka)

Jessica @ Bottled Up Lightning

Sara @ Sara in Texas

Amy @ The Diary of a Fat Mommy

Jula @ J-Ziggy

11 Questions from Pretty Strong Medicine
1. If you could be a Disney Princess, which one would you be?
2. What is one food you could survive on the rest of your life?
3. Describe yourself in three words.
4. What's your favorite summer activity?
5. If you were famous, what would you be famous for?
6. What's your biggest pet peeve?
7. What would you do if you were invisible?
8. What was your favorite class in school?
9. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
10. What's at the top of your bucket list?
11. What's your biggest fear?

Even though I've been at this for almost a month now, (Yay!) I haven't done very many basic "about me" posts.  I've focused mostly on what I've been doing - my weekends, workouts, not sleeping, etc.  Let's back up a bit.  And as I fully endeavor to be honest and forthcoming - I just don't have the motivation to finish the dozen or so other posts I have sitting on my desktop this is what you get today. We all need a little fluff in our lives, right? Enjoy :) 

{one}

Do you have pets, and if you do, do you see them as pets or as members of your family?

No pets anymore.  We had to put our chocolate lab to sleep a few summers ago so now I just pretend Nick's dog is mine.  He's the cutest!

{two}

If you could have any dream come true, which would it be?

To marry my best friend :)

{three}

If you had a billion dollars what would you do with it?

1) Pay off all my student loans/pay for med school

2) Pay back my family for everything they have bought me/done for me

3) Donate to charity

4) Have Nick invest it using his economical skills (probably buy Apple stock or whatever)

5) fund medical research like Multiple Sclerosis for my grandpa

6) go on a nice shopping spree

7) get a personal trainer & chef

8) travel

{four}

What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?

Spending time with friends & family, dancing to music, reading, writing, working out, eating ice cream (sorry...honest), organizing things, alcoholic beverages.

{five}

What is your bedtime routine?

on a normal day, I like to workout at night so I take a shower afterwards, wash my face, brush those teefers, do a final check of social media, read for a little bit or watch Netflix, call/text good night to Nick & friends, spray my pillow with lavender vanilla, arrange my pillows very strategically, do some deep breathing to relax, spend a lot of time thinking, sleep.

{six}

What activities did you do in high school? If you could go back would you change it up, or do the same thing?

I was a cheerleader for school & was involved in a few clubs like National Honor Society but I also worked part-time.  I would have been involved even more in things like student government.  I was a lot more introverted than I am now so I was afraid to run for leadership positions or get out of my comfort zone.  I also wish I would have stuck with competitive cheerleading & dance instead of just doing school - it was a waste.

{seven}

What kind of books do you read?

I'm drawn to historical fiction, particularly the WWII era.  I still read a decent amount of young adult novels, chick lit, etc but I throw in a classic every now and then.  I also enjoy autobiographies.

{eight}

How do you see yourself in 10 years?

Fresh out of residency living in the Midwest with my husband, three kids, and two doggies.  Hopefully working hard  in a successful group practice but striking a balance with home life too.  I would love to have a couple half marathons (maybe even a marathon) under my belt by then.

{nine}

What's your fear?

I have all sorts of irrational fears - losing loved ones, not making it through school, staying fat forever.  The list continues.  I'm a worrier.

{ten}

Would you give up all junk food for your chance to see outer space?

Quite frankly, I could careless about outer space and I like ice cream. 

{eleven}

What's the first thing you do when you wake up?

Turn my alarm off, check social media with one eye open, wish I could keep sleeping.

{twelve}

If you could change one thing about your significant other, what would it be?

I wish he lived closer to me.  We're an hour drive from each other currently - soon to be two.

{thirteen}

If you could pick one name for yourself what would it be?

I like Heather.  Except there really isn't an obviously nickname or shortened form..."Heath" doesn't really work.

{fourteen}

Six months of sun or six months of rain?

Sun, sun, mr. golden sun!

{fifteen}

If you could eat only one thing for the next 6 months what would it be?

Probably pizza...there are so many possibilities and types that you could totally get in all the major food groups.

{sixteen}

What is the thing you enjoy about blogging the most?

I love getting to connect with people I never would have known otherwise! 

{seventeen}

Do you prefer salty or sweet foods?

Both. Together is even better!

{eighteen}

What items are in your purse right now?

I'm carrying a huge Vera Bradley tote right now at work...my computer, iPad, two magazines, two books, makeup, wallet, note pads, pens, protein bar, water bottle, keys, power cords, phone, sweatshirt, Lilly planner, & newspaper.

{nineteen}

Name 3 things on your bucket list.

1) run a half marathon

2) skydive

3) visit every Major League Baseball park (Nick & I decided to do this together...first stop not counting Cincy is Atlanta in July!)

{twenty}

What do you watch on TV that you know you shouldn't?

Probably all those shows on Netflix that cause me to waste hours of my life.  I'm looking at you, Gossip Girl.