petite femme jolie

Review - Dickies Medical Scrubs

2013-04-14T17:46:00.003-05:00

Holy hiatus!

The last time I wrote a blog post was a good five and a half months ago! I've been a slacker blogger while being in school full-time, but good news... I graduate May 16th! I will be Wisconsin's newest nurse - Look out! AND, hopefully back to blogging regularly.

Speaking of nursing...

I was contacted by a representative from Medical Discount Scrubs, offering me a pair of Dickies Medical Scrubs to review! Not only was this perfect timing (I get to ditch the ugly student-nurse scrubs after next week), but I have been looking around for cute scrubs since I'll be able to wear whatever I want when I start my new job in OB/GYN at the end of May!

[ Photo Cred ]

Top: Dickies Xtreme Stretch 82850 Scoop Neck

Bottoms: Dickies Xtreme Stretch 82011 Drawstring Flare Leg Pant

***

Here are my thoughts on Dickies Scrubs...

Pros:

1. The material is a.ma.zing. With the combination of rayon, polyester and spandex, comfort is inevitable.

2. They don't get wrinkled! I threw them in the wash and they came out of the dryer with absolutely no wrinkles. If no ironing is necessary, you know i'm going to love them!

3. LOTS of pockets - I've come to realize that you can never have too many in this profession.

4. Affordable. As a broke nursing student, I have to pounce on any bargain that comes along.

Cons:

1. The pant sizing seems to be a little off - I ordered the smallest size (XS) and I was swimming in them! Thankfully, the drawstring kept them from falling down. :) Also, they were a tad long for my 5'4 stature. I'll be ordering from their petite section next time!

***

All in all, I would highly recommend these to anyone. In fact, my mom said she would wear these around the house to lounge around in - They are THAT comfortable.

I'm excited to wear these my first day on the job!

Ask me about my t-rex

2012-10-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

I thought this deserved a post of it's own...

Who else feels like this shirt is a necessity?

Need it in my closet like yesterday.

***

Happy Friday, ya'll!

Giveaway WINNER!

2012-10-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

And the winner of the Pen & Paint giveaway is...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Anna, the fabulous author behind the blog "The Days When I'm Not a Nurse"

Congratulations! Hooray!
I'll be getting in touch with you today. :)

***

I realize that I have been slacking on the whole "Tasty Tuesdays" bit for a few weeks here, but fear not, I have not lost the cooking/baking itch just yet! My meals as of late have consisted of crock-pot chicken, microwavable rice, and Campbells soup, so i'm pretty sure a blog post about those things would not spark much of an interest.

Have a lovely day.

The Great Pumpkin Adventure of 2012

2012-10-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, Ryan and I trekked on over to a nearby pumpkin patch!

It was disgustingly cold outside, so the trip was a short, yet torturous, 20 minutes in total.

I was also too lazy to bring my DSLR, so bare with me and my iPhone photos!

{Obviously he's thrilled to be there.}

{These are not our pumpkins - We ran into my cousin and his girlfriend and stole his for this photo op.}

***

We're fun.

PS. Have you entered my giveaway yet?! With only 65 entries you have a pretty darn good chance of winning... Just sayin'. It ends tonight at midnight!

GIVEAWAY! $25.00 credit to Pen & Paint!

2012-10-01T06:30:00.000-05:00

Happy 1st of October!

{ And happy birthday month to meeee! }

Today I give you an awesome giveaway from Lindsay over at pen & paint!

If you're unfamiliar with her work, please do yourself a favor and head on over to the pen & paint etsy shop to check it out!

I recently fell in love with Lindsay's shop and purchased a few prints for my kitchen. All artwork is handmade... she is seriously talented.

Today she is giving away a $25.00 credit to her shop for anything your little heart desires!

Here are some of my personal favorites...

{all images via pen & paint etsy shop}

***

The giveaway will run through Monday, October 8th - Winner will be announced on Tuesday, October 9th!

Thanks for playing!

***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tasty Tuesday - Hormel Chili Dip

2012-09-25T05:30:00.000-05:00

It's Tasty Tuesday!

I know i've been slacking the past few Tuesdays, but I assure you, it's not because I wanted to! I swear there is not enough time in a day...

Today's recipe is another simple one, and perfect for munching on while watching football!

***

Hormel Chili Dip

{Served with chips}

What You'll Need:

2 cans Hormel Chili

(Whichever type you prefer: Turkey, beef, chunky, with/without beans, etc.)

4 slices Velveeta Cheese

Tortilla Chips

Directions:

Pour both cans of Hormel into pan and heat on stove.

Stir, stir, stir.

Add the Velveeta Cheese slices and stir some more until the cheese melts.

Pour into bowl and place in fridge for about 30 minutes or until cool.

Enjoy with your favorite chips.

***

Fall Check List

2012-09-24T06:30:00.000-05:00

Autumn is my favorite season, hands down.

In Wisconsin, Fall is a beautiful time of year with all the changing colors and the fresh, cooler temperatures.

Every year, I try to come up with a few autumn-y things that I want to do before big, bad winter hits us and it's too cold to leave the house.

I usually make it my mission to find the one perfect pumpkin at the pumpkin patch.

Fortunately for me, I always find it.

{September 2011}

A few things on my Fall List:

1. Go apple picking at an orchard.

2. Find the perfect pumpie at a pumpkin patch (again).

3. Make my way through a haunted corn maze.

4. Find and make a new apple cider recipe.

5. Bake several apple pies.

6. Decorate / Carve pumpkins.

7. Indulge in several Starbucks seasonal lattes.

8. Watch ALL 13 nights of Halloween (October 19 - 31st) on ABC Family.

***

Something not mentioned on this list (that goes without saying) is to add lots of flannel, over-sized sweaters, boots, and other fun Fall things to my wardrobe.

What's on your list?

Life Update

2012-09-05T06:30:00.000-05:00

Hi stranger!

I've only been "gone" from the blogging world for a little over a week, but it feels like muuuuuuch longer.

My email has been bombarded with "where are you?!" messages and it feels nice to be missed.

Thanks guys!

***

A few updates on my busy life:

I completed week 1 of nursing school last week.

It was rough, but I ~~barely~~ survived!

Finding a brachial pulse is seriously tough work. I was convinced that half of my classmates were dead because I couldn't feel their pulse.

Good news: They aren't.

***

Labor Day weekend was spent in Eau Claire, Wisconsin for a friends wedding.

Who doesn't love weddings?!

We may have indulged in a few too many adult beverages, but that's alright.

My dance moves seriously improve with a little bit of whiskey in me.

***

I've had my eye on these perfect prints from the Pen and Paint etsy shop for the last month or so and finally ordered two of them for my kitchen!

I suggest you check out Lindsay's shop, you'll like what you see - Promise.

***

I've gained about 12 pounds in the last 6 months.

If you knew me, then you'd know how crazy this is!

I'm infamously known as the 100-pound weakling... Not any more!

Look out everyone, i'm now a powerhouse at 112 pounds! Booyah.

***

I am participating in a Women's Fantasy Football league for the third year in a row!

Our draft was last week and... well... it started out okay, but went downhill after the 4th round. How am I supposed to know who's injured / who's in jail / who kicks dogs / etc?

***

That's all I got, what's new with you?
I've missed blogging and reading everyone's posts over the last week, i'm going to try my darndest to keep up my blog over the next 9 months while i'm in school!

Happy hump day. :)

First Day of School

2012-08-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

The day has finally arrived...

After months of preparation, my last 9 months of nursing school have come!

I'm happy to finally be doing my "core" nursing classes after almost 2 years of trying to finish up my pre-requisite math, english, speech, etc. courses.

To say I wasn't nervous would be a HUGE lie.

I know this is the right thing to do, but it's going to be a challenge!

All you nursing students and/or nurses, any words of encouragement would be MUCH appreciated!

If I seem a bit absent in the blog world, it's probably because i'm learning how to do a foley catheter insertion, discontinuing an IV, creating a sterile field, or assessing for postural hypotension.

...Go ahead and tell me how jealous you are of me.

***

Let us pray:

Amen.

***

Tasty Tuesday - Watermelon Boat

2012-08-21T07:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Tasty Tuesday!

Today's post is nothing fancy, but I thought I'd share a little something that would be perfect to bring to a party.

Introducing...

The Watermelon Boat

Sure there's no sail, no hull, no starboard, no bow... but it's still a boat to me.

Ingredients:

1 Watermelon - Sliced in half.

Fruits of your choice - Diced, sliced, or however you like it.

1 Bowl

1 Melon-Baller

***

Directions:

Slice your watermelon in half.

Melon-ball the inside of the watermelon and place in a bowl.

Throw in your other fruit (grapes, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc) into the bowl and mix.

Pour into the hollowed-out watermelon, admire your creation for a moment, then dig in!

***

I hope your Tuesday is Tasty!

{I'm that corny, yes.}

Product Review: COVERGIRL Clean Pressed Powder - Oil Control

2012-08-20T07:30:00.000-05:00

I never used to have oily skin, in fact, it was quite the opposite.

In my old age, however, I've developed oily skin, and had no idea how to deal with it... Until now!

Covergirl's Pressed Powder for Oil Control has worked extremely well for me.

Before applying, I always use a facial moisturizer so there are no flakes, and I tend to use a powder brush versus the puff that it comes with.

It controls the shine ALL DAY and is extremely lightweight. It will not clog your pores and hasn't caused me to break out at all, not even once!

{But if I do, you KNOW i'll have ELFs Zit Zapper on-hand!}

This powder blends very well and is fragrance-free.

For $7.99, I highly recommend this product for anyone who has oily or combination skin!

***

Have a wonderful week!

Happy Birthday!

2012-08-15T11:35:00.000-05:00

Today is a very special day...

My main squeeze turns 29!

Isn't he cute? I sure think so.

{Ryan's favorite memory - Meeting Whitney Port}

***

Happy birthday, dear!

I love you lots.

Tasty Tuesday - Italian Bread Loaf Pizza

2012-08-14T07:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Tasty Tuesday!

Today's recipe is a simple one, and cost us less than $10.00!
{ I realize that you can just run to Little Caesars and grab a $5.00 Hot-n-Ready, but that's lame and who KNOWS how long that pizza has been sitting there. }

Ingredients:

1 Loaf of Italian (or French) Bread

1 package Mozarella Cheese

1 package of Pepperoni's

1 bottle of Pizza Sauce

1 diced Green Pepper

1 handful of Cherry Tomatoes, diced

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.

Slice your loaf of bread in half, the long way.

Spread pizza sauce on each half.

Add your toppings.

Sprinkle on the cheese.

Bake for 7 - 9 minutes.

{Ryan got fancy with the camera. ^^}

...And as I type this, my manfriend is devouring his third piece.

As Borat would say, "great success!"

***

{ I'm linking up with 33 Shades of Green for today's recipe. }

***

Check it out now... the funk soul brotha

2012-08-13T07:30:00.001-05:00

What did you think of the Olympics Closing Ceremonies last night?

Let's all be honest here for a moment...

You know you watched the Closing Ceremonies because the Spice Girls were performing.

Just admit it.

Who doesn't love a little girl power 90s music in their life?

This 26 year old sure does!

{via}

The verdict is in. Scary Spice is still scary.

***

The second greatest performer?

Duh. Fat Boy Slim!

All I kept thinking about was the prom scene from She's All That:

{ Yeah. Because every high school has a choreographed dance at their prom. }

Who were your favorites?

Are you sad the Olympics are over?

I'm not, because NOW we can concentrate on Shark Fest... we don't call it Shark Week in my neck of the woods.

There's nothing weak about sharks.

Happy Monday!

August Birchbox

2012-08-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

My August Birchbox arrived yesterday, and by golly Birchbox, you've done it again!

This month, Birchbox is helping us refill our beauty supply kits with some essential products.

They also included a "Beauty 101" booklet for some must-know beauty tips!

I will give this months box another 9 out of 10!

What's Inside:

Stila // Forever Your Curl Mascara

Juicy Coutoure // Viva la Juicy La Fleur Perfume

Talika // Oil-Free Lash Conditioning Cleanser

Shu Uemura Art of Hair // Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil

Schick // Hydro Silk Razor

My Thoughts:

(+) I always love trying out new mascara's. This one did not disappoint! I might be using my Birchbox points credit and purchase the full-size Stila mascara. I love it that much!

(-) I have said this before... Not a huge fan of perfume samples. I will, and always will be, an Abercrombie 8 fan for life.

(+) Talika's oil-free lash conditioning cleansers are pretty neat. I would never usually buy a product like this, but I really like these! They removed my mascara completely and easily, as well as helps restructure weakened eyelashes. Win-win sitch right there!

(+) The Nourishing Protective Oil for your hair was fantastic! I would compare it to Biosilk's hair silkening product. They are both leave-in oil treatments for dry hair. Muy bueno.

(+) Birchbox saved me from spending another $10 on a new razor this month! I was very happy to see they included the Hydro Silk Schick razor. Big fan of anything that makes these gams of mine silky-smooth.

(+) The Beauty 101 booklet included some handy tips:

How to Read a Label

5 Tips to a Better Shave

Quick Makeup Fixes

Super Speedy Skincare

"Tools of the Trade" - Learn more about makeup artist staples and how to use them like a pro.

***

Thinking about signing up for Birchbox?
I can help you with that! Click here.

***

Have a lovely weekend!

Kristen Stewart is a Trampire.

2012-08-09T16:03:00.000-05:00

No one is as sad about Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson's break up than Will Ferrell is.

Don't believe me?

Here's proof:

"She is a trampire! That's what she is!"

I agree, Will. I agree.

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo {Chiiiiild}

2012-08-08T07:30:00.000-05:00

I will be the first to admit the following two things:

1. TLC's newest show "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" is probably going to kill a few too many brain cells / is sure to make me ponder what our world is coming to...

2. ... But i'm going to watch it any way. Or at least the first ~~season~~ episode.

Alana, aka "Honey Boo Boo", the little chubby child from Toddlers and Tiaras, got her own spin-off show. Why? Because ~~America thrives off this crap~~ this little girl is actually pretty hilarious. The parenting skills however, need some serious work. The words "epic fail" actually come to mind when I think of Alana's mother. Oh and "worst mom ever". Not quite the reputation i'd go for. { I'd like to see her win a beauty pageant. }

Will you be watching the premier tonight?

Tasty Tuesday - Tuna Cucumber Cups

2012-08-07T07:30:00.000-05:00

In my never-ending search for simple, fast, and healthy snacks... I stumbled upon this gem!

Tuna Cucumber Cups

What You'll Need:

2 Cucumbers

1/2 lb Tuna Salad {recipe here}

1 Melon Baller

{ Makes approximately 16 cucumber cups. }

Directions:

Cut your cucumbers into hearty slices.

Using the Melon Baller, scoop out the inside of the cucumber.

Spoon about a tablespoon of Tuna Salad and place into the center of the cucumber.

Enjoy!

If you aren't a huge tuna salad fan, replace it with potato salad, hummus, veggie dip, or cottage cheese!

***

{ I'm linking up with 33 Shades of Green for today's recipe. }

***

The Perfect Planner - I FOUND IT!

2012-08-06T07:30:00.000-05:00

Nothing makes this girl happier than buying a new planner.

With school starting in just a few weeks, I know I needed to get it together and find a new one to help me get organized.

I searched Target, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Maybook, Russel & Hazel... You name it, I was there, and found not even ONE that I liked enough to purchase.

{ Buying a planner is a big deal, in case you didn't know. }

Any ways, after searching and failing... I had a genius thought!
ETSY!

I entered "planners" in the search bar, and weeded through all the options it brought up... and then, I saw it...

{via}

Plum Paper by Plum Paper Designs is now my favorite Etsy shop.

Custom-designed planners, note cards, journals, gift tags, etc... I couldn't be happier!

For planners, you choose the cover design and can customize it with your name. You get to pick between two options for the weekly spread. {I chose option 2 - It's an hourly layout which is perfect for classes!}

{via}

If you're in the market for a new planner, I highly suggest you check out Plum Paper on Etsy!

A Magical Zit Zapper

2012-08-01T07:30:00.000-05:00

If you are the person who gets the occasional zit, or even the kind of person who gets a daily zit, this product is for you.

E.l.f.'s Zit Zapper works WONDERS, people!

Let me tell you, and this may be a bit TMI for some of you...

A few months ago, I had a zit the size of ~~Africa~~ Asia right by my nose.

{Great, let's draw even more attention to Sam's shnoz. That's juuust what I need.}

The second I felt it, I immediately grabbed this and applied it to the area.

I went to work, and threw this in my purse.

Through out the day, I reapplied Zit Zapper every few hours, and continued to do so until I went to bed that night.

The next morning, I woke up and it was no where to be found.

I'm not kidding.

However, I wasn't 100% convinced the first time around.
I mean, what product (that only costs $1.00) works this well!?

Too good to be true, I said to myself.

I am here to tell you that it has worked every.single.time I've used it.

Don't believe me? Try it for yourself!

What have you got to lose? $1.00? That's one less McChicken you could live without.

Do yourself a favor: Buy it here or at any Target.

Hooray for zit-free skin!

Tasty Tuesday - Pepperoni Calzone

2012-07-31T07:30:00.000-05:00

For today's Tasty Tuesday recipe, we made...

CALZONES!

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough

Pizza Sauce

Mozarella Cheese

Pepperoni

Green Peppers

Butter

Pizza Seasoning

Of course, as always, you can choose whatever you like to put into your own Calzones!

We meant to add mushrooms to ours, but... I forgot.

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.

Roll out the pizza dough in the shape of a rectangle, and about the size of the pan you will be using.

Transfer the dough onto your baking pan.

Spoon the pizza sauce into the center of the dough.

On each side of the dough, cut the sides at about 3/4 inch intervals, making sure you don't cut all the way to the filling.

Add the rest of your toppings on top of the pizza sauce.

{Green peppers, Mozarella Cheese, Pepperoni, etc.}

Now the fun part! Criss-cross the strips over the filling, and seal with water.

Brush a bit of butter over the top of your Calzone, and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Remove and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce, or alone!

***

{ I'm linking up with 33 Shades of Green for today's recipe. }

***

A Monday Morning {Caffeinated} Pick-Me-Up

2012-07-30T07:30:00.000-05:00

If you're anything like me, you probably need a pick-me-up on Monday mornings.

Since i'm a soon-to-be poor nursing student in the Fall, my daily trip to Barriques or Starbucks must cease and desist.

{It's okay, you can feel bad for me. I sure do.}

To make the transition a little easier on myself, I decided to try out a beverage that i'd seen on, where else, Pinterest.

I usually get an iced tea in the mornings - Too much coffee makes me jittery and anxious.

However, Vanilla Almond Milk + Coffee Ice Cubes is the perfect combination.

It's refreshing, nutritious, and has just the right amount of caffeine to snap me out of that Monday morning funk and NOT make me a jittery little freakazoid.

Cheers to saving money!

***

To make:

Brew a glass or two of black coffee.

Pour hot coffee into ice cube trays and let freeze.

Pour a glass of Vanilla Almond Milk and pop a few coffee ice cubes in!

{When the ice cubes melt, the coffee flavor gets stronger.}

***

Have a great week!

Teavana

2012-07-27T20:10:00.000-05:00

If you know me, you know that I absolutely love tea.

Several months ago, I received a gift card to Teavana; A loose-tea and tea-accessory shop in our local mall.

Teavana is "part Tea Bar and part Tea Emporium".

and
"Only teas with rich flavors and superior health benefits are selected for Teavana."

You can't go wrong with that!

{via}

Tonight, I made a pit-stop during our shopping spree and decided to finally check it out...

BOY have I been missing out!!!!

First, you are greeted with a lovely little Tea Cart.

The Tea Cart offers you complimentary samples of some of their most popular loose-teas.

Tonight's flavors were "Youthberry" and an orange, Chai tea.

I helped myself to a few samples and began browsing the store.

The atmosphere was right up my alley...
They had Parisian music playing, several other samples of tea to choose from, and then I saw it...

Teavana's Tea Wall!

{You expected something more exciting, didn't you.}

{via}

Each of these canisters are filled with the different types of loose-teas that they have in the store for purchase.

{Oolong, Green, Black, Mate, Rooibos, Herbal, White... The list goes on and on!}

Since I had no idea what type of tea I wanted to buy (too many options),

instead of buying loose-tea this time around, I had the nice Teavana employee make me a Jasmine iced tea. So yummy.

Every time I asked about a certain tea, the nice Teavana employee would remove a few canisters from the Tea Wall, open them, and waft the scents in my direction while describing each of them in detail.

{A few of the teas that I smelled. The combination on the right has just as much caffeine as a small coffee does.}

So, in a nutshell...

Teavana equals my own personal heaven on earth.

If you have one in your city, I suggest you go in for a few samples!

***

Have a great weekend!

Tasty Tuesday - Potato Bar

2012-07-24T07:30:00.000-05:00

For today's Tasty Tuesday, I bring you one of my favorite meals ever.

{If it was healthy to live off french fries and baked potatoes, that's probably what i'd eat for the rest of my life. And soup. Potato soup.}

The Potato Bar

What You'll Need:

Crock Pot

Tin Foil

Potatoes (I used Yukon Gold Potatoes)

...And the fixin's:

Bacon Bits

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Sour Cream

Salsa (Medium)

Green Peppers

Tomatoes

{Of course you can choose whatever toppings you prefer, but these were our favorites. }

***

Directions:

Wash your potatoes and wrap them individually in tin foil.

Place in crock pot for 8 hours on low (or 4 hours on high).

Remove potatoes from crock pot, take off the tin foil, and mash.

Add your favorite toppings, and eat up!

***

Yummy.

Target REDcard - The best decision you'll make all year.

2012-07-23T07:30:00.000-05:00

Have you heard of the Target REDcard yet?!

If not, it's about time that you do!

The REDcard is Target's new debit card.

{via}

A few advantages...

1. 5% discount on every.single.purchase.

{ Cha-Ching. }

2. NO FEES.

{ Zip, zero, zilch. }

3. No credit check.

{ If you have a checking account, you'll be approved. }

4. Free shipping on all target.com purchases.

5. Like your normal debit card, the REDcard will pull funds directly from your checking account.

6. Education Donation.

{ Target will donate 1% of your purchase amount to any K-12 school of your choice. }

***

This is a no-brainer to me.

If you're an avid Target shopper like myself, the REDcard just makes sense!

The only "negative" thing I can come up with is that it will not help build your credit.

{Big whoop. Get a credit card.}

Have I convinced you yet?!

For more info, go here.

***

Have a wonderful week!