Merry Christmas to all!

It's a wonderful feeling to be done with finals week, and now I'm back in Cedar Falls for a few days for Christmas. It's really nice to not have an agenda or have to do anything! :) I'm excited for our upcoming trip to Florida with Aaron's family - we haven't seen his sister and brother-in-law in a long time so it should be a great week!
Anyway, I hope you all have a very good Christmas and New Year's!!!

ice storm!

Sorry I haven't posted lately... Last week Grandma B. was down here in Iowa City for surgery on her neck so we got to see her and my mom a lot which was nice. She has gone back to Cedar Falls now and it sounds like she is doing well so that is very good news! These past few days we've had some really weird weather here. I think our first snow was pretty early, and now we have had a lot of freezing rain that just doesn't seem normal for Iowa. Normally it's just rain or snow, not much of a mix like we've had lately. Anyway, today we had the worst of the freezing rain I think and we lost our power from about 4 - 8 pm tonight. Aaron's parents had pity on us and had us come over for dinner which was very nice - I was really trying to think of what I could fix for supper without an oven, stove, or microwave! :) I'm very glad the power is back on so that the house can stay warm! On a related note, they canceled University classes this afternoon and evening which they rarely ever do. I was reading the university website and it made me laugh - it said that the only exception was the College of Dentistry! :) It figures... Well, I suppose all of the patients are counting on the students being there so it makes sense - still, it's kind of funny that they cancel class for everyone else but the dental students can still brave the ice! :)
Well, I have finals week coming up and the first of many tests starts tomorrow. Then one on Friday, two on Monday, one on Wednesday, and the last one on next Friday. At least they space it out! And then it's Christmas break! Hope you all are staying warm and your power is on!

Ode to Reuben

This is my little tribute to one of the joys of my life, Reuben. :) Reuby is such a simple boy - he really loves laundry, warm places, and sleep. So, when I did massive amounts of laundry the other day, he was in heaven! And then the other day one of the blankets fell off of the couch, and again he was in heaven. So tonight I decided to get a little crafty so I sewed Reuben a little flannel jacket - it's pretty funny! I have to get some Velcro at Walmart tomorrow to finish it, but I safety-pinned it on tonight for effect... I don't know if it will help keep him warm at all, but I like it! :)

Hurray!

Today I had clinic, and I finally had an operative patient! I think I blogged a little while ago that I was supposed to have my first patient two weeks ago (three counting Thanksgiving :)), but my first patient canceled. Then, my second patient canceled, and I was very bummed out! So, I was hoping that my patient this week would show up, and they did! Today was my first day of drilling and filling - I really wonder if my patient knew! :) It took a long time to do it all, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. And, I really enjoyed doing it, so it's a good thing I'm in dental school! :) If any of you need a filling, you can come see me and get it done for free! Plus, you won't be my first patient! :)

Tuesday night

and five loads of laundry down! Well, almost. There's still some in the dryer, but I think that still counts. :) I feel like I've been catching up on life this week and it's been good. I think there is definitely something to the theory that a clean house is less stressful. :) Today was a pretty good day - I got my grade back for my test I had on Monday and it went pretty well. We also got out early this afternoon - 2:45! So I had time to get a lot of things done, like the laundry... :)
Anyhoo, I have some really cute pictures of Reuben, but I have to find the cord for the camera so I can download them. When are they going to invent the wireless camera for lazy people like me? :) Oh yeah, I guess that's called the iPhone...
Well, Thanksgiving break is only a week away for me! Hope you all are having a great week!

Busy weekend!

How does the weekend go by so much faster than all of the other days??? It feels like it should still be Friday night, but it's already Sunday night. We've had a good weekend - lots of hanging out with friends. Thursday night we had pizza with one of my classmates and her husband, on Friday night we went out to a Japanese restaurant (Three Samurai) for one of my classmate's birthday, Saturday some of my friends from Cedar Falls came down to visit, Saturday night we met up with my old roommate and her new boyfriend, and then this evening we had dinner with one of our friends who used to live across the street! It's been a lot of fun, and surprisingly, I've got a lot done too. Today I reorganized some of the kitchen cabinets and such - I feel like I fight a losing battle against chaos in my house! :) But I read in a magazine that you should spend 20 minutes a day organizing one small area, and then eventually it will all be organized. Now, that may work for some people because they may have 10 areas that they need to organize and then they are done in a week and a half. I think it would take me a few months to accomplish it all... :)
Well, I need to get to bed. I have a practical test first thing in the morning. We have to prep a tooth for a crown (in the simulation clinic) and then make a temporary one... Hopefully all goes well and I don't mess up too much! :) Hope you all have a good week!

sorry...

It's been awhile since I posted last! But I am finally through all seven of those wonderful tests, and I just finished writing my paper that's due tomorrow... yay! I've had some issues with this paper... I started writing it this morning during my break between my test and class, and I saved it to the desktop of the computer at the library and then e-mailed it to myself. Well, I came back to the library during my lunch hour to finish it up and print it, and for some reason when I tried to open it, a different paper for the same class kept coming up! So that scared me a little, and I went back to the original computer and crossed my fingers... It wasn't on the desktop, but for some reason when I opened up the file from my e-mail it actually worked! I have no idea why it wouldn't work on the different computer - weird! So, all is well - I have my paper and it is done!
Tomorrow is my first day in my Operative rotation! I've been in Preventive (cleaning teeth) and Radiology (x-rays) already, so now I'm on to the drilling and filling part! Don't tell my patient tomorrow that it's my first day. :) I hope they show up! I looked at their chart a little and they have a few cavities that need to be filled, so hopefully I can schedule them back again a few times. We actually have a shortage of patients in the minor operative clinic - one of my classmates has only had one patient so far and he has had 6 clinic days already! So it's a big deal that I am actually scheduled for tomorrow... :)
Oh, one more funny thing. I got back my oral pathology test today (it was all short/long answer which is completely unusual - 99% of our tests are multiple choice) and the professor wrote a note on it: "Your answers are so precise and well worded they are like a beautiful poem." Oh how I wish you all knew this professor! Maybe I missed my calling in life - describing oral lesions??? lol
Anyways, I should be off to class... Hope you are all having a great week!

And so it begins...

The weeks of tests... :) Today I have my second microbiology exam. I'm not a huge fan of Monday exams because then I have to study over the weekend, and I am just too attached to my free time. Wednesday is Oral Pathology, Thursday is Growth and Development, and Friday is Perio Methods II. Good times. I can't wait. :) Most of my classmates are very stressed right now - many are planning on skipping a lot of class this week to try to study for all the tests. I would be more stressed, except what good will it do???
Anyway, Aaron and I had a good weekend... We met a few more people at our church on Sunday, so that is fun. We got invited to a pumpkin carving party, but unfortunately I had to study yesterday so we couldn't go. But hopefully when we have a little advanced notice we can go to some of these events!
I hope you all have a great week! Thanksgiving is coming soon!

Small group

Tonight Aaron and I went to a small group for married couples from our church. We've never gone before - mostly because we've been out of school, or I've had school stuff going on, we've forgotten, etc. So we finally made it tonight, and I think it was a really good time! We've had a hard time finding a church that really fits us and that has people who want to meet new people. Aaron and I met at a church here in town, but it felt like once we got married the married couples at that church didn't really give us the time of day. I know we are a fairly young couple, but to me it seems like that is all the more reason for the older married couples to reach out to us... But, that didn't really happen. So we tried a few other churches in town - one with really friendly people, almost too friendly! Again, we had a hard time finding people to connect with. Sometimes I feel like my career choice gets in the way of meeting other married women. I have never wanted to be a stay at home mom - don't get me wrong, I want to be a mom. And I have a bit of a mom complex because I sort of idolize my mom who has completed devoted herself to her family! Anyway, some of the couples Aaron and I have met along our church journey have been really nice people, but I felt like I couldn't get to know the woman because she already had all of her other mommy friends established. Or, if they didn't have kids, they weren't that far off from having kids, so their friends all had kids. So, all of this to say, I think we've found a church where we click. :) There is a big range of people who go to the church, but they have all been very friendly to us. And there are little things I appreciate, like in this small group there is a couple that is expecting and they also have a 18 month old - the couple get a babysitter so they can get out and be a married couple and the mom can have time where she doesn't have to be a mommy. I appreciate it as a relatively newly married person, and I think it is probably really healthy for them too!
I've missed having a community like this. I'm excited. :)

Oh Argyle!

Kate and Aaron match... how cute.

Chewie

He also likes the laundry... :)

It got a little chilly in our house...

So Reuben curled up on the laundry like always. But, Aaron decided that he should pile some laundry on top of Reuben to keep him warm... :) Reuben had a very nice nap!

I'm tired...

Today I am tired. It doesn't help that it is rainy outside - this is perfect nap weather! Last night Aaron and I put together his new office furniture that he got from Staples - quite the production! It all looks really nice, and the paint color he picked looks really nice with it all. I'll try to post a pic...
Anyway, starting next Monday we have 7 tests in 10 days - it's going to be a little hectic in the Brummer household. I'm sure it'll all turn out fine, but I'm not looking forward to all of the studying.
Well, hope you all have a great week!

Oh I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener...

No, I did not audition for the Oscar Mayer song - these two pictures are from this past summer when we were in Milwaukee for Aaron's annual work meeting. The picture by the water is downtown Milwaukee after we toured the Northwestern Mutual home office, and then the other is at the "Garden Party" that Aaron's company hosts every year. Basically, they shut down the Milwaukee Zoo, put up five different huge tents with all different kinds of food, etc. And the Oscar Mayer-mobile was there. :) I hope we get to go again next summer!

Wednesday...

It's the first actual chilly day of fall here in Iowa City! I think it's in the 40-50's today, which is some of my favorite weather because I get to break out the warm clothes! Today I have a test in oral surgery - it's kind of funny because we learn about all of the techniques and equipment needed for it, but we won't use the knowledge until we start rotations next year.
Tomorrow I have my third patient - I will be cleaning their teeth. Hopefully it is an uneventful morning! Some of my classmates have already started in other clinics so they are already drilling and filling... I'm a little jealous, but it's nice to ease into clinic with some "easier" procedures.
More random pictures to come later...

What?

Reuben loves dirty laundry, especially when I have piles of sorted laundry on the floor. He got a little crazy this time and ended up with my shorts on his head! Isn't he so cute!

School, school...

So it's Monday - back to school again. Monday and Friday mornings are my second favorite time of the week because we have fixed pros (aka crowns) in the sim clinic. For some reason I really like this class - Aaron says I should be a prosthodontist since I'm such a perfectionist. :) I think it's interesting, but I don't know if I would want to only do pros all the time.
Anyway, we have one test this week but it'll be a hard one - oral surgery. I'm glad it's on Wednesday, because then Thursday and Friday aren't as stressful.
Well, I am off to study... Happy Monday!

Leaving on a jet plane...

My mom and dad at the Cedar Rapids airport. They are in France right now, eating lots of good food and seeing some pretty great sights, I'm sure!

On the beach by the Mucky Duck restaurant. Don't we look preppy? :)

The beach at the resort - beautiful!

Aaron and I on the trolley on the way to dinner the first night in Captiva!

Captiva!!!

Here is the view from our room at the South Seas Resort in Captiva, Florida. Aaron and I were there for four days - he made his goal for the summer competition at his job (Northwestern Mutual) so they paid for us to go! Pretty cool, huh!

Washington D.C.

Aaron and I outside of the Jurys Washington Hotel. We went out to Washington D.C. for the wedding of our friends Angie and David - it was a whirlwind weekend as we flew out Saturday morning and came back on Sunday! No time for sightseeing... bummer. But hopefully we will go back sometime in the future when we have more time!

Downtown Chicago on our way to Harry Carey's!

Aaron and I at the first Hawkeye game of the season! We had a great weekend in Chicago, and the Hawks won. Oh, to go back to when the Hawks were winning... :)

New blog... I'm a copycat...

So I'm blogging again - we'll see how long it lasts. :) I have some good pictures to share, so I thought this would be a good way to do it. Hope you enjoy it!