dinner routines

something i'm loving about my boy and i being together is how we take turns making dinner and have already created a routine! it's something i've waited for, for a long time now and i'm so excited to finally have nightly dinners with my boy. especially since the way to his heart is certainly through his tummy ;) i'm also enjoying cooking a lot more and am impressed with myself with all of my creations. maybe i'll blog some time about them.

ammu is currently making turkey chili (smells amaaazing) for us tonight and i can't wait to EAT! hope you're having a great dinner tonight with the people you love!

love,

Nanda Bear

*a photo i took last March of a window in NYC! 

a few of my favorite things around here...

so as i'm still settling in there has been this new feature that's come about... "my favorite things around here" it's only the second one but i sort of like it as an update and to share some cool photos, especially as my life here is unfolding. i'm still getting used to my new apartment and all of the decorating and making it "mine" is almost done! yay! but here are a few things (mostly all from my bedroom) that i'm loving! hope you enjoy :)

please meet Puffer, my puffin. this was one of the first little presents ammu gave me when we first started dating and he sent it to me on a monthaversary during the first few months of us dating :) puffins are my favorite animal! ever since, Puffer has come with me every where and has a little personality of his own. i love him and i'm sure he has plenty to say, himself ;)

i'm loving the amount of candles, tea lights, and little tchotchkes that are all over the apartment. just little things to lighten up the rooms and the little box on the right, ammu's mom gave it to me :) so a very special little addition to the apartment :) 

my Essie "go overboard" nails! it's been a while since i did my nails and although a spring color i think this is the perfect color for the cold, dreary, winter but also adds some color!

but i think my favorite thing of all are these feet right here; my boy's. being able to now see him just about every day has been amazing and something i've waited for for three and a half years, now. the little quiet moments of studying together, making dinner, and lunch dates between classes has been amazing and i don't know when this will all sink in but i'm so blessed and happy to finally have this with you, ammu <3 you're my best friend and my everything.

binghamton...you've been good to us.

so my boy is here for his last visit in binghamton...ever. so strange that it's the last one before i graduate which is just two weekends away now (omg). he's sound asleep after a very long day and big med school exam. also, in honor of movember he has shaved his god awful mustache (sayonara!).

anyways, binghamton you've been so good to us during my time here. you've certainly taught us what a real winter is like, what "upstate NY" living was like, and you've brought us together in ways i never thought i could be close to someone. i really can't believe all the times we've spent here...good and bad i love them all.

never thought i'd say this.. but we promise to visit. how could we not? thank you, for everything binghamton.

photos: {Jonathan Cohen}

my baby's birthday weekend

so as i mentioned...this past weekend was my boy's birthday. it was very interesting (i finally met his friends), very fun (SU football game, food, presents), and very productive (finding my new apartment!). he was very happy with his presents (yay!) and i even got him some macaroons that he keeps bragging about (boooooo!) they got delivered AFTER i left (double boooo!) hopefully he'll save some for me.

 PJ's! we're their new regulars.

and their lobster mac and cheese is incredible.

 i'm already an obsessed, new fan. go, orange! :-*

'Cuse win versus Louisville

 pastabilities. where we had my boy's birthday dinner.

more good food. dying.

the incredible macaroons.

things i never did until you showed up.

eat turkey bacon (...and boy do i love it)

watch Gossip Girl with a boy (shh...don't tell him i told you he loves it!)

go to chipotle (so many food introductions..be ready.)

think of ridiculous outfits for babies and kids

people watch (too much fun)

play fight/wrestle (never thought i'd enjoy it as much as i do)

want a puppy

eat pinkberry (one of our many obsessions)

think about baby names (mostly girl names)

relax for hours just laying on grass, staring at the sky, talking

go to a circus (cirque du soleil)

think about my wedding

wear my glasses when i was supposed to (yeah...i'm a little silly and a lot stubborn)

wear degree men (when i had no deodorant of my own)

eat/drink so many mcchickens, mcnuggets, and sweet teas (when he lived next to a mickie ds)

have girl crushes on zooey deschanel and emma stone (so gosh darn adorable)

..but most special of all {be in love with someone.}

i'm drowning guys, i'm drowning

the title of this post is exactly how i'm feeling. i have had probably 12 hours of sleep this entire week and although i'm barely sleeping.... my bed has not been made at all this week. if anyone knows me...they would NOT believe (also, don't tell my mother). i'm stressed beyond belief and i don't know where or how to breathe. there's a list that keeps getting things added and added and addedddd. i've had SO much work for class, two presentations, ongoing projects, and of course-work. it's suddenly gotten to be more than anything i can handle and i can't wait for this week to be over. definitely planning on sleeping for the entire night tonight...until tomorrow when it all restarts with the deadline of my first grad school applications approaching (yikes!) i've been working on them since over the summer and a little each night since school has begun, but of course they're not done...

my boy has also been especially stressed with yet another exam coming and tons of work, himself. it's all catching up to the both of us i think and we're talking less and less...and seeing each other less frequently again. it's more than difficult to go through this without him and especially feeling like i just need a breath and he would be the first to hand it to me. luckily, next weekend i'll be going up for a visit AND we'll be going to a Wiz Khalifa concert (soexcitedyoudon'tbelieve). It's part of the 2050 Tour and I absolutely love Wiz. Really, i do. TGOD

so i'm counting the days until this final break until i get to just let it all out. and basically, i feel like the last 5 emojis on the last row. we all love our iphone emojis and i love the new ones even more :|

until next time,
lobSTRESS

the arguments

there are good times and there sure are bad times. all couples have their moments and we have been having lots of "those moments" lately. for all of you other long-distance-ers i commend you. this is not easy by any means and although my boy and i are onto our fourth year, things remain difficult to manage with a distance and all of the added stresses of this time in our life.

he with the beginnings of med school and i on the beginnings of my own path towards grad school/some other type of post graduate work things are hard. also, we're still at that young age (and maybe our culture is to blame) of being very much under our parents' wing and household and i must say is really controlling and difficult to cope with on its own. but with the ideas of settling down and moving on together sometimes it is harder to fathom than ever with realizing this whole path is so real now.

any stressful day i think we unfortunately let some things get the best of us. and there are definitely those times of the tears, fears, and even saying mean things loudly. but when reflecting and stopping right now to think, we can't bear seeing the other like that and always remember that things will be okay and that we are in this, together no matter what issues we have, what adjustments we need to make, and what difficult things are going on.

it was much harder than i realized my adjustment would be towards his going to med school. his life has changed drastically and therefore, mine has too. maybe i was a little naive to think it wouldn't affect me. but i can promise him, myself, and all you readers this is one of the most important things in my life. we do seem and are really happy together. we laugh endlessly til our cheeks, lungs, and eyes hurt and i think beneath every relationship, at the foundation you need to be the best of friends and that's exactly what we are. 

we do work hard, everyday for our future and what we want with each other. the sacrifices and support go each way. a lot of selflessness and great communication is absolutely necessary and everyone needs to be reminded of that. especially long distance, when upset you almost have to make that phone call when you simply want to be left alone. communication is key. 

we celebrate the little things. and we have our times when we just order pizza and drink beer, sitting on the floor watching a crappy tv show in our pjs and those are my favorite times. just be you and have fun with all that you are. i'm not even close to qualified or certain of what the "right thing" is but i do know i love this boy more than i've loved anyone and we met my pure fate, God has blessed me over and over for every moment i have with him and i'm willing to go through it all- together.


i love and miss you, boy.

...psht. like we're this chic.

smile

who thinks this really works? thought it was adorable who wouldn't like to feel like they were with their other? i know the time i miss my boy the most is when i'm about to/trying to fall asleep. but do you think this pillow is their heart beating? it's an adorable concept and idea- i know i'm desperate to be in his arms laying on his chest and he for certain would love this as well (he's one of those few boys that gets cuddled on my chest in my arms and loves it). who thinks we should try it? click on the photo below to see "A Cup of Jo's" post about it as well as this video (which i really love).

blogging

so i spent my night "off" watching terrible reality shows, working on grad school applications, reading up for class, and snuggling up in my pjs and bathrobe. a little perfect and a lot relaxing (nothing like what i'm usually used to) turns out i'm definitely glad to have had the day to myself.

... so becoming a self-proclaimed "blogger" is obviously more difficult than i thought. but this shouldn't be  my goal. rather, i do think i'm doing this more for the fun aspect and to just get my (and mostly our) story out there. i had this thought when i was going through my favorite blogger's site: taza and husband from her very beginning. although i obviously didn't read every single post, but still got such an amazing sense of her and her husband's story. i love her and her blog even more now (if it were ever possible) then i stumbled upon this blog Loved Despite Great Faults and loved the way she wrote, her photos, and then made my own photography even more.

i'm excited to write about my own journey and look back at it...soon enough.


until next time,
mrs.dr.

when he's gone...

i was lucky enough to see my boy this weekend since we have a long weekend for the Jewish holiday. all we did was snooze. hey our days go from 8am well into the night because of all of our classes and work. i definitely sleep the best with my boy and i miss him so much so when i'm alone in my bed again :( our weekend together felt soo quick and even MORE luckily i get to see him again this upcoming weekend since my first grad school interview (eeek nervous barf puke nervous) but i finally get to see his place and new stomping ground. (missing our NYC, very much.) 

class work and all of my other activities are proven hard to manage and i get very little sleep and sometimes am a little grumpy so these weekends together definitely help me recuperate and sleep and eat.

speaking of eat, the one time mister and i went out was to The Water Street Brewing Co.. we were very hungry but had awesome food. a great fish fry wrap and a classic grilled chicken sandwich with FRIES, so so yummy. and as a brewery boy had a "cream ale" and i, an Argentinian Malbec (possibly a new fave)! i love discovering new sophisticated drinks (newly 21 and all) 

catching up on some school work and definitely missing my boy sitting beside me doing the same. see you soon, love!

a yummy treat from my boy

a very special treat from my boy. milo with a spoon. he brought some in tupperware all the way from Syracuse for me. we love milo and although you're supposed to mix it with milk or water, i love it bare with a spoon. so whenever i need a little pick me up i fill my cup (that he also gave me a couple years ago) about 1/5 of the way and chomp away. i love it, the stickiness and all. nomnomnom thank you, boy :)





*the cup is from Human Touch and can be found at various stores, shops, and online stores.

i feel like a grownup when

1. I wake up early in the morn' and have YOGA (very necessary), work, and classes all day and feel productive.

2. When I cook for myself (hey...I'm getting better).

3. When I want these adorable "Barnyard Cupcakes" courtesy of I <3 Muffins (some things will never change.)

4. But most of all...when I realize that my boy and I have made it through 3 years of long distance...we can make it through anything.

first week back

so things have been more than hectic in the last few days. i'm finally settled in my new (and first) actual apartment...yay for growing up! finally got to see my boy this weekend AND school starts tomorrow (bittersweet)

we spent our third anniversary together and it was the best thing in the world to finally see my boy. it was almost theatrical the way we ran into each other and i jumped into his arms.. it was perfect and the perfect weekend. we had a great yummy anniversary dinner and adorable presents. he, a keepsake box for all of our letters and little gifts to each other and she a photobook reminiscing from the last three years together (he's so adorable!) he came from Syracuse for the weekend and we went to Tranquil Bar & Bistro for dinner where we had an amazing seafood (mussels and lobster) dinner...mmmMMMmmm. all along with endless laughing, playing, warmth. i missed him so very much and can't wait to see him again.

 i LoVe my new apartment! it's so nice being independent. it's new, big, and all mine. so sad i'll have to leave it in December when i (hopefully) graduate but then onto bigger, better, and more "me" things.

my favorite blogs (currently) & story

As a new blogger I've had some inspiration and some leeway in how to begin and some tips simply by reading and enjoying. I'm thankful to be in and from NY where bloggers cover topics from love and romance (like this) to so many of the strange things in life but everyone loves it! I've been drawn to blogs for years but never quite had the guts to start one of my own. Though, I've had so many ideas for all types of blog topics. For a whole year (January 2011-January 2012) I did a project called "365 Days: A moment in the life..." where I took a photo of a special moment of each day and documented it. I will share it sometime with you once I reveal my actual identity and when perhaps, some more people in my life become aware of this blog. THEN there was that whole phase of me struggling to be a female minority not only in college but in the corporate wold, then I realized how negative the blog would actually be and if my identity were to be revealed for that...I may never get a job again.

But finally, after following my favorite blog "The Rockstar Diaries- Love, taza & husband baby eleanor and kingsley, too" for the last year or so I became so inspired to write about my life, love, and path to my career as it's just..who I am and I've wanted to share my "story" for a while. Also, while growing up I realized all of the struggles that everyone encounters but also the importance of realizing that everyone has these struggles and how you hangle them is the difference. So, I also wanted to share with young girls, girls my age, young guys, guys my age, or anyone to feel the support and have this realization, too.

So...back to tazaandhusband. Their blog is simply about their life and, now, children. I've noted that they've started right before they were married (met in NY where they both attended school) up until now where in the last few years they have gotten married, made a move to D.C., have had two ADORABLE children, and recently just moved back to NYC. I love their style, taza's writing, how she tells her stories, her family, etc. I often tell my boy how much I want to be like them and they're a great model for what I would love someday. He agrees, loves them too but always stresses that we will have our own story and family which is obviously important to remember.


A few of the other blogs that I frequent...

Sarah and the City: "Just a girl with a love for chai tea, red velvet cupcakes, post-it notes, colored pens, and nail polish." I started following this blog when Sarah was planning her wedding. She loves J.Crew and SO DO I. So this is how I first stumbled upon her blog. She has great tips and style for all types of wedding "things" and what girl doesn't think about planning their imaginary wedding?

Undressed Skeleton: Everyone wants a healthy lifestyle but Taralynn McNitt's story and tips make her blog so special to me. Since I've began college I've struggled with my weight and thus appearance. The "freshman 15" extended to the last few years. She is a young woman who has inspired me to live a healthier lifestyle which I am now beginning and her story (read here) is just inspiring and makes me feel that I can do it. She has a feature right now actually, entitled "15 Tips for Healthy Students"...can't wait to get started! 


Suri's Burn Book: The ridiculous/hilarious one. "Just because you don't have a Ferragamo handbag doesn't mean you can behave like a child. (I'm looking at you, Shiloh.)" A "different" form of celeb gossip that I can't help but love. Everyone blogs about..everything. This is just SO darn funny and who doesn't love Suri Cruise, her outfits, her parents' divorce drama, and most importantly her supposed crazy thoughts. I'm dying laughing just thinking about some of thing things "she says."


Happy Reading!

catch up!

i'm back and ready for action! can't believe little sister is now in college starting her first few days and i'm about to start my senior year. seriously...where did the time go? i think about her a lot and the house is not quite the same without her, at all. i miss her so much. so strange how that happens. we're such different people we've always sort of been in each others' hair and now that she's away and it's only been a few days, we talk nonstop. it's important to me and i'm so very proud of her and where her life will take her and all of her dreams will come true.

since i've been back i've been doing some packing as i will be leaving in just a few days and then also seeing my boy for our three year anniversary (eeep!) it's been hectic. tomorrow will be my last day in nyc and i will surely miss it. 

more later ! XX, Mrs. Dr.


some photos from the weekend travels...

and something silly...

one more week

so this is my final week home on long island, ny (and in NYC). a little bittersweet. 

bitter because i'm going to be a senior. it took me a while to love my college life. it took a lot of adjusting and time to figure out what i wanted to do. then it was difficult to be away from my family and of course, my boy who was a heart-wrenching 3.5 hours away. now, that i am used to the independence, grown up so much, and everything binghamton has to offer. i love the space, the mountains, the valley, the serenity, and everything binghamton has taught me. if i really do graduate in december i will miss everything it has taught me. feels like that always happens, doesn't it? just when you start to love and get used to something...it's about to end. and i must say, change is difficult for me but this was for sure one of the hardest transitions of my life and am proud of the young woman i am today for it. 

sweet because i'm very ready for the next phase in my career. i can't wait to actually be in my field teaching children and changing their lives all for the better. that's one thing i was sure of with my career, no matter where or what i was doing at the time was that i wanted to change the world. and the more i think about it i'm excited and hope i can make so many children's lives better. i have already had a glimpse of that this summer and i could not be happier or more secure in what i want to do. so thankfully, although the path to get here has been very very difficult and sometimes, impossible to handle i am so glad i am here.

xo, Mrs.Dr.

Smile

 <3

 

call me lobstress.

huh? so..being in the culture that I am in, firstly it's HUGE to have a boy in my life "this young" and secondly to be ready and as committed as we are; going onto our fourth year together and as strong as ever. I met my amazing aunt for dinner and we talked all i could with a family member about my relationship. another special moment. i'm so blessed. she was/is so very happy for me and is very supportive of "us" and loves "him." she told me that "i finally found my lobster" (according to Phoebe from "Friends") i was so confused at first then she explained that they mate for life. lobsters are crazy crustaceans (emphasis on the alliteration i used) and i couldn't help but love that! so i told "him" and said that i love him and found my lobster :) he then called me his "lobstress" and i liked it way more than i probably should. i've gotten used to it and like its (somewhat) originality. but what made it even more priceless was when we actually discovered this: "Baby, I told you I was shellfish in the bed." and died laughing. So contrary to popular belief and according to many other sources lobsters do not mate for life. buuuut...i really do enjoy "lobstress" and have been looking for a type of name to dub myself on here. so for now, i'm lobstress (aside from Mrs.Dr.). let's see how long this lasts.

until next time! xo, Mrs.Dr. (lobstress)

on a much funnier note. this was my initial thought when i heard "lobstress." lady gaga's obscene outfit and silver glitzy lobster headpiece. now, that's a lobstress.

puppified.

Of recent, I'm so completely in love with puppies! I really want a little buddy to play with and hang around with but also something to share with "him" and raise together. We love and can't wait for kids but we're not ready for that. So, I've really been trying to work on him and talking him into getting a puppy. Every time I bring it up we do get closer to a "yes" but I must say, that regresses too often. It may not be the most responsible thing for us right now either, since he's in class or lab most of his time (even on weekends) and WE don't even get to talk/see each other. NOT to mention that our poor little puppy would definitely struggle with being in a type of "broken" home between his/her mama and papa. But I can't help but feel like I "need" this dog right now. And especially with him. Still trying to work on him. I send him cute pictures ALL THE TIME from Pinterest and he melts but readers! a little help here! Hopefully someday, soon we will have our little puppy. puppy, mama loves you, wherever you are!!!

  
(all pictures in this post are from pinterest)

starting to missing my boy, terribly

This has been the longest we've been apart in a long time and I can't wait to feel his touch again. He left in the beginning of the month for his white coat ceremony, then orientation, and now is always in lab or class. It's even more difficult for me as I have a lot of down time now. I try to keep busy and especially with seeing off my friends who are all leaving for our last year of college (it flew!). Also spending time in one of my favorite cities in the world (NYC) and preparing (mostly researching) for post-grad plans. It will be about a month since we've seen each other (the longest we've gone in a long while) and I could not be happier to see him. The amount of time we do (or don't) talk is so rare now and when we both have a common free moment to talk, we jump at the opportunity. Luckily, once I'm back at school we will be much closer than we ever have been and will be celebrating our 3 year anniversary (EEEP!) together the weekend I get back. so excited to see him again.

missing you. can't wait to see you.

xo