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Moving

I know it's been a week since my last update and I'm sorry for that. First I had three days of nursing school orientation that left me feeling incredibly exhausted and overwhelmed. Add to that two 12-hour days of work training for a new charting system that's going live soon, plus one very persistent sore throat/head cold... and that brings us to Wednesday. Since then, our house deal has been teetering on the brink of not-going-to-happen due to having hired apparently the slowest appraisers EVER.

As of last night, we're moving into our first home on Sunday. We'll be renting from the seller for a few days until the paperwork moves through the system and we can close later in the week. But basically that means I've been on the phone all morning (literally - the phone woke me up and I've already had to recharge it this morning!) arranging utility transfers, internet set up, and UHaul truck rentals.

Oh, and don't forget that nursing school officially starts on Monday and I have what seems like six trillion pages to read before then. When I say the program is accelerated, I mean that for every one DAY of class for us, it's equal to one WEEK of class in a traditional program. Our first quiz and exam are both on Thursday... after we read 500 pages and complete a project.

I've been going back and forth about what to do with You and Me are We while I'm in school. I have added pressure to write on a frequent basis because some very kind souls decided they wanted to sponsor YAMAW. After much thought, I've decided to continue my blogging adventure but slow things down quite a bit. If I have a busy week with school, you may not see much of me but if I can find time, I'll be on Twitter and Instagram daily!

I'm not setting a posting goal for myself but please know that I'll be posting as much as I can! I have a few house update and house DIY posts that I'm itching to get going on.

I want this blog to be a reflection of my life - my real life. And for the next 12 months, my real life is going to be focused on becoming a nurse with some fun weekend house projects thrown in there. I've always promised that I would keep it real here and I don't sugar coat things, so there you have it.

Please, please, please follow along with me on Instagram (@YouAndMeAreWe) and Twitter (@YouAndMeAreWe) because chances are, I'll be hangin' around there before I pop onto Blogger to bust out a post or two!

Catch ya on the flip side (or, at least before Christmas break!)

Dear Friday

Dear Friday, today is the day that my new "life" begins. For the next 54 weeks I will EatSleepStudyRepeat nursing school. Today I am meeting 29 other brave souls who will be completing this program too. I'm nervous {why?! I'm a social person!} and scared that I'm going to fail.


Dear 2N family, thank you for the wonderful going away party on Tuesday. Your words were kind and exactly what I needed to hear to give me closure. I wasn't ready to leave behind such wonderful nurses but after a few things you said, I know I'm going down the right path. God willing, I will be back working with you all again in just over a year - this time as an RN!

Dear Trevor, this week has been full of work for you and not so full of time spent together. You do your thing, I'll do mine, and at the end of this crazy busy weekend we will make time to reconnect. It's pretty darn frustrating when you don't even have time to talk to your bed mate!

Dear friends, a few of you have exciting news which makes me want to just wrap you up in a huge hug and shout from the rooftops. And not tell anyone, of course.

Dear duplex, I'm totally not sad that we only have a week left living in you. Not sad one single bit!

Dear paperwork, we've been waiting for you to show up so we could get the final closing date on the house. Looks like you're not available today even though we were told you would be. You better hurry up and get to where you need to be because if you don't get your act together, this house deal could fall through. And that would mean we will be homeless come September 30th. Get it together!

Dear weather, please try to stay warmish for a while still. Trevor and I need the temperatures to be high enough that we can do a bunch of landscaping work at the new house. And with all of these delays, the ground better not be frozen by the time we get the keys to the house!

Dear YOU!, have a fantabulous weekend! I'll be hanging with my new pals at nursing school orientation. If you want a sneak peek as to what I'll be up to {new friends, good food, late nights, new technologies!} follow me on Twitter and IG @YouAndMeAreWe - catch ya on the flip side!

My Loss Is Your Gain: Part 3

Check out yesterday's post for details on why I've decided to offer this opportunity to my readers.

To recap: We're moving. I don't want to take clothes with us if they don't fit or I don't love them. I've picked the best of the best to offer to my readers. See something you like? Grab it while you can!

The rules:  I'm posting a price along with each item. Shipping is included with the price, up to $4. If you want super quick shipping, I just ask that you pay the difference. Do you want more than one item? Great! I will gladly take $5 off of the total just for being so fantastic! If you decide you want an item, comment on the post telling me which item you'd like along with your PayPal email. I will send out an invoice ASAP and it will be marked as "SOLD" on the original post once I receive your payment. Everything will be shipped by Thursday at the very latest.

Check out yesterday's clothes to see if there are any available that you may want to snatch up!

Black Ann Taylor wrap dress. Worn once.
Size large petite.
$25

Gently worn Merona t-shirt. Size medium.
While it's a soft cotton material, I wore it while teaching as part of a business casual outfit. Definitely more dressy than a plain t-shirt!
$8

 Black and white shift dress. New with tags.
Size 10.
Paid $48, asking $20.

Comment below and my loss will become your gain!

My Loss Is Your Gain: Part 2

Check out yesterday's post for details on why I've decided to offer this opportunity to my readers.

To recap: We're moving. I don't want to take clothes with us if they don't fit or I don't love them. I've picked the best of the best to offer to my readers. See something you like? Grab it while you can!

The rules:  I'm posting a price along with each item. Shipping is included with the price, up to $4. If you want super quick shipping, I just ask that you pay the difference. Do you want more than one item? Great! I will gladly take $5 off of the total just for being so fantastic! If you decide you want an item, comment on the post telling me which item you'd like along with your PayPal email. I will send out an invoice ASAP and it will be marked as "SOLD" on the original post once I receive your payment. Everything will be shipped by Thursday at the very latest.

Check out yesterday's clothes to see if there are any available that you may want to snatch up!

 Black and white polka dot dress with tie backs. Junior size XL. 
Worn once.
$15

Purple crossback Mossimo summer dress. Size medium.
Worn once.
$10 


Kelsi Dagger Danelle black suede wedges. Brand new in box, never worn.
Size 8, though they fit more like size 9.
Retail for $120, asking $45.

Tomorrow is the last day of this bunch of items. Check back for more closet-raiding goodness!

Comment below and my loss will become your gain!

My Loss Is Your Gain: Part 1

Check out today's earlier post for details on why I've decided to offer this opportunity to my readers.

To recap: We're moving. I don't want to take clothes with us if they don't fit or I don't love them. I've picked the best of the best to offer to my readers. See something you like? Grab it while you can!

The rules:  I'm posting a price along with each item. Shipping is included with the price, up to $4. If you want super quick shipping, I just ask that you pay the difference. Do you want more than one item? Great! I will gladly take $5 off of the total just for being so fantastic! If you decide you want an item, comment on the post telling me which item you'd like along with your PayPal email. I will send out an invoice ASAP and it will be marked as "SOLD" on the original post once I receive your payment. Everything will be shipped by Thursday at the very latest.

Let's get to it!


Andrew Marc one shoulder dress. Brand new with tags. Size 8.
It's a nice silky material that drapes in all the right places!
$25 $18

Black and white party dress from F21. Size large. Hits above knee. 
Worn once. 
$12 $10

Solid black shift dress from Apt. 9. Size medium. Worn once.
It's got pockets, need I say more?!
$18 $12

Brand new, never worn Shabby Apple Tuileries dress. Size small. 
They still sell this dress - here's the listing!
Paid $88, asking $50 $45

Check back again tomorrow for more dresses and a brand new pair of wedges that you can wear with juuuust about everything!

Comment below and my loss will become your gain!

Looking for a New Home:

By now, you're probably more than ready to start seeing pictures of our new house, hear stories of how wonderful it is to finally own our own home, and read endless lists of the updates we're planning to do.

You're going to have to wait a couple more weeks. Why? Oh, just because nothing about this home buying process has gone smoothly and our closing date was pushed back three weeks. We're now closing on September 30.

Yes, the same day that we need to turn in our keys for our current rental.
And the same day that nursing school officially begins the 'accel' portion.

So basically, I have less than two weeks to completely pack our house - while doing school stuff and working still! - and to clean our current duplex so we can rid ourselves for once and for all this crazy rental.

Why should you care? Well, because I'm cleaning our closets out like mad. And it just so happens that I'm in the mindset that less is more so I'm getting rid of anything that I don't love or that doesn't fit perfectly. I've lost almost 30 pounds in the past few years and I haven't gone through everything - until now. Basically, half of my wardrobe needs to find a new home.

There are a few things that still have tags on them or that have been worn once or twice and I figured I'd offer them up to my lovely readers before taking them to a consignment shop.

So here's how it's going to work:
I'm posting a few items each today, tomorrow, and Wednesday. I'm posting a price along with each item. Shipping is included with the price, up to $4. If you want super quick shipping, I just ask that you pay the difference.

Do you want more than one item? Great! I will gladly take $5 off of the total just for being so fantastic!

If you decide you want an item, comment on the post telling me which item you'd like along with your PayPal email. I will send out an invoice ASAP and it will be marked as "SOLD" on the original post once I receive your payment.

Everything will be shipped by Thursday at the very latest.


Click here for today's post.

Happy shopping!

Cardstore

I was contacted by Cardstore to create and receive a greeting card at no cost to me in return for an honest post reviewing my experience. I happily agreed and set off to find the perfect card.

I am definitely one of those people who spends far too much time in the greeting card area of Target. I buy cards for no reason, I save the cards I am given, and I am always on the hunt for the next best card to give. The reaction of the card recipient while reading it is the best part, and I'm always looking to top it. Basically, I'm a card snob. Yeah, I said it.


On Cardstore, I chose a blank, customizable card to give to Trevor. I wanted to give him a card to celebrate our first home together {no, our ugly duplex doesn't count} and came across one that I could completely customize what I was envisioning.


With a little personalization of a photo of our new home and some lovingly crafted words - the card was on it's way to me. Seriously, it was so easy. Even better? You can upload photos right from Facebook and Instagram. And because I use IG like my own personal photo album, I can see myself making personalized cards for every occasion!


The cards at Cardstore are incredibly priced compared to the greeting cards you find at Hallmark, Target, or Walmart. Plus, they run specials on cards for upcoming holidays. When I made my card, their Grandparent's Day cards were $1.99 and now, they have a 30% off sale going on with CCL3030! So, you save money on the cards, you save time by not having to go to the store, and you can make your card much, much more personal than the ones you find in stores. Sounds like a win, win, win to me!

If you decide you want to make your own greeting cards and try out Cardstore for yourself, you can click through this affiliate link for a bonus 80 points. Their reward program is free to sign up and you accumulate points for every card you order - even the discounted ones! You can redeem your points for free cards, simple as that.

Here are some of my favorite love cards, just because!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

And even a few that are only meant for your significant other's eyes - hello, honeymoon cards!

1 // 2 // 3

Have you tried Cardstore? Check it out and let me know your favorite card design!

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Share Your Fall Favorites Here {link up}

Today we're celebrating Fall - the return to boots, chilly nights, and things pumpkin. The transition from summer to fall is one of my favorite times of the year. So, I thought, why not invite everyone to celebrate with me!?


As promised, I'm hosting a link up for anyone and everyone to share their Fall posts. Share one or share fifty - it's up to you!

So, what are you waiting for? Join in! There's a button down below for you to add to the posts you're linking up. I do ask that you add the button to the posts you're linking up. It's also recommended, though not required, that you follow your host {me} in some fashion. And if you really want to be fantastic, spread the word about today's link party and  you'll have even more links to surf through!

Fall Favorites Link Up

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Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels {perfect for today's big game!}

In honor of the regular NFL season which started this weekend, I want to share with you one of my favorite recipes to serve during the games. What goes hand in hand with football? Buffalo chicken!

I've shared my recipe for easy slow cooker buffalo chicken last year. Trevor and I love to make a whole bunch of it, have a few meals out of it, and freeze the rest in quart size bags. Those quart sized bags of buffalo chicken are perfect for today's recipe!

No matter if you've got the buffalo chicken ready to go or not, you'll need this Pillsbury product. I find it in the refrigerated dough section. If your store doesn't carry it, you can try crescent rolls or pizza dough instead.

If you're using your freezer stash of already cooked buffalo chicken from above, then you can skip the first step. If not, you'll need: one cooked and shredded chicken breast (the cooked part is important - no raw chicken here!), 1/4 cup of Franks Red Hot sauce, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 of a cream cheese block, and 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles.

Mix together your chicken, hot sauce, sour cream, cream cheese, and blue cheese.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper {skip this step at your own risk!}. Now, roll out your dough (I sprayed a little EVOO down on my cutting board first to prevent any sticking) and use your fingers or a rolling pin to expand it into a larger rectangle.


Here's where it gets messy: spread your buffalo chicken mixture all over your dough! Make sure you get to all of the edges. Starting with one of the long sides, start rolling your dough onto itself. When you get to the end, pinch your edges as much as possible.

Start cutting your log into disks {I recommend cutting it in half first and then cutting each half into 8 disks}. Lay the disks on your parchment paper, then put your baking pans in the oven to bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

They look like this going in:


And like this after baking.


Remove pans from oven once the pinwheels are a nice brown color. Remove from baking pan within 2 minutes and serve warm. We like dipping the pinwheels in ranch, more Frank's, and in blue cheese dressing. This recipe yields 16 pinwheels.


Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a batch or two of buffalo chicken pinwheels to whip up for this afternoon's game. Go Packers!

What's your favorite football food? Who are you cheering for today?


Fall Recipe Roundup {link up!}



It's getting a little cooler in these parts lately. In true Wisconsin style, it'll warm up again before the snow falls, but in the meantime I've been busy thinking of all my favorite fall recipes.

This buffalo chicken is perfect for tailgating or an easy weeknight meal. Of course you could also try a skinny baked potato soup, too!

It's apple season! Toss some of these yummy apple pie egg rolls together for a simple dessert:

These easy pumpkin spice muffins are perfect to enjoy with a cup of chai or alone:

Try this healthy chocolate zucchini bread to use up the excess crops from your garden:


I've rounded them all up in one post so they're easy to find and I'm inviting you to link up your favorite fall recipes, too. Feel free to click around and tempt your taste buds!


And, if that's not enough, I'm also hosting a fall favorites link up next Tuesday. You'll be able to link up as many posts as your Autumn-loving heart desires. Join me and link up your favorite fall crafts, outfits, activities, recipes, bucket lists, or anything else that has to do with the season. Get those posts together and grab this button to spread the word!

Fall Favorites Link Up


Can't wait to see you back here again next Tuesday. Let's get ready to share our love of crisp leaves, all things pumpkin spice, harvest decor, and more!


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Summer Bucket List Recap

I figured since I'm gearing up for some pretty fun Fall posts starting tomorrow, that I should recap my summer bucket list once and for all and let you know just how much we failed!


Here's how the list looked last time I updated you:

-- Visit Kelley Country Creamery in FDL (look how many ice cream flavors they offer here!!!)
-- Madison Farmer's Market (link)
-- Drive in movie
-- Paint guest room dresser
-- Redo guest room bookcase
-- Door County wine tour (link)
-- Take a motorcycle ride to Lake Michigan
-- Visit Trempealeau, WI (link)
-- Enjoy a concert in the park (offered once a week in our city)
-- Put down the technology and spend time together: talking walks, bike rides, cuddling on the couch, eating dinner, etc.

And here's how it looks now!

-- Visit Kelley Country Creamery in FDL (look how many ice cream flavors they offer here!!!)
-- Madison Farmer's Market (link)
-- Drive in movie
-- Paint guest room dresser
-- Redo guest room bookcase
-- Door County wine tour (link)
-- Take a motorcycle ride to Lake Michigan
-- Visit Trempealeau, WI (link)
-- Enjoy a concert in the park (offered once a week in our city)
-- Put down the technology and spend time together: talking walks, bike rides, cuddling on the couch, eating dinner, etc.

Here are the highlights and low points:

+ I was able to check off painting the guest room furniture and share my experience with you (painting laminate furniture isn't as bad as I thought it would be, surprise!).

+ Trevor and I went to the same drive in theater that we visited last year: the one in Indiana.

/ We didn't make it to the Madison Farmer's Market, but I did make it to the Lincoln Park Farmer's Market when I was in Chicago and we spent a few Saturday mornings at our local version as well.

/ Door County wine tasting would have been fun and is still something we'd like to do, but we visited a winery while visiting my family on the Mississippi River and really enjoyed ourselves!

/ We didn't take a motorcycle ride to Lake Michigan, but we did ride it around town a few times!

- ...and we completely failed at the concert in the park bit. Oh well, there's always next year!

How did your summer bucket list go? Are you still working on it?

25 Lessons for 25 Years

Another summer is officially over and with it comes a feeling of closure and reflection. I'm ready to put it behind me and move on to the next one.


For your reading pleasure {and for selfish therapeutic reasons} here are 25 lessons I've learned in my 25 years on Earth.

1) You are you. You are not your best friend. You are not your enemy. You are not the girl you work with. Stop trying to be someone else and embrace what God has blessed you with.

2) Don't stop looking for things you are passionate about. And when you do find them, go balls to the wall!

3) Quality over quantity. Always. This rings true when it comes to men, jewelry, mixed drinks, sets of sheets, friends, clothes, and calories.

4) Mom is right more often than you want to admit. Just go ahead and give in. You'll be the right mom 30 years down the road.

5) Think about just how HUGE this world is. Think of all the people, all of the animals, all of the plants, all of the hurt, all of the suffering, and all of the joy. Rather than feel insignificant, just know that you are meant to be where you are and you're doing just fine.

6) Everything happens for a reason. Trust in this.

7) Keep moving - you'll have time to be a slug later in life. For now, get off the couch, go for a bike ride, join your man on a motorcycle ride, and stay active! Your body will thank you.

8) Nobody owes you anything. Don't act like you're entitled to anything. If you work hard and be kind, things will play out just fine.

9) Comparison really is the thief of joy. So try not to be too jealous of the girl with always perfect hair or the long legs - you're not doing yourself any favors thinking like that.

10) Finding a pair of jeans that fits perfectly is next to impossible. Don't give up trying but also don't be surprised when this same thing pops up on your "50 Lessons for 50 Years" list...

11) Tell your loved ones that you love them. Spend time with them and cherish those moments. Who knows, they may be around for years upon years but in the tragic situation that they aren't you don't want to have any regrets.

12) And on the same token, soak up as much knowledge from your mom as you can. One day in the {hopefully} distant future, she'll be gone and you won't be able to ask her the name of your first pet, why home improvements take sixteen times longer than anticipated, or what to do with all the zucchini in your garden. Gather as much parenting advice as you can because - let's face it - you're going to need it when that time rolls around and she has 25 years on you. Heck, she kept you alive for the first 18 years of your life so she's got to know something about parenting...

13) Continue your adventure. Don't forget to include your husband -he'd be pretty ticked if you took off to Jamaica without him.

14) Drink more water. Eat more vegetables. Get more sleep. Basically, just take care of your body. After all, it's the only one you've got!

15) Be real. You don't need fake eyelashes. Or a chevron pillow. Or that weird fuzzy nail polish. That stuff isn't you. Screw the fads!

16) You are beautiful. Yes, even when you look in the mirror and only see your chubby cheeks, your flat hair, and your bigger-than-average thighs. You can thank your Oma for that - she is in you and her legacy will live on for generations to come.

17) Your kind heart will move mountains. Think of the lives you've touched, the patients you've cared for, and the families you've helped. You've improved their quality of life, you've answered hard questions, and you've been empathetic to their situations. They thank you.

18) Sitting with a patient or their family and crying along side them is never wrong. The lady in 204 may not understand why her 9:00 am pill doesn't come until 9:15 am and the surgical nurses may be waiting for you with the gentleman in 216... but the time you spend opening your heart to those who need it is well spent. And sometimes, you'll find your heart heals a little bit when you do this, so make time for it.

19) Never stop looking for things to learn.

20) The little things in life really are the most important.

21) Save money and make smart financial choices. But every now and then you have my permission to buy that skirt/nail polish/purse that you don't actually need, no matter how hard you try to convince yourself.

22) Limit the amount of time you spend online. Facebook is great and all, but that evening stroll with your husband is even sweeter.

23) Learn to take responsibility for everything you do. Didn't take out the garbage this week? You're gonna have to haul it all out next week and deal with a stinky garage until then. Want to go back to school? You're gonna have to find the money to make that happen.

24) Learn to receive grace and learn to be graceful.

25) You are never too old to have fun. Don't take yourself too seriously. Make time to be silly and laugh until your belly hurts.


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