DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!..

So.. LOTS of people have been asking for pictures and updated about my surgery.. I got so busy with all the wedding plan and everything I pretty much forgot it even happened! BUT I LOVE the outcome! The whole thing really wasn't to bad! Not much pain at all! The worst part was just getting sick from the pain meds other than that it was pretty easy! Dan took such good care of me! I was so excited about wedding stuff (remember the surgery was only 2 days after I got engaged!) that I pretty much just did wedding planning my whole recovery- I even went dress shopping with my cast still on!! I about passed out- pain killers+no food+tight dresses= BAD IDEA!! The after picture I've posted below was taken about a month and half ago and more swelling has gone down since. It normally takes about 6-12 month for it fully recover and for all of swelling to go away. I can definitely feel and see the swelling still, especially at the tip. But that should all be gone before to long! Anyway hope everyone is doing great!! Can't wait to see everyone in September or October ((whichever reception you can make it to))!! Hopefully by then more of the swelling will have gone down! LOTS of Loves!!


This is me with "Dr. Dan" - he proved again on Saturday how great he really is!!

This is me with my actual doctor, Dr. Lawton!! She's the BEST!! I would refer ANYONE to her anyday!! (I look hot in my little cap I know..)

This me right after I got home!! Fun right?

Alright and here's the before and after!!

I'm still here!!

Wow.. We have been SO busy with wedding plans, every weekend seems packed with more and more things to do! The good thing is soon we will have all of the big stuff done and be able to just worry about the small stuff.. Last weekend we checked out rings and did one of our registrys.. After that we went to a dinner at one of Dan's old friends house. We were asked to bring a salad, and I was thinking how boring.. I LOVE to cook and try new things.. so anyway I was trying to think of a good salad to make and I remembered this salad I get from Ruby's down on the pier and it's call and APB salad (apple pecans and blue cheese) well I know a lot of people don't like blue cheese so I left that out.. but made my own version of it and it turned out SOOO good.. ((better than Ruby's I have to say!!)) So here's how I made it if you want to try it ((it's SUPER easy!!))

I used the spring mix salad from the store, then topped with chopped up Fuji apples, craisens, golden raisins, and chopped up praline pecans, and then I used a pomegranate blueberry vinaigrette for the topping..

It was OHHH sooo good!!
okay.. back to more wedding planning ;)
hope everyone is having a great week!! XOXO

The Damanda Wedding Blog!

Dan and I put together a new wedding blog, providing information and details about our big day! Please check it out at damandasmith.blogspot.com! Thanks for checking it out!

*the best day yet!!..

So as most everyone knows now, Dan and I are getting Married.. here's the little inside scoop on how it all went down :)

So after Dan and I had been dating for about a month, I had told him that I didn't want to know when whoever I marry purposes, I want it to be a complete surprise.. so 'just in case' I sent him a picture of a ring I found that I loved! I figured I would get something LIKE it.. not the EXACT one.. ((we'll get to that soon)) so, I didn't know this but he bought the ring 5 WEEKS ago!! I guess he went online looking for this ring I sent him a picture of and searched for the designer and then where you could buy the ring.. So he found this all out, he made some calls and found out it wasn't usually in the store but gave him the skew number for it and then he went to Robbins Brothers. He walked in and the woman (Marianne, Who I will soon meet, that's how Dan told the story) asked if she could help him, he said I'm here to get a ring, she went on to ask what does he think I would like, and he said well this ring actually, gives her a picture, says here's the skew, size 4 and half. haha well after a while at the store and looking at diamonds he found out it would be about 6-8 weeks, but Marianne put a rush on it to get it here sooner.. he really wanted to do it before my surgery. So 5 weeks later I am driving home from work talking to my mom, ((it was on speaker, don't worry)) and she goes, I gotta go I'll call you back CLICK.. then NEVER called me back.. I thought that was pretty weird.. Well a few days ago Dan and I had already planned on going to Fred's for dinner and it's just a few blocks up from my house and so we decided to walk along the beach. So he gets to my house and we start walking in the sand and he starts saying some stuff, like remember the first time we went to the beach, and that was your first time at the beach. and I am like what are you getting at??? hahaha well then we get down by the ocean and he says: I have a pre-surgery surprise for you!! remember when we went to the beach that first time and you wrote amanda and dan in sand? well I'm going to write something for you.. so he positioned me perfectly and I covered my eyes.. I had an IDEA what was going on.. but there has been a few times when I wondered if today was the day and it never was so I figured today wasn't either.. so then he keeps asking are they still closed don't peek then I open my eyes and see...

((only minus the hand)) and I am trying to figure out what it says and he's standing there next to it and then he said I had this look like I was starting to get it he got down on one knee and said "Amanda Lynn Hillman, Will you Marry me forever?" I just said NO WAY!! and then I was shaking my head yes and he was crying and I was crying, and then he put the ring on and we were hugging.. and then I remembered people saying they forgot to say yes and when I remembered that I started saying yes! hahaha and then I just kept smiling and I was jumping up and down and looking at my hand and kissing him.. hahaha I was SHOCKED! it was perfect.. then I look at this ring and I'm like, this is the EXACT ring I wanted!!

It was all so perfect, then I found out he had text my mom earlier and told her he was calling to ask a top secret question and he called while we were talking and that was why she never called me back because she was afraid she would spill the beans!! So.. there it is!! I am luckiest girl about to marry the most amazing, sweet, caring, giving, (oh man I'm getting choked up) most perfect man in the whole world. I really couldn't ask for anything more. He is everything I've ever dreamed of having and more.. I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with such an amazing person. I am truly so blessed!! I love you DAN SMITH!!

can i get a fry with that SHAKE!?..

The best purchase of the Month:

Hamilton Beach Single-Serve Blender!!

A girl I worked with at Caribou spent her spring break with her friend here in California, and I let her stay at my place so as a thank you they gave me a gift card to Target!

Well I've been wanting a Magic Bullet for a while and they are like $55 almost so I just never brought myself to spending the money for one. Well I was at target and just wanted to see if they had something similar.. and they had this bad boy!!

It was only $15 but only come with one cup that's the only down side.. but I use it like at least twice a day! I usually make a breakfast smoothie and then a protein shake after my work out!

One of my new favorites I discovered today was like 1-2 tablespoons yogurt ((I like dannon lite vanilla)) then about 8 oz pure pineapple juice (( I am drinking pineapple juice like crazy right now- i was told it helps with swelling and bruising to help prepare for the surgery I have in 2 weeks)) and then a whole banana and about 1/3 a cup of spinach.. I know that sounds weird but you don't really even taste it!! but it's really good!!

Then for my protein shakes I do about 8-10 oz of either soy, skim or almond milk ((ps if you haven't had almond milk yet.. you should!! it's sooo yummy.. try the vanilla)) a scoop of protein ( I use chocolate Nu-Tek Pro 5) then I add a banana and about 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter.. soooo good!!

Hope everyone is doing well!! I haven't posted for a while but maybe I will again after my surgery.. I have had a lot of people want to see some before and afters!! I went to my pre-op yesterday and it made me SUPER excited and SUPER nervous at the same time!!

For those who don't know, I'm getting Rhinoplasty. I have wanted to for a long time and I am FINALLY able to do it! I found a great Dr. I really trust, her name is Dr. Tenley Lawton and her office in Newport Beach. She is shrinking my turbinates to help my breathing and then shaving off my little bump and narrowing the top and then taking the ball off the end and rotating it up so it doesn't droop anymore! So I will definitely update everyone after I am all healed!

Hope everyone has a good week!!

My week in a nutshell..

No, this is me in a nutshell: "Help! I'm in a nutshell! How did I get into this bloody great big nutshell? What kind of shell has a nut like this?" ((austin powers)) ha!

*THURSDAY-Dan and I went to Cheesecake Factory to celebrate my new job.. he got the shepard's pie.. I got the chicken bow tie pasta w/ broccoli instead of peas and we got the ghirardelli brownie for dessert.. YUM!!

*FRIDAY- I started my new job, which went really well.. I totally love it!!..

* SATURDAY- Went to breakfast at this cute little place in Costa Mesa then.. Tom was in SO CAL working and stopped by for the day.. we took him to the beach and down to the pier and up main street.. had bar-b-q for lunch and Mo's and then he installed my car stereo ((which him and my mom got me for christmas and has been sitting in my closet..)) then we went to Fred's Mexican for dinner... SOOOOO good!!.. BEST Mexican salad ever!! YUM.. and it over looks the beach and ocean it's great!!

*SUNDAY- went to church and finished the blanket I started on thursday for Dan ((yup did it in THREE days.. don't even ask why I thought to attempt that.. but it all worked out and he loved it!!)) Dan brought me some beautiful orchids gave me some other sweet gifts and then we laid at the beach and then went to Outback -Fillet Mignon & Crab Legs.. DELISH!! and then a huge amazingly good cake ((we don't normally eat out this much i swear!!)) and then watched Love Happens.. good Valentine's Day movie




*MONDAY- worked again- Dan had the day off and made me a great Chicken Chow Mien dinner.. and watched the kite runner, I had just finished reading it so I did a lot of comparing but it was still really good


*TUESDAY- worked and then hung out with Dan.. watched figure skating for the Olympics and then received a Valentines massage it was FABULOUS!!. would have thought he was a professional if I didn't know any better


*TODAY- had the day off so I did some cleaning, walked to the beach with my roommate (AMANDA!) went to Jamba.. laid out for a few hours.. went shopping up main street and then later get to go watch Dan play in a basketball game...

EXCELLENT week if you ask me!! (I think we probably won't eat out again for a month or so tho haha)

Hope everyone else had wonderful week and an extra special Valentine's

*and the search is finally over!!..

My new job!!..

So after months of searching and some crazy boring temp jobs, and lots of stress.. I got a job!!.. It was definitely worth the wait!

I interviewed last Tuesday at Orange Coast Orthodontics/ Jungle of Smiles- Pediatric Dentistry and was invited back for a working interview on Wednesday afternoon. It went really well and loved the place.. It's decorated like a Jungle with monkeys and the big tree you see in the picture, paintings on the walls of zebras and tigers and elephants.. it's really cute. Also I really like everyone that worked there. It seems like such a great environment.. it's kind of in an upscale area of Orange County and they describe it as the 'Nordstoms' of dental offices ((meaning there are a lot of really rich patients)) :) I really really wanted the job and he emailed me Sunday saying I would hear from him on or before Wednesday.. Then I got home and had an email offering me the position!! I am sooo excited!!

I don't know a lot of information yet I should be talking to the Dr. tomorrow and hopefully meeting with him this week sometime to discuss the details!

The coolest thing about it is I worked really hard to get this job and it all totally paid off in the end!!

I can't wait to start and update on how it is actually working there but I am sure I will love it!!

*it's a beautiful life!!..

Last Monday I received a phone call from the employment agency I am working with to find a job. I am working with their perm and temp departments to find something permanent, while doing a few temporary jobs here and there. The call was for a temporary 3 day job (Monday-Wednesday) to cover for a receptionist at an Advertising/PR firm in Newport Beach. I was very excited to get back into working and the company and all of the people are very great!

On my last day (Wednesday) they asked me if I could stay a little longer, the woman I was covering for's husband was very ill, and has been for the past few months. So I am now working here until the end of this week. (My 3 day project turned into a 2 week project) She came in on Friday and looked very sad. Someone I worked with mentioned that she looked like she had lost a lot of weight in her face. Someone asked her how she was doing and she responded, "My husband is dying." It broke my heart! I can't even imagine how that must feel. They took him off all of his meds and put him on morphine and they were pretty much just waiting.. I received a call this morning from her family saying her husband had passed away this morning. My prayers are with this sweet lady and her family at this time.

Sitting here at her desk I noticed a little quote she has posted up:

Practice noticing the beauty in your life. Start now. Wherever you are, look around and make a mental note of what you find beautiful in this very moment. Do this 3 times a day until it becomes a habit.

Last Tuesday, my second day on the job, I woke a little early just to be safe and I had a little extra time, so I found out what time the sun rises and went the patio on the roof of my house and watched the sunrise. I took a picture to send to my mom and dad. I can't even remember the last time I did that. It's been way to long. But I loved that little quote she has sitting here. I look around sometime and am amazed by the beautiful things that God has given us. Some we see and some we don't. I have challenged myself to follow that quote and 3 times a day find the beauty in the world around me until it's a habit. We are so lucky and so blessed to live in such a beautiful world.

I hope everyone has a good week, and god bless the Astarabadi family at this time.

The rest of the pictures are all ones I have taken on my phone over the past few months of living in California..

It is definitely very easy to find beauty here!

*and so the seach continues..

Can I just tell everyone how much FUN job searching is.. It feels like your running in a circle really REALLY fast.. the problem is with running in a circle.. you don't get ANYWHERE..

I found this and thought it was pretty funny.. maybe I should take some tips from this kid.. only problem is that McDonald's probably IS the only place that actually would hire someone that filled out an app this way..

This is an actual job application a 17 year old boy submitted at a McDonald's fast-food establishment in Florida... and they hired him because he was so honest and funny!

NAME: Greg Bulmash

SEX: Not yet. Still waiting for the right person.

DESIRED POSITION: Company's President or Vice President. But seriously, whatever's available. If I was in a position to be picky, I wouldn't be applying here in the first place.

DESIRED SALARY: $185,000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovitz style severance package. If that's not possible, make an offer and we can haggle.

EDUCATION: Yes.

LAST POSITION HELD: Target for middle management hostility.

SALARY: Less than I'm worth.

MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: My incredible collection of stolen pens and post-it notes.

REASON FOR LEAVING: It sucked.

HOURS AVAILABLE TO WORK: Any.

PREFERRED HOURS: 1:30-3:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL SKILLS?: Yes, but they're better suited to a more intimate environment.

MAY WE CONTACT YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER?: If I had one, would I be here?

DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM LIFTING UP TO 50 LBS?: Of what?

DO YOU HAVE A CAR?: I think the more appropriate question here would be "Do you have a car that runs?"

HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR RECOGNITION?: I may already be a winner of the Publishers Clearing house Sweepstakes.

DO YOU SMOKE?: On the job no, on my breaks yes.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS?: Living in the Bahamas with a fabulously wealthy dumb sexy blonde super model who thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread. Actually, I'd like to be doing that now.

DO YOU CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE?: Yes. Absolutely.

SIGN HERE: Aries.

Anyway.. I know most of you that look at my blog didn't live IN or even AROUND Orange County.. but if you know of anyone out here hiring.. that would be awesome to let me know!!.. Til then.. the search continues..

*XOXO

<3

*all moved in!!..

So.. I made it to California!!.. It feels like I've been here so much longer than the week and half it's been.. but I've had a blast and am finally getting all settled in.. it's been a busy week and half!!..

Last weekend ((halloween)) Dan and I carved pumpkins.. we waited until LAST minute to go get them, because I had to go over to my new house and meet my new roommates and then it was REALLY nice out so we decided to make a picnic ((which was really good.. we made a fruit salad, chicken salad sandwiches, and there was a bunch of other stuff but we got full on the fruit salad before we got to the other stuff..)) and then when we got out to go looking for pumpkins almost every place was sold out!!.. So we ended up going to this pumpkin patch place that had all the leftover ones no one wanted.. I made mine a goofy face and Dan made his scar face.. nice..

Then because all I had was whatever I could take on the plane with me ((one 51 lb suitcase, a 49 lb box, a 32 lb carry on, and a personal bag)) I needed to get a computer desk and a dresser.. so I found a cheap desk and walmart and then I found a dresser on craigslist for $40!!.. it was really nice to it was big and has 6 drawers and a big mirror on it and it was in great condition.. the only thing it was a light brown which didn't really go with anything else I had so we painted it black and mod podged this material on the drawers and it turned out AWESOME.. neither of us expected to turn out as cool as it did.. i love it!!.. We may start our own dresser decorating business.. we'll see ;)

Also I needed to get a new car, so I had sold mine for $1500 before I left and decided to look for one that same amount, so we found this 99 Mitsubishi Mirage, it seemed like it was in good condition only it had a funny smell to it, but there were bags of clothes in the back so we thought it might be the clothes and that it would go away after they took the bags out.. it didn't!!.. So we took it in to get smog checked ((required in CA to get registered)) and turns out the check engine light SHOULD have been on... only he had taken out the bulb and put it in the glove compartment!!.. This guy was sooo sneaky!!.. it has been problem after problem with this car.. but I think after we get it all cleaned out and fixed up it will be a good car.. I hope..

And also I went to get my CA drivers license so I could get residency and turns out my birth certificate was missing.. so I had to order a new one and have it 2 dayed to me, because I can't even get a job until I have it. But throuh all the problems it has been awesome being here!!.. The weather has been amazing.. we went and laid out on the beach in Corona Del Mar yesterday which was sooo beautiful!!..

Then today I started looking for jobs so as soon as I get my BC I can start working.. So it's been amazing.. I know I definitely made the right choice moving here!!.. :)

hope everyone is doing well!!

*NEW & EXCITING THINGS!!..

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down, probably will. You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts. You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt. Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. you just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back.

Soo.. as most everyone knows by now I'm moving to California on Friday.. yes it's kind of like me to do something like that but I honestly didn't see this coming. But, I am VERY excited about this opportunity!!.. I did a lot of thinking and praying about it to know I was making the right choice and I have not felt better about any other choice I've made in my life. I am moving to Huntington Beach on Friday the 30th.. yep 4 days, into a house with a couple of LDS girls about a block and half up from the beach.. 2 weeks ago I had never been to the beach and now I will be able to walk to it.. life is full of many beautiful surprises!!.. I found out that my credits are not going to transfer to the school I would be going to there so I decided not to finish the semester and just move there and work on getting residency and then start school up next fall. Also I will only live a mile and a half from my amazing boyfriend!!.. He has done so much to help me with this move and with a lot of other things, I don't think he will ever know how truly grateful I am for that, and also to have him in my life. That was another thing I did not see coming, but I am soooo glad it did!! Ü I will start posting more once I get there and keep everyone updated on all the new things that are happening between finding a new job, living in a new place, and having new love.. all very fun and exciting things!!.. I feel so blessed right now, I feel like life couldn't get any better!!..

*muh poker face..

I am taking a class right now that ends on tuesday. It's a 'get ya back into school' type class called On Course, it's an easy, 2 day a week, 50 min, 1 credit class, that they suggest that every new student takes. So I did.. Well yesterday, we had a motivational speaker come in to, well motivate us of course!. and can i just say how much i LOVE motivational speakers?!.. i love any kinda of motivation i can get from anyone and if it's coming from a professional that's even better! Well let me just tell you a little bit about this guy. He came in and you could tell right away that the left side of his face didn't work. His eye wondered a little, and the left side of his mouth didn't move when the right did while he was talking. Also his right hand, "nubby" as he called it, was alot smaller and his fingers weren't all there. He started off by explaining why he looked that way. When his mom, who was on her 4th child in i think he said 4 years, had him she was VERY under weight and she smoked, he thinks this helps to explain his 'nubby', also when she went into labor with him they thought her water broke and wrapped her in a blanket. When they got to hospital and removed the blanket they realized it was covered in blood, it was actually the placenta that had broke. The doctors had to go in right away and pull him out in order to save his life, because he was loosing so much oxygen. So when they reached in with the forceps they squeezed to hard on the left side of his face and temple area it caused it the permanent damage, which is why he looked the way he did. Okay so on to his motivation!

He told us something that really stuck out to me.. he asked who played poker, a few hands went up. He then said that life is like a game of poker. Sometimes we are dealt good cards, but sometimes we are dealt bad ones, and there is nothing we can do about the bad cards but just continue to play that hand. He talked about the bad cards that had been dealt to him, and how even though he was given these bad things and sometimes people told him he couldn't do different things in life because of his disability he still did it anyway. After class I was talking to a friend and told him about what this guy had said and he then mentioned, which stuck out to me even more, that even when we are dealt these bad cards, sometimes no matter how bad they are we can come out on top and still win the game anyway.

Life is such a crazy thing.. it continually blows me away.. sometimes we are dealt good cards and sometimes the worst hand in the whole deck.. we just need to choose how we play and if we can

come out on top!!