Rock's Week

Dea and Aaron let Rock come over for the week and so we've been hanging out. Last night it started "nowing" (Rock's word for snowing) and so we got dressed up and played in the snow.

 Rock said the snowflakes tasted like candy, and stayed out for a while. He loved making snow angels and we went sledding this morning.

 

Last night we also made a Rice Krispies house and Rock got to decorate it, showing off his design talents. 

Last Clinical of the Semester!

I'm officially done with clinicals for the semester! I switched with another student because she had military stuff on Saturday so I had to do it. I hate Saturday clinicals! I only had to do a half shift so I was done at noon which was great, and then came home and hung out for a little bit and drove to Salt Lake again with Nick and Whit for the BYU game against Hawaii.  Nick and I got up early on Monday and got us free tickets which ended up being second row right behind the basket. SWEET! So we had KC, TJ, and Uncle Larry sit with us and after we went out to dinner. Oh! Whit and I started planning for Lindsea's bachelorette party, and it's going to be GREAT. My ideas are genius. :) Almost a fifth of the way done with nursing school! YAY!

I found this online, and it is SO true.

Paint Party!

A while ago we got invited to a paint party on Facebook that sounded like fun, so we bought tickets and decided to go. Soo glad we did! It was last Friday, and we got some friends and got decked out in white and black and went to an abandoned hangar at the Provo Airport. 

 They had squirt guns filled with neon paint and sponges soaked with paint.  There were black lights and loud music, and we got to go crazy throwing paint everywhere. SO FUN!

 After we went to Denney's and had some late night food, went home and crashed for 3 hours and woke up to get mom.

We got to go dress shopping (she found stuff and we didn't) and watch the BYU football game at grandma and grandpa's and eat homemade chicken noodle soup that grandma made.  Then mom, Whit and I played Settlers of Catan. Sunday we went to Nate and TJ's homecoming, and got to hang out with family.  It was a great weekend! (Thanks Uncle Rob, Whit, and Stacey for the pictures!) :)

Past few weeks

I started clinicals September 24, but we really hadn't learned a ton of stuff in lab to be able to do at the facility.  It was mostly just following the nurse around watching her pass meds. Pretty boring and it was from 630 to 630 after about 3 hours of sleep.  My sleep habits suck. But then we drove home and since it was my birthday we went to roller skate! ha It was with a bunch of junior high kids, but I absolutely loved it.  We then went and had "Better than 3rd Grade" cake (edited out for my mommy) which Whit made and it was delicious.

The next clinical was a lot more eventful.  I got to insert a catheter on my own!!! I know it sounds gross but it was really interesting and a lot more fun than just watching a nurse. After that clinical Brian and Kyle Richardson were in town and I really wanted to go to a haunted house so Whit, Nick, Javier (a friend from down here), Kyle and I went to Salt Lake to meet Brian.  We got to the place, and I already could feel myself getting scared. Kyle decided he didn't want to go, so it was the 5 of us.  We lined up so that the girls weren't in the front or back (the two scariest places of course). We pretty much screamed the ENTIRE time.  It was so much fun. The rooms were like optical illusions too, so that was sweet.  Definitely something I'd do again.

Last week we got to do a Health Fair.  It was the best one by far, and not only because it was only 4 hours long. We were able to give flu shots! I was really nervous at first but after the first one it's really fun.  After I went with some friends in my nursing cohort and went to the Original Pancake House.  I split an omelet and coconut pancakes with a friend and it was SO good. I have a really good group too which makes everything fun.

My weeks are full of school and volleyball.  I got above average on a micro test! (mainly because the average was so low, but still!) And I got an A on my nursing test. So things are going well. Whit's roommate is getting married and moving out in December so I'm moving in to her apartment, which is what we tried doing earlier but it was all filled.  I'm excited for that though. I did have pictures at the Nightmare on 13th but lost it somewhere...so another boring post without pictures..sorry!

Birthday Month!

Yay! It's September. It's my favorite month of the year. :D Ha but school started the 30th and it has been great. I carpool with 2 other girls that live around here and so I only make the drive once a week. They are way fun too.

I'm enjoying my classes, even Microbiology which I was pretty sure I was going to hate. (I still might, we'll see after the first test...) It's more related to nursing than I thought it would be, my teacher is really entertaining and knows his stuff.

I had my first nursing test on Monday and passed with a score above average, so that was exciting. I start clinicals on my birthday (boo) and they go from 630 am to 630 pm in Salt Lake. Pretty sure I'm going to be dead. I'm really excited though. And in a couple weeks we get to do a flu clinic and actually give shots! Kinda freaks me out a little but I'm really excited.

I finally unpacked all my stuff yesterday (after three weeks) and got to see my dad for a couple hours between classes so that was pretty awesome. He got me a curtain for my window that blocks out light because my room was getting SO hot in the afternoon even with the AC on. I cannot sleep if it's hot and so this helped a ton! Thanks dad...and as a bonus it blocks out a lot of sound, so even with the busy street by me I don't get woken up as often. I also got apples from my dad, which are SO great. I can't bring myself to buy apples from the store, even if they are from Washington.

I'm also on an intramural volleyball team with Whit, Marci Nelson and some girls Whit knows. We have no one over 5'9, but we still get SO close to winning. We have another game tomorrow night so we'll see how it goes. It's really fun to get back playing more competitively and not just playing around.

So this is really random, but mostly just a catch up on the first couple weeks of September. I'll get some more pictures too, I haven't taken any in a couple weeks. Anyone know any good cheap recipes that I can split and freeze for easy meals? I spend all day in Salt Lake on Tuesdays and it would be nice to have something ready to go. Thanks!

Nursing School

I've been trying to get into Nursing at Provo College (which is a branch of Eagle Gate College)and in July they let me know that I was an alternate. There were 7 of us, and only 20 people accepted into the program, so my chances of getting in were slim. I still went to the orientation meeting and have been setting things up to be prepared to start on the 30th of August.

Yesterday afternoon I got a phone call from Eagle Gate College from the Layton campus (I didn't apply there) and they offered me a spot for August. It's about an hour from Provo and so I was kind of hesitant. Not really where I wanted to be, but if it meant I was able to get things started I didn't want to blow it off.

So I went to bed last night not feeling like I was supposed to go. I figured I'd wait and apply for Provo in January and just work for the semester. This morning I got a phone call at 8 from Eagle Gate in Salt Lake,(another place I didn't apply) and they offered me a spot starting on August 30th! I'm soo excited, I go down on Sunday and fill out all the paperwork and meet with everyone to get it all finalized. Things are finally getting started!

YES!

Fifth Grade Dream Come True

I was completely in love with every single boy band when I was younger. I had posters covering every wall, and my binders in school had the band members taped to them. I knew every song by heart and I knew what order each song on every album went. Tonight I got to see Backstreet Boys perform in Wenatchee, and it was one of the most fun nights I have had in a long time.
Whitni, Bronte Toolson, Katie Richardson and Katie Barnes went with me to Red Robin and had dinner, then went to the concert. It was two hours of constant songs. I was in love the whole time, especially with Nick Carter. We were 13 rows back and in the aisle so even the short ones (Whit and I) could see really well. My return to my childhood was a success. :D

My boyfriend :D

Bronte, Katie R., me, Katie B., and Whit

It's a...Stone!

I finally got rid of this little 7mm monster. The doctor went in yesterday and blasted it, but only gave me a small part, taking the rest to have it tested. It turns out it hadn't moved since my CT scan last week, and was lodged in the ureter, so it wouldn't have passed on it's own anyway.

The stupid little stone...haha

I'm glad to be done with this, I just can't wait until they take out the stent in a week. I'm still on pain medication and a couple others for the uncomfortable-ness (if that's even a word, which I'm pretty sure it's not) and of having to go to the bathroom every 10-15 minutes. I'm also glad I have the family I do that puts up with it while watching season finales that are intense. Ha and I'm thankful for my dad and mom who now drive me to and from appointments and work like I'm twelve. ha I love them both. I'm super excited to be back to normal (it's all relative..haha) and able to be active again in a week. Just in time for Carrie Underwood!

PS Sherry I'm registered at Target..haha

Happy Birthday Mom!

Mommy,

Happy Not 50th Birthday! Thank you for the many back rubs and letting me sleep on your shoulder. Thank you for putting up with me through junior high and high school, and letting me come crash your house during the summer. I lucked out getting you for a mom, I love you!

Going Away Bonfire

Some of my friends from work and I decided to have a bonfire (campfire) last week before I left with smores and singing. It was lots of fun, mostly just to catch up with some of the people I hadn't seen in a while. I worked with some of them for six months and we got to know each other pretty well, whether they wanted to or not. It was a fun night and a great way to say goodbye until the fall.

Amanda, my awesome singing partner and fellow House lover.

Jake, who found out all my coolest secrets and made me look bad in front of my boss. haha

Amanda, I don't know how we got ANY work done when we sat together. Constant laughter.

Ash, who is crazy fun and totally random. haha

Happy Birthday Dad!

Thank you for everything you do for our family. I could not have asked for a better dad. I love you and hope your birthday is wonderful!

Spring Break!

I'm going to warn you this might be a long post. This last week I had my spring break and really wanted to go to Oregon to see Aaron and Dea and the boys. I knew it'd be a long drive, and the longest that I'd ever driven before this trip was about 4 hours. I basically drove all the way back from Iowa, but dad was in the car so I didn't know if that counted. Also, I hate to be alone most of the time so I was curious to see how I'd do on a roadtrip.

I woke up early Friday morning and packed the car. The drive was REALLY boring. I had episodes of Psych and The Office on my iPod so I just listened to it over the speakers and it made the time go by a lot faster. I did have an incident in the middle of absolutely nowhere, Nevada. I HAD to pee. I knew that there wouldn't be a town for another 100 miles (not even kidding) and so I decided to pull over and pee. Problem was, there weren't any hills, trees, or even big rocks to hide behind. Then I remembered something Lindsea taught me. Open both the passenger doors and it's like a screen. Perfect! So I got out of the car, and realized it was incredibly windy.

Little price to pay for relieving my bladder. I got some toilet paper from an emergency kit my ward put together last semester, and opened the doors. Everything was going well. Until two papers flew out of the car. I knew they were the mapquest directions because my TomTom didn't have the route I needed. I seriously had wrappers and other scraps of paper laying around in the car, but of course it's what I need most. Luckily they got stuck on a bush, but I could tell they wouldn't be there long. While I was finishing (I had a LOT to drink) I debated whether or not I could get there without the directions. Obviously I knew I couldn't, so I started to chase them. In the middle of nowhere. I felt like an idiot, but I got the papers back! I took this picture on the way back, just to show how seriously desolate this place was.
This hill just made me laugh. While training for my CNA we learned some abbreviations and BM means Bowel Movement. I know I'm immature, but I was laughing for a while.

On to the part I know mom will skip to, my nephews! I love them! Rock is the funniest little kid. This picture was of him on his recliner with his "dogbones" and pretending to be asleep. His eyes always stay that open.He's so sweet with Ryker most of the time too. He is always ready to give him kisses or little hugs. I thought it was pretty funny when he was trying to sit with Ryker in the car seat though. Obviously not big enough for both of them.
It was tons of fun to play with him and watch him find my phone. He'd grab is so fast that even if I was right by it sometimes he'd get it before me. Watching him get so excited about it was awesome.

The three boys together. I love how Rock and Ryker are staring at each other.

It was tons of fun running around with Rock, and then sitting and cuddling with Ryker.
Rock loves his play dough. He sat and played for a long time, cutting up the dough and then making it back into a blob. I absolutely love the faces he makes.
Rock's Great Grandma made him a hat, and he put it on right away.
I loved my trip, I got to stay from Friday night to Thursday morning. Leaving was hard, but with Aaron getting a job in Renton I'll be able to see them more than every three or so months. Thanks Aaron and Dea for letting me crash there again, I love you all!

The Luckiest Granddaughter

I have been blessed with the family I have been born into. Who gets two sets of the coolest grandparents? Me. :D Living close to my Grandma and Grandpa England I got to know them very well growing up. They were amazing people, and helped me grow into the person I am today. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see my Grandma and Grandpa Christensen as often. When I was younger and my mom was finishing her teaching degree through BYU Whitni and I came down with her for a few months out of the year and stayed with them.

I remember bits and pieces, but being so young, not a lot. I remember Christmas' at their house, and my stocking, (which is the best one, it's Precious Moments. :D ) I'm always greeted when I come in. I love the smell of their house, especially on the days that grandma bakes her bread. I love the duck dishes they have had as long as I can remember. I love the twin blankets with the blue dots and lines.

When I came down to Provo I didn't have housing and they graciously offered me a place to stay until I found an apartment. I am so grateful for loving grandparents who let me live with them. I loved the dinners we had together getting caught up on our day. I loved the advice my grandpa would offer. I'm especially grateful for that time to get to know them both better. I moved out in January and every time I go to visit I feel like I'm going back home. I'm very appreciative for everything that they have done for me, even if I'm not the best at showing it.

I love my grandparents and couldn't have asked for a better family.

Most Expensive Dollar Movie EVER

The weekend started off great. Friday was relaxing, Nick and I went to dinner at this hole in the wall Mexican place that is really good, and then Whit and I decorated basketball cupcakes for her team. At about 12:30 am Friday night/Saturday morning we decided to go to Old Dogs at the dollar theater. We really enjoyed the movie which isn't that hard for us to do I guess, we're easy to entertain.

Saturday morning we went to Whit's game and then to get massages at Provo College where I can get a full body massage for an hour for $10! My back and shoulders have been bothering me because I'm at a desk and I hunch forward for work. My massage therapist was from England (I think, he had a REALLY hot accent, I didn't mind him talking to me the whole time) and he worked out ALL the knots in my back. I felt wonderful. My day couldn't have gotten any better. And it didn't.

Once we were out of our massages we were bored and decided instead of naps, let's go see Lovely Bones at the dollar theater. We drove over, parked in front of a truck that was partly in our parking stall, and went inside. Two hours later we came outside and what did we see? A green Honda where our car had been. We were looking around and saw two other people wandering around looking kinda lost, so we asked if they had been towed and they had. We looked up the number and called, figured out where they were and Nick came and got us to go pick up the car, which was only about a mile away.

I was really upset. For a mile tow job I had to pay $145. How ridiculous is that? I asked him if I could see a picture, he said no, and then I asked how he even saw my car and he said I was blocking traffic and wasn't in a parking stall. For everyone to envision this, there was NOTHING behind me, even if I was all the way out of the stall, which I wasn't. Easily 3 or 4 cars could pass behind, there is a ton of room. He said someone called it in, but when I asked when they did he said he couldn't release that information because it was against the law. I now hate tow trucks, with the exception of Mater.

So after I went and reapplied my makeup, Nick, Whit, and I went to Red Robin and then Whit, Kyle, and I went to The Princess and the Frog. We all really liked it, except Kyle declared with 15 minutes left that he hated it because of something that had happened. It's a pretty funny movie, kinda creepy but I liked it. I did think it was weird how the Shadow Man was wearing a midriff shirt, who thought of that? Creeper. The point of this story was that tow trucks suck and Whitni and I made it to 3 movies within 24 hours for only like 5 bucks. That's talent.

Mexican Food, Thai Food, Superbowl Food, and Channing. YUMMY.

Last Friday Whit and I attempted to make Mexican rice and refried beans with homemade corn tortillas. I think it turned out pretty well, we forgot to take pictures though. Kyle Richardson, Michael Maile and his girlfriend, and Nick got to try out our creations. Everyone's alive, so I guess it wasn't that bad.

Then on Saturday my roommate Crystal invited me to her brother's show in Salt Lake City where he was going to be playing his guitar. We were going with my other roommate Lindsey and one of their friends Jocie, and then two more people came with us. Once we got there we found out ID was required, and one of the girls wasn't 21 so we had to make other plans.

Lindsey, Crystal and I

We ended up going to a Thai restaurant called Sawadee. It was SO good. We all got different curries and pad thai's and just shared. But after that we didn't want to head home yet and so we decided to go to Temple Square and have Jocie and Lindsey sing and play the guitar and ukelele.

Katie, Crystal, me, Jocie, Iolana, and Lindsey

It was tons of fun listening and once we were officially frozen we got back in the car to head home. It was a good night, I'm still waiting to hear Crystal's brother play live though.

Jocie and Lindsey playing outside Temple Square

Sunday Sherry invited us up for a Superbowl Party so we went a partied with her. It's always fun to go up there and hang out with her family. Thank you Sherry!

Last night we were attempting a homework party and got invited by Jocie to go to Dear John because her friend was the manager and could get us in for free. Who doesn't love a free movie?! I had a decision to make. Study for my anatomy quiz on bones which was early Wednesday morning, or go have fun. I think we all know which one I chose. (PS, I still basically aced my quiz, so no harm done.)

The movie was great, it is a good chick flick and it was different from the book. I actually didn't mind the change, the book was more reality though. I'm in love with Channing Tatum. After the movie Lindsey and I were starving and she took me to a Mexican place here that is REALLY GOOD! It's kind of like Ramire's (the spelling on their sign..lol) in Rexburg. I am in love with it. That's all for now.

Brand New Concert/BYU game

Last Friday night Jessica Durham and I went to a concert in Salt Lake where Brand New was playing. They aren't a very well known band but it was still pretty packed. It was just an open floor so you stood where you could. Jessica and I started pretty close, about 20 feet from the stage. As soon as the opening band started we were pushed back about 20 feet, but we weren't really feeling like pushing back, so we watched the show from there. At least we tried, there was a group of about 10-15 guys who thought it would be fun to take off their shirts and try to slam their bodies into everyone, creating a big open area to increase the distance they got to run before hitting. Not cool.I almost ended up on the floor, and then a guy about 15 feet tall stood by the opening, and if someone tried to hit us, he got them back. :D So as long as I stood where I could see off his shoulder, I was good to go. It was nice having our own little body guard who no one wanted to mess with. The concert was amazing, Manchester Orchestra also played with them. They were a band that played at Lollapalooza which we went to this summer so it was fun to see them again.

(I stole these pictures from Jessica, THANKS!) She also gave me a poster with my love on it, Zac Efron. Oh baby...

On to Saturday, I coached Whit's game for her because she was at the Apple Blossom Selection. It was lots of fun, other than the other coach being a crazy psycho. But whatever, it happens.

After the game Nick, Kyle Richardson and I went and waited

for the BYU/Utah game.

We were waiting outside for about 3 hours before waiting another hour inside.

It was worth it though, we had a pretty good view for being up so high, especially with no one in front of us who was standing. The game went well, we won, so Nick was excited. After the game we went and watched When In Rome, which I thought was hilarious and the boys seemed to enjoy it. It also doesn't hurt that Josh Duhamel is gorgeous.

Sunday I had church, where we had one of the best lessons I've ever had in Relief Society. It was taught by a mom of a ward member. Last year she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and our lesson was on choosing to be happy. One thing that I found really funny was that while she was going to plastic surgery to have them reconstructed another lady there always wore a shirt that said, "Yes these are fake, my real ones tried to kill me!"

After that Joel came down and made us chicken cordon bleu which was amazing. It was fun catching up with him and I'm excited to have him down here to do more things with us. And that's the recap for my weekend. :D

Catching Up

I know I'm a little late in creating a blog, and Whit's been bugging me to get one, so here it goes. (Not that she doesn't already know this about me.)

I am living in Provo, I have a cute apartment with three other girls. They're really fun and I'm excited to get to know them better.

I'm going to school at Provo College. The only two classes I am taking right now are Anatomy and Physiology, but they're pretty tough. I apply for the Nursing program in about a month and a half, and then hopefully I will be starting in August if all goes well. It's about an 18-22 month program so it should go by pretty quickly.

I also have a part time job at a call center. I'm the annoying one who keeps calling you when you fill out surveys. :D I really like the people I work with, which is a good thing because the job itself is pretty boring at times.

That's pretty much all that is going on in my little corner of the world. Sorry there are no pictures!