Fall 2011

I can't believe how fast the last year has gone! I have six months left of my program until I have a real job. Crazy to think about. This semester has been really good so far, been busy with clinicals, we're doing surgery floors and the ER and ICU.  It's been really good. I started an IV!

My parents came down last week and it was SO good to have them here. I love shopping with my mom, getting to know KC's girlfriend better, and hanging out with my family.  Always lots of laughs! :)

Other than that, we did volleyball intramurals for girls, and we were awesome. Ha we made it to the championship game! We had to win two games, and we won the first but lost the second. It was a bummer. But now we're doing co-ed volleyball and we've only had one game so far, but it wasn't the greatest. Hopefully things get better! ha We're also on a flag football team for girls and have had two games, losing the first one really bad, but the second game we actually put up a fight.  Still learning to play together haha. I had an interception that the next play Whit ran for a touchdown. We're a good team!

I got a plane ticket for Thanksgiving last night (THANK YOU DAD!), and I couldn't be more excited. This was the first summer I didn't get to go home for a few months and it really made me miss everyone and home. And I don't like the fact that my youngest nephew is scared of me and by the time he warms up to me, it's time for me to leave. Hopefully this time he's my buddy for longer.

My friend Javier goes into the MTC in a week and a half, but he gets here next Monday. We are SUPER excited to have him here for a few days before he leaves. He's gonna be a great missionary in Chile.

This is just a random tidbit, on Sunday I was in Relief Society (it's the first hour) and I was having some stomach cramps. I did not feel well at all, and was considering going home.  Then the teacher showed this video, and I almost laughed at how directly it related to me at that moment. It definitely hit me, and needless to say I stayed the whole three hours. :) It's really good, and not too long.



Other than that we've just been hanging out, keeping busy and having fun. Nothing too exciting that I can think of, just midterms this week and trying to stay ahead of homework. I am doing well so far! My clinicals are done in a few weeks so I'll have my Fridays free, and my labs on Monday are over next week, so I'll have two days of class a week til the end of the semester, pretty great I think. :) I know this is a super lame post but I never take pictures, (I like to be in them! haha) and Whit always blogs before me and I don't wanna repeat what she says!

Small World!

On August 12th I was in Philly with my parents and Whit, and as part of our "alone time" I was watching a random YouTube video.  It was one of members of the Air Force performing Adele's "Rolling in the Deep." I started watching it because I love the song, and party because I really like to watch military videos that make me cry (sad I know haha).  This one didn't make me cry, but I turned on the song, listened to the whole thing while I was checking my email, and even sent it to my friend on Facebook.

This morning I woke up and was checking my email.  I somehow managed to make it to Facebook and saw my high school band teacher's status that said, "Someone just recognized me in the airport. Now that is funny! They were playing the YouTube video on their phone. Sherry is with me. I bet she thinks I'm really cool now! Hehe. So amusing" 

Now, me being the creeper that I am, I had to know what video he was talking about.  I looked on his page and saw the video, and couldn't believe it! It was the one I had watched a month ago! I watched it again today and I seriously don't know how I didn't see him the first time, other than I didn't really think I would know anyone in the video.  I called my mom today and told her that there was a video that some Air Force members made and that Mr. C was in it playing guitar, and her response was, "Well, he IS in the Air Force." haha I thought it was a really small world, the video is awesome too.  Their band is named Sidewinder, and tomorrow they are going to be on the Ellen Degeneres Show.  I thought it was pretty cool that I know him! 

This is another video that I saw today, it is way sweet.  It is "Stand By Me" and it is a combination of different street performers around the world.  It is really cool. Enjoy!

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf

?clip_id=2539741 

Is it seriously already September!?

I can't believe how fast the summer flew by. Seriously, it amazes me. So after Philadelphia we went to Cape Cod and had a good time there, the weather was perfect, Whit has pictures on that.  Then our last stop was Boston.  I loved that city.  We took a trolley around most of the city and then walked a lot of it.

Anna and I in Boston

We were also able to meet up with one of my favorite college roommates from Idaho, Anna, and her husband.  We went to lunch with them and it was so good to see her after three years, and makes me feel incredibly old!  I flew out the next morning 5 hours before Whitni and my parents, and still got to Seattle within 5 minutes of them with my layover in New Jersey.

Mom, me, Whit, and Jen after the play

When we got to Seattle we stayed a few days to go to Les Miserables.  It was amazing, mom got second row tickets and we went with my cousin Jen.  I love broadway, and am seriously amazed when they can sing like that. Whit and I stayed home for a few days and got to go up to Stehekin with my dad and Rock, go jet skiing and tubing with Brian Richardson (I forgot how sore/beat up you can get from tubing!)  Whit and I were on the tube, with Aaron and Brian pulling us.  Aaron was whipping around and going insanely fast while Whit and I were trying to keep the tube from flipping.  Whit's foot hit the water, and she flew off, leaving me on the tube by myself.  That didn't last long, and I FLEW off, skidding on the water like it was pavement! Haha my swimsuit bottoms were at my ankles (seriously! haha) when I stopped.  It was so embarrassing/hysterically funny/painful. I felt like I had been in a car accident but Whit and I couldn't stop laughing! Haha Later that night we went bowling with Brian and Katie and a bunch of their friends.  It was lots of fun.

The next morning Whit and I made the drive down to Utah again, and got in to our new apartment! It is SO CUTE! It's three stories and seriously adorable. I love it. We're living with Stacey Johnson (who we have been friends with for a while) and Elizabeth Allen.  She's from Vegas and really fun. The ward is great, very social, and our friends Chris and Aaron live seriously right across from us, probably 10 feet, if that.

 I started another semester, and I can't believe that I only have 8 more months of school in Salt Lake before I graduate!!! I'm so excited.  I'm doing clinicals at Timpanogos Hospital in Orem again, this time for Med/Surg.  I'm also taking Pharm 2 which should be good.  I'm looking forward to this semester though! :)

Snakes in the Park

I am afraid of snakes. Seriously, I hate them. So when Whit, my dad and I were in the park in Philadelphia and I saw a man holding two boa constrictors, the last thing was that I wanted to hold one.  As we got closer to the man, he asked if we wanted to, and Whitni and I both said yes. WHAT?! He put one on Whit and then put one on me (I didn't want to be left out!) and I didn't cry! It kept dropping off my shoulder and wrapping around my waist, which gave me the creeps but it was so worth it.  Definitely something I haven't done in like fifteen years or so when my cousin Travis had his boa. I still hate snakes, but at least I know I can deal with my fears. :)

Whitni getting her snake wrapped around her shoulders, I'm a little freaked out. 

Getting my snake...it was HUGE! It grossed me out.

He made fun of me for holding his hand, when I was supposed to hold the snake...I was too flustered to know what I was supposed to be doing!

We did it! Notice my waist and the snake creeping around.

Elder Ascanio

Last year Whit and I were playing catch outside her apartment when Derek (one of our friends) came out with his roommate (Javier, who was Whit's home teacher) to play with us. I knew him as the white kid with the Hispanic name at first. I never would have guessed then how close we'd become. He's opening his mission call tonight in Texas with his family, and I've been lucky enough to see him change and grow spiritually this last year and a half, especially in the last six months.  He is someone I can trust because he is honest. His parents raised a very respectable and sincere young man who has taught me more than he realizes. The people he will be serving while on the mission are incredibly lucky. 

Congrats Javi, you're my favorite Cuban! :) 

Me, Javi, Junior, and Pepe at the airport dropping Javi off

After our goodbye dinner at Tucanos

Whit, Javi and I at the Riverwoods

Javi and I

This is my fake sad face, I'm really super excited for him. :)

Home

I've been super busy with psych clinicals and trying to get paperwork and everything done this last week, which means I am SO ready to go home now. I can't wait to spend the weekend with my family at the England reunion.  Someone asked what we do at our reunions and I told them talk, swim in the lake, and eat. And I get to see Lindsea and have much needed sister bonding time (Kellie included!)

 I met a guy this last weekend who wasn't the coolest, and we had the this conversation. 

DB: So what part of Lake Chelan do you live on?

Me: Manson. 

DB: I totally vacation there! 

Me: Yeah!? It's so pretty, I love it. 

DB: (pulls out his phone and starts showing me pictures of the road up to Antilon, Wapato Point, and finally Blueberry Hills.) Do you know where this is? 

Me: YES!! That is seriously right up the road from my house! 

DB: Ha really? Funny story, as we were driving there we were saying how much we'd hate to live out here. 

Seriously a DB. 

But I am so excited to be going home!!!

Summer in Provo

I know I haven't blogged for about two months, so I'll try to catch up real quick.  

Rest of May: Our good friend Zach left on a mission! He's still at the MTC so it's kinda weird he's so close and we can't hang out, but he leaves to New York this week.  We had a fun bon fire to say goodbye. Then Pepe, Javier, Stacey, Whit and I went on a weekend trip to Moab! It was sooo much fun. Definitely one of the most fun trips I've been on.  We hiked around Arches National Park and took a 12 mile primitive trail where we almost died (not really, but it was getting dark and we didn't have food or water, pretty smart of us), but it was so worth it. 

June: School, school, school.  I did my mother/baby clinical rotations and LOVED it.  I did night clinicals and enjoyed labor/delivery the most.  I was able to see a vaginal birth and a C-section.  The C-section definitely grossed me out a little more, just because the doctors were yanking her stomach open to grab the baby. Seriously crazy.  Another friend Brock left for home before his mission and we were able to have another bon fire to say goodbye to him, complete with a creeper hiding in the bushes. Stacey also went home for the summer, which was a bummer. I can't wait to room with her this fall! And I did my pediatric clinicals at Shriner's hospital and did a Head Start clinic which was pretty fun. I was in the operating room at Shriner's and it was SO boring. I know I don't want to be a scrub nurse, interacting with the patients is so much more my style. And my mommy came to visit! It was fun for me to have her meet the people I talk about all the time. 

July: Basically just hanging out, doing school, enjoying the warmth (most of the time).  It's been kinda gross weather but oh well.  I've also been doing psych clinicals at a residential treatment facility for teenage boys.  It's seriously insane there. It's a lockdown facility and the things those boys have been through and done is horrible.  I have definitely had my eyes open to crazy things, some of the charts are super disturbing.  I really enjoy being able to help those boys though.  One came to talk to me about a problem he was having and he totally trusted me.  It was a very cool experience.  

I get to go home next weekend for my family reunion and I am so excited to be able to swim in the lake and enjoy family.  Last time I was home it rained the WHOLE time. I can't wait. :) And I get to see Lindsea! It's been too long. Then school will be done and I'll be off to Boston for 10 days with my parents and Whit. Then it's only two more semesters to go! I am over halfway done with nursing school, which seriously blows my mind.  There is an end in sight! :)

It's my mommy's birthday!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! I'm grateful for everything you've sacrificed for me.  I love you soo much! I hope you have a great day!

SUNSHINE!!!

I finished my second semester of nursing school! Only three more to go! This last week I had two orientations for school, one for a hospital (I'm SO excited for mother baby clinicals!) and one for the Volunteers of America for clinicals.  On top of that I had four finals to take, and Whit and I did 12 hours of orientation for the women and children's shelter.

Junior wearing the pinata

 Thursday was our Cinco de Mayo party with our Corona pinata from the BYU Creamery.  We had chips, salsa, Jaritos, and lots of music.

Pepe, Leann and I at our party

 Friday we hung out outside because it was BEAUTIFUL.  I played catch with my friend Brock and he almost killed me with a softball (he's a baseball pitcher).  We got killed in a kickball game and stayed up late talking like we always do.

Zach and Stacey trying to take candid pictures

 Whit and I slept about 4 hours Friday night?  We had to get up early for the end of our training for the shelter, and right after that we went to get ready to hike the Y! We went with Zach (who leaves on his mission soon and we're going to miss!!!) and Stacey. It was our first time which is pretty sad because we've been here for 2 years.  It was really hot but lots of fun, not as pretty as hikes back home but a different view at the top which was really cool.  We went up a little past the Y and Zach showed us a little spot that he hikes to which was sweet.  We hung out on the mountain for two or three hours I think? Then we hiked down and Javier had just gotten off work at the creamery and brought us BYU brownies which were soo good.  After that we went and nursed our sunburns (mine wasn't too bad) and showered.  Javier taught me how to ride his motorcycle!!! It was lots of fun (Even if I didn't leave first gear).  I'll be a pro soon :).

Javier and Sangria at our party

 Then of course we stayed up incredibly late talking.  Sunday was church and rain, so most of us took naps and laid around while the others finished homework.  It was a really good weekend and I'm SO happy that I don't have classes this week and can actually read a fun book!! Whit, Javier and I are going to Washington on Friday and I can't wait.  It's Apple Blossom this weekend and I get to see my family again!!! YAY! 

*Whit gets the credit for the pictures!

180 hours

I have completed 180 hours of clinicals while in nursing school! That amazes me. It has flown by. I am almost done with my second semester.  I have two take home finals and two in class finals, and I'm moving on to my third semester! I'm most excited for this semester because it's mother/baby and pediatrics.  I am doing my mother/baby rotations at a hospital during the night shift, so hopefully it goes pretty well.  I also am getting approved to do my psych rotations (also this semester) at a women and children's shelter where Whit and I are going to volunteer.  I'm hoping everything works out for that.

Other than school I have just been hanging out.  One of my good friends Kyle Richardson went into the MTC a few weeks ago and we were able to go out to dinner with him when he got into Provo.  He is a hilarious guy, I love him, even if he does love to make fun of me.

We thought it would be funny to move away from him right before we took the picture..haha

Dad came down the week before Easter.  It was soo good to spend time with him and have him meet our friends.  The first thing Javier said was "Your dad is all man.  Like, every single hair on his body says man." haha We thought it was pretty funny.  He was awesome and took us on a Costco trip, and so with the food that was donated to us by Chris and Aaron before they left, we have a full fridge and cupboards.  

We made Easter baskets for our friends! They were pretty cute. :)

It's been gross in Provo and so we haven't really been outside much (it's snowing, and it's pretty much May, I thought only Idaho weather was like this?!) , but I can't wait for the sun to come out while I have a week long break. Just have to make it through final's week.  

A year until graduation and I can become a real nurse! YAY!

The "RB Gang"

Background: When I was younger Nick, Joel and I were really into roller blading.  It started during one of the Winter Olympics and we would watch the speed skating all the time.  We cleared out a track in grandma and grandpa's basement and every chance we got we would go down there and skate.  We timed each other and had rankings with our fake names.  Once we mastered the basement, our parents would take us to Manson Grower's packing shed and we would do longer tracks.  It seriously was one of the most fun things I remember.

Present:  I was reminded of my skates this summer when my dad threatened to throw them away because they were sitting in the upstairs closet.  I put them in my room and then went to college.  One of my good friends Stacey brought her roller blades over the other day and it got me wanting to skate again (and not just in a closed in rink) SO bad! I called my dad and he sent them down with Butch and Janet who were visiting for the weekend.  YAY! Whit and I went to Target and got her some, and then we skating around Wyview for a while last night.  So we decided that with Stacey (and whoever else wants to get some sweet skates) we would create a roller blading gang.  Yes, we are college students, but who is ever too old to roller blade?!

*I'll post pictures of our sweet group when we get all together.  We are freaking sweet. :)

Studying and Skin Tag

Actually doing my study guide! It took forever...

 This weekend I actually did study! I had a nursing test Monday and I wanted to be prepared for it. It was a hard test! I don't find out my score until tomorrow, but hopefully it went well.

On Friday we went and listened to Mark Zuckerberg at a BYU interview with Senator Hatch.  It was really interesting, except I couldn't understand what the Senator was saying so I just guessed based on how Mark replied.  After that we studied for a while and then hung out and decided to go hot tubbing with Javier and Junior.  It was so much fun, and then we went to IHOP for a super late night/early morning snack.

Saturday we slept in, and then studied more. (I know, it was so weird!) We then went to Nick's fundraiser for his baseball team and had BBQ sandwiches which were really good.  After that we just hung out and talked forever at Javier, Junior and Pepe's.

On Sunday we went to their house again and decided to be medical professionals! We have a friend who had a skin tag and after researching and watching Youtube videos, we figured we could do it.  We did! haha it was on his ear and after sterilizing everything, we clipped it off.  It was kinda squishy after and grossed people out. Then we studied (and talked) the rest of the night. It was a productive weekend!

Javier looking at the skin tag, it's in the bag right on top of his shoulder.

 

Diamond Fork

Whit and I were taking the garbage out a few weeks ago and both looked up to see the stars.  That is one of the things I miss most about being home (besides family!).  I love being able to lay on the deck and see the stars with no other lights around.  So, Whit and I decided we needed to go camping!

We got a few of our friends in on the idea (it's pretty cold in March, not a lot of people were up to it).  I found a campsite and Sherry lent us her tent and some cooking supplies, Grandpa let me borrow his truck to pick up firewood, and we pitched in for food and supplies.  Javier, Chris, Whit and I got up there about 6 on Friday night.  Whit and I put up our tent and the boys split the wood. There were more people around than I would have liked, but it was the only campground in  Utah County that was open year round.  It was SO fun.  Stacey got there around 9, and we had hot dogs and s'mores and grilled cheese sandwiches.  We played a few card games but mostly just enjoyed being outside.  It wasn't very cold during the night (thankfully!) and we got to sleep in.  Chris and Stacey left at about 830 on Saturday to get back for work and Chris had a soccer game.  Javier, Whit and I tried to go hiking to some hot springs but the road was closed. :(  We took naps and then cleaned up to get back for the BYU basketball game.

 Later we went to Battle Los Angeles, which was pretty good, and I'm not a fan of alien movies usually. Daylight Savings Time kicked Whit and my butt, but we went to church and then took 3 1/2 hour long naps, justifying it because we don't have classes tomorrow.  My spring break ends Tuesday, which will be a bummer, but I only have 14 more months until I graduate!

Disco Skating

On Saturday night our friend Javier was invited to a friend's birthday party and invited us.  It was Disco Night at the roller rink so we had to take a trip to DI to get some clothes for the party.  It was so much fun. We skated for about 3 hours, then went and watched a scary movie together.  We have fun friends. : )

MesoAmerica

I went to Mexico, Guatemala and Belize two and a half years ago through BYU Idaho.  It was tons of fun.  The only problem was that soon after we landed in Mexico City I realized my camera battery was dead.  It was a rechargeable one, and I had forgotten the battery charger. :( It was really sad. Some of my friends took pictures for me, and I bought a disposable camera one of the days to be able to take pictures of what I wanted.  I took some pictures, but not too many.  Once I got home I forgot about the camera.  I cleaned out the compartment in my car by the spare tire and found a camera. Thinking it was one of the cameras from our paint party, I developed it.  Surprise! It was my pictures from my trip, along with some super random ones of a trip two years ago to Sherry's, and a recent picture of Whit and I.  It was a GREAT surprise!

Ruins! 

Jessica and I at our first ruins.

Jess and I again

Rio Dulce

Jess and I climbing Pacaya (volcano in Guatemala) It erupted last May!  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10186112

We were tired...lol

Our hotel in Playa del Carmen. So sweet. 

To prove I was actually there

This is one of the random ones, Ash and I at California Pizza Kitchen in the fall of 2008 I believe. 

Fall 2008

And the final one! This was last year, but I have no idea when we even took this picture...


I have another camera that I found with some pictures left on it, so once I use it up (and hopefully don't lose it!) I'll get those developed. Yay!

Fright in the Night

It's Monday night.  You've been studying most of the day...or pretending to study at least.  You're sitting around with your sister full of energy. What do you decide to do? Decorate windows with sweet window crayons? If you're us you do! One of our friends Javier has been playing a game called Fruit Ninjas on his iphone and it's super addicting. Whit and I drove over to his apartment and decorated his windows with pictures of fruit and stuff like that.  It kinda looked like a 3rd grader had written everything but we did it backwards so he could read it from the inside.  We're pretty clever. So we get done and start to leave, and then remember that he told us he doesn't lock his window.

Our kindergarten drawings!!

"Javier, the real fruit ninjas are coming!" (We know we're dorks. :) )

 We slowly open the window because his roommate and his friend are in the living room and I lift up the blinds as Whit climbs in.  I then climb in and we hide in the closet waiting for him to get back.  We text him and he shows up like 5 minutes later.  We hear him start talking to his roommates in the living room, so we text him again and tell him that we left something outside his window.  He then walks into his room and says "Awww, how sweet!" about our window decorations.  He leans in to look at what we've said, and through a crack in the closet doors I reach out and grab his leg.

The funniest video. It's dark, sorry, he closed the closet door, but it's still hilarious. 

 It was the funniest thing ever. He always scares his roommates so he kinda had it coming. Whit and I are pretty freaking hilarious. :)

Lots to catch up on!

A lot has been happening recently, and I've been super lazy about writing it down.

First off, LINDSEA AND TRAVIS GOT MARRIED! It was tons of fun having family all here and seeing Linds and Travis. She was gorgeous! Janae did amazing on her hair and makeup, and was nice enough to do all of our (my mom, Whit and I) hair and makeup.  It's always more fun having someone else do it, especially when they are super talented. THANK YOU JANAE!!!

I started another semester of school, and have been incredibly lucky with my clinicals.  We are at a specialty hospital about 10 minutes from my apartment, so no more waking up at 4 to drive to Salt Lake!! Yay! I still wake up at 5, but it's a huge improvement. Last semester we were in a long term care facility that wasn't the nicest, but this semester it's more fast paced and higher needs patients. I am learning a ton. 

On my first clinical day I got to assist with dressing the wound of a patient who had had necrotizing fasciitis on her leg, which is a flesh eating bacteria.  It's disgusting, or I would have put a picture from the internet on, but if you have a strong stomach look it up. It was seriously one of the craziest things I've ever seen.  I could see her muscle and tendons and part of the bone.  I could see the muscle twitching.  I am seriously in awe of the human body. I've studied on cadavers but seeing alive tissue like that was incredible. The infected skin had all been removed but they didn't have a skin graft on it. They were putting a wound vac on it, which is a type of dressing to increase the blood flow to the area, and I got to help.  WAY better than last semester where I just passed out medication!

On my second clinical day I was sitting at the nurse's station with the unit coordinator and watching the heart monitor screens.  She was showing me the oxygen levels and the different heart rhythms for different patients, when one was all over the place.  He was in a room where there was a video camera because he was high observation, and we could see the nurse and CNA in the room with him.  They were putting him on his side to clean him up, when all of a sudden the code blue alarm went off.  The unit coordinator I was with went on the intercom and announced it, and EVERYONE ran to the room.  It was insane, but everyone was so calm.  The doctor was calling out orders and the respiratory therapist intubated him.  The nurse and CNA were alternating doing chest compressions and after about ten minutes his heart rate came back up.  I have never seen anything like it.  It's amazing how fast a heart can stop, but it's crazy what medicine and the people who know what they are doing can do.

In other areas of my life, I have the sweetest dad.  Every year on Valentine's Day as long as I can remember my dad has gotten me something.  One year it was a parakeet, and this year it was flowers.  I love looking at the roses on the counter and knowing my dad thought about me. He's the best!

I am on a dodgeball team with 5 other girls and we are pretty awesome.  We were ranked third and just started tournament.  We won our first game tonight! YAY! We also play on Wednesday nights with a friend from the ward.  It's been really fun, especially since the guys have learned it's okay to hit us.  Before I could stand in the middle and nothing would even come close to me. It's way better now though.

Something exciting happened today!!! I got a job!!! (If my references clear- but I already got an ID badge with my picture on it..haha) I will be doing home health visits for a staffing company, so I can pick my own hours and I get paid pretty well.  It'll be good experience too.  I've been trying to get into the hospital here but they want CNA's with more experience, so this will help with that too.  I'm excited to be working again!

That's pretty much my life. :) VEGAS FOR THE WEEKEND!

My little sister is growing up!

Whitni is one of my best friends.  I love having sisters that are amazing.  It's her birthday! She's not a teenager anymore! It's crazy how fast time has gone. I'm lucky to be living with her and getting to hang out with her everyday! Love you Whit!