I'm slacking again!

Here are a few pictures from the past couple months. I did find time to have some fun - my mom came to visit for a week! We also went to visit my dad over Thanksgiving. We're looking forward to going home to Oregon for Christmas and also seeing some of Danny's family!

Well two rotations down....a whole bunch to go! So far I've finished WIC and my foodservice management rotation at Boise School districts. The latter was definitely the most challenging for me! I was out of my comfort zone every day and it was a lot of WORK, but I learned sooo much and thats what it's all about right :)

I also had the opportunity to go to FNCE (food and nutrition conference and expo) in Denver in October. It's a big conference put on by the American Dietetic association. They had education session and a expo about new food and nutrition products. It was fun, exciting and overwhelming! I felt like a kid at my daddy's work or something. It was my first taste being at a professional conference and I felt like such a rookie, as was expected. It was a fun time with all the interns (even the 10 hour car ride), and a great professional experience. Now I know what to expect next time!

Tomorrow I start my 11 week clinical rotation at St Luke's hospital. I'm not as nervous as I thought I was because management was so hard, and it ended on such a good note. It gave me a lot of needed confidence to get through the rest of this internship! I've had the least experience in clinical dietetics, so I'm nervous in that respect. But, eh what can ya do :) I must say Thanksgiving was a MUCH needed break, and I'm already looking forward to Christmas! I live for the breaks - this internship is kicking my butt! We missed the Utah Epps/Quigs this year at Thanksgiving! We hope to make it out there sometime soon. Right now we're gearing up or Christmas- we're finally going home to Oregon, yay! Charlie is coming with us (of course) and he's very excited to see his best friend Maverick. He got to play with my dad's two dogs (Reese and Bandit) over Thanksgiving and he's already very bored and depressed. We've only been home for one day. We've gently tried to explain to him that we can't afford to get him a little yellow friend right now - he's lucky he gets food in his bowl twice a day! He's still moping around - I don't think he understands.

On another happy note Danny has a job! It's a seasonal position with UPS as a driver helper. In this market he is just grateful to have a job - but is hoping they hire him on after the season. He's doing REALLY well in his online class this term and has one more to go then he's GRADUATED! Unfortunately, to my dismay, he will not be walking. BOO! Of course he has been SO supportive of me during my stressful internship. I'm naturally, a ball of stress and he never is so it's a great combination. We're really happy he has a job though because a) he needs money, and b) he's really starting to get bored. I'm just sad I'm losing my housewife! It was nice coming home to the dishes done and the laundry folded! The only thing he doesn't do it cook. What would I do without the guy! ;)

Sorry for the delay in writing! I'm sure it will be awhile again as I'm finishing up a 15 page paper and 50 minute presentation and gearing up for more!

Grandma Alyssa

Well I'm alive. You can all rest easy. I started at WIC, it's a supplemental nutrition program from women, infants, and children. I LOVE it. They should just hire me now and I'll just disregard the rest of my internship. That sounds great to me since the thought of my 10 week clinical rotation makes me want to jump off a bridge. I'm not blowing it out of proportion.

The title of this blog refers to my new lifestyle. All of us interns thought we'd try to hang out every weekend and relax. That hasn't happened even once. I'm SOOOO tired and climbing in bed by 9 (10 on a late night) to watch some Friends and asleep within an hour. On Saturday morning I actually woke up at 6:30am for NO reason. Thank goodness I slept until 8 or 830 the next two days. Sheeesh! Danny makes fun of me nightly :) I can't help it! I'm totally beat each day, the best part is I'm not getting paid! I actually am going more in debt for this. Sweet :)

Again in reference to the title, I turn 25 in two days. I struggle with this. Why, you ask? Well it's a quarter of a century and a whole new age bracket for starters. No more 18-24 for me! I'm in the 25-old category now!! :) Also, as a 16 year old kid imagining my life, I expected more out of my 25 year old self. I thought I'd at least be married. Maybe a kid or two. I don't know how I expected all of this to happen, as I've always wanted to go to college and have a career. Well, we know I could've been married (and that would've been a mistake), and now I have a wonderful boyfriend. But, there is a sort of saddness that I feel knowing I didn't live up to my childhood expectations, as unrealistic as they might have been. I know 25 is still young. I'm told I'll never really feel like I'm getting older, I'll feel the same on the inside. But something about this birthday is really making me realize that life really does keep moving whether you're ready or not. I'll be 26 next year....27....28..... etc. Time will keep moving. For some reason as a younger kid I didn't realize this. I thought I'd always be young, thin would just happen, and my body would just hold up. Well you always get older, you ALWAYS have to work hard at thin, in fact even harder as you get older, and my body will start sagging with the best of them soon enough.

I try to make the most of each moment and each experience. But I can't but feel a little mourning for the loss of my childhood. Because for once, I really true feel like I'm growing up and I'm an adult. I'm not sure when it happened. And I'm not sure if I like. But it's happened.

Freak out numero uno

So, we got our list of compentencies today. The competencies are more or less assignments. Things we have to do or meet in order to pass the internship. In addition, we have a HUGE list of assignments to complete DURING the internship and our rotations. Including two, 10-15 page papers and two, 50 minute presentations.

I wanted to quit today. We took a pre-test assessment of knowledge and it made me feel like I am in the wrong profession. :) I literally felt so STUPID and completely unprepared and wanted to cry. Had it been another time in the month, I probably would have! I supposed it made me feel a little better that I wasn't the only one that felt this way.

I am absolutely terrified of the months ahead, to put it mildly. Have no fear, I won't quit, yet. I've paid too much money and can't get a refund. Plus, if I quit I'd still be looking for a job like Danny.

He got a call back from Idaho Fish and Game, only to tell him that they don't have any job openings at this time but will in 2-3 weeks. He literally applied for a job with Toys R Us as a bike assembler (among other jobs), desperate times call for desperate measures :) He's working on applying for jobs through BLM (which are mostly seasonal right now) and going to following up with Fish and Game. To quote him, "I'll take whatever I can get right now." Thank goodness we saved money and my parents helping or we'd be over our heads.

Tonight my night will consist of a glass of wine and a bubble bath......and possibly a freak out cry. All I can hope is that once the rotations start rolling I will get in a groove and get some confidence back.

On the up side, I LOVE the internship director here and all the interns. They are amazing, and most importantly funny. Danny and I are still getting along and love each other very much.

So I would appreciate loving thoughts and prays to give me strength and courage. I guarantee this will NOT be the last break down :)

The countdown

Orientation week starts Monday. I'm starting to get pretty nervous about it. I'm turning into a grown up whether I want to or not!

Danny and I still like it here. I got VERY homesick last week.....good thing Mom and Gary visit today :) Thankfully since Hannah is in SLC, Mom and Gary use us as a stopping point and I've gotten to see them a few times already this summer! The hardest part about living here is being away from my family and best friends. Boise though, is awesome! There is so much to do outdoors and plenty to keep us occupied in the way of museums etc indoors!

So far nothing too eventful has happened except we get flat tires EVERY SINGLE TIME WE RIDE, because of these stupid thorns, I've been stung by a bee and it won't stop itching, and every single mosquito in Boise tracks me down and bites me! Although, we've met a couple of the interns and LOVE them!! They're really cool girls and I'm looking forward to hanging out with them more. It's nice to have friends here :)

I'm sure more horrifying stories will come once the rotations start :)

Danny is still hunting for a job, following up with some leads and looking to get a job with the Fish and Wildlife department here. Actually, he just really wants a job, period.

Charlie is loving it. He experienced doggy daycare for the first time yesterday. We did a couple hour trial run, because once life gets up and running we want to take him one day a week to let him meet some friends. We also feel sorry for him because he'll be stuck inside along most of the time :( He loved and they love him! He broke their leash right off the bat, so I was worried. But, in my (and his defense) I warned them that a) he pulls, ALOT and b) he's 85lbs. After that he was a well behaved and TIRED poochy when we brought him home :) I felt like a mom dropping my kid off at daycare.....I don't think I could ever do that.

Bogus Basin hike

Bogus Basin Hike - it's prettier in person

Bike ride from Pullman Wa to Moscow ID

Dinner with Dad and Amy!

So a few fun things have happened! I'm trying to live it up before my internship starts in a couple weeks, and I'm putting of the remainder of my summer homework as long as I can :)

We went and visted Dad in Pullman....we're in driving distance again!! We went for a couple bike rides, including a 26 miler. It was awesome. Even with his bum knee dad has found someway to be crazy active. He's become almost as passionate about biking as he was hiking, climbing etc. He goes a couple times a week now! He's crazy :) However, Danny and I have bikes now and are just as addicted!!

This week we road the on the Boise Greenbelt. It's a paved path that goes along the Boise River. We're not really sure how far we went- Danny got a flat and we made a few detours. It was really fun and a great workout!

We also we went to Lucky Peak Lake again, lots of fun! We found out Charlie likes to be held, even IN the water. He's such a weirdo. He hates it when Danny swims. He whines and cries and tries to jump on him. Danny usually ends up pretty scratched up :) In the end we all have fun. We're really trying to enjoy all of this time we have together!

Yesterday we hiked on Bogus Basin and had some amazing views. I also got stung by a bee on my ankle where it meets the knee and bends. It hurt. I cried, like a big baby. Danny and I can't think of a reason to ever move back home, everything we could want is pretty much within 20 minutes. I'm starting to miss my friends and family, but there is definitely A LOT to do here!!

I also met a couple of the interns today. They seem really nice. I'm nervous for my internship though. I feel like everyone else is smarter than me and I'll look like an idiot. Let's hope thats not the case because I'm racking up the debt to be here :)

We officially live in Boise!!

It's been a week now. My mom and Gary were here for a night, left to see Hannah, and came back for a couple nights. I cried when she left. I now live in a different state than my mom, yikes. Hannah thinks I'm pathetic of course :)

I like it here. Danny loves it, doesn't know if he can leave. I like that I don't have allergies and there is SO much to do! I haven't started my internship yet, not until August 17th. I'm sure things will get alot crazier then.

Danny wants us to start a blog. So, since I suck at this I'll probably let him make some posts and updates as he so chooses.

It's freaking hot here, we're told it'll only get hotter. There's a water park a few miles a way that we will definitely be visiting. We also plan to float the Boise River a time or two. Today we went to the zoo and took Charlie to Lucky Peak Reservoir. I'll post a couples pictures.

Sorry I'm terrible at updating!

My best friend Anna and I

I chopped my hair off, obviously.

I got the Boise - Idaho State University Dietetic Internship!! Danny, Charlie and I are moving to Boise on July 15th....so uh, just a couple days AHH!! I'm excited and nervous for both the internship and living away from my mama!

My dad finally moves into my time zone and I decide to move out! Good thing is it's only about a 5 hour drive from him and SLC, so hopefully, time permitting, I'll be able to see my family some more!!

Love you guys....i'll post some pictures of our new place when we get there! It's a two story townhouse, only a couple years old. We're really happy with it.

woo hooooo

So, 2009 stinks yeeaaahhh!! Don't know if it's gotten around yet, but I found out I was born with a heart arrythmia after it started giving me a bunch of problems. It's a AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia. But it's fixed now :) I had a cardiac ablation on wednesday and there's a 99% chance its gone. The worst part was they failed THREE times getting my IV in. They finally got it the fourth time after punturing two veins. I look like a pin cushion. I'm still in bed and sore, and cranky because they only gave me vicodin and I still hurt ggrrrrrr. All I have to say is four words: Thank Goodness For Hulu.com. Seriously. That website has saved my life.

Quote of the hospital stay:

Nurse arrives shortly after I wake up: Looks like your heart moniter has some bad batteries, we need to change those.

Me: What heart monitor?

Nurse: Hmmm well uh we need to get you one of those, now. I'll be right back.

I did manage to go (very drugged up, and sick) to a performance of Wicked last night, which was amazing. I hurt and I had to shuffle around like a 99 year old woman, but I made it through.

I also had finals week this week, well all mine were Monday and Tuesday, and obviously survived that as well. Can't wait until thats over, for real this time. I'm jealous Kellie. On a happy note I found out I am a finalist for the Boise internship and had a phone intervew on Tuesday. It went really well I think!!

Sorry I suck at blogging. This is all I can manage to muster up right now :) But I highly recommend, The Office, Family Guy (OF COURSE!!), and American Dad.

PS. It also looks like I failed to mention I was hit by a bus earlier this year....in my car. I'm ok, obviously. I've also had a number of other unfortunate occurances. :) I'm really looking forward to a new start in April, hopefully. HA!