Thanks to be Givin

Thanksgiving we went down to Utah. The plan was to go after my clinical and we found out I didn't have a clinical!! Knowing that ahead of time would have changed a lot of things, but oh well... So we left for Utah! We had Thanksgiving with my aunt Wendy and cousins. Our meal was enjoyed at Sizzlers! haha, the plan was Chuch-a-Rama, but that line was a 2 hour wait! Who would have thought it would be so popular on Thanksgiving! Sizzler's was about a thirty minute wait and we both ordered steak. :) We don't enjoy steak that much, so it was a great treat! The rest of thanksgiving we played Dominion, and BANG! So much fun :) Friday- Sunday we went up to Aspen Lodge up Provo Canyon with my uncle Dean and more cousins!!! YAY!!! It was such a blast! We had amazing food, played games non-stop to the weee hours of the night, went sledding down icy hills, painted nails, and talked. I hadn't seen a lot of these cousins in a while, so it was such a blast to hang out with everyone. There were 43 people there including all the kids. :) It was super!! This is the view out of the balcony.

We did a little shopping while we were down there, and got Brad's Christmas present... Modern Warfare 2!!! It has been played a TON this week, Connor has been over more just to play! :) haha.

Something Brad has always talked about his mission is Ginger Beer. Just like Ginger Ale but stronger, he says it burns your throught. Our latest trip to Broulims we found some!! The Australian brand, but he said ti was pretty good, just not the same burn.

And for the record I dyed my hair!!! About a month ago now, oh well... haha
We're so sad we missed Thanksgiving with the family in AZ!!! Love you all!!

Celebrate

On Wednesday was our first competecy test in class. Our competencies are based on ACLS (acute coronary life saving) skills. The book has a bunch of different rhythms that we have to be able to properly treat based on the symptoms. The hardest one is a mega code. Which includes 4 different rhythms, always including cardiac arrest. Mega code was the first skill to be tested. So groups started testing and people started failing... it wasn't looking good. When my group came to test a total of 4 kids in the class had actually passed. Everyone else failed. Obviously from my title, I PASSED!!! I was 1/6 that passed out of the total class. It felt awesome!! Our teachers decided the class wasn't ready to test so the next few labs are practice days for everyone. Hooray for me!! (This test is also one that if you fail 3 times You're OUT)

I've been able to manage my time so that Brad and I can have nap time together... seriously LOVE naps with him! Since our apartment is cold we just cuddle up under all the warm blankets. :) Heaven!

Halloween

Halloween was pretty lame this year. We didn't have anywhere to go, and no ideas about how to dress up. So we didn't do anything. Brad really wanted to dress up, but I just wasn't feelin it, and I had a bunch of hw and a test. I did get up and make some Ghost Pancakes! :)

Earlier that week I made some pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting. BEST cream cheese frosting I've made! Yum!

We got to pull out the Halloween decorations from last year. Our lollipop ghosts that hang on our fan.

The web behind the tv.

This beautiful wreath that my MIL got for me! THANK YOU!! My cute pumpkin scarecrow

Fall Ball

Finally catching up to date, kind of. School started WAY back in September and took off at a sprint!! Obviously it has been extremely busy. For my own remembrance this is my schedule: (in military time, cause that's all I use now and it makes more sense.)

• Monday- 1100-1800 Lab and ambulance Ops. (we do fake scenarios and drive the school ambulances to the scene in our groups of 3)



• Tuesday- 7:45-1400 Cardiology, Preparatory, and Airway... all in the SAME classroom!! blah...



• Wednesday 1100-1400 Then we drive down to Idaho Falls for clinical 1500-21:30, and then we drive home.



• Thursday- 7:45-1400 Cardiology, Preparatory, and Patient assessment



• Friday- NO CLASS!! YAY! Except this day is used to study because every weekend I have a cardiology test, and usually a test from one of the other classes.

Fridays are also possible shift days where I go down to Idaho falls @ 7-2200; that happens twice this semester. Once a week I try to fit in a clinical. Either the IF one, One at Madison Ambulance, or Madison ER. I have to have 5 shifts at Madison ambulance, and 2 at Madison ER. My ER shifts are from 1800-600... oy vey. Those stink, or the times I have to sleep at the fire station. Those are pretty bad too, I hate being away from Brad!! I have learned SO much though and am still loving every second of it!! :) Technical skills we've passed off:

• IV's (probably my favorite!)



• Intubation



• Shots



• Various ACLS scenarios

Not that much, but each one takes at least a week to practice and pass off, cause we only practice these in lab time. These are all of my books I had to buy. Besides school we got to enjoy the wonderful Fall weather while it was here. We went on a walk on the only trail in Rexburg, by the river!! :)
Oooohhh, so pretty!
I love the few from our apartment, especially these mornings!!

Cali. and The Vegas

Of course we had to visit the beach while in Cali!!! MY FAVORITE! We also built that sand octupus next to us. :) haha. I could hardly walk the day after my half, it was pretty pathetic, but oh so worth it!!Connor layed under his towel with some food near by and scared all the seagulls when they got closer. So funny. The Vegas

The next morning we woke up really early and drove to Vegas!! I love walking the strip and looking at all the amazing hotels, especially at night with all the lights! :)
We went to the M&M factory and watched a 3D movie, "I lost my M in Vegas" Just to get a break from the sun really, and to sit for a minute.
The Luxor
We stayed at The Mirage, it was beautiful!
We walked past lots of the shops until we found the most amazing H&M, two stories!! hallelujah!! Brad went birthday shopping. :)
The Bellagio
SO PRETTY and magical, we stayed for 5 songs.
L-O, L-O, L-O, V-E!
Of course one with Connie.
Slept hard that night, but had to wake up again early to drive to utah for the day, and then up to Idaho the next day... Whoo what a trip! Once we got to Idaho we got Connor settled in and got to chill with momma. We took her to the taco bus...
and five guys...
and Bed, Bath, and Beyond....
and the Temple... :)
It was a very busy few days travelling and was nice to be back. It was great to come home to our apartment, which Nellie and Noelle had kept safe for us. :) Thanks guys! Then we got ready for school... Which has been so busy, but so awesome!! :)

Disneyland Half Marathon

Our trip to California couldn't have been more perfect!! We left the day after Brad's birthday to California for my race, where my parents were meeting up with us. We left early in the morning so we could get to Disneyland and pick up my racing packet. (Number and shirt basically) Here we are at the Disneyland sign between the 2 parks.

Picked up my racing number!! (Tori and Naomi would not like this number... haha ;) I was set to start in Corral A!Then we walked around the racing Expo, which has a bunch of vendors selling you anything to improve your physical fitness like; racing gear, or energy bars/drinks, energy band things, and lots of free samples! (my favorite) We also picked up my shirt, then headed home to get some dinner at Bucca di Beppo; only after our star picture, "Be A star!"

Then we slept cause I had to get up at 4:30 the next morning to get to the racing start by 5 ish, and the race would start at 6! My mom came with me to take my pants and chill with me by the starting line since we had a lot of time once we got there. Here I am at the starting area!! I was so nervous!! I didn't realize that Corral A meant I was in the FIRST pack of the race!! Everyone was so intense there and focused on the race ahead. I was glad to be there though, it meant less people to run by who were walking.

These pictures came from the photographers at the race, hence the logo. This was right after we ran through the castle. For some reason the start of the race seemed really humid, at least I was sweating a lot more at the beginning than during the middle/end. Weird.

The race brought us throughout the 2 parks and around the city of Anaheim. Past the Angels "A" and THROUGH Anaheim stadium. SO AWESOME! The whole race had tons of people lined all over the place. Lots of school cheerleaders, bands, dancers, just tons and tons of people. But going through the stadium was probably one of my favorite parts. They lined the first 13 rows and kids leaned out to high five you as you ran by, plus who wouldn't want to run past home plate?

This was the 12th mile! I was so anxious for the finish line. The last mile was more curvy it felt. I saw my dad at the start of mile 12, he gave me the encouragement to keep pushing through and cleared my mind that I was on the LAST mile, for some reason I felt like I had 2 more at that point. So I had double the energy! Just 1/4 mile further, after my dad, I ran past Brad and Connor!! They said I had about 1/2 a mile to go, so I kept pushing through the burn!! Maybe another 1/4 mile further along, out of the right side of my eye I saw somebody jump over some pushes and totally biff it on the concrete. Behind the boy that biffed it, I saw Brad. haha then it clicked that Connor and Brad had ran from their last spot to see me again and Connor had fallen in the rush! :) What a brother!!! Finally I could see the finish line, hallelujah!! As I came in across the finish line the announcer read my name (all names were read as you finished) and the bleachers full of people were cheering.

I looked up at the clock and I had finished in 1:47:02!!!!! To me this was a miracle!! I was/am ecstatic about my time, I couldn't believe it!! My last long run in training of 10 miles had taken me 1:35. I thought there was NO way I could even try for my goal of 1:45, but by some miracle I did it! I had my family receiving texts for every 3rd mile marker, so looking back at the times I had actually been speeding up the entire race.

• 
  
  5k in 25:34. Pace 8:14


• 
  
  10k in 50:52. Pace 8:11


• 
  
  15k in 1:16:15. Pace 8:11


• 
  
  Finish time 1:47:02. Pace 8:10

It was such a great feeling to know I had worked so hard, and done so well. Then I got to go pick up my medal and post-race food, and see my family. That was probably the best feeling ever, giving everyone sweaty hugs!!! :) haha, I am so glad they were there to support me. They even lined up at various mile areas to cheer me on, getting their own work out too. :) Here we are at the meeting area; Connor with his boo boo.Oh I just love him so much, he is such a great supporter of anything I want to do!! THE BEST!Of course my papi and I!! He got me into running from the beginning and he continues to be such a great example of a great runner.Me mudda, couldn't have done it without her! Run Mama Run!! Some last statistics about the race:

• Drew Carey was running, also in Coral A, I was about 30 ft away from him!! Never actually saw him in the race, just on the big screen, and he is SkInNy!!



• About 15,000 were there to run over the weekend



• My overall place was 554/13000



• Gender place was 127/8367



• Division place was 12/760



• As much as it may have burned my legs, and cripled me for the next 4 days I LOVED it, and would do it all over!! Running a half marathon is so invigorating and a great feeling of accomplishment!!

Last week in AZ

So the last week in Arizona, Connor came to visit!! We had such a blast hanging out and swimming everyday!! :) Man could this boy prune!!! His hands looked so funny!!Brad doing his Gainer, the tricked he accomplished for the summer. I mastered the flip and a flip mc-twist! haha, I'm such a wimp.Connor attempting his backflip, which he did later!!We went out to watch a Pre-season Cardinals game against the Denver Broncos whom they obliterated!!!Brad and I at the game.Naomi came with us!! :) we had tons of fun yelling together, cause everyone knows boys can't scream. haha The last day in AZ happened to be BRAD'S BIRTHDAY!!!! We had to fit everything in that we needed to get done. We had Barro's pizza for lunch, delish!! Saw the Gilbert Temple frame, and got some of the best impressionist Gelato there is at Sweet angel. (Connor carved a "C")That night we had some of Dad's Tacos, and sang Happy Birthday! :) Later Brad's friends all came over and we had Pazookies and went night swimming, the Best! Happy 24th Birthday Bradley Juan!! :D I LOVE YOU! Of course a picture with GG, we love you!