Back to School

I can't believe how fast the summer flew by.  Since i started applying to grad school, the time seems to have crept by so slowly, but now looking back, its gone too fast!  I'm not ready to give up my life for the books just yet, but I don't really have a choice.  The University of Utah started school last monday on the 23rd, and we had an orientation on the 19th and 20th.  Sorry This is a recap of my first week at grad school....

Orientation started out just fine, lots of nice girls in my program!  There are 30 people in my class and 5 of them are guys, so its mostly us ladies.  It was hard to sit in the classroom all day and hear about their expectations for grad school, how to be a professional, what kind of writing style they preferred... and so on.  I just wasn't ready for the school thing quite yet.  It was fun to get to know some of the girls though, a few of us clicked right away.  I was really nervous about meeting everyone and making friends, I'm so shy around new people.  Jake told me to be myself and not act shy because they don't know that I'm shy... what good advice!  I've made some good friends already, after just one week.

The second day of orientation was more fun, pictures, a building tour, getting to know you games.... We had a BBQ that night with all of the classes and it was Survivor themed.  The 1st year class won and got immunity against one assignment for the fall! SAWEET!!

I came back to Logan for the weekend, got all packed up, bought new school supplies, a new backpack and headed down to Salt Lake for my actual first week of school.  I am staying with Jake's aunt and uncle in Salt Lake.  They are SO NICE to let me stay with them!  It will be great to be living with them, they are so thoughtful and kind.  They live about 5 minutes away from campus which is also great.
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The first day of school was pretty normal.  Grad school is a lot different from undergrad because we already have assignments and projects after the first day.  I am in three classes, but one of them is 6 credits!  This is going to be intense.  I am feeling very overwhelmed with the workload just after the first couple of days. Once I get into the groove of studying again it will be better.  I'll be able to focus and study, and without Jake, I won't have many distractions!

The most stressful day was tuesday.... We have a human dissection lab, which is going to be very interesting and I thought I would be fine, no puking for me, I have pretty strong stomach.  We just had to prep the bodies on tuesday, get them ready to start dissecting.  The whole time I just kept thinking, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine....  Well I wasn't that fine.  I don't know what was wrong but it was just so weird seeing the bodies, skin and all, just laying there.  I just kept thinking about the people that donate their bodies for us.  One of our teachers came and asked me if I was doing okay..... not a good thing to ask!  I had a little breakdown and tears started falling.  I think they are use to having people faint or puke... I was just crying!  He took me out in the hall to relax for a minute.  He was really nice and told me that it will get easier.  I had a hard time the rest of the day, i kept thinking about it.

We start the actual dissecting this week, on Tuesday, so pray for me.  I'm really anxious about it.  Everyone that I have talked to tells me that it gets easier as you go along and start focusing on a certain muscle, or finding a nerve, and so on.

It was so good to come back to Logan this weekend and spend some time with the hubby.  I'm gonna miss him A TON!  We had a few relaxing days together, when I wasn't doing homework.  I feel like I am living two different lives.  I guess I kind of am!

Island Park Getaway

For our next adventure we decided to go to Island Park and stay at my Grandpa's cabin!  I went up to Idaho Falls a few days early to visit my parents.  I had an awesome time with my mom.  I'm so glad that we are so close.  I love her so much.  We went shopping, to the gym, relaxed at the pool, and went fishing with my dad!  I love my dad so much too!  I appreciate all the advice he gives me and all the help he provides.

What a wonderful weekend to just hang out with my parents!

Jake came up to IF and picked me up to head up to Island Park on Sunday night, the 15th.  I haven't been up to the cabin since I was in high school, so I was excited to go and for Jake to come!  

The cabin!

Kitchen

Upstairs loft

Lots of beds so we could have friends come!? Any takers??

This is my kind of camping :)

The next day we went to Yellowstone National Park.  It had been a long time since I have been.  Jake and I started making a list of all the license plates from all the states that we saw.  You'll never guess how many we saw in one day.... 47 out of 50 states!  How AWESOME!

We drove around the loop in Yellowstone and stopped at some cool places along the way.  I'll show you in pictures, since I took a TON!

We stopped at Old Faithful and waited to see the amazing show....

Whoa!

Guess who we ran into?! Loryn and Mike!  Lor-dizzle my old roomie!

Cascade Falls

This is right before the Upper Falls.  There is so much water going over the falls!  It is amazing.

Lower Falls`

We also stopped at some stinky geysers, I won't put pictures :)  They smelled so bad!  Called the Mud Volcano, Sour Lake, Churning Cauldron, and Dragon Mouth Spring.

Now for the wildlife....  We saw quite a variety!

Buffalo

Elk

Moose

SCARY! But I wanted to see a bear!

We think this was a bear.... across the river, that little brown spot, but we weren't sure.

and this ferocious beast!

We had a great day at Yellowstone, headed back to our for dinner and a little relaxation.  The next day we decided to float down Big Springs.  We rented tubes and floated the 3 hour float.  It was so awesome, just sitting in the sun and soaking up the rays.  After our float, we went into West Yellowstone for some ice cream and shopping.  We had a good dinner at the cabin and a fun last night.

We got up thursday morning and drove back to Idaho Falls, picked up some stuff, drove to Logan, got some other things and drove to Salt Lake!  We had to be in Salt Lake by Wednesday night because I had orientation for school on Thursday and Friday the 19th and 20th.  Jake came with me to spend our last few days together.  I'm grateful for my sweet husband for supporting my decision to go back to school.  I love him so dang much.

I'll tell you about school in my next post.... gotta get back to the books :(

Camping {Blacksfork Style}

I worked for the first week of August and then quit my job!  I decided to quit a few weeks early so I could get some fun in before school starts up again.  Jake was also done with his job the same day, so we had about 2 weeks to enjoy summer..... and each other.... before I moved to Salt Lake to start OT school.

We left on Friday the 6th, and drove to the Unitas to place called Blacksfork.  I came with Jake's family 2 years ago on this camping trip and it rained THE WHOLE TIME!  Not too fun when you're sleeping in a tent.  That being said I was a little apprehensive about this trip!

The weather ended up being great and we had a good time.  Jake's whole extended family goes on this trip, we have our own community of campers, tent trailers, tents, horses, motorcycles, 4 wheelers and more!  Lots of good food, fun hikes, 4-wheeler rides, and good old camp fire stories.

The boys setting up the tent trailer.

Bundled up in our little tent!

We went on a day hike up the telephone trail.  It was a pretty intense hike!  It was beautiful at the top looking out over the meadow.  We packed a lunch and even made hot cocoa with Jake's backpacking stove!

This is the meadow on top of the mountain.  Amazing view!

Here we all are hanging out in the tent trailer.

The camp fires at Blacksfork are the biggest they come!

We had a good time but I was definitely ready to come home.  I'm not the best camper when there are no bathrooms or showers or mirrors!  I'm more of a cabin camper.....

Summer Goodness

We are officially moved out and living with the In-Laws.  It has been a crazy couple of weeks!  I am so so tired of packing and moving and cleaning, I'm glad that we have a while until we have to unpack.  I can't believe all the stuff we fit in that little apartment.  I'm really going to miss that place, we've had good times there.  During all the madness of moving, we've been doing a lot of fun things... 

...family reunions

a little bit of Tim

showers for babies

parades and rodeos

and a new house and an old job....

We had a Larsen family reunion over the 24th of July, at the lodge in Firth.  It was a ton of fun!  I even went paint balling with all the crazy guys.  I was scared for my life, half of these guys are hunting guides, thats what they do for a living!  I was really good at hiding and even got a few kills.  My heart was always pounding, I thought they'd hear it for sure.  I only ended up with a couple welts and a few bruises.  My favorite thing that they guys said was, "There's just something awesome about shooting each other."  mmmmmm.... not exactly my kind of awesome!  I didn't take any pics but I think Carolyn did, I'll have to find them to prove it!

We also went rafting down the Blackfoot River.  It wasn't too crazy, but a lot of fun.  The water was the perfect temp, i almost wish i would have fallen out....

We had a fun time with all the Larsen's.  A lot of good food and fun games were played.  I wish I would have taken more pictures!

On Friday night we went to Tim McGraw and Lady Antebellum!  Oh I love me some Tim!  

What an awesome concert!  Tim has so many great songs.  He was really funny, a lot of southern pride.  He sang a new song that is WAY good, called Felt Good on My Lips.  I loved it.  He ended with Cowboy In Me.  One of my favorites!

Sidenote about the concert... I guess I didn't get the memo that you are suppose to dress like a skank when you go to country concerts.... whoa there were some girls with just a little bit on!

Saturday was the Preston parade and Famous Night Rodeo!

Mmmmm.... carmel apples

Earlier that day I went to my dear cousin's baby shower.  I'm so excited for her!  She is due in one month!  YAY Amanda!  It was great to see all the family, Aunts, uncles, cousins.... especially my cousin Meridee, she is moving to Dubai in two weeks, so it was great to see her and finally meet her little boy, Will.  

It seems like after the Rodeo, summer flies by...  we'll try to live in slow motion for these last 3 weeks we have together until I move away from my babe to Salt Lake.  It's gonna be hard :(

Good news is I only have TWO more days of work!!  

I am so dang excited!  There will be people that I miss and will keep in touch with... but I'm definitely ready to move on.  

So as of Friday, we have no jobs and no house!