welcome to my internet home. this blog used to be cool, with insights about mental health, social policy, pop culture and the like. now, it's a chaotic collection of my mis-spelled, scribbled-down notes on motherhood (who has time to proof read?). it's over-ran with goldfish cracker crumbles, slobery wet kisses, and un-edited pictures. and i would have it no other way. feel free to laugh and cry along side me while I balance a practice (mental heath) and motherhood, and their interconectedness

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Tulip Festival

We went to the Tulip Festival on Saturday at Thanksgiving Point. Ever since we moved to Salt Lake I've wanted to go. My sweet honey didn't put up a fight but my hopes were nearly dashed when I saw news coverage of the festival at the beginning of April and found that there was not a single BLOOMED tulip (due to the cold weather)! Well, we waited until the last day and were utterly pleased to find that there were beautiful tulips galore! Despite the wind and people, we had a really great time. There were several different themed gardens, festivities, and treats that made the trip worth while! Jessie, Jackie and Diedre came along too!


Like I said, TULIPS GALORE!!
I had never seen so many exotic-colored tulips. I'm certain there was a tulip for every color in the spectrum Picturesque Landscape! Ah haha. This is Todd pretending to be a Caveman
The Perfume Garden
Todd couldn't wait to go to the bathroom :O
The Secret Garden
The hidden passageway to the secret garden (Jackie made us kiss!)
We had the yummiest homemade donuts w/ dipping sauce and Todd had this ginourmous ice cream sandwich! (I had to bribe him for coming) Ahhh, beauty
A recreation of The Monet bridge...I was very excited to see this bc Monet is my favorite artist hands down
Yay for TULIPS!

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We also went to the IMAX, The Human Body that night. It was fun bc we went with the whole fam dam. As for the film, I'd say it was just okay. Don't get me wrong...I thought the idea and cinematography was pretty cool. I was just disappointed that they did show more of the complex functions of the body. Like how neural synapses have the ability to evolve, etc. I just thought that since the theme of the movie was just how magnificent our body is, they could have sold it better by talking about the less-know, highly sophisticated functions of our body....Just my thoughts.

One last hirrah





We had a big farewell party at the Skybox on Friday night. The party was for all SW grads but our little "group" of friends went just to spend some time with each other and to say goodbye. I just love the friends I've made here. They are the very best and I love them. Hope to stay friends into old age. I could go on and on but basicaly, we had a great night with each other and spouses. THANKS FOR THE GOOD TIMES EVERYONE!. BEST OF LUCK (especially to Sheree since she's due to have a baby in a few days!)! HERE'S TO MANY MORE!!

Yet Another Farewell


I said another very large goodbye on Thursday....to my hair!
I cut 11 inches off my hair and donated it to
LOCKS OF LOVE.
This was a huge thing for me. I have NEVER had even mildly short hair. the idea started with me just wanting to get a new look and something a bit shorter for the summer. Then, I realized I could have that AND donate it. I had this great idea before I knew locks of love requires a minimum of 10 inches...THAT IS A CRAP LOAD OF HAIR. The reason they require 10 inches is bc most wigs are for little girls who all want long hair. Once I read that it was too late....I had to donate. I started thinking about all those sweet little girls who have cancer etc. and want long hair. How could I not sacrifice the long hair I've had all of my life to help a little one? Did you know it takes 8-10 ponytails of 10 inches to make ONE wig? That's insane right? Anyway, it was pretty gut wrenching when my hair dresser did the big chop, but i survived and since then I've really liked short hair. I cut a total of 11 inches off and my hair is now just above my chin! It won't even go in a ponytail!! I felt cool wind on my neck for the first time yesterday and about flipped! There's many perks to short hair including less shower time and shampoo usage.


My meager contribution.

Another Farewell

I finished up my internship on Thursday. I am officially done being an intern FOREVER! I've spent a lot of time getting to know my fellow interns both in Social Work and PhD Psychology. It was hard to say goodbye to all of them. It was also surprisingly hard to say goodbye to The Counseling Center. I have spent so much time there the last year. It's funny but I was really sad when I was packing up my office and saying farewell. I guess it's all a part of the process. Here's some pics from a nice luncheon they had for us on Thursday.
My Fellow SW Interns

The best part of getting to know the Psych Interns has been getting to know my now dear friend Mindy. We really are kindred spirits. It will be hard when she moves back to Michigan.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Its on

Its official. Todd and I renewed our BYU Football Season Tickets yesterday. We just signed another fall season of our lives away! Todd giggled with flee when I called to tell him I renewed them. He said it can count as my anniversary present to him and for his b-day. NOT BAD! CHEERS!

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Nerds R US


Todd and I indulged the nerd in us today and went to The Clark Planetarium to watch the IMAX, "Mummies, Secrets of the Pharaohs". This movie was so interesting and wonderful!. The film follows a scientist's journey in uncovering the secrets behind Mummification. The story toggles btw the rein of The Pharaoh, Ramses and a modern day scientist who actually mummifies a body donated to science in order to understand and uncover the secrets of Mummification that have preserved bodies for millions of years! This, done to better understand ancient diseases like Malaria in hopes of finding a cure today! In watching the film I couldn't stop thinking about the level of sophistication of the Egyptians and just how insane it was! It was also interesting to understand more about the Egyptian's rationale for mummifying. I have to say, there are a lot of parallels btw their philosophies of the afterlife and ours. Interesting! We also had fun brushing up on our knowledge of the Solar System and other nerdy things! WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!

p.s. Salt Lake dwellers need to go! All IMAX tickets are 5 bucks for the month of April (for their anniversary). Check it out! We plan to go to The Human Body next week!

I know what you readers who know both Todd and I are thinking; that I pulled Todd's arm to go...but that's JUST NOT TRUE! We both randomly decided it'd be fun...and he loved it! He did call me a nerd a lot though :)
Todd really enjoyed the movie! We went to the MOON!!
I went to MARS Cool solar system-looking ceiling...I want my kids' room to be like this! Ahhh. Majestic Earth
Todd in front of "Ur-Anus". Oh my.Me in front of Saturn...It's my favorite planetHow stars are born. I have to admit..I think Nebula's are pretty bitchinPracticing being a Weather Forecaster! He was doing the swirly hand motions and all. HAHA. See him in both monitors? The Pendulum illustrating Earth's rotation. I don't care who you are...this is cool!Hubble babyGiant Mouse TRAPGift Shop FUN

CHEERS TO THE NERD!

BZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

We went to the BEE's GAME on Friday! Shauna hooked us up with her offices' tickets. We had awesome seats! Row 3 just behind first base. Good thing nobody overthrew it! We did have a few foul balls come our way though! In fact, I nearly caught one but this 40 year-old child yanked my arm back trying to catch it. Ha ha what a loser! At least a little kid ended up getting it in the end!. We had alot of fun cheering on the team, eating dogs and garlic fries and enjoying the nice weather! It was a really good game (I actually paid attention). Thanks Scott and Shauna!






Farewell

It's time. It's time to make that post I thought would forever remain in the theoretical. Countdown zero. Thursday at 8pm, I said farewell to this building that has hosted my life for the last two years. It truly seems like it has been my home forever. Man these walls have held a lot; it has brought me together with friends of a kindred spirit, friends I hope to have into old age, it has opened my mind into realms of thinking and functioning that I never knew possible, and has completely restructured and challenged my ideas about life, meaning and purpose. Doesn't get much bigger than that. It still hasn't set in yet, I'm sure I'll be happy and sad when it does. Time to start being an adult. Sigh.



~Some of my fondest (and not-so-fondest) memories~
  • Presenting our research to the legislature on Capital Hill. Senator Hickman challenged us, legislators argued, lobbyists attacked me for copies of our research, we were in the Trib and Deseret news.
  • Project Reality. 6 am. Methadone. Drug Addicts. Needles. Heroin. Pregnant Women. Dealing in the Parking Lot. Mersa. Personality Disorders. Abscesses. Doing Therapy for the First Time. Drawing Blood from the NECK. Pain. Suffering. Survivors. Strength. Change.
  • Diversity. White Privilege. Feeling oppressed for Being LDS. Feminism. LGBTQ. RAGE.
  • Social Policy. Evil Lesbian. Writing Social Policy. Pop Quizzes from HELL
  • Practice. In-vivo Group Therapy. WOW. Theory. Therapy.
  • Others. Crazy. TMI. Need Therapy More Than Their Clients. No Professionalism.
  • Friends. Lifesavers. Peers. Soul Sisters & Brothers. Support. LOVE. Wedding Dress Shopping. The Bayou. Gossip. Marriage. Pregnancy. DRAMA
  • Time. Robbed. Writing Papers During Lunch. Working all day Only to Do Homework at Night. 40 Hour Work Weeks. Full Course Load. Multi-tasking.
  • Research Assistant. Free Tuition. Sweet Hook-up. Opportunity. Salary. Writing, Writing, Writing. Reading Study After Study. Lit Searches. Getting Published. Making my Own Hours. Open Doors.
  • University Counseling Center. Individual & Group Therapy. Becoming a Therapist. Professionalism. POLITICS. Image. Hierarchy. My Own Office. Outsider. YUPPIES. Growth. Recognition. Appreciation. Honor. Helping Students.
I'm now laughing that I took this pic. It was my first real office w/ my name on the door! It was so handy to have an office in the SW building. Then, we got moved to a CUBICLE. Pretty Depressing. Chaos. The view from the Cube. That's bird pooh.

My office at the Counseling Center. Big nice plaque w/ my name on it. Movin up in the world!

Inside my Office...where the "magic" happensFellow Interns. The Last Day of Class :) Just LOVE these GIRLS! Ha Ha Ha. Us and our crazy old man teacher. We just had to take a photo! Sheree, Me, Crazy, Kay and Jenn. (We didn't get Dan and Justin in the pic who r our other dear friends)

Well....THAT'S IT!