Where Did The Time Go!?!? It's Quarter 3!?!?!?!?!!!

Time has gone by so fast since my last post and more things have happened than usual! I've wanted to write on here, but I've been soo busy with everything else, blogging just hasn't been an option!!

At the end of August Mike and I weren't really doing anything and Peach had woke me up by peeing on the bed. Ugh, not a good morning, so I started washing the sheets and thankfully we have a mattress pad so it didn't ruin our mattress. Unfortunately for us, the apartment 2 floors above us had their hot water heater burst and flooded all 8 units around and below them and ruined our mattress among other things since we're on the 1st floor.

Our apartment ended everyone's lease, and pretty much told us to find a new place to stay because they didn't have any open units for us to go to. Not fun. We stayed in a hotel that week and Alycia watched Peach for us. We found a new apartment called the Watermark (it's BEAUTIFUL!!) and we moved in 5 days later on Friday.

So exhausting and we were so excited to have a pull out couch to sleep on since our mattress has been ruined from the water damage. Saturday was spent putting things away with Alycia and mattress shopping/buying and Peach finally graduating from her first class of  puppy school!

That Monday after we moved in was Labor Day so Mike and I loaded up all of the dirty laundry (including blankets, towels, clothes, pillows) and went to a laundromat because our washer broke due to water damage. Finished all of the laundry and kept organizing back at our new place. Not having school that day was truly a blessing. I have never been more happy to have insurance in my life, we got a new mattress and a new washer and some money for other minor damages to our apartment.

My mom, grandma, and aunt came and visited that next weekend and I was so happy to see them!! They visited us for a week and sight-saw and helped us decorate our new apartment. I had so much fun hanging out with them all week and trying new restaurants with them. The Friday before they left we drove to Nashville and we all went to the Grand Ole Opry that night. It was a blast!! I definitely need to go and do that again!! They drove back home from Nashville that day and Mike and I went to the Jack Daniel's Distillery before going back to Atlanta. 

The next day was Michael's 30th birthday so I got up early and made a big breakfast for him and baked him a cake. We went out for dinner at Fado for his birthday with Johanna and our new friend Zed (we met him through our apartments flooding, he lived above us).

Then I spent the next 2 weeks studying and preparing for finals. Which were both amazing and awful. Unfortunately, I didn't do the best in 3 of my classes so I will be taking them over again. Not cool, but I have spent my last week off making notes and preparing for the first upcoming exams in those classes so that I can be ready for them and ace them so I won't have to take them ever again after this!!

Classes start tomorrow and I'm back to 7am classes, NOT fun. I'm optimistic about this upcoming quarter and as much as I want my break to keep continuing, I'm ready to get started again. I will post new pictures sometime this week of what's been going on lately, but I'm going to go get ready for bed now since I have class at 7!!

Quarter 2, Week 3!!

Well, this week's been very long and full of studying!!

I had 2 tests, and 1 bonus quiz before our test in that class next week.

The first test was in my Motion and Static Palpation class. I was SOOO nervous!! I was studying like crazy, and Michael was letting me practice all of my different tests on his back on Monday night, lol. I went to the test on Tuesday and I got a 23/25!! Yay!!

On Wednesday, my friend Alycia and I took Peach to puppy playtime at 7pm after class. Yesterday, we had a bonus quiz in our Muscular and Skeletal Gross class. Technically, not a big deal if you get 0 points because it's bonus. However, everyone wants to get something to help them out if they need it. Everyone was freaking out because this class is supposed to be hard. We got our grades back, and I got a 10/10!! Yay!! 10 extra points can really help me out in that class!!

We just had our last test for the week in Biochem 2, and I thought it went pretty good, so I'm hoping I did okay!!

This weekend will be spent studying for an exam on Monday in my Spinal Anatomy class. Michael doesn't work on Saturday, so I'm hoping we can do something to make my weekend somewhat fun. I'm spending Saturday morning going to a tutor for Spinal Anatomy, so I'll know I need a break after that!

Tonight though, I'm going to hang out with Johanna since I haven't seen her since the quarter started! That's all for now people!! Later!!

Quarter 2, Week 2!

Well, I'm trying to post more often when I can, but I'm sure class will preoccupy my time sooner than later.

I'm getting ready for 3 exams next week already!! I'm hoping Peach is doing okay getting on a new schedule this quarter. She acted out a little bit earlier last week which I forgot to mention!

We took her to Petco on Saturday where they had a free seminar on teaching dogs not to pull on a leash. She did okay, but she definitely needs more practice!

I'm going to start her taking puppy classes there soon, so hopefully she will be well trained soon! They have a free seminar every Saturday at petco and on Wednesdays they have free puppy playtime to socialize your puppy. We are going tomorrow and I'm so excited for her cause sometimes I wish she had another friend to play with. I'm also excited because petco trains dogs up to therapy dogs, which is what I want. Yay!!

We took her to the vet for the first time and everything looks good, she just still needs to lose 2 baby teeth. Ones loose now so hopefully we don't have to have them pulled. 

Well, I better get back to studying the spine!!

 

Summer Break and Quarter 2!!

As always, it's been a long time since my last post, lol.

So here's what's happened since then...

I PASSED ALL MY CLASSES FOR 1ST QUARTER!! Yay!! 4 As, 3 Bs, and 2 Cs!!

After my last final, Michael got done with work and we loaded up the car and grabbed Peach and started the long drive home! 

The first day we drove to St. Louis and snuck Peach into the hotel. Then the next morning we drove to Preston, MN and stayed at Michael's dad's house for 2 days. We got to hang out with his family and go to a family reunion with them and meet a bunch of people and even met some family that love close to us in the south!

On Sunday morning, we drove to my parent's lake house and met my mom. We went to Zorbaz for lunch and then lounged at the lake for a little while and finished the final hour drive home to Fargo!!

We went out to dinner with my family and then just chilled at the house. The next day Michael's mom came and we hung out and then Michael went home with her for a couple days. 

I went to my Uncle Guy's wedding which was so fun to go to! 

I spent the next few days hanging out at the lake and meeting several friends and family and learning how to play MagJong.  

I finally got my drivers license renewed since it expired a month earlier on my birthday. I went home to the rez with my dad and we both got our tribal ID cards renewed.

After 4 days of being at his mom's, Michael came back and we had lunch with her. Then said goodbye to her, I was hoping we would have got to spend one more day with her, but it didn't work out. 

We went out that Friday and visited some of our old friends from work. Then we just hung out in Fargo until Wednesday when we drove back to the lake for the Fourth of July on Friday. Had a great time at the lake and then on Saturday, I drove Michael to the airport and he flew home to go back to work. 

I spent the next 3 days at the lake and chilling with my family. We went to Spanky's on Sunday night and it was so good. The rest of the week, I just went out to eat with family so that I could say goodbye to everyone.

On Thursday, my mom, Peach, and I loaded up my car and Michael's big TV and started the drive to Georgia. We stopped in St. Louis for the night and got to Georgia on Friday night. We went out for dinner, and then hung out at our apartment.

The next day, mom and I didn't really do much and then I want to the airport with her and my cousin Christy who's a flight attendant got me a pass to go through security so I hung out with mom until her flight left.

I spent the next day and a half getting ready for school and doing laundry. 

I started school again on Monday! 

Classes are so hectic and crazy busy, but I'm one step closer to being a chiropractor!! 

Here's what classes I'm in:

Biochemistry 2

Vaso-Thermal Instrumentation (lecture and lab)

Clinic 2 (I basically follow a student intern around and say nothing, lol)

Cellular and Neuromuscular Physiology

Spinal Anatomy

Motion and Static Palpation

Muscular and Skeletal Gross (lecture and lab)

History of Chiropractic

Spinal Biomechanics

Communications Skills & Diversity

CRAZINESS!! So much school, but I don't have anything else to do, but study and spend time with Michael and take care of Peach! That's all for now people!!

It's Almost Summer Break!!

I know I say it EVERYTIME, but it's always true, a lot has happened since my last post!

I'm still kind of a hunch back from all of the studying that I've been doing, but I'm getting better at finding much more comfortable ways of studying, even though the next 2 weeks will be nothing but studying because finals weeks is in 2 weeks!!

Here's what happened since my last post:

A week after my post, my Mom and Grandma Connie came and visited me for my birthday! We had a blast, and did a lot of sight-seeing and shopping! We went to dinner shortly after they got to Atlanta and then they went to their hotel for the night. The next morning was my birthday and after I went to class, Mom and Grandma picked me up, and we went to the quilt shop across the street from my apartment! Then we drove across the street and picked up Mike and we all went to the Zoo! We got to see the pandas and other fun animals! Then we went to IKEA to help me look for patio furniture for my apartment. We then went to dinner for my birthday and had dinner at a hibachi restaurant, and it was so fun! After dinner, Mike bought me a cake for my birthday and we had cake and then I took grandma and mom back to their hotel. On Friday, Mike had to work so when I was done with class, we went to another quilt shop in Kennesaw, loved that one it's so cute! After the quilt shops, we went to Atlanta Botanical Gardens. It was beautiful, I LOVED it. I would go back in a heartbeat!

After a weekend of me changing my mind on what furniture I liked, we finally went back to IKEA, and I decided on what I wanted to get. My birthday gift from Mom and Grandma was the furniture, so thank you!!

On Saturday Mom, Grandma, and I went to the Gone With The Wind Museum and had lunch at the Marietta Diner. After lunch we went to Stein Mart and shopped for a while and then went to Lowe's and bought some flowers for my patio!

We had dinner and then went back to my apartment and watched Frozen (another gift from Mike)! Then Mom and Grandma went back to their hotel. The next day we went to World Market and got some more accessories for the patio, and then hung out at the apartment. Then Mike and I took Mom and Grandma to the airport and said goodbye and made sure they got to the security gate. I was sad to see them go, but so happy that they came!

So right after they left Mike and I started applying for dogs, because we didn't want a new dog to be scared while we were gone entertaining family the first week we got the dog. The first dog we applied for, we didn't get. The second dog, I almost came home with but I was hesitant because it was mixed with a breed our apartment complex won't let us have.

The next day I was on Craigslist and found a family that was giving up a terrier that they had just got from the Humane Society because the wife found out she was pregnant and was starting to have allergic reactions to the dog. We went and met her, and she's now our puppy! Her name is Peach, and she's adorable. I really wasn't sure if we were going to make it through the second day because she was so hyper and I couldn't study at all around her. Seriously considered taking her back to the family, and she spent the night at my friend Alycia's house so I could get away from her. The next morning, Alycia told me she didn't think she could take care of her, so after class I went and picked her up. Tried to make it through the weekend, and she calmed down and now we have decided to keep her. I think she was just scared due to a new environment.

Anyway, that's the news for now. I have 8 finals during finals week and then Michael, Peach, and I will begin the journey late on June 19th to come home to Fargo! I can't wait to come home!! That's all for now!! Enjoy some pictures from what's been going on lately!!

Pandas

Lions!

Rhinos!

 

Botanical Gardens

 Lastly, here's Peach! She's a cutie!!

Half-way Point of Quarter

Hey People!

It's almost the end of week 5 of the quarter! Only 5 more weeks and then finals week, and I'm done with my first quarter of chiropractic school!

I'm so exhausted from class. I can honestly say that training for a half-marathon is easier and way more fun. LOL. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE what I'm learning, but 6 midterms (thankfully 2 are online and I can do them whenever I want) in 1 week plus 2 more next week? Yeah...not fun. I'm constantly studying and my back is starting to hurt from being hunched over a book everyday. After I finished the 4th one last night, I was exhausted and figured since my birthday is next week I deserved a massage. I went and got one, it was amazing. Now all I feel is sore. :(  I'm going to go get adjusted again tomorrow and I hope it helps, because I'm not a fan of the hunched-over-book back lol.

Anyway, I'm going to go study AGAIN lol, for a Biochemistry quiz that I have today. Until next time people, pray for me to make it through this quarter!!

1st Quarter of Chiropractic!

I've been very busy with school and starting class everyday at 7am is exhausting. People aren't kidding when they say grad school is tough. I've been in the program for 3 weeks, and week 4 and 5 start A LOT of tests, so after I write this, I'm going right back to studying.

No grades update right now because we haven't really had anything except attendance, so if we're going on attendance records, I'm doing great. Time will tell after my midterms. If there is a class I'm really worried about, it's Biochemistry. This is because we have a new teacher. He's a great guy--would make a great friend and he's trying really hard--but he's not the best teacher. I'm hoping it gets better!!

There is about 80 in my class, and I'm slowly meeting everybody and making new friends. Right now my closest friends are Laurie Beth, Latasha, and Mekia and we sit together in class and study together.

Last weekend was Easter and I was sad about spending my first Easter away from home, but excited that Johanna had invited Michael and I and a few of her friends for Easter dinner. Michael and I went to church in the morning and then we went home and I started cooking for dinner at Johanna's. While I was cooking, I called my family to say Happy Easter, apparently I sounded sad on the phone (I didn't think I did) so my dad let it slip that my mom and my grandma Connie are coming to visit me for my birthday next month!! Yay!! I'm so excited!!! I really didn't want to wait til the end of June to see my family again!! I'm excited to hang out with them and do some fun exploring in the city!!

Anyway, after the phone call, I finished cooking and Michael and I went to Johanna's house and we had a wonderful dinner at her house and visited after dinner. We went home and have been back to the work and school grind. I'm studying a ton and Michael works pretty much everyday. That's where he is right now, but he has tomorrow off so we might go out to dinner tonight.

Next week starts the first round of midterms, but there won't be a lot because on Tuesday the upper classmen have OSCE exams (clinical exams through the school) and all of our professors have to help, so class is cancelled on Tuesday so it's another day to study!! Wednesday, all of the 1st Quarter Chiropractic students (That's Me!) have an assembly from 9am-5pm all day so we won't be having class. It's going to be a fast week, but I have a feeling it will be stressful too! Oh well, better go start studying!!

Here's a pic of me on my first day of Chiropractic School!! It was pouring rain!!

SPRING BREAK!!! Warning!! Long post!!

Wow, spring break was amazing!! Technically since it's Sunday I have today left, but then I have to go back to school tomorrow!

Speaking of school, I'm sure you're all wondering if I'm starting Chiropractic on time. So here's what happened since I last wrote on here:

I was worried about my nutrition class grade so one of my friends told me about CLEP tests which you can take for college credit and then it wouldn't matter what I got for a grade in Nutrition. On Monday morning of finals week before my geography final I went and took a CLEP test on Analyzing and Interpreting Literature. I passed!! Yay! So I was thrilled and knew that my Nutrition grade didn't matter.  However, I did get a C in that class, BUT she had to curve the class SO I got an A!!! Yay!! So I got on the president's list and got straight As!!! Yay!!

Which of course means that I get to start chiropractic on time and I start tomorrow!! Yay!! So if I'm taking a class this quarter it pretty much ends in OLOGY lol. But, here's my class list:

Anatomy and Physiology 

Osteology and Arthrology

Embryology

Medical Terminology

Histology

And then the classes that don't end in ology:

Biochemistry 1

Clinical Patent Experience 1

Personal Development 1

Philosophy, Science, and Art of Chiropractic

Rights and Responsibilities 

Chiropractic Assembly (mandatory for all students to go to 3 assemblies a quarter)

In total like all the other chiropractic students, that's 25 credits, ugh. The good news is almost every class is in the same room, so I never move except when I have lab lol. The bad news everyday I start class at 7am except Friday when I have class at 8am. Oh, and I have one class on Saturday mornings at 7am too!! Ugh, wish me luck!!

At least I can say that Michael finally has started working at the grocery store and will have something to do while I'm busy with school work! Friday, he found out that he's working in the Deli and the Bakery. Plus, now we get 20% off of groceries!! Yay!! 

So, back to spring break!!! After my last final which my teacher switched to Tuesday, I finished getting ready for my trip. Michael and I watched some tv and then went to bed. 

Wednesday: Michael and I got up around 6 and then left to go to Johanna's house at 7 so we could try and get there by 8 with traffic to pick her up. We got to her place and she showed Michael all of her dog stuff because he dogsat for her and then we loaded the car with her stuff and went to the airport. We dropped her off around 9 at her terminal and then went to mine and I said goodbye to Michael and went and checked in and went through security. 

I found my uncle Noah and aunt KayCee at the gate who were tired because they flew on a red-eye from Portland. We visited for about an hour and a half til my aunt Lisa Ann and her boyfriend Brad got there. Then we were all visiting awaiting our final family members on the last 2 planes. My aunt Joyce found us an hour later and had just landed from her flight from Denver. Then about 5 minutes later,  the other 8 came and I was so exited to see them! Mom and I cried when they got there. Their flight was a little late so they only had 5 minutes before we had to board our plane. Some of the photos I'm going to post are postcards, but most are mine!

I sat next to my cousin Dena and my mom on the plane and we visited until we got to St. Thomas. We got to the island and it was beautiful. We got our luggage quick and then we got on our cab to take us to Sugar Bay Resort and Spa!! Everyone found their rooms, except that they were all exhausted from flying all day so we had dinner and then pretty much everyone just hung out in their rooms and went to bed. 

My brother, Jack, and my cousin Jake getting off the plane!

 

On the way to our Resort!

View of the island we were on (St. Thomas) Postcard:

View from mine and Dena's room when we got to our hotel!!

The next day was spent lounging by the pool and having a wonderfully lazy day. That night there was a carnival and there was a woman who was a fire breather and then she walked on glass!! Ouch!!

Morning View from mine and Dena's room!

Chilling by the pool!

Fire-breather!

Now she's walking on glass!

This local was selling some jewelry that I bought!

On Friday, my dad was finally getting to the Virgin islands! Yay!! My aunt Joyce and I watched the resort feed the iguanas and then we went and picked my dad up from the airport!! Iguanas are native to the Virgin Islands, they were everywhere! Caribbean squirrels! They climb up in the trees and drop out when they want to get down, gross!!

This is right before 2 of the male iguanas got in a fight and one bit the other one's tail off! I quit taking pictures of that to back away from them! lol

Iguana postcard!

 

Lots of wildlife there! Even geckos!

 

Pretty Postcard of a bird there!

After we got my dad, we spent the day at the pool and chilling at the bar before we went and got dinner. I was so glad to have the whole family together!!

The next day we went zip-lining! I was so scared, I didn't know if I would like it! Here's two photos of signs that await those who go zip-lining! The 3rd picture is all of us that went zip-lining!

 The zip-liners were: Jack, Lisa Ann, Jake, Dad, Brad, Me, and Shanoah

 

The next few pictures are views from zip-lining!

This is after zip-lining, we went to the mountain-top of St. Thomas!

After zip-lining we went and hung out at the hotel and had dinner.

Mom and Dad

Me and my Aunt Joyce

After dinner,  Dad, me, Jack, Jake, and Dena decided to go out and see what island night-life was like! We had a blast!! It was fun to go to a bar with my brother because the drinking age in the Virgin Islands is 18!

Jack, me, Dena, Dad, Jake

 Jack, me, and Dad!

 Me and my bro!

 Dad and Dena

 

Me and my daddy!!

 Dad, Jake, and Jack

Dena and I dancing!

The night was so much fun!! The next day was a lot of beach/pool lounging and almost everyone used their spa credit that our resort gave us. I got a massage and it was amazing!! We went to Magen's Bay the day after that, Monday? (I had no track of what day was what, lol) Magen's bay is the #3 beach in the world, and it was beautiful!!! Shanoah and I went paddleboarding and that was fun, when I get more photos from family I might post those on a different day. Here are some photos/postcards of Magen's bay!

A bunch of us had wanted to go shopping after swimming in the ocean, but when we were going to go, we found out that the shops close at 5 so we didn't get to go. We still went to town though and had a nice seafood dinner.

Then we went and walked by the boats and looked at some yachts. 

At the restaurant, there was Caribbean lobster on the menu....this is how big they are!

 

My fruity drink I ordered, it was caled a mermaid's tail!

On Tuesday--our last full day--we went on a catamaran and spent the day boating and snorkeling! It was so much fun! Here's a picture of our boat and our fun out on the water!

My aunt Joyce, Grams, and my aunt Lisa Ann

Me and my brother!

Me and my Aunt Joyce!

 Noah, Grams, Joyce, me and Jake

 Jack and Jake

 Family Photo of everyone!! I look like I'm not wearing pants, lol, but I'm in a swimsuit!

Left to right: Jack, David, Valerie, Shanoah, Dena, Grams, Jake, Lisa Ann, Brad, Mom, Dad, Me, Joyce, Noah and KayCee

After boating, snorkeling, and swimming in the ocean all day, we went and had a nice dinner for our last night and celebrated Grandma's 80th birthday!!

 Grams and her gifts!

Me and my grams!

 

All of us! 

Cab ride back to the hotel with me and my dad!

Dena got up the next morning and watched the sunrise, here are her pictures!

Last pictures before we had to head to the airport!!

Mom and I wanted to sit by the pool in the shade before we had to head to the airport in the next 2 hours so we were looking for a spot. They were taken so we thought we'd go sit in the hammock. Then mom saw a huge iguana crawling down the tree and about to sit on us! ICK!! We moved and sat somewhere else, lol.

 Me and my parents on the cab ride back to the airport!!

There you have it! My wonderful vacation to the Virgin Islands with my family!! It was so much fun and I'm so glad I have so many wonderful memories with my family!! I got them to their gates when we landed in Atlanta and then said goodbye to them and Michael came and got me from the airport.

Now I'm just lounging around with Michael until I have school tomorrow!! So nervous and excited to start grad school!!! That's all for now people!!