Not Again

So last Christmas Eve I sort of threw my back out! I know what some of you are thinking... Aren't at the young age of 23, how could you hurt your back? Well I did and I'm here to tell you that I truly believe I am a young girl stuck in an old ladies body! It's true. Back in High School when I was stricken with Mono my sisters teased me that I looked like Montgomery Burns from the Simpsons. I looked like this frail old lady! So anyway back to my chronic back pain. I think it started when I was a janitor at Logan High (that's right I'm not above cleaning other people's messes). I would lift heavy garbage bags and I'm sure I wasn't lifting correctly. Then I decide to work at Pier 1. That also required lifting heavy furniture and again I didn't use the proper techniques. So last Christmas Eve as I was lifting a "not heavy at all" laundry basket out of my car I threw my lower back out. I was in pain and my dear sweet Grandpa gave me his ice pack and some Motrin to help his aging granddaughter. Ever since then I will re-injure it from time to time. Well last night at work I lifted a toy that wasn't even that heavy and I felt the familiar pain. Then this adorable chunky little 18 month old child was sad and missed her mom so I lifted her up to comfort her and I think I made it worse. So I've been icing my back all night and day! My sweet hubby offered to drive us to class and pay for parking so that I didn't have to walk up all the hills! This is getting ridiculous. I mean I'm 23 why do I have back problems already! If we had insurance maybe I would go see a doctor. I'm just terrified if I go see someone they will tell me something horrible and I will need surgery. We definitely can't afford that! So I will continue to use my ice pack and take 2 Motrin every 6 hours. Just call me Monty Burns from now on!

Last Christmas with my hurt back!

I need your thoughts

It is only the 4th day of classes and I already feel slightly overwhelmed. I'm taking 15 credits, which I'm sure isn't that much to some of you, but for me it's a lot. Normally I only take 12 credits. It wouldn't be so bad if 4 of the 5 classes didn't require me to read a lot of books, write a lot of papers, and do a lot of group projects! Oh well I will get through it one way or another. So for my Family Crisis and Intervention class I'm supposed to write an outline of how I think Change occurs. Then I will need to follow that outline and try to change something about a relationship I have with another person. I am struggling with how to write down on paper how change occurs. I never really think about it, it just happens! I also need feedback from people on what they think of my ideas. So this is where you (the select few who actually look at my blog) come in! If you have any great ideas or if you have recently made a change in your life how did you go about doing it? This is what I have so far. It isn't final it is just what I've come up with in the last few minutes.

-First you need to realize a change needs to occur. Either from your own personal feelings and desires or from someone telling you that you need to change something.

-You need to have the desire and motivation to change.

-Set some goals, rules, boundaries to help with the process. This will help keep you on the right track towards changing.

-Carry out the plan. Follow your rules and boundaries. Achieve the goals.

-Have a support system to encourage and help you

-Assess the outcome. Was there change? Did it go as you had planned. Was the change realistic and attainable?

Okay so I obviously didn't write it in a professional way, but you get the idea of what I've come up with. Do you think I left anything out? Does it even make sense? HELP!! Just leave a short comment giving me some feedback. I would really appreciate it.

Nothing else exciting has happened in my life since the last time I blogged. Maybe after Labor Day I will have something fun to write about with pictures! Oh I did go see the movie Post Grad with my 2 best friends Janna and Jennifer! It was fun seeing them, but the movie was a little lame. I wouldn't recommend paying $8 to see it. Rent it at Red Box if you feel the need to see it.

Did I Mention

The "Old Folks" are gone. Plus Clark made $75 bucks in tips helping a few of them carry "heavy" boxes to their cars. And we made $60 bucks plus a $25 gift card to Cafe Sabor for making their summer so enjoyable! I guess they didn't read my blogs and hear Clark and I complain almost everyday. I do feel bad because there are a few that are actually nice and don't complain very often. The crazy ones ruin it for the whole group! Even still, I'm glad they are gone. Friday is move in day for the students... wish us luck.

Oh and I kind of want to see that new movie coming out Post Grad. It looks cute, who wants to see it with me?

Utah State Hey Aggies All The Way....

Go Aggies, Go Aggies, Hey Hey Hey

It's that time of year that I love. School is starting and Fall weather is approaching. I must sound crazy but I am actually excited for school to start! I feel like I'm in elementary again and you are so excited for school to start so you can wear your new clothes and use your new school supplies! Well this time I don't have new school clothes cause my parents don't buy them anymore, but I do have some new pens and notebooks! Now that I actually enjoy my classes and I have a major picked out for real this time (I've been through my share of majors, but this time it's for keeps) school is more enjoyable. However, I know once November comes and finals are just around the corner I will have a different opinion about school! This semester I'm going to try and take 15 credits instead of my measly 12 I usually take. Two of them will be online classes which in the past I have enjoyed taking online classes. Anyway I just wanted to blog about my excitement for school and how much I love Utah State, especially in the Fall! I actually kind of hate it in the winter when I'm walking up the millions of steps to Old Main at 7:30 am and the wind is blowing so hard I can't breath. But other than that I love it up here. Plus when its that cold that means I can go skiing up at The Beav and that's always a good time. I guess you can find good in all situations!

Clark doesn't think he will play soccer this year, which I have mixed feelings about. I love to watch him play, and nothing beats a warm fall day sitting outside watching my hubby. But he also wants to find a job where he can get some tuition reimbursement or better pay. So if he isn't playing soccer he can find a job, and concentrate on school. Plus he is getting kinda old and slow (except in the picture above, he is faster than that kid). I'm teasing, he really is a great soccer player and we will both miss it if he doesn't play. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do!

Lagoon...It's what fun is

Last Wednesday we went to Lagoon with some of my family. My Dad and Lorie got discount tickets through Lorie's work (Zions Bank) so Clark and I tagged along for some fun at Lagoon. I LOVE roller coasters so my favorite ride is of course Wicked. Clark is not a huge fan of Lagoon, but he was a trooper and went on all the rides with me (well except the Samurai which was the last ride of the day). We of course hit up Lagoon A Beach and I remembered how much I hated working there as a lifeguard! It is more fun when you aren't getting bugged by annoying people who think its funny to splash the lifeguard. Or when disgusting guys would ask you to "ride the rides" with them after work...no thank you! So anyway, Lagoon is much more enjoyable when you don't work there. The only pictures we took were on the iphone so its not the best quality.

McKinley, Katie, Me

Waiting to ride Wicked. Apparently Katie and I were promoting Peace and Love at Lagoon that day!

I'm not really sure... Mac started the funny faces so we joined in! I think I'm going for the "I'm secretly nervous to ride Wicked" face.

The only picture of Me & Clark and we are looking right into the sun!

I didn't take pictures of anyone else but my Dad and his wife Lorie came, my step brother JD and his wife Mindy came with their little daughter Nashtyn, then my sister Allison her husband Tyler and their two boys Max & Jack! Then of course my little sister Katie and our cousin McKinley (pictured above). It was actually a lot of fun and it reminded me of the good old days in Junior High when you had season passes and would go looking for cute boys!

Bear Lake Mini Family Reunion

This past weekend we were in Bear Lake with the Pierson's. Brad & Jill were visiting from Japan so we all got together at the cabin. The only people we were missing were Brett & Melissa and their kids (they live in Colorado). I don't have a ton of pictures because we didn't get our camera out a ton, so I'm waiting to still Angie's pictures! It was also Raspberry Days up in Garden City so it was very crowded! On Friday we went down to the booths that were set up and just looked around. I bought a cute necklace and Clark & I bought matching "friendship" bracelets. Then on Saturday we went to the Lake. Shad and Natalie brought their boat so we were able to wake surf, wake board, and tube!

Clark & I down at the beach

I tried surfing! This was the only picture where I didn't look mad, but I got a lot closer to the boat, I promise. Except I didn't dare let go of the rope, maybe next time!

Our matching bracelets

Everyone that was there

It was our mini family reunion. We had a lot of fun!

However, I was not happy that we decided to do pictures on Sunday morning as we were getting ready to leave. I of course hadn't showered, fixed my hair or fixed my makeup! Oh well.

Clark & I at the cabin