My Not-So-Secret Secret

I love books. I love words. I love reading.

I'm a fast reader.

I devour books.

Sit me any place and within minutes I will be reading something: a book, the back of a DVD, a magazine, a pamphlet, a survey, even a advertisement - if it's by me and it has words on it, it will be read. I can't help myself.

My love of books started at a young age, while still in a crib. My mom would put a book on tape in a tape recorder on a desk next to my bed, and give me the book. I taught myself how to switch the tape through the slots of my crib. And I read along.

I was potty trained by books.

In elementary school I was always a couple of grade levels ahead, reading wise.

I've always been the one my friends come to for book suggestions.

However, I'm not a huge analyzer of books. I read books for fun. I read books because I enjoy reading. I love stories. I love to be entertained. I love to be shocked. I love it all. But ask my why I think an author decided to do something a certain way and I clam up. My brain stops working. I can't think of an intelligent thing to say. 

Now, I have analyzed books before, I was in honors English for three years, and AP for one. I learned to twist and talk about plots and symbols in books. But I was guided, taught. I can't really come up with stuff on my own. (Unless it's about Jane Eyre. I've read that book so many times that I could twist it to fit any and all AP essay prompts.) 

(This is also one reason why I decided that being an English major was not for me.)

But back to reading.

I love it.

I have a vivid imagination, and while I read it's like watching a movie in my head. No effort required. It just happens. I read a word and the story comes life inside my head.

It's pretty magical. 

Go brain.

Since we've moved to Pocatello I have read 13 books. 

Not skimmed, not looked at. Read. 

I average about a book a day, if I don't have much to do.

You see, once I start a book, I can't put it down. I can count on one hand the number of books that I have started and not finished. Books compel me to read them. However, as I've learned these last couple of weeks, this can sometimes be a bad thing. If I read for hours in a day I start to go crazy. My brain kind of clouds over and I can't function very well. I'm in a sort of funk from reading too much. So I've been trying to limit myself. Even I need to take a break.

Why am I telling you all this? Oh, I don't know. You probably won't think it's very interesting. 

But it's a major part of who I am.

So there you go.

PS - if you are a lover of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, you will be interested to note that a fifth book just came out. Yes, a fifth. Set 10 years after the fourth. It's called Sisterhood Everlasting. I got it two days ago, started reading it at like 11 pm and stayed up until 2 am to finish it. It was amazing. I cried and cried and cried. You definitely should check it out. But not before reading the first four. That would just be a crime.

You can check out books I've read here:
my read shelf:

A Birthday, Graduate School, and a Job!

Alrighty, I have quite a bit of information to get out onto this little blog of mine. Let's first start with Kyle starting graduate school. Here he is looking quite handsome on his way to his first class. 

He's liking school so far, and I love that is taking classes similar to the ones I took for my major (such as a Human Development theories class, and a Family Processes class). It's fun to know what he's learning and be able to talk to him about it.

Second, I got a job! I'm a Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) worker at Access Point Family Services. I'm waiting for my background check to come through in order to start working with the kids, but I've been training and stuff. I was offered the job last Monday and am really excited to start. I'll be working with kids 3-17 who mostly have rough backgrounds and need help in a variety of areas (social cues, personal hygiene, anger management, obedience, etc).  A lot of the kids are dual diagnosed, and I'm excited to put my major to good use and to help them if only in a small way. Obviously I won't be writing a lot about it on my blog, mainly because of confidentiality agreements, but I'll let you know how it goes. I am SO SO SO nervous to start, but also excited. I'll be working about 40 hours a week, sometimes less depending on kids' schedules. I'll be working in the school, in the home, and in the community with the kids. (Funny sidenote, I got a call today offering me the Behavior Tech job at the alternative high school that I interviewed for a couple of weeks ago.... Nice to know that people want me to work for them!)

Another update - my birthday was on Sunday! I turned 22. (I know, I know, I'm such a baby.) Our celebrations kind of started on Friday night, because we were able to see Cory, Janae, baby Kynzlie and the rest of the Boyce family since they were up here for a wedding. K and I went over to Cory's grandparents' house and hung out for a few hours. We love them! Saturday Kyle and I drove to Idaho Falls and went to a session in the Idaho Falls Temple. It's really pretty inside, and we love being in the Temple. Afterwards we went out for dinner at Texas Roadhouse, yum! We came home and watched Batman Begins (a birthday present from Kyle). Sunday, K gave me my card and an iTunes giftcard, and made me french toast for breakfast. After church we went to our neighbors/landlords for a  barbecue. It was really great to get to know them and their family better, as well as meet some more of the  neighbors. As an end to the birthday celebration, yesterday I went shopping at Downeast Outfitters and got some cute clothes! A pair of jeans, two shirts, two pretty tanks (to put under cardigans) and a headband for $54! I love me some good deals, and some new clothes :)

We're having a good time getting to know the town of Pocatello, and are enjoying it so far! The weirdest thing is getting used to all the one way streets that are around. But the people here are friendly, and we like our ward. Our apartment is almost all the way put together (the second bedroom needs some work) and soon I will take pictures and give you a  photo tour on the blog of our new home.

Graduation Week

Graduation was pretty awesome, and really surreal. 

As I sat in the commencement exercises I just keep thinking, this is my college graduation. I'm a college graduate. This is it. I'm done. I made it. This is MY college graduation. 

I was a little in shock.

But let's back up. 

The week leading up to graduation was pretty crazy. K and I were both done with our jobs, and so we just packed all week. We also hung out with a lot of friends that week and the week before. 

Our parents (his mom and dad, and my dad) flew in on Wednesday night. K and I met up with my dad on Thursday morning, visited the cemetery where my Grandma G is buried, went on a drive, and went to lunch. Afterwards we met up with Kyle's parents and my mom and sister. I was dropped off to wait in line to march in, and they went to get seats. I was kind of bummed that the majority of my friends from my major had graduated or at least walked in April. So for commencement I just kind of kept to myself.

After commencement, we went out to dinner at Mimi's Cafe, a favorite of mine.

Friday, we all met up again at our house, along with our good friends Aaron and Erica and proceeded to pack all of our belongings into our rental U-haul ( as my convocation wasn't until 5 pm). Then we got ready, and went. Luckily, my good friend (from my major) Melissa showed up to walk with me! I thought she had graduated in April, but she hadn't. We were so excited to find each other. She made the day that much better.   The speaker was ... someone whose name I can't remember right now, but he's married to Carole Mikita, and she was there. I thought that was pretty neat. As I walked across the stage to accept my diploma cover, she smiled at me. I felt special, she's like a  Mormon/Utah celebrity, ha. 

Anyway, Melissa and I were nervous as we stood in line to have our names called and to collect our diploma covers, but it was great. Those deans and whoever else they are that shake your hand are so nice and just sound so sincere as they congratulate you. It just so happens that the faculty member who was actually doing the handing out of diplomas is my very least favorite professor in my department... But oh well.

(This is becoming quite a long story, I'm sorry.)

After it was all over, I found my family, we took pictures, and then went out to eat at Cafe Paesan. Yum! Then Kyle and I headed back to our apartment to finish cleaning. When we were done, we packed up the rest of our things and made the drive to Nathan and Melanie's where stayed the night. The next morning, bright and early we got up and made the drive to Pocatello - but that starts another story.

So now, here are pictures from Friday!

Me and Melissa!

Just after walking in... 

Getting ready to receive my diploma cover!

Shaking hands.

Me and my absolute favorite professor, Dr. Nelson. This man changed my life.

Me and Kyle

My baby sis.

Momma and sis.

Dad and me!

My wonderful in-laws.

Us again.

K put on his cap and gown and we took pictures together.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow we should have the internet. Then I can update the blog about our home, my job, Kyle's school, graduation, books I've been reading, etc.
I'm excited.

Testing...

I just downloaded the blogger app on my phone so we'll see how this works... I'm not too good at texting on this phone yet anyway ha ha.
Anyway, a little bit of an update.  Kyle had orientation yesterday and said it went well. He's looking forward to starting classes on Monday. I had two interviews yesterday. One with the school district to work at the alternative high school with kids with behavior and social issues. The other was to be a Psychosocial Rehabilitation Specialist at a place called Access Point. There I would work with kids  (toddler to age seventeen) with behavior and social issues in school, home, and community settings. The first job has benefits and better hours but the second job pays more, has more hours and is more of a career track as well as something I think I would enjoy a lot more. So, I'll keep you updated.
Sadly, we don't have internet our cable set up yet. Well, we have our account set up but the installation guys can't come out until the 30th. Boo. I really want to update with pictures from graduation and stuff but I'll just have to wait. We still have some boxes to unpack and pictures to hang up but it's starting to feel like home. It's weird to me to think that we live in another state! But it's been good so far and we've enjoyed getting to know Pocatello. Our ward seems great and so do our landlords.
We'll keep you updated with jobs and things! :)

We're Here!

We packed, we celebrated, I graduated and we moved.

We are officially residents of Pocatello, ID.

We even got our library cards and Idaho license plates this morning.

We'll hopefully have our Idaho drivers licences by this afternoon.

More updates to come when we get the internet.

Last Day at Independent Study

I can't believe that I no longer work at I.S.

I started working at I.S. in August 2009, the week before school started. My friend Tiare worked there and told me they were hiring and told me to email my resume to her supervisor. I did, got an interview, and was hired the same day. I was so relieved as I had been jobless since the beginning of June (when I quit Seven Peaks).  

Almost two years later, and I'm leaving.

It's kind of a crazy feeling.

Me and Lauren! She left before we could take a group picture.

Most of the girls! I love them!
Melissa, Dani, me, Milanne, and Sarah

The office space where I spent the last 16 months of my life.

Sarah wanted a picture of me at my computer.

The customer service area, where I spent the first 7 months of my time at  IS.

The reception desk, where I also worked the first 7 months.

My building, showing the employee entrance.

Highlights from BYU (*may be updated)

Freshman Year

Roomed with Marie, Angie, Megan, Jenne, and Marisa. I love these girls. They were so good for me and to me - a little baby Freshman. 

Marie, Jenne, Megan, Me, Angie and Marisa

Me, Angie, Marisa, and Marie

I met some great girls in my French class the first day of school - Caitlin, Whitney, Lana, Megan, Jordan, and Vanessa. I keep the most in contact with Whitney, I love her! 

Megan, Cait, Me, Whit, and Vanessa

Me, Cait and Whit

I spent a lot of time with my Aaron and Collin. 

 Collin and Aaron left on their missions.

At Collin's farewell.

Ayisha and I would go down to Snow on the weekends to visit Caleb. 

I hung out with Peter. 

Caleb, Janae, Casey and I took a weekend trip to Cedar City once. 

I worked at the Cannon Center in the Bakery (and I enjoyed it mostly).

Sophomore Year

I started working at Seven Peaks the summer before and I made so many good friends there. I have so many awesome memories of working there. 

Aubs, Joe, Me

Me, Tyler, Britt, and Kayla

Steve, Me, and Peter

 Caleb left on his mission.

I spent a weekend at Britt's cabin with Joe and Jeremy. 

Britt, Me, Joe, and Jeremy

I moved into the Riv, and roomed with my BFF Dani and became great friends with our other roommate, Lindsay.

Me and Dani

Me and Linds

Hung out with Ayisha a lot.

I met so many awesome people in that ward - specifically Em and Nat! We had some great crazy times including, but not limited to Spirit Animal Party, DI trips, Scavenger Hunts, Halloween parties, SOP's, Crazy Hair Parties, etc.

Nat, Me, and Em (crazy hair party)

Leah, Me and Josh (scavenger hunt)

Landon, me and Trev

I met Kyle. 

Met MGs. 

Lea, Kellie, Bon, Cassie, Linds, Nikk, Me, Kaley, Adrianne, Ann, Em, and Jenny

I met the Springville crew and we went on an amazing road trip to California.

Dated a lot.

Declared my major.

Started dating Kyle.

Junior Year

I got engaged. 

I started working at IS. 

I planned a wedding. 

Became good friends with Sarah and Ginger.

I got married.

Senior Year

Spent a lot of time with Kyle and went on some fun trips (California, Yellowstone, Florida).

Hung out with Ayisha, of course!

Hung out with Sarah and Ginger.
HARRY POTTER's 7.1 and 7.2 came out.

Just enjoyed married life.

My baby sister got baptized.

Hung with my MG's.

Celebrated our 1 year anniversary.
Became good friends with the girls at work. 

And then.... Graduation!