Wednesday, June 25, 2014

MPC Graduation

It's been two months since graduation. My diploma actually just arrived in the mail last week. It didn't set in right away that it was over. After not having homework or classes  and getting back on a consistent evening schedule it finally feels real. 

I was so excited for my hooding ceremony. It was an evening ceremony of just my cohort and our families. It was a special honor to have our professors place our masters hood over our heads and onto our shoulders. They did it fairly quickly so it wasn't on very good and looks silly in my photos in case you're wondering.  

I was looking forward to speeches from some of my favorite classmates. They did a stellar job portraying what it was like in the program and describing the bond we all built. I love them all and will miss meeting up with them for class. 

Just a side note, I don't mean to be a downer on a celebratory post, but I just want to make sure my journaling is accurate. I was excited and looking forward to the evening festivities, but I received the some horrible news that afternoon. I'm just glad I had the support of the two people in this world who have always been rooting for me since day one and who understand how important education is to me, because unfortunately there are several people who love me, but put me down about how educated I am. Thanks Mom and Dad. 

The next day was a commencement ceremony I did not attend, because I remember my undergrad one and it was boring and long. I didn't want to make anyone have to suffer through that. My college convocation was later on in the afternoon. Since it was the College of Arts and Humanities it was a very entertaining ceremony with musical and theatrical performances. I was happy that my grandparents, cousins, parents, and friend Ashley were able to attend. They're my biggest fans. We had a nice lunch afterward at Goodwood. 


Pre-hood





 My mom wrote me the nicest card and got me a Pandora bracelet 

 Things I love-snow, yoga, picture taking






Friday, June 20, 2014

Cherries

Fresh cherries are a favorite of mine. They're sweet, have an amazing texture, and remind me of my childhood. When I was younger my uncle, who worked in the Brigham orchards, would bring us buckets of cherries. It was a great summer snack. Since then, eating cherries has been a more conscious act because they're quite pricey. 

When my husband and his family moved to Utah about 10 years ago he planted a $5 cherry tree in his parents' yard. This is the first year it's given really good fruit. The credit goes to his dad for taking care of the tree by keeping the birds and bugs at bay. We stopped by and picked at least 4 pounds of the beautiful, sweet fruit. More than enough to share with my grandpa and Jose's co-workers. 




Scarecrow


Monday, June 9, 2014

On Hold

Last year on vacation Jose and I had a serious conversation about starting a family. Of course I was hesitant, but I decided to give it a try because all he's ever wanted is a family. I've been off birth control since last May and never got pregnant. It has been slightly frustrating, but I've been okay with it. I'm done with school and ready for the next phase of having a family with Jose, but some things have come up and we have to put this plan on hold. I feel really sad knowing I'm actively preventing conception and some days I think about not starting birth control at all because what are the chances of getting pregnant if I haven't in over a year. I need to follow through with this decision until things are back on track. I'm not looking forward to the weigh gain, I'm currently down to 144. I will gladly take clearer skin though. 

This is me today...

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Best Weekend in A Long Time

It's half way through the week, but I wanted to write about my weekend. I feel like it's been a long time since I've actually had a truly happy weekend. 

Saturday morning I had planned to go to yoga, but it wasn't looking so good as I kept hitting the snooze button. I knew I needed to go and get mentally ready for an evening party we were going to. I been feeling very anxious in social situations lately. 

Yoga was a great start to my day. I went to a local nursery to buy flowers and veggies for my garden, then I met my brother for lunch. 

After lunch I was really tempted to go home and take a nap, but my brother convinced me that I need to keep working. I busted ass and got flowers planted in my front yard and my garden set up in the backyard. I appreciate my grandparents coming around to help and keep my company. 

Portulacas


Sunday was the best day. We slept in, then went on a group motorcycle ride with Memo, Joel, Johnny, & Bro. We had lunch at The Oaks. It's no secret that I love Utah and all of it's beautiful scenery. Riding up Ogden Canyon and down the North Ogden Divide made me feel so overwhelmed with happiness to see nature's beauty and to feel so carefree and stress free. I think purchasing my bike was one of the best decisions I've made. 








The best part of my weekend was picking up my parents from the airport Sunday night. They were in Mexico for two weeks for my grandpa's funeral. I really missed them.