:: tans - 2 - u ::

some of you may know and some of you may not (let's be honest if anyone even still reads this blog then you probably know!) but the tanning salon i worked at since i was 16 years old had to close its doors in december 2011. it was hard and it was sad as that place was a HUGE part of my life. but i have taken some of that place with me. i started my own mobile airbrush spray tanning business and i am loving it!

it has been pretty successful if i do say so myself. and better yet, it is really fun and i love doing it. 

over the past couple months no matter who i spray i hear the phrase 'tan fat is better than white fat'

i laugh every time i hear it because it is so true. plus being tan just makes a person feel better in my personal opinion. 

this picture is my leg against bryson's following a spray tan! 

i share this with anyone that still reads this blog because i am hoping this business stays successful because it makes me so happy! so go to my website:

http://tans-2-u.webs.com

find me on Facebook: tans - 2 - u

or find me on twitter: @TANS2USpray

or just call me, text me, or email me for questions, comments, concerns, or better yet your next appointment!!!!

:: good idea or bad idea ::

Garlic cheese sticks from Francesco's

BLT from Subway

Cheese burger and fries from In n Out

Rolls from Texas Road House

Mashed potatoes from KFC

I'm doing a 5 day juice cleanse ... I'm just finishing day 2 and have been craving all of the above. I'm sure I will be adding to list in the next couple of days but for now I'm feeling great, energized, and I have lost 3 pounds!!!

**update: i ended up cheating one time and having a delicious grilled cheese but i still lost 5 lbs and felt great, will i do this again?? not really sure because i HATE beets!**

:: look what i found ::

oh my ... i came across these photo's on the computer while looking for another picture. the ones of the kids on the outdoor couch was the very first time we ever took kira! so crazy to see how little and different they were!

:: they call me THE MASTER ::

it finally came. the day i have looking forward to since august 2010 came and went so quickly.

may 3, 2012 is the day i graduated from the university of utah with my masters of science in speech language pathology.

this day was a day i didn't think i would EVER see. if you read a post i wrote in april 2010 then you know why, but here i am graduated and have two jobs lined up and i couldn't be more excited about what the future holds for my family and i.

my whole family was there to support my big day and hopefully this will be the last time they have to support me at a college graduation, i do believe three times is the limit!!

i can't begin to tell you just how grateful i am for the love and support not only my wonderful family has brought to me over the past two years but my friends both old and new.

the amazing girls (and two guys!) i met throughout my time up at the university of utah speech and hearing clinic were always there. over the past two years they are who i turned to in times of anger, frustration, sadness, and happiness. they are the people i called at midnight while cramming for a final, they were the only ones that truly knew what i was going through, what i was experiencing, and what the hell i was talking about when i would ask "what would speech deficits be if the patient had a stroke in broca's area?"

i loved my time at the u of u and wouldn't ever trade it for anything else, but i am so happy to be finished with school and so happy to be entering the real world very soon.

This free picture slideshow generated with Smilebox

happy graduation class of 2012 we did it!!!

:: 2012 thus far ::

well, it has been a very long time since i have blogged anything and i don't believe that anything blog worthy has happened since december until yesterday but let's see if i can do my best to recall the events of the past couple of months.

january:

i began my first externship with st. mark's hospital and i LOVED it so much. i signed up to complete a medical externship only because i had never worked in the medical side and wanted to determine if it was something i was interested in at all. i can't believe how much i loved it and how much i learned throughout my 10 weeks there. it turns out the people i worked with actually loved me too because they offered me a job that i will get paid for and i start that on june 4, 2012.

i started my last and final class of my graduate education. it was so hard to stay motivated and actually go to class and study but i did it and my very last test took place yesterday.

i took the biggest test of my graduate career, really it's the only test that matters. if it didn't pass this test i wouldn't be able to graduate or work. i am proud and thankful to say that i did pass this test and it was a huge relief once those scores came in the mail (p.s. who still takes paper/pencil tests and has to wait 6-8 weeks for their scores to come through???)

the tanning salon that was helping to pay some of our bills and that i have worked for since i was 16 years old had to close its doors in december and it was a bittersweet day. let me tell you, it has been nice having nights and weekends off but it has also been hard not having that extra money, not having that uninterrupted study time, and not having free tanning (i believe that was the hardest thing for me to get used to)

jeremy and bryson lived their lives around my craziness and that is all that i remember about them (i know so horrible and negative :( )

february:

i celebrated valentines day with my sister, my mom, my aunts, grams, and my cousin along with Lady A and it was a blast. jeremy and i don't usually do anything for v-day so it was so fun to have a girls night out with dinner and a wonderful concert.

other than that i have no idea what happened in february!

march:

i finished my externship at st. mark's hospital and began my second externship with park lane elementary. i have been at the elementary for 1 week and i am loving being back at a school and working with the kiddos again, however, i am missing my time at the hospital and i am very excited to be working there in june.

on 3/20/12 it was the first day of spring but it was the BEST day of my graduate education. why you ask ... because that was the day i took my very last test of graduate school. it was so hard to study for this exam but i did and i went and i do believe that i passed with flying colors. it was such a nice feeling walking out of the room and knowing that i don't have to ever go back there, i don't have to buy books, register for school, study, do homework, or anything related to school!!

i do believe this is where we are currently. i know that was so exciting. i am hoping that we become more active now that i am out of school, have nights and weekends off, and have time to spend with my boys!

our family has a lot of super fun things coming up that we are looking forward to in the near future!

5/3/12: you can call me master

5/5/12: margarita mexican fiesta celebration

6/4/12: begin my first paid job with st. marks hospital

6/9/12: 5 fabulous years of marriage celebrated in vegas with GARTH BROOKS

6/22/12: my sister is wedding her best friend

i do believe that is enough bragging about all our fun stuff coming up.

sorry no pics right now because i have no idea where they are!

:: christmas scavenger hunt ::

this year to make christmas morning last a little longer santa left B a note and designed a super fun scavenger hunt that he had to read each clue and go find his present. he wasn't feeling super great but said he had so much fun going 'hunting' for his gifts this year so i am sure this will be a very fun tradition that we will continue.

Merry Christmas Bryson,

I hope you had a good morning at your mom’s I had fun over there eating the cookies you and Kira made for me.

At your dad’s and Cherise’s I have made a game for you. You have to figure out the clues I have left in order to find your presents. Your first gift and your first clue are right inside this door.

Merry Christmas to you, I hope you enjoy your Christmas. You are one lucky kid to have all of these people who love you and make sure you have a Merry Christmas. Remember I am always watching, as is Oscar!

1. Roses are red; violets are blue … if I had a cookie I would have made it for you.

2. Star light; star bright … I get scared in the dark so I’m thankful for your light.

3. I came to your house and boy I was itchin … I needed a drink from the kitchen.

4. I love something fancy, but not so much plush … but don’t be embarrassed or you might get flushed.

5. Earlier today you saw me in Fiji … don’t forget to use your squidgy.

6. Don’t you even worry I am not cheap … I came in your house and watched Marley sleep.

7. It’s a good thing you were not mean … I had to get my Speedo very clean.

8. It’s a good thing Marley didn’t bark … when I went to the place where the Cavararri is parked.

9. All year long you were oh so nice … so I didn’t have to give you any black ice.

10.It’s a good thing I am a sprinter … to make this I had to use your printer.

11. After all of this hiding I wanted to sit … so I decided to go and take a sh -poop!

12. After all of my travels my suit looked a little rough … so I decided to give it a short fluff.

13. A tisket a tasket … I found a blanket in your basket.

14. I’ve had so much fun here and I hope I granted your wishes … I have one last surprise, Sherman eats kisses!

my dad bought B a TV for his room at our house ... in order to find his TV B had to go on yet another scavenger hunt that my dad designed!

hey lemonhead it's christmas morning and you have to earn your gifts so go look where you might drop a chunky!

good job dude, now can you remember where mike and ike's live?

ok man you are one step closer, if i were you i would check out the milky way.

now you are one step closer to a good n' plenty check out where dishes are cleaned.

ok now there might be just one last chance to skor big. if i was you i would go to reese's very 1st bedroom.

and in this bedroom was sitting his extra large 40 inch television! spoiled much i sure think so!

:: merry merry christmas ::

we had a very merry christmas and were spoiled by all those that love us! B got oh so very spoiled by everyone in his life (see pic below, that just us!)

isn't this just the cutest picture you have ever seen in your freaking life!

best present of christmas/birthday ... this utah helmet .. what you can't see is that it was signed by all the 2011 players! the newest member of our family (toby) used to play for the utes and was able to get in the locker room and get this for B ... this kid was so freaking happy!

mars was pretty much over it all by the second present!

hope your christmas was merry and bright!

:: 12 days of Christmas ::

this year i decided to do 'the 12 days of christmas' with B. we missed a couple days in between but i think over all it was some what successful!

on the first day of christmas my family gave to me ... a utes ornament to hang upon my tree.

(the second day of christmas B was at his mom's but we were supposed to read a christmas story!)

on the third day of christmas my family gave to me ... a trip to see the zoo lights and dinner wherever it may be.

on the fourth day of christmas my family gave to me ... a night of skating at the ice rink (some things i just couldn't get to rhyme!)

on the fifth day of christmas my family gave to me ... a day of baking fun to be neighborly!

on the sixth day of christmas my family gave to me ... a gingerbread village to put together and snack on beneath the tree.

on the seventh day of christmas my family gave to me ... a small present that i love because it's just for me (this was a target gift card in which he went shopping with his mom therefore no pics!)

on the eighth day of christmas my family gave to me ... a drive to see the lights around the city (he was with his mom so this one didn't happen!)

on the ninth day of christmas my family gave to me ... a fun christmas party full of santa, presents, and family.

on the tenth day of christmas my family gave to me ... a fun day out to watch a movie!

on the eleventh day of christmas my family gave to me ... a fun day out with breakfast, a movie, and jammies beneath my tree.

on the twelfth day of christmas my family gave to me ... a very merry christmas day spent with family.

this is a fun new tradition that i am thinking i might continue!

::feelings::

Today is the best and most terrifying day ever. I have finished my last final exam of my educational career (hopefully!), I have seen my last clients ever at the U of U clinic, I have signed the last set of paper work I will ever have to sign, and now the time has come!

I have waited for this day since august 2010. The past 16 months have been the most amazing, the worst, and the fastest of my whole life. I have met amazing people that I will cherish forever, I have learned things that you can't find in books, and I have cried more times than I count but I wouldn't give it back for the world.

I have grown as a person and I cannot wait for the adventure I am about to take. In some ways this is more scary than when I made the decision to go back to school. I am being pushed out of my second home and being thrown into the real world with the hopes that my education will take me where I need to go and I will remember what I have been taught.

The tanning salon is closing and after 10+ years of working there I am so sad this is happening yet I believe it is for the best. Beginning January 2, 2012 I will be working for 10 weeks at St. Marks hospital and 10 weeks at Park Lane Elementary! I cannot wait and I pray that what I have learned will stay with me and get me where I need to be.

I don't ever want to forget this day and way I feel. Amazed that this day has finally arrived and terrified that I am part of the real world!! Here's to hoping I am as prepared as I can be!!

:: Grad School Barbie ::

http://ceejandem.blogspot.com/2010/02/graduate-school-barbie-tm.html

7 DAYS!!!

:: my life ::

And I wouldn't trade it for the world!!

:: fun day out ::

My boys and i ventured out for a little exercise on Sunday afternoon to liberty park and boy was it eventful!! I brought a bunch of old buns and bread with us to feed the ducks and geese because B just loves trying to get them to walk up to him!

Since we took the dog with us that means we've got to be good park goers and clean up after him! Well I was holding the bag full of bread and trying to clean up after the dog and we had a mishap! I'm sure you can guess what happened and B and I were laughing so hard! Jeremy was trying to clean it up and I was holding his drink .. Well I was trying to tell him that there was some poo essence on the bag he was holding I accidentally threw his drink every where! Once again B and I thought it was the funniest thing ever!

After our eventful clean up session we finally went to feed the ducks and geese and they did end up walking right up to B!! He loved it!

I hope winter is mild this year so we can continue to go to the park on Sunday afternoons! Hopefully they won't be as eventful as this day out was!