Winter Wonderland

Like we do every year, we packed up our car and started our trek north to Utah for the Christmas holiday. Only this year, we decided to drive through the worst snow storm in the last 25 years for northern Arizona and southern Nevada. We decided against driving through Flagstaff and opted for the Las Vegas route instead, hoping for better weather. What we ran into was one of the worst snow storms I have ever seen. Growing up in Utah, I have seen a lot of snow, but the bad thing about this storm was the roads. Neither Arizona or Nevada really have the infrastructure in place to deal with a foot of snow on the roads, so it took us 8 hours (it usually takes 4.5) to get from Phoenix to Las Vegas, and we barely made it there.

We stayed the night in Henderson with my uncle Eddie and after the roads were a little clearer, made the rest of the trip to Utah. We are flying next year.

Thanksgiving

Jake and I had a great Thanksgiving, my mom, dad and sister Haley came out to AZ to visit us. I was so happy that they were here. We made an amazing thanksgiving dinner, with homemade pomegranate/apple cinnamon cider, spiced sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts (my favorite vegetable), Turkey (of course), corn pudding, stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce, berry cobbler and pumkin pie. It was fantastic. My mom, Jake and I woke up on Friday morning at 4:30 AM and went shopping. I was sooo fun, to have my mom there to shop with me. I get a little sick of shopping by myself. we got some great deals at Kohls, Target and Dillards (all lucky, calvin klein, and DKNY jeans for $29.99). It was fun. We got in the hot tub and pool a couple of times, played "are you smarter than a 5th grader" and went to Scottsdale. My mom had to leave Saturday for work on Sunday, but my dad stayed till Monday, we went to the Mesa temple and looked at the lights which were fantastic, and the weather was so nice and mildly cold. It was great, we wished mom was there. My sister Sara spent Thanksgiving with her fiance's family in CA, and my sister Jennifer spent Thanksgiving with her boyfriends family and working.

My sister Haley helped me set up my Christmas tree and hang all of the ornaments, it was fun to have her be just as excited as I get about decorating the Christmas tree. Jake only sticks with the ornament part for about 10 minutes and gets a bit bored. I'm so happy he tries to enjoy it though! He actually had a lot of homework to do.

I wanted to post five things that I'm grateful for:

Jake and Jake and Jake hhahahaha J/K

Jake, all of my family, the gospel and revelation, a working car with good gas mileage, and I definitely cannot forget great friends.

Love you all - Kim

Congrats Kim again!

Last week Kim interviewed for another PA school in Henderson, Nevada. She didn't think the interview went too well, but I know better. In her amazing way, they offered her admission only a few days later. Congratulations Kim! We really don't know where we'll end up now, mostly because her deadbeat husband can't get a job in either prospective location!

Halloween

I love getting dressed up for Halloween. I'm lucky that Jake plays along, so here's us at our ward Halloween party.

Kim's School

So a few weeks ago, as you may know from previous posts, Kim interviewed at her future P.A. school, Touro University in the Bay area. Check out the hot pics...

If we had met in 1970...

Then this is what we might have looked like....Thank goodness it isn't true.

BYU sarcasm at it's best...

First Interview....

So Kim just returned late last night from her first interview for P.A. school in San Francisco, CA. It was a pretty intense process, from 8am until 4pm, they interviewed her in groups, individually, had her write essays, take quizzes, research medical problems and make presentations. She was one out of about 20 interviewees, all vying for one of 40 spots from a pool of over 1,300 applicants. Needless to say, she was exhausted when she returned home and had to still go back to work at the hospital in the morning. But, the good news is...


SHE WAS ACCEPTED!!! YAY! The Program Director called her first thing this morning and offered her early acceptance into the program. We will have about a month to decide, during which she will probably interview at a few other locations. The nice thing about this program is that it is only a few months longer than most, and offers a fully accredited dual degree in both a Master's of Physician Assistant Studies and a Master's of Public Health. I knew all along that she rocked their world and would be great....

CONGRATULATIONS KIM!!!!

Future goals!

My friend Barb posted on her blog her "secret goals/wishes/wants" I thought I would try to make a list of 15 of mine. They are in no particular order of importance. IT WOULD BE COOL TO READ ABOUT OTHERS "SECRET" DESIRES, SO PLEASE DO THE SAME!!!

1. I want to be a PA (guess that's not a secret)

2. I've always wanted to learn how to dance, although I took country swing in college, I really covet the salsa and tango. I want Jake to learn with me some day. He said he would take classes with me when we're done with school (if school will ever end).

3.I want to go to a month long yoga retreat in India far away in the mountains somewhere (I think maybe it can be a "finishing PA school present" Jake even said he'd want to come with me - I've gotten him to try yoga). I want to be able to do the poses pictured. I am on my way there, a couple about half way but it will most likely take a couple more years. I have also included a picture of couples yoga, one of Jake's professors at Thunderbird is going to teach us some poses. (Vassisthasan/Side plank pose, Tittibhasana/firefly pose , couples pose (?), a modification of Virschikasana/scorpion pose).

4. I've always wanted to learn how to figure skate. Although, I probably will not pursue this dream. I've come to realize the graceful dances/sports (skating, ballet...) are not "graceful
feeling,"quite the opposite.

5. I never, ever, ever want to author anything (maybe a few blog posts and some PA papers). I do not enjoy writing, let alone writing some kind of novel etc... I do not understand how others can but, props to those people (Emily Jensen!!!), because I love reading.

6. My mom (shown below) is in school to become a nurse. When I graduate as a PA I want us both to serve a service mission somewhere.

7. I want to knit/crochet a big blanket that's really soft. Anyone know how?

8. I have always wanted to play the violin for the prophet (Thomas S Monson - right).



9. I want 5 kids (I think????), most people say wait until your first to decide!!! People in AZ think I'm a little crazy for wanting a bunch of kids.

10. My dad (shown above) is my best friend and will be forever (besides Jake), I get excited when he calls. I sometimes call him and this is how our conversation goes: "Hi, just calling to say hi, anything new?" dad: "no, just working" me: "OK well nothing new from me either, guess I'll go now." DONE hahaha.

11. If I could I would take all my sisters, sisters-in-laws, mom and mother-in-law on a shopping spree like on the show "What Not to Wear" and they'd have to let me pick stuff out for them because I think it's fun to dress people. Jake doesn't let me dress him very often, I guess it's one of his few independent activities he's trying to hold on to (THAT WILL END SOMEDAY, I'm working on that). My sister Sara (shown left) could help me though, because she has better fashion sense than I do, so I guess me and Sara could dress everyone and then she could dress me!

12. If it were more socially acceptable I would wear wigs and extension pieces every day. I would have a totally different hair do every day. Just like the movie stars, but I don't feel Arizona is ready for that quite yet. Maybe NYC, but I know a little weird. I love all kinds of hair styles and colors and like to mix it up. Those of you who know me, know that I would switch between brown and blond every year. My goal for this year is to stay brown, so it can get healthier.

13. I want to be a part of the fan club for the movies "Get Smart, " "White Chicks" and "How to Loose a Guy in Ten Days."

14. I want to run a marathon, I started training for a half and then developed tendonitis in my foot and knee, so this might not happen but, I want to do it if possible.

15. I want to travel everywhere, a few examples being: Santorini, Greece, Castles in the Bavarian Alps, The crown jewels in the tower of London, Bankok Thailand palace (Thai food is my favorite type of food), Jerusalem Holy Land Tour, backpack to Peru's Machu Picchu, Eat Gelato in Italy and tour Rome, New York City Broadway shows, backpack into the Havasupai waterfalls, AZ, Boston Massachusets and sooooo many others.

(Shown at left: Top - Havasupai,Trevi FountainRome, Bottom - Bavarian Alps, Machu Picchu).

More interviews!!!!!

I am writing to let everyone know that I have received two more interviews for PA school one at Touro Univesity in Las Vegas, Nevada. Another one in Ft. Meyers, Florida at Nova South Eastern University. I am very excited about this and can't wait.

It's interesting because this entire process has been such a blessing and all along the way I've been shown many "tender mercies" from the Lord. It feels weird to type this but, I really do feel blessed by these events. It's feels good to know I'm on the right track.

Kim

Sedona and Slide Rock...

Kim and I desperately needed to get away from the city for the weekend, so we took a quick trip up north to Sedona, a beautiful little town just south of Flagstaff. We camped overnight and really enjoyed being outdoors. The next morning we drove a few miles to Slide Rock State Park, a cool little park set in a red rock canyon. There is a river that flows down the canyon and like the name says, you can slide down the rocks like, well, a slide. Even in 90 degree weather, the water was still pretty dang cold. It was a lot of fun and went by too fast.

Thunderbird Party...

Some awesome friends of mine from Thunderbird threw a big Luau party this past weekend. Their house was about 20 minutes north of the city, set in a sweet little neighborhood out in the country. It was a ton of fun and nice to get out of the city...

Good News

So as many know I've been applying to many, many med schools this past year. I am trying to get accepted to PA school and this last week I received a call for Touro University in Vallejo California, and they want to interview me!!!! Vallejo is located in wine country about 45 minutes from San Francisco. I am soooo excited. I applied last year and did not receive any interviews. So all in all it's been about two years that I've been applying, hopefully this year will be the winning ticket. The program in CA, is a joint program I would receive a Masters of Public Health as well as a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies plus Physician Assistant Certification. So it is an added bonus.
I also received word from a school called Lockhaven University in Pennsylvania for an interview in November. I am beyond happy and just wanted to share this with everyone. This has been a long, hard waiting game with many ups and downs. I know I'm not accepted yet, but an interview is a step in the right direction!

My sister Haley

My sister Haley came out to visit me (Kim) in July in St. Louis these pictures are from the St. Louis zoo in Forest Park.

More St. Louis visits

After we visited Nauvoo in June with Jake's family they came up to visit us for a day. We went to a museum there called "The City Museum" it was one of the funnest places I've ever been. Look closely at all of the wire tunnels. Everything in this museum was made from scrap metal.

Nauvoo (end of June)

I have not blogged all summer and so now I'm playing catch up. Forgive me, but I am posting some pictures of our Nauvoo, Liberty Jail, Independence, Farr West, Adam ondi Ahman trip with Jake's family. They drove out to Missouri in June and we met them at these places. We had such a good time. I am not verry good at writing blogs, so sorry, Jake is really my half who enjoys writing. I on the other hand tolerate it, barely. Kim