tawny

out of sight, out of mind...

2011-09-14T15:26:00.003-06:00

I rarely think about this blog. I mean, its been ages since something of worth was even written. You may have noticed a few dumb posts about nursing and such - they were from an assignment from one of my instructors. But today, after having to go to this blog to navigate to some of my links, I decided it was time to get something, anything, on here...

(I proceed to sit here, staring blankly at the computer screen for a topic of substance or a funny anecdote. My mind is quite empty.)

Maybe I'll share an interesting fact with you (don't judge me - I've been away for a long time).

According to Dr. Oz (as retold by my mother): If you start your morning off each day with a glass of really cold water, you will lose a pound a year from this ritual alone.

Ha, okay, now that I've broken my barrier of silence, I will come back soon and write something of deep importance. Like baseball.

goals

2011-04-03T22:47:00.003-06:00

Discuss how the clinical objectives and personal goals for the experience were met.

Before I started clinicals, I wrote down some goals on items I wanted to accomplish from this preceptorship.

Goal 1: By the end of my preceptor experience become competent and comfortable in setting up IV bags and programming the pumps. (I haven't had much exposure and don't feel very comfortable in this area.)

I had many opportunities to set up IV bags and also to set up the pumps. Before, the pumps seemed a bit confusing. But my nurse took the time to make sure I understood them, and now I feel much more comfortable.

Goal 2: Learn to adequately use the system HELP to chart all patient care with minimal help from preceptor by the end of my preceptorship.

I grew very accustomed to the charting system and was charting full assessments on my first day. As more time went on, my nurse gave me more leeway, and I was able to chart on most everything.

Goal 3: Research all the drugs my patients are receiving and be prepared to explain reason for use and potential side effects each time I pass meds to patients.

I made sure to look up and know all the drugs I was giving. I wanted my patients to be educated on what they were receiving.

Goal 4: Be able to give complete and concise change of shift report to the oncoming nurse by the 4th shift.

I gave shift report to oncoming nurses. This used to seem a bit scary because I wasn't sure if I would have the answers needed, but as time went on, this became easier.

Goal 5: Look up labs for each of my patients daily and make sure I do the research required to understand what the values mean.

I would look up labs right after shift report. If I wasn't sure of a value or what a test meant, I took the time to look it up. I would always research out what this lab meant for this patient, why it was drawn, and for patterns (if going up, down, or staying same).

I initially made these goals because I felt I was lacking a bit in these areas, but I focused on these things and feel that I accomplished them.

the impact

2011-04-03T22:39:00.002-06:00

Describe how your learning will impact your nursing career.

I feel that my preceptorship has impacted me for the positive. I have mentioned before that I was feeling super confident before because I just didn't feel like I had continuity before. I would learn something, and then the next week I was on another floor with different rules. It's hard to keep it all straight. Being on the same floor with the same nurse did wonders for me. I felt like I could just keep building more and more on the information I was retaining. Because of my experiences here, I feel much more ready to actually start working as an RN.

My nurse was pretty awesome. I was continuously impressed with her work ethic. She didn't cut corners like some others that I had observed. She did things right. It was a good example to me to be ever-vigilant. I'm glad I was trained by her because that will impact how I approach nursing. Adopting that dedication, along with solidifying a lot of my nursing skills, I feel like I will be much more competent when I'm really out there.

what i learned

2011-04-03T22:29:00.002-06:00

Describe what you actually learned through this clinical experience.

The third floor at UVRMC is known as the "Progressive Care Unit". The cases are a bit more critical than typical MedSurg, but not as acute as ICU. On this floor dialysis is also provided.

I feel like I gained a substantial amount from my experience on this floor. I was paired with an awesome nurse who really knew her stuff. I feel like I really pulled it all together during my time there. My nurse got me into a routine that really didn't seem as scary as it did before. Before, I felt like my thoughts were a bit jumbled, but staying in one place with the same nurse was extremely helpful. I was finally able to retain information more easily; information that would be pertinent the next time I was there. Specifically, I become more competent in placing and setting IV pumps, placing catheters, interpreting telemetry strips, performing and charting complete assessments, changing central line dressings/removing central lines, etc. After each subsequent clinical, I felt more and more confident.

Clinical Area

2011-04-03T22:17:00.002-06:00

Describe why the clinical area was selected and what you initially expected to learn.

We have made it to the fourth semester of Nursing School - the final semester of the Associate's Degree requirements. Typically in your final semester before taking the licensing exam, the NCLEX, we finish complete a preceptorship with a nurse for 90+ hours in one location. On November 18 last year, all the students in my semester gathered for a "lottery" to draw where we would go. I initially had ideas of the ER or ICU in mind. But when I arrived and drew one of the last numbers that would be allowed to choose, I knew that I was going to have to take what was left.

Naturally the ER and ICU slots went first. Finally they got to my number near the end, and I scanned the overhead projector for any remaining spots. I just wanted something during the day. I saw the third floor at UVRMC open, so I took it. I really couldn't remember what floor that was or if I had even been there before. At that point, I was just hoping for the best.

Not being exactly sure of what kind of floor I was going to, I didn't have too many expectations. I knew that I wanted a nurse that would challenge me a bit, but who would also take the time to make sure I was really getting it. My main goal or expectation was that I would finish my preceptorship feeling more comfortable with the prospect of actually being an RN this year. I expected to learn to become a better problem solver and to solidify my nursing skills.

remember me...?

2010-12-06T13:42:00.002-07:00

So, it's been a while...

I've been busy. But is that a good enough excuse? Everyone is busy.

I'm on the brink of finishing my third semester of nursing school. They're gonna let me be a nurse next summer if I pass my NCLEX exam (insert vomit and feelings of inadequacy).

I've had an ulcer since the end of July that I can't seem to shake. I know what you're thinking - it's not a stress ulcer (a myth by the way, but stress makes them worse). It's caused by a bacteria in the stomach called H. Pylori. But to be honest, the stress I've accumulated knowing that it's not going away is probably contributing to it. So how about that? It's not caused by stress, but knowing that it's there is stressing me - making it worse. Life.

I am an FHE group leader. During my calling interview some weeks back, I was thinking in my head 'anything but FHE'. As soon as the Second Counselor said, "Oh, you'll like this. It's a 'fun' calling." I knew I was in for it. I said aloud, "Don't tell me it's FHE." A visible shudder crossed my face. He laughed and said I'd be okay. He was right. It's been fine.

I'm in a rock climbing class. And I love it. After my pass at the Quarry expires on December 18th, I will be getting a family pass. It really is a great passtime to get some exercise and relieve some stress. I have accumulated my own shoes and harness so far.

Pretty much all boring stuff, I know. But I just keep plugging along until Christmas break. Then I'll have time to do things that I want to do again. Like read. Read real books and not feel guilty that it's not a textbook.

Keep on keepin' on.

Walk On The Ocean

2010-07-01T09:39:00.005-06:00

At work I like to listen to a little thing called Pandora. Today, as I was listening to my "Counting Crows" station, a song entitled "Walk On The Ocean" by Toad the Wet Sprocket started to play. I was suddenly taken back four years in time...Pictured above is Amy Goffin Robison and myself at Anini Beach in Kauai. It was our last day on the Island, and we spent it with Debs Jacobberger scouring the beach for tiny Anini shells. As we drove from the north shore of the island back to the west shore where we resided, "Walk On The Ocean" started to play in the car. Read the lyrics closely and imagine yourself leaving an island paradise; not knowing when you'd be able to return:

"We spotted the ocean at the head of the trail
Where are we going, so far away
And somebody told me that this is the place
Where everything's better, everything's safe

Walk on the ocean
Step on the stones
Flesh becomes water
Wood becomes bone

Half an hour later, we packed up our things
We said we'd send letters, and all of those little things
And they knew we were lying, but they smiled just the same
It seemed they already forgotten we came

Now we're back at the homestead
Where the air makes you choke
And people don't know you
And trust is a joke
We don't even have pictures
Just memories to hold
That grow sweeter each season
As we slowly grow old"

When the song started, we came around this bend in the road and the ocean was in full view. The car got quiet as we listened to the lyrics. When I finally looked around to the car's occupants (Amy and Debs), tears were streaming down their faces - just like me. There were so many lines in the song that seemed hold some meaning at that moment.

After we were done crying, we started laughing - laughing because it was completely ridiculous that this song sent all of us into spontaneous sobs. It was all pretty embarrassing.

So now when I hear this song, I feel a small tinge of sadness. And then I remember how silly it all was. Listen to this song for yourself. You won't regret it.

dos anos

2010-06-25T11:54:00.003-06:00

Anyone remember this kid? Today marks his two-year mission anniversary. But due to some mission zoning changes, he was asked to stay on another month. He is set to come home on July 23rd.

More pictures and updates to come when he actually graces us with his presence next month.

faux paws

2010-06-25T11:50:00.002-06:00

How could I not pass this story on? Oscar lost his back two legs in a farming accident, and what was the obvious solution? Well, make him some new ones of course.

Read the article for yourself at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=169&sid=11313947.

Oh, the wonders of science.

the alchemist

2010-06-17T09:47:00.002-06:00

I have been meaning to take some time and read this book. It wasn't until last night that I finally got around to it. I started and finished in one night (granted it's only like 170 pages).

"The Alchemist is subtitled 'A Fable About Following Your Dreams.' Fables are cautionary tales that have a point to make. The universal point this story makes is that everyone has a special destiny, and yet not everyone resolves to attain it because it takes hard work. Reaching one's destiny requires leaving behind familiar surroundings. It also demands persistence, the ability to change when appropriate and the willingness to respond to omens that point the way."

My conclusion: loved it. It is packed full with nuggets of wisdom.

Here are some of my favorite excerpts:

"When someone sees the same people every day, as had happened with him at the seminary, they wind up becoming a part of that person's life. And then they want the person to change. If someone isn't what others want them to be, the others become angry. Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own."

"People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don't deserve them, or that they'll be unable to achieve them."

"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself."

"Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turns out, indeed, to be a threatening place."

Get your hands on a copy of this and read it. You won't regret it.

death-bed repentence

2010-04-23T12:28:00.005-06:00

The night before I go in for a dental cleaning, I tend to have a certain bit of remorse, or as I like to call it death-bed repentence.

I start thinking things like I really should have flossed more during the last six months or did I really have to eat so much sugar?

A certain amount of anxiety starts to build within me as I think about all my past dental transgressons.

I really hate going to the dentist. It probably stems from a mixture of pain and money. Both of which I don't want to dispurse.

I arrived at Barry Family Dental at 8 am sharp this morning. As the dental assistant walked me back to the dreaded chair, she attempted to make small chit-chat, as they always do. She asked how I was doing. I replied, "Well, I wish I was having a filling so I could have some of that gas." She laughed at me and said, "Oh we can totally give you some of that anyway."

I stared at her in disbelief. Really? You would dispense nitrous oxide to me for a simple cleaning? A million thoughts raced thru my head (am I a baby for getting the gas for a cleaning? would my insurance find this legit? am I in heaven?) in a matter of the 1 second it took for me to say yes, I would love that.

Turned out to be a delightful morning. For the most part.

Dr. Dave informed me that everything looked good except for this one tiny tooth. Years ago (when they still did silver fillings) I had my #5 tooth worked on for a cavity. Underneath it's silver filling, is a bit of a problem that needs to be worked on. A build-up, crown and $400 later, the tooth should be in good shape (well, what will be left of it, of course).

Oh, the pleasures of the dentist's office.

ain't no thang

2010-04-16T21:22:00.006-06:00

Since my last post was ages ago (sorry, but not that sorry), I will give you all a quick recap of my last few months. I hope to put this all behind me and start fresh.

So this night was a really long time ago, but it was definitely a highlight. One night I was driving home from work and I heard an announcement on the radio for an upcoming Utah Jazz contest. All you had to do was either text or email an entry, and you could win movie tickets to Avatar in 3D with Ronnie Price, Ronnie Brewer, and Paul Millsap. So naturally I texted in my entry (when I got home of course - don't drive and text my friends.) A week or so later I got a phone call from a suspicious number. It was some lady from the Utah Jazz saying that I had won the contest. I was at work when I got the call - so needless to say I kinda made a big scene in the office. There were some 5000 or so entries, and only 50 winners, so I was feeling lucky. Anyway, as you can see I went with BF Tito. The event was at the Jordan Commons. We showed up and they took this professional photo of us all and then sent us on our way for some free hotdogs, popcorn, and drinks. Afterward we were ushered to the huge 3D theatre. I always told myself I would never pay to see Avatar; it just didn't appeal to me. It was a very visually stunning film, but the storyline was nothing to write home about. But if I did see it, I'm glad it was for free with the Utah Jazz.

I had my clinical rounds this semester at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. I had some good experiences and learned quite a bit. One point of interest was when I learned how to use leeches (you heard me right) for medicinal purposes. When someone is at risk of losing a smaller body part like a finger or ear because of poor blood circulation, leeches are used to get the blood flowing thru the tissues again. I got to personally pick a leech out of a jar (like shown above) and place it. It was awesome.

My mom turned 50 on February 18th! It's kind of weird because it felt like yesterday when we were having her 40th birthday. Anyway, the night before the big day, we stole her keys to Canyon View and broke into the school. We filled her office with 50 black balloons and placed these classy posters on her door. She got to school the next day with not only that surprise, but we also had her office wear that brown t-shirt shown above without her knowing (we later gave her a copy for herself). So we pretty much got her good! You may also notice the quilt she is sitting on. I made her this birthday quilt. She shed a tear; a real honest to goodness tear. Happy Birthday Mom!

Hannah celebrated her 1st birthday on March 20th. I can't believe it's been a year since her birth - which I incidentally missed because I was in Washington DC with Tara and we didn't expect Hannah for eight more weeks. Although she was two months early, she had a very good and healthy first year.

I received my first boot on my car while watching LOST at Kristine's house. I thought I was in a visitor spot, but my mistake - I was one spot over. It was an empty parking lot, but that didn't matter to the stupid provo jerk. I may have called him an inappropriate name to his face in my flight of anger. I have since repented.

Let's be honest, I haven't ran a mile since my Triathlon last May. So what possessed me to just up and run a 5k a few Saturdays ago is beyond me. But it was actually a good run! I was determined to run the whole way without walking, and I did. Sometimes the body just feels good! I ran it with Krista and Ally. Thanks for getting my bum in gear Krista!

Instead of attending the Festival of Colors this year, I went to the Elite Eight game at the ESA with my bro, Brandon. It was the Kansas St v Butler game. It was awesome! (Aside from the fact that my brother left my ticket at home (oops) and I had to go thru all these hoops with Ticket Services to get myself thru the door.) I totally joined the Butler Bandwagon. I was really rooting for them to go all the way.

I recently celebrated a birthday. I am now 23ish. My birthday, if it's on the weekend, will always fall on General Conference. So since my birthday was on Saturday, my day went like this: Woke up and watched GC. Went to lunch with Heather, Lindsey, and the Katie's at Olive Garden in Sandy. Then I came back and, you guessed it, watched the afternoon session of GC. Afterward I went out to dinner with Meg, Lara, Kristine, and Tara to Texas Roadhouse. My day was full of spiritual and physical feasting. Shown above is a picture of a sweet tent my bro Jordan got me. It made up for 23 years of missed presents. I also got a new pair of black Chaco's from the parents. Good day!

Last Saturday was a nice spring day (finally). I went with Brandon, his wife Stacey, and Hannah to the spring practice for BYU. It was cool to see a few of the new guys, and just sit out in the warmth. Hannah got these star glasses the day before at a birthday party. It was hilarious because she loves wearing them. Wish I had a pair big enough for this head...

Well there you have it. I'll try and be better.

welcome twenty-ten

2010-01-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

Admittedly, it's been too long. But I have reached the point that too much time has passed to write about anything like Christmas parties or Christmas gifts (but who really cares about reading about anyone else's Christmas anyway? We all had one didn't we??) Mine was a good one, however.

I suppose I'll tell you what I've been up to anyway for the last month or so because most of you are dying to know...

For starters, I've given up sugar. I came to the realization lately that I am a sugar addict. I like to too much, and have decided to do without it for a while. For how long, I don't know. I'm thinking for spring semester. I'll keep you all posted about my progress - but I will tell you it hasn't affected me like I thought it would. I figured by day 2 I would be curled up in a ball somewhere sucking my thumb until someone inserted an IV with glucose. But I'm doing okay and have learned about myself that I don't need sugar. I just really, really love it.

I've started my second semester of nursing school. That's right folks, they passed me last semester. I'm just as surprised as you are. But now on to the next. I started classes on Wednesday and was feeling fine after school. But the panic and anxiety set in about 10% the way through my Common Disorders class yesterday. My professor handed out a pre-test containing scenarios of what I would do as a nurse in such situations. Needless to say I had one of those "what the heck are you doing here Tawny?" moments. I'm feeling better today, but still recovering. I have a feeling second semester's going to be a killer.

I read the book by Glenn Beck called A Christmas Sweater. Now, I'm not really a cryer. To this day, I really have ever cried during the movies Simon Birch and Charly. But as I read this book (all in one night, have you) I found myself sobbing repeatedly. I'm serious. I'm not quite sure what was going on with me, but I would contain myself - and then read something else that would make me lose it. Read this book. It's a story about forgiveness and hope. I love Glenn. My brother gave me his newest book Arguing with Idiots for Christmas. Look forward to hearing more about it from me.

We talked to Chad on Christmas Eve. And yes, he still sounds like Pedro. But he did inform us that he should be home on July 2 or 3. It's weird that I'll see him this year.

And lastly, I won a sweet contest recently. Look for an upcoming post about it.

pictures for chad

2009-12-20T23:52:00.002-07:00

Sorry, once again I am placing random pictures on here so I can email them to my brother.

bah, humbug

2009-11-12T14:35:00.004-07:00

Listen, I love Christmas. I love the Christmas season. Just not in November.

A long time ago when I worked at a certain Robert's Arts and Crafts, I was the Seasonal Department Head. This meant I was rummaging through Christmas shipments in July. They also would turn on the Christmas music in September as a ploy to get people to shop earlier. It turned me off, to say the least.

Now, I work at Legacy OB-GYN. I thought I was free of the early Christmas stuff. But to no avail, my co-workers love listening to Christmas music early. Last year it was October-early, this year it's only Novemeber-early.

I have stated my objections, but they all seem to laugh and turn the music up louder. The last straw came today when I arrived this morning to find this:

In an effort to get me in the Christmas spirit, they decked out my desk. Thanks guys.

Why isn't there Thanksgiving music?

wolverine green

2009-11-10T18:17:00.004-07:00

I've received numerous requests (okay, just Deelisa), to write a little something about my adventures in nursing school. First off, take notice of this classy uniform. We are required to wear hunter green scrubs, a UVU white patch sewn on left sleeve, a name badge, and clean white shoes. Not adhering to these demands will land you in trouble (aka being denied clinical rounds).

I took this picture today after my second clinical at Orem Nursing and Rehab. If you've never worked or visited a nursing home, you're missing out. It's quite a treat.

Some highlights thus far in Semester 1:

>Coming to class with swimsuits under our scrubs so we could give each other bed-baths.

>Learned how to catheterize male and female dummies. Real life.

>Laid on a table-top with my entire abdomen exposed for a good 20 minutes while a complete stranger stared at it.

>Cleaned fake wounds on the "Seymour Butts". Seriously, that's the name of the fake bum.

>Wrote a three-page paper on rectal suppositories. Good read if you're interested.

I really have enjoyed this first semester. But I am already on a graduation countdown. I am now telling people that I have 2.5 years left instead of 3. April 2012 is a bright goal in my future. In any event, so far, so good.

start spreading the news

2009-11-08T20:04:00.004-07:00

It's been a heart-wrenching nine years since my Yankees have been on top. It's a myth that Yankees fans have life easy. On the contrary, it tends to be rough. Imagine, having a team that comes with such high hopes, only to fall short each post-season.

But 2009 brought us new fortune. Finally we could see a team that really had chemistry; something that had been lacking in recent years. All the money in the world can only go so far - you need chemistry in the end.

Even more exciting, I was able to witness my first Yankee's game in person. This has been years in the making. Seeing them in August only made me that much more excited for the post-season. I knew that the Yankees had something special this season.

And so it was, on Wednesday November 4th, the Yankees beat out the Phillies to win their 27th World Series. That's right folks, I got to see 2009 World Champions live and in person. I'll be telling this one to the grandkids.

Disclaimer: If you're not familiar, after each Yankees game they play Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York". Hence the title, "Start spreading the news..." Listen to it; it's a good song.

i want to be a part of it

2009-09-05T15:19:00.009-06:00

Exactly a month ago I was in the Big Apple. I thought I better finally post a bit about it.

I'm the only one in family who hasn't been to New York. So one day I pulled up the New York Yankee schedule and found a weekend where they were playing the Red Sox. I told my mom that was the weekend for us, and we started the planning.

On Wednesday August 5th, my mom, Ally, Kellye, Kathy, Tara, Coy and I headed out on the red eye to the City-So-Nice-They-Named-It-Twice.

Tara and me in front of a NYPD cruiser. I have an odd fascination for the NYPD. It must be all the TV I watch. Also, me at Central Park. Because I didn't have my Chaco's on, I was not able to scale this rock.

Unfortunately Dave was on a hiatus during our stay or we would have seen his show. Also, refer to the previous post about Glenn Beck. Radio City, as shown above, is where he broadcasts.

Wallstreet Bull. Also, Tara, me, mom, and Ally in front of a tiny Statue of Liberty.

Are you all familiar with the movie "National Treasure"? The church where they find the treasure is pictured above. Trinity Church. I love that movie.

We took a ferry to Staten Island. We sailed out at sunset and got a good look at the Statue of Liberty.

On our way back to the City, it was dark (not pictured) and the Manhatten skyline was awesome.

My love for the NYPD apparent again. Also, Tara, my mom, and I got up early one morning and walked Central Park and found the Good Morning American concert series. It was IDOL morning. We saw in concert Adam Lambert, Kris Allen, and David Cook.

They weren't kidding about those giant NY rats.

A nice sales woman at Tiffany's let me try on this diamond ring. Any guesses at it's price tag?? Only $400,000!!!

Now, to the main event. I am a lifelong Yankees fan, and a lifelong Red Sox hater. As I got off the Subway to the Yankee Stadium, I felt as if I was making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The feeling in the air amongst all the other fans was electric. I had goosebumps and felt like I had finally come home.

We caught the game on Friday night. It turned into an old-fashioned pitcher's duel. The game was completely scoreless until in the 15th inning, Alex Rodriguez hit a home run bring Derek Jeter in. We won with a score of 2 - 0. It was amazing.

This was a really awesome trip. New York really is a cool place to visit. Refer to post Only In Dreams and you see just how long I've waited to make this trip. And to have my Yankees sweep the Sox was just icing on the cake.

hello you sick twisted freaks

2009-08-12T12:36:00.005-06:00

Every weekday at 5 pm, I get in my car and I tune my AM radio dial to 570 KNRS. I love to listen to Glenn Beck on my way home for about 20 minutes. He is a voice of reason amid a turbulent liberal storm that is raging across America.

I due have a problem though. When I get off my exit on 800 North in Orem, I have to travel under the overpass of the freeway for about, um, maybe four seconds. I don't know about the AM radio's in your cars, but in my car, any bridge or overpass interference leaves me with complete radio static. It's terrible. You wouldn't think this would cause too many problems - but it surely does.

I am always completely enveloped with his topic of choice. I need to hear every sentence; every word. But everyday I'll be listening along and something like this happens, "And so, the most important thing you can do is [caaaaaaaaa]." Or, "And my final, and most important point is [caaaaaaaa]." Or, "You wouldn't believe what that Socialist (commonly our President) said next [caaaaaa]." I dread overpasses.

But I am excited to report a breakthrough. As I was listening yesterday, Glenn announced that they are now on the FM dial. I looked to the skies and praised the heavens above. I changed my station and then came to the overpass. No interference. Best day ever.

So now folks, you can enjoy listening to him too on 105.7 FM.

bbq / baby blessing

2009-08-02T20:42:00.004-06:00

This weekend we had a BBQ up Provo Canyon to celebrate my sister-in-law Stacey's birthday and also Hannah's blessing.

Nephew Cole. With his mischevious smile.

Hannah and me waiting for Bran to finish at the grill so we can eat.

Ally, Hannah, and Kim.

Stacey blowing out the candles.

Dad and Hannah.

Pulled out my old volleyball skills. Which are pretty much non-existent. Check out my sweet underhand serve.

Hannah by the river. She likes to stick her tongue out at people lately.

Cole by the Provo River.

Stacey, Bran and Hannah after her blessing.

She was all tuckered out.

Havasupai 2009

2009-08-02T20:14:00.006-06:00

Here are some pictures from our trip to Havasupai in July.

On the trail. 10 miles in. The hike in went very smooth for us. We hiked the whole thing in about 4 hours. When you hike with Jordan, you're forced to book it.

I love this bridge. When you reach it, you know you're getting close to the Village. Check out my knee brace. It saved me.

It was SO HOT that we resorted to putting this table in the water. We had to eat all of our hot meals in the pool table.

Amy was met with some blisters on her way in. I did an okay job taping her back up. Hopefully I'll get better in the next 3 years.

Back 3 years ago in Kauai, I was constantly doing scary things: jumping off waterfalls, going off of high rope swings, etc. But now in my old age, this seems to be all that I can handle. I've lost my edge.

Amy shot this priceless photo during one of our photo shoots. If only I was a senior in high school I could use this as my Senior pic. Dang.

Hiking down the river to Beaver Falls.

Jordan, Tawny, Graham, Alex, Hazen, and Ana in front of Mooney Falls.

Alex jumping off Beaver.

And here's a video of Jordan jumping off Beaver. I guess I was too dumb to figure out how to flip this video, so turn your head sideways if you want to watch.

Found these by Graham's things. I pocketed them.

One of the many falls on our way to Beaver Falls.

The boys climbed up the face of this little falls. It was quite a challenge.

I didn't take any pictures of the hike out because, well, quite frankly I wanted to die. We left a little after midnight on Saturday morning. Along the trail, Alex and I were feeling quite sick. At one point Graham told me to take a bite of a Clif Bar to see if that would help. So I put a small morsel upon my tongue and immediately started to dry heave. It wasn't pretty. So, as you can imagine it was pretty grueling. I think we were just so exhausted, sleep deprived, and dehydrated. But we made it out alive (barely).

It was an awesome trip - aside from the Grand Canyon heat.

you would prosper

2009-07-29T10:03:00.006-06:00

Back in Ms. Bestor's 10th grade English class, I did a presentation on fortune cookies. I researched the history, superstitions, and even learned how to make them. Since then, you could say I take them very seriously.

A few months back a drug rep brought our office in some Chinese food for lunch. I picked my fortune cookie at the end of my meal. The following was revealed to me:

I immediately taped this golden nugget up at my desk at work. I read it's prophecy daily. Conveniently enough I would be applying for the Nursing program at UVU about a month later - so I could really put this to the test soon enough.

I turned in my nursing application on April 10th. The application period didn't end until May 15th, and additionally it would take another month after that for any results. If anything was going to try my impatience and make me stronger, this was going to be it.

For the first month and a half of waiting I got through unscathed. But by the beginning of June I had become somewhat of a nervous wreck. Each morning would play out the same way. I would wake up feeling nauseous and the mail would be the first thing I thought. I would feel this way until about 10:30 am when I would call my family and see if the mail had come. When it hadn't, I returned to normal and proceeded okay through the rest of my day.

As you might be able to tell, this became quite exhausting. But one morning I called at my usual time and for the first time said, "Mom, just tell me already that it's not there." I was usually excited and hopeful, but that morning told myself it wasn't there. My mom replied, "There is something here. It's an envelope and it's heavy."

Of course I forced my mom to leave the house immediately and bring this to me at work. It was the longest 15 minutes. She finally arrived and I stepped outside in the hall just in case I had an emotional outburst. The patients can't see that. My shaking fingers finally opened the envelope and this is what I saw:

So I know that I have already publicized this to pretty much everyone, but I thought I should post about one of the greatest things that's happened to me as of late. Besides, I count this as my journal.

I start at the end of next month. I'm pretty much terrified and excited. I'll keep you all updated about what goes down.

quilt queen

2009-06-29T10:24:00.003-06:00

So it's the first summer in about three years that I haven't taken classes. Believe me, it's a welcome change. Needless to say I have had a bit more extra time on my hands to pursue some new hobbies.

About two months ago Meg kept on trying to get me to start on a craft. She had started sewing some items, so I thought I would try it as well. Now, I have sewn a number of items in my 23 years, but I have never taken on a big project. I went to Hobby Lobby one night and picked out some fabric - not knowing just what I was getting myself into. Meg showed me a blog that featured a cool way of piecing fabric (http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/2008/05/did-you-see-me.html). It's called the crazy nine patch quilt. Take a look for yourself for a brief tutorial.

Anyway, what should have been a nice project that someone might take their time and spend months doing turned into an obsession of sorts. I started sewing like a mad woman. The square pictured above was one of about sixty that I made. I decided I was going to put together a quilt that would fit my queen-size bed.

After I was done making the squares and adding brown borders between each, I finally had the top ready. My good friend and mentor at work, Val, is a domestic genius. I took my quilt to her for the binding. She did what was called "stippling", as pictured above. She did such a beautiful job.

I had brown fabric for the back and then hand-stitched brown for the edges.

And here you see the final product that now rests on my bed. I am quite satisfied with myself.

woman of steel

2009-05-17T17:17:00.009-06:00

On Saturday May 16, Nan, my mom, and I participated in American Fork's Woman of Steel Triathlon. I've been preparing/dreading/working for it since January.

Apparently this thing was a big deal. There were about 600 women participating. Outside the American Fork Rec Center they had set up rows and rows of bike racks. Every foot or so they had a name taped to it signifying where you were to put your bike and all your other gear. This was called the Transition Area. Anything you needed for the swim, bike, or run were kept here.

We arrived at 6:30 am to the bustling Rec Center where hundreds of bikes where dangling by racks. I couldn't help but feel nauseated thinking about the impending race. All I could think about was the swim. I kept telling myself if I could just get through the swim, I'd be home-free. We made final preparations such as the staff writing your race number (38) on your arm and your age (23) on your leg. At 8 am everyone headed poolside for the National Anthem.

THE SWIM - It was held in a mere pool, but I was still pretty terrified because, let's be honest, swimming has never been my strong suit. 300 meters doesn't sound like a whole lot, but people, is it. Think of the long length of a pool - and then swimming six laps of that non-stop.

All participants were given a hot pink cap. You didn't have to wear it, but I did because I figured I would disappear into the sea of pink and no one would notice the girl who couldn't swim.

A new swimmer would enter the pool every 12 seconds until every one had gone. As the line grew shorter, I grew less nervous. I realized that a lot of people couldn't swim like me, and that I would be okay. I finally just got out there and basically faked it. My swim took me 9:54. I am pretty proud of that considering I've been convinced the last few months that I would drown.

THE BIKE - When you hop out of the pool, you run back to the transition area and throw on your socks, shoes, helmet, and mount your bike. The bike loop left the Rec Center and took you up into Highland. At the start of the loop, there are these two massive hills (they don't look as such by car, but trust me). My thighs were burning while biking up these hills. But what goes up, must come down. You then made your way to the Alpine Highway which was a nice down hill ride.

The loop obviously returns to the Rec Center, where you do it one more time. The thought of biking those hills again was daunting, but I was excited to get it over with. After loop number two, you've completed 12.4 miles. My bike time was 50:27.

This is Nan completing a bike loop. Her and I rented these sweet road bikes. They're much faster than mountain bikes.

THE RUN - After the biking I quickly returned my bike to the transition racks and threw on my running shoes. My legs felt like noodles. It was a weird sensation trying to run when your legs feel like that.

The running loop followed the bike loop for the most part. We had to run up those hills I mentioned before in the bike loop. Not fun. But the loop cut off earlier than the bike loop and set back toward the Rec Center. The run consisted of three miles. During the run I was so ready to be done and the finish line couldn't have come any sooner. Once back the the Rec Center, they had the red finish line set up and I proudly ran on through. What a relief. My run time was 28:07.

You can barely see me, but there I am running through the finish line.

Once at the finish line, the booths were full of oranges, grapes, apples, cookies, water, chips, salsa - every thing you need to make a full recovery. This was all very welcome.

This is my cool road bike. She got me thru the tough times.

And here is Nan again being her exhibisionist self again. As you can see, she loved her skin-tight TRI shorts.

And my rockin' mom. She encountered a few minor setbacks when we got to the race that morning. As we were walking our bikes on the sidewalks of AF, she walked her bike through a patch of those sticker pokey things. As she gingerly pulled them out, one let out a burst of air. Fortunately there was an awesome dude there you changed out both of her tubes free of charge. Nice guy. She also forgot her race numbers at home. Bummer. But after these trials, she did awesome out there.

Our finishing times (including transtion times) were as follows:

Me - 1:33

Nan - 1:39

Daunetta -1:53

This was a pretty awesome experience. I was dirt tired after, but it was totally worth it. You all can refer to me as a triathlete from now on.

hannah's homecoming

2009-05-11T11:22:00.005-06:00

Hannah finally came home on Friday after enjoying her 7 week stay at the hospital.

My bro Bran feeding her in the luxury of the home.

And what we've all been waiting for -- I finally got to hold her! What a good baby. She just kept staring at me. She couldn't believe how beautiful her aunt was.

pictures for chad

2009-04-12T23:11:00.004-06:00

Brief Explanation: There is no rhyme or reason to this post except for the sole purpose of sending pictures to Chad via email. I have found that his missionary email address won't let you attach pictures, unless injected directly into the body of the letter. This usually only works for me when I have pictures directly from the internet. I don't know if this makes sense to you all, but trust me. I have been very negligent lately in sending him pics, so there are few that have piled up. I'll add some captions for your viewing pleasure...

Little Hannah

And her foot.

Easter Supper at the Larsen home.

I worked on this two-layer bunny cake all day. Awesome, huh?

Kim and her Easter basket.

Me and my Easter basket. And my new D-Will Jazz Jersey.

Mountain biking in Corner Canyon this weekend.

Hannah and Bran.

Mom and me going down Provo Canyon.

Our idiot cat Moses. He seriously got his head stuck in his cat food bag.

Tara and me outside the Washington DC Temple.

Holding the Washington Monument.

ronnie brewer

2009-04-06T14:21:00.002-06:00

I'm a Jazz fan. I think I've made that perfectly clear.

So when I got a text message from the Utah Jazz (yes, I'm a text subscriber) saying that Ronnie Brewer would be at a new housing development in Herriman, I knew I had to be there.

It also didn't hurt that the first 25 people there would get two free tickets to an upcoming Jazz game.

So on Friday March 27, Tara, Mele, and I headed up and of course won free tickets. True fans like us deserve them.

We got to meet Ronnie, get his autograph, and as you see above, take our picture with him. He was very nice.

All in all, it was a great way to spend a Friday afternoon.

items of business

2009-03-27T08:54:00.009-06:00

I have much to tell you, my blog friends. I will start with the most important.

While on vacation in DC last week (watch for upcoming post), I received a call from my mother informing me that my 32-week-along sister-in-law, Stacey, had a dangerous pregnancy condition called preeclampsia. They told her she would need to deliver in 48 hours.

Long story short, Hannah Leigh Larsen arrived on March 20, weighing 3 lbs 1 oz. She was 17 inches long! Tall baby.

I just barely got to see her for the first time on Wednesday. She was tanning under the bili lights. She just loves to chill and stretch out her long legs over her body-encasing doughnut. She also sounds like a kitten when she cries. You know I love it.

She only had to be on C PAP (breather thing up there) for 12 hours - which is awesome.

Exhausted.

Tanning under the bili's.

Next item: Blown out tire fiasco!

Okay, so I was aware that I hadn't put new tires on the car for, mmm, maybe five years. So what? my young girl mind thought. Maintenance is for boys. Namely my dad. So it shouldn't have been a shock when this happened Wednesday on my way to Statistics.

I haven't been to Stats for the last 4 class periods. I'm behind. I was very eager to get there on Wednesday to catch up and turn in my homework. While driving on Interstate 15, I was approaching the 800 North exit in Orem. All of a sudden my car just started making weird noises and driving uneven. I knew my luck had finally run out.

I pulled to the side and dialed my dad to come rescue me. My parents were there within minutes. When my dad examined the situation and also my remaining three tires, he looked at me with a sigh and said, "When we're done, head directly to Big O Tires." Apparently you could see the cording on my other tires. So they were in bad shape too. Who knew?

My mom scolding me for not being more assertive in my car's life.

So $480 dollars later (I also needed an alignment and one other thing I don't understand) and my tax-refund all but depleted, I got my car back in tip-top shape.

Next item: Wendover!

It's been an ongoing joke among the friends that one night we're just going to take the FUN BUS to Wendover and gamble the night away. Well, one fateful Friday night, Nan and Joe talked me into just that. We met the Fun Bus here at the Buenavista Market in shady West Valley. I know.

Here is the fun bus, already transporting some very enthusiastic patrons.

Nan and me. Excited.

Joe and Ryan. Oh and Joe's rotten friend behind him.

Once aboard, an old lady gets this party started! We played BINGO, played lotto scratch cards, and enjoyed some beverages. We were also given a coupon book with the following: free buffet, five dollars cash back, and free cocktails (gave that one away).

The Friday night seafood buffet was $24.99. My Fun Bus ticket was $18. You do the math. I earned money on this trip.

Nan, Joe, and Ryan trying their luck at the Roulette Table. I didn't gamble my money, but I sure helped Ryan gamble his. It's much more fun that way.

Nan kept wasting away her final dollars in dumb slot machines, so I had to show her how it was done. I put in a dollar to the 5 cent slot machines. I went away with $1.45. I know when to quit.

So, all in all, I spent $12.55 (because I got 5 bucks back). The Fun Bus picked us back up at 3:45 am, and I finally rested my head on my pillow at 6 am. Worth it.

There you have it. I am sorry for the long post, but I just had so much on my mind!

please respond

2009-03-13T12:40:00.004-06:00

Dear Tara,

Would you like to go to our Nation's capital, District of Columbia, with me next week?

Think about it.

Yours Truly,

Tawny

Dewey: In Memorium

2009-03-01T11:55:00.007-07:00

Saturday marked what would have been Dewey's 22nd birthday. I just wanted to take a mintue and remember him, his life, and his legacy.

It all started one fateful day when my parents walked into Macey's grocery store and saw a recently posted note on the board by the shopping carts. It read: "Siamese Kittens for Sale". They were selling for $15 a kitten, but the first people there would get their kitten half off. My parents headed to this house and were the first there! All of the kittens were running wilding around, and Dewey just so happened to be the first one they could catch. So it began.

That was 22 years ago. I was a mere one year-old when I met Dewey. I have known him longer than three of my siblings. Dewey was a true member of the family. He had his own chair at the dinner table. He would walk to the fridge and it would be opened unto him. He would walk to the back door and someone would jump up to let him out. He was honored and revered as the Great One.

He was also adorned with many nicknames including, but not limited to: Uncle Feathers, Meat Pants, Variety Meats, Smeagol...to name a few.

Some of my favorite Dewey Moments/Habits include:

-Lying on his back under the Christmas Tree trying to knock down as many ornaments as he could.

-Disappearing for two weeks in the summer, only to return in a very plump and well-fed state.

-Attacking the "bump" in the rug.

-Watching him hopped-up on Cat Nip. Very entertaining.

-Finding him next to the heater on the kitchen floor where he looked him a very adorable rug. You could always find him there in the morning.

-His miraculous recovery he made when he was on his deathbed. Truly a miracle.

-His meow. Or "ma" I should say. Some would call it annoying, but we loved it and miss it. Countless mornings Dewey and Brandon would get talking to each other so loudly that we'd yell at both of them to shut it.

-There was the one summer back in 2006, just six months before he passed, where he disappeared for three weeks. We didn't think that was unusual because he was a very independent cat, but with him getting older we were concerned. As time passed, we resorted to checking the neighbors backyards for any sign of him. Nothing. Another week passed and we heard a familiar meow in the garage. My dad found him in there looking completely haggard and hungrier than we'd ever seen him. He came inside and ate and ate and ate. We're still not sure where he was. But we're convinced he came back just one last time to say goodbye before December.

Dewey left us with a certain emptiness that I'm not sure will ever be adequately filled. We adored him. He was treated as a king; we were his humans living in his house. There was something very elegant about him. We were privileged to have known him as long as we did.

proud owner

2009-02-18T10:29:00.001-07:00

I am now the proud owner of this good lookin' bike.

It's a Gary Fisher with Rock Shox. Don't be jealous.

forearm of steel

2009-02-11T13:01:00.005-07:00

I've been bugging Scott lately to teach me how to play racquetball. We finally went for the first time last night.

I agreed to playing this sport without really knowing what I was getting myself into. A few of the hazards include: dodging loose balls, running head-first into metal walls, hyperextension of every muscle, etc.

I muscled through the lessons and it really is quite a fun game. You should see my sweet moves.

But as my alarm went off this morning, I could feel something was off. I went to the gym this morning, and as I ran, my right arm was just too tired to stay at a 90 degree angle to my side. This was odd. Then I went over to the regular arm weights that I do. My little forarm was struggling to push the bar forward.

I thought that this was the end of my troubles. I soon found it difficult to perform mundane, everyday tasks, including: applying mascara, controlling a computer mouse, typing, stapling (I can handle stapling two pages together, but three was out of the question).

Now my arm doesn't hurt, but it just feels utterly spent and wants to rest from all its cares today. I was told that I need to go on an all-tuna protein diet to build some muscle. But I have been working out and eating an increased amount of protein - I guess I really just need to step it up a notch!

only in dreams

2009-02-03T11:49:00.004-07:00

I made an observation the other day that I didn't really like.

Two items of background information:

1. I love traveling. I wish I could quit my day job and school and travel the world. I am fascinated by different areas of the world. Unfortunately, IHC and UVU have me in their icy clutches with no light at the end of the tunnel. The things I do to further my already advanced intelligence.

2. I rarely remember my dreams. The parts I do remember are usually random fragments that are typically forgotten by the time I drive to work in the morning.

I've noticed a pattern in the dreams that I actually do remember. They usually take place in an airport.

While dreaming, time and time again I find myself so excited for a trip that I am taking. Common things I say are, "Wow, I am finally making it to New York." or "Man, I've missed Kauai. I am so glad to go back."

And then the same thing always happens - I never make it to my destination. Either the flight has been cancelled. Or I really don't have the money I thought I did. Or I just wake up before takeoff. It doesn't matter; I never end up getting there.

I always wake up frustrated that even my dreams won't allow me to get away. Is this some kind of sick joke someone is playing on me? I can just hear someone taunting me in the back of my mind. Maaahaaa Tawny. You can't go on vacations now. You can't even go while dreaming.

I foolishly looked up ticket prices to Kauai last week. I found a great deal to Honolulu at the end of April for $489. I sat there and stared at the flights. I was one click away from "Purchase" until my reality-laden mind took over.

I need a vacation. That leaves the airport.

jazz vs cavs

2009-01-25T17:54:00.004-07:00

So I hit up my first Jazz game of the season. I sure do love the Jazz. Nan, Joe, Scott, and I purchased tickets last minute.

As pictured above, Hollie joined us later. Welcome back from Key West, Girl.

A few years back at a Clippers game, a mini soft basketball was thrown to me in the crowd. I caught it above my head. The ball was in my possession. But before I could pull the ball back down from a top my head, a full-grown man sitting directly behind me, grabbed the ball from my hands. He claimed it as his own. Needless to say, it affected me. Since this fateful day, I have carried a certain chip on my shoulder. Last night, a blue voice-cone-thing (pictured above) was thrown again in my direction. I wasn't going to let this one pass me by. Well, apparently the kid in the row in front of me had the same idea. We both caught it at the same time. Instead of me giving up and letting the kid win, I pulled and struggled with all my might for a good thirty seconds. When I finally came to and realized what I was doing, I released it and let the 12 year old have it. Not my proudest moment. Ha ha

Well the Jazz and King James put on a great game - until the end where we lost it. It was a heartbreaker.

Hollie, Joe, Nan (above), Scott and me (below) post-game at California Pizza Kitchen.

I got the Thai Chicken Pizza. Folks, if you haven't tried it - you're missing out.

winter

2009-01-25T17:36:00.003-07:00

So I'll be the first to admit: I hate winter. I think the snow is not only useless, but very inconvenient. I find it very disgusting the amounts of it we've received this winter. I'm a summer person.

Anyway, I still thought these pictures were cute because my Nephew Cole thought it was soo cool that he could sled in our front yard.

honor student

2009-01-05T13:06:00.006-07:00

I know that I have left you all on the edge of your seats with the whole "ucler" thing. I am sorry for the delay in updating. Here's how it went down:

I knew that grades would be posted on Wednesday December 24th. They're always posted the Wednesday following finals, but this didn't stop me from checking very consistently every 3 hours for a week.

But I finally went to bed on December 23rd and woke up abruptly in the middle of the night. I looked at my cell phone and it read: Decemeber 24th - 3:39 AM. My automatic thought was: It's Christmas Eve. Yes. Grades.

I hopped out of bed and ran to the computer in the living room. I started the dial-up connection (ha ha, just kidding. Just sounds funny to say these days. And more intense.) and navigated to UVU's website. I typed in my student ID and password. I followed the ever-familiar steps to my student records where my grades lie waiting.

Doubt lingered in the back of my mind because I wasn't sure if they would be up so early in the morning. As my shaky hand finally came to the right page, there it was. Fall 2008 grades. I stopped. Did I really want to know? I was about to see just how much my hard work had paid off; if any. I was sure that I would get an A- in Biology. Even Math 1050 I couldn't be sure of the results.

I finally took a deep breath and opened the page. I scrolled down to the middle of the page and to my complete and utter shock I saw my first 4.0 of my entire school career. That's right, even in Junior High and High school had I never pulled this off. I would never have to retake Biology, Math 1050 or Chemistry 1110 again. A few tears dropped from my unbelieving eyes.

I went back to bed to enjoy the most peaceful night's sleep ever. Oh wait, that didn't happen. For the rest of the night, I lay in bed with a million thoughts and scenarios running through my already overworked mind....

What if I really got into Nursing school? Would I have time to work? I have to work. Where would I work? I have to have 24 hours at IHC a week. I'm going to have to work some kind of night shift. Wait, I don't want to quit my job. I don't have any skills....My thoughts when on and on like this for the rest of the night.

Needless to say, I've been pretty ecstatic. But also this makes my future that much more real...which scares me. Am I ready to be an adult? I also want to apologize to all of you whom I've ignored through this grueling semester. I'm ready to be fun again...please call...

ulcer

2008-12-08T10:41:00.002-07:00

I'm pretty sure that the health community has discredited any correlation between stress and ulcers. But I think they're wrong.

It was last Thursday when the reality of the semester ending and finals coming set in. Since then, I've been a slight nervous wreck.

I wake up in the middle of the night with cold sweats for no apparent reason. My thoughts automatically reflect on my Chemistry class.

My Chemistry final is this Wednesday. 45% percent of my grade. Yeah. I am terrified that my 96% grade in the class right now will be blown to bits by a few wrong answers.

I need some Valium.

coldplay

2008-11-26T20:58:00.006-07:00

They've been my favorite band for years. I can never get sick of their songs. I've never seen them in concert though; until last Saturday night.

I remember a call I got from my dear friend Tara back in 2006 while I was living in Kauai. I couldn't really hear her, but I could hear a familiar song in the background. One of my favorite Coldplay songs. Tara was in Las Vegas at the Coldplay concert. Without me. It was one of the few times I truly wanted to get off that Island.

Since that day, I've had an ever-increasing urge to see them live. Finally, the opportunity came to purchase tickets in the Springs. They were finally coming to Salt Lake City. We purchased our tickets, but the best seats we could get were the front row of the upper bowl. It didn't really matter, though. I was going to see my favorite band.

We arrived at the Delta Center (yes, I still call it that) and I immediately headed to the gift counter to purchase my concert t-shirt. I usually get one at the concerts I attend. After I put it on, we headed up the long flight of stairs to our seats.

We found our portal WW and I started to walk through the double doors. I noticed soon that Tara, Sarah, and Kelly were not following me anymore. I turned around and saw them talking to two British strangers. I went over and joined their conversation.

Marta and Stephanie introduced themselves to us in their British accents. They asked us if they could kindly see our tickets. We handed them over and they examined our seats. Marta said, "You paid all this to sit clear up here?" Um, yes.

Stephanie went on, "How's about we play a little game with you? A game of trivia - no, trust. A game of trust?"

I suspiciously looked at them, but soon my tension eased because they wore the Official VIVA band jackets. They had to be trustworthy to wear those. They continued, "You hand us all of your tickets, close your eyes, and we'll put different tickets in your hands. You must trust us that they will be better. Don't open your eyes."

I've never closed my eyes so tightly before. I didn't want Marta and Stephanie to think I was cheating in anyway. Too much was at stake.

They placed new tickets in our hands and said, "Open your eyes. You've just won 2nd row tickets on the floor!"

As you can imagine, we screamed, cried, cheered, and hugged our new friends. We were pretty much in shock. Then we screamed, cried, cheered and hugged our friends again. We seriously couldn't believe it. So lucky.

We made our way to the floor and watched as they really did let us through and lead us to our 2nd row seats. Front and center. It seemed like a dream. My favorite band. Right there. Just mere feet away.

Well, the rest is history. Chris Martin and Co. came out and put on one of the best shows I've ever seen. It was so incredible and intense being right there. I yelled out, "I love you Chris!" once, and he actually heard me. Too convenient.

Thanks Tara, Sarah, Kelly, Marta, Stephanie, Chris, Guy, Jonny, and Will for making it such a fantastic night.

flu vaccines

2008-11-04T08:14:00.003-07:00

Hey peeps.

So with winter around the corner, so is the flu.

My office has been giving out flu shots for a few weeks now. I have become extremly jealous of those who administer the vaccines. Because, after all, that's what I'm going to school to do one day!

Anyway, my co-workers got brave all of a sudden and decided they would let me practice a bit on them.

Do you notice the look of slight panic on my face? Don't worry - I'm cool. Just concentratin'...

Another awesome shot.

Thanks to Deana, Sean, Kindi, Megan, and Deelisa! You guys are tough.

feelin' patriotic

2008-11-04T08:12:00.003-07:00

I am feeling very patriotic today.

You could probably tell by some posts from the past, that I have been looking forward to election day for a while. I remember a year ago thinking, "Why are they campaigning already? It's a year away!" And to think it's finally here.

Anyhow, I woke up a bit earlier than usual today so I could get out the door at 6:45 AM. I was trying to beat all my neighbors to the Orem City Center where we unite in voting. Unfortunately, my crafty neighbors had the same thing on their minds. There was already a hefty line by the time I got there.

It was pretty interesting though. I mean, four years ago I voted as well, but I went then as a child; walking in the shadows of my parents. This election, I went alone. At 7 AM. With true convictions.

As I walked up to the library and viewed the growing line within, I could see my old Bishop, my fifth grade teacher, high school friends, my neighbors. It was cool to see the community come together and cast their votes. I couldn't help but feel extremely patriotic. I love this Country.

Took this pic on my phone so I could show off my "I Voted Today" sticker. It's the best part.

pumpkin carving

2008-10-26T22:32:00.004-06:00

Last Saturday Nan, Joe, Scott, and I sharpened our knives and embarked in a pumpkin carving competition extravaganza.

As you can see, Joe carves best when he is shirtless. I came up with this beauty.

We sent Nan out at midnight to pick up some candles so we could get the full effect. After polling numerous individuals, the Halloween cat came out on top. Good effort to all contestants.

still here

2008-10-17T12:35:00.004-06:00

I've been racking my brain the last few days to come up with something to blog about. I know you all anxiously await an update from me.

To be quite honest, nothing too awesome has happened lately. I'm basically in school mode. BOORRRING.

But, in any event, here are a few that have been on my mind...

1. You know you're becoming an adult when 10 PM hits and you not only tell yourself its your bedtime, but it feels like your bedtime. This waking-up-at-5:40-AM business is cruel.

2. I am tired of hearing about the upcoming presidential election. I am sick of hearing about how awesome Obama is because he's a Socialist who thinks that the government should do EVERYTHING for you. How we did anything for ourselves before him is beyond me. Capitalism people, Capitalism.

3. I am sick of celebrities endorsing him because its the cool thing to do. In fact, I don't want to hear anything you think because most of you are irresponsible and immoral.

4. My little brother baptized someone in the Atlantic Ocean the other day. I thought that was awesome. He's awesome. (Not being facetious.)

5. I've taught Sunday School Book of Mormon every other week since February. I just told my friend John (the SS Pres) on Sunday that I'm going to be switching wards. I am bittersweet about the whole thing. I've gained a lot from teaching, but oh yeah, I'm going to love having that bit of stress relieved for a while.

6. I can't help but be disappointed in my sports teams this fall. The Cowboys are faltering with Romo out for a few weeks. The Yankees. Oh the Yankees. WHY do you do this to me every fall? And BYU. You broke my heart last night. Please Jazz - give me something to look forward to this Spring.

7. I love the Fall and Halloween. I do not like, however, snow coming in and ruining it just when its getting good. Please, leave us be.

8. I saw my first UGG offender at the BYU game last week. It's going to be a long winter. (Read UGGLY)

9. I love any food item that has pumpkin in it. Pancakes, cookies, rolls, pie, etc. Delicious.

10. I don't know if I'm allowed to announce this yet, but I've waited so long! Please forgive me Stacey. My sister-in-law is pregnant! That's right, Brandon and his wife Stacey are having a baby in May and making me an aunt again!

Well, there you have it people.

bones

2008-09-17T10:58:00.003-06:00

So, this is pretty much my new favorite show. Bones (a.k.a. Temperance Brennan) is a forensic anthropologist that works with FBI Agent Seely Booth. Together, Bones and Booth work to solve weird unsolved cases. I just purchased season one last night from Graywhale (got a great deal by the way). Sorry Ash.

I've noticed a pattern among my own television choices. I have figured out I am attracted to shows that have to do with the LAW. For example, I love: Alias (CIA), X-FILES (FBI), 24 (CTU), Bones (FBI), Law and Order SVU (NYPD?).

Forget medicine, I should have gone into law enforcement. I think that's where my passion may lie.

In any event, check out "Bones" on Wednesday nights on FOX. 7 PM. It's pretty good.

youth restored

2008-09-12T13:34:00.006-06:00

It's a Christmas miracle. That's all there is to it.

If you read the post below, you would know about my little "jaunt" to Havasupai. And if you've been around me at all in the last month you've had the great fortune of hearing me talk about my knee. And how I can't run. Or hike. And how it has ruined my life.

I have a certain mentality that I am young and invincible. I am 22 years old and my body should be able to withstand anything. I should be able to climb a mountain or swim across a lake or get thrown across an arena by bull and be able to get up, dust myself off, and carry on my merry way. I should be able to hike 35+ miles over the weekend and not be affected. Thus far in my life this has rang true.

That is why having this ailment has been extremely disheartening. I was told by my Doctor (okay, nurse Val) that I was not to do anything physical or too outdoorsy until the knee stopped hurting. She also had me do a regimen of 600 mg of ibuprofen 3 times daily, along with heating my knee as often as I could. This routine provided relief (I no longer was limping around), but the pain would never fully go away.

I finally made the decision the last week of August to make an appointment to meet with an Orthopedic Surgeon. You know I've reached a point of desperation and/or "giving in" when I finally make an appointment to see a doctor. I just don't like them. But in any event, the date was set for September 5th.

If you've had the pleasure of visiting Cascade Springs up past Sundance, you would know that that place is very leisurely. The entire place is paved and not-hilly enough that even Kim can go around in her wheelchair. On September 1st, Labor Day, I was there for about 15 minutes just walking around and enjoying nature. At the end of this quarter-hour, my knee was aching and I was once again disheartened.

Cascade Springs

I decided that day that I was going to matters into my own hands. I headed to the local drug store (okay, Walmart) and picked up a bottle of "Triple Flex". I had heard rumors of the great miracles that glucosamine had done for aching joints. I figured I had nothing to lose and started my own treatment plan.

I started taking two pills a night before bed and watched for some signs of a difference. The changes were very subtle. But I decided that I would keep giving this a chance and I canceled my doctor's appointment. It didn't me long to convince myself that I didn't want to go to the doctor.

Then came Saturday September 6th; just five days after that beginning of my health plan. I woke up and didn't really have anywhere to be or anything to do. I watched three "Friends" episodes with Ally. Around noon I hit a point that only one who has lived a sedentary lifestyle for a month could hit. I decided it was time to test my "new knee" and go to the gym.

I knew it was risky considering how many times I had been told to take it easy. But as soon as I mounted the treadmill, I knew it had to be right. I started off slow, but gradually increased my speed. As I was running, I kept looking and feeling for signs of a sudden collapse. But none came. In fact, my knee felt really good. I had healed myself.

Since then, I have been to the gym a few times and my knee doesn't hurt. I'm not sure if I can completely give credit to the glucosamine, but who knows? All I know is that on Monday my knee hurt from walking around Cascade Springs, and by Saturday I was able to run pain-free at the gym.

A Christmas miracle? I should say so.

*Some of you may be thinking, "Tawny, couldn't you have wrapped that story up in one sentence: my knee was hurting so I took some pills and now I feel great." Yes, I suppose I could have just said that, but where's the fun in that?

havasupai pictures

2008-09-09T10:44:00.001-06:00

Havasupai

2008-09-08T14:16:00.000-06:00

After months of planning, preparation, and purchasing, we finally got to Havasupai. There were 19 of us total that made the journey down: Tawny, Daunetta, Jordan, Talley, Alan, Scott, Sarah, Kally, Heather, Jory, Brian, Tyson, Jon-o, Cabe, Johnny, Brecca, Ryan, Dallas, and Cameron.

Here's how it all went down.

Day 1 (July 31): All of the different cars made their way to the trailhead to start the 12 mile descent into the Grand Canyon. My car (Daunetta, Jordan, Talley, Alan, Scott, and Sarah) got to the trailhead around 6 AM that morning. The hike down was started by about a mile or so of steep switchbacks. Once we reached the bottom of The Canyon, we hiked along a dried up river bottom. Our journey that morning was mostly shaded - otherwise we would have died of heat exhaustion. After about ten miles, we reached the town of Supai. This town is occupied by the Havasupai Indians. It's a pretty interesting place. Like out of an old western film, complete with the dirt roads. By the time we reached Supai, the sun was out and we were HOT. We stopped in a makeshift grocery store and cooled down by a giant fan. After paying our fees to the office, we put our heavier-than-ever packs back on and continued hiking to the final two miles to the campgrounds. Those final two miles were sheer torture. We were exhausted and the sun was beating down on us. But, alas, we finally made it to the shaded campgrounds. I was utterly spent at that point. But the shade helped and we set up our hammocks along the river and relaxed for a bit. We soon threw on our swimsuits and headed for the nearest attraction: Havasu Falls. This place was amazing. The water was the color of light-blue Koolaid. At the bottom of the falls, there are travertine pools that allowed for much exploration. We chilled here for a good part of the day before returning back to our campsite to heat up some dehydrated food. Yum.

Day 2 (August 1): You'd think since we hiked 12+ miles the day before that we would have wanted to relax the next day, but no, that's not our style. We started toward a place called Beaver Falls. We heard it was about four miles upstream. We first encountered Mooney Falls. As you hike along, you come to the top of this Falls and you must make the steep and slighty insane descent to the bottom to continue along. You basically had to go down a sheer cliff by hanging on to some rusty chains. It was a little nerve-racking. But we made it to the bottom of this beautiful spectacle. We continued along the river and came to this very quaint pool amid the river. There was this awesome rope swing set up in a tree. So we decided to stop for an hour or so and frolic there. This was one of my favorite spots. When we had enough, we kept going. And going. And going. Yeah, it seemed much longer than four miles. Most in our group were not equipped for an eight mile round-trip hike. Food and water was scarce. But soon the group reached Beaver Falls - which was nearly by the Grand Canyon National Park. Yikes. After our lengthy hike, you'd think, once again, that we'd want to rest a bit. Nope. Jordan, Talley, Alan, Scott, and I decided to hike to the Village (about four miles round-trip) to partake of their delicious Supai Tacos. This "restaurant" wasn't your normal eatery. You ordered from an Indian's family room window and sat on picnic tables in their backyard. This yard had a makeshift stage built where the contestants from "Miss Supai" were practicing. Classic.

Day 3 (August 2): We woke up early and ate some delicious blueberry pancakes. That's right folks, we made a poor mule carry in our camp stove. Don't tell PETA. But I can't say I'm sorry. I needed the carbs. Anyway, we went to possibly the coolest waterfall that day: Navajo Falls. This place was truly a magical place. There were so many nookes and crannies to explore. So many places under waterfalls to see. We didn't have as much time here as we would have liked, but it was amazing. When I come back, I will definitely spend at least a day there. We were going to hike out around 4 PM when the weather started to cool down, but it was cloudy out so we thought we would get a head start out. So we started to long journey to the Village two miles away. About 20 minutes into our hike out, the sun decided to show itself for the first time in two days. Great. It was so hot. I mean, I really hate the heat (and actually cold too, but whatevs). My body wasn't built for extreme temperatures. We started at a good pace and would rest when we hit shade. It was our only chance of survival against heat exhaustion. When we finally hit the mile or so of steep switchbacks up to the car, I wanted to give up. I mean, I try not to be too dramatic, but I couldn't help myself at this point. By the time we got to the switchbacks my foot, KNEE, and hip (all on the right leg) were aching. Most of our group was at the car, and my Mom and Talley were about a half mile behind Scott and I. I begged Scott to leave me to die about seven times during these switchbacks. And I was dead serious. I really wanted to be left behind. I as SO tired and my whole leg just hurt so bad. Praise the heavens for Scott talking me through this end part. I wouldn't have made it. Well, I would have...about three days later. So, after what seemed like nine days of hiking, we reached the car and headed back to Kingman, Arizona. We ate a delicious Denny's meal (bet you don't hear delicious and Denny's in the same sentence often) that was served by a fantastic waitress Gayle. Back at the hotel, I've never slept so well.

Day 4 (August 3): Not much happened this day except many hours of travel. I mainly wanted to mention that after months of searches and disappointing gift shop hours, I finally was able to purchase my highly coveted Hoover Dam pin. It made my trip.

All in all this was a pretty amazing trip. We were very glad that we made it there two weeks before the whole dang place completely flooded over. It has taken over a month for my knee to finally heal, but it was well worth the heat, injuries, and near-death experiences we encountered.

snake in the grass

2008-09-04T14:15:00.004-06:00

I'm not sure when my interest in politics and government started, but I credit my high school government teacher Mr. Miner. Being in his class didn't fill me with the same boredom and uninterest that most of my other classes held. I could listen to him for hours; going off on politics and what is right and wrong with our system. This is where my love for the Constitution bloomed. We picked it apart and translated it into a modern language that was easy for us to understand. Since graduating, my interest remained.

This election time has got me all sorts of excited (and scared, too). In the light of the Republican National Convention, I am going to list a few reasons why I will be voting for McCain and NOT Obama.

1. Sarah Palin. Enough said. I'm impressed.

2. If Hollywood supports Obama, it's a sure indicator that I DO NOT want to vote for him. I won't be listening to the immoral to sway my vote.

3. Obama is a fancy orator, but I haven't heard him say anything that he'll actually do except for raise my taxes and impose a Socialist government on me.

4. McCain is not afraid to stay in Iraq to finish this thing up. Obama wants to pull out to stay popular with the mainstream media and liberal nutcases.

5. While filling our tires can be slightly helpful, its not a solution. McCain will drill. Obama will not.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from last night by Sarah Palin:

"[Obama] can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting and never use the word 'victory' except when he's talking about his own campaign."

"In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change."

"What exactly is our opponent's plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet? The answer is to make the government bigger and take more of your money."

"I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities."

Okay, so most of these reasons have to do with why I think Barack is a snake in the grass. Although I would have much preferred Mitt Romney in the Whitehouse, McCain will be a million times better than Obama and his unpatriotic wife.

i can't be trusted

2008-08-21T10:47:00.004-06:00

So I got a mysterious email from an Elder Larsen yesterday at 12:30 PM that read,

"1:30 today! At your place of employ! What!? Yes. See you there. But, really, you'll probably only see me."

What!? Automatically the wheels in my advanced head started turning. Did he really think he could come by my building and not expect to see me? Was he playing a trick on me? Was this message really from Chad?

I started to conjure up a plan that would satisfy my best interests. He had an appointment on the third floor around 1:30 PM. Missionaries normally have better habits than normal 20 year olds. I had to be downstairs at least 15 minutes early to make sure I didn't miss him.

So around 1:13 PM I headed to the pharmacy on the first floor of our building and purchased him numerous candy bars as a means of getting on his good side. After all, this was totally breaking the rules.

I made my way to the empty bench right next to the main front doors of the building. And I waited. A part of me was still not convinced that he would really show up. I scrolled through pictures on my camera and anxiously waited longer. I kept seeing patients of my clinic walk by. I didn't really like that.

Finally, at 1:33 PM, I looked up and saw my kid brother, dressed in his sleek black suit, waltz unsuspectantly through the front door. He saw me sitting on the bench, and froze. By his expression, I guess he didn't really expect to see me stalking the hallway awaiting his arrival.

"Oh hey Chad" was my normal greeting to him. He had that Chad look on his face like what the heck and replied, "Oh hey Tawny. Didn't expect to see you here. Waiting for me."

"Chad, did you really think you could tell me your appointment time and expect to not see me?"

He was late for his appointment and kept awkwardly walking to the elevator so the Old Dude who was escorting him wouldn't get too mad. He stopped before he got on the elevator.

"Chad, I know that this is totally not allowed, but can we just take a picture of this? I need picture proof for the fam."

I handed my camera to Old Dude and he shakily took our picture (this accounts for the slight bluriness of the picture). Chad made sure to put on his "guilty" face. But really, we all know that he couldn't have been too surprised.

We quickly said our goodbyes and he took the elevator, while I took the stairs. And that was that.

I was pretty stoked about our encounter, but I somehow exercised enough patience to wait to tell the fam until I got home from work around 5:30 PM. I had devised yet another plan. I walked through the kitchen and, very conveniently, most of my family was gathered in the family room. I strolled right in and said to my mom, "Look who I ran into today."

She stared at my camera for a moment and then yelled, "What!? Are you kidding me?! You saw CHAD today??" It didn't take long for the rest of my family to run over and see my awesome picture. Needless to say they were all pretty jealous.

tube run down provo river

2008-08-21T10:21:00.003-06:00

It's pretty much my favorite thing to do during the summer. Load up the truck and head up Provo Canyon. We launch just right before the dam and sail down the river until we reach Vivian Park.

Normally for me, being a seasoned tuber and all, I usually get down the river scotch-free. Sometimes, though, some of my friends haven't been as fortunate. I think it has a lot to do with their inexperience. Poor fools.

At any rate, I love the peace and calm the river brings. But just as much, I love the rapids, rocks, and bridges. There is always a surprise waiting for you on the River.

miles away...

2008-08-15T14:17:00.005-06:00

While I was on my trip to Havasupai (sorry, still working on that post) my little brother Chad, who is in the MTC right now, had a doctor's appointment on the third floor of my building where I work. Chad, knowing I was out of the office, slipped this little note on my desk.

I got to work on Monday morning and saw this waiting for me. All my co-workers saw him in his suit and tag. They chatted with him for a minute and he told them he wouldn't have come if I was there. Rude. Anyway, it was weird to me because he is still here in Provo - yet so far away.

chaco lines

2008-08-14T12:53:00.005-06:00

If you've ever been around the Larsen fam you've probably noticed the family footwear. Now, we're not "Granolas" (as some ignorant people immediately assume when you wear these), but we do love these shoes. Up until last night, we all had them except for Kim (see above picture, the green Crocs.)

We sent away for these beauties the other day and she got them just in time for her birthday.

Chaco Challenge: Try a pair. I promise you will love them. The Larsen's have converted numerous people - all of which are happy customers.

Happy Birthday Kim

2008-08-13T13:33:00.008-06:00

Dear Kim,

Happy Birthday! I can't believe you're 28 years old!

I hope all your birthday wishes come true - even though your birthday wishes have remained the same year after year: BOOKS, DVD's, BOOKS, CLOTHES, BOOKS.

Tonight when we do your favorite things (BOWLING, PIZZA, ROOTBEER) at your party, I am going to break your bowling record. It's on!

Maybe if you're really nice (and promise not to tell Mom or Dad) I'll let you look at Chad's "Completely-Off-Limits-To-Kim" Bookcase. Hopefully Chad won't notice if you borrow one. Just have it back in 23 months.

I would tell you that I got you a pretty awesome present, but you already know that when you sneakily awaited my return from Borders yesterday and spyed on your gift through the front room window. I know you'll still act excited and surprised when you open it.

Also, we have to get you out in the sun more so you can work on your Chaco lines. That gift was my idea.

Well, Miss Kimmy, I hope you have a fantastic day. You're still my favorite oldest sister.

Love, Tawny

don't wake me

2008-08-05T13:25:00.002-06:00

I had an interesting night of sleep last night. My right knee has been killing me from my recent ascent out of Havasupai (look for more in an upcoming post). So last night I wrapped bags of ice around my knee with an Ace wrap. I then slept on my back. That's uncomfortable in itself. I woke up from knee pain around 2:30 AM.

During those moments of half-awake consciousness, I discovered a problem with my left ear. I started feeling it with my hands. It felt unusually large and hot. I ran into the bathroom and to my immediate horror, my ear had tripled in size! It was a total Will Smith moment.

I immediately start looking for some sort of bug bite to explain this hideous swelling, but nothing to be found. My early-morning mind starts racing towards possibilities: ear cancer, Indian diseases, cellulitis... I finally resorted to some good old Benadryl and went back to bed.

I woke up around 8 AM to get ready for work. I had hoped that the whole ear deal was just a bad dream. Not so. Although the swelling did dramatically decrease, my ear is still slightly swollen, red, and hot to the touch. Not to mention it just looks bigger than my other one. Dr. Jones offered to cut it off for me to stop the undoubted infection raging thru my ear.

Another added bonus is that because of the consumption of Benadryl, I woke up more drowsy than usual. You know the feeling you get when you're really tired and if you stop moving at all, this warm feeling comes over you and you're ready to fall into a deep sleep. Yeah, that keeps happening to me at work today. I made a sign for the patients that reads, "If I'm asleep, don't wake me."

I Want to Believe

2008-07-22T13:25:00.003-06:00

It all started one fateful summer evening. The smell of Orem Summerfest was in the air. Not only was I all alone in the house, but the entire city was deserted. I was stricken with a mysterious illness that forced me to keep a bucket near. As I lay there in the eeriness of the quiet family room, I knew I shouldn't watch it alone. I knew it scared me. The music alone was enough to make one's skin crawl. But the curiosity defeated my logic. I started to watch what would become a converting marathon.

From that night on, I couldn't get enough. I knew what days and times TNT would play the old reruns. I knew they wouldn't be shown on the weekends. In those instances, a certain lonliness would ensue. But soon, it wasn't enough. The random episodes only gave way to more curiosity. I wanted, no, I needed to know the whole storyline.

I soon found myself watching auctions on Ebay for the seasons. Nine to be exact. Nine seasons were taunting me to be viewed. I had to have them. I finally broke down and purchased them all. Best decision of my life.

To those who have never devoted hours upon hours to this religion will never know. They look at and think: Aliens. Dumb. To you I say you couldn't be any more wrong. I was once in your shoes and saw only cliche flying saucers and green men. It runs much deeper. I can't even begin to explain to one who knows nothing about it. Conspiracies. Mystery. Mulder. Forbidden love.

And now, the day has finally come. I have spent countless hours scouring the internet for news about this rumored movie. To be honest, I didn't think it would ever come. Or at least not until December 22, 2012.

*view the trailer

MTC

2008-06-26T13:11:00.009-06:00

So as most of you are aware (because I keep crying about it), the little brother entered the Missionary Training Center yesterday. My older brother Brandon went on a mission about ten years ago, so I thought I would be sufficiently prepared. I was wrong.

We gathered at the parents' house in the morning and ate wheat pancakes. Around 10:40 we headed to Provo to drop Chad off. All the Mission Presidents are training this week at the MTC, so we got bumped to the Stake Center by Lavell Edwards Stadium. We got there and white tents were scattered throughout the vast parking lot. We were shuffled towards them, where we met a kind old man who checked Chad in. We then put yellow tags on all his luggage.

He was then sent to another tent to get his nametag. It was weird when he put the tag on with his suit. It made it all more real. It was interesting to see all the different families and the different missionaries scattered about in the parking lot. For some reason I only felt sorry for my family. I know, I shouldn't.

Our family next took a picture by the church before we went in. Once in the Chapel, we took our respective chairs and waited for the inevitable. I was fine during the talks, but once they had us sing "Called to Serve", I could barely make it thru the words. It was ridiculous. Then they had us watch the movie titled (you guessed it) "Called to Serve". I lost it. As dumb as it sounds, I couldn't really contain myself.

As soon as the movie was finished, we said a prayer and were asked to say goodbye. A quick, band-aid like goodbye, was what they encouraged. If you could have seen my family, you would have laughed. It was quite a scene. All of us have tears streaming down our faces, and as an added bonus, Kim had her head back wailing. That was the saddest part.

Chad then left out one door, and we went out the other. When we got back to the Suburban, we watched as the missionaries marched to the bus. Chad wouldn't look over at us. Jerk. Kidding. And that was it. My family headed to the Olive Garden to start the grieving process.

I really don't remember it being this hard when Brandon left. But then again, I was in Junior High when he went in so I didn't care because I was Awesome. I'm sure these next two years will go pretty fast, but I can't seem to believe it right now.

But I really am glad that he is finally out there. He's going to be an amazing missionary. And I'm sure my family will stop being such a bunch of babies soon...hopefully.

Capitol Reef

2008-06-04T21:17:00.014-06:00

So a few weekends ago, the friends and I took off to Capitol Reef. For those of you unfamiliar, Capitol Reef is located about three hours southeast from Orem. My family camped here often when I was a youngster, but its been a few years since we've been in the area.

We normally try to camp at the Capitol Reef National Park (because its pretty much amazing), but it was full by the time we got there. But no worries, we headed a half hour up the Dixie National Forest and set up camp. It was pretty secluded, so we could be as noisy as we wanted.

On Saturday, the Crew hiked Sulphur Creek. This is one that the fam did a few years back, and it is one of my favorites. You hike along side (or in) this creek and you come to several waterfalls. The falls aren't too big, but tons of fun.

Me, Heather, and Katie strolling up the creek. And in this one, Danny carried me up like this the whole way. Not.

Just exploring the nooks and crannies of the rocks.

Here we are back in Torrey. This is the town right before you hit Capitol Reef, and let me tell you, this place rocks. Time moves just a little bit slower in Torrey. This little ditch runs along side the whole town. Here, my friends conned me into climbing onto this abandoned rope swing; assuring me they did the same. It wasn't until I was 15 off the ground that they fessed up and said they hadn't really gone up the swing. Great guys, how do I get down?

Mele, Tara, Sarah, and I checking out this Kiva in the middle of town. We also found these abandoned cars in the wilderness of Torrey. If the doors are wired shut, does it means "Keep Out"? Doubt it.

So, pretty much Capitol Reef, the Dixie National Forest, and good ole Torrey made for quite an enjoyable weekend. Apart from the fact that many of us were sick (refer to blog: "brink of death"), it was the kickoff to a great summer.

can of duster

2008-05-30T15:25:00.003-06:00

When I get bored at work, I surf the internet. When I get bored of the internet, I start going through things on my desk, looking to make something better or more convenient. Or just to change it for the heck of it. Often times I find myself with a cold can of duster. You know, the can of air that has a straw connected to the spout to blow particles freely into the air. I was getting antsy at work today, and couldn't sit in my seat any longer. I found my can and began to wonder about the idea behind it. I have come to the conclusion that the can of duster really serves no meaningful purpose except to get me through the last hour of work before the weekend. You get your can and aim it at your keyboard, and dust goes flying any which way. This doesn't solve the problem of dust in the first place. It just sends it to another place on the desk; so now I have to dust this next contaminated spot. Wouldn't it better serve us if it was just the opposite - a can with suction. Think about it. A little can with a tiny straw that sucks up all the dust. I think about this everytime I use this ingenius office product, but really, am I going to stop using the can of office duster? Nope.

brink of death

2008-05-27T13:16:00.003-06:00

I trust that there hasn't been a soul is sight who hasn't heard me whine about me being sick. But pretty much all of you who read my blog, whine about me never writing anything new. So, here you have it. You get to read about me being sick. Fair trade. Anyway, it all started around May 14, 2008. I mentioned to my co-worker that I could feel a cough coming on. Which is really weird for me because I don't usually just get a "cough". But as the week progressed, I could tell it wasn't going anywhere. That weekend we went camping to Capitol Reef (look for an upcoming post about that) and my cough continued to get worse. I don't think it was good being around all the campfire smoke, but oh well - this wasn't going to ruin my camping trip. I should mention that it didn't help that those who occupied my same vehicle for this trip (Tara, Sarah, and Mele) were all pretty ill as well. I think we just got each other more sick. So I arrived home on Sunday afternoon with full intentions of going to my friend's mission farewell and then making it back in time to go to my own Sacrament meeting. Did I make it to either? Did I even make it past my parents' family room couch? Nope. I basically crashed on the couch for about four hours. Extreme fatigue had set it. I'm pretty sure I went to bed around 10 PM that night. Which is about three hours earlier than usual. The next day I woke up feeling lousy and really tired, so I texted the lady I work with to see if she would be there to cover my desk. This was her response, "I will be here. But I will be covering Linda's desk." Translation: "You must go to work Tawny." Bummer. So I suffered through a Monday at the OB-GYN clinic with a partial voice. I opted out of going to Micro class that night. I went home and took a nap, and then went to bed around 9 PM. The next day I woke up with even less of a voice and also the beginnings of what I thought to be "pink eye". I called in sick to work. I left a message, and let me tell you, I don't know if I would even understand what I said. That next night, Wednesday, I had Micro class again and decided I better go. I got to class and started taking the quiz. The quiz was on the overhead and he uncovers the questions one at a time. We got to question 8 before I could feel the overwhelming need to cough. I coughed twice, but I felt no relief. I tried holding it in because I didn't want to be one of those kids in class that can't stop coughing or sniffling. But to my great disappointment, holding in the cough only made it worse. Tears started streaming down my face and I thought my insides would implode from a lack of oxygen. I hurried and circled "C" on questions 9 and 10, and ran out the door. I proceeded to cough uncontrollably for the next five minutes straight. This kid in the hall poked his head around and said, "Hey, are you okay?" I muttered in my half-voice, "Yeah, I think so." But really I thought I was going to die. When I finally mustered enough courage to face my classmates again, I ran in the door and grabbed my books and headed home. The next night, I had Micro lab. I was lucky enough to be ill on a day where we were swabbing ourselves for diseases. I volunteered myself for project so I could see what was causing all my grief. We swabbed my nasty throat because I was sure something was growing back there because it was about half its normal size. We also swabbed the inside of my nose. We let the dishes grow over night. At work on Friday, I still sounded pretty bad, so the nurse gave me a Rx for an antibiotic - which I am sure has saved my life. I returned that day to the lab to see what was going down. I checked my plate growing my throat culture, and my germs turned the red plate green. Nasty. I then checked my special MSA (mannitol salt agar) plate. The MSA plates specialize in growing Staph aureus, which is the strain of Staph that is pathogenic (disease causing). If it is positive for S. aureus, it turns the red plate yellow. I pulled out my plate and to my surprise, my nose culture was completely yellow! My classmates were pretty grossed out. I immediately headed to Target to get my Rx filled and to get Echinacea, Zinc, Chloroseptic throat spray, and Ricola throat drops. I was determined at that point to rid myself of this. By Saturday, my lungs were beginning to hurt from the coughing and I made the mistake of mentioning this to my mother, who immediately turned around and told me that I had bronchitis and walking pneumonia, and that I needed to see a Doctor. I assured her that this wasn't a big deal, and that I would heal on my own. But really in the back of my mind, having my mother doubt my condition, only made me more of a worried hypochondriac. Thanks Mom. But I kept positive and got a lot of sleep through the weekend, and I am happy to report that I am almost completely healed. My voice still can't get as high as it once did, and I can't sing yet the way I used to, but I feel a full recovery in the works. All in all I had the following symptoms in the last two weeks: deep chest cough, runny nose, sore throat, "pink eye", inner ear problems, sinus congestion, loss of voice, extreme fatigue, sleep-less nights, lung pains, etc. Normally I'm not a baby when I get sick (HA! That's not true...), but I am usually pretty resilient. When I get a cold, I am usually all better in three days (Thanks to Zicam and AirBorne). I know most of you are saying, "Tawny, please. We already know all of this. How can we forget when you keep reminding us?" My deepest apologies to you all. But, in a way, you asked for it.

One Team. Crushed Dream.

2008-05-18T22:12:00.004-06:00

Well, the Jazz season is officially over. While I am not yet able to talk about it freely without getting angry and cursing, I will tell about a few good times from the Playoffs this year.

Here is Tara (aka Tito) and me sporting our Deron Williams t-shirts at one of the Houston Rockets games.

Playoff Mania

Michelle and me

Mele sporting the Jazz sweatband.

And look who I ran into. My long, lost friend Kindi.

I wish I could comment further about the Playoffs, but I get pretty riled up. I am convinced that the NBA is rigged and won't ever let the Jazz win the finals. I also didn't see the last game against the Lakers because I was camping, so it was like I never saw them lose. Denial. It's my favorite way to cope.

microbiology

2008-05-14T15:06:00.003-06:00

Summer school. Ugh. I'm kind of sick of people who I haven't seen in a while asking me, "So, what have you been up to?" I give the same, scripted answer over and over again: "Just school and work." I really feel like that is all I do - well, because it is. But anyway, this summer I am taking one class: Microbiology. There is a lecture and lab to this class. My lecture teacher is from Russia (I think), and just goes on in his thick accent about the "yeastie beasties". It's actually pretty funny. But at the same time two things happen in lecture: I either fall asleep or I end up leaving after an hour. It's inevitable. But I actually find the lab portion of class to be pretty fun. I take it from this old man that is incredibly nice. I go to lab two times a week and basically strap on gloves and goggles and play with microorganisms like e coli and staph. Cool - I know. So there you have it. There is my summer update for you. So if you talk to me, that's basically what I'll tell you I'm doing; at least until June 18th.

E coli

Blood Draw

2008-05-01T11:32:00.003-06:00

About three summers ago, Nan, Hollie, and myself took a phlebotomy course. It was pretty fun, but I have since lost my awesome skills. So I work for IHC at Legacy OB-GYN and have made some friends in the neighboring clinics, pharmacy, and lab. In the lab I have a friend by the name of Becki. Any of you city softball fans would remember her as our third baseman last summer. Anyway, I was down in the lab chatting with Becki the other day and I was telling her about my blood drawing experience. I related to her that I was pretty scared about being a phlebotomist. She then insisted that I practice on her. I told her I really didn't want to (but slightly in the back of my mind I wanted to see if I could remember how to do it). She won the battle and I proceeded to grab a needle, hub, alcohol pad, vial, cotton ball, gloves, etc. I fastened the tournequette tightly on her arm, sanitized the fleshy area, secured my vein of choice between two fingers, and finally inserted the needle. A small amount of blood traveled through the plastic tubing. I plugged the vial at the end and watched as the blood flowed freely. Victory was mine. So, now I go down to the lab on Monday's, Wednesday's, and Friday's to practice. Last Friday I took a butterfly needle and drew from Becki's hand. I am happy to report that she did not sustain a bruise and you can barely even see a puncture mark. My phlebotomy future is bright.

spring break 2008

2008-03-27T10:50:00.003-06:00

Due to the incredible amounts of threats and requests to update the blog - here's to all of you. With school and work causing a constant annoyance now that the sun has decided to reveal itself, spring break couldn't have come any sooner this year. I was going to write a lengthy blog and give you the day by day low-down, but I figured...I don't feel like it. So here are a few pictures and a brief description...

Ashley James and myself cruising on a boat at Sand Hollow (just right outside of St. George).Just crouzin' around the hills and mountains of St. George in this sweet four door Jeep. Someday...(sigh).

Instead of spending another cliche evening in Las Vegas, I forced Heather and Ashley to drive with me to Hoover Dam. We had a dam good time! So, I know this wasn't the best blog, but, hey, I'm busy!

UGGLY

2008-01-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

WARNING - THIS MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO ABOUT 50% OF THE GIRL POPULATION... I recently sat on a University Mall bench a few weeks ago with Amy and Ali Goffin. I was shocked to see how many girls had their pants tucked into their boots! We turned it into a game and started counting to see just how many offenders there were. In the 7 minutes that we sat on the bench, we counted a total of about 15 to 20 girls. And, unfortunately, this was just on one side of the hall. If we were to turn 180 degrees to the other flow of traffic, I'm sure it would have doubled. Are the girls of Utah Valley aware that they are NOT living in Aspen, Colorado? Not only are UGG boots being sported (which, granted, is slightly okay if you're living in a posh city like Aspen or Park City), but we are seeing just about every kind of boot; snow boots, tall rubber boots, short boots, moon boots - if you own a pair of boots, tuck 'em in! Some may defend the point - "There's snow outside. We don't the bottom of our pants wet." Well, what have you done in the past? This is not the first winter with snow, but this is certainly the first outbreak of this epidemic. In any event, a day in Utah Valley would make Napolean proud.

I Could Take Her

2007-11-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

As you may, or may not be aware, my friends and I like to take random trips together. This last weekend we embarked on the open road; destination: Pocatello, Idaho. Lindsey booked us a sweet room at the local Marriott (she gets great deals because she works for a Marriott in South Jordan - so we have good reason to keep her around.) Many may beg the question why in the world would we go to this forsaken hell hole? Well, we had good reason: we wanted to see Heather in a leotard. Heather is a trained powerlifter, and competes in local and out-of-state competitions. She is actually very good. Allow me to describe exactly what a powerlifting competition emcompasses. You walk into an open gym/room that is filled with the aroma of stale sweat and old socks. There are chairs for spectators set up at the far end of the gym. On the far left wall, there is an announcing table, complete with three women who inform you of who's up next, who's on deck, and who's in the hole. In the front center of the gym there is a mat where all the action takes place. There are three different competitions that these powerlifters are competing in: squats, bench press, and dead lift. This is how a typical set goes. Commentator: "Up next is Helga Uchenvot for the dead lift. Helga is attempting to set an Idaho State record by lifting 445 pounds." Helga struts over to the center mat sporting a leotard that I am positive is cutting off her circulation, a worn in leather belt that is three prongs too tight, and chalk smeared over all remaining uncovered flesh. She stands in front of the weight bar that is lying unsuspecting on the floor. On either end there are massive weights that the gym crew just finished putting on. Helga looks to the sky and raises both arms like Moses. She yells out an unintelligable phrase in her native tongue (the onlooking crowd is frightened at this point), then proceeds to bend the upper half of her bulky body to ground where the bar lays. She puts two hands on the bar, holds her breath, and then finally lifts. She pulls the bar a foot off the ground; then another inch higher, and another. Her body continues to struggle to get the weight completely up. She then lets out one final cry, and distorts her red face in a way you didn't think possible and lifts with all her might until her shoulders are completely back. She drops the weight immediately; and the task is accomplished. She grunts aloud once more in victory. This is a reason why us common, regular-strengthed folk are slightly terrified at these competitions. Anyway, Heather did awesome in her competitions. She benched 140 pounds, and dead lifted 305 pounds. She walked away with first place in her weight her division! Oh, and she also won a case of a mystery drink shown in the photo below. All in all it was a very fun trip - and I beat Heather up. Twice. So I wonder who the real champion is...

Inside My Mind...

2007-11-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Hello All,
I guess this is my first blog (well, at least since the Glenhooker days...), and I thought it appropriate to fill out this thing that Tara had on her blog (actually, I really couldn't think of what my first entry should be about...so here you go!)

Someone gives you money and sends you into the grocery store to pick up 5 items. You can only pick one thing from the following departments.. what is it?
1. Produce: Strawberries
2. Bakery: Whole wheat bread
3. Meat: Steak
4. Frozen: Burritos
5. Dry goods: Tortilla chips (and salsa)

Let's say we're heading out for a weekend getaway. You're only allowed to bring 3 articles of clothing with you. So, what's in your bag?
1. Black Reef flip-flops
2. Favorite black zip-up jacket (Empire is the brand, I think, if you care.)
3. Big Star Jeans

If I was to listen in on one of your conversations throughout the day, what 5 phrases or words would I be most likely to hear?
1. "Whatever."
2. "Legacy OB-GYN?"
3. "Hmm. Interesting."
4. "You're dead to me."
5. "Where's Kally?"

So, what 4 things do you find yourself doing every single day, and if you didn't get to do, you probably wouldn't be in the best mood?
1. Look at a cadaver :)
2. Check my email
3. Relax for a moment on the couch.
4. Schedule an appointment for a pap smear. haha

Sweet, you just scored a whole afternoon to yourself. We're talking a 3 hour block with nobody around. What 5 activities might we find you doing?
1. Watching a movie
2. Scrapbooking
3. Napping
4. Rollerblading down the canyon.
5. Guitar Hero III (when I get it, of course)

We're going to the zoo. But, it looks like it could start storming, so it'll have to be a quick visit. What 3 exhibits do we have to get to?
1. Anywhere in the feline house
2. Penguins
3. Monkeys

You just scored tickets to the taping of any show that comes on t.v. of your choice. You can pick between 4, so what are you deciding between?
1. The Office
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Oprah (on her "Favorite Things" day)
4. Lost (bonus - I would be back in Hawaii)

You're hungry for ice cream. I'll give you a triple dipper ice cream cone. What 3 flavors can I pile on for ya?
1. Costco Vanilla Ice Cream
2. Cookie Dough
3. Cherry Chocolate Chip
*Disclaimer - I'm not really an ice cream fan though...

Somebody stole your purse/wallet…in order to get it back, you have to name 5 things you know are inside to claim it. So, what's in there?
1. Brown DaKine wallet
2. probably 4-5 chapsticks
3. Cell Phone
4. Car Keys
5. Pink iPod

You are at a job fair, and asked what areas you are interested in pursuing a career in. Let's pretend you have every talent and ability to be whatever you wanted, so what 4 careers would be fun for you?
1. A freakin' Nurse!
2. National Geographic photographer
3. Person who travels to foreign countries tasting the best foods
4. Nutritionist

If you could go back and talk to the old you, when you were in high school, and inform yourself of 4 things, what would you say?
1. Take your nursing pre-requisites early!
2. Travel more.
3. Get better grades.
4. Become a CNA.