The Annual Christmas Tree Hunt

     It's tradition in my family to go to the mountains every year after Thanksgiving and cut down our own Christmas tree.  This was the first year in 22 years that I have gone that was unsucessful.  When we were driving out of Evanston there was a sign that said the road was closed 30 miles ahead.  We were pretty sure that was where we needed to go to get to the area where we usually hunt for our tree.  When we got to the Bear River Service to buy the passes we found out we couldn't get down the road that we usually go to get our trees.  The rangers were sending everyone up another road but warned that a lot of people had been getting stuck.  They said we could hike in but it was at least a 2 mile hike to get to an area that you could cut down a tree.  My dad and Mr. Green decided it wasn't worth the risk of getting stuck or trying to hike 2 miles in snow up to your knees.  Instead we decided to try and get to the cabin and roast hot dogs there.  Down the road we went to the gate for the cabin.  Unfortunately we couldn't get to the cabin either.  So once again we had to turn around.  We decided to go back to Evanston and get something to eat.   

Here is the 2010 Christmas Tree Hunt picture.  Outside the Evanston Subway.  We'll never forget this Christmas tree hunt. 

David, Sammy, and Josie

     When we finished eating we decided that we would stop in Mountain Green where they have a place that you can cut your own tree down.  David and I found the perfect tree but it was quite a bit more expensive than if we would have been able to cut one down in the Uintas.  We decided that it would be cheaper to get that one than buy one from a Christmas tree lot or buy an artificial one.  We drove almost 250 miles and ended up getting a tree that was only about 25 miles from home.  This was an expensive Christmas tree hunt this year but one we will always remember. 

Fun in the Fall Leaves

Josie

Sammy frantically searching for her tennis ball

Jo Beans swimming through the leaves

Thinking of her next sneaky way to escape from the yard

David and Sammy

Sammy playing with her favorite toy-the tennis ball.  She will

play fetch for hours if you will play with her.

    

Back to School

Yesterday it was back to school.  I haven't taken any classes for a year so this is a huge change for me.  Anyways, I have to keep a blog as part of my dental hygiene grade and the address is whitneeatwsu.blogspot.com if you are interested in reading all about my crazy life in the dental hygiene program. 

On To Bigger and Better Things

     Today was my last day working at Dr. Craven's office.  Yea!!!  I am so excited to be done working there and move on to a new adventure.  I have made a lot of fun memories while working there and have made some great friends that I hope to always stay close to.  I have learned so much about dentisty and I have had the opportunity to work with 5 different hygienists in the 3 years that I worked there.  Because of this opportunity I was able to see each one's style and learn how I want to act around patients.
     I really wasn't very sad to leave today.  All day my co-workers kept teasing me that I constantly had a smile on my face and a spring in my step.  I was just so excited to be done there because of some of the things that I have had to put up with.  This morning my mom called and was talking to me about how this was my last day and she asked me if I was sad.  I told her no and she was more sad that I was leaving there than I was.  Don't worry mom, now you will get to come to forever long appointments with me at Weber State and then if you like me I will clean your teeth where I work after school. 
     I still haven't found a part time job yet.  I don't know how many applications I have turned in and I have only received 3 calls.  I thought finding a part time job would be a lot easier than it has been.  One of David's friends is a manager at Office Depot and he is trying to help me get hired there.  Hopefully that will work out.         
     I still have one more week before school starts and I plan on relaxing and reading as many books as I can before I start school and can't read anything till next summer. 

I did it!

So I just want everyone to know that today I got one of these UGLY bugs at work and threw it in the garbage.  I had seen it crawling across the floor earlier in the morning but it crwaled under something and I hoped it would never come out again.  A few hours later I walked into the sterilization room at work and Dr. Craven was walking out and he asked me to get it.  Of course I told him no but I decided to be brave and try it.  I did it, not without some jumping up and down and squealing, but I did it!  This is a huge accomplishment for me.  I do not like bugs.  I always have David come in and get the bugs or I suck them up with the vacuum and let it run for a few minutes.  I was proud of myself but I don't plan on getting anymore bugs anytime soon. 

The Countdown Begins!

The countdown begins...for what? you may ask.  Well I only have eight more days left of work.  Earlier tonight I found myself saying that I didn't want to have to get up in the morning and go to work.  After I said this comment I reminded myself that I only have eight more days left with a job.  After that, as of right now, I have no other job.  SCARY!  Hopefully I will get some calls this week from businesses that I have turned my application and resume in to for some interviews.  I hope I can find a job before school starts.

The other part of my countdown is for the dental hygiene program to start.  I am so excited to go back to school and learn what I have wanted to know and do since I was five years old.  My dream is finally going to come true.  School starts in 22 more days.  I know it might sound crazy that I am excited to go to school but I really am excited to be in the dental hyiene program and make a bunch of new firends.  Just because I'm excited doesn't mean I'm not nervous...because I am.  I know that the next two years will be hard and challenging but I know with my Heavenly Father, David, and my family's help I will make it through.

A Weekend at the Cabin

This past weekend, July 16th and 17th, David and I went to the cabin. We were able to take my brother, Riley, with us. I didn't get a chance to take very many pictures on this trip but it was full of adventure and crazy happenings!!!

My little bro, Riley!

We didn't get to the cabin until about 9:30 Friday night. We hung out for a little while and played a few card games and went to bed. Very little excitement happened Friday. Saturday was the day for pain and stories.

We started Saturday morning off with a scrumptuous and VERY healthy (not) breakfast of scrambled eggs with spam on croissants. YUMMY!!!! We headed out for a ride on the motorcycles. It turned out to be a 4 1/2 hour ride with a few painful moments for me. This year has not been my year for motorcyle riding!

Everything was going good and we were having a good time. Then, I went through a puddle in the middle of the trail that apparently had a lot of sand in the bottom of it. So instead of going straight through the puddle the sand pulled my motorcycle to the right. Well, there just happened to be a huge pine tree there on the right. Now, remember, the finger that I smashed and broke in Moab just two months ago was on my right hand. The large pine tree and my broken, smashed finger met. OUCH!!! It didn't feel very good. Now I have a gross, ugly, blood blister under my new nail that is growing out. Hopefully the new nail won't fall off too.

Once most of the pain went away from my finger we were on the trail again. We rode for a little while and came to a spot in the trail where a stream runs across the trail. Someone thought they would help everyone out by putting small tree trunks across part of the stream to cross over on. Why? The stream was only about two feet across and four inches deep. Anyways, the wood was very slippery and covered with moss so when I tried to cross over it my back tire slipped and I hyperextended my left knee. OUCH again! By this time I had TBS (Tired Butt Syndrome) and I was ready to be done riding for a few hours but we were still miles away from the cabin. So again I got back on my motorcycle and started riding.

When we got back to the cabin we made lunch and relaxed for a little bit. We decided we would take the dogs for a run and go to a river that they could play in. I got on the back of David's motorcycle with him so I could carry Josie when she got tired of running. Sammy was so excited to go. She loves to chase the motorcycles. I think Josie really enjoyed it too. She ran a lot longer and faster than I thought she would with her little legs. When Josie got tired of running we picked her up and I held her while we went the rest of the way to the river.

Once we got to the river David decided that he was going to cross it...with me and Josie on the back. You might be thinking, "Whats wrong with crossing the river with a passenger and a small dog on the back?" Well, the part of the river David was going to cross was about 3 feet deep with a strong current. That didn't go so well. We're not really sure what happened but we ended up in the river with the motorcycle on its side. (You aren't suppossed to take motorcycles swimming.) Here's the funny part about this whole situation...I was wearing the backpack with our new camera, the GPS, and David's new phone in it, and we are in the river...I'm trying to get up but one of the straps on the backpack was caught on the back fender of the motorcycle...my right leg was on top of David's right leg keeping him down in the water...therefore he wasn't able to hurry and get the motorcycle out of the water...and I'm trying to keep Josie's head out of the water.

Oh man, I wish I had a video recording of this. We really weren't in the water for very long but the sequence of events to get up is quite funny now that we think about it. Riley hurried off of his motorcycle and helped David push his motorcycle to the other side of the river. Meanwhile, Sammy is playing in the river, having a great time. Good thing someone was having fun!

David took out his air filter and found it sopping wet. NOT GOOD! We sat there for a while and David decided to try and start it. Nothing...he couldn't even get the kick starter to move at all. Riley let David take his motorcycle back to the cabin to get the 4-Runner and trailer. While David was gone Riley and I were trying to keep the dogs entertained and within sight. David finally returned and we loaded his motorcycle and everything and headed back to the cabin. Good thing it was the end of the day.

We didn't get home until about 10:00 Saturday night. As soon as David got his motorcycle off the trailer he went to work to get the water out of it. He was up until about 1:00 am getting water out. Sunday afternoon he decided to hook the motorcycle to the back of the 4-Runner and have me pull him down the road. Finally we got enough water out of the motorcycle engine and the engine got warm enough that it started! It ended up not being an expensive fix that we were fearing it would be. We are so grateful for that.

By the way, the camera, GPS, and phone all ended up being ok also. Thank goodness!