1. It was so nice to be able to go home for a long weekend. Although I see my parents and especially siblings quite often, I haven't actually been home for over a year. It was so nice to be able to relax and just have a break from the chaos that usually runs my life.
2. When I got back to SLC last night (after an already delayed flight!) I found the battery in my car was dead. Luckily all it took was a quick jump start and I was on my way.
3. I can't believe it snowed! I mean, it IS winter and we DO live in Utah, but still!!! I was enjoying this perfectly mild, snow-less winter we've been having.
4. I attempted to make a new "healthy" recipe last week- Homemade granola bars. I unfortunately ran out of time and so I decided to make it an RT group activity and have my boys make it. Somehow they missed the healthy part and dumped in a whole bag of chocolate chips and lots extra peanut butter. They ended up being more like no bake cookies than granola bars...but they were still good! And I decided I just need to try again by myself.
5. I got to have a nice long talk with my person Stephanie last week. It was wonderful! Seriously, we're like Meredith and Christina from Grey's anatomy.... She's totally my person!! It was a perfect evening after a stressful Monday and in preparation for a busy week.
6. While I was home, I found the most important notebook ever!! It doesn't seem like that big of deal, but while I was on my mission, I kept all my notes from district meetings, multi-zone conferences and interviews with President all in this green notebook. When I got home from the mission, I looked everywhere for it and couldn't find it. I was devastated! I couldn't believe I'd lost it! It's been over two years since I've been home from Brazil and I'd pretty much given up on the idea that I would ever find it again. But at home I pulled out my scrapbook paper to make a birthday card for my dad and I saw the green notebook! I was SO excited!! Some of my greatest learning experiences in the mission are recorded in that book and I can't wait to go back and reread and relearn those things.
7. One of my mission companions is getting married on Friday! I'm so happy for her and excited for her big day! And also grateful that my work schedule will allow me to be there :)
8. I love watching the Biggest Loser...and sometimes find it hard to make it through an entire episode without tearing up a little bit. Like this last week, when people gave their video chats with family up to another contest.
9. The more I think about it and work in various facilities, the more I realize that I really do want to work with kids. I still enjoy working with adolescents and adults, but the younger kiddos are my favorite...and I hope to one day find a pediatric RT job.
10. I find myself with lots more free time these days...anyone have suggestions of some good books to read?
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Another Ten on Tuesday
This week has been quite the roller coaster, which I may get into another time. For now, here's my ten thoughts for the week.
1. I get to go home on Thursday! It's been over a year since I've actually been home in Tracy, and I'm super excited!! I'll also be home for my dad's birthday, which will be fun.
2. I did this project for an RT group on Sunday, and it went really well! They turned out so cute and it was actually fun to do. It was really easy too because you just used cookie cutters.
3. I went to get running shoes on Saturday. My goal is to run a 5k at the end of February or sometime in March. Turns out, I have even more messed up feet than I thought. :( I sprained my ankle back in August and still can't fully run without the brace. Add on the fact that I have terrible bunions and arch issues and it makes finding a shoe a challenge. Then I realized I was getting shin splints... it was kind of a bummer. Now I'm going to take it slow and see what I'll be able to really do.
4. I have the best sisters ever. We have so much fun together, even if it's crazy and the kids are grumpy. I love our Friday night get togethers, and we don't have them as often as we should!
5. I've decided that I want to get into cooking more. Last week I tried two new recipes- Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa and a Cheesy Bean and Rice Bake. They were both super easy to make, tasted great and were actually pretty healthy (granted I did use low fat cheese and sour cream, but still).
6. UVU basketball games don't compare at all to BYU games (no offense). We went for FHE last night and there may have been 50 people there... Made me miss the good old days with the 92nd ward.
These last few thoughts have to do with the tragic passing of a friend and coworker.
7. It is possible to serve others even when you yourself are struggling. That is such an admirable trait and one that blessed the lives of not only the patients at the RTC but also the staff, as well as everyone else he came in contact with.
8. Sometimes the best thing you can do to show you care is to listen. I'm grateful for a friend who exemplified this time and time again as I watched him work at the RTC:
"I suspect that the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention. And especially if it’s given from the heart. When people are talking, there’s no need to do anything but receive them. Just take them in. Listen to what they’re saying. Care about it. Most times caring about it is even more important than understanding it." Rachel Naomi Remen
9. Every moment you can make a memory. I thought a lot as I was at work on Sunday night at the RTC about how blessed I am to associate with such wonderful people, and resolved to make the most of each shift, each moment I have because we never know when it will be too late.
10. No matter what happens in life or death, the Savior still cares and loves each one of us. Whether we are on this side of the veil or the other, the Savior's atonement applies to us. Wounds that couldn't be healed in mortality will be succored to on the other side, and I know that is happening to my dear friend now.
1. I get to go home on Thursday! It's been over a year since I've actually been home in Tracy, and I'm super excited!! I'll also be home for my dad's birthday, which will be fun.
2. I did this project for an RT group on Sunday, and it went really well! They turned out so cute and it was actually fun to do. It was really easy too because you just used cookie cutters.
3. I went to get running shoes on Saturday. My goal is to run a 5k at the end of February or sometime in March. Turns out, I have even more messed up feet than I thought. :( I sprained my ankle back in August and still can't fully run without the brace. Add on the fact that I have terrible bunions and arch issues and it makes finding a shoe a challenge. Then I realized I was getting shin splints... it was kind of a bummer. Now I'm going to take it slow and see what I'll be able to really do.
4. I have the best sisters ever. We have so much fun together, even if it's crazy and the kids are grumpy. I love our Friday night get togethers, and we don't have them as often as we should!
5. I've decided that I want to get into cooking more. Last week I tried two new recipes- Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa and a Cheesy Bean and Rice Bake. They were both super easy to make, tasted great and were actually pretty healthy (granted I did use low fat cheese and sour cream, but still).
6. UVU basketball games don't compare at all to BYU games (no offense). We went for FHE last night and there may have been 50 people there... Made me miss the good old days with the 92nd ward.
These last few thoughts have to do with the tragic passing of a friend and coworker.
7. It is possible to serve others even when you yourself are struggling. That is such an admirable trait and one that blessed the lives of not only the patients at the RTC but also the staff, as well as everyone else he came in contact with.
8. Sometimes the best thing you can do to show you care is to listen. I'm grateful for a friend who exemplified this time and time again as I watched him work at the RTC:
"I suspect that the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention. And especially if it’s given from the heart. When people are talking, there’s no need to do anything but receive them. Just take them in. Listen to what they’re saying. Care about it. Most times caring about it is even more important than understanding it." Rachel Naomi Remen
9. Every moment you can make a memory. I thought a lot as I was at work on Sunday night at the RTC about how blessed I am to associate with such wonderful people, and resolved to make the most of each shift, each moment I have because we never know when it will be too late.
10. No matter what happens in life or death, the Savior still cares and loves each one of us. Whether we are on this side of the veil or the other, the Savior's atonement applies to us. Wounds that couldn't be healed in mortality will be succored to on the other side, and I know that is happening to my dear friend now.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Ten More...
Yay!! I'm actually sticking with this whole blog every week thing! Here goes the ten thoughts for this week...
1. Over the past week I've gotten to see many of my good friends that I haven't seen for a while...Dean's office friends, mission companions, Calista, etc. I also go to work and see friends there...and have really realized this week how nice it is to have good friends that care about me and support me and love me for who I am.
2. This is my new favorite children's book:
1. Over the past week I've gotten to see many of my good friends that I haven't seen for a while...Dean's office friends, mission companions, Calista, etc. I also go to work and see friends there...and have really realized this week how nice it is to have good friends that care about me and support me and love me for who I am.
2. This is my new favorite children's book:
I read it to my niece today and it's so cute! This little monkey wants to be special, and he keeps trying to be different things so he can be special. In the end he realizes he's Monkey and that is what makes him special. My niece loved it...and after the fifth time in a row of reading it, she started reading it herself. I'm thinking I'll have to find a way to incorporate that into a rec therapy activity too.
3. That laundry I mentioned last week, you know, all that I had washed but never put away? Ya, it's still in the basket waiting to be hung up. I did get the stuff that goes in the drawer put away.
4. I love to blog stalk. So if you have a blog, let me know ... I'd love to stalk follow you!
5. Oh, ya, when I say I put the laundry in the drawers, don't be fooled. I didn't actually match the socks or anything. I figure if I'm going to wear boots anyways and no one's going to see my socks, it doesn't matter if they match right?
6. I started some healthy lifestyle competitions yesterday. One is Feel Great in Eight, an eight week competition I've done before. The other is with my work. You basically are encouraged to make healthy lifestyle choices, like eating all your fruits and veggies, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, exercising, etc. You get points based on what you do and the winner gets prizes! I'm not sure I'll win, but these are some great habits to get into, and I'm really excited to be participating for the next eight weeks!
7. This may seem slightly random, but I don't really care. Fact is, I hate vacuuming my car. In all honesty, I haven't ever vacuumed out my car. Now, that's not to say my car hasn't been vacuumed. Every three or four months or so, I have to get my oil changed. And so without fail, I head on over to Jiffy Lube, where they'll change my oil AND vacuum my car. It's a glorious thing. And yes, I did get that done today.
8. Bad things happen to good people. And good things happen to bad people. Such is life, right? I've realized after talking to some friends and acquaintances how true this is, and it makes me grateful for the gospel perspective that I have and how I know that God has a plan for each one of us, and that the experiences we have in this life are designed specifically for our growth.
9. I love going to the gym. I don't always like having to get up early to make sure it happens, but I love the feeling I get after a good workout. On Sundays when I have to work, I run the exercise group. The adolescents I work with usually push for a yoga workout, but I love to have us do cardio! It's such a good, accomplished feeling!
10. I am probably most definitely addicted to pinterest!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Ten on Tuesdays...
Okay, yes, it's me again...slacking. But it's 2012 and one of my goals--not necessarily resolutions, but something I want to do better at--is keeping up on this blog. I've seen lots of people do a year in review post, and i'll probably get to that, but not tonight. Instead, I'm going to be posting a ten on tuesday post each week...so here goes.
1. My parents came to UT for Christmas this year. It was fun to have them here for almost 2 weeks! Things do get chaotic when they're here and the family's all together, but I love it!!
2. Being gluten free has a whole bunch of logistics to work out, even a year later. More details to come on that I'm sure.
3. You may now refer to me as Andrea Call, CTRS. Last month I officially got licensed and certified as a therapeutic recreation specialist. I LOVE TR!!!
4. I'm going home for a visit in just over 2 weeks! To say that I'm excited is a complete understatement. I haven't been home to Tracy since Nov. 2010--and I'm more than ready to visit again!
5. Some of my favorite Christmas gifts included: a red pea-coat, kitchen toys, and a tool kit.
6. In case you've forgotten, I have the cutest niece and nephew in.the.world!!! Seriously, those two kiddos make my day whenever I see them. Last week I had to buy little L a new onesie that says "My Aunt Is Cool" with a polar bear on it. Adorable!!
7. I feel so productive when I have a day off. Even if I don't do much, I feel like the fact that I can sleep in makes up for everything else. If I'm able to cross off errands or cleaning or laundry from my To Do List, the day is even more successful.
8. I have lots of ideas for 2012-things I want to do and become... But I'm still working on getting them all finalized and ready and accomplishable (is that even a word?). Hopefully by next week I'll be ready to share some of them.
9. I love boots. I ordered these ones for my birthday! Can't wait til I get them!!
10. I'm horrible at doing laundry. I'm able to put all my dirty clothes in the laundry sorter and wash them, but there's just something about folding them up afterwards and matching all the socks that I just can't ever seem to do when they come out of the dryer... It usually takes at least a few days. Oops. ;)
And there we have it... the first Ten on Tuesday done with 30 minutes to spare. Enjoy!
P.S. If you have questions and/or suggestions for topics for the Ten on Tuesdays, please comment! You'd think I'd be able to come up with ten things to blog about, but it's harder than it looks....
1. My parents came to UT for Christmas this year. It was fun to have them here for almost 2 weeks! Things do get chaotic when they're here and the family's all together, but I love it!!
2. Being gluten free has a whole bunch of logistics to work out, even a year later. More details to come on that I'm sure.
3. You may now refer to me as Andrea Call, CTRS. Last month I officially got licensed and certified as a therapeutic recreation specialist. I LOVE TR!!!
4. I'm going home for a visit in just over 2 weeks! To say that I'm excited is a complete understatement. I haven't been home to Tracy since Nov. 2010--and I'm more than ready to visit again!
5. Some of my favorite Christmas gifts included: a red pea-coat, kitchen toys, and a tool kit.
6. In case you've forgotten, I have the cutest niece and nephew in.the.world!!! Seriously, those two kiddos make my day whenever I see them. Last week I had to buy little L a new onesie that says "My Aunt Is Cool" with a polar bear on it. Adorable!!
7. I feel so productive when I have a day off. Even if I don't do much, I feel like the fact that I can sleep in makes up for everything else. If I'm able to cross off errands or cleaning or laundry from my To Do List, the day is even more successful.
8. I have lots of ideas for 2012-things I want to do and become... But I'm still working on getting them all finalized and ready and accomplishable (is that even a word?). Hopefully by next week I'll be ready to share some of them.
9. I love boots. I ordered these ones for my birthday! Can't wait til I get them!!
10. I'm horrible at doing laundry. I'm able to put all my dirty clothes in the laundry sorter and wash them, but there's just something about folding them up afterwards and matching all the socks that I just can't ever seem to do when they come out of the dryer... It usually takes at least a few days. Oops. ;)
And there we have it... the first Ten on Tuesday done with 30 minutes to spare. Enjoy!
P.S. If you have questions and/or suggestions for topics for the Ten on Tuesdays, please comment! You'd think I'd be able to come up with ten things to blog about, but it's harder than it looks....
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