Week Wrap Up #10

Life has been a little crazy lately. There is a lot going on and I can't believe that in a few short weeks Ross will be starting school again, but this time at a real deal hospital. Hopefully we will have an apartment in a safe neighborhood that we can actually afford. Hopefully I won't have sold too many vital organs to finance our move and deposit. 

In the meantime, Ross and I still afford time to dream. This outdoor set is going on the blog so that someday I can have something like this. 

But I can't complain, Ross and I bought a mattress set. I wanted to cry tears of joy. Yay we won't have to sleep on our mattress topper! We got a great deal and it is a nice mattress. 

This picture may be one of my favorites this week.

You may be able to get a disposable camera for only $8.69, but no guarantees you will be able to find a place to develop the film. Brings back good memories of begging my mom to get me a disposable camera for summer camps. She compromised by letting me share one with my brother. Haha. 

The next two pictures are just pretties. My bestie Teo told me about this place. It is just up the street from where I'm living so I knew it was a must. The donuts were really fresh! Daylight Donuts is a fun little donut shack. You can't really see, but on the side of the building there is a large display of pez dispensers. Which is pretty much all pez are good for- epically large window displays. 

 It was weird to be up that early but Ross and I had a ton of packing and rearranging to do. Looking back on the week (like so many weeks this summer), it seems like a month. Last week at this time I was up in Ogden, before we had even begun our anniversary trip (when I took a picture of this beautiful sunflower).

Now I find myself back here in Utah Valley, thinking about this next week more than the week that has passed. At the beginning of the summer we thought that we would be well on our way to California by now. And now we find ourselves dragging our feet, albeit filled with anxiety. 

It feels like holding onto a good dream. Trying to remember it and live it before it is ripped away. 

Speaking of a good dream being ripped away, I am already dreading the end of this amazing gelato.

I discovered from my friend Kelli while I was in Vernal and now I am hopelessly hooked.

Speaking of hopeless, I am still sick and it is really starting to get on my nerves. I don't know if there is an operation for new sinuses, but mine are sucking pretty bad and I would like new ones. As a result, I have to sleep with this humidifier up in my face. I never thought I would (have) to see the day when I'd be creating an environment like a hot sweaty room. More proof Grenada has ruined me. 

But maybe that is just because I have bad luck. What employee in good conscious can hand out a smashed fortune cookie? Nothing fortunate about that at all. 

Done & Done: The Step 1

In a lot of ways, this summer so far has been a bit of a bust. I had tons of fun, but it never seems to change the fact that my husband is still in medical school. The biggest fallacy of med school (at least for this spouse) is that there is a peak. Say, a pinnacle of difficulty.

I suppose there is, but mostly it reaches that peak and never descends. At least as far as I can tell.

Quick Break Down:

• The past 7 ish months Ross has dedicated roughly 10 hours a day/ 6 days a week to studying for part 1 of 4 exams that comprise the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Exam). 
• Even though there are 4, the "Step 1" is the most important exam, he will probably ever take in his life. More important than the MCAT he took to get in to medical school. 
• Especially for a disadvantaged FMG (Foreign Medical Grad), the Step 1 is everything because it pretty much determines where and what you can practice.

It has been the continuing nightmare of this medical school journey. It's hard to explain or describe the emotional trauma but this GIF captures how I think Ross and I feel right now.



It's like this grueling, long, journey through battle, wars, and bloodshed. Grenada = Mordor.

When I dropped Ross off at that testing center this morning I felt like a nasty, sweaty, bedraggled Frodo- I'd seen too much. And now I was on the cusp of throwing the proverbial Ring To Rule Them All into the firey depths of Mount Doom.

While waiting for Ross to come out after the exam, I walked to the gas station to get him some victory snacks. And consequently found out I have a nervous eating habit when it comes to Cheeto popcorn.

Eventually that kid emerged, the weight of the world so obviously lifted from his shoulders.

I can honestly say it has been months since I have seen him so joyful.

When we got back to the apartment Ross had a surprise waiting for me. I went to check out this mystery package to find it was flowers! What a wonderful surprise.

Goodbye forever Step 1. I only hope that the journey so far will prove "worth it" and that the world is now a better & safer place with you gone.

Music Monday #10: I Lived

Once again, my bag is packed. This summer has been: land, wash, rinse, pack, repeat. Whether it is a week long trip, a destination two states away, or overnight at my sister's place, I'm always on the move. And honestly I'd  have it no other way. I stay in a place for a week and I'm itching to just ... Well, go.

Thanks a lot Grenada, I blame this for you too.

On my most recent visit with my sister, she introduced me to One Republic's newest album, Native. I can't say that I listened to them much other than those almost irritatingly catchy radio hits years and years ago. But after listening to this album, it was love at first listen. Some songs I didn't care for as much, but this one really caught my attention.

I lived -One Republic-

The first verse starts:

Hope when you take that jumpYou don't feel the fall

-Taking jumps is a scary thing that we all do in life. Sometimes it's more of a push than a voluntary jump, but the fall comes eventually and I love the idea that the fall doesn't have to feel painful.

Hope when the water rises, You built a wall. Hope when the crowd screams out, They're screaming your name.

-This line isn't the last of the verse, but man it gives me goosebumps. I just think of what an incredible feeling it would be to have people screaming your name. Not literally per se, but just to have a huge crowd of people rooting for you, being on your side. 

Hope if everybody runs, You choose to stay.

-In this huge scary thing called life, there are times when we need to run, and times when we need to stay, and often, times when we need to do the unpopular thing.

Hope that you fall in love, And it hurts so bad, The only way you can know, You give it all you have

-I like this song because there are many ways to listen, hear, and interpret the lyrics. Ross heard this bit and thought this part was strange. I like it. I know the feeling of loving so much it hurts inside. But it's one of those "jumps" in life. It's one of those jumps that requires a running start. The kind where you swing your arms to "give it all you have." 

And I hope that you don't suffer But take the pain. Hope when the moment comes, You'll say... I, I, II did it all. I, I, II did it all. I owned every second that this world could give, I saw so many places, the things that I did. Yeah with every broken bone, I swear I lived

-The chorus is incredible. With flying to a new place and seeing family I haven't seen in literally years, I'm so anxious. Not in a bad, stressed out way, but a happy way. A really excited and happy way. When I first heard this song I thought about all my summer plans. I have so much planned and it is all so exhilarating. It's all happening all at once. I want to see so many places. I want to own every second this world gives me. And at the end of this summer, this year, this day, this month, this life... I hope I can swear that I lived.

Hope that you spend your days, And they all add up.

-I think this is my sister's favorite line in the song. It's clever. I spend so many days -yes, whole days- being worthless. It amounts to days that are, well, meaningless. But recently my days have really been adding up. It's time I will never get back, and when I spend it in a way that adds to my happiness, it builds me up and makes me rich. 

And when that sun goes down, Hope you raise your cup. Oh, oh oh. I wish that I could witness All your joy And all your pain But until my moment comes I'll say [CHORUS]

This song gives me this crazy feeling of invincibility. Like maybe I will just spread my wings and fly myself to Kentucky tomorrow. I keep listening to it on repeat and thinking of how much I have to look forward to in life. How lucky I am. How much work I still have left to do. 

Plesant Grove Carnie Days

Call me the whitest kid on the block, but I love me some carnies. Growing up, going to the fair was a pretty big deal. We could never afford to actually go or get ride tickets, but my sisters and I would occasionally preform at the annual event and therefore get in for free (there ya go, I was workin' the system from an early age). The depth and breadth of the fair always baffled me. The bright lights and smell of kettle corn, the "World's Smallest Horse" that my mom would never give me $2 to see, the stuffed Tweety Bird bigger than me. It was all so untouchable and awe-inspiring.

There is something spooky and unsafe about those pack-n-go carnivals. Maybe its the element of danger that I am drawn to, maybe just that childhood yearning to die on a moving heap of steel ride the Ferris Wheel. Either way, after dinner I had rich cheesecake sugar pumping through my veins so Ross and I went to check out the Pleasant Grove Strawberry Days carnival. After my years of associating with Utahans I heard to many good things about festival, I needed to sort out fact from fiction.



I've found that as an adult, new things inspire awe. Instead of gazing up at the magical carnival lights aglow in the fresh summer evening air, I stared at the dozen+ rides crammed into this tiny city park. That is awe-inspiring folks. I'm still kind scratching my head at it all.

The whole park was crammed full, and I am beginning to wonder if I will ever get used to so many people in one place at one time. Thanks Grenada.

One of the famed things I HAD to do at Strawberry Days was to try out the strawberries and cream. Okay, that's do-able.

Or, so I thought.

On the way out I saw the line for the infamous strawberries and cream.



Excuse me?! You cannot even see the end of the line before the switchback. And I swear as quickly as those strawberries and cream truck employees were crankin' 'em out, the line was not even moving. We would have been in line for probably at least 40 minutes.

So please, Utahans, anyone, can you tell me what is so magical about the fabled strawberries and cream that would compel me to wait in line that long? Is it for the experience? Tradition? A secret ingredient of crack cocaine?

Week Wrap Up #3: California and Back Again, a Kristen's Tale

This week has brought me back to the good ol' 801... I mean 385? I finally got hooked up with a phone and consequently learned that Utah's new area code is 385 because they ran out if 801 numbers. It still blows my mind that the state only had two area codes to begin with.

#1 Now I'm officially a smartphone user. It's pretty weird, because for the past two years I haven't had a phone at all and before that I was still T9'in it up. But it is a welcome change and now I feel all grown up, who knows maybe I'll even get a job. Look at that, I get a smartphone and now I'm feelin all invincible. 

Unlike a week ago, this week has felt really short. I don't have photographic proof of much but it was a great week.

I got to hang out more with my bestie Asher. He is getting to be a crazy little kid and I always have so much fun hanging out with him. He does get pretty protective of me though, and yells at me when I try to talk to my Original Bestie Brigette. I was also surprised to get to hang out with Aaron. He works like crazy so it was good to see him. It is so great to have amazing friends that take such good care of me and understand me so well.

On Thursday I flew to Utah, it wasn't fun to say goodbye to the family, but I had a fantastic trip. After someone kinda forgot me at the airport was running late, and picked me up from the airport, we went to check out the progress on the Petersen's home they are building. This is the first time since I saw it just a weedy dirt lot last summer so it was pretty crazy to see it all coming together.

#2 Friday and Saturday I previously blogged about hanging out with my sister. But that post isn't complete until I mention about eating at Red Iguana. Oh yes.

I'm having lots of fun adventures, and I just wanted to clue everyone in on his whereabouts. #3 Here ya go. Studying. With shooting muffs over ear buds to block out anyone who might make a sound to distract him.
Yep.

#4 I don't know how else to say this, so I am just going to come out and say it, I have a Peeps problem. I know, These things are only supposed to be disdainfully consumed at Easter. But now with flavors like Strawberry Creme and Birthday Cake, I'm not left with many other options. Yes it is shameful. Yes, I can't stop.

#5 Today I went on a little walk. Grenada has done this thing to me where I can't stand to sit still, if I am inside. I need fresh air on my skin. So I went for a walk, in the middle of June, in jeans. Still trying to get used to this Utah weather I guess. But I am proud to say I only brought the sweatshirt, didn't wear it. 

#6 Sunday night Ross and I played a game called Forbidden Island with his brother and sister-in law. It was pretty fun, it is one of those games where you work together to reach the goal, in this case, save the relics or something before the whole island falls into the water/ oblivon. Yeah. The stakes are pretty high.

There we go, one more week down of this summer.

Amazon Woman: Hear Me Roar

2/16

When you move to Grenada, it isn't long before you turn into a monster. I mean that in a few different ways.

Today, I mean that in a why-are-there-a-dozen-pictures-of-dead-cockroaches-on-my-camera way.

Yeeaaah.

Pre-Grenada (this is how I measure all time) I killed maybe a handful of cockroaches. Yeah maybe I coulda described that differently so my hand doesn't feel itchy now. 

During-Grenada? Innumerable (besides the numerable evidence on my camera). And for some reason I feel the need to document all of this photographically? I kept the collage small, but if you would like a larger version just PM me.

What.
Is.
Wrong.
With.
Me.

I am a monster.

I am pretty sure all normal people hate cockroaches. When Ross sees a cockroach, he takes it personally. 

He has to take time to devise a plan and make sure that without a shadow of a doubt, that sucker is DEAD! His plans involve shoes on your hands and feet (his, more surface room of course), Raid, moving furniture, and plan Bs. So when I see one, I've just gotten into the habit of taking matters into my own hands (again, with the hands thing! Yeesh). 

Now whenever I see a cockroach it's kinda like, "Oh hey, give me a sec *grabs closest shoe*

*SMASH*

*The moral of that story is never put your shoes away so you always have one close.

But what I realized, is that people are starting to pick up on my special talent. When I was in California last summer my sister comes dashing out of the bathroom, alarmed that there was a cockroach.

Did I bat an eyelash?

Nope.

I don't mean to brag but I wasn't even scared. I just did what I do best, grabbed the closest shoe and took care of business. I AM A MONSTER.

See, Grenada turns you into some sort of an Amazon woman, and suddenly you are responsible for all the nasty chores like hunting and killing spiders and super smashing roaches. It's suddenly your responsibility to pick out the best mosquito repellent, smash the cockroaches, and catch the mosquitos mid-air. Have I mentioned the mosquito pictures?



Actually, living here in Grenada qualifies me for all sorts of things. I'm also responsible to give full reports on the best sunscreen, counsel how to get cheap airfare, devise how to smash 50 pounds worth of candy into your carry on, and how to cook breadfruit. People think you are some sort of formidable island woman. 

This is paradise folks! 

Just in case this post  hasn't creeped you out yet, I will leave you with this.