Goodbye Stagecoach, hello Meatwagon!

Hey team blogosphere!
     I think it's about time that the World Wide Interwebs be exposed to the innerworking of my brain. So, in the spirit of Abbey and Taylor's blog (aandtzmoos.blogspot.com/ [like 2 weeks ago or something]), I thought I would also update y'all as to what's going on in my life. Bree has done a terrific job of keeping everyone up to date, so you all know that she is busy working her butt off taking 19 credits and working 20 hours/week on campus. She's amazing at what she does. She still finds time to come home and hang out with me, and pretend like her life is still as loosey-goosey as it was in the Summer.
     I quit my job at Wells Fargo Bank. All told, I worked there for about 18 months. The majority of my time there was as a teller, which I really enjoyed for the most part. Then I was promoted to be a banker when I graduated, and did that for about 3 months. After 3 months I realized I wasn't loving what I was doing, where I was doing it, or for whom I was doing it. As I had gradually grown more and more dissatisfied with that position, I was looking all around trying to find 'my calling' in life. I had some cool experiences that lead me to the realization that I want to work in healthcare administration. I've always, always wanted to work in healthcare, but I've also always, always known that I don't have the brainpower to become a doctor. But my degree lends itself well to the field of healthcare administration, and I'm in a good spot to be able to start down that road right now. So, realizing, of course, that Wells Fargo Bank was not a good place to start a healthcare career, I called it quits and embarked upon a new journey.
     I kinda jumped without a chute, because I hadn't landed myself a new job yet, but I am confident I'll find something enjoyable rather quickly. In the meantime, I'm studying hard for the GMAT so that I can get in to an MHA program (Master's of Healthcare Administration) and get going with my graduate degree. Right now the two schools we are most interested in are Arizona State University and THE Ohio State University. Taylor would also be sad if I didn't mention that Iowa is an option. I'm taking the GMAT at 8:00 am on December 14th. So wish me luck.
     On Tuesday I will be going in to Lifetree Clinical Research and taking part in a 10-day study where I take a pain killer and they monitor my vitals 3-6 times each day. I'll be in lockdown for 10 days, but will be paid $2,825 for doing it. It's perfect for me, since I'll have 10 days to study uninterrupted for the GMAT, and I'll be able to finish all of my grad school applications as well. It's going to be dope.
     Bree just finished making dinner, so I'm out like a trout. Forgive my typoes, I haven't typed on a computer for like 3 weeks. It's great. Also, I bought Modern Family Season 2 on DVD...I pre-ordered it before it came out. Picked it up at 10:00 am the day it came out. Very happy about that.

Love,
Cory

Love is a Battlefield

I love water. I love drinking water, swimming in water, putting my hands in running water, making footprints on the concrete after stepping in water. I just love water! That is, in fact, why Cory and I decided to do some engagements underwater, a common love.

And actually, when I'm mad or sad, running water over my hands or feet or something is the absolute best soother for me. So, you get that I love water. I also love getting up high in the air. I grew up going to Lake Powell every year with a family of cliff jumpers and thrill seeking tubers. You had to like getting high (in the air) to survive. So, it goes without saying, I like swinging! The higher I can go, the better. I get mesmerized with being so high on roller coasters and such activities. It's such a thrill!

Notice the crazed look in my eyes?

This was the stratosphere in Las Vegas. I had to BEG Cory to go on it and, as this picture shows, Cory does not share the love of heights with me at all.

Now that you have the basic background information necessary, you can now understand my elation upon seeing Cory's uncle's new swing set. 15-20 feet high. Set on a hill. Swinging out over a lake. It was like he had taken a dream from my mind and made it reality. We swung on it the first time at night and it was a.m.a.z.i.n.g. I couldn't wait to get on it during the day and jump off into the water. We had driven to Stansbury Park (right by Tooele)  that night because we were volunteering at the Stansbury Triathlon the next morning at 6 am! Luckily, Cory's Uncle Steve and Aunt Judy live there and were nice enough to let us stay over. So the next day we did our volunteering, wrapped it up at noon, and made it back to the swings! Cory and I jumped off a few times and had our fun before wanting to get higher. It is impossible to propel yourself higher on that swing set. Once you hit a certain height, you need assistance, so Steve came over to help us out, of course! Cory bailed the second he saw Steve behind him (remember the Stratosphere picture?), so I got on ready for a thrill. Steve has a requirement that you can't jump until you see the lake above the cross bars on top of the swing set (a man after my own heart), but while approaching that level my shorts/hands/everything slipped and I had to hold on to make sure my neck and head made it to the water before back flipping in. I came up surprised to be in one piece, while Cory and Steve were high-fiving how awesome I am (it was all a little foggy, but I'm sure that's how it was). It wasn't until I started making my way to the beach that I felt the pain in my left pinky. I looked to see why and sure enough it was bleeding from a slice, so, just to be sure, I checked my right hand too. It was a lot worse over on that one. I had a pretty gross, torn up side of my hand. Deep red blood and white fatty layers were protruding from a torn up layer of skin. However, I felt more hurt that I was so betrayed by the two things I love. Love, as they say, is a battlefield, right?  Cory and Steve helped me clean the wounds, support me when I was almost passing out, and bandage me up; and then Steve said "you'll probably have to get stitches." And Cory said, "yeah I didn't want to freak you out, but I thought that the minute I saw it." Stitches?! No way. My mom always treated our wounds with steri strips or butterfly bandages. I had never had stitches! We drove to the instacare in Sugarhouse and my fears were confirmed. I would no longer be a stitches virgin. Apparently I had a skin avulsion. I'll let wikipedia explain that to you : an avulsion is an injury in which a body structure is forcibly detached. It most commonly refers to a surface trauma where all layers of the skin have been torn away, exposing the underlying structures (e.g. subcutaneous tissue, muscle, tendons). This is similar to an abrasion but more severe, as body parts such as an eyelid or an ear can be partially or fully detached from the body. The term comes from the Latin word avellere, "to tear off".  I bet you feel smarter now. The whole thing probably took less than an hour and only a few painful moments (okay, more like 20 painful moments), and then I was nursing my pain with an oreo milkshake and corn dog. That makes me happy. I am, however, pretty disabled as I am the worst at everything left-handed. Like so so bad! Cory has been an angel. He braids my hair, puts on my clothes, does my make-up, and spreads the cream cheese.  Can you believe it? I don't know what I'd do without him. I love/hate it. I already hate being so dependent and making him do everything! But he is the best. I'll be getting all SIX stitches out Saturday and then, hopefully, be back to being right handed. I am currently typing one-handed and this has taken me an hour+ to type. :) (sorry for the following graphic pictures...)

Please ignore the frazzled look.

Yay for fatty, deep fried foods!

Cory's handiwork for me today. Notice the perfect braid and beautifully applied eye shadow?

Mud Run!

On Saturday, Cory and I did a mud run in Logan with his family. It was so much fun! The course was perfect. Not too hilly, but just enough for a little variation. There were 24 obstacles over the 5k race and they were all so much fun! There were 4 slip-n-slides, some mud trenches, hay bales, a big "spider web", a floating bridge, and some tires set up. It was a blast! We were told (threatened) by Cory's aunt that we were all staying together because we were going to help each other with each obstacle, so we obeyed and all 11 of us stayed together throughout the whole course. We also got to visit with some friends before the race and see their new (to us) apartment. So cute! I wish they lived closer though... (hint, hint, Traci!) ;) It was a great Saturday, and the perfect end to summer. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

We're Going to Boston!

Yes, it's true! In a couple of weeks Cory and I will be in Boston for 6 days!! I cannot wait to go. I've never been even remotely close to the east coast, so this will be a totally new experience for me. Cory absolutely drools over everything Boston, so I will have the best tour guide ever. We don't have much planned as of now, but I'm sure there will be lots of seafood (for Cory), baseball (for us both), and some shopping? :) Maybe. But I know for sure that it will be a blast. [Actually, as a side note, my straightener broke a couple of weeks ago and I was just going to make do until Christmas or something, but since humidity and my hair are not friends, I just bought one yesterday! :)]  When we were dating, Cory and I both found that we shared a strong love and desire to travel.  When we were married we set up a separate account called "World Traveling Fund".  This is our first trip using that fund and we are more than elated to be doing it! I wish we could be going with friends or family, but this will be such a nice trip for just the two of us as well. Especially since my crazy semester of 19 credits will be starting up very (too) soon. We both have been working full time this summer, which means zero outdoor time. We. Are. Dying.  Like I'm whiter than I am in the winter.

Even whiter than winter white!

Just for looks... :)

 Not too fun. We are, however, a little tentative about spending so much in one week-especially after such a grueling summer of work. It's amazing how much things add up when you are on vacation; breakfast, lunch, dinner, outings, adventures, etc., are not cheap! I have been looking on Groupon and LivingSocial in Boston everyday for deals on things we may be interested in. I haven't found anything yet, but maybe all of my hard work will pay off and we'll save money on something! I'm just so excited!

Todchel!

Our good friends, Todd and Rachel, are getting married this weekend and I am so excited!!! We have loved spending time with them as an engaged couple, but things will only get better once they're married! I'm so happy for them, and I'm so excited because Cory and I are both in the wedding party. It will be like we're getting married all over again! :) But really, it will be fun to get to spend more time together than if just one of us were in it. We are anticipating an evening filled with fun and friends, surrounded by a beautiful view at Rachel's parents' house in Huntsville. Can't wait! Congrats Todchel, we love you two!

Lunchtime!

Sometimes I wake up and I realize that I am so lucky! Like today.  I just love waking up to Cory's cute little sleepy face kisses.  The other day I woke up and stole his phone to take a picture of him sleeping (which he hates for some reason) because he looked so so cute! I don't know if I was even coherent at that point, but I knew I had to take that picture.  I, on the other hand, do not look so great in the mornings which could be due to my hyper movements at night. Work has been such a drag recently. I think coming down from the vacation high is always hard (Lake Powell sunshine 24/7 is hard to get over period), but recently Cory and I have been able to eat lunch together and it is so nice! It's like a little mini vacation. :) We usually meet in the Wilkinson Center, where he is working, and spend about 45 minutes together in total bliss; not only because we're eating together, but because we are finally eating! It's so nice to be working so close to each other to sneak away for a little lunch/vent/laugh break.  I'm so lucky.

I tried to get Cory to email me that picture-for like 4 days-but he wouldn't! Sorry, no picture. :(

hooked.

I have become hooked! Pinterest has taken a hold of my heart and I cannot get it back. It's an amazing site that lets you "pin" your interests onto boards and even lets you look at others' boards too so you can steal their ideas! :) I wish I had it for my wedding. It is the perfect party planning tool. I haven't been able to go a day, at work, without looking at it. If you're like me and stalk all sorts of blogs daily, this is the perfect place to keep all those projects that you see and want to do in order.

You can plan your dream home too!

or plan the places you want to go, like Italy!

It's so fun. Also, since I'm advertising today, I guess I'll go ahead and put a plug in for Google+. My coworker invited me to it a couple weeks ago and although I still have a lot to learn about it, I am loving the clean, sharp, organized look it has. So there you go! Go ahead and check out my boards on pinterest and if you need an invite to Google+ just let me know and I'll send you one!