I gave in...

Well, I did it. I finally decided to start a blog. Some people have been telling me that I should, so I just decided to go for it. A lot of this is for myself. I don't keep a journal very well. I write in it maybe every 2-3 months if I'm lucky. This way, I will be more likely to write things down that are going on in my life in a cute, fun way, and with pictures too! Anyone who knows me knows I love to take pictures but am not a huge scrapbooker. Asking me if I have my camera with me is usually a stupid question, along with asking if I have any chapstick. Anyway, it will also be a way for my family and friends to keep up with what's going on in my life, if you care to.

So I'm going to backtrack a little and start with last May and go through the summer. In May I graduated from the Dietetics Program at Idaho State University, with a BS in Dietetics. Yeah!

I would just like to thank everyone in my life who helped me through these last 4 years. My roomates, my friends, all my family, and especially my friend Katie and my wonderful mother.
(Are ya digging the pink tassles?...'Cause you KNOW I am!)

So yay! I'm done with school right? Wrong. I got an internship in Boise through ISU and started that in August, which entails working 32 hours a week, class one day a week, and many many assignments, papers, projects, presentations, etc, but you'll here more about that later.

I also graduated from Institute. I am so thankful for this wonderful program. ISU's program is great. I absolutely love all my teachers and everyone I met there.

Thanks to my mom and Kyler for coming!

My brother Kelby graduated from dental school in Cleveland, OH from Case Western. My mom and I flew out and attended, along with my brother Brock (who is attending dental school in Boston at Tufts University), and his daughter Taylee. We had so much fun!

My mom and I also went to Wicked when it was in Salt Lake, and it was amazing! I had always wanted to go, and I wasn't dissapointed!

I planned to stay in Pocatello for the summer for a change, but after looking and looking for a job, unsuccessfully, I moved home. Over 600 dollars of rent was wasted, but what can you do? I got a job in Burley babysitting 3 kids 3-4 days a week, which was fun. Sometimes hard, but fun.

Kelby and his family ended up living with us for the summer while he hunted for jobs. I always thought it would be so fun living with little kids all the time, and I finally got to do that with Taylor and Ian, and we had a blast. Now I get to live with my nephews in Boise: Tanner, Nathan, and Landon, and I love that too!

In August my brother Brock came for a visit from Boston. This was the first time meeting my nephew Porter, who was born in February. We had a blast going to the City of Rocks and just hanging out. Brock's 3 year old daughter Taylee and I had so much fun. She asked me one day if I was her cousin, and I of course explained that I'm her aunt and she's my niece. The next day she asked how come I'm not her uncle. I then explained that uncles are boys and aunts are girls. Later she was following me around and someone commented, "Taylee, do you like your Aunt Jill?" She responded with, "Yes, and she's my aunt 'cause she's a GIRL." I couldn't help but laugh out loud. We are so excited that they are coming for Christmas!!

The weekend Brock was here was my little brother's missionary farewell. I am so proud of Kyler! He has always been such a great example to me, and I love him so much. He is serving in the Dallas, Texas Spanish speaking mission, and loving it. Kyler and I love to watch and quote TV shows and movies together. I miss him so much, but I am so proud of his decision to serve the Lord.

In August I also started my internship in Boise. It was soooo much work to apply and it semed like it would never get here. This is what I had been working towards for the last 4 years! I debated a lot about whether to put the Pocatello internship or Boise my number one choice, and in the end chose Boise. I couldn't believe it when that was the one I actually got! Guess all that hard work and studying paid off. I decided it would be a nice change and that it would be fun to do rotations and work in the big hospitals here. My brother Chad also offered to let me live with him for free so it was a lot cheaper for me as well. Since they are both through ISU, I am a still a student, registered for 15 credits. They aren't doing me any good, because they are undergraduate credits and I have already graduated, but I'm not bitter at all, can ya tell? So far I have really enjoyed it. I have done rotations in Long Term Care (old people are so cute and funny!), Kidney Dialysis, Sports Nutrition at BSU (I made handouts on gaining weight for the football team,) and at the Health Department where I got to do things with Meals on Wheels, the HIV Van for the homeless, a Diabetes program, School Nutrition, helped with a Lipid Clinic where people got their cholesterol checked, and most of all WIC. The last week there I did staff relief where I saw clients on my own, which was scary at first, but very fun. I had to prick little kids' fingers to check their iron status, which was not too fun sometimes, but I really enjoyed working at WIC. I also got to work with a great staff who I will really miss! Next week I start at West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell where I will be for 5 weeks, then at St. Al's for 6 weeks. I'm pretty scared for clinical, because it is such a long rotation, there is so much to know and remember, and it's been more than 2 years since I took my clinical class. I am also not looking forward to the huge paper and case studies that will have to be done, but at the same time am very excited to work in the hospital environement and be able to see so many interesting things.

I love my fellow interns!

About a month ago my sister Tysi had a little girl! We were so excited to buy cute little girl things! We got to go see her at the hospital just a couple hours after she was born, which I have never done with any of my nieces and nephews. They've always been at least a couple days old. It was also very fun taking her other kids and watching them meet their new little sister for the first time. Her name is Halli Anne and she is adorable!

So there is a little update on my life. More to come soon!