Meat and Football

This past Saturday Paul and I had the opportunity to go to the Ag BBQ to kick off Ag week here at USU. The Ag Products BBQ was held during lunch time near Romney Stadium. It featured some of Utah's commodities; and of course they brought their stuff.

For $8 Paul and I had all we could eat of steak from the Utah Beef Council, Turkey from Norbest, Lamb, Onion Rings (which were made right in front of us), milk from Meadow Gold and Gossners, BBQ Pork from the Pork Council, salad and apples, rolls, and Creamies (from you guessed it, the Creamies plant). The food was amazing!!

Paul and I stuffed ourselves to the rafters and of course brought home some extra meadow gold pints. Meadow Gold milk, in pints, is usually $1 at the store. We drank one each there and brought three more (total) home. That chocolate is way too good!! We definitely like our milk and dairy products!! :)

After the BBQ we headed to the Aggies vs. Vandals game. For those of you who didn't know, I was once a Vandal and have since converted over to become a True Aggie. :) This was going to be a great game - complete with ESPN, Blimps, and Helicopters! Just kidding...USU was ranked 119/120 and UI was ranked 113/120. At least we knew it would be somewhat of a close game! ;)

We had a great time booing the Vandals and watching them get their backsides kicked. USU had some bad plays, but overall they redeemed themselves with some better plays themselves. It was a close game up until the second half. That is when USU picked it up and ended the game 42-17. That was their first WAC win of the season as well as their overall first win. It is humerous because they are ranked #1 in the WAC right now as no other teams (beside the Vandals) have played other WAC schools. So the Aggies are really #1!! At least for a couple more days...

FAMILY DAY

This past weekend Paul had his monthly drill down in Salt Lake City. However, this time it was a little different as it was Family Day on Saturday.

Instead of driving down Friday afternoon, Paul didn't have to be to drill until 0700 Saturday. He was picked up from a friend in his unit at 0445 and was off to drill. Paul had a PFT to run that morning and some Admin paperwork to get done. He ran two seconds shy of a perfect run time (perfect is 3 miles in 18 minutes) so he ended up getting a 299 on his PFT. I think that is still pretty good! :)

I drove down later that morning and met him in SLC around 1100. They gave the guys two hours to get around for family day so Paul and I went to a Farmer's Market and Art in the Park going on in downtown SLC. We tasted this watermellon that a local farm was selling and it was so delicious. The owner saw my face and told Paul he had to purchase one for me since I liked it that well. Paul informed the man we didn't bring any cash with us (as they didn't take check or cards). That man was so nice he actually gave us a medium sized watermellon for free!! We were pretty thrilled to say the least!

Family day activities started around 1300 and included a BBQ, children obstacle courses, information about their deployment, and a squad competition. Paul's squad won 1st place in the Tug O War competition and afterward a group of Army MP's came over and challenged them as well. Let's just say that they made all the Marines there proud! :)

I got to talk to the Officer In Command's (OIC) wife for a little bit about TBS. She motivated me and was very open to help with any information about life in Quantico. She then informed me that they loved living in 29 Palms, CA and are hoping for another posting there. She is the Key Volunteer Coordinator for the unit and has many good ideas for when the men are deployed. Even though Paul is getting commissioned and out of the unit so he cannot go to Iraq, we signed up to help with the support group back home. I know that Paul really wanted to go with his fellow brothers in combat, but the Lord has a different plan and a later deployment will come soon.

Overall... A great day to mingle with the families and gather in support of our men.

Have We Forgotten?

Tomorrow marks the seventh year anniversary of the attacks on our country...

On our civilians...

On our soil...
On our beliefs...

On what we stood for.
Do you remember that day? Do you remember how mad it made you feel? Do you remember how in the next few months American's rallied together for a common cause? We were once aware...what has happened?

In just seven short years have we as a nation forgot what happened to our brothers and sisters?

This year marks an important election that could "change" our country in some way. When you cast your ballot this November remember how you felt that day. For their sake, and yours, don't forget.

This Past Week In Events

For those of you who are family and use this as a way to keep up with us...I will give you a little update.

Sunday Night we went to the youth activity at our church and helped with Volleyball. It was great fun and our team really beat the pants off the other team!! :)

Paul and I have been busy with classes - as any college student would be. No tests yet but they are coming up fast!! My Genetics class is actually a lot of fun! It is hard work but so interesting that it makes it all better. My professor, the ex Med School Teacher, does an amazing job explaining terms and presenting concepts while quickly moving through the material. We both have lots of reading so that consumes most of our time. For example, I have 80 pages to read tonight in just one class and I have four courses on top of that with reading.

Paul is starting his first sewing project...two pillowcases!! Go Paul!! :) Honestly, he has been really enjoying this semester of classes. Life at college is pretty easy. We were talking about it and we see each other more now then we probably will ever when we get into the "real world". Paul is done with classes everyday at 3:00 and I am done around 5:30 and then homework starts. Life is good and we are blessed.

We have been attending various club and organization meetings this past week. Tonight was my Department's opening social. We had BBQ Pork Sandwiches with all the fixins along with Aggie Ice Cream. It was great food and free on top of that!

We just found out that Paul has drill on Saturday and Sunday. His unit, Fox Co 2 Battalion 23 Marines, is deploying December so they are doing a lot of prep work right now. Because of that they are having Family Day on Saturday which will include all the health and necessary info. Paul isn't deploying with his unit this time because he is set to commission this May. In a sense he is trading one deployment for another because after TBS there is a 100% deployment rate within the first year. He will just be going as a 2nd Lt. instead of a Corporal...for those of you who didn't know. :)

We are currently praying and seeking for a house in and around Logan. We are hoping God will close the door quickly if this isn't what we are supposed to be doing. We will see...

Thats about it for now...until next time...

My 9 Lessons

As many of you probably enjoyed your Labor Day, I learned some valuable lessons.

1. Never pick up the glass jar that holds the hot bacon grease you just poured into it. You will enevitably drop the jar because your finger burns and then the hot grease will pour out onto your other hand and wrist. This will immediately cause a sizzling sensation that will lead to discoloration, a swolen area, blisters, and lots of crocodile tears.

2. Burns hurt like crap (whatever that is supposed to hurt like)!! Don't do it!!

3. After you have fryed your right hand, you loose temporary movement and the ability to complete daily tasks.

4. My husband truly loves me. Enough to finish making breakfast, ice my hand, do the dishes, run to Walmart for burn treatments, make lunch, re-ice my hand, apply burn treatment, make dinner, dictate for me (see below), and of course put up with my whining. What a great guy! :)

5. Never wait until the day before you have a four page paper due to start typing it up.

6. Typing with one hand is REALLY slow.

7. Even though your hand is just impaired it somehow effects the rest of your body. The rest of the day I was just plain stupid! :)

8. You have a little voice in your head that screams, "Just slow down and think stupid!!"

9. Tylenol is your friend.

Those were my lessons I learned yesterday!! :)

I'm Sore

So Paul and I have been working out together lately...more like he has been my personal trainer! :) He got me going on crossfit. If you haven't heard of it you should definitely check it out. It works out your entire body and afterward you feel like you got kicked by a mule. Seriously, I was so sore this week that I couldn't climb down our stairs normally. I had to go down backwards (facing up top) and literally crawl down.

My legs weren't the only part of me that was sore. My arms felt like I left them at the gym clinging to the pullup bar. Putting clothes on has never been so difficult and even stupid little things like sitting down required much contemplation to figure out the least painful route.

You may be wondering what excercise caused so much pain. With crossfit you do everything as fast as you can while still having good form. This circuit contained:

1 Mile Run

100 Pullups

100 Pushups

150 Squats (these are the ones where your knees don't go in front of your toes - try it)

1 Mile Run

By the end of the circuit - which took one hour - I was so exhausted I felt like losing my lunch and I was also getting very faint. However, when you leave the gym and you feel that tired - and worse the next three days - you know that you did something worthwhile.

Tomorrow Paul and I are heading back to the gym...I am honestly hoping to see results but to feel healthier as well.

Show Me The True Blooded Aggies..!

This Monday Paul and I embarked on yet another year of college. Paul is now a senior and I am still a lowly Junior. :) Paul is taking 18 credits while I am balancing 17...this can be a little much for us at times.

Paul has two upper division Econ classes, a Philosophy class, a Military Science class, a Personal Finance class, and sewing. Yes, you read that right....sewing. He is one of two guys in the class and it was quite hilarious that the teacher told them the first day that they would be better than the girls since a sewing machine was a large power tool and the girls would be intimidated. I had to laugh thinking about the welding classes that I have taken...those girls don't even know the start of large tools...

My classes this semester are going to take a lot of time with required readings and study. They are all above 3500 level classes (except for CHEM) which reinforces the fact I am a Junior. I have Turf Grass Management, Soil and Water Conservation, Genetics, Chemistry, American Literature, and we both are taking Ballroom Dancing together. We thought it would be fun to learn together and just goof off at home with it later on. So far it is quite fun and very good for our communication skills. :) Paul has to lead and I have to follow (I have been working on my end a lot lately). This is actually a really good comparison of the married life. Maybe I will expound one day...

The first week of school has to be one of the best...that is for freebies!! Monday we got Aggie Ice Cream for free. It wasn't just a little taste either; it was about six dollars worth if you went and bought it at the Ice Cream Shop. Tuesday brought free Scottsman Dogs. I have to admit that these are remarkably good and not at all what I expected. They are cheeseburgers that are shaped into a hot dog and served in a hot dog bun. So Good...

Wednesday it was Day on the Quad. This is the day to stock up on all the free candy, pop, water, pencils, ice cream, etc. There has got to be over fifty booths giving away prizes while advertising their club or group. I met Paul between classes to run through really quick and we came out with an ipod Nano, 3 frisbees (don't ask me how we will use them all at once), balls, drinks, fat boys, creamies, popsicles, etc. We didn't even manage to make it through entirely but were pretty happy with our loot!

Thursday at dark USU played Iron Man out on the HPER Field on a gigantic blow up screen. This screen was seriously the size of a regular movie theater screen too. We lugged our bean bag chair, popcorn, blankets and sweatshirts (it has been getting down in the forties at night) to the field. There had to be over 600 people in attendance!! It was great...even though we didn't get home until midnight because of the late showing.

Friday....well today isn't the best day of them all. They had free Otter Pops in the TSC but that was about it. Tonight is an 80's dance that the ASUSU is hosting. Needless to say we won't be going to that...

With all the happenings the first week of school, ya gotta get in the Aggie Song from time to time. It has such a catching tune that you can catch Paul and I humming it from time to time...

Show me the Scottsman who doesn't love the thistle,

Show me the Englishman who doesn't love the rose,

Show me the True Blooded Aggie from Utah,

Who doesn't love the spot where the sage brush grows!!