UT and NE Trips

This past June, I started Graduate School through Utah State University. My summer courses required that I come to campus for one week to work face to face with my professors. This week happened to be the one prior to the Junge Family reunion in NE (check out the blog above). I was more than happy to be able to come back to Logan for a week! My courses were from 8-12 and then from 1-5. This allowed my evenings to be filled with friends and family – which was great!

My parents drove down for the weekend prior to classes starting. We took my Mom to a demolition derby (the first one she has ever been to). It was great fun. My adopted grandparents from our church in Logan also came with us. Mr. and Mrs. Bence are wonderful people to Paul and I – thank you for all your hospitality and friendship! During the week, I was also able to spend time with my dear friend Annie and her little guy. What fun we had walking the Stokes Nature Center Trail, having a picnic, and going out for food. I was even able to accompany her on the piano as she sang for church Sunday evening.

We also got together with another friend and had a wonderful dinner and ice cream. This place was really cool (as the inner nerd in me comes out)! They mixed your batter (custard, whipping cream, yogurt, etc) as a liquid with flavoring. Then they added your fruit, chocolate, etc much like Coldstone. It looked much like a soup mix until they placed the bowl under a tank filled with liquid nitrogen and pulled the lever. It then turned the liquid into ice cream! So wonderful...

My summer classes ended successfully in August and I just started back up last week for my second of six semesters. I am really looking forward to this semester’s courses as one of them is motivation and classroom management. As a new teacher, this is something I am always working on improving. I am also working on my Thesis as I narrow down my research question. How I respect researches much more now. Fun side note, did you know the APA manual’s main editor is a Vandenbos? I told Paul that it must be the reason why they are all so good at writing. :)

"GreenBean" during the half time. I would expect to see this in VA... :)
Dad's view of the derby.

The Bence family (AKA adopted family)

My parents...love them!!

Pink car was driven by a girl who won...kinda lame because she really just hid the entire time...

Annie's cute little man.

My good friend Annie! Such a sweet little lady!


In July, right after the week of grad school in Logan, I was able to go to the Junge Family reunion. The reunion was a “low year” with only 186 people in attendance. This is Paul’s grandmother and her ten other siblings and their families that make up the attendees. It is held just outside of Lincoln, NE in a town called York. Events were planned for three days that ranged from family fishing, cosmic bowling, church services, games, photos, three hour DVD of family history with photos, fellowship, and plenty of food. It was a great time to meet Paul’s extended family and get to know his closer family a little bit better. His great Grandfather sold seed in NE for Dekalb and his family was heavily involved with Agriculture.

Because Paul was unable to come because of training, it was a great way for me to reach out on my own and get to know others. At one point I even got to try on Paul’s great grandmother’s wedding dress that all the female family members get to try on. A big Thank you to Paul’s parents for providing the funds for me to come! I had such a great time and appreciate his family so much more.

Great Grandma Junge's wedding dress.

Our section (Vandenbos) of the Junge Clan. We were the second smallest group in attendance.