Last Day

Today was JD's birthday and we had a great time at church and at the ocean.  We also spent a last bit of quality time with Gordon, the Clarke family dog.  It is not going to be very much fun going back home tomorrow.

Happy Birthday JD!

Beach Day

Relax day!  We slept in, didn't have to be anywhere or do anything and it was so nice.  JD got a bit fried on our Anacapa adventure thanks to his hatred of suncscreen so it was probably a good thing that we didn't have any set plans.  We drove down to one of my favorite places in the world: Oceanside.  We ate at Ruby's Diner and walked the pier.  While we were waiting for our table to be called we watched dolphins surfing the huge waves there which was super cool.  Thanks to how burnt JD was, he spent most of the beach time on under a towel to stay away from the sun, whom he isn't on good terms with at the moment.  On our way back to the Clarke's we stopped at the Mission Viejo mall to see the Lego Store, and bought some cheesecake from the Cheesecake factory.  It was a nice, chillaxing day.  One more left before we make the long drive back home.

Channel Islands National Park

We went to Anacapa Island yesterday, the smallest of the Channel Islands National Park chain.  It was amazing.  We rode on a boat out of the Channel Islands Harbor to Anacapa.  On our way there we had some dolphins swim along side us, and right before we reached the island, a humpback whale surfaced near our boat, so we followed it for a while.  It was hatching season on the island which means a lot of nervous momma birds on their nests, everywhere.  We hiked around the island for some beautiful views on a sunshiny day.  We could see sea lions swimming through kelp forests and sunbathing, and there were flowers everywhere.  On our way back to the harbor our boat went through a pod of dolphins somewhere in the range of 1,000 according to the captain.  It was crazy cool having hundreds of dolphins swimming all around the boat and jumping along and in the wake.  If I can get the footage I took to work, I will post what I got, though, as usual, photos and film just don't do it justice.  We are looking forward to a couple of relaxing beach days, and celebrating JD's birthday on Sunday before heading back to Utah.

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

It was a super wet and rainy day today while we were up in the mountains admiring giant trees.  It was kind of strange driving through clouds and having them wisp about the trees as we hiked around.  The park was amazing though, we saw General Grant: 3rd largest tree in the world, and General Sherman: largest tree in the world.  That is by volume, not height.  We walked inside fallen down sequoias, and groves full of them too.  Upon reaching the other side of the park we saw the sun peak out as we scaled down the mountain, giving us a beautiful drive to Oxnard, we went past a ton of farms again, and they smelled divine, especially the orange groves. Channel Islands tomorrow!

Yosemite National Park

We went to Yosemite National Park today and it was amazing!  We hiked around sequoia trees that were huge, hiked up to Lower Yosemite Falls, road the shuttle system around the valley.  Got rained on a lot and just sat under trees until storms passed through, and had a great time.  I watched the Ken Burns National Parks: America's Best Idea documentary a few years ago and ever since I have always wanted to come to Yosemite, and it lived up to its reputation.  I can say it was nice being in the park this time of year, from the looks of it, the valley is probably completely packed during the summer months, but the cool weather and rain made the park relatively quiet, enough for JD to stalk a mom and her baby deer for a while.  Super great day!

Fresno

We drove through a ton of farms today, we aren't sure what most of them were, but there were a ton of trees, grape vinyards, and a lot of trucks carrying different fruit, like lemons.  We made it to Fresno in time to attend the Fresno California Temple, it is one of the smaller temples, the grounds were beautiful and it was nice being able to go.  Before the drive we spent more time at the beach just relaxing, I made sand creatures, like the crab pictured.  It was a long drive, but miraculously we weren't stopped in traffic once, not even in our travels through Los Angeles, Glendale, and Burbank.  It should be a fun few days going through some new National Parks!

Joshua Tree National Park

We hiked around Joshua Tree National Park today and it was so cool!  It was outside of Palm Springs in the desert.  Crazy drive going from rain and 65 degrees to hot sun and 97 degrees in the matter of 20 minutes, just by crossing a 'mountain'.  The cacti were in bloom and there were tons of Joshua Trees (go figure).  National Park week is awesome too, no fees!

Happy Sunday!

We went to church, walked the San Clemente Beach Trail and enjoyed the beach at The Strand by Salt Creek, and played with the Clarke cousins.  It feels so good to relax after a whirlwind week.  

Graduation

Master

 I am officially a Master!  Graduation was fantastic and seriously felt SO good.  It was an all day event with commencement at 8:00, hooding ceremony at 10:00, and convocation at 2:30, followed by a luau party at 5:30.  I am so grateful for all the support I have received in acheiving this goal and I am even more grateful that it is finished.  Up next: vacation!

The Defense

I defended my thesis today: A correlative study on locus of control and depression of radiological professionals and students.  It went well as scared as I was and it feels SO good to be done with that. The past few weeks have been insane getting the written portion approved and spending 5 1/2 hours with Tiera piecing the defense together yestereday.   I just have a few things to change on my written thesis and work on getting it published then I will be DONE! Beatles concert tonight at the Browning Center to celebrate!

Institute Graduates

So we graduated from institute....again. I am very thankful for the institute program. I have learned a lot and it was a great way to fill in the time when JD was taking his night classes and to be with friends that I wouldn't see weekly otherwise (Aimee, Erin, & Christie).

"If you are a single college student, I ask you to make participation in institute a priority. Married students and other young adults are also welcome and encouraged to attend. Think of it. Friends will be made, the Spirit will be felt, and faith will be strengthened. I promise you that as you participate in institute and study the scriptures diligently, your power to avoid temptation and to receive direction of the Holy Ghost in all you do will be increased. Divine favor will attend those who humbly seek it. That is a promise which I leave with you." President Thomas S Monson

My turn next!!!

I know a lot of people who are graduating this spring and I think it is amazingly exciting. Joni was the first to graduate. She got her BSRN from BYU-Idaho but didn't drive up there to walk, so I brought graduation to her by taking my old cap and gown with me to work and taking some standard graduation photos: Scholarly image at a desk (Dr. Calton's desk to be exact), beautiful outdoor scenery shot (outside of the West entrance of McKay Dee), and the friend with flowers photo. There are many more including the offical changing of the tassel picture. She was a good sport to let me take the photos and wear the gown, but it is big deal even if you are working the whole day.

Friday April 20th is my big day followed by May 5th for Erin yay for both of us being done with graduate school! Super exciting and congratulations graduates!

The Thesis

My thesis makes me sad.

And tired.

And angry.

And excited.

And bored.

And happy.

And stressed.

And busy.

And I want to be done.

The end.

He is Risen

I am so grateful for the Savior and the love that He had for each one of us, to lay down His life that we might be able to become clean through His sacrifice and return home to Him. It was the greatest gift anyone could give or has given.

And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

For we saw him, even on the right hand fo God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father. -D&C 76: 22-23

Sprinter

Sometimes I just don't get how you can go from capris and t-shirts and flowers one day

to coats and ice scrapers and snow the next.

City Creek Adventure

Erin and I had a wonderful day Tuesday. It has been a very very long time since we had a whole day to play, but thanks to Spring Break at the school district and my doctor off climbing Mt. Everest we got to go to Salt Lake for a day and we had a lot of fun. Erin is graduating in May and had to get her hood and tassel at the bookstore, so I made her pose with the Ute statue and other landmarks around campus. We went to the Gateway, watched Hunger Games, went up to the U on the mountain, explored City Creek/Harmons, enjoyed the flowers on Temple Square, and a great many other things. It was a fantastic day and a ton of fun.

I just liked it....

Pacific University

It is official! After multiple interviews, acceptances, and debate, JD has chosen to go to Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon, about 20 minutes outside downtown Portland. We are super excited and freaked out at the same time. It will be a big change, a challenging program, and new job for me, but we feel really good about this school and are looking forward to some new adventures.

General Conference