Last year's Christmas wasn't the best of time for Matt and I. Although we know it isn't all about the presents, we still didn't have any money to buy anything for anyone, or even help bring a food item. We were living in his parents basement, Matt didn't have a job and we were struggling to figure things out. However, we made it through and this Christmas was so much better.
Every Christmas Eve we spend time with Matt's Dad's side of the family. His side is so big that they reserve the hall at the post office where Matt's Dad works and then everyone comes there and it is like a big pot-luck, with a ton of sweets and different types of food. Every Christmas Eve at this celebration, even "Santa" shows up and has all the kids sit on his lap and they all get a toy and their picture taken. It is very cute. They also play the White Elephant game, which personally, I could do without, but it is funny to watch. Matt's Nina and Nino (Godparents) gave him a large tin of BEAUTIFUL Christmas ornaments that his Nina made by hand. They were just amazing, I think next year we will have to break down and buy a small Christmas tree for all the amazing ornaments. His Nina has given him one every year so he has quite the collection with the tin that he received this year.
On Christmas day we went to his parents house and celebrated. We went there a little before everyone else got there so that way his niece and nephews could open their presents from us and grandma and grandpa. They were all so cute...they get so excited about everything. Emilio was excited about a white box before he even knew what was in it. Nessa had gotten a gift for Grandma confused and thought it was hers...it was a flat screen TV and she did her best to hold onto that box and claim it as hers :). She got a small little 15" TV though too, but she wanted the huge flat screen instead. Shortly after the kids were done opening gifts we cleaned up and prepared the tables for all the family to come over and eat. I would say over 50 people showed up from his Mom's side, and that wasn't everyone. We had so much amazing food! We had prime rib, ham, and turkey and all the sides to go with! It was insane, but oh so good. After all the food was eaten and every one's stomach settled, we pulled 2 tables together and sat down and played games. It was a fun and amazing day/night.
I am slowly coming around to Christmas time, I used to wish it wasn't there, but now I am learning to love it. I am still getting used to all of the family traditions and the amount of family with Matt but in the end I still love them and the time I have with them.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Winter Wonderland
I have lived in Colorado almost 3 years now, and I don't think I have experienced as many "snow-days" as I have this winter. By snow-days I don't mean days off, I really mean just days that it has snowed. Although most snow-falls we have only received about 5inches or less we still have had a lot of snow this winter. The best part though is that it is always warm-ish; for me at least. It gets about 20-30 most days but it is always nice out because the snow is almost always shining...which I love! The snow melts so much faster then! Just this week, I drove to work with snow on the streets and could barely see the lines, but when I went home there was no snow on the roads. And trust me, it wasn't plow trucks that helped, we never see those around here. Colorado really needs to adopt the way of plow trucks in Wisconsin. In La Crosse, before even an inch was down the plows were out sanding and plowing; here you don't see a plow truck unless the snow has stopped and there is like 2 feet of snow on the ground. It is a little ridiculous, no wonder there are so many accidents all the time. I think they just assume that the cars on the roads will clear it up for them.
Anyways...we had one week where it was negative for a couple days, but then by the weekend it was back in the 30's and 40's. The days where it was negative I felt so bad for my "little" Apollo...his paws didn't like the cold very much so when he had to go out for a walk/bathroom time, he would try to lift as many paws at once as he could because they were so cold. It was pretty cute and funny, I did laugh, but I still felt bad. He would stand and try to hold up 2 paws at once and then the opposite 2, poor guy. Rocky on the other hand loved it!!! He shoves his head into the snow and then throws the snow in the air, he doesn't even shake his head off, he just lets all the snow sit there. Sometimes he tries to run and gallop in the snow, and then he will just plop down and roll in it...it is so cute! Then he'll be so excited that when he is outside and when he gets in he will try to pounce and play and get down on his front paws with his butt in the air...I love it. If anyone has ever seen a "psycho" puppy...where all they do is tear around and jump and run and what-not...imagine a 100lb St. Bernard trying to do that; it doesn't work so well...but it sure is funny! It looks like he is continuously hopping because he is so big and so excited. He is so funny.
So in the end I am not a huge fan of winter, but living in Colorado definitely helps to sway me, or at least make the days that it snows a little better. The sun is always out and so when it is cold, it still isn't that cold...Wisconsin definitely has Colorado beat in the coldness and snow factor. Some days I walk outside and think its spring because of the snow melting and the sun being out. I don't know how many times I have forgotten that it is November or December...it is just crazy, but once again, I love it!
Anyways...we had one week where it was negative for a couple days, but then by the weekend it was back in the 30's and 40's. The days where it was negative I felt so bad for my "little" Apollo...his paws didn't like the cold very much so when he had to go out for a walk/bathroom time, he would try to lift as many paws at once as he could because they were so cold. It was pretty cute and funny, I did laugh, but I still felt bad. He would stand and try to hold up 2 paws at once and then the opposite 2, poor guy. Rocky on the other hand loved it!!! He shoves his head into the snow and then throws the snow in the air, he doesn't even shake his head off, he just lets all the snow sit there. Sometimes he tries to run and gallop in the snow, and then he will just plop down and roll in it...it is so cute! Then he'll be so excited that when he is outside and when he gets in he will try to pounce and play and get down on his front paws with his butt in the air...I love it. If anyone has ever seen a "psycho" puppy...where all they do is tear around and jump and run and what-not...imagine a 100lb St. Bernard trying to do that; it doesn't work so well...but it sure is funny! It looks like he is continuously hopping because he is so big and so excited. He is so funny.
So in the end I am not a huge fan of winter, but living in Colorado definitely helps to sway me, or at least make the days that it snows a little better. The sun is always out and so when it is cold, it still isn't that cold...Wisconsin definitely has Colorado beat in the coldness and snow factor. Some days I walk outside and think its spring because of the snow melting and the sun being out. I don't know how many times I have forgotten that it is November or December...it is just crazy, but once again, I love it!
Life with 2 dogs
Life with 2 HUGE dogs has certainly been interesting. They always keep us on our toes. We had some rough starts with Rocky in the beginning. We adopted Rocky mainly for Apollo, so he could have a friend to play with when we are gone, but unfortunately Rocky didn't feel the same way. He feels safer in a kennel, and when he isn't in one, he poops in the house when we are not home (even though he is house-trained). We were getting so frustrated that we had to start putting Rocky back in a kennel; which also meant that Apollo had to go back on the prozac. Apollo is pretty wild sometimes and it is best that he stays on the prozac anyways.
Rocky seems to have some anxiety issues around other dogs...although his first visit at the dog park and at doggy day care with us went well, every visit after that didn't go so well. He started fights with dogs and then Apollo would join in. We are not sure if it is the "pack" mentality or what the issue is, but until we have the money and time to take him to some training sessions (privately) we are exercising our dogs with walks and in home activities. It is hard, knowing that your dog is the one starting the fight, especially when they are both just lovers - especially with Rocky. All he wants to do is be loved and petted, that's all he cares about. Greeting people he does 100 times better than Apollo. He is very slow and somber and just walks to you, where Apollo jumps, licks and so much more. It is hard.
We still sometimes wish that we would have waited for a puppy-puppy, things may have been easier because we would have had him from the start and the mentality and training would be different. Right now we don't know everything that Rocky has been through, so it makes things hard. We still love him very much, but things are still hard sometimes.
I still think that Apollo is happier though, it is hard to tell but I think he is better now than he was before, at least now he has a friend and they still play together in the house and outside. Soon we will be looking for a house to rent with a backyard so they have a place to play, maybe we will get a sturdy dog run too so that way they can stay outside while we are gone during the days.
So although times have been hard, they have been great too. The good times have out-weighed the bad and we have strategized ways to make things better for us and the dogs. Things are working out. There is just a period of adjustment and I think after that time is done our dogs will be better, we (Matt and I) just need to do a little more research and work a little harder. I'm sure there will be more updates on the dogs to come!
Rocky seems to have some anxiety issues around other dogs...although his first visit at the dog park and at doggy day care with us went well, every visit after that didn't go so well. He started fights with dogs and then Apollo would join in. We are not sure if it is the "pack" mentality or what the issue is, but until we have the money and time to take him to some training sessions (privately) we are exercising our dogs with walks and in home activities. It is hard, knowing that your dog is the one starting the fight, especially when they are both just lovers - especially with Rocky. All he wants to do is be loved and petted, that's all he cares about. Greeting people he does 100 times better than Apollo. He is very slow and somber and just walks to you, where Apollo jumps, licks and so much more. It is hard.
We still sometimes wish that we would have waited for a puppy-puppy, things may have been easier because we would have had him from the start and the mentality and training would be different. Right now we don't know everything that Rocky has been through, so it makes things hard. We still love him very much, but things are still hard sometimes.
I still think that Apollo is happier though, it is hard to tell but I think he is better now than he was before, at least now he has a friend and they still play together in the house and outside. Soon we will be looking for a house to rent with a backyard so they have a place to play, maybe we will get a sturdy dog run too so that way they can stay outside while we are gone during the days.
So although times have been hard, they have been great too. The good times have out-weighed the bad and we have strategized ways to make things better for us and the dogs. Things are working out. There is just a period of adjustment and I think after that time is done our dogs will be better, we (Matt and I) just need to do a little more research and work a little harder. I'm sure there will be more updates on the dogs to come!
Internship update
Hey everyone! As I spoke to my Dad yesterday he pointed out that I haven't written a blog in a while. There were some small circumstances where I didn't have the chance to get into the room where our computer was kept for long periods of time and so I apologize for how long it has been since I have updated.
My first update will be of my internship. I will be starting in January at Excelsior which is a residential treatment facility for girls ages 11-20 with extreme behavior disorders. I have 2 orientation days the first week of January and then the 13th will be my first official day! The area I will be working in is called the TLC section. Excelsior offers schooling and living quarters for the girls that have their disorders under control or can function with minimal difficulty. However, the TLC section is like a psych-ward, this is where some of the girls work on controlling their disorders before they can be released into the rest of the facility. It is like a rehabilitation center.
Some of the things that I will be doing there is sitting in on different group counseling sessions for different topics, and I will also be doing some evaluations for the girls that are just arriving at Excelsior. I will also be receiving my own clients, which I must admit is a little scary and exciting all at the same time. My main client load will be girls that suffer from conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and anti-social personality disorder. For about the first month or so I will be working with my supervisor and learning the ropes, but after that I kind of have free rein to do what I want to do. He is going to let me "spread my wings" and experience this amazing opportunity on my own and help me when I need it.
For about 6 months my life is going to be crazy! Starting the 13th I will be working 9-5 every Wednesday at Excelsior and Friday mornings until about noon. I will also be assigned research projects and regular paperwork to understand what the process is like. I will still be trying to work 40 hours a week at Children's so I will be going in there at 6am on the days that I don't work at Excelsior, and most days I will stay late. I may also need to go in on Saturday mornings to cover some hours as well. THEN... every other Tuesday I have my internship class from 5-8ish. It is going to be crazy. Lucky for me I have an amazing supervisor who has worked with me and is helping me figure out how to keep my 40 hours and is also more than willing to let me be gone to finish my Masters degree. She and our director are working on so many projects to keep me busy and finding ways to help me, I couldn't ask for better people to help me with this.
I am hoping to be done with my internship by the end of June but it may be a little longer. I need to have 660 hours and only 280 of that will be direct contact, the rest is all indirect (which is the hardest to get). I was supposed to have a graduation date of May but due to the schedule I need and the credits I need at school I pushed everything back to August to give myself time; although I hope to be done way before that.
This internship is going to be exciting, stressful, intense and full of surprises. I am so nervous but at the same time I can't wait to see what the internship brings. I am already brainstorming ideas to keep my emotions some what low. I know I will be dealing with a lot, just Mon-Fri and it is going to be hard. I will barely see Matt...but in the end of things it will be worth it. As my supervisor/friend keeps telling me "keep your eye on the light at the end of the tunnel." So that's all I can do. After I have started the internship I hope I can find some time to update everyone on how the process is going. Of course I will have my limitations on what I can share but I will do my best. Thanks for listening!
My first update will be of my internship. I will be starting in January at Excelsior which is a residential treatment facility for girls ages 11-20 with extreme behavior disorders. I have 2 orientation days the first week of January and then the 13th will be my first official day! The area I will be working in is called the TLC section. Excelsior offers schooling and living quarters for the girls that have their disorders under control or can function with minimal difficulty. However, the TLC section is like a psych-ward, this is where some of the girls work on controlling their disorders before they can be released into the rest of the facility. It is like a rehabilitation center.
Some of the things that I will be doing there is sitting in on different group counseling sessions for different topics, and I will also be doing some evaluations for the girls that are just arriving at Excelsior. I will also be receiving my own clients, which I must admit is a little scary and exciting all at the same time. My main client load will be girls that suffer from conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and anti-social personality disorder. For about the first month or so I will be working with my supervisor and learning the ropes, but after that I kind of have free rein to do what I want to do. He is going to let me "spread my wings" and experience this amazing opportunity on my own and help me when I need it.
For about 6 months my life is going to be crazy! Starting the 13th I will be working 9-5 every Wednesday at Excelsior and Friday mornings until about noon. I will also be assigned research projects and regular paperwork to understand what the process is like. I will still be trying to work 40 hours a week at Children's so I will be going in there at 6am on the days that I don't work at Excelsior, and most days I will stay late. I may also need to go in on Saturday mornings to cover some hours as well. THEN... every other Tuesday I have my internship class from 5-8ish. It is going to be crazy. Lucky for me I have an amazing supervisor who has worked with me and is helping me figure out how to keep my 40 hours and is also more than willing to let me be gone to finish my Masters degree. She and our director are working on so many projects to keep me busy and finding ways to help me, I couldn't ask for better people to help me with this.
I am hoping to be done with my internship by the end of June but it may be a little longer. I need to have 660 hours and only 280 of that will be direct contact, the rest is all indirect (which is the hardest to get). I was supposed to have a graduation date of May but due to the schedule I need and the credits I need at school I pushed everything back to August to give myself time; although I hope to be done way before that.
This internship is going to be exciting, stressful, intense and full of surprises. I am so nervous but at the same time I can't wait to see what the internship brings. I am already brainstorming ideas to keep my emotions some what low. I know I will be dealing with a lot, just Mon-Fri and it is going to be hard. I will barely see Matt...but in the end of things it will be worth it. As my supervisor/friend keeps telling me "keep your eye on the light at the end of the tunnel." So that's all I can do. After I have started the internship I hope I can find some time to update everyone on how the process is going. Of course I will have my limitations on what I can share but I will do my best. Thanks for listening!
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