Here Goes......

 

 

      I have really changed and "revamped" perhaps more so in the past 4-5 months, but deffinately in the past year.

     First off my latest and according to me my greatest change is my health. I have drastically changed what I eat and I am loving it! I don't eat white sugar, white flour, dairy or wheat. When we are out with friends to eat or something like that I won't starve myself, but I will try and do my best to pick healthy choices. This came about because of my sweet mother who has always been into health and any/everything natural, she took a foot zoning class and changed to this diet. I went home to help Daryle have her baby and stuck to the diet and loved it so now I do my best to keep it up. It is more expensive, but again like my mom I have found ways to make it work on my budget. Ron seems to be ok with it, either that or he is one of those who suffers in silence. I have found some great recipes and I will post some of the very best ones on here.

    Secondly I have become less shy and much more confrontational, but in a good way that I feel like I can speak my mind. This may or may not be rubbing off on me from my dearest Ron. I really enjoy feeling like I am in charge of me and nobody can change that. Sometimes I do have to cool my jets because I am not all powerful. For example, since I am in a class room all day telling kids what to do trying to maintain order, I get the urge to tell kids what to do when I am out of the class room too. The other day I was coming home and my friend was driving and some punk boys were being reckless and almost hit us. My friend was driving so I reached over honked her horn and yelled at them out my window. I should probably mention  it was past 3am. On a side note being responsible and going to bed at a decent time is still a change I need/want to make. These guys had nice SUV's and probably guns. (I live in a semi-sketchy area:) So I am learning balance. Well this is all the food for thought I have time for just now, but be sure to come back soon.

Revamp

It is time for a revamp...

Life's Little Tid Bits

Little Things That Make Life What It Is

I saw a post about writing about the random little things in Life so I'm gonna give it a try:)

I have picked up a bad habit of needing to have noise ex: aTV show on while I cook or clean when I am home by myself. (Which is all the time)

 Ron studies so much all the time it makes me feel bad when I take break, because I know he is diligently studying. He wants to be the best Chiro. you ever did meet:)

I am a substitute teacher and I hate when kids don't listen because I have to be the "bad guy" and sometimes it takes all the courage I have to do the right thing.

   

Ron has been working out with a buddy from school everyday. His pants are somehow getting smaller and shorter the more he works out. Not smaller in the waist mind you it his thighs and butt-ox.

I really miss my family so much sometimes I call home and will talk with anybody about anything just to get my 'fix'.

Ron and I love love love Buffalo Wild Wings, and the show Bones, but not at the same time:)

Sometimes I get really stressed about money although I really don't need to, because I know Ron would do anything and everything he has to, to provide for our family. I guess I just want to make a bigger financial contribution to our family.

I love when students remember my name from schools where I teach. I work mainly at one High School and when I haven't seen some of the 'regular' students for a few days and then see them in passing it totally makes my day when they say hi to me and remember my name.

I find myself admiring my husband more and more as time passes. Another way of putting it I feel like I fall in love with him over and over and at times the gratitude I feel in my heart is what I imagine heaven to feel like. Its an overwhelming feeling, and I know that this is what true happiness feels like.

I love living in Iowa. The hardest part is our friends leave. We have a close knit community of Palmer students and we have made some excellent friends and all who are ahead of us will leave before we do and its hard to say good bye. 

I have a small obsession with Zumba. I listen to the music at home and in the car and it never ceases to fail to make me smile. I don't really know why I like it so much I just know I do.

I want to be healthy, but I hate the cost of healthy food here. Well all the food here in general is relatively more expensive than what we are use to. I will continue to shop smart as far as health and money are concerned.

Well there you have it a few pieces of my life. I know there is a lot about me, but I hope you still enjoy it!

New Year, New Me...Maybe?

Happy New Year

With all the changes Im making this year perhaps being better at blogging will be one of them. I have a journal I write in so sometimes and I guess I feel like I am re-writing what I have already written. Also I have found that I am much better at speaking than writing (thus my major), so please forgive my errors for I do not care. If you have trouble reading something poorly written I advise you to stop now and save yourself the agony.

Anyway here is just a little up date about how our life is going here in Iowa. I have been working as a Substitute Teacher as of September 2011. So far I am really enjoying it, it pays decent here and the work is steady. It has also prompted me to continue my education in Speech Language Pathology. Yes that means I am planning to take the GRE and apply to grad. school this year. I feel nervous thinking about it, but I am also very excited. Any advice on the GRE is much appreciated:)

Ron is doing so well in school, it never ceases to amaze me how motivated and determined he is with his school work. I plan to be like him when I grow up:) He has almost reached his year mark which will be in March. We will have reached our year mark of being here in less than a month! I know I can hardly believe it myself.

All in all life has been good to us. We love our ward and are sad that some of our friends are leaving and more will be leaving soon. On a happy note more will be coming, its just the circle of life:)

 Some updates on our families, starting with Ron. Darcy Ron's oldest sister is prego with her 4th child and will be having a home birth in about a month or two and is really excited for her new adventure. Lene Ron's second oldest sister just moved back with her 4 little ones to Las Vegas. Danny Ron's younger brother is in the military and will be deployed in March and will be leaving his sweet little wife. Jacob another little brother is in the MTC and will be headed out to Dallas Texas before we know it! Carl and Luke the babies of the family are doing what boys do (whatever that means :).

 Now on to the crazy Collins clan! Daryle my older sister is working making bank at the mine and received her endowments in December, it was beautiful! AJ lives in Alaska and is doing well working and hiking and all that outdoorsy stuff. Jake will be welcoming his 3rd child in March and is working on his masters. Me I am cool. Starr is prego with her first and its a Girl!  She is due in May and will most likely have her baby on my birthday. Teal is finishing up a year in Hawaii where she has been leading a grueling life of going to the beach, working at the PCC (Polynesian Cultural Center), dating handsome and buff poly boys and going to school. We all feel so sorry for the poor little darling and her tan skin. Madi, Sammi and Tacy are home with Mom and Dad keeping them young... or making them old sometimes I cant tell which.

Just a little side note I love plants! I have  become a crazy plant lady and I love it. I have about 15 plants and hope to gain more as time goes on! When we came home from Christmas break which we were gone for over two weeks my 3 foot tall peace lilies looked as though they had died. It got really cold and their leaves were drooping to the ground. I really wish I would have taken a picture to show how sad they were. Yesterday I water all my plants and guess what today they thriving as if nothing had happened! So if you have a plant that needs a home I will be glad to help give it a good place to live. Well thats it for today thank you for reading.

 

Life in the Fast Lane

 Life here started out slow and simple. It was cold and snowy, but soon warmed up and we haven't gotten any snow since.We had about month here to get settled and organized. It was really fun we spent alot of time together that we don't normally get and probably wont get for a while, if ever again.

The pace started to pick up slowly after Ron and I spoke in church. He was called to be the young mens president. At first I was so excited for him then I was felt disappointed. The reason I felt a bummed is because everyone here has been telling me that this first year is the hardest and throughout this whole experience I will become a "chiropractic widow" hardly ever seeing my husband. So I thought just one more thing he has to do, means less time with me. Then I got called to be the activity days leader.Which is good, I always liked activity days when I was younger, and we get to go to church on Wednesdays together twice a month! There is always a silver lining, he is an amazing leader, and rises to every challenge he meets.

I really wanted to get my masters degree while I was out here, but I have felt the need to support Ron. After he received his calling I really felt the need to support him and put off my masters. I will get it, but I just don't know when.

School started at the beginning of March, it started slow then kicked into hyper-drive. Ron is taking 30 credits this semester. He is really busy studying ALL the time. He also is playing baseball on the Palmer team which is a nice stress reliever for him.I have been doing my Iowa licensing for the past three weeks up in Ceder Rapids which is about 65 miles away. So last week I saw Ron for a total of about 4 hours. I was really sad I missed my sweet husband. I have also been working at the ymca here teaching swimming lessons, but I want to get a job that pays better and has better hours. So I am going to try and find a job for the summer, because I am set for when school starts again. 

 

We live in whats called the Quad Cities. It is composed of  Davenport where we live, Bettendorf IA, Moline and Rock Island which are a part of Illinois. The area of town where we live is ghetto with a capital G. There are houses which are really old many of the originals. They are huge and I can only imagine how they looked in their prime. So we live in the old part of town mostly comprised of Black people. I have never lived in a place with so many Black people, even in all the places we have lived and we have lived in 4 different states since we have been married. I am a little scared of them because when they are on their porches and I drive by they all stop and watch me. I have also heard that there is a lot of crime that happens in this part of town which I think contributes to me being a little scared. (Dont tell my mom!)

All in all we really do like living here. The weather is good the grass is green and the trees are starting to turn green as well. We have a really awesome ward and have made some good friends. Although things may be challenging at times we are happy and know this is where we are supposed to be, and we couldn't have chosen better companionship to go through this crazy, challenging and wonderful time of our lives.

We are not in Utah!

We are in Iowa!!!

As of Feb. 1st we were no longer in Utah. We drove halfway across the country to our new home in Davenport Iowa. Ron starts Chiropractic school in March so we are here for the next 4 years! 

My parents graciously accompanied us on our 1,200 mile trek and we missed all the raging storms that were sweeping across the nation. We feel very blessed and are grateful that we made it in one piece. When we first arrived it was after their blizzard hit here and there was 17' inches of snow on the ground. The interstate roads were fine, but the streets in town were not real safe for driving on. Some men from the elders quorum came and helped us unload the rental truck which was awesome! The apartment is old, but as I have learned everything in this town is old.

Our apartment is a house made into 3 different apartments.When we first came in I was a kind of sad because it smelled old and everything needed to be cleaned. Anyway my parents and brother helped us unpack and then they left the next day. After a little while of unpacking and getting everything in its place we are happy to be here in our new home.

As for me I am looking into a couple of jobs and hopefully will have one that will keep me busy, and have fun at the same time. I am looking into online masters programs, but for now I am just adjusting to my new environment.

I know

I know I suck at blogging. The thing is only like 3 people in the whole world will probably read this and one of them is Ron, because honestly he mostly likely wont ever post anything, but he dose like to read it. If this post sounds really scatter brained thats because that is what kind of activity is going on inside my brain.

Ron and I have been really busy, some things that have happened since my last post are:

1. Teal came to live with us in Knoxville she was the best part of my summer

2. I got a job working at Chick-fil-A 

3. We moved from Knoxville to Johnson City from a 2 bedroom apt. to a single room extended stay hotel

4. Teal and I ran every morning like crazy and it was amazing

5. Teal left and I was very sad she is so sweet and one of my best friends

6.We packed up and left to go home

7.We went to Iowa to visit Palmer school of Chiropractics where Ron will be attending this up coming March

8. I am very scared to move to Iowa where we will be far away from family, and dont know anybody or really anthing

9. We came back home and lived in Darcy's basement for 2 and half weeks until we could move into our apt.

10. We went to Ely and saw our family after a long and drury summer, we got to see Jacob play foosball, and I played in the alumni game and was amazing, this I know because everyone told me so

11. We went to Idaho to see Heidi run her marathon (26.2 miles!!!) were she took second and was amazing!

12. Then we went to Boise to see the ever so popular Henze's it was great out on the lake I didnt go to the lake because I stayed back to spend some time with my family who were down for Naani's baby blessing which is missed to spend some time in Boise, but after the lake fun had happened

13. I got a job!

14. We are happy and healthy for the most part Ron has an injured shoulder, and I have an injured knee. Don't worry I didn't hit him too hard

So I will be putting up some more posts with pictures now that I have a place to live and internet that works well. The post will not be put up in chronological order so if you three out there who read my blog get confused, that is why.