Keeping up with the Malcolm's: June Adventures

I know, I know. Our blog has been put on the back burner for the last couple of months. I don't really have any good excuses, except that life can just get busy sometimes. I just realized that the summer has 1/2 gone and so much has happened in the last couple of months. I guess that it is time for some updates!

I finished my first quarter back at EWU in June. Classes went good, but I was glad to be finished. Chemistry was hard, but not as hard as I had anticipated. I ended up with a fairly decent grade. Sociology was interesting and also easy. I learned a lot more from that class than I had expected. I didn't care for the professor, but you can't get everything you want. :)

After spring quarter I signed up to take chemistry all summer. I know...YUCK! The plan was to get chemistry out of the way during the summer and then just take my required biology classes during fall, winter, and spring quarter. That would enable me to apply to nursing school in December. It is always good to have a good plan, even though life provides you with many interesting opportunities. More of that note to come later.

After I got out done with my classes I took both Tia and Maisy to my parents house for a much needed week of relaxation. It was Maisy's first trip to Oregon. It went fairly smoothly, although little Maisy got car sick. :( Both of the girls got to go to the beach for walks and hang out with Gramma and Grampa. They loved it!

While I was in Oregon, I ran the Helvetia 1/2 marathon in Portland with Cassie. It was a fun, but challenging course. At the end we got a yummy Helevetia burger as part of our entry fee. I got to spend some time with Cassie and pick on Scott a little. :)

Cassie and I after the Helvetia 1/2 Marathon

The bummer about leaving Oregon, meant that summer school was going to start at EWU and I would be taking the dreaded chemistry for the next 8 weeks. This is where I need to take off on a tangent that I mentioned previously. I applied for a job as a 911 dispatcher for Spokane County back at the beginning of May. I took the first test over Memorial Day Weekend and never thought I would have passed it. Surprisingly, I did and took the second and third test right before I left on my trip to Oregon. I passed those tests and got an interview that was scheduled when I got back from my trip. After that interview that took place on a Wednesday they scheduled another interview for that Friday. While I was sitting in on my first day of chemistry class, they called and offered me the job. With that opportunity, I decided it was best that I didn't take my two chemistry classes because I wouldn't be able to finish them before I started my new job. Not taking the classes also allowed Cam and I to plan a vacation before I would have to start training. We had planned to take our vacation in September, but with the new job I wouldn't be able to go then.

Now that I have this new job, nursing school will be put on the back burner for a bit. I won't be able to apply in December of this year anymore, but I am hoping that I can apply next year. Once I get a set schedule I will resume my classes at EWU. The plan as of now, is to take some online classes for fall quarter.

I got to home for about a week before I went back to Oregon for the last weekend in June. Cam was slightly bummed that I would be missing Hoopfest, but I was going back home for a good reason. My dad got the honor of being the Grand Marshall in the Tillamook June Dairy Parade. For those of you who don't know, the June Dairy Parade is the second largest parade in the state behind Portland's Rose Parade. It was such an honor and I was so proud of him!

Tillamook County is "Butter Than The Rest"

My parent sitting on the famous cow bench in Tillamook

Getting ready for the rose planting ceremony

So cute!

Yay!

Famous "Loaf of Love Tour"

My parents at home with their trophy

Aside from myself being busy in June, Cam was also busy. On top of his job at Scottrade he is working for his uncle on a house remodel in Chattaroy. "Remodel" is a loose term for the project because it is slightly more than that. The house was a foreclosure that got gutted out on the inside so everything has to be replaced and rebuilt. The previous owners left nothing but an empty shell. What makes it such a huge project is that the house is 6500 square feet so it is a huge empty shell! Cam's first task was to get contractor's to bid on the different projects and then hire the contractors and make sure that they were doing what the new owner wanted. He also got the paint bid so on top of making sure everyone else was on task he had to start painting everything. To say that he has been stressed out from time to time is an understatement. I am proud of him and I think that he is doing a wonderful job and the house is coming together nicely. I just wish that I saw more of him. :(