Changing it up!!!

So I know it's been what seems forever since I've been on here, but that's because I haven't been!

Seeing as I graduated college the name of this blog became a little less relevant, so I decided to change some things up and create a whole new blog!

This is much like my first blog about my life as a wrangler, except this time I'm living at a guest ranch in Wyoming with my other half!

So if you loved  everything you saw here, come join me at my new blog.

Destination: Me! 

Big Changes and Long Goodbyes

I know they last few months have really only been posts about what my plans are post graduation, but what else is there really to stress about as a college senior other than what to do after college is over? Nothing...exactly.

But that's really all that's been on my mind when I crack open the laptop and start typing. So I'm finally going to give you all a final update on my plans for life, say a goodbye to the greatest four years, and this blog.

Alright everyone, one day left before I cross that stage, shake hands with some important dude, and say "Peace Out Girl Scout" to the last four years of my life! Which is both depressing and exhilarating at the same time. How many times in your life do you get the chance to just be free, no obligations, no restrictions, total and complete freedom...not many. So I'm over here trying to make the most of it.

I have decided that I'm going to spend the summer in Florida with my sister! She is currently serving in the world's greatest Air Force and I am so excited to spend a summer together away from home. I'm currently unemployed and have no plans to use my degree in the near future. I'm looking at finding a summer waitress job, super glamours huh?!?! Judge away people! But I'm seizing the day and filling my summer with adventures. Immature, non resume building adventures. I plan to get a tan, make some tips, and even more friends. I'm excited to say my wonderful boyfriend is coming along for the ride!!! Finally Prince Charming with a southern accent and I will be in the state again! It's been a long year and I can't wait to see him everyday! Don't worry folks, Rocky is also along for the ride!

After my childish summer in Florida, I plan to hopefully get a job on a cattle ranch is Australia. Crazy I know!!! But I was given the opportunity to apply for a job out there working for a year. I could not be more excited! I can't wait to start my life and live out of a suitcase.

I know it sounds silly to most to move to a state for three months, then cross oceans, seas, hemispheres, and continents for a year, but it sound like heaven to me. I think I have larger sense of wanderlust than most and I can't wait to give into that.

So in light of those changes, I'm making a few more in my life. Clearly this blog will become less relevant in about a week, when I'm no longer in college and when I hang up my cowboy boots for an apron. I've decided to create a new blog to better mirror my new life. I've decided to call it....
Destination: ME.

This is will be similar to my lifestyle blog now, but I'll add in some other things like beach workouts, the best way to get a perfect summer tan, how to live off a waitress salary, and life advice for living without limitations. 

I hope you follow me over to my new blog and join me on my hopefully endless adventures over the next year.

10 Things I Never Expected to Learn in College

So it really has been a long four years! But in the shortest way possible, if that makes any sense at all. The last few years have seemed to never end when finals and midterms come around, but when all the fun stuff is happening, life just flies by.

Everyone says high school is the best four years of your life...until college...well shit! If these were the "best" eight years of my life what else do I have to look forward to? Tax returns, low insurance rates, couponing? CAN'T WAIT!!!!

It's hard to finally say goodbye to my best friends, favorite memories, and ample amounts of life advice! So in honor of graduating I'm compiling a list of the 10 things I never expected to learn in college...

10 Things I Never Expected to Learn in College

1. Random roommates end one of two ways...terrible or great.

2. You will loose three things and you won't regret any of them...sleep, friends, and money. (Alright maybe the last one)

3. Your TA's are your best friends.

4. Never be the smartest person in your study group, just smarter than most, no one likes a freeloader.

5. There is no comparing...no one has the same class schedule, social life, hours of work, rent bill, homework assignments, sorority formals, crap roommate that you do...DON'T EVEN TRY!

6. Always be prepared for either an all night study session or the most vital party of your life.

7. Sweatpants.

8. Pinterest knows you better than you do, Facebook will distract you to the ends of the earth, checking your Catmail is a form of being productive, and never get a Twitter...it's dangerous!

9. If you cook a meal that doesn't involve a box label Hamburger Helper, you are officially Wolfgang Puck! 

10. Every year goes by faster than the last...

If I could give my freshman self advice I would say to live in the moment, be selfish, but studious, travel, cry, take pictures, remember where you came from, but don't look back for so long your loose track of where your going, be yourself, love whoever you want, but don't loose yourself in them, be independent, laugh it off, take a second and enjoy the little things, call your best friends before you dive head first into the world of poor life choices, chances are they'll want to join, and never forget how much you're going to change in the next four years. Also save your money, learn to cook, never buy the books, high school taught you nothing, and an empty tank of gas will get you further than you think.

So as I kiss the College of Ag, U of A, my dingy apartment, the Agriculture center, and all my friends goodbye I finally realize it's time for me to move on and have endless adventures.

To all my fellow seniors, good luck in the future and I hope you don't forget the last four years and all the unexpected things we've learned.
To those of you who get to live it up for another year, document every moment, get some good friends, and cause as many shenanigans as possible.

What No One Ever Tells You....

About leaving college  EVER!!!!

...You have to become an adult.

-Tax returns, what?!? 

-Insurance, you mean I can't just stay on my parents forever?!? 

-A real car, made before 1985?!? Where do we get one of those!??!?

Why is it that no one really told you how to be an adult? I just barely figured out how to register to vote! I'm not ready for my own phone plan, filling out my I-9 solo, or looking for a forever living situation! Shit.

Can someone help me?!? Or can I just make a pillow fort and watch Bridesmaids?!? 

So as I get ready to attend my last college party, I realize that my life is not only a mess, but I am no where near prepared to be an adult!!

Please tell me I am not the only one who feels this way!!!

Ten things You Wish Someone Would Have Told You Freshman Year:

1. It goes by real quick like...

2. Find out what you want to do with your life like now, cause when you don't have an answer THEY WILL ALL JUDGE LIKE JUDY!!!

3. You will loose money (lots of it), sleep (even more), and friends, but these are irreplaceable moments

4. Be thankful for the four or forty years you are given to attend the wonderful black hole we call college

5. Never graduate...ever!

6. Being an adult is hard

7. Stay a kid forever

8. Get a dog

9. Find your person and take them with you on all your adventures

10. Seek adventure, even if it's in your own backyard

I don't regret a moment of my college career, well maybe I have a few regrets, but I lived it up the best I knew how and I know it's time to move on and life, I just don't feel prepared in the least.

Wish me luck!

Here's to the Good Times...

This last week though....

Words can not describe how much fun I had over the last week. If anyone ever wanted to end college with a bam, I need to introduce you to my friends...cause these girls do it right!

There were endless moments of can't breathe, so funny you're snorting, my sides ache, some one send this to America's Home Videos, laugh fits, late night shenanigans, DABs, and best friends.

A girl can only hope to make the memories I've made this last week. And let me tell you all something real fast...my friends, they're....perrty neat (fast forward 55 seconds).

Even though the hours of sleep were in the single digits, I don't regret a moment of our nonsense. Sure I didn't do super great on one of the infinite tests that I took, but I GOT a B IN STATS AGAIN!!!! Maybe I'm better I'm at math than I'm willing to admit.

But in all serious these three girls I call partners in crime I have really been there for me through it all. From random days of getting inked up, to helping satisfy a craving for some Bacon and Eggs, to staying up till the break of dawn, to dancing with rhythm-less boys, to cheering on the enemy at a softball game, to always having my back. And because we all have bucket lists to check off, boys to flirt with or seek revenge on, and parties to attend.

So, here's to the good times! Here's to the endless nights, the perfect songs, the crazy ideas, the moments that take your breath away. Here's to a week from Hell sent to us from Heaven. Here's to the my best friends, to our wisest choices, our last minute decisions, our late night talks, and every unforgettable memory in between. Thanks for making my last full week of college one for every history book!

It's been real and it's been fun, and its def been REAL FUN!

Playlist for this week:

Here's to the Good Times: Flordia Georgia Line
Tonight the Heartaches on Me: Dixie Chicks

Love in a College Town: Luke Bryan
Better Stories: Craig Morgan

Picture To Burn: Taylor Swift
If You Ain't Here to Party: Luke Bryan
There's Your Trouble: Dixie Chicks

It's Crunch Time Here People!!!!

So, graduation!!!! Doesn't that word just put a damper on your day?!? Mine too!!! 

Well were officially in the 30's in my "Days till graduation" down! Hello real world, goodbye homework.

So my post graduation plans include absolutely nothing! I've been told that an opportunity will just fall in my lap, or I might have just made that up. Either way, a plan has still not been devised!!!!

But it's fine because everyone else around me is busy being successful and getting jobs! My dance partner in whine just got offered a teaching job! Even my AREC group, who I would best label as "complacent", is busy being productive and making cute hats! 

So it's t-minus 39 days until graduation and instead of applying for jobs and packing up my life, I choose to spend my time Snapchatting Selfies, #waybackwednesday to the Charmed marathon I'm participating in, picstitching library study sessions, and capturing my Top Ten reasons for why I love my job! 

Pre-Pre-Finals Week!

What is more crowed right this moment than Wal-Mart on Black Friday?!?! 

The Library!!!

Final test are in full swing, right before actual finals start. The things going through virtually every teachers' mind right now, "Oh crap, two weeks left in the semester, I'm so behind, let's schedule one more test, a project here and there, oh can't forget that quiz I forgot to give last week, and I think we can squeeze in one more assignment." As a victim of this poor planning I would like to take a minute and thank all these teachers, I really love living in the ever so crowded library.

So as school starts to wind down, the assignments start to pick up! With 12 days of school and two finals, I am OVERWHELMED!!!! But instead of starting my never ending problem sets, I'm indulging in the endless black hole that is the internet and gossiping. Annual Monday library dates...not very productive.

But sitting here in the basement of the Science and Engineering Library, by all the Navy history books brings me back to first semester of my Freshman year. I used to spend countless hours with my favorite people tucked away in these old desks. It was one study break that we discovered we were hunker down right next to the Navy and Marine history section, what are the odds? Really? It was so strange and funny and just became sort of our place. When we weren't hosting Disney movie marathons or planning sleepovers in the basement, we were hidden behind the shelves of Naval history. It's been a long four years and fast forward to now. I'm less than 20 days away from freedom and I have a million opportunities in my lap, I just haven't chosen one yet.

So I'm asking you readers, help me pick what I should spend my summer doing!
1) Wrangler job in South Padre Island, Texas
2) Ranch job in Oklahoma
3) Waitress in Florida
4) Summer 3 of Sombrero

So yeah, I have a few options and to think only a month ago I didn't even have a clue. And now I really need some help making decisions here people! So for once, someone give me some feed back! Which one should I chose?

Now I'm going to finally crack open the books and start the homework I've been avoiding since 7:30 this morning...

Goodnight and Happy Monday!!!!

A {Wo}man's Best Friend...

So there is this guy in my life...

He's my best friend. The single most important thing in my life. 

He's funny, smart, super sweet, loves me no matter what, compassionate, forgiving, caring, dorky, supportive, and EXTREMELY adorable.

Now sure, he does have his flaws, you doesn't?

   He can be a little moody, some days he doesn't feel like being social, other days he's a little needy.

But...

I love him just the same, so I wanted to take a second to dedicate and entire post to him! The love of my life, my best friend, my Snapchat story in its entirety, my work buddy...my dog!

Much like it says to your right, I have a 7 pound Chihuahua. His name is Rocky and he is quite possibly the greatest dog in the world. He has been my college side kick for the last three years! 

Most people aren't the biggest fan of small dogs. I know...fuzzy footballs, cats that bark and all that. But Rocky, he's not like that. He's secretly a farm dog trapped in his tiny body! He can chase birds, run from cows, and befriend sheep with the best of them!

There is no joy like that of a dog after you've been gone all day. No love like the kisses after a crap day. No snuggle session better than one spent with your pooch! 

I have had a lot of dogs in my life time and love all of them the same. But I have to admit, I love Rocky the most.

Yes, he is my first dog that's all mine, but he also has the biggest personality and I know I couldn't live without his silly face or giant ears!!!

We're All Pretty Bizarre....

...some of us are just better at hiding it.

Everyone has a staple. One thing that totally and completely defines them...ok maybe not one thing, but if you had to choose!

For me my staple would be...my attitude. Everyone knows me for being the girl that can't exactly keep her mouth shut. But hey, most people think I'm funny! 

Mama didn't raise no fool, or a sweetheart for that matter. I have always been a little more outspoken than the rest but can you really blame me! With the life that I've lead, it's hard to not stick out! 

For those of you that are new or just didn't know, I started high school at 12 and college at 16! I will be a college graduate before I can purchase my first legal drink!!!! Kind of crazy, huh? Yeah it's been quite the struggle. But that's another staple of my life that makes me...well me! 

And much like The Breakfast Club, we all fit into one of those five categories.

So question is, are you a brain, athlete, a basket case, a princess, or a criminal?

                                                     

My Guilty Pleasures Lately!

Hello peeps, I know I've been a little absent on the blogging scene lately, but in all honesty I have been absent from my life lately!

We're getting down to the wire here and my ever looming graduation date is rapidly approaching. You would think that most people would be ecstatic to finally hold that very expensive piece of paper and tell the world that you are officially a college graduate. Welcome to the not so elite club!! I, on the other hand, am not...not even a little, well maybe a little.

I can not wait to have the freedom to do what I want, to never do homework again, to learn and not be constrained by a classroom, to travel the world, find myself, and be an adult, but I don't know how ready I am for that!

Ok, I'm done! I realize now that the only thing I've been talking about on here recently is how not excited I am to graduate and my job. SOOOO, today we're gonna mix it up a little! Yay yay yay!!!

Today, we're gonna talk about the top five things I've been completely obsessed with lately!!! Be excited!

Top 5 Guilty Pleasures Lately: 

1. The Bobby Bones Show

2. Dan + Shay's new album, Where it All Began

3. My Iphone

4. Every episode of Charmed ever filmed, all outfits included

5. Twitter

The last few weeks have been filled with non-stop excitement and I'm super glad that I've been getting the chance to check some items off my Tucson Bucket List, including petting an ostrich and eating LOTS of pizza! But the idea of letting it all go is a little scary so instead of decorating my cap or doing my loan exit interview I choose to relive the 90's through the first two seasons of Charmed, play Show You Off on repeat all day long, and wake up every morning to the voices from Nashville.

What are your recent guilty pleasures? 

Second Spring Break!

So this week.....it just got away from me! I think somewhere between facing the realities of it no longer being Spring Break and trying to get back into routine, I lost all track of time! 

I know I've been a little absent on the blog scene lately, but lezzz be honest, my only real audience is my boyfriend, best friend, and my tiny dog friend, this guy!

Anyways! So my week! Really boring, just full of school and work! But I did get to shear sheep, which was super fun and hot and it ended in a epic failure, but it gave me an idea!

So two big things in this post:

1) My San Diego Vaca!

2) Ten Reasons as to WHY I LOVE MY JOB!

So I spent my weekend in a beachy paradise! I hit up La Jolla Cove, Mission Beach, and Imperial Beach! #beachbum anyone?!? In addition to my beachin' status, I ate my body weight in Mexican food in Old Town, hiked from Little Italy to  the Gaslamp District, bought three shirts, a ton of food, and had a super awesome time!!! 

Second part of this post! The top ten reasons why I love my job! So I started this a little bit last week, but again my miniscule audience probably didn't even notice!

 I'm posting a picture every day in my Facebook page with a reason why I love my job! 

For those of you that are new and have made it this far, first and formost WOO, second, I work at the unoveristy's farm as the assistant manager! And I get to spend my days taking selfies with sheep and power lifting bales of hay! 

So starting tomorrow, I will finish my list of the top ten reasons why I love my job! But you have to go follow my Facebook page to see the pictures! I hope you will join me on my little adventure!

What are the top ten reasons you love your job?!?

(No So) Daily Diary!!!

Here's a slight recap of how I spent my week after Spring Break!!!

Monday: Woke up in the wee hours of the morning to a mere 33 degree weather, chilly for this Arizona girl; said goodbye to my Prince Charming with a Southern accent and headed back to the Dirty-T. After a three hour flight and some serious shut eye, I went a visited the whole fam bam, before headed back to college and kissing my senior Spring Break goodbye. I also entered the 21st century and got an Iphone 5c, look out world this girl's got a lime green bundle of social media and a lifeproof to protect it. #selfiecentral

Tuesday: I headed back to work, after almost two weeks off, it was nice to see the baby ponies again. I missed it a little. Then headed to school for a full day of classes and grad fest. I bought my cap and gown and paid, what felt like my left kidney. It was so surreal to finally purchase everything I need to GRADUATE!! I had a dinner date with Karli! Shady Mexican for two please! And learned the joys of an Iphone.


Wednesday: Another early morning at the farm. It was good to see the tiny critteras again, but it's not the same without Rufus. For those of you that are new, I am a senior in college who works for the farm at the university I go to. I work with baby sheep, pigs, and cattle. I might have spent a little two much time at work and spent the rest of the day procrastinating studying for my test and quiz, I mean, organizing my wallet, room,  and cleaning. Another dinner date, with Rosa this time, to work on graduation stuff. I got a whole lot of nothing done, UA is organized like that.

Thursday: Running on little sleep, I headed to work in the early morning hours and said good morning to the ponies. Headed to school early and got some extra studying in, took a test and quiz. I killed a few hours with my favorite duo, Amiee and Ashley. Then off to the Senior Sendoff. Boy, do I feel unsuccessful for my abundance of wanderlust. Also, for those that are new, I have NO plans after graduation. But no debt either, so bonus points there. I am 20 years old, with an almost bachelors degree, a love of travel, agriculture, and my tiny dog. Every other senior is much older with big plans and great jobs lined up...Then a Collegiate Livestock Growers Meeting and finally home.

Friday: Another day of work, filled with bales of hay, lots of corn, tiny lambs, and doggy daycare. I met up with Miki for coffee and headed back to work to finish up some chores. I spent the rest of the day being mildly productive, but a bit of a shut in.

Weekend plans: I am taking the rest of my senior pictures, headed to the Ostrich Farm, Zumba, Yoga, early morning work, power apartment cleaning, packing, and homework. It's gonna be a party up in here.

And that was my week! How did everyone else recover from Spring Break? And who is so not ready for Monday to come around again?!?!

Throw it way back Thursday!

So as the ever looming Doom's Date gets closer, I keep spending more and more time thinking about the last four years and everything that's happened.

If you would have told me that I would be the student lead at the Teaching Farm, stealing tails and tagging calves, with a long distance boyfriend, two summers in the Rockies, and a whole world ahead of me, I would have laughed out loud.


That girl was not me a mere four years ago...

Let's take it back to Freshman year, I lived in the dorm with two random roommates. There were endless bumps and a large amount of homesickness that made my first semester of college drag on. During the first week I made friends with my neighbors who ended up my second semester roommates, there were some unsolvable issues with one of the first. But not only did they become my roommates, they were my best friends. We all dated boys in the dorm and became a tripod of ROTC boys, Disney movie nights, basement sleepovers, and the social center of our dorm. I made some amazing friends that first year of college, but towards the end everything changed. After plans to move into an apartment with Vyv and the boys, I found out I got accepted into the NROTC program, Em was moving home, we said goodbye to the innocence of our first year. 

Sophomore year was a roller coaster of blood, sweat, and tears...lots of tears. For me the whole year was a silent war of dishes with the roommates, a constant juggle to keep up with my life, and lots of bitter feelings. I was WAY to involved. I became Sisterhood Chair in Sigma Alpha, worked at the farm and Aeropostale, and was trying to stay above water with NROTC. I was making friends in the unit, joined Color Guard, the Ball Committee, Arleigh Burke Society, was Commissioning Ceremony Chair for December 2011, and was dying a little everyday. That whole year was a blur. 

Junior year was strange. I don't really remember a lot of it, because I was a hermit. I was bitter about my lack of Advanced Standing. Spent a lot of time at home. I was somewhere between satisfying the masses with Christmas parties while still trying to campaign. I guess it paid off, because I got President. That whole semester was a hair pulling nightmare. Between the judging team and email situations, I think my tolerance level decreased significantly. While trying to do everything and make everyone happy, I was struggling. Now that I think about it my whole college career I was in a constant state of struggle. After loosing President, something in me changed. I knew nothing was going to be the same after the summer.

Senior year has been a blast. There have been a ton of bucket list moments and I don't regret a single sleepless night. I think I finally took time to be me and not be part of things that stress me out or surround myself with people I don't need. This year has been a blast. Yeah, most of my free time is spent with four stomached ruminants, but hey, there's no sass there. I did better in school this year than I ever thought possible, I've had fun, fallen in love with my life over and over again.

No matter what the adults tell you, college is about 12% class attendance, 8% doing your homework, 60% good times, 5% being an adult, and 15% talking about the being productive but never really accomplishing anything except finishing a 7 season series on Netflix!! 

So no, I may not be the homesick, overly excited 16 year old that I was when I started this whole adventure, but I am a 20 year with no college debt, an amazing group of friends, a handful of epic moments, and the whole world to conquer....

Watch out world, 51 days from now, you'll see!!! I'll be jobless with a college degree and no plans...dangerous. ;)

So....what are your plans?!?

Gosh. Isn't that just the million dollar question?!? 

I wish everyone was this interested in my life plans during college then maybe I would know where I'm headed! 

But really people, this just got super real. Grad Fest today on campus...seniorness overload!!! 

I bought my cap and gown today and plan to order announcements tomorrow. I'm making plans to decorate caps and take senior pictures. Can someone please tell me when exactly I became a senior!?! Like at what point did four years pass me by? How am I expected to go out into the world and be somebody when I haven't even figured out the right study habits yet? 

Today was so surreal, like someone else was standing in line buying my graduation attire and deciding on the perfect frame for my COLLEGE DEGREE!!! 

I'm very proud and excited to be graduating from such an awesome school and such an amazing college! Wildcat for life, but doesn't that mean I get to stick around for a while longer, like forever?!?

So, serious question here people, WHAT DO I DO WITH REST OF MY LIFE!?!?!?

Honey I'm Home...

     Well my second home. I know I know I only spent six months there and in the grand scheme of my two decades, that’s chump change. But isn’t there a saying somewhere about the moments that take your breath away…yeah, that’s what I thought.

   Anyways, SENIOR spring break! Bring on the booze, beaches, and bimbos…oh wait, I’m not a 21 year old frat guy and this isn’t a bad remake of Piranha! So I decided on Spring Break in the snow. It’s ok to judge.

    My Spring Break 2014 Extravaganza began with a lawn day at Aggie and an awesome evening spent with Amiee! After a struggle bus day at work, I finally headed home, only to catch a plane to my mountain paradise. Nice thing about divorce people, there’s always a second Christmas! ;) After finally landing getting to Coal Creek at 2:45am, I was ready for some serious shut eye! An early morning turned this girl into an educated hunter.  Check that one off my bucket list! So with twoish days left in State, Estes is a must…obvi.

     So I have this perfect image of my summer. And that perfect image is captured in what seems like hundreds of pictures scattered across the brick wall in my apartment. I remember crazy outfits, wrangler rides, group breakfast, bonfires, perfect dates, movie nights, Smokin’ Dave’s, Wapiti, and a million other good times. And let me tell you, there is nothing that could mess up this perfect movie I have playing in my head of my perfect summer. Today just further confirmed how perfect my summer was.

  I know it’s crazy to be so in love with one place, but I am! It’s a bit unhealthily and if all us wranglers take a minute to admit it to ourselves, we’re all a little reluctant to let it go. So we’re driving over the mountain and I literally get butterflies! Like meeting your crush for a first date, single greatest moment of your life butterflies and let me tell you folks, there are not words that could describe my excitement! Screaming fan girl excitement! Finally make it to Sombrero and this weird feeling washed over me, like I was finally back where I belonged, home.

    A quick reunion with Kansas and Kristen and some weird glances from the winter crew, a few pictures, and short glance at the winter herd and we’re off to one of the greatest restaurants of all time. Smokin’ Dave’s. After a pitmaster and sweet tea, I ordered a chocolate peanut butter pie to go, of course, gotta get the full experience. After a short trip down town for shopping and Laura’s, we headed home!

So it was one of the best days, well ever. Maybe not, but it was totally up there. No, I didn’t do anything exciting, but I got to go to Estes! What up kids, so cool!!!!

So for those of you that don’t know, Estes Park, Colorado, is hands down my favorite place in the world. What’s not to love? Mountain views, Rocky Mountain National Park, all the wildlife your little heart can handle, touristy vibe, a Safeway, unbeatable views, horses, cold weather, everything a girl could hope for. But that’s not why I love it…

This city, it’s amazing. It’s the place where I met my lifelong best friends, found myself, fell madly in love, gorged on food, stopped caring, jumped in a lake at 12am, and experienced unforgettable moments that made me into the girl I am today. It’s magic.

FFA All the Way!!!

So yesterday was CDE day! And for those of you who don't know what that is...I'm not surprised.

I've mentioned it a couple times, but really the main reason that I got involved in agriculture is because of FFA, Future Farmers of America. Hillbilly...I know. But it really wasn't like that. It was one of the greatest and worst things I've done with my life.

Sure the drama was through the roof and no I had no agriculture experience, but man the opportunities, the friends, the teachers, the trips, the jackets, the whole thing...EPIC! I'm telling you, if you don't know the joy of slipping into that blue corduroy jacket you were seriously deprived. 

Even now in my college years I still find people who were in FFA, we usually end up friends. It's not some secret special club, but it is a world all it's own and those who aren't in it will never understand.

So, CDE, Career Development Event, there are three levels of competition for two seasons of events. District, State, National for Mid-Winter and Spring contests. U of A has a long standing tradition of hosting the event and I, of course, was at the farm all day. I got t
o help with horse evaluation for about 30 seconds before I ran into my old FFA advisor.

We talked for a long time about my life and school and everything that has happened since the last time I saw him. And for the first time since I've known him it seemed like he was really excited for me. It was an oddly adult conversation full of good advice and it was kind of awesome. I totally needed that. I eventually got to see my other advisor and had the same talk. I spent the whole day catching up with them and hearing all about how different things are.

After competitions were over, I went to the award ceremony forgetting how many of my college friends were made in FFA too. It's odd when your worlds combine.

For me there are three different versions of my life.
1. My College Cowgirl life.
2. My Sombrehoe life.
3. My P-Town life. 

And those lives should never collide, but when it does happen it's so strange. I forget that I went to high school and college with Katy and Jared. And I don't always remember that people weren't in FFA. And I often don't realize my Sombrero friends know nothing about my life here. So when those lives overlap...mind blown.

It was super awesome to get to see my advisors and see my replacements in my chapter. But it was even better to realize what FFA did for me, it made me more well me.

Cows, cows, and more COWS!!!!

"I can't believe we're getting credit for this." I really can't either, but hey, if you wanna give me two upper division credits to sit around, eat cookies, watch movies, and do ranch chores, by all means, credit away.

Well this was a weekend for the history books! I got to be part of a 13 year tradition of calving pulling at the V-V ranch. With only 12 seats available, it was kind of a big deal to get in the class. And it was totally awesome.

After a four hour car ride full of life stories and laughing, we finally arrived in Rim Rock...population: 500 cattle. There was a quick tour then we got straight to work tagging and feeding. There was a short run down of how the night was gonna play out then some high tech videos...on VHS. 

The first night was spent in five shifts! 

10pm: Everyone goes out. It's raining. Two heifers need to be put in pens. Sophie and Sarah stay outside to watch the miracle of birth in slow motion...

12pm: I'm asleep.

2am: Still asleep. 

4am: First shift for me. Wake up resenting the world, the cows, the other room for getting to sleep!
6am: A little less bitter shift. Nothing exciting happens and I go straight back to sleep.

I was slightly excited to not have to wake up till almost TEN!!! Woot!

The rest of the weekend went by in a blur... A tiny cow filled, bull stimulating, tagging, dead lifting, "what not to do video", amazing food, kitchen time, muddy boot, Carhart wearing blur. 

I learned a ton this weekend and I am so glad I got the opportunity. It made me realize this is so not, but really is, what I want to spend the rest of my life doing!

I made a lot more friends than I expected to make and it definitely made me miss the teaching farm!

I'm super thankful that I get to wake up every morning to the sound of hungry sheep and mooing cows! I got to spend my afternoon bottle feeding a two pound baby lamb who is depending on me for survival! How many people get to do that?!?! Especially in college.

I may not be the most successful student in the world, I may not have the most friends, or even be that experienced in the livestock industry, but I know who I am and I know that I have my whole life ahead of me to make mistakes and learn more about the world I love. It was humbling yet reassuring weekend that I didn't expect at all.

All in all, it was one for the history books, even though I just went for the food and videos. ;) Write this one down as a success people!