Christmas List - Sam

So, it looks like Sam will be here for Christmas, so it seems only fair that he gets to have a Christmas wish list, too. Here are some things that he really wants:

Obviously, this is a stim-mobile! He definitely wants one and he doesn't want his mommy to have to make him one from scratch. You can purchase one from http://www.liveandlearn.com/stimmobile.html . They also have some at other places, but this one is the original.

He also wants this Pack 'N' Play so he can sleep in his parents' room or downstairs. This is by Graco, and it is called the "Catalina" model. He really likes this one.

Sam would also like things that you think he or his parents might absolutely need for him during his first few weeks at home.

My New Haircut

So, here it is. I was really nervous about getting it done, but my hair was getting so gross and unhealthy, I decided I needed it done soon. So i went today, and got it done like Amanda had her hair a while ago. What do you think?

Mentored Research

I know that I'm supposed to be putting up a Christmas list, and I know I'm almost the last one to do it, but I've been wanting to make this blog for a while. So I am working on a Christmas list, and it'll be up soon. But everyone has asked me on several occasions just what I do for this research that I'm doing. It's really as simple and boring as I make it sound, but people have a hard time believing this. So I went and took pictures of every step, just so you can see what little I do.

This is the lab/converted storage closet I work in. It's actually fairly clean on this day; and the day before they fixed the light. It used to only have one working light, which made it pretty creepy and more closet-like.

Step 1: I go over to the "box o' crap" as I like to call it, and pick out whichever bag I feel like. If you see that garbage can in the corner of the first picture, that is filled with bags that have already been ground. I'm pleased to say I did a lot of those.

Step 2: I empty out the bag that I picked. Inside are lunch bags filled with different plants. (Side note: those plastic bags tied to the side are filled with unknown plants [i.e. the researches need to find out what the plant is named before it can be ground]. I don't touch those)

Step 3: I organize those bags according to plant species and whether the plots are random or regular. As you can see, I have 6 different sections (3 plant species, each with two plot types)

Step 4: Now I label the the vials that the ground sample will go into. I write down the location, date, plant name, and the plots.

Step 5: I take one of the vials and the samples that go with it. I pull out an equal amount of plant sample from each of the lunch bags and place it on our fancy shmancy stolen Cougareat tray.

Step 6: This is the best part of the whole process. The actual grinding!

Step 7: Our finished product gets put into a ziploc bag and I clean the machine using a shop vacuum. Then I pick up the next bags and repeat, and when I finish with that, I pull out another bag from the box o' crap and the process continues!

That really is all I do. It's definitely one of the most mundane things I've been doing at college. However, on Saturday I get to be involved in dissecting a turkey in order to collect tissue and muscle samples, which is both disgusting and exciting. Now that you understand what I do for four hours of the week, it might be easier to see why I'm excited about something different, no matter how gross it is.

I am easy like sunday morning!

Okay so Jamie finally got me to do this. I really don't know what to ask for. I have been thinking about it for awhile and this is all I could come up with
1. I guess I would like an I-tunes gift card.
2. I would also like a season of a show. Any season of the Office would be good, except the first, I have that one. Or the second season of 30 Rock, I also have the first of that one on my i-pod. Also any season of Seinfeld is good, except 5 and 7.
3. The movie Get Smart, I don't think it is out yet but it should be by christmas.
4. I could also use a zip up sweat shirt, my Element one is getting holes. Element, Quiksilver, or Hurley are good brands. Shirts by these brands are also always good.
5. A wii would also be nice if anyone wants to go crazy!
6. Anything that looks fun.
Other than that I really can't think of anything that I want or even need. You know me I am easy like sunday morning, don't look at me, don't look at me in the eyes!!!
If I think of anything else I will be sure to let you know.
Trevor-

Christmas list- Jamie

I have been bugging Trevor FOREVER to do his on here, because I don't even know what to get him! So get on him to do it! :) Here is my list:

* I would like these three books 1. The Ruby by Jennie Hansen 2. Don't Cry Wolf by Clair Poulson 3. Backtrack by Betsy Brannon Green

* I would like a new brown leather watch that looks somewhat like this: One of them is from Kohls, the other two are from fossil, but it doesn't have to be from there!

* I would like a new brown or black purse and wallet

*I always like gift cards to Aeropostale, Kohls, Target, pretty much wherever!

I can't really think of anything else at the moment. You don't have to get any of this if you don't want! Just some ideas! Now Andee, Hannah, and Trevor I am waiting for your lists! I have no idea what to get you! Mark and Steph I already have an idea of what I'm getting for you, but if you make a list I might change my mind!! :)

The Doctors

This is one of the quality television shows I now watch on a daily basis. Not many people know about this show, so I am taking it upon myself to educate you on it. The show is kind of like The View, but with a medical bent and doctors hosting it. They usually pick a couple of topics to discuss each day and then they spend the rest of the show either answering questions from the audience or people who have e-mailed in. There are four doctors: the ER doc who thinks he's hot (he's the Barbara Walters of the group), the pediatrician (who is probably the most normal of the group), the smarmy plastic surgeon, and the only female, who is of course an OB/GYN and the go-to "expert" on women's issues.

Here are some of the things I've learned so far from the show:

• Genital warts are disgusting. I hope I never get them. Not that that is something I am worried about contracting but still. They're gross.
• It is not normal to gain 50 pounds in your first trimester of pregnancy. I kind of figured that already, too, but just in case you didn't know, it's generally frowned upon.
• If you're getting breast implants, it's better to place the implants under the muscles in your chest rather than on top.

I can't think of much else I've learned. Sometimes they do little surgical procedures on the show. The smarmy plastic surgeon usually does those. Minor cosmetic procedures seem to be the only types of things they can do on live TV.

It is riveting television.

I'm no quitter

Lately I've been hearing a lot of things about teenage years. Ever since 6th grade I've heard people say that being a teenager means finding out who you are. And when people say "I'm not really sure who I am yet" it confuses me. I've never really thought about it, and I've never really sat down and thought about "who I am". I've always thought it was rather self-explanatory. I've never really understood why people say that they have to find out who they are. I pretty much think I "know who I am" and stuff like that. I'm Caitlin Mattson, I'm 15, I want to become a photographer, and get married in the Temple. But yesterday I went to Divisionals for my Cross Country team--even though I'm on crutches-- and cheered people on. At that race, I learned one thing more about 'who I am'. And I realized that it is extremely hard for me to quit.

Most of my immediate family knows that Cross Country this year was really hard for me. I was constantly feeling sorry for myself, and I didn't really take it too seriously. I was always just focusing on the bad parts of it. The aches and pains I guess you could say. And because I was always feeling sorry for myself, I didn't get any better. My coach had a few talks with me and told me if I really wanted to be on the team, I needed to step it up. At this point I was really discouraged. I was telling everyone I wanted to quit, and I was seriously considering it. I was even coming up with the speech I would give to Coach to tell him I didn't want to be on the team anymore. But I decided to try to make it to Laughlin. I did, and I had a really good race. I finished my season to the best of my abilities, and now it's over.

I guess the biggest reason I didn't quit is because I was too afraid to see the look on Coaches face. I was too scared to see my team members and answer the question "Why did you quit?" a million times. I guess my quick-to-be-embarrassed personality saved me. I'd be too embarrassed to see everyone and let them know that I quit because of my own self doubt. I'd be too embarrassed to think to myself that I'd given up.

Another example of this is the Track season last year. I hated it. I hated it a lot more than anything else my Freshman year. But I couldn't quit. I'd be too ashamed to see my teammates in the hallways and let them know I quit. Another thing that has saved me in both these situations is my respect for Coach Fitz. He's the Coach for both Distance Track and Cross Country. I couldn't let him know that I gave up. I guess any respect I have for anyone saves me from quitting, too.

I guess I do have a lot more to learn about myself, but for now, I'm glad that I know that I'm no quitter.

First day

So, I got crutches for my ankle or whatever...and my first day was not very fun. So here are a few pictures from it.
This is after school. Some dude spilt on my shirt.This is before school. I was pretty happy.This is after school....I was much less happy if you can't tell.
The worst part about the first day was my armpit pain. They hurt really bad. So I iced them, along with my ankle. I call it my ice party.

Kendra and the hose

This is Kendra when she discovered the hose a few weeks ago.

My foot

So last night, I'm not sure what happened, but my foot just decided to be difficult. I woke up this morning at about 3:30 and it really really hurt, but I thought it was just asleep, so I just kind of fell back asleep. I woke up again at 5:00 when my alarm went off, and it was still really hurting. I got up and turned my alarm clock off, and fell over. Once again, I thought it was just asleep and I waited a few minutes. I tried to stand on it again and it hurt really really bad. I was still kind of delirious, so it didn't really get through to me that something must be wrong. I just walked--or limped--to the bathroom, grabbed a chair so I wouldn't have to stand on it, and got dressed. Finally when I was doing my hair, it hit me that my foot was really actually hurting, so I went to Dad and asked if he could look at it. He did, and he said my foot was swolen, really rough, and bruised. When he touched the rough part it barely hurt, but when he touched the less swolen part more where the bone is, it hurt like no other. I'm having a lot of trouble walking without pain, so Mom and I decided I'd stay home and she'd get an appointment with the doctor. So, I just got the call from Mom telling me that it was at 2:00.

I'm not so bummed that I have to go to a doctor, or that my foot hurts a lot right now, but I'm mostly just bummed out that I can't run my last race. It was supposed to be today at Faith Lutheran, but the bus leaves at 2:30, if we don't ride the bus with the team we can't run the race, so obviously, I'm not going to be able to run it. Either way, I'm not in any position to even walk down the stairs--much less run 3 miles. So I'm pretty sad about it. Well not pretty sad...I'm actually really upset. I just wish I could make it. Maybe if the swelling goes down, I'll be able to get to Faith Lutheran to support the team.