Graduate, Graduate...Great! Great! Great!

So, the day I have been working for for the past 17 years or so has finally come and gone. I graduated from college! It sounds exciting...and it is! As many of you know, I started my college experience down at the U of U (which is still where my heart is, just so you know). Only after blowing my tuition money on my senior trip in Hawaii with my best girls in the world, Jackie and Ceara. I had a ball at the U ~ I made lots of friends and had so much fun making some of my very best memories, but I really didn't do that great with the whole "school" part of it all. Then I met Richard, and he likes to think he straightened me out...hahaha... So after we got married, I transfered to Weber, which I was never too thrilled about, but it ended up being the best thing ever! I found the program of my dreams, and I ended up graduating Summa Cum Laude. I had three awesome internship opportunities working in the nutrition department on campus, at the health department, and with the Women In Motion program. I came to love and respect many of my professors, and I made a lot of friends! I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Performance Management and Nutrition Education. I was lucky and blessed enough to find an awesome part-time job in my field as a Wellness Specialist that I started the week of graduation, and I love it so far! I know that my education will benefit me and my family for the rest of our lives. It was definitely all worth it! ....blah, blah, blah...I'm done. I really am so excited about being graduated, but I could go on and on forever! Thanks to my family for your support throughout all of my years of school. Thanks to all of my teachers and professors and coaches, you really have taught me so much! And of course, thanks to Richard ~ you've put up with my crazy during school and life, and for that I'll love you forever!
I know this is so so so many pictures, but it was one of the biggest days of my life, so I didn't want to leave out any of my favorites...

My last class ever!

My fave girls, Jamie and Jen, that got me through

the hardest class ever...Measurements!

My best friend at school ~ Rachel Philpott ~

we had almost every class together! She had

a gorgeous baby right before finals...she's

pretty much a ROCKSTAR!

Amy and I after my very last final exam...

I don't know if she ever saw me with makeup on!

hahaha

Katherine, Natalie, and I after the longest

commencement ceremony ever. I love these

girls to death! Natalie and I mostly bonded

over the foods of the world in Mutlicultural Nutrition

This is me smiling, even though I am at the

world's worst luncheon. Rach was one of my

biggest cheerleaders!

I love this guy! He was so good to me all day, and

totally treated me like a QUEEN! Thanks, babe!

Just showing off my graduation BLING

Dad got the first family hug. I love this guy, too!

My awesome aunt Dayna...in her card she told me

to "change the world." I'm sure going to try!

I can't take my eyes off of him for a minute when

my Great Grandma B. is around! hahaha

It meant so much to have my Grandma Porter

there! I love you, Grandma!

I just love this picture of my mom.

Best husband ever...and he's all mine!

Mom and Dad with their favorite child.

I gave Sarah my "stole" because I'm so

proud of her for working so hard in school

~ she's graduating this year, too!

Grandma and Grandpa Porter...love them!

Grandma and Grandpa Shepherd...love them, too!

My favorite...circus roses

Same hair cut...so hot!

Katherine and I with flowers from our hunka-hunka

husbands.

We made it, Jen! And with just a little bit of

hat-head.

The whole fam at Roosters to celebrate...this after

I saved Grandpa from choking...don't ask!

Hey, Fatso!

I just have to tell you all about this awesome new blog called "Hey, Fatso!" It is my uncle Tony's blog, and he is blogging about his new journey of trying to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. He is starting out at about 440 lbs, with a variety of side effects that he wants to eliminate. I am so excited for him, so I want everyone to check it out and support him in his new challenge! I will definitely keep you updated here, but please visit his blog, too. He is a great man, and I just know he and his family are going to be so happy as he works toward his goal. I'm going to help him in any and every way that I possibly can with all that I have learned in getting my degree. I feel like I was guided into the wellness field, and I really think that this might be the reason why! GOOD LUCK, Uncle Tony--we love you!

~Uncle Tony~

Quite the Game of Catch-Up

So, I was just putting some pics on the computer and realized that I hadn't blogged about any of them! These are some good times, and why blog if you're not gonna post all your fun photos?! Anyway, here they are...

This is the free meal that Rich won for correctly

answering a trivia question at one of the many

baseball games we went to in St. George over Spring Break.

Here he is on the fence at Tyson's track mete...

We didn't want to pay to get in. This is what the

cheap seats look like, my friends!

Here I am celebrating the end of the track mete

in all of my beautiful glory...don't I look special?!

Here's the running man! Go Tyson!

Yes, there is a bear in the back of that truck!

Eating sushi at Tona on 25th Street in Ogden, courtesy

of a gift card from my pops. Thanks, Dad!

That table was full of delicious sushi at one point, but

Jeremy & Michaela helped us stuff our faces with it!


Jenkins met up w/ us later, so of course we went to
Cold Stone...it was worth it just to see those workers
sing and dance! hahaha


Don't worry, I'm just getting ready to stab Richard
with my fork at the Dodo after the amazing Saturday
morning session of General Conference...what's new?!

Vogue!

So, this year is a special one...I'm graduating from college, my sister Sarah is graduating from high school, and my sister Chelsea just got her braces off (which is pretty special, too!). We decided to celebrate all the excitement by having my good buddy Shannon take some pictures of us. They pretty much turned out AWESOME! Thanks Shannon!!! So, here is a sneak peak of our photo shoot. I'm only giving a sneak peak because I have to let my sisters and mom see them before the rest of the world hahaha

~Paying it Forward~

Here is how it works: the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a homemade gift from me. What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment here write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going (or cut and paste... no one will judge you, 'cause that is what I did). Then come back and let me know you are going to play, and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gift. You can email your address to me at rachy_p@msn.com. Remember only the first 3 will qualify. Good Luck!!!