The Adventures of Molly Kate: May 2012

Well I am about a week into my first externship and I'm starting to get the hang of giving eye exams in the real world. I'm still mostly observing but I do get to do my own exam here and there when things get backed up.

I arrived in town a little over a week ago and settled into my room and life with my cousin and her family since they are graciously letting me stay with them while I am in town. Saturday morning we went to Aiden's soccer game and that afternoon was Liam's first birthday party.

Aiden is in the red socks:

Shannon is the coach of the team:

Liam's Party was Dr. Seuss themed:

Aiden helped Liam open some of his gifts:

Aiden and Liam were equally excited about the ball pit balls, both climbed right into the box with them:

An overwhelmed Poppi sought refuge in my room:

Sunday was Mother's Day as well as Liam's birthday. After brunch we went to the park. We played kickball and Amy and I took turns sitting on the sidelines with Liam.

By the look of Shannon this may have been when Aiden was changing the rules in the middle of the game :)

Liam watching the game:

And copying my lovely roommate Al (I miss you!) I'll leave you with a must hear:

I'm playing catch up yet again. Perhaps this summer will be the time I start to post when adventures happen rather than a month later. Who am I kidding I will most likely always be a month behind!

April started off with a trip to Iowa for the Iowa Optometric Association's Annual Congress. Us Iowa SCO students made the trek to the conference to attend the continuing education offered and enjoy complementary food, hotel room and drinks. We did attend the classes, but no pictures were taken. I only took photos the night we went out on the town to enjoy our new freedom from boards:

Sam and Jessie:

Kaila, Joel and I:

Sam, Kaila, Joel and Jessie:

There is a special professor at SCO named Dr. Chang. He has taken Al and I out to dinner with a group of our classmates to some of his favorite restaurants over the years. One of our classmates decided to return the favor and held a BBQ at his place and invited Dr. Chang and the rest of the gang over. Al made a Pig Pickin Cake (read about her first one ever cake here) and I made potato salad.

Pig Pickin Cake and Potato Salad:

Al, Dr. Chang and I last fall:

The middle of April brought about our Senior Sendoff. Since the entire fourth year of school our class will be split up for our externships the student government hosts a dinner and dance for the fourth years before we go our separate ways. It was a bittersweet time since we won't be reunited as a class until we graduate next May!

Al and I:

Ben and I:

Anna, Al, Erin and I (I really miss these girls):

Ben and Sam (such handsome guys!):

Jenny, Jessie, Ashley, Erin, Anna and I (JD and Blake photo bomb):

The same weekend of Senior Sendoff was also Ben's birthday. In attempt to outdo the cake I made last year I decided to take a risk and make an avocado pie for him this year. I was a bit nervous about it and Ben and the birthday guests admitted after they tried it that they were nervous to try it too. It ended up tasting really good and was a big hit!

Ben and his avocado pie:

On April 24th Penny Laine celebrated her 2nd birthday. She had a puppy party with some of the other SCO dogs on the tennis court outside our apartment (its fenced in so all the dogs could run free together).

Nile, Jack and Bella:

Brianna, Jack, Tyler, Cooper, Nile, Allison, and Bella:

Penny, Henry, Belle, Cooper and Bella:

The next day brought a Farewell to the Patio Party at school. The school is going to be building a brand new, state of the art classroom right over the patio that has been behind the school for 40 years. The patio has hosted many parties over the years. And to celebrate it's importance there was a farewell party with BBQ, and paint so we could all leave our mark since it is going to be left intact under the new classroom. It was a beautiful, but windy, day for a BBQ.

This is the face you make when peoples plates are blown off the table and pork and beans splatters all downwind:

There was also some hair blown into paint action going on (I should note that we had our school pictures taken this day as well. Not only for third year but also for fourth year! I guess we can all look back at our 2 years of windblown hair and laugh):