Fallon, Nevada

Well welcome to Nevada! This is where I will be spending 9 weeks. So my first stop is in the middle of corn, alfalfa and dairies! I was so thankful to make it to Fallon because that meant I got a break from living in hotels! My cousins Scott and Anna live in Fallon so I got to sleep in a real bed, take a comfortable shower, do laundry when needed and eat homemade meals! Oh and let me tell you, I ate A LOT!! I could never thank them enough for opening up their home to me for a month! I feel truly blessed! Now they are more than just my cousins, they will always be my roomies too!

During my college career I had the opportunity to really discover California agriculture and experience different practices. When I got to Nevada, I really didn't know what to expect. I figured it would be dry, hot, and tons of sage brush. Which it was all of those, but it was also a lot more than that! I was ready to put my knowledge to work and see how I could adapt to Nevada agriculture.

My job required me to do field inspections and meet with borrowers to discuss their operations. So this is how I really engaged in practices in Nevada agriculture. At this point, I was in my third branch during my internship. Each branch is very different in size and the group of people. You can imagine the branch in Fallon was small, well you are correct. But everyone there was very kind and got me out of the office a lot to experience and explore Nevada.

Besides work, I spent a lot of nights going to the dairy, going on walks through alfalfa fields, going to their nieces birthday parties, shooting targets and helping out family and friends in the area. My cousins/roomies are very busy people and we never could catch a break! But it was a lot of fun and I experienced a lot of "firsts" during my time in Fallon.

The journey does not stop in Fallon either. Off to Elko I go!

Love,

~California girl stuck in Nevada

Red Bluff, CA

I was well overdue for a break in my travels with work. While being in Fallon, NV I had a trip planned to Red Bluff, CA for my college graduation party. Not only was it a graduation party, it was more like a family and friends reunion for everyone. Hands down one of the best days in my life since graduation. The family and friends there showered their love to me and I was very blessed. From hundreds of miles away to just a short drive over the hill, I couldn't have asked for a better crowd!

So the festivities were a week long for some and a few hours for others. Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves. When it comes to the location, I don't think anyone would ever expect throwing a graduation party in the middle of nowhere. But hands down was that the best location to accommodate all of us!! The attendance was high and so was the energy!

Friday night my siblings and I threw a surprise 50th birthday party for our father! Boy was he surprised!! From his local relatives to far away relatives, everyone was there to celebrate his special day!!! We laughed, sang, ate, drank and danced a lot!! It was overall the best surprise party I've seen and for someone who definitely deserved it!

Saturday was the day of my party!! I decided that day that I would not go near the hall that was being decorated for the event. I wanted to be surprised by the turnout of everything. Let me tell you, it was beyond unbelievable! The work that my parents, family and friends put into it was phenomenal! I could never say enough thank you's or feel anymore blessed than I do!!! All the credit goes out to those of you who have helped me get to where I am today!! From infants to our favorite elderly folks, it was a party that will never be forgotten! I love each and everyone of you who showed up to make it such a memorable event!

Sunday was little Ollie's birthday (not so little anymore)! He wanted to have a swim party at this resort and eat hot dogs and ice cream cake! So that is just what we did! Everyone still got to visit and all us kids played in the pool together, including a few adults!! Ollie was very pleased with his party and it turned out perfect!

If there was just one thing I could take away from that weekend, would be the powerful love in my family! The bonds, the laughs, the cries, the dancing to celebrating every little thing is just so perfect!! God has blessed me with literally the best support group and I will honor that the rest of my life! I might even bribe about it because I think it's pretty stinkin' awesome! P.s. It is very rare to get all the grandkids together in one setting!

  
 Once again, thank you to everyone who attended and put together such a wonderful weekend! Life is so great with each of you and I'm thankful for every memory we have created and now shared!!

Love the graduate,

~Megann

Greeley, Colorado

It was early Saturday morning and I was driving to the airport in San Francisco, Ca to board my plane to Denver, Co. I have flown a number of times but not usually by myself. Well, I wasn't completely by myself. There were other interns and employees with me. But the stress of getting through security and finding the right terminal always gave me anxiety. Thankfully I made it with plenty of time to spare.

Once we arrived in Denver that afternoon I was completely exhausted. We had a shuttle arranged to pick us up and drive us to Greeley. I really wanted to sleep the whole way there (which was about an hour) but instead I decided to grab shotgun in the van and admire the beauty of Colorado! The mountains, valleys, streams, agriculture, wildlife and so much more was just absolutely beautiful! Right then I knew I fell in love with Colorado. 

Sunday before the work week started, we took an adventure up to the Rocky Mountain National Park and explored the Rockies and the nature all around there. It was definitely quite the trip but was beautiful regardless. The park was a lot larger than I had imagined and it was very easy to get lost, which happened multiple times. 

Monday through Friday was full of training, freezing conference rooms, more training and lots of yummy food! Wednesday we had another field trip day where we went to a local feedlot, dairy that makes yummy yogurt, and the New Belgium Brewery for a tour! The field trips were not only fun but also very educational and entertaining. I found my new favorite yogurt (Noosa) and some really good beers at the brewery. 

Not only did I fall in Colorado, but I also made really good connections and friendships throughout the two week training. I found my long lost best friend from Kansas and we definitely should have been raised sisters! I still am in contact with a few of the other girls and the instructors! After spending two weeks straight with a group of strangers, it was a wonderful feeling creating new friendships. Having to say our goodbyes was harder than I thought it would be. 

Saturday morning had arrived and it was time to pack up the bags and head out on the next journey. I was actually kind of excited to start the next journey because that meant I had a break from living in hotels. My cousins were living at the next location. Fallon, Nevada here I come!

Much love,

~The world traveler (Megs)

Santa Rosa, CA

Back at it again! I always have time set aside to catch up on my blogs, but then I get really busy all of a sudden and keep putting them off! So let's catch up!

In the last post, I left off with getting ready for my first stop for my new job, Santa Rosa. I had never been to Santa Rosa and all I had in mind were a bunch of vineyards and a lot of tasty wine! Well I was right about both of those. 

I was really nervous about my first day at my new job. I did not really know what to expect but just knew I would be drowning in a lot of new information. I was super excited to meet new people and get excited about what the job had to offer! So for a week straight we trained, trained, and trained some more. We engaged in really good educational topics and learned a lot more about the agricultural industry. There were nine interns and five full time employees that joined us. Everyone was from all over and it was fun learning about one another.

Half way through the week, we set aside a day full of field trips. We visited three different wineries/vineyards in the area and participated in some really good wine tasting! It was awesome to hear about the history and family businesses. Each production/establishment was different in size and volume and it was interesting to compare them to one another. 

After the field trip, a few of us girls went to the Armstrong Redwoods Park and checked out the area then had a nice dinner at a local place along the Russian River. The adventures were definitely worth it and ended up being very entertaining.

The week in Santa Rosa was coming to an end and we were ready for stop two,

 Greeley, Co. 

Much love,

~Megs

Cabo San Lucas 2016

HOLA AMIGOS & AMIGAS!

There we were early Saturday morning boarding the plane to Mexico! Two years ago we took a trip to Mexico so I was not worried about customs or getting through security, but the biggest worry weighing on all our minds was if our bags were going to weigh over 50 lbs! Guess whose bag we worried about the most?? Those of you who know my immediate family very well, you probably know the answer. Which is.... MY FATHER! Well, he ended up just being a few tenths of a pound off, thank goodness! & off we went!

Our Cabo trip was planned for multiple reasons. We were celebrating my college graduation but also enjoying the opportunity to be around family! Our cousins Jason & Jess joined as well as Uncle Mike and Aunt Wendi! It is safe to admit that the trip would not have been the same without our extended guests! I could never thank all of them enough for leaving work, family and priorities to travel with me and celebrate together!

We participated in two really fun extravaganzas such as snorkeling throughout coral reef and zip-lining through the desert! I would have to say I enjoyed snorkeling better. It was amazing to see all the fish surrounding you but not touching you! Zip-lining was fun because I had never done anything at that level of extreme (church camp zip-lining does not count). I was not actively ready for the zip-lining climb though and I think all of us were pretty sore the next day. We shopped around downtown and tried as much local food/drinks as possible!

We enjoyed waking up and finding a spot by the pool and laying out all day! I guess I should add in where we stayed. It was an all inclusive resort, RIU Palace. So by that I mean, when food was in front of you it would be silly of you not to eat it because it was all unlimited amounts. We ate even when we weren't hungry and had our fair share of tasty drinks! We played volleyball on the beach and in the pool, danced every night to the local events at the palace, and even tried out the dance club. We watched the Warriors every night it was on and gathered with fans. My siblings and I sang "Pour some sugar on me" in front of everyone at the palace! Oh and I cannot forget the excitement of successfully crashing a wedding reception! Please don't judge, we all have done it at some point in our lives!

As the days went by, we got closer to the vacation ending and none of us wanted to leave. But facing reality was something that had to happen, unfortunately. I am super thankful for the opportunity to travel with my family. I am blessed by many and especially my family. Graduating college was a very big accomplishment and it all paid off when the memories were made in Cabo!

Stay tuned for my next adventure... big girl job -- Santa Rosa, Ca.

XOXOX

~Megann

Life Immediately After Graduation

Wow! Little did I know that college was going to fly by SO FAST!

Here I was trying to finish up all my classes, continue maintaining two jobs and my lease coming to an end all in one month. Did I sleep much? No. Was a grumpy a lot? YES! But I knew I just had one day to look forward to and that was May 20th, 2016! I received my Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Business and didn't know it was possible for it to all be over with as soon as the dean said "Graduates, you may now turn your tassel"! Long story short, I had the best support group there and that was truly one of the best days of my life.

Once all the graduation festivities came to an end, it was time to pack up all my belongings and say my goodbyes. I don't mean to brag or anything, but I truly have the BEST group of friends that a girl could EVER ask for and I never wanted to have to say "goodbye". So instead we said "see you soon" and it eased the heart a little bit, but not much.

As some of you may know, I drive a little truck and I was certain that everything would fit in my truck so I could drive 3 1/2 hours south. Sure enough, it all fit and I was on my way. Once I got home I had three days to unload all my belongings from college and start packing for my trip to Cabo San Lucas and for the next 3 months of my life for a new job.

Stay tuned to see how my adventures were in Cabo!!


P.s. This was my very first blog ever and the reason for blogging is so my family and friends can follow my new adventures! 

                                                         Much Love,

                                      The college graduate ~ Megann