So it's February 1st already! So here's how my 6 month goal are coming...
Finish Girl Temple cards...I have 2 of the 10 cards done....don't get it twisted I didn't actually do them myself but thanks to my friend Susi they got done. I did however make it to the Temple in January but I didn't do a session on said visit. This month I'll get at least one card done myself.
Read the Doctrine & Covenants...This is coming along nicely. I've read every night even if it was just a few verses. I am on section 42 right now.
Put another $1000 in savings.....I still have a little bit of my bonus money (besides the $1200 I put in there for my end of year goal) so I'm ahead of the game on this one. I need $460 to meet my goal. I'm sure I'll dip into it before too long so don't get crazy!
Pay off small bills/debts....Nothing to report here cuz I've paid all my bills. go me!
Have 3.8 GPA....since I'm only on week 4 of the semester I'm not sure what my GPA is but so far I'm rocking all my classes. I can't believe the difference already between this semester and last. It's going to be an intense semester with everything going on in my classes since I'm in all core Social Work classes but the amount of homework assignments has reduced SIGNIFICANTLY. I think I'll make it thru with all my hair in tact!
Lose 20 pounds....January was not great for this goal. Even though it's been an easier semester it does take me a few weeks to get used to whatever new crazy schedule I have between work and school so I've barely made it in to the gym. And this is going to sound like a lame excuse but it has been butt A$$ cold here this month. At the end of the day I just went to go hone where it's warm! I lost 3 pounds this month and have 17 more to go. I'm stepping it up something fierce in February!
Run a 5k in under 34 minutes....I haven't run at all this month. See above excuses....
Ok so it's a new month and I'm ready to crush these goals!
Friday, February 1, 2013
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Some Goals
So a few months ago I tried starting this monthly goal chart. It had all sorts of daily, weekly, and monthly goals on it and frankly I needed a goal chart to manage my goal chart! It was too much for me and when I started seeing less and less gold stars on it I kinda just got deflated and gave up. The only things that I really stuck to and kept in my mind were the long term goals I made for the next 6 months so I'll report on those briefly and then get to my new goals for goals.
Finish reading Book of Mormon...I started reading the BofM prolly close to 2 years ago. I hate reading so for me this was a big undertaking and it didn't surprise me that it's taken me this long to get it done. I decided to mark it up with things that spoke to me or that I liked and even though it added time on to this project it made it a bit more enjoyable for someone like me who hates reading. It took me right up til the end but I finished it!
Finish up the Girl Temple cards I have printed.....this one was a big, fat failure. I need to do better in the new year.
Lose 15 pounds....This was also a big, FAT failure! Since I started going to school full time I have become THE worst stress eater in all of America! Seriously I am ridiculous! I need to do better.
Have $1200 in savings....This was as up & down sort of thing.....one month I'd do really good at saving my monies and the next I'd blow through it all. Thanks to a last minute Christmas bonus from my work I was able to meet this goal and a little more. Now to get it to stay in there!
Get into my Social Work program.....this was an odyssey! I had to jump through a lot of hoops and file a lot of petitions and sweet talk a lot of people but I AM IN!!
Have a 3.8 GPA......another odyssey! This semester was INTENSE! I've never done so much homework in my life. My life was school for the last few months, but for the very 1st time EVER I can report that I NEVER missed a single class this entire semester. The 1st time I was in college my goal was to go a certain amount of weeks before I skipped class and every semester that goal got sooner and sooner. But I powered through and attended every class like some sort of school nerd. I didn't get a 3.8......I got a 4.0!!!!!
So now that the new year is upon us I'm making some new goals for the new year...or rather for the new 6 months. I decided doing a few long term goals would be better for me instead of obsessing over the daily and weekly things I wasn't getting accomplished and feeling like a failure. I'm also going to scale some of my goals back so they're more attainable instead of some of the lofty goals I had before and then felt like a useless failure when I didn't achieve them. And I'm going to make a goal to report on them monthly on my blog and see how I'm doing. So for the next 6 months my goals will be....
Finish up my Girl Temple cards....I need to be infinitely better about my Temple attendance. I've really let it slide lately. I have 10 cards to get done and I've got souls to save!
Read the Doctrine & Covenants....with my own eyes not just listen to it. And mark things that speak to me and that I like.
Put another $1000 in savings.....I need to stop eating out so much and buying things like I've got piles of money hidden in my mattress. I need to live cheaper and spend smarter. I want to be able to work part time at some point this year while I finish up school and I'm in no shape to be able to do that in my current financial state.
Pay off any small bills/debts....I've managed to live mostly debt free in 2012 after paying off my car and credit cards. It's been heaven. So this goal will entail making sure no little bills have slipped through the cracks and that my credit is looking squeaky clean!
Have a 3.8 GPA....I'm in the final stages of my degree and if I want to go to Grad school then having a high GPA is more crucial than ever for me.
Lose 20 pounds....this would put me at my 1st ultimate goal weight with a couple pounds to spare. It puts me at needing to lose just over 3 pounds a month which is easy for me if I put my mind to it. This is going to entail me mostly sticking to better eating habits and tracking calories as I have very little time to be at the gym with my work and school schedule. I need to eat out WAY less and learn how to get my stress eating under control.
Run a 5K in under 34 minutes.....In June I ran a 5k in just over 35 minutes but I've let myself get out of running shape a bit so I need start fresh. This will also help me reach my 20 pound weight loss goal.
So I will report back on these goals in a month and see what progress I've made. Ready, Set, GO!!
Finish reading Book of Mormon...I started reading the BofM prolly close to 2 years ago. I hate reading so for me this was a big undertaking and it didn't surprise me that it's taken me this long to get it done. I decided to mark it up with things that spoke to me or that I liked and even though it added time on to this project it made it a bit more enjoyable for someone like me who hates reading. It took me right up til the end but I finished it!
Finish up the Girl Temple cards I have printed.....this one was a big, fat failure. I need to do better in the new year.
Lose 15 pounds....This was also a big, FAT failure! Since I started going to school full time I have become THE worst stress eater in all of America! Seriously I am ridiculous! I need to do better.
Have $1200 in savings....This was as up & down sort of thing.....one month I'd do really good at saving my monies and the next I'd blow through it all. Thanks to a last minute Christmas bonus from my work I was able to meet this goal and a little more. Now to get it to stay in there!
Get into my Social Work program.....this was an odyssey! I had to jump through a lot of hoops and file a lot of petitions and sweet talk a lot of people but I AM IN!!
Have a 3.8 GPA......another odyssey! This semester was INTENSE! I've never done so much homework in my life. My life was school for the last few months, but for the very 1st time EVER I can report that I NEVER missed a single class this entire semester. The 1st time I was in college my goal was to go a certain amount of weeks before I skipped class and every semester that goal got sooner and sooner. But I powered through and attended every class like some sort of school nerd. I didn't get a 3.8......I got a 4.0!!!!!
So now that the new year is upon us I'm making some new goals for the new year...or rather for the new 6 months. I decided doing a few long term goals would be better for me instead of obsessing over the daily and weekly things I wasn't getting accomplished and feeling like a failure. I'm also going to scale some of my goals back so they're more attainable instead of some of the lofty goals I had before and then felt like a useless failure when I didn't achieve them. And I'm going to make a goal to report on them monthly on my blog and see how I'm doing. So for the next 6 months my goals will be....
Finish up my Girl Temple cards....I need to be infinitely better about my Temple attendance. I've really let it slide lately. I have 10 cards to get done and I've got souls to save!
Read the Doctrine & Covenants....with my own eyes not just listen to it. And mark things that speak to me and that I like.
Put another $1000 in savings.....I need to stop eating out so much and buying things like I've got piles of money hidden in my mattress. I need to live cheaper and spend smarter. I want to be able to work part time at some point this year while I finish up school and I'm in no shape to be able to do that in my current financial state.
Pay off any small bills/debts....I've managed to live mostly debt free in 2012 after paying off my car and credit cards. It's been heaven. So this goal will entail making sure no little bills have slipped through the cracks and that my credit is looking squeaky clean!
Have a 3.8 GPA....I'm in the final stages of my degree and if I want to go to Grad school then having a high GPA is more crucial than ever for me.
Lose 20 pounds....this would put me at my 1st ultimate goal weight with a couple pounds to spare. It puts me at needing to lose just over 3 pounds a month which is easy for me if I put my mind to it. This is going to entail me mostly sticking to better eating habits and tracking calories as I have very little time to be at the gym with my work and school schedule. I need to eat out WAY less and learn how to get my stress eating under control.
Run a 5K in under 34 minutes.....In June I ran a 5k in just over 35 minutes but I've let myself get out of running shape a bit so I need start fresh. This will also help me reach my 20 pound weight loss goal.
So I will report back on these goals in a month and see what progress I've made. Ready, Set, GO!!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Then & Now
So I took a little jaunt to Rexburg this week to get everything ready for the semester. You know ID card, books, a look around campus...like I'm some sort of Freshman! Please! My 1st stop was getting my ID card. The place was bonkers! Students everywhere, parents everywhere, and lines everywhere! I got in line for my ID card and realized I was pretty much the only person in line without a parent and then I realized that even the 1st time I went through this ordeal at this school that I was pretty much the only person in line with no parent. Where are my parents?! Oh wait I'm a grownup and I can do this by myself....again! The girl in line behind me was too freaked out to know what was going on so I had to babysit her even though she had her mom in line with her! Come on girl!
So ok the 1st time I went to this school the ID cards were done in some make shift photo studio set up in one of the ballrooms. Ghetto! This time it was all official and crap! And with WAY better technology!
Ok so what I'm about to show off I do at great risk of personal ridicule but trust me it will be hilarious!
This is my Ricks College ID card....I blame this picture on 1997 technology and me being 17 years old. I know it's ugly so you don't have to tell me!
Hideous right?! How did I walk around looking like that!?
And here I am in my 2nd debut in Rexburg 15 years later!
Much better!!!! And I managed to spend the whole afternoon on campus without getting kicked out!!! Watch out Rexburg.....I'm back baby-doll!!!
So ok the 1st time I went to this school the ID cards were done in some make shift photo studio set up in one of the ballrooms. Ghetto! This time it was all official and crap! And with WAY better technology!
Ok so what I'm about to show off I do at great risk of personal ridicule but trust me it will be hilarious!
This is my Ricks College ID card....I blame this picture on 1997 technology and me being 17 years old. I know it's ugly so you don't have to tell me!
Hideous right?! How did I walk around looking like that!?
And here I am in my 2nd debut in Rexburg 15 years later!
Much better!!!! And I managed to spend the whole afternoon on campus without getting kicked out!!! Watch out Rexburg.....I'm back baby-doll!!!
Monday, July 30, 2012
Changing Things Up....The Living Room...
So I've been working on changing up some of the decor` in my apartment. I've had a lot of the same stuff & same color schemes for several years & I'm over a lot of it. Slowly I've been getting stuff here & there & changing things up. I've had the same dark red & gold colors in my living room for who knows how long & I've really been wanting to brighten things up. I decided on a light blue & cherry red color scheme. Finding the blue was as easy as could be. Finding the right cherry red has proven to be QUITE a challenge. It has to be just the right red. There's quite an empty space in one spot in my living room so I decided I wanted to get a bench/trunk to put there that I could store things in & that people could sit on should we run out of seating space. And I decided I wanted it to be cherry red! Of course I couldn't just waltz up to any store & find a cherry red bench/trunk so I had to have one built. A little bit of a pricey project but I was able to have it exactly the size & look that I wanted it to be. Finding just the right color of red for it was no small task! I had the unfinished bench at my apartment for several days so I could audition my paint samples.
My 1st round of samples & swatches...none of them were the right color.
I had spent a small fortune on paint samples & hadn't found just the right red. Then one day I was blog stalking & came across a woman who had painted a set of chairs just the color red I was looking for & turns out she had used a spray paint. Who knew?!
There are 4 or 5 different colors on this blasted bench! But the cherry red spray paint was finally the one!!!
When all was said & done the spray paint, although THE perfect color red, wasn't the best thing to use on this wood. Apparently it just soaked it all up & the coverage was horrible. In the end 4 cans of primer & 5 cans of paint had to be used totaling about 15 coats before the coverage & color were just right. I'm sure some brain cells were lost on this project!!
But it turned out so great & just how I pictured it color & all!!
I'll have pics of the whole living room makeover soon!!
My 1st round of samples & swatches...none of them were the right color.
There are 4 or 5 different colors on this blasted bench! But the cherry red spray paint was finally the one!!!
But it turned out so great & just how I pictured it color & all!!
I'll have pics of the whole living room makeover soon!!
Friday, July 6, 2012
This Is What Rdemption Looks Like!
Ok it's truth time....this is my deepest, darkest secret that only a hand full of people know...I never graduated from Ricks College. Overall I wasn't a very good student & getting good grades was the furthest thing from my mind. I was "dismissed" from Ricks after flunking out my last semester. It's shameful, I know! And it's a secret I've kept to myself all these years! Why on earth would I bust this information out you're asking!? Well, I'll tell you...In May 2000 I received a letter telling me that I had been dismissed from Ricks College.
Last week I received this letter from ISU:
In a word......REDEMPTION!!!
As I've reflected on the huge turn around I've made in my school work I started thinking about how much has gone on in this last year & what I've accomplished. When I actually stopped to list everything out I was pretty impressed with myself. Let's review in order shall we?!
I went back to school. I swore I'd never go back to school ever again. School just wasn't my thing & honestly school has never come easily to me. I don't consider myself to be a typically smart person. I have to work hard to get good grades so most times I'm fine with a B or a C...heck even Ds get degrees! I have no idea what go into me this time around but I HAD to get As! Or I would DIE! My 1st semester back...all As! Including my math class which is no small task. My 2nd semester 3 As...including my math class which is till no small task & I even got a 100% on not 1 but 2 tests! 100%!! I did get 1 B the 2nd semester but with this teacher getting a B is like getting an A! And did I mention that I made the Dean's list!?! REDEMPTION!
12 years ago I was dismissed from Ricks College. After working my butt off at ISU for 2 semesters & after some well worded petitions in February of this year I was re-admitted. After my 2 semesters at ISU I now have everything I need to complete the degree I started at Ricks 15 years ago. In December of this year I will finally graduate from Ricks College. REDEMPTION!!!
I ran a 5K without stopping! I have done 2 previous 5K races but have always had a hard time keeping a decent pace which has caused me to lose steam early in the race & have to walk here & there. This time I was determined to run the entire thing. I finally found a good pace & managed to keep it. As I rounded the last stretch it was almost all at an incline & I honestly thought I wasn't going to make it. How crappy would that have been to have run all that way only to crap out in the last 1/2 mile?! I would have beaten myself up til the end of time!
Me before
This is me crossing the finish line after running the ENTIRE way!
REDEMPTION!
When I was at Ricks I took Pysch 111 two different times. And both times I got the exact same grade & it wasn't good! Well what do I care I'm never going back to school again....except that I did....and of course I need to get a good grade in that blasted class. I managed to cram this semester long class into about 2 months which by itself is pretty impressive. I took the final the beginning of this week & then grew steadily more crazy as I waited ALL week for my grade to be posted. It occurred to me today that my entire school plan was hanging on the grade I got on that final. Then I started freaking out! Finally my grade got posted this afternoon. It's truth time again.....the 1st time I took Psych 111 I got a D....the 2nd time I took Psych 111 I got another D.....why I can't seem to conquer this class is beyond me....all I needed this time was a C-......I ended up with a B! REDEMPTION!!
So maybe I'm not as lost & aimless as I sometimes think I am!!
Last week I received this letter from ISU:
In a word......REDEMPTION!!!
As I've reflected on the huge turn around I've made in my school work I started thinking about how much has gone on in this last year & what I've accomplished. When I actually stopped to list everything out I was pretty impressed with myself. Let's review in order shall we?!
I went back to school. I swore I'd never go back to school ever again. School just wasn't my thing & honestly school has never come easily to me. I don't consider myself to be a typically smart person. I have to work hard to get good grades so most times I'm fine with a B or a C...heck even Ds get degrees! I have no idea what go into me this time around but I HAD to get As! Or I would DIE! My 1st semester back...all As! Including my math class which is no small task. My 2nd semester 3 As...including my math class which is till no small task & I even got a 100% on not 1 but 2 tests! 100%!! I did get 1 B the 2nd semester but with this teacher getting a B is like getting an A! And did I mention that I made the Dean's list!?! REDEMPTION!
12 years ago I was dismissed from Ricks College. After working my butt off at ISU for 2 semesters & after some well worded petitions in February of this year I was re-admitted. After my 2 semesters at ISU I now have everything I need to complete the degree I started at Ricks 15 years ago. In December of this year I will finally graduate from Ricks College. REDEMPTION!!!
I ran a 5K without stopping! I have done 2 previous 5K races but have always had a hard time keeping a decent pace which has caused me to lose steam early in the race & have to walk here & there. This time I was determined to run the entire thing. I finally found a good pace & managed to keep it. As I rounded the last stretch it was almost all at an incline & I honestly thought I wasn't going to make it. How crappy would that have been to have run all that way only to crap out in the last 1/2 mile?! I would have beaten myself up til the end of time!
Me before
This is me crossing the finish line after running the ENTIRE way!
REDEMPTION!
When I was at Ricks I took Pysch 111 two different times. And both times I got the exact same grade & it wasn't good! Well what do I care I'm never going back to school again....except that I did....and of course I need to get a good grade in that blasted class. I managed to cram this semester long class into about 2 months which by itself is pretty impressive. I took the final the beginning of this week & then grew steadily more crazy as I waited ALL week for my grade to be posted. It occurred to me today that my entire school plan was hanging on the grade I got on that final. Then I started freaking out! Finally my grade got posted this afternoon. It's truth time again.....the 1st time I took Psych 111 I got a D....the 2nd time I took Psych 111 I got another D.....why I can't seem to conquer this class is beyond me....all I needed this time was a C-......I ended up with a B! REDEMPTION!!
So maybe I'm not as lost & aimless as I sometimes think I am!!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
What's The Haps?
Unfortunately I have no pictures to go with this post but I did promise to be better about updating my blog so here I am. WHat's been going on you ask? oh you know this & that & only a TON of stuff! Well it feels like a ton of stuff to me. I am only 2 weeks away from the end of the semester and I can't believe that I have survived...well check with me in 2 weeks after finals are over & we'll see if I survived! The next 2 or 3 weeks are going to be straight up crazy! Not only do I have the end of the semester & finals on my plate but the day after I take my last final I am departing for the Happiest place on earth for a little vacation! yes my beloved Disneyland!! Oh and my beloved Sprinkles Cupcakes! Don't worry there will be plenty of pictures after that! As if that's not enough I am also moving to a new place 5 days after I get back. It's maddness at my apartment right now as I'm trying to get everythign packed up & cleaned & organized for my move...along with finishing school, studying for finals, keeping up on my gym time, and going on my trip...I must be crazy!! Oh and speaking of my gym time....I have really kicked my running into high gear. When I last posted I wsa only up to a 2 mile stretch before needing to walk for a minute or 2...well one day I jsut kept running and running and running and before I knew it i had run an entire 5K without stopping and without ever even slowing down! How did that happen?! That 10K goal is looking more & more do-able!
There should be lots of pics of all the upcoming events soon!
There should be lots of pics of all the upcoming events soon!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Since My Last Post
So it's been FOREVER since I posted anything on my blog. Seriously forever! And SO much has happened since my last post. So let's review a little bit.
Since my last post....I started school. I started at ISU in August and it has been crazy. For the Fall semester I only took 2 classes while still working full time at my office. The 1st couple of weeks were super crazy as I was adjusting to a new schedule and trying to figure everything out and how to fit everything in. After that it really leveled out and I did amazingly well. I managed to get As in both of my classes which I am supremely proud of as I didn't too so well the 1st time I went to college. I am definitely redeeming myself.
Me on my very 1st day of school in 11 years!!!
Since my last post....I loved and lost this boy....
He was the nicest boy I ever met and he thought he had won some prize by getting to go out with me. It was a new and sometimes strange feeling. He made me feel like I was the greatest thing God ever made and was the 1st boy to ever tell me I was pretty or worthwhile in any way. I felt like all the wrongs of my life had finally been set right. I don't think I've ever been happier in all my life. I thought that he was the one. I was planning my life around him being the one. Then one day he didn't like me anymore and didn't think I was so great. Then he was gone. And all those things he had set right in my life seemed to shatter. And I miss him. That's all I'm going to say about it.
"But you're changing everything....you're changing everything in me. And now, now that you're near there's nothing more without. Without you here...."
Without You Here-Goo Goo Dolls
Since my last post....I started my 2nd semester of school. This Winter semester got a lot crazier as I'm now taking 4 classes and a lab and still working full time and still trying to fit everything in. I am more than 1/2 way through the semester and not only do I have As in all my classes more importantly I've only had two major breakdowns where I sat in my car crying and asking myself "what were you thinking?" I'd say that's quite a victory. Also I got a 100% on my last math test and if you know me at all you know I hate math and it's my worst subject. 100%!!! I decided to transfer back up to Rexburg in the Fall and can't believe life has taken me back to Ricks College. Yes I know it's BYU-I now but it will always be Ricks College to me. I have 2 more years of school til I graduate and it can't come fast enough.
Since my last post......I am, once again, heavily involved in my ever going weight loss project. I am making real progress though! I've joined a workout group at the gym and we work out with our Trainer Mike twice a week. The girls in my group are super fun so it's actually enjoyable to work out. I've discovered I have a love of boxing. I love punching stuff. It's prolly cuz I have a lot of rage!! Right now I'm trying to get ready to (hopefully) run a 10K race in June. Even though I have gotten out of endurance running shape I'm actually making fast progress re-building it and I'm already up to running 2 mile without stopping. I'll be ready for this 10K in no time!!
So that's it in a nutshell...Life since my last post. It doesn't sound like a whole lot but trust me it is! My days basically consist of going to work, going to school, going to the gym, doing homework, going to sleep & waking up to do it all over again!!
Hopefully I will be better at blogging now that I've gotten a little bit caught up...but don't hold your breath!
Since my last post....I started school. I started at ISU in August and it has been crazy. For the Fall semester I only took 2 classes while still working full time at my office. The 1st couple of weeks were super crazy as I was adjusting to a new schedule and trying to figure everything out and how to fit everything in. After that it really leveled out and I did amazingly well. I managed to get As in both of my classes which I am supremely proud of as I didn't too so well the 1st time I went to college. I am definitely redeeming myself.
Me on my very 1st day of school in 11 years!!!
Since my last post....I loved and lost this boy....
He was the nicest boy I ever met and he thought he had won some prize by getting to go out with me. It was a new and sometimes strange feeling. He made me feel like I was the greatest thing God ever made and was the 1st boy to ever tell me I was pretty or worthwhile in any way. I felt like all the wrongs of my life had finally been set right. I don't think I've ever been happier in all my life. I thought that he was the one. I was planning my life around him being the one. Then one day he didn't like me anymore and didn't think I was so great. Then he was gone. And all those things he had set right in my life seemed to shatter. And I miss him. That's all I'm going to say about it.
"But you're changing everything....you're changing everything in me. And now, now that you're near there's nothing more without. Without you here...."
Without You Here-Goo Goo Dolls
Since my last post....I started my 2nd semester of school. This Winter semester got a lot crazier as I'm now taking 4 classes and a lab and still working full time and still trying to fit everything in. I am more than 1/2 way through the semester and not only do I have As in all my classes more importantly I've only had two major breakdowns where I sat in my car crying and asking myself "what were you thinking?" I'd say that's quite a victory. Also I got a 100% on my last math test and if you know me at all you know I hate math and it's my worst subject. 100%!!! I decided to transfer back up to Rexburg in the Fall and can't believe life has taken me back to Ricks College. Yes I know it's BYU-I now but it will always be Ricks College to me. I have 2 more years of school til I graduate and it can't come fast enough.
Since my last post......I am, once again, heavily involved in my ever going weight loss project. I am making real progress though! I've joined a workout group at the gym and we work out with our Trainer Mike twice a week. The girls in my group are super fun so it's actually enjoyable to work out. I've discovered I have a love of boxing. I love punching stuff. It's prolly cuz I have a lot of rage!! Right now I'm trying to get ready to (hopefully) run a 10K race in June. Even though I have gotten out of endurance running shape I'm actually making fast progress re-building it and I'm already up to running 2 mile without stopping. I'll be ready for this 10K in no time!!
So that's it in a nutshell...Life since my last post. It doesn't sound like a whole lot but trust me it is! My days basically consist of going to work, going to school, going to the gym, doing homework, going to sleep & waking up to do it all over again!!
Hopefully I will be better at blogging now that I've gotten a little bit caught up...but don't hold your breath!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Freedom & Funnel Cake!!
This was prolly THE busiest 4th of July ever! But it was so great! I started my day WAY too early considering it was a day off from work. 5:30 in the AM to be precise. A few days before I decided to run the Firecracker 5K. Who knows why. Ok mostly it was to cancel out the guilt I knew I'd feel later when I consumed my funnel cake. The race started at 7:00 which really is too early but what can you do!? I talked Joelyn into running it with me, Bless her! and of course we had a little photo session with ourselves before we ran!
Here's me running to the finish line. I realize it looks like I'm not running very fast but trust me I was! I think my freakishly long legs make me look like I'm not going very fast. I'm willing to bet those 2 girls behind me took 2 or 3 steps to my 1!! But man I've got some great legs!!
I shaved almost 5 minutes off my time from my race last year! Go me!!
After I ran my fat face off I had grand plans of sitting around watching the parade. Then I got roped into walking with my Branch's float & passing out candy to the onlookers. Ok fine I'll do it. So after running the parade route I turned around & walked it while passing out candy. Good grief! It was really fun tho & it made for some GREAT people watching let me tell you! All the weirdies this city has to offer were out in full force & they wanted candy!
After that it was funnel cake time! Not since my Jenny left me have I been able to find someone who loves funnel cake as much as I do.....until Megan!! Bless her for coming into my life & loving funnel cake! Pretty much our whole day was centered around when we'd be getting our funnel cake. I can't celebrate my independence without funnel cake. It's unheard of.
Delicious!!!
Now that's the look of happiness!!
After that we had a little BBQ at Chris's house. Honestly I ate too much in such a short span of time but that's what a holiday is for right?! Originally I wasn't going to go to the river to see the fireworks but my friend Arie got a group together so I went & it was a great time!!
The 4th of July always makes me think of my beloved Grandparents & the carnival we would have in the backyard at Knollwind. And of course that parade she'd make us all march around in! We'd march around that yard till we dropped & she'd keep going with her drum major baton & all manner of patriotic music blaring in the background while Grandfather char broiled our burgers. Man I loved it & man do I miss them!
Here's me running to the finish line. I realize it looks like I'm not running very fast but trust me I was! I think my freakishly long legs make me look like I'm not going very fast. I'm willing to bet those 2 girls behind me took 2 or 3 steps to my 1!! But man I've got some great legs!!
I shaved almost 5 minutes off my time from my race last year! Go me!!
After I ran my fat face off I had grand plans of sitting around watching the parade. Then I got roped into walking with my Branch's float & passing out candy to the onlookers. Ok fine I'll do it. So after running the parade route I turned around & walked it while passing out candy. Good grief! It was really fun tho & it made for some GREAT people watching let me tell you! All the weirdies this city has to offer were out in full force & they wanted candy!
After that it was funnel cake time! Not since my Jenny left me have I been able to find someone who loves funnel cake as much as I do.....until Megan!! Bless her for coming into my life & loving funnel cake! Pretty much our whole day was centered around when we'd be getting our funnel cake. I can't celebrate my independence without funnel cake. It's unheard of.
Delicious!!!
Now that's the look of happiness!!
After that we had a little BBQ at Chris's house. Honestly I ate too much in such a short span of time but that's what a holiday is for right?! Originally I wasn't going to go to the river to see the fireworks but my friend Arie got a group together so I went & it was a great time!!
The 4th of July always makes me think of my beloved Grandparents & the carnival we would have in the backyard at Knollwind. And of course that parade she'd make us all march around in! We'd march around that yard till we dropped & she'd keep going with her drum major baton & all manner of patriotic music blaring in the background while Grandfather char broiled our burgers. Man I loved it & man do I miss them!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Let Me tell You About My Sister Kristy....
Today is Kristy my sister’s birthday! Let me tell you a little bit about her….I’ve known her all my life! Of all the siblings Kristy & I are the closest in age-14 months apart to be exact. Also of all my siblings Kristy is the one I’m closest too. All my life it seemed like it was me & Kristy….and then everyone else.
There are 4 years between me & the next sibling. For 4 years it was just me & Kristy so we spent a lot of time together growing up.
When we were growing up all the relatives seemed to have it in their heads that me & Kristy were twins or something. We always got the same things for Christmas & birthdays except in different colors. Anytime Grandmother made us outfits ours were either out of the same fabric or exactly the same. People we are not twins!
When we were really little my sister Kristy couldn’t say my name right. Instead of calling me Meliss-a she called me Baby-sa. She also used to sing that song “Baby Love” (by The Supremes) to me but her lyrics would go…”baby-sa my baby-sa I need you oh I need you..baby-sa my baby-sa.” That song always make me think of her!
My sister Kristy wasn’t always very nice to me when we were growing up & she was forever trying or was succeeding at getting us/me into trouble. Here are just a few examples:
One time we had gotten into some argument & she punched me right in the nose. Nobody will acknowledge that this ever occurred but I distinctly remember laying on the kitchen floor gushing blood out of my nose. You don’t just forget something that traumatic!
In another such argument she decided the best way to resolve things was to pinch me under my eye. Who does that?! Some blood vessels got broken & I had this red mark under my eye for years.
Kristy had a problem with drawing on the walls in our bedroom. My mom told her if she did it again she’d be severely punished. Do you think that stopped her? I say nay-nay. She kept drawing her mural on our wall & then wrote “Melissa did this” next to it. I hadn’t even learned to write yet so obviously mom wasn’t fooled!
One Christmas she woke up in the middle of the night & decided that we should sneak downstairs & get into the chocolates my mom was using to make holiday candies. I told her we shouldn’t but don’t you remember how she punched me in the face & pinched me under my eye!? I had no choice. I had to go along with it. So we snuck downstairs, grabbed some chocolates out of the bag & took them back up to our room. But then we needed more so back downstairs we went. This time my dad heard us rummaging around. we raced back up to our room & pretended to be asleep. “Give me the chocolates.” “We don’t have any” Kristy replied….which might have been convincing if she didn’t have chocolate all around her mouth. I gave mine up immediately! After my dad went back downstairs Kristy lifted up her blankets & revealed a hidden stash of chocolates that we then proceeded to eat. The next day our punishment was that we had to sit there all day & not play or do anything. I had to sit on the bright blue staircase leading up to our room which was completely blocked off from anybody & any other room in the house. There I sat all by myself all day long. Kristy got to sit in this green director’s chair we had in the kitchen….IN THE KITCHEN…with everybody else. She’s the one who masterminded this little plan & I’m the one getting the brunt of it! Those chocolates weren’t even that good.
I could prolly go on & on with these stories but let’s just move on!
The thing about me & my sister Kristy is that as adults we are incapable of getting along if we live in the same state. Weird right?! If we live in different states we’re like BFFs!
A few years ago my sister married this boy Todd. He’s a great time!
She really likes that boy A LOT! I mean yes she loves him but man she just REALLY likes him. Kristy & Todd give me hope for a happy marriage. I see so many of my friends in unhappy marriages & it makes me sad for them & a little scared of ever getting married. I don’t wanna be like that! But then I always hear Kristy say stuff like “if I have free time I want to spend it with Todd. Why would I want to go play with my friend when I can play with Todd?”
My sister Kristy has these 2 kids….Owen & Erin. Aren’t they cute?!
Owen
Erin
Well as cute & adorable & hilarious as they are they are THE most high maintenance children I’ve ever seen. Bless.Their.Hearts. Besides having endless amounts of energy & a 30 second attention span Owen has Juvenile Diabetes which means his blood has to be tested countless times a day & has to be given insulin shots. Also he never stops talking. Ever. He is a riot! Erin has needed to be held almost every second of everyday she’s been on earth. All day. All night. Honestly I don’t know how Kristy does it every day & still finds time to update her blog, make endless amounts of crafty crafts (even she made me a skirt when I was down there last weekend), plan & execute the yearly BHCP (that’s the Betty Hively Christmas Party. Gosh surprised you didn’t know that!), and (this is by far THE most impressive one) get herself ready & her hair done everyday instead of sitting around in mom jeans or sweat pants all day!! Now that’s impressive! And even more impressive how much she LOVES those 2 crazy kids of hers even tho they are SO CRAZY!! I am constantly amazed with all she is able to handle. She is an amazing mother. And she calls me at least twice a week when I’m at work which I absolutely love!
So that's my sister Kristy! I love all my sisters but she is my favorite!
A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life. ~Isadora James
Happy Birthday Kristy! I love you!!!
There are 4 years between me & the next sibling. For 4 years it was just me & Kristy so we spent a lot of time together growing up.
When we were growing up all the relatives seemed to have it in their heads that me & Kristy were twins or something. We always got the same things for Christmas & birthdays except in different colors. Anytime Grandmother made us outfits ours were either out of the same fabric or exactly the same. People we are not twins!
When we were really little my sister Kristy couldn’t say my name right. Instead of calling me Meliss-a she called me Baby-sa. She also used to sing that song “Baby Love” (by The Supremes) to me but her lyrics would go…”baby-sa my baby-sa I need you oh I need you..baby-sa my baby-sa.” That song always make me think of her!
My sister Kristy wasn’t always very nice to me when we were growing up & she was forever trying or was succeeding at getting us/me into trouble. Here are just a few examples:
One time we had gotten into some argument & she punched me right in the nose. Nobody will acknowledge that this ever occurred but I distinctly remember laying on the kitchen floor gushing blood out of my nose. You don’t just forget something that traumatic!
In another such argument she decided the best way to resolve things was to pinch me under my eye. Who does that?! Some blood vessels got broken & I had this red mark under my eye for years.
Kristy had a problem with drawing on the walls in our bedroom. My mom told her if she did it again she’d be severely punished. Do you think that stopped her? I say nay-nay. She kept drawing her mural on our wall & then wrote “Melissa did this” next to it. I hadn’t even learned to write yet so obviously mom wasn’t fooled!
One Christmas she woke up in the middle of the night & decided that we should sneak downstairs & get into the chocolates my mom was using to make holiday candies. I told her we shouldn’t but don’t you remember how she punched me in the face & pinched me under my eye!? I had no choice. I had to go along with it. So we snuck downstairs, grabbed some chocolates out of the bag & took them back up to our room. But then we needed more so back downstairs we went. This time my dad heard us rummaging around. we raced back up to our room & pretended to be asleep. “Give me the chocolates.” “We don’t have any” Kristy replied….which might have been convincing if she didn’t have chocolate all around her mouth. I gave mine up immediately! After my dad went back downstairs Kristy lifted up her blankets & revealed a hidden stash of chocolates that we then proceeded to eat. The next day our punishment was that we had to sit there all day & not play or do anything. I had to sit on the bright blue staircase leading up to our room which was completely blocked off from anybody & any other room in the house. There I sat all by myself all day long. Kristy got to sit in this green director’s chair we had in the kitchen….IN THE KITCHEN…with everybody else. She’s the one who masterminded this little plan & I’m the one getting the brunt of it! Those chocolates weren’t even that good.
I could prolly go on & on with these stories but let’s just move on!
The thing about me & my sister Kristy is that as adults we are incapable of getting along if we live in the same state. Weird right?! If we live in different states we’re like BFFs!
A few years ago my sister married this boy Todd. He’s a great time!
She really likes that boy A LOT! I mean yes she loves him but man she just REALLY likes him. Kristy & Todd give me hope for a happy marriage. I see so many of my friends in unhappy marriages & it makes me sad for them & a little scared of ever getting married. I don’t wanna be like that! But then I always hear Kristy say stuff like “if I have free time I want to spend it with Todd. Why would I want to go play with my friend when I can play with Todd?”
My sister Kristy has these 2 kids….Owen & Erin. Aren’t they cute?!
Owen
Erin
Well as cute & adorable & hilarious as they are they are THE most high maintenance children I’ve ever seen. Bless.Their.Hearts. Besides having endless amounts of energy & a 30 second attention span Owen has Juvenile Diabetes which means his blood has to be tested countless times a day & has to be given insulin shots. Also he never stops talking. Ever. He is a riot! Erin has needed to be held almost every second of everyday she’s been on earth. All day. All night. Honestly I don’t know how Kristy does it every day & still finds time to update her blog, make endless amounts of crafty crafts (even she made me a skirt when I was down there last weekend), plan & execute the yearly BHCP (that’s the Betty Hively Christmas Party. Gosh surprised you didn’t know that!), and (this is by far THE most impressive one) get herself ready & her hair done everyday instead of sitting around in mom jeans or sweat pants all day!! Now that’s impressive! And even more impressive how much she LOVES those 2 crazy kids of hers even tho they are SO CRAZY!! I am constantly amazed with all she is able to handle. She is an amazing mother. And she calls me at least twice a week when I’m at work which I absolutely love!
So that's my sister Kristy! I love all my sisters but she is my favorite!
A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life. ~Isadora James
Happy Birthday Kristy! I love you!!!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Emancipation Anniversary Celebration!
Can you believe it's been 2 years since I made my big move!? I can't believe it either! Not gonna lie the 2nd year was harder than the 1st. I think I felt it more this 2nd year all the lasting effects it's had on my life....for good & for bad. We won't even get into the bad but 2 of the best things that have happened in this last year are #1 I have been doing some work at the Domestic Violence center here in town & I love it! Which has lead to #2 I decided to go back to school & get a degree in Social Work! Crazy right!? For as hard as it was, had I not gone through what I did I don't think I ever would have gone in this direction so for that I'm grateful. I need for something good to come out of this for me & I think I finally found that something!
I didn't think I could top last year's celebration of running my 5K & then going down to Salt Lake & eating at the cheesecake factory! Please! So i didn't try! This year I got my group together & we had a BBQ. The 1st BBQ of the season! It was great! My dear, Sweet roommate Chalise planned the whole thing. She is so amazing!! For some reason she kept the location a secret from me & no one was allowed to tell me where the BBQ was at. Mostly she did this cuz she knew it would drive me nuts not knowing what was going on. true story-it did!! Matt had just moved to a new little house & he graciously let us have my celebration there. I was so excited to eat my 1st hot dogs of the summer!
Chalise & Matt gettin ready to man the grill
mmmmm burgers & hot dogs! We decided to name Chalise Mrs Lowry after she dumped almost an entire thing of season salt on those burgers!
And even Dain took me for a ride on his motorbike! You know I'm not a daredevil in any respect but I do love a nice motorbike ride!
Sometimes I think of these friends I've made since I moved & I think "what if I had never met you?" If I hadn't made that choice to move I never would have. 2 years ago I made a choice & it was the hardest thing I've ever done in life & they have helped to make that choice worth it!
Me & Matt
Me & Chalise
Anne Kelly
Matt & Chalise
Dain & Chris
Me & Megan
Uhhhh why are there no pictures of Joelyn?!?! She's super important to me!
So here's to another year down. My goal for next year is to not feel the need to observe it!
I didn't think I could top last year's celebration of running my 5K & then going down to Salt Lake & eating at the cheesecake factory! Please! So i didn't try! This year I got my group together & we had a BBQ. The 1st BBQ of the season! It was great! My dear, Sweet roommate Chalise planned the whole thing. She is so amazing!! For some reason she kept the location a secret from me & no one was allowed to tell me where the BBQ was at. Mostly she did this cuz she knew it would drive me nuts not knowing what was going on. true story-it did!! Matt had just moved to a new little house & he graciously let us have my celebration there. I was so excited to eat my 1st hot dogs of the summer!
Chalise & Matt gettin ready to man the grill
mmmmm burgers & hot dogs! We decided to name Chalise Mrs Lowry after she dumped almost an entire thing of season salt on those burgers!
And even Dain took me for a ride on his motorbike! You know I'm not a daredevil in any respect but I do love a nice motorbike ride!
Sometimes I think of these friends I've made since I moved & I think "what if I had never met you?" If I hadn't made that choice to move I never would have. 2 years ago I made a choice & it was the hardest thing I've ever done in life & they have helped to make that choice worth it!
Me & Matt
Me & Chalise
Anne Kelly
Matt & Chalise
Dain & Chris
Me & Megan
Uhhhh why are there no pictures of Joelyn?!?! She's super important to me!
So here's to another year down. My goal for next year is to not feel the need to observe it!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Matty's Birthday Celebration!
So we had Matty's birthday celebration a couple weeks ago. It was a great little evening & there were a TON of people there! Dain & I co-hosted & decided to pull a surprise over on Matty. On Tuesday nights our Branch does visits to new members, less actives, etc so we thought this would be the perfect night to have his party. So I got the visits canceled & told everyone we'd be having Matty's birthday instead BUT we just let Matt think visits were going on per usual. So everyone showed up for visits as normal, got there lists, but then headed to the restaurant instead. Then Dain brought Matty a few minutes later. When he walked in the door this is what greeted him......
I don't know about you but this would make me feel pretty good! I can't believe how many people were in attendance! The month of March just wasn't very good to our dear Matty so I'm so glad so many people turned out for his party. He really needed this. We then proceeded to stuff our fat faces with delicious Mexican food. It's a good thing they put us in a totally separate room cuz we were pretty rowdy!
I especially love Chalise in this picture!!
And of course we had them sing to him & he got to wear this very fashionable hat!
For Matty's present I decided to do a whole 1978 themed gift. I got a bunch of stuff that came out the year he was born. Such as..
Season One of Diff'rent Strokes
Reese's Pieces
Hungry Hungry Hippo
And Whatchamacallits
I also put together a CD of 1978 Billboard chart toppers consisting of songs by the Bee Gees, ABBA, Grease, and Barry Manilow to name a few. The best part of this little ditty was the CD cover that Dain helped me make. Ugh the image won't upload to the Blogger. grrrr but we put Matty's face on John Travolta's body in the Grease poster. IT.WAS.A.RIOT.
Honestly I couldn't really tell if Matty did or didn't like my gift. I thought it was a GREAT gift but you know creativity is lost on some people. Whatever I loved it!
Happy Birthday Matty!!
I don't know about you but this would make me feel pretty good! I can't believe how many people were in attendance! The month of March just wasn't very good to our dear Matty so I'm so glad so many people turned out for his party. He really needed this. We then proceeded to stuff our fat faces with delicious Mexican food. It's a good thing they put us in a totally separate room cuz we were pretty rowdy!
I especially love Chalise in this picture!!
And of course we had them sing to him & he got to wear this very fashionable hat!
For Matty's present I decided to do a whole 1978 themed gift. I got a bunch of stuff that came out the year he was born. Such as..
Season One of Diff'rent Strokes
Reese's Pieces
Hungry Hungry Hippo
And Whatchamacallits
I also put together a CD of 1978 Billboard chart toppers consisting of songs by the Bee Gees, ABBA, Grease, and Barry Manilow to name a few. The best part of this little ditty was the CD cover that Dain helped me make. Ugh the image won't upload to the Blogger. grrrr but we put Matty's face on John Travolta's body in the Grease poster. IT.WAS.A.RIOT.
Honestly I couldn't really tell if Matty did or didn't like my gift. I thought it was a GREAT gift but you know creativity is lost on some people. Whatever I loved it!
Happy Birthday Matty!!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Joelyn's Chinese New Year Birthday Celebration!
So Joelyn's birthday was earlier this month & since she was headed for Hong Kong a couple weeks later & since it was also Chinese new year I decided to do an Oriental themed dinner for her. I love Joelyn cuz she lets me throw fabulous dinner parties for her! This turned out to be one of my favorites that I ever put on.
I created a fabulous menu of delicious Chinese food that I made all by myself!
Chinese noodles
Egg rolls & crab rangoon (super delicious & look how great they look. very professional)
And Orange Chicken which I had never made in my life but not to be all whatever..I totally rocked it!!
I decided that we should use little take out boxes instead of plates & it looked really great on the table & I think everyone enjoyed it. Also for Chinese New Year you're supposed to give your guests "lucky money" in red envelopes so I made these cute little envelopes on my Cricut & got fake money from the dollar store & set them at each place setting as a little party favor. So cute!
the table
looks like a Chinese Restaurant!
And of course we had fabulous guests! It's how we roll!
Nellie, Dain & Kaylin
Chalise & Matty
TJ & Joelyn
seriously one of my favorite dinner parties ever. Happy Birthday Joelyn!
I created a fabulous menu of delicious Chinese food that I made all by myself!
Chinese noodles
Egg rolls & crab rangoon (super delicious & look how great they look. very professional)
And Orange Chicken which I had never made in my life but not to be all whatever..I totally rocked it!!
I decided that we should use little take out boxes instead of plates & it looked really great on the table & I think everyone enjoyed it. Also for Chinese New Year you're supposed to give your guests "lucky money" in red envelopes so I made these cute little envelopes on my Cricut & got fake money from the dollar store & set them at each place setting as a little party favor. So cute!
the table
looks like a Chinese Restaurant!
And of course we had fabulous guests! It's how we roll!
Nellie, Dain & Kaylin
Chalise & Matty
TJ & Joelyn
seriously one of my favorite dinner parties ever. Happy Birthday Joelyn!
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