Currently

Ah... It has been two weeks since I last wrote on here. I have thought about writing several times, but at the same time just haven't felt like saying a whole lot. I've sort of been quiet online lately and I like it. Truthfully, I'm so-so on sharing my life through statuses and blog posts. I do like my privacy and also don't think that everything one thinks and does must be posted online either. I have been busy too in these past few weeks, which has been nice for a change since this subbing season is painfully slow. I've been collecting data for my action research report over the past two weeks and have what I need now in order to start writing the last few sections in my paper. It has been great being involved in my ESOL mentor's classroom; she always makes me excited about teaching and education. I wish I could team teach with her!

So what has been going on with life lately? For the most part, things have been pretty good. Since I don't feel like being overly creative right now I'm just going to make a list....

-- Happy happy news: My brother-in-law returned from deployment earlier this week. We are SO thankful to have him home safely. My sister is thoroughly enjoying having him home of course. She has been very strong through these past few months and their relationship has grown too. I can't wait to see both of them!

-- My boyfriend's medical test results came back quickly and he is fine. Thank goodness! I feel so relieved that he is healthy! So what happened over Labor Day weekend was not from anything serious. Whew.

-- Speaking of test results, I am pleased and relieved to say that my boyfriend's father does NOT have cancer in his lungs. So maybe my intuition was off that day or my feelings were for something else (gotta love the subconscious).

-- Received a post card from a soldier that I been writing to for awhile. A friend of my sister gave me his address because he was not getting much mail. Anyway, I was totally surprised when I opened my mailbox this week and found that! He told me how much he appreciated the support at home -- as it is horrible in Afghanistan  Seriously, anything we can do to help these men and women is needed. I can't imagine how strained they must be mentally and physically.

-- I am getting closer and closer to being done with this degree! Yay! December 8th is my last day; I give a presentation and then I am d-o-n-e!  (and when I say done, I mean until I can figure out the finances for the next degree..hahaha)

-- Still contemplating the SLP career. Hoping to do some observations next month.

-- I've started working out on a fairly consistent basis. My friend in AZ and I have come up with this plan to text each other after we have worked out as way to stay accountable and to not feel like we are on our own. This has been so helpful to me! Plus it is fun sharing workout ideas so it keeps my interest a lot more than if I were attempting to do this alone. My physical goals are to have more endurance and upper body strength. For now I am focusing on my arms -- love doing those workouts! I have used a few from Pinterest too. Once I get to 14 days of working out (not consecutive but just total) then I am allowing myself to buy one bottle of Julep nail polish. Monetary: yes. Motivation: it's helping!

-- Overall I have been good about not spending too much. Trying to save as much as I can right now and also because my dad's birthday is next month and Christmas is not too far away either. Everything adds up so I am trying to be more mindful of purchases.

-- Wondering what to do if subbing continues to be this slow. I'm not getting any calls and all but one sub job I am requested for is a full day, rest are half. I'm thinking of going to a temp agency to see if I could get some sort of data entry job (had a fabulous one five years ago for the summer). I really do need more income especially once I turn 26. Ah... it's only October so we will see what happens.

-- I'm happy about our Warrior football team having a 7-1 record. Unfortunately they lost last week. They have a game at home this Friday so hoping they can rally together and win!

-- Am loving that our house is all decorated for Fall! :) I put up the decorations this week and it has certainly made our home cozier. We have lights around the front window, mantel and in the kitchen window. The added light helps on the dreary days.

-- Loving Fall foods: stews and soups. Mmm... Actually, I eat soup year round so that isn't anything new but we just cook it more during this season and winter.

--Yes I still need to load a few more weeks of garden pictures. Gah, been terrible at that! I'll admit, I am feeling lazy about dealing with my pictures. I take so many that I overwhelm myself. haha Still have several more to load from summer onto Facebook. While people may enjoy seeing these pictures, I put them on here and FB primarily for myself. I like having a record of what has happened over the year(s).

-- A little part of me wants to start a fashion blog. No, not to get sponsors or have a thousand readers but as a way to improve my style... and it is fun being girly. I don't know when or if I will do this. Just a thought!

Think that is about all for now... I've covered several bases. Hope that you all are having a good Fall and October -- that or a good Spring depending on where you might be. :)

Slowly Coming Back

This has been probably the longest blog breaks I have had in awhile. Unintentional, yes. Ever since the middle of last month until now life has been way up and way down. I have been pretty stressed out, tired and lacking much interest in being on my computer. I feel like I am starting to get things back in order ever so slowly and my desire to blog is resurfacing.

First step today -- checking in with my naturopath. My doctor is wonderful! She looks at an individual holistically and gives good direct advice. The main issue we are working on is my anxiety. It has been something I have struggled with for years -- sometimes it isn't very present and other times it is absolutely miserable. Currently, it is manageable (okay 85% -ish of the time). Anyhow, I asked her about teas that may help to relax me and she gave me a list of herbs to get at an herbal medicine store. I didn't venture over to it this afternoon though (will do it another day). Instead, I went to New Seasons and found some Yogi Tea that might do the trick until I go to the other place.

Mmmm mmmm... I love tea. I think this will help me quite a bit. I enjoy breathing in deeply and smelling all of the delicious herbs. Even better -- taking a sip and savoring it... mmm which herb do I taste now? Tea is such a good way to activate the senses :)

So with that said, I will be back with posts in the near future. I am trying to get organized and get back to me. I plan on doing some catch up -- with garden posts and one or two more life updates. Hope that you are all doing well!

Little Treasures in a Quiet Thursday

Today has been a good day, a really good one. Nothing outrageous has happened today but it has been a day filled with several little blessings. I love simple days like this.

My day started off with a run around where I live-- I changed some things up and had a pretty decent run overall. I love being outside and connecting with my surroundings. This was a lovely partly sunny day, but as most days are now, the air was thick and damp feeling. While that type of coolness tends to make me sweat more, I really it. That feeling lets me know that I am in the midst of another wonderful season.

After my run and the hours before going to work, I took care of some items such as finances. For the past three months I haven't been watching money as closely, which means I have been spending more. Since today was pay day for subbing and tutoring, I made sure to take care of sorting the check amounts into my savings accounts. While calculating my sub check I was confused with the amount I got and what I thought I should be paid. Happily, it was because of getting more versus less ;-) When I got my pay stub in the mail today I saw that I get 28 cents more per hour! YAY!

Once I figured out my money situation, I decided to make a much needed purchase online - my Maid of Honor dress. I expected to get a particular dress on Kohl's, but when I looked at it this afternoon I noticed that my size was sold out. For a second, I panicked because I have been trying to find a nice red dress. So, I crossed my fingers and searched the website again. I came across a classy red dress (an even better red color too) and with 3/4 length sleeves, which will be good since the wedding will most likely be in December. When I decided to get my dress, I was happy to see that it was on sale $63 versus the original price of $90. AND shipping was only 99 cents!! AND, AND, AND.... yes it gets better folks -- since I had the option of using a promotional code I decided to hunt online for one. I Googled and found a great website called Retail Me Not and it listed several promotional codes for Kohl's. I tried a few codes and eventually one of them worked (SMS2828, 10% off of everything, good till 10/22!) and I saved 10% on my dress (saved $6.30!). With all that said, I only paid $57.69! Not bad for a bridesmaids dress and hopefully one that I can wear for other occasions. Now, think positively that it will fit! ;-)

As for the rest of the day, I had work in the evening that ended up being pretty good even with the challenging kiddos. I feel very thankful to have this job as it gives me good teaching experience and I love that I don't have to deal with drama among co-workers. It's a professional workplace and I appreciate that very much.

Coming home was lovely - it was a good evening with all the ladies. And oh the happiness, my sister baked cookies! She is a cookie queen :) Yum... She made a great batch of chocolate chip!

Overall, very good day. Lots of goodness and blessings - on a fairly quiet and low-key day. It's the little things in life that count...

Hope your gray days are filled with sunshiney treasures! Big or small, hope you feel uplifted.

C25K Redo: Dealing With It

"You can't get much done in life if you only work on the days that you feel good." -- Anonymous

Image

When you've had 3.5 hours of sleep, been up since before the crack of dawn (from taking your sis to the airport), tired, physically not 100% (oh womanness!), feeling "blah" from the low hanging gray clouds, chilled from the Fall air and dampness from earlier passing rain, and all you can think about is the warmth and comfort of your bed.... 

Running was pretty much the last thing on the list in this case. This was not something I desired to do on this Fall day. Not only that but I knew I had a tough workout ahead (Week 6, Day 2):

- 10 minutes of jogging/running

- 3 minutes walking

- 10 minutes of jogging/running

Truly, it isn't that horrible of a workout but on a day like this, it seemed a bit much. 

Somehow I managed to get myself out of my snuggly bed and peeled away from the TV (I have taken to watching the "Today" show sometimes in the mornings). I changed from my already bodily-heated PJs to cool feeling exercise clothes. I put on three layers on the top and my long pants. Wrestled my hair into a ponytail, brushed my gunky feeling teeth, and pushed my feet into my shoes. Set the timer for 5 minutes of a brisk warm up walk and away I went on my route (after visiting with Cheese of course).

I huffed and puffed as I forced my legs to produce movement. Soaking in the freshness of Autumn air (today's scent had nice light touch of classic Fall smoke- the farmer burning kind), I started to feel more lively and hoped my timer would beep so I could switch to running. Ah...

I decided to run on the high school track since it provides a nice landing for my flat feet, and that way I am distanced from the cars (dislike the smell of pollution, yuck). Truthfully, I have a love-hate relationship with that big circle. Some days it feels like a oversized hamster wheel! 

Today wasn't too bad though my legs felt like they were being dragged and pushed through layers of molasses. They felt stiff and sluggish. There wasn't much I could do but move my arms in hopes they would carry me along (I recalled my high school Cross Country coaches saying, "Keep those arms moving! They will pace your body!"). 

The idea of giving up was a bit tempting, I will admit, but only for a fleeting moment. This little hole of mental weakness was quickly covered up when I realized that I can't just wait around to feel inspired or motivated. Some days I will just have to take care of business. My running won't always be what I want and it may just suck. Today was pretty much one of those- not stellar but still worthy enough of a Dr. Suess sticker on the chart.

You learn to just deal with it. Tis true, running teaches you a lot about life ;-)

C25K Redo: Halfway There

PROGRESS

1. a movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage: the progress of a student toward a degree.
2. developmental activity in science, technology, etc., esp. with reference to the commercial opportunities
3. created thereby orto the promotion of the material well-being of the public through goods, techniques or facilities created.
4. advancement in general.
5. growth or development; continuous improvement: He shows progress in his muscular coordination.
6. the development of an individual or society in a direction considered more beneficial than and superior to the previous level.
7. Biology. increasing differentiation and perfection in the course of ontogeny or phylogeny.
8. forward or onward movement: the progress of the planets.
9. the forward course of action, events, time etc.
10. an official journey or tour, as by a sovereign or dignitary.

~
I am making progress!!

I am thrilled to say that today was my first day running without walking. Not only that but for 20 straight minutes (okay to be technical I did 21 because I hit the button on my timer accidentally). That's right, I have made it to Week 5 and completed it. Bring it on Week 6!!

The run today was challenging, though surprisingly better than the previous workout, which consisted of this:

(Workout 2 on Week 5)
-- brisk 5 minute warm up
-- 8 minutes jogging
-- 5 minutes walking
-- 8 minutes jogging

I think the reason why this workout and others have been harder is due to the fact that the heart rate changes so much. That's probably the point I am guessing.... Ah ha, so there is wisdom in some of these seemingly torturous days. haha Nah, it isn't that bad but there have been a few rough workouts.

Anyway, I am happy with being where I am and the condition of my body. I love that I am making progress. That's a good active word.

Part of my joy comes from learning how to be flexible in achieving my running goals. As a I mentioned a couple of days ago, I was recovering from a seasonal cold and didn't feel too great. Since I lacked energy I didn't run for nearly a week. That was pretty much what happened last year... but this time is different. I had to tell myself: "So you're sick for a few days, when you are better get back on the plan!" So I did and I am picking up where I left off. Am I running every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (like I wish- so organized!)?! No. Am I running exactly 3 days per week and following the program to a T? No.

Sometimes I run 4 straight days in a row, other times I don't run for 3 days. When I run varies.

That's the joy though. I am doing it regardless of everything else. When something is a priority, you really do learn how to make it happen. Not new news either, but this is something I want ingrained into my brain. I thought I understood last time how to follow a plan and stay determined. Obviously not.

So, I didn't do so well last time but I am trying again! That's the beauty of plans and goals-- if we really want to get somewhere we have to make adjustments around the road blocks and unforeseen hurdles. We may have to veer a bit to the side, jump higher, or crawl on our bellies... doesn't matter. The point is that we keep on going the direction to where we want to be.

~


(Now on a side note: If I could just apply this to every area of life, like reading the Bible consistently I would be a much better human being. Hey... this is a start right?!)

Couch to 5k REDO

So I have started the Couch to 5k Running Plan again. I have recently completed the first 3 weeks, so I am a third of the way done!

As you know a year ago, I stopped right in the middle of the program. I got pretty sick last Fall and then my schedule got incredibly hectic...and I shoved running right off my plate of activities.

Out of (mostly) random, I decided to finally get back into it and work towards finishing the whole program. I want to be healthier, have nicer looking legs (though nothing can change the fact that I am pasty white), and feel more relaxed overall. Whenever I run I feel released mentally and physically-- as I have mentioned before, I love that feeling of breathing more deeply. Now that I have started exercising again, I feel that desire to keep continuing... all because it feels so good.

I have also made this plan extra fun-- I am tapping into my "inner child" and teacher-office-supply-obsessed-ways:

Yes, that is my running plan on my bulletin board and looking all pretty (if you want to know more about making that actual template it is easy, I used Word & copied and pasted the running work outs from the website version).

And if you look closer you will see that...
1) I write the date of completion on each workout... I get to use one of my fun "fancy" Pilot pens (oh the office supply nerdiness!)
2) Check out those stickers! Yes they are Dr. Seuss!! Last year sometime I found a half used sheet of them in a pants pocket, from some sub job. I always meant to return them and forgot so I am being resourceful in using them (yeah, yeah, I know that sounds fishy haha).
3) If you look at the other picture you will notice there is a special order to the stickers-- the ultimate way to organize anything: RAINBOW order! :)

If you would like to do this plan yourself check out this website. :)

Happy Running!!!

P.S. This lady, Sara at Domestically Challenged is an awesome marathon runner! She talks about running quite a bit along with her humorous and candid life stories (and serious ones too- she has some real hurdles in her life -- yes pun intended).

Labor Day Weekend

Well, well, well, it is now Saturday, September 10th and I am finally writing about Labor Day Weekend. I am great about being consistent in my delayed postings. *sigh* For that reason, I am thankful that this blog is primarily for my enjoyment and if others happen to read it, then that is fine and dandy. :)

So, I will try to recall what all happened last weekend, which was quite a bit. I had a great LDW and hope ya'll did too. I can already say that it was much better than this one, as I am sitting here a bit uncomfortable due to sore tonsils and a slightly stuffed nose. I am a bit irritated to be sick but let's hope it doesn't get any worse... and maybe this will be my only fall seasonal cold. Please oh please. No mas!
~
Friday - September, 2nd:
First football game of the season! My high school alma mater played their first game and at home so it was pretty darn exciting. Warriors vs Lincoln. I am happy to say we won! 35 to 12. :)

I was only able to stay until half-time because I was going to have a sleepover at Jennifer's house. Actually, we were "tenting." Her mom recently bought a tent and she wanted to test it out in her backyard. We had a good time! We woke to the next morning covered in dew- at first when I woke up I thought I slobbered a lot (not something I do typically but hey it was an initial reaction!)... But as sat up and removed the sleeping bag from my body, hundreds of dew drops trickled down to the tent floor. I was amused!

Saturday - September 3rd:
Since I woke up at Jennifer's I spent some time with her that day. We ended up going to the Woodburn Outlets because there were some good deals going on. Her mom invited me to come along so I took the offer. Lady time and shopping is always a good combo. Prior to heading to the stores, Jennifer's mom kindly treated us to Noah's Bagels. One of my favorite places to eat at! While we were eating breakfast/brunch we were amused with all the sports fans. That Saturday was the start of college football games for the state- so many people were dressed in either OSU or U of O colors (the two state teams were playing other teams, not each other). The rivalry is revved up again. Ah, I love football season. :)

Of course, we ended up meeting several of those fans on the freeway but thankfully we weren't going too far. Jennifer, her mom, and I shopped for about two or so hours. I saw a few cute items at the Gap Outlet store and Banana Republic but they were still too spendy... so I lusted. haha I also wasn't really in the mood to spend too much money. I haven't been wanting to spend a lot since my CR trip. I will admit though that I am quite sick of my work slacks, two pairs of shoes I have worn to pieces, and a few others... but nothing felt worth it enough to spend $. Oh well, I still enjoyed myself and had fun just being with Jennifer and her mom. It was a good day :)

The day concluded with hanging out with B and a few of his friends. We parted ways at a reasonable time so we could rest up for the adventure the next day would bring...

Sunday - September 4th: 
This was my favorite day, hands down. I could write a blog post all on this day but I will share just the main events. B and I hiked ~6.5 miles to and from Tunnel Falls at Eagle Creek, on the Columbia Gorge. Oh wow. Yeah, so it totaled about 14 miles when we were done (when you add in the walk to the main trailhead etc).

If you live in the PNW, near this area, I suggest that you go on this hike! I loved every part of it- despite the fact that I was/am not conditioned for such a physical experience AND that I had multiple "war wounds" afterwards... I am hooked on hiking and it is now my motivation to get in good shape! I must say though that I am proud that I completed the hike. 14 miles is pretty darn good. Here are some pictures....

Yes, we made it to the end of the map!

Passed over a few small bridges like this!

Beautiful clear water!

The destination: TUNNEL FALLS! I was so happy to see this!!! 

I was a bit exhausted at this point but oh so happy. haha

On the way back- to and from the falls we had to pass through some of these areas. They were challenging, more so because of the heat. These places are what contributed to me cracking several toenails. Totally worth it though. ;-)

A wonderful naturally made rest area... We spent some time here  to & from. I  loved cooling myself off with that fresh water!

Trailhead... We made it! Awesome hike and I can't wait to do it again!

Good websites for Eagle Creek :
William Sullivan's Oregon Hikes
Portland Hikers' site

Monday - September 5th (Labor Day): 
Besides feeling like I was Methusela- oh yes did I feel stiff, achy in my back, and exhausted... Labor Day was a fabulous day! haha Mom, Sarah and I went to Gales Creek in the afternoon to cool off our feet. This also gave Mom a chance to relax, which she needs quite a bit these days. Going to Gales Creek was a great way to relax, especially since the weekend was very warm.

GC also has lovely clear water!

Labor Day evening concluded with making my most favorite summer sandwich. I got this idea from a lady I had class with several years ago. Toast two bread slices and add lettuce, tomatoes (fresh from our garden! Yay for a good tomato season!), few slices of cheddar cheese and a little bit of mustard. Mom made hers more into a BLT so I had a slice of bacon to go along with mine. You can make your sandwich however you want but this is my preferred way! Delicious.

Hope you had a great LDW too!

A Bad Day That Got Turned Around

~

Yesterday was just one of those days...

I woke up to low-level droopy clouds, damp ground, and stickiness in the air. Not my favorite kind of day. I am not fond of days like that because I feel boxed-in and a little claustrophobic. I need the sunshine desperately!

Anyway.... so that didn't help. I also had been woken up from the sounds of my mom hollering to my sister about the cats - they were trying to coordinate with them and were making lots of ruckus....

Then another irritating thing happened after another and within a few hours of waking up, I was in a nasty mood. I typically am not an angry person and don't get super cranky, but man... oh man... I did not feel good yesterday.  All I wanted was out of my house and away from everything that was driving me crazy.

Part of my annoyed mood was that I had hoped to get my laundry done (seriously needed to do that!) and I am doing two ESOL courses online. I needed time and space for both of those, but could not get it...

I got myself ready for the day and around noon I gathered my stuff and left.

I went to the library- no, I didn't quite run away, though the thought of it was enticing. ;-) I breathed a sigh of relief once I sat down at a table and got myself organized. However, just as I was starting on an assignment someone very dear to me showed up. :) We didn't know that each other would be at the library at the time, and funny enough, he couldn't find a seat farther down so had to check out the area where I was. He didn't expect to see me there (though I thought he came my direction because I had sent a text 5 minutes prior to seeing him haha). So anyway, he sat next to me and we both worked on our own things. I started to feel a little better...

After doing a few hours of work, we decided to take a walk around the park. Much to my surprise and happiness, the sunshine came out and I felt it on my face. Mmm... That was just what I needed. I felt a lot better getting some fresh air...

I had to get home before 6 because I had my belly dance class with my neighbor-friend. Let me tell you, there's a lot to be said about dancing the day away. You may look silly, mess up multiple times, and struggle to get the right movements (even after multiple times of practice! haha)... but it is a great release. My neighbor and I laughed with each other quite a bit. We also were brave in being in the front row last night! I wasn't sure about that but it ended up being okay. The thing is, no one is really watching you in those classes. Everyone is attempting to their best and having a good time as well. I enjoyed being in the class full of ladies and our teacher is amazing. My teacher is Sedona-- who is popular in the belly dance world. She's won lots of awards and does tons of shows. I'd love to see her perform one of these days!

When dance class was over I went to my cousin's house for a family BBQ. I had a tasty burger, a healthy glass of Oregon Blossom wine, and enjoyed the company of my family.

So the day started out bad and got worse... and then it slowly dissolved and got better. Thank goodness! And today is alright...

~

P.S. This is my 100th blog post! Kinda cool.. yeah I'm a nerd ;-)

Happy First Day of Summer!

"Summer, after all, is a time when wonderful things can happen to quiet people. For those few months, you're not required to be who everyone thinks you are, and that cut-grass smell in the air and the chance to dive into the deep end of a pool, give you a courage you don't have for the rest of the year. You can be grateful and easy, with no eyes on you and no past. Summer just opens the door and lets you out...." --Anonymous

~

Well, today is the official first day of SUMMER! That's right folks-- it is my favorite season of the year, SUMMER! Yippie!! Guess what else?! The weather actually matched what the calendar said about today. Oh man, what a glorious day-- and let me tell you, I sweat a lot (I'm sure you're glad to know).

Today was a good day underneath the hot summer sun, blue skies and of course, a few clouds. I spent most of the day with my friend Jennifer and we did a little shopping. I got myself a Jamba Juice and bought two little necklaces. I'm happy I didn't spend any more than I did! I've had a horrible time with my urges to buy things lately...

Anyway, after shopping we sat outside for awhile and talked, which was really nice. Nothing like a good conversation and being able to talk about anything! I feel so thankful to have Jennifer in my life :)

I ended the day with attending my first belly dancing class! I signed up for this series of classes several weeks ago but knew I wouldn't be able to attend the first two classes due to my work schedule. I was a little unsure of how I would fair through this class, but I ended up doing alright. I also enjoyed spending time with my neighbor, Nancy. We had fun laughing about our inabilities to do certain movements!

The rest of the evening was relaxing.... I took some pictures around the yard... ahh... summer. I love it!

Pictures to come tomorrow... Happy Summer!

Jelly Legs

"There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good." -Edwin Denby

I may not able to walk tomorrow. However, if I am able to I am sure I will feel every little muscle in my legs creak and groan....

This morning I took my first ever Zumba class. Oh boy. Let me tell you, if you want something to laugh at to make your day better-- watch me attempt to dance. 

May I remind you, I am nearly white as sheet (thankfully with a few freckles to livin' things up) and a redhead. In addition to sticking out from my coloring, I also am probably the world's most uncoordinated person. My left side is just there for symmetry- not for functioning. I'm sure of it. 

Also, if you ask me to move my arms around at the same time I'm supposed to do something with my legs... well, you're in for a treat. ;-)

Needless to say today's experience was quite humorous. I had a great time dancing my lil heart out but I'm pretty sure the smiles from the instructor were from my inability to stay on the beat.

Surprisingly and strangely, I was not too bad at the merengue movements. Amazing! Those were my brief shining moments. I'm sure Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tanioli would have raved about me at that point. I know I would have left Lenn Goodman speechless... ha. Oh the fantasies. :)

Anyway....despite my funny body shapes when dancing and feeling out of breath (oh yeah, my face was a lovely shade of pink after awhile), I had a glorious time and I love it. I'm looking forward to next Sunday!

Relaxing Memorial Day

"I thank God for my life, and for the stars and stripes, may freedom forever fly, let it ring... Salute the ones who died, the ones who give their lives so we don't have to sacrifice everything we love...." - Zack Brown Band, Chicken Fried

This has been a fabulous day! I feel so relaxed and refreshed. Really, since Friday, I have had a really good few days and feel so blessed. I'll talk about the overall weekend tomorrow-- right now I'm going to talk about Memorial Day through pictures.

About 9am I met up with a friend and we spent some time hiking/walking in Forest Park. I have been wanting to get up there in the worst way! Thank goodness, the weather was just right... partly sunny and no rain. Also the temperature was good even as we walked underneath the tall, tall trees. I just loved it when the sunshine illuminated all the ferns, little yellow flowers, and leaves on the trees. So beautiful! :) Unfortunately, I didn't take my camera with me (gasp!), but I will make sure to have it with me next time.

I have to note though, I am impressed with how well I did considering I haven't had much physical activity for awhile. My friend walks fairly fast (I do too normally but this was over a variety of terrain) but I was able to keep up with the pace. The hardest part was the little section getting on to the main trail-- it was somewhat steep and uneven. Once my body was warmed up (legs, heart and all), I was able to do just fine. We walked on the main trail for about 30-35 minutes and then turned around at one point to head back. Ah.... so refreshing. Yes, I feel cleansed even if my legs feel like Jello! I'm fairly confident I'll have a good sleep tonight!

Alrighty.... Rest of the day has pictures! In the late afternoon, we had a family barbecue, a Memorial Day tradition.

All the fixings for hamburgers and the tasty sides-- fruit, chips, potato salad and baked beans!

My plate! Mmmm...

I even managed to spill on myself-- I'm a pro at this, FYI.

Nothin' like some Vanilla Cream Root Beer to wash it all down!

Not your average dessert for this All American meal but who can say no to  Dr. Otker's Creme Brulee?

Our evening entertainment consisted of letting the baby cat (who we're now calling Cocoa Puff, will let you know of her official title soon) out of my sister's room or as we call it, the nursery. We haven't been letting her out as much lately because she has been a little meanie to Cheese Puff. We're trying to let them work things out but she seems to be bullying him. Yes, that whipper snapper is beatin' up on our extra large boy! I feel bad for him-- he's been a trooper through this whole integration process. Anyway- I thought that it might help to keep the baby busy playing so she wouldn't bother her brother... So we all played and played with her! Cocoa can do some amazing tricks! At one point she was practically doing flips as she jumped to catch the toys. I got some of her playing on video. Really funny! 

Wild girl!!! 

Cheese Puff appreciated his lil sis being occupied- he dozed off all evening.

 And there you have it!! Now I am going to get ready for bed and crash... Hope you all had a wonderful day and also took time to remember our amazing military men, women and their families. The lyrics by the Zack Brown Band say it all. Thank you.

5 on Friday: Random Tid Bits

So I've been thinking of ways to keep me blogging consistently. I love the "Multiple Blessing Mondays," "Imperfect Prose Thursdays*," and "Wordless Wednesdays" blogging themes. In the future, I hope to do a whole week that uses those specific writing themes- think it would be kind of fun. Anyway, I've been mulling over what I would like to do and I came up with "5 on Friday." This is where I might write a summary of the week or five thoughts, five tid bits of some kind, or even a specific/related list of five things. I will also include a picture that has five items/things in it to go along with each post. Sometimes the picture will be directly related to what I'm blogging about or sometimes it will just be a picture of five things. If you would like to do this too, feel free to join me! With that said, here is my first "5 on Friday" list: 

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My painted nails :)

1. One of my favorite country songs right now is "What Do You Want" by Jerrod Niemann. I really love the lyrics and beat of this song. Plus, Jerrod sings it with such an achy emotional tone. I love country music... so good! You can listen to it here (it will take you to his YouTube video).
2. Confession (one of many!): I've been painting my nails lately... 
3. Today I signed up for two exercise classes at the studio near my house. I signed up for belly dancing and Zumba (both for beginners). So excited to get into shape!
4. Sunday is my last day at Hallmark.
5. Baby cat and Cheese Puff have had three official meetings in these past few evenings. The first two meetings were pretty successful though both ended in them hissing at each other. Last night Baby cat (no not her real name- we haven't decided yet!) looked like she was submitting to Cheese, which is a good thing. He's been a great boy too! He hasn't gotten very defensive, only reacted when she's gotten too overconfident. I suppose when you're his size little kittens don't bother you the least bit. Still though, it is impressive how calm he's been. He can be rather touchy at times so it's great to see him be okay when the Lil Miss comes out for some exploring. I love my kitties!

And there ya have it folks, that's "5 on Friday." :)

*Here's a link to a the blog, Canvas Child/Imperfect Prose. This neat lady came up with this great writing idea for Thursdays.

Goals for New Schedule

Ever since I put in my two week notice I have been thinking about my new schedule. I'm excited for this change because it will allow me to get back to that thing called balance. Well, I may not ever achieve it but I might be a little better closer this time. ;-)

Since I will be working two nights per week, I will have more time of my own to control (that is the theory anyway!). I do plan on substituting as much as possible so that will affect things from time to time. However, I feel like I will be able to manage my time better because of how this part-time job will mesh with subbing.

So, one of my big goals is to exercise regularly. Unfortunately, I have cut that out of my life for far too long. I know it's important to be fit and I want it to be a part of my everyday routine. My hope is that once I'm able to get myself exercising regularly then whenever my schedule changes again I will be able to adjust easily. I think this problem was that I hadn't created a habit yet. When something becomes a habit, then you learn to incorporate into your lifestyle versus giving it up.

Speaking of exercising, I received a fun phone call from a neighbor-friend this morning. She said that the exercise studio near us is going to have an 8-week bellydance class. The studio is also having a deal too, $99 for the whole series. So that's about $12 per class. It's funny I cringe a little at spending that much money for an exercise class but then again, isn't getting healthy worth it? Plus I would be having fun with her and one of her friends. This is something we talked about several months ago and I wasn't able to do it because of my part-time job. 

I called the studio to check on the timing and then I also asked about their Zumba classes. I've heard good reviews on that exercise program and would like to try it one of these days. Once I figure out my work schedule then I'll see if I want to do one or both exercise classes.

Within this goal I also want to re-do the "Couch to 5k" running plan. I'm irritated at myself for quitting it when I was so close. I didn't make a conscious decision to quit, but I was sick for a good portion of October and then life got hectic... and then I left it in the dust. Time to try it again and make running a habit!

Another big goal for this new schedule is to increase the time I spend reading. So far this year I have read 3 books... not great considering it is May. Right now I'm working on The Help by Kathryn Stockett and am really enjoying it. Here are the books I've read this year:

• Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
• Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
• Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life by Queen Noor (of Jordan)

I have a huge book list and it keeps growing. So I must spend more time reading, reading, reading! In this reading goal, I also need to make sure that I spend some quality time with the Bible. That's something I haven't done much of lately and know my spirit needs it.

Hmm.. so exercising and reading. I suppose I should add in writing/blogging. I would love to be a consistent blogger because (1) I love writing and (2) it is a great way to process feelings. Of course, I don't write about everything going on in my life but this is a good outlet for recording important events and thoughts.

Well I think those are all good goals for this change that's coming soon. I hope that adding these things into my life regularly will help me to be a more well-rounded individual. Exercising, reading, and writing/blogging are all good ways of growing intrapersonally and interpersonally.

Oh brother, I sound like I'm writing a paper now.... ;-)

Have a great day everyone!