One Day At A Time....

Tonight I am grateful for timing and people. I'm grateful that of all times to have an unexpected outdoor electrical fire at my parents house, it was still durring waking hours with people in view of the window, so it was caught quickly instead of when people were sleeping or out of view. We had just finished playing a game when I looked out the kitchen window to see sparks comming off the house. Then I realized that THERE WERE SPARKS COMING OFF THE HOUSE! After a brief panic of figuring out what was going on, and having the lights/power flicker and go out, we got everyone out of the house and called 911. Gratefully, we live in the city instead of the outskirts so the fire department was able to come quickly, taking care of the fire before it did any damage to the house. (Also, kudos to the neighbor who allowed us to use his electricaly rated fire extinguisher) The fire department assessed the situation, and informed us that Toledo Edison should be there in he next 1-2 hours to re...

A made up recipe by Julie Perry  1 lb mild ground sausage 3 small zucchini 1 4oz can sliced mushrooms (do not drain) 1 8oz can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning (do not drain) ¼ c diced onion 1 ½ c water shredded cheese salt pepper Italian Ms. Dash Begin to cook sausage with the onion in a medium sized pot. Once sausage is cooked add in the can of tomatoes and can of mushrooms. Add 1½ cups of water to the pot with 1¼ cups of couscous. Bring mixture to a boil until the couscous is cooked and remaining liquid is boiled away. Cut the zucchini in half and scoop out the middle. Season the zucchini with the salt, pepper, and Italian Ms. Dash. Fill the zucchini with the sausage mixture and bake for 20-25 minutes at 400F or until fork tender. Top with shredded cheese for last 5 minutes of cooking time. Note: This makes much more stuffing than the 3 small zucchini can handle. Reuse leftover stuffing in almost anything!

(Quote credit: www.spirituallythinking.blogspot.com ) Photos by me

I can't say it's entirely been rough... just the last 20 minutes. The rest of my weekend was great! (that's for a happier blog post later.) As I was on my way home from a birthday party, I realized tomorrow is Monday. I have to go back to work tomorrow. And I don't want to. Going along with that is I'm sick of my job and I'm sick of complaining about my job. I'm grateful for the ability I have to work and provide for myself. I really am. But this last year, it's been really rough. Between a new boss and new rules and procedures I just dont want to be there anymore. I really dont! I'm sick of disliking Sunday nights so much because I know what the next day will bring. Frustration, anxiety, loathing, genereal dislike, feeling underappreciated. I dont know how much more of this job I can take! I was so worked up about this on the way home that I was crying. Then when I walked in the door of my house, I was to the point of being angry. I practicly threw...

     Every year at my office, the president of the company gets flowers delivered from some lady for Sweetest Day. (He's not married. And why the flowers are delivered to the office is beyond me; the guy spends 98% of the week outside the office. I may see him for an few hours every couple weeks. They literally sit on his office coffee table for weeks and dry out. Then he puts the dried skeleton of flowers on the top of his shelf with the flowers from the past.)      Every year, I wonder for a brief split second, while I am taking the flowers from the delivery person, if someone is sending me flowers. Then I always get that little twinge of disappointment when I read the card and find out they are not for me.      Well, I got a call around 1:15 this afternoon from Ken's Flower Shoppe in Perrysburg. They tried to deliver something to my house, but I wasn't home and they wondered if I want to pick it up after work. I tried to ...

(I actually starting singing the song from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when I typed that title.... ) Things I'm currently craving..... Creativity Flexibility Understanding I realize these are not cravings in the typical sense of the word. I guess these are more things I am really wanting right now. Creativity -       I want to be able to use my creativity. Unfortunately, the job I currently have doesn't require a lot of creativity. Problem solving, sometimes... just not creativity. Too often at work I have to do my job someone else's way. "It's been done like this for years, and it works, so why change the way we do things." Now, If I decide to change the way I do things, it's OK with me. But when other people I work with want to make me change the way I do things, I have a problem with that. Flexibility -      I just walked outside to get the mail from the mail box and I...

As the weather warms We think a bit more Of nature and being outside. We sit on the lawn Relax in the sun And enjoy what the world can provide. Clean air and blue skies Birds and bugs flying buy And yet we are still not content. We just can’t let go Of what computers bestow Oh, look at the time that we’ve misspent Emails and tweeting Everything beeping We wonder why our years are a blur We must take a step back Get our priorities on track And decide what in life really matters? Poem written me, Julie Perry on 3/15/12 for my Reading Poetry class.

     I realize I have fallen behind in my Blog-a-day 2012 goal. I'm ok with that. Life has been pretty crazy with school, work, traveling, attempting to excercise more, getting financial things figured out, etc. That last one still isnt figured out 100%....probably not even 40%.      I've thought for a while about quitting my job this fall. I am wanting to graduate much quicker than my current path is taking me. I have been attending classes on a part time basis at UT for the last three anda half semesters. If I continue taking classes part time till I have to go full time, it might take me about five and a half years.  That's YEARS! But, if I start taking classes full time starting this fall, I could be finished in about three to three and a half years. Doing this also allows me to save quite a bit of money in the long run. By not dragging out my schooling, I am eliminating semesters. By doing this, I dont have as many of the "sam...

Sometimes, watching 4 back to back episodes of The Cosby Show online is a grand idea. Tonight was one of those nights.

This quote comes from a man who I have a great deal of respect and appreciation for. President Kim W. Beck was the 1st Bowling Green University Branch President when the branch was formed several years ago. (almost 10 years now.) "What does the Lord see in us that we don't see in ourselves?"

"You never saw me period and why? Because I am not 5’9” and slinky with long blonde hair and a perky little nose that would fit in a bottle cap. You haven’t the faintest idea how terrific I am. For your information I happen to have a fantastic sense of humor, a bubbly personality, and I am warm and sensitive like you wouldn’t believe. I also sing and play guitar and I am learning to tap dance. And on top of all that I happen to be cute as hell!" ~Nurse Kelley to Hawkeye   Click here to watch this clip on YouTube.  

“Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.”  ~H. L. Hunt

Happy Birthday Grandma Hall!!!! Obviously, she's the beautiful lady on the far left.  Lady in the middle? Cousin Diana Hall Jenson on her wedding day. Good lookin' guy on the right? Grandpa Hall!

photo found at http://lifehacker.com/5831343/everyone-is-a-genius

Chloe's 10th Annual Birthday Cheeseburger! Enjoy a snippet of the video Michelle posted to Facebook yesterday. And yes, I know this video is sideways....

Waking up 5 minutes before your alarm clock to the sound of a cat screeching and howling outside kinda stinks, especially after waking up around 1:30 am and not being able to go to sleep till around 4 am the same night.

It's 3 'blessed' a.m.! Even roosters are comatose! -- Colonel Potter

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." ~Randy Pausch (Ali Rackley used it in her testimony today.)

I drove to Kirtland with Chiara Cameron tonight to attend a mid-singles fireside and dinner. The fireside's speakers were Elder and Sister Celdon. Elder Celdon, formerly President Celdon, had been a stake president in the Kirtland area and has been called as a member of the 6th quorum of 70. I really appreciated the speakers. A few snippets of wisdom from the talks: Sister Celdon read the book "Ohio Thunder" and then spoke on how to prepare for spiritual storms. Strengthen our faith in Christ Great faith has a short shelf life. Pray for what to do and react quickly when the answer comes. Read the scriptures 5 minutes a day Elder Celdon spoke of some of his time in the military as well as a great analogy about a tandem bicycle. "We volunteered for the Lord's plan; we weren't drafted".~Elder Celdon On a bicycle built for 2, the Lord is in front and we are behind him. We cant see what's ahead of us, but we can pedal and work and continue...

Never insult seven men when all you have is a six shooter -- Colonel Potter