One Day At A Time....

We went to the West Side Market this weekend and got lots of good food.... My favorite was the Citron Creme crepe.... yummy! I had been looking forward to that ever since I decided to go. I didn't care much about anything else... as long as I got my crepe. Then we went to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History . My parents hadn't been there before and I think they really liked it... till we all started getting hungry. $12 Adults $10 Students (with ID) Free for teachers (with ID) So, It cost $22 for the 4 of us to get in.  (Mom had to pay full price, I got a discount and Michelle and dad were free.) T-Rex and Triceratops I got a kick out of this picture...  Michelle taking a picture of the dinosaurs behind my dad.  Dad taking pictures of the big fish fossil behind Michelle. This guy's artwork that was on display is AMAZING!   I love this shirt! I would have...

Week 1: Stop eating candy for a week      Results: I only accidently slipped up once when I put a jaw breaker I have been working on for a few months in my mouth. I quickly realized what I did and licked off the spit and put it away for a later day. I have found that I do not crave sugar as much at the end of the week as I did at the beginning of the week. Week 2: Using the Lose It app for iOS, track what I eat for a week.      Results: Not too bad. I am realizing that my portions are really wonky. By tracking what I eat, I am able to more easily realize what all I am putting in my body, and how much of it. While I did not track what I ate this weekend, I tried to make healthier choices, eating fish instead of a burger. I did still allow myself some splurges Saturday as Michelle, my parents and I went to Cleveland for the day. Crepes, Avocado Egg Rolls and Cheesecake, while not the best choices in healthy eating, I have deemed them as sometim...

I have been reminded today that I can't and shouldn't compare myself to others. When I did my 5k today, I came in last out of my group (Brad and my mom/Toby both smoked me.) But I did better than last year, and that is how I choose to look at it. As a wise man/TV character once said: "Listen, it's too big a world to be in competition with everyone. The only person who I have to be better than is myself."~Col. Potter      I am a unique individual who has been blessed with gifts, talents and trials specifically designed to help me grow as an individual daughter of God as well as help others. I know He has a plan for me, knows and loves me perfectly and knows how best to help mould me into the person He wants me to become. While our paths may cross and sometimes even run parallel with another persons for a time, we are all here to help one another become the best version of ourselves. I have met several people in the past, especially members of my branch, who...

     So, what seems like 3 months ago, my friend Brad and I were talking about running. He was getting prepping to run a 5k back home in Pennsylvania. I was trying to get into running, but just couldn't force myself to get out and do it. I decided to sign up for a 5k thinking that would really force me to get out. Brad emailed me around the beginning of April about a 5k on the BGSU campus that would be happening about a week after my birthday and we both signed up (and my parents as well. There was a dog walk that my dad was happy to join.)      Well the last few weeks have given me plenty of excuses for not getting out and running. Between weather being completely moody, my work schedule with a school schedule and church activities squished together, I just didn't feel like running. I have had family and friends sick or not feeling well for weeks. Boy, I wish I had trained more....today was kinda rough.    ...

(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...

     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.

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.

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...

I've got a guy at work who in all seriousness said "I thought she (meaning me) was 19..." um, no. that's shaving a bit too much off.... I don't mind when people think I'm a couple years younger than I am.... but 9 years shaved off? really?   (BTW: I hope to be back to my normal blog themed schedule next week...)

Yea, nothing too exciting today. Went to work, got the carpets cleaned at work, went to school, sat thru an incredibly boring poetry class, drove home, had pizza and Chex Mix for dinner, watched some of the Winter X Games. Yea, I know. super exciting.... total snooze fest....

Today was not a good day. Nearing the end of my work day, I was about to bite off heads. Nothing major happened, just a lot of little things adding up that I did not appreciate. (Even getting a page of extremely small typing thru the fax machine made me really mad!) There are times I go through stuff and realize I am not being appreciated for what I do. It has happened to me frequently over the past few years at work and in my personal life. I think this need to feel appreciated is part of what is fueling my desire for completing my degree.

I realize I kinda slacked off and just put quotes for the last few blog entries.  But as long as I have a post for every day this year, I'm still on track, right? Today's post about UT is short. I left work a bit early (with permission) to finish (ok, start and finish....) some discussion board posts that I had neglected to do before my 5:45 poetry class. I'm telling you, if I didn't have to take this class, I wouldn't. It's kinda boring, and the teacher is kinda odd. (Why do I get the weird ones?) While logged into BlackBoard, I saw a message from my Intro to Education teacher stating that class was cancelled for the evening! (Yippee!!!!) So I came home and had a realaxing night, and worked on more neglected homework. (See, such an exciting evening.....)

Well, classes start tonight. (5:45-9:45 pm). It's going to be a long day. (work 8-5, class 5:45-7:00, 15 minute break, class 7:15-9:45pm, drive home, pass out.) So, because nothing much is going on school wise right now, here's another installment of  Random JLP Q&A   Are you addicted to anything? Air. Definitely addicted to air. Just can’t get enough of it. (My name's Julie, and I'm an air-aholic.) Do you find excess piercings/tattoos attractive? Absolutely not. Can you lick your elbow? Nope. I think that this is impossible for about 99% of the population. Even still, knowing this, people still look like idiots trying! When you wake up, what's the first thought that runs through your head? Usually random song lyrics. This morning I woke up to a mash up of Lamb Chop’s Play-a-long theme song and the Irish Drinking Song from “Who’s Line Is It Anyways?” If you jumped out your bedroom window right now, how injured would you be? Depend...

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? I share a middle name with my mother. 2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? A couple weeks ago. It was a Sunday and I was in the process of having a musical fit. (Musical fit for me means playing the piano in the attempt to get my mind to work thru or temporarily relocate my complicated blender of feelings.) 3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes and no. There are times I wish it was different, but as long as I can read it, I'm fine with it. 4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Pepper Turkey or Rosemary Ham. YUMMY! 5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Not yet. Gotta have a hubby first. 6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Probably. We'd enjoy a lot of the same things, so I think we would be friends. 7. DO YOU USE SARCASM ALOT? Sometimes. Depends on what mood I'm in. 8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yupp. 9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? HECK NO! 10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Currently either Lucky Charms or Lif...