20 Things

It's been a ridiculously long time since I posted anything on here. And while I can't promise that I am starting back up with any kind of consistency, I can say that I think of things to blog about every.single.day. For some reason or another (mostly because of time & the fact that I haven't made this a priority) I don't end up posting anything. I think part of it is because I tend to over analyze just about everything, which makes it hard to communicate sometimes. And for some reason, I feel like I have to get things perfectly worded before I can post them out in cyberspace. But I'm going to try to get past that last part. So if this doesn't make sense or doesn't sound like it's been filtered... too bad :)

Here are some of the things I've been thinking about/wanting to post about lately:

1. I passed my last exam (praise Jesus!) and I am about to begin studying for the next one! woo hoo!
2. Brad got into physical therapy school! This will be a major life change for us - including more student loan debt! woo hoo again!
3. I have been running more, which I like. I don't think of myself as a runner at all, but I'm hoping to get over that and really exceed my own expectations. A 10k seems a little out of reach for me, but more doable than a half marathon. I'd like to run a half marathon someday.

4. I really like to bake. And I'm starting to make a little more time for it. It's a Saturday morning kind of activity for me. Might be good when I study, too. But I'm trying to eat healthier, so I've found a couple of new fun recipes that have some health-guru ingredients. I'm trying a new one tomorrow :)
5. I've started the process of changing the way I think about food. It's hard. I'm seriously addicted to food and I use it as an emotional idol. It's a serious problem. But I've gotten some good tips, advice, and encouragement from various sources and I'm slowly working on my food-mentality. I'll keep ya posted.
6. I've been reading through the Old Testament. It's cool to read things you never remember reading before, even though I've read the OT several times (and grew up hearing many of the stories). I also just ordered 2 series by Francine Rivers: (1) Sons of Encouragement, which is a fictional story based on the Biblical lives of 5 men of the Bible and (2) Lineage of Grace, the female version of the prior. They arrive on Monday (thanks to Amazon 2-day shipping) I'm excited to read these along with my study of the OT. 
7. I love Amazon 2-day shipping. And we are on the "Prime Student" edition, so haven't paid a penny yet!
8. I just downloaded an app for my phone (aTimeLogger) to track how much time I spend on certain things (i.e., sleep, driving, work, eating, studying...). I'm intending to use it to track my study hours, but for now it's been fun to see how my time is used. It also makes me more conscious of what activities I use in my "free" time.
9. I have several friends who are either having babies or buying houses. Several of each, actually. And it's really stirred that urge in me for "the next phase" of life. We've been in pretty much the same place since we got married and I think we are both ready for something new. God is so good and provided school for Brad as a big change. I just need to learn to be patient about the rest :) His timing is better than mine.
10. I miss photography. I capture little moments on my phone (loving Instagram, btw), but it's just not the same as taking pretty pictures with my fancy camera. Artists require time, which I don't have a lot of. I'd like to get some good pics of the bluebonnets this year (since they are actually pretty, unlike last year!). That will be my goal.
11. I miss using my artistic side in general. I weave it into my every day life, but I miss just sitting down and working on a project. My mom and I made 110 shower invitations a couple of weeks ago. We spent ALL day on them, but it was so much fun. I wish I could have a whole day every week for crafts.

12. Gizmo makes me so happy. Dogs don't judge. They don't care. They greet you at the door every single day and it never fails to make me happy. He is the cutest ever. I don't remember what life was like without him!
13. I've started listening to audio books in the car while I drive to work. It's been a great way to pass the time! Right now I'm listening to The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. It's a good one :)
14. I do too many things. I'd really like to simplify my life a little bit. Commit to less. Enjoy more.
15. I seem to have lost the ability to correctly handle stress. Or my life is more stressful than I ever remember it being. Either way, I'm not doing a good job of it. I need to work on that. Trust God more, trust me less. 
16. Brad is an amazing chef. He cooks dinner for me several times a week and I have no idea what I'm going to do when he's off at school most of the week! So thankful for a wonderful husband!
17. Brad and I started our own small group at church and it's going really well. It's always a little bit scary putting yourself out there and building those relationships from scratch, but it is so worth it. We are really working on shaping our group into Biblical Christian community.
18. I require more sleep than I get. I think this one will always be true.
19. I am going to see the Hunger Games at midnight next Thursday night... I haven't done a midnight showing in about 6 years. And I didn't handle it too well then. Hopefully the excitement will overpower the urge to sleep!
20. I love mountain laurels. I think I've devoted more than one blog post to this beloved plant. Is it a tree? Is it a bush? Who cares! It smells amazing! However... sidenote... it is just WAY TOO HOT for March. Even for Texas. I'm not a fan of these 80*, muggy days. The rain has been nice, though.

I could write tons more, but I'm sleepy at the moment (see #19). It's been a long week. Hopefully it won't be too long before my next post... we'll see :)

August in Texas

Oh blog, how I've neglected you! Guess studying has really taken over! I don't really even have time for a post now, but {confession} I didn't want August to be a completely blog-free month. So, I thought I'd comment on this Texas heat... (sidenote: does talking about the weather on a blog have the same sort of awkward-nothingtotalkabout-boring connotation as having a conversation with someone about the weather?!)

Anyway, it has been HOT and DRY. This week we broke the record (set in 1925) for highest number of 100+ degree days in a year... and it's still only August! The record was 69, by the way. And so far, this has been the worst one-year drought in Texas history (there have been worse ones based solely on longevity). In general, this doesn't really affect me on a day to day basis since I'm inside working during the week and inside studying on the weekends - plus I have no yard to water. But it is definitely affecting many many people every day, and has severe long-term implications.

And in the mean time, I have been ready for fall to arrive for about a month now. The weather, the clothes, the decor... I'm just ready for change. I crave the change of seasons! Especially from summer into fall and winter into spring, which, in Texas, happen in the blink of an eye. Actually, we usually skip straight from summer in to winter and vice versa. So I have told myself that if I can just make it through August, then I will let myself pretend that it's fall come September - at least the decor and yummy fall scents. The heat may be around well into November.

Let's leave it at that. Enough talk of weather - and enough to suffice as an August post. Keep cool, pray for thunderstorms, and see you in September!

Day 1 = Success

Studying was extremely successful this morning! I set up an area to study in our office, where I wouldn't be distracted. Then I made myself a homemade caramel latte and got to work! Take that, Starbucks! I even got a load of laundry done, too. I averaged a short break (less than 2 minutes) every half hour and a long break (5-10 minutes) every hour. I tried using the stop-watch feature on my phone to keep time and it really kept me accountable to the actual amount of time spent studying. Oh, and the fun supplies really helped!

This afternoon, I have a fun outing with a good friend planned :) And I won't be feeling guilty, because I met my quota for the day!

I'm hoping day one's success is an indication of how the next 4 months will go! Yay!

Hibernation

I decided on "hibernation" as the title of my time of studying this summer/fall. Originally I was calling it death (as in... death is coming) but decided that was a little too harsh and may end up setting a negative tone on the whole studying thing. And I need all the positive I can get!

So hibernation it is. And it is coming. I have a week left to prepare and then my nose will be stuck in the books until November. And prepare, I have. Preparations have included:

• gathering study materials
• picking a new color scheme for materials (the last 2 attempts have been green, but that obviously wasn't working out, so I picked PASSING PINK this time around. I think it is a winning color)
• setting up a study schedule
• purchasing pink & white polka dot notebook
• ordering pink Japanese pens (theirs are better) and pink pencil lead
• borrowing (or taking) colored notebook paper from a lovely friend
• cleaning the apartment, as it will be neglected once hibernation sets in
• saying farewell to friends - or at least warning them of my hibernation
• stepping down from unnecessary activities (yay for saying no to things!)
• trying to get my "creativity fix" in and most of all...
• praying... lots and lots of praying that God would prepare my heart for this.

Because, if you haven't noticed, I am determined to PASS this exam now. I didn't give it my all the last 2 attempts and pretty much wasted 6-8 months on studying and stressing. But not this time. God has set out this task in front of me and He has given me everything I need to pass it. I just need to rely on Him for perserverance, motivation, energy and sanity. Because it is going to be hard.

I'm not quite sure what the effect of hibernation on blogging will look like. I don't feel comfortable in saying that I will be cutting out blogging completely. It may turn out that I need this as an outlet. But I'm guessing it's fair to say that I won't be blogging daily (have I ever?!)

Things that will not cease due to studying (in fact, MUST NOT cease BECAUSE I'm studying) include:

• exercise! every morning, I hope
• sleep! I need it
• work... the reason I'm doing all this!
• food - hopefully not too much of it
• time with Brad and Gizmo - they help keep me sane
• church on Sundays
• Bible study on Wednesdays (shout out to PROOF!)
• time with God
• a one week vacation half-way through
• occasional, necessary breaks to come up for air :)

So... here we go! T-minus seven days (or less, if I so choose). Will you pray for me?

Things I LOVE about November

November is my absolute favorite month of the year! No, it's not JUST because it's my birthday month {see #3 below}, although that definitely plays a part. I love November for sooooo many reasons! Here are my top 10 (in no particular order):

(1) Cool-ER weather. This is the month that we {finally} consistently see some cooler weather here in Texas! Sleeping with windows open & letting that crisp, cool air in is SO nice! Plus, I'm a fan of cool weather clothes... :)

(2) My Exam. No, I am not excited about my exam, but this year it is on November 2nd (tomorrow). And since I don't find out my results until January, and therefore won't know which exam to study for yet, I get to spend 28 of the 30 days of November NOT STUDYING!

(3) My birthday. I'm slightly selfish and absolutely LOVE my birthday. Sure, part of it is being spoiled & getting all of that attention, but it's mainly because I get to share it with the people closest to me. Plus, I'm both a Words of Encouragement and Gifts love language person, and both are usually lavished upon me by my friends and family... which makes me feel unbelievably loved & blessed!

(4) Fall colors & smells. Red, Orange, Gold, Brown... :) And the yummy cinnamon smelling candles (I just changed my Scentsy scent to Autumn Sunset.... yay!) I just can't get enough of it all!

(5) Movies. The good movies start coming out in November. This year, I've been counting down the days until Morning Glory (November 10th) and HP7 Part 1 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1) (November 19). I can't wait to see these - and not feel guilty about having fun instead of studying!

(6) November is the eleventh month of the year. And 11 is one of my favorite numbers (second only to 7, which happens to be the day of the month I was born on!) Yay for primes!

(7) THANKSGIVING! Food, Family, Friends, God, Football, Thankfulness, Parades... Enough said!

(8) Decorating for Christmas! One of my absolute favorite things to do in November is prepare for Christmas. Bring out the tree, the ornaments, the manger, the snowmen, and let's not forget the MUSIC! It's the most wonderful time of the year!

(9) Shopping! Between all the coupons I get from my favorite stores {is it because I shop there so often?!} and Christmas shopping (not to mention Black Friday), I do quite a bit of damage in November! I will say, I love searching for the perfect items to give to my family and friends. I guess it's that love language again!

(10) I don't know what it is - the holidays, the weather... - but people are just more cheerful in November. And cheerful people make me happy.
   

What do you love about November?

One-month Check-up

It's been one month since I've taken my exam - and I want to reflect a little bit on how things have been going since then. Before I took the exam, I made a list of things I wanted to do - or make more time for - once I was finished studying. Here's how I've done so far:

1. BLOG! Obviously, since I haven't posted since the day of my exam, I haven't done all that well with this. I always think of plenty of things I'd like to blog about, but when I get home from work - where I stare at a computer for at least 8 hours straight - the last thing I want to do is get online to blog. I would still like to get a little bit better at this, though.
2. Keep the apartment clean. I feel like I've been doing a pretty good job at this. Stuff still gets cluttered, but I seem to be keeping things clean and keeping up with (instead of catching up on) laundry.
3. Spring Cleaning! I haven't done much spring cleaning. And I need to. We have so much STUFF. Much more that we could ever need. 
4. Invite people over. Check! It was nice to have people over - and to have the apartment clean enough to have them over!
5. Spend time with friends. I've hung out with many of my friends and contacted or tried to contact them to catch up. I actually just got off the phone with my long lost Oxford friend, as I like to call her, who I haven't seen in almost a year! Horray for Skype!
6. Make an "I'm done with my exam" CD. I made a country CD that I wake up to every morning! It's wonderful!
7. WORK OUT! I haven't done as well with this as I would like, but it's definitely better than when I was studying! Right now I'm up to working out 2-3 times a week. I'd like to get that up to 4-5 times. Brad and I are considering joining a gym - probably Anytime Fitness - but I'll keep you posted!
8. Play with my Cricut. I haven't really done this, BUT I have started making a t-shirt quilt out of my Phi Lamb shirts from college!
9. Scrapbook. Again, I haven't done much, but I will probably take a lot of my scrapbook stuff with me when we go to PCB, Florida in 3 weeks
10. Research small business ideas Not yet...
11. Read! I basically read an entire book on our Memorial Day camping trip to Enchanted Rock! I hope to post more pictures of this soon! (click on them to see enlarged versions!)

12. Make a MediaShout training guide for church. Still need to do this...
13. Go for walks... OUTSIDE! I've gone jogging in the park with Brad twice and we went on plenty of walks on our camping trip... I'd like to do more though!
14. Read my Real Simple magazines I have caught up and actually need to renew my subscription!
15. Lay out by the pool - I'm hoping to do this this evening!
16. Watch Brad play softball I went to the game last Monday night and Brad hit a HOME RUN! Do I have a talented husband or what?!
17. Play with my camera. I've gotten a little bit of play time in - but I'd like some more! Another Florida project, probably!
18. Plan a surprise date night for Brad. Not yet... but he still deserves one :)
19. Design a Terranova t-shirt. hopefully soon...
20. Go shopping! I went on a shopping trip with my "twin", Kim :)
21. Be a more diligent employee. I am trying!
22. Car shop! We have been car shopping, but it's more stressful than I want it to be.
23. Play the Wii. Not yet
24. Ride my bike! Not yet :(
25. Cook! Not yet... unless you count cooking on our camping trip!
26. Go to a coffee shop check!
27. Get a massage for ME well... I did get one for me. But I also still have headaches.

28. Bring snack to Bible study. I took a yummy fruit pizza! 
29. Organize all my bills. They are partly organized... now I need to finish it up!
30. Spend time with God.  I have started a Beth Moore study (which I happen to be just going through on my own instead of in a group) called Living Beyond Yourself. It's a study of the fruit of the Spirit. I can tell that God is working in me, even if I don't suddenly feel close to Him. We are working on it :)

It looks like I've done a good job with about half of my list. It's a good start. I'd like to make some of these a regular part of my life - even while I study! My study days are creeping back up on me more quickly than I'd like!! I better enjoy this "time off" (if you can even call it that!) while I can!

Post-Exam Resolutions

I don't typically make New Year's Resolutions. I do evaluate how the prior year went and contemplate the things I'd like to work on for the next year, but I'm not one to really make a list just because I'm writing 2010 instead of 2009. Occasionally - okay, frequently - things in my life will get really chaotic and I'll find myself unable to make time to do some of the things I really enjoy. I usually make a mental list of these things so that I can make a point to do them at the next available opportunity. That's about as close to a "resolution" as I make.

I have been studying for an actuarial exam, which I take in 10 days, since mid-January (so, almost 4 months) and as I approach the exam, devoting more and more of my "free" time studying, I find myself unable to keep up with my mental list of things I'd like to do. It's just getting too long. It seems like every day I think of one or two things that I'd like to get to "once my exam is over". I can't even count how many times I have said that phrase ("once my exam is over") over the last few weeks.

It has come time to transfer my mental list from the "wishing and hoping" lobe of my brain to paper (or at least cyberspace). Here are the things I want to do "once my exam is over" (in no particular order):

1. BLOG! I have been neglecting this and I know that my 2 readers are disappointed. There may not even be any readers left! I'd like that to change! I want to post at least weekly, if not more often (striving for daily is still a little too difficult an endeavor for me).
2. Keep the apartment clean. Brad has been doing such an amazing job at picking up my slack, but he can't do it all by himself! I want to stay on top of this, rather than feel like I'm always having to "catch up".
3. Spring Cleaning! I read this blog post (Blessing of Stewardship) and it really made me think about what I am holding onto (physically and otherwise) and why. I want to spend some time evaluating what things it's time that I let go of and pass on to someone else.
4. Invite people over. I can't remember the last time we had people over to our apartment... New Year's Eve, maybe? It's been just way too long! After I get my act together with #2. and #3., we are having a party! I'm thinking homemade ice cream... :)
5. Spend time with friends. My poor friends! I have told so many of them, "We'll hang out after May 13th!" I can't wait to spend guilt-free time with them over the phone, shopping, coffee, Gilmore Girls, Chick-fil-a, bike-rides, etc.
6. Make an "I'm done with my exam" CD to rock out to on my commute - or as I'm cleaning the apartment!
7. WORK OUT! I am going to come up with a plan and stick to it! Brad and I are going to try to exercise together as much as possible. Hopefully I'll post some of my ideas in a future blog post!
8. Play with my Cricut. I have been neglecting this toy for too long. It misses me and I can hear it beckon every time I walk into our study. I just bought a new cartridge that I haven't even broken in!
9. Scrapbook. I want to use the new cartridge from #9 to help me finish scrapbooking my wedding from almost 2 years ago! I also want to work on my card-making skills :)
10. Research small business ideas to look into doing on the side. I don't really have the time to start something like this right now, but it's been on my heart a lot lately and it's never too early to start brainstorming and researching!
11. Read! I love to read, and I'm in the middle of too many books. That's not the way I like to read! I like one book at a time - finish and move on! I need to finish Eclipse before the all-too-cheesy movie comes out :)
12. Make a MediaShout training guide for church. This has been on my to-do list for about a year. It needs to get done!
13. Go for walks... OUTSIDE! It's going to get hot... fast! I want to be able to enjoy God's beautiful creation, preferably before the Texas heatwave comes on full force (today's high is 90 and it's just the beginning of May!) **sidenote complaint: Exam season always encompasses the prettiest times of the year. I study from February to May and August to November. That leaves yucky cold winter and sticky hot summer. Granted, we don't really get a true spring or autumn in Texas, but I wish I could at least enjoy our wannabes!
14. Read my Real Simple magazines that have sadly piled up over the last couple of months
15. Lay out by the pool. We have a pool in our apartment complex, yet we don't take advantage. It's fun to watch the families and kids play. And I could even catch up on #14 while I soak up some rays (after applying ample amounts of sunscreen to my fair skin!)
16. Watch Brad play softball for the Terranova Supernovas! Anyone want to cheer-lead with me?
17. Play with my camera. I need to strengthen my photography skills, and what better time than wildflower season in Texas (okay, the END of wildflower season... see sidenote complaint from #13)
18. Plan a surprise date night for Brad. He deserves a fun night out. I have not been the wife I know I can be lately. He deserves way more love than I show him! He's been a wonderful support through all of my crazy studying!
19. Design a Terranova t-shirt. I have been wanting to do this for awhile! I have a couple of really fun ideas!
20. Go shopping! And NOT as a study break... just for fun!
21. Be a more diligent employee. Yes, I have been concentrating hard on studying, which ends up benefiting the company in the long run, but as my mind has been preoccupied with Benefit reserves, annuities, premiums, and such, I have not exactly been as productive at work as I should be.
22. Car shop! That's right, we are getting a new (to us) car. And the car shopping process should be fun, but so far it has been stressful because I really just don't have enough time to devote to researching, test-driving, etc. After May 13th, bring on the contenders!
23. Play the Wii. I'm a little frightened about what the Wii Fit balance board is going to say to me when I get on it for the first time after six months! It used to hassle me after 2 days!
24. Ride my bike!
25. Cook! I have the most amazing husband that cooks dinner for me most nights! But I haven't cooked enough to know a) whether I actually enjoy it or b) whether I'm any good at it. And plus, I'd like to give Brad a break every once and a while!
26. Go to a coffee shop and actually ENJOY my cup of coffee - instead of using it as power juice to get me through a study session!
27. Get a massage for ME and not for my headaches. Believe me, there's a difference!
28. Bring snack to Bible study. I have taken a hiatus from signing up to bring snack to our weekly Bible study (one of the things I'm proud of myself for saying no to!) but I miss baking, especially baking FOR other people!
29. Organize all my bills. Thanks to our amazing teamwork, Brad and I keep up with finances extremely well. But what happens with the paper statments (which we are trying to transition out of) is another story! There is a HUGE pile of unfiled bills and statements. I can't wait to organize them all - perhaps while watching some Gilmore Girls :)
30. Spend time with God. This is the most important item on this list. God and I have some things to work on and I have been neglecting Him most of all through this study process. I am working on spending more time with him now, but I'm excited about how things can change when I have unrushed time to spend one-on-one with Him.

May 13th at around noon begins my "new year" - and I'm excited about these Post-Exam Resolutions. Happy New Year to me!

Operation Cruise... OUT OF Control!

Okay, so as I'm sure you've guessed from my lack of posts, Operation Cruise Control didn't turn out to be as much of a success as I had hoped. While I wanted to lose about 20 pounds, I only lost 5. While I wanted it to last 12 weeks, I only stuck to it for about 5. There are plenty of excuses that I can come up with, but I won't. I just completely lost motivation. On the positive side, I DID lose 5 pounds. And I'm constantly learning what does and doesn't work for me as far as a "plan" goes. So I wouldn't call OCC a failure.

While I am now really hesitant to make any sort of strict goal or plan, I do have some motivational reasons for getting back in shape and losing weight. (1) I went on a wonderful cruise last week, where they fed me in 30 minute increments. And despite only taking the elevator once or twice (I walked a LOT of stairs) I still managed to gain those 5 pounds back. (2) I will be in a couple weddings coming up - Katrina's in March and Kim's in June. Now, I'm getting my dress for Katrina's wedding altered next week, so there's not a ton of hope for that one, but I have a while before my dress for Kim's wedding comes in. I'd like to make my seamstress work, if you know what I mean. (3) I am beginning a new routine. Starting tomorrow I am studying for my next exam (it will be in May). This normally would be the perfect opportunity to use studying as an excuse for not getting in shape, but I think that this could actually be a positive experience if I schedule working out into my new routine. I am already not going to have a life. I might as well get in shape while I'm at it. And perhaps the exercise will keep my stress under control, thus preventing my headaches from reappearing.

So. I need some accountability and encouragement throughout this. Especially since I don't have a set plan. Perhaps I will come up with one as things progress, but right now a plan scares me and I'm afraid it will do more harm than good. So for now, I just want to get back to exercising regularly. Please post comments, send me emails, or call me to keep me accountable. I really need to get in shape this time. For real. :)