More Movies

I also recently rented Battleship. It wasn't quite like the board game I played back in the day, but it was pretty action-packed. It kind of reminded me of the Transformer movies. It was definitely science fiction. :)

I finally hit the theater and saw, Saving Mr. Banks. I'd heard it was a tear-jerker, but wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it had to do with Mary Poppins and Walt Disney. I felt like it was pretty sad, actually. I didn't cry, but left feeling kind of sad. It tells two parallel stories, that of the author of Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers and that of the making of the Mary Poppins movie. I left thinking about how each person is battling/sorting through something we don't know about. So, maybe we should try to be understanding.

Quotes

Anyone who knows me, knows I love quotes. My Pinterest board called, Words that mean something, is my largest board by far. Check it out, click here.

I most love quotes about faith/Bible verses, funny quotes, travel-related quotes, quotes about overcoming fear, and fitness-related quotes.

Here are some favorites:

-One day someone will walk into your life and make you see why it never worked out with anyone else.

-"As bad as it was, as bad as it hurts, I thank God I didn't get what I thought I deserved." Carrie Underwood

-"But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength." 2 Tim. 4:17

-Love the people God gave you because He will need them back one day.

-Go the extra mile it's never crowded.

-"All those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." F. Nietzsche

-"Do the best you can until you know better. When you know better do better." Maya Angelou

What are your favorite quotes? I'd love to hear.

In other news, I got a B in my class! So happy! You have no idea how hard I worked for that. Thank God!

Sacrifice

I've grown up near a military town (Fort Riley, Kansas) my whole life. I've had family members that have served in the military, as well as friends. I have a great respect for our military members, their families, and our veterans.

In my first job, I was able to see a snapshot of the highs and lows that our military members face. I went to redeployment ceremonies and despite not knowing anyone coming back, I felt the surge of emotion and anticipation. What an experience! You see people trying to find their family members amongst a sea of fatigues in formation. Parents are seeing their newborn babies for the first time, it's beautiful. To share the joys, you should also share the sorrows. Nothing could have prepared me for the first memorial service I went to on post. As community members, I went with coworkers to show our support. What I experienced has shaped my view that every American should attend a military memorial service and a redeployment ceremony. It changed my life. I cried for the sacrifice of someone I'd never known who paid the price for my freedom with their life. I heard of the character, family, and life of the Soldier. I heard the pain of the loss of those who knew him. I was touched by the military traditions. It was everything I could do to hold myself together through role call and I can't think of anything else more painful to hear. I could describe it, but to experience it literally shook my world. The 21 gun salute outside the chapel, made me and others jump. Lastly, as you file out of the chapel by the boots, rifle, and dogtags of the deceased; each Soldier stops and salutes. It's a very solemn, respectful moment. I stopped said a prayer for their family and left changed. The experience gave me more empathy and a snapshot into the realities of war and what sacrifice really means. I give money to causes I believe in, but some give their lives. As the saying goes, freedom isn't free. I'm thankful to live near a military base; it's changed me as a person and I'm grateful for it. I'm grateful for the numerous friends I've made during their time at Fort Riley; they've all enriched my life. I've made some friends that I know I'll always have.

I finally watched Act of Valor with the fam, tonight. What a great movie! It made me reflect on the incredible sacrifice and training of our military. It's about Navy Seals. Obviously, there was lots of violence, but I still recommend the movie. At the end of the movie, they quoted a beautiful passage by Tecumseh that I'd never heard. Well, you all know I love quotes, so here it goes:


Yes, the movie and Tecumseh's words made me cry. It made me think of the sacrifice of our military and their family; grateful.

So, thinking of sacrifice I'd can't help but think of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for my sins. Dying for people who don't deserve it and who hated him; that's love.

Old Dudes

Of the last eight guys who have viewed my profile on Christian Mingle, six have been between the ages of 46 and 63; gross! Several have had the nerve to e-mail or send me smiles. Am I the only one who finds this revolting? You don't see me checking out profiles of guys more than 4 years younger than me. I block more people than I actually communicate with. Come on, guys!

Recipe #6: Corn Chowder

I found this recipe from sparkpeople.com. I've been making it for years. It's really hearty and healthy. It's actually pretty easy and quick to make. My mom loves this recipe. I did add in baby carrots too. We paired ours with turkey sandwiches.

Corn Chowder

Using low-fat milk instead of cream lowers the saturated fat content in this hearty dish.

INGREDIENTS

•1 tablespoon olive oil

•2 tablespoons finely diced celery

•2 tablespoons finely diced onion

•2 tablespoons finely diced green pepper

•1 package frozen whole kernel corn (10 oz.)

•1 cup peeled, diced, 1/2" raw potatoes

•2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

•1 cup water

•1/4 teaspoon salt

•black pepper to taste

•1/4 teaspoon paprika

•2 tablespoons flour

•2 cups low-fat (1%) or skim milk

•1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil in medium saucepan.

2. Add celery, onion, and green pepper and saute for 2 minutes.

3. Add corn, potatoes, water, salt, pepper, and paprika. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium; and cook, covered, about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

4. Place 1/2 cup milk in a jar with tight fitting lid. Add flour and shake vigorously.

5. Add gradually to cooked vegetables and add remaining milk.

6. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Serve garnished with chopped fresh parsley.

Yield: 4 servings--Serving Size: 1 cup

Nutritional Info
Ammount Per Serving:
Calories: 205.7
Total Fat: 5.3g
Total Carbs: 33.3g
Dietary Fiber: 2.7mg
Protein: 8.1g

Enjoy!!!

Catching Up

I've been wanting to watch the movie, the Silver Linings Playbook and I finally watched it. Having a family member with mental issues, the movie hit close to home. The main character's family was pretty dysfunctional. It was a pretty funny movie, but it definitely earned its R rating for language. Oh, and there was dancing in it which I love. It had Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, and Jennifer Lawrence in it. I love Jennifer Lawrence, so I'd like to see more of her movies. :)

Christmas Break

I took the two weeks right after my final off. It's the most time I've had off in over a year. So, what have I been up to? I got some Christmas shopping done, wrapped Christmas presents, mailed Christmas cards and presents, baked cookies, and went sledding (I've got bruises to prove it). I celebrated Christmas with the fam, made horseradish sauce for our prime rib, horseradish dressing, read, watched lots of TV, played Scrabble, and lounged. I still have another week off :)

Happy Happy Happy

All semester, all I wanted was to be done with the semester and able to read something for fun. I dreamed of curling up on the couch with a book. Thankfully, I finished the semester last week with a B. That was the hardest I've ever worked for a B! Anyway, I was able to finally read, Nicholas Sparks', new book The Longest Ride. I've read all of his books. This book came out in September. It took me one day to read it.

So, what's it about? Hmmm, where there are two stories that don't seem to intersect. One was with a couple during World War II. The other was a couple; a cowboy and a sorority girl. At the end, the two stories come together and it ends really well, so I was pretty happy.

Now, I'm going to try to finish Born to Run which I started this fall and had to stop because I ran out of time. My goal is to finish it this week. :)

Reviews

After my final, last night I stopped by Orangeleaf Frozen Yogurt; love that place! I didn't realize they had so many new flavors for winter. I tried English toffee, something peppermint (wow), and eggnog (yes, please). I thought I tried another seasonal flavor, but can't remember.

I finally got down to Grace's Asian Fusion Café; how refreshing and yummy! The café is sleek and modern, yet inviting. The food is out of this world! The portions are good and the prices reasonable. I ordered the lunch box. I got chicken and on the noodles I got the peanut sauce. I definitely plan on going back soon. Check it out for yourself here.

I also finally watched Halle Berry's movie, the Call. It's suspense, which generally isn't my thing, but my mom likes it so I rented it for her. It was actually really good and very intense. The more scared I am, the more I talk; poor mom. :) It also had Abigail Breslin in it (from Little Miss Sunshine). She's a really good actress. Hope I don't have nightmares tonight. ;)

Blessings

I am telling you, every time I have a need, God immediately fills it. Lately, He's been heaping blessings on me and I am overwhelmed with gratefulness. When things used to stress me, I'd become overwhelmed with worry and fear. Lately, I've been making a conscious decision not to worry about it. Phillipians 4:19, "My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Luke 12:24, "Look at the ravens. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!" Matthew 6:30, "And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?" It's going to be a great Christmas and a fantastic new year!

Praise the Lord, I'm finally done with my paper for class. Thankful God got me through it! With the help of God, I was able to raise my grade one whole letter. After the final and paper, I may have raised it two letter grades! God is good! Last thing left is my open book final tonight, then freedom!!! :)

I can't wait to finally read for fun! Just over a month until the next semester!

Be blessed! Merry Christmas!!!

Here's How it Goes...

Here's how it goes; if I like you and you suddenly start acting weird and disappear, don't expect to come around later and act like everything is normal. While you were gone living life and/or trying to decide if you actually like me, I got over you. Generally, if I get over you, there's no going back to liking you like that again. We can be friends, but that's it. So now you're smiling at me with that smile and I don't have those kind of feelings anymore. And since we're on the subject, I'm actually a little mad that you're back like nothing happened, but you know what? I'll get over that too.

Christmas 2

Thankfully, my grandma found me a small tree at the thrift shop she works at, so I'm set. I've been clothed by that place since childhood. Anyone in the Manhattan, KS area check it out, Seven Dolors Catholic Church Budget Shop. My tree is about four feet tall and has white, green, and red lights; so cute. I plan to decorate it after finals. Just remembered I don't have a tree topper. I may make one. I'm thinking cardboard, alumninum foil, a hot glue gun, and glitter. My masterpiece star from high school sits proudly on my parent's Christmas tree every year. It does the job.

I've purchased a couple Christmas gifts, so I am making some progress. I'll be done with school in half a week and able to shop, decorate, send cards, and bake.

I didn't win the Ugly Christmas Sweater contest, but I sure did try. :)

The vest has Christmas bears on it and the shirt underneath has Christmas trees. Felt pretty silly, but had lots of fun! In other news, at the party while dressed in my ugly Christmas outfit, I ran into the guy that wrecked into my car like 3+ years ago. The one I kinda went out with a few times back then. Kinda weird. He's air force, how the heck is he still stationed here?! Awkward!

Late Night Reflections

Somehow, I've gained a small, but faithful readership in Malaysia. Hello to my Malaysian readers! I don't know how you found me, but thanks for joining me on this journey through life. Can we trade weather?! It's supposed to snow here tomorrow and is currently 7 degrees.

As 30 quickly approaches, I've been thinking about how I'm not even near where I'd hoped to be. On the other hand, I've had some of the most amazing experiences. Things that I'll never forget and memories I'll reflect on with a smile for the rest of my life. So, as the months go by, I'll be adding to this list.

-I've been to Cancun and Monterey, CA for spring break trips
-I saw the actor, Bill Murray when I went out to dinner with friends once
-I've been to Italy
-I've been in a commercial
-I got to live on the lake one summer (priceless)
-I've been on a mission trip to Mexico (so rewarding)
-I've started grad school, which is more than I'd ever hoped to do. I've realized God has bigger plans for me than I have for myself.
-I've found what I'm passionate about and I'm working in my dream job
-I've found balance in work and life
-I've been on some epic trips with enough stories to fill a small book (lake trips are the best)
-I've learned which friendships are worth maintaining
-I've learned to laugh whenever I have the chance, to enjoy the sun on my skin, and the wind in my hair
-I've learned to navigate big cities and airports and through those experiences have learned that I've stronger than I think I am
-I've learned that I am resilient; I may fall a million times, but I still get up and have hope that maybe next time will be different
-My scars all have pretty great stories (scar on my elbow is from the ice cream vending machine from my senior trip to Daytona Beach. I claim the thick scar on my stomach is from a knife fight, but it's from my appendectomy)
-I've boxed, taken a knitting class, and taken ballroom dancing twice (love it and always looking for a partner)
-I've dipped my feet in several oceans
-I've learned to find my voice and stick up for myself
I've learned that God is so amazing, powerful, loving, forgiving, full of grace. I've come to realize this all so much more in the last couple of years. The journey has been rough, but what He's taught me has been priceless.
-I've learned to pray more and trust more; it's been a process
-I've learned to embrace myself, quirks and all
-I've realized how immensely blessed I am with the church family, parents, and family God has placed in my life; He gives me more than I deserve
-I've finally come to know and understand that I'm a processor and need time to figure out how I feel about things
-I've finally come to realize that just because I don't test well, it doesn't mean I'm dumb
-I'm finally admitting that I know I can't grow any taller, but it's still a decent excuse for why I don't drink coffee
-I'm still learning to live in the moment and take as much joy as I can from them

My 30th is still a ways off, what should I do for it? Unfortunately, it'll be in the middle of the semester, so no fun vacation destination options :(. I'm debating between doing something really small or doing nothing. What'd you do for your last big birthday?

Recipe #5 Meatloaf

I love meatloaf, but I just recently found my absolute favorite meatloaf recipe. I found it originally on Pinterest, click here for the recipe. This meatloaf is so yummy, it needs no extra ketchup after it's been cooked. We all know I tweak all my recipes, so here goes: I wouldn't ever add that much onion (1/4 cup total), start with adding 1/2 cup of milk and see how it looks from there, I hate mustard so I don't include that, and I mix bread crumbs or a puff cereal in the beef mix.
I ate my meatloaf with rice and sweet potato. Great dinner! I cut my remaining meatloaf in half and part will be eaten this week and the other is going in the freezer. The topping really makes this recipe. Try the recipe, you'll like it!

Yoga Pant Rant

Oh, dear friends. I'm starting to dread yoga class. Those pants you thought weren't see-through in fact are. Now, I'm seeing things no one other than your spouse should see. What to do, what to do?! I can't walk up randomly and say, "I just say everything God gave you and I'm frightened." BUT I AM frightened. Please try downward facing dog at home in front of a mirror or a honest friend.

I feel like these pants are not being advertised properly. People assume yoga pants are all safe to wear without undergarments. When in fact most aren't. I'd be mortified if I was wearing a pair like that. Furthermore, I'm not sure pants that tight should be worn, period. Guys have enough temptation and now EVERYTHING is on display. Please leave somethings to the imagination! Modesty, ladies!

That being said, I've decided to kick my workouts up a notch. I've got to get more toned and drop my summer weight gain. Eating a piece of fruit before my workout really helps give me energy to sustain me until dinner. I'm also working on stretching more and doing some form of ab exercises every day, as well as increasing my cardio. I'm combining this with watching my portions and sweet (love my sweets) intake. I can do this with God's help! :)

Weight off my shoulders

Whew, the thing I'd been dreading most this semester is now over. My hour-long group ethics presentation is over! I tried to stay calm, but was initially terrified. I only made it through prayer. Thanks everyone for praying for me!!! My new favorite song, Never Once by One Sonic Society helped me through it too; God is good! Oh, and I got an A on the presentation! AND I found a grading error on my last test and the whole class got two points back! This girl needs all the points back she can get! ;) Okay, enough exclamation points for one post. ;)

Christmas

This will be my first Christmas in my apartment. I'd like to get a small Christmas tree and a Christmas wreath.

More than anything, I'd can't wait to pass this class so I can get into the Christmas spirit.

So far, I have only purchased one Christmas present and that was over summer. So, I've got a long way to go. This year, I'm on a tighter budget. Boo! I guess, it will make me more creative. :)

I've always said I love a simple Christmas. I hate holidays being overdone. I love the simplicity of doing enough to make it special, but still be able to enjoy it. Sometimes all the plans and hype take the focus away from what Christmas is all about. Christmas is about God who sent His Son, Jesus to save us from our sin. Without this great gift, we could never hope to go to heaven, but God made a way for us through Jesus. Amen!

What I'm Thankful For

I literally could spend hours listing all my blessing, because they are many. I'll try to keep this short and sweet.
I'm thankful for:

my parents; I haven't always appreciated them, but God has given me many circumstances that have helped me realize how blessed I am to have them in my life. When my dad had a TIA (pre-stroke), I realized just how much of a hole would be missing in my life without him. Whatever sense of humor I have; I got it from him. Any car maintenance, moving, or support I need he's always there, ready to lend a hand. His cancer bout several years ago brought us all much closer. Though he'll never be quite the same from the surgery, I'm just happy he's still here. My mom is the calm, steady rock in our family. Her lung disease diagnosis last year rocked our world. Despite the pain and lack of energy, she was still positive. What a blessing. We're all living with a new normal, but the point is that we're still living. Just over five years ago, I faced an trying nine months of doctors doing many test but not knowing what was wrong with me. Between the pain and steriods I didn't feel like myself. My parents had to help me with everything; carrying my groceries, opening things for me, and they drove me to every out-of-town doctors appointment and there were many. Rheumatoid arthritis has been a difficult journey, but I'm thankful for the company God has given me along the way. I'm so blessed that I get to see my parents at least once a week. I love going home!

my grandma; she's a strong woman. When I feel too old to do something, I remember that in her mid-30s with 6 kids, she put herself through nursing school to become an LPN and make a better life for her family. Despite being on a fixed-income, she is always generous with whatever she has. It doesn't matter what time you come to her house she always offers you food and drink; you never leave hungry. She's also pretty wise; always reminding me to "take it one day at a time" and to pray and ask the Lord for help.

both sides of my family which are really close. I know, if I ever needed anything they'd be right there ready to help. Over the years, I've realized not all families are like this.

our fur faces, Max and Riley. They're always happy to see me when I come home, but then again, they're always pretty happy. Reminds me to enjoy the simple things like the sunshine, time together with friends or family, fresh air, a treat, or a nap. ;)

my job; through it I get to impart on students what I'm passionate about: workforce development/professional development. I've also made great friends through my job. In just over a year, I've had experiences I never would've dreamed of: grad school, being in a commercial, and being a K-State Track and Field official. I'm definitely blessed to be at K-State.

friends. Though my friends are ever-cycling out of town, I'm thankful for the time I've had with each of them. I appreciate their perspectives and companionship on this journey through life.

In no way whatsoever, is this a complete list of everything I'm thankful for; like stars in the sky, my blessings are innumberable.

Catching Fire

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE the Hunger Games series! I read the books for the first time summer of 2012. After reading the books, I watched the first movie; so good! Unlike most book to movie translations, they're pretty true to the book; which I appreciate. The main characters seem like people I'd like to know.

This summer, I re-read the books in preparation for the second movie coming out. This last weekend, I was excited to see, Catching Fire! I even wore my Hunger Games necklace. :) It's everything I could've hoped for in the movie and more. It brings the book and characters to life. I laughed, teared up, and screamed (those monkeys are terrifying; I couldn't help it). I really love the costumes, who they cast for most of the characters, and their set (the locations look just how I imagined them). When I read the books for the first time, I actually imagined the dad from Juno as President Snow.
Don't laugh, but I envision this lady as President Coin. :) I can't wait for the next two movies and I can't wait to buy Catching Fire!

Travel

Growing up, we never traveled much. We'd travel to see family or to tourist destinations in the off season. In high school, my senior class and I were the first class ever to plan a senior trip out of state. We worked together to raise money and we did. We went to Daytona Beach, Florida. We went to Orlando to Universal Studios. We stayed on the beach. It was my first time seeing the ocean and I couldn't get enough. Actually, none of us could get enough; so much so that we all got fried. The sunburns were of epic proportions, but it's a trip I'll never forget. I built my first and only sandcastle. My classmates laughed, because at the airport a little kid had the same sandcastle making set I got at Walgreens. :) The trip there was only my second time on an airplane. Since then, I can't even tell you how many times I've flown.

In college, I traveled to Cali for spring break one year. Spent time in Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur. Big Sur was gorgeous! I love the ocean, though it was too cold to get in. Water came from Alaska and it was quite chilly. I also, took a trip to Cancun my senior year. What a blast! We stayed at an all-inclusive resort. I went snorkeling for the first time. Everything was so beautiful! In college, I interned at a resort in Lake of the Ozark, Missouri. What a fun place in the summer. I spent the whole summer on the lake or working with a lake view and I was spoiled by it. Now, every summer I yearn for the lake. I was fortunate enough to be able to return there every summer after until this year. It's always on my summer list.

Since then, I traveled a lot in my last job (Seattle twice, El Paso, San Antonio twice, Fort Hood/Austin twice, Fort Bragg/Raleigh, Fort Benning/Atlanta. It was nice, but then it got a little old, though I don't think I'd trade it for anything.

A year and a half ago, I went to Italy and it was wonderful. I remember smiling the whole time, soaking everything in, and taking pictures of literally everything, because I didn't want to forget one thing about that once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Those who know me well, know that I'm always planning a trip somewhere; it gives me something to look forward to. So right now, I've given up on a spring break trip since I'm saving up for Ireland. I'd love to go to the Lake of the Ozarks again, but we'll see. A friend of mine is moving back to Hawaii soon, so I'll always have a place ot stay on the Big Island and Hawaii just so happens to be high up on my travel list. ;)

Goodbyes

At some point in our lives we all have to say goodbye. Sometimes, it's because someone is moving far away. Growing up in a college and military town, I've said it a million times and yet it never gets easier. Sometimes, I think I should make more friends that are going to stay put, to save myself the pain, but that thought never lasts long.

I'm that girl that hates change despite how good it will be. I've heard the spiel of promises to stay in touch, but it's not the same as having them in the same town. Despite, the promises to stay in touch, it takes two peopple to make a long-distance friendship work.

So, I had to say it again, today to someone I've gotten to know over the last 2.5 years. We've had many adventures together, from nights out on the town to tackling her mountain of laundry post-deployment. She taught me to use chopsticks and make up brushes. I enjoyed our nights cooking breakfast food. It hasn't quite hit me that soon she'll be literally halfway across the world, but it helps to know she's in love and ready for a new chapter. We promised to stay in touch and I hope we do.

I Hate...

I hate cold weather, especially on days like today. I get off work, it's been raining and sleeting. My car doors won't open. I set my stuff down and start to work to open any door. Fifteen minutes later, I finally get a door open, but it's not my driver side door, it's my back driver side door. I happen to be wearing a skirt...*sigh. I climb to the front turn on heat and my defrost, all while trying not to scare any passerbys. I grab my de-icer and ice scraper. I spray away and try to yank a door open. After 15 minutes and a warm car, my driver door opens. Now to finish scraping my passenger side windows which are covered in thicker ice. I'm not making much headway, so I use the tip of my ice scraper as a pick. Now my interior lights will not go off because I must've gotten one of my passenger side doors slightly afar, but definitely not open. Fifteen minutes later, I'm freezing and may have bruised my hips, but I finally got it shut. So, all this means I've decided to either retire in Texas or just go there for the winter. This also means I skipped my workout. Finally, after warming my hands around a three-wick candle, turning up the heat and eating soup (yes, soup),I'm warmer.

Recipe #4: Pan-Fried Chicken Tacos

So, I'm Mexican, but I only made pan-fried tacos for the first time last month. Why haven't I made them before, they're so easy!

I made them again, today. So, I had some chicken I'd cooked and I added it to a pan with some taco seasoning and a little water. Next, I added the seasoned meat to tortillas and pan-fried them. We added avocado, raw cabbaage, red onion, cheese, and salsa. So good!

Needless to say, my friend loved them! :)

Chicken Salad Update:
Shocking news! My grandma LOVED my chicken salad recipe I made last weekend. She normally isn't a huge fan of my cooking, so this is big news! She liked it so much she had two helpings and asked if I had more at home. She's one of the very best cooks I know, so this is truly high praise and I'm one happy girl. :)

I made some for my parents. My mom loved it and asked for my recipe. She's an amazing cook too.

I shared some with a friend who also asked for my recipe.

You know you've done something right when people ask for your recipe. :)

Has anyone tried any of the recipes I've shared?

Pinterest Experiment #3

Recipe #3: Avocado-Bacon Breakfast Wrap

So, I made this about nine months ago and loved it, but I decided to add a little bit of baked potato. Adding the baked potato made it a little drier, so I added more of my grandma's home-made hot sauce. Such a good breakfast!

Here's how mine turned out:

I also tried out some "Fire Hydrant In and Outs." After doing a nice, little run, elliptical, and the rowing machine (for the first time ever) these felt really good. A day later, I can feel the pain!!!

Pinterest Experiments #1 and 2: Part One

I'm actually really looking forward to trying some new things. Lately, I feel like I eat the same things all the time because it's easy and I've run out of ideas. My goal for my recipes is to use all the items I purchase; I am on a budget anyway. :) I should say that most of the Pinterest recipes I've tried in the past haven't turned out very well, but I'm willing to try again. I must be a glutton for punishment. :)

I'm also looking forward to trying something pretty with my nails!

Recipe #1: Chicken Salad Sandwiches



So, I changed up the recipe. I'm not a huge fan of grapes, so I used dried cranberries. I had whole almonds instead of slivers, so I used my food processor. I also used mayo instead of Miracle Whip, which I HATE!

The garlic powder was genius. I accidentally used garlic salt AND salt, so I just added more of everything else to even it out. The garlic was a tasty touch. I'm definitely making this again!

Recipe #2: Honey Lime Shrimp



So, I should've added more honey. Despite marinating about an hour as suggested, the shrimp weren't all that flavorful. Maybe I should've marinated it overnight.

Well, these two recipes made for an interesting dinner combo tonight. :)

Next on the menu, several cabbage recipes.

Follow me on Pinterest: Myranda Kimble's Pinterest

I'm Completely In Love With This Song

You know those songs that remind you what you need to hear and that encourage your heart? For me, that is One Sonic Society's Never Once. It's so powerful and helps me find strength in God and His promises.



Lyrics: One Sonic Society
from the album Never Once (Single)

Standing on this mountain top
Looking just how far we've come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us
Kneeling on this battleground
Seeing just how much You've done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone (Favorite 2 lines)
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Standing on this mountain top
Looking just how far we've come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we'll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
It's true, You are faithful, God You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

We know, You are faithful, God, You are faithful


Publishing: © 2011 Sony/ATV Timber Publishing / West Main Music / Windsor Hill Music (SESAC) All rights on behalf of Sony/ATV Timber Publishing, West Main Music and Windsor Hill Music adm. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. / Thankyou Music (PRS) (adm. worldwide at EMICMGPublishing.com excluding Europe which is adm. by Kingswaysongs) / worshiptogether.com Songs /sixsteps Music / Said And Done Music (ASCAP) (adm. at EMICMGPublishing.com) / Chrysalis Music (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Writer(s): Jason Ingram, Matt Redman, Tim Wanstall

Trying Something New

In addition, to my new endeavor to go to bed early. I've decided to try out something new from Pinterest every week. Anyone brave enough to go through this journey with me? I'll be chronicling my journey right here, complete with pictures. I'll try out work out suggestions, make up, hair, style, nail ideas, recipes, other tips, etc. First post coming next weekend. Anyone excited? I sure am!:)

Reading

When I was little and learned to read, it was like everything turned from black and white to color; it was literally a whole new world for me. It forever changed my world. As a child, I'd get lost in books, imagining everything I read. Still to this day, I can get totally engrossed in a book. I almost felt like I needed a therapy group while reading the Hunger Games series; it felt so real. I wanted to call people and voice my deep worry for Peeta and Katniss. Down with the Capitol! I still really want a Mockingjay pin and I really would wear it. My addiction with Hunger Games is so bad that I cried twice while watching the first movie; once because the reaping scene was so emotional and once because I was finally seeing the movie and so happy/overwhelming. Nerdy, I know. :)

I love when a book overtakes my life! I'm currently reading, Born to Run; I can't put it down! The author much like myself wanted so much to love running that he kept trying, but really hated it and started getting injuries due to running. So what does he do? He keeps going to the doctor and they pretty much tell him to not run anymore. Much like me, he's really stubborn. So, he goes to Mexico in search of the Tamahumara tribe who can run for days, through impossible terrain. He wants to run like them.So, he searches for them, but they're hard to track. He finds them and well, that's about as far as I've gotten in two or three night of reading.

I've already finished a guidebook on Europe. That Rick Steves knows what he's talking about. I'm close to picking cities and setting an itinerary for my trip to Ireland; exciting!

Next, I'll start the second book in the Divergent series and then start an Ireland guidebook. The Divergent series is really addictive too. Very intense like Hunger Games, but not quite as good.

Black Friday

Black Friday, key word FRIDAY! Christmas shopping has gotten out of control. Stores should not be open on Thanksgiving! I'm especially saddened that K-Mart has chosen to be open all of Thanksgiving Day into Black Friday. Their poor workers won't get any rest or time with their families. People should be able to spend that day with their family, not dealing with shoppers. It's one day where we focus on what we're thankful for, not a day to stress over the list of people we need to buy presents for. The commercialism of this time of year bothers me. Anyone else feel the same?

Movies

I've been watching more movies recently.
I totally loved 42, as in liked it so much I may buy it and I RARELY buy movies. It made me realize to some degree how good the good ol' days were, in terms of morality. In the movie, the manager of team got fired for having an affair. I wish good morals were praised in society now. Am I the only one?
I never saw the original Red Dawn, but the newer one with Chris Hemsworth was really good, but then again I am a Rocky and Rambo fan. I blame my love of those movies on my dad; we had to bond over something. :)
The movie, Snitch was really good, but then again, I can't think of many movies by the Rock that I didn't like.

Christmas List

My rather random Christmas list:

-Bright yellow potholders (I only have a right-handed Santa potholder that was just given to me).

-A silver toaster. I'd like to toast my bread.

-Clarks Purity Rose. I've dreamed up lots if outfits I could wear them with.

-Popsicle holders; I blame Pinterest.

-An automatic car starter; I miss my garage and I live in Kansas. Last winter:

-Cupcake pans; I also blame Pinterest for this.

-Tall brown boots

-Calf-length black or gray socks; medium thickness

Yes, I know it's very early to have my list ready, but in all honestly it's been ready for a couple weeks. I'm sure I'll be adding to my list. :)

What's on your Christmas list?




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Music I'm liking

Several commercials on TV keep playing So Groovy with Jocelyn Alice and The Right Stars: catchy stuff!
I've also rediscovered The Story by Brandy Carlisle. I hate the music video for it, so here's just the song.

Reasons I'm thankful I'm single

Yes, I know that title doesn't sound like anything I'd ever write, but I am endeavoring to be thankful in each place in life that God has me. Throughout my life I've always looked one step ahead and wished I was there; never stopping to be thankful for where I was. I so wish I would have enjoyed childhood, my teen years, and college more. So here goes:

1. I can eat the same thing three nights in a row and no one comments.
2. I adjust the thermostat to exactly how I like it.
3. I pick my travel destinations. I've been to some amazing places that some people only dream of seeing.
4. I get to spend every holiday with my family. :)
5. No one comments on my deep love of reality TV shows and romantic comedies.
6. Laundry and dishes for one.
7. No one says anything as I polish off a bag of twizzlers (my addiction, all flavors).
8. I don't have to feel guilty for ignoring someone since I study a lot.
9. I can wear pajamas all weekend long and not feel like a slob.
10. No one comments on my mountain of dishes.
11. I can wear tall shoes whenever I want; which generally turns into never, but I could if I wanted to ;)
12. I control the TV remote and can switch between two shows all night long.
13. The walk-in closet is all mine.
14. No one rolls their eyes when I walk in with shopping bags. It's a rarity, I promise.


I'll be adding to this. Any added reasons I'm forgetting?

And my next European travel destination is...

It's settled; I'm going to Ireland for at least 10 days in August!!! I've always thought Ireland would be amazing to see! My friend agreed to drive while there, which was one of my key concerns, so now we're golden! I'm relieved to have the location settled! I'm getting great suggestions from friends too. I'm so excited and now I'm going to research and plan the heck out of this trip! Any suggestions of places I must see?

I didn't know it was a date

According to my friends, I've gone on more dates than I actually count as dates. If I think it's a friend outing and then find out you thought it was a date, I don't count that as a date. Yes, I'm that girl that thinks everyone wants to be only friends. I'd rather assume everyone just wants to be friends than assume everyone wants to date me. Nobody wants to be THAT girl. Guys, be clear; is it a date or not? Be brave, go out on a limb use the "d" word if that's what you want it to be. Otherwise, when I realize mid-outing that you think it's a date; I'm going to silently freak. Later when I tell them, my friends are going to laugh at me and I may just blog about it. Yes, this happens to me more than I'd like to admit. ;)

2014 Travel

I love to travel. I'd rather do without than miss the opportunity to see the world. Before I die, I want to see the world. I don't want to wait until I'm old to travel, because you never know if you'll still have your health.

Going to Italy last year was a wonderful opportunity and also made we want to travel more. So, I'm now planning another international trip. The hard part is deciding where to go. I've always wanted to go to Italy, so that made sense. The other country that's on the top of my list is Greece, but that's too dangerous of a location to travel to currently. I've always wanted to go to Ireland, but that seems more complicated as flights there are pricey and travel within the country is not as easy as hopping a train in Italy was. I really don't want to drive. I don't drive stick and can you really see me in a tiny car driving on the opposite side of the road?! So, I've had several recommendations for Germany. I've never wanted to go there, but we'll see. Looking at going in May or probably August. I'm not sure what other countries I'd add with it. I'm looking at being away for 10 days to 2 weeks and unfortunately, I'm on a pretty tight budget.

This spring break, I'm hoping for an actual vacation! Looking into possibly Savannah, GA or maybe San Antonio. We'll see.

I'm still hoping to make it to the Lake of the Ozarks this summer, not sure I can swing, but I did pick up a small side gig.

I love planning for a trip! Saving for it and picking locations is the hard part. ;)

Any suggestions on where I should travel and what sights I should see or not see? I need help to get the most out of each trip. Need a little help from my friends. :)

Best Date Ever

I've been thinking a lot about my best date ever. It was six months ago, a first date, and actually a blind date at that. I actually had to take an anxiety pill before going and I had friends approve my outfit. Our meal was a disaster, but our conversation flowed; we talked for four hours. He was smart and well-traveled. On paper, he pretty much check all the boxes. We had a unreal initial connection. We spent two months trying to make it work, but distance and time among other things were our demise. Though we didn't work out, I'm still hopeful that a better first date is still to come and I've learned more about what's important to me in a relationship.

Reflection and Wish List

So, I had a little summer heartbreak that I never really dealt with; I used my insanely intense summer class to distract myself. Since then, I've kinda worked through it all. I don't think the pain afterward was that I missed the guy, but rather that I now had to start all over again. Now, I'm really glad it didn't work out. Through things that fail you figure out what you need and I did.

This is not a complete list, but you get the picture.

I need a Christian guy, someone striving to live for Christ, who actually goes to church.

I need someone who can express their feelings.

I need someone who can take and give a compliment.

I need someone with a good sense of humor, who can make me laugh.

I want someone who can/will dance.

I need someone with cool family and friends.

I need someone who loves their job.

Loves to travel.

Preferably a wildcat fan ;)

Preferably tall; the taller the better

My Last Two Dates...

Hmmm, to talk about my last two dates or not, that is the question I've been pondering...Here goes nothing.

Met someone through school, he seemed really cool and had breath-taking blue eyes. We went out once and had a blast, though he seemed nervous out of his mind. Kinda fell off the face of the earth after that. Now we're just kinda acquaintances and I'm okay with that.

This last weekend I was a wedding date for the first time ever. Woot-woot! A high school classmate that I hadn't seen in 11 years, messaged me over summer and asked me to go to his little brother's wedding. It was actually a classmate that I used to have a small crush on (he doesn't know) and I like to say that I'm up for pretty much anything, so I agreed to go. The little brother and I used to box at the same gym. The date and I ended up being in charge of getting the couple's dogs to the wedding. My heels sunk in the ground at the outside wedding. Every female family member came and introduced themselves. Everyone was really sweet and asked where In was from and what I do. They found my MBA endeavor impressive and I got to semi-embarrass my date by talking about how he ended up at my school. He took it well, gave my a hand as I walked down stairs (I was wearing tall, but very cute shoes), and made sure I always had a beverage. He said he thought he was bad date, but he wasn't. There wasn't enough dance music, but I did get to put to use my ballroom dancing skills, a little. So, he's back out-of-state and I'm left remembering how nice it is to have a guy around to help me down stairs when I'm in crazy, tall shoes or to make sure my glasss never gets empty. It's the small stuff. In other news, I did get to wear a dress I bought and hadn't found a place to wear it in two years.

New Music I'm Listening to

So, I saw a video on Facebook and got addicted to the song. I'm a hopeless romantic, what can I say. Check out the video of "Oh Sweet Lorraine" and the story behind it. I hope to find love like this one day.

Also, the terrific band Cloverton just dropped their first album. I've followed the band from the start; they are from Manhattan and I know two of the band members from high schooland college. Their new album, "Patterns" is an oasis for someone needing rest for their soul. I heard them play all the songs at their CD release party last weekend. God definitely used their album to encourage my heart and remind me of His love for me. Check out "Patterns!" I normally don't buy albums, because I normally don't like all the songs on it. That was definitely not the case with "Patterns." . Okay, just two more videos from them. Buy the album, you won't regret it.

Lastly, I went to the Paxico Blues Festival last weekend and discovered the crazy/talented Samantha Fish Band. I'm in love with their song, "Last September." Here's a link to the song: http://www.virginmedia.com/music/browse/samantha-fish/songs/3844224#.

What new music are you all listening to?

Italy Part Four

We left the tranquility of Cinque Terre for the busyness of the grand city, Florence. Now, I did end up liking Florence, but I was a bit overwhelmed to enter the rush of the city.

I love the cobblestone streets of Italy, but wheeling luggage through the city can be a challenge. It was surprisingly cold while we were in Italy and I started to get sick while in Cinque Terre. Once I got to Florence, I was really sick. Thankfully, I finally gave in and found a pharmacy, which helped lots.

Florence is known for the picturesque Arno River.

. We visited lots of museums. Florence had the best shopping. The markets were out of this world! Florence is known for leather, so the smell in the markets was intoxicating. I broke down and bought among other things. :)

I'm that traveler that carries a guidebook all over the place. It suggested we take a 30 minute hike outside the city for great pictures. It was now hot and I've never walked up more stairs than that day, but it was worth it.

On to our last stop; Rome. Here, I got overwhelmed with the subway/metro.

The ever-enchanting Trevi fountain.

The Vatican was a long, hot wait.

I had the best gelato at a place near the Vatican, called Old Bridge. The amaretto and crema gelato was one for the books!

Seeing the Arch of Constantine was poignant. The arch is significant to Christian faith as it commemorates the battle that led the Emperor Constantine to convert to Christianity. This changed the course of the religious landscape (info from www.sacred-destinations.com) We also saw the nearby Colosseum.

It was the 160th Birthday of the Italian Polizia (Police), so they displayed lots of their police vehicles AND officers. :)

So while texting with my mom while in Rome, my mom said she had seen an article about great gelato places in Rome. She was so excited that I agreed to pull out the map and try to make it to one place as it seemed close. It was actually near the Trevi Fountain which we visited at least once a day. It was called Giolitti and had great fruit flavored gelato topped with even more noteworthy homemade whip cream!

While in Italy, we had some pretty rough meals. So, our last day in Italy we broke down and went to Hard Rock Cafe. Everyone there was despreate for MEAT, so every order coming out of the kitchen was a hamburger and fries!

I cherished my time and kept reminding myself to soak in every bit I could. I ended up taking roughly 1,800 pictures. When it was time to go, I was ready. If given the opportunity I'd go back in a heartbeat!

Italy Part Three

Our first full day in Cinque Terre, we travelled a few minutes to the furthest of the towns. Riomaggiorre. They had beautiful rose bushes, lemon trees, and olive trees. We walked through the town and then took the trail to walk to Manarola.

It was a short, but very scenic walk to Manarola.

Along the walk there was a spot that lovers from Riomaggiore and Manarola met.

I had breakfast, a berry crostata, midway through the hike on the edge of a cliff.
Next was breath-taking Manarolo.

I loved the little shops in the towns. What was neat about Cinque Terre is that we saw a lot of the same tourists exploring in the little towns.
After Manarolo, I took a train to Corniglia. The best views where in Corniglia. Unfortunately, there was a 1,000 stair climb to get to the actual town. The views and gelato were worth the climb. I read in my Rick Steve's guidebook, that a little shop there had miel (honey) gelato. It was wonderful and refreshing. Here, I took my favorite picture of my entire trip!
I hope to go back someday!

Italy Part Two

Cinque Terre was the place in Italy I most wanted to go. I researched it and knew I'd love it and I did. It's a series of 5 towns, some along cliffs and some on the ocean. I was the most peaceful part of the trip. Away from the craziness of city life. The cities are a few minutes away from each other via train or you can hike to most the cities. Less than a year before, several or the towns had been devastated by mudslides. I read the accounts, some residents even died and businesses went out of business. Each town is fairly tiny, but picturesque. We stayed in the largest of the five, Monterosso, my favorite. We loved eating at Miky's Cantina. It was slightly cold while we were there, so we didn't have much beach time. It was also the only of the five that had a beach.

We stayed there two nights. I wished it would've been longer. We arrived mid-afternoon and checked out Monterosso. Once we'd checked out Monterosso we went to nearby Vernazza. Vernazza was hard hit by the mudslides. It had beautiful ocean views.

One Year

I've been thinking lately about how much life can change in one year. I've always said nothing in my life ever really changes, but in the last year it flipped 180 degrees. For someone who hates change this can be overwhelming, but they were all good changes for me and I'm happily riding the wave.

One year ago, I changed jobs. I left a job that I'd been at 5.5 years. While in many ways it was daunting; I was ready for something new. Though I felt ready long before, I know God had different timing. It was the perfect time for me to make a change. I'm so thankful for all the people I met in my last job and that I'm meeting my new job. This job has definitely been a huge blessing in my life and I feel like I'm where God wants me.

Through this year, I also moved and started grad school. I'd never endeavored to go back to school; I really struggled with my undergrad, but once the opportunity presented itself I knew I knew I had to make the leap. I've learned change can be fantastic and I've learned to pray a lot through all the changes. I knew working full time and going to school part time would be challenging, but I didn't know it'd be quite this hard. So, I try to remember that being able to get my MBA is a blessing. :)

So, cheers for change and my one year work anniversary! :)

Italy Part 1

In May of 2012, I got to go to Italy. It was the trip of a lifetime! I went for 10 days with a friend I met in college. We picked to visit Milan, Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence and Rome.

Stop 1: In Milan, I received my first stamp in my passport! My friend picked Milan since it's known for fashion. We were kind of bored by Milan, but they did have the nicest Duomo.

Stop 2: Venice was unusually cold and rainy. Here I experienced my first EARTHQUAKE! It was our first night there. Sometime early morning, my friend shook my arm and said that someone was breaking into our room. I listened for a second and realized the bed and furniture were rocking. At first I thought earthquake, but I didn't think Italy had earthquakes. So, I finally said, "I think it's an earthquake." We sat in silence until it stopped about 45 seconds later. I heard sirens sound, but didn't hear people going outside. We'd had such a hard time getting into our building, I was scared to vacate the building and not be able to get back in. So, I did what I thought was logical; I smelled for gas and checked to see if the building was shifting or anything. Then, I went back to sleep. About an hour later, we felt one of two aftershocks. It wasn't until later that morning that we were able to confirm with locals that it had been an earthquake. We happened to be in Venice while they were having the American Cup, so it was crazy crowded and getting a water taxi to nearby Murano was nearly impossible. The Grand Canal was much wider than I thought it would be. I thought it'd be 10 feet wide or something like that. Nope, it had to of been nearly a mile wide.

While in Venice, we also took a trip to nearby Murano which is known for glass.

Back to Business

I really enjoyed my break 3.5 week break between my summer class and the start of the fall semester.

During this break, I made it through the first two Hunger Games books I've been wanting to reread, finally ordered artwork for my walls (pics from my Italy trip), and finally bought new workout/running shoes.

I've decided that this is the semester I find/create balance in my life. I tried to do too much last semester and really wore myself out. So, I've stepped away from some committees and activities I enjoy to create some downtime for myself. This isn't a sprint, it's a marathon and I've got to pace myself.

Now, if I can just make it through my evening class... ;)

My First Memory

Ever have a food or beverage trigger a memory from long ago? Maybe even something you'd forgotten? Well, it happened to me and it triggered my very first memory which is also my very first memory of my grandma.

Several years ago, I went to a coffee shop with a friend. I looked at the menu and saw "Honey Milk." This seemed familiar from when I was little, so I ordered it.

In my first sip, I was transported back over 20 years in time. All of a sudden, I'm an infant. The house is dark, except for the glow of the light over the stove. It is early morning. Once again I am sick, but I feel safe and warm; my grandma is holding me, soothing me. She made me honey milk to help me feel better. It's warm, sweet, and soothing too.

I had forgotten everything about that time until my first sip of honey milk.

My mom was a single mother. We lived with my grandma. Grandma worked 2nd shift at the hospital on post. She'd come home and see my exhausted mom up late with me again, because I was sick. So, she'd send my mom to bed, saying that she'd stay up with me since she needed to unwind anyway. We'd both drift off to sleep, me cuddled against her neck.

What a perfect first memory; feeling warm and loved with my grandma. :)

5 Years Ago

Five years ago, this weekend I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 24. The anniversary of my diagnosis is bittersweet to say the least. You see, it took nine very painful months to come to a diagnosis.

It all started December of 2007. I was 23, had graduated from college one year before, and was working in my "first real job." A couple of mornings I woke and noticed that my hands were numb. I figured, I must of slept on them. After awhile, I realized that every morning my hands were numb and there was no way I was sleeping of my hands every night. So, I went to my doctor. They ran some blood tests. What you should know about my doctor is that he's great at what he does, but in no way is a small talker. It's all business with him and since he's as good as he is I don't mind. So, I knew something was off when he called me at home that night and was making small talk. He said my blood test showed something that may be along the lines of rheumatoid arthritis. He referred me to a rheumatologist.

I was blessed to get a great rheumatologist. Unfortunately, he's out of town. He ran a ton of blood tests, but nothing was conclusive. Meanwhile, the pain was now in more joints. It affected everything I did. The pain was in my fingers, shoulders, wrists, elbows, and feet. It was so bad that rolling over in the night would wake me because the pain. So, the pills started; pain pills, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, diuretics, depression meds, and steroids. The pain was so intense, even walking hurt. My fingers were so swollen that I couldn't open water bottles and could barely writing; my hands were essentially like lobster claws.

During this waiting time, I had lots of appointments with my specialist and lots of tests. My mom would take me to my appointments and I was so exhausted I would sleep the whole hour there and back. I had such a hard time, my parents had to help carry my laundry basket to my room for me. We'd go to the store and my mom would have to carry all the grocery bags. I've always been a hard stick when it comes to getting blood taken and with the continual blood tests I began having anxiety over it. I often thought of quitting my job, because I was in so much pain I could hardly focus at work, but I needed my insurance.

When your life gets turned around so fast, it's hard. You just want to live, but the future looks so bleak and scary. These were trying days for me, both physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Some days all I could pray was "God help me." I know He did. The prospect of my life being like this forever was overwhelming. In all actuality, I know I made it solely through prayers and the grace of God.

I feel like despite the hardships we all face in life, if we learn something from it, the pain isn't wasted. I learned a lot from this experience. My whole life I'd always been scared to try new things, but at the prospect of a life incapacitated with pain I prayed for another chance. I swore that if given another chance, I would do all the things I'd always wanted to do. I wouldn't wait and make excuses, I would live life now, because you never know when everything will be taken away. I also learned to appreciate my parents. I'd always known they were great parents, but my appreciation grew so much for them and our bond became stronger than ever before. I needed help with so many things, still they never complained and were a great source of support for me.

So, my diagosis the end of August 2008, was really a blessing. Now that they knew what they were treating they could start me on meds. I remember the anticipation and hope that came along with those shots. I didn't know what to expect, but I hoped against hope that I could have a life without pain.

As I write this, all of the emotions come back to me like a flood. Thinking through this time in my life brings tears, but also thankfulness. Starting the meds for my RA was everything I'd ever hoped for. Once I started the new meds, it was literally like the nine months previous had been an awful nightmare. The pain was gone. I could use my hands, I could sign my name, I could walk without pain. I vowed then and there to live my life to the fullest now, because I never knew when my health would be taken away again. So, I did all the things I'd ever wanted to do. I signed up for a knitting class and learned that I hated knitting. :) I signed up for ballroom dancing, even though I didn't have a partner. And believe or not, I signed up for boxing and fell in love with it. Through my new-found lease on life and boxing, I aspired to lose the weight I'd gained from steroids and my love of food. You know what? I did it. Over the course of two years, through much dedication and sweat; I lost 55lbs.

I'd like to say that's the last time I ever thought about my new diagnosis, but it's not. I deal with the effects of it daily. I've had surgery because of it and live with exercise retrictions that would make you think I'm elderly, but be assured that I am always pushing my body for more. I feel best when I'm active and at a healthy weight. My life will forever be different. I am forever grateful to God for a second chance. I am grateful for the wonderful family, church family, coworkers, friends, and fellow RA fighters who share this journey with me. This experience has changed me more that I think even I will ever know. Like the line of Amazing Grace, by John Newton says, "Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home."

Love Languages

A couple of years ago I heard about love languages. I took the quiz below and was surprised how spot-on it was. I always known that some things mean more to some people, but now I understand it more. If you want to learn more about your love language or the love language of those in your world, check out this short quiz: Cool stuff! Essentially, the topics are Acts of Service, Words of Affirmation, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. Mine is Words of Affirmation. Last week, someone let me know that they sent an e-mail about me to the Head of a program I'm trying to get into. They BCC'd me on the correspondence. It was so nice and meant a lot that unbeknowst to me they had seen my hard work and had taken the initiatve to pass on the praise. Things like that mean so much to me. I keep cards and e-mails like that and when I'm down I read them and they always cheer me up.

Then I went down the slide

I've been really enjoying my break from school! I've been reading Catching Fire again. I've also been enjoying my guilty habit, reality TV shows. I love MasterChef. I get that it's a cooking show, but it still makes me tear up every week.

Today, I went to visit Perceptive Software near KC. Looks like a really great place to work! They even have a slide that goes from the 2nd to 1st floor. I was nervous to go down it in dress clothes. They said to try to go down all the way feet first, but I'm a mess sometimes. So, I was getting stuck because my shoes, so I pulled up my feet and next thing you know I'm almost going down head first. I'm trying to pull it together before I get to the bottom, but alas I could not. So, my coworker who went before me sees me emerge kind of sideways with my feet in the air. Not exactly how I pictured it would go... :)

Musings

There are many things I don't get about guys:
1. like why they wink or e-mail on dating sites, then when you respond you never hear anything back. Why are they paying for a dating site and not actually trying to meet people?
2. why exchange numbers with someone if you're actually not going to call them?

Any answers? :)

Btw, I'm trying the dating site Christian Cafe and it's not working out that well. Actually, nothing is happening on there.

The Car Wrecker

I think I saw the car wrecker, last night when I was out with friends and no I didn't say hi. Here's how we met:

Over spring break probably three or four years ago, I was coming back from a mission trip in Mexico. I'd spent over a week at an orphanage in Reynosa, Mexico. Mainly, we painted the whole week and spent time with the precious kiddos. I'd flown out of KC and the weather leaving had been treacherous to say the least. Coming back, it was sleeting. I was tired and listening to the K-State play in the Elite 8; it wasn't looking good for us. I was heading at the toll plaza in Topeka. I was behind a huge, white truck with duallies. I was pulling forward as the truck was leaving the toll plaza. Then suddenly the truck stops and quickly goes in reverse, crunching into my Jetta. Who goes in reverse at a toll plaza? Apparantly, as he was pulling out, the toll worker said he was short on his toll fee.

We pull off the highway and exchange info. He's stationed at Fort Riley and he's Air Force.

He calls sometime that week. His dad own an autobody shop, he wants to order the parts and fix it himself (new front bumper and grill). I tell him I'll think about it. Next thing you know, he calls and says he's ordered the parts. He goes back home, gets the parts, and we settle on a time/place to meet. We meet at his friend, J's place near my house. He's late. I learn that this is the norm. His friend and I chat while I wait. I feel like his friend is trying to sell him to me.

That next weekend is my birthday and my friend and I see J out and we have a really good time two-stepping.

My car is nearly done, we just have to meet a few more time to touch-up the paint. We start talking more and soon the four of us go out. He and I went to the movies once. I found out he was Mormon and realize that won't work, no matter how cute he is. There are some other dramaful things, but essentially things don't end well. At least my car is as good as new.

Elvis

So last night, I got a message from a new guy on Christian Mingle. I take a look at "Sweet Love##" and quickly find out: 1) he's 52 (that makes him older than my mom), 2) he's an Elvis impersonator, 3) he uses semicolons strangely, and 4) he literally calls himself Elvis. SIGH

I tell you, if a sweet, funny, tall, Christian guy around my age came my way I'd be speechless.

My Readership :)

My blog stats claim I have international readers in Argentina, Turkey, Russia, China, Serbia, Netherlands, Venezuela, Poland, Germany, Mongolia, France, Israel, Czech Republic, South Korea, Romania, Spain, India, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. How are you international readers finding my blog? I know I have some friends living or traveling in these areas. Curiosity is killing me. :)

I read this amusing blog about online dating and thought you all might enjoy it: http://storylineblog.com/2013/08/07/how-do-you-get-rejected-by-eharmony-start-by-telling-the-truth

Smooth Operator

Let's just establish that I'm a klutz. Monday, my mom and I were in KC having dinner. We were getting ready to leave, so I got up to go to the bathroom. A couple of steps in, I realize my left foot is asleep and my feet are getting tangled. I try to recover, but I'm veering left toward a booth. The man in the booth looked terrifed, unsure of what was happening. There is a women sitting opposite the man, she reads the terrified look on his face and turns back tentatively and with some shock. Then I sort of recover, smile, and explain that my foot was asleep. Them seem a little skeptical. I look back at my mom and she's leaning out of our booth, trying to see what happened, and if I'm ok. I tell her I'm okay. I went to the bathroom and just laughed my head off. I wish there was an exit out of the restaurant from the bathroom. How has this happened to me? It's unreal.

Summer 2013

So, the stress of my summer class, the GMAT, and a failed dating situation made my summer seem rough, but maybe my summer wasn't that bad after all. Here are the highlights:

I had a fun weekend at World's of Fun and Legends with my mom. I bought some much needed items for my wardrobe, ate some great food, and saw some really great bands with some friends!

I checked out concerts at Sundown Salute with my mom.

I finally shot off fireworks this year.

I earned a much-coveted A in my summer class.

I spent time with friends including a late night weekday movie and seeing County Road 5 in concert.

I picked and ate blackberries...yum!

I went to the rodeo and two-stepped.

I finally got to read for fun. I read Ready Player One (pretty good). I reread Hunger Games. Currently, I'm reading Radical, good read!

I cleaned my closet (yes, this makes me happy).

I kept my petunias alive (4 months now)!

I finally put some things on Ebay that I meant to put on there ages ago.

Plus, who knows what fun adventures I'll have before school starts in 3 weeks! I hope to soak up more sun, relax, and have many more adventures to blog about. :) Trying to see the positive!

Cleaning Up

I finally cleaned my closet. There's something refreshing about cleaning out your closet, figuring out what you actually don't like, what needs mended, that sort of thing. What I love most is that it actually let's you see what you really have and use, thus clearing the way for justifying new items!!!

As a result, I have two bags of clothing to try to sell at Rockstar & Rogers. One bag to give to my cousin, we borrow stuff from each other all the time. One bag of trash, a bag of things to mend, and a bag of stuff to try to sell on ebay. I think, I just made more work for myself, but at least one part of my life is organized. ;)

Those needing a starting point, check out this link (pretty cool and helpful): http://pinterest.com/pin/67131850668596357/

Now that my Class is over...

Finally, I can:
read for fun (I want to reread the Hunger Games books)
watch TV
cook a real meal
give my apartment a thorough cleaning
clean out my closet
breathe
focus on getting artwork for my living room
paint my nails
go shopping at Bed, Bath, & Beyond
work out more (I've missed my zumba and yoga classes)
sleep
spend more time with my friends and family
blog more ;)

I'm so thankful for my friends and family that have encouraged me through this my intense 8 week summer class! I'm a very happy girl now! I just hope I get the grade I've been working for...

A Summer Without the Lake

Every summer since I interned there, the summer of 2006, I've returned to the Lake of the Ozarks; except this year. This year, a six-year tradition was broken. It generally doesn't feel like summer unless I've had my lake trip. This summer feels all out of sorts. Schedule-wise the trip just didn't work this summer. Between trying to find someone to go with and working around my intense summer class schedule, it just didn't happen. In all actuality, not much fun happened this summer. This summer, I was a bookworm. So why do I love the lake? Well, lots of reasons:
1) at the lake I feel carefree and like I'm still in college. I have a million memories from my summer interning there. I'm perpetually 22 there.
2) the lake is so peaceful and beautiful
3) the shopping outlets
4) the lakeside restaurants; breath-taking
5) dancing is the best at the lake; I miss Topsider
6) Jet skis make me happy. There's nothing like letting loose on a jet ski and maxing it out at 49mph, freaking out at how fast I'm going, then laughing and doing it again.
7) Everyone is friendly at the lake
8) My favorite moment of the year always happens right there. It's simple, but the highlight of my year; my pool and lakeside frozen strawberry daiquiri and pepperoni pizza moment. I miss that! :(
I guess, I knew my lake tradition wouldn't last forever. Maybe next year...

The Bad Boy Boxer

He was your quintessential boxer; in perfect shape, 6'1", and tatted up. He was half Puerto Rican, half Italian; deadly combo. We kinda caught each other's eye in a twice a week boxing class. He was an actual boxer with fights under his belt. I was just in the class to learn to box; I'd always wanted to learn. It was one date; he cooked dinner (sub par) and a movie (lame, if I remember correctly). We were from two very different worlds. Nothing is his life was steady and for the most part he was a player. We talked about dating, but some habits die hard, I guess. He wanted to remain "friends", but I didn't want to remain in his mixed up world. He moved soon after and that was a good thing, for both of us.

I actually took boxing classes for roughly two years; best shape of my life. Unfortunately, it's not the recommended physical activity for someone with rheumatoid arthritis, so unfortunately I had to hang up my boxing gloves. I miss it sometimes.

Feels like a million years ago...

Profile of Dates

Profile of the types of guys I've gone out with...

I generally go out with guys no more than fours years younger and no more than four years older. It wasn't until I started writing this that I realized that. I guess, I'd be willing to go up to six years older, but really no younger than four years.

I used to take a boxing class for two years, so I went out with two boxers. One was a bad boy and that didn't last long. The other kinda broke my heart. I've gone out with Army and Air Force guys, enlisted and officer. One I met after he backed into my car at a toll plaza. I've gone on dates with two guys from dating sites; fail. I've gone out with farmers; yes, this surprises me too. I've also been set up on blind dates twice; both were really nice guys. The last was the most recent date. I've also been on dates with two guys who I unfortunately later found out had girlfriends. One even looked like the actor Luke Wilson...

So, if I'm remembering correctly; I've been on dates with 13 guys for a total of roughly 21 dates. Small numbers, I know, but all I need is one great guy. I'm still hoping for my last first date. :)

If any of those profiles spark your interest, comment and I'll tell the story. I feel like no one reads this thing, but my viewer count is over 415. It also claims, I have readers from literally all over the world! Welcome to my world!

Staycation...

So, I'm apparently one of these semi-lame people who take time off work for a "staycation." If the person I was in college could see me now...
Nonetheless, the plight of the single person in their late-20s is that all of your friends can't travel for one of the following reasons: they're married, have kids, or are broke. Why am I "staycationing?" It boils down to 3 things: I've got class, I'm broke, and I have no one to travel with. What am I doing on my staycation? I went to the DMV and grocery store, also I'm doing homework. I'm living the high life, people! I am also spending time with a friend who is soon to leave the country for work for several months, so alas, it won't be totally wasted. I also have dreams of sleeping in and staying up late. This is the life, my friends! :)

Something New

Roughly two months ago, I got asked to do something new. It was a really fun, exciting experience. I got to meet new people and add something fresh to my resume. ;) All in all, we ended up filming for parts of 5 days, in 8 locations, and a total of three videos were made; third times the charm! The video hits TV in NE Kansas, including KC starting next week. I was actually sad to see the experience come to a close and I'd love the chance to do something like this again. :) The results are below:


Is anyone reading this blog? Hello? :)

Profile Pictures 101

Here's what annoys me about dating profile pictures: 1)I don't quite get what people are thinking when they post dating profile photos that they're not in. Seeing a picture of your dog, car or motorcycle, or a place you've traveled to isn't going to make me want to date you if you're not also attractive. Get in the picture! 2) Group photos also drive me crazy. Which of the 17 people are you? What's worse is when all of their profile photos are of groups. I feel like I'm playing Where's Waldo?! 3) I get that you want to look manly, but don't frown in your pictures. You look mean and then I have visions of you being a potentially violent person. Then, I click "no!" 4) If I don't think you're attractive already, the picture of your abs, arms, chest, or shoulders aren't going to help. 5)If I realize that in every shot you're in a club, bar, or holding an alcohlic beverage I'm going to think you're still in a partying phase and move on. 6) If in several shots you're with various girls (some even scantily clad) I'm going to wonder how many girls you've gone through and decide to save myself the trouble. Or I'm going to think I wear too much clothing for your taste. Either way, I'm clicking "no."

What do I want to see in a profile picture? Several pictures of your face, full length shots, and also ones of you having fun with friends or doing something you enjoy. If you've got a group shot of you and a FEW friends, caption it, tell me which one is you. If you have pictures of you with ladies, tell me who they are. Oh, it's your sister? Now that makes sense.

Dating Sites..I feel like I've tried them all

I've tried Eharmony, Match.com, Christian Mingle, and Plenty of Fish. What did I think of them?

Well, Plenty of Fish was the disaster of the bunch. I was barraged with guys ranging in age from 20 to 50s. Pretty much inundated with every kind of guy I WASN'T looking for. As an example of how bad it was; the guy from the disasterous, cheese date; met him on Plenty of Fish. They can keep their fish; I'm moving to another pond! I only lasted a week on there anyway.

Match never gives me what I'm looking for. I'm looking for a Christian and my daily matches are an array of agnostics, atheists, and the like. Not impressed. They don't filter well. Older men love me on that site...sigh. Thankfully, my membership expires this week.

Eharmony...it definitely has it's faults, but my matches are way better quality than the two previous sites. The problem? Most of the quality guys live several hours away. Gave up my membership there.

Lastly, Christian Mingle. Let me start out by saying my mom means well, she really does. One day, roughly three years ago, I got a call from her while at work. After some somewhat odd questions, I ask what she's doing. Can you guess? She signed me up for Christian Mingle and even started my profile and added photos for me. I wasn't upset; I just kind of found it well...amusing. So, at that time I was overwhelmed with guys in their 50s trying to talk to me or guys with multiple kids (including babies that were hot out of the oven). As a result, I backed away from the site. What brought me back was the coaxing of several family members. I know they mean well, but I guess they're also worried about my single state. It seems Christian Mingle's advertising was working; on my family. So, I'm back. My complaint about the site; you don't actually have to attend church to use the site. For me, my faith and attending church goes hand-in-hand. The guy from my first blog I met on Mingle. We'll see...

Worst Date Ever

My worst date ever was this last February. I met the guy on the worst dating site ever (hindsight is 20/20). We'd texted for awhile and he asked me to lunch on a weekday. He lived outside of town, so I got to pick the place; Coco Bolos (my favorite). For the record, 66.6% of my first dates that occur there are bad. He called, he didn't know where the restaurant was or where any of the Aggieville landmarks I used as references were (guys, research this stuff). So, he was 10 minutes late.

He walks into the place and it hits me that he looks a bit different than his photos. He also looks like he just got up and grabbed whatever clothing he could find. He wore a Aeropostale hoodie, ski hat (yes, even indoors) with sunglasses propped on his head (which I could see myself in...weird), jeans, and boots.

He spent 15 minutes reading the menu. I tried to give him the cliff notes version of my favorites. Conversation was rough. I did learn some interesting things...he hunts illegally. According to him, it doesn't matter if it's not your land. He also doesn't like kids.

Here's where it gets interesting; our food arrives. He ordered a burrito. I look up from my meal to see him twisting his fork at least a foot in the air over his plate, trying to break the cheese. He must've seen the shocked look on my face, because he said, "I don't know how people eat this properly." I calmly replied, "you could use your knife." The next time I looked up, I couldn't stifle my shock and a small laugh. Why you ask? Well, the fork was still in the air and the knife, well it was in his other hand swiping at the cheese to no avail. No lie, it looked like he was playing a violin. Again, he saw the shock on my face and said, "it's not working." I replied, "one could try cutting it against their plate." Problem solved. Throughout the meal, he mentions that he never goes out to eat; now I know why.

At the end of the meal, the waitress appears and asks if the tickets are together or separate. I wait for him to respond, since he asked me out. DEAD SILENCE. Finally, after an uncomfortably long pause (both for me and the waitress), I respond that it could be separate. Let's just say I was happy to end the "date" and head back to work early.

He texted the next couple of days like nothing weird had happened. I let him know I didn't see us working out. At least I'm not the only one having bad dates...

Intro to Blogging 101

Well, here goes my first blog. I've thought about blogging for quite some time now. My friends told me I should start one to chronicle all my funny stories (mainly dating disasters).

I've entered the desperate state of online dating. I tell you, it's a disaster. While on the phone with a new "match" for the first time, he blurted out that he's missing two teeth. Who says this kind of stuff on a first conversation?! He told me all about his dental work and how I'd never be able to tell which teeth were fake. NEXT!