Tired Week!

I've been tired this week! I haven't been getting very much sleep so far this week. I work full-time, I take a couple classes, among other things I'm busy with. And I might be coming down with a cold. :( Being sick is no fun! Despite being really tired, I think I might have aced another math test. :) I really, really like this teacher, even though she goes kind of fast in the "lectures" she does (most of my notes look like chicken scratch) and she assigns a ton of homework, which takes me a long time to do sometimes. But her tests are SO much easier than the homework and she hands out a review before each test and goes over the review right before the test on test day, so the information is fresh in my memory. She's teaching the next highest math class next semester and Jeff still needs that class, so we decided we'd take that one together. It'll be the ONLY class we'll be able to take together because our majors are so different (he's in Elementary Education and I'm in Accounting).

Anyway, I am writing this post from my very own laptop! A couple weeks ago, Jeff's sister was shopping for a laptop since the one she had was 5 years old. Jeff and I went with her when she went to buy one from Best Buy. She got a Dell laptop with a pink cover. The past little while, I've thought about getting a laptop of my very own to use mainly in future classes I take. And I think the color of the cover sold me... PINK! We went back to Best Buy a couple days after Jeff's sister bought the last one they had in the store, so we had them order one in and we picked it up a week later (last Saturday). I now have my very own laptop that is a girl laptop. :D It'll be fun having my very own laptop.

No Less, No More

The past month or so, I really haven't been trying to lose weight, like I did earlier this year and this past summer. I just eat almost whatever I want now. I've weighed myself maybe twice this past month and haven't gained a pound. That makes me happy that I don't have to lose pounds I've already lost. Jeff has told me before something that's called a "set point" weight... a weight which your body maintains. I lost about 25 pounds a couple years ago for the cruise we went on with Jeff's family. After the cruise, I ate very horribly and gained it all back, plus 5 more pounds. I hated being the weight I was when I gained it all back. So the beginning of this year, I weighed myself and made a New Year's resolution to lose that weight again. It's been a slow process (because I still like food!), but I've been about to lose about 20 pounds so far this year. 10 more pounds and I will be at the weight I was on the cruise. I'd love to lose that before the end of the year, but we'll see if that happens or not (maybe 5 pounds will be good enough). Then next year, I'll make a new New Year's resolution to lose a little more. I would like to be around 130 pounds, so I still have a little ways to go still. :) Anyway, I'm wondering how I am maintaining my current weight. I haven't exercised regularly for over a month and I just eat whatever. I'm wondering if it was all the exercise I did over the summer... over 100 miles of running/walking on the treadmill between May 31 and the end of August. I wish I had time to run/walk more these days, but I'm so busy with work and school and I still need my sleep!

I'm hoping this post will motivate me to lose at least 5 more pounds before the year is over. We'll see .... :)

Only Post for September

I should probably get in a quick post before the month is over (so I can have at least one post per month). Life has been crazy! Good, but crazy! School started the end of August. I'm taking a math class (Intermediate Algebra) and a computer class (learning about computers and different programs on computers and stuff). I've taken 3 tests in math so far, making 100, 98, and 100. We get to drop 2 out of 8 tests for the semester, so I'm doing very well so far! In my computer class, they said if we're in the school of business (which I am with my accounting major), we need at least 80% on every test. I was so nervous getting ready for the first test which we took this past Monday. But I studied as much as I could (I probably could have done a little better, though) and I made a 91.8%. I was so relieved and so happy that I did that well on it!

I became team leader again at my work almost a month ago. I've been enjoying it (on the most part) so far and still enjoy the flexible hours with my job so I can go to school.

It's been 11 years ago today since I entered the MTC (Missionary Training Center) to train in becoming a good missionary for my church. If I had the time, I'd find and scan a photo taken of me in the Carson Valley area in Nevada (an area a little south of Carson City, which is a little south of Reno) during winter with snow on the ground. That one was probably my best picture of me from my mission. Maybe I'll find it sometime and scan it to put on here. But it's crazy that it's been 11 years! I'm getting old!!!

Well, one more long day of work with an evening class, then a shorter work day on Friday, then the weekend! I look forward to each and every weekend and especially looking forward to this weekend with General Conference!

I'm a slacker!

I haven't used the treadmill since my birthday 2 weeks and 1 day ago. I guess I needed a break. And I won't be doing a 5k in a couple months, either. I know, I know... I'm a SLACKER!!! School just started this past week and I'm taking a couple classes, along with my full-time job. But... I did a Turbo Jam workout this morning. I haven't used Turbo Jam since I started using the treadmill in early June. Maybe I can run a 5k with my sister next 4th of July (which is the Freedom Run, I think). We'll see what happens.

10 miles in 2 days

Wow, my legs are tired and sore! After being gone camping a week, then taking most of the next week off from the treadmill, I have a little bit of catching up to do if I'm going to hit 200 miles for my work thingy by Labor Day. Can I do it? We'll see. But here are my times for today and yesterday's 5K and 5 mile times on the treadmill.

5K (3.1 miles)

Yesterday - 48:07
Today - 44:36

5 miles

Yesterday - 77:59
Today - 77:22

A little bit of an improvement for the 5 miles, but I was happy with the 5K time. I don't think I want to try to improve that tomorrow (I may just go 3 or 4 miles tomorrow). Today was really hard and I got tired a lot. Better not push myself too much.

I'm thinking (just thinking) about running a 5K with my sister Rebecca later this month. I'm not sure I want to do that one since it's still summer and I hate the heat. There's one on October 30 that I will probably definitely go for with Rebecca. Better keep it up on the treadmill, even after Labor Day! :-)

New Look

I need to change the look of my blog every once in a while... also gives me an excuse to post a blog entry since I don't as often as I used to. I can't believe how my blog posts are becoming fewer and far between. In 2008, I made 88 posts, last year I made 36, and this is the 20th post this year so far. Maybe it's 'cause our lives are kinda boring since all we do is work and go to school and play on our computers or play outdoors in our spare time. Anyway, I kinda like this new look for my blog, so I'll probably keep it for a while.

I can't believe how fast the summer has gone by so far! It's already August 1st! I kinda like the summer to fly by, though, because I'm not a big fan of the heat. My favorite seasons are spring and fall and I wish they lasted longer here in Utah. Oh well.

There's 12 more days till my birthday. This year, it's on Friday the 13th. It's cool to have a birthday on Friday the 13th every 6 years because of the day being superstitious to some people. I don't think it's superstitious, though... nothing bad ever happens to me, although I hope I didn't just jinx myself. :-) I haven't decided yet if I'll work four 10-hour days that week or just work as much as I feel like and use less than a day of vacation hours. But I think I will take that day off... 'cause who wants to work on their birthday?

Camping

I am not a very big fan of camping... at least for several days. But all last week, we were up in the mountains with Jeff's family and a lot of his extended family. We were up there for exactly one week, but I was ready to come home after 5 days. I just hate feeling dirty, but I'm grateful for Jeff's parents letting me use their little shower in their 5th wheel camper. I also hate the bugs, especially those big pine beetles that are very harmless except for the heart attacks they give me. One day, there was one on my shoe and I let out a girly scream. The good things about going camping was that I had a whole week off work (and only used 32 vacation hours because we had Friday off for Pioneer Day, which was technically on Saturday), we were up in the mountains away from the rat race of where we live and work, and I got to catch up a little bit on my sleep, which was way nice. I think I got about 9-10 hours of sleep most nights.

One of Jeff's cousins bought a motorhome for really cheap and we've been talking about maybe looking for one. It would be super nice for when we went camping. But would we use it any other time? We'll have to decide.

It was hard going back to work on Monday. But we're now back in the grind. Maybe I'll take work off on my birthday in a couple weeks, which is on Friday the 13th this year. I'll have to decide if I want to work a shorter day or just take the whole day off.

I also got back on the treadmill today after a couple weeks of not using it. I need to keep at it. I might sign up for one or two 5k's coming up next month and in October and run them with my sister Rebecca, but I haven't decided for sure yet.

No More Leg Pain

It's about 2:30 a.m. and I'm not too tired. I fell asleep in the early afternoon and didn't wake up till evening and had about a 6-hour nap, I think one of the longest naps I've had in a long time. I was just THAT tired! Anyway, as of my last post, I am now into running/walking on the treadmill, probably even more than before. I took a break from the treadmill for about a week to rest my legs and since then, they really haven't hurt at all. I'm guessing they were hurting because I hadn't used those muscles and then I sort of pushed myself too hard and they got hurt. I'm sometimes doing more than I was before and they don't hurt now. :-) Soon after I woke up from my nap, I ran/walked 4 miles and I jogged half of it (in intervals, of course). I love the feeling of stretching my hamstrings and calf muscles before and after exercising on the treadmill. It feels SO good!

In one week, we'll be going camping for about a week up in the mountains. I'm not the biggest fan of camping (maybe 'cause I hate feeling dirty), but this year I'm looking forward to it more than usual, maybe because I really need a break from work and I need to catch up on my sleep. Just one more week of work left before we get out of this "Happy Valley" rat race!

Leg Pain

At my work for the past few years they have what's called Backstage 100 (like the Wasatch 100 here in Utah) where we add up miles if we run or walk, ride a bike, swim, or lose weight. Running/walking we count 1 mile for each mile, biking we count 1 mile for every 3 miles, swimming we count 3 miles for every 1 mile, and losing weight we count 5 miles for every pound lost. In the past, it started on the 4th of July and lasted until Labor Day, but this year it started earlier on Memorial Day and ends on Labor Day. I was doing really good on the walking/running part (on our treadmill) for the first couple weeks, but then about 1 1/2 weeks ago, I guess I pushed myself a little too hard and my inner legs a couple inches below my knee cap started hurting. I figured I just got sore from running too much, so the few days after, I just did some speed walking. But my legs continued to hurt, so I decided to take a break and just lose some pounds to count miles. I've lost about 5 pounds so far this month, but I'm slacking a little bit now (I'm just glad I haven't gained those 5 pounds back). My legs still hurt and have been taking Advil every once in a while and I bought some Icy Hot yesterday which helps ease the pain a little bit. Basically, my left leg hurts the worst and it hurts when I lift it or lower it while it's bent (like going up and down the stairs). It doesn't really hurt when I lift my leg when it's straight. I THINK my legs might be starting to feel better (I hope!), but I just need to give it time. I want to start running (even speed walking!) again, but don't want to until I don't hurt anymore. Then I'll start out really slow and work my way up. I was even starting to like running!

I am done with Farmers Market (selling my jewelry). I went this past Saturday with my dad and brother and only sold $9. I just don't make enough there to make it worth spending over half my Saturday away from home. I am going to try the Pleasant Grove Promenade starting in July on Thursday evenings with Jeff's mom and sister (his sister was saying the least she made there last year was $40... I'd take $40!). Then there's some craft thing at Thanksgiving Point that my dad and brother might do in August and September that I might do with them. I'll be going to those ones just to try to get rid of my stuff because I think I'm done making jewelry. There's just too many people who make jewelry and I can't compete with them all. It was fun while it lasted, though. I might even be able to make something for myself that I would actually wear.

In other news, my sister Rebecca and I applied for a couple temporary scanning technician positions that would be in London, from mid-July till about Labor Day. We thought it would be really fun to go there, and since Rebecca works in the scanning department and has been on a couple on-site trips before (in the states), we thought we might have a really good chance to go. We had our interviews last Thursday and I was incredibly nervous (like I always am in job interviews). There were almost a dozen applicants and a couple other people were chosen to go. I wanted to go, but another part of me didn't want to leave Jeff for over a month. So I would have been fine with the outcome either way. So I get to stay in Utah, and near the end of next month is Jeff's family (and some extended family) camping trip. Even though camping isn't on top of my list of things to do, it'll still be nice to get away from this mad house rat race we live in to go up into the mountains for a week. I can't wait!

Discouraging ....

So I've been to the Farmers Market in Provo with my dad and brother twice so far (the past 2 Saturdays). I've been able to sell a little bit ($19 the first Saturday and $15 this past Saturday), but the discouraging part is that all I sell are pendants (with leather or ribbon cord necklaces I bought to go with them)... no necklaces, bracelets, or earrings. So I've been a little bit discouraged and feel like quitting making jewelry. At least I don't have very much material (not like my mother-in-law, who has tons and tons of stuff!) so that I don't feel like I'm too far in the hole. But my mother-in-law wanted to see if jewelry watch bands would sell because she sells those pretty well, so she gave me a little bit of stuff to make a few. If they do sell, I'll probably just sell watch bands and pendants (and other stuff only if people wanted it). If the watch bands don't sell, I think I will definitely quit because I don't want to sell just pendants. From the couple times going to the Farmers Market, there are just so many people that make jewelry that I can't compete with them all. I wouldn't have been able to sell my stuff there if it wasn't for my dad who makes and chip-carves jewelry and earring boxes. :-) Another reason I wouldn't mind quitting is I want my Saturdays back! Anyway, enough venting ....