Home on the Ranage

Gooooood morning!

I'm fueling up on breakfast right now because I took a run this morning. I was hoping to avoid the sun but in order to do that I would've had to wake up at 5, which didn't sound fun. Instead I opted for 7:30 and 90 degrees. Besides literally dripping with sweat the whole time, the last few minutes on my way home were TOUGH!

It's nice to be home from our vacation. As much as I love traveling, I love coming home even more. I missed the doggies and my bed. We did have a good time and it was nice to show Jonathan parts of my childhood. I took him around to some houses I lived in in Wisconsin (I lived in a LOT!) and reminisce about the days there.

In Chetek, we partook in a ton of eating and drinking, hence the running I'm doing. We went to the street dance which we were very disappointed with. It was small and you had to pay to get through a fence so we stood outside the fence for a few minutes. There were a lot of boat rides and bar visits, which we were not able to do when we were younger, of course :) The house we stayed in was great and it was nice being with family!

In Milwaukee, we went to a Brewer's game with my dad and step-mom. It was my first time at Miller Park! My dad drove us around the lakefront afterwards where I got to see the house that I always claimed when we drove past it. Still looks the same! We also went to Bastille Days downtown. We probably should've waited to eat until we got there because there were so many food options. We had a few beers and watched the start of the run and called it a night. On Friday we went to the museum, which is one of my favorite places. Phoenix has nothing to even compare to it. Not much has changed inside that museum!

On Wednesday I will be going to San Diego to visit Katy (so far, that's the plan!). The week after that, J has to go back to work :( I won't be going till August 2nd. I feel bad since he only has a few days off before going back. Such is life!

It's time for coffee. Some time today I need to get an oil change and that's my big plan for the day :) I hope everyone is enjoying their summers!

Let's live it up

It was my first day of school today!! I'm always feeling like a little kid! It starts to get more real every time I start a new class...it's like, okay, this isn't ending anytime soon! I'm finding G to not be the most lucrative place in the world. I'm going to have to suffer through this semester though since my schedule isn't very forgiving for a money-making job.

My first class today was BIO 202. It's weird to have such short classes again. Time flies! It's really a continuation of 201 so I know what to expect for the most part. I'm actually supposed to be reading right now. Failing, obviously. No one really from 201 is in my class but I'm sure I'll make friends with my lab partner. We both agree our dogs are like our children.

Tomorrow I have 205. It will be a little different I think so I'm sort of excited for that!

This past weekend we went to Sedona for a short trip. We went on the Pink Jeep Tour, which was really fun. I'd like to try some of their other tours. The pictures just don't give it justice; you really have to experience it. I kinda blew the whole trip at dinner because I got really nauseous and we left early so I could go lay down. Poor Jonathan had to watch the football game from the hotel bed :( Oh, and then I puked up my pizza twice. I literally only had 2 bites of it! And I had a headache from hell. It was really weird. I did sleep from 7p-8a so I felt fine when I woke up. My appetite has been weird since, though. I'm still eating when I'm not hungry though. Haha. And I haven't had caffeine for 4 days! Not really on purpose, just sort of boycotting Starbucks (maybe once a week) and haven't bought any diet coke. I bought some Hansen's refreshments (they're not really soda) that are pretty good. I think with soda I just crave the carbonation.

Anyways, time to put lasagna in the oven and read before J gets home from the gym. I always put everything off until he gets home!

This week...working a few nights and Katy's shower on Saturday. Other than that, livin' the dream,

E!

I've got a feeling.

So, where did we last leave off, Blogger? 

I believe since our last meeting, I have been to Flagstaff, gotten a job, hung out and have been lazy, and applied to the nursing program. Yep, sounds about right. 

Flagstaff was great. It was really nice to just hang with Katy, visit our old spots, and relax. Of course there are always bittersweet memories there but it will always be a place I cherish. We also got to see a little football action in there and enjoyed some nice meals. It's nice to go to "neighborhood" places and not be surrounded by chains and chains of crap! 

So yeah, job searching was frustrating because there is nothing and I really didn't want to go back to G's because it's serving/bartending, but I don't have many options! I'll be starting next week. I'm not quite sure how much money I'll be making per month and I'm a little scared! Hopefully I'll be able to make the mortgage:)

I officially applied to the nursing program so that's a good step! At least I'll be doing something while I'm waiting:) School starts the 24th. Hopefully it will be less stressful because these classes will be more stretched than the summer classes! 

Things that are upcoming: 

• Katy's shower (1 of 2!)
• Fall semeseter
• Possibly a mind-clearing trip solo to Sedona next week
• For once, I can't think of anything else!!!

Au revoir, 

E.

Another stone to step on.

Phew.

I'm done with chemistry AND I have one day left of math. Then I apply to the nursing program! Wee! Chemistry felt so long but I am very glad to be finished with it. I ended up having to take a paper and pencil test because Rio's internet was having issues and I really liked it a lot better than the computer. Wish I could've done it like that the whole time! Starting August 24 I'll be taking my co-requisites. They're sort of in the middle of the day so I'm hoping to find a job to work around it. I applied to Sylvan on the internet but not really sure if they are hiring and their hours are limited. As much as I like bartending I really don't want to do it at Gallagher's and the hours are not ideal. We'll see. I need something though, and soon!

I went and saw Food, Inc. yesterday (by myself). I really enjoy those kinds of movies. It made me really glad that I no longer eat meat. I think everyone should have to see it. It's really sad to see how something like food can have so many consequences as well as greed behind it. It's a hard concept to internalize but there are so many connections to different things. I don't know. There are parts of Fast Food Nation in it...same idea. It does make me re-think what I eat and how I eat. Of course I don't eat perfectly and I realize that eating healthy can be expensive, but I do everything I can when grocery shopping to make 95% excellent choices. I have to put the cost of food into perspective, though. It's like I'll spend $4 for an iced coffee drink so I can't fret when I spend $2 for 1 avocado or $5 for a big box of organic spinach or $3 for cage free, organic eggs. Those things are way more useful and feed more mouths than a stupid coffee! Anyways...

Getting super excited to Flagstaff this weekend (girl weekend, and only two of us!). I think we'll see the Cardinals training camp, hit up some good ole spots, the usual. I would like to go to a wine bar while there. I hope our hotel is suitable...seems like a pretty busy weekend!

Alright, I'm going to organize our downstairs closet and have some lunch soon. Speak at ya later...

E.

Do you wanna tangle or do you wanna go it alone?

It's been a while! I can't believe I have 1 week left of my math class and then I can apply to the nursing program! That's so crazy! I'll be taking my final in CHM this week also and I really have and want to do well but once my other classes started I sort of put it on the back burner so I really have to catch up this week. I'm doing a pretty crappy job with it though! Gotta get back into the groove. Perhaps I'm still in my Vegas mindset.;)

Speaking of Vegas... I feel old! HA. It was fun but I feel like I don't really want to let my guard down there. It's just so sketchy sometimes and cheesy of course. It was fun but I feel like I owe Katy a crazy evening. We will be going to Flagstaff next weekend so I'll see what I can do. I'm so excited! After that, my adventures are pretty much over:( As for Blink and MCS it was AWESOME. I can't believe I was such a trooper on the floor. We were like 5 rows back and it was crazy. I was dripping with sweat, though. Groooooosssss! We even got upgraded to a suite. It was awesome. I felt like a rock star! 

Anyhoo. I think it's about time to get a job. Everyone will be going back to school soon and all this free time is making my mind crazy. We ventured through a huge step and I feel like my mind went backwards and freaked out kind of. Weird. 

Well I'm going to try and clean up a little, study, then hopefully work out. Mom is coming over tomorrow for her birthday and I'm cooking dinner. Hope it's good! 

Adios,

E.

The end is (already?!) near.

So basically I have no real days of my lab left and one real day of my lecture left. Lab final Wednesday, lecture final Thursday. Thank goodness. As much as I DON'T have to do, I am not a fan of the summer school, especially just starting out. Once I get more into the groove of things, I HOPE I'll be okay. Well I am taking math but I have a way better background in math. I think. I have been making notecard after notecard, taking one practice test after another, and of course, I still don't feel 100%. Hopefully I can make my mind-over-matter work and The Secret come into play and I'll do fine:) I'll feel really great once it's over, even though it was veeeerrrry overwhelming. 

Yesterday was very productive. I got three assignments done for chemistry. Now I just need to finish my lab before we leave Thursday (aah!). I guess I'm so used to leaving places on Friday that I don't realize how fast it's coming! 

Excited to go to Wisconsin and show Jonathan around a little. I got a few new dresses to wear too. I always find cute dresses but never have anywhere to wear them! Hopefully the weather will comply. 

Taking a little break, now it's time to get back to the notecards and folding the laundry and finish "My Sister's Keeper" so I can see the movie. 

Happy end of Summer I, 

E.

Turn the Beat Around.

Good morning. 

I have taken today off of school because 1) I was REALLY tired when the 5:30 alarm went off because of happy hour last night (yes, happy hour, ha!), and 2) it is basically a review day so I am going to review with myself. I did take a two hour nap right after I woke up but now I'm going to take a shower, get some Starbucks, and get started!

Tomorrow I am taking the NET. Very excited and very motivated to do well, especially after the Banner Info Session. Then this weekend includes studying away! There is so much information each week and I need to work more on the physiology part. I'm okay with the memorization and naming, just the function part of it gets confusing. Going to be watching a lot of tutorials today and this weekend. 

We are also shopping for wedding attire for my step-brothers wedding. Also planning and getting excited for Vegas!

This guy on Channel 10 is showing off a bunch of Skymall stuff and none of it is working. Ha, how embarrassing. 

Okay, off to ruin my body with some caffeine,

E.

You can breathe now.

Sigh.

Today I had my first lab practical and lecture test. I felt pretty good about them...afterwards in the lecture I was thinking to myself, "Always go with your gut!" a few times because I changed an answer or two. I KNOW I got nothing below a B, but I'm hoping with my extra credit question answered correctly I have an A. I have a lot of complaints about my teacher, not because I like to complain, but probably because 1) I'm a teacher 2) I don't even know where to start...To sum him up... He is a little cocky, unprofessional,  and lazy. I have many things to back this up. Of course I would never say this to his face or call him out on his crap everyday because he seems quite vengeful. And I can see why he's gotten fired from two other CCs. Let's just say I will actually fill out an evaluation:) After how many years in college??

Anyways, great weekend in San Diego! I love watching the DBacks in other places. I really want to go back in September! It was relaxing but at the same time weird to sleep with no dogs! Speaking of dogs, we now have 3 because we are dog sitting! Crazy dogs...

I feel very relaxed with no "job" and just school to worry about. It's weird. I should probably be stressed out wondering how I'll pay for the mortgage in September! I just haven't decided what I want to do yet. It's taken me a while to be "okay" with kind of bumming it. No one else seems to care but me, though. I'm paying my bills and feeding us so why should anyone care?!

Very excited to have drinks with Danielle tomorrow! I haven't been able to have a conversation with her really in forever! It's always been casual (school, birthday) and couldn't delve deep into gossip. And I'll get to meet the new one. 

Looking forward to: taking my NET next week, a Flag trip with Katy, and our Wisconsin trip! Well going to watch the DBacks and make some more notecards and do some reading. Speaking of reading, I got to enjoy a few pages of "My Sister's Keeper" on the beach without feeling guilty about it. Hopefully I'll be able to continue reading it. 

Everything I Do.

Well, I survived my first real day of community college! I was so nervous last night and freaking out about what to wear because, well, I wear teacher clothes almost every day of my life. I have to say I enjoyed being in the classroom again, especially when I haven't heard everything the teacher is saying 204 times in my life. Once I got in the room, I was fine. Just nerves:)

It feels really weird right now. I feel like I have NO responsibilities, although I have quite a few. I am enjoying the unpredictability of it all, yet am freaked out at the same time. I loved driving to the mall after class, at an unpopular driving time, eating lunch alone, and just hanging out. Loved it! I'm sure it may get old soon, but enjoying it while it lasts.

Well, I better get to my reading, considering we went over two chapters in lecture today from my 1,000 page textbook. Also have my midterm this week, then San Diego and the beach and the DBacks! YAAY!