2011

So 2011 is going to be a good year....I can feel it! It will be busy, but good!

First, per my last post, I am taking up running and hope to complete a marathon this year....that is if my co-worker and I get selected. I have been working hard these last two weeks to learn how to run for at least half an hour without stopping, which is what they say you need to be able to do before you start training. I have been very diligent in going to the gym, but am having a hard time being motivated because my poor little feet are in severe pain when running. I got great shoes....don't help, I spent $50 on inserts....worse, and have been working on my form....helps, but still painful. I am hoping that I can figure something out or else 26.2 miles is going to be awesome. I am planning on a 5k in June so hopefully I can figure something out before then.

Second, I have just applied to Western Governors University where I will complete my masters in elementary education. I had a phone interview this evening and discovered I am probably going to have to take one or two pre-requisite classes and a bunch of entrance exams. Time to hit the books again I guess. But, once I get it in, there is not much course work as most of it is hands on. I am slightly concerned about the student teaching as I am not sure how I am going to keep my job and also do my student teaching. I guess I'll cross that bridge when it comes a year and half from now. Anyway, I am excited to get this going and then hopefully in 2-3 years I can begin teaching!

Overall, I have great expectations for 2011. My brother is coming home next week from his mission and then it is off to CA for a week of fun times. I am looking forward to seeing him and can't think of a better way to get the year started. I have many things I want to accomplish, and if I can stop being such a slacker, I will keep this thing updated so you can follow my journey. Bring on the busy!!

New Goal

So let me start off by saying that I am sorry I have not updated in awhile....pretty sure most of you have stopped reading, because I have been somewhat of a bore (not that I had many readers anyway). So just to play catch up...I have been working a lot and really enjoyed our Thanksgiving. We went down to St George and spent time with Family, which is always great fun!! I also got to drive home in my first snow storm. A 4 hour drive took 8 hours because there was so much snow!!! It was a little scary, but with Christmas music in the background, I made it aright...and only skidded on ice once...not too bad it I do say so myself!

Anyway, I am now anxiously awaiting Christmas....my most favorite time of year is now and I am enjoying it being cold and overcast, although I would not mind more snow....come on already! I really hope there is snow on the ground when Christmas arrives.

So, now for the title of this post. I am pretty excited because I have decided to embark on a journey to accomplish one of my life long goals. I technically won't be starting until January so I guess you could consider this an early New Years Resolution. I am slightly hesitant to announce it as I have a history of not accomplishing many of my goals....horrible, I know! Anyway, I have decided to start running so I can eventually run a marathon. My co-worker....who is very motivated....would like to run one as well and so with the the motivation of each other, we are planning on running one (date to be announced later).

So, wish me luck....I will keep you updated as I begin this journey. We are going to begin training on the first Monday after the New Year!!!

Movies and such...

So I suck and completely missed the entire month of October...deal with it! Anyway, Halloween was good and I enjoyed my witch costume and spooky dinner at the cousins house. Now, I am anxiously waiting for Thanksgiving and a four day weekend in St. George. Mostly I am excited because during Thanksgiving weekend it finally becomes acceptable to play Christmas music and have your Christmas decorations up. I am sick, I know!

Anyway, in other news I am getting excited for Thurs....Harry Potter baby!!! I love my job because a company we work with gave us pre-screening tix and so I am going at 6:30pm on Thurs to see this masterpiece. To prepare I spent this past weekend watching all but the last 2 movies!! Tomorrow and Wednesday I will finish and then be all set for Thurs. I really hope this movie does not disappoint.

As Promised

Here are the crafts we have been working on...minus one more wall hanging and, the blocks which we are doing tomorrow!

Favorite Time

I am getting so excited for this time of the year and being in Utah this year Fall and Winter is going to be awesome!! It is still way too hot, but the nights are getting really cool and soon it will be super cold! In Halloween and fall spirit, we have begun to do crafts. Such crafts include: Halloween wall hangings (yes, I sewed a quilt-like wall hanging...and it came out super cute!), see through glass Halloween picture frames, fall table clothe with hand made leaf place mats, and spider egg sacks. I shall post pictures when I have them all complete. Also, I have spent an insane amount of money buying yarn for an afghan that I am crocheting. We shall see how this turns out as in the beginning I would do half a row and have my cousin fix my mistake. So far, I have been able to do about 3 or 4 rows on my own! I shall also post a pic of this when I am done....don't count on that any time soon.

One other thing, besides the crafting, that I love about the Halloween season is the scary movies. I guess you could consider me a bit of a scary movie junkie. This past weekend was spent watching scary movies with some other awesome movie junkies. I love a good suspenseful movie that leaves you hanging on to the edge of your seat!I have to say though, that I think I am a bit desensitized since most of the movies were far from terrifying. It was still a fun weekend and we did get through quite a few movies. Fun times!!

A Few Tid Bits

So since I haven't blogged in a while, this is really a mash of everything:

• This past weekend our friends from CA came up for a visit and over the weekend we headed up to Park City and walked around Olympic Park. Very neat place. It was so fun to see athletes practicing on the ski jumps and landing right into a pool of water. They even had bobsled rides, alpine slide rides, and zip lining. And, I even got up the courage to zip line.....the little one....but after it was over I wished I had paid a little more to do the long one. It was so much fun!!!!

• On wednesday, I went to my first Bees game with my mom. From Sandy we took TRAX which is a train lie the metro link in CA. It was fun going, but coming back it was late and a little scary. One thing I have notice about public transportation is, the later it is...the weirder those that ride are. Gotta love mass transit!!!!

• I am finally in love with the weather. It is still kind of hot in the day time, but it is a different kind of hot....and at night it actually gets kind of cool. It blows my mind that I could actually wear a jacket in August. I am getting so excited about fall and winter!!

• On a more frustrating note, I am in the process of getting my insurance license to Utah and in doing so I had to be re-fingerprinted. I did this about a month ago and am now having to do it again because the stupids that did it before messed up the way they should have been done. Come on people...how hard is it??? It is a freaking computer based program the walks you though it. A trained monkey could do a better job. So, now I get to go early tomorrow to get it re-done. Great!

Since moving to Utah I've....

• spent many a night up until past 1am. Two reasons for this are 1.) the family. I love them all dearly and we have such a great time when we're together, and so we stay up playing games and eating until 1am and 2.) daylight lasting until 9:30pm. Seriously?!?! It is now starting to get dark at just before 9 now, but for awhile, the late daylight really threw me off!

• lost three pounds. I have started weight watchers....again. I have been on it for 2 weeks and let me just tell you this has been no easy task. My family members love to cook yummy food and it is not weight watcher friendly!!

• found an awesome job. I am working for Farmers again, but this agent is awesome. It is a big office and the people are amazing. Plus, I have gotten so many gifts and such from the owners, co-workers, and vendors....I give you permission to be jealous

• cut my hair. I was getting tired of it long and so I chopped about 5 inches off!! I love it!!

• went to my first real rodeo. We got free tickets....10th row!! Can I just say I would not have minded if one of those cowboys got bucked off and landed my lap!!

• enjoyed fireworks for the 4th in front of our house. In California with the awful dryness, fireworks done at home are not allowed, so here it was fun shooting off fireworks right in our front yard