Not Nail Files...what??

I know, I know. You were really hoping for a nail file update. I've decided that I like the sleek look of my pink and whites, so I'm going to enjoy them for a little longer.


Surprisingly enough, I just had a hysterical conversation with a caller about how backward the state of Florida is, and how much "the system" sucks. Inefficiency! This state is ridiculous. But the more I think about it, the more I can acknowledge that I'm ready for employment change. Not because I'm bitter about how much my job description has changed since last year {ok, maybe a little}, but because my job has finally brought out the worst in me. It makes me angry, frustrates me, and creates inexcusable levels of aggravation and intolerance. I want to hang up on every person that calls, but not before telling them that FLORIDA is not the COUNTY that they live in (insert expletives here). On one hand, I wonder if God is putting me in these situations to amp up the pressure and give me something to try my nerves. But I go to bed at night dreading waking up at 6:30 am, and I wake up in the morning praying that I have a stomach virus, or some other unfortunate malady that will render me incapable of going to work. But like drugs, bad friends, partying, and living in a pretend-reality, I need to nip this in the bud as quickly as possible.

Needless to say, I've started job hunting and putting in some applications. We'll see how that goes.

Fitness Update! I got on the scale this morning only to find out that I lost another pound! Based on my poor diet choices last week, I feel pretty good about the loss, even though it's only one pound. Can I just say that I will NEVER again wait a week in between training days? Also, I will NEVER again forget to charge my iPod before a run day. Wednesday's run was SO painful on every part of my body, like I was running for the first time. I felt every pound of pressure, every stride, every time. I couldn't focus on my breathing (insert cramps here) because I was so focused on just finishing. At one point, I slowed down to barely jogging; afraid I would stop. It took some serious self-motivating to get myself going again. I was a mess, for real. Good news is that I ran a complete 5k in 35ish minutes, so less than 11 minutes a mile. Now if I could just stay focused on shortening my run time (to about 28 minutes), I'll feel good about May 19th. I'll have to run tonight and Sunday without David. Poo.

Last night, David and I reserved seats at Painting With A Twist. Paint and wine is the perfect combo! I had some delicious Beaujolais and enjoyed my typically horrendous artwork. It really wasn't that bad, but compared to David (no surprise here), I just sucked it up. I still hung it up in my room anyway. It was a blast. I recommend googling to see if there's one in your area.



We got to pick our own background color. David did a "sunset effect" and I chose a coral.



I had to cut Mr. "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS TAKE PICTURES OF ME?" out per his request, but notice that his hand still makes an appearance.



Look at David's awesome shading skills on the left, and then over at my color disaster on the right. Oh well.



This weekend, the boys are off to Melbourne for some camping/gambling/baseball/sans-women adventures. No road trip is complete without chicken teragon sandwiches and snack packs, though. These boys (mostly just mine) are so damn spoiled. I think I'm just overcompensating for the fact that I really want kids. Luckily, "my David" (Kossin) will be in town for Sandy's graduation; offering a comparable solace for "David 2"s absence. Maybe I'll be able to get some homework finished and some sleep while David 2 is away. One can dream!

xoxo

The incredibly long post that describes my terrible pre-Easter Saturday.

School starts today.
South Florida in 4 days.
DB and David and Miami in 9 days.
Wedding in 11 days.
Busch Gardens in 12 days.

I hope everyone enjoyed their Easter/Passover weekend. Mine was absolutely ridiculous. Let me recap for you:

Saturday, David and I brought my car in for an oil change. Yay for knowing the manager and getting $20 off of my service (for a grand total of $18.60).

In the midst of making sure I have everything I need for the wedding, we headed to Ross to shop for a dress for the rehearsal dinner. After dragging David around for a little under an hour, I finally found four that I thought would be winners. Less than five minutes after I tried them all on, I realized that I had left my phone in the fitting room and went back to retrieve it...only to find it empty. Panic set in after trying to remain optimistic about the loss, but after making several calls to my phone, the "finder" (that sounds so much better than thief) turned it off. Lost forever.

As a side note: Friday night, David and I found a phone on a bench at the lake where we run. Despite his protests to just leave the phone where it was, I called the numbers on the recent call list to locate the owner, and was able to return it. You'd think I'd have stirred up some good karma, right?

Anyway.

I left my information with customer service, and we headed back to the house so that I could activate an old phone that I had before my Android. Weirdly enough, this old phone was apparently "tied to another account" that was not mine. It would take at least 24 hours to investigate. Needless to say, David and I made a trip to the store to get a new phone that I didn't have the money for.

After that was taken care of, we headed to the mall to take pictures with the Easter bunny as a favor to my mother (a long standing tradition that she cannot survive without). I would post it if I had thought to scan it in before work. My hair looked absurd (and had--very obviously, if I might add--caught in the bunny's costumed hand...sigh) and we have our thumbs up like idiots. But much appreciation to my wonderfully supportive boyfriend. He stood in line for a whole hour while nap-deficient, rowdy kids swarmed around us like flies. We rewarded our patience with Auntie Anne's pretzels. Also a tradition.

And just because:

Right before we left the mall, a man called to say that he had found "a phone" in his girlfriend's purse, and saw that David had texted to "do the right thing" with his phone number. I'd like to believe that he was, in fact, doing the right thing, but my Droid became absolutely useless after I turned off the service and flagged it for theft. Then we got the call that it was "found". I'm hoping it was just a coincidence. The pickup was arranged, and I was ecstatic. It was a few moments later that I realized that my new phone was useless...and a complete waste of money.

Dammit.

What we were looking forward to was our Easter dinner plans with Mallory and James. My mother had reserved us a Honeybaked Ham that we were headed to get after our mall adventure. When I called to confirm with her, however, she told me that was supposed to have picked it up before 3pm. Cue aggravation. After arguing with her, Mallory suggested that we go to the store to see if anything could be done.

We went.

They provided.

Yay, ham.

Before heading back, we stopped at Sam's for remaining Easter dinner ingredients. Bravely, I decided to call my bank to see how much money was left from my pathetic paycheck. Did I even have enough to make the drive to South Florida? When I heard the balance, I almost had a heart attack. My new, non-smart phone phone was incapable of bringing up my bank account, so I used Mallory's. That number was no lie. I had miraculously acquired a substantial amount of money. What?? A little more investigation revealed that after two months of waiting for my tax return claim (there was some information that needed to be disputed), it had finally posted to my account. It was all I could do to hold back the tears in the middle of the checkout line. God is SO good!!

Sunday was much less frustrating. Church, nap, cooking, dinner, walking, David's house, Pirates of the Caribbean, home, Airplane, sleep. I meant to take a picture of our superb cooking, but I was too busy being a lard. I ate everything in sight. Yay, diet. We even decided to forego Day 2 of Week 8 in remembrance of the Resurrection Day (ie. we're fat and lazy and needed nap time). Also, most of my nails broke throughout the day. So now they're short and useless. Perfect timing, nails.

Oh, and David and I have registered for our first 5k on May 19th. If you're local, support the cause here.

***

There is still so much to be done before I leave for South Florida this Friday. I'm requesting prayers for David's sanity this week. I suppose for mine, as well. I can NOT wait for this month to be over. Happy Monday, dolls!

Carolina Swag

Prise de conscience: realisation

I am very much in love with David Hindman. I revel in that every single day.

I never attributed my level of happiness to how close I drew to God.  

I can't remember ever being as happy as I am now. It speaks for itself.

I want to live in NC. In David's dream house. With the three "guest" bedrooms.

We've slimmed down so much since then! (10/2011)

Decisions that need to be made about my projected path in graduate school have been creeping up on me lately. Licensure laws and requirements to become a licensed mental health professional are different for every state. And it costs a hell of a lot of money to get licensed. I'm slightly worried about where to get licensed, knowing very well that I won't be in Florida forever. And hopefully not even too much longer. This anxious feeling I'm having is incredibly premature, but I can't shake it. I'm used to knowing and planning and doing. Even as I type this, I know I should be praying harder. But I'm impatient for answers. I'm good at being spontaneous. This situation demands just the opposite. Hello, reality.

Fitness Update:
Day 3 of Week 5 was a breeze! Warm up for 5 minutes, jog for 20 minutes, cool down for 5 minutes. Day 1 of Week 6, on the other hand, was brutal. David and I thought it would be easy; we were back to interval training. We'd already done it. Run for 5, walk for 3, run for 8, walk for 3, run for 5. By the time I was halfway through with the 8 minute interval, I was done. Winded. Exhausted. Mentally defeated. While this could be for a ton of different reasons (wearing a sports bra that has become too big, forgetting to use my inhaler before the run, speeding walking two miles with Monica the day before, the 90-ish-degree-pollen-filled weather), all I'm really left with are excuses. Though I made it through without stopping, I can't help but feel disappointed in my body.  It was so frustrating! Not to mention, it's been so hard to eat healthy. I've been so hungry. I can't afford all the fruit and filling, fat-free stuff that I'd been eating with all the wedding stuff and the whole "providing for two" situation (not that I'm complaining, darling). I'll just be glad when the wedding is over and I can get back on track with my finances. If David can land this job with Florida Commerce, I can start saving again. Then a move to NC wouldn't seem so unrealistic. If I could just save between $7,000 and $10,000 over the next few years, it'll be easy.

Week 6, Day 2 was much easier. I'm enjoying the long distances much better. Yesterday, we flaked out on our running, which means we'll be running Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday this week. I was disappointed that we didn't stick to the schedule, but sometimes quality time together is more important than our "to do" list.

Other news:
Everyone's talking about it, so I'm sorry for the repetition. (I'm not.) The Hunger Games movie was...decent. I enjoyed the slight character development that was only suggested in the book, rather than actually explored. And for the sake of "theatrics", the movie wasn't that far off (ahem...Harry Potter) that I was upset. Most noteably, the "pin" situation, and Haymitch's character (even though Woody is awesome). All in all, it was alright. Stanley Tucci (Ceasar), Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss), and Josh Hutcherson (Peeta) were great. I would see the other two if they came out as movies. As a side note, I wasn't gunning for Peeta until I read the third book, Mockingjay. Also, read the books before you see the movie. It's a must.

Saturday, I went to a "spa night" with some ladies from my church. While I didn't really get spa'd up, I got to enjoy some great company. I painted a lot of nails, and got to work on my french manicure skills. Oh. And I made my own foot scrub! I was hesitant about adding food coloring to the scrub (it was an awful diarrhea yellow), but after testing it on myself, I knew it would be fine. For about a week, I had been considering opening an Etsy shop after experimenting with a few scrubs. I'm thinking this summer will slow me down so that I can concentrate on some products, and maybe get together with Brittany so she can sell her awesome homemade polish.

Watermark Tee Tutorial

I'm over here today!! Check out my guest post and Brittany's blog.

Enjoy my first tutorial!

It was my very first time doing anything like this. I've never used fabric dye nor have I ever doodled on a shirt (any shirt altering is thanks to my slobby eating habits). It came out alright, but I'm sure, with some practice and a few prototypes, I can make something awesome. Oh, and before I forget--buy your shirts at least two sizes bigger than normal. All of mine shrunk. Good thing I wasn't making them for anything important like a bachelorette party. Dammit.

Anywho.

Supplies you'll need:

• 100% cotton tee shirt(s): white or off-white
• Elmer's gel glue (the BLUE, not the WHITE)
• Tote lid (or something else to stretch your fabric over)
• Fabric dye in your desired color (1 box per 1 lb of clothing)
• Rubber gloves
• A bucket or small tote
• A stirring implement (wooden spoon or tongs will work)
• Towels (for your mess)
• Hangers (to hang dry your finished product)

I picked up some white, 100% cotton shirts: three that were women's tees and one that was a women's tank.  I proceeded to pull my tee shirts over tote lids that I had around the house (I have a lot of storage--it was convenient).


Photo courtesy of ucreate.

The next step requires some artistic ability, of which I have none. My typically great handwriting was also a fail on my practice tee, so I decided that block letters would probably be my best bet. Knowledge of where your chest will sit in the shirt is also a must. At least I know for next time. :-P

Once you've finished your diasterpiece masterpiece, let it dry completely. I was a little heavy on the glue, so it took nearly 24 hours to dry on all four shirts. After everything dries, remove the tee from the tote lid. You're ready to make your dye.

I used a smaller, 10 gallon tote so that my shirts could free-float in the dye. Put on your gloves. I filled the tote with 6 gallons of hot water since I used 2 boxes of Kelly green Rit (3 gallons per 1 box of dye). Pre-dissolve your dye powder in 2 cups (per box) of hot water. Add to tote and mix with water.

After I had my dye bin set up, I quickly rinsed my shirts in lukewarm water and set them, individually, in the tote. I stirred them constantly for about 15-20 minutes until the shirts had reached my desired color.

When the shirts are ready to come out of the dye, be sure you're next to the sink so that you don't make too much of a mess with the drip. Rinse each shirt individually in lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Ring out excess water. Hang dry.

The clean up may require bleach. Have it nearby before the dye can set on any of your counters, in your sink, or elsewhere.

Once the shirts are completely dry (will take a day or two), fill your sink (or a bucket) with cool, soapy water and let the shirts soak (I know, I know. You just spent two days waiting for the shirts to dry...) for 15 minutes. This process will help get the extra glue out.

After the soap bath, put your shirts in the washer and dryer as normal. Then enjoy your sweet watermark tee!

Catching Fire

On a slightly random, unrelated note: only 17 more days until The Hunger Games premiere!

I hate to admit that I've neglected you all week. The week started off ridiculously slow, but toward the end of last week, things were crazy as we got ready for our trip to Charlotte.

Last week:

David and I went to the Duke vs. FSU basketball game. It was my very first (yay, new things)! We seemed to be two of maybe four Duke fans in our section, but sports controversy is something I'm good at (Go Yankees). After all that, they go ahead and lose (despicably) to North Carolina (look at me talking like I know something about basketball). Speaking of sports, apparently I'm participating in March Madness. I'll be sure to keep you updated on my terrible team picking skills.

While I'm thinking about it, I've recently decided that I'm a fan of double dates...or even just group get-togethers...as in we need to start going on them. David and I rarely get pictures together because we go out/travel alone. And I'm not really a fan of this:

Anyway.
After church last week, Mal and David went with me to pick up a craigslist find that I'd been working on securing all day. I've always wanted a "tall" bed. One that people have to struggle to climb. One that Leo has to get a running start to jump. I thought what I needed was a new bed frame, but what I really needed was to put a box spring underneath the tempurpedic. After a totally sketch trip behind the Tallahassee mall, I was able to create the perfect tall bed.

AND! I've finally finished my pallet shelf after months of trying to get it done. Another big "Thank you!!" to the best man ever for cutting and sanding it. It took some doing, but it's beautiful. I also did a major clean up last week (even though my room is generally clean) and threw out a bunch of old stuff, filed important papers, shredded incriminating useless documents, and organized my closet and bookshelves. It's amazing how much stuff can fit into one tiny room.

****

Usually, people find themselves distracted by fantasies and day dreams. Daily, I find myself distracted by the second most incredible thing in my life. Sparing you the sappy, gushy romance, I'll try to make this quick...

Recently, I'd reread all of my old blog posts. It's hard to deny the transparency of pain and aggravation through my words; a tumultuous rush of frustration and slight regret. Did I say slight? I mean, I don't regret it at all. Without such ridiculousness, I never would be where I am today: carefree, drama-free, stress-free, and in love with a extraordinary man of faith, patience, and understanding. I wake up every day and go to bed every night thanking God for the riches I've been blessed with. I've heard that you'll never appreciate happiness if you've never experienced sadness. This has certainly proven itself to be irrefutable. These days, love, trust, honesty, and God-centeredness are few and far between. I am so utterly blessed. With that being said, it's not hard to believe we've made it 6 months (woo!) without angry tears, screaming, or frustrated expletives.

Moving right along.

Charlotte was great, but exhausting. I met so many splendid people over the weekend. It stirred that seldomly quenched desire for a "good" family; decent even. While there are a few people that stick out in my mind as spectacular, loving, trusting, supportive family members, I could count them on one hand. Spending time with David's family, while so inviting, made me feel the strong absense of family in my own life. Knowing the reasons that I have yet to introduce David to my family makes me apprehensive to have him spend five days in South Florida with me in April. At least he understands that their behavior is not a reflection of me. I might as well have been adopted.

We were doing so well! Let's redirect.

We found ourselves in bed every night before midnight over the weekend. We ate a lot of healthy food (not hard when you're visiting healthy people), but treated ourselves to some birthday cake. We even managed to get our butts up and train before heading home on Sunday. (Which actually ended up being an adventure.) Running without my glasses with a vaguely memorized map in my head--my inhaler left somewhere in the house--did not make for the easiest training day, but 30 minutes and a heart full of worry later (I got lost, David was worried and came searching for me), I couldn't help but feel accomplished. Our running schedule has been variable, but we've managed to stay on task and complete three days each week. Today is our first day of week 4. Halfway there!

Have a great week, guys.

Catch up with my link-ups Thursday and Friday!