Celebrate...

This is my friend, Jenn.  You should be jealous of me because she is awesome.  I hit the jackpot in the friend department.  Anyway, today is her 26th birthday so I'm showing her a little love, you should too!! 

10 reasons why I love this girl!

1)  She is a gentle source of encouragement.
2)  She is the voice of reason...I need that a lot.
3)  I once threw a glass of water on her and she still talks to me.  (Long story but basically I'm a horrible friend).
4)  She's my mom.
5)  Someday she is going to raise my children. 
6)  She knows how everyone is related to everyone and probably the latest tidbit of gossip.
7)  When I lived with her she cooked for me!
8)  Her faith is inspiring.
9)  We can go months without talking and pick up right where we left off.
10)  She understands my sarcasm, knows my past, knows all my faults and loves me anyway!

Happy 26th Birthday Jenn!  Next time we are together I will make you cupcakes.  They will be delicious.  We will eat and we will laugh!  Thank you for being such a great friend!  Love you!

Losing Focus...

It is official.  A couple of months ago I signed up for my first race.  My goal is not to beat other people...my goal is to finish without dying.  I will be doing the 10k.  Right now my goal time is 1:20.  Which I think is doable.  I have never ran a race.  I hate running outside.  There are hills outside and I have to keep my legs going.  When I'm on the treadmill I usually run at an incline of 1 or 1.5 and IT keeps my legs going.  If I don't keep going I'm going to fall off.  Can't we just transfer that to outside...

Confession.  I have been a total slacker with my workouts.  I have been getting my runs in on Mon, Tues, and Wednesday but then doing absolutely nothing Thurs, Fri, Sat, and Sun!  Eek!   That's bad, very bad.  81 days until the race...but whose counting.  I met with my trainer the other day.  She set up a new strength plan for me.  I was getting so bored of the old one.  I am pretty sure I whined the whole session.  It is going to kick my butt.  Not even exaggerating.  Also, she is making me do a lot of weird things.  I already look like crap when I'm exercising but now you want me to slam a ball down that makes lots of noise and then bear crawl across the gym?!  Eye rolls were needed I swear...Note to trainer:  I am more apt to do everything you want me to if I don't look like a complete retard doing it.  

I need to get my butt in gear and my mind back in the game.  I have been using homework as an excuse.  Yeah, I have a lot of homework but I could manage my time better.  It pains me to say that.  I'm probably not accomplishing much anyway in the two hours I could be working out.  Seriously, the internet is the devil and provides all sorts of distractions.  So, wish me luck and please tell me to get my butt in gear...I respond well to mean comments and guilt!

XOXO,

     NMO

Organized...not so much!

Well, this is my last ditch effort of procrastination before I shower and start my paper that is due tomorrow.  This week has kind have been the week of hell.  Three papers and one presentation.  It wouldn't have been so bad if I would have completed a little more homework this weekend.  Instead I was chillin with my peeps at the 20's/30's retreat.  Totally worth the chaos this week though not gonna lie. 

With the increase work load...homework that is...I find myself putting off my runs or leaving them until last minute.  I am the queen of excuses, trust me!  I haven't been to the gym...since...I can't remember when!  Scary, very scary!  I got back from the retreat and stepped on the scale.  Eek!  I had gained 5lbs.!  No. Thank. You.  I think some of it was water weight cause I've lost a couple already but it is a nice little reminder of how easy it is to get out of the "good" habits and back into the old.  The scale definitely reflected that. 

I was hoping that this weekend could be used as catch up but it is getting filled quickly.  Thursday night after class I am visiting my dear friend Meg to catch up on SYTYCD.  Friday my mom, two aunts, and I are going wedding dress shopping with my cousin!  And out to lunch of course!  Saturday is a graduation party for my mom's cousin's son...whatever relationship that is to me?!  But I am required to attend.  So right now Sunday is looking like my day of grace.  I am really hoping to fit some S-U-N in there too.  I need to get organized so that next week I am not running around with my head cut off, that and I am going to V-Town for a tubing trip that weekend.  So, yeah!  Organization needs to become my friend stat! 

XOXO,
     NMO

In case you were wondering...

I have a new found love for PB&J sandwiches.  These days I'm either having one for lunch or one for supper.  Absolutely De-lish-ous!

I started running again.  It's amazing how fast you can get out of a habit but it still feels real good =)  By the way, I love these shoes...Mizuno Wave Creation...look 'em up!  I just did and I found out they have a boat load of new colors at Finish Line!  Super expensive but totally worth it!

Still not sleeping.  I am kind of turning into one of those morning people except I'm not cheerful.  That was your warning...

I have finished my paper.  Well, it is completed enough that I'm going to hand it in.  We had a saying in high school when we were taking chem:  Sometimes you just have to let go and say screw it!

I'm pretty sure I might celebrate with a cupcake ;)

Don't worry my whining will not stop.  We have a lab today to run our statistics...whatever that means.  I do know it means there is another paper next week. 

I have used two full ink cartridges and almost a whole pack of paper since I started grad school.  Don't worry I am doing my part to kill the trees and make our world a better place for our children!  Ha!  I just wish the teachers would make copies for us since they have big, fast, efficient machines...but I guess when you are in grad school teachers don't do that.  Lame. 

I was reminded last night that everything happens for a reason.  And boy, oh boy, am I glad that the Lord has plans for me that I don't know about cause I really can make a mess of things. 

Ok, I am off to plasma to help save a life ;)  You're welcome.

XOXO,
     NMO

Procrastination...

That is exactly what this post is...a form of procrastination.  Yup my friends.  It is a Saturday night, it's only 9:00 p.m. and I'm doing homework.  Wow!  I. Am. Lame.  In my defense, I do about a half an hours to hours worth of "working" and then I take about the same amount of time for a break.  I learned this trick in one of my psychology classes, once upon a time.  It is supposed to help promote memory and learning.  Although, I am quite certain "breaks" were supposed only supposed to be 10 -15 minutes. I often tweak things to work better for me =)

Today I went to my lil bros baseball tournament.  His team kind of played like crap but it was fun anyway.  Sun + Lawn chairs + Baseball + little children = A GOOD TIME

Uncle Adam

She only stayed in her stroller for about two seconds.  Where these kids get there energy...I'll never know?!

I really love this function of my camera.  Team pow-wow.  They were actually kicking some butt this game. 

And yes, this is what I need to go back to.  Doesn't that look like fun?  If you are at all curious what graduate students perceive the attitudes of the factors contributing to poverty are...I'm your girl.   Ok, lets be honest if you really wanna know I'll give you the number to one of my classmates because I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. 

Dear Research Proposal,  I do not understand you nor do I like you.  We have issues.  It's definitely not me...I'm pretty sure its you.  I hope your buddy, Mister Qualitative Research Project, is easier. Cause that would make me a very happy person.  Anyway, I will try and do my best by you.  Please help a sista out.  Sincerely,  Drowning in Research. 

Peace out world.  I hope your Saturday evenings are far more exciting than mine!

XOXO,
     NMO

Lists...

Ok, ladies and gents.  It is your lucky day.  I am going to provide for you a one of a kind, oh so random, blog post for your reading pleasure.  Please! Please! Hold the applause =)

• School is kicking my butt.  Not even lying.  This is not me pretending like it is really hard...it IS really hard.  My history course, piece of cake.  No worries there.  My research class...well lets just say that I hope the teacher really likes me or that I am able to refund my money when I don't pass.  There is an assignment due every class period.  We only meet twice a week but my other class meets twice a week also...anyway what I'm trying to say is all I do these days is eat, sleep (kinda), and do homework.  Ok. I'm done whining for now. 

2)  Sleep (kinda).  Do you know what this means?  Nope I'm not losing sleep over school work.  I don't roll that way.  I would say it has been about 3 weeks since I have had a decent nights sleep.  I go to bed and it never fails, I wake up at 4:30 or 5:00 a.m.!  Wide awake!  I can usually fall back asleep but it is not REM sleep.  What is wrong with me?  I thought it was these new vitamins I started taking but I stopped taking them and nothing has changed.  This girl can not survive on 4-5 hours of sleep a night.  I need at least 9 to function!  Hehehe...ok I'd take a solid 7.  So, the trainer had all these great ideas for me to try...so far none of them have worked.  Her latest idea is for me to take 3 whole days off!  Yuppers!  Sounds really awesome, right?!  I'm not gonna lie it is going to be nice to have a break.

C)  BUT...I can't believe I'm saying this...but I'm really going to miss running those days.  I hit 5 miles last night.  Granted it was a walk/run since it was in zones 1 and 2 but still!  5 MILES!  Wooohooo!   Lately I have been feeling pretty fantastic during my runs.  When I first started not sleeping I had some really tough ones and may have tweaked the plan in my favor.  Now that I've been feeling good during the runs I hate to break the streak...but what coach says goes.  Maybe I'll do homework instead!  (puke)

• Ok,  I have some really really exciting news to share.  Last weekend I bought myself two pairs of new jeans.  I got really sick of my cousin telling me that my jeans were too big and pulling them up all the time.  Anyway that is not the exciting part.  The exciting part is I bought a pair of size 8 jeans!!!!  Holy Toledo batman!  Granted they are from the GAP and we all know the GAP runs a little big. But, I. DON'T. CARE.  Size eight...I about crapped my pants.  I never dreamed I would wear a single digit size and medium for tops. MEDIUM...I don't even know what that means but I'm ok with it and am totally going to go with it.  So, what does this girl do?  Well, she celebrates with a cupcake, of course!  MMmmm I love me some cupcakes!

5)  In case you were wondering...I am doing laundry.  I hate laundry but I like having the clothes I wanna wear clean.  So it goes...well, I'm pretty sure I have nothing else to say of any importance.  Not that the previous statements were important at all.  Let's be honest I only have one follower!  Hi, Jenn!  I miss you and am totally excited to see you at 20s/30s!  That is if I haven't jabbed my eyes out by then with a pen =)

XOXO,
     NMO