New Improvements

So after years of living in what I call "white trash ghetto" and being grateful for a roof over my head but not so happy with the look of the house, I took a huge leap and added some color! Now, I am beginning to feel like I can call it "home".

I was a bit nervous and excited at the same time so below... you can see what I did. And if you keep scrolling down, you'll see how incredible the wall looks with my couch! I also took my paintings from Italy to Michael's yesterday to order the frames, OH I CANNOT wait til they come in! Yes, I will post pictures! They are black frames with brown matting!

Happy Thanksgiving

It's that time of year when we give thanks...

so today I decided to give 36 things I am thankful for:

1. My mom and dad {they have always supported me and show me what true unconditional love is}

2. Morgan and Faith {they bring joy into my days and they are kind of incredible young girls!}

3. My job {with the Economy the way it is... how can I not be? I have great benefits, a good income, and free school!}

4. Paula {she is still an inspiration to me and I miss her!!!! She is my hero}

5. Friends in my life at this moment {the ones I can call with concerns, worrys, and happy moments}

6. Friends I have had in the past {they have helped me become who I am today}

7. My house {I might call it white trash ghetto but I have a roof over my head}

8. Co-workers... aka friends {they continuously keep me sane at work and make me laugh}

9. My trip to Italy

10. My bed {it's big and comfy and I love it!}

11. Rain and cold weather

12. Max, my dog {yes, I know I've complained about him all these years but old age has made him a bit more calm and he loves me no matter what!}

13. My blackberry {it can keep me in touch with the world}

14. My computer {see above}

15. God {he kind of rocks}

16. My health

17. Color {Paint on the walls makes me happy and makes my house seem more like a home}

18. DVR {I get to dvr Lipstick Jungle, Prison Break, 24, all my shows and watch them when I get a chance, even if it's a year later}

19. Olive Oil from Italy

20. My desire to help others

21. My family {aka: cousins, aunts, uncles, ect}

22. America

23. Freedom!!!

24. Appletini's and nights out with friends

25. My hearing and eyesight

26. My independence and ability to speak up for myself

27. Good movies

28. Ice {in Italy, they usually do not give you ice... I never realized how much I like ice until then}

29. Amy Row for encouraging me to go back to school.

30. The ability to walk where I want or need to go.

31. Roast and Potatoes {All American food}

32. That the cost of gas is going down

33.That there is a GPS that detects photo radar {so I heard... I just need to find this handy little device}

34. The beach

35. Life

36. Endings that only made me stronger

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving~

Peace!

Arizona = Heat

So as you know, I was born here in Arizona and I have lived here my entire life. Growing up, I HATED the heat! I wanted to move... anywhere! As long as it was out of this city of hell.

Did you know the house I grew up in only had a swamp cooler? No wonder I HATED it here!

Well, as I got older, I grew to love Arizona and learned to deal with the summers. Not that I enjoy them... but I deal with them. It also seems that every year it takes longer and longer for the cold weather to arrive. We have been able to wear t-shirts and flip flops and it is still in the 80's. Now, did you all realize that tomorrow is THANKSGIVING!!! I swear, something is wrong. Wasn't Thanksgiving all about jeans and sweaters? What happened? Why is it every year when my family gets together and we eat outside, it is still a bit warm? I mean, you could wear a long sleeve shirt in the shade but you definitely do not need to pull out winter items. Ok, wait, Arizona winter clothes are long sleeve shirts! HA~

Well, today it rained. Today it is cold (for Arizona). I LOVE it!!!

I love cold weather.

Bundling up in warm clothes.

Drinking hot chocolate.

Warm soup.

I love being able to use the scarves I bought in Italy.

The only thing I dislike... is my feet get cold in flip flops still.

But I'm a flip flop girl so that is a hard habit to break.

Enjoy the Arizona winter....

Decision Time

A half marathon is a road running event of 21,097.5 meters, or 13+7⁄64 miles, about 13.1 miles. It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. It is a popular race for runners of all abilities, long enough to be a serious challenge for most people, but not requiring the level of training of a marathon. In consequence, many towns and cities hold annual all-comers half marathon races through their streets. It is also common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon, using almost the same course with an early finish.

So I am thinkin I might start training for one of these... What do I have to lose? I'll keep ya posted!!!

Happy Tuesday~

Peace!

ROCKSTARS = RON AND DARA

Update on the IRONMAN: They both finished! And our cheering section did not quite until they both crossed the finish line! Ron, he rocks! He is such a great husband to Dara and I adore the man. Dara though... she has been such an inspiration to so many people. She has no idea and maybe that is what makes her so incredible. Just an fyi for those of you (me included) who sometimes think we "can't" do it... this amazing woman completed an entire Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run) without being able to move her back or neck due to an injury! I am so proud of her (and Ron too!). I think she belongs on a box of Wheaties! She is that awesome!!! Below are some pictures I took throughout our cheering night. It was so much fun being out there cheering on Ironmen. If you have never done it, I suggest giving it a try one time. It is very motivational. I know one guy who crossed the finish line... was 71 years old! Imagine that...

Watching intently to make sure we did not miss her cross the line. Ron got too close for us to get a picture of him.

Chiara and Luca (Simone's kids) up late and cheering on the athlete's. They were so cute and so excited to be there to watch Dara finish. They held their hand out for hours as athlete's passed and gave them "five".


Simone and I - by the way... it is almost winter time in Arizona... It was a bit cold out!



Dara passed us and on her way to cross the finish line!
I think we were all most in tears... ok, I know I was!!!!
And you should have seen the smile on Ron's face as he found us in the bleachers to say she was on her way.

After the Race: Simone (hold Luca who fell asleep), Chiara, Me, Ron, Dara, Missy, and Becky

Ron and Dara!

The Girls: Simone, Chiara, Me, Ron, Dara, Missy, and Jocelyn

Ironman

Remember my friend Dara? The amazing woman who was training for the Ironman a few years ago and hit by a car while riding her bike? Remember how she did not let her injuries stand in her way and when she was given permission by the doctor's she started training again? Remember that this woman has had more obstacles come her way than most people I know. And remember how today she got in the water at Tempe town lake and began her journey through the 2008 Ford Ironman?

I will be at the finish line with other friends waiting for her tonight, cheering her on.

Because she is that AMAZING and deserves every cheer that we have!

She is kind of a ROCKSTAR like that!

Oh- and just one more of my hero's!!!

Friends

Do you ever just miss someone?

I miss these girls mother.

I think today... she was here. I turned on the radio and heard, You Oughta Know by Alanis.

We used to sing that song at karaoke.

I like spending time with good friends. Ones you have not seen in awhile.

I miss them too!

Twilight Official Trailer

Last night I went to see Twilight. Sarah and her friend went to stand in line around 6pm. Jenny and a the rest of us went to get some food and meet up with Sarah after around 8:30. Yes, people stood in line forever for good seats! We got into the theater around 9:30 and still had to wait til midnight for it to begin.
Waiting was interesting. There were a few guys who were hilarious! They came prepared with beach balls to throw while we waited. However, no one expected the uptight grumpy women. Security came in and took the ball. The women complained about the guys (I put in my 2 cents that they were doing nothing wrong and the women needed to loosen up some). Seriously... what else were we suppose to do for 2-1/2 hours while we were in a theater??? We had fun at the grumpy women's expense though...
The movie finally started at midnight. It was definitely a bit different than the book, slower, but still good.
Fun times with great friends!
Thanks Jenny and Sarah for letting me tag along with you!!!

We Survived!

I'm a Survivor!!!!

Those Born 1920-1979

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets and when we rode our bikes , we had no helmets, not to mention the risks we took hitch hiking.

As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts, or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

WE ate cupcakes, white bread, and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because, WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes. No video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms.......

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.

Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers, and
inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned

HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!

If YOU are one of them...

CONGRATULATIONS!

Oops...

I missed a post yesterday! That stinks and means I need to double up.

However, tonight will not be the night.

School is overtaking my life!!!

I'm sorry, I am out of things to blog tonight...

my brain is shut off and I need some much needed sleep...

tomorrow night = TWILIGHT!

I can't hardly stand it I am sooo excited! =)

ESFJ = Me

{Me when I was little with my cousin, Davey}

What is ESFJ?
Well, I took the Jungian 16-Type Personality test
I am ESFJ, aka: The Caregiver.

As an ESFJ, your primary mode of living is focused externally, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit in with your personal value system. Your secondary mode is internal, where you take things in via your five senses in a literal, concrete fashion.

ESFJs are people person's. They love people. They take their responsibilites very seriously and are very dependable. They value security and stability, and have a strong focus on deatils of life.

ESFJs are warm and energetic. They need approval from others to feel good about themselves (could be why I always ask for advice on an outfit, make up, hair, ect). They are hurt by indifference and don't understand unkindness. They are very giving people, who get a lot of their personal satisfaction from the happiness of others. They want to be appreciated for who they are, and what they give. They're very sensitive to others, and freely give practical care. ESFJs are such caring individuals, that they sometimes have a hard time seeing or accepting a difficult truth about someone they care about. (is that me or what!?)

We respect and believe in the laws and rules of authority (however I HATE those stupid photo radar's and I do NOT believe in them!).

ESFJs at their best are warm, sympathetic, helpful, cooperative, tactful, down-to-earth, practical, thorough, consistent, organized, enthusiastic, and energetic. They enjoy tradition and security, and will seek stable lives that are rich in contact with friends and family.

Ok, so this MBA thing... it is kind of interesting so far!

Blessed Home

Have you heard of smuding?

Smuding is one of the best ways to remove negativity,

negative forces, and unwanted energies from your home.

The most important thing you will need to begin a smudging ritual for your home will be a smudge stick. Smudge sticks are normally hand made and rolled, and tightly tied together by yarn or string. There many different variations, scents, and herbs that are used in the making of a smudge stick, however, sage is the most common one used because sage is one of the most potent negativity killers out there today and has been for hundreds of years.

For more information, go here

So tonight, Simone smudged my house leaving it blessed.

Peace~

Color, Cut, Style...

Well I stink because I do not have photos... next weekend I will have some photos to post.

The girls spent the night last night and it has been awhile since the three of us have been together. They are amazing and exactly what I need some times! We had fun just hanging out. Last night they played and watched a movie while I struggled over homework. Faith kept asking if I was done yet. She also said she is going to go to college after high school so she does not have to go to school online like I do! HA- little does she know she will probably go to school online because it will be the way most will eventually go to school. We talk about the importance of getting a college degree all the time so I think they understand they'll be going to college! I am not sure what was up with Faith but she kept asking me how much everything in my house cost. She was making me laugh. She would not go to sleep until I went to bed last night, she usually doesn't. However, Morgan climbed into bed around 11. Faith and I headed off around midnight.
We woke up this morning and headed to see Audrey to get our hair cut. Faith still has the same cut with bangs, just above her shoulders now and Morgan changed her to the same cut. I am trying to convince Morgan to start styling her hair in the mornings. So when we got home today I handed her the flat iron and showed her how to use it. We tried it on Faith's hair and then Morgan did her own. I even had Faith try it. I think (and hope) they'll start using the flat iron on their hair now that they know how easy it is to use! Now some of you may not understand but this is great news because they never do anything to their hair. Since Susie has come along though, she does do stuff with their hair but in the mornings for work she leaves too early so obviously the girls need to learn to do their own hair. Anyways, I am excited!
After our hair (I had color and a cut... normal color it is now) we ran a few errands and the girls are going to help me organize the second bedroom so I can eventaully put a bed in there. I need to get rid of my corner desk and once my friend Nicole finds a new house, she'll be taking it away! It feels good to start getting rid of stuff I do not use or need.
That was our weekend! Relaxing... Hair... Fun!

10 mins left

So I have 10 minutes left in this day to post a message. I am just going to say I am glad this week is over and happy the weekend is here. I've been on edge all week, just a lot going on with school and work. Girls had a dentist appointment this week (things are good but Morgan still has a couple cavities we need to have filled). They love the dentist! YAY!!! Work- let's just say TOTAL burn out! School... I'm second guessing myself but excited to learn so much new stuff! I am going to be smart! HA-
Tonight the girls have been here with me. They have been chillin' while I finished my homework from yesterday. It's 11:50 pm here and I just finished! So I am off to get some sleep, Faith is patiently waiting, she keeps coming in and asking if I am done yet. I think if I make her wait any longer, she'll fall asleep on my front room floor.
Ciao~

Christmas gift ideas

So I have this cute friend whom I call Elizabeth... but I believe only I call her that, maybe I am wrong. Anyways... she is so dang creative it is UNBELIEVABLE! She created the charm I wore for over a year that said FREEDOM. Tonight I attended her jewelry party where you could see face to face her adorable stuff. Of course I got a necklace and because I love her stuff so much I decided I would share her website with you!

Check Liz's stuff out here

Check out her adorable rustic signs too! I'm going to be looking into that once I get my humble home a bit more organized and livable. Anyways... on a side note. I am smarter than I thought! I did well my first week of school and have an assignment due tonight. Uhmm... I have not startedd but never fear, I have 3 hours left to get it done.
So I am off to do homework.

Peace~

If You Want Me To

I listen to this song over and over when I have had one of "those" days. Thought I would share...
Off to church for worship now and then back home to listen to this one til I fall asleep.

Veterans Day

To my dad and all the other veterans:

Thank you for serving.

For sacraficing your life so I have freedom-

Freedom to say what I want

Freedom to make my own decisions

Freedom to vote

Freedom to walk down the street and hold my head high

because

I am

American!

Today I am thankful for...

What I am thankful for...
today....

***I work with a great group of people {except the compulsive liar}.

***An even working with the compulsive liar adds fun to our work envirnoment because... yes, we make fun of him but seriously... he is telling everyone that he is planning a UFC fight in the desert. At first it was going to be in Nov. but now it is moved to Dec. I am sure it will soon be postponed to Jan. and so on. Did I mention he was chased through the jungle by communist and held a knife to some guy for insulting his "mama"? Oh there is more... much more and we laugh every day at him. This might be wrong but the guy had no clue the difference between truth and lies. My father said he was like a piece of cheese sliding off a cracker! {that makes me laugh}.

***Speaking of my father... he is currently in China and I got an email from him today. He is happy there and doing good. That is good news! But I miss him!!!!

***My patience. I helped one of my co-workers students. She is 75 years old and going back to school. I spent 2 hours on the phone with her teaching her how to right click a mouse (that confused her to the left clicking), how to copy and paste, and how to save documents to Microsoft word.

***I worked out HARD! with Natalie and Cliff. Cliff is our awesome trainer! Even though I gave him a few dirty looks... he knows how much I appreciate him! He seriously ROCKS!!!

***I came home and finished putting my last chair together. My table and chairs are complete. Now I just need to put the buffet together but that will come tomorrow {maybe}.

***I finished my first week of school. I had a mental breakdown on Friday night because I felt completely intimidated by the other classmates. They seem to be more "formal" in their writing than I am. Plus I want to constantly crack a joke. I was not sure if I would be able to complete this program or even if I chose the right one... but I know I did because I realize the only way I will learn is to take the courses. So when I am done... I will be smart in the business world!

That my friends are some of the reasons I am thankful today.

Faith's day

So today I took Faith for her birthday gift! Yes, I know, I'm almost 2 months late. For the girls birthday's this year I did not get them a present (wait... yes I did! They each got to pick something out at the store... Morgan got the Miley Cirus CD and Faith got a webkin). We also went to dinner to celebrate their birthdays and as you know, I got Morgan tickets to see the Jonas Brothers (even though they only sang about 4 songs). Faith is a bit harder to find things for that are a bit "special" she is still pretty much only into dogs and cats. Morgan suggested me taking Faith to a dog show! Serious!!! There is no way I would sit though a dog show sooo I had to figure something out and that I did.
We went to Red Robin for lunch then over to As You Wish to paint. Faith painted a dog... After, we stopped at cold stone creamy and had ice cream to celebrate her birthday. From there, we went to borders were she spent her gift certificate that my mom got her. She got a few books, even picked out chapter books! I am really proud of her because it seems her reading is improving! GO GLASSES!!!
I totally did not get any pictures! Sorry about that but the girls are spending the night on Friday night and then we are headed to get our hair done (my colored and cut, their's just a cut) so I'll try and take some pictures then.
Ok- it is time to get some sleep. Tomorrow is Monday... ick!
peace~

Lipstick Jungle

Does anyone else out there watch this show? I LOVE it! I believe the show has become my favorite. Maybe because they are older women and let's face it... so am I. Maybe because I secretly would love to live in the heart of a major city {I seriously do not consider Phoenix a real city}. Nico is dating the hot, young guy, Kirby. Victory is on again off again with Joe, the billionaire and Wendy is married to Shane with 2 kids. The women are all very successful, it's almost like Sex and the City but maybe not as trashy?
Anyways, if you do watch it or have only caught a few episodes or maybe want to tune it... it's now on Friday nights at 8pm {AZ time} on NBC.
That is all I have for today-
Peace!

Kristi Yamaguchi Friends and Family

So on October 12, I took Morgan to see Kristi Yamaguchi and friends. This was her birthday gift. We had incredible seats but I think the best highlight of the night was the Jonas Brothers! Yes, Morgan's first taste of a "concert". Apparently there was some girl there by the name of Demi Lovato. Morgan got so excited! {does anyone else know who this is?} Jordan Pruitt also performed {another person I did not know}. My favorite was watching the ice skating, not sure how much Morgan was in to that!

We had such a blast! This was another one of those great "mom" moments that I am blessed to be a part of. Don't get me wrong, I wish more than ever Paula was here to share these moments with the girls... and I know if she was still here, she would be. Just to see the look on Morgan's face for the couple of hours we were there was priceless and worth every moment of the screaming teenage girls. The other moment was when she threw her arms around me and said she loved me and thanked me! Seriously, does life get any better than that?

the show airs tomorrow {Saturday, November 8} on NBC {channel 12} from 4-6 pm EST {that would be 2-4 AZ time}.

It is airing the actual performance we saw and yes, I will be recording it!

Now for the sad part... I had read on the website that we were not allowed to bring cameras. Not wanting to risk the chance of this being an issue, I left my camera behind therefore having only my cell to take pictures with. {sorry for the poor quality}

The photo below is of the Jonas Brothers {this is the one that turned out the best}. I also tried to get a good shot of Morgan getting into them singing. Below is one of her clapping. She even screamed at one point! Too cute!!!

P.S. This daily posting is actually fun... it is a good way for me to journal and one day I will be very thankful! Thanks for reading...

Being positive

Being that my last few posts have seemed so negative, thought I would throw some positive stuff out there!

So what is positive? Last night I was talking with Faith on the phone. Little quick backgroud: Before I left for Italy I told her I would take her out for an afternoon to celebrate her birthday (yes, I am late but we have all been busy). Anwyas... I told her we needed to do that soon as in this weekend and she agreed. She wants to bring little Faith (the soon to be step sister and yes, they are both named Faith!) so I told her that was fine (little Faith is 6 and I think they both need other nicknames besides big Faith and little Faith!) ANYWAYS.... We'll be headed out to lunch, As You Wish, and Borders on Sunday in celebration of her birthday. So you are wondering what the positive part is? Grab your kleenex because it was quite tender. When I hung up the phone I told her I loved her. Now, I always do this and usually get a reply back but it is more a jumbled "love you too". Last night though, it was a full "I Love You too". That people is worth everything! I just had to share because I honestly love those girls as if they were my own and would do anything in the world for them (I know you all know this!). They are incredible girls and pretty much, my mission is to make sure they grow up to live healthy, balanced, successful lives. I am so looking forward to this weekend!

For those of you wondering about Morgan... I took her to the Kristi Yamaguchi/Jonas Brothers family night a few weeks ago (will post pic's and an update soon). That was her birthday present. I think it is cute Faith asked me if little Faith could go. I am really glad they get along. Of course Morgan being the "big" sister... well, we know how that is. I am glad we get our own time together, I think it really is beneficial for Morgan to get away on her own and Faith too (if she wants). Of course I love having them both together.

Have a Happy Thursday!

Random shots in Italy

I decided to put up some random photos I took in Italy... so enjoy:

I just love this photo that I took at the Roman Forum.

Random shot of traffic in Rome while we were on our bus tour. It was nice to be off our feet for a little bit and we got to see a lot of Rome. If you are planning to go, I would highly suggest doing a bus tour of Rome your first day and then hitting the sites once you are rested from your long flight over!

So who would think it is safe to drink water in Italy? We all know (being the Arizonians we are) that you cannot drink water when you go to Mexico! So I was a little afraid to just walk up, fill up my water bottle, and start drinking. In Italy... it is ok to do that! Here is a photo of a place (seriously not sure what it is called) you can fill up your water bottle!

Speaking of drinkings.... while you were all in the early morning of work, we were enjoying Venice. Patty and I stopped at a little stand that sold cold beverages... aka: water, coke, and lovely bottles of bacardi breezers! So, why not? We are on vacation! We bought ourselves the delicious beverages and enjoyed every minute of it. Who knew you could walk down the streets of Venice with alcohol in your hand while your friends are back home working! I love Italy!!!

If you look close, you can see the clothes hanging out to dry. They do not have dryers because there is no room in their homes. They put everything out to dry. Now they did have drying racks in their house for the more "delicate" items but I still saw some had it all hanging out! {By the way, this is Genoa and I'll post photos of each place we visited over the month!}

Yep- tell me how the heck you pee here!!!? I had heard about the different toilets and the fact that some places you had to pay to pee (see tip below). A lot of places would have their toilet seats removed so needless to say when we would find a place to go to the bathroom as normal as possible, it was fabulous! This particular toilet we found on our way traveling to Cuneo. I had to pee bad... there was no way I was going to be able to hold it even though I wanted {is this TMI?}. Anyways Patty and I headed for the bathroom first while Brigid stayed behind with the luggage. We are at a train station and walk in to find this... OH NO I tell Patty, let's check out another bathroom... so we head to the next one on a different platform. We find the exact same thing! By now we are busting up laughing and asking each other how we are suppose to pee. DUH... squat! Ok- TMI but I have to say the entire time I was peeing I was laughing and so was Patty. Luckily this was the only toilet we came across like this but you will see the toilet below this has no toilet seat and we came across our fair share of these.

On a side note: As I said, some places charge you to use the restroom (I found this mostly in Venice, Brigid paid 1 euro which at the time was about $1.45 American dollars). Make sure you use the restrooms when you are eating at a restaurant or in a museum.

Some Italian men standing on a street in Rome. Everyone smokes there! That is probably the one thing I did not like about Italy and could not wait to come back to AZ for... non smoking EVERYWHERE!

The street signs throughout Italy

Another street shot in Italy. This again was on our bus tour.

Back to school

So today I started my class for my MBA. WOW! It is not hard yet but I am feeling a little intimidated. I know I can do this but let's face it, I do not have a lot of experience in the business world. Sure, I did purchasing for Scrapbooks, Etc. but is that enough to get me through this program? Reading the autobiography's of other students... these people have some experience! So yes, I feel a bit intimidated but you know, I am going to get through this. Did I mention this is only the first class and it is suppose to be easy! We will see. I will tell you this much though, I am really liking this online thing. I had decided to take one online class and then transfer to UOP's ground campus (like I did for my bachelor's degree) but this online thing, I am doing homework and interacting with other students (for points obviously) on my lunch break and as soon as I get home. I might stick this out with the whole online thing. Anyone else want to join me???

On a side note, did you vote? I did! I am not getting political but I like how I feel when I vote. Voting makes me feel smarter. I haven't followed the entire campaign but I definitely knew who I was voting for... now just to see if he wins! {Yes, Beck... No to O}

So that is my blog for today. I have some reading to do on managerial work so I should probably get that done.

Happy Voting Day!
Peace~

Heck-

I thought if I prepared a post the day before it would post on the day I posted it! Make sense? Well, I prepared the Rome photos to post today but... it now looks like I made 2 posts on Nov. 2! So much for planning ahead!
Ok- so let's discuss my day... READY?
Do you ever have one of those days were you just seem completely exhausted and you just want to go home, climb back into bed, and go to sleep? That was my day. The part I don't understand is why? I got almost 8 hours of sleep. I worked out today (which I have not done in over a week). Then I got to the point that people just started to irritate me. Not so much all people but people who have absolutely NO drive/motivation!
Ok- here is the thing. I start my MBA tomorrow, I'm freaking some. I know how much time it will take away from anything in this world I enjoy doing BUT I am making the sacrafice. Then I get a call from one of my students who after 2 classes decides she is going to quit because it is just too hard. Now, going back to school is hard but come on! Why do people have to give up on their dreams? Why do people have absolutely NO ambition? I spend a lot of time working with people to help them and encourage them to get back into school and work on a degree. A degree that will ONLY benefit them and then they call to say "I'M TOO LAZY". Seriously, do you think I want to give up some of my time to write a 10 friggin page paper? NO- but I know in the end the benefits it will only provide for me. Do I enjoy making more money now? YES! Do I want to travel more? YES! Do I want to be an example to Morgan and Faith? YES! Do I want to better myself? YES! So of course I am going to go back and get my degree because everything I want, I can obtain!
Seriously... I sound a bit negative tonight but it is out of frustration. Do not let people hold you back. Do not let your own fears hold you back. Set goals and obtain them. What is it you really want to do? Where do you want to go? What makes you happy? Where do you want to be in 10 years? And I think most importantly, something I always think about: What do you want people to say at your funeral? That sounds a bit morbid but it is the truth.
Ok, thanks for listening and trust me, you will soon hear me complain about those 10 page papers!
Happy Monday-
Peace!

Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum

Just a few pictures from Rome...

By making a commitment to post every day this month, that means the photos I promised will finally get posted here! Here are a few from my first day in Rome.

We went to the Colosseum and then to Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum.

The first 2 pictures are at the Colosseum.

3rd picture is taken from the Colosseum of the Roman Forum

Last 2 photos are at the Roman Forum. I love the last picture... of the cobblestone street. Just think of who walked along that street so many years ago!

Enjoy!

I Remember...

So the last couple of days I followed an old co-workers blog about her husband. He had cancer and the outcome did not look good. It made my heart very sad. She has 2 little ones and it made me remember....
Remember Paula and the last 2 weeks she was with us. I never journaled much about those days. But as I read Em's post... I remembered.
And I remembered that feeling when Em mentioned it did not look good and they would be taking her husband off the breathing machine. I remember the last night laying next to her bed afraid to go to sleep. I was afraid I would not be there when she passed away. I remember Steve {Becky's husband} assuring me that I needed to get some sleep and he would sit with her. I layed there on that chair/bed and cried. I do not know how long I cried, but I do remember Steve praying for Paula, Beck, and I.
I remember waking up the next morning and waiting for the test results. I remember the doctor telling us the 3 options and knowing the only one she would want: to be taken off the machines. I remember calling everyone I could. I remember calling my dad and just crying. I remember the 15+ people who came to her room to meet when she was taken off the machines and I remember singing worship songs for not very long before she passed away.
I remember being numb for a year. Most importantly I REMEMBER her.
Every day... I miss her. The numbness eventually goes away. The anger of her being gone... has not left yet. I wonder if it ever will.
So today, do not forget to tell those around you how much you love them. You never know when that person will be taken or when it will be your time. Choose to love and be happy {easier said than done sometimes}.
Always REMEMBER though.... Paula

National Blogging Month

Ok- So I started stalking this incredible blog of a woman living in Italy! Yeah, I'm obsessed. But... I do plan on visiting her lil B&B when I go back. Anyways, there is apparently a National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) and I decided that I was going to attempt this. What does it mean? Well, you apparently post every single day for the month of November. This might be a good thing. Anyone else want to join in? I think it might be time for me to learn a few extra tricks to this blogging world and maybe I'll venture out and get a new look {don't hold your breath}.

So check back daily for updates and thoughts. I have a lot... I just don't always post them.