Dear January

Today is the 31st , the best day of the month .

 I have two reasons why it is the best day of January.

 First off because it is my awesome sister-in-law's birthday (Jessica)... Happy Birthday Jessica!!!... 

Second because it is the last day of this dreadful month. 

With this month you have brought us terribly cold temperatures, lots of snow and ice, a long with some rain. There has been very little sun shine, and warmth, besides being at home with my handsome husband. 

Work is slow, I mean real slow because of all the money that was spent over Christmas, school has started (for me at least), and it is just a busy month with now exciting Holiday's. 

January, I have been good to you, but you have only been good to me once or twice. I am going to have to deal with you every now and again for 31 days at a time. I would greatly appreciate it if you would stop hurting me (like causing the cold ground to give me a stress fracture in my foot), and by bringing the cold you cause pain in my joints. Though I am not very old at this point, I will only be getting older from here on out. So I would like it if you didn't get so cold all the time, and would bring more springish days like your following month February does. 

January I would like to be friends, can we be friends one day? Please? 

You can be a good month, it's a time for new beginnings, for goals, resolutions and creating a new year. 

New Year's can bring new you's. So together January, lets have a good day, and enjoy this last day of this month of 2011. And together we can bring in a Happy  and Exciting February. 

February has a lot to offer us this year. Hopefully we will find out about schools, possibly where we will spend the next 5 years of our lives.

Enjoy this Last day of January, and we can look forward to warmer, brighter days here soon. 

Sugar High

So, yesterday while I was doing some of my school work, for once, I was watching a video called "Killer at Large". It is about Obesity in America and why it's so bad, and showed a couple of young kids (talking about 12 years old) that were over 300 lbs. and got lipo as well as tummy tucks and suck, but later gained the weight back, and why we have such a problem with that. One thing they said that struck me was:


 "Sugar has the same effect on the brain as illicit drugs" 


WHAT!!!!! 


Um... Scary! 


I talked to Nathan about this fact when I got home from work (because pretty sure I am a sugar freak). Well he simply reminded me that it's just the addiction of sugar that provides that high. For example I knew this guy a long time ago that would eat tubs of frosting with a spoon ALL the time! Yeah that is call sugar addiction. Well, I am addicted to running, it's how I get through my emotions, sort out my problems, it's so I can think clearly and be a little more rational the rest of the day. 


One problem... I can't run for a couple more weeks. So what have I been doing?? Turning to sugar and ice cream. Ah! No! I can't.  

So here is what I am thinking. I need to consume more calories or just better foods (fruits and veggies) through out the day so my body will receive enough energy so that I won't crave sugar so much. I have got to get this thing kicked in the butt.


My goal to all of you is that I will focus on eating better through out the day, if I am board and want to snack I will have popcorn or fruits and veggies snacky foods with out a lot of sugar or calories but just enough nutrients for my body to feel satisfied later. Also, last night I made some yummy granola bars so instead of going for the cookies or ice cream I will go for the granola bars instead, so that I am getting the sweet as well as healthier food, and I will eat less of it. 


I love making goals and projects for myself, but sometimes it's just SO hard to do by myself, if you'd like to do it with me or just check up on me that would be AWESOME! 


Also... just so you know my hair is still growing out. I haven't thought about cutting it lately, which is good. I have been putting it up in a pony tail everyday by about 1 or 2, but when my hair gets loner it won't be so annoying in this awkward stage. I will post pictures later. And I have not straightened my hair since my birthday. I will straighten it in a couple of weeks when Nathans out of town :) he doesn't like it straight. 


Starting TODAY I will focus on better foods, but if I need a little something in the evening I will have a healthy choice. I will kick my habits and through blogging and journal writing I will focus on sorting through my thoughts and get my emotional ups and downs flattened out :) 


Thanks guys for your support :) 

Sleep

While sleeping soundly last night, all warm in my bed, I woke myself up. 

How?? 

Well, by nothing else but clenching my jaw. 

Weird! 

Now that I realized I clench my jaw, it makes sense. I know now why my jaw often hurts all day long, it's because in my sleep I am stressed or something and end up clenching my jaw. 

I am going to have to figure out a way to fix this. We will see. Maybe when I can run again I will stop, but we will have to wait a few more weeks to figure that out. 

Ahh...

So yes I have mentioned the gloom and January and my distaste, but I can tell February is in the air. 

This weekend was simply beautiful. Sorry for those of you whole locked yourself indoors and shut your blinds, because I almost thought Spring was coming. 

Despite a little bit of snow Saturday morning, the rest of the weekend was simply beautiful. I was able to go outside with just one jacket on. Thats huge for me!! 

It's Monday again, a lot going on, I have a quiz due in one class and an assignment due in another class today (all of which I have completed). I still have a couple of lectures to read and a movie to watch, and tuition to pay by the end of today. Despite all of that and it being Monday it's been a really great day. 

I spent the majority of my morning waiting at the doctors office, literally I spent 99% of my time waiting. Only to find out that what I have is exactly what I thought. Who would have thought I didn't need some hairy faced doctor to tell me what I already knew?? Well, it was a sigh of relief to actually know what I have, which is nice, though it's pretty much cost me my right leg to pay for it. 

While waiting for the hairy faced doctor (who was a woman by the way), to come look at my foot, I received a wonderful call from Nathan. The best news EVER!!!! Well, for now it's the best news ever. We just found out that the Lab Nathan has been Volunteering in for the last year and a half, has now received funding. Which means Nathan will be getting paid for the wonderful work he has been doing for them. Yay! 

He really deserves it, he has worked so hard for them, and continually puts so much time and effort into his work. 

I can not tell you how blessed I am feeling right now. I feel that we are getting so much help and so many blessings and answers to our prayers. I really wish that I could run up to my Heavenly Father right now and give him and big hug and a kiss. This just means so much to me and I am SO SO thankful for the answers we are receiving. Though they have taken time, it's really teaching me to be patient and to worry less. 

Yesterday in our Relief Society lesson was given on Faith, my favorite thing they said was "Worry ends where faith begins" 

I am such a worrier and I need to stop, I need to learn to rely on my Husband and Heavenly Father. I think that will be one of my new goals this year to work on how much I stress and worry. 

I hope you all have a stress and worry free week, and remember to have faith that it will all work out. 

By the way I tried a couple of new recipes last week. I may have to post about those later. 

The Gloom of January...

So.. I am thinking it's just one of those weeks. I am actually quite positive it is. Here's my reasoning why this week isn't so great at times: because it's JANUARY!


January is the saddest, and worst months of the year. Sorry to all of you with a birthday this month, you are what make this month good. Otherwise this month has nothing to offer, other than MLK Day. 


Maybe, just maybe if I lived somewhere where they didn't have gloomy winters with lots of smog and cold it wouldn't be such a bad month. Huh? Well until then I will just endure through this month and look forward to a promising February. 


Until next time folks, I hope you are able to make it a wonderful day, tomorrow will be better (it will be FRIDAY). YAY!!! That means it's the weekend. 


I'd like to challenge you to try something new this week. To try and spice up life I want you to try a new food, make a new recipe, call someone you haven't hung out with before. Anything. I'd like to hear about it. Okay? Deal. And I will try something too. 

Ugh...

Have you had those days where you get up and you know today it just going to be crappy??


Well, that's how I felt yesterday, things weren't working right for me, and I had no motivation to get anything done. It turned out to be a pretty good day, it wasn't until I got home from work that it started to get better. Then I had fun at our Relief Society 'Junk Swap' as well as going to the gym with some of the ladies from the ward. 


One problem was that I wasn't tired when I got home so I ended up cuddling on the couch with Nathan watching T.V until around 12 am. 


Going to bed that late is very difficult for me. I have to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. My body will wake up automatically after 8 hours. If I get less I pretty much can't get up in the mornings like today. 


My alarm went off at 5:30 am to go to the gym, but I snoozed it until about 6 :45 then decided to shut it off. Which then means I didn't wake up until 8 am. I have to be to work at 8:30 am everyday, today I was late. I didn't get out of bed until about 8:15... so in other words I was late today. 


No work out + No shower = Very out of it, and grouchy Linnley


I am dying today. I want to either head to the gym, or just go home and crawl back into my warm bed. I will just have to wait to until tonight to climb back into my bed. 


Luckily I can take a lunch break today and head up to the pool for a little while to wake me up as well as get in a shower. 


I can't help but think of a reminder my Mom always told us. "You have two choices in the morning: to make it a good day or a bad day." I've had a love hate relationship with that quote, and today I hate it. Ha ha. Well yes, it's one of those days I don't feel like my usual self, so therefore I don't feel like it's a very good day, but it will be after I get to the Pool :D.


I hope the rest of you can enjoy your Wednesday, and have a fabulous day. 

NEWS!!!

I am SO excited for something!!!

Last night I got home from work, and got to read a really exciting email. It was an invitation to interview (for Nathan) at the University of Texas in Houston for his grad school program. 

He applied to several schools back in November and December, hoping to get in for the fall. As these weeks have gone by, I am getting so impatient. I am a PLANNER I love to plan everything in my life. So to not know where I will be in 6 months is getting to me. 

Well, with this interview I know that this is just the beginning of letters, contacts, interviews and hopefully acceptances from at least one or more of the schools he applied to. 

With hearing something back from someone just makes me so excited. 

Here's where he has applied (I may be missing a school or two):

University of Utah

University of South Florida

University of Texas Houston

A University in Memphis in Tennessee

University of Arizona (I think)

I am exited for the many possibilities. 

There is so much that we are so grateful for, and for the opportunities to get our educations and for Nathan to look forward to grad school. We are so blessed and I feel it all the time. Though things are tough we are so so blessed to experience the things we experience. It's all to make us stronger. I love my life, and I love all that we have. I am just so happy and excited for all the adventures that lay a head of us at this point. Our one hope it to be by family no matter where we go, and I am thinking we will be. :) 

I hope you all have such a wonderful weekend!