Everyone needs a mustache.

With all this free time I have decided that it is time to get crafty.  I recently saw a post about putting mustaches on mugs and thought it was such a fun idea!  I mean who doesn't want a lovely black mustache while drinking hot apple cider :).  

It cost less than $1.25 for each mug and are SO easy to make.  The only problem I ran into was when I would add to much paint and it would bleed through the paper stencil....however, nothing that a q-tip and water can't fix!  Here is my finished project!

Here's to being creative, hot apple cider, and having a removable mustache.

-s.

time flys when you have no time to think about it.

The date: December 10th

The year: 2012

What am I doing: nothing.

That's right.  I am doing nothing.  I am all done with the semester.  No more papers to write, chapters to read, or things to discuss.  All that is left is about a week at my internship site and then I am off for almost 3 weeks.  

This can only mean that I have  finished my 5th semester of grad school.  Only one more to go and I will have my Masters.  I honestly did not imagine it would go by this fast.  This next semester is going to rush by and before I know it I will officially be done with school (well at lest for a little bit)  Then it's time to take the big step into the  "real world".

 ahhh!!! 

can someone please figure out a way to have time slow down!!!! 

Here's to 5 semester completed in a blink of an eye, one semester to go, and trying to remember to take deep breaths and enjoy the time that I have left.

-s.

A tough reminder.

Today was the one of my toughest day at my internship so far.  I can't say much; but I can say that I am thankful for what I have learned and what I continue to learn.  Still, all this learning did not prepare me for what has happened and for what is to come.  When it comes to dealing with situations that are beyond my control all I want to do is to grab it and tell it to stop....I want to be a voice for ones who have no voice. My heart ache's today.  I hope these moments only make me stronger, wiser, and more open to what is to come.

-s.

Where's motivation when you need it!

I should be working on a project that I have due in my assessment class on Monday.  I should be reading articles to find info about reliability, t-scores, and validity.  I should be making a hand-out on what these things mean so that I can hand it to my classmates on Monday.  But what am I doing instead?  Watch and learn:

It's amazing I have made it this far in school.

Here's to no motivation, trying to convince myself that I have motivation, and adorable fur-balls.

-s.

Even when you think you can't....

This past Saturday I completed my first 5K.  It was the "Color Me Rad 5K" down in the Denver area.  Going into the race I was sure that I was not going to feel up to running or even finish in under an hour (I do not have high hopes for my running ability); however I surprised myself the entire race.  First, I was able to run for at least 15 minutes of it and I finished the race in under 43 minutes!  That means I ran about 1/3 of the entire race! During the race there were stations where they would throw colored cornstarch and watered-down paint on you.  So by the end of the race you looked like a walking tie-dyed easter egg!

Moment's like this make me feel like I can do almost anything I want.  Since my knee surgeries I have been SO careful with my what I do and how I push myself because I am afraid of them getting hurt again.  But is that a way to live?  I guess I am showing myself one moment at a time that it isn't.  I hope to continue to work at running and to do many 5K's in the future.

Here's to doing the impossible, enjoying the feeling of accomplishment, and getting colorful in the process.

-s.

Relaxing 2 weeks.

I was able to take August 12-26th off from work, school, and internship this past month and let me tell you IT WAS NEEDED!  It was so nice to spend time with family, friends, and just feel like I could breath and not look at a to-do list.

 I was able to go to California for a while and visit my grandmother.  It was so nice to see her and to see how happy she was to be surrounded by family.  As I am getting older I think I am starting to really understand the value of family and how important it is to take the time to connect.  

I also spent the entire time with my parents.  I enjoy spending time with them more than ever.  They have so much to share with me and it is just nice to sit and talk and enjoy each others company.  

So basically the 2 weeks I had off were low-key, calm, and just blissful.

Here's too taking 2 weeks off, spending time with family, and enjoying every minute of it.

-s.

taking time to enjoy.

Now this post might be a bit corny, something a girl would write while eating lots of chocolate and watching the "Notebook", etc....however I feel like today it is needed.

As I was walking to my car after seeing my final client of the day it started to rain.  Now usually I would run to my car so that I did not ruin my hair; but today it was different.  I stood on the sidewalk and looked up to the sky and let the rain hit my face.  As the water covered me I could not help but smile and be reminded of all the little pieces of beauty that surround me that I tend to not notice on a daily basis.  

I get so caught up in the hustle and bustle and the small wonders of the world get brushed under the rug. God has provided so many wonderful things for us to smell, touch, feel, see, cherish, and has given us the gift of time to enjoy each of them.  I want to take the time to enjoy each moment that has been given to me.  Some things that I look forward to take the time to enjoy and experience in the future include:

• laughing until I cry 
• the smell of banana bread coming from the oven
• the warm embrace of someone I love
•  smelling the flowers that are growing in my yard
• butterflies in my stomach after I meet the man of my dreams
• my next "first kiss"
• the smell of cement after a rain shower 

Here's to slowing down to feel the rain, taking in the beauty of the world, and continuing to be excited for life's little moments.

-s.

look where researching gets you!

I stumbled across this proverb while I was looking up idea's for self-esteem activities to do for my internship and just loved what the words were saying.  Here is the proverb:

"She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future." -proverbs 31:25.

The idea behind this sentence fills me heart with so much happiness and hope. I think of myself as a very independent 25 year old woman who is continuing to understand and recognize the strength that I have inside myself each day. 

Now don't get me wrong there are times where what I just said goes out the window and all I want is for someone to come save me from what I am going through.  Like when I have a flat tire and can't get the spare on.  Or when I am watching a movie alone and would enjoy someones company.

  The feelings of loneliness still lingers and I can't deny when they overcome me and I feel both helpless and hopeless.  I am learning it is better to acknowledge these feelings instead of trying to hide them from the world.  This allows me to be true to myself and the moment that I am experiencing.  This helps remind me that I am strong, I am independent, and that I can continue to move ahead.  I wouldn't say that I "laugh without out fear of the future" but I have noticed that I am more willing to continue on and see what life has in store for me instead of always questioning and trying to plan out what I think is best.  Life isn't meant to be controlled by me all the time...where would the fun in that be?!?

Well here's to stumbling across a proverb, continuing to understand myself, and letting go of control in order to continue down the path life has chosen for me.

-s.

I'm a survivor.

So I am SO SO SO SO happy to say that I made it through the 1 1/2 months of 2 classes, working, and being at my internship 5 days a week.  

There were moments where all I wanted to do was throw in the towel and be done; but that just isn't my style. 

 I am now finished with my 4th semester of grad school and only have 2 more to go :)  Now since school is done for a bit I am just doing work and internship for the rest of the summer and could not be more excited about it.   I am getting great experiences and hours at my internship and am leading groups, seeing individual clients, and learning the ropes of working in a community setting.  

All I can say is I am truly blessed for all that God has granted me.

Here's to surviving 45 days of non-stop things to do , being 2/3 done with my grad program (EEKKK!!!), and finally having time to sit back and relax for the rest of the summer.

-s.

all you need is...

I know that I posted this as my FB status but I really just love the meaning behind it:

"Love without action is like a car parked in the garage. It's there but not doing much for anyone."

Love is a gift that we can give that is not only free but provides hope, security, and warmth to whomever we provide it to.  I hope I remember this and take the time to show the ones I love just that.

Here's to finding random quotes and hoping to put those quotes into action.

-s.

Arizona Adventure

I recently got back from a trip for work where GEAR UP had the privileged of taking a group of teenagers to see different colleges, Arches National Park, and the Grand Canyon.  It was early mornings, late nights, and a smelly bus but in the end it was SO worth it.  Getting to spend 4 days with students always reminds me why I enjoy working with teens.  They are full of random thoughts and sayings, they enjoy seeing the world and are excited about it, and if you just give them a few minutes of your time they usually let you into their world and you will learn so much from them.  These students are amazing teachers and amaze me each time I have a conversation with them.

 Here is a beautiful picture of the Grand Canyon!

Kathryn and I standing in front of the Grand Canyon!

The delicate arch at Arches National Park!

I have been blessed for almost 6 years now working for the GEAR UP program and being able to be part of amazing students journeys, have amazing co-workers and bosses, and meet many influential people along the way.  I honestly still don't know what I did to deserve such a wonderful job but am thankful everyday for what has been placed in my lap.

  Being able to interact with so many unique individuals helps me open my eyes and heart a little bit more each day.  It may sound corny but even though I am there to help the students I believe that they help me more than they will ever know.  They require me to test my knowledge of what is right and wrong, test my patience, and to always question the world around me.  One of the greatest gifts that I have been given by this job watching students grow and work to a moment of realization where they feel like their dreams are possible.  Their whole mindset changes from "I can't" to "Yes I can!".  They understand their potential and seem more willing to take the time to reach new heights.

Being part of such an amazing job continues to remind me that I am just a small part of a ever growing universe.  Being aware of my actions and being able to take the time to understand how they provide the world with both negative and positive outcomes will allow me to continue to grow into the unique individuals I want to become.

Here's to stumbling upon a job at Casper College, 6 wonderful years of learning, growing, and happiness, and always being ready to go on adventures even if it means driving over night with smelly teenagers in a coach.

-s.

it's going to be a busy 1 1/2 months.

I started at my internship site this past Monday.  I am still nervous but feeling more at ease with the whole situation.  It is crazy to think that I will no longer be counseling in the comfort of the C.E.T.C.  Now it will be at a community mental health center....ahh!  I also started classes up again.  I had 1-ish weeks off between spring and summer semester.  I will be balancing work, school, and internship until the end of June....all I can say is July can not come soon enough!!!

Here's to stepping out my comfort zone, starting an exciting new experience, and praying I have enough steam to make it to July 1st.

-s.

shake it out.

I am on an endless pursuit to become the best person I can be.  I want to wake up each day feeling full of purpose, heart, love, and passion for who I am and what I do.  I have been reading quite a few articles and books on spirituality and mindfulness and the need for understanding both areas in the counseling world that also help me better understand my own personal spirituality and mindfulness in my life.  

So today I will be writing about a bit of mindfulness and one way that I am starting to become more mindful in my actions.

Through these readings and soul searching I have noticed things that I still need to work on embracing and somewhat changing in my own life.  I use to think that the best thing to do with my flaws was to either push them aside or change them completely so that they were non-existent. However taking away these flaws takes away parts of me that have been there for years and have helped me get to where I am today.  I am not interesting in changing who I am, instead I am interested in making the real me into a more whole being.

Now I bet if you are still reading this you are thinking "why is Shelley being so hokey?!?".  Well I will let you in on something......sometimes I even wonder why I am being this way!!!  However I then sit back and think about the person I am aspiring to be and understand that this "hokey" part of me has always been there waiting to be noticed.  Being able to look into myself and understand that I will forever be striving to become the person I am meant to be is scary and exciting.  I have spent the majority of my life stifling this side of me and I am now ready to start letting it come out and be noticed.

Now if you are still reading after that paragraph I will explain a part of me that I am starting to embrace and tweak to help me become more in tune with myself and the world.  Since I can remember I have had a bad habit of holding in my feelings and emotions and then when I did let them out it was through aggression or denial that led to me being hateful towards others that did not deserve the treatment (this is one of my coping mechanisms when times get tough, uncomfortable, or I get upset).  A classic phrase you would hear me say when these situations would arise is "I'm FINE".   I am pretty sure I know where I learned to hold in my feelings, but at the moment I am still not comfortable sharing it but hopefully one day I will be, so for now I will just say these coping mechanisms were formed from past experiences and situations.  Holding in my emotions and treating people badly is detrimental to my friendships, my well-being, and my place in this world.  We all deserve to be heard and acknowledged for our actions and our feelings but for some crazy reason I did not feel validated in that area.  Due to this feeling I would hold in my emotions until I exploded. This was not fun for anyone.

 I told you about these coping mechanisms because I want to work on getting better at expressing my emotions in a way that makes me feel validated and comfortable and also allows others to express themselves towards me so that we can communicate in a positive manner.  I am working on becoming more mindful in my intent and understanding that I am valuable and so is the person I am communicating with.  You would think that I would already know this but to be honest I need to be reminded.  I have started to meditate and write down my thoughts in order to promote mindfulness in my everyday life.  This is helping me express myself and also be able to express myself to others; meaning I am not holding in my emotions :)

It just so happened that while I was writing this novel of a post the song "Shake it out" by Florence and the Machine came on and the lyrics were basically speaking about what I was writing in this post (ok I am not sure if they are because lyrics are for interpretation, but they seemed to be =]).  Now I usually do not like comparing songs to life situations (that was SO 6th grade when I did that!) but this one part of the song stood out to me:

"And it's hard to dance with the devil on your back  

And given half the chance, would I take any of it back 

 It's a fine romance but it's left me so undone  

It's always darkest before the dawn"

It is hard to dance when the "devil" or "unhealthy coping mechanisms" are on my back.  If I was given the chance would I give back?  NO! I would not take back having these coping mechanisms because they helped me stay alive and get to this point where I am ready to tweak the way I deal with situations and become a better more whole individual.  I understand that it is not going to be easy but I also believe that nothing good in life every came easily helps me continue on the pursuit of being more mindful and continuing to become the person I am meant to be.

Here's to coping mechanisms that helped me thrive, continuing to grow into a mindful individual, and remembering to shake it out and let it go.

-s.

500,025,600 minutes...well sorta.

Well the semester has come and gone.  I have completed 3 semesters out of the 6 that I am required to do; meaning I am 1/2 way through the program!!!  I am sure I have  said this countless times in previous post but I cannot believe how time has flown by.  Now I move onto the next phase of the program; meaning I start my internship where I am working in the community as a "counselor".  I am nervous, excited, apprehensive, and hopeful about this upcoming task.  It will be a BIG change but an exciting one!  I start my 4th semester of school this upcoming Tuesday and then start my internship in early June.  Let the fun begin!

Here's to being 1/2 done, having 1/2 to go, and the funniest/scariest part still to come

-s.

come get this va va voom

Sometimes life spins you in weird directions.  You start to go down one path, life is great, things seem great, and then all the sudden your thrown back down the road a few miles.  I am not a fan of being thrown backwards when I have worked so hard to move forward. I especially do not like it when I try to tell myself NO and still I do not listen.  I guess the only thing I can do is put it out in the universe and see what happens.... there are risks involved and I am not sure if I am ready to take on the potential outcome.  I think this is the oddest post I have ever written after reading it!  (sorry if you do not understand)

Here's to giving options, confusion, and having that va va voom

-s.

Still slowly losing the tire.

So I have been at this whole "Revolution of me: eating healthy, working out, and being mindful of the world around me" journey (now that was a long winded sentence!).  It has had it's share of great moments and some bad moments as well....here are the highlights of this 12 week journey I have started :)

Good things:

• feeling better about who I am 
• Clothes are fitting better and are starting to get a little baggy :)  
• I enjoy working out now (NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SAY THAT)
• I am finding it easier to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with my busy lifestyle by preparing meals in advance, planning my workout times, and accepting when time doesn't work in my favor.

Bad Things:

• I miss DORITOS!!!
• My clothes are starting to get baggy (being a broke college kid doesn't allow much money for shopping =] ).
• Getting sick for 2 weeks really put a damper on my routine.
• all these little things aside, things are actually all good =]

Now for the biggest highlight!!!!

 As of today I have officially lost 12.5lbs!!!!!  

It was so great to get on the scale for my weekly weigh in and see the progress I have made.  That in itself is a HUGE motivator.  I plan on continuing my working out and eating right for months to come.  I also have started taking 30 minutes a day (sometimes every other day)  to sit and be mindful of myself and my place in the world (I know it sounds a bit hokey, but I really enjoy this quiet time to myself).  

Here's to the showing myself that I can do it, even when I want Doritos's.

-s.

I'm just a little obssessed.

Over spring break I went back to visit my family and relax for a week from my usual schedule of work, school, and homework.  Well needless to say I was very excited to go visit my parents not only because I knew my mom would make me my favorite food and that I would get to spend quality time with both my parents but that I would get to spend 9 days with my kitty.  I am not afraid to admit how much I adore my cat.  She is going to be 20 year old this year and she is still cute as ever and I can not get enough of her =] 

 I still remember picking her out and taking her home and sneaking her inside (my dad tried to  make her an outside cat, but after only a few weeks he fell in love with her too =]).  She still is the spunky, spoiled, and cuddly creature that she has been for the past 20 years.  I ended up taking lots of photo's of her while I was there because I only get to see her when I visit my parents and I know that she only has a few good years left and I want to remember my little creature.  So if you are not completely bored or creeped out yet about my obsession that I have with my cat enjoy some cute pictures of her....I know I sure smile every time I see them =]

 She has her own pillows and blanket.  She likes to be covered up when she sleeps.

 She loves sleeping between people legs.  This blanket is also her blanket because according to my parents she is a 49er's fan.

 She just look so adorable here.  She is getting one of her 5000 naps she gets everyday.

She loves shopping as much as I do.  Really she just is a big snoop and has to look into every bag.  She gets really excited when the bag is empty because then she can play with it.

Well here's to little girls getting to pick out their first kitty, years of memories of the little creature, and a almost 25 year old being just as obsessed with her kitty as she was the first time she saw her.

-s.

Topsy Turvy Thursday.

Well Thursday was quite the day of emotions for me.  It all started out like this:

I got up at my usual time and got ready for work.  As I walk to my car I notice there is something on my windshield.  I grabbed it and it was a business card to a Laramie Police Officer.  I automatically started to think "o crap, did I park illegally?  Was I speeding?  Wouldn't they of pulled me over if I was speeding?".  All these thoughts were coming to my head when a woman yelled at me from across the street telling me that she had to talk to me.  She explained that she had been having coffee with her dad and that during that time this big white diesel truck tried to parallel park in front of my car.  While they were trying to park the truck ran right into my car.  At this point you would think that this truck would stop, but NO!  He then pulled forward and ran into my car again and then since 3rd time is always a charm, he ran into it a 3rd time!  The lady said she ran out there to yell at the guy to tell him to stop.  He rolled down his window and just looked at her and then drove away.  Luckily they got the guy's license plate number and they called the cops for me; hence the cop's card already being on my car.  I am SO SO SO thankful for this woman!  She saved me SO much trouble by seeing the accident and getting the guys info for me.  

Thankfully they found the guy and let me tell you he was a REAL piece of work.  He proceeds to tell me that he had no idea he hit my car (seriously?!?! how can you not know that you ran into a car 3 times....I do not care how big your truck is, you can feel when you run into something as big as a car, especially when that car is not moving!!!)  He then tried telling me that he didn't think he did it because his car had no damage....Seriously?!? you have a huge truck with a hitch! Of course there is going to be no damage to your car!!! Anywho, the cops filed a report, I have this man's info and I am going to be calling his insurance company next week.  I need a new bumper, hood, and probably other little parts to my car.  Thank goodness this guy has insurance.

Now you can imagine this put me into a funk for most of the day.  I am still thankful that they found the guy so that his insurance can pay because I had NO IDEA how I was going to afford to get that fixed (I am a poor college student =] ).  

Well while sitting at work doing some database entry I received a wonderful call that totally turned my day around!!!  I was offered an internship position starting this summer to work in the Youth and Family section at Peak Wellness Center in Laramie!!!!!  I will get the chance to work with all ages of kiddo's, do group counseling, and even start doing family counseling!!!! This is going to be such a great opportunity!  It will provide me with lots of opportunity to grow as a counselor and to learn about all different areas!  I should be starting this in June!!!  It is also great because all the stress is lifted off of me of finding an internship!  I really needed that news that day =]

Here's to big trucks trying to eat my little grand am, the kindness of strangers, and my future starting to unfold!

-s.

what a wonderful box.

So I received my first Birch Box this week! 

 If you have not heard of a birch box then you are in for a fun surprise!  It is a goody bag for girls that comes every month!  Basically you pay $10 a month and this company sends you samples of beauty products varying in sizes from trial sizes to full size products!  This is like the PERFECT thing for me because I love trying out new products but I dislike having to buy a full size product since they can be expensive and also if it is something I ended up not liking then I feel bad for wasting both the product and money.

It comes in this adorable little box with the products wrapped up and a description card of all the products and the price for the full sized items.

Here are the fun things that I got out of this cute little box =]

1) In the middle blue/yellow package :  Colorescience pro "Glow and Go Travel Puff"  This gives your face an extra glow when you are feeling a little dull...I think this is a fun products but not sure I would spend the money to get a full size.

2) Eye Rocker "Desinger Linger":  These things are so neat!  It is strips tht you put on your eyelids and it gives you the perfect "cat-eye" effect!  These will be perfect for a night out with the girls!!

3) The little pink lip-gloss: Jouer "Moisturizing Lip-gloss in Birchbox Pink":  This is such a fun color...I put a little but on and it adds a great pink hue to my lips!

4)Juicy Couture "Viva La Juicy":  I already have a big bottle of this stuff....smells so good with a mix of berries, mandarin and vanilla, its a sweet spicy scent!  I am excited to have this small guy to pop in my purse!

Extras!!!!  So they sent me some extra things this month!  I got Showstopper fashion tape in clear and black.  These will be perfect for a low-cut top and using it to keep your shirt in place!  I also got some free music downloads for a band I have never heard of but will be hearing soon!

I am excited for my next box to come in March!!!

here's to finding new fun beauty products for an affordable price!

-s.

About a year ago.....

I had applied to numerous grad schools...

Had finished 2 different grad school interviews....

Was working part time....

I had officially been a college graduate for over 2 months....

About a week from today I received a letter of acceptance to both schools I interviewed at....

I realized that grad school was REALLY happening....

Deciding to take an ENTIRELY new path....and being nervous, scared, but hopeful.....

Present time:

I have hours of reading to complete each week....

I have actually clients that I counsel....

I have been given so many opportunities to grow as both a counselor and a person

I LOVE what I do...

And to think a year ago I was worried about what I was actually going to do with my life :)

Here's to taking the path that makes me happy, stressed, hopeful, tired, that tests me everyday and keeps me excited for my future.

-s.

losing the extra tire is hard to do.

Well it has officially been 4 weeks since I started on my new lifestyle of  REALLY healthy eating and workout regimen/ getting my life more organized.  It has had its ups and down's but for the most part its all ups.  I have been reading lots of articles that say instead of setting yourself a huge goal like "I will lose 20 pounds" you set small ones like "I am going to lose 5 pounds".  I really like this way of thinking.  It is totally OK to have a huge goal but I always felt like it was so daunting and that I was never going to get there.  However when I think that I am just going to lose 5 lbs it doesn't seem as scary.....and guess what?!?!

I have lost a total of 6.6 lbs in 4 weeks!!!  

I am SO proud of myself and the commitment I have put into this.  I am starting to see results and have more energy than ever. There were many times that I wanted to give up and just eat my Doritos's ( I still eat them just in moderation now)  But I know that if I give up then all the work I have put in will be wasted.

Thankfully  it is also getting much easier to workout and not be so tired at the end of it.  I am now on my second goal of losing 5 more pounds.  Only 4.4 more to go before I hit this goal :)

Here's to healthy food and my new love the rowing machine!

-s.

no pastry cutter? no problem!

So I feel like I have been blogging lots more as of lately but I just have so many things that I find that I want to share....today's little jewel that is worth a blog post are these yummy goodies:

These little beauties are skinny buttermilk chocolate chip scones :).   It looks like a giant cookie but is much flakier and thicker.  These were super easy to make even though I couldn't find my pastry cutter or food processor.  I had to learn how to cut butter into flour with knifes.  Took a bit longer but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  

I am taking these to my counseling block tomorrow evening.  I am sure they will be a hit!

here's to warm chocolate scones and my long 13 hour day tomorrow at the University.

-s.

yummy...no need to say more.

So I have a new food obsession.   I tend to be a creature of habit and once I find something I love ...cough--cough--spicy Doritos's----cough--cough... I tend to eat it like it's going out of style.  This can be items that are not so healthy for me but I eat them anyways because its SO yummy...Thankful this time my new food obsession is healthy, yummy, filling, and only 45 calories per cup!!!  I bet you can't wait to know what I am talking about....here goes....:

It's Spaghetti Squash!!

This yellow noodle looking veggie is SO SO good and SO SO filling.  It has a nice sweet/sorta nutty taste.  The squash has a small crunch to it but not enough to make you think that you are eating hard noodles.  It is so simple to make and I usually buy a 4lb squash and that feeds me for at least 4 meals.(and that's when I am eating about 1 1/4 cup for each meal.  One of the greatest thing about this is I can make it in my microwave in less than 20 minutes (use a butcher knife to poke 12 holes about 1-inch deep all over the squash.  Put it in a microwave safe dish and then for every pound you microwave it for 4-5 minutes. Make sure to turn over 1/2 way through cooking. Then you just cut off one a little bit of the end and then cut in half and then use a fork to clean out the seeds and then start racking the "squash noodles" out!).

This squash is such a great alternative to have rice or noodles.  It is chalk full of vitamins and also is tons less calories that other starches you might eat.  It was great to find this yummy food since I am working hard to get fit and in better shape.

I eat this with tomato sauce and a little bit of Parmesan cheese....I eat it with just some olive oil, fresh garlic, and Parmesan cheese.  The ways to prepare this are endless.  Even if you don't like squash I would say give it a try.  It is SO worth it.

Hears to fewer calories and yummy "squash noodles"

-s.

positive, positive, positive!

So I received a wonderful call today :)  I am being interviewed for a internship position at the site that I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to intern at.....here's putting positive thoughts out into the universe until my interview next Friday!!!

story of my life.

So I was shown this video by a friend and if it wasn't true I would be totally offended.  It made me laugh so hard because I can remember numerous times where I asked questions or talked like this....don't let the name discourage you its not dirty, just HILARIOUS....enjoy ladies =]

lots of love from a girl who eats chips to loudly-  Shelley 

P.S-there are 2 other videos like this...watch them...they are just as funny!

I heard you were a wild one.

Well for the past 4 weeks of my life not to much as happened.....and let me tell you how HAPPY I am to say that!  A break from my daily life was needed.  School and work took lots out of me this past semester.  So to recap the past few weeks:

I was able to go to Shoshoni and work on my parents mushroom farm.  That was quite the experience.  It made me happy that I was in grad school and not going to be a mushroom farmer :)  not saying its a bad thing to be one just def. not my thing.  I was able to  spend 3 weeks with my parents.  It was a blessing to be able to spend so much time with them because this is probably my last winter break where I will have time like that.  I will be doing an internship next semester and it will consume my time.  

We then went and spent some of Christmas down in Evanston at my "real home"  It was nice being able to be back there.  I love being on my own but I do miss the comfort of home.  I think another reason I love it so much is because that is where all our Christmas decorations are and our tree.  I LOVE Christmas trees :)  ours was especially pretty this year :)

I was also able to spend time with my kitty....I try to hide it but I am sure that I am one of those crazy ladies who loves their cat WAY to much.  She is now 20 years old and still just as adorable.  

During my break I was able to catch up on reading, crocheting, and I even made a rag quilt!!!  I am SO happy that I actually went through with it because the end product is adorable.  It just screams "Shelley".  I now feel like I cane make anything! (ok not anything, but I feel much more confident). 

I was also able to see good friends and enjoy the bit of time we had together.  It is wonderful to see how happy they all are and how their lives are going. 

I have now started my 3rd semester of graduate school.  After this semester I will officially be half way done with the program!  I am both excited and nervous.  It is crazy to think that a year ago I was applying to grad schools and attending graduate interviews. I have also applied to my first internship and have an interview sometime in the next few weeks.  

Well I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a blessed new year! 

-Shelley

Side story that I found funny :)

Over the break I was talking with my grandma and she was telling me how she "had heard I was a wild one"...I just thought this was so funny because she said my parents had told her this.  I asked her why she thought I was a wild one.   She said that she was told that I was staying up late crocheting and watching movies....I think that my definition of wild is very different than hers...my grandma is the cutest.