Living the life I was made to live

I was driving today and came to one of those lovely round-a-bout's. Yes, you know exactly what I was thinking as I approached it... "Come on people follow the arrows on the ground. It isn't that hard. Just drive!" No, I was in no hurry. I was ahead of schedule yet still irked. Then as if the car in front of me heard what I was thinking he almost came to a complete stop in the round-a-bout waiting for the car to the right to enter in. "NO BUDDY WE HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY!"

I was sitting in class on Wednesday clenching my teeth waiting for one of my peers to pick on me again. She has been doing this since our first day of classes. At first, I ignored it and thought whatever she'll stop. She does small things but a lot of small things throughout our 4 hours of class each day. She will flip my book shut on her way out the door while I am studying. She makes sneering comments about me having my bachelors and being so smart. Then she'll ask me for help on hw...a little backwards if you ask me but I help her. I told another peer on Wednesday I was about to loose it and she said she was just waiting for the day that I admitted I was annoyed because she has watched our other peer jab at me every day!

A couple weeks ago I was chattin it up with a client. He is one of those tech-y kind of guys. He says he lives his life in the Iworld. Ipad, Ipod, etc. He is fun to talk to but I about died the last time he was in. We were talking about pilates. You would be surprised how many of my male clients do pilates. Bill was talking about how great it was and how much stronger he is from it. I said that I didn't think Nic would ever go for it because he would see it as a girl gym class and he would be uncomfortable. Bill says very loudly, " Ya, I felt pretty gay the first time I went in. We had do some stuff that felt like dance moves, pretty gay." My bosses station is next to me and he is gay. I didn't know if I should yell at Bill and stick up for Danny or pretend like nothing happened. I was embarrassed and mad that someone could be so disrespectful!

On Thursday, Nic and I had drinks at the Black Cat with my bosses and a client from the salon. She is an older woman who I always thought was pretty funny. She speaks her mind. This became apparent when the bartender was on the other side of the bar and she starts yelling for her. "GINA, OH GINA! I WOULD LIKE MY TAB GINA!" Can you say EMBARRASSING! Where did her tact go?

Also on Thursday, I had a client come in and sit in my chair. She proceeded to tell me how ill she felt and wasn't feeling any better. She told me not to stand in front of her so that I didn't catch whatever she had because she thought she was still contagious! As I went to grab a hair that had fallen on her nose, she said NO! you don't want to touch my nose! So instead, she blew her nasty germs up at her nose and into my face. I would have rather grabbed the hair and purelled my hands instead of having you blow in my face!

I could go on and on and on about my week and the people who I come into contact with. As I was in the middle of the round-a-bout today, I thought I am gonna blog about this. However, I didn't know that as I proceeded to make my way out of the round-a-bout and to church that the blog post would take a different direction. Pastor Bob finished our series on grace tonight. It is understood by Christians to be the free gift of an uncaused and overflowing love─totally undeserved mercy. He said, "To live life in grace is to give grace." 2 Corinthians "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow..." I realized it isn't about me having patience for these people who I come in contact with. Nor is it about giving them some slack. I don't know what has been going on in their lives. I do know that if I were to bitch and moan about them all that does is spread anger to others. Helmet Thielicke said, "The sulfurous stench of hell is nothing compared with the evil odor emitted by divine grace gone putrid." Do you want to be putrid? I don't! I realized it is about giving grace to others. That is the life I was made to live!

"let what we do in here fill the streets out there"

Until next time...

MIA?

Woops....life got a little busy! Here's what you missed....

I know I talk budget budget budget but that just means that in the BUDGET is also an amount set aside for FUN STUFF WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!!!!!! (p.s. I am new to this budget thing myself please don't think the way I do mine is perfect or that it will fit perfectly for you and your life and if you have suggestions for improvement for me let me know!!! I always looked at it as I will save this amount for this month...now I allocate where our money will go and that tells me how much we will save.)

First, Nic and I have a tradition every year to go to Archer's (ale house in Fairhaven) and try out their Octoberfest beers! We each get our own stein and me being the competitive one try to finish it before Nic gets done. I know what you are thinking... gee Stef are you crazy that's a lot of beer and you are half Nic's size. I don't care! I won the last two years and Nic didn't know he was playing until I put my stein down and said I WIN!

This year we took Tami and Ian with us. Nic silently knew he was playing the game. We were having a great time playing some board games and visiting. I was nearing the end of my beer but did you see the size of that thing? Yes, I had to go to the little girls room. I thought do I go or don't I go. If I go then Nic can really finish it before me. I wish I could say I had to power to stay at the table and win but I left the table. I even told Tami, yes girls have to go to the bathroom at the same time, if I get back out there and he's done.......well you get it. I came back out and to my surprise I was just 2 BIG gulps behind. I tried to drink faster but the obvious is true...I'm petite. Nic had a little sip left and I held his hand down so I could win. I didn't win fairly but I still won! Yes, you are thinking correctly..... you don't want to play games with me. I can't even play sorry because I get so upset when I get sent back home! Wonder who I take after? We had a great night as always and NO I surely did NOT drive home!

THAT'S NOT ALL THE FUN WE'VE HAD.....

Second, we spent this last weekend in Wenatchee. Of course, as I am sure you are all aware of, why wouldn't you be is the question, that this past weekend was opening for deer hunting! I went along to see everyone and Nic's mission was to find Bambi's evil step dad, or at least that's what I say because he can't go after bambi's dad. I've always pictured him as a nice guy errr deer! I know you are wondering...so did he get one? Well, lets talk about what I did first...suspense is much more fun! The girls and I had a jam packed Saturday. We did a hint of garage sale rummaging, hit up the sbux for our caffeine intake, found a fantastic pumpkin costume for lulu dog (wish I had taken a picture of that!), ecstatically made our way to real deals the home store...I am glad we don't have one closer the budget would be blown!, Stine and Pickle went to the book store and I went with Jodi to the shoe store... she had to get "teacher shoes", exhausted but still going we made it to costco with the rest of Wenatchee, quick stop at Safeway for more of the grocery needs, looked for Jodi's keys for an hour...we later found out that Ben left them on the counter at a store they were at Friday night, sped off to Ross and came out empty handed because who wants to wait 20 min in line to pay...NOT ME!, realized we were hungry and it was now 3:30 in the afternoon so we picked up pizza's, had to stop for tequila, dinner at Keith and Carla's... Italian might I add...bonus points!!!!!!, back to Ben and Jodi's and on the way a quick call to our favorite Aunt Jodi and Uncle Russ, then Bob and Becky and Kayla and Pickle showed up to drink some ritas!!!!! Jodi definitely made sure we were all having a fantastic time by refilling our cups once they were HALF way empty because if you're empty that is not okay! Thank you for such an amazing weekend everyone! I now know that no extra bit in my paycheck is worth the memories we made this weekend. I am so glad I no longer work Saturday's!! Sunday was football, hanging out, retrieving the keys, target, and the long drive back to bham. Oh you're still wondering? YES, the evil step dad came back to Bellingham with us. I have a picture but not sure everyone wants to see that. I have a proud husband and another set of antlers for some wall that is not in my house! Jodi forgot socks but don't worry they let her borrow these

I hope you all were able to make some memories this weekend with loved ones! I am sure you are all as blessed as we are to surround ourselves with such awesome and amazing people!

until next time....

You've been asking...

I make a meal plan every week (I was an overachiever and made it for the month this past time). I chop, slice, cook, and pack up 6 meals in one day to last us for the week. Why 6 when there are 7 nights...one night is left overs (hopefully... sometimes Nic is overly excited and takes all the left overs for lunch...in that case I make something up. Whatever I can find in the fridge that tastes good together gets thrown into a pan!). I budget $200 dollars a month for groceries and that's it. It's like when I lived in the dorms and at the end of quarter you had to eat whatever was left...usually cereal and boring stuff. Yup, that's how the end of the month is if you don't budget right... it's whatever is in the fridge. Moral of the story, you will quickly learn how to budget correctly so at the end of the month you are not eating dry cereal (because you've run out of milk)! This weeks meals are tortilla soup, orange chicken, breakfast, roast, and burritos. We are out of town for the weekend so we only have 5 this week.

The soup was easy because it cooked all day in the crock pot. If you do not own a crock pot GET ONE NOW! I used a lb of ground beef (you can use chicken or ground turkey we were out of ground turkey so I used beef), can of corn, can of santa fe beans (safeway carries these...I stock up when I go home since the closest safeway up here is Lyden!), finely chopped onion, 1 chopped green pepper, 1 garlic clove, can of petite diced tomatoes, 3 tb of taco seasoning, 1 tb of chili powder, 1 tsp of tabasco sauce, and 3 cups of water or broth. Brown the beef first then put into the crock pot, if using chicken just put that in the crock pot raw over time it will soften and shred! Then put all the "fixings" into the crock pot and turn it on! I let ours cook on high for 4 hours if you are doing chicken leave on high for 6 hours or it will not shred (shred the chicken when still hot if it cools it won't shred). I served it with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh diced tomato, avocado, and tortilla chips! Makes about 6 servings.

I cheated on the orange chicken. I don't do this often but I caved! We all have our faults! I bought the pre-made orange chicken at trader joes. I made herb quinoa to go with it and put that in a sealed container in the fridge. All Nic had to do was heat up the already cooked quinoa and the already cooked chicken. EASY! Quinoa is a grain. Without any seasoning, quinoa is very bland. I don't really care for rice so quinoa is a great substitute. It is a grain and that is it. Which means with one ingredient it is VERY healthy for you! It does take some time to cook but well worth it instead of minute rice (which has no nutritional value whatsoever)!

Nic thinks breakfast for dinner is the best thing on earth. I stole this one from Aunt Jodi! I bought the trader joes tater tots and quartered them. Then you add whatever you would put in an omelet. We put tomato, green pepper, onion, chicken breakfast sausage (trader joes), and cheese. The day I am doing my prep I cut up the tomato, green pepper, and onion and put in a container so you just have to dump it in instead of wasting time cutting. Cook your tots on the stove in a skillet, then add your fillings, cook for 3-5 min., then add in your eggs and scramble it all together! So very simple...and so very good! Servings is about 4 depending on how many eggs you use

The roast is another crock pot meal. The prep day: cut up your potatoes, onion, carrots, and celery. Cooking day: put the roast into the crock pot with beef broth. How much beef broth depends on how big the roast is. I like to make sure the roast is fully submerged. Throw in your prep day items and put the cover on. Cook for 6 hours on high. Budget tip: there is a section in your grocery store of the meat that must be sold that day. Check it out and see what deals you can get. You do not have to eat it that day just freeze it until you do decide to eat it!

Burritos is another Nic favorite. Normally, I would do taco soup and burritos in one week. I would do a pasta dish or fish dish. This is simple. Prep day: chop up tomato, lettuce, and avocado. Brown the meat so that all you have to do is heat it up the day of. Make sure you have tortillas, cheese, salsa, sour cream, (I am different and I like to use cottage cheese instead of sour cream... don't make that face until you try it! Less fat and more protein and I think it tastes better.) and anything else you wish to put in your burritos. Yum!

All in all, cut up anything you can on prep day so that you do not have to cut anything on eating day! You can pre-cook your meat or cook it on eating day. It's a lot easier to cook it and reheat the day of. Crock pots are key... set it and forget it until you get home and dinner is made! I have lots of containers and tupperware that these get put into on prep day. I keep the containers that go to each meal in separate sections of the fridge (this helps Nic know which ones to grab and all the meals stay together) or you can label the containers if you forget what went in each meal. The best part is on eating day there is usually only ONE pot or pan to clean NOT a cutting board and 2 pans and 2 knives...etc.

Hope this helps! Next week is quiche, sliders, white fish tacos, and spinach ravioli! I will be out of town for the weekend and Nic will fend for himself the rest of the meals! I was even a good wife and asked if he wanted me to prep the other meals out for him... he said he will be okay!

Side note: CONGRATS KIERSTEN AND RYAN ON YOUR BABY BOY!!!!! I cannot wait to meet him!!!

Realization

Do you ever have those "ah-ha" moments? When you realize, wow I cannot believe it took me that long to figure this out! I had one of those today. I was driving down the hill heading in to work and was thinking about life. I know, I know I should pay attention to driving but I was preoccupied by my thoughts. It was a grey day without rain. The perfect fall day...crisp, light wind, reds, yellows, and oranges. I thought "I am so ecstatic with everything in my life right now!" Then it occurred to me that I should figure out why I was so happy with the way things are. I was not so happy a couple months ago... so why now? I have always said that I like to be on the go. I like to be busy and doing something. And then today, AH HA! It has nothing to do with being busy and on the go. It has to do with the fact that I like to feel that I have been productive all day! Most of my life, and my friends will attest to this, I have worked two jobs. It was never about how much money I could make. That never crossed my mind and I always thought it was because I liked to be busy busy busy. I figured out today that I have been wrong for so many years. I mulled over the past two weeks and grasped how productive I have been. I go to school from 9-1 and work the other half, I make dinners 7 nights a week, I wash and put away laundry, I clean like a mad woman, buy the groceries...and on and on. Two months ago, that was not the case. I even had really slow days at the salon where I didn't have a single client! It made me somber to know I would be at home for the day. So, I would make plans with friends to meet up. But that was never enough, I couldn't just hang out with a friend. After hanging out, I had to do grocery shopping or make the dinners for the week or do all the laundry. I had to make sure it was a productive day! I sit here thinking wow how did I miss that one all these years! I am not completely satisfied with my productivity unless it has served someone else. Going on a walk with a friend gives me exercise, but buying that friend a coffee and then going on the walk makes me a happier person. Doing the laundry is grand, but knowing it helped my husband get his work done makes me a happier person. I like to serve others and that's what makes me feel productive! What makes you feel productive? Can you sit and do nothing for a day?


On another note....

I recognized today another thing that makes me smile big. I had forgotten about this small detail of fall. I like to drive..period. But, I love to drive during the fall! I like going under trees that are slowly losing their leaves. As they saunter back and forth floating through the air, I am mesmerized. My favorite part is when the finally make contact with my windshield and WOOSH fly back into the air or over the top of my car! I don't know why that makes me smile so big but I'm glad I still enjoy small little things like that.

until next time...

How it used to be....

You remember when you could go anywhere and do anything and not worry about your safety? I remember when we lived in Texas (I was 9-12 years old) and I would ride my bike all over the neighborhood alone. I would spend countless hours at the park alone or with a friend. I loved being outside and I'm sure my mom appreciated it too! I had no cell phone and no one watching over me...I was alone and safe in my community. I knew what time I was to be home for dinner and I knew if it started to get dark I better move it faster and get home. I've thought about this before. How my children, won't be able to do that. I won't be able to let them go and be alone in their community cause things have changed. I don't like it. I don't care for it one bit! I wish I could make a community in a bubble with the wonderful people of the world that kept the bad out, but reality is I can't. The news today had THREE scary stories. The first was an amber alert for 3 children. Granted it was thought to be the father, it's still upsetting that someone could run away with children! And who knows why he was not suppose to have them?!?! Second, there has been a suspect arrested in the case of the murdered Wenatchee girl. Yes, good because there is finally some closure but how heart breaking! You hear about murder all the time and never think it can happen in your community. Truth is....it can. Third, Dwight Clark, Bellingham, Washington was found dead today. It was dark when I left the gym tonight and I could feel chills knowing there is someone in my small bubble, tiny Bellingham, where everyone knows everyone, has a sick individual living amongst us. What is going on with our society? These are young lives with so much potential. They were just getting started with the rest of their lives. They were starting the journey down the path of their future! I don't understand crime. I don't think I ever will. I do know we need to do something about it though before things get even more out of control. I want to go back to how it used to be so my kids can go play and me not be there to make sure no one is going to hurt them. They deserve what I had!

And we're back!

This past Friday was Nic's 27th birthday! Where does time go? We met when I was 20 and he was 22 and it does not feel like 5 years has passed! I had to tell the car rental guy how old I was the other day and for a second almost said 24 instead of 25...woops! I think it's amusing how we are labeled with these "age numbers" yet no one I know feels that age. It should go by how old we feel and not actual years! I'm just sayin...

I am exhausted, pleased, happy, drained, yet content. We just arrived home in Bham from an enjoyable weekend with friends and family! I asked Nic about a month ago what he wanted to do for his birthday. This is the first time since we've been together that I actually was able to spend his birthday with him. Normally, he is working in Winthrop and not home. BUT NOT THIS YEAR!! Nic didn't have any ideas on what he wanted to do for his birthday so of course I jumped into action. I decided we are going to Sammamish. (I also needed to cut my dad's hair as he told me it was long enough for pig tails. A slight exaggeration but it had been 7 weeks...yikes) My dear friend facebook helped me assemble the plans and friends to join in on the celebration activities! We zipped down to Sammamish on Friday evening and had dinner at my parents with my brother and his girlfriend. My mom asked Nic 2 weeks ago what he wanted for his birthday dinner and of course it was lasagna and meatballs. Why waste being 100% Italian if you can't cook an amazing lasagna?!?! Then Nic requested apple kuchen for dessert. Thank you Becky for giving me the recipe a while back so we could make this request possible. It didn't taste exactly like yours does but pretty darn close! We then headed to J Michael's our favorite dive bar to meet up with friends. We were having so much fun that we remained there until last call! I haven't heard last call since my 21st birthday. I guess I'm old or just not a night person because when 11 pm comes I'm out...but not Friday night! Saturday afternoon we hit up the Red Hook Brewery tour. Nic is standing next to the original Red Hook sign in that picture. At 4pm my best friend Matt met up with us, and we headed to meet up with my other friend Deirdre to go to Pyramid Brewery and the Mariner's game. Nic thought Matt and Deirdre just happened to have tickets to the game as well and he received his ticket from me on Friday morning. However, there were 18 of our friends joining us at Pyramid and going to the Mariner's game! He was very surprised and happy to spend his birthday with everyone! It was a jam packed exciting weekend that felt like more than 48 hours. It is time to put things away and see what shows the DVR has recorded! I hope everyone had as wonderful of a weekend as we did!

until next time...

Funny things

Yesterday was a long day! It was my first day with school AND work! After work, I still had to come home and do homework. Of course...dinner was in the oven and almost ready when I got home! I read my chapter, ate dinner, did my hw, watched half of glee, and came upstairs to write a blog. I couldn't decide what to write about and this head popped out from our bedroom asking if I was gonna come to bed. Since I really didn't have anything to say (my mind is full of teeth terms and body parts and systems and life and work and whatever else), I turned off the computer and went to bed. I didn't think I was acting out of the ordinary. But my observant husband thought otherwise. He asked me if I was okay. And I looked at him puzzled and said "Yes, why?" And he said, "because you didn't sing any of your songs tonight." His words still make me giggle a little inside and smile. Let me explain... I don't know when this started or who I picked it up from. I believe it to link back to my mom. I didn't even know I did this until Nic pointed it out one day in front of my family and my brothers girlfriend said he does it too! That makes me laugh! If you know me, you know that I am a bouncy person. I walk on my toes a lot. I smile a lot. I laugh a lot. I'm spunky and happy. And a lot of times people think I was a cheerleader in the past. I wasn't! You get the point. So when I have to go to the store, I don't simply say "I am going to the store" I break into a song, a made up song, a lame song, that says "I'm goooooooing to the stoooooorrrrree I'm gooooooooing to the stoooorrrreee." Or something along those lines. Tonight we had pizza (I really need to post this recipe) and in my head the song "I'm gonna have some pete-zaaaa I'm gonna have some pete-zaaa" came to me. Life is a song in my own little world and Nic has gotten used to my songs. So when the songs are not present, he thought it meant something was wrong. I think I am super lucky to have a guy who notices the little things about me! Now that I told you one of my quirks, what is something funny you do?


until next time...