Ups and Downs

Well, it's November and a week before Thanksgiving, which I'm happy to report I get to spend with my family here in Las Vegas!!!! Yep, my brother and his family are coming here and I'm so excited to spend time with them as well as my family here in Vegas!!!

This past month has been a FREAKIN' ROLLER COASTER!!! I have had so many things to ponder it has really been depressing. I've had the feeling that I need to move recently. I almost got forced based to Oakland and I wasn't quite sure where I would be working. So, it got me thinking...if I had to commute for work, why live in Las Vegas? Why not move to Utah to be closer to my family. I spent many hours pondering this and seriously considered moving to Utah. Well, I didn't get forced based, so I decided to stay here and then weight my options of moving to Utah in a year. That was all fine and dandy until this past Wednesday I got a letter from the property management company of my townhouse and the owner wants to move back in at the end of my lease, so they will not be renewing the lease. I cried! I really like where I live, but it's very apparent that I'm not supposed to be living here. So, I will be moving into a house with my friend/roomie Leigh, a.k.a Fartin' Fortin. I will be able to pay off all my credit card debt in the next 9 months and then I'll only have my student loans. I really feel like I need to get my financial house in order so I can buy a house and stop moving!!!

I also have been very disappointed in some friendships that I have tried to cultivate this year. I was very saddened and had some tearful moments, but I am resilient and hope to gain new friends. I flew with a woman and I told her about the situation. She told me that I should have friends who are of mutual benefit. That is so true! Something to consider with the new year approaching.

So, I really want some chili and rolls for dinner and have a very yummy roll recipe. I think I will make it :)

October!

I feel like I'm slacking a little on this blog thing because I haven't updated for a month. Maybe it's because I really haven't had anything going on? Nope! I've been very busy.

Last month I went to visit Zach in Colorado and attended his band competition. He did very well and I was proud of him. His marching band is improving they made state finals, so congrats to Pine Creek High! I really enjoyed spending time with him.

I took my girl posse to Salt Lake City for conference weekend. We had a great time! We attended a couple of dances, met some guys, hot tubbed, ya know...we partied, SLC style!

I also attended the Las Vegas Mid-singles Conference this past weekend. It was a lot of fun, but I wasn't feeling well, so I didn't have as much fun as I would have normally. Everyone did a great job at planning it though and we announced the Mid-singles ward too. I met some great new people as well.

I have been working a lot as well, but earlier this month I had a cold/sinus infection and it kind of went away, but I returned to work and the infection traveled to my ears, so now I am nursing an ear infection and am on antibiotics. I hate being sick and it seems like I am sick all the time. I am going to double my vitamins this season and see if it will help. Does anyone out there have any suggestions?

I also was able to stick to my budget. It was difficult at times, but I know that I must stick to it and work a little bit more to reach my goal of paying off my debt. So, I'll be working more! Yay!! Lol.

I didn't get forced based to Oakland either! Plus, Southwest announced we will be hiring more Flight Attendants in 2011, so hopefully I will get a little bit of seniority. I am just very thankful I don't need to commute right now. Now, I just need to work on getting Thanksgiving off :)

It's Already September!!!

I can't believe how fast the year has gone by! It's been awhile since I've last blogged as well. I had some great adventures this past summer. I went camping on the beach, attended a family reunion and enjoyed a great week with my son, Zach! I've also worked a lot.

I've totally been avoiding going over my budget and setting a strict spending plan for myself. I finally sat down this morning and tackled it. I've been avoiding it because I've actually been a little afraid to find out how little money I have and how much debt I have. It took me over three hours, but I finally now have a plan and know where I stand. I feel much better and have tools to help me get to my final goal. I am doing the Dave Ramsey Debt Snowball program. This plan uses the envelope system, so I downloaded a very cheap, .99, app to my iPhone to help me track the money. I was thinking that I didn't have very much money for the month, but when I actually sat down and told the money where to go before I spent it, I found I have quite a bit of money and all of my needs are being met :)

Work has been the same. I'm very excited that we might hire more Flight Attendants with the purchase of new 737-800 series aircraft. I hope to gain some seniority. I may also get displaced to Oakland in November. That won't be any fun at all and will set me back on my Debt Snowball because I'll have to pay for a hotel in Oakland. Hopefully it will be temporary. I will find out September 30th.

This weekend I am going to see Zach in a band competition in Castle Rock, CO. I'm very excited and I know he is looking forward to visiting me!!!

Chocolate Cake!

I really want to make a yummy chocolate cake. I have a great recipe for a chocolate bundt cake that has a chocolate ganache as icing. It is extremely yummy and I really want to make one!!! I haven't yet because I've been busy working and then I think it's a whole cake, which I know I would devour in a couple of days! Not good for my waistline or my hips, as that is where chocolate cake tends to end up on my body. I also get chubby cheeks when I eat too many sweets.

It would also sabotage my running results! I start week 5 today! I'm very excited about this because on my last run I was kind of annoyed that I had to walk 1 1/2 minutes between the 3 minute and 5 minute run, so I know that is progress. I feel like I need new music though. My workout music is getting a little old since I've been listening to it so much the past couple of weeks.

I have also been working a lot lately. I am on Reserve this month, so I'm basically on-call. I run the risk of people calling in sick so they won't have to work with certain people on the scheduled trips. So, I get the less appealing people to work with and it has made for a VERY long month. I hope my 3 day block of Reserve will change my luck and I hope and pray for a good crew :)

Maybe I will make that cake and take it to my crew.....hmmmm...at least the part I don't eat ;)

Camping on the Beach

I am writing this blog from inside my tent. I am camping on the beach at Carlsbad, California. I am going to sleep with the sound of waves crashing behind me. It is quite relaxing. I am a little sunburned from being on the beach. The sky has been overcast with clouds and today it was freezing!!! I think the high was 67! So, I am snuggled in my sleeping bag, all toasty and warm.

I am on week three of my running program. I really am enjoying the run. I can't tell a difference on my scale, but just the accomplishment of running has been worth it. I've found some great places to run at some of the hotels I've stayed at. I will be amazed when I can run for six or seven minutes!!! The longest I run right now is three minutes. I was able to run on the beach today. I can't wait to do that again!

Goal: Running!

I just got back from a vacation at Disneyworld with my Mingwa ( Boston for friend) Leigh. We were roommates in Flight Attendant training and have been close friends ever since. We had a great time! I will post pictures later. Leigh has lost a ton of weight over the past six months and she did it by running. I kept admiring her super sexy trim legs. She told me she got them running. So, I want that and I am starting to run.

I bought an iPod app that is a 9 week 5K training program where I train three days a week. I started today and ran by the bay in Tampa. I had to run for 1 minute and walk for 1 1/2 min. I repeated that 8 times. Well, I did it!! It was a nice run and toward the end I was happy it was over and very proud of myself for actually doing it. I will probably blog about this running goal once a week. I hope I get those stellar legs I'm wanting. I may post pictures at the end if 9 weeks, but I'm not promising anything :)

Flying High!

I can't believe that I haven't updated my blog for almost a month! Let me just say in my own defense that I have been extremely busy with work and my social life. Two very great things!

I have been working a lot to make up for all the time I was off work sick. Right now I'm updating from Norfolk, VA. It is beautiful here and I wish I had more time to check the hotel and the area out. Note to self though, the food at this hotel is NOT very good. I will have to pack more food to eat next time I roll through here.

Yesterday I was in Oklahoma City. I was working out in the gym and the tornado alarms went off. Everyone in the hotel was instructed to go down to the basement. We were down there for about ten minutes and allowed to go back to our rooms after the storm passed. I read in the paper that there were five deaths in the neighboring counties from the tornadoes. Sad.

I did go to Huntington Beach Single's Conference. It was a blast and I will go again if I have the opportunity. I made a couple new friends and had a great time with old friends.

Zach came to visit me for Mother's Day Weekend. We had a great time! We hiked at St. Thomas, a town that was purchased by the Boulder Dam Project in the 1930s and flooded out for Lake Mead. The recent drought has uncovered the ruins, so we went and explored. It was kind of freaky because it was in the middle of nowhere and we were the only ones there. FREAKY!! Good thing I had my strong son there to protect me :)

We also went shopping, checked out a great pizza joint at Town Square and he took me to dinner at Kabuki Sushi! I loved it! We also went to see Barry Manilow!!!! He was a great sport for going and it was a fun show.

I love it when he visits and I really hope he can visit again soon! I miss him already.

Those 5 Pounds!

I have returned back to work after a six week absence due to having Pnuemonia and facturing a rib coughing. It's really nice to be back. I have no complaints about that. The only complaint I have right now is the five pounds I gained while sitting at home getting better. I want it to be gone RIGHT NOW!! I worked out today, a very wimpy workout because my rib still kind of hurts, but I am very proud of myself. I had to wear my "fat pants" for work and I barely fit into my jeans. I know that I will lose some weight just walking around at work, but I am very impatient about this. I want those five pounds gone!

Advice from a Friend

Today I spoke with a friend who gave me some advice. He asked about my dating life and I told him that it is nonexistent, which is 100% true! I told him that I thought it was because I'm at a weird age, 36, where guys my age are looking for younger girls and guys older than I are looking to not have any more kids or are just weird if they haven't been married yet. He asked me what I do to throw my interest out there? I replied that I throw parties and invite the guys who I'm interested in or I attend functions and make sure they are going to be there. He told me that I need to flirt to show my interest. He also told me that if I wanted to ask out a guy, to just do it. I then told him that I am fearful of rejection. He told me that guys get rejected all the time and it's no big deal. I then quoted the line from the pig on Toy Story, "I just don't know if I can take that kind of rejection!" He laughed, then got down to business.

He suggested for the flirting that I do "The Elbow Touch." He wasn't the first guy friend of mine to suggest this. I couldn't believe that this is a real flirting tool! I don't even know how to do this! I guess I'll have to try it at HB Single's Conference in a couple of weeks. There will be a ton of men that I will be able to experiment on.

As for asking out a guy, he suggested I ask him out of ice cream. He compared this to asking someone to have coffee, but since we are dealing with Mormons, he suggested the ice cream. He said if it is enjoyable, then try for another date. I admit that this sounds easy enough, but I really don't like the fact that I may have to ask the guy out.

This all feels a little weird and I guess I will have to force myself to do both things because I don't want to be alone all my life, even though not getting involved or dating would be easier. Ugghh!!! Here it goes...

Good Times with Luke!

My nephew, Luke, is here visiting me for a couple of days. I have three nieces and three nephews who all live in Kaysville, Utah. When each of them turn eight, they get to fly on an airplane all by themselves and come to visit Auntie Angela. It's kind of like their "right of passage." Those who have already visited, nieces, all talk about how cool it was and all the fun things they did on their visit. So, Luke came with HUGE expectations and has not been disappointed!

We have watched Percy Jackson: The Lightening Thief, How to Train a Dragon in 3D, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, and Astro Boy. Percy Jackson and How to Train a Dragon were Awesome! The other two I kind of slept through, but Luke loved them. We also went hiking today and now my rib is hurting. Man! How long is this injury going to hurt? Luke loved it so it was worth it. We also had a picnic, went to a pizza buffet and played a lot of Xbox 360. He really loves the Indiana Jones game and Karaoke Revolution. I have completely enjoyed my time with him. He is so sweet! He has been waking up at 6am and playing Xbox without the sound so I won't wake up. He is such a kind and gentle little boy. I am very fortunate and grateful that his parents allow him to visit. I am blessed!

I am feeling better day-by-day and have been forcing myself to get out of the house and walk around, even if it's only around the neighborhood. My rib is feeling better and I am still trying to control my cough. I lose it sometimes, but I am able to pretty much control my cough with my inhaler. I am hoping that next month I will be 100%.

WAAAAAAAA!!!!! Sniff, Sniff :(

Okay, so this is a painful time of the year...tax time. I hate it. I usually end up owing because I haven't had enough taken out and the same is true for this year too. I just filed my taxes with TurboTax, which by the way was awesome; even for a Flight Attendant and all my deductions, and sent everything off E-file. Technology has made my life easier in that aspect. No more standing in line at the post office waiting for an return signature card. Now, with a click of my mouse, I just sent it directly to the IRS. Knowing all this, it still doesn't make it any less painful to file and pay. Next year I vow not to pay. I am going to increase my deductions so I don't have to pay. This year was a couple thousand dollars. Yep, you can re-read that, but yes, that is what I had to pay. That is why on a Friday night, this beautiful, single and successful independent girl is crying and throwing a tantrum like a baby. Who knows? Maybe next year I won't owe and get a refund. Ha! I doubt it with the passage of O'BamaCare.

Pancakes!

Yesterday I woke up craving pancakes. I had purchased a new cookbook and there was a very simple recipe for pancakes that promised they were unbelievable! So, I tried it. It was VERY easy and extremely yummy. I will never buy another pancake mix again! The recipe made about 7-8 pancakes so I ate two (barely) and froze the others. I had two frozen ones this morning and they were still delicious. These are quick and can be on the table within 10 minutes. Here is the recipe:

Fluffy, Thick Homestyle Pancakes
1 1/2 C. flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 C. milk
1 egg
3 Tbsp. butter, melted

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, and melted butter; mix until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 C. for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot. Makes 8 servings.

Recipe is from Worldwide Ward Cookbook.

I also slept through the night last night for the first time in three weeks! It's been great! I thought I would be really bored staying home all this time, but I've been really tired and sleeping most of the day. It just means my body is repairing :)

My Health Care

Today I made my fourth trip to the dr. this month! It really is getting ridiculous, but today I finally got some sort of diagnosis. I have a fractured rib. Just as I suspected two weeks ago, I broke my rib when I was coughing so hard. I heard it pop and it really hurt. Even though there isn't really a treatment except manage the pain with meds and lots of rest. So, I am going to rest another two weeks. I am really tired of being sick, but now I kind of feel like I'm finally getting somewhere.

I am very glad that I have great health care, but I am extremely worried that this great nation has really made a HUGE blunder! This government, whom our forefathers escaped socialism and oppressive governments and rulers to establish, has passed and now will be signed into law, a mandatory health care program that I as a tax payer and citizen must pay for. So, my freedom to make decisions on my own health care, including any tests that I may opt to pay for, will no longer be my decision, but my government, elected officials who have sworn an oath to represent the people! Yes, this is the United States, the Land of the Free? My only hope is that our wonderful Constitution bails us out of this huge blunder that has been done.

Vanity

Well, in my previous blog I mentioned my Dr. told me that I would feel younger. If he meant that I wouldn't be able to sleep all night and stay up until 5am, he was right! I finally fell asleep after eating a bowl of Cheerios. My Grandpa Thatcher always ate a bowl of Honey-Nut Cheerios before going to bed. It really worked for me last night. I fell right to sleep after eating :) It's funny what one remembers about their grandparents.

In my tossing and turning I was thinking about a friend of mine who is getting plastic surgery. This is isn't my first friend to do this, but the first who is LDS. I've always promised myself that I would get a breast lift as my 40th birthday present to myself. Being sick these past couple of weeks and having surgery on my hand last September, I am rethinking my whole 40th birthday plan. It would all be in the name of Vanity, right?

So, this got me thinking last night as I was tossing and turning...Is getting optional plastic surgery vain? I thought through all the reasons one might give as justification for it. "To feel better about myself," "I've always wanted to do it," or my favorite "I want to do something for me after my divorce to be more attractive." I myself have the excuse and justification that if I get my breast lift when I'm 40, they will be right back where they are now when I'm 80!

I remember a couple years ago a talk given in Conference that advised women of the church to not give into the wordly preoocupation of self and on the physical. We were warned that it is spiritually destructive. I tried to find the talk and this link will take you to the one I think it is. If it isn't, please correct me!

LDS.org - Ensign Article - To Young Women

I could probably go on all day about this, and I know that my nieces read this. I just want them to know that we all come in different shapes and sizes. No one is a perfect size or shape! Look in the mirror and celebrate what makes you wonderful and special! I will start! I love my freckles. Have I always? Nope. In junior high I hated them. I love my hair. It sometimes curls, but it has a little bit of red in it (naturally) and it brings out the little bit of green in my eyes, which I also love. I love that I have an hour-glass shape too! I am not a small shaped person and never will be, but I have been given this body for a reason, important reasons. One of those important reasons is to perform service like Visiting Teaching! There are so many things that I love about myself that once I start thinking about them, the small things I don't like become pretty insignificant. Of course, these are physical things, which are pretty unimportant. The real importance is what kind of person you are and who you want to be! I am also including Natasha Bedingfield's Song Freckles. I love that song and pretty much sums up what I am talking about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrIA-DZmtGQ

A Shot to Make Me Feel Younger?

So, as most of you know, I've been really sick this whole month! I have some sort of cough/bronchial infection that won't go away. In my many bouts of coughing, I think I've either torn some cartilage in my ribs, torn a tendon, or broken a rib. I am in intense pain and it hurts to breathe. This is going on three weeks now and I am running out of patience. I am also extremely bored of sitting at home and doing nothing! I would like to get better so I can go back to work!

Today, I went to see my Dr. again and he gave me a steroid shot. It hurt! I fully admit that I am a total wimp, but it really hurt. The actual shot didn't hurt that much, but it totally burned after about a minute or two. I also got a breathing treatment. Tomorrow I have to go and have more x-rays done of my ribs. I just hope that all of this will make me feel better eventually. Hopefully sooner, than later. My Dr. did say one of the side effects from the shot was that I should start feeling "younger" in the next couple of days. That would be nice :) I hardly ever got sick when I was younger.

I've been reading and watching a lot of television. Bravo has many different types of shows on that I love to Tivo. It's a very liberal channel, but I have been completely entertained. I'm also starting my third book that I've read this month, The Color of Water. I'll let you know how it is. Please pray for my quick recovery so I can return to work and stop watching so much television!

Happy Birthday to me!!!

Today is my 36th birthday! I woke up this morning and thought, "I'm 36! Wow!! That sounds so old!" It does. I don't know why it sounds old, because I don't feel old. I feel very young, and that's what counts, right?

So, this morning I went to the gym and had an awesome workout! I lost 12 pounds with P90x and now my body is in pretty good shape. I'm fitting into all of my clothes and my jeans are a little bit baggy. I think I look great :) The most important thing is that I feel great, confident and like the way I look.

After my great workout, I went to my favorite bakery in Las Vegas, Freed's and bought three slices of cake. Then, if three slices of cake wasn't enough for my birthday, I bought two more cakes from Nothin' Bundt Cakes. I recently tasted one of their cakes and was impressed, so I thought, "Why not? It's MY birthday!" Later today I will go to my favorite Greek restaurant and eat Greek Fries and then this evening have dinner with my friend Julie. Thanks Julie!!

I have some goals that I want to accomplish in my 36th year of life. I want to pay off all my credit card debt. I know I can do this, so it's time I did this. I want to take some dance classes, like Jazz and Hip-Hop, which will be a blast! I also just want to make myself a better person. This is going to be a great year! I can feel it!

I went this past weekend to Utah to visit my family. My brother, Todd, threw me a birthday party. All of my siblings were there! I can't remember the last time we got together for a birthday. I don't know if we ever have as adults. It was very nice to reunite and I am grateful to Todd for everything. I am very blessed!

My plans for the rest of the day? I will watch some chick flicks, eat cake, eat Greek Fries, and eat dinner with Julie! Sounds like a great birthday to me!