Wednesday, February 29, 2012

mistakes happen and I'm a procrastinator

Lab mid-term tomorrow, no interest in studying for it.
studying anyway,

Paul is in a soup eating phase (he says he needs the liquids...I say that's an the way anorexics trick themselves into feeling full) spilled it all over on accident, in the process of cleaning up I found out our vacuum was totally clogged with gobs of blond hair...no wonder it wasn't picking up.

We go and watch UF gymnastics whenever its around, this has inspired me to want to learn a back walk over (maybe someday back handspring???).  I think my back flexibility is lacking (and arm strength) because the second time I did the backbend, I fell on my head (good thing I'm not a baby with fontanels or that would have been permanent brain damage.) Now I have a headache...maybe I will take a few days off my back walk over quest.

I finished Paul's painting, except for the ear...but I am just not too worried about an ear, I will get to it when I get to it.  I actually finished it last week.  I tried on Monday to start another painting that ended in total failure, so I am going to start again after I take care of things.  I feel like Heavenly Father said...do your chores first (study for your test, turn in that application, write those letters) and then you can paint.  I know that there are people out there that can paint much better than me, but I was proud of my efforts and the result especially since I have not painting for 5 years and even then only took one oil class at community college.  So yeah for me.  Next week is spring break and I am going to do a portrait of myself (to hang next to a portrait of Paul) and also one of some sort of landscape. Those are my spring break goals.  Besides that I have a TON of homework.



Also last night I found some funny workout/dance videos on youtube, its made me so happy.  So happy that I was dancing in the shower.  Who needs a class when I've got youtube...free!

Last week I also sort of went bake crazy I don't know what started it, but what happened with it was a lot of potato dumplings, heavy bread, super fancy chocolate cake ( I never give that sort of treatment to a cake, I don't know what came over me), along with our typical giant pot of food.  Oh and my friend Kaitlyn helped me fix my sewing machine and I made curtains....I was so excited, sewing never seems to work for my and even though these lovely curtains are crooked I was sooo grateful that it worked :)




Wednesday, February 22, 2012


hey guess what i started a oil painting today...yay, its of paul... i almost never use oil paints because they are super messy and take to long to set up and clean-up (after all i'm not a an artist, i'm starting nursing school).  Anyway, here day one of about an hour and a half of painting. I know it makes him look like a drag queen but stay tuned it should get better (i hope.)

Also speaking of nursing school, i got into Duke's accelerated bachelors in nursing program, depending on how the next month pans out...that's where I will be, but can't say anything for sure yet, many other factors still being decided.

Also I had a major baking disaster last night, tried to make dumplings...make dumplings, but I also made a huge mess uhhh.... i think I am going to take a baking break.  I also made some realy heavy wheat bread last night, didn't make a mess with that one quite as much.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

home

well, yeah we drove across this crazy country, we made it here we settled into our little apartment and we're pretty happy, but for some reason I had today I had a little bit of homesickness for the hills and the west.  I told Paul and he just told me that wherever he was with me he was home. sigh, that's nice but, I miss the nature.  I am home here with Paul.
                                                     kate send us a cd of some bridals
also since we are in the south I did make vanilla wafers (homemade) and banana pudding with whipped cream.
also bought fabric for curtains I feel like I have so many projects to do right now that I want to finish before my program does. sigh. its the good life.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Well today the canvas came in the mail, so I have no excuse but to start painting.   I am pretty nervous because I have not done anything with oil for quite sometime and not that much to begin with.  Also I ran a mile today.  I know that seems like no big deal with so many people out there running marathons, but hey I was proud that I did anything.

My exercise motivation has been lacking so I am trying to get it going again.  One thing I have been doing is youtube yoga videos.  So nice, in my house, anytime I want, and I can stop whenever I want. This guy is my favorite one so far, not too intense, not too easy.


    

So I used to do some calligraphy, but I have not for a few years and as a result don't have the proper materials anymore, but I did a little last night, with the marker I happen to buy on my mission. I thought the results were good, but stay tuned for improvement.


One thing about me is that I never do anything perfect, there are calligraphy people out there that do perfect work.  I sort of do convenient work, and I pretty much only do it for addressing envelopes.  It makes it so that I sort of plateau, but it also allows me to dip my feet in all sorts of other fun stuff and send out awesome envelopes....maybe I am going to go make a few more envelopes right now.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

valentines day

Well, today was valentines day, and yesterday was our sixth month anniversary.  We were going to go on a walk to buy some dirt so we could start plants in our pots but, it was raining so I made bread instead.  Life if good here, just the normal calm studying that carries us both through our weeks.

Also some news for grad students, the federal government is now cutting out subsidized loans for graduate and professional  programs.  While I agree that this is the right step to take as hopefully people will take their student loans more seriously it would have been nice if they would have waited a few years. But if I think its good for the country then we also have to be willing to go to school under the same terms.  I guess I am even more grateful that we choose the more affordable school after all.
(thats the little water color card I did for Paul )

Saturday, February 11, 2012

hold me closer tiny baker (hey I dance too!)

today we went to the temple with some of our good friends, I have been thinking quite a bit about family history recently.  This might sounds redundant but it is crazy to think I know nothing about my mothers mothers mother.  I mean I know so much about me mother and feel such a profound connection with her and to think that people were preparing for me and trying to make life situations better generations ago that benefit me now but I have no idea anything about them is just flat out ingratitude or just oversight.  Well, I am grateful for them.
Also I made a cheesecake last night and did some fancy things with it...sometimes I feel like such a baker.  By the time I actually have money to make fancy foods I will know how.
 Also did i tell you about the super healthy cookies I made...they were super healthy.
 Also did I tell you I am supposed to be doing homework right now ?  well I am

and now for another video <3


Friday, February 10, 2012

swoon

lots of things, baking super healthy cookies, gymnastics, piano playing, homework doing, paint buying, drawing etc... but somehow i ended up listening to this
I have sooo much emotional attachment to this song I just listen to 5 seconds of it and i get chills, i am not sure it is the song or the feelings of the time that i listened to it, but swoooon!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

strike!

Well, none for me actually! Today we participated in the Florida Graduate Student Housing Bowling Tournament, neither of us won or even made it to the final, but we did enjoy bowling a few free games over at the Reitz Union.  This is what we looked like
yeah I know were cute. 
good thing I didn't life my arms up because only one of my armpits is waxed and I forgot to do the other one...yikes! 
Also I am getting really nervous/excited to do this painting I will pray that 6 canvasses arrive at my doorstep tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012


Something significant that happened today, I found out that a girl that I went to middle school with had a major spinal tumor and at this point will be in a wheelchair or seriously impaired walking for a long time.  Of all the people I would have never expected her, but reading about her circumstances gives me a lot more respect for her and people like her. I volunteer at a rehab hospital and let me tell you to watch somebody at that age struggle with previously simple tasks is heart wrenching and awe-inspiring.  She is a girl that had life under control and knew the paths she was headed down, but she also could have never known that at age 21 she would develop something like that. Oh the things that we don't know about our lives.  It has inspired me to be more positive and appreciate so many blessings that I am given.

This also led me to think about a dear friend from middle school that died while I was on my mission.  In fact I did not even hear about it until 6 months after it happened.  I was on a mission I was thinking about the plan of salvation daily, but to hear something like that makes one search more meaningfully and cling to answers even tighter.

So lets finish this with Charlotte's web
Also I got an A on my Anatomy& Physiology test and I will find out about UF in 8 weeks.

Monday, February 6, 2012

woo sister woo

whooew! is what my mouth feels like right now.  Today was the day that comes every other week in which I make a gigantic pot of beans, rice, vegetables. It is no small feat, it requires energy, strength and stamina.
first soak the lentils and beans (2-3lbs.) at least 24 hours
second boil them and start chopping
third strain them and start boiling the rice
continue chopping (today I chopped a head of celery, 2 cabbages, a large cauliflower, 3lbs. of carrots, an onion, 3 habeneros)
then put the rice (6 cups dry its mixed half brown, half white) into a separate bowl.
Then start with a little oil, onions, pepper, tons of garlic, habeneros
continue chopping and add vegetables add some water, until the vegetables are cooked.
Add the beans and rice to the vegetables and VOILA...meals for two weeks and you are eating on less than a dollar a day...plus its super healthy.
I like to switch it up a little so I have some different themes
curry (my favorite), balsamic vinegar, tomato based, cream cheese, chicken etc...
For some reason today's pot of food was particularly spicy so my tongue is burning, my hands are burning (from chopping the habeneros) and after I accidentally touch my eyes they were burning too!

Also I am continuously more excited to start those 3 paintings can't wait until the canvases come, I couldn't fall asleep last night because I was thinking about them.
                                          Still haven't decided though profile or straight on.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Pretzels

Today was wonderful, a beautiful sunny walk to church, church, and then I made pretzels...I didn't think they would turn out because I rarely have luck with yeast, and also because my greatest strength (anti-recipe) can also be my biggest weakness.  But apparently pretzels don't require exactness and they turned out to be pretty good.
                                            On our walk to church and around Gainesville






Friday, February 3, 2012

bathroom tile

wow, so I bought that nail polish yesterday and then today I painted my nails, and it turns out the color is the exact same as the color of the bathroom tile in our apartment.
                                                                           see

Then I wanted cookies so I made some
Almost no sugar, lots of what flour and 6 grain oatmeal.
Also less than a stick of butter. 
I figure with chocolate chips that adds quite a bit of sweetness. 
Paul was happy (and tired of studying) 
We are doing pretty good on this minimizing sugar goal.


yesterday I had an anatomy physiology test, then I came home and forgot what I did the rest of the day.

Then at around 8 I made Paul walk with me to target (5miles).  I pretty much never ever spend money...ever. But, after I painted my nails last week with jaimee I decided that since we still have target gift cards I was going to buy some nail polish before I went crazy.  So i bought a few colors, and this is just the beginning...maybe.  I am also going to buy a canvas to do a painting.  I will just justify it that since I am now taking the bus to school everyday we are saving enough on gas that this is okay?

 See thats why this blog is called life uncluttered because when you never spend any money life does seem to be pretty uncluttered, and I can appreciate that.

Stuff is after all just stuff and will all end up at the thrift store or in the garbage eventually.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

I am supposed to be studying for my anatomy/physiology test right now...no desire
I had an interview with Duke nursing program this morning via Skype, I hope it went well, but I didn't feel like there was a lot of feedback so its hard to tell, I guess all I have to do now is wait.
I always thought I was good at interviews but, recently I have been striking out, not sure why.
On the bright side, I love my husband as he is so so kind and and encouraging about this sort of thing.

last year around this time I was here :
                                                        with these awesome people :
                                      
                                                          attempting this sort of crazy idea
which turned out to look more like this
                                      

             
                                                                    this year I am here:
with him
                                                                          <3


Also I can't find the keys to our apartment...but they've got to be around here somewhere.