Greenwater Lakes

The second hike of the year for Aaron and I. Last week we went and did a quick hike up at PooPoo point. I didn't take my camera or anything on that hike, as we do it every year as our break in hike, so it's almost just like walking down at the Soos Creek trail for us - so been there done that ;o)

Our spring has been amazing this year as far as weather has been: probably the best weather we have had in at least 3-4 years, so we have already gotten our second hike in. We decided to venture out and try a new hike. That is the wonderful thing about living in the PNW, there are so many amazing places to hike you never really have to do the same trail twice if you don't want to. I love that!

This hike was very easy, but so beautiful that neither of us minded the ease. As a matter of fact, it was kind of nice just slowing down and we had some great conversation. It was SO nice just being out with my man with no one to bother us!!! We have been having so many issues with people lately that it felt good to be away from them all.

I'm Going Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian

It's an idea I have been playing around with for years now, but have never really made the jump to do so. A few years ago Aaron did the Atkins diet to lose weight, so I decided to just do it with him: no sense in preparing two meals. He lost weight, I got sick.

I have been getting serious into bodybuilding lately: not bulky, just losing body fat and sculpting my muscles. I am enjoying it a lot, and really love the way I am starting to look. A lot of bodybuilding diets consist of mostly chicken, talapia and veggies. I tried it. I had my macros right where I wanted them - things were going great........ then I started to get sick. My stomach was hurting so bad every night I had to just lay on the couch miserable. I felt bloated, constipated and tired. I would try to go for a run and would have to hash it out instead of enjoying it. I felt like I was walking around with a rotting brick in my gut.

Then, I was out on my run yesterday and had an epiphany. This all started when I changed my diet, and has progressively been getting worse. I remembered my Atkins experience and realized I was heading down that same road and would be right back where I was with that soon if I didn't change something soon. It hit me. My body hates meat as much as I do.

I had a naturopath tell me something once that has stuck with me, and came to the fore front of my mind as I was thinking about all of this on my run. He said that usually if you are allergic to something you don't like it: it's your bodies way of telling you not to eat it. I truly don't like meat. Every once in a blue moon I like it - a big juicy hamburger or something - but I like a garden burger just as well. Thanksgiving? In my opinion the only thing a turkey is good for is the gravy it makes. I'll take the stuffing and mashed potatoes all day long over a big slab of turkey.

So, I have made the decision to go vegetarian. No more meat flesh for me. I am still on the fence with fish, but for now I will probably not even eat that. I will continue to eat eggs and dairy: vegans are just too weird and I feel that is too extreme and not healthy. So, Lacto-Ovo Vegetarianism is where I am going to light for a while. I'm still going to play with the diet and macros to make sure I'm still getting enough protein, so that I don't lose any muscle, but no more meat for me.

Decision made. And, I feel pretty good about this, at least for now. We'll see how it goes.

I Need Orginization

Jess lives her life like a cyclone has gone through the middle of it. She has a very chaotic personality - this is evident in how she reacts to situations, he mood swings and the way she organizes (or doesn't as is more the case) her possessions. Hamper? Why, when the floor works just as well? Make the bed? Well, duh, I'm just going to sleep in it again tonight. Throw away my pop can? Why, when putting it on my dresser is much more convenient.

In the last three weeks I have had her damn cat here, she has been here all of three days: just long enough to make a TOTAL disaster of the two rooms I had empty. One room had everything she owned thrown into it helter-skelter and the other had a mattress on the floor with all the things she was "using" scattered around it. Every time I walked by either of these rooms my stress radar went up - I have to have organization and cleanliness - my life is chaotic enough these days without my house being that way too.

Jess is in Hawaii this week with mom. Here I sit, once again, with that damn cat and her mess. UGH! So..... I spent the last two days cleaning, organizing and putting together her room for her. I tried to make it a little home away from home until she can move out. I hope that when she gets home she is happy to see she doesn't have to sleep on the floor any more, and she can actually get to a lot of her stuff.

I know that it isn't going to last long. The second she walks in the door things will go flying, stuff will be thrown on the floor, and trash will pack the corners once again. But, for one short week, every time I walk past her room I will feel contentment and peace. It looks good in there!

Finally - Jess Is Done!!

Getting Jess through College has been a very challenging experience. It has been a difficult thing for her, therefore a continual job for me in keeping her happy, sane and moving forward. Running start was great for her on the side of saving money and time, but not so great in the social department. She had a hard time fitting in anywhere: all the kids her age were immature and she wasn't in classes with them, and all the kids she was in class with went to bars on the weekend and she wasn't old enough to hang with them.

There were a few times where Jess felt like quitting and just coming home to study. We even went as far as to look into online options to finish her degree - but she persevered and made it!

Her graduation was the worst I have EVER been to - very unprepared, unorganized, boring and THE WORST speaker ever invented, but I am just as proud of her as ever and glad I could be there to help celebrate her accomplishment.

So proud of you Jess!

What Is Wraong With People?!

Cell phones are the most amazing devices! It's crazy what they can do these days: track your movements with GPS, keep track of your schedule with a fancy calendar and remind you of upcoming apts, store every single contact you need in one easy place, play games, keep track of calories, record a song and take pictures. About the only thing they don't do is clean your toilets, but I'm sure some day there will even be an app for that. Why is it then that they seem unable to make a freaking phone call?

Jess gave her notice to move well over a month ago. She has been calling her landlord for over a week to get her move out time to do the final walk through and turn in her keys. OVER A WEEK! She and I have both left countless message with this douche bag and there has not been one single phone call back. Seriously?! This is how you run a business? I understand that you shouldn't have to be tied to your phone and answer it on command: people have lives and I get that. But, over a week and you can't find the time to return a phone call?

Now Jess is completely moved out.... she's been out of her apartment for 4 days now, still no word. We still have the keys to the apartment. We still are waiting.

Freaking Crying out loud!

Oh, and the same thing is going on with her new job. She is suppose to start in about 10 days and no one will call her back on that front either.

SO FRUSTRATING! Someone's going to get their dick hole smashed!

Are You Kidding Me?!

When the sun comes out Aaron and I are like lizards crawling out from underneath our rocks: we are outside every chance we can get stripped down as far as possible bearable for the current temperature (though Aaron has a higher tolerance than I do when it comes to this).

We were out on a date, nothing fancy mind you because Jess is completely draining our bank account right now, but just out - together - by ourselves. It was so nice outside, and we really weren't ready to go home. It seems like, as of late, home is a place of drama and headache, so we decided to drag our feet by going for a walk.

We decided to head down to the Green River Trail because much of it is open and sunny. We had been walking for a while and I had to pee. Now, to understand my predicament, the trail has the  Green River on one side of it and businesses on the other. I kept waiting to see if a outhouse were around the corner, but I wasn't having any luck, and I totally wasn't ready to turn around and go home as I was enjoying my time out immensely. I decided I had to do what I had to do, I braved the element of getting caught with my pants down, and hid in some trees to do my business. Ahhh..... much better!

Here is the irony of the whole situation. 5 minutes later we rounded a corner and found the nicest outhouse station I have ever seen! Clean, fresh smelling and complete with a full washing station: soap, water, paper towels and hand sanitizer. Are you kidding me right now? Hey, at least I had a place to wash my hands.

Jess Is Home

Jess is nearing in on her graduation date. Only one more week and she will have accomplished what only two other people in our family have done - Amy and Jeff - and she will get her Bachelors Degree. I am very proud of her because this has not been an easy journey for her. She has had a bunch of ups and downs the last two years at Central and almost gave up and came home twice. However, she stuck it out, and now she is almost done.

Instead of having to pay for rent in June for one week, we just decided to move her home. The one week in June was finals week anyway, and it was cheaper to pay for gas back to take her finals than to pay for rent.

Yup, you can tell Jess is home. My house is chaotic, and my spare bedroom looks more like the room of requirements: it has just turned into a storage unit. Her bedroom also looks like a tornado hit it. I think she is hoping to only be here for a month or two, so doesn't feel like she wants to get too settled in.

We were so close to our new carpet too! Crap, looks like it's going to be a little longer before I can finally cross that off my wish list. Maybe for my birthday.