My military journey. I'm a guest blogger on the website bootcamp4me.com and have submitted a few entries.

Read about it http://www.bootcamp4me.com/2011/11/i-love-a-good-challenge/ and http://www.bootcamp4me.com/2011/11/emilys-journey/

The admin of the site said to keep the entries coming - I have over 300 views! How exciting is that!

Wrapping it up

This was dinner tonight! It's stuffed pasta shells...stuffed with ground turkey, 3 different kinds of cheeses, chopped onion, a little garlic, and other spices such as pepper, parsley, etc...see description below!

So here we are on the eve of my last day off. I will return to work early tomorrow, 6am to be exact, and I feel like I have accomplished absolutely nothing.

I am charging my ipod as I type this, so maybe that will inspire something out of me...(because music helps people get up, ya know..)

Tomorrow, I get off work at 1, and I will walk from there to where my parents work. I'm not sure how long it is, but it should make up for my lack of exercise this weekend. They don't want me to do it because the weather is supposed to be bad, but since D will be at a football game, there really is no other choice. Maybe THAT'S the kind of motivation I need, otherwise it won't get done..

Tonight I made dinner all by myself. It was probably the most time consuming thing I've ever put together. Read below the photo for the ingredients.

Anyway, tonight I am thankful that D has a job. Even though we're spending lots more time apart because of it, (mostly the time we sleep together) it will be helpful when bills are due. He has a shift coming up that starts at 9pm and gets over at 6am...and I work at 1pm that afternoon, so I likely won't even see him. :/

The next few days

Day 9 --- I am thankful for beautiful pacific northwest weather in November. It keeps everyone's spirits high and I love that.

So it's my Friday, and I haven't been this excited for a "weekend" in a long time.

Here's what's on my itinerary:

Starting tonight after I get off work:
-go to D's parents house and hang out, awaiting the midnight release of Skyrim.
-watch D play Skyrim for whoknowshowlong...
-wake up, go for a run and do other exercises (mostly cardio/pushups/situps)

-come back, start a load of laundry
-clean the bathroom while the washer is going
-move on to the kitchen, do the dishes, wipe counters, etc.
-fold and put away clean clothes, possibly (ok, probably) start a new load
-clean room/make bed etc
-do more cardio

-feed the dogs/rabbits/cats
-fold second load of clothes

-parents should be home shortly after this, so I let them settle in and start on dinner. It's either going to be homemade mac n' cheese with steamed veggies or stuffed pasta.

-try a new recipe: get honey mustard marinade, marinate the grilled chicken and let it sit overnight and prepare (probably bake) over rice.

Anyway, that's my plan. I'm so excited for trying out new things! :)

Thankful, day10 --
I am thankful for food!:)

I have a lot on my mind

So, I've been thinking of everything I have going on in my life lately. I don't really know where to start, so bear with me as my thoughts are jumbled and out of place. Here are some questions that are floating through my head...

Why am I so lazy about working out?

When are we ever going to be financially stable again?

^^ How did that get so out of control?!

Whatever happened to my list of "what I want in a husband?"

lajdsfjajgjdlaskjdfkjslkdfa; it's hard to think sometimes. :(

Day 8: today, I am thankful that I have a full-time job. Unfortunately, however, it is the slow season which leaves my mind to wander by itself sometimes...thus, the above. :/

Thankful day 7

I went to bed so early last night that I forgot about my blog.

Day 7 --

I am thankful for my family. The quirks, the little moments, everything.

Thankful day 6

Today, I am thankful for sweet sleep and flannel sheets.

Goodnight, readers.

PS --

Oh, I forget to mention one thing...

At my DEP meeting last Thursday (it's a monthly meeting for those of us in the Delayed Entry Program with the Navy) I made a very big decision...

Remember how I asked my recruiter to look into yeoman for me? Well, I changed my mind.

After talking to D about our future, and already changing my ship date once, I decided to stick with boatswain's mate. Why? Here it is:

That is a job I would never choose in a million years if it were offered next to yeoman or any other administration type job. It will challenge me, make me stronger, and I may just like it.

My recruiter's boss was there and he asked us all our ship date, job, and where we went to high school, and then told us a bit about our job. There is someone in my group that will be going in as a yeoman, (which I didn't know, haha) and when he got to him, he said "meh, lots of paperwork.." which, yes I love (I know, I'm crazy) ... but then I realized that's a lot of what I do now, being a receptionist, and I find myself always looking for things to do and my brain isn't being challenged. In other words, it's really routine, which is nice on one hand, but it gets old fast.

So on the way home, I texted my recruiter and told him to forget about looking into yeoman for me. I'm excited about where boatswain's mate will take me.

And hey, if I do end up hating it, I don't have to re-enlist in four years (but I have a feeling I'm going to like it).

Thankful day 5

Today....I am thankful for great music.

It is mood altering. Can turn a bad day into a great one. Can make you laugh, make you think, change your beliefs...

It can motivate you to get moving. It's really a beautiful thing.

I don't know what I'd be without the power of music.

Thankful day 4

Today I am thankful for my puppy Leo. I have had lots of dogs as pets before, and I have loved them all...but there is something about Leo...there's also something about raising a dog from the time they're just a few months old until they're old. He is so loyal, so loving, so SPOILED...I just love this dog to pieces. He came into our lives at a time when we were trying to move back home...it probably wasn't the best time, to be honest. But the first time I saw him, my heart melted. He will cuddle when you're cold (or sad), sleep at your feet, and love you unconditionally. He's such a great dog and the perfect addition to our family. <3

Thankful

Like so many are doing on facebook, I will post, everyday in the month of November, what I am thankful for ... Since it's already day 3, I will do three things!

Day 1- I am thankful for a beautiful life.
Day 2- I am thankful that I have family who makes me laugh.
Day 3- I am thankful that I was given the chance/opportunity to join the Navy. I think I'm making the right choice. :)

More to come in the morning. :)

Pre-boot workout

Yesterday, I vowed to start my pre-boot camp boot camp. I want to be as physically ready as I possibly can be...and as it stands today, I have a long ways to go. I want to be able to run the 1.5 mile in 8 minutes or less, considering in high school I could do a mile in 7:06 (that was my best time..) but that was almost 4 years ago, and I haven't really ran since.

My push ups and sit ups are a joke...and I try to get up early, like 0600 or 0700 when I'm not working, but the blankets are so warm..lol

I am trying to cut soda and candy out of my diet. I am drinking a lot of water. And by a lot, I mean three bottles a day, which is a TON for me (and that's probably not even what I should be drinking...)

I guess it's time to break out the yoga mat.. how do ya'll get motivated to get out of bed and go run?