JSMB Biggest Loser means that I have to get off my butt...

With spring coming, some of my coworkers got together and decided it would be a great thing if we did our own Biggest Loser! Everybody chipped in $10 and the winner gets to take home our "pot money." (Quoted from Miss Lizzy Alva. We still laugh about it.) Those who really want to participate got together at Char's house Sunday night and weighed in. Not my greatest moment. Afterwards, we had loads of fun playing on the Wii. So great! 

This is exactly the jump-start and kick in the rear that I needed. A few weeks ago, Carrie came up with the idea of my "24 in 30," meaning that I would exercise 24 hours in the next 30 days. I was doing okay with that idea but work continually got in the way. Too many sweets. Too many carbs. Right there in front of me for my disposal. My exercise would be for not. When I first starting working there, I was worried about the food, especially when Andrew told me that he gained 10 lbs. after he started. Yikes. I don't need to add extra weight. I need to get rid of it. I did try and watch what I was eating. I am not at work binging in the corner. My problem in simply that each work shift involves a lot of manual labor and therefore they provide a large amount of carbs to keep us moving. Smith Chicken, Baron of Beef, or Lion House Rolls do NOT help me lose the 20 or so pounds that I really want to lose.

It was such a comfort to talk to my fellow servers and learn that they were having some of the same troubles. Within a mix of return missionaries, brides-to-be, and college students suffering from the "Freshman Fifteen," this is an awesome answer! And I am way excited :)

Problem: I still work at JSMB. 

Day 1 was great. I watched what I ate. I wrote it all down. I stayed pretty on track. I exercised with my good friend Jillian and ended the day feeling pretty good. Day 2 was a different story. I started work at 6:30 am which meant that I had to wake up at 5:15! There is no way that I was going to wake up at 4 something so that I could exercise before work and then spend the whole day doing manual labor and hating my life. Not a chance. I went to work and I was careful with breakfast. Yogurt, fruit and granola. And 1/2 my favorite danish.... Then lunch was at the Roof! I have never been there before. I will probably not go there again for a very, very, very long time. So a blurred the lines a little bit and had more carbs than I should have. I was on my plan 50%. I'll keep thinking that the cup is half full because today is Day 3 and I kicked it again. I've been watching what I eat. I exercised for a little over an hour. Thank you Mr. Treadmill and Denise....(whats-her-face) on Exercise TV. With the exercise of two days and the hard work of the day in the middle, I'm sore. But it is a good sore. One I haven't enjoyed completely for months. Bring it on JSMB friends! I am totally going to win this thing!

(But in all reality, I'm seeing this as a win-win situation. The money would be nice. But I really want to smile more when I look in the mirror. If I can keep this going for this month and a half, I've got a habit. And then I'll get to my goal soon. I'm ready to kick some trash!)

Look Not Behind Thee

It has now been three months since I technically graduated. 

What am I doing?

Working as a Banquet Server (still) at Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

I understand that it is money.

I understand that it helps my parents go back to work and not have to worry so much about Carrie at home.

I am more than happy to hang out with my red-headed super sis.

I just never thought that this is what I would be doing at this stage of my life.

And to be fully honest, I am disappointed with myself.

But--- 

then I watch this Mormon Message. 

loving me a Monday

Usually, Mondays bring me down. Today- not even close.

Things I Love:

Dollar Movies with the fam,

especially when the movie happens to be Tangled

Adele's crazy music videos

my new shoes (although mine are turquoise)

raspberry hot cocoa from my mother

a phone call with Numero

"Nikki Heat" episode of Castle

a visit from dear friends

starting my new goal of 24 in 30 (details to come)

a clean room

a crush on Zachary Levi (and this one)

a day off from "Food Captaining"

an un-ponytail day

possible pillow answer for Maggie

drooling over this top

[The only things that brought the day down a tad was the crazy snow storm and my inability to make an Ikea trip this afternoon]

Happy Half Birthday to Me

6 months from today I turn 24! Yikes! 

When I realized that this morning, I freaked a little. I am not original in saying that this was not what I had planned for this time of my life before. 

It is true- If you want to make Heavenly Father chuckle, tell Him all your plans. 

I have six months to polish up Year 23.

What should I do?

Volunteer

Road trip

Go on a date (?)

Summer employment

Travel to a place I have never been before

Graduate from Institute

Walk for University of Utah graduation

Write a song on my guitar

Take a class

Learn something new and unexpected

Try sushi again

Find a full time job!

Run a 5K (?)

I don't know. Funny life of mine.

"Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect.

It means you decide to see beyond the imperfections."

- author unknown

i hate when i am the cause of someone else's bad day...

Reading my friends' blogs, I came across the idea for installments of Good News/ Bad News. I feel that accurately can describe today.

Bad News: I lost sleep from a rare nocturnal case of a migraine last night.

Good News: I was able to catch up on the missing Zzzzzzzzs.

Bad News: I called in sick and became sick server #5.
(Needless to say, Amy was not very happy with me. I feel horrible. Note to self: Next time I call in sick, I won't be able to move. At all.)

Good News: I feel fine now.

Bad News: Carrie got sick at Dillards while we were shopping for Melanie's prom dress.

Good News: Melanie found the perfect dress. [Pictures and story to come]

Good News: Girls' Scout Cookies were delivered today :)

Bad News: I will have to control myself and not eat every one. Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tag-alongs. Mmmmm...

My day was rough, but it in no way compares to these poor people:

Now that is some seriously BAD NEWS

Home Alone...

I don't know why but in the past year or so I have gained a reputation of handling catastrophe when I am all alone at home. It started last summer with the mouse. Then the dead bird. Fires on the stove. And now trouble with the pipes. Let's just say, I had flashbacks of being a PD at my first overnighter. And I tried hard not to gag.

These are my stories:

1- The mouse
Last summer, I was at home alone waiting for Melanie to come home from school so that the two of us could drive and spend the rest of the day at the hospital. I was checking up on emails and whatever else on my laptop while sitting in my living room. My back was up against the couch facing south. The other couch lies against the west wall, next to my parents' large grandfather clock. There is a space of about 2 feet of bare wall between the two. This small area of wall was on the far edge of my peripherals.
There I was, minding my own business, and I catch the glimpse of something brown race along the wall frame. I started. The only way that I can explain it is that my heart jumped. Just a bit. I stared the wall down, daring it to turn brown again. It didn't, so I returned my attention to what I was doing. The moment after my heart rate returned to normal, it happened again! Although this time, I was faster than the mouse and caught a terrifying glimpse of a tail sticking out from behind the couch!!!
Before I continue my story, I need you to understand something. I am not a baby. I consider myself hardcore. I have dealt with things that make my father cringe, and I think that man can handle just about anything. My emotions were already on edge with the long hospital stay and my sister recovering from a brain injury. London created a pit in my stomach for weeks. This is all to simply say, I was not myself.
So what did I do? Screamed. And ran. And called my mother.
I will forever be in debt to my neighbor, Gene Andersen, who saved me from the tiny mouse. He continues to never let me live it down.

2- The dead bird
A few weeks after the mouse incident, I experience yet another small creature episode. This time, I was not completely home alone. Melanie was at home with me. Why? I can't remember. We were at home for a few hours before heading into the hospital again. Since it was June/July, it was rather warm in the house. I was upstairs getting ready for the day and decided that it might be a good idea to turn on the AC. To set the scene, we have a swamp cooler. It drips in the summer so the cover that would normally be in the ceiling is gone, leaving a square shaft from us to the fan.
I went into the hall and simply turned the dial down to Low. The fan began to turn, but slowly. It sounded like it was stuck. The reason still makes me hurt. I am...a bird killer.
I turned the cooler off after a few seconds, but I thought the problem was created because I had turned the dial the opposite direction than usual. I turned the dial again. The cooler turned on again. It struggled for a moment or two, and then began to spin as usual. A second after it started to spin without obstacle, I heard a small thud a foot away from me. Yes, a small bird had fallen from the sky and now lay dead in the middle of the floor.
What did I do? Gasped. And ran down the stairs to the landing. Melanie heard me and asked what was wrong. I told her simply, "There is a dead bird. On the floor. Upstairs." With her help, we placed the poor bird in the garbage can.
I still hesitate when turning on the AC to this day.

And today's story? You don't need to know any other details besides the fact that I kept reminding myself that I am Harmony, the PD. I am not a plumber.

But I am Hardcore. 

And I can do hard things.

O Captain, My Captain

"Hello, My name is Jenny

and I will be your Captain today."

I survived my first week in Captain Training. I am well on my way on becoming a "Food Captain" according to my friend Pig. Yup, they decided to put me in charge. I'm still wondering what they were thinking.

It has been a long week. I worked every day except Tuesday.

Monday: I followed Elaina around and started to see everything that was required of a captain. It was an office luncheon and, therefore, not quite the same as working a wedding.

Wednesday and Thursday: Training was more of a joke. I ended each day more and more frustrated. Ugh. Thinking about it now makes me want to throw something.

I honestly learned more in the past two days than I have all week.
Ultimately- I learned that I can do this. I am still a small step behind but I think that will come with experience.
I really am trying.