{September Goals}

It's never too late to make goals, right?

1.) Exercise more:  I am going to reestablish my 24 Hour Fitness membership today

There is a 24 Hour very close to my new place and since right now I have to wake-up at 2:45am in order to make it to my {free} work gym to workout before work (and shower), I'd rather be at a closer gym. My time is precious to me, especially when I have to work 12 hour days.

2.)  Take more Fall photographs: This will be an easy one since I now have a reliable vehicle to get me to all the places I want to visit in order to get this photos.  I have a huge list of places I want to visit and I may get to about a fraction of them (thanks to work and school) before Fall is over (in Colorado).

3.) Finish school work before my work break: I like to procrastinate.  However, if I procrastinate with this I won't be able to enjoy those fall adventures with my new Jeep.

4.) Take Gandalf for 20 minute walks (bare minimum): Poor lil guy. When I work, I only take him out to "do his business" before bringing him back in and then heading to bed.

5.) Do better with IIFYM: This is a must. I want to look good but more importantly feel good.  I want the cute clothes I've already bought to look good on me and not feel the uncomfortable stomach bulge.

6.) Start running again: I lost most of my weight when I was running AND lifting weights.  I need to start including this again in my routine. The weather is about to get perfect for it.

On a side note, I feel like these goals will be much more attainable once I begin working my M-F, 9-5 job. It is extremely hard to get into a routine when you work a rotating schedule of 2 days, work 2 nights and then have 4 off.  Excuses, sure but I am going to try my damndest to get into that routine before I even start the new job.  I did it before. I can do it again.

-Nicole

{Jeeps, bears, and deer, oh my!}

Last night Gandalf and I had our first Jeep adventure.

We headed to Lookout Mountain in Golden, Colorado.

It's a beautiful drive up there as you're driving West, towards the mountains.  I wanted to specifically be up there for sunset and boy was it worth it (even if it meant dropping and shattering my phone *sad face*).  We first stopped at the preserve center park to walk around and eat dinner. Gandalf ended up drinking ALL my water but that was fine. It sure was hot here yesterday, BTW.  It was supposed to be our last day in the 90's.  I can't say I'm disappointed by that; I do not have air conditioning in my new townhouse.  

Anyway, that preserve center is where I dropped my phone.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've dropped that thing and of course this one time is when it shatters, the glass on it anyway shattered.  So, I decide we'd better head back down and head home since I had no phone.  So, we headed back down the way we came. The movement of the animal going around one curve startled me so I slowed down immediately and then realized what that animals was. My mouth dropped and I cursed my dang phone for shattering on me and not working.  I get to the bottom of the hill and at a stop sign, where I decide to check my phone. Lo and behold, it was working! I could see the screen anyway. So, I turned that Jeep around and headed back up the mountain to see if that animal was still there.  I was going to get that photo. Annnnnnd, it was still there... dragging it's dinner further away from the road and into the woods.

Not that great, right? So, I zoomed in...

Holy moly.

My first Colorado bear.

And it was hungry.

Don't jump out the window, Gandalf!

We had a momentary stare down before it I got intimidated and drove off.

I was in awe. I'd just seen my first Colorado bear and it was eating its dinner.  It was beautiful and scary all at the same time.  I've seen bears in other states (again, from the safety of my own car) but I've lived in Colorado for 8 years now and this is the first time I've ever seen a bear here.  

So, down the mountain we go.

And then.

Deer.

Three of them.

All on the very edge of the side of the road.

I did wait until I passed them a little to stop and take pictures.  After all, I did not want them to run into my new Jeep.  

Seriously, a bear and then deer.

Down the mountain we go...

And then!

A Blurry Photo.

I WAS stopped right in the middle of the road so I tried to be quick.

I think it was an adolescent Elk or something.  It was way too big to be a deer.

An adventure indeed.

Of course, I also got to see a beautiful Colorado sunset.

I love this state.

I'm also ready for my next Jeep adventure this weekend.

-Nicole

{Interviewing an Introvert}

Do you even know how stressful job interviews are for introverts?

Seriously.

I have been lucky enough to have two interviews (for two separate jobs) back-to-back.  One on Thursday and the next on Friday.  I was more tired from those two days than I was from living with my mom, niece, nephew, while house hunting, starting graduate school, and working like normal.

Funny thing... I am not actively seeking another job.  Actively meaning, I am not going to my company (or other companies) websites to look for jobs.  I actually somewhat enjoy my job and the people I work with (mostly).  We're a good group for the most part.  However, if I get sent a mass email with a new job that is a "day job" (that's M-F 8-5) I'm qualified for, then I am going to apply for it.

I still work nights occasionally but it's not quite as bad since I only ever have to do two in a row within a week's timeframe.  My body does not like working nights.  Working 12 hour days is hard enough on its own, much less adding nights to it.

So, I applied for 2 jobs that I thought I was qualified for.  One of those jobs led to me applying for a third job in our training department for my current company.  That's the job I had an interview for on that Thursday.  It was a great interview I thought.  I fully expect to hear from them with a job offer.  It would be a lateral move but I would lose the 8% extra pay I get for working the schedule I currently work.  So, really it would be a decrease in pay but just back to my base pay.  It is a M-F, 8-5 job with occasional shift work to keep up certifications on the jobs I teach.

About two days before that Thursday interview a friend of mine asked me to send her my resume and I did.  She forwarded it to her husband, who works for another company than the two of us.  The job he was going to recommend me for got filled but he still passed my resume on to the hiring managers and they liked what they saw (of course they did).  He then recommended me for a different job and that Thursday (the day of my training interview), I was called for an interview for that Friday.  That interview seemed to go really well also.  I am fascinated by the job and really hope this is the job I get and is right for me.  It seemed like it'd be a good fit both professionally and people-wise.  They seem like a great group of people who work really well together.  This job is a Test Engineer 3 position.  I'd be testing new software systems created by my friends husband (essentially).

Fingers crossed!

-Nicole

{Jeep Jeep}

I have always loved a Jeep.

Specifically, the Jeep Wrangler.

Don't get me wrong, the others are nice too but there's just something about a Wrangler I love.

I've had my lil PT Loser Cruiser since 2010 when the car I had before that died.

I felt desperate to get something and it couldn't be a manual since I'd just had surgery on my left ankle.  The PT fit the bill on everything, mainly just being reliable.

I've waited for so long to get the car I really want.

One that I will, hopefully, have forever and a day.

So.  I finally bit the bullet.

I went to a Jeep dealership and bought a Wrangler.

I won't get into detail about how crappy the salesman and dealership ended up being.

Let's just say, I will never recommend Colorado Chrysler Jeep to anyone.

Anyway, I can't take a photo yet of my actual Jeep yet because it's apparently on a train, making it's way from Ohio to Colorado.  September 2 is when I should be able to pick it up (providing I don't get mislead again).  So, in the meantime, here's a stock photo of the Jeep I should am getting:

2015 Jeep Wrangler Sport

2 door

hardtop

MANUAL! 

(do you even know how hard these are apparently hard to find?)

It even has power doors and locks

(initially, I was just looking for bare bones basic)

I plan on having so much fun with this thing.

I will travel all of Colorado with it.

I even have a page on my Pinterest dedicated to places I plan on visiting in Colorado (and other spots too).

I can't even wait.

-Nicole

{Weight}

So, with my mom living with me the last few months and having my niece and nephew here, I have definitely fallen off the wagon with eating right and working out.  Seriously, I now have mad respect for those with families trying to lose weight.  It's hard enough on your own, much less with feeding/taking care of others!

Here's my stats as of Saturday, August 23.

I took these for a Diet Bet I'm participating in (my first!).

I saw Skinny Meg's post about the diet bet she created and decided I definitely wanted to partake.  It's only $25 and it seems like at the worst, I'll get my money back.

I also am going by IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) for my "diet". I put it in quotes because it won't be a diet but more like a guideline to eventually just be able to see what I should be eating and how much.  Specifically, I asked MacroFitness to help me figure out my macros and all that.  

I'm excited and looking forward to being fit for fall.

It is my favorite season afterall.

For the clothes, food, and weather.

-Nicole

{Bachelor's Degree}

I'm not even sure I can begin to tell you how happy I was to get this piece of paper in the mail.

To finally be done with my bachelor's degree, after working on it off and on for 17 years, felt like quite the accomplishment.  My only regret is that I didn't finish it while still in the Air Force.  That wouldn't really have made much difference, just given me more time!

Now, I'm working on my Master's degree at University College, University of Denver.

I just finished the first quarter with A's and the experience has been great so far and the professor's exceptional.  I really hope the next two years goes just as well!

-Nicole

{Family}

Family.

You can't live with them and you can't live without them.

My dad, who is still in the ARMY, was sent to Korea for a year.  My mom could have went with him but they would've had to be there then for two years instead of just one year.  So, they made the decision that he would go and she would stay in the states.  They had been living in Texas but that's not home and, even though she could have stayed with my sister and her family, they would have ended up killing each other.  They also own a home in North Carolina but no longer know anyone who lives there and there isn't family there either.  I haven't had much time with my mom these last few years because I live in Colorado so I told her she should stay with me.

And she did. 

It was terrible and great all at the same time.

She got here November of last year and left in July this year when my dad got back from Korea.  She didn't spend that entire time with me.  She also went to Korea for two months to spend time with my dad there and then she spent another month in Louisiana, taking care of my grandma who'd just had surgery.

I know without a doubt it would be great to have them living closer to me.  Not with me again. I hope that never happens haha but closer would definitely be nicer.  They now are living in Missouri and won't know for awhile where my dad will go to next.  I keep hoping for Colorado Springs but that probably won't happen.

We also were able to spend time with my niece and nephew for a month and half during their summer break.  My sister let them come with us back to Colorado.  Again, that was awesome and terrible haha.  I had my mom, niece, nephew, began house hunting, began graduate school, and still had to work my crazy schedule.  I wouldn't change anything though.  I do wish I hadn't been so busy so that we could've spent more time doing fun things with them.  We did get to do some fun stuff though.

I got to spend time with each one of them individually and have Naynay night.  Naynay is what they call me.  It started when my niece was just a baby and barely making baby noises.  My mom swore she was trying to call me Nannie (which is Godmother in our family) and Naynay just stuck (ironically I took one of those "What's your ghetto name" quizzes on facebook and mine is Naenae).

Overall, it was a great time.

I do love my family, especially my niece and nephew.

They are my two favorite people in the whole world and I'd do anything for them.

-Nicole

{Home}

Finally. :)

This quote I found on Pinterest speaks volumes to me.

I made a decision earlier in the year, around April/May timeframe, to try and buy my own home.

Scariest decision of my life.

Buying a home seems to make sense to most people.  I get it.  It's a great investment, tax write-off, cheaper than rent, paying your own home off instead of someone else's. For me though it's not always been something I wanted to do. Not on m own anyway.

The dream is to meet someone, get married, buy a home, have babies, right?

That's always been my dream anyway but things have not worked out that way and I finally accepted that it may never workout that way.  

I also did not want to buy a home yet because I'm living hundreds of miles away from my family and closest friends.  Will I live here in Denver forever? Because buying a home feels like a "forever" type of deal to me.  Not only that, since I do live here by myself, if I buy a home that means I'll have to take care of it.  Where as before, if something broke all I had to do was call the landlord and guess what! They HAD to fix it and it wasn't coming out of my own pocket.

The last guy I dated kind of unexpectedly gave me a push in buying my own home.  He was very insecure and intimidated by my success: I have a place I can afford on my own, that I furnished on my own, paid for with a great job.  After I got over the ridiculousness of why he was breaking up with me I realized he was right.  I absolutely can do anything and everything on my own.  So I went to a home-buying seminar through my bank.  Then a few weeks later, after sitting on the idea some more, I went to my credit union and applied for a pre-approval for a VA mortgage loan.

And I was approved.

All on my own.

For $200,000.

What?

The first house I tried to buy was beautiful.

It was this small cottage built in like 1931.

It was on a double lot on the outskirts of Denver, a central location to work, school, and fun.

The inspection went about as horribly as you can expect a home built in 1931 to go.  What a learning curve.  After the owner was unwilling to fix any of the major issues, I moved on.

I then put a bid on a condo in my favorite neighborhood.  I overbid by $3000 and someone outbid me.  Ugh.  Let me tell you... I looked at a lot of homes.  Houses, condo's, townhouses.  Most everything in my price range (which is really low for Denver - I could buy ginormous homes in my hometown for that price point), were fixer uppers.  Especially the houses.  I do not want a fixer upper.  It's just me here and I didn't want something I had to fix up, not for $200,000 anyway.

Then I found this townhouse

  

It's perfect for me and Gandalf.

It is only a 1 bedroom and 1 1/2 bathroom BUT it's 1030sqft.  It also requires no fixing up and is a lot less than what I got approved for.  The neighborhood is nice, it's close to the lite-rail to take me to school or downtown and it's still not far from work.  It's got a small patio and it backs onto a small greenbelt area.  It's also got a really nice park within walking distance.  

So.  I bought it.

 

And everything feels right.  This is my place.

It's home.

Nicole

{August Love}

My word, it's August already! So, I've been without Internet since the 30th. Boo. I've been going to Starbucks after work to use their Internet to do my homework for graduate school.  If that's the worst thing that comes from this move,  however, then I'm okay with that. I still have so much to do: unpacking, putting things away, buying a sofa, creating a business for class and creating an event for another class.  Of course, there's still working 48 hours in 4 days as well.  This week I've got a lot going on too: ADT set-up, a Cubs versus Rockies game, doctors appointment, hopefully a hair appointment, internet appointment, and class. Fun times. I also will get some running in their as well. I've been feeling it and it's definitely time if not even past time.  Anyway, life has been good to me and I am so very appreciative.

{Moving day}

I know, I know...

I said I had lots to talk about and then *bam* gone again.

It's been crazy hectic and busy.

The Colorado sunrise I saw as I was getting off work that last shift.

Today is finally moving day.

It's seemed a long-time coming but I am ready.

I will have full details coming with photo's of the new place.

Pre-move in photo's and after.

In the meantime, my place has been a mess because

I had to work 48 hours in four days and go to school just two days before closing.

That part has not been fun, going to school and searching for a new house

and then the whole packing up and moving.

It was work, family visiting for a month and a half,

graduate school, and finding a new place.

Probably the most hectic my life has ever been!

But definitely in a good way!

So, anyway, my mom packed most of my stuff for me and then I've been moving

it to the garage since the condo I'm renting is on the 2nd floor.

This makes for an easy peasy moving day. 

Mostly.

I have some friends to help me move the heavy stuff like my

dresser, mattress, and box spring.

You know, stuff I could not move on my own.

Closing is at 1:30 but I still have some last minute things to do, 

like backing up my laptop in case it dies on me.

Is a jingling laptop bad?

And there's homework.

Well, a discussion anyway.

The homework may have to wait until this weekend.