Nauvoo is kind of freezing

Who knew it could be this cold in the middle of July? I thought I was done with cold at least until Provo this fall.

We've basically toured around all of the LDS and Community of Christ stuff. Carthage Jail wasn't nearly as depressing as I thought it was going to be. We went to the Red Brick Store today, and going up to the 2nd floor was probably my favorite part of this trip so far. When we came back down, a woman asked me what was upstairs, and I answered that there were some rooms with some historical artifacts, and she was like, "oh, so it's not very important, huh?" And I was thinking, "uhm, it's only where the Relief Society was organized and where the first endowments were done before the Nauvoo Temple was finished AREYOUKIDDINGME."

We also saw this kid who plays Joseph Smith in the Nauvoo Pageant do a reenactment of parts of the King Follett discourse. That was pretty rad. We're going to the Pageant tonight.

I don't think I'm going to get on the scale for at least a week after we get back. I have not eaten healthy in the least bit the last few days, and although I took advantage of our hotel in Kansas's fitness center and went running yesterday morning, I haven't been as active as I should be.

Vacation

So I have this week off from work. I'm going to Nauvoo, Illinois with my family for a family reunion. I'm pretty excited mostly to just get time by myself to chill and read. I'm not, however, looking forward to the drive.

I've also been doing so good with eating well and exercising. I've lost 7 pounds in the last 3 weeks. Go me. I average about .3-.5 pounds weight loss every day (I know I shouldn't be weighing everyday, but whatevs), so by the time I go back to school, I should be around 125. I also have a plan to lose another 10 pounds over the semester. 115 is perfect for my height, and I'm looking forward to it.

I've been taking quite a few vitamins every day, and I definitely think they've been helping me lose weight and generally feel good. Every day I take:

• A general multivitamin (100% of vitamins A through E, iron, and folic acid, amongst other things)
• Lutein (macular degeneration runs in my family)
• CoQ10
• Acai Berry
• Vegetable multiplex
  

Exactly 50 days until the first day of school. Soooo excited.

seven weeks

I really, really, really, really can't wait to go back to school. I need to feel nourished by academia again. I also can't wait to be done with Purple Cow. This semester will probably be the easiest to leave for because I don't have to say goodbye to Brad this time. Buh, seven more weeks.

Ate today: golden grahams w/ milk; peach; chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (added up to probably 2 servings); no sugar added moo bar; cheese quessadilla with black beans, pico de guillo, and sour cream

Active today: 20 minutes on treadmill; pilates 20 minutes; stretching 10 minutes; walking around various stores for a few hours

I really need to stop eating junk food so I can eat bigger quantities of healthier stuff.

Slow, expensive weekend

I've been spending way too much money. I bought more stuff from ELF because I found a 50% off coupon for their studio line stuff:

• Translucent matifying powder
• Bronzer in Golden
• Complexion perfection
• Complexion brush
• Powder brush
• Brush case

I also bought a book I've been meaning to read for a while: Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman. I read parts of it for my principles of journalism class last semester, and enjoyed it. It's about how public discourse is being replaced by entertainment and the fragmented "news-of-the-day." I've only read the first chapter, but I'm liking it so far. He wrote it in 1985, and not only is it still applicable today, it seems like the internet has added more fuel to the fire of Postman's fears than anything could have in 1985.

Ate today: (It was fast Sunday, so no breakfast or lunch.) Baked potato with butter, sour cream, cheese, and natural sea salt (with the skin); strawberries and peaches; corn; brownie sundae

I didn't work out at all today. I was planning on at least stretching, but so much for that. I don't feel bad for the brownie sundae though. I think I'm going to make Sundays my guilt-free chocolate days.

ELF haul

So I recently discovered ELF Cosmetics. And they're pretty awesome. They're really inexpensive (almost everything is $1) because they don't spend a lot of money on packaging or advertising, they get really good reviews on mua, and they don't test on animals. Seriously. How rad is that?

I just bought some stuff online, spent a total of $24.95 (that includes shipping), and got all of this stuff:

• Brightening eye color in Butternut and Luxe
• Eyelash curler
• Defining eye brush
• Total face brush
• Concealer brush
• Hypershine gloss in Blossom and Fairy
• Liquid lipstick in Baby Lips
• Plumping lip glaze in Fire Coral
• Bronzing powder in Luminace
• Natural radiance blush in Innocence
• Shimmering facial whip in Spotlight
• Eyeshadow primer
• Shine eraser sheets (I got 2 of these because I love these things)

All for $25. How awesome is that? You're lucky to find just 2 cosmetics that add up to $25. http://www.eyeslipsface.com.

Also, I got my hair cut today. Nothing too dramatic, just a few inches off and re-layered. I really like it. I also bought some stuff on the cheap at the Body Shop from the $2 bin. And I made brownies for Brad. So after all of my over-the-top girlishness today, I mowed the lawn.

Ate today: mixed veggies and spring rolls from Panda Express with sweet and sour sauce; pretzels; 1 slice homemade veggie pizza; no sugar added moo bar; 1.5 brownies (plus some batter on the side of the bowl)

Active today: walked around the mall; mowed front and back yard (total of 1.25 hours); treadmill walk/run 30 minutes; pilates 20 minutes; stretch 10 minutes

Not bad. I could have done without the brownie, and I wish I would have woken up in time to eat breakfast and get my metabolism going, but overall I'm happy with today.

So this is my summer...

Work, working out, eating healthier (or trying to), losing 20 pounds (really trying to), writing to/missing Brad, looking forward to school starting.

I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow. I seriously need it trimmed.

Ate today: cinnamon chex with milk; salad with spinach, red onion, tomato, egg, jack cheese, and honey mustard; ice cream (chocolate with oreo, peanut butter, and hot fudge....ugh, but so good); diced peaches; no sugar added moo bar; too much water to remember.

Active today: work 9 hours, treadmill walk/run 30 minutes, stretch 10 minutes, pilates 2o minutes.

I did good except for the ice cream (that's what I get for working at Purple Cow), and the fact that I got home from work too late to eat a real dinner. But I didn't have any soda today, and I think that's a pretty good accomplishment.

I think it's interesting that giving up meat wasn't a problem at all for me. I don't remember it being very hard at all, and I only craved a few things (mostly chicken) for about a month. But it's so hard for me to say no to Coke and Dr Pepper. Hmm...

2:30 AM

I have to be up in 3 and a half hours to get ready to go to Lubbock for a family reunion. How exciting. At least I don't have to work this weekend. I also plan to finish Three Cups of Tea, which I've been looking forward to reading in time increments greater than 5 minutes.

I don't know why I stay up so late. Jerry Seinfeld has a joke about night guy and morning guy. Night guy will stay up late, knowing he has to wake up early, but thinks that part is morning guy's problem. And morning guy always hates night guy. Morning Shelley always hates night Shelley.

Also, I really dislike some of the people I work with. Particularly management. I really can't wait to go back to TAing in the fall.

Also, I seriously miss Brad.