Major Decisions

Well- not that it was public information but about a month ago I decided that I needed to move to be with Bobby in SC because I was very unhappy with a) being alone, b) work and, c) money issues. So I had put out my resume to several places- a week went by and nothing. Just as I was debating whether or not to call I had three companies wanting interviews.

Last weekend (the weekend of July 23) I went up and interviewed with two amazing individuals about working as a line therapist at their company. I really loved the one girl- very research-based and she reminded me of my current boss. However, the Tuesday before I left my boss sat down to talk with me (she "heard through the grape-vine that I wasn't happy"). I told her everything and it made me feel so much better. Mostly because she was now aware of things that she hadn't been before and because I actually have a GREAT job. This made it ten times harder for me to leave her company- if that was going to be the case.

After my interviews, Bobby and I made a Pro/Con list to living in SC and FL. Unfortunately it was decided that there were more pros for me in FL than SC- in fact if I moved I would be taking a HUGE pay cut, not something I like to hear. So needless to say- I am in FL and not moving any time soon. I am projected to start my practicum in April, Internship I/II starting in July, residency in October...lots of school stuff and my boss is working with me and I am very thankful.

But Wednesday marks the first day back to school for the kiddos at my school and I am excited to see what the new school year brings including having a desk (even though 4 of us have to share it, it is still nice to "have" a desk).

Just a little update.

xo Grimmy

What has eight legs and builds webs?

Apparently, I have been cursed for the rest of my life to deal with spiders and quite frankly it's getting old. For as long as I can remember I have had horrible experiences with spiders from throwing a huge dictionary on top of one and having it survive, to millions upon millions of babies crawling all over the floor once the momma was smushed, my car being infested with them, and of course to finding at least 3 spiders a day in one apartment I lived at for a year in Tampa. Needless to say this turned me into a paranoid, anxious, obsessive individual about not leaving anything on the floor unless I have too especially pillows, knocking my shoes together before I put them on, shaking my towel before I put it on, watching every part of the walls in my residences, and most importantly my bed.

For a while I was so obsessed about spiders that I spent countless hours on the computer attempting to research them and even went to Barnes and Noble to see if I could find books on spiders. However, I never really got what I was looking for. I can tell you pretty much what kind of spider is what if it is in my house but I do have an issue with thinking that all the baby spiders I come in contact with at baby brown recluses because they seriously look like they have little violin's on their butts which is the main identifying mark on a brown recluse.

Now I will fill you in on my spider adventures over the past week...

So last week, I think it was Monday, I was sitting on the porch talking to my Dad on the phone trying to have him walk me through lighting the grill with the long lighter because our igniter is bad and you have to build up a lot of gas before getting it to turn on which is extremely dangerous. Point of me telling you that is- I gave up because I was too scared to stick the lighter down to the burner and ended up cooking my chicken on the stove. Once dinner was finally finished I sat down on the couch- my normal eating place when Bobby isn't home- to eat dinner. A little while later I was finished and watching TV and procrastinating from doing school work when I felt something on my neck, and it felt really strange. My first thought was a spider but I didn't feel anything when I had grabbed my neck immediately after I felt it. But I saw that my braid was on my shoulder and turned in towards my neck and I was like that's weird but I guess it was my hair. At this point I turn off the TV and start reading for school when I felt something on the back of my arm and when I looked it was a....you guessed it, a SPIDER ! So I quickly brush it off and it falls on the couch- I do not succeed in killing it but got it off the couch and decided to sit on the chase lounge for the rest of the night.

The next night, I am in the same position on the couch (after having check it- of course). I am in the middle of eating dinner and I mean actually putting the fork to my mouth when I felt something run down the back of my arm again! It was the freaking SPIDER! So I slap my arm and then swipe it in all hopes to kill it and get it away...this time I can't find it. So I clean up and go do school work for the night. Later on I had got up from the den to get some water when I noticed a dark spot on the carpet next to the coat closet and I said to myself "There isn't a stain there" and I walked closer to it and of course another spider! This time is was a good quarter size... probably a house spider but it looked like a Hobo spider-YUCK! I grab my shoe and smush it to pieces in the carpet and carry on with my school work.

When I returned from SC this weekend I was prepared to kill spiders since when I was gone the weekend before I had so many to kill; however, definitely did not think I would find what I did...

So within the past month I have been finding small black beetles in my house and would dispose of them via the toilet; however, I had been noticing the past couple days in a row that in the same spot in the bathroom I would be picking up beetles everyday. When I got a piece of tissue and picked them up I noticed that they were covered in white stuff and I thought to myself "That looks like something a spider would do to its prey" but didn't think anything of it until today when I had thrown a beetle away this morning before work and when I got home there was another one in the same spot with the same white stuff on it. So I got a little compact mirror out and look under the edge of the bathroom cabinet... and sure enough a freaking spider. Now I'm freaking out and my anxiety is kicking in, telling myself "Oh, I bet it's a brown widow". Once I talked to both Bobby and my Dad- I developed a POA (Plan of Attack) which involved Lysol with Bleach (what I always use to kill creepy crawlers) and a wire coat hanger because I did not want to be close to that horrible creature. So I sprayed the ledge a few times and watched it with my mirror- it was on the run! So I sprayed it again and it had came down on it's silk trying to get away from the toxic substance I put on it! And then I used the coat hanger to get it where I could step on it to kill it. Let me just tell you it was a mess but it was finally dead.

After I cleaned up my mess I proceeded to take the compact mirror and look under everything else for signs of more widow's...thankfully I found no others but since this early evening I have been stressing out about spiders and constantly looking for them to the point that it is again becoming obsessive. It just creeps me out because who knows how long it had been there, where it was traveling to at night, if it was on my bed with me, if it could have bit me or Trip, or what else could have happened. I mean I usually stand in that same spot when I do my make-up and get ready in the a.m. Now everything I feel I think can be a spider and it's making things really hard. Hopefully the pest control company comes this week because them spraying will make me feel better in deterring the spiders even though it most likely won't kill them since they do not crawl on their bellies like most other bugs (i.e. roaches).

That's all- I am open to suggestions! Good night !

xo Grimmy

Life

I am very excited for this weekend coming up- mainly because I get to see my Best Friend, Megan, but also because I get to go to Tampa. Since, I moved to Jacksonville last summer I have only had the chance to get down there once, that's right, once. I'm not proud to say that since I should be a better friend and get down there more often but school really does consume my life! When school is in session you can rarely find me doing anything but sitting on my butt in front of my computer for 6+ hours a night (which I have done since yesterday and school started back up Monday). But a while back I decided to pick a random weekend and go to Tampa and I am still holding to it. One of the main reasons why I was going to Tampa was so that Tom my other best friend could meet Bobby and then Megan was moving so it is also going to be me seeing her new place too! So Booby and I had been planning on going down to Tampa for some time now, however, Bobby told me yesterday that there might be a chance that he would be called into work this weekend to do port security in Savannah, GA. This equalled me not being a happy camper, guess I need to get use to the military controlling him :[ but I am trying not to let it get me down too much because I really am looking forward to having a good time and going to a few places that I miss so much!

One place I would like to stop is the Wooden Door click here. My old roommate and I (when we actually liked each other) would come to this watering-hole quite often after work or on Friday nights since it was a mile away from our apartment. It is a fun little Irish Pub- where everyone can know your name it you want it that way. We would also party here before heading to the next bar over The Green Iguana here for live music.

Another place I would like to visit in South Tampa- The Dubliner and maybe MacDintons- depending on how busy it is (but probably not). Oh I can't forget we gotta eat some pizza too (tradition). Speaking of pizza traditions, when Megan and I lived in the sorority house together I always remember her wanting to order pizza after going out :] and I like pizza and all but it wasn't something I could eat everyday but little did I know that I would fall in love with pizza, haha. Talking about pizza makes me miss Marco's Pizza- the best pizza ever! So fresh!

I would also love to go to Bobalouies or Pete's Place (South Tampa) Karaoke bar...both have great people watching opportunities. Lastly, I would like to stop by Tia's Tex-Mex where I worked for a hot 3 years serving Tampa's finest Tex-Mex with lots of great people (this is a must!).

But most of all I just want to spend time with my best friend! So it doesn't really matter what we do this weekend, as long as I am in good company :]

Please do not think I am an alcoholic by any means from my posts- I normally do not drink very often because of..... you guessed it! SCHOOL WORK! But I do like to have a good time when I can.

xo Grimmy

It's about that time...

To get back to school work and work. I have definitely enjoyed my two week vacation from work and my three week break from my Masters program but it is that time again, to go, "back to school". When I was younger I couldn't wait to back to school- I honestly LOVED going back to school shopping! I loved getting new clothes, shoes, pencils, markers, etc. However, since I have been working my but off in graduate school I can never recover from my short three week breaks. It doesn't help that for the past nine months I have been taking courses through FIT to be able to sit for certification exam to be a BCaBA (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst). Thankfully, I have passed all three courses require and now just need to study my but off for the exam in September. Another thing I have decided to do for the summer quarter is to take one course at Capella- Child and Adolescent Counseling; which I am super excited for since I want to specialize in working with children. Taking one course is going to aid me in giving me the extra time to study for the certification exam so I can hopefully pass and start earning more money than I am getting now.

However, I am a little nervous- as always, with the beginning of the new course because the workload seems to be a lot, not that I can't handle it because I have juggled way more. I just let my anxiety get the best of me. But like I said I am excited for the course to begin minus the coursework, haha. Then in October I have my second residency in Jacksonville which is also exciting but nerve-wrecking at the same time since we have to put all the skills we have 'learned' to use in role plays etc. Guess it's just another day in the life of a graduate student...December 2012 can't come soon enough.

xo Grimmy

WDW a.k.a Wedding Day Workout Commences

So back in September 2010 I started dieting and did really well for myself losing 30lbs by February 2011. Then in March my friend Dana and I joined the YMCA and were going regularly until Spring Break (I work in a school so I still get to enjoy Spring Break). For Spring Break I spend the week in Charleston with Bobby and Dana-which was great besides eating, eating, and eating. Then there was drinking, drinking, and more drinking. Needless to say since Spring Break I have not been dieting, watching what I eat, or exercising regularly and I have put 10lbs back on. This does not make me feel good about myself especially since I have to fit into a size 8 wedding dress...yes I said size 8. This still amazes me because I have never fit into a size 8 dress before but it is nice besides when I have been dress shopping for weddings and casual dresses I am a lot smaller than what I would normal have had to wear. But since the wedding is a year away I need to get back into gear and diet and exercise to look great for Bobby!

Day 1:

Ate pretty well, better than what I have been doing and exercised- I did 1.25 mile on the elliptical and worked on my arms. Drank lots of water and took vitamins.

Day 2:

Again, did pretty well with my eating right! Yay me! I also did 50 minutes of cardio and 1.94 mile on the elliptical.

So basically, I am counting my calories and doing low carbs with a lot of water to stay hydrated. Hopefully, I can keep this up. I need to be in good shape for my wedding day :] Wish me luck.

On a side note, I am watching Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta -Bridesmaids edition and it is crazy, these girls want their bridesmaids to spend 500 + on their dang dress! INSANE! (Girls I WILL NOT do this to you). Some girls just torture their friends because they feel like they can for their wedding, not nice. Thankfully, all the weddings that I have been in, I have been lucky to have wonderful brides, who were NOT BRIDEZILLAS.

xo Grimmy

365 days

Yesterday marked an official year until Bobby and I's wedding in Jacksonville Florida at Club Continental! ( found here )The both of us couldn't be more excited that it is finally close enough to "count down" too. Granted, it was my choice to wait this long to get married but I wanted to make sure it was right and that him and I could live together before getting married. With that I have been engaged since April 15, 2010... The most difficult part about waiting so long besides not being on his insurance (military insurance=good insurance) is that some of my friends who had got engaged well after me are already married or are getting married this summer. Don't get me wrong I am very happy for my friends who are getting married, it's just that I want to have my special day too and I kick myself in the but sometimes for waiting as long as I did but it's for the best. I would much rather have a long engagement than get married super quick and risk having a divorce in a couple years.

While on the subject of divorce...I chose to have a long engagement because I grew up with fighting parents, who eventually got divorced but ever since I was little I told myself that I would not get divorced, and that once I was married I was married for good, so I really want to hold to those words. Thankfully, Bobby and I have his parents as an example since they have been together thirty-nine years this November but the point is that they are still together and still love each other and that is what I want and what I want my children to grow up having. I have so many horror stories about my parents fighting when I was younger and their divorce took such a toll on my younger brother that I knew it was nothing I wanted. Granted I am still learning to pick and choose my battles and to not get mad/upset at the little things because it sparks the stupid little fights; however, I definitely take after my mother, on a side not I really try not to be like her. I must admit that I am very thankful to have found Bobby (thanks to Jessica) because he puts up with me when I am happy, sad, drunk, silly, and mad. He is definitely a great guy and I couldn't be anymore lucky to have him.

So with our wedding being 365 days away...I was checking out my theknot.com page and seeing what else needs to be done.

As of right now I have the following checked off my list:

• Wedding colors (Navy and Lime)
• My wedding dress!
• Wedding budget
• Wedding date (7/7/12)
• Photographer
• DJ
• Venue
• Guest list
• Ideas for center pieces- like mason jars, old books, lace dollies, flowers etc.
• A wedding planner =no stress for me!
• Photo booth
• Candy bar
• My bridal party and Bobby's
• Megan- Maid of Honor
• Tara
• Jessica
• Danielle
• Laura

Although I feel like this is a lot I still have much more to-do. Thankfully, I have an amazing Maid of Honor who is constantly sending me things! I love her. But I desperately need to find cute bridesmaid dresses for my girls, I really really want them to be the apple green/lime and under $200.00 but this is difficult. My whole reason behind the girls wearing the green was to have the boys in navy suits but if this can't be done I am going to have the girls in navy dresses and the boys in like a heather gray suit, wish me luck!

I am also so happy that I have a wedding planner, Adair Currie, she amazing and is so much fun! So bubbly, helpful, and cheap (look here). I feel the same way about my photographer, Taylor DeMaio (and here). Oh and my DJ is pretty awesome too, haha, all of this makes me excited :] One thing I have learned is to use the vendors who are just starting out because it saves you a TON of money which is what I need since we will still be footing most of the bill even with my Dad contributing to the wedding, Hey that's life isn't it. I'm sure I could make it cheaper but I like nice things and a certain someone who will remain nameless, [cough, cough, Bobby Harrold] likes to get drunk and tell more people that they are invited to the wedding. It'll turn out alright because they said like 20% don't even show up, which will help with the cost.

My next steps are to find a florist, decide on a bridesmaid dress, fit into mine that comes in, in September!, decide on STD's (Save the Dates) and invitations, and finally decide on center pieces... we'll see how that goes :]

xo Grimmy

Rummi Bears

In my last post I mentioned that Bobby and I made rummi bears and I thought I would let all know how to do the same :]

It's very simple:

You need:
Gummi Bears (3 packs- depending on how much you want to make)
Rum (your choice but FYI Parrot Bay Pineapple Rum is totally amazing with it!) OR Vodka
Container

Take the gummi bears and pour them into the plastic/tupperware container and then pour the rum over the gummi bears until it is just covering them. Then stick it in the fridge- it takes a while for the gummi bears to soak up the rum so make sure you start this a good 3 days before!

You can also take a look at this article if you want: http://www.examiner.com/cocktails-in-seattle/rummy-bears-is-not-a-typo

There ya go! Have fun and good luck!

xo grimmy