Summer Vacation v. Unemployment

Hello there. 

Well, as the title says, I am in that limbo of having just graduated with my master's without having found the perfect job yet. I am either on summer break, or unemployed, or both...  I told myself that I earned at least a few weeks of summer break before I would allow myself the momentary "freak out" that comes with realizing I am jobless, but I found that it is easier said than done. 

Let's face it, I am a busy body. I typically have school (14-17 units-- full time in master's is 9 units), work (substitute teaching), and internships at two schools and one equine assisted learning center. So, now that it is summer, my internships ended, my teaching is on hold until fall, and I completed all graduate level course-work. So, here I sit twiddling my thumbs...

So, off to Lowe's I go. 

This week, I helped my mom and my best friend with some projects:

 First, we had to find the perfect "greige" color for my mom's home and my best friend's home too! 

We landed with Valspar's "Fairmount Penthouse Stone" (#2 on the wall).

Next, I helped my friend spray paint her patio set. I for some reason forgot to wear shoes again (Remember my 15 little lessons?)... maybe it was that third glass of wine?

 Last, I repainted my parent's living room(s) and hallway. Before, the room was BRIGHT red on the right and a weird/ugly peachy color on the left. We opted for a neutral "greige" to help the rooms flow. She is shopping for new furniture and other design accents now that it feels more like one big room.

Beyond projects, I have tried to stay busy in positive ways instead of pacing by riding my horses nearly every day and staying busy around the house. Of course, I am also filtering a lot of time into applying for jobs and calling back in to follow up. 

As a therapist, I think WAY too much about everything going on. I always joke that I have a rational and irrational side that argue back and forth. For example, my irrational side sometimes says, "OMG Caitlin, something is wrong! Why aren't people calling you for interviews? Something must be wrong (musterbation as my professor Dr. Weir calls it). PANIC! STRESS! SPIN IN CIRCLES! CRY! If you relax then the world will end." Then the other side is like, "Chill out, it is summertime... tan...drink...tan some more... drink more... be lazy. The right job will come at the right time."  

Hopefully I listen to my rational side more often... 

I am learning, however, that I am NOT very good at taking time off. I have already spent days at my parents' home painting several rooms, signed up to help a friend paint her home, asked to have my sister in law visit for a week and looked for volunteer opportunities with other equine psychotherapy programs. 

But, the one thing I am pretty excited for is starting to teach riding lessons again. I have casually offered lessons in the past for friends and family, but when my husband's boss offered, I couldn't resist. This will be my first time offering lessons without having the students ride my horses, but I am still very happy for the opportunity. I start tomorrow and I know it is only temporary until I find a job, but it is one more thing to keep me busy while I keep hunting for a career job. 

Hopefully the right job comes along soon. Otherwise I am going to be holding a sign on the street corner that reads, "Will DIY for change" haha! 

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Where have I been?

Dammit. 

I thought I was going to stop writing posts like this...

The last 27 days:

I felt so good at the start of May and I was down to around 144lbs. 

I felt better about my body even without working out, I was more confident, I had fewer headaches, and I didn't feel bloated or "gross" most days. I finished out Alcohol-Free April, went 21 days without sweets/junk food, and a total of 31 days without chocolate... and then I fell off the wagon... and was ran over by the wheels.You know where this is going... I weighed in this morning after camping all weekend and drinking/devouring some killer brownies and the scale showed my reality.

 At 147lbs, I realized I can't just pretend my weight doesn't change when I eat poorly. And let's just say there has been more than one batch made of these delicious brownies:

 OREO BROWNIES

2 boxes Ghiradelli brownie mix (I used double chocolate and ultimate fudge)

1 package of double stuff Oreo cookies

Make the brownie mix as directed on the box. Grease pan and fill with half of the brownie mix. Crumble oreos until the batter is covered (or more if you like). Pour remaining mix on top. You can stir if you like, or leave it split. I liked it stirred in more. Bake at 325 until edges are firm and leave it a little gooey in the middle... nom nom nom! 

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Albeit, it could have been WAY worse (I'm sure hiking helped), but it was a good reminder to stay on track. 

The start of May wasn't too crazy except that I started my 3rd internship (I work at two schools and one ranch with youth). Plus, I came down with an awful cold (after a disgruntled first grader spit in my face) that knocked me right on my ass. Hell, I even called in sick to work and I NEVER call in. Proof I needed my rest. 

And when I am too tired to keep shopping-- that's the real proof that I am sick!

But, I still picked out this dress from Anthro thanks to a surprise gift from my mom!

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Next, my husband started building our fence-- after cutting down our tree (a full post will come later!). 

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Then, mid May is finals, and I was still sick. I had one final that was an interview in front of a panel of six judges asking questions about why you would make a great school counselor. I thought it was an excellent way to prepare us for entering the job market. I however, entered the room full of nasal decongestants and little sleep the night before... but, I still rocked it. In fact, succeeding in there against six of my peers gave me a much-needed boost in confidence as I prepare to enter the job market myself. 

After finals is GRADUATION! 

Yes, this girl has finished college! It's both scary and exciting all at once. I have never taken a break from school and the thought of not going back in the fall is so foreign to me. I know I can get my doctorate if I really get the itch to punish push myself with more school. As graduation approached, I found myself misty-eyed all the time. This has been the fastest and slowest 2.5 years of my life! The master's program was incredibly difficult, with over 1,200 logged hours of working as an intern for FREE and 82 units of coursework. Wooo! I have learned so much and I am excited for what the future has to hold! 

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But right before my grad party my mom's little dog decided to see what a rattlesnake bite feels like... a whole bunch of money and a trip to the emergency vet later and she is feeling much better. 

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For Memorial Day, the husband and I took the dogs to the mountains. We love a good 4x4 trail, but many are closed this early in the season. So, instead, we opted for a lot of hiking. We soon learned, however, that the dogs were not in as good of shape as we thought. 

One little girl go so pooped that she had to be carried in the back pack...

 Where she ended up falling asleep... 

Moe had a blast, but he is definitely tired today! We figure we hiked a little over 10 miles over the last two days-- and we vowed to start working out to prepare for future hikes!

So, that brings us to today. It is almost 2:00pm and I am still in my bathrobe. It is a lazy day for sure. I have been compiling paperwork to clear my Pupil Personnel Services Credential today and job hunting online. I am so scared as I prepare to complete my internships this week and enter summer with no work, no internships, no school, and money. GAH! I know the right job will come along, and I know I need a few weeks off to put my head back on straight, but at the same time the unknown can be so frightening! 

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Thankfully, Pinterest is full of positive thinking and motivation:

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So, how about you? What has been keeping you busy and/or motivated these days?

Week #3 Wrap-Up (21-Day Challenge and Alcohol-Free April)

Well, it has been officially 22 days since I have had ANY chocolate, muffins, cookies, cakes, ice cream, chips, or white bread, and over 30 days of no alcohol! I have officially completed the 21-Day Challenge AND Alcohol-Free April!

I did it! 

source: gymandmotivation.tumblr.com via Pinterest @Thathouseonthecorner

I have to say, I am so proud of myself. I have NEVER been able to stick with it for more than a few days (10 was my all-time longest) and I just feel so good! 

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Truly, I feel pretty crummy today thanks to this lovely head cold invading my sinuses. I credit this cold to the little boy who spit in my face this week at work! Ugh. Despite being sick, I am still very proud of myself. In fact, I don't even want to indulge until I really feel a craving for it. Maybe it is the cold that is starving off any other cravings for sweets, but either way it works for me. 

I weighed in every Wednesday at the same time and all in all I am down a total of 5.4lbs without consistently working out or counting calories. Basically, I replaced unhealthy choices with cleaner foods such as fresh fruits and veggies and it made a difference. 

Pardon my chipped toenail polish... pedicures don't last long with me...

My cousin, Candis @ CandisBoBandis, is also on a weight-loss journey. Together we planned to do the 30-day shred this month, but we both came down with cooties even though we live many states apart. Maybe next month we can start haha!

In the meantime, I am letting my body rest to recover from this cold and then I plan to find some other challenges to try. 

Start Weight: 151.2

Current Weight: 145.8

Total lost: 5.4

Have you met any of your April goals?

Moses

Remember when we said we got a little Saint Bernard puppy? 

And then I showed you progressive photos of him growing?

And then I fell off the face of blog world the earth?

Well, Mr. Moe, AKA Moses, is alive and well and is nearly 200lbs these days. I seriously could go on and on about this dog. Those who know me know that I actually do go on and on about him.

Now, Izzy will always be my little girl, and Jester is our little boy, but Moe is definitely our baby. 

 

He's my fishing buddy and a total sweetie with everyone he meets. 

Plus, that larger than life tongue makes for lots of sloppy kisses! 

We just love our big baby. But, a word from the wise, think twice or ten times before running out and getting one of these for yourself. We planned getting a saint for over eight years and we talked with breeders and mentors from the Saint Bernard Club of America (Bobbie at Woodcrest Saints) before making the decision to bring him home. 

Big dogs come with big poop big responsibilities. We made the decision to get this dog with full knowledge that there would be drool and hair and potential for behavioral issues without proper socialization. 

Now, despite ALL the reading and learning about the breed, we had NO idea the drool and hair would be so excessive. Let's just say we carry "drool rags" around most everywhere we go with him. Notice I said RAGS, not rag. We keep the water bowl out back (he has access) because at least he shakes after his drinks while he is outside instead of in the kitchen. And hair literally travels through our home in clumps... we groom him regularly, vacuum constantly, and don't even blink and eye when we have to remove dog hair from our food. 

 

We also made sure he was around A LOT of little kids and all types and sizes of people when he was young. I have never had to place a second thought if Moe would be friendly with someone and that gives me a lot of peace of mind. He seriously loves everyone--even if he knocks them over. 

We are SO thankful he is a good boy because at nearly 200lbs, a good yank on the leash to run after something could drag us away. To prevent this, we enrolled him in puppy training at Petsmart and completed obedience work by 6 months old and we continue our obedience work on a regular basis. This dog has a SERIOUSLY good "stay", but a pretty bad "come" because that requires too much effort. 

He tends to stay out of trouble without much chewing or digging issues. He also does not bark when left in the backyard and people or other animals pass by. His favorite thing to do is sleep smashed up against the front door to the point it becomes difficult for us to get into our home. 

But honestly, 99% of the time he really is a good boy. But that 1%...

The day he dug up/chewed apart my hydrangea (which can be poisonous if eaten!) got him in quite a bit of trouble. P.S. He never became sick or showed any signs of distress... only guilt. 

He is amazing in the truck and LOVES going camping and fishing. 

  And yes, he is MASSIVE. He can easily rest his chin on the counter, but knows not to. We have to keep him out of the kitchen while cooking because his wagging tail can dip into the pans on the stove. Let's just say that more than once we were thankful we don't have a gas burning stove! 

(Mind you he is less than a year old in this photo and is EVEN bigger now!)

And, although you should never try to ride a big dog, he does look cute in a saddle.

He loves to cuddle and he gives the most gentle kisses. He never bites for treats, and he loves drooling on the cats while they rub in and out of his legs!

Overall, he is seriously a wonderful addition to our home. I know our time will be short with him knowing that large breeds have shorter lifespans, and the thought of the heartbreak we will endure can get me crying just thinking about it. But, we are so thankful to have such an amazing furry family minus the annoying cats  that fill our hearts and our home with love. 

I couldn't imagine life without them.