Grateful for...Amazing Grace

This is one of my all-time favorite songs...

and hearing from a 7-year old...

kind of...amazing.

Grateful for...Emily

I stole this picture from Kim's blog...this is my darling niece Emily. I can't get enough of this cute picture and the fact that almost every picture I have of her looks like this...darling smile with one eye shut because it's....just...too...bright. Darling girl.

Trying...

Way too bright...

Aunt Jules gets smart...

Grateful for...Friends and Stuff

so. the thing is, sometimes life is just so good. a miracle didn't happen, i didn't win a bajillion dollars, i don't have a new boyfriend, i still do not run 7-minute miles, and i'm not yet at my goal weight...and my hair still sometimes decides to be curly when i've declared it a NOT curly day.


BUT...i do have amazing friends. like "too good to be true" friends. some i see often, some i see very rarely, but i am just lucky. i have friends who think deeply and laugh with me about "reeeee-diculous" happenings and friends whose darling babies call me "jew-ee blayo" or wink at me from their booster seats. (are you KIDDING ME...that was for sure a highlight of the year...darling blond big brother responding with a silent and oh-so-adorable wink and half-smile instead of a hello when i got in the car and said hi to him!). friends who live in utah and have darling children who sing "happy birthday dear jules" at everyone else's birthday party for months after jules' birthday passes.

i have a little sister whose cats "text" me on a regular basis and crack me up with their humor which is remarkably similar to that of their owner/mother, i have big sisters who teach me about hair, jewelry, shopping, boys and the importance of being grateful for the opportunity in my life at present to sleep (and go to the bathroom/read/shower/do anything without interruption from darling children) as much as i want. i have old friends that are so easy to be with and talk to, and new friends that i can't get enough of.

i have a job i really love. i live 2 blocks from sprouts where they sell the best apples (and produce in general) in the world. i own a bike and a car. i get to hike most every saturday all winter long. i have lunch every workday with a co-worker and friend that i adore...who keeps me sane, makes me laugh and is such an incredible sounding board for things both clinical and personal. i have 9 adorable nieces and nephews, including brand-new baby twin nephews and another new nephew...all of whom i'll get to meet in just a few weeks. i am friends with nutella. i have almost mastered consistency in tricking my dying toaster into actually toasting (not CHARRING) my bread...setting 2 and 3/4ths). my webelos are all on track, the church is still true, i survived teaching my isaiah lessons and i am sleeping in flannel sheets. life is good.

Grateful for...flannel sheets.

I am absolutely certain that flannel is the official textile of heaven. My mom teases me for sleeping in flannel sheets when I'm wearing flannel pants...she says "Do you get stuck in there?!?! It's like the old flannel boards for FHE from forever ago." It's a tricky thing...living in Arizona when I have such an affinity for flannel. But, dear reader, do not fret, I have figured out how to manage at least 6 months of flannel time here... AND the good news is that Utah for me is flannel YEAR-ROUND...especially because my parent's basement is about as cold as a cave...in Antarctica...which makes for great sleeping...cold, cold room...flannel sheets and tons of blankets... Best. Thing. Ever.

Grateful for...Health

Today after my run at the gym, I noticed that a firetruck with flashing lights had just pulled up. I wondered what had happened. As I made my way towards the dressing room, I saw a woman lying on the ground with three EMTs around her, beginning to work on her. She did not look conscious and someone standing near them was giving them information about what had happened.

I noticed that the lady was of about the same build and size that I once was and I wondered if this event would make her forever scared to come to the gym, with worry that this could happen again. Found myself praying that she'd be okay, that she'd be able to get help and grow stronger and healthier. And that she wouldn't be afraid to come back to the gym.

About 10 minutes before seeing her, I had been thinking "Man, I'm tired today...I really kind of wanted to get 7 or 8 miles in but 6 is gonna have to do today...geez...lame. So that means tomorrow I'll have to run another 4 or 5...and Friday I'll have to run 3 or 4...and how will that affect my hike Saturday?" I was annoyed at myself...and then things changed after seeing the woman laying on the floor at the gym...a woman who could very easily have been me a few years ago. Because for most of my life, running a mile seemed impossible...and running 6 on regular basis felt inconceivable.

Suddenly I became very aware of my gratitude for my health and the blessing of having a body that can do so many things. I remembered having attended a fireside where one of the contestants who had been on The Biggest Loser was a speaker...and he was telling about his experiences on the show. He spoke about how he related his exercise then to repentance...that it was so hard, so painful then...because in a way he was "repenting" for all that he had done to his body. Because the neglect had been so bad, the "fixing" was very hard. Interesting concept. Sometimes I have days where I feel like I'm on a "repentance run"...like for instance after Halloween when I'm realizing that eating enough fun-size "somethings"=a run that feels not "fun-sized."

So...bottom line. (Sher, you love it when I get to the bottom line, right?) While I have more work to do and want to continue to take good care of my body and treat it well, I am grateful for the health I have today. I'm grateful that hiking this year feels easier than last and that I feel more confident and excited to try bigger and harder things. I know that having a body is a gift....one that today, I feel especially grateful to have.

Grateful for...Megan and Rachelle.

This month I'm going to try to post more frequently...focusing on the things/people I'm grateful for. First...my roommates...Megan and Rachelle. Love them. Love that Rachelle talks to herself and that I've learned to distinguish the "I'm talking to you Jules" voice vs. the "to myself or to my sandwich" voice. Love that Megan teaches kindergarten and loves kids like crazy (you know you're with a teacher when your hike involves stopping to pick up and take home 30 rocks). Love that we are all independant and do our own thing but that when we're together we have so much fun. Love that Rachelle speaks Spanish and that Megan loves to hike. Love that their motto is "We Do Hard Things." Love that they love health and exercise but also can sit at the kitchen table and laugh while we share whatever treat one of us has acquired. Love that they both love me even though we've concluded that it is I who seems to have a problem slamming cupboard doors (especially if it is while they happen to both be sleeping)...good news, I am working on this-I'd say I'm 79% improved. Love that they are sisters but include me in what they do, including family parties, etc. Love that we "get" each other. Love that they don't judge me for having a perpetually cluttered bedroom...which I generally attribute (falsely) to its size (yes, it is exactly 10x10).

Love that when Megan asked if we could go take pictures at the new temple site I complained...asked to reschedule twice...and when we actually went and did it tonight, I acted about as difficult as I usually do (see below for photo evidence) when my mom attempts the "family picture" thing. (See Mom, don't feel bad, it's not just for you).As we were standing there in that dirt (and I was embarrassed at the traffic that I was SURE was wondering why all the mormons were lining up on a Sunday afternoon to take pictures of a dirt field, not unlike many other dirt fields in the city)...As we laughed and teased (okay, and had fun...) I was thinking "these two really are my "family" here and I love them..." and then I got a little sad realizing that I won't always be living with them.

So. I'm grateful for living with two sisters who feel like my sisters...grateful that our home is peaceful and that despite the less-than-ideal circumstances for us all...we are absolutely...a family.

Happy Halloween

Fun weekend. Megan and I set up a face-painting booth at the annual ward party. We were a big hit. We'd ask the kids "Do you want a ghost, pumpkin or a spider?" But apparently these kids know how to think for themselves. When one little boy said "Can I have a transformer?" I said "No problem, I'll give you one that is in "spider mode." Worked like a charm. Megan mastered the spider web, while mine looked much more like a wheel.

Was pretty proud of the mini-ladybug on the ladybug...very cute, right? I did some pretty stellar butterflies as well. However, Megan's skill level quickly exceeded my own and I got my feelings hurt when two 8-yr olds came to examine my work (at that moment, was painting a ghost)...the one little girl pointed to Megan and said while walking away from my side of the table: "Yeah, let's go to her, she's better." I wanted to say "HEY!! I'm sitting right here, I totally heard that! And Fine! See if I care! Did you see the ladybug?!?! I painted her face..." Don't worry, I walked it off..

Peter Pan/Andrew, my friend's little boy. Affectionately known as "Baby," and adored by every human who lays eyes on him. Adorable kid, even cuter personality...love him.

Megan and jr. apprentice Jules

The weekend also involved a hike...some time with my friend Cami and her family (including a brush with death, in the form of a black widow), dinner with Kathy and friends at her house...including a "not-so-haunted" haunted house. I will be honest....it was the BEST haunted house I've ever been to. Ever. It was in the garage, it was well-lit and I knew when the children (who were not in costumes resembling horror film creatures) were going to jump out at me and/or throw a blue plastic ball at my head. Loved it. Great weekend.

10-10-10

I'd really like you to think I'm a genius for thinking up the idea of doing a list of 10 things in honor of today's remarkable 10-10-10 date. Alas, I'm totally stealing the idea from the blog of a person I don't even know.

So you're gonna have to just stick with all the other reasons you think I'm a genius.

In no particular order, I give you...ten pieces of information about me/my life/my thoughts.

1. I'm afraid that pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are even more addicting this year than last. Why are they SO easy and why do they only require 3 ingredients and why can they be cooked up in a simple 15 minutes?!?! Why, why, why?

2. This year I set a goal to run 600 miles. I am happy to announce that I am 17.56 miles ahead of schedule.

3. Don't be deceived/jealous of my purported health and vigor. Last week I ran nearly 18 miles, including a "long-run" day of 9 miles. Apparently 9 miles isn't enough to cancel out the effects of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. So...I run a lot...and apparently eat a lot...and maintain this weight that is not really preferred but could be worse.

4. I really can't get enough of fall/winter candles. Pumpkin spice...cinnamon apple...and my absolute favorite...my entire "pine" collection that could honestly probably rival the aroma of an entire mountain of those amazing trees.

5. I think I have a crush on the checker at Sprouts (And yes, he's a Man, not a 15-yr old teenage kid...he's at least 29 I'm sure). I didn't quite know how to get him to fall in love with me in the 3.5-minute interval as he rang up my selection of healthy fare. I did make him laugh twice, including when I said "Wow, I'm good!" after my bill totalled an EXACT $24.00. But apparently it takes a little more than a perfectly even grocery sum to really woo a man. I'm convinced if I buy enough fresh produce, and keep having perfectly even totals...our love will grow and I will soon be Mrs. Checker at Sprouts. And my viewers at home are sighing and thinking..."No wonder she's not married."

6. It's almost time for flannel sheets. Last night I did the math...I plan to keep the flannel on from now until...probably April...a good 7 months. In Utah, I can have them year round...just not possible here.

7. My student loan will be paid off as of Wednesday. Hallelujah for this. Now it's time to create a plan for the next goal...buying a house. As much as I love my 10x10 den...I really, really, really miss my huge walk-in closet.

8. I love the kids in my life...all of them. Had a little girl who's nearing the end of our sessions get sassy with me this week while doing our work, when I called her on it, she blurted out: "I don't want to stop coming here. I want to stay here and be your daughter." Ahhhh...killed me. She's an amazing kid...and what she doesn't know is that I'd keep her if I could.

This weekend my friend's darling little Carter came running towards me and said: "Oh Julie, I just wanna be friends with you and hug you for all time." I adore him and love that he genuinely makes me laugh...not the "Oh, I'll laugh because you're little and I'm supposed to" laugh, but the kind where I laugh and laugh and laugh and later...days later, laugh again. LOVE you Carts!

Carter and I making cookies recently...pumpkin chocolate chip of course...

9. I have really good friends. I am not saying this to make you feel sad, I bet you do too, I want you to have these kinds of friends. It's just...they are REALLY good. Last night I sat with a friend and we covered a billion different topics...some deep, some not...some funny, some not...some laughing, more than a little crying...and then and now I feel so grateful for her. That feeling of being completely safe.....best friend/big sister/nurturer/punk/teaser/voice of reason....all in one. Lucky me. And to her...love you SO much! So grateful for you.

10. Do NOT tell anyone, but I really am liking these dang Webelos. (PS-Thanks Sher for the shirt...so I can get off the black-list for being a bad example-love you!) This week during our conversation on first-aid and the importance of assessing a scene to determine where to begin...darling little wonder shows off the depth of his wisdom in saying: (warning, slightly graphic...we ARE dealing with 10-yr olds, after all)

"Yeah, like if you come up to a place and one guy has his head cut off and another guy just has his arm cut off, you're probably gonna wanna help the guy whose arm is cut off, because the guy whose head is cut off is probably not gonna make it."

Are you KIDDING me?!?! Ew! Gosh, ahhh! Laura and I are laughing in shock...but...okay...kinda true. Then we're trying to get them to guess what it's called when someone's choking...this is the manuevuer you do...starts with an 'H'...and our darling, newest, super shy little guy looks up with big eyes and in all sincerity and hopefulness says: "Hyperbole?" Stop it. Darling wonder...hyperbole??? Bless your little Webelos heart...

Summary: on this day of 10-10-10...life is pretty good.

A Thousand Words Paint a Picture

The worst news is that I didn't get a picture. The best news is that I am going to do my very best to "paint the picture" in your brain of what I witnessed at the gym this past week. Ready.

Go.

It is 7:07 on a Wednesday morning.
I have found "my" treadmill at the gym and have begun my run...am about 3/4 of a mile in.
When out of nowhere...a woman appears.
Wearing purple.
ALL purple.
Purple in layers...tank top, shirt, cardigan, stretchy pants, socks, etc. (NOT typical gym clothes).
She walks towards me and I know she's going to choose the treadmill next to me.
(I am a magnet for this kind of thing...to be explained next post).
Madame Purple is a very, very large woman both in height (6 ft?) and girth.
(I am only saying that because you need the picture.
I am not mocking and would never as I am well-acquainted with obesity.)
Her warm-up is benign enough...typical.
Then in go her (purple) earphones.
And the madness begins.
She puts her treadmill at an incline of about a bazillion.
Then turns around and is walking backward...up the steep incline.
I have seen incline. I have seen backwards. I don't typically see backward incline.
I especially don't see PURPLE backward incline.
So while I'm marveling at just this...
I catch out of the corner of my eye...some kind of hand motions...
Sign language.
Of course.
I look to see if she happens to have a friend who is deaf on a treadmill that would be facing her, as she is still walking backwards.
Nope.
Signing to herself.
Of course.
Purple backward incline with Sign.
My genius kicks in and I think: "Wait, she's not deaf or she wouldn't have headphones...this is just an extra talent"
I then wonder how "subtle" my staring has been to this point.
I decide, on a scale of 1-10, NOT subtle. Sorry lady. You chose my row.
I do my best to lose myself in the catchy lyrics my beautiful iPod sings to me.
I am running, I am strong. I am not distrac....
Ms. Purple has turned around.
Lowered the treadmill incline from a bazillion to zero.
Her hands are still moving.
But it is not sign language.
I happen to notice she's walking at a 24:19 min/mile pace.
It is then than I notice that her hands/arms and torso are dancing at an impressive 6:14. At least.
Of course.
Mama Purple got moves.
She is a dancin' MA-SHEEN!
I briefly (but quite seriously) consider stating the previous 2 sentences out loud. To her.
I decide against it.
I attempt to not look.
I feel angry that I'm losing the "I will NOT look" battle.
Mama Madame Purple is winning.
I decided I am "allowed" to look once every 2 minutes. With subtlety, of course.
I end up looking every 20 seconds. Or more.
I realize I am not the only Treadmillist thrown by this violet display of personal victory.
I start to wonder if I could get away with it.
We could start something, me and Mama.
Like that Josh Turner Flashmob thing.
(ps, this is not that video, but it will make you smile, starting at 2:27)
(pps-the 2nd video is proof that youtube is for everyone)
I get lost in that possibility for a few miles. A flashmob at the gym. Brilliant.
The possibilities...
But I am shaken from the depth of my future flashmob fantasies to see that...
The incline is again at bazillion.
And the cycle continues. For the rest of my entire run.
I ran an extra mile just to see if i could "out run" this behavior.
Near the end of that mile, Mama smiled and dismounted her treadmill.
As did I.
Goodbye my purple friend. Until next week?


PPPS-i really can't get enough of these. Admit it...look at the faces of the people watching...it's beautiful...I love that people watching can't help but smile and that most everyone is affected in a positive way.

Forgiveness

So, up until about...Sunday...I believed that I had the fool-proof way to avoid having to speak in sacrament meeting. It goes like this: accept a teaching position in relief society or gospel doctrine...and bear your testimony on occasion (approximately 2 times per year, give or take). For about 10 years that worked for me. Until Sunday.

So...this Sunday I'm speaking in church...on forgiveness. I have a thousand different ideas and haven't yet decided which direction I will be taking this talk...but it will probably include elements of:

• importance of forgiving others
• importance of forgiving self
• importance of allowing time for real forgiveness and not judging self or others when/if the process is not quick or immediate

But....I'd love to hear any thoughts, quotes, stories, scriptures or anything meaningful that my dear friends may feel inclined to share. Also...what do you think is missing when this topic is discussed? What do you think we need more of? Less of? If you have thoughts, feel free to leave them as comments or email me if they are more personal. If not...

I forgive you.

Summer visit to Utah!

Had SO much fun in Utah...have tons of pictures to share...

Spent a day at the cabin with just dad and I, which was great. He cut down trees while I laid in the hammock, then we decided to make little stumps out of the segments for sitting on around the fire...sealed the tops off with...varathane? Then a long ride on the 4-wheelers...good day. While hiking near the buick, dad came very close to stepping on a rattlesnake...luckily he has very quick reflexes because he was able to miss it. Though he WAS disappointed when I didn't hand him the camera quick enough for a quality photo...all he got was the tail because I was worrying about ridiculous things...like GETTING AWAY from the VIPER... In the photo below...no snake, right??

WRONG!!! See, he's getting away...but there is his tail... Anyway...cabin fun with dad: which involved a photo op with "Dad's Buick"...even though I didn't think GETTING IN was a good idea...he was not afraid of glass and rusted metal...apparently the rattlesnake wasn't enough danger and he needed a little more. We also had a s'mores competition (microwave version). He and I have different opinions regarding the winner of said competition... A few days later we went to the cabin with Jeff and Kim and their kids and mom and dad and I. Had so much fun as usual...went on long 4-wheeler rides, had fun with the HUGE marshmallows from the Peterson's (thanks Areta!) and enjoyed time in the hammock and very frequent trips to what Parker has now named "the treat drawer."

So...Picasa won't upload some of my camera phone pictures into the collages...so here are some of the favorites...

Cute Claire and Mitch on the way to Park City..

.I have no idea why Burger King chose to put The Vampires on their kids crowns...something about Bella next to darling, sweet Carter just looks wrong. BK, bring back the gold crowns with brightly colored circles please!!

It's a good day when you get lucky enough to 1-get Cayden in the photo, 2-get Cayden smiling and looking at the camera in the photo! Love this little redhead!!

It's a shame that this is the only picture I have of Areta from my trip. Sorry sister. But we all know you're busy reading NieNie or wading through an inbox of 3,425 emails so you won't ever see this, right? ;)

I can 't even get enough of darling Carter with goggles on...this most darling little face, cute cheeks...love, love, love this boy. Love that he's a snuggler, love that he and I spent at least 2 hours one morning at the cabin laughing and snuggling...playing the "do you want a BIG hug or a little hug?" game we made up.

Three cute girls in the hammock...

So...also got to be in Utah over the 4th of July. Had a great day, ran the Kaysville 5k run with Areta and her family (as well as half of Kaysville), then enjoyed the looooong parade (we had perfect seats in the shade (thanks Janay) and even felt a little cold...nice!After parade we went all went swimming with the Peterson's...so much fun.

Then a great dinner...then off to fireworks @ Davis High. I loved that darling, brave Cayden is not afraid of anything (except for the fireworks this year...note the picture of him sitting UNDER the chair...darling)...but then he sat with Grandpa and liked them after all.

More Camera phone favorites from the 4th:

My trip also included: visits to see both grandmas, fun shopping with mom, meals with old friends and new babies (so fun to see you Gaye and Ann...and I'll share my muffins with Noah any day-darling boy!), running in the cool mornings with Areta, Cherry Hill with the Peterson's, lots of shopping with mom, mid-afternoon naps with Mollie the WonderDog, sleeping at night in the cold basement in flannel sheets...HEAVEN, and lots of time to love on my darling nieces and nephews...great trip!

Picacho Peak w/ Sher!

So. Catch up. Sher visited in May...we had so much fun. I think the highlight for both of us was hiking Picacho Peak. For sure the hardest/best hike I've done. Very steep, Sher and I loved the cables...kind of like rock climbing but with cables instead of harnesses. Awesome.... Lots of pictures... PS-For a good laugh, enlarge the picture above...my face makes me laugh...kiiiiiinda intense. love the picture above of Sher...hello, right out of an REI magazine...intense. At the end we were walking for what felt like HOURS...it was boring and flat and hot and I was out of water...I said "Pally, kinda feels like we're in the movie 'Holes,' don't ya think?" Seriously...Next time we're going the Hunter's Trail way...so we skip the 3 miles of strolling through the Sahara in the heat of the day. (PS-for future reference, May is WAY too hot to do this hike-was over 100 degrees for most of it...October-March...probably perfect).