Two things: Fall and Dreams

See it, Smell it, Taste it....yep, That's Fall!
Oh crap! Goodbye sunshine, warm earth, dry grass, tanks and flops..."Hellooooo" sweaters, scarfs, mittens, jeans, boots and more boots, wet roads, chilly nights, and cold noses. FALL is back! Don't get me wrong, it is such a beautiful time of year followed by a long grey streak that prevents vitamin D from settling into your bones causing a ridiculous amount of coffee consumption. I anticipate that I will fall into this category again this fall/winter and I'm willing to accept that. Last year we moved here around this time. We left sunshine and sweetness to live in a mysterious grey yet hopeful climate and I thought I wasn't going to make it. Poor Raul had to deal with my craziness and irrational behavior almost to the point where depression was setting in. I wouldn't get out of bed, I wouldn't get dressed. I would bundle up, drink a POT of coffee and hunt for employment while Raul went to work. I'm sure Raul including my dogs pray that I will not be that way again.

Don't worry guys, I've got my shit together, finally, and I'm way too busy to let depression or grey set in. I promise!

With Fall comes Fall Quarter. I am surrounded by 18 year old young bucks! It is so interesting how their world is viewed in comparison to someone who has somewhat of a life experience, a degree, and the lack of financial support from mommy and daddy....I'm more envious then judgemental. I just think to myself...."Self, why did it take you so long to get your shit together to decide to go to Nursing school?! If you would have taken some of these classes a little more seriously like pulling something higher than a C in Psychology, you wouldn't have to re-take this motha!" (Sigh)

Lets get to that dream shall we?!

This morning I had a very uncomfortable dream. I was in this setting of a home, not really sure if I was at my parents or mine and I was reuniting with loved ones and as usual I wasn't going to be able to stay very long so I was in a sense saying goodbye. Well...all of a sudden I see a red book (which some people will totally get) and a date of August 9th and once I saw that date I realized that I had died and I was in the present as a ghost saying goodbye. Once I realized this an instantaneous rush of panic set in, my superficial heart started beating harder and I began screaming to my mom, "I don't want to be put into the ground, I don't want to be buried!" Pleading for my "spiritual" life to not begin to my mother was unbearable to the point that I woke up one minute before my alarm clock went off......WTF!

How great will it be when you can say....I was there!

Oh yeah, I was there and it was crazy!

For those of you who don't follow college football and just watch the last 4 minutes like my mother, you would have caught one of the greatest upsets in UW history. Going from an 0-12 team to a team of hope and enthusiasm has made it fun to be a Husky. All around Seattle, you can hear people say, "The Huskies are back!" Its a pretty exciting time and even though I am an Idaho State Bengal for life, I feel that I've got a little husky in me by default. Thanks Raul!


As Huskies, our rainy morning started off in West Seattle at the season open Cross Country race where we stood in the woods watching the 2008 national cross country championship women's team dominate the wetlands of Seattle. As we cheered in wet clothes and soaked Fuggs, we couldn't help but anticipate a potential ugly showing of USC and the Dawgs. After, what looked like a cattle shoot in the Dodge Circuit finals rodeo, we watched the the runners including Emry slip and slide down across the finish line in the least graceful way possible. Then it was off to the football game.

As the Dawgs stormed out of the tunnel and Planes soared and roared over Husky Stadium our hearts pumped with excitement and adrenaline...and optimism. And just like that...the Trojans made an effortless drive to score the first touch down and just like that... our excitement went from being like Leo on the bow of the Titanic cheering "I'm the King of the world" to "This might hurt a little."

But then........(drum roll please) the Huskies answered and caused fumbles and never let USC get passed a third down conversion. When the score was 10-10 at the start of the second half the entire stadium was on their feet with HOPE and Hollers! With high fives all around every opportunity possible we watched the University of Washington, this 0-12 "Back Row" schmuck team beat the number three team in the Nation. Once the field goal was kicked and the clock ran down, I looked over to see Raul (who jumped around like a monkey the entire game) teary eyed as the mass of purple covered the field like grape jam on toast.

It was a great moment to witness. Great job to the Dawgs, and like the Crazy UW Sprite Fan said, "How great will it be when you can say, I was there," really means something now!

Keeping up with the Jones's

Happy Friday everyone. Ready for a great weekend??? I am. I crave that Saturday morning "sleep in" time. Every morning when I wake up around five I think..."Ah, Saturday will be here soon and then your slumber will not be interrupted by the obnoxious alarm clock that if you let it keep ringing will scream louder and louder until you slap the snooze only to have a repeat 9 minutes later.

Our weekend is going to be jam packed. Raul's college buddies are coming to visit, I'm finishing my clinical hours this weekend and we are going to go watch the "hopeful" Huskies play the big boys of USC. My dad said, "Pray that no one gets hurt...USC has some big tough athletes." We also will be going to the XCountry meet b/f the game and I'm planning a 10 mile morning run . I'm not sure where my "sleep in" time is going to come into play. Hmmmm.....

Raul's family visited over Labor day weekend. We had a blast. We saw Wicked, watched the football game, BBQ'd, and played with Hendrix. Hope they can come back real soon.

Things are pretty exciting around the Smith/Sheen house: Raul is approaching fall track practice and school starting and I am getting geared up for fall quarter at SCC(only two classes left of pre-reqs for nursing) and finishing up my CNA. Wilson and Sugar have been keeping busy too....just wish they would do more chores around the house.

When we get busy our house and laundry suffer. The laundry monster is asleep on a bench near my dresser and he will stay silent if you continue to feed him clothes. Lately he has been craving socks and sports bras. He just keeps growing.

My mom, dad, and grandma will be visiting the second weekend in October....super busy. Anyway, just wanted to give you an update. Have a great weekend and enjoy your sleep!

I Have Nothing To Wear

I’m a thrift store junkie. I get my highs from searching frantically from rack to rack with one goal in mind: Finding the “Perfect Basic.” I am fortunate in Seattle to have accessibility right at my fingertips.

Trends and different styles swarm the streets of Seattle and there are days when I look in my closet and say the infamous line, “I have nothing to wear.” Well, actually, ya you do, but it might be old or not fitting that well this month, or not appropriate for the occasion. For example, a see-through top that makes your boobs look like two big valleys and that super cute skirt that you still want to wear one day but you didn’t shave, you don’t feel like doing the cover the front and the back move if you drop your keys. You keep skimming and as you flip through you say, “no, no, no, oh God NO, no, too hot, too cold, is this even mine?, nope, there’s that see-through top again!”

I go through this a lot. Ladies, I have a solution. It is called “Back to Basics” not to get confused with the Food Network TV show, Barefoot Contessa…Back to Basics (Which I love). If you have these simple things in your closet then you should be able to go to when ever you need and the “I have nothing to wear” cry won’t happen as often.

Jeans and Pants:
Dress pants: 1 pair of khaki, black slacks, and perhaps a dressy Capri or gaucho.
Jeans: 2-3 pairs of jeans make sure that one of them can be dressed up or dressed down.
Skinny jeans
Suit…to land that job to pay for all this stuff.
Shirts and Tops:
Long sleeved T’s in basic colors: white, black, gray, cream or brown.
A classic fitted white t-shirt, that is fitted and sophisticated.
Sweater and a cardigan in a basic neutral color.
A fun going out top that makes you feel sexy but comfortable.
Tank tops: a black and white
White button down shirt
Turtle neck
Plaid long sleeve (I'm on the hunt for it right now)
Fleece vest
Skirt and Dresses:
A colorful evening dress with your own personal style
Simple little black dress
Two day or sun dresses that keep you in style but casual and comfortable
Pencil Skirt and a pleated skirt (knee length)
Coats and Jackets:
Denim jacket
Pea Coat
Rain Coat
Dress Coat
Light Jacket or Cropped Jacket
Cashmere wrap
Shoes and purses:
Basic Black heel
2 pairs of boots
Running shoes/tennis shoes
Flip flops
Ballet shoes or some sort of basic flat
Accessories:
Silver hoops, fake diamond studs, chunky necklace, vintage bracelets whatever you can do to show your personal style.

Golden stores for the Go Getter or Go Saver:
Buffalo Exchange, Goodwill, Target, and Forever 21.

I’m sure we all have lots of these things in our wardrobe. I know I have missed some things but this is a great way to get started. Clean out the old stuff and start fresh. Change is good and if you feel that you are like me and look in your closet and moan “I have nothing to wear” then I challenge you to go back to basics.

Please let me know if there is anything on the list that you want to add!

Coffee in the Morning and Wine at night

This is how I start and end my day. These things have very significant meaning to me.

Coffee, the addictive caffeine sucks you in like a vacuum trying to catch a dust bunny underneath the bed; it takes a second to catch it but once it does you're hooked! Wine is the "wine" down, the closing of each chapter of my day. The red symbolizes peace and relaxation. The white (only consumed on occasion) plays a sort of "last call" role.

However between the coffee and wine is a whole day of life. A whole day of breathing and living. The coffee is the ON button and the wine is the OFF. You may have something else, for example your on button might be a hot shower with your favorite lavender body wash and your off might be a berry smoothie and a good book. Either way we all have them. The important thing is really not which button we have for ON and OFF it is what we do between that "shift" that is meaningful and important.

Look back at your yesterday. What things happened to you that were good and bad that you can reflect on by either cherishing or learning from? For me there were a few. Do we honestly stop and soak in the shift as we sip our OFF button of red wine? I don't always. Last night I did. Although, my off button was a tall glass of water, I thought of the smile and new CD I received from a friend in class, the wonderful feeling of knowing I was going to see family in a matter of hours, the way it felt to get 100% on my CPR-Health Care Provider test, the way my heart jumped when I saw Raul surprising us by the water and was greeted by a hug...I could go on and on. I also learned that my actions to reactions need to be more controlled. I didn't figure out how to tackle and fix it but I did identify it. With all these reflections came positivity.

The Coffees in the morning and the wines at night often pass in a blink of an eye. Take time each day as you are turning in from your shift of life and find some moments of your day that you are thankful for or that touched you in some way. Humanity and its energy is a phenomenal thing and the way another human can make you feel is unbelievable. You could have the worst shift in the world but there is always something positive that apply to each of our days. Today I challenge you to do that.

Best!