if you can't stand the heat.. go to el paso?

While Jesse works like crazy I have had the opportunity work on some of my goals:

One of my goals was to paint, I have really always loved the arts but never had the time to practice visual art. In 7th grade I took and art "preview" class which was only a quarter of a semester long. But this past Christmas Jesse got me a bunch of paint supplies, all the necessary tools for a beginner. I haven't had a huge window of time to paint here because it is so dang hot and you shouldn't paint in overly hot weather. But there is a short time from about 7-830 where I usually pull everything out and get down to business. Oil paint takes several days to dry so I usually do a little bit once a week :) painting is so relaxing. I have enjoyed teaching myself and visually figuring out what I like and what I don't like.

Another, is reading. When Jesse and I were dating and he saw all my books he was impressed. I told him not to get his hopes up because I have only started most of them. My mom buys me books and I get excited, start to read them, and then get busy with something else. Well I have been trying to be better at starting and finishing one book at a time. So I was reading 4 books before we came out here and am now reading each, one by one. It feels good to finish one and then pick up the next. My goal after leaving here is to not start a new book until I am completely done with the previous one.

Oh, cooking, my love! I have had a love/hate relationship with cooking for as long as we have been married. I didn't cook much at all before we got here. I was either too tired, or working, or didn't even know where to begin. Since coming out here, I love to cook. My last post talks about the cookbook I got from my mom and it really is amazing. I am so happy to have learned the basics out here. I always thought cooking was so hard, but its not as hard as I'd thought. I mean it can definitely be time consuming, but it is so worth it. I have learned how to grocery shop more effectively, I have learned how to make ingredients last longer and more creatively eat left overs. Learning how to cook has been my favorite thing that I have learned, it is going to help us out so much financially as well as physically. And eventually when we have children, I will be prepared to make good meals.

Working out 3 days a week. I have wanted to work out 3 days a week for who knows how long and now I finally am! We have a workout room in our apartment complex and it is so convenient. I am always tired from work and the daily grind that it is hard to get motivated, but since I'm not working, I'm not as tired. Also, I think the hardest part for me is getting to the gym and now since it is a 30 second walk, there is no excuse. I work out on the the treadmill for 20-30 and then I do strengthening exercises. Its really crazy how fast your body gets used to working out and how easy it is to push yourself further. I can feel my body getting stronger already.

I love my life!

I mean I have to keep myself from getting lonely while Jesse is gone! It's kind of depressing being inside the apartment all day and no one to really talk to! But I can't complain, Jesse is working so hard, I'm not working(just a different kind of work), and we have been really blessed out here. So many things I have learned and the other day, it was almost like a light switch, I realized how much we have accomplished and wouldn't have done so had we not moved here!

I don't have many pics because Jesse and I don't do much together since he is gone so much! But I'll try and post some later!