Oh Hi! Remember Me?

Yes, I know it's been over FIVE MONTHS since my last post. Crazy huh? That's kinda what happens when I'm switching jobs, moving and finishing school all at the same time. But all of that is said and done now, so I hope to be posting on a more regular basis.

First, some updates (get ready, this is gonna be a long ass post):

I have fallen off the Project Life bandwagon. *hangs head in shame* Between work and school, that left little to no time to do anything and I felt like I didn't have much to document. I found myself struggling to fill the pages and what I was coming up with I didn't really care for. So that idea went out the window. I did purchase a Sn@p binder and will probably start using that once I set up a place to craft over here. With the exception of Mom's birthday quilt, I haven't crafted in like 4 months. *sobs*

I finally finished school, took the National Exam and am now a NREMT! That's Nationally Registered EMT for all you non-EMS folks. And man, oh man does it feel good to be finished. I have my nights and weekend back! So now that that's under my belt, I had another crazy idea. (You know me and my crazy ideas) I'm looking at the Healthcare Management degree from SNHU. I can do it all online, which is a plus. I'm still on the fence about it though. Do I really wanna jump right back into school? Right now, I think I do.

An opportunity came up in March for me to change jobs. A very good opportunity. Hello mega raise, benefits and day hours. So I'm now working full time as the office manager/physician secretary for the cardiovascular firm that I was PRN at when I first moved back from Alaska. Seriously love this job.

The Sookie Stackhouse series is now at an end. I'm currently in mourning.

Check out my Read tab for a list of past books and current reads.

Recently, I've signed up for quite a few monthly subscriptions. Studio Calico's Project Life kit (even though I've yet to use it), Goodies.co box (SERIOUSLY FUN) and Birchbox (just got my first one yesterday.)

Goodies.co is a $7 a month (that includes shipping!) box filled with snacks. The photo above was the first one I received in April. Normally I wouldn't buy stuff like that so it's nice to sample the snack before buying a full size one and not liking it. By the way, those Wai Lana chips and White Chocolate Amaretto cookies... *swoon* It also came with a $50 wine card which I thought was gonna end up being a ploy to buy $150 bottles of wine. But I ended up going to the site (nakedwines.com) and purchased 6 bottles for $20. And that included shipping! The ones I chose were inexpensive but once they arrived and I cracked one open I couldn't tell the difference.

My May Goodies.co box came with a ton of stuff, including a full size Zico coconut water (which apparently I'm not so crazy about) I'm now a big fan of the Beanitos chips but eaters beware, they'll probably leave you really gassy. Hey, just keeping it real here folks.

Birchbox is a $10 a month subscription that sends you beauty product samples to try. This box came with a full size CARGO 2 in 1 bronzer/powder, a leave in conditioner sample, a perfume sample, a tube of sunscreen (where were you last weekend!) and a hair band. I'm playing it low key this weekend and haven't used any products save for my moisturizer. I'll let you guys know how I end up liking these products later this week.

You can find all of these photos on my Instagram. Apple apps used: Picfx & Pic Stitch.

Also, I'm now on Vine. User name is JLatini.

The 101 Project: {Updated}

And I'm at it again. Seeing as how I have less than 2 months to complete a crap load of stuff on my list, I figured I would just update it now and then blog all of my new 101 things in December. Quite like I should!

Travel/Events in Other Places

1. Visit the Hoh Rainforest in Washington {How about, just Washington? Does that count?}

2. Go to Provincetown {Completed 08/10/09}

3. Go to Thunder Over Louisville

4. Rolex 3-Dy Event in Lexington, KY {I know I won't make it this year but I still want to go so it's staying on the list}

5. Plan a trip to Mt. Rainier {Doesn't necessarily have to be The Wonderland Trail but I'd like to go nonetheless}

6. Visit Canada. Our friendly neighbor to the North :)

7. Go to Times Square for New Years Eve {Maybe it will happen this year}

8. Visit Papa {Completed this May}

9. Infield at the Kentucky Derby {Perhaps next year. Once again, it's staying on the list}

10. Take Mom to Bermuda

11. Go on another cruise

12. Do an overnight at Waverly Hills Sanatorium {Unfortunately the 2-hr visit last summer didn't count}

13. Visit one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants {When I do Times Square, of course!}

Fitness

14. Drop 20 pounds, and keep them off for the remainder of the project {Completed this summer, courtesy of working my arse off. I actually lost almost 30!}

15. Run, ok maybe walk a 5k

16. Master all Yoga positions {I've got quite a few of them down!}

17. Take a yoga class

18. Take a Zumba class!

Health/R&R

19. Take vitamins every day {I found some gummy ones and I've also been taking a Viactive chew - the chocolate ones}

20. Get a hot stone massage

Career/Finances/Independence

21. Get my bath & body business off and running {Work in progress, seeing as how I've been MIA for 4 months}

22. Clean any debts {I'll be paying off my student loans for awhile but I've managed to clear 6 other debts within 3 months - Go me!}

23. Add to my IRA {Since the economy is getting (a little) better I have seen my IRA rebound quite a bit. I'm ok with where it's going so I feel I don't need to add as much as I had originally planned}

24. Set up another 401k {Once again, this may change in the very near future}

25. Own a home {Yep, I'm keeping this one up on the list}

Gaining knowledge/Intellectual pursuits

26. Learn a foreign language

27. Sign up for a ballroom/salsa lesson {If only there were ones nearby}

28. Get CPR certified {Why shouldn't you know how to save a life?}

29. Learn how to knit {I taught myself the basics but would love to learn more}

30. Read 101 books {See 101 Book Post}

31. Learn how to play chess {And not suck at it}

Creativity

32. Open up another Etsy shop {Completed 01/20/10}

33. Get familiar and comfortable with Shrinky Dinks}

34. Complete the 30 Days of Lists prompts {FAIL!}

35. Learn how to sew... properly

36. Finish an afghan

37. Make a quilt.

38. Complete the Owl Doorstop pattern from Tiddliwink Toys

39. Go to a glass blowing class {Once again, if there was one nearby}

40. Create a recipe for a solid sugar scrub

Relationships/Family

41. Document family tree back to Italy {Still working on this one}

42. Complete Family Tree Maker & update online {1,348 people, 451 marriages, 8 generations, 385 surnames... and counting}

43. Document Gill lineage {Still working on this one via Ancestry.com}

44. Grave hunting {Ongoing}

Food

45. Make a one-month meal plan {This is kinda hard now that I work 3rd shift, but I'm keeping it up here}

46. Go to 30 new restaurants and Yelp each one {I've been to a few, just haven't added them to Yelp yet}

47. Bake something at least twice a month

48. Cook one new recipe every month {Will post these later on, recipes included}

49. Drink nothing but water for a whole week {I could do this easily if it wasn't for my tea addiction}

50. Try every flavor of Stash & Tazo tea {Stash 5/200+; Tazo 3/?}

51. Make homemade ice cream

52. Make Nana's fresh fruit jam

53. Update recipe book {I've been adding recipes sporadically}

54. Eat more fish. {Just not Salmon!}

55. Find a variety of sushi that I like.

Fun

56. Participate in Gimme Your Stuff {Completed 11/2009}

57. Go camping {I lived in a cabin this summer. Does that count?}

58. Watch 101 movies {See 101 Movie post}

59. Go to the opening night of the rest of the Harry Potter & Twilight movies {I missed the last HP, so it's 0/2 left}

60. Start a garden {Gonna have to wait until next year}

61. Get more ink! {Completed 02/16/11}

62. Visit IKEA {Completed 03/16/2010}

63. Set up other Nano to be used as a frag tank {Emptied tank last weekend, waiting for sand to dry}

64. Sell frags

65. Fishing with mom {Soon. Seriously.}

66. Send a secret to PostSecret

67. Have a snail mail pen pal {It's been a while, but the lovely Ria has helped me with this goal}

68. Go to a planetarium

69. Go horseback riding.

70. Go on a whale watch {Completed 08/10/2009}

71. Fly first class {I've tried many, many times. Apparently, it's the first thing to book up}

72. Go snorkeling {On my cruise of course}

73. Take mom to a Michael Buble concert {Once he gets his butt over here!}

Social

74. Throw a holiday party

75. Host a bonfire

76. Write ten snail mail letters {10/10 ~ completed this summer}

Community

77. Donate blood twice a year {Gotta wait since I just got fresh ink}

78. Design an item to sell on Etsy. All proceeds to go to an organization in need {Completed in May}

79. Volunteer for an organization or at an event

80. Vote!

81. Plant 3 trees

Organize

82. More photos into albums.

83. Have a yard sale {Completed 4/10-11/2010}

84. Update iTunes {All names, titles, artwork, etc. filled in}

85. Organize beads/jewelry

86. Get rid of 101 material things {Completed - 200+}

Indulge

87. Cricut {Completed 05/2010}

88. iPod Touch {Completed 05/10/2009}

89. Bella Bag {Completed 09/24/2009}

90. Necklace from BirthDesigns

91. Mittens

92. Get my hands down with henna {by a professional}

93. Project Life {Completed 01/2011}

94. wii

95. iPhone4 {Completed May 2011}

96. Sewing machine {Perhaps for Christmas!}

General

97. Blog about each of my 101 tasks at least once {Completed 03/21/2010}

98. Complete the 365 Project {Started and stopped this year, keeping this up}

99. Blog every day {260/360}

100. Don't take life too seriously!

And finally...

101. On day 1001, publish a new 101 Things in 1001 Days list that includes new goals and everything else that didn't get completed on this one.

Checking In

Hey all! I haven't checked in lately cause I've been on my vacation in Louisville with Dan. I'd like to say things have gone smoothly and all is well, except I came down with Strep on Tuesday and I'm just now feeling better. Booo. We drove all the way up to Cincinnati to go to the zoo and ended up leaving really early because I was so sick. So not fun. I ended up going to an urgent care center Wednesday night and the doc there was really nice and actually gave me some antibiotics so I didn't have to dish out extra money for that since I don't have insurance. Yesterday we spent the day at Churchill Downs. I ended up winning almost $70! Woo hoo! Go ponies! Right now we're sitting in Starbucks and I'm stealing some wi-fi. Off to Waverly tonight! I'll have pics posted on Sunday.

Hope you lovelies are doing well!