Where has my summer gone?

IT seems like, where I live, the nymphs in charge of seasons missed forwarding the "Spring" memo and then felt like they had to make up for lost time by sending the summer memo in all "heated" caps. We have had a LONG, cold winter and then after what seemd like two weeks of storms, followed the heat of summer. IT is almost mid July! Where did spring go?, Is the shocked response from my accustomed to four seasons body. Then I ask, Spring? What about summer-it's almost gone! Where is summer going!? I know that this sounds like a personal problem in which my body and mind are in a state of conflict and confusion...and it is. I have yet to step into a swim suit so I can step into a pool. This two step process is necessary, I never take one without the other. SO I better get a steppn'! For soon the few weeks of storms will hit again acting like a fall season and then we will be back to winter.Maybe I am just feeling restless, needing to get out of the country or something. We were so spoiled last summer with Aruba! But with Nick's test, Girl's Camp and visits to family...the vacation possibility seemed to be squeezed out of our adventure loving schedule. If anyone has any adventure plans, please let us know! Also as another thought, if you read this blog, but your blog is not posted in the Friend's Blog located on the side of this blog, please post your address in the comment box, or send me an invite...again. I miss reading your thoughts and want to! Ending thought; the person who invented air conditioning-brilliant! They are one of my summer heroes...the electric company however is NOT!

Our Lives currently...

This summer has allowed us to really take the time to come out of the "busy" shell and enter a more clam and social life. Since I became of age during the social media outbreaking, I now feel like it is my duty to use all social networks and say hello to our friends and family by way of letting the populace know what is new with our lives...yes I am becoming more social but I am sorry to say nothing much has changes in our little Romriell family-I am still a teacher, but I am currently teaching first grade. Also I felt like it was time to go public, so I am teaching at a public school in my own portable...I am not sure what that means but I can't wait to find out. I am still teaching acting for teens on the weekends as well as violin and cello lessons. Also I am trying to learn Spanish with hopes that this go around proves more effective then the two years at college and one year in high school. Fingers crossed o buenas suerte para mi.
Nick is still in school. One year down and so many more to go...but he received a job next year as a grader which will help with the tuition and hopefully result in great teacher references. He also works part time as a on call pick up man for the mortuary. Yep, it is a bit of a different job but it's ideal for a student. We are planning another vacation, we are unsure where, but we'll let you know (Spanish speaking to help me out it-but that could be foreign or right down the street, so we are still deciding) we are still in our little colorful condo, I am the HOA president currently and the other board members have just been elected so I am excited for the new change and hopefully the energy they will bring.
We are very active in our church, which we call a ward, and have been blessed to serve so many people. I am serving in the ward as the first counselor of the young women. The church has an awesome program that teach young women the importance of service, self worth, family and goal setting. So I get to help them with their goals and testimonies. It really is an honor, plus at the stake level I am the Beehive leader. SO I plan events and spiritual experiences for girls in servel different wards ages 12-13. They are a blast and I love them all. I am not alone, I have five other leaders that help me out each Wednesday (that's the day we meet as leaders and youth)-more moments on that will find its way to this blog I am sure.
Nick as been blessed to lead the high priest or the really mature men in our ward. He has two men that help him with that calling because it keeps him busy making sure the families and service projects are met. He loves this new challenge and is doing very well with the change. This ward has been so wonderful to us, and we really feel that living here has refined and molded us in so many ways. We have made so many friendships and have learned from so many people. And we are still learning. Which means there will be more posts in the future I am sure. I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July, and we hope your summer gets even better from here! Adios

P90X

So as many of you know, Nick and I have been on the "off and on" roller coaster ride of the famous P90X. You may of seen those info-mercials that promise huge results in as little as 90 days. Then you are "wow"ed by those transformation pictures that blow your mind and make you think...maybe...just maybe you can have that change too. Well, we started it over a year ago, and after months or rounds of this program, which we believe very highly of, we have learned three important things-which of course seem to be three principles that thread through any successful life. We are still trying to master these simple but near impossible concepts and the better we do the better our results come even through out the whole of our lives.
One: consistency! This is powerful! We start off strong and then....well, life happens...days and then weeks pass and we have found ourselves several times wiping the dust off these videos and starting over again. This is where the on and off part of our healthy roller coaster comes in. But as is true in every aspect of our lives, when we are consistent, and try our hardest to have a "daily" attitude, we make gains that help us get even closer to our short and long term goals.
Two: Goals! We have found that when we just do something, to go through the motions as it were, not having a goal or a desired end result, we miss out on several essential helps: motivation, destination, and commitment. Goals help us measure our success and push us to achieve more. Goals give us guide lines and help us work out the details on how to truly reach them. Goals are ...awesome and they bring a strtength and power into our lives needed to accomplish anything we set our minds to!
Three: Give 100% and push to the max. This sounds funny but it connects into the ever powerful concept of living in the present and giving your all in the moment that you are living. Talk about a way to actually reach your potential in not just the physical aspect but in your whole life. What a full life we would be living if this was truly followed. Give and push yourself to reach the best you can be. This often times is hard to do when life and the world seems to be pushing against you as well, but we have found that when we are consistent with this concept, results are fast and powerful.
I seem to be over using the word powerful, but I think it is the best word to describe the feeling felt when these concepts are in full action because it's the feeling that comes when you take your own life by your hands and instead of allowing the circumstances in your life to act on you you are acting for yourself! You are in charge and are your full agent of choice, choosing to act rather then be acted upon...that is power. So we are not perfect, and we are still learning and struggling, but as we look back on this year, there is a slim smile of satisfaction on the growth we have achieved so far.

So tell me, what is the power that comes from food. Besides the basic response of how it gives us energy to survive, live and grow...lets be honest, we are FAR from that basic definition in our evolved world. In the culture that I am engulfed in, food has become more than a basic eat and live relationship. Food is a power, a presence, a life, an existence and even to some a God. Not only are there food and options for food everywhere you go from bookstores/libraries, gas stations/pit-stops, fast food chains, restaurants, but I even get offered food from the empanedas lady who sells them in the wal-mart parking lot. We must not forget the ever beloved food network and channel, where we are able to watch how to cook, cook offs, cake offs, cupcake wars and not to leave out the awesome competitions of the iron chef and chopped. Food finds its way into every social event no matter how big or small. I don't think there is a place where you can escape the temptations and seductions of this basic energy source. We have not even swam the deep waters of food and its connection to our mental and emotional state. Thoughts that run though my head, "I am (fill in the blank with any emotion-I choose sad)I need chocolate, ice cream...something salty, greasy or fat". Or "I did really well today, I need a reward...Mimi's cafe is still open..." Or, "lets do something fun...what restaurant do you want to try next?" Or "date night...zupas!" (that was just yesterday). Half the fun of traveling to new places comes from trying different foods! When Nick and I went to Aruba it could simply be summarized as beach and food (gelato-ice cream really). So I ask, what is it about food that makes it so influential, so interesting, so important to us. I believe that if some alien came form another planet and saw how we treated food...I would have to wonder at the report they would write after their visit. When people move to the neighborhood they give food, someone dies, they give food, births, they give food, sickness, they give food. Food seems to be a main staple of our express of charity. But it is SOOOOO good! So everyone, whether or not you agree with this post about food-it doesn't matter because in a few minutes I am sure you will start to crave something and then try as hard as you can to make, get, or buy that fulfilling food. I will just wish everyone happy eating...and if you have any good reciepes...please share them.

Up and down...life is like that

So here it is...another flat tire. This is twice in one month. The first one could have been deadly. I was driving on the express way, going 60 mph talking to my handsome hubby. The one light-which I have never seen red, turned red-causing me to stop and as my light turned green I ended my conversation with nick and tried to climb to my original speed...then bang, my car pulled to the right, both hands were on the wheel as I gained control. Lucky, I had two hands and that I was at a low speed, or it could have ended not as nicely. Nick was surprised at the phone call he received with only a few second interlude. So I am on the side of the express way...teacher slacks and all...trying to change my tire. Laughable really. I know I had done it at some young women or relief society event a few times in my life...right? Well, God is in the details of our lives. As the sun lowered and darkness seemed to spread as quickly as my stress and panic; here came a truck with a couple in it, the husband who happens to work at discount tires. Five minutes and the dirty deed was done. My lovely friend and visiting teacher companion came to my aid and followed me home as I drove my big car over the weakening donut. Well a similar scene was played yesterday and today. My back tire, I guess, felt neglected and wanted attention, negative attention, so it too went flat. This time it picked up a lonely nail and became intimate friends with it. A horrible hole resulted. SO God sent me another guy, who works at the Saint Sophia Church who changed the tire (I didn't even try). Then my beautiful school Secretary followed me to the tire store, and my Principal drove be back to pick up my car with its new tire. What would I do with out the kindness of strangers and the powerful women in my life?

So in the ended I have felt a little flat this week. School work is getting Nick stressed, and worried. I have more issues with my bank and school is getting me down as well as the need for the change that I am hoping for. What a spiritual high from General Conference-then comes the trials...and they are not bad trials, they are just all at once it seems. But we have so many blessings...I thank heavenly father for them everyday in Spanish in our couple prayers. Exciting things are happening...and these little bumps in the road will flatten us at times, but God always sends us ways to get back up on our feet again.