wttbl.

welcome to the big leagues. This phrase came into my life just over four years ago. A short while after I started working at Michindoh, I made some comment to Bear about how something was particularly hard or frustrating and his response was “Welcome to the big leagues…” and wttbl was born. I now use this phrase often to express when I am dealing with something overwhelming or “grown up” or “boss-like”.

This week added the addition of “wwob” to the mix — aka “week without Bear”.

Bear is on vacation this week, which means I’m running the show. I’m not going to say it was easy and stress free, but I will also not say it was completely stressful. I am a believer that God can get you through anything. He has blessed us in outdoor ed with an amazing staff. I couldn’t do this without them (literally — I can’t teach 9 classes all at once) and they have been super this week.

The funniest times for me this week have been when a situation arises and I think “I will just go ask Bear and see what he thinks I should do…” and then “oh wait, he’s not here… I shouldn’t bother him” and then having to figure out what to do on my own. I typically know what I should do, but feel the need for affirmation…. So there it is, just my thoughts on this crazy fun, summertime weather in March, having a great time at camp kind of week.

and remember… “This is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” Psalm 118:24

and that is all.

Now, for a 30 before 30 update…

1. lose thirty pounds – making progress… my scale yesterday said I was 11 pounds below what I was when I made this goal, this morning it said I was 9 pounds below… so, by tomorrow I could be right back up to that original #, but at least it looks like I’m going in the right direction…
2. organize my kitchen  (DONE! Now, let’s see how long it lasts!!)
3. clean out my closet
4. organize my office
5. finish knitting a sweater
6. make magazine jewelry
7. run a 5k (started training! I think that is progress)
8. finish a painting
9. take some great photos and make a postcard
10. do 30 sit ups a day for 30 days
11. read 30 (new) books (I have read 8 books since the middle of January… and 3 additional audio books, plus I have about 6 books in process.)
12. hand write 30 letters or postcards
13. finish the OES staff manual
14. create an OES class
15. prepare three new devotions
16. choose 30 bible passages, memorize them and display them in places I will see them
17. make a new rainy day box
18. find something that comes in 30 flavors and try each one
19. learn a dance (this is in the works thanks to the amazing Megan Murphy!!)
20. write down ten things each day that I’m thankful for (also in progress… I think everyone should try this! There are so many things to be thankful for!)
21. reread the harry potter series (started… but it is going slow…)
22. complete a rubik’s cube without directions
23. try 30 new recipes (started compiling recipes! Yay! This is exciting… I LOVE to eat!)
24. blog at least 30 times
25. find 30 new afternoon activity ideas
26. make a really great running playlist (working on it… let me know if you have suggestions! I SO want to be a runner!)
27. go on a picnic (hasn’t happened yet, but I am real excited about it! A wonderful friend just gave me a picnic basket!!!)
28. make fun pillows for my couch
29. learn to throw a proper free throw   - I’m going to count this one as completed, my free throw isn’t perfect, but I do know the basic concept… I will update when I’ve made more progress.
30. finish the knitted square afghan

During a visit to Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago my mom was talking about a list she had made to help her be more organized. She inspired me to make my own kind of list… and the thirty before thirty was born. My hope is that this list will motivate me to do some useful things with my time in the next couple of months until July… let the fun begin!

30 THINGS TO DO BEFORE TURNING 30

1. lose thirty pounds
2. organize my kitchen
3. clean out my closet
4. organize my office
5. finish knitting a sweater
6. make magazine jewelry
7. run a 5k
8. finish a painting
9. take some great photos and make a postcard
10. do 30 sit ups a day for 30 days
11. read 30 (new) books
12. hand write 30 letters or postcards
13. finish the OES staff manual
14. create an OES class
15. prepare three new devotions
16. choose 30 bible passages, memorize them and display them in places I will see them
17. make a new rainy day box
18. find something that comes in 30 flavors and try each one
19. learn a dance (tbd…)
20. write down ten things each day that I’m thankful for
21. reread the harry potter series
22. complete a rubik’s cube without directions
23. try 30 new recipes
24. blog at least 30 times
25. find 30 new afternoon activity ideas
26. make a really great running playlist
27. go on a picnic
28. make fun pillows for my couch
29. learn to throw a proper free throw
30. finish the knitted square afghan

This week was hard. It was sucky. The hard part came on Wednesday morning with the news that my Grandma Bublitz had died. (I would like to add a disclaimer that I am not sad for her. She has gone into eternal life and is in the awesome presence of our Savior… and also my grandfather who she has missed for the past nine years)

So, enter sadness into the “josieverse”. That is the word which I have chosen to describe the world around me. I think it came to me from a book I was reading… anyways, there was sadness. This sadness was followed by an intense concentration on my word day followed by Jessica distracting me with a movie to postpone bedtime. (I was pretty convinced bedtime would begin at about 6:30 PM that evening) The next day or so was filled with great friends and unwise choices about sleep, awesome campers, and a phenomenal square dance. Then came the drive to Wisconsin…

My home in Wisconsin is approximately 350 miles from my home in Michigan. On a good day I can make this trip in less than six hours… with one stop it takes almost exactly 6 hours. On Friday morning it took almost 7 1/2 hours.

This is why:

traffic

a sand truck accident

a crazy snowstorm

 

There was a major traffic back up in Chicago.  I am pretty convinced it had something to do with a sand truck crash and the sand ending up on the tollway. I went about 7 miles in about 45 minutes. Awesome. The the snow started. There were big, fluffy flakes tumbling all around me, which of course because it is Wisconsin turned into a full blown snowstorm with sideways snow, no visibility and yucky roads. In my pretty sleepy and also spacey state of mind the word “sucky” just kept popping up to describe my situation… so I came up with other ways to say sucky:

The roads were “sucktastic”

I had a “suckitude”

The traffic was “sucktabulous”

and it was just plain sucky…

 

In the spirit of the upcoming college football bowl games… here’s a little fun.

“Teach Me How To Bucky”

“We’re Smelling Roses”

I am proud to be from Wisconsin. Here are a few things I love about the cheese state.

– cheese

– Badger football

– Packer football

– my family (of course…)

and did I mention the Badgers??

The University of Wisconsin Badgers are great. I love the excitement of being at Camp Randall stadium, I love the team, I love the band, I love the badger. In celebration of this weekend’s win and in anticipation of being at the next home game… here is a trip down memory lane…

One of my first encounters with the Badger. I don’t really look too thrilled.

I’ve been told that before this Badger game I wouldn’t quit saying “I’m ready for the game!”

My little brothers & Grandpa before a game…

One of our many Christmas card photos…

Life is happening all around me.
-knitting
-outdoor education
-planning a trip to wisconsin for thanksgiving
-applying for grad school
-the reorganizing of my life…

It can be overwhelming.
and that is all.

Dear friends,

 Today was hard. It was crazy and high energy and a moving in a thousand different directions kind of day. The good news is this: God got us through this one. He is amazing. AMAZING.

There were also great friends who were especially helpful, and even a jamocha shake from the drive thru at Arby’s. (and did I mention there was a fantastic dessert made for the departure of a dear friend… the guy who has been my sanity and my rock and my go-to for almost the past year?)

After the crazy had somewhat subsided, there was mac & cheese, smoothies and the bean game. It was great. FANTASTIC, even.

I would like to elaborate more on the events of the past week and the things God has been teaching me, but right now I would just like to revel in the loveliness that was the bean game and smoothies… and how great it is to be sitting here on my favorite couch with two fabulous ladies.

Love & Blessings,

jbs

The blog with the list was also intended to be put up last week, before the Great Internet Outage of 2010 at Michindoh. During one of my last visits home to Wisconsin I found my old journal. Inside I found the list, aka “the list of things I would like to do sometime in my life”. This particular version of the list was written in 2003. Here is the 2003 list (the accomplished things are in bold) as well as additions from 2010.

October 8, 2003 LIST

-         Learn to play guitar

-         Fly across the ocean (the Atlantic or Pacific)

-         Take the train somewhere.

-         Visit Alaska

-         Live in Arizona.

-         Live in New York City

-         Sleep on the beach.

-         Get out of the PLANBK club.

-         Make my own dark room.

-         Finish a scrapbook.

-         Learn to play piano.

-         Become a teacher.

-         Throw a really big pot.

-         Learn to make good Mexican food.

-         Finish a journal.

-         Get married.

-         Paint a room in my own house.

-         Go to Australia.

-         Become a Ropes Course Instructor.

-         Become a Lifeguard.

-         Start wearing sunscreen.

-         Feel comfortable in a swim suit.

-         Become a first responder.

-         Make a good teapot.

-         Write a book.

-         Respond to letters in a timely manner.

-         Go to the hot air balloon festival in New Mexico.

-         Visit Maine.

-         Hike rim to rim at the Grand Canyon.

-         Learn to fly.

-         Learn to surf.

-         Ski in real mountains.

-         Read the entire bible.

-         Memorize Philippians.

-         Take a truly artistic photo.

-         Have kids.

-         Learn to dance.

-         Make art for everyone for Christmas.

-         Paint watercolor drapes.

2010 Additions

-         Run a 5K

-         Swim 1000 meters without stopping

-         Drive a SAU people mover.

-         Be the SAU cougar

-         Play a really good prank.

-         Go to Europe.

-         Go to Asia.

-         Get a masters degree.

-         Learn a new language.

-         Go to Zambia

-         Make my bed every day for a month.

-         Create a really big painting.

-         Take a spectacular blob deck jumping picture.

-         Learn to drive a tractor.

-         Learn to drive the Michindoh trolley.

-         Sleep an entire night in my hammock.

-         Get a really good picture with Bucky Badger.

-        Memorize the words to “Ice Ice Baby”

-        Meet the “Start Kid”

My friend Beth accomplishes lot of things on her list. I am going to let her inspire me and try to check some things off the LIST this summer… we’ll see if it happens, but it will sure be fun to try!

Love & Blessings,
Josie

(NOTE… This post was to be posted on June 19th, after the power came back on. The power came back on that evening…. the internet took a little bit longer… Love & Blessings, Josie)

Tonight is a near perfect night at Michindoh. The night’s events included hanging out with a good friend, a bonfire complete with s’mores and singing, and an amazing sky filled with shiny stars. This night has put me in a reflective mood and taken my mind back to my Camp Phillip days. In some ways there is a part of me that stayed there. Camp Phillip holds so much of my childhood, so much of my “growing up” years. There is so much joy and sadness and learning and growing all wrapped up in that place. Here is a list of some of my favorite things about camp.

-         the people

-         the big toy

-         the buttergizer

-         the people

-         the singing

-         the amazing campfires

-         the upper white river millpond

-         the crazy evening games

-         the people

-         the God time

-         the booger

Every summer, wherever I am, my mind seems to drift back to that place outside Wautoma, Wisconsin where a special part of me lives. Tonight I am thankful for the experiences I had there, the people I met who have forever changed who I am, and a place that will always be my second home.

Rachel and I are going to see Wicked this weekend!! We are pretty excited. We saw it together two years ago and are super geeked to see it again!!

Sal and I are listening to the soundtrack right now… it’s magical.

LOVE IT!!!