Day 1: 31 Day Challenge Introduction

Picking up this blog again. I may end up posting some VLOGS here too. We shall see how my first week of Blogging goes and take it from there. So... Hello! Please come on this sloppy blogging adventure with me. If you are new to my life/inner voice, my name is Julianie Spookie McCray. I am a delighted mother of two radiant boys. Callan turned 3 yesterday! Dezmond is freshly 6 months old. My two boys will likely be the center of most of my rants, stories, and attention. My husband, Luke McCray, is simply astounding. I'd like to write our love in depth here someday. Condensed version is... In May 2017 we will be celebrating our 7th year of marriage. (10th year of being together) Luke still frequently surprises and delights me. He knows more about me then anyone else. He's seen me at my worst and yet still chooses to be by my side. Like I said, he surprises me. Sorry, I got a little off topic. A little bit more about me, I should be graduating from SLCC after Fall semester 2017. I hope to take my AAS-Graphic Design to SCAD to get my Masters. I am still learning how to care for two young boys on a daily basis. As a person, I think that I am difficult to "deal with". Although I am passionate and caring, I am also fairly harsh. At school/work it is good for me to find the flaws... not so great in relationships. I am constantly learning and adapting to the world around me. Over my entire life,  I very proud of my honesty. I believe that I surround myself with people that will call me on my shit. This is because, it does not take a lie for me to be full of myself, misinformed, overly passionate and totally WRONG at times. I think that about does it for a personal introduction. 

CHATTY CHEERS!

New Look, School, Hair and Such

Hello Bloggers! I know that I have been lacking when it comes to keeping up with this blog. At least I have added a new look. LOTS has been going on. 

School has been fantastic! I am taking a single class (Design Basics) this semester and have maintained a 100%, cause I'm a boss like that. Also, my teacher is pretty darn awesome!

I have been growing my hair out since 1/1/12. It is driving me absolutely mad! It is just long enough to whip in front of me whenever the windows are down in the car. Luke keeps telling me to have it trimmed... but I remember that I always HATE the way that people cut my hair while I'm growing it out. Perhaps, I could ask someone to even it out so that I have less of a mullet thing going on. 

As far as "and Such" Luke is the most amazing person and I am blown away everyday that I am the lucky girl that gets to sleep next to him. Also, we got our names changed (finally). Still waiting for our new Driver's Licenses in the mail. I can't wait, even though my picture is the worst... ever!

Thanks for listening!

Everything Falling Together

This post is full of the good, the bad, and the indifferent. To start off where I left off last, we are currently under contract with this house above. During the last month, "our house" has been broken into multiple times and vandalized. I find this extremely frustrating, due to the fact that we know what to do about it but we are unable to do anything. Teens in the area came in and put "DIE" in blood on the walls of the "little girls" room. The police were called. But, we have no idea what kind of action they are taking. Because "our house" is still vacant I expect that it will just happen again. Better news, is that we are really close to having the $6000 for the down payment.
We will be celebrating 2 amazing years of marriage on sunday. As we leave to the property this weekend I hope that the sellers bank will make a final decision.. but we will see.
Luke and I are getting our names changed on the 23rd. We will officially be the McCray family. It has been a long process only because we needed to find the money and the time to get it done. Thankfully, Luke Grandpa McCray has lent us the money needed. I am very excited and kind of over whelmed. Once that is done, we will need to replace our social security cards, pass ports, driver licences, emails, and domain names. It is a list that I don't look forward to trudging through.
This week I have started working with foob.me. Designing facebook covers. Even if it does not make us any money,  I am really enjoying the work.

The Quest for Our Home

Since I got back from Texas Luke and I have been trying to make our way up to the Salt Lake City area. It has been everything from exciting to completely frustrating. We looked at apartments and were ill-impressed with what we observed. I could only describe those places as tiny, rundown, smelly apartments. After that extravaganza we both decided that it was time to again start looking at places to buy. We spoke with a family friend at American Lending Network. We found out that with our current situation we qualify for 160,000. Although, we would feel more comfortable getting into a house around the price range of 145,000. The house above is currently listed at 139,900. I believe that is a really good price for what we would be getting. BUT, every other day I go through the feelings that I am not ready to "grow up". The thought of having a mortgage scare the piss outta me. Also, with me just turning 21 our priorities are not quite in the right mind set to go forward with any of this. On top of all that we are looking at needing about 6,000 down to begin with. We have $200 in savings right now and I dont think that I can make that multiply as quick as we would like it to. SO, Luke and I came up with a plan to move in with his parents in order to save all of our current rent money, pay off a few bills, and get back into the correct mind set. The only problem that I see with this plan is that we are not going to be able to move in until Feb, THEN we will have to wait 6-8 months in order to have enough down, THEN we will still need to find the house of our dreams.... PLUS my career is currently waiting on us getting closer to SLC. The reason behind this is that my next step forward is to land a job a Salt Lake City Community College. I really dislike the unexpected and yet I love the options that we have. Long story short... I feel that I am in purgatory for the time being. Yet loving it. HA!

College life for me?

As many of you may already know I have been thrown into an unintentional vacation to visit Luke's amazing Grandparents in San Antonio, Texas. Although, I do wish that I had come her of my own free will, I love taking this opportunity to spend some much needed time with them. They have both had to work this week. So, over the last few days I have joined John at his school, UTSA. There is one close to the house and one in down town San Antonio. Today I sit in the common area that has a a name kind of like sombrero. As I watch the young adults mingle over coffee, I find it hard to see myself in this world long term. Yes, if I had had to chance to go to college directly after high school I would have fit in very well. Although, now, I find it hard to put aside my feelings of jealousy and contempt for most these people. They are living the life that I wanted for so very long. School IS their job. Perhaps, if I start in a community college I wil feel differently. What do you think?

Away I go

Luke and I have been together for over 4 years. During this time we have never been apart for an extended period of time. We have been extremely lucky in this. Now, I have offered my shoulder for a friend. Her name is Ariel McAllister Ratzlaff. Her husband is currently away in the army. She has the daunting task of moving away from El Paso. Together we will sell/organize/move everything they own. oh AND she has a 4 1/2 month old son. :D We will be leaving on the 15th till October 15th. I am very excited to go. But, a month is a very long time for Luke and I. So, wish us luck in our adventures this month and I will see you all next month!

Sleepy Weekend Over

This weekend was difficult. Not in the sense of cash, time, or expectations. Simply put, I slept most all weekend. If I was not sleeping I was tired and upset. I am glad that it is over and I can get back to feeling alive in the middle of the night again. I know that I am likely turning into a vampire but for now I am okay with that. :D