Be My Valentine

My mom was in town last week and stayed with me for two nights. The first night we did dinner with Molly in Hilliard, and the second night Molly came to Grandview and we went to Grandview Cafe. It was nice having Mama J in town during her conference even though we got nothing productive done. I had wanted to make cake balls, but we got home from dinner too late. Maybe I'll do them on my own.

On Thursday, I went downtown to meet Mom for lunch. She was at a conference and had told me that there were lots of cute guys there. So of course, I went. Well, they must have all left or gotten married over night, because I did not see one cute, single guy in the facility. But, I did get a Chipotle quesadilla with free parking, so that was worth the trip!

We did walk around at the trade show for a little bit. At a microscope stand I tried to guess what this image was. I am stumped. I'm still stumped. It's something magnified. I am still trying to figure it out and cannot. They were supposed to send an email out with the answers, but so far I haven't gotten anything? Any guesses?  Update: It's the hologram off a VISA card.

The Ohio Department of Transportation also had a driving simulator that Mom did. It was a texting and driving thing to show you that you SHOULD NOT text and drive. Well she failed miserably. She actually quite before it was done.

Friday night I got a good workout in at the gym. My goal was to kickstart my habit of going every day again. I thought the weekend would be a good time since I didn't have anything Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Well, it didn't work. I'll try again this week.

Friday night I went skiing again with friends. My third trip this winter. I can't express how much I love skiing. I can't even believe at one time I didn't enjoy it and wanted to quit so many years ago. Besides the big jumps and the trick things in the snowboarder park , there isn't really anything that I'm too scared of doing. All night I kept saying I was going to go down this really steep drop off from the lift area and I finally did it on my last run. On that run I also went off a baby ramp and got just a little bit of air. But then I crashed and burned. At least I fell gracefully? (not true!).

Only pic I took that night.

Saturday morning I woke up kind of late, but quickly got up and ready to volunteer a few hours at the animal shelter. I'd been talking to my coworker who also volunteers there and just felt the need to do something productive other than lay on my couch all day. Plus it was Valentine's Day and I wanted to share some love by giving back, even if it was to felines.

When I pulled into the parking lot I almost didn't stop. I had this thought of "I am 29 years old and spending my Valentine's Day as a single lady at a cat shelter. This is what my life will always be like. I can't do it!!" Cue mini crisis.

But I went ahead and parked. Since I got there at 11 and the cleaning takes place from 8-12am, most everything was already done! I cleaned all the windows and sliding glass doors throughout the facility. And petted a lot of cats! So I was just there for an hour. But I got to see my favorite feline - Stella. She was one of my favorites when I volunteered there for class last year at this time and my coworker always updates me on here. She's a fluffy, grey and white really shy cutie. She never lets anyone hold her, but somehow I always could when I visited. I always said I was going to adopt her when I got my own house if she was still there. Well, that can't happen now because she got adopted this weekend. I am equally happy and sad. When I tried to snuggle with her on Saturday she hissed and growled at me. She must have turned on the charm later in the day. I had no intentions of going on Saturday and then almost didn't go inside, but I really think God was putting it on my heart to 1. volunteer and give back and 2. say goodbye to my little Stella! He knew she was getting her forever home that weekend.

Go ahead and think crazy cat lady thoughts right now. It's fine.I know.

This is Dagwood and he likes to nurse your arm. #presh

A horrible picture of Stella, but it was the last time I saw her.

Saturday afternoon I did nothing. I watched tv and ate ice cream from the container. But what I did not do is have a pity party because I was single on Valentine's Day. (I wrote this post for my work blog on how to survive if you're single on V-tines Day.) I sent messages to a lot of my friends wishing them a HVD and got some cute pictures back of my nieces and nephew. I even got a gift in the mail from my friend Lauren and a few cards.

Later that evening Molly came over and we went to Bob Evan's for our Valentine's Dinner. That girl knows my love language. We had a great dinner and it was topped off with not one, not two, but THREE stretch limos in the parking lot! At Bob Evan's. We were cracking up every time one more pulled in.

Best Valentine a girl could ask for! #BAE #GMLS

Sunday I went to church and listened to a sermon on changing the world. We can't change everything at one time. We can't save everyone from everything. BUT we can change a little at a time and if we just save one person, it's better than none. It wasn't my favorite sermon, but one that I needed to hear.

That afternoon I was a cleaning machine. Scrubbed, mopped, rolled (to get ride of the cat hair) and everything in between. That evening Molly came over (again! :) ) and we watched The Bachelor and because she'd been outside all day working and was nice and cozy on my couch, she stayed. And right after I went to bed I got this goodnight text from her. Love my little sister. :)

 

My little Valentine.

Now it's the start of a busy, busy week with something every evening. Sigh. I'm really looking forward to Wednesday night. Molly and I are sorting prom dresses for Fairy Goodmothers. Service and fancy dresses, sign us up!!

A Busy Life

Somehow we're a third of the way thru the month of February. How did that happen? The last few weeks have been so full of fun stuff that it just makes time fly by. Although I am still making sure I get one night of 'me time' to just be at home. Do I actually do anything while I'm home...sometimes. I've been trying to read more and one night I actually did all of my laundry. Every. single. piece. of. clothing....although you'd never know by looking at my bedroom floor right now. womp. womp.

A few weeks ago my mom, sis and I went to Amish Country, up in good 'ole Berlin, Ohio for a "Pajama Party." All of the shops in the town were open from 7-9am (some opened at 6am) and in order to get these awesome discounts, you had to be in your pajamas. So we went craft shopping at 6am in our pajamas. Mom and Molly stopped at Target to get new jams, but I just washed my favorite script Ohio pajamas I got for Christmas a billion years ago and added my robe. Yes, I wear that gray robe every day. It makes me feel like I have my life together when I get up and put on a robe before making breakfast. 

I didn't get anything at the first craft place we went to, but Molly got stuff to make a quilt and Mom got some felt projects to work on.

6am at the quilt shop

We also went to two other stores before everything closed at 9am. I got a cute dress at the Village Gift Barn that I thought for sure was going to be $100+ but when I looked at the tag it was only $34 and I got 25% off cause I was in my jammies. Score!

After we went back to the hotel and took a nap, we went antique shopping! The first place we went to I got a little glass nativity set like the one below. I have been looking for a nativity set that I liked and thought fit with my 'style'. And then I felt guilty because I was focusing on what it looked like instead of the meaning behind it. BUT as soon as I saw this one I knew it was the nativity set for me.

Not actually mine, but what it looks like.

We went to a few different antique places. I also got an "Ohio" glass that's going in my office and a mirror that I spray painted and added to my office wall. It's the perfect addition because it's in the shape of a "Block O". Molly got a few pieces of wall art for her apartment and Mom got a few more tea cups and saucers for her collection and two vintage license plates - one each for the years she and my dad were born.

I really wish this was an Ohio bracelet. Currently searching online for one!

We also visited Lehman's Hardware and I could have spent 12 hours looking at all of the things in that store!

And just because I thought it was so funny, I found Bowie's stuffed animal twin while in the toy department. No, I did not buy it. And yes, sometimes Bowie sends out snapchats. She's so vain.

 

We had a little Super Bowl watch party at a pub near my house. I was not invested in the Super Bowl at all this year. I don't like the Patriots AT ALL and some of the attitudes of the Seahawks made me not want them to win either, so I was clearly there for the commercials and halftime show. I even went home after the halftime show finished. And did not turn the TV on when I got home.

Kayla was excited that they passed out free mugs to everyone.

I loved the halftime show. I think Katy Perry can be a little out there, but I like entertaining shows and I'm not a fan of the halftime shows where they just stand and sign slow songs. Give me something exciting!

She rode in on a tiger!!

The beginning of last week I was busy with Bible Study, I donated blood one day (I'm becoming a regular), spent an evening with Molly at her apartment watching tv and just being sisters when I should have been doing dishes or something.

Thursday night was a busy night. I ran from one meeting to the next, caught up with my former co-workers for drinks, went to a fraternity exec meeting, and finally met Alicia at Newport for a concert. I had no idea who the guy was that was signing, but it was fun to be out with her and Molly. We danced and avoided creepers and then headed for a few drinks after the show, ended up staying way too late. The next evening we were both asleep before Dateline even got into the storyline because we were so tired. #oldpeoplestatus

Friday evening I had a scholarship dinner for the Fraternity after work. It was a very nice event that one of our alumni hosted. Because I was exhausted from the night before, I headed home as soon as dinner was over.

They all clean up well. 

All day Saturday was the fraternity's alumni event. I took pictures at it, but it's just a punch of them sitting at tables listening to each other talk. haha. Nothing interesting. But again, nice to see guys I went to college with and the ones that I've advised and have graduated over the past few years that come back for the event.

After that event I went with a group to a confirmation for one of the boys. I'd never been to a Catholic confirmation before so it was interesting and it made me happy to see so many of the fraternity guys come to support Zach.

My hair....I need something done to it. I'm hating it these days.

Later that night Molly and I met up with some friends and ended up going downtown. She hadn't ever been to the bars downtown before, so it was a fun night out.

Sunday was catching up on all the sleep that I'd lost on Thursday and Saturday nights. Molly and I went home and had dinner with the family, took a long walk/hike thru the fields and woods around the farm. We even climbed up in the deer stand that someone illegally put in one of the trees. Rude.  We also spent some time with our darling Posey before she went to the 'spa' and then drove back to Columbus in the rain while having a good sister chat.

Mom is in town this week for a conference and is staying with me. Looking forward to a few nights at home with her while baking and crafting. I might even get the two quilts done that I have had sitting on my sewing table for two years. :)

New Years Resolutions - 1 month update

At the end of December I made 7 goals that I was going to work on this year. So now that we're one month down, here's my update!

1. Be at work on time every day. This is still a daily struggle, but I am getting better at it. Some mornings I've even been early! My biggest problem, when that stinking cat of mine comes to cuddle AFTER my alarm goes off! And of course, I can't turn her away. Ugh!

2. Cut back on 'after school activities'. I'm doing much better at this. Only going to their main meetings and not all of the smaller meetings throughout the week or I'm scheduling one on one time with people I need to talk to during my work day!

3. Sign up for a half-marathon and get to the gym. I'm going to do the Flying Pig in May, I just need to register. Getting to the gym has been a different story. When I do go I run 3 miles, so that's a plus, right?

4. No fast food. Success! I have been doing really good at this. I think I've gotten two sweet teas from McDonald's in the past month, so not bad at all. A number of times I've been in a car going through the drive-thru and I just haven't ordered.

5. No social media. All my personal accounts have been deleted or the passwords have been changed. I did log on to facebook once to see how my friend's dad was doing following a very big surgery and I can't help but get onto Scout Ponder's instagram to see her new adorable photos. This needs work.

6. Study my Bible daily. I've been doing better. I download a plan to read the Bible in 365 days. BUT I haven't started it yet. I've been doing my BSF homework every night, but sometimes I'll do two nights at once, then skip a night. But I have been filling out my daily gratitude book each day. And I've attended some great Sunday services on gratitude and service this month.

7. Be a better communicator. I've also been doing really good on this. Telling someone the truth when it would be easier to just ignore them, or fessing up when I did something wrong - whether it's to my boss or my sister. I've been doing it and it feels nice!


And for giggles, here's a little convo I had with my dear friend Cara about not having our W2's yet. Please note what we both sent at the exact same time!