Administrative Professional's Day

Each year, my employer does a small gift for Administrative Professional's Day. This year, they gifted us each a beautiful basket with a plant. I love my job, but its the small things like this that make me enjoy it even more. 

Sure hope I can keep the plant alive half as well as I do my job. Because seriously, I did not inherit my dad's green thumb. But I have managed to keep this fern alive for over a year now, so maybe I can handle one more plant. 

Meow Monday

Blue

Gaby

Percy

Running - Take 2

 In December, I was stressed with finals, so I quit running. Then winter break hit and the college gym was closed, so I took a little bit longer break from running. January brought on the most stressful time of work and a new semester. Before long, running had fallen to the back of my mind. 

Lately, I've really struggled with depression again. Mostly from missing family that I love but no longer see. Last week, I could tell I was starting to get close to the edge again, a place I don't want to find myself in again. So I decided it was time to hit the gym again. I was hoping to make it an hour, but quit after 30 minutes. But I did at least run part of it, so I'm not as out of shape as I feared.

As luck would have it, I'm now entering Spring semester finals, so its hard to find time to run again. I've only been able to make it 1-2 times a week, but hopefully when the semester ends, I can go more often since I don't plan to take classes this summer. 

Tuesday night, I pushed myself pretty hard, but I was able to run a mile in just over 13 minutes, and I made it the full hour. I know I'll be able to work back up to running at the pace I was before. 

 When I got home, I decided to do some ab exercises. I got out my yoga mat, turned around to get my iPad so I could play the video of exercises I found, and when I turned back, this is what I saw. Little stinkers thought it was for them. I pushed them off, but they kept sneaking back on. 

Easter 2017

A few months ago, one of my friends had a Pampered Chef Catalog party. When I saw they had a slow cooker for one of my pots, I decided it would make the perfect Easter basket. It was so hard to wait until Easter to open it. But by starting to buy my Easter stuff early, I was able to spoil myself pretty well. 

The slow cooker full of Norwex and Posh goodies. 

I also got a basket with new books from my favorite author, Marica Lynn McClure, and some of my favorite candies. I don't know what it is, but I swear candy taste so much better when its shaped like an egg. 

I also saw this wine chiller in the Pampered Chef catalog and decided to get it also. 

This holiday was kind of hard for me. I have really been missing my in-laws lately and knowing I'd be missing out on my mother in-law and grandma's cooking made it even harder. My family has a trip next weekend, so I figured I'd just end up home alone on Easter. After I had a good cry about it, I decided that I am of great worth and I would just have my own Easter dinner. It would be the perfect opportunity to try out my new slow cooker. I decided I would cook a ham, 7-Up Biscuits, Twice Baked Cauliflower and a new pie recipe I found, Lemon Chess Cheesecake Pie. 

I decided to make the pie on Saturday so I wouldn't have to stress about it on Easter. As I was pulling it out of the oven, Jeremy called and invited me to eat with his family. It took some talking, but I finally agreed, as long as I could bring the pie I had just made. 

It ended up being just us and his parents, but it was fun. I also took the Twice Baked Cauliflower. My food was a hit and that made my day. The ham is in the freezer and I'll try it in the slow cooker another day. 

Nine months and counting since I started living on my own. Some days it is hard, but I know I can do this. 

Scrapbook Retreat 2017

Last weekend was the annual Scrapbook Retreat, put on by my Close to My Heart Consultant. It was at the Hidden Springs lodge again this year. As always, it was fun. She always cooks amazing meals, I have a great time visiting with friends and I get to scrapbook until 2 am. 

Since going back to school, I have fallen behind in getting my pictures scrapbooked. So this year, I decided to use the premade layouts I had instead of making my own. I did alter a few of them, but I was able to find layouts to go with nearly all of my pictures. In the end, I finished 30 pages with pictures and even made a few layouts to use in the future. Here is just a snap shot of some of my favorites. 

Friday was a little rough. As I looked at pictures of my nephews, I remembered how much I love them and how much I miss them. We've done our best to stay in contact, but its not the same. I miss the birthday parties and other family dinners. I think I could do much better with the whole divorce if I hadn't lost that piece of my family so much. 

But then I started to look at pictures of me and I can see how far I've come. Last year wasn't all bad. I was able to graduate with my Associate's Degree, I was promoted, and I learned to love myself. I know I still have some healing to do (my sudden breakdown last night is proof of that), but I know I have come a long ways and I know that everything will be okay. 

Percy - The Cat Who Knows No Limit

This post is mostly about Percy, pretty much because he is the most entertaining cat I've had in a while. With Percy, no area is off limits. And everything is his. Even the garbage in the bathroom, which is apparently a treasure chest to him. He is in the garbage upstairs ALL.THE.TIME. Seriously, all the time. I counted this morning and caught him in there a dozen times in the hour it took me to get ready. 

I usually keep the downstairs bathroom closed. But when I was cleaning it a few weeks ago, I caught him in that garbage also. 

Poor Blue. I got Percy so Blue could have a playmate. Apparently I forgot to ask Blue if that was okay. 

But sometimes, they do get along. 

 My kitchen counters are no longer a safe place.  When I have my back turned, he only need 2 seconds to get up there. I now have to lock the cats in the bedroom when I cook or have guests over for dinner. 

His new favorite thing is to sit on the lip of the tub while I shower. He'll even get brave and stick his head in sometimes. Just this morning, he reached under the liner and pawed at my leg. I think its cute, but my fear is he will fall in one day and use my leg as a climbing post to escape. 

Here he is, again, digging for treasure.  

 I'm sure glad I have these crazy kitties to keep me company and keep my heart full. But mostly, they just keep the bed warm. 

Nephews

I forgot to post these pictures, but I still had to share. Last month, I was able to spend a little time with some of my nephews. 

On one Friday, I picked up Preston & Tyler from school. We went to Soda Bomb for a drink and then back to my house and played the Wii until their dad got off work. 

A week later, my sister needed a sitter, so I took Valex and Daxsen to Rocky's for dinner. 

Seeing each of them was just what my heart needed. As of now, my plan is to take the summer semester off from college. Hopefully I'll be able to see them all more since I won't have homework and classes taking up all of my time.