30 Days of Thanks - Week 3

Saturday, November 17 - Today, I am thankful for my neighbor who came over to ask if she could clean up my dead hostas while she was cleaning up hers.... yum, YEAH!!  How nice was that??  After spending the day working at a vendor/craft show I was flat out pooped and that made my day! :)

Sunday, November 18 - I am thankful for Art Modell, who brought football back to Baltimore.  After such a tragedy when the Colts moved to Indy in the middle of the night in March of 1984, Baltimore went without football for 12 years!!  Lucky for us, Art Modell moved the Cleveland Brown's to Baltimore in 1996 and the team was re-named the Baltimore Ravens.  Unfortunately Mr. Modell passed away this year, but Baltimore will always be grateful!  GO RAVENS!!!

Monday, November 19 - I am thankful for my friends.  I am so lucky that I still have old friends from high school and college and new friends that I have met throughout the years after.  I seriously love each & every one of my friends and know how blessed I am!!! :)

Tuesday, November 20 - I am thankful that God choose the right person to be my mom!!  Among many things, she is my best friend, my biggest supporter and cheerleader, she is patient, caring, understanding, and of course fun!  I love my mom!

A picture of me & my mom during our NYC trip in December 2010.

Wednesday, November 21 - And of course I am thankful for my dad!!  My dad has always been there for me and I love spending time with him.  He is very supportive and loves sharing his life's wisdom.  We are alike in so many ways and always have fun together.  I love being Daddy's little girl!

My parents, summer of 2008. <3

Thursday, November 22 - Today, on Thanksgiving, I am most thankful for my family!  Although I do not have a large family and we are spread all over the U.S., I have an awesome family & am grateful for each of them!!

Friday, November 23 - I am thankful for all the retail store associates who were very pleasant to all us crazy shoppers during Black Friday!  Especially in the middle of the night!  Thanks for being so nice & friendly!!!

30 Days of Thanks - Week 2

 

Week 2...

Saturday, November 10 -  I am thankful I found Thirty-One!  Not only do I have a TON of awesome totes, bags, purses, etc. but I have met a fantastic group of people - which is even better!!  These ladies are inspirational, hard-working, creative, and supportive.  My team is awesome!

Our April meeting.

August 2012 - National Conference in Atlanta, GA - so much fun!

Sunday, November 11 - I am thankful for my freedom!!  My friend Wendi said it best: "I am thankful for all of those in the military, past, present & future, for risking their lives, their health & the sacrifice they make for each & every one of us."

Monday, November 12 - I am thankful for my home. I love my house!

Tuesday, November 13 - I'm thankful to be part of a book club.  I love meeting with my friends every other month, catching up, and reading good books!!  This month we read "Bitter is the new Black" by Jen Lancaster.  I loved it!

Wednesday, November 14 - I'm thankful that when my air conditioner stopped working this summer, my furnace did not.  So glad I can get heat through the winter and have time to save some $$ to replace my 30+ year old system!  BRRRRR!!!

Thursday, November 15 -  I'm thankful for Facebook - sounds silly, but I can keep in touch with my friends and stay up to date with their lives with our busy schedules.  Just one status update lets everyone know how you're doing, what's new, and of course I can share my cute pics of Shelby!!

Friday, November 16 - I am thankful for Canine Meadows... and so is Shelby. :) It is an off-leash dog park where Shelby can run wherever she wants, smell everything, eat grass and make some new friends!  It's only a 15 minute car-ride away.

30 Days of Thanks - Week 1

The goal is to consciously engage in (at least) one moment of thankfulness every day this month. That's it!  The thing for which you give thanks can be big or small--it doesn't matter, because even 30 small gratitudes will add up to something awesome by month's end. What you're thankful for can be anything at all--as long as you're consciously thankful for it. That's the key.

Thursday, November 1 - I am thankful Sandy changed courses and calmed down once she hit land-fall in Maryland.  I am devastated for those in NY & NJ, but thankful my friends and family are safe!

Friday, November 2 - I am thankful for my creative side that I got from my mom, local-celebrity-artist ;)  I am definitely not an "artist," but have a hint of creativity & enjoy being crafty.

Saturday, November 3 - I am grateful that a tap room opened in YoPa!  I love the Holy Hound Taproom! And I love pumpkin beer with sugar & cinnamon rim... yum yum!

Sunday, November 4 - I am thankful Daylight Savings Time ended - fall back!  One extra hour of sleep!  Stinks it's going to get dark earlier - but today I am thankful for an extra hour of sleep!

Monday, November 5 - I am thankful for Shelby :)  I am so lucky she came into my life!  Tonight I took her to get a mani/pedi, bought some Milk Bones, dog food and a new toy with her PetSmart birthday coupon!

Tuesday, November 6 - Today I am thankful for the right to vote, my freedom, and being an American!  And the end of political commercials!!!

Wednesday, November 7 -  Yesterday my friend told me I was one of the smartest people she knows.  WOW!  I'm sure that's hardly the case, but makes me thankful for all the educational opportunities I have had.

MBA!

Thursday, November 8 - I am thankful for the people I work with.  I am so lucky that they are all so fantastic!!

One of our many fun events - Oriole's game 2011 :)

Friday, November 9 - I am thankful for my job!  Not only do I work with fantastic people but I like what I do.  I realize how fortunate I am to have a job in today's economy and work with great people!

Frankenstorm

Last year around Halloween, we had a snow storm, this year we have Hurricane Sandy - the storm of a century!  And she's coming our way...

I followed advice & am ready...

Filled my car with gas...

Went to the grocery store to buy non-perishables & water... 

Went to Office Max to buy extra batteries for my radio & flashlights... and water :)

MONDAY, 10.29.12

Here is the prediction from Foot's Forecast

* 8 AM to 6 PM: Winds increase to 40 mph
* 6 PM to 9 PM: Winds become sustained at 40-60 mph
* 9 PM to 12 AM: Occasional gusts to Hurricane Force (~74 mph)

Most businesses in Maryland have closed for the day to keep people off the roads.  The rain is supposed to come today with some wind and flooding.  My office has closed & implemented their 'work from home' policy... now I can watch The Weather Channel all day!!

8:45 am - Lots of rain and a little wind... waiting for the 'worst'

11:20 am - Wind is picking up and steady rain.  We are being asked to curtail water use until further notice. The York City Wastewater Treatment Plant is experiencing "extremely high" flow as a result of the rainfall, according to a Monday morning news release from York City. Areas that are served by the plant should not use water unnecessarily.

12:30 pm - Raining harder now.

"Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"

3:30 pm - Wind is getting slightly stronger - more wind gusts.  Took Shelby out and the lawn is getting to be one big puddle!  Hard to see in this picture, but my feet sunk right down as I ran out.

5:00 pm - Sandy's picking up strength & speed... and coming right at ME!  I am the blue dot, the red line is Sandy... holy guacamole, hold on!

I thought I better take a video even though nothing exciting was happening, I had to document something!!  It's obviously not very impressive or of good quality, but you can kinda see the trees & rain blowing in the wind.

I tried to take a video later when the wind was worse, but it was too dark and you couldn't see anything :(

9:00 pm - Still laying low & waiting.  The rain is bad and there is flooding all around.  Cable/Internet has flickered off & on twice.  Sandy is no longer a hurricane and being referred to as a 'super storm.' Electric is staying on for now... but Sandy is supposed to be going through York at 2:00 am.  I gave Shelby the couch...

10:30 pm - Can't stand the waiting.  We went to bed!

TUESDAY, 10.30.12

Prediction:  12 AM to 8 AM: Winds are still sustained at tropical storm force and begin to decrease below by 40 mph by 12 AM Wednesday.

6:30 am - From Justin Berk, Meteorologist - "The center of (former hurricane) Sandy passed right over Baltimore after midnight. The former hurricane shifted direction after entering Maryland. Instead of heading to York PA it dropped SW along I-95 and then stalled over east Baltimore. Watch it enter the right side of the image and the expand. Winds were 50-70 mph, hail was reported as cold air entered the system. Flooding increased on the Chesapeake Bay from the additional water flow to the Eastern Shore and Harford County."

I slept pretty well - my thoughts & the wind woke me up a few times, but not strong enough to be scary and I went right back to sleep!  Now to see if work has electricity...

2:00 pm - Sitting at work eating a late lunch.  Flood & Wind warnings have expired.  Back to a normal rainy day for me!  I'm soooo lucky though after watching all the devastation... especially in NY and NJ.  My prayers go out to all the families!!  Now to the grocery store tonight to buy all the refrigerated products I did not buy on Sunday and to return the 20 batteries I bought :)

Here are some incredible & unbelievable pictures.  And here is some before and after.

Cody

I lost a family member yesterday, our dog Cody.

Cody was brought into our home and hearts in 2000 and left our home, but not our hearts, in 2012.  He was such a kind, patient, loving soul, and brought so many happy memories to my family, friends, and anyone else that he met!

We got Cody in early 2000.  I was 20 & started my sophomore year of college in the fall.  He was so much fun. :)

A couple years later we got another lab, AJ.  Cody was so excited he kept trying to play with little AJ, but we kept telling him to be gentle, he's a baby!  Boy were we wrong!  AJ was terror on wheels and gentle was not in his vocabulary!  But Cody was such a good boy, he was never rough with AJ, and always let AJ have his way and go first... forever.

That was Cody's way - gentle, kind & patient.  He always stayed back and waited for his "invitation" to go outside or come back in.  Even though I found this annoying at times (especially in the rain) it was Cody's way and I will always treasure it.  

From then on it seemed Cody always came second.  Not because we didn't love him, but AJ took so much attention and Cody let him have it.  AJ was a rambunctious crazy lovin' boy with the alpha attitude, and Cody was happy and content being in the background.  But Cody's "politeness" also granted him a little extra love, attention & treats... when AJ wasn't looking of course!!

Boys will be boys... :)

 Happy boy!  Always bubbly and happy to see you!

 So handsome.

As time went on, age took a toll.  Cody got a little gray here and there, started rising a little slower, and his running became a sluggish.  But never did Cody loose his kind, happy, bubbly personality.  He still always came up to greet you, say hi and make you feel special.  He loved everyone!

Cody was a momma's boy!

 Me & Cody :)

Lovin' the bone!!  Yum Yum!!!

Cody's Christmas bone!

Keepin' warm in the sunshine.

 Where are all the bones?  What bones??

 CAR RIDE!!!  Woo Hoo!!!

Christmas bow :)

A couple years ago, Shelby met Cody, and it was love at first sight!!  She loved Cody so much!  We would all be lying around watching TV and she would get up, walk over to Cody and her tail would wag so hard it would go in circles.  She would put her paw on him (her sign of affection) and sit there until he would finally move.  They were BFFs!!

Over the past week, Cody had some health issues that were incurable - but he remained a bubbly happy boy, just as we will always remember him.  

We will miss him SO much but feel better knowing he is in heaven running around without any pain and eating all the treats he can!

See you at the rainbow bridge Cody... I love you!

My New Refrigerator... finally!!

I have been wanting a new refrigerator FOR-EV-ER.  Ok, really since I moved in my house in 2008. Anyway - I finally saved up some mola* & was ready to hit the Memorial Day sales!!
*Thanks to my grandparents for letting the family know I wanted a new frig, I got lots of useful gift cards for Christmas!

I did a lot of research online, but you really need to go to the store to open them all up a thousand times to make sure it's your soul-fridge.  After some searching, I found the perfect one for me!  A Samsung at hhgregg.  And, lucky me they could install it the next day - even though it was a holiday!!  So I cleaned off my old fridge and got ready.

BEFORE:

Thank goodness I didn't have a ton of food in my fridge... and thank goodness for my helpful Thirty-One bags to hold all my food!! (what the heck is on the TV?)

So the delivery guys shows up & does some measuring and says this might not fit.  (WHAT?!?!)  They take out the old fridge and bring in this mammoth looking thing and by golly, it doesn't fit... it's too wide!  Dumb me measured from the wall to the side of the cabinets... not the molding on the floor to the side of the cabinets. Apparently this is a 'common' mistake, so I'm not the only dumb one out there.  The guys couldn't help me with that (liability issues) so they put everything together, hooked it up & left.  I grabbed a screwdriver & saw from my handy dandy tool box (thanks DAD!!!) and went to work:

I did it!!  YAY!!  So lets push in the fridge.... pushing, pushing, and then stop. HOLY CRAP the fridge is too tall... by a quarter of an inch.  OMG - what do I do!? [Insert some girly unnecessary crying and calling for help]  My parent's arrived with more coolers since it was going to be awhile, and one of my best friends, Ben, arrived with his table saw.  Between my dad and Ben, they shortened the cabinets above the fridge a little over a quarter inch and the fridge slipped right in... like a glove.  There are no pictures to document this as I was freakin' out a 'lil bit. :)

Finally all was well... my parents went home and Ben went shoe shopping.  Time to put life back together.

AFTER:

Pretty right????

And my favorite part?  The shelf for wine bottles... or bottles of water (lol):

It was a long, stressful day, but well worth it in the end!  I looove my new fridge!!

Also - shout out to hhgregg who was awesome!  In fact as I wrote this blog, the sales associate from hhgregg called to make sure everything turned out ok... since he was one of the ones I called for help!

Italian-Style Turkey Meatloaf

I get tons of email a day... most of them I delete... some I glance at and then delete.  But one day I read through an email and ended up finding this recipe (you'll have to click on it to be able to read it):

I actually had all the ingredients at home, so I thought, what the heck, I'll try it!!  So here it goes....

Gather ingredients.... like my backdrop?  LOL

Sprayed cookie sheet... just in case you wondered what one looked like:

All the ingredients... lil' bit gross, right?!

And then form into the 'loaf' shape & cover with ketchup!

I deleted the cooked meat loaf picture from my phone before posting... oops!  It tasted pretty good!  I ate leftovers for the week and enjoyed them!  I still prefer regular meatloaf though.  But I love trying something new! :)