TGIF!

Oh ... my... word! I've become positively smitten with these dresses!!

I need to start getting a budget going so I can own most of these. The last one is simply amazing - I think it would make the cutest dress to wear on my birthday or something!

Love love.

Happy Groundhog Day!

So - I guess according to Mr. Groundhog, Spring is still 6 weeks away. Already feels like it's Spring though, today it’ll be in the upper 40’s, which is absurd for this time of year! Mostly compared to this day last year...

Feb 2, 2011:

Today:

Hardly any snow left!!

I’ve always hated tests…

Oh man, I feel like I’m totally being tested today!

 I’m really trying to implement a new way of thinking this year. I used to be so happy-go-lucky growing up, every day was like a bright sunny day. But, being a kid your life is drastically more carefree. I guess I should say mine was, as I certainly can’t speak for everyone!

Recently in the mornings, I wake up early and started allowing myself “me” time before work, and Bewitched has been on around the exact time I’m eating breakfast, so I’ve been watching old episodes of that show. I absolutely love it! I’m really developing a newfound respect for Samantha. She’s so caring, honest, straight forward, and good natured. I want to be more like her again, I miss that.

I really feel like you can control your own happiness, your thoughts totally dictate what it is you’re feeling. If I’m surrounded by negativity, I’m going to be pessimistic. Likewise, if I’m surrounded by positive thoughts, I find myself way more optimistic. So the lesson I learned? Happy thoughts running through my head need to be more important than negative ones. I’m so tired of being pessimistic! It’s exhausting.

So yeah, work is a big factor for me and how quickly my patience can run out. My boss came in today and brought his cold bearing child with him. I couldn’t believe it. Who really thought that was a good idea? She’s too sick to be at school, so why is bringing her into an office environment to spread her germs a good idea? Unlike them, I cannot afford to get sick as I am the only working member in my household right now, being sick simply cannot be in my cards. I feel it’s unfair if I have to sacrifice my limited vacation hours for an illness I didn’t want, caught from my work place! So… I’m instantly beyond irritated that this is allowed, I get annoyed enough when a fellow employee comes in sick, let alone someone who really shouldn’t even be here in the first place.

But you know what? My getting all bugged out by it won’t “fix” anything. I can’t go in and demand he goes and spends the day at home with her, because that’s simply not my place. All I know is that I will be keeping a great distance between me and those germs, that part I can control. And I will. Even if I get made fun of for it, or if he gives me a hard time by being paranoid to enter his office… I just don’t even care. It’s simply not worth it to me. As long as I focus on keeping myself away, washing my hands and being extra careful – redirecting the positive energy back to the forefront and shoving the angry/frustrated thoughts to the back, maybe this won’t be a terrible day! I mean, I’d be the only one suffering otherwise. Why waste that time?

Mid week rut

So school is totally kicking my butt! I took a couple days off for some r&r and now I’m back in it full swing. Maybe next time I’ll just take a single day off, rather than 2.5! It's already Wednesday and I have 3 tests and a handful (multiple handfuls!) of reading and studying left to do, eek!

Over the weekend my best friend Emmy and I went into Woodfield for a day of shopping. It was much needed!! Granted I didn’t buy much aside from this adorable owl cookie jar ($39.99 marked down to $4.99!) and some clearance/discontinued Bath and Body Works stuff, it was a blast. We just wandered around, had fun looking at everything and just enjoying the time to catch up. Being as busy as I am, it’s shocking to realize how long Emmy and I had gone without talking – how much there was to talk about!

Here are a couple pics from the weekend! I need to start taking more photos again I realize, it's tough without having the 365 blog motivation!

Those kiosk guys are dangerous - make a little eye contact with them and they suck you in!

Worrying never takes away tomorrows troubles... just takes away today’s peace

Yeah, I just heard the guy on the radio say this, and it's so true! I worry all the time about everything, and it makes no difference in the general outcome. Like today... we're getting quite a bit of snow! I went to bed last night worrying so much about how my car is going to handle this weather today. But I started thinking that all my worrying wasn't going to make the snow go away, or suddenly make my car better in the snow. It really makes no difference whatsoever. It will still snow, it will still be a challenge to drive in, all I can do is just be cautious about it. Worrying only gets me worked up and makes the day less enjoyable.

So right now, as I sit here and watch the snow pour down and turn everything outside a clear sheet of white... I'm not going to worry about it.
I will not grind my teeth in anxiety about whats to come when I leave here.
I'm not going to tense up thinking about how other people will handle the nasty roads.
All I am going to do is be productive, try to enjoy the weather however I can (which is very limited as I desperately miss yesterday's 50 degree warm sun!), and not waste unnecessary time on worrying about things totally out of my control.

I must add this: One nice thing about winter is not feeling guilty becoming a hermit. I will feel no remorse for not getting to spend enough time outside, but rather inside, studying, crafting, just enjoying quality quiet time with my family and friends. But... that's really the only plus side to anything snow related!!

Do one things everyday that makes you happy....

So today is day one of school! I’m a little nervous, but what’s new. I’m always nervous before something new begins! I just hope this semester goes smoothly. These classes are going to take some extra work I think. Luckily my awesome brother is giving me his laptop soon, so I’ll be able to do work outside of my living room at home! I just noticed there will be lots of quizzes for my Medical Terminology, eek!
Anyway, one of my (yet flexible) new year’s resolutions is to do more crafts, or just anything that makes me happy inside. So each month I want to try to make something new. I should make a list of things I want to try, and then assign them a month or something. =-)


Some things I’d like to try and do:

·         Hand make cute, simple “everyday” cards. Send them to my close friends just for fun.

·         Make tree stump coasters

·         Make fun garland for the living room walls?

·         Make a wreath

·         Paint more

·         Try cooking one new thing each month

·         Start defining my style

I gotta say, it feels so strange not to always have to think about taking a picture everyday anymore! Hehe.

The start of 2012!

Well... it's here! Officially 2012.

I do hope this year is better than the last. Not that 2011 was really all that bad... but we had some rough times, along with good though!

I had a few goals for 2011. My original list included the following:

1. Get Elphie into professional dog training classes. Unfortunately, this did not happen. But I’m ok with it. I did try, and when I went to sign her up I was overwhelmed with everything they expected us to have ready, which I was 100% unprepared for.  Plus when Cliff was laid off, this would’ve been a budget cut for sure. Now I just simply don’t have the time to give for this, not that I’m writing it off forever!

2. Take a ceramics/pottery class. Yikes, this is another unaccomplished goal. But again, I’m ok with it! Instead I signed myself up for a new adventure – I am on my way to getting a second associates degree, this time in Health Care, specifically Health Information Technology. I feel like this new goal outweighs the other, though I would still love to try it someday!

3. Complete an 8 week course of Yoga – beginners. I can fully say I did this!! In fact, I did it twice.  I still can’t fully master the shoulder stand, I can get it once in a while… but until I can do it each time I try, I can’t move up. But that’s ok, I felt great taking the classes and best part, I did it all by myself with no friends as a support. Another feat for me!

Some other goals I had were to do more things by myself. I used to be scared to just go to the store alone, but I’ve mastered that one. So I needed to branch out. One goal was to take a whole yoga course all by myself, with no friends to cling to. And this I did, twice!!

The other solo goal was to see a movie all by myself. This I finally did accomplish, granted I waited until Dec 30^th to do so. Better late than never! I was even late and the theater was crowded, but I sat by myself and watched the whole thing!

 My other bigger goal/project was to do a 365 blog. This I did!! (http://blankcanvas-project365.blogspot.com/) I took at least one single picture, everyday for the entire year of 2011. And no, I will not be doing this again. ;-)

I do love taking pictures and documenting memories through photos, I want to continue to be better at this. So, here is my new blog. I plan to post ramblings, pictures, thoughts, goals, ideas…. Everything and anything.