Nearly two months ago, my little man turned one. ONE! I know, time is flying by at an unbelievable rate.
I’ve been planning to share photos of the party with you and thought I’d kick it off with the photo shoot we did for the invitation.
Of course, the fabulous freckle photography was our photographer and she caught the theme I was going for perfectly. Here’s my little strong man getting ready for the big day! I’ll be sure to share photos of the party soon!
I read the story below today and it filled my heart with hope and faith. I love the concept of ‘suspended coffee.’ After reading it on A Well Traveled Woman, I searched for the original source and was delighted to read this press release from Starbucks offering a suspended coffee program in London. The original suspended coffee concept started in Naples, Italy and it’s quickly catching on. There’s even a Facebook page for the idea. Talk to your local coffee house and let’s get the program going here in the US!
Today I am thankful for this story and coffee! Happy Thankful Thursday!
We enter a little coffeehouse with a friend of mine and give our order. While we’re approaching our table, two people come in and they go to the counter: ‘Five coffees, please. Two of them for us and three suspended’ They pay for their order, take the two and leave.
I ask my friend: “What are those ‘suspended’ coffees?”
My friend: “Wait for it and you will see.”
Some more people enter. Two girls ask for one coffee each, pay and go. The next order was for seven coffees and it was made by three lawyers – three for them and four ‘suspended’. While I still wonder what’s the deal with those ‘suspended’ coffees I enjoy the sunny weather and the beautiful view towards the square in front of the café. Suddenly a man dressed in shabby clothes who looks like a beggar comes in through the door and kindly asks, ‘Do you have a suspended coffee?’
It’s simple – people pay in advance for a coffee meant for someone who can not afford a warm beverage. The tradition with the suspended coffees started in Naples, but it has spread all over the world and in some places you can order not only a suspended coffee, but also a sandwich or a whole meal.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have such cafés or even grocery stores in every town where the less fortunate will find hope and support? If you own a business why don’t you offer it to your clients… I am sure many of them will like it.
Like everyone else in America, I couldn’t be happier that this week is coming to end. I’ve been glued to my computer screen this morning watching the man-hunt for Boston Marathon bombings suspect unfold while getting updates on the explosion in Texas. My yard is covered in feet (yes, foot plural) of snow in April and I’m sicker than a dog. I’m done. Over it. Calling it quits.
This weekend, I plan to hug my baby boy, snuggle with my puppies, hold hands with the spouse, and get my butt into a church pew to pray for the lives lost, the lives destroyed, and lives disrupted by this terrible week. But first, I’m toasting a glass of wine with a wonderful group of women tonight (sniffles and all) and saying thank you that my family and close friends are warm, safe, and happy.
However you do it – wine with the girls, prayer, or acts of kindness – spread some love this weekend, people. We need it.
P.S. Feel free to fill in the extra ‘F’ in TGIFF title with whatever F you feel is appropriate.
I’ve got a pretty sweet deal going on here. Most of the week, I work from my house. My company’s office is located in the southern-most neighborhood of Denver (about an hour and a half away) so they only ask I that make the trek down once a week.
However, snow-filled weeks (like the one we’re currently experiencing in Northern Colorado) typically result in me getting to skip the weekly drive. It’s a nice perk not to have to worry about driving out there in a blizzard.
But, since I’ve been trapped in my house for three days, I’m getting a little stir-crazy. Solitude, silence, and complete whiteness are wearing me down. And I’ve been thinking about a few aspects of working from home that most people may not consider.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m very thankful for my situation, so I’m going to kick this off with a list of positives:
Sounds nice, right? But, it’s not all as pleasant as you might think. To counterpoint the list of benefits above, right now working at home feels like:
So, it’s not all a walk in the park. I’d like to say I typically look like the girl above but usually I’m shoveling down chips and salsa while wearing Sanuks and stretch pants. Not so glamorous (but, I’ll admit … still pretty awesome).
I’m looking at another day in the house tomorrow and am hoping I can keep my sanity. If you’re stuck inside, try not to go stir-crazy.
Stay warm, my friends. (Is the blizzard over yet?)
And pray. Pray for the runners. Pray for the bystanders. Pray for those who lost their lives, their legs, and their loves. Pray for those who didn’t get to finish what was likely the biggest race of their lives. Pray for the volunteers and the first responders.
And pray that we won’t have to keep praying for victims of senseless tragedies. Pray for peace, for understanding, and for hope for our society. And then go for a run.
Back in February, the spouse and I were lucky enough to take a trip to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. It was awesome; gorgeous weather, lots of cerveza, and too much sun (I got fried the first day).
We left our little guy home with the grandparents and enjoyed a few days to ourselves. It was everything we needed after our first year of parenthood.
While there, we took a ferry over to Cozumel and spent a day sipping cocktails in beach bars. We napped, read, and relaxed by the pool. We shopped and appetizer-hopped down the main street, 5th Avenue. I spoke the same five Spanish words I know about 500 times. And we laughed and talked a lot.
We left exhausted, but rested … if that makes any sense. It was a perfect getaway – more than I could have hoped for. I’m so thankful to the spouse for making it happen.
If you’re thinking of taking a vacation, consider Playa Del Carmen. It’s one of my favorite travel places and there’s endless fun to be had.
Happy weekend, everyone. I’ll be spending it dreaming about these beaches ….
Hello there, friends.
Every time I take a break from writing on this little blog, I feel that I owe you an explanation. As if you’re all sitting on the edge of your seats, eagerly staring at your computer while waiting for a post from me. Who am I kidding? Ain’t nobody got time for that.
That silly quote seems to be my motto lately. I just can’t seem to pull it together these days. The last weeks have been a blur …. between a get-away with the spouse, our tiny man’s first birthday, a 30th birthday celebration for my little brother, and our first BBQ competition of the year … ain’t nobody got time for anything!
I know, I’m doing that ‘busy-bragging’ thing. Ugh, busy people. Am I right? As if we’re not all busy. I’m sorry. I’m here to say that I’m coming back to the blog. I can’t wait to tell you about everything we’ve been up to and share some new ideas I’ve been brewing. But first, a bit on the real reason I’ve been so sporadic lately.
About a month ago, I woke up and my foot was numb. Totally numb. I was dropping it while I walked and tripping myself. I couldn’t drive for a few days and I definitely couldn’t run. After a couple of X-rays, an MRI, a weird leg-brace, and an uncomfortable nerve testing session, they have determined …. nothing is wrong with me! Except my body killed the nerve endings in my leg somehow. Great.
Of course, thanks to WebMD, I had read about and imagined the worst possible scenarios. However, I got good news. The worst of the damage is done, no major nerve issues to worry about, I’ll be back to 100% in the next few months, and am already doing much better. Huzzah!
So, what does a silly drop foot have to do with blogging? I’m not sure. What I do know is that I haven’t really felt like myself. I can’t wear heels which is really messing with my mind and wardrobe (I know … tough life). And I threw a little pity party when I couldn’t run which manifested in me boycotting most physical activity. No exercise has definitely had an impact on my stress level, overall well-being, and skirt size.
Ugh, exercise, I can’t quit you. Seriously. I can’t quit. I find my coping skills always fail me, stress sneaks up, and I quit doing nearly everything else I like when I’m not getting in sweat sessions.
But, no more! I’ll admit that I’m still bummed about running (and high heels). But, I bought a new pair of penny loafers that I can’t wait to slip my bum foot in. And I’ve found the motivation to start doing approved exercise which (shocker) is helping me feel better.
Since feeling better, I realize ain’t nobody got time to sit around like a lump feeling blue. It’s time to give thanks and share good things … which I hope you have time to read about here.
When I have free time, I like to wander around Barnes & Noble. Lately, I’ve been hanging out near that end-cap that has all the Barnes & Noble Classic Series books. I keep stock-piling classic books, it’s kind of a strange habit.
My most recent ‘classic series’ purchase, The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson, has been my favorite so far. I haven’t read the whole thing yet, but I’ve been taking in a couple poems each night before bed. It’s super-relaxing and makes me fell all cultured (or something).
The poem above is my favorite one so far, but she has hundreds of famous passages and quotes.
Do you have any favorites? Do you read poetry?
Monday. Ugh. I need another cup of coffee.
But, it’s a new week, friends. And I plan to really kill it this week. You, too? Here’s a little list of ways to maximize the next five days:
1. Get up 15 minutes early each day. Have you read what successful people do in the morning? Great info to get more done in the early hours of the day. But it’s hard to jump right in to morning productivity. So, start simple by getting up just 15 minutes early to give yourself extra time to eat a proper breakfast. Then get up another 15 minutes early the next day and so on. By Friday, you’ll be getting up an hour earlier than you did today. Think of all the stuff you can do in a hour … or think of Happy Hour!
2. Drink two extra glasses of water a day. It’s Spring. The weather is crazy-town (at least it is in CO). Mother Nature’s mood swings usually lead to dehydration. Dehydration means being tired, dry skin, lack-luster locks – none of which helps you have a super-productive week. So, make sure to stay hydrated. Two glasses ain’t all that much … one in the morning and one in the evening. Easy-peasy.
3. Get moving. Do something this week that involves physical activity. Don’t try to pack in a 2-hour workout or attempt to run 5 miles (unless you already do that). Just try to move a little more than usual. Take the stairs. Go for a walk (or two). Do ten situps and ten pushups when you wake up. You get the idea.
4. Say NO. You don’t need more stuff to do. Give yourself boundaries. Don’t commit to something you don’t want to do or something that will give you stress. Don’t take on an extra task for a lazy coworker. Don’t eat that deep-fried whatever. Say no to just one thing that you’d normally say yes to but always regret later. You’ll like how it feels.
5. Donate something. Time. Money. An article of clothing. That weird plate that doesn’t match the others - where did it even come from? Anything. Giving something away to benefit someone else will make you feel good. Do it. There is something you don’t need, some time you can use better, or a few bucks that’ll help someone far more than your Starbucks will help you.
I think that’ll do it. Let’s crush this week!
You invite a lot of people, some leave early, some stay all night, some laugh with you, some laugh at you, and some show up really late. But in the end, after the fun, there are a few who stay to help you clean up the mess. And most of the time, they aren’t even the ones who made the mess. These people are your real friends in life. They are the ones who matter most.
Be sure to click the link above for a wonderful article, 15 Things Real Friends do Differently.
