Progress: I am making it. And Battle of the Bands winner for 4.21.15

Good morning and good Tuesday to ya. It is sunny and bright (though cool), and I am hoping for the kind of productive day I've needed for months now. I am getting closer to figuring out what all to list on Etsy, and today is the first good light I've had on a day off since....I don't know when! I also hope we get the yard started, at least, and that maybe - just maybe - I can get outside and get caught up on some spray painting projects!

Oh...just a few favorite things!

Today over at Time Out For Mom, the Coffee Chat theme is "Favourite things. What are you loving these days?"

Well, for starters I am pretty excited about my recent seven pound weight loss. I have plateaued at the end of my second week, which I am NOT loving, but I'm trying to find creative ways to get the pounds falling off once again, because I really loved stepping on the scale and seeing the number move in a favorable direction. And I do NOT want to be caught at the same (or greater) number at the end of week three.

But that's not all!

Time is on my side

I know (like everyone else, I assume) I sometimes get wistful for days gone by, and yes, I sometimes even wish I could go back to the days of my youth. Really, who doesn't? Most of us grew up in a time where things were much simpler - for example, I grew up in the weird and wonderful 80s. Even though that was an extremely excessive decade, things were still simpler - at least for kids. At least for me.

Today's Tuesday Coffee Chat subject is " 17 Again! If you could be any age again, for one week, what age would you be?"

Coffee Chat - Confessional Edition

I missed last week's Coffee Chat, but am so happy to be back today! And what an exciting theme for the week: Random Confession. It's good for the soul!

This is so true. I used to be the one who couldn't wait to vent and share. But believe me, I've gotten a LOT better at not sharing over the years (a few different experiences where I thought I was welcome as a friend to vent or share ended up biting me you know where, so now I am VERY selective with whom I share and what I share when I do.), but if it's among genuine friends, sharing, confessing, is indeed good for the soul!

Weekend musings, #MusicMonday and #TuesdayCoffeeChat on Wednesday

I went to visit my family this past weekend. This was a planned visit, so I had hoped I would leave the blog a bit better prepared than I did, but due to an exhausting work schedule and an incredible amount of things to tend to before leaving, that obviously never happened. I am still playing catch-up. I've also fallen into the deep end of Pinterest again, but FINALLY I am pinning with a purpose because those big changes I've been talking about for years (the past two years, in fact)? Those changes are set to begin at last.

All by myself

It's a chilly Tuesday morning. I remembered to take the trash out, I'm currently watching Sarah Sees Potential (which I really enjoy, despite Sarah's annoying voice), I've polished my nails, done a few chores around the house, I'm heading over to Pinterest in a few, and contemplating a nap before tonight's shift. I am determined to have a peaceful, yet productive day.

On dreams and talent and winners.

And based on that title, this is probably not the post you'd think it is. Since I was under the weather and binging on Netflix when not sleeping on Sunday, I missed Music Monday.

I'm so ready for my vacation I could scream.

And no, I'm not just saying that for dramatic effect. While I'm enjoying my job, there is just SO. MUCH. to do these days. Or rather, these last few days leading up to my trip this weekend, and I do not have a day off to get them done. Which means I am running around after work trying to do stuff.

I need a skip day! If I could skip, I'd have my tires rotated, dye my hair, and make certain the clothes I'm taking with me are clean and ready to go. I'd clean some more in my house, so I wouldn't have as messy a house to come home to. But first? I'd sleep in. These days I'm a big baby without the right amount of sleep, and I don't feel like I've been getting enough of it most nights.

I know, I know. Really exciting stuff, yes? Too bad it's not like the days I'd skip school. Those were the best. My best friend and I would either hang out watching tv at home if we just needed a mental health day. Or sometimes there would be a real reason for skipping, like a concert after an orthodontist appointment.

Yep. Skipping out these days is nowhere near as exciting, relaxing, recharging, etc. as it was to skip out back in the day.

What are YOUR skip days like? Head over to Leslie's for coffee chat and tell us.

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Jumping back in with both feet

I am currently trying to wind down so that I might get some sleep tonight - tomorrow is my first day back at work in about a week. The antibiotics and steroids are taking care of the infection, now I just wish this horrible, nasty Mucinex would take care of the congestion. I'm ready to go back and all, I just wish it was a mid shift instead of in the morning. I HATE waking up in the morning, especially when it's cold.

But I'll take care of that with a nice cup of coffee in my travel cup. Homemade skinny sea-salted caramel mocha, of course :)

So today's subject for coffee chat is awards. I do love awards! I like to watch everything from the MTV Movie Awards to the Golden Globes to the Scream Awards. Especially the Scream Awards! And I love reading about the Razzies, too. Just don't ever expect me to care that much about the Oscars. I know it's one of the most prestigious accolades an actor can receive, but aside from a small number of exceptions, I find the whole thing way too serious and pretentious.

Oh, yeah.....so the topic is awards. Have I ever received any? I almost said no, but in fact, I HAVE! This here blog, in its several different lives and me, as a blogger, have been awarded a few titles over the years:

• Rockin' Girl Blogger Award
• Bad Ass Blog Award
• The Versatile Blogger Award
• One Lovely Blog Award

Sadly, not all the awards I've been given in blogdom are listed, and even more sadly, I do not have an actual awards page anymore because those are the four that I actually had still sitting around in my photobucket account - so I *KNOW* I had those.

Oh - we have to give an acceptance speech as well? I am not so good with those, so mine will be short and to the point: Thank you to anyone who has ever thought enough of me or my blog to give me an award. I appreciate that from the bottom of my heart, and really get a kick out of it, though I am terrible at actually blogging about them and passing them along like I am supposed to.

That doesn't mean I wouldn't love more awards some day (wink wink, nudge, nudge!), just don't be surprised when a week or two passes and I haven't blogged about the award, and/or haven't passed it along.

So....on this cold, cold Tuesday, why don't you tell me all about the various awards you've received? Not necessarily blog awards, just anything!

As for coffee chat?



Since I am day-shifting today, I will head out sometime tomorrow evening to chat with you all. See you then! In the meantime, head over to Coffee Chat and link up or look around!

Baby, it's cold outside!

So I am especially glad to be currently indoors, sipping a hot, rich beverage while I meet the ladies of Tuesday Coffee Chat!



This past week has been quite bittersweet, with the usual roller-coaster of emotions that you might expect to come along with it. But today, I am focusing on the good. I am so happy that I got to spend this past weekend with my family out of state, celebrating Christmas and my youngest son's 19th birthday while I was there. I did have to cut my trip short due to possible incoming bad weather, though. As it turns out, their roads iced over sometime today, so it's a good thing I left when I did!

It was good to get back to my childhood home for a few days. After days of getting all caught up, eating my Mom and stepdad's amazing cooking, and playing Rook with the family, we'd retire to our own rooms for the night. At the end of the day, my favorite thing to do is READ. Usually after a long, hot soak in the tub, which is my ritual.....



Since my family retires for the evening pretty early by my standards, this gave me lots of downtime to unwind with my bath, then read till I fell asleep. I am so excited to have my Nook Color now to carry with me on trips! I'm a weird reader - when reading for fun (as opposed to schoolwork or to pass the time or whatever), I prefer to read lying down. An e-reader makes it so easy to be able to do that without straining arms and fingers when I roll from side to side. And I absolutely love that it's back lit, so I don't have to have a lamp on to read.

And right now, I'm really enjoying The Chosen Series by Denise Grover Swank. Reasonably priced books, intriguing plot which hasn't been done to death yet, and decently written. If you're into paranormal novels, this series might be a good, light read for you.