Thankful Thursday

I have to say for this thankful Thursday I am very thankful for my family, friends, and health. 

But, most of all, I am thankful that I had my sweet cat Nermal in my life for the short six years I had him. As most of you know I had to put him to sleep recently and it has been sooo hard!! I am sad daily but I am trying to just focus on the fact that I was just lucky to have him in my life. 

He was such a super sweet, funny, crazy cat and he truly was my snuggle muffin!!! Actually, he was everyone’s snuggle muffin! He snuggled and groomed all my other cats daily and snuggled me too! I think they are still trying to figure out who should groom them now…ha! I miss him everyday but am grateful that my other cats are still in my life even though no one has yet to step up and become a snuggler yet. Lol!

I hope he is so happy and healthy again up there at that Rainbow Bridge because she is sooo very missed everyday here on Earth both by me and the other kitties!!!!

I love and miss you my sweet Nermal!!! I am so grateful I had the time I did with you in my life!!!

Hugs! 

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday #245

Today I am joining Rebecca Jo for her Thankful Thursday!!! If you want to join in - go visit HERE!!  

I am so thankful that I woke up happy and healthy today.

I am so thankful that I STILL have a job today. It looks like my team may be busy until mind-next year. That would be great if I could stick around until then! I HATE job hunting and I am trying to postpone it as long as possible!! UGH!

I am thankful I have wonderful and loving friends, both in real life and blog life, that support and care about me! You guys ROCK!!!

And lastly I am so thankful for God and my sobriety...I would have nothing without that!!!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday! 

Today I am joining back in with Rebecca Jo for her Thankful Thursday!!! Stop over and join in!!

I am first and foremost thankful for my family! We are tight knit and we support each other no matter what! My first cousin passed away last night so if you have any extra prayers for my Aunt and her family; it would be appreciated!

I am also so very thankful for the worlds best cat sitter! She is amazing with all four of my cats! They love her and her entire family! This I know because I got cameras in my home when I began traveling for work....both for security and to be able to check in on my furry kids.  They all come running to the front door as soon as she walks in - she gets a better welcome than me! HA HA!  Sometimes her husband comes over for the visit and they crawl all over him and also her daughter! They love her daughter Savanna also! It makes my heart happy that they enjoy visits from the whole family.

I am thankful I was raised in the era that I was. We had so much fun and learned a lot about life while we were growing up ...we did not always get everything we wanted all year round (picked a few things from the Penney's catalog for Santa to bring us at Christmas), we played tag and red rover, built forts and stepped on rusty nails, get hit with a belt if we did something wrong, either won or lost games and competitions (there were no participation trophies), walked up huge hills after the bus dropped us off at the bottom (not at our driveways), froze to death waiting for the school bus (schools today are cancelled if it is too cold), had chores to do (not for an allowance but because we had to do our part for the family). We did not grow up confused and entitled and expecting life to be peaches and cream. I was prepared by my parents for life - real life - and sometimes real life sucks but I will get through and make the best of no matter what is given to me or NOT given to me. Thank you Mom and Dad!!!

Here is an example that prompted me thinking about my childhood today...

We have a lot of drama back home and thanks to Facebook I am able to follow it all even though I am out of town this whole week! HA!

The town where I grew up posted this last night on Facebook and it spurred MANY MANY comments both positive and negative.

Seriously?!?!?! Postponing Halloween??? Can you do that??? That seems totally crazy to me! We trick or treated no matter what the weather was! I can remember it snowing on Halloween and wearing a winter coat under my costume because I wanted everyone to be able to see what I was supposed to be! And running from house to house in the pouring rain...I am so totally confused why parents today think their kids will melt!!

Then I checked the Facebook for the town I live in now and was a little happier with their decision....

They posted a poll and NOT MOVING Halloween won! Also, they are going each family one free poncho if you go down to the Municipal Building today. What a deal!!!  So kids get ready to get wet tonight and make awesome Halloween memories! PS - You will not melt...and you just might be a little better prepared for whatever life throws at you. Like when you are traveling out of town for work and have no umbrella.  You pull up to the work building and have to run across the entire parking lot in the pouring down rain - HA HA! Which happened to me today...FUN FUN!

What is your opinion about how children are being raised today?  Do you think this generation is prepared for REAL LIFE? Is your Halloween on Halloween?? What are your thoughts on moving holidays for weather? Am I being cold-hearted?

Happy Halloween everyone!!! HUGS HUGS HUGS!

Mid-Week Updates

UUUGGGGHHHHH!!

I am so sorry to be starting this post off on a negative note especially since I am planning on linking up for Rebecca Jo's Thankful Thursday!!!.....but I am SOOOOOO frustrated!!! 

Some spamming idiot named Mark just left about 400 spam comments on my blog overnight!!! 

I tried to delete all of his annoying comments and ended up deleting all of your amazing comments! 

So, my sincere apologies that I did not even get a chance to respond to your comments from yesterday before they were deleted. UGH!!

Spammers and scammers - I hate them all! Why do so many idiots "get off" in life by annoying others and ripping off the hard working people in this world...

If there is any justice or karma...there better be a special place in HELL for these people!!! Mark...go to Hell!!! :-) 

Okay - rant over! 

I am thankful that this has been my dinner every night. Ruth's Chris is in my hotel and it is just TOOO convenient not to go there to eat dinner every night! HA! This is the grilled salmon!!! YUM!!! Not very healthy with all that melted butter but somewhat in the right direction with the choice of fish right!?!? HA!

I am thankful for this nightly ritual when I am out of town...I love face masks and eye pads but I can't wear them at home as the cats try to eat them off my face...seriously! As soon as they see one on my face they attack me to try to get it off...I think they think the are protecting me...anyway...I use these very night when I am staying in hotels!

And lastly, I am thankful that I have been soooo good this week with my exercise! I am going to the pool and swimming leisurely laps every night after dinner - sometimes even making time for a quick dip in the hot tub. My apple watch says I am burning between 750 - 1000 calories during my one hour of laps so that is pretty awesome! Especially since I snuck one night and got a lava cake to go from Ruth's Chris!!! YUM!!! 1000 or more calories though :-(

Here is how I hang my suit to dry each night - LOL! It is working well! HA HA!

Last night sitting in my hotel room I was craving bubble tea so I googled "bubble tea near me" and found an awesome little place called Bubble in Paradise. I drove there in the midst of a massive storm last night and found it is in the middle of the cutest little shopping town called Denville, NJ. 

Since it was storming and this is an outside shopping plaza I just got my bubble tea and left. Hopefully if the weather clears up tonight, I will be skipping swimming and hanging out there tonight for a little browsing fun at the cute little stores.

And lastly, here is my desk today at work!  Stuck in a closet today - UGH!! I should have stayed and worked from the hotel.

HA HA!

Have a great day everyone!

Thanks for all your great comments that I have deleted. Please leave more - I promise to better in protecting them in the future!!

Hugs to you all for visiting and reading...except Mark!

Anyone else have spamming experiences? Do they annoy you as much as they annoy me? UGH! Have you ever tried bubble tea? Do you like it? What are you thankful for?

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday ya'll!
I hope everyone is having a great week.  Mine is crazy busy with work but really productive also!

I must link up with Rebecca Jo for Thankful Thursday as always!!!

So...here we go!

I am thankful that tomorrow is Friday and I can work from home!!! I need a break from the depression in the office SOOO bad! Everyone is really down and negative except my group. We are crazy busy and don't even have time to think!  Also, it is 95 degrees in Pittsburgh today and the air conditioner in my building is not working - UGH!  I love hot weather if I am at a lake or the beach or a pool but not stuck in a building for work - ICKKKK!!!

I am thankful I no longer live paycheck to paycheck. I worked really hard to model my life to live within my means. That does not mean I am rich that just means I purchased a two bedroom condo since it is just me and the cats and I try to not overindulge myself with things I do not need.  I have no debt except my home and I love that feeling!

I am thankful for my family, my God, my friends (YOU), and my adorable cats! They make me smile everyday!

Gotta go get back to work in the ole' sweat box!

I hope everyone has an amazing weekend! HUGS!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday!!!

I will  be joining in with Rebbeca Jo for her celebration of everything we have to be thankful for in our lives!!!

Let's do this...

I am thankful to have my own car back! It is little and cozy and I love it more than I even realized. I hopped in after I got to the dealership and it felt so comfortable!!! I love my little Civic! I also love that the repairs were covered under warranty!

I am thankful for an amazing cat sitter! I use her a lot and she is so great! She makes me feel okay about having to leave my furry babies since they are so well cared for by her. They love her too! No matter when I have to leave she is available to help me out! She feeds my sweeties every holiday too!   I have two business trips coming up and I contacted her with very short notice and she is available and ready to help! I could not function without her!!! 

On that same note....I am thankful for my cameras in my and around my condo! I never have to worry what is going in and I can check in 24/7! Technology has made life wonderful from my perspective!!! But from a child's perspective it would suck! No more parties when your parents are away since they can see everything that is going on now...HA HA!

 I am thankful for coffee!! I swear I could not get up and start a day without it!!!

I am thankful for my family and for all of you!!! I love that I have so many wonderful people in my life that I care for and about and they feel the same way about me!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and enjoy that upcoming weekend!!

HUGS TO YOU ALL!

What are you thankful for? Do you feel grateful often?

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday!!!

I am thrilled to be joining in on Thankful Thursday hosted by Rebecca Jo at Knit By God's Hand!

I just got back from vacation and my car broke down...SOOOOO...

I am thankful that the car is still under warranty...

I am thankful that the dealership gave me a rental to use until it is fixed. It is a BIG rental but a rental all the same! I feel like I am driving a bus compared to my Honda Civic.  Th most confusing part is that I keep hopping in the car and looking for the start button buy you have to actually put the key IN the ignition...old school! But regardless, so thankful for my borrowed Caspian Blue (I am assuming it is named after the Caspian Sea??) Nissan Rogue! HA!

I am also thankful that I get to spend time with my sister and her kids this weekend!!! This weekend I will be heading to Columbus, Ohio - Saturday is her oldest daughters volleyball competition and then another dance competition for both girls on Sunday - so I am heading out there to help however I can! So excited!!! We get top try out the girls new changing tent too!!! YIPPEE!

I am thankful for each and every one of you that inspire me everyday with your posts and comments!! HUGS to you all!

Have a great and Thankful Thursday!!!! Hugs to you all!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday ya'll!!!!

I am joining in with Rebecca Jo on her blog for  Thankful Thursday!!!

I love this as it makes me really think about and appreciate what I am grateful and thankful for.  Sometimes I get caught up in what is wrong in my life rather than all the gifts!!!

I love this quote...

I am really thankful for my recovery.  It seems like daily I heart about someone that has passed away as a direct result of addiction...whether by the addiction itself or their own hand to end their suffering. It is such a horrible thing and it affects SO many people! UGH. Prayers to all those still suffering. I pray that I continue to be that person that is available when THEY reach out for help.

I am thankful for my family! After reflecting yesterday on National Sibling Day (see Terri's blog) I realize that there is no one to has my back like my family! I am truly blessed!!!!

I am thankful for vacations! I have a vacation to Aruba in TWO DAYS!!! I cannot wait to leave! Work is really stressful and depressing with the closing of our site looming so it is so nice to escape for a few days and just not think about it AT ALL!!! I promise to post and share the fun with you all!

I am thankful for modern technology! I love my condo and I have it so techie-ed  out now (is that even a word?!?!?) HA!  I will do a post on Friday about all the cool stuff I have added to make it feel like the Jetsons!!!!!!

I am thankful that Spring has sprung in Pittsburgh!!! It changes everything to see sunshine and daylight!!! YAY!!! Here is the beautiful tree that is outside my bedroom window! I am thankful it is there since it is also a blessing to look out and see this thing in all it's splendor! I love this tree!!!!

 

The pictures do not do it justice - it is so beautiful in the Spring!!

I hope everyone has a fantastic Thursday and finds many, many things to be thankful for!!!

What are you thankful for?  Do you count your blessings daily?

Thankful Thursday

Today I am joining Rebecca Jo for her Thankful Thursday!

Come play along! Just write up a post with what you are thankful for and link up on her blog above! I promise life seems a lot better when you are looking for the things you are thankful for rather than focusing on the other stuff!

I am thankful that I have a right to vote! I am excited to say that I voted this week!!! There was a Senate seat that was open in Pennsylvania. I take this right very serious and I would like to believe that my vote was the tie-breaker! HA HA! I was very happy with the outcome!

I am thankful I can take care of myself today! I would LOVE to find a partner to share my life with but it does not seem to be happening (the online dating sucks!)...I am happy to say that I have worked hard so even if I am alone forever...I know FOR SURE that I will be okay and well taken care of! 

I am thankful for my family and friends! This includes you all! You help me daily in ways you do not even realize! Thanks for following, inspiring me daily and being my friends!!

I hope you all have a fantastic rest if the week! HUGS TO YOU ALL!

What are you thankful for today?!?!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday!!!

It has been a very, very long week!!! And I think, next week will be even longer.

I have begun my countdown to vacation!!  Once I am about ten days away I get "ants in my pants" and those days crawl by until the day to leave.....UGH...

I am joining in with Rebecca Jo for her Thankful Thursday as always. If you want to join in the fun and gratitude....write up a post about what you are thankful for and click HERE to link up!!!

Today I am thankful for...

First and foremost God and my recovery!!!

Also, definitely family (I will be spending time with them soon - again, that countdown...ha!) and friends ("real life" and "blog world")

Very thankful that I have working heat in my condo. I know Rebecca Jo just spent her vacation money on a new heating system for her home (sorry Rebecca Jo but happy you are again warm and comfy) so I am grateful that mine is working daily ... so far.... (fingers crossed)

Thankful for the therapeutic sand box at my desk!! It stops me from freaking out about 7 times day! HA HA!

Thankful for my job too! I think I will include that in my posts every week until they drop the hatchet on me!

Thankful that vacation is only 7 days away at this point!  Next week, at this time, I will be on a plane to see my parents and my sister! We will spend time golfing, tanning, dancing and frolicking in The Villages! So excited for the nightly golf cart rides in PJ's to go buy ice cream and wine!! For real!!! HA HA!

I hope you all have a blessed and happy day!!!!

It's almost Friday!!!! Yippee!!!

What are you thankful for? Anyone else ever go in public in PJ's? What is your favorite treat on vacation? Anyone else living for an upcoming vacation?

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday ya'll!!!

Today I am joining Rebecca Jo for her Thankful Thursday as I always do. It is so important for me to remember all that I have to be grateful for!

I am thankful that we are almost to Friday!!! YIPPEE and praise the Lord!! HA!

I am thankful that I was able to have another chill night last night. I worked, ate dinner and did a little more organization around the condo...whoopie!

Let me show you...

I bought a few of these online the other night! They were very reasonable compared to the container store...

And I did this with them!!! I love that I can now see all my lipsticks and lip glosses!!! The Buxom lip-glosses on the left side are too wide to fit in the slots but everything else fit perfectly!!!

I used another one for mascara's and larger brushes...

Here is what the shelf in my bathroom looks like now...so organized!!!! Yay!!!!

I had shelving space in one of my dressers and was not sure what to use it for. I bought two baskets that fit perfectly onto the shelves and I found a purpose for them last night. The top basket hold swimsuits and coverups and the bottom basket holds all my scarves (sorry the picture is a little dark)...

There is the one with scarves pulled out...I folded them so that I can see every one!!!!

I bought this awesome dresser last year and put it in my guest bedroom. Last night I decided to swap dressers so I put a plain five drawer white one in my guest bedroom and moved this one to my bedroom. 

It is designed to hold jewelry which I love and it was a little weird having all my jewelry in the guest bedroom. So, after I swapped them out (the hardwood floors make moving furniture so easy now) I got to fill it up with my STUFF! Here is the dresser...

The small drawers on the right hold my bracelets, rings and miscellaneous jewelry...

The door on the left has two shelves...sweatpants are rolled up on the top shelf and the middle section pops out and has all of my "good" bracelets and there is the mirror on the back side of the door...

On the far left side of the piece is a hidden door...it has all of my good necklaces...

I feel even more organized now and I am so happy that I bought this piece of furniture last year! I like it so much better where i have it now and I can get so much more use out of it!

I don't know why but I have a thing for white furniture! I think every piece I have purchased has been white! HA! It feels so clean to me! 

I am thankful that for years I have been gifted with hand me downs from my family. I still have my sisters TV stand, my parents old bed, my other sister's coffee table and dinner table and my brother's old microwave! I am so grateful for the things my family have given me - it has allowed me to be back on my feet without spending a ton of money. Slowly, but surely, I am purchasing new things but I want to hang on to their things as long as they function! It feels like they are here with me in my home everyday!

I hope everyone has a great Thursday!!!!

Anyone else cherish their hand me downs? What are your decor preferences? Do you have favorite pieces or stories when or why you purchased? Have you jumped on the organization bandwagon yet?

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday is here!!!

Today I am thankful that I got to spend a little time with these family last night! My sisters and Mom love to ski (not me so much-HA!) and they had planned a girls day skiing at Seven Springs which is somewhat near my house. My Mom and little sister came into town and spent the night at my house last night so they could head out early to meet my oldest sister for a day of skiing.  It is always nice to chill and spend time with them!

I am also thankful for unexpected money! I love when I am not expecting $$ and it just shows up! I was cleaning out my dish cupboard and I found $10! Just a random $10 bill up in the cupboard! Yippee me!

Then I brought in the mail yesterday and I got a small refund check from my health insurance company since I had apparently overpaid on all of my co-pays for my physical therapy! That was a sweet, unexpected bonus of $60. It's not a lot but I am banking everything I can right now so I was excited! It's not everyday I get a check I was not expecting!

I am going to use those found funds to purchase some tanning sessions! I swear I have seasonal affective disorder!

I hate winter and just feel so tired and dumpy! Tanning always makes me feel better and it also helps A LOT with my psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis! This is what I have been missing and I need to prep for my trips to the beach in March and April. I cannot wait to sign up! 

Also, I am thankful for family and friends (all of you included!)!  I know, without a doubt, that I am loved by not only my creator but many, many other people even if I don't have a Valentine. 

Thanks for all the kind words and support over the last ten years - I cherish all of you friends I have met in the blog world!!!

If you want to join in; go visit Rebecca Jo and link up for her Thankful Thursday!!

PS - Yesterday was another good food day!!! YEAH!!!!
Not that you care but if you do...

Breakfast: Fit and Active Cereal with Red Berries, Banana

Lunch: Celery, Carrots and Baked Chicken Breast

Dinner: Baked Cod, Zucchini Bread, and Steamed broccoli

Snacks: Lit and Fit yogurt, Apple

I came in right at my recommended calories for the day with 15 left! 

Have a great week everyone and Happy Valentines Day!!!

What are your plans for Valentines? Do you stay in or go out? Do you celebrate tonight or wait for the weekend? 

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday! I hope everyone is having a good week so far?? We are almost to Friday!!! Yippee!

I am joining in with Rebecca Jo at Knit By God's Hand for her...

This week I am definitely thankful first and foremost for my God. My faith has made the news of my work site shutdown bearable.  I know, whatever happens, I will be okay and for that I am truly thankful!

Also I am very, very thankful for my family and friends (real life and bloggy)! You guys have all been so sweet and supportive and I cannot imagine what I would do if I did not have this blog for support!!! Thank you!!!

Now, onto the more material things...HA! I am also thankful that my aunt sent me a gift card for Old Navy for Christmas!! Between the sales and discounts; I got a ton of great stuff with $25!!! (This is not a paid endorsement; I shopped with my own money and Old Navy has not contacted me in any way - although it would be okay with me if they do now!!! HA!)  Here is my haul...

These two adorable dresses! (Right now it is $9.95) The material is flowy, loose and so comfortable for work and play!!! I bought XL and they are perfect!

This adorable workout shirt!!! (it is $7.97 now) XL also!

And finally this workout bra...and, again, XL! HA

Serious deals for $25 total right?!?! I love Old Navy!!! Check it out...their sales are awesome!

I am also thankful that I allowed myself to splurge. I did not get myself anything for Christmas this year and I really wanted one of these robot vacuums since I did my floors so I bought myself one! It is awesome!!! I love it so much and it is great with the cat hair under dressers and beds!!! The cats enjoy following it around also! HA!

I am also thankful for this adorable medal rack my little sister made for me! God blessed me with strong bones the first half of my life so I got all the running in I could! I completed many 5K's, 10K's, half marathons and one full marathon! I am grateful that I was able to accomplish this and now I have this rack to see all my hard work. With the psoriatic arthritis I can no longer run but I am okay with that at 50! HA!

I am thankful when I find these adorable little notes in my purse! My niece hid this in my hand sanitizer bag and I found it the other day! How sweet!!!!! I love those kids!!!

And finally, I am so very thankful that someone at work told me about these delicious drinks called LaCroix! I think you can get them everywhere but I got mine at Target.  They are great when you want something fizzy and light! They have the greatest flavors (Passion Punch and Tangerine are my favorites) and they are 0 calories and 0 sodium!!! YUM!!

That's it for me today!! Again, thank you all for being so wonderful and kind - you will some of the first to know any update on my job situation when I know something.

Hugs to you all!!!

What are you thankful for? Every tried LaCroix? Do you have a robot?