Thinking Out Loud Thursday

I am joining Penny for Thinking Out Loud Thursday!!

Here we go!

Does anyone else think there are too many days in the work week? It does not seem fair that we work 5 and are only off two! Maybe we need to shift this to work 4 and off three??? Just a thought!! It would work way better for me! Now that I am working back in an office, by Thursday my poor brain in exhausted - HA HA!

I am currently reading this book! It is great so far - Bill Gates said it is one of the most important books he has ever read-that is good enough for me!

I am currently at lunch at work eating this...food from my very favorite restaurant - Thai Foon in Robinson! It is a hop, skip and jump away from my office now and it is so yummy! I am happy I can get it whenever I want now since traveling is done for a while! Pictured is the House Fried Rice but I also love the Panang Curry Shrimp - it is to die for!!!

Happy Thursday! Thanks to Penny for hosting! If you want to join in you can add your link Here!

Have  a blessed and exciting day!

Any restaurant favorites? How about food favorites?

Wednesday HodgePodge

Today I am joining Joyce @ From This Side of the Pond for her edition of Wednesday Hodgepodge.  You should play too!!! Just copy and paste the questions; write your answers and add you link at the end of her blog post! Here we gooooooooo...

1. What happens to the mail at your house?

That's easy! I live alone with cats so nothing! HA HA! I get it from the mailbox and open it. I remove my address from all papers and grind them in my shredder.  I grind anything with my name or address and anyone else's name and address (ie: Return addresses, etc. I am big on identity theft!

Now, as far as packages, that is another story! I live in a condo with a thief! It sucks in that anytime we get a package delivered we have to look out for each other and immediately take it to that persons door or our thief neighbor steals it and sells it on the weekend at Trader Jacks!!! So freaking annoying! Such is life until I move! Cra cra...right?

2. Something you always splurge on? Any guilt associated with the splurge?

Barre classes! Definitely barre classes! They are pricey but I cannot wait to get to class so that says something right there! Also, maybe my eyelash growth serum...it is about $130 from Rhodan and Fields but it is so worth it! I got used to beautiful lashes when I was getting extensions and then all of the sudden I became allergic to them! So, this is my only option but it really does work!

3. There are many, but what are two important questions you think every bride and groom should ask/answer before they plan their walk down the aisle?

Not that I will ever be in that position again but ...

For me, over 50, I would say "How much debt do you have?" "Have you ever been married before? and if yes,how many ex-wives and children are there?" Very important information for later in life! HA HA

4. What's the best advice your father ever gave you?

Nothing is free! And that is very true.  Also, if it looks too good to be true, it is! Those have served me well so far in my 50 years!  My Dad was a hard worker and dedicated to his family...that is so hard to find in a man these days...everyone I date ends up being lazy, unmotivated and looking for an easy, softer way in life. Or just looking for a woman to take care of them-not happening!!! UGH!

5. Your favorite movie where a father features heavily in the storyline?

Daddy's Home just cracked me up! Really is probably on of my new all time favorites! Also, on a side note: Daddy's Home 2 is just as funny!!!

6. Insert your own random thought here.


I want to wish my Dad Happy Fathers Day and also Happy Fathers Day to the dad hero in your lives also! They give so much of themselves and it feels so good to celebrate them! My Dad has taught me to be a self-sufficient,strong, powerful, respectful and hard-working woman that can take care of herself...well Mom and Dad both...I owe them so much!! Thank you for the gifts of self-sufficiency you have given me! No matter what happens, I will be okay! And...family is #1 always, after God!!!

Thanks for hosting this Joyce, great questions! I cant wait to read everyone else's answers!

Have a blessed and exciting day!!

Here Kitty Kitty Kitty...

We had an exciting week here at work! I assist with the Wildlife Sustainability Team at work which ensures that we preserve land around our company for the wildlife that normally inhabits it. It is a wonderful cause and it is so much fun! We have turkeys, deer and many other wildlife you can imagine running free on the wooded areas near our buildings.
I am leading the Eastern Bluebird Monitoring program. Eastern bluebirds are different than just a blue bird.  We have nest boxes set up around campus and we monitor the number of new baby bluebirds that are hatched in our boxes each year. Nature can be cruel but it can also be very rewarding to watch baby birds grown and fledge!

How awesome, right?!??!

Well, this week was extra exciting since someone walking on the trail spotted a bobcat! They immediately shut the trail down and PA Wildlife Team. I am not sure what went down but I do not think anyone else every saw the bobcat. But, just in case I have an issue with it some day when I am out there; I googled it. They say to slowly back away and make really loud noises. I have to be honest, as a cat person, it would be really hard for me not to run up and try to pet it! LOL! They are super cute!

I will keep you posted but I honestly think that person just saw a fat, feral cat! LOL - HA HA!  I have hiked and camped a lot throughout the years and have never encountered any wildlife that tried to harm me; I have never seen big cats, bears or anything that could be considered a predator!

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!!!

Are you a cat or dog person? Any close encounters for wildlife for you?

Ski show in the future?

This year three of my nieces and nephews learned to ski for the first time and they are so excited! The three older ones actually learned at the very end of last year so they only skied a few times and we pulled out the boat. It is so fun to watch them get better and better and more comfortable on the skis each week! Look at them go!!!!!!!!!

 That last picture is the youngest of my nieces and nephews, he is 6 and this past weekend was actually his first time getting up! His cousin gloated with him until it was time to pull him out and he got out! He was so excited he could hardly stand it!! We are all so proud of him!!!

The weekend was a little overcast and it rained off and on but that did not stop us from having a great weekend in the lake!! The kids also got in a lot of tubing time!

I love every weekend in the summer! There is nothing like family and togetherness!!! I am so very blessed and grateful for the life I am allowed to life and the people I was given for family!

Any lake life people out there? Do you prefer tubing or skiing? Spring, Summer or Fall?

I hope you have a blessed and exciting day!

Linking up with beautiful Biana for weekending!

Happy Monday

Summer just makes me smile! I don't know how else to say it except summer makes me soooo happy!
The fact that my parents have a house on a lake and some summer toys also helps! I love weekends spent together with family by a lake! We float, swim, have campfires and smores and play on lots of watercraft! LOL!
This weekend the lake held a kids fishing derby. The kids registered and fished for two hours (the fishing club provided the worms and everything) and then the total weight of the fish they caught were totaled. Each kid got a bucket to put their fish in and they were released once they were weighed alive - no fish were harmed except maybe some sore lips :-)

The boys both registered but as soon as the girls saw how much fun it was, and they had to watch anyway, they wanted in on the action! HA HA! These kids do not know how to be patient and watch the bobber so I cannot even relate to you how many times they could cast and real back in during that 2 hours even when there was no fish biting the line!! HA HA

Mom, Dad, my sister, her two girls as well as myself went to watch and support the boys and we all had fun! This is a picture of the support crew minus me!

In the end, my nephew won second place in his age range with his one big mouth bass fish (prizes were for total weight of fish caught) that weighed 0.86 pounds that his twin sister caught while he was on a break - LOL - and his prize was $20! We had no idea there was money involved...just assumed bragging rights as it was free to enter!  Then at the very end, we were shocked to hear that he also won for the biggest fish of the day with that giant 0.86 pounder that his sister reeled in and he got $50 more! HA HA! He is so sweet, he immediately gave the $20 one to his cousin that also registered but did not catch any fish that morning and he plans to share his $50 with his sister since she helped :-)

It was a great start for the weekend of family fun!

How was your weekend? Anything fun or just chill? Any fishermen out there?

Have a blessed and enjoyable day!

I dont drink so why am I going to the Barre

Am I the only one that gets obsessed with things?? Not men or people but food and exercise?!?!
I get obsessed with a certain food (currently it is tzatziki and Greek chicken kabobs).  I then continue to eat that food for lunch and dinner everyday (I am single so I have no family to cook for) for about a two weeks until I am so sick of it I can not stand to see it! LOL!!
I do the same thing with exercise only I never get to the point that I am sick of it.

A few years ago I was obsessed with Zumba: I found this amazing gym!! It was a small gym with an amazing owner in a small town near my home. It was attended by some of the most supportive, friendly and wonderful women I have ever met! I went religiously EVERY night to multiple classes. Sadly, the owner had to close the studio and we all went our separate ways but I will never forget that place!!! Studio Fit rules even if it no longer exists!!!

Now that I am done traveling I have found a new obsession! It is Pure Barre.  And no, this is not a sponsored ad - LOL! I just really love it! I am going every night and doing multiple classes just like back then. The women are supportive and the instructors are wonderful! I am seeing improvements everyday! It is a lot of core and strength and very low impact which is important to me as I am getting up there in age! LOL! We plank and push up a lot - but everyday I can plank a few seconds more! I am obsessed!!

 It is a bit pricey but sooo worth to me to have some where that I am excited to go and work out! Also, no men so no need to look good. Although, everyone does but not me! LOL! I look like a homeless bum. My rational is why would I want to sweat all over my good workout clothes! HA!

Anyone else Barre? What is your exercise obsession? Do you change it up? Anyone else save their favorite workout clothes?

I'm back!!!

Hi guys! I have soooo missed all of you!

I was given a new assignment for the past year and a half that included travel out of town every week so I was completely overloaded and unable to blog!

There was a lot of time spent in airports and the fact was that I was overwhelmed with work at whatever the current location was! It was a truly great experience though! I got to meet so many new people and learn so many new things. I will be writing some future posts with everything I learned!!

Well, now I am back at the office in good ole Pittsburgh and I have a few moments to breath so I will be back to blogging - Yippee!!

I hope everyone is well and I cannot wait to go read blogs and get caught up!

I am also getting settled back home and getting the kittens used to having their mom around again! LOL! I actually think they enjoyed me being away! :-)

I currently have Nermal and Trouble (my boys that are 3 years old) and two new babies Faith and Grace that are my one year old girls.

I will leave you with an adorable picture of all of my babies together taken a few months ago!

Can not wait to re-connect with you all and also meet new friends!!!