Random Monday

Good morning friends and Happy Monday!

I hope you are all headed into Monday safe and warm after that weekend long weather storm!!

Here in Pittsburgh we had a lot of rain through Saturday night and then finally snow for a few hours into Sunday. We only got about two inches total where I live so I think the storm passed us by. I don't mind snow as much when it is the weekend and I have no where to go...HA!

Today I will show you some random pictures from the weekend...

I was invited to a really fun fundraising event Saturday night...it was in support of Passion Poms (the old Modernettes) corps. My friend that was supposed to go along was scared off by the "snow" so I went alone.

The picture below is Tracie and myself (She is on the left)..she is the organizer of the event. I did not win any races or gift baskets but it was still such a fun night!!

I think my lucky streak is definitely over for now...HA!

I am getting serious on my diet finally! This was breakfast all weekend and again today!!! YUM!!! Two fried eggs, spinach and baby kale on a sandwich thin. I also spread a wedge of laughing cow on the bread and it was so good!!!

I was routing for the Chiefs last night for the big gane ...I am from Pittsburgh and we do not like the Patriots...

Also...I lived in Kansas City for a few months last year for work and worked in Shawnee. Many of the employees there are avid Chiefs fans so I decided to sport my "Kansas City so in love shirt" for the big game last night...sadly, my team lost 21 to 27 but I tried!!

Oh, and, how could I almost forget this!!!!???? My sister called and wanted to have a girls trip for my nieces spring breaks...so we have scheduled flights to Aruba in April!!! Yippee...I cannot wait to go back!!!  This trip will only be 6 days but I can not wait to get back!!!!

 

I hope everyone has a fantastic and productive week ahead! Happy Monday ya'll!

Oh, and PS - not that he reads my blog...but Happy Birthday to my brother-in-law Dan!!!! Have a great day!

Did you do anything fun this weekend? Did you leave your house? Do you scheduled vacation in the winter? Where are you headed this year? How much snow/rain did you get?

Thankful Thursday

Today I am joining the adorable Rebecca Jo at Knit By God's Hand for Thankful Thursday. If you want to join in (you should ...gratitude will make the whole day better) please visit her and link up with others who are sharing today!

This week I am thankful for...

****A huge group of family and friends that care about me and love me! When everyone heard the news of my employment site shutdown; I was bombarded with calls and texts (and messages from bloggers) from family and friends worried about me! What a blessing they and YOU are!!! I have no doubt that I will be fine in end and it will be exactly where I am supposed to be.

****On that same note...Grateful that my company did not just say "we are closing; here are your pink slips". They are doing the site closure slowly, over a few months to give us time to find jobs if we don't want to relocate or are not offered a position at a new location.

****That winter has been calm so far! It's cold but I can deal with that.  I heard a lot in September and October that we were supposed to have a horrible winter with a ton of snow...so far, that has not been the case and I am so happy for that...now that I have typed this we will get pounded in Pittsburgh (sorry for jinxing us fellow Pitts-burgers!!) HA!

****Stealing from Stacy at My Cup is Full - A Million Little Things comes back tonight! And...on that note...I am so happy that new episodes are back from all my favorite shows!! I love Manifest, This is Us and just about every sitcoms there is (I need to find laughter in this crazy world!!)

 ****Very thankful that God has blessed me with a beautiful network of wonderful people, especially Rebecca Jo, that remind me everyday to find things to be thankful and grateful for!

I hope you all have a wonderful week and a huge list of things to be thankful for!!!! What is on your list this week? Anyone else obsessed with a new TV show? Have you jinxed anyone lately?!?!

Wednesday Medley

Today I am joining in with Terri for her National Do Nothing Day Medley of questions... 

 If you would like to join in...answer the questions below and link up with Terri HERE...

Gooood morning, friends!

Wednesday, January 16 is National Do Nothing Day!  National Nothing Day was proposed in 1972 by columnist Harold Pullman Coffin.  This day has been observed annually since 1973.  Of course, the way to celebrate it is to do nothing!

To commemorate Do Nothing Day in SOME way, tell us something about your life in 1973.

Well, I was five and happy! I think! HA! I was living in a suburb of Pittsburgh at that time with my parents and two sisters (one older and one younger...my brother was not born until a few years later).  That's all I can remember! HA!

Now that we are thinking back, please tell us what your favorite past-time was as a child.

I used to love to play outside! Where I grew up; the neighborhood was filled with kids around my age! We made forts and played tag until the streetlights came on and then we went in for dinner. Unlike kids today, we were never indoors...it was a great time to be a kid!

What is the best way to cheer you up on a bad day?

Pedicure!!! I love a pedicure!!! It just makes my whole day! Also, ice cream! But since I am trying to lose a few pounds that is out! HA!

How old were you when you first started dating?  Do you remember your first date?

Sadly, I do not. I was a wild child and started everything early...including partying. I got in trouble a lot and I do not remember a lot...so sad!

Today is also National Fig Newton day.  Do you like figs/Fig Newtons?

I LOVE fig newtons!!! YUM!

Tell us something random about your week:

My employer is closing the site where I work...no one knows what this holds for the employees. We are being told that we will be asked to move or we may be eliminated...we won't know anything for a few months.....UGH!

I hope everyone has an amazing day filled with joy! Hugs!

Jackson's Mill Weekend - Winter 2019

Hi guys!!!! Hope everyone is having a better week than me - HA!!!!

Last weekend I went away with a really good friend of mine. We spent the weekend at Jackson's Mill which is a 4H camp! We do this three times a year for a conference! It usually involves meeting up with another 300ish people for the weekend!!!  It is always an amazing weekend!

We got there on Friday and checked into our room at the beautiful Jackson's Lodge - 306!! We have had this room for the last few years every time - it is pretty awesome!
 

We ate lunch in the mess hall with the others and then went out for a day of shopping!  He stop at this place every time we go down! They have really cute country decor for sale and a lot of ceramic Bigfoots!!! HA! There are apparently Bigfoot sightings in the area...we have hiked all over and have not had the pleasure of meeting one yet...except this cute guy!!!! (My friend, Laura, is on the left side of the picture and I am on the right.)

I gave him a little kiss....best kiss I have head in a LONG time!!! HA!  This is also my new profile picture!

We spent the rest of the weekend listening to recovery speakers and recharging our spirituality! Also eating a lot!!!! When you go to Jacksin's Mill conference, the lodging and meals are included for the weekend. We eat sooo much everyday!!!! The food is family style for every meal.

Here is the food schedule...
Friday:
lunch - chicken salad or ham salad, vegetable soup, salad and fruit
dinner - fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, corn, and coleslaw
Saturday:
breakfast - sausage gravy and biscuits, sausage, eggs, cereal, oatmeal, and fruit
lunch - lasagna, garlic bread, mixed veggie, and salad
dinner - roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and salad
Sunday:
breakfast - sausage gravy and biscuits, bacon, eggs, cereal, oatmeal, and fruit

Like I said - we eat a lot!!! HA!!! Next time (in the Spring) I will take pictures of the food...it is crazy.  The speakers were great and I love getting there to see all my friends!!! I was on cloud nine! It was such a great weekend!

Snow started on Saturday night and Laura was resting (she was not feeling well) so I took a long walk and captured these beautiful images...The mill is out in the middle of nowhere and it is so quiet, peaceful and serene!

Beautiful campus!!!

A view of the Mill from across the fields...

All over the Mill are quiet reflection spots...in the summer and spring it is great to just sit here and write in a journal!

Snowing...

The entrance to Jackson's Mill and our Lodge in the background..

Another beautiful sitting area for quiet reflection...

The theme for the weekend was...

After this wonderful weekend of recharging...I was notified at work on Tuesday January 16, 2019 that the campus where I work is closing. We may or may not be offered jobs elsewhere. My company is evaluating all of our positions and will, over the next few months, notify us if was will be offered relocation or be let go. My company, Bayer, bought a company that is much larger, Monsanto. We kind of knew it would be the "worm eating the fish" but no one seemed to care. I love Bayer and I love the ethics and integrity the company was founded on...I just hope they keep those things in tact as we move forward with the integration of both companies.

Talk about a Let Go and Let God situation!!! I am so happy that I have recovery and I know without a doubt that God has my back! Whatever is meant to be, will be. I will continue to give 100% to my work and when the time comes, make a decision. Until then, I refuse to lose serenity or sleep over things that i have not control over.

Your prayers are welcome but I know God has a plan and if I do the footwork...I will end up exactly where I am supposed to be! 

Hugs to you all! Thanks for all begin there to listen!!! 

Anyone else ever been through a site shutdown? What are your feelings on GMO foods? How do you recharge when you are running low on serenity or patience?

UGH-site closure

Hi everyone!!! I wish I had a happy, cheery post today but I promised this blog will detail my life...good and bad.

Well, we were officially notified today at work that my company is closing the site where I work. We knew it was coming in the next few years but this is sooner and the reality is always a shock.  

We were told they will try to find us opportunities to move to another location if we are needed and if not; we will get severance.

Time will tell...I refuse to stress over this...I keep telling myself it will all work out for the best!

We are going to find out our fate over the next few months.

I will keep you all posted...

Hamilton - Expectations Too High

My Mom came into Pittsburgh to see Hamilton with me this week at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh. My siblings and myself gave her the ticket for her birthday this year.

This is Mom with her half priced happy hour wine in her collectable Hamilton glass.

Her were are with the obligatory Playbill picture post...

They have bumped up security (long time overdue, in my opinion) and they now have metal detectors and lines to enter the venue. All this said, you have to get there a lot earlier to get through the security lines. One tip: do not take a purse or a bag and there is an express lane. I just put my cards and ID in my coat pocket and we got right in.

They also mentioned in their email that security will now be at all Pittsburgh venues so make sure if you are attending anything in the Pittsburgh Cultural District, go early!

Onto Hamilton...

I enjoyed it but was slightly disappointed...I wanted to love it and be obsessed like everyone else but I was not.

It was entertaining...great story, great singing voices, dancing and acting but so are ALL of the other shows I have ever seen. I love musical Broadway and I have never seen a bad musical.

The show is all performed through singing...be is slow medleys or rapping so the time goes quickly but I was expecting SO MUCH MORE after all of the raving I have heard. Also, when the show went on sale (I already had tickets through my subscription) people waited for HOURS for tickets...I thought it would be the show of the century. 

Hamilton did not stand out to me as the best thing ever like I have heard. I loved Cats, Phantom and Chicago...this was good but I would not even put it on my best list like everyone else.

I am really confused about what everyone is raving about to be perfectly honest...maybe it's true about expectations...if they are too high then they will never be met?

Have you seen it? What did you think? I am sooooo confused!! What is your favorite musical? Do you even like musicals?

 

Greek with Mom - Review

It pains me to write this entire post...I am so torn! Seriously...

I went to dinner and a show the other night with my mother. She came into town to see Hamilton with me (saving that for another post) and we planned to have a nice dinner in town before the show.

We went early since Hamilton was being performed at the Benedum in Pittsburgh. They have bumped up security (long time overdue, in my opinion) and they now have metal detectors and lines to enter the venue. All this said, you have to get there a lot earlier to get through the security lines. One tip: do not take a purse or a bag and there is an express lane. I just put my cards and ID in my coat pocket and we got right in.

Back to dinner...

I had been wanting to try a certain restaurant in Pittsburgh for a really long time! I love Greek food! I have heard so many great things about Christos! It has been in business in Pittsburgh for 40 years and the owner was a personal chef to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis! He created her favorite dessert and they serve it at the restaurant. It is called the Jackie O.  We walked up the the restaurant and a gentleman standing outside the restaurant started telling us that this was the best Greek food in Pittsburgh and we had to eat there. I almost wanted to leave because it was just too aggressive. But we went in.

We walked in and there was only one other table in there with one person seated at it. We were early (5:30 PM) so we thought we beat the rush.

The restaurant is cramped and APPEARS very worn. It may actually just be aged but it APPEARS old and dusty and that is never good when appearance is EVERYTHING! The tables are covered with blue plastic sheeting, old and sticky. The walls are covered with pictures in old and dirty/dusty frames. The pictures themselves are amazing as they are all of Christos old family pictures from Greece.

We were waited on by the owner himself and he is a really lovely, friendly man!  My mom and I got the hummus and pita appetizer to start! The hummus was definitely homemade and it was delicious!

Salads came and although we loved the dressing; the salad was iceberg lettuce, one olive and a small sprinkle of feta cheese. My mom found a slice of banana in hers and when we asked; the owner stated that Jackie O used to have him add a slice to each salad. (I must have eaten mine and not even known). The salad was just so-so. 

Then we ordered the main dishes. I got the chicken kabob and Mom had a Salmon dish. The food itself was good but each was served with white rice (not any additional flavoring) and veggies. The veggies tasted like canned green beans with onion and some kind of sour flavoring (we guessed vinegar). I am sure this is a Greek recipe but the fact that the beans were mushy just threw me off.

We did not try the signature Jackie O. dessert this trip.

A few things to note: the restroom (singular) is in the back...around the counter, through the kitchen, down two steps and around a corner. It is a clean restroom and they try to make it feel like you are part of their family so you don't even mind so much when they say "Someone is in the right now; we will let you know when it frees up." HA - HA!!! This really happened.

Also, to pay...they will not bring you a bill. You must go up to the front counter and someone brings up a handwritten slip of what you had and adds it all up. And, you will not get an itemized bill. They just go down the list add it all up and tell you your total.

This is a very casual, family owned restaurant. I am going to be very honest...I would not go back.

The food was okay and the prices were okay but I question the cleanliness and quality a little. Like I said...I wanted so bad to love this place! I have heard SO MANY great things and there are so few restaurants that are family owned and operated!!! I wanted to love it! While we were there (which was a show night) so many of the restaurants get totally full; we only saw about three other tables of people come in that night.

I believe if they got a crew in there to give it a fresh scrub down and a fresh paint job...even scrub the pictures and get a few new frames...the place would look 100% better. Unfortunately, appearance really is everything! There is a Mediterranean chain restaurant across the street and next door and they were both very busy.

Very sad...