randomness

So it's Thursday, the weekend is thisclose and yet so far away. I'm actually traveling for work today, stuck in car with my boss for about 5 hours and I'm really fearing how it'll go. I'm trying not to die from boredom, or frustration with being with someone (that I'm not actually friends with) in such close quarters for so long, or from her bad driving. 

This may or may not have happened prior to this meeting. More likely my Boss will "brain storm" during out 2.5 hour commute to the meeting. And then nothing we discuss will actually happen. 

This entire meeting was in fact my idea, just saying, I asked about doing this over a year ago. But apparently no one remembers that happened...

Image source: the amazing someecards.com

You on the other hand, you can read over some of the random updates in my life. 

• I cancelled my Birchbox subscription. While it was fun to get them I didn't always love each box and I was finding myself feeling "eh" on the "best" items of my best boxes. I also just don't have the $110 to spend on another year's subscription.
• I still haven't made it past Week 2 on C25K. I make it a day or two into starting back up and something happens and I can't keep the momentum going. The weather also keeps going from really cold to really warm, that hasn't helped either. It may or may not have been about a month since I tried any days on the program. 
  
• I tried to be a fashionista and bought a bunch of stuff on really amazing sale at Old Navy. It ranged from 'eh' to 'wow that's cute' but in the end I rationalized that I didn't need any of it, and I didn't have the money to spend on clothes things I don't need right now. So it ALL* went back to the store and returned.
• I discovered that Costco is really amazing for even more products than I knew. They sell organic quinoa (that doesn't have to be rinsed first) for crazy cheap. So of course I found this out after I bought and opened my tiny $10 bag from Publix. They also carry organic (supposed to be grain fed) beef for a much better price than any greenwise options at Publix. In fact after a recent trip all of their meats may be priced better than Publix...
• I insisted that I'm actually doing something for my birthday this year. Hubby isn't a big celebrator, of anything. Not holidays or birthdays. (He's promised he will be for the kids sake, once we have kids) And my birthday hasn't always been that great. (It used to fall just before finals and/or when his final insane projects were due that counted as his final.) So we're doing Disney, because they had a good deal on tickets going on. I'm now panicking as I've begun to work out all the other costs this will involve (beyond the tickets, already purchased). So apparently the mantra for this trip "I'm doing Disney for my birthday, even if we can't afford it!" 

* I kept one pair of charcoal tights, they were $4 and I thought I might get use out of them since I have none. I've worn them twice, they looked funky and fashionable and kept me warm. But they are also incredibly freaking high cut (as in come up to my midsection) it was hard to make it through the day. I'm not sure how often I'll wear these.

aw shucks

Source: google images via tumblr

I'm a social worker. I get to make a difference in people's lives everyday with my job. The amazing part (as if that's not enough) is that my job is one of very few in my field where my patients are aware of this and are sometimes thankful and actually thank me for my help. 

Source: google images via here

I have a graduate degree in this, I know a good deal about my field and techniques and the correct and incorrect ways to do things. A very fine line in social work are boundaries. Anyway, something happened today that was probably crossing over appropriate boundaries but it wasn't meant to be harmful (or creepy) and I just have to share it with you!

When I got married it took me several months to get everything switched over to legally have my name changed at work. I've had patients for years, several for over three since I've been here. A lot of them noticed that my name changed all of a sudden and at the point it was appropriate to explain it was because I got married. (Yes that's acceptable.) The comments some of my patients have made about it is where those boundaries lines have been crossed, but they were all said with goodness in their hearts. Here's one interaction I can't help but smile about:

Source: google images via here (with minor edits by me to make it fit)

Patient: "You know I'm in love with you, no wonder why that man married you. You just make everything so easy." 
Me: "Well I'll tell him that." (I doubt my husband thinks I make life easy, haha!)
Patient: "I'd steal you away if I could. Tell that man that I would take you, so he better watch out!"


So yeah, it made me smile and smirk. And my when I told Hubby he laughed as well. 

rain, rain go away (aka my weekend)

Source: Mr. Printables, if you go directly to their site you can get a free printable of this amazing graphic!

Hubby was on call this week and boy did that man work! Friday night I saw him for a few minutes and then he was called off again. I tried to make a homemade version of my new favorite dish at our favorite Chinese joint: Tangerine tofu. Mine was more like bastardized orange tofu and while it was a valiant attempt it tasted nothing like the inspiration and I'm not even sure it tasted that great. But I'd worked hard at my attempt and I was hungry!

Saturday Hubby wound up working a lot. Mid-day I was able to swing by and visit friends that are about to have a baby boy any day now. I appliqued different shapes onto onsies and they were a total hit! (I meant to take pictures but I simply forgot, sorry!) The rest of the afternoon was super rainy so me and Zoe were perfectly fine snuggling together inside, where it was dry! (By the way, Zoe apparently thinks rain is something I conspire against her. As in, "It's raining in the backyard so it isn't raining in the front yard, oh wait it is, omg Mom how could you do that!?!" It's not been a pleasant experience, for either of us.) That night we did an impromptu game night with the neighbors, it was a blast but when you combine alcohol and competitiveness it can get a bit ugly. 

Sunday I slept in since game night ended at like 3 am. Poor Hubby got called off at 5 am, I was so tired I didn't even wake up when his horrific on call phone rang. In fact I didn't wake up until several hours after Hubby had returned after working for several hours! Much later, when shocker Hubby got called away some more, I visited practically ever single grocery store in my city. Okay I didn't actually, not even close, but it felt like it. I went to EarthFare, Costco, and Publix. Oh and it poured, there was hail! (Thankfully I was inside during that part.)

And then yesterday I got hit with a headache (migrane?) that made my head feel like it was going to split into two. I think I may have also been running a slight fever. All the same it was one of those days there was no question or debating, I was most certainly staying home, in bed for as long as I could, and was not working. I'm feeling a lot better now, thanks!

high five for friday

source: via google images from here

one. Said first set of flowers from last week are still very much alive! I meant to pick them up this weekend from my office but I never got a chance to. And thank goodness I didn't because they've sat on my desk this entire week as well. Looking and smelling pretty and continuing to make me happy!
two. I made two new recipes this week. Despite being lazy and not feeling like it, I did. I was tired afterwards but I still did it! (And one recipe did require me taking an egg from a neighbor, there's no way I was making an entire grocery store trip for ONE egg!)
three. I ordered this. I'm still trying to loose weight/be healthy and I'm hoping this will help. (It'll also help a lot with baking) I'm not sure I wonder if I'll be as over the moon with this when I actually receive it as I feel now waiting for it to arrive.
four. Work is still crazy but I'm going to take it in strides. My boss wants me to attend a supervisor training course. I'm not a supervisor but that's got to be a step in the right direction, you know that she feels I could be and this would help me. Now my Executive Director will probably nix it because of the cost but whatev.
five. This wasn't a terrible week. At least not compared to the past few. That's certainly something to celebrate!

linked up to Lauren/frommygreydeskblog's High Five For Friday

ain't nobody got time for that!

I have a confession, and since it's Thursday it means it's okay! 

I went an entire week without washing my hair. I expect your reactions are somewhere along these lines...

 Source: via google images from here

 Source: via google images from here

Okay this is not how I expect anyone to react to this, but it was cute so I had to include it.

 Source: via google images from this webpage

And clearly I (nobody) ain't (didn't) have time for that (washing my hair)

I tried to make my hair all sexy for Valentine's with curls, that was a disaster since I didn't put enough effort into my attempts to actually get a good outcome. HOWEVER it did something wonderful, those curls/waves/texture/volume lasted and lasted and lasted. Even after I brushed my hair somehow there was still some left over. (And by some I mean some since naturally I have straight as a pin hair so any curl/wave is a big deal for me.) I'd sleep on it and the next day it looked just a curly/wavy/whatever! 

There are three things that have helped me achieve the lazy accomplishment of not washing my hair for so long and it still looking okay/decent: cheapo CVS Tresemme  Dry Shampoo (not the best but cheap enough I tried it), a sample of Oscar Blandi Texture & Volume Spray (from my now cancelled Birchbox, that I didn't like at first but now find so many uses for; little thing don't run out yet mamma is too poor to buy a full size!) and some good old teasing (using this). I'm not saying I'm proud of this, but I've made it work. (Sort of like Tim Gunn is famous for saying). I'm being honest here, clearly since I made an entire post about such a thing, my hair looked decent enough so I didn't wash it. It's been so cold I wanted to do anything but wash my hair and walk around with a wet head that's what's happened. That combined with laziness and so was the story behind this post born.

Last night however I promptly forced myself to wash my hair when I got home from work so I'd give myself enough time to blow dry completely and avoid any wet head freeze to death and/or catch a cold issues. Everyone (minus the Hubby who left this morning before I woke up) has commented to me today that my hair looks good. I will not be proclaiming to them "That's because I actually washed it!"

Linking up (for the second time) to It's Okay Thursdays at A Complete Waste of Makeup

 

adventures in shopping, for Hubby

Hubby has changed his position at his company. It's not a promotion, it's just switching from one area/job to another.  It is a good thing insofar as his boss felt Hubby was qualified and trustworthy enough for this new position. Hubby has only been at his company for a year and he was the first pick for this new position.

Anyway, this new position is all paperwork and a desk job. Which is the exact opposite of his old job. I was really worried since Hubby needs to be constantly working or doing something, he's not really a desk job paper pusher type. Hubby was smart though and while he knew that might be an issue for him he took the new position because it caries regular hours (his old job didn't). We're both enjoying his new regular set hours! Two weeks in and so far so good. 

Last weekend he decided he wanted some new clothes for his new position. (All his other work clothes are stained and not so clean looking even when clean simply because of the nature of his old job and Hubby's laziness to try to work out any grease/misc. stain he'd had before.) Being the frugal people we are, we looked up the sales! Hubby really got into it and proclaimed that whole weekend how we "beat the man" and how much we saved for what he got! 

First stop: DSW

Source: DSW, Born Men's Slater Oxford

He liked this pair. He's got a thing for dress shoes with laces and he thinks those are the coolest looking ones. Anyway, I agreed they were good because they can be dressed up or down and should be comfy. They're listed with an "original" designer price of $130, DSW price of $80 and had a 30% off sticker on them! They worked out to be $60 something. For a pair he'll wear everyday and are leather I say that's a good value!

Next stop: Old Navy
Hubby decided their pants were too expensive at $30 so we left about 90 seconds after walking in.

Up next: Target
This is such a wonderful store. Hubby announced they didn't have any clothing worth trying on. But because it's target we still left purchasing some odds and ends. 

Last stop: Good Will
Another thing Hubby is all over recently, button down oxford type shirts. He has a thing for dress shirts and ties in general (he loves them and always wants to buy more but he doesn't actually have a need to wear a real honest to goodness dress shirt, let alone a tie with it, more than once or twice a year). But for work we weren't going to Men's Wearhouse or Express, no we went to Goodwill*. Hubby went crazy and looked at all of their shirts and pants, he had good luck on shirts. He went all label snob and started looking at shirts soley on their brand name, which is not something he'd normally do. At $10 each they were still a great deal. He walked away with 2 Calvin Klein and 1Van Heusen. The best part, the guy at the register seemed to care so little about having to work that day he rang everything up under a discount, shirts were not on discount that day! But we walked out with those 4 shirts for under $15!

We then also went to Kirlands (didn't buy the $40 clock I want, it may be on 50% but I can't spend that much on decoration!) and Costco (our maybe 5th trip in 3 weeks, I am loving that place, my checking account/budget not so much). We shopped all day and of course I loved that but amazingly so did Hubby!

IMPORTANT (not really)
The follow up to this (the real reason I even made this post was to share this) is that Monday when Hubby put on one of his new shirts and shoes, proud as a kid picking out his clothes for the first day of school a peacock all of his co-workers ragged on him that he must have a job interview that day with that outfit on! I laughed so hard all day long, just thinking about them ragging on him. Seriously all day long every time I thought about it I laughed!


*Just because I can't help myself, if you haven't heard (or seen the video for) this song just go ahead and click it. 

The first time Hubby heard this song he thought it was a local Goodwill's attempt at a jingle/song commerical. And then the DJ announced it and he realized it was a a for real song!

high five for friday

So, I'm alive. Surprised? Nothing fun to share so I've been quiet, sorry!

1. Flowers. My parents are on a cruise, which is good for them but a bummer for me since I talk to my Mom (via phone and/or lots of emails) every day. But being the amazing person she is my Mom had flowers delivered to me Monday! The card read: Happy Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Fried. I love you! -Mom  Seriously, Best Mom Ever!
2. More flowers. That night I had to work a late work meeting. Hubby was doing Boy's Night with friends. I came home after my meeting and Hubby came in with flowers for me! Boys Night was actually all the boys together making flower arrangements for their girls! (Somewhere held this event, they didn't do this all on their own.) They only had lilies (which I'm allergic to) but boy did Hubby do a good job arranging them. He kept reminding me that the girl leading the "class" complimented him on what a good job he did. 
3. Flowers everywhere! So I have had fresh flowers all week, one set at my desk and one set in my kitchen at home! (Kitchen flowers are far enough away from whatever I'm doing in the house to look pretty but not kill me and my sinuses.) I never get flowers so two sets in one week is insane. I am so happy over this!
4. Crazy weather. The beginning of this week it was warm, highs in the seventies and higher I was wearing my summer work outfits and sandals. Today it's cold, as in frost on my house, on my yard, and on my car. Hubby had to get up early to defrost our vehicles. That's some crazy weather!
5. Valentine's Day. Hubby was supposed to be on call at work so we had nothing planned a co-worker offered to switch on call weeks so Hubby was free. Last minute and budget friendly we did an amazing lunch date at this fabulous place in town and then did romantic movies and snuggling all day. Great V Day, seriously!

Linked up with Lauren for H54F!

high five for friday

A recent dogshaming gem submitted this week.

1. Hubby fixed the dryer. It only took 2 weeks and having to order a part online and the dryer sitting in pieces the whole time. But the part worked and it's all fixed! It's so nice to be able to wash and dry my clothes again!
2. This. My ex-boss sent this to me. I can't say it makes a rough day go away but it helps! I needed this several times this week.  
3. DogShaming. I am in love with this website. Hubby has banned me from even mentioning this site. Seriously, read it, it's the best! 
4. Laser Hair Removal. As of this week I'm two sessions into getting my underarms/armpits lasered to a hair free beautiful state. (Sadly my timing of it means I won't be done until August, not exactly "before" summer starts, oh well.) I love the nurse tech that does my sessions, it's like a chat session with a friend and I just so happen to get beauty treatments as well. 
5. It's Friday! I made it to Friday, that's a huge deal!

At first I couldn't come up with five things to celebrate from this past week. But then I got to thinking and came up with enough. Some may be a stretch but I'm claiming them. Oh and by the way, Happy February!

Linked up to Lauren at From My Grey Desk's High Five For Friday!