oops.

I am a horrible blogger. It's been a week and half since I have written and there is now too much for a simple update so some things will just get skipped! Sorry!
Went to Atlanta last weekend for my sister's birthday party. I had a really good time - got to meet some of her fun friends that I had never met before and got my baby fix for a while. Also got to see some folks that I haven't seen in a while like my cousin A and my MOM! Hi mom! I was excited to spend some more time on Saturday with my mom and sister at the Booth Western Art Muesum in Cartersville, GA. There is some really neat stuff there but we ran out of time to see it all - I don't think any of us realize how big the museum was going to be!

This week at work has been relatively uneventful. A little drama but hopefully nothing that can't be managed in the near future. I do not like drama so the less I have in my life, the better!

It's been a busy week though - joined a gym - looking forward to getting a little healthier with my co-worker, co-hort, partner in gym-ing K so at least we will have someone to keep us accountable. It's one of those 24 hour places so we can go early in the morning before work - though I am admittedly NOT a morning person.

I have a cookie rally tonight and I told them I would crush up the cookies for ice cream tonight so I gotta go beat on some cookies...more later maybe.

on the upswing.

I am finally feeling more human again. After being sick since Saturday, I feel better today - not quite as tired, icky, snotty (you wanted to know that, I'm sure!), and just plain run down. Yesterday was a struggle...drove to Knoxville to meet with my boss and do my work review (always intimidating!) then basically turned around and drove back home. Got home, took a 20 minute nap, ate dinner, then headed to a meeting that our CEO was presenting at in one of my areas. Double intimidating. However, my ladies shined at their meeting - they ran an organized, timely meeting and surely did me proud!
Looking forward to tomorrow - luau at work for lunch ("contagious fun" is part of our intentional work culture - gotta love that!), delivering some books to a High School so they can do one of our programs with their kids, and then fun plans after work. K and I are going to join a gym near the office and keep each other quite accountable for getting there early every morning! After that, we are going to Girls Night Out at the Hunter Art Museum. I have been really wanting to get there and check out the art and tomorrow night you are basically gonna get twice as much for the price of admission...you get to look at the art, watch a little fashion show, there will be massage folks there, my fav local makeup ladies from Elea Blake on the Northshore, good eats, and adult beverages. Should be a really fun night out! I rarely get up the time/nerve/friend to head to this kind of stuff so I am really excited about a night with the ladies!

3 day weekend.

We did not make it to church this morning - I know, horrible - because I woke up yesterday morning feeling pretry crappy. I hop - oh I hope - that it isn't what Chad had for over a full week a couple of weeks ago. Similar to the flu, nasty, runny, gross, and tired. I am thinking that if I can just lay low this 3-day weekend that I can beat it. Stay home, watch movies, not do too much. I can't really be sick - don't have the time for it!
I am actually really bummed about missing church this morning. Our pastor is doing what I guess could be called a "State of the Church" series - on things that we might do well and things that we might could improve on quite a bit. We missed the first day of the series due to being out of town and this Sunday would have been the 3rd. Thankfully we can catch it online and makeup/listen to what we missed in preparation for next Sunday...
I think I am going to make a loaf of bread...found a good simple recipe. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thankfully with bread making, the mixer does the majority of the work.

don't get your hopes up.

Remember that part in my previous post when I said I thought they would revise the weather policy? They did. Yes. Already.
I have to go to work Thursday and Friday. I think they were just jealous of all the stuff I was getting done while I was at home and they couldn't stand it anymore! :)
It's a little sad because I had already found a recipe to make bread, started measuring the windows to make curtains, and making plans to entertain myself. Eh - bummer.
So - as soon as the hill defrosts - I will go to work.

wildest dreams.

Never, ever, ever, in my wildest dreams, did I imagine that I would live in a place where I am granted an entire week off of work because of snow and ice. I mean, I realize that I am only around 200 miles north of where I grew up but honestly! The county schools have already called off for the rest of this week - I think we are expecting more wintery weater towards Friday so here we are. I am sure my bosses are NOT loving this but they established the winter weather policy - not me! (And I am equally as sure that they will be considering a revision in the near future). Best part is that we also get Monday off work because of MKL Day. That is a grand total of 8 days off work in a row - no vacation time, holiday time, or sick time was used. Bless my snow-weary soul. (Never thought I'd say THAT either!)

Cabin fever has set in...I LOVE being off work but I wish I could actually get out and do some stuff. Hopefully tomorrow afternoon the roads will have cleared a bit and I can at least get to Walmart or Hobby Lobby to stock up some on some craft projects to finish in the next few days. I have been wanting to make some curtains for our bathroom, HUGE living room window, and the window in our dining room. I hope that it will help keep some of the warm in at night. Even though Chad has been adding insulation to our attic and underneath our house and we keep our house in the 66-68 degree range, our electric bill was horrific this past month (and by horrific, I mean like half of what our house payment is...ugh). Hopefully curtains will help!

Snow Day #3.

Well, the snow didn't melt yesterday and after last night's 20 degree temps - the secondary roads are a bit like ice skating rinks. Chad had to go to work a bit later than usual but they needed to at least go in and "check on things" (come on - they are a bunch of men!).

Chad has been very careful to keep our bird feeders full - we have one in the front yard and one in the back yard - in addition to a couple of suet blocks that we have hung in the trees. It seems like we might be the only folks in the neighborhood with bird feeders because as soon as he fills them, they are empty again. And as soon as he refills, we get flocked!

I think we do this as much for Wooby as we do for the birds. It is endless entertainment for her to sit below the windows where she thinks the birds can't see her and watch them and talk to them.

So this is a series of pictures of how the short-legged Gwendolen makes her way through the snow (which doesn't seem to bother her one bit - she actually really likes it - and her coat is made for wet weather like this. She stays pretty dry...)

There is a lot of hopping - a bit rabbit-like.

So, there is quite a bit of snow left on the ground and it is actually snowing again at the moment. I believe we are supposed to have a nice sunny day today but the temperatues won't get above freezing so no luck on any snow going away. I was supposed to drive to Knoxville tomorrow - don't really see that happening.

We've been pretty busy these past few days - but truly enjoying a few days off together just to hang out and do what we wanted. After our Monday sledding, we haven't played much in the snow. It is just WAY cold now...

We cleaned house a bit yesterday - vacuuming, laundry, dishes - I baked a bit last night. I am thinknig of making bread today too.. I do feel a bit of "cabin fever" - sort of trapped like I can't go anywhere even if I wanted to. We made it to my office yesterday to pick some stuff up so I can answer some questions for leaders - COOKIE SALE starts today!! - and to the grocery store for essentials like mac and cheese and popcorn.

And the snow is still falling...

Snow Day.

We got a snow day today. In a MAJOR way. Come on - I am a Georgia girl, born and raised. That "Snowstorm of 1993" was the biggest thing to hit Columbus and I recall about 3 maybe 4 inches? This was double that. At least. We got 7+ inches in our yard - probably closer to 8 in some places. We are talking snow drifts in the back yard. I know, I know - it sounds like a not-so-big-deal but to this girl...IT WAS HUGE. We got the majority of the snow in a mere 6 hours or so. It started about midnight and when I peeked out the window about 6:30 this morning we were about 6 inches in. That's our version of a blizzard (don't tell Boston).
Literally the most snow I have ever seen at one time.
And we rocked it.
I rocked the boots and the layers and the sledding and the being freezing cold and not caring and the wet gloves and the hot drinks afterwards.
Oh - I rocked the snow day.
And guess what? Since basically not a bit of it melted today - the secondary roads (that I have to travel to get to work) are NOT clear - and it snowed all day - I (along with most of Chattanooga) get a 2nd snow day tomorrow!
We'll rock that one too.
Headed to bed now but I will take more and post pictures tomorrow!

promises.

I haven't been very good about writing here recently. The week back to work after a beautiful 11 days off was painful, slow, and disheartening. Frustrated leaders, cookie sale starts next week, and I didn't finish everything I wanted to get done.
So I am making myself a few promises. Get started on those resolutions - she says to herself. A sweet new year of being more positive, reading more for pleasure, making time for myself and my husband and my closest loves, the constant weight-loss/new haircut/beauty regimine that is January. And a promise to write here more. Write more about what is in my head, or on my heart, instead of just what is on my calendar or the floor on the living room (hello Gwendolen hair - I will vacuum you tomorrow!).
Promises to ourselves are usually the easiest to forget to keep. But I am making them anyway. To speak from the heart - down through my little fingers - and fill up the blank. And more pictures. I take plenty - just rarely share. I will do better.

What will I do with my one wild and precious life? Oh you better believe - I am gonna really live.

wild and precious.

"...Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver