Happy St. Patrick's Day!

It's St. Patrick's Day!

There won't be any green beer or corned beef and cabbage for me today as I not only have to work, but I also have class until 10 pm. This got me thinking about the last time I truly celebrated the quarter of me that is Irish and I could not remember. So, I turned to my computer to see if I had any photos and luckily found a folder entitled "St. Patrick's Day 2007." Has it really been that long?

In March 2007 Drew and I were living in our townhouse and had just started to create some norms in our newlywed life. It's safe to say that we had friends over almost every weekend and if there was ever a reason to throw a party we found a way to make it happen. Our townhouse was large and roomy and provided plenty of space to have everyone over. More importantly, there were plenty of spaces for people to sleep if they couldn't drive themselves home.

So, since I'll be learning about organizational behavior tonight and not sipping on a Guinness I'll just have to relive some of March 2007.

:::This is the part where I wiggle my fingers and make funny noises to simulate a flashback (ie: Wayne's World):::

Funny story about Drew's hat - he just had to have that style hat but couldn't find one in green. So, we bought a white one and tried to dye it in the kitchen sink over night. I still don't know what we did wrong, but it obviously didn't work and his white hat turned light gray. After the party I don't think he ever wore that hat again.

Ryan found the polka-dot ribbon from someone else and decided to wear it around his head for the rest of the night.

My cousin Don keepin' it classy  in his Hamm's vest.

Ali and Joel who stopped by after watching her brother's state basketball game (they won!).

Ryan

Me and Don

Apparently most of my photos from the night either cut off people's heads or were up close and on an angle. I guess that could be interpreted as a good time.

Done and done.

Thanks for taking a walk back in time with me. If you're celebrating - be safe and enjoy! I'll join you next year when St. Patrick's Day falls on a Saturday (2012 is a leap year)!

...and in case you didn't get my Wayne's World reference, this is for you:

Mix Tape: My obsession of the week

It seems that each week I find a new song to obsess over, and this week I can't get enough of Adele's new song, Rolling In the Deep. It has a girl-powerness to it, which is most fitting for me today.

You see, I was away from my desk Thursday, Friday and Monday (I was working, but with very limited access) so when I returned to my normal routine today I had plenty of catching up to do. To add to my stress level my commute to work took over two hours because of the snow and poor road conditions. Since I was an hour late, and had a lot to do, I decided to stay a few hours later than normal to try and get organized. I think it's safe to say that I ended my work day well, so as I drove home (on the cleared roads!)I began going through my list of things to get done before calling it a night. I had the motivation I needed to get it all done including wrapping up my analysis paper for school...that is until I pulled up to my house. Little did I know, but Drew decided to not snow blow the drive way or sidewalk. To his defense he is sick, but a fair warning would have been appreciated.

So, not only is my homework not done yet but my motivation is gone and the irritation has kicked in. I realize that I'm probably being irrational right now, and I'll certainly be over it after a good night's sleep, but for now I'm going to blast my obsession of the week:



Don't you just love the dancer? Doesn't all of that hair give her a headache?

Life Begins When You Do

This little poem was waiting for me in my inbox this morning. It has stuck with me all day, so I thought I would share.

Live with Intention

 Walk to the edge.

Listen hard. Laugh. Play with abandon.

Practice wellness.

Continue to learn.

Choose with no regret.

Appreciate your friends.

Lead or follow a leader.

Do what you love.

Live as if this is all there is.

-- Mary Anne Radmacher

I think the last time I truly lived with intention was when Drew and I had the opportunity to get away for a week to see my brother-in-law graduate from Army bootcamp. The road trip gave me time to reflect and  reminded me of what is most imporant in this life - family, friends, and health.

Vacations and sunshine are good for the soul.



Great Smoky Mountain National Park



Enjoying the ride



So proud of you!



There's a monster in my kitchen

A few months ago I decided to check out the documentary Food, Inc. Knowing that Drew would have no interest in watching it with me, I took full advantage of the night I had to myself when he went out with some friends. I had mentally prepared myself for the disturbing images, but I never guessed how much it would change me and the way I eat.

Since that night in December I have been slowly cutting out all store bought meat from my diet. The first to go was chicken, and I loved chicken. My need to eat more organically has excited Drew because of his love for hunting. Instead of stocking our freezer with frozen chicken we're now stocking it with fresh venison and pheasant. Six months ago I never would have thought these changes would be happening, but they are and I feel really good about it. The best part is how CLEAN my body feels after every meal - not bogged down by fillers and chemicals.

In my quest to find new recipes, I stumbled across information on the Green Monster. Have you head about it? It's a blend of spinach (or kale) with milk, flax seed, banana, and ice. After reading more about it I was intrigued and this morning I whipped up the concoction.

Ingredients:

• Baby spinach
• Flax
• Banana
• Milk (I went with Almond Breeze unsweetened vanilla)
• Ice

Mix everything together in the blender. It works best if you put in the flax and spinach first to ensure that it's fully blended.

Pour and enjoy! The green color might be scary, but all you can taste is the banana.

Tomorrow I think I will add some strawberries just for a little more sweetness. There are all sorts of Green Monster variations. Check out a few of them at the Green Monster Movement.

It's a doggy dog world

Beasley.

Also lovingly referred to as: Miss Beasley. Beaze. Cheezy. Weezy. Weasel.

Rodent, Coon Claws, Bat Ears, and Moms (not sure where that one came from!).

Meet Beasley. She's our 5 pound miniature pinscher with a hefty attitude. She runs the house and always gets what she wants (including an unlimited supply of Dingos). She joined our family in August 2008 and I have a hard time remembering what life was like without her in it. She's a trusty side-kick, our welcoming committee when we get home, a cuddle bug, and an affordable home security system.

We don't have any kids yet, but Beasley is doing a great job of preparing us for when that day comes. It's a little scary how "human" she acts, and sometimes I catch myself talking to her as if she will respond.

How can you not love that little face?!?

I'm so thankful for Beasley. She's non-judgemental, loyal, and always knows how to make me feel better. If everyone had a Beasley in their life the world would be a better place, and that's a fact.