Time To Go Shopping!

No girl can start a NEW JOB without a new pair of shoes, maybe a few shirts, definitely a few cute sweaters to keep her warm when the men of the office turn the A/C on full blast, a cute skirt...and who knows what else will catch her eye!

Yes, yes, ladies and gents, this gal has officially accepted an offer with a wonderful company which will remain anonymous for the time being.  I accepted a Financial Analyst II position and am excited to put my Masters degree to work!  I don't start for a few weeks, so in the meantime, I will be cleaning, organizing, working out and enjoying fresh air because all of those things will be limited in the very near future.  I will be sure to keep you all posted on my progress and feelings.

As of right now, I am beyond excited, but I am also a wee bit sad.  J-man and I finally have a great routine down and now I am throwing a huge wrench in it.  I am hoping to find a babysitter who can come to the house and get him off the bus, allowing him to maintain his regular routine.  Leaving Miss Lira home all day by herself is also saddening me.  When I leave for an hour I feel guilty.  Leaving for an entire day, five days a week, is going to torture me.  I'm secretly hoping that I will be able to bring her to work with me.  I know I am crazy.  She is the PERFECT OFFICE DOG though.  She loves to sleep. Never barks. Never has accidents. Loves to be with me. Does NOT shed. What more can you want?!?!  I'm also a bit bummed because I won't be able to enjoy hanging out with Ryan when he gets home early...which happens once a week-ish.  So while I am being true to my Catholic upbringing and killing myself with guilt, I am also excited and really trying to enjoy my last few weeks of long walks, photography, coffee with friends, visits to the beach, glorious books, workout routines, and random naps.

Below are a few photos I shot this evening around dusk...or a little after...of my beautiful flowering tree.  Here's to hoping we don't have another frost that kills off all of the buds.  While I am loving this warm weather, the flowers are being tricked and I fear this spring won't be quite as vibrant because some flowers will already have bloomed and died from frost.

Much love.

Read Across America

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! 

You were and still are a loved literary figure in my life!  From the sound of my little brother reading One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish at the age of two, to scouring the pages of Wacky Wednesday as a youngster, hearing How the Grinch Stole Christmas,  following along with Horton Hears a Who!, receiving The Places You'll go when I graduated college (yes, I said college my friends), I will forever hold fond memories of your wonderful stories! 

You teach littles their ABC's, how to count, an abundance of lessons and in some cases with your simple story structures the confidence that they can actually read! 

Reading is a love of mine!  Escaping into a good book, living through literary figures, admiring the author's writing style and enjoying some personal time is divine. 

Recently, I finished reading Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer.  It is a nonfiction book based on the travels of a young man across America.  Letters, journals and personal encounters are compiled of the young man's journey along with Jon's personal experiences and research are blended together to tell a story of...that is for you to figure out.  Each reader reacts and feels differently.  I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to men and women alike.  It was referred to me by my best girlfriend and also by a good guy friend, so that alone should confirm that it is not a girly book.

I also read the Hunger Games series.  My recommendation is to read them. Period. They are an easy quick read, but they are great and the first movie is coming out this month!  I read all three in 5 days. They are page turners for sure!

Much love.

D.A.R.E

J-man graduated from D.A.R.E.: Drug Abuse Resistance Education today!  He was a cutie in his white DARE t-shirt singing with his classmates. I personally think that 4th grade is a little young for children to learn about drugs and alcohol, but from the 4 essays that were read and the questions being asked, kids are exposed to much more than I was at the age of 9 or 10.  I never went through a DARE program, but I can remember my friends in other schools talking about it and I really think it was around the 6th grade...middle school age. 

We gave our parental consent because the local school district provides DARE to all 4th graders and we believe that DARE can be extremely beneficial to students.  This could potentially be the only time that J-man would be exposed to the DARE program in a school setting, so we took advantage of it. 

The police officers that taught the program were great!  I met them today and could not have hoped for a sweeter, funnier, yet stern group of men.  They were perfect for 4th graders with their balance of humor and seriousness.  The students seemed to really enjoy them and were hands down the most well behaved that I have ever seen them...and I've been to a lot of presentations this year.   The students' behavior alone speaks volumes about the D.A.R.E. instructors. 

I am very proud of J-man!  He is doing great in school and great at home!  We are spending a lot of time together baking, crafting, throwing the baseball, watching movies and hanging out.  I love him to pieces!!

What are your thoughts on the DARE program and children learning about drugs and alcohol in the 4th grade?

Much love.

Bella Baby!

"Bella Baby" is the nickname my parents' dog has earned from me.  Every time is see her, she gets sweeter and sweeter.  Every dog has a personality.  Bella's is twofold.  She is energetic with a bit of childish craziness and absolutely loving and sweet.  One minute she is bounding through the creek or sneaking up on ducks and scaring them to flight.  The next second she is nudging your hand or bringing you a shoe for some ear scratches. 

Without further ado, here is a slide show of Bella Baby...

You're in love, aren't you? 

Much love.

Lenten Promise

Today is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Lenten season.  If you are not familiar with Lent, it lasts 40 days and 40 nights, ending on Easter morning with the resurrection of Jesus. Just as Jesus spent 40 days and nights praying in the dessert, many Christians will be reflecting on their lives and changing something.  Many give something up, while others add to their life.

This Lenten season, I will be doing two things.  First, I will be giving up sweets because a) I love them and they will be challenging to fore go, b) I don't need to indulge in chocolate daily. Second, I will be reading part of the bible and praying at least a decade of the rosary per day for a special intention.  I pray every evening, but I don't always pray with a purpose.  I am hoping that reading the bible will guide me in my actions and help me think and see life through clearer eyes. 

This Lenten season could not have come at a better time for me.  Reflection, clarity and a new outlook on life is something I need desperately. 

What are you doing this Lenten season? 

Much love.

Mama's Mac N' Cheese

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Butter

1/4 cup Flour

1 tsp. Salt

1/2-1 tsp. Dry Mustard

1/4 tsp. Pepper

2 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk

1 block Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (white)

1 box Penne Pasta

Directions

Cook pasta.

Simultaneously and in a separate pan, melt butter in frying pan, stir in flour, salt, dry mustard, and pepper until smooth. 

Remove from heat.

Gradually stir in evaporated milk until smooth.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened (approx. 10 minutes)

Remove from heat.

Stir in grated Cheddar cheese.

Place drained pasta into a 9x13 buttered casserole dish

Pour Cheese mixture over and stir well.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. 

As a child, this was my favorite dish!  Every single birthday, I requested homemade Mac N' Cheese with homemade apple sauce!  Little J-man requested this dish and absolutely loved it!  If you have any questions about it, please don't hesitate to ask!  It's yummy and kid approved! 

I saw these cuties on my walk today!  Spring is a'comin!

Much love.

Dance update

Ahh!  My new dance shoes!  They aren't official dance shoes, but they are pretty close to ballroom regulation style shoes and I love them!  I will never wear them outside; they are only for dance floors! 

**They were originally $60 and this thrifty lady got them for $20!  Whoop!  It was actually extremely coincidence that they were on sale, but I am still very happy about the price.**

 Tonight wasn't a super smooth night of learning for Ryan and I, but it was still fun and successful!  We were introduced to the hustle for the first time...well, the first time for Ryan.  I have been dancing the hustle for about 10 years now, so it was a snap for me.  You'd think that since I knew what I was doing, it would be easier to learn as a couple.  WRONG.  By me knowing what I was doing and Ryan not knowing, it only caused frustration.  We both had the basic steps and turns, but there was one intricate move that we just were not getting.  

So far, we have learned the Rumba, Foxtrot, Waltz, West Coast Swing, Salsa, Cha Cha, and the Hustle.  Ryan loves the West Coast Swing, Cha Cha, Rumba, and Salsa, while I love the Rumba, Foxtrot and Hustle!  I enjoy the West Coast because Ryan enjoys it so much as well!  As a matter of fact, we are going to a west coast dance club this weekend at the oceanfront that I am beyond stoked about!  It will be our first time dancing outside of the studio!!  I'll be sure to update you all on how we do! 

I hope you all had an extra sweet Valentine's Day!  Ryan surprised me with these beauties!  I absolutely love tulips!  They aren't traditional and have an elegance to them...in my mind.

Much love.