Things have to get better, right?

It seems like the last week and a half has been nothing but bad news around my work. One of the doctors I work with died in a kayaking accident, one of my coworkers lost her dad, a coworker had a friend get shot and killed, another coworker found out her daughter with MS has breast cancer, a coworker's dog died this weekend and another coworker's son has a brain tumor and needs chemo. Seriously?! It has just been one thing after another and really awful to see people go through so much sadness. It has also made me (and all of us) appreciative for all the good we have in our lives. I keep thinking things are going to turn around, because they have to....history has shown that they do. I'm hoping someone wins the lottery. :) Fingers crossed for some good luck heading for my friends and coworkers.

Happy STF Anniversary!

This morning I realized it's been two years since I started working at St. Francis. This blows my mind that two years have passed! I miss my Wichita friends, of course, and am grateful that I still see many of them fairly regularly! I am also grateful for the new friends I have made in Topeka. It seems hard to believe that two years ago I didn't know any of them.

So, how am I celebrating such a big event you might ask?! I'm having a meal tonight that I was probably pretty into when I was 8 or 9. A hot dog, cheetos and cottage cheese and diced peaches. Yum. Well, it's probably a little different than when I was a kiddo- it's a Hebrew brand hot dog. Not sure what's in it (probably don't wanna know) but my mom told me about them awhile back and I think they're pretty tasty. Can't go wrong for only 40 calories. And those glorious Cheetos are the baked kind but I really like 'em. And you wanna know the perfect way to have cottage cheese and peaches? Make sure the peaches are at room temperature and the cottage cheese is nice and cold. You'll thank me later.

Anyway, so on this day of celebration, it was the most crazy busy day in the history of the world. I am grateful. I will definitely not complain about overtime when I had an unexpected bill at the Ford shop yesterday when I had to buy a new air/vent/thingy that attaches to the engine and sucks air in. (Make sense? Yeah, me neither, but the people that know stuff tell me it's crucial to the engine.) Work definitely seems like a feast or famine kind of deal sometimes.....rarely is it just a steady, predictable caseload....which, in general I like. I really like how every day is different and it's dynamic and you constantly are "on" and having to think. I had a couple really tricky patients today and although they are challenging, it makes me go, "Oh yeah, that's why I do this." One of my VERY FAVORITE PATIENTS EVER is going home this weekend. He couldn't be more excited and I'm really happy for him but I'm really going to miss him!

In other breaking news, in case you happen to not live in the Midwest....it snowed. Again. Last night we got 4.5" of snow here and the meteorologist proudly reported that we have received 30" in the last month in Topeka. I'm sorry, but that's too much. I definitely find myself dreaming of warmer weather, grilling outside and even of mowing the grass! Gasp! Remind me I said that in a few months when I'm complaining about how much I hate to mow!

In further disturbance, one of K-State's main players is rumored to have failed a drug test and out for the rest of the b-ball seaon. Seriously guy?!?!?!? What a disappointment for a season where dreams were SO big! I'm not gonna stop cheering but I get so sick of trying to defend the team. If things get much worse, I might have to play in the match up against KU on Monday. Now that would be a game! Speaking of KU, has everyone seen the Flash Mob clip that is going around from the KU/MU game on Monday night? I absoultely LOVE a Flash Mob and thought this was pretty impressive!

Hope everyone had a Happy Hump Day! Countdown to the weekend is on!!

Weekly Wrap-Up

This week could largely be summarized by "brr!" and "snow!". I am trying to stay positive about the snow, but man, it's tough! I finally went to the gym yesterday morning after not going M-W, it felt good to go, but the temperatures are so crazy. On the way homefrom the gym, my car read -11 at 6:30 and it warmed up to a balmy +23 degrees on the way home from work....who else is ready for spring?! I have logged quite a bit of couch time this week and will have to report on how my resolutions are going, as some of them (watch less TV) took a hit during my hibernation! One BIG task that I did accomplish was that I ordered pictures from my sis and my Australia/New Zealand trip this week. Took me quite awhile to pick which ones I wanted!! Excited to get those in an album!

On an upnote, I am chipping away on my Pantry Project 2011 and getting more and more room in my freezer and cupboards! Hooray!

One nice surprise this week was that my friend's kids shoveled my LONG driveway while I was at work Wednesday! These are the same kiddos I referred to last weekend....in my head I was thinking, "It will be good for me to shovel....good exercise." But, I'm not going to lie, I was really excited to see that snow gone when I got home. Oh yeah, for all of you "snow day" people- the hospitals NEVER have snow days. Turns out, people still get sick even in crummy weather!

Things perked up yesterday when I went to my parents' house for dinner and my mom had made her homemade scalloped potatoes. SO GOOD! It's her mom's recipe and a treat we only have it seems like every few years. Made my day!

In a bit I'm going to meet friends and go see "No Strings Attached". Looks cute and who doesn't love Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher?!

I'm working tomorrow during the day and then going to log some time at the gym as I'm trying some new recipes at my parents' house tomorrow night (more on that later!) AND looking forward to watching the Superbowl (okay, let's be honest, the commercials) on Sunday. I amtaking a veggie pizza to my parents' house for the game and PUMPED about using my new food processor that I got at Christmas (first time use!) to chop veggies for it. I've actually never made this recipe, but it makes me think of my college roommate Katie because she introduced me to it our junior year of college. She made it to take to the K-State game at Nebraska that we road-tripped to and I thought it was the BEST THING EVER! Shockingly, I have never made the popular recipe but excited to try it.

Hope everyone has a warm weekend with family and friends!

Resolutions for 2011

Welcome 2011! Today is 1-1-11. Craziness. As many people do, as we bring in this new year, I am in the mood of reflecting, processing, and contemplating my life, as well as what I can do to improve it as we are given this fresh start in a new calendar year. I feel like 2010 was a good year for me and have many blessings to be thankful for. Here are some resolutions I've made for the upcoming year. Hypothetically, I would like to check back to them a few times during the year and see how I'm doing. I couldn't narrow it down to one or two. Perhaps I think if I make enough of them, then my odds are higher at meeting a couple of them. Hope everyone is pleased with 2011 so far (it's been 22.5 hours as I write this). My best to you all. xoxo

1. I will remember to take my reusable bags into Dillons. I am chronically a failure when it comes to this. I will do better.
2. Complain less. Be thankful more. Pray more.
3. Keep my checkbook more balanced-ish. Used to be SO good at this but haven't been so good since vacation this fall. Should be an easy fix. Should be.
4. Be kinder to my parents and sister. Might be hard to believe, but I can be perfectly, downright unpleasant. It's true. And in my world, I'm the harshest with those I love the most.
5. Find a local church that I am excited about and get involved!
6. Keep my office/craft room more organized. (It's somewhat my "Monica's closet" for you Friends fans.)
7. Read more. Watch less TV.
8. Less multi-tasking. More focusing on a single task wholeheartedly.
9. Run in an official 5K race.
10. Find a volunteer mission I'm passionate about....suggestions welcome.

Dropping like flies....

Welp, week two of basketball is behind us. Wish I was able to be updating that we have really turned the corner and had world domination last week. However......going into the game, we only had 6 players, so we recruited a few warm bodies (a couple which had never played before- scary!) and we were up to 9. Taylor who hurt her knee the first week is out and then last week, her sister-in-law broke her pinky. :( After that sacrifice, we still did not prevail...we only lost by 44 this week (as opposed to 50 last week). So, fingers crossed no one else gets injured this week and that we continue to close the gap between us as the losers and the winners. :)

Long overdue.

During my stay-at-home-sick-from-work yesterday I finally did something that has been on my uber pressing to-do list for a long time. I watched "The Breakfast Club". My good friend since college Lindsay started a breakfast club of her own in Wichita shortly after I moved from there. She invites a group of gals every month to try a different establishment that serves breakfast and I happened to be in town one weekend and got to join. When she first started it, she casually mentioned that the name was based on the movie "The Breakfast Club" and I mentioned I hadn't seen it. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!? You would have thought I said that I murdered someone's puppy. It seemed unfathamable to her that I hadn't seen it. So, 6 months later, I have FINALLY taken care of this and watched the epic film. I can see why everyone loves it so much. Thanks for the push I needed to watch a classic Linds! :)

Saddest Thing Ever...

Over the course of the last week I have progressively lost my voice and this weekend I am left with not much of any voice! :( Now, for those of you that know me, you know that talking is one of the consistent activities in my life! And as far as being a speech therapist....kinda tricky without the ability to talk. So, I am taking it easy and have put myself on vocal rest...hopefully it returns soon!!

Soundtrack of my Life.

Recently, the morning radio personalities on a local station were sharing some songs that they titled the "Soundtrack of my Life". The songs all had a meaning for them, maybe not significant, but a song that brought up a specific image/feeling/memory . Isn't that crazy how songs will make you recall a time in your life, a person, a feeling...etc.

It amazes me how this lasts throughout life....for example, many of my geriatric patients recall songs from long ago, no matter how long it's been since they have sang them. With stroke patients, when someone can't talk at all, it is often successful to have them sing a familiar tune that is deeply embedded in their brains, like "Happy Birthday" or the "ABCs". It is usually a touching moment for them to get some words out after not having any speech. In addition to my day job, I work some at a nursing home on the evenings/weekends. Last week they had a song time before dinner (served at the super early hour of 4:45), and a staff member led them in favorite hymns. Every time they do this the air is knocked out of me a little and I tear up a bit. I know pathetic, but it's so sweet to see people who don't usually talk much to join in the singing in these wobbly little voices. Ahh. Mainly because many of them don't know where they are, what year it is, or maybe even their own name....which brings me back to.....

The Soundtrack of my Life. After wasting a crazy amount of time on Itunes tonight, I thought I would share a few that brought specific images to mind. Feel free to share any of your own.

• "It's My Party"....and I'll cry if I want to! My mom had an oldies tape (yes, tape) that she let us play on REPEAT in the car growing up. I specifically remember listening to this song on the way to church camp with my friend Annie and singing at the top of our lungs.
• "Kokomo"....I spent one year going to Latchkey after school, maybe 1st or 2nd grade. I didn't really like it cause none of my friends were there and they had crummy snacks. :) It was usually at the church across from my grade school but one day we went to a synagogue (maybe my only trip to one to this day) and I remember this song playing in the background and one of the older kids teaching me the lyrics.
• "I Will Always Love You"...Whitney Houston version. This was from my first CD "The Bodyguard" soundtrack...It actually started out as my mom's cd, but I think maybe I asked her for it, then went in my room and played this song on repeat on my super sweet stereo set-up, circa 1990.
• "Waterfalls".....one of TLC's popular hits during my middle school years. I recall watching the music video (yes, we were that cool) with my friends Katie and Callie at Katie's house....sitting in her dining room as her mom served up some frozen pizza....and Katie and Callie explained the songs lyrics. Apparently, they were more worldly at the age of 12 and knew it wasn't really about water, but promiscuous sex.
• "Strawberry Wine"....what girl didn't love this Deana Carter hit?! This song was featured in my life when I went through that phase where you went in your room, listened to music and my googly eyes at Johnathan Taylor Thomas (he is still dreamy). Inbetween takes of "Top 40 Hits" on Sunday nights, Strawberry Wine was a regular on my playlist.
• "Goodbye Earl".....about two best friends that kill one of their husbands cause he was basically a dirt bag. My best friend in high school Lacey and I referred to ourselves as Mary Anne and Wanda....the two main characters (we never killed anyone, just to clarify), but we were super tight and had all sorts of fun together. Crazy enough, after 9 years apart, we are both back in our glorious hometown and get to see each other on a regular basis. I so LOVE the Dixie Chicks and one of my biggest regrets in life is not going to see them in concert when they came to KSU. Guess I will always have their tunes to sing to!
• "Hanging by a Moment"....a song that was on repeat in my friend Amy's room in the dorms our freshman year of college. What carefree days! It reminds me of a very relaxed time that involved showering in sandals, shared spaces with a stranger, naps inbetween classes and a glorious thing called Christmas break.

Looking forward to continuing to add to my soundtrack.

Out of the loop.

Just wanted to apologize for being so MIA in the blogging community lately....I am hoping my lack of posting hasn't severely disrupted anyone's worlds, but my computer charge plug-in hasn't been working and is in the shop. I have been pretty busy working on my house and will have to post some "after" pics of the house after I get my computer back (hopefully soon)! Until then, I am of course enjoying reading everyone else's on my parents' computer....just wanted to explain my lack of blog participation.

The End.

So, after much anticipated build-up for the last 6 months of what "will happen" with Jon and Kate +8, now we know. They announced on the show tonight that they are separating and then it was announced that they filed for divorce today. So sad for all their kids!! I was talking to a friend about it earlier and she was like, maybe there will be two shows, "Jon + 4" and "Kate + 4". :(

Inhumane working conditions...

So, there is a SERIOUS problem at my work! Every Monday, about 3:00, the occupational therapists do a cooking activity with their patients....that involves baking fresh chocolate chip cookies. SERIOUSLY!?!?!? What did I ever do to deserve this sort of torture!??! The kitchen is across the hall from the speech office, so the smell of fresh cookies floats across the hall and into my nose and makes me so hungry I feel like I could chew my arm off!! It's at the worst time of day too....lunch has worn off, the appeal of work is fading and there is like an hour of work left to go....I don't know if I can go on working in this set-up!! If you read in the newspaper that a speech therapist went crazy and took a bunch of cookies from some elderly patients, it was probably me. Don't say I didn't warn you. ;)

Kickin' it....

Tonight, I took the leap into starting up kickboxing again! Ugh...it....was....tough!!! I used to go during the summers in college (was in much better shape, coincidence...I think not) and it was a really good workout. So, after living in Topeka for 3 months now, I worked up the motivation to go today! After watching Biggest Loser, you would think that would have got me motivated during the season, but alas, today's the day!

I thought the whole thing was going to be a no go. Storms have been predicted all day and I thought if God threw down a tornado in my path, then I probably shouldn't go. He didn't, so I went. Then, the usual instructor called in sick and there wasn't a teacher. But a sub showed up a few minutes late, so we got started. Next, the microphone battery went dead....so surely then we would stop the torture, but the instructor just managed to yell for 30 minutes of kickboxing and 23 minutes of abs.

Will let you know how I feel tomorrow....I am guessing it's not going to be "good." Good news is, maybe if I go back again, it will be easier!!

That's not my Jon and Kate....

As many of you know (basically if you have ever had a conversation with me), I LOVE the show Jon and Kate Plus 8. It's about a couple that is married and have an 8-year-old set of twin girls and sextuplets that are five. What can I say? I'm a sucker for reality TV, the kids are cute and it's just a good little show!

Since I have spent a fair chunk of time watching the show, I feel like I know them pretty well so, I just wanted to clear up some horrible rumors going around saying that Jon has been cheating on Kate....and now there are rumors that Kate is cheating on Jon with her bodyguard. I refuse to believe it!!! Until Jon or Kate call me personally to confirm these vicious lies, I am going to continue to believe that it's the media just making stuff up! Let me know if anyone hears anything else!

Not enough hours in the day....anyone else??

It has been SO nice outside tonight! My dad "fired up the grill" and cooked steaks....very tasty. :)After work, I went to the gym and then my mom and I planted the rest of the flowers we got for Mother's Day yesterday. After those activities, and then eating some of Bob's cooking....we are about out of evening; ugh! Where the the time go?

I have about 8 things I want to be doing at this very moment; and yet, I am blogging. I have about 10 pages of a book to read before it's finished, a couple quilts to work on, an Oprah paused on the DVR and laundry to put away. Anyone else seem to have this problem?? It seems like at work sometimes the day creeps by and the second you are home, the clock speeds up?! I guess I just need to do one thing at a time; but that is not always my strong suit. However, I am looking forward to some more products from my dad's grill this summer....keep the nice weather coming!!

The saddest thing ever...

Last weekend, it was announced that the Dillons grocery store that I grew up going to....next to my high school.....is closing. :( This is because they put a newer Dillons in less than a mile away. Why would they do that?! No one here is happy about it....I am sure of it; not one single person in Topeka! An older lady was quoted in the paper that "she wanted to shoot them." I second that!!! Some memories I have at the Dillons at 21st and Belle Dillons:

1) The first time I ever drove somewhere with my mom outside of the cemetary where she taught me to drive was to that Dillons. After getting some groceries, I was apparently nervous and forgot to look in my rear-view mirror and backed into another car as it was backing out. No harm, no foul. Whoops!

2) It was a frequent lunch stop in high school since we were allowed to go off campus for lunch. We would often go there for salad bar or chinese food. Yum. :)

3) While I was growing up, my grandma lived down the street after about the time I turned 8. I would often go to the store with her to "help"....and then when I was old enough to drive, I would take her sometimes. Well, I distinctively remember when I was maybe 9 or 10, we had went to get groceries....after we bought them and got out to the car, Grandma remembered that we forgot to buy bread. So, she sent me back in with $2 and I remember going in and looking at the prices and thinking that I didn't have enough money!! I used to get mixed up that there was 60 cents in a dollar vs minutes in an hour. Since I thought I didn't have enough, I returned to her car to tell her the bad news. :( Since then I never forget that there are 100 cents in a dollar!! Whoops!

Farewell Dillons....I will have to find another grocery store to be loyal to; you will be hard to replace!

Go figure!!

Today is my last day for my lease for my apartment in Wichita. So, clearly I needed to get all of my stuff out and the place cleaned up. Big thanks to my dad for volunteering to go down Thursday night to meet the movers Friday morning so I wouldn't have to use vacation time at work. However, what are the odds we get snow and ice at the END OF MARCH?!?!? Due to the weather; Bob was trapped in Wichita until Sunday, (not like on the side of the road; he was in a nice hotel with plenty of March Madness to watch!) but thankfully the time period in my life where I have boxes in all different locations is over! Now, everything for the most part is in storage except for what I really need at my parents' house....until I find a house. I have started to look but plan to stay here for a bit, at least until I find a house I really like! Kind of fun to look though; but mildly overwhelming. I will definitely try to post updates with that venture and welcome any tips when looking! :)

Not Super?

Yesterday I made my first trip into Target here since becoming a Topeka resident again and I forgot that we don't have a SuperTarget here....however, I have never been to buy groceries there intentionally unless I picked up a few things because I was there. I have some friends that are totally devoted to Target for their every need but I am more of a Dillons/Walmart kinda gal and converting to being a Hyvee lover as well. I still managed to spend $50 (mainly on hair stuff and a couple greeting cards). Amazingly enough, even though it's not "Super", they sure did have a TON of food items, so maybe it's kinda "Good" Target....I think I will make it without a "Super" status....

Out of order....and I hate it....

I need to apologize for my picture-less blog as of late. My laptop decided (probably just to spite me for being overused) to stop working last Sunday. So...I have been using my parents' computer to write my picture-less blogs. Pretty boring. Not that I couldn't upload pictures to their computer but it seems like a hassle and mine should be back from NFM next week sometime so hold on until then and I am SURE that I will have some SUPER excited pictures to post. Well, not really but there will most likely be pictures...probably of something that I bake. My mom and I have been going through some stuff out of storage as my parents get settled in their new house and I am highly inspired/intrigued by all the cookbooks she has...maybe we will find a decent recipe to cook up and share! Stay tuned!!

Madness...

I just had to share how much I love this time of year...and by that I don't mean spring cleaning, I mean college hoops and March Madness!! The rest of the season I don't watch nearly as many games as I would like to, but like so many other people, I devote LOTS of hours watching the tournament. It embodies everything I love about the game- upsets, close games, cheering for an underdog when you don't even know their mascot (Dayton) and friendly family rivalry in picking brackets. It would be a lot more friendly if I was winnning. Hmmp....maybe I will pull ahead with my picks next weekend! Good luck to all of your teams (too bad KSU isn't in it, huh?!)...

Public Service Announcement....

Thank goodness spring is approaching! I just thought I would clear up a little misunderstanding with a few folks (you know who you are). In the last week I have had a couple people tell me that they weren't going to the gym to work out as it is "cold outside." See, the beauty of a gym is that it is an indoor workout and it doesn't matter what the weather is like outside....since it will hopefully be getting warmer soon, it shouldn't be much of an issue, but I just wanted to clarify that as it seemed to be a confusing issue for more than one person! :) See ya' at the gym!!