in an effort to truly recognize the simple pleasures in my life, i have compiled a list of random happenings that made the last seven days a lot brighter. (& trust me, they were all very much appreciated.)

• Memorial Day weekend. The first true holiday weekend of the year. One filled with outdoor activities, lounging in the sun, relaxing with family, cooking of delicious food, & acknowledging those who have fought for our country.  Plus, it’s the official start of white-pant-wearing. That’s something in and of itself.
• Anonymous comments.  I happen to love the option of receiving anonymous comments  Most of them are adorably kind and welcoming which makes me happy. & the others that aren’t so brilliant, well, those remind me to never be a jerk. & honestly, that’s one helluva reminder.
• Faith.  i’m not preaching on a particular kind, i’m just acknowledging that sometimes, life doesn’t seem fair, you don’t the answers, nobody can say magical words to make it better, & all you have is this hopeful belief in something or someone that life will be good once again. to me, this week, faith is just that-a hope that in two weeks, all will be good, once again.
• Life Realizations.  there will always be those times in my life when the thought crosses my mind of, “oh, yea, that person really isn’t going to change/improve/realize that they are oozing bad vibes into this world.” unfortunately, friendships will fail, relationships will break, & realizations will be had. but in the end, i’ll always be better for them-for the lesson, for the reminder, for the appreciation that the good people in my life are actually pretty great.
• New Beginnings. looking for a new place to reside is exciting. i dig it & i can’t wait to bring you along on my adventures.

in an effort to truly recognize the simple pleasures in my life, i have compiled a list of random happenings that made the last seven days a lot brighter. (& trust me, they were all very much appreciated.)

• Groupon/Living Social. do you realize how many “deals” i have acquired over the last several years? my favorite most recent purchase? shellac.  my other favorite most recent purchase? yoga sessions. my other most favorite recent purchase? speed dating.  while i’m not so sure i would have passed up a(n) [alleged] deal from Google, i’m glad Groupon (& Living Social) remain(s) one bookmark i check on a daily basis.
• Wednesday morning Yoga sessions.  Thanks to a very lovely co-worker who happens to be a certified Yoga instructor, my Wednesday morning routine has shifted from waking up at 5 a.m. for a cardio session to a waking up at 6 a.m. in order to commute to the office in time for an hour long wake-up yoga session.  it’s a change i am more than happy to accommodate!
• Surprises. Simple Pleasures. Little Things in Life. perhaps a little cliche-y, but they make my life more pleasant. & if you’re asking me, pleasant is good great. 
• End of the year dinner with Mama J. Yesterday was Mama J’s last day of the school year so we decided to celebrate by dining for two.  It’s always nice to step away & into a booth whilst discussing the relief of the summer months that have snuck up on us.  Can you believe it’s gonna be June this next week? We can’t.
• Race-time in the City.  It’s a great time to be in Indianapolis.  Driving down the streets & being ushered in by “Welcome Race Day Fans” banners that are hanging on businesses & homes is something that i really love.  & while I may not be attending the 500 miles of furry, you better believe I’ll be waiting to witness my favorite moment of Race Day, the fly-over. Every year, I sit outside & wait for those beautiful planes to speed over our house. It’s little & maybe silly, but it’s my thing. judge away. Sometimes, I just really love this city.  (I also miss Dan Wheldon something fierce. I will be one of the thousands of people tearing up when they pay tribute to him this Sunday)
• Golf. I have been golfing since I was thirteen years old.  A member of the first Ladies Golf team at my middle school, a Varsity letter winner on my high school’s team, & an avid golf player since those ancient times.  However, last year, I didn’t pick up a club- not once. I’m not sure what it was-perhaps the emotional let down of grad school ending? not being employed? Whatever the reason, I really started missing my once beloved sport.  Thankfully, all it took was the purchase of some snazzy spikes to set my heart ablazin’.  This morning’s round with BR was just what I needed.  The weather was perfect at our 7:30 tee-time, my swing re-appeared like riding a bike, & my adoration for the sport re-surfaced right in the nick of time.  I have a feeling this summer will be filled with many, many rounds.

in an effort to truly recognize the simple pleasures in my life, i have compiled a list of random happenings that made the last seven days a lot brighter. (& trust me, they were all very much appreciated.)

• Mother’s day. it was a day to show mad appreciation for my own mother, but it was bittersweet as thoughts filled my head with those dear friends who are overcoming their own natural struggles with the day. it was a time of celebration & realization- sometimes those are the most necessary.
• Morning workouts. i successfully managed to wake up each & every day this week at 5 a.m.  i hadn’t done that in a while. it felt good to stretch out the day, start off each morning with classic episodes of Family Matters on Nickelodeon, & know the rest of the day would have to decent because the hardest work had already been done.
• Lunch & Learns. one thing we do at Cool Job is an event entitled, “Lunch & Learn.”  every once in a while, over the noon hour, we can sign up to eat good food & discover what’s going on with the different departments at our company. Or, in this week’s case, “Eat this, Not that” where a local wellness counselor schooled us on all things nutrition & smart choices (plus, we got a free t-shirt (!!!) & a healthy lunch).  it was a nice break in the day while also a reason to continue healthy living 101.
• Customer Service. if you’re going to work in an industry where customers are the most crucial part of the business plan, why not always be kind? i’ve been that employee & i know some customers are unruly, but in the end, just be kind. this week, i was fortunate enough to experience some of the best customer service around. as i purchased a small trinket for a best friend currently mourning a loss, i was overcome with gratitude to Sarah, the salesperson who was more than helpful, when i was desperate for opinions, suggestions, & solutions. she was simply fabulous.
• a Good Challenge. i’m always up for one.  this week was no different. when everything is handed in & approved, that’s a feeling you can’t describe.
• Promises of Summer. i’ve made a couple of them-one of which is to play more golf (related: the shoes are amazing!). the others revolve around nights spent outdoors, upping the fitness game, escaping on weekend getaways, purchasing a bike, riding said bike around the city, working my way through the books currently occupying my shelf, etc.  i’m pretty pumped about them all.
• Small efforts.  let’s be honest, baking cupcakes isn’t a huge task. there’s a 10 minute prep time, 15 minute bake time, mixing up of homemade frostings (simple!), an hour of cooling while watching reality t.v. & then, the minimal efforts of frosting & sparkling.  all in all, it might mean giving up a small portion of your busy nights, but it’s not like it’s an occasion filled with stress. plus, the next morning, when those bad boys arrive at the office, they’re gonna be gone within an hour, so, i’m pretty sure this means people like them. therefore, take on a small effort if it means you can positively set the mood for the day. your co-workers receiving the goods will be happy & chances are, you’ll feel some sort of gratitude about it all, too!

in an effort to truly recognize the simple pleasures in my life, i have compiled a list of random happenings that made the last seven days a little lot brighter. ((& trust me, they were all very much appreciated.))

• Attitude Adjustments. they’re necessary from time to time. & this week, they were mandatory.
• Looking toward the future. it’s fun to think about new adventures, extreme potential, & unplanned goodness. i can feel the shift in my life from living day-to-day to living a more stable, fulfilled life. it’s exciting.
• Hair cuts. even though the day following my trim i was asked how long i was going to let my hair grow out, the feeling of someone else washing, massaging, blowing out, & styling my hair was quite lovely.
• Surprises. always surprises. i morph into a sappy, appreciative, little girl & i wouldn’t have it any other way.
• #FebPhotoADay. a couple days in & it has already forced me to take a minute to soak up a portion of my crazy days.
• Super Bowl mayhem.  i can’t even believe the excitement. today, i am adventuring down to the Super Bowl village to take in the people, chaos, & hopefully celebrity sightings… i am so proud to be a little hoosier!

in an effort to truly recognize the simple pleasures in my life, i have compiled a list of random happenings that made the last seven days a little lot brighter. ((& trust me, they were all very much appreciated.))

• Chunky scarves. this week, scarves have been a staple in my daily outfit selections. possibly because the weather has been ridiculously cold & wet & dreary.  thankfully, there are sites like gilt, target, shopbop, cusp, & ruelala to feed my scarf-loving addiction. (right, Erin?)
• Spring inspiration. i’m not necessarily ready for the spring weather, i’m just ready to get back into spring break 2k2 shape. oh, those were the days.  bahamas, banana boat rides, khalik beer….if only i could go back, if only for a day…
• Working out hiatus. while this isn’t helping in the spring fitness goals routine mentality, it has been nice to take a week off in order to get more sleep. you see, most days, i wake up to the sound of an iPhone alarm, i hit snooze, then convince myself to head down to the gym to partake in an early morning cardio session. well, this week, i opted to wake up to the sound of an iPhone alarm feeling well-rested & ready to reach for that first cup of coffee for the taste vs. for the caffeine jolt. it really has been quite lovely, but the real routine needs to resume on Monday. it must. it will.
• Mama. duh.
• The little girl who needed a drink from the fountain. Kneeling down to give you a boost was the highlight of my day. you were so precious & i needed to be reminded that offering to help, if only a knee to use as a mini-step ladder, was quite frankly the easiest & most rewarding task i performed all week!
• Changes are a coming. stay tuned, my friends.

in an effort to truly recognize the simple pleasures in my life, i have compiled a list of random happenings that made the last seven days a little lot brighter. ((& trust me, they were all very much appreciated.))

• Meetings. seems a little silly to enjoy attending meetings, but a part of me feels like i’m back in a classroom when i’m there- a place i always enjoyed-just one i was ready to leave for a bit.  when i’m in meetings, i love that there’s a lecture portion, a participation portion, & sometimes, even a show & tell portion (though not shocking, that’s always been my favorite section!).  last weekend, my five hour series of meetings flew by & not surprisingly, i would have been okay attending one more hour or so just for fun.
• eBay. my fashion finding life saver. i’m always caught off guard when i find out a person is not familiar with eBay- seeing how it has been in my life for at least eight years. i remember one of my first purchases…a Jessica Simpson-esque hand-knit shawl.  after it’s glorious appearance on Newlyweds, i HAD to have one. i ended up wearing it once, received a compliment from an elderly woman on a flight home to indianapolis over the holidays & that was it. oh, memories.
• Birthday parties. even at the ripe age of 27, i still enjoy attending birthday parties. no matter if the honoree is three years old or, in last weekend’s case, 28, it’s always an excuse to reunite with old friends & meet new [& hopefully a few single, male] friends, too.  great food is made, delicious drinks are served, & it’s a guaranteed entertaining time, what’s better than that?
• Work Friends.  over the last month or so, I have been blessed with two new, dear friends in my life. these girls made my transition back into work-life a breeze. they made me laugh more than i thought possible (especially during the holidays when i would have rather been with family) & have validated why i took this particular job in the first place. unfortunately, these two girls have both found amazing new opportunities elsewhere. & while i am sad to see them go, i know we will be in touch, that always makes the good-bye a little easier to utter.
• cupcakes. you’re definitely one of my favorite desserts. give me the cake, with light, light frosting. i’m done. that’s all. (more on this soon!)

xo, 

b

in an effort to truly recognize the simple pleasures in my life, i have compiled a list of random happenings that made the last seven days a little lot brighter. ((& trust me, they were all very much appreciated.))

• Chicago marathon weekend everything. i could talk about it for days. the girls. the city. the runners. the conversations. the hugs. the love. the laughs. such good people, such a GREAT time.
• grading papers for mama j. it’s a humbling experience.  the life a teacher is so not always glamorous. every time i volunteer to grade a stack or two (or ten!) of papers, i am reminded of the importance of teachers & the fact that they are soooo underpaid for the work they do & the hours they put in.  matt damon & i are totally on the same page. (but, duh. i should be married to him. instead i’ll refer to him as another boyfriend).
• the Possessionista. this week, she introduced her readers to a promo code for 20% off Lori’s Shoes in Chicago (it’s good until October 23rd). i quickly put that little monster to use on a fancy shmancy pair of black Frye boots (Frye never has discount codes…nor does any Frye retailer!).  the lovies arrived today. i quickly stuck them in mama j’s closet & said, “oh look, you bought me my first birthday prezzy!” well done, possessionista (& myself). well done.
  
• the beautiful fall-ish weather.  here in indianapolis, we have been blessed with some above average temps (we’re talking two days in the low 80s). the leaves have started turning gorgeous colors & we are able to get out & enjoy them without freezing our butts off.  i do love my scarves, but being able to wear a t-shirt & workout pants in the middle of october…so perfect.
• support from you all. by the time this is published, i will be knee deep in all things all-day interview.  i am so humbled by the “good luck” love. thank you thank you thank you. it means so much. truly.