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Happy Friday!

Up since 4AM today. Don’t ask me why I woke up so early. I don’t know.

My brain is in high gear these days. A lot going on at work and a fun weekend ahead = busy brain for me. Thinking of all those things I need to do and shouldn’t forget meant waking up at 4 and never going back to sleep.

Now I feel like I have socks for brains. Warm and fuzzy but not much good for higher thinking.

It probably doesn’t help that I have the remnants of a cold. Thank goodness for EmergenC and vitamins to get me over it quickly and make sure it never got to be too bad of a cold.

So, it’s a short post today. Not much to share.

Here are some of my Project Life pictures for the week so far:

My usual Thursday stop at the Bank.  Say hello to Ms. Joyce, everyone. You can’t see her, but she’s back there behind that window. She is the nicest teller lady and takes good care of me and all my crazy business transactions.

And this is my new “assistant.” I think I’m going to call her “Helen.”

Say hello, Helen.

Helen is my new hands-free device so that I can talk on all these conference calls for work without having to hold on to my phone while I drive… or talk to my mommy while I sit in carpool line.  My sweet neighbor shared her with me and I love her. The kids are not so amused as they listen to all of my conference calls as we drive home from school (thank goodness there is a mute button) but hey, it keeps both hands on the wheel, and that is important, right?

I’ll be spending the weekend with some sweet ladies – I’m headed to a retreat. I need the retreat, that is for sure. Looking forward to no internet access and some quiet time for my brain.

How has your week been going? Is it as crazy as mine has been?

It started out with promise, but it has rapidly turned into “one of those” kind of weeks… You know the kind?

The kind where you have a bajillion things to do and the universe keeps throwing curve balls and even more things get added to your To-Do list – faster than you can cross items off the list.

Yeah, it’s one of THOSE kind of weeks.

Big Girl has strep.

Little Bit has a stomach bug. (at least I think that is what it is – watching her for signs of strep)

It’s rainy.

Work is insane.

Lovely.

But, I’m not freaking out.

I’m keeping my priorities in check.  Remembering what is most important and letting the rest get handled as best it can.

That’s all I can do, right?  And as long as my babies are taken care of, most of the rest will wait.

Last night I made a change to our menu – didn’t think Sloppy Joes were a good choice for two sick little girls. So, I made homemade chicken noodle soup instead.  As a matter of fact, I tried this recipe.  They loved it.

I’m thinking it will be lunch again today.

I also made them the cutest heart-shaped biscuits for breakfast this morning. Of course, they aren’t eating them (because it is THAT kind of week!) but they made them smile.

So, I’m off to be Nurse Mommy.  And multitask at the same time being the superhero at work.  It should be an interesting day.

Hope you have a great day.

My thoughts are scattered this morning. Too many things going on – too many things to think through – plan “a,” plan “b,” plan “whatever” and so forth.  I am finding it hard to settle on one thing – my mind tosses back and forth between topics, jumping from one to another almost before a thought is finished.

I need some solitude. I need some peace.

I need to go find a cabin in the mountains and pretend that my greatest concern is whether to nap or eat lunch first.

But, that’s not going to happen right now. So, instead, I thought I’d share some of these random thoughts with you today.

5 things I love right now

1. Warm blankets to snuggle under – especially as the air turns cooler and there’s a chill in the evening.
2. Hot tea to nurture my throat and my soul, warm my body and soothe my mind.
3. The changing leaves – God’s glory, visible for us all to see.
4. Soup. So warm and comforting as the weather cools and the evenings are dark earlier.
   
5. Snuggles from my girls, reminding me of what is really important in life -to stop and be present in the moment and relish those simple, special times together.

5 things I don’t!

1. The obnoxious squirrels who scavenge all the birdseed and make a mess of my deck in the process.
2. People who say one thing and mean another, who make mountains out of molehills and who aren’t straightforward or honest with you.
   
3. The colds and viruses that run rampant this time of year.
4. Stress that comes from the unknown and unplannable happenings in life.
5. Drama!

And now I am off to create a list – of things to do, things to remember, things to accomplish. I’m hopeful that capturing it all in one place will allow my brain to settle a bit – focus on the task at hand – and lower my stress level a little.

Recipes to come later this week – and maybe some more scrapbook pages!

Make it a great day!

the last two weeks have been intense.

well, actually, the last MONTH has been that way.

hectic, busy, frantic, insane – all of these words apply.

I’m ready for the merry-go-round to slow down a little  bit.

and apparently, so is my body.

I woke up this morning with no voice and a screaming headache – you know the kind? When you want to scream because it hurts so bad, but screaming would only make it worse?

Yeah, that’s what I had.

owie.

(and screaming is not very effective when you have no voice anyway)

So, I did the only thing I could do.

I listened to my body.

Well, after I got the kids off to school, that is.

I took some migraine medicine and rested on the sofa for a little while.

I’m feeling a little better now, but that headache is lingering back there just waiting for the opportunity to jump back up and take over my head.

So, today I will focus on doing what is NECESSARY – not on tackling every single thing on my to-do list.  Some of those things will just have to wait until tomorrow, or even the next day.

Right now, it’s about priorities.

I spent the last week in an intense certification exam prep course. I’m working to get ready for my project management certification – something that will help me career-wise and also in my current job in terms of implementing best practices on the projects I currently manage.

The class has been INTENSE.  Five days, 8AM – 5PM with minimal breaks, lots and lots of hands-on activities and new terminology, processes and formulas to learn.  I don’t think I’ve been this deep in active learning in YEARS – maybe since college – most definitely not since…. well, I can’t remember.

It has been awesome and terrifying at the same time. I alternated between feeling utterly stupid and inept to feeling like I was soaring like an eagle and was going to be the best PM in the world someday.  It has been a week of highs and lows for sure.

My brain is tired.

Last night, I felt like I could barely form a coherent sentence.

I think I was asleep before anyone else in the house, including the cat!

But, after a good night’s rest, I’m reinvigorated and rested and feel much better.

As a matter of fact, Big Girl thought she’d try to stump me on some of the prep questions.  

I got them all right.

She was disgusted and didn’t want to play anymore. (hee hee)

Next week, it’s back to my usual work routine, but I have to find a way to fit in about 10 hours/week for the next few weeks to study and finish my prep – oh, and register for and schedule the actual exam.  Believe it or not, I’m more nervous about the application than I am the actual exam!

Today, though, it’s all about reconnecting with my family, my home, and letting my brain (and my calves) uncramp from the week of exercise it’s unaccustomed to.

Next week will get here soon enough.