Till Then Smile Often

September 30, 2013

When I Retire

When I retire, I would hope that there are people to celebrate with me, to wish me well and to tell me how I made a difference in their lives. I don’t think that would happen in my current position, but for my second mom that is exactly what happened. She retired this past summer as a Library Paraprofessional. She helped to mold and shape how kids felt about reading. She read to them using different voices for different characters. She read The Polar Express every year, but she didn’t just read it, she made it come to life! This is just a part of who she is but I am sure she made a difference in so many kids lives. She is finally getting to see Graceland (she is a huge Elvis fan)!! So on Saturday we celebrate her and the next chapter in her life.

On Friday I prepared some props for the party. We planned on setting up a photo booth.

I tested them out on Seamus. He was stinking up the joint so it really was fitting.

I got up early on Saturday to help setup for the party. Last week I didn’t really do my hair except to put it in a ponytail so it was really just nice to do my hair. A little selfie action to prove I actually clean up nice.

Since I was going to be gone most of the day I drove Seamus to my Dad’s so he could babysit Seamus. Seamus is not a fun passenger to have in the car. He barks almost the whole way there but he finally got comfortable and became quiet once squeezed between me and the door. He is such a needy little bugger.

I didn’t get a lot of pictures from the party since I was having fun and chatting it up with everyone. My family was there too so I got to see my nieces.

Getting fiesty with Elvis in the photo booth!

Opening up her brand new iPad!

It was a great party but a long day! After picking up Seamus from my Dad’s I headed home and got into my jammies and watched Almost Famous with some candles going and some Apple Pie Moonshine and sprite.

Sunday I spent the day doing errands like grocery shopping, cleaning the bathrooms, laundry, dishes, sweeping and mopping. I did take a break to do a quick workout. It felt really great to get back into it.

I spent the rest of the night doing food prep, making Seamus some dog biscuits and made some chili. This was my first of the season and it will serve as a good base but I will be experimenting with adding a few things to it. I will be sharing the recipe soon!!

I am also part of a group giveaway with lots of gift cards, and ad space up for one lucky winner. Go here to enter!

How did you spend your weekend?

Linking up with Sami at Sami’s Shenanigans and Leann at Join the Gossip .

September 26, 2013

Better than Ice Cream

Happy Friday!! I am so glad for this week to be coming to an end. It has been long, stressful and frenzied!! Every night I come home more exhausted than the day before. It doesn’t help that I haven’t been to the gym all week. I am trying to keep it together and looking forward to next Tuesday when the fiscal year ends and I can breathe again. So this week I have just been trying to get by. So this week for 5 on Friday I will share with you a few thing that helped me get by or kept me relatively sane.

One. The title of this post comes from the ending song from this movie. Ice cream by Sara McLaughlin. This movie is such a classic and one of my favorites. Yes, I own the DVD and would watch it every time it is on TV. Total chick flick but hey, I am a girl to there.

Two. Nothing more is needed.

Three. Thanks to Maddie for posting the sappiest saddest cryfest video. The video was playing Butterfly Kisses which reminded me of my Dad. See my Freshman year of college I was away at Ohio State University over 800 miles from my Dad and brother and feeling really homesick. My Dad sent me a care package and it included the CD with Butterfly kisses. He really tries hard to be a tough guy but he really is a softie. That is why he is the BEST.DAD.EVER!! I am so lucky to have had him to raise me. I know it was really tough for him being a single Dad but he was always there for me.

Four. Pretty much how I have felt all week.

Five. Wine. I don’t drink often and I showed such restraint by holding out till Thursday but it helped. This was a wine I won at a party once and I really like it. I don’t typically like Red as I find it a little too sharp and musky. This is a dessert wine so it is a little more fruity. It is Alasia Brachetto d’Acqui from Italy. Nothing wrong with an Italian, just saying!

Well I will be counting down the minutes to the end of the work day and hoping and praying that next week is a little less hectic and i am going to get back to the gym and hit it hard! Have a great weekend everyone!

What helps you get through a bad day or bad week?

September 25, 2013

Random is the Game

So I haven’t talked about my job on here but I work in Government Contracts (it is really not as ~~glamorous~~ ~~boring~~ important as it sounds) and the fiscal year for the Government ends September 30th. This means they have to spend all their money or lose it come next years budget. So this week for me is kinda like what tax season is for CPA’s. It is chaotic, frenzied and really stressful. Meaning I have not taken one picture of my meals this week and with a few new faces around here I figured I would change it up a bit this week with a few random things about me.

* I majored in Communication with a minor in Sociology in college. My job has nothing to do with either but I guess my blog kinda does, right?

* I played Softball growing up from 8 years old up to 17 years old. I was a lefty who played third base. When I got to High School they wouldn’t let me play 3rd (they didn’t think a lefty could do it) so I became a pitcher and ended up pitching almost every game my Sophmore year. I miss playing all the time and go to the batting cages when I can.

Back row third from the left – in case you couldn’t tell

* I played soccer when I was young too but I was really aggressive and so they tried putting my as Goalie. No-one puts Kerry in a corner!

* I am a total type A and I fit my Virgo personality perfectly. I make lists upon lists of everything. Some of it is due to a concussion and memory issues but mostly just due to me constantly wanting to look things up, research something, remember a song or movie someone mentioned. I keep a daily, weekly and monthly to-do list thanks to Chalene’s 30 day program to help master organization and meeting goals.

* I lost my kitty Jasmine in January 2013 to feline breast cancer. I still cry looking at pictures of her and it was one of the hardest things watching her go. She was the first pet that was all mine and not a family pet.

* I can not carry a tune, like at all!

* I am a lefty – it has been said we a smarter! 😉

* I am a total old soul and believe in good old fashion values. I wish we didn’t lose so much of what was good about the older generation.

* I have such a hard time saying No and want to help everyone, sometimes as the detriment of my own sanity or comfort. I don’t know if this is a good or bad quality.

* Yellow is my favorite color. I really makes me smile when wearing it, decorating with it, or painting with it.

* I will always support breast cancer fundraising. I used to walk/volunteer at the Breast Cancer Walk in Boston and pass out favors at the finish line. I also ended up with extreme hypothermia while doing the 3 day Breast Cancer walk one year.

Well that is all I have for today, hope you learned a little bit more about me. I can’t tell you all enough how incredibly blessed I feel that you take the time to read my little ole blog. If we haven’t connected yet please comment so we can get to know each other better! Much love!

Linking up with Shanna for Random Wednesday.

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September 23, 2013

Caramel Pear Pie

If you saw my Fall Bucket List you will know that baking a pie was one of my items. It is inevitable that I will bake a pie every year but I wanted to something other than the standard Apple pie. When I saw this Pin on Pinterest I knew I had to give it a try. The pears become very soft when baking and the caramel and brown sugar lend the sweetness to the center. My co-workers told me it was blog worthy, so hope you give it a try!

Ingredients:

Pie Crust – 2½ cup flour ~ 1 cup cold butter, cubed ~1 tsp salt ~ 1 tsp sugar ~ 6 to 8 tbsp ice cold water ~ 1 egg white, for brushing over the crust

Filling – 10 pears, peeled, cored, and sliced ~ juice from one lime ~ 1/3 cup Caramel Sauce ~ Pinch of Brown Sugar

Directions: Remove butter from freezer. Butter should be frozen (I always store my butter in the freezer for baking purposes). In a food processor add the flour, salt and sugar and mix till combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is mixed (should be chunky crumbles). Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time and continue mixing. The dough should start to hold together. Go slow and check after each one.

Caramel Pear Pie

Remove dough from food processor and place it on a cutting board or mat. Roll into a ball and cut in half forming the top and bottom crust.

Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 2 days before using. Peel, core and slice the pears and toss with the lime juice.

Preheat oven to 425° F / 220° C. Take out your dough and roll out so that it’s 10 inches in diameter and place it and arrange in your pie dish.

Brush the pie crust with egg white so that it doesn’t get soggy. Add the pears to the pie dish and pour the caramel sauce over the pears, you don’t have to pour it all if you think it’s too much sauce.

Sprinkle on a pinch or two of Brown sugar.

Roll out the other disc so that it’s 12 inches in diameter cut it into lattice strips. Arrange the lattice strips nicely over the pears, cutting the parts that overhang.

Brush with remaining egg white to the lattice top. This will give you that nice golden brown crust! Sprinkle on a little granulated sugar for an added glow.

Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

What is you favorite kind of pie?

Linking up with Jessica and Ashley.

September 23, 2013

Weekend of Rest

Well another week is upon us and I can gladly say that this weekend was really restful. As much as I wanted to cross off some items from my many to-do lists I didn’t do anything that wasn’t required. It was so relaxing and decadent to not be running around like a crazy person.

Friday: I spent the night catching up on my DVR’s so I don’t have pictures of it.

Saturday:

1. I started the morning off with a really large cup of coffee. Seamus actually let me sleep in until 6:30 which is really late for him.

2. I made a quick run to the grocery store and picked up this Smoked Gouda with Bacon cheese.

3. I started knitting a new fall hat while watching a ton of Movies. Including No Strings Attached, Miss Congeniality, Message in a Bottle and Bridesmaids.

4. I baked 2 slices of Hard Salami per muffin tin in the oven at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes to make cups then added some cucumber, tomatoes and cheese.

5. Just in time for the Ohio State Game to start I made Cheesy Corn Chowder with Bacon and Gorgonzola from How Sweet It Is. It was AMAZING!! Probably my favorite soup EVER now! Ohio State kicked some Florida A&M butt. Total shutout 76-0.

Sunday:

6. I started my morning off with some juicing! This is Apples, orange, carrots, celery and blueberries.

7. I finished this book. I have another 4 out from the library so I need to get reading. I can’t figure out how I feel about this book. It was not what I expected and the ending took a really weird turn. I didn’t hate it but it was just random.

8. I finished my Slouchy Cable Beret! Looking forward to wearing it once the weather gets cooler. It knitted up quickly too. It is actually a more mint color than the pic shows.

9. Snuggle time with Seamus for the rest of the night watching a little Breaking Bad.

Overall very relaxing weekend. I even took a 25 minute power nap on Sunday after the Patriots game. Not having to fit so much into such a small amount of time was really refreshing. I am going to enjoy it while it lasts because I know it won’t last long!

How was your weekend?

Linking up with Sami at Sami’s Shenanigans and Leann at Join the Gossip .

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