Wednesday Ramblings

Wednesday Ramblings & Birthday Prep

Good morning, friends!

It’s 6:35 a.m., and I’m on my way to work. I don’t have to be there until 7:00, but I always leave a little early—because life loves a surprise, and I do not. Plus, I like having those few quiet minutes to get my system up and running and head to the break room to fill up my water container before the phones start ringing. A prepared girl is a peaceful girl.

Last night I finished The Apartment Sitter by Paige Brooks and oh my goodness… it was so good. The kind of book that makes you stay up later than you meant to and then think about it while brushing your teeth. I already know I’ll be looking into more of her books.

Now that we’re smack in the middle of the week, I’ve shifted into party-planning mode. Mr. C’s birthday cookout is this Sunday, and you know I love a good celebration. I’ve been making my list, checking it twice, and trying to get everything organized so the day can just be fun instead of frantic.

We’re keeping it classic cookout style:

🛒 Birthday Cookout Grocery List

Meats:

• Steaks
• Smoked sausage
• Hot links
• Hamburgers
• Hot dogs

Sides:

• Baked beans
• Potato salad

Extras I’m leaning toward making:

• Jalapeño poppers
• Bacon-wrapped little smokies

And of course, I’m ordering him a cupcake cake from Walmart because birthdays require cake. Period.

On top of party prep, I’m planning to tackle my taxes this weekend. I’ve got everything gathered—I just need to sit down and actually do it. I’m thinking Sunday  will be the day. Say a little prayer for my patience.

Something else on my heart this morning is my son, Aaron. He’s going through a hard patch, and as a mama, that helpless feeling is heavy. You want to fix it. You want to say the magic words that make it click. But sometimes they just have to walk through it themselves. I’m praying he finds his way out of his own head and into some peace soon. If you’re the praying type, we’ll take all the good thoughts.

In happier planning news, I’ve got a suitcase open for New York City. It’s too early to fully pack since I’m still wearing half the clothes I want to take, but I can start organizing. Makeup, duplicate chargers (because I never take my good ones from the house!), and deciding what I can fit into a carry-on and backpack. I’m determined to leave room for souvenirs.

Tomorrow our vice president, Stephanie, and other important folks will be at work. That means no scrolling, no sneaking in a few pages on my iPad between calls. Maybe that’s exactly what I need to focus in and hit my daily goal of 12 saves. Sometimes a little supervision is the push we didn’t know we needed.

And yes, there are days I wish I were independently wealthy and didn’t have to clock in anywhere. But since I’m not, I’ll keep showing up and doing my best. Who knows—maybe one day I’ll stumble into the perfect little side hustle. For now, I’ll just keep building what I can, one blog post at a time.

Today my sweet hubby is driving me to work, which I love. It gives me time to think, to type, and to share this little slice of my Wednesday with you.

Thanks for stopping by, friends. I hope your Wednesday is productive and full of love.