Looking At The Weekend

Happy Friday, everyone!

I am sitting in the parking lot at work this morning, watching my coworkers slowly trickle in one by one. I never like rushing into my day, so I usually wait until about 6:45 before heading inside. That gives me plenty of time to grab something to drink, fill up my water cup with lots of ice, get my computers turned on, and have all my work apps loaded before the phones start ringing. Starting the day calm is much better than starting it in a panic!

After work today, I’ll be picking up a small grocery order because tomorrow is going to be a fun Nana and Grandpa weekend. Lane and Landon are coming to spend the day and stay the night with us, so of course I have to make sure we’re fully stocked with all the important essentials—milk, chocolate syrup, cookies, ice cream, and plenty of snacks. If you’ve ever shopped for picky eaters, you know it’s almost like preparing for a tiny food critic convention! Thankfully, a little chocolate milk can solve a lot of problems.

Tomorrow I’m also hoping to attend the Peach Festival. I’ve never been before, and since this is their 50th year, I figured it’s finally time to check it off my Oklahoma adventure list. I need to get with my friend Nancy today to see if she’s still planning to go with me. If she can make it, that’ll be wonderful. If not, I’ll still head that way because I’ve learned that sometimes solo adventures can be just as much fun.

I talked with my best friend, Cherrie, yesterday. She’s doing well at her new job and making more money, which I’m so happy about. The downside is that she’s working a lot more hours, so it’s been hard for our schedules to line up. Our famous Sunday Fundays have almost disappeared lately, but we’re hoping to get together one evening next week after work. Sometimes friendships just have to work around busy seasons of life, and that’s okay.

I’ve also been having a great time on Swap-bot lately. I’ve picked up a couple of new pen pals, and my goal is to get at least two letters written and mailed tomorrow. I’m determined not to get behind this time! It’s funny how people who start out as strangers eventually become friends through handwritten letters. There’s just something special about opening your mailbox and finding something besides bills.

Tomorrow I also need to mail my “Pen Pal Kit No. 3” swap. I really enjoyed putting this one together. It’s filled with fun stationery supplies and little goodies that another pen pal can use while writing letters. I honestly think the kit turned out really nice, and I’m excited to see what arrives in my mailbox in return. Even if it’s not quite as full as the one I sent, that’s perfectly okay. Let’s just say I’m definitely not suffering from a shortage of stationery supplies around here. If there were an Olympic event for collecting stickers, washi tape, and pretty paper, I might actually have a chance at bringing home the gold medal!

For now, though, it’s time to head into work. I’m hoping for a great day with lots of member saves so I can earn a little extra money. And if it wants to rain off and on all day, I certainly won’t complain. Rainy Fridays have a way of making the weekend feel even cozier.

Thank you so much for stopping by and spending a few minutes with me today. I’d love to hear from you! Is your weather hot, rainy, or somewhere in between? Leave me a comment and let me know what kind of day you’re having where you live.

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and a fantastic weekend!

Thursday To Do List

 

To-Do List Thursday

Thursday, June 11th

This week has absolutely flown by! Before I knew it, Thursday had arrived, and honestly, I’m feeling pretty good about where I stand with my errands and responsibilities.

Today, I don’t have any errands to run after work, which feels like a little victory. I may stop and pick up dinner on the way home, but otherwise, I think I’ve managed to get everything taken care of for the week. Well… almost everything. I still need to get my nails filled. I’m not sure yet whether I’ll do that Friday evening after work or Saturday morning before we head to Norman, Oklahoma, for the Cheap Trick concert Saturday night. Either way, it needs to happen soon!

This morning started a little differently than usual. Mr. C wasn’t feeling very well when he woke up. As many of you know, his health isn’t always the best, and it always worries me when he’s feeling more down than normal. He looked at me this morning and asked, “Can I ask you a big favor? Will you pack your lunch today?” Of course, that wasn’t a problem at all. We already knew what I was taking, so all I had to do was gather everything together.

If you happen to think about it today, I’d appreciate any good thoughts, prayers, or positive vibes you could send his way. I’m hoping he’ll start feeling better soon.

Since I’ve been trying to be more intentional with my time lately, I’ve created a new to-do list for the next few days.

First, I want to order a new capri outfit for summer. However, I’ve made a deal with myself: I can’t place the order until I’ve gone through my closet and donated at least 20 items. I already have a couple of outfits picked out, so choosing isn’t the hard part. Letting go of clothes I no longer need is the challenge! Hopefully, that little reward system will motivate me to tackle the closet sooner rather than later.

Second, I need to finish Moira’s journal. I’m hoping to carve out enough time this weekend to complete it and get it mailed. I’ve already received hers, and it was absolutely fantastic. When I compare mine to hers, I sometimes feel like mine is lacking. But she has always seemed to enjoy my journals, so I’m trying not to be too hard on myself.

Third, I’d like to hop on Swap-bot and find a few quick-turnaround swaps. I’m thinking maybe a letter-writing swap, a postcard swap, and a happy mail swap. For those unfamiliar with happy mail, it’s basically a collection of fun little goodies like memo sheets, stickers, scrapbook paper, to-do lists, and other crafty bits and pieces that can be used in junk journals and creative projects. They’re always fun to put together and even more fun to receive.

Fourth, when I get home this evening, I plan to spend a little time in my craft room. Last night I bought another storage tote, and my goal is to gather all of my stickers into one place. Right now, they’re scattered through various drawers and containers. Having them all together will save me a lot of time searching when I need them.

Fifth, I need to sit down and make a meal plan. It’s been a while since I’ve cooked a full meal at home, and I think it’s time. Right now, I’m leaning toward a chicken pasta dish that’s similar to one from Olive Garden. I’ve made it before, and we both really enjoyed it. The best part is that it works well in the slow cooker. I’m even considering putting a little Southwestern spin on it by adding a few extra ingredients and some spice. We both enjoy flavorful food, so that sounds pretty tempting.

Overall, I’m just trying to stay productive and intentional with my time. I’ve realized that I spend more hours than I’d like scrolling social media or reading on my Kindle. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with relaxing, I’ve also learned something recently after dealing with my sciatica flare-up: when I feel good, I need to take advantage of those days. When I don’t feel good, I don’t feel like doing much of anything. So while I’m feeling well, I want to make progress on the things that matter to me.

Thank you for stopping by my little corner of the internet today. I hope you have a wonderful Thursday!

Before you go, leave me a comment and tell me where you’re reading from. I’d love to see how far this little personal blog reaches.

Cheers,

Karen