7 Quick Takes Friday vol 1

So here is my first post contributing to one of the "community" link-ups I was talking about!   Check out the other 7 Quick takes here!

1. Today is Friday and the start of Memorial Day Weekend!  Which is exciting simply for the fact that it is a three day weekend, but also because Chris and I will be heading to New Jersey tonight to spend some time with his (our) family.  I have some fantastic in-laws...in fact, I hate calling them my in-laws because I feel like that has a negative connotation.  My family by marriage, that's better.  Pray that we have safe travels, and I will keep everyone else traveling in my prayers as well!

2. As another long, grueling work week ends, I am trying to remind myself how blessed I am to have a job.  Yes, it is stressful, difficult, and a struggle to stay true to who I am, but bottom line, I have a job.  And a job with great hours.  Focus on the positive.

3. This week I was able to talk to my old college roommate!  From the time we met as Freshman at Mount St. Mary's University we have been inseparable.  If one of us were ever out without the other people would also ask what happened to our twin :-)  We were SO inseparable that she even ended up moving into the same neighborhood as Chris and I (completely by accident too!  We both separately found houses in the same development, talk about providence!)  So for almost a year we enjoyed being able to just stop by each other's homes and sit and chat over a glass - or two - of wine.  Now, enter Pete.  Pete is one of Chris' friends whom Lindsay met at our wedding...and then began to date.  Pete lives in California.  AKA Pete took her away from me!  Just kidding, they're really great together.  But anyway, a few months ago she put her house up for rent and moved to CA!  So with the time differences and our work schedules it has sometimes been hard to stay in touch, so the phone call this week was fantastic!

4. Myself and my coworker have been working on a video project for our students.  We asked them to write one thing they think adults should know about 6, 7, and 8th grade boys.  From their responses we created a sort - of video montage.  It's powerful, let me tell you.  I'm super excited to show it to them, and we get to show them...TODAY!  I can't wait to see their faces

5. Michael's is having a 4 day yarn event...I should have posted a picture of my yarn stash and then you might understand my husbands reaction to my desire to go to Michael's today.  But my philosophy is, you can never have too much yarn!  Plus, I really want to make this beach bag before our anniversary!  Crocodile stitch is my absolute FAVORITE.

6. Chris and I are trying to be healthier.  We're trying to eat less red meat and eating more lean proteins like chicken and fish.  We also joined a gym and are trying to get our butts there AT LEAST 4X a week...but so far it's been more like 2, maybe 3 times a week.  We just started so I'm trying to allow us a "grace" period but we definitely need to work on our dedication.  We've been going after he gets home from work, which on a good day, is around 7 p.m.  I think we miiight start going in the morning...which would be a 5:30 a.m. alarm...which just makes me cringe.  I am anything but a morning person.  But then at least we would still have our evenings to relax with each other rather than rushing to the gym, hurry make dinner, hurry eat dinner, whoa where did the night go.

7. My "tia" is visiting from Colombia and just arrived this week!  I think she's actually my mother's cousin, not my aunt, but either way we call her tia.  She is quite possibly the sweetest woman I have met, and she was really there for my mother and I after my grandmother died.  She even flew home with us after the funeral and stayed with us until after my wedding.  I can't even describe how much of a help she was.  She came bearing gifts and I left my parents house laden with a juice box sized aguardiente (a staple liquor in Colombia), 4 handmade placemats, 6 cazuelas (special bowls to serve ajiaco - a delicious Colombian soup), true Colombian coffee - Sello Rojo, and a make up bag from a store there called Boots N Bag.  I can't even tell you how excited I am for all of these things!  But, I am most excited to spend time with my aunt and brush up on my spanish!  

I hope everyone has a safe, blessed Memorial Day holiday.  Lets remember in our thoughts and prayers all those who have served and defended our freedom, including my father-by-marriage!