Living for the Weekends

The weekdays in this household pretty much fly by. Sometimes faster than others, but always at a speedy clip.

Last week John worked 30 hours... over a period of 32 hours. 

You read that right. From Monday at 8 am to Tuesday at 8 pm he was home for a total of 2 hours. He worked late every night last week and even went in early. 

John's a trooper. I actually physically could not handle that, and I firmly believe we aren't supposed to. But he does it all without complaining (although, he did beg for some catch-up sleep - but can we really blame him?) 

Anyways, after last week, we were in need of some time to relax and rejuvenate. Here's what our weekend looked like. 

Friday Night: Date Night In

We stocked up on produce and made a bunch of varieties of hand-made fresh spring rolls. 

Delicious, low-key, and healthy!

Saturday

Slept in (hallelujah) and had waffles (John's favorite) for breakfast

Hung out with this little lady while her mom and dad got some last-minute baby prepping done. 

She's now a big sister - woohoo!!! 

Then we headed to see Brad Paisley. Don't let the picture fool you, we're all actually 100% sober.  

We upgraded our tickets from the lawn section to actual seats and made $0.13 per ticket in the process. 

Score! 

Sunday

Pool party and BBQ with our favorite 5 year old

John is "teaching" Sebastian how to grill- and little man told us "I'm on a roll!" as he was walking outside to check on the food. 

Monday

Back to the daily grind.

We did, however, get invited to the French Consulate's House to celebrate Bastille Day! 

The most exciting part was getting free Hazelnut Jam. 

It's like a mix between Nutella and Dulce de Leche and is 100% delicious. 

Only 2 more days until the next weekend - and we desperately need it. 

Handsome Lives at My House

Chiseled abs or the “right” amount of facial hair don’t define handsome. I could care less about his haircut or the cut of the suit. His arm size, waist size or boot size don’t add up to handsome. Yes, his eyes and his smile might have won my curiosity, but they didn’t win my heart.

Handsome – well, real-life handsome lives at my house.

Real handsome looks like arms that hold a tired wife and happy children.

Real handsome looks like endless sacrifice because he wants to provide for us.

Real handsome isn’t cocky, but quiets fears with calm confidence.

He doesn’t have to be asked to help. He doesn’t have to put-down to feel big. He doesn’t take for granted the hearts that he holds in his hands.

Real handsome looks like coming home – boots by the front door, a briefcase on the kitchen counter, a suit coat replaced by a t shirt.

...

It is crowned by dedication. It is adorned with dignity. It is humble. It is trustworthy. It is safe.

Real handsome lives at my house… and I bet… it lives at your house too.

Re-posted from Scissortail SILK: http://www.scissortailsilk.com/2014/03/04/handsome-lives-at-my-house/

25 Things I Learned About Life By Age 25

List/post from http://startuplife.quora.com/25-Things-Ive-Learned-About-Life 

1. Take risks when you're young. The older you become, the harder it gets. But they should always be calculated.

2. The most important thing you learn in school is how to learn. Once you master that, nothing will stand in your way. Never stop learning.

3. I would rather say that I tried and failed than live a life of regret. You miss every shot you don't take.

4. Dream big. Life is too short to only be mediocre.

5. Music is the cheapest and simplest cure to life's problems. Queue up your favourite play list, put on some headphones, and take a walk. You'll instantly feel better.

6. Drink beer. Lots of it. It makes you think more creatively. Oh, and wine too.



7. Join clubs and put yourself in as many different social settings as possible. It will help you understand people and make you a better communicator.

8. Start your own business as young as possible. Even if it's a lemonade stand, it will teach you business lessons you'll use for the rest of your life.

9. If you're going to fail, fail fast and make it public. Don't drag it on. Then pick yourself back up. Knowing that others watched you fail will encourage you to prove them wrong.

10. Meet lots of different people. Life is serendipitous in many ways, and you never know what can happen.



11. When life throws lemons at you, make lemonade. Then pour it for all your friends. Be optimistic. It spreads like wild fire.

12. Success does not lead to happiness. You need to be happy first before you can become successful. Find what makes you happy. Don't stop until you find it.

13. Many people don't want to start businesses because they are scared. Successful entrepreneurs got to where they are because they were willing to tread where others wouldn't. If you're too scared to leave your 9-5 job, entrepreneurship is not meant for you.

14. Surround yourself with people way smarter than you. That is the only way you will be challenged to grow.



15. Only those who are with you during the struggles deserve to be with you when you celebrate the successes.



16. Pick and choose your battles carefully. There are only 24 hours in a day. If something isn't worth your time, just say no ...

17. The most important asset to invest in is yourself. Take classes to make yourself a better person and never stop learning. Buy books. Lots of them.



18. True friends will never question why you disappeared off the face of the earth. They will be there for you unconditionally.



19. The more comfortable you are with a job you don't want to be doing, the harder it will become to leave it and chase your dreams. Learn what you can, then go change the world.

20. A dream job does not exist. You have to create it.

21. Travel as much as you can. You will come back with a wider perspective of the world and more ideas on how to change it.




22. "Thank You" — the most powerful two words in the English dictionary.

23. God gave us all a purpose. Don't settle until you find yours. I didn't think mine was to sit in front of computer screens and trade foreign exchange, so I kept looking.

24. The world may seem big and scary. But the older you get, the more you realize that everything is man-made. Nothing is set in stone. Don't stick with the status quo.

25. Life is not easy. But having the right support group with you during your journey goes a long, long way.

Tip Toe If You Must...

Facebook has exploded with job announcements, engagements, weddings, and baby news over the past week.

And I couldn't be happier for everyone's joy!

Just an observation by a thoroughly happy girl.

Estrogen Fest

So... John is in Houston this week for work... and it's been a full-on estrogen pumping festival over here. 

Last night I turned up the N*Sync Pandora station and did some household chores and checked things off of my personal to-do list that I've been meaning to get around to. Then, I had dinner/dessert with a friend before she leaves for a trip to Europe. I came home and did some nice reading on California environmental goals and policies (don't laugh... I actually enjoyed it) and then hit the hay.

Tonight I got home late from work, went across the way to hug this guy (yay for summer and his delayed bedtime!), and then called it a night.

Tomorrow night I plan on some in-home Zumba and finalizing/closing out all of our wedding stuff before John gets home brings back the testosterone and limits my amount boy band listening. The best thing about youtube is all the free work out videos. Seriously... there's great yoga, visualization relaxation, and dance workouts!

I mean... how can you not love this?

Because I'm pretty sure I sang this song multiple times every day when it first came out.....

And.. in honor of Team USA's 30-second goal and amazing win this week...

In Search of Work-Life Balance

The problems we work on in the world are too important for us to get burned out.

I've always been a go-getter- not matter what area of my life. However, it came out especially strong when I was in school. It's true. If I got a 99% on a test, I stressed over the 1% I didn't get. If I missed an extra credit opportunity, I begged for an extension... And forget turning in homework late. It, quite frankly, never happened. (Yep, I'm that nerdy).

My parents raised us saying "a job well done is a job is a job worth doing." Being the first child people-pleasing person that I am, I took this to heart.

It's probably not surprising that my childish over-eager desire to do well in school translated to college (more school). And again, in graduate school (even more school). And then into my job (which is still at a school).

If I'm being honest, work-life balance is something I've struggled with.

{and this is hard to admit, since I like to do everything perfectly}

It's not that my work has an awful corporate culture... I have an awesome boss that encourages me to take care of myself - whether it's an outdoor meeting on a patio, a potluck staff meeting, extra time off to squeeze in doctor's appointments, or the opportunity to work remotely.

However, I still feel the need to check my email incessantly, go into work early, and stay late even when we're not on a tight deadline.

Anyways, it's safe to say that this thing called "work-life" balance has been a challenge for a while. And it still is.

I read a guest post written by one of my former employers and found it refreshing to know that I'm not alone... and that there is hope for change!

Balance has never been an excuse to not work hard. There are seasons when you need to work twelve-hour days. Show up in those times. But don’t feel trapped by staying late just to stay. Not everyone has a boss who tells them when to go home, and it takes confidence to be the one to leave when others are still working. It’s scary, but when you are doing your part, it will actually give other people permission to do the same.

Read it, and be brave enough to leave while others are still working....

After all, the issues we work on demand and deserve the best of us: our most creative, bold, innovative and whole selves. Working for a cause is a marathon, not a sprint. So let’s act accordingly.

All quotes are from the following blog post: http://thechalkboardmag.com/sweet-charity-thoughts-finding-work-life-balance-pressure#sl=3