Love and Lego (Weekend Update)

Where did my glorious weekend go?  Friday was a GREAT day at work--we had our Fall Forum to kick off the semester, two of my colleagues and I were awarded a grant for a leadership program we are starting, I was recognized for being a new (full-time) employee, and the week ended on a high note with a good presentation at one last Division meeting and emails to all of our new PASS participants.

We had a very relaxing Friday night, eating out and coming home to veg out.  :)

After work, we picked up some cupcakes from Bliss.  This time I went for Salted Caramel and Banana Pudding while Zach got a caramel one as well and Red Velvet.  :)

We had dinner at Dickey's BBQ.  I didn't really care for the BBQ itself, but the Onion Tanglers were AWESOME.  And I love any place with free ice cream!

Saturday morning, we got up and cleaned the house in preparation for the AFOLs of Arklug to arrive.  (That means Adult Fans of LEGO in the Arkansas Lego User Group.  I'm so cool to know that.  Right?  Riiiiight.  ;)  We were having a meeting at Crystal Bridges, so everyone could see it, and we wouldn't have to drive four hours to central AR.

Everyone met for lunch at Eleven first.  Zach got his usual War Eagle beans and cornbread, and I went for this Harvest salad I love (walnuts, blueberries, and apples on it).

Then we had lots of fun exploring the museum:

(Okay, so this was actually taken at the U of A stadium, but it was the only picture anyone has posted of Richard and Chris so far, and I didn't want to leave them out.)

On our way out, I finally saw where the LOVE sign is.  (We usually use a different exit.)  I told Zach we could get our photo taken by it, which was on our summer bucket list last year.  He told me, "We're so close.  We can do it later."  Thankfully, everyone insisted we do it, so I finally got to check that off!

This crew just celebrated their first year as a family!  Love them so much!

Then we came back to our house and worked on LEGO stuff.  Everyone ended staying for dinner, so we ordered Mellow Mushroom and pigged out.  :)  And then it was time for goodbyes.  :(

 Rob with a Heart is a hugger!

my Mechelle

Last time she and Rob were up here, I was in the ICU, so it was great to see them outside the hospital!

the girls

(I was getting squinty-eyed tired...and I didn't even have to drive home!)

Today, I got up and made breakfast, watched Extreme Couponing and Doctor Who (telling you--We. Are.  OBSESSED.), cleaned up the kitchen, planned the weekly menu, and took a nap at six in the evening and went grocery shopping at nine.  What a nice end to summer before the semester starts!

Gratitude Journal: Working Girl

"Workin 9 to 5: 
What a way to make a livin,
Barely gettin by; 
Its all takin 
And no givin.
They just use your mind,
And they never give you credit.
Its enough to drive you 
Crazy if you let it..."

my "new" employee photo for the slideshow at Fall Forum on Friday

Once you become full-time, you get to attend the New Employee Luncheon and get shown off.  So while I have been here for over two years now, I'm still "new".

Working 9 to 5 9:30 to 6 this week...and I'm busy, busy, busy!  Zach is on a different schedule this week because they are doing walk-in appointments, so I changed my schedule, too.  Faculty are back on campus, so I've been running from meeting to meeting, trying to set things up for the start of the new semester next week.  *sigh*  All summer, it was so quiet and calm for me that I am worn out--and it's only Tuesday!

But I LIKE it.  Today, I felt sooooo accomplished.  I got so many things completed, and I got the ball rolling on some good projects.  I feel like I know what I am doing finally, and I enjoy this stuff.  Heck, I know what I'm talking about (or, at least, sound like I do. ;)  Just don't ask me after tomorrow.  I'm thankful that God has put me in a position to do some good, even if a ton of things drive me crazy about where I work.  *lol*  It really is a great place to work!  It's just frustrating when you know so much more could be done.

In my two+ years of being here, I've learned that you just have to keep building it, and they will come.  Or you have to plant those seeds, and someday, it will sprout, and grow tall, and bloom.  You may just never sit under that tree/bush/plant.  Yet I've been fortunate to see a few things come to fruition.  My mentoring program is taking OFF this year:  we had over 350 students already request more information on the program, and after I sent out emails on Friday, I've already had 35 students commit to participate and be paired with a mentor.  For all of last year, I only had about 40-something participate, so I'm getting close to already meeting that number in the first semester.

All week, I've been giving updates on faculty-related projects, and I think we are going to have some big things happen in terms of faculty development and student retention & persistence this year.  :)

Now I just gotta get my lesson plans together for my class.  I am pumped to be focusing on advertising throughout the semester--my students are going to be describing, categorizing, comparing, contrasting, showing causes and effects, creating an argument, and more with ads.  I figured if we can all master the content together and early on, then we can spend more time on building up our expressions of it.  We'll see how it goes.  I'm just happy to have lots of excuses to show clips from Mad Men.  ;)

And here is an outtake of my staff photo.  I'm surrounded by some of my favorite things (Van Gogh paintings, photos of the Ireland and the UK, Anne Frank, Audrey Hepburn), and I look terrified probably of all those presentations I have to do this week.

Why are you thankful for your job?

Sensory Overload: The Surgical Mask

Another week has already come and gone.  Classes start in A WEEK.  How did that happen?  My syllabus is practically done, but I need to start fleshing out some lesson plans.  Next week, faculty are back on contract, so it will be busy, busy, busy for me again.  OH my.

I faded this photo because it gave it an appropriate feeling.  Plus, it makes me not look quite as gnarly as I do.

1)  WHAT I'M FEELING:  sick.  Over last weekend, as you may recall, I started feeling icky.  I thought it was my allergies since I had taken Dinah to the vet on Friday and then Hobie on Monday, but I felt achy and my lymph nodes were swollen.  Finally, on Wednesday, I decided to go to the doctor to see what was going on.  I had them test for strep because it had been going around our office, but the in-house test was negative.  The doctor thought I had thrush since I did have white patches on my tongue and throat, so he prescribed a mouthwash.  If you have kids, you have probably heard of thrush--usually, only babies and older folks get this yeast infection.  But I have a compromised immune system, which means I can be prone to it, too...so it made sense.  I also had a dermatology appointment that afternoon, so I got started on lots of things to clear up my skin.  Crazy things like pills that reduce my sweating and a $50 tube of facial cream.  Fun times.  Then today, the doctor's office called again and told me that the throat culture they sent off is positive for strep.  Joy, joy.  As soon as I found out, I pulled out a surgical mask from my purse, put it on, and then went home to finish up the work day.  And got mad because we paid $10 for the thrush mouthwash, and now I don't need it.  *lol*

I'm also bummed because I'm having to miss Zach's Momo's 93rd birthday this weekend.  I already volunteered to stay home with the cats (who are continuing to misbehave and have tummy issues), so Zach could go.  And now that I have strep, I couldn't have gone anyway.  But.  It STINKS.

2)  WHAT I'M TASTING:  Cheez-Its, lots of Earl Grey, cough drops.  I've been using cough drops and drinking lots of tea to ease my scratchy my throat.  It hasn't been too sore--probably because I got my tonsils taken out 11 years ago; I actually haven't had strep since then.  My appetite has been off the past few days, and the antibiotic that the dermatologist put me on has been making me nauseated, so I have enjoyed potato chips and Cheez-Its the past few mornings.  (I always crave salt when I'm nauseated.  Also--I get so confused over which is correct--nauseous and nauseated and nauseating!)  It's been so long that I'm tearing those Cheez-Its up!

3)  WHAT I'M HEARING:  lots and lots of rain.  This is so unusual for August!  I've also been turning on Dr. Who a bit and finishing up The Secret Life of the American Teenager because I love trashy, campy TV when I'm playing on the Internet.  *lol*  And I started watching this documentary on texting and driving.  It is breaking my heart...

4)  WHAT I'M SMELLING:  not much of anything except for urine.  We're still working on the cats.  YUCK.

5)  WHAT I'M SEEING:  Well, obviously, the shows I'm vegging out to.  But we've been watching our cats like hawks this week.  Oh, and I was paying close attention to my inbox today after I sent out emails to prospective students for our mentor program.  I've already gotten 14 students to commit, 12 from today alone!

And now I'm going to bed.  How do you recover from an illness?

Be Grateful #5

I love my furry brats!  They enjoy getting inside the hampers we use to tote laundry up and down the stairs.  It doesn't matter if the laundry is dirty and wrinkled or clean and folded.

1)  I am thankful for the IHOP coupons we received this week--two free Fresh 'N Fruities can't be beat!  Going to IHOP definitely takes me back to college and reminds me of Black Friday shopping.  I can't wait for the holidays.  :)

2)  I am pleased as punch when it comes to the weather we are having in these parts.  Ah, fall, how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways (and bake autumnal desserts to show you)...

3)  I am happy that I have finished the big chunk of mentor training for this semester.  Oh, five hours of training wears me out...

4)  I am grateful my first Phoenix class went well, even if we fell behind a bit.  ;)

5)  I am so excited to celebrate THREE years of marriage and FOUR years together with Zach on Wednesday.  He is cooking me dinner, which is a big deal if you know him.  We are going to watch Parenthood and hang out.  I hope he likes my present!  My husband is one of my greatest blessings, and "we" makes me a better "me."

6)  I am blessed to have had today "off;" I think I worked too many hours this past week, and I was so worn out, I decided to work from home today.  I may have not been as productive as I had hoped, but I got a lot done on all fronts!

7)  Yep, I'm gonna have to say praise Jesus for funny shows like Community (even if they aren't exactly wholesome and politically correct).  Yep, I'm obsessed.

8)  And it doesn't make me mad to listen to Christmas music as I run errands.  Too early?  Not if it puts me in an excellent spirit!

9)  Thank you, Lord, for my brown sugar Cadbury chip cookie-baking talents.  I baked some "NWACC" cookies for my mentor training--I used green and white M&M's--and I only brought home 2 of 42 cookies!  I love baking, and I am so thankful I am a good cook for my husband, our family, and our friends.

10)  I am grateful for the week and weekend ahead.  It won't be as busy as last week (I hope!).  :)

Photo a Day in September #14

14.  Store

Ah, I was so tired from my week that I forgot to post my photo last night! :(  As you can see, this is Walmart.  I spend many an hour here picking up items we need.  (Lest you forget, we live in Walmartland--Bentonville, AR, the home and world headquarters of Walmart.)  After my week, I just wanted to come home from work and curl into a ball and rest.  But I had to prepare for my mentor training today, and Zach also invited his friend Andrew to dinner (we had yummy Reubens and blackberry pie), so we had to swing by the Bentonville Butcher and Deli AND Walmart for a few groceries.  Thankfully, I got to wait outside and admire the pumpkins because I was driving and let Zach off at the front.  I also had to go to Sam's Club to order five pizzas for my mentors, and I intended to take a picture of it because I LOVE Sam's, but I'm glad I ended up forgetting because the pumpkins make me so excited for fall!  (And I don't feel so bad having my fall wreath up when I see these beauties.  :)  Oh, and the picture may look weird because it was raining, and I took this photo through the raindrop-splattered windshield.