I'm Back!

Okay.  I think I'm back in the groove of things.  Kinda.  :)

My holiday was pretty amazing and it came at the perfect time.  I was definitely in need of a break from work and the real world.  My grandfather passed away five days before Thanksgiving.  He had been very sick for a really long time and it is good to know that he is no longer suffering.

I threw myself into planning the perfect menu {Paula Dean helped}.

Caleb made the turkey.  This has become tradition and it is always delicious.  Knowing that he is going to make the turkey allows me to put extra effort into the other dishes which I think really makes our meal special.  I'm thankful.

I decided to go with the simple centerpiece of wheat and pumpkins at each place setting.  I loved the way it turned out!

Yum!

We were lucky to have Caleb's sister and her boyfriend join us for the holiday.  You'll notice there aren't any pictures of people... Caleb hates having his picture taken so I didn't do my usual begging for pictures since I know he doesn't like it.  I could barely stand it, but I think it was the thoughtful thing to do.  :)  No promises for Christmas though! 

I've really had an amazing Fall.  I'm excited to start this new season full of hot cocoa, lights, and time relaxing with a cozy blanket and family.  

My Perfect Coke.

Often we hear how these days its all about instant gratification.  We want things how we want them, when we want them, and generally we want them now.  A few months ago I read an amazing book by Gretchen Rubin called The Happiness Project.  In her book she discussed a topic that really resonated with me.  The premise is that this moment... this moment right here, right now is important.  Is there always a need to put things off?  Isn't it important to live in the present?  The example the author used was that she had received a beautiful stationary set as a gift from her sister.  Years went by and she never used the set of stationary because she was always waiting for the perfect opportunity to use this paper, as she did not want to waste it.  But what good was this paper doing being stashed away in a desk drawer for no one to enjoy?

Several months after finishing this book, I am still thinking about this example.  

A couple weekends ago I went to the Coke museum and before leaving every visitor was given a bottle of Coke to take home.  I love Coke.  LOVE.  I brought my bottle of Coke home and put it in the refrigerator thinking I should wait for a special day to enjoy my special Coke.  For the next week I would open the refrigerator and longingly look at the bottle.  I wanted to drink it, but felt like the day or the moment wasn't good enough.  Surely I should wait because the bottle of Coke would be better enjoyed some other time.  You would have thought I had an expensive bottle of champagne the way I was coveting that Coke!

How often are we waiting for this magical moment?  This mystical illusive moment that might never come?

Finally, I came home after work one day and it dawned on me.  Why was this moment not the perfect moment to enjoy my prized bottle?  Sometimes those perfect moments are right there.  Waiting to be made.  

Had I waited I would have missed out on sitting in my quiet, newly decorated living room... sun streaming in the window... alone with my thoughts... ice cold Coke on a crisp and beautiful Fall afternoon.  

I think that sometimes it is so easy to think about tomorrow that we overlook right now.  It was the perfect moment indeed. 

Adventures of a Social Worker: Part I

Caleb continuously asks me why I don't write more about my job as a social worker.  Mostly its because the world of blogging is my main escape from the stress of my job.  I love that I can come here and write about Pinterest and decorations and food without the reality that everyday at 8:00 AM I go to work and try to solve the world's problems.  Okay, okay... maybe it isn't that bad, but it is pretty stressful when you have people relying on you to help them get food or their medications or for help keeping their electric on.

All that being said, my job is part of who I am.  Its what stresses me out, how I spend the majority of my waking hours, and most days its my passion.  Sooooo I have decided that its time to talk about it.

Today I am going to start off pretty light.  I'm going to introduce you to my cubicle.  

Yes, my cubicle.  Notice that most of these pictures have a greenish yellow quality.  That would be because there are no windows, and in fact, no natural light where my cubicle is located.  I am just the lowly social worker.  No office.  No window.  Just my cubicle to call home.

I did sass it up with a picture of me and the hubby.  Believe me, I have thought many a times about how I could use various Pinterest projects to make this space real cute, but I haven't gotten the nerve.  Yet.

My only other piece of decor is this printout from my boss.  I recently had quite the run-in with a buggy situation so she thought this was funny.  Funny, but true.  Oh so true.

My day starts and ends in my cubicle.  My main source of life-support is coffee.  Before becoming a social worker I didn't drink caffeine.  That was back when I was young and stupid.  Caffeine is my friend, my lifeline, how I survive.  Okay... I'm being dramatic again...

But seriously, I have gotten quite creative at making custom office coffee blends.  This one consists of 1/2 packet of Swiss Miss mixed with a full cup of coffee.  Should I Pinterest that recipe?

This next picture I am quite proud of.  At this newest social work job I have my own tape dispenser.  Pish posh you might be saying.  In the land of social work resources are scarce.  I feel quite important that I have a tape dispenser AND a stapler {all my own} at this job.

So there you have it.  My cubicle.  Exciting right?

Taking Care.

Yesterday Caleb was out of town.  I love spending time with my husband, but I also value the occasional opportunity to spend time alone.  I'm sure all you moms out there are vigorously shaking your heads in agreement.  Even though we don't yet have any little ones it is easy for me to see the value in having time without interruption to organize my thoughts.

I love jumping in the car, rolling down the windows, and blasting a good song.  Those are some of my most treasured Perfect moments.  

So today I hopped in my car, played some Billy Joel, and drove to a new bakery that I had never visited.  I ordered a coffee and a sandwich and chose a window right in the sun.  Then I caught up on some letter writing {in case you have forgotten... letter writing involves real paper, a real pen, an envelope, and that medieval think called a stamp :)}.

I don't think we take enough time out of the week to take care of ourselves.  Whether its working full time, worrying about getting blog posts written, being a social worker {like me!}, or finding enough time to devote to our families, I think its important to realize that if we get stressed out everyone can tell.  Its like that example they give on the airplane... you have to put on your own oxygen mask first before you help your neighbor.  If you pass out then you can't help them.  If we aren't recharging our own batteries how will we be there for our client's/families/etc.   

This trip was so relaxing and so productive.  It left me feeling recharged and ready to take on the world {well, at least ready to go home and get some housework done}!  I have so many friends that are embarrassed to go places on their own.  Sitting in a restaurant or a movie theatre by myself is a real treat!  It makes me feel like taking care of myself is important.  And it is.

What do you do to take care of yourself?