Holy Relaxing Weekend, Batman

Not too relaxing, but kinda just what we needed.

It was a rough week at work for me. If it could go wrong, it most likely did. I bust my...er, hump... everyday with very little reward. I tell Jerry everyday that I'm not going to take it anymore - not going to come in early, stay late, or take anything personally. And yet there I was on Friday: in the office by 7:30 and stuck there until 5:15 while others "worked" from home since the boss took off early for a family trip.

But I digress.

After a particularly frustrating day, I came home Friday night to relax on the couch with my husband while enjoying some basketball. I think that I was asleep by 10:30 at the latest!

Sleep was decent since the boy stayed relatively quiet until early in the morning, so I wasn't fighting him for blankets. I was up early and contemplated hitting up Zumba but decided to work around the house instead. Husband and I did some extensive cleaning up and cleaning out. For the first time in a VERY long time, the office is just shy of immaculate. Laundry is done and put away. Ugly peel-n-stick tile is mostly removed from the storage area in the basement. Husband bottled one batch f beer and brewed a second. I would go so far as to say this house is clean... enough for the cleaners that are coming next Saturday! The highlight of our day was heading to Chicken on the Run for dinner and bumping into friends who recently moved into the neighborhood.

Sunday started with breakfast at my parents and then home to finish a few cleaning items. I only popped into my work email once, and that was simply to get the link to my NCAA bracket. As I write this, UNC tied up the game that will determine whether I win the office bracket challenge (everyone has had their final four selections knocked out except for me, but I still trail by 30 points). Failure update: UNC lost :( Other than a few cleaning issues, it has been a pretty lazy day.

Best Weekend Ever... until next weekend when we go to the April 2 Reds game and April 3 Reds Un-Cut show at the Aronoff... and then until the following weekend when we leave for Puerto Rico.

An then the next best weekend ever will occur on whatever weekend falls between the last week that I work at my current job and the week that I take up a new one (working on it!). Wish I could predict when that will occur...

No good excuses

It's been a tough week. I have been mentally, emotionally, and physically challenged this week. I am drained, and in desperate need of some change!

Fortunately, this week has been flying! I have to prepare my work time sheets a day in advance so that I will even know what day it is.

Reds opening day is one week away and Jerry and I took the day off work. I think I am going to attempt to sprinkle in a few personal projects in addition to meeting with a landscaper and (of course) watching the game.

 Then it's only 6 more days of work and we are off to enjoy our delayed honeymoon in sunny Puerto Rico. Maybe some down time will bring with it new perspective. Maybe all of my work projects will perish in my absence. You never know what to expect.

Here Chickie, Chickie... and ugly eggs

Today, I made cake pops! As I mentioned before I want to make them so badly! I decided that I am making them for Easter, so I needed to practice today. The chicks looked adorable, but the eggs just didn't look as good as I would have hoped considering the effort involved. In any case, here are some pictures...

Yellow cake batter, ready to go into the oven

Cooled cake (after husband had a piece)

Crumbled cake (spread out to dry a little more)

Balls of cake and vanilla icing

Everything it took to decorate - candy melts, lollipop sticks, star decors, spring mix, rainbow chips, corn syrup, spring colored sugars, and edible black markers.

Man down! This one was too warm when I dropped it in the warm candy melts. It was properly disposed of - tasted delicious, too!

Chickies! 

"Egg," getting ready to decorate

Finished chickies and eggs!

The eggs took a ridiculously long time. I gave up trying to paint on the corn syrup to add the colored "ribbons" because it was falling off in clumps. Adding the individual decorations took a REALLY long time because you have to add a drop of coating to get them to stick. And since you need so little, it dries very quickly.

In any case, they are finished and I am about 90% sure I will not do the eggs again. Unless I come up with a better method...

On a roll...

With or without butter? Whoa, throwback joke! Anyone? Mr. Dillon - 5th grade?

Look at me, I'm on a roll. Updating the blog multiple days in a row. I really have nothing to say.

I rolled my ankle walking out to the garage this morning, so that was fun.

This is boring, so why don't you look at this picture of the world's cutest puppy instead:

With all of his Christmas toys. Bet you can count on half of one finger how many are left! (There was a rope attached to that purple heart thing. The rope has been shredded, but it is the only remaining item from the lot.)



The Other PR

Not Pleasant Ridge sillies... Puerto Rico!

As you may (or may not) recall, husband and I were married almost a year ago in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. Since we essentially vacationed out there around our wedding day, we never took a real honeymoon. The plan was always to take a one year anniversary-moon.

Since we have confirmed our house/dog watcher, I feel comfortable telling you that we are headed to the Wyndham Rio Mar in Puerto Rico. I am so excited. I haven't been on such a big vacation since my family went on a cruise a few years ago. (I am not counting Vegas because there was more work than there was relaxation involved)

The goal is relaxation, but here are some of the things we might give a try:

Biobay Tours (there is only one night that we can even consider this!)

Hanging out at Luquillo Beach

 Visiting Old San Juan - Where, I am told (by someone originally from PR), the Pina Colada was invented!



Hiking in the el Yunque Rainforest (ha-can you imagine us hiking?!?!?! It's gonna happen!)

What would you do?

Cake Pops!

I decided that I MUST make cake pops, especially since Ashley Schleyer has already done it! But I have no occassion requiring such delights. So, I decided that I will (without being invited/asked to) make some for my family's Easter gathering.

However, I can't just up an make them without practice. So, this weekend, I am practicing my cake pops.

However, I can't just up and make them without supplies. So, every day this week, I have been at Michael's and/or JoAnn Fabric purchasing various supplies. I have to go every day because I am using coupons and I can only use one at a time. I have just a few more items and one might require a trip to the Cake and Candy Supply store (conveniently close to my house).

I am gonna (attempt to) make these babies:

Thanks for the photos Bakerella!

Which should come first, the chickies or the eggs???

Also up for consideration - Buddy Christs (with the holes in his hands and everything):

On second thought.... seems like too much work.

Check back next week for pictures of practice-awesomeness!

It's about that time

As I previoiusly mentioned, the blog needed a little dusting off and sprucing. Since it is now baseball season, the blog got a baseball makeover. Go Reds.

There are lots of exciting things going on for me right now. I hesitate to talk about and possibly jinx any of them. I will say that I am taking a more active approach to managing my life rather than letting it be dictated by others and things. That involves many small, incremental changes.

I am currently working on a personal project. I am in the process of creating a new blog and focusing on my online presence in this age of web marketing. I was going to give you a hint of the new blog, but it is still in design and without a single word written. I don't necessarily like the look of it yet and I have to focus on what I want that brand to be, so... Check back next week for those updates, I guess.