Weekly Challenge #126

This week's challenge is simple.

Step outside of your comfort zone and take a leap of faith.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Weekly Challenge #125

When is the last time you pulled your credit report or knew exactly what your FICO score is?

I have a few friends who have fallen victim to mail theft and one more who has been a victim of identity theft/fraud recently. It made me stop and think. There is no time like the present to check our scores to ensure we are safe and there are no surprises lurking.

I requested mine this week in preparation of this week's challenge. Guess who had 2 surprises? Yup, that'd be me.

Please take advantage of the annualcreditreport.com offer for a free credit report and visit myfico.com.

There is power and peace of mind in knowing.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Love Y'all.

On the Ledo Deck

A couple of weeks ago we ventured away from our usual Thirsty Thursday activity; no pho or local Cheers this particular day.

We ventured to Elliott Bay Brewhouse and Pub in Burien.

We were 6 strong, 3 male and 3 female. Oh and Spanky too! The girls took the waiter's recommendation of the wine. We were not disappointed.

The boys.

One of the biggest hummus appetizers any of us had ever seen.

The competition, as is usually the case, became fierce complete with chest bumps and distractions as we played shuffleboard.

I brought home the win for us (Fiwa and me) in the final game of the night.

Stop by and say hi to Ryan. I'm pretty sure he'll take care of you the way he took care of us.

Tonight's Thirsty Thursday will find us doing something different too. We're going to a local comedy competition! I hope I don't get to laughing so hard I start to hacking; persnickety cough.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Happy Day

I'm going to let you in on a little secret.

Right this moment I am not wearing a single stitch of green.

Nope, not even one.

Nor did I send out cards this year.

Please consider this my official Happy St. Patricks Day greeting to you and yours.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Hide 'Em

I scored these sunglasses a few weeks ago for less than $3.00 on a whim while visiting Fiwa and running errands with Lala.

They are great for hiding tired eyes and rocking bed head hair.

Someone, whom shall remain nameless, referred to me as a nerd Friday night after he found out I was doing a game night in.

I like games - board and card games that is. I don't care much for gaming systems games but I do enjoy time in arcades, Dave and Busters, etc..

Anywho, Friday night part of the pack and I played Apples to Apples, Scattegories, and Spades.

Some of the peeps didn't realize how deep my competitive nature runs until the end of the night, or shall I say morning, considering my head didn't hit my pillow until near 5:00 AM.

I lost in both Apples to Apples and Scattegories but brought home the win with Caleb in Spades. {insert chair dance}

Early morning alarms + lack of sleep + age = need for the glasses.

I sent the above picture to my friend who called me a nerd with the caption "Nerd this!" Saturday morning.

He retracted the statement.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Weekly Challenge #124

More often than not we fail to take care of the easiest of the easy maintenance on our vehicles.

How are your windshield wipers holding up?

Is it time to replace them perhaps?

This week I challenge you to do so if needed.

You'll be glad you did when the heavy spring rains pour down on you.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Weekend Plans

This picture has nothing to do with my weekend plans. However, it is one of my favorites.

It is of my mom and was taken at the Picasso museum in France.

I think I've mentioned before I am a first generation American. My mom is from France and my father Canada.

I may start to get serious about researching my genealogical history since I don't know much of it.

The parts I am aware of intrigue me. I hang on to the details with all my heart.

I believe it's important to know where you are from in order to know who you are.

With that being said, I know I am a social creature by nature and my weekend plans indicate as much.

Tonight is game night at Pamela's with some of the pack.

Tomorrow morning I'll be doing a little bit of shopping with Patricia. Saturday afternoon is checking into something that may be a part of my immediate future, a lifestyle change by choice.

Saturday night there are two parties to attend.

Sunday day, for the time being, is wide open followed by Sunday dinner at my place with some of the pack. Maybe during the downtime Sunday I can do a week's worth of blogs and stop by some of my favorite blogging friends' places too to catch up.

Whatcha' got going on in your world?

I hope it is full of Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Weekly Challenge #123

By definition (according to dictionary.com) create is a verb and means "to cause to come into being, as something unique that would not naturally evolve".

It also means "to evolve from one's own thought or imagination"and "to cause to happen, bring about; arrange as by intention or design".

Pretty deep for 6 letter word.

This week I challenge you to create.

Create your own reality.

Create your own being.

Take a few minutes from the day to genuinely reflect on what matters most to you.

If you're allowing others to dictate your life's choices, create a change that will put you back in control of the pieces of life that make you happy, that allow you to feel content, and at peace.

Create the joy you desire and deserve.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

NOTE: Photo courtesy of this flickr user's account.

Weekly Challenge #122

When is the last time you cleaned your makeup brush or replaced an old one?

Can't recall?

Yeah, I was unable to remember too.

Make this the week you show your makeup brushes some love. Or if you don't use brushes replace whatever your applicator choice may be.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Current State of Being

Sinus pressure.

Pounding headache.

Can't breathe.

Feeling totally off of my game.

Get better vibes, energy, and love greatly appreciated.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

OTRA

Y'all send the vibes.

I'm heading out for a quick one.

I'll be back before you know I was gone but I still appreciate the vibes for the less than 48 hours I am away.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Lesson Learned

A few weekends ago after an eventful day of brunch (Southern Kitchen), a sly silver fox pickup (silver fox in my ear), many laughs (the pack), shopping at my local crack house (Impress Rubber Stamps), bubble blowing in traffic (me from the backseat), watching a chick flick (Dear John), a visit to the nail salon was in order.

Patricia decided to take her tips off and I'm usually always down for a manicure.

I decided I was going to bypass my normal pale pink selection since it wasn't in my purse and live on the edge. I wanted to go with a color I normally wouldn't select for my fingers.

My Private Jet by OPI was the selection of the day for me. Patricia's are the longer nails in a black polish.

As the week wore on I became used to looking down at my nails and seeing color.

Then it happened.

The chips started. They stared back at me. I increasingly became annoyed. I wanted to take the polish off.

I rolled with it.

I re-learned a lesson - only polish my nails in a dark color when I own the polish.

With that being said, I am continuing to sport the dark polish. Say hello to China Glaze's Evening Seduction.

After two coats it appears almost black until the light hits it.

I'm open to new colors. What are you wearing these days? Don't be shy. I'm ready.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Weekly Challenge #121

Do you recall the last time you wiped down the light switches in your home or your office?

If you don't remember - heck if even if you do - I challenge you to get busy cleaning them this week.

Hidden germs could be lurking.

Dust bunnies be gone.

Fingerprints a thing of the past.

Let's get to it.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Meeting Fun

This is what I will be feasting my eyes upon for the next 2.5 days.

Who says meetings can't be fun while being informative too?

It's how we do.

I'm looking forward to seeing who does what with the goodies.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all - fo sho!

For the Love of Kenny

I have been remiss in declaring my love of Kenny publicly lately.

I've convinced at least one co-worker to buy one and a few more are in the process of deciding. He loves his too and says he's doing more reading now that he has one than he was before.

I carry my Kindle 2 with me pretty much everywhere. Waiting or eating alone is a walk in the park when there is something available to read right at my fingertips

I failed to realize how much I've come to appreciate the slimness of Kenny.

I was soon reminded of this the other day when a book I had on reserve at the library was ready for pickup.

Behold the difference.

As the weight of the hardcover book rested on my chest the first night I read a few chapters I quickly arrived at the decision to return the book to the library and purchase the Kindle version from Amazon.

I continue to have mad love for the written page in the traditional book format. However, to carry 532 pages of the hardback book around with me isn't all that appealing to me.

Kenny kept me company as I ate dinner this evening. I read a quick article in Newsweek and then a little bit about the late Senator Edward Kennedy's experiences in boarding school.

Another great thing about Kenny is I could have been reading Jackie Collins' "Poor Little Bitch Girl" and no one would have been the wiser.

Had I decided I wanted to read my Lean Six Sigma book, an article in the February Reader's Digest, a chapter from "The Blind Side", or download today's USA Today or The Seattle Times I could have done so in a matter of seconds as I sat in Qdoba enjoying my naked chicken salad.

This evening, as I put the final touches on the bag for this week in travel, I give Kenny a kiss and a pat on my back for the purchase I have come to love.

Yes it is true the Kindle is an investment but for the way I live my life, it's well worth the spend.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Ribbon, Punches, and Glitter Oh My

I needed to bust a creative vibe and make some thank you cards Sunday night.

I went for a simple and quick design.

I also did one with a snowflake not represented here.

When all was said and done I added the skinny white ribbon on top of the silver ribbon to one of the butterfly cards.

I made 5 cards in less than 10 minutes, including the handwritten sentiment inside.

I love when projects come together in a split second like these did.

My next creative endeavor will be Friday night as I spend some QT with J-Lo and D's kids. One project will include foam and sparkles. The rest remains to be seen with endless possibilities.

Where has your creative energy taken you these days? Hopefully to a happy place like mine has.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Weekly Challenge #120

Do you have a pile of paper, magazines, mail, etc. in need of your attention?

How about a pile of anything you can refer to as a "hot spot"?

I know I do.

This week I challenge all of us to spend a little bit of time tackling the pile.

I'd like to say I will master mine but I know I will only be chipping away at it but slow and steady wins this race.

Peace, Love, Laughter, and Soul Y'all.

Game Night

A few weeks ago Ace and I journeyed over to see the friends we met one another through a few 4th of Julys ago.

We started the day watching a kid's soccer game and ended the day playing games.

It was a close game. At one point I was pretty sure Ace and Bryant beat me but I came through with the win via my selections of the letter I.

Here's to game nights in everywhere!

I'm thinking I need to talk to the pack about setting one up soon.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Rock On

Some days after a long day in the salt mines an ice cold beer, the company of a co-worker and friend, and a chicken salad from The Rock hits the spot just right.

Round 1 above.

Round 2 below.

I am a blessed girl to have good people in my life.

People I care about and people that care for me.

People who let me be me.

People who get it, whatever it may be at that point in the day.

I hope you have some of the same as they make life sweet.

Sweet is good.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Weekly Challenge #119

Saturday as I sat in the backseat at a traffic light I laid my head on the seat and looked up.

Just for a moment or two and long enough for me to see a difference in the view I otherwise would have missed.

The bare tree branches looked totally different.

It got me thinking. We spend more time looking ahead, down, to the left, to the right but hardly do we look up.

What are we missing?

What might we see if we take a moment or two and let our eyes gaze on what lies above us?

This week I challenge you to look up at least once and take notice.

Peace and Love Peeps.

NOTE: photo courtesy of this Flickr user