Friday roundup

I just put out our autumn decorations and one piece of decor says "Count Your Blessings" and this being Friday, I thought I would end the week by doing just that.

*First and foremost, I am thankful for my family and friends, without whom my life would be a sad, lonely and boring place. Special shout out to the hubs for being the amazing man he is. How very blessed am I.

*My pets!! Squeezing them, cuddling them, laughing at their antics. Not to mention their sweet, furry faces. --> Chloe more so that Kobe, but he's alright I guess. :)

*My health and amazing doctors and nurses at UCLA who took me apart and put me back together again. Thank you for saving my life! I celebrate my one year open heart surg-aversary on Oct. 29th - does it ever feel good to be a survivor! I have a ways to go, but I'm on the right track baby!

*I'm on the cusp of being employed! More on that one if Monday's final interview ends in my favor. It's just a part time job to start with potential for growth, but more importantly it's an exciting feeling to be on the verge of starting something new, having something to fill my days with and be contributing again to our household financially.

*Jason's master's program for bringing intellectual fulfillment and stimulation back in to his life.

*Technology, without which my heart would not be ticking steadily away at 80 bpm, I wouldn't have the enjoyment of FB in my life, nor would I be chatting away with friends via telephone, email or skype, and of course, I wouldn't be typing on this blog without our dear friend, the internet.

*Our apartment! We love our new place - perfect fit for us right now. We've met some lovely new people.

*Books! Oh how I love books. I am thankful for every talented author out there for putting endless hours of entertainment and enrichment onto my bookshelf.

*The holidays are quickly approaching! My favorite time of year: fall and winter. Rain, cold weather, pumpkins, trip to Riley Farms, holiday gatherings, Christmas trees, baking and festivities. Can't wait!

*Fall tv lineup: Brothers & Sisters, most notably. LOVE that show!

*The release of Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 1, in theaters Nov. 19!!!

That's a pretty good list for now. What blessings are you thankful for?

Airplanes in the night sky like shooting stars

This song is my new radio obsession. So good. Love Hayley Williams' voice! Click on the video to watch on youtube, see if you like it as much as I do! :)

Where have I been?

Once again, I have failed to keep up on my blog. Eh, it happens.

Monday, August 30 was a weird day. I got a call in the morning from my mom saying that my grandpa had been admitted over night to the ER in Santa Maria for walking pneumonia and they were expecting him to be in the hospital for a few days. The grand thing about not being employed is that I was able to pack up and go - just like that. An hour later, after breakfast, packing my bag for the week and a shower, I was homeward bound. I made it home in record time: 2 hours, 20 minutes. I may or may not have been speeding. But I digress. I spent the first 4 days of the week with my grandparents, mainly keeping my grandma company, doing light errands around the house (watering plants, cooking, laundry, etc) and shuttling her to and from the hospital because she has advanced macular degeneration and doesn't have a drivers license. Although it wasn't the best of circumstances, it was actually a good chance for us to catch up and spend some time together. I was glad I could be there for them when they needed me, and that I was able to step in for my mom when she wasn't able to be there for the week due to her inflexible job situation.

Then I spent Friday and Saturday in Santa Barbara - visited my friend Alyssa and her kiddos, fit in a much-needed chiropractic appointment, spent some quality time with my mom and went to my friend Jen's baby shower! Then I was on the road again Saturday night. When I left SB, it was 70 degrees out, and when I got back to Redlands, it was 101. Ick.

Sunday, Sept. 5 our little apartment doggie group had a BBQ for Labor Day and my aunt and uncle stopped by before visiting my uncle's cousin in Ontario. It was such a nice surprise and we got to show them around our new place!

Monday, Jason had his grad school music theory placement exam and passed! Woohoo, no repeat classes for him! Tuesday marked his official first day of the semester, and he was busy all week arranging his class and lesson schedule. Unfortunately, I woke up feeling kind of sick on Tuesday, and then come Wednesday was blessed with the flu, which then turned in to a head cold by Friday. I strongly dislike summer colds - they feel so much worse than winter colds! The hot/cold feeling, chills, aches, fatigue just feel wrong when it's so nice and hot outside! Hopefully by Monday I'll be on the mend. I am SO bummed to be missing one of my best friend's 25th birthday parties tonight as a result. :(

Anyway, there you have it, the last two weeks of my life in a nut shell. Thankfully, my grandpa is home and recovering well from his stint in the hospital. He gave us all a scare but he's a tough one and happy to be home again. The weather in Redlands is erratic. We had a pleasant few days of temps in the 70's (yes, you read that right, 70's) but now we're back to the 90's - bummer. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of FALL and can't wait to begin decorating and baking and enjoying the cooler weather, which thankfully means crisper, cleaner air for those of us in the IE.

Oh, and no news on the job front. I took a break from job hunting when I was in Santa Maria and then was sick most of last week so I intend to pick it up again this coming week. Oh joy. BUT, we do have something to look forward to this Saturday: we'll be back on the road again to Buellton to help celebrate my little cousin Jake's 4th birthday. Fun! :)