My boss sent the entire office this article yesterday.
I wrote him an e-mail and asked if he was trying to tell us something. What do you think?
Back Story: I work for a hedge fund so lately, we've been talking A LOT about people making financial decisions based on their emotions and the state of the economy, not based on their knowledge. So...he really wasn't aiming this at his employees, but it makes you think otherwise, doesn't it?
What does it take to change your frame of mind?
Yesterday I came home from the office. It hadn't been a bad day, just kind of blah. Then the hubs came home and we got in a slight disagreement. That only sent my mood further south.
When I was in high school, it didn't matter what it was...if I needed to think, relieve stress or just change my frame of mind, I went for a run. The good, long kind. Whatever was bothering me at the beginning of my run seemed petty and menial by the end of it.
So I changed out of my work clothes, put Tyke's little harness on and we went for a quick walk and then I dropped him off at the house and went and worked out.
I think the combination of being outside and jamming to my iPod that my dear friend, Tamara, uploaded with some great praise and worship music was just the ticket.
When I walked back in the house I felt completely different than I had when I arrived home earlier that evening.
It got me to wondering...what helps change your frame of mind or put you in a better mood?
Happy Friday! We are headed to my grandparents to have a BIG garage sale tomorrow. I'm praying we get rid of all our junk and make lots of moola! One of my friends had a garage sale in Amarillo earlier this year and made $1,600! I've NEVER had a garage sale be quite that lucrative, but here's hoping...
Friday night after work Mom came up and brought Lily. She and I did a few last minute things in preparation work Saturday's festivities and my poor husband worked his fingers to the bone for two days straight getting our front and back yard looking better than they've looked since we've lived there. All our projects were things we'd be NEEDING to do, but just hadn't had the initiative to do. We did kick back a little and open a bottle of this...(if you've never had this stuff, it's THE BEST red sparkling wine you will ever drink). We had some in Fredericksburg and I called the place and had them send Mom and I a bottle.
Saturday morning Mom and I got around and took the puppies for a walk and then ran a few errands and came back and started kitchen prep. One of my great aunt's showed up two hours early! Everyone else started arriving around 4 p.m. I, however, was unfortunately still in my athletic clothes and unshowered. I let Mom play hostess for awhile while I made a mad dash for the shower. We ended up having around 30+ family members. I was VERY pleased. Half the group set up shop in the dining/living room area and the rest outside on the porch. It was a beautiful evening and everyone had a great time.
The only matriarchs left in our family. Aunt Earlene, Aunt Shirley and Aunt Mary. There were 10 siblings in all.
Here's a group shot (minus Marty and me because we were the photogs).
The first cousins.
My younger cousins kept the puppies busy. It was great! They were SO worn out by the end of the night, though.
Here's Brynn and Brendan with Tyke and Lily.
Brendan and Lily having a moment. So cute!
Gage and the puppies.
Tykers at the end of the evening. I think we all felt the same way!
The food and fellowship were fabulous! We don't really have family reunions on either side of my family anymore so other than funerals we never all get together anymore. It was such a blessing! We had SO much food leftover so we had some more friends over Sunday after church to help us take care of them. There's something to be said for friends that you can have over for leftovers and not feel bad about it...
I sat down with my great aunt, Shirley, and went over some of her geneolgy research. I've never been into all of that, but the closer we get to having children the more I've started researching family names...I'm slightly addicted although, I don't really know what I'm doing. Shirley and her two daughters go back to Tennessee where our family originated and tour through the towns our family came from, the different family cementaries (I know it sounds slightly morbid, but they've traced several family members that way). My dad has always teased my mom about her "hillbilly relatives" from Tennessee and after doing a little investigating it turns out that his dad's side of the family came from Tompkinsville, KY, which is just about an hour and 15 minutes north of Cookeville, TN, where my mom's mother's side came from. Ironic isn't it?
That's probably way more family info than any of you wanted to know, but if any of you have any tips on geneolgy and how to go about researching it, I'd be ever so grateful!
I just cut this recipe out of the paper. It sounds YUMMY! My mom is coming into town to stay with us tomorrow night and then a bunch (40 to 50) of family members from her side are coming over Saturday afternoon for a cookout at our house.
I'm thinking I'll make this for breakfast Saturday morning.
Blueberry Breakfast Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
Pinch each salt & cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 pint fresh blueberries
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 7x11" baking pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
2) Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugars until smooth. Add eggs one by one and beat for 1 minute. On low speed, mix in half of the flour mixture, the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour mixture. Gently stir in berries. Pour into baking pan.
3) Bake for about 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, unmold, then cool right-side-up.
Serves 12. Per serving: 220 calories, 33g carbs, 3g protein, 55 mg cholesterol, and 9g fat.
*Sorry I don't have a picture. I hate recipes that don't have a picture!
Well, my parents flew to Pennsylvania last week to see some friends so I we had an extra addition in our house...Miss Lily. She is Tyke's mama. They had so much fun running around chasing each other.
Here she is lounging one evening.
Saturday morning I got around and went to Amarillo. I had a VERY long to do list. I went by and saw my grandad when I got into town. From 11:00 until 1:00 we set up for the OSU event that evening. I took lunch to my Meme and then had to be at WG for my appointment at 2 p.m. I took in four different hairstyles and finally chose a combination of two of them. It's shorter than I planned, but I like it. After that I headed to The Prescriptives counter to get my make up done. I LOVE getting pampered. I try and get my make up done a couple of times a year just to learn new things and try new colors. The best part is that it's free!
Here's a picture before I changed clothes...I realize now that the smokey eyes and red lipstick were a little overkill. However, I'd taken a picture in of this girl that had the same skin tone, hair color and eye color and I thought it didn't look too drastic on her...That's why she's a model in a magazine and I'm not.
Josh & Me. Josh is a former Pistol Pete (our mascot) at OSU and now serves in the Alumni Relations Dept. He's been so much help getting our chapter organized.
Me and my twin. This is Jaime and I am obviously joking because she's SO much more tan than I am! She's been a huge help and when I got to the event we had the same dress on.
A picture of the new officers with Josh.
I didn't get all my errands run on Saturday so Marty and I had to go back on Sunday. We picked up a grill for our big family get together this Saturday. And we got to have lunch with my parents who had just flown into town and see my Grandad again.
By the time we got home that evening I was exhausted. It was a very fun and productive weekend, though. Hope yours was great as well!
So, I am just now getting around to posting about my triathlon. My four personal goals were 1) To Finish 2) Not Come in Last 3) Not to Walk ANY of the 3.2 mile run which was the very last event and 4) Not Get Sick. I added that last one the Saturday morning on my way to the race. I was EXTREMELY nervous and we had been using Gu Energy Gel during our training, but only like one package per workout. The morning of we took some 15 minutes before the competition started and then every 45 minutes during. It gave me the WORST indigestion. I was burping up a storm during the run and just thought, "Lord, if I throw up, I'm done. Please just let me finish this thing w/o getting sick." I met all four of my goals. One of the girls I had been training with won 1st in her age group. I was SO proud of her. She cycles competitively and the wind was blowing SO hard that day, if you were on a road bike or a seasoned cyclist-you definitely had the advantage.
There were 6 of us from Small Town, USA that competed and did the ENTIRE triathlon. I knew going in the other were all in a lot better shape than I was. They've been working out consistently for the last couple of years and have done several half marathons and such. I think I overestimated what kind of shape I was in as I just started working out consistently at the beginning of June. But, I had fun and I finished my first tri!
Here are a few pictures...excuse my ugliness as I only got a few hours of sleep due to my nerves and my mother isn't the greatest photographer...and these are posted all of out order because I am a buffoon when it comes to blogger!
Finished. I know this is a less than flattering shot, but there is a sense of goofy relief mixed with satisfaction on my face that I just had to share!
Running.
Me and Tamara before the event started.
Transitioning between the swim and the 12.5 mile bike.
That's me on the bottom left and Tamara towards the center of the picture on the last stretch of the 450 yd swim.
It was a great experience! I can say I've completed a triathlon and if I ever do another one, I can only improve from where I started.
Happy Friday! I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!
Tomorrow is Marty's 29th birthday. He is helping one of his good friends ship cattle an hour and a half East of here and I have my first OSU alumni chapter dinner and that I helped organize and plan an hour and a half West of here so we won't be seeing much of each other, unfortunately.
I got up early this morning to go workout. As I was pulling out of the driveway something on the side of the road caught my eye...it was Cowboy.
Here she is with a couple of her kittens. I think these were from her second litter. 
I married my best friend. It is so hard for me to believe that Marty and I have been married for three WHOLE years. It's even harder for me to believe that I love him more today than I did standing in that church in front of all our family and friends three years ago. That was the happiest day of my life thus far and I never dreamed I could possibly feel more for him than I did that day.
I loved every minute of planning our wedding. I would give anything to do event and wedding planning full-time. It was a big celebration. And even though, I was taking a full load of summer courses at OSU and planning a wedding from a satelittle location-I had a blast doing it all. I've heard so many brides say that if they had it to do over, they would elope in a heartbeat. Not me. I never felt stressed through the entire process...and if anything, I wish that I could put our wedding day in slow motion and live it again so I could savor every moment...
I wanted to share a few pictures...I don't know that I've ever posted any of my wedding pictures on my blog other than the other of my parents and me on the lower right hand corner of my blog. WARNING: I tried to post these in some kind of order and blogger is being a PAIN!
This is during the ceremony. We were so giddy! Can you tell by the scrunched up, full of joy smile on my face?
Here's a shot of me with my WONDERFUL bridesmaids...I am so blessed by the people God has brought into my life and these girls were so much help. They are absolutely beautiful inside and out!
This is my favorite bridal portrait. We waited until after our wedding to take my bridal portraits because I wanted to take them out on my parents' ranch and was worried about ruining my dress.
Here's my favorite page from our wedding album. Our vows were so unique and so perfect. Dr. Jay Spencer, who is a dear friend of Marty's married us. He and his ENTIRE family (and when I say "entire" I mean, he and his wife, their three kids, Jay's cousin and his wife and their three boys) were huge spiritual influences on my husband, and for that I am forever grateful to them. Since Jay was a mere 8 hours away during the wedding planning process, we didn't do a whole lot of marriage counseling, but he did have several questions he wanted us to answer without discussing our answers with one another. So we did, and he formed our vows from our answers to those questions.
My vows to Marty read: "I, Cassi, take you Marty to be my loving husband. I promise to love you unconditionally, to honor, respect and cherish you daily. I promise to always spend time with you, however busy life may be. I promise to be a good listener and to make you and your feelings my priority.I promise to care for you emotionally, physically and spiritually, to be a good homemaker for you and our children and to make God the center of our home. I promise to be your best friend, soul mate and lover for the rest of our lives. Finally, I promise that I will always be your huntin' buddy and that I will sit with you on the front porch when we are old and gray."
Our vows fit us to a "T" and were so personalized. I LOVE them! They bring a tear to my eye reading over them now.
This is a candid of me with my parents after the ceremony. These two people have been the best parents a daughter could ask for. I know I've said this before, but they truly are my best friends.
Marty and I are keeping things low key this evening. I bought a really nice bottle of wine a few weeks ago so we're going to open that and have some yummy dessert. It's hard to do much since our anniversary falls in the middle of the week...
I will post about the triathlon tomorrow. I am seriously going to win "Worst Blogger of the Year". I just have so much to do at the office I feel guilty blogging during the day and by the time I get home I DO NOT want to sit in front of a computer screen.
Have a beautiful, blessed day!
Tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. I will be competing in my first triathlon. My nerves are REALLY starting to kick in! Wish me luck...
In other news...it's been an interesting week. I don't want to get all debbie downer on y'all, but this is where I post my feelings, frustrations, etc. so here goes...1) I got a fancy little chandelier from my parents for my birthday and I was visiting with our neighbor about which electrician to use because he is a retired home builder and I figured he'd know. So he assures me that he can help us hang the chandelier (and a couple other light fixtures we got a while back). So he came over Monday morning to hang the lights. (Backstory: While I was gone this past weekend, I asked Marty to supervise said neighbor while he hung the lights. Marty ended up having things to do Sat. and Sun. mornings and so he told our neighbor to come over Monday morning.) So before I left for work I told our neighbor about the height I wanted it to hang and such...I came home a few hours later and he's destroyed the chandelier! He broke several of the crystals, cut a vital piece that enclosed the wiring and fixed it with black electrical tape...I was P*SSED to say the least. Marty assured me we'd get it fixed so a professional electrician came over yesterday only to tell us that the chandelier is broken and his only suggestion is possibly buying a chain/chord cover to hide the damage. Those chain/chord covers are like $40 which isn't all that high, but considering the chandelier was a gift and now we've had to pay for an electrician and a $40 cover...ugh...
There's a few other things that involve our small town's cliquishness, but I've *opened the door for Satan enough this morning. I won't get into that because frankly, I'm tired of hearing myself talk about it. This town isn't going to get any friendlier and I don't think we're moving anytime soon so I just need to zip my lips and move on.
*I've been listening to Joyce Meyers series on Prayer and she says, "When you complain you open the door for the devil."
On the flip side, IT'S FRIDAY! I have a lot to do at the office today, but my mom is coming in tonight to stay with us and we have pedicures scheduled for this afternoon. Then after my race Saturday we are going to pick out a new grill for our anniversary next week, but that's a whole other post.
Later gators!
Sometimes, I hate living this far up in the middle of NOWHERE! Wichita Falls used to be a 2 1/2 hour drive...now it's more like 4 1/2. Friday after work I drove to WF to see one of my besties from college, Whitney. I didn't get there until almost 10 p.m. We chit chatted and had a glass of wine after that we called it a night. I was pooped from my drive.
Saturday we got around and went to some cute little stores outside of WF all owned by the same family. They included Retro Ranch which had western furniture and decor, Cadillac Cowgirl, a clothing boutique, and a coffee shop called Java Junkie. It was the neatest little place. I have been looking for a fireplace screen since we moved into our house and I finally found one! I'll have to post a picture later, but it had a small tear in the screen and they took $30 off the original price. Whoo hoo!
Whit and I then headed back into WF and had lunch at a local place called Samuri Sushi Bar. It was pretty good and the atmosphere was very interesting. It was teeny tiny and there was only one lady working in there. She took your drink and lunch order and then made your sushi. It was the craziest thing!
After lunch we headed west toward the Wichita Falls Vineyards & Winery. We did a yummy taste testing and did a short tour of the winery. They had this Port dessert wine that they served a sampling of chocolate sauce with...it was heaven! We each got a couple of bottles...the Wichita Red and the Muscato were our favorites.
We had to stop on our way out and take a picture to commemorate our day trip.
When we got back to Whit's bf's house we layed by the pool and then went to dinner at a local spot known as The Peach Orchard. There are only three restaurants in Jefferson County and we hit up two of them. The Peach Orchard is owned by a local family that is good friends with Whit's bf. He actually did all the cooking.
This weekend reminded me that being with your best friends rejuvenates the soul, you don't have to look like a million bucks to feel like a million bucks, boys are easily impressed by the strangest things and I am very, very blessed! Have fun in MeXiCo, Whit!
Side Note: Is anyone else having trouble arranging your pictures in blogger? It used to never give me trouble and it's like I can't drag it from the top after I upload it to where I want it to go without some serious effort.
