What's Up Wednesday - July 2019

What We're Eating This Week

Anything quick & nothing that uses the oven.
Anyone else avoid the use of the oven during the summer?

What I'm Reminiscing About

Oh, the days where I felt good.
Could run miles on end... only had knee issues to worry about... had energy to do every day things.
Those were the days

What I'm Loving
I'm loving my Mildliners.



I've been using them in my planner & they're adding pretty color without covering letters or bleeding through.
I dont know why I've waited so long to get them.

What We've Been Up To
Ricky's still been working on the fence.
He's on the last section & will finish it up this weekend.
He would have finished it last weekend, but he ran into an issue & had to cut out 3 sections & pour concrete & reset poles. That slowed him down.

... next up, staining of this monster begins. 

What I'm Dreading
Oh man... I hate even talking about this....

So yeah - I start back on Saturday for another 5 rounds of infusions for my iron deficiency.  With my numbers to continue to drop, I was scheduled immediately. I actually asked if I could skip a weekend - they wanted me to start last weekend.  They obliged - so I start again this Saturday.

Just HATE it - the time to go down there - the time to sit there - the time to be SICK & feeling yucky after each treatment.

To say I'm not a happy camper would be a total understatement.

What I'm Working On
Trying to work on my water intake.
I've been slack-a-lacking on it - BIG TIME.
Remember those days where I was chomping ice like there was no tomorrow?  The most hydrated I ever was. Now, I notice I can be at day's end & maybe have had 2 glasses of water.
Work needs to be done.

What I'm Excited About
School supplies are out.
Yep - I will stand next to any elementary school kid & love flipping through Disney Princess folders with the best of them.

What I'm Watching / Reading
I'm still in my Gossip Girl binging - about ready to finish Season 3, or is it 4 - I feel like Blair & Chuck are my best friends & I can give full credit on why Serena gets on my nerves.

But I've also started The Boys on Amazon.
It's been an interesting premise.. I just wish they didnt make it so raunchy & ICK in some parts.  Some parts, I just had to fast forward.



I'm also anxious for this season of The Handmaid's Tale to finish.
Excited they renewed for a Season 4

What I'm Listening To

Legit - true to time - I'm currently listening to Phil in the Blanks
I really like Dr. Phil on here.  He just makes sense & I like his conversations with his guests.



Also listening to Another Bachelor Podcast in the era of the hot mess that The Bachlorette was this season.

What I'm Wearing
I've been wearing my jeans lately to work...I've just not been in a dress mood lately

What I'm doing this Weekend
See above.
I'll get to sit in a chair with a needle in my arm for nearly 3 hours
... & then feel awful the rest of the day
Good times.

.. on a good note- HSM starts on Sunday for our Sophomore year.
Looking forward to another great year with these girls.



What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month
Women of Joy
Looking forward to a weekend away with friends - getting my spirit filled up - seeing Mercy Me in concert - & now, a weekend where I get to skip an infusion*
(*I'm not sure how that's going to work actually - I have to talk to the infusion center this weekend about missing a week - or how they'll reschedule.. this could be interesting)

What Else is New

Tomorrow, August 1... we celebrate!!!

BRUNO WILL BE 19 YEARS OLD!!!! Can you believe my little old man will be 19?
Oh, every day, I just hug him & love him... he knows his momma's voice & just curls up in my arms. My baby.

& Ms Zoe - she turns 14!!!
How did my little "Littles" (what I always called them) become little Nursing Home babies?

I'd get them bones but neither have hardly any teeth left.
We'll find a way to celebrate - no doubt.

Friday Favorites

Favorite Photo Session



Oh my gosh ya'll ... my heart
Click the pic to see these pictures that were taken of elderly couples like an engagement photo session. The smiles... the love...  this is BEYOND precious!!!

Favorite Halloween Pillows



So super cute!
Especially because you get ALL four for $13.99!
SAY WHAT?

Favorite Cake



YAAASSS!!!
A husband got his wife a cake that looks like a Amazon package. 
This man totally understands women

Favorite Work Lunch Item




I had to look & see if this was for real.
Apparently so!!!!
Wouldnt this be nice for work during the winter when its cold out?
Just gotta hope a coworker doesnt use it to warm up some horribly stinky soup at their desk

Favorite Back Pack



OK... so they have a Princess one too - but with the new Lion King out, I had to post this one.
All the Disney ones are cute. There's even a Toy Story one & a Little Mermaid.
Never too old for Disney backpacks


Favorite Candle



Yep... candles!
How perfect would these be on a coffee bar????

Favorite Beauty & the Beast


Who could ever eat these Beauties!!! ;)
See what I did there?

Favorite Funnies

















...when I start to get a glimpse of what hot flashes are like



... me to every weekend that exists




... mood every time I look at Instagram



... me at 4:30pm today



Happy weekend y'all!!

Snow White & Belle,10 hrs & look at my ittybitty baby!!! {Thankful Thursday #231}

This week I am thankful for:

WHOOPIE!!!
I think all my work family knows about Ricky's love for carrot cake - so we really appreciated it when one of my coworkers brought in 2 "inside out" carrot cakes - what they're called at Trader Joes  Basically like carrot cake whoopie pies. OH MY GOODNESS - they were delicious. & I'm super glad she brought in TWO - one for each of us. & I'm even more glad that I ate mine before Ricky ate his or I wouldnt have gotten to enjoy mine!

Bruno on concrete.
We have found that Bruno can walk really well on our back porch.  He can grip the concrete well & its flat & hot any obstacles in his way.  We discovered he can move more than we thought. Little old man has been walking like 2 hours every night & about a hour & a half every moring.  Keep at 'em Bruno!!!

Hair Day!!!
You know its bad when my hair dresser sees your hair & goes "WOW"... haha.  That gray is just coming in fast & furious.

New Coffee Mug
Thanks to Amazon Prime Day - I found all kinds of sales from OTHER stores - & added this mug to my Campfire Mug collection from The Daily Grace. I took this one to work to use everyday.

Found Badge
I got to work & went to scan in to get in the door & noticed... nothing... my bad had dropped from the parking garage to the building. OH NO.  So I called into the office & someone let me in, but one of my work buddies went with me for an extra pair of eyes & as we're walking across the street - there she lay! WHEW!!!!! I would have had to pay for a new one, that didnt bother me - I was just more concerned with my Belle on my badge that Ricky got me. I have priorities.

Snow White bag
My work sister Liz brought in this beautiful bag that she got with a vintage lipstick she had ordered.  When she asked me if I wanted it, I literally teared up. It's so beautiful.  It's Disney + it looks like a book.  I love little bags like this too - for pens or little things that get lost in your purse. I told her if she can ever get a Belle one, she's gotta know I'll pay her for that one.

No doctor's Wait
My Hematologist office always has a long wait - so when I pulled in the parking lot on my lunch hour & saw it was empty, I almost thought I had the wrong date. I pulled out my phone to confirm their text & it was indeed right.  I dont know if I got there right after a lunch hour or what - but I walked right in, got my blood drawn & got my hemoglobin results back & was back in less than an hour. That was a first.

Readathon
Always love the boost to read more & appreciate these weekends that puts a focus on it.   I didnt think I'd get much time in this go around but I was only 3 hours off my last time & I felt like I really dedicated time to that one. Good to know.

6 years old
I can't believe our big boy is 6 years old now.  It feels like yesterday we just got him.  It's so sweet- the lady that worked for the aussie rescue that drove the distance to pick him up from the shelter, she found some pictures of Harvey from the day she went & picked him up. OH MY GOSH. I forgot how little he was. My baby!!!!

Safe in the storm
That storm that came up out of no where - it was CRAZY clouds... & I dont get afraid of storms, but running through a horse field with lightning bouncing everywhere - I gotta admit, I was a little nervous.  I'm just glad the horses weren't phased by it.  & really, I could have just stayed out & looked at the beauty of it.  I just am mesmerized by these sorts of clouds & storms.

What are you Thankful for this week?

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Happy Birthday to my dad... hope you're enjoying Alaska!

Today would have been my dad's 75th Birthday.

It's crazy to think that death puts a freeze on time.  Dad was 73 when he passed away.  Just a month before his 74th birthday.  I try to think how he would have celebrated today. I definitely know that cake would have been involved. He loves his birthday cake.  He'd always prefer ice cream cake... I am not a fan... so he'd always tell me to make sure to buy him a gallon of vanilla ice cream to go with his birthday cake. I could handle that.

There was always a new horse / barn / farm tshirt would have been involved on his day. He always loved when I would get those for him for his birthday. He wore them clear through till holes appeared.

one of his shirts
... it says...
"I'm so busy I dont know if I found a rope or lost my horse"

& shopping for the horse would have been involved.  Every year for his birthday, I always gave him $1.00 for each year of his age.  I think I started that when he was 40 years old. He always joked that he was making me poorer the older he got.  But he always took that money & ended up using it to buy things for the horses.  Always.  I feel like I need to go buy Cochese & Baby something today in dad's honor.

Speaking of dad.... I have to share a reoccurring dream I've had.  I dont think I mentioned it before.

Dad is always in the kitchen - the first time I dreamed it, he was in the kitchen of mom & dad's house now.  I dreamt this again about 2 weeks ago & we were in the kitchen at our old house.

Dad is just standing there doing his thing like he always did in the kitchen - creating something new to eat, making a ice cold drink with extra & then more ice... & we're all just staring at dad.  After the silent shock & stares, I end up saying to him every time "What are you doing here?  YOU DIED"...

& every time, dad just laughs.  Now, you have to know, my dad had a very unique laugh when he got really chuckled about something. I will like to add, I can imitate this laugh perfectly.   Ricky says its bizarre how well I can do it... but he does it every time at this moment where I tell him that he died!!!

When I tell my mom about this dream (in real life now - this can get confusing) - she asked me, "Why do you tell him he died?" - & I tell her its at this point every time, I explain to him,  "DAD - WE BURIED SOMEBODY!!!!" & he just laughs again ... ok dad - who knew you had a sick sense of humor?

I tell dad about his funeral & what happened - & the whole time, he just shakes his head & tells me he's not dead. 

The funniest part of it - I always ask him where he's been this all this time - & he tells me every time "I've been in Alaska". ... my dad or none of the Wood family has been in Alaska.  Where that comes from, I dont know.  But he always says that he's been there & he just had a hard time leaving there to get back home.

Now, when mom talks about dad & missing him & talking about how she can't believe he left us so unexpectedly - I just remind her 'Mom, he's just in Alaska" :)

People are still looking for the Garden of Eden on earth... has anyone checked Alaska? I'm just saying...

& I wake up... really feeling like I had a conversation with dad.  It's just the most surreal experience. Sad to wake up & leave him & knowing this reality, he's gone... but my heart is always warm with what feels like time spent with him again... & hearing that laugh... & seeing that smile.

I'll think of that today... & maybe Dad will visit me in my dreams tonight...
& let me know all his latest adventures in Alaska.

Miss you Dad... love you always!

The weekend that I didnt put a book down....

I honestly believe that last week was the LONGEEESSSSTTTT week I have ever experienced.
It was unbelievably long. Almost mystical & magically long - magical in the sense that someone put a jinx on the week.

Let me tell you, it was so bad, when I left work, I stopped at the grocery & picked up cookies. That's how bad it was.

Dont worry, I didnt eat them all

Granted, I didnt get to eat Friday for lunch. I had to run to the doctor to get my blood drawn for my latest ferritin level check.  So cookies were my comfort food to make it through the week AND the day.

My Friday night wasn't exciting at all - I was beat down. From the week ... & from having blood drawn. I always say I find it a little ironic that when you dont have enough blood, it doesnt help when they keep drawing it out of you too.  I really feel it when I lost any sort of blood.

Needless to say, I was in bed early & knocked out quick.

Saturday, I was up early in thanks to Mr. Ernie Walker who is true to form - 7am is play time to him.  I didnt have to get out of bed though because Ricky was actually already up & working on the fence - THAT early.  Trying to beat the heat.  Poor guy - it got SO hot SO fast & SO humid.  He honestly could only do a few planks at a time & had to come in & change shirts & get drink more water. It was scaring me. I finally begged him to just lock the dogs in the house (they didnt mind) & then finish the fence when it was cooler... & by cooler, I mean, not cooler at all. It was HORRIBLE.  All sorts of Heat Warning Advisories out & everything.

Me? I didnt let the heat get to me because it was the 24in48 Readathon!!!!  My favorite time of year!!!

I knew I wouldnt get my usual time of reading in, but I wanted to at least get some in... & some is better than none. I think I did pretty good by finishing 2 books this weekend - more than I have been reading.

But this is just the way to beat the heat.... a book & iced coffee under a fan & by an AC vent.

I did walk away from my book for a bit to take my mom to the store  & Ricky had gone out to pick us up dome dinner while he made a trip to Home Depot.  I love days where I can keep my hair in a messy bun, no make up & flip flops & shorts & a tee all day long.

Oh, in the middle of Saturday, one thing happened - I got an email that said my test results came in.  That was strange because it usually takes 5 days for my ferritin levels to come back in so when I saw my results were back in less than 24 hours? That was shocking to me....& yeah, the results weren't good. I dropped EVEN lower.  My mom said, "How much lower CAN you drop?" ... I told her, about 1/4 of an inch left :) ... she didnt find that funny.

I'm sure I'll get a phone call from the doctor this week... sigh....

Sunday, I had hoped I was going to sleep in since I couldnt go to sleep the night before. I drank coffee too late in the day - so it was after 1am before I finally fell asleep... & Thank you Mr. Ernie... 6:58 am wake up call. DANG THAT DOG. Good thing he's super cute.

I had hoped to get up & relax in the day with my book - but Bruno had had an accident overnight in his kennel - so book got put aside & I had some cleaning to do & gave Bruno a bath.  He's my dog that loves getting baths.  I took the time to trim him up & groom him some. My handsome little man, all sparkly & shiny new... or as sparkly & shiny new as you can be at nearly 19 years old (t- 10 days till that 19th birthday!!!... I'm already shooting for 20 for him!!!)

I finally got to settle in on the couch for more reading.

I did skip church again this week.. Last week was Wimbledon - this week, I went ahead & relaxed.  HSM starts back in just a week or two so I just am enjoying the break of not having to get up & rush out on the weekend.

We did pack up & leave in the afternoon though to go celebrate my mother in law's birthday by having some lunch with her & going through old pictures. I love old pictures.  Can I show you my favorite???

All together now - AHHHHHH... all the heart eyes.

Crazy how much Ricky & his 2nd grandson look so much alike. Scary actually.

We headed home for horse time ... & on the way home, Ricky had to run back into Home Depot where I finished that second book.  OH MY GOSH. Good thing I was in the car, heading home... because let me warn you - this is just one sad book.  Heartbreaking.When Ricky got back in the car, I know I said at least a dozen times - "That was just so sad!!!"... books can hit you in the heart man.

Hiding my face... it was a total ugly cry

Nothing really exciting happened the rest of Sunday - just adulting - bills, horses, showers, dogs... Oh - & celebrated our big boy's 6th Birthday!

Happy Birthday Harvey Dent!!!  Cant believe we've had him for 6 years now!!! WOW!

& also ended our week with a CRAZY storm that popped up out of nowhere.
I had to go let the horses back in & always plan to do it around 9pm.  I had just brought Bruno inside about 8:45 & there was nothing suspicious looking.  & I walk out the door at 9pm & it looked like something out of Stranger Things. MY GOODNESS!!!! Scared me to death running through that field with lightning flashing. 

Luckily, the horses didnt seem phased by it- I was afraid I was going to get over there to 2 horses trying to climb the walls.  Nope, they were just like, "Got any feed?"...

Well, let's hope our week & our Monday is a lot calmer than last night.

So how was your weekend?

Is it horribly hot where you are?

Have you ever done a readathon?  Did you join into this one?

Do you celebrate your dogs birthdays?

Click pic to join in - Linking up with Tanya

Friday Favorites

(Click pic for links to items)

Favorite Room



Just yes.... now, if I can convince the hubby to give up his closet ;)

Favorite Book Item



In the spirit of a reading room - how cute are these shelves!!

Favorite Water Bottle



I just think these look so nice & I always love a good grip on things.
#clutzy


Favorite Apron



I dont cook so I dont know why I love aprons, but I just do
& I think this one is just class. A Japanese smock.
No - I'd never buy it - its $77.00 - but I can still admire it & dream

Favorite Car Organizer


... I actually just bought these on Prime Day too
Especially when I found out that they hold 11 lbs!
Hello purse holder!

Favorite Tee

.. here's the close up...

Favorite Back to school wreath



This would be adorable on a teacher's classroom door with her name on it

Favorite Funnies

... me after hitting confirm on my online shopping carts

.. when I go in a dressing room to try on a bathing suit



... me reading all the fights on Twitter about most everything in the world

... me at 4:30 pm today