Road Trip!!!

As a campus recruiter, I have had my share of road trips. I rather enjoy the time spent on the highways of our region (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Eastern Pennsylvania & Upstate New York) seeing new sites, trying new food joints, cruising down the open road...but this past weekend I embarked on a trip reminiscent of my childhood. Two adults and three kids, packed into my X-Terra, trekking across the state to visit Chicago for the weekend. My sister and I braved it with the three girls (affectionately nicknamed "Three Little Birds") for a Girl's Weekend of shopping, food and laughs!

So, I took Friday off from work, had my IPod tunes ready (which a Chicago playlist created just for the occassion), our car snacks divided (Maren was shocked that I had spent $100 on "goodies"), the bags packed in the trunk (wasn't sure we really had any room for purchases as we were already packed to the gills!)...and we were off.

We did what we set out to do - we shopped our way up, down and back up Michigan Avenue, ate at the Cheesecake Factory, had Chicago Deep Dish Pizza and spent almost all of our money (and we had the bags to prove it!!) The first of what I hope will be many Girl's Weekends with my fantabulous nieces!!!

Did You Know...

I am a double-blogger. We have an internal "Facebook" of sorts at Deloitte called D Street. It is our firmwide directory and has proven to be quite fun (and a good distraction from any of a number of things on my daily to-do list!) You can post pictures, favorites, website links and you can BLOG!! So, I am a double-blogger. Rarely do my posts overlap - D Street is more work related, compelling my team to challenge themselves, sharing thoughts and insights about our greater Deloitte community.....this one is more family related - you get it. But, this week, I thought it might be fun to share the pages. Yesterday, I blogged "5 Things You Didn't Know About Me" on my D Street profile. I then asked the recruiters on our regional recruiting team to do the same - I learned some super-interesting facts about my colleagues.....one loves techno, another is uncanningly good at Whack-A-Mole....so, here are my fun facts that you may or may not know!

1. I was a Girl Scout for 13 years. I loved it - sold cookies & calendars and spent the last 7 years attending summer camp on Mackinac Island. It was great - green knee socks & all!!

2. My first "real" job was working at McDonald's. I started the summer after my senior year of high school & worked all through college. I often say that if I didn't have another job I would go back to MickeyD's in a heart-beat!!!

3. I played varsity soccer for four years in college. It was Division III and we were terrible (until my senior year when we won almost more than we lost) but I wouldn't trade my years as an Alma Scot for anything!

4. I love Spaghettio's cooked in a campfire. Just crack open the can, put it in the coals (paper and all, unless you are saving Labels for Education!) and let it boil....easy, cheap and super yummy!!

5. I "motor" in a Mini-Cooper. It is British Racing Green with a white hood & two white stripes down the front. My niece Chloe thinks it is a race car and it is a blast to drive.

So, now I challenge you to put it out there - what are 5 things we can learn about you today!?!?!

A Weekend at the Wob

Tony and I made a long-overdue trip up north to Fish Camp this weekend. The weather forecast didn't look promising but we had some much needed work to finish so we braved it and made the trek up. Friday evening traffic wasn't so bad and after a stop at Halo Burger (have you had a QP burger with green olives? YUM!) we pulled in around 10:30p.m. It was chilly, but that up north chilly that you don't really mind. We had to have a new pump installed last week (after Tony had spent a weekend there with no water at all, I thought I was homefree with a new pump - not so much!) We turned on the good ole' H2O to hear a swishing sound, clearly meaning a crack in a pipe somewhere. Turned it off and used hand sanitizer that night - Tony climbed under the trailer numerous times on Saturday and finally fixed the pipe - running water again!! The bathroom has been our on-going project and it was a happy day when we Tony pulled out the blue tub, sink & toilet - all to be replaced with white fixtures and some gray & white tile board in the shower. We still don't have the shower plumbed but the toilet works like a charm (if you have been there before, you no longer have to gingerly flush and hope it works!!) A Bad Chad Deerhorn pizza (the best around) and a campfire rounded out Saturday, along with a spotting of four baby Robins in a nest on our deck. Willow loves to be up north and has taken to being a "hunting" dog in the woods - she mostly stayed on track this weekend but last time she spotted a turkey and Tony had to do some swift running to catch her in the brush. She has a bit of her brother Bogey in her - she's not as fast but she has the same mischevious side about her!! The weekends up north always pass by too quickly, mostly because there are continuous projects to complete (we also raked, mowed, tiled a kitchen countertop and put the ceiling in the bathroom). It is such a refreshing feeling to be in Northern Michigan and sometimes I forget how much I love it - must mean another trip needs to be on the calendar soon!!

Pretty Toes

The other day, my friend Kris wrote about raising a "girly girl". (Her daughter Gracie is as cute as can be and while she may wear the dresses, I think she gives the boys a run for their money!) I have NEVER perceived myself as "girly" - I was the one who perpetually wore a ponytail and a red hooded sweatshirt, put jeans on under my skirts so I could climb the monkey bars and had no patience for make-up or matching outfits. So, the idea that I have a standing monthly pedicure appointment iwith my sister, at an actual salon is amazing to me - and I haven't had to reschedule once in the past 3 months!!! I realize it has only been 3 months, but it is a start, right?? My first color was Midnight in Moscow, last month was Yogina Love It and today I chose Elepinktastic...what will the choice be next month?? Now, if I could just grow the nails so I can get a manicure I will be all set!!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

The first Mother's Day after my mom passed away, my good friend Paddy told me to dig in my garden. To get my hands dirty and to cultivate something beautiful out of my tears. Tony and I really took that to heart this year. We planted 6 trees, 2 shrubs, 4 pots of Honeysuckle and I still have a whole flat of herbs that need a home somewhere in the sun! After a Saturday trip to the nursery in Saline, and a visit today to the annual Flower Sale at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market and Bordines, we were ready to plant our own forest!! The rain came early, and while the downpour was fantastic AFTER we planted, it gave us dirty hands, wet jeans and muddy shoes. I didn't realize how chilly it was outside in the rain until I made it to the hot shower - the entire day proved successful in cleansing my soul.

I am forever greatful for my mom and the things she taught me over the years. I am also thrilled to know so many fabulous women who are mothers - so here's to all of you...Happy Mother's Day!!!

Told You So!!!

In my first post, I said I am usually pumped about new ideas for about two weeks and then I sometimes lose the momentum.....I am a week and a half into blogging and I have clearly lost focus. Well, I have decided to put my blogging blinders back on and vow to spend at least 5 minutes a day putting something out there for everyone to see!!

Soccer last night was at 11:00p.m. - a bit rough since we didn't make it home until 12:37a.m. and I had an early morning meeting (8:15a.m.). Needless to say, the 6:30a.m. wake-up call was tough to take. Tony and I are laughing as we have decided the older you get, the longer it takes to heal. A pain in my knee or a twisted ankle used to feel better within a day - not so much anymore. My friend Kris is doing a Boot Camp and was saying she hurt in muscles she didn't even know she had - I can definitely feel her pain!!!

The Red Wings kick off their play-off series with the Dallas Stars tonight....GO WINGS!!! They knocked off the Predators (sorry, Kris) and while I love my in-laws in Dallas, I am going to have to cheer for a swift sweep of the Stars!!

Where does the weekend go???

I am becoming an advocate of 3-day weekends. Last night at 8:00p.m. I looked at Tony and said, "where did the weekend go!?!?" Don't get me wrong - it was a good weekend! Friday night I saw Made of Honor with my sister and the girls (highly recommend it - predictable but super funny, and if you like McDreamy, it's worth the see!) Saturday was spent with Eric & Kelley - a victory at Jake's hockey game and then a trip to Cabela's. Solid bonding time for sure! Sunday was Theresa's bridal shower and then soccer. We stopped at Jimmy D's to see the "new" old dog Muggsy and by the time we got home to eat dinner it was 8pm!!! A showing of Juno (another good flick) and then I was asleep! Seriously, tons of fun but I'm not even sure I cleaned the kitchen this weekend!! Just when you get into the swing of the weekend, it's back to the old grind at work. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my grind, but I think I would better enjoy a 3-day weekend!!

TGIF!!!

Happy Friday!! The weather doesn't look promising for the weekend, but it is the weekend nonetheless so I am happy!! Friday's are typically my favorite day in the office - it is quiet and I try not to schedule any meetings so I can wrap up the loose ends of the week. Today, however, my plan has failed as I have 7 meetings on my calendar. Really? Who schedules a meeting on Friday afternoon at 3:00p.m.!?!?! The good news is it will force me to be super-productive in between meetings in order to get everything settled in my office.

Speaking of my office, everyday I see my "Organized Mess" award I won at our last HR Team Retreat - and I wonder how I missed getting any part of the clean-gene. Try as I might, the piles of paper stack up (not very green, I know) and the projects line the walls on my floor. My boss tells me that perception is reality and folks will think I am not on top of things if my office is messy. My thought is, no one ever comes to my office so why does it matter?

In the spirit of Spring, I am putting a picture of my "organized mess" out there for everyone to see. Maybe by Summer I will just be organized!!!

Happy Friday everyone!!!