Lack of Posting

So sorry for the lack of posts.  I have found myself deeply wrapped up with work.  If I'm not working..I'm relaxing and don't want anything to do with a computer.  (Gasp!) I know..I desire a technology free time when I'm away from work.  Granted, Joshua and I tend to spend our evenings watching a movie or tv..but I rarely get on a computer anymore.  I've tried blogging from my iphone but need a new app for that..the one I have just isn't that awesome.  Soo..if you have any suggestions, please send them my way!

Yes, I have been working my booty off..generally not leaving work until the sun has long gone.  Thankfully, that sun is staying around longer and I'm getting to see a little more of it each evening.  I've also been very diligent in my work outs lately.  Making sure to get in at least 3 during the week...aiming for 4 though.  Joshua and I have also been trying to get more fitness in on the weekends.  We'll head over to White Rock Lake from time to time to take a stroll around the lake..which is so nice!  We love spending time together outdoors.

I've been trying to train for a 1/2 marathon (Nashville at the end of April)..but am having a little bit of a struggle these days.  I kind of plateaued at 6 miles.  I just need to get some more time in my life to dedicate to running.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE to run.  It's freeing to me, it's something I think I'm pretty good at, and I feel so good at the end.  I just need to find more hills..because if you didn't know...Dallas is very flat (in comparison to GA and TN).  So..I will continue to push on in the hopes of getting to that 13.1 by April 30th.

Next week Joshua and I are headed to Galveston with some friends for the LAST spring break...and my FIRST.  I never went anywhere crazy for Spring Break in college.  I generally went home or to Memphis to see Joshua.  So, this will be one for the books.

That's all I have for now.  I'm on my lunch break and just wanted to get a little update in.

Fun things from around the web

I love searching design sites...and I love finding out what inspires others.  One of my favorite little blogs is A Cup of Jo. Some of her links from the last post were great and I wanted to share.

Kim McCarty does some BEAUTIFUL watercolors.  I love the plant life...but the nudes are pretty spectacular too.  All of her works are so light and crisp.

Michigan Mittens!  A piece of my heart lies in Michigan.
That's where I was born and where all of my extended family lives.
So I like these little guys a lot.

That is all for now...I started this post over a week ago and am just now coming back to it.  I'll have more fun things from around the web another day!

Cleaning House

I must admit, one of my favorite weekend activities is cleaning our house.  I love to light a few candles, turn the music up and clean.  To me, there is just something rejuvenating about cleaning the house.  When the weather is nice, I love to open the windows and let some fresh air in too.  Not sure how that's going to work now that we have little Pierre...he would definitely try to escape.

There are a few other things I would like to add to my weekend list.  I got an awesome art easel for Christmas and I would love to get the creative juices flowing and start to use it.  I have prepped a canvas for my rooster painting that I have been planning..but just haven;t gotten the time to paint yet.  I also bought 4 small canvases this weekend to do a series..or one big piece split onto 4 canvases.

Joshua and I are also wanting to get a lot of exercise in on the weekends.  Today we went for a nice long walk.  I really enjoy this time outside because we talk about anything and everything and it's just so nice to be with my best friend..picking each others brains, sharing our hopes and dreams and life goals.  We do a lot of decision making on those walks.

My final goal:  to not let the laundry sit on our small couch all week.  I want to get them folded and put away.  The only problem with this is that I do laundry all week long..so there is usually some laundry on the couch.  Maybe I should condense everything into one day..hmm, ideas.

So..all in all, I love house chores.  I know that seems crazy..but I love our space and I love that we keep it pretty inviting most of the time.  So here's to taking joy in simple things.

The Cats

We took Pierre home with us over Christmas break and I got some great pictures of him...as well as the other cats of the house.  Mickey and DoodleBug belong to Joshua's parents but they all had a great time playing together.  Here are just a few of the pictures I captured.

Handsome Pierre.

Mickey, curled up on the cat climber.

Pierre and Mickey playing.

DoodleBug..love her.

Cleaning.

Playing hide-and-go-seek with Mickey on the cat tower.

DoodleBug knocking off the flamingo.  She doesn't like it sitting up.

bahaha..happy kitty.

tired kitty about to pass out with one leg hanging off the ledge.

Cats have so much personality..glad I was able to capture a little bit of each of them.

The New Year thus far

I have been busy busy busy since returning to Dallas after our wonderful holiday break in Tennessee. Work has been pretty busy, still feel like I am playing catch up...slowly feeling like I'm getting back to normal. January is a big month for the Y, with everyone looking for a gym to support their New Year's resolutions of losing weight. But the Y is more than a gym. We are a non-profit working to strengthen the foundation of our community. So, every January we kick off our annual Partner's Campaign. The money raised goes right back into supporting our community. So, in addition to the normal work day, we work extra hard to raise money for the families, children, and seniors we serve. No one is turned away from the Y due to financial constraints.

Like all of those individuals coming into the Y to start leading a healthier lifestyle, I have some resolutions of my own. I have a pretty good handle on the workout aspect of a healthy lifestyle...it's more the dietary portion I struggle with. My goal is to cook at home more and to cook wholesome foods with more veggies. I have also committed myself to running the Nashville 1/2 marathon in April. I am currently running about 5 miles consistently so I'm well on my way.

I have two more things that I want to accomplish in 2011. I got an art easel for Christmas and I would like to be more creative and create one piece of art a month. I think that's pretty do-able.

And lastly, I want to remain more positive. Like the saying goes, "don't sweat the small stuff." I am aiming to let the little things go and focus on all the things that make me happy (Joshua, friends, family, art, running, cooking, etc).

So here is to a wonderful year. What are your goals to making the most of 2011?

-Milli