Today marks the end of the second quarter of 2018. We have completed the first half of the year. Amazing! Time really does fly when you are having fun. And, I have been having a great deal of enjoyment these past couple of months, especially the last three weeks of June. I should have included “intense relaxation” on my 18 for 2018 list because I have definitely excelled at it this summer.
Of the 13 remaining items on my 18 for 2018 list, I have completed zero of them this quarter. Shocking, I know! I could have easily knocked out five of them in the last three weeks; however, I have occupied my time with other activities by spending it with friends and family, reading, watching television, and scrapbooking. I played tennis, met one of my favorite authors, saw a play and a movie, played Pokeno, took in a concert, and attended a baby shower. When I look over my calendar, I am full of joy because of all of the wonderful moments that I have experienced this quarter.
In the midst of it all, I am still finding time to blog at least once per month (#5). Counting today’s post, I have blogged 8 times this quarter which brings my total to 20 posts for the year. Unfortunately, I have not been working as diligently on losing 18 pounds (#4). Not quite sure what is standing in my way of making this important commitment concerning my health. I start…stop…start…stop…start…stop. UGH! I am frustrated with myself because completing this item should not be so difficult.
In Other News:
This past Thursday, Andrew and I went shopping for school uniforms for the last time. It was the first of the “lasts” that we will experience in the upcoming school year. Soon, he’ll be taking senior pictures and applying for college. While senior year is an exciting time, it will be bittersweet (for me). Andrew is the baby, so my hubby and I will be empty nesters. Thankfully, Andrew will not be going too far away for college. He has decided to attend Southeastern in Hammond to earn his undergraduate degree in Biology. While he could easily live at home, he wants the “college experience” of living on campus. After talking to parents of college-age children and to college students who live away from home, I can see the benefits for him.
Tomorrow begins a new month. After three weeks of down-time, it is time for me to buckle down. While I still plan to enjoy what is left of my summer vacation, I also plan to be a bit more productive at home. After all, I do have 13 items to complete on my 18 for 2018 list. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, dear reader. Happiness!
“The sweetest things become the most bitter by excess.” ~ Democritus
Andrew and I started out at the movies where we watched A Quiet Place. Both of us enjoyed it even though we were tense the entire time. I treated myself to popcorn and an Icee. YUM! I haven’t had movie popcorn in years.
pastry puffs with liquid nitrogen. The pastry puffs are about the size of a cheese ball but look and taste like Trix cereal; however, when you bite into them, smoke comes out of your nose and mouth…like it does from a dragon. Terrific experience! YUM 3!
Yesterday morning, my hubby and I brought Andrew to the airport, so he could embark on his journey to Ireland, Wales, and London. I will not see my baby again until April 7th. It will be an unusual week being home alone with just my fur babies. I guess it will give me a taste of what it will be like when Andrew goes off to college.
I realize that I am probably one of the last humans on the planet that waited so long to watch Stranger Things. In my defense, I do not have much time to watch television, and there are few shows that I watch alone in real time or with Andrew. He is just as busy during the school year as I am, so coordinating our schedules to watch a couple of hours of television together can be difficult. However, we manage to squeeze in some time here and there for our favorite shows. Andrew and I had finished watching Parks and Recreation during Mardi Gras break, so we decided to start watching Stranger Things. Many of my friends, family, acquaintances, and even some of my students encouraged me to watch it since they thought it would be a show that I would really enjoy. Boy, were they right. Stranger Things is SUPER awesome! I’m obsessed with it. I absolutely LOVE that it takes place in the 1980s. The show is basically about a group of geeky kids who meet an unusual girl with special abilities around the same time that one of their friends vanishes into a mysterious place that is home to a disturbing creature. It is like the X-Files meets the Goonies. The seasons are not very long, so we blew through both of them within a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, the next season does not come out until 2019. Alas, Andrew and I will just have to watch Beyond Stranger Things which delves into the secrets of the Stranger Things universe, specifically Season 2 and re-watch the two seasons prior to Season 3 premiering next year.![MC900432635[1]](https://katloyacano.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/mc9004326351.png?w=500)
Three weeks ago I assigned myself some action steps for improving my health that I wanted to complete by today. Unfortunately, I did not complete them all. I have been working quite a bit at school and helping Andrew get ready for his upcoming trip to Ireland. Instead of admonishing myself, I am praising myself for the steps that I did accomplish (week 1). After all, I do have until the end of the year to complete this goal.
Happy New Year’s Day, dear readers! 2018 is a new year, and I am feeling optimistic about it. RE-ENERGIZE. That is the one-word theme I have chosen for this year. Since this is my last year in my 40s, I want to complete this decade of my life on a high note. I have also decided to attempt another happiness project even though I failed miserably last year. It will look a little differently from the one I’ve done in the past; however, the goal is the same…to increase my happiness. I am looking forward to a new year with new possibilities and opportunities. New Year’s Blessings to you, dear readers. Happiness!
Twenty days have passed since I started my year-long journey of RENEWAL. Until today, it has been slow going, uninspiring, and almost coming to a screeching halt. I have not accomplished anything much regarding my health and fitness goals for this month, and I was having a hard time deciding how to write about it. I’m stuck! Then two occurrences took place earlier today that has prompted me to move forward. The first was watching a brief video that popped up in my Facebook news feed, and the second was an unexpected phone call from someone I adore but had not talked to in quite a while.
The Kat Files 