Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘positive living’

My TA-DA List for 2022

Posted in Happiness Project, Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , on December 27, 2022| 2 Comments »

As promised, dear reader, I am sharing my TA-DA List for this year. 2022 has been a fantastic year for me! I am grateful for all of my adventures (the good, the bad, and the ugly) that I experienced and all of the wonderful memories I have made throughout the year.

I may not have completed my 22 in 2022 list; however, I kept myself busy with working, traveling, spending time with family and friends, reading, acting, and taking care of my health, family, and home.

TA-DA 2022

  • Health (Colonoscopy, Endoscopy, Nerve Test, Mammogram, Bloodwork + Yearly Doctor/Dental appointments)
  • Lunch dates, movie nights, and drink nights with friends and family
  • Instagram (Year of JOY Project)
  • Collabs with Kelsi (Year of King, Halloween, and Christmas)
  • Live Streams with Kelsi (books and horror movies)
  • Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club (run monthly with Kelsi; January-November)
  • Elton John Concert in NOLA with Shelly (January)
  • Matthew Morgan’s Actor Audition Workshop in MS with Brian and Maria (January)
  • Pokeno Sub (January and July)
  • Welcomed Luna to the Family (February)
  • Puppy Training Classes with Luna at Petco
  • Move-In Day for Helen (February)
  • Friends of the Library Book Sales with Andrew and Michelle (February/April/August/November)
  • Move-Back Home Day for Andrew (March)
  • Attended Plays (Puffs, Lion King, Hamilton, The Way We Say Goodbye, The Jungle Book)
  • Proctored/Supervised ACT at Southeastern University (February, April, October, and December)
  • Improv Workshops (April-Anubis; July-Rich Talarico)
  • Hand-Lettering Class (April)
  • Vera Cost in the mystery dinner theatre Phantom of the Columbia at the Columbia Theatre (April)
  • Travel (visited The Killians in Atlanta in May for Emma’s Graduation; visited NYC with Andrew in June)
  • Zombie Awareness Month (May)
  • Annual Crawfish Boil (May)
  • Van Gogh Immersive Experience with Barry (May)
  • Quit my job as an Instructional Coach at Holy Ghost Catholic School (May)
  • Subscribed to Beachbody on Demand (June); finished 4 fitness programs
  • Kaitlyn and Marc’s Engagement Party (June)
  • Scrapbooking (attended TAC Scrapbook Event with Shelly, Heather, and Donna in June)
  • Readings for The Jungle Book (June/July)
  • Oral Surgery: dental implant (June)
  • Summer Fun List (June-September)
  • 4th of July with Family @ Kerry and Natalie’s house (July)
  • Halloween Decor Shopping with Kelsi (August)
  • Volunteer at HGCS’s Book Fairs (August and November)
  • Buddy Read A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle/Zoom Meeting Discussions with Rachel (August-November)
  • Anubis: Improv Level 1 8-Week Class (August-October)
  • Connie Khan in the mystery dinner theatre Murder! At the Disco at the Columbia Theatre (September)
  • L.M. Montgomery Readathon (September-November)
  • Fall Fun List (September-December)
  • Anubis: Improv Level 1 Showcase (October)
  • Fall Fun Day with Kelsi (October)
  • Octoberfest @ Gnarley Barley with friends (October)
  • Rocky Horror Picture Show with friends (October)
  • Sleepover with Michelle (October)
  • Launched YouTube Channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures (October)
  • Anubis: Improv Level 2 8-Week Class (October-December)
  • Melissa’s 7th Grade Book Challenge (October-December)
  • Greta Van Fleet Concert in NOLA with Barry, Jr. (November)
  • Friendsgiving with high school friends @ Wendy’s house (November)
  • Cloak and Dagger Christmas Readathon (December)
  • Christmas Evil Readathon (December)
  • Anubis: Improv Level 2 Showcase (December)
  • Help Mrs. Billie with health-related issues (December)
  • Instagram Year of JOY Project
  • Year of King Reading Project with Kelsi
  • Shelly and Kat at Elton John concert
  • Luna Belle Loyacano
  • Kat as Vera Cost in Phantom of the Columbia
  • Andrew moves back home in March after his bedroom was destroyed by Ida in August 2021.
  • Michelle and Kat at lunch before Library Sale shopping
  • Van Gogh Immersive Experience
  • Road Trip to Atlanta with my Daddy
  • Family Time in Atlanta
  • TAC 2022 with Shelly, Kat, and Heather (Donna-MIA)
  • Kat and Andrew at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC
  • Hamilton with Andrew, Shelly, and Kerry
  • Andrew turned 21 years old
  • Kat as Connie Khan and Sable as Donna Winter in Murder! At The Disco
  • Fall Fun Day with Kelsi
  • Improv 1 Showcase (Love Island UK)
  • Rocky Horror Picture Show with Helen and Shelly
  • Barry, Jr. and Kat at Greta Van Fleet concert
  • Improv Level 2 Class
  • Friendsgiving 2022
  • Apple Pie Martini on Christmas evening
  • The 3 Cackling Hens on Christmas evening

As you can see, dear reader, 2022 was about making memories, having adventures, and spending time with family and friends. Even though I did not cross off every item on my 22 for 2022 list, I still feel like I accomplished a great deal in 2022. I am extremely grateful for being in good health and able to have all of these experiences this year. As I mentioned in last year’s post regarding my TA-DA List in 2021, “Although I am a planner by nature and love setting goals and making resolutions, I also enjoy learning and trying new activities. When opportunity knocked, I opened the door and accepted whatever adventure was across the threshold. Life is truly an adventure.” And, I still feel this way today as I reflect on 2022. Happiness!

“Live life to the fullest. You have to color outside the lines once in a while if you want to make your life a masterpiece. Laugh some every day. Keep growing, keep dreaming, keep following your heart. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”  ~  Albert Einstein

Read Full Post »

Review 22 for 2022 List

Posted in Happiness Project, Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , on December 23, 2022| 2 Comments »

Today is the day to reflect on my 22 for 2022 list! I chose CHANGE as my word for 2022, and there have been a few significant changes that have occurred in my life in 2022. My family and I said good-bye to our 13 1/2 year old dog Sophie when she crossed the Rainbow Bridge in early January. We unexpectedly welcomed Luna, a ten-week-old puppy, to our family in February. And, I quit my job as an Instructional Coach at HGCS in May. I only completed six items on my list this year and started the process of completing four others.

  • Time-track in January. YES
  • Tweak morning routine. YES
  • Make consultation appointment with oral surgeon (implant). YES (April; implant process started in June)
  • Learn a 30-60 second monologue. YES (performed at auditioning workshop in January)
  • Buy a new vacuum cleaner. NO (suffering from decision fatigue; bag or bagless?)
  • Get wedding rings resized. NO (waiting on hubby to find jeweler)
  • Clean out and organize master closet. NO (procrastinating)
  • Plant new garden in front of the house. NO (procrastinating)
  • Purge paper and organize file cabinet. STARTED (plan to carry over to 2023)
  • Go paperless (bills and statements). STARTED (plan to carry over to 2023)
  • Scrapbook monthly. NO (only in June; not feeling it-making me sad)
  • Complete Year of Gratitude scrapbook. NO (tried in June at event; too overwhelming)
  • Have a Year of King (Stephen King). YES (collaborated with Kelsi)
  • Update theme (layout) for blog. NO (suffering from decision fatigue; super disappointed)
  • Research video editing software. YES (sticking with iMovie until new laptop purchased)
  • Complete a puzzle. NO (kept forgetting; need a space; try again in 2023)
  • Write a will. STARTED (received paperwork; need to complete in 2023)
  • Revisit A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. YES (buddy read with Rachel)
  • Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. NO (disappointed; plan to try again in 2023)
  • Complete the WordPress Blogging course. NO (disappointed; plan to try again in 2023)
  • Take a WordPress Podcasting course. NO (did not make time; concentrated on YouTube instead)
  • Take Becky Higgins Classroom: Photo Tips + Work Flow. STARTED (need to complete in 2023)

In addition, I participated in three reading projects which I am still participating in until the end of December. I did the #Read21in21 challenge again, where I read daily for 21 minutes. Instead of reading nonfiction like I did in 2021, I am reading children’s literature (middle-grade/young adult) books. I joined the Goodreads Challenge again and set my goal to read 50 books in 2022. I reached my Goodreads goal back in September and hope to complete 75 books this year. The children’s literature books read for #Read21in21 will be included in that total number of books. I also read 11 awesome books with members of my Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club.

I participated in Collabs with Kelsi, participated in Frugal February, and posted joyful pictures regularly on Instagram for my Year of Joy Project. Finally, I kept a TA-DA list for 2022 which I will be sharing with you soon, dear reader. The only two extra projects, where I dropped the ball, were #Rest22in22 and #Walk20in20. I just did not commit to either one.

Overall, I think I did okay with my 22 for 2022 list considering a few of the changes in my life this year. I knew when I made my list last December that it was slightly ambitious, especially with us still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ida and COVID restrictions becoming almost nonexistent. I also had more acting and improv opportunities along with all the preparations for launching my own YouTube channel. Once you see my TA-DA list, dear reader, you will understand why I was not focusing all of my attention on my 22 for 2022 list. HA!

Currently, I am working on my 23 for 2023 list, and I think I have my new word for 2023 picked out. I usually reveal my one-word theme and yearly list in January, but I may try posting it earlier if I can get my act together. No promises, since I am up to my eyeballs in books for my December readathons and movies for my movie marathons. How did you do with your goals in 2022, dear reader? Happiness!

“A goal is not always meant to be reached; it often serves simply as something to aim at.” ~ Bruce Lee

Read Full Post »

Weekend Woolgathering: Pumpkin Carving, Alien Bugs, and Halloween Decor

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 16, 2022| 2 Comments »

Kelsi and I hung out last Sunday for a fun-filled fall day celebrating the spooky season. We exchanged gifts, carved pumpkins, baked cookies, popped popcorn, and watched two much-anticipated horror movies (My Best Friend’s Exorcism and Terrifier 2). The highlight of our day was carving pumpkins because Kelsi has NEVER carved one, which is surprising since her family loves all things Halloween. We vlogged our spook-tacular day together which she included in her Halloweekend Readathon Weekend #2 Vlog. Unfortunately, because we live in “hot ass Louisiana” as Kelsi loves to say, our pumpkins no longer look as cute as they did the day we carved them. Mine has become moldy on the inside and has started to collapse, so it will be placed on top of my compost pile shortly. The good news is we both plan to carve another pumpkin closer to Halloween. I think Kelsi has caught the pumpkin carving bug.

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

This past week, I battled yucky, alien-looking bugs that came out of nowhere to attacked my beloved satsuma tree, but I fought back. My satsuma tree does not yield fruit every year, but this year I could glean about 60 satsumas which is a bumper crop for my little fruit tree. First, I sprayed water on them with a hose. They flew away in various directions, but returned two hours later. I sprayed them with the hose once more, and they flew away once more. Unfortunately, these vile creatures were relentless and returned yet again to attack my satsumas.

As I glared at them, they stared back, mocking me. Fortunately, my hubby had a solution, a soapy water solution. I mixed dish soap with warm water and sprayed those pests. The battle with those leaffooted bugs (Leptoglossus phyllopus) went on for two days until I wiped them out completely. Thankfully, they have not returned, and my satsumas have been saved. Since the attack of the citrus suckers, I have happily eaten three satsumas, and they were all splendidly sweet.

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

Painting by Tweety

When my boys were younger, I decorated our house all the time, mainly for Halloween and Christmas. However, as they grew older, decorating for the holidays fell by the wayside. Last year, I planned to decorate, but our decorations were limited to my nightstand and a bookcase in my bedroom and the front porch because of Hurricane Ida. This year, Kelsi and I went Fall/Halloween decor shopping early, plus I shopped plenty more throughout September. I decorated my guest bathroom at the beginning of October. I finally got around to putting up the rest of my Halloween decorations this past week. Halloween birds are perched on bookcases while the rest of my spooky decor is displayed on the mantle above the fireplace in our living room.

  • Halloween Mantle
  • Boo to You!
  • witchy gnome with frightfully good books
  • Beware! Skeleton Cat ready to pounce.
  • More spooky books and a Sleepy Hollow postcard from Lindsay Dianne and Jonas of It’s A Charming Life. I love my mini coffin bookshelf!
  • Featherly friends wearing their Halloween costumes.
  • Nothing screams cozy like a comfy pillow, a soft blanket, and a creepy clown book.
  • My Stephen King bookcase has three featherly friends and a new skull in the bottom left corner.

Every time I look at my Halloween decorations, I get a happiness boost. I found so many wonderful items this year. Except for the Hocus Pocus pumpkin, the books, and the two crystal pieces holding potpourri and the dried flowers, everything on the mantle was purchased this year. I am thrilled with how it turned out. At the center of the mantle is a perfect pumpkin portrait painted by my talented friend Tweety. Since I love reading, I incorporated spooky books in my holiday display which adds a pleasant touch.

I absolutely adore the mini wooden coffin shelf that I purchased from Target. My hubby painted it for me. I want to find some small, vintage-looking books to put on the bottom shelf. Since I am a patreon supporter of It’s A Charming Life, Lindsay and Jonas sent me a Sleepy Hollow postcard, featuring Jonas’s artwork, and a tiny, white doily this month. I put the doily on the top shelf of the coffin and set a jack-o’-lantern on top of it. I am excited I could include both items as part of my decorations.

Well, it is time for me to skedaddle, dear reader. I still have plenty left on today’s to-do list. I must finish my Halloween cards TODAY, so I can mail them out tomorrow. I promised my guys I would make a batch of Chicken Bacon Ranch Taquitos. Thankfully, the chicken and bacon have already been cooked. I have a few chapters to read in Needful Things. Then, I have to get myself organized for the upcoming week before heading out to Metairie where I will be performing tonight with my classmates in our first improv showcase. Happiness!

My poor jack-o’-lantern after one week in hot ass Louisiana.

“Jack-o’-lantern, Jack-o’-lantern. You are such a funny sight.” ~ Jack-o’-lantern Halloween Song

Read Full Post »

Weekend Woolgathering: October, Three Cackling Hens, and What We Do in the Shadows

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 2, 2022| 4 Comments »

Cheers to October! While autumn is my favorite season of the year, October happens to be my favorite month of the year. Spooky season is officially upon us, so I spent yesterday morning decorating one of my bathrooms with Halloween decor. It is a spooktacular happiness boost!

We have been experiencing some beautifully cool weather lately in Louisiana which makes me want to be outside enjoying it.

Yesterday, Gnarly Barley, a local brewery in Hammond, was hosting their first Oktoberfest. They featured four German beers and had a food truck (Fine Thyme Catering) providing German foodstuffs. The brewery is a family and dog friendly establishment, so we opted to bring Luna with us to work on her socializing skills. She is not a fan of riding in a vehicle, so this also gave her an opportunity to become more familiar with being in a vehicle.

We are proud of our Luna Belle. She trembled some on the way to the brewery, but on the way home, she seemed much more comfortable being in Barry’s truck. No trembling! I took a selfie of Luna and me on the way home, and she looks like she is smiling.

Luna did wonderfully on her first outing. She was a little excitable when she first got out of the truck, so Barry walked her for about 10 minutes, and she settled down. There were tons of people, lots of dogs and children, and strange new smells to give her a terrific socializing experience.

My friends, Shelly and Helen, met us at Gnarly Barley to enjoy the beautiful weather. We are now known as the cackling hens. Apparently, this is the title of Helen’s FB album where she puts pictures of us. I am guessing we earned the name (thanks, Shelly) because we do a great deal of cackling when we are together. Shelly and I became best friends when we met in the 3rd grade at St. Matthew the Apostle School in River Ridge. We lived down the street from each other growing up and now live down the street from each other as adults. Helen joined our friend group in high school and moved to Hammond in February after living in Colorado for many years.

Ironically, not one of us drank a German beer or ate German food (line too long). HA! I ordered Party Punch, a Berliner Weisse, which is “a luscious sour beer teeming with Cranberry and Pomegranate flavors.” Beer is not my favorite alcoholic beverage; however, this beer was tasty and tart, and it looked as if a foamy ghost was in my cup. Barry ordered a Imperial Peanut Butter Korova. The other two cackling hens did not order any beer as they had errands to run before coming to my house later that evening to watch Hocus Pocus 2.

  • Party Punch Beer with a ghostie

Yesterday, I planned to watch Hocus Pocus 2 for the first movie on my Halloween Movie Marathon list. It is currently streaming on Disney+. I thought it would be fun to invite the cackling hens and Shelly’s husband Kerry to join Barry and me for a movie night, especially since it was not a scary movie. Most of my friends do NOT share my love of horror movies. Shelly’s daughter Claire also joined us after her shift ended at work.

We ate hotdogs with homemade chili (yum) and Bag of Bones Cheetos (yum). Barry mixed Hocus Pocus cocktails (delish) for us to enjoy during the movie. It only required four ingredients (2 Tbsp each): white grape juice, Melon liqueur, Sour Apple liqueur, and Vodka. We chose purple sugar to rim our glasses. The movie was witchy and wonderful, and we all enjoyed it. What a fang-tastic evening hanging out with friends!

  • Fun Food
  • Hocus Pocus Cocktail
  • Cheers from the Cackling Hens

Barry and I like to watch movies together; however, from time to time, we will pick a television series to watch together. Recently, he and I started watching an FX television show streaming on HULU called What We Do in the Shadows. We generally watch a couple of episodes on Friday evenings. It is a mockumentary comedy horror series, following the lives of four vampires living together on Staten Island in New York. Barry and I think it is hilarious. My favorite character is Guillermo de la Cruz, Nandor’s familiar, played by the actor Harvey Guillén. He has been employed for 10 years as a familiar and desperately wants Nandor to turn him into a vampire. Barry and I are currently on Season 2, and Guillermo has not been turned into a vampire, yet.

Time for me to do some more Halloween decorating. I want to tackle the mantle above my fireplace. So far, the fall season is off to a superb start. Oh, and to make it even more magnificent, The Walking Dead is back tonight for the 3rd part of its 11th season. I have to savor every episode since this is the last season. What were your plans for the first weekend of the spooky season, dear reader? Happiness!

  • Halloween shower curtain and bath mat
  • Jack Skellington Mini Warmer (Scentsy)
  • Halloween hand towel and Perfectly Pumpkin foam soap from Bath and Body Works

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” – L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Read Full Post »

Weekend Woolgathering: A Road Trip, Graduation, and Summer Break

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , on May 22, 2022| Leave a Comment »

My Daddy and I recently took a road trip to Atlanta (12-16 May) to visit my sister and her family for my niece Emma’s graduation from high school. I have been to Atlanta several times over the last 18 years, but this was the first time I drove there. Taking a road trip with me behind the steering wheel is 100% out of my comfort zone; however, I refuse to let that stop me from going on an adventure. If you remember, dear reader, I drove my Daddy and me to Kentucky to visit my Uncle Manuel back in September 2020. Besides, my Daddy does not like to fly anymore because he always ends up getting sick; therefore, I sucked it up and volunteered to drive us there and back. We left on Thursday, 12 May around 9:00 in the morning. Although driving to Atlanta was a piece of cake, driving through the city of Atlanta is no picnic. The last 15 minutes of our journey was daunting, but we prevailed. I am super happy we made the trip.

We arrived at the Killian homestead around 7:30 p.m. Atlanta time. Atlanta is an hour ahead of Louisiana. We were greeted warmly with smiles, hugs, and BBQ. My last trip to Atlanta was for Emma’s Confirmation back in November 2019. My Daddy’s last trip was Thanksgiving 2021 with Barry, Jr. (my oldest son). We all hung out and caught up for the remainder of the evening. On Friday, Emma and Lee had graduation festivities to attend and my sister had to work, which was great, since I also had to do some work for HGCS. My Daddy binged-watched the Jack Reacher series. Later that evening, since Lee and Emma were attending a graduation party, Rachel ordered Chinese food for us. I finally took a ride in her elevator. It is really cool to have an elevator in your house. We took a ride up to the attic. Instead of a skeleton in the closet, they have a skeleton in the attic.

  • Emma, Paw Paw Milton, Lee, Rachel, and Kat eating a BBQ dinner on the evening we arrived in Atlanta
  • Austin the Australian Shepherd, the Killian family dog
  • Kat, Rachel, and our Daddy enjoying Chinese food
  • Chinese food (yummy in my tummy)
  • Taking a ride in the house elevator up to the attic…mwah ha-ha
  • Skeleton in the Attic
  • Austin, Kat, Emma, and Marissa having movie night in the home theater, watching The Twin (horror movie)

On Saturday afternoon, Emma and I went shopping for clothes at a boutique called Vestique and book shopping at Barnes and Nobles. Emma is a voracious reader like me. Of course, we could not leave the bookstore without me buying us books and Starbucks. My evening was spent watching a horror movie called The Twin with Emma and her friend Marissa in the home theater. It is even cooler to have a home theater in your house, especially with comfy chairs. Austin does not care for scary movies, so he left quickly after the movie started. HA! A scary dog instead of a scary cat.

Sunday rolled around for the big day, Emma’s high school graduation from Pace Academy. We all woke up early, got dressed, and headed out to Pace Academy’s Sports Complex. It was an outdoor graduation. Thankfully, it had stopped raining before we arrived, and we encountered cooler temps for the majority of the ceremony. My heart swelled with joy watching Emma walk on the field to take her seat among her classmates. I got a little teary-eyed watching her receive her high school diploma. I am proud of my sweet, talented, and beautiful niece who also happens to be my goddaughter. In the fall, she will be attending Santa Clara University in California.

After graduation, we all went to eat lunch at Del Frisco’s Grille in downtown Atlanta. We started off with Cheesesteak Eggrolls and Del’s Deviled Eggs. Rachel and I each got an entree and split them. I ordered Strawberry Cobbler French Toast, and she ordered Braised Shortrib Hash. The food was excellent! Then, we all went back to the house. Emma had two graduation parties to attend (one in the afternoon and one in the evening). Lee helped host the afternoon party. It was nice to just relax after all the graduation festivities, especially with having to drive home early the next morning.

  • Rachel, Paw Paw Milton, Lee, and Kat waiting for Emma’s graduation to begin
  • Emma walking on the field (in the middle)
  • Emma receiving her high school diploma
  • Lee, Rachel, Emma, Kat, and Paw Paw Milton
  • The Killian Family
  • Kat and Emma
  • Emma and Paw Paw Milton
  • Lunch at Del Frisco’s Grille
  • Cheesesteak Eggrolls
  • Del’s Deviled Eggs
  • Strawberry Cobbler French Toast
  • Braised Shortrib Hash

On Monday morning at 6:30 a.m., my Daddy and I said our good-byes to Rachel and Lee, thanked them for their hospitality, and got on the road heading towards Louisiana. I dropped my Daddy off at his house at 1:30 p.m. and arrived back home at 2:30 p.m. Louisiana time. What a wonderful road trip, graduation, and time with family!

The school year officially ended on Friday, 20 May along with my job as the instructional coach at HGCS. The closing of this school year ends a chapter in my work life. Technically, I have retired from the world of elementary education. One would think I was whooping it up as I left the school parking lot; however, I felt exactly the way I always feel on the last day of school – free and thrilled for the onset of summer break. The “whooping it up” will eventually happen, during the last week of July, when all of my teacher friends are going back to school to attend PLC meetings and to get their classrooms ready. I will not only feel relief at that moment in time, but I will also feel excitement and joy because I will be embarking on my next adventure.

My summer break kicks off tomorrow morning, dear reader. I will begin decluttering and organizing my home, starting with my scrapbook room which is a total disaster. Luna is getting spayed on Tuesday and will be out of the house until Wednesday afternoon, so I plan to take advantage of that time to get my scrapbook materials organized and my photos ordered for my annual scrapbooking event that I am attending with my girlfriends in June. I have quite a few activities and appointments scheduled this summer, especially throughout the month of June. I will be making memories, practicing self-care, and preparing for the next chapter of my life. Happiness!

“The two most joyous times of the year are Christmas morning and the end of school.” ~ Alice Cooper

Read Full Post »

Weekend Woolgathering: Motherhood, A Crawfish Boil, and All of Us Are Dead

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , on May 8, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Happy Mother’s Day! I am blessed to be the mother of two young men, Andrew and Barry, Jr., who have not only brought me an overabundance of joy, but also a fair amount of worry and frustration over the years. Thankfully, there has been way more joy than worry. I love my boys immensely!

  • Barry, Jr.
  • Andrew
  • Barry, Jr. and Andrew
  • Kat & Barry, Jr.
  • Andrew & Kat

Motherhood can be a wonderful experience; however, it can also be nerve-racking and exhausting at times. Despite the lack of sleep during their baby years and teenage years (especially when they start driving), the worry over their well-being, and the heartache you feel when they are hurting (physically or emotionally), it is all worth it. Motherhood is one of my toughest roles, but it is also my most fulfilling one, and I would not trade it for anything. Motherhood looks differently for everyone. It is not a one type fits all kind of role. Whether you happen to be the mother of humans, fur babies, a creative endeavor, or a business, dear reader, this is your day to celebrate your path to motherhood.

Yesterday, we hosted a crawfish boil with a few of our friends and family. It was a beautiful, sunshiny day. Barry, Sr., along with my boys and our neighbor John, boiled the crawfish. The mudbugs were spicy good! We had a great deal to celebrate – Helen moving back to Louisiana, Claire passing her Praxis exam, mothers, friendship, life in general. Unfortunately, my momma was unable to attend; however, we did send my Daddy home with flowers, crawfish, and dessert for her. Much gratitude to Helen who took the pictures of our day together.

  • Crawfish Dude
  • John
  • Andrew, the hubster, and Barry, Jr.
  • Mudbugs are boiling!
  • Mrs. Billie and Barry, Jr.
  • Shelly and Claire
  • Mrs. Carol and Kat
  • Boiled Crawfish – Spicy Goodness
  • Barry, Sr.
  • Helen and Barry, Sr.
  • Daddy and John
  • Claire
  • Kat & Mr. Mike
  • Mrs. Carol and Shelly
  • Helen and Kerry
  • Three Amigos – Kat, Helen, and Shelly

As you know, dear reader, May is Zombie Awareness Month, and I am completely engrossed in all things related to zombies. Currently, I am obsessed with All of Us Are Dead, the South Korean coming-of-age tv series streaming on Netflix. WOWZER! I think it is AMAZING. Basically, there is a zombie virus outbreak at a high school with a group of teenagers trapped in the school, fighting for survival. If anyone or anything is bitten by an infected person or animal, the virus works insanely fast, turning them into raging, rabid zombies. It is definitely worth a watch for zombie lovers.

Well, it is time for this zombie lover to get on with her day. It will be a low-key kind of day. Since my mom and I cannot get together today, we will plan a mother-daughter outing at a later date. As for my plans for today, I will be hanging out at home with my guys and fur babies, relaxing, and perhaps, watching some more All of Us Are Dead with the hubster. Blessings to all the women out there who assume the role of mom. Big hugs to those of you who can no longer spend the day with your mother. Wishing all of you a beautiful week ahead. Happiness!

“We are born of love; love is our mother.” ~ Rumi

Read Full Post »

Weekend Woolgathering: A Splendid Spring Break, 14 Days, and Vera Cost

Posted in Acting, Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on April 24, 2022| 4 Comments »

My splendid spring break is winding down, and I am feeling joyful, refreshed, and energetic. The last ten days have not only been a flurry of activity, but also a good amount of down time. I accomplished almost everything on my Spring Break 2022 list plus more. I spent quality time with my family, friends, and fur babies. This much-needed respite allowed me to pause and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. And, I even squeezed in a little work session for my day job.

My hubster and I were both on vacation for spring break. We spent a good deal of time together between my scheduled appointments and his yardwork/home projects. We had our first boiled crawfish for this season with his mom on Good Friday, attended Easter Sunday Mass with friends, did some yardwork in the backyard, hung out at Tickfaw State Park for his company picnic, and watched the entire Dexter: New Blood series in the evenings. It is probably the first time in a long time that we had that much quality time together.

There were only two items on my list that I did not get around to accomplishing this past week. I did not organize my scrapbook room, and I chose hubby time over attending the live on-line event (The 5 Secrets to Designing a Joyful Home) on Wednesday night. It was a free webinar, and thankfully, I can watch the replay of it. I accomplished a substantial amount of reading and writing during the break. In a couple of days, I will complete the books on my April TBR list and will publish a couple of blog posts. My consultation with the oral surgeon went well, and I have scheduled my implant procedure for 29 June.

  • Boiled Crawfish (Good Friday)
  • Helen, Kat, and Shelly at Helen’s place for breakfast
  • Nutella & Strawberry Crepe courtesy of Chef Helen
  • Cuddle time with Luna
  • Easter Sunday Mass at St. Margaret Catholic Church with Barry, Sr.
  • Lunch Date with my Daddy after oral surgeon consultation
  • Hamburger Steak, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans at Mano’s Restaurant
  • Sheepmoth Caterpiller on nature walk at Tickfaw State Park
  • Rotted log on nature walk at Tickfaw State Park

Big news, dear reader! I only have 14 more workdays left of this school year. To be more precise, I only have 14 more workdays left as an instructional coach at Holy Ghost Catholic School. I am officially retiring from HGCS, and my last day is 20 May 2022. Woo-Hoo! This exciting news is all I am prepared to share with you at this time. Believe you me, dear reader, more about the next chapter of my life and my new adventures will unfold in the next few months. In the meantime, say a little prayer for me that I can successfully wrap up my school year with the remaining time I have there.

More big news, dear reader! I will be performing this week in The Phantom of the Columbia: A Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre at the Columbia Theatre. I am Vera Cost, a B-movie horror icon who is traveling with a group of B-movie stars on a promotional tour. We have been invited to a special dinner at the theatre where we will encounter a mystery, a murderer, and the menacing Phantom of the Columbia. The first rehearsal is tonight, a dress rehearsal is tomorrow night, a preview is on Tuesday night which will be followed by four shows each evening, Wednesday-Saturday. What a wonderfully exciting opportunity for me!

Therefore, today is all about preparing for the upcoming week which will be one of my busiest weeks of the year thus far. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, I am feeling grateful and optimistic while also looking forward to the challenge. Thankfully, I have Thursday and Friday off from my day job. I must be diligent with my self-care by managing my time efficiently, eating properly, and getting sufficient sleep. Barry, Sr. will NOT be out of town for work, so he will be home for Luna and the rest of our fur babies in the evenings. It’s time for me to run, dear reader. I hope you have a spectacular Sunday and a wonderful week ahead. Happiness!

“Prioritize building a life that sustains you and is compatible with your deepest, multifaceted self. Everything else grows from that!” ~ Emily Wapnick

Read Full Post »

Spring Break, Ya’ll!

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , on April 15, 2022| 3 Comments »

I am FINALLY on spring break and thrilled to be on vacation until 25 April. My hubster is on vacation, too! While I will be off from my day job as an instructional coach at HGCS, I have lots to accomplish at home and in my personal life. Most of the tasks and activities I have planned for the next 10 days are expected to be enjoyable. My schedule of activities is in order of the upcoming week, starting with today, Good Friday.

Kat’s Spring Break 2022

  • Lunch (hopefully boiled crawfish) with Mrs. Billie and hubster TODAY
  • Breakfast with Helen and Shelly on Saturday morning; shopping for shoes (dinner theatre)
  • Easter Sunday Mass
  • Writing prep with Claire-one hour (M, W, TH, and maybe F)
  • Consultation with oral surgeon (implant) on Tuesday; visit parents
  • Haircut on Wednesday morning
  • The 5 Secrets to Designing a Joyful Home on-line event on Wednesday evening
  • Book Club Meeting (The Woman in Black) on Thursday evening
  • Hubby’s work picnic on Saturday afternoon
  • Rehearsal at Columbia for dinner theatre on Sunday evening

In the midst of these delightfully scheduled activities (minus oral surgeon visit), I will be learning my lines for my role in The Phantom of the Columbia, organizing my dreadfully cluttered scrapbook room, spending time with the hubster, organizing my Zombie Awareness Month activities for May, writing a blog post or two, and reading a ton. I admit I may be wildly ambitious as to everything I want to achieve over the course of the next 10 days, especially since I am also caring for our rambunctious puppy Luna (more about her in another post).

Luna

However, I am determined, dear reader, to try my very best to accomplish everything on my schedule and to-do list during my spring break. Now, with that being said, I must get started. Luna only naps so long before she demands my undivided attention. Happiness!

“If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” ~ Jim Rohn

Read Full Post »

Weekend Woolgathering: A JOYful Return, Angel’s Delight, and Moving Forward March

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 6, 2022| Leave a Comment »

After SIX long months, Andrew is FINALLY back in his bedroom. My hubby and I moved some of Andrew’s furniture into his room on Thursday while he was at school, so I took a few pictures to send to him. On Friday evening after eating dinner at my mother-in-law’s house, Andrew officially moved back home. I am overjoyed and grateful that he is home. I am extremely thankful to Mrs. Billie for letting Andrew stay with her. I am extremely thankful to my Daddy and my husband for all of their hard work getting the repairs completed on the roof and the bedroom. Kudos to my boys for assisting any time we asked them to help with repairs, clearing debris, and yard work. Last but definitely not least, many thanks to you, dear reader, along with friends and family who offered up prayers and sent positive vibes during this ordeal.

  • Walking into Andrew’s Room-finished after 6 months

Last night, Barry and I had drink night at Shelly and Kerry’s house to celebrate their daughter Aubry’s 21st heavenly birthday. Aubry was stillborn about four months before Andrew was born. It was a heartbreaking time for us all. I hated seeing my friends hurting at the loss of their angel. I make a point every year to acknowledge Aubry’s birthday. On Wednesday when I texted Shelly and Kerry, I suggested that we have a drink night and toast Aubry on what would have been a milestone birthday for her. Kerry, our bartender, mixed Angel’s Delight Martinis, and Shelly prepared Heaven on Earth (yummy dessert made with Angel Food cake). Shelly’s mom Mrs. Carol and her bonus dad Mr. Mike (my Godson) and our long-time friend Helen joined us for the celebration. Mr. Mike even brought over mini muffulettas and a cheese/meat tray. I thought it was a wonderful way to spend time with friends and remember Aubry.

  • Angel’s Delight Martini
  • Heaven on Earth dessert

Barry and I are steadily moving forward in March and continue to make progress on the house. The inspector for our mortgage company came on Friday, documents and receipts have been uploaded to our mortgage company and insurance company, and a fence company has been hired to put up our new fence in three weeks (provided it does not rain a whole lot between now and then). We also need to purchase new gutters and clean up more tree debris in the backyard. I am confident that both will happen in the next few weeks. At this moment, our only real hiccup is getting the roofing company to send someone to the house and fix an error on the roof, so we can reinstall our chimney stack. The roofing salesperson is not great at his job, so I am not sure when and if this will happen any time soon. We have been promised twice that someone would come (Friday and Saturday) to make the adjustment; no one has shown up, and the salesperson has not called with an explanation. I am NOT surprised, and my expectations are low. However, I am determined not to get upset and pray it will get resolved in a timely manner.

My life seems to be settling down a bit, dear reader. Since Andrew is back home, we were able to move a bunch of his belongings out of the living room and other areas of the house. What a wonderful feeling to have more open space! I am excited, yes excited, to do some spring cleaning, decluttering, and organizing. I want to get my house back in order before the end of this school year. I get the stitches out of my mouth (where my tooth was extracted, and a bone graft put in its place) on Thursday afternoon. Daylight saving time is next Sunday (woo-hoo!) which means more evening daylight and a happier, more motivated me. Also, Easter break is six weeks away, and the hubster and I will be on vacation together again. In the meantime, I have all sorts of interesting and enjoyable activities on my calendar to keep me busy until the break. Happiness!

“Sometimes life knocks you on your ass… get up, get up, get up!!! Happiness is not the absence of problems, it’s the ability to deal with them.” ~ Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free 

Read Full Post »

Time Tracking: Week Deux

Posted in Time management, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 30, 2022| 2 Comments »

As mentioned in my previous post, I decided to track my time for an additional week to get a clearer picture of how I am spending my time. Therefore, this analysis is from the week of 17 January – 23 January. During this week, I worked 32.5 hours at school and devoted 54 hours to sleep. This left me with 81.5 hours to spend in other areas of my life.

Therefore, how did I spend those remaining 81.5 hours?

  • Morning Routine (T-F): 5.75 hours 
  • Morning Routine (M/SAT-SUN): 3 hours
  • Travel to and from work (T-TH): 2.25 hours
  • Travel to and from other places: 4.25 hours
  • Afternoon Routine (M-TH): .5 of an hour (pet care for Tooty and cats, unpacking lunch box and school bag)
  • Chores: 11 hours (loading dishwasher, laundry, floors, washing out litter pan, bathrooms)
  • Walk (20 for 2022 Challenge): 2.75 hours
  • Read (includes #Read21in21 Challenge): 5.5 hours
  • Instagram Post (#yearofjoy2022): 1 hour
  • Goodreads: .5 of an hour 
  • Meals: 3.75 hours 
  • Evening Routine: 3.75 hours (shower; take Tooty out before bed)
  • Blog: 5.25 hours (Sunday-write, edit, revise, publish)
  • Content Creation: 13.75 hours (collaboration with Kelsi-YouTube)
  • TV Shows/Movies/YouTube: 2.5 hours
  • Napping: 0 hours
  • Social Events/Errands: 7.75 hours
  • Hanging out with Andrew: 1 hour

As a result, 74.25 hours were spent with family/friends, walking, creating content, fulfilling commitments/life responsibilities, and completing household tasks. My time bank still had 7.25 hours, and those additional hours were spent on other activities, such as playing Trivia Crack, interacting on social media (FB and Instagram), texting, phone calls, checking email, time-tracking, or puttering around the house.

It was an unusual, but gratifying, week since I was off Monday instead of Friday (MLK Day), played Pokeno on Monday evening (as a sub), attended Elton John’s concert with Shelly on Wednesday evening (original date 06/2020), worked from home on Friday (weather day), and did a livestream with Kelsi (Misery) on Sunday.

Clearly, the two weeks I tracked were not exactly the same. I had 2.5 extra hours this week than last week. So, on average I have about 6 hours a week to spend on my goals for 2022. Compared to last year when I had 19 hours, that is not very much time. Nevertheless, I am not discouraged. Last year, we had stricter COVID restrictions, so I was home more. After today, I do not have any social events scheduled for February or March. I am also participating in Frugal February again this year since it was a huge success last year. Therefore, my extra hours may increase considerably. In the next few weeks, I am considering keeping track of the time spent on items from my 22 for 2022 list.

There you have it, dear reader. Two weeks of time tracking, and I am a bit wiser about where my time is going, so I can adjust my schedule to be more productive and reach my goals for the year. It is also clear to me that I cannot do EVERYTHING I want to do at the same time. I will need to protect my extra time for the next two months and finish the first quarter of the year strong. In the meantime, I need to get ready to leave for Canton, Mississippi where I am attending an Audition Intensive Workshop today. Happiness!

“We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.” ~ John F. Kennedy

Note: Photo at the top is by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Pexels.com.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Marcelo Oleas

Living Physically and Mentally Fit Over 40

The Cozy Burrow

Books, Writing, & The Cozy Life

In Dianes Kitchen

Recipes showing step by step directions with pictures and a printable recipe card.

Conversations on finding and loving who I am

Let's have an open conversation about life.

gracethoroughgoodbeauty

Beauty and lifestyle Blog

Edge of Humanity Magazine

An Independent Non-Discriminatory Platform With No Religious, Political, Financial, or Social Affiliations

Hannes van Eeden

HappierHealthier.Blog

Creative personal growth toward better health and happiness

Keto Zeal

Movy - Best Movie News

Finger Lakes Connected

Eat Think Wellness

Health Matters

Healthy Living

The Kat Files

Finding Adventure in Everyday Life

The Dave Cave

Never Alone

Empowering Oneself

DeHarts Web Solutions

Effective Websites Focused on Results

Get On With It

Writing and drawings about work, family and the stuff in-between

theleadlesspencil

Doing the best that I can, at writing, running and living

Daniel J Bockman

Businessman, Author and Speaker

Brewing Coffee, Twisting Words & Breaking Pencils

Writing Sparkle Books

Li. A. Wake

Author and Screenwriter

dastardly.reads

procrastination.queen

This West London Life

Attempting to live a better story ... and scrapbooking it.