Project 365 - Week 5 & 6

Where does the time go? I am working a lot. Both my job and helping J get the practice going and there seems to never be enough time for everything. My "To Do" list is endless. I honestly don't know how women with kids even get showered, I can barely get groceries and the laundry done. Here's to two more weeks completed and into February we go! 

Week 5
January 27
Our little kitty Hailey has been super sweet recently. Seems like in her advancing age (13!) she is just getting cuter and cuter. We were chasing the string here on a Monday evening while J was making dinner.

January 28
On the way to get my hair done I saw the fattest deer I've ever seen. Looks like she knows that this winter is going to be a long one. 

January 29
A perfectly clear day. The first completely sun filled day in Cleveland in 124 days. Wow.

January 30
This is the recliner gift I gave J back in June for completing his fellowship. Ever since Hailey has avoided it... until today. It was cold and we put this nice, warm, fleece blanket down. The next thing you know there is a sleep princess kitty right in the middle. I think she has a new spot. 

January 31
And we're off! Headed to Maryland to visit Steve and do some skiing. I am not 100% thrilled, I'd rather be going to the spa or laying in the sun someplace but J loves it, so I'll try my best. 

February 1
Group selfie on the slopes! It was the warmest day I've ever skied with a high of 48 degrees!

February 2
We were back home just in time for the Super Bowl, sporting our Broncos jerseys and rooting on my favorite player Peyton Manning. Just wish it had turned out different for him.

Week 6
February 3 
Another missed day. We went out to eat at Don Ramon's tonight and I had a telecon for the sorority I volunteer with... just missed a change to take a photo. 365-4. 

February 4
It is freezing again today. Perfect day to snuggle in for grilled cheese and chicken tortilla soup. 

February 5
I'm seeing a theme of food here... I made Giada's Brussels sprout recipe but with pancetta instead of prosciutto and it was fantastic! Even a nice little fire in the background. Shh! J didn't know I snapped this quick shot. Hehehe

February 6
Every once in a while I get some visitors right outside my office window. They were actually looking at me for a while before I moved to get the camera and just like that they ran off.

February 7
Ah, sunshine. I miss you. This was a really pretty sunset in Maryland on our second trip skiing this winter. 

February 8
Back in blue, slopes that is. I made it through all the blue slopes and am getting better and better skiing, much to the delight of my husband who has skiing fever. I blame the Olympics that and the record snowfall we are having this season.

February 9
After a long weekend skiing (nearly 7 hours!!) I think I deserve some amazing Italian food. We stopped at 3 Palms Pizzeria in Hudson and enjoyed their Sunday gravy, meatballs, pasta and of course a cannoli to top it off!

Project 365 - Week 3 & 4

So even though I haven't done any other blog postings, I am still working on the a photo a day! Here are weeks 3 and 4! January has gone by fast... cold but fast. I am really getting tired of this polar vortex and temps being highs of double digits. At least there is some pretty snow with it!

Week 3
January 13
J had a craving for corned beef so even though it wasn't St. Patrick's Day, we made corned beef in the crock pot. We followed Mom's recipe, 2 cans of Guinness, corned beef covered in brown sugar, and the spice packet. DELICIOUS!

January 14
My friend Stacey and I went to BYOB and painting class. It was so much fun! We thought they were going to tell us what to paint but we had to come up with our own inspiration and mine was J's new company logo. I was not happy with how my lady turned out... I blame the wine. She needs some plastic surgery! 

January 15
Terrible photo... but at least it is something for the day. Our new Ohio cutting board and remnants of our cheese plate dinner. I love Brie! 

January 16
And today I have nothing, well nothing to post that is. We went out to dinner at Gamekeeper's tonight and I took a photo of the fireplace but it was even worse that my cheese board photo and I just couldn't include it. 365-3 so far... 


January 17
It is so nice when you meet couples where you don't have to pair up with just the girls and just the boys. That is how I feel about these friends, two couples we love to hang out with here in CLE, although this is the girls only selfie! We are just too sad that a third of the bunch will be moving this summer. 

January 18
Last week when I was on travel for work, my rental car was a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, aka the 4 door Jeep. So today we happened to drive by the Jeep dealer and look at them... is it time for a 4 door/grown up car for us?  

January 19

Yes, it is 19 days into the new year and I am still taking down Christmas. This is one of my least favorite things to do. But I am improving... last year everything was still up in February.  

Week 4
January 20

J is going to hate that I posted this but it was just too cute. We love our little kitty cat.  

January 21

Bang, bang shrimp and lemon drop martinis. Need I say more?

January 22

So this happened tonight. Jared is out at a work dinner and I am in my pj's with dinner cooking and the fire alarm goes off. And it smells like smoke suddenly when I open the door to the hallway.  I run around like a chicken with its head cut off putting clothes back on, snow boots, grabbing my purse, phone, car keys, getting my wedding photos... and I can't find Hailey. She has hidden under the bed and I can't reach her. The blaring alarm is making my heart race, encouraging panic, and my cat won't come out from under the bed. I finally get her, race out of the apartment and get the car out. I forget my wedding rings.

All was fine in the end. It was a cable line into the building that overheated and started to smoke. 

January 23

So I didn't sleep well last night... and this is my morning commute. This is the on ramp 3 minutes from my house, beginning my normally 35 minute drive... which ended after nearly 2 hours. I'm ready for the weekend. 

January 24

At least snow is pretty... especially with some sunshine making it sparkle.

January 25

J's friend Aashi was in town for a conference so we picked her up and spent the day out to lunch, driving in the snow, shopping, and stopping by our favorite little town Chagrin Falls.

January 26

Today is Pie Day and Miles Market was sampling nearly every pie imaginable. My favorite was the Dutch Apple. Yum!!     

2014 - A Photo A Day {Weeks 1 & 2}

In an effort to get back to blogging this year, I've decided to try the 365 photo challenge. With the month nearly half over, I am already behind but I think I just may have enough to start. So here goes... my photo a day in 2014!

Week 1
January 1, 2014
After a night out on the town with 3 other couples, we did a costume change into our pj's and rang in the New Year low key. We sure will miss them when they move to Dayton this summer. 2014's first selfie!

January 2
This is what we call the beginning of the "Polar Vortex." I spent the day working from home since we had a lovely winter snowfall right out my window. 

January 3
For Christmas I received boots from my Secret Santa and although they were the ones on my wish list, they were the wrong color. This is their first day out once I swapped them for this lovely brown pair. 

January 4 and 5
I know I have a photo someplace from either the 4th or the 5th... I'll have to check Jared's phone and the iPad but unfortunately nothing to show. 


Week 2
January 6
It is cold. Frigid. The Polar Vortex is no joke, I was supposed to fly out of town today but my flight was cancelled. I made us some yummy chili to enjoy while watching the National Championship game.

January 7
I'm finally heading out of town for my work trip to train Astronauts. I am on one of two flights a day and a half after I was supposed to be in Houston. Off to Texas!

January 8
This is my coworker Tracy and Astronaut Barry "Butch" Wilmore right after my training class. He was a really nice guy that spent a lot of time just talking with us about space. 

January 9
This is the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (SVMF) which houses the International Space Station full fidelity mock ups. I pinch myself every time I am in this building, getting to train astronauts for performing experiments in space.

January 10
Back in Cleveland and home in time for pizza night out at a new place. Good Naples type pizza unfortunately I only got a photo of the Italian beer that we enjoyed. 

January 11
Pop the champagne, it's time to celebrate! J passed his plastic surgery board exam!! And yes, the house is a mess and the Christmas tree is still up. 

January 12
We are dog sitting Chloe today while watching the Broncos football game. 

Wish me luck for the rest of the month. I am taking it one day at a time and hopefully this will get me to blog more in 2014.

And They Pay Me To Do This...

I have so much to remember from this week. On Sunday it was still summer and I was wearing a sundress and when I finally returned from what really was like a dream at 2am Saturday it was chilly and the leaves were falling already.

 

I had a week of a lifetime. A dream of mine achieved.

 

Here is a little clip... it was absolutely amazing.

More to come!

Pinch Me, This is Really Happening!

I'm exhausted. Months of preparing our hardware, writing reports, building, testing, and FINALLY it is here. Tomorrow I get to go on this...

and feel zero gravity, just like the astronauts for 40 parabolas of 40 seconds each of weightlessness. Alan Shepard only had about 6-7 minutes total of this experience. And he was strapped down in a seat! I am over the moon excited!! I have a flight suit. I was hanging out all day in the NASA Ellington Field hangar preparing our rig. I need to pinch myself.

I wanted to take a second to write down how I am feeling. A whole lot right now. Nervous. Excited. Hoping my family isn't too worried (Jared and Julie). Wishing Dad was with me. But I am mostly excited. Like a 6 year old little kid the night before Christmas when you just know that Santa is going to bring you the thing that you have wanted the most... in like forever. What I have ALWAYS wanted to do, I get to do tomorrow. So freaking cool.

Fingers crossed for a successful flight with no injuries, a safe take off and landing, good data on our experiment, and mostly, a super fantastic amazing I can't believe I have the job I have day with tons of good videos and photos floating in zero gravity. No vomiting would be great too.

One Week From Today

I've been busy. Crazy busy at work, home, and life. So to catch up with my work news... here is a little video of some of what I have been preparing for these past 3 months... and what I will be doing one week from today. 

I am beyond excited! Fingers crossed I won't vomit!

Myrtle Beach Snapshots - Day 5

Yay! for another beach day!! It was a bit overcast so the kiddos stayed longer than expected.

We hit Garden City Beach where we played in the sand, splashed, found a starfish, and had a great day.  After a few naps and showers we headed to Barefoot Landing for walking around, dinner at an Italian place, and of course, a carousel ride.

We even had some late night shopping and ice cream!