Weekly Gratitude

{mah boots}

In all honesty, this has been a horribly awful work week. I'm emotionally exhausted, and feel as if I could sleep the entire weekend Fri-Sun with waking only for the necessities. Though tempting, I plan on sticking to my weekend routine that includes a Saturday {or Sunday} morning run, brunch, and some relaxation reading: The Night Circus. I might be able to sneak in some holiday shopping as well.

Even if the negative seemed to outweigh the positive this week, I am grateful:

• Girl's Night Out with B at the CBN Rent the Runway Party. Girl. Time. Rocks. Even on the worst of days.


• My new winter boots finally arrived in the mail {pictured above}. In the correct size.


• New running tights arrived in the mail; thanks to a LivingSocial deal, I snagged them for 50% off!


• Christmas cookies - they are in abundance around these parts and I love them!


• My new winter coat that has been keeping me warm.


• Hubby completed his final semester of prereq's, rocked a 4.0 the entire time, and finished with a A+ in Organic Chemistry. I'm so proud!


• ABC Family's 25 days of Christmas movies: Polar Express, Elf, and Home Alone? Yes, please.

xoxo,

PJ

Thankful

{Source: A Girl and A Camera Photography}

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday {not only because I love cooking, baking, and eating all the delicious food}. It always holds such meaning and reminds me to spend a day reflecting on my life and the good things in it. My family has a tradition of going around the dinner table, each person sharing the things that they are the most thankful for. I love it.

Since I joined the "Weekly Gratitude" project, I have enjoyed the regular reflection of thankfulness. It's fun to reflect on my week and think about the events {big or small} that leave me feeling blessed.

These are the things I'm most thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday:

I am grateful for my parents {whose love truly is unconditional}.

I am incredibly blessed to be connected to something greater than myself {others, the world around me, my faith}.

I am thankful for each day that I can spend loving others.

I am thankful for friends that celebrate the good and commiserate the bad.

I am thankful for a meaningful career.

I am thankful for sisters.

I am thankful for Hubby {my partner for life} who loves me so completely.

I am thankful for Lennon {who gives the best cuddles in the entire world}.

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude

{via Pinterest}

Things I'm thankful for:

• I had a great time in Michigan with my sisters and momma last weekend. So fun for all of the girls to be together!!


• Gloves: I forget how cold my hands get during these months. I'm so grateful for my fingerless gloves {so I can still text, of course!}


• Dinner with friends, cracking up and spending time catching up on life


• Good girlfriend telephone call


• Receiving a letter in the mail from a long-distance friend {yes, we are old-lady pen pals}

Things I'm looking forward to this weekend:

• Running with "B": We are on track for our 5K training, running 4 miles!


• Sleeping in on Saturday morning {and cuddles with Lennon}


• Saturday afternoon event {see below} and seeing some of my newly found blogger-friends


• Saturday evening Chick Flick night


• Sunday brunch

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude

{via Pinterest}

I love that this quote bends either way to apply to the kind things you say/do and the mean things you say/do. The words fade, the actions fade, but the feelings remain. So true.

These last few weeks have been filled with some really fun events. I'm particularly thankful for:

• Opportunities to meet fellow bloggers in Chicago thanks to the Chicago Blogger Network


• Fun with friends: playing games {I won my first game of Clue - ever!} and last-minute dinner dates


• Amping up my runs to finish training for the 5K that I will run at the end of the month


• Telephone calls with my girlfriends


• Chicken nuggets {random, I know}


• My Hubby that sees the good, the bad, & the ugly AND loves me anyway


• Burt's Bees 'Hibiscus' tinted lip balm & Weleda 'Everon' lip balm have been my latest obsessions for protecting my kisser from the temperature drop this week

This weekend I'm headed to Grand Rapids to visit my Middle Sister. Momma and Little Sister are coming along, too, for a little road trip/girls weekend. Wee!

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude

It's been a few weeks since I've posted my "Weekly Gratitude" list. Honestly, it's been really hard to find time to blog. I barely get on my Bloglovin' these days.

This time of year, it's easy to be thankful for things like the weather and the warm color palette that fills the City with orange, brown, and yellow. Even the rainy days become excuses for baking goodies. I find myself slowing down my walking pace, if only slightly, to smell the leaves. Is that weird? I'm okay with that.

These are the things that I'm grateful for:

• Running with my dad: he's such an encouragement. He's always giving me tips on how to run, stretch, and is really helping me feel confident in running.


• Family visits: Hubby's parents visited this past weekend {they live in Michigan}. We explored the City together, and made some really fun memories together.


• My job: I'm always on the go! I feel like I'm constantly learning something new, and it's just so fascinating to be working in the medical setting.


• My pedometer: I've started wearing a pedometer (go ahead, judge me!). I started wearing it to see how much I'm actually walking around the hospital, but now I've turned it into a little competition with myself to see how many steps I take during the day. It's really fun!


• Friends: A telephone date with one of my oldest friends always makes me feel loved. I'm so grateful for friends who love me and who really want to know me and be a part of my life.


• Financial motivation: Hubby and I have been kicking butt on our budget lately. We're right on track to accomplishing some of our financial goals (more on that later), and it feels AWESOME.


• Letter from a friend: Betsy and I have been writing back and forth instead of talking on the phone and emailing. Handwritten letters are the best.


• A new iPhone cover that I scored 30% off plus free shipping. It's so pretty.


• Running dates with B -- again, running with friends is just so much better than solo runs. We signed up for the Grant Park 5K Turkey Trot at the end of November. Gobble, gobble!

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude: 33/34

These past two weeks have been a whirlwind! I had my last day at my job last Friday, and was off this entire week to have a break in-between jobs. It has been such a great week.

I'm so grateful to all of my former co-workers for making me feel special and celebrating this new opportunity in my life. I'm so thankful for the relationships and friendships that I built over the last four years.

I'm thankful for the time that I had this week to rest before stating my new job.

I'm thankful for Hubby for making it possible to spend some money on getting new clothes. It was so fun being able to shop {thrifteditems and new items!}.

I'm grateful that I got the two items that I wanted from the Missoni for Target line {Missoni madness ... okay, that was insane}, and avoided the drama.

I'm thankful for quality time with my sister in Grand Rapids. She hooked me up with a massage, facial, and new hair color/cut. It was so fun! And ... she let me drag her to the thrift stores ...

I'm thankful for a new workout buddy {B - are you reading this? The quote above is for you!}. Running is so much better with a friend.

My baby sister turned 20 this week! I'm so grateful for her life and friendship.

I'm thankful for the cool weather and am so excited for autumn!

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude: 32/33 Editions

{via Pinterest}

When I first joined the Weekly Gratitude movement {post here}, I wanted to carve out a time to reflect on the things that happened during the week. Week after week, the little things start to add up.  Slowly {but surely} the good outweighs the bad. Every. Time.

• Thank you Hubby for your patience. I know sometimes I am difficult to live with {I leave my wet towels on the bed and I know it's annoying}. I'm so grateful for your love.


• Thank you Betsy for the letter in the mail this week. It's so fun to be pen-pals in this age of digital communication.


• Thank you Pandora for the free music. I've loved you for so long and sometimes I take you for granted.


• Thank you Lennon for being the best cuddle buddy, ever.


• Thank you sunshine for sticking around!

I'm looking forward to this weekend filled with visits from friends & family! Happy Labor Day, everyone!

xoxo
PJ

 

Weekly Gratitude: I'm Overwhelmed

{via Pinterest}

These last two weeks have been filled with great conversations with my best girl friends, long walks along the lakeshore, sunshine days at the beach, extra time with Hubby, and catching up on rest. To top it off, last week I was offered a job that has {literally} been a career goal for the last five years. Come September {the 19th to be exact}, I will be a social worker at Children's Memorial Hospital!

These last few weeks have been filled with so many good things {and in all honesty} I feel completely overwhelmed. Have you ever hoped {and hoped} and prayed {and prayed} and crossed fingers {and toes} for something, and then gotten it? It's almost as if I don't know what to do with myself; I'm so happy and blessed and grateful.

xoxo,

PJ

 

Weekly Gratitude: 29th Edition

{celebrating Hubby's acceptance letter}

It's been a full week over here ... there are so many things for me to be thankful for!

• Hubby was accepted to the MSN program at Rush University! I'm so proud of him!


• Quality time at a friends' BBQ celebrating his birthday.


• Impromptu drinks with friends to celebrate Hubby's news. I'm so thankful for people in our lives that help make these things special.


• Modern Family on DVD for the stormy evenings. Laughter makes everything better. And MoFa sure makes me laugh a lot.


• Supportive family that listens and encourages me when I'm feeling discouraged.


• And ... finally, seeing Paul McCartney was an experience of a lifetime, and it was so perfect to be able to be there with my love.

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude: 27/28 Editions

{What do we do with leftover 3D glasses? Put them on Lennon and take photos, of course.}

Things I'm thankful for this week {and last week}:

• Hubby finishing his summer semester! He got an A in the course {of course!}.


• An extra day off of work to rest, relax, and read this.


• The City on Netflix instant. NY, DVF, Kelly Cutrone, Whitney Port, and Olivia Palermo drama? You had me at DVF.


• The stormy weather. It makes for perfect sleeping conditions.


• One Girls' Night in watching True Blood Season 1.


• Sparkly pink polish on my toes.


• Seeing "Captain America" with my love and 4 other nerdy dudes.


• Scoring a Qdoba Groupon {$7 for $14 worth of food!}


• Vogue's Age Issue: SJP's still got it.


• A lovely bubble bath in the middle of a crazy week.

Happy Weekend!

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude: 24/25/26 Editions

Source: beyondbeyond.co.uk via Pilar on Pinterest

I've been missing in action from my Weekly Gratitude posts for the last few weeks. I've still been thankful {of course} but I've missed cataloging them here on the blog. Learn more about Weekly Gratitude here.

Things I'm thankful for:

• Spending an entire week with my sister who was in town from Michigan.


• Celebrating with family for my cousin's wedding; I'm thankful for safe travels to/from Minnesota.


• Another year of life {aka my birthday}!


• Laughing with my sisters and hubby through "Horrible Bosses" this week.


• New friendships through our small group from church.


• A husband that loves and respects me.


• A bicycle that I love to ride!


• Discovering a new favorite Vietnamese sandwich shop in our neighborhood: Bun Mi. Absolutely delicious!

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude: 23rd Edition

{Lake Michigan // Chicago Lighthouse}

Things I'm thankful for this week:

• Our friends had a baby! I'm thankful for the healthy delivery of their brand new baby girl.


• We celebrated my Dad's birthday. I'm so glad he was born.


• We also celebrated Father's Day - again, I'm so thankful for my father.


• Long telephone calls with friends who live hundreds of miles away.


• The first day of summer - even though the weather has been cold/rainy/unpredictable, summer is here!


• We got tickets to see Paul McCartney play Wrigley Field - this is {literally} a dream come true!


• A road trip to visit my Grandparents, we had a great visit.

Happy Weekend!

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude: 22nd Edition

Things I'm thankful for this week {a short list}:

• A visit with one of my oldest friends {photo above}! Through good times and bad, this girl knows me better than most.


• Fresh cherries are in season. They're my favorite summertime snack!


• Running along Lake Michigan, I couldn't ask for a better workout spot in the Midwest.


• Hubby. Dude knows how to make me laugh. Lots.

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude: 21st Edition

http://youtu.be/xaPepCVepCg
Things I'm thankful for this week:

• I've been enjoying these storms we've been having lately. Especially when they happen just as I'm going to bed!


• My favorite work lunch: Dr. McDougall's Vegan Black Bean & Lime Soup - so good!


• Silly YouTube videos Hubby finds to make me laugh: see above.


• A long telephone call with my BFF


• Hubby surprised me with homemade dinner, and even more impressive: homemade iced green tea. Yum!

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude: 20th Edition

(this is the record shop in our new neighborhood)

Things I'm thankful for this week:

• The moving process is officially over


• Being only 2 blocks from Lake Michigan at the new place; it's awesome!


• Taking long walks with Lennon on the lakefront path


• Kombucha: the stuff is simply amazing!


• Central air conditioning: because we didn't have it for a few years, I'm even more grateful for the cool air


• The new Death Cab for Cutie album was released - love it!


• That Hubby and I have been married for five years, and it just keeps getting better

xoxo,

PJ

Weekly Gratitude: 19th Edition

{via We Heart It}

These are the things I'm thankful for this week:

• My sunglasses from Target


• Fun time with family: prepping our new room, cooking, and going to a baseball game


• Getting my cousin's wedding invitation for a summer wedding - I'm so happy for her {and her soon-to-be hubby}


• Purging in preparation for the move: getting rid of stuff that we don't need/use/want anymore feels INCREDIBLE.

In all honesty, this week has been pretty rough. Hubby and I are going through so many changes right now. It feels like if I have to adjust to even one more thing, I'm going to lose my marbles. Do you ever have times like that? It's awful.

We move into our new room starting this weekend. We're moving over a few of our furniture pieces, and then finishing the move the following weekend {which just so happens to be our 5th wedding anniversary} by cramming all of our stuff into a storage unit and cleaning out our current apartment. Packing always makes me 1) Realize how much stuff we really have that we don't actually need and 2) Reminisce about all of the stuff that we're moving {hey, remember when ... OR hey, I remember where I bought this ...}.

I will be even more thankful when these next few weeks have passed, and we are settled into our new living space.

xoxo

PJ

Weekly Gratitude: 18th Edition

Things I'm thankful for this week:

• The heat: I love the heat. I'm so thankful for the sun and the warmth that it brings to the City.


• Spring smells: fresh-cut grass, blooming trees, it's so refreshing to have new scents around the City.


• Happy hour(s) at Starbucks: half price frappuccino, anyone? Don't have to ask me twice.


• Outdoor seating at restaurants.


• The park: nothing is better than spending time on a Sunday afternoon relaxing at the park with my Kindle.


• Fun events: this week I attended a Fleet Feet Girls' Night Out and got cupcakes, drinks, and a free sports bra fitting!

To learn more about Weekly Gratitude, click here.

xoxo

PJ

Weekly Gratitude: 16th + 17th Editions

This week (and last week) I'm thankful for:

• Hubby only having two weeks left of classes (yay!)
• Moving plans coming together
• Plans to celebrate my Momma with a girls' night out for Mother's Day weekend
• Paid vacation/personal time; I'm thankful that I can take a day (or two, three, four) off when I need it
• New sunglasses from Target
• Laughing with my Hubby about silly things: Lennon's farts, and when I'm wrong about something and even though I know I'm wrong, I'm adamant about it
• Good music from my favorite KEXP (if only I lived in Seattle!)

Happy Weekend!

xoxo

Weekly Gratitude: 16th + 17th Editions

This week (and last week) I'm thankful for:

• Hubby only having two weeks left of classes (yay!)


• Moving plans coming together


• Plans to celebrate my Momma with a girls' night out for Mother's Day weekend


• Paid vacation/personal time; I'm thankful that I can take a day (or two, three, four) off when I need it


• New sunglasses from Target


• Laughing with my Hubby about silly things: Lennon's farts, and when I'm wrong about something and even though I know I'm wrong, I'm adamant about it


• Good music from my favorite KEXP (if only I lived in Seattle!)

Happy Weekend!

xoxo

Weekly Gratitude: 15th Edition

Things I'm thankful for this week:

• The rain; I really love the thunderstorms, and I love being able to wear my Hunter boots everywhere and tromp through the puddles!
• Two extra days off to relax with Hubby, Lennon, and family
• The Chiropractor; I've been in so much pain, but it's getting better little by little thanks to her!
• Our tax refund; although I don't like that the government gets to use our money interest-free for an entire year, it's like getting an extra paycheck. That's cool.
• The Easter / Passover Celebration 

xoxo