Thankful

TGIF; Thankful #8

Movin' it with Michelle

Happy Friday, y’all!!!!!

I hope you all had a great week. Mine started out rough, but thankfully ended on a pretty good note. My recliner and I have a hot date tonight, so I’ll keep this post short.

Today I am thankful for:

  1. Operational Laboratory instruments. BOTH our broken down instruments were repaired today and up and running!  After several long weeks of manual procedures vs. automated, this girl is a happy camper.
  2. Weekends with no plans. While typically I love being busy doing fun things on the weekends, this weekend we are just winging it and may just chill at home.
  3. Kind people. Part of my job as a supervisor is to do daily rounding of each section to make sure the work is getting done and everyone and everything is running smoothly. I check on people, they don’t check on me (which is totally fine), but today I had someone come over and check on me as I was coverslipping slides (which I have been doing nearly 8 hours a day, every day, for the last 3 weeks). “Michelle, you doing ok? Hanging in there? It’s almost Friday!” she exclaimed. And my heart warmed. It’s nice to be cared about, too.
  4. Fridays. Simply said.
  5. Farmers Markets. I love getting fresh produce and products from local companies. Our hospital hosts one every other Friday and I love supporting our local farmers and getting healthy produce for my family.

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Do you have plans this weekend? Does your community have farmers markets? What are you thankful for today?

Cheers,

Michelle

moving forward, Thankful, Thursday

Is it Friday yet…and TF#7

Movin' it with Michelle

 

Anyone else feel like 2019 has been off to a rough start? Between 3 weeks of Bronchitis, getting slammed with a 500/month house payment increase  this year as a result of a mistake in our escrow last year (WTH?), and the never ending debt we have incurred due to moving to Florida (we didn’t get any relocation assistance and moving across country is crazy expensive), and ongoing vet bills for my Sammy (he had two bouts of cancer last year and I just found a couple possible more bumps), we just can’t seem to catch a break. I had hoped at my age I’d finally start to feel “comfortable” but nope…ah such is life. It’ll happen eventually, right?

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Which is a perfect Segway in to my thankful post…because I do always TRY to look on the bright side. So here goes…

  1. Bacon Cheeseburgers. Yup, this girl that eats healthy 90% of the time has a secret weakness for bacon cheeseburgers. It is my favorite comfort food paired with crispy French fries and after the week I’ve been having, I treated myself to this amazing indulgence today at lunch and had no regrets. Ok, I regretted it a little after I started to fall in to a carb coma an hour after eating it, but hey…it was worth it.
  2. Hot showers/running water. After a long day at work I love to take a hot shower and destress. Sometimes I cry, sometimes I sing, and sometimes I just shut my mind off.
  3. Rest days. My legs aren’t quite as sore today, but that good ole right knee that gives me constant issues still isn’t happy with me.
  4. Friends that check on you when you are quiet. These friends are the best, because they can hear you even when you aren’t talking. They just know.
  5. Rain. We had quite the storm roll in at around 3 am this morning and while I am not thankful for the early morning wake up call, our grass looks greener already.

How has your year started out? What is your greatest weakness in regards to food? Thanks for all of your likes, comments and shares. I love this amazing community!

Cheers,

Michelle

half marathon training, Thankful

Wednesday’s Thankful #6

Movin' it with Michelle

Ok guys, I am not going to lie. I am going to have to dig deep to not be a little repetitive in my thankful post today, because I am having a bit of a struggle compiling my list. Sunshine and my dog are a given. Today was a rough day at work, and I’ll simple put between instrumentation and staffing issues this year, I snapped. I snapped at doctors, snapped at coworkers, hell I even snapped at myself for snapping and quickly apologized to the victims of my snaps, LOL.

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My thankful post for today:

  1. My ability to still run off the stress of a bad day even when my legs feel heavier than the sandbags I filled for Hurricane Irma (click link to check out my first month of adventures in FL) back in 2017!!!! I’m in week 9 (having missed 3 weeks due to bronchitis) of training so I can’t quit now!
  2. My husband, who on days like today is extra sweet, extra supportive, and even had dinner ready when I got home from my run.
  3. The fact that my daughters come to me with their problems. The fact they feel I am a “safe zone” shows me I’ve at least done something right despite the struggle of the preteen/teen years.
  4. The roof over my head, and food on the table. I often find myself for wanting more, when really I have all that I need.
  5. HUMP DAY! We’re almost to Friday, y’all!!!

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What are you thankful for today? Do you have a favorite day of the week?

Cheers!

Michelle

moving forward, Thankful

Thankful #5

Movin' it with Michelle

Today was a pretty hectic day, so this post will be short and sweet.

Today I am thankful for:

  1. The ugliness in my life, for it helps me appreciate the beauty.
  2. Two years ago today my husband returned on U.S. soil after being deployed to Iraq for a year. So I am so thankful he came home safely, again.
  3. Quick dinners for busy nights. I made a large batch of meatballs on Sunday so I didn’t have to cook today! Winning!
  4. My dog. Even after the hardest day at work, he’s there at the door to greet me and he makes all the “yuck” go away.
  5. 70 degree evenings. I’ve my slider opened and am listening to the sand cranes wiz by while they sing their evening songs.
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My Sammy, begging for food more times than not, LOL

 

What are you thankful for today? Do you have pets? How is the weather where you are at?

Cheers,

Michelle

half marathon training, moving forward, Thankful

Week 8 long run/Thankful #4

Movin' it with Michelle

I have been down for the count for exactly 3 weeks. My last long run was Christmas where I was able to run 5 miles fairly easily as I’ve been running 3-4 miles for quite some time. I’ve only walked/ran a couple of times since then, so decided I either 1. get off my butt and run (even if that meant some walking due to coughing still), or 2. ditch the notion of running the Gasparilla half marathon on February 24th in St. Petersburg FL. My hubby is also running this race, but is three weeks ahead of me in training and I know he didn’t want to slow down to run my slower pace so I sent him off for his long run so I could run solo.

The temps were in the perfect low 60’s and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. There were however, left over winds from the crazy storms we got last night which took my breath away several times. I ran the first loop (3.2 miles) slowly but I felt quite strong. I started to feel a little light headed, so I ran past my house to fuel and take a potty break. I had a HUMA chia gel which are my go-to for long run fueling, some water, and I headed back out. I did ok until I hit mile 5 and this was my “wall” to today’s long run. I slowed to a pace of 11:54 and mile 6 was an 11:53. Thankfully I caught a second wind and my last mile was 11:14 with an average pace of 11:18. I am learning that it’s not always about pace, and that I need to celebrate the distance.

 

Today I am thankful for:

  1. Long runs=therapy sessions. I am thankful for the hour and twenty minutes I had to myself to think, process issues and just enjoy the sunshine.
  2. The ability to run as I get older. My knees have 30+ years of running in their  history and I often struggle with a short run. Thankfully supplements, creams, and knee braces are my saving grace.
  3. Sleeping in. I know, I used this one yesterday but having the extra day to the weekend did wonders for my sleep deprivation.
  4. Sunshine and perfect running weather.
  5. Perspective. I used to always worry about running faster and running farther. Now I simply try my hardest and enjoy every mile.

Did you work today? What’s your favorite way to release stress? Are you training for any races right now?

Cheers,

Michelle

 

Disney, Thankful

Epcot Festival of the Arts/Thankful #3

Movin' it with Michelle

We had gone back and forth on whether or not we were going to go to Epcot’s Festival of the Arts today. With all the storms up north, or temperatures plummeted into the 40’s with gusty winds of 20-30 mph. BRRRRR!! But I am so glad we ended up going despite the chilly temps. Epcot is my favorite of all the parks, and we always end up having a great time. It was the perfect wrap up to my birthday weekend.

Today I am thankful for:

  1. My family. They have taken such good care of me these last three weeks and went above and beyond to spoil me.
  2. Yummy food. I truly enjoy a good plate of food and love that my daughters have grown a love for food as well.
  3. Living within driving distance to Disney/Epcot. We love the  parks and festivals and all they have to offer throughout the year.
  4. Naps. Now that I am in my mid-to-later 40’s I catch a 20 minute cat nap whenever possible. Who knew someone could be SOOOO tired. I blame my inability to sleep more than a few hours at a time.
  5. Days off. I have tomorrow off, and I tell you what, I am ready for a day of just relaxing!!!

Here are some pics from the Festival of the Arts today:

 

Us!
Deconstructed Rueban sandwich
My baby
Sushi “donut”
Deconstructed BLT-YUM

What are you thankful for today? Have you ever been to the different festivals at Epcot? Are you working tomorrow?

Cheers!

Michelle

moving forward, Thankful

Thankful #2

Movin' it with Michelle

Today was a beautiful day. While not quite “beach” weather for this now transplanted Floridian, the sun was out and the ocean was calling me. We decided to celebrate my 46th birthday today since in fell on a work day last Thursday. Lunch in Tarpon Spring FL, followed by walking around a craft fair and spending an hour on the beach listening to the waves crash completed our afternoon. We finished the day with dinner, at a place called Rooster and the Till in Seminole Hghts FL, which I’ll talk about in a separate post.

Today I am thankful for:

  1. Living within driving distance of the beach. It truly heals what ails me.
  2. Simple things like craft fairs and small towns.
  3. My dog. I swear he loves me more than anyone else on this planet.
  4. My family. We had such a fun day just bumming around, and I wish my oldest could’ve shared it with us.
  5. Sunshine. While it does rain here a lot during the summer months, more days than not the sun is available to soak in the rays and erase any stress even if only temporarly.

What are you thankful for? What’s your favorite place to eat out at?

 

Sunset Beach, Tarpon Springs FL

Cheers,

Michelle

moving forward, Thankful

Thankful #1

Movin' it with Michelle

My friend Maria over @RunningFlaps is posting daily 5 things she is thankful for. While I will be realistic that I won’t post every day, I am going to make a concerted effort to post daily. This will one, help me in my goal of writing more and two, help me appreciate my daily life. Here goes…

  1. I am thankful for my family. They spoiled me with cards and flowers for my birthday yesterday and we have a fun filled weekend planned to celebrate my 46 years on this planet.
  2. I am thankful for my job. While I don’t love it, it helps provide for my family.
  3. I am thankful for living in Florida. Tomorrow I will get my first taste of Vitamin “Sea” in almost 6 months and I really need it.
  4. I am thankful that my almost 3 week cold is finally starting to go away. While I still have my cough, its loosened and lessened and I will celebrate small victories.
  5. I am thankful for the hundreds of Facebook messages, texts, phone calls and messages wishing me a happy birthday yesterday.

What are you thankful for today?

 

Cheers,

Michelle

moving forward

Faith

Movin' it with Michelle

Today was a rough day. Heck, this year has been rough from day one. Between getting bronchitis for New Years, and the relentless work stress I’ve endured over the last year and a half, lets just say STICK A FORK IN ME.

I don’t usually talk about work on here. It’s bit me in the butt before, so I usually keep my work whoas to myself. No, whoas isn’t a word. But a couple of months ago I stood in the middle of my lab and prayed. I am a firm believer in faith, and while I don’t go to a physical church, I pray, and I pray a lot. I asked God for help…was this really it for me in my almost 30 year career? He answered that call literally 15 minutes later with a call from a recruiter about an amazing opportunity. Resume updated, reference list updated, and several phone interviews later and I felt like I was well on my way.

The holidays set things back quite a bit but I remained positive. There HAD to be something better out there for me. Today I had a rough day at work, but since my cough was getting better I headed out for a walk/run. My daughter joined me for the second half of my walk, and shortly after she joined me, I got the text. I wasn’t chosen to move to the next round. My heart dropped.

 

I asked God why on earth he’d tease me with such an opportunity knowing how much I’ve struggled in my current position? Why give me that sort of hope. Why?

I don’t have answers for these questions. I only have to keep the faith that there IS something better out there for me.

 

How do you deal with difficult situations? Have you ever suffered from disappointment like this?

Cheers,

Michelle

food, Recipes

Blue cheese beef meatballs, mushroom gravy and cauliflower mash

Movin' it with Michelle

This year has started out a little rough for me. While I had talked about Self-love last week on the blog, with intentions of making more time for the things I love AND me in general, I instead continued to battle this wretched cough/cold. This weekend I finally felt better enough to venture out of the house with my daughter, and we got our nails done, ran errands, had lunch with a great friend and did a little shopping. I was a little worn out this afternoon, but was determined to get back to my Sunday supper ritual.

Today’s menu consisted of Blue cheese beef meatballs, mushroom gravy, and cauliflower mash with a side of sautéed asparagus.

Blue Cheese Beef meatballs

One pound of ground beef

1 cup of blue cheese crumbles

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste (about 1-2 tsps. of salt, 1 tsp pepper

1 tsp of dried oregano

Combine and let chill for an hour. Bring to room temperature while the oven is pre-heating to 350 degrees. Bake for about 30 minutes or until fully cooked.

Cauliflower mash

1 head of fresh cauliflower

1/4 cup of low fat cream cheese

2 tsps. of unsalted butter

1-2 tsps. of salt, 1 tsp of white pepper, 1 tsp of garlic powder

Cup up cauliflower and cook in boiling water until soft.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process on high for around 2-3 minutes.

Mushroom gravy

1 tsp of unsalted butter

6-8 portabella mushrooms, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 package of Lipton Onion soup mix

4 cups of unsalted/low sodium beef stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tsps. of corn starch and cold water, mixed well (this is called a slurry, you’ll add it to thicken the gravy)

In a sauce pan melt the butter and add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook until lightly browned. Add in the beef stock, and onion soup mix until combined thoroughly. Add in the heavy cream and the corn starch slurry and bring to a boil. Reduce down, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Puree or leave chunky! Your call!

I rounded the dish out with some simple sautéed asparagus with a little salt, pepper, and a pat of butter.

cauliflower massh

Enjoy!!!