It has been exactly 2 full months since I have last posted anything to this blog. Partially due to the fact that I have lost the drive to update it, as well as, a lack of time to regularly update and maintain posts. Sad, but true. I have not cashed out the blog world entirely; I catch up on my favs on a very consistent basis. No I have not forgot about you!
I just wanted to pop in and share some things in which I have learned/observed over the last two months:
Life can change at any given time. Appreciate what you have and what you have been gifted with. At any minute our normal could be changed affecting not only our quality of life but our loved ones as well.
Try to not sweat the small stuff. We all know that this is an easy thing to say but a SUPER HARD thing to carryout. Why let one setback ruin an entire day? Deep breathe, think of 3 positives, and carry on.
An outing with friends is entirely more important than a workout or a chore which can be pushed back to the next day (or next day or next….).
Live a Little – Okay I didn’t just realize this one, but I still think about this little phrase all the time. My friend use to tell me it about 2 years ago when I would enjoy life to the fullest for the sake of being ‘skinny’…. right what was I thinking.
Going without something you LOVE for a couple days will really really make you long for them, appreciate a little deeper, and realize that you have an amazing thing in front of you (even if you already knew that 100%).
The thought of having to wake up each Mon-Fri to go to work turns work into a dreaded nightmare, but once I get to work, I am in love with my job. I love helping others.
….Those are just a few of my thoughts over the last couple months!
Happenings of this week – bullet point style.
Foodie Pic:
Chicken Sausage (TJ’s), goat cheese, bell peppers, pepperoncini's, guacamole, & onions over shredded lettuce.
Music:
MMM Saturday night dinner after a wonderful trip to Trader Joes. A TJ’s opened in KC last weekend (finally)!! So exciting. I got so many goodies for $30.00; I was impressed with my shopping basket. It included a bottle of Merlot, petite tomatoes, green beans, cilantro jalapeno hummus, sundried tomato sausages, goat cheese, carrots, nectarines, granny apples, peanut butter, and Greek yogurt. What a steal!
Dinner: 
Chx ssg, goat cheese stuffed grilled jalapeno, green beans, lettuce with olive oil, pepper and goat cheese, pepperoncinis, and some hummus for dipping. I like it hot.
After much convincing, I joined a team of 4 others in a city wide weight loss challenge. It is 10 weeks long and encourages adapting a healthy lifestyle. No crash diets here. There is a weigh in at the beginning (today) and at the ending (in 10 weeks – October). Perfect timing because earlier this week I noted that my clothes just are not fitting like they use to and after weighing in today it is apparent as to why they are not! So my goal is just to get back down to where I was before I had this steady weight gain. Turns out that is 8% of my weight. So here goes nothing!
Here is to healthy eating and limiting my obsession with horrible QT muffins the size of my head and late night 2nd dinners. Here’s to making an effort to treat my body how it should be treated with health foods and the occasional/1 daily treat.
This is a great idea to jump start my effort to transform myself from the current back to the usual:
Current: 
10 pounds lighter: 
Such a difference and yes same outfit… how perfect to compare with, no?! Don’t get me wrong I am happy at my weight right now but desire to get back into a healthy routine and back to my ideal weight!
GUESS WHERE I WENT over last weekend?! I will give you a visual clue:
Can you name that city? I had the pleasure of traveling to Chicago for the second summer in a row to attend the Pitchfork Music Festival. It was fabulous! A little out of control (OC) at times but def. worth every penny and effort- physical, mental, and emotional- that went into it.
My boyfriend (Sam), great friend (Natalie), and Sam’s roommate were in attendance. After jetting to Chicago on Thursday night and arranging last minute accommodations for the night, we got a wee bit saucy at the hotel bar then set off to a bar district. Honestly Nat and I were all in but the boys needed much encouragement and well in the end Sam lost his wallet – eeek. [good thing he had a suga mama with him]
The rest of the weekend was spent at Pitchfork:
( I am so slow at putting up blog posts)
So I have this guy I like and he really is a cut above the rest. Sometimes he even wants to play foodie and suggests snapping a photo of our dinner creations. Guess which was his: number 1 or number 2.
1. 
Sam and I decided to grill up some KC strips and asparagus with sides of scalloped potatoes and French bread after exploring the local Nelson Atkins Art Museum. It was a fun date day! Oh, by the way, his photograph of his plate is #2 and mine was #1.
Other than that he is just a hot dog! (and a grill master for sure)
Now go fire up your grills and start cooking on this steaming summer day!
flexibility to me:
ditching plans of attending 5:30 hot yoga to go to happy hour
& trading in the yoga for a 1 mile run and 3 mile walk in 80+ degrees
Sounds Good, Right?!
Is that not the largest shot of Jameson ever? The bartender def hooked us up on that shot and or was trying to get us sauced. Totally not complaining! It went down nice and smooth. It also jump started a series of shots and ignited my dancing/raging feet!
Being flexible is an amazing trait to possess. Another habit that I am trying to pick up is smiling while working out… def did yesterday during my ralk (run/walk) and it felt awesome and I loved seeing people drive by smile back. Smiling is contagious after all and really does do the soul good.
While on Facebook, I stumbled upon this Vogue cover posted:
… this is amazing. These models look healthy, have curves, and look like real women. Now most people who say “so they aren’t starving themselves” or “that shouldn’t be on a cover.” As a society we are so quick to judge. These girls should def. be on a cover, for they are strutting real proportions. Who knows, they may indeed diet and participate in unhealthy risks to look as good as they do…we never know! Thanks Vogue!
Do you get offended by ads that do not portray the standard frail (could blow away if the wind was too strong) female figure?
Check out an article on this issue of Vogue here
Dear Confidence,
Where the heck are you? I know that I am smart enough, I excelled in my Speech Pathology classes, I passed my board exam, and have landed a job after completing 4 internships where all my supervisor stating I was ready to be a SLP…
Where is all this self doubt and lack of self confidence coming from? Where are all these “failing” feelings coming from?
I think it is merely the transition from being a SLP intern under a supervisor to now being the only SLP in the building… maybe?
Well please come back soon, because I am sick of feeling the blues. It isn’t good for my self esteem, my interactions (friends/family), my mental health, and my waistline.
Love, Molly
Thanks to Google [I love Google]: I saw someone post this in reply to a SLP who was in their first year and felt similar to me:
What you describe is so normal - please hang in there!!! The fact that you care that you are being effective shows that you are a good SLP!!! It is always good to question whether you are doing your best and keep alert for anything you could do to improve. This does not mean that you are not doing a good job already though. Experience will build confidence!!!
My supervisor also stated that: “I know that confidence is the hard part just remember no one knows more about speech therapy than you!”
Some good tips on building self confidence that I found:
Yeah, yeah easier said than done. Right now I am going to stop loathing in my feelings of being a failure. I am going to life my head up high, walk like I mean business, smile often, and be the “expert” that I am in the field of speech therapy. Didn’t someone wise once say Fake it till you make it. I am going to apply that sang to my confidence level right now…and maybe if I keep pretending and with more experience it will come naturally.
--------------------------
Q: How was your job transition? Have you ever felt a lack of confidence in yourself?
That is what I have been getting my bad self into lately. The combined stresses of being a Speech Pathologist and realizing I am no longer free as a bird, paired with the thoughts that I really should be doing something good for my body and mind lead me back to Bikram Yoga.
I wish I could push myself to do a 30 day Bikram challenge; however, with my work schedule, Wednesday night co-ed volleyball games, and desire to go out at least one weekend night, I will be lucky to get in 4-5 days a week. I am perfectly okay with that.
I love that during the 90 minutes of yoga I feel absolutely exhausted from pushing myself and focusing solely on myself and my poses, but after class I feel completely energized. It is awesome. My mind and body are thanking me already. I know it. I can’t wait to see if my body will show any physical changes at the end of these 30 days… I guess I will have to wait until July 26th!
And according to this website, if I complete the 90 minutes of Bikram according to my body statistics I burn around 900 calories. That is outstanding and really after class I am famished so I believe it.
Alright better get going & get my stretching, balancing, and mediating in & hopefully it decides to clear up outside because I really could go for a nice afternoon at the lake.
Namaste. (I just had to say it)
Sometimes you just have to dance and pretend you are a hot model on the scaffolding outside your townhouse window
& sometimes you need to make time for yourself by getting back into Bikram Yoga with a dear friend (Natalie… click the link her blog is adventurous, to say the least) to clear your mind after a long work day and also to work on that hot bod
(because it is clearly time to work on those big guns of mine)
FINALLY you must remember to appreciate all that surrounds you because life truly is:
…and that concludes my thought process for today! Off to day 2 of hot yoga and its wonderful healing powers: mind, body, and soul. At least I will feel that way post 90 minute class (as well as ravenous).
The past week and a half almost cannot be described through words or pictures. It was so emotional, so raw, and such a growing experience all around.
THE JOB: If someone would have told me 6 years ago that in the same week I would turn 24 years old I would also begin my young professional life as a Speech Language Pathologist I probably would have laughed. I almost can’t believe it. I am a Speech Pathologist- sometimes when signing my name on paperwork/medical charts I dwell on the fact that I no longer sign it SLP intern but the real deal MS, CF-SLP…pretty darn awesome.
The night before my first day I cried and cried I was so nervous and had so much self doubt it was awful. For some reason I disregarded the fact that I had passed through graduation school with nearly a 4.0 GPA and finished 4 internship. It was just nerves mixed with an overwhelming feeling that the real deal was about to happen.
Guess what… it wasn’t that bad. I can say the first week was a little rocky, as any first week is expected to be. Honestly how are you suppose to know where everything is located and how to operate the programs without first learning. My advise to anyone starting a new job is to just relax and trust in yourself and the knowledge you store.
THE SOCIAL LIFE: I am not to good at volleyball, in fact the last time I played was about 10-13 years ago and I broke my finger during a practice..whomp whomp whom. Believe it or not, I am on a co-ed volleyball team that plays every Wednesday night for the next 8 weeks… Here goes nothing! Just for the record we lost our first two game.
I also flipped another calendar year and had my 24th birthday. The boyfriend took me out for drinks at a bar we had always wanted to snag drinks from and then we continued the evening at a tapas restaurant. It was fabulous: we split ricotta on garlic toast and a Lebanese hummus plate as appetizers and I decided on a Greek salad and the mussels in a butter garlic sauce. We paired it with a bottle of wine. It was fabulous.
The on rest of the birthday weekend celebration included: meeting some girls for happy hour, hanging with Nat and the boys while playing drinking game and dancing at a couple bars (sadly neither had the usual awesome dj sets).
& I am exhausted.
HAPPY 24th BiRTHDAY TO ME!!!
this has been a fabulous week thus far:
Started my big girl job as a Speech Pathologist in a Skilled Nursing Facility on Monday
Had internet installed on Tuesday, the tech was late so he took $20.00 off this months rate… yes!
Beach volleyball (co-ed) began last night – I really really need practice, I am no bueno.
I received a phone call saying I was receiving a LARGE check for developing and facilitation a Parkinson’s group during the spring (which I originally thought was a volunteer position)…
& today it is MY BIRTHDAY!!!
plans include: working, going for a drink at this fun bar my boyfriend and I have always wanted to go to, and a surprise location for dinner that is “hip and groovy with a wide array of choices and dishes".” Then on Friday (tomorrow) it is the PARTY night
and because it is my birthday I may just be rocking brown & black @ one time… because I can.
Updates to come…..
So I come back from spending a weekend at home to find no cable and no internet! There isn’t even a free connection I could juice around my townhouse (not that I would ever do that). Ugh, so during the last week of my life I decided to pull a double at work because what else am I going to do, I went to the gym once, I did an arts & crafts, cut up a t-shirt to spunk it up a little, went to a great show, got a nice sunburn at the lake…and so forth.
Art & Craft Project:
Yeasayer with the Smith Westerners.
Cute outfit day:
My stud @ the lake, new swim suit, & new scratchers addiction:
Living without internet and cable is cool for about 2 days… after that without a full time job [starts June 13th] there is only so much you can do to entertain yourself and only so much cleaning and reorganizing. Hopefully I will be reconnected soon!
Oh and sometimes when bored it is okay to whip up a storm in the kitchen: wheel noodles with spinach, red onions, and sirloin and then some mock Chipotle corn salsa: 2 ears of corn, 1/2 grilled poblano pepper, jalapeno pepper, red onion, salt, sugar, olive oil.
Internet to return on Tuesday. Thank God!
Isn’t my new look fabulous?
I also grew like 20 feet.
I may also be tots bored.
Need a new dance tune:
[that song reminds me of Coachella and waking up every morning to it only to hear it on repeat for a good chunk of the day… oh great times]
Last night was an absolute blast. I hung out with my best friend from high school and a good friend from way back in the tricycle riding days.
Highlights:
Free good wine, cheese, fresh fruit, bread and brownies
Kidnapping out girlfriend and dragging her off the couch and out to the bars with us
Running into friends from grade school and high school that hadn’t been seen in forever
Free beer given to me right as I entered the 2nd bar… I am such the looker (enter sarcasm here)
Major downfall:
Yes, it could happen to you. My bestie got her credit cards, debit/bank card, Coach wristlet, car keys, etc… stolen from her. While kicking people out of her younger cousins house, she placed her keys on the counter and some immature individual who clearly did not have their head on right decided he was upset so he should steal her stuff. He also proceeded to not answer his cell phone after disclosing that he had taken the keys. This ended with her dad having to drive 100 blocks to give us spare keys at 4 am, a police report being filed, cards being suspended or canceled and many tears shed by my friend. Hopefully the idiot will return it to make things better for all involved. Especially since it is a holiday weekend.
I can’t believe people sometimes. I couldn’t put it better than the lovely Katie:
I guess if there has to be a moral to the story it should be: Even when you think you are safe, pretend you are in danger and hold on to your belongings/never put them down.
Have a safe Saturday you all!
This past Wednesday I survived this:
Nothing like a little tornado action to keep you feeling alive. Especially after the horrible events in the southern part of the state that tore up and destroyed a substantial part of the city of Joplin, MO. My prayers go out to all those who have been affected and have lost loved ones and the likes. Luckily my good girlfriend from undergrad, the only person I truly know from Joplin, her family was on vacation and property ok. Thank God.
My brother road the mega bus in and was dropped off close to my house – I was working in a 75% glass windowed building. The tornados were not of concern- I WAS FURIOUS and really if something would have happened woof… Not cool. The bro walked into the basement of a hotel to take cover. Smart boy. We survived and celebrated by going to happy hour, dinner, and drinks… not going to lie it got a little too fun – OC status.
Thursday we ventured home to complete the graduation month with the littlest sisters high school graduation: She is off to become a southern girl with my sister… (same college down south…ya know)
Well off to spend the rest of my lovely week at home base! It is just so good to be home and do absolutely nothing before I have to start that real world stuff mid June!
New breakfast attempt: The idea was to make French toast using a Flat Wrap as I do not have any bread in the house..and really wanted French Toast!
Made just the same as the usual: dunk & coat the cut pieces of wrap into a mixture of egg whites and cinnamon… cook on both side… sprinkle with cinnamon. (I used the left over egg mix and cooked it up with some sliced turkey…yum)
Verdict: Not the same (but lets be real I knew that going into it); it tasted far too healthy (because well really it was); Maybe some powdered sugar would have spruced it up a bit. I ate it all but will not be reattempting this one.
Now the other day I had a good dessert idea to put onto a baking sheet a Flat Wrap and top it with cinnamon, sliced strawberries and peaches, and place it under the broiler. This was a delicious sweet treat to have as an after dinner snack.
In other news:
I got myself some chewable multivitamins…in orange flavor, I HATE orange flavoring…What was I (not) thinking?!
So until I finish all 120 of these babies… so I guess in 120 days I am stuck trying to liken my taste buds to fake orange.
