2 weeks.... in which I realize Starbucks is taking over my life...

Jan. 11

A few years ago I visited Antigua, Guatemala and held orphanage babies for a week.

It changed my perspective.

I was digging in my boxes and found this painting that used to hang in my office.

I got it in Antigua.  I love it.

So I hung it up... to remind me of those little babes.

Jan. 12

I am still cleaning.  I have a LOT of stuff.  As the process continues, I now have multiple boxes and tubs of clothes and other things that I don't want.  I need to get rid of them.  Garage sale?  Coming soon!  I hope!

Jan. 13

Usually I make the lovely butterfly cookies for each Chrysalis weekend.

The process of making those cookies took an unexpected turn and instead this time I made rice krispie butterflies.  Cheaper, faster, but not nearly as lovely. 

Jan. 14th

West Ohio Girls' Chrysalis #53

SO many weekend I have spent at Greene Street.

So many blessings. 

Jan. 15

This bag of coffee single handedly (is that a word?!) kept my eyes open and my mind focused for the Chrysalis weekend.  Thank you Lord for partner markouts! 

Jan. 16th

Day 3... Fly with Christ.

Butterfly day at Chrysalis!  My fave!

This is my newest butterfly... but the same cross I got on my weekend almost 19 years ago.

That's insane.

But beautiful too.  =) 

Jan. 17th

Hmmmm... what's that?  Oh nothing... just end of season clearance from Starbucks...

you know.. cause Iced Caramel VIA is basically my HEROIN.

And those cups are too cute to NOT be bought for $4! 

Jan. 18th

Today I was looking at the Cabbage Patch doll little Abby got for Christmas when I realized that MY first Cabbage Patch doll (which I found a few weeks ago) looks exactly like hers.  Too funny.

Jan. 19th

Blueberry Chocolate Chip Pancakes from Butter Cafe.

What I'm sayin here is... good thing I am still running!

Jan. 20th

All the baggers at Kroger think I am cool (obviously) and they really love my shoes.  

Cool I am... well dressed?  Not so much!
Anyhoo... I wear these Sanuks with my black work pants and apparently that's cool.

Who knew? 

Jan 21st

Panera for lunch with Betsie?

Yes. Please. 

Jan. 22nd

I am cleaning (did I mention that?!).

I have discovered that for someone who does not enjoy shopping, I own an awful lot of stuff.

Although most of it comes from Target... and I do love me some Target!

None the less.  I MAY have a slight problem with too many hairbands.

Maybe. 

Jan. 23rd

Baby Abby wears little pink Converse.

I think that is AMAZING. 

Jan. 24th

Today a lady came through my line at Kroger.  

She bought Twix mini ice cream bars.

She opened them up and gave me and my bagger each one.

AMAZING.

#1.  They are GOOD.

#2.  Some people are just GOOD.

#3.  YAY for ice cream on the job! 

Jan. 25th

Today I got my partner card in the mail from Starbucks.

I know... how jealous are you?!

Really though... its just a fancy, official way of saying... don't forget to get a pound of coffee each week.

Anybody want some coffee?.... 

Jan. 26th

"Find the Roast you love the most" is back at Starbucks.

I'm not working it this round... but we did get loads of free Blonde roast samples.

if you want one... swing by Brown Street.... 

Jan. 27th

It's my older sister's 37th birthday today.  We went to TGI Friday's to celebrate.

Not my favorite restaurant... but we had fun and ate lots of cake and spinach dip (random combination, I know).  None the less... Happy Birthday Kristin!

and finally Jan. 28th

As soon as I finish this I have made a commitment to do my tax return.

Seriously.

Sitting on my bed is probably not the ideal place to work on this.

None the less...

Here goes... 

Catching up...

Picture taking?  Still happening...
Posting?  Less frequent since I am NEVER on line.
However... here is my effort to start catching up...

Dec. 26

Lots of sunny days lately mean lots of opportunities to wear my bling.

Love. My. Bling.

Dec. 27

Brown Street Starbucks.

I work here.

It's not perfect, but I'm learning to appreciate it.

A. LOT.

Dec. 28

Sometimes in the process of cleaning/going running/being lazy... I get half dressed and end up in running pants and my bath dress.  I am an embarrassment even to myself.

Dec. 29

Kim and I went to see New Year's Eve.  Not the best movie ever.

However... a beautiful story of how one of the few things we can control is our ability and willingness to forgive.

Dec. 30

Tutti Frutti has come to Dayton.

Slippery slope to my happy place.

Just sayin.

Dec. 31

DO NOT DRINK BLUEBERRY ACAI TEA from Panera.  

IT. IS. NASTY.

Jan. 1

New year... beautiful sunrise.

Love.

Jan. 2

I. LOVE. PANCAKES.

Seriously.

I have found a new favorite place to eat them.

If you are ever in Dayton, let me know... I'll take you there.... 

Then we will not talk, we will simply eat

and

smile.

Obviously.

Jan. 3

The first time I went to the Dominican Republic I got this pin on the way back from our trip leader.  

It hangs in my car.

Soy amada.

I am loved.

=)

Jan. 4

My mom and I put away the Christmas decorations at the church.  She packs them in these boxes.

Today I noticed where they are from.  I, myself, have been to the banana plantations in La Malinche, Costa Rica.  I have seen bananas packed there and the poverty that surrounds (but doesn't overtake) that place.  Two trips to that lovely, lonely, distant place.

Now I'm packing decorations in boxes from there.  Weird.

Jan. 5

Sad day.  Very Sad.  

Babies shouldn't die.  Truly.

This is one of my favorite Christmas hymns.  It was stuck in my head all day before and after I heard about little Andrew's passing.

Sad, sad day.  Beautiful hymn of redemption.

 

Jan. 6

Pumpkin scone?  Yes.  Please.

Jan. 7

This is what I saw when I woke up (literally, this is the view from the window right next to my bed)... snow.  UGH.  Although all this lovely January weather DOES have me a bit spoiled...

Jan. 8

The church I am attending right now is praying this prayer every day in the month of January.  

LOVE.

 

Jan. 9

Being a Kroger cashier on the evening swing shift can be exhausting.  Luckily I can always find one of these in the fridge. So I mass consume in the break room and then try REALLY REALLY hard not to fall asleep...

Jan. 10th

Today was a pretty crummy day... however... it was the launch of Blonde Roast at the 'bux, and Bethany (among others) wore the blonde mullet to celebrate.  LOVE. 

Way Behind!!

Dec. 7

Running shoes.  I run.  I hate it.  People tell me that will change.

I doubt it.

I still do it. =)

Dec. 8

Nickolas. Is. Insane.

But I love him.

Dec. 9

I-70 Sunrise may not be as beautiful as sunrise in the mountains... 

but it's still a gift.

Dec. 10

Nellie.  The greatest dog on earth.

Seriously.

Dec. 11

Shea.  The laziest dog on earth.

Seriously.

Dec. 12

It was SUPER foggy today....

and I took this shot on my morning walk.

LOVE.

(I have a really similar one from sunrise on Easter.  Still beauty!)

Dec. 13

Hiking the green trail at Englewood Metro Park.

Muddy but lovely!

Dec. 14

Cranberry Scone. 

It got broken in the pastry case.  One cannot just throw away 

cranberry scones.  They are AMAZING.  So I ate one.

The sacrifices I make some days.... hhahahaha

Dec. 15

Diet Dr. Pepper and Starbucks... two things I craved endlessly in the woods.

Now fairly permanent fixtures in my car.

I mean, literally, I think this exact same cup and can have been there for a month.

I have issues.

Dec. 16

DOUBLE BANANAGRAMS!!

My favorite game... supersized!!!

Dec. 17

Christmas comes to my car.  

Yep, I'm lame like that.

Dec. 18

Dark chocolate peanut M&Ms.

My most favoritest M&M ever... but rarely do I find them.

A pre-Christmas miracle!

Dec. 19

I'm Carly, a cashier at your Englewood Kroger Marketplace.

True.

Dec. 20

I no longer have an office to decorate... so my money tree scored some 

Christmas lights this year.  Lucky tree.

Dec. 21

I make chicken noodles that seriously kick butt.

Humble I am not.

They are real real good.

This is when they were in progress. =)

Dec. 22

]

Abby seriously makes me laugh.

She had the best pucker going until I took her pic.  Still she's funny.

Dec. 23

I also make a mean chocolate pretzel.

These are the white chocolate ones.

They were a big hit with Logan.

Dec. 24

Bob Schneider.

Elf.

Seriously.

Dec. 25

I.

Love.

when Christmas.

is on.

Sunday.

Still going!

Nov. 29

I have long kept a book of quotes.  It was briefly lost, but now is found.  I have been inspired much lately and have been adding often to my book some of the inspirations and thoughts of people I have been reading.  GOOD STUFF.  This is my quote book.

Nov. 30

I have an odd obsession with Brazilian junk food.  True.  I used to call these puke peanuts.  They are peanuts covered in a manioc shell.  (Baby eggs of peanuts they are called).  Anyhoo.  This is the time of year when I am usually in Brazil and since I am not this year I was craving a little treat... then I found these in a box in my closet (weird) with some other things I had never unpacked from my last trip to my South American homeland.  And wahoo... Brazilian junk food treat!  However, this was my last bag.  Bummer!!  Time to start planning a return to Brazil I guess!

Dec. 1

Another Brazilian treasure!!  This is a batik a friend sent me for my birthday a few years ago.  She knows how much I love butterflies... and all things Brazil.  None the less, I framed it back then but had never hung it (much like all the other artwork I have sitting around my room) and finally did this week.  Yay for a beautiful batik!

I miss Embu!!

Dec. 2

One of my very favorite places in Ohio to hike is at Clifton Gorge. I've hiked there hundreds of times with a variety of people, but the person I have been there the most with is definitely Kim.  We even camped there once for multiple days and just went to the office during daylight and slept in our tent at night.  Kinda ridiculous, but good.  Anyhow, Friday we hiked together for a couple of miles joined by Kim's daughter Maya.  Not the best picture of the little cutie, but none the less... this is her being entertained by "aunt" Carly after our hike.

Dec. 3

I've had some challenges lately... things that have made me struggle to find balance.  However, I came across this quote recently and it made me think that I need to be more daring.  I need to take risks.  I need to just leap and see what happens.  SO... I now have this one hanging by my bed too.  (Yes, its getting crowded).

Dec. 4

My mom loves Christmas.  Seriously.

So do I... but she loves it A. LOT.

Every year I help her decorate the ledge above the front door.  I think I do it because I am the only one in the family who is not afraid to climb up on the ladder.  Anyway, its our project every year.  This Sunday we made it happen.  This is about a 1/4 of what we accomplished.

Dec. 5

I am cleaning and organizing and downsizing my life.

This corner of my room is a MESS.  However, in the process of this cleaning this corner got clean.  

A. MIRACLE.

Documented here... an actual Christmas miracle.

Dec. 6

Today I went to Indianapolis to see my friend Dawn and her husband Brad.  Their little baby twins were born Sunday morning.  Olivia and Andrew are just wee little ones, at 1 lb 13 oz and 2 lbs respectively.  They are in the hospital in Indianapolis.  After work today I headed over to visit with Dawn and Brad and hopefully one day soon I'll meet the little babes.  Until then... grow, grow, grow little ones!  "Aunt" Carly is waiting patiently to spoil you with much sugar, laughter, and loudness!

yay for random-ness (is that a word?!)

Nov. 23rd

It's nearly DECEMBER... which means... CRAFT CITY in my room.  This year I have some good ones going, which is nice, since I don't have much money for gifts this year.  This is my dresser... well, it was... the pile has nearly doubled... I'm ridiculous.

Nov. 24th

On Thanksgiving morning my mom and I did the Turkey Trot in Miamisburg.  We were SUPER slow, but we don't care... we do it for the fun of it and a lot of people finished behind us, that's all we cared about.  Then we hit Starbucks and came home and cooked up a huge dinner.

I'm not a girl who holds onto many traditions... this is a good one we have going.  Carly likey.

Nov. 25th

There's a new movie coming out called We bought a Zoo... or something like that.  It doesn't really matter.  When I have been thinking lately about making a bold move and doing something that scares me I think of this quote that Matt Damon says in the commercial for the movie.  It makes me think that maybe all it really takes is courage and I wonder when I will have the courage it takes to jump.

So I put this on a square and hung it next to my bed... because I really hope I get up the courage soon...

Nov. 26th

I have WAY too many Starbucks cups in my car these days... I leave work every day with at least one, sometimes two.  They are accumulating in my car.  Its not good, not good at all.

Nov. 27th

I have two crazy beasts of dogs.  This is Nellie.  This is his favorite place to sleep... on my bed.  He prefers if I am not in bed so he can have more space!  None the less... I love both my pups, Nellie and Shea.  Really really love them.

Such good boys.

Nov. 28th

Who hates rain?  THIS GIRL!!  Yet... this was my drive to work today... rain, rain, rain.  Then a lovely man told me that it is supposed to rain, until it snows... which could be Wednesday... then I almost started crying.  

Seriously.

None the less... here's my drive to work today...