Friday Favorites: My FUNNY Valentine

Happy Friday! 

This was a weird week. We had not one but TWO snow storms on us. We haven't had a significant snowstorm in a few years. Its been so pretty to look out. My office renovations is still happening and while I am excited for my office to be finished, I am in no hurry because the people watching my desk is superb. 😉 I am happy for the three day weekend.  Maybe this weekend will be the weekend I will paint. ((fingers crossed))

I am so excited to share today's Friday favorites. I have complied not only my normal Funny Friday memes but I also found some Valentine's related ones too.

I am linking up with Andrea and Erika for Friday Favorites as always. 

I hope you all enjoyed the giggles. Let me know which one is your favorite in the comments. 

Did you miss this weeks posts: Monday Motivation and Valentine's Day Rambles

[[You will be too much for some people--- Those are NOT your people. Glennon Doyle]]

Valentine's Day Rambles

Source

I've been thinking about Valentines Day a lot lately and I have some thoughts on it. 

I LOVE love. 

There I said it.

I know what you are thinking, " girl I know I've combed your Instagram and your posts, there is NO mention of a significant other of any kind." and yes you are right ( I am currently very single) but the IDEA of love is enough to make me happy. I love the fact you have this person there for you, through thick and thin, good times and bad times. They are your teammate and person- You get to do life with them. 

The BEST (well one of them) part of LOVE is that it looks different for everyone.  

ALL types of love should be celebrated on Valentines Day- love for yourself, your family, your children, your fur children, your friends, your romantic partner, your coworkers, your Amazon delivery guy, your grub hub guy.... you get the idea, LOVE is found everywhere you look.  It can be new and exciting; it can be old habit; it can be love after heartbreak; it can be love after unimaginable circumstances; it can be love that you never dreamed of. 

I particularly LOVE how love manifests itself into things that you say that take on a new meaning when you are in (any type of ) relationship especially when you say: 

"Text me when you get home" 

"Drive Safe" 

"Be Well"

 "You Got This"

 "I Am Praying For You" 

"I Am Here When You Are Ready"

As corny as it sounds, Love is really all around us (Thanks Love Actually!) and all you need to do to look for it. 

It doesn't matter if you are single, just friends, just friends, a brand new couple, a couple celebrating 1 year married,  a couple celebrating 50 years or anywhere in between, you deserve LOVE. The good kind of love that comes with butterflies and excitement and joy. 

In honor of this day filled with love, I made a supersized WGJ *Valentines* Playlist. 

I couldn't help myself, I got so excited thinking about all the different types of love that this playlist encompasses them ALL. You can listen HERE

I will end this post by saying how much I appreciate and love all my readers! YOU (the reader) make me want to write more and more. Thanks a bunch!

[[When Joy is a habit, LOVE is a reflex- Bob Goff]]

 

 

Monday motivation

Just in case you need a little reminder...

You got this! 

[[Live each day with Intention]]

 

Friday Favorites

you sang that didn't you?! 

Happy FriYAY! What another wacky week its been! Lets jump right into my Friday Favorites this week. I am linking up, as always, with Andrea and Erika. 

1. Snow///

We had our first real snow fall this week and its was so pretty!! It started to snow Sunday afternoon and it snowed/rained/sleeted/iced over on and off through Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday morning we woke up to a smidge more of snow. Everything looked so pristine Wednesday morning before it got all yucky. 

With it being so cold, I broke out all my heavier sweaters. I might have looked like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters in my white winter jacket walking into work but I sure was nice and toasty all day. I also wore my L.L. Bean Black snow boots that were perfect for walking on the icy sidewalks and keeping my feet warm all day. 

I like to joke the County employs WALL-E during the winter to do all the sidewalk  areas. I got to see them up close this week and I was even more convinced it was WALL-E because it had a little scrubber brush to clean the sidewalk and it was making some pretty odd sounds too. Take a look to see for yourself.

2. Mental Health Day///

On Wednesday, I decided to take a mental health day on Thursday. I had finished a good chunk of my work and what I was waiting on could wait until Friday. I had been feeling a bit out of sorts all week because I am temporarily moved out of my office and into a different one while they take the wallpaper down and repaint my office.  I am so used to having everything in a specific place and while I have access to my office during the day, its just a pain when I forget something or don't remember where I put something. My temporary office mates have been AMAZING and I really forgot how much fun it is to work with someone in your office. 

3. School///

I am half way done with the Spring 1st 8 week session. WHAT?! How could this be? I am really REALLY enjoying these two classes- more than I ever thought I would. My mental health day yesterday was also partly because I felt like I had SO MUCH homework still to accomplish and I didn't physically think it was possible to complete on the weekend/I didn't want to stress myself out rushing through it/I didn't want to spend the WHOLE weekend doing homework again- I really have an itch to paint and I would like to this weekend.  I was able to get a lot of work done and I can breathe easier going into the weekend!

4. Kindness and Empathy///

The one assignment this week, I really REALLY enjoyed was about Empathy and what it is and how we show it. As I was working on the assignments, I loved drawing the connection that kindness and empathy go hand in hand. Kindness begins with realizing everyone has a struggle and empathy gives you the support to be there for someone else when they are struggling. I feel like kindness has been popping up so often in my Instagram feed and now I had to write about it for an assignment AND I am writing about it for this post- I am starting to sense a pattern. Gary Vanyerchuck is always talking about how being kind is a superpower and how its underrated. I 100% agree, you can never be too kind! 

okay, if I don't stop talking about kindness now, I will go on forever. 

5. Simplifying Social Media///

Another thing that has brought me unexpected joy recently is curating my social media to make sure I see things that bring me joy and not annoy me or make me feel not good about myself. I recently found the mute feature on Instagram and that has completely changed how I view Instagram and how I feel after viewing Instagram.  I also decided this week to deactivate my Facebook for a while.  I was just not happy with it any more and every time I looked at it, I got annoyed. I haven't missed it one bit- maybe because I have Instagram and most people I followed on Facebook, I follow on Instagram too. Do you need to do a simplify social media to make it a better experience for you?

Lastly....

6. Reader Survey///

Thank you to all who have taken the time to complete my survey, I truly appreciate your time and opinions. If you haven't yet taken my reader survey, you can find it HERE. I would love to hear what you want to read! 

This weekend I am hoping to get a head start on next weeks work, write some blog posts and hopefully paint. I really have been wanting to paint lately so I am hoping I can find some time to do that. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Let me know what your weekend plans are in the comments!

Did you miss my posts this week? 

Where Were You? February 1, 2011 and Plant Mom Update: The First Year

[[When you focus on the good, the good gets better]]

Plant Mom Update: the First Year

Hi friends! 

If you are to my Plant Mom series, check out: Becoming a Plant Mom and Plant Mom Update first to get the back story on my children. 🌿

Being a plant mom this past year has been an unique challenge. I love seeing them grow and flourish and trying to figure them out.  I have loved the learning curve I've experienced with plants and learning about them. I gave The gang a sponge bath the other day to get the construction dust off of them. They were so happy about it. 

Before I go into the individual updates, I have some sad news. 

Some of our friends, did not make it through the year. Firecracker, Sparkle and Scott's Tots have moved on to better homes in the sky.  

Firecracker and Sparkle were planted in July and to be honest, I have no idea what they were because they never actually bloomed- they were tall, thin, beanstalks that wouldn't stop growing. There was a long weekend in the fall and when I came back, they all fell and I think that did them in. Scott's Tots were doomed from the first day in the office (one plant promptly turned black after their first watering) and then it was just downhill from there. I had a problem regulating their water. They were all struggling and I couldn't see them struggle any longer. 

On to the healthy and happy ones. 

Beeker

When I first inherited Beeker he was in a pot with Bunsen AND Statler and Waldorf. I brought them home to re-pot with mama. We took out the dead leaves and roots, gave them fresh soil and new pots.  I wasn't sure how they would do not being with each other and let me tell you, I am pretty sure they are THRIVING!  

He still is taller than Bunsen (by a hair!) and they love the indirect light they get. I am surprised he likes the change in temperatures- the cold draft from the window and the heat that sometimes works. He has so much more room in this white pot. I love that one leaf on the right side that looks like he is stretching out to reach something like an octopus.  

Bunsen

When I  initially separated the gang, I was hopeful they were all do well and just like Beeker, Bunsen is having the time of his life in his bright yellow pot. Hes still short but I think he's starting to grow taller, like Beeker. 

I love the way all of his leaves go every which way- there is no rhyme or reason with them. Just like Beeker, Bunsen lives the indirect light and the coldness. I did close one of his leaves in my scanner and its a little broken, but overall he's doing great.

To round out the trio, 

Statler and Waldorf

These two I was the most worried about. They were the tinest of the gang; I hoped they would be okay and wouldn't you know it they are doing great too. They are not by Beeker and Bunsen; Statler and Waldorf have the perfect view of the room on the bookshelf. They did not like the construction dust on them but they survived and look great. 

Just like, Beeker, they also have a few leaves that like to reach out like an octopus. They are super tall and really enjoying florescent lighting my office has to provide.

Mixed in with the boys, last but not least,

Lulu

She has had the biggest glow-up I think out of all of my office plants. She started out last February as a little leafling that I received from a friend and LOOK! what she has grown into! She loves the direct sunlight she receives sitting on the window sill and I swear each day she keeps growing. I love seeing the progress of her (and the others too!)

WOAH! Another plant with octopus tentacles. Maybe its something in the air or the florescent lighting that is making them do it. I am so happy to see Lulu and the others thriving. 

You are probably wondering where The Quints and Joy! are...... Well when the pandemic started I was worried that The Qunits would be alone if we closed for an undetermined amount of time. I took them home and well, they seem to be hibernating....still. I don't know what happened to them- was it ride home that traumatized them? The Quints bloomed until I think the summer and then they stopped. I hope they are just hibernating currently and they will re-bloom in their own time. [i hope!]

Joy! is being a great succulent, shes easy to care for and kinda does nothing. I hate to admit this, I haven't watered her in a while, yet she still looks great. 

This adventure has been so much fun. I have sure learned a lot about plants and I love having them in my office, they give it some life and color. 

Bunsen, Beeker, Statler & Waldorf, Lulu and I are currently relocated for a bit while my office gets stripped of the wallpaper and repainted.  The gang gets a lot more attention where we currently are so they are eating it up!  

When I get back into my office, the set up will be a little different and Beeker and Bunsen will not be in indirect sunlight anymore; I am hoping that they will still continue to thrive and Lulu and Statler & Waldorf will be going back to their old spots. I am tempted to keep the boys together because they look great together- see for yourself. 

Thanks for following along on my Plant Mom Journey.

Do you have plants? Let me know in the comments!

[[If speaking kindly to plants helps them grow, imagine what speaking kindly to humans would do]]

Where Were You? February 1, 2011

Today in the series, Where Were You? I am celebrating an everyday moment; if I wasn't who I am I would have even realized this was important but starting somewhere is so important. Everyone is a beginner at some point and today I am celebrating that. 

This month, I am celebrating 10 years blogging on Blogger. There were a few years missing and most years prior to 2020, I was not always the most consistent but I always came back to it. I had a few name changes over the years too (Just Simply Elle>Everyday Jersey Girl>Wonder, Grace & Joy). One of my favorite things to do is to go back and read old blog posts; I love seeing where I was in life and what I was doing. 

I have said it before, and I will say it again, writing has been such a breath of fresh air in the past year or so. I feel like I have found a rhythm and while its sometimes hard to fit into my schedule, I am always happy to. I look forward to writing more this year and expanding what I write about. 

Below is a screen grab from the very first post on Just Simply Elle that was posted today, February 1st. I really wish I had linked the other blog I was talking about, I would love to read it. I am not sure what other blog I was actually talking about BUT I found my old Xanga journal for 2004-2005 and oh my word! 16/17 year old gabrielle was exactly what you would expect as a teenager in the early 2000's- angsty and vague. I will spare you from the posts, no one should ever read them again. HA! It was a trip to find them again. 

Looking at these posts, from 2011, I think about how simple they were- basically what was actually on my mind, nothing was planned or thought out; it was literally what was on my mind. Maybe I will bring that back- Just a random post of whats on my mind like a mind dump. 

Thanks for coming down memory lane with me today! 

Does February 1st hold any importance to you? Let me know in the comments.

[[celebrate everyday moments]]