Throwback Thursday

I had the day off today, mostly because I didn't want to go to work, is that bad? Today was great! I slept in, watched movies, cleaned the bugs that had fallen into my pool, it was great! Mostly because I wasn't at work, that makes any day great!! 

Enjoy today's throwback Thursday photo of me opening presents on one of my birthday's presumably. Almost every picture I find of me in my youth I was rocking some adorable bangs, I think they might need to make a comeback don't you? 

The World's End and Putt Putt

I seriously thought fall was upon us. I already miss sleeping with my windows open rather than having the a/c rattling in the window. The weather this week promised to be a heat wave, this always happens when school starts. Blah.

To escape the heat for a bit this morning NiBo and I headed to the air conditioned comfort of the movie theatre. We saw The World's End, starting Simon Pegg. If you don't like his other movies, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, you probably won't like this one either. I rather enjoyed it. I'm a huge fan of Sunday early afternoon movies, mostly because I can't stand the annoying people who fill the theater on a Friday or Saturday night, I like to have my space. 

This movie had slight technical difficulties at the start and was froze on a screen for several minutes. Rather than sitting quietly like one really should in a movie setting, after alerting the appropriate people, some people decided that it was a good time to talk out loud and make stupid jokes to themselves. Call me old fashioned but I think you should still keep your conversations to a low minimum. I shouldn't be able to hear you from all the way in the back. Some people just don't have manners. 

After the movie on a whim we decided two rounds of putt-putt golf was needed. Man oh man was it a warm one out there and no shade to boot. Two rounds was a bit ambitious and the 2nd round seemed like a speed round. We tied for wins at a round a piece. And a shout out to the lady who thought we needed a picture together and insisted on taking our picture or the last pic of us wouldn't have existed.

Two days out in the sun for this weekend equals lots of nap time this weekend too. Being in the sun sure will wear you out. My face is a bit red on top of red, but it's calmed down a bit. Alas, another Monday is at the front door again. Hope you had a great weekend too! 

So Many Tractors Your Head Will Explode

Dad and I took a mini road trip to Rantoul to visit the Half Century of Progress Farm show. I won't lie, it could have been a smidge cooler, but there was plenty of sun and a slight breeze which made it ok, but I did get a bit of sun.

You couldn't look left or right without seeing tractors. There were tractors of all kinds, there was even a giant tractor parade. Dad used to help out on the farm back in his youth days. We get to hear all the stories about bailing hay in the heat, yadda, yadda yadda. But he had a good time sharing stories from the farm and reminiscing today.

There were tractors of all eras out from the horse pulled planters to the giant 'Earthquake' tractor that is a massive four wheel drive 850 horse power beast of a tractor, which you can see the picture below. There were lots of two row pickers doing demonstrations in the fields to. Agriculture has come a long way. 

Even though we aren't a farming family, growing up in a farming community with friends who farm, you can definitely appreciate the advances over the years. 

Throw Back Thursday: Back to School

In honor of back to school week here's a few throwback school pictures for ya... can you find a mini-Heather in these pictures? 

Preschool 

Kindergarten

2nd Grade

5th Grade

Back to school shopping used to be my favorite. I loved picking out new pens and folders, and a new five star single subject, college ruled one subject notebook with the perforated tear lines and the folder inside that was actually big enough to store your papers. Ah memories.... I was a weird kid, I loved office supplies and I still kinda do, post-it's are my favorite. (and not the cheap knock-off brand, they just don't stick like a real post it)

Now back to school time means 2 things. 1- college kids are back in town. Yuck. and 2- It's safe to go outside to any public space and not have screaming annoying children running around.

Mostly though it just means that the summer is ending and will be fading into fall soon (though you couldn't tell from the outside temps, 90's NO THANK YOU) It makes me miss summer vacations and how long the summers used to seem. Now they are over in the blink of an eye or thanks to a real grown up job, Summer just means air conditioning season. They need to give grown ups Summer vacations, I bet people would be a lot happier! 

Happy Thursday, you've almost made it to the weekend again. Good job you! 

Correct Me If I'm Wrong...

...But this is dead right? 

One of my coworkers has had this plant on her desk for months, thinking she can bring it back to life. The previous owner, who shall remain nameless, used to feed this poor plant left over soda and tea. This thing was DOA, but P.Whitty believed that she could fix it. She left early today so we decided to help her out. After I checked for vital signs, we said our goodbyes to the rotting corpse of a plant. The soil was still wet so she had still been watering it, but the "leaves" snapped right off when I went to check for any sign of green; and with a slight tug, the whole root system came right out, it didn't even try to hang on for dear life.

But Just Look! It's all fixed! A little bit of coworker love, some very efficient use of office supplies, and an on the clock art project and Voila! new plant! And oh so beautiful! 

Throwback Thursday: Is It Fall?

Today was a loooong day. But you know what makes it awesome? The weather has been amazeballs! Very reminiscent of Fall and of course Fall is my favorite season! I absolutely love being able to sleep with my windows open, and that's just enough to make this crappy day end on a high note. So here is a throwback to Fall time and obviously Halloween. Appears I was a clown with smeared lipstick. So adorbs.

It's Wednesday

It's Wednesday and I haven't much to discuss, so here is Oliver instead. He's adorbs.

Illinois State Fair

You always know the end of summer is coming when it's State Fair time. I haven't been in many many years to the fair, I think the last time was to see Kenny Chesney when his tickets were still reasonably priced.

Today was Veteran's Day at the fair, and Veterans and their families got in free today, so we thought we would take advantage and make it a family trip.

Our first stop was by the Veterans tent to check dad in so he could get his commemorative pin, and a bunch of official looking people with ear pieces walked right by us, turns out it was Governor Quinn, if you look closely he is over there in background giving an interview. Mom was a total groupie and wanted to shake his hand. We were afraid she was going to get tazzed for scooting closer and closer. But she soon gave up and we moved on.

Next stop, the Dairy Barn to check out the famous butter cow.

Marvin & A.Drama hamming it up in the dairy barn

Then we all took a turn feeding Melman the giraffe.

Dad

A.Drama

Marvin

and a parrot

My only goal for the fair was to win a giant stuffed animal. I thought it best to try my luck at the Skeeball games. 180 points wins your choice! Best I got was 160. So of course NiBo had to be the one to win... ugh. But he was nice enough to give me his prize.

Then we saw the Budweiser Clydesdale horses, and the dalmatian dog too!

Then there was some fair food...

Mom had a delish corndog and a lemon shake up.

Dad enjoyed a funnel cake

A.Drama and Marvin tried Allagator on a stick, tasted like chicken apparently. 

I stayed away from the fair food, did try a friend oreo and a couple bites of mom's corn dog. Good stuff.

fried Oreo's... not too bad!

NiBo enjoyed his dip n dots

Aww aren't we cute.

By the end of the day we were all pooped, and a bit redder than when the day started. Thank goodness for refrigerator cooled aloe lotion. We decided that we are good to go on the State Fair for a few more years. I think everyone will sleep good tonight.

Hope you all had a great weekend too! 

A Fat to Fit Update

As week 4 is drawing to a close, tonight was my 28 day weigh in.

Here are the results: 
 I gained 15lbs of muscle
 I LOST 23.39lbs of fat
 I lost 7.6lbs on the scale
 and went from 54.9% body fat down to 46%

WOO HOO! More to go, but this is good to see! :D

Throwback Thursday: Plie

Yay! It's everyone's favorite day of the week, Throwback Thursday!! 

Today's picture is circa '91/'92 the day of A.Drama and I's ballet recital. I chose this picture today because while at the gym a couple of our exercises involve a plie stance. Those include a plie squat and a plie lunge. The lunge plie is my favorite of the two, why? Not sure. But I like to pretend that I'm really good at them and point my toes each step, because I used to be a ballerina. Bahahahah, right, I don't think it counts if you didn't ever get to the Pointe shoe level, and we all know that is what really makes a ballerina. And let's just say... if I was a ballerina, Daaaaamn I've really let myself go.

Tomorrow is Friday! Enjoy!

A Lovely Sunday

Sunday's have become the only "me" day I have lately. Six days a week and the gym has consumed most of my time, and I'm really perfectly ok with it, although I may complain a bit about going, once I get to the gym I'm ready to go. But Sunday not having to do anything and having a rest day is a good thing.

A rest day however does not mean you have to sit on your bottom! A.Drama and I ventured off to the big city to go to the mall and to get our nails done, and visit Target. Victoria's Secret had a very cute tote bag that I wanted to get but you had to spend $75 and I really couldn't justify spending that much money on some underwear and lounge pants, I have a bag/tote addiction. I kinda have a sunglasses obsession as of late too, I picked up two pair and an Audrey Hepburn canvas picture while we were at the mall too, because, well, why not! 

While we were on that wing of the mall, A.Drama alerted me to the fact that there was a claw machine and it had minions in it! I had to try, I'm kind of a claw master. Well on the first try I got me a Carl minion, adorbs! Sadly after a few dollars, the odds were just not in A.Drama's favor and she went home empty handed, and quite jealous of my fifty-cent stuffed minion. I'm sure she will get over it.... eventually.

Then we went and got our nails did. I mean really, how come I can never get my nails to look as shiny and nice as they do at the salon? I went for a light purple while A.Drama opted for a barely there pink color.

After our nails dried we headed to the mandatory Target appearance  I mean really even if we don't have anything to buy we have to stop in to check out what's new. My I-don't-need-anything-from-Target trip resulted in 3 new sports bras, a pair of exercise pants, silly putty and gum. Target.... gets me every time.

Hope you all had a great weekend! Have a Happy Monday!