High Five for Friday

Hey there kitty kats!  I hope you had a great week.  Can you believe it is August?  Where has summer gone?  I am so thankful this year that we have had a mild summer here in the Midwest.  You will get no complaints from me.  And my hair certainly appreciates the light humidity.....LOL.  Let me share some of my highlights from the week. 

1.  Vera Bradley.  I have been obsessed with Vera Bradley for over a decade now.  I love all things Vera but purses are my favorite.  QVC had this little gem as a Today's Special Value a couple weeks ago.  The pink was calling my name.  The price was outstanding (under $50).  I even set my alarm for 1:30am so I could order it!  (I was waiting for the ole paycheck to go in the bank first.  Priorities people!!!)  Funny thing is my Mom had already ordered this for me and was going to surprise me.  (Isn't she the sweetest?!)  So instead she changed her order to the violet color and got a purse for herself.  That is a win/win in my book!

Vera Bradley Signature Print Crescent Handbag in Pink Swirls

Mom's in African Violet

2.  I know I have mentioned before that I like to cook a big meal one night a week so I have plenty of leftovers.  This week I made meatloaf, mashed potatoes (they were the good instant kind), creamed spinach (a recipe I kind of created), and deviled eggs.  This meal lasted several days and I even froze some meatloaf.  I love just being able to go home after work and relax.  Cooking a big meal with leftovers allows me to just heat and serve.  Clean up is so easy.  (I hate dishes!)  Be sure to check out my previous blogs where I made Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Enchiladas.

3.  My Dad and I are super close.  We talk 3-4 times a week.  For some reason on Monday, he was on fire!!!  By that I mean he was making me laugh hysterically.  I had tears going down my cheeks and almost peed my pants.  The best part was he was giggling, too.  We must have talked for about 30 minutes and the whole time he was making joke after joke.  Everything we said to each other was just hilarious.  It had been a long time since I laughed so hard my sides hurt.  I know this may sound silly to share but I will never forget this phone call as long as I live.  It was one of those moments I will treasure forever.

My Daddio

4.  Today the Indiana State Fair begins here in Indianapolis.  It is only a couple miles from my apartment and I really always enjoy going.  Unfortunately it does have some bad memories for me, too.  I was there the night the stage collapsed during a Sugarland concert.  That is a story for another blog post.  This will be the first time I have been back to the fair since this tragedy.  But it is time to get back on the horse and try it again.  My favorite part is all the food.  (Imagine that!)  I love the footlong corn dogs, a lemon shake-up, and a fried dessert.  They always deep fry the weirdest things (like Pepsi).  I've tried a deep fried Twinkie, Oreo, and Reese cup.  Delicious!!!  This year I'm looking forward to a free concert from a couple of cast members of the TV show Nashville.  I'm also excited to try out the new State Fair app on my i-Phone.  I'll be able to make sure I don't miss a thing.

2007 State Fair with Janelle.  Because there is more than corn in Indiana.

Corndog.  Nom, nom, nom.

5.  On Thursday I was in our cafeteria at work getting some lunch.  The cashier was stocking up things as I waited for my food.  She yelled across the room at me, "I haven't seen you in forever!"  (I've been trying to bring my lunch more.)  I smiled at her and said hello/how are you?  I paid for my lunch and as I was leaving she said, "Good to see you."  (I think it had only been a week since I had been in there.)  Then she said something that totally warmed my heart to the core.  "Your smile just brightens up my day."  We need to remember to be kind to each other.  I've been trying over the past month to talk to people more and truly listen to them.  Give them good feedback.  Sometimes I get lost in my own little world and don't want to come out.  But I have found when I put myself out there, people listen to me.

Have a wonderful, safe weekend!  Thank you so much for reading my blog.  I am totally blown away by how many hits I am getting everyday.  This means so much to me.  :-)

I'm linking up with The Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for Friday.