Simple Joys of the Week, August 24th Edition

It's Friday! Woohoo! What is it about this day that is just so darn exciting, no matter what!? I mean, really--I love my  weeks and my job, and I often have very busy weekends and very full Fridays, so it's not actually any different than any other day for me--but I think we have all been programmed to love this day so early in life, that it is just a joyful one no matter what your schedule. And I like that! I think it's fun to have a special day. So lets celebrate this special day by looking back at my simple, sensory joys of the week, shall we?

What brought you happiness over the past 7 days? My SJOTW are below...

Image via sarabmusic.com

Hear: "Uncharted" by Sara Bareilles

I'm a huge fan of Sara Bareilles. I've always liked her music, and then when she became a host of The Sing Off last season, and I got to see her adorable and very real personality, I fell in love! So anyways, for some reason, I started listening to her 2010 album, Kaleidoscope Heart, again this week, and the song "Uncharted" really resonated with me. No idea why--but it just felt really inspiring and energizing the few times that I listened to it, so I thought I would share it today. Enjoy!

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See: My artwork featured on this adorable "pop up shop" promo!

How fun is this? It's always exciting (and kind of weird, too!) to see something that you designed, painted, or drew on a sign or promo, so I definitely enjoyed seeing my watercolor on this "Breakfast at TranquiliT" promo that Kimberly Wilson put out this week. Also, it's really fun to be a part of promoting an event for a product that you totally support--both because you love the clothing and because you support the owner, her vision, and all of her do-gooding efforts. You can view a larger version of the promo by clicking on the image to the right, or click here to view all the details on Kimberly's site. You can also learn more about TranquiliT here. I'm a big fan and it's one of my favorite types of clothing to layer over yoga clothes, wear out, and just slum around the house in (SO comfortable!). Yay! 

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Taste: Pirate's Booty

I mean, really, what IS pirates booty? They say that it's "baked rice and corn puffs," but I'm not sure I believe them (whoever "they" are...). Either way, I really do enjoy this little snack every once in a while, although I don't think I could keep a full bag in the house or I would most definitely eat the entire thing mindlessly, while blogging or working one afternoon (at least, this is how I imagine it...not that anything like this has happened before...haha!). I had this bag leftover from the food that we divided up at the end of my friend's recent Bachelorette trip, and it was a fun snack to enjoy this week. Random, I know, but isn't that what SJOTW are for?

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Smell: Adorable bouquet (in a small mason jar!) gifted to me after I  finished my ATT Thesis Presentation

How precious is this bouquet? No, it was not given to me by Ben (although that would have been nice, wouldn't it? ;)--it was given to me by a friend who came to my presentation and was also super supportive all along the way. These are the little things in life that can make such a difference--thoughtful people, community support, beautiful flowers, commemorating a big life event, and sweet, simple reminders from friends (it was in a small mason jar that she picked up--I mean, really, SO cute!). For us detail-oriented people, it's all of these little things that make us smile. I've been enjoying the flowers all week and they've been a really sweet reminder of being finished with ATT. 

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Touch: Sitting on the balcony enjoying a glass o'vino after my presentation!

This was nice. Really nice. After I finished, one of my fellow teachers said, "now go home and pour yourself a big glass of wine." I smiled at her and thought, "hmm, what a nice idea that I never would have thought of on my own (on a Sunday!!!)!?" So, when I got home I did just that. Sat on the balcony by myself, enjoying a glass of wine, feeling the cool, fall-like breeze moving in, and just basking in this feeling of being finished with a big milestone. It was surreal, but really nice, and definitely helped me to unwind and enjoy the moment. I feel like this means I should be drinking a bit more wine, no!? 

So, that's what brought me a sense of pleasure this week...what made you smile or sigh with relief? 

My hopes for simple joys of the weekend are as follows: swimming with Ben, productive phone call with wedding photog, haircut (it's been FOREVER! I'm looking a little shaggy...), lots o'yoga & CrossFit, and enjoying another teacher's Thesis Presentation. 

I hope your weekend feels productive & relaxing (we all need a little of both!). 

Namaste,
Mary Catherine

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