Undergrad Gratitude

Welcome back for another week of Gratitude on my blog. Glad you could make it! This week I'm grateful for finishing my last essay as an undergrad and finding the time to blog. I'm also grateful for...

ONE this little bird ornament from Target. It makes me smile and I wouldn't be opposed to someone buying it for me

TWO pups that look like Gandalf

THREE that I take the train early enough to see the sunrise every morning

  

FOUR days like today where everything is right with the world

Remember that thankfulness is not only for Thanksgiving. I wanna know what you're thankful for! Let me know in the comments.

XO - Monny

Thanksgiving Gratitude

Guess what day it is. GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS! Not, only is it HUMPDAY, but it's also the last day of school for the week. *Cue Handel's Messiah Hallelujah Chorus* Today is also National Gluttony Day Eve. Yes, tomorrow we will celebrate everything we're thankful for by stuffing our faces with too much food and cheering on whichever team is beating the Cowboys.

Well, I should probably get back to the actual topic of this post so I can prepare for tomorrow's festivities. I try to do a gratitude post once a week with Steph at Insert Classy Here so this just going to follow the same format it always has.

ONE I'm thankful that Kristo can make a good casserole, even when he can't handle the Pillsbury Croissants.

TWO I'm grateful for countdown widgets that make me even more excited for vacation (the day after finals!) and to get my Bachelor's of Arts in Speech Language Hearing Sciences after four and a half lifetimes years of hard work.

THREE I'm grateful for books that change my life and help me bond with my friends. I'm even more grateful that they sometimes get turned into movies that take everything from my head and put it on the big screen.

FOUR I'm grateful that I'm not the only one who hates rude shoppers at the grocery store.

FIVE I'm thankful that my dad tries to keep up with the times, even though he doesn't understand that you can't ask someone to "take a selfie of me."

SIX I'm thankful that tea can get me through assignments that are due in 3 hours almost anything.

SEVEN I'm thankful for sunrises past when I'm stuck with a dreary Monday morning.

I'm thankful that I have a loving family and friends and that we have more than enough delicious food to go around.

Lastly, I'm so thankful for all of you who read and comment on this little blog of mine every day and for my fellow bloggers who have become my faraway friends!

I hope you all have an awesome holiday and eat lots of your favorite carbs! Travel safe and I'll see you next week.

XO - Monny

Gratitude Catch-up and the Thankful Project

Hey guys! I can't believe the feedback I got on yesterday's simple handwritten post. I was so surprised you all liked the idea.

Linking up with (the newly relocated) Steph for this week's gratitude post. Here's an abbreviated version of the last month since I haven't done a post like this in forever.

ONE I'm thankful for my church where I can get peace of mind whenever I walk through the doors.

TWO I'm thankful for the Philadelphia skyline that always makes me well up with pride for my city.

THREE I'm thankful for coming home from work to find 10 new pairs of socks (Thanks, Mom!).

FOUR  I'm thankful for our first couples costume looking awesome even though it wasn't exactly what we planned for the Halloween party.

FIVE I'm thankful that my first #Vloglikeaboss post finally uploaded.

SIX I'm thankful for colorful marshmallows in my hot chocolate when I'm having a bad day.

SEVEN I'm thankful for my new blogbff Kaylee who will "sing" Wicked lyrics with me over text message and not think it's weird at all.

EIGHT I'm thankful for days like these where I know someone is looking down from Heaven to say hi.
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And since this post was kind of short, I'm also linking up for the #ThankfulProject with Kenzie at Chasing Happy. Today's prompt is an ability you're thankful for.

I'm thankful for my ability to sing because it allows me to share the word of God through music at church. I'm thankful I can lead the congregation to worship through song. Music has opened so many doors in my life and I'm grateful for it every day.

Gratitude: week 9

Happy Friday!

I love that it's Friday, but I just can't seem to get my shiz together. Like how I'm wearing one Gryffindor sock and one purple leopard print sock. And had to reheat my tea water...twice. I'm also finishing my gratitude post FROM WEDNESDAY. Jeez Monica. Here we go.

I'm grateful for warm sweaters when it's freezing (see also: a rainy 60 degrees) outside.I'm grateful that I'm only working 3-8 tonight so I CAN DO STUFF.I'm also grateful that my midterm math grade is an A. This has never happened before. I'm navigating uncharted territory.

Now onto the photographical Instagram portion of this post.

ONE: I'm grateful for manicures that stand the test of manual labor. If you ever get the chance, use Healthy Hoof high-gloss protectant. Yes, it's for horses. Yes, I put it on my fingers. Yes, it's a miracle worker.

TWO: I'm grateful that I got to spend 17 years of my life knowing this woman. My godmother had the biggest heart out of anyone I've ever known. She would help anyone in need and she taught me the meaning of the word "laughter." I miss her every day, but I'm grateful that she instilled all her kindness and love in her kids who are the best friends I could ever ask for.

THREE: I'm grateful that I can cook a damn good meal without burning the house down working too hard.

FOUR: I'm grateful for rainy days that I can watch from the inside.

FIVE: I'm grateful for Fall, even though I hate the cold.

SIX: I'm grateful that my boyfriend attempted to smile when I shoved a camera in his face.

SEVEN:...and that he's accomplishing everything that he wants to before graduating.

EIGHT: I'm grateful that I got my assignment done without stressing too much and that I got to bed at a reasonable time on Wednesday night.

What are you grateful this week?

XO - Monny

Two Awards Walk Into a Blog (Instagratitude: week 8)

I really need to get over this Humpday hump. I had a post 90% finished for posting today, then I left my memory card at home. Since I refuse to post a weekend recap without pics to go with it, I'll be posting it tomorrow. Also, I burnt the roof of my mouth on pizza last night so eating this bagel hurts like a mother. Now for the good stuff. FLYERS HOCKEY STARTS TONIGHT. And Nashville is on. Woo!

My Gratitude post is gonna be teeny tiny small today because I've only racked up 3 pictures since last Wednesday, but that's okay because I've been nominated for 2 Sunshine Awards.

ONE: I'm grateful for bubble tea in general, but the bubble tea from the Vietnamese place on campus has these cute (creepy?) pictures on their cups. Look how happy this baby centaur goat is stabbing that crab to death with a shovel.

TWO: I'm grateful I finally finished my rough draft. I rewarded myself with a beer after class.

THREE: I'm grateful that my dad is a heavy sleeper so that he doesn't wake up while I'm taking pics like these and I'm grateful he doesn't have an Instagram to see the multiple pics I've posted like this.

The Last Rose of Summer (Gratitude: week 7)

Happy HUMP DAAAAAY!

I’m linking up with Erika from Chimerikal and the always awesome Steph G for this week’s Gratitude post. It’s been a busy week so far, but I’m trucking through in anticipation of Celtic Fest 2013 this weekend. I can’t wait to hang out with my family and listen to some awesome pub (see also: bagpipe) music while drinking a pint or two.

This week I’m grateful for the fact that I have a 97.5% I have in my clinical management class and that it’s finally starting to feel like Fall (Please refer to Ashten’s entire post about it). Bring on the pumpkin everything.

Here are some more things that I’m grateful for this week.

ONE: Dress clothes that are also comfortable. I love dressing up and looking nice, but I hate when I have to be uncomfortable to do it. Hello, flowy dress, stretchy leggings, and flats.

TWO: Finding pretty bits of nature when everything else is dying.

THREE: Caterpillars on the way to night class. How can you not smile at this little fuzz creature?

FOUR: Shows that cause side-splitting laughter that turns into crying. Seriously, go find this show in a city near you.

FIVE: Inspiration in the form of a phone wallpaper. Everytime I look at my phone, I smile.

Hope you're having a fantabulous week!

XO - Monny

Gratitude : week 6

Happy FRIDAY (Friday, gotta get down on Friday) Blogland!

I've gone at least 2 weeks without linking up with Steph for Gratitude, so I'm smushing it all into this one post. Don't worry, I didn't stop being grateful for things, I just got lazy.

There are so many things to be grateful for.

ONE: Spontaneous dinner and drinks at the Irish Pub with the boyfriend.

TWO: Finally having a minute to start a book I've had for almost a year. One chapter in and it's just as good as I expected.

THREE: Pumpkin coffee season!

FOUR: Bewley's breakfast tea to wake me up (straight from Ireland Wegman's).

FIVE: Starting the search for grad schools.

SIX: Last minute road trips with Peggy and Dad!

SEVEN: Finally having a picture of Me and Kim after being friends for 2 and a half years.

EIGHT: and discovering different gardens every Monday at Temple Ambler with Kim.

NINE: Finding inspiration in the most unlikely places.

Last, but not least, I'm thankful that there are throwbacks songs like this to start off my weekend.

XO - Monny

Gratitude: week 5

This week has been crazy, with getting ready for school to start and failing trying to get back into the swing of things, I haven't been posting to Instagram with my usual enthusiasm. Also, this post is a day late (blame the interwebz). Better late than never, amirite?

I love doing this prompt every week or so because it helps me to appreciate the little things in my life. Even when I think I don't have much to be grateful for, I can look back and realize I'm being a spoiled brat and quit it.

One. Old school diners with soda fountains and wall postings being snarky...and bacon pancakes. BACON. PANCAKES.

Two. Grateful for the fact that I'm actually really good at painting my own nails. It saves me a ton of money, not having to get a manicure every 2 weeks.

Three. My sister and I can look like idiots and still have the best time. Also grateful for 25 cent mustaches from gumball machines. HOLLA.

Four. After 5 and a half years, this guy still likes me no matter how many times I make this face/yell at him. True love.

Five. Friends who stick around for 16+ years no matter how often we see each other.

Six. Late night trips to the diner with my favorites and for bread pudding, which never fails to disappoint.

Find your peace of mind.

XO - Monny

Rhymes with Bendy's

Hey Peeps!

I've been kinda bummed this week because my summer officially ends on Sunday night. Classes start on Monday. This is the first year I'm not super excited to get back to school. LAME.

I was organizing my Google Drive files when I came across something that made my week 10x better. I found a note that I wrote about work in 2011, about a week before I quit my last job. It makes me happy that I'm not in a place like this anymore. I may complain about my job now, but at least I feel safe when I go into work every day (usually). And I can tolerate my coworkers (usually).

Keep in mind that I was with this company (and their annoying redheaded mascot) for almost three years. I had seen and heard everything I needed to. Even from my first week there, I thought that it was "beneath me," but I was 17 and desperate for a job that would mold the schedule to my every whim when I went away to school.

So here it is. My angry, fed-up "time to find a new job" letter.

Calling all strippers, ex-cons, and drug addicts: WE'RE HIRING!

I'm sorry, but I don't think it's too much to expect a little more from a company whose slogan claims 

that they're "waaay better than fast food." 

Apparently re-frying chicken that is more than 5 hours old and passing it off as fresh is acceptable now.

Using dirty utensils to serve cheese sauce? Acceptable.

People who steal multiple chicken sandwiches to bring home to their family everyday? Acceptable.

Hiring heroin addicts who are exotic dancers as their night job and letting them handle money? Acceptable.

Dumping buckets of water on the toilets to clean them at night? Acceptable.

Centipedes crawling around the floor and flies landing on condiments? Acceptable.

Shift supervisors with parole officers who drop the f-bomb in front of customers? Also acceptable.

Restaurant managers who get high on their smoke break? Acceptable.

General Managers who see all of this and ignore it? Definitely acceptable.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?!

It's pretty sad when I can't even trust my coworkers to make a sandwich for me during my break. I won't even eat something unless I know I've personally prepared every single ingredient. I can't even wrap my head around the fact that this is okay to them.

Eat at your own risk.

This totally makes me appreciate my current job and everything it allows me to do. I know this kind of stuff doesn't happen everywhere, but I'm sure it happens in a few places. Always check your food before you eat.

What are your first job horror stories?

XO - Monny

P.S.- Since this post is photo-less, here are some rare gems from the "pictures that should probably never meet the internet" file.

being gangsta  //   in the wardrobe of my dorm room

Gratitude: week 4

Every time I look through my pics for Insta-gratitude, I realize that I post really weird/random shiz. Anyway, here is everything I'm grateful for this week as shown through Instagram photos.

One: Irish heritage and the chorus of angel voices that is Celtic Woman. And tea....lots of tea.

Two: Almost edible pasta dinner that cost less than $2 dollars. Desperate college cooking for the win!

Three: 4gLTE internet on my phone for when the home Virgin Mobile internet shits the bed(which is often).

Four: Happy I still have my toes even though the Pillsbury dough boy has it out for me.

Five: Booboo bunny for the next time the Pillsbury crescent rolls jump out of the fridge

Six: Buffalo bites and hard cider

Seven: No students were injured.

Eight: Ice cream with a fork is still better than no ice cream.

Nine: 80 oz. of my one true love Ranch!!!

Linking up with Steph for Insta-Gratitude. You can follow my Instagram posts here.

XO - Monny

Gratitude: week 3

I'm grateful for some weird shiz this week. Looking back through my Instagram pics between now and last Wednesday, all I see are pics from Gettysburg(which I'm saving for their own post) and selfies. Am I that vain? Don't answer that - I already know.

This week, I'm thankful that everyone made my birthday extra special by celebrating with me for 4 days straight and I'm grateful that my extended family has never failed to make my friends feel like they're part of the family.

I'm grateful that I finally got my new contacts so I don't have to look like a hipster for the rest of the summer. And so I can wear my sunnies!!!

Lastly I'm thankful that I live in a state with so much history, no matter where I go. Ten minutes from home and I'm in the birth place of  our nation. If we drive another 2 and a half hours, we're on the fields of the largest battle ever fought in North America. I don't know about you, but I think that's the bomb-diggs.(The fact that Morgan Freeman narrated the intro video to Gettysburg just made everything more epic.) I'm also grateful that they still have good beer in the middle of nowhere.

I'm also thankful that old fashioned candy stores carry everything from my childhood and sell it for super cheap. Yay for Pez and PopRocks!

Linking up with Steph!

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” --Marcel Proust

XO - Monny

Gratitude : week 2

ow, I can't believe I've been too tired to even sit down at my computer. I was actually gonna write this post Tuesday and put myself ahead of the game, but then I started to feel like crapola so it was a no-go. I really hope I'm not getting that grimy virus that seems to be turning into a country-wide thing.
Anywho, I still feel like crap, even though it was a pretty decent week. So here it is - my weekly Gratitude.

Okay first up, I just found this pic from last weekend so I "#latergram[ed] it. I'm grateful for the fact that the littlest things can entertain and inspire me. The ceiling work in NY Penn Station is pretty bo$$.

I'm grateful that I woke up at 5 am for no reason and saw that the sky deserved to be captured. I still can't believe I managed to drag my ass out of bed, but I'm so glad I did. It's perfect and the colors are gorgeous.

I'm grateful that I have friends like blogless Sarah who understand my nerdiness and GoT references, and who also like to tell me they love me out of the blue(and IN CAPS).

I'm grateful that some places still make real calzones that could feed me a whole family for only $8.

Lastly, I'm grateful that brother is here. Some kids he graduated with went wading in the creek near us and out of the three that went in, only one came out. I'm thankful that our community showed instant support and that so many came out to help with the search effort. I'm grateful that they found the boys' bodies so that their families can have some closure. I know that their lives will never be the same. Hopefully this tragedy will continue to show these kids to think before they do something, and that nature is more powerful than we will ever be. I pray that these families find strength for the rough time they are about to face, and that it never happens to anyone else in this town.

I didn't know these boys personally, but they've already touched my life and showed me that there is so much to be grateful for today and every day.

Tell your family and friends that you love them while they are here. "Life is too short."

*RIP Perry Krewson and Dan Tadrzynski*

XO - Monny

Gratitude : week 1

Happy Thursday, Blogland! I hope you're all staying cool this week. We're smack in the middle of the HOTTEST day of the year and it is too damn hot to think straight. I'm gonna make this a short post and then plop myself in front of the AC.

"Gratitude turns what we have into enough."

Today I'm linking up with Steph at Insert Classy Here for an Insta-gratitude post. I always have a ton to be thankful for so here is this week's highlight reel.

 I'm grateful for having cousins who are my best friends. I'm grateful that I can go to them with anything. I love that we can be silly on giant Adirondack chairs at school (#TUbigchairs) or that they can make me the queen and ruler of the 7 kingdoms of Westeros. Yeah that's me on the Iron Throne, bitches!

 I'm thankful for summer thunderstorms because they always cool things down and you can take the best pics afterward.

I'm thankful for my mom, who treats us to Panera Bread and all their glorious calories. Annnd their green tea which is more refreshing than anything I've ever tasted.

I'm also thankful to have a roof over my head and this bangin' ass air conditioner to cool my bedroom off when it's 954534.3° outside.

Last, but not least, I'm thankful that my blog is finally starting to look the way I want, I'm getting less and less nervous to put myself out there, and that Meg at Yammering Yankee decided to put my banner in her sidebar! YAY!

XO - Monny