Too Blessed to Be Stressed.

(The post title.  I have no idea where this mantra originates, but I do love it.)


So yeah.  The weekend.  It was amazeballs.  I felt oddly relaxed.  It was as if the stress had just naturally melted away somehow, perhaps while I was sleeping?  You see, while weekends are always a welcome break after a hectic week, I tend to err on the side of productivity (like, everything from the week MUST get done on Saturday) and sometimes find myself overwhelmed, as I try to cram in cleaningandlaundryandrunningandgradinganddinnersandfriendsandfamily.  Crazy, no?  Don't worry.  My husband thinks I am nuts, too. However, I don't know what happened, but something kicked in and I found that I CAN be productive without feeling overwhelmed and enjoy each moment.


Some highlights?


* A lovely dinner with the hubs, my bro and his fiancee, where I may have coerced convinced them that a trip to Vegas was in order.


* A productive Saturday morning.  I actually allowed myself to sleep in (7:30!) and tackle the work-out, laundry and cleaning in between episodes of the Real Housewives at my own pace.


* A lovely little gift in the mail from a dear friend.  Tracy and I were sorority sisters in college, and I am so glad that social media has re-connected us! You should definitely check out her blog HERE.  I guarantee this lady will inspire you with her passion for travel and learning - she inspires me on a daily basis, that's for sure!  Aren't these earrings stunning?  She made them herself!

* Catching up on blogs!  With the windows open, the sun shining, and a cup of coffee in hand, it was a much-needed few hours of quiet time.  (Speaking of, how long does it take you to catch up on blogs?  Do you have a system???)


* Our monthly dinner club outing to Province!  I was instantly hooked when I first read the description online:

Province is an American restaurant with cuisine inspired by Central and South America and Spain. Located in Chicago’s West Loop, the restaurant has achieved Gold Level LEED certification. Province incorporates green building materials and equipment, farm-to-table cuisine from Executive Chef Randy Zweiban, and a true blending of old world and new world culinary sensibilities. 

The food was amazing!  So fresh and creative.  My favorite part?  SQUASH CUPCAKES!  I know that might sound a bit strange, but they were truly divine.  Throw some honey ice cream with them, and you're set!

* The Shamrock Shuffle 8K!


I suppose it's a little late to be running a St. Patrick's Day themed race, but for some reason, the Shuffle was pushed back a month this year.  When I woke up to a forecast of 80 degrees and this sunrise, I knew it was going to be a good day!

I always knew that this was one of Chicago's most popular races, but I had no idea that it is the largest 8K (4.97 miles) in the world!  40,000 people!  It was definitely a HOT one, but I am really proud of my time - 43:24!  And my brother, well, he ShamROCKed the Shamrock Shuffle with a time of 37:10.  UNREAL!


Before I sign off, I wanted to thank everyone who linked up for Top 5 Thursdays.  I'll be honest - I was super nervous about it and thought Neely would be the only one to play along.  So thank you for all of your support.  I would like to do it again this week, but I need a good topic!  Please send suggestions my way, and I will make sure that you get an extra special shout-out!

How was your weekend?  Do tell!