Back! Updates!

I have been completely MIA for months. Work completely consumed me but I knew it was time to make a change. I left my job almost five weeks ago, took a week off and started a new job. Much more relaxing, not nearly as time consuming and less responsibility. I was so burned out it was not even funny. I had been working on average 67 hours a week so far this year. Could not take one day off, including weekends, without getting a call from work. Could not leave my blackberry unattended for more than two minutes and the stress was just overwhelming. My health was definitely on the decline, the boy and my family wondered when I was going to be a contributing member to society again and I just felt like I was drowning. I tried to make it work, at work. I asked for a reduce workload, I tried to work with my team, but everyone was in the same boat. SO, I started looking and was overwhelmed with offers. I can't believe that the unemployment rate is so high. Maybe it is just my field, not sure, but there was a lot out there.

I am very happy where I am at. A little more travel but it is up in Northern MN where I have family, so I was able to spend some time with an Aunt who has not been well the past couple of years. I do miss being at home with the boy and Miss Stella, but they are certainly bonding as well. She is really getting big, and we enjoy her more and more every day. She does seem to have a bit of an attitude with guests. She is NOT fond of my niece and nephews and tends to hiss, growl and swat at them. I am hoping this is something she will out grow. She has gone from this a couple of months ago,

to this, almost full grown!

She loves to sleep under my desk at my feet, but don't get me wrong, she can be very naughty too! There have been several mornings when I have laid in bed wondering, what is that noise, only to find this!

And she kind of thinks she rules the roost, and can claim any spot as her own!

But we absolutely adore her and can't even imagine what home was like before her.

Along with being consumed by work for the year, I also wasn't able to cook as much or enjoy much of a social life. That has changed for the better of course. I have a ton of recipes that I want to make and we have been checking off some restaurants as well of course.

I am looking forward to more Meal Plan Monday's and getting back into the swing of things. I will be traveling more, but I am hoping it will just be once a month, which I can handle!

Hoping to update you guys on some of our house projects as well. The boy has been hard at work on the basement and he built me a fabulous wine closet for all of my glasses our liquor, wine and beer. We are getting really close to being able to finish that room off, and I know we both are very anxious for that.

We also flipped our formal living room (which we weren't using) with our formal dining room. This allowed us to purchase a large hutch for storage as well as to have more space for entertaining. We found the hutch at an antique store on our way home from brunch with my parents. We liked it, but we weren't sure it would fit, so we took a picture, but then went home to think about it.

(this is what it looked like in the store)

We knew it was at a good price when we saw it, but later that week, when we stopped by on our way up to the lake, they had reduced it another $50 which made it SUCH a bargain at $125. Yes, that is right, $125. It matches our buffet, table and chairs and china cabinet perfectly, so we just knew it was meant to be. 

I will post pictures of the rooms as works in progress soon, but we are getting there with the house. Now that I have more time, I think that things will move along faster. 

I have some great recipes to post, along with some wonderful wine events as well as wine reviews. I will definitely be back to posting more regularly.