Where does the time go?

So today me and my team had to present our account plan for the upcoming year to our executive board. At the end of our presentation, my boss stands up and announces to the team that he would like to celebrate me...or rather my 15 year anniversary with my company. I actually had no idea he was going to do this or that I had reached 15 years with my current employer! Holy cow...where in the hell does the time go? I started with this company in 1992 and through several mergers  and a couple leaves to explore other career options, have apparently worked there for 15 of the last 18 years...I was a baby back then.

Here is what has happened to me since 1992

• met my still #1 BFF of 18 years at said company
• met my husband
• got married
• bought our first house
• graduated from college
• gave birth to my son
• met #2 and #3 BFF at said company
• learned that happy hour is actually plural and never ends in just an hour...LOL!
• sold our first house and bought our second house
• lost both my father-in-law and mother in the same year
• visited Ireland
• gave birth to my daughter
• got asked to come back to said company in the job I always wanted with a big fat pay raise
• lost my sister in law to breast cancer
• became a great aunt

Those are just the highlights, but in reading this list, I realize I have grown up at this company. They have been so good to me over the years. I have met so many people that I now consider my close friends and family. So while 15 years doesn't seem so exciting, I am so truly blessed that I have a job, that I love the job I have, and that I work for a company that takes time to recognize the contributions of its employees.

15 years....15 years! (said in the voice of Jeremy Piven in Grosse Point Blank) and if you haven't seen that movie, or know what I am talking about, stop what you are doing and rent it..NOW! Actually, that is a movie worth owning! Oh hell, throw the soundtrack in too. Just a little tip from me...you will love both! and if you don't, you have no taste...sorry, but it's true.

Traveling on a diet sucks!

I travel for my job. Once a month, I hop on a plane and fly to North Carolina to visit my customer. I hate to fly, but I love to travel. However, I must admit, traveling on a diet SUCKS!

I am a rockstar Weight Watchers follower. I prepare my food for the week every Sunday..I make my lunch and snacks for work every morning. I know exactly how many points are in my bag at any given time! I know that as long as I have 6-8 points left by the time I get home, I am good. It is going to be a successful day.

This has been my first trip since I started my journey this year and it was really tough for me. I know how to make good choices when eating out. It is just very difficult to make the right choices for ALL of your meals, EVERY day for 3 days without your measuring cups, spoons, and food scale, you know? . Airports aren't exactly crawling with healthy choices and it would be rude to ask my customer if it would be okay to just eat Subway for dinner...wouldn't it?

In the end,  I did not do that great this week. But I am back on the horse, wagon, whatever you want to call it. I have my next trip in two weeks and I have some time to do a little more research and prepare myself a little better the next time around.

If you have any helpful hints to share with me, I am all ears!

Happy Valentine's Day

I love Valentine's Day. It has always been one of my favorite holidays. I don't know why, but something about this day makes me smile. I think it all started back in 2nd grade when we got to make mailboxes by sticking construction paper hearts to empty shoeboxes. The purpose of these mailboxes was of course to hold the hundreds of Valentine cards we were going to receive during our Valentine's Day party!

You know what I am talking about! You would come home with a decorated lunch bag filled with cards and candy. You would read EVERY card to see if the cute little boy with dark hair and sparkling blue eyes made the fatal mistake of signing his name to card with a heart on it! boy oh boy...jimmy what's his name loves me....ahhhh...the memories!

Or maybe it started with my dad. My beautiful dad. Every year that I can remember until the year I moved in with my husband, he would buy us a heart shaped box of candy from Sees. I don't remember if the candy even tasted good, all I know is I LOVED waking up and seeing that box on the table in the morning.  My dad set the bar a little too high for the future men in my life... and in turn, every guy I have ever dated on Valentine's Day has had serious pressure put upon them. Unbeknownst to them, their actions on this day would make or break them in our relationship. Good thing for me, and them, my expectations only required a card with my name on it and some sappy sentiment telling me that I am important. That's it...that's all...I don't require ridiculously expensive flowers, or candy, though both are very nice. I just want to know that the man in my life at the time loved me or at least cared enough about me to purchase a card and surprise me with it on Valentine's Day... The card is the best part! The flowers die and the candy makes me fat.

My poor husband....I know he dreads this time of year. And I want to apologize to him for all the years of unrealistic expectations and pressure (though I hope the new Sports Illustrated Swim Suit edition I gave him helps). And I want to thank him for hitting it out of the park this year!! Flowers, candy, a teddy bear, and jewelry....Man oh man...Ian what's his name loves me...and he is going to get some later!

Happy Valentine's Day!