What I'm Loving Wednesday

Well, 2022 hasn't been that great so far, but I want to try and focus on positive things, so I decided to try and get back into my habit of blogging more than once a year. I'm falling back on my old favorite, What I'm Loving Wednesday.

I'm loving...

That I've stayed on track with my workouts so far this year. Yes, I know, we are only three weeks in, but still, it's a start. I know I've mentioned it on here before, but I LOVE the app FitOn. It's free, and you get so many workout videos by different trainers (that way you don't get bored doing the same workouts over and over). You can select what type of videos you want: the area you want to target (abs, legs, arms) how long you want the video to be, the trainer you want, etc. I HIGHLY recommend them. All of the trainers are great, but my favorite is Kenta. He's amazing and he's so encouraging. 

I'm loving...

This Etsy shop: Crafty Crutch Stuff. I discovered them last year when I was on Etsy searching for Atlanta Braves stuff. I found a Braves gnome they had made and decided I needed it. I loved the quality so much I reached out to the owners to special order a Rangers gnome (which they made and sent to me in less than two weeks). The owners are super nice. I recently purchased some of their kitchen towels and another gnome. In one of my purchases, they threw in a free bar of their homemade soap, which smelled AMAZING. I highly recommend this shop. If you know me, you know I'm all about supporting small businesses. If you want a gnome with a specific sports team or design, you can reach out and ask for it. If you order anything from them, let them know that Rachel sent you! :)

I'm loving...

Mr. Ballen's YouTube Channel. My neighbor introduced me to Mr. Ballen last year and I binged watched all of his videos in like a week. If you are a fan of the strange, dark, and mysterious delivered in storytelling format, Mr. Ballen is for you! Here is a sample of his videos. And yes, he really is a former Navy Seal (the second video will explain that).

 
      

I dressed up as Mr. Ballen for Halloween at work last year. Lol.

I'm loving...

The Jurassic World Exhibit-I went last week and had a lot of fun. The last day for the Dallas exhibit was this past Monday, but if you ever see it near you, I recommend going. It is something that is enjoyable for people of all ages.

I'm loving...

That I'm finally working on all the scrapbooks that I've been talking about completing for the last 100 years (okay, maybe not that long). I've had stuff in a box for twenty years from middle school and high school and am excited to get it cleared out and in an album. 2022 is the year of organization for me!

8th grade Pep Squad Officer Rachel

What are YOU loving today?

XOXO!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I'm loving...

That baseball season is back. I am NOT loving the horrible start to the Rangers season, but it's not about how you start, it's how you finish. Maybe THIS will be the year they won't break my heart. I know, I say this every April.

Fun times with friends last weekend at the Ballpark- we actually saw a WIN on Sunday. We got giveaway jackets on Saturday night and Rangers umbrellas on Sunday

I met former Rangers catcher Jim Sundberg- one of the greats!

So, former Rangers great, and future hall of famer catcher, Pudge Rodriguez is on a pre-game show called Rangers Live. They film it at the Ballpark. My friends and I were watching him prepare for the show on Saturday night. His wife walked over to us and was like, do you want him to sign something? She offered to take it over to him. Um....YES!! So I have Jim Sundberg and Pudge Rodriguez's autographs next to each other on this little batting helmet. Total fan girl moment.

I'm loving...

That after eight years of saying I needed to take pictures in the bluebonnets again, I FINALLY did it. It wasn't until AFTER I took these pictures that I realized there could have been snakes in the high grass. Cue mini panic-attack. Lol.

I'm loving...

That I got to hang out with my friend Lynn (and her adorable babies) last Friday. We've been friends for years. She just moved back to town after being gone forever (okay, like a year, but it felt like forever). We had a blast. It was fun to have girl time and just catch up with each other.

I'm loving...

That my office let us wear jeans last week if we participated in National Walking Day (we basically had to walk up and down the street behind our building and that counted as participating). Hey- to be able to wear jeans, I'll do (almost) anything!

It was so windy that day, I was glad I had my Rangers hoodie

I'm loving...

Spring storms. I know, they can be dangerous, I don't like the DAMAGE that they bring, but I love a good thunderstorm. Especially when I can watch it from my office window and it's over before I have to pull my car out of the parking garage. :)

I'm loving...

Free food. Granted, I love food in general, but especially when it's free. Today is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day (no lie- it was printed on my day planner). Norma's Cafe gave away free grilled cheese sandwiches in honor of it, so I went there for lunch. 

I'm too lazy to make a link up this week. If you participate in WILW, please leave me a comment below with your blog so I can check out your post! Even if you don't participate, please leave a comment below! :)

XOXO!

Mobile Monday!

I realize I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I would catch y'all up on what I've been up to!

A few weeks ago I went home for my mom's 80th birthday party. She had so much fun. All six of her kids were able to be there and a good amount of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were there too. Her best friend (a woman I've always called Aunt Beth) surprised her by showing up for the party, none of us knew she would be there. I hadn't seen her in years. A fun time was had by all!

The birthday girl!

We had a table with items representing some of my mom's favorite things

An arrangement of photos of my mom over the years

We love our Blue Bell

My Aunt Beth!

My nieces and nephews who were able to attend the party (I have 16 total). Somehow my nephew Danny escaped the mandatory photo with Aunt Rachel- he was there too. Lol

I have five great-nephews and three great-nieces. Three of them were able to attend the party. Oh, and we found out my niece Stephanie is pregnant, so I will have another great-niece or great-nephew to add to the bunch. Yes, my family is huge. 

The same weekend as my mom's birthday party, I rushed back to Dallas for the last day of the Fan Expo (formerly Dallas Comic Con). I wasn't originally going to go, but I decided to go at least one day. I'm so glad I did! I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet both Mark Hamill and Tim Curry. I also got to meet one of my teenage crushes, Sean Patrick Flanery. He played the young Indiana Jones in a short-lived TV series and TV movies. If you bought an autograph, he took a selfie with you. He actually took my phone and took a few selfies of us together. He called me darling twice. I will confess that I swooned. Lol.

He's 51 and still makes my heart swoon, I'm not gonna lie. 

For those who never saw The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, here is a glimpse of the greatness that you missed.

Yes, I had a moment when he followed me on Twitter

I had a Star Wars nerd moment when I met Luke Skywalker himself- Mark Hamill. He laughed at my shirt

This was the line we had to wait in so we could even meet Mark Hamill- it was crazy, but worth it

I was a little tempted to buy the life-size cut-out of Jensen Ackles, but I refrained. Mainly because I was out of cash and they didn't take credit cards. Lol

I love Back to the Future so I was super excited to meet Tom Wilson (Biff)

I got a hug from King Ezekiel himself (The Walking Dead), Khary Payton. This guy was probably the nicest person I met all day (well, besides Sean Patrick Flanery). I didn't tell him, but I've never seen The Walking Dead. It's not my thing. But, my friend wanted a picture with him and I agreed to split the cost and be in it too. He kept getting pulled away for professional pictures but he always came back to his booth and promised everyone he would meet them. One of the convention workers said the day before they were trying to get him to cut off his line so he could leave and he said he was going to stay until every person had a chance to meet him. He spent a lot of time with each fan, so it wasn't like a quick picture and you were gone. You can tell he really appreciates his fans. He gained a new one that day.

Tim Curry. What an icon. I love his movies. He had a stroke in 2012 and doesn't talk a whole lot, but he still wants to make an effort to give back to the fans. As we were walking away I told him thank you and he said "you are welcome". 

April 3 was Opening Day for my Texas Rangers. Well, technically it was Opening Night since the game started at 6pm, but we started tailgating at one, so it was a day long event. Despite the outcome of the game, I still had fun with my friends at the Ballpark. I'll take a bad day at the Ballpark over being at work any day. Lol.

Tailgating fun

Before the game some friends and I got to meet country singer Neal McCoy. He was one of my favorite country singers when I was in high school and college. He's a huge Rangers fan and is at a lot of games. I finally ran into him for a picture!

A view from my seats this year (I got a 20 game pack again)

I met up with my friend Corina (she wasn't able to make the tailgate). It's a must for us to take a picture together any time we see each other! :)

My friend Bob got last minute tickets and stopped by our section to say hi

Don't worry, I will have plenty more Rangers pictures throughout the season, you have been warned! :)

Oh, I have more book reviews coming soon- I know, I know. I'm way behind again!

XOXO!

It's OK!

It's OK...

...that I possibly watch Rangers Spring Training games on my phone while I'm at work. Unless my boss is reading this- then that is NOT OK and I would NEVER do that. (Please- she knows me too well, she knows it's probably true). Lol. I'm the queen of multi-tasking.

...that Tony Romo is leaving the Cowboys. Okay, that is NOT OKAY. I refuse to listen to Romo haters, I'm an unapologetic Romo supporter. Granted, we've had issues in our relationship, but all relationships hit rocky moments. Lol. I wish him the best of luck in whatever he does next (whether it be that he plays for another team or he retires).

...that I've found yet another silly teen drama to watch- Riverdale (stop judging me). Yes, it's cheesy, but I enjoy mindless TV. Are you officially old when heartthrobs from your childhood are playing parents of teenagers? Both Luke Perry and Skeet Ulrich are in this show. I must say Skeet has improved with age. Hmm....

...that I haven't read in the past two weeks. I did so good a few weeks ago and read like three books in a week. I am going to make time this weekend and read at least one book. Maybe two. I don't want to get behind on my reading challenge.

...to take time off work but not tell anyone because you specifically took the time off to sit at home and do nothing.

XOXO!!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I'm loving...

That I got to meet a former president of the United States. Last Saturday I was able to meet President George W. Bush at a book signing. Unfortunately I couldn't get a picture with him, but he did shake my hand and told me he liked my Texas Rangers "Queen of the Diamond" shirt. He was signing a lot of books so there was no time to personalize it, but that's okay. 

**Disclaimer: If you know me at all, you know I don't talk politics, so please keep any political comments off this post. I know some people are very passionate about it, and while I respect everyone's beliefs, I don't want arguments started on my blog (because it's bound to happen). Lol. Much love to all, thanks in advance. XOXO!**

I'm loving...

That I got to spend last Saturday with friends. I went to the book signing and then the George W. Bush Presidential Library with my friends Misti and Larry. We then ate at Norma's Cafe for lunch (I know, you are shocked). Then Saturday evening I had dinner and saw the Lego Batman Movie with some other friends. It was a great day! It was just what I needed after a "challenging week" last week.

Some of President Bush's paintings

Making presidential decisions- it seems so easy!

Doing the Lord's work and introducing more friends to Norma's Cafe (there are four locations in Dallas- check it out)

I'm loving...

That this instant rice company felt the need to put "remove from microwave" on their instructions. What kind of genius made this a necessary step? Lol.

I'm loving...

That the start of baseball season is three and a half weeks away! For the first time in the 12 years that I've been attending Rangers Opening Day, it will be a night game (so I guess technically it's Opening Night). Usually the game starts at 1pm or 3pm- this year it will start at 6pm. Regardless, I will be tailgating with friends before we go to the game!

My happy place

**The website I use for the WILW link up is having issues right now, so I can't provide it today. Please leave a comment with your blog link if you are participating in What I'm Loving Wednesday!

XOXO!!