Ahh Valentine's Day.. you either love it or hate, are into it, or not. For me Valentine's Day has a different feel. I don't feel like you need a day to tell your loved ones you love them. Some people buy chocolates and candy which is nice, but they don't last. If you're in a meaningful relationship and you're happy and in love, keep that and fill it with special moments.

Is there something you've wanted to do with your significant other, but have been putting it off? Maybe you do want to go out to eat and there's that restaurant that means a lot to you. Or maybe there is that activity you have been meaning to try, but just haven't made the time. Valentine's Day would be an excellent time to make the time for these things.


Life gets busy. We all put things off. Unfortunately one of the parts of our lives that seem to get neglected is our relationships. Use this Valentine's day to rectify that. Spend a day doing new things and making memories. Do the things together that make you both happy. If you can't think of something, don't worry, I have some ideas for you.

The weather has been pretty warm this year here in the north, but that's not going to stop me from recommending ice skating. Whether you can find a place to do it outside or have to go to an indoor rink, ice skating is pretty romantic and can bring back childhood memories. A very playful date.

Go to lunch. Pick out that fancy place you have been meaning to try. Lunch will be cheaper, have less crowds, and you can still dress up with your sweetie. After lunch you can head home to your sweat pants and Netflix and call it a night. Romantic right?

Take a hike together. Nothing brings 2 people together like a nature walk. Especially if it's cold you will have plenty of opportunities to snuggle with your sweetheart.

Head to a karaoke house and rent a private room. You and your love can belt out songs to each other. Nothing is more romantic than that right? Or you can invite a few couples out and make it a fun date night with a group. The ideas are endless!

Volunteer with your significant other. Nothing makes a person feel as great as when they are helping someone else out. A good option would be volunteering at your local animal shelter. You can snuggle cute kitties and puppies. Who knows, maybe you will meet another love of your life and take a new furball home!

So what do you think? Will you create some new memories with your sweetheart this Valentine's Day? You still have time to plan! Sunday isn't that close right?

I'm not sure if you noticed, but I am trying to lead my life with a better attitude. I am working on being grateful for the things around me, and working on making my mind and body healthier. I decided the one thing that makes me happy is engaging in feel good activity. I am going to start posting some of the things that bring a positive message to me. Feel good material per say. They may be magazine articles, blog posts, or inspirational photos.


I am feeling great after a really positive yoga session this week, as well as some good reading. I posted a few of my favorite articles and posts from the week. I hope you get something out of them like I did!

I would love for you to add to the feel good vibe here, so maybe in time I will offer a link up if this is something that works out.. taking risks here.. It makes me feel good... Here we go..

I really love Ember Grey's 12 Months of Bliss: Sharing Kindness over Negativity prompt for February. If we could all take as step back and be kind to one another, we would live in a happier, healthier world.

I found an article on Wanderlust called The Power of Saying No. As a society we feel guilty when we say no. Letting down people in our lives makes us feel bad, however the more we agree to things we don't always have time for the more we wear ourselves down.

One of the most humbling things I saw this week: People wrote down their biggest fears for all of New York to see. Such a brave thing to do!

And of course the cutest thing I saw which is apparently pretty old is shelter cats being mingled with a yoga class. This is near and dear to my hear as I work in a shelter and I really enjoy yoga. Think I should get Grace involved in this one?

Last year I started setting myself goals that related to a theme every month. My happiness project per say. One of the things I learned was putting to many goals into effect doesn't help. It stressed me out and burned me out. I'm taking a new appoach this year.

January's goal was to educate myself on the goals I wanted to set for the year and I think I accomplished that pretty well. February is a month of love so I want to focus my theme on all things love which includes self love folks. So onto February goals..

• My new planner has arrived. One of my goals this year is to be a better planner. February is already looking like a busy month so I am going to set planning and organizing my month as a goal. 

Short and sweet goals for the month. I figure they are something I can achieve and to me accomplished goals are better than stressed out goals. What are you planning this month?

When your child is sick, the days seem to take a toll on you. Grace (yes my kitty is my kid) had a seroma form around her spay incision that doubled in size between Thursday and Friday. I got super nervous that something was wrong that I asked a vet tech from work for some advice.


One of the fabulous shelter vets was able to see Grace on Saturday morning. She wasn't in any immediate pain or distress but I felt better having it looked at. She was calm the whole way and even came out of her carrier on her own.

Let's just say the second someone touched her belly she was not a happy camper. She became very agitated and her natural survival skills kicked into overdrive. Very upset girl.

The doctor decided to do an ultrasound to rule out a hernia. She was not a fan of that at all. The next step was to decide what to do. It was very unclear if she was herniating so the next step was to aspirate the lump. I stepped out of the room for that part.

Good news was the lump was full of fluid. Bad news is she would need to restrict her activity and stay away from the wound. Enter kitty sweater. Grace rocked a purple camo sweater to keep her away from her incision.

She got home and slept for hours before getting up a bit to eat and play. She seemed to be doing okay. Enter Sunday morning and Grace refused to get out of bed or eat. She stayed up in my bed until close to noon before making it down to the litter box.

It was slow moving from there. She didn't want to eat or drink. I was stressed.  I talked to the vet and they said it was pretty normal but to keep an eye on her. By late afternoon she seemed more like herself but was still moving slow. I fed her some of her favorite treats and left it at that.

She "killed" her bird

I am happy to report that this morning she is back to her old crazy self. Lots of purrs and snuggles in between hunting her toy bird. She's a real treat.

How was your weekend?

I believe books can serve many purposes in a person's life. They can show us new things. They can entertain us. They can transform us. And my personal favorite, they can help us through rough times. On Wednesday I talked a little about my plans for 2016 and how I am going to work on personal growth within my self and appreciating the little things. Finding gratitude. I am doing this by trying new things, falling in love with old passions, and reading lots of books.

Some of the books I have added to my reading shelf this year have a lot to do with finding happiness and appreciating things around me. I was never big into self help books, but I am on my second book this year and I am enjoying learning new ways to explore my own feelings and needs.


Here is just a taste of some of the books I am planning to explore this year:

• The Happy Stepmother: Stay Sane, Empower Yourself, Thrive in Your New Family by Rachelle Katz 

• The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year of Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform your Life by Janice Kaplan

•  The Wishing Year: An Experiment in Desire by Noelle Oxenhandler

• Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life by Gretchen Rubin

• Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and be Your Own Person by Shonda Rimes

• Voluntary Madness: My Year Lost and Found in the Loony Bin by Norah Vincent

• Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro

• The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion by Elle Luna

What are some of the books you are planning to read this year? Have you read any of these? Any suggestions?

I hope you all have a nice and relaxing weekend!