Thursday Three

Samantha Gratton

Oh, hello. It’s Thursday?! This week has gone SO fast! Three-day weekends are the best, but four-day work weeks are rough. Everything gets crammed into less time, and I just can’t quite keep up this week. It doesn’t help that some early mornings have been involved as every night for me is also a late night. When else is a girl to blog? You think these things just happen? Umm, no. But I love doing it, so it’s okay.

1. Our friends opened their coffee shop. (YEAH!!!) Speaking of things that don’t just happen…after months of hard work and planning, some of our good friends opened their very own coffee shop. There was a pre-party over the weekend and then the official first day on Labor Day. We had so much fun seeing all of their effort finally come to fruition and spent much of Monday just hanging out there as several other friends, neighbors and acquaintances trickled in and out to share in the opening day.

BREW Menu

Local Coffee and Beer

Look at that handsome guy. H could be a part-time model.
Look at that handsome guy. Could be a part-time model.

2. Old friends make great company. Over the weekend my friend Emily came for a visit. We’ve known each other since 6th grade softball and were good friends all through high school. She recently moved from Iowa to Georgia, meaning she is now only a few hours away. I loved having her stay with us as there’s something so natural about being with a friend you’ve known for so long. We didn’t really do anything too different from an ordinary Saturday, but it was nice to have another person to laugh with and someone to tell you if your outfit looks good or not. She saved me from buying a couple of doozies at the consignment store this weekend.

Emily

3. Too many conflicting thoughts make for a long day. I mentioned it, but the week has been crammed tight. With that comes different thoughts and feelings because with each new minute comes another thought or idea or emotion. A few days this week seemed so long (despite the short week) as there were so many different thoughts packed within them. One minute my life seems to be going in the right direction and the next it seems like I am completely behind on all of my to-dos and lose sight of who I am or what I am capable of. It’s amazing what a comment or success or failure can do to your perspective on something. At church right now we’re focusing on the big rocks vs. small rocks. Priorities vs. everything else. Before the series I thought I had a decent foundation on what was actually important. In the past two weeks alone it has become more clear that I am wearing myself too thin and not always focusing on the right things first. I’m trying to make adjustments, but in this time of scrambling to sort through job things while still wanting to be a great friend, hard worker, loving wife and everything else there is to be it’s hard to narrow it down. I don’t believe in glorifying busy, so I need to figure out a way to be less busy and that’s not easy.

 

Nifty Thrifty: Blue Lace

Samantha Gratton

I’ve always loved lace. When we got married, I knew I wanted an all lace dress, well before I knew that would be an upcoming trend. There’s something so gentle and feminine about it. It’s a style I am constantly looking for, although, I’ll admit I’m rather picky about it. I don’t do see-through lace, lace shorts or anything too cheap looking. To accomplish all that on a budget isn’t always easy.

Casual Comfort

Recently I shared my wish for Stitch Fix or something of the like, but also my resolution to blog about my thrift store finds instead. We all have something to share about deals we snag or fashions we put together. Even though I don’t frequent the style blogs or dream about putting together the perfect outfit, I like being confident and comfortable with how I look.

Lace Top

This tank is the perfect combination of cute and comfortable. I can wear it on a rainy Saturday for a relaxed look. Or I can dress it up for work by pairing it with a nice pair of slacks.

This LOFT piece was a GCF (Goodwill Community Foundation) find for only $3.49.

While I am not a big fan of lace shorts, lace skirts or dresses are an entirely different story. I was thrilled when I found this skirt as it has just the right amount of twirl.

Twirl

Perhaps overlooked because it had a bit of a stain when I found it, a little soap and scrubbing did the trick. Generally, I don’t purchase stained items, but at times will make exceptions if the stain is barely noticeable or if the item is unique enough that I think it’s worth the risk.

Skirt

Also found at GCF (albeit a different location), this skirt was $3.39 and worth every penny.

Thursday Three

Samantha Gratton

This has been a quick and busy week. Let’s not waste any time and just cut to the chase, shall we?

1. Trying something old in a new way makes you better. Read that five times fast. This week the hubby and I decided it was high time to play some tennis. After a serious calf injury last summer, I had been a little tennis shy earlier this spring so we steered away from it. Monday night we hit the courts thinking we were just going to play a quick set. Turns out, a meetup group had reserved all of the courts. Our options were to go home or join them! Suddenly, we found ourselves playing doubles in a semi-competitive setting. All of my muscles were incredibly sore the next day, but the entire thing completely revived my love of tennis. I can’t wait to get back there for another meetup!

2. Going out of your comfort zone can extend your comfort zone. This week I had my first official presentation for work, which entailed a five minute speech and 20 minute presentation for a group of about 30 people. A small group, but I had to know what I was talking about and have a call to action at the end. Whew! One down…dozens to go! I’m glad though to be working on my presentation skills and becoming more comfortable in this setting.

Presentation skills...more like presentation suit

3. Get some fresh air and find out what inspires you. Last week I felt overwhelmed with all I had to do. Between a busy week and a lot of details to take care of, I was wearing a little thin. While I haven’t completely caught up on sleep, this week has felt completely different. The weather has been awesome and almost every day this week I’ve spent a good amount of time outside to leave me feeling refreshed. Between working with people doing awesome projects and writing in new forms, I’ve found some real passion and excitement in my side projects which is very encouraging.

Book Club: Dad is Fat

Samantha Gratton

Continuing the book club trend, I will tell you about another one of my summer reads. As I mentioned, I’m not in a real book club, but I’m going to pretend to have one. Or if you really want, we can just call this a real one. Grab some wine or chocolate and read whatever I read if you feel so inclined.

Recently I read Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan, who is an incredibly funny man and comedian. It really was a book full of jokes and stories about his life as a parent. Without yet being a parent myself, I found the book funny but maybe would find it even funnier if I was indeed responsible for a bunch of littles. But let’s be honest, I read a whole bunch of books and blogs all about parenthood and still enjoy them (yet have managed to avoid parenthood so far–the life stage, not the show. I love Parenthood the show.) so why should this be any different? Jim loves his kids, wrestles with how to be a good dad and tells some good jokes along the way.

What I loved about this book:

  • Any book that has me laughing out loud is awesome. I look (and sound) slightly like a crazy person when I am audibly laughing within near vicinity of any normal human beings, but it’s worth it. He definitely is funny.
  • Not only is he funny, but he is a clean comedian. I won’t call him “family-friendly” because if you read this book, he has an entire theory on such a term. But, I do appreciate humor that doesn’t make you feel dirty or question your morals.
  • He sheds some light into big families. I only have two sisters, so you could hardly say I came from a big family. My mom, however, is one of eight so I feel I can relate on some levels to such a setting, albeit indirectly.

What I didn’t love so much:

  • Some of the jokes are the same jokes that are in his show. I’ll admit, I’ve never seen a live show, but a few of them are on Netflix (which you should watch next time you need a laugh). I understand reusing them, but it can feel redundant since you know just what joke is coming.
  • His stand-up is a little more natural than his book writing. You can get the tone and the inflection, which is a big part of his comedy. I heard that the audiobook of this book was narrated by Jim himself, so maybe it would be worthwhile to “read” it that way.
  • Some of the content feels a little like filler. Or maybe just long-worded tangents. But hey, I haven’t written a book so I’m sure sometimes that’s just how it works.

Concluding Thoughts:

This was a fun read. It was fairly short, so it was also a quick read. Each chapter was a separate topic within parenthood for the most part, so it was easy to get to a stopping point if you only wanted to read one piece at a time. It really is solely about parenthood, so be ready for that (whereas his usual stand-up is a mix of everything), but I also think it would be an awesome gift for a new dad-to-be.

Moving Part 2: Finding a Location

Samantha Gratton

Packed Truck

Based the questions I am often fielding about our move, I’ve written up a few parts of the moving process. You can start reading it wherever it is most helpful but if you’re particular about following the order, you can start with Part 1: Deciding to Move.

Part 2: Finding a Location

For some, this part of the process is dictated by outside factors. This may include a job offer, a family tie or something out of your control. If so, this part will look different. Finding a location will mean, finding a job or family tie or whatever it is that is calling you and then sorting out the details to make it a reality.

For me, I needed to sort through what I wanted in a place. Criteria can range from the size of the town to the weather in the winter.

The following contributed to our list of criteria:

  • Near geographic interest (i.e. mountains or ocean)
  • Warmer weather year-round
  • Bigger city than current location or nearby one
  • Within 20 minutes of a Target and within an hour of Trader Joe’s
  • Music and arts culture

Having criteria helps, but it does not automatically give you the answer. There were several cities that fit this description. For some, several options is a positive thing and can lead to more opportunities in the job search. For others, it can be difficult to plan without a narrowed search or a clear direction. Moving can be a complicated process with a lot of planning involved, so it’s best to go with what you are more comfortable with.

The final push for Raleigh came because of these key factors:

  • It showed up on similar “Best City for…” lists as Des Moines. Knowing we liked Des Moines helped us realize this would be something we would like.
  • Family would be three hours away, which we knew would be helpful
  • We had some familiarity with that region of the country, although limited knowledge of Raleigh itself

Thursday Three

Samantha Gratton

It’s here! It’s finally here. Lock the doors and close the blinds! Thursday, my night of the week. The night that I blog and supposedly accomplish things and relax and have time to watch a ridiculous TV show while the hubby’s at work. Cram it all in because no other night of the week is like this. Phew, and what a busy week it has been!

1. Every week I check my photos and my calendar to figure out what to say. The Thursday Three is not always easy to come up with. Sometimes my thoughts are jumbled and I can’t even put together a cohesive thought, let alone an entire blog. It’s like when your mom asked you how school was and the only answer you could come up with was “fine.” There are so many things that go into a day or a week that it can be difficult to summarize it all up. There was challenge and boredom, nervousness and excitement…the list could go on really. Sometimes it’s good to think of more specifics like, “When did you feel most accomplished or loved or brave?” or “When were you most challenged or upset or sad?” Maybe it sounds cheesy to think of things this way, but this can help sort out some thoughts from time to time and are good questions to ask.

2. Packing your week may make you more productive, but it comes at a cost. As I mentioned, this week was busy. I’m working now from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM but every night of the week have had one or two other meetings/get togethers/tasks attached to it. I’ve been scurrying around trying to make everything happen and pretend I can do it all. It’s just one more email. One little phone call. One more hour. As I write this sitting on my couch while wearing workout clothes (as if I made it to the gym tonight, HA!), I’m a bit exhausted and overwhelmed by all of those “one more” things. The hardest part has been to be present wherever I am, but also to try to realize what’s actually worth my time and energy. Reading a book over lunch or scrolling through email? Staying up late to cram more of the day in or getting some much needed rest? Networking event or time with a friend? Some of those decisions are hard, while some are easy. Because let me tell you, a loud close talker at a networking event will lose every time to telling life stories with a friend.

Leaving said unfulfilling networking event
Leaving said unfulfilling networking event

3. There’s always a story to tell. Life can get monotonous quickly if you aren’t careful. I want to establish some sort of routine but no one wants to be totally stagnant. While I encourage you to create, as a writer I can’t help but to tell you to look for the stories in life. The little things that make it interesting. Story of the week for me? Loading up my cart with cans for a food drive at work only to be given a bag of cans from a guy also wanting to contribute. The receipt happened to come with it, name and number included. Creepy, clever, flattering and funny all rolled into one. What’s your story this week?

Cans

 

 

Create Something

Samantha Gratton

I am lucky to be surrounded by creatives. People who live with a drive to be creative. They long for more creativity in their lives and make time to make it happen. Being around others who thrive off of this energy encourages even more creativity.

A friend of mine has recently started a portrait series called Make Des Moines. Basically, he’s highlighting some of the people who make Des Moines, IA the city it is. The people who make things with their hands, put their creativity to work and leave their mark. His images are beautiful, and I am loving the stories he is sharing.

Yesterday, I sat around a table of bankers, lawyers, researchers and executives who all claimed to “not be creative.” Sometimes the problem is our definition of creativity. We consider creatives to be the photographers, musicians, writers and artists of the world (all of whom I love). But creativity doesn’t stop there. Why do we say creativity is thinking outside the box but then put creativity in a box? Anybody with me on this?

Sometimes we think creativity is defined by art. We think that if it isn’t on a stage or in a museum, it isn’t art.

Let’s grab this term back. Because creativity can take so many forms. Plan a dinner party. Grow a garden. Knit a potholder. Arrange an outfit. Decorate your house with only thrift store finds. Write a clever list.

Creativity can happen in so many ways, but one of the most important things is to keep it intentional. Sometimes creativity strikes, and it takes hold of us. But often, we have to seek it out first in order to continue to cultivate it. I hope to never be that person saying, “I’m not creative.” Because more than likely, those people actually are creative (or could be). They just stopped creating.

 

Thursday Three

Samantha Gratton

This week has been vastly different from all of my other weeks this summer. Whew. What a doozie. But in a good way. Let’s not waste any time and get right to it, shall we?

Raleigh

1. A room without windows is an exhausting thing. Daylight, people walking by, trees swaying in the wind…I need to see these things in a day. The photo above shows the direction of my house from downtown Raleigh through a great big window. The majority of my week however has been in a conference room with no windows but plenty of powerpoint presentations and fluorescent lights. Tell me, when are skylights going to be part of the building code? Hmm, I guess that doesn’t really help buildings with more than one floor. Bummer, nevermind I guess. So, WHY was I in a conference room all week? Well, that brings me to the next point…

2. Working brings a whole new energy to life. Albeit overwhelming or stressful at times, working at a job gives all of your other time a little more meaning or sense of urgency. I feel like I’ve been a bit more efficient with my time, but admittedly still have a lot left to do at the end of the day. What work, you ask? (Did I just bury the lead?) I am now working for the next few months as a Community Engagement Fellow for United Way. It is essentially a temporary position, but will hopefully be a good one as I’ll be presenting to different companies all over the Triangle. It came about rather suddenly after the rejection of the last few positions, but I am grateful for the opportunity. This week has been nonstop training with a few other fellows, and I have learned more than my little brain can handle. I’m definitely ready for the weekend but eager to see what is to come.

3. I thought finishing school was just something they did in the movies. As a part of the training we learned all about United Way, several pointers on public speaking, astounding information about the needs right here in our community and some proper business etiquette. Along with it, today we got a lesson according to the standards set by Miss Manners because apparently people really do go to finishing school and know what to do with eight forks and four knives. The bread plate should go on the left and the drink is on the right. Start from the outside and work in with your utensils. Ladies should always be seated first and the host should start the eating so everyone else can follow suit. When eating soup, the spoon should be scooped outwards. If you leave the table but intend to return, place the napkin on the top of your seat. If you are finished eating, place the napkin on the left side of your plate and your utensils side-by-side yet diagonally on the right side of your plate. For rolls, place the amount of butter you need on your plate and apply it on only the morsel you plan to eat before taking a bite. Y’all, I did not go to finishing school. I promise I have table manners, but some of this was a little too much for me.

 

Moving Part 1: Deciding to Move

Samantha Gratton

Moving | Moving Peaces

Two years ago, I moved to North Carolina from Iowa. I am constantly being asked why I moved and when seeing a bunch of family and friends from the Midwest I have to give reasons that they may never see or understand.

Anyone else moved outside of the state? What was your reason? Well, I didn’t have reasons like that. [Okay, maybe that’s a big assumption. But the point is, I didn’t move for the normal reasons of a job or family.]

I thought I would put together some of the considerations to make when you move, how to do it and why I love where I live now.

Part 1: Deciding to move

This should never be taken lightly. It changes your friends, neighborhood, job and sometimes even your hobbies.

How do you know if a move is right for you?

Ask yourself why you want to move. Is it to pursue a dream or a passion? Go after growth in your life? Have you felt a calling to a particular part of the world? Is an opportunity available?

Before deciding to move, it’s important to understand where you live currently and what its pros and cons are. That way, you have something to go off of as you make your decision. Do you like the community feel? Is there a good arts and music culture or a solid career path ahead of you? Is the job market good? Is your house your favorite place in the world? Are you sure you want to actually move?

While I lived in Des Moines and loved it, I knew it was time to step out and find the best fit for me at a time in my life when I could take a risk. For us, that meant no kids, no house and no debt.

If you are considering making a move, I’d start by really understanding your motivation and then assessing your current situation.

Ready for more?

Part 2: Finding a Location

Part 3: Lining up Logistics

Part 4: Making it “official”

Part 5: Follow Through

Part 6: Settle in and Reflect

 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Verses for Sunday

Samantha Gratton

10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.  – Hebrews 6:10-12

flower

Sunday mornings are my sweet time of quiet each week. I’ve got the house to myself, so I take the morning slow. I spend time reading and writing before getting ready for church. Admittedly, my first thought on Sunday mornings is “more sleep” but when I wake up and take that time, I never regret it.

The past few weeks I have been reading these verses over and over. Taking each section and letting it settle in. Separating each verse like a stanza or lyric so that every line reveals its impact.

God is not unjust;
he will not forget your work
and the love you have shown him
as you have helped his people
and continue to help them.

We want each of you to show this same diligence
to the very end,
so that what you hope for
may be fully realized.

We do not want you to become lazy,
but to imitate those
who through faith and patience
inherit what has been promised.

Take just one piece or segment. What grabs you?

I love it all. I want to cling to every word of it. But because my memorization skills are lacking, I’m going to hold onto one thing at a time. To the very end.

Show diligence to the very end. Help people to the very end. Love God to the very end.