Office Fun

I am SO very blessed and thankful to work at Oakland City University, my Alma Mater.  I work in the Campus Life Office as the Administrative Assistant.  I LOVE my job, and especially love my co-workers.  It seems weird calling them co-workers though, because most of the time they seem like family.  David and I actually just returned from a vacation with my office mate David D. and his wife Megan D. (Megan is a blogger too!  Her page can be found here:  thedepoisters.blogspot.com Over the past few years, Megan has become one of my dearest and best friends!)  A big reason I love our office, is because it is such a fun and most of the time a very pleasant place to work.

Last week, our boss (the Director of Campus Life) was in Honduras leading a group of OCU students on a mission trip.  Well, we...being the loving office people we are...decided to pull a little BIG office prank on him while he was gone.  He goes on this trip every year, and last year we really wanted to do something but chickened out/ran out of time...SO this year, we decided early-on we would be dedicated! 

We decided to wrap his office in newspaper...



Panoramic of the whole office!



SEE no evil, HEAR no evil, SPEAK no evil...

Dropbox, Viggle, Poshmark, Groupon, & Netflix

Today, I just want to share a few of my favorite apps...

Dropbox:  I LOVE Dropbox.  I have it linked to my phone and iPad so my pictures will save to Dropbox, then I can delete them from my phone to save on storage!  Dropbox (like many other of my favorite apps) works on a referral system that gives you 500MB free storage for every friend referred!  It is a great way to store files, photos, eBooks, etc. without using your phone storage. 

To sign up for Dropbox go here to use my referral code > http://db.tt/TgrQPM7y

Viggle:  This is definitely one of my most used apps.  Viggle is an app that rewards you for watching TV!  Needless to say this app is right up my alley! :)  You check-in to whatever show you are watching, you get a point for every minute you are checked-in, and then you can redeem your points for gift cards, coupons, products like water bottles, kindles, discounts on Groupon, etc.  Viggle also picks random shows to give you a point per minute, PLUS bonus points.  To get the bonus points you must be checked-in to each show for at least 10 minutes.  This is a great way to earn some extra points!  You can also earn points for doing things like buying a Groupon through the Viggle app...this will get you 800 points.  You don't get anything extra for referring your friends, it just makes it more fun, right Ellen!?!

Poshmark:  Currently, this app is only available for iPhone, iPod, iPad users...basically, if you have something Apple, you can get it!  This is a place where you can sell stuff from your closet that you no longer wear.  Especially if they are name brand, you won't have any problem selling your stuff.  There are rules, so make sure you read their FAQs...they are VERY helpful!  I have sold some shoes and a dress and made $90.  It is so nice, because Poshmark makes everything SO EASY!  I just list my product, set my price, sell it, they send me a shipping label, I package the product and drop it off at the post office.  The best part is, the buyer pays the shipping straight to Poshmark. 

Poshmark does give referral points...BOTH parties receive $5 to spend on Poshmark!  Here is my code > HTOCU (Type this in when you are creating your account and we both get $5 to spend!)

Groupon:  Groupon is a great way to get discounts at local restaurants and buy products for 50% off or sometimes more!  We have purchased Groupons for a couple of new restaurants that we may not have tried had we not purchased a Groupon to get food for over half off!  This is a great way to save money on dates too...we have purchased cheaper tickets for Eville Otters games and other great products! :)

Groupon works on referrals also, but there isn't a code...you have to invite via email, text message, Facebook, or Twitter.

Netflix:  I love TV and I love movies!  This is just a great app if you are like me!  This is especially a good option if you do not pay for cable...this is a very affordable way to watch your TV Series and many movies on instant streaming for $7.99 a month.  You can use Viggle points to sign up for Netflix for free for a month.  Or just sign up to earn a free week!

I would love to hear what you think about my favorite apps...ALSO what your favorite apps are!  If you try one of these for the first time, please let me know what you think! :)

Mother's Day Weekend

This year for Mother's Day, my sister - Courtney, her daughter Addie, and I went to Poplar Bluff to make a surprise visit to my mom!  We are sweet daughters aren't we!?! :)  Well, our mom thinks we are anyway! 

Our weekend was filled with relaxing, visiting with our family and friends, and of course most of our weekend was spent playing with sweet Addie Mae! 

It was so nice to get away from Indiana and spend some much needed time with my parents, grandparents, and Court and Addie!  The only thing that would have made the weekend a bit more enjoyable is if David and Jason would have been able to go with us.  Man-o-man, I miss that guy when we are separated overnight. 

The weather was perfect while we were in Missouri, so we tried to get some good family photos outside.  Addie was so adorable, as always so we had the brilliant idea to take pictures of her in the grass with the pretty flowers weeds all around her...we found out quickly she does NOT like to touch the grass!  It was so funny!

I want to leave you with a reminder to be appreciative and love your mom all year round...and not just on Mother's Day.  I fail at this all the time...but I try to do more things throughout the year too...even if it is just a phone call or a Skype date. :)

Here are a FEW of the MANY pictures we took:

 

Happy Mother's Day to 2 of the BEST Moms I know!

A Blast From the Past!

Recently I was looking at my past Notes I posted to Facebook...Today, I thought I would share this one with you.  Don't judge me too harshly, because I wrote this in October of 2006...Hope you enjoy the thoughts of my 20 year old brain!

 

i've been thinkin............

by Heather Hose on Thursday, October 19, 2006 at 9:06am

 

so, basically, I've been thinking. And if you know me all that well, you know i do that a lot...even if you can't really tell it. ANYWAY, this is what happened...
When I got to work yesterday, the school aged kids were already there because they got out of school at 11 (irrelevant part of the story, but oh well). Well, they had been wanting to go outside the whole time before I got there, but were told no by the other teacher. Well, when I got there they were SO excited because they knew I would take them out! (yay for outside!...and Ms. Heather!) when we got outside...the fun lasted oh, maybe 10 minutes...then they wanted to go back in. (boo outside! but still yay for Ms. Heather! hahaha!)

That got me thinking about the people around me and, of course, myself. I just got to thinking about how I don't want to be like that...never satisfied and always wanting more than what I already have. I'm not sure if I do a good job at this or not. If i don't do a good job...then I am going to start trying to do better. (oh yes, by the way...I do know that my school kids are a lot different than people my age, because their attention span isn't really all that long...but you know where I am coming from....right?!)

Another thing I have been thinking about lately is how many people walk around our school either upset or angry at something everyday. It makes me sad to see these people. I know I am guilty of it, too, sometimes. However, I don't want to be like this. I like to smile, be happy, and make other people smile throughout my day. I like to have good days, great days, and "fantabulous" days! (fantabulous...one of my favorite words ever!) I don't want to give people the impression that I am stuck up or rude or fake or angry/upset all the time, by frowning all the time, and never saying hi to anyone. Speaking of fake...someone told me that I was the other day, just because I am nice to people!!...I would like to say to that person...thank you for noticing me being nice...try it sometime!! :)

I think everyone needs to practice smiling at everyone (not just their "group" of friends) and saying hi to people...and getting those frowns off of your face! I know sometimes things get tough, but come on...there will always be someone worse off than you so be thankful for what you have! I know that God has blessed everyone's life, daily!, with something good...so open your eyes, see the good things...and forget about the bad things, you will be a lot better off.

One of my fav. quotes: "you cry because you don't have any shoes, until you see the man with no feet" - Unknown  (remember this always...it is always a reality check when I start to complain...it helps me, maybe it will you too!)
This is another good one: "...being happy isn't having everything in your life be perfect. maybe it is about stringing together all the little things and having those count for more than the bad stuff." -Baily (the sisterhood of the traveling pants)

Okay, so there it was...Heather Bralley rambling on and on about a whole bunch of stuff...that prolly doesn't make sense to anyone but her......

For anyone who reads this...I hope you have a FANTABULOUS day...and a great three day weekend! SMILE!!!

 

♪♫These are a few of my FAVORITE THINGS♫♪

I'm way behind on blogging, but today I wanted to bring back a little bit of Christmas!  This year, I did something completely new and hosted a Favorite Things Party!  (Yes, I got the idea from Pinterest!)  I figured, I like so many things from Pinterest that now (Well, December) was the time to actually begin using some of the ideas I have found!

Anyway, here is is...Favorite Things Party 2012!

The whole idea is, everyone invited thinks of their favorite thing (or group of things) in the $10-$15 price range and ask them to bring three of them!  So everyone brings three of the exact same gifts wrapped and their total spent should be $30-$45.   ALSO, everyone who came was asked to bring one of their favorite desserts or appetizers to share with everyone...we had QUITE the spread!

These are the numbers I chose to set for my party...I have also seen it done where people bring six $5 items, or three $6 items.  Set your cost based on what you think your friends will be able to afford.  I liked the thought of bringing bigger gifts rather than try to figure out a descent gift for $5 or $6. 

The idea is, you bring three of your favorite thing and you take home three friends' favorite things!! Fun, right!?!  Well, let me tell you, IT WAS!  I am already looking forward to planning my next Favorite Things party for December 2013! :)

Here are some pictures of my very first Favorite Things Party!




This isn't the whole group, we are missing a few...because we had to wait for one of our gentlemen to come take a group photo! Aren't our men, so good to us!?!






I LOVED sharing this party with some of my Favorite Friends!



 

This was what I gave as my Favorite ThingS...Watermelon Jolly Ranchers, Bath & Body Works Hand Sanitizer, Bath & Body Works Infused Socks, a TOMS Sticker, a TOMS Bag, a $5 Moe's GiftCard, and it was all packaged in a Birch Box Box (If you don't know what Birch Box is...I may just have to write a post about it)!  Some of them said I went a little overboard, but it was my party, so I could break the rules...right?! :)

 Some of the other items gifted were.......

Scarves, the Hunger Games DVD, candles, Christmas tumblers, homemade cookbooks, seasoning, $5 giftcards, chocolate, cute socks, etc.  We had a good variety of items...and I'm already trying to think of my gift for next time!!

ZUMBA!

WOW!  I have no idea how I let so much time pass since my last post!  I don't even know where to begin!  So much has happened since our Seattle trip.

I guess I will begin with yesterday! :)

Yesterday I went to my VERY FIRST Zumba class!  I had decided last week that I would begin my Zumba journey this week!  I was SO nervous the whole day...wondering:

• what should I wear?
• what shoes should I wear?
• what if I can't do ANY of the moves?
• what if I am the fattest girl there?
• what if I need 20 water breaks?
• what if I can't breathe? or pass out? or throw up? or poop my pants?!

I know, I am a CRAZY worry-wort! Well, let me tell you...IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!

I am not a dancer by ANY stretch of the imagination, but it didn't matter!  Zumba is all about getting up and moving.  You don't have to be a professional dancer or be in shape to begin your Zumba journey! 

I have also heard that one hour of Zumba can burn 800-1000 calories (depending on how much work you put into it)!

♫♪ Hello, Seattle! ♪♫

 I am a LOT late getting this out, but I think that is okay and I will be easily forgiven seeing as I only have 5 readers anyway (and that is being generous I'm sure!)...

For those of you who don't know, David has been involved with the Free Methodist Bible Quizzing program for 12 years now!  It has now turned into a ministry for the whole Hose family...David and Jonathan go as quizmasters and this year Wendell did too, and Lynette goes as the nurse each year.  I go as a tag along and joke that I am David's "official" score keeper...I have to admit...I am a PRETTY GOOD scorekeeper! ha!

Bible Quizzing has really meant a lot to David over the years, and if you have ever been involved with quizzing, I'm sure you understand why.  Watching these young kids and teenagers memorize God's Word almost sends chills down my spine.  It is wonderful to watch them quiz over the words and know those words are in their heart for their lifetime.  Even if they don't remember it word for word, they still are full of so much Scripture that will come in at just the right moments throughout their journey.

We had so many good times while we were in Washington...this was our journey...

This is the great group of people we spent a week and a half with! :)

We left on a Sunday, and it was before church time so we met at the Vincennes Free Methodist Church, and had a devotion and communion together before heading towards St. Louis.

We had a direct flight out of St. Louis into Seattle...we flew Southwest!  My friends, Southwest is the way to go!  I REALLY enjoyed our flying experience with them, they really do their best to make it "the best flying experience you've ever had" as our pilot kept announcing!  I sat between David and Jonathan both the way there and the way back...we had a good time!

Monday we didn't have any Bible Quizzing plans until the opening program later in the day, so we went to the Space Needle, the Pacific Science Center, and EMP (Experience Music Project)  It was a good day! David even got to spend some extra time with his dad while they viewed the King Tut exhibit!

Then the week of Bible Quizzing got started!  This year, the school that hosted BQ Nationals was Seattle Pacific University!  It is a really nice campus and the Admissions Staff did a great job with events for us for the week.  (I would never want to live there though, becuase you would ALWAYS have to park on a giant slanting road!)  The worship leader and speaker for the week did a GREAT job!  I think they were the best team we have ever had at Nationals!  OH, and did I mention my husband and two other guys he quizzed with got inducted into the Free Methodist Bible Quizzing Hall of Fame!  One day we took a walk to Gas Works Park!  It is a park that has a great view of the city...it was a lot of fun to visit!  We even went back with our whole group to get a group picture!  It was on someone else's camera, so I don't have it to attach it here. :(

We had a great week getting to hang out with friends that we only see a couple times each year!  This is one of the many things I look forward to about Nationals each year! :)

After Nationals, we went to Jason and Laura Colberg's house (they housed us and the Bedford team at the same time...there were 40 extra people sleeping in one house!)  They had a tent set up in their adorable yard, right next to a babbling brook!  We had a great time, and the Colberg's were SO kind to us, they were excellent hosts!

We went to see the locks, and watch salmon swim upstream, we ate at some fish place (I ordered a chicken sandwich with peppered bacon on it and it was DELISH!)  One day we went to see the Freemont Troll which is actually under a bridge!  It was neat!  We ate at a neat ice cream place called Molly Moon's...earl grey tea was the best! (good pick, Jonathan!)

Some of our group went on a hike at Mt. Rainier National Park!  I think it was my favorite day!  It was soooo pretty, and I know my pictures don't do it justice!  I felt like I was in a Twilight movie! ha!  When we reached the top of our hike, we fed birds cherries out of our hands!  It was so neat!  We even learned how to trick them to make them stay on our hands longer for pictures! :)  Sneaky, I know!  It was a bit cloudy when we were up there so we didn't get a really good look at Mt. Rainier...or great pictures, but that is okay...the experience was still great!

We spent a day at Pike Place Market, went to the Aquarium, and went on an Argosy Harbor Cruise!  That was a great day!  I loved the market (except for how crowded it was at times!)!  While we were at Pike Place, we visited the Famous Gum Wall and the original Starbucks...the line was WAY long, so we didn't go in.  :(

The aquarium was fun, but definitely not my favorite...Once you've seen one aquarium, you've seen them all, right?! (Am I the only one that feels this way)

The argosy cruise was fun, except for a guy that sat close to us who was training to be a guide...he would say things and then get so excited when the guide said the exact same thing he said a few minutes earlier.  Oh, and did I mention he was drinking and drinking (which made him much more annoying in my opinion!)  The cruise was a neat way to see the city and learn some fun facts!

Our last day in Washington, Jason and Laura took us a couple hours away for some of our group to go white water rafting!  No, I didn't go. :(  I had been once before in Colorado, and I haven't mentioned that I was sick during the sight seeing days!  (The not being able to breathe, sore throat, gross sneezing kind of sick!  yuck.)  While some of the group was rafting, the rest stayed at a neat park surrounded by beautiful scenery...and others went to a nearby town, Leavenworth!  It was a cute little German town...very touristy.  I went to Leavenworth, and really enjoyed the day!  Probably because most of our time there we were trying to find Natalie Grant!  (You heard me...NATALIE GRANT!)  Unfortunately we didn't find her...it turns out she left that town about 10 minutes before we arrived.  She did tweet one of the girls in our group a few times...and that's how we knew she wasn't there anymore. Sad day.  We bought some tasty cashews and some really good cheese, then headed back to the park.

While we were trying to find Natalie Grant...David and some others were having an adventure!!  Their raft completely flipped and they all floated down the river for a bit...David somehow ended up finding the two young boys (around 8 years old) that were on his raft and floated with them for about a mile-ish.  No one was hurt (Praise the Lord!) but it was definitely a ride they will all remember!  I am so thankful and proud of my husband and all that he did when the raft flipped!  He says he didn't do anything, but I don't think I could have carried two young children down a river! 

After a week and a half, we came back to the awful heat of Indiana...got lots of sleep...and got back to our normal routine!  It was a great trip!! 

                                           I'll leave you with a few pictures from our week!

This is David, David, and Adam with their Hall of Fame Plaques!  I am so proud of these guys!

We visited the famous gum wall!  It was neat to say I've been there, but it was completely gross!

David and I next to a waterfall!  This is one of the times I felt like I was in Twilight!

On our hike at Mt. Rainier National Park.



David and I with the Freemont Troll...that is actually under a bridge!



David, Jonathan, and I on our hike!  I was so thankful for Jonathan while hiking because anytime I stopped to rest (which was very often on the way up, because I was sick most of our trip) he was right there with me so I wouldn't get too far behind the group!  Being sick on a hike is really draining!  David also carried the backpack with ALL of our water the whole time!

                                                     


When we were finished with our hike, we drove up the mountain to see the snow!

The Hose Family at the Space Needle!