How To: Organize Important Documents

If there's one thing I've learned about growing up, it's that it involves A LOT of paperwork. And important paperwork at that. It started out with Pay Stubs (I keep them for three years), Bank Statements, Receipts, Credit Cards and then Warranty Information, 401k Statements, Yearly Tax Returns and Medical Paperwork/Lab Results/Tests. (Why didn't anyone mention this part of growing up?)

It started out gradually so I kept all my paperwork in file folders. Then as it outgrew file folders I used those small plastic storage bins, but they accumulated quickly and it took up a lot of space.

I am an organizational FREAK, I'm not sure how I got the idea to do this, but I went to Target to find cute accordion style organizers (Target always has cute colors and designs, so obviously that was my first stop.) Instead of having 97 locations and files I decided to narrow it down 3. I saved SO much space and it's far more organized than it was before.

I use the small Pink Stripped accordion file for receipts from stores. I keep them for 6 months unless it's a big purchase (ie: a new cell phone) and then go through them to shred the stuff I don't need. 

I love that it has a zipper pocket in the front!

I couldn't find a large black accordion file at Target, but Walmart came through for me! I got these a few years ago, so Target might have cute ones (Hint: Pink). In the larger one I keep my Medical records, Tax Returns, Credit Card Statements, 401 Statements, Bank Statements and any warranty information (for my GPS, Cell Phone, Car, etc).

This is why I needed a larger file. It holds a LOT, but doesn't take up much room. You could have a file for each child and their Medical Records, Birth Certificates, Report Cards, etc.

I like taking advantage of space that can't be used for anything else. These files fit in right between my shoe organizer and bookshelf turned shoe/short organizer :)

You're judging, it's fine.

Leave a comment below of your favorite organizational tip!

xoxo Kelly

Promotion Pride

A few weeks ago I was promoted to Project Manager - Assistant. (If you missed that post read it here.) I have been SO busy in my new position and absolutely love it. I have taken on many new responsibilities that occupy a lot of time. Not only do I enjoy these new tasks but I'm glad that my bosses and company see my drive and dedication to my job (and trust my ability to do them correctly.) 

I know this may seem silly, but I've spent almost 10 years working. For 5 of them, I worked a full time job and a part time job while in high school and then in college full time. My parents instilled a great work ethic into my sisters and I, which is a big reason I started this blog. Young adults, especially women, aren't taken seriously - our generation has a bad rap for being "lazy" and "feeling entitled." However that generalization isn't fair (and frankly I like to tell those people that they're the generation that raised us. But I'm also sassy, so...) Anyways, work has always been a huge part of my life, so having people acknowledge what a hard worker I am is the biggest compliment I can get. 

There aren't many women in the construction industry, which can be a little intimidating. My boss is awesome, and has taken me out to job sites so I can get familiarized with everything - which of course comes with time and experience. I was apprehensive the first time we went to a job site, would they laugh at a girl showing up on a job site? Would they think I was stupid for not knowing how to do "x, y and z?" 

From Flip Flops to Steel Toed Boots. Still too clean for my liking!

Apparently I'm just a worry wart. They were all SO supportive and eager to show me the ropes. They spent time talking with me to get an idea of what I did know, and urged me to ask questions. 

Digging out a sinkhole. This was actually one of the hardest sinkholes due to the location and size of the sinkhole near existing buildings. Watching them carefully maneuver large machinery in there was incredible. It took SUCH teamwork and skill!

My desk looked like a hurricane throwing paper everywhere; most people would hate that, but I LOVE it. I work better when I have a lot to do, I become more organized and focused. This new position is everything I had hoped it would be.

I wanted to give you an update on things and why I lacked on blogging this week. I'm hoping to write up a few posts today so I can post them throughout the week, but I'm also looking for anyone who would be interesting in guest blogging while I'm still in transition mode at work. Whether it's fashion, work, fitness, food, crafts, etc I would love to hear from you. Email me at pinkandprofessional@gmail.com for more information if you're interested!

xoxo Kelly

P.S. Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dad's out there - especially mine who I love more than anything!

Super Easy Chicken Wrap

Work has been crazy busy lately (in a good way, the days are flying by!) so easy healthy meals are my staple right now. It's funny, when I first started working at a desk job a few years ago, I HATED leftovers. I wouldn't even think about eating them; it never tastes as good as when you first make it. Well, after months frozen dinners for lunch, boring sandwiches or fast food I found leftovers to be gold.

I'm extremely weird. I only eat Chicken, Shrimp and Crab. I don't know how, but after 25 years I'm still not sick of them. I am the pickiest eater in the world; so if I recommend something - there's a 99% chance you'll like it too. So here ya go - the healthy and easiest Chicken Wraps you'll ever make!

What you'll need:

- Flour Tortilla's (Wheat for a healthier version)

- Chicken

- Lettuce

- Vegetables (I used cucumbers, green peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes...but too each their own!)

- Toppings (Salsa, Cheese, Dressing)

How to Make It:

1) Grill the chicken until it is completely cooked. 

2) Cut up the vegetables into small portions. I cut everything into wedges, but that's just my preference. Just remember that they should be "bite" size since you'll be putting them in a tortilla.

Vegetables and Chicken

3) We used the bagged salad for our wraps, it's the perfect mixture of greens and pre-cut

Perfect pre-made salad!

4) In the middle of the flour tortilla put the chicken, lettuce and vegetables in the wrap. I added a little cheese to it for flavor since I skipped on the dressing.

5) It looked so delicious I ate half of it before realizing I didn't take a picture of the finished product. 

SO.GOOD.

We made enough for 4 servings (we both had dinner and put some in a container for lunch the next day). It was SO easy, all I had to do was heat up the chicken for a few seconds. This was the perfect leftover lunch; it was quick AND healthy. If you're looking for something on those days were you're so busy leaving your desk seems like a joke - I definitely recommend packing this little goodie!

What's your favorite healthy meal to make that will taste just as great for lunch the next day?

xoxo Kelly

My Week in Review

This week has been SO crazy busy; between work and my social life I didn't even have time to waste hours on Pinterest <insert concern here>.  I'm trying to catch up on a hundred different things so I thought it might be fun to see my week like thiiiiiis:

Sunday:
Birthday's are a big deal in our house, and not just for people. Sammy is the light of our world so we showered her with love, attention, presents and food in celebration for her 13th Birthday. This year was more special than the last 12, read this post to understand why.

She looooves opening presents :)

Monday:
I was on the waiting list to attend Bloggy Conference 2013 - on Monday I got an email letting me know a slot opened up. I immediately registered. This will be my first blogger's conference; I am SO excited!

 Any advice for a newbie going to her first conference? Who else is going?!

Tuesday:
Back in January my older sister and I saw Jim Gaffigan perform his hilarious comedic routine. It was the first time I had heard any of his material, but I was immediately a fan. We got Meet & Greet tickets and he's just as funny (and nice) in person. He recently released a book called Dad Is Fat and is on tour promoting it, so my sister and I immediately got tickets.
They had a moderator talk to him about his new book before the audience got to ask him some questions. He is by far the best comedian EVER (and he's "clean" which is even better). I haven't read a book in years - but I can't put this one down. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Jim Gaffigan! 

Seriously, he is the funniest guy ever!

Wednesday:
I got to interview a few people for positions open at my job. I LOVE that I'm involved in so many aspects of the company. My boss/coworkers are seriously the best.

Source

Oh, and Vince and I came up with a healthy dinner option that is so delicious. I can't wait to write a blog post about it for you guys!

Thursday:
Late Thursday evening Sammy had a health scare that almost landed us in the Emergency Vet ER (I don't even know if that's the right term) at 10:30pm. Fortunately it wasn't as serious as we thought, however it was still petrifying. That little girl is my liiiife. Emphasis on life. Any-who I got less than 5 hours of sleep and had to get up early for work. 

Me. ALL Day. 

Source.

Friday:
My coworkers daughter graduated from high school earlier this week with SO many honors and awards. I couldn't be prouder of her! I said if she came into work one day I would buy her ice cream (made locally - it is heavenly) and she chose yesterday. Ice cream on Friday just makes sense. Plus, she obviously has to be smart to come into her mom's work just for ice cream. That is my kind of girl! 

Oh, and I've been participating in the #plankaday and today I planked for the longest yet! 

I didn't say it was high-five worthy but every beginner has to start out somewhere. 

Follow me on Twitter @anotherpinkblog and Instagram @pinkandprofessional to join the challenge. The support is overwhelming :)

Saturday:
I took my acrylic nails off for the first time in 4 years so they can strengthen. It feels so weird.

..they look so gross

Weighed myself this morning - down a total of 11 pounds. SCORE!

Ryan Gosling's "Hey Girl" Meme's are everything. 

Source.

And lastly, I had dinner with my sister's tonight. With hectic schedules it's hard to find time when we're all free. I love them so much <3.

Obviously we had to celebrate with Margarita's!

And this sums up (part) of my crazy busy week! I'd love to hear if you guys did anything exciting/interesting/important happen this week? 

Oh and leave me a comment/tweet/email about blog conference tips. I'd really appreciate it :)

xoxo Kelly

Her Birthday is My Gift

To say I'm an animal lover is a serious understatement. If you've met me even once, you would know I love animals (particularly dogs) more than people. Dogs just provide unconditional love, they devote their entire life to making you happy.

Back Story:
Growing up our family had small animals for pets (ie: Bunnies, Guinea Pigs, Hermit Crabs, etc), but never a dog. I had/have horrible allergies and couldn't tolerate pet dander. When I was 11 my sister and I walked out of swim practice and saw the cutest little dog in the world - a Yorki Poo. Her owner said she didn't shed, was low maintenance and kid friendly. My mom got the breeder's contact information and over the next year did research on Yorki-Poo's, as we had never heard of this mixed breed.

We visited the breeder several times, but didn't find a dog that 'clicked' with us. It wasn't until one day while my dad was at work that my little sister, Mom, Nana and I paid a trip to the breeder. The only Yorki Poo left for sale was this cute little black ball of fur of a dog. She was the runt of the litter and a female, both which we preferred, and I was pretty sure my sister and I's endless begging would finally land us our very first puppy. When that little dog pawed at a dandelion, it ended up hitting her in the face - which startled her. My mom was sold, it melted her heart. She immediately went to put a deposit on her and we headed back to the car. My dad didn't really want a dog; but he knew he lost this battle. (When we called to tell him we bought a dog - she was still 4 weeks so we had to wait another month before we could take her home - his exact words were "do whatever you want.") We spent the next month picking out a name for her. My first suggestion was "Cuddles" but that was quickly rejected by my dad. He said "I'm not walking a Yorki-Poo named Cuddles" - I'm glad he rejected that, Cuddles..Really? What can I say - I was 12! When I mentioned "Samantha" we all agreed!

I remember the day we could finally pick Sammy up like it was yesterday. In fact I remember the first several days, I FINALLY had a dog. The next 12 years flew by, our worlds revolved around this little blessing from God. When renting vacation houses we had to find ones that would allow dogs (which wasn't difficult since she doesn't shed and is potty trained), every Friday when my mom gets home from the grocery store - Sammy expects (and finds) a bone tucked into one of the bags. We can't go to the bank without bringing her along, the staff loves her more than us :)! I took more sick days to care for Sammy than I ever did myself. (True Story: I'm "banned" from going to vet appointments because I end up crying if they find something wrong. She's like my baby!)

This Past Year:
When I got home from work one day last August, my family sat me down and said we needed to have a talk. (They can't tell me at work or while driving; I end up crying. I'm telling you - this girl is my LIFE!) I immediately started crying because I knew it had to be something awful. It turns out Sammy had passed out earlier that day and we needed to watch her more closely. Then she passed out a few more times that week. Then the first Wednesday of September, when I got back from Vince's house, Sammy started to act REALLY weird. I was extremely concerned so I sat on the floor with her and rubbed her belly for a few minutes, but she got up and staggered across the floor and collapsed. We honestly thought she died. Fortunately we rushed her to a Veterinary ER ASAP and they did all kinds of tests. They told us her diagnosis (the most serious being an enlarged heart) and then said we needed to schedule an appointment with a Cardiologist. At the first appointment, the Cardiologist told us we had at most 12-18 months left. It was the lowest point in my life. 

In fact I can't quite write this without tearing up. When they first prescribed her medicine to relieve the pain and make her condition better, we questioned if that was what was best for her. We didn't want to see her in pain just so we didn't have to do the unthinkable. I was constantly worried I would come home from work and she wouldn't be there. I kept thinking "this will be her last Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc." I've spent the last 13 years, over half my life, with the most incredible dog in the world. How can you even prepare yourself for something so truly devastating? Every time a family member called me at work, I panicked. But then I realized, a vet cannot determine what her life span will be. They can make an educated guess, but the power of life is held in GOD'S hands, and so I prayed. A lot. 

It paid off. In January she had a check up with the Cardiologist who said she was responding so well to the medication that he refused to give her a time frame. TALK ABOUT GOOD NEWS! Over the next few months she continued to do well and started to act like her old puppy self! At her most recent checkup on May 6, they said they don't even want to see her back for 9 months!!!!!! (Which, by the first Cardiologists account, she wouldn't be alive). Her appointment was the day before my birthday, all I wanted was a good report from the doctor, and I got it. 

I've spent many nights laying in bed praying that God would heal her, I wasn't ready (nor will I ever be), and here's why:

Sammy is the one who laid next to me all day when I would cry over a boy breaking my heart. 
Sammy is the one who I CANNOT wait to come home to; as I know she'll be wagging her tail and running in circles to greet me. 
Sammy is the one who makes Christmas unforgettable; seeing her get excited over all her presents melts my heart.
Sammy is the one who can make a horrible day instantly better; she only knows love and happiness.
Sammy is the one who, when I'm crying, will somehow immediately know and come find me - then lick my tears away and sit with me until I stop. 
Sammy is the one best friend that has never lied, betrayed or hurt me in any way. 
Sammy is the one who made me realize what unconditional love is, there isn't ANYTHING I wouldn't do for her.

Yesterday:
Yesterday was Samantha's 13th birthday; her birthday was my gift. To say she is spoiled is an understatement, so of course the day was all about her. And I'm glad to report that for now, she is doing well and will be for the unforeseeable future. Never underestimate the power of prayer, God, and unconditional love.

Did you know it's my birthday?!

She is SO spoiled..

But can't you see why? She is so freaking adorable!

I've been wanting to write this post for a while, and this was the perfect opportunity to share it with you guys. My love for that angelic face is indescribable. (Oh, and for the record, Samantha has my dad wrapped around her paw. He is such a sucker for her <3.)  I've always said, Dog isn't God spelled backwards by coincidence. "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." - Josh Billings

Are you a dog lover? I'd love to hear heartwarming stories about your pups (or other sweet animals!)

xoxo Kelly