The Diary of a Crazy Wife*

Guess what...

2012-02-13T14:41:00.001-06:00

We woke up to....

SNOW!

Isn't my parents backyard so pretty??

Love this pic...she has a little snow on her face lol

So pretty.

I especially love it because I have no where to be/nothing to do today.

Which is good, because I heard the roads are baaad.

Happy Monday to ya!

Unemployment

2012-02-12T20:29:00.002-06:00

So far, my week(ish) of unemployment has been splendid.

Yes, I moved to Arkansas and now use the word splendid. There's a London in Arkansas in case you didn't know.

Okay...focus, Alicia.

I have worked out (OWWW! out-of-shape) and stayed in my pajamas most days. I've slept 10-11 hours every night. We looked at houses. And I've eaten too much.

It's been fabulous.

This will all come to an end on Tuesday and I am quite sad that pajamas are not appropriate work attire.

Oh well, I guess there's bigger fish to fry....(This seems like an appropriate Arkansas saying, right?)

P.S. We're supposed to get snow tonight....crossing fingers!

Why?

2012-02-12T20:23:00.001-06:00

This weekend, I've really struggled with the fact that Josh Powell took his kids lives and yet, my friend & her husband (who would have been great parents) lost their newborn baby on the exact same day.

It's just not fair.

And believe me, I know life is not fair but still.

Why does God allow awful parents to have children yet so many wonderful people I know struggle with infertility or have lost children (not at their own hand)?

I know God has a plan but sometimes I really struggle to have insight into it/understand why....

And that's where faith & prayer come in.

So tonight, I'm praying for all those who have lost their children or struggle with infertility. While we may not understand it, I trust that God does have a plan. Even if it doesn't make sense to us.

Life is too short

2012-02-09T15:17:00.001-06:00

All my excitement about moving was put to a screeching halt when I got a text from my friend Baylie, saying our friend Amanda's baby didn't make it.

That was Sunday night towards the very end of the Super Bowl.

We had actually planned to have Girls Night on Monday night since Eleanor wasn't supposed to make her appearance until Wednesday but Amanda's water broke on Saturday night and she was born on Sunday night.

I just got home from the funeral and I will tell you there is nothing more sad than someone having the bury their child - especially when their child's casket is smaller than a cooler.

This is the 2nd person from my old job that has had to bury their baby in about 8 months. You can read about Miller here.

I'm absolutely devastated for them. You go to the hospital expecting to bring home your baby and leave with the biggest heart break you can experience.

I know they would appreciate your prayers.

L to R: Rachel, Amanda, Me, Meredith

Rach is also pregnant now.

They were about 2 months apart.

Blessed

2012-02-07T18:05:00.004-06:00

I have been a total blog failure BUT it's for good reason....
Drew got a new job.
Then I got a new job.
We packed up & moved in two weeks.

Holla. I need a nap :)

We are now back "home" (for me) and are excited to start this new chapter.

I never thought there would be an opportunity for us to move back because Drew's job is very specialized and the people who work in his industry stay here (which means there are no new openings) but God had a different plan & opened up some doors.

3 weeks ago yesterday, I told my job that Drew got a new job & we'd be moving...I also started applying for jobs. By last Monday (2 Mondays after I started applying) I had had 3 interviews with 3 different companies and on Tuesday, the company I really wanted to work for offered me a job. God definitely continued to open doors. I was so humbled/excited about the fact He allowed me to have interviews so quickly and that the company I really wanted to work for offered.

Drew starts tomorrow. I start a week from today.

I'm feeling super blessed right about now. God has opened every door that we needed opened.

Sorry for the blog fail but this will be an exciting new chapter to blog about!

This is what happens...

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

When you leave the guys alone with the shopping cart for 2 minutes....

I guess they're lovers of unicorns and rainbows....oh my!

Memory Lane

2012-01-15T20:02:00.002-06:00

I was seriously strolling down memory lane today.
To my husband's dismay, I have decided that WE need to clean out our stuff (he's thrilled).

First off, I am a hoarder of pictures, cards & journals...

A pic of me when I was little. Probably my favorite one.

My first diary....dated 1993. Clearly, I was a gem of a child...and those things under "open & die" are my 7 year old attempts at crossbones.

Oh...and I was so boy crazy. I had a crush on everyone only in my diary it went like this... "Dear Diary, Andy is my boyfriend".

Andy was our neighbor in Maryland and was a 5th grader...pretty sure he was not interested in a 1st grader...also pretty sure I lied to my diary and said everyone I had a crush on was my boyfriend.

Maybe I've changed my mind about wanting to have a girl.

I also keep cards...I have one from when I was 7 and I'm pretty positive this was around that time. This is from my sister. Some show at the time had that name & so she took it as her own. She was thrilled that her writing has improved since then.

And then it was yearbook time! I found my senior year book so now you can see my blond hair in all its glory. I also found another journal where I had written my weight (I'm weird) but I am at my high school weight! Woo hoo. :)

Hope you all had a fantasic weekend :)

Do you want some cheese with that whine?

2012-01-12T19:47:00.000-06:00

I am beyond frustrated.

My patience is being tested and one day, hopefully soon, I can elaborate on this.

So instead of whining on my blog, I've just decided to not blog at all lately....

Sorry but I try to go by the whole "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all".

Try...being the key word.

But if you pray, prayers are very much appreciated. Nothing bad is going on....It is actually potentially good but people keep taking their sweet time.

And I want to drop kick them to the floor (see why I haven't been blogging? lol)

In other news, I've had a busy week - lots of fun girls' nights while my hubby has been working.

At one of the girls' nights, we got on the topic of exercise and one of my friends said she hates it...it doesn't make her feel better, and actually makes her more tired which is what I've always said. My old roommate told me I must be doing something wrong....so this whole time, I've thought I'm a work out dummy....but maybe it's not just me :)

That being said, I know exercise is important but I seriously struggle with creating time for it. It's not one of my priorities and I know it should be....so don't lecture or I may drop kick you :)

Does anyone else hate exercise?

Sorry for whining. Thank God tomorrow is Friday :)

She said yes!

2012-01-05T19:58:00.001-06:00

Right before Thanksgiving, I got a text..."I said yes!" from one of my faves, Suzanne!

And Monday, she asked me to be in her wedding! I am so excited to stand next to her during her wedding in August.

We're trouble together. One of my original PICs.

Love her. Can't wait!

Just the Way They Are?

2012-01-05T07:22:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, one of my coworkers ticked me off.

Without boring you with the details, I go back to my desk PISSED off because I feel totally disrespected by someone who has been ignoring me for a while now (I've done nothing, he's just a DB) and I tell my boss about it & she replies, "well, that's just the way so&so is".

UM, HELLO?

At what point does it become a "it's just the way they are" excuse? Well so&so is extremely selfish...well, that's just the way they are. Well so&so is really mean...well, that's just the way they are. Well so&so is a bitch...that's just the way they are.

Who made this okay? Do they not know any better? Because, I'd be happy to teach them.

/end rant.

p.s. Happy Thursday

p.p.s. Treat people...like people. You're not perfect either but everyone likes to be treated humanely.

Last night...

2012-01-03T21:04:00.002-06:00

I had Mexican with some of my favorite blog girls last night. Thankful for them and their friendship :)

Next time, I need to make sure the man who takes our pic is taller than me so I don't look ginormous. #justsayin

Oh, and by taller than me, I mean taller than 5'6''. That shouldn't be so hard to do, right?

NYE

2012-01-02T08:30:00.000-06:00

I am old....and I'm okay with that.

I rang in midnight by being asleep.

Word.

Don't judge.

Anyways, earlier in the day, we went to a bowl game & had a blast!

On Friday, my boss told me to go home at 3 (yay for leaving early) and then handed me 4 tickets for the bowl game.

I seriously have the best bosses ever.

Oh and check it out....rockin' the bangs. Thanks to your nice comments!

Check out this photo bomb!

Group Pic!

We also got to do a little dance...

KC and the sunshine band!

A pretty wonderful start to 2012. :)

You is kind..

2012-01-01T19:38:00.002-06:00

You is important. You is smart.

If you've heard or read those words before, you definitely read/seen The Help.

I watched it yesterday for the first time and seriously loved it.

And so, instead of giving you a list of cliche goals/resolutions that I probably won't keep after February, I give you my goal for this year...

Treat people like they are important.

This doesn't mean I'm going to force myself to like everyone but whether I like you or not, it is just common courtesy to be nice/pleasant to you & to treat you like a human being.

I feel like this is a lost concept in the world today. And while I can't change the world's actions, I can change mine.

So...what are your goals?

2011 Recap (Lots of pics)

2012-01-01T00:30:00.000-06:00

Warning: Pic Heavy. For 2010's recap, click here.

We started 2011 in Florida visiting Drew's family.

My SIL & I cooking. We're clearly pros.

Nikki & Shaun came down to Florida for New Years!

We also attended our 1st wedding of the season - Wyatt & Dorothy's!

And took some crazy/fun photos!

February was snowy...

This year, I drove home (usually drew drives me when it's bad) in awful weather and it took me 2 hours to drive 11 miles. My heads were in serious pain from clinching that steering wheel!

I also headed back to Faytown to surprise Mom, who had an emergency appendectomy.

I also got to see my old work girls.

Two of who are preggers now.

In March, I attended my first blog meet up & met some amazing girls!

Shaun got us floor seats to see Lady Antebellum. AAAAmazing concert!

We were super excited!

We had a blast on St. Patrick's Day! And got a lot of swag!

We had a super fun, random Monday night with new friends (yes, wine was involved *see pic)

Drove a big red tractor...only small and green.

Attended a Grizzlies game (& had awesome seats)....and then became a fan!

And hung out with some bloggers again! They're awesome!

In April, I went to my first paint party or whatever it's called. I definitely want to do that again!

We celebrated Wyatt's 30th birthday!

And then went over to celebrate Jess' birthday. Clearly, my husband will only be in a pic when he thinks he's photo bombing it. :)

We celebrated the grand opening of one of our properties (work) and I got on a police motorcycle in a dress....totally blog worthy :)

We went home for Easter & I went out with my friends & mom & sis. Great night!

In May, I went to Music fest for the first time. It was so much fun. It didn't rain as much as usually does but we were prepared (rainboots & all).

We also went to a Kentucky Derby party...another first. SO. MUCH. FUN. This pic has an inside joke to it :)

And my sis came down for BBQ Fest...and yet again, another first. Apparently May was full of them and I loved all of them!

We also traveled to West Virginia for Drew's cousin's wedding.

I took this pic of her and her dad walking down the aisle and love it.

And of course they had to show me the WVU facilities (they're big fans!)

In June, we celebrated Nikki's birthday with mexican...

and the Michael Buble concert!!!!

We went to a summer BBQ...because let's face it, nothing is more summery than cook outs!

We went to the zoo. Our zoo is awesome!

Oh look, a pic of my hubby & I. This is a rare occasion. He doesn't love the camera like I do. #photowhore

In July, we went back home for an early birthday celebration...

and my high school friend's wedding.

Don't worry, I got that dancing started!

And I got to celebrate my real birthday in Florida. So much fun, as usual.

In August, when we got back from Florida, my boss got me this really cool birthday cake!

I went to a karaoke bar...hilarious.

Hung out with Jess

My sis came to visit!

And we went to a baseball game...suite style :)

Hung out with some bloggers again.

Enjoyed a fun Friday date night with Amanda & JM before the hubs started working every Friday night.

Found my lovah.

In September, I went home for labor day weekend.

And went out with my sis. The perks of her being 21.

Went to the first Hog game.

In October, we went back to Faytown for the Arkansas/Auburn game.

We also tailgated for the tiger game.

I dressed up for a halloween carnival we hosted!

And we went to another wedding (yes, same red dress...)

We went to a halloween party!

I dressed up as Audrey Hepburn & Drew dressed up as Where's Waldo.

In November, I clearly sucked at taking pics but here are some from my brother's 16th birthday...

Where we celebrated with a big fat loss to LSU.

In December, we went to Drew's Christmas party...

where we I got our dance on!

And we celebrated Christmas in Florida.

Wow. I had a fabulous year. Even I'm jealous of my life!

So.Much.Fun.

Here's to a great 2012.

Our Christmas trip

2011-12-28T18:57:00.000-06:00

We had a fantastic time visiting Drew's family.

We were completely spoiled but as always, it went too quickly.

Drew's sis & mom treated me to my very first facial and OMG...love.

My face has never felt so soft!

Kel & I walked out and both had on stripes and I was planning to put my hair up.

Love having a sister whose my age :)

Rocking the crazy bangs!

My mother-in-law & I

We went to see the chipmunks on Christmas day...and then I had all the songs stuck in my head lol.

I shopped for 3 days. bliss!

Drank and ate what I wanted. yum!

And had a blast.

Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas too. :)

Happy Faux Monday to Me!

2011-12-28T07:20:00.000-06:00

We got back last night from visiting my in-laws in sunny Florida (poor me, right? - Florida = love)

And this morning, I was slapped into reality with someone banging on my neighbors door at 5 am. And this was a persistent person....it continued on until 6 am....I hope they have a bruise on their hand. And then another neighbor (or maybe the same evil one) is either moving or going for a trip & was banging their suitcase down 3 flights of stairs. #apartmentlifeisnotforme

HELLO? Did people lose all sense of consideration while we were gone? 6 am is not an acceptable time to do anything much less bang your bag down three flights of stairs. Pick the dang thing up. I had to...and I'm pretty sure my bag weighed 82 lbs.

And then, while I was getting ready, I accidentally sprayed hair spray into my eyes. Don't ask, my reflexes just don't coordinate well.

So if my eyes didn't already hurt from waking up at the butt crack of dawn, they now ridiculously hurt because of my uncoordination.

Joy.

Happy Faux Monday to me.

Hopefully your day will be better than mine started out to be!

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:53:00.001-06:00

I wanted to take a minute to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

I am so thankful that God sent His Son. Happy Birthday, Jesus :)

We are currently spending time with family and making lots of fun/hilarious memories.

At the same time, I can't believe it's actually Christmas. Where did this year go?

Here is our Christmas card this year. I blacked out our last name but you get what it looks like!

Merry Christmas everyone & Happy 2012!

Burn baby burn

2011-12-22T07:43:00.000-06:00

One of the worst smells ever is burned popcorn.
Yesterday, a coworker put a mini bag of popcorn in the microwave for 3 minutes.
Um...hello? Isn't that close to the amount of time you put a big bag in?
Clearly common sense wasn't invited to this party.

Anyways, I walk into the break room and just stare at the smoke coming out of the microwave.
I've never seen that before...even with my cooking skills.
I literally did not know what to do...
So I left the break room before the microwave blew up.

Because I'm curious George, I promptly returned to make sure the kitchen had not exploded
and everyone then began flocking to the break room to see what the hello is on fire.
Which thus embarrassed Mr. Common Sense.
He then went on to eat the popcorn...
which was completely black.
absolutely looked nothing like popcorn.
and disgustingly gross.

Unfortunately for me, I smelled like burned popcorn the rest of the day.
And could not help but gag randomly due to the wonderful smell.

More of the story, with popcorn less (time) is more.

She bangs?

2011-12-21T19:38:00.001-06:00

Y'all I got a wild hair (pun intended) and decided to cut my bangs...

My typically, always side swepted bangs...

straight across.

Only I can't decide if I like them...they look so weird to me...so I haven't actually worn them like this. Last night, I did my hair (& took pic) and then chickened out. So now I've been wearing my extra short bangs side swept and it looks ridic. Oh the joys of needing a hair change but not wanting to cut it short!

At least they'll grow!

Dayquil & Whip-its

2011-12-18T17:13:00.002-06:00

Hello, blog world.
I am currently in a dayquil induced coma. Be jealous. Be very, very jealous. Have you noticed that you get ID-ed to buy dayquil these days? Back in the day (ha), when I worked in a pharmacy, we just had to ID you for sudafed. Apparently now, you can make drugs out of anything...

As the cashier ID-ed us, I told her they should started ID-ing for whipped cream (insert Drew rolling his eyes). Again, back in the day when I worked at the pharmacy, a kid got arrested because he got caught doing whip-its in the aisle. Now, if he had just paid for it, he would have gotten to get his high on and avoided jail but clearly, he didn't think that through.

Drew later told me that he was positive Miss Cashier lady thought that story was about me but I just changed the characters.

Whatever.

If I am buying (key word) whipped cream, it's to eat. Yum.

But back to people making drugs out of anything....

We used to have meth heads come into the grocery store/pharmacy and disperse. One would buy 10 things of drain-o, one would buy 10 things of hydrogen peroxide, one would try to buy 10 things of sudafed but I would totally have to slow their roll. Sudafed cannot be bought in bulk.

Although I was wondering if you had 20 million kids, like the Duggars, how do you buy enough medicine without getting in legal trouble?

Ok...enough of my brillance for one blog post.

Just don't do drugs kids.

P.S. I am not drunk or high in this post...unless you count the dayquil, and then I totally am.

Christmas Survey

2011-12-17T10:54:00.000-06:00

I saw this survey on Peanut Butter Fingers and wanted to do it too! Feel free to do it as well.

25 Questions: Holiday Style

Eggnog or hot chocolate?

Blah neither. I'm probably the only person on the planet that does not like hot chocolate or chocolate milk....more for you!

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

Wraps them!

Colored lights on tree/house or white?

We use white lights.

Do you hang mistletoe?

Nope. I guess we never have....

When do you hang your decorations up?

As soon as Drew lets me...usually early November (don't judge).

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

Christmas cookies & candy...oh my.

Favorite holiday memory as a child?

We used to go to church on Christmas Eve and drive around after, looking at everyone's Christmas lights. Then we'd go home and open 1 present (usually PJs) and then go to bed. I would never sleep!

What is on your Christmas wish list?

I actually don't have a lot on the want list...but I do want a new TV...

Do you open a gifts on Christmas Eve?

We really don't have a tradition anymore. We have before....As we got older, my parents would suggest doing it on Christmas Eve so we could sleep in. I personally prefer opening on the day of. It makes it feel more like Christmas.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

White lights & bright ornaments - fuschia, teal, green, red, orange, purple, etc.

Snow? Love it or dread it?

Love it for the first few snows and then I absolutely dread it.

Real tree or fake tree?

Fake...so much easier to clean up. Although, real smells so good.

Do you remember your favorite gift?

Not really. I pretty much love everything I get. Mom surprised me with an iphone one year...like straight up shut off my phone while I was driving back there and I just thought my phone was broken. That was a great gift! I love surprises!

What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you?

Family time!

What is your favorite holiday dessert?

Probably peanut butter balls or oreo balls but I'm not picky :)

What is your favorite tradition?

We're working on starting our own. It's difficult because we have to switch holidays with each side of the family so it's hard to have traditions.

What tops your tree?

A big silver bow.

Do you prefer giving or receiving?

Both :) over think the giving part which makes it not as fun....I put a lot of thought into it and always want everyone to absolutely love their gift & that makes it hard.

What is your favorite Christmas song?

O Holy Night.

Candy canes, yuck or yum?

I could live with or without them...

Favorite Christmas movie?

Christmas Vacation...that was our tradition growing up. Always watched that.

What do you leave for Santa?

Nothing anymore...

Do you have a Christmas morning tradition?

Not anymore...

Do you prefer to shop on-line or at the mall?

Mall...preferably during my lunch break when no one is there!

Christmas letter or Christmas card?

We send Christmas cards BUT I love to read Christmas letters especially when it catches you up on people's lives.

Life lesson #842

2011-12-14T20:40:00.002-06:00

In the event that you were wondering about the purpose of forever stamps, my grandma cleared that up for us. She even put it in writing so we can refer back to it.

The funny part is, the mail I sent her which prompted this letter, had a forever stamp on it.

Dear Lord, please don't let me get old. Love, Alicia

Hilarious!

2011-12-13T19:40:00.001-06:00

Stole this from Megan's blog but it was too funny not to share!

Sadly, we really do say these things!

Enjoy & let me know what you think!

The little things...

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, we all need to focus on "the little things" that make us happy. I try to always focus on the positive and find the good in everything :)...

My happy list?

Freshly washed sheets (love)
Drew surprising me by taking the time to scrape the ice off my car
Sunshine - I'm a much happier person when the sun is out.
Finding a new TV show to love (Glee is my new love)
A "just thinking about you" card, note, or email
A clean house
Family time
Quality time
Cupcakes...surprise cupcakes are the best

That's just a few. I probably have too many!

What's on your happy list?

Weekends are too short.

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

Friday, I crashed someone else's girl's night. I'm cool like that.

Saturday, I got up and made chocolate peanut butter pretzel balls and oreo balls. (Recipes at bottom)
I went to a pinterest party and we experienced a pinterest fail...Hilarious. But it was a really good time! I ate way too much food and my stomach hurt so badly. I seriously left early because I was in so much pain. Eating fairly healthy most of the time = stomach hating me when I eat junk.

Sunday, we became proud owners of a keurig. Woohoo! I am very excited about this new purchase and will be requesting k-cups for Christmas. I also plan to park my tush in front of my TV. My wonderful hubby bought me a blu ray player (for Christmas but I got it early) and I am obsessed with netflix. Current show love = Glee. love. love. love.

2 weeks until Christmas :) I still need to get a few things but I'm very excited to see family!

Here are the recipes from last night:

Oreo Balls
1 package of oreos (16 oz)
1 package of cream cheese (8 oz)
White Almond Bark

Let cream cheese warm to room temperature. Crush oreos in a food processor. Combine in an electric mixer. Roll into balls. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Melt almond bark on the stove. Dip oreo balls in white chocolate. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Try not to eat all of them... :)

Peanut Butter Pretzel Balls
Found on Pinterest
1 1/2 C pretzels (I would use less-mine were too pretzel-y)1/2 C creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp butter, softened
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
Chocolate Almond Bark

Mix peanut butter, butter, brown sugar & salt together. Crush pretzels (I put them in a bag and crushed them with a meat tenderizer) Stir into peanut butter mix. Add powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly. Roll into balls and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Melt almond bark. Dip balls into bark. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Too Much Coffee...

2011-12-11T14:24:00.001-06:00

Friday, my boss & I went to a local elementary to read to some kiddos. They somehow gathered enough adults for 3 elementary schools' worth of kids. We each had a pre-K kid and I'll be honest, I was slightly nervous...

They started passing out kids and the cutest little boy came up to me.
And the silence was no longer.
That sweet little boy talked for seriously a hour & a half...non-stop. My boss was like, "Someone has met her match". Ha.

He was saying the most hilarious things (and some a little TMI as in please don't tell me any more so I don't have to call DCS) like..

Little Boy: I'm so tired today. I didn't sleep at all.
Me: Why not?
LB: I drank too much coffee last night.
Me....trying not to bust out laughing...

Me: I like your ears.
LB: THEY'RE called ANTLERS!
Me: Oh...sorry. I like your antlers!

LB: I have 20 friends. Do you have a lot of friends?

LB: WHAT is that thing on your finger?!
Me: It's a ring. I'm married.
LB: MARRIED?!? (with disgust/confusion) My grandma and grandpa were married but I was asleep (I think he meant he wasn't alive yet).

a few minutes later

LB: My mom and daddy were boyfriend and girlfriend but then they broke up and my dad moved into another house. He has another girlfriend but I keep forgetting her name.

LB: coughs I think I'm sick but my sister doesn't think I'm sick but I think I am. I think I should go to the doctor.
Me: Maybe you have allergies?
LB: What are allergies?
Me: Sometimes there's things in the air that can make you cough and feel sick..
LB: Well, I have been around smoke alot...

LB: I really like chocolate milk and orange juice. My favorite orange juice is pineapple.

LB: Why is Santa's beard white?

LB: I don't like peppermint. It makes your breath stink.
(And then he ate his entire candy cane)

LB: My sister was watching a show on all the ways to die. (I think it's that 1,000 ways to die show or something?)

LB: Are you wearing make up?
Me: Yes, does it look good?
LB: just stares...Well, do you have pink make up?
Me: Yes.
LB: What about blue?

LB: Do you talk a lot?
Me: Yes, but so do you.
LB: No, I don't.

Me: Can I read this to you?
LB: Yes.
Me: started reading & was like 5 words into book.....
LB: Hold on, can I tell you my animal noises?

He never let me read the book.

When I went to give him the book at the end...
Me: This book is for you. You get to take it home.
LB: Why?
Me: Because it's for you.
LB: Is it because you're my friend or something?

I had so much fun with him. I seriously laughed the entire time I was there.
Here's a pic with my little buddy!

Winter Wonderland

2011-12-08T20:28:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, Drew woke me up...before my alarm went off. Now if you know me, or have read my blog for any length of time, you know that people don't mess with me and my sleep.

I was none too pleased when he woke me up and told me it had snowed.

I thought he was joking.

But alas, he was not.

So I got my unhappy bootay up so I could leave early to head to work.

It was a gorgeous surpise!

I blared my Josh Groban Noel CD & enjoyed the winter wonderland...

They say no texting & driving but nothing about taking pictures & driving....

Notice the one car without snow...Thanks hubs!

Also notice said neighbors backing their cars in...#petpeeve

In other news, it's my favorite father-in-law's birthday! Happy Birthday, young'n. See you soon :)

Old & Senile...

2011-12-07T19:13:00.001-06:00

At our company luncheon on Friday, a retiree started talking to my boss & I about being 70-something and how much she loves it.

She said, "You can say whatever you want because people already think you're old & senile...& crazy." To which my boss replied, "Well, Alicia already says whatever she wants."

Oops. That's not normal? Guess I must be old & senile....or better yet, crazy :)

And in my defense, despite what others may think, I DO have a filter. They're lucky they can't hear all my thoughts :)

Christmas Paaartaaay.

2011-12-04T17:18:00.001-06:00

This weekend was Drew's annual Christmas party. I was super unprepared and didn't even go look for a dress. So I sported the one I wore in 2009...gasp.

Here's a pics from '09 (missing my hair cut from then!)

And then in 2011. Good news, dress still fits lol but I have definitely lost my tan....

There were some entertaining people at this party. By entertaining, I mean drunk. And by drunk, I mean not me. But the guy in the picture above was alone on the dance floor with his girlfriend. He thus proceeded to get on one knee and she got on one knee too. They then made out and fell on the floor, making out. Then Brooke (red dress) decided to break it up. Oh boy then posed on the floor. I captured it as he was getting up.

But then I decided it was a great idea to pose in this manner (once he had left). Only, I'm fragile and my hip is now bruised from being on the hard wood floor.

Oh and I bruised my hand...again from clapping. (You can't really see it in this pic) Super painful. I also did this during the LSU/Arkansas game.

Basically, you can't take me anywhere :) Here's the an un-bruising rest of the weekend!

Check your pockets!

2011-12-02T07:17:00.001-06:00

That's going to be our new motto in this apartment.

I'm almost positive Drew is trying to sabotage all my clothes, which he clearly does not understand that it just means....MORE CLOTHES SHOPPING.

~~Earlier this month~~ in November, my wonderful husband did the laundry for me. This isn't rare...he's very helpful around the house. Except, this time...I guess he forgot to check his pockets.

Pen...everywhere. Sweaters, pants & underwear alike. No one was exempt from the evil reign of the pen.

I got over that until yesterday, when I realized I had something oily on a lot of my freshly cleaned clothes.....and then I found it....

Chapstick.

The chapstick lid was still on...but once you opened it up, every single bit of it was gone....& most definitely on my clothes.

So our new motto is going to be...check your pockets, before your wife kills you...or makes you go shopping. :)

Recappin'

2011-11-30T19:10:00.001-06:00

Do you ever have times when you open up blogger and then decide you don't have the mental energy to blog? Pick me! But here I am, never fear!

Let me catch you up on my life....

We went to Faytown for Thanksgiving. I had a blast but between Thanksgiving, my brother's 16th birthday party, LSU/Arkansas :( game, I felt like it went way too quickly.

We also celebrated Christmas with my family. So you know mom had to bring out the old school ornaments. This is from '91.

Despite losing our game (don't talk to me about this...I'm still mourning), my sister decided to dress her cat up in a Razorback hoodie. It's a kitty-thug life for him. (Yes, my sis is cruel. Poor cat)

Me & Scared cat.

When we came home on Sunday, people on Twitter were talking about the chance of snow.
Well it was snooow joke (ha! tired=corny)

Monday, on the way home from work, it started snowing. It never really accumulate, though. But I will say I have been feeling sickly lately and it is probably because it was 65 and then 3 days later, snowing. I live in the land of bipolar weather.

The Christmas parties start this weekend. I'm excited but can't believe tomorrow is December. Where did 2011 go?

Here's to the week being more than half over :)

I am thankful.

2011-11-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

This is the token thanksgiving post but I seriously could not do it. I am beyond absolutely and completely blessed and am ridiculously thankful for all that I have (in no particular order)...

My salvation and relationship with Jesus Christ, my Savior. I am so thankful that it is by grace I am saved and not because of works. Because let's face it, that would not be promising for me. I make mistakes a lot.
My family. I seriously have the best, most loving and entertaining family. We love being together and laugh the entire time. It makes me sad to be far away from them.
Drew's family. You can't choose your family but you can choose your spouse and his family. Family is such a huge part of who I am and so it was a personal requirement for me to love his family, too and I do. I am so thankful that they've welcomed me with open arms. We are both so blessed to come from wonderful families and they will both make wonderful grandparents one day far, far down the road :)
Our apartment. Believe me, I can complain for hours about my neighbors and their noisy, odd behaviors but I am thankful for a big apartment. It's cozy and we don't have to worry about lawncare or maintenance and they deliver fire wood to my door.
Our cars. Not only do they get us from point A to point B but I love my car (and would love Drew's but he refuses to teach me to drive a stick...cough, cough). We bought my car last August and have enjoyed have a new (my first brand new) car to drive on our many road trips!
Our health. I try to thank God every single day for our health because I know it is fleeting. We have had a fairly healthy year with only a few minor colds. I would call that blessed. Especially knowing that one of our relatives is dealing with cancer and chemo.
Our jobs. In a time when unemployment is high, I am so grateful that we both have jobs.
Food. Sometimes, a little too much but I am thankful we have food in the fridge and that I am learning to expand my cooking horizons. Hopefully in 2012, I will start meal planning.
Cell Phones, TV & the Internet. I know this isn't a necessity but what did we do without them?
Clothes. Obviously. I like clothes a little too much...maybe...sorta.
Holidays. Time to celebrate with family and friends. It breaks up the monotony of the year and maybe, hopefully, allows us to think about others, reflect on our blessings and celebrate the birth of Christ.
Heat & AC. I wouldn't consider myself super HM (High Maintenance) but I'm pretty sure I would not function well without heating and cooling. So thankful we leave in an age with these luxuries.
Toilet paper & indoor toilets. Out houses? Um, again with the HM thing.

I'm sure I missed a bunch but as you can see, I am so blessed.
What are you thankful for today?

Football.

2011-11-20T14:24:00.001-06:00

I know some of you may find this weird but I am a girl and I love football. College, preferably. Razorbacks, of course. And this post is about my love so if you hate it, just disregard :)

You may think I'm joking but my husband literally confines me to the bedroom while watching Razorback games. Apparently screaming, throwing things, and calling the hogs loudly is not acceptable football watching behavior. In fact, he informed me that I'm "over the top". I'm positive my neighbors love and appreciate my passion. About as much as I love their yapping-will-not-be-quiet dog. Oh well, the price you pay for not waiting to commit to buying a home.

But I also have an appreciation for awesome games. Like last night, I almost had a heart attack over the Baylor/Oklahoma game and would have probably felt the same about the USC/Oregon game but for whatever reason, it wasn't on here.

The reason I was so invested in games with teams I could care less about (no offense) is because 3 of the top 5 teams were knocked out Friday & Saturday which means my lovely Razorbacks should now be #3 in the BCS (which will be released tonight). This is HUGE. We haven't done this in like 50 years.

And I'm already anxious about Friday when we play LSU. I have been informed that there is NO WAY Arkansas will win and that makes me even more hopeful. (P.S. don't add your opinion when you don't know what you're talking about...)

Because in 2008, we were awful and beat them 31-30 in Death Valley. This is the same year they (LSU) went on to play in the National Championship game and won. So what I'm saying is, weirder things have happened. I realize that LSU is definitely the better team and we will not be able to make our little (big) mistakes that we are infamous for, but in the SEC, you never know....wishful thinking :)

What about you? Do you love football or hate it? Who is your team?

Crazy Target Lady...

2011-11-19T15:00:00.001-06:00

Drew's best friend, Danny, wrote on my facebook wall that I remind him of the crazy lady in Target's Black Friday commercials. I find this both hilarious and frightening....Let's hope I'm not as annoying. But maybe, I have an idea for next year's Halloween costume!

Who have you been compared to?

Oddity...

2011-11-16T19:38:00.001-06:00

I've discovered a very odd habit I have.
It may have been around for a long time but I used to sleep alone until we got married so who knows when this started....
I sleep talk.
There, I said it.
I feel so much better knowing that I could confess to you instead of my husband telling my stories.

Let me preface this with, I'm a very, unfortunately light sleeper.

When Drew comes to bed after me and I've been asleep for like a hour, I attempt to have a convo with him.

He says mostly it's jibberish but the other night, I dreamed - but then realized it was real life - that I was coughing and Drew said "Are you okay"? To which I replied "I'm choking on my words". He was at this point laughing at me...."You're choking on your words??" "Yes!!! I'm choking on my words". I am also very adament in my sleep and get mad when he questions me. I will also tell him that I'm awake but I'm not really and this time, I woke up and kept trying to explain what I meant. Most of the time, I only remember it once he has reminded me but I do remember this night.

Another time, after being obsessed with words with friends and playing like 21 different games, I fell asleep. He came in a hour later and I ask him "How to spell some word (can't remember word) on words with friends" and he said "Alicia, I don't have an IPhone, I can't play words with friends" and it really bothered me that he wouldn't play WWF with me but I really didn't know how to spell whatever the word was and that made me even more annoyed lol. This is his favorite story to tell our new friends. Thanks, hubs.

What are your weird quirks?

My weekend

2011-11-13T19:13:00.001-06:00

was fabulous.

Friday night, we went to the local college's exhibition game thanks to one of Drew's athlete's parents. We had awesome seats and so much fun. I've decided to embrace this place and have made a mental list of things I'd like to do/see and one of those things was go to one of the college basketball games here (check) :)

Saturday, we got up bright & early and headed to Nashville to visit some of our college friends. T & Tim are probably the most hilarious couple I know. He's from Jersey, She's from North Carolina. He's got the Jersey-ish accent and she's all twang. She makes up words and he makes fun of her. I literally laughed our entire trip. It was so nice to be around people that know us and I realized how much I missed them. Forgot the camera...fail.

Today we got up early (notice the trend...) and came home. Drove straight to the mall for some Christmas shopping and then I came home and cleaned up some and Drew helped me put up the Christmas tree.

Yes, you read that right. Drew helped me put up the Christmas tree. I know both are shocking - he's never helped me before and it's before thanksgiving but I like to enjoy my decor. I didn't put lights or ornaments on it yet but plan to tomorrow-ish. Don't judge :)

And on a side note, today we stopped by Papa Murphy's to get a pizza for dinner tonight and it was amazing. If you don't know what Papa Murphy's is, it's a place where they make the pizza in front of you and then you take & bake the pizza. Um...YUM!

And on another side note, my body has decided to wake up at ungodly hours and not go back to sleep. Friday, I woke up at 4:30 and suffered from extreme anxiety because I was afraid I wouldn't hear my alarm if I went back to sleep. Issues...

Anyways, hope you had a fabulous weekend. Less than 2 weeks til Thanksgiving :)

One of those days...

2011-11-08T19:16:00.001-06:00

It's just been one of those days...for really no reason at all.
I woke up on the wrong side of the day, spilled muliple drinks on myself, and the wind slammed my ankle in the car door so that hurt all day.

Basically, I'm so happy that it's almost time to go back to bed. Hoping tomorrow is a better day!
Hope y'all had a better day than me :)

Drop it like it's hot...

2011-11-03T19:28:00.001-05:00

Y'all, I mentioned before that I was doing MyFitnessPal. 2 Sundays ago, Drew decided to join me on this little weight loss journey.

9 weeks in, I've lost 11 lbs. I was super duper pumped about this....until my husband weighed in after his 1st week of doing it and had lost 12 lbs. Count them 1.2.

I was filled with annoyance and pride all rolled into one. Proud that he had stuck with it for one week and lost weight and annoyed because it took me 10 weeks to lose less than him.

Apparently, boys drop it like it's hot.
And girls hoard it like a pack-rat.
It's just not fair.

I'm ready for my weight to drop it like it's hot. Only 11 more lbs to go to reach my goal :)

Monday's Madness

2011-10-31T20:52:00.000-05:00

So, if you've been living under a rock or are unplugged from the world, you may have missed the fact that Kim Kardashian filed for divorce today.

via

72 days AFTER they got married....or whatever that production was.

And y'all? They didn't even know each other at this time last year.

Ugh, I'm super disappointed and kinda angered. I mean, I didn't expect this to last forever but seriously? 72 days? That's it? That's not even the good college try.

Some people have a seriously misconstrued, sick idea of marriage...or wedding...or whatever that was. I just don't get it. Totally annoyed.

And J.Simp. finally announced her pregnancy with this picture on twitter.

via

Don't worry. I'm disturbed too.

I can think of 10,000 more attractive ways to make this announcement.

Also, Regions announced that they won't be charging debit card fees. Thank God.

If you don't bank with Regions, you may check with your bank. From what I heard, customers' backlash has made them change their minds.

Good thing because I was contemplating getting all my money and putting it in a coffee can and burying in my backyard. Only, I can't remember the last time I saw a coffee can and I have no yard to bury it in (thanks, apartments).

My laptop charger decided to die. That would be AC adapter #2.

My husband asked what I did to it.

Um...nothing. It's not my fault I keep getting defective chargers, duh.

I think that's it for now. I have to go because my computer is about the die.

Seriously, it's threatening me with evil noises and messages.

P.S. Tomorrow is November. Where did time go?

Halloween!!!

2011-10-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

I was Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's for Halloween. So much fun!

I tried to recreate some looks....

via

Here's some pics from the party we went to!

My hubby was "Where's Waldo".

Wilma, me, Daffaney (sp?)

Wilma, me, hippie

We had a great time! It was freezing though so I ended up putting on my coat. This Florida girl cannot hang with Mr. Winter.

Happy Halloween!

What did you dress up as?

Last Day - Erin Condren Voucher & Promo Code

2011-10-29T09:30:00.003-05:00

This week, I blogged about the deal at Plum District for a $25 voucher that is worth $50 - which is what the life planner costs! Well, today is the last day!!

I've received a 30% off Plum District coupon code which would make the voucher $17.50! So basically you would just pay $17.50 for a $50 planner. Plus, if you use the code "welcome10" on erincondren.com, you'll get an additional $10 off.

Click here to order the voucher & use promo code "spooky30" to get 30% off :)

Crock pottin'

2011-10-26T07:21:00.001-05:00

One thing I actually like about cold weather is the food. Well, let's face it, I love food at all times ;)

Another great thing about winter food is the crock pot. I don't know about you but by the time I get home, I'm brain dead and can't ever decide what I want to cook/eat/etc. So making a crock pot meals helps reserve my brain power for more important things....~~like reality tv~~

So I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite crock pot recipe (or just regular recipe) websites in case you're like me...~~lazy~~...

Skinny Taste
Skinny Crock Pot
Crock Pot Girls
Cooking Light

Notice, I'm trying to eat healthy? Skinny, skinny, light.

What are your fav cooking websites? I can never have too many websites.

And in case you're looking for some quick recipes, I made these two this week:

I found this chili recipe on Skinny Crock Pot and it looked a tons easier than my mom's (which I love but did not want to take the time to do).

1 lb lean ground turkey breast (about 93% lean) (I used 90/10 beef because I had it in the freezer)
1 small yellow onion (diced)

1 tsp rubbed sage

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp Kosher or sea salt
___________________________
Combine the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Cook in a skillet on medium-low  heat, breaking up turkey into small pieces, and cook until no longer pink.
___________________________

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans with liquid

1 (15 oz) can black beans with liquid

1 (14.5 oz) natural diced tomatoes (no salt) (I used 2)

1 ( 16 oz) can natural tomato paste (I could only find 12 oz)

2 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp Kosher or sea salt

1/4 tsp cayenne red pepper

1 cup water

Directions:
Add cooked meat and all other above ingredients to crock pot, cook on low 4 to 6 hours, stir occasionally. Add additional water if too much liquid is absorbed.

Tip: Turkey will need some fat so it's best to buy between 90% - 93% lean. The recipe is this photo was made with 93% lean and was very tasty!

Spoon into bowls and enjoy!

***Note: this was very good. We're eating leftovers today and I expect them to be even better. Chili always tastes better after everything has "settled in". I also added garlic to this and I cut up enough onion and garlic to save in a container for the next day's recipe (below). This saved me a ton of time...FYI :)
_______________________________________________________
And the next recipe which has been my favorite crock pot recipe so far:

Balsamic Chicken (which I found at Crock Pot Recipe Exchange)

4-6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (Only 3 fit in the bottom of my crockpot)

2 14.5 oz can diced or crushed tomatoes
1 onion thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves (I minced these when I cut up the onions)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (I added a little bit more than this...)
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp each: dried oregano,basil, and rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
ground black pepper and salt to taste

Directions:
Pour the olive oil on bottom of a 3 - 5 quart crock pot
Place the chicken breasts in crock pot, salt and pepper each breast
Put sliced onion on top of chicken
Then put in all the dried herbs and garlic cloves
Pour in vinegar and top with tomatoes
Cook on high 3 hours or low for 4 - 6 hours. Serve over angel hair pasta and garnish with fresh parsley or basil.

***Note: instead of using all of those dried seasonings, I bought 1 can of the diced tomatoes with rosemary and oregano and another with the oregano, basil, and garlic = time saver :) I always throw my crock pot recipes together in the morning so any time saved = more sleeping time :)

What are your favorite recipes?

PinkTogether Giveaway!

2011-10-25T07:17:00.000-05:00

This summer, Drew's sweet Aunt Kim was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She eats healthy, exercises, and I would consider her the epitome of health.

But unfortunately, this disease didn't care that she's healthy and it has poisoned her body.

She's currently undergoing chemo. She strong and they caught it early so I have full expectations that she will be okay and she will be even stronger because of this.

But what about the people who aren't?

What about breast cancer patients and survivers who don't have support?

What about patients' & survivers' family & friends? How are they supported?

The whole point of celebrating October as breast cancer awareness month is to bring awareness to this awful disease and to support breast cancer survivors and sufferers & their family members and friends.

You can have an avenue to do that at PinkTogether and at PinkTogether's YouTube channel. According to PinkTogether, it began with the belief that one person’s story is another person’s hope. Today, it’s a place where breast cancer survivors, patients, family members, and supporters can connect to each other to share guidance, hope and maybe, one day, a cure.

"To encourage personal connections, General Mills will donate $1 to the Komen organization for each Message of Hope that is sent to someone who has shared their story on PinkTogether.com (up to $25,000) during October. This is in addition to a $2 million donation General Mills is making to the Komen organization."

On top of General Mills donating $1 to the Komen organization for each Message of Hope, General Mills is also offering this wonderful prize pack to one of my readers!

Your prize pack will contain:

A 16 oz. box of Total cereal
VIP coupons valid for one box of Cheerios and Multigrain Cheerios cereal and one cup of Yoplait yogurt
Betty Crocker Living with Cancer Cookbook Pink Together Edition, which includes a collection of more than 150 delicious recipes with complete nutrition information and a 32-page Pink Together Survivor Ambassador bonus section that shares inspirational personal stories of survival as well as recipes
Water bottle and removable silicone awareness bracelet
Drawstring sport backpack
Rhinestone ear buds

To enter (you can have a total of 5 entries):

Go "like" PinkTogether & leave me a comment stating that you did (one entry)Let me know:
How you have been touched by breast cancer (one entry)
How you have interacted with the community on PinkTogether (one entry)
What you find most inspiring about the Pink Together community (one entry)
If you have chosen the Komen program you feel most passionate about
at PinkTogether (one entry)

Winner will be randomly selected on Monday, October 29 at 10 am CST.

"Disclosure: The Pink Together prize pack, information and coupons have been provided free of charge by General Mills through MyBlogSpark."

$25 off Erin Condren planner

2011-10-24T19:25:00.000-05:00

Dying for an Erin Condren life planner but not wanting to fork out $50? Here is a link for a $25 voucher which will make it half off!

If you're looking for a way to stay organized or are trying to get organized...this is for you! Click here.

Love planners. Love this planner. Woohoo. If you order, let me know what you think!

Photos!

2011-10-23T18:06:00.003-05:00

Y'all, I finally uploaded pics from my camera. Super exciting. [insert sarcam]

Last week, we went tailgating.

Tuesday, I dressed up for our annual halloween carnival.

Yesterday, we went to a wedding. I was dying to get a pic with my hubby but we were running late. And then it was hot in the place and thus, no pic occurred. Sad day. Instead, I did get 2 pics with Dorothy.

I had a great week. Only complaint? Too short...per usual.

It's Friday!

2011-10-21T07:20:00.000-05:00

It's Friday! It's Friday! It's Friday!
Okay now that I got that out of my system....

We have a busy (as usual) weekend planned which includes a wedding and football watching. I must balance a "manly" activity (football) with a "girly" activity (wedding). So now that I'm all balanced out, what are your plans?

The little Indian...

2011-10-20T18:54:00.001-05:00

I've been busy saving the world with these super heroes.

Tuesday night we had a halloween carnival at the place I volunteer and although I thought I dressed like an indian, all the little girls thought I was Pocahantas.

What are you going to be for Halloween?

Random

2011-10-18T07:15:00.001-05:00

Bonjourno Bloggers! I wish I had a super exciting reason to be MIA but really, I'm just busy.

On another note, yesterday, I changed our TV package for $10 extra and now I get Bravo. Finally. I know I shouldn't, but I enjoy trashy housewives!

We had a great weekend. Sunday, Drew & I saw Footloose and I really liked it. Now before you drink your haterade, I've never seen the original but this one is funny! Drew said he may like it more than the original!

We also shopped for our halloween costumes...which will remain MIA until after our party!

I also found out yesterday, with the rest of America, that Guiliana Rancic has breast cancer.

via

Breast cancer is such a sad disease that affects 1 in 8 women. It's insane how one minute you can be walking around fine and the next minute, you find out you have the "C" word and that word, cancer, is enough to scare the bleep out of you. I'll be honest, I remember when we heard the "C" word not too long ago...

Just remember, early detection is key.

And boys aren't exempt from breast cancer.

Monthly breast exams are necessary, peeps.

Word.

Dear Husband...

2011-10-12T20:07:00.002-05:00

I'm just trying to elongate my life....

And this even came from Women's Health Magazine...a totally credible source, if you ask me.

Love,

Your shopaholic wife.

Quick Trip

2011-10-10T20:35:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I had the bright idea to head on home for a quick, 24 hour trip. By 24 hours, I mean we left at 5 am on Saturday & arrived around 10. Then left at 10 the next day.

But not for just anything, it was for the Hog/Auburn game and I had an absolute blast.

Welcome to a picture & football heavy post.

First off, tailgate time. Drew did come with me. We just failed to take a pic together :(

I got to see Meredith

Mom & Sis of course

And my girls!

The flyover

Our favorite flag boy lol

Pork Chop getting ready for the run through...

Aubie contemplating taunting us...

Here come the hogs!

My brother played football with Kiehl, so I had to get a pic of him.

Michael Dyer running it in for the 1st TD of the night...and only 1 of 2 TDs for Auburn. :)

My old coworker's husband & son.

Auburn liked to jump.

Holly Rowe...I want her job.

Discussing the 2nd half with Gene Chizik.

Word!

Lets.Call.Those.Hogs.

I got to see most of my friends, spend time with the family, and watch the Hogs play.

Totally worth the quick trip.

How was your weekend?

Christmas?

2011-10-05T07:19:00.000-05:00

Y'all, I want to start listening to Christmas music. In early October? Yes, I don't care. Last year, I have my tree up pretty early so I could enjoy it. I feel like the Christmas season comes & goes so quickly especially because we're ~~world~~ U.S. travelers. While some people are all YOU MUST WAIT UNTIL THANKSGIVING to put your tree up, I'm a non-discriminator. In fact, I've already bought 2 Christmas gifts :)

Now before you think I'm completely off my rocker, I will wait until Novemberish to put up my tree.

Okay, so what are your thoughts on Christmas decorating and the timeframe?

Nail Polish Loves

2011-10-04T07:22:00.002-05:00

Good morning sunshines!
Don't let my tone fool you, I'm still not a morning person. No matter how many times, I drag (literally drag) my behind out of bed after being awaken by ~~the devil~~ an alarm, I still cannot "wake up" for a few hours. Yawn. Sigh. #whitegirlproblems

Anyways, you know my love for nail polish. If you don't, now you do. I recently got 2 fun colors that I thought I'd share with you :)

Fair Game

It's in Essie's resort collection aka so last summer. By last, I mean 2011.

But I loved it anyway even if it does show I'm late to the party.

Another color I loved...which is likely another oldie but goodie is...

Moon over Mumbai

You can't see how gorgeous this is because there's no contrast between the white of the background and the light grey color but loooove. It's perfect for work because I can still have a "fun" color but it's pretty neutral so they won't say anything.
The only negative? I seriously painted like 4 coats to get to make it opaque.

Speaking of, I'm trying to talk them into allowing "fun" nail polish colors at work...which would make my life. No exaggeration [insert sarcasm font here] but seriously, it would make me happy.

So what colors are you wearing this fall?

Speaking of fall, we've had some chilly mornings lately & I love it....until it gets cold enough to snow and then I become a hermit. :)

Weekend Recap

2011-10-03T07:24:00.000-05:00

Let's start this little blog post on Thursday since I've gone into blog fail mode.

Thursday, I got my hair did.

She went darker than I expected but I like it.

& don't my un-accessory-ness in this pic. I definitely added AFTER I took this pic.

Saturday was the company picnic at the big boss' lake house. By big boss, I mean President & Owner.

Saturday was also the day that Arkansas made it to 10 in the AP polls. Woo Pig Sooie. We needed that "W".

Sunday, Drew & I shopped and then I went to dinner with some blog girls.

Oh and made this! Yum.

How was your weekend?
Happy Monday!

Apple Crumb Pie

2011-10-02T21:03:00.000-05:00

If you're looking for a yummy twist on the classic apple pie, this is it! If you're looking for a low fat dessert, this isn't it. Turn away now! Just a warning. My mom makes this often and it is requested my husband who doesn't even like apple pie...

Start with the basic pillsbury crust. Let it warm to room temperature so it'll be easier to work with.

You'll then peel & thinly slice about 4 cups of apples. Actually, I don't measure it, I just fill up the pie pan.

Then you'll add 1/2 c sugar & some cinnamon to the apples. Then you'll slice 1/2 stick of butter (don't worry, it gets worse!)

Now that you're done with the actual pie, you'll make the crumb topping. Add 1 c of flour, 1 c of sugar, a dash of cinnamon & a full stick of butter (bring on the love handles!) You'll take the little pastry blender and...

Make it into a crumble

You'll then put the crumble on the pie

Bake for 45-60 minutes (I checked at 45 & stuck a fork into it to see if the apples were soft)

Then eat...with ice cream...but not too much, you don't want to ruin your daily calorie allowance. :)

See? Easy as pie.

Apple Crumb Pie

Pie

1 Pillsbury Crust warmed to room temperature

4 c of thinly sliced apples (I just fill the pie pan)

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 c sugar (mom usually uses less depending on if the apples she uses are sweet or not)

Dash of cinnamon

Crumb Topping

1 c sugar

1 c flour

1 stick of butter, softened

Dash of cinnamon

Slice apples and put in crust. Add sliced butter, sugar & cinnamon.

Combine rest of sugar & flour. Add dash of cinnamon & a softened stick of butter. Use pastry blender to make crumble. Add crumble to top of pie. Bake on 350 for 45-60 minutes (test with fork)

Hair Did...

2011-09-27T20:29:00.000-05:00

I told my dad I needed to get my hair did. He quickly corrected me, "it's getting your hair DONE. Done not did". I explained that my private school education did not fail me and I knew the proper way to say it but around these parts, you can get away with getting your hair did.

Anyways, today I was supposed to get my hair did but my hair girl & friend was sick so it's pushed back a few days which is probably good because I forgot to prepare and decide what I'm going to do lol.

This is the hair today. And yes, I look thrilled and yes, my hair looks awful. It's okay, mornings aren't my favorite.

This is the hair back in July...the last time I got it done. oops. It's grown a bunch.

And it's grown a lot since last October.

I will eventually go back to this cut but I don't think it'll be this time because I would eventually love my hair to look like this....

I don't usually like ombre when it's super extreme but I think I definitely love this.

Unfortunately, after texting with my hair friend, we think my hair is too short to pull this off.

Grow, hair, grow!

What styles are you going to try for fall?

My weekend

2011-09-25T17:50:00.002-05:00

Well...right now I am currently doing something I thought I would be able to wait until spring to do....

listening to the screech of the tornado sirens...joy.

and watching our crazy weather men freak out because this is clearly riveting.

But in other news, in the event that we get blown away, I had a great weekend. Minus my hoggies losing..

Let's start with Thursday...

My sweet hubby turned 28. I met him when he was 21 and he turned 22 on the day he first visited me. Man, we've been together for a while :)
Unfortunately he had to work so I celebrated without him ha. I surprised him with this huge cookie cake at work since I felt bad that he had to work. Oh the joys of being a grown up...

Friday, I had the brilliant idea to give blood.

Which resulted in feeling awful for the remainder of the day.

Ugh, remind me not to do that again.

Saturday, I woke up with anticipation of a fantastic game of football...

&....

seeing my BFF Chaney! Yay!

(notice my arkansas attire)

Unfortunately, our game did not end so well. But we did have people over & had so much fun.

Sundays are usually our date day since the week is so busy so today Drew & I went to the movies to see Drive. It was super weird & bloody. We both didn't love it. So no, I don't recommend it.

Busy week ahead for this girl.

Hope you enjoy the last bit of your weekend!

There's some fun premieres tonight :)

What are you watchin'?

Couponing...

2011-09-20T20:44:00.003-05:00

I am by no means an avid couponer.

I don't have the time.

I don't really understand it...like the whole double coupons, getting stuff free thing.

I do love saving money but I don't obsess over it.

Anyways, the other day I strolled by the $1 bin at Target & came across this little gem...

It's small enough to fit in my purse

And has little tabs on it so I could easily organize the coupons I have.

Do you coupon? How do you organize them?

MyFitnessPal

2011-09-19T19:48:00.000-05:00

Today was my 1st allergy shot. Way better than the allergy testing.

In other news, I'm starting my 3rd week of MyFitnessPal aka I'm starving. ha. No, but seriously I am only designated 1340 calories which is not a lot...or at least not for me.

As a huge WW advocate, I didn't think I could do anything else. But let's face it, not to be negative, I hate the new points plus system. I had all the points memorized & this just totally threw a kink in my plan. Plus it totally threw me off that everything was so many more points.

The good news is MFP is free and it's teaching me make better choices and decipher between real hunger or when I think I should be eating....like right now. I'm not hungry - I ate dinner - but I think I need a snack because I'm watching tv. I have no reason to have a snack so I'm not.

This is weird but I've started looking at it like a game. Like shopping for the best deal, I want the best deal for my calories. Why would I eat a small bag of potato chips (mostly air how they're packaged), when I can have a 160 cal mini bag of popcorn (which is a good amount of popcorn).

The trick is to plan. I know, I know...I get/got sick of hearing people say that but it's the truth. Today, I had to go get food for my boss' meeting & he told me to get myself lunch as well so I looked up the nutrition info and chose from that. I also try to keep snacks on hand like light string cheese, light yogurt, popcorn mini bags, peaches, pears, carrots, etc.

I also love reading all the message boards on MFP - they inspire me to keep at it. There are people on there who have dropped 100+ lbs in a year, etc. I don't have that much weight to lose but I have about 20 lbs that I'd like to get rid of. And I figure there's no time but the present. Everyday I choose to not eat within my calorie range & make healthy choices, is another day further from my goal. At the end of the day, it's a choice. You either want to or you don't. No one can make you but yourself.

Hopefully I'll stick with this but I'm happy I've stuck with it this long. Have you tried MFP? What's your thoughts?

Shots, Shots, Shots, Shots!

2011-09-13T20:08:00.003-05:00

Excuse me, I just got the LMFAO song stuck in my head.

But for a reason, because shots are on the brain.

I've suffered through 2 days of allergy testing.

2 days of needles & itching & pain.

Yes, I'm being dramatic.

It's my blog, duh.

Anyways, here are the results....

If there is a check, I am allergic to it and the "+" is the severity of it.

Basically, I'm allergic to everything.

Lucky me :)

And so, I will be receiving weekly allergy shots.

I am actually thrilled because I thought I was just going to have to live with my allergies.

Nope!

Unfortunately, they gave me a sheet on how to deal with mold & dust allergies and the sheet recommends dusting/vacuuming everyday. Well, kids, that's absolutely impossible for me. Oh well.

Anyways, I'm super duper itchy right now. Besides having tiny bumps from the testing, I also have mosquito bites all over my legs. I even spray Off on them and to no avail.

Itch, itch, itch!

Happy Tuesday!

9/11

2011-09-10T11:28:00.003-05:00

I cannot believe it's been 10 years since 9/11.

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was living in Puerto Rico and was at school. People kept talking about things hitting some building. And then I heard it was trains that hit a building. Then I found out it was the twin towers. And then I found out the real story. And then we all ran to the library to watch the aftermath.

I remember not being able to wrap my head around it. I just couldn't understand why someone would want to cause so much destruction & death.

I remember going home that day and meeting up with my friends (they all lived in my neighborhood) and how eerily quiet everyone was. Almost like we didn't know what to say and we didn't feel right laughing & joking around after such a horrific tragedy took place.

It's been 10 years and in someways, I think our country has forgotten. Right after 9/11, people were more supportive & loving towards each other. They were respectful, as if we were all on the same team. And we are. Despite different nationalities, races, sexes, religions, etc. we are all Americans. We all suffered on 9/11 (some way more than others).

So today, I am thankful for my freedom, my relationships, and my safety thus far. Sometimes, we all just need to remember...

Where were you 9/11?

Yo Essie!

2011-09-07T07:18:00.000-05:00

I'd definitely be okay if you wanted to send me your new fall collection to review.
All I talk about is you on Twitter anyways.

But in all seriousness, I've already poured out my love for Essie but I think I shall again.

I've been lusting over this gray color for months & months & months. Finally on Thursday, I decided I needed it.

Love. love. love.

I seriously stared at my nails all weekend. It's call Chinchilly & I love it.

So what's your favorite brand/color of nail polish?

Hog Weekend

2011-09-05T20:34:00.002-05:00

This weekend, I went to the ole hometown to spend time with my family & go to the Hogs' football game. Let me just say that I am SO happy it's football season. Guaranteed Saturday plans :)

Friday night, we went out & it was super fun to drink with my little sis....a little too much fun. I was huuurting Saturday. Mixing beer + liquor = never a good idea for me.

My BFF Chaney came too!

And my sis' BFF...also named Lauren

Saturday, we hit up a few tailgates prior to the game.

And then my sis, mom, dad & I went to the game. My little brother was at a retreat so I didn't see him much.

Great weekend. I was super sad to leave and annoyed with myself for being sad but such is a life. I'm happy to be home to my husband & sleep in my own bed tonight. I've got a busy, meeting-packed week.

Enjoy the rest of your long weekend :)

Oh it burns!

2011-08-30T20:48:00.001-05:00

This morning around 5:00, I heard a a big boom. I literally, in my sleep, wondered if someone had been shot but then explained to myself that it wouldn't have sounded like that and then I quit worrying because after all, I was asleep.

Then Drew came & woke me up telling me I needed to see something really awesome.

What's awesome at 5 am?

Sleep.

But I guess this was even more awesome.

So he tells me a car has exploded in the parking lot and we go out to be nosy neighbors.

The whole car was engulfed in flames but luckily, the fire department arrived and saved the day!

or the morning...very, very early morning I might add.

I guess the big bang I heard in my sleep (Drew confirmed that he heard it too and I didn't just dream it) was the glass exploding.

Below is a pic of the aftermath.

I couldn't get one of the actual flames because I didn't want to look like a paparazzi, tourist, freak at 5 am taking flash photography of someone's now carless state.

I am more sympathetic than that....

So I waited til they went inside...

Oh snap.

Moral of the story, you should be sleeping at 5 am. Not trying to do the walk of shame & starting your car only to have explode.

I kid. I don't know the story behind it.

But the walk of shame & the ex lover putting a bomb on the car would be a great one right?

I need to lay off the movies...and reality tv....and the dramatic season finales.

True Story.

2011-08-29T20:51:00.001-05:00

Quick VMA recap

2011-08-29T07:23:00.000-05:00

This is Lady Gaga's outfit from last night....

photo credit

Yep. She dressed like a dude. Not just a guy but she/he acted like he was a strung out, awkward, fidgety, homeless guy. I was more disturbed by this than any outfit she/he has ever worn. Just plain weird. And yes, I missed why she was dressed like this.

photo credit

Beyonce & Jay Z are expecting.

I think she is so pretty. And he is so not so we shall see who this child looks like.

photo credit

The VMAs did a tribute to Brit Brit which was fantastic but I wish it would have been longer or more drawn out...like throughout the entire VMAs. I loved Britney when I was growing up. She looked good last night but sounded so weird to me. You could definitely tell she was nervous...and weirded out by Gaga. This is Britney's last tour :(

That's it for now...

Did you watch? Thoughts?

Wreaths for sale

2011-08-28T10:55:00.000-05:00

Friday night, I decided to have a little craft night with myself.

And created this....

I had a friend tell me I should sell them so if you're interested, let me know.

I can do pretty much any sports team or holiday or whatever.

It's a super cute, unique way to show decorate your door.

Pricing will be about $50 (depending on what you want on it) plus shipping.

I know that's high but so are supplies!

The awkward years.

2011-08-26T07:13:00.001-05:00

We're in them.

Or at least I am.

You know, twenty somethings syndrome?

Where everyone is going at a different pace & you are rarely in the stage of life as someone else.

I'm married (happily) but I don't have kids and don't want to have kids for a while.

Others are married with kids, engaged, single, single with kids, etc.

But the other side to my story is my husband works a lot.

Which means it's like I'm semi-single but not wanting to mingle. If you get what I'm saying.... :)

As in, on a Friday night, I'm not going to call up my couple friends to hang out because who seriously wants to be the 3rd wheel? Not I.

And most of my friends here are married or dating and not single.

See? Everyone is in a different stage.

Wah Wah. Get over it. Yeah, I know it's not a big deal in the scheme of things but something I've really struggled with since I moved here.

Back home, most of the friends I hung out with (from work) were married or engaged (like I was). But now, all of them are either pregnant or trying to get pregnant so I guess I wouldn't fit in there either.

Sigh.

Do any of you feel like this?

Oh well, we can't solve the mystery of twenty somethings syndrome today but IT IS FRIDAY. And that enough should put a little pep in your step. Happy Friday, bloggers. Hope you have a terrific weekend!

Socializing for Sleep?

2011-08-25T07:10:00.001-05:00

Last night I left my friends, who were watching a band, to go home early and go to sleep.

Woah.

When did that happen?

When did I start trading social time for sleep?

Boo, I'm lame.

I just so happen to be a sleep whore and require about 9-10 hours of sleep a night. Which is absolutely, ridiculously inconvenient and annoying but it is what it is.

Basically when we have kiddos, I'm screwed. Because, you know, they keep you up all night. Or I'm sure mine will because I have a feeling they'll be devils.

Although when I was a kid, I used to sleep 7p-6a every night.

Yep. Mom screwed me over by letting me sleep so much.

Anyways, last night I felt lame about my decision but today I'm glad I made it. I'm well rested & ready to finish off this week.

Happy Thursday.

Don't be lame like me.

The Apt Chronicles # 258

2011-08-24T07:23:00.000-05:00

Just kidding. But I wish I had started numbering when I started talking about my crazy neighbors & apartment complex.

Don't worry, when I feel like I could kick someone in the knee cap, I remind myself to just be thankful I have a place to live & that I don't have to do yardwork.

Okay, now back to the issue at hand.

This is a chronic issue they suffer from....backing it in....and I mean their car.

Now I wouldn't have a problem if they just backed it in and no one was hurt.

But nooooo...they don't know how to back it in thus taking up TWO (count them) spaces. And I don't know if you know what apartment parking is like but around 8 or 9 pm, it's hard to come by. And it's not just one person, it's multiple.

Yesterday, I was just driving straight like a normal person....and all of sudden, the person in front of me just stops. No signal. Nothing.

Lucky for them, I'm psychic and reversed so they could back in.

Listen people, if you must back it in, LEARN HOW TO DO IT PROPERLY and at least use a signal if there is a car behind you. Geez.

I'm seriously missing why it's so much better to back in. I feel like it's way more work on the front end for not that much less on the back end.

Am I missing something, blogworld? Do tell.

(off soap box for now ~~for at least 5 minutes~~)

Never Underestimate...

2011-08-23T06:50:00.001-05:00

how nice, random words can make someone's day.

My ex-boss (old boss? boss from previous job?) from Fayetteville randomly sent me this message on Sunday. Totally made my day. And made me miss her lots.

Seriously though, never underestimate kind words or small deeds. They can definitely make someone's day or week.

Sometimes it's the little things :)

My new loves...

2011-08-22T10:40:00.000-05:00

I saw this at Kroger on Saturday & had to purchase. It encompasses 3 of my favorite things: koozie (beer), Hogs, and leopard print.

#winning

And this little thing.

No, it is not a sex toy (one of my twitter friends asked...)

This is the Remington Pearl Curling Wand and it's super fun.

You can see the results on my hair in the previous post.

I think it would be even easier and look even better if my hair was longer but I have to continue trying new things with my hair or I'll get bored and chop it off as usual.

Have you ever tried a curling wand?

I definitely recommend checking Youtube for how to videos before you do it yourself :)

Embracing the gracefulness

2011-08-22T06:39:00.000-05:00

The past 3 weekends I had the most fun, random Friday nights. I love random, spontaneous, social nights :)

We met up with some friends at a place that has 2 for 1 drinks & live music. Definitely a re-do.

Amanda's first-ish night out since having the baby!

I figured out my halloween costume....red velvet cupcake ha.

Yes, I'm wearing red jeans. Yes, I love them. Do not hate. They will most likely make an appearance to a Hogs game.

And because a night would not complete without me spilling or breaking something....I did both. And cut my elbow. And glass went everywhere. And every.single.person.at.the.place.went.quiet. You could seriously hear the glass hit the ground. awkward. The only thing that would have made it better is if someone had started the slow clap. Ha.

Embracing my gracefulness.

Someone has to.

An addition!

2011-08-21T13:13:00.001-05:00

This morning, I slummed it up to ULTA for their grand opening. They gave out gift cards to the 1st 100 people and I just happened to score a $25 one. This meant I could finally get the naked palette by urban decay!!!

photo credit

This little gem was sold out for a long time after it was released & still wasn't in sephora yesterday.

It's usually $48 and I just didn't want to pay $50 for eye shadow no matter how fab the color options are.

So I got it for half price plus I got some awesome samples.

I heart make up.

Seriously, issues.

But in reality, you could just take palette when you travel and not miss a color.

love. love. love.

Have you tried the naked palette? Is it worth the cost?

Bloggahs.

2011-08-18T07:22:00.000-05:00

Last night, I went to dinner with these 3 lovely ladies (to the right). These are some of the girls from the original 10 that met in February or March.

And we talked & ate & talked & talked & then we ntoiced it was 10...which just so happens to be my bedtime so I am exhausted today. Everytime I go out with bloggers, I have the best time. To those who have never been on a blog meet up or do not have a blog, I realize this sounds extremely odd. And I guess it is kinda like match.com but for friends ha.

Anyways, I am very thankful for bloggers. We always have so so so much fun & I always hate my sleep deprived life the next day - but it was so worth it :)

Have you ever met up with bloggers? What do you think?

Catch all...

2011-08-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

Sometime I'm just plain lazy and don't upload pics. So here is the past week or so in photos...a catch all, if you will.

A random Friday night where we ended up at a karoke bar. So random, I'm still in work clothes lol.

Just hangin with Jess.

This weekend when my sis came to visit

Hanging suite style at a baseball game.

My poor husband got stung by something on Sunday night at his softball game and his face is super swollen...and it's now moved under his eye. It seriously looks like someone punched him. Poor guy. He wouldn't let me take a pic so please accept my apologies for your lack of visual stimulation lol.

I'm super excited for a blogger dinner tomorrow night :) Love my blog girls. They're fab.

Customer Service whaaat?

2011-08-16T07:28:00.000-05:00

Let me take a moment to inform you of my biggest pet peeve. I feel like this is warranted because I work in an industry that thrives off customer service. Ugh...actually, which one doesn't.

Anyways, yesterday I had to try to book a hotel for my boss & our owners & some other people for a NFL game & the lady at the front desk told me she was busy and for me to call her back.

Um...step back.

Lady, you call me back. I am the customer! Ugh...I was fuming. This may not seem like a huge deal but I kept getting transferred and quoted different rates. I was put on hold for 5 different times for about 5 minutes each and I was just annoyed. I understand that people are busy but you can definitely handle a situation differently...geez

Last night, we went to a baseball game & stopped at Wendy's on the way (I know, I shouldn't have even messed with it) to grab something quick and cheap. There was a family standing in front of us and all of a sudden the girl at the counter is yelling "for here or to go" loudly. Then starts saying "HELLO?!" "yooohooo" like whistling at us. I was like "are you talking to me" "yep!" Ugghhhh...what the hello...so I told this little punk that I didn't even know she was talking to us because there were people in front of us...
It was like a straight up Bon Qui Qui moment.

Rude. Geez. Apparently people forget to treat others like people & I am annoyed.
What's your pet peeve?

Friday's Randoms...

2011-08-12T07:24:00.001-05:00

So the dessert I made was a hit with my coworkers. I personally thought it was good but not my most favorite thing ever. Surprisingly, I don't looove sweets. I'd rather have chips & queso or just regular cheese. Weird, I know.
I'm super duper happy today. Not only is it Friday, my sister is coming to visit!!
I am also ridiculously excited for football to start. I'm a huge hogs fan & pretty ~~very~~ obnoxious. Unfortunately, yesterday I saw Erin Andrews update her twitter (we're BFF, of course) about our star RB Knile Davis being carted off from practice. They haven't really said much except that it's a "major leg injury which will take significant time to heal from". Ugh. Not good news, kids.
In the event that you are like me and cannot ever figure out what to eat for breakfast that will fill you up but not make you wake up 2 hours in advance to prepare, let me tell you what I've been eating & loving. Put opened english muffin + cheese + ham in the toaster & toast (duh). In a microwaveable dish, microwave egg whites for 40 secs. Take them out & take a spoon around the edges then heat them for about 20-30 sec more. Add to English muffin, cheese & ham = delicious, filling breakfast sandwich.
Off to work I go...I am seriously so happy it's Friday. Can't wait to sleep in tomorrow :)

A slice of heaven?

2011-08-11T07:15:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I was on pinterest looking at food....as usual (fatty) and I saw a recipe that looked intriguing, amazing, and ridiculous all rolled into one.

Lucky for my coworkers, there's a potluck today. So I most definitely had to try it.

Amazingness.

Okay, I really don't know yet (but will let you know once I try it today) but I don't think you can go wrong with cookie dough, double stuffed oreos, and brownies...

And in case you want to have this little slice of heaven, here is the recipe.

Thank me later.

I must confess...

2011-08-10T08:06:00.002-05:00

I watched Bachelor Pad and love it better than the Bachelor & Bachelorette. Bring on the trash!
I still can't stand Vienna. I feel like she is super manipulative. Ugh. And that laugh...
Are you watching this season?

P.S. don't judge me on my tastless, reality tv addiction..ha

P.P.S. You guys may have sold me on guys' razors. What brand? Disposable or refillable? Do spill!

Unisex?

2011-08-09T11:00:00.002-05:00

A friend tweeted this morning that she used her hubby's deodorant this morning & liked it. On the radio, a few weeks ago, they discussed guys using girls deodorant & vice versa. People called in saying that they liked the other sex's deodorant better, etc. Sounds odd right? I have always heard that guy's razors are so much better than ours but I've never tried it.

I have had to use drew's old spice body wash before (because I ran out or didn't have any -sorry babe!) but that's the only man product I've tried. So what are your thoughts? Any fab products I'm missing out on?

I'm not old!

2011-08-07T20:46:00.000-05:00

We had no plans going into the weekend which was surprisingly okay with me. I had a busy week at work, including a 13 1/2 hr day on Thursday so I definitely was okay with low-key.

But as usual, we had a busy, great weekend. Friday night, I went to drinks & dinner with friends and we ended up at a karoke bar. Random, hilarious and don't you worry, I did not sing. They both did though.

Saturday, I literally laid around until 5 (not because I was hungover but because I was exhausted from the week). I wish I had gotten more done but oh well, I think I needed it. Saturday night, Drew & I met friends out again.

I went out twice in one weekend. Seriously don't know the last time I did that! I feel like I definitely shaved years off my oldness haha.

Today, we went & saw Friends with Benefits. I loved it. I know people have had mixed reviews but I thought it was super cute.

Sidenote, we're watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Drew just informed me that my family reminds him of them. HA! I always said we need our own reality show.

How is it already the end of the weekend? Hopefully this week will fly by! My sister is coming to visit next weekend :)

It's only Wednesday?

2011-08-03T20:59:00.000-05:00

I'm tired, y'all. And actually not feeling well (hoping it's allergies not a cold). Lucky for me, I had a visit scheduled to the ENT (ear, nose, throat doc) today. He informed me (after a CT scan that I patiently waited too long in the waiting room for) that I do not have a sinus cavity in my forehead. It simply did not form. Sweet.

But other than that, I'm good. We're going to schedule an allergy test. Fun Fun. Don't be jealous, blog world (although it would be perfectly natural to be).

I came back to a boat load of work that I have not had time to catch up on because we have a huge project due tomorrow night so hopefully, I can catch up Friday. I hate when I know I have so much to do but can't do it.

And my house is a mess. But our vaca was definitely worth it.

The only negative? It was cooler in Florida than it is here. And I kept telling everyone at work to stay positive at least we work inside. Until this afternoon hit. And the heat hit. Our A/C unit just simply cannot keep up with the heat...and so they let the heat in. And decided to fail us. We give them one simple job (keep us cool) and they fail. I believe I hear Donald Trump saying "you're fired". Praying they work tomorrow....

Hope your day is cooler than mine :)

Vacation recap

2011-08-03T20:52:00.000-05:00

I was going to convert over to wordpress but then realized I'd probably lose all my wonderful followers so I decided to stay with blogger. In case you didn't go over to my WP blog. Here are pics from our wonderful Florida vacation!

Ali & I enjoying a night out

The hubs actually took a pic with me :)

The original bromance

He was in all of our weddings. He told me "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride". I almost peed myself laughing.

This dog is a beast. He weighs as much as I do & I was scared of him. I seriously can't ever remember being scared of a dog....but then we bonded & we're good.

We obviously got free shirts for participating..

Ohh another pic of the happy couple!

The Jack Daniels girls & me

My pretty lil sister in law.

We had an absolutely blast. Definitely what the doctor ordered!

Takin' the plunge...

2011-07-28T10:39:00.000-05:00

Hi blog world. Sorry, I've been completely MIA. I am attempting to convert this ole blog to wordpress & it's been a biatch. Mainly because I'm not super computer savy. And I try to figure things out on my own instead of read instructions (no, I'm not a man). I also love my blog design on here but I guess I'll have to get a new one on there...#tangirlproblems

If anyone is awesome with wordpress, let me know because we need to become BFF instantly. :)

Hope you've have a fantastic week so far!

Calorie Free

2011-07-25T09:20:00.000-05:00

If you know me or have read my blog/twitter for any length of time, you'll know I am obsessed with cupcakes.

I finally found one that is calorie free :)

My MIL took my SIL & me to get manis & pedis. It was such a blast. My SIL talked me in to getting a cupcake on my nail since work doesn't allow this fun nail stuff.

I looove it.

Isn't it cute?

What's the funnest thing you've done to your nails?

By the way, I never want vacation to end... :)

I can now

2011-07-21T07:14:00.000-05:00

officially rent a car without the under-25-extra-charges!
Here's to hoping 25 is a great year :)

Seriously, am I really 25? geez.

Somedays...

2011-07-19T20:29:00.000-05:00

you just need happy hour to end the long workday.
Today was one of those days.
Thank God for friends & beer :)

Only 3 more days until the weekend!

Battling it out

2011-07-18T19:26:00.000-05:00

Pulling out the shrink card tonight. Because I am a shrink, after all. (Nope, definitely not)

One of the most important things about marriage & your relationship with your spouse is picking your battles. You can't win everytime (unfortunately) and neither can he.

Let me give you an example....

Drew & I are complete opposites.
Which is usually not annoying...unless it comes to cleaning...or packing.

You see, I'm the type that likes to come home and "get it over with"...
Whatever "it" is so I can then relax and not have to worry or think about doing it.

Drew likes to come home & relax, think about it for a while & then finally do it (or maybe not).

Okay, so I know what you're thinking. Why does it matter when he does it, as long as he does it?

Well, for instance today, I came home with a long list of to do. Most of these items (i.e. dusting, vacuuming) required him to clean/put away his things.

Did he do his part? No. So did I get it done? No. I'm currently sitting in bed watching the Bachelor thinking about all the cleaning I need to do before we go on vacation.

Hmmmmph.

So right now, I am picking my battle. And he obviously won today but fingers crossed that I'll win tomorrow.

Do you meet halfway? Or do you always win/lose?

Clearly, I'm not a shrink. It's just what works for us.

Fun Weekend!

2011-07-17T20:32:00.000-05:00

This weekend I went to home to Faytown. I was so excited to get out of town!

Friday, my mom had a little birthday celebration for me (even though my bday isn't til thursday) yes, I'm spoiled

Chaney & I...somehow forgot to take pics with the other girls!

Saturday was my parents' wedding anniversary & we went to an old high school friend's wedding!

Just the girls...

Drew, dad & Ricky fished & played baseball..total boys day.

Kristin & I

Anna's beautiful cake!

We were the fab 4 in high school! We started the volleyball team at our school. Good times!

No one was dancing so I had to fix that. Cha cha slide time...

The room was really pretty - tons of flowers!

Today we went to church with the family & ate lunch & drove back. I read all of Sugar and Spice by Lauren Conrad. Don't just my wonderful taste in uneducational books. Obviously it was a super easy read since I started reading it like 1/4 into the drive.

Way too quick of a trip as usual but I'm happy to be home. I have a busy week ahead :)

I'm craving it...

2011-07-15T07:31:00.001-05:00

I'm weird. It's 7:30 am and I'm craving a hamburger. Pregnant? No. I have always just had the most random & strong cravings. I actually feel bad for drew when I actually do get preggers.

I love all things salty & don't looove breakfast foods (unless Drew or a restaurant are cooking!) so in the mornings, non-breakfast foods sound good.

Am I the only weird one out there? Ha. Poor drew :)

Happy Friday, y'all!

Random post

2011-07-13T20:26:00.001-05:00

Since I've been blogging from the ole phone, I haven't included pics so here you go!

Please ignore my face. I actually am a happy person, I just looked tired when I smiled...

Here's my new hair!

I bought Maybelline Falsies Winged Mascara & I think it makes my eyelashes look long.

I've received a birthday card from a sweet friend that I haven't talked to in a while. It meant so much :)

I curled my hair with the sock bun. Super easy.

I got 2 pairs of Victoria's Secret yoga capris for $11. So comfy & can't beat the price.

And in other news, I have decided to start getting crime watch emails from the police because I came home to a lovely note that said there had been 3 burglaries in our apartment complex. Today, I got my first one and found out that my neighbor has a warrant out for his arrest for domestic bodily harm. He's the wonderful neighbor that wakes me up almost every night when he saunters in about 2 am. Maybe next time I'll call the cops. But until then...I'll make sure not piss him off.

I went to the ENT for my chronic sinus infections & apparently my sinus cavities are inflammed. yum. they put me on a 14 day antibiotic & a steroid pack. Then in 2 weeks, I'll get a CT scan of my sinuses. Looovely.

Never a dull moment. Duh.

Vacation-itis

2011-07-13T11:39:00.001-05:00

I am suffering from vacation-itis. Symptoms include: distracted, lack of motivation, strong urges to pack, lay out, & drink beer.

Ha. But seriously, my mind is already there. Now if I can just get through the next week or so....

Word

2011-07-12T09:11:00.001-05:00

In case you've been living under a rock, (which is probably much cooler than what I'm dealing with) Justin Timberlake bought part of myspace. Well honey, you may be bringing sexy back but you definitely won't be bringing myspace back #so2006

Now moving on to 2011

I have a birthday coming up next week & still don't have a want list...I mean I have a want list but this includes unrealistically expensive things which will not be given to me (i.e. David Yurman Albion ring).

This past weekend I played wedding coordinator/gopher. I got paid to run errands & make sure everything went smoothly. It was so much fun!

And because I got paid, I got my hair did because it had not been done since Easter (shame, shame skanktastic) I looove it. I went darker & it looks much richer. At this point I'm growing it out but am thinking I'll cut it in the fall.

We have a wedding this weekend & next weekend too. Let me just tell you, I'm wedding gift poor! I have a new appreciation for all the wonderful wedding gifts we received 2 years ago!

I have not been sleeping much the past two nights. I have had major anxiety for no reason at all. It's annoying! I'm ready for vacation!

How's your week?

Stalker

2011-07-07T09:17:00.000-05:00

Y'all, I'm pretty much obsessed. When a crime takes place, I must read every article ever written so that I think I can solve it. I seriously stalk news websites, the victim/suspect's facebooks, google the heck out of their names, etc. I lay in bed at night thinking of different ways to find out new/different information. I swear I should have been an investigative reporter.

I've always known this about myself but was unfortunately reminded this weekend when a crime took place downtown. Two people were murdered & it all started with a domestic dispute. Well, now I'm obsessed with figuring out what the wife of the suspect looks like, how old she is, what her deal is and why the ex-husband was even on the trip, etc.

I mean, really? Why does this even matter? I'm such a freak.

What are you obsessed with?

I'm in hiding...

2011-07-06T19:31:00.002-05:00

Hilarious...and inappropriate. #score

Hair Blahs

2011-06-30T20:42:00.000-05:00

I am definitely struggling from a case of the hair blahs. It's at that awkward length where it's not really long but it's not really short but it's definitely stringy. Yuck.

Part of my wants to chop it off but then part of me wants to just wait it out and let it get longer so I can curl it, etc. I am known for my ever changing hair.

So what do you do when you have the hair blahs?

I'm with Miller

2011-06-29T21:52:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was the memorial service for sweet baby Miller.

If you haven't followed my blog, I first mentioned him here then here.

My friend Meredith (not the mom but also a friend from my past job) scanned & sent me the program since I don't live there anymore & couldn't attend.

Thank you everyone who has & continues to pray for this sweet family. Here is the program:

Meredith (friend not mom) said that the church was absolutely packed. She said it's crazy to think such a small person can have such an impact on so many people but he did. It truly is amazing to look at Meredith's (mom) facebook and see the amount people supporting, praying & loving on them. I think Miller has touched so many people's lives especially mine. He made me realize that life is precious & ever so short. No one is guaranteed tomorrow so love people & make sure they know you love them.

Meredith is such a strong person and I know they will get through this day by day & minute by minute. She's a planner and this is definitely nothing something you can/want to plan or prepare for. So please continue to pray for her, Patrick & Cole. Thanks blogworld!

Monday's Randoms...

2011-06-27T20:32:00.000-05:00

Here's what's going on in my life ~~because you're dying to know...~~

The other day I had an encounter with a brilliant man who decided to put his trash bag on the driver's side while he drove to the dumpster. Hello sir?! I don't think the passenger needs to see the road, you should most definitely put the trash ON THAT SIDE. Oh, you don't even have a passenger. He almost hit me ~~& I almost slapped him upside the head to knock some common sense into him...~~
My husband is working on a work certification & told me yesterday I have a ton of problems. I laughed. He didn't. Apparently he was being serious. My muscles don't fire correctly. My muscles are ridiculously tight etc etc etc. #fail #fail #fail. See? This is why I don't work out.
We've been trying different foods like salmon burgers & chicken sausage both of which were different but yummy!
I'm sad that this weekend is the 4th of July & we don't have a cookout to attend or host...probably because we live in an apartment, with no yard, patio, or grill. Hmm....#failagain
I work with older people...and the men like to walk to the bathroom with their newspaper when it's time to take care of business. Apparently, I needed to know what they are about to do. I mean I know everyone poops but do I really need to know when? Thank you very much. Not. I definitely think I should get a raise for seeing that...ha.
I've decided to just count calories instead of doing WW Pts+. It wasn't working as good as the old program did for me and I think I can be more consistent with the calorie counting. I'm using the app "my fitness pal" and like it so far. But I am down 6 lbs from the 10 I gained in like 2 months (geez).

Okay enough randomness.

Actin' like animals

2011-06-26T20:44:00.001-05:00

We had a busy, sun-filled weekend.

Saturday, we decided to go to the zoo since Drew & I had never been. Our local zoo is one of the top-rated zoos in the country & we just didn't want to miss out.

I swear I thought this panda was dead!

Beck & Drew running to the next animal stop

Little Conrad

White Wolf

I was trying to steal some cute pics of our friend's kiddos.

A little artsy...notice the zebra in the background.

Shaun & Nikki

Me & Nik Nik

Woah. Stop the presses. Drew took a pic...intentionally.

See? I do have a husband.

Today we laid out. I was all pumped that Drew came to the pool with me (for the 1st time in at least 2 years)...unfortunately he decided to only put spf 8 on & burned...so I don't think he'll be joining me for another 2 years :(

And because I am brilliant, I only put sunscreen on my face & chest & my arms are FRIED. We really weren't out long...like a hourish but it is hot, hot, hot.

Hope you had a great weekend.

P.S. Thank you for praying for my friend & her family.

Update

2011-06-23T09:08:00.002-05:00

My heart is so heavy right now. Baby Miller (from my previous post) passed away this morning on his mom's chest while they were all sleeping. Meredith prayed he would go peacefully and he did. Please continue to pray for this family. I can't imagine the heartbreak & sadness they feel. I am truly devastated and he wasn't even my son.