Accessories Obsesh Sesh

Lately I have been accessorizing like crazy! Jewelry, scarves, belts, you name it! Gone are the days when I just wore my  pearls and called it a day.

My whole life I was a silver girl, would never wear gold anything. My mom tried and tried to convert me but I stayed true to my sterling ways. Well, I have finally let some gold into my life. And once I started I couldn't stop! I now have a full collection (necklace, breacelet, earrings)...in multiples of course!

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Also, I went to this jewelry party this winter and fell in love with this company! Stella & Dot has a wonderful selection that can meet almost anyone's style! I really loved their statement pieces (I guess I like to make a statement). Mom and I may have gone a little overboard (she loved them too)! We ordered from the Spring Collection so I am just now pulling them out to wear. I was so excited to sport my necklace and cuff. (The little lady bug is what totally pulled me in to these...plus they are pearls :) )

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I also have this necklace that I can't wait to show off! It is going to be so fun for spring!

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I am not sure why I like the look of all these bugs crawling around my neck but they totally won me over!

Aren't they fun?!

I love these pieces so much that I am thinking of hosting my own party! (It won't be until late summer or fall so you have plenty of time to save up your money, girls!) Check out the website to see if you would be interested in coming to one.

Out Like a Lamb?

I know the saying goes for March weather (which is holding true so far) but I think the end of March is worse than the beginning was.

First of all, I have been in a chronic bad mood for a few days now and I have been lacking motivation in all areas of my life. (I am crediting the bad mood to lack of chocolate for the past six weeks.)

To top it off, I had Daddy help me with my taxes last night. I thought it would be responsibly for me to learn how to do it instead of having him just do it for me. He said it would take about 15 minutes to do...going on the 4th hour, when the printer broke, we decided that I should call it a night. It is the most tedious and frustrating process (probably frustrating because I am used to getting all of my tax money back and this year I have to pay close to $1000) and I will gladly have someone else do them for me from now on.

Once I finally made it home after an emotional drive I still had work to do, which I was happy to procrastinate on because I had no desire to do it at all.

So here I am today. It didn't start out too bad, but I couldn't find anything to wear in a closet full of clothes, I was running late, and I spilled my iced latte all over my kitchen as I tried to put the lid on my tervis tumbler. Now at work, I can't get my latte to mix (the espresso is sitting on top of the milk) and I can't get the lid off to stir it (you would think that the commute to work and me shaking it would make some progress). And of course I am not in the mood to get started working.

Gchat wouldn't let me talk to MIML which is one of the only things I look forward to during the work day these days (along with Simply MJ and KMac) so I guess that is a sign that I should really be getting to work.

March, don't let me down...you have 2 more days to make up for it! I guess I did ok on my goals this month...I spent more time with friends than I had in the winter and tried to do better with keeping in touch. It is just giong to be an on-going process. And my house is clean and laundry/ironing has been done so I didnt slack off too much on the chores! I am ready for April - I will be back with my goals for next month. (I really want another word to use other than 'goal'...any suggestions?)

My Favorite Things About My Friends: 'The Naughty 9' Edition

There will have to be a few of these ones, or it would end up being a novel. Now, there are so many things I love about these people that it is hard to pick just one, so these are just the things that come to mind first...To begin, a little tribute to some of my best friends: The Naughty 9.

AsFran

First of all, I love her hair! I am totally jealous of those long, silky locks :) And I just love her style - no one can pull off cowboy boots like AsFran!

Alana

She always makes me laugh! I love her accent and that she gets as excited as I do for Christmas! And you never know what she will say next!

Sarah

I love her boy stories - which she is rarely without! They are always entertaining :) And we have some fun karaoke in the car!

Kendall

She has such a good heart. She would be there for anyone in a heartbeat! (She joins in on the karaoke too!)

KMac

This picture sums it up...she is the life if the party! She always has the best stories to tell and is one of the funniest people I know.

Simply MJ

She is friends with everyone! She is so sweet and genuine! 

KB

I would never want to be on a dance floor with anyone else. And she makes me feel like I am acutally funny because her laugh is contagious!

MIML

Where do I begin? I love that we have so much in common, hobbies ('booking), style (we pick out the exact same outfits without even knowing), characteristics (OCD tendencies), and the list goes on and on.

I am so blessed to have each of these amazing women in my life. They are all beautiful, smart, ambitious, caring, and true friends.

They have all had a unique impact on me, and have changed my life for the better. They inspire me to be a better person, and I can only hope to be half of the woman that each of them is. I have no idea where I would be without them.

All the Women Who Are Independent

Throw your hands up at me...

I had some furniture from Bed, Bath and Beyond but was having a hard time assembling it (as in I got frustrated and accidentally busted a screw through one of the pieces and had to exchange it for a new one). I had half of the new one put together, and was starting to get frustrated again so I decided I would wait until Daddy got home to finish it for me. Putting furniture together is sometimes just a man's job.

Well after a morning of feeling sort of lonely, extremely single, and having a slight popcorn binge (no more sweets for one more week - I should really find a better way to cope with things) while watchin Season 4 of SATC, I decided to give it another go. I finally finished both of the pieces and feel so proud of myself! I don't need a man in my life (even though it would be nice). So, as promised, here is the final product:

I am so happy with how it turned out and now I have more room to add to it!

(This is the guest bathroom and could use a bit more action...hint hint)

'Til her Daddy takes the T-Bird away

For the past 2 weeks I have been driving around in Daddy's car (Hyundai Azera)- and have been loving it! Don't get me wrong, Lil' Red has been good to me over the years, but I have the itch to be looking for something new. No offense to the '99 Pontiac Sunfire...she's just a little behind the times with manual locks and the hand-cranking windows, no clock and 2 doors which makes it inconvenient to have more than one passenger.(Who's climbin' in the back this time?)

Here are some cars that have caught my eye lately...

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Ok, may be wishing a bit on this one...that is my dream car! Wouldn't I look so cute driving it? I think I would like a black one...

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Yes, I know..still dreaming...

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Now, this is a bit more reasonable. Again, I think I would like a black one...

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I have seen a few of these around town lately and really like them! At first I was thinking black, but they do have a sapphire blue one that is beautiful!

These are at least the styles I am attracted to...

Well since I have a mortgage and furniture payments, I guess I will just have to stick with 'Lil Red for a bit longer..I made the switch back to her earlier today, and as much as I love driving something with all the bells and whistles, she was my first and will always hold a special place in my heart. (Just please don't break down on me yet...) Even my mom knows it is time for a new car...she is even encouraging it!

Hot, Hot, Hot!

Last night, my neighbor invited me down for a little dinner party with some of her friends. Her roommate has just moved out so she is so excited to show of her own place! She is also trying to fix me up with some of her friends, so clearly this was the best time for us all to meet. So it was me, my neighbor and the 2 guys she thinks would be a good fit for me.

Now, each of these Bachelors has an interesting story behind them. Bachelor #1 is from Japan...not a big deal but my neighbor said that she has had to coach him on girls and dating (red flag #1). He is also a smoker which is a complete deal breaker for me. Bachelor number 2 is a fellow UK grad who apparently has lost like 100 lbs since college, 'Biggest Loser style' according to my neighbor. Major props for that! But he has random roommates, one of which he dated while they lived together, and she stll lives there (red flag #2).

So as it got closer to dinner time, you can imagine that I was getting pretty nervous thinking, "What am I about to get myself into?" I went down a bit early to help cook. Bachelor #2 is on this 'caveman diet' so we had to cook a super healthy meal, which I will not complain about. We had avacado/lettuce wraps for an appetizer (I dont even like avacado), baked mahi mahi over veggies for the main course, and pineapple and bourbon for dessert (I attempted to drink the bourbon straight up since that was what everyone else was doing...awful idea! I need my diet coke.) As I was sipping my bourbon, because there was no way that was going down easy, it started to get really hot in there! I tried to ignore it, but I went to the restroom a while later and my face was bright red! I wonder how long it had been like that...

As I am helping her cook, I have to chop the habanero pepper that goes in these lettuce wraps. Apparently these are the hottest type of pepper, but as I was chopping it, I couldn't smell the spice coming from it. We chopped a pepper earlier that we could smell the spice from. So we thought we were confused on the type of pepper it was...After I finish chopping the pepper I decide to taste what was on my finger to see what it tasted like. Bad idea...if my mouth had a fire alarm, it would be going off- full blast! Keep in mind please that the bachelors are on their way over and here I am panting because my mouth is on fire. Luckily I drank enough water to cool it off so I wasnt acting a fool when they got there.

For the important part...dinner was a lot of fun! It was really nice meeting new people who actually seem normal and laughing together. And it was nice to have a fellow UK person to talk to! It makes the real world not feel so separated from the life I once knew as an undergrad.

Well, Bachelor #2 had to leave so he could get up and hit the gym this morning (he is pretty intense about these workouts..kinda makes me feel guilty). Bachelor #2 was doing laundry at my neighbor's house so he stayed for a bit. I was getting kinda tired myself so I decded it was time to head back upstairs. Being tired, I went to rub my eye and within 2 second realized that my hand had been on that pepper, and even though I had washed my hands multiple times it burned so bad. So I immiediately have to run out the door so I can hold a wet rag against my eye without being too embarrassed by the whole situation. So I yell good-bye to Bachelor #1 and make my escape.

As for my future with the bachelors, I'm not sure. We will just have to see how it goes. I know one thing is for sure...I will never cut another habanero pepper!

DWTS Recap

Ok, I think Ocho was jipped...he was so much better than some of those others who scores were higher than his. I think it was because he was first....

I was pleasantly surprised by Erin Andrews. She is freakishly tall, so it is so hard for her to move so quickly without looking awkward and she did a good job!

Doesn't Buzz just make your heart melt? I hope I can be up and dancing when I am 80!

As I thought, Kate struggled a bit but I think her nerves got the best of her. And thank goodness she did something new with her hair. She looks like a whole new woman (and so much better than with those dreadful extensions).

I was also surprised by our Bachelor, Jake. He didn't look as awkward as I expected. There was one episode when we was trying to dance with Gia when they were on a date (I think it was final 3) and he could NOT dance! I think he lucked out with the style....Also! Did you see Gia in the audience next to Vienna???

Oh Pamela Anderson...she will sure provide some entertainment this season! I do like her partner- it is nice to see some new pros on the show too!

So all in all, I think this season will be great! The two early front runners will be Nicole and Evan, then it will be interesting to see who catches up! And I liked Brooke as the co-host well enough...still wish it was Melissa!

What did you think of tonight's episode???

Put on your Dancin' Shoes!

Tonight is the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars and I cannot wait for this season! We have a local celeb competing, Chad Ochocinco (I wish I was cool enough to change my last name) so I will definitely be rooting for him.

I am dying to watch Kate dance- I wonder if she is even any good. And with other celebs like Pamela Anderson, and the Nicole from TPD this season will be so much fun to watch.

I am curious how the new host is going to work out. I wish Melissa from the Bachelor would have gotten the job. I just love her!

This is by far one of my favorite shows on TV (along with SYTYCD)! I sure hope this season lives up to all the hype :)

My Favorite Things: Yay it's Spring!

Even though I would say summer is my favorite season, spring and fall are a close tie for second. Even though I would prefer for it not to rain so much (my hair just doesn't know what to do), and I am TERRIFIED of the severe spring weather they are already warning us about, I am just so relieved it is no longer winter. So here are some of the things that I just LOVE about spring!

Flowers: One of the best parts of spring is finally seeing color outside again! I just love seeing flowers in bloom. It was always so nice to be walking on campus and seeing the beautiful flowers Miss Patsy would pick out.

Overall good temps: Even though March is still confused on what it wants the weather to be, and it has snowed in April before, the temperature is usually so nice out.

-"Miss Rhode Island, please describe your idea of a perfect date."
-"That's a tough one. I would have to say April 25th. Because it's not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket."

Baseball: This is one of the best parts of summer, but the season starts in just a few weeks! I can't wait to go to tons of games this year.

Outdoor dining and entertainment: I love being outside when the weather is nice, so eating out on restaurant patios is always a must. And if they have live music, you've hit the jackpot.

Spring Cleaning: I love going through everything to see what I forgot I had, and to just clean out any clutter I have. It is also so nice to know I live in a spic and span house by cleaning those things you don't typically clean.

Spring Clothes and Shoes: OK, let's be honest - what season don't I like clothes for? But seriously, I really do enjoy spring clothes. I just love the bright colors and prints (I think they compliment my personality).

Horse Racing: Between Keeneland and the Derby, what could be better about this season?

The best part about spring is that summer is just around the corner! In the meantime, I hope everyone enjoys this spring!

Sweet Southern Drawl

This is kind of a random thing to talk about, but what can I say? It was on my mind and my mind can be pretty rando... Friday, as I was driving to work, the hilarious radio station was interviewing Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, who was also hilarious. I just loved his thick accent and southern phrases. It was true entertainment as I was starting my day. I was literally laughing out loud in the car by myself. Imagine the strange looks I receive.You could tell that the DJs were getting a kick out of just listening to him too.

I received some various comments of my own southern drawl throughout the day. I 'hosted' an event at work, where people asked me where I was from (too bad I should say I am from here), and it happened again when a group of us went out that night. Some friends from school had come up, so being surrounded by people who have thicker accents than I do brings mine out a bit more I guess. I just hope I don't completely lose it being up here. (Apparently when we lived in Tennessee - and I was like 5 - I had the most country accent, but lost most of it when we moved to St. Louis. Then my lovely Kentucky friends brought it back out!) Silly as it sounds, I think that is a small part of who I am and I guess I don't want that to change...aka I don't want to turn into a notherner ;) So it is just nice to know, I still got it!

Welcome Spring!

Happy Spring everyone! Today is the first official day of spring and let me tell you, I couldn't be happier. (Let's just hope we have a good 8 or so snow-free months.) I even wore shorts out today, along with my sunglasses, and drove with Daddy's sunroof open!

I had my back screen door open all day today to get some fresh air in- which probably led to me being less productive than I should have been. It was just so nice to sit there, listen to the fountain in the background and just relax.

I've been loving taking walks outside to explore this new town. It is so full of character that I feel I could be in a movie sometimes. And no matter which way I turn, there are TONS of big hills to climb so it makes for a great workout.

We are now one step closer to sun tans, cookouts, sun dresses, baseball, and open patios at restaurants, and all of the other best parts of these warmer months. I can't wait!

UK all the Way!

Today is the first official day of March Madness and I have to say I am more excited about it this year than ever before!

It is about time for Kentucky to regain their dynasty. After an amazing season, I think this is their year. So for the next few weeks, I will be wearing my BLUE and WHITE and actually watching ESPN to cheer the Cats to victory.

UK ALL THE WAY!

and just for fun.....C-A-T-S, CATS, CATS, CATS!

Top o' the Mornin'

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope you all remembered to wear your green today so you don't get pinched!

I saw some young man walking along the street on my way in to work this morning who was decked out head to toe in green...I guess I just dont get into this holiday as much. But for those of you who do enjoy it, I hope you all make it out to your local pub to celebrate.

I will be celebrating by making something I grew up on. Every St. Patrick's day morning, my mom would make us green eggs and ham. I was fascinated that they were green- who knew it was just as simple as food coloring? So to keep the tradition alive, I will be having green eggs and ham tonight. Plus I love having breakfast for dinner! And the sad thing is that I have been looking forward to this for quite some time...

However you celebrate, I hope you all have a fun and lucky day! I love this Irish blessing...

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rain fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

And Happy Birthday to Granny!

Your GPS is wrong...

As many of you know, a group of us went down to my family's lake house this weekend for a mini-spring break. Life was so much easier when your vacation days are planned for you. I spent Thursday racing to get everything done since I wouldn't be there Friday, and felt extremely guilty for not going to work (which I quickly got over...), then yesterday was even more crazy because people were asking me to do things left and right on top of my already packed schedule of catching up. (Not to mention I was already exhausted from vacationing and losing an hour from springing forward.) Needless to say, I fell asleep right when I got home last night, and slept right until the alarm went off this morning, and then some...

We still had a wonderful weekend of girl talk, shopping, entertainment, and we maybe even squeezed in a smidge of relaxation. Our basketball team played all 3 days in their tourney and won- not without nearly causing me an anxiety attack though! It was fun getting to watch them play and remember what it was like to be back in school cheering them on. It is so hard to keep up with it when you aren't surrounded by it.

I did land some good purchases this weekend at the outlets in Pigeon Forge, even if I didn't expect to spend that much. Got me some new kicks which I can't wait to try out at the gym, some much needed accessories, and then some not-so-much needed clothes, but I couldn't resist.

To be in true Pigeon Forge fashion, we went to the Dixie Stampede which turned out being really fun and entertaining- once I got past the horse smell. We ended sitting by this man and his date (we're not sure if she was his wife, even though she had a ring on). I don't know if they were more entertained by us or if it was the other way around. First of all, they were pouring a water bottle into their cokes...so much for that dry county. So their (discrete) drunkenness was entertaining. The tables turned when we received our WHOLE chickens that we were expected to eat with our fingers. We all sort of stared at the chicken for a moment, then looked at each other like, "How are we supposed to eat this?" Then our new friend kindly pointed out, "You just dig in, girls!" while he was cracking up.

One of the funniest things all weekend was driving home after the stampede there was a flashing construction sign to help us get back to the highway. It said, "Your GPS is wrong"...then, it gave us the direction to go. But I am pretty sure we laughed the entire way home that the sign literally said that. It was probaby a lot funnier as the driver since I constantly felt lost with my "guy directions" my dad wrote.

All in all, it was a great weekend. I can't wait for warmer weather so that I can go to the lake more often. It is so peaceful once you get there and I love being in Tennessee. There was just something about the banjo band playing Rocky Top that makes me feel at home.

Wardrobe Dilemma

My office is pretty relaxed when it comes to dress code. We can wear jeans every day, but I typically keep it business casual. I like to look professional and put together, and I also LOVE dressing up. When I first started working, I didn't get the compliments on my clothes that I usually do. Not a big deal, I just thought it was strange that no one seemed to share my love for fashion. Along the way some of the ladies that sat next to me would compliment my outfits (so my confidence was increasing a bit).

Well someone made a comment yesterday that made up for all of the other lacking ones...we officially made the announcement at our company meeting that I moved across the street and someone asked, "Now that you are over there, are you going to seriously down-grade your wardrobe?" (The Creative Team is more relaxed than the rest of the company when it comes to dress code.) EVERYONE started laughing and joking around about that which thrilled me because they noticed I do dress up more and have cute clothes! Now, I know this may sound silly, but I spend a LOT of time shopping and a LOT of my money on clothes...it is a passion of mine so it is just nice when others notice something that you care about so much. And the funny thing is, I had been thinking the same thing about my wardrobe.

Here comes the dilemma: As I look toward spring and what will be in my closet, do I go more casual to fit in with my new environment? Monday, I was a little dressy and did feel a bit out of place, so the rest of the week I toned it down a bit (yep, wore jeans almost all week). But I love being a young professional and looking like one...so what do I do? I need some suggestions because I will be doing some shopping this weekend and need to decide what to get...Do I go more casual? Or stick with my cute pants, jackets and heels? AHHH!!!!!

Something New with a View

As I have mentioned a few times before, I am in the middle of transitioning to a new role at work. This is my first week being in my new location, getting closer to some other people in the office, and seeing the sites of daily CVG.

When my co-workers learned that I was moving across the street, their response was, "Where are you going to go?" There isn't much room in our Creative Team office as it is, so the question was, where would I go? I am right next to the door as you walk in, but I am kind of hidden behind this plant, so if you don't know I am there, it is quite a surprise when you walk in. That also makes me like the office admin since I am the first person you see. So I have my cozy little corner with the window behind me and the couch meeting area in front of me. I am working on adjusting to my space issue because I went from my nice organized cube to my new desk without drawers. I will have a file cabinet soon, but it is a true test to my organization without having all of the compartments I'm used to.

The first few days have been an adjustment. Getting used to seeing people coming in and out of the office all throughout the day along with the commotion outside will take some time. Also, I have to be conscious of keeping my rolling chair stable. If I pick up my feet or adjust my weight any, I start rolling towards the window (which makes me chuckle to myself). Also, there are 7 of us in this office and only 1 bathroom...let's just say that gives me a LOT of anxiety because I drink a lot of water throughout the day- they probably think I have bladder issues. (How did I ever survive the community bathrooms in the sorority house?)

There are so many positives about this move. I really like the people on this team that I am now a part of. It is nice to belong to a group again :) All of the temptations are gone (a lot of people bring treats, including me, but they are in the kitchen on the way to the bathroom...and remember how many trips I make? Makes the self control difficult). And I have daily entertainment.

Today a couple natives were arguing outside the bar next door. Since I am learning to ignore it, I was trying to not pay attention, but one of my co-workers was about to go outside. I suggested he wait a bit since they were in the middle of their dispute. We were trying to decide if it was a serious fight and if we needed to call the "bum police". I didn't think it was serious but as we opened the door we hear, "I don't stab I shoot." That was it, we called the police and within minutes we had 4 cops out there breaking it up. This is after a drunk was sitting on the steps in front of our door last night and the same co-worker kindly asked him to leave since we are trying to run a business. The drunk not-so-kindly replied, "Talking like that is what will get you stabbed." WHAT?! I wasn't there to see this, thank goodness, and my co-worker handled the situation.

Point of the story is that I will be out of that office at 5 o'clock on the dot before things get too crazy (even though I am not sure the time of day matters to those people). Luckily, they are all pretty protective of me over there, and we all look out for each other, so no need to worry!

I am sure these stories will continue, so I will share my entertainment with you!

Hello Sunshine

I know all 4 of my readers have been missing me this past week. Let's just say that it was one of THOSE weeks. You know, the kind where you go to work early, stay late and still have work to do when you get home? And while you are at work people are asking you to go in 20 different directions? Yea, that's the kind. (Good thing I had already scheduled some posts to be published :))



It did make me realize something, I need to add stress management to my goals for this month! Because I was so busy with work, I wasn't as good at the whole working on staying in touch thing as I would have liked to be. This goal may take precedent over that this month. Last week, I could literally feel the stress building up in me to the point where it was even effecting my body and I was sick in the middle of the week. That can't be good...I know I need to let things roll off a bit, so I am going to work on chilling out and not worrying so much. Then when I do get stressed, doing something productive rather than some of my rather unhealthy choices which will remain unmentioned (even thought I have yet to touch a sweet or bread product in 2.5 weeks).



So for a little update:

Last week I officially started my new role at work. I have a new seat in our office where the creative team is. And I have a wonderful view of the street which will warrant many interesting blog posts to come. For example, today the strip club across the street was a little late opening, so the strippers were waiting outside until someone unlocked the door- this was before lunch. And this afternoon some man sat right in front of our door - where the window reveals my feet - and was complaining that he couldn't go into the bar next door. I have been warned about what I will see now, and this was just my preview.



I painted my bathroom this weekend! It is a beautiful yellow. (Pictures to come soon I promise.) I think I need to take a break from decorating for a while, especially since I will be doing some outlet shopping soon!



I also have everything ordered for big bros wedding! Got my dress and shoes. I had to send in my measurements since it is getting ordered in another city, and apparently I don't know how to measure myself. My waist measurement was 4 sizes bigger than my other measurements...that would make me rather unproportional. All is fixed and I found some really cute shoes to wear! While I was out shoe shopping, I did have luck with some other good finds!

Congrats to DanceBlue which looked like they had another great year! I really did miss that this weekend. Even though it was at times painful and I wasn't sure I could make it, that was one of the most rewarding and fun things I have ever done. It is like spending 24 hours straight with all of your friends!



While I was working last night, I saw the end of the Oscars and I must say I am thrilled that Sandra won! That was a tough group but considering that was my favorite movie of the year, I had my fingers crossed for her.



Thank goodness we have had a glimpse of spring the past few days! I cant wait for it to officially be here. (Except for the rain because my hair doesn't know what to do in that situation.) Please let it stay!



Well hopefully I will have a bit more time to talk about my life this week (if I have something worth talking about).



PS I did receive William-Sonoma wedding gift registry information in the mail last week. If you know anyone who is really in the market.....

Just Dance

In honor of my favorite dance marathon being this weekend, I have been doing some dancing of my own lately!

My parents got me the Just Dance game for the Wii and it is SO MUCH FUN! You work up a great sweat and feel like a fool doing it by yourself, but you will definitely enjoy it! Right now my favorite one is 'Womanizer' but I haven't made it through all of them yet. I think when I get to Spice Girls I will surely enjoy it. It is like having your own dance party whenever you want!

I am sure going to miss doing Jazzercise at 5 am this Saturday, but maybe I will get up and play my new game in to feel like I am getting that great workout!

Happy National Peanut Butter Lovers' Day!

Who knew today was another day worth celebrating??? And as most of you know, this day was meant for me because I LOVE peanut butter. In honor of the day, I thought I would share some fun facts.

And check out those cute peanut butter mice! A fun treat I will have to learn how to make!

Peanut Butter originated in Canada? Who knew? Then, Mr. Kellogg (the cereal guy) secured the first US patent for the process to create the yummy spread.


As an American staple, peanut butter can be found in at least 75% of households.


Peanut butter is a good source of protein and fiber, and has the good kind of cholesterol to help fight cardiovascular disease. And when you get gum stuck in your hair, you can use peanut butter to get it out!


Buyer beware: almond butter is not peanut butter! I had heard that almond butter was a healthy alternative so I bought some. When I opened the jar, it was liquidy and not that delicious thick substance. The taste is ok but I do prefer peanut butter. And I have recently learned something: natural peanut butter should be stored in the frig to maintain its consistency. That was the issue when I opened my jar of almond butter. Solution found! Now I am not as disgusted by it.


You can get it in a variety of ways: crunchy, creamy, or low fat. I prefer low fat creamy. There is just something about the consistency that I like better. (Consistency is kind of a big thing for me.)


I think peanut butter goes with practically anything - although I am not brave to try in on everything. Here are some of my favorite peanut butter combos (even though I am perfectly fine with eating it plain):

• PB & J - I am pretty sure I could live off this happily.







• PB and apples
  
• PB Banana
  
• PB and chocolate - Actually it is good in almost any dessert. Too bad I gave up sweets or I would be making pb bars tonight to celebrate! I highly recommend the Reece's Eggs that come out for Easter. They are best frozen!



• PB and celery


• PB toast - A great way to start off the day or an afternoon pick-me-up!




• Fluffer-nutter - I just learned about this sandwich last year and it is quite tasty!


• PB and crackers or pretzels - If you want a little extra salt.


• PB cookies - Again, too bad I gave up sweets.

Well I hope you all got your fix of peanut butter today! And remember 'Choosy Moms Choose Jif'.

In like a Lion...

Time for my March goals! (I think I want to come up with a better word than goal so if you have any suggestions, they are welcome.)

My calendar for this month is pretty booked- I actually have plans 3 out of the 4 weekends! With this busy schedule, I decided that I should make my additional ambitions a little smaller and manageable this month. So I decided that I just want to continue the progress I made on last month's work and be sure to keep up with my chores. Also, I think this is a good time to just work on my relationships, especially with those that are far away. I want to make a better effort of staying in touch with my friends and at being a better friends to those near and far.

I am looking forward to a good month! Spring will be coming so there are many things to look forward to!