Traffic Gym

Grrrrr! So I guess to start off a long story short from the beginning...you follow? I joined a gym after college after my first deep work depression.  I figured if I could find something healthy that would supposedly make me happier to do JUST FOR ME after a long day of staring at the computer, my quality of life would improve. In picking said 'gym', I decided the one about 100 yards from the front door of my office building would prove sufficient since I'd feel guilty about not going RIGHT after work, and if the gym was a drive away or too close to my home i'd cruise right on past it to my happy place (i.e. the couch in front of the TV).  SO, things have been going pretty great in this relationship until the dreaded 1-17-11 came (D-day for my gym location). It closed. yes. and NOW I have to fight awful East-West traffic on my way home to stop at the other location (which is dangerously easy to drive past on the route home).  Not only that, but i've lost my favorite spin teacher...AND new gym location is obviously a melting pot for old gym location members along with NYResolution late-starters...it's dreadfully crowded.  I'm hoping this problem will clear up soon, but as far as the spin teacher goes, i'm not sure i'll live to spin another day.  All the new spin teachers 'spin' to techno/house music and are males.  My old teacher was a girl, and she liked to play all the coolest jams (as well as an occasional throwback to Nelly/Luda...) and i LOVED it.  Anyway, the picture (clearly not me-thanks google images), accurately portrays how I feel in the new 'techno' spin class. miserable.  On another note, tonight I don't have to work out because my lovely ole rooms has invited us over for venison lasagna! Yummmmmmm. Did i mention funfetti brownies for dessert? I've already forgotten about my desire to spin. Love yall!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Why oh why was I not able to snuggle in bed all day today?  Usually Dallas cancels school and shuts down all the roads at the sight of a snow flurry...but have we toughened up?  When the alarm went off this morning I immediately turned on the news...to which my rude husband laughed at me and said "Honey, there won't be a 'closed office' list". GRRR. Yes, it's true, but i typically go by the DISD closed=excuse rule.  However, apparently Dallas has toughened up, and despite the 28 degree temperature, and 4 inches of snow on the ground. I trucked on to work....boo.  Anyway, the weekend was pretty awesome, because 0 obligations were involved! Friday we watched the cotton bowl with some friends, Saturday (GTL...minus the T), and played at Dick's sporting goods! (which was super fun).  We then went to Goody Goody's and got a tequila/marg lesson...so we could later try out our margaritaville margarita machine that we got as a wedding gift...and it was AWESOME.  Really smoothly blended marg greatness. :)  We met some friends for dinner and then had a fun Sunday with "The Knot" and watching the snow fall. Oh....did I mention last night I made my husband watch "Craiglist Killer" with me. WOW! So good!  Spooky, but good! Tonight is the BIG game (if you love football...or have a male in your life that does)...so looks like it will be a perfect night for Pizza, football, and a roaring fire! Don't worry, it should be 60 by the weekend supposedly. Oh Texas!

Season's Greetings!

Okay okay I know I'm THE WORST. I start a blog and then go on hiatus. Well...I'm back! I hope. This whole going back to work thing...awful. I guess my hiatus can be explained by freedom.  Christmas with my family was FABULOUS and i...of course...ate mountains of goodness.  Christmas has become a less exciting event for me ever since A-I found out Chris was posing as Santa, B-Presents became less about toys and more about glam and jewels, and C-my sisters refuse to wake up to open presents before 10am...rude.  This year was particularly less glamorous considering this whole 'work' thing allowing only 1 day off to celebrate CHRISTMAS!?!? Santa wouldn't be very happy about that, and neither was I. Also, i went on a Christmas eve hunt for Home Alone 1 on DVD when I found out to my dismay our house is lacking the ability to play our original VHS copy.  Did I find a single copy of Home Alone 1 on DVD? NO! it was awful. I had to watch #2 on TV...with commercials...and it was just torture.  The redeeming factor of Christmas this year... THE PAD. Yes, I got my first toy for Christmas in a very long time...and I'm STOKED about it. Though I will say I was hoping for a copy of Just Dance in my stocking...THE PAD was more than enough toy for this little girl! I played and played and played, and when I left for a half second...my selfish husband played and played and I had to pry it from his hands when I returned.  None the less, I vow to love on my PAD for ages to come, and even start blogging on it (if you're lucky ;-)). The power of the pad toy-factor can be measured last night when Dan pulled up the WSJ app on the pad, read half an article, and then I caught him x'ing out and firing up Angry Birds HD. It brings out the best in us...ANYWAY, Christmas was fab and then we returned to fluorescent nightmare work for a couple of days.  We took off early to watch our Bears get slaughtered in their bowl game...AWFUL.  Then we played some Top Golf and just enjoyed the weather and season! NYE was a blast with all my friends and turned out remotely painless for a big night out in the big city!  But now...the holidays are over...and with no holidays in sight, depression is coming on.  Oh well! At least this week is free spicy chicken biscuit week at Chick-fil-a! There's potential for greatness. Hope you all had a WONDERFUL break!!!!

Holly Jolly Fatdays!

I recently purchased a scale at Bed, Bath, and Beyond that gives a full body assessment including body weight, fat lbs., fat %, water weight %, and bone mass %.  It's a crazy cool scale, but why on earth I decided to purchase during the holiday fat season...I don't know. According to said scale, since last Wednesday...I've gained 4 lbs. I beg to differ, but I was defeated this morning to find out this news.  It must be due to the following:  Friday Night dinner at Lumi...

 Blue crab & cream cheese wonton

 

Shrimp & Crab Empanada

Ahi Tuna Nachos

Saturday morning brunch: (made by yours truly 0:)

 Belgian Waffles with blueberry sauce

Chorizo scrambled eggs

Saturday lunch: (not I don't skip meals just because i had breakfast...)

Saturday night dinner (followed by 4 pitchers of beer at the MAT and queso...):

Sunday Family Christmas Brunch:

 Creamy artichoke dip

 Fiesta salad

 Greenberg Smoked Turkey

Honey Baked Ham

Oh you think i'm done right...did I mention Sunday Night Dinner?:

 Feta Phyllo with aioli sauce

 Ceaser Salad

Farnatchi Special Pizza

All that being said...maybe I should be grateful it was only 4 lbs...now let the rest of the Holiday feasting commence!  Love you guys, Happy Fatdays!

HP Christmas Light Night & Top Chef

Tuesday night my wonderful husband planned an exciting HP Christmas light carriage ride with a couple of our friends, and it turned out to be quite a night! The night started off at Patrizio's for a fabulous meal...well it would have been fabulous if they had gotten our food to us before our carriage ride was supposed to start, so instead it was boxed up, and the first 20 minutes of our ride consisted of stuffing our faces, and very little conversation.  Our friends got a deep dish pizza that I envied the ENTIRE time. My pasta salad didn't quite stack up.  Anyway, 2 hours later, many conversations later, 3 bottles of wine later, the night was complete.  Let me say that ever since I started this whole 'work' thing i try to limit myself to 2 drinks max on a work night (if any).  Since I decided to break this rule by consuming a bottle to myself, yesterday was a day in fluorescent lighting...computer glaring...head pounding hell. In which I fought every urge to crawl under my desk and take a nap.  However, the carriage ride, lights, and company were just fabulous! So regrets are minimal now that I have fully recovered. I just adore Christmas lights, and enjoyed seeing the all-out madness that is HP holiday decor.  

On another note, last night I watched Top Chef, and finally felt the correct people were sent home after last weeks MADNESS sending Jen home...I was grateful for the fair judging, and now have some new favorite contestants.  Tiffany (my girl from Dallas), Tre, Casey, and true story... I'm loving Fabio--i think it's unfair that he just doesn't understand what everyone wants from him!  Angelo, though a front-runner, as Dan says, is obsessive and annoying.  Anyway, solid showing last night...though I was disappointed I didn't get to start the TV night off with Modern Family (WHY re-run...why?).  Have a fabulous Thursday! Soooo ready for tomorrow!

Pi Beta Cake Boss

So I'm a sucker for A-food, B-good food, and C-TV. So when reality shows like Top Chef, etc. come on...I immediately take on the role of a food connoisseur and apply it every time I go out to dinner in critiquing the food. Obvi.  So when I found out via FB that a sorority sister of mine (ya pi beta!) was going to be on TLC's  Cake Boss - The Next Great Baker I immediately set this on my DVR and tuned in.  Megan was such a super sweet girl in college, and I remember she always made various baked goods for our different functions, and they were of course always GORGEOUS and scrumptious.  It was clear she had a talent for this.  After college she got married to another great Baylor Bear and went to culinary school.  Well now she is the youngest contestant on The Next Great Baker, and might I add after watching 2 episodes...she really is THE BEST and front-runner.  It has already been so fun to watch especially knowing someone ON the show (now I won't say I know her well, but we got to know each other much better my senior year). It's especially fun when the person you know is kickin' ace on the show! All this being said, set your DVR Monday nights 9/8c to TLC and watch Megan dominate Cake Boss. ;-).  On another note...yesterday was Dan and I's 1 month anniversary, YAY! I'm not one to typically celebrate anything but year anniversaries, but being that this is the first week since we've been married we've really been able to settle in, we had to sit back and enjoy the occasion...and use it as an excuse for a fabulous meal out!  Hope you all had a wonderful Monday :( and are looking forward to the weekend as much as I am!

A Shake Weight Christmas

This weekend was a weekend filled with Christmas parties! Tis the season right?! So Friday's tacky Christmas party was quite a hit (particularly after a friend downloaded 'firework' by Katy Perry).  Another highlight was when the host came around offering peppermint bark, and when a guy friend of ours was dressed in his "canadian tuxedo" i.e. all denim with a tie.  We had a great time, and I felt our outfits turned out appropriate. Yes, Dan was dressed in my Vegas sing act vest from college....who knew that would come in handy? Good thing I saved that gem. 

Saturday was filled with Christmas shopping and food preparation for our "Knot" Christmas party.  Our outfits were placed on repeat for the night, and I'll say the highlight of Saturday's party came in 2 parts...1st being that in the white elephant exchange I got a shake weight! Those of you who do not know what this is, climb out from under a rock and get yourself to bed, bath, and beyond and pick up one of these gems.  Probably the best part of this was that no one wanted the shake weight, i was #14 and I opted for the steal...what are these people thinking? It's like the guilty pleasure item you've always wanted, and now you don't have to be seen purchasing it at the store, or knowingly spending the $ on it.  I was beyond confident in my choice to steal the shake weight (and that it'd stay in my possession for the duration of the game). It's all about playing it cool.

The 2nd part of the greatness of the party came when we decided it was time to bust out the Wii and play "Just Dance 2"....let me tell you, it was hillarious.  Granted a good amount of drinking had taken place before this part of the night came to fruition, but it was quite a workout, and as we all know i'm an awful dancer, and I had a great time with it!  We even were able to make the guys go a round....to "Wham-wake me up before you go go"....it was brilliant, and might I throw out there that if you're looking for some last minute Christmas gifts for any age...please consider the Shake Weight, or Just Dance 2.  Both made my weekend exponentially better.  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!!!