Friday Faves

Ummm hey. It's Friday. The last Friday in January. The last friday in my Whole30. The last Friday of the first month of the new year. The last friday I can say... ugh, another weekend with no cocktails. It's been a good month and I like to think that it will set the tone for my 2016. Last year started out in a similar fashion and after a few initial bumps in the road it did steadily get better so, here's hoping. Let's finish off the month with a favorites round up with the lovely Amanda because that is just how we do here. I have some good stuff today too... leh go!!!!

BEAUTY TOOL

So as I mentioned that my 2 year old CHI flat iron took a dirt nap recently so I looked to my new lover Amazon Prime for a replacement. I settled on this super cheap but highly rated Infiniti Pro  by Conair for $29.97. I have been using it for a week and it is eleventy billion times hotter than my Chi maybe ever was. Love it! Oh and also, a few days after I got it I noticed the price dropped to $22.48. I immediately emailed Prime and they issued me a credit with in the hour. Have I mentioned how much I love Prime?

WEBSITE

A good friend of mine is having some surgery next month and another one of her friends set up a Meal Train for her on this website www.mealtrain.com. I have never heard of the site but it basically does all the work for you. In the South it is customary for new moms, a death in the family, illness of any kind that friends and neighbors bring meals for the person or family in need. Lord help us no one should have to cook in times of trouble! This website makes it easy to send out the invites via email or social media, provide all the details about food likes, allergies, preferences, number of people eating, location, dates, times, etc. There is an interactive calendar that lets you pick your date and see what others are making so you don't duplicate. You can even add online gift cards and arrange and order local delivery if you don't cook. This is genius!

TATTOO

It's tattoo time again cause it's almost Valentine's Day, an annual tradition of mine. Unlucky in love? Get inked for V-Day. I like this one. "and"

RECIPE

I don't even know what I am doing for Super Bowl but if I am invited anywhere to bring anything this is what I am making. Slow Cooker Chili Cheese Dog Dip from my favorite food blog Host the Toast. Detroit is somewhat famous for chili cheese dogs so this is one of those near and dear to my heart foods that I will splurge on occasionally just because it reminds me of home. And I freaking love it.

USEFUL THING

I bought my 17 year old a S'well bottle for Christmas and she loooooves it so when I saw that the Bikini Pink was on sale for V-Day I had to order my own. S'well bottles are beautifully crafted and composed of non-leaching, non-toxic 18/8 stainless steel that keep cold drinks cold for 24 hours and hot drinks hot for 12. I got the biggun... the 25 oz. because it holds an entire bottle of wine. Duh. Check it out here, they are pricy so if you like pink get it on sale. I really, really want this one too.

SHOE

Because who doesn't love a wedge bootie...Nine West Abrazzo Wedge Booties are on their way to me at 70% off the original price. I know I said I was on a January spending freeze but... shoes on sale. No seriously, I need more shoes for work. I am lazy for work and I will wear the same basic one or two pairs of shoes/boots/sandals all season long. Until they wear out. Since the zipper broke on my 2 year old black suede boots and they are falling apart, like pretty woman safety pin falling apart, I can justify this purchase for work. And bonus, I am sure they will look super cute with jeans and leggings on the weekends too. Get ready to see them on repeat on my feet! Can't wait to get them. By the way I am a Nine West junkie and if you would like $10 off your next pair please use my referral code and get you some too. Click on this.

CONCERT

Well, I hope by the time you read this that I will have purchased my first concert tickets of 2016. The gorgeous Mr. keith Urban will be in Atlanta on June 11, tickets go on sale today and I shall be there.

FUNNY STUFF

I fell down a rabbit hole of prank gifs. I love this shit.

Jerk.

One word... Tits

Hey Mom.

Because people falling down = funny.

Not really sure what's happening here but the guy throwing  the paper towels...

And that's all I got for today. Have a great weekend!

Friday Favorites

Friday Faves

Friday, January 29, 2016

Ummm hey. It's Friday. The last Friday in January. The last friday in my Whole30. The last Friday of the first month of the new year. The last friday I can say... ugh, another weekend with no cocktails. It's been a good month and I like to think that it will set the tone for my 2016. Last year started out in a similar fashion and after a few initial bumps in the road it did steadily get better so, here's hoping. Let's finish off the month with a favorites round up with the lovely Amanda because that is just how we do here. I have some good stuff today too... leh go!!!!

BEAUTY TOOL

So as I mentioned that my 2 year old CHI flat iron took a dirt nap recently so I looked to my new lover Amazon Prime for a replacement. I settled on this super cheap but highly rated Infiniti Pro  by Conair for $29.97. I have been using it for a week and it is eleventy billion times hotter than my Chi maybe ever was. Love it! Oh and also, a few days after I got it I noticed the price dropped to $22.48. I immediately emailed Prime and they issued me a credit with in the hour. Have I mentioned how much I love Prime?

WEBSITE

A good friend of mine is having some surgery next month and another one of her friends set up a Meal Train for her on this website www.mealtrain.com. I have never heard of the site but it basically does all the work for you. In the South it is customary for new moms, a death in the family, illness of any kind that friends and neighbors bring meals for the person or family in need. Lord help us no one should have to cook in times of trouble! This website makes it easy to send out the invites via email or social media, provide all the details about food likes, allergies, preferences, number of people eating, location, dates, times, etc. There is an interactive calendar that lets you pick your date and see what others are making so you don't duplicate. You can even add online gift cards and arrange and order local delivery if you don't cook. This is genius!

TATTOO

It's tattoo time again cause it's almost Valentine's Day, an annual tradition of mine. Unlucky in love? Get inked for V-Day. I like this one. "and"

RECIPE

I don't even know what I am doing for Super Bowl but if I am invited anywhere to bring anything this is what I am making. Slow Cooker Chili Cheese Dog Dip from my favorite food blog Host the Toast. Detroit is somewhat famous for chili cheese dogs so this is one of those near and dear to my heart foods that I will splurge on occasionally just because it reminds me of home. And I freaking love it.

USEFUL THING

I bought my 17 year old a S'well bottle for Christmas and she loooooves it so when I saw that the Bikini Pink was on sale for V-Day I had to order my own. S'well bottles are beautifully crafted and composed of non-leaching, non-toxic 18/8 stainless steel that keep cold drinks cold for 24 hours and hot drinks hot for 12. I got the biggun... the 25 oz. because it holds an entire bottle of wine. Duh. Check it out here, they are pricy so if you like pink get it on sale. I really, really want this one too.

SHOE

Because who doesn't love a wedge bootie...Nine West Abrazzo Wedge Booties are on their way to me at 70% off the original price. I know I said I was on a January spending freeze but... shoes on sale. No seriously, I need more shoes for work. I am lazy for work and I will wear the same basic one or two pairs of shoes/boots/sandals all season long. Until they wear out. Since the zipper broke on my 2 year old black suede boots and they are falling apart, like pretty woman safety pin falling apart, I can justify this purchase for work. And bonus, I am sure they will look super cute with jeans and leggings on the weekends too. Get ready to see them on repeat on my feet! Can't wait to get them. By the way I am a Nine West junkie and if you would like $10 off your next pair please use my referral code and get you some too. Click on this.

CONCERT

Well, I hope by the time you read this that I will have purchased my first concert tickets of 2016. The gorgeous Mr. keith Urban will be in Atlanta on June 11, tickets go on sale today and I shall be there.

FUNNY STUFF

I fell down a rabbit hole of prank gifs. I love this shit.

Jerk.

One word... Tits

Hey Mom.

Because people falling down = funny.

Not really sure what's happening here but the guy throwing  the paper towels...

And that's all I got for today. Have a great weekend!

Read More

Humpday Confessions & Hash Tags

Well not quite but getting closer. It is time for confessions and hashtags though with the usual suspects.. Kathy, Nadine, Laura & Lauren...


So you know how I used to complain about guys asking for "body pics" on the online dating sites? Well I did, a lot, cause it annoyed the fuck out of me.  I stupidly accepted a random friend request on FB from a guy I met on OkCupid a while back but never went out with. Why? I don't know why, I was feeling generous I guess. So the first thing he asks me via messenger after presumably trolling all my photos is (and I quote)  "how come all the pictures you're in only shows your face". Hmmm... let's see:

A. It's Facebook not Assbook
B. My face is Ah-mazing
C. The length of the average arm is 25"

#douche #itriedtohelpyouout

My room is over the garage in my house and it is cold as frozen balls in the winter time. I go to bed every night in ten thousand layers. And I'm still cold. #skinnypeoplegetcold #thismustmeaniamgettingskinny

My blog is small, I know that. I don't really care about followers at this point. I have a few hundred here, a few hundred there as far as the blog itself goes. But on GFC it goes up and down by 2 followers pretty much every week. I only notice this because I am completely anal. Who are these 2 people? #makeupyourdamnminds

I saw this on IG yesterday and I had to make it with my dog's picture. If you follow me on snapchat then you know it's true.  #hebarksalot #hesnotthatsmart #wedonttellhimthat

One week from today I will officially be on Whole30 Day 31 also known as officially done. That means I am having after work drinks. I have missed that so much. And my favorite after work drinks best fraand. #friendsdontletfriendsdrinkalone

Your turn... fess up.

Hashtag Humpday • Humpday Confessions

Humpday Confessions & Hash Tags

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Well not quite but getting closer. It is time for confessions and hashtags though with the usual suspects.. Kathy, Nadine, Laura & Lauren...


So you know how I used to complain about guys asking for "body pics" on the online dating sites? Well I did, a lot, cause it annoyed the fuck out of me.  I stupidly accepted a random friend request on FB from a guy I met on OkCupid a while back but never went out with. Why? I don't know why, I was feeling generous I guess. So the first thing he asks me via messenger after presumably trolling all my photos is (and I quote)  "how come all the pictures you're in only shows your face". Hmmm... let's see:

A. It's Facebook not Assbook
B. My face is Ah-mazing
C. The length of the average arm is 25"

#douche #itriedtohelpyouout

My room is over the garage in my house and it is cold as frozen balls in the winter time. I go to bed every night in ten thousand layers. And I'm still cold. #skinnypeoplegetcold #thismustmeaniamgettingskinny

My blog is small, I know that. I don't really care about followers at this point. I have a few hundred here, a few hundred there as far as the blog itself goes. But on GFC it goes up and down by 2 followers pretty much every week. I only notice this because I am completely anal. Who are these 2 people? #makeupyourdamnminds

I saw this on IG yesterday and I had to make it with my dog's picture. If you follow me on snapchat then you know it's true.  #hebarksalot #hesnotthatsmart #wedonttellhimthat

One week from today I will officially be on Whole30 Day 31 also known as officially done. That means I am having after work drinks. I have missed that so much. And my favorite after work drinks best fraand. #friendsdontletfriendsdrinkalone

Your turn... fess up.

Read More

Break Up Challenge/Whole30 & Last Week Here I Come

Well Hey there.... it's time for Laura and I to check in and give you guys an update on how we are doing with The Break Up Challenge that we started way, way back on Jan. 4th. It seems like a long time ago on the one hand but on the other hand this month has flown right on by. We picked some bad habits to break up with to kick off the new year and I have to say, we are killin it despite some challenges along the way.

Look at that number up there... it's day 23... double digits in the 20's, SINGLE DIGITS LEFT. That means home stretch at it's finest. Next stop 30 and success. The past week has been pretty much amazing from a Whole30 standpoint. I am in the Tiger Blood portion of the program for sure. I went out to eat 4 times over the course of the week which seems like a lot for me anyway but especially challenging for Whole30. And... wait for it... I stayed 100% compliant for every single meal. Not a crumb, not a shred of cheese, not a drop of alcohol, not a bean, not a spec of sugar crossed my lips. I am like a total freaking Whole30 rockstar now. Well... I won't say I wasn't tempted to order a pecan waffle at Waffle House because I was... but I didn't and my breakfast was perfect without it. Who knew you could get hashbrowns steamed in jalapeno juice instead of fried in butter on the grill? They were amazing too! But back to the update...


Days 16-27: Tiger Blood!

So I am still here according to the timeline. I touched on this last week here so, not feeling the need to rehash it again. Just know that once you get here you are basically feeling like you are big pimpin, and anyone who can't hang with your whole30 ways is clearly beneath you.

(Interlude) Day 21: I am so over this.

So... confession time. I didn't realize that Day 21 had any significance until I sat down to write this post on Day 22. But it actually really did for me. I had a tennis match Sunday and was gone all day. After 3 sets in the cold I opted to grab my daughter and hit a local Mexican joint with one of my girls, her hubby and daughter. We met them at the restaurant and as I approached the table I immediately started to regret my decision. It was covered with fresh baskets of chips and bowls of salsa. Ugh... and I was starving. We sat down and next came  their giant beer and frozen Margarita. Then my daughter asked for cheese dip. I searched for a gun in my purse cause I seriously was about to shoot myself. What was I thinking???? I was thinking before I left the house "I can handle this" but then, all of a sudden,  I was not so sure. I scanned the menu for a solid 10 minutes thinking no, no, no, maybe, I really want that but no. I settled on combo steak and chicken fajitas, hold the cheese, hold the sour cream, hold the tortillas, double guac. I ate half because it was actually a ton of food and packed it up along with the rice and beans and took it home to my son. Getting through that meal after wanting to turn and run out in the first 5 minutes was huge to me. Aaaaand... one other cool thing happened. I reached across the table at some point and my friend turned to me and said "I can tell in your hands that you have lost weight, your fingers look skinny. I could see it just now when you reached over."

I am a water weight retainer as I have said before. One of my most hated features when I am heavier are my hands (and feet) and fingers. This may seem dumb to you but to me they look like little sausages, for real. When I cut the crap it's one of the first things that gets visibly better, and I looooove it. Inside I was soo excited when she said that, such a little thing but HUGE for me... huge.

What else I have to look forward to this week:

Day 28: 28 is as good as 30…right?

I know it seems insane but this really happens. Apparently I will have most likely at least one more day when I think..."oh hell this is good enough". Seems crazy right? It happened to me last year and on day 29 I almost ordered a drink because I went to a book reading... in a bar! Brilliant. 28 is not 30 and if you fuck it up on day 28 you should just start over. Sound harsh? Well, 28 is not 30 so...

Days 29-30: HolyOprahIt’sAlmostOverWhatAmIGoingToEatNow?!?!?! 

This too is a real thing. Panic sets in toward the end. I really have been living in this amazing whole30 bubble and it's about to burst. Suddenly I will have to figure out what the rules are for me from day 31 and beyond. To be honest with you right now I am not sure 100% what it means for me. I have a plan in my head and it is going to be tweaked for the next week, while I am still safe in the rule bubble. I will report back on this one.

Next week at this time I will be on Day 30. Wow. I cannot wait to get on the scale, take my measurements and see the results. I have been working so, so hard I have no doubt it is going to pay off.

If you would like to chime in on how any and all of your challenges are going please feel free to link up and tell us!

Break Up Challenge • Link Up • Whole 30 • Whole 30 Round 2

Break Up Challenge/Whole30 & Last Week Here I Come

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Well Hey there.... it's time for Laura and I to check in and give you guys an update on how we are doing with The Break Up Challenge that we started way, way back on Jan. 4th. It seems like a long time ago on the one hand but on the other hand this month has flown right on by. We picked some bad habits to break up with to kick off the new year and I have to say, we are killin it despite some challenges along the way.

Look at that number up there... it's day 23... double digits in the 20's, SINGLE DIGITS LEFT. That means home stretch at it's finest. Next stop 30 and success. The past week has been pretty much amazing from a Whole30 standpoint. I am in the Tiger Blood portion of the program for sure. I went out to eat 4 times over the course of the week which seems like a lot for me anyway but especially challenging for Whole30. And... wait for it... I stayed 100% compliant for every single meal. Not a crumb, not a shred of cheese, not a drop of alcohol, not a bean, not a spec of sugar crossed my lips. I am like a total freaking Whole30 rockstar now. Well... I won't say I wasn't tempted to order a pecan waffle at Waffle House because I was... but I didn't and my breakfast was perfect without it. Who knew you could get hashbrowns steamed in jalapeno juice instead of fried in butter on the grill? They were amazing too! But back to the update...


Days 16-27: Tiger Blood!

So I am still here according to the timeline. I touched on this last week here so, not feeling the need to rehash it again. Just know that once you get here you are basically feeling like you are big pimpin, and anyone who can't hang with your whole30 ways is clearly beneath you.

(Interlude) Day 21: I am so over this.

So... confession time. I didn't realize that Day 21 had any significance until I sat down to write this post on Day 22. But it actually really did for me. I had a tennis match Sunday and was gone all day. After 3 sets in the cold I opted to grab my daughter and hit a local Mexican joint with one of my girls, her hubby and daughter. We met them at the restaurant and as I approached the table I immediately started to regret my decision. It was covered with fresh baskets of chips and bowls of salsa. Ugh... and I was starving. We sat down and next came  their giant beer and frozen Margarita. Then my daughter asked for cheese dip. I searched for a gun in my purse cause I seriously was about to shoot myself. What was I thinking???? I was thinking before I left the house "I can handle this" but then, all of a sudden,  I was not so sure. I scanned the menu for a solid 10 minutes thinking no, no, no, maybe, I really want that but no. I settled on combo steak and chicken fajitas, hold the cheese, hold the sour cream, hold the tortillas, double guac. I ate half because it was actually a ton of food and packed it up along with the rice and beans and took it home to my son. Getting through that meal after wanting to turn and run out in the first 5 minutes was huge to me. Aaaaand... one other cool thing happened. I reached across the table at some point and my friend turned to me and said "I can tell in your hands that you have lost weight, your fingers look skinny. I could see it just now when you reached over."

I am a water weight retainer as I have said before. One of my most hated features when I am heavier are my hands (and feet) and fingers. This may seem dumb to you but to me they look like little sausages, for real. When I cut the crap it's one of the first things that gets visibly better, and I looooove it. Inside I was soo excited when she said that, such a little thing but HUGE for me... huge.

What else I have to look forward to this week:

Day 28: 28 is as good as 30…right?

I know it seems insane but this really happens. Apparently I will have most likely at least one more day when I think..."oh hell this is good enough". Seems crazy right? It happened to me last year and on day 29 I almost ordered a drink because I went to a book reading... in a bar! Brilliant. 28 is not 30 and if you fuck it up on day 28 you should just start over. Sound harsh? Well, 28 is not 30 so...

Days 29-30: HolyOprahIt’sAlmostOverWhatAmIGoingToEatNow?!?!?! 

This too is a real thing. Panic sets in toward the end. I really have been living in this amazing whole30 bubble and it's about to burst. Suddenly I will have to figure out what the rules are for me from day 31 and beyond. To be honest with you right now I am not sure 100% what it means for me. I have a plan in my head and it is going to be tweaked for the next week, while I am still safe in the rule bubble. I will report back on this one.

Next week at this time I will be on Day 30. Wow. I cannot wait to get on the scale, take my measurements and see the results. I have been working so, so hard I have no doubt it is going to pay off.

If you would like to chime in on how any and all of your challenges are going please feel free to link up and tell us!

Read More

Friday Faves

Happy Friday!!! Guess what? I have only one more Whole30 Friday to go! I am just a teeny bit excited about getting through the next 11 days. Yes, eleven left! Anyway it was a good week, had a few challenges and got through them without incident. Went out to lunch with co-workers on Wednesday and had no problems navigating the menu and staying compliant. It was cold, rainy and miserable here all week and we might even get a little snow today which would be ok by me. Nothing major planned this weekend... finding it easier to just lay low and stay focused so that's what I'm gonna do! But first gonna link up with Amanda for some favorite things...

SHOW

I've always been a Jillian fan. Even when I hated her I secretly liked that she was such a hard ass to the biggest loser contestants. I always felt like, having struggled with my own weight, that the tough love approach was the right one. So her reality show premiered this week and I loved it. Personality wise I share some traits with her. Now if I could just get myself to do the work and get her body too. Watch it, I especially liked seeing the Mom side of her. And she has perfect hair. 

ROOM

I don't know if I will ever redo my current room but if I do in this house... this is perfection to me. Muted, subtle and so clean and chic. Gimme.

DEAL

I signed up for Amazon Prime in December and my 30 day trial was up last weekend so I got charged $99 for my one year subscription. Except they were offering a Golden Globes discount last weekend at the special price of $73 a year. So of course I immediately emailed them Monday morning and they without hesitation refunded me $26 and earned a customer for life. Good Job Amazon Prime.

HAIR

Winter is magic time for my hair because without humidty I can do anything with it. I am currently working on the flat iron beachy waves technique. I love this tutorial and the look. I'll post pics when I actually can get it right all around my head.

FUNNY STUFF

This could be a nice edition to my next online dating profile...

A great out of office message...

Ummm... yeah... NOPE.

Stare at the center of the gif for 20-40 seconds and then look at your hand. I'm easily amused.

Or when you see something that you want to order and it's not Prime cause now only Prime is acceptable.

So. Much. Yes.

What choo got goin on this weekend?

Friday Favorites

Friday Faves

Friday, January 22, 2016

Happy Friday!!! Guess what? I have only one more Whole30 Friday to go! I am just a teeny bit excited about getting through the next 11 days. Yes, eleven left! Anyway it was a good week, had a few challenges and got through them without incident. Went out to lunch with co-workers on Wednesday and had no problems navigating the menu and staying compliant. It was cold, rainy and miserable here all week and we might even get a little snow today which would be ok by me. Nothing major planned this weekend... finding it easier to just lay low and stay focused so that's what I'm gonna do! But first gonna link up with Amanda for some favorite things...

SHOW

I've always been a Jillian fan. Even when I hated her I secretly liked that she was such a hard ass to the biggest loser contestants. I always felt like, having struggled with my own weight, that the tough love approach was the right one. So her reality show premiered this week and I loved it. Personality wise I share some traits with her. Now if I could just get myself to do the work and get her body too. Watch it, I especially liked seeing the Mom side of her. And she has perfect hair. 

ROOM

I don't know if I will ever redo my current room but if I do in this house... this is perfection to me. Muted, subtle and so clean and chic. Gimme.

DEAL

I signed up for Amazon Prime in December and my 30 day trial was up last weekend so I got charged $99 for my one year subscription. Except they were offering a Golden Globes discount last weekend at the special price of $73 a year. So of course I immediately emailed them Monday morning and they without hesitation refunded me $26 and earned a customer for life. Good Job Amazon Prime.

HAIR

Winter is magic time for my hair because without humidty I can do anything with it. I am currently working on the flat iron beachy waves technique. I love this tutorial and the look. I'll post pics when I actually can get it right all around my head.

FUNNY STUFF

This could be a nice edition to my next online dating profile...

A great out of office message...

Ummm... yeah... NOPE.

Stare at the center of the gif for 20-40 seconds and then look at your hand. I'm easily amused.

Or when you see something that you want to order and it's not Prime cause now only Prime is acceptable.

So. Much. Yes.

What choo got goin on this weekend?

Read More

Thursday 13

Since I missed yesterday I thought I would check in today with some random thoughts, confessions, observations & what have you running through my brain... 13 or so


One. My old friend Soldier Boy (if you have been around for awhile) is giving up the military contractor vagabond life & ginormous paycheck and moving back from Baghdad. I am super excited to have him back on American soil full time!  #andthatsallihavetosayaboutthat

Two. I have several pairs of the same black pants from Old Navy that are currently looking tired and a little loose. So I just ordered a new pair... in the same size... like a moron. #kickingmyself

Three. I hardly ever wear real shoes on the weekends anymore. It's either some form of Nikes, comfy boots or slippers. Come Thursday and Day 4 of "work shoes" I want to scream. But I will never be one of the women that wears tennis shoes with work clothes, even business casual. #ijustcant #youlookschlumpy

Four. Feeling uber guilty about having to yell at my youngest child to get her ass moving every morning but she's so freaking slow. I have zero patience too. Any Mom's out there have suggestions?
#youleftyoursocksupstairsagain #killmenow

Five. I have a horrible habit of mentally blowing every crisis in my personal life out of proportion within minutes. I need to write this shit down because within an hour of something going awry I have written a screenplay in my mind of how it is going to play out for the next 5 years. #andallmylinesinthescreenplaytoo

Six. After drinking black coffee for 18 days I can honestly say I like black coffee. I forgot how much. #onceyougoblack

Seven. I am finally nearing the end of watching "The L Word" on Netflix and I've gotten so entrenched in the characters lives I am sad it's coming to a close. #isitjustme

Eight. I bought an expensive Chi flat iron 2 years ago and the thing is already on it's last legs. It currently only heats up about 50% of the time. Given the fact that I only straighten my hair maybe 50% of the time I think this is unacceptable. Aren't these supposed to be professional grade, stay on all day type of appliances? #pos #justwahtiwantedtobuynext

Nine. I haven't been to a concert in several months and I am jones-ing. Mumford and Sons is coming in April and a ticket would be about $75. Ouch. #cantdecidehowbadiwantogo

Ten. I have some random small maintenance issues in my house that need attention. I can't afford to pay anyone so I am asking my ex. God help me and I may regret it but that fucknut owes me a gazillion dollars and he can actually fix shit sooo... #butnottillIcandrinkwineagain

Eleven. I am officially counting down the days now to when I can have a glass of wine. It's gone from what day am I on to how many days do I have left. This may be bad but the good news is I am not even so concerned about when I can eat bread, cheese, something sweet again. I think I can keep the clean eating going for a good bit longer. I am projecting first little food indulgence on Superbowl Sunday. #drinksonday31 #dontevencare

Twelve. My daughter's boyfriend is a senior so she will be going to senior prom this year. I have made the executive decision that we are renting a dress. Checking out options but she could rent a designer gown like a Badgley Mischka for under $100 on Rent the Runway. Why should I fork out $500 on a dress she won't wear again. #bestideaever

Thirteen. And lastly but not leastly a mini rant about parents who volunteer to do shit for their kids and don't follow through or try to shirk it off on other parents. I promise that you are no busier than anyone else. You just suck way more. #thatsrightisaidyouareasuckyMom #suckitysucksuck

That was fun... word vomit. 

See you on the flip side for favorite things...Have a great day everyone!

Thursday Thirteen

Thursday 13

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Since I missed yesterday I thought I would check in today with some random thoughts, confessions, observations & what have you running through my brain... 13 or so


One. My old friend Soldier Boy (if you have been around for awhile) is giving up the military contractor vagabond life & ginormous paycheck and moving back from Baghdad. I am super excited to have him back on American soil full time!  #andthatsallihavetosayaboutthat

Two. I have several pairs of the same black pants from Old Navy that are currently looking tired and a little loose. So I just ordered a new pair... in the same size... like a moron. #kickingmyself

Three. I hardly ever wear real shoes on the weekends anymore. It's either some form of Nikes, comfy boots or slippers. Come Thursday and Day 4 of "work shoes" I want to scream. But I will never be one of the women that wears tennis shoes with work clothes, even business casual. #ijustcant #youlookschlumpy

Four. Feeling uber guilty about having to yell at my youngest child to get her ass moving every morning but she's so freaking slow. I have zero patience too. Any Mom's out there have suggestions?
#youleftyoursocksupstairsagain #killmenow

Five. I have a horrible habit of mentally blowing every crisis in my personal life out of proportion within minutes. I need to write this shit down because within an hour of something going awry I have written a screenplay in my mind of how it is going to play out for the next 5 years. #andallmylinesinthescreenplaytoo

Six. After drinking black coffee for 18 days I can honestly say I like black coffee. I forgot how much. #onceyougoblack

Seven. I am finally nearing the end of watching "The L Word" on Netflix and I've gotten so entrenched in the characters lives I am sad it's coming to a close. #isitjustme

Eight. I bought an expensive Chi flat iron 2 years ago and the thing is already on it's last legs. It currently only heats up about 50% of the time. Given the fact that I only straighten my hair maybe 50% of the time I think this is unacceptable. Aren't these supposed to be professional grade, stay on all day type of appliances? #pos #justwahtiwantedtobuynext

Nine. I haven't been to a concert in several months and I am jones-ing. Mumford and Sons is coming in April and a ticket would be about $75. Ouch. #cantdecidehowbadiwantogo

Ten. I have some random small maintenance issues in my house that need attention. I can't afford to pay anyone so I am asking my ex. God help me and I may regret it but that fucknut owes me a gazillion dollars and he can actually fix shit sooo... #butnottillIcandrinkwineagain

Eleven. I am officially counting down the days now to when I can have a glass of wine. It's gone from what day am I on to how many days do I have left. This may be bad but the good news is I am not even so concerned about when I can eat bread, cheese, something sweet again. I think I can keep the clean eating going for a good bit longer. I am projecting first little food indulgence on Superbowl Sunday. #drinksonday31 #dontevencare

Twelve. My daughter's boyfriend is a senior so she will be going to senior prom this year. I have made the executive decision that we are renting a dress. Checking out options but she could rent a designer gown like a Badgley Mischka for under $100 on Rent the Runway. Why should I fork out $500 on a dress she won't wear again. #bestideaever

Thirteen. And lastly but not leastly a mini rant about parents who volunteer to do shit for their kids and don't follow through or try to shirk it off on other parents. I promise that you are no busier than anyone else. You just suck way more. #thatsrightisaidyouareasuckyMom #suckitysucksuck

That was fun... word vomit. 

See you on the flip side for favorite things...Have a great day everyone!

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Breakup Challenge Update - Whole30 - Half Way There

Well, well, well... we have reached the halfway point in the Breakup Challenge/Whole30 journey that Laura from Life With Lolo and I started back on Jan. 4th. Can you believe it? The last two weeks have not really gone all that fast if you want to know the truth. I would like to tell you otherwise but really... no, not gonna lie. Not going out, staying in and doing house things, adopting an old lady bedtime... I'm kinda over it. Truth, the old lady bedtime is actually kind of nice, especially the next morning. I miss my going out friends and on the town places but they are all in hiding too, seems everyone likes to take the first month of the year to at least attempt to get healthy. The upside of the last two weeks is that I feel really, really good, like come at me bro good. I am definitely in the #tigerblood phase and it feels great. Biggest noticeable difference? I'm not tired. When I am eating shit I am always drag ass tired and a cranky bitch especially at the end of the day . So yesterday when I was off it actually got kind of boring just laying around watching Netflix, kind of... but I tortured myself and did it anyway. They say that #tigerblood looks different for different people and here's what I can expect at least till around Day 27 or so according to the timeline.

Days 16-27: Tiger Blood!

• I came into this eating like shit so I will skip the part about how I will feel if I had come into this eating relatively well. You can go read it here if that's you. Generally speaking for the next 12 ish days I should have more energy. My cravings should be under control  or maybe even gone. My mood swings should also be lessening... let's hope cause nobody likes me when I'm mad and I can't eat a snickers. I should also be noticing improved focus which I can report I already have actually noticed. And last but certainly not least my body composition is changing and my clothes are fitting better. Yes and thank freaking God. The bloat is gone for the most part. Pants are looser, fingers less fat and my tummy is absolutely a little flatter... not flat... get it straight. Bring on the next 12 days please.   

Planning and Strategizing: The Next 2 Weeks

Some things I have been thinking about to help me get through the next few weeks and be as successful as I can possibly be to finish strong.

• Limit nut butters - I am pretty honest about the fact that I use nut butter during the whole30 to satisfy my sweet craving. It's like dessert to me and it fills me up too. A spoonfull is an instant shot of fat, protein, calories and satisfaction. Back up... calories. If I don't dial it down a notch all of those calories will derail my efforts to lose lbs. so now it's time to slow my roll.
• Eggs - I have been eating 2 when I have a meal with eggs as my main protein. I can easily get away with one and increase another lean protein or add another pile of veggies. Kind of getting sick of eggs and I am being lazy.
• Exercise - Time to really work into a routine here. Jillian maybe? Something quick and dirty after work for even 15 minutes would make me happy. Tennis twice a week is not enough. Also maybe incorporating some weights and definitely keeping up with my squats. 
• What Comes Next - I think this 2 weeks will fly by, one can only hope, and this time I want to have a plan for what comes next for me. I don't know what the hell I did last year but it wasn't specific or thought out enough for me to really figure out what effect re-introducing say for example dairy and grains, had on me. I want to spend the next two weeks formulating a real plan for the immediate and long term future. I suspect that dairy is not my friend although I love it. Careful reintroduction of one eliminated item at a time is the only way to know for sure. Now is the time for me to map this out in my beautiful planner and be smart about it. I can start with Day 31 and reintroduction of fermented grapes at about 5:30 on my way home from work. Cheers.  

So that is what I am thinking, feeling and planning for this part of the BreakUp Challenge with my good buddy Laura. Please link up and tell us how you are doing if you are joining in the fun or not! We love to hear your success stories and experiences!

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Break Up Challenge • Whole 30 • Whole 30 Round 2

Breakup Challenge Update - Whole30 - Half Way There

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Well, well, well... we have reached the halfway point in the Breakup Challenge/Whole30 journey that Laura from Life With Lolo and I started back on Jan. 4th. Can you believe it? The last two weeks have not really gone all that fast if you want to know the truth. I would like to tell you otherwise but really... no, not gonna lie. Not going out, staying in and doing house things, adopting an old lady bedtime... I'm kinda over it. Truth, the old lady bedtime is actually kind of nice, especially the next morning. I miss my going out friends and on the town places but they are all in hiding too, seems everyone likes to take the first month of the year to at least attempt to get healthy. The upside of the last two weeks is that I feel really, really good, like come at me bro good. I am definitely in the #tigerblood phase and it feels great. Biggest noticeable difference? I'm not tired. When I am eating shit I am always drag ass tired and a cranky bitch especially at the end of the day . So yesterday when I was off it actually got kind of boring just laying around watching Netflix, kind of... but I tortured myself and did it anyway. They say that #tigerblood looks different for different people and here's what I can expect at least till around Day 27 or so according to the timeline.

Days 16-27: Tiger Blood!

• I came into this eating like shit so I will skip the part about how I will feel if I had come into this eating relatively well. You can go read it here if that's you. Generally speaking for the next 12 ish days I should have more energy. My cravings should be under control  or maybe even gone. My mood swings should also be lessening... let's hope cause nobody likes me when I'm mad and I can't eat a snickers. I should also be noticing improved focus which I can report I already have actually noticed. And last but certainly not least my body composition is changing and my clothes are fitting better. Yes and thank freaking God. The bloat is gone for the most part. Pants are looser, fingers less fat and my tummy is absolutely a little flatter... not flat... get it straight. Bring on the next 12 days please.   

Planning and Strategizing: The Next 2 Weeks

Some things I have been thinking about to help me get through the next few weeks and be as successful as I can possibly be to finish strong.

• Limit nut butters - I am pretty honest about the fact that I use nut butter during the whole30 to satisfy my sweet craving. It's like dessert to me and it fills me up too. A spoonfull is an instant shot of fat, protein, calories and satisfaction. Back up... calories. If I don't dial it down a notch all of those calories will derail my efforts to lose lbs. so now it's time to slow my roll.
• Eggs - I have been eating 2 when I have a meal with eggs as my main protein. I can easily get away with one and increase another lean protein or add another pile of veggies. Kind of getting sick of eggs and I am being lazy.
• Exercise - Time to really work into a routine here. Jillian maybe? Something quick and dirty after work for even 15 minutes would make me happy. Tennis twice a week is not enough. Also maybe incorporating some weights and definitely keeping up with my squats. 
• What Comes Next - I think this 2 weeks will fly by, one can only hope, and this time I want to have a plan for what comes next for me. I don't know what the hell I did last year but it wasn't specific or thought out enough for me to really figure out what effect re-introducing say for example dairy and grains, had on me. I want to spend the next two weeks formulating a real plan for the immediate and long term future. I suspect that dairy is not my friend although I love it. Careful reintroduction of one eliminated item at a time is the only way to know for sure. Now is the time for me to map this out in my beautiful planner and be smart about it. I can start with Day 31 and reintroduction of fermented grapes at about 5:30 on my way home from work. Cheers.  

So that is what I am thinking, feeling and planning for this part of the BreakUp Challenge with my good buddy Laura. Please link up and tell us how you are doing if you are joining in the fun or not! We love to hear your success stories and experiences!

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Weekending...

I am actually still weekending so this is going to be a quick little recap for me today. As I mentioned Friday I am off today and what I didn't say is that I didn't tell anyone, as in my kids or my ex. He has the kids so I figured just let them stay with him another day and I will enjoy quiet house. So on the agenda... laundry that I didn't do all weekend, reading books and magazines, meal prep for the week and snuggle on my couch with the dog in front of a fire. Perfect winter day off!

Anyway back to the weekend. I am finding that being on Whole30 gives me a lot less material for a post on Monday. Not for lack of being busy but I am really not going too many places or doing much socially. I felt like this past weekend was going to be hard for me so I kind of just avoided the hard stuff. I stayed home Friday night, had a fire and caught up on my dvr. Saturday I spent the whole morning it felt like, backing up shit off my old phone and getting my new phone up and running. I had cleaning on the agenda but when one of my girlfriends texted and said come walk the Big Creek Greenway with me because it's too pretty to mop floors I caved. We walked a few miles, I took the dog and we had good conversation, fresh air, sunshine and exercise. It was a very good executive decision. I actually felt kind of energized and came home and busted out my hardwood floors anyway. I grabbed a shower and headed to Sprouts and the grocery store because my life clearly revolves around food right now and planning for the week. Sunday tennis doesn't leave much time for that  and I really wanted Monday to be all about nothing. I hooked up with my dealer at Sprouts and got a fresh supply of healthy nut butters among other things that don't matter nearly as much. Saturday night I ate half a rotisserie chicken, drank some Kombucha, watched Top Gun and crashed out early.

Sunday tennis was frigid in the 30's but bright sunshine made it bearable to be outside as long as I was moving. My partner and I played a grueling 3 set, 3 hour match and we came out on top after coming back from a huge deficit in both of the first sets. We finished up 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 making full use of our time on the courts! We always provide lunch for the team we are hosting so my co captain made a big crock pot of chili and I did loaded baked potatoes. Seriously, if you ever need to bring a super easy hot side that everyone loves do baked potatoes in the crock pot. Rub each with EVOO and sea salt, wrap in foil, cook low for 8 hours or high for 5 or so and boom... perfect potatoes. Serve with cheese, bacon crumbles, chives, sour cream, butter... oh and top with chili if you have it!  My five quart crock pot fits an entire 5lb. bag of potatoes. It was actually something I could eat too... well a potato topped with bacon & chives anyway.

Happy MLK Day!

Linking up with Biana...

Weekending

Weekending...

Monday, January 18, 2016

I am actually still weekending so this is going to be a quick little recap for me today. As I mentioned Friday I am off today and what I didn't say is that I didn't tell anyone, as in my kids or my ex. He has the kids so I figured just let them stay with him another day and I will enjoy quiet house. So on the agenda... laundry that I didn't do all weekend, reading books and magazines, meal prep for the week and snuggle on my couch with the dog in front of a fire. Perfect winter day off!

Anyway back to the weekend. I am finding that being on Whole30 gives me a lot less material for a post on Monday. Not for lack of being busy but I am really not going too many places or doing much socially. I felt like this past weekend was going to be hard for me so I kind of just avoided the hard stuff. I stayed home Friday night, had a fire and caught up on my dvr. Saturday I spent the whole morning it felt like, backing up shit off my old phone and getting my new phone up and running. I had cleaning on the agenda but when one of my girlfriends texted and said come walk the Big Creek Greenway with me because it's too pretty to mop floors I caved. We walked a few miles, I took the dog and we had good conversation, fresh air, sunshine and exercise. It was a very good executive decision. I actually felt kind of energized and came home and busted out my hardwood floors anyway. I grabbed a shower and headed to Sprouts and the grocery store because my life clearly revolves around food right now and planning for the week. Sunday tennis doesn't leave much time for that  and I really wanted Monday to be all about nothing. I hooked up with my dealer at Sprouts and got a fresh supply of healthy nut butters among other things that don't matter nearly as much. Saturday night I ate half a rotisserie chicken, drank some Kombucha, watched Top Gun and crashed out early.

Sunday tennis was frigid in the 30's but bright sunshine made it bearable to be outside as long as I was moving. My partner and I played a grueling 3 set, 3 hour match and we came out on top after coming back from a huge deficit in both of the first sets. We finished up 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 making full use of our time on the courts! We always provide lunch for the team we are hosting so my co captain made a big crock pot of chili and I did loaded baked potatoes. Seriously, if you ever need to bring a super easy hot side that everyone loves do baked potatoes in the crock pot. Rub each with EVOO and sea salt, wrap in foil, cook low for 8 hours or high for 5 or so and boom... perfect potatoes. Serve with cheese, bacon crumbles, chives, sour cream, butter... oh and top with chili if you have it!  My five quart crock pot fits an entire 5lb. bag of potatoes. It was actually something I could eat too... well a potato topped with bacon & chives anyway.

Happy MLK Day!

Linking up with Biana...

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Friday Faves

Indeed. It's been a trying week and now it's Friday and we all get to breathe for a few days I hope. I actually get an extra day on Monday for the first time in the history of ever. I have MLK day off... woohoo!!! My plans for this weekend are pretty simple, not exciting, but taking full advantage of the fact that college football is over, I can't go day drinking and it's going to be ch-ch-ch-chilly in GA.I'm going to clean out shit in my house. I have like a zillion boxes from Amazon Xmas gifts so rather than break them all down I am going to fill them up, with stuff I no longer need and take them to Goodwill. Feeling the need to purge right now big time. I think I might run or take the dog on a marathon walk or something too, stressful things swimming around my head I think could benefit from an endorphin release.

But first, let's talk about some of my favorite things this week with Amanda!

RECIPE

As I said earlier this week I am getting pretty tired of cooking so it's time to get out the crock pot and turn up. Gonna start with this little yummy... Chocolate Chili from Well Fed. Her cookbooks are on my list but her blog is a must read if you like the Paleo food things. Need to make chili for tennis on Sunday and since this has no beans/legumes I get to shovel it my face hole when I get done playing!

SHOES

I'm looking for a Barre or a Yoga Groupon and would love to get my hands on these for my next class. Not a huge fan of the socks or going barefoot in a studio. Love these. Nike of course... similar here.

TATTOO

Again with the minimalist tattoos ... I do love this. So sweet and simple like jewelry. I wonder if I could get away with just one??? Or three... I have a thing for 3's

NETFLIX SHOW

Damn you Netflix. Why? Whyyyyy????

SONG

How could I not fall down the rabbit hole of Bowie videos this week. One of my favorite songs and a very cool little story to go with it! Listen up!

FUNNY STUFF

I didn't watch the Golden Globes but I love me some AShu...

When someone tells me to just google how to do some simple car repair thing... not my jam.

I feel like my dog has some sort of secret life going on when I'm at work. Not sure what it is but he does, I just know it.

There are two lanes to the on ramp on the freeway entrance I get on every day, yet asshat's continue to try to make a third and jump the line. Every day. Not happening. 

If one more person asks me why I think Whole30 is a good thing. 

And the nudge heard round the world. I love both their faces. Perfect. She freaks me out too Leo.

Have a great weekend people!

Friday Favorites

Friday Faves

Friday, January 15, 2016

Indeed. It's been a trying week and now it's Friday and we all get to breathe for a few days I hope. I actually get an extra day on Monday for the first time in the history of ever. I have MLK day off... woohoo!!! My plans for this weekend are pretty simple, not exciting, but taking full advantage of the fact that college football is over, I can't go day drinking and it's going to be ch-ch-ch-chilly in GA.I'm going to clean out shit in my house. I have like a zillion boxes from Amazon Xmas gifts so rather than break them all down I am going to fill them up, with stuff I no longer need and take them to Goodwill. Feeling the need to purge right now big time. I think I might run or take the dog on a marathon walk or something too, stressful things swimming around my head I think could benefit from an endorphin release.

But first, let's talk about some of my favorite things this week with Amanda!

RECIPE

As I said earlier this week I am getting pretty tired of cooking so it's time to get out the crock pot and turn up. Gonna start with this little yummy... Chocolate Chili from Well Fed. Her cookbooks are on my list but her blog is a must read if you like the Paleo food things. Need to make chili for tennis on Sunday and since this has no beans/legumes I get to shovel it my face hole when I get done playing!

SHOES

I'm looking for a Barre or a Yoga Groupon and would love to get my hands on these for my next class. Not a huge fan of the socks or going barefoot in a studio. Love these. Nike of course... similar here.

TATTOO

Again with the minimalist tattoos ... I do love this. So sweet and simple like jewelry. I wonder if I could get away with just one??? Or three... I have a thing for 3's

NETFLIX SHOW

Damn you Netflix. Why? Whyyyyy????

SONG

How could I not fall down the rabbit hole of Bowie videos this week. One of my favorite songs and a very cool little story to go with it! Listen up!

FUNNY STUFF

I didn't watch the Golden Globes but I love me some AShu...

When someone tells me to just google how to do some simple car repair thing... not my jam.

I feel like my dog has some sort of secret life going on when I'm at work. Not sure what it is but he does, I just know it.

There are two lanes to the on ramp on the freeway entrance I get on every day, yet asshat's continue to try to make a third and jump the line. Every day. Not happening. 

If one more person asks me why I think Whole30 is a good thing. 

And the nudge heard round the world. I love both their faces. Perfect. She freaks me out too Leo.

Have a great weekend people!

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