I Just Want to be "There"

A Tad Better...

2012-02-08T14:28:00.000-05:00

I think I got one sip or two of wine in before I fell asleep pretty early last night. I asked the hubby to pour me one, and for some reason he never uses one of the twelve wine glasses we have. It's always some big old mug. He gets an "A" for effort.

But I think my body needed the sleep. I think mentally I needed it. Nine hours of sleep. How unbelievably perfect right? I mean, seriously, when's the last time you got that many hours in? I hit the gym early and hard and felt like a new woman. I think the sun was even shining today. I'm totally taking that as a sign to try to stop being all moody. We shall see how well that works for me.

On the other hand I did wake up to seeing my favorite Super Bowl commercial. Sure, there were some funny ones, but there's only one that made the ladies in the bar stop chatting and clap at the end. Ok, I think I might have started the clapping.

Credit H&M

Oh, David Beckham. Somehow, you just know exactly how to put a smile on a girl's face. I think my day just got totally better.

One of THOSE Days...

2012-02-07T23:19:00.000-05:00

I have been so incredibly moody today. Moody enough to change my blog header at least 14 times in the past 12 hours. Enough to never want to see Photoshop or InDesign for a few days. I'm feeling so dang indecisive about everything.

I didn't go to the gym today. I ate a pack of starbursts. I drank soda. I'm in total sugar addiction mode. Stupid hormones. I even drank a beer last night. Today, in total need of a glass of wine.

But I did take Luna for a haircut and she looks fabulous. I was ten minutes late on dropping her off and ten minutes late on picking her up though. I figured I'd stay consistent.

Then I stood in front of the moisturizers at Kmart for at least a half hour tonight trying to pick out a brand since the one I've been using and that has been recommended is out. And has been out for two weeks. I couldn't decide if I should prevent wrinkles, prevent the sun, stop wrinkles, reduce wrinkles, clarify my pores, reduce acnes marks, tone my skin, or look refreshed and renewed. It was an exhausting process.

I finally decided on Aveeno Smart Essentials. The nighttime moisturizer at night and the eye thingy for those puffy eyes I get when I only have a few hours of sleep. Which is too often.

I still will always use Vaseline on my eyes and lips at night. It's a little tip a friend gave months ago on her Vlog that I still follow. It always makes me feel refreshed in the morning and it's great at getting off waterproof mascara.

We'll see how I like them. Tomorrow I'll probably change my mind. But I'm going to use them consistently unless I totally hate them. I need a refreshing change. I'm such a sucker for advertising. They say they're the smart, natural choice. They must be telling the truth right?

I wish I could live one day as my hubby and he could live one period day as me. Poor guy. Hopefully, I wake up on the right side of the hormones, I mean bed, tomorrow.

The Voice...

2012-02-06T20:53:00.002-05:00

So I have to admit, I'm kinda liking this whole, The Voice show. I didn't watch it last season. I've been on TV overload so I try to not add any new shows to my DVR. But after a crappy night of work last night, I started watching it while cleaning up after the Super Bowl. I like the idea of the show only having the talented, seasoned performers audition in front of the judges. I like the idea of it not being a joke.

I also kinda love the fact that Blake Shelton continuously talks about Miranda Lambert on it too. He's either so enamored of her or he just likes to use her as a bargaining chip. I think it's cute either way.

But I'm not gonna lie, I can't wait to see this show Smash, it looks fabulous and I hope it lives up to the hype.

In the meantime, I need to practice my guitar; I love hearing musicians perform and then get inspired. Learning chords has been the coolest experience. I can't wait to get my lyrics set to music. It's hard trying to depend on others. Everyone has lives of their own to live. Music is usually an afterthought for everyone, and I'd love to make it my main mindset. I can't wait to do one of MY songs one day. Even if it's only in front of my hubby or my mom. I love the idea.

Music is such a healer of all things. I love seeing it all over television. Especially, the country music loving. Five years ago, you never would have seen Blake Shelton judging a singing show—oh, how times are changing.

Exhausting...

2012-02-06T01:31:00.003-05:00

This weekend was just too jam packed with things to do. That whole saying, "there's just not enough hours in the day" definitely fit my entire weekend to a tee.

I've been working on a website for my job for awhile; since it needed to be done for Monday when we release our new menu, I felt a tad overwhelmed. (I really try to make this blog about anything and everything BUT my job because I spend way too much time thinking about it already, but it's the reason that I've been MIA). We had a staff meeting to introduce the new items and address other issues, I helped with menus, took photos, and edited photos... I'm tired of looking at a computer screen. Isn't that ironic, as I sit here and blog?

I lost a ton of sleep on Friday because of my stress levels. I thought to myself that I shouldn't take a melatonin to help me sleep because I didn't want to feel groggy the next morning, but instead I had about an hour of tossing and turning sleep. I even resorted to the couch because the hubby started snoring, but only Luna fell asleep, I just laid wide awake.

So instead of moping around I hit the gym hard after a night of not sleeping. I've been completely motivated by friends, customers, and family members loyal support. The hearing, "You look great D", or "Good job I can tell you're doing something, you look awesome," is really keeping me on track. Hearing a stranger or two tell me I have great style while I was in the check out line also doesn't hurt.

I think I'm exuding some sort of confidence I never thought I would ever have. Hopefully, it stays that way. But hopefully, I'll also learn to use my workouts as a way to de-stress from my day or mentally prepare myself for my day, instead of keeping that pent up tension that I have from the daily goings on in life. I'm still learning here people.

I did have a nice lunch with my Dad, which has been long overdue. It was a nice tradition that we picked up for a good year, that I was happy to have back again. He's been having a hard couple of weeks and I was happy to listen to him vent. He lost his brother and is a little stressed. Sorry to say I didn't know my uncle, or any of my father's family really, but I hate to see anyone I love sad.

After an unexpected, huge, busy, day at work on Saturday, I was totally prepared for a huge Super Bowl Sunday, only to have it completely flop. Oh well, I guess when a local team is in the big game, everyone decides to keep game time at home to stay safe. There's always next year, right?

I'm looking forward to Monday so much. I love Mondays. A little work, a little guitar, a little me time, and a lot of home time with my family. Basically, a lot of what I love. Happy Monday everyone!

So About this Vegan Attempt...

2012-02-03T01:54:00.002-05:00

I'm doing horrible at it. I totally convinced myself that before Aruba I would try to get back into a more Vegan lifestyle. It's healthier and I need to clean up my eating just a tad more in order to feel fabulous in those Victoria Secret bikinis.

I'm doing great, but every once in awhile I get these cravings for everything and anything not on my good for me list. Isn't that always how it works though? Every time you cut something off your list (even if you don't eat it often) all of a sudden you start just jonesing for it!

Stupid food.

So, after I wrote the other day on here that I really haven't been cooking lately, I decided that I needed to cook. I made a fabulous salad that I saw on Apartment 34 (minus all the fanciness) that I just can't stop eating (I know it's got cheese, I know it's not Vegan...).

Unfortunately, three days of eating this fabulous salad (minus the candied walnuts) has equalled my need for another product.

I'm dying over here! I love my fruits and veggies, but no one lets you know that when you start going all fruit and veggie that it really, well, is just a fabulous mess on your digestion.

Maybe potato chips would be better?

Then I got this brilliant idea to make some vegetarian chili.

I know, I know, I'm a glutton for punishment.

Anyone Else Think that the Vegetable Classic Black Bean Flavored with Bacon is Hilarious?

Sometimes, I could just kick myself for the stupid things I do.

So, all day I suffered. I'm pretty sure my size eights were cutting off my circulation by the end of the night. I think muffin top would have been the understatement of the year.

It's almost 2 a.m. and I've resorted to this.

Stupid Vegetarian thing. I'm over it. Unless you've all got a better idea!

Such a Perfect Day...

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today was just the best day to be off and the best day to run errands. Why can't I have off days like this in the summer? We live in the fabulous state of New York, but usually around this time of the year we're digging ourselves out of tons of snow; which if you know me at all, I despise! This year has been absolutely fabulous. Other than two snow storms, pretty early in the season, we really haven't been hit hard. This makes for a very happy Dana. Now, please don't blame me if we get hit now, I just looked at the weekly forecast and it's still fabulous, so I really can't be blamed for jinxing it yet!

So today, as the weather creeped into the high 50's, I brought back what I like to call Dress Day.

Granted, I still wear dresses in the winter, now that I've found leggings and tights to be tolerable— but this is Dress Day weather! I wasn't even cold. I didn't even need my hat. I hope it continues like this all the way up to the day Spring is official. And I love my new Ruche sweater and necklace (call it my friendly reminder to practice like a good girl, especially since I've been enjoying it!). And I'm pretty stoked over the fact that those boots I wanted are back in stock and are now on their way to my front door.

One of my friends told me today that I could quite possibly be considered a shopaholic— I totally disagree! I don't shop often, just a little more than usually lately, and my lack of cooking makes up for it right? I mean, rarely having a grocery bill does help with buying my dresses. Score one for my side.

I'll try to tame down my spending, but I just love when Dress Day weather hits. Hopefully, the Groundhog cooperates.

I'm Up, I'm Up...

2012-01-31T09:53:00.000-05:00

Those were usually my famous last words to my mother before I nodded off again when I was suppose to be getting ready for school. It's almost ten years later and I'm still doing the same thing. I think that to myself every time the alarm goes off, and I push the snooze button. The hubby and I have a horrible sleep schedule, but in the past week and a half it's been affecting my workouts as well. Going to bed at 4 a.m. doesn't really equal wanting to wake up and hit the gym.

google images

I need to get back into my morning workout habit and start getting motivated to greet the sunshine again. I love being able to say that 9 or 10 a.m. is early for me. I have to admit, it feels pretty good to feel the sunshine. I can't wait for spring!

I came across this article while looking for my favorite Marilyn Monroe workout picture. How perfect. I still think it's funny that people insist Marilyn was fat, when in all actuality she died weighing 117 pounds. The photo below was part of her last photo shoot she took before her death.

Oh well, I guess you'll never change the minds of women who really want the ideal American woman to be larger than she actually was. Yea she had curves, but curves aren't a bad thing. I wish I had curves like her! She was tiny for 5'5!

Anyway, off to the gym I go! What inspires you to keep working out? How do you stay in shape? Any star that you idolize?

A Great Weekend...

2012-01-30T22:59:00.003-05:00

It was so nice not working on a Saturday. When you're in the restaurant business there are a lot of things that you need to get used to and not having a life on the weekends is one of them. So this was my exception to the rule.

The hubby and I headed down to Jersey to see Miranda Lambert in concert. Jerrod Niemann and Chris Young really weren't that impressive as opening acts; maybe it was the sound of the iZod center being split in half, or maybe it was because the crowd really wasn't feeling them, but I've definitely seen both guys do much better shows. I kinda think it was the crowd just not knowing the guys well enough. Maybe they're just better in intimate settings; my vote is still out on that one.

My hubby isn't exactly a huge Miranda Lambert fan but he bought the tickets because he knows that I am. But by the end of the concert, I think he said at least six times how impressed he was with her singing ability and her performance. She definitely rocked it.

I really wish that I recorded the Aretha Franklin number she sang—the girl sanngggg, if you know what I mean!

I get so emotional watching concerts. I think I've mentioned that before. I want my songs to be heard someday. I want that overwhelming feeling that an artist must feel when a crowd sings their song back to them.

I'm pretty sure she's living the life that I'm suppose to be living. I'm pretty sure I hate that. How rude! I mean, could I at least write your songs Miranda? You could sing them, I'll just write them. Can anyone make that deal happen?

Oh well, I'll just keep writing and stop waiting for it to happen. I need to make it happen.

"Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle...

If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right...

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary...

Stay hungry. Stay Foolish." — Steve Jobs

Hi Thursday...

2012-01-26T23:30:00.000-05:00

Hi Thursday. I love you. You're like the unexpected gift before my weekend starts. You're kinda fabulous. I only really enjoy you every other week, but that's the best part about you, you're my every other week friend that I've fallen for. You're pretty perfect.

Bath Time with Lavender and Epsom Salt

My Earring of the Month Arrived

Ruche Arrived

I Got Dressed for Dinner With Friends

I Gave this Little One Tons of Loving

This Became My New Addiction

Thank you Thursday, you've been great, as always. I wouldn't expect anything less. Granted, I still had to cook and clean, but I've got so much time to enjoy you that I really kinda forgot about those things. Thanks again— see you in two weeks!

Uh Oh...

2012-01-25T14:15:00.002-05:00

I found a new dress site I love. Ruche. Just like Modcloth, it's kind of addicting. Even worse, they have the cutest accessories too. And as an old lady, I love having accessories. Too much is never enough, right? Hmmm. It's pretty hard to stop "window shopping" during my downtime. I was good though; I only bought one dress... but way too many other things. A girl has got to look cute.

What? It's not like I went crazy or anything?

I wanted these too, but they're out of my sizes.

Oh, well. I made sure I signed up to be notified if they're restocked. This is the one damn problem with feeling good, I just can't stop shopping!

(all pictures courtesy of www.shopruche.com )

It's Been So Long...

2012-01-24T13:24:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that it's been almost three years since the hubby asked me to marry him. He didn't get down on one knee. He was still in the process of having my ring made. He just looked at me one night and said, "Can I ask you a question?" In my head, I thought, yes, I'll marry you, but then he actually said it. He told me how much he loved me. How much living the rest of his life with me would mean to him. I cried. Of course I said yes. Of course I called my mom.

Three years. So much has changed since then and yet so much has stayed the same.

I love when people ask, "so how is married life treating you?" I'm not exactly sure how to answer that. It's exactly like any relationship in your life. There are ups and downs. At some moments you hate each other. But more often then not, you see the love you have in the reflection of each others eyes. You make compromises. You feel love. You feel your emotions.

He still indulges my quirky, dorky side. He says nothing about my dress habit— lucky me, after a 7-month engagement I got to wear the most beautiful dress a girl could ever wear.

Photos by Michael Bloom Photography

www.michaelbloomphoto.com

I'm the Oldest Young Person You Know...

2012-01-23T21:44:00.001-05:00

That's what I've been told. That I'm the oldest young person that most people know. I'm not exactly sure if that's a compliment or if it just means that I act like a boring old lady. I mean, I do. Kinda. I mean, I am. Kinda. But that's completely fine with me.

I can tell you that at least once a week someone tells me that I should have been a twenty-something in the 1940's or the 1950's. My mom is usually the one dishing that one out, but tons of my customers do too. I could wear a dress everyday of my life and be completely fine with it. Even in the dead of winter I'll make due with some tights and boots. I think I've found a style that finally suits me. It only took me until I was 26 to figure it out. I mean what's wrong with fondness for old lady sweaters and vagabond knitted hats? Anything with a touch of vintage charm is completely perfect for me.

Or is it my clip on earrings and old lady charm? Maybe it's the earring of the month club. I'm not exactly sure. Maybe it's my librarian attitude? Or the Modcloth shopping that includes my little dress shopping habit. Or my new favorite site Ruche.

Maybe it's having the 40's on four on Sirius playing every time I'm in the car (sorry hubby, I can't help it!). Ya gotta love some Glenn Miller Band.

All I know is that I take it as a compliment. I think I'd make my Grama a proper companion back in the day. Just sitting drinking tea and bullshitting with the girls and doing the least amount of housework possible (minus Grama's pesky cigarette habit that she had back then).

The other day when my hubby caught me getting out of the shower, he also saw me in my favorite little item I picked up about a month ago.

It possibly could cross the limit of the old lady charm. Personally, I think my shower cap is stunning! At least as stunning as a shower cap can possibly be. I mean he might have asked me if I was eighty, but I don't think many eighty-year olds can rock a shower cap quite like I do.

Now, if I start wearing rain caps on outside, then I might have a problem. Is there an I Love Lucy or Golden Girls episode I could reference for help with this problem? If there is, maybe I should re-watch it for the 100th time. Then again, maybe those shows are what caused my problem. Damn TV. You always get the best of me!

New Beginnings...

2012-01-23T02:27:00.000-05:00

I've been really feeling the need to change my header, but honestly, I've forgotten so much of my copy editing and layout class from college that I really didn't want to try to start up with the headache of using InDesign. But alas, I finally broke down and decided to jump back in. I'm no professional. Honestly, it's just something I don't have patience for, until I start getting back into it, then I start enjoying it again.

I hope it's not too bad, or too much of a change, but I'm kinda liking it.

I was always one of those kids that rearranged my bedroom with the seasons, so having the same header for two years, started to kill me!

My goals in life have been tweaked a tad. My love of different things in life has grown. I really felt the need to change my blog as my life has changed.

What do you think? Should I go back to my old one? Revamp the new one?

So many questions. Let me know.

I Hate Saturdays...

2012-01-21T12:44:00.000-05:00

I know I rave about Mondays and how much I love them; even Thursdays get my vote every now and then. But have I mentioned how much I despise Saturdays?

It hasn't always been this way. I use to like them just about as much as any other day. Then all of a sudden my hubby had this idea of doing a double on Saturdays for work. It kinda put a damper on that whole Saturday thing and my Tuesday thing. The thing is now he leaves work on Friday night a little after eleven and then has to be back up for work at 4 a.m.—the problem with that? I get home from work about 2:30 a.m. and he wakes up at the sound of the toilet paper roll.

Him and his damn Spidey Senses.

So he does a double on Saturday so he can have off on Tuesdays; it turns his week into a four day work week and he loves every minute of it. Well, Tuesdays use to be my Me Time day; which sadly meant that I basically would clean the house and get my errands done, but now it's a day together (this is good!), but now when I come home on Friday night from work, I have to sleep on the couch until he wakes up because I can't disturb my sleeping prince. The puppy also has to stay at Grama's because Daddy needs his four hours of sleep (understandable).

Last night I came home from work and he had the blanket all laid out on the couch for me with my pillow and his shirt to sleep in. How cute is he? I'm pretty sure it took me about 5 minutes to pass out.

As per our new normal, he woke me up around 5 a.m. to tuck me in upstairs before he left for work. I got my forehead kiss.

Now, I know what you're thinking, I have a whole Saturday to myself to get chores done and run errands right? Nah, I'm tired from working late and it snowed outside! I don't wanna shovelllll!!!!

This has shitty Saturday written all over it! I'm totally going to veg out in the house and possibly get some stuff done around here. Other than that, I'm hoping to stay in all day until work tonight. But I have to say, without the hubby and without the pup, the house does get a little lonely. I'm also pretty sure that I'm silly for making fun of all those people who grocery shop right before storms—if I grocery shopped on a regular basis this wouldn't be a problem, but I'm not exactly sure what I plan on eating today. I think it's going to include lots of Shop Rite brand iced tea mix because there's not much else. How long can one live off of pure sugar? Any theories? Just wondering.

Stupid Saturday.

A New Life...

2012-01-20T19:06:00.001-05:00

How is it that I can feel incredibly happy one second and instantly sad in the next? My best friend since first grade just had her first child, and I couldn't be happier. Blake William is perfect. I'm so excited to be an Auntie and to spoil this little man.

I held him in my arms for almost two hours and he was just, sigh, perfect.

He had that baby smell and his skin was so incredibly soft and perfect. His little cone shaped head with blonde hair covering it— priceless. The spitting image of his Daddy. It was amazing to see this little man come from being in mommy's belly one day and then be welcomed into the world the next. I couldn't stop staring at him.

On the car ride there I cried tears of happiness. Then on the car ride home from the hospital I couldn't stop crying. And not for the happiness of my friend (how terrible is THAT!) but for the sadness that I feel because the feelings that she's able to experience right now, I may never have. The joy her husband feels. The love her mother feels. That completion of a family.

I keep saying, maybe I'm not meant to be a mom, maybe I'm meant to do other things... but today, while holding that little man, I have to say, it felt kinda, well... perfect.

Welcome to the world Blake William; It's kind of a scary place, but your mommy and daddy (and your auntie) will help you along the way. It's never easy, but right now, as you're in mommy's arms sleeping, it's kind of perfect- we will all try really hard to keep it that way.

Is There Such a Thing...

2012-01-19T13:45:00.001-05:00

I'm an old TV show addict. Nothing compares to older shows and the little snippets of wisdom that they always include.

I remember an episode of "All in the Family" where Mike ("meathead" as he is so fondly remembered) and Gloria were trying to teach Edith how to "fair fight." This is their method of setting aside a time to fight with each other and vent out their frustrations.

Do you think there really could be such a thing? Do people do this? Sometimes it's hard to compromise when you're in a relationship. How do you know when a fight is worth it? How do you know when you should back down or when you should have it out? I've learned that there should always be a little give and take, but I'm far from a professional.

I love this episode... "gunnysacking" Oh, Gloria and Mike, they always thought they knew it all.

So About this Working Out Thing...

2012-01-18T13:23:00.001-05:00

I'm kinda giddy about working out. It's weird. I have a true love hate relationship with it. I always have. But even though I hate the idea of going to the gym and the idea of waking up to go and workout, I have to say, I pretty much love it when I finally get my start.

I've worked out before. I've gotten some results before, but i've never had definition. I've definitely lost weight before (and then gained it back) but I've never ever, had results before that I'm truly proud of. I'm very proud of myself. It's been almost a year of going to the gym (April 1st) consistently and of doing weights. I've fought my hubby for years on the whole weight lifting thing—"weight lifting is for guys" or "I don't want to bulk up"... pretty much any excuse to lose weight by just doing cardio and cutting my eating in half.

I've lost weight before. But never like this.

I'm not there yet, but I'm halfway there. I'm pretty damn proud of the fact that I'm actually getting cut. So here's my official, I'm sorry, to my hubby. You were so right. Lifting weights really is the key to getting big results. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would have definition in my stomach or wear a Victorias Secret bikini. I've got more work to do before I rock this in Aruba, but I'm almost there. And today is my official start of Ab Ripper X. So I'm expecting to be seeing amazing results by then (I have this really hot friend that swears by it).

I can't believe I'm putting this online. But I'm damn proud. Even if I'm not there yet.

Is it Really Almost February...

2012-01-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

Wow, time is flying! It's already the middle of January! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was running around trying to find last minute Christmas gifts for people and trying to prepare myself for the bill that was going to come at the end of the month.

I love receiving gifts just as much as I love getting them— especially the unexpected ones! How great is it when you actually have a secret santa at work that gives you something you actually love? Let's be honest, most of the time, we fear the secret santa. We try to act all satisfied and happy over the gift but usually, they just miss the mark. This year, I really was touched by mine. The gifts were so personal and so perfect; they actually made me tear up (even though I cry at the drop of a dime!).

Inside the notebook was a personal note from my secret santa telling me to continue to chase my dreams and write my lyrics down in this notebook (and not to forget her when I make it big)... it was so sweet, and the cowboy boot necklace was the perfect kicker!

For anyone looking to give a perfect gift still (perhaps for Valentine's Day?), I have to say that last year I found this site Darlybird.com through one of my favorite blogs and I joined her earring of the month club. Let me tell you how awesome it was to get a cute new pair of earrings every month in the mail. I mean seriously, who gets real mail anymore? It's never letters, it's never packages unless you just bought something—it's always bills! And even those don't always come in the mail anymore. For me, it's mostly not for profits looking for donations (I guess that's what happens when you try to be nice and donate to a place, they sell your name to every other charity, but I digress, don't get me started!).

I almost forgot to sign up for the monthly club. I'm telling you, it's a great gift, even if like me, it's a gift you give to yourself (as long as you don't mind having the same earrings as me). You pay upfront, but then every month it's like getting a surprise in the mail. I loved it last year, and I can't wait for this years' earrings that will be added to my collection.

Check out Rachel's site. She includes a cute little note with the earrings each month.

One hundred dollars for 12 pairs of earrings isn't too shabby (last year I'm pretty sure it was 14 pairs)... if I do say so myself. I just love finding cute things. Any cute places to shop I should know about? Please share!

Don't You Just Love a Date Night...

2012-01-17T21:06:00.000-05:00

I am convinced that everyone should have a date night. Whether you're single or spoken for, a date night keeps you sane. Just a night to get away from the house chores and to get away from your work life.

One great thing about the Christmas season is that a lot of people give gift cards. Thankfully, my step dad picked our perfect dinner spot— Nina.

From the atmosphere to the food and the service, this place definitely has it all. I love having any excuse to get dressed up and have my every once in awhile drink... this time it was a Grape Ape Martini (yes please!)—grape vodka, grape pucker, chambord, and sour mix—Fabulous!

Nina never disappoints. The meal was fabulous and I'm pretty sure we'll both have leftovers for the next week. Yum! We decided we weren't going to get our typical selections, so we started with the Risotto Tort with a basil pesto and then the hubby had a Cajun Chicken Penne (he tried really hard to not act like it was too spicy) and I had a Fettuccine in a Rosemary Sauce. Fabulous. But we couldn't resist and bought the Braised Chardonnay Short Ribs to take home—I'm pretty sure I've ruined my attempt at being a Vegetarian for the week. So worth it.

There's always next week!

I Pretty Much Love Mondays...

2012-01-16T23:26:00.004-05:00

I have to say, even though most people hate Mondays, I'm pretty much in love with them. I'm sure everyone else is in love with this Monday too since most people are off from work.

Monday means that my work week is over and that for the first time in a few days I can actually see my real family more than I see my work family. I love the crew that I have at work, they're great people, and my customers are great too, but sometimes it's just time to have a break and spend some time doing the things you really love to do in life.

Today I spent about two hours at the gym (we've booked our Aruba trip for March so I need to get these abs to make their first appearance ever!), had my guitar lesson (which went swimmingly), shopped at Ulta for some new makeup and found my BED HEAD shampoo on sale for $12.99, spent some time with my parents, and then watched the Betty White special while snuggled into my warm blankets. It was a pretty fabulous day.

http://shop.quirkgallery.com/

I need to buy this dishtowel, it pretty much sums up those days spent in the house, and it takes me back to a few weeks ago when we went with some friends down to NYC to see Mary Poppins on Broadway.

It was a really cute show and the hubby was even impressed by the second half of the show with the "Step in Time" number, even though he's never seen the movie (how crazy is that!). Of course, it was raining (when we go to Manhattan it ALWAYS rains!) so we spent a few hours at Madame Tussauds to escape the downpour.

He pretty much indulges my dorky side and I'm thankful for that.

Later that week one of my customers started calling me Mary Poppins, I was pretty confused and asked why—his answer, "Well, you're practically perfect in every way." I'm pretty sure I blushed and he gets the award for the best line ever! So, ever since then I've been pretty much living it up and every time he calls me Mary at work, I ask him why so everyone can hear, "You're practically perfect in every way!" Just like Mary Poppins, I'm so humble too!

So, just like Mary Poppins, this day, was practically perfect in every way. I was getting there eventually, tying it all together, I tried, did it work? Ah, who cares.

Do You Ever Have Those Moments...

2012-01-16T09:11:00.002-05:00

Those moments when you realize that you're no longer a kid? I mean, I know I'm not a kid anymore, but I also don't feel like a grown-up all the time either. Yes, I'm married, I've graduated from college, and I own a house that comes with a ton of bills, but I still haven't had one of those moments where I really feel like an adult adult.

... Our fridge is poorly stocked at all times, I still sleep in till noon when I want to, and my bed time is pretty much an hour past whatever time I roll in from work. My only real responsibilities are to myself, my hubby, and my puppy (as long as they're both taken care of, it's pretty much going to be a good day). Then you have those moments where reality hits you and you are reminded that at this age your mother already had two kids, and that right now people are just waiting for you to tell them that you're going to have a child. Does that mean that my clock is ticking? Am I really that old?

No, I'm not pregnant, but my best friend is and having her baby shower this weekend was such a surreal moment in my life. We've been friends since first grade—it's just different! I've have friends with children, but this is someone I've known for 21 years! It's just crazy to think that we're that adult where children are a possibility and binkies and onsies are the new it thing, instead of a new dress from Modcloth.

I can't wait to meet the little man— I'm pretty much totally head over heels in love with him already (even though he won't kick for me!) I just can't wait for the reality of his birth to hit me—what would I do with one of those precious bundles? Could I handle not going on vacation every year? Or would Grama just have to take her grandpuppy and grandbaby for a week?

Until we're ready and God is willing to let us have our own, I'm just going to enjoy every moment of my bestie's little bundle of joy. I can't wait to meet you little man!

Adventures in Straightening...

2012-01-06T17:21:00.000-05:00

I've got a lot of hair. Like a ton. It's really long and really thick. When I was a kid I always tried to straighten it. I was always so upset that I had curly hair. I always tried to get the little kinky out of it that the old straighteners always left and I always tried to get it from frizzing out like crazy. One of my friends at work was talking about straightening her hair and I thought to myself, "What the hey, I'll give it a try again." The young me just jumped up and down thinking of how cool it would be to have straight hair! So, I asked to borrow a friend's straightener and I was off on my adventure.

Oh my Lord! It took me two hours people. Two hours. I was so worried I was going to burn her straightener out! I burned my fingers on my hair! Not on the straightener people, but the hair itself! My poor thumb lost a ton of skin! It's still kinda numb. I'm pretty sure I'm sticking with my curly hair—So not worth it!

Whatcha think? Do you torture yourself with these beauty regimes? I'm pretty sure it so wasn't worth the two hours of my time!

It's Almost a New Year...

2011-12-28T14:27:00.000-05:00

I say this every year, but damn, time really does fly by. I remember us just being in Nashville like it was a few weeks ago and sadly it was in June. I remember sweating our butts off and now I'm freezing my butt off in NY. I wish I had something poignant to say, but I really don't. Time is flying and I'm just along for the ride. I say all the time to my customers and to my friends that I hate growing older and growing up, yet what other option do we have? I mean I want to grow old! I don't want to be dead yet!

So this year I want to stop wasting time. No more mindless hours in front of the television, I really want to be productive. Well, more productive. I'm tired of always saying that I wish there were more hours in the day to get things done. Well, honestly, if I didn't get in my couch potato moods and my I'm addicted to words with friends mode, I'd be completely fine trying to shove everything in to one day. I need to take advantage of the time I do have to get things done and stop bitching and complaining that I have no me time. It's really not that I have NO me time, it's what I do with the me time I do have. I have to start being productive with the time I'm given.

On my list

1. Pick up the guitar for at least 15 minutes a day.

2. Do Rosetta Stone for at least one lesson a day.

3. Write more.

4. Search for jobs within my degree.

5. Give the house a good cleaning at least once a week.

6. Fresh sheets once a week.

7. Eat out of necessity not out of desire.

8. Push myself with my workouts and aim for a minimum of four days a week.

9. Swim (I really love swimming and I miss it).

10. Go to church every week.

I'm hoping I'm not the only one with grand ideas for the new year. I don't want to say (as always) that I'm making any resolutions. I just want to better myself as I get older. It's a good time to start fresh right? And most of these are already in motion, I'm just trying to make myself accountable and keep them going. What are your plans for the new year?

A Very Merry Christmas...

2011-12-26T02:29:00.000-05:00

I have to say that this was the first Christmas that I've had in awhile without tears. No sadness from being alone at the end of the night or from missing my family entirely too much. Granted, I still missed my loved ones, but I was lucky enough to get to at least see my one brother (have I mentioned just how much I love FaceTime?).

I felt so much love and support during Midnight Mass this year. For some reason the homily that my priest gives every year (and pretty much every week at mass) just speaks to me; he has this amazing ability to just make a connection with everyone. The candles, the incense, the songs, and my family just made mass just a tad perfect this year. It reminded me of Christmas mass when we were younger because of the random bought of laughter over my hiccuping during a song and my mom's horrible choice in what I think could be considered dress crocs (her poor feet deserve better).

It was nice to wake up today and open presents. It was nice to feel some sense of normality.

We traveled from house to house on little sleep and my hubby was actually wishing for work (it's exhausting!) I can't even imagine what we would do if we had a child because our poor little Luna pup was so tired by the time we reached my moms house that she could barely keep her eyes open anymore! She definitely was a trooper.

I loved seeing my mom's face as I FaceTimed my brother and she got to see him for the first time in months. She cried like a baby and I loved every minute of it. The best presents really are free (or at least the cost of an Apple product). I loved seeing the smile on her face.

After all the hustle and bustle of the day, it was nice to come home and settle in under blankets and watch some Christmas movies. Nothing is ever perfect, even on Christmas, but doesn't it make you just believe that all your wishes could come true?

From My Family to Yours,

Merry Christmas!

I hope it was a great one!

A Really Good Gift Giver...

2011-12-20T13:59:00.000-05:00

Do you have someone in your life that is just an amazing gift giver? Like the kind of gift giver who listened throughout the entire year to everything you ever wanted (and then forgot about) but they remembered? Then at Christmas you're completely giddy when you open your presents because you realize that all those little things you mentioned, you now have. Yea, that's my hubby.

Now you may think to yourself, "wow, she's so lucky!" but NO— not really! Well, ok it is kinda fabulous, but what do you get the person who is the most amazing gift giver ever? And who doesn't really talk about what he wants (unless it's an 85 inch flat screen tv!).

Every year we set a limit. He never keeps it. I always feel like the worst wife ever for it! But then I have the other half of me that's just so excited to have fabulous presents! We all know about the fabulous guitar he bought me (I'm almost playing Ode to Joy like a champ!).

Well one day at the restaurant my bar-back was mentioning how he was going to buy an American Girl doll for his daughter. Oh gee, I was so jealous! Every girl should own an American Girl doll, but they were a tad too expensive when I was growing up. But I took every opportunity I could to play with my friends'. I'm not gonna lie, I googled them when I got home and sat and reminisced over the fun times playing with Molly and Kirsten.

After coming back from vacation I was going through the mail and saw an American Girl magazine on the table and all I could think to myself was, wow Google is kinda creepy, how did I get sent a magazine?! Then I looked at the back of the magazine and saw my hubby's name. Interesting.

I always wanted Molly and to my shock she's the only original American Girl doll left. Now, I thought he must have searched my history, but nope, apparently my bar-back and him were in cahoots while playing Words with Friends. The hubby was a little sad that I put two and two together and figured it out. I can't even tell you how cute it was to open the present.

I felt like a little kid. I cried a little. Ok, I bawled like a baby, but it was like the best feeling having a childhood gift that you couldn't get and seeing it wrapped up.

I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with her, but she's just too precious. I just think of how much I wanted her when I was a kid and I hope that one day I can play with her with my kid, so I don't look like too much of a weirdo. Maybe if I have a daughter I'll buy her Molly's best friend Emily. Oh gee, I am a dork.

Do you ever have those moments where you want to buy your kids the things that you couldn't have as a kid just so you can be a kid again? I don't even have a baby, but I'm sure I could come up with a list of toys I'd love to get him or her. One day.

Now I'm still trying to figure out what to buy the hubby, I mean how do you top Molly and a guitar? I have my work cut out for me for the next few years.

I Really Need to Start Keeping Track of These Things...

2011-12-17T17:58:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it's really easy to forget how lucky you are in life. Sometimes it's really easy to fall knee deep into the shit and forget all the blessings that God has put before you.

I love the Holiday season because for some reason we convince ourselves that everything is better with a Christmas tree up and decorations. That somehow everyone is nicer and that everyone respects everyone else. Lord, knows we're wrong, but maybe it's a good thing that we convince ourselves that there is a time when everyone has the best of intentions and that only good comes out during this season. Maybe with baby Jesus watching our lives unfold in our homes from his manger, we think that only good will come from our mouths and from our hearts.

I'm a sucker for Christmas and I'm a sucker for being a trustworthy person. And this season just brings it out in me full- force. I see lights on houses and happy children and I think that all is good in the world.

I saw snowflakes falling from the sky today as I locked the door to my house and I couldn't help but smile, even though I was going into work early on a Saturday and I had a horrible night of sleep. It's hard to smile through the shit, but at Christmas I can only hope to have just a little bit more time with my family and a little bit more time with my friends that I do have, and say Thank You God for blessing my life with the people you have blessed me with and for giving me free will.

I have a good life—a family I can count on, a hubby that loves me, a beautiful home, and a puppy that makes me smile like she's the child you haven't yet given me; everything else is just icing on the cake.

Thank you God for caring for my heart and making me a good person—I hope I never disappoint.

Back to Reality...

2011-12-14T16:08:00.000-05:00

Being with my brother is fabulous; it makes me feel like we’re kids again, especially since he still punches me in the arm (I bruise like a peach brat!) and I always feel the need to kick him. Fortunately, he doesn’t throw gum in my hair anymore or tell my mom every time I pick on him (that would have been kind of annoying for my mother on this vacation because I just couldn’t keep myself from wanting to poke him or flick him!). Apparently, I’m still a party pooper because I don’t partake in the alcoholic beverage often enough. Boo me! I know he already misses me because as I looked back while in the security line at the airport, he was standing there waving at me; I got a little choked up brother, just a tad. But it definitely made me smile too—I miss you already too! I guess we’re kinda grownups; the little girl in me can’t live without my family.

As I’m writing this on the airplane back to NY, I can’t help but realize that my little four days of fantasy living is over. No more ladies that lunch. No more life of leisure. No more shopping like the bill isn’t going to come at the end of the month.

He took me on my first official trip to Anthropologie—I’ve visited the website so many times and oogled over all the pretty things. He was a trooper for participating in my “I need to buy something from Anthropolgie” mission and for sitting back and relaxing in the posh dressing room while I tried on the same dress in three different sizes with three different belts. But I found the perfect thing—mission complete and it probably won’t happen again (I love sale items with 30% off!).

It’s nice going on vacation and having zero responsibility, but it also makes me feel like I’m being a horrible person; I leave housework responsibility, job responsibilities, and I always have this feeling like I’m being so unbelievably selfish for taking some time for myself.

And the pup missed me.

I’m pretty sure the hubby did too.

Even though I missed my family back home, I think this is something that I need to do more often or at least once a year. I need to see my brother. I never want to forget my family and how much that they mean to me. We grew up being pretty tight knit—my Florida brother and my cousin were my first best friends and I never want to forget or lose that; I’d like to actually get that back into my life.

Who Needs Bar Hopping...

2011-12-13T01:32:00.000-05:00

Today was a fabulous day in Florida. Not exactly the best day when it came to weather (I have the best of luck when it comes to bringing crappy weather with me to Florida, not for bringing the good weather back to New York), but the crappy weather actually worked in our favor; crappy weather equals slow days at theme parks.

We woke up extra early (before 7:30 in the a.m. I tell ya!) but didn't get a chance to really make our way down to Orlando till about 9:30—from us fatties needing breakfast, to getting stuck in traffic, it just wasn't our day for an early wake up call. Thankfully my brother's friend drove down, so I passed out for at least a half hour and then my brother did too; I'm really not a good passenger, the second I have to opportunity to fall asleep, I take it—I hate long drives and my back just isn't getting any better.

My brother got us Disney hopper passes, which is the best invention ever! I can't begin to tell you how awesome it was to step into Animal Kingdom, hop on a ride, and move on to the next park and with the weird weather (it was overcast, but sticky humid, then chilly, then humid, then just plain old cold) it was nice to be able to jump back into the car and either put on a sweater or lose it completely.

I don't know what it is about Disney parks that's so different from all the other parks out there... it just always makes me feel like a kid the second I step through the gates. It just never fails to amaze me. I've never been to Disney at Christmas time and I have to say, it was absolutely beautiful and it changed the whole park experience for me. I felt just like a kid—even if at some points I might have felt like the cranky, whiney, tired kid.

We hit Epcot and had a few drinks from around the world and then hit the new ride that's in the globe (at least it's new to me and it was pretty cool to see your photos from the future).

Then we were off to the Magic Kingdom; which after a couple of drinks from around the world on an empty stomach I kept calling the United Kingdom (I was so confused on why my brother kept saying it back to me and laughing—it took me awhile to catch on).

We hit Thunder Mountain...

Ate some lunch (did you know Disney weeded out McDonalds' and is now going for healthier fare in their parks? Couscous is on the menu!) But not everything is healthy...

We tried to hit Pirates of the Caribbean, but unfortunately it was down due to technical difficulties. It didn't matter, I was on a mission to find stuff for my bestie's little peanut that's growing in her belly in FantasyLand. I'm pretty excited about the upcoming addition of Bell's and Ariel's castles come this time next year—I guess I have another excuse for a December vacation...

We were the most excited about heading to Disney's Hollywood Studios, so it was the last stop on our hopper pass (so sad to see MGM studio name gone).

We needed to see the Osborne Family Light Show (no, not that Osbourne Family) and it was absolutely amazing! I'm so glad my brother had the idea to go!

These lights take months to put up and then months to take down. Set to music, the spectacle is a sight to see! And I have to say, being with my brother and seeing snow fall around us with the Christmas lights and music, did make me a tad teary eyed—SHHH!

But they both made up for the moment I was having by taking me on the Tower of Terror; let me just say, I am NOT a fan of heights and this ride terrifies me!!!! But my brother got me on by reminding me that years and years ago, my Grandma went on it with us... kudos to her, I wish I could find that picture!

This is Us Being Silly...

This is No Joke—That's Pure Fear on My Face!

Then they tricked me onto the Aerosmith Ride... I didn't realize it was a roller coaster with flips and spins, thankfully it's in the dark; I'm still not sure why the shoulder bar wasn't a dead giveaway for me!

I think the park hopper pass is the best idea ever; I really never realized how close each of the parks are to each other until going like we did today. It was an amazing experience and I really did feel like a kid; which is a really nice feeling. To just let go and have fun and be silly is kind of a relief! But after a long day and a long drive back filled with dance songs, Christmas music, and glee soundtracks, I'm glad to be in bed. I can't wait to sleep in!

Look at Us, All "Growed" Up...

2011-12-11T18:39:00.004-05:00

So I realized one thing from being at a party with my brother—he is a social butterfly, which trust me, I never thought I'd say! Normally, I'm really good with not hanging on the wall, but I just wasn't in my element, but my brother, it was so nice to see him be outgoing and with his friends. It's funny how people are so different when they just feel like they're at home.

I did take the opportunity to dress up in holiday attire. I'm pretty sure i've never worn a red dress and I know I've never worn a red dress like this!

Like I said, I planned on letting loose. But a few Malibu, Cranberry, and Ginger Ales just weren't enough to let me out of my shell and I think I was a tad too tired from my early morning flight to really feel like letting go. But the house looked gorgeous, the liquor was flowing, and the fireplace was keeping everyone warm.

It's been a while since I had as many belly laughs as I did at this party. Thanks for making sure I flew down just in time brother—the memories will last a lifetime! And if one of us ever has kids, you know how you tell the story about Mom pulling me out of a restaurant when I was eight by my hair for being a brat, well, I'll always tell the story of your party. I love it and I love you! Thanks for the invite!

The morning after included brunch at a cute place in walking distance from his house. I'm just not use to this morning after a party etiquette; brunch was definitely needed even though I didn't drink too much, I'm pretty sure my brother had a really good time—I don't think I've ever seen him with a hat on (I guess I'm learning a whole new grown up side to him—strange!)

He's the best though, he even took me shopping at a antique shop where I bought plenty of vintage clip ons and some for pierced ears; he was pretty patient with me too because I just couldn't stop myself from the earring cases. I'm pretty in love with all of them, I can't wait to wear them.

Now we're watching Home Alone 2 and tomorrow we're off to Disney to see the Christmas lights. I've never been to Disney during Christmas, but I hear it's a sight to see. I can't wait! I love not having a care in the world. Thank God for FaceTime, it's keeping me from missing my other half too much! Now, I can have fun without going too crazy. Although, I'm pretty sure I FaceTimed him three times during the party—Oh well, I'm trying.

I Am Missing this Little One too—She Doesn't Recognize Me Through FaceTime

A Much Needed Vacation...

2011-12-10T18:47:00.000-05:00

Or at least I keep telling myself that every December. Around October I get this grandiose idea that I need to get away from my hometown for just a little bit. So I book a mini-vaca to see my best girlfriend last year and found myself bawling at the airport as I left my hubby when entering the security line. This year I really needed to see my brother. It's been way too long and he has the perfect excuse for needing to see him—a holiday bash! This time, with the hubby working doubles on Saturdays, I had to drive myself down to JFK—let me just say, even on a Saturday, city drivers are crazy! I'm just not a fan; I was pretty sure my death was inevitable at 6 a.m. this morning. But I made it to the airport, and to my gate just in time to board and make my phone call to the hubby and to my mom.

Do you do that? Do you worry that the next flight could be your last? Because I do that ALL the time. I'm so scared of flying that every time I board a plane, I pretty much say my final goodbyes and a few prayers for the safety of us to my loved ones that have passed on and to God. Maybe I'm the only looney that does that... please assure me that I'm not.

So anyway, the guy next to me was nice, even though he smelled like pure alcohol, and luckily we didn't have anyone in the middle seat between us—a win win in my book! I think I even slipped in a little bit of a nap, even though my back was in excruciating pain (I hurt it last week and just can't seem to mend it- not the chiropractor, not ice, not heat, not pain meds... Oh, well, I guess I just can't sit, stand, or walk too long!).

Now, I'm a small town girl, so I usually don't go to holiday parties; the only holiday party I barely attend every year is my work Christmas party. It's pretty much a gorge of food and alcohol and I'm not much for participating in either. I don't think that this year will differ much, it's just not my thing, but we shall see.

I'm beyond jealous of my brother's home that he shares with a few roommates. It was built in 2005 in the craftsman style and it's absolutely gorgeous. I feel like I'm living like a pauper, even though we have a beautiful home; a house like this in New York would definitely be beyond our means.

So I'm going to get myself pepped up and pretty for this Naughty or Nice Holiday Bash. I'm really looking forward to it. These next four days with my brother will probably top any social happenings that I'll ever have back home this year. We're such homebodies. I love it. But every once in awhile, it's nice to have a little change of pace.

Another Late Start...

2011-12-08T13:35:00.001-05:00

So on Tuesday we had this big plan—we'd go down to Manhattan for the David Nail concert we bought tickets for, but beforehand we'd see the tree in Rockefeller Center and then hit the holiday shops down in Union Square. Yea, it was a really good idea. We overslept. Had errands to run. And the gym to hit. We always take the train halfway down because I refuse to park my car in the city. I want to keep her safe and pretty for a really long time, or until I get a new one.

I just can't stay off my iPhone. I remember the days when I used to forget my cell phone at home. I would turn back around for my phone now. I love having an amazing camera available to me at anytime and Words with Friends and texting— Oh God, I'm so obsessed.

Oh well, so we saw an amazing concert and didn't stand in the rain for too long but I have to say walking around with wet jeans on is not the best feeling in the world (That's right, rain, in December, in New York, let me just tell you how much I love that! I'm really not looking forward to snow at all).

I guess the best place to see country music really is in NYC because this was at Webster Hall and it was a tiny show. Very loud with lots of screaming, young, twenty somethings, but amazing none the less. I wasn't too thrilled for the 45 minute wait that he made us stand through, but it was worth it especially since we stood front row (even though my hubby wasn't too thrilled by David Nail sweating on him). But that sweat had its perks, since he took my phone and videotaped from stage. Being front row, is so worth it. It was kinda cool. Ok, it was very cool. I can't stop showing off the video.

I've been using his guitar as a screensaver since we saw him in Nashville at The Tin Roof when I snapped this photo.

It's definitely a motivation for people like me who have a tinge of stage-fright when performing.

If you don't know his music, do yourself a favor and check him out. He's got an amazing voice and he's extremely talented. Hopefully, he'll still be playing $15 concerts this time next year.

I wanted to stay at the bar and hang out but the hubby decided he was going to be a party pooper and be home early. I'm just saying babe, I coulda talked shop with David Nail, I coulda talked shop.

A Little Puppy Love...

2011-12-08T11:49:00.001-05:00

So I have this amazing puppy. She's pretty perfect. Her name is Luna Mae. Well, her name is Luna, but I've been throwing around the idea of giving her a middle name lately, and Mae just seems to flow so well, no? Well, it's still up in the air. Daddy just loves the idea, especially since every time we watch the show Parenthood he mentions how the one actor's name is Mae and he just seems sooo thrilled about it!

Last night we had some mommy, baby time while daddy was mad at mommy for leaving her wet shoes on the floor in the basement. I'm working on it, I'm working on it. Sheesh!

I always love pictures of women with their babies so I figured I just had to share!

Oh That Hubby of Mine...

2011-12-07T16:18:00.001-05:00

So the hubby and I are like children. If you've been reading my blog since the beginning, I'm pretty sure that I've posted about how we really can't wait for Christmas to give each other the presents we buy. Usually, we make it to about December 13th and then we start getting a little too giddy to wait— I mean it is twelve days of Christmas right!? So that date seems fitting.

Well this year has topped it all. Apparently we couldn't even wait until December to give out a present this year. I had a feeling— because I was a good girl and I knew Santa read my list, that I'd be getting a certain present I asked for.

Well last Tuesday I came home from the gym and there was an extremely large box wrapped in Christmas paper. Now mind you, he has another present of mine in the house that he had delivered to his mother's just so I couldn't see! But then when he went to pick it up he tempted me with it all night! Even putting it next to me on the arm of the chair I was sitting in and pushing it towards me just begging me to open it! How rude! I was so good though and showed some control, even though it's one that I really have no idea what it could possibly be! It's killing me sitting there all wrapped in Christmas paper under our tree. It's just tempting me. Granted, I give it a little shake here and there, but nope, I haven't any notion on what could possibly be in that bigger than a bread box box. I guess I'm really going to be surprised on Christmas. But back to the extremely large box. He wanted me to open it. I wanted him to want me to open it. So needless to say, about an hour after he wrapped it, it was tore open and I saw one of the most beautiful guitars I've ever seen.

It's perfect! I'm in love with her. I bought her a case and a pretty black and white polka dot strap. I think I might name her Mae. But it's up for debate.

I took my first guitar lesson on Monday and it was fabulous! I'm already learning my scales like a 4th grader! This definitely brings back memories!

Are you guys a tad impatient for Christmas presents too? Once they're there is it hard to keep them wrapped under the tree, especially when you already know what they are!? The ones I don't know, I like leaving there; I'm still like a little kid who wants to be surprised on Christmas morning, especially since my hubby won't be running off to work this year!

And look at our tree!

For the first time in five years, the hubby actually helped me put her up! It meant a lot to me— I definitely went retro this year and I love the way it turned out! It reminds me of my childhood with the tree skirt and star.

An Ornament from My Brother When We Were Kids

I love it! Can't wait til December 13th! and December 25th!

I'm Obsessed...

2011-11-29T01:09:00.000-05:00

Do you ever look at your iPhone and think to yourself, "this is so much cooler than Back to the Future"— I do, all the time. For some reason I compare my iPhone to things I grew up watching in that movie. For some reason, it's my benchmark for all things that I thought the future would be.

The other day, with nothing on TV, the hubby and I started watching parts one and two and all I could think to myself is that my iPhone is so much cooler than anything that Spielberg thought of in this movie. Then of course I thought to myself, "whoa, what happened to the first Jennifer?"

Isn't it funny that I instantly looked it up on my iPhone. Now, how cool is that? You know how long it would have taken me to find out that information if I wondered this in like 1995? What a good daughter she was!

I'm obsessed with my iPhone. I love FaceTime. I think everyone in the world should have an iPhone and FaceTime- then maybe we all wouldn't miss out on watching our families grow up and then we wouldn't grow a part. Those stupid commercials that introduced FaceTime, they made me bawl my eyes out every time!

Then of course there is Words with Friends— the whole reason I needed a Lifeproof case so I could still play while taking a bath. Yup, I'm that obsessed!

I just think to myself, look how far we've come! Can you believe that we have these little computers/phones in our pockets? We can literally look up anything at any moment. I think to myself that my grandparents would have never of believed the technology we have today because I can't even believe it. I wonder what kids today will see over their lifetime! I bet they watch Back to the Future and laugh; Me, I'm beyond amazed, but I'm still waiting for my iPhone to flip out some holigrams, then I'll be beyond impressed!

A Lazy Sunday...

2011-11-27T20:05:00.000-05:00

I love myself a lazy Sunday, but not one that includes not being able to actually do anything but lay on the couch. Although I do love my couch. I'm not one for this nauseous feeling and for hugging the porcelain, but I guess we all have these days. I'm hoping my day of it ends soon.

I'd much rather have a day off where I actually feel like moving. Like right now, I definitely need to charge my laptop, but that would include me getting up to find the charger. So, I'll just hope that this post is finished before it dies— today I'm thankful for blogger auto save.

I did do my part this weekend and participated in "Small Business Saturday." I moved my hubby's over sized leather recliner (that I told him was too big for our living room while we were out shopping last year)

and bought a fabulously deep chair that's just perfect for curling up in. I bought it from a local store that has been in business for like 80 years; sure I spent a lot more money, but the quality is better and it's a piece I'll hopefully have for a lifetime. I absolutely love it!

He loves it too, at least that's what he says. He pretty much lets me do whatever I want when it comes to decorating— doesn't that just make him the best husband? At least I think it adds to his rating!

For now, I'm going to curl up in my chair with my Marilyn Monroe "Fragments" book and wait for my hubby to bring me some Shop Rite brand iced tea. I don't know why but it always makes my tummy feel better when I'm not feeling good (that's right, I just said "tummy"). Doesn't being sick just make you want your mom to come and cuddle with you and rub your back? Or is it just me?

Sometimes...

2011-11-24T22:42:00.001-05:00

I just have to be reminded of how lucky I really am. I know I'm lucky. I know I'm blessed. But it really gets hard sometimes to keep things in perspective and remember that, especially when you're knee deep in it.

I love the holidays. Everyone loves the holidays, so I'm sure that was a silly statement, but I do. They make me smile. They make me remember the good memories I had from when I was a kid when all my family was together. That's the part that makes me sad. I haven't been able to make any good memories around the holidays in the past few years. My hubby works. Almost all holidays. It's the life of a civil servant I guess. I work holidays, but not all holidays. That's the life of a bartender and restaurant manager I guess. So I have this weird split between what is reality now for what the holidays are, and what my memories keep telling me the holidays are.

I want the holidays to be big again and for all of my family to get together and continue building memories. But that's not possible. We all have separate lives in separate states. And none of us have kids to keep traditions going for. It makes me sad. I keep remembering the good old days. I keep on trying to think of ways to build memories or make new traditions, but it's hard. Especially, when the one you love and want to be with can't be with you on these days. I don't blame him, I just wish it could be different.

I wish my brothers lived closer. I wish we could start traditions in our family like we use to have in my mother's family. I guess I get a little too nostalgic around the holidays.

I remember my brother always needing to put the tree up the second that the food was done; I'm pretty sure we always made fun of him for that— now I miss it. The two of us would always wake up for the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade because the holidays can't officially start until Santa ends it and welcomes in the season! Now, I wake up just in time to see Santa— at least I have that.

Everyone I talk to around my age says the same thing— the holidays just aren't like they were when we were kids. I guess it never will be the same. Between growing old, moving a part, divorced parents, separate lives, no little kids running around, and separation- things just will never be like what we remember them to be.

But today I am thankful. I'm thankful for a mother and step father who are my rocks and always try to make the holidays seem special and always bring out the good China for when I'm at their table. I'm thankful for the friends I have that treat me like a family member and made me feel like one of their own in their home today; Marianne and Ansel you are a beautiful couple that make me want to live my life to the fullest, we may be years a part in age, but when it comes to love, we all love like children—unconditional. Brittany, thank you for coming to my mother's table with me and sharing the holiday with us; things might not be the same as when we were kids, but we still have time to make our own traditions.

To my love, we may not be able to be together on the holidays, but we're always together.

Maybe I should break out the Christmas music. Maybe I should put up the tree. Maybe I'll just take a long hot bath; I'm pretty sure that's my best option.

Do you have holiday traditions you miss or as you grow older, have you learned to adjust and make new ones? Life is a constant adjustment, I guess I have to learn to go with the flow.

I guess I just need to know that I have things to be Thankful for and I should be happy that I have memories of fabulous holidays to always look back on...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Almost a Month...

2011-11-22T16:12:00.001-05:00

It's been almost a month since I started to feel like a kid again. When I was ten I remember sitting on my front porch and looking across the street and not being able to see the leaves on the trees anymore- just blobs of green color. I remember becoming scared about taking the eye exam at school the next time it came up. Oh God, I knew I'd have to get glasses! And when I was in school, glasses weren't fashionable and they weren't worn just to look cool- they were metal framed and round and you were lucky if at best you only had to wear them just to see the chalkboard. Thankfully, after I failed the test and had a good cry, I did only have to wear them for the chalkboard.

Since I was about 13 or 14 I've had to wear contacts or glasses on a full-time basis. It sucks. It always has sucked. Even though the glasses have become cooler and the contacts had become more comfortable to wear, I kept dreaming of the day where I would be able to see again without them, if that was at all possible. I heard about my cousin getting LASIK done and thought, "If I ever have the money, I'm totally getting that!" For years I kept on saying to my mom that I was going to get it done- but then LIFE got in the way; a car, college tuition, then a wedding, and then a mortgage. Finally, I just decided one day, after my contacts ran out, that I was going to do it. My insurance through my hubby was crap for glasses and I rationalized getting the surgery because over the years, I'd pretty much pay more for contacts and glasses then I would for the surgery. So I got the information, traveled to Philadelphia, and started to get the ball rolling. I was going to be able to see again. No squinting. No more fear of fans drying my eyes out. No more Mr. Magoo.

I'm not a JETS fan, this was all for the hubby, a day before my surgery.

Let me tell you, the fear of the surgery, the fear of the unknown, the fear of going blind, was so much worse than the actual surgery! I couldn't sleep for two days. The anxiety was killing me! Everyone was telling me to calm down, but could you imagine the fear?! It's not like getting bridgework done, it's messing with your eyesight!

After having to wear my glasses for a month straight and getting plenty of "sexy librarian" comments, which by the way, I didn't mind too much, I finally went in for surgery. After a last bit of testing, I was told by my nurse how fabulous my glasses were while another nurse told her not to say that right before I was going in for LASIK! They were so friendly and the laugh helped calm my nerves, along with some calming drugs; then I was given a sexy paper gown, shoes, and hat—I was going in for surgery.

My hubby was prepared to sit it out for the long haul while I was in surgery. Little did he know, it wasn't going to last long.

A nice nurse in a paper gown came to get me out of the waiting room and reluctantly left my hubby's arm. She asked me my name and asked me what I was in for. After being a little drugged up, I said, "my eyes." She definitely had a good laugh because apparently I was suppose to say LASIK, because there are different kinds of eye surgeries going on at Kremer.

I was laid down on a chair that looked like a dentists' chair and the doctor greeted me by asking me my name once again. And then the sci-fi moments began...

I remember Dr. Aronsky, who is so nice, and not too shabby looking either, asking me to close my eyes and then he said he was going to push on my eye to see how the pressure would be on my eye and if I was ok with it; it was nothing. He put this little circular thing in my eye to hold it open, and then it started. I remember laying there and knowing that my eye was open, but I couldn't see, everything went black and I thought to myself, Oh Geeze what is going on... I felt something circle my eye, but it wasn't painful, I just knew something was happening. In the background I heard one of the friendly nurses doing a countdown, "19 seconds doctor, 14 seconds..." and then when that countdown was done they went to the other eye and the countdown continued. When they said they were done with that part of the surgery I felt like I couldn't open my eyes. It was a weird feeling. I didn't know if my eyes were open or closed. They gave me a blanket because I was cold, and then they told me to open my eyes and see if I could get up and walk to the next laser. I said I couldn't for some reason, but they convinced me I could, I did, and then moved to the next chair.

The doctor asked me how I was doing and I said fine in a very loopy voice. Then I told him that this felt like,"sci-fi shit" with the countdown going on and all the feelings and sights, it definitely felt like a sci-fi movie. He laughed and agreed on it being sci-fi shit and then he said that the hard part was over. I couldn't believe that because it felt like nothing! Just, weird.

They then covered my face and covered one eye while they started work on the other. Again, my eye was held open and the doctor told me every step of what he was doing. It was so weird to see what was going on but not feel a thing! I was told to continue to stare at a yellow beam and then I was told to listen to the sound of the laser just so I wouldn't be startled by it later. I saw water go over my eye with a little tool that looked like what you'd see at a dentist— you know how weird it is to see water go over your eye, but you can't feel it!? It's weird; the first reaction to water is to normally close your eyes, but with this it was like looking at it with glass over top, it looked cool. Then air came, then it kinda looked like he was painting something on my eye, possibly my lens thing?! I don't know! and the order could definitely be messed up, but then I heard the "da da da da da" of the laser and it was over with. Then we were on to the other eye. Again, the countdowns were going, "19 seconds, 10 seconds..." Hearing people working around you working and saying, "yes doctor"- Now I know what the aliens feel like in those sci-fi movies!

After a minute they sat me up and told me all was finished. It was like my eyesight was better but like swimming under water. Just a little grainy. I got up and walked to a room where the doctor checked my eyes and said the nurse would be in with my care package and that I was good to go. With my fabulous goggles.

Had to wear this fabulous eye wear every night when I slept for a week.

I came out of the office and my hubby looked up and couldn't believe I was done. It took ten minutes. Literally.

I could see. My eyes felt like they had sand in them and I didn't want to keep them open. They also make sure that for healing you have to have them closed for six hours. I fell asleep on most of the car ride home and then when my hubby stopped for food I peeked out from my goggles and noticed that I could see! Like no longer grainy, but my eyes were still sensitive. The surgery was done at two in the afternoon. After I woke up from sleeping at nine at night, my eyesight was perfect! No sandy eyes. No pain. No sensitivity. It was amazing! I cried and cried.

The next day I drove down for my follow up appointment and couldn't stop crying over how amazing it felt to see. I was back at work that day too. My only complaint is that I never saw Dr. Aronsky again to thank him personally for the amazing gift I received. How do you thank someone for the gift of sight? You honestly can't. It's something I dreamt of but never thought I'd have. No more glasses, which disappoints some people, but makes me smile from ear to ear. It was the best decision I ever made. I can't wait for the summer so I can swim under water with my eyes open again and really feel like a kid with not a care in the world. I can get splashed in a pool, I can shower without my contacts falling out, I can use fans, and I can work my long hours without pain.

It's been almost a month and I've never felt more free. The first two days I had to set my iPhone every hour for eye drops, but let me tell you how soon you forget the little inconveniences once you can see! I can wake up whenever and be able to see. I can run and be able to see the leaves on the trees. It's the most amazing feeling in the world. I've never felt more happiness.

Halloween, four days after my surgery

So it's Been Insanely Long...

2011-11-22T02:41:00.001-05:00

Like I can't even tell you the last time I read a blog, let alone, wrote one. I am the worst kind of blogger. The one that finally gets people to read some of her stories and then stops dead in her tracks because that whole thing called LIFE gets in the way. I'm not going to try to redeem myself here, not even for a second... ok, maybe I will.

I love blogging, but I started to get all into this whole working out thing and started to actually enjoy going to the gym- one opened up a little less than a mile from my house- so I honestly had no excuse not to go. So those mornings when I would normally sit my lazy ass on the couch with a cup of tea were suddenly being spent waking up and going immediately to the gym. NEVER in my life did I ever believe I'd be the person who wakes up and before even a taste of caffeine hit the gym! But here I am- a certifiable gym rat. When I missed two weeks after getting LASIK eye surgery about a month ago, my first day back I was met with greetings by my fellow gym goers asking where I was and if everything was OK. I guess the two weeks off did me good too because they also told me I looked fabulous. Oh, hell, eating right and exercising on a regular basis does actually do good things for your body! Who would have thought!? What a crazy concept right? I've done the gym classes and I've had great results, but the way my body looks now, is just, well, like pure happiness. I'm far from perfect and I'm far from done, but I'd say I'm 90 percent happy with where I'm at. So, if I lag a little, well a lot, at the whole blogging thing, give me a little leeway because you should just know how HOT i'm looking right now and smile for me! I'm not being conceited, I'm just being a little fat girl that realized she doesn't always have to be, if she's willing to put the effort and time into it. Somehow my blog always ends up going back to me and my weight. I guess that is my LIFE.

I'll post pictures at some point. But right now, I didn't feel like going all out. I just wanted you to welcome me back. I didn't realize how many people actually read my posts until I went to my hairdresser and she asked me where my blog was, and then a relative, and then another... it made me feel good and then horrible because I never realized so many people read it! So thanks to my blogger creepers! I'm glad you're out there, even if you never let me know!

I've also been working a lot at my job and stepping into a manager role which has definitely been taxing on my time and my emotions, but I'm trying to find time to do my music and continue to write. I don't want to live a life without passion and writing is that for me. I've been so inspired in the past year to get my butt in gear and continue to sing and to write. I'm trying to find like-minded people who have the same goals as me, but time and LIFE always gets in the way. But I know beautiful music is going to get made and that makes me smile and keeps me writing.

I've updated you a little... please allow me to welcome you back into my life and i'm really hoping that you'll let me back into yours. I hope you're all still out there and are looking forward to what is to come... I've promised my mom I'd set up a YouTube account and start copyrighting my music so I can get it out there. Sometimes all you need is the right people in your life to light a fire under your butt to get you back into the swing of things; I'm glad I have the best people in my life to do so.

Tuesday Tea Quote...

2011-03-01T12:28:00.001-05:00

"Happiness is nothing but total relaxation."

—Yogi Ginger Tea

Ayurveda Cleanse... Day 4

2011-02-25T00:52:00.000-05:00

I'm still feeling amazing.

But one very strange thing is happening... the yoga lady said that we would start to feel our bodies all over, like down to the molecules... sounds weird right? Yeah, I said the same thing (probably even chuckled to myself and rolled my eyes a little). BUT, it's true.

My body feels tingly all over and every part of me has this strange ache (my hubby says that they've drugged me; he thinks I've joined a cult). All I've done so far is drink the ghee...

That's 8 teaspoons!

Add A little almond milk in order to drink it and heat them up

You've got to blend them! Love my new magic bullet!

So glad that's over...

Eating cleanly (fruits and veggies). Use my netti pot...

(It feels weird, but it really does clean your sinus' out; it feels amazing to wake up and be able to breath!).

Drink ginger tea (with every meal); take out the caffeine from my life. Take Kapha vitamins—It's all been pretty simple. Except of course for the drinking of the ghee (seriously, who drinks clarified butter?) But I really do feel amazing. Unfortunately, my body is starting to take it's natural course and I'm getting tired around 11 p.m. and I'm usually up for work until at least 2 a.m. so it's been a little bit of a struggle to keep my energy up to get me through a work night sans caffeine. But I've found that if I eat some dried fruit or fresh fruit it gives me a boost to get through the night. I'm actually thinking of keeping this no caffeine thing going. It's still under negotiations in my mind.

My mantra for this week is, "I am strong."

I've been using it for everything: When I get an urge to drink caffeine (I am strong), when working at a restaurant kicks the cravings into high gear (I am strong), some asshole cuts me off in traffic (I am strong), or when the dress I wanted isn't in my size (seriously, who is an extra small? Why is it even on the rack?)(I am strong).

So tomorrow starts Thank God I'm Not Drinking Ghee Again Day and instead I'm massaging with curred sesame oil (sesame oil smells amazing!).

This is the Ayurveda way of cleansing the body from it's toxins on the outside (the ghee was in order to clean the insides of toxins). I have to say, I'm really looking forward to the massage because my body aches so much; I'm feeling every pain and every ping that comes through my nerves (I feel so in touch with my body).

I can't wait to keep going on this cleanse and keep my mantra flowing throughout my mind each day.

I am strong.

Ayurveda Cleanse...

2011-02-23T14:09:00.001-05:00

On Saturday I went down to my local herb shoppe for a session on learning about the Ayurveda detox cleanse. I really wasn't prepared for what I was going to learn and I wasn't prepared for the length of the class (almost 5 hours of learning about Ayurveda!).

Ayurveda is sanskrit for wisdom of life or wisdom of living. I went in to the class without an open mind, but by the end of the class I was feeling very lifted and optimistic. It just taught me stuff that I couldn't deny about myself.

http://www.staengldesign.com/kapha.html

My dosha is Kapha: "People with more Kapha in their constitutions tend to be of larger proportions, with a robust frame and padded joints, thick smooth skin that may tend towards oiliness, and rich, wavy hair. They are stable and calm in thought, speech and action, and are easy-going and supportive in relationships. There is an element of steadiness to their step, a quality of serenity in their smile. Loyalty is usually their second name. They are long, heavy sleepers and uncomfortable in damp, clammy environments. Calm and sweetness of disposition are hallmarks of balanced Kapha."

It also says that Kapha's shouldn't eat wheat or dairy because it causes imbalance. It's crazy. I know that dairy, breads, and pastas are the things that aggravate my stomach and cause me difficulty. Yet, I love them. It's something that I'm working on now that I know I should try to avoid them in order to feel my best.

I started eating really clean about a week or so ago so I could start the cleanse as soon as possible. I started on Monday. I feel amazing and it's only been two full days. I'm not going to lie, the first day was really hard. For the first four mornings I have to drink Ghee (clarified butter) but luckily I'm able to mix it with some almond milk and cinnamon (blended; the ghee and the almond milk are like oil and vinegar, they just don't mix). This is so you can purify your insides within the first four days. These first days you can only eat fruits and veggies. No caffeine (that was the hardest). I'm just amazed that I don't have a headache.

The last four days include eating Kitcheri, sesame oil massages (to bring toxins out), and drinking some castor oil, and a whole lot of stuff that I'm not looking forward to, but I'm keeping an open mind now because I feel amazing and connected to my body (just like they said I would).

My family thought I was crazy at family dinner on Monday for not joining in on the eating except for my bowl full of veggies, but I don't care, I wanted to do this for myself in order to make a good start at clean eating. Hopefully, this jump start can keep me going on eating healthy.

Three days with no caffeine! Now that's the biggest accomplishment I could have ever achieved.

This should be interesting...

Tuesday Tea Quote...

2011-02-22T13:13:00.002-05:00

"The greatest tool you have is the ability to listen"

—Yogi Ginger Tea

I Love Shopping...

2011-02-16T01:48:00.001-05:00

I do. I love shopping, I just can't help myself. But lately, I've been so good at just "window" shopping. I haven't been going crazy spending money; I'm giving myself a budget of $100 per week for spending (that includes gas and groceries) so if I want to buy a big purchase I need to save money for a little while in order to purchase it. I'm putting a certain amount of money away per month in order to reach a goal that I have in my mind for what I want in savings for our future. Wow, I'm getting so old! And so far, I have to say that I've reached that goal for January and February; I'm pretty proud of that.

Now that we have our desk complete

(although the office itself is definitely not, so don't mind the horrible pictures), I'm looking to find a new desk chair. I thought that the hubby might be attached to the chair he had but then he let me know that it was a hand-me-down so if I wanted to change it, I could. Yea, shopping!

Unfortunately, these are two of the chairs I was looking at from Ballard Designs. Initially anyway. But then I looked at the prices and realized that it's just unrealistic for a desk chair. I mean seriously people, $500-$700 for a desk chair? I mean, yea they're cute but I'm pretty sure that they're also not worth it, unless you're an executive sitting your behind on that chair all day (what am I talking about? I'm sure CEO's have chairs worth thousands of dollars! But still, it's expensive for us working stiffs!).

So, Mom and I made trip over to HomeGoods today in order to find a chair that works for the room. I don't want to go too dark because the room is dark but I didn't want to go light either. Unfortunately, the one chair I did like had a leg on it that was glued together; I refuse to pay $200 for a chair with a broken leg (even if it's fixed!). I took some pictures of some ideas for the office, but I'm still not settled.

Let me know what you think... the desk chair doesn't need to have wheels (we'd actually prefer without wheels because of the rug), I just want a comfy chair for us to settle into when we're doing our Rosetta Stone...

I think the one is too feminine and big and the other matches the curtains too much

Too bland?

And these were the lights I was looking at... cute little lamp or traditional desk lamp?

Or should I keep looking? The longer I put it off, the more money I save. A win win in my book. But I do want to see the finished product sooner than later.

Tuesday Tea Quote...

2011-02-15T13:37:00.000-05:00

I found a new tea brand that I instantly fell in love with once I had my first taste: Good Earth. A few weeks ago Shop Rite sent out a coupon for the brand (maybe that's because the hubby buys me about 7 boxes a tea every other month!) so I had to take advantage of it (they even sent two teas with it). The original brand tastes like a red hot; it's fabulous, especially with a little bit of almond milk. They've also got great quotes on their tea bags, so my tea quote tuesday might just give you some better quotes to mull over...

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them."

—Galileo Galilei

"Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything."

—Eugene Delacroix

Oh My, Is It Valentine's Day...

2011-02-14T23:14:00.003-05:00

I've never been a big Valentine's Day person; it might just be because I never really felt like I had a sweetheart who cared about it like I did. When you're a kid it's all about getting those little paper Valentine's cards and you hope, for some reason, that someone will give you a special one that they didn't pick out for the rest of the class. When you're a teenager you start to realize that you want romance, you want someone to send you flowers to school or have them waiting at your car or on your front porch when you get home from classes. A lot of the time you're disappointed. Sometimes your high school sweetheart just isn't the guy on the white horse that you made him out to be.

Not to say I never had a good Valentine's day when I was younger, but it always felt like something your man had to do, not something that he really wanted to do because he felt you were special. It was more like, well it's Valentine's day, so here's your flowers (the one's that still have the sticker on them from the local gas station). Put a little romance into it fellas!

Then I met my hubby. He just makes Valentine's day special.

I can't explain it. It's not about the money he spends or the dinners out we have had, it's about the fact that I know he does it just to make me smile and feel like a princess.

He's a keeper (better be right? That's why I married him!).

We decided a few weeks ago that instead of going crazy for Valentine's Day on presents (like he knows how to do! and I don't know how to do—what do you buy your man for Valentine's Day anyway? unless of course he's a metrosexual, then you could just buy him a shirt I guess)... Anyway, he's great at buying presents and I feel horrible at it, so we decided that we would buy each other the full set of Rosetta Stone in Spanish (latin america) and that we would try to talk to each other in Spanish as much as possible once we both got started. I think it was a wonderful idea. The two of us nerds have been sitting here since Sunday throwing out sentences to each other and then translating; it's been fun, we're learning, we're dorks, and he didn't get a chance to really top me this year. At least I thought...

The doorbell rang around 11 a.m. and who is it but the Lorel Grove delivery people sending me my flowers. Now, I tried to convince him that he didn't need to "waste" his money on flowers this year, but that man of mine, heard the words "waste money on roses" so, instead he bought me tulips (Which my mom says the seeds are plantable, so I'm prepared to kill the flowers again promptly around spring time—that is when you plant flowers right?)

I've never received tulips before and they're beautiful! He really does know how to make me smile when I least expect it. He's too cute and a romantic, whether he knows it or not.

We went to Peters for dinner at 5 o'clock (early bird special people we are!) and it was fantastic! Although, we both have to admit, our experience was much like the Valentine's day episode from Modern Family this past week... What can we say? We like to eat early, just like the old people in diapers (no joke, there was definitely a woman wearing diapers there) Sigh. Oh, romance! But I enjoyed every moment of that delicious garlic soup because after today, no more dairy for me! I need a new way of looking at food, not just cream and cheese...

Despite our early reservation, we had a great time, we had an amazing time. The food was perfect, we had complimentary champagne, and of course, bread shaped in a heart (these are the moments that I actually wish I charged my phone)! Hopefully, we'll be one of those customers in our early 80's going out to dinner hoping we don't fill up the diaper too quickly (just kidding folks, just kidding!).

So our Valentine's dinner ended a little after six and to my surprise, the hubby offered to go and pick up the desk I ordered from Home Decorators. I was a little worried, after my adventure with my mom in traffic last week, that we wouldn't get there before the store closed, but he assured me that either way, it would be a nice drive together. And it was. Thankfully, the store was open too (again, because I had to hit the bathroom! damn bladder) but also because I was really looking forward to seeing this desk in our office (well his office, since I barely use it, but then again, now I'm up here often because of the Rosetta Stone setup we have going, I guess I can really say, our office).

He's such a trooper. After a romantic dinner and a really long drive through the back country of New Jersey, he's in the office, as I type on his computer, putting the desk together for me.

Now that ladies and gentlemen is what I call romance! But hey, I even opened his beer for him, so I'm sure he thought that was really romantical too...

Happy Valentine's Day!

No More Facebook (At least for now)...

2011-02-12T03:04:00.000-05:00

So, I've been realizing that lately I've been wasting a lot of time on Facebook. Like three hours a day total time. It's addicting. It's silly. I do nothing but open, close, and reopen my laptop, just to check Facebook. It's addicting.

I need a break.

So I'm taking my own little version of a sabbatical. A sabbatical from Facebook.

I waste so much time just checking and rechecking people's status' and pictures. It's crazy. I don't know how this happened, but it did.

So, I want to see what I can accomplish when I'm not on Facebook. I thought that this would be a good way to start my week of getting on track with my diet (lifestyle change, isn't that what they tell you to call it these days). Think of all the time I will have when I don't have Facebook to keep me distracted. We also just got the Rosetta Stone in the mail, so now I can have a good addiction (hopefully).

I've told people to follow my blog, snail mail me, e-mail me, or, brace yourself... call me! I'm not available on Facebook for at least the next the week. My hubby is changing my password for me and under no circumstances can he give it to me! So, I hope no one does anything exciting this week! I hope I don't miss being a voyeur for a week. It's going to drive me nuts, at least for the first few days, to not see 300+ for status updates...

Here goes nothing.

My AH HA Moment...

2011-02-11T16:02:00.002-05:00

I haven't had a night out with girlfriends in a really long time. I'm not a drinker and I'm not one for spending money on things that don't last (If I buy furniture, I have it forever, if I have a meal at a restaurant, it's gone within a twenty minute period). But I have to admit, I had a really good time. We only thought we'd be out for an hour or two but to my surprise I lasted a whole four hours! Impressive for an old lady like me.

I like being able to chat about life with my work buddies without having that whole work thing get in the way. The three girls I went out with all have kids; I love hearing their stories about raising their children. The funny thing is, I can compare most of their kid stories to a story with my pup. Is that sad? I think it's hilarious. If one of them talks about how their daughter takes out underwear to put it on their head, I start picturing how Luna finds my underwear and gets stuck in it while rolling around with it on the floor. I guess I really do take comfort in the fact that I have her as my furbaby in lieu of my own child.

As I had my second drink and a shared plate of nachos, we were talking about how hard it is to stay motivated when it comes to losing weight, maintaining weight, or getting toned. It's a constant struggle. Then one of my friends told me that I was her husband's motivation for eating healthy—it was like a punch to the head. He's been on the P90X for awhile now and looks fabulous! I on the other hand have lost all of my motivation, but I am back up to 3 workouts a week. It doesn't do anything other than help me maintain the weight that I'm at now (which isn't where I want to be) so I know I need to step it back up to 5 workouts a week, but I'm always feeling so run down. I hate the winter, I hate the way it makes me feel.

I've been mulling over the idea of going vegan for a little while now; not that I have anything against people who eat meat or animal bi-products, I just started realizing how much dairy products I consume, and with my stomach problems, I'm thinking that it might not be the best idea to keep doing to myself. I'm not a red meat eater (just never acquired a taste for it really), but I do like chicken and I eat way way too much cheese. Cheese is probably the worst thing for my stomach problems that exists. I need to walk away from it. I think the only way to do it is by going cold turkey—hey I gave it up for Lent once (and felt fabulous!), I'm sure I can do it again; it's just a huge adjustment.

I read an article recently about centenarians (people who live to the age of 100) in Live Right magazine (It's free in our local ShopRite). It says that in order to live to a ripe old age you need to decrease calorie intake, walk at least a mile a day, and keep up social interactions (also no tobacco use). These are things I can do and should be able to do in order to live a healthy long life.

I had a great night with friends and had a huge realization, all in one night. If I'm someone's motivation for eating right, then why can't I be my own motivation and stick with it? The answer is, there is no reason for me to not stick with it. I'm going to try the vegan route for awhile (while keeping my protein levels up, don't worry!) and I'm going to see how it makes my body feel; if I can increase my energy levels and get myself motivated to get back up to a 5 day workout schedule, I'll keep it going. I need a change. I've said that before and it's never stuck, hopefully I can really help myself stay on track this time.

No Need for the Radio...

2011-02-08T22:47:00.000-05:00

I love days with my mom.

A couple of weeks ago I decided that I would finally buy the new desk for the office that I've been telling my hubby I was going to get him (for at least 4 months now). Right now he's using my Grama's old desk, but unfortunately it's a little too small to hold all of the stuff that needs to be held by a modern day person. I love the desk and I'll continue to use it in the spare bedroom, but he really needed something bigger to hold his computer.

I found this computer on Home Decorators.

I love this store but it was only recently that I found out that they actually have locations that you can go to! All this time I thought it was only an online outlet... so I had to check it out. Unfortunately, our "local" store is an hour and twenty minutes away, but I had to go for it...

My other buys from the online store turned out to be a lot smaller than I hoped for; sometimes you just fall in love with a look online and you forget to look at the measurements. This has been my problem when I order things online without seeing them.

So, I asked my mom if she'd take the trip down with me (secretly, I knew she'd say yes, she just loves me) but traveling down to the store, we were hit by a tad bit of traffic—OK, lots of traffic! It amazes me that people can't understand the concept of merging or how to get off on a their exit without slowing down to a measly 10 mph... it never fails that I get stuck behind the person who loves to tap their breaks too. Fortunately, I brought my mom with me for the ride, otherwise I'm pretty sure I would have been screaming at the Garmin and screaming at every idiot driver next to me and in front of me. Moms have a great calming affect. I've got her hooked on HGTV too, so I think she actually loved the idea of going to a home decorating store... now we both just can't get enough.

I love the fact that when my mom's in the car, I never need the radio on. I can talk to her about everything and I always know that she's going to take everything I say to her to heart and she never judges me on my thoughts or my feelings... Isn't that exactly why mom's become our best friends? A mom is just meant to be your bouncing board and your confidant for life. And since we were stuck in traffic we were able to talk for a good while about everything and nothing. Sigh.

So we finally get to the store, after constantly watching the GPS arrival time climb and climb and taking a few wrong turns. We walked into the store (almost slipped in on the ice) like kids at a candy store. It was glorious; mostly because I had to pee. Then I was able to take in the furniture. It was even more glorious.

We started looking around and I fell in love with an oversized chair that I won't be able to have.

Sigh. The one bad thing about having another half is having to consult with him about purchases! Just kidding hubby—I swear! But I do love this chair; it's one of those that you can curl up in the fetal position in—how fantastic for reading!

After looking around and enjoying the entire store, I started realizing that the piece I came for wasn't there! Two hours of bumper to bumper traffic and I walked out of a fantastic store with nothing! But I did order the piece for shipping to the store; that saves me $70 in shipping! Thankfully, I found a desk with the exact same dimensions so I know how big the desk is, at least this time around I won't be shocked by a piece of furniture being too small; the size is just perfect. I can't wait to see it in the office. Hopefully it looks fantastic. Either way, I had a great time talking with my mom; I love having her by my side. Mom's really are the best gift that God ever gave us—that and the time he gives us to actually know our moms as a person and not as just "mom." We might have hated every minute of the traffic jam of life we dealt with today, but I'm pretty sure we enjoyed every minute of it. In a few weeks we'll get to enjoy decorating together too. Thanks Mom!

Tuesday Tea Quote...

2011-02-08T22:07:00.000-05:00

"Two can live as cheaply as one, but not as long."

—Salada Tea

Tea Time Fridays...

2011-02-04T17:01:00.000-05:00

I've really been enjoying my Fridays with my girlfriend Trish. It's been so nice to have a best bud in the same town, and we're finally making the time to see each other! We've always had a friendship where if we are too busy to talk, we can always pick up right where we left off the next time we see each other. I love that kind of friendship; the one where you always know that a friend will be there, even if they can't keep in contact all the time. With families, work, relationships, budding marriages, procrastination, and the thought of children on both of our minds, we're making time for each other with the other things that we have in common—old movies, Betty White, and a cup of hot tea...

It's a perfect start to my day and a perfect end to hers; she comes over after work, which is before my work starts.

Every once in a while you just need a hot cup of tea and a great friend who understands your ins and outs... most of the time we never end up watching a movie, we end up talking about our lives and what's been happening during the week since we've seen each other. So here's to high tea Fridays and a great cup of tea; just another reason to say TGIF.

More Often Than Not...

2011-02-01T22:48:00.000-05:00

What do you do when your, ever so often days, turn into your more often than not days? For me, I feel like I've been in a rut. Ever so often, I like to sit on the couch and watch an old movie or just veg out in front of the tv, but more often than not (damn you Netflix!), I find myself sitting on the couch and watching an old movie with Shirley Temple, Joseph Cotton, or Cary Grant; or I'm just catching up on the latest of House Hunters. I just can't tear myself away.

Ever so often I would love to take a bath, but I find myself wanting one more and more and more, even though my hubby isn't a big fan because of the water waste. Today, he even gave his blessing on my bathly desires because of how hard I worked on shoveling the snow... like he had a choice.

Ever so often, I wouldn't mind the snow in New York. I would see beautiful snowy landscapes out of our window and I would think wow, we've really got a nice setup here. More often than not, with our eighth storm of the season, I find myself hating the fact that we bought a house in New York because we have to plow the driveway, we have to clean the porches—we have to do everything! I used to feel so spoiled in the winter when I didn't have to do any of that stuff, more often than not, that princess, spoiled stuff has been thrown out the window, in a snowstorm. I find myself shoveling. A lot. Today, I sat on the couch before my hubby went to work and he asked me what my game plan was for the day in order to take care of the snow while he was gone; what's my game plan? My game plan is to pout every second that I'm in the snow, that's my game plan! And I succeeded. I went outside and tried really hard to figure out how the hell to get the snow up over the mounds that were already there from the previous storms; I kept cursing the storm and kicking the snow—maybe I should've had a game plan after all. After finishing the driveway an hour later, I felt like I accomplished something, but then I remembered that I had to clear a pathway to the porches and to the propane tank. I stood there and I cried...

More often than not, I find myself crying; about silly things, about nothing. It's not that I'm sad, I'm a happy person and I love every second of my life. But things that I would think of as an accomplishment, have become a burden or a worry. My hubby worries about things around the house falling apart, so I've found myself having the same little OCD things; will this break, how would we pay for this if something broke, is this safe, can I hang that there or is there not a stud in the wall, will we be able to sell when my hubby retires??? I blame him for all of this. I love him to death, but his worrywart-ness has become a burden that I now bare...

Ever so often I would go into work and I would think to myself, "how the hell did I end up here, how did I end up bartending for a living?" More often than not, I look around me and think how lucky I am to have a job that pays well and is pretty darn steady; I work with great people, I have a great boss, and I have customers who have become a part of our little work family. More often than not i count my blessings that I have a great job...

More often than not I think about the struggle that I have with my weight. Instead of being happy that I'm at a good weight, I think that I could easily get back to being that fourteen year old who weighed 192lbs. I refuse to ever get back up there again, or be close to it. I'm 26 going on 27 and more often than not I still find myself hating the image that I see in the mirror. No matter the stupid shit I did to myself as a teen, I still did everything to my body on my own. The person that's in the mirror is me; good or bad. More often than not, I hate when my hubby brings up anything that has to remotely do with weight; he'll never understand. But I need a change. A for good change though, not just a, "to get me through bathing suit season" kind of change...

More often than not I take solitude in the happiness that I have when I'm alone. Sometimes I wish that I still had the friends that I had in high school, but I know as an adult that I have the best friends that a person could ever ask for, even if I don't get to see them that often. But I've got two great friends that I can count on in life, not including my mom and my hubby. Ever so often I think about why I've lost friends over the years; was I not a good friend, was I not a good person? People change, I've changed over the years. People grow together or they grow a part. Some people just grow differently, they have different desires. I find myself sad over the friendships I've lost or the ones that never got there chance to grow, but I find myself rejoicing over the friendships that I know I'll keep forever.

More often than not, I miss my brothers. One lives in Vermont, the other in Florida. I find myself yearning for that joking, wise ass, family that I grew up with. I wish I could go see my brother for his thirtieth birthday. Sometimes plans just can't work. I find myself wanting family more than anything. When I was younger we had family dinners every week; we're trying to start that tradition again. Something to feel connected; more often than not my hubby and I are in our own little world separated from everybody—just me, the hubby, and the puppy. Sometimes you need more than just the person who sleeps next to you at night; you need the people who've seen you since birth and grew up with you on every step you took on your journey through life (including the braces and bad hair days)...

More often than not I start thinking about far away places. Anywhere but here. I want to be at that happy place where we don't live for our jobs. I think about where I'd be if my parents grew up in California instead of New York; would I be a bleach blonde California girl? Would I be thin? Would that make my self image better?

One day I'll get there. Being happy no matter what the day brings. More often than not I find that my hubby's smile is the best part of my day. Having him say he loves me, before I say I love you to him, is even better. More often than not I find myself questioning everything I do. I always thought that by 26 I would figure it out; do I want to be a writer, a musician, a mother, do I just take my chance and go for it? More often than not I find that I want to chance it and try to write music, somehow, someway. More often than not, I think that the stress that I put on myself with trying to become a mother, is just not healthy. I've lost myself. Maybe it's just not meant to be, maybe it's not meant for me...

Do you ever find yourself thinking, how did I get here?

Where do I want to be? Am I there?

More often than not, I find myself knowing that my life will turn out to be exactly how I dreamed it would be—half my dream is already with me every night when I sleep next to him. I know we'll end up there- but More often than not, it feels like life gets in the way of the big picture...

Apples, Apples, Apples...

2011-01-26T21:18:00.001-05:00

My hubby and I love apples. He brings one to lunch almost everyday for work and I usually eat at least one a day. Unfortunately, we've been spoiled by a local apple orchard, so we'll only eat apples from there. The other day, one of my facebook buddies posted a baked apple recipe that I just had to try. I love making baked apples but usually I slice them and just bake them with cinnamon (I just asked my hubby how to spell the word cinnamon and he says, "C-I-N-N-A-M-O-N, CINNAMON" —just like he was representing his school in the spelling bee—how cute!)...

So I had to try this recipe, but I tweaked it, just a little bit.

INGREDIENTS

4 large good baking apples, I used MacIntosh
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of almond butter for each apple top
3/4 cup boiling water

Use some big apples

It might be messy, but you have to core them, but not to the bottom; make a pocket

Stuff them with the mixture, put the almond butter on top

The almond peanut butter is also from Soon's orchard and is pure; no sugar or oils are added. Instead of eating the warm apple with ice cream, I went for some vanilla yogurt (not frozen). It was a healthy and delicious alternative! I'm not much of a baker because we try to stay away from sweets, but this was a little piece of heaven on this snowy night.

The Finished Product

Since I have a snow day from work, we're both getting stuff done around the house; so on another domestic note, I ordered a canvas from Overstock that came in the mail the other day and is now in it's proper place in my kitchen.

If you know anything about me, you know that I love stars and moons. I love looking at this picture; my hubby thinks the little kids are drinking alcohol in the old advertisement, but I'm pretty sure it's a syrup of some sort. Although I really don't care what the ad was for, it's still fun to think about. Anyone have any other guesses?

Tuesday Tea Quote...

2011-01-25T20:36:00.001-05:00

"Frequent dieting:

Lost & refound"

—Salada Tea

Last Year's Resolutions...

2011-01-25T00:04:00.001-05:00

It's about time that I started on some of last years' new years resolutions... As I've said before, I'm really done with the resolutions. I never stick with them and last years' resolutions were the last ones that I will ever make. But I was thinking about some of the stuff that I resolved to do last year; other than the typical, lose a few pounds things, I vowed to do things instead of giving up things that were bad for me.

I really want to learn to play the guitar. I grew up as a band/chorus nerd, kinda, and I love music and I love writing lyrics. It's pretty much my dream career, being a songwriter. I've always wanted to pick up the guitar and learn how to play and last year I was lucky enough to have my bestie's brother loan me one of his. Unfortunately, the guy who said he was willing to teach me never followed through and I never followed through on my own—another resolution that I failed at.

Finally, the other day I started to pick it up on my own. After months of failing at certain beginner books, I finally found one that helped me at least get started. The book teaches the strings and their names instead of teaching chords right off the bat. I feel like I'm getting somewhere! I know that the chords are obviously the most important part, but I'll get to that, I promise.

I'm not expecting to play like people who've been doing it for years; I'm just not trained that way, but I want to at least have it help me in my song writing. Hopefully I can put something behind the words that I write; hopefully, it can help me with some of my melodies that I need to work on. Unfortunately, my nails will never be the same IF I keep this up. I never realized how long nails and playing really aren't a good combination—so long, long nails, hello painted ones...

I still want to learn a new language too—I haven't picked up the Rosetta Stone software because the price is still a little too high. I've been looking on auction sites, but I can't help but be scared of scammers and ripped off software...

I guess I'm really not good at this resolution thing at all! Thankfully, I didn't make any this year, so I can't break any. But I still want to follow up on last years, just to make myself feel better.

Tuesday Tea Quote...

2011-01-18T20:04:00.000-05:00

"When pleasure interferes with business, give up business."

—Salada Tea

Just a Sentimental Fool...

2011-01-17T22:19:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid, I loved rearranging my bedroom. I changed the bed from wall to wall and moved the dresser. It was so much fun for me. Unfortunately, my rug in my room wasn't attached to the floor too well and left that ashy debris that old rugs left behind, so the carnage that remained of my rug was the downfall to my rearranging habit. I'm surprised my mom let me do it as much as I did because we didn't have the money for a new rug, but she didn't care as long as I was happy with my room; which after each arrangement, I would always declare that the room looked perfect and that I wouldn't change it anymore. Then, I would rearrange it, sometimes just like it was before the last session, and then again, declare that my room was perfect.

I had a big, wooden canopy bed and a huge dresser, so this wasn't always an easy task, and I usually had to ask for help from the family. Otherwise, I would just push the furniture and drag the rug just a little further off it's tacked down path. That poor rug.

Now that I'm older and have a house all my own, I feel bad for my mom. We had an old house and we all took pride in it, and if she was still in the house that I grew up in, I would have bought a new rug for my room by now. I hated that rug and all it's black ashy stuff that was always coming up from the bottom. And God forbid if you tried to vacuum it; half of the rug would end up in the bag. But it was my room and my crappy rug!

I loved my childhood bedroom and all the little knick knacks that I collected over the years, but now I wonder what I'm supposed to do with all those things! I'm not too into Cherished Teddy collectibles and plush teddy bears. I feel bad for begging my parents for all these things that seem so frivolous now. Hopefully, I'm not a sucker if we ever have a kid, and continuously buy them things that they'll just leave in the house after they move out. Silly kids. Always want want. I was so that kid— "BUT MOM I NEEEEEDDDD THIS!!!!!!" Hopefully, I can force out a, "too bad" every now and then.

One thing that I always wanted to have as I grew older, even from a young young age, was my baby plate. Apparently, in our local hospital when I was a baby, the local business donated baby plates. Unfortunately, when I was in about third grade a few friends and I were fooling around in my bedroom and my one friend knocked it off the shelf in my room. I remember crying like a baby; maybe that was the start of the Dana Ugly Cry that I'm pretty notorious for. I even cried in front of my friends. I remember being so mad that my plate was broke. My mom said we could try to glue it back together but we never did; some pieces were just too far gone, but the plate still remains in a plastic bag in my hope chest at the end of my bed...

A few months ago I brought this memory back to mind and happened to just google search baby plates and to my amazement—the plates are still being made! They even make them in pink now for girls, but I had to buy the blue because that's what my original plate was. Now, it's pretty much a guarantee that I'm one of the dorkiest and sentimental people around, so of course I had to buy the plate and put it on a shelf in my home where it should have rightfully been all along.

Some things may lose their value as we grow older, but other things you just can't help but smile at. The sounds that an old music box makes, finding an old coloring book that you and your Grama did together, an old newspaper article, a candy dish... for this reason, I love scrapbooking my life with my hubby; movie stubs, concert stubs, cards, restaurant cards... I love being an old sap. Who cares if I cry at the drop of a dime; this world is meant for sentimental fools like me!

Do you have anything that means a lot to you from your childhood that you'd like to have back or that you're still able to cherish? I love the internet, otherwise my baby plate would only be a childhood memory in a plastic ziploc bag.

The Thought of Snow Terrifies People...

2011-01-12T00:15:00.000-05:00

Even though we live in New York, I swear the thought of snow must just scare people to death around here! Tuesday is normally my shopping day and I know that I was terrified at the thought of going to the grocery store on a day like today when the snow was just waiting to start falling from the gray pink sky.

I ran some errands and then headed to the stores; unfortunately, I couldn't help myself from hitting up TJMaxx before buying groceries for the week. Let me tell you how much of a destresser it is to go and buy stuff when you know you have a gift card! It's just so freeing! I was going to head to Victoria's Secret to buy some new stuff, that was much in need, but instead I bought about six bras and twenty pairs of panties for about $70! Insane right?! I knew that stepping into TJMaxx would just make my day that much better before heading into a grocery store from H-E-Double hockey sticks!

It amazes me to see the look in people's eyes when they're shopping for a snow storm. Like if they don't get in two hours of shopping eight hours before the storm starts, then all hell will break loose. People bump in to you, they push you out of the way for things, and when the cart traffic jams start, no one will budge from their spot in order to let someone pass. People are crazy! Who needs four loaves of bread unless you are feeding a family of ten for a week! It's a couple of inches of snow people, and we live in 2011, you are realistically not going to get stuck inside over a few inches of snow.

I came home, amazed by my TJMaxx purchases and started up the crockpot. How can you go wrong with the crockpot when a snow day is going to happen? You can't. It's perfect and the house smells amazing.

I'm just really not looking forward to waking up in the morning to tackle the driveway. Why can't snow days be like when we were kids and it was actually fun? Stupid grown-up life.

Tuesday Tea Quote...

2011-01-11T23:50:00.000-05:00

"Hair dye gets to the root of the problem."

—Salada Decaffeinated Tea

I Just Love His Eyes by Candlelight...

2011-01-10T23:49:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I just need a date night. Do you ever start feeling like you're in a rut with your hubby and you just need to get off of the couch and get a little dressed up? Well, I'm one of those people who could go out every week, twice a week, three times a week... but who has the money for that? Who has the time? And wouldn't it get boring? I don't know, but one day I'd love to find out. I'm just waiting to hit Mega Millions, then maybe we'd have the time, money, and energy for date nights more often than we get them now.

Tonight we went to Nina, our favorite restaurant, well, my favorite restaurant, the hubby favors Peter's just a little bit more.

I love it there, and every time we go, I can't help but picture myself owning a restaurant just like it someday. I think I have the same conversation with him every time we sit down about how I'd love to own something like it. At least that's what he tells me. I can't help it; great service, great atmosphere, and amazing food. For our first anniversary my dad and his wife gave us a gift card for Nina, and four months later, we finally used it. The entire $100 gift card, gone in one visit, and worth every dime. Thanks guys! We'll be enjoying it for lunch tomorrow too—just too much good food to let go to waste.

Now we're back to reality and date night is over. I'm back in my sweatpants and his old sweatshirt with my hair twisted up, and he just got back from the gym and started cleaning up the kitchen from our lunch this afternoon. Tomorrow it's on to the bathroom for me; toilets and tiles are my speciality.

Thank God for a date night to remind us of the days when going out on dates helped us fall in love and get to know each other. Every time we go out I remember one of those dates and the happiness I felt when I knew I was falling in love with this man. I always remember the look in his eyes when I knew he was falling for me; that look hasn't gone away. I guess that's why I love date nights and I'll always look forward to them when they come around.

Happy New Year?...

2010-12-31T13:42:00.000-05:00

I may just be one of those cynics who doubts the power of the new year and doubts the ability of people to change once a new year begins. Everyone is making new year's resolutions and vowing to change for the new year, but over the years, I've finally stopped believing in the power of the new year. I know that every resolution I've ever made has fallen on my own deaf ears. I know that if I want to change a bad habit or start good ones, it's not going to happen just because the calendar happens to say January 1st.

Does this make me a bad person? Or just honest?

When I was a kid I would spend new year's eve with my Grama and my brother; he always went crazy cutting up confetti and then vacuuming it up later. I loved watching the old shows that came on TV after midnight and eating popcorn. I still love popcorn—thanks Gram!

When I was a teenager I was so caught up in the hype of new years. I remember my parents going out and I was left to watch the ball drop on TV all on my own. Just me and my teddy bear. I would cry. But why was I crying? I don't think I even knew why other than that everyone on TV was partying with friends and snuggling up to the cutie next to them. My boyfriend at the time wasn't home and I just felt so alone. But why does it get so much more heightened because it's new year's eve? Damn media and advertising.

Ever since I met my hubby I've had a new year's kiss at the stroke of midnight. That I am thankful for. I used to think that not being kissed at midnight was the worst thing possible! Now, I hate to admit, I hate the idea even more, now that I know what it's like to have someone to hold for the new year and for every day after. It's not about the power of new years, it's just knowing that with each year passing I become happier and happier that I've met the love of my life. So, I guess I sometimes get caught up in the hype as well, even as an "adult." After having years and years without it, I need my midnight kiss.

I work every new year's eve and I love to see people having fun. Now I'm a part of those old memories I have from when I was a kid, I'm just not dancing it up; which is fine by me since I have two left feet. I look forward to Twilight Zone marathons and Honeymooners marathons. Now that is the joy of the new year; somethings that are old just never get old.

So Many Toys to Play With, So Little Time...

2010-12-29T01:29:00.001-05:00

This Christmas I received so many gifts that just touched my heart. My family knows that I'm an old fashioned kind of girl; I love old movies (I finally have Casablanca! What a beautiful movie!), antiques, and anything that looks retro. I'm looking around our house right now and I just feel overjoyed with the gifts; my nativity scene is complete thanks to my hubby,

and I have a candle holder that is of Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus thanks to my Dad and his wife

—they're just beautiful additions to our house for the holidays.

I have two presents that I just can't stop looking at and smiling over; a retro phone and a retro radio. I love them! The phone is cordless, but looks like a retro rotary phone and the radio plays records, cds, cassettes, and has a hookup for my ipod!

And today I received a gift from my mom that I just can't stop playing with: tons and tons of records! They range from Michael Jackson's Thriller to The Carpenters. Just like I love the smell of a book, I love the sound of a record!

When I was cooking dinner for my hubby and folding laundry I couldn't stop listening to the raspy sound of the white noise from the records. I loved every minute of. Janis Joplin, Simon and Garfunkel, the Beach Boys—every record just makes me smile.

Thanks mom for giving me a present that just keeps on giving and thanks to my hubby for giving me this retro piece so I have the ability to play them! The last time I played records was when I was a little kid on my Grama's front porch storage room with my brother playing 45's on one of those small carrying case record players... needless to say, it's been a long time and I've missed that sound. I can't wait to find old records and play them over and over again. Now I just need to find a record holder so they don't get too scratched up! So be on the lookout please... retro looking of course.

Tuesday Tea Quote...

2010-12-28T23:32:00.000-05:00

Today's tea quote seems fitting for the conversation that I had with a friend today. We both love to sing and it brings joy to our lives... sometimes it's just hard to find the nerve to sing your song...

"Those who wish to sing always find a song."

—Swedish Proverb

There Are Only a Few Things I Hate in Life...

2010-12-27T20:50:00.001-05:00

Of the few things I hate in life, snow is one of them! Well, not exactly the snow, but shoveling the snow, driving in the snow, and being just plain cold in the snow! Don't get me wrong, I love to look at the snow, but when it comes to actually being in the snow, I've come to hate it!

In New York, we missed the white Christmas by a day, but I can't complain too much because there were a few snowflakes flying in the air. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't think I could live in a place where it's warm around Christmas; it's just, weird. Although, I'm sure they're not complaining right now about the weather like I am.

Every year, my hubby and I argue over the clearing of our driveway. It's one of the only things that we can't do without at least one spat. It never fails. He wakes me up way too early to help him shovel and I bitch and complain, but I put my winter jacket and boots on kicking and screaming! I absolutely hate shoveling the snow. My back hurts. My feet get cold. My glasses fog up. The worst part of it all is, he doesn't give me the few minutes to get some warm caffeine into my system before working me to death. Now, I may be exaggerating, but he's very OCD about how the driveway is cleared.

Now, first I have to say that our driveway is very steep. If you come up our driveway, you have to use your parking break. Every time. And my little civic is not the best in the snow. We only got about seven inches at our house, but when I came home from work early yesterday with only about three on the ground, my car still couldn't get up all the way. It sucks! I guess that's why the hubby insists on clearing the driveway until the blacktop shines. First, we shovel out our cars, then we snow blow, then we get the shovels out and scrape it down to the blacktop. Then, we either hope for the sun to shine or we put salt down to melt the last of it. Then we have to clear a path for our stairs going up to our porch and our back porch and of course to our propane tank (did you know that you have to do that if you receive gas or propane from a company? I didn't!). It's just exhausting! It took us about two hours today and I'm pretty sure that after we had lunch we both passed out for at least a half hour. Ordering our lunch from the spot we like to go is kind of funny; I place the order and then they ask the name and when I say it's for my hubby they go, "Oh, it's for you guys! Hi honey, we'll have that ready for you!" It's kind of comical. I guess we're eating out a little too much lately. The ten pounds on my ass kind of helps tell that story a little better than my words could ever describe.

So, our snowstorm is over and our driveway is sparkling. At the end of the day we're both so happy that it's over; we look at our neighbors' driveways and wonder why they would decide to wait until 6 p.m. to start shoveling and we're thrilled at our accomplishment. Is it an accomplishment when you have the shiniest driveway on the block after a snowstorm? Well, we think so.

We live in New York and we constantly wonder why the news overplays coverage of a snow storm. We live in New York people! It snows here! Granted, the city got more than us this time around, but man can they beat a dead horse! It snowed, wait for it to stop, stay at home until it's cleaned up, end of story, right? Nope, never. They need 24 hours of coverage like it's TBS covering "A Christmas Story"!

I survived the blizzard of 2010... or even better, I survived another round of my hubby and I clearing our driveway. Go me! Now, get me a heating pad, a blanket, and a cup of tea and I'll be happy. Maybe some cuddle time too.

So Thankful...

2010-12-25T03:27:00.002-05:00

On this Christmas Eve I've found myself very thankful for the gifts that God has given me; even more than the physical presents that are under the tree.

I've been having a hard time with my faith lately. Even though I know in my heart that during hard times I need to turn to God, a lot of the time, I turn away from Him when things don't go my way. I start questioning myself, my daily intentions, and whether or not God loves me. Sometimes I just need to have a little more faith; in God, in myself, and in the life that He has chosen for me and my family. Sometimes it just doesn't work, the trying to convince yourself of these things, so I turned to an outside source; for me it was my priest. So today, I'm thankful for him and the words he's spoken to me. Instead of viewing myself as selfish and ungrateful, I know that desiring something for my life, can be very unselfish. The desire to find my path is not selfish; it's part of being a human.

Today, I was able to spend the day with my family and enjoy a day off from work. Christmas day is another day off. Granted, no money, but I'm so grateful for the tradeoff of family time. The homily at midnight mass spoke to me, especially after a previous talk with my priest, and I have a new sense of renewal on my outlook on things happening in my life. Prayer can be a powerful thing.

My brother came home for Christmas Eve and my family and I enjoyed a night filled with eating, exchanging presents, and talking about how old we're all getting; this was concluded by us taking our blood sugars and blood pressures. I'm not kidding. Mine was pretty dang good: 91 for the blood glucose and 110 over 64 for blood pressure- I guess I'm not falling apart yet! But this was our laugh out loud moment of the night, man, age is just creeping up on me, if this is what we find entertaining! Well, that and 24 hours of a "Christmas Story"!

I can't wait to enjoy Christmas day with my hubby (his first time off since we've been together!). The day has already started off great and I can't wait for it to end with us cuddled up on the couch watching "It's a Wonderful Life." No other movie could be more telling.

I'm thankful for all my blessings this Christmas. I hope you enjoy the same happiness and find your own moment of sanity when the shopping is done and all the presents are finished being opened. Remember Christmas and keep the reason for it in your heart.

Merry Christmas!

What's that I hear... Is Christmas Near?...

2010-12-16T23:43:00.000-05:00

So, I've been back from Florida for a few weeks now and the Christmas season is upon us. Work is slowing down, which always happens during Christmas, but with having to install a new countertop and sink, I'm definitely feeling the pinch just a little more this time around. I hate feeling like I'm not contributing a lot to our monthly bills; it doesn't happen a lot, just this time of year, and the hubby doesn't mind, but I sure do! I can't wait for nights with bands or for football Sundays. I like giving good presents, but I refuse to go into debt for them, so this year I can only do what I can do. I just hope family and friends understand.

I loved my trip to Florida. I loved seeing my friend and I loved seeing her home. It's beautiful and I had so much fun helping her fill it with furniture and decorating. But since there are still items that need to be delivered still, I'll have to keep the changes for a future post.

The weather was great for the first two days, around eighty-six, but then within a day it dropped to the forties! Now they're in the twenties with us!

Sunsets are pretty but it just changes so much when you're just trying to not go numb as the sun goes down.

Don't get me wrong, right now I would love to feel forty degrees, but when you're on a beach in your sandals, you kinda hope that the weather stays just a little bit warmer.

Quite possibly the coldest beach feet ever!

It was a strange change of scenery. We were listening to Christmas music on the radio and all I thought was that it was July and I was on a tropical vacation (at least the first two days). How can people in Florida enjoy Christmas?! They're in shorts and t-shirts and looking at palm trees. It's just not Christmas in my mind unless I'm freezing my butt off!

Nothing was dying at the time. How do you enjoy the rebirth of things once spring-time comes? That's what I love about the seasons. Although, I hate this cold. Did I mention that? I just couldn't get in the Christmas spirit down there. And I felt like I was dating my hubby again. Instead of cuddling at night and being able to give him a kiss, I was waiting for phone calls and sweet talking with him at the end of the night before I went to bed in an empty room. It just felt so foreign; especially at night.

It's strange. Now that I'm home I miss my bestie like crazy. I loved being able to just hang out with my friend. I always miss my hubby so much when I'm without him; it'd be nice to have her here to do things with when he's working and I'm off. Maybe one day we'll live in the same area. But then the daily grind of life gets in the way, so I guess it's never perfect.

The day after I came home (with a teary eyed reunion in the airport) my hubby went in for knee surgery. Let me tell you what that anxiety can do to a wife that didn't get enough sleep on the night before! I was so worried that something would happen to him. I'm not great with seeing people I love in hospitals, I'm always so afraid, even if it's just for something simple. Thankfully I knew the nurses and the doctor so it made the hours waiting a little bit easier.

I'm actually glad that I went away when I did because I've had the past two weeks to enjoy some time with my hubby. It's been great having him home. Spatting about silly things or just getting on each others' nerves because we've been in the house with each other for too long. This never happens! Normally I'm just missing him, it's kinda nice to get tired of each other sometimes. The funny part is, I think that's happened twice. I'm enjoying the cuddling (he just laid his head down on my leg) and the fact that I'm able to talk to my best friend whenever I want to talk to him. No calling him at work to say hello or to say I'm missing him. He's right here, I don't have to miss him. I do feel a little like the dorky housewife when I call him at work so I try to avoid it at all costs. So having him home is a major plus, I love it.

I don't think I mentioned how much I love to smell is newly shampooed hair either? Did I mention it? Because it's a fabulous thing that Pantene on my hubby's head.

Last Monday my mother and I finally were able to get our Christmas tree up too. Thank God for Mom or I'd go crazy trying to get the parts of the pre-lit tree to be lit. For some reason, it just never works out in an easy way.

These past few weeks have been very busy I tell you. I was getting a little crazy about the holiday getting closer and closer and I still didn't have any decorations up! Normally I'm a little bit more on top of it, but with the surgery and the hubby being home and needing my help (well in the beginning anyway) the tree and decorations became less and less of a priority.

Our tree looks great and I love looking at the ornaments and remembering why they have special meaning or remembering why they were bought at the time. Christmas ornaments make me happy. There's always a story behind them.

Me, the Hubby, and Luna- at least in my mind

My plan is to eventually have no tree fillers, but to have all special ornaments with meaning. Eventually that will happen but I'm looking to do it over time. I'm going to buy an ornament for our vacations we take and the memories that we want to mark. I just wish the hubby liked to decorate it as much as my mom and I do. But then again, it's becoming my little tradition with my mom, so I don't really mind that much. Yet.

We finally have stockings too. Our fourth Christmas together and this is our first with stockings! How could I have missed this major part of my childhood traditions! Better late than never I guess!

Our nativity scene is almost complete too. This year I bought the shepherd and stable animals and an angel to look over.

My hubby gave me an early Christmas present (we're kind of notorious for giving our presents over time because we're like little kids and a bit impatient; we joke that we should have been Jewish and celebrated Hanukah instead) of the angel stand. I love that the nativity is looking more and more complete. I love looking at the true meaning of Christmas. No matter what, my nativity comes out before anything else.

Another present that I got a little early were my footie pajamas.

How fabulous is that?! When I was a kid I remember having a light purple colored, care bear pair of pajamas. I used to love those things! These ones have the drop butt bottom too. How exciting! Maybe I'm the only one who loves the idea, but why didn't people think that grownups would like footie pajamas too sooner! I mean who doesn't want to stay warm in the winter? Yup, I'm a dork. But my hubby calls me Dorkarella because I'm his princess; kinda like Cinderella but, well, dorkier.

So, the Christmas season is here and I'm freezing my butt off in New York, I'm feeling broke, and I've headed back to the gym (and can barely walk now!) because I've gained too much weight back over the past few months, but ya know what? Things are great. I can't wait to spend time with our families and I have an awesome little family that we're building together and I'm looking forward to the new year and what special things it could bring.

Ever since I met my hubby I've only hoped that each new year is just as good as the last and I haven't been disappointed yet. Things just keep getting better and better.

Tuesday Tea Quote...

2010-12-14T23:53:00.000-05:00

"The great and glorious masterpiece of man is how to live with a purpose."

—Montaigne

Say It Isn't So...

2010-11-29T02:22:00.001-05:00

So I'm leaving my hubby and my furbaby tomorrow to visit my bestie down in Florida. I can't even explain to you how badly I'm already missing them, even though they're both on the floor doing tricks (that is, the dog is doing tricks for the hubby) for some egg. That pup of mine just loves eggs! Almost as much as the hubby.

I love my bestie, but I don't know how I'm going to do it! I've never been anywhere without my hubby since we started dating over four years ago. I'm a mess. I'm not packed. I haven't actually thought about leaving. I've pretty much determined that no make-up should be worn to the airport tomorrow unless it is super water-proof.

I'm a cheeseball.

Who dreads a mini vacation?! Am I the only person on the planet?

If I could spend every waking moment with my hubby, I would. Is that normal?

Probably not, but that's OK by me.

I'm not being completely negative. I know I'm going to have a great time with my friend helping her decorate her new house, but my best friend will be at home by himself, and I just can't stand that feeling.

I can't remember the last time I slept without him. I hate the thought. I wonder if I'm going to be able to sleep. No hubby and no furbaby to cuddle up to. I was going to take the pup with me, but it was $200 to take her on the flight. So that's a no go on her first flight. I'm going to need some good wine to sleep at night. I hope she's prepared.

But my carpetbag came in just in time for the trip. Now I can be just like Anne of Anne of Green Gables and Mary Poppins. I just love how it turned out! Isn't it just beautiful!

I've also entered a contest to win a custom portrait of our little Luna. I'm really hoping that Rachel Stratford picks our little girl to capture with her amazing artwork. Just check out some of her pieces at my favorite blog Nat the Fat Rat.

Here's Nat's dog.

Picture from Nat the Fat Rat, by Rachel Stratford

How amazing is Rachel? That's not from a computer program. It's pure talent.

I'm really going to miss my hubby and my furbaby. Maybe if I have a little portrait it will help the next time a trip comes around and I have to leave our little Luna home.

Maybe I should start packing. But the hubby is cuddling on me so I'm sure it can wait until the morning.

Thanksgiving Blessings...

2010-11-24T14:03:00.001-05:00

Last night while the hubby and I were watching our favorite show, Parenthood, I couldn't help but get all choked up over the holidays of the past. We were that family; the one that got together for the holidays and made a big deal over just being together.

Parenthood- I love this show!

We used to gather at my Grama's house and she'd have to get out this giant piece of plywood to put over her table just to fit all of us. I always remember that there was a nice, clean, crisp white sheet that she would cover the table with; never a tablecloth. That sheet would be a mess by the end of the meal. We always started at 1 p.m. Just enough time for the guys to watch football and fit in at least a few pieces of pie before everyone left for their own homes. I remember there being a lot of family members with horrible mustaches loosening their pants. Those were the good old days.

There would be wine, or was it Crown Royal, and I'm pretty sure that my brother and I helped do the dishes most of the time. We were pretty much Grama's little servants. We always did the dishes the best. At least that's what she told us. I think that's when I learned to stack dishes as high as I can.

I never wanted the holidays to end. I loved being with my cousins. I loved watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Now, I sleep through it. Thanksgiving Eve is the biggest bar night of the year; so a 9 a.m. parade doesn't seem as enjoyable as it used to.

My favorite thing to eat at Thanksgiving is stuffing. I'm the biggest stuffing buff around. Which is probably why my waistline gets bigger by the end of Thanksgiving night. How much bread can you possibly have? At least I never eat the rolls; that balances it out right? I think it's funny how stuffing is my favorite because my Grama used to make it with the giblets from the turkey when we were kids. It never failed that you would get a really hard piece that would just turn you off from the stuffing; at least for a second. It was just disgusting! Then you'd realize you could just use your napkin to get rid of that one little nasty piece in order to enjoy the rest.

It's funny to me that I remember my Grama being a good cook. My mother recalls a completely different story. Apparently, Grama never learned to cook until she was older. Maybe that's why my brother and I would get random pieces of eggshell in our scrambled eggs in the morning; she always claimed it was pepper, even though we never tasted it.

I miss my Grama's food. Even the nasty little giblets she put in the stuffing that made us all smile at each other and laugh.

I'm thankful for the time she was here with us. I'm thankful that she helped raise us into the people we are today.

I'm thankful for the years of Thanksgivings that we had as that family.

This year I'll be going to my sister-in-laws house in the afternoon and then to my parents house at night. Unfortunately, my hubby has to work; the downfalls of having a night job. Thankfully, the restaurant closes on Thanksgiving. I wish my brothers were closer so my mom could get excited over the holidays, but until then I'll just have to try to get her in the holiday spirit on my own. It might take a little bit of convincing though. But I'm going to enjoy the memories of those great holidays; I hope I can make those memories happen again someday.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Tuesday Tea Quote...

2010-11-23T13:32:00.000-05:00

"It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do"

—Jerome K. Jerome