The Ratpack

Pinterest Friday

2011-06-17T09:48:00.000-05:00

Today I'm linking up with Blue Eyed Bride and Paw Prints and Pasty Bags for another Pinnable Me Friday!

Here are some of my favorite things from pinterest this week.

Adorable bathroom in my favorite colors

{via Ashley}

DIY pearl wreath - Love it!

{via Michelle}

Great idea for jewelry organization!

{via Angelina}

Pink coat with polka dot ribbon. I need it.

{via Erin}

I must have top. I love everything about it. It's from Anthro!

{via MNK}

Pretty much my dream kitchen. I love green kitchens!

{via Lacey}

Don't Stop Believing! :)

{via Tara}

Happy Friday! And don't forget to link up and join us!

My weekend in pictures

2011-06-16T22:04:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I'm like, a few days behind for a weekend update. I blame ~~Bethenny Ever After Marathons~~ school. But better late, than never!

Friday night, we went over to Ryan's parents house to celebrate his grandparents 61st wedding anniversary, and his mom and youngest sister's birthday! We had steak, and I had a Dr. Pepper, which was THE highlight of my week. I recently gave up most sweets during the weekdays, but sometimes I cheat (it was a long week in the community health world). Here are Ryan and his sisters during the party.

Since it was a long week for me, my sweet husband told me he would take me to Cracker Barrel for breakfast Saturday morning. He knows the way to my heart, for sure. While we were in line, we spotted a woman with the biggest Texas hair ever. We tried to take a nonchalant picture, but this is the best we could do.

The pic obviously doesn't do it justice. I've lived in Texas all my life, and have never seen a hairdo like that! Maybe she was gearing up to watch the CMTs? All I know is sleeping in, pancakes, and a little sneakypix action are the perfect way to start my Saturday!

After breakfast, we headed to get a Costco membership! We actually just ended up browsing the store, and then deciding to price compare with Sam's just to make sure. I think we will end up going with Costco. Any of you have a membership? It's such a fun place!

Sunday, after church and lunch, Ryan and I headed to Starbucks, so I could read. Since he is on summer vacation, he got to leisurely read a book, while I had to study for my big NCLEX exam coming up in a couple of months. This book will be my life for the rest of the summer. I swear, people are so jealous of me when I take it to the pool. :) But while I was at Starbucks, I got a smoothie, and a birthday cake pop. So it was kind of worth it!

So there ya go, a weekend update 5 days late. Have a great weekend, friends!

Friday Funnies

2011-06-10T06:00:00.007-05:00

Because today is Friday,

Because I have suffered through 4, draining weeks of a class that ~~I hate~~, ~~I will never use~~, is teaching me patience,

Because I have lost my blogging mojo,

and

Because we all need a laugh every now and then,

I present you with some things that made me smile this week. Courtsey of Pinterest, of course!

If you haven't joined Pinterest, you should be ashamed of yourself. It's better than Facebook, ice cream, and babies dressed up as lobsters. Well, almost...

Last week's menu revisited

2011-01-18T20:03:00.000-06:00

I seriously had my work cut out for me this week guys. After I hit publish on my menu post, I realized that this week I would be cooking 4 different types of meat, as well as employing the following cooking methods: braising, grilling, roasting, baking, and sautéing. Once I realized this I immediately wanted to delete the post and then Google the phone number for Papa John’s pizza.

Cooking new things scares me, but I stuck with it. And it was soo worth it! That’s the beauty of PW’s recipes (with the help of a couple frantic Google searches to double check my methods) – if I can do it, you can too!

In an effort to avoid the longest post ever, I will recap each recipe in a couple different posts. First up: PW’s Tasty Kitchen Dr. Pepper pulled pork sandwich. This was awesome! I was nervous, because it cooks for 6 hours, which is a huge time investment if it doesn’t work out, but it was totally easy!

Picture from www.tastykitchen.com

I originally was going to leave off the cole slaw because I don't like it, but after looking over the ingredients and realizing that I like all of them, and have them on hand, I whipped it up at the last minute. It totally made the sandwich! It was kind of acidic which went really well with the sweetness of the BBQ. The only adjustment I made was I cut the cayenne pepper from 2 tsp to 1.5 tsp. which I was glad I did, because it was still pretty spicy. But we are wimps about spice!

The recipe makes a lot, and we've been eating the leftovers all week, and it just as delicious the second time! Bottom line is definitely a recipe I will make again!

Menu Tuesday!

2011-01-11T14:26:00.000-06:00

I've kind of been in a cooking rut lately, so this week, I vowed to try several new recipes. I kind of hate trying new things, because I want something good thats fast and easy, and nothing is fast the first time you make it. Plus it may not taste good, or in my case I mess it up really badly and then I've wasted time and money. So, I'm posting this weeks menu. It's pretty much all Pioneer Woman, because well, let's face it. She's amazing. I totally want to be a combination of her and Sandra Bullock from the Blind Side when I grow up.

So, here we go!

Tuesday: PW Tasty Kitchen's Dr. Pepper Pork Sandwich

Wednesday: Chesseburger Pizza

This is not PW, but actually something I made up based on some pizza Ryan and I had in Sedona, AZ. It's one our our favorite things! I will post how I make it sometime.

Thursday: PW's Tequila Lime Chicken

Friday: PW's Penne alla Betsy

Saturday: PW's BBQ Chicken Pizza

So there's what we will be trying this week! I will update you next week with how we liked everything, and the substitutions I made in certain recipes.

I like to be prepared...

2011-01-09T18:05:00.000-06:00

Since we were in Oklahoma the day after Christmas, I really wanted to hit up some of the sales and hopefully score some Christmas decor for half off. Which is an idea that makes perfect sense to me.

What doesn't make sense is why I was really hoping to find: stockings for my future children.

Nevermind that, I live in an apartment with zero storage, didn't even manage to put up the decorations I do have this year, and oh yeah...don't have any children. But because I'm weird, stockings are what I had to have. I don't pretend to understand the way my mind works.

Anyways, I found them! I'm not 100% sure they match the stockings we already have, or that they are big enough, but they are just really really cute! Which is what matters most. Obviously.

They are ice skates! I love it!

Here's a close up of the top

I actually got three of them - two red and one white. So, see, these were necessary purchases! Did any of you get any great post Christmas deals? Or do any of you buy things like this ahead of time before you are married or have kids??

Christmas Break!

2011-01-08T15:08:00.000-06:00

It's a weird thing about long breaks. You have a ton of time to do things like blog, make your bed, and workout, but instead you sleep in, get around to brushing your teeth at 2pm, and congratulate yourself for getting off the couch to check the mail.

So, even if I didn't accomplish all my well-intentioned goals, it's been a fabulous Christmas break!

We went to Oklahoma to visit ALL of my family, which was a blast. We were there for a week, but we packed in so many activities, family, and fun that it flew by. We celebrated Christmas 3 different times, visited my Grandmother in the hospital after her very sucessful heart surgery, went to an OKC Thunder basketball game, went bowling, looked at lights, ate really ~~unhealthy~~ yummy food, and played many rounds of Funglish (the funnest game ever). The weather was cold, and I loved it. Here in San Antonio, we are apparantly done with coats for the year.

I hardly took any pictures at all :( I need to get better about that. In fact we spent an awesome New Years weekend in a cabin in San Marcos with 20 or so friends from college, and I didn't take any pictures! Probably because I was having way too much fun playing 42, laughing, watching football, holding babies, and catching up with everyone!

After New Years, we celebrated Christmas with Ryan's family. We were super tired, but had a nice long Sunday opening presents and being with family. Now Ryan has returned to work, and I am counting down the days (2) until I have to go back to school, and awesome things like Disease Management I lectures force me to put on a bra before noon.

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas, and enjoyed all of the food and time with family and friends!

I'm a hat girl.

2010-10-24T17:22:00.000-05:00

I have so much to update you guys on! This month, I've turned 27, finished my clinical rotation in OB (labor/delivery, nursery, and postpartum), and watched an entire season of Sister Wives. I will get around to blogging all of those things (hopefully...maybe), but until then I leave you with a quick post about one of my favorite fall/winter fashions: hats!

I'm a hat girl. I try them on in stores even though I know I will get lice.

As a very dorky kid in the 90's, I rocked the hats. Obviously I was way ahead of my time, fashion wise.

Anyway, last week I found out that Jessica Simpson has a line of hats in her collection. Wow. You know my love for Jessica goes deep and wide, but her hats took it to a whole new level.

I want all of these - especially the first one with the bow! If only our weather in Texas would cooperate enough to warrant wearing a hat this fall!

Are you a hat girl?

Let's talk about TV shows!

2010-09-24T15:17:00.000-05:00

image from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

My random TV related thoughts:

I love fall premiere time! Lately I've been getting done with my classes a little early, and let me tell you, summer daytime tv is a drag! There's not a single show on all 600 channels that I could stand to watch. Now, I have a DVR full of good shows to keep me busy before I start on my homework.

You know who I want as my friend? Adam Richman from Man V. Food. We love this show! I would definitely share a 3 lb cinnamon roll with him.

Have you watched Modern Family? If you haven't you NEED to. It's the funniest show I've seen in a long time. I'm totally obsessed with the Cam character. Everything he says makes me die laughing - he can be my friend too.

Side note: Before I had ever heard of this show, I heard a preacher mention it, and how sad it is that this is what families have become (disrespectful kids, divorce, homosexual marriages, etc). Ryan leaned over to me and said "I think I know what show he's talking about, and it kind of looks hilarious". He was right - oops.

My other obsession - Bob Harper. Is it just me, or is he not the most gorgeous man on TV? I can't believe I'm typing that, but it's true. I can't handle watching the first episodes of each Biggest Loser season, though. Ugly crying is not my idea of a fun night in front of the tv. I like it better when they yell!

At the risk of many of you not being my friend anymore, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued by Sister Wives on TLC. And yes, that name makes me want to gag. I saw a documentary on this subject awhile back, and it's like a car wreck situation, and I can't look away.

If I have time, I would love to start watching The Good Wife from last season. I saw one episode, and really liked it, so I want to start it from the beginning. I'm not typically a drama fan, but it hooked me in that one episode.

You might assume that I won't be watching very much tv this fall because of that little thing called nursing school. Well, you'd be wrong. It's all about priorities. Plus, I force myself to listen to every prescription drug commerical and quiz myself on the side effects. So really, it's like I'm studying.

What are your must see shows? Or do you have more of a life? Comment and tell me what that's like :)

Quick DIY

2010-09-16T17:55:00.000-05:00

I was feeling kinda crafty over labor day, so I decided to frame my wedding stationary! I looove paper products and stationary, and all my wedding stuff matches my decor, so I loved the way it turned out.

I just bought fabric at hobby lobby to line the back of the shadowbox, and posted everything in with sewing pins. I included our invitations, save the date, program, and some shower invites.

Now I just have to figure out where to hang it. My orignial thought was to hang it in this blank space in our bathroom. But now I wonder will the steam from the shower condensate the glass or mess up my paper? I don't know - I dropped college physics...? Or is that a chemistry thing? Whatever.

Now I'm thinking about putting it somewhere in our bedroom, because all the colors match so well. I had to make my bed just to take this picture, so you're welcome.

So what do you think - bedroom? Or is that too matchy?

School lunches

2010-09-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

The concept of packing my lunch for school or work is one I stress about. I never know what to make. A lot of people pack leftovers, which would be easy, but I'm not a good left-over eater. Plus, I HATE the idea of bringing containers home to wash - I want to be able to throw everything away when I'm done. I'm also bad about making my lunch ahead of time, so I run out of time in the morning to make anything worth eating. Microwaveable lean cuisines are easy, but I can't handle more than 1-2 days of those wonderful, filling meals. Plus, I completely lose my appetite while using the student lounge microwaves at school. gag.

I think Ryan and I have finally come up with a good lunch solution. I make a big batch of chicken salad for lunch at the beginning of the week, and it lasts several days, and is soo yummy and easy.

Here's the recipe if yall want to try it out. I double it and it lasts the whole week. Plus when you buy a a lot of the ingredients like celery, grapes, and apples, doubling will use up all that produce.

Lemony Chicken and Red Grape Salad
Ingredients
Chicken:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts (preferably organic)
Juice and zest from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Yogurt Dressing:
3/4 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ cup finely diced celery
¼ cup finely diced green apple
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped basil
½ cup seedless red grapes, halved

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, lemon juice and zest and juice, thyme and garlic and let sit in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Remove chicken from bowl and season with pepper and salt. Using an outdoor grill or stove-top grill pan, cook over medium heat 5 to 8 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Cool and cut into ½-inch cubes.

2. To make the dressing, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, celery, apples, vinegar, parsley, basil and grapes; mix well. Add cooked chicken and let sit in the refrigerator 10 minutes.
Serves 6.

Note: I've actually never done the marinated chicken part. I buy a pre-roasted chicken from the grcoery store and use that, which save a TON of time. The rest is just chopping and mixing!

Chicken salad on wheat bread + BBQ baked lays + Dr. Pepper = heaven

How I spent my (2 week) summer vacation

2010-08-19T15:39:00.000-05:00

I can’t even remember how long it’s been since I’ve had a “summer break.” Since joining the work force in 2007, every day I took off was to go on vacation or knock out a day of doctor’s appointments. When you only have 2 weeks of vacation and a total of 7 holidays a year, you never get to take days off to just lay around and relax. So, since I’m a full time student now, that’s exactly what I did during my break.

side note: During the first week of my break, I went to Oklahoma to visit my parents, who moved “up north” in July (more on that in a later post), but then I spent the second week of my break doing…nothing.

I started off with a list of things I wanted to get done during the week. Since we just recently moved into our apartment, the list included a lot of things like hanging stuff on the wall, organizing, taking clothes to goodwill, getting caught up on laundry and dishes, and working out everyday.

It’s Thursday afternoon, and here’s what I’ve accomplished this week:

Worked out: 1 time. And actually my right leg started feeling weird half way through my treadmill session, so I decided that the obviously safe thing to do was stop. I pretty sure it’s an allergy to running.

Laundry: I think I’ve done 2 loads. And one load was the one my husband asked me to do today.

Cooking: check. I’ve actually cooked all our meals this week! Go me! And thanks, Pioneer woman!

Trip to Joann’s fabrics: done. I decided that organizing all our desk stuff, and unpacking the last 10 boxes wasn’t as fun of a project as I’d like, so I figured I we need some new curtains for our living room, and drove half way across San Antonio to look at fabric. At least it gave me a reason to get up and brush my teeth before noon.

Reading: Pretty much what I’ve been doing all week. I should finish reading Eat, Pray, Love this week! However, the 12 chapters I’m supposed to read for Pharm remain untouched, and the books I ordered for next semester still sit in their packaging on my kitchen island.

And two for the productivity hall of shame:

There’s a letter (stamped and everything) that I’ve been meaning to mail all week, and it’s still sitting on my desk.

I have been so lazy about taking our trash out, that when our doorbell rang last night and it was kids offering to take our trash to the dumpster for 50 cents, I told them that if they came back tomorrow, there would be another 50 cents for them.

So, how do you guys enjoy your breaks from work or school? Be productive and get ahead, or be lazy and enjoy life?

Nurse Strangelove or: How I learned to stop worrying and love touching people

2010-08-16T14:24:00.000-05:00

Confession: I’m kind of uncomfortable with touching people.

I’m fine with people touching me, but I feel like I never really know what the boundaries for other people are. Like how much touching is comforting, how much is weird, and at what point am I being cold by not touching someone. Because I over-think things like that, it totally stresses me out. Before I go meet someone, I find myself thinking, “Okay, this is a person who is fine with me hugging, so yes, I can initiate it.” I’m kind of like that awkward teenage guy who hesitates before putting his arm around his date, and then finally decides to pretend he’s stretching his arm. Yes, I realize I’m insane.

This past semester, we had a class called Health Assessment, where we learned how to do a head-to-toe physical assessment of a patient, including things like vitals, skin assessments, heart/breath/bowel sounds, etc. Imagine my shear panic when our teacher announced that we would be working with partners throughout the whole class, and practicing and testing our skills on our partner. We’ve known each other 3 weeks, and now we will be stripping down to our underwear for each other on a daily basis. Awkward situations galore.

The idea is that we look intensely at “normal” people who aren’t sick, so that we will easily recognize deviations from those norms when we are in the clinic. So truly, every tiny “abnormality” you have must be pointed out by your partner during your testing. So you might hear your partner say things like “Your head is somewhat macro cephalic (larger than normal)” or “you have a scar/birthmark/anything on the side of your face” and all you can think is crap! I didn’t think people noticed that!

Honestly the hardest part for me was eye exams. It was torture for my awkward personality to be inches away from my partner’s face while they stared straight back at you. I’m cringing just thinking about it.

The class ended up being fine. I can now say, it’s a lot easier to do this stuff now that I’m a pro. I’m thinking about what I need to be thinking about, and not whether I’m applying a creepy amount of pressure during abdominal palpation. I also ended up with a great partner who I am now wonderful friends with. We can say we know each other on an intimate level! She even promised she wouldn’t tell anyone how much I sweat when I’m uncomfortable…

Catch up

2010-08-14T21:47:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends! I know I’ve been absent for awhile. I’ve missed blogging, but I have been so busy, and then I didn’t know how to even begin sharing all that has happened in the past few months. So, here it all is in bullets:
• I moved to San Antonio!

• Ryan found a great job teaching 8th grade math at his old junior high. He’s even replacing His 8th grade math teacher who is retiring! He’s very excited, and I am too, because that means we can pay our rent, and buy things :)

• We found a beautiful apartment that will be our home the next 14 months. After that, I have no idea what will happen…don’t rush me!

• I started nursing school!

• I started getting an upsetting amount of gray hair, possibly related to the statement above

• Finished a whole semester of nursing courses, and am now 1/4 done!

• Dyed my hair

• Read approximately 2345983 pages of text books. To prove that, I’ll show you only some of my books for the summer semester:

• Learned in my pathophysiology reading that gray hair is in fact genetic and not related to stress…crap.

I am having the best time. I really love San Antonio, and love the change it has brought to my life. School is awesome, and stressful, and exactly where I’m supposed to be. I have lots of fun stories for you, just give me time, and I will deliver!

My week in pictures

2010-05-04T22:15:00.001-05:00

As I get closer and closer to moving in 3 weeks, life gets more and more hectic. So you will have to excuse me for not getting my post about last week up until today! Anyway, I did manage to snap some pictures (even if they are cell phone pics) from last week.

Monday

I'm not ashamed to admit that the highlight of my Monday is watching Dancing with the Stars. I am however, slightly ashamed to admit that Jake was my favorite. I was sad to see him go! I know that's a really unpopular opinion, but whatever - you know he's really cute! But of course I will still tune in every Monday and Tuesday because that Niecy cracks me up!

Tuesday

Grocery shopping day. Ugh. My least favorite chore, but there is one part of the store that is my favorite. I love the colors of the produce section! It makes me so happy to see rich, red, tomatoes and rows of shiny green apples. I didn't even buy this tomato, I just carried it around forever because I thought it was so big and pretty...

Wednesday

Okay, so lately I've been having some weird headaches at the back of my head, and since I'm about to leave Houston and swap my primo health insurance for student insurance, I went ahead and had it checked out. So Wednesday I had my very first MRI! It was a strange experience. But after my minor meltdown about having contrast intravenously injected (I didn't know that was part of the drill), I walked away with awesome images of my brain, a stealth snapshot of my MRI suite, and a reportedly "normal" brain scan. Thank goodness! :)

Thursday

Thursday I had the rare opportunity to go out to lunch with some friends. Since I'm never outside during the hours of 8 and 4 on weekdays (and I have the white legs to prove it), I was amazed at how beautiful it was outside. Spring has sprung in Houston, and I plan on soaking up every second of temperatures below 90 degrees!

Friday

Friday I went to Ryan's end of the year soccer banquet. Tonight was the night that he announced to the team that we will be moving to San Antonio this summer, and he won't be back as the coach next year. He gave an incredible little speech, and for a few seconds I thought he might cry - but he held it together thanks to the comic relief provided by people like his goalie. Oh, 9th grade boys!

Moments like this make us sad to go, but we know he has been so blessed by the crazy kids in his life!

I have a few more pictures from the weekend, but I think I'll save those for another post. If I were to take pictures of my week this week, it would consist of me sleeping and applying for scholarships. So here's to more blog-worthy events in my hopefully near future!

Friday fun!

2010-04-16T13:03:00.004-05:00

In an attempt to get my blogging mojo back, I'm participating in Fill in the Blank Friday!

Here are today's questions:

The first thing I do in the morning is: hit the snooze button several times, turn on the radio, and drag myself to the shower.

Every night before bed I: wash my face (sometimes – oops), brush my teeth (always), and work on a crossword puzzle in bed.

My favorite thing to do when I'm having a bad day is: get Sonic, vent to my husband or twitter, and watch something mindless like E!

Something that makes me cringe: hotel rooms. I even cannot turn out the lamp without thinking of the hundreds of people that touched that before me. The remote – definitely will not touch. The comforter? I’d rather freeze than have that touch my body Some hotel rooms are better than others, but in general, I won't let my guard down!

Social situations: stress me out 9 times out of 10. When it’s not a group I know really well, my mind goes like this:

“What am I going to wear??”

“What if I hate the food thats served – should I get Chick-fil-A before I go?”

“What is my excuse to leave if this is boring/uncomfortable?”

"Why did so-and-so just introduce herself to me? umm hello, high school doubles partner! We are Facebook friends, for crying out loud. Should I pretend like I don't recognize her either?"

“Okay, awesome. Nobody is talking to me.”

“Why did I just hug this random person hello – that was awkward”

“I wonder what time Chick-fil-A closes...”

I try very hard to fake it, but yes, I’m awkward in social situations!

I like to collect: vintage aprons and anything with an "R" monogram.

Weekends are for: catching up! We typically have NO free time during the week, so weekends unfortunately are to do everything that we can’t get done during the week. This can include laundry, dishes, cleaning, working out, grocery shopping, etc. But when we are lucky, weekends are for recharging, sleeping, hanging out with friends, and date night!

Stop by Lauren's blog if you want to play along with Fill in the Blank Friday!

Guess what??

2010-03-29T20:57:00.000-05:00

I got into nursing school!!!

I actually avoided writing this post for awhile because I wasn't sure what direction I would take it. There are so many different thoughts,feelings, and emotions I'm having about all of this right now, but in one word, I'm THANKFUL. Thankful to God for opening doors and allowing me the opportunity to do what I was born to do. Thankful to my wonderful husband who will quit his job in a few weeks and move a few hours down the road to make my dream a reality. An thankful to all of my family for their well wishes, encouragement, and prayers throughout this process. I know I wouldn't have made it through to the other side had it not been for so many of you.

So here's the scoop:

I start classes May 26th in San Antonio, Texas! We will be moving seperately because I start school before Ryan finishes, and since our lease isn't up until August. That part won't be so fun, but I guess it will be a great opportunity to really throw myself into studying, right? My in-laws live in San Antonio, so for Ryan, we will be going back "home"!

I believe my last day of work will be May 14^th. I’ve learned so so much from working at M. D. Anderson, and will actually miss it a lot. It’s definitely been a sad and frustrating place at times, but it has laid a great foundation for my nursing career and taught me so much about the human spirit. I would say that my time there has definitely changed the way I live and think about life. I really hope I will be back some day - as a nurse, not a patient!

Here’s the really good news: I will graduate with a BS in Nursing in August 2011! Just 15 short months from when I start.

While there are many unknowns for the next few months, Ryan and I could not be more excited to embark on this adventure!

The one about cold weather

2010-02-16T21:34:00.000-06:00

I've lived in South Texas almost my whole life. I know exactly what to expect from floods, hundred degree heat waves (with 100% humidity), and hurricanes. However, the number of times I've seen a large quantity of snow could probably be counted on one hand.

I know I don't need to tell yall that this winter has been crazy! In Houston, we had one of the first winter snowfalls in the country (still hard to believe) and while in Oklahoma, we had 7 inches on Christmas eve.

This winter, I finally learned what most of you already know - snow is fun for about 20 minutes. Then, not so much.

The harshness of this winter has proved two things to me:
1. I cannot tolerate cold weather in the slightest.
2. I have no idea how to dress for cold weather.

The shoes I chose to pack for our white Christmas in Oklahoma were so NOT appropriate for snow (think mules with no socks). So, I literally wore my grandmother's fake Uggs the whole time we were there. I was uber desperate, obviously.

The day it snowed, I played outside for maybe 15 minutes total, yet the rest of the trip I had constant chills, a fever, and no voice.

So, here's what I want to know from you cold weather climate gals: What is the protocol for cold weather attire? Is it function over fashion?

How do you keep from being miserable while being outside? Do you wear long underwear everyday? When you are wearing a beanie, do you take it off when you get inside - or leave it on? Do you wear rain/snow boots to work, and then change when you get there?

And lastly... I need these Kate Spade boots, right??

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7540660/c/196555.html

It's never truly Christmas without a heated debate.

2010-01-09T19:46:00.000-06:00

Ohhhh yeah...I have a blog!

Thanks for sticking with me through my hiatus, and I hope ya'll had a FABULOUS Christmas and New Year - we certainly did!

Today, internets, I present to you the great debate that took place with my family over Christmas.

It all started when we went to see the movie "It's Complicated" (side note: this movie is hilarious! go see it!). In the movie, one of my crushes, John Krasinski (from The Office) wears a cardigan in several of the scenes. You know, the button-down sweater that typically hangs in our side of the closet. I've seen it a few other places lately, and I'm really into the look. I call it: Geek Chic.

So, I took a little poll with my family members (actually, I went to a lot of effort to sway my voters, with a chalkboard voting system, and examples torn out of my Grandma's JC Penney catalog), and only myself and one other cousin liked the look. Everyone else had responses that ranged from "too Mr. Rogers", "too feminine", "old man-ish", and my husband's eloquent "HECK no".

So friends - who, depending on your answers, may or may not have more fashion sense than my relatives in Oklahoma, I ask: what say you?

By the way, what's the proper lingual hybrid here? Man Sweater? Mardigan? Manigan?

I've posted a poll in hopes that with your help, I can persuade Ryan to swing by J. Crew with me this week, so vote wisely people!

Two years ago today...

2009-11-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Anniversary, Ryan!

Life used to be so hard, now everything is easy because of you.

Many thanks to my wonderful wedding photographer, the fabulous Lauren Clark!

This totally made me lol...

2009-11-11T10:55:00.000-06:00

Tag...and a blog challenge!

2009-11-07T18:02:00.000-06:00

Last week (or maybe the one before?), ClassyFabSarah tagged me in a Friday tag game!

1). What were you doing 10 years ago?

10 years ago...1999. Okay, I was in 9th grade, so 15 years old. This was honestly one of my best years ever. I went to a school on the opposite side of town that was just for 9th grade students. We ruled the school! I had the greatest group of girlfriends who were all on the tennis team with me. (Shout out to Callie!) I also ~~sat the bench~~ played on the basketball team, and probably studied some.

2). What 5 things are on your to-do list for today:

Make cake pops for baby shower tomorrow (Thanks, LisLoves!! She has the best cake pop tips on her blog!)
Finish/start statistics homework that's due tomorrow
moving clothes from the floor, to the washing machine, and into the closet
pick up prescription
relax! It's my 1st Saturday since June that I haven't had class!! woohoo!

3). Snacks you enjoy:

ice cream
chips and guac
Dr. Pepper

4). Places You've Lived:

Katy, Texas Midland, Texas College Station, Texas (Yes, impressive stats, I know...)

5). What are 5 Things you would do if you were a billionaire?

Donate millions to Smile Train and St. Jude's
buy an old old house and completely restore it
travel (Helloooo Paris!)
get a massage and pedicure weekly
buy my husband a soccer team (preferably one that David Beckham plays on)

And now the most important part! The ladies I "tag" are:

MsMinneapolis

LisLoves

Jen the Newlywed

The Prep-E girl

Okay, I was wondering, ladies... I have been wanting to do a post with a Mr. Linky, on famous people we have met. Have you ever met someone famous and taken a picture with them??? I think it would be awesome to see everyone's pictures! Are there enough of you out there for me to do a post??

Vintage Halloween

2009-10-31T07:00:00.003-05:00

A couple days ago, my friend, ClassyFabSarah posted about her Halloweens growing up, and somehow we decided to post ~~embarrassing~~ vintage pictures of ourselves in our favorite costumes. I am lucky enough to have a very talented mother who made all my costumes!

Princess! Wand not pictured.

This is where having my mom make my costumes backfired on me, because she made me a University of Oklahoma cheerleader. (OU, if you are reading this, I'm just kidding. Please let me into your nursing school!)

Little sister = adorable. Sarah = awkward. Story of my life.

I almost didn't post this picture. Then I realized the most embarrassing part of the photo was our entryway wallpaper...

Happy Halloween everyone!!

What was your all time favorite costume?? Go check out Sarah's costume post, and then post your own vintage costume photos!

The test

2009-10-27T21:57:00.000-05:00

Question: How can you be sure that nursing test you just took was the most unprofessionally run thing ever?

Answer: During the middle of a timed writing segment, a proctor comes over to you and whispers "Where did you get your purse? It's really cute."

Question: How can you be sure you did terrible on said exam?

Answer: You pace yourself reading passages based on how many questions you have left, and then realize with 5 minutes left that there are more questions with another passage on the next page. CCCCCC for the last 6 answers it is!

Sigh.

At least I'm done! For awhile last week I was scaring myself, when after hours of practicing I was starting to think fractions were fun. Obviously this process is starting to mess with my head! : )

Revival

2009-10-26T19:56:00.000-05:00

This past saturday I took a completely pointless and annoying required entrance exam for nursing school. It has been something I've stressed about since it was first made a requirement a few years ago. I will post more specifically about how it went in another post, but most importantly I'm so happy to have it behind me! While I still have some classes to finish and applications to send in, I'm finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Since June, I've taken 18 credits worth of classes, studied for 1 entrance exam, sent off 2 applications (4 more to go), worked full time (a 12 hour chunk of my day from when I leave home to when I get home), plus church and other activities. Needless to say things like blogging, exercise, cooking, and having a life worth blogging about have fallen by the wayside. But I'm back baby! I decided to take today off since I'm done with my test, and I've gotten to do so many neglected things that make me feel normal again!

I did laundry, went to the grocery store, started decorating for fall (pics to come), read my new Southern Living cover-to-cover, cooked a nice dinner, and blogged!

The fall, and October in particular, is the best, and I have hated missing out on everything because of my packed schedule! I turned 26 this month, I will celebrate a 2nd wedding anniversary in November, and can finally celebrate the fact that for the first time this fall, it has finally dipped below 80 degrees in Houston (well for a couple days anyway)! It's been killing me that I couldn't put together a post on fall fashion, jackets, or fall decor. So hang with me readers, and even though I'm a little late to the party, I promise I will deliver!

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments, tweets, thoughts, and prayers over the last few months - It feels so good to be back!

new haircut and embarrassing moment of the week

2009-09-26T21:38:00.004-05:00

My new haircut! I kind of did this on a whim, but I think I like it! I could be Kate Gosselin for Halloween...maybe? I'll just pick up some ugly Ed Hardy shirt for Ryan, and we'll be good to go!

Speaking of hair cuts, something funny happened at my appointment today. So, Thursday I actually had some major dental work done so I took off work Thursday and Friday to recover. By my hair appointment this morning I was still in a tad bit of pain and a little swollen, but my friend that was with me assured me you could not tell.

Apparently she lied.

I was waiting to get my hair cut just reading a magazine, and I look up when a man sitting nearby asks me "Did that hurt?" (pointing at his lips). Since there was no way he knew I had dental work done, I was totally confused and asked him what he meant.

He says "You had your lips done, right?"

No lie.

I was so thrown off and embarrassed I fumbled all over my response, because I'm pretty sure that's not a compliment.

Take home message: The rule about not guessing whether someone is pregnant or not has just been expanded to include plastic surgery.

I think I see some Benadryl and ice in the plans tonight...

Fly by post

2009-09-16T18:10:00.006-05:00

I'm pretty much over this family, but in case you didn't catch it, I wanted to show you the new hairstyle Kate Gosselin was sporting on The View yesterday. I think it's absolutely ADORABLE!!

She gets so much grief over her hair, but I've actually always loved it.

Thoughts??

Coming Soon...

2009-09-15T21:11:00.004-05:00

Hello friends!

I have 2 tests this week, but I just wanted to give you a preview of my upcoming post about our summer vacation to Oregon and Washington!

Highlights will include: some of the world's most beautiful scenery, an adverse event with a certain kitchen spice, visiting a location from one of my favorite movies, and the world's best macaroni and cheese!

Post will go up sometime this weekend!

Will blog for Lexapro

2009-08-28T20:30:00.005-05:00

Since I've graduated from college and been "on my own", I've come to realized that adulthood has some strange side effects. I've become an incredibly anxious person.

Because I'm working my way into nursing school applications this fall, fears of rejection consume me, and I find myself calling my husband or mother in a panic, explaining to them my new theory of why I won't get in. (Sidenote: Sorry about the 23 missed calls on your cell yesterday, mom)

I know. I need help, right? Well, this is true, but I think I may have found at least a temporary cure for my permanent insanity: reading the message boards in my online classes.

You see, when we first start a class, the teacher has us make introductions on the message board, just as an icebreaker. Panic strikes at the beginning of every class when I read 19 entries that all say something like:

"Hi, I'm Julie, and I'm taking this class as a pre-req for Nursing school! I'm applying all over Houston because I want to see what kind of scholarship my 4.0 can get me!"

Okay, well maybe not that last part, but seriously, even my statistics class has 11 people applying this fall - all competing with me for admission. (breathing into a paper bag)

Anyway, I initially freak, however upon further reading, I realize most of these people are morons. I've seen some of the most random things under that "Introductions" thread. It calms me to know that unlike my competitors, I have a grasp of the English language, and know what the teacher wants when he asks for an introduction.

So, without further ado, I give to you, verbatim, my favorite three posts. I've changed the names to Adam and Alice to protect the guilty, but everything else is all them.

#1: "Hi name Alice I'm looking forward to see everyone in lab Saturday" (I copy and pasted, folks)

#2: "Hello class!!! My name is Alice and I am currently working on my degree in Nursing. I am a well rounded person. I am kind, understanding, sincere, loving, compassionate, and generous!!" (Okay Alice, it's not a dating site)

#3: "Hi everyone, my name is Adam, I am a dancer and if anybody is interested in learning should contact me, and i also have a dream in joining Cirque du Soleil"

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the future nurses of America...

Am I missing something here?

2009-07-12T13:13:00.003-05:00

I read a wide variety of blogs. Mommy blogs, Newlywed blogs, design/decor/renovation blogs, cooking blogs, etc. I've noticed a common thread that runs though these seemingly unrelated blogs, and it has begun to truly baffle me. The authors of the blogs seem to have found the key to unlock an extra 10 hours each day. Either that or they don't sleep.

I don't get it. I barely manage work and school with a full face of makeup (I do know my priorities). Even then, 99% of the time, the trash from our Chick fil A dinner is still on the counter when I leave for work in the morning.

How are you guys able to keep up with your children (and husbands), decorate cake balls, refinish a china cabinet, visit the elderly at a nursing home, tweet about new chair cushions at Anthropologie, make it home in time to make the new organic lasagna recipe you thought up, then before bed, blog about The Bachelorette?

I have 800 square feet of living space, no dogs or children, and can't even manage to blog regularly. I took a screen shot of my Google reader as of this morning.

That's 549 unread items for those who need to get their glasses. I can't even manage to read blogs right now (or comment, and I'm so sorry about that)!

So seriously, what am I missing? Yall don't sleep, right? Hired help? Drugs?

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-03T15:17:00.003-05:00

On Independence Day I like to think about those who serve in our military, and gave us the opportunity to celebrate our freedom. Thank you to my personal family members who serve or have served their country! And a special "shout out" to my grandfather, an army veteran who died July 4, 2001 - we miss you Papa!

Have a nice long weekend friends, and enjoy this cute video of a soldier home from Iraq who suprises his daughter at school. Precious!

Happy Father's Day!!

2009-06-21T20:25:00.003-05:00

I of course, think I have an amazing Dad.

Through true sacrifices, he paid for many years of braces, my college, a beautiful wedding, anything else I ever needed, and too many things I wanted. He sacrificed his dreams of (nice) world travel, being home from work at a decent hour, and maybe even following the OU Women's basketball team around the country watching games. For his kids, he instead, endures places like Baku, Gabon, and...Louisiana. He has a 45 minute commute, works hard and stays late. Then he records basketball games on his pathetic office VCR so he could help someone with Algebra at a moments notice.

Dad, there are so many things you've done that I know that 25 year old father never signed up for. You may not remember this, but once when I was in recovery after surgery, you took over for a nurse that was pulling those adhesive sensors off of me because when you did it, it didn't hurt. I've always remembered that and known it to be a testament to how well you cared for me and loved me!

So, Dad. Happy Father's Day, and thanks for the comedy, the basketball, the polar bear trivia, Hop on Pop and Go Dog Go, 12 years of school lunches, Sleuth, the definition of assuming, teaching me to always justify, explaining the pigs in cars, the final jay and a lay, helping me pass Algebra 1, 2, geometry, pre-cal, and then advising me against taking calculus, the "many, many things" you've taught me, and basically giving me the best childhood I could have ever had.

Love you Dad!
- Sis

Summer School: 1 Sarah: 0

2009-06-11T08:17:00.004-05:00

This week was the first week of my summer school classes. Here's how it went down.

Number of meals I've cooked: 0
Number of picked up rooms in my apartment: 0
Number of pages of history that I've read: lots
Number of essays due this week: 4
Number I have started: 0
Number of Sonic drinks I've had: 6
Number of hours I slept: not enough

Meanwhile, this is Ryan's first week of freedom, and while he has helped me out tremendously this week, I can't help but be jealous of his REAL summer. He is going to church camp next week, so he has been busy packing, figuring out what we should have for dinner (frozen pizza or chick-fil-a), and doing laundry or errands. So next week I'm on my own for meals, laundry, and errands, plus studying, and oh yeah - my full time job.

Mom, can I come over for dinner next week??

Hair envy

2009-06-06T15:12:00.012-05:00

You know what I'm talking about ladies.

Every year, so many of us spend hundreds of dollars (and hours) to highlight, color, straighten, or curl our hair. Even then, we are still working within the limits of our genes and our climate (Houston = humidity capital of the U.S.) God blessed me with fine, stick straight, dark brown hair. No amount of money or time will give my hair the ability to grow past my shoulders, hold curl, or look good without washing it.

That however, has never stopped me trying to fulfill my hair fantasies. There have been countless hair dye/highlight jobs, attempts at celebrity haircuts, and even the perm incident of 1991 - yikes. The grass is always greener, right? Here are a few my favorite hair crushes.

All time favorite: Jessica Simpson

She can do ANYTHING with her hair! ughh! These two are my favorite hairstyles though, and there isn't much I wouldn't do to have either one. I would give away organs.

2nd Place: Jennifer Aniston

I've brought in pictures of her hair to my stylists since like 1996, which makes me wonder why I haven't been one of People's 50 most beautiful people...

Others:

My blog buddy Jessica from Happy Girls are the Prettiest Girls

My blog buddy C from Wedded Whims

and this girl from the Astros game Friday night:

Note: If you are the girl in this picture, I apologize for stalking you with my camera, but it's just because you have the best ponytail I've ever seen.

Looks just like the Barbie silhouette, no?

So spill it girls, who is your hair crush?

Going to the chapel!

2009-06-02T20:34:00.014-05:00

Now that I feel caught up enough on my sleep from this weekend, I can post the pictures of my brother's wedding! The wedding was fantastic, and it was so fun (but a tad overwhelming) to see so many friends and family, many of whom I haven't seen since my own wedding. I have to apologize to many of you for only being able to spend like 5 seconds talking with you!

I still can't believe my little brother is married!

Jordan and Erin
A 1950's styled wedding (a girl after my own heart!)

colors: black, white, and frosty pink
May 30, 2009

The parents of the Groom (mom and dad)

The adorable vintage styled bridesmaids.

I love Jordan's face as Erin walked down the aisle!

The beautiful bride

Gorgeous cathedral length train!

My sister and I (the original Erin T.)

They look happy, don't they?

Off to the honeymoon!

Aren't these centerpieces cute? I forgot to get a picture before the wedding, so this was after they took the tablecloths off the table

Coach and I. Notice the hair color? : )

I love weddings, but this one was extra special because I love the bride and groom so much! It was great to see so many of you there, sharing Jordan's special day with us!

Anyone need a house? Anyone? Anyone?

2009-05-28T23:20:00.007-05:00

I am frantically getting myself ready for my brother's wedding tomorrow (yay!), but I wanted to share this with you guys.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off. One of the best movies ever. I have the whole thing memorized, as I'm sure many of you do. In junior high I thought the quote "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in awhile you might miss it" was the most inspirational thing I'd ever heard : ) Anyway...

Cameron Fry's house is for sale!

It's the exact house in Chicago where they filmed many Cameron scenes including the classic ferrari scene. It's one of few houses shown in movies where both the inside and outside of the house were used for filming.

It's a crazy looking house people. It's all glass, and I can't tell it even has an actual bedroom, but if you've got $2.3 mil laying around, you could own a piece of movie history.

Ohhhh Yeahhh.

My chances of being a game show winner are looking better and better

2009-05-22T15:21:00.010-05:00

Confession: Coach and I DVR Wheel of Fortune everyday.

We love compeating with each other to solve the puzzles, but more importantly we like to make fun of the contestants.

Yesterday was one of the most hilarious shows I've ever seen, thanks to Marissa from Tennessee.

The first puzzle is from the category Fun and Games, and it goes like this:

A
HOLE
I _
_ _ _

She is the first to buzz in, and says "A Hole in Wall!!"

Umm, no. That doesn't even make sense, not to mention there are only three letters in the last word. So, the next contestant quickly buzzes in and correctly answers "A hole in one".

2 Puzzles later in the Phrase category:

A
_ INCH
_ _
THIS
AN _
A
_ ASH
_ _
THAT

Girlfriend buzzes in and exclaims "A pinch of this, and a wash of that!"

Ryan and I die laughing!! Is she serious? Did she really think that was the phrase? Once again, the contestent next to her correctly answers "A pinch of this and a dash of that". For the rest of the game, Marissa landed on bankrupts and Lose a turn, which must have been salt in the wound for someone who didn't capitalize on two solved puzzles!!

Sometimes I wonder how Pat Sajak keeps from rolling his eyes with some of these contestants.

If you are really bored, I actually found the clip on You Tube. The video is aptly titled "Double Suicide"...

Rocket Fever!

2009-05-15T08:53:00.003-05:00

Congrats to our Houston Rockets on defeating the L.A. Lakers last night without our 3 most ~~injured~~ valuable players! Houston is pumped, and we can't wait for game 7 on Sunday!

Aaron Brooks >>>>> Kobe Bryant

Anyone one else following the playoffs?? Put in some good thoughts for our Rockets, because seriously, who likes the Lakers?! : )

Adventures in H-town

2009-05-13T10:05:00.003-05:00

Desperately in need of a dress to wear to my brother's wedding at the end of this month, I decided to take the rail downtown to Macy's yesterday. The light rail in Houston can be quite the scene. Medical students, doctors, business men, but mostly just homeless people who ride to get out of the heat. Here is a snippet of the conversation that I heard between 2 passengers yesterday.

Crazy Homeless Lady 1: (staring at CHL2) You know why I'm staring at you? I'm tryin to figure you out.

CHL1: Do you smoke?

CHL2: No.

CHL1: Be honest with me.

CHL2: No I don't...I swear.

CHL1: I'm not talking about pot...I'm talking about coke.

CHL2: Where are you going?

CHL1: downtown.

CHL2: You know what you have to do? Go to the county hospital and tell them you are going to kill yourself. Act serious about it. Then you will get some food and a bed. They give you drugs too. That's what I did.

CHL1: I already was going to kill myself a long time ago. Last time I was at the hospital, the nurses beat me up.

CHL2: I used to be mentally ill...seriously! Then they fixed me. Now get off here - this is your stop for the hospital! Go to the ER...tell them you are from Katrina!

*Note: Unfortunately this conversation was in no way exaggerated, and pretty much verbatim.

There is an awesome nursing internship in labor and delivery that I really wanted to do at this particular "county hospital", but I think I changed my mind...

2009-05-08T14:01:00.003-05:00

This morning driving to work on a big freeway, I look over and see non other than the Blues Brothers driving next to me. Two guys, white button down shirts, sunglasses, black fedoras driving a "police" car with a giant speaker on top. Seriously.

15 minutes later in the medical center, I see this car:

I heart Houston.

Sarah's picks

2009-05-06T08:30:00.009-05:00

Because of my friends in blogland, I've come across so many cool products that I now use because they were endorsed by you guys. So, I'm no Oprah, but I wanted to show you a few of my current favorite things! It's a very random collection, but they are all things I love and use!

Beauty Products

Pond's Dry Skin Creme

I've used this stuff every day since 9th grade, and it is the best moisturizer! It keeps my skin hydrated and feels so good!

SoftSoap Pink Grapefruit Body Wash

This soap is like $3 and smells heavenly! It is perfect for the summer, and your whole shower smells like yummy pink grapefruit! We have the handsoap in this scent as well.

Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Triple Smoothing Lotion

My mom told me about this lotion, and I think she read about it in Real Simple. You know those little dry skin bumps that you get on the back of your arm? This lotion gets rid of those! Seriously in the first application! I'm not crazy about the smell, but it really does work!

Other things

Trip Grip

I wrote in another post that I hate straining myself carrying 15 grocery bags up 3 flights of stairs in order for me to not make a second trip down. My husband found this gadget at Bed Bath and Beyond, and we love it! You can basically carry all your bags on this, and it distributes the weight of the bags without cutting off the circulation on your hands! We just have to remember to bring it back down to the car when go to the store!

Goody Elastic headbands

I'm sure most of you probably have some of these, but I wanted to include them because I love them so much, and these are the best ones I've found. I wear them every time I work out. They stay on my head and the little elastic grips eliminate the need for bobby pins to clip my bangs back.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

On our way to San Antonio this past weekend, Ryan and I listened to this on the ipod. It's a current bestseller, and totally blew us away with fascinating trivia on success. It challenges the concept of a "self made man" and shows how certain people are given hidden advantages by things like age, month you were born, being a minority, and other random circumstances. We haven't finished it yet, but we highly recommend it. You will be talking about it at parties!

That's all I have for now! Thanks for all the great products you guys have shown me! And since I love you so much, here's another super cheap magazine subscription! Better Homes and Gardens 1 year for $5!!

Advice: Hair edition

2009-05-01T09:17:00.014-05:00

I need help guys! I've been in a rut lately with my hair, and I think I need a change. I have gone back and forth with blonde and brunette for most of my life, and right now I'm somewhere in the middle.

So, my stylish blog readers, please please vote in the poll below, and tell me which color you think looks better! I won't tell you which way I lean with my natural hair color so your answer is more objective. Ryan likes both, so it just a matter what other people think : )

Here are some pictures to help with your decision. Thank you so much for your direction in these very important matters!

Blonde:

Brunette:

Summer Plans

2009-04-29T12:07:00.003-05:00

I know there are a few family members who read my blog to see what Ryan and I are up to, but instead you find yourselves reading about Dancing with the Stars, diets, and work drama. So I thought I would spare you my normal ramblings today, and give my family a look at what we are up to this summer.

Sarah:

Work is going well – cancer research seems to be really booming under Obama, so my job is pretty safe.My acupuncture study is coming to a close, and I’m really excited to be starting a new study on fatigue in breast cancer patients.It’s like a mini job change, I love my new group, and will probably start with them mid May.

It’s back to school time for me! This summer I will take the first of 4 classes I need for nursing school. They are mostly online classes, but I will be very busy this summer through the end of the year with a full time job, classes, entrance exams, and applications. Let’s just say Ryan’s going to learn to cook this summer…

Nursing school starts in August 2010, and I’m applying to about 5 schools in Houston and Oklahoma. When we find out where I get in, we plan on buying (and decorating!) a house there.

Ryan:

Ryan has several prospective jobs lined up for this summer. Several people have asked him about private swimming lessons, and has an offer to coach a neighborhood swim team. I think he really wants to get a gig at a golf course, so he can play all summer, but he will probably end up doing a combination of those.

For the second year, Ryan will be a church camp counselor at the camp I went to growing up. It’s for a week in June and he has a blast, and I know the kids love him as well – especially those little pre campers!

In work news, it appears that Ryan will graduate to teaching geometry next year – no algebra at all! I’m not sure how he feels about that, but I think it’s exciting!

So by now you can probably tell which one of us has an exciting outdoor summer planned, and which one will develop Rickets from all the boring indoor activities : )

Ryan and I also have the pleasure of going on a vacation to visit some friends in Salem, Oregon. It’s my 3rd time to go, but I am excited about taking Ryan and my family. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, and it will be awesome to escape Houston and school for a week in July!

Thanks for taking time to read this and care about our lives – it really means a lot to us! I will be back to regularly scheduled programming later this week, featuring some beauty product reviews and even some useless celebrity gossip! Get excited!

10sNE1?

2009-04-22T09:00:00.004-05:00

get it?

Anyways. Thank you all so much for your info on the Shred DVD. I ordered it last night, and it will be here on Friday! Not 10 minutes after I ordered it, I discovered I have Exercise TV On Demand - for free! Do any of you know you have this?? It's awesome! It has the Shred workout (which of course I just paid for), Bob Harper's yoga plus all Jillian's other stuff, Carmen Electra's videos, The Girls Next Door workouts, and tons of others! Look into it, especially AT&T Uverse peeps because I had no idea I had it!

Lately Coach and I have been playing lots of tennis for exercise. I played lots as a kid and on my high school team, but not much since. It's so much fun, and its really the only opportunity I have to get any sort of tan. But anytime I start something like this, I immediately want the cute workout clothes that go with the sport.

You know?

Well, I will let you know how Shred goes. And thanks again for all your great advice!

Question

2009-04-20T07:51:00.003-05:00

Dear 30 Day Shredders,

(I'm talking to you: That is all, The McCradys, C, Mrs. D, Red high Heels, etc.)

I know that there are like zillions of bloggers who love this video, but I have one question for you: Is this video appropriate for someone (me) who lives on the 3rd floor of her apartment, or is there a lot of jumping around that would ~~shake my apartment~~ disturb my neighbors? Advice?

Thanks,

Wannabe Shredder

P.S. Like it says on the cover, did you lose 20 pounds in 30 days???

Friday funny

2009-04-17T07:57:00.003-05:00

TGIF people! It has seemed like a long week, so if you need a pick me up like I do, watch this clip of one of my most favorite SNL skits! I smile every time I see this : )

Toxic co-worker strikes again

2009-04-15T07:56:00.003-05:00

conversation this morning:

TC: Did you watch Biggest Loser last night?

S: No! Don't tell me what happens because we are watching it tonight!

TC: oh okay I won't tell you. But man it was crazy...

I try not saying anything so she will not talk about it

TC: I was crying after their makeovers...oh and Ron! He lost a ton of weight again! I couldn't believe it! But I finally agreed with his choice for who to send home

S: mmmmm (stop talking! stop talking!)

TC: And of course you can guess who won the challenge...I'll just let you see for yourself, but it's just like always...but I won't tell you

Are you kidding me?
I ignore her, and she drops it until 10 minutes later when she randomly says

TC: Oh and it was so funny, Filipe said if they cut his hair he would automatically drop a lot of weight, but of course he didn't.

Okay, so from you not telling me anything, I can guess that Ron loses a lot of weight and doesn't go home, Tara wins the challenge, and Filipe doesn't do well... Thanks for keeping all that a secret.

At least Tim Gunn is on the show this week! He's awesome.

and THAT is no secret, my friends.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

I will most likely spend my Easter avoiding things like Reece's Peanut Butter Eggs and marshmallow peeps...sigh.

I hope you have a great long weekend!

I have a twin.

2009-04-10T10:25:00.004-05:00

Remember on FRIENDS when Joey found his identical hand twin in Las Vegas??

Well, I found my identical wedding twin!

Go to C's blog to see the post she did on us!

This just blew my mind! I was so excited to find her, and I just know we would be friends in real life! Has this happened to any of you??

The most wonderful time of the year

2009-04-07T09:30:00.006-05:00

Monday was the home opener for my favorite sports team the Houston Astros! I can't wait to get myself over to Minute Maid Park, eat a "dome dog", and tan my white legs while watching Lance Berkman knock 'em out of the park! I'm thinking we need to have a Houston bloggers meet up sometime this summer and catch a game - who's in?!

To commemorate this great time of the year, I leave you with some pictures of my summer time boyfriend (even though he now plays for the Dodgers)...

Don't be jealous... I hear Hunter Pence is available : )

2009-04-07T08:34:00.004-05:00

I'm back from my brief blogging absence! Here's what's goin on...

My bro is getting married next month! We had their first wedding shower this weekend, and it was so much fun! We got to see lots of family and friends, and it made me excited for the wedding! I need a dress though...

My sister's birthday on sunday!! Happy 19th Birthday baby Erin! It seems like just last week we were laughing at you goofing off in the bathtub...oh wait, that was last weekend!

11 hours of classes + a full time job will soon be a reality. I registered for the classes I'm taking this summer, and basically I'm retaking some of my science classes to get an A in them, and make my nursing school applications more competitive. It's going to be a crazy summer - Saturdays in July will now include class from 8am - 3pm. oy.

We did our taxes this weekend (last minute), and we owe like $350. I immediately went and signed the petition for The Fair Tax plan - such a cool idea. Any of my republican peeps going to a tea party?

Soccer season is o-v-e-r! Coach and his team had a great season - making it to the third round of the playoffs, but I'm so happy to have my husband back!

Must. take. defensive. driving. I've put it off until the last month (see a trend here?). Any suggestions on online course vs. blockbuster tapes vs. class?

The spring and summer always seem to have so much going on - Do you guys have busy weeks ahead?

The co-worker who cried Wolf

2009-03-31T15:04:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I have this co worker. And I like this person, but lately they have been really getting on my nerves.

Over the past year, I’ve been told many, many things by this person, things that get me all excited or nervous or upset, and then they never, ever happen. It’s like a cruel, year long April Fool’s joke.

Examples:

“Oh definitely! You are totally getting the job promotion – I heard so-and-so talking about it.
It’s been at least 9 months, and nope…

“Yep, I heard from so-and-so who sits next to the president’s financial guy in grad classes, that layoffs are coming this week”
You've been telling me that for the past 3 weeks...

“Don’t tell anyone, but my boss told me you were getting a raise.”
Ha! Nope...

“The doctor you are working for is getting fired, and he won’t be back Monday!”
Oh really, then why is it 6 months later, and he is across the hall sending me an email right this minute?

And So. Many. More.

It’s really hard to just ignore this person, because they always seem to have a really credible source. And when someone tells you that you are getting a raise, or possibly fired, its really hard to not think about the possibilities even if you don’t really trust the source. It’s like this person really loves the attention they get from having the “inside scoop” - even though it has always been wrong – that never phases this person.

Do any of you have toxic co-workers??

At the Theatres...

2009-03-29T12:33:00.001-05:00

The little kid in me is really excited about these 2 movies coming out:

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

It won't follow the book too closely, but after watching the whole trailer, I know it will be pretty cute!

Where the Wild Things Are

This looks like it will be amazing! I love the direction they are taking it!

So since I am a HUGE fan of Children's books, what childhood favorite would you love to see be made into a movie??

My pick would be: Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. Wouldn't those books make a fantastic movie?!

Oh, and does anyone remember the Ramona t.v show on PBS? It would have been in the late 80s...just curious. I loved that show!

Follow Me

2009-03-28T11:55:00.004-05:00

Thats right my friends. I'm twittering!

theratpack07

I'm still trying to figure everything out, so if any of you can tell me the app you used to post your twitter feed in blogger, let me know!

Thank you to the 9 blog buddy followers I already have - I felt so welcomed!

Oh, and Coach is twittering also... aggie_ryno

So if you are interested (Mom, Dad, Brenda, and Mike), He will be sending tweets out during his 3rd round playoff game next Tuesday : )

Confessions

2009-03-25T08:55:00.007-05:00

Last night I found some of our wedding cake in the back of the fridge. We got married in November 2007...

I actually screamed with excitement when Holly Madison didn't get kicked of DWTS last night...

When Ryan has soccer games, I like to get really fancy and make myself Velveeta Shells and Cheese for dinner. It's my FAVORITE! (Mom, I promise not to pass on my apparent disregard for nutrition to your future grandchildren)

I really love to go to realtor.com and babynames.com on my lunch break. Its like I am still 10, seriously. *Note: we definitely are not in the home buying or baby naming stage in our lives. We are in more of a eat macaroni and cheese for dinner, watch reality tv, and hope that if leave food at the back of the fridge long enough, it someone else will throw it out kind of stage!

But...

Tonight a nurse from our insurance company is coming over to the apartment to do blood, urine, and various other tests on us for our pending life insurance policy. After meeting with our financial guy, we decided that we would follow his recommendation and ~~pay tons of money~~ give ourselves peace of mind. Now that sounds adult-y : )

2009-03-21T16:57:00.003-05:00

Texas A&M: 66

UCONN: 92

Good season Ags!

This might shock you

2009-03-20T08:44:00.004-05:00

So okay, as you know I've been on the weight loss express for about 6 or 7 weeks now.

As you further know, I gave up my beloved Sonic Dr. Pepper, knowing all the sugar was definitely not helping me out, and am proud to say I have been clean for 7 weeks!

Flash forward to this week.

Things went really well weight loss wise at first, but the past couple weeks I've been trying to make up for a 5 pound setback. I couldn't really figure out why I gained those 5 pounds, because I thought I was doing everything I should. Even my fitness friend at worked was baffled. We talked about several factors like maybe I've hit a plateau, or my body needs more varied workouts, but now I am 100% certain that I know what it is...

Sonic Cherry Limeades.

A couple weeks ago, I decided that these would be a great alternative to DP, because um it has fruit in it, right?

Actually what it does have is a lot of sugar. 57 grams of sugar to be exact. And the bad part is that I usually would get a large which has 88 grams of sugar. 88 grams of sugar times 3-4 a week = math I need a calculator to do. oh. my. gosh. I was literally better off with the DP!

So needless to say I just need to avoid Sonic in the first place. What in the world do you guys drink that tastes good after a long day but wont put someone into a diabetic coma? Is there anything? Help!

random thoughts about reality tv

2009-03-18T14:39:00.010-05:00

So I saw a recap of Dancing with the Stars on E! news or something, and was wondering, does anyone know if Belinda Carlisle has had plastic surgery?

I think she looks really good! I mean, I'm sure she has had something done, but I don't think its obvious, right? I think her skin looks flawless. Seriously, hook me up with that doctor when I'm 50!

What do you think?

Do any of you guys watch Biggest Loser? I love this season! Anyway, I can't understand why the blue team allows Fillipe and Sione to work out with them and use their trainer! Especially when they have lost weigh ins like 4 weeks in a row! I wouldn't want my trainer helping the other team and taking time away from me. I think the blue team should try to vote them out since they are basically on their team now!

Oh my gosh, I love that Mike! Isn't he the sweetest? I want him to win!

So, who would you pick as your trainer? I used to say Bob, because he is really hot, and I think that I would work hard to not try to embarrass myself in front of him, plus he's really nice. But after this season, I think I've changed my mind.

I'm thinking this chick could ~~scare~~ motivate me enough to lose some weight!

So I added a new poll to the sidebar - who would YOU pick as your trainer?

Whats going on?

2009-03-18T10:21:00.007-05:00

I apologize for the blogging absense - I've been busy lately, but here's what I've been up to:

Not losing weight. For some reason, last week I gained 5 pounds! I weighed again this morning, and lost 1 pound from last week which it still 4 over my lowest. grrr. I was told it was probably a plataeu, but I'm going to try to bust it out this week and see if I can reverse this caboose (pun intended)

My cousin's wedding in Oklahoma! We had a blast in the great state of OK, and the wedding was very nice! I can't believe we are all getting old enough to be married! Coach couldn't go because of soccer, and I missed him but I'm sure he was happy getting his teams to the playoffs! Congrats Daniel and Hayley!

Here are a couple pictures:

Work has been BUSY! Just last Wednesday I had 6 hours of meetings. That's a lot for an 8 hour workday.

I went to a nursing school admissions seminar! I'm very excited but also extremely anxious/worried about being accepted to one of the 6 schools I will be applying to for Fall 2010. The anxiousness also applies to the realization that I will be 28 when I graduate. 28, no money, no babies, and starting my career over. ugh

Don't you wish we all had spring break so we could enjoy this awesome weather? I think Coach and I are going to do some camping in the next couple weeks, so that's what we are currently planning now that soccer is almost over. What's new with you?

Kiss Me...

2009-03-17T08:39:00.005-05:00

I'm Irish!

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!

More later, but for now, I leave you with an Irish Blessing

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer to every prayer.

It's true, Facebook is out of control

2009-03-12T08:42:00.002-05:00

Today Mojito Maven posted this on her blog, and I just had to pass it on!

It is so hilarious!

Did you laugh out loud about the wall part? : )

Glamour magazine deal!

2009-03-10T08:20:00.003-05:00

When I was probably 14 or 15, my Dad got really frustrated with me asking for money all the time. He told me something like "If you didn't spend so much money on instant gratification things like magazines, candy, and cokes, you would have more than enough money to buy whatever you wanted." So he made me go in my room and calculate the cost of all the magazines I had laying around. I don't remember the total, but it was definitely over $100, and at that age, $100 goes a long way! Read you loud and clear, Dad! And here's proof I learned my lesson:

I saw this on some other blogs, and just ordered my subscription! I love magazines, and you can't beat the price of $1.50 for 12 issues!

Go here for more info.

I could probably make a whole series of blogs on my Dad's pearls of financial wisdom. But you guys have your own Dads, so I will spare you! Thanks for making me a bargain hunting recessionista, Dad!

Back in the saddle again...

2009-03-09T13:24:00.007-05:00

After a weekend of this:

I'm back to this:

Sigh...

I apologize for turning my blog into a Cathy comic some days : )

Marriage year 1: My thoughts

2009-03-06T09:41:00.004-06:00

Ever since I got engaged, and even more so after I was married, there were 2 things I heard over and over...

When are you guys going to have kids?
The first year of marriage is always the hardest

As for the 2nd thing, I always thought that was kind of weird. I mean, your first year is exciting, new, and he still puts his dishes away and does his own laundry. BLISS! However, I am starting to believe the statement. Now, I don't have tons of perspective; it's only been like 1.4 years, but I think I'm onto something.

Sure, the 1st year is very romantic and exciting, but it's the first time you are living with someone who shares a bed with you. You have to work out the division of labor, change (or get over) each others bad habits, decorating styles, spending habits, birth control, and learn to live together. It's not hard when you love that person, but it still takes getting used to. These are some of the things we learned that year:

I need to decompress after work, and don't really want to talk right away
Ryan wants to go straight to sleep once in bed, and doesn't like when I have the lamp on to read
When I'm at the hair salon, Ryan just needs to be distracted from the total while I'm ~~paying~~ stimulating the economy...
Ryan needs to bring me a wet washcloth when I'm throwing up (without me having to ask)

The other thing for many young brides is that this is the 1st time you are independent (so to speak). When you get married, you have an endless string of decisions and paperwork that you never had to deal with before.

How do you add your spouse to your car insurance?
Do we file our taxes jointly?
I guess I should make you my beneficiary? Are you sure, because now I have to fill out all this paperwork that I have no clue what any of it means...
Are you going to be on my health insurance, or keep your own?
Joint email address, or keep your own?
Joint bank account at your bank, or mine?

All of these things sound stupid to worry about, but they were actually an issue to some degree for us.

Think about it, once you figure all those things out and adjust to them in the first year, you don't have to cross that bridge again. My first year of marriage was the best year of my life, but I really do notice a big difference in year 2...we just get to be married and enjoy life!

Thoughts??

Proof the hubby watches too much reality TV...

2009-03-05T08:23:00.000-06:00

He said this in an email after I told him what I weighed this week for the weight loss contest:

"Do you get to see where everyone else is at? Or is it a surprise on the last day and you get the winner unveiled and everyone is shocked or whatever?"

I laughed so hard!

WWW week 4

2009-03-04T20:33:00.009-06:00

Thanks so much for your support over the weeks, guys! It has really meant alot to me! Not drinking Dr Pepper is so freaking hard yall, and its good to know that I not only have supporters here, but accountability also!

Anyway, this week turned out to be fantastic for me, because I lost 4 pounds! I have no clue where that came from, but it made me so glad that I went to every body pump class I could, even though I really really didn't want to on several occasions.

That brings the total loss to 9 pounds! It's really fun to see my body get stronger. I've never really done weights before (I always somehow got out of them in varsity tennis...) but now I'm convinced that its key to having a healthy, super fit body!

Here's my inspiration for next week:

Aren't these adorable? I can't wait until I can buy one!

Edited to add: The brown strapless suit is Juicy Couture, and the purplish tankini is Tommy Bahama

Facebook

2009-03-03T08:11:00.004-06:00

I don't know about you, but I have been increasingly ~~weirded out~~ shocked about who ends up on Facebook. My mom, my mother in law, my boss, and even my preacher are now social networkers. At this point I would not be surprised if my patients request to be my friend, or if my Grandma starts asking me what poking is...

Anyway, if you want to be my FB friend, find me! I'd love to be friends with my blogger buddies!

Weekend Update

2009-03-02T07:47:00.012-06:00

I got a haircut this weekend! After I was done, I was walking around the salon, and a girl grabbed me because she wanted her stylist to copy my cut! Thats a great feeling : )

I started reading The Last Lecture this weekend, and I'm over half way done. I was not going to read it, because I have a general avoidance of things that will make me sad, but after picking it up and reading a few pages, I was hooked. It's really inspiring!

I did it! One month of blogging everyday! It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Hopefully the habit will last! Thanks for sticking with me through some days of pointless posts : )

I have to admit that I have gotten really hooked on The Real Housewives of the OC. It is just beyond fascinating to me! I saw the "After the season confession" Segment this weekend and was kind of shocked about what Tamara said about Gretchen and what happened with this 'other guy'. Anyone else watch this? What did you think?

That pretty much sums up our weekend. Coach and I ate Mexican food twice, so I'm not excited about weighing in on Wednesday! That's all I have for now...have a great Monday!

Where are Stacy and Clinton when you need them?

2009-02-28T21:19:00.005-06:00

Yesterday at the hospital, I saw a woman wearing a dress made out of the EXACT same fabric as our couch. Seriously.

Eeek. That's never good.

Not to mention it was 83 degrees in Houston yesterday. There's no way that upolstery fabric is "breathable"...

: )

Go Texan Day!

2009-02-27T08:14:00.005-06:00

It's the end of February, and in Houston, that only means one thing! Not Mardi Gras - the Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo!!

Today all over H-town, people are kicking off the start of the rodeo with Go Texan day, where you dress like a "Texan"! It also coincides with Texas Independence day which is March 2nd, so we love to show our Texas pride! I took a pic in my office so you could see my outfit today:

Anyway, the Houston rodeo is one of the funnest parts of the year. It goes pretty much the whole month of March, and along with calf scrambles, barrel racing, bull riding, etc. there are also awesome concerts! I have been probably 30 times in my life and have so many great memories of going with friends and family!

The list of performers I've seen at least once over the years (since the '80s) includes: Clint Black, Alan Jackson, Brooks and Dunn, Alabama, Reba McEntire, Pat Green, Randy Travis, Dixie Chicks, George Straight, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tim McGraw, Vince Gill, Kathy Mattea, and The Mavericks. Wow.

I love the rodeo, and I'm so excited to see Brooks and Dunn this year! They play at Reliant Stadium (where the Texans play) for sold out crowds of 70,000. It's awesome! So today I'm showing my Texas and Houston pride!

What does it mean to be a Texan?: It means just what all those people north of the Red River accuse us of thinking it means. It means there's no mountain that we can't climb. It means that we can swim the Gulf in the winter. It means that Earl Campbell ran harder and Houston is bigger and Dallas is richer and Alpine is hotter and Stevie Ray was smoother and God vacations in Texas.

Celebrity Closets

2009-02-25T09:41:00.009-06:00

Over at In Style.com you can check out the closets and wardrobes of celebrities and I must say they are beautiful! I dream to have a closet this organized, clean, and HUGE! Not to mention the clothes, shoes, and purses that occupy these amazing spaces.

My closet could look like this. I'd have to get rid of all the soccer cleats, golf clubs and T-Shirts though...

That's a lot of shoes... A little to high maintenance for my taste

It looks like a department store!

I love the door, floors, and see through closet doors!

She needs a ladder to reach all her shoes...jealous?

Ahhh, must be nice! This just reminds me how I need to do some spring cleaning this weekend and make a couple trips to Container Store. Us regular, non celebs have to get creative when we have a mere 5 x 7 closet!

WWW week 2 and 3

2009-02-25T08:58:00.003-06:00

Weekly Weigh In update:

We had to switch our weigh in day this week, so I will give you a recap of last week's stats, and then tell you this week's.

Week 2: I lost 2 pounds! I'm excited, however my fat mass has steadily risen, which is confusing and frustrating. I was advised that I may not be eating enough with all the working out I'm doing, and I tried to add more snacks this week.

and now for this week...

*drumroll*

Week 3: I lost 2 pounds and finally my fat mass when down! It is now below the number I started with, so I'm finally on the right track! I was nervous weighing in this morning because we only had 5 days since our last weigh in and I've done weights twice in those 5 days. I guess the cardio is making up for it!

This brings the weight loss total to 5.5 pounds since 2/6

I'm happy with that! 10 weeks to go!

Confession

2009-02-24T19:01:00.002-06:00

I've never had king cake...

Am I missing out on something??

Loathe of the week

2009-02-23T19:56:00.004-06:00

I had to go to the grocery store today...

Lately this has become one of my least favorite chores. I'm not really sure why, but I dread it.
Maybe its because:

everything has become more expensive
its a constant battle between what I want to buy (ice cream) and what I should buy (things with high protien, high fiber, low taste)
It is always sooo crowded after work
Walking through the meat section is cold enough to keep me freezing the rest of the time I'm at the store.
We live in an apartment and kill ourselves bringing everything up in one trip, so we don't have to go back down three flights of stairs to the car for the second load
I hate putting groceries away, but if I don't do it, things never seem to end up in the right (or at least somewhat logical) place

I can't wait until Amazon Fresh goes nation wide. You pick out your items online and they deliver it to your door the next morning. What a genius idea.

Do you guys hate grocery shopping too? Or is it just me??

2009-02-22T20:19:00.004-06:00

And the award for hottest award show host goes to...

Hugh Jackman!

How have I not noticed him before??

As seen on TV

2009-02-21T09:13:00.001-06:00

You know you saw the commercial and thought "I want one!"

Well I got one!

No, not the Snuggie... (I want one of those too)

It's the Bump it!!

You like?? sorry for the cell phone pics...

My brain has already clocked out

2009-02-20T13:58:00.003-06:00

I apologize because I am so uncreative/lazy right now, and since I have to post, I'm doing a survey I got awhile back...

1. Make a list of what you can see without getting up.
ugh dumb question - moving on

2. Favorite Football Team
The Cowboys

3. What are you wearing now?
Casual Friday, soooo:

4. What's the last thing you read/are currently reading?
research manuscripts

5. Who is the last person you hugged?
My husband at chick fil a this morning

6. What's your current addiction/obsession?
puzzles and bakerella.com

7. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
a doctor

8. What is the last thing you bought?
chicken minis and a large unsweet tea at chick fil a

9. What are you listening to right now?
2pm, so that would be Sean Hannity + coworkers talking

10. What is your favorite weather and why?
fall weather, or anything that requires a cute jacket or coat!

11. What is your most challenging goal right now?
sucking up to the right people in order to prove my worth and keep my job : )

12. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished, anywhere in the world, where would it be?
no lie: Oklahoma City
2nd place: NY or Colorado

13. Favorite vacation spot.
Hawaii and NYC

14. Favorite children's book.
waaay too many to list, but for a start: Eloise, Madeline, Ramona series, Cam Jansen series, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Amelia Bedelia, Nancy Drew, the Hundred Dresses

15. Name one thing you can't resist no matter how bad it is for you.
Dr. Pepper and sugar in general

16. What is the first tape/CD you bought for yourself?
Alanis Morrisette Jagged Little Pill ??

17. Describe your perfect day.
rain. husband. big blanket. pei wei. when harry met sally. nap.

18. What's your biggest pet peeve?
loud talkers

19. What would you do if you won the lottery?
buy an awesome old house and fix it up!

20. (My Question) If you HAD to max out your credit card - what store would you do it at?
Pottery Barn

21. What is one thing you want to do before you die?
learn to sew

22. What is the one quality you possess that you are least proud of?
My extremely low self-esteem : )

What I'm up to...

2009-02-19T09:57:00.009-06:00

Planning:

the in laws are coming to town this weekend! My grandfather in law is preaching at church this Sunday, and the whole gang is coming! Yay! But I have lots of cleaning and cooking to do before then.

Watching:

The Big Bang Theory. Can't get enough - love this show!

Reading:

The Anti Cancer Diet. This was our Christmas gift from our medical directors, and while it sounds horribly boring, I actually really like it. So there!

Multiple Blessings by Kate Gosselin This book is amazing! I highly recommend it!

Doing:

Jigsaw puzzles! I've been obsessed lately, and I'm on my 5th 1,000 piece puzzle since January. Yeah, I'm that cool.

Here's my current puzzle:

Missing:

My friends Ben and Jerry : (

Wanting:

More blog followers! 10?! If the Anti Cancer Diet book and the jigsaw puzzles didn't already make me a loser, then surely this does! Follow me! - you can do it in the side bar ---->

Contemplating:

Joining (or whatever you call it) Twitter. I still don't quite see the point, but I can't really be judgmental about that when I blog, facebook, and myspace... Will you lose respect for me if I cave to the trend??

Weight Watchers Wednesday

2009-02-18T07:54:00.003-06:00

I thought I would take Wednesdays to update you guys on my weight loss/fitness saga! Last Friday was the end of my first official week, and after a lot of exercise and calorie cutting, I lost a whopping...1 pound.

Though discouraged at first, I realized that I've been doing a lot weight lifting lately, and I probably gained some muscle. My clothes already fit better, so I think I'm on the right track. My favorite workout is the Les Mills' Body Pump class at the YMCA. It is basically a weight lifting class that works every major muscle group. I was slightly concerned that I was doing more strength training than cardio, so I asked a nurse practitioner at work who has an interest in fitness, and she gave me some great advice:

doing weights 3x a week is perfectly fine, as long as I do at least 2 days of cardio in between to burn fat. She said a brisk walk 30 min/day is all I need!
Even at the beginning of this type of exercise regimen, the numbers wont show on the scale. You will notice it in your clothes first. Good to know!
Doing lots of strength training is more conducive to eating several snacks, rather than 3 larger meals. Frequent snacks, high in protein, will keep your body more satisfied, and not feeding off the muscle for energy.
Greek yogurt has way more protein and less sugar than the regular Dannon yogurt I eat. I haven't tried it yet, but this might be my new breakfast item!

So my new protien rich snacks I eat daily are: almonds, a hard boiled egg, string cheese, protien fortified granola bars, and yogurt!

I will update you guys next Wednesday!

Officially official

2009-02-17T08:49:00.006-06:00

After 15 months (today!) of marriage, I am finally and officially a Ratcliff!
(Notice the 't', and absence of 'd' and 'e') : )

Right after we got married, I changed my name on my drivers license and social security card, but for various reasons I never changed my name at work which of course meant that legally I was a Ratcliff, but according to medical insurance, benefits, work email, etc I was still known by my maiden name. It would be so complicated when I would be at the doctor's office using the last name my insurance company knows, then writing a check that had a completely different name.

Yesterday I got my new insurance card in the mail with my new name and I am so excited to no longer call myself a different name depending on who I am talking to! Whew!

Did you married girls keep your middle name, or make your maiden name your new middle name? I didn't put much thought into it, but I kept my middle name. I have a brother though, so he can carry on the family name : )

I said "name" 12 times in this short post, so I apologize for lack of variance in my verbiage :)

I heart Purses

2009-02-15T21:14:00.006-06:00

A while ago, the newly engaged! Jessica tagged me in the purse game! The rules are:

*Post a picture of whatever bag you are carrying as of late. You CANNOT sneak into your closet and pull out some cute little things - we want to know the purse you last carried. No cheating!

*List how much it cost - this is not to judge but for entertainment only. If there is a fabulous story to go along with your fabulous purse, let us hear it!

*Show all the contents currently in the purse

*Tag some lucky ladies to participate and then link back to this post.

So here we go!

So, here's my purse. It's a limited edition Vera Bradley red houndstooth bag. I received it for Christmas this year after falling in love with it a year or so ago. I don't think they make them anymore, but it would be really awesome if they came out with a large overnight bag in this print! I really need one! It think it cost around $75.

And here are the contents:

umbrella
Vera Bradley wallet in Java print
Chick fil A receipt
walkman
name badge
anti inflammatory pills from the foot dr
lip gloss
battery
post it note
blonde bobby pin
strawberry banana Extra sugarfree gum
pen
Vera Bradley ID holder in Kensington print

I am tagging: Once Upon a Dream, Classy and Fabulous, Wearing Mascara, and Red High Heel s

Can't wait to see yalls awesome bags! And thanks Jess, this was fun!

productivity

2009-02-15T20:51:00.002-06:00

Today I...

Went to church (twice)
showered (twice)
did laundry
Went to Body pump class at the Y
Watched 2 movies (The Breakup and Failure to Launch)
came really close to finishing my puzzle
and now...blogged

Not too shabby!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T10:46:00.001-06:00

SWAK,

PS - I added a poll in the sidebar because I'm curious if your husbands read your blog... Vote!

a sigh of relief...

2009-02-13T13:51:00.005-06:00

Okay yall. Yesterday was crazy. In a very complicated series of events, I thought I might have lost my job.

Of course it wasn't because of something I had done, or even the bad economy, it was just a simple case of Sarah got screwed.

Basically, it is all because of the fact that I work in research, and get paid through soft funds, which means that my salary money is based on outside grants - not hospital money. So if a grant runs out, or you don't receive a grant you thought you would, then there could be problems. That wasn't the only issue, but the rest is far too complicated.

Anyway, since everything was so complicated, I spent last night freaking out about all this and considering every tiny detail and possibility, because of course this is what I do.

After a couple of meetings this morning, all parties believe we are in the clear (for now at least). I can keep my job, and try to pretend that none of yesterday happened! I think my lesson in this was to not be so complacent, because when I was really fearful yesterday, the first thing I did (after crying) was sign up for the admissions seminar at one of the nursing schools. I finally am taking the first steps to live my dream!

The irony in all of this is that literally the Obama stimulus plan might have saved my job. I am not kidding. Part of the bill gives a ton of money to the National Institute of Health who is about to fund a couple of things my specific department is working on. So thank you ~~taxpayers~~ NIH for letting me keep my job! Muaah!

2009-02-12T13:46:00.002-06:00

Happy 75th Birthday to one of my most favorite people in the world!

Grandma - if you are reading this, I hope you have a fantastic day because you deserve it! Don't let those Oklahoma tornados steal your thunder! Love you!

I constantly embarrass myself

2009-02-11T15:14:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I got to go to the second installment of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People class, called Focus. It is all about time management, planning your schedule and stuff like that. It was a cool class that taught a pretty cool system - all part of the genius of Stephen Covey. Anyway, as I was leaving the class and headed back to my office, this guy who was in the class with me started chatting to me. Here's how the convo goes:

Guy: "How did you find the class?"

Me: "What?"

Guy: "How did you find the class?"

I begin racking my brain trying to figure out what he was talking about / how I should answer. I mean it was in a conference room in the building next door to ours... I don't know? I just knew where it was...its a pretty obvious location. So I finally said

Me: "Umm, I've actually been to classes there before, so it wasn't hard."

Guy: "Oh...okay. Well...I thought the class was great..."

He keeps talking as I realize what he meant was How did I like the class. I guess I've heard of people phrasing a question that way, but I totally did not get it at the time. I would think the guy was dumb for asking it that way if I weren't so busy worrying that he thinks I'm an idiot!

Yay!

2009-02-10T08:07:00.000-06:00

Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson is going to be a contestant on this season's Dancing With the Stars! I only catch this show occasionally, but I think she will be so fun to watch! It's nice to see her in the news for something like this and not something like this.

Speaking of Phelps, I heard last week that Ashton Kutcher came out in public support of him saying, "God forbid he hit a bong...Go ask your 20 year old kid what he did last weekend". Everybody makes mistakes and I can only imagine how hard it is to make those mistakes so publicly, but come on Ashton! That statement just shows how out of touch you are with the real people in middle America...

Love

2009-02-09T08:27:00.003-06:00

In Reader's Digest this month (yes I Reader's Digest thankyouverymuch), I was inspired by an article that featured the book Six-Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak. Hundreds of people both famous and obscure, submitted six word sentences on their view of love, romance, and heartbreak. It is amazing what you can convey in just six words!

In hindsight, I'd still choose you.
- Natana Gill

Love: eight pounds and six ounces.
-Kenny Clark

Much married, fourth time is charmed.
-Erica Jong

Wonder-filled, and never a dull moment.
-Diane Ackerman

I'm your one that got away.
-Mary Elizabeth Williams

He e-mailed again, and I deleted.
-Molly Antopol

He told me he was single.
-Esther Newberg

He's velcro, I'm teflon...love endures!
-Kay Murcer

My life's accomplishments? Sanity, and you.
-Elizabeth Gilbert

Hired me. Fired me. Married me.
-Julie Klam

Moved in. No ring. Moved out.
-Melissa Lafsky

Portland, she decided; I, the Bronx.
-Dominic Preziosi

Love means lying about your weight.
-Ann Ingalls

So I created my own. Not only is it so very true, but also a nod to one of my favorite songs:

Everything is easy because of you.

Happy Valentines Week!

2009-02-08T19:57:00.000-06:00

On the Road...

2009-02-07T06:29:00.001-06:00

Today Coach and I will be in Austin for a wedding, then headed to Wimberley for the rest of the weekend! See you Monday!

2009-02-06T08:56:00.000-06:00

Today begins the Biggest Loser Challenge at work. I am actually pretty excited about it. It goes from today until May 1st, which happens to be the month my brother gets married - perfect timing! We put in money, and split the pot between the person who loses the most amount of weight and the person who loses the highest percentage of weight. Our bosses are also throwing in a day off. It's pretty much the best incentive ever, and basically I am going to win!

I hope to chronicle my progress here (but only if I'm doing well, obviously)! So let me take a moment to say goodbye to some of my friends (at least until May):

I might still have some... just not near as many.

Oh. my. gosh. This is the best ice cream known to man. It's been long overdue that I give this up. It had way to much control over me!

My beloved iced sugar cookies as well as all other Valentine's candy

I also asked my parents to participate in our own challenge as well. Watch out people. I am going to be rich and thin!

*Obama, please do not tax my sizable capital gains from weight loss competitions! :)

Pet Peeves

2009-02-05T08:25:00.002-06:00

When I was thinking of things to write about in the '25 random things' post, I started listing out my pest peeves, and decided they actually deserve a post of their own! I love hearing about people's pet peeves, because they are so unique to that person, and most of the time pretty random. It gives you a little more insight into that person. In all honesty, I feel like I am a very nice person, but not very 'go with the flow'. Things bother me, and most of the time I have to say so! But even if you do these things around me, it's okay. I still love you!

Here we go:

People who talk loudly on their cell phones.
This is obvious. I mean when you are having a normal conversation about what to cook for dinner, or whatever, it always sounds like the lamest, most stupid conversation to people who only hear the one side of it, ya know? We don't need to hear that. I don't really like loud talkers in general though : )

Blatant product endorsements during tv shows. I'm talking to you Biggest LOSER! We already have 10 minutes of commercials every half hour. Companies have started figuring out that we start the show after it has finished recording and fast forward through the commercials.

Repetitive noises you can't figure out the source of. This is random, but when I was riding the bus to work, there used to be this random loud banging sound that happened near the front of the bus every 15-45 seconds. No matter what bus I was on it always happened! It drove me totally insane, because I could not figure out what it was to try to make it stop. I finally just stopped riding the bus.

Using the word 'literally' when they mean 'figuratively'. Example: "It is so hot in here I am literally burning up" "I am so mad, I could literally kill him". How about this: if you say something like that, I will literally punch you. j.k. : )

I will leave you with one of Coach's pet peeves. He is THE most laid back person I have ever met. Seriously, nothing gets to him - he is happy all the time, as some of you know. But there is one person that really really annoys him:

Nicole Richie. Enough said.

So lay 'em on me guys! What really bugs you?

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-04T08:15:00.002-06:00

Maybe this should tell me something?

2009-02-03T08:18:00.002-06:00

Coach and I looove the Nestle Tollhouse Caf e. They have the best iced sugar cookies! Usually when we go it's already after 7pm, and they are out of the sugar cookies which makes me very sad because I have to get plain chocolate chip. Apparently we go a little too often, because as soon as we walked into the store last night, the girl working said "Finally you got here when we still have your iced sugar cookies left"!

I was so embarrassed!

I think I will lay low in cookie stores for awhile. Or at least just make my own...

Advice: shoe edition

2009-02-02T12:05:00.003-06:00

I really really love these shoes from Target! So very me, and tres adorable, no? But, do you think I will be able to wear them with much? Will it look weird to wear these with black or gray dress pants? These are the questions I need answered people!

toe-tally weird

2009-02-02T10:44:00.000-06:00

It wasn't a few days ago that I posted here about my freaky long toe, and now a doctor has told me that its more than weird - it's a problem!

I went to a podiatrist last week to check out my foot because I was having some pain when I ran, and I thought it might be a stress fracture. Upon looking at the x-rays, the problem was obvious. My second toe and attached foot bone are so much larger than my big toe bone that all my weight was being loaded onto that bone rather than being distributed evenly. The doctor was seriously cracking up at how long that bone was, and said he had never seen anything like it! Joy.

So now I'm the proud owner of some shoe inserts and anti-inflammatory drugs. Not to mention the strict orders to do specific running exercises this week. Dang it! I knew I should have just decided that running obviously for me - end of story...

So in spirit of ~~self deprecation~~ openness, I am posting a picture of the source of my foot pain:

Crazy, huh?

NaBloPomo

2009-01-30T14:13:00.001-06:00

I did it! I went ahead and signed up for NaBloPomo for the month of February! For those of you who don't know, National Blog Posting Month is group where participants blog everyday for a month. You meet new people, find great new blogs, and get yourself in the habit of writing something everyday. Like how I picked the month with the shortest number of days?! I just hope I can find interesting enough things to write about everyday! So here we go... it starts NOW!

And, I'm behind on comments and awards, but I will catch up soon...

Happy Birthday!

2009-01-30T08:19:00.000-06:00

Happy 27th Birthday to my best friend and husband, Ryan!!

I think He will be excited to know that he shares a birthday with Christian Bale!

Coach's abs are just as nice, by the way : )

Since I know he won't read this until at least ~~weeks from now~~ tomorrow, I can tell you that I got him a Wii fit for his birthday! I will be equally excited to play with it : ) He has soccer games tonight, but tomorrow we plan to celebrate it up!!

25 things

2009-01-28T13:12:00.001-06:00

Okay, this is spreading like wildfire on facebook, but I thought I would post it here instead. So anyway, if you are bored enough, here are 25 random facts about yours truly.

1. I met the perfect man at the perfect time, and just like everything else in my life, I am certain that it was God's way of looking out for me.

2. I have learned that most of the mistakes I've made in life could have been prevented if I had just listened to my parents!

3. I love my job but definitely have aspirations to do something really big someday.

4. I shamefully hate talking on the phone, and usually avoid it as much as I can.

5. In a different life, I think I'd really like to be a weather girl.

6. I have a really hard time making decisions, because one of my biggest fears is regret.

7. I love all things girly. If it has pearls, ruffles, bows, or polka dots chances are I'm buying it, much to Ryan's disdain.

8. I often feel I was born in the wrong decade. My style, tastes, values, and mindset all operate in the 1950's.

9. I am a truly messy person. I don't think anyone or anything can change that.

10. When I was little I totally wanted to be Ann Marie from That Girl when I grew up

11. I will never ever eat a tomato seed. No matter how long it takes to get it out of the salsa/pizza/salad. They totally gross me out.

12. I get really panicky/anxious when I am in a store that I know is about to close. I'm not really sure why, but I've done it most of my life.

13. Walgreens pharmacy should give me a discount card for all of the service I give them.

14. I really love stationary stores, even though they tend to overwhelm me.

15. I cannot keep a secret.

16. My bestest friends are the ones I've had since childhood. Its almost like I made friends on the first day of kindergarten and then was done with that!

17. I admit: I've never gotten into American Idol.

18. My brother, sister and I begged our parents not to move us to West Texas when I was in junior high. However the 3 years I spent there were some of the happiest in my life.

19. I've been to a morgue at least 4 times. I've been with AP science classes, college groups, and once "on the job". Dead bodies don't bother me one bit - unless I know them.

20. I LOVE children's books. I'm trying to go back and collect all my favorites. I read A LOT as a child.

21. I have a really really long second toe. My grandmother always told me it was a "sign of intelligence". Either that or my mom was exposed to some chemical fumes when she was pregnant.

22. I can't stand the feel of cotton balls or chalk.

23. I have always felt I relate better to adults than my peers.

24. This survey is really long. I'm really not interesting enough to warrant 25 facts.

25. In 5th grade I was eliminated from the spelling bee because I apparently misspelled 'category'. To this day I think the judges misunderstood me, because I am certain I spelled it right.

I tag YOU if you haven't participated in this activity yet! :)

Dreams

2009-01-27T10:11:00.000-06:00

Do any of you guys have "normal" dreams?

You know, dreams that make sense and could actually happen. I don't. My dreams are always something along the lines of:

I forget to pack a lunch for my field trip to Belgium, so I ride a unicorn to Sarah Palin's house and start swimming in her pool, but the lifeguard (who happens to be my friend from elementary school) tells me to go home because it's Christmas Day and everyone is waiting for me.

Something like that.

Anyway, last night I had a normal dream! I was at a target outlet (which doesn't exist, but should) and I couldn't find anything in my size. I found this really cute pair of red rain boots for $9, and looked all over the store but could only find a size 6.

I was so excited that I finally had a normal dream! Maybe it even means something!