Recurring Series – Page 131

Wine and Love, V.6

Time for another round of Walking with Nora’s fun “Wine and Love” series. Write your own post on what made you reach for the wine glass and what you’re loving from this week. Link up at her blog!

Wine-ing about…

Boot camp. Only one class left after last night’s! Wednesday nights are so disorganized and chaotic and I feel shoved aside for the more fit people. I know I’ve talked about this before in a Wine and Love series. It hasn’t gotten better and I’m ready to give a full complaint when it’s over. Mondays are slightly better, but are much more intense and make me want to wish I was dead. Still, yesterday’s was pretty awful in the way we were treated and the way it was run. I would never, ever do another boot camp from my gym.

Anxiety. I don’t know if I’ll ever fully get past my performance anxiety, especially since I deal with the emotions from my failed internship on a daily basis. It doesn’t help that something major happened last week that revved up my anxiety to full load.

Loving…

An under-control grocery bill! My mom and I headed out Monday evening for a toiletries visit at Target (we went about $10 over budget, but we’re getting there!) and a grocery visit at Publix (where we came in just shy of our $100 budget). We only picked up one pack of meat to last us for three meals. (Two being meals and one being leftovers.) As long as we keep out of any grocery stores until our next visit, I think we’re headed in the right direction. I still want to work on getting the bill lower (we spent $17 on snacks! What!) but baby steps first.

Relaxing after work. Ever since I started my job, my life has been jam-packed. After putting in a full 8 hours at my job, I head straight to the gym for an hour which usually involves boot camp or spin class (neither which are low or even medium intensity). It’s nice to get a sweat session in and get the endorphins flowing after being in front of a computer screen all day, but it can be a bit too much. So last night, I came home after work, took a hot bubble bath, and read for about an hour before making dinner. It was SO nice to just relax and take it easy. I think I need to do this at least one night a week.

The NFL season kicks off today! Are YOU ready for some football?!

Finally getting my room organized. I spent Saturday on an organizing rampage. I went through my junk drawers in my room and cleaned out my entire closet, including getting rid of a lot of “skinny” clothes that I know I wouldn’t wear even if I could fit into them. We don’t have a lot of space in our apartment so we really need to use it wisely. We’re not packrats in the least so I have no problem throwing things out that I haven’t used in a few months. It took a few hours but everything is finally organized and easier to access. Feels so good!

What are your Wine and Loves for this week?

Categories: Recurring Series

1 – In my area, Big Brother didn’t tape until ONE THIRTY A.M. due to a ridiculous Bucs-Redskins preseason game. Now, look, I am a huge football fan. Honestly, I am. But I’m sorry, a stupid, meaningless preseason football game over the craziest show of the summer? It’s no question. So, today, my mom and I woke up at 5AM so we could watch the show before she went for a run. As for the show, I’m very happy with how everything played out, to say the least. (Also, I guess this is one of those “You know you’re addicted when…)

2 – As most of you noticed already, I have a new blog theme. I like it a lot. Also, I have updated almost all of my pages. Now I actually have some information as well as links to all my letters and future husband posts. I also have a new Resolutions page where you can see how I’m doing on the resolutions I made in January.

3 – The advice on my grocery store conundrum was amazing. I will say that it wasn’t anything I didn’t already know, but it drove home the point of meal planning, eating more simply, and saving toiletries visits for Target/Wal-Mart. I know we need to be smarter about what we’re eating and how much of it we’re making. Leftovers are great, but when you make enough leftovers for 3 days four days in a row? Well, then it becomes too much. But the advice was exactly what I needed to get more serious about our grocery budget.

4 – Last night, I was attempting to make breakfast for dinner. I was cooking hash browns and forgot to turn the heat down after heating up the oil and managed to make the fire alarm go off three times and our entire place get smoky. The hash browns were ruined and in the process of trying to take care of that problem, I burned the sausage. It still smells like burnt hash browns in our apartment. Blech. I should never be allowed in a kitchen.

5 – I’m excited about this upcoming three-day weekend! Saturday, I’m prepared to tackle a long to-do list which includes a lot of cleaning (I’m so behind!) and seeing my nephew. Sunday, my mom and I are planning to head up to Orlando for the day to hit up one of the water parks that we have a pass for. And Monday involves a boot camp at a community center and trying to relax as much as possible. What are your holiday weekend plans?

Happy Friday, friends!

Categories: Recurring Series

Everyday Moments: August 2011

Instead of my usual monthly recap posts, I wanted to copy something Kathleen has been doing for the past few months. Finding little happiness in the every day moments of the month. Here we go!

1 – VEDA starts

2 – Being told that I could make Friday my last day, instead of the following Tuesday like I thought.

3 – Boot camp being easier than it was on Monday.

4 – A needed nap

5 – Last day of work!

6 – A pedicure and shopping for my new job

7 – Sleepover with my nephew

8 – Being awoken by my nephew chanting, “Titi Steph! Titi Steph!”

9 – A much-needed day of nothing. No work, no to-dos to complete, just rest and relaxation.

10 – An amazing first day at work

11 – NFL preseason kicks off

12 – Leaving work for lunch for the first time. It felt so nice to be out in the sunshine and fresh air that I need to make it more of a habit.

13 – Seeing my mom reach Lifetime status on Weight Watchers again

14 – A beautiful 3-hour nap

15 – Finishing a boot camp class, even when I felt like I was going to pass out since I didn’t fuel correctly beforehand

16 – Finding out there is a Chick-Fil-A half a mile from my work. Score!

17 – Being busier at work. I’m still doing a lot of clerical tasks, but it’s something!

18 – Being known as a regular in spin class.

19 – Finishing my first 40-hour work week

20 – Seeing Crazy, Stupid, Love and falling back in love with Ryan Gosling. And his abs.

21 – Spectating at my mom’s 5K and being so proud of her. She ran on the hilliest course I’ve ever been on (I ran the course last year) and was less than 30 seconds behind her PR. She rocks my socks.

22 – Getting bragged on by my boss

23 – Snuggles with Dutch.

24 – Scoring free tickets to see “The Help”, which also meant I got out of boot camp. Score! (Side note: movie was amazing. Everyone needs to see it.)

25 – #SummerofHarry chat, talking about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

26 – My first time speaking up in a meeting

27 – A day of shopping, including buying a new pair of “running” shoes (calling them sneakers or tennis shoes makes me feel like I’m eight). My last pair I bought last September so I was desperately in need of new ones!

28 – Fantasy football draft party with my brother

29 – My brother coming over to pick up some things and having dinner with him. Weekday dinners with him are few and far-between and I loved it so much.

30 – Feeling so completely sore from boot camp, from my triceps to my upper back to my butt to my ankles. I was beat up on Monday night and it feels so good to be sore like this.

31 – Chick-Fil-A for lunch. I spent all morning filing and labeling folders, so I needed a comfort food break.

Categories: Recurring Series

Ten on Tuesday (Vol. 38)

1. What is your favorite brand of shoes?

I don’t really have one. Usually, I hit up Target or Famous Footwear when I want to buy new shoes. (And it is only recently that I’ve been interested in more than just flats and flip-flops!) I’m still not very brand-conscious when it comes to buying shoes. Just whatever looks pretty!

2. How old were you when you learned to tie your shoes?

I don’t think I learned until kindergarten because I distinctly remember my father yelling at me while he took me to school when I was in kindergarten about not knowing how to tie my shoes. I’m guessing I learned quickly after that.

3. How do you feel about freckles?

I love freckles! I don’t have any of my own, but I’ve always wanted some. I’m also really very jealous of the smattering of freckles across my mom’s and brother’s shoulders. I want shoulder freckles of my own!

4. I can count to ten in ___ languages.

Three. English, Spanish, and Japanese. And if you count Pig Latin as a language, then four.

5. What is your favorite store-bought ice cream flavor?

Chocolate chip cookie dough. No question. Best flavor to ever exist. (A very close second is Publix-brand Chocolate Trinity. Omgggg. Heaven. Pure, blissful heaven.)

6. Were you in ballet or gymnastics as a girl?

No, but I desperately, desperately wanted to be in gymnastics. After watching the 1996 Olympics, I was convinced I would be in the 2000 Olympics, not concerned with the fact I was already 8 years old and could barely do a straight cartwheel. (I did not perform in the Olympics, in case you’re wondering and I know you are.) I did t-ball and cheerleading, instead.

7. Who is your favorite Sesame Street character?

Elmo, since he’s my nephew’s favorite. Also, Elmo is just so cool and adorable and talks in third person. What’s not to love?

8. What’s your bedtime?

Ideally, 10:00pm but I usually don’t get to bed until 10:30 or 11:00.

9. Do you have any jewelry that you wear every single day?

No. I rarely ever wear jewelry.

10. Who is the bug killer in your household?

Whomever finds the bug first! I’ve killed my fair share of cockroaches, spiders, and flies, as has my mom.

Who knows how to count to ten in another language? Teach me!

*Questions by Chelsea

Categories: Recurring Series

Five For Friday: Some Tidbits

1 – I have the above photo posted next to my computer at work. I will never be unhappy again.

2 – Last Saturday, I got up early and went to the gym to do a Couch to 5K workout and I just kept thinking to myself, “Why am I doing this? I hate it.” And I realized that I never say that about my spin classes. Yes, they are extremely difficult but I never think to myself, “Why am I doing this?” All I think about how hard it is, to just get through this song, to not let the girl next to me beat me. 😉 I just need to stop with this attempt at becoming a runner, because I just don’t think I was made for it.

3 – My Erin Condren Life Planner arrived yesterday and it’s a thing of beauty. I just hope I use it! I’ve been a terrible planner keeper in the past. Also? Erin Condren gives some insane coupon deals when you buy something from her website! I definitely have a few Christmas gifts in mind to buy in the very near future.

4 – I have not watched one preseason NFL football game. I’m a terrible fan but really? Preseason is such a tease! It’s not worth it and the majority of the game is interviews anyway.

5 – I forgot to link it but I had a guest post on Melissa’s blog yesterday, talking about why YOU should go on a cruise. And the best part? My mom and I will be booking a May 2012 cruise this weekend! SQUEE!!! We found an amazing deal on a 6-day cruise that will take us to Key West, Grand Cayman, and JAMAICA (I’ve wanted to visit Jamaica for the longest time!). And this go around, I’m going to be forking over the dough for my part which makes it even more exciting, in my book. No more mooching for Steph!

Happy weekend, friends!