Happy Birthday Blake!

"We don't grow older, we grow riper."
~ Pablo Picasso

Well said by an old dude who lived to be 92 and had sex up until his 70s!

The Journey

Oh Happy Day!

Spring Fever

"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!" ~Mark Twain

Man, did that Twain guy know what he was talkin' about! I'm sooo OVER winter its not funny...honestly, I'm not laughing right now...I'm actually quite angry at winter. Its like a guest that just won't get the hint and go home. Seriously, winter, make like a tree and leave.

5 o'clock Shadow on my Legs

-5 degree temperature + snow = Brrrr!

I thought January was suppose to be a "dry month." Apparently not. I'm freezing my baguettes off! I think I've taken a bath every night this week, and every night I have to shave like two inches of hair off my legs! My body is not handling this weather very well and my razor is paying for it.

Nasty Vixen

My Diva Pro Wrestling Name is Nasty Vixen...I'm like a hot Santa's Reindeer.

Burn Baby Burn!

As previously stated in my last post, its that time of year to start drinking more water (which in turn means going the bathroom more), watching what I eat, forcing myself to the gym and finding inspiration from my favorite reality show, The Biggest Loser.

Both me and the boy toy are determined to shed a few extra pounds this year. I'm actually pretty pumped! I've never been the muscley type, but I really REALLY want to be muscular. I've been taking my vitamins, eating more protein and lifting weights, which I loathe. BUT, I'm beginning to enjoy it. I'm also trying to switch up my cardio because I often get in cardio ruts where I'm just running 3 miles a day and then I get burnt out on it fast. So, I'm running, doing the stationary bike, stepper, walking and yoga...I'm really excited about yoga, I'm just not sure how long it takes to finally see some benefits from it! My friend informed me about Bikram Yoga, which is apparently yoga done in a studio that has the temp set at 100 degrees to facilitate deeper stretching, prevent injury, relieve stress and tension and to detoxify the body. My friend did it last night and she is chugging water this morning!

I'm also trying to just cut out junk from my diet and life in general! I started off the new year by cleaning my apartment and throwing away crap! I feel so much lighter already! Then came the hardest part...saying good bye to sweets. I know you shouldn't deprive yourself of anything, but I feel like I must right now in order to get rid of my bad habits. I love chips and salsa - probably my biggest weakness. I don't really eat sweets, but take me to a mexican restaraunt and I'm in heaven!

The boy toy also informed me that I eat to many carbs and should be eating more protein. I've also been trying to fill my "bad habit" holes with fruits and veggies.

Here are a few of my "good habit" foods and snacks I've been enjoying:

Breakfast:
Egg Beaters - Southwestern Style
- Top it off with salsa and its to die for!
Honey Crisp Apples
- Never really enjoyed apples, but these are seriously good!
Toast with Diet Grape Jelly
- I have found whole grain toast that is 90 calories for 2 slices! Add some 5 calorie spray butter and diet jelly and you have some serious brain food.

Lunch:
Lean Cuisine Panini
- These things use to cost $3.99 for just 1 panini, but Hy-Vee is having a special on Lean Cuisine items! 4 LC items for $9.99...Um yes please!
Yogurt
- Mmm calcium AND fiber!
Cherry Tomatoes
- I love these little suckers! They're like candy!

Dinner:
Soy Corn Dogs from Morning Star
- My mouth is watering just thinking about these bad boys! Ooh they taste so good and their soooo good for you (besides the sodium!)!
Grapefruit
- My mom bought some grapefruit over Christmas, and ever since then, I've been loving grapefruit! Its also funny to eat because I often end up with grapefruit juice in my eye, in my hair, on my clothes, on the couch, etc.

Snacks:
100 Calorie Kettlecorn Popcorn
- A nice little sweet and salty snack
Sugar Free Jello
- Wiggle while you jiggle with jello!

This is basically my food for the day. I heard a few good quotes to motivate me and give me a different perspective on food that I will leave ya'll with to let simmer and marinate in your minds:

"Nothing tastes as good as being fit and thin feels."

"Eat to live, don't live to eat."

My mantras for 2009:)

Suck it in!

I hit a new low these weekend. Not only could I NOT fit into one of my favorite dresses, but Blake AND his ROOMMATE had to ZIP me into my dress!

Sweet boys...they kept assuring me that something was wrong with the zipper. But I know better. It's from all those magic cookie bars, monkey bread, ham and sweet potato casserole! Ugh. I literally had my hands up in the air, like that might help or something!

Well, the dieting has begun...Celery sticks and water, here I come!

Frantic Friday

Friday mornings are always frantic for me. I pretty much travel every Friday to either see my family or my boyfriend, who is in med school, so when I get to see him I take full advantage of it.

Every week is the same situation. I stay up too late on Thursday nights overpacking for the weekend and frantically shaving my legs. Then, I wake up way too late on Friday morning and I'm running up and down my stairs trying to pack my car and make it to work on time.

I live on the 2nd floor so I'm sure the people below me hate me because whenever they see me they give me this look like "There's that curly haired girl who stomps too loudly up and down the stairs." I'm also pretty sure that they stare out their windows every week watching me look like a loon and getting a good morning laugh.

Seriously, pre-packing the car, I look presentable and I would even go as far to call myself cute. But midst and post packing is another story. My curly hair goes flat, perfume is covered up by the smell of sweat, my jeans are stretched out and my excited demeanor changes to one of pure terror. "Oh my gosh, I'm gonna be so late! Oh my gosh I look like crap!" There is also the guaranteed tripping up or down the stairs fiasco. Luckily, I have yet to face plant it...knock on wood.

One of my many New Year's Resolutions was to be on time, but obviously that one has fallen through the cracks, as well as trying to be more presentable for work. Well, on the bright side, there's always next year.

A Mary Tyler Moore Moment

Man, I love Mary Tyler Moore! Don't you just want to twirl around in the streets and throw your hat off sometimes? I do.




Love is all around, no need to waste it
You can have a town, why don't you take it
You're gonna make it after all

Caught in the Act

It was bound to happen sooner or later...And I'm sure we've all done it before. So don't judge. Ok, so here's the story. No one ever walks past my office...my hallway is a cave. Plus, it was lunch time and most people are out during that time. I was just sitting in my office, chowin down on Chex Mix and listenin' to some good tunes, and then...well, I got caught by my co-worker dancing in my chair. No I wasn't picking my nose or picking a wedgie...Just dancing :) Sometimes, you just want to dance, ya know! I was just really feelin' the Chex Mix and jams! But its out of the closet now...I'm a pathological dancer.

Fake teeth

"Are you wearing your fake teeth?" ~ Blake's comment to me last night while talking to him on the phone with my retainer in my mouth.

I think I'm gonna be sick

I'm not really gonna be sick, but I stumbled upon this image and I can't stop laughing. Had to share :)

Good Vibes for 2009

"Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed."