Friday/Thursday

Sunshines and Dark Clouds time, a little early this week! Woo!

Dark Clouds:

• The cleaning in my house is neverending.
• I've had plans cancelled TWICE on me this week (sad face!).
• We have not been doing great on planning our meals. Normally, Fiance and I are pretty good about planning out the week's meals, but nope. Not this week. We resorted to frozen french fries and frozen corndogs tonight. Nothing like feeding our inner seven year olds!
• Two of my pretty, pretty gel nails broke. BOO!

Sunshines:

• My cousin and aunt are coming in tomorrow for a visit! My cousin is also one of my bridesmaids and this is the first time I'll see her since I got engaged. SO EXCITED!

•   I'm making real progress on my wedding. I never really thought I would become a "wedding blogger" in the course of this whole thing, but as this is a representation of my life, my life and this blog will both revolve around weddings in various periods. Truth.
• I'm THISCLOSE to joining a gym with my friend Vanessa. The zumba is so fun and I always feel GREAT when I'm done. I just have to bite the bullet and join!
• We head back to Phoenix in just two weeks for our cake tasting, rehearsal dinner scouting, wedding dress scouting, meetings with photographers and meetings with DJs. In just TWO DAYS. Wish us tons of luck!
• Fiance (my wonderful wonderful fiance) is buying us tickets to see our favorite comedian Kevin Hart back in Phoenix in November! I figure I can always justify the trip by making some wedding plans while we are there... right?

Have a great weekend! I'll check back in later!

Best Things About Losing Weight

As I've briefly mentioned on this blog, Fiance and I have been working out and eating better. Since the beginning of the year, we have both lost a good amount of weight and REALLY got a lot more muscle tone and stamina. I feel so much better overall. I sleep better. My hair is shinier. I'm not as sick or as tired. I'm learning to eat when I'm hungry instead of just bored. I'm learning to really LOVE and CRAVE water. But overall, I'm learning that this is not just a diet. This is a lifestyle.

I know, I know. We've all heard that before. But seriously. Some diets don't let you have any sweets or sugar at all. That includes cake. CAKE! I don't want to live in a world without cake. Or french fries. Fiance and I have lost our weight (combined, over 70 lbs!) WHILE eating wingstop/peter piper/cheeseburgers... at least something once a week.

It's so nice to have eating habits that I can have for the rest of my life and stay healthy. That's one of the best things about losing weight. The other best things?

November 2011

May 2012

December 2011

May 2012

Plus, buying pants two sizes smaller than the first of the year is pretty awesome!

25 Before 25 Update!

I figured it is time for a 25 before 25 update! I haven't done SUPER great but I do get to cross a few things off. I better get a move on if I want to finish this list! 25 approaches!

1. Buy a nice piece of jewelry for myself

2. Submit my columns to a syndication press system

3. Watch 10 of Boyfriend's Academy Award winners

4. Lose 30 lbs

5. Become financially independent

6. Make homemade tortillas

7. Run a 5k

8. Volunteer for something

9. Make THIS chicken :o)

10. Do something different with my hair (dye it, cut it, etc.)

11. Go camping

12. See my grandparents once a month

13. Keep my spider plant alive

14. Donate money to charity

15. Read 10 classic books on the BBC Top 100 Books
16. Learn how to make great mashed potato
17. Find a dress that makes me feel like a princess
18. Ride in a helicopter
19. Try a food I can't pronounce
20. See another Cirque Du Soleil show
21. Improve my individual relationships with Boyfriend's family
22. Stay in touch with my sister more often
23. Start an herb garden
24. Write another 25,000 words on my book
25. Be truly surprised :o) (the engagement was a TRUE surprise!)


Not bad for just a few weeks. And as long as my beautiful basil plant holds out, I'm good to go for the herb garden! Up next is rosemary! PLUS I've seen four of Fiance's Academy Award winners so far, so I'm doing great on that. But the others are things that need planning and commitment. Sigh. Wish me luck!

Relaxing

Fiance and I were busy this weekend, even though we tried not to be! Starting on Thursday, I made these delicious little treats for a girls' night with my friends:



They were SO simple and so good. I used 8 oz cream cheese (light, of course), four tablespoons of powdered sugar, and some crushed graham crackers as toppings. The strawberries were surprisingly easy to hollow out... I used a small paring knife (and didn't even hurt myself... success!), but most of the tops pulled out the insides anyway when I pulled those out!

Then on Friday, I went to watch my dad umpire softball. He works as an umpire during the summers; he LOVES baseball/softball. He used to go watch random teams (kids, adults, the over 50 league, anything!) so my mom finally asked him why he didn't become an umpire. Now he is and he LOVES it.

Saturday, Fiance and I ran some errands at the mall and looked for a new watch for him. We played basketball and then showered and ran some more errands. Because we work out on Saturday, we eat those workout calories as a treat but when dinner came around we were both craving just a really great salad. So we grabbed one from Dions and watched Donald Glover's standup. Hilarious!

Sunday was spent running more errands, like grocery shopping, etc., before seeing Brave. It was really, really cute! The visuals were great! The story was a little complicated but overall I really liked it. Then we made burgers (yummy!) and a cake for dinner while we watched Pulp Fiction.

And tonight, I went to Zumba with my friend Vanessa. It was a zumba toning class and man, I definitely feel it! I'm seriously considering joining this gym just for the zumba! Having a friend in the class definitely helps, too.

All in all, a great weekend. How was yours?

Sunshines!

It's FRIDAY and time for some Sunshines and Dark Clouds!

Dark Clouds

• It's been humid, which makes it hard to blowdry my hair completely. Anyone else have this problem?
• I've had a CRAZY busy week at work. But at least it's almost over!
• I've been eating so unhealthy... I need to get back into gear!
• My sister just left for Europe for some summer law school... sunshine for her, dark cloud for us! We'll miss her!
• It's my TOM and I'm feeling blah.

Sunshines!

• TEEN MOM is back on! :o)
• I'm setting up a double date with Fiance and my friend Adriana with her husband! I love couply friends!
• Fiance and I decided on Hawaii for our honeymoon. I can't WAIT
• It's been a long couple of weeks, but it's almost the weekend!
• I bought some pink pants (like Kate Middleton!) and they look adorable. Score!
• The mornings have been perfect... I love summer mornings! I leave for work so early that it gets so COLD when the sun isn't up, but the summer mornings are pefect.
• With Fiance's promotion, he gets to be home in the evenings sometimes. SO EXCITED!

Happy Friday!

Favorite Things

My favorite things about June....






via



Summer sunsets!



via

Summer dresses!

Ahhh... summer!

I'm [Blank] Because

I saw this on a few other blogs, but it looked fun so I'm jumping aboard!

I'm weird because...

I always eat hotdogs from the outsides in, so my last bite is a middle bite. Same with pizza.

I give dogs distinct voices when I pretend to talk for them. They don't change.

I like heat. Better than cold. Always.

I would rather have Cheetos than chocolate.

I only wash my hair once or twice a week. I only brush it three or four times a week.

(I shower every day, though...)

I can't sleep with socks

I HATE having things around my neck (turtlenecks, tight necklaces, etc.)

I don't really like coffee (unless it's a skinny vanilla latte from SBucks)

I put green chile on EVERYTHING (burgers, chicken, tacos, pizza, beans, dips...)

One of my favorite foods is crab legs... because they are fun to crack and eat

I'm a bad friend because...

Most of the time, I would rather be at home in my pajamas.

I don't really like having to make small talk.

I HATE checking my voicemail.

I'm not very go-with-the-flow. I like plans. I like schedules.

I'm a good friend because...

I really listen.

I will give honest advice, not just "nice" advice.

I want my friends to be happy and successful.

I make plans to keep my friend group connected.

I'm good at finding common ground with my friends' friends.

I will make an effort for the important things (graduations, birthdays, etc.) to make them feel special.

I'm sad because...

I have so much work to do this week at work... ay yi yi.
I can't FOR THE LIFE OF ME find a good photographer for under $3,000 in Phoenix for the wedding!

I have to work out. Now.

One of the dogs had an accident in the house!

I have so much laundry to do but I don't want to do it!

I did so well from January-May in losing weight... but I've been on pause since. I need to start back up.

I'm happy because...

I have ice cream waiting for me now :o)

My sister and I had a wine and wedding magazines date yesterday! Yay!

Shadow has been snuggly with me and keeps me warm when I get cold!

Fiance got his promotion at work and I'm so proud of him!
Fiance's cousin and aunt might have some vases I can borrow for the wedding! Saving money!
I made a truly delicious caprese salad with our fresh basil plant! Hooray!