Four Months!

I really don't have anything to talk about today, so I'm just posting a picture of my very adorable nephew Brady. My sister-in-law sent it to my phone yesterday. I can't believe he's already four months old!! Isn't he CUTE?

My mom has to be super excited right now. She and Morgan are leaving today to head to Bellefonte for a week to take care of him during the day while Zac and Jackie are teaching. They don't want to put him in daycare when there are just a few weeks left of teaching before the summer...so my mom and Morgan are taking a week and I think his other grandma is doing a week as well. I know my mom is in Grandma Heaven with her week-long assignment!

Deep Thoughts.

A "good friend" made a snarky comment to my blog post "Life's What You Make It" which I wrote on Thursday.

While I'm not offended, because I wouldn't expect anything less from good ol' Steve...he did get me thinking about Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy.

Does anyone remember these from Saturday Night Live in the 90's? I only remember them because I remember watching my dad laugh every time they came on...and if you know my dad, you know laughs don't come easily.

According to Wikipedia, Jack Handey is a REAL guy...NOT just a name on SNL. Turns out the dude has won two Emmy's for his work on SNL. He's also got a bunch of books. Google him for more.

ANYWAY...here are a few of my favorite "Deep Thoughts":

-To me, it's always a good idea to always carry two sacks of something when you walk around. That way, if anybody says, "Hey, can you give me a hand?," you can say, "Sorry, got these sacks."

-I believe in making the world safe for our children, but not our children's children, because I don't think children should be having sex.

-If you go flying back through time, and you see somebody else flying forward into the future, it's probably best to avoid eye contact.

-Somebody told me it was frightening how much topsoil we are losing each year, but I told that story around the campfire and nobody got scared.

-Anytime I see something screech across a room and latch onto someone's neck, and the guy screams and tries to get it off, I have to laugh, because what IS that thing?!

-Whenever someone asks me to define love, I usually think for a minute, then I spin around and pin the guy's arm behind his back. NOW who's asking the questions?

-I don't pretend to have all the answers. I don't pretend to even know what the questions are. Hey, where am I?

If you like these, go to the real website for more.

Happy Saturday!

Fit Friday!!

Another Fit Friday is upon us, and there is no shortage of healthy, beautiful things to talk about today!

First thing's first: My spinning DVD's came on Wednesday, and I started out with this one:

Don't let this chick's kind smile deceive you. If I had any doubts about a spinning DVD being as intense as an actual class, they are ALL thrown out the window! My legs and butt were aching so bad the next day, I had to skip Thursday's workout to let me recover. I. Couldn't. Move. The workout is approximately an hour long, and my heart rate monitor tells me I burned over 700 calories. HOLY CRAP! I'm thinkin' the bike was a damn good investment.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Not many younger people I know use Avon products. I think it's because the products are aimed more at our parents' generation, but after trying out their mineral makeup (and loving it...it's all I use), I've decided to give Avon another try, and I'm impressed. Despite the fact there are online coupon codes where you almost NEVER have to pay shipping, the crappy economy (I'm guessing) has caused the company to slash prices, and everything is SO CHEAP.

My latest purchase included this:

It's called Avon Magix Face Perfector, and I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be used as an alternative to foundation, but I use it as kind of a "primer" underneath my powder...and I LOOOVE it. It keeps my face from getting shiny, and helps keep my makeup stay put. It's cheap, too! Only $10 on avon.com. ALSO...it's SPF 20 so it keeps ya from getting red out on the sun.

My Kashi obsession continues to grow. These things are YUMMY!

Same deal as the review from last week on the pumpkin pie bars. 120 calories, kind of small (THAT's WHAT SHE SAID!!!!), but chewy and satisfying.

So, I'm going to try out a poll question here...and PLEASE if you read this blog answer the poll! I'm kinda wondering how many people read regularly, besides Lauren, Steph, and my mom:)

How often do you exercise?

Life's What You Make It.

The other day, I realized I've been out of high school for EIGHT YEARS.

I've been out of college and at my current job for FOUR years! When did this happen?

Realizing my life is SERIOUSLY flashing before my eyes, it got me thinking...and I'm asking you this:

Are you where you thought you'd be right now?

If you would have told me three years ago that I'd still be at the same job and living in Youngstown, I would've laughed at you and said "no way in hell".

Yet, here I am. My life is NOTHING like I pictured it to be.

If I could've mapped out a timeline for my life, right now I'd be an associate producer at Fox News or CNN in New York City, making my way up the ladder to bigger and better things.

I'd be breezing through the city, enjoying the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple, while struggling to pay rent in a broom-closet-sized apartment. Eventually (being fabulously single the entire time), I'd have enough money to buy a penthouse apartment in Manhattan, because I would be some sort of bigwig executive producer.

Instead, I'm going on four years of working the night shift for a very small market television station in Youngstown, OH. I live with my boyfriend of two years in a rented townhouse in a suburb of a quickly dying city. It doesn't really seem like there's much room for advancement at my place of employment, so it looks as though I'll continue working overnights for as far in the future as I dare myself to look.

Guess what? I couldn't be happier.

I'll be the first one to admit, I probably wouldn't still be in this city if I hadn't met Felix and fallen deliriously in love. That being said, if he and I ever go our separate ways (I hope not, obviously), I'm pretty sure I'd keep my life close to the way it is now.

If I hadn't stuck around, I wouldn't have learned how important my family is to me, and how much I enjoy being able to hop on I-80 and visit if the mood strikes me. If I had moved away, I wouldn't be able to be as close to my little sister, Morgan, as I am now...and I would miss a great deal of her growing up. That's something I believe I would end up regretting. If I was still on the career path I thought I imagined for myself, I wouldn't be able to stay as close to my true friends from high school as I am now (It's hard enough now and I'm only an hour and a half to 5 hours away from them!!).

The biggest thing? I think I'd be lonely.

When it comes down to it, a job is a job. It's a paycheck. Eight hours of your day. I'm not saying you should be miserable, but there's so much more to life than career satisfaction. Surrounding yourself with people you love and who love you is more important than making it big in a big city.

What about you? Are you where you thought you'd be? Are you happy with the decisions you've made in your life so far?

Impending PMS equals thoughts of last meal.

With that wonderful time of the month JUST around the corner, I can't help but fantasize about

my dream meal...with no worries about fat or calories or love handles or fitting into swimsuits... or a limit on how much food my stomach can handle.

Without further ado, and with much more thinking than anyone should spend on something like this, here is my fantasy "last meal".

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese.

TGI Friday's Crispy Green Bean Fries. I just had a small order of these on Monday, and I think I could eat them every day and not ever get sick of them...and their wasabi cool ranch sauce? Yummmm...

Turtle Cheesecake. I shouldn't even have to explain this, so I won't.

Shrimp Scampi. And it's cool if you wanna throw in that pasta that's pictured with it. I'm not gonna complain.

Any combination of cheese/garlic/potatoes. Did somebody say Carbs? Mmm...

Arroz Con Gandules. Not even sure if this is definately it or what exactly "arroz con gandules" translates to, but Felix makes some sort of amazing rice with pigeon peas and spanish spices in it that is muy deliciouso!

And of course, I would have to top it all off with a very strong margarita!!!

If you could plan out your fantasy meal, what would it include?!

In a perfect world I would have....

1. A Dog.Yes, I'm aware they're a ton of work. I know it's similar to having to take care of a child. I understand they're not cheap, and there are vet bills...and you have to plan your life around them, especially when you want to travel. Blah, blah blah. I still want one!

***SIDENOTE*** out of the blue during our road trip to Scranton, Becky made me promise her that IF I ever got a puppy, I wouldn't dress it up in pink sweaters and carry it around in one of those carrying cases. Really? Do I seem like THAT GIRL who is going to put pink collars and sweaters on my dog? Maybe a pink collar, but sweaters? Do I give off that impression? I deserve a little more credit. I would only sweater my dog if he/she was cold. And needed one. And I got a really good deal on it and it was super cute.

Anyway, Felix has finally said I can get a dog if/when we get a house. Which is REALLY FAR down the road, but I'm appeased for now. Eventually, I will get my puppy.

2. Holidays Off.

The only time you're guaranteed a holiday off when you work in the news business, is if it falls on a weekend, and you already get weekends off, you request it off months ahead of time, or have oodles of years of seniority on everyone in your building. Government issued holidays? Like Memorial Day? Forgetaboutit. I've never had them off. People invite you to picnics, and they just don't understand that the news doesn't stop for ANY. THING. Yes, I even work Christmas Day. The only day I ever get off is New Year's Eve...because I REFUSE to be in my 20's, ringing in the new year at work. Not gonna happen. I also request it off in March. I can't tell you how lovely it would be to actually go home for Christmas and spend a few days there. Or even just ONE day instead of a few hours, obsessing the whole time if I'll have time to get a quick nap in before it's time to clock-in.

3. Straight teeth.

I've always been self-conscious about my teeth because they're crooked. Not self-conscious enough to never smile, because most of you know I smile alllllll the time...even when I'm upset. But I sometimes cringe at pictures of me where my crooked teeth are very apparent. And mom, if you're reading this and feeling guilty about not getting me braces when I was little, STOP. It's ok! I PROMISE! This isn't a guilt trip! Anyway-with the magic of Invisalign, this goal isn't too far out of reach. I'm thinking next year's tax return is going to go towards Ashley's Invisalign Fund.

4. A Condo or House.

I'm aware that technically, this is something I could make happen now, or in the near future...but I want to do it right...not right NOW. I kinda think some of my reasons for wanting one so bad are skewed (for example: Buying a house just so you can paint the walls and pick out what combination of blue and brown you want to decorate the bathroom in? Not the ideal reason to drop thousands, thankyouverymuch). Soooo, this one will come in time.

Obviously, in a perfect world, there are lots of other things I wish I had. These are just a few I have been thinking about lately. All of them are achievable, thank goodness, except for the holidays off. And I've come to terms that will never happen.

Fun Music Monday!!!

Today's song is a little different than most Monday's. That's because two years ago today, Felix and I went on our first date!! The rest is history, obviously...but this was the song that was playing in his car when he kissed me goodnight. It's such a cliche first kiss song, but that's why I love it!
So, I can't help but smile a little every time I hear it.

Here's to a quick work week!!!

Ashley is an Athlete.

I came out of retirement to help out Felix's softball team today...and guess what? I had fun. And guess what else? I wasn't that bad! I played right field, one ball came to me...and I ALMOST caught it. It bounced off my glove. Surprisingly, it wasn't the end of the world when I missed. Instead of yelling at me (which I should've known no one would in the first place), everyone was pretty encouraging about my effort!

My first two times at bat, I hit ground balls and got out at first. My next three, I HIT THE BALL!!! INTO THE OUTFIELD!! AND GOT ON BASE!!! After that, I hit a pop fly, but I still got on base because it was dropped. All in all, it wasn't too traumatic of an experience...and I might even play again this summer. IF I have to:)

Making Mom Happy

Much to my mother's dismay, it is 10:40 a.m. on Saturday morning, and I am just now writing today's post.

I have a busy day ahead of me today, so here are a few quick updates:

-Mom, the lightened up version of shrimp fried rice turned out to be FABULOUS. Seriously. I'll email you the recipe, and if anyone else wants it, let me know. It probably took 20 minutes to make, it's loaded with veggies, and if you throw some frozen eggrolls in the oven, you have a complete and (mostly) nutritious meal for around 450 calories <---and I was STUFFED with that amount, and probably could've eaten a little less (I chowed down TWO eggrolls) but it was soooo good. And I don't know about you, but 450 calories for dinner on a FRIDAY NIGHT is pretty friggin' fantastic...at least for me.

-I'm picking up my spinning back this afternoon!! Now I just have to wait for my spinning DVD's to arrive from Amazon.com, but they should get here this week. I'll let everyone know how Spinning Class in Ashley's Basement goes, as soon as the DVD's get here. And they can't get here soon enough, because my knee is KILLING me. As in, it hurts to go up and down stairs...I probably should see a doctor, but it's SUCH a pain in the butt to make a doctor's appointment during the day when you work overnights.

-I think it's so funny that I always say how much I look forward to low-key weekends where I can just sit at home, and don't make plans. It's funny because it NEVER happens. I passed out at 10:30 last night and slept soundly until 8 this morning (which never happens to me. Ever.), so I'm full of energy and ready for a fun Saturday night. On the agenda? Dinner with some friends at Los Gallos (maybe a margarita or two), then a night of bowling at Boardman Lanes. It's BYOB, so I have a feeling it might turn into something similar to Clarion University Intramural Bowling. Anyone who knows about Clarion's intramural bowling league, knows that it's pretty much the greatest thing in the world.

-I'm forced to play on Felix's co-ed softball team tomorrow. Not actually forced, but if they don't have another girl, they have to forfeit. And if they have to forfeit, they have to pay 25 bucks for each forfeited game. There are two games, so that's 50 bucks out of FELIX's pocket. Obviously I can't NOT play just because I have deep-seated issues with playing sports in front of others. I gotta take one for the team and support my man...so I'll be donning a glove and working right field tomorrow. I'll let you know how it all goes down.

Fit Fridays!

I think I'm going to devote Friday's to all things health and fitness. I picked Friday's because the weekend is where I really have to struggle to workout and eat healthy...so maybe a Friday health post will kick my butt in gear and make me stick to healthy habits.

Anyway, I'll try to include links to interesting health articles, review healthy foods I'm digging right now, and all those fun, interesting health topics everyone loves to read about.

Right now, it looks as though I'm purchasing a Spinner bike from Craigslist this weekend! I'm really excited because the bike retails for $1,000, she was asking $475, and I was able to talk her down to $350. Haggling skills, whattttt!!!!

So then I had to hop on Amazon and order some "Spin DVDs", which are just like normal workout dvd's but they simulate a spinning class. I'll let you know how it all works out. Hopefully I'm not wasting my money.

In other health news...my good pal Neal Porter has decided to train for a 5k! How awesome is that? Good luck, Neal!

My girl Rebecca Biggs Watkins has an awesome health blog you should check out. Her latest post about mantras really helped me pass up a donut this morning! You can also find a link to her blog under "Friends" on the right hand side of my blog page.

I don't know about you girls, but with just over two months until our Virginia Beach trip, bikini panic is setting in. I've really been stepping up the workouts...but you can only change your body so much, right? And we all know tanning beds are the devil, but a nice tan makes you look SOO much slimmer, and toned, and sexy. I'm not good with self-tanners. They take too much work, and always turn me orange. The thing I'm really digging right now is Jergen's Firming Lotion:

It's supposed to reduce the look of cellulite, and all those unattractive dimples and lumps and bumps every girl has ( I don't care if you're friggin' Heidi Klum, you got 'em. If not, I hate you.)

I've been using it for almost two weeks now, and while I definately have a "sun-kissed" glow, I don't know how much it actually FIRMS my skin. I think the disappearance of the dimples is because of the slight tan. But whatever, I'll take it.

A new snack I'm digging this week? Kashi Pumpkin Pie Bars.

These things are fantastic, and really curb your sweet tooth craving. And they DO taste like pumpkin pie! I'm a big Kashi-pusher, and a huge fan of their new "TLC" line (which stands for "tasty little chewies"...how cute is that?), but the only downside is these are a little small. But the chewiness makes them last longer, so they're worth it.

In other food news, I'm making a Hungry Girl version of shrimp fried rice tonight for dinner. If you're a chick and not familiar with Hungry Girl, you gotta go to her website and sign up for their daily newsletter.

I'll let you know how the rice turns out. If it's good, I'll post the recipe.

That's it for my first Fit Friday! WYNKOOP, OUT!

Recipe for the Best Sleep Ever (without the help of prescription drugs)

I have NOT been sleeping well lately. It's weird. I don't have any problem actually FALLING asleep, but in 5 or 6 hours, I'm wide awake. For a lot of you, 5 or 6 hours seems sufficient, but for me...no way. I need at least 7 1/2 hours to feel well-rested.

I'd say my sleep problem has been going on for the last two weeks or so, and it happens to me every few months. Then when I can't sleep, I worry about not sleeping, which makes it harder for me to fall asleep...and as you can see, it's a vicious cycle.

I've Googled "sleep tips" a gazillion times, only to be told the same crap over and over. Drink chamomile tea. Don't drink caffeine 10 hours before bed (who can do that? Not me.). Exercise (check). Drink warm milk (no thanks). Stay on your sleep schedule, even on weekends (not possible for me).

Yesterday, I found the new anecdote to get me to sleep soundly (and it doesn't have anything to do with the vicodin leftover from my wisdom tooth debacle).

Here it is: Nyquil.....

.....paired with: A Princess Sleep Mask (courtesy of one Talia Diaz, without her knowledge)

The Nyquil is obvious. Not so obvious is the half-filled-Dixie-cup-I-downed-like-it-was-my-job.

The sleep mask also did wonders. (Ok, so I woke up clawing at my eyes thinking I had gone blind because I could NOT figure out why it was so dark when my eyes were open, but no one has to know that).

This will be my prescription until it doesn't work any longer, then I'll have to find something else.

Hey Google! File that under "sleep tips", bitches!

Also...The Nyquil may have somewhat of a lasting effect, and here's why I think that: I was sitting on the recliner watching Dr. Phil and I was getting SUPER pissed at the neighbors because they would NOT stop blaring Beyonce. Like, it wasn't just the bass thumping the walls, I could actually hear the lyrics (Ladies leave your man at home, the parties for the ballers and their pockets full grown...OK, I guess technically its Destiny's Child).

ANYWAY-

So I'm sitting there FUMING at my stupid new white trash neighbors, when I realized Destiny's Child was actually coming from MY upstairs. In MY bedroom. From MY alarm clock. It only took 3 1/2 minutes for me to figure that out. Brilliant!

Unusual Pet Peeves I Blame on the Night Shift.

This month marks my fourth year of working overnights. While I really enjoy my job (for the most part), there are still things that drive me CRAZY, and I'm sure there always will be. Besides the obvious mental toll it takes on a person, simply due to the thought of RARELY sleeping when everyone else is, there are a few odd things I wouldn't feel such contempt for if I worked when normal people do.

Here they are in no particular order:

1. Lawnmowers. I really shouldn't have to give them a second thought. I live in an apartment, so I never have to mow, and I don't have one, so who cares? I HATE THESE CONTRAPTIONS WITH A PASSION. There is nothing worse than being awakened from your REM cycle by the loud, growling start-up of a mower outside. What's even worse is that as the mower gets farther away, I drift back off to sleep, only to be jolted awake again when it comes back through as it follows its path.

2. The UPS man. I devote myself to sleep from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. most of the time, especially lately, I'm up at 2:15, but I detest being interrupted before 4. Felix gets a lot of packages via UPS, or FedEx, and most of the time they need signed for. Luckily for me, I don't even hear them ring the doorbell, but it ends up being a huge pain in the butt when they just won't leave the package at the door. Why does it need signed for? And if it does, why do these people deliver during the hours most people aren't home?

3. Woodpeckers. This should be self-explanatory. My mom laughs hysterically for some reason when I'm on the phone with her as I'm walking in my door at 7:30 a.m. and she can hear our resident woodpecker pecking away in the background. I'm glad you think it's funny, MOTHER...why don't you try sleeping through the incessant pecking!

4. Traffic. I know everyone hates traffic, but when I drive to work just before 11 p.m., there are almost no cars on the road, and half the time I glide through stop lights because no one is around (I know this is illegal, but I'm pretty sure Youngstown City cops will let me go when I explain my obvious disdain at stopping at red lights as I drive through the ghetto. Car jacking? No thanks.). So when I'm out and about in the daylight on weekends, the bumper-to-bumper traffic makes me crazy, because I'm just not used to it. The fact that I hail from a town with a cornerstore and one blinker light doesn't make my Traffic Hatred any easier.

5. My Electric Bill. I sleep in Talia's room during the week, so Felix can get ready for work without having to tip-toe around and worry about waking me up. He opens the door when he leaves to allow some airflow through the room, but with blackout curtains on the windows, the room can get stifling hot. Which means our air-conditioner is running once it hits above 70 degrees. This doesn't make for a cheap electric bill. Especially once we're in mid-July and I run the air-conditioning during the day when I'M sleeping, and Felix runs it at night when HE'S sleeping.

6. CANCER. This isn't so much as a "pet-peeve" as it is an actual worry. Studies show women have a significant increased risk of cancer if they work night shift for a prolonged period of time. Umm...where's my pay differential, people?! Shouldn't I be earning a little more money for putting my HEALTH at risk?

7. My Metabolism. I swear it hates me. I haven't done a scientific study, but I'm willing to bet working nights makes it MUCH harder to lose weight. I use a heart rate monitor when I work out, keep track of every calorie that goes into my body, and according to my online calculations, I should lose 2 pounds a week. I'm blaming it on the toll the night shift takes on my body for only allowing me to lose approximately 1 pound a month. It's very discouraging.

I could probably rant a lot longer on my night-shift pet peeves...(like how much I hate it when people call me during the day, leaving me voicemails that say "sorry to interrupt your nap". Ok bitch, I'll call you at 3 in the morning and apologize profusely for interrupting your little cat nap. THIS IS MY SLEEP PEOPLE!), but I won't. I really am lucky to have a job I enjoy, and get paid decently to do. There are also a few perks, like the fact that I never have to deal with daytime office drama. I work with three other people, and we all get along fantastically for the most part. We're not bothered by co-workers' problems, or constant phone calls from people who have no clue what they're talking about. We also don't have to deal with management...so if I do anything wrong, most of the time it's brought to my attention via email, as opposed to an office all-page accompanied by a trip to the news director's office.

I know a lot of you work crazy schedules, too. Any pet-peeves I might appreciate?

Morgan's Greatest Day Ever!

Extra blog post today because my little sister Morgan had one of the greatest days a ten year old could have, and she deserves a congratulations!

A few great things happened to her today. First, she started playing the clarinet this year, and found out she made jazz band today! The band director only picked four total people out of all the 4th and 5th grades, and she and her friend Jordan were chosen. Looks like she's following in her big sis's footsteps (I played the alto sax for 6 years, and jazz band was my fave)!

Then, as if THAT wasn't good enough, she found out she won a contest today! The students had to design an ad for the newspaper for local businesses. She won for her grade, and also came in second place for the entire school! She won a $20 gift certificate for the business she designed her ad for, Fox's Pizza Den.

How's that for Wynkoop Achievement?! Great job, Morgan!!!!

You Spin Me Right Round Baby, Right Round.

Let me start by saying I love taking spinning class. Love love LOVE it. But I haven't been to one since I let my gym membership run out. I've looked for gyms closer to my house that offer spin classes, but none of them do without buying a membership. I don't want another gym membership because I don't have the money, and I like working out at home.

While perusing Amazon.com a few months ago, I found out they actually sell spinning DVD's, that simulate an actual class. This got me extremely excited.

Then, of course, I had to see how much it would cost me to buy a Spinner bike for my basement. The cheapest model is 500 dollars, and I just can't see myself spending that on an indoor bicycle.

This is where Craigslist comes into play.

Occasionally I'll look through the sporting goods section to see if they have any bikes for sale. I haven't had any luck at all until a few weeks ago. A guy that lives about a half hour from me is selling this bike:

It's basically brand new, and retails for around 700 bucks. He's trying to sell it for 400. I offered him 200 and he laughed.

I forgot about it until now because he still hasn't sold it.

I'm really thinking of offering him 300 in cash.

But- I'm cheap.

Here's my predicament:

Do I splurge and spend 300 dollars on something I will most certainly get use out of? Especially since my left knee has REALLY been killing me? And using a bike puts less stress on my knees, obviously.

The flip-side is I've worked really hard to save what I have, and I don't want to blow 300 bucks, and then (God forbid) lose my job or something crazy like that.

What should I do?

Get the bike, or don't?

Help a sista out!

In other news..I am now on Twitter. I think I've somehow linked this blog to it, and it should update my "followers" when I post something on here. But I'm not sure. Either I set it up that way, or I gave the entire WWW access to everything about myself and my computer.

Follow me on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/AsToldByAsh

FUN MUSIC MONDAY!!!

I can't believe this is already my THIRD Monday of blogging! I'm not sick of it yet, but I must confess my blogging ideas are already becoming sparse. So, if you have any topic suggestions, feel free to leave them via the comment section.
That being said, today's FUN MUSIC MONDAY selection comes to us from the great band OAR.
This song makes me happy for two reasons.
1. It reminds me of college and the good ol' days at the TV station, when Pat Muldowney would plug in his i-pod and play his imaginary drums while bee-bopping around the newsroom....and
2. I had a dream the other night I was one of the finalists on American Idol and I played the guitar and sang this song, and Simon Cowell admired my energy and my guitar solo. Sometimes I take sleep aids and they tend to give me nutso dreams. Don't ask.

Happy Monday!!!!!

Lesson Learned.

This is why you never go grocery shopping AFTER your boyfriend, without checking first to see what he bought:

Who needs 5 dozen eggs??

Omelette, anyone?

Scranton is Far Away.

I'm back from my very short trip to Scranton, and I am friggin' tired. It was totally worth it to see Nicole and her baby belly, but the drive is soooo long and boring! After this, my agenda consists of showering, then laying on my bed in a daze watching this season of Grey's Anatomy (I got behind during the Grey's/Private Practice crossover and haven't caught up since.).

Of course I took my camera and forgot to take ANY pictures of Nicole's belly, or the fact that she, myself, and Becky hung out together for the first time in MONTHS...but, eh, it happens.

Funny thing happened to me before Becky and I got on the road this morning.

As you may or may not know, I have an obsession with Dunkin Donuts. Looove their coffee, lattes, egg white turkey sausage flatbreads, everything. So, I was determined to get some coffee before beginning the long trek back to Youngstown.

My GPS has a feature where you can search for places, and it told me I was under 2 miles away from the closes DD. PERFECT, right? Think again.

The GPS Lady (I like to call her Bertha) tells me we have arrived at the destination, but there isn't a Dunkin Donuts in sight!

Here's what I saw instead:

Definately not Dunkin Donuts anything. But, I figured I'd make the best of it, and surely they would at least have iced latte's, even if they weren't "lite".

Becky promptly orders a large coffee with cream and sugar. No problem. I politely ask if they carry iced lattes because I didn't see it on the menu. Her response? They only have "milkshakes". How that is a valid answer to a question about lattes, I'll never know. After pausing and taking a deep breath, I simply state: "I'll take a medium coffee with skim milk and Splenda".

Coffee Witch's response? "We don't have skim milk. Or Splenda. How 'bout cream and sugar?"

I don't care what kind of hicktown coffee shop you're at, WHO DOESN'T CARRY SKIM MILK?!

To most of you this doesn't sound like a big deal. But I was absolutely blown away at the fact that Curry-mother-effin-Donuts didn't have skim milk? Not even 2%?

I'm getting angry all over again just rehashing this story. She rolled her eyes at me and made me feel like I was being some sort of demanding Yuppie for wanting SKIM. MILK. Splenda?! Honestly, is that really such a ridiculous request??

Rooooaaaaaddddtttrrriiipppp!!!!

I knew my 365 days of consecutive blogging would come to this. Writing something purely for the reason of getting a post in. That day is today.

BUT-I am SUPER exciting for my plans today.

I'M GOING TO SCRANTON!!!! (Insert Dunder-Mifflin/The Office comment here)

No, I'm not on the search for Michael Scott and Co...I'm going to see my friend Nicole from high school. After 89347934 years of school, she's now a physical therapist. She's also engaged and going to have a baby this summer!!! I'm so excited to go, especially since I don't have to make the 5 hour trip alone. One of my very best friends Becky is going with me...and this trip is HUGE to me because she's married with two kids, and getting to spend one-on-one time with her NEVER happens.

***OMG LAUREN! I just realized school is probably done for the semester isn't it?? I totally didn't even think of asking you to come with us because I figured you had class. Crap. My apologies...please don't be offended!!***

Anyway, I'm picking Becky up in Brookville, visiting with her kids for a few minutes (I got them these presents because I'm determined to be the "cool aunt" that always brings them stuff...plus I'm pretty sure I've missed some birthdays since they're TODDLERS now and I don't think I've ever bought them birthday presents)

Then, Becky and I are making a quick pitstop in Bellefonte to see my brother and new nephew, before continuing the trip to Nicole's! We're leaving to come home super early tomorrow morning, so the entire trip is going to be super quick, but it's going to be so nice to see friends and family and spend time with the people I love! Until tomorrow, ya'll!!

To Twitter or Not to Twitter...That is the Question.

I'm not gonna lie when I say I feel a little old talking about this whole Twitter thing, because I'm not TOTALLY sure what it is. As a connoisseur of sorts on social networking to my coworkers, I gotta say I'm a little embarrassed to know virtually nothing of this new phenomenon. (I know, it's not even really NEW anymore...but it still is to me).

Anyway, it's been brought to my attention by one Steve Braband (check out his blog here: http://steve-is-alive.blogspot.com/) that my blog would get much more attention if I whored it out on Twitter. I've toyed with the idea of joining Twitter in the past, but decided not to because I have a personal rule of limiting myself to two social networking sites and was already on Myspace and Facebook. I've since deleted my Myspace account (it is SO last year...kind of like Vitamin Water. At least according to Felix's 9-year-old daughter), so that leaves a social networking slot open.

Being the thorough, knowledge-thirsty person I am, I immediately googled tips on how to successfully whore out a blog via Twitter (I used the phrase "promote" instead of "whore out", though), and there were surprisingly TONS of websites devoted to the subject.

With my interest piqued, I am now asking for tips from YOU on how exactly Twitter works. Tell me I'm wrong for thinking it's for people who think the world is actually INTERESTED about everything going on in their life. ( I realize Demi/Ashton/John Mayer are big Twitterers. Tweeters? Twits? But come on, their lives are a little more interesting than the rest of ours). Also, if I "follow" people in Twitter, is my phone going to ding everytime someone Tweets? (This could actually be a plus for me because I enjoy the noise my BlackBerry makes when I get a text, email, BlackBerry Messenger message).

Someone please explain it to me...nicely...without making me feeling socially retarded.

***Pat Muldowney, that means no comments from you, please***

Celebrity Body Parts I Covet.

Yeah, yeah...I know celebrities have trainers, and chefs, and it's their JOB to look good, and most of them suffer from permanent dull hunger pangs...and it's unhealthy and unrealistic to hope (pray?) to ever look as good as they do. All that aside, there are certain celebrities with body parts I would KILL for. If somehow I could put all these body parts together, I could form a superhuman celebrity powerhouse!

Here are the limbs I long for in no particular order:

1. Jessica Beal's Arms.

Now, I don't really like her as a person AT ALL, because I kinda think she's a no-talent-hack who just happens to be dating Justin Timberlake because she's hot. Really, what movie has she ever been in? I can remember one movie with Adam Sandler where everyone thinks he's gay, but he is really trying to get with JB, who runs around naked the whole movie. Oh, and she was in 7th Heaven like 8379438 years ago. How is she such a huge star? Cause she looks like this. I pretty much would love to have her whole body...but she's got killer guns!

2. Eve Longoria's hair.

This Desperate Housewive's hair ALWAYS looks fab, except when it's short. I don't like it short. But- hair extensions or not, it always looks so healthy and dark and pretty. I'm jealous.

3. Beyonce's Booty. There's lotsa haters out there who think her derrier is a little TOO large, HOWEVER, when "big butt" is associated with "small waist", in my opinion you just can't go wrong. I think she looks fantastic 98% of the time (unless she's wearing some god awful outfit designed by her mom). Plus, I'M never going to have an itty bitty behind, so B's is something I could strive for:)

4. Shakira's Abs.

Those hips certainly don't lie, and word is she credits her fab abs to belly dancing. If belly dancing will make me look like that, sign me up!

5. Charlize Theron's legs.

Two words: Gorgeous Gams. Looking at legs like this brings a tear to my eye. Why? Because no matter how much I work out, my legs will NEVER look like this. Some things you just have to leave up to genetics, and unfortunately, my genes have given me short stumps that are only useful for the sole purpose of getting me from one place to another.

What celebrity body part do you covet?

"Cheat" Foods that aren't really cheating.

In my never ending quest to drop 10 pounds (it used to be 20, so I'm making a bit of headway), I've learned a few things about myself. Like how I can go low-carb for a week before devouring everything in my kitchen, up to and including saltine crackers (who houses saltines??). Or how I can eat strictly chicken salads for dinner five nights in a row before the thought of chicken...or salad...makes me want to barf.


I'm being a LITTLE dramatic with these scenarios, but here's my point: You have to find a balance that works for you. My balance includes foods that feel like they should be bad for me...but they're not. Or at least not terrible.

So, the following is my list of "cheat foods" that really aren't cheating..and some are even GOOD for you.


Let's start with my addiction. My crack. My heroin.


1. The Dunkin Donuts Iced Latte Lite.




Weighing in at just 80 calories for a small, and 120 calories for a medium, this iced coffee drink with a shot of espresso has less than HALF the calories of its non-lite counterpart. Who wants to waste hundreds of calories on a DRINK? Not worth it, especially when these taste just as good as the regular, just a little less creamy.

2. The Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese Wedges.

In the back of my mind, I'm convinced The Laughing Cow is really laughing at me because I believe one of these creamy wedges of soft swiss cheese only contains 35 calories, 2 grams of fat, 1 carb, and 3 grams of protein. I can't even begin to describe how great these are. You just have to try one. You can use The Laughing Cow in anything and everything. Melt it in eggs, spread it on toast or a bagel, it's delicious on crackers with turkey pepperoni, and it more than adequately takes the place of a slice of swiss on a sandwich. It's a bit pricey, but well worth it.

3. Kashi TLC Cookies: Oatmeal Dark Chocolate:

These babies were off the shelves for a little while because of the peanut butter recall, but now they're back and I buy them ALL the time (pssshhht...E. Coli doesn't scare me!!!). They're not super low-cal...one cookie has 130 calories, BUT the stats are pretty impressive for a cookie. The cookies contain rolled whole oats (keeps you full longer) and chunks of dark chocolate (antioxidants what!). They don't have ANY enriched flour, no white sugar...and there aren't countless additives you can't even TRY to pronounce listed on the box. If you're gonna have a cookie...at least one that's giving you a heavy dose of whole grains!

4. Fiber One Pancake Mix:

This. Mix. Seriously. Rocks. Who ever thought you'd be able to enjoy three nice-sized pancakes for just 180 calories and a whopping five grams of fiber? Add some sugar-free syrup and some light butter, and you have a breakfast that will keep you full for hours...all under 250 calories. These pancakes are so good, you honestly cannot tell them apart from regular ones. They're super easy to make, too. Fiber One has been kicking ass with its new line of products...and these don't disappoint. (Note: Be aware of how many Fiber One products you consume in a day though...especially if you're not used to eating lots of fiber. Your stomach...and coworkers...will thank me later for the heads up!)

5 Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches:Not much to say about these. 100 calories for a decent-sized ice cream sandwich. 'Nuff said.

Aaaaand the THREE HOUR season finale of the Biggest Loser is on tonight. It's not over until 11. Someone is going to be late for work tonight. That someone is ME.

Fun Music Monday!

Another week is upon us, and here's a boost to get you through! This week's Fun Music comes from one of the greatest movies in the ENTIRE world: Adventure's in Babysitting.
I swear I used to watch this movie (on VHS, natch) at least once a week. If you're not familiar, watch this opening sequence, then go rent it! Or buy it on Amazon! Just watch it!

Have a great week!!



***SIDENOTE*** Just minutes ago, as I was killing a few minutes at work and solving my "In Touch" Weekly crossword puzzle, I made myself Laugh Out Loud (LOL, if you will), and I thought I'd share why.
75 Across was this: "Jeremy Piven plays one"
With no hestitation, the answer in my head was this: "A douche"
The answer didn't fit, but I still cracked up at my wittiness.

Mom's Day and the Great French Toast Debacle.

"A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary."

First things first: Happy Mother's Day to my mom, one of the greatest and most important people in my life. She's one of my very best friends, and I don't think she realizes how important she is to me. So, I love you mom!

I went home to visit my mom yesterday since Sunday's are reserved for me to mope around and feel sorry for myself in anticipation of the work-week ahead. (Don't Forget: I get more sympathy because my Monday technically starts Sunday night at 11 pm).

Anyway, I wanted to do something nice for my mom becauseshesfantasticandilovehersomuch, but that good deed could not include taking her out to eat.

Why, you might ask? Because she has been doing an amazing job on Weight Watchers and has been exercising and I'm really proud of her. I'm also trying to eat healthfully, and what kind of example are we setting for each other if we chow down just because it's a certain day? If that's an excuse, I'm going to eat a whole cheesecake every Saturday just for the sake of it being Saturday. Makes sense, right? Wrong.

So I came up with the fantastic idea of finding a "lightened up" recipe, and preparing it for her, so at least she wouldn't have to cook.

After consulting Google for a good 3 or 4 days, I finally settled on a recipe for a lighter version of Baked French Toast. Who doesn't like french toast?!

The recipe called for dried apples and raisins. I nixed the raisin idea because I'd rather eat poop, and couldn't find the dried apples, so decided to substitute pecans instead. I thought it was a BRILLIANT idea. Apparently those apples and raisins had something to do with giving the french toast FLAVOR...but that didn't enter my mind.

I got everything ready the night before, so all I would have to do is pop it in the oven when I got to my mom's house. All night I dreamed of how wonderful my french toast recipe that included whole wheat bread, egg whites....and...well, not much else, actually...would taste, and how my mom would declare me BEST COOK IN THE WORLD! (sidenote: I get overly excited about everything. And I mean EVERY.THING.).

Loaded up with a pan of french toast, Boggle, and Yhatzee, I made the hour and a half trip home to hang out with my mom.

The french toast was supposed to bake for 40 minutes covered, then uncovered for another 20 so it could get nice and brown and bubbly and yummy. (Those were my words, not the recipe's).

20 minutes in, I said to my mom, "Shouldn't we be at least smelling the cinnamon baking?" We chalked the lack of aroma up to it being covered, and surely it would smell wonderful during the last 20 minutes.

At the 40 minute-mark, I uncovered it, and ended up baking it for another 30 minutes. As I pulled it out of the oven, I knew it wasn't going to be good. Why?

Because it looked like this:

Being the fanstastic woman that she is, my mom tried to make the best of it, and said it couldn't taste THAT bad. I bravely took the first bite...and it tasted like...whole wheat bread. And egg whites. With nutmeg. BLECH. Declaring it a culinary disaster, I said the mess would NOT be eaten for a Mother's Day Dinner. My mom then breathed a huge sigh of relief because she didn't want any part in it, either. So...I had some left over rice she had in the refrigerator, and mom ate a Lean Cuisine. Happy Mother's Day.

The weird thing was, my mom and I just kept picking at it. Like, it was going to get better after it sat there? It seemed like in principal it SHOULD taste good...but it just never did. Eventually my sister Morgan came home, and we tried to convince her it was yummy, but she too was not impressed. Yet she kept picking, just like the rest of it. My dad declared it "horrible", and he was right.

I also blame this painful burn on that Bastard French Toast, because it happened when I was trying to pull it out of the oven:

My mom thought the whole incident was "Cute". (Cute? Really? It might have been cute if I was say, 14...not 26.)

All in all, it actually was a really great trip home. I got to spend some QT with my mom, which I don't do nearly enough. I also upped her self-esteem a little because I let her kick my ass in Boggle, and once in Yhatzee. I had to let her, it's Mother's Day:)

Saturday Blogging is Hard.

Blogging every day for an entire year is a daunting task. I've been doing this for a week or so...and it's Saturday afternoon and I don't have a clue what to write about today. I'm heading home to Sigel for the afternoon to spend some quality time with my mom and Morgan since I can't go home tomorrow for Mother's Day, and I realize if I don't write something before I head home, I won't have a post for today.

**insert cricket chirping noise here**

Yeahhh...ummm....

How about this:

I can't keep a plant alive to save my friggin life. We bought two plants to stick in the corners of our living room, and I'm having a hell of a time keeping them green.

Yes, as you can see, I even have Aqua Globes, and they're STILL dying. The only thing I can figure out is it's because I'm a vampire and work at night, and Felix is at work all day, so the poor things never get any sunlight because I keep the house as dark and dreary as possible in order to catch some zzz's.

Oh...what is this? Both Aqua Globes are empty?

Damn.

I guess i should go ahead and fill those up.

Not Burning My Bra Anytime Soon.

This blog post might single-handedly set the women's movement back 50 years. It's about my firm beliefs in traditional rolls of men...women...and relationships.

The idea came to me as I was perusing the interwebs, searching for recipes Felix might like for our dinner tonight.

Our schedules are so opposite during the week, that we buy our own food and make our own meals. So, I've gotten into the habit of cooking dinner on Fridays for both of us.

Feminists out there may gasp! Why doesn't HE ever cook for ME?

I'll tell you why. First, I genuinely like to cook.

Second...wait for it...

There's something satisfying to me about making my man a homemade meal. Because, the old adage still stands: the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. It's one of the easiest ways to put him in a good mood. If I can show him I appreciate him by making him lasagna or pot roast, I'll do it. Happily. Even with an apron on (if I had one). My mom instilled in me the importance of being able to cook when I was fairly little. I remember her telling me I needed to know my way around the kitchen in case I got married, or better yet, in case I never did. She's a good cook, but after doing it for 40 years, she hates it. My grandma, however, is a great cook, and she still enjoys doing.

There are some other fairly traditional womanly rolls I don't mind doing.

1. Laundry. Honestly ladies, this job SHOULD be ours. What guy knows which pair of your jeans NOT to put in the dryer so they don't shrink? Or that your unmentionables need to be washed in a garment bag on the cold/gentle cycle? I think it's just easier to do it myself, and while I HATE putting laundry away, there's something about having a nice, big basket of neatly folded laundry that makes me feel calm.

2. Allowing him to be the "MAN". There's nothing wrong with letting him think he's in charge (Ladies, we know better). I think he should be good at fixing things that are broken, carrying heavy things upstairs, getting stuff you might not be able to reach, taking out the trash, and opening jars that you just can't manage. I also think it's foolish to emasculate him in front of his friends. Even if he pisses you off, just wait until you get home to show him your womanly wrath. There really is no need to do it in front of his boys.

3. I try to look semi-presentable when he gets home. Even if that means I'm still in my sweats (at least I showered). I WANT him to think I'm pretty, and remind him how lucky he is to have me in his life. I tried hard to impress him when we first started dating, so why quit now that we live together? It's not like he's never seen me without makeup on, or stinky and smelly from working out, or smelled my morning breath...but I can't find fault with making an effort to look good for him.

4. Cleaning the kitchen floor. This doesn't need a huge explanation, it just bothers me when there's hair and crumbs and dried pieces of pasta being kicked around my kitchen.

I'm not saying there doesn't have to be any effort on HIS part. Felix makes his fair share of dinners (or at least BUYS them), I haven't cleaned the bathroom since we moved in together becaues that's HIS job, he drives alot of the places we go, and he's never sitting around in his own filth. I also am 100% confident he's going to stick up for me if some guy says my ass looks fat (not PHat) at a bar. Our relationship is pretty equal, even if it might be a little old-fashioned. It works out.

Well, I'm off to start making some cajun chicken pasta before Felix gets home from softball practice. And even though I may have makeup on and my hair is curled, I'm still wearing sweat pants and slippers.

Viva la Margarita aka Thirsty Thursday!!

I know Cinco De Mayo was Tuesday, but I don't think there's ever a BAD time to have an ice cold margarita. Especially this one. It's called a "White Trash Margarita" and the recipe was recently brought to my attention by a very talented drink mixer by the name of Sally Lemmon at Jody's 30th birthday party a few weeks ago. You will NOT be disapointed.

INGREDIENTS:

-1 can frozen concentrate lime-aid

-1 bottle Corona (I'm sure any beer will do)

-bottle of tequila

-lots of ice

-Sprite or 7-Up


DIRECTIONS:

Empty frozen lime-aid concentrate into big pitcher. Fill empty can with beer, add to pitcher. Fill can again...this time with tequila, add to mix, fill it up one more time with Sprite... Add the ice, stir up, enjoy!!!

***DISCLAIMER TO MY MOM*** Just because I enjoy a cocktail every now and then does NOT mean I'm a binge-drinking alcoholic. I know it absolutely boggles your mind that people actually have a few drinks on the weekends to relax, but some people do. And I'm one of them. I assure you I will not turn into a trainwreck of Lindsay-Lohan-like proportions.
***EDIT*** In the first draft of this post, I forgot to add the Sprite. Whoops! I guess there's gotta be something in there to dilute the tequila! Makes sense!

Ohhhh No she DIDN'T!!!

I know I already have a post for today, but I just got REALLY excited...and I'm home alone...aaaand it might be a little WEIRD to call/text/instant message someone about this.
I love love LOVE Dancing with the Stars, but I always miss the Tuesday results show because it is on at the same time as The Biggest Loser...and, if you know me, you know I canNOT miss Jillian and Bob "giving people their life back".
Anyway-I usually just Google the results when I get to work that night, but just NOW remembered it had been on.
I have been pulling for Cowboy Ty Murray (better known to most as Jewel's husband) all season long, because A) I'm a fan of the underdog B) He's so darn charming with his polite attitude and southern drawl, and C) He keeps on improving throughout the season.
So, to recap, through some sort of miracle, Ty made it to the Top 5, and then he REALLY sucked on Monday.
I was wistfully coming to terms with the fact that my main man was going to be sent packing.
But just in case, for the first time in my entire life, I VOTED FOR A REALITY SHOW.

FIVE TIMES.

Maybe my votes saved my cowboy, cause Ty is now in the TOP FOUR.

And here's the real kicker...judge favorite...the Queen Bee, Miss Bionic Booty herself, Lil' Kim was sent home! Totally surprising.


I can't say that I'm not pleased though, because the ridiculous amount of plastic surgery she has had on her face makes her seem as though she's in a perpetual state of surprise, and terribly pissed off at the same time...or maybe like she has such terrible allergies that she is ALWAYS forced to breathe through her nose. If that's the case, Lil' Kim...and it IS allergies...I apologize. But I still can't say I'm sad to see you go.