I laughed so hard....I peed a little

No. Seriously. I think I peed my pants! Jax over at The Roaring Twenties (mine that is) mentioned this site about awkward family photos and I just had to check it out. Lately I've needed some good laughs. OMG Funny! As if the pictures weren't funny enough on their own....the commentary had me on the floor. Here are some of my favorites.

This is what we like to call a "choose your own adventure" family photo

Sit on it, dad

Takes every girl back to that special moment they got their first crossbow

He considered the earrings but thought it would look too matchy-matchy

Saturday night special: Bon Family Blow Out

And I was like....Why are you so obsessed with me??

So it's been awhile since I've been totally hooked on a song...but Mariah Carey has gone and done it with her new single. Now I'm not usually a big Mariah fan, but something about this song has got me....well obsessed. And since I'm apparently not techy enough to upload a youtube video, you'll have to check it out here.

And now on to someone WAY more important than Ms Carey....ME of course! Last week Skinny Bitching tagged me on a fun little survey. Since I was at a loss for blog topics (me...speechless?? It's a miracle in and of itself) I thought it might be fun. So here's a little more insight into what makes me....me!

Make a list of things you can see without getting up:

Oh dear. A VERY messy desk....it's my ultimate hiding place for clutter and junk when we have showings. Just close the doors and POOF it's gone!

What were you like when you were five?

Ummm. Adorable of course...in that annoying little sister kinda way

What are wearing now?

Scrubs. Of course. Why change after work. It just makes more laundry later.

What color is your bedroom?

Green. Sherwin Williams Parakeet green to be exact. It sure is a lot brighter than that TINY little sample square. But 4 years later I'm still too lazy to repaint....so green it is.

What's the last think you read/currently reading?
I just finished Love the One You're with by Emily Giffin. I love her books. They're a must read of you haven't already. Next on the list: I'm re-reading Harry Potter 6 after seeing the movie.

Do you nap a lot?
Not as much as I'd like to. I sure do miss nap time. Why can't the US adopt daily siestas??

Who was the last person you hugged?
Geez. That's a toughie. Probably my bestie Maria.

What's your current obsession?
See top of post. That and makeup. I've never been much of a girly girl makeup wearer...but this summer I've spent WAY to much time and money at Sephora. I blame it on all of my blog friends and their fantastic recommendations.

What was the last thing you said out loud?

Damn these chicken breasts are huge!! What are they...on steroids?? (Yes. Now that I'm alone I've begun shouting out loud again...to myself)

What is your favorite color and has it always been your fave?

Blue. Any shade. And no...as a little girl it was pink. My mom claims I changed it to blue during my bratty pre-teen years just to spite her. Yeah mom, I purposely picked your least favorite color on purpose. Such the rebel I was.

What was the last thing you bought?

Groceries

What are you listening to right now?

Actually. Nothing. But that dang Mariah Carey song has been eternally stuck in my head since lunch....so I will count that.

What websites to you always visit when you go online?

Yahoo! mail, Blogger, TheKnot.....

What song are you currently listening to a alot?

I'm not even going to answer this. If you don't know by now....we've got problems.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

It's a toss up between the ability to fly and the ability to be invisible

What is your favorite weather?

Fall. After a hot, humid summer I love the cool crisp mornings

What is your most challenging goal right now?

Selling the condo, finding a job, moving to KC. Ok. That's three...but in this economy they're all tough!

If you could have a house -totally paid for, fully furnished- anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Santorini, Greece. I've never actually been, but it looks amazing!

Favorite Vacation spot?

Anywhere with water, sun and adult beverages

Favorite children's book?

The Polar Express. I've loved it since I was a child. A few years ago for xmas by Bestie Maria bought me a copy. I read it every year on Christmas Eve and can't wait to have kids to share in the tradition.

Name one thing you can't resist no matter how bad it is for you?

Sweets. I LOVE candy of all kinds.

If you could meet anyone famous -dead or alive- who would it be?

Princess Diana

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

mommy

Tasty Tuesday

Good Morning!!! This week Tasty Tuesday is brought to you by Cooking Light. (Check it out, they usually have free 2 month trial!!) This is one of my favorite magazines. Every month I read it 2-3 times cause there always seems to be things I miss. In honor of summer, I have a another salad to try. It's perfect for cookouts!

Pita Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumber and Herbs

Yield: 8 servings (servings size: 1 1/4 cup)

Calories 183; Fat 10g

3 (&-inch) pitas

4 cups coarsely chopped romaine lettuce

2 c diced English cucumber

2 c halved cherry tomatoes

2/3 c crumbled feta cheese

1/2 c finely chopped red onion

1/2 c chopped fresh mint

1/4 c thinly sliced green onion

1/4 finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

6 T fresh lemon juice

1 t sugar

1 t pepper

1/2 salt

1/4 c EVOO

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Arrange pita on a baking sheet, bake at 375 for 14 minutes or until dry and crisp, turning after 7 minutes. Set aside; cool.

3. Combine lettuce and next 7 ingredients (thru parsley) in a large bowl. Break pitas into bite sized pieces. Add pitas to salad; toss gently to combine.

4. Combine juice, sugar, pepper and salt in a bowl. Gradually add oil stirring constantly with a whisk. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss well to coat. Let stand 30 minutes; serve at room temp.

BON APPETITE!

Mama's gotta brand new bag!

So in my birthday card from my parents I got this:

(How cute is my mom that she actually had a Coach tag)

Now my bday was back in June, but I already had my eye on a few bags. Of course I had to wait for them to make their way over to the Outlet by my parents house, per the IOU stipulation. No easy task. Sometimes it takes forever, especially with the new bags. I perused the store when I was home in July. Nothing really caught my eye, so I decided to hang on to the IOU a bit longer.

Fast forward to today

I'm walking through Macy's...by the purse counter of course....and notice a sign that says "Coach 50% off select items." I go to check it out. The saleslady shows me which ones are included in the sale and then points me to another case with a 65% off sign. OMG I'm in Coach heaven. Someone pinch me. This can't be real. And there, on the bottom shelf I see it. The most beautiful leather bag, soft as butter. (Yes I just compared a purse to butter) I ask if I can see it, so she pulls it out of the case. Oh it's so yummy. It's a gorgeous creamy tan, perfect for all year round, and the liner is pink. Eek!! I glance at the price tag. Hmph. Still kinda high, and probably not going to qualify for my Bday IOU. But wait, she scans it to see the discount. What?!? The tag didn't already include the discount. Seriously. Someone pinch me. They're practically giving this bag away. She sees me eyeing the matching wallet, which of course is also a freakin' steal. That's it. This bag must be mine. And according to the receipt my total savings for the day was $439.40. Holy crap! And people say I don't know how to bargain shop. Haha! Thank you mom and dad for my fantastic birthday gift.

It's not always puppies and rainbows

Sorry in advance for the downer post....but I'm kind of in a downer mood, so if the shoe fits right?

So as most of you know the hubs and I are living apart for awhile until I can move to Kansas City. I don't do long distance very well. I don't deal with change very well. It tends to bring out my horrible negative side. A side I'm not very proud of. As a defense mechanism when I'm sad, I tend to pick fights with the people I care about most....so in this case, my husband. Everyday we talk on the phone and everyday I ultimately ruin these phone calls by fighting about something small, trivial and most often ridiculous. I guess in my crazy mind if I'm angry, I can't be sad. And somewhere along the line I've decided dealing with anger is easier than dealing with sadness. Horrible right? But it's how I've been as long as I can remember and old habits die hard. Well this morning, after one of our typical horrible phone calls, I awake to this in my email box.

So everyday I sit at work thinking about talking to you at night,

I try to remember everything that has happened to me today so I can tell you when we talk.

You sound so cheery and excited to hear my voice,

I know you have so much to say and don't know where to start.

Deep down I know you wish you didn't have to tell me this way,

These things are better said in person.

Laughter soon gives way to silence,

Everything has been said.

Boom!

The conversation has shifted.

Laughter gives way to sadness,

Sadness gives way to anger.

This is not how I wanted the conversation to go.

This is not something that was planned.

What I look forward to the most everyday

Is now tarnished by some small thought.

How could something so small cause this much trouble?

How could something so small cause so much tension between us?

This is what I think about before I go to sleep.

This is what causes me to stay awake.

Having this kind of conversation everyday is tiring.

Especially when it's with your best friend.

I love my best friend.

My best friend is my wife.

I hope these conversations end soon,

Because I only want to hear what makes my best friend happy.

Everyone is made up of negative things,

But those things eventually turn to good.

There can be no set time for this,

Only time will tell.

I have nothing but time,

Because I will always have my best friend.

I love you.

Talk about a wake up call. I'm not sure what I did to deserve this man. Someone who will put up with all my crap and still love me at the end of the day. Cause that's what love is after all. Unconditional.

Someone let the crazy girl out!

Some months I get PMS. Some months I don't. This month happens to be on of the crazy ones. Joy. My version of PMS doesn't just mean irrational moodswings and general bitchiness, it also means emotional overload. I told my boss, whom lately I've HATED, that I was quitting. I got out, oh, 2 words before the water works started. Seriously?? I cried giving my 2 weeks notice. Oh lord.

Then today at Target I had this sudden urge to buy Oreos. Read, my crazy hormones told me if I didn't consume something sugary, chocolate and delicious soon, bad things would happen. I tend to give in to the crazy girl. Once in the cookie aisle I discover a problem. No real Oreos. Ok, they had the boring old original ones, but I felt it was a double stuff moment....which meant I had to buy the Target version. Ok. No biggie, an oreo is an oreo right? Wrong! Do not. I repeat DO NOT by generic brand oreos when that's all they have. If the choice is Target brand or nothing. Go with nothing. Some things just weren't meant to be generic....I now add Oreo's to this list.

Tasty Tuesday

Hello lovelies! Today Tasty Tuesday is brought to you by my 3 favorite ladies from Cook Yourself Thin. If you haven't checked out their book or watched their show on Lifetime, you really should. They take your favorite foods and make them skinny but still delicious!

Fruit Smoothie (my new breakfast fave!!)

Serves 2

Calories per serving: 205

1 cup fresh raspberries

1/2 cup chopped banana (freeze 10 min before chopping)

2 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (I used simply orange with pineapple...yum!)

Place all ingredients into blender. Whip until smooth. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hrs.

Oven-Baked Crispy Chicken Tenders with Coleslaw

Serves 4

Calories per serving, chicken and slaw: 519

For the chicken:

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1/4 t thyme

1 bay leaf

2 t salt

1/4 t red pepper flakes

1/2 c nonfat buttermilk

1 pound chicken tenders (about 12)

1 1/2 c cornflakes, crushed to medium crumbs

For the coleslaw:

1 1/2 (10 oz bags) cabbage slaw mix

1 red bell pepper slices thin

2 T thin sliced red onion

2 T shredded fresh basil

2 T shredded fresh mint
1 T low fat sour cream

1 T nonfat buttermilk

1 T seasoned rice wine vinegar

2-3 dashes hot sauce

1/8 t salt

1/8 t pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with Pam.

2. For the chicken: In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, spices and buttermilk. Add chicken and turn in marinade. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

3. For the coleslaw: In a large bowl, combine the cabbage slaw mix, pepper, onion and shredded herbs. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the sour creak, buttermilk, vinegar, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over the veggies. Toss to coat.

4. Places the cornflake crumbs on a plate. Drain chicken tenders. Coat chicken with cornflakes. Place on baking sheet in a single later. Bake at 400 degrees about 15 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.

BON APPETITE!

I Kelly take you....Kelly

Ok. So I know they aren't related, but it's still a little werid. Check out the same named, soon to be Mr. and Mrs.

My laminated list

So the other night I get the most random of texts from the Mr.

"If you could sleep with one celebrity, who would it be?"

Now me, being someone who's not really into celebrity gossip or having celebrity crushes, didn't feel like playing along. Party pooper, I know. Well after much persistance, I finally gave in. So here, in no particiular order is the list I gave him.

Brad Pitt. Pre-Angelina.

Bradley Cooper

Gerard Butler

Taye Diggs

And the wild card....I'd totally go gay for Jennifer Aniston.

So who's on your laminated list?? (sorry, I couldn't resist a Friend's reference)

My bouquet is back!

So when it came to all the wedding hoop-lah I toiled with whether or not I wanted to preserve my flowers. In 20 years was I really going to care if I had a shadow box of some old dried up bouquet? (I'm hugely sentimental, can ya tell =P ) After looking into it and seeing the price tag, I ultimately decided, "Nah, I'll be ok with not having it preserved."

Fast forward to the morning after the wedding

As I awoke in my newlywed bliss I saw my bouquet in all it's glory sitting in a vase on the hotel room table, I couldn't bear to just let it die. I had forgotten just 12 hours earlier in my only bridezilla moment of the entire day, while tripping up the steps because I couldn't hold my gown AND bouquet I blurted out "Will someone take these f*cking flowers before I kill myself on these stairs!!" (My new MIL was thankfully the only one at the top of these said stairs to hear my tantrum)

When we got back home that morning I was on a mission. I frantically started searching through all my wedding stuff, trying to find that info I'd picked up at the bridal fair months ago. As my newlywed husband helps me look, assuring me it would be OK I'm pretty sure I yelled back, "OH MY GOD its New Year's Day. No one will be open. My flowers are going to die along with the rest of my wedding memories" (I tend to be a little dramatic and I think the emotions of the day being over had gone slightly to my head) Lucky for my husband, I found the info and left a frantic message on the woman's machine pleading it not be too late. I heard back from her and was assured she could indeed take my flowers the following day as we headed out of town for our "mini-moon." Crisis averted.

Fast forward 7 months, yes, 7 months

I finally get to see the finished product and it's gorgeous. I can't wait till we actually have a house to display it in. But for now, it's quite happy living perched atop the dresser in our bedroom. In 20 years will I be happy I did it? You betcha!

Big Love

So when it comes to HBO shows I'm eternally outta the loop. I didn't start watching Sex and the City until AFTER the series was over. I know. I can't believe it either. One weekend years ago I got the first season on DVD to see what all the fuss was about and was instantly hooked. Well now fast forward 6 years. I still too cheap to pay for HBO. No biggie. SATC is over anyways and I own them all on DVD. Well my friend recently turned me on to a new series called Big Love. It's about a polygamous family living in the suburbs of Utah. I am hooked! The drama between the 3 wives is hysterical. My favorite is Margie, the 3rd wife played by actress Ginnifer Goodwin (the main girl from He's just Not that into You). I've always liked her as an actress and she plays this role perfectly! Plus she reminds me a little of me, so it's easy to be biased. I suppose if there's an upside to living 10 hours from your husband it would be the freedom to watch episode after episode after episode with an ounce of guilt. Next time you have a rainy day you should check it out!

The one thing about the show however, is knowing things like this actually exist outside of the HBO sound stage. At the beginning of the pilot episode it said there are 20,000-40,000 people in the US living a polygamous lifestyle. I can't believe it! What woman in their right mind would share their husband...with 2 other women?? He kisses them all in front of each other. The other wives catch each other sleeping with him. They have this weird demented schedule so he knows which wife he's with and when. I don't know about you, but I can be a pretty jealous person and this certainly wouldn't fly in my house. Plus I don't think my hubs could handle 3 wives. I'm pretty much all any one man could handle! Haha.

Help me find a new moisturizer!

So in the last few months I've been playing around with my face regimen. I have tried just about everything. From expensive Philosophy and Origins to cheapy Biore and Olay. The Philosophy made my face break out like a pre-pubescent teen. The Origins and Biore made my uber senstive skin look like I'd spent one too many hours in sun. So much for being "all natural." I finally settled on Olay for sensitive skin. So far so good. I've also been using the Olay Touch of Sun moisturizer which I love...except for the greasy heavy feeling I get from wearing it.

Does anyone have a good moisturizer with built-in sunless tanner that's not going to break the bank??

My "to-go" list

I've decided lately I've been in a bit of a blog funk. I apologize for post after post involving the boring details that are my life. You can probably only read so much about condo selling, job searching and moving to KC before officially taking me off your regular must read list. To mix things up I'm going to share with you my "To-Go" list. Honestly I have soooo many I want to visit some day, but I will limit it to my top 10. Enjoy! And I promise I'll try and be a little more entertaining with my blogging!

1. Ireland. I'm not Irish. My husband isn't Irish. Heck, I don't think I even know anyone who's Irish. But for some reason I have this undying urge to go to Ireland.

2. Greece. Thanks to The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, I am obsessed with Santorini and the rest of the Greek Isles.

3. London. Double Decker buses, red phone booths, Big Ben and the Queen? Sign me up! 4. Alaska. I am a cruise-a-holic and have been told by fellow cruisers this one is a MUST SEE! We have it tentatively scheduled for Summer 2010. 5. Dominican Republic. I have friends who honeymooned there and really must experience it for myself. 6. Las Vegas. I'm not one for gambling, but everyone really should see sin city at least once in their life.

7. San Francisco. I've conquered southern cal, now it's time to venture up north. 8. Madison, WI. No, I don't have an obsession with cheese. I am however a self proclaimed college football fanatic and I want to experience at least one Wisconsin/Ohio State game at "Camp Randall" in my lifetime. However as a devout Buckeye, I promise not to "Jump Around" in the 3rd quarter. GO BUCKS! 9. Hawaii. Ok this one is sort of cheating. I did in fact spend 5 days in Oahu in May. However it was with my co-workers and it was only one island. I want to go back with the hubs and see Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. 10. Outer Banks, NC. Cliche Ohio vacay destination I know, but I've heard so much about the dang place I want to join the crowds that flock there to see it's magnificence for myself!
So there you have it. I better get crackin' if I want to see all these places! What's on your to-go list??

26 days....

'Till I get to see my hubby again and officially move to KC. Not that anyone is counting.

I stepped off the plane in Columbus and was greeted on the other side of security by a slew of "Welcome Home" signs, patriotic balloons, American flags and anxious families. I took this as a pretty good sign there was a plane of troops landing somewhere behind me. I've really never known anyone in the military, but the looks on all those faces made me a little misty eyed. If they can all make it 12-15 months apart...I can surely handle 26 days.

Let the countdown begin!

On a more depressing side note. Over the weekend we had 2 very serious buyers, one of whom made an offer. The offer was about 10k less than we wanted, but we attempted to meet in the middle and lost. They wouldn't budge. Another no go. The second buyer didn't want to get wrapped up in a bidding war, so now that there's no competition we're hoping she will offer....but we're expecting another low ball. At what point do we just throw in the towel and give the place away......

*sigh

Tasty Tuesday

Hello lovelies! As promised I am going to start trying new and healthy recipes to share with all of you. Since I haven't been home to cook I'm going to give you one of my old tried and true goodies. I found it in Shape magazine a few years ago in their 7 day jump start diet. I probably ate this once or twice a week back in my single days. It's super easy and very filling! Hope you all enjoy it! I also included my new found party cove recipe, it's a great salsa alternative and was delish with chips and veggies!

Greek Salad
1 cup cooked whole wheat couscous
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped black olives (I omit these, I'm not an olive lover)
2 tablespoons light vinaigrette (I liked reduced fat balsalmic)

Combine all salad ingredients in a medium bowl and drizzle with dressing.
Makes 1 serving

Cowboy Caviar
Dressing:
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
1 t cumin

Then add:
1 can black eyed peas (drain and rinse)
1 can white and yellow corn (drain)
1 tomato, chopped as desired
green onion, chopped (all greens)
2 avocados (add right before ready to serve)

Bon Appetit!

I have a plan!!

So lately my life has seemed so up in the air. The hubs has moved to KC. Started his job. Began his new life here. I'm in Columbus. With the condo that may never sell. Unsure when I will EVER get to move. Trying to job search 700 miles away.

Today....I made a plan.

My meet and greet with the Placement Agency went well this morning. So well in fact she sent me directly to an office that's looking for a hygienist. The interview went swimmingly...they want to bring me back for a working interview. Working interviews are very common in my profession. You basically go and work there for a day to see how the office runs, etc etc. They are tremendously helpful in deciding if you like the office. If it's not a match, at least it was a paid day, so nothing really lost. Anyways.....they want to see me back (HOORAY!) but not until Aug 10 (HMPH!). They've just started interviewing, are gone on vacation and not in a huge hurry to hire yet. Not a big deal, with the condo still on the market I'm in no real hurry either. The placement agency also said until I find a permanent job, she can find me temp jobs at least 3 days a week. I'm currently only working 4 as it is, so 3 would be do-able.

Now onto the plan.

When I return to Columbus tomorrow I will give my two offices official notice. I will work through July, my last days being Aug 5 and 6. The hubs is flying in for a wedding Aug 7. We will attend said wedding Friday night. Saturday we will pack up my things and drive to KC, leaving the condo behind....still on the market. I will go to my second interview Monday 8/10 and start subbing in the meantime to pay the bills. I hear the banks frown in it when you don't. Pesky mortgages. We may be a little tight in the moo-lah dept for awhile, but with this economy that's nothing new. It will be certainly be easier for me to continue my job search in KC. Plus the flying/driving back and forth is draining on the bank account.

So there it is. I have a plan. Kansas City HERE I COME!

Greetings from the lake!

Hello 21st century! So now that my parents live at the lake full time they've finally broke down and got wireless Internet! :::happy dance::: Now on a lovely Sunday morning, coffee in hand, I can sit on the deck and blog. Ah. Such the life. Here's me view:

Got in to KC right on time Friday, only to be greeted by my hubs and the dog. I was so happy to see them both and Kasey was more than happy to see me with his usual greeting of high pitched squealing and excitement piddle. What a mama's boy he is! The rest of the afternoon consisted of QT with my sister in law. We got pedi's which I desperately needed and now my tootsies are decked out in OPI's Charged up Cherry. We did grocery shopping for the weekend. And then waited for our men to get outta work so we could pile in the car for the lake. My ultimate happy place.

Saturday while the parents worked at the motel the 4 "kids" packed a cooler and headed for Party Cove. It was a quiet day in the cove but we tied up with some fun boats. I scored a recipe for Texas Caviar which I will post later. Oh. My. God. It was good. And for the 2nd time in 2 weeks I saw man junk. What is with all these men, don't they know no one wants to see that! And he wonders why at 35 he still hasn't found a woman who will put up with him. Boys! After a full day in the sun we headed back in for some dinner. I played chef and made kabobs and brownies from scratch. They were delish. :::pats self on back:::

Today's forecast isn't looking too promising, so my morning jet ski ride is probably a no-go. Maybe we'll head back in to KC early. I'm looking forward to meeting with the sub agency tomorrow. I've decided if she thinks she can promise me steady temp jobs, I'm putting my two weeks notice in when I return. It's going to be easier for me to job hunt for something permanent if I'm in Kansas City and can be available for interviews at a moments notice. We have also had 3, THREE, showings at the condo since I've been gone. And two were the same person. Here's to hoping!!

I leave you with pictures of Moose and "Grandpa." This is how we found the two of them Friday night....even the camera flash couldn't disturb their peaceful slumber. Looks like Moosey is quite at home with my parents. My dad says we may not get him back! We will see about that! Happy Sunday lovelies!