Book Chat - Children's Books

It's book chat time again! I missed it last week... Whoops. Oh well. This week's discussion topic is Children's books.

My blogger friend Mia is co-hosting today, nice!

The timing of this chat and topic is really ironic, actually. On Sunday I'm going to a baby shower for a good friend and I'm planning on buying her a baby book instead of a card, and writing the message to her and her husband in the book. So they can keep it for years and years! And they get a free present out of it too! I'm also doing this for another friend's baby shower in May and have asked the guests to do the same. 

I really like children's books. I don't' read them a lot, but I do like them. My favorite book as a child was definitely this one:

The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. Oddly enough, while I adored this one and read it about a hundred times, I never really liked Charlotte's Web or Stuart Little nearly as much. Or at all. And those are the ones you always hear about and think about when you hear E. B. White. Oh well, to each his own.

And I suppose it's a children's book, but it's one of those deep ones that you don't really fully understand until you're older...

I loved anything Shel Silverstein but this book especially. The tree... it just gives so much of itself... and the kid just takes and takes and then finally gets it. I practically cry just thinking about this story.

I actually only remembered it was book chat day when I saw this article on Half Price Books' Facebook:
As Seen on TV: 21 Books from Mad Men
So many good books! I only remember about a quarter of them being mentioned in the episodes though... The Chrystanthemum & the Sword, obviously, because an entire episode centered around it as they were trying to do business with ... Honda, I think. Lady Chatterly's Lover I remember too... I've never read that book. Ha! It's on my list. Along with about 500 other books...

Book Chat - Currently reading: Hero of Ages, The Dinner

Found a new link up on one of the blogs I follow that is so right up my alley!

Follow the link in the image if you want to link up. What else do you need to do? Just talk about what you're currently reading. Easy enough!

I'm almost always in the middle of several books. Kindle or actual books, it varies, but I do tend to read more on my Kindle than actual books now. It's just so convenient! So here are the books I'm currently reading, in order of how often I'm reading them.

Main book: The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson (Book 3 of the Mistborn series)
The Mistborn trilogy is one that my boyfriend had been trying to get me to read for awhile. How long? Let's see... we started dating in September 2011, and I put the first book on my Goodreads shelf in September 2011, and the second and third in July 2012.
I finally got around to reading them and I read the first one (Mistborn: The Final Empire) in January and finished the second one (The Well of Ascension) a little less than a week ago (yikes, on Saturday?) and I'm 90% through the third one now (it's about 570 pages total). I just have to know what happens!!
The characters are great and the world is interesting with a rich tapestry of a world it's set in. I think of all three of the books, I liked the first one the best, the third one next, and then the second one. The first one sets the scene (or does it? Cos as you read, you find out that so much of what you assumed was happening really wasn't what was REALLY happening) and draws you in. And the third one answers so many questions.
The series is about this group of rebels who plan to overthrow a tyrant ruler. I'm not going to tell you more than that. Just read it!

Book in waiting: The Dinner by Herman Koch
This is one I'm ready for book club. I'm not very far into it, only a chapter or so, because I've been so drawn in by Mistborn. I have until April 13 to get this book read, so no worries. Here's the synopsis. I'm not far enough in to give my own, so this one is from Goodreads:
A summer's evening in Amsterdam and two couples meet at a fashionable restaurant. Between mouthfuls of food and over the delicate scraping of cutlery, the conversation remains a gentle hum of politeness - the banality of work, the triviality of holidays. But the empty words hide a terrible conflict and, with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened... Each couple has a fifteen-year-old son. Together, the boys have committed a horrifying act, caught on camera, and their grainy images have been beamed into living rooms across the nation; despite a police manhunt, the boys remain unidentified - by everyone except their parents. As the dinner reaches its culinary climax, the conversation finally touches on their children and, as civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple shows just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love.

I have some other books on my 'currently reading' list on Goodreads but I haven't touched them in over a month, so they don't really count. I'll come back to them eventually. After I read my next few bookclub books and this short story by Brandon Sanderson my boyfriend has been telling me about for about three months now. Got to appease the boyfriend...
I kid. He tells me about good stuff. Mistborn, Breaking Bad... Sh, don't tell him I respect his opinion, even if it takes me awhile to get to his recommendations. 


If these books interest you, you should check me out on Goodreads! Check out my books, read my reviews (though I don't have many, I tend to just star and move on), be my friend! 

To give you a better idea of some of the things I like to read, here are some books I have recomended to various bookclubs I'm in that we should read.  Several of these did get chosen and the members loved them, for the most part.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
What Alice Forgot by Lliane Moriarty
Song of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
The Hunger Games (trilogy) by  Suzanne Collins

 Some of my recent suggestions, that are currently being voted on. I hope one wins, I really want to read these!
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

Me Myself & I link up #3 and games!

Sheesh, I haven't done one of these since December? That's crazy! I have got to get back on track with my blogging.

1. Do you celebrate Saint Patrick's Day? How?
Lol, I don't really, not even close. I actually went to a brunch with some friends on Sunday and as I walked up to the table I muttered, 'Oh fuck I forgot to wear green'. Then as I hugged a friend I hesitated and told him not to pinch me or he gets no hug hello! He behaved. He did not pinch.
I really just don't understand the big deal about St. Patrick's Day. Maybe because of a number of factors...
a) I don't look great in green. I look good in teal but people always say that doesn't count. Pft.
b) I don't drink that much.
c) I'm not Irish. I'm French!
d) Green beer? GROSS.

2. It's March which means spring break! We want to know how your spring break went or if it hasn't happened yet, what will your spring break consist of? 
I don't really get a spring break. I'm not in education. March to me means March Madness (by the way, if you want to join my bracket group, you can! The group is here and it's just for fun, no money, and the password is "bracket time") and playoff push.
However I do have some friends who are teachers and some friends who are in law school and last week was their Spring Break, so I was able to spend time with friends who I don't see much. Trivia night, game night, brunch! Good times. It was nice their Spring Break all fell on the same week.
One thing that we did was successfully complete this Zombicide mission. I have played this mission three times now, with experienced gamers the first two times, and failed miserably the first two times. Here's the second time we played it:

Zombies, don't eat my friends!

Well crap I got eaten (top right, the teal figure on its side). Eat my friends so I'm not alone!

But we did it! I almost died, half of our team DID die, but we did it! Now I can retire from that mission. I have some pictures of the successful mission but they're on my iPad.

3. A Zombie Apocalypse happens and you're stripped of all your luxury items. What beauty product would you miss the most?
Whoa... eerie. It's like MM&I knows I love zombies. I would definitely miss a few items... I wouldn't miss mascara. Bleh. But I would miss Lush's Rub Rub Rub salt scrub and lotion in general. Scented, with cocoa butter, whatever. I just love lotion and hate dry scaly skin.
Maybe I should set up my zombie plan bunker safe spot in a Lush factory....

4. What is the one cause that you feel most passionate about?
(Does backing Kickstarter projects count? No? It should!)
For the last several years, my sister and I have participated in the March of Dimes March for Babies walk. As more of my friends get pregnant, and I look forward to the days when that will be me too, I realize the importance of the work March of Dimes does. Every woman should be able to have a healthy pregnancy and if they do everything right, not have to worry about having birth defects or premature labor.

5. What's the #1 most played song on your ipod? 
I actually don't use my iPod anymore; at work I use Pandora for music when I'm going to be deskbound for awhile. But songs that I definitely wait to hear, or if I haven't heard in awhile, I'll go to Youtube and listen to:
Taylor Swift - "Red"
Maroon5 "Daylight" and "Payphone" (OMG I'M GOING TO THEIR CONCERT TONIGHT)
Train -  "Drive By" and "50 Ways to Say Goodbye"
Coldplay - "Viva la Vida" and "Yellow"
Oh and "Hoppipolla". I like Vitamin String Quartet's instrumental version of it. The original song by Sigur Rós is very cool too. Check out the video!

Time to pimp out the games I can't wait for, that I'm backing through Kickstarter!

Zombicide Season 2 (Prison Outbreak) + Expansion to S1 or S2 (Toxic City Mall) - I've mentioned this one before. I play the first game (Season 1) a lot. Hell I have a picture of it above. If you like zombies, if you like co-op games, get it! You play as survivors trying to complete some mission (some are easy, some are epic fail hard) and fight off the zombies. Some will live, some will die... some will be the hero (DON'T BE THE HERO!), some will be the bait. 12 days to go!
Dragon's Hoard - I've mentioned this one as well. 6 days to go!
Dungeon Roll - Mentioned this one too. You roll dice to see what treasure you'll unlock, what enemies you'll defeat, and how deep you'll delve into the dungeon. And when the dreaded dragon will show up. 10 hours to go!
SuperFight! - Another I've mentioned before. Really looking forward to this one. You have cards with characters that you chose to go against the judge's character, and then you have randomly selected powers/weaknesses cards. 8 days to go!

And some new ones!
Machine of Death - this seems like an interesting party game. So you're an assassin, and there's this machine of death that using a drop of someone's blood, can predict how they will die. So you get a card showing their method of death (cancer, old age, slipped on banana peel, etc.) and you have to make it happen. But maybe this person is on a space station, and you only have a few tools at your disposal. So how the heck are you going to make it happen? Well... you're the assassin. I'm sure you'll figure it out. 8 hours to go!
Story War - A storytelling party game! It's like Dixit meets Apples to Apples meets awesome. So you split into teams and there's a judge. There's a location and each team plays their character cards and some item cards and use their own creativity to argue why they would clearly defeat the other team. It's a more interactive Apples to Apples/Cards Against Humanity. Because while in those games you can argue for your card, in this game, it all comes down to HOW well you argue for your card. Debate club with cards? 3 days to go!
Flash Point: Fire Rescue - Extreme Danger -  I actually haven't backed this one, my boyfriend told me about and that he already backed it, so there's no real reason for me to back it. We did the same thing with Zombicide S2. It's an expansion to Flash Point, which is a co-op game where you play as fire fighters trying to rescue victims and put out fires and try to keep that building from collapsing in a fiery ball of wreckage. Which happens a lot... 28 days to go!

Hm....  I'm noticing a definite trend to my preferred types of games.

Tuesday Confessions!

That time again and this time I'm two days late! Oh yea I rock so hard! I think you guys know the drill by now. Click on the badge below, head over to Alyx's blog and link up! Make your own confessions, after reading mine of course!


1. I need to work on my temper. That sounds weird. I need to clarify... I don't lose my temper a lot. Almost never. But sometimes when I'm really tired or frustrated or both, I have these little outbursts that could almost be called temper tantrums. They're not healthy and I'm not proud of them and I don't like them. So yes, need to work on them.

2. Valentine's Day is coming up! I don't have huge plans with the boyfriend... Dinner at home that night, go out to eat for the day sometime next weekend since I'm working every evening this weekend for All Star weekend. I thought about doing something really cute, like a scavenger hunt, then I remembered Gone Girl... so nixed that idea.

3. I skipped working out last night. Whoops. It was the second class of my free two class pass from S Factor. It was just so rainy and gross last night! The last thing I wanted to do when I got home was go out again. So I didn't. Ha, world! Instead I watched about 4 episodes of Breaking Bad, season two. Almost done with season two, two more episodes!

4. I signed up for a TRX class! I'll start in March, every Saturday for six weeks. Excited and scared! Hopefully I won't make a fool of myself in front of my friend who's in the training session with me. I've always said I have very little upper body strength -- maybe this will be when I change that!

5. I think I'm obsessed. I can't stop thinking about when these games come out from Guillotine Games. I'm in love with Zombicide and have about 7 of my closest friends equally in love. We're planning an all-Zombicide games night. In honor of Walking Dead starting up again!

Zombicide Toxic City Mall expansion

Zombicide Prison Outbreak expansion/stand alone

6. I think I'm going to give up soda for Lent. Or fried food. Last year I did fried food and did really well... only cheated once! Or I could do soda AND fried food? Hm... Still deciding. I have one more day to decide!
This weekend might be the worst weekend to give up caffeine before. I'm going to be working late three nights in a row... It's not supposed to be easy though.
Oddly enough, I'm not at all religious... I don't even go to church. I have no opinions on the Pope's announcement yesterday that he's stepping down. I won't go to church for Ash Wednesday. But I still honor Lent by doing my sacrifice each year.

Can I do without you for 40 days, soda?

7. Happy late Chinese New Year! It's the year of the Snake! Chinese New Year started on Sunday. Saturday night my boyfriend and I had a big family dinner to honor the holiday. I got my first red pocket!

Money in red

Here's some information on Chinese New Year celebrations that seems pretty accurate. We did the New Years Eve family gathering and feasting. And the red pockets.

8. I owe you a recipe post. I haven't forgotten about the Funfetti cookies I said I was making last week. I did make them. Soon, soon! I'll probably work on that after I finish this post.

9. Whoa, eight confessions so far? I'm on a roll!

10. It's NBA Week! The NBA All Star games are rolling into town and Toyota Center is all dressed up!

Toyota Center -- AKA, All Star Center?

I'm going to try to get better pictures later this week when it's not so rainy disgusting.

Sunday Monday Confessions!

It's that time of the week again!


1. I'm just going to start calling these my Monday confessions. I just never can seem to get this done on a Sunday! It's on my calendar, I think about what I want to post, I just never get it done.

2. I'm getting a new kitchen doohickey this week! It was recommended to me by one of my awesome friends who loves to craft, bake, and is a great mom. She's like Martha Stewart. But cooler. Cos I can ask her questions. And she never went to jail.
So this is what I'm getting:

You can get your own at Amazon!

It's a Matfer 321005 Exopat 11-5/8-by-16-3/8-Inch Nonstick Baking Mat. I've been using parchment paper when I bake, which makes clean up so much easier, but it's a bit of a pain (I'm also just lazy). I don't want to spend the time cutting it, and then the paper is wider than the pan so I have to squash it down so it doesn't hang all over the place. And then I saw my friend posted a pic of her cookies out of the oven and I was all, 'yum! Hey what's that mat they're on....' I was sold.

3. I plan to test out my new baking mat this week! I have a game night with friends coming up this Friday so I'm going to make Funfetti cookies! Everyone loves the dip, and the same blogger who posted the dip (http://www.eat-yourself-skinny.com/) has a post with them in cookie format... So I want to see how they translate. Will report back soon.

4. I am Zelda obsessed! Reading The Legend of Zelda; Hyrule Historia, finding out about the Wii U Zelda in the works and the remake of Wind Waker has totally inspired me to play the old games again. I dug out my old Nintendo DS, the one that still has the GameBoy Advance slot, and started replaying Minish Cap from the beginning. I'm already about halfway finished. I tried to continue playing Ocarina on my 3DS but I don't remember where I am or what I was doing so I turned it off, I'll come back to it. I plan to also replay the Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons games -- flashback to GameBoy Color!! Pretty sure they'll play in the GBA slot on my older DS. And awhile ago I restarted playing Twilight Princess. Will pick that up again in awhile.
And I still have no plans to even try to finish Majora's Mask. Stupid game. I just can't do the lover's mask task, I can't do it!

5. I think I need to amend my 2011 taxes. Ew. :/ Should be pretty easy... thank you Turbo Tax!

6. I worked out Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and I'm working out tonight. Go me!

7. I read What Alice Forgot last week, in about 3 days, and it's seriously made myself think -- if it was ten years ago and then the next thing I knew, it was today, what would I think of my life?
That makes very little sense... Here's the book synopsis, to help explain:
Alice Love is twenty-nine years old, madly in love with her husband, and pregnant with their first child. So imagine her surprise when, after a fall, she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! she HATES the gym!) and discovers that she's actually thirty-nine, has three children, and is in the midst of an acrimonious divorce. A knock on the head has misplaced ten years of her life, and Alice isn't sure she likes who she's become. It turns out, though, that forgetting might be the most memorable thing that has ever happened to Alice.
 So let's see... ten years ago, I was almost 22. (I was probably playing Oracle of Seasons/Ages, lol.) I was living with my parents in Lake Jackson, after nearly flunking out of TCU. I wasn't in contact with any of my friends from TCU because I was so ashamed of how badly I'd done and how I had to leave. I was going to Brazosport College to appease my parents... It was my second semester. I think it was around this time I was taking a computer programming class and realizing that I could do college, I wasn't dumb, and I had decided on a major that I could graduate with in a year. I think I was still terrified of my parents' idea that after I graduated from BC, I needed to go to a university and finish up my bachelor's degree. I was working at Hallmark/Coach House Gifts. I was totally frivolous with my money and accumulating a lot of debt that future me would get to deal with. I spent most nights hanging out at IHOP with my friends -- ah! The start of my chub! Eating a club sandwich or pancakes or fries or a sundae at 11pm then going to sleep an hour later... My dating life was pretty nonexistent.
Now? (I'm still playing Zelda!) I'm living in the Galleria area with my long term boyfriend. I've reconnected with my really close friends from TCU. Do we see each other? No, but I do want to change that and soon, Miss Polly and Miss Lissa! But our lives are busy. :) I have an MBA and a payroll certification. I work for the Houston Rockets. I have seized control of my debt and am much more aware of my expenditures and my disposable income. 
If I had short term amnesia today, and was thinking it was 10 years ago, and I was looking at my life, I definitely don't think I would recognize it. But I'm actually so thankful of that. I have grown so much in the last ten years and I am in such a better place, in all aspects of my life. Financially, emotionally, mentally, physically.

Sunday Confessions!

You know the drill! Grab the button (click on the button to go to Every Day is a New Adventure, who started this - she has the code super easy to copy/paste). Write up your confessions. Link up. Visit some new blogs!


1. I can never seem to do these on a Sunday. I really don't know why... I even woke up early yesterday and had several hours in the living room to myself, while the boyfriend was still asleep. I just wanted to read my book, not look at a computer.

2. I have to find my workout motivation! It's not even the end of January, it's too early to lose the whole "New Year, new resolutions!" oomph. I went to S Factor yesterday and realized it had been about a week and a half since I'd worked out. I didn't even wear my BodyBugg at all last week! Gotta get back to it... pretty much done with all of my workout Groupons, so now to get to a good routine with my usual places. Should go to Zumba tonight and tomorrow night. Those are my only two chances to go this week. I have trivia on Wednesday night, a concert on Thursday night, and a colorful run (yes, yet another one - it's my 3rd!) on Saturday morning.

3. I'M GOING TO SEE LADY GAGA THIS WEEK!! It'll be my second time seeing her in concert.

4. I had a psychic reading on Friday. I went to an entrepreneur showcase at S Factor with a friend (basically, all of their students who do direct sales things -- Scentsy, Premier Designs, Passion Parties, etc. set up tables and other people came in to check out the studio and the tables). One of their students was offering 10 minutes readings for $5 and I figured what the hell, why not. It was my first time ever doing something like this.
Some of the things she said were a little uncanny, too on point. One thing was silly. And one thing is just... staying with me, in the back of my mind. I actually talked to one of my friends and she's willing to go to some other psychic with me. Palm readings, tarot readings, I'm really not that picky. I want to try it out again, get a "second opinion", and just have fun with my friend. Now I need to do some research to find one that's not too gadawful expensive or in a sketchy neighborhood.
Too funny, I remember a scene in the book MWF Seeking BFF where she and a new friend went to get their palms read.

5. I turned down a cupcake on Saturday! My friend was going to Sprinkles, and asked me if I wanted one, and I said nah, thank you though. My reasoning was I was probably going to have frozen yogurt later that evening, so no double dessert for me! I didn't even end up having the froyo! And I wanted ice cream yesterday but never had it! (The bad thing is, the reason I didn't is because our complex's water was turned off yesterday so they could fix something. So I didn't want to get a bowl, the scoop, a spoon, dirty and then let them sit in the sink for who knows how long until the wtaer was back on and I could wash them. Little OCD....)

5 for 5, recipe fail

Well the recipe yesterday... I had so many pictures of my cooking, step by step, to share. But I'm not even going to because the recipe turned out terrible. Okay not terrible as in completely inedible just... blah, why did I even bother making it? I used frozen spinach instead of fresh spinach, and it turned out mushy... should have drained it more. And I put so much seasoning on top of the chicken but it turned out bland and just boring. Which raises the question I obviously don't know the answer to... how much seasoning is too much? How much is just right? I guess it's better I under season than over season.

Sigh. One of these days I will learn how to properly season while cooking. Back to the drawing board! It sounded interesting, and I ran it by the boyfriend before making it, and he said it sounded good.

I would have been better off using the spinach and just making a spinach lasagna, like one I made in the summer for father's day when my parents came up to see the new apartment. Live and learn. I'll just need to make that again some time.

It's time to do my weekly 5 for five!

1. Laundry, laundry. Do your laundry -- and put it away!
2. Go to Zumba twice. Tuesday and Thursday, you are my days! I should try to go to the 15 minute ab workout they have before my 7pm Zumba class too. I did that last week (the one time I worked out, blah) and ow! My abs were sore for days! Good stuff!
3. Talk with the boyfriend more on plans for Valentine's Day weekend. Where are we going, how long are we going for? Talk to work about it being okay to be gone for All Star weekend.
4. Wall art. Put it up! At least one room. I don't really care which one at this point.
5. Try out the new food processor. With something, don't know what. Hummus seems easy enough. You like it, you have a good recipe for it.

Long term list!
1. Organize books and movies.
2. Put up wall art.
3. Go through clothes.
4. Go to Goodwill. Did this Saturday! Took away a bag of clothes and old towels and stuff, a lamp, and the old pots and pans. I will need to go again if I, excuse me, WHEN I go through my clothes, but it's on the list!
5. Revisit the shoe cubby idea.
6. Figure out how to make Thai tea.
7. Clean my car. Clean out the trunk, clear out the back seat, get it washed.
8. Reorganize the pantry. 

Sunday Confessions!

Oh Sunday, Sunday... Time for random confessions! Actually on Sunday too, woo woo. My boyfriend is off at some rp'ing event, playing with his new collection of D10 dice, so I have the apartment to myself! Which means really I have the computer to myself. I had it to myself technically this morning while he was asleep but I slept in as  well. For once! Probably partly due to the glass of red wine I drank the night before with some of my friends. Yum. Not often a red wine girl but it's so yum!



1. I love my job. I seriously really do. I've been there almost 3 years now... It's totally busy right now and W-2 time, year-end, quarter-end wrap tasks are consuming my life for the next month and making it damn near impossible for me to schedule anything during the week with friends (I work late often during this time, but never really know when I'll need to or want to, or where I'll be in the whole process to even yet warrant it).
But every time I tell people where I work and what I do, their response is almost almost, "Oh that's so cool." Usually followed by, "Do you get free tickets" or "what does ___ make?". And I have to smile and say yes, it is cool. Yes, I do get free tickets -- not court side though. Oh I wish. Oh court side ... such a dream of mine. And yes I know what ___ makes but I won't tell you. Go Google it yourself!
Every day is different. Every day is an adventure! I've learned so much... There's no way I would have ever been able to get my CPP while I was at my old job. I just didn't have the exposure to basic payroll concepts that I do now. I don't think the CPP really would have helped me much there anyway. But now? I use things I learned in the course every day.

2. I want ice cream. I know. It's weird. We're in the middle of winter -- as wintry as it ever really gets here in Houston, TX -- and it's 40 degrees outside (actually today it's sunny and clear and windy and 57 degrees and so friggin' beautiful I wanna cry. I played disc golf. I was terrible but it was so fun). But I want ice cream! I'm going to the grocery store later. Maybe I'll give in. I'll get one that's so rich and decadent a) the boyfriend who doesn't really like or crave sweets won't touch it and b) it's so rich I can only take 1-2 bites and I'm done for the day.

3. Does someone want to come over and put up my wall art for me? Seriously. I don't want to do it! I want to have it up, it'll look so nice... I have spots for most of it planned out... I just don't want to. I'm scared of putting holes in the wall and messing up the placement and having to move it up or down and then you have a hole. And the painting. Blaaah. I'm having a big girls day in two weeks... I should really aim to have at least 2 rooms done by then (bedroom, living room, bathroom, dining room).

4. Going to try a new recipe today! Spinach and tomato chicken. I'm amazed too -- something that's not from the crockpot? And on Crockpot Sunday at that?? Laura, you wild woman! I'll report back later with how this turns out.

Hm. What else. Oh. Sure why not.

5. This wine is really good. This is the wine I drank last night that made me sleep in. You should try it out. It's super tasty. It's basically super expensive French wine that due to the weird French wine laws, can't be bottled as super expensive French wine. Here's some information on it. If you like reds, check it out. It's $12. And tastes like a $70 bottle. At least that's what my win connoisseur friend, who introduced me to it, says.

Time to go play with my iPad. And think about putting up wall art...

New Years 5 for Five!

Yay Monday. Time for this!



Let's see how I did on my list from last week... Green good, red fail!

1. Put away Christmas presents - new fan, new blender/processor, new pots and pans. So close! I put away the new blender/food processor, pots and pans, but not the new fan. 
2. Go to Zumba twice. Well when I failed on this I failed hard. I didn't go once!!
3. Strip the bed and remake it with fresh sheets. Did it yesterday - it counts!
4. Keep your schedule how it is now... open. Non chaotic. Yay. Did it. 
5. Just... make it through the next few days. I hate the end of the year at work -- SO MUCH to do! Well it's a week later and I survived so... well done, self!

Not touching the long term ones this time... I didn't do anything on that list.

So we're doing it a little different this week since Monday falls on New Years Eve. Usually I would now make a list of things to accomplish in the next five days but.... drumroll please...


Five things I want to accomplish in 2013... Hm. Okay go!

1. Complete my 2013 Reading Challenge - read 3 or 13 (aim for 3... if you hit 3 early on, go for 13!) books from the BBC Big Read list in 2013.

2. Lose 20 pounds. I'm not putting my weight here... I have other tracking methods. I know what it is. And I know what it needs to be. And those numbers are not really very close. But they CAN be.

3. Cook more often! What's more often? Hm... I guess I should make these goals SMART -- Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely. Okay so let's make it measurable.
Cook at least once a week. Use the crockpot for a meal at least once a month. That's pretty attainable.
Take a cooking class? Maybe.. those are stupid expensive. And I have plenty of recipes I want to try (thank you, Pinterest!). I think I'm good on my own.

4. Oh this one's pretty important... and I've been telling myself for weeks I need to do this. Control your schedule! Too many times I joke, "I don't know how many hours in the day I thought there were when I made this week's schedule" because I'll have something planned every single night and still need to do laundry, clean, sleep, etc. My sister can see my Google calendar and tells me often she has to hide it because it makes her feel a little crazy. So yes. More me time. Remember to have at least one night a week where you're not doing a damn thing and it's so glorious.

5. This one's a little vague but okay. Do something adventurous I haven't done before. I've gone sky diving, rappelled down a building, rock climbing (indoor), scuba diving... So what's next? Bunjee jumping? Base jumping (lol right)? Trapeze work?

Sunday Confessions - Late again

Whoops late on this again. Oh well, better than last week where I didn't do it at all, right?


1. It's 7am on my day off and I'm awake. Sure why not. This is actually a regular occurrence for me now on the weekends and holidays it just still freaks me out a little bit. I used to be able to sleep in til noon no problem! (Actually it was a bit of a problem -- I'd intend to get up at 9, set alarms, and then it would be 1pm and I'd just then be getting out of bed wondering where had the day gone. Kinda miss those days.)

2. I'm a little freaked out that tomorrow is going to be 2013. That was a super crazy fast year! And one of the best... at least for me. I'm sad to see it go. But excited to see what the new year will bring!

3. One of my favorite things about a new year is setting my new Goodreads Reading Challenge. Here is my 2012 one and my 2011 one. It is driving me a little crazy the 2013 one isn't up yet. Come on, guys, don't make me wait until it's actually 2013 to set my goals!! A few weeks ago I decided on a new reading challenge (2013 reading challenge - BBC The Big Read list) and I've actually got a head start on one of the books! I started reading The Hobbit a few days after seeing the movie. I know, reverse order! I'm about halfway through. I've had to pace myself so I finish it in 2013 not 2012.

4. Valentine's Day, SLOW DOWN! You're not here yet! And stores need to stop making me think you're just around the corner! Sheesh... it's not even January yet. I say this because on Wednesday I was getting lunch at the Park Shops (think: mall) and saw this at the cookie place:

Seriously! Let December end first!

5. I went to a gag gift white elephant party this past weekend. I was honestly a little scared of what I might bring home but hey, we all went into it KNOWING it's a gag gift theme, so that's part of the fun. I brought Perfect Brownie baking set, you know it from As Seen on TV! I thought it was too perfect. Someone will want it. It's mildly useful. You'd never buy it yourself. But it's not complete garbage. That's how I go into purchasing for a gag gift white elephant. "What's something I'd want but never admit I want or know I want?"
I was #11 and there was nothing I really wanted to steal so I opened a new gift and first I got this gem:

Too kind! What I always wanted!

And Chris was the best boyfriend ever. He made it DISAPPEAR. (Ok here's what really happened. I had to go use the restroom so I left it with him to "guard" and told me to be sure to display it, so everyone knows how cool it is, and when I got back he's holding something else and said someone stole the mug. So did he really do anything? I don't know. There could have been some serious coercion while I was gone. I wasn't there. So he gets all the credit.)
So I ended up with this:

As Seen on TV stuff is the best for gag gifts.

I'm kind of excited about it... Okay excited is the wrong word. It's a vacuum attachment. Excited is definitely the wrong word. Anyway I need to use it. I plan to soon. I just first really need to empty out the vacuum canister before I vacuum anything again.

Christmas 5 for Five!

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates! And to those who don't, happy Tuesday! Sorry everything's closed - you didn't need to shop though, did you? The stores will be more normal again starting tomorrow.

Good Christmas weekend! Busy Christmas weekend... It was my first time handling one with two families to take into consideration. I think I did okay with it... Some flaws. I'll work on them next year!

Friday I ended up taking the day off because I had to finish shopping and wrap up all the gifts -- except my own. Told the boyfriend I would wrap all of his stuff but not my own present. It's the principle of the matter, yea?

A Friday well spent! Seriously, when did I expect to do this stuff?

On Friday night the boyfriend and I met up with a friend of mine who moved away last year and her husband. They'd heard about the boyfriend but hadn't met him -- they moved away about a month before I started dating him. We went to Ninfa's on Navigation -- the original Ninfa's in Houston! And now the only Ninfa's in Houston... The other locations are now Maggie Rita's. It was so good. I love their queso. I love their fresh tortillas. I love their fresh tortillas rolled up and dipped in queso! My boyfriend ordered something I seriously have to try next time -- fajita burger. It's, you guessed it, fajita meat on a burger. Delicious!

I joked that they seated us in the perfect spot -- by the pun wall. Have I mentioned Chris loves puns? Like, almost unhealthily?

You read that right. Fleece Navidad!!

And then Chris and I spent a very romantic evening bagging his cards for his multiple expansions of Dominion so he can actually carry it with him and play it. Seriously, it has about 8 expansions! He got the newest one for Christmas from my sister and brother-in-law.

So many little baggies....

Saturday morning we drove down to my parents' house to meet up with my family for Christmas lunch and present exchange, and played some games with my parents and siblings.

Merry Christmas to my kitchen!!

That night we had a party to attend with some friends. I made my Funfetti dip and Chris made a cheesecake and we brought some presents for a white elephant gift exchange. Chris was feeling under the weather so my sister went with me. I've played white elephant gift exchanges with various house rules and I don't think the ones we did on Saturday is my favorite version.

1. #1 goes first, picks a gift. #2 can pick a new gift, or steal #1's. Pretty standard here.
2. After the third steal, so the fourth owner (not necessarily the fourth UNIQUE owner, just the fourth owner) the gift locks.
3. After the final person goes, #1 has another turn. All gifts unlock for them and they can swap presents with someone or keep what they have.

Here's where it gets different. The way I've played in the past the game stops there. But the way we played this weekend, #1 stole the present from someone at the end and they then had the chance to steal or keep what #1 had. So then it became a circle of stealing... Just different house rules than how I've ever played. I think of this more as a Dirty Santa? Just part of the fun!

We came back late afternoon on Sunday and yesterday we went down to Clear Lake to hang out with some of Chris' friends early in the afternoon and play board games. And then around 6 headed over to his uncle's house for a big family dinner. He actually just left again for Clear Lake for a big family gift exchange, that he found out about last night. I had to bow out... I feel bad but I had to. We originally planned to do nothing but hang around the house all day Christmas Day. I don't have presents for anyone so I would feel awkward just sitting and watching everyone open gifts but more so, I have such a busy week... no, month really, ahead of me at work I just need to take some time, the only time I have, to relax and breathe and just stop. Take a nap if I want! I already did all morning. :) Clean if I want! Organize some of the presents, out with the old in with the new. Read a book.  Make some cookies. Eat some cookies. Do some Wii Zumba. What does the rest of the day hold for me? No idea! After I finish blogging I'll find out!

No Sunday confessions for me this week. It's already Tuesday! I will do an update for the 5/Five though.

Last week's goals:
1. Finish up Christmas shopping.
2. Wrap up Christmas presents. 
3. Zumba once!
4. Do laundry.
5. Vacuum. 

Successful week! Even if I did have to look up if I made it to Zumba or not. I totally did. Not on the day I was originally expecting to, but it doesn't matter. I went!

New list!
1. Put away Christmas presents - new fan, new blender/processor, new pots and pans. 
2. Go to Zumba twice. 
3. Strip the bed and remake it with fresh sheets. 
4. Keep your schedule how it is now... open. Non chaotic. All I really have on it this week is exercising, a party on Saturday night with the single's group. Maybe get one more use out of a Groupon I bought at a hot yoga place. It's good for 10 sessions, it expires 12/31. I've been... once. Whatever. Hot yoga's a pain.
5. Just... make it through the next few days. I hate the end of the year at work -- SO MUCH to do!

And where am I on my long term goals?
1. Organize books and movies.
2. Put up wall art.
3. Go through clothes.
4. Go to Goodwill.
5. Buy fake book boxes for the table near the TV. Did this yesterday!! Combined errands with the boyfriend. He needed to go to Hobby Lobby sometime to get more craft bags that are sized right for his Dominion cards, I knew that Hobby Lobby had the book boxes I wanted. Bingo! Went to one in Clear Lake on the way to his friend's place. Go team!
6. Revisit the shoe cubby idea.
7. Figure out how to make Thai tea.
8. Measure table and hit up Target on 12/26 for clearance holiday table clothes. Actually did this already! I went to Target on Friday with a friend, before we had lunch, so I could buy gift wrapping. We were walking in the holiday tableware section and the cloth napkins and tablecloths were already on 50% so I just did it then. Didn't even need to measure the table - bought a round one that says the measurements and says the table would seat 4-6. Mine seats 4 so took a chance. Perfect fit! So now I don't have to go near Target the day after Christmas. YAY. I do need to go to some store before Saturday night though to get more tissue paper and one more thing for a white elephant gift.
9. Buy my iPad. Done!! Did this on Tuesday with the boyfriend on our way to dinner with his family.
10. Clean my car. Partially done... used a shop vac at my sister's house to vacuum out the floorboards and sides next to the driver and passenger seats. And while I was doing that... lo and behold, I found the phone I lost a month ago. That I already got replaced. Sigh.
11. Reorganize the pantry. Seriously. There's no rhyme or reason to the order it's in now.

Me, Myself, & I link up #2. And cookies!!

It's that time of the month again (no not THAT time of the month) - the Me, Myself, & I link up party. My second time doing this, I believe!


1. What was your favorite gift given to you as a child?
Let me paint the picture! It was 1991... I was 10 years old, sister was 13, brother was 15. We had banded together and asked for the Super Nintendo game system. It was all we wanted for Christmas! Christmas Eve we exchanged the family gifts, all good stuff, but no SNES. But that's okay, Santa had yet to come (and yes I think at this point I still believed in Santa - is that weird??) So Christmas morning comes, we get our Santa gift and still no SNES so we're all three a little bummed and then my dad's all, 'Hey, what's that behind the tree?' The end of this story would be terrible if it wasn't an SNES. Well it was! Man, my siblings and I played so much Super Mario World that Christmas break. And that next summer (I think) sooo much MarioKart.
There have been a lot of great presents over the years, but this was definitely the most memorable.

2. Christmas is almost here, what is that one Christmas song you could listen to on repeat?
Carol of the Bells and O Holy Night. Practically any version. I could also watch that video of the house lights synced with a Trans-Siberian Orchestra song constantly. 

3. What are a few of the items on your Christmas list this year?
New set of pots and pans, food processor, blender... It's a very kitcheny Christmas! Not a Kitschy Christmas. That's different. 

4. Do you and your family have any special holiday traditions?
We exchange family gifts on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning is all about Santa gifts! It's a little different as we get older... since Santa doesn't visit adults anymore. We're still figuring it out. But usually when we're around the tree exchanging presents, alcoholic beverages are involved. 

5. Which do you prefer: wrapping paper or gift bags? Why?
I love the look of wrapping paper and beautiful bows, but do enjoy the ease of gift bags. When you know what you're doing with tissue paper, you can make them look nice. All gift wrapping is really wasteful though... but I don't really care!

Let's see... what else is going on this week for me.

Oh, so no cookie swap party for me as it turns out. As usual, I way overbooked myself this week (seriously. I really need to work on that) and left no time to finish my Christmas shopping and gift wrapping. So I was looking at my schedule, workwise and lifewise, and realized I had one remaining day of vacation hanging out in my balance that I'd been saving for something or just wanting to rollover. I actually debated taking it off or not because I really wanted to go to the cookie party. I had my cookie picked out (holiday confetti cake batter cookies) and I had heard from a new commenter on my blog that the chocolate mint cloud cookies would totally work, since you're essentially making a meringue which bakes fine... AND she told me about a new cookie I should look for, and I totally did and will have to try out sometime (strawberry cake mix and cool whip cookies - yes I am a little obsessed with all the cookies I can make from cake mix! But hey, I had such success with the chocolate chip pumpkin spice cookies, why stop there?)

But I had to. I have the day, I need to take it, I have so much to do. I would have been going crazy Friday night. I also need to take advantage of the fact that there's the long weekend and I get presents and see family and friends and I can just BREATHE... before the year end mess and January busy'ness hits me and hits me hard.

Maybe I'll just make some cookies tomorrow. I have having lunch with a friend who's on holiday break from law school and back in town. Maybe she'll make cookies with me! It all depends on where I am come lunch time with my private gift wrapping party.

This week I also bought my Christmas present to myself -- 4th generation black iPad with 64 gig. I LOVE IT. MERRY CHRISTMAS, SELF.

In case I don't have a chance to blog again in the next few days, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! And have a good weekend to those who don't!

5 for Five #2

It's Monday... and I'm putting off getting ready for work... so it's that time again!

Let's see how I did last week, then set the new goals for this week! Green is successful, red is epic fail.

1. Put my laundry away.
2. Zumba at least twice this week.
3. Make food for parties.
4. Do some more Christmas shopping.
5. Call my parents.

Not bad, not bad... I did at least go to Zumba once last week. On Thursday I thought about it, but I got stuck at work a little late, and I needed to go to the store to get ingredients for the things I was making for Friday and Saturday. And the last time I want to go to the store is after I've worked out so I'm sweaty and tired. So I just went straight to the store and then home and spent some time with my boyfriend. And Saturday morning I could have gone... but didn't. Instead I made the Jello for cherry coke salad and went back to bed and lazed and then did Christmas shopping.

So here are my new ones! This week's are hard to come up with because it's a really busy week for work and socially... but here we go.

1. Finish up Christmas shopping. One more present to go, one more present to go!!

2. Wrap up Christmas presents! I usually like to do one big wrapping party and get them all out of the way in one shot, but I might have to do a present a night or something this year. This week is really busy... I think I'm doing something every night. Gotta cram in my social time because I'm going to disappear come January thanks to W-2 season and other year-end and quarter-end filing required for my job.

3. Zumba once! Tomorrow is my only chance! It's offered M-Th at 7:00P and Saturday morning at 10:30A. Tonight I have kickball, Wednesday I have the Rockets vs. 76'ers game (Chandler Parsons bobblehead night!), Thursday I have Bingo with coworkers for one of my coworker's birthdays, and Friday is up in the air. Invited to two End of the World parties or I may have dinner with my sister and a friend or I may just stay home and finish wrapping presents.

4. Do laundry. Getting low on my favorite workout clothes... I need to just buy more good workout pants.

5. Vacuum. We had people over unexpectedly yesterday and I realized I hadn't really swept or vacuumed in awhile, and I didn't have a chance to before they came over... It's presentable, and probably fine, but it still bugs me.

And here are some that I don't expect to get done in the next 5 days but they need to be done at some point... So... long term 5 for 5! Do in the next... 5 months?

1. Organize books and DVDs/Blurays. I was looking for Love Actually yesterday to watch with Ana, as is my yearly tradition around Christmas, and it took me awhile to find it. The order to the books and movies in the bookshelves is still 'get it out of boxes and into the shelves' that was created months ago when I finished unpacking.
I still need to do some measurements and make it down to Harwin where there are a lot of merchandise display stores. I have my books and DVDs in two rows in the bookshelves, because they're really deep, and I would like to put the back row up on risers. Just a half inch or so would do it. Just so I could see the titles of what's on the back row.

2. Put up wall art. I have a lot of it, I have wall hangers, I have a hammer... I just need to get it all out, organize the layout in my head, ask Chris if he wants any input on it (lol), and then DO IT! Put some holes in those walls!

3. Go through clothes. I have stuff I'm sure I never wear. Some may not even fit that well or I may not even like anymore. And if I go through clothes and get rid of it... I can justify getting new clothes~~~.

4. After #3 is done, Go to Goodwill. I actually know I will need to go to Goodwill soon after Christmas because I happen to know I'm getting a gift that will replace some stuff I currently have, and it will find a good home with Goodwill.

5. Buy fake book boxes for the table near the TV. Just an idea I came up over the weekend. They're really handy, and I think they look nice. Pretty sure Hobby Lobby always has them.

6. Revisit the shoe cubby idea. Need to continue looking for something that would fit near the door for our shoes and guest shoes. They're all spread out now and it drives me a little crazy.

7. Figure out how to make Thai tea. I have the mix, I have a tea sock. The method of using a coffee pot to just brew it won't really work for me since I have a single cup coffee maker (got it at Kohl's for $9!), so... figure something else out!

8. Measure kitchen table and hit up Target on 12/26 for clearance holiday table clothes. Maybe matching napkins if there is anything really pretty left over.

9. Buy my iPad. Okay, this one actually should be done in the next week or so, but I keep forgetting to go over to Microcenter so here it is. 

10. Clean my car. Go all out -- car wash, vacuum the inside, clear out the stuff in the backseat, clear out the stuff in the trunk. 

Sunday Confessions

It's that time again! That was a seriously fast week... It's been a seriously fast weekend too but it's been so great. Love this time of year! So many parties.... I've gotten to spend more time with people I haven't seen in weeks, find out what's going on in their life... So great.


1. I finally got my jelly beans! I was running various errands yesterday and doing Christmas shopping, and heading to Candylicious on West Alabama was on my list but I really didn't want to go there because it was across town from everything else I was doing and no other errand required me to go that direction. So I was heading back on Westheimer, out past the Beltway and I passed an HEB and thought to myself, that seems like a pretty big HEB. I wonder... So I pulled in, parked, hunted down their candy aisle...

It's like the promised land. Or something.

2. It's raining and I want it to stop. I need to go to the store soon to get stuff for crockpot chili (I'm planning to do this recipe) and I hate driving in the pouring rain. Other drivers are crazy when it's raining...

3. I am almost finished with my Christmas shopping! I need to go to one more store to get my dad's present and that's it.

4. Funfetti dip gathers new fans! I made it for a party on Friday night. I was bored and it didn't seem colorful enough so I dug in the pantry to see what I had and added red sprinkles. I'm going to get green ones so I can make it red and green sometime and call it my Christmas Snow Dip!
Here is the recipe for Funfetti for those of you who may have missed it on my earlier blog post.

5. I had a dream last night about reconciling with a friend who I essentially "broke up with" years ago. The dream was absolutely crazy. She was taller, and a mother now, and had an accent that she'd picked up from the foreign guy she married a few years ago. It made absolutely no sense. But now I'm going to thinking about her all week. Stupid dream!

6. I love the little clementines that arrive in all stores around the holiday season. So delicious  so easy to peel! I get one whiff of that delicious citrus smell and my mind is swept away to CHRISTMAS TIMES, YAY! That smell just reminds me of Christmas. It's really interesting how closely connected to our memories our scent of smell.

I've always seen them named Cuties. Maybe Cuties are from Florida, Sweeties are from California?

5 for Five #1

I really like this idea... Saw this linked on one of my new followers' blogs (Hi Mia!) And since this is my first time doing this, I only have to make a list! I don't have to update how I did on this last week.

So here's the deal. This is a link up with Jenn and Jessica. Every Monday, I'll set five goals for myself to be accomplished over the next five days. Then the next Monday, I'll evaluate how I did on my goals and set new ones. And then the next Monday, I'll evaluate those and set new ones... Do you see the pattern?

Okay, new motivation method... Let's go.


1. Put my laundry away. That's right. I know. I did some of it last night but I still need to hang stuff up. So. Do it!

2. Zumba at least twice this week. Last week I was sick, so didn't. Fine, whatever. But this week, no excuses! I have it on my calendar for Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I want to make it to at least two. If I can do all three even better!

3. Make food for parties. I have some get togethers this weekend, Friday and Saturday night, and I plan to make Funfetti dip for Friday's and cherry coke salad (no link for this, it's an old family recipe and I can't find the exact recipe online... I may just have to make one on Allrecipes and then take a picture) for Saturday's. And maybe my dad's cranberry sauce for Saturday's. Maybe. I don't have a zester or a small hand held juicer and I would need that for the recipe.

4. Do some more Christmas shopping. Need to get a present for my dad, my mom, and a white elephant gift for a party in late December. That gift might bring me to Bed Bath & Beyond... which is a dangerous place to go when I already stated I don't have a zester or juicer!

5. Call my parents. I haven't talked to them in awhile... Dang, self, have you even talked to them since Thanksgiving? Bad daughter, bad. Call mom and dad.

Sunday Confessions - Look guys, on a Sunday!

It's that time again! And look, I'm even doing it on a Sunday. I haven't done that in about three weeks...


1. I kind of totally bailed on the pub crawl I organized last night. Well technically I didn't organize it, St Arnold's did, I just found out about it and made a Facebook event for it so my friends knew it was happening.
Chris and I were running a little late but as planned we were able to eat beforehand at Le Madeline with some friends and then headed over to meet up with more people at Buffalo Wild Wings, which was one of the first four stops. I didn't want to eat there because I was afraid everyone would have that idea since it was one of the pub crawl stops. Guess what? I was right!! Got a text from one of my friends while at BW3: 'Understand now why you ate at La Madeline. They took forever with Sheldon's burger!' See? Sometimes I do know what I'm 'talking about.
BW3 was so crowded!! A bunch of people were eating so we stayed awhile and then most of the group was ready to go so headed on out to the next place. My other friends who were at another table were finishing up beers, and they were nice beers, no chugging, so we stayed another five minutes or so to let them finish then headed out. Next place was Little Woodrow's on Morningside which is pretty much all outdoors and a bar with no real front wall, just open air... so! Crowded! And cigarette smoke filled. Gross. I did find the rest of the group but they were "inside" near the bar and I stood with them for about a minute before I started to get claustrophobic from the press of people and had to escape. Chris, a friend of his, and I decided to just hit the rest of the places to get our stamps since they were all so close and then camp out in Black Walnut Cafe, which was NOT on the crawl, until it was time for the final stop and the pint glasses. So that's what we did. I did at least text as many people as I could think of to let them know that's what we were doing, and they could join us if they wanted, and Black Walnut had beer and wine if they wanted to drink! I got accused of cheating. Whatever. I can't deal with crowds and cigarette smoke. Ok I probably could but I choose not to. It's not my idea of fun. I like being able to hear the conversation I'm having with someone. I like personal space. And I like AC!
So if anyone who came out is reading this... I hope you had fun. I  hope you didn't feel abandoned by me, that was not my intention. I hope no one was off by their lonesome. That was not my intention.
And if anyone is still saying I cheated, haha, shut up. I got the same glass you did. Look how my collection grows!

Santo - from Dec crawl, C Ale - from Nov crawl, Summer Pills - from a crawl years ago I did  in Market Square area with my sister and brother-in-law, Lawnmower - from when I went to the brewery a few weeks ago.

2. Do you want to see my Christmas decorations for the apartment? Boom! That's it. :) I know. I go all out, what can I say?

3. I need to put laundry away. Seriously. I did laundry on Wednesday or so and it's all in a basket in the living room, just waiting for me. Maybe today. Maybe. I should today.... or else when the heck will I?

4. This weekend is just way too busy... I just want to hide. Yesterday it was the spa at 9, get gas, go to the bank. Book club holiday book exchange at 11 (I gave World War Z, I got Little Bee. PLEASE don't tell me anything about it! Somehow I've gone this long without being spoiled on it). Pick up equipment for ultimate frisbee today on my way home. Get ready for the pub crawl. Crawl. And then I was actually invited to two other parties last night, and my singles group had a games night. I called it quits after we hit up Chocolate Bar after getting our pint glasses. Enough is enough! I'm tired. And I wanted to spend time with my friends who drove up from where they live, an hour away, And then I wanted to spend time with my boyfriend. I felt like I never saw him this week cos I was sick and sleeping almost all the time I was home.
And today is just as crazy... Dim sum brunch with one of his friends at 11. I may have to bail early because I have ultimate frisbee that I'm hosting for the singles group at 1. Then this evening, we have dinner with Chris' family at 6 to celebrate his grandmother's 80th birthday.
All fun but aaaah! WTF! Did I even look at my calendar when I made my schedule this weekend, to notice the other events scheduled?
At least I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping.

5. I'm going to a screening of The Hobbit tomorrow with a friend -- IMAX!! Not 3D, I think. I meant to read the book before I saw the movie... whoops.

6. My blog hit 700 page views today!!

7. My confessions will probably never be juicy... sorry. This is my personal blog but it's still the internet, not my locked away diary. I still am very cautious the amount of deeply personal information I put out here.

Sunday Confessions - Not on Sunday, again

1. I think I need to just call this my Weekly Confessions. This is my third time doing it and second time I've done it a day late. I have an excuse though! I felt under the weather yesterday. Woke up with a sore throat but pushed myself to deal with it because I had the Graffiti Run with a friend at 8. Got home, de-colored myself and my gear. Watched some tv. Went to eat lunch with the boyfriend and knew then something had me. My tastebuds were totally dead. I only ate half a burger and about a third of my shake. The rest of it is still in my freezer. Laid down for a nap at 3:30 and was pretty much out the rest of the day. Still feeling it today but not nearly as bad. Just have a headache and my nose is all stopped up. Definitely sinus congestion. Blah. Boyfriend was a total sweetheart. He got me water and medication and then left me be!

2. I am in love with colorful runs! I did the Color Run in November, the Graffiti Run yesterday. Signed up for Color in Motion in February... They're so much better than mud runs. Not as gross, clean up is so much easier, and they're just so happy! Look how cool this is! And I'm pretty sure they are all based on the Holi festival celebrated by Hindus in early spring. Maybe I just need to go to India or Nepal to see the real color throws.

Not my picture, got it from here: http://alohaphotog.blogspot.com/2012/07/color-throw.html. My picture of the big color throw at the end was not nearly this nice. But the color throw itself was just as awesome!

Here's a pic of my friend and me who walked together. They had out a box of pink (and green, but we didn't get to it) powder to play in pre-race. So our before pictures are colorful too:

Crazy girls, me and Dede!

 3. Still on track to do Zumba twice this week... tomorrow and Thursday. Just need to feel better. Can you sweat away feeling bad?

4. I need to cook more. I was a bad girlfriend last week. We ate out a lot (helping the economy?). I was supposed to cook some chicken curry thing yesterday but I realized halfway through my nap the chicken was still in the freezer and I also couldn't get myself out of bed to do anything with it.

5. I need to hunt down which grocery stores have a bulk candy section because I want to buy Jelly Belly jelly beans (of my own flavor choice) and keep them at work. I have some now but I'm down to the hard-to-recognize colors/flavors and the ones that I can recognize, I just don't like that much. They're so nice to have at work -- so easy to turn down sweets when you can go back to your desk and enjoy a delicious chocolate pudding or Dr. Pepper or peach jelly bean (or 2 or 3 or 10). Fat free, gluten free, 4 calories a bean!
I had the brilliant idea this weekend to go to the Galleria... dragged the boyfriend because it's dangerous to go to a candy store alone. We were going to eat lunch at E-Tao and then head to Dylan's Candy Bar. Well.... we made it to the Galleria, after sitting in traffic for about 20 minutes on Westheimer to go 1 mile. In the parking garage we couldn't find a spot so we went over to the orange garage and STILL couldn't find a spot. So I finally admitted defeat, admitted my boyfriend was right and this was a terrible idea (at least for this time of year -- any other day it would have been a great, well-thought out plan!) and we went to Chipotle.
So yea... Still need jelly beans. And now every time I want to eat I want E-Tao because for the next 22 days, I CAN'T HAVE IT! Stupid Galleria.