I seem to have rubbed off on him...

While eating reheated turnips leftover from Thanksgiving...

The Boy: Hey, let me try a bite. (of course, I oblige) Hm... not too bad.
Me: These are from Thanksgiving... didn't you try them then?
The Boy: I think so... these taste different.

Probably 15 minutes pass; he's playing a video game and I was doing research so I wasn't paying attention to him, only to look over and notice 1/2 of the turnips are gone.

Me: Aw... I have a boy who loves the turnips as much as I do.
The Boy: Well yea... what'd you do to them?
Me: I just doctored them a bit. Little butter, little salt and pepper...
The Boy: Well obviously everything's better with more butter, salt and pepper.

And with those words, he has made me the happiest, most proudest southern-girl-dating-a-Yankee in all the world.

More to come on the Thanksgivingness later this evening...

c'mon friday...

There is just something about this week that is making it feel like it is just strrrrrrretching out and like the weekend is just never going to get here. Classes and such have gone by quick, I just keep feeling like it's one day later in the week than it really is.

The Boy and I joined the gym last week and it's felt SO GOOD to get back into the swing of working out. I'm starting the half-marathon training again tonight (the first time since the knee issue this summer), so I'm excited for that. I just feel so much more rewarded when I'm running towards a goal, as opposed to just running for the heck of it.

I have a bit of work to do tonight, so I just prepped everything for supper and it feels super nice to know that when we get home from the gym, all I have to do is throw everything in the skillet and heat it through. The Boy is a big fan of these pita pockets I came up with from leftovers one night. I just saute one or two bell peppers, slice up an onion, throw in baby bella mushrooms, and add cooked chicken or steak, sliced up. I just heat it 'til it's warmed through, pack a pita, put a bit of reduced fat cheese on top and BAM, fastest (and reasonably healthy) supper ever. It's pretty tasty too.

We found out that one of our local movie theaters has Super Tuesday movies on Tuesday nights, which offers tickets for $5, as opposed to $8.50. It's still a nice theater and offers all the same movies... but much cheaper! I'm pretty pumped. We decided pretty quickly that that was going to be our new movie date night, which is fine by me. I sound like I'm about 90 years old, but most Friday nights, by the time we get home from being out at dinner (or now, the gym and ordering takeout), all I want to do is relax in bed with wine and The Sopranos (The Boy got the series set for Christmas and we've been slowly but surely working our way through every episode).

Just a little random... I washed a load of white clothes today and when I opened the lid of the washer to switch them over into the dryer, I couldn't help but smile: I love the smell of bleach. Not straight out of the bottle, but the smell of bleached white clothes. It's like I know in my mind that they're so clean and fresh and just... ahh. Love it.

If you notice, I added a little "widget" to the right side of my blog to track my running, which I'm excited about. It'll be nice to see the miles slowly build up.

I feel like I'm always just rapid-posting on blogs like this. I imagine it'd be a bit more easy if I updated more frequently...

Well I'm off to fold clothes then head out to meet The Boy and hit the gym. Looking forward to it!!

Y'all have a lovely Hump Day :)

so nice to nap.

It is SO nice to be home in the middle of the day. I am sort of soaking up all of these last days before I graduate and have to, you know... find a job and grow up. I came home, fixed a little lunch, and am curled up in my cozy bed. I plan on taking a little power nap-- thanks to a Brit Lit paper, I got about 4 1/2 hours of sleep last night. Believe me, staying awake this morning through Mathematical Thinking and Sixteenth Century Literature was just not working out all that great. I did, however, survive. After my nap, I'm thinking I'll be making a quick stop by the mall. I have a few things to return to Gap AND 30% off coupon, so I'm thinking new jeans are calling my name.

Now that I think about it, here are just a handful of the things I'm currently drooling over:


I am in. love. with this coat. I'm all about the gray or black sweaters or coats right now, worn over some type of white shirt and dark jean-- I'm lovin' it.


I've had a black wool peacoat for forever now, but I think since I've moved to the icy winter tundra of Boston, a cherry red replacement would be fitting, right?

I'm a HUGE sweater fan, and this just looks perfect for a cold, snowy day, all curled up under a blanket with a book and The Boy.

As I was saying... the black sweater with the white top. I have been on an avid hunt for a reasonably priced long black cardigan... and this just might be it.

I just love this plum color and think it'd be super cute with just jeans and boots or flats.

What can I say? I'm feelin' the flannel. The Boy is NOT a fan, but I think if he could see me in it, he'd have a different opinion. Hm... that sounded cocky. I think he just pictures a big, burly man when he thinks of plaid. Really now, though-- how stinkin' cute is this shirt?

...And this one.

I'll have to restrain myself from doing too much damage tonight. Control, Katie... it's all about control.

I just have to say that I think my mama and daddy would be proud of me. I gave up my seat this morning to an elderly woman on the train, and probably two stops later, the person that she had sat next to got off, so I took and the seat. She looked at me, smiled and said "And see? You were rewarded." It made me smile.

Also, the Santa Fe Crockpot Chicken gets BIG thumbs up. I followed the recipe pretty exactly, except that I added an additional half can of black beans, had to boil a noodle soup seasoning pack because I realized I had ZERO chicken broth, and definitely added more seasonings than just the suggested 1tsp of each. I also served it over Uncle Ben's Mexican Fiesta rice-- one of my favorite things in the world.

Tonight is leftovers, but I'm getting the menu planned for this week, so I'll post updates for that once I get them figured out.

lazy day at home.

I have had such a non-productive day today. Having a day off from class equaled a whole lot of nothing today... which was kind of nice. I lounged in bed for a really, really long time, avoided finishing a paper, put supper on to cook in the CrockPot (Santa Fe Chicken--I'll post how it comes out), watched Baby Mama from beginning to end, ate some lunch... and I think that might be just about it. I know. An award winning day for me.

I'm very bummed that my camera is broken. I can't remember if I posted that or not in the last blog, but it is. I might have spilled a bottle of green tea in my bag and my camera might have been floating in the lake of tea at the bottom. After sitting in rice for two weeks in an effort to dry out the liquid... it's a no go. RIP my Canon. Actually, it's Brian's Canon because mine was stolen out of my apartment last summer during realtor showings (I know, right?), so... RIP Brian's Canon.

I'm running a 5k on December 5. The Jolly Jaunt through Boston Common... and I'm really excited. My friend Erin told me about it and it's supposed to be pretty fun-- everyone runs in Santa-themed apparel. I'm thinking some type of Santa hat or hairband, and perhaps Santa-ish knee socks? I'll have to look into that. It feels so good to be running again though. The Boy and I are off to the gym tonight, and I can't wait. I've really, really missed it. I'm actually watching "Run, Fat Boy Run" right now and I'm kind of in love with it. I'm running the 5k, then a half marathon in May... and I'm hoping to maybe be ready for a marathon by next fall.

Well, I'm off to work on my paper. I have about three weeks left in my semester and then I will be FINISHED with school. I've hit my academic wall, I do believe. It is going to take every ounce of strength in my being to finish up this paper tonight. Wish me luck!

back in the saddle... with a little help.

Well, I haven't blogged in quite a while. No excuse, just haven't gotten around to it. Actually, I do have an excuse-- school. I have been so overwhelmingly overloaded with schoolwork, and it all dropped on me in this last week. The week before I was super busy planning The Boy's surprise birthday party, which came out wonderfully, without a single hitch. Then I pretty much rocketed into the next week, which was full of presentations and papers... but now I'm done. And I've found a handful of new blogs that just crack me up, so I feel like I've been re-inspired to blog on a regular basis. It IS getting towards the holidays, which is my favorite time of year... let's hope I can stick with it.

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while your blogging?
I am a perpetual snacker. It can be very dangerous for me to have snacks around me. It's not so much that I go for the junk food, rather that I just eat massive quantities of the healthy stuff I put together, which kind of cancels out the whole healthy part. I've been on a kick lately with pretzel rod dipping sticks and this Southwestern veggie dip that is nothing short of amazing. Sometimes Cheez-its, sometimes Triscuits... nothing too exciting.

2. What is one thing you don't want to live without?
Air conditioning. I may live in Boston now, but I am a Texan forever and always at heart, and Lord knows I need my air conditioning. Still to this day, if I go into a situation where there won't be air conditioning (which is a STAGGERING number of homes on the east coast), I mentally prepare myself and move as little as possible. I mean, the boyfriend's parents have AC but it has to be close to 90 for it to be turned on; the grandparents don't have it, period; everyone on my side of the family in Connecticut have window units. I've told The Boy that when we buy our first house someday, I won't pay it the slightest bit of attention unless CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING is at the top of the amenities list.

3. Beach, Mountains, or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?
Hm... I am a pale, heat-phobic Southern girl, but I love the beaches on the East coast. There's always a breeze and it just feels so different from the Texas coast. I could handle the beach, especially in the winter-- the ocean against the rocks when it's so cloudy and cold is just super romantic to me. Mountains = hiking; Farm = sweat in the hay with animal smells. No thanks.

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?
Doing the floors. I'm super OCD about cleanliness in the bathroom and kitchen, and the bedroom is always put together, but when it comes to doing the floors, may it be mopping, sweeping, or vacuuming, I just cringe. Hate it. I'd rather sort, wash, dry, fold, and put away laundry all day and night than do the floors.

5. Who do people say you remind them of?
A lady on the train in Boston once told me that I reminded her of a young Brooke Shields, but I think that she might have been drunk-- I don't see it.

6. Prefer parties and socializing or staying home with the fam?
Getting out every now and then is fun, but I am such a homebody at heart, it's not even funny. I'd much rather stay home on a Saturday and either cook all day or run errands then just hang out with The Boy at night.

7. What's your all time favorite movie?
A Christmas Story. I probably have 234 movies that I could say are my favorites, and most of them are holiday-related. Stepmom, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation... but A Christmas Story reigns above the rest. I love it. I crave it. I can recite it from beginning to end, with perfect timing. I get all tingly inside once November hits because I know that it won't be completely looked down upon if I pull the movie out.

The Boy claims he's never seen it, and we've never been together for more than 2 days during the holidays. He has no idea what he's in for.

8. Do you sleep in your make-up or remove it like a good little girl every night?
Definitely always take my makeup off. There are some nights, like last night, where I'm so gosh darn tired and fall asleep, but The Boy was wonderful and woke me up, saying something along the lines of "Hey, wake up. Go clean up or whatever you do." Ah, the romance. My biggest annoyance is my eye makeup. I'd live off of the makeup towelettes if they came anywhere close to getting the mascara off of my eyes, but I always have to go the extra step with eye makeup remover. Ah, well-- all in the name of beauty.

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?
I've always wanted to learn how to play the piano for some reason. I played the cello and clarinet when I was younger (so fabulously cool, I know), but there's just something so classic and beautiful about the piano.

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?
I swear I have a part of my brain (probably the part that should retain the theories for my mathematical thinking class) that is devoted strictly to celebrity gossip, specifically celebrity babies. While some may be able to shoot off facts and trivia about movies, I can give the full name and a description of a celebrity's child/children. Not in a creepy way; they're just so darn cute! Also, and I should probably not be sharing this, but I can pick things up with my toes. Literally. Freaked The Boy right out the first time he saw it. Ah well-- welcome to living together!

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?
Well he's just The Boyfriend right now, but I'd have to say his sense of humor... and then his eyes. He has pretty fabulous greenish-hazel eyes.

12. What is something you love to smell?
A fresh cut Christmas tree. Home when my mama's had a pot roast in the oven. Fresh baked bread, for sure.

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.
I get really distracted when I tell stories, like completely forget where I was going with the story from when I started. I can also be very OCD and organized about things, which can be a positive but can also just irk people right up the wall.

14. When you have extra money, what's the first thing you think to do with it?
I'd have to say I head towards the mall-- Ann Taylor Loft has been my soft spot lately.

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?
Silent. Really silent. Even when I have tears rolling down my face, I swear no sound comes out. The Boy can make me laugh harder than anyone.

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?
Ann Taylor Loft, Gap

17. What is one thing you would do more often if you had more time?
Either read or go to the gym. I make it to the rec center at school, but I'd love to just have an open schedule to make it to all of the classes that I like so much, which are obviously earlier than the times that I manage to get in there.

18. Are you a big spender or frugal?
Before I lived alone, I was for sure a big spender... cause I wasn't spending my money. Now that I live on my own and have all of the big girl responsibilities... I would have to say I'm more frugal.


19. Who is your favorite character of all time? (from a movie or a book, can't be real)
Perhaps Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz.

20. Would you want to be famous?
I'd love the perks of being famous (um, hello vacations and free clothes!), but the loss of privacy just wouldn't be worth it.