it's just one of those days...

Today is just one of those days. By 7:50am, I had already cried twice and should have known that I needed to just crawl back into bed, except that Wednesdays are Brian's day to work from home and I quite honestly just need some personal me time all by myself.

I wrote that first paragraph around 9 this morning. As far as I was concerned, my day was completely wrecked. I slept through my alarm and missed my morning run which threw me off for everything else-- packing my lunch, ironing a top that did NOT look as good on my body as it had in my mind the night before, changing clothes, finding an old textbook to ship off, DESPISING the humidity (it is astounding here today- speaks volumes for my mood), my coffee order messed up, I missed my bus... seriously, if it could go wrong today, it happened to me.

My fellow bad-dayer Caitlin and I commiserated at work about our mutual feelings of "HOW CAN THE DAY BE THIS BAD SO EARLY?!" and then things kind of started to look up. I'm working on starting up a little side business, but it's very much on the DL for the moment... as in only Brian, my parents, and Caitlin (thanks for the advice!) now know about it. It's in the VERY early stages, so I'm waiting to share the news until I really get my feet under me. Anywho, I've had a big weight on my shoulders regarding a project and knew that it had come to the point where I had to make a decision. I did, and the day started to look up. My Mama got a phone call and a big vent session, I contentedly drank my large (incorrect yet tasty) coffee, got a good chunk of work done, and picked up Subway for lunch.

After throwing my little hissy fit this morning (there were tears, twice, before Brian drove me to the train. Yea.), I reminded myself that my vow for this week had been not to complain. Considering I failed miserably at that task, I aimed to put it all in perspective:

wrong coffee order = new drink combo I'd have never tried
changing clothes = bringing backup outfit to new outfit to work... and being ok with it
not having time to pack a full lunch = a delightful lunch from subwayeatfresh
forgetting to take out the ground beef for dinner = Brian taking it out and MAKING dinner
frustration with lack of work clothes options = a stop at the mall post-work to seriously shop
missing my morning run = running after the mall and tiring myself out
tiring myself out = a (much needed) good night's sleep

See? Perspective. I'm usually very reluctant to view perspective opposite of my own, but today I relented. For the sake of all co-workers, this is a good thing.

My plan for the evening is to head to the mall for a little retail therapy, to the gym for a good run, then back to the condo where burgers and sweet potato fries will (hopefully) be waiting for me.

'Til later, my lovelies! We're almost through the week :)

Off and running... finally.

Happy Tuesday, y'all. Allow me to introduce you to my 5am running buddy.

This morning while out on my run I saw at least three little rabbits this morning. It's like they were all up so bright and early this morning to accompany me.

Did you catch that I actually dragged myself out of my bed at 4:50 to be at the track and running by 5:20? Well... I did. And while it didn't feel amazing or necessarily go all that smoothly, it felt so good to be back in my routine so bright and early in the morning. We had a late start to warm/dry weather this year, so I've been stuck having to go to the gym at night after work.

Have I ever mentioned on the blog how much I despise working out in the evenings? Unless I'm attending some sort of class, it is painful to drag myself to a treadmill. It's not laziness or not wanting to work out, I'm just so gosh darned tired by the end of the day. After working all day, commuting an hour and a half each way, then knowing I have to come home to cook dinner and get little stuff and errands done, the last thing I want to do is spend an hour at the gym. I know I'm deserving of the personal time and what have you, and I obviously feel so good about myself when I do make it, but there are only so many hours in the day... and I'm not even a mama yet (aMEN to those of you who are-- I can only imagine trying to balance it all).

The thing is, I LIKE waking up early and getting my workout done. It puts such a positive spin on the rest of my day, helps me to make more conscious food choices, and just makes me feel good. Today marked the kick-off to my half marathon training (I've yet to pick an actual race but know it will be this fall... holy. crap.) Running in the mornings might also strengthen my "I'm kicking ass and taking names" positive self-talk:

Oh yea? You think you're gonna speed-walk down the stairs? I've clocked in three miles this morning. Yea, hear my flip flops slapping the concrete? Leavin' you in the breeze!

I am so glad I wore my skirt today. Just LOOK at my calf muscles! I am a runner! OMG! *flexflex while reading* I wonder if anyone else notices that I'M A RUNNER!

Considering all of this took place (in my head) over the course of my 10 minute train ride, I knew I was bound to crash. There's only so much positivity after getting that run in at 5:30.

I am amazing! I am so strong. Look at me, you common folk, as I dash up these sta- Ohh cramp. Cramp in my quad *limp limp*

Ah, well. The magic could only sustain for so long.

Sidenote to the girl CRAMMING Cheetos Puffs into her mouth at 7:20 this morning: Enjoying a single Cheeto Puff every now and then is nothing to be ashamed of. I love the CPs myself (much less now than in my heftier days, but alas, the processed cheese powder just slays my tastebuds), and do indulge every now and then. I like to savor them one by one. Perhaps next time I'll try your method of wedging 4 or 5 at a time in my mouth to see if this enhances the experience.

Tonight is our midweek date night, which means I get a night off from cooking (yay Panera Bread!!), Brian gets to see Super 8, and we'll both enjoy a stop by Pier 1 and to the mall to try and find my dress for a wedding we're attending next weekend, and a tie for Brian to match whatever I end up picking out. It shall be a fun and exciting night for all, considering Brian will be surprised to learn of our shopping stops. It's best to keep these surprises to myself prior to heading off for date night.

Lastly, because I live for things like this, I shall be posting my list of MUST DO THIS NOWs for the 4th of July. This may include anything from food to crafts to things that make me happy about the 4th. Because, as a lover of hot dogs and all things patriotic, few things make me more excited than holidays such as this one. Check back for the post later today!

'Til later, my lovelies!

the weekend was fun; i'm glad it is done.

You know those kinds of weekends when you're really excited for it to get here, and then before you know it it's 1:45pm on Monday afternoon and you realize that you're just as tired and cranky and in need of rest as you were on FRIDAY afternoon at 1:45pm?

Today, that is me.

Friday afternoon kicked off to a bad start when I had to run a last minute errand for work and ended up missing my bus. This was, of course, after I had BOOKED IT across my hospital's campus in the drizzling rain and humidity, ruined a fabulous hair day, and managed to work up a little glow about myself. Yes, a good mood for me it did not make.

The next bus saved me, Brian met me at his work, and we were off to do what all wild 'n crazy kids in our mid-twenties do...

WE NAPPED.

Ohhh yes we did. Now, as much as I love the idea of a nap, I rarely slow down long enough to actually rest- I'll lie down and start thinking that dinner has to be cooked and laundry put on to wash and then I'm up and going again. Basically, I'm always tired. When I DO reach my point of being completely exhausted, my famous last words are always "I'm just going to rest my eyes for a minute," only to wake up hours later with no idea of who I am/where I am/what day it is. Well, we laid down around 5:30 and when I woke up with a growling tummy, the room was dark and Brian was watching TV... and the clock read 7:22pm. My demeanor tends to lean a bit towards cranky when I'm first waking up, so Brian was prepared when I groggily sat up and looked at him.

"Is it really nighttime?"
"Yep. You slept almost two hours."
"Wow. I didn't mean to."
"I'm glad you did. You needed it."

Ah, the honesty of love. My mood was perhaps a tad bit horrific when he picked me up, and it was true- I desperately needed to rest. Feeling nice and refreshed, we got up and got moving-- his friend, Chas, was due to come into town that night and we had a lot of straightening up to do. I made BLTs for supper, we cleaned and took lots of cardboard boxes to the dumpster (Brian is a tad bit hooked on online shopping. It's an irregular day if we walk through the mailroom and a package for him isn't waiting), I showered and curled up with the best BLTA (with avocado DUH) ever. Chas finally got in around 11:30, after which I went directly to bed.

Saturday started with 8am Spin for me, followed by my first weigh-in since being back on WW... and I was DOWN 4 POUNDS! Holy smokes, I know. I was technically up in my WW tracker book because I hadn't weighed in in nearly 3 weeks, so when the lady tried to gently break the news that I'd gained I was PUMPED!

"I may have gained in the book but I have LOST since Monday!"
I may have even woo'd a bit.

I then paid my weekly visit to Target and Trader Joe's where I stocked up on a lot of nothing and had my Me Time. As much as I love my boy and love spending time together, my few hours on Saturday morning get me through my week. I get my workout done, wander through Target, slowly browse and fill my cart at TJ's, maybe stop into Pier 1, snag a Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte from Starbucks (amen to the individual who thought to stick a Sbux in Tarjay. I don't have babies yet but I'm thinking/hoping this will someday be my sanity's saving grace), then head back to the condo. I love it and suggest all ladies who live with their significant other to invest in Me Time as soon as possible.

The boys had left to golf so what did I do with my day, you may ask? I showered, used all of my favorite scrubs and lotions and masks, put on comfy capris and a tshirt and CLIMBED BACK INTO MY BED. WITH A STACK OF MAGAZINES NEARLY UP TO MY ELBOW. It was heaven. I sipped my coffee and chatted with my Mama for an hour or so, watched some TV, read my blogs, flipped through my mags... y'all, I was so relaxed I lost track of time and had to SPEEDRACE through getting ready when Brian texted me at 4 to say they were done and were heading to his parents' house to shower and get ready for the night. I had rollers in my hair as I knelt on the floor and ironed my top while in my bra but LORD did it feel good to do absolutely nothing all day.

The boys and I met up and we headed to dinner on the water which was SO NICE. Had I not have had a glass or three of wine, I would perhaps have remembered to snap a picture. We had There was a little breeze, the sun was going down... it was perfect. Brian's sister met up with us halfway through dinner, and then we were off to see Darius!! All of my pics are on my camera, so I'll upload later, although it's mainly me zooming in as close on possible on the poor man's face. We were near the back but still had such a fab view.

The only negative of the night was the family in front of us. The four of us came in and while we'd had beverages at dinner and purchased beverages at the show, we were 100% calm and steady. There was nothing outrageous/vulgar/belligerent about us. In front of us was a mom, dad and their 15-ish year old son. Y'all should have seen the DAGGERS that they shot us throughout. the. entire. concert. We cheered and sang and clapped... ya know, like every other person at the place was doing, but you'd have thought we were being profane and swearing and throwing drinks around the way they were acting. Whenever we would cheer after a song, the mother would cover her ears and turn around to give us a death look. Keep in mind that she and her husband were in their mid-40s and their son was definitely a teenager, so it's not like we were affecting a child or elderly people. I mean... we were at A CONCERT. A place in which people get rowdy. If you don't like loud noises... don't go. It didn't affect how good of a time we had by any means, but it was just so irritating. Anyways, we left there, stopped at a bar on the water in Brian's town to get food, and headed home.

Sunday consisted of a lot of the same as my personal Saturday morning (I know- this is all so riveting). Chas left, we showered and relaxed then headed out to the grocery store and Home Depot around 5. The highlight of that trip was that I bought a new planter for my basil because my tiny basil plant has turned into a TREE. I shall share pics later. We came home, I made chicken enchiladas, roasted a separate chicken for our lunches this week... and that was that.

I know. If you stuck it out to get this far, bless you.

The main thing getting me through this week is the fact that next weekend is a THREE DAY WEEKEND. As of now we have zero plans, so I'm hoping to relax and eat a hot dog and make something patriotic... because that is what I do on holidays. Make food and decorate per colors/theme. And nothing says America on the 4th of July like a good hot dog.


'Til later, my lovelies!!

the weekend and the WW.

Is anyone else as happy as I am that today is wonderfully, gloriously, FINALLY Friday? This week has worn me smooth out, which I largely credit to being the first week back to work after vacay, but still... these five days, they have done me in.

At some point or another throughout the day yesterday, one/any/all of the following incidences may/may not have occured:

-Someone walked directly into a filing cabinet.
-Someone was entering a new employee's very important personal info into the system: last name began with an R, first name Kenny. Someone could NOT. STOP. TYPING. ROGERS. as the last name. Yes, as in Kenny Rogers.

Last time I checked, this guy was more into country twangin' than research science.
-Someone ordered lots of paper for the copy rooms that someone keeps stocked. When the delivery guy came yesterday and asked where someone wanted the six cases, someone might have said "Four in this copy room, three downstairs, please." Delivery guy might have responded with "... that's seven. You have six."

Ah, yes. Week After Vacay - 1, Katie - 0


THE WEEKEND
Thankfully (or maybe not, depending on how Tired Katie looks at it) we have a jam-packed weekend ahead of us! One of Brian's roommates from Colgate is making the trip from Philly to Boston to drop his girlfriend off downtown for a weekend with her friends, while he hangs with us. There's a good chance it might rain tomorrow, which would spoil the boys' plans of golf (and spoil MY plans to get my workout and errands done early and relax all day). If that happens, we're either heading into Boston for the Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party downtown (... in the rain), or doing a bit of day-drinking at the condo.

Please pray for sunny skies.

And then, THEN... this man will own my night:

Why yes we ARE going to see Darius Rucker tomorrow night!!

Darius/Hootie is my man. My dream man. Well, my pretend man.

That's my real man. He can't sing like DR, but I'll still take him.

Seriously though, we saw Hootie & the Blowfish perform three summer ago at the same venue DR will be at tomorrow night, and it was amazing. The place is under a tent, and the stage revolves the entire time, so nobody has a bad seat. It will be fabulous, and I'll be sure to take pictures!!

THE WEIGHT LOSS THING
I'm back in the saddle with the weight loss and the gym. I know, I know. 'Tis not a broken record you're hearing... or reading.

After indulging for 9 days in Texas, Brian and I both came back feeling gross and needing a good revamp on our lifestyle. We've had lots of protein and veggies this week and have gotten our bums in gear and movin'. I've had three workouts at the gym plus Spin at 8 tomorrow morning and he's started P90X (bless him).

I'm off to my first weigh-in tomorrow morning that will actually count since Christmas. It's the first one to count because while I may have been weighing in recently, there was nothing on-program and good about what I was doing. I didn't write anything down, rarely paid attention to specific portions... it was throwing $40 per month at a lost cause. I have re-found my motivation though, and I'm back on track... and it feels really good. I'm no longer scrambling for a grip on meals, but instead planning, and I'm adjusting to the smaller portions that my points allowance gives me. I'll check in with the results tomorrow!

'Til later my lovelies!!

the eyes of texas are upon you...

We've been back in Boston for 8 hours now and I am already completely heartsick/homesick for my Texas. I may have been living in the northeast for the last four years, but every single time I make the trip back home, the Texan deep in my heart is revitalized and brought back to life in the way that only things like good Mexican food, multiple days of 100 degree heat, and the love of your family can do.

Call me crazy, but every single day that I'd step outside into the sweltering air that is June in Texas, I just smiled and felt all happy and warm inside. Granted, this was likely due to the fact that I truly was heated from the inside out from the Oh My Word temps, but still-- I relished the Texas summer that I was always so anxious to escape from. And yes- this would be the summer that I so often daydreamed about this past winter, when we were buried past our knees in snowdrift after gosh darned snowdrift.

There were lots of pictures taken and several stories to share, but since it's my first day back at work in a week, I'm all kinds of crazy busy this morning. I shall part with these words of observation and wisdom:

• Nothing can push you towards a body/diet detox faster than spending a week at home with your BBQ and Blue Bell lovin' Mama and Daddy. Add in a steady diet of queso and kolaches and you have a girl who is going to be downing some serious veggies this week.
  

• But the queso and Blue Bell calories? Worth every lovin' bite.

• Something about watching couples two-step makes me a little bit weak in the knees.

• I swear to you that the moon shines brighter in that big Texas sky...

• Chivalry and manners are not lost on Southern men-- amen to that.

• Boston weddings = men in seersucker and women with Lilly and sleek hair; Texas weddings = cowboy boots matched with Sunday's finest for the men and high heels and big poufs for the ladies. Again- amen to that.

• No matter how long you've been away from home, the minute you set foot back in The Lone Star State all of your fine grammar dissolves. "I'm going to" reverts back to "I'm fixin' to," "oil" becomes "o'le," and "y'all" is more pronounced than ever (though you refuse to sort it out of your language when in daily conversations with Bostonians. That little word shall remain a part of you til the day you die. Amen.)

• Nobody gives you odd looks when they see mountains of cream cheese, Fritos, Velveeta and beer heaped into your grocery cart at the HEB. They instead share a knowing smile and secretly wish they knew where your little party was going down later on.
  

I pray everyday that our future might work in my favor and move us somewhere southern. Any place would do, really, as long as my future babies are able to grow up with ungodly dedication to football running through their veins and "ma'am" and "sir" being some of the first few words that they speak. Boston may have class and sophistication, but Texas, my Texas, will always be my home and my stomping grounds. What we lack in class and sophistication we make up for with character and sass.

Amen.

quiche for dinner? yes please.

You know your week's gonna be a good one when you start your Monday smelling like bacon.

Today through Thursday will be all kinds of cray-cray between me working 10 hour days, Brian starting his summer softball league on Wednesday night, running last minute errands before Texas, tying up loose ends for Keegan's bachelorette party, then catching our 7am flight home on Friday. I shall likely be off my rocker by week's end.

In an attempt to get ahead of the game (and fit in runs as often as possible), I was up at 5:40 this morning folding laundry and making quiche in my work pants and a tank top while my hair air dried and I packed lunches. I am, if anything, a multitasking mom in the making.

My options today were to either wake up at 4:30 and catch the 5:30 train to be at work by 7 (yes, that would be AM to all of the times just listed) to leave work by 5 and be home early enough to cook and hit the gym OR I could sleep in until 5:50 then get ready for work and make the quiche for dinner, so I can go straight to the gym then come home to relax after working until 6:30.

For the sake of my own sanity and the way in which I handle my co-workers today, I opted to sleep in and start my day with making quiche. I'm a BIG quiche fan but tend to shy away from it due to the typical things that make it so delish-- cream in the mixture, lots of fab cheeses, and that deeeeep dish pie crust. Oh yum. When I was browsing around blogs this weekend, I came across a newbie (to me) blog! Samma at Spice and Sass linked to a HEALTHY quiche recipe awhile back, and that is what I chose to make for our busy breakfast-for-dinner weeknight meal. I'm all about disguising the healthy stuff in recipes as non-healthy, so this was perfect.

tres fab crustless quiche

So there I stood this morning with wet hair whipping eggs and hot sauce, frying bacon, steaming broccoli and spreading panko in the pie dish like it was my j-o-b. By the grace of God I managed to get everything (from the crack of the first egg to pouring everything into the dish, it took 30 minutes. FAST STUFF, people) all wrapped up by 6:58 and had us out the door by 7:10. It 'twas lovely to get into the elevator, knowing that all I have to do tonight is tell Brian to preheat the oven to 350 and pop that baby in.

If all turns out well, I'll for sure share the recipe variation that I used. As Samma noted when she posted the recipe, the fab thing about this recipe is you could use practically anything for your ingredients: all veggies, all meats, veggies of the same color, veggies with a theme... you know. The Creativity.

Sidenote: If you opt to prep bacon for dinner before work in the morning, be forewarned of those delish bacon smells. I will now spend the remainder of the day discreetly flipping my hair while deeply inhaling.

randomosity update!

Basically, I have been an absentee blogger because my days have been lame-o. While we've been busy, it's been busy with lots of nothing, if that makes sense. Work during the week, gym if I can make myself, cooking dinner, watching DVR'd TV, then passing out cold by 10:30. We live wild and crazy lives, we do.

Because I like to talk about the happenings in my life (and y'all obviously semi-enjoy reading about them), I shall share the typical update list... 'cause it iz my blog and I do what I do.

• Brian's cousin, Ricky, got engaged late last week to his girlfriend, Candice, of four years! It's exciting because they started dating in July of 2007 and Brian and I started dating in August of 2007 plus Brian and Ricky went to school in upstate New York and Texas (respectively), while Candice and I finished school here in MA, so we had each other to relate to on the days when we REALLY hated long distance relationships. We've both been asked to be in the wedding party and are so excited!

• I ran a 5k last weekend. It had hills. I did not research pre-race and didn't know about the hills until the night before. It was tres painful and terrible and awful and Woe, was my out of shape body. My time was NOT fabulous by any means, so it certainly served as my motivation to bring exercise back into my routine this week.

• After a day of "Ick, I feel completely disgusting with myself" yesterday, I went home and did Level 2 of Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30. With today's pain level, I'm fairly confident that there may be issues with walking tomorrow.

• We have a wedding to attend this summer, and I'm currently loving the following dress but am debating between the two colors. Any opinions?:
  

If it helps, the wedding is in the evening in July at a country club.

• My current fav snack is Wasa crackers topped with Laughing Cow Light Swiss or hummus-- yumyumyum.

• Plans this weekend will revolve around a much-needed mani and pedi for me, running my typical errands, seeing Bridesmaids with friends on Saturday while Brian golfs, perhaps shopping a bit (I'm still in desperate need of summer work clothes!), and date night Saturday night. I'm lovin' the relaxed-ness of it all.

• This week and next week consists of 10 hour workdays for me. Woof. It is not easy fitting in that many hours of work, plus 3 hours total commuting, plus the gym, showering. making/eating dinner, and taking a chance to breathe. I'm working really hard to make sure the gym isn't the task that gets put on the backburner. I wouldn't skip meals-- why should I justify skipping the gym?

• We're currently under a tornado warning. In Boston. Are you kidding? I am beyond terrified of tornadoes and am beyond nervous-- I'm supposed to work until 6, which puts me right in the peak of the storm. One of my top three "Whoopee!" reasons for moving away from Texas was the weather. Tornadoes, to be specific. I've been shaking all afternoon. It's days like this where I really, really wish that I didn't have to commute for an hour and a half...

and my biggest, most exciting update...

TWO WEEKS FROM RIGHT NOW I'LL BE EATING MEXICAN FOOD AND SIPPING MARGARITAS ON THE RIVERWALK IN SAN ANTONIO WITH BRIAN AND MY PARENTS!!

I seriously cannot wait. We fly out next Friday morning, I have Keegan's bachelorette party Saturday, tons of food and fun stuff with my family and friends on Sunday, lots of days of sleeping in (or not-- I always swear I'll sleep in then wake up early to run while I can before the death heat wave of Texas sets in at 8:30am), San Antonio for a bit, then Keegan's wedding the following Saturday. It will be so nice to just be home with my family and Brian and my Lucy (our dog) and R-E-L-A-X. Here's cheers to a much-needed vacay for me and The Boy!

'Til later, my lovelies.

the joys of a work-from-home boyfriend.

May I please just say how much I am love love loving the fact that Brian now works from home on Wednesdays? I wake up around 5:45, get ready, start the processing of sweetly waking him up about 6:40, make my lunch, keep semi-calmly waking him up, straighten my hair and put on my shoes, screech for Brian too get up NOW and we're off to the train. He drops me off, I start my commute, and he goes home to play Katie for the day.

I leave him lists, y'all.

Boyfriend is not about to get away with a day at home with nothing to do, regardless of how busy he claims he may be. I may play dumb when I come home on Wednesday nights and see that the TV's been changed to accommodate playing of the XBOX, but whatevs-- as long as my list has been completed, I zip my lips.

And don't get all "Oh good gracious! You make your MAN do chores?" Why YES, I most certainly do. It keeps him grounded, as well as appreciative of all that I manage to fit in and accomplish over the course of two to three hours at the end of each day. If I can do it after a day of work and an hour at the gym, he can manage as well!

Today, for example, he's been assigned two loads of laundry, one of darks, one of whites. I've instructed him to please call me before he puts on the whites because I bleach my whites and I just cannot even really make my mind go to a place of Brian handling bleach all on his own. 'Tis disastrous, as I can only imagine.

His one other job? Managing the crockpot. I am way too excited about our supper tonight:

from skinnytaste.com

When I was intensely weight-watching last year, this was a staple in our weekly recipe rotation. I can make one crockpot full and have enough for leftovers and lunches. Tonight we'll have it with tortillas and the fixins, tomorrow I'll bring it for lunch... it's just so good and filling and point friendly (if you care about that kind of thing) and EASY! I dumped it all in the crockpot this morning, set it on low, and told The Boy to watch it as the day goes on and call me if it looks like it's drying up.

So basically... I prep everything and he follows through with what I started, but if it means coming home to a finished supper and clean clothes that I myself do not have to prepare or wash, then I'm all for it. And if it takes a little bit of XBOX-playing to get him moving... I can live with that.