Fabulous Find Friday!

Are you ready for some football?? I hope so, because it's all you're going to hear about for the next 48 hours. I'm not shy about the fact that I almost could care less about the Steelers and the Cardinals. I'm a hopeless Cowboys fan. However, I am getting hyped for the fabulous commercials that cost a mere $3,000,000 for a 30 second slot. You heard me right....3Mil baby!! Did anyone else think last year's commercials weren't all that funny? I hope they really think outside the box this year. That's my favorite part!

Well, not only is this the biggest game of the year, and the biggest day for pizza sales across the country, but it's also the biggest party day. You might be throwing a big bash or you just might be a guest at someone else's big show. I'm going to give you a few ideas to make this Superbowl party the easiest and most delicious yet!!

Dips and chips are the perfect party food. It's quick to put together, easy to refill the chip bowl and a classic snack item. Who doesn't love some good queso?? While it's a staple, add a little guacamole to the mix to really spice things up! I make a mean guacamole and it's really very simple. 3 large avocados would make enough dip for about 10 people, so we'll go with that!

• 3 large avocados
• Garlic salt- to taste
• Fresh lime juice- I use about a 1/2 of a lime, but again, to taste
• Salsa- I use a considerable amount of salsa, and I like to use hot salsa. I would say start with 1/3 of a cup, but again, add more if you'd like
• *Diced tomatoes and onions- I do not put this in my guac because I don't like either one, but if I were making it for a group I would add it

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mash it backwards with a fork until desired consistency.

If you REALLY want to do this the easy way, Williams-Sonoma has a guacamole starter that is truly fabulous and insanely easy. You literally just add avocados! If you wish, you can add some fresh diced tomatoes and onions.

If you are the hostess and you are looking for more of a "main course" this dish is delicious and very easy! It's not a last minute ditty though, you need to start it in advance. My mom's dear friend, Cathy, made this BBQ pulled pork recipe once and we were hooked! It's made in the crock-pot, so throw it in and let it cook! Done and done!

Cook in large Crock Pot

• 3 lb pork roast or tenderloin (remove fat if you buy one with the fat on it)
• 1 cup of water

Cook on HIGH in the crock pot for 7 hours.

Stir to shred
-----------------------------------
Add:

• 1 18 oz bottle of BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of woo sauce (to clarify...worcestershire sauce!)
• 1-2 tablespoons of Louisiana Hot Sauce (I always put a little more)
• 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper

Cook on LOW for 1 more hour.
Serve on buns

Now for the dessert....How many of you can sit down and eat a box of Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies like it's your job? I'm not speaking from experience or anything, but I've heard it can be done. I love those things! This cake from my good friend Marty combines all the necessary flavors to make this cake a hit. This recipe shows you how to make it from scratch, but I'm not going to lie I would use a boxed chocolate cake mix and frosting and add the mint extract to the icing for flavor. I'm all about convenience! Another twist on this recipe is to make a brownie and then add the mint flavored icing. To-die-for!

"What-do you know? They're little footballs!" Name the movie and we can stay friends....

I hope these recipes have given you some inspiration for your big game! Be sure and let me know what you serve. I'm always looking for great ideas! Go Cardinals!!

Genetic Jackpot

Seriously, these kids hit the jackpot! Knox and Viv are knockouts! My sister brought these pics to my attention yesterday and I just can't believe how gorgeous they are. Eyes, lips, hair....they got all the good stuff from each parent! Little Shiloh is going to be a heartbreaker. Girlfriend's got it going on! Knox is Brad's mini-me and little Viv looks just like Shiloh. Cheers to the beautiful people. Click here to see more photos of the Jolie-Pitt crew!

All images are Getty images via www.socialitelife.com

Oh no she di-int!

Several of y'all have been with me a while and know that I used to recap the bachelor an bachelorette shows. It started out as my "Oh my gosh!" e-mails to friends and ended up being forwarded. It became a bit of a weekly tradition. I watch the show and I have my dialogue with the TV, Chris Harrison, Rookie, My husband, my sister via text message...basically anyone who will listen, so it was only natural to write it down and send it out into cyberspace. I stopped several seasons ago because work was busy, I was wedding planning, I didn't care a thing about Byron and Mary....you know, the usual. This is not an announcement....I am not picking back up on the recap, but I do have a few things to say about last night.....

1. Shannon. You are seriously a bizarro. The fact that you know his birthday, his brother's girlfriend's name, his shoes size, his SAT score and his weight after a good poo is not becoming. Neither is blowing your nose into a cocktail napkin an then trying to kiss him! Repeated chants of "Please give me a rose. I AM the girl for you. We would be so happy. You HAVE to give me a rose. I will make you happy and love you. We ARE soul mates. I need to see that you believe in me" is not attractive...it's called begging. Finally, when you didn't get a rose, what made you think it would be a great idea to announce to America that you are going to "go home and french kiss my doggy!" There have been women on this show that I have dubbed things such as "villain", "diva", "fabulous", "eccentric". I have one for Shannon....Lost Cause. (I'm sorry...I'll try to keep the gloves up)

2. Lauren. Girlfriend is fierce. She told Jason to give her a rose and when he didn't she was not afraid to call him out! "You didn't do what I told you to!" That usually goes over well with men! I'll give you three guesses on whether or not she got a rose.

3. ABC. Seriously guys? What ever made you think a 2-on-1 date with DANCING involved would be a great idea? It was totally awkward, excruciating to watch, I can only imagine AWFUL for those involved....ugh. The 2-on1 dates are hard enough when they just go out to eat and sit on top of building...let alone ball gowns and the foxtrot. Think it through next time for the sake of all involved. :)

Lastly, this has nothing to do with the bachelor, but did you guys catch the City?? Olivia's male cousin had the line of the night....they were discussing girls and drama and how gossip is so prevalent and they just don't like it and he exclaimed, "Girls will be girls and male models will be male models!"

Enough said!

Fabulous Find Friday!

Ode to resolutions...Many of my friends and family are working hard to turn over a new leaf in 2009. Weight loss and healthy living is the goal of many including me! As I have told you, Dave and I are doing P90X and while at first I hated Tony Horton and hated my life (not really, just physically) I'm starting to get in the groove and enjoy the torture of my body. I know that "Sweat Eventually Turns Into Muscle." When I was in college, I saw that on a t-shirt that a very sweaty and muscly guy was wearing and I figured it must be true!

Bottom line, many of us are working to make a change and it's not easy. Time is a huge issue with me. I get up at 6:20 and I get dressed, am out the door and don't walk back in the door until 6:00pm. Add an hour workout, making dinner, doing some laundry and showering and it's 10pm when I turn into a pumpkin. Repeat. And might I mention...we don't even have kids yet! many of you have children and need to fit in a little parenting in there! I know the time is limited and that's why going to the gym is not a very viable option for some of us. It's also a huge financial commitment to give 24-Hour fitness your hard earned dollars each month. For some, $35-$60 needs to be a bill paid rather than a gym membership. Have no fear, a great workout really can be done at home! It's so much of a time saver for me to workout at home and jump in the shower rather than add the travel time/changing time/showering time at a gym. For those of you looking for a great workout at home, get ready! I am going to share with you a few of my favorite workout DVDs and a few that I have heard are awesome but have not tried myself. Grab your tennies, some water and a towel 'cause you're going to sweat! And remember....Sweat eventually turns into muscle! :)

I love the Biggest Loser and I love Bob and Jillian. They are amazing trainers who motivate but also push you to work harder than you ever have. Our bodies can do more than we think they can if we just DO IT! Click here to see a list of some of their DVDs on Amazon. Choose one that looks right for you! But, here are 2 of my favorites that I have tried and they are great!

Cardio Max gets your heart pumpin' and your blood flowing. I really enjoy this video. All 3 trainers get involved and lead portions of your workout, but Bob is the main trainer in this one. You really only need floorspace, some dumb-bells and water!

Jillian does not mess around in the 30-Day Shred! She works you OUT! But you will see results! My friend Lesli has been doing this one. You go girl!!

Obviously, my latest adventure is the P90X. It's not easy, but I've come to realize that weight loss and toning really shouldn't be. Well, it SHOULD be, but it's not! :) So, I introduce you to Tony, should you dare. I have no doubt I will see results. I have done the workouts for 9 days now and while I have only lost 3 lbs, I do feel a difference and I honestly can see a difference in my body. I think some of the weight has shifted and I think I am beginning to tone my arms and legs. Good news! If you order in the next 7 hours you can be in pain by Monday! I mean...you will have the DVDs by Monday! :) Oh, and you will need dumb-bells and resistance bands. Dave can actually do pull-ups and uses the pull-up bar, but I am not to that point yet. And yes, this is definitely a video that you and the hubs can do together. It will work you both out hardcore!

My last recommendation has not been tested by me....or anyone else I know for that matter! It is, however, hilarious. I heard about this on the radio this morning and I had to check it out for myself! How many of you count Dirty Dancing as one of your all-time favorite movies?? Of course you do! Patrick Swayze moving those hips....whew! And we all had hair like Baby before the Chi. My dad used to stand at the end of the hallway and let my sister and I run and jump and he would lift us up while we tried and tried to perfect "the lift". Ahhh...memories. Well now, we can all relive the days of old with the new Dirty Dancing workout DVD! You think I'm joking, but you can burn those calories while doing Johnny's Mambo! I might try to get Dave in on this so we can do the "Saturday Night Challenge"!

Tell it like it is!

Um....this is a historic day for sure, and like any good citizen I want to be in the know. I watched the swearing in and I saw the First Lady in all of her "new outfit for the best-day-ever" glory, but that's about it. Alas, I had to get back to work. Thank goodness my sister sent me this link that absolutely made my day! It will for sure give you a good laugh!

My favorite so far:
11:30am Malia is wearing a purple/blue wool coat with a ribbon belt, and Sasha is wearing a similar pink one. Malia is taking pictures, and Brian Williams observes, "She'll have some better-than-average angles." Yes. She also has a better-than-average blowout for a 10-year-old.

11:55 a.m.: Oh, Aretha. What are you wearing on your head? Is that a Liberty Bow? And is this the lounge remix of "My Country, 'Tis of Thee?" CNN even had to identify the song on their ticker in case people didn't recognize it.

Awesome.

Happy Inauguration day.

Fabulous Find Friday!

As you know, I have a love affair with turtlenecks. They look great under coats, always make me feel "dressed" and in my opinion are timeless. I was going to post today about ways to survive the cold and stay comfy, but I received the following e-mail and knew I had to help!

"So I need a black stretchy/form fitting type very simple black turtleneck to wear under a couple of dresses. I haven't had any luck...so I thought I'd check with the turtleneck queen :) "

Have no fear, help is here! I have chosen a few styles all relatively similar. I also added an adorable turtleneck dress.

I love this stretch TN by Ralph Lauren. This is the perfect top to go under a dress or nice sweater. And at $25, the price can't be beat!

This is really cute, and it definitely comes in black, but I like the Claret and Castlerock too! And again, at $38 it's a great price.

This TN dress is short sleeves, but I think it is really cute and can be dressed up with fun boots or down with some darling ballet flats.

Now this one comes with good news and bad news....the good news is, it's a super sexy cashmere turtleneck for only $58! The bad news is, they only have small and XL in camel color left. I thought I would throw it out there for those of you that fit that description!

Last but not least...This is not a turtleneck, but I have to show you these fabulous house slippers! They were going to be part of my original FFF post until I got the fabulous turtleneck question. I had really been needing some slippers because our kitchen and living room is all one big room and it is tiled. Tile gets a little chilly in the winter, so I needed something to take the edge off. :) My MIL gave me these adorable slippers for Christmas and they have rocked my world! These Isotoner Luxe Rosette Satin Ballerina Slippers are so precious and they come in white, so they would be the perfect compliment to your wedding dress on the big day! Your feet will thank you!

Oh, and be sure and follow me! You'll receive an update in google reader when there is a new post and we can all see your cute picture :) Just look on the right hand tool bar! Happy weekend!

Ringin' it in!

I just realized that I never posted about New Years. With birthdays and anniversaries I completely forgot! And I have been so concerned lately with the destruction of my body (Tony hates me, but I'm hangin' in there!) and I have been more concerned with how much it hurts to type (type, breathe, eat, live....) that I have failed to post. I apologize faithful reader. You use me as your escape from your duties at work and home and I have failed you miserably. I apologize and I vow to fill you in on the very imperative details of the first few days of my 2009. It's been fabulous if I might say so! Cheers!

Happy New Year!!

The Loj, Bradley and me...Here's to a great '09!

Me and my boo

OMG y'all, I also forgot to tell you about Lucky Boots round #2 on New Year's Eve!! I'm not even joking....it was 1:30am and we were leaving the Loj's house and they live on a busy street! Why is there always immediate danger?? And this pretty little girls comes straight for me! It was pitch black and I almost didn't see her until she brushed up on my leg and I was like, "Y'all, seriously where did she come from?" Answer: She can from out of no-where and then it was our duty to get her home. Her name was CoCo and thankfully, she has a rhinestone studded collar and a TAG with her name and address. THANK YOU responsible pet owner! So we loaded her up and took her to her home. Her family was definitely not awake and they were definitely not still ringing in the new year! CoCo's mom did mutter a heartfelt thank you and my duty was done. Phew!

Me and CoCo ringing in the new year!

Our anniversary trip to the Cotton Bowl! I thought I was so cleaver getting Cotton Bowl tickets for our "Cotton" anniversary. We had a great time!

We got our guns up, but Ole Miss had their number....

Mom doing 50 right!

Her and her besties!

Happy Birthday Lady!!

And last but not least...

I just think this is cute of Rookie. He was just going crazy to get outside and we let him out and then when he ran in we realized he had something in his mouth. Upon closer inspection, he has one of his treats and he had buried it out back! Home boy had run outside for 5 minutes digging it up and was covered in dirt! It was really cute and it was the first time he has ever done something like that, so we documented it. Yes, I love my dog.

No Pain no gain?

*UPDATE: Thank you, Advil. The swelling has gone down considerably. I'm definitely still in pain with that arm, but I was nervous with all the swelling, so maybe things are looking up!

So, day 1 of P90X is behind me and it was definitely difficult, but there was no vomit involved. I did totally struggle-cakes through the push ups. We're talking like 5 different kinds and multiple reps. Yuck! The diamond push ups with my hands together were definitely the hardest ones. I'm pretty sure my weight distribution was a bit off! We sweat, we struggled and we felt really good afterwards! Go us!

Then I ate dinner, watched the bachelor, watched the City while soaking in a bubble bath, watched the final minutes of the Longhorns cradering against the sooners in basketball while talking to my mom and then it was time for bed. I literally hung up the phone and realized....my arm hurts freaking BAD. What the heck? I moved it around and really felt the pulling, but it was like it was just really, really sore and I went to bed. Well, I woke up around 2:00am in pain in my arm (elbow) and just didn't understand why I literally couldn't move my left arm, but the right arm is just fine. I mean, my upper body is tired and sore, but NOTHING like my left arm. This morning, when I woke up I told Dave of my battle wound and he looked me over and we came to the conclusion that it is definitely swollen. In fact, my co-worker said she could even tell through my shirt. Let's be honest, it's a turtleneck!

So, I'm not really sure what to report. I liked day one of P90. I feel good having worked hard and I'm feeling sore today, but it is a great feeling. It's a feeling that lets you know you worked hard, I just don't understand this left elbow. Also, I wasn't using weights. Well, 5 lb dumbells for a couple of excercises, other than that I was using bands. So it's not like I was using weights too heavy for me and injured myself. I never felt a snap or a tear or a point in my workout where I could say, "I just hurt myself". It didn't start until about 3 hours afterwards. But there is definitely something "not quite right" about it. If I were to brush my hair, or make the "choo-choo" motion with my arm (not sure WHY I would be doing that motion, but roll with me) that's when it really hurts. SO, we might be a man down on P90X....Dave might be rolling solo. I'm going to see if the swelling goes down and see how it feels in the next few days. I'll report any progress. :)

Maybe I need to hit up Jazzercise! XOXO

Loco in the Cabeza...

I must be nuts. Today is D-day...P90X baby. Dave got this insane workout DVD set for Christmas and the time has come for us to begin. The dumb-bells, resistance bands, pull-up bar and workout mats have been bought and we are ready to go. This morning, Dave asked "What do you want to throw up later?" I guess that was his clever way of asking what I wanted him to pack me for lunch. Does he think that's encouraging me to want to do this?

I know I have a long way to go....20-30 lbs to be exact. I say 20-30 because 30 would be my ultimate goal/satisfaction. However, 20 lbs gets me to my wedding weight (I didn't lose for my wedding. That has just always been my healthy/normal weight) and back into ALL of the clothes in my closet. I would be content with 20 lbs, but why not shoot for the moon! :) This will not be easy, and I know that. Tony Horton is geared up to kick my ace and I think I'm geared up for Tony. Wish me luck!

No words...

I follow (along with half of the world!) a blog called "Bring the Rain." It is written by Angie Smith who is an amazing Christian woman, wife, and mother who lost her baby last April. She not only lost the baby, but knew 3 months before she was born that she would not live and she chose to carry out the pregnancy and have the baby. She documented her journey and her very real heart, pain and all on her blog. The day she found out that Audrey Caroline would not, could not survive, was January 7, 2008. She just posted a video on her blog of the day Audrey was born, and if you feel so inclined, go watch it. It is an amazing testament of God's love for us that while their family was in the depths of sadness He gave them peace, joy and strength. If you have never read their story you can start from the very beginning and see how God has truly used this unimaginable situation for His glory. Angie's blog almost from day one is read around the world. She has touched many women's lives and is allowing the Lord to use her to reach the world. audreycaroline.blogspot.com

Fabulous Find Friday!

**UPDATE: Free shipping on orders of $75 or more. Enter code: HAPPYNEWYEAR at checkout (Expires 1/13/09)

Get 'em while the gettin's good, girls! Vera Bradley is having a sale and she's practically giving stuff away! I love these patterns and the bags hold up SO well! Allison gave all of her bridesmaids the large duffel bag and I have carried mine all over the place. I have packed this thing to the max and I'm sure I've tested the weight limit, but it has held up beautifully!
I don't think I'll be sporting the checkbook cover or the cell phone case, but hey...to each his own! I make no apologies that I will have to have this adorable umbrella!

So head on over to Vera Bradley's website and get you some goodies! TGIF!!!

If we added hours to the day...

I would just fill it! Do you ever get so busy that you don't really have time to think? Work is busy, home is busy, life is just busy. And the thing is, most of it is a lot of fun, but sometimes it adds up to being overwhelming. Yesterday, I was so busy at work that I forgot to eat....I forget a lot of things, but usually, eating is not one of them! There just wasn't time to get my sandwich from the refrigerator. Sometimes I feel like Jessie Spano when she had a test and needed to make the workout video with girl's group so she took too many sleeping pills... Last night, I needed to unwind, so I called my nana for some TLC and dinner and a rita at Chuy's. Like all good nana's, she obliged and she sipped her Mexican Martini and chit-chatted with me. It was time well spent, but I couldn't believe I had this ONE night where I had nothing to do, and I filled it. I need to figure out how to decompress.

The thing is, I love being with people. I love being with my family, seeing my friends, being with David.....I don't really like to be alone. I grew up in a family of 5. A very loud, funny, high energy family of 5 at that! There was always gymnastics, cheerleading, baseball, soccer, tennis and karate lessons....and that was just on Tuesdays! We ate on the go, we played on the go, we talked on the go. We just lived life on the go. Then I went to college and joined Pi Phi and met my fabulous friends and we never stopped. Not only were we always on the go, but we were on the go together. Where there was one, there were 3! We went to the dry cleaners together, ate together...heck, Courtney and I even had every class together! Part of the dry cleaners thing is that parking was so hard to come by at A&M. Especially for freshman. We stalked people to get their parking spots. We would sit at the end of a row for 30 minutes listening to our NSYNC, Britney, Kid Rock, Nelly mixes and wait for the dope that needed to go get Wing Stop to give up his parking spot and then we would pounce. So when one of us ventured off campus, we traveled in packs.

Then I moved into the sorority house....I lived with 60 other girls. I was never alone! We brushed our teeth in public, we did our hair in public, we watched "Trading Spaces" and "Centerstage" in groups of 15 in the TV room. There was no privacy and I loved it. On to Midtown....4 girls in one townhouse. A-MAZE-ING. Especially with the likes of Bacardi making homemade apple pies (WHO did that when they were a junior in college?? Don't worry, we made mucho fun of her!) the Loj being the Loj, and the sweetest of Reams having study groups with their TI-83s. Love you girls! My point is, I have always been surrounded with people and things to do. If there was nothing to do, we MADE something to do. We had dance parties, found some reason to have friends over and have fun.

I think this is why I love busyness....but sometimes, I need to relax and rest. I think I am to the point where I need a little bit of that. I have had so much fun meeting my friends for dinner or drinks or something, that I have neglected a bit of ME. While it's all fun, sometimes it might be too much. I have neglected working out, eating well, sitting on the couch with a good magazine and relaxing.

This is my goal for 2009.

Don't you worry that I have already put my name in the hat to be a host house for D-Now at the end of January....and I want to throw an Oscar watching party, and then I'm hosting dinner club on Valentine's Day, and our Annual Conference is at the end of February....so things are looking pretty busy for the next 8 weeks. BUT, I'm going to spend some of my weekdays with myself. So, if you call me for a glass of wine and I happen to have the self-discipline to say no, don't take is personal. I'm taking it personal. :)

Love you all.....mean it!

This one goes out to the one I love...

Two years ago today I married the one my heart loves. It was a day filled with love, the celebration of our Lord, our families and our friends. It was absolutely wonderful, and today we get to celebrate and remember that day and the commitment we made to each other to love, honor and cherish one another all the days of our lives. Amen.

David, thank you for loving me when I am unlovable. Thank you for laughing with me and at me! :) Thank you for making me happy, making me feel secure, putting Jesus before me, respecting me and honoring me. I hope you feel honored, loved and respected each day by me.

Our first 2 years have been fun, joyous and memorable. This year we had the privilege of buying our first home. Although the whole process was somewhat of a challenge , we both fell in love with the same house and we are thankful to call it our home! We spent our "cotton" anniversary at the Cotton Bowl watching Dave's alma mater, Texas Tech play Ole Miss. It wasn't the outcome we had hoped for, but we had a blast, got a sunburn (80 degrees on January 2nd...only in Texas!), ate dinner at Patrizio's (where we had dinner the night we got engaged) and had a lot of fun together. Here's to year 3 and every year we're blessed with after! Love you! XOXO

"Book'em Dan-O I'm 5-0!"

Happy, Happy 50th Birthday to my beautiful mom! Her birthday was actually Saturday, but I was traveling and celebrating with her on Saturday. No time for blogging! :)

My mom is the most amazing woman I know and I hope that I turn out to be half the wife, mother, daughter and friend that she is. She cares so deeply and so genuinely about people. She is a Godly woman who is just plain old fun. We have so much fun together and I am so proud to call her my mother and my best friend.

Mom is the best mother ever. She would let us skip school (occasionally) to have "fun" days and we would go to the movies, or go shopping, or hang out and watch movies at home. She totally saved my reputation in 7th grade when I went to school in one black shoe and one navy shoe (OMG...the mortification!) when I had come to the kitchen to ask which one looked better with my outfit and then forgot to go make things matchy-matchy. What a russell I was! Then, my junior year I was getting ready for out Friday pep-rally and realized I had forgotten bloomers for my cheerleading outfit. Necessity...I think so! I called mom in a sheer panic and she was there in a flash bloomers in tow. She is a life-saver!

And let's not forget our wonderful talks and the fun we had wedding planning. I count it such a blessing to have shared my most precious memories with her. She is a woman of faith, strength, dignity and unfailing love. When we all faced the toughest time of our lives when she was diagnosed with cancer, she is the one who lifted us up. Her attitude never failed and she touched so many people with her spirit of hope.

I love you mom. I can't imagine my days without our phone calls and e-mails. Here's to another fifty!

Riding the bull at her 50th birthday party in Dallas! You go girl!

The day I was born

So much fun!

Mom, Kristen and I at Serendipity

Visiting Taylor in New Orleans. We had a blast that week!

Sharing in the excitement of my engagement!

My wedding day with her by my side

I LOVE YOU!

And finally, I leave you with this awesome-ness. Mom, Kristen and I LOVE this SNL skit and have been doing it for years. We finally got to truly live it up and have been quoting this non-stop for a week. Mom's FIFTY! And she can KICK, stretch and KICK! Enjoy!