Thankful Tuesday

I am feeling really stressed as another HUGE dump of snow is coming to DC and my parents are scheduled to take the bus to NYC on Friday morning for my mom's special birthday weekend! I looked into the train and it is $300 each way....WTF! Please pray that the roads will be clear and it will be safe for them to come to NYC. We have a bunch of wonderful things planned and the tickets, hotel room etc are non-refundable and you cannot change the date! :(

I am trying to be thankful despite feeling stressed about this.

I am thankful:

1. That is my copy of Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover" is in the mail.

2. That I am becoming obsessed with working out and am turning into a little gym rat!

3. For my sweet, amazing, kind, SMART, handsome hubs and getting to spend Valentine's day with him at our FAVORITE restaurant.

4. That hopefully my tax refund is coming soon.

5. That our trip to Naples is booked.

6. For my good friends here in Princeton

7. For my dear, dear friends all over the country.

8. That my mom is doing well and her health is improving and I can't WAIT to see her and give her her beautiful birthday gift!

9. For good food.

10. For CHAI!

Work out goals:

Monday: Buddy workout after work
Tuesday: Spinning class at 5:45 AM or Mat Pilates at 6:30 PM
Wednesday: Buddy workout after work
Thursday: Spinning class at 5:45 PM

Friday, Saturday and Sunday -- off! Mom and Dad visit NYC!

A good weekend

We had a great weekend spending time together and I was in FULL nesting mode. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, baking and gymming. :)

Happy Hour was a delight. I went with 4 of my girlfriends who I met from the fashion show back in October. We had a great time laughing...a lot.

Saturday, Brian and I were snowed in. We didn't get NEARLY as much snow as the MD-DC area but we didn't leave the house all day! I made soup and we watched movies and I started reading a book for work.

Today, we didn't make it to church, it's just so hard when sleeping in is so fun but we MUST make it a priority and had each other accoutable to making it a key part of our lives because we definitely want to make it a priority for when we have children and DO NOT want to wait until then, of course.

We made chili, cornbread and brownies and both went to the gym. :) We had a great time with our guests and a lovely evening. I am not usually a proponent of dinner in front of the television but I guess the Superbowl is a reasonable excuse!

Now, we have 6 loads of laundry spinning downstairs.

Hope ya'll had a great weekend. xoxo

Weekend....

Like much of the east coast we will be getting a lot of snow here over the next couple days. It has not started here yet so what does that mean?

HAPPY HOUR is still on!

Here is what my schedule looks like this weekend:

Friday-
Happy Hour with my girlfriends
Possibly seeing "Dear John" although it got bad review

Saturday-
Gym
Pick up my dry cleaning
Make cream of brocilli soup
Laundry
Movies
Reading

Sunday-
Church
Gym
Make chili and cornbread for company for dinner!
Cry because Desparate Housewives isn't on on Sunday...instead it's multiple episodes of Family Guy...or Modern Family or somethign...wierd.
Dream about our upcoming vacation to Naples, Florida, March 12-15....we will be staying at here

Update update...

Once again, I apologize for the lack of posting! I had a very busy but wonderful week is DC. I really enjoyed my work program and catching up with co-workers from other offices. I also got to see my parents at the beginning and end of the week, which I really enjoyed.

The weather in DC was fabulous until I left on Saturday -- it was snowing. Thankfully, I was taking the train and there was little snow here in NJ. It was great to see my mom, we went on a (cold) walk on Friday (I worked from my parents' house part of the day) and had a nice dinner out with family and good friends. I love being home and about 2.5 days at a time is always perfect!

Upon returning to Princeton on Saturday my sweet hubs had the apartment spotless...although quite a bit of laundry piled up! We had a lovely dinner out at Tre Piani in Princeton as a reunion as we were apart the longest we have been since we got married! So it was great fun to see him again and spend the day at home catching up again.

I had coffee with two of my best girlfriends which is becoming a little tradition and we walked around Princeton before doing some grocery shopping for the week.

Brian and I agree on nearly everything except FOOD! I enjoy nearly all vegetarian food and Brian prefers meat and potatoes! I am trying to compromise on this. I have started making encliladas which are sooo easy and good. Probably not the healthiest but I use lean meat for him and alll veggies for me. I add some peppers and onions to the meat ones for him. He loves them. He also gets a side salad. :)

We are planning a short getaway in March! So in addition to my parents' visit in less than 2 weeks and my trip to Spain in April...we will be going some place great in March! Very excited! We are looking to go some place warm outside the country that is only a direct flight away so any suggestions are WELCOME!

Hope ya'll had a great weekend.

Friday!

I apologize for the lack of posting! I have been computerless during the evenings and Brian has been using his to prep for his finals. My hubs is officially 3/4 complete with his Princeton degree. I am so proud of him and very excited to hear what his final grades are!

This week has been pretty busy at work as I prepare to go to a conference in DC for all of next week. Part of it will be training. I look forward to seeing my friends I met at previous trainings.

I will be with my parents this Saturday and Sunday and then next Friday and Saturday before I return home. They will also be visiting NYC February 12-14! We are staying at a W Hotel (The Court) and seeing the Lion King! We will also probably eat at the Blue Grill in the Union Square area. I am very excited! We will celebrate my mom's birthday and also at that point she will only have one more week of radiation left! Yay!

I guess now I have to go pack!

Thankful Thursday

I am so thankful for good friends to share meals and reciepes with. For friends to go to the gym with and run errands with...because it's just more fun!

I am thankful for my husband and that his Princeton education is nearly complete.

I am thankful for today...

B12!

Friday, I had a doctor's appointment and got my bloodwork results from my physical...I have successfully lowered my cholestrol, significantly, but I had very very low B12 vitamin levels - B12 is usually found in animal products like cheese, eggs and meat -- things I have been eating little of because of my cholestrol!

The doctor was so concerned I had to get a B12 shot to help raise my levels. She said just taking the vitamins would not help fast enough.

I had no idea it was important. It has been many years since I have had a physical and all my blood work done. There are many signs of low B12 vitamins:
-fatigue - check!
-numbness in fingers - oddly enough, yes!
-hair loss - I thought my hair was falling out due to the cold winter, etc.

There are others too but I was very surprised there was a cause to these symptoms.

2010....well underway....

2010 is well underway, Brian is busy preparing for exams that will finally conclude on Jan 22! Jan 23, I am off to DC. I am SO excited to see my parents! :)

I have really been enjoying going to the gym, three times a week. I love the weight training and building strength. It's great to get back into the swing of things. I have already gained a teeny tiny bit of weight but in this case I do think it might be muscle.

I am still looking for a good volunteer opportunity, I have a couple things I have been working on so we will see what comes through...

Which brings me to my next bit of news....

In December, I didn't make my fundraising goal for the special surprise I had planned for my mom and other cancer survivors for June. An alternative is possible. I don't give up easily. Stay tuned....

I am DYING to do some serious shopping. There are some great end of the season sales and I have a long list of staples I want to get....they will all have to wait until February.

New Year = New Goals...

Last year I didn't really set "new years resolutions"...this year I will not do them, either. But I will set some goals...

1. Maintain weight and build strength.

For the first time in a long time I am pretty comfortable with my weight. I just joined a new gym with the goal to increase health and strength. My goal is to make it to the gym three times a week.

2. Save more money, pay off Princeton loans.

I have already done a bad job with this but my goal is to pay as much of Brian's Princeton tutition as we can and be wise stewards of our funds.

3. Get organized, purge and get rid of excess.

Last year I did blog about my need to get organized and the problems I have with being able to fins things. We have a tiny apartment and it's really hard to stay organized. I keep all my summer clothes at my parents house but we still have way too much in our tiny closet. I am collecting clothes to sell at a particular consignment shop in DC.

4. Volunteer.

I have been wanting to get involved in some way in the community and did go to a soup kitchen to serve last year but I want a more regular gig. I applied to volunteer at the Princeton hospital but all the slots outside of 9am-5pm are taken! So...I am going to have to find something else.

5. Attend church.

I have always been a faithful church attender but recently we have really slacked off. I would really like this to be a priority for us, as a couple.

That's all I've got for now....

Decade in Review

Many other bloggers have been doing a review of this past decade. I will do the same!

2000 - Fell in love with high school boyfriend, he graduate and went off to college. That summer I helped build houses in inner-city Baltimore with Habitat for Humanity.

2001 - Spent the summer in Santander, Spain studying Spanish and living with a host family. September 11th happens and that day I break up with high school boyfriend.

2002 - Graduated from high school and packed my bags to attend a small private college in San Antonio, Texas. Was very homesick. Cut 12 inches of my hair and donated it to Locks of Love.

2003 - My paternal grandma passes away. Spend the summer working at my church in Bethesda, MD in youth ministry with 12 good friends.

2004 - After much debate, I go back to Trinity University for another year and declare my major in Communicaton. Travel to Romania to do community service in orphanages.

2005 - My dad encourages me to study abroad in Perugia, Italy. I have the time of my life, pierce my nose, gain 20 pounds, grow my hair down to my waist, travel the world and meet my very best friends. When I return back to the Washington area I turn 21 and get back together with said high school boyfriend.

2006 - Graduate from college and land my dream job in Washington, DC. Turn down an offer to move to Japan to teach English, travel all over Europe, break up with high school boyfriend and meet great friends at work.

2007 - Meet my wonderful husband, have the best time getting to know each other and fall head over heels in love. Get a huge promotion at work....and celebrate with Brian.

2008 - Get accepted to graduate school at Johns Hopkins, I get engaged just a few days later and turn down my grad school opportunity to start life with my precious hubs. After planning a wedding in a hurry, we get married on a beautiful July afternoon, honeymoon in the Mayan Riveria. We move to Princeton, NJ on hubs' 26th birthday.

2009 - Start a new job. We travel to Paris and Dublin to celebrate our first year of marriage. My mom is diagnosed with breast cancer and starts chemo. Brian completes his first year of graduate school. I met great new friends.

WOW....what a decade! I am SO excited to see what this next decade brings.....

Not so excited for work tomorrow.

A trip to the mall...

Today Serena and I went to the mall. She is a very trendy, sharp dresser so I was excited for her to give me some tips. We went to Club Monaco and I got a great top! We went to Banana Republic and started looking at the sale items and the next thing I knew my Club Monaco bag was GONE. I was obviously NOT focusing or paying attention and was rushing and some other petite woman shopping in that section swiped the bag! I kid you not! We looked high and low. I reported it to the store manager and looked ALL over the store, checked under the racks, etc and it was GONE. I left my name and phone number but I am not that hopeful. I was so upset! $63 later, I had nothing to show for my spent money!

What I want to know is WHO does that?! How awful....my warning to you all is WATCH your purse, watch your shopping bags and all your items. I was so devasated and disheartened. Is this really the world we live in?

I cannot find the item online so I cannot post a picture but it was SUCH a cute top. I got really upset and didn't want to get anything else. Serena and I had made a special trip to a mall about 40 minutes away so I decided to take advantage of being there and got some skinnie black legging/jeans and a slouchy sweater and black boots. All very cute. I am a little concerned the black boots might be a little too short in terms of size for my feet. Do your boots typically stretch out?

Here is a pic of the boots:

Here is a pic of the skinnies - I actually think they are more like heavy leggings...

Here is the sweater...I got it in black....

Catching Up...Serena

I took a little bit of a bloggy break as I was prepping for my deadline earlier this month. Now that I have a couple days to catch up I will update on what I have been up to. Back in October, I participated in a charity fashion show for "Dress for Sucess" -- I met some really nice people. Among them, Serena has become a good friend of mine! She lives just down the street with her hubs. They are a precious couple! Serena's parents live in the SAME neighborhood as Brian's parents in North Carolina so we got to visit there too!

I just joined her health club in Princeton and we will start working out together a couple times a week.

We celebrated her birthday earlier in December. She and her husband hosted a very festive party in Manhattan. It was great to get to celebrate with her!

Here are a few pictures of the party....

Lovely ladies at the party!

Me and the hubs

Two of my favorite people!

Serena and her brother who SURPRISED her! He flew in from North Carolina to celebreate in NYC! Her brother and his wife have the most precious little girl who is 24 months!

Happy New Year!

Wordless Wednesday