who says you can't go home?

dear husband...

automotive: i will never be a minivan person

magazines: my subscriptions are out of control

anniversaries: no need to ever celebrate our first kiss, first time we held hands, etc.

muddy buddies: i consider these a food group

our children: let's pray they are nappers

your birthday: you control the remote

hey boos! happy wednesday. wednesday, at least. and just think...thursday tomorrow...friday the next. friday equals the weekend. this weekend for me equals karaoke with college pals, dinner, brunch and sleeping! bow chick-a-wow-wow. what are you STOKED about this weekend?

yesterday i had a bangin' lil' lunch.

this is my favorite, by far, kashi meal.
it's so flavorful.
i heart me some kashi.

i had a side of leftover veggies with some balsamic dressing as well. it was MUY bueno.

i enjoyed my eating while browsing through some Elle. jessica alba style. this is an old issue. but man, doesn't she look good? i wish her makeup artist lived next door to me.

{kara, you do look like her. i don't care what loyal says.}

OH! and martin has taken his adventures to a new horizon. him and his honey bunny are out on the town.

GET IT? "italian restaurant?" bottle of red...bottle of white.
{billy joel, hello!}
the artist is my lovey, c.staps.
she's goooooood!

let me tell you a story about this cup of coffffay.

my dad took me to work this morning. we had to drop my mom's car off at the shop and i was a doll by giving her my automobile to drive. {or maybe my dad just basically said that was the game plan and i went along with it} anyway, after we dropped the car off we were supposed to be stopping at double D's for some joe. but there was a ton of traffic and we couldn't get over to the lane so i told my dad to just go straight to work. no big. {well it was kind of big because it was 6:22 in the morning and i was tired and wanted to be in my cozy warm bed and the only thing i had on my mind was coffee} my dad felt bad. i was kind of a brat. but just kind of. because i love my dad, and he rocks and it's hard being a full brat towards him. he offered to drop me off and bring me back my coffee. i told him no. i told him to go back to bed. it was way too early for him to be up on his day off. i told him i'd live without coffee. he still felt bad. he dropped me off. we pounded, let it explode, and then i went into work and got things ready for the day. about seven minutes later i hear his truck. and a few seconds later i see his truck. then i see my dad getting out, cinnamon coffee in hand coming up to my door. he's a really sweet man. one of the good ones.

anyway.

this is what my lunch looked like...

delicious tortilla soup.
i likey.

i received a few packages today. packages make me giddy.

the brown package {sadly not tied with string} held a pretty pair of grey pumps. which i've just realized i didn't snap a photo of. but they are grey suede and stunning. take my word for it.

hiding inside that ideeli bag was this pretty number

i die from the cutenessssss!

last week these babies came in the mail for me...

i am OBSESSED!
this is my first time purchasing a pair of melissa shoes-and now i just want more and more.
and more.

dinner consisted of chicken and bacon mac & cheese. seriously good stuff.

nom nom nom

i ate while playing jeopardy. i kicked butt at the celebriteen category. yes, celebrity related, music related, tv show relate, movie related and jane austen related are always my jeopardy claim to fame categories. #don't judge.

in time, a watched pot will boil.

last night i had one thing on my mind for dinner: pasta.

when we were little, my cousin used to eat rigatoni noodles and big cheese. {big cheese was just parmesan cheese} this was a staple meal in her diet back in the day. i'd be lying if i said i wasn't also hooked on the rigatoni noodles and big cheese.

therefore, dinner last night was inspired by lissa...

perfection in a bowl

this morning i woke up bright and early to a pile of freshly fallen snow. twas lovely. kind of. it's lovely right up until the point where i need to go clean my car off. then i am sure i will be whistling a different tune.

for breakfast: peanut butter toast.

i likey

i have to go into work in a few short hours. sadly. staying home seems like such a better option.

image

i believe. . .

it's okay if i haven't read a book in months

i believe. . .

some of the best advice comes from a two year old

i believe. . .

it's perfectly acceptable spending an entire day browsing wedding blogs

i believe. . .

queen helene's cocoa butter is god sent

i believe. . .

there is justification in spending a pretty nickle for a really awesome pair of shoes

i believe. . .

i'd be lost without my planner

i believe. . .

i might just need to cave in and buy a new phone {it is 2011 after all}

i believe. . .

you can most definitely tell a difference between real chicken and fake chicken

i believe. . .

sometimes {a lot of times} donuts just make me feel better

what do you believe in today. . .?

also, enter my giveaway! please and thank you!

catch up sesh with pictures.

i'm off babysitting duty today since it's presidents day and my SIL has off. i miss those little puddin' pops. they make mondays not suck. and let's all be serious, mondays are kind of awful. so anyway, happy prez day to lincoln, washington, bill, jfk and of course obama. {and all those other guys, too}

last friday was salad day at work. everyone signed up for something, brought it in and ta da!

stupidly, i signed up to bring in grilled chicken. not realizing how much grilled chicken costs. i went the lazy route and picked up already cut and cooked. three boxes ended up being $22. ouchhhh.

but the spread was so nice and it was such a success, so whatevs.

one of my co-workers also made broccoli and cheddar soup for her food day. soup and salad-hollla.

at $22, this is the most expensive salad i've ever and hopefully will ever eat.

but it super tasty! lettuce, cucumbers, chickpeas, tort chips, red peppers, corn, black beans, cheese. topped with low-fat balsamic vinegar.

before the salad bar took place, i made a coffee run.

also, i've been hooked on these babies...

...as well as these babies...

i had a dinner date last week. the only thing on my mind: bacon cheeseburger and fries.

super satisfying

last monday, my dad and i had to go pick up the baby sister from college. she had been very sick during the weekend and decided to go to the nurses office on monday. the nurse made a quick decision of sending her off campus for the week. after the crazy swine flu outbreak, and my sister having a 102.6 fever, they didn't want to take any chances.

it was nice having her home for the week. but also nice sending her back yesterday. {much love, lil' sis} before our trek back, we caught up on fringe.

and i ate some eggs in a mug


i might not be into sci-fi...but i truly love me some fringe! especially that joshua jackson.

we decided on eating at panera bread for dinner once we got to baltimore. i was muy excited.

i ordered the you pick two.

i went with the new thai chopped chicken salad

and broccoli and cheddar soup in a bread bowl

as well as an ice tea

soooo sorry, kidneys!

the salad was BANGIN'. it had a little spicy kick to it. and everything in it was just awesome. the soup was out.of.this.world. i heart their broccoli and cheddar soup. last night was no exception.

don't forget to enter my giveaway!

a very purple giveaway!

no, sorry. she's not included!

i have been a v.v.v.very terrible, no good, very bad blogger when it comes to writing up reviews as of late. i have no excuse. i have no rhyme. no reason. just the fact that i'm a slacker. but i'm putting my slacker ways behind me. i'm turning a new leaf. there will no longer be pending reviews. i was receive, reflect and review. bam, bam, bam.

so let's get this baby rolling, yes?

enter....

the wonderful people over at MyBlogSpark.com teamed up with Cheerios and sent me this purple themed package to review.

included in the package: that would be a box of MultiGrain Cheerios, a plastic tupperware container, a purple gym bag and a purple water bottle.

i couldn't help but think of this guy when i opened the box...


just because of all the purple

and well, i like to think of any excuse to sing, "one eyed, one horn flying purple eater!"
{i use to be obsessed with that movie when i was a wee tot}

anywayyyyy...

i have been using the purple container since i got it in the mail. i can never have too many!

on to the cereal...

i've always been a honey nut cheerios kind of gal. i like a little flavoring on my cheerios-what can i say.

however, i was pleasantly surprised by the taste of the multigrain. it didn't taste grainy at all. which is exactly what i was expecting. i feel like a lot of grainy foods have a very scratchy way about them. i don't know, call me crazy, but i can ALWAYS tell a difference.

but since this is a healthier option, {ahem, hello! the biggest loser crew are on the front-it has to be healthy} i might steer clear from my usual honey nut o's.

also, i really like that there isn't a cheerios logo on the gym bag. it's just a standard purple bag that can be used for sweaty clothes or even an overnight bag!

now a giveaway...for you!

the amazing folk at MyBlogSpark.com and Cheerios are giving one lucky winner their very own prize pack! who doesn't love a freebie?

just tell me what your favorite cereal is and i'll pick a winner on friday, feb. 25th.
that's it.
easy peasy lemon squeezy.

there are things i need to do.

seriouslyyyyy, yo.

exhibit a: i have a pile of clean clothes in a laundry basket that need some major folding.

dear husband,

it takes me a longggg time getting around to folding clothes. i like wrinkles, i guess.

exhibit b: i need to make my bed. i am usually a crazy person when it comes to making the bed. {mama stout is to thank for this} i wake up, go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, floss and make my bed. usually in that exact order. however, the last few days have been an exception. i have actually been leaving the house for work WITHOUT making the bed. blasphemy. i feel so out of sorts because of this. mmm.

exhibit c: speaking of beds. i need to get a new one.

exhibit d: i need to stopppppp online shopping. really, i need to stop.

on another note, i miss kara. it's always tough spending the whole weekend with her and then having to leave. because it just sucks.


our weekend consisted of food, drinks, karaoke, gay bars, bad meatball sandwiches, teen witch, chinese new year parades, cheetah friends, a ratard at mcdonalds, wedding chatter, vomit, getting our nails pretty.



also, kara gave me this goodie bag!

inside was an adorable card asking me to be her maid of honor. {i reread this on the train and cried} as well as a really great wedding book and the awesomely creative way she's going to be asking her bridesmaids to be a part of her big day! they'll all accept since she's the best.

yayyyy, rock on mike lee!

i had to put about 22 sugars in this because it was unsweetened.
i highly dislike unsweetened ice tea.

damn good breakfast sandwich.
bacon, egg, cheese on a sesame bagel.
yes, yes and yes.

kar also told me that i have to be careful with all the ice tea i drink.
she told me a horror story about losing a kidney.
i don't want to lost a kidney.
but i want to keep drinking ice tea.

it's almost the weekend, kids. two more days and it's home free. i feel so tired i just want to sleep. which i plan on doing. i also plan on doing exhibits a. b. c. & d. {hopefully}

what are you planning on doing this weekend?