Girl's Weekend

I am completely sucking at this whole blogging thing. But lots of things have been going lately. That it has been exhausting both mentally and physically. Which is why a nice mini road trip was in order. A good girlfriend and I decided to visit our third musketeer up in Philly for a nice weekend away. So we packed up and headed out after work on Friday to enjoy a nice girls weekend filled with lots of good food, good friends, lots of laughter, and a little shopping in between. Below is a mini recap. With some definite must go places.

Of course we had to grab a cheese steak when we finally landed in Philly, but unfortunately no picture documentation as it was pretty late and after being stuck in traffic and my gps taking us on wonderfully random tours of Delaware we were starved to say the least and as I popped the last bite into my mouth that "oh, crap" bubble popped over my head as I forgot to take a picture of it's cheesy goodness. BUT I will tell you, to forget the hype about Pinks and Ginos ... the best cheese steak I have ever had in Philly resides at Ishkabibbles off of South Street. They blend just the right amount of steak a cheese wiz, that you will think you died and gone to cheese steak heaven. Definite must try.

 

 

Then bright and early Saturday morning we were off on another adventure. First stop .... New Jersey! Where we spent some time at Mitsuwa. A fantastic little Japanese marketplace. Where we ate to our hearts content and shopped for things we wouldn't be able to find back at home

All the yummy goodness we consumed. Loads of sushi. But my meals of choice ... a tasty ramen combo meal (as if the bowl of ramen wasn't enough, the fat kid in me needed the extra bowl of rice and perfectly seasoned pork belly to round out the meal). And of course a yummy meal of pork don katsu. Those being two seperate meals of course .. heh.

Another favorite for me are the drinks! Whole aisles of tasty things to quench my thirst. The iced coffee was a definite hit. Definitely not as sugar coma inducing as the starbucks variety but equally as tasty and with an added bonus .... they come enriched with vitamins! Almost like those Neuro drinks you see but with the tasty satisfaction of coffee.

 

Then it was off to NY. I'll let you in on a little secret...if you ever have the urge to spend a nice day in the Big Apple but without the BIG traffic or BIG parking costs ... park your butt at Mitsuwa. One you'll get a great foodie experience, TWO there's this wonderful Mitsuwa bus that runs ever 30 minutes from I believe 9 in the morning to 7:30 at night that takes you to Port Authority right into the center of the city for ... drum rolls please ... $3. Can't beat that right. You're welcome. :)

 

 

The city was wonderful as usual. With all the hustle and bustle you expect from New York. But in our walk around the city we came across a nice little street fair on Broadway. Filled with the usual I ♥ NY gear but also wonderful little food stalls as well. One of which was an instant favorite, they blended fresh watermelon into this tasty little treat that was perfect for the ridiculously hot heat wave we were in that week. It definitely gave us some relief.

 

 

Then Back to Philly. Sunday morning we woke up ready to head back home. But not without stopping by Chinatown. A little dimsum and we were on our way. Definitely a great end to a nice weekend away. It was my decompressor.

 

OH and with that I end with this....the Bug Buddy! (This is what happens when you get a bunch of girls together without their manly counter parts) We are not a fan of the creepy crawlies and this random invention we found became an interesing part of our weekend. I can safely say it worked beautifully. As you can see in the photo below 2 spiders and a millipede safely contained. Good times indeed.

 

 

Not so guilty pleasure.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little excited about this new little find. Everyone who knows me, knows that I have a HUGE sweet tooth, and chocolate is (and most likely always will be) my ultimate downfall. It's so bad, I'll even buy a couple bags for me during halloween aside from the bags for the kids. I'm pretty surprised my teeth haven't fallen out yet. BUT, my new find makes me feel less guilty.

On my usual stroll through Whole Foods I came across these all-natural candy bars by Justin's. I will admit I was a little skeptical at first. Since things that are "all-natural" or "organic" tend to not always match up ... and lets face it I've had my fair share of sawdust flavored treats once or twice. But decided to give these a try and reached for their Reese's and Snickers look-a-likes and went on my way. Right around the 3 o'clock slump at work, I grabbed the peanut butter cups .....and OMG .... my mind was blown. They are really good. And Reese's are my absolute favorite, but I would actually choose these over them if I had too. You can definitely taste the natural peanut butter and the chocolate was simply devine. Not to mention it lacked the bit of oil you tend to get from Reese's peanut butter cups (which are still tasty). But what's great, is I don't feel as bad eating these. They have natural ingredients and even reading the ingredients list, everything was recognizable. No crazy chemical like ingredients here. Will definitely be stocking up on these on my next Whole Foods run.

Amazing and Inspirational

Came across this video of a pretty amazing and inspirational young man and just had to share.

"You don’t have to find out you’re dying, to start living"

 

http://www.upworthy.com/this-kid-just-died-what-he-left-behind-is-wondtacular-rip

Miami Sun.

Coming back from a vacation is SO hard! I'm already starting to day dream about our next one. :) But for now, I'll reminisce about the wonderful anni-moon I just had with the hubbs. Below are some must go places (and yes, it is mostly food ... that's just how we roll).

Eden Roc Hotel ♥♥♥

Made popular by housing the Kardashian sisters not too long ago this hotel does not disappoint. It's situated just above all the craziness that is south beach and right next to the Fountain Bleu (which you would think would be pretty loud, but surprisingly we couldn't hear a thing). Eden Roc was definitely a family friendly hotel, but adult friendly as well with their "Adult Only" pool and cocktail servers by the pools and beach front (very convenient, IF you can get their attention which was always quite the challenge). But I will say the exceptionally nice staff, pools, private beach front and restaurants were definitely the highlights staying at this hotel.

 

HOWEVER, I will say the negatives were the room, house keeping and charges that were not explained prior to check-in. The room was less than par. If you ever consider staying here, I would recommend you ask for a room in the newer tower as we were stuck in their older "renovated" side. Which was small, faced a wall, and had an awkward bathroom set up that just needed a little more love. But we were in Miami and not too much time was spent in the room, so I won't mark too many points off for that. The second issue was house keeping out of the 5 nights we were there, they only came by once, which was my biggest issue. After speaking with the front desk they were kind enough to remove some of our resort fees from our bill (point for the exceptionally nice staff). BUT, do keep in mind that when they tell you there's a $25 resort fee per day ... there is also a tax to it so in actuality it is $28.50/per day.

 

Miami Zoo ♥♥♥♥♥

As an animal lover, the zoo or aquarium is always a must see place when visiting somewhere new. And since I heard the aquarium was not worth the effort, we made our way to the zoo! It was about an hour drive from Miami beach and very little actual highway time so you got to see more of, I guess, rural miami. We ran into a little traffic, but nothing like what we see here in DC so it was a breeze! The zoo is laid out in such a way that it's more a park that an actual zoo. With meandering paths and mist machines along the way it makes you forget that you're out in the Miami heat. Definitely loved that the animals were in a more casual no bars setting that made felt more like a safari part than the usual caged zoo. They even make it posible for the giraffes to reach over and beg for food. Super cute, and loved the ability to interact. A definite must go place.

 

On to the food. (The most important part of course)

Latin Cafe ♥♥♥♥

A definitely must try place. If you are looking for fancy, you won't find that here. But if you're looking for good food, in a nice home town feel, this is the place to be. It's more of the wall type place, meaning if you weren't intentionally looking for it, you'd more than likely walk right past it. But, you'd be sorry you did. This place was fantastic. It was a good 10-15 minute walk from our hotel, which was perfect. It took us on a nice walk along the docks and under gorgeous palm tress. The food was amazing and came at a great price! Skirt steak with chimichurri sauce is always a fave when I'm in Miami and this placed served it up perfectly. The hubbs got the cuban and we shared a whole lot of yummy plantains with some inca cola to wash it all down. It was definitely a place we wanted to eat at more than once during our stay.

 

 

5 Napkin Burger ♥♥♥♥♥

OMG! Amazing! We were walking through Lincoln Road (another must go place) and came across this restaurant. My hubbs has a thing about having to try a burger in every place we visit and we figured why not stop in for some lunch, I mean it has the word burger in the name. SO glad we did, I ended up getting the grilled mahi tacos. *DROOL* They were the best mahi tacos I've ever had. That I was actually sad when it was all gone. :( The hubbs actually opted out of getting a traditional burger and got the blackened mahi sandwich instead. Which was equally as amazing as the tacos. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Love it!

 

 

Sushi Siam ♥♥

As far as sushi goes, I've had better. But I will say that the fish was very fresh. I think I was just more disappointed with their selection and price the most. I'm used to more variety of rolls and sashimi, especially if I'm so close to the ocean! So, it was ok. The hubbs had the pad thai though and it was pretty tasty. Whoomp whoomp! Guess you can't be completely in love with every restaurant you visit while on vacation. But I will say the service was wonderful and everything tasted great, just wish there was more sushi to choose from. It makes the list, just because of the staff and freshness of the fish as well as the tasty pad thai.

 

 

1500 Degrees ♥♥♥♥♥

If you're looking for a fancier restaurant, this is one to check out. It's also located right inside Eden Roc, so we decided what a perfect way to end our anni-moon than with a nice dinner a short elevator ride away. The food was so so yummy! It's a farm-to-table restaurant, meaning everything on their menu is locally grown. Which I love! The hubbs chose the half rotisserie chicken with carolina grits and I chose to go with the 3-course pre-fix meal because everything sounded so tasty! They had a nice variety on the menu and the surprising favorite was the octopus salad. It was grilled just right and was super tender. The dressing and greens blended perfectly and I definitely could've eaten it as a main course if I could. BUT, my main course was equally amazing so I'm glad I chose it. The grilled pork chop was to die for! So good, and so much of it! I was stuffed half way through, but because it was so good ended up finishing my plate. The only think I wasn't a fan of was the nutella bread pudding, only because I wasn't a fan of the cayenne. Call me old fashioned, but I like my desserts to be sweet and not spicy. :) 

 

The decor was gorgeous, very modern glam. Service was amazing and the drink menu was tasty. Another definite must go and taste! :)

 

 

Food Porn.

 

Just a sneak peak at some of the amazing food we had on our little anni-moon to Miami this past week. Everything we tasted was so ridiculously good, that I'm actually ok with the 5 lbs I gained on this trip. It was so worth it! I'll post more on our trip and must go places to eat/see soon. But for now you can gaze upon these amazing eats. ;)

Month in pictures.

Ah! March/April was such a blur. And I seriously neglected my new years resolution. Poor blog. But fear not, here is my month in pictures.

 

1. Celebrated a wonderful early Birthday dinner with girlfriends, fancy appetizers and beer, what more could you ask for. 2. Now it's just gone too far...Gangnum Style karaoke. Which happened to be next to the Gangnum Style clothing store that is just outside of this photo frame. 3. Snow in March!? Now this is just getting ridiculous. 4. Homemade summer roll night. So yum! 5. Evie's new favorite position during movie night. 6. Birthday gifts from the hubs. *love* 7. Amazing dinner out with the hubs. Lobster mac & cheese is my new kryptonite. 8. Ice cream cake from baskin robbins, my old kryptonite. 9. The crazy spread my mom puts out for Birthdays. (yea, safe to say I gained a good 10 lbs. that week) 10. Home Depot run with the Evie. Do you think anyone noticed? 11. Easter cupcakes at work. Why do bunnies lay eggs on easter, again? 12. Began spring cleaning the front yard. With some new mulch and pansies. 13. Fancy dinner on the deck on a nice late afternoon (I ♥ spring) ... what's fancier than pizza and wine?? ;) 14. Sunbathing on the deck with my little Evie. 15. The first sprouts of basil. Exciting! 16. In a not so feel good moment .. dinner in bed by the hubs, such a sweet gesture.

Snow Day. Fab Find.

So, typical VA weather. Last week we went from normal day, to freak mid-week snow storm, to ridiculously nice spring like weather over the weekend, and going into this week of cold and rain. It's always completely unpredictable when it comes to weather here. BUT I will say that the crazy snow storm brought with it some good as well. Not only did we all get a nice snow day from work (yes, adults get them too) but I learned a fantastic new recipe. Though it wasn't Sunday, I tried out this recipe for Sunday Night Stew from the Pioneer Woman. Super good, and was the perfect snowed in meal to have with the hubz. Below are a few photos of the the day ... and the tasty dish. :) A definitely recipe to try.

Snow Day! Puppy snow paws and warm cup of cocoa.

My ingredients all lined up and ready to go. Only thing I didn't have was turnips. But I say this is pretty good for spur of the moment stew day.

Cooking up a storm.

And the final product. On top of some tasty mashed potatoes.

A Storms a Brewin'

I've been waiting all winter for a real snow storm. The kind that makes you curl up in your PJs with a cup of cocoa and just watch the world turn white. And just enjoy the quiet calm that falls over the usual hustle-and-bustle. BUT, I did not expect it to happen in March! Only a couple weeks away from Spring and we're here hunkering down preparing for 6-12 inches!? (Puxatony Phil may want to get his eyes checked) Craziness .. I pretty much hung up my snow boots and figured there's always next winter. But I guess I was wrong. Winter really wanted to really go out with a bang this year.  I guess all-in-all I do get  two things that I love snow .. AND spring. Since the temps are supposed to jump back up this weekend. My birthday month gave me the 2 things I've been wanting .. so I guess I can't complain. Who knows maybe I can make another snowy car hippo like I did back during Snowmagedon a few years ago....

 

 

 

For those in the path of Winter Storm Saturn, Stay Warm!!

Better Than Delivery.

And no, it's not Digiorno.

My hubs (as I'm sure most men) LOVES pizza. Not gonna lie, I'm pretty fond of it too. But let's face it, there are plenty of other things I'd like to be chomping down on if we're going to be buying food. Plus, I LOVE to cook, so it was only natural for me to attempt to make my own pizza at home. It started off with buying the pre-made dough balls at the store, to even making my own dough. Which tends to take a good amount of time. And really, to be honest, sometimes you want something fairly quick. SO, I found the perfect recipe. Even the hubs says its the best pizza he's had. (Pats self on back)

The secret ... I used Auntie Anne's Pretzel mix! Who would've thought, but why not!? They make great pretzels, of course the pizza will be good. I'm usually not a crust eater .. and have been known to give it to the hubs to eat. But this was like a 2-in-1! Pizza and a pretzel. The perfect combo. We topped it off with some of our faves;  mozzarella, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, pepperoni, and chorizo. The chorizo we got from Harris Teeter and is one of our faves, it gives the pizza so much added flavor. Definitely seeing more pizza in our future.

 

This is how it looked before popping into the oven.

Of course, I paired it with a nice wedge salad. Gotta get those veggies in somehow. :)

yummy pizza goodness!

REBLOG: Through a Rapist's Eyes

Came across this on my usual browse through Pinterest, and couldn't help but to reblog. Unfortunately, we live in crazy times and one can never be too cautious. Especially women! So take the time to read, and stay alert. I definitely learned a few things from reading and I hope someone else will too.

 

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"THROUGH A RAPIST’S EYES" (PLS TAKE TIME TO READ THIS. it may save a life.) Reblog this!

It seems that alot of attackers use some tactic to get away with violence. Not many people know how to take care of themselves when faced with such a situation. Everyone should read this especially each n every girl in this world. THOUGHT THIS WAS GOOD INFO TO PASS ALONG…

FYI - Through a rapist’s eyes! A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:


1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.
They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid, or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing.

3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is grocery store parking lots.

5] Number two is office parking lots/garages.

6] Number three is public restrooms.

7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught.

8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.

10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.

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POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER:


1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter. Now that you’ve seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target.

2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

4] If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and armpit or in the upper inner thigh - HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.

5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’s out of there.

6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.

7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel little silly at the time, but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

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FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ….

I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be some, where you will go “hmm I must remember that” After reading forward it to someone you care about, never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.


1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be hiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB).
b. If you! u are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better safe than sorry.


If u have a heart or compassion reblog this post.
‘Helping hands are better than Praying Lips’ – give us your helping hand.

REBLOG THIS AND LET EVERY GIRL KNOW
ATLEAST PEOPLES WILL KNOW WATS GOIN IN THIS WORLD.
So please reblog this….Your one reblog can Help to spread this information.
I hope you all will Reblog. Lets See how many of you really care for this.
DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT NOT REBLOGGING THIS! IT COULD ACTUALLY SAVE A LIFE.
My grandma was tied up by Ted Bundy (She got away) so please please be aware.

Weekends Need to Be Longer.

Wouldn't it be great, if we could go to work for 2 days and have 5 days off?? I don't know about you, but I think I'd be WAY more productive. :)

This weekend was one of those weekends that so much happened; it feels like far more than 2 days .. which is nice ...  it was filled will momma's home cooking .. puppy sitting a quirky little furbaby .. meals with good friends .. wonderful belated surprises in the mail .. and a happy birthday to our little furry-four-legged-baby-girl. Really couldn't have asked for a more amazing weekend. Here's to more of these. Can't wait til SPRING!

Photo Re-Cap

My momma's crispy noodles with veggies and seafood. (This just needed a photo on it's own, its that good)

 

Little Margaret's parents had to go off on a business trip so we had this cutie pie for the week .. her and Evie are seriously BFFs.

 

I don't even care that mardi gras is over .. it was mardi gras at our house this weekend! Thanks to a wonderful girlfriend who sent us a little piece of New Orleans we got to have a tasty treat .. ♥! (And check it out, I found the baby! Good luck for me? Maybe even a prediction for future non-plastic baby?? here's to hoping ;) )

 

And last, but far from least our baby girl Evie turned 1 this Sunday. So we scheduled a nice mobile spa day (love them!) and I baked her a pup cake that she got to share with her big pup-brother. I'd say she had a good day.

Some Days.

Some days, I actually enjoy going into work (well, once I get over the waking up early and driving through traffic part). But then there are those days, where I develope an eye twitch and people around me become little annoying mono-toned minions. I mean I pride myself on the fact that since I was young I've always taken a liking to art and design. From the age of 10 I started creating my own cards and banners for family functions all while using that silly little paint program all computers had back then. So, naturally I went to school for design and happily went on my way to become a graphic designer.

THEN .. enter the real world. Why must everyone think they are designers? Or think that it is an easy "fun" job. Maybe today is just one of those days that little things bother me, but the phrase "Make this pretty," brings an added eye roll or eye twitch. Today's comment, however, is "I'm more picky can you make this cover look more 'designy' .. like can the photos be blendy?" What exactly is that supposed to mean?? So now, today is my day to completely turn off my brain and put together a henious piece that I will hide in the shadows for .. just so that I don't have to be associated with it.

The life of a designer. Below is a video a friend sent me, cheered me up a bit. And yes, we do get asked this questions alot.

Here's to you St. Valentine!

Since getting married, Valentine's day has changed a bit. It's still just as nice; and a nice day to show those you love how much they mean to you. Though, this should happen everyday .. let's face it ... sometimes life just gets in the way. But v-day has shifted (for us at least) from the fancy restaurant, sky high stillettos, and extravagant showing of affections .. to a homemade cake, thoughtfully written card, homemade gifts, pjs, and a wonderful home cooked meal by the hubs.

 

 

(thank you, pinterest!)

 

BUT ... of course, the day cannot be complete without a little bit of drama. Our little girl Evie had a nice trip to the vet's office and was diagnosed with an ear infection. The poor little bug proceeded to spend the rest of the night curled up with me in bed. Looking at that face, how could I let her sleep all by her lonesome in her ridiculously plush, self heating dog bed. (yea, she has it so bad)

 

 

My sad little furbaby. (she's the princess of the family)

 

 

Busy Bee.

It's been a busy month, but now I'm back to my routine again. Which means I can hopefully pay a bit more attention to my blogging which is still in the baby steps and requires much needed attention. I blame my absence on ... work. It's been one hell of a month but thankfully long nights, loads of conference calls, and a trip west has come to an end. I guess you could say this is my "month-ish" in pictures.

Little bit of fun with the babies, in what little snow we got.

 

But got my fill of snow going to Madison, WI for work. Trip I never would have taken otherwise, but glad I did. It was a cute city.

 

 

Made it back just in time for the end of Restaurant Week. Chef Geoff is always a favorite, so hubbs made a reservation for us. Definitely a nice way to end the craziness.

 

 

Week in Photos

 

 

In no particular order.

 

1. After the 2 consecutive days of fog, a little sunlight finally made a rather welcome appearance. 2. Homemade Udon noodles for lunch. Super easy. Super quick. :) 3. Lovely thai ice tea (absolute addiction). With a much needed night out with the girlfriends. Perfect nights of non-stop talking only to realize we are the only ones left in the restaurant and the staff are beginning to clean up for the night. 4. Convinced the husband to go shoe shopping. And no idea why but I am in love with these neon colors. 5. Being the good wife, and since he went shoe shopping, I spent some QT with the husband and went golfing with him and the brother-in-law. (Granted my idea of golf is to drive the cart, but good times nonetheless) 6. What got me through my late nights at the office this week ... sugar and H2O. 7. Finally tried the Gel nail polish set that I got for Christmas. LOVE! On the hunt for more colors now. 8. Of course can't have a photo post without at least one from my little munchkin. AH! I ♥ her face!

Fab Find Friday.

This find is not all too new, and really I've seen it everywhere. But today they are a fab find. Because it is MY first time using them and I'm glad I did. I have pretty skinny long nail beds so those wonderful stick on nails you see at the store never quite looked right on me. So I guess a mixture of a few broken nails that resulted in me having to cut my nails short, a random sale at Gap, and potentially being late to a girl friend's birthday dinner. I decided to try these out.

These were super easy! AND took me literally 5 minutes to do.

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Which obviously was still too much time for these two.

Fab Find Friday.

I've been searching near and far for a non liquid/gel eye liner that I could love and call my new bff. Afterall eye liner on monolids is a nightmare. For those that don't know, the wrong eye liner can leave you looking like a panda. And although it may look good on them, that is not the case for me.

Today I have found my new bff ... say hello to MAC's Powerpoint eye pencil.

After several hard rubs to test it's "smear-ability" (I realize that isn't a real word) I can safely say that it has indeed passed the test. The line faded a little bit, but the true test was to see if it strays far from it's path. And ... SUCCESS! It still remained a solid line. 

♥

Ringing in the New Year!

This year we opted for a quiet New Years celebration. Which I have to say has been the best one thus far. Because I got to spend it with the hubbs. With loads of firsts. First New Years in our house, as a mr & mrs and with our little Evie. It's been a good year, and I know 2013 will be just as amazing. Happy 2013!