It's DONE!!

I'm DONE with the Disney album! Actually, I finished it last weekend before I left for Phoenix. I sat down this evening and put all the pages in the album. There ended up being 50 pages! Here's the pages I haven't shared yet, in particular order.
































I kicked ass in February. Finished 30 pages this month.

Was that the Sun I Saw?

Wow...had I not just come back from a bit of sun, I may not have remembered what that big orange/yellow thing is in the sky....LOL!

It felt great to sleep until 8:30 this morning and leisurely started my morning. Finished unpacking but left the bags out as next weekend I have to pack them again.

I have a mountain of laundry to get through and warned my guys that I was going to need help with it. I don't want to be spending my whole weekend doing laundry that could have been done during the week...if you catch my drift...wink.

Before I left last week, I completely went through our master bathrooms drawers, cabinets, baskets, and closet and purged. Got rid of a huge sack lot of stuff and then re-organized the rest. We had been having trouble with the plastic suction cup bins that hold our shower goodies. They kept falling off the wall, so off they came, everything was washed and I found this at Target. It makes me very happy.



If you look closer you'll see my obsession with vintage shampoo such as Pert and Prell. Do you remember those from the 70's? I don't spend a lot of money on my shampoo and conditioner. As long as it's PH balanced, I'm good. I spend a bit more on styling products, but those last me a long time.

Some other obsessions lately include this bottle of Caress body scrub.



It's the "Evenly Gorgeous" body scrub and it smells like warm burnt sugar...honestly it's heavenly. There's another Caress body scrub that's a tropical scent and I have a bottle of that just waiting for summer.

I've also been going through a lot of this lip balm-



It's the perfect color for me and it's 100% natural.


Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

I think our luck has changed

I'm home from my work trip from Phoenix! It was a good trip, I was glad that I got to be involved in the testing of the new software and to see old friends from other courts who were down there testing also. The weather was good, not great, but definitely better than what's been going on in Iowa.

I honestly can't believe I made my connection. I only had a half hour between flights and had I not hopped a ride on one of those trams, I would not have made it. I came in at Terminal F and was going out at Terminal A and had I had to walk it, there was NO way I would have made it. I did have a Plan B, but I really wanted to get home on time.

It was so good to see Fred since the good news about his job. He had gone and got his hair cut and was looking good, he's also lost about 20 pounds. I think he was more stressed than he let on. Sure wish when I am stressed, I would lose weight. Me, I can watch every morsel I put in my mouth, exercise 3-4 times a week and can't lose a pound......it just doesn't seem fair.

It was also good to see my kitty boys and I spent some time giving them all some kitty love. My boy Tucker hasn't left my side since I've been home. He's such a good pal.

We need a bit of Good Luck!

There are a couple things right that all of you can hope for a bit of good luck to come our way. One for my hubby and a possible job offer and for me to get to where I need to go this week.

I'm suppose to leave for Phoenix tomorrow for a work trip, but the weather forecast isn't looking too good and unless the storm misses us, I won't be surprised that my flight gets canceled. I'd be more upset if it was for vacation, but not for work. If it is canceled then hopefully I'll get out Monday instead and still be able to get there to do what I need to do.

I'm been a busy bee in my scrapbook....more purging, organizing, finishing Disney pages (I'm almost done), sorting, cleaning, etc. At last count I did 25 pages in February so I surpassed my the goal of 15 I set for myself.

Speaking of February goals, let's look back...

February Goals

1. Lose 4 pounds. Not sure, I haven't weighted myself yet.
2. Complete 15 scrapbook pages. Yep!
3. Get together for lunch with my girlfriends. Nope, we couldn't get it to happen...sickness, weather, etc...next month
4. Start to organize crap for Craigslist (anyone need a really cute student computer desk?). Nope, still in pile downstairs, too cold down there right now, move goal to March
5. Enjoy getting away from the weather with a work trip to Phoenix. We'll see....

I'm not doing so hot with those goals...I honestly think it's the weather...jesus...how much crappy weather can one state take? This is the worst winter in the 23 years that we have been back to Iowa.

Look at these piles and there is actually more because we have had more snow since I took these.











I call "Uncle" on the weather. We all need days of sunshine to improve our moods and motivation.

Happy Valentine's Day!

My guys gave me the sweetest flower arrangement for Valentine's Day. I can't wait to use the little silver pot in my scrap room holding some type of scrapbook supply. :)









We decided to celebrate Valentine's Day together by seeing the movie Percy Jackson and The Olympians The Lightning Thief. What a fun movie! We thought it looked like it would be good and it didn't disappoint us.

I was pretty proud of myself for coming home from the movie and going up to the gym. I thought I was only going to do a 30 minute workout today, but once I got there, I got into the rhythm and I ended up doing 20 minutes of the elliptical and 20 minutes on the treadmill. Sweated my ass off! lol...

On the iPod playlist today:

Take It To The Limit - Hinder
Alright - Darius Rucker
Thank You - covered by Tesla
Crash - Cavo
Give It To Me - 3 Doors Down
I Am An Illusion - Rob Thomas
Bad Motor Scooter - Montrose
God Blessed Texas - Little Texas
Precious Declaration - Collective Soul
Cradlesong - Rob Thomas
She's on Fire - Train


Once home, Fred and I prepared Valentine's Day dinner. We had Roasted Chicken, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Lettuce and Vegetable Salad and crescent rolls, but the real treat was the lobster tail we broiled and shared. YUM!

Tomorrow is a federal holiday so I have the day off...Yippee! Have a few errands I have to run, kitties need food and my paper trimmer needs a new blade, thank goodness PetSmart and Michael's are right next door to one another. I'm hoping to get up around 8:00, head to the gym, run my errands and be back home by lunchtime. I'd like to be able to do some scrapbooking for maybe even watch a one of the movies in the stack I haven't seen tomorrow afternoon.

I've got a busy next few weeks. I leave for Phoenix next Sunday, home the following Friday, work the next week, then leave again the week of March 8th for Washington DC. Maybe by the time I'm finally back home, some of this snow will be gone and spring will feel like it's here. One can only hope.

Loving THIS!

Just when I think I'm done buying Basic Grey paper collections, they SUCK me back in!

Must have some for my kitty pages.

Exercise Diary or another episode of "How I'm Wasting My Time Chasing my 25 year old body" or "My Fruitless Effort"

After a 5 day break due to a scrapbook retreat I attended, weather and then just not feeling the love, I went back to the gym for a 35 minute cardio workout.

15 minutes on the elliptical at full speed hands free (the reason I do this is because it helps with my balance and engaging my core)
20 minutes of interval training on the treadmill going from 1% to 6% incline.

On the iPod playlist today:

The Flame - Cheap Trick
Energy - Shinedown
Give Me A Sign - Breaking Benjamin
Hate to Lose Your Loving - Little Feat
Everything Zen - Bush
Hollywood - Shooting Star
Music Man - REO Speedwagon
Remembered Well - Rob Thomas
Soap On A Rope - Chickenfoot

One day at a time.

Exercise Diary or another episode of "How I'm Wasting My Time Chasing my 25 year old body"

Went to the gym during my lunch time today to avoid the after work crowd. Can't wait until THAT crowd thins out.

I just gave the treadmill a workout today. 35 minutes at graduated inclines of 2% to 6%. Walking at about 3.9. Honestly, there were a couple of times throughout the 35 minutes that I jumped off for a 10 sec break, but I have no problem doing that. Once I hit my stride again on this machine, I'll start doing interval training where I'm hitting an incline of 8 to 10% but going full on for 30 seconds, 15 rest, full on for 30 seconds, 15 seconds rest and so on. That burns major calories.

Chris (manager/trainer/Satan) and I sat down and planned our course over the next three months. After taking my measurements and scribbles all of his calculations, he's recommending that I concentrate completely on cardio for the next three months to see if we can get the scale to start moving down again. He's not concerned with my strength, "My god, you're as strong as a horse" (I *think* that was a compliment), so he wants to address my frustration with my scale not wanted to budge.

I guess I'm going to get to know Mr. Elliptical and Mr. Treadmill pretty good.

On the iPod playlist today:
Do it or Die - Atlanta Rhythm Section
StormTroppin' - Ted Nugent
When I'm Gone - 3 Doors Down
Mamma Mia - ABBA
Animals - Nickelback
Parachute - Train
Gasoline - Rob Thomas
Mr. Skin - Spirit
Fine Again - Seether

I'm going to try and ramp it up to 5 times a week.

That which does not kill us makes us stronger. :)

Exercise Diary or "How I'm wasting my time chasing my 25 year old body"

Just back from the gym. Did 30 minutes on the elliptical HANDS FREE with 1 pound weights in my hands while boxing to get a total body workout. I AM A MACHINE...lol (that's what the gym manager calls me...his 52 year old machine who can outlast some of the 25 year olds). After the elliptical, I did another 10 minutes on the treadmill at a 3% incline. No strength training today, that's why I took my hand weights and made sure to move my upper body also today.

On the iPod playlist today:

Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters - Elton John
Jealous Man - Hinder
Tell the Truth - Jude Cole
Yellin at the Christmas Tree - Billy Idol
Use Me - Hootie & The Blowfish
Steve McQueen - Sheryl Crow
Wide Open Spaces - Dixie Chicks
Bread of Shame - Creed
Restless Heart Syndrome - Green Day
September - Earth, Wind & Fire

Boeuf Bourguignon

Since I just finished reading "My Life In France" by Alex Pruhomme & Julia Child and to pay homage to my favorite movie of last year, I decided to try my hand at Boeuf or Beef Bourguignon from the "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" cookbook. It's one of Julia's most famous dishes and I wanted to try it make it.

Those that know me well know that cooking isn't something that I enjoy doing. I enjoy watching people cook, I certainly enjoy eating but cooking for the "Joy of Cooking"?

It's not that I can't cook, I can, and I'm a pretty good cook, but it's the process that I need to work on enjoying.

So, what do I do? Take on a labor intensive recipe of Julia's, but it could be worse...it could be aspic. YUCK!

Here goes -

The recipe threw me a bit right off the bat when it had me simmer bacon lardons in water.



Everything I need....


I can't even remember the last time I bought a real carrot and not a bag of baby carrot stumps.


Making sure to dry off the beef.


Into the dutch oven it goes to get a nice brown crust.


After the beef is properly browned, out it goes and in comes the onions and carrots.


Aren't they beautiful?


We can't forget the wine.


In goes the wine and beef broth and then into the oven it goes for about 3 hours.


In the meantime, I sauteed mushrooms in beef broth.


Once the mushroom were cooked, into the dutch oven then went for one last stir.


I served the Boeuf Bourguignon over egg noodles and it was a hit!


Yea Me!!!

Julia would be proud.