TV show reviews by yours truly.

I have recently started DVRing more television shows than usual. I love having a collection of shows to watch on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Here is what I've been watching:

Brothers & Sisters
No secret here - I love this show! I am so inspired by the strong, womanly character Sally Fields plays (Nora), and I am secretly jealous of the love and drama that results from their large family. It doesn't fail - every episode nearly brings me to tears and then succeeds to make me laugh.

American Idol

J.Lo and Steven Tyler are pleasantly surprising me this season - almost as much as this round of contestants! I usually skip the results show, and just enjoy the singing on the Wednesday night show. Loves it and wish I could sing. I know my voice is good alone in the car, but for some reason it never sounds good in front of others... ;)

Bethenny Ever After

From Bethenny & Jason's first road trip where they forgot the baby's crib and "breast friend" breastfeeding pillow, to their role playing at the bar while Jason "flaunted" his ability to pick up chicks, I am obsessed with this couple. Although Bethenny is slightly crazy, I cannot get enough of her - she totally cracks me up! I wish I were so effortlessly funny!

Tori & Dean

New season starts April 6th and I just cannot wait! I adore this couple and their precious children. Apparently I love watching attractive, unstable famous women...

Any good shows I'm missing? What are your favorites at the moment?

Images from here, here, here, and here.

longer days ahead.

I distinctly remember when I was little, every year my dad would say how much he loved when the days started getting longer.

I never understood, because for me it meant going to bed before it was really dark outside. Not fair.

Now, I completely understand.

It is so lovely to leave work when it is still light outside. The days seem so much more productive and I have so much more energy after a long day at the office.

Southern Charm and I took advantage of the weather today with a 4.5 mile run outside.

The sunshine has also made me crave kool-aid. Yes, I'm 24 and I still drink red kool-aid and enjoy sprinkles on my fro-yo.

In addition to running outside and fruity beverages, I am so looking forward to flip-flops, patio dining and keeneland season!

What is your favorite thing about spring?

that's what's up.

• Taking out the trash and washing muffin tins are in the running for worst house chores eva...
• House/Apartment hunting is a very time consuming, frustrating {and sometimes creepy} burden...but I'm totally obsessing over it lately.
• I attended the most fun Junior League event to date this weekend. It may sound like bragging if I tell you I hung out with Dhani Jones...but I got to hang out with Dhani Jones. {We won't talk about how I didn't know he was a player for the Cincinnati Bengals before this evening, but whatevs...that doesn't make him "un-famous" just because I'm not a huge football fan :) }

• I ran 4 miles this weekend {longest run of my lifetime} and it felt good! I'm well on my way to the 10K race I signed up for!
• My weekends are not complete without episodes of Brothers & Sisters. There wasn't a new episode this week because of the Oscars. Boo. I'm generally not a humongous awards show fan. So kill me.
• I cannot wait to go home this weekendddddd.....hoping the week flies by!

coupon queen

...dollar diva...stellar saver...

ok, dork status again.

Anyway, let's talk grocery shopping and how to save money.

I've heard a lot of hype around coupon clipping lately, and frankly I could use a few pointers.

This weekend I opened my own Kroger Plus card {broke free from my parent's card} in hopes of receiving these fabulous customized coupons that everyone always raves about.

I came home and promptly registered my card with an email address.

Spent almost an hour piddling around the Kroger website and loading coupons {that I knew I would use, not things that I would buy only because I had a coupon for it}.


Total Savings: $1.35

HELP! I'm pretty sure I could find that much money in our couch cushions - and in under an hour at that!

happy hump day

At the wise young age of 24, I have a feeling I'm on to something good: 

The key to happiness.

For me {at least for right now} it lies in just three simple steps...

Laugh Often,

 A good laugh really is the best medicine. Even in stressful or moody times, I think it helps to find the humor in life. I especially love laughing at my embarrassing, clumsy, day-to-day awkwardness.

Be Kind to Others, 

Simply put, when I help others I am actually helping myself feel better as well. Happiness is contagious. Spread the love.

and Appreciate the small stuff. 

I feel so content this week. I've taken time to appreciate a good workout, to get excited about hearing my favorite song on the way to work, to "sleep in" and catch a glimpse of the Today Show as I'm getting ready, and to stroll into the office at 8:15. I hope that even as I get older and my life changes, I can still appreciate these simple things...while still also balancing a love for the "finer" things, of course! ha ;)

Sorry for vomiting rainbows and butterflies in this post. While I try to focus on these happy things, I also realize that on a bad day positivity is the most annoying message to hear! Hopefully you are having a good day instead of the latter!

valentine "happys"

I didn't have high expectations for this year's Valentine's Day.

In fact, I may have been quoted saying we should get this holiday over with so that we can focus more on stocking Cadburry Cream Eggs in all the local grocery stores.

However, my day turned out to be pretty nice! Any holiday centered around chocolate & sweets can't be too bad I guess...

...And my day certainly consisted of sweets. In fact, I'm pretty sure the only things I ate today were holiday treats...cookies, hugs&kisses, dove chocolates...you name it.

The highlight of my day, surprisingly, was not food. I came home to a special care package from my very first Valentine. Thanks, mom, for making me feel special and loved today! :)

 

And yes, those are Cadburry Cream Eggs you see. Literally my favorite types of candy mixed together in one bag of deliciousness {just so happens I had chocolate for dinner, too}!

 

Plus a new perfume I've been lusting over!

 

Who knew I'd become the type of girl that gets all excited over new perfume!? But I am! 

Hope your Valentine's Day was just as happy!

mid-february already?

So after being absent for over a month, I feel the need to explain myself.

This can really be done in one word: Work.

I've been working. Working. A. Lot.

But this week was better, and hopefully upcoming weeks will be just as fine.

Now onto the present.

Not to be confused with the presents I will not be receiving for Valentine's Day. It's overrated anyway. Well, at least until I actually have a Valentine. :)

Anyway, the things that are currently consuming my life since work has calmed down are the following:

1. Completely and utterly obsessing over finding a new place to live. And then mentally moving myself in. Imagining new furniture and decorating. Feeling heartbroken when it doesn't work out. And then repeating the cycle.

2. "Training" for a 10K run. I don't exactly have a race to run yet, but I've been "training" for a week now. I ran 3 miles outside today and loved the sunny weather! I'm following Hal Higdon's 10K for the Novice Runner.

3. Thinking about the two aforementioned topics in varying quantities.

thrifty.

Not to be cocky {pun intended}, but I can be pretty good at finding deals from time to time.

Some could argue that a purchase is not technically a "deal" if it is the wrong size or if it is never used.

Like the $2.88 steal I got on two pairs of shoes at Target. Problem was that one pair was a size 5 1/2 and the other a size 9. I wear a 7. I just couldn't resist such cheap flats, and rationalized that I'd "make them work."

Or the many dirt cheap cotton dresses I have purchased in past years that are way too large and sit in my closet because I feel like a balloon each time I attempt to wear them.

Well, today I happened upon this hideous rooster calendar for only 53 cents!! Who could resist? Not this girl.

 

At least this bargain will be used - I've already filled in birthdays and holidays.

Not beautiful, but it serves a purpose.

livin' la vida loca.

If anyone ever doubted I'm a bit crazy, read the below definition and tell me this doesn't describe me perfectly.

anal retentive (adj) // term used conversationally to describe a person who pays such attention to detail that the obsession becomes an annoyance to others, and can be carried out to the detriment of the anal-retentive person. thanks wikipidia.

"Pays attention to detail" is an understatement.

"Annoyance to others" doesn't justly describe the turmoil I put myself through in my head. :)

I constantly doubt myself and totally over-analyze.

For example, every time I go to the ladies' restroom at work I get panic stricken as I turn the corner because I fear it's the men's room. How terribly horrifying would that be!? However, I'm pretty sure the location of the woman's restroom was all I knew at my job for my first 3 months of working there. This should not be an issue.

Every night when I leave work, I tug on my desk drawer no less than 4 times to make sure I locked it. My desk neighbor does it too, so I'm not the only crazy one in the office.

I count the number of "tasks" required to get ready in the morning and before I go to bed. If I don't complete these 5 steps, I'm pretty sure the world may end. Or I'd end up at work without pants on. Both terrible outcomes.

I know precisely where I've left my belongings. If something is out of place or new in my home I notice it in an instant. As in, the nude Statue of David magnet my roommate "snuck" onto the fridge, the "porno for women" 2011 hunky men calendar that ended up in our kitchen, or the blankets misplaced from our living room.

I think you get the idea.

Luckily, I can laugh at myself about these little "quirks." Everyone has weird habits, right? But perhaps I should lighten up a bit in 2011!? Agree?

I'll add this to my list of New Years' resolutions...along with being more punctual {notice my resolutions being determined on January 5th...not off to a promising start}, packing my lunch three times/week, and flossing daily {I heard it can add 6 years to your life...not sure how?}.

BTW, I hope you readers can sense the sarcasm in this terribly long list of rambles post.

Now off to bed. I'm resolving to get 8 hours of rest each night...

...and hopefully dreaming of something more interesting to write about!

better late than never?

Unfortunately, I'm sure my tardiness is no surprise...{New Years' Resolution, perhaps?}...

However, I hope everyone had a...

Merry Christmas

and

Happy New Year!

I have been completely spoiled between visiting friends while I was home for the holidays and then coming back to tons of weekend visitors! I will have to remember all our fun times as we all go back to work tomorrow and return to our normal routine.