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I mentioned "Healthy Living 2009" the other day and well, I can't actually take credit for coining the term. Jen gets that. However, I am totally on board with what it stands for!
How many people actually keep their so-called resolutions? Right. That's what I thought. So rather than make completely insane statements like - I'm going to go work out 5 days a week or I'm going to lose 10 pounds - Jen declared a commitment to just overall health and wellness. And I like it.
A few items on my agenda:
Start off the New Year with Oprah!
It's Live Your Best Life week January 5th - 9th. The week is covering weight, health, spirituality, money and your um, "love" life. I'll be DRV-ing every episode!
Complete the Body & Soul Challenge.
This is a 5-week mind-body makeover from Body & Soul Magazine, which I absolutely love! You'll detox (without crazy diets or pills), eat right, exercise and focus on your mental well-being.
Go to the Gym!
I joined the gym inside my office building in hopes that I'll go more often. If I'm going to drag my clothes downtown with me, chances are I'm going to work out. No excuses. I'm not putting a number of days down, I just want to go consistently each and every week. No taking weeks off!
Pick up Yoga again.
I tried yoga for the first time last year and loved it! I went regularly for a while, but then this, that and the other thing came up and I dropped the ball. It's time to pick it up again. I'm shooting for one time during the week and then possibly once on the weekend.
Focus on protein and veggies!
I'm usually okay at this, but the problem is that I eat the other stuff too. I need to cut that out. Also, if I can bring my lunch to work, it would really help. I fail at this miserably. I'm shooting for 2-3 times a week. Baby steps, right?
There is it in writing. Now I'm counting on all of you to make sure I follow through. Give me a hard time about it. I don't get offended easily. Hopefully, it's inspiration for you too.
Happy New Year!
I've been totally immersed in wedding blogs over the past few days. They just keep amazing me with their level of detail. The details are what I'm focused on now and I'm hating every minute of it! But alas, it must be done.
Bridesmaid Dresses
Last weekend I went with J & D to check out my gown. It's in. I love it! While we were at A L'Amour, the girls found their "new" bridesmaids dresses.
Super cute Watters dress. Theirs will be black. They had picked out a different dress previously, but when they saw this and tried it on, it became the big winner.
Ring Bearers
Right now I am loving this little bowl from Paloma's Nest on Etsy.
I want my nephew to carry it down the aisle. I'd like to add a ribbon to match the wedding colors though. I originally thought about a traditional ring bearer pillow, but honestly, what are you ever going to do with that again? At least with this we can use it as an ornament, hang it on the wall or I can put it on my nightstand and put my jewelry in it at night. Endless possibilities.
Guest Book
I think traditional guest books can be ugly and cheesy.
I like these from Enjibeck.
Unfortunately, they don't have any papers available that match my wedding colors. I can find my own paper and they would still make the book, but well, do I really have time for that? Maybe.
This is a cute idea too that I found on Blue Sky Papers.
The guests write on cards and then later you can combine the cards with photos in the book. A scrap book/guest book of sorts. I think the ivory paper is boring, but I could always get the book and then cut my own colorful papers.
Ah, yet more work on my part. I don't know. The details search continues...
I don't know if I should be angry or if I should thank the extremely rude, unknown individuals who apparently ate my peppermint bark while I've been out of the office since last Tuesday.
I know it 's partly my fault. I left the bag on my recently cleaned desk. It was obviously just sitting there temptingly calling out "Please eat me. She'll never know."
Oh, but I know! Okay, I don't know WHO it was, per se, but I KNOW SOMEONE ATE IT. Why? Because of my brilliant logic.
I get to work today and thought I should start "Healthy Living 2009" (more on that later!) right away. Why wait until the end of the week?! So I see my bag of peppermint bark and know that I'm a total out of sight, out of mind kind of girl. I pick up the bag and realize that it feels pretty light. I empty the contents onto my desk and count them. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7?!?!?! How is that possible?
The nutrition label says there are 3 to a serving. 8 servings in the bag. That means I should have 24 individual squares. I do the math. I ate 2, S had 3, K had 1 and J had 1. And 24 minus 7 does NOT equal 7!
Who the F ate 10 of my peppermint bark squares? Was it my co-workers? Was it the cleaning people? I'll never know.
I'm not sure that I'm upset that they actually ate them. Like I said, Healthy Living 2009 means I don't need them anyway. But I am irked that the stupid bag cost $8.99 and the vultures who ate them without me knowing are definitely not worth that kind of money.
Lessons learned...
A. Don't buy candy. You don't need it.
B. Put things away or they will disappear.
C. The office is full of sloths. Trust none of them.
Some of the work gang went to Quartino for dinner last night. It's owned by the crew behind Gibsons and serves Italian small plates and pizzas.
The company was fun. The server was great. The wine was fantastic. And the food? Well, it was just okay.
J, K and I started with a liter of the Dolcetta D'Alba Pinot Noir. It was so good that we then proceed to drink 2 more liters. So yeah, that's about a liter per person. No wonder I feel like poo today.
We ordered some appetizers including the calamari which was pretty good (but I've definitely had better) and veal meatballs. For our meal, J, K and I shared the Penne Vodka and Margherita pizza.
K commented that she makes better vodka sauce at home. From a jar. The pizza was tasty, but then again, you can't really mess that up. And cheese to me is like bacon. Anything with it is great!
Overall, I would say that the atmosphere is definitely lively and the wine is perfect. But if you're going to eat a meal, stick to the pizzas.
And after dinner? Stay away from Butch McGuires where you will start to mix your liquors, leave your cell phone and then wake up with a headache the next day.
It sure was fun though!
Why must you keep having sales of 40-60% off the sweaters I fell in love with this season. Do you not know that I have no willpower and that I think I NEED one in every color?
This merino crew? It's so basic, it's wonderful. And oh so soft. With a collared shirt for work. With just a t-shirt and jeans for the weekend. Why am I so obsessed? I already bought this in black, gray and a lovely red. Today? I ordered it in peacock.
This turtleneck sweater? Yes, I own it in black. I'm not sure how many different variations of a black t-neck one person needs, but this is so soft, so plain, so basic. And, it's on sale in a multitude of colors including this lovely jeweled royal violet. Well, don't I need one in just about every color then? I mean, think of what I can do with this. Wear it under other sweaters, wear it with an embellished skirt. The possibilities are endless.
I wear the black one under this purple sweater. I don't even care if Sean calls it an old lady sweater. It's soooo comfy. One beef I have about this though is that it's on sale for $39.99 online. I bought it on North Ave for $29.99.
Finally, there is this long open cardigan that I just want to snuggle up in.
I've had my eye on this one for a while. Given that my whole vision for this sweater is to curl up in it on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate and good book, $69.99 seems too much to pay. But there's only one color left. In limited sizes. What's a girl to do?
So you see Banana, those rewards I earn for spending lots of money with you and for my birthday - it's all a trick right? The fact that I carry those coupons around in my purse so they can be used on a moment's notice of a sale is a problem too. Free shipping for being a Luxe cardholder makes online shopping so convenient. Being able to return anything to the store and the site being "smart" enough to remember my credit card number even if I don't have it on me is just another reason why I love you so.
And really it's not your fault that Jen taught me well. Ship things to work. Hide things in the closet before Sean gets home. Pay bills online.
Oh it's just all too easy...
Given that I'm a bride to be, I've been scouring the Internet for inspiration and ideas. Sometimes I'm a little overwhelmed by how much detail (and money!) people put into their weddings. I've check out a few blogs recently and while I enjoy looking at them, there is NO WAY I would ever put that much time, effort and hard-earned income into one day.
Maybe I'm not a girlie-girl. Maybe I'm not romantic. Maybe I'm just a realist and think that what's going to be important that day isn't the fact that I gave everyone personalized welcome bags, but that Sean and I committed the rest of our lives to each other.
In any event, in my search for all things wedding, I have come across some sites that I've truly enjoyed. Here they are:
1. The Knot - This of course is a staple for any bride to be. I've found so many ideas on here from cakes to flowers.
2. Wedding Paper Divas - While I actually had a friend of mine design my save the dates and invitations, this site has some really cool stuff. I think I'm actually going to order my shower invitations from here. And even if you're not getting married or already have, throw a party just to order some of their cute, cute invitations.
3. Etsy - This place is a smorgasbord of handmade items. From jewelry to handbags, it's all here. Best of all, there is a wedding category where you can find everything from bridal jewelry to invitations to hairpieces - you name it. If a seller doesn't have exactly what you're looking for, it's super easy to contact them still walk away with your one-of-a-kind item. I'm looking into a couple of sellers right now who will be able to match my colors and the feel of my invitation for ring pillows and a guest book.
4. Style Me Pretty - I am so not a DIY kind of girl, (I pay for convenience) but this site has tons of inspiration from real weddings. Many of them do-it-yourself. If for nothing else, check out this site and just look at the fun photos.
5. Martha Stewart Weddings - Dresses, cakes, bouquets, centerpieces and planning tools. Hooray!
6. Fit After Thirty - This was a random I found while looking through wedding blogs, but I love it. It's a health focused site not at all related to weddings, but it's wedding boot camp time for me now. I've procrastinated and made up excuses long enough. It's not a lie that your metabolism changes (or in my case, shuts down is maybe the better term) after 30. I've just started perusing this site, but so far so good.
I'm starting to freak out now. The wedding is just under 6 months away. And being that I'm not one for details, I KNOW there has to be something I'm missing!
So what else is out there that I've left off the list? Send me your inspirational sites. We all know as it gets down to crunch time, I'm going to need them!
I am an extremely detail-oriented individual. Nothing gets past me. That is, unless I'm ordering tickets. Movie tickets. Sporting event tickets. Show tickets. It doesn't matter.
Recently, I ordered tickets to see Chicago the Musical. I talked it over with the girls and we agreed to go on Thursday, February 26, 2009. I had received a Broadway in Chicago email with a special rate, so I volunteered to coordinate everything.
I ordered the tickets, received my confirmation and sent out the email. Only then did someone point out that I ordered them for the 2PM show - not the 7:30PM showing.
This is not the first time I've done this. Once, during opening weekend of one of the Harry Potter movies, I got tickets online for a Saturday night. Or so I thought. Sean and I showed up at the theater on Saturday only to have our tickets rejected because why? Oh, because I actually bought tickets for Friday. Doh!
Another time, I was in possession of four tickets to a Purdue football game. I somehow proceeded to LOSE the tickets a week before the game. (I still think they got stuck in a magazine that I threw out from the mail pile. Further proving Sean's point that I subscribe to too many magazines.)
Now I'm stuck with these three tickets hoping that someone will take them off of my hands. Anyone? Anyone? Craig's List here I come!
Moral of the story: You should all know well enough by now to never, ever put me in charge of tickets to any event. I'm bound to goof it up.
Sean and I are getting married in the Catholic Church, and along with that comes lots of wedding preparation.
One area of prep included taking the FOCCUS (Facilitating Open Couple Communication Understanding Study) survey. This questionnaire consists of 156 questions - plus more if you are a co-habitating couple, like us. The questions are designed around topics like problem solving, religion, finances, family life, etc. It's a standard marriage preparation survey and not at all specific to the Catholic Church.
After you take the survey, you discuss your results with a moderator. In our case, that's a married couple from the parish who volunteer to help engaged couples get ready for their new life together. Sean and I had our meeting last night to talk about any potential issues that resulted from the way we answered our questions.
But wait! That's not even the point of this story!
As we're bundling up in our hats and boots getting ready to leave, we made small talk with the husband.
Sean: This is a really nice place you have.
Husband: Thanks! Do you guys want to buy it?
Me: Why are you moving?
Husband: Yes. My job is taking us to Hawaii in March.
Me: Nice! Hawaii sounds great right about now. (It was a snowing, sleeting mess last night!)
Sean: What do you do?
Husband: I'm an FBI agent.
Sean: That's cool.
Me: So, did you arrest Governor Blagojevich today?
Husband: Yes. Yes I did.
And that, my friends, facilitated the best "open couple communication" we had all evening!
The CTA Bus Tracker is my new best friend - and it's all thanks to my co-worker.
At first, I thought Joe was way too excited about this thing. I would just laugh at him when he would swing by my desk telling me the bus was approaching in 8 minutes so I needed to shut down my computer or I'd be stuck at work until the next one came along 22 minutes later. I let Joe have his fun. I mean, it's rush hour. The buses stop pretty often. But wait! They sure don't on the weekends!
So on Sunday when it was about 33 degrees below zero - or at least felt like it - and I was meeting Michelle at the Mart, I thought to myself, this would be a great day to use the bus tracker! How brilliant am I?! No bus was arriving for 31 minutes. Can you imagine if I would have waited outside that whole time? (I actually probably would have walked the 1/2 mile to a different el stop, but with the icy sidewalks and me not being the most graceful person, this was the much better option.)
I was able to take care of some things around the house and head out just in time to catch the bus where I needed to go - all while staying warm and toasty.
Moral of the story? I will never make fun of Joe (about the bus tracker) ever again. It's the best!
At what point does sports memorabilia become out of control?
After mentally noting that I needed to blog about all of Sean's Bears stuff, I ran around the house taking photos. Sean chased me in panic mode, accusing me of an attempt to sell it all on eBay. That thought hadn't crossed my mind at first, but now, well, maybe. Just maybe.
In any event, come on a tour of our home with me.
Item #1: Gayle Sayers Hall of Fame Autographed Helmet
The first thing you notice as you walk in our front door, is the helmet that is front and center on the breakfast bar. Our downstairs area follows the fully open concept. Living room, dining room and kitchen are all one big space. So this? Yes, it is the center of attention.
Sean "won" this at a silent auction at a Bears game last year. Apparently after receiving a bonus and consuming too many beers, he thought it was a good idea to bid on this item. And by that, I mean it was the end of the game, no one else had bid on it, so he really bought it for the opening price.
Item #2 - Soldier Field Accent Table
To your right, you find a Christmas gift from his mom. I don't really know what to say about this other than it sits between two - what we jokingly call - conversation chairs.
Oh and that candle on top? Yep, it's a Bears candle.
Item #3 - Framed Black & White Photos of Halas and Others
As we begin our ascent to the upper level of our home, pause for a moment to take in the lovely photographs that are perched on the ledge.
Okay I guess these could be worse. At least they are professional photos. (Unlike those I have posted here!)
Item #4 - 1985 Superbowl Champs Autographed Football
Arriving on the landing, there are three leaning bookshelves that are covered with books, lovely art pieces and well, this football.
Sometimes I play this game where I take the football, hide it and wait to see how long it takes Sean to notice it's not there. Unfortunately, he realizes it the minute he walks up the stairs. This game is really no fun at all.
Item #5 - Chicago Bears "Tiffany Style" Lamp
Now, make your way into the master bedroom. On Sean's nightstand, you will find a mess and an object to set mood lighting.
Okay, I'm not sure what mood this is going for, but given that Sean doesn't do much (er, ANY!) reading in bed (or elsewhere) this light is never on.
Item #6 - Charter PSL Holder Hard Hat
In the second bedroom, you'll see that the nightstand has an array of sports-related items. Why you would keep a cheesy hard hat that identifies you as a charter PSL holder, is beyond me. And the Chicago Bears nightlight? Okay I admit I put that there for show and we don't really use it. But that's not the point! The point is that we actually HAVE it!
In Sean's defense, he can't take all of the abuse. The Konerko bobble head and Konerko autographed ball? Yeah, those are mine all mine!
That's all we have for our tour today, folks. Stop by next time when we showcase items not publicly viewable including Chicago Bears music playing bottle openers, grilling tools, glasses and bowls, jerseys and other clothing items.
Until then...BEAR DOWN CHICAGO BEARS!
So Jami and I are on a call today in a conference room and I look down and realize that A) She's wearing a black skirt; B) I'm wearing a black skirt; C) We were both too freaking lazy to even bother taking off our winter boots at work today.
P.S. - Neither one of us is wearing UGGS. Have I mentioned that I'm not an UGGS fan? I know these look similar, but guess what? Our boots are completely waterproof! Hooray!
The One of a Kind Show & Sale is this weekend at the Merchandise Mart. If you have never gone, I strongly encourage you to try it!
I've attended the past few years and plan to make this a holiday shopping tradition. You can find the most unique gifts for those hard to please folks on your list and you may just walk away with a few things for yourself. Or more than a few. Not that I've ever done that!
Lots of jewelry, food gifts, artwork - you name it. I've bought a lot of jewelry here in the past and I even bought Sean a photo of the skyline after the Sox won the World Series (You know what I mean. With "Sox Win" written in lights in the buildings?) from Scott Fishman Photography. He does some pretty cool stuff, BTW and totally reasonably priced.
Side note: Sox photo seemed like a really cool Christmas gift at the time. Prior to us living together. Prior to me wondering how in the world I can convince him that all of his sports memorabilia should be in one room. Out of view. I mean, is a Gayle Sayers autographed helmet sitting on the kitchen bar really necessary? Note to self: Take photos of all of this stuff and blog about it in the near future.
In all seriousness, check the show out. Just let me offer these words of wisdom based on past experience:
1. Wear running shoes because you will be doing A LOT of walking.
2. Don't wear a really big coat unless you want to pay to check it (which I'm too cheap to do and I also refuse to wait in line) or you don't mind carrying it around.
And if you want someone to keep you company at the show? Call me.
I learned so much over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Where to begin...
Sur La Table is the most fabulous store I have ever been in!
Last week I went looking for a flavor injector. You know, a big syringe that you poke your meat with to inject some flavor on the inside? Crate and Barrel didn't have one so they sent me over to Sur La Table. Okay, I knew this place had kitchen gear from my cooking magazines. But I'd never actually stepped inside before. I thought I'd died and gone to gadget heaven. An entire display of different types of peelers? Who knew! I think I'll get this little palm peeler for $6. Oh right...Do you have any flavor injectors? Yes? Great!
Banana Republic has cheaper prices in-store than online.
After picking up my flavor shot, I was supposed to meet Sean at Whole Foods so we could grab some things for our Thanksgiving meal. Fortunately for me, traffic was bad so he was running late. I had time to stop in Banana where I did more damage than was really necessary. All denim? 40% off. Lot of sweaters? 40% off. Awesome scarves? 40% off. All of the sweaters I bought? Not even on sale online. Scam? Just a way to get people in store? Regardless, I was highly disappointed when I realized the sweater I LOVED and wanted to buy in every color, was full price online. Boo!
Deep-fried turkey is fantastic!
Yeah, we were those people. We put a deep fryer in front of our place and cooked it on the sidewalk. Why walk it all the way up to the roof deck? Whatever! The city was pretty deserted anyway. A 15 pound turkey only took about an hour to cook and it was wonderful! Perfect and juicy. Although, I think my injection marinade had everything to do with that, right? Right.
We need a kid-proof house.
I love my nephews to death. I really do. But they are little terrors when they are together. They both decided to jump all over our couch and throw our pillows around - even when we told them not to. I'm not parent, but if I were? Well, among other things, I guess I'd actually have a kid-proof house.
And finally, the most important thing I learned over the Thanksgiving holiday...
We are never, ever, ever hosting Thanksgiving ever, ever again. Next year? A vacation far, far away from everyone we know.
I mentioned "Healthy Living 2009" the other day and well, I can't actually take credit for coining the term. Jen gets that. However, I am totally on board with what it stands for!
