Thursday, December 30, 2010

Transformation (of the blog...)

Fleur de lis- flower of light
Back again after a very long hiatus. I have decided to transform this blog into more of a photography blog. There are so many websites out there that I have signed up for to display my work but I think I'm going to stick with the blog for the time being. Every person/thing that I photograph has a story and I can use this blog to tell their story. I am very excited for some upcoming shoots that I have (and nervous at the same time). Not nervous in my ability to take pictures, but my ability to satisfy my client's wants/needs/wishes, etc! Please keep me in your prayers as I start 2011 with a huge dream that I am beginning to fulfill. Thanks to all of my friends and family that have been my encouragement. I can't wait to show off some of the amazing people that I will have a chance to work with in the upcoming year.

I hope everybody has a safe New Years! -Brianna

Thursday, October 28, 2010

One More Day!

Tomorrow is the last day of the 2nd go-'round of the challenge. I was definitely not as strict on myself this time but had only minor 'cheats.' I am looking forward to Starbucks on Saturday morning since it will be a long day of wedding festivities. I need an idea for my hair, I'm too cheap to pay to have it done by somebody plus I don't know what I would want done to it. I'm exhausted....story of my life!

Monday, October 18, 2010

I hope you like looking at pictures...

because I'm too lazy to type and I need criticism. Please, be brutally honest. Its the only way I will get better. Well besides the fact that photography is subjective. Sooo, enjoy? I hope.








Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Phase II Day 7

So far, so good. I only have 3 more days to go until the second part starts. I am very excited about the second part because I love love love the meal replacement shakes in the mornings. I blend them right up with my frozen strawberries and pour it into my eco-friendly starbucks cup. Yum.

In the meantime, I am slowly learning to use Photoshop Lightroom. I hope to one day be as good as some of the other photographer's work I admire. Its pretty intricate and intense. I've spent two hours tonight and have only done a few pictures, that I'm still not completely happy with. Oooh well.
















Ok, I dont know what I did and can't fix these dang pictures. Oh well!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

And so it begins...

Tomorrow until October 29th...the new dates for the 24 day challenge. oy. I hope I don't fail. Pizza is unusually tempting lately. I'll keep you posted.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Whew...

September flew by, and its FALL! I love fall. I have at least 6 pumpkin/ apple cinnamon/ spice candles around my house. Nothing is better than cold air and warm-smelling candles. I wish I had the drive to update my blog as often as I once did but it seems I can never find the time anymore. I am getting ready to start the 2nd 24-day challenge. I am hoping to start by October 5th, I am excited about my second go at it. I hope to lose 15 more lbs to reach my goal of 50 lost by December. Hey its worth a shot!!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

the wagon....

I almost fell off. Luckily the scale stopped me. Honestly I can't remember what my last update was. I know I wrote about USC, and I could easily refer back to my blog posts, but I'm sitting here watching 2 football games and it is just too difficult to reference anything besides the television. Phew..that was a long sentence. Anyhow, after the 24 days, I took the next Saturday to enjoy what I had been psychologically 'missing' in my diet. I ate pizza, cheese, bread but skipped the alcohol. It just doesn't appeal to me as much anymore. Don't get me wrong, love the Firefly but the thought of drinking that many calories just isn't worth it. I would rather eat. So my freeing Saturday turned into a week of downhill spiral. It wasn't too bad and if a nutritionist took a look at my food choices I wouldn't have been chastised. I just knew that if I didn't curtail the habit quickly I was going to plummet. So I took matters in my own hands and put myself back on the eating regimine and started exercising more.
I have decided to do the Susan G. Komen 5k in Charlotte on October 2nd. Just for the record I don't like to run. Somehow, someway I have MADE myself go to the gym everyday during my lunch and run. My goal is a mile but yesterday I was only able to squeeze 9 minutes in. It may not be worth it to some but to me its a commitment I have made to myself to finish something....plus the benefits of running do not hurt. I feel like I spend most of my days in the car, a car without air conditioning might I mention, so the little time that I can spend on the treadmill is relaxing. I can't wait until it cools off outside and am able to run outdoors. Technically I could now if I had an inhaler and a pace car behind me so when I passed out somebody would be able to rescue me. So for now that is my goal and I am working hard to accomplish it. If anybody wants to join me, feel free! I hope I won't be such a slacker....

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

MY Alma Mater

Yesterday was a bittersweet day in Brianna-land. I started a Sociology class at UNCC and wasn't prepared for the trip down memory lane that I took. I can't help but compare EVERYTHING at UNCC to the University of South Carolina. I know that is it clearly not the same. In my mind, when I walked out of class last night I wanted to be in the middle of the horseshoe, walking across campus to the Russell House. NOT walking through construction to a parking deck to pay $5 to park for 2.5 hours! I never imagined that I would be so partial to USC, the place where I spent 3 (of my 5) years of college not to mention thousands of dollars on out-of-state tuition. I never really wanted to leave, but I guess once you complete your undergrad the only option is a Masters degree and I just wasn't ready to do that. So now I am embarking on a second major at UNCC. I want to learn more, I just loved being back in the classroom watching everybody walk in asking themselves, "am I in the right place, is this the classroom?" Yes, there still are the stereotypical students that haven't changed over the years....the know-it all, the million question asker, the show-off, teacher's pet...etc. They all still exsist. Me? I sit in the back of the class, and don't talk. Surprised? Nah!
The only thing I can do for now is store all the memories of USC in my brain and pull them out when the need arises. I don't know what makes it so difficult to start at UNC Charlotte. I went there my first year out of high school and didn't like it really. That's why I left the first time. This time I'm stuck. There won't be any sounds of the step team practicing on Greene Street or the International Club walking through the Moore School of Business. I can't walk down the steps at the Russell House and see the football team gathered at the same set of tables everyday eating lunch. Nor will I be stopped by any sort of train on my way to my final exam at 8am on a Wednesday morning sometime in the future. I guess it's time to close my USC chapter of school and start fresh with the new semester.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Nosedive

As you can see, er...well read, my blog has taken a dramatic nosedive. Most likely because when I update at one particular place it pops up 7959938595 internet explorers and I have to restart my computer. That does not make for a fun time. So I am updating now as dinner sits prepped in the kitchen and my eyelids are closing slowly.

little devils
I have made (I use that word lightly after my Saturday extravaganza) it 4 days without any Advocare vitamins and meal replacement shakes. I miss them. I feel like my routine has been disrupted and I want it to stop immediately. I have been fairly decent keeping the diet. The exceptions have been Saturday altogether, pita chips & 5 pretzel m&ms on Sunday, yesterday was great & today I had a multigrain ciabatta roll. I know the multigrain bread is allowed but I feel like I am a cheater! I also have found my absolute weakness & it has got to stop immediately....cashews. Seriously, I am dangerous if you try to take them away from me. Today I grabbed a can at Walgreens, by mid morning they were 1/4 gone. I had to have them hidden. I pulled them out after lunch & started chomping again, fast forward two hours later when I went to grab more....i spilled the entire container under my chair. I guess it was for the best. Nuts are definitely allowed for a snack but I doubt 1/2 container is acceptable. Guess I should stop buying them. That'll fix that problem.

Anyhow, tonight for dinner is seafood.....marinated tilapia, sriracha covered shrimp & sauteéd vegetables. I'm pretty excited especially after dinner when its time to exercise. Nikki & I went for a walk last night that lasted an hour, only 2.6 miles but hey it was exercise. Not to mention the hour that was previously spent at the gym. I had to work off the cashews from yesterday...and you thought today's consumption was bad! Ok, I'm done posting about nuts. Off to finish dinner.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

23!!!

Final number. No debating that fact. I definitely weighed myself twice & was even skeptical so I put an 8-pound weight on the scale to make sure. It is probably only 20 pound now since I absolutely chowed down yesterday, it was bad, very very bad! I just won't focus on that though. I am super excited and very proud of myself. I am starting a new eating phase today and that lasts 13 days. I am hoping for an additional 7-8pound loss, not getting my hopes up too high with a higher number. So let's talk about yesterday....oh boy.

Oh Starbucks, I love you
I started my day off with THIS ------->, man I was excited but no exciting enough to jump out of bed this morning to get one...I'm still laying in bed (laaazzzyyy). After Starbucks and some errands, I ate Moe's with Nikki. Usual entree, extra salsa this time, three huge bottles of water. Early afternoon snack was a few almonds & spark drink.  Now this is where the fun begins, Nikki & I went to a bridal shower and the bride had great food, we could definitely eat. But my choices were poor. After I had vegetables & grilled chicken I decided it was a good idea to eat a half slice of bread with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes & basil. Yea, I had 4 pieces. Oops. To add insult to injury I also had 3 chocolate covered strawberries & a slice of strawberry cake. Whoops! I didn't know! So that was that, I was starting to unravel. I had to run by my in-laws to let their dogs out and somehow a brownie jumped into my mouth, again whoops! Man I think the brownie was the tastiest thing ever yesterday. After that we headed to Mooresville to our friends house. Guess what they had for dinner?! Did you guess pizza? Oh well it was true. 3 slices later I was content. Hey I skipped the garlic sauce doesn't that count for something?  I added some Tostitos, salsa and Monterrey cheese to the mix and I was done for.  Oh man, what a day. Luckily, I got in 20 minutes on the treadmill yesterday morning, although that only accounted for 200 calories I consumed.

Guess that food is good and digested now and I just have to start from scratch this morning. EAS Protein shake is in the cards and we'll see what the rest of the day holds. Hopefully not much food. My stomach can't handle it and I dont want all of my hard work to go right out of the window. I need to clean,  probably won't get done, not gonna lie. Oh well!

Friday, August 13, 2010

Final Countdown!!

Pad See Ew, DELICIOUS
Today is the day, the very last day of this 24-day challenge. I am excited & sad at the same time. I can't believe I did this. I don't think I have ever done anything in entirety for 24 days. Not even attend classes in college (or high school for that matter). It really has flown by and I feel great. I have a wee bit more energy and I am able to accomplish more during my days. I feel the days are soo very long from the time I get up until I hit the bed again around midnight; but for now it works out pretty well and I can just barely run off of 7 hours of sleep....thanks to the spark drink. If anybody is interested, let me know. I have a GREAT sponsor that would be more than willing to share her knowledge. Its not just for people that want to lose weight, there are lines for performance and overall health as well. Not preachin', just sayin'!  So I will be definitely share my results tomorrow, I am hoping for a BIG number, but will be more than satisfied if I hit the 20lb mark. For now, I will leave you with this delicious picture of food, which technically I can consume tomorrow but I don't want to spend the whole day with a tummy ache. Au revoir!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Day 23

Only today, tomorrow and Friday. So excited. I've kicked ass.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

OH ME GOSH

I could have always eaten THAT
monstrosity! Probably around 1000
calories!!
I have eaten so much today I feel like I'm going to explode. The up side is I didn't cheat so everything was acceptable   ...questionable at best. I had taco meat (93/7), so I can't blame myself there. Chicken Salad (EEEEK!!), it was homemade by my father in law, and it was amazing. I knew what was in it so I didnt worry too much. I am allowed to have a small bit of mayo, and I did. I had to dump a whole canister of cashews in the trash can because I. could. not. stop. eating. them. Seriously. I pitched them and poured water down after. It was out of control. For lunch I had Qdoba. Qdoba and I have a secret love affair. My meal consisted of black beans, grilled chicken, hot salsa and lettuce. Can't get me on that one either. Oh and with my taco meat, I had romaine lettuce, tomatoe and Franks Red Hot. It was the portions of the food that I ate that did me in. Gaa, I got hungry. Don't judge!  Time to throw some excercise into the mix. Catch ya later.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Part Deux

So Saturday after the mall I hit the grocery store. Something about going grocery shopping by myself excited the heck out of me. I can’t explain it. If I’m not in a hurry, I walk around the store for at least twenty minutes, even if I only have a few things to pick up. I walk around, look at the products, try to remember if I have any coupons for them and then calculate all that good stuff in my head. It’s relaxing and enjoyable; luckily my husband doesn’t often ask to accompany me. I’d have to go with, NO.

The Steelers, OF COURSE!
Since it is August already and that means FOOTBALL is on the horizon, I have been collecting new recipes for football parties and tailgating spectaculars. I am so excited, this is my favorite time of the year, hands down. Football, FOOD and friends combined with the anticipated fall weather, it doesn’t get any better. Anyhow, I decided to try some new recipes Saturday night since I was cooking for the reunion. I don’t really know how anything tasted since I was very strict with myself and did not taste any of it! I hope everything was good, but I had a lot of food leftover. Perhaps because I make a lot of food to begin with. Everyone is ALWAYS invited to our house any time we are having a get together, I love to cook especially during football. Geez, I’m rambling. So Steve & I were watching Man vs. Food the other night and they were cooking hamburgers on a grill with a heaping pile of raw onions on top. The thought there is the onions will cook right along with the hamburger once flipped. I decided to make those but in slider fashion and they turned out great ( I can only imagine how they tasted). I also made handmade quiches with spinach artichoke dip in some and sautéed mushrooms in the others. Everybody said they were good but I’m skeptical. The worst thing you can do is lie to me about how something tastes because chances are you will be back to my house, and you will be eating that same food you don’t like. ‘Fess up people!! I also made homemade salsa & guacamole, and that, my friends, is the recipe I’m sharing today! It is so good and easy, I am a salsa connoisseur (in my own little land).

Homemade Salsa

1 12oz can of Diced Tomatoes & Chile's ( I use off brand)
1 12 oz can of Diced Tomatoes with Cilantro & Lime
1 chopped jalapeno, optional
½ white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
Pinch of sugar (it cuts down on the acidity of the tomatoes)
Chopped Cilantro…if that’s how you roll.

Directions: Put all ingredients in a blender, juicer, or food processor and pulse. Keep blending until it’s the consistency you want. I like mine with no chunks. You can omit the jalapeno or add more depending on the amount of heat you prefer. I love this recipe, its so simple and everybody enjoys it. I alter it for my friends that can’t stand the heat. Put in container and if you have time stick in the fridge for a bit to let the flavors marry, if not serve with whatever you want! Enjoy.


So that was Saturday night. I still am up in the air with a few recipes for the season. I want something stellar that just steals the show when I present it on the table. I need to invest in an apron, a girl I went to middle school with sells them on ETSY. Maybe she can customize one for me. What a grand idea. I know you’re curious what I ate on Saturday night….grilled chicken, tomatoes, salsa, guacamole & zucchini. Pretty boring compared to the yummy burgers and sausage bread. It’s alright though, I didn’t cheat and I am proud of that. I would have just regretted it in the morning.

Sunday was a nice relaxing day, started with the usual meal shake and brought it with me when I went to Starbucks. Still no coffee…20 days and counting! For lunch I had a peach, a pack of nuts from Starbucks oatmeal and stopped at Salsaritas for another naked salad on my way home. Dinner was a salad with grilled chicken, tomatoes and two hard boiled egg whites. Not too exciting, but by Sunday night I am all out of steam and throw together whatever I have left from the weekend. I did well and only have until Friday before the 24 days are over. I still have not met my goal for the total lbs lost during the challenge, I think I may be about 4 shy depending on what scale I use. I would love to continue on another 24 days but the cleanse is meant to be used only once every three months. I could do the 14 day supplements but I’m going to be all out. Oh no!

Weekend Update Part 1

Man, this weekend was so nice. I felt it went by nice and slowly and I was able to pack as many things into it as I could! I am on the home stretch of the 24-day challenge and I am pretty bummed that it is ending so quickly. I look back and think of the beginning when I didn't think I could do it, but with only 5 days left I am kicking butt. If I can do this, anybody can.

Now for a quick recap of my weekend, I know you are dying to read all about it! Friday night I went out with some girls from work. We had dinner & went bowling. I can't remember if I wrote about it on Friday but I printed out the nurtritional information for the restaurant that we were going to. Holy smokes, I think if anybody read the actual content for the meals they were enjoying, we'd all be sticking to lettuce and water. It's insanity. I'm not preaching whatsoever, I of all people enjoy meals out. Especially when they involve hot wings and beer. I digress...I scoured the menu and finally picked out something that I could eat. I had to modify it without so that left me with lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms and a grilled chicken breast. I asked for buffalo wing sauce on the side for my dressing but I actually packed a container from home and used that. I do admit I did have two fork-dips of the wing sauce. It was so good. The little things I guess! After dinner we went bowling, and I suck. For real. I didn't even break 60, I shouldn't have even wasted my money; it was that ridiculous. I got home around midnight and my oh-so-thoughtful husband ordered pizza! Yes, pizza. I could have kicked him in the, well you know. Argh, I answered the door and the lady told me they had just come out of the oven...well clearly they had to of or else you wouldn't be able to deliver them if they were still in there. Does your delivery bag have a built in oven? Wow, never have seen that before! The pizza smelled delicious, seriously it was the most tempting thing this whole time. I stood over it and smelled it for a good 5 minutes until I ran off upstairs to bed. Guess who follows me with a big plate of pizza? Yep, Steve. He decided he wanted to eat it in our room. Thanks, honey.

Saturday was busy busy busy. My little sister (well she's 15) wanted to go shopping for Tax Free Weekend. Ok, I'm cool with that. We can handle any crowds out there, no biggie. We hit Concord Mills about 10 am Saturday and I'm glad we did. Have you ever seen how BIG that parking lot is? I may be on a diet, but I'm still lazy. I will still circle 5 or 6 times before I find a close spot. Luckily we found one on the first try and hit the mall. We spent 4 hours there, by the time we left it was a complete zoo. That is pretty much par for the course though when you go to Concord Mills. I had Salsaritas for lunch, I love the mexican places. They are so easy to customize your food so you know exactly what you're eating.  I also love Salsaritas and Moes because they have an awesome interactive nutrition section on their website. I still have the other half of Saturday and all of Sunday to write about, but I'm afraid it'll have to wait. I'm on a time limit here.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Porkchops & Applesauce

I used to have an inate fear of eating porkchops. I think because my parents bought stock in 'Shake & Bake' and 99% of the time they were dry and rubbery. I guess they never got the message not to overcook those suckers. So when I became an adult (don't know when that happened), I vowed to never allow my family to be subject to that. So far, I have succeeded. It hasn't been too hard...its like dude just don't over cook them. I don't know why that concecpt is so difficult.

Today is Friday, thank goodness. Day 17 for me on the challenge...I don't want it to ennnnd! I have had vanilla meal replacement shakes all morning so I'm excited that I saved a chocolate one for an end of week treat. I even bought banana pieces to make it yummy. I guess it's the little things that trick the mind into thinking you are rewarding youself since obviously pizza is out of the question. I haven't officially weighed myself since Tuesday. I think I'm getting jipped on Wii Fit. I'm not sure how accurate it is and frankly, I like what the scale at the gym says better. So I'm sticking with that one!

Tomorrow night we're having people over just because we want to. Duh. I am now obsessed with Pioneer Woman, and am going to make some of her recipes for snacks. I need a new football party menu so why not try it out...football IS right around the corner. SCORE! I can't explain how excited that makes me.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

100 List

For some reason I decided to get on Myspace and read my old blogs. Wow, I hope in 5 years I don't look back at this one and feel as embarrassed. I did, however, find this list I posted back in 2005. I thought I would share, and it's just for fun. ----After reading this tonight, I have no idea what business I had in posting it 5 years ago. Oy.


100 Things You Need to Know About Women --- posted in Maxim in 2005. I am not responsible for any racy content.
You know not to forget her birthday and that her favorite flowers are purple tulips. But you need the complete list. Please use it responsibly.

Maxim, November 2005

100. Girls enjoy always having something kind of wrong, like a headache or cramping or something. Remember: No matter how bad it sounds, she’s going to outlive you.
99. Most women will not have sex for the first time with a guy unless their legs are shaved. If your date shows up and you spot stubble, she’s trying to keep herself in line.
98. No matter how much she reassures you, if you can’t get a hard-on she assumes you’re not attracted to her.
97. Beware of your girlfriend's single party friend or gay bud. They want her to be single with them and will encourage any bad behavior as often as possible.
96. Jewelry. Now you always know what to get her for a last-minute gift.
95. The sight of you in your socks and underwear is the biggest turnoff in the world.
94. Never trust a girl who has no girlfriends. She doesn’t get along with other women because she’s either bat-shit crazy or just plain mean.
93. Girls who say, “I love sports!” are lying. Girls who ask you what time the game is on, without specifying which game they’re talking about, are not.
92. A random hookup is more likely to result in pregnancy, because a woman has more sex when she’s most fertile.
91. She still has all the love letters and cards from her past boyfriends.
90. Just started dating? Women want you to drive, even if it’s their car.
89. A girl would prefer to get a $100 gift from Tiffany & Co. than a $500 gift from Fortunoff. Why? Because her friends will ask where she got it.
88. “If I give you my number on Friday, Tuesday and Wednesday are your best bets to score a date. Monday is too desperate, Thursday is too late.”—Claire, 27
87. Your female coworkers are obsessed with the fact that on average they receive less pay than male counterparts—and the fact that they work less overtime and get pregnant is irrelevant to the discussion.
86. Laying a towel down over the wet spot is like putting your jacket over a mud puddle for her, you noble bastard.
85. A recent study revealed that natural blondes could be extinct in 200 years, so unless she’s Norwegian, her towhead might be bottled.
84. Sixteen percent of American men have been with a prostitute—scientific proof most women are decent in bed.
83. Women always want to believe what you’re saying is true.
82. What do women really want in bed? More blankets. They get colder than men.
81. The threesome is not about you; it’s about the two girls. If you’re lucky enough to score one with your girlfriend, enjoy sex with the other one because there’s a good chance it’ll end the relationship.
80. If women have an excuse to take a pill, they’ll take it.
79. Never trust the woman who gives you the best blow job you’ve ever had.
78. “I hate when my boyfriend is sweaty and tries to lie down on top of me or cuddle after I’ve come. Wait five minutes.”—Erin, 21
77. The average woman kisses 79 men before getting married.
76. She hates your Xbox more than she lets on. Blow her off for some gaming and she’ll soon stop wasting time on a dork like you.
75. Women who are obsessed with their dogs also like to keep their men on a short leash.
74. “Girls who buy their men lap dances and pretend to enjoy it are kidding themselves. They’re trying to keep him happy with some controlled freedom.”—Suzy, 31
73. Over the course of her life, a woman will use 10 men for every one she loves. If you lent her your car or helped her move and didn't get laid, you're one of the 10.
72. During emergencies, women are likely to remain calmer than men. Though it should be noted that inventing minor crises on a weekly basis gives them more practice.
71. “Women grow hairs in a lot of the same places that men do—lower abdomen, nipples—we just get rid of them.”—Katie, 26
70. Unless they’re lesbians, she won’t approve of your hanging out with other girls. Even if they’re ugly. And, really, even if they’re lesbians.
69. If you have something to hide, she’ll find it.
68. Eighty-five: The number of males per 100 females in Gary, Indiana, lowest male-to-female ratio of any city with a population of 100,000-plus. The highest male-to-female ratio is in Salinas, California: 114 males for every 100 females.
67. Kiss her before two dates have gone by or you’ll be “friended.”
66. They can't live without tension. Every once in a while she's gonna pick a fight with you for no reason. Accept this as a running, inevitable theme and your relationship will make a lot more sense.
65. The most painless way to end an argument: Let her win.
64. An online dating service’s survey found that a woman’s ideal man has brown hair and blue eyes.
63. In the U.S., 21 percent of women ages 18 to 59 hold out for their honeymoon.
62. A British study claims a woman’s chances of getting married drop by 40 percent for every 16-point rise in her IQ. The same increase in IQ for a man boosted his chances of getting married by 35 percent.
61. When a woman tells you her problems, she does not want you to offer solutions.
60. Women often cite manhandling of breasts as the biggest foreplay faux pas.
59. “When I’m drunk, I can’t come. Not even with a vibrator.”—Lauren, 35
58. If they're going to do it, most wives cheat between the ages of 18 and 29.
57. Most women think they’re better drivers than they are. Don’t point this out while she’s at the wheel or he’ll freak and crash.
56. Women ingest about half the lipstick they apply, which means they eat approximately one to three sticks per year.
54. A woman might say she just wants sex, but sleep with her for a while and she’ll change her tune. “I’ve known so many women who think they can pull this off, but they always develop feelings for the guy,” says Evie, 22.
53. According to the American Association of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Angelina Jolie’s lips were the most requested celebrity feature among all female patients in 2004.
52. Despite always complimenting another woman’s short haircut, she secretly celebrates having one less competitor, since men prefer long hair.
51. Don’t call her “cute.” In her mind it’s the same as “not vomit-inducing.” “Sexy,” OK. “Hot,” yes. “Fucking awesome,” only if she’s at least slightly buzzed.
50. Women often buy shoes a size or two small because they’re in denial about the size of their feet—which they can’t stand.
49. They dream of one day peeing in a urinal.
48. Women know where they stand looks-wise but worry about being considered cool, about which they’re unsure.
47. According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, 23 percent of 18- to 34-year-old women live with their parents, versus 31 percent of you losers.
46. Women want to talk dirty, but they’re afraid you won’t respect them in the morning. Reassure her that letting go in bed doesn’t make her less classy and she’ll probably go wild. Jäger helps.
45. Twenty-three percent of this magazine’s readers are women.
44. A psycho jealous girl will do anything to keep her man—including anal.
41. If she suddenly cuts her hair short, it might mean she no longer cares what you think of her. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t care about someone else’s opinion.
40. About half of all brides will lose a good friend over a ridiculous bridesmaid squabble.
39. It never hurts to say you're sorry, even if you don't mean it.
38. Let her beat you at something once in a while—poker, chess, Ping-Pong—and she’ll be more likely to give you what you want, like some peace and quiet.
37. Women’s public bathrooms are about three times more disgusting than men’s.
36. “At one point or another, I’ve gone through your things looking for any evidence from past relationships. I’m talking photographs, postcards, mementos, address books, diaries. If you don’t like it, get rid of this stuff before letting me in your apartment. It’s not about trust; it’s about curiosity, and it drives us crazy till it’s been satiated.”—Caroline, 28
35. Like you, girls hate nothing more than a clingy partner who needs them every eight seconds.
34. Chick rock strikes a deeply primal chord inside women while simultaneously revolting men. Just sit back and let her sing the Sarah McLachlan or Ani DiFranco song. It’s only about four minutes long.
33. The average woman owns eight bras and wears each one five times before washing. Shasta!
32. Girls will not sit on any toilet outside their own home or a five-star hotel. Everywhere else they’re hovering above the toilet in a squat.
31. Got a new girl coming over? Your (tidy) bathroom should include clean linen, a box of Puffs Plus, and several full rolls of TP.
30. “Don’t caress our faces while we’re kissing, unless you really, really, really like us.”—Rachel, 21
29. On a first date, women never order what they really want to eat.
28. Breast augmentation surgery has grown by 257 percent since 1997. The most popular size? C-cup. As if you didn’t know.
27. Gain her trust when you’re out by calling her at 10 P.M. She’ll go to bed content you’re thinking of her, even if you’re slurping Jell-O shots off some skank’s cleavage.
26. Put down the Drakkar and grab a box of Good & Plenty. Women are turned on by the scent of black licorice.
25. At least one of her friends wants to sleep with you.
24. A good but flawed man is a fixer-upper gem, and women love nothing more than home improvements.
23. Every woman is self-conscious about her ass. Tell her you love her ass and you’ll see it more often.
22. If you want more sex, tell your girl an attractive woman hit on you that day. Sixty percent of the time, it works every time.
21. More than half of surveyed females between 18 and 25 would prefer to be run over by a truck than be fat.
20. All women think they’re smarter than their partners in some significant way.
19. The more piercings she has, the more places she’ll let you put it.
18. Once in a while, let her pick the movie and don't complain about it.
17. Any good woman will tell ya, honesty is not always the best policy.
16. Chicks aren’t afraid to get kinky; you just have to have the nerve to ask.
15. Girls don’t want to date doormats. So make her proud and refuse to give up bowling night with the guys.
14. Don't take a woman to a concert you really want to see—she'll just want to leave early.
13. “Women appreciate a big penis, but having one doesn’t give you an excuse to suck at foreplay.”—Elena,
12. Studies show women are more attracted to “macho” guys near ovulation. The rest of the month, they’re drawn to “good providers,” otherwise known as chumps.
11. She likes one of your friends.
10. Ugly girls like to hang out with pretty girls because it makes them feel like they're more attractive. Pretty girls hang out with ugly girls for the same reason.
9. The minute she decides she’s even mildly interested in you, she starts making mental pictures of what your kids would look like and imagining her first name with your last.
8. Sixty percent of women in the United States color their hair, according to L’Oréal (who are obviously hoping they can peer-pressure the other 40 percent).
7. Dated a stripper? Keep your mouth shut, stupid.
6. Rub a sheet of medium-grade sandpaper across your face. That’s your five o’clock shadow when you kiss her. Now rub that sandpaper on your inner thigh. (Mind you, we’re not suggesting you shave.)
5. Female serial killers tend to use poison rather than guns or knives.
4. Foghat’s “Slow Ride” is not about a trip in the car. Get the hint?
3. The one breakup line she’ll never be able to argue you out of: “I’m sorry, but I no longer have feelings for you.”
2. Buying a present for your girl? She’ll hate it (and you) if she finds out you took along another woman to help pick it out.
1. You'll probably never know how many guys she's slept with. The standard lie is five. Which really means about 12.

What's in the Cupboard Wednesday...

The dinner plan tonight was to make something with lean stew meat. I seasoned it when I came home for lunch and it was just sitting in the fridge. Here is what it turned out to be:


Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small can green chiles, drained
1 16oz. can Navy Beans (any kind you want, really), drained
1 28oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 packaged stew meat
Pinch of Garlic Salt
Seasoning to your taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large pan
Once heated, add onion and drained chiles
Sauteé onion and chiles until they start to turn brown
Add the meat and let cook for 2 minutes on one side, then turn over until they are browned
Pour the diced tomatoes in pan and let it heat, then add the beans and garlic salt
Stir together and put the lid on. Wait for it to start simmering and turn the heat down low.
Let cook until meat is done, about 8 minutes.
Serve!

PS, this Calphalon pan is my
ABSOLUTE favorite. I'd be lost
without it.
Ok so I am not an author and cannot write directions. It turned out really good and the nice thing is you can add whatever seasonings you want.  That is what I had in my pantry and the concoction that I came up with. Perhaps if I do this more often I can work on my direction writing skills! I hope if anybody out there trys this they will enjoy. If not, I sure had a good ole dinner.  

Whew!

Yesterday was a long day! Waking up at 6:15, leaving the house at 7:30 and not returning home until after 8pm is exhausting. Despite the long hours, I had a great day! My calorie intake was awesome and I got a good workout in, I was so pumped I even skipped dinner.

Syd getting her hair braided
(Booth by Snip-Its)
I took Sydney to Birkdale for National Night Out. Holy cow, they put on an awesome event! It was nice because it wasn't too crowded and there was TONS to do, we ran into CLT MOM, with her kiddos too, it was definitely the place to be in Huntersville last night. I don't know who put that on, but they need to be commended. I even had a good time walking around and seeing everybody and everything. Sydney wanted to do all the water events but I vetoed that idea right from the start. Instead she got her hair braided, played Wii, and to top it off got a coloring book. I made dinner out of it for her since they had free hot dogs, chips, soda, and ice cream galore. It was awesome. We stayed until 8 when everything was starting to wind down.

Hopefully today is just as good of a day as yesterday. I have only had my meal replacement shake, which is becoming more and more tolerable by the day. I started only bringing one snack with me instead of two. I brought a serving of cashews and I am heading home for lunch to grill a pork chop. Marvelous. 

I use Livestrong to track my food but today saw they have "Daily Dares," I want to start putting one on here for everybody but I feel that is too kitschy. Maybe I will; we shall see!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

National Night Out!

I don't know why I'm so excited. I think it will be a fun time as long as the weather holds out. I think I am scooping up Sydney and going to convince Steve to head up to Birkdale tonight for the music and festivities. Unfortunately I can't drink so I won't be partaking in any nice ice cold beers, namely Miller Lite. The no alcohol aspect doesn't bother me, sometimes I just want that first sip that tingles the throat as it goes down. Kind of like the first sip of soda that usually accompanies a large pepperoni & mushroom pizza. Delicious.

So last night my GF (not GF GF just GF) & I were feeling ambitious and went for a walk/run/jog adventure. It ended up being a 2.37 mile of one and it felt great. Although it did take 47 minutes!  I wish I could push myself to run more. Any tips out there? I have a ton of friends that are into running long long distances....any suggestions would be great! Besides the obvious...ya gotta lose that meat on those bones first. I have tried and tried to run. I can even remember in middle school, we had to run a mile every Monday and I dreaded it! Seriously, dreaded it. I believe it was 19(?) laps around the gym and each lap was as grueling as the last. That still doesn't compare to high school when I played Powder Puff football and the egomanical football players that were our coaches made us run around the top of the stadium. The devil. With that being said, running and I have never gotten along. One of my goals at the gym is to run a 5k, but I'm still too apprehensive to even sign up. I don't know what I need to do to kick my butt in gear. I guess if I did sign up I might be more inclined to do it. Its definitely a goal of mine. I also want to start swimming again. I miss my old swimming days. 

Anyhow today is the 14th day of the challenge. Only ten more to go. I feel like I hit a plateau, that is why I am cutting back on my portion sizes and trying to eat earlier. Tonight will be an exception because I am going to hit the gym right after work so dinner will most likely be around 7. The meal replacement shakes were 'iffy' for the first couple of days. I had to adjust the water and frozen fruit additions to make it taste good. I really only like frozen strawberries so I have been adding those to my drinks in the morning. I am trying to drink all the vanilla ones to save the chocolate for the end! I didnt weigh myself today because I don't want to be disappointed; that has already discouraged me but with all the encouragement its hard to think about quitting!

Lee's Last Stand...our home for a week in September
I can't believe its already August. Any end of summer plans? Our family is going to Edisto in the middle of September with Steve's parents, Aunt & Uncle as well as some of our good friends. I can't wait. We're all ready for vacation! The only bad thing about wanting September to get here means October, November & December are all right around the corner. I can't believe this year has gone by so fast. I think that every year when I realize the holidays are quickly approaching.

Like I said earlier, National Night Out...get out there!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Day 13

So this weekend flew by. I wish we worked 2 days and had 5 off. Now, THAT would be awesome. Mostly it was a relaxing weekend. We headed up to the lake yesterday but it was so cold. Even Steve was freezing. I tried to bring my bikini but it wasn't happening. So much for miracle diets!! Only two weeks left of my challlenge and I am having to modify my eating a bit. Portion control is a big problem, especially snacking on nuts. I have come to enjoy them, they are a nice change of texture from salad. Ahh, gotta run. I'll finish soon.






Never take this little one clothes shopping,
she'll want to try on EVERYTHING!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Sunday, UNfunday

Today has sucked. I want to eat a hot dog, chips & french onion dip and ice cream. No wonder I have to diet. I'm whining.

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Phase 2, Day 1

All done! The cleanse is offically done and the total loss in 10 days is 9lbs. I would like to contest that number but I can't effectivly argue with a scale. It is what it is. All I know is- I have 14 more days to lose 11 pounds and be at my goal for the 24 days. I am sure I can do it, I need to exercise more which I only did twice in the past ten days. Oops. Working out is so overrated, so is cleaning baseboards!

So last night we had a late dinner, but it was delicious. Chicken & Shrimp kabobs with peppers. Its so nice eating foods without crazy additives and knowing its healthy. For lunch yesterday I met a friend at a place in Huntersville called Killington's. Ugh they have crazy good food and the wings are my favorite...buuut I can't have those so I ate a salad. It was still good but wings would have been better!



The second part of the 24-day challenge requires a meal replacement shake and a vitamin strip. Note to self, never put frozen whole strawberries in a blender they will also come out whole. Oops. I had a berry flavored smoothie this morning and it was alright. I could still kind of taste the vitamins or whatever is in it but I am full so it did the trick. So basically I eat two regular meals a day and a shake in the morning. I hope the vanilla and chocolate shakes don't taste bad. I dont do well with nasty liquids, who does really? 
We'll see how today goes; I am still in the mindset of doing this. I am proud of myself for actually completing the full ten days without cheating even with a small morsel of food! Go me.


Friday, July 30, 2010

IIIIIIIIII = 10!!

So today is the final day of the cleanse. I should be more excited than I am but I'm not. I don't have much to type. I made Buffalo Turkey Burgers for dinner last night and they were good. The addition of a bun and cheese would have made them great!! I sandwiched them between lettuce and tomato with yellow mustard. Not too bad, usually I'm skeptical of ground turkey because it has a funny smell but they were good and I survived.

Today I've had 4 egg whites and some mixed nuts for my breakfast. Fiber drink this morning was probably worse than yesterday. I made it then got side tracked and when I finally got around to drinking it, it was turning into a thick gel-substance. Nasty.


Lunch will be out to eat, I'm planning on a plain salad with grilled chicken. Lets hope that is the case. I am trying to go as low in sodium as possible today so when I weigh myself tomorrow I wont be disappointed. And if I am disappointed, I blame the sushi. I still regret eating that....damn fish. Tomorrow starts the second phase of the 24-day challenge. I am able to incorporated more whole grains into my meals, still no dairy. I do love cheese. My cravings are mainly the little things, a bun on my hamburger or french fries with my meal. Mostly just things that  my family is eating. I make my meal first and then cook the extras for them so they won't starve. I haven't gotten tired of anything yet either, the variety definitely helps the 10 days go by quickly. I am hoping to lose at least 20lbs total during the 24 days. With my stuipd +3.2 gain yesterday, I still have a way to go. DAMN SUSHI.