What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Good Morning Ya'll!  I haven't done a WILW post in a long time...so here goes! 

I'm loving my Christmas Mantle at home.  

It's our first Christmas in the house and I had a blast decorating.

 

Here's our Christmas Tree.  My Honey and I had so much fun decorating it...he was such a good sport this year.  Usually he's more of a Bah-Hum-Bug type...but not this year.  I'm loving it!!

I love this picture of My Honey and Zane (my nephew) on Thanksgiving.  Stephen had so much fun with Zane.  I don't know about you, but seeing my man playing with kiddos is sexy to me!  (Not in a weirdo, Sandusky kind of way...get your mind out of the gutter!)

Yep...I'm loving hydrocodone right now. 

I've got something going on with my back and this is the only thing getting me through work and life everyday.  HAHA!  Not really...but it makes it much better.  I'm getting an MRI today to hopefully get some insight into what the heck's going on!  

Seriously, this show is the BEST new series on TV this year.  My Honey and I don't agree on many TV programs but this is one that we can't miss each week.  We love it!! It's pure greatness! 

Watch it!  Sundays on Showtime!

Who doesn't love some Ron? 

And I'm totally loving this little man!!  My nephew Zane!  He's the happiest, cutest, sweetest baby! 

I can't get enough of him! 

 If you're like me and can't get enough of this little muffin...check out his mommy's blog,

 Mommy In the Making!

One last thing I'm loving...I'm loving that I won't have to see anymore Facebook "Thankful" posts!  It's the last day of November!  YAY! 

Does this make me a bad person?  Ugh...I just can't stand those posts!!  Anyone else with me?

Well, I hope you all have a FABULOUS Wednesday.

Linking up w/ Jamie at This Kind of Love for WILW

 and with Megan over at Greetings From Texas. Check her out! Funny, Funny!!

Enjoy...The Curvy Life!

Got Motivation?

Does anyone else call the Treadmill the DREADmill?  My friend, Casey and I came up with that name a few years ago...I think I've even blogged about this before.  I hate it, it's so boring.  Yeah, my gym has TV's on the treadmills and I have my iPhone and fun music but it still SUCKS!  Good news...I've found something to make that 45 minutes not so horrid!  I have started running and walking...where before I just walked....and walked...and walked for what felt like 5 hours!  I usually do a warm-up for about 5 minutes, then I will run for 1.5-2 minutes, walk for 1.5-2 minutes.  You'll be so surprised at how much faster the time goes by!  Try it!  The Couch to 5K program is also great!  If you're already an avid runner, well, I hate you I'm jealous of you...share what you did to get to where you are now, please!

And here's some motivation that I've found on Pinterest...I literally quote these sayings to myself when I'm on the DREADmill and feel like I'm probably going to topple over dead any second!!

This one is my favorite! 

I get really, really bad shin splints and while I know that I don't need to over-do it with the running, I also know myself and that at that first twinge of pain I want to stop.  I have to push until the pain is unbearable or I'll never work up those muscles to get past the pain!

 I'm short, therefore, I have short legs.  I always feel like the person running next to me at like 6.0 is looking over at my speed and laughing inside...I have to remind myself that "Hey, at least I'm AT the gym and not on my couch eating bon-bons!" 

side note:Does anyone really eat bon-bons?  I don't even know what those are!

This website has great playlists for running!

http://www.rockmyrun.com/

I'm so bad about saying to myself  "You've had a rough day, you deserve this blizzard from Dairy Queen!"  Ok, so maybe I did have a bad day, that doesn't make it OK to inhale 1500 calories all at once!  All I'm doing when I do that is hurting me!  I'm not hurting my "bad day" or the person that caused my bad day...I've let them win!  Instead of rewarding myself with food I am trying to learn to go do something active.  Not necessarily working out (I am not to that point yet, working out is punishment, not reward!) but doing a craft, painting something that's needed to be painted...something other than lounging on the couch feeling sorry for myself!

I took a few "Before" pictures about a week ago.  I plan to take pictures of myself every 30 days.  I'm hoping that maybe this will help keep me on track. (I'll post those when they're not quite so embarassing....maybe, hopefully, in 60 days or so)  Being healthy and losing weight is a constant struggle for me.  I love to eat and I love to be lazy...which is exactly why I'm now overweight and need to lose 50 lbs!  If I could go back 5 years and learn to be healthy and fit, boy would I...but I can't.  I remember my mom saying "lose it now while you only have 20 lbs to lose or you'll be like me looking at 50 lbs!"  Moms, they're always right!!  But did I listen?  Of course not!  I was 25, I knew everything AND drinking $1 beers every night was much more important!  So here I am...on a mission to lose 50 lbs.  I am not in a hurry to lose it because I sure didn't put it on overnight and I know that it most definitely will not come off overnight!  Will I stumble, yes...but the main thing is that I can get myself back up again! 

Enjoy...the Curvy Life!

I'm a WINNER!

Hi ya'll!  I'm so excited...I actually won something today.  I NEVER win anything...I always enter drawings, giveaways, etc, etc, and I always have this amazing feeling like "Yeah, this is my time, I'm totally going to win!!"  Then some random person that probably wins everything wins and I'm sad.  Well not today my friends, not today!  Megan at Greetings from Texas had a cool giveaway going on for a blowout at Drybar...have you heard of them?  I had and I have been dying to go!  I have naturally curly hair and I absolutely loathe blow drying my hair! It takes forever and I'm sweaty and tired by the time I get done!  So I entered, knowing I probably wouldn't win...but to my surprise while reading her blog today I saw my blog name and that I had won!  My day has been made, for sure!!  You really need to check out her blog...she is HILARIOUS!  I sat and read all her posts the day I stumbled upon her blog and was cracking up...at my desk...at work.  My co-workers probably thought I had lost it!  Click on her blog name above and check her out...and show some love!
Check out Drybar too(link above).  Here's some eye candy showing the magic they work on your hair!  I think I'm getting the Mai Tai because I can't ever get my hair to look like that natural beachy waive...hopefully they can!

here's the Menu

 This is the Dallas location, which is where I'll be going.

It's located in Highland Park, the "ritzy" area of Dallas, which means I'll have to pull out my fancy clothes and purses! I think I'm going to take a few girlfriends with me!  Should be fun day of pampering!

Thanks Megan!!

Enjoy...The Curvy Life!

Pinterest Recipe-Baked "Fried" Chicken

If you saw my post last week, you know I'm addicted to Pinterest...and rightfully so... I never have to look too far for a good recipe again!!  I've tried several recipes that I've pinned to Pinterest but I'm a bad blogger and forgot to document it so I could share it!  My bad! 

BUT...tonight I remembered to take pictures! I made an "Oven 'Fried' Chicken" recipe that was found on a blog called Our Life Uncommon by way of Pinterest.  I changed up my recipe a bit from hers...only because I didn't have the right spices!  I always think I have spices that I don't and then end up buying spices I already have when I'm at the store.  I guess that's why I should utilize a grocery list...but where's the fun in that?  Ok, back to the recipe!

Ingredients:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 T Greek All Purpose Seasoning

3/4 tsp Pepper

1 c. Flour

1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1tsp. Basil

1/2 Stick of Butter

Directions:

Place thawed chicken breast tenderloin strips in a bowl of milk. Let soak for 20-30 min.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 1/2 stick of butter into a few pieces and place in a 9x13 pan. Melt butter in pre-heated oven.

Mix flour and spices in a Ziploc Baggie or Mixing Bowl

Spread melted butter around the bottom of the pan. Lightly spray the pan, if needed, to make sure that there are no dry spots.

Shake excess milk off of chicken and completely coat each piece with the seasoning mix. You can either shake the chicken in the bag, until coated, or dip each piece in the bowl until coated.

Place each piece of chicken in the pan.

Cook for 20 min. Turn each piece of chicken and continue cooking for 20 more minutes, or until cooked through.  

and here is the finished product...

oh, so yummy!!

Enjoy...The Curvy Life!

Oh so Pinteresting!

Do you "PIN?"  If you do...follow me.  I have a new tab over to the right, under my followers tab...so come on, follow me!  All the cool kids are doing it!   If you don't know what Pinterest is,  you are totally missing out on the coolest, most addicting thing. EVER. You have to either be invited or ask for an invite to join and it can take a couple of days but it's well worth it!  You'll never have to look far for another recipe again.  Not to mention all the cool home decor, crafty/diy stuff out there...here are a couple of examples of stuff I've pinned!!

Love this idea of two curtains!

Cats are funny!

An example of the DIY stuff you'll see!

Follow Me------------------>

So many awesome hair ideas...

I pinned this for something I might like for my BFF's upcoming wedding!

I have found so much inspiration for my home!

Holiday Inspiration!

How clever is this?

This bathroom...I. Die.  It's what I would LOVE for my master re-do...one of these years!

Now get to Pinning!!

Enjoy...The Curvy Life!

Rosie the Riveter wishes you a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

So I posted last week about my Halloween plans and told you all that I was dressing up as Rosie the Riveter.  My costume turned out perfect!!  And the best part ya'll...it only cost me $15 to make the whole thing!!  You can't beat that!  Are you ready to see the pictures?  Here goes...

 I am very pleased with how well my poster turned out.  All it is, is a navy blue piece of foam board from Hobby Lobby, a yellow poster board, also Hobby Lobby and white card stock was used for the letters.  I free-handed the "voice bubble" for the lettering.  For the letters I blew up a picture of the poster from the Internets and printed out each word on a separate piece of paper, then cut those out, traced them and had clean white letters.  It took me about 10 minutes to make!  EASY!!

Now for the fun part...all the pictures I took at the Cedar Springs Street Party.  I'm only posting the PG-13 pictures...you'd be amazed what people wear down there.  They use it as an excuse to wear just their undies...which I find weird! :)

 The "black" Swan, Dolly and the Black/White Swan

 This was awesome!  Harry and Voldemort!  The Voldemort guy was pretty scary up close!

 I couldn't get a good picture of this one...it's "The Hungry Monster" from the WW's commercials.  Fellow dieters will appreciate this one!

 Another one I had trouble getting a good picture of...this guy was on stilts and as you can see, taller than the firetruck.  He was with a group of scary clowns.  I hate clowns!!  Probably why I didn't get a good picture, I was scared to get too close!

Dead Pee-Wee Herman with my friend Leah, her face is priceless!

My friend Heather and I.  She was a Fraggle Rock...bless her heart, so many younger people didn't understand what she was!  I think she looked adorable!!

 I loved this girls peacock costume..it was beautiful!

My friend Glenna with Brandi and her husband Casey.  They all looked amazing!  Brandi and her mom made Casey's costume on Saturday, they did a terrific job!!

 Edward Scissor Hands.  I bet those hands got annoying after awhile...how did he drink or eat?

We found Heather some fellow characters!

As you can imagine, there were a lot of Lady Gaga's, this girl looked great!!  Not the one in the purple...not sure what she even is...

This group was fun...she is Eve and her apple was blingy, loved it!



 SIMON, remember that game?  Awesome costume!

Glenna aka The Red Queen

 Casey aka The Mad Hatter

Black Swan

My friend Corey and I.  Didn't he look cute?!

And last, but certainly not least...the cutest Halloween Ducky, ever...my nephew Zane!

Happy Halloween Ya'll...

Enjoy...The Curvy Life!