a glimpse at my week

Well, first of all I've been drinking water like it's my job.  true story.  Went out to do my 10-miler on Sunday and let's just say it didn't end up being 10 miles.  Someone was dehydrated.  someone never learns.  So, the cup and I have become one.

my new camera!

Last week I received a call inquiring as to whether or not I wanted to participate in a focus group.  Hmmm...I'm all about helping my fellow marketers...I mean Marketing was my major in college and all that jazz, but what was in it for me?  Oh...$100, well okay.  So on Monday, I headed over to the Galleria area for a 2 hour focus group regarding the purchase of my mattress.  They fed me dinner.  I had a few laughs with the other focus group panel members.  They sent me on my way with $100.  So guess who had some extra cash to apply to her new camera fund?  This girl!  If you are wondering what happened to my former camera, see here.

Tuesday I decided to get all wild and cRaZy and sign up for Beach Palooza.  That Rachel - I'm telling you - she sure does some whackadoo things (like The Warrior Dash this past weekend) and this time I decided to jump on her band wagon.  Beach Palooza is a 5K obstacle course taking place in Galveston on September 24th.  If you are interested, register by March 29th to get the lower price of $35.  You get a t-shirt, a pineapple hat (who doesn't need one of those?) and a finisher's medal.  We all know how I feel about medals!  This could be a really fun bloggy meet-up...*hint, hint*

Wednesday I cooked dinner for a fella.  We ate my buffalo chicken and watched some tv.  It was his first time to meet my monsters.  They were shockingly on their best behavior.  Penelope pulled a rag toy out of the toy bin for him to throw for her so they could play fetch.  In case you are just tuning in, Penelope is blind.  I don't know what got into her, but this wasn't the first time.  A few months ago, she pulled the same stunt when LaShaune came over for the first time after we went to see a play.  My weird little wonder-pup.

Oh and I finalized my outfit for my half marathon that is this Sunday - the Dallas RnR.  *gulp*  I'm not ready for it.  Someone (me) has allowed her A.D.D. to kick in and distractions have led me astray from my training.  Ah well...I'm gonna go out there and do my best and then kick my A.D.D. to the curb for the next two I have lined up in rapid succession.  I shall wear a white Nike dri-fit tank, black Nike capris, and a pink Nike hat (the pink hat is in honor of my good friend That Pink Girl who is coming on out to cheer me on).

Last, but not least, I decided it was time for me to leave some emotional crap behind me, so I deleted about 200 emails (a journal of sorts) which I had saved in a special file.  These emails spanned across a very painful 2 years for me.  I had been torturing myself lately by reading them and felt it healthy to "destroy" them.  We can't change the past, that is for sure.  It is true we can learn from it, but beating our selves up over it never did anyone any good.  I feel a bit cleansed.

Tonight I head to Fort Worth. 

How's your week going, my little gumdrops?

I love the 80s (well..parts of it)

You know what's really rad?  Being all decked out in your coolest 80s attire and having to stop at the gas station for some ice.  It's not uncomfortable AT ALL, oh no.  =/  haha!

Saturday marked my brother-in-law Craig's birthday and thus - a birthday bash was born.  It was a themed party - 80s, if you will, and Linda and Craig went all out with their decorum.

There were movie posters throughout the house representing some of the best movies - Goonies, Ferris Buehler, Gremlins, Back to the Future, etc...

There was an Alf cake.

There were slap bracelets.

There were famous quotes and other such era indicators printed and posted about.

The office was set-up with the original Nintendo gaming system with your choice of several games to play.  Of course, the favorite was Super Mario 3.

The dining room was set-up as a Karaoke room.  80s hits were belted out by many.

The wardrobes, however, stole the show.

ease up there, tiger

I woke up at 5:30am on Saturday for my run.  Our start time was changed to 7:00am starting this week because it is not getting lighter until later.  I felt...weird...and then realized I was still sick if you catch my drift.  I thought about still going, but then I knocked some sense into myself, took some Imodium, and went back to bed.  I ended up sleeping another 3 hours and 45 minutes for a grand total of almost 11 hours of sleep.  Whoa!  That's cRaZy for me.  I must have needed it.

My family had decided to meet earlier for our lunch since one of older sister Cathy's high school buddies was in town and Cathy, her husband Jay, and I were going to a movie and early dinner with him.  So, the fam went to BJs.  Younger sister Linda and her husband Craig didn't join us as they were still feeling blah.  After lunch, I wanted to head to the library to return some books and to check out a couple of new ones, but Cathy insisted we go to JC Penny so that she could find me a dress to wear to our cousin Rachel's wedding coming up in October.  I begrudgingly went along with her plan and then was quite thankful I did when she picked out a dress for me that ended up being $70 regular price...on sale for $35...with a 15% off coupon which meant with tax it rang up for $32 and some change.  Now that is a deal for a nice black dress that I can definitely wear again (though I had hoped for a different color)!

I still had time to go to the library and exchange my books - yay!  Then I went to the movie theater.  We saw The Other Guys with Will Ferrell and Marky Mark.  I hadn't even seen a preview, so I had zero expectation. I definitely laughed several times, but I'd say it's more of a renter than a "must see" in the theater.

After the movie, we headed over to Pappadeaux's.  I haven't been there in ages.  In the past, I always ordered the shrimp brochette which are bacon wrapped shrimp stuffed with jack cheese and jalapeño slivers all served over a big bed of dirty rice and a side of lemon butter which I would have poured over the top of the shrimp and dirty rice.  I also would have indulged in several slices of the french bread and butter served before the meal.  I won't lie to you and tell you I was a perfect angel during the meal...there were some healthier options, but I ordered the stuffed shrimp montage which were crab stuffed shrimp served with a bit of parmesan cheese sauce on each shrimp (not swimming in it, thankfully) and a side of green beans which I ordered without butter/oil.  I, of course, did not partake in the bread.

I then went home and watched the series premiere of Outlaw on my DVR - it's a new show on NBC starring Jimmy Smits.  Love him (especially since his performance in Dexter Season 3)!  My dad had recommended the show to me, so I decided to record it when they re-aired it.  It was a great show and I look forward to more episodes.  I also watched the season premiere of Parenthood.  This was one of my favorite shows last season - so glad to see its return!  Then I headed to bed in hopes of getting some good sleep so that I could maybe get in some mileage on Sunday.

On Sunday, I was mostly a lazy bum.  I did manage a couple of miles.  At first I was disappointed with myself having hoped for more, but then I was like "ease up there, tiger" since I hadn't run in over a week.  I kinda think I'm my own worst critic/enemy/nightmare lately.

Late afternoon, I headed over to the parental's house for another fashion show of sorts.  This meant I tried on my $32 dress for my parents.  They ooohed and ahhhed over it.  Then Cathy tried on 3 different dresses for us and we had to choose which 2 we liked best.  I threw back some leftover taco salad my mom had in the fridge, so I wasn't hungry when she suggested that we all go to Sweet Tomatoes, so I went Krogering instead and then to home sweet home.

As usual, there were so many things I should have done....could have done....but alas....there's always next weekend, now isn't there?!

How might your weekend have been?  Was it raindrops and roses?

the fashion show

I kinda feel silly discussing a fashion show with you when I don't have any pictures of the actual event.  It was a spontaneous fashion show of sorts...and it was the product of my mom and older sister Cathy's joint shopping extravaganza.  You see, Cathy was grieving the loss of her dog, Rocky (RIP) on Friday and my mom invited  Cathy to lunch to comfort her.  Somehow lunch lead to a shopping spree where the two of them decided to do their part to help some wardrobe dilemmas younger sister Linda and I were having relating to our Labor Day weekend get-away to Chicago.  We have a specific event we are attending - a surprise birthday party for my grandmother - and we have been struggling to find something to wear.  You know how it works.  You can find a million cute things when you don't need them and then the minute you need something...

I had actually ordered this really cute number from Macy's a week or so ago (but in pink).  I was uber excited about receiving it, only when I did...well...let's just say I looked like a circus act.  I even tried it on at work and came out of the bathroom humming a circus theme song while pretending to carry some balloons in one hand and cotton candy in the other - it was like that.  I guess it should make me feel good knowing it was a 1X and ridiculously big on me, but really it made me want to cry because that meant I would have to actually go shopping and I hate shopping.

I was told to pick-up some rotisserie chickens on my way home from work, but then I reminded them that I had to also stop at my house to feed and water my dogs.  The masses (my mom, Cathy, Jay, and Linda) were growing more and more impatient).  Turns out my dad actually beat me home, too, and I left work before him.  Ooops!  So once I got to the house, Linda quickly tried on her two dresses for me - she looked great in both of them!  Apparently I missed the one that would have made her look like a call girl (that's the nice way of wording it).  That dress is being returned.  I suppose there are some ...um... shortcomings to having a midget momma (okay, okay...she is not really a midget...er...little person, but she sure is petite) and a shorter older sister.  When they held up the dress to themselves, they thought it looked normal length.  Not so much.  Anyway, Linda didn't stay for my fashion show or for dinner because she was tired.  Whatever.  =P

We all sat down and ate rotisserie chicken, brown rice, and veggies.  It was an impromptu family dinner and I loved it!  After dinner, my sister gave me one top and a skirt to try on.  The skirt was a size too big, so I think they are going to exchange it for me.   The top was perfect....I can totally wear it to work.  Next they gave me another top.  It was not something I would pick out for myself, but it was VERY flattering and I can also wear it to work.  Then, I was handed this dress.  It looked pretty, so I eagerly went to try it on.  Understand this...most of my dresses are A-lined....fitted at the bust and then they flow out (my comfort zone).  This dress is more of a fitted dress.  I am not used to such thing.  I came out and everyone thought it looked fantastic on me and they say I have to keep it and that I have to wear it.  I also, apparently, have to get a stitch put in because it's a bit too low cut on me.  I guess it's time to step out of my comfort zone and understand that I can get away with wearing things I never would have worn before.  It's a good feeling...it's just weird.

Next, Cathy tried on the pants and shirts and skirt she found during their spree.  She's gotten to tiny - so proud of her success!

You know what the best part of the whole night was?  My mom and Cathy looking as pleased as punch with themselves for a job well done.  That was priceless!  =)