I Should Be a Photographer

Hello, and happy Monday!

This weekend was pretty good! Friday night ended up being pretty tame. I headed over to my parents house for a few hours of visiting. It's always good to curl up on their couch and just hang out. Something about Mom and Dad's house makes me happy and gives me a sense of comfort. After, I headed home to an empty house. Raymond was having a guys night out so I just picked up around the house and planted my butt on the couch for a while before hitting the hay. It was actually pretty nice to spread out in our huge bed, usually I'm crammed onto one side and my giant of a boyfriend takes up the other 3/4. Not cool, but cozy!

Saturday we headed out to the softball fields with some of the team to get some practice in. I'm still a little unsure how often I will be playing in the games, being that I have never played before... but I was definitely down to get some swings and catches in. Can't get better if ya don't practice, right? I believe that's true and I definitely played a lot better than I have before. Just need a little work on some batting. But I had fun, and in the end that's all that really matters.

After playing for about 3 hours we were super hungry. Being that it was Raymond's birthday we made a special pit stop at our favorite hole in the wall restaurant The Crawfish Shack, and loaded up on some delicious seafood. If you have never had the stuff, or think you won't like it, please please let me know so I can take you and turn you into a believer. I beg you!

A couple naps later, we headed out to meet up with some friends for UFC fights and birthday drinks. I promised Raymond that I wouldn't do anything crazy for his big day, so everything we did this weekend was super mellow. We spent the night boogieing and singing (me) as loud as I possibly could along with the cover band that was playing. I'm going to go ahead and say we were probably a few of the youngest people in the bar, but we totally ended up having a great time, anyway! I remembered around 1:30 AM that I hadn't taken a single picture so I whipped out my phone and made it happen. I'm thinking about becoming a photographer, what do ya say?!


That's what you get for having a big head.



Take 2.



Photo Bombed.


Yeah, I'd say 1:30 AM a few drinks in was not the greatest time for pictures. Oh well, better luck next time!

Sunday was nice and lazy! A small get Superbowl/house warming get together at our friend's house made for a great night. Since the Cowboys clearly didn't have the best season this year, I wasn't that excited for the big game, but I definitely am thrilled that the Patriots lots. Thrilled. After 17 plates of food and 3 quarters into the game, we couldn't hack it anymore and headed home. I say it was a mellow weekend, but we seriously were exhausted!

The weekend ended up being great, and I hope that my Raymond had a fantastic birthday!

Friday Randoms

TGIF! So happy that another weekend is here.

• I am especially excited for this weekend because tomorrow is Raymond's birthday. We're not doing anything special or out of the ordinary... but a legit reason to celebrate is always fun! I've thought a million times about how I can surprise him with something (as I usually do), but have come up empty handed and think I am going to stick to my promise of keeping it low-key. So boring.

• I didn't get my ears pierced until I was 13 years old. My mom wouldn't let me do it until I was old enough to make the decision on my own that this was something I was going to want for the rest of my life. I know, I know, they are just ears. At the time I thought it was such a lame thing and I remember begging to get them pierced a few times, but in the end it wasn't really a big deal. In the end, I am glad she made me wait, and I will probably do the same thing with my kiddos. Big, dangle, long, and pretty much anything other than a stud hurts my ears and just annoys me, so 99% of the time I don't even wear earings. Well, I saw this picture (on Pinterest of course) and cannot stop thinking about getting it done. I love everything about it and am going to make it happen!

• Lately while browsing around, I find myself continually falling in love with the same style and color. Soft pinks and flowers. If anyone want's to buy me any of these things (upcoming birthday *cough*) feel free. I wouldn't be opposed to it.

• Ok, I know, I keep talking to you guys about Chobani (and no, they're not paying me). Sorry, but I just can't get over how awesome they are! Not just the yogurt, but the customer service! I sent an email to the woman (hey, Lindsay!) that sent me the yogurt just to let her know that one of the cups was less than half full, and she emailed me back the same day wanting to send me ANOTHER case. I definitely was not trying to complain to her by any means, and just wanted to give her a heads up. Seriously, they are too kind over there and all companies should take a tip or two from them!

• The other day I posted about not being able to sleep, and my aunt sent me an email with a house call from Dr. Oz. I have only seen a few minutes here and there of his show, but this "house call" idea is great! I made sure to check out the website, and the only thing that dissipointed me was that there aren't videos for any and everything you want to search. There are just a few pre-selected topics that he covers. I understand it would take many moons to cover every health topic and issue someone might have, but c'mon, more than 15 choices would be nice. PS- There is a hangover one!

• Normally I will workout my arms, legs, and back (choosing one of the three areas to target each day) mixed with cardio, and then stick to strictly cardio the other 2 days. Wednesday, I worked out my back for the first time since I have been back to the gym. My back is probably the area I dislike most about my body, so I worked it extra hard. Probably Definitely not the best idea for the first time in a while. This morning I woke up and could hardly move! I've been sore before, but never in my life have I felt my back this tight. Of course, it's that "good" kind of pain (oxymoron?) because I know my body is going to benefit from it, but holy cow. I made sure to take a scorching hot shower and stretch, but the tightness just wont seem to dissipate. I'm continuing to stretch throughout the day and am just crossing my fingers that it loosens up a bit by tomorrow afternoon when we've got a softball scrimmage.

• For about a month I had been on a hunt for GirlScout cookies. I haven't had the little crack babies since highschool and knew that this year I needed to make a change! There is nothing better than a Caramel Delight or a Thin Mint straight from the freezer. I saw a mini van next to me at a stop light that said "Pull Me Over For GirlScout Cookies!" Yeah, I almost did, and then realized I don't want to be that girl, so I drove on. Little did I know that a few days later we would get our hands on a few boxes! One box of Thin Mints and of of Caramel Delights, please! So delish, and I'm pretty sure that they won't last through the rest of this weekend.

When did you get your ears peirced? Do you still wear earings often?
Which are your favorite GirlScout cookies?

There's a Body Bag on my Doorstep

You may remember me mentioning a few weeks ago about how I tweeted that I love the new Chobani Greek yogurt flavors. Well, the kind people over at the company sent me an awesome package filled with a variety of flavors!

I came home to a big box, and the contents consisted of this:

They didn't tell me they were sending me a human to make the yogurt for me!

Just kidding. That was actually the bag that kept everything cold while it traveled to me... I was wondering how they were going to do that.

Anyway, I was super excited because I eat a Cho every morning for breakfast, and this meant that my yogurt money could be saved for 12 more days! Plus, there were a few flavors in the mix that I hadn't tried yet.

So far, my favorite is the Raspberry. I'm a sucker for anything involving the little fuzzy fruit, so I knew it'd be a hit. Surprisingly enough to me, the Vanilla (which is usually a huge hit with me) wasn't my favorite-- but yes, I still ate the entire thing.

The only downfall was that I opened up the Lemon flavor... and it was less than half full. Not sure what happened there, but the container was completely sealed, so I knew it didn't leak. Oh well, I'll take 11 free anything, any day!

I'm still working on getting through the box, but I have no worries because it will be done. Thanks again, Chobani!

Nice To Meechoo

It's no secret that I take care of baby butts all day, right? Well, that means I get to dress like a scrub and still make money! Unfortunately, dressing like a scrub get's old, real quick, and I find myself longing for a reason to get pretty every now and then. I'm sure Raymond loves that I look like a trash bag every day, too. Sorry, hunny!

Luckily, I know of a cute little apparel company and I was provided with a few cute AND comfy tees. It doesn't really get much better than that! Seriously, I pretty much wear one of these shirts every single day. Below you can see some of the awesome shirt designs and FYI: I am not a very good model!

"Meechoo Apparel sells cute, high-quality garments personalized with female first names and printed with velvety and shimmery, vibrant, durable text. Available in almost 400 names, including 5 different spellings of “Caitlyn.” (We swear.)"



Hot Pink on Black Laverne T Shirt Dress



White on Red American Apparel Tee



Silver-Grey on Brown American Apparel Tee



Hot Pink on Black Bella Double V-Neck

 

Back of Double V-Neck



Chocolate on Heather Green Bella Tee



Gold on Heather Blue Bella Tee

 

Pink on Charcoal Hoodie



Gold on Heather Pink Bella Tee



I love every shirt offered and what's cool about them, is that you can mix and match colors and find the one that is perfect for you! What really makes the shirt worth the purchase, is that the letters DON'T fall off or fade after washing. They stay right where they came, and they don't fade. Oh yeah, and the prices are awesome, too. Just a little extra bonus for ya there!

Be sure to stop by and check out the other designs and colors offered on the website or on Facebook!

Not a Sleeping Beauty

Another week, another "I wish it was the weekend!"

This weekend was nice and low-key, and it was great! We spent the days hitting around the softball, watching movies on TV, hanging out with good friends, and being lazy. It was fantastic!

For the last 2(ish) months, I have been having trouble sleeping. I noticed having trouble when I took my month off from the gym. I chalked it up to just not getting enough exercise, so my body wasn't as tired. Makes sense, right? Well, I got back to the gym and was still having trouble falling asleep.

My entire life, it's always taken me about 20-40 minutes, give or take, to fall asleep. It wasn't until a few months ago that it has been taking me over an hour most nights, and sometimes up to three hours. Three freaking hours!!! And it's been on more than one occasion that this has happened.

If that isn't bad enough, within the last 2 weeks I've been waking up at least 3 times a night. Sometimes every hour. Frustrated is not what I am anymore. I am pissed off about it. It messes up my day. Not falling asleep until 2 AM after tossing and turning since 10:30 is not fun. Then pile on waking up once an hour on top of that? Sorry, but I'm not about to wake up at 6 AM to go to the gym -- which is obviously something I want to be doing!

I've increased my workouts, changed the timing that I eat dinner/snacks in the evening, and have found no rhyme or reason as to why this is happening. There is no consistancy in it, I don't know what nights it's going to happen. I do know that if I have alcohol, I have no issues, but I'm not about to drink a bed-time beer. No thanks. I've never tried any type of meds, downers, etc. and have never even thought about it. It hasn't been until as of late that a sleeping aide has crossed my mind, which I am terrified to try. I don't want to have to rely on anything to function in my life.

This weekend, we made a pit stop at GNC, and I saw an all-natural sleeping pill called NatraSleep (I think). I haven't looked it up or heard anything about it, let alone any other sleeping aide. But after getting awful sleep again last night, I'm becoming more intrigued. Hopefully I can find something that will help me, better yet, maybe this crap will end on it's own!



Have you ever had trouble sleeping? If so, what did you do to solve the problem?
Ever tried sleeping pills? Which brand?

Friday Thoughts

TGIF and what a happy Friday it is! Today (so far) has been a great day and I am more than ready for the weekend!

• Lately, the boys have been super... (looking for the correct term) two. When they turned 2 in November, nothing changed. All this "terrible two" talk that you hear from parents is a load. Or so I thought. Within the last couple weeks they have begun to test everything I tell them. They do something they know they aren't supposed to do, and they tell you "no no" while they do it. My days have been frustrating, to say the least! I remind myself that it's just a phase (just as everything else once was) and that it too will pass. Plus, everything is all worth it when you get to love on cuties all day!

• Raymond's birthday is on the 4th and mine is on the 9th. Usually I go all out for his birthday (seriously, it's ridiculous), but this year I promised him I wouldn't do anything at all. Well, being myself, I can't not do anything... but if you are reading Raymond... I promise it wont be anything crazy! I usually am super excited and counting down the days to our birthdays but for some reason this year they completely snuck up on me. I guess the whole getting older thing really is starting to set in, and it just isn't as exciting anymore. As for my birthday... I never really do anything. I had a pretty big bash for my 21st, and last year I had the flu. If I do anything this year, it will definitely be low-key.

• I have been drinking at least 80 ounces of water a day for the past 2 weeks (with the exception of weekends).Typically I drink more around the 90 oz. zone, and yesterday I drank about 110 oz. Holy moly, am I peeing every 10 minutes or what! Not really... but a lot. It's so worth it though. I feel much better and can see a good change in the way I look. My skin is nicer, and my tummy is looking better as well. Definitely a win-win in my book! Now I just need to get better at staying on track over the weekends- it's really hard to do!

• Last weekend I went out with Raymond and his co-ed softball team to practice with them. I have never played softball in my life, let alone held a baseball bat, so I was a little bit nervous. Well, turns out I'm not half bad and ended up having a blast. Raymond says I got bit by the softball bug and I totally have to agree. All I've wanted to do all week was get back out there and play, and it's been driving me crazy! Hopefully we can squeeze in a few hours of playing time this weekend!

• Can someone please tell me what is so cool about either of these? I think I am going to start a series called "D Bags and Their Dumb Cars". Every time I see a "cool" car on the streets, I'm going to photograph it and post it on my blog for the world to see! Now taking picture submissions. PS- Sorry if you drive one of these. Oopsies!



Upside down letters mean you're a real gangsta.



Gotta take the kids to soccer practice, then it's back to hittin' the streets hard!



I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Of Possible Interest: 5 Surprising Reasons to Drink Water

Resolutions In Review

Last night as I was dozing off to sleep, I was thinking about the resolutions I set for myself this year. Typically I'm not one to set NY res. If you don't set goals, you can't fail at anything... right? Well, this year I decided I would step my game up, and set some goals, with a few exceptions. I will not let myself get crazy and obsessed with trying to complete a goal by a certain period of time, and I will not be upset and depressed if something just doesn't work out the way I had hoped. With that being said, I figured now was a better time than ever to re-set my goals and wants not just for the NY, but for my life!

• Save Money - Whether it's $1 or $100/month, any and everything counts. My main focus with saving money is really just to not spend money on things I don't really need. I have learned over the years that there is no reason to buy the pricer item just because its packaging is prettier or because you see more commercials about it. If name-brand is available, that's what I'll be buying (unless I prefer a particular type). I've we have also learned that cutting back on entertainment activities (i.e.- going out at night, going out to eat, etc.) can save HUNDREDS. Yes, this is something I've known forever, just never thought was possible for our lifestyle. Well folks, I'm here to tell you anyone and everyone can make grocery shopping and cooking a part of your life if you want to save money badly enough. We easily are saving a couple hundred bucks a month by eating at home! There are millions of other ways to save money, but these are just a few of the "well, DUH!"s.

• Spend More Time with Friends - I'm sure a lot of you can relate with me on this one. I feel like as we get older, we lose touch with friends. The people that can mean the most to us growing up can be nowhere in sight 10 years later. I want to not only reunite with old friends, but grow even closer to the ones I have now.

• Run More - Meh... let's not talk about it! I have a want in life (this year) to run a race. Whether it be a 5k, 10k, or a half. I don't care. Running is something that I have never in my entire life enjoyed doing. To me, it is so boring and most of all so hard to do. I read blogs of people that run over 10 miles a day and it makes me feel like such a loser that I hate to even run one! I will incline walk, stairstep, and eliptical my life away... but make me run and I hate everything. I want to learn more and be able to understand what it is about running that people find peace in. Then maybe I can learn to enjoy it myself. Then maybe I can be more like her.

• Learn to Cook (better) - I want to learn to cook food that Raymond grew up eating (and still does when we go home to the Ranch). That means homemade tortillas, beans, migas, and all of the other authentic Hispanic food that most of us have probably never had. And no, I'm not talking about Chuy's Tex-Mex or any of the other chain resturants you're thinking of. Believe it or not, Raymond told me today that he wants me to "work on a roach coach (Hispanic food truck) for atleast a year" so I can learn to cook like them. Um, I'll pass, thanks! But I do want to learn how to make the real deal gain 5 pounds from one plate kind of thang!

Do you have any resolutions that you've added to your list since the New year?
Any tips on how to reach goals?