Current Book(s) >> To be honest, I haven’t been doing a whole lot of reading lately. When I finally tumble into bed after working all day, I play a few rounds of DrawSomething and then promptly fall asleep. I need to pick my Kindle back up and finish Two for the Dough, the second book in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. That and MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche, which is very interesting, albeit a little slow.

Current Playlist >> I have so many Pandora Stations right now. I need to delete some of them. Also, I have a question. What do you do when a song comes on one of your Pandora stations that you don’t love but you also don’t hate? I launch into this internal battle that sounds something like “Well, I don’t love this song, but I don’t hate it. What if it could be my potential favorite song in the future but I never hear it again since I gave it a thumbs down? I CAN’T DEAL WITH THIS KIND OF PRESSURE.” I end up skipping songs instead of clicking thumbs down, which means I run out of my 6 “skips” quickly, hence the 30 Pandora stations. Am I the only one nuts enough to have problems like this?

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure >> Michael bought a big bag of Hershey Kisses as part of my birthday gift, and I took them to work and put them in my desk. Worst mistake ever. I can eat a huge handful without even realizing it. But they’re so cute and tiny! One more won’t hurt! Until the top button of my pants begins to ask, “Why, Lauren? Why?” On the upside, the bag will be gone soon. Because I clearly can’t just stop eating them. That would be crazy.

Current Color >> Essie’s “Going Incognito,” which Chelsea sent me for my birthday. I’ve never had a dark green polish before and I love it.

Current Drink >> I’m currently enjoying a glass of Black Swan (ha) Chardonnay. It’s not bad for a $5 bottle of wine.

Current Food >> Anything quick and easy that I can make in the hour after I come home from work before I start Round 2 of my day. Tonight we had this (so good and so easy) and Rice-A-Roni. At least I cooked.

Current Favorite Show >> Reruns of SATC, Project Runway All Stars (OMG, SO GOOD), Up All Night (Chris and Reagan are my heroes), and The Voice (I <3 Blake).

Current Wishlist >> 12 more hours in a day. Hey, if they can move times all around on us and take an hour away, why can’t this happen?

Current Needs >> To knock out some big things on my to-do list.

Current Triumphs >> Not only surviving while working 2 part-time jobs, keeping up with my blog, and entertaining some projects, but totally kicking tail while doing so. I never thought I could get so much done in a day. Previous versions of myself could hardly handle much more than a 40-hour work week; right now I am juggling so many different things I am surprising even myself. I am actually enjoying the challenge of seeing how much I can accomplish in a day and how hard I can push myself. I mean, a nap wouldn’t kill me, but otherwise, I’m good.

Current Bane(s) of my Existence >> When someone comes to a COMPLETE STOP on a road that is 50+ MPH before making a turn. UM, UNNECESSARY. By all means, slow down, but do not come to a complete and total stop. I had a rage attack this morning due to this kind of driving. Some people should have their licenses revoked.

Current Celebrity Crush >> SJP has always been a celebrity crush, but since watching reruns of SATC as of late, my love has been renewed. Who else could have pulled off these looks? And why do I suddenly have the urge to go pile on random items of clothing and call it an outfit?

(via)

Current Indulgence >> Not counting calories or running while I continue to adjust to this crazy schedule. It’s nice to go for walks with Michael and the dogs and call that my exercise for the day, instead of spending an hour or so packing up and heading to the gym. Besides, I can double duty exercise with quality time, which I love. However, I decided that my break is over as of next week, since swimsuit season is looming. Ugh. Wish me luck.

Current #1 Blessing >> Having a great relationship with my bosses/coworkers. It’s encouraging and enjoyable. My professional life has not always been such, so I appreciate it.

Current Slang or Saying >> Michael claims I have been enthusiastically saying “Yeah!” in response to everything people say to me lately. I guess I am just REALLY PUMPED ABOUT LIFE.

Current Outfit >> This photo is from awhile ago, but I’ve been wearing a lot of big button down shirts with skinny jeans and flats or boots. It’s perfect comfortable weekend uniform since I have to dress up for work all week.

Current Excitement >> Spring is here! I will be eating these words in about a month when it is roughly 400 degrees outside, but for now I’m loving the sunshine and warmer temperatures.

Current Mood >> Tired but motivated to finish the work week and get everything done. I keep telling myself, On Saturday, you get to sleep as late as you want! Which will probably only be until about 8am, but I’ll take it.

Current Book(s): One For the Money by Janet Evanovich. It’s entertaining, easy-to-read, and funny in sort of a creepy way. I’m waiting to see the movie until I finish the book, which is exactly the way I like to do things.

Current Playlist: My running playlist, which includes: Usher, Gym Class Heroes, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, and Rihanna. I’m such a teeny bopper.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Scary amounts of Nutella. I mean, SCARY AMOUNTS. Like, smearing it an inch thick on crackers and going to town. Or getting a spoon and shoveling it straight from the jar to my mouth. I’ve said too much.

Current Color: Mixing brown and black. I swore I’d never do it, but now that I’ve started, I can’t seem to stop. I got a great pair of brown boots from Kohl’s in January, and have been trying to get as much wear out of them as possible before this cool weather fades and we settle into our 7 month Texas summer.

Current Drink: I have to have coffee every morning and peppermint tea every night. Don’t take that away from me.

Current Food: When I’m stressed, I eat. Okay, that’s a lie. I eat all the time. But in the midst of all this transition, I’ve been eating a ton of crap. I need to quit, and I will. Right after I finish these corn dogs (see above image). FACT: Ketchup and mustard tastes better as a smiley face.

Current Favorite Show: Barefoot Contessa. Watching that show is my happy place. I want to go live in her spare bedroom and for her to be my grandma.

Current Wishlist: Really wanting to buy Benefit’s Brow Zings, a DIY shellac system (anyone have any experience with this?), and some cute workout clothes. Maybe the Birthday Fairy will bring me some gift cards for my big 26 in March?

Current Needs: A good night’s sleep.

Current Triumphs: Landing my new job and being able to keep my other job, therefore being able to contribute more financially so that Michael is able to ease up on his work load a little.

Current Bane(s) of my Existence: People (alone or worse, in groups) at the gym who take up more than one lane on the track while dragging their feet and texting. GET OUT OF MY WAY!

Current Celebrity Crush: Let’s just say Zac Efron and leave it at that.

Current Indulgence: One semester in college (undergrad), I treated myself every Friday with a Starbucks frappuccino and chocolate-covered donuts for making it on time to a particularly early math class. The other day, I had a long drive to get to a meeting and was feeling hungry. For whatever reason, memories came back to me, so I pulled over to the next gas station, because I knew exactly what would hit the spot. I paired these babies with a cappuccino/hot chocolate blend – yes, out of one of those machines – and it was like drinking straight syrup. That is to say, IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.

Current #1 Blessing: Texting with some of my best friends on a regular/daily basis. Those girls do wonders to lift my spirits, encourage me, and make me laugh.

Current Slang or Saying: “Are you high right now?” (I’m embarrassed to say where I heard this originally.) Also, “You know how I do.” Because you do know how I do.

Current Outfit: Pink velour sweatpants that are about 100 years old and that I cut to capri-length, and a black tee. I AM SO SEXY.

Current Excitement: My sister is coming to visit this weekend! I’m so excited to see her. We have lots of projects and fun stuff planned.

Current Mood: Is sleepy a mood?

Current Book(s): I recently finished My Life in France by Julia Child and it made me want to visit France and eat. For like, a solid year. I know, not very practical for my life right now. Then I started The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I saw it as I was searching for a new book to read on my Kindle, and remembered that Liz and Lauren had said they read and liked it. I’m halfway through and really into it; I just read that they’re making a movie and am pretty excited about that, too. It’s definitely a Young Adult type of book, but if you’re looking for some creative easy reading, you’ll probably enjoy it.

Current Playlist: We play a lot of Frank Sinatra style music in the hotel, and there is something that feels so classy about walking in to work to “I’ve Got the World on a String.” Last weekend, as Michael and I were celebrating Valentine’s Day, I created a Frank Sinatra Pandora station. After dinner, we sat in our living room and drank wine while listening to music. It was very 1950′s of us.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Desperate Housewives. Emphasis on Shame-Inducing. I’m not sure why I started watching it (I blame Netflix), but now I’m hooked. It’s like The Gift That Keeps On Getting More Ridiculous. After a long day (or week), it’s nice to tune out and take a little trip to Wisteria Lane.

Current Color: I wear so much black to work, it’s a little pathetic. Hopefully when Spring rolls around, I’ll feel inspired to add some color to my gothic wardrobe.

Current Drink: Dr. Pepper. I used to hardly ever drink cokes, but now that I have access to them all day every day via the hotel, it’s rare that a day goes by that I don’t have a Dr. Pepper. I need to quit! And I will! Next week. Probably.

Current Food: One of the many perks of my job is that I get to eat daily from the hotel lunch buffet (for free). Some of my new favorite items include: salad with lettuce, cucumbers, hard-boiled egg, and ranch dressing; creamy chicken asparagus soup; bread pudding. So yum. Remind me of all this next month when none of my pants fit.

Current Favorite Show: Since I already mentioned DH, let’s talk about Monk. Michael and I watched the first season and really enjoyed it. Now we’re onto Season 2 and I’m liking the character development. We were watching really intense shows for awhile (see: Dexter) so it’s nice to have a more laid-back show to watch for a little while. As in, we don’t watch 4 episodes in a row and then stay up all night talking about  WHAT JUST HAPPENED AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT. lol

Current Wishlist: My birthday is coming up next month (March 5th) and I’d really love some gift cards for work clothes (see below).

Current Needs: Spring clothes for work. It’s easy to dress professionally when it’s cold outside – lots of tights and skirts and sweaters and slacks – but what about when it’s warm outside? It will be interesting to put together a professional Spring/Summer wardrobe. I’m thinking floral dresses with blazers? Khakis? Help.

Current Triumphs: Starting this new job was a much-needed change, but also a huge leap. I’m proud of myself for taking this step, and for jumping in with both feet. I don’t have time to be hesitant or afraid, and I’ve already learned so much and made serious progress.

Current Bane(s) of my Existence: Someone’s car alarm keeps going off and they don’t seem to have any intention of making it stop.

Current Celebrity Crush: I understand that Marcia Cross is kind of freaky looking on Desperate Housewives, but the more I see her, the more I’m amazed that she is in her late forties. Her skin is amazing! Plus I have a thing for redheads as of late (I wonder why?).

Current Indulgence: Hot peppermint tea with milk and sugar almost every night. It’s not really an indulgence, but it calms me down and I always feel like I’m giving myself a little treat.

Current #1 Blessing: Provision. I am so thankful that, although things may be tight, I am able to work, bills keep getting paid, and we have more than enough.

Current Slang or Saying: For some reason, I’ve been using the number 87,000 a lot lately when exaggerating. “That’s like 87,000 dollars.” “We have like 87,000 of them.” Don’t ask me why. Just something I’ve noticed. And will try to avoid now.

Current Outfit: Today was black slacks, black pointy-toe heels, and a blue Gap button-down. Right now? Socks, a t-shirt, and a robe. Keeping it classy.

Current Excitement: Tomorrow is Friday! And that’s a dang good reason to get excited.

Current Mood: Tired, peaceful, and motivated. THOSE ARE MOODS IF I SAY THEY ARE.

Happy weekend, y’all! Big plans?

{image; definition; edit}

Current Book(s): The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery. I love the way she writes. It’s so flowery & old-fashioned. It’s as though she’s trying to cram as much as she can into each sentence. I owe much of my vocabulary to my childhood obsession with Anne of Green Gables.

Current Playlist: Battle Studies by John Mayer. I don’t know what it is about him, but when I got Room for Squares in high school, I never looked back. He was & still is one of my top 5 favorite singer/songwriters. You can tell me “But Lauren, he’s a douchebag!” all day long, and I will plug my ears and sing “Why Georgia” at the top of my lungs. Battle Studies is brilliant & I feel like he keeps reinventing himself with every album, while still staying true to his original style. And I like that. I really do.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: No shame-inducing guilty pleasures?! Either I’m getting better at disciplining myself, or I’m getting better at ignoring guilt. I’ll let you be the judge.

Current Color: Red. My KitchenAid, Nars Jungle Red lipstick (sent to me by my dear friend Reen as a birthday gift), a pair of red wedges I’ve broken out for the summer… yeah, it’s my favorite right now.

Current Drink: My favorite treat is a coffee from McDonald’s. I’d rather have a McDonald’s coffee than a Starbucks. THERE, I SAID IT. To me, the coffee is just as good or better & is half the price. Coffee shouldn’t cost more than lunch. (However, I will still go to Starbucks for a Cinnamon Dolce latte or other specialty drinks. Although they quit making their Espresso Truffle recently, and I was NOT happy about that.) Anyway, in the cold weather I love a small hot coffee with 2 creams 2 sugars, but now that the warmer weather has taken over, my vice is a medium vanilla iced coffee. Mmm.

Current Food: Anything that doesn’t require 50 steps. Life has been stressful lately, & at the end of the day all I want is simplicity & good flavor. I’m also on the manhunt for a couple recipes with which I can use my new KitchenAid! I think I will break it in this weekend.

Current Favorite Show: The Marriage Ref is climbing my list, definitely. It’s so funny & never ceases to make us feel very, VERY normal. My go-to classics are still: The Biggest Loser on Tuesdays & The Office on Thursdays. And Chopped on the Food Network is always on my DVR.

Current Wishlist: Is it too much to ask that the next place we live has a nice kitchen? Yes? Okay.

Current Needs: A smooth sale of our home & a new little place to live. I have visions in my head of where we’ll be next; some good, some scary. We’ll be hunting for a place soon, so expect updates on our house-hunting adventures.

Current Triumphs: The inspection of our home went well, only one tiny thing to fix! Full speed ahead!

Current Bane(s) of my Existence: If John Mayer & Taylor Swift really are dating, I might have to punch the wall. Am I the only one who finds her really, really annoying? Also: she can’t carry a tune in a bucket. Yeah, I said it. Her songs might be cute & catchy, but once I saw her live on SNL and oh my goodness. PITCHY CITY.

Current Celebrity Crush: No one really sticks out to me right now. I would say “John Mayer” but that would mean that the answer to THREE of these would be about John Mayer & I’m not OK with that.

Current Indulgence: We’ve been trying to eat healthier lately, & have been fairly successful. We’ve substituted our frequent ice cream binges with frozen yogurt, I have been buying tons of fresh fruit & veggies, & we’ve been eating lighter as a whole. But cheese? And wine? Forget about it. We’ll make a plate with a couple different kinds of cheese (don’t worry, no American), some berries or grapes, and whole-wheat crackers. Devoured with a glass of Pinot Grigio or a Sauvignon blanc & we’re pretty much in Summer Heaven.

Current #1 Blessing: That I am somehow managing to keep it all together while in the middle of what has been the most stressful time in my life for a long time. I don’t want to go into it (maybe sometime, but not now), & I did have a bit of a meltdown last Saturday, complete with lots of crying & irrational thoughts. But for the most part, I have been able to think positively, shut off thoughts that aren’t so, & try to enjoy the good times I am given. That is huge progress for me. HUGE.

Current Slang or Saying: “What does she think about how she’s feeling?” (For Lyndsey & anyone who has watched this video.)

Current Outfit: I’ve been pairing my skinny jeans with anything & everything. It’s almost too hot to wear jeans during the day, so before I abandon them completely in favor of capris & sundresses, I’m trying to get some wear out of them. They’re strangely comfortable & go with everything! Like I said before, I’ve never had a pair, so for those of you who have been wearing skinny jeans for years, bear with me. I’m a skinny jean newbie.

Current Excitement: A beach trip with some of my favorite girls very soon! Also looking for a new place, although that could be chalked up under “Current Thing Causing You Stress” as well. And of course,  our trip to Napa/San Francisco in June! I am desperately in need of a vacation.

Current Mood: Happy it’s Friday. Trying to look at the beautiful weekend ahead & not the ugly, nagging things my mind tries to go to so quickly.

Current Link: I just got a [the nest] account. Not really sure what to do with it, but I’ve heard that it can be a great tool. So we’ll see! If you have an account, add me as a friend!

Happy Friday! What are your plans for this weekend?

[images via: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Friday, on the way to my brother/sister-in-law’s house, RIGHT AFTER I posted about my near-death experience(s), an irate driver intentionally tapped into our car on the freeway because Michael wasn’t going as fast as he wanted him to. He sped away & we called the cops, but HONESTLY. How many car-related incidents can happen to a girl in the course of a week before she swears off driving?

The rest of the weekend was spent lying low & continuing the work we began on our house the previous weekend. We need probably one more weekend to finish the interior and really get the yard looking good, & then I think we’ll be ready to list this baby!

Current Book(s): I am ashamed to say none right now. I started New Moon sometime before New Years, hit a brick wall about halfway through, & haven’t picked it up since. On my To-Read list are Eat, Pray, Love (to see what all the fuss is about), The Shack (as soon as Michael finishes it), & Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession by Julie Powell.

Also: they’re making Eat, Pray, Love into a movie starring Julia Roberts.
If she’s in a movie, I go see it. That’s just the way it is.

Current Playlist: Bring on the powerful indie female artists: Lori McKenna, Tracy Chapman, Patty Griffin, Missy Higgins, Brandi Carlisle, Ani DiFranco, Kris Delmhorst, etc. (Sorry about the rough quality of some of those videos [I'm weird & actually enjoy a rugged live video from time to time]; some of the songs didn’t have official videos.)

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Ice cream sandwiches. I bought a box last time I was at the grocery store – is there anything better than ice cream sandwiched between 2 cookies?! Not a day has gone by that I haven’t indulged in one. There’s something kiddish & summery about them. I like it.

Current Color: Grays with color. Purples & grays… purplish grays… greenish grays… you get the picture. I got this nail color for my birthday & am currently wearing it. While it’s not very “springy,” there’s something chic about it. I’m loving the metallic/matte finish (OPI calls it “suede”). I’m hanging onto it for a few more weeks.

Can the next place we move look exactly like this? Please?

[I am deleting the Current Fetish question for the time being, probably indefinitely. I don't have the endurance or the caffeine in my bloodstream to deal with it right now.]

Current Drink: A small coffee from McDonald’s, 2 creams, 2 sugars. The best part? They fix it for you! OK, I lied, the best part is that it’s only $1. It feels like a splurge because I’m not making it myself, but it’s a recession-friendly splurge. Win!

Current Food: Simple, easy foods. I’m in the middle of doing the 30 Day Shred every day for 30 days (completed Day 14 yesterday), & between work, exercise, & house stuff, I’m constantly looking for simple foods to make for dinner. Whether it’s adding fresh crushed garlic & sautéed mushrooms to a jar of pre-made spaghetti sauce or throwing together sloppy joes & a simple salad for dinner, easier is best for now.

Current Favorite Show: I am really loving the Marriage Ref, minus the week before last with Madonna (gag) & Larry David (double gag). Last week with Jason Alexander & Martha Stewart was hilarious! If you’re not watching it, you should be.

Current Wishlist: I asked for gift cards for my birthday so I could get a few things I’ve really been needing, which include: a new iPhone case, a laptop sleeve of some kind, & a travel (weekend) bag. Hoping to have a little money leftover for some books & maybe an outfit or two.

Current Needs: An afternoon off? It’s hard to work all week AND weekend! I need some down time.

Current Triumphs: Hello, completing 2 full weeks of the Shred! It’s not easy to work out every day, and I’m proud of myself for that kind of discipline, even if it’s only for a month.

[In case there was any confusion, that's not me.]

Current Bane(s) of my Existence: My flower beds. They’re all dried up & dead from winter. Babies, I’m coming for you this weekend! I keep thinking of cute little yellow and purple flowers. A trip to the nursery is also in order.

Current Celebrity Crush: We saw Bounty Hunter this weekend, and I think I have a crush on BOTH Jennifer Aniston (hello I would KILL for her flawless body) & Gerard Butler (goes without saying). Quite an attractive couple. I hear they’re dating now? Is it just me, or does it seem like she kind of dates everyone? I have to hand it to her though, the woman has good taste.

Current Indulgence: Online shopping. Since I have gift cards to spend, it’s fun to browse around. Not usually something I take the time to do, but it never ceases to blow my mind that pretty much anything is available via Amazon or like sites. Just type it into the search bar and something will come up, I guarantee it! (Disclaimer: I don’t promise it will be exactly what you’re looking for, but it’s still an adventure. And no fighting traffic & crowds!)

Current #1 Blessing: My husband. Last night, I was stressing out about moving & leaving the place we’ve lived & the home we’ve created for the past 2 years, & so that wonderful man said to me: “Baby, home is wherever we are together.” ::melts into a puddle:: Seriously though, it’s hard to be stressed with sound logic like that.

Current Slang or Saying: “The thing about it is” or “Here’s the thing” – prefacing anything & everything I feel I need to explain further. Corlene pointed it out to me, but you know what? I heard her say it too, several times this weekend. JOKE’S ON YOU, CANADA!

Current Outfit: That weird in-between wardrobe. Is it warm enough to wear capris? Is it too warm to wear a sweater? Will I be freezing in the morning & burning up in the afternoon, only to freeze again in evening? Oh Texas, how I love your insane unpredictability. It makes me feel as though we’re blood-related.

[Also not me.]

Current Excitement: Finishing the house & having time to do stuff on the weekends again. Also, we might be visiting 1 or 2 of the schools Michael has been accepted to very soon, so I’m all butterflies-in-my-tummy over that. It’s exciting, yet scary. Yet exciting. Yet scary. Moving on.

Current Mood: Is overwhelmed a mood?  Overwhelmed with all that has to be done this week & weekend! One thing at a time, Lauren, one thing at a time.

Current Link: listography: life in lists. I love lists. No, I don’t think you understand. I spend half of my life making lists. I love crossing things off of lists. It’s so satisfying. It’s nice to have a little space online (instead of on my desk) to have them all spread out. It’s so neat & clean… and dare I say cute? Here’s mine, in case you want to see how crazy organized I am: http://listography.com/laurenfromtexas

[Images via: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8]

Current Playlist: I discovered Lala.com the other day, and I kind of like it. 10 cents for a “web song,” meaning you can listen to it in your web player, which looks a lot like iTunes. I am ALWAYS on my computer, since I work on the internets by day and am a blog fiend by night, so the web player thing works for me. Take that, $1.29 songs on iTunes!

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: The Tyra Show. It’s sad how much I enjoy it.

Michael: “I don’t get it. Please stop watching it.”
Me: “It’s my thing. Just like ESPN is your thing. Leave me alone.”

Current Color: Lately all the clothes I’ve been buying are various shades of purple. And I’m OK with that.

Current Fetish: Dreaming up lingerie concoctions for our anniversary weekend, coming up very soon! Ooh la la.

Current Drink: I have been forcing myself to drink water at every possible opportunity. I know that I’m never drinking enough. I will be eating a grilled cheese sandwich and think, “Lauren, put down the chocolate milk.” I have to make sacrifices somewhere.

Current Food: I had a lunch date yesterday with my beautiful sister-in-law and adorable nephew, and we had mexican food. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of chips and salsa, especially after the whole wisdom teeth/dry socket thing, where I was placed on a strict 2 week chip hiatus. I’m making up for lost time, baby.

[via]

Current Favorite Show: Sad to say, I think I am getting dumber with my TV choices. I’ve already mentioned Tyra, Biggest Loser is still a staple, The Office is a must, and I adore TV judges, particularly Judge Judy, Judge Pirro, Divorce Court, and Judge Alex. FEEL FREE TO JUDGE ACCORDINGLY. Pun intended.

[via]

Current Wishlist: I still need a camera, but I am getting closer to my goal. Right now I am torn, so here’s a question: Should I go DSLR or get a fancy point-and-shoot? I am a moron when it comes to photography but I’d love to learn and I’d love to be able to take great pictures. Comments? Suggestions? HELP ME.

Current Needs: A hot cup of tea and for my body to adjust to Daylight Savings Time. Last night, I talked to my friend Corlene, who lives in Alberta, Canada. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: “I am so tired. We had Daylight Savings Time on Saturday. Do y’all have that?”
Her: “Yes Lauren. We are on the same continent.”
[...later in the conversation...]
Her: “Do you guys [meaning the US] celebrate Halloween?”

I think we both need to attend a “Learning About The US & Canada – Similarities and Differences” class.

Current Triumphs: Learning to focus on the things that are important and letting the little things go. Not fighting about things that aren’t worth it. Making better choices. Saying no when I need to. (Still working on all of these things, and probably will be for the next, oh, seventy years or so.)

Current Bane(s) of my Existence: My house in all of its filthiness. My goal for this weekend is some SERIOUS fall cleaning.

Current Celebrity Crush: Jillian Michaels. Don’t ask me why. Everything in me tells me I should hate her, but now that I’m a BL fan, I am developing a healthy respect for her. Dare I say LOVE? Maybe it’s too soon.

I just found this picture… is that her dog?! That makes me like her more. Except the dog looks a little chunky. Maybe she needs to start a Biggest Loser for chihuahuas.

[via]

Current Indulgence: I am going to make Pioneer Woman’s Chocolate Sheet Cake for a dinner at my parents’ house tonight. It has like eight sticks of butter in it. YUM. I feel my thighs growing just thinking about it.

[via]

Current #1 Blessing: I know it’s silly, but my dogs bring me so much joy. Case in point:

Current Slang or Saying: HOT HAM WATER! Not really, but I was looking for another Arrested Development clip on YouTube and this one was so funny. I think I’ll start referring to everything I cook as “Hot Ham Water.”

“It’s so watery… and yet there’s a smack of ham to it.”

Best. Show. Ever. Thanks to Cio for introducing me to it.

Current Outfit: It’s been a little chilly lately, so I am relishing the opportunity to wear scarves, tights, and boots. Oh yeah, and sweatpants. Here’s what I wore Friday night to our blog meetup at Gravitas (which was really fun, hopefully more people can make it next time)!

Again with the awful pictures… time to get a camera!

Current Excitement: Our 2 year wedding anniversary on November 18th, and the weekend getaway we are planning. It’s been a long time since we’ve gone away together and stayed alone (i.e. not with friends or family), and I am excited to have 3 whole days of JUST us.

Current Mood: Hungry. Grumpy because I need to work out before I can eat. Nooooooooooo.

Current Link: I found The No Spend Month Challenge on Small Notebook while clicking around last night. Small Notebook is a great blog in general, and this was an older post, but it really inspired me to look for little ways to save money around the house. Michael and I are already on a budget, but there are always other ways to save. And in times like these, who doesn’t want to save a little (or a lot)?!

[via]

Current Book(s): Baby Proof by Emily Giffin. Yes, I have a degree in English and still I read chick lit. Judge not lest ye be judged.

[via]

Current Playlist: Pandora Radio. I will TOTALLY pay the 99 cents after the 40 hour mark (which I hit about mid-month) for unlimited listening the rest of the month. I know a few people who won’t. WHY?! It costs more to buy a Coke! And Pandora is so much more refreshing.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Candlelight bubble baths with soft music and a cup of tea. I know, I’m so cliche it’s painful… but it feels SO GOOD.

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Current Color: Gray. My gray Coach Garnet bag. Gray Mary Janes from last fall. Gray dress from Target. Gray is my new black.

Current Fetish: A fetish is something creepy, right? Here’s something: I LOVE to let Pancho lick my feet while I watch TV. Michael freaks out when he does it to him, and tells him to stop, but I let him lick to his heart’s content. I TOLD YOU I WAS CREEPY.

Current Drink: Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon – it’s smooth and spicy and the perfect end to an evening. Oh yeah, and cheap.

Current Food: I made this for dinner tonight: Sausage Potato Casserole – SO good. Very savory. I also made some fried apples to go with it – gala apples, sliced, pan-fried with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. A hearty fall meal. With a healthy dose of fattening.

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Current Favorite Show: The Office & THE BIGGEST LOSER. As Chelsea said earlier, “The only good thing about Monday is that you are ONE DAY away from Biggest Loser.”

Current Wishlist: A new camera. All of my pictures are taken with either my iPhone or one of my MacBooks. I am in desperate need of a real camera.

Current Needs: My wisdom teeth to be removed. WHAT A COINCIDENCE; I’m going under the knife on Friday! Although I am pretty nervous, it can’t be any worse than my ER visit, right? RIGHT??

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Current Triumphs: Continuing my workout regime, even though swimsuit season is in my rear view mirror.

Current Bane(s) of my Existence: There never seems to be enough time in the day.

Current Celebrity Crush: The other day, I saw this picture of Gwen Stefani and my love for her was reignited. PLEASE can I be this hot when I have a baby? Please?

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Current Indulgence: I bought a Jell-O No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Dessert last time I was at the grocery store, and I fully intend to make it tomorrow night. And maybe eat the whole thing myself.

Current #1 Blessing: My friends, who keep me sane. Thank you for letting me vent on the phone for an hour and a half. Thank you for taking me to a late movie or trip to IKEA. Thank you for emailing me several times a day, just to be funny. Y’all know who you are, and I love you.

Current Slang or Saying: “I’ll tell you when you’re older.” You can pretty much bypass sharing any uncomfortable information with the use of this phrase.

Current Outfit: Anything I can wear with leggings.

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Current Excitement: One of my best friends in the world, Shelly, is coming home for a visit next month. She’s a military wife and currently resides in Germany, which makes having regular Girls Nights a little difficult. She’ll be here for a few weeks, and I can’t wait to shop, catch up, and drink coffee with her.

Current Mood: Sleepy. Relaxed. Full of potatoes and sausage and apples. Happy.

Current Link: Postcards From Yo Momma. YOU’RE WELCOME.

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