La Petite Chic

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I'll be out of town most of the day tomorrow for a career fair at UVA.  Not that there would have been anything exciting to blog about anyway...the highlight of my Halloween involved an oil change and watching the Full House episode where Uncle Jesse meets Becky for the first time.  Woo-hoo!  Actually, I was kind of excited about the latter, but admitting that is like admitting I'm a huge dork.  Which, I am.

I lead a terribly thrilling life, don't I?  Anywho, I'll be back on Friday.

Happy Halloween

Lola is just thrilled to don her costume and wish you all a very happy Halloween. 

Can't you tell?

Absolutely thrilled.

Happy Haunting to all!!

Jeepers Creepers

A List of Things That Really Creeped Me Out Tonight

1.  Barry Manilow singing on Dancing with the Stars.  That man has so much Botox in his face that I swear his upper lip didn't move the whole time he sang.  And also, I hate to break it to you, Clay Aiken, but that's exactly what you're going to look like in 40 years. 

2.  The man with the hair plugs at the gym.  There I was, dutifully doing my leg extensions to prevent the whole thighs melting into the ass thing, and I looked up and saw them.  It looked like a farmer had planted crops on the man's head and it was harvesting time.  The hair plugs were all evenly spaced out and sprouting out in tufts all over the crown of his head.  I kid you not, I almost got sick.  For some reason, hair has always grossed me out, but seeing it like that, knowing that it had been surgically removed from other parts of his head and then replanted, was nearly enough to make me gag. 

Okay, so two creepy things don't necessarily constitute a list of creepiness, but still, that was enough creepy to last me through the week.  Never mind that I'm already avoiding creepy kickboxing instructor man at the gym, now I have to avoid hair plug man because I'll never be able to concentrate on my workout with his rows of hair staring me in the face.

On a brighter note, I came home from a long day of work to find a beautiful bouquet of flowers awaiting me.  As an added bonus, they're Halloween themed with really cool fiber optic lights running through them.  The hubs..what a sweetheart.  He even humors me when I say, "Honey, we have to take a picture for the blog!"

A Little Bit of Bling and a Recap

Before I get on with my standard Monday weekend in review post, did y'all take notice of that pretty and shiny new button on my right sidebar?  The one that I so subtly put right up there at the top?  The lovely Alynda bestowed that wonderful and most fantastic blog bling bling on me and I couldn't be more thrilled.  Seriously.  I live for this stuff.  And also?  As Alynda put it, we are kindred spirits.  Her posts never cease to make me laugh and bring a smile to my face.  Oh, and we just so happen to share the same last name.  Well, my maiden name anyway.  So I love her for that too!  Thank you again, darling!  I'll spread my own blogger love at the end of this post.

Moving on to the recap, look what I did this weekend:

Miracuously, I managed to carve those without also carving my finger, a la last week.  And you can even tell what they are!  Each Halloween, I usually carve the typical jack-o-lantern, with the triangle shaped eyes and jagged mouth.  For some reason, I decided to go all creative and crazy this year and try something new.  I printed out some neato stencils online and used them as a template, and voila!  Cool, spooky looking bat and spider pumpkins!  Oh, and I even roasted the seeds with various spices (curry, red pepper, salt and pepper).  Yay, Martha Stewart!

I also tried my hand at entertaining a large(r) crowd this weekend as we had some friends over for the Penn State game.  I think I'm born to entertain.  I really do enjoy having people over so that I can wine them and dine them, even if it is just Miller Lite and store bought dip and chips that I'm serving them.  Ya gotta start somewhere, right?  And come on, when football's on, men will eat anything that doesn't require a fork.

And finally, last night we went to the haunted trail with Nicole and Mike.  We've been attempting to go for the past two Fridays, but the rain hasn't cooperated with our efforts.  The haunted trail was fun, plenty spooky, but the best part was sitting on a stack of hay in front of a bonfire with my hubby while drinking hot chocolate and sharing funnel cake.  Perfect little Sunday evening.

Now, onto the spreading of blog love.  Since the button says, "Spreading the love one blog at a time", I'll do just that and stick with one.  Jennie, love you, love your blog.  Your posts constantly makes me wonder, "now why in the hell can't I write like that?"  You have a serious knack for writing and can make me laugh and cry all in the same post.  So here's your very own blog bling:

 

Cheers, love!

Fabulous Find Friday

On Wednesday, my girlfriend took me out to T.G.I. Friday's for a belated birthday dinner.  I haven't been to one in probably about five years or so, mainly because there weren't any in Arlington where I lived before I got married.  I'm a girl of convenience and unless it's a special occasion, I tend to eat at restaurants that are within a five to ten minute drive of my home.  Though I always bitch about the traffic that living in the D.C. Metro area brings, it does have a plethora of wonderful and unique restaurants to choose from, so our selections never get stagnant. 

For Girl's Night, however, we decided on Friday's because it's conveniently located in the mall and we figured we could get in a little shopping after dinner.  I was expecting it to be the Friday's I remembered from five years ago...a sit-down, hamburgery place with decent bar-type food.  Well, believe me, it has come a long way from what I remember.

We started dinner out with Bacardi/raspberry/lemonade slushy (can't remember the name!) drinks that we thought were going to be served in small martini glasses, but ended up coming out to us in huge margarita glasses.  Our eyes got wide when the waitress brought those bad boys out.  For dinner, we decided to try out their new three-course menu deal that they've been promoting for a few months now.  It was such a great bargain.  For only $12.99, you pick an appetizer, entree and dessert from a list of menu items which surprisingly gives you a lot of options (5 apps, 12 entrees and 4 desserts).  I chose the fried macaroni and cheese balls (yum!), Bruschetta Chicken Pasta (double yum!) and Cinnabon cheesecake (triple yum!). 

For only $12.99, you might be thinking that the portion sizes are smaller, but they weren't at all.  I could barely finish my appetizer and took home half of my pasta and dessert because it was just too much food to eat.  I almost felt like it was too good to be true because I've been to bars with $12 martinis and this was a full three course meal!  It was a perfect place to go with my girlfriend, but would be just as perfect for a low-key meal with the husband and/or kids if you have them.

So as if you couldn't tell, this Friday's Fantastic Find is T.G.I. Friday's Three Course Menu.  It is seriously scrumptious and you must try it for yourself.  Oh and also, their drink menu is divine.

A Stunning Confession

It's official...I'm a total cheap ass.  Inspired by Jennie's recent excited talk of H&M, I decided to swing by there last night while at the mall with my girlfriend, Taylor.  She also speaks very highly of H&M, but as I explained to her, due to H&M's placement in our mall, I usually run out of money (or the balls to spend more) by the time I hit it.  Therefore, I haven't been to H&M for a very long time.

I found several lovely things there, three to be exact, so why did I find myself walking out emptyhanded?  Was it the fit?  Nope. Actually, the sweater dress I tried on fit like a glove, which was amazing because my non-existant hips are usually too small to fill out the built in curves on dresses.  This one, however, was perfect.  Maybe itchy fabric?  Nope.  I tried on a shirt made out of the softest organic cotton so that was not a problem.  How about style?  Nope, not that either.  I tried on the most darling kimono-style top which I was thisclose to buying, but I just couldn't. 

So why didn't I buy any of these seemingly wonderful items that I just described?  Well, because they each cost $25.  25 whole dollars.  To some, this amount might seem insignificant, but to a girl like me who can claim buying 99% of the clothes in her closet on a clearance rack, a thrift store or a yard sale, spending $25 on a shirt is a big deal. 

Yes, I did just spend more than I ever have in my life on a Michael Kors bag, but this girl?  Did not pay retail price for that.  Shh...it's my fabulous, little secret.  Well, not anymore I guess.  And in the grand world of designer handbags, the price of my Michael Kors bag is mere pennies, people, pennies.

So anyway, while pondering my purchase in H&M, I had a sudden revelation and announced to my friend, "God, I really am a cheapass" and walked right over to the closest clothing rack and hung my shirt back up.  Yes, it hurt to do so, but it hurt even more to know that for $25, I would only be walking away with one shirt.  When shopping retail, I can usually squeeze at least two shirts out of $25.  And, in fact, that's just what I did.  Except I got four shirts for $25 at Old Navy and I'm pleased as pie. 

Remember the one I highlighted in my Fabulous Find Friday two weeks ago?  Well, it just so happened to be the item of the week and I got it for $10!  And the other three shirts I bought were all on the clearance rack.  I wore a cute black and white striped one that I got for $3.97 to work today and have received many compliments on how cute it is.  Also, all of the shirts I bought have long-sleeves, so it's not even like these are tank tops leftover from the summer sales.  Oh, Old Navy, how I love and worship thee. 

And for shits and giggles, I tried on a pair of high rise jeans (a la Jessica Simpson and Mischa Barton) that rose all the way to the middle of my ribs.  Seriously, my ribs!  The zipper was frreakishly long.  As you can imagine, they were not so flattering, but it did make for a good laugh in the dressing room. 

And also, if you've made it to the end of this post, here's a bonus for you: I asked Jon to buy me these for Christmas.  No, I don't know how to dance en pointe.  In fact, I dropped out of ballet at age 4.  Do I care?  No.  Do I love them?  Yes.  Am I ridiculous?  Absolutely. And yes, I do intend to prance around my house in these just because. 

Anatomy of a Bad Mood

Last night, I had one of those nights.  You know the kind...you can just feel a bad mood simmering, and try as you might to contain it and get your ass in a better mood, it keeps coming back.  So not only are you pissed off and cranky for some god-only-knows-why reason, but you get angry with yourself because honestly, those few precious hours that you get to spend with your husband after work and before bedtime are the whole reason you count down the time at work until you get to come home to him.  You want to have something left at the end of the day, but some days it seems that you use up all of your smiles and happy faces and good moods at work, and by the time you do get home, nothing's left for the one who matters most.

So then you have to go and spoil your favorite time with your favorite person by being in a bad mood that you can't kick.  And then you spoil it even more by blaming him when you slice your finger open with the big, evil chef's knife because he jostled your arm when he came up behind you to kiss you. You spoil what was supposed to be a tender moment by screaming and crying and turning a cut finger into a blame game and a shouting match.  Can you say terrible person?

But you know what heals everything?

When your husband ignores all those hurtful things you're saying and instantly rushes to get your hand over the sink and under cold, running water to fix you.  And then he bandages your finger and gives you three kisses on your cheek, our special way of saying I love you, before he races out the door for his football game that he's now going to be late for.  And when he gets back from the game, he comes straight to you, sulking on the couch with a bloody bandage, and kisses your forehead and then kisses your finger and tells you he's sorry for a fight he didn't start.

And you?  You melt, for the millionth time since you've met this man, and sheepishly tell him you're sorry for a fight you did start.  And you're reminded why you love this man with everything you have and why you can't imagine being with anyone but him for the rest of your life.  You know you're loved and you know you're damn lucky and that's enough to make any bad mood melt away. 

Friday Night at the "D" Household

You know it was a good night when you end up with pictures like this on your camera:

Katie and Nicole are completely and utterly sober.

Except Nicole might be grabbing my boobie there (nevermind the licking)...

and I might be trying to bite her ankle there.  Completely normal, sober behavior.

Right, guys? (Err...put down that shot, Jon)

Right!! (Okay, who farted?  Where's Shelby?*)

Nicole is the tripod-turned-headstand champion.  Her husband, Mike, also looks good between her legs. 

I tried.  Obviously my spotter, JON!, was not holding me straight.  It definitely does not have anything to do with me having horrible balance.

This is what happens when it rains on the night you were supposed to be at Markoff's Haunted Forest.  Can you tell we had a blast?

*Shelby was at home and cannot be blamed for any farts that might have occured.

Fabulous Find Friday

It's a dreary, drizzly day here in Northern Virginia.  This is the type of weather that makes me want to stay inside, be a homebody, and maybe experiment with a new or recipe  or two that I've come across.  Instead, I'm stuck here at work for another four hours, but I plan to pass some of my time away at this website: Recipe Zaar.  Recipe Zaar is my Fabulous Find this Friday because it is seriously one of the best recipe websites I've ever visited.  And why, oh why, is this one of the best recipe websites ever?

I love it because it has this nifty little recipe wizard that they call a Recipe Sifter.   It allows you to sort recipes by course, main ingredient, type of cuisine, preparation, occasion and particular diet.  In addition to those categories, you can also enter in your nutritional requirements and it will only find recipes that match what you're looking for. 

They have over 251,000 recipes, most with photos, at Recipe Zaar so you're bound to find one you like.  And as with most recipe sites, these also have user reviews and ratings to help you discern the good from the bad.  DLooking for a comfort food with chocolate, but you don't want eggs in it?  Sure, try one of the 65 recipes they have within that search.  Don't have time to plan a menu of meals for the week?  No problem!  Browse through the assorted categories of menus they have on file (romantic, simple, etc...) and find one that best suits your tastebuds and budget.

I recently used the Recipe Sifter to find a chicken recipe for the crockpot, as a) Jon and I have a stockpile of chicken breasts in our freezer thanks to a good sale at Giant and b) the crockpot has been our best friend lately due to our hectic lives.  And say I just happen to have some tomatoes and peppers sitting around.  Just throw those ingredients into the sifter as well, as voila...I have 37 chicken/tomato/pepper crockpot recipes to choose from.

Seriously, you need to check Recipe Zaar out.  I promised you won't be disappointed!

So Very Productive...

Do you ever have one of those days where you just feel really productive?  I had one of those yesterday.  Remember the whole bathroom remodel that I've been talking about since May?  And how we're on our second coat of paint color and I'm still not happy with it?  Well, I'm still not happy with the paint color, but the bathroom really has been "done" since the last paint job except for the area around the switchplate cover. 

Allow me to explain.  Now, I have never professed to be a good painter; in fact, I have always stated how I'm a terrible painter and how much I hate it.  Despite this, I do know that you should remove a switchplate cover before you paint and not just paint around it.  Right?  Back me up on this, people.  It's not hard to do and takes just minutes.  And then you just replace the switchplate cover when all of the paint is dry and it looks nice and neat and pretty.  Well, my husband is of a different mindset (read: lazy) and chooses just to paint around switchplates.  It didn't look too bad until we decided to replace the old, worn out switchplates with new, smaller ones.  Obviously leaving an unpainted square around the lightswitch.  This patch of mismatched paint has been like that for months now and last night, while Jon was at school, I decided to do something about it.

I removed the switchplate cover (quite easy, Jon!), sanded the area, spackled it, resanded after the spackle dried, and painted two paints of coat.  It looks great!  Well, except for the fact that I got a little too excited and eager to put the switchplate back on and the paint wasn't exactly all the way dry so now there is a smudge and fingerprint in the paint.  I had already cleaned up the paintbrush and put the supplies away, so I figure I can just touch that up later.  Hopefully it won't take several months to get to it this time around! Oh, and unfortunately, I still do not have pictures...also, still do not have a home computer (only 37 days to go until Black Friday!).

I also went to the gym last night (second time this week!).  Since Jon took my car to class (his was in the shop), I ended up running there and back (about a mile round trip).  I got my cardio workout, weightlifting and abs done in about an hour and then ran home.  I realize I'm blessed to be naturally petite, but that doesn't mean that I'm in shape.  I've really been making a concerted effort to make better choices for my health by working out and eating healthier.  And so far, so good!  Although I did see creepy kickboxing man at the gym on Monday, but managed to avoid him by working out in the "manly" freeweights section of the gym.  Whew!