Teacup Full of Cherries

…from eating Chicago-style deep dish pizza with my tenderoni!

To honor this special occasion, 2 weeks ago we purchased our first set of luggage…together. It a very serious decision to make together, but after searching several stores we finally bought some lovely Samsonites. The clincher was the fact I wanted a carry-on bag. Bobby found really nice ones at Ross that he wanted, 2 large pieces that were a very reasonable price, but we were not finding any carry-on bags. But, lo, in one of those aisle baskets I found one peeking out. It was meant to be.

….yeah, I just realized I’m telling a story about luggage. Total yawnfest.

Anywhooo, we bought some awesome tags from Gama Go:

Super cute!

On to other happenings.

Two weeks ago the Christ Punchers were victorious at Team Trivia. Yes, we finally got our comeuppance: FIRST PLACE (aka $35 gift certificate to Rose & Crown). A week later, were back at the bottom of the barrel. C’est la vie.

Yesterday was payday, so Bobby & I went out and had some lovely grilled cheeses at the Roosevelt and then met our fellow Christ Puncher at The Lost Leaf. Despite the grilled cheese, this morning I was 0.6 pounds away from my short term goal of 15 pounds lost. Feels so good, I’m also getting my comeuppance! Then we had La Tolteca for dinner, so I’m sure I screwed the pooch with that one.

I bought some new clothes today, as well. At Buffalo Exchange I found a pair of shorts that came with SUSPENDERS! $7. I’m gonna look like a newsie! And also bought a dress online:

Drool.

Bobby & his sister are watching Harry Potter & the Something of Something, and I’m just doing the house work. Yeah, I’d rather wash clothes than see that movie!

No REALLY, is that Dave Coulier?

So. I’m listening to the Amelie Soundtrack right now, it so up & down. It has some slow & sad songs, upbeat & romantic songs, and this one rapid & pressured song. It best explains how I’m feeling lately. So far, that is the only thing I can articulate about my state. I don’t know what’s causing it. When I take a step back and look at what I have my life is seemingly perfect and only looking up from here.

Work has been, eh, at best. I won Employee of the Month which I really didn’t ever expect and never wanted either. Gosh. Today I could hear a lady say to one of the other girls about how what a crappy job the previous doctor did and that I’m not performing up to my standards either. I need my paperwork to be at 100% (yeah, like the other nurses before me were at 100) despite nursing appointments being at the lowest end of the totem unless it’s for a injection and it’s also my fault that patients didn’t have their labs drawn yearly because, apparently, I SHOULD TELL THE DOCTOR WHAT TO DO. F-ya’ll. Well, now I will make sure to enforce even 10 minute appointments where I check a weight & blood pressure. Yup, you guys can drive your butts out there, pick the patient up, and have them see me for 10 minutes, and then drive them back. Now I feel this huge sense of embarrassment and whatever especially with this “Employee of the Month” BS. But I know this is the easiest job I will find as a nurse, so I keep chugging along. It’s just been more difficult now that something in my brain has snapped and I am 110% more sensitive about everything. Just today I was getting medicine ready for a patient, and it was like the levy broke or something. Tears just rolling out & I couldn’t even stop it or see straight.

On top of work, my weight has been fluctuating and, or course, that is my main focus all day, every day. I feel like for all the work I’ve been putting in, not a lot has come out of it. And I get SO FOCUSED on it, and down I go. I know it drives Bobby nutso.

I’m unhappy with myself. Everything else it great. What a metaphor for my life. I feel like I’m not at 100%.

And though all of this Bobby has been as tough as he can be. I know I’m not the easiest person to deal with on a normal level, but add in me being down in the dumps consistently, I know it’s no fun for him. I wish he would realize it’s all internal and, as usual, all about me. Haha.

So, since I’ve been a butthead to him I want to make sure everyone, including him, knows he is the awesomest & bestest boy around. I love you Bobbykins. He’s the real McCoy. He loves me no matter what, always tells me so, and always tells me I’m beautiful (even though I don’t believe that one), always makes sure to laugh once I’m done with my angry tirades about stupid people, he hides the scale from me, and he makes me healthy din-dins to boot, and he is super cute especially when he showers JKJKJK

And in 16 days we will be on a plane together having the time of our lives and getting the vacation we sorely need and deserve. And once we are back, we will look into a new home for us & our little ones (Lilmeister and the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee). SIGH.

OK, depressing time is ova! Time to listen to some Jay-Z, mofos!!!

Besides being 112 degrees in my car this afternoon, Phoenix can be funny sometimes.

Stop sign in central phoenix

Barbie-sized wig + turtle sculpture at Goodwill.

I’ve been slacking.

Actually, I haven’t, which is why I haven’t even touched this thing in a while. Time to dust it off.

Work has being crazy nuts (pun intended). I amazingly have a routine that includes going to the gym 5 days a week. I’ve been waking up & leaving early for work just to drive out and get some Dutch Brothers coffee every morning. And, well, we’ve been planning our vacation [insert sighs of relief, squeals of excitement, and jumps for joy here].

With a little help from the 2nd of 3 paychecks we will receive in July, we were able to afford a vacation. In the wee hours on July 25th we will board a plane and be on our merry way to Chicago. We will be staying at a fancy-schmancy modern hotel called The James right near the Magnificent Mile. And we will either use a taxi or use our feet taxis (aka shoes) to get us around town. In preparation, I have been attempting to loose as much weight as possible, because once we are off the plane, I will gain it all back with one bite of delicious, cheese stuffed, deep dish pizza (I think one slice has about 2,000 calories!):

I cannot wait. We will be all touristy and visit all the touristy spots and drink some wine at night. And in the morning I can go across the street to the Trader Joe’s and get me some probiotic yogurt to keep my guttyworks from getting the vacation stagnation. TMI, I apologize!

And it is our last hoorah before buckling down and saving money for a house. And we deserve it.

In other news, my chompers are getting close to being in the best shape they have ever been. I took the day off yesterday to get started on 2 crowns I needed. I was there for 2 hours and required an extra shot of Novocain when the dentist noticed tears streaming down my face. I tried to hold it together, but it was pretty painful. I will return in a couple weeks to switch the pretty silver temporary ones with my permanent ones that match my yellowish teeth. And I think with that, I will be set on not needing any dental work for…hmmm, I’ll say 6 months. I paid for it in full, too, which felt pretty darn nice.

And, of course, I’ve been dressing up the cats:

HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE.

HEHEHE.

Hilarious.

What have I been up to?

-Replacing my Cursive T-Shirt. I’ve had my Cursive shirt for, maybe, 2 years. It’s comfy and is worn, on average, 2+ times a week. For work, exercising, sleeping, cleaning, vacationing…..

Eating large pieces of pizza, taking funny double-chin pictures on Splash Mountain, holdin’ babies, the usual stuff….It’s a very versatile shirt. Anywhooo, after 2 years of washings, it was reaaaaallly thin. Bobby, being the nice gentleman he is, bought another one for me. However, it was a mens Medium. Slightly bigger than I like. So I bought myself another one in the correct size, and kept the big one for sleeping in. I now own 3 shirts that are EXACTLY the same.

-Working.

-Winning 3rd place at trivia night.

-Dressing up animals in a Poodle shirt:

-Eating a lot of pesto

That’s aboooot it!

3. Reading, and hating, the Luann comics…DAILY. (a recent example of the hilarious comic strip) Yes, HILARIOUS!

I have been slackin’! Anyway, my days and weeks have not been too eventful (no trivia wins from the Christ Punchers in several weeks, bummer) but I’ll talk about this past weekend since it’s fresh in my mind grapes.

I got off super early on Friday after staying late several days during the week, so I went to the gym, sweat my buns off, then went home and got all gussied up in my Friday’s best:

Yes, I dared show off my calves and my farmer’s tan. Bobby & I went to eat at Tuck Shop, which is basically gourmet comfort foods where all the dishes are easily shared amongst 2 people. We had some delicious garlic clove with bread and some fish dish that left us empty, so on to their version of Mac & Cheese we went. Afterwards, I did another unusual thing and went to see a movie! It was “I Love You Man,” and it was actually pretty funny, but too long. It should be mentioned, however, that every movie is too long for me. Ho hum. After said movie, we made our way to SideBar and each had a glass of wine and went home. That place was dead, anyways. I fell asleep soundly around 9:30pm as usu.

Saturday roared it ugly head, and I woke up at 6am. Fell back asleep an hour later, of course. But back up in time to catch one episode of Saved by the Bell at the gym. It was the graduation one where Zack had to be in the dance performance of “Swan Pond” if anyone is interested. Then we got some pupusas, which I had been waiting for all week. Yummy, delectable pancakes of bean & cheese heaven. After that, we did the usual of Target browsing. Bobby got some white shirts & undies and I bought me a balance ball on clearance. It’s pretty cool. Our house is turning into a ladies gym like Shapes for Women or something. HarHar. Ended the night on a good note with grilled cheese.

Sunday was Mama’s day, so first we took Bobby’s mom & sister to Pei Wei for some Asian persuasion, and then we went by my mom’s where I ate some Tres Leche cake and smelled Bobby’s yucky sloppy joe’s. We peaced out once I saw I had a $10 gift card to American Eagle in my mail pile from my parent’s house. Since I’m not to buy clothes, I bought me some underoo’s as well. Then I had some crackers ‘n cheese (Brie and Port Wine/Cheddar Spread to be exact) for din-din since I skipped out on the sloppy joe’s.

And here I am! We are finally starting to get into the groove of both of us working again. Bobby makes the dinner while I’m at the gym and I do the rest of the chores during my lunch hour. Works out really well!

…and it’s almost 9pm, approaching my hour of power (sleep, that is).

And an ode to my RickRolln days of yore, enjoy!:

My weekly round-up.

This weekend I gouged myself in cheese. Went to a baby shower that included cheese and grilled cheese sammiches. Also had grilled cheese from The Roosevelt. CHEESE WEEKEND!

I also “splurged” (as the French say) and bought myself a Wii Fit with lime green cover as pictured below (minus the weird bracelet):

I figured this will help towards my goal of buying new clothes once I reach my short-term goal weight. I have not bought a piece of clothing since I grew out of my old clothes (minus a cheap and uber-cute dress from Modcloth). I’m suffering though old and unfashionable clothes until I lose 6 more pounds (making the total 15 pounds), which at the rate it is going, will be by Christmas time. Lame, considering I’m working my butt off and eating way less (despite the weekend cheese binge, really I am eating a LOT less)! It is also very hard for me because I love to buy new clothes! But I have noticed a difference despite the slow decent into weight loss. My love handles have decreased significantly, which is promising, because that is where I actually started to see my first stretch marks…ever. I’m hoping to reverse these marks before it’s too late. Lots of St. Ives Exfoliating Body Scrub!

My other change would be my chompers! The night after my dentist appointment I started using Crest White Strips. it is now almost a week later (into a 2 week stint) and my teeth are slightly (but unnoticeable to most naked eyes) whiter. However, they are whiter than they have ever have been in my entire life and that is exciting! I am pretty sure my teeth grew in stained and tinged yellow. I’m using the “classic” Crest Whitestrips. They don’t hurt my teeth or gums, and come highly recommended.

Oh, and Bobby found a job worthy of his credentials, which means VACATION IS ON THE HORIZON. I am more than excited!

And I’m spent.

I am posting live from my couch on my lovely Wednesday off from work. I took a day off in order to get my teeth cleaned and a cavity filled. The filling literally took 5 minutes, sans novocain. The entire visit was 45 minutes. I took a whole day off for that?! Oh well, it gave me the chance to sleep in, go to the gym, and go to the store as well. Just takin’ it easy. I still have to go back in June for two crowns that I’m having them do in one visit. I’ll probably have to take a day off for that one considering they will be numbing up both sides of my face. Oh wells.

Unfortunately, with micromanaging worming its way into the workplace, I am no longer able to update at work, which stinks because that is when I have the most “I’M FREAAAAKING BOREDDDDD, HELPPPP!” free time. It’s not that I’m unable to access my site, because I actually can. It’s not blocked by the filter. But, they have been sending out nasty e-mails and CC’ing a bunch of upper-up’s when someone goes to an unblocked site that isn’t “business related,” and I rather not have my little blog on blast for the CEO to see. However, I will keep visiting mahnsterdesign.com in hopes they will send a nasty e-mail and everyone will go to Bobby’s site and he will get more work!

My weekend was filled with restlessness. I was so bored, almost bored enough to go to Target twice or see a movie. I managed to clean some of the computer room. I was so bored I even tried to play basketball with Bobby at the park across the street. That lasted about 10 minutes. However, we did take Lil on a walk to the new park across the street from the YMCA to see the “flying butthole net” sculpture (AKA “Her Secret is Patience”), which actually looks pretty cool when it is lit up at night. It’s a nice park, and will make an excellent rest spot for bums evicted from Patriot’s Square.

It’s Earth Day, and to celebrate I’m going to purchase some cute little reusable totes on sale from ModCloth. Since they are cute and I’m investing more than a dollar on them I think I’ll be more likely to use them.

Oh and it’s Trivia Night as well. My fave. Peace out!