Frank Fridays: Wrong Side of the Universe

Happy Friday!

So, I'm pretty sure I woke up- or was woken up- on the wrong side of the universe today.  Yes, I said universe... no, I'm not being dramatic.  Let's just take a looksey, shall we?  You be the judge.  *Warning, this is long*

6:30am- ring, ring... Look at my phone thinking it's my alarm but why is it making that god awful noise?  Oh yeah, I forgot to put on a cool ringer and then omg who is calling me at this ungodly hour?  I already know the answer- "Hi mom... what".  No, it wasn't very nice. On the other end of the phone I hear in a chipper Wisconsin meets Starbucks venti quad more caffine than I drink in a month voice that says "Oh my God, you're not up yet?  What time is it?  Why aren't you up?".  While a few superlatives run through my brain, I manage "It's 6:30am Mom and I don't get up until 7.  What do you want?"  Sidenote, for all of you that just had an "ah hah" moment to why I'm always late- you're completely correct.  I value my bed more than I value curled hair, breakfast, mascara sometimes and getting to work on time.  You caught me.  Either way, this thrilling conversation with my Mother continued for a good 5 min before she let me go.  Ps- Mom, if you're reading this.  I wasn't awake and I have no idea what we spoke about.  Love you!  *rolling over to go back to sleep*

6:40am- *door creaks open, light pours in from the hall and I hear my Husband before he says anything*  "Babe, can you please give me a ride to work?  At this point I'm blinded by rage, seeing red, ready to kill and D, all of the above... this is when a few superlatives DID come out.  I mean stop collaborate and listen... you mean to tell me that out of the 50 people on the boat, 25 of which live within 100 yards of us you can't find ONE person driving to the SAME BOAT as you, at the SAME TIME!?  I should mention there's one boat in Cordova, they all go in at the same time and I looked out the window to see um....  10 cars on and driving by/getting ready/warming up!!  Yeah, that just happened.  Then, my lovely husband realizes he's awoken the sleeping devil grizzley bear and tries to correct his mistake by saying "Oh, there's Vince and his car is on so I'll just see if I can catch a ride"...  oh no, no, no Mister.  I'm already up and storming to the car.  It's too late to salvage.  Needless to say it was a quiet car ride.

6:50am- Get back into bed.  Decide to hell with my hair and make up and set alarm for 7:15.  Roll over, get comfy and tell myself that when I wake up, I'm going to have a better day.  I have to.  I say this not for myself but for every living person I come into contact with today.  Did I mention I'm an Admin Asst at a school?  Yeah, this could be dangerous.

7:15- Swear at alarm, and dog, and swear that it isn't time yet.  It's time.  So I get up, shower *do not shave my legs as punishment and defiance*, blare some music sorry neighbor who doesn't work, try out a new make up "look" and decide today is the morning I am going to try the "sock bun".  Yes, I'm certifiably crazy or very very sleep deprived at this point.  Looking back, I may thought that I was dreaming and this was all going to work out fabulously for the red carpet I was walking? 

7:45- Cut sock, put hair in pony tail, look at tutorial ONE more time and execute.  FAIL.  No... EPIC FAIL.  Yes I took a picture, no you can't see it.  Let's just say it was a fail with a doughnut on the top of my head that looked NOTHING like the pretty ballerinas or super fashionable ladies I see sporting these all the time.  Effortless- my arse.

Can I just tell you that this marked the second Pinterest fail in less than 12 hours.  Yeah, I tried to make those cookie meets brownie and has oreo babies dessert that looked so good over at Wifessionals.  Of course, I had to semi-homake it, because I'm "Annalee" if you don't get the pun, never mind.  Let me tell you, they are not for me.  I lurve each item separately, but when placed together all I tasted was sugary rich yuckiness.  I needed a gallon of milk to recover, and I'm lactose intolerant!  It was bad... so I sent them to the boat!  Waste not, want not.  You're welcome boys!    

So this is how the story morning ends... I'm late to work, sleep deprived, there was no time for my Spark (healthy coffee with vitamins) and I look like a homeless person.  Today is going to be fantastic! *sarcasm dripping like venom from my smile* 

...And then someone says the nicest things to me, making me put down my hateraide and reminding me that things could be a lot worse.  Like, a lot worse.  However, don't think I'm not reaching for wine the second I get off!  Have a great Friday and don't forget to be frank!

How's your Friday?  Have you tried a sock bun?  Can you bring me coffee??  Please?

Link up and tell me all about it!

Until next time...

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Lions, Tigers and Thirties- Oh my!

Monday, September 23: A "life lately" post. What you're up to, how you're feeling, how you're doing on your goals, etc. Bonus points for great photos!

This is a foot loose and fancy free kind of topic!  Well, if you follow along on this little piece of bloggy heaven you know pretty much what I've been up to as I am an over-sharer keep you well informed!  Things have been rocking an rolling lately with no plans to slow this crazy train down!

      

      

I welcomed a new decade into my life on Saturday!  While the day itself was less than stellar, I had an AH-mazing not so surprise party that I won't forget, like ever!  Everyone dawned their best redneck attire and had a little hoe down in my honor.  #notjustagardentool The CG has this sweet little community center that my amazing friends/husband commandeered and turned into the classiest little redneck haven!  I walked up the stairs to mason jars lit with candles into a room that sparkled from the red solo cup & PBR garland (which my brother-in-law and his friends were so helpful to empty the cans)!  There was a gorgeous espresso/chocolate cake, pennant flags with my name, a food table full of amazingness, apple pie moonshine that would knock Uncle Si on his rump and about 20 amazing friends all there to celebrate moi!  My friends and hubby went above and beyond to create the most amazing party and I am so thankful!  Well, my liver wasn't super thankful but whatevs!

I was lucky to cross off one thing from my 35x35 list this past weekend.  I didn't drink for a whole month!  Why, do you ask?  You lush!  Because I've made a commitment to make a change in my life.  While you may not believe me because of the debauchery mentioned above, I assure it's true.  I've been doing the Advocare 24 day challenge which just so happened to conveniently end on my Bday!  Genious, why yes I am!  On this challenge you eat certain things, drink a crap ton of water and take more supplements that most 85yr olds.  I'm happy to say that I now drink a gallon of water a day, pee more than a racehorse and can be an official pill popper- tmi?  I think not!  I feel better than ever and will be starting a new cycle of the challenge TODAY!  Yeay!  My liver is super thankful!



I've decided that one job just isn't enough and I really don't like to sleep or seeing my husband, (kidding Honey) so I've taken on two more positions within the school that I work for.  What school, you ask?  Nonya.  Some of you know me personally and some don't but I'm not quite ready for celebrity status yet so I'll just be super vauge because I know you love it. #especiallyonfacebook  I took a Student Council Adviser job at our HS and am seriously excited!  My other fun position is Varsity Cheerleading Coach so I thought these two kind of went hand in hand.  I'm ALL about school spirit and don't care how many prepubescent teens think I'm cray cray!  Call me crazy or delusional but I'm excited!  #heavenhelpthesekids



I am T-minus 5 days away from seeing my Mommy!  Yes, I am a 30yr old grown woman and I just said Mommy.  When you haven't seen your Mom in almost a year- her name is now Mommy and I will run into her arms probably crying when I see her.  Quit with your judging eyes, you would too.  Stop lying.  Anywho... this trip also brings shopping opportunities, spa days, trips down memory lane and a week filled with mother/daughter amazingness.  Oh yeah, I'll see my Dad and Bro too- but they can't get mani/pedis so it's just different, HA!  Being all the way in the Last Frontier has made me reflect and appreciate my family SO much more.  They're crazy, there's no denying that, and I'm pretty sure my Mom has tried to replace me with her new dog #noreally, but I love and miss them and wouldn't trade them for the world- well... unless there was someone super rich that wanted split custody!  Wait, is that Prada calling?


That's a little update on me, what's up with you!?  Tell me everything!  Have you ever done the 24day challenge?  Did you liver want to strangle you this weekend?

Until next time... 

Comfort Food!

Friday, September 20: React to this term: comfort.

 When I think of comfort, I think of food.  Hey, I'm a fat kid at heart and always will be!  Im going to share my latest reformed fat kid recipe as of late!  I've been on the "D" word lately- yes, that's diet.  These little gems are delicious, spicy and not to sinful but very tastey!  These are my take on the traditional armadillo egg!  

This recipe is SO simple and fast!  Who says "fast food" has to come from a corn feed mass produced feed lot in a delicious blanket of a Big Mac?? Not me...  I prefer to know where my food comes from, and plus- I'm a great cook!

 

Mix together onion, ground turkey, S&P, Garlic and other seasonings you would normally put in your "burger".  Divide into 4 equal parts.

Cut the top off of a freshly washed jalapeno and remove seeds.  Stuff it like a Thanksgiving turkey with your favorite cheese!  I used low fat mozzarella.  

Put 1/4 of the meat in your hand and flatten slightly, then place jalapeno in the middle and wrap meat around.  OOhhhh get messy!  Try to shape like an egg and makes sure none of the jalapeno or cheese is hanging out, it'll ruin the surprise!

Grill on a lightly sprayed sheet of tin foil for about 20min or until the meat is cooked.  Enjoy and watch the cheese ooze out... so. delicious.

Until next time...

Frank Fridays: The end of a decade

Happy Friday!  

*Small rant to start!  Hey, it's time to be frank!

Do you know how many crazy hang up, solicitor, quicken loans and automated calls I've received at WORK today?!!  So many.  Seriously, stop calling.  We're a School District and we're not interested.  How did you even get this number?  I swear- I'm about to "show my *almost* age" and say that my mom was completely right when she was pissy about solicitors calling her and how aggravating it is!  I mean, I don't even live here!  Well, it feels like I do and I may or may not have a sweet little set up under my desk...but I digress.  Don't you think that if someone needed any of the above services they would find your business?  People are pretty good about searching out help when they really really needed it.  

So... it's my birthday tomorrow.  It's the big 3-0.  I'm not sure how I feel about it.  One on hand, I don't think I look like I'm 30 at all, I'll cut you if you say you thought I was older, but on the other hand, what does 30 look like??  I have watched Sex in the City for as long as I was allowed to or maybe before but I'm not going to implicate myself!  Do you know how old Carrie was when they started the season?  Let alone how amazing SJP looked at the end of movie numero dos- well there was that one scene- oye yav, scary non makeup shot. #notherbestlook #holycrapdoIlooklikethatwithoutmakeup?  Either way.  I firmly believe that 30 is the new 20!  I mean, Americans are living longer than ever and with how health conscious everyone is, I fully expect to not start "looking/feeling my age" until later on in life.  Much later.

I've got big plans for 30.  I've already started a healthy eating and lifestyle plan to get back to where I feel the best "me" is.  13lbs down and I'm not telling you how many to go!  It hasn't been easy, but it hasn't been too hard either!  I promise to share what I've been doing and do a big "reveal" in a bit!  I also want to focus on finding something career wise that makes me happy and not want to strangle someone or become an alkie!  I'm going to make travel more of a priority, and I don't mean little trips here and there- I mean the big, 35x35 travel goals you can read about here.  I'm going to continue working on being a better friend.  I'm pretty sure there's a post coming up about that during Blogtember, but being a friend to people I don't see on a daily basis doesn't always come easy to me.  I always love them the same, but I don't put in enough effort and I am going to continue to work on that and become the friend I see myself as and want in return.  Last but not least, I'm looking forward to poppin out a chitlen or 12.  Here that thud?  That was my husband hitting the floor after he fainted!  J/k Honey, I meant one or two...or did I?  We don't need a Dugger scenario here and I definitely don't want these little ones "walking out" so I think we'll keep our household in the lower numbers.  

You probably won't be hearing from me tomorrow since I have a fabulous surprise party I need to attend for moi!  Oh, you didn't now I knew about my surprise party?  You should read this and all about my amazing friends that are putting this Dirty Thirty Redneck Party on!  I've donned my party sassy pants and I'm ready to ROCK!

I'm excited to see what 30 will be like and what it or (He) has in store for me.  I don't know if it's just because it's Friday or if I can feel 30 creeping in... but I'm feeling a little fiesty.  Watch out world, it's a whole new decade!

Happy Friday and don't forget to be Frank!

Until next time...

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A moment & my life in photos!

Tuesday, September 17: A memory you would love to relive.
Wednesday, September 18: Only photos

I'm cheating a bit here, but like I always say- rules were meant to be broken!!

Oh, if I could put time in a bottle and take out specific memories I would do it all the time!  I love to take a trip down memory lane, look at old photos and really relive those times!

As I'm trying to pick out just ONE memory I would love to relive, I realize that I can't.  There are too many amazing nights with my bestfriends & my sorority sisters, my college years, times with my Grammie, my year as an exchange student and of course my wedding.  So, instead of choosing just one, I'm going to let the pictures do the talking.

No judging on the outfits!  I stand by my fashion crimes!

Until next time...

Love you long time!

Monday, September 16: Write a public love letter to someone in your life. (It doesn't necessarily need to be romantic.)


Dear Kelsey, Amy, Jessica, Donald and all other secret party agents,

I would like to confess my undying love for all of you.  Not only have you proven just how much you love me, but you have proven that you are truly ninja worthy.  I have to thank each one of you for working with my amazing Husband on this secret party extravaganza to welcome me into my 30's properly.

I would like to tell you all how thankful that I am that you have kept my sweet, well meaning other half on path for a ladies birthday party instead of a Joe Dirt fiasco.  While he means well, my better half gets very excited about themes and may or may not have gone a little off course by himself.  I would also like to state that you ladies have made sure that no toilet bowls will be present for food items to be eaten out of, and for that.... I am TRULY thankful for.

While I do not know much about this secret (or not so secret) birthday bash I do know all of you.  You are the most amazing women and I am truly blessed to have you in my life.  You are always there for me when I need you and are already making me feel like the luckiest *almost* 30yr old ever!  I am truly honored to call you friend and I will work tirelessly to make sure you know just how much I appreciate and love all of you!

Here's to 30!  


To My Husband,

Thank you for taking on my birthday and making me feel so special.  It warms my heart that you are taking such an interest, putting in the time and really trying to make everything perfect for this epic event.  You may or may not have gone a little crazy with the "dirty" in Dirty Thirty, but I love your childlike enthusiasm!!  I am so blessed to call you Husband and feel like the luckiest wife in the world!  Also, thanks for figuring out what this Pinterest thing is and stalking me on it.  You should be given a medal for listening to my birthday demands and dealing with my amazing, crazy, oh so excitable friends.  But let's be serious- you like it!

Of course I could go on and on and on about how much I love you and the rest of my friends but then I would expose more of my secrets and knowledge and we can't have that.

Yours Truly,
Better Spy Than You

Ps.  I know everything.  :)

Until next time... 

Selfie Saturday!

Friday, September 13: A self portrait

I'm catching up on my Blogtember challenges after being out of town!  What better way than a pic of myself?  Boom!  Enjoy!!

I'm such a serious person...

Can't you tell?

Let's shop!

Wednesday, September 11: Share links to your favorite online shops, preferably with a few photos of your favorite items in each shop.


I'm pretty sure shopping is one of my love languages.  I'm so much happier when I can strut my powers of consumerism but alas, here in the frozen tundra, it's difficult.  I've become quite the online connoisseur!  Here are some of my favorite shops!  Enjoy!

ModCloth


I will be getting some of these looks! I love that this shop has "fiercely REAL" sizing options as well!

Taylor & Stylist
Something funky is going on at their website currently but I can tell you that I got a GREAT deal on a super cute coat here!  Also, they have fabulous customer service which is a huge must for me!

Forever 21

I am a realist and I want to stay "in fashion" but I also don't want to spend a ton of money on something that I will only wear for a short amount of time.  Those days have passed and since I no longer use the Bank of Mommy & Daddy, I only buy expensive pieces that will carry over through all the trends.  *sorry/thanks Mom & Dad?*  Forever 21 has trendy pieces at an affordable price, along with having "fiercely real" sizing, which makes it one of my favs!

These are just a few shops that I'm totally crushing on right now.  I can't even begin to get into my obsession with Etsy... you crafty ladies have received more of my money than I'm willing to admit and I've loved every minute of it!

Until next time...

Never Forget

I'll never forget where I was the day the world changed.  September 11, 2001 was an ordinary day at my Belgium High School.  St. Roch was buzzing with who was dating who, what tests were that day and of course, what the new(ish) exchange student was wearing/doing/eating/breathing.  Those days I was quite fascinating to everyone around me and to be honest, being the attention whore I am, I loved it.  It wasn't until I noticed people seriously staring at me that I finally asked, in my broken French, what was going on.  One of my friends told me the US was bombed.  As I'm trying to figure out what A) she's exactly saying (have you seen Lost in Translation?) and B) trying not to freak out, I see the "Principal" coming towards me.

I should tell you that I was the only American exchange student at my school.  There was a Mexican and Canadian student that were also there with Rotary, but I was the sole American.  After I was pulled into the Principal's office, I was told that something very bad was happening and I needed to go home.  At this point I don't quite get what's going on, let's be serious, who really could understand the gravity of the situation or impending events?  I got off of the bus, practically ran home and walked in to see the television on, and the images of the first tower being hit.  You should know that foreign tv doesn't really edit.  They don't sugar coat it.  I saw everything.  I saw every grusome event over and over until it was burned into my brain.

Obviously at this point, I had already tried to call my parents.  Unfortunately, so was the rest of the world and the phone lines were not working- at all.  I e-mailed them frantically trying to get SOME word that they were ok, even though I knew that they were in Washington State far, far, far away from the tragedies unfolding before my eyes.  But when you're that scared and something that catastrophic is happening to your country, rational thinking isn't exactly on the forefront of your thought process.  I finally received an e-mail later that night that was no where near the comfort I needed.  I was alone, in a foreign country, without (at that point) real friends or family.

It was 3 days before I heard my mothers voice.  

The aftermath directly effecting me, along with a number of other exchange students, was strict curfews, cancellation of our Rotary trips and a general suggestion to tell everyone we were Canadian.  I can say that my family and I were not personally effected by the tradgedy, but I know others who were not so lucky.  

One Wednesday about a week after the attacks while walking to meet other exchange students for our weekly "get together" at le carre´ I had my first Anti-American encounter.  It's like they can smell us, or just heard us loudly talking?  Either way, one woman came up to me and expressed how sorry she was for me and my country and after saying thank you, two steps later someone else told me they were glad and all American's should die.  Yep.  That happened.  Complete strangers.   

The year went on, and things got back to "normal" but one thing is for sure.  I will never forget my experiences, where I was or what happened next.  I will not forget watching the news everynight to see the progress, or lack there of, and the continuation of effects from the attacks.  I will never forget the pictures of people jumping out of building, bodies or anything the televisions decided not to edit.  I will never forget being so scared.  I will never forget how many people risked their lives to rescue those in the attacks.  I will never forget all of the heroic images.  And I will never forget how proud to be an American I was after seeing my country pull together and let the world know that we are fighters.  We are Americans.  

I will never forget.

via

Left turn? Right. Right? No, left!

Tuesday, September 10: Describe a distinct moment when your life took a turn.

I'm fighting the urge to be completely sarcastic and say that this morning I took many turns on the way to work and calling it good.  Maybe the rain is making me fiesty?  I digress...

There are so many times when my life has taken a turn for the better and worse.  Turns to me are more of the choices that lead my day to day life.  I think that the big man upstairs throws a lot of turns at me for various reasons and lessons and I keep trying to steer the ship, though clearly He thinks this is hilarious.  

The latest significant turn in my life, was my marriage.  I've posted about marriage before and all of the things I have learned and continue to learn.  The biggest thing I have learned that made my life turn was that it's not all about me and if I want this marriage to grow and thrive, I've got to always put US first.  Instead of another lengthy post, I'd like to share some of our amazing wedding photos! 

Enjoy!

I'm so excited for the next "turn" in our life.  What will it be??

Until next time...