Who Dunnit??

Tonight Joe had one more Christmas party for his work and it was a "Who-Dunnit" theme, Italian mobster style. (I tried to talk Joe into wearing a fedora but he wouldn't do it)


It was held at a villa connected to a huge church in town. Have you ever seen a church with an attached villa like this?!?

We ate a buffet dinner while the characters came in and out and talked about a "murder" that had just happened outside. At the end, we had to guess who the murderer was. We totally got it WRONG!! Ha!

Look at these characters! I've never seen so much animal print in my life (although I did have a leopard print belt on - what a coincidence!!)



We had to leave early because tomorrow morning I have a 6am flight to Arizona for work. I looked up the weather and it's supposed to be in the 70s!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Weight Loss Tips

I could probably put a book together on weight loss tips and ideas I've gathered over the years and I have literally been pretty much every weight on the scale! ha! When I got married in 2006 I had a huge wake up call and realized I wanted to look good AND feel good on my wedding day!

So... I'm joining Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life tour and sharing my own weight loss tips and things that have worked for ME.

TIPS FOR EATING RIGHT:
1. My trainer used to tell me - NEVER deprive yourself of something you're craving. Have your splurge then get back on track. because the good Lord knows I could never live without chocolate anyway!!
2. Eat a good breakfast. Coffee doesn't count. Not even Dunkin' Donuts coffe, which is my personal favorite!
3. Diets that totally cut out carbs, sugar or any of the major food groups (and sugar is definitely one of my major food groups) usually don't work. No one can maintain that. You really think you're going to avoid bread the rest of your life?!
4. Take a multi-vitamin.
5. Don't OBSESS over your calories - I used to try to count calories and I would be so consumed by adding everything ("how many calories are in this tablespoon of ketchup?!?) and keeping a running tally in my mind that it would overtake my day. Now I try to make good decisions and just enjoy my food!

TIPS FOR WORKING OUT:
1. Find a workout that you enjoy. This has been SO life changing for me because I used to think you had to run an hour on the treadmill to be in shape. Well, honey, there are many, many other workouts out there! I get bored easy and I'm a little crazy anyway so I enjoy these:

BOSU (Both Sides Up), basically a half-ball that you jump, step and move around on. Fun and it keeps your core strong!!

Spin class - I love it.

Yoga Booty Ballet Cardio Burlesque DVD workout - so fun it doesn't even feel like you're working out!


2. Don't obsess over the scale. I'll be honest with you, I used to be so obsessed with the scale that I would weigh myself after a meal, after using the restroom, etc. Isn't that ridiculous? I got the scale out of our bathroom and I'm much happier.
3. It's important to lift weights too. Start with the big muscle groups and then move to the smaller ones. Or do compound moves (where you work several muscle groups at once) and get an even bigger bang for your buck!

If you've ever had to "get back on the bandwagon" you should know that I've been there too! I broke and dislocated my hip over a year ago and I had to start with learning to walk all over again. If I can do it, you totally CAN!!!

Ambush!

This morning I had a consult with an oral surgeon because I need my wisdom teeth out, and frankly I've been putting it off for years. When I went to the dentist recently they told me there was a cavity IN one of the wisdom teeth and I was forced to choose between drill or forceps and it wasn't easy. Joe was on call last night so he had the morning off; you know I drug him to the appointment!

We waited in the waiting room for an HOUR. I was beginning to wonder if it might make more sense to go ahead and get fitted for the dentures I'd need now that I was 92 years old.

They finally called me back, took the x-rays and the doctor came in to see me.

Two weird facts for you:
1) I have two baby teeth still in. Adult teeth were never behind them so I never lost my first set.
2) I only have the top wisdom teeth.

Then the doctor said something that made me think he was crazy, "Let's just go ahead and pull these right now." And here is where I'm not embarrassed to admit I turned into a blubbering crying idiot.

Before I knew it, I was like this.

The first one popped right out. But for the second, there was... definite grinding.

And now I'm nursing a chocolate milkshake and lying in bed with my PJs. And my cheeks are so puffy I look like I'm a chipmunk storing nuts for the rest of the winter.

Have you had your wisdom teeth removed?? Do you have any interesting dental stories??

Heat Wave

God answered a prayer today and a heat wave rolled through! It was *deep breath* FIFTY degrees here today!

I finally felt like I could wear something besides two shirts + sweatshirt + jeans + two pairs of socks + boots + coat!

Joe and I met for lunch at Olive Garden - it's becoming a weekly tradition and every single time I order the Zuppa soup. It completes me.


I've been thinking a lot about changing the name of my blog. For one thing, I don't want people to wrongly assume I can speak Spanish! Ha! I definitely CAN NOT! I went on a school/mission trip in college to Guatemala and really, it was embarrassing to try to speak to the local kids. Also, my new motto is "living life abundantly", which I mentioned in my new years post. So I'm thinking about changing it to something in that direction. Is it a horrible idea to change your blog's name? Or am I committed to it, like when you name your child or something you can't just change your mind after a couple years (?) What do you think??

Have a happy Wednesday :)

I Need A Palm Tree

This morning I woke up to a frosty and cold Kansas. I'm a little upset with the meteorologists because they told us it would be in the 40s today and also, while I'm at it, don't you think they shouldn't be allowed to call it a "high" if it's only TWO?? Ha!

The only thing I can think of is next week I'll be in Arizona for work and something tells me it will be a tad warmer there! I may even see a cactus!

And yesterday we booked tickets on a cruise in March. We're stopping in several Eastern Caribbean places and I think I'm the most excited for St. Thomas. I can't wait and I definitely need to buy some new swimsuits! My BEST swimsuit was cut off me when I broke my hip in a waterskiing accident 18 months ago. It was one of the most horrific experiences of my life and the hip wasn't too pleasant either.

Are you planning any vacations for 2010??

A Year Ago...

This morning I got on my old laptop computer to look for some files for work and LO AND BEHOLD I found a "Goals" list I made last year, on January 15 (at 1am !?!). I thought I could use that as a little report card for 2009...

visit Ireland

read to kill a mockingbird - DID IT!! It's now my #1 favorite book.

become a mom

volunteer at a shelter

buy a house - June 2009

do something with my honeymoon pictures – scrapbook? - three years later but I DID finish our memory book

plant a tree - planted trees at our new house

learn to play the piano

try yoga

buy art

re-visit the drive-in theater

take a hiking trip

see NYC

run a mile without stopping - I can do it now!

make an account in LinkedIn

donate blood

throw a party for a friend - engagement party

take a “fun” class

play a full 18 holes of golf - tried nine and I think we would be there all day for 18!

try waterskiing again

take a weekend in Arkansas

do winetasting at an actual winery

visit somewhere haunted - toured the most haunted town in Kansas

create a flowerbed

grill a steak - thanks to our new grill

try ice skating again

buy a sewing machine and re-teach self to use it - got this for Christmas!

dress up for Halloween

make lemonade from lemons

go to a concert - saw Britney's Circus and don't care who knows it ;-)

go to a hockey game

re-visit the church we got married in

buy a flat screen t.v. - love it, mounting it not so fun.

take a trip with my mom - Italy!

have an old-fashioned picnic

The Celebrities Do It

This weekend Joe and I had a dinner with some medical students that will be graduating in May and are applying to his program for residency. I really hate how the interview and "match" process works for medical students and I have a lot of empathy for the applicants but it was very strange to be on the "other side" this year!!

Next weekend we have a "Who dunnit" party for a local anesthia group and the invitation was an italian mobster theme. I can't figure out what to wear! I went to the mall and didn't see anything - any thoughts??

I did find something at Gap that I *love* - these brown leather ballet flats. Do you wear ballet flats? It seems like none of my friends do but I love them and I think they go with anything! Jeans! Dresses! Skirts! And they're so comfortable!
I think if it's good enough for Reese, Angelina and Cameron it's good enough for me!!