The ole pantry's turned into a Mouse house

Tuesday, I found some mouse poop in a bowl that lives in my pantry. This is not good. We had a mouse this summer, but we thought we had got him. Actually, let me re-phrase that. We DID get a mouse, we thought that there was only one.

Now there are a plethora of traps in the pantry, and the door has been closed since the "great discovery", in hopes to keep the mouse isolated to that portion of the apartment only. However, the mouse hasn't been caught in the fancy trap, peanut butter trap or the cheese trap.

Needless to say, the food in the pantry just needs to good. I'm planning on switching all the dishes in the kitchen with the food in the pantry. There will be a trip to Ikea for Swedish goodness, and before and after pictures. I bet you can't wait!!

Halloween Project

The hubby and I went down to Disney in September. Hubby is crazy about Halloween so we thought it would be fun to go to the Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party (sidenote: we were right). Of course, we just HAD to dress up.

We looked around a lot of costume shops before settling on our plan to make our own costumes. My better half found a bee costume at Target that he loved. It was 50 bucks, and really heavy, so we decided we could figure something out on our own.

Of course, we are one of those cute couples that always try to make sure that our costumes go together. Since he had decided to be a Bee, the only logical costume choice for me was a flower.


Here we are in our costumes, by a statue of Pluto (for the family dog of course), making believe that we are dogs too....



What do you think? Did we pass for a bee and a flower?

I'm back!!

I know. I've been gone for a long time. I'm sorry.

A lot has happened since I last blogged. I got a new job (which I love), lost a few friends (good riddance) and started running and trying to be fit again. Oh!! And I almost forgot.....now that I take the T to work I've been reading like a fiend.

Basically, I've been super busy reorganizing my life and just had no time to blog. Today, I found a free app for my phone that will allow me to post to blogger, which is great since I spend two hours a day on public transportation.

Let the blogging begin!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

We were brave, we were crazy, we were mostly young....

Is there anything better than relaxing on a friday afternoon drinking a mojito listening to Kenny Chesney?  Yes.......

Relaxing at home on a Friday, after working your very last day at your job (starting a new job on Monday), drinking a mojito and listening to Kenny Chesney. 

The only way this day could possibly be better is if I had found that new purse I had been looking for...

I'm on the Hot Tamale Train...Wooo Wooo!

I don't know if I've ever mentioned how much I adore So You Think You Can Dance. I love it lots. LOTS and LOTS.

I would love to be a dancer myself, but alas, I never really took any dancing lessons as a kid. So I do the next best thing. I watch dancing, and sway back and forth on the couch. This year I got my hubby to watch the show with me. Thank God for cute blondes, or I would never be able to get him to do so.

The finale just aired. And I loved it. Hubby's voting for the hot blonde right now....or his Kay Kay as he calls her. I'm torn. While I do love Kayla, I think Jeanne may be the winner. She just hit it out of the park. If not her then Brandon. Sorry America, I'm pretty sure, Evan is #4.

Of course I am going to keep my feeling from my hubby (well until he reads this blog entry). Here's why. At the end of the show Nigel also expressed while he thinks Kayla is a fabulous dancer he believes either Brandon or Jeanne is going to win.

My hubby turned to me, phone on his ear, hit redial for the seventh time, and said "Not if I have anything to do with it ASSHOLE!"

My life is hilarious. I love it. If only I could dance, it would be completely perfect.

Oh...and one more thing I forgot to mention. I am also obsessed with Cat Deeley. I want to be her friend. I feel like maybe, just maybe, if we were friends, she could somehow pass on some of her height and beauty to me. I mean, if I had a few more inches, I could be skinny and well..... skinny. Cat would realize that, cause she just looks so nice.....and Brittish. Brilliant.

Box o' Wine

 I've been wanting to try the Bota Box for a long time.  I keep seeing segments raving about it on the Today show.  Yesterday, I tried it, and in a big way.

My hubby has been a lover of boxed wine for years.  In college he drank a whole box of Franzia to himself, went home, and then peed all over his roommate'saccounting notes.  Yet, I refused to drink box of wine.

When I was younger, and my income came from babysitting, I remember many of the houses that watched children in had a box of Franzia on top of the fridge.  How classy huh?  Though I've never tried it, I simply refuse.  I hated the idea that I may grow up to become someone that stores their wine on the top of the fridge...in a box. 

However, in recent years, wine in a box has been classed up a bit, due to the whole green initiative (which I am a huge fan of).  So...I decided to give it a try.  I still refuse to drink Franzia....but Pinot from a box couldn't hurt right?

Let me tell you, for 15.99 this little Bota Box is a steal.  The Pinot tasted delicious, maybe even too delicious.  I'm usually a fan of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, but this little box of wine was just as good.  Dangerous, but delicious.  I give it an A+.

In case you are wondering, this cute little box of wine (although almost empty...sadly) is tucked away nicely in my fridge, not on top (thank you very much!) 

I saw a few people wearing dresses like this when I was in the Vineyard a few weeks ago. I like it. It's very stylish looking. I saw them at Lord and Taylor last night, and I'm pretty sure they are super expensive.

But, they just look so easy to make. Knit top, elastic waistband, little skirt. I have an appointment at one today and then am off the rest of the day. I think I'm going to try to make one. I might even try to make the pocket if I'm feeling saucy.

Tramatized by the drill...........

I couldn't blog yesterday cause I was traumatized. I had to go to the dentist for a filling. I would have rather been hit over the head with a sledge hammer. I'm not sure why I'm such a baby about the dentist, but that half hour of Novocained discomfort ruins my entire day.

All afternoon was spent in a flurry of panic attack after panic attack until my appointment at 4. It took less than a half hour...and then I was done. Phew! I could breathe.

Sadly, I discovered that these cavities were formed because of the brackets on my braces...which I got to improve my teeth. Upsetting.

Luckily, I only have two cavities left to fill, one crown and some cosmetic bonding on my front teeth (to take away stains that were left from taking acne medication) until I am perfect for the year...lol.

The entire experience can be summed up in one word and a letter .............Terrible F.

The Cure?

Last night...after Harry Potter...we stopped by at my in laws neighbors. It was one of their birthdays and we were going to "have a drink" and say happy birthday. I married into an Irish family. There is no such thing as just one drink.

This morning....hubby and I woke up pretty hungover. My mother in law came over and suggested that we all take "the cure". Hubby was all for it. I resisted. I told them I was drinking vodka and coke...but I kinda just forgot to add the vodka.

What gets me about "The Cure" is that it never actually cures anything. If we were going to accurately describe what is being done...it would need to be called "the temporary postponement of the Irish Flu". So not only did the one drink at the birthday party turn into several so did the one drink to get us back to normal.

So....lesson learned. Although I have learned this before. The Cure doesn't really cure anything at all. It just propels your night of heavy drinking to continue into a day of heavy drinking.

Somehow...I escaped this fate and will be able to wake up for work in the morning with a clear head. But the Hubby was not so lucky. He is laying beside me in bed...as I write this entry....explaining how he would love to be a platypus some day....if he were to get the chance....

Good luck to him in the morning is all I can say..

I'm Harry Potter! I'm Harry Potter

We went to see Harry Potter yesterday with some friends. I was really excited to go...and now I'm feeling a little let down. The movie just didn't live up to the book for me. I felt like all the good stuff in the book was left out....and the movie was just so abridged. But still...it was three hours long.

I guess the old adage is true....the movie is just never as good as the book.

If the Carribean was in Massachusetts....Martha's Vineyard would be it.

I just wanted to post a "sum up" of the trip to Martha's Vineyard last weekend. I'm sure you've gathered from my previous post that I was drunk and got a pretty bad sunburn. This is all true.

But the island itself, and the trip in general, it was just fabulous. I felt as relaxed as I did on my honeymoon in the Bahamas. There was none of the hustle and bustle that there is here in Boston. I didn't feel rushed doing anything. And I felt like cracking open a beer at 10:30 actually was acceptable, just part of the island experience.

When the weekend was over, I was burned, and hungover, and not looking forward to getting back to reality at all. (This week in reality has been somewhat disappointing, I might add).

The picture of the sign above sums the whole feeling of the island up for me. The distances to all the most popular places around are listed on the post. But, here you are, in little Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, in Massachusetts, but you aren't going anywhere.

Maybe someday Hubby and I can have a place there. Maybe....someday..

Project #2

I'm way to tired to post any pictures of it....but Project #2 is underway. It is a cute summer dress. I've got it cut out already and think I should be able to start it soon.

It seems really easy..

oh...I wore Project #1 out to the Bar on Saturday in the Vineyard. It is now officially part of my wardrobe.

Lessons Learned

I learned a few lessons this weekend during my trip to the vineyard. I'd like to discuss a few.

First..........
The sun is very hot. Very Very Hot. Currently...I am sporting a lovely blister/scab thing on my forehead due to my inability to remember to put on sunscreen until it is too late. I'm constantly reminding the Hubby to put it on...as his nearly pigmentless Irish skin is very adverse to any sun what-so-ever. Yet when it comes to me...I'm just not as ruthless. Maybe it's time to start. I'm feeling awful silly with this thing on my head.

Second.......
When the hot sun (very hot sun) is shining and you are riding in a Jeep Wrangler (without the top on) do not forget that there is no roof to shield you from the sun. Yes...you are in a car....but it's just not the same. I made this mistake. Lesson number two...combined with lesson number one equaled painful...now itchy...skin.

Third.....
Though it may be fun at the moment....it is probably not a good idea to start drinking one night...take a nap...and immediately start drinking again and for the rest of the day. If you can sustain drinking for this almost 24 hour period....it is probable that you will feel the after effects for days. I'm not saying that you should not do this...but just be aware that it's going to hurt afterward. As long as you are ready for the pain...it's worth it.

Fourth (and Final).....
Drinking all day Saturday.....and eating junk food all day (to "sop" up the booze) Sunday..... just won't make you feel good about yourself...especially if you've been dieting. However...there's no reason to feel bad about the approximately half of a loaf of Strawberry Breakfast Bread that you ate while drinking on Saturday. Not only was that necessary...but it was delicious.

Great Weekend. Starting running again tomorrow and not looking at wine at least until Sunday....

I'm Back!! Promise!

I've been gone for a couple of days. Sorry. But, I'm back!!

The Hubby and I went to Martha's Vineyard for a couple of days. What an interesting and fun trip. There's much to come on that....... but for now.....visual proof of how strong my husband is......
Holy unbelievable right??

Seriously....Could my Life be any Weirder?

This morning was off to a pretty good start.  The hubby and I woke up before the alarm, and the dog actually slept through the night.

I had the day off.  My sister in law and I were going to go into town and meet the hubby for lunch.  Then we were going to nip up to Tiffanys for a little retail therapy.  It was a perfect plan...and a beautiful morning..

Hubby got in the shower, and I started some rice cooking on the stove.  The dog's stomach is still a little upset so he's been feasting on a bland diet of Cottage Cheese and Rice (yum yum!).  I went back to bed, turned on the Today show and cuddled with the family dog. 

BAAAANG!  CRASH!  (breaking noises)

Something had definitely happened in the bathroom. Hubby's kinda clumsy...so I thought maybe he had pulled down the caddy in the shower again.  I ran to the bathroom door...and pushed it open.  Family dog stuck his nose in the door and ran away (this shit is too crazy for me he thought for sure).

What did I see?  Hubby had fallen out of the shower....onto the floor.  How?  No idea.  What did he break in the process?  LOTS!

Thank God he was okay. But the toilet....it didn't fare so well.  The tank was absolutely demolished and spouting water everywhere. Hubby was lying on the floor wrapped up in the shower curtain (good thing we don't have a shower door) just unable to make sense of what just happened.

One quick trip to home depot....sixty dollars...and a few hours of work...we'll have a brand new toilet...and one hell of a story to tell.

Moral of this story:  Keep the movent to a minimum when taking a shower...and....for god sakes don't ever buy a glass shower door. 

pictures to come.  You won't believe your eyes

Feeling kinda Poopy

My dog's sick. It's awful. He's been throwing up and having the runs since Sunday. I'm taking him to the vet today. Cross your fingers for me. I'm not sure how much poop I can clean up. I'm starting to smell poop everywhere.

EVERYWHERE!

Project #1 : Completed!

I have finished my first project!! Let me tell you....it was not as easy as I thought. The pattern was quite easy and had very simple instructions. But, did I choose a fabric that was easy to sew with? NO, of course I didn't.

I picked a blue sheer fabric, cause I had some in the house, and blue makes my eyes look nice. The first hurtle I had to overcome was learning how to do french seams. The pattern explained that french seams were one of the recommended methods of sewing on sheer fabrics (to prevent fraying through the seams). Great.

I took some time and learned how to do the french seams. Everything was moving along pretty well, and the pattern was so easy. I figured it wouldn't take me long before I was finished. I even took a break from sewing on Saturday to plant a garden out back with my hubby.

Then, I got to the sleeves, which were supposed to be cute and puffy, and elasticized. I tried and tried. I would sew the casing, exactly how the pattern said, and start to thread my elastic through. If the elastic didn't cause the material to fray out of the seam, then the safety pin I was using to get the elastic through the casing got caught. Finally...I just said screw it. Who needs Elastic sleeves anyways.

The rest of the shirt went by pretty uneventfully. Thank God.

When I was finished, I stepped back and took a look. Wow....I actually thought it looked good. Next project though, I'm using cotton.

Gone...but Definitely not forgotten...

I've been absent from the blog for a few days.  Sorry.  I haven't forgotten about all of you.  Honestly.  I know my readers must miss me.  And I've stopped by with a promise.  

Tomorrow, there will be many updates.  See...even though I wasn't here blogging, I was out compiling information...and pictures.

I bet you can't wait for tomorrow now :)

The End of an Era...

I ate a piece of the ice cream cake today at work. And it was much bigger than I would have liked. Despite my request for a small piece, I received a sizable portion. And I ate it all.

Gone are the days of my health conscious facade. Now everyone knows it's a sham.

What's good for the soul? WINE!

Today was a terrible day at work. I came home...made the ghetto ice cream cake...and drank a bottle of wine. Now I'm zen. So zen.

And I'll stay zen until about 8:45 tomorrow morning. I'll be in the car....and almost to work...wishing it was 5:30 and I was on my way home.

Recession Proof Your Ice Cream Cake

Tomorrow we're celebrating a birthday in the group at work. That means cake and a card. Think it sounds like that movie "Office Space". Yeah....it basically is.

This time I decided to make the cake myself and show off my prowess in the kitchen. Lets just say...I'm a cougar when it comes to cooking. What did I decide to make? Ice Cream Cake! And the cheapest ice cream cake ever.

I'm sure it will taste delicious....but did I use only Stop and Shop ingredients. HELLS YA!

How did I make it? Well....the hubby watched as I unwrapped four of the ice cream sandwiches and put them on the tin foil. Then I made a "filling".

The filling was made out of half the cool whip...a half cup of hot fudge....a package of instant chocolate pudding and eight crushed up fake oreos. It looked and tasted delish. The hubby watched over me and explained "If you need me to lick any spoons I'm right here okay?"

The filling was put in between the "layers" of the cake. And by layers....yes...I mean ice cream sandwiches.

Is it possible for an ice cream cake to be hood rich you ask? YES! Once all 12 of the cheap ass ice cream sandwiches are arranged into a cakeish shape...it gets frosted. What is the frosting you ask? COOL WHIP!

The saddest part of this whole cooking project....is that the only part I enjoy is making it. I try not to eat sweets at work. There I am playing the part of the devoutly health conscious person who would never eat something so bad for her. But at home...that's where I stray.

Honestly....as soon as this blog is finish I am going to swig my fourth glass of wine (how many glasses in a bottle?) and have an ice cream sandwich. Reviving ones soul is hard work.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Start your Engines!

The hubby and I have planned to make the trek to Martha's Vineyard next weekend...despite the crowds...and celebrate a very important friend's birthday. It's guaranteed to be a weekend full of drunken fun. I can't wait!

*Quick aside: There is a shocking lack of commas in this blog. I know. Instead of commas the "..." has been employed. As an English major...I know this is heresy. Alas...the dog broke the comma key on my laptop. The only way to get a comma on the screen is to copy and paste one. I'm just too lazy. So...until I get a new laptop (which is hopefully soon). SORRY! *

The prospect of a summer weekend away leads me to one very important question. What to wear?? I'm sure we'll go out to a bar at least one night and everyone knows that one must look absolutely fabulous while getting drunk in public.

I couldn't think of more perfect reason to start my first project! I've decided to make this shirt for my trip...in blue. More to come!

The Project Begins......

I'm sure you've heard....if you've watched the news at all lately. But the economy is in the absolute shitter. Obama believes that we can turn things around...at least a little bit...with a stimulus plan. He called it The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. So explains the impetus for my project.....

See...I think Obama's making a lot of sense. I started adulthood at about the same time Bush took office. The fall of 2000 marked my freshman year at college. I was studying English and had absolutely no career aspirations at all. I just loved to read. Fast forward four years later and not much had changed. I aspired for three things (none of them being a career):

- to move to Boston and live with my boyfriend
- get a job
- make a lot of money

I needed any job I could get to pay for my apartment in Boston where it's pretty pricey to live. I took a position with a Software company because ...basically...they would pay me. I've never been technically or analytically minded at all. But...a software company that would hire me was better than any other company that wasn't hiring me.

Five years later ... my boyfriend is my husband ... I'm still at the software company... the economy has shit the bed... and I'm bored out of my mind due to the lack of creativity in my life.

So...with the support of my husband... I am starting my project. At the same time that Obama is trying to save America....I'm going to try to save my creative soul.

Let the games begin!