Quickie Update/Long Awaited Update

I don't have much time, and, as per usual, I forgot to take pictures at Dan and Leeann's wedding. But I stole some via facebook, so here's pics of what I did for Memorial Day weekend. The wedding was on Saturday night and was beautiful and probably very expensive. It was good times. The next day, a large group gathered at the Braves game, where the Buerglers continued to buy us drinks. If there's one thing I've learned about the Buerglers, it's that they enjoy booze.

Don't know if you can see it, but the theatre where the reception was had Dan and Leeann's names up in lights all weekend!

Ceremony.

Happy couple commences drinking.

Reception shot.

Braves game crew.

That's it for now, congrats to Dan and Leeann and I hope you're having fun in the Caribbean (I am hating you from my cube even as we speak).

Long Awaited Update #2 - back on track

So I've been out of town for the better part of three months now. In fact, in the 13 weeks (91 days) of March, April, and May, I have been out of town 40 days. That is a lot. And it has caused me to become very lazy about my eating (because we have to eat out all the time) and working out (because hotel gyms generally SUCK) habits.

So now, I knew I was going to be back in Charlotte for 4 straight weeks and then out of town in Austin for 10 days (but we eat at Whole Foods the whole time we're there, so I can stay relatively healthy). I went back to my pre-busy season diet, but tweaked it a bit so that it tops out at 1200 - 1500 calories a day 6 days a week, with a bonus day (mostly because I have a lot of weddings and such to go to during this time period). I'm also back on my regular exercise regimen.

And after two weeks, I'm back down to my pre-busy season weight! 5 pounds down from before. And it really wasn't all that difficult...my body was PISSED last week because of the dramatic calorie drop, but it seems to have stabilized. I'm hoping to drop another 5 pounds before I go to NJ for the 4th of July. If that works out, I may try to continue losing until I'm back into a size 4 (I don't want to be too small for my extensive wardrobe, so this is all that I can afford to lose). I may attempt a weight deficit situation before I go to Italy in October because I know I'm going to gain at least 5 pounds there, but I haven't decided yet.

Speaking of Italy, I guess I'll include that in this post as well. My trip to Italy has been booked! My mom and I are going for two weeks in October. And I was able to use my Marriott points to secure hotel rooms for 7 of the 14 nights that we'll be there, AND my first class plane ticket. Kick ass. I knew there was some sort of benefit to my constant work-related travel. I'm really excited. I've been reading many guidebooks, and so far our plan is to spend nights in Milan, Venice, Bologna, Siena, Florence, Vernazza, and Rome and to also include some side day-trips to Naples, Oriveto, and potentially Pisa and Riomaggiore. I ordered Rosetta Stone so that I can get my Italian, which I have not spoken a word of since freshman year of college, back on track. I'm excited to start that process.

At first, I was concerned about taking a two week vacation because then I'd be using all my vacation time for that instead of what I usually do: take random long weekends in the summer because it breaks my heart inside to be stuck in the office on sunny summer Fridays. And then the best thing ever happened. Finally, a benefit from the recession. Work offered us a deal whereby for the period between June 1 and September 30, for every day we take off as unpaid leave, they will throw in an additional day of paid leave. I'm currently signed up for an extra 12 days (6 paid, 6 unpaid) and I'm pumped about it. Now I can extend my planned July 4th vacation in NJ, hit NJ in August for a weekend with Kate, take the trip to Boston I've been trying to take for the past 4 years in September, and STILL have time to take off some random Fridays for no reason. Yaaaaaaaaay.

Ok, but now I have to work. As this is a summer Friday, I have been useless today. Until next time, I bid you adieu.

Long-Awaited Update #1: Chicago

I don't really have pictures for this one, so it shouldn't take too long. First, I want to say again that I FINALLY got myself a yellow leather purse for the spring. It is quite large (though not as big as my winter bag) and it was $90 at the Coach outlet. Seriously, do yourselves a favor and go to a Coach outlet if there is one near you. The sales are CRAZY right now.

Anyway, we went to Chicago for Blake's sister Ashley's graduation from her Masters' program. We were staying at a hotel using my Marriott points because Blake's parents were staying at Ashley's and there really wasn't room for all of us there. We got to the hotel and then informed me that they had upgraded my room (score). We went up there and it was bigger than our condo. We literally could have lived there. It was crazy.

It was a bit rainy Friday, so there was a lot of driving. We basically just ate food and went to graduation that day, which was more than fine. Saturday, I went to visit Dana and brought Reagan the pink cowboy boots I had purchased for her in Houston. She loved them. She is really tall for a two year old but super skinny...she has her mom's genes already. Lucky dog. She is JUST THE CUTEST. Dana and I walked a bit and took her to lunch, and then we dropped her off with Justin and did a little bit of shopping. I got a couple of cute summer dresses at H&M and Dana scored some running shoes at the Nordstrom Rack store (this store was like a Marshalls filled with shit from Nordstrom's. It was insane). We went back to her place and hung out a bit, and then I met up with the Schells for some walking and dinner. It got cold at night. I had to wear one of Ashley's fleeces. I was not impressed with the temperature. Brr.

Sunday we had flights out at night, so we did some birthday shopping for Blake and Ashley during the day and then did some walking...and Blake tripped and completely tore up his big toe. It was bleeding furiously as we walked to the local CVS. And then, bandages and other medical supplies in hand, Blake, his dad, and Brian disappeared into the mens room to deal with the situation...and Brian came running out about 5 minutes later yelling about gaterade because Blake was about to faint. Of course he was. Blake has fainted three times since we met, and his mom was present for two of them, so she of course now thinks that he's far more prone to fainting than he actually is and she freaked out a little. But he was fine. As soon as he felt like he was going to faint, he just laid down and it passed. Disaster. We then went to lunch and headed to the airport to get back home.

And that was my weekend in Chicago. In more current news, Blake got attacked by a goose on his run yesterday. It was apparently pecking at him and smacking him with its wings. I'm pretty sure this kind of thing doesn't happen to other people.

That's it for now, more belated updates to come. I'm trying to be good now, I swear.

I'll have to make this quick (again)

So once again, I just keep doing more and more things to blog about but being too busy to actually sit down and get it done. Today, I will FINALLY add some pictures from my Florida trip a few weeks ago for you to enjoy. And then at some point later this week, I'll brief you on other things going on, especially Leeann and Dan's wedding, our trip to Chicago, my additional vacation time and awesome plans on how to use it, my diet which makes me cranky but seems to be working, and the booking of my trip to Italy (YAY).

About AT's wedding...my camera was full, so I have exactly 2 pictures. At some point I'll be stealing others from the "wedding photographer," Susan's husband, who apparently will work for camera equipment.

The ceremony was pretty

The bride did not care for the afterparty bar making her wear a wristband.


And my vacation week...glorious.


The view from the deck...seriously.


Bachelorette has fun.


Bachelorette gets lap dance from random married dude.


Emily may have had too much SoCo and Lime.


The ridiculous sign I won in a Cinco de Mayo bar raffle.


Dinner pic.


I heart manatees...but I didn't get to see any. Sad face.

Quickie post

So I'm doing a whole 'serious diet' thing right now (more on that later), but I was at the gym earlier and there was a commercial for McDonalds sweet tea and I was all "I would kill a man for some sweet tea." So I came back to the office and made myself fake sweet tea, which I believe to be calorie free.

I dumped two packets of Splenda at the bottom of a cup and brewed some tea with hot water...I made the tea strong because I figured the eventual ice would water it down. Then I let it sit for about a half hour so it would be at room temperature. And then I dumped it into a cup of ice. It's not real sweet tea, but it's getting the job done.

Note: I have to buy some decaf tea for this in the future, because I am currently WIRED. I should be a barrel of fun at my pilates lesson at 6. :)

I'M SORRY

I've been MIA lately, but I've been constantly traveling and really busy. Coming soon: updates, some including pictures of AT's wedding, Leeann's Bachelorette party week, and our visit to Chicago.

I will say this (and maybe add a picture at some point): I FINALLY GOT A YELLOW PURSE. It's a bit smaller that I would have liked (but far better for my shoulder and back). And the best part? I REALLY like it, AND I got it at the Coach outlet, which was having crazy sales (you should go. Seriously). It was originally over $400 and I paid $89.99. CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE THAT? On the same trip, I also got two pairs of capri pants from the J. Crew outlet that not only actually fit me properly (read: not looking like floods because I'm so short), but they were also on sale for $22/each. $22. CRAZY.

Ok I've been procrastinating far too long now. It's self-evaluation time at work, and the 4 hours I've already put into this beast have left me only 48% done. KILL ME.

i'm a stinky updater

I promised a hilarious picture like two weeks ago and didn't follow through. I'm lame. Anyway, here it is: me in a westernwear store wearing the boots and hat which I wound up buying based on their awesomeness.

Exciting, right?

I'm on vacation this week! I'm taking pictures, so I'll have a picture update at some point. Saturday night was Danny and AT's wedding in Gainesville, and it was lovely. Except for the part where I took ONE PICTURE at the ceremony and then my camera said "memory card full." So I had to delete some stuff on the way to the reception in order to take more pictures. Fortunately, Chris was playing photographer for the wedding festivities, so I can easily steal pictures from him.

After the weekend in Gainesville and visiting Katie, I drove down to Fort Myers Beach on Sunday for the Leeann's Bachelorette Extravaganza week. And IT IS FANTASTIC. The house is right on the beach, so when we wake up in the morning and look outside, all we see is ocean. To make things even better, it's been about 90 degrees outside but with a strong breeze so you don't even feel hot. Sunday night we had the crazy drinking night, and other than that we've just been hanging out. I've read 1.5 books already. And my spray tan looks good enough on the beach that the light reflecting off of my legs isn't blinding me for the first time ever. I am however, wearing SPF 100 all over my body...and reapplying with SPF 50 every two hours (unless I swim. Once I swim, back to 100 I go). I went for a swim yesterday and the water was perfect. However, when I was returning to shore, I saw two rays swimming there. Just chillin. You may know that I HATE FISH so I was unimpressed that I could see them in the water with me, but apparently as long as I don't step on the rays they'll leave me alone, so I guess that's fine.

Also, for those of you that are interested, the house next door has an awesome manatee mailbox that will be photographed with my phone and picture messaged to you. Because it is amazing.

Anyway, the girls have decided to do this every year because of how great it is. I would like to do this year round personally. Wake up, eat breakfast, lay on beach, eat snack, lay on beach, read, eat lunch, nap, shower, read and/or walk on the beach, eat dinner, read, sleep. Best day ever.

I'll update with pics when I return to the CLT.