Healthier Me.

Lately, I've been trying to eat a little better. I have become obsessed with some things because of this...

Almond Milk. I think soy milk tastes okay, but Almond milk is sooo much better! I'm a big fan of Almond Breeze's Light Almond Coconut milk. I eat it with my cereal and I have been making super yummy (and low calorie) smoothies with it!

Chobani. I wasn't a fan of Greek Yogurt until I tried Chobani fruit on the bottom Greek yogurt. The fruit seriously makes this yogurt to die for. They have so many flavors - your typical blueberry(my fave), strawberry, raspberry, pineapple, and cherry. But then they have some crazy flavors - blood orange, passion fruit, pomegranate, and lemon. I cannot recommend this yogurt enough!

Mini Sweet Peppers. Everyone at work has been bringing these in with their lunches and I decided to be a copycat and buy some myself. They are a really good and healthy snack. I love them!

Low Fat Cottage Cheese. I have always liked cottage cheese, but now I throw in a handful of grape tomatoes and it makes my cottage cheese 10x better. My husband thinks I am weird, but I don't care, it's delicious.

Egg Salad. I found a low calorie recipe and I have been eating so much egg salad! I can't usually get through a dozen eggs before the expiration date, but since I found this recipe, I've been going through 1/2 dozen a week! I serve this on my new favorite bread (Sara Lee 45 calorie per slice) and this sandwich is only 4 points on Weight Watchers.

Pirates Booty. Best snack that tastes like it should be bad for you, but isn't. This little gem can be found in the organic section and can be pricey, but I have a friend who buys it for me at the commissary every week. It's puffed corn & rice and tastes like popcorn. Yum!

Low Fat String Cheese. Need I say more? It's cheese.

Anyway, I'm not really trying to lose weight, but I have lost 5lbs since trying to be healthier. I still enjoy my processed foods and I definitely and not healthy 24/7, but I really am trying to eat more fruits. I eat a lot of veggies, but I am not a fruit person. Hope everyone is doing well!

Pet Peeves.

Today I am using a blog prompt because my mind is blank, but I felt like blogging. I picked one from The Imagination Prompt Generator that said five of my pet peeves are. I could probably list more than five, but I stick to what the prompts says.

1. People who don't put their shopping carts in the receptacle.

SERIOUSLY. How hard is it to put a cart away? I will never understand just leaving your cart in a random spot in a parking lot. The worst is when you think a parking space is empty and you start to pull into it, only to realize some idiot has left a cart there. Really? Most stores have multiple receptacles, so it's not really that difficult to walk 10-20 feet to put your damn cart away. I usually park close to a shopping cart receptacle because I find it less likely to find the random cart, reducing the chances of my cart getting dinged. However, I did see a man park two spaces away from one of these receptacles and he still didn't put his cart away! I got out of my vehicle, flipped him off, and put the damn cart away myself. Seriously, dude?

2. Irresponsible Pet Owners.

You know, the people who get an adorable puppy and love it and care for it, but then decide it's too much work, so they either leave the dog outside 24/7 or they just get rid of it. My neighbors are these people. They have two dogs who are outside ALL the time. They peek their heads over out shared fence and start barking, making my dogs go nuts whenever they're outside. It wouldn't bother me if this was just during the day when they're at work, but nope, they leave the damn dogs outside all night too. What is the point of having a pet just to keep it outside all the time? It really breaks my heart for the dogs, I'm not even mad at them when they bark, I'm mad at their owners for not caring enough about their pet to take it inside every now and then.

3. Facebook.

I could probably write a whole post on the annoyances of Facebook, but there are two occurrences that really stick out to me. The first is all the complaining/bragging. There are certain people who never post unless they have something to complain about or something to brag about. It's either my life sucks so bad or my life is so wonderful, aren't you jealous? The occasional complaint/brag worthy moment is okay, but every time you post? Can't you just post about the wonderful meal you cooked for dinner or your favorite sports teams like most people? The second Facebook related pet peeve are the people who give advice when it's not asked for. When someone posts "I wish my baby would sleep" here comes 50 mothers giving their advice on how to put the baby to sleep. Can't someone have their occasional complaint without being bombarded with people telling them what to do? It'd be different if someone asked for advice, but if they're not asking, shut your face.

4. People who are always broke, but continue to spend money on frivolous things.

I went Black Friday shopping with a friend of mine and she invited one of her friends along. Her friend bought a $400 TV, a $300 tablet, and a $600 laptop. I found out this week that her car is going to be repossessed in February. Which means she hasn't paid it in sometime. I don't get how buying big ticket items could be more important than making your car payments? I mean I've splurged on things before, but never so many things at once! You pay off one thing before you go buy the next big thing. My friend told me this girl was complaining about being broke before Black Friday which is why she wasn't invited - she invited herself. I don't get it. I never will.

5. People who don't discipline their kids in public.

I'm not talking about beating your child publicly, but if I'm sitting on an airplane and your kid is kicking the back of my seat repeatedly, ya think you could ask them to stop? I don't have kids, so I'm not one to judge parenting styles, but if your kid is being obnoxious, parent them! Don't just act like nothing is happening. I see it all the time at work - parents just letting their kids run loose and getting into everything. Your five year old child should not be pushing a cart down an aisle full of breakables. I'm sure being a parent is trying & tiring, but if you decided to bring them into this world, you should be making sure they aren't making everyone around them crazy. Just sayin'.

New Year.

I can't believe it's been almost a year since I updated my blog! So much has happened, so I'll do a little update post right now.

The first few months of the year were pretty mellow. Just normal, everyday life. In April, I got a promotion at work, from cashier to Assistant Manager. It's a few more hours and a raise, but it's not too bad. Jenry and I also made a trip to New York City in April to see his family since we didn't go there over the holidays. We had a good time, catching up with his family and friends, and of course, taking in some new sights in the city. We went to the NY Mets home opener at Citi Field. It was our first time there since they closed Shea Stadium a few years ago. It was a nice place, but I still prefer the old stadium. We wandered around Times Square, went to Tim Horton's for the first time, went to a comedy club, saw a movie, and hung out with his friends.

In June, my closest friend here in Arizona, moved away. Her husband got out of the military, and they were planning on staying in the area, but he couldn't get a job. That was a really hard time for me, but luckily, my other two best friends, Ashley & Kelsey came to see me in July. I knew Ashley was coming, but she surprised me by bringing Kelsey along. We had a fun girls weekend (well, plus Jenry) and ate, drank, shopped, and just had fun.

In August, I went to San Diego, CA for the first time. I actually met a friend off the internet (sounds creepier than it is). We met on XBox Live a few years ago and became really good friends, so I went out there for his birthday and took in so many sights - San Diego Zoo, USS Midway, Sprinkles Cupcakes, Pacific Beach, Old Town San Diego, The Whaley House, and more that I'm probably forgetting! It was a fun weekend and I definitely plan on going back! Also in August, my friend who had moved away came back to AZ for her sisters wedding. It was 6 hours away from me, but I drove up to Snowflake, AZ and spent a day there with her. The drive up was so beautiful, so many mountains and canyons. It made me remember why I moved out here. We also adopted a dog this month, a girl German Shepherd whom we named Josie. She had some real issues (destructive and anxious), but she has improved a lot with medication and training.

In September, I flew out to North Carolina to help take care of my nephew while my sister had a c-section for the birth of my first niece, Fiona Lynn. I was nervous at first, because I hadn't spent much time with my nephew, but he took to me right away and I had fun playing with him and getting to know him. He is such a good boy, and so smart! Fiona was (and is) adorable. She's a good sleeper and eater and growing up so fast already!

Nothing much happened until December, when I went home to Michigan the week before Christmas to spend some time with my family. Jenry didn't go with, he stayed behind to work and take care of all the animals. It snowed when I was home, so that was exciting for me! I love snow! Jenry took the week of Christmas off work, and today is our last day before we go back to work tomorrow.

I hope to blog more this year.... I feel like I say that a lot, so who knows if I'll actually do it! Haha!

Update on Life.

I haven't blogged in a long time, and let's be honest, no ones surprised. I've never been one to be consistent with blogging. Life is pretty much the same. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's, Bronx and I make our way on post at about 9am, where we walk two or so miles with my friend Alexis and her bulldog, Sampson. After our walk, the dogs play for a few hours, and around 1pm, Bronx and I come back home, where I usually clean or do laundry until my husband gets home from work at either 3pm or 4pm, depending on his shift for the week. I'm still working at the thrift store on Tuesday and Thursday, from 9am-3pm. After I get off work, I come home, relax for an hour or so, then I start dinner. Weekends are usually low-key, the hubby and I usually hang out in our PJ's, or run errands. Sunday is my favorite day of the week - Date night! Every Sunday night after dinner, Jenry and I watch a movie on Netflix, followed by an episode or two of Quantum Leap (how he got me hooked on that show is beyond me).

This winter has been warmer than normal. We had one week of temperatures in the 30's, and even some snow flurries, but we're back up to the mid 60's. It's bittersweet though. I love the warm weather, but I still miss snow. As a Michigander, I'm accustomed to feet of snow - not inches.

Bronx celebrated his 1 year birthday in December, and we're thinking about getting another dog as a playmate for him, but we know it's a big commitment, so we're not rushing into it. We also plan to adopt a dog this go 'round. I definitely do not want another puppy. We're looking at medium sized dogs, and I would love a Corgi - they're adorable!

This past Saturday, my congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, was shot in the head in Tucson, about an hour northwest of here. It has been a real shock to Southern Arizona and I can't really describe how it feels to be so close to such evil. I'm hoping the Giffords makes a full recovery, and it seems like she will.

Anyway, my life is pretty uneventful, which is exactly how I prefer it!

Meme - Day Twelve.

Today I have to post a picture of the town I live in. I live in a small town of about 50,000 people in Arizona, called Sierra Vista. If you're not familiar with Spanish, sierra vista translates to mountain view - and boy, is this town full of mountain views, which is why I decided to share the following picture.

Photo via City-Data.

Those are the Huachuca Mountains, which surround my town. In the winter, they are always covered in snow, while we almost never have any on the ground here. I may live in a teeny, tiny, town - but the views are amazing!

Meme - Day Eleven.

The topic today - What's in my makeup bag. I actually have a lot of makeup that I never wear, which I keep in my caboodle. Yes - a caboodle. I was excited when they brought these back. I bought one and put all my excess makeup in it and put it under my bathroom sink. I then have a smaller makeup bag that store my everyday makeup. In there I have:

-CoverGirl Concealer - My must have makeup item.

-Physicians Formula Mineral Powder

-L'Oreal Mineral Blush

-L'Oreal Mineral Finishing Powder

-L'Oreal Mineral Bronzer (I wear this in the summer)

-CoverGirl Eyeshadow - I almost always wear some shade of brown/copper.

-Eyeliner - In both black and brown, depending on what I'm wearing.

-CoverGirl Lashblast Mascara - The best mascara ever!

I don't wear makeup everyday, when I go to work, it's usually concealer, powder, blush, and mascara. Occasionally I will wear eyeshadow and liner. I also wear lip gloss, but I keep it in my purse. I know I could've taken a picture of this, but I'm lazy today :]

Meme - Day Ten.

Okay, so I'm back. Don't judge me. I will try to be better.

Today I have to post a picture of my favorite place to eat. My all time favorite restaurant is...

IHOP

But it's very sad - we don't have an IHOP in the town I live in. So my favorite place to eat in Sierra Vista is Filiberto's which is the most amazing Mexican fast food ever. I usually get the chimichanga plate and some horchata:



It's the best and I L.O.V.E. it!

Meme - Day Nine.

Okay, so I fell off track for a few days. I kept forgetting about it after I had a busy weekend. Anyway, I'm back on track now. Today I have to post a picture of the last thing I bought. Today I actually bought a few things - cat food, kleenex, zip-lock freezer baggies, two pomegranates, but my favorite purchase has to be my new coffee creamer. I usually drink cinnamon coffee and use fat free creamer & Splenda. I wanted to try something different, so I bought some regular coffee when I went grocery shopping and was waiting till I found the perfect creamer. And today was the day:

Sugar-free Hazelnut creamer! I love hazelnut and actually have some hazelnut coffee, but it's so strong that it requires a lot of creamer to tone it down. They don't make many creamers that are sugar-free or fat free (I prefer sugar-free since it usually has less calories), let alone one with an amazing flavor. I plan on trying it tomorrow and I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Meme - Day Eight.

Today I'm supposed to share a song that matches my mood. I'm in a pretty good, mellow sort of mood today, so I thought I'd post a mellow song. It happens to be one of my favorite songs of all time and if you don't have this album, I highly suggest it. It's beautiful and every song is amazing.

Fallen by Sarah McLachlan

Meme - Day Seven.

Okay, so I missed a day, but I did pretty dang good, making it five days in a row. The topic today is My Dream Wedding. My husband and I got married at the courthouse and there is only one thing I would change about that - I would've had some family there. But for the sake of this blog, I'll entertain the idea of my dream wedding.

So here's a picture I made at DavidsBridal.com:

I would have a small wedding on Lake Michigan with no more than 50 guests. I never got into that wedding stuff.

Meme Day Six.

I almost didn't blog today, but it kept eating at me, so I figured I'd get on here and do day six since it's not a very labor intensive topic. Today I have to post A Picture of an Animal That I'd like to Keep as a Pet.

Let me start off by saying that I am a HUGE anima lover. I appreciate almost every mammal and find them all pretty adorable. I have a special spot in my heart for rodents - hamsters, beavers, mice, guinea pigs, etc. I have two favorite rodents and I couldn't narrow it down between the two, so I decided to post both of them. I hope I'm not breaking the rules ;]

Alas, here they are:

Squirrel

(via Flickr)

Prairie Dog

(via Scientific American)

How can you not love these little guys?

P.S. I never realized how much these two animals look alike!

Meme - Day Five.

Today I have to share a photo of myself from two years ago. This time two years ago, I was living in Tennessee, attending Austin Peay State University, and awaiting my husbands' return from Iraq. I had just lost a total of 70+ pounds and was feeling pretty good about myself.

I've changed a little since this picture was taken - I no longer have bangs. My hair is a little longer. We now live in Arizona. I'm working.

But the best thing is something that stayed the same - I can still fit into those jeans. That is a huge accomplishment. Trust me.

Meme - Day Four.

Todays topic is Your Favorite Photograph of Your Best Friend. And since Bestie did hers on me, it's only fair that I do mine on her :] Let's start out with the picture, and then I'll explain why I like it so much :]

So there is my best friend Ashley with her two dogs, Pixie and Louie aka Woo. Firstly, I love this photo because Ashley looks truly happy. Remember when you'd take a picture of yourself just for MySpace? Both Ashley and I were guilty of that, but this is a candid shot, not one where she took 10 pictures just to get the perfect one. And the smile on her face is not forced or fake. It's genuine.

I also love this picture because of the way Woo is looking at her. Being a dog owner now, I can understand the look on his face. You can see how much he loves her and how loyal he is to her. Then there is Pixie in the middle. If you knew Pixie at all, you would understand why I find it comical that she is in between Ashley and Woo. Pixie always wanted attention, whether it be by hopping on your lap, or by chewing up something, she wanted to be the center of attention.

Both dogs are no longer with us, but I hope Ashley can look back on this picture and remember the love they gave her and her family & friends.

Meme - Day Three.

Today is day three and the topic is Your Idea of the Perfect First Date. I'm a really simple girl (for the most part) and I prefer simple dates! The whole dinner and a movie date sounds so cliché, but it's truly what I would prefer. But let me go a little deeper and be a little more specific.

I like to go out to dinner occasionally, but there is something special about a man who cooks! My husband cooks here and there, and can make a killer omelette, but he's never an entire meal for dinner. So I'd like to be cooked for. I don't think men realize how much it sucks to cook everyday, and on top of that, to actually come up with meal ideas. And it wouldn't have to be anything extravagant, spaghetti, bread, and a salad would please me :]

So after he'd make dinner (with a little help from me), we'd eat at the table, with candles lit and some music in the background. After dinner, we'd sit on the sofa and watch a movie - preferably a scary movie. Sure, I like the occasional romantic comedy, but I really love scary movies. Of course, we'd cuddle on the sofa during the movie (cuddling might be the best thing ever), and afterwards we'd go sit outside or go for a walk.

This felt so cheesy to write! I really prefer nights in and would much rather be at home with my husband, cuddling, kissing, and being sweet :]

Three days in a row - this might be a record!

Meme - Day Two.

Today is day two of my 30 day meme series and the topic is A Photo of Something You Ate Today. When I woke up this morning, I knew I would have to photograph something that I ate, so before I ate breakfast, I thought I'd better take a picture of it before I forgot. So here is my grand breakfast:

A Cocoa Full Bar and some Lite Blueberry Pomegranate yogurt. A while back, my friend had ordered the Full Bars in an effort to lose weight, but they didn't really work for her, so she gave them to me the other day. They're like a cereal bar - and unlike her - they seem to be working for me. The idea is that you eat one 30 minutes before a meal and it's supposed to make you less hungry. I'm not dieting or trying to lose any weight, but I figured I'd eat them in lieu of the granola bars that I usually eat. Here's a picture of what the Full Bar looks like:

So you can see they're actually pretty big. After I ate it, I felt so full that I didn't even know if I could eat the yogurt! I posted on Twitter that I felt like I had just consumed a steak dinner! She also gave me some flavor packets for water made by the same company, but I haven't tried those yet.

Be proud -- I blogged two days in a row!

Meme - Day One.

The Meme topic for today is A Photo of Yourself and a Description of How Your Day Was. Let's start with a photo of myself, taken today just for this blog. This is how I look most days - nothing special.

Now that we have the photo out of the way, lets get onto my day! I woke up today at 4:45 and made my husband his lunch and let the dog out, then laid myself right back into my comfy bed until 6:30am, which is when I actually got up for the day. I again let the dog out, got his breakfast ready. While he ate his food, I checked my Facebook, Twitter, and other important sites (Hey, Lamebook and Failbook are really important!). At around 7:20, I started getting ready for the day. All that means for me is brushing my teeth, getting dressed and putting on minimal makeup (i.e. powder, blush, and mascara). After I was ready, I took the dog outside to throw the ball around and get him worn out. After about 15 minutes of playing ball, I came back inside and ate a cup of peach & mango yogurt and gathered my things for the day. After putting the dog in the crate, I left for the day at around 8:20, stopping at Gas City to get a Diet Coke fountain drink. I then made my way to work.

When I got to work, I counted my money and waited for the store to open at 9am. Work was pretty typical, am a cashier and I just take peoples money, sounds exciting, I know. I get a 15 minute lunch break, which I usually take around 12:30. Today I ate a granola bar and some peanut brittle that someone had brought in to share. I spent the rest of my lunch break walking around the store, but I didn't find anything worth buying. The next 2 hours went by pretty slow and after the store closed, I counted down my drawer and left to come home.

My husband was home when I got here, he was outside watering the plants and cleaning out our fountain, after he had played with the dog. I started a load of laundry, mostly my husbands work clothes, and then I decided to write this blog. The rest of my night entails dinner at 5pm (I'm reheating a pepperoncini roast and making some mashed potatoes). Then I'll take a bath, and perhaps watch some TV and play some Halo Reach, and then head to bed between 10-11.

And there's my day!

30 Day Meme.

I haven't been blogging lately, but with Summer winding down, I am going to try to blog more. I've used Meme's in the past, and recently my Bestie started a 30 Day Meme. I decided to be a poser and join in on the fun. Here's the list of the topics I'll be blogging on:

Day 1 - A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was.

Day 2 - A photo of something you ate today.

Day 3 - Your idea of the perfect first date.

Day 4 - Your favorite photograph of your best friend.

Day 5 - A photo of yourself two years ago.

Day 6 - A photo of an animal you'd love to keep as a pet.

Day 7 - Your dream wedding.

Day 8 - A song to match your mood.

Day 9 - A photo of the item you last purchased.

Day 10 - A photo of your favorite place to eat.

Day 11 - What's in your makeup bag.

Day 12 - A photograph of the town you live in.

Day 13 - Your favorite musician and why?

Day 14 - A TV show you're currently addicted to.

Day 15 - Something you don't leave the house without.

Day 16 - Your celebrity crush.

Day 17 - A photo of you and your family.

Day 18 - Something you crave a lot.

Day 19 - Another picture of yourself.

Day 20 - The meaning behind your blog name.

Day 21 - A photo of something that makes you happy.

Day 22 - A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.

Day 23 - 15 facts about you.

Day 24 - A photo of something that means a lot to you.

Day 25 - What's in your purse?

Day 26 - A photo of somewhere you've been to.

Day 27 - A picture of you last year and now and how you changed since then?

Day 28 - Your favorite movie.

Day 29 - Something you could never get tired of doing.

Day 30 - A photograph of yourself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days.

I can almost guarantee that I won't blog everyday, but I will try my hardest.

The Concrete Jungle.

This weekend, I was on a quest for some queso de freir (cheese for frying) since the website I found for ordering was sold out, the hubby and I came across a Mexican store the reminded me of the bodegas in New York City. If you've never been to or heard of a bodega, it's basically a tiny grocery store, like the size of a gas station convenience store. It has all your basics, but then it has fruit, meat, beer...everything. Here's a picture of a typical bodega:

So the bodega didn't have my cheese, but we did buy some carne asada with marinade to grill out with. But it really got me thinking, about New York and how much I love it.

I can't even count how many times I've been to the City now, but every time we cross The George Washington Bridge into the City, it reminds me of my first time. Jenry videotaped it and I was just awestruck by the lights and all the buildings. The energy changes immediately after you get out of Jersey and into the City...I can't even describe it.

My husband always wanted to go back to New York, or even just the East Coast, but I knew he'd have better luck finding work out here in Arizona. We have discussed moving to New York, probably within the next 10 years. If he makes the same amount of money as he does now, we could afford decent housing there. He'd be home, I'd be closer to home.

And most importantly, I wouldn't have to look so hard for this damn queso de freir :p

Letters From Me.

Sometimes I feel the need to say things to people, but instead of saying it to them, I think it in my head. I was inspired by Nicole to write them out, knowing fully that the recipients will never read them. Here we go.

Dear Next Door Neighbors,

Can you please pull your effin weeds? Geez. I've lived here for 9 months and you haven't pulled them once. It's an eyesore, and since both our houses are behind the mailbox for the entire street, everyone sees your grossness when they check their mail. While I appreciate how awesome you make my yard look, I can't stand to look at yours. While we're at it, you have a 3 car garage, is it necessary to have 3 cars in your driveway? Especially that bright orange truck with a flat tire and garbage in the bed. That one needs to be hidden in your garage.

Love,

Your Annoyed Neighbor

Dear Adults Obsessed With Twilight,

I've never seen Twilight and who knows, I might've liked it if you freaks hadn't scared me off. I'm not talking about all Twilight fans who are adults, but the ones who act like teenagers, you know the type I'm talking about. My sister bought me the first book, but I'm afraid to read it, for fears I might be associated with you weirdos. Seriously, if you have two kids and husband, do you really need to be swooning over teenagers and clogging up my Twitter feed with this garbage?

Sincerely,

Scared of You

Dear Parents Who Don't Vaccinate Their Children,

Personally, I plan to vaccinate any children I have when they are babies. I understand that some people don't want to because they think it will make their children autistic. Every person has their own thoughts about the topic, but understand you will make people mad. Don't tell a doctor that you're not going to vaccinate and expect them to not be concerned. Doctors are medically trained and might have a reason to be concerned.

Yours Truly,

Vaccinated & Not Autistic

Dear Fat People Who Eat Like Crap,

If you're fat and content, more power to you. If you're fat, unhappy, and eating a stack of oreos every night, then shutup about being fat. I was fat and I did something about it. I don't want to hear you complain about it anymore. Please, just stop.

Regards,

Formerly Fat

I think that's it for the day. If I offended you, I didn't mean to. These were all directed toward specific people who I don't really like to begin with, so I get more annoyed than normal.

Happy Monday!

Meme.

Thanks to my Bestie, I discovered Meme's, which is basically like a blog prompt. I decided to investigate further, and came across this site - The Daily Meme. Since I haven't blogged in so long and I find it difficult to find any inspiration, I decided today I would try a meme. So today's meme says, "Post any photo that is straight out of the camera, in other words, not enhanced or tweaked in any way." Lucky for me, I took pictures of myself yesterday because I wanted a new picture for Facebook. So here is the totally raw, unedited image of me:

Of course, I like to edit my pictures a little bit using Paint Shop Pro or a cool website called Picnik. So here's the actual picture I added to my Facebook after editing.

I only used one effect called 'soften' which didn't change the photo drastically, but it did change it. So there you have it :]