The Weekender :: Vol. 11

Looking back on photos of this weekend, pretty much seems like all I did was drink, drink, drink.  Except for Sunday, when we were way too tired to do anything but nap and eat and nap and go grocery shopping.

Thursday:  

Growlers were half price at this great place in Houston, Moon Tower Inn.  They also have awesome burgers, exotic hot dogs, and all sorts of seating under umbrellas so you don't die in the heat!  Not technically the weekend, but still.

Friday:

It was a long week, so I drank some champs, watched The Sopranos, and we went to bed semi-early!

Saturday:

Woke up to these two boys sleeping under the same blanket on the couch, how sweet.

Then I made some strawberry margarita jello shots, some of which I tried to put in strawberries...more on that to follow soon.

I managed to get a super slow, really hot run in late in the morning.  The app claimed it was only 85 degrees but I know it was lying.  Felt like 100 outside.  DIED.

K, so then my afternoon drastically improved from running to meeting up with the so funny and sweet Lauren from Method to My Madness!  Three hours later, we were like, "shit, better get home and make sure the husbands are alive!'  Needless to say, time flew by and we had a great bonding session over blogging, married life, making friends when you're in your late 20s, accompanied by a few Moscow Mules, Beaver's house punch of the day, and pulled pork sliders!

We failed at being bloggers because we only took this one pic in the parking lot before we left!  I know, good bloggers would have taken like 400 of every drink, sandwich, etc.  

See?  Proof we were at Beaver's.

So then I came home and Bryan and our friend Tom (see him below) were having a little pool party together.

Tom and I trying to look like we like each other. 

Testing out my strawberry creations (which were awesome btw)

Sunday:

Around 4 am on Sunday, Bryan took the world's most unflattering picture of me ever, sleeping so I could see how Barley curls up on top of my head at night.  

Like I said, Sunday was a real lazy day for all of us.

So now some more gratuitous pics of Barley for your entertainment:

Sprawled out and relaxing on the cold floor after a hot walk outside.

Dominating Mom and Dad's couch space.

Totally dominating Dad to get at his bone! He was actually just sitting like this on top of Bryan.  For like five minutes and chewing his bone.  Really bro?

Hope everyone else had weekends that were just as fun as ours was!  After all, it was the last weekend of July...which means that *someone*coughBryancough has a birthday this Friday!

Friday, I love you!

Today I am SO happy it's Friday. This week actually went by quickly, but I could really use a day of sun and mag reading by the pool right about meow.

Here are my five wins of the week:

Trivia/steak night on Tuesday at Front Porch...team name was Big Test Icicles.  It was me and three dudes to start with. And I didn't have a better name. 

Umm cinnamon coffee at BG for a late mornings breakfast on Sunday hit the spot.

Made perfectly crispy potato wedges in the oven. And then forgot to take an "after" pic. FAIL. But huge win, so win trumps fail Bc they were delish.  Basically lots of olive oil, sea salt, and cracked pepper to coat the guys.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, turn over, and then bake on the other side for 30 minutes.  Just perf with grilled corn and turkey dogs!

My puppy can go outside and he loves itttt!!  He is so happy to explore the outdoors and that makes us happy!

Found myself some flawless ombré hair-aspiration for fall if I want to take it slightly darker.  Jennifer Carpenter, I want to steal your hair.

As a bonus, this text from Bryan on Sunday:

Mmmm that references one of my DIAMOND STUDS that he got me for graduating from grad school. 

In Barley's mouth. So needless to say we were relieved that I had the other in still. 

How it fell out/he got it is a mystery. May need to look into making them screw backs. 

What was your highlight of the week? That your puppy didn't eat a diamond earring? Or something a little more low key? Like you just got in a good workout and made it to work on time every day this week? 

Half-Marathon Training or "Why Did I Do This?"

**Disclaimer:  I have no idea what I'm talking about.  I'm not a science person, a doctor, or anything like that.  I just know what's working for me right now.**

Let's be real.  I am not anyone's definition of an athlete except for my own.

So today's post will cover the ins and outs of starting from scratch when it comes to training for a half-marathon, which is basically what I'm doing now.

I can run a mile plus a little extra no problem.  That is/was my starting point.

I did a lot of research on plans to follow, and how to prep, and basically came up with the following formula:

Frequency + Distance = Finishing a Half Marathon

Basically, committing to training on the regular is a huge part of this.  That combined with increasing your distance, even if it means slowing down or *gasp*, WALKING, is important.  Your body has to adjust to being in motion for a longer period of time, period.  

I read on one site that "moving forward is what matters", especially in the beginning stages.  Eventually your body will get used to it, but now it's about training for endurance, and the mileage will follow.  

I caught on fast that if i skip a cardio day at the gym, it really messes with my ability to see progress in my runs, so I am definitely adding in straight cardio on my off-days from running.

Part of my issue is that I absolutely hate running inside on a treadmill.  I truly prefer to be outside and be getting fresh air and setting marks for myself "k, make it to that trash can, then make it to the that gazebo."  

Isn't this view of Hermann Park better than a gym?!  We are lucky enough to live dead across the street from this, so I have a perfect training track right outside my door, hence my further dislike for the gym.

Sooo yeah...I still have lots of time to train, and I'm obviously not going to break any records, but finishing that halfsie in January will feel pretty damn amazing.  

Coming soon will be a guest post from my dear friend from all the way back to high school on yoga flows for runners! 

She is amazing, as this photo proves:

To tide yourself over until her post follow her on IG @angiestarz24, and check out her website: 

Angie Starz Yoga

If you are lucky enough to live in Chicago, she teaches lots of great classes there! 

Annnd of course, training tips are welcome! I'd love to hear how you powered through your half or full marathon!

My TV BFFs

Today,  I want to use my favorite thing, GIFs, to show you all who my TV BFFs would be.

If they were real.

Sometimes, I'm watching these shows and I hear characters say things, and I'm like, "Damn, I need a person like that in my life!" or "Wow, let's have a sleepover now and braid each other's hair and drink wine coolers and eat brownies."

Except, I mean Lucille Bluth would totally make us all throw up after we had brownies.  But then she would totally help us freeze Liz Lemon's bra.  (K am I the only one out there who ever did that/had that happen to her at middle school sleepovers?!)

Lucille Bluth.

That's just good policy.

Liz Lemon.  I could do a whole post on this one alone.

Zero tolerance zone.

Leslie Knope.

I regularly make outrageous yet harmless threats about things.  And no apologies for that either, don't cut me off in the left lane on 59!

Cameron Tucker

Ok, could not find a gif of this.  But, 'nuff said. 

Tom Haverford and Donna Meagle.

I need more enabling friends to let me buy cashmere slippies.

Blair Waldorf

Blair's one-liners are aspirational!


Dr. Mindy Lahiri

Um, when haven't we all fallen asleep watching a movie we are "supposed" to love and then woke up only to find that we have spilled either A) our booze, B) our melted ice cream, or C) BOTH all over ourselves.

Sidenote, one time in college I fell asleep eating chicken tenders with BBQ sauce, woke up in the morning, and DEF thought I was bleeding somewhere. 


Nurse Morgan Tookers

Um, everyone needs a Morgan in their life.  A roundabout, hilarious and a little-bit-off reformed car thief to dialogue with. 

And finally, DJ ROOMBA!

Oh, what? Doesn't everyone want a Roomba that doubles as a DJ as a BFF4Lyfe??

Also, select Real Housewives of OC, BH, ATL, NYC, and NJ.

But that's for another day.

Happy Independence Day!

I mean, I know no one, and I mean no one is reading blogs today, but I thought I'd post anyways and share a  look at how I've spent my last few 4ths....mostly being super hot (sweaty, not sexy), and drinking beer! 

2010 in Chicago

...my friends had a place in Lincoln Park that only had window a/c units. yeah, about that...

Sweaty, but patriotic nonetheless.

2011 in my parent's backyard...yeahh sparklers! Such badasses.

Our nephew had a lot of fun lighting off random roman candles/fireworks that year, and we didn't burn the yard or house down!! Woo woo.

Finally, 2012 in Houston, TX.

I had just moved literally two or three days before this...it was my first taste of Texas heat.  Our old building had a DJ, and catered in BBQ.  It was awesome, and my bestie was still in town from helping me move. 

Pretty sure we saw lots of inappropriate pool behaviors happening that day.  It was kind of a gross frat party, but we had free beer, and then I moved on to wine in a Tervis....because, AMERICA! 

See the frat party behind my wine?!!

Anyways, don't forget that today is about letting freedom ring. 

Now whether that means making a fancy-ass trifle with strawberries and blueberries and whipped cream or just passing out on a boat all day from heat and booze, enjoy the day off of work and remember, we are allies with the British now!

Happy Fourth of July, y'all!

The Weekender :: Vol. 8

So haven't really posted much about our weekends lately, but here's the wrap-up for this one!

Friday night...

Yummy glass of Tempranillo at dinner. There was also steak involved.

Then I maibs got attacked by Barley and snapped this pic. Yes, that is my baby blanket wrapped around my head. It comforts me AND protects my hair from being gnawed on.

Saturday morning we volunteered at a Cabrini yard sale my work was holding to raise money for our CEO's Christmas gift/donation in honor of him.  It was about 90 degrees by 11 when we left so I was glad we had a morning shift! 

After that, came home and baked some gross cookies we ended up throwing up, fail. And then also hosted an impromptu boy's gathering all afternoon.  

I maybe had this brandy manhattan...

Post that, my friend swooped me up and we went and got mani/pedis in a comedy of errors that included me wearing skinny black crops the ladies could barely pull up over my calves and my friend smudging her nail and then a toe nail. #failling

Toes are Sunday Funday by Essie...

Nails are just light pink shellac.

K so after that we met up with our gentlemen friends for our very good friend's last last dinner out before moving far away from us sweaty Houstonians. I say that because two weeks ago we took he and his wife out for dinner at Masraff's, which if you live here, GO and get a bison steak there immediately.

So anyways, we went to Pappacito's for a ridiculous amount of noms tex-mex and margs. Mine had some kind of blackberry liqueur situation floater on top of a regular marg. like 800 boozes and that's all you need to worry about.

Actually Bryan won with this Jalisco Tea he ordered, which is basically a tex mex Long Island. It was delish also. 

K so then we went to one of our favorite dive bars...we took a out a million pics, but sadly they are all on our friends camera and probably really unflattering. 

I did take a pic of this sign FINALLY to send to my lawyer friends. It always cracks me up in the ladies' room.

Fast forward to Sunday morning...in all my glory here at Trader Joe's struggling to buy groceries and wearing my friend from Chicago's sweet old t-shirt. 

Hot. Mess. Don't worry I also went to petsmart like this to get Barley's nails trimmed. I was also in an old pair of jean shorts. I'm literally offending myself as I type this. 

We got some quality snug time on the couch and then went to see "World War Z".  Which, ok. I basically felt anxious the whole time, I think normal people just say it was suspenseful but I have life issues so it was anxiety-producing instead. 

Honestly, ever since Brad Pitt adultered Jennifer Aniston, I basically only tolerate his movies if George Clooney is in them too.  That said, I'm definitely going to finish that book now. 

K so then I got crazy and made five dinners..well two but there was enough veggie chopping for five.

Stir fry we had last night. Chicken, snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, pineapple, some soy and teriyaki sauces and a little cornstarch to thicken it up. Omnomnom

Then I put together a crockpot full of soup for tonight-it's nothing fancy but its always so good. Potatoes, onion, carrots, tomatoes, basil, browned ground beef, barley (haha the grain not our dog), seasoning salt, bay leaves, water and a couple bouillon cubes. Add peas later for color and so they don't mush while it cooks.

Speaking of mush, look how grossly cute we are!  Just holding hands during Sunday night tv time. Like a bunch of sickos in love!

Oh, and to close our our weekend at 10 pm Sunday night, a MASSIVE cockroach appeared on our bathroom wall. I've never actually seen one indoors or up close, but Bryan gave it the business and even stood in the bathroom talking to me while I showered because I was scared of it. What a man.  

K so what summer movies did you see this weekend? Did you also "accidentally" mix tequila, beer, vodka, fireball and a delicious apple pie shot? But then recover and get your shit together to make a few meals and be a real person?!