I did nothing this week? {5 on Friday}

I wouldn't really "high five" myself over any of this....I seriously feel like work was crazy-busy, I was running slow all week, and my whole right side of my jaw hurts.  Yes, so here I am bitching about it. Without further complaints about life, here is a list of five factual things that happened this week!

1.  Booked a place through Airbnb for our anniversary trip to New Orleans, which we will be on our way to two weeks from today.  Woo, NOLA here we come!  ((K I am actually pretty psyched about getting this done this week, so maybe it wasn't a wash after all.))

Isn't this place the cutest?  Kind of eccentric, really cozy looking, and I'm a sucker for a chandelier.  Not to mention the cost of this WHOLE apartment is about half of what we would have paid for two nights at a nice hotel in the French Quarter, and I think we will get a better, more local experience this way too!  

2.  ONE WEEK from right meow, I will be departing for Nashville for one of my best friend's bachelorette parties!  SO EXCITED!  I will be rooming with this amazing broad pictured below, who is just "my person" when it comes to so many things. The insane texts about places you just don't check in on on Foursquare (your ob-gyn office, fyi), the knowing looks about when it's time to run away from crazy people, the sneaking of shots when we are out, it's all so perf.  Baby Nippy & Baby G reunited!!  

Sometimes we play "baby simba" with pavers we "borrow" from sidewalks. And ICE each other, and climb steel moose, and make faces on Cinco.   Ya'll can look forward to quality photos after Nashville.  

3.  Our pup is recovering nicely from his neutering a week ago and is getting his stitches out tomorrow.  Followed by a dog park trip probs!  He is super energetic, and I think we will see some behavior improvements eventually as a result of getting him neutered.  Listen to Bob Barker people, always spay and neuter your pets!

4.  Team Luckness Monster is hoping for total domination this week in FF!  Really gonna be riding the fast cleats of my running backs to victory I think.  I took this screenshot when I still had some points from the Raven's defense...pretty sure I'm negative now.  Is that even possible?  Who let me manage my own team?! 

5.  And finally, some motivation for everyone having trouble finding their stride, myself included here:

Cheers to the freakin weekend, everyone! I know I will be unwinding with some extra sleep, and an extra glass of wine tonight!! 

    

It's Friday & I'm So Excited {i'm so...scared.}

Do you like my Saved by the Bell reference friends?  Bad jokes are ok today, because it's Friday, and everything is better for just that fact alone.

This week was rough.  Work kinda crawled by, Barley is cutting his adult teeth (woof.), I have a sinus infection, and I think Bryan is still tired from driving back from the casino last weekend.   So needless to say, we weren't exactly "out and about" this week.  Still tho, here are the best five moments of the week:

1.& 2.  Lauren from Method to My Madness and I met up last night at Anvil in Midtown for cocktailllll hour.  Don't worry, I think this makes us real IRL friends now. 

I had a Pimm's Cup, she had the House Punch (why did I capitalize those??), and we both got the ridic pretzel with queso flameado. Um it was amazing.  And even better was our conversation about everything from family to work stuff to *gasp* husbands, and of course, blog world things.  

3.  You guys, if you aren't watching Orange is the New Black on Netflix, I want you to finish reading this post, drop everything else you have planned for today/tomorrow, and go watch.  

It's a hilarious/scary/thoughtful/well-written show based on a memoir of the same name (which I reallyyyy want to read), and it's about a woman who goes to jail for smuggling drugs in Europe for her ex-girlfriend who was also an expert heroin smuggler! And oh yeah, now she has a gentlemen fiancé on the outside.  There are characters called Crazy Eyes, Tastee, and Pennsatucky. Just watch it. It's great.  

4.  This corn we grilled.  I know it seems simple & lame, but sometimes finding the little things in life is what it's all about.  Lauren, aren't you happy you beat out corn on this list?! ;)

5.  Bryan sneakily took this pic on my phone the other night, and it's great and our pup is adorable and he is just getting so big it's crazy. 

What was the best part of your week?! 

May = July or Yikes, I'm a Midwesterner :: H54F

Well, it's MAY! Which to me was always the signal that it's officially spring, but it's like 85 here already, so I better re-adjust my expectations of "spring and summer", like this handy photo demonstrates:

Looks like it's just summer heading into summerer any day now! PS-also love how I live in the only "humid to sticky" portion of the state apparently? Yay for the Gulf of Mexico being an hour away.

Here's the usual five:

1.  Created my signature for my blog: (which obviously I could have you scroll down to see, but no) There have also been quite a few other changes to the blog--all of my blog love will be on my left sidebar now, and link-ups, ways to follow, and my previous posts are on the right hand side.  I'm an html wizard, y'all!

2.  Totes love my new glasses (still)

3.  Started packingggg--oh no.  Packing is so much work, and requires so much tape.  Forgot how much I hated it actually.  It will all be worth it right?

4.  Set up auto pay on my student loans!  This sounds really boring to everyone, but is a nice step in getting my shit together.

5.  Psyched up for tomorrow, which is the Kentucky de Mayo party-combining the best of this weekend, with both derby goodness and Cinco goodness.

linking up per usual!

Spring is Happening :: H54F

We are in full on spring mode here in Houston (I hope!)  B and I both marvel at how quickly you can adjust to warm weather year round after 25 years in the Midwest.  I got a little nostalgic for snowy winters and cute winter coats earlier this week looking at Chicago pictures.  Then I remembered how cool it was to not have to wear a down coat to my ankles.

Here's my usual round up of the week::

1.  Craziest thing I did this week?? Create a button for my blog that's now debuting on Friday!  So go ahead and grab it, we can swap, whatevs!  I honestly have no idea how all of that works but I see them on everyone's blogs, and I gave it a go.  Pretty pleased with it for now & like the pop of b&w on my very colorful page.

<div class="Sara-In-Texas-button" style="width: 200px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://www.saraintx.blogspot.com"> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1dG3_8QHZPMs_G6T7fYIvO8Q-VyOOp5gRkh30pTo8eQZ73q-CCczdDoInRnVf3ZqXaGyvPH9jDmosbf-TpRtM_Oue0NPYmfM3zNs2Gi39OrEe83VBi02Dsby-FQVGmXGeaCa6mnxTlXK/s200/spring%25202013%2520006-001.JPG" alt="Sara In Texas" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div>

2.  I finally got a photo into this beautiful frame we got for our wedding--ok, this actually happened *last* week, but I'm behind & I've been admiring it this week.  We have been joking that we basically have to get a dog because we are starting to have too many photos of our wedding/ourselves around the place.  And if you were hoping we wouldn't be those people who do a photo Christmas card with our dog, you're sorely mistaken, we definitely will!

:)

3.  I had a job interview for one position that turned into a job interview for a different/ok, better position *snaps*.  We'll see how it pans out...I'm working a lot on letting my anxiety about finding a job go and just trusting that God's plan for me will happen when it happens.  

4.  We signed our lease on our new place this week!! It's for real, and final.  This situation couldn't have worked out better for us, or the girl we are sub-leasing from.  Now we will have to book movers, but that will be easy enough.

weird pic, but this is our new place.

5.  I booked tickets to Chicago for my friend's law school graduation weekend!  I am *so excited*.  For more evidence of that, please see Wednesday's post over here.

can't wait to celebrate for peeper & have a mini reunion with my friends there

6.  Birchbox came on Wednesday! And boy did I get hooked up:

tag team with women's health mag for april! super exciting

my haul this month

Here's what is inside:  three samples of the same color-protective shampoo/conditioner, an eye cream, a body wash, tea, a y e a r long subscription to Women's Health (big yay!), and a full-size creamy lip pencil/gloss/color.  I will definitely be playing with my samples over the weekend/next week and posting my reviews soon.  I was actually very pleased with the items I've tried so far, and this is one of my favorite boxes all-time I'd say.  Mayyybe the year of Women's Health is swaying me a bit.

7.  For good measure here's a seventh:  We ate a lot of homemade guacamole this week.  Inspired by how much I ate last weekend with the girls in town probably!  Since there are just two of us, we use one avocado, about half a small vine tomato, and chopped red onion to taste.  Then I put about a teaspoon or so of the guac pre-mix you can buy at the grocery store...if it's not quite right, we add a little more.  One mix packet calls for two avocados, but we've used one pack across two so far with plenty more left.

please enjoy sorority afghan as the super classy backdrop

Happy Friday and have a relaxing and great weekend, everyone!

linking up with lauren as always

K March, You're Out! :: H54F

Usually I start this post earlier in the week and edit it as the week goes on, however, this week has flown by and I'm here Thursday night all, "huh?!"

1.  I made this delicious tomato tortellini soup for dinner. 

2.  I got mah hair did, and I love it.  We went for a ombre look with a nice, cool blonde on the ends.  I love it, yet somehow have no photos of it!

3.  I had a great run last Saturday of about 2 miles, minimal walking involved so that was good!

4.  Watched Zero Dark Thirty.  It was awesome.  Watch it. That is all.

5.  Also watched the whole second season of "Girls" on HBO.  Didn't like it as much as the first, but it was pretty entertaining!  Thank you, Comcast "Watchathon"-now through the end of the month!

Update ::  Bonus high five :: We went and scouted a loft apartment we may sublet and LOVED it.  We are doing paperwork tomorrow, so hopefully it will be official soon.  more space + less money each month = amazingness 

March Take Two :: H54F

You guyssss....here we go!

1.  Ok well I've been using my new purse a lot this week--it's appropriately warm enough in Houston for colors like this in March/it makes me happy so I don't care.  Props to my husband for getting me such an awesome Valentine's Day gift.

find it here

2.  Went on an "ok" run last Saturday.  But had a good textual convo with my friend who has run a few marathons about the stamina/push it mentality and feel good about where I am.  As I've said before, I think running is somewhat of a learning curve, but I like pushing myself to go further and do more.

3.  My new shoes:

4.  Snaps for getting a call for an interview!

5.  Nommest dinner of the week made by Bryan.  Pepper Steak recipe from a cookbook we got at one of my bridal showers.  It was so good-lots and lots of flavors!

omnomnomnom

6.  Gotta be real, I have a sixth this week!  Sarah over at Limited Space Organizing put me up for the Liebster!  I was really flattered, and I'm having a lot of fun getting that post together for sometime this weekend/early next week....it may be coming in parts!

Linking with FMGD of course!  Happy Friday, y'all!

Hi, March! :: H54F

Here we go with the highs of the week:

1.  Had a delicious dinner on Wednesday night at a friend's house.  Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin on the grill.  Smashed baby reds.  Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus.  Annnd an assortment of perfect tasting cupcakes.  Really wishing I had taken a picture of this meal right now!

2.  Got our taxes done!  Woo hoo for filing jointly and getting an awesome refund!

3.  I won our couple's Oscar pool--which just means I'm the 2-year consecutive winner and I have bragging rights.

4.  Had a successful work week-got back into it, got a lot accomplished and am looking out to the next opportunity coming my way.

5.  I read this great article in an old issue of Time called "Bacon Will Bring Us Together".   It discusses the role of the "moderate" in the American political landscape, and demonstrates what I think is so great about our country--that reasonable people do exist, and the term moderate isn't always a cop-out for choosing a side of the aisle.  Here is the link to the article.  Unfortunately you must be a subscriber to get the whole thing! :/

Have a great weekend, y'all!!

Linking with Lauren at FMGD as usual!

Cherries & Lemons :: H54F

In honor of this week, in which I've had dinner with my sister and her family every night, I've decided to make this week's post "Cherries and Lemons".  Every night they go around the dinner table and everyone gives their "cherry" or best part of their day, and "lemon" or worst part of their day!  It's adorable and the kids love it.

Here are my five cherries this week:

1.  My mom's amazing recovery.  If you've read my previous post this week, you know that my mom is recovering from a stroke, seizure and brain surgery that occurred about two weeks ago now.  She is doing so well, and it's been a blessing to be here with her as she recovers.

2.  My runs have been great.  On Tuesday, I took five minutes off of my previous two-mile time by just pushing myself a little more.  Felt GREAT.  Still nothing to brag about time-wise, but it's just about getting out there and trying, right? Right.

3.  Finishing another book this week-The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.  Ok, I know millions of people finish reading books every day.  But since finishing grad school almost a year ago (!!) I went into decompression mode where I did not want to read anything, even mindless crap.  I tried 50 Shades and immediately despised the writing so much that I quit.  Didn't even care that I had wasted $10 on it.  I  have now read multiple books in the last few months--post to follow soon on what those were.

4.  I will be seeing the hubstigation in about 36 hours, and I'm so thrilled since it's been about 12 days now since we have seen each other.  We will also get to have our belated Valentine's Day date at some point in the near future which I'm also pumped for!

5.  Today marks our five month wedding anniversary.  It's been a roller coaster of crazy lately, but we've pulled through, and for that, a few photos:

Bride needed a french fry stat after the ceremony!

Wind caught my veil at the exact right moment.

Favorite ladies.

Milwaukee River in the Historic Third Ward.

Our ridiculously gorgeous venue.  Grain Exchange in Milwaukee.

First dance.

Party time! 

 Linking with Lauren at FMGD for High Five for Friday! Happy Friday y'all!

MTWThFRIDAY :: H54F

Four highlights of this week:

1.  Celebrated a friend's birthday at a cool bar on Tuesday night.  They had a delicious beer selection, and an amazing giant pretzel with a french onion/cheese dip that was to die for.  It is called The Hay Merchant should you ever be in H-town!

2.  Saw Les Miserables this week.   It was *really* good.  I had never seen it performed before or anything, and I think I maybe read bits and pieces of it for a college course ages ago, so I liked taking it all in.

3.  Birchbox came this week.  Highlights included:  a very good face cream (Clark's Botanicals Marine Cream) that I am enjoying a lot.   A nice perfume that smells awesome (Harvey Prince Skinny Chic), and some more shampoo. I am starting to think that Birchbox thinks I have the dirtiest hair ever.  I would prefer a little less shampoo, guys/gals.

4.  This Lance Armstrong interview with Oprah is so great.  I don't even think he's truly sorry, and I like seeing her get after him.  "How do you feel about using the whore word?" "Ahhh, not, not good." Ok, Lance.

And one bummer:

The Packers lost, and then so did the Texans.  So now I guess I'm cheering for Tom Brady as a person in the playoffs.


Linking with Lauren at From My Grey Desk! Go Friday!

Friday, Friday!

Here are my top five of the week:

1.  Had an awesome NYE at the Hyatt here.  It was a blast, and much fun was had.

Oh hey, 50,000 balloons!  IN.SANE.

2.  My parents will be arriving for a visit tomorrow--very excited about this, as we haven't seen them since our wedding in September!

3.  Found a couple great jobs to apply for this week!

4.  I think I've finally figured out the shadow combinations to use from my Urban Decay Naked palette, and yes I'm totally obsessed.  Only took a few months of messing around with it!  

5.  STILL enjoying leftover (now frozen) lasagna from Christmas Eve.  Perk of it being just the two of us was that we had mountains of food to freeze and eat off of for weeks!

I would also like to add in one junk bucket thing that happened:

The Badgers lost the Rose Bowl.  For the third year in a row.  With Barry coaching.  COME ON.  Ok, end rant.  Looking for a Packers victory on Saturday to cheer me up!

Linking with FMGD! 

Top 5 of the Week

Here are five great moments of this week--

1.  I had a great job interview, and feel good about the potential there.

2.  I bought a new Camelbak water bottle on sale at Target for $12, and I'm totally obsessed with it!

3.  Tried out a new recipe-Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Cookies.  They were/are delicious.

Said delicious cookies.  

4.  Tonight we have plans to see Argo, and we are both really excited, which rarely happens when it comes to movie choices!

5.  We registered for a 5K on Thanksgiving morning this week.  Neither of us are great or "real" runners, whatever that may mean, but we are excited to have some good motivation to work out together and hopefully do more in the future.

Have a great weekend enjoying fall!