Category: Everything Else

Categories
Everything Else

Stylish Blogger Award

My sweet friend B aka Annie gave me this award this past week.  It’s the first award for 2011! Thanks B!

Here’s the scoop for this one:
1. Link to the blogger{s} who gave you the award.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself.
3. Pass the award on to 15 ladies& let them know you did.

My 7 facts:
1. I joined myfitnesspal.com on Thursday.  I downloaded the app for my phone last night.  Keeping track of exactly what I’m eating is pretty eye opening & knowing I have to write something down has already stopped me for having seconds a few times.

2. I was so excited to take advantage of the $1.88 deal on diet coke 12 packs at Harris Teeter today.  Diet coke is something neither of us go a day without.

3. I keep Dove caramel filled milk chocolates on the coffee table as a small sweet bite for me.  We keep mini Reece’s Cups for Jason.

4.  I can’t wait to get my toes in the sand.  I know I traveled a lot at the end of last year but not often to the beach.  I’m hoping for more beach trips this year.

5.  Even though I don’t need to spend the money, I’m really excited just to check out Rue La La‘s Lilly sale today at 11a.  I’ve heard things will go fast & to take advantage of Quick! Buy It before your favorite is gone. {photo from RueLaLa}

6.  I could eat pizza any day of the week.  We had a Newman’s Own Four Cheese frozen pizza last night & it was really good for frozen {even better that I got it for $3.50 on sale & with a coupon}.

7.  I do almost nothing to get my hair “ready for work”.  Turn upside down & add mousse.  That’s it. Did I lose my stylishness with that confession? I hope not.

I’m passing this along to:
Sally at Exploits of a Military Mama
Suzanne at Pretty Swell
Katherine at A Hokie & A Cav
Nicole at Fantabulous Faby Family
Sara at Mrs & Mister
Alena at Charmingly Chandler
Lins at Waking Up Williams
Joanna at Planned Spontaneity
Jenny at Jennandtonica {triplets are stylish!}
Katie at Sluiter Nation
Jamee at A New Kind of Normal
Miss Living in Lilly
Kristen at BonBon Rose Girls
Megan at MegaWhat
Marion at Perfect Chance Memories

Categories
Everything Else Reading

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet

I’m going to try this year to do at least a quick write up/review of each of the books I read this year.  There are years I look back & don’t remember anything other than “yeah I read that”.  I hope this will help.

January’s book club choice was Jamie Ford’s Hotel of the Corner of Bitter & Sweet. Long title. Great book. I was on the library wait list since it was decided we’d read it in December. I was still 32nd on the list on 12/20 so I jumped on Amazon & realized with our prime account I could have it within a couple days for $5. I got it the next night!!

I started it last weekend, but read most of it Monday night. Once I got really into it, I couldn’t put it down. It’s a father-son story; a love story; a WWII story. It goes back & forth from 1986 & the 1940s all in Seattle. The main character is Chinese but has befriended a young Japanese girl, Keiko. The book taught me more than any middle school history book on the Japanese interment camps & the life in the camps.  I was fascinated by the Seattle jazz featured & the friendship between Henry & Sheldon.  I don’t want to give too much away, but I definitely recommend it.  I’m posting it on my paperbackswap account now, so if you’re interested find “ldybugsuzi”.

PS, I searching for a photo of the book online {thanks}{being lazy & didn’t feel like taking then uploading one}, I stumbled upon the author, Jamie Ford’s website.  It’s really good if you want to get to know him a little better.

Categories
Everything Else

Lilly Pulitzer Home Sale

Y’all know I can’t resist a sale, especially a Lilly sale!  So when I saw info on the Garnet Hill sale on a couple blogs, I thought I’d check it out.  I’d never been to Garnet Hill before, but it’s such a fun, pretty website. 

Our current guest bedroom covers, shams, pillows came in a bed in a bag on clearance at Kohl’s.  What I’d say about them: they’re mostly blue & they were cheap.  Moe has also had a thing for that comforter so it now has a hole at the foot of the bed {yeah we know he’s crazy}.

The Lilly Leaf It to Me comforter was originally $188 for the queen {a little big so I can tuck it in so Moe wont be tempted} & I got it for $29!  I bought two shams for $9 each and the outer for this pillow for $9.  I bought the white on white lace Embroidered Percale Bedskirt which I thought would be really pretty in the room for only $19.  The bedskirt is no longer on sale, & the shams are now out of stock, but if you’re looking for a great deal on the pillow or the coverlet, go check it out!  I had a hard time not getting one of the $9 Lilly shower curtains or the super cute cocktail mixer.

photos all from Garnet Hill website

I recieved an email today that it all shipped.  I’ll be sure to post photos once it’s all here & set up in the guest room.

disclaimer: Garnet Hill has no idea I did this post.  I’m just excited about the deal & thought I’d share with y’all.

Categories
Everything Else Trying To Conceive

2011 Goals

I took this weekend to go back through my 2010 blog posts & it ended up being two year in review posts.  I also looked back on my 2010 goals…I’m not going to focus on the fact that few if any personal ones were completed {husband did get a new job that he really enjoys}.  I guess we’ll just say I’m still a work in progress…  I’m not calling these resolutions because I feel that sets me up for failure.  I’ll call these 2011 goals.

I first made known our TTC last January.  One year later, we aren’t much, if any, closer to that baby {CD1 of cycle 12 started Christmas day…that was just quite a day}.  So a 2011 baby is still a goal for this year.  I plan to make an appointment with OB/RE if we aren’t pregnant by February/March. I’m also getting tired of doing month TTC chart posts.  I promise to keep y’all informed if there’s changes with TTC, but I’m not sure that I’ll keep up those per cycle posts. {will yall miss them? think I’ll miss them? leave me a comment with your thoughts}

After the passing of my grandmother, I want to make a lot of time for family in 2011.  I look back so fondly on my time in Charlotte in 2010 with Ma.  I plan to go visit Nana & Pawpaw at OIB & Papa in Charlotte as often as I can & really visit with them and not take them for granted.

Steven & Beth’s wedding is Oct 22nd.  I want to be healthier by their wedding.  I work better when I have a timeline goal. I’m not going to make a “I want to lose x number of pounds goal” because I feel like that sets me for feeling bad if its not attained.  So I’m leaving it as healthier & happier.  I’d like to work out more during the week and at least do something active on the weekends.  Eat more at home {not takeout but actually cooking healthy meals}.  I’d love to fit into a size 10 instead of 16 bridesmaid’s dress, but if it’s a 24 because I’m healthy & happily pregnant, I will be ecstatic! {btw, I’ve been thinking that we maybe not super hard TTC cycles 13/14 so that I’m not super duper, you-can’t-travel pregnant or delivering on their wedding day. what’d yall think about that? should we continue to try?}

Be a better blogger.  I think I did better in 2010 when it comes to posting more frequently & getting connected with other bloggers.  I’ve made awesome blog & twitter friends in the past year & plan to keep that up.  I’d love to attend BlogHer11 this summer in San Diego & am going to see if I can make that work.

On that note, I want to *attempt* to do project 365 or it might end up as project 52 this year.  Maybe I’ll do a “my week in pictures” post on here that way I remember what I’ve taken each day/week & get to use my Nikon! 
I wrote these goals early last week and really got excited about this project 365 idea.  I decided to make a tumblr page as to not let the project take over this blog {I made a Page for it too}.  I’d *love* for you to start following me at http://suzstreats.tumblr.com & let me know what you think of my photos so far.  If you’d want to see them {or maybe a weeks worth here} let me know & I could start that up.

Categories
Everything Else

2010 In Review {part 2}

Finishing up the 2010 review…

JULY
We had our dishwashed installed right before we left for OIB for the 4th weekend.  As a result of left out Jacks & a puppy, I purchased a new pair of my favorite Jack Rogers sandals.  The Sophie & True Blood netflixs also arrived in July. 

I went up to VA for a family friend’s couples shower & met my future sister-in-law’s brother & his family & got the recipe for her pasta salad.  I proudly showed off Moe in the pet blog hop.  I received two blog awards (people liked me huh?!).  I joined in on Momma’s Munchies & we went to see the Bare Naked Ladies.

AUGUST

I went to visit my Ma & Papa & while I was there I enjoyed a wine night with Sara.  I went to see Eat, Pray Love for a girls night.  I cooked a lot in August: I made Sunny Morning muffins, participated in 2 Momma’s Munchies, discovered Kim’s banana pudding {if you like banana pudding you NEED this easy recipe!}, & I made a chilly POM pie when my parent’s came in town for a wedding.

 

I posted my cycle 6 chart.  I ended my Aug posts with a wish list Wednesday {lucky me now has all 3 items on my list!}.

SEPTEMBER

I began my Thankful Thursdays.  The Wolfpack football season began! I received litter from World’s best {still love them!}& some blog giveaway prizes. I spend a fun Saturday in Charlotte celebrating Jenny & her triplets!  I got a lil crazy & started painting my nails {I actually used this polish tonight}.  I vented some TTC frustrations & Jason & I had our 3 year anniversary.

OCTOBER

We started October in Ocean Isle & Wilmington for a wedding {which I never posted photos of, so here’s a few}.

I also participated in the Soft Bums launting of their new cloth diaper.  I went on a work trip to the NC mountains; while there I toured Lake Lure & got a bunch of apples.  I made apple cake & apple bread.  Football season continued including my parents coming down for the BC game & our awesome Thurs night win vs FSU.  We went up to Richmond for my 10 year HS reunion and I ended Oct in Charlotte visiting with Ma & helping Papa right after his surgery {also had lunch with B}.

NOVEMBER
My work did a CSA day, so I bought raspberries then made raspberry scones.  I had a cooking fail with pepper jack chicken but thanks to Alethea & her extra potatoes, I made awesome sweet potato fries.  I enjoyed girls nights & fell in love with these pumpkin cookies.

There was the last 1 home NCSU game. I went to Charlotte & had fun with Ma & Papa & uptown with B. 

Then we went to Ocean Isle for Thanksgiving & I did a lot of shopping {also received a few more giveways}.

DECEMBER

We started {& snowy Christmas trees} & ended December with snow.  I had a bit of a TTC break down but good friends helped to lift my spirits. I got caught up a reading or at least tried.  We stepped out for Cinderella & dinner with friends for my 29th b-day.

We decorated for Christmas including my owl love.  I baked oatmeal craisin cookies & did a Christmas quiz. 

The rest of December was in Charlotte: I held Ma’s hands & said goodbye then went back with Jason & the rest of the family after she slipped into a coma then passed Christmas morning.

If you got to the end of this post, THANK YOU!  Here’s to the beginning of a new year & all it ups & downs {hopefully more ups than downs} it will entail!