PRESSURE....

I'm the kind of girl that likes to be comfortable....

....in my clothes. If I'm not comfortable there is a definite chance I will be cranky and less fun.

(note: of course I will still be mostly fun, because duh-I ROCK! ha!....or at least according to my nieces I do)

Now, lets not confuse comfort with shabbiness. I like to look pulled together, I'm using the word "comfortable" as a loose term in regards to all situations:

*meeting friends for dinner
*going to a party

*hanging at home with friends

*going to the in-laws for dinner

*going to a movie

*going to work

No matter the situation (casual or dressy) it is a must for me to feel comfortable in my outfit!

ALL that said, I am slightly stressing out about this weekend. We (me, Kitty & Sara) are driving up to Detroit-Rock City to visit our fiery friend Lisa.

(note: if she reads this prior to our arrival I might get a hello whack upside the head for calling her fiery....she has red hair.)

Lisa has informed us that she is getting a bit more spiffed up than usual for our weekend outings. Which equals the outfits I had originally planned are a no go.

Thanks to this "spiffed up" comment I have spent the entire week attempting to put together 2-3 outfits that:

a) look smashing (obviously)
b) I won't freeze my bum off in (winter = I can't just throw on a fun dress and be done)
c) I can get away with NOT wearing heels/pumps with

Background info on me wearing heels/pumps:

I used to wear them all the time, then came Stone. He is 5'10" I am 5'7.5". This means if I wear heels I am either the same height or taller than Stone....sorry, not a big fan of that.

Problem:

When I wear heels now (totally rare occasion) I am want to curl up in a little ball and cry the next day because my tootsies are so darn sore!

Solution (for this weekend....and my smashing outfits):

AND


Thank you Steve Madden and Blowfish for enabling me to not only look smashing but also be oh-so-comfy!

***Perhaps I will present photos of the full outfits at a later date.....

puzzolente!

Dear Parmesan Reggiano,

I thought we were friends.


I thought things were good between us.

I get to use my new Pampered Chef cheese grater every time I shred you for Parmesan Crusted Chicken.

I shred you so you can sprinkle bits-o-goodness a top pasta. I slice you so I can have a cheesy delicious snack.

So why I ask. WHY....did you decide last night to stink up my kitchen like a giant foot?

After everything I do! I always make sure to buy you fresh. I always make sure to wrap you up snug and safe before I put you away.

I could have forgiven you for last night, but this morning you took it too far.

There I am, walking down the stairs to start my morning, when the sharp sting of your stench slapped me across the face.

Hopefully when I get home tonight you will have made the right decision and cleaned your act up.

If not, I have some serious thinking to do about whether or not I can let someone with your foul nature back into my kitchen (and life).

With a sad heart,

Courtney

Success.....

Thanks to AT&T U-Verse, and the $50 Visa gift card they sent us (me), Saturday I was on a mission to find/purchase new jeans.



Problem:

1. I have long (semi-slender) legs

+

2. I have junk in the trunk

=

3. Jeans shopping is almost my least favorite adventure.....EVER.



My first stop was a failure....as usual Express did not have my size.



Second stop, Von Maur, was a fluke and a failure (Kitty had to drop a pair of heels at the Cobbler for repair....thus we went to Von Maur whilst waiting)....I'm just mentally not ready to plop down $175.00-$200.00 for a pair of jeans.



Third time really is a charm! (and at the most unlikely of places)



On a whim I decided to stroll through The Gap.



Background info:

In the past, jeans from The Gap have been down right stupid (for me). The designers apparently think I have "a package" and therefore make the inseam especially looooooonnnng on their jeans. Um, no thank you I do not want to appear to not only have junk in the trunk but also in the front!!!! It's really a strange site to see.



Well, imagine my surprise when I slip into a pair of dark, low-rise, skinny jeans and they look smashing!



Well done Gap, well done.



(doesn't it sound strange to say "Gap" and not "The Gap"????)



Added Bonus:

They had a special going....spend $75 and get $20 off your purchase. The jeans were $69.99 so I picked up a pair of $6.99 boxers for Stone and my total ended up at $60.00!!!



Sadface:

Due to me grabbing the wrong size boxers Stone's little surprise was a failure.



It's OK:

Kev (Kitty's boy toy) just so happened to wear the size of boxers I grabbed therefore he got a little surprise.....that we pretended was from Kitty and not me....kind of strange to buy your friend's boyfriend new boxers. hee hee!



random bit:

***Ever notice how people discuss the vitamins they are taking, but no one ever really talks about the minerals.

Kissable

Yes, it is true that I had a mid-morning snack which consisted of a cherry flavored BlowPop.

In my defense, I opened the sucker in an attempt to give my lips a bit of a red tint.....the attempt was a failure.

On the plus side, I got to eat a cherry flavored BlowPop and then chew tasty gum for a bit afterwards.

Tomorrow Mother Nature is allegedly blowing in cold air and snow.

(due to the weather peeps in this town and their knack for incorrectly predicting the weather, I don't believe there will be snow until I see it)

In preparation for this possible cold cold day I have decided beef stew is in order.

When it is cold/windy/hideous outside I feel it is a must to have a tasty (hot) meal brewing all day long. The smell of food, simmering on the stove top all day, will wrap itself around my home like a warm fuzzy blanket.

I can't wait.

Hodge Podge...again (I'm sorry!)

*Unless a surprise pretty package arrives at my front door in the next week or so, my dreams have been shattered. The dress (picture in my "Snaps for Court!" post) has been purchased by another.


The only peace I have....some lady, some where, possible far far away will feel oh so lovely in that dress when she wears it.


* Tonight's dinner included: grilled cheese & tomato soup.....hello childhood, the memory of you washes over me like a summer breeze.

*Pretzel Crisps....new favorite snack which just so happen to go swimmingly with a glass of vino and makes reading my new Cooking Light magazine even more enjoyable.

(Matilda loves them too...)


*Oh, I am starting the search for the perfect Tea Party invitation. So far I have found one that is too cute to boot.

(of course I can't show it to you!....what if one of my invitees reads this and sees the invite before it arrives in her mailbox??? talk about ruining a surprise!)


* I heard "Barracuda" by Heart not once but twice on the radio today.

a) it was a bit much
b) I can't lie....I did mentally strum the Guitar Hero guitar each time I heard it. (dum-duddum-duddum-duddum-duddum-dum-dum-dummmmmm)

Snaps for Court!

1. Stone informed me that the quesadillas I made for dinner last night were "restaurant quality".

(after the "spitting incident" he informed that: "you NEVER spit into the wind!"...sorry Stone, girls don't get the spitting handbook apparently presented to all boys at birth)

2. If an extra $285.00 were to magically appear in my bank account I would most certainly purchase this:

dress can be found at this etsy shop

3. If whilst driving I am behind a fellow drive who has failed to realize their turn signal is still on, I at first feel rage at having to watch the blinker "blink, blink, blink" for who knows how long. Then when the "blink, blink, blink" stops and my fellow driver has realized "OH GOODNESS, I have had my turn signal on since I got on the interstate 10 MILES AGO."....The need to cheer and clap for my fellow (clueless) driver is almost more than I can bear!



4. I painted my nails with a little "Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ" (courtesy of OPI) over the weekend. Watching my finger-licking-good nails fly over the keyboard has been great fun for the past few days!

V-Day recap:

Valentine's Day (this year) = absurd awesomeness

I found these beauties waiting for me downstairs on Saturday morning:

Tulips? Yes please!....my boy toy knows what I like!



He also got me this darling little tank/tunic (from here) that I will be sporting even in the winter with a long sleeved shirt underneath.

(note: he attempted to purchase me the rockin dress I wanted buy they no longer had my size...sadface)

OK, on to the "absurd awesomeness".....

(my flowers & tank were just plain awesome)

We dined in style here:

As I said before, White Castle does a whole Valentine's Day promo. They have "table cloths", servers, candles, flowers...etc. It was very silly.

This is the menu that awaited us at our table. If you look closely you will see the first of the "absurd awesomeness".....The outside of the menu says:

"Celebrating Your Love......."

Open it up and you find:

"......Of The Crave"

Heck yeah that's what we were celebrating!

(Katie Jean and Babs)

V-Day is also Babs' birthday....much to his dismay the entire "wait staff" at White Castle sang him HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Afterwards he stated:

"That was the most heartfelt rendition of Happy Birthday I have ever experienced."

To which we all agreed.

We all added a little "kick" to our sodas....and by "kick" I mean good ol Jim Beam.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EVENING :

1. The sign on the door stated, "RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Please see hostess for seating." I love it!...it was all very serious.

2. Stone went to the bathroom and when he came back he whispered:

"Don't make a big deal about it, but the WORKER who went to the bathroom before me didn't wash his hands."

Um....EEWW!

3. Katie Jean dropped the glass pint of Jim Beam onto the tile floor causing quite a ruckus. Luckily it didn't break but seeing has how not a damn thing in that entire "restaurant" is made out of glass.....it was pretty obvious what we were up to.

4. While ordering, our waitress recommended the fish sandwich. HA!....

"What's good on the menu tonight?"

"I recommend the fish sandwich."

Good times!!!!

brown baggin it....

Saskia tagged me today.....I must show you all the current hand bag I am carrying, what it cost and where I got it.

This bag cost me $100 (it was supposed to be $200. BARGAIN!....well sort of)

I got it at the Nordstrom Rack in San Francisco last September while visiting my sweets, Emma.

Other than a few times when a brown bag would've just been silly, I have carried this bag almost everyday since I got it.

You can't even imagine the junk I can carry around in this baby! I LOVE IT!

I took a jog.....

(or is it "yog" with a soft "j"?)




New Years UN-resolution #1 was put into play tonight.



I hopped on my little bicycle, pedaled over to Kitty's place and we ran (well she ran I ran/walked) 2.5 miles.



It was a real doozy!



I huffed. I puffed. I was almost blown away.....seriously, it was bad.



You want the sick truth?



OK, here it goes:



About half way through the run I slowed down to a walk (again) and told Kitty that she could go on without me. Whilst speed walking I came to realize that I needed to spit....BAD.



(note: I'm not a girl that spits but due to the combo of huffing, puffing and chilly air I couldn't avoid it)



So there I am speeding walking along when I see it. The perfect place for me to hide behind a tree and take care of my spitting business.



I speed walk up, crouch down ever so slightly (so there is less "air time" for the spit) and I do it.



At that moment two things happened.



1) the wind picked up and instead of hitting the ground the spit took a detour and landed on my puff vest



2) a fellow yogger (of course it was a young not so bad looking man) passed by and got to be witness to me and all my spitty glory



The cherry on top you ask?



While frantically trying to get the spit off of my vest I became aware that a little spit string was still connecting the spit to my mouth.....and yes, my fellow male not so bad looking yogger saw it all.





I look forward to my next run/walk outing and the shenanigans that will ensue

TRUTH:

I can't help but giggle, when watching the Westminster Dog Show, and the commentators say:

"She's a fine bitch"

Yes....I'm really a 12 year old.

Absurd?....possibly

Last night I informed Stone of what I want to do if we ever win the lottery.

The conversation went something like this:

Court: "If we ever win the lottery I want to build a new house....the house I want is the one from the movie Practical Magic."

Stone: "Um......nah."

Court: "WHAT!?!?!"

Stone: "I don't really like that house. I want something more modern. It could be a vacation home...."

Court: "That is MY DREAM HOUSE!!!! NOT my VACATION dream house."

Stone: "Well then I'll build my own house."

Court: "REAL mature."

Stone: "I'm not really down to live in a house that looks haunted."

Court: "I can't believe you are shattering my dreams right now."

Stone: "I can't believe you are totally nuts right now."

Court: "Touche. It's not like we have the "golden ticket" in our pockets or anything."

Please feast your eyes on MY future home:

(Stone will be living in a shack down the street)

(and by "future" I mean....not in a million years... but I can always dream)

And this will be my kitchen:

photos from www.amasveritas.com

taking it in......

I find joy in the simple things.

Tonight I smiled as I stood in the kitchen cooking dinner. While I was waiting for the rice to boil I could hear Stone in the basement, cutting his hair. I peaked around the corner and there he was, sitting on a stool.....in his undies.

I sat on the couch and had a most refreshing glass of White Cranberry Juice. Crisp, cool and perfectly sweet....and I smiled again

When I let Matilda out on this unusually warm night, the wind hit my face and it smelled like spring....and I smiled.

I watched Practical Magic and decided that I must grow my hair long again so I can wear it in two loose braids flowing down my back....imagining my unruly hair, I smiled


(Oh, and I must find the house the movie was filmed in....and purchase it....some way, some how)



While typing this post, Matilda lay sleeping next to me on the couch. Across the room, Stone is hiding around the corner making her toy dance across the floor. She perks up and runs to investigate....I smile at the two of them playing.



I smile.....knowing that the little things in life are what make me happiest.

Nice Little Saturday

Saturday's celebration of the under-celebrated holiday Groundhog's Day turned out to be a pretty bitchin day.

I made this tasty vegetable chili recipe. Served with brown rice and a "dollop of daisy" on top (but really it is generic grocery store brand sour cream)

Katie Jean was the "wax heater/stirrer" during our candle making.....she now has the softest hands ever.

Kitty was kind enough to snap a photo of me running for my life back up the stairs....I had to venture down to the dreaded basement to put our candle making supplies away. This picture doesn't do the scariness level of the basement justice. It is dark, damp and dreary down there!!!

Mason jars were the container of choice for our scented soy wax awesomeness. Katie Jean's are Coconut (mmhhh-the beach), mine are Exotica (tropical fruitish) and Kitty went with Poppy (vibrant and fresh)

TADA!!! The finished product (well...I still need to cut the wicks, but you get the jist)

Oh, and it wouldn't be a Drunk Saturday without a special moment between these two best buds.

To Kitty's dismay, the movie Groundhog's Day was played over and over and over all day as well. I can't get enough of Bill Murray and Punxsutawney Phil!

To MY dismay, I have spent pretty much the whole of Sunday feeling less than dandy due to OVER celebrating the under-celebrated G-Day....if you catch my drift. Stone was kind enough to snap a photo of me at my lowest (passed out on the couch, mouth open and drooling) I will not put anyone through the trauma of seeing it. Take my word for it....NOT PRETTY.

Note to self: add "G-Hog Tribute" to annual list of celebrations.

A Tribute:

I've added "Celebrate Groundhog's Day with Punksatony Phil" to my LIFE TO DO LIST.

I want to drive to Punksatony, PA and join in the festivities...perhaps even tip a 40 to the ole fur ball.

Groundhog's Day was on Monday and since I am forced to be an adult and go to work (sober) I was unable to properly celebrate this under-celebrated holiday.

In honor of G-Day, my girlfriends and I will be putting the movie Groundhog's Day into the DVD player for an ALL DAY SHOWING (just like they do on TBS) and drinking a few brews to celebrate that Punksatony Phil and his famous shadow.

Also on the agenda:

*making/eating a new veggie chili recipe....it's one of Emeril's and I've never made a recipe of his, I'm pumped!

*attempting to make soy candles....hopefully we don't start some sort of fire and turn the house in to one giant flaming candle

WORM....of the book persuasion

I started The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton on Wednesday.

(no, I did not purposely pick that day of the week)

I finished it this evening.

I know I should save my thoughts for my next book club meeting but since I'm fairly confident that only two of the book club members read this blog, I'm just gonna let my thoughts fly.

I loved this book....I could have done without the abrupt ending....other than that: A+

I have read other books similar in theme: The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons (are two off the top of my head)

I love books that are centered around a group of women who haven't necessarily known each other since they were little, but who form the closest most honest friendships you could ever hope for. Books that are about empowering women, but not in an "I'm gonna burn my bra" kind of a way.

quiet strength

(not meaning to steal Coach Dungy's book title, but it honestly did just come to me and then I wondered where I had heard it before)

The way this book is written is how I imagine the narrator (if she were real) would talk. It doesn't "sound" like I am reading something a person wrote down. It seemed more like actually listening to a women talk....does that make sense?

Example: My Aunt Deidra told me she laughs when she reads my emails because I write the EXACT SAME way I talk. She can picture me moving my hands and jabbering on and on about whatever it is I emailed her about.

(I'm a motor mouth in person....sometimes it's a bit intense)

THAT is how reading this book was....like sitting on a bench listening to a lady reminisce about her friends.

When I read books like this it always makes me sentimental about my girlfriends. I don't have very many but the ones I do have I am over the moon for. Each one of them, in their own special way, makes me a better person.

So thank you my little lovelies (you know who you are) for making my life that much brighter.

MUAH!

milk it......

Stone and I usually do not exchange gifts for Valentine's Day.

We share a nice dinner and tasty beverages.

This year however, we are doing dinner on the cheap. I mean C-H-E-A-P! White Castle does a Valentine's Day dinner with servers, table cloths, candles, real plates/silverware.....we are doing a little cheap-o double date with Katie Jean and her boy toy.

Seriously, Katie had to actually call and make a reservation. We wanted to go at 7pm but they were already booked and couldn't "fit us in" until 8pm. ha!

Totally absurd and awesome!

(we are going to attempted to smuggle in our own vino....I'll keep you posted on how that turns out for us)

OK, all that said....and since we are doing V-Day dinner seriously cheap.....I have casually dropped hints to Stone about a few items I have my eyes on. I don't want them all (right now) but one of them would be a bitchin surprise.

(by "casually dropped hints" I mean emailed him photos, websites, sizes....hee hee!)

Here are said items:

funky felt bangles for $14.00 at this Etsy shop

sweet dress (on sale) for $29.00 here.....plus it has a rockin green bow on the back

itty bitty gold disc necklace for $24.00 from this Etsy shop

snap, crackle, pop

Katie Jean and I ventured out to Talbott Street on Friday to watch the drag show.....hilarious as always.

On our way to the bar we saw mass quantities of fire trucks/ambulances driving by.

After being retrieved from the bar (Stone was our DD), we happened upon the "scene of the crime".....

Stone hated his life.....we made him turn the car around and take a little photo shoot of us in front of the carnage.

note: in the morning (aka: 12pm) when I drove Katie back to her car, the van was STILL in the Church's.....and there were workers there! I don't know if that means they were frying chicken but either way THAT is what I call DEDICATION!!!

I would also like to state that on Sunday I fell a little bit more in love with Alec Baldwin.

Did I not mention that I have a thing for him?

How can I not love such a comedic genius!?!?!?!

Back to why I fell hard for Alec....

On Sunday I watched a movie called Suburban Girl.

NOT the greatest movie. In fact, the only reason I would recommend it is because you get to see my man looking oh so cute in tortoise shell specs.

So cute I could pinch him!!!