Happy Weekend
Friday is finally upon us, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Thankfully, this week has gone by fast and furious, but it has also been very stressful. Wedding-planning, bill-paying, money-saving, project-starting-and-stopping – the list goes on and on.
I plan to take a break tomorrow, and “try” to relax. I’m pretty sure that won’t go as well as I plan, because let’s face: it’s easy to get bored when you’re not doing anything.
And then of course there’s the Super Bowl on Sunday, and if you follow me on my Facebook page (here), you’d know that I’m not exactly thrilled about this game. Not only did both my teams suck it up this year, but I actually despise the 2 teams that will be playing in it (except for USF’s JPP!). At least I have low-cal beer and carb-free wings to look forward to…rightttttt…
And now, after a looooong hiatus, it’s the triumphant return of My Favorite Song Friday. This one was a tough one – just because there a lot of songs I am really loving right now. From Bush to Adele, I’m kind of all over the place.
So, I figured I’d go with a song that puts me in a good mood every single time I hear it: Outasight’s “Tonight Is The Night”:
Have a great weekend, peeps!
Running Has Its Rewards
I’m not much of a runner by any means, but this fat-ass has to lose 40 pounds by the end of the year, so running is the fastest way for me to accomplish that. So far I’m doing ok, but a few weeks ago I went on a later-than-normal run (it was around 8ish), and found something that only a person running around in circles in her neighborhood could possibly find.
A free potting station.
I’ve been wanting one of these things for a while now, and even though I’m not an avid gardener, I’ll definitely put it to good use. My thing is, I tend to buy smaller plants and flowers that’ll eventually get bigger. By doing this, I’m able to save money on the plants, however, I’m then stuck with a larger plant in a too-small pot. I have to transfer the plant to a larger pot, and by doing this, it ultimately results in a ridiculous, dirty mess.
Hence the need for a potting station – an elevated area that’s made for getting dirty, but staying organized. ManFiancé promised to build me one several months ago (just like he promised to build us a dining room table – which I ended up buying), but once again I saved him from this laborious journey.
Lucky for both of us, this potting station was sitting on a neighbor’s driveway with a “Free” sign. Now, I’m pretty much a sucker for anything that’s free, but when it’s an item I’ve been longing for – well then that’s considered a double whammy. Problem was, there was no way I could lug this thing down the street into our backyard on my own. ManFiancé was at work – so I had at least 1 hour to ensure it was still mine.
Even though it was a little later for someone to snatch it up, I was still worried. I decided the best way to keep my eye on it was to walk up and down the street, just staring at the thing. Any time a car drove by, I either cringed (depending on my position on the street), or stood by it nonchalantly (if I was near it).
Finally ManFiancé arrived, and we were able to load it into his truck and take it home. Had it been any longer, I’m pretty sure someone would’ve called the cops on me for stalking.
Yeah, stalking a potting station.
Of course running is good for your health, but I have found that this has been the best benefit yet.
Happy Anniversary
This past Saturday was me and ManFiancé’s 6-year anniversary. We went out on a boat, puttered along the intercoastal, and pointed out which of the huge mansions we’d like to live in. It was a beautiful day, and it felt great to spend some much-needed quality time – just me and him.
We promised not to get each other gifts this year (since we’re trying to save for the wedding and honeymoon), but when I saw this, I just knew I needed to get it for him. The best part? All I need to do is print it out and frame it. It’ll look great in our living room next to our eventual wedding pics…
It’s completely necessary and completely awesome.
Happy Anniversary, Moi – it’s true, I fucking love you.
Cheers to a New Year
It’s hard to believe this year is coming to an end. I say that every year, but it is a little more true for 2011. So much has happened to me this year – good and bad – and that makes it hard to imagine what 2012 will bring.
One of my favorite quotes of all time is: “Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live for today.” I always try to remind myself of this because it can sometimes be hard to appreciate the little moments of everyday life.
Remembering Yesterday – Looking Back at 2011
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saltedchocolate started in 2011
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2011’s resolution? Become more eco-friendly
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Bought our very first house
- Found my sister’s, Erica, wedding dress – which got me thinking about my wedding even though I wasn’t engaged
- Painted our house grey/gray much to my mother’s dismay (heh, that rhymes)
- Went on a 7-day cruise to Honduras, Belize, Costa Maya and Key West – a surprise birthday trip with our closest friends
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This post was Freshly Pressed (my first and only claim to fame)
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Discovered a leak in our master bedroom – which resulted in new flooring and a new wall
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But, we got that all cleaned up just in time for our Housewarming Party
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I gave in bought a China set – for $25
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Went to my first – and last – Bridal Show and killed a snake in our yard
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Turned our ugly patio into a delectable Parti-o
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After months of waiting, I got the rug of my dreams
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Hosted our first Christmas dinner
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Devastatingly, my beautiful sister Heather passed away at the age of 38
Dreaming About Tomorrow – Looking Forward to 2012
I’m really bad about keeping New Year’s resolutions (isn’t everyone?), so I try to make resolutions I can stick with for life – life resolutions that happen to be made at the New Year. (ok, it’s probably the same)
My new life resolution? To make more lists. Boring, but necessary – my memory is fading fast and I truly think it’s because I try to remember everything I’m supposed to do rather than just write it down. Now, I’m going to start writing it down. It’ll help me become more organized and focused – which are always goals I try to achieve.
I’m not sure what 2012 has in store for me – but 2011 has taught me to cherish every minute, because it all goes by so fast.
Have a happy and safe New Year’s. See you 2012!
Decorating for Christmas
Being that this was the first Christmas in our house, and we’re hosting about 20 people for dinner, we decided we really needed to deck out the place – Griswold-style.
A near-empty wallet later, we learned that Clark Griswold must’ve spent a fortune on Christmas lights, because we haven’t even come close to what he was able to accomplish.
{our house doesn’t look like this…
at all.}
That’s some serious Christmas decorating there. And although it doesn’t have the same Griswold effect I was hoping for, we still made our house pretty cozy and festive for the holiday season.
I’ve never had a red-lit tree, (I usually go for the green, white and red lights but apparently every store in the world had sold out of them – just my luck) but I think it’s different from what you typically see. Plus, red is my favorite color – and isn’t it Santa’s as well?
I’ll admit I went a tad bit overboard on decorations (and my budget), but I justified it by saying these were investment purchases for future Christmases (except for the 70 freaking dollar Christmas tree). In addition to creating my easy and inexpensive centerpiece (seen here), I did manage save money by using candles we already had in the house as stocking holders. That counts, right?
p.s. that baby’s first christmas ornament is mine. so no, i am not pregnant.
p.p.s. that stick in my dining room? an art project. more on that on later…
p.p.s.s. our bar is pretty weak-looking, eh? time for a refill!
salted chocolate | life with a dash of flavor 