Feb Photo A Day Challenge: Day 22-29

Day 22: Where I Work

Well, this isn't a picture of where I work...but these are the people I work with every single day.

Here is the Treasury & Risk Management department photo op from a few weeks ago:

Day 23: My Shoes

One of my newest pairs of wedges that I can't wait to wear!! Aren't they gorgeous?

Day 24: Inside my Bathroom Cabinet

My cabinet isn't very large so it just contains the basics. Toothpaste, floss, deoderant, toner, tweezers, contact holder, and lots and lots of Origins products! :) 

Day 25. Green

My favorite picture/painting of Paisley that Caroline made for me. It has a green background!

Day 26. Night

This is what Paisley looks like at night. Sleepy Time.

Day 27. Something I Ate

This is my typical weekday breakfast. A homemade smoothie, or some type of fruit or yogurt and a little bag of cereal. Today was Fruity Cheerios, the adult version of Fruit Loops. So delish.

Day 28. Money

Remember the shoes from Day #23. Well, these beautiful B. Makowsky shoes were originally $129+ shoes. But I found them for 80% OFF and I had two $10 off birthday coupons to use....so it made the total SIX DOLLARS. Yes, I got those beautiful $129 dollar shoes for SIX BUCKS.

Jealous of my good deal skills?

Day 29. Something I'm Listening To

Everynight I listen to this little angel sleep. Her snoring is the cutest thing ever.

Happy Leap Day Everyone!

Dancing with the Stars Cast

I'm not a huge fan of DWTS, but I am always anxious to hear the cast each year.

(And depending on the cast, I may/may not watch it.)

I must say, I was kinda disappointed at this year's list. I honestly have never even heard of half of these people. Have you?

1) Jack Wagner, soap actor from “General Hospital” and “Melrose Place” — with Anna Trebunskaya
2) Melissa Gilbert, played Laura Ingalls on “Little House on the Prairie” — with Maskim Chmerkovskiy (solving the “will Maks be back?! mystery)
3) Donald Driver, receiver for the Green Bay Packers — with Peta Murgatroyd
4) William Levy, telenova star apparently known as the “Brad Pitt of Mexico” — with Cheryl Burke
5) Sherri Shepherd, co-host of “The View” — with Val Chmerkovskiy
6) Katherine Jenkins, opera star — with Mark Ballas
7) Gavin DeGraw, pop singer known for penning the “One Tree Hill” theme song — with Karina Smirnoff
8) Martina Navratilova, tennis pro — with Tony Dovolani
9) Roshon Fegan, star of Disney Channel’s “Shake It Up” and hip hop producer — with Chelsie Hightower
10) Maria Menounos, co-host of “Extra” — with Derek Hough
11) Jaleel White, best known Steve Urkel in “Family Matters” — with Kym Johnson
12) Gladys Knight, singer, or “empress of soul” — with Tristan MacManus

I probably won't watch, but I still have someone I'm rooting for. Can you guess who???

If you guessed Steve Urkel, you are right! Go Urkel Go! :)

Who will you be rooting for?

Cheers to Art (Take 2)

Remember when CV and I went painting?

Well, I went back to Cheers to Art last night. And I must say, I think my painting skills have improved!

The first time, I felt like I didn't have any paint-brush-technique at all. Every brush stroke was put on hard and thick, and the end result looked childlike. I was happy with it for my first time painting, but it was no bueno for art that I'd like to display in mi casa. (comprende?)

So, last night me & my friend Sara were off to paint the town, literally since we painted the town of Tuscany! Hehe.

Here we are painting our sky & ground:

And after a few glasses of wine, and two hours of trying to strategically place colors on a canvas, here is my final product.

This painting was a lot more difficult than the first one I did. Lots of mixed colors, and lots of details.

Here's the whole class with their Hillside of Tuscany painting:

(Sara & I are on the far right, do you see us?)

AND someone in the class actually made a cake that looked just like the painting.

Very very impressive.

(Although I was unable to eat any since I gave up chocolate for Lent, awww shucks!)

All and all I am pretty happy with my painting. You love it too, right???

AND I just bought a Buy One Get One Free deal at Cheers to Art so I can go AGAIN!

I might be addicted.

Happy weekend to you all.

Feb Photo A Day Challenge: Day 18, 19, 20 and 21

18. Drink

Green Tea at home. In my Union University MBA mug.

19. Something I Hate to Do

I really dislike grocery shopping. One, the Kroger by my house is busy at all hours of the day, and two, I can never seem to decide on what to buy. Note, the empty fridge.

20. Handwriting

Speaking of groceries, here is my little grocery list. Right now, I'm just thinking of the some basics, and some extras for homemade lasagna & a mexican night soon.

21. My Favorite Photo of Myself

I love this picture of my friend Erin and I in L.A.

I loved my sunglasses I was wearing (may they rest in peace) and I love that my hair looks super long and healthy! Good hair pics always win!

I'm almost caught up! :)

Feb Photo A Day Challenge: Day 16 and 17

Day 16: Something New

Sears delivered my new oven on Saturday morning! It's not the pretty stainless steel kind;  it was the FREE kind, so I'm not complaining! (And my cookies taste even better now!)

Day 17: Time

3:45pm. On a Monday. At work. On a holiday. This time is no good!

(But any time looks good on my MK watch CV got me for Christmas!)
Am I right?! :)

That's all for today!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! :)

Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes

Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil

Ingredients

4 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves

1 lb fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4 - 1/2" cubes

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

20 fresh basil leaves (or 1 bunch)

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Drizzle olive oil on a shallow dish.

Top with tomatoes, mozzarella, salt & pepper.

Splash with balsamic vinegar and lightly toss.

Top with basil. (Can tear into smaller pieces if desired)

Serve and enjoy!

Definitely a delish remix of the caprese salad! And super easy to make! Hope you guys enjoy this one! :)

Feb Photo a Day Challenge: Day 13, 14, 15

13. Blue

My "blue horses" painting that is above my couch. I love that it's so colorful and abstract!

14. Heart

A big heart shaped container of Cheryl cookies we (my department at work) received yesterday from a vendor.

15. Phone

My work phone...which has programmable ringtones which include StarWars and Clown music. Ha.

One time my boss left his desk for a little while so I programmed his ring to the clown ring. It took him the entire day to figure out how to fix it. Pretty funny! :)

Half way through my photo's a day challenge! Woohoo! :)

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm loving...my homemade Valentine's day dinner with CV last night. We had filets, cous cous, a caprese-remixed salad (recipe to come later) wine and chocolate covered strawberries for dessert! Perfect way to spend the day.

I'm loving...the Memphis Tigers joined the BIG EAST conference! (That means they will play the Cincinnati Bearcats...which means I will get to see the Tigers play in CINCINNATI!!!)

I'm loving...my company is giving all our employees pedometers to track how many steps we take each day. (Wow, I get excited pretty easily, huh?) We set up teams, and the team with the most steps wins! (I hope I walk as much as I think I do!)

I'm loving...my tax return was deposited into my account today! And I love that I got more than expected back this year! (I plan to do amazing things with it, like saving it! Ha.)

I'm loving...Green Tea.

CV actually just got me into it. (I've never really been a tea person!) But it's so conforting and relaxing, I want one every night after dinner! (Atleast while it's cold outside!)

And last but certainly not least I'm loving...this story & picture.

"So today I was in Hallmark buying my mom a Happy Birthday card when I noticed this old man standing in front of the Valentines card section contemplating which one to get. I decide to go over and I ask him “Are you getting a Valentine’s Day for your wife?” in which he replies 'No my wife died 3 years ago from breast cancer but I still buy her roses and a card and bring them to her grave to prove to her that she was the only one that will ever have my heart'" -Ravi Patel

 

Makes me melt! :)

My Flower Collection

In honor of Valentine's Day, I decided to talk about my beautiful flowers!

There's no secret that I'm spoiled with flowers.
Ever since CV and I started dating (a year and 9 months ago), he's been buying me flowers left and right.
Sometimes its for a special occasion, but mostly they have been "just because".

(which are the best kind)

So here is my little post dedicated to all the flowers he's given me to-date:

A Dozen Peach Colored Roses

Four Calla Lillies

Birds of Paradise, a suprise delivery at work

All three were given to me the first month of dating, just because.

Hydrangeas, Calla Lillys and Roses.

Yellow Daisys

We painted my dining room yellow and CV got me flowers to match!

Another Beautiful Arrangement

Then, I was given The. Best. Rose. Ever.

It was about 4 feet tall! :)

And then I got a few unique flowers/plants.

A Pineapple Flower (not sure what exactly it's called)

And Pumpkin Flowers

(For Sweetest Day & to get in the Fall/Halloween spirit)



"Find The Cure" Orchids for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

A Dozen Red Roses given around the holidays

(see my Santa salt/pepper shakers?)

 Gorgeous flowers for my birthday.

(along with presents!)

A Valentines Day Arrangement

(with more presents!) :)

One single rose

CV bought from a guy downtown who was selling them while we were out.

(Yes, that means I had to carry it all night long too. Worth it!)

Another Dozen of Red Roses just because.

I'll never get sick of these!

And a Dozen of Pink Roses for finishing my CTP exam.

Sweetest Day Flowers

(I love all the colors!)

And  I received 29 long stemmed red roses for my 29th birthday last month!

Don't I have the sweetest boyfriend! :)

CV, I'm so lucky to have you as my Valentine, and not just today but EVERYDAY.

You're my best friend and I love you a milion!
Xoxo :)