Sick Day

Yes, I am having myself a sick day.  And not one of those "pretend you're sick and play hooky from work days," a real "I'm sick" day. Blahhh.

I woke up in the middle of the night Sunday with a really sore throat, which I thought was strange because I have the most awesome humidifier (more on that later) but tried to go back to sleep & woke up at 6AM to get ready for work. I wasn't feeling too terrible, just keeping my fingers crossed this sore throat would disappear as the day went on.  But it didn't. And I realized around 10AM I had a fever too.  So I left work and went to Urgent Care. 

Erik also had a doctor appointment yesterday (he's not sick -- just a checkup for him). So of course, we texted each other doc office selfies ;)

2 hours after sitting in Urgent Care (apparently Monday is the most popular day to get sick) I left with some antibiotics & instructions to rest.

Rest. I'm not very good at that. I hate haaaate haaaaaaate sitting around doing nothing (even when I'm sick!) but Erik gave me firm instructions several times before he left for work this morning I needed to "lounge and watch TV all day." Okay, FINE! But I will also be semi-productive & blog my favorite sick day cures ;)

1. Crane Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (i.e. the amazing humidifier I mentioned at the beginning of this post). I don't just use it when I'm sick but when Fall & Winter hit and the air starts to get dry & you wake up every morning with a sore throat -- this thing will save you! And works double time when you're sick.

2. Celestial Herbal Tea-Sampler Pack.  This is my favorite tea! And I especially love the sampler packs because all the flavors are so delicious and throat soothing. My personal fave right now is the Honey Vanilla Chamomile.  Also, when I have an especially sore throat I make Cayenne Pepper Honey Tea (you can either do it with plain hot water or add it to tea) and it's made just like it sounds, by adding lots of cayenne pepper & honey to your tea! :)

3. Burt's Bees Natural Throat Drops. I love these because they don't leave your teeth feeling like they have a film of sugar over them.  They also taste great (and make your throat feel great) with no funny aftertaste when it's gone.

4. Arm & Hammer Simply Saline Nasal Mist. Although I don't have a stuffy nose with this fun sickness I've got, this is my go-to when I do.  I tried a Neti Pot a few times and not only was it extremely uncomfortable to use, my stuffy nose was back within a matter of minutes.  This spray will clear you up and keep it that way for quite awhile!

Alright, back to tea drinking I go before I get in trouble for not resting enough! 

xo

Weekend Update

This was quite the relaxing weekend, which was absolutely perfect, especially since the next 3 weekends we will be in Phoenix for some shenanigans (Erik's brother's birthday, THANKSGIVING!!!!, and then my birthday). So a weekend filled with movies, food, & some wine was just what we needed!

Friday night, Erik & I met up with some friends for a couple drinks at happy hour.  As we were headed home, we decided to rent a movie (Kevin Hart's standup--Let Me Explain, if you don't know Kevin Hart, you should get to know him because he is hilarious!). 

We also picked up some of these...

If you have forgotten how great these things are, let me quickly remind you, they taste just as delicious (perhaps more) as they did when you got them from the ice cream truck when you were 7 years old.

Saturday morning, I headed to the gym (wonder why?!) and was STARVING when I got home. Erik has pretty much learned if I'm ever in a bad mood I'm either hungry or tired. And he figured out pretty quick Saturday that I was HANGRY (hungry+angry).  So he suggested we go to the mall, and stop at Panera for some brunch.

Panera had a sign in the front window advertising fontina grilled cheese & tomato soup and I knew immediately that is what I had to have.  And it was every bit as delectable as I could have imagined.

After lunch, Erik & I headed over to the mall to get a gift for his brother's birthday.

Oh & to admire Erik the sweater model ;)

That night, we tag-teamed dinner duties. He made the steak & lobster, I made the spinach & garlic mashed potatoes (and drank wine).

My friend also texted me this last night, which I found pretty hilarious. 

I fell for all of them, did you?

Sunday morning I got up unusually early, so I decided to take a BodyWorks class at the gym.  And luckily I did, because I arrived home to this...

Now it's time for some football & more relaxation.  Hope you had a great weekend!

Not like I need to be thinking about more food...but it's almost Thanksgiving, guys!!!!

xo

Thanksgiving Favorites: Spinach Squares

I thought it would be fun to post some of my favorite Thanksgiving treats a couple times a week until Thanksgiving hits. I love reading other peoples' holiday traditions & recipes, so I thought I'd share some of mine too. :) First up is Spinach Squares! This is a recipe from my Grandma Grace (or Grandma down-the-shore, as we used to call her when we were living in New Jersey.) Grandma Grace is no longer with us, which makes this recipe so near & dear to my heart because it reminds me so much of her (& is absolutely delicious!!)

Mmmmm Popeye would be proud.

2 10 oz. boxes frozen spinach
1 minced onion
1/4 lb. butter
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 lb. cottage cheese
3 eggs
Salt & pepper

Thaw spinach. Squeeze out all water. (it works best to press spinach between paper towels & squeeze)
Brown onion in butter in skillet. Mix remaining ingredients in bowl and add onion.
Grease an oblong dish and pour mix in.
Bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes or until firm.

One of my cousins always calls these bad boys "spinach brownies." Which is kinda weird and kinda perfect at the same time. Weird because thinking about a brownie & spinach together is somewhat unappealing; but perfect because 1. They're cut like brownies & 2. They get that delicate crispiness on the top which is oh so delectable!

Throwback Thursday

When I started planning my 80's Theme 25th Birthday Party I came across a cake that reminded me of much of my wardrobe when I was a lil rascal & knew I had to recreate it.  

And if you haven't noticed, I'm pretty into Throwback Thursday. Why? I don't really know.  Maybe it's a combination of Friday being on the horizon and looking at old photos.  But last week, I found a pic of my 4 year old self rockin' an awesome sweatshirt and visor.  And that sweatshirt reminded me of the radical birthday cake I've got to have!

See what I mean?!

And the complete picture. Sister, dad, me & Barney socks. Seriously. So stylin'.

One more before I go. In honor of the upcoming 80's partay (hellllllllo MTV tee) and holiday season, I leave you with this.

If You Need a Laugh...There's an App For That!

I recently discovered two apps that make my days a little bit brighter, so I thought I'd share with the class. (Haha. Teacher pun).  You're probably already doubting the credibility of my humor after laughing at my own lame joke. But here we go!

First up. Bitstrips. 

This app allows you to create an avatar of you and your friends and puts y'all smack dab in the middle of hilarious comic strips.

Like for example, such as:

Perfectly depicting the love Erik & I have for each other.

Coworker humor.

And silly sister shenanigans.

On Monday, my life was changed, while during my day off, I discovered mytalkingpet.

Although this one costs $0.99.  It will be the best $0.99 you've ever spent! I mean, endless entertainment, that's priceless right?! It seems as though my blog is being a little fussy and won't let me upload any videos, but just take a second to imagine this precious face talkin' & jokin' with ya!

Happy Humpday! 

Fall Favorites and Other Ramblings

Happy Monday! And what a happy Monday it is because I have the day off.

Thank you, veterans!!!

This weekend was Homecoming weekend at UofA (my rival school) & that meant a fun visit from Erik's brother & his girlfriend! 

Yes, as I mentioned this is my RIVAL school. But I felt it necessary to partake in the school spirit and we all got matching "Viva Los Gatos" shirts.  I mean, if for nothing else, they're pretty awesome!

Insert first fall favorite. LEGGINGS. More specifically, leggings as pants. I know someone once said leggings are not pants, but after Olivia introduced me to fleece lined leggings this weekend, all I have to say is, it was nice knowin' ya "real" pants!! 

Second fall favorite? FOOD. This is kind of silly because food is always my favorite.  But I feel like once October hits, my food intake exponentially increases. And I'm pretty okay with that, especially when I discover new mac & cheese places, and this goes in my belly.

Along the same lines of food. I am in love with coffee creamers (can you tell?! this is a little obscene.) Especially the holiday flavors!

 Gooooood morning, festiveness in a mug!

CANDLES. Duh. What human being can resist a holiday scented candle?! (& if you can...what's your secret????) Yesterday, while Erik and I were perusing the mall, a magnetic force pulled me into Bath & Body Works and I picked up these two gems (2 for $22!). The Cinnamon Frosting is wonderful but I am obsessed to the max with this Winter Candy Apple.

And finally. SNUGGLES. Sunday snuggles from Kobe in my cheetah onesie. 

Kobe is only allowed on the bed with us on Sundays (it's a special Sunday treat for him. is that weird?). And every Sunday morning, like clockwork, as soon as he sees us rustling around and semi-concious, he hops up on the bed and squeezes his way right in between Erik & I. I am seriously impressed that he seems to be fully aware of what day Sunday is! 

Proud fur mama right here!!

xo

Slinkies & Such

Pretty much the day after I turned 24, I decided for my 25th birthday I wanted to throw a theme party (because who doesn't love a theme?!) and after tossing around some ideas around with my friends/boyfriend, I concluded an 80's Theme Party was where it's at. I mean, I was born in the 80's & how fun would it be to have all your friends dress up in 80's gear & adorn my house with 80's decor?

So I began perusing Pinterest and found a plethora of ideas. Really, what did we do before Pinterest?!  Here are some of my 80's party must-haves so far... 

I love the "Made in the 80's" idea of an invitation. 

This party must must musssstttt include slinkies, glow sticks & Rubik's Cubes.  I especially love how the Rubik's Cube is used to hold a description of the food behind it.

I also love the idea of a photo booth area and this colorful one is perfection.

Also. All guests are required to drink out of colorful straws. 

But if my 25th birthday has nothing else--it has to have THIS CAKE.

This design reminds of of 99.9% of the clothes I wore from 4-7 years old. And I. LOVE. IT.

More to come soon! Also, any ideas/suggestions/etc etc etc are welcome & appreciated :)

Taco Tuesday

Although Erik & I celebrated Taco Tuesday a day early, it gives me the perfect opportunity to share with you our taco delight on the appropriate day! I would have gladly waited, but after deciding SATURDAY we wanted tacos, Tuesday just seemed too long to wait.  Especially after I did some taco research & discovered Baked Cheesy Tacos.

I took what I found from several recipes what we already had in the pantry/fridge and this happened...

Holy Yum!

Boooooonus! It was super simple to make.

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 small can green chilies

1 (16 oz) can refried beans

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

Taco seasoning (I made a homemade recipe, see below or use a packet of one)

1 cup shredded cheddar jack cheese

12 hard taco shells (I used those ones that have a flat bottom so they would stand up easier in the casserole dish)

Homemade Taco Seasoning (sorry I didn't measure any of this whatsoever...)

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Crushed red pepper flakes

Dried parsley 

Cumin

Paprika

Sea salt

Black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and onion.  Drain excess fat.  Add chilies, beans, tomato sauce, & taco seasoning. Stir well and cook for 3-5 mins.

Place taco shells in a casserole dish.  Spoon taco meat into shells.  Sprinkle with cheese & bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.  (Side note: I let it broil on low for the last minute & a half just so the cheese got a lil extra crispiness to it.)

Top with lettuce, salsa, black olives, sour cream, tomatoes, etc. etc. etc!

I can't believe the rest of the world kept inventing food after tacos.  Good try, world.

Halloween Recap

It hit me yesterday, it's November. Which means next month I'll be turning 25. #quarterlifecrisis. Also a great excuse to have an awesome theme party, which I'm currently planning. 

ANYWHO. Back to October & Halloween.  Wednesday, we carved the 2 remaining pumpkins we had. Can you guess whose is whose? ;)

Thursday, Kobe & I got in our Halloween costumes.  I didn't do a cool Halloween costume this year like I semi-planeed.  And I kinda wanted us all to dress up as referees.  But since none of that happened I whipped out my bee costume I've had forrrrrrrrever (& love, solely because of the tutu. I am deathly afraid of bees after getting stung in the PALM OF MY HAND this summer.) and called it a day because we were both in stripes! 

We set up our front door area with our pumpkins & luminaries. 

And anxiously awaited for some trick or treaters....

I was positive we would have a bunch because every single day at the pool this summer there were 183298320 screaming kids. 

But we did not get one trick or treater! NONE! 

I was pretty sad about it all.  (Even more sad that I have almost a pound of candy and no self control, so that'll be gone in about a week.  Luckily, we also just got gym memberships.)

But as disappointing as the no trick or treaters thing was, I had to remember THIS happened that morning...

All the guys at Erik's work dressed up as Disney princesses.  Could you just die?! 

Luckily, he doesn't read my blog. I don't think.

Happy Weekend!