Chicken Wraps

My new dish this week is a spin off my recipe for breakfast burritos. I was stuck this week on what to make, especially since I won't be around this weekend to do my weekly kitchen clean-up. Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE to cook and HATE to clean. I usually set aside Saturday mornings to do a big clean-up of the kitchen from the week before. That way I start the weekend and the week with a nice, clean kitchen. It makes me happier and makes me want to cook more. Win, win! So I wanted something that didn't make a big mess to make, or a big mess to eat. Basically, I did not want to use any tupperware!

I decided I definitely wanted to make breakfast burritos this week. It has been awhile since I have made them and they freeze easily if they aren't eaten by the time we leave. Since I had burritos on my mind, I decided I would go ahead and try my hand at making a delicious chicken wrap.

I found a good deal on the Weight Watchers portioned chicken tenders at O'Malia's, so I had a starting point.  I got the recipe from my Mom for the Bean & Corn salad to put in with the chicken and the end result was amazing. I've been eating one wrap for lunch everyday and they taste like something I picked up from a restaurant. Plus, I hardly have any dishes to do!

Chicken Wraps
8 Weight Watcher's Chicken Tenders
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
4 Tortilla Shells (I find that the cheapy store brand work better in this case than Aztec)
1 small onion, sliced super-de-duper thin
Lite Butter

Mom's Bean & Corn Salad
1 can Black Beans
1 can of corn with red peppers (fiesta corn)
1 can Great Northern Beans
A couple squirts of Italian dressing
salt & pepper

Bake the chicken per the directions on the box.

While the chicken is baking, drain and rinse the black beans and the great northern beans. Drain the water from the corn, but do not rinse. Blend together in a big bowl, splash with Italian dressing, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stick in the refrigerator with some sort of cover.

After the chicken is done baking, let it sit for about five minutes.
Lay out your tortilla shells, sprinkle a little bit of cheese.
Next add the Bean & Corn Salsa (about 3 tablespoons each), a few pieces of onion, and two chicken tenders.

You don't want the wraps to be too full. You should be able to fold the sides in, and then roll from the top to the bottom so the wrap is completely closed.

Put the assembled wraps on a cookie sheet. Use the back of a spoon to spread a super thin layer of lite butter over the top of the wraps. Bake for 15 minutes or so at 350. After they are done baking, wrap individually in foil and refrigerate.

It only takes about one minute in the microwave to warm them up when you're ready to enjoy!

You'll have leftover Bean & Corn Salad which I suggest you eat with tortilla chips or crackers. It's very healthy, and very yummy!

I put the chicken wrap in myfitnesspal.com and it says that each burrito has about 340 calories - which isn't bad for lunch!

Separately the Corn & Bean Salad has 146 calories in 1/2 cup. It's very filling, which makes it a great addition to any meal.

Wordy & Wobbly Wednesday

We're flying out to New Jersey on Saturday to give Sean's Grandmother our last bits of love and send her up to Heaven to gain her wings. I wasn't lucky enough to meet this special lady, but I've enjoyed hearing the stories over the past few years. Aimee and Elizabeth both wrote nice blogs remembering her, which helps me feel connected.

Since we're flying out there, Sean's parents (who are driving) offered to take a bag of my stuff so we don't have to check anything on the airport. It was a nice offer that I had no reason to turn down.

But, you know what I'm NOT good at?

Picking out clothes for a trip.

These are the times that I wish I was super skinny and everything just looked great on me all the time. But, I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind my curves. It would just be nice to pack a bag and have no worries that I forgot something. I don't have the luxury of just running out to any store to find a replacement. Not everything fits, and even if it does fit it usually doesn't look right. You may think this would make me hate clothes shopping, but I can assure you that is NOT the case. But I do hate clothes shopping on a whim or when I don't have all the time in the world. Or more importantly, when other people are waiting on me.

It took me far too long but I think I have everything organized. Sean's parents are taking my dressy clothes and one small bag of clothes. I will take a carry on with my hair, face, and shower stuff. I realize that this shouldn't be that hard, but I prefer to be prepared and therefore stress-free when I travel or really, do anything in my life.

After packing and settling in for the night I laid down to only be woken 45 minutes later by crazy, loud wind. I looked at the radar and not only did we have a flood warning, a thunderstorm warning, we also had a tornado warning until 5am. I spent all that time packing, cleaning, and surfing the web and not once did I read or watch the news! The storm was spread from the tip tops of Michigan allllllllllll the way down to Alabama.

Every since the tornado hit in Bloomington I have been dealing with anxiety when it comes to bad weather. I used to love a good thunderstorm, wind never really bothered me, but now it causes my throat to swell up and an ache in my belly. I was up until about 2am praying, calming myself down, and trying to distract myself with Pinterest. It made for a rough morning, but I'm happy to see on the news that no one was hurt and no tornado touched down anywhere.

Onto some motivation to get me through the rest of this day, and my run this evening!

I CAN'T WAIT TO DECORATE A HOUSE!

Word.

Rosary

When you don't have an actual rosary to use to pray, use the iPhone ap!

They really have thought of everything.

Margaret Lillian Mikusi

July 17, 1921 - January 26, 2012

I hear you had GREAT hair!

Rest in peace.

A man who loves his family

In middle school and all the way through high school I wasn't really interested in having a boyfriend, I was more into hanging out with my friends and just having fun - OK, and shopping. I carried this mentality through college. I did date a few guys here and there but no one really stuck around, and there was certainly no one to write home about. I remember when the guy I was dating my freshman year of college broke up with me; I didn't even cry. We ordered a pizza and hung out with his roomie, and our relationship continued as friends. He started dating another woman, who is now his wife, and I didn't mind at all.

I've always been a pretty independent person so I just have never felt like I HAD to have a guy in my life. If I had friends, I was good.

I never really thought about what I wanted my future husband to be like. I never wrote down a list of qualities or cared whether a guy had blond hair or brown hair. I don't have a journal full of sappy love letters that I never gave to someone, or pages and pages written about my broken heart. What I do have is a ton of friends from all different walks of life, lots of great memories with pictures to prove it.

When my brother-in-law, Joe, came into the family it was like he had just been on a long vacation or something. He fit in so naturally, and we all instantly loved him. There was never a doubt that he was my brother and I think sometimes I text more with him than I do with my own sister. (Granted, he works out of his home so he is more accessible than she is, but still.)

I decided then that my only requirement for my future husband was that he had to love his family and love my family.

Fast forward about five-six years.

I didn't know much about Sean's family when we first started chatting, other than he had a sister who liked good music and they would go to shows whenever they had a chance. I knew his Mom and Aunt would come down to go shopping in Nashville and then they would meet up with Sean for dinner. I knew his brother and Dad were big Yankee fans, just like himself. And I knew that his sister-in-law was expecting the first baby of the family.

He invited everyone down for a weekend in Bloomington, and everyone came! I remember thinking how wonderful it was, how funny everyone was, and how it just felt right being around them. I remember posting on Facebook after they all left that I hadn't heard that much laughter in quite awhile.

I am blue. He is purple.

Now, three years after that weekend, with all the ups and downs that life has thrown his family, I've been reminded again that he meets my one basic need in a man.

He loves his family.

His grandmother has been very sick, and will begin her journey to Heaven any time now. She isn't awake, but she hasn't fallen asleep. His Mom let him know that he didn't have to make the five hour trip, that she wouldn't know he was there anyways.

He made the trip anyways.

He loves his family.

And the best part - I love his family, too.

Coffee

I spent the majority of the morning buying coffee for my office. Not a bad Thursday if you ask me!

Wobbly Wednesday



I haven't stopped laughing.



Shred, Run, Shred, Run, Shred, Run

My bff from Seattle, Brit, has jumped on the exercise boat, therefore motivating me to continue doing what I'm doing.

I've never ever ever ever ever, EVER been into exercise.

But I won't lie, I've gotten to the point where I kind of enjoy it now.

Brit joined a group on Facebook called 30 Day Shred. Basically, Jillian Michaels put an excercise DVD out that has three different sections, and you do each section for 10 days each. Each section only lasts 20 minutes, but if you've ever watched The Biggest Loser you know how brutal Jillian can be. At the end of the shred, you're supposed to see big results.

Here's the thing.

I've tried to do this shred before and I barely got through ONE section.

I didn't even try the next day.

So, when Brit invited me to join the group with her I was a bit nervous. But, I joined anyways and decided that if she's willing to do it I should at least give it a try.

Last night was attempt one and I made it through! I had to do the modified version on most exercises, but only had to take a break twice during the twenty minute workout. I'm sore today in all the usual spots, but not sore enough to keep me from exercising again today.

In order to not get totally bored with only doing one type of workout, I decided I will alternate my days with the 30 Day Shred and running... for as long as my body lets me. I know I will need a rest day or two here and there, but it's nice to have a plan.

And it's nice to know that I can get through the shred without quitting.

And it's even nicer to know that I'm looking forward to running this evening because I know it will be easier than if it was a day I had to do the shred.

Never ever ever ever, EVER thought I would say that.

Read This

...and thank your blessed, lucky stars that this man fought for what was right. If there is anything you so passionately believe in, something you want to take a stand for, today is the day to start.

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true.

So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

-Martin Luther King Jr.

White Chicken Chili

Last night was the perfect night for a pot of chili.

Sean and I went for a walk around a park on the other side of Carmel, and then went to the store to pick up what I needed to make a pot of white chicken chili.

I've made white chicken chili before, but it didn't turn out exactly the way I wanted. Sean's sister-in-law makes a mean white chili but I couldn't find the recipe anywhere and didn't want to bother her as she's playing nurse to her hubby all while still being a Mommy to their three year old daughter. So, I settled for a recipe I found on Pinterest, Creamy White Chicken Chili.

You can find the recipe here.

For some reason the only picture I took was of the new bottle of cumin that I bought at the store... which doesn't really surprise me I guess since I LOVE cumin and have been out of it for about three months. I always forgot to pick it up at the store and would always be sad when I got ready to make something yummy and then remembered I had forgotten to pick up more cumin.

Anyways. The chili turned out delicious, and looks pretty much the same as the picture above the recipe on the website.

By the way, the bowl holding the chili in the picture on the recipe site is super awesome, and I want a set. Hello, wedding registry.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Inhale, Exhale Update

Remember how I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma? I have been using the inhaler for the past couple of weeks and I thought I would report back on how it's working for me.

At first I felt like it was doing nothing.

I still struggled with breathing and all of the techniques that I read about online were NOT helping. Dizzy spells were still random occurrences.

In keeping up with my 13 in '13, I attended family dinner last Sunday and discussed it with my oldest sister and Mom. I think my exact words were "Yeaaaa, I don't think it's working for me." I told them how I asked the Pharmacist for direction on how to take the inhaler and my sister (who is also a pharmacist) began to recite the same directions except she added one minor detail: take the inhaler about 20-25 minutes before you begin to exercise.

Oh.

I don't know why I assumed the inhaler would start working right away after breathing in the medicine. I know it takes ibuprofen a good 20 minutes to start relieving pain, along with every other medicine that's out there. Maybe I got the idea from all the movies where a little kid or adult is saved from the grips of closed air passages as soon as they take their inhaler.

Anyways.

I followed my sister's directions and  BAM! The inhaler did what the doctor said it would do.

My heart rate didn't sky rocket like it normally does (normally the machine can't even read it, because it gets so high) which allowed me to follow through with a 42 minute workout. I wasn't struggling to inhale oxygen, I was able to take deep-from-my-belly breathes and let my breathing match my steps to a 3:3 breathing rhythm. With all of those things in line, I was able to run three miles, without stopping, for the first time in my entire life.

I've successfully used the inhaler - the CORRECT way - twice and both times I could tell a major difference in my performance. I'm excited about the possibility of really becoming a runner, and of course, the benefits that come along with exercising.
 
Also, I haven't had a dizzy spell once since that day.

The only way I can think to end this post is with my favorite cheer from 5th grade, the only year I was a cheerleader.

Vic-tory *clap**clap*, vic-victory! *clap**clap* Vic-tory, vic, vic-tory! *clap**clap*

Runnin'...

Getting better!

Work Hard and Be Kind: An Interview with Chris Ware

“To work as hard as possible, and then, when you think you’re done, to work just a little bit harder. To know that if it feels “right” it may actually be completely wrong, and that if it feels “wrong” it may be completely right. There’s no governing principle to any of this except that strange instinct and feeling within yourself that you simply have to learn to trust, but which is always unreliably changing. To create something for people who have not been born yet. To pay attention to how it actually feels to be alive, to the lies you tell yourself and others. Not to overreach—but also not to get too comfortable with your own work. To avoid giving in to either self-doubt or self-confidence, depending on your leaning, and especially to resist giving over your opinion of yourself to others—which means not to seek fame or recognition, which can restrain rather than open your possibility for artistic development. With all this in mind, not to expect anything and to be grateful for any true, non-exploitative opportunity that presents itself, however modest. And to understand that being able to say “I don’t know what to do with my life” is an incredible privilege that 99% of the rest of the world will never enjoy.”

—	Work Hard and Be Kind: An Interview with Chris Ware

Wobbly Wednesday

I should have known it was going to be an exciting day when I texted my boss this morning to see if she needed anything from the store and her response was, "Whiskey."

Homemade Pork Lo Mein

I have been craving lo mein like crazy for the past two months. Something about the mixture of thick noodles, veggies, soy sauce, and garlic just gets my mouth watering. Since Chinese food is NOT in my food budget that I am sticking to, I decided it was time to cure the craving and make a batch of lo mein myself. I didn't follow a recipe, I just went with my gut and what sounded right, and it turned out PERFECT. You can find the recipe below.

Scrumptious Lo Mein

Betsy's Pork Lo Mein

1.5 lb Pork Tenderloin (you can use chicken too), thinly sliced and diced

1.5 cups Chicken Broth (I boiled bouillon cubes in water)

1 Box of lo mein noodles (you can use angel hair pasta too!)

About 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 bag of stir fry veggies

Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to taste

Start the noodles (follow the box instruction)

Put diced meat in pain, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until done.

Drain noodles, pour into pan that's holding the meat

Add bag of stir fry veggies (it's okay if they are still frozen, it won't take much to get them warm)

Add chicken broth and soy sauce

Let simmer about 5 minues

Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to taste

*If you really love garlic, I suggest you put a tablespoon or two of minced garlic in the pan when you're first cooking the meat.

Enjoy!

Picking a Bridesmaid Dress...

... is impossible.

I actually thought picking out my dress would be impossible, but one trip to Cincinnati and I was proven wrong pretty quickly. My dress screamed at me from the hanger and it was true love before the lady even finished lacing me into it.

But this isn't about me.

It's about finding the perfect bridesmaid dress.

I have been in a few weddings in my day, five to be exact, and for two of those weddings I was incredibly uncomfortable the entire day. However, I knew it wasn't about me and it was an honor to be asked to be a part of someones big day in such a way, so I sucked it up and never said a peep.

But now it's my turn and I am going to make certain they each know how special they are by putting them in a special dress.

I have eight bridesmaids. My Mom thinks that's too many, but I figure if having too many bridesmaids is my biggest problem then we're doing a-okay. Anyways, they all range in height and weight so my job isn't easy.

At first I wanted something chiffon, one-strap, with a sash. Something like the gray dresses pictured to the right. When I found this picture on Pinterest it solidified my desire to put the girls in gray dresses and also gave me the idea of having my Matron of Honor wear a sparkly belt to set her apart from the other girls. I like the way the fabric drapes near the bottom of the dresses and the ruching at the top is a really nice touch. I have always wanted the girls to have some sort of straps on their dresses. I feel like strapless has been done and then done again and again and I want something a little different.

After finding my dress at Bridal & Formal in Cincinnati, we looked through the bridesmaid dresses they had available. If you buy your bridesmaid dresses at the same place you get your wedding gown you get a 20% discount on the dresses. Since the girls dresses are not included in my budget I want to make it as affordable as possible for everyone to buy a dress.

We found the dress pictured below and it met all of my requirements: chiffon, one strap, has a belt that can be changed out, and pretty cute! Our assistant wrote down the style number so when the time came for the girls to call and order the dress, all they would have to do is provide their measurements and a form of payment.

Ashley modeling the bridesmaid dress selection.

I left Cincinnati feeling pretty confident that I had marked two more items off my checklist, my dress and the girls dresses.

Back at work the next day I was showing off the bridesmaid dresses to some co-workers and decided that they couldn't really get the feel of the dress since it's black in the picture so I looked it up on Google to find a better picture. That's when I found the picture to the left, and I hated it.

I kept reminding myself that we planned to remove the belt with the flowers and replace it with a solid, thicker sash. But I just couldn't get over the bottom half of the dress. It's just so plain. And it makes the models hips look weird, and she's a model. I hate it. I also imagine being able to see everyone's belly buttons and I just can't have that.

So I did what all normal brides are doing this day in age and I turned to Pinterest to help me find something better. I found this beautiful flowy, one shoulder gown that I really like. I sent it to a few of my bridesmaids and they agreed that it was WAY better than the dress we had found in Cincinnati. I looked up the dress and found out that it was actually from a knock-off website and the dresses are made in China. I read reviews and some had a GREAT experience and others were left with crappy dresses and not enough time to replace them before the big day. I decided to forget about those dresses and move on to find something similar.

Enter: My Mom & Diane.

My Mom's friend had mentioned to her that her niece is an excellent seamstress who made her own daughters wedding dresses and many others. My Mom and I met with Diane last Sunday and she gave me some excellent advice. She said she wouldn't be able to make a dress in chiffon because chiffon is tricky to work with, and if I was stuck on chiffon I might as well as just go to a store and find one that I like. I told her that I hadn't really even considered other fabrics and she encouraged me to spend a little bit of time looking around online, and also to spend some time in a fabric store looking at patterns and fabric.

Well, I've looked around online and found a couple patterns that would work, but nothing that I LOVE.

And then it happened...

While sifting through Pinterest, I came across this picture:

...and I knew it was LOVE.

I e-mailed Diane to see if it was something she could do, since it's not chiffon. One of my favorite parts about this dress is that we could let the girls choose what type of straps they want - one strap as pictured, two spaghetti straps, halter, and the list goes on. I can put my Matron of Honor in a sparkly belt on top of the black sash and that matched with the gray dresses will be absolutely stunning.

I haven't heard back from Diane yet, but you can bet that I have been checking my e-mail pretty much non-stop since I hit send.

Until I hear back from her, this is where the great bridesmaid dress saga stands...

My Almost Family

The Davies family at Elizabeth & Shaun's wedding. I can't wait to officially call this group family!

Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

It's January 12, IU is dominating Minnesota, AND the windows are open! 60 in January. Who would have thought?

Be soft.

This is all I have for today.

Give 'em a break!

I'm one of those people who tend to believe that all people are good. I don't think that someone intentionally cuts you off on the highway or that they intentionally forgot to send you a birthday wish. Everyone has a lot going on in their everyday lives, and neither I, nor you, are the center of their universe.

Have you heard the quote, "Always be kind for everyone is fighting a hard battle." said by Plato? Well, it's true. People walk around with masks on not everyone always knows what's going on at home, at work, at school, etc. People react differently than you anticipated to situations because they are dealing with something that you aren't.

One of my 13 in '13 is to be faster to listen and slower to talk. I've failed at this many times in the past and I always regret it. So here's a little reminder to myself to think before I speak, to listen before I talk.

We're all human, we all make mistakes, and we all are simply doing the best we each can do.

Let's start giving each other a break, eh?

A Special Birthday & Wobbly Wednesday

Happy 3rd Birthday to my future niece!

She is one of the most rambunctious, curious,

and smiley little girls on the planet - and

I love her for it!

We are celebrating her birthday with Sean's family next month,

and from what I hear it's going to be one magical birthday party!

Now onto some motivation to keep me truckin through the rest of the day!

Tonight I am going to push myself to do this speed interval run on the treadmill. I am sure I'll get through it okay, it's just a matter of prepping myself for it. It's about 12 minutes longer than what I've done in the past, but I figure it's time to start pushing forward.

Five Random Things

Since I'm new to the blogging world, I had no idea that people do "link ups" at different times. How fun! I saw it on Splendid Actually's blog and I'm going to play along.

1. I could eat chips and salsa everyday for the rest of my life and die a happy woman.
2. If I could relive my 20's, I'd probably do a lot of things differently. However, I would make certain that I would still end up where I am now.
3. When your Mom tells you it's time to get over something, it's time to get over something. And what a great feeling it is!
4. I can't wait to go on our honeymoon. We're stuck on St. Lucia or Aruba.
5. My sister is 8 months pregnant and they decided not to find out the sex of the baby. I've thought it was a girl all along, but now I'm thinking it's a boy.

Visit Courtney, Nicole, and Ashley for more random things!

Buffalo Dip - the real stuff!

Buffalo dip is one of my favorite appetizers to munch on when at a party or hosting a party. I'm a firm believer that there is no real thing as bad buffalo dip as I have never had one bite that wasn't absolutely scrumptious. Tonight is the Notre Dame vs. Alabama football game. They are vying for the National Championship so needless to say, it's a BIG deal! I've never really cared either way for Notre Dame, but my fiance and his family are fans so we're making an event of it. Beer, chili, and of course BUFFALO DIP!

I have made buffalo dip myself a few different ways. In order to keep up with my 13 in '13 post, I decided I was going to try and find a recipe for buffalo dip that was different than what I had made before. I zipped over to Google.com and typed "buffalo dip" into the search bar. Lo and behold the very first link that popped up was from Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip, with their recipe for buffalo dip. I can't believe that I have never made the dip from the actual maker of what makes the dip so delicious.

My fiance bought the ingredients on his way home from work this morning so it's all just waiting for me to get home from work and make. I'm certain it won't really taste any different than the others that I have made because, well, the ingredients are all pretty much the same... but the amounts of the ingredients does vary from other recipes that I have used so I am still counting it as my "making something new" for the week.

Here's to another week & Go Notre Dame!

Last Day of Christmas

Go Colts!

Bridal Show & A New Dish!

My Mom invited me to attend a bridal show today at the Scottish Rite Cathedral downtown Indianapolis. I am so glad I went! Sean and I often attend beer fests, and this was just the same but with everything wedding instead of everything beer. There were lots of fun people with big smiles roaming around, booths full of giveaways, and you always leave with bags of stuff that you'll just end up throwing away later.

My Mom and I were joined by her friend and daughter who is also getting married this year. We had a ball! I could have gone without the "fashion show" at the end of the day, had I known it was going to be a David's Bridal show I would have avoided it  like I avoid sick people, bad attitudes, and vomit. But I'm thankful we went because I was able to grab a TON of information on where to honeymoon - something that Sean and I are both looking forward to very, very much!

After I got home I decided I had better make something new for dinner so that I didn't fail my 13 in '13 so quickly.  I found a recipe for Philly Cheese steak Sloppy Joe's on Pinterest, which led me to the recipe which you can find here. The only thing I did different was leave the onions and green peppers on the side since Sean hates all things veggie. Also, I made it an open-face sandwich so I could make it look more pretty. I love pretty food.

Happy Saturday!

TGIF & Excercise-Induced Asthma

I've started this year off with a bang when it comes to keeping up with my 13 in '13 resolutions. One of the 13 resolutions included catching up on doctor's appointments. I haven't had insurance for the past two years, so I've been avoiding the doctor as much as possible. Now that I'm back in the working world with insurance, it's important to me that I take care of my body, my eyes, my teeth, and everything else in between. I'm not getting any younger and let's face it, things start to change once you hit the big 3 - 0... which is less than 12 months away for me! Yikes.

I went into the appointment thinking it would be a normal physical and they would draw some blood to make sure all my levels were normal. I walked out of the appointment with a diagnosis of exercise-induced asthma and a prescription for an inhaler.

I've been noticing lately that I am rather dizzy and lightheaded after running on the treadmill. I figured it was just because I was well, running on a treadmill. I have suffered from terrible motion sickness in the past so it made sense to me that the dizziness from running on the treadmill was simply another way of motion sickness rearing it's ugly head. After talking with the Doctor for awhile, and realizing that it's taken me far too long to really be able to run more than two miles, we decided that there must be something more working against me. My sister deals with a similar ailment so it really isn't a far fetch for a diagnosis and treatment.

My doctor asked me to give it a try for the next two weeks and then report back to him about how I'm feeling. A cool $44 later (no thanks to insurance) I have the inhaler in hand and we're off. I'll test it out tonight for the first time.

Fingers crossed that this helps.

I would like to think that I'm not just a big wussy who doesn't know how to push herself.

With all that said, I couldn't be more grateful that it's a Friday.

Ignite a Fire

I know Wobbly Wednesday is over, but I wanted to share another piece that I have often referred back to when I feel myself getting out of wack. I first found this quote when I was working for a publishing company. Life was good then - I had just been promoted to Assistant Manager, I had a great boss, and I finally felt like I was going somewhere. I was in a good, happy, at-peace-with-myself-and-everyone-around-me place.

About two years into the job the company started going through some changes that I hadn't seen coming. Including a staff reduction. Since I was part of the managment team, guilt set it in pretty quickly, and between those feelings and feeling overwhelmed by yet another manager to get used to I hit my breaking point. I wasn't sleeping. Crying was normal. I wasn't being as productive as I should be because to put it simply - I was a burn out. And no amount of trying to have a positive attitude was going to get me out of this one.

I talked it over with the people close to me and in early July I put my notice in to leave the company. I figured I'd move to Indy, get back in school, find a job and life would be hunky dory. 

However, there were a couple of things that I forgot to think through:

1. What the heck do I want to do with myself?
2. I knew I didn't want to take out more school loans, but how exactly was I intending on paying for school?
3. the job market is a b-word right now

I sat around for a good six months,maybe longer, living off what little income I had left from my previous job and feeling worthless. I hit my all time low - jobless, schooless, friends were all in Bloomington, boyfriend was working nights and busy with his side business,  my weight was skyrocketing, and the worst part of it was that I felt like no one understood. My family was supportive, but I shunned the idea of asking for help. I thought I was a victim of a bad economy and bad luck.

Eventually I figured out that really, I was just a victim of my own bad decisions and there was no one to blame or look at than myself. I bid my time working at Walgreens until school started, and then eventually I found a job that I am currently at that I love.

I ran across this quote again the other day, and I am happy to say that I'm back in this place. I have a great job with an architecture company, I am learning, I am enrolled in school & can go back whenever I am ready, and a nice perk - I lucked out with another fabulous boss. This time I am promising myself that no matter what comes, I am not going back to that dark place. No matter what the company head hanchos decide to do with the company I am not going to perceive myself as a  victim. Everyone is doing the best they can with what they have, and that's all I need to do as well. I feel like I'm finally living this again. And it feels great.

Wobbly Wednesday

I have found that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are typically my roughest days of the week. It's not quite the beginning of the week anymore, but it's not the end of the week either. It's stuck in the middle. Don't get me wrong, sometimes being in the middle is the best place to be. For example, I am a middle child of five. I have the glory of having older siblings and younger siblings. I wasn't watched as closely as my oldest sibling, but I also didn't get the glory of being the last kid left at home. When it comes to weight percentage, being in the middle is usually the okay place to be. And we all know that a pickle in between two slices of bread, meat, and cheese is the best part of the sandwich. Regardless of all the positives being in the middle can bring you, when it comes to the days of the week, Wednesday's and I just do not get along.

With all that said I have decided to declare Wednesday's as "Wobbly Wednesday" and therefore making it the day of the week where I post positive affirmations to help get myself through the week. I hope they help you, too.

 Who wouldn't want to be a unicorn?

Truth.

It's like my parents granted me best friends for life.

 2011 Christmas in Wisconsin

 2012 Christmas at the Acklin's

My best friend from Seattle, a dog named Martini, and me on New Years Eve 2012

Have a great wobbly Wednesday! Finish the week strong.

13 in '13

Goals never hurt anyone, right?

I've decided it was time to make some resolutions and hold myself to them. What better way to hold myself accountable than to make them public? In an honest attempt to become one of those people who always does what they say they will do, I have decided to start this little blog. I don't expect to have tons of readers, or for it to be something that all of my friends and family read everyday. It's just a way for me to express myself in a healthy, controlled way.

I've used almost every form of social media that's out there and they all seem to cause me more grief than good. So here I am, in the year 2013, vowing to the internet gods that I will become a blogger this year, and that by becoming a blogger I will tap into myself to ensure that I am always learning, always investigating, and always staying aware of who, where, and what I am during this year. With the introduction out of the way, I have decided to follow suite of a blogger that I read and publish 13 goals I want to accomplish in 2013. I pray that these goals are reasonable and doable, and that I am strong enough to follow through.

Here we go!

1. Run 500 miles this year. I have been trying to become a "real runner" for the past two years. I don't know what my definition of a runner is, but it has been a long hard road figuring it out. I can run about 2.25 miles on the treadmill right now.
2. Cook one new dish a week. I love to cook and I have been in a rut for the past year.
3. Blog something every day. Whether it's a post, pictures, a quote that I like, whatever - just post something every single day.
4. Make the effort to get to family dinner every single Sunday.
5. Get married. I know this may sound silly since I have the ring, the date, the church, the reception hall already taken care of, but it's a big deal. It's a life moment that I will never forget so I want to be certain that I enjoy and treasure the day, the planning, and all those involved. Especially my fiance - obviously.
6. House. Start the process of buying a house.
7. Be quicker to listen and slower to talk.
8. Write Sean one love letter every month. This is a lost art that needs to make a resurgence.
9. Become less dependent on Facebook. I'm addicted.
10. Take clothes to Goodwill at least twice.
11. Catch up on all doctor's appointments.
12. Give Christ the time he deserves.
13. Quit wanting.

So there's my list for 2013.

I hope everyone had a happy new year, and here's to a new year!