FMS Photo a Day: January 12-18

Here is another week of pictures! Overall it was a pretty good week. I hosted my first KC Bachelor Watch Party Monday night, spent the night with my mom on Tuesday night, went and looked at my first house Wednesday night (that I absolutely fell in love with), and rounded out the week with a hair appointment (thank goodness I'm blonde again), and going away party for a friend & co-worker Friday.

January 12: Surprise - Molly surprised me with a 12 days of Jazzercise
pass. She really is the greatest! 

January 13: Circle - my Valentine's Day wreath made out of a million tiny little
 felt circles. It is probably a little early for Valentine's decorations but oh well!

January 14: Something Yellow - Fun fact - I hate yellow candy hearts.

January 15: An Ordinary Moment - filling up...again. 

January 16: Two Things - well technically this is three things, but Greek
yogurt with two things, raspberries and walnuts. Yum!

January 17: Ready - early morning workout complete and ready to
start my day! Bring it on Thursday!

January 18: Shadow - killer high heel shadow at my hair appointment!

I've been house/dog/cat sitting for my parents in Topeka all weekend so I've been a total bum. I've been lounging around in lulu all weekend --real clothes are overrated-- even though the most exercise I've actually completed was a 2 mile walk yesterday and an 8 minute abs video straight out of the 80's today. I decided to give myself a break before I start half-marathon training with full force tomorrow. I did manage to complete one of the things on my 28 things before 28 list. I finally went and saw Les Miserables this weekend by myself, and I survived! Sometimes an uneventful weekend is so refreshing! Plus I have a feeling it is going to be needed with restaurant week dinners scheduled Thursday and Friday night and Party Arty on Saturday night this coming week. The potential of a super fun weekend is about the only thing that is going to get me through what promises to be an extremely long, stressful, busy week at work.

Just 5 days...I can make it!

Will you accept this rose?

Every season I tell myself I'm not going to get sucked into the Bachelor yet every season I just keep coming back for more. It doesn't matter that this is Season 17 and only one, yes one, of the bachelors actually ended up marrying someone on the show - and get this. He didn't even marry the contestant he chose in the finale. He ended up breaking off their engagement on live tv none-the-less and asking for another chance with the runner-up. How messed up is that? Apparently he made the right decision though because they are now married and expecting their first child. Still not cool Jason. Not cool at all.

Back in Cincinnati my friends and I would have viewing parties on Monday nights (it makes me feel a little better about watching the show if I'm not sitting on my couch alone...with my cat) so I've decided to start weekly watch parties with my lovely KC friends. If nothing else it is a good excuse to get together, gossip, drink some wine/champagne, and be thankful that none of us are as cray-cray as the girls on this show. Thank the lord.

This week it was my turn to host the watch party so after perusing Pinterest I decided I was going to try a new recipe for Avocado Feta Dip served with pita chips. This dip was super easy to throw together after work, and I think everyone really liked it. In my opinion, as long as pita chips are involved you can't go wrong. Although you might not want to take my word for it because I have an unhealthy addiction. I fear one day you might see me on Intervention eating Stacy's pita chips out of a garbage can. Seriously. It is that bad.

Here is the recipe for the dip if you want to try it out:

Avocado Feta Dip

2 ripe avocados, diced
1 tomato, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 oz. feta cheese
1 T fresh oregano
1 T olive oil
1 T white wine vinegar

This recipe is pretty straight forward. Just chop up the avocado, tomato, onion, and garlic. Then mix together with the feta, oregano, olive oil, and vinegar. It is that simple! In my mad rush at the grocery store on Sunday I forgot to buy fresh oregano so I had to settle for dried oregano (I only used 1/2 T and I think that was plenty). I also only bought a 4 oz. container of feta, but that seemed to work just fine as well.

If you know me at all, then you obviously know I would never dream of hosting a get-together without serving dessert. I had to be in Lawrence by 4:00 p.m. on Sunday to watch my baby sis perform her dance team nationals routines (Rock Chalk!), and didn't end up making it to the grocery until an hour or so before that so I cheated slightly. I might have picked up store-bought sugar cookies. Don't judge me. I did however use my new mixer to make buttercream frosting from scratch, and threw together these rose cookies pretty quickly.

Not the prettiest things I've ever made, but they worked!

Finally, what Bachelor watch party is complete without a little bubbly?!? I picked up a bottle of Spumante and some raspberries, and put my champagne flutes to good use since I didn't have a chance to whip them out on NYE.

I love entertaining, but it is a little tricky in my one bedroom apartment. Hopefully (if everything works out) I will have a house to host parties at in the coming months (fingers crossed I can find something I like that is actually within my price range). I'm looking at my first house tomorrow evening, but I will have to have an entirely separate post about that later! All in all I think I had a pretty good spread at my first Kansas City Bachelor watch party. Hopefully my friends enjoyed themselves as much as I did!

Until next week (when I will probably change my mind), TEAM DESIREE! 

To Rock or Not to Rock the Parkway?

I haven't participated in The Domestic Wannabe's Move it Monday in awhile so I'm hopping back on the bandwagon this week. I've been debating on whether or not to run the Rock the Parkway half marathon for weeks now, and I'm still undecided. Decisiveness definitely isn't one of my strong suits. I know that I want to run at least one half marathon this year since I didn't get one in last year, but I really hate running outside in the cold. I'm such a baby.

If I decide to run this race, I think I am going to use Hal Higdon's Intermediate Program, but change it up slightly. Hal has strength & stretch days on Mondays, but there is a 5:30 a.m. Strictly Strength class at Lifetime that I usually go to on Tuesday's so I would flip flop those days. He also has long runs planned for Sunday, but I don't like to have them hanging over my head all weekend (and would like the option to go out on Saturday nights if I so choose) so I think I would get the long runs out of the way first thing Saturday morning. My 12 week training program would be something like this:

I used his Novice 1 and Novice 2 programs for my last two half marathons and actually ran slower than my first half marathon so I'm on mission to PR this race (if I run it). Otherwise what is the point?!? Here are my times from my three half marathons:

Flying Pig Half Marathon Cincinnati, OH - 1.56.28
Waddell & Reed Half Marathon Kansas City, MO - 1.59.00
Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon St. Louis, MO - 1.57.05

The first half marathon I ran was by far the hardest and had the absolute worst weather conditions (pouring rain, thunder, lightening). I had sopping wet shoes before I even started running and had quarter sized blisters on both feet after the first mile. It also probably didn't help that I was running in Nike Shox. Whoops! I guess the miserable conditions and bad shoes really motivated me to finish. I also think the fact that I lived on the race course and was training on a good portion of the hills day in and day out probably helped.

I definitely skimped on the training for my second half (and didn't sign up until the day before the race), and my time clearly shows that. I started training in Cincinnati, but ended up moving back to Kansas midway through the 12 week program and kind of just stopped following it altogether. I ran here and there in the weeks leading up to the race, but usually just on the treadmill.

For the St. Louis Rock 'n' Roll half marathon I trained with my best friend Dani, and we ended up running almost the entire race together. We started and finished together and that is all that matters :) I was close to beating my PR this race, but no cigar. I attribute my slowness in this race to the few extra lbs I was carrying around this time. I had just gotten into a new relationship, and all the cocktails and eating out really caught up to me. I've got the pictures to prove it. Yikes. Note to self - do NOT under any circumstance let yourself gain 5-8 pounds the next time you get into a new relationship.

Here is where I need all of you. Does anyone have any tips for running outside when it is freezing? Honestly, I really haven't even given it a shot, but running from my apartment to the car in the mornings is about all I can take. What type of work out gear do you wear? Looks like I might be forced to make a trip to lululemon in the next few weeks :) Also, is anyone in KC planning on running this race and do you want to train together some days? I'm going to need some motivation (if I actually sign up)!

FMS Photo a Day: January 5-11

Happy Saturday all! Here is my week in pictures:

January 5: Movement - exorcist cat? Kinda creepy...

January 6: Mine - look what I finally bought! Now I just need an
excuse to make something with it!

January 7: Street - Pretty lights at the Plaza on my way to watch the first
episode of the Bachelor with a few girlfriends. Yes I still watch it.

January 8: Something Beginning with 'T' - Tuesday morning Strictly Strength
class at Lifetime. So much easier to get it out of the way in the morning!

January 9: Paper - making homemade Valentine's this year

January 10: 1 o'clock - working away!

January 11: Water - not much ice to keep off of when it is 55 degrees in January!

Emma's Five Dating Resolutions All Single People Should Make in 2013

Seeing as it is a new year (and I'm recently single yet again), I've been doing a lot of reflecting on my dating life the past several years, and I've come to the realization that something has got to change.

It's been nearly three years since my break-up of all break-ups (let's call him Mr. Personality). I'm talking about a heart shattered to a million pieces, can't go more than a few hours without crying, don't know how I will be able to go on kind of break-up. Luckily I had some amazing friends and family. I don't know how many times I called my mom in the middle of the night in hysterics or how many times I made my roommate listen to Wrong Baby Wrong by Martina McBride. Sorry Mom and Ashley! Immediately following my break-up with Mr. Personality, I had a brief relationship with Mr. Nice Guy who I have to thank for helping me stick it out in Ohio those last 7-8 months. Seriously if the timing had been a little different, and I hadn't fled the state at the first opportunity I would have been crazy not to be with this guy. Him and his friends were simply amazing those first couple months after my break-up.

Fortunately by now I can happily say I've moved on 110%, and frankly I'm not quite sure why I was so hung up on Mr. Personality to begin with but I've digressed. The point is it is now 2013...three years later...and I've had two other failed relationships - a short-ish relationship (if it can even be classified as a relationship) with Mr. Murse - I got a birthday present and a Valentine's day present so that has to mean something right?!?) and a longer relationship with Mr. Soccer/Yoga.

After rehashing these relationships the past several days I logged onto Facebook this morning and lo and behold, one of my sorority sister's just wrote an ah-maze-ing article for CentralTrack.com on the Five Dating Resolutions All Single People Should Make in 2013, and you know what? The girl is spot on!

Resolution #1: Date up. I really feel like this one hits home for me. As Emma so eloquently put it, "So many of us --especially those of us in our 20s -- settle when it comes to dating. Oh you're moderately attracted to me? you think. Sweet, let's date. I don't even mind that you may or may not be a serial killer! We're all victims of this. It's an easy way out of being single, dating the first person who shows even the slightest bit of interest in what you're bringing to the table. Don't fall for this crap."

Unfortunately I can say with 100% certainty that I am absolutely guilty of this. Until a few weeks ago, since moving back to Kansas I'd only gone on dates with two different people, and guess what? I ended up in relationships with both of them. From the beginning I knew there were things missing -- physical attraction isn't essential. We have so many other things in common and he seems so much safer than Mr. Personality I tried to convince myself. I chose to disregard all of my initial hesitations with Mr. Soccer/Yoga because being with someone (even the wrong someone) was better than being alone right?? Wrong. This year I'm going to be picky. If it's not there, it's not there. No use in wasting my precious time on boys with whom I have no physical attraction or only lackluster feelings. I refuse to settle.

Resolution #2: Quit it with all these college-like relationships. I don't think this one is so much of an issue for me anymore, but it was definitely the problem with Mr. Personality. Mainly I attribute that to him still being in college another year while I had gotten a big girl job and joined the real world. Depressing. Our nights out usually consisted of him drinking entirely too much, me playing babysitter/mom, and then us going back to his horrifying house/shanty to sleep in his lofted bed where he lived with six other guys. Nothing says college like a lofted bed....and six roommates.

I have to admit I was definitely courted by Mr. Soccer/Yoga - nice dinners at fun restaurants, art museums, fundraisers, surprises. All these things were so refreshing and much appreciated, but honestly they didn't make up for the fact that the sparks just weren't there from the beginning so for this resolution I need to stay on track. No digressing back to cheap beer, dingy apartments, and 2 a.m. pizza (athough I will admit I do love a good pizza after a few...ok several drinks), but also no being swindled into a year and a half relationship just because a boy can show me a good time. After all, I'm not getting any younger.

Resolution #3: Stay away from the weirdos with either too many or too few friends.  I don't think I've ever encountered a boy with too few friends, but let me tell you... Mr. Soccer/Yoga has a close-knit group of friends that go way back to high school. They have a club with a fancy name and "events". They even have rules. This is not a joke. Are we in elementary school again? 

While it is absolutely essential that anyone I seriously date has their own friends, Emma said it best "If they have too many friends, you'll face a bloody, brutal crawl to the top of their priority list. This is especially true if your crush's group of friends has been hanging together since all the way back in high school. Although it is lovely that these groups have remained so close for so long, these types of friendships are so chock-full of history that you'll be vying for your loved one's attention and facing endless gatherings for someone you don't know's birthday"...or in my case listening to endless inside jokes or stories that are probably only funny to the people who were there in second grade. I'm not laughing.  Resolution #3 means I need to find the happy medium, and no more being put second behind his high school buddies.

Resolution #4: Make two lists - a non-negotiable one and a negotiable one. This one might take some time, and seeing as this post is already turning into a short novel I will spare you all the details, but I will "make an oath on these lists. [I will] not break the rules [I] set with them. [I] will consider it practice for marriage."

Resolution #5: Stop looking so hard. I find this one so cliche. I feel like this is what everyone who is head over heels in love or happily married tells their single, future cat lady in training girlfriends. You will find someone when you least expect it. Don't go out and look for it. I'm not quite sure I buy this one, but what I am vowing to do is be happy with being single this year. Very rarely in the last 12 years of my life have I been single. I've bounced from one relationship right into the next with very little downtime in between so this year I'm taking time for myself. I'm going to take Emma's advice and "For now, just be OK with being single -- not alone, mind you. Single. We singletons tend to get super dramatic with the world 'alone.' "Ugh, I'm so alone! No one loves me! I have nothing!' cried the girl surrounded by her 17 cats and doting parents. C'mon. You're better than that."

And you know what? I am. Thank goodness I only have 1 cat, but I do have extremely loving friends and family and so far this whole single thing isn't too bad! ;)


If you like Emma's article on CentralTrack.com be sure to check out her blog Emma's Thing. I personally find her hilarious.

FMS Photo a Day: December 29-January 4

All caught up!

December 29: Hot - skinny vanilla latte before Molly's wedding!

December 30: Something That Made You Smile This Year - I had the pleasure
of watching several of my good friends get married this year, and loved
spending so much time with my lovely Theta ladies. 

December 31: Self-portrait - Despite having the stomach flu it was so
great to spend NYE with some of my besties in Dallas.

January 1: Today - while some people were recovering from hangovers, I
spent the day curled up on the couch recovering from the flu with my friends.
Perfect New Year's day.

January 2: New - the start of a new day heading back to KC after a fun trip.

January 3: Heart - some adorable Valentine's Day heart sprinkles I just
couldn't resist. Now what to bake...

January 4: The View From Here - back to work in my new leopard
booties from Payless.

FMS Photo a Day: December 22-28

Sorry I've gotten a little behind on posting my Photo a Day pictures. It was just one sickness after another while I was on vacation the past two weeks so there wasn't a whole lot of time for blogging. First I had the fever/sore throat/earache (chronicled in my gorilla cake post), and then I conveniently got the stomach flu almost immediately upon arrival in Dallas. It didn't make for a very fun NYE. Ringing in the new year with a flute of Sprite Zero just isn't quite the same as with a flute of champagne. At least I will start 2013 a few pounds lighter! ;)

December 22: Decoration - one of my favorite Christmas ornaments.
Let them eat cake!

December 23: Joy is... - my grandma's New Orleans barbecue shrimp! I
will try to get this recipe up on the blog soon because it is perfect for a
large dinner party. Sooooooooooooooooooooooo good!

December 24: Tradition/Something You Always Do - my sisters and I always
get to open one present each on Christmas Eve, and it is always fleece pjs :)

December 25: Lunchtime - my family always has a big breakfast/brunch
Christmas morning so I didn't have any food worth photographing at
lunchtime hence my collage of some of the awesome presents I got!

December 26: Mess - the start of Molly's gorilla groom's cake (pre-collapse)

December 27: How You Relax - Mistletoe Yankee candle, peanut m&ms,
and a glass of merlot is my recipe for total relaxation!

December 28: Cold - my cold weather outfit for Molly's bridal soiree