Viva Las Vegas!!

  Whohoo, today is my Friday!! Tomorrow I am headed to Las Vegas for Labor Day weekend with my hubby and our friends Chance and Laura.   My husband has been to LV at least 500 times but this is my first. SO excited!     I tried to rest a lot this week to prepare myself for 3 sleepless nights and lots of craziness but I just don't think this is something I can prepare for.  For someone who gets a little tipsy after 2 or 3 drinks and likes to go to sleep at 9:00 every night, this is going to be an exhausting (but totally worth it) weekend! I see a lot of Sugar Free Red Bull's and 5 Hour Energy's in my future :)  

   Just a few of the things we have planned-   Going to see the Cirque du Soleil show, O, at The Bellagio Going to see Peepshow w/ Holly Madison ( Just found out she is preggers yesterday but I hope she still performs! ) The Bank, XS, Tryst and Marquee  The fountains at The Bellagio Visiting all the big hotels Shopping Dinner at the Top of the World restaurant in the Stratosphere Tower Pool parties  A swim in the XS nightclub pool where Prince Harry & Ryan Lochte raced each other at 3 AM last weekend ;) And more!

  I will be back next Wednesday with a full recap of our trip!   Hope y'all have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend!!  

                     

A few things I am loving at the moment.....

- May Books I have been a loyal Erin Condren customer for the past year and a half and I do still love her planners but I can't help but LOVE the latest planner craze, May Books.  I love all the ways you can customize your planner with different covers, monograms, fonts, colors, pages and more.  I ordered a 2012-2013 planner and a blank one and can't wait for them to come in!    

    - My latest reads! Head over to Lia Joy's blog post for today to read all about the books her and I have read the past couple of weeks.  We have quickly become book BFF's and text each other multiple times a day with suggestions for new books and thoughts of books just finished.  We have both been reading the same books lately and she did a full post with all the details and her thoughts on them.  If you need a new book to read, you need to check it out...there are some seriously awesome books we have finished!   - Less than a month until all the good Fall shows are back!  FINALLY! Revenge, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, DWTS...can't wait!     -My new VS PINK lotion- Pink Warm & Cozy....this smells amazing.  It has a warm, vanilla scent to it and leaves my skin so smooth.  I have always been a VS lotion fan and this might be my favorite smelling one I have tried.  I also got the body scrub and love it too.  Makes my whole bathroom smell yummy!  

      - And just a few favorite quotes :)  

         

Weekend Recap!

   

  So true, right?!   Well....Happy Monday, friends!!  Hope y'all had a fabulous weekend.  I sure did :)   Let's start with Thursday-   August in Houston means Houston Restaurant Week(s), one of the best month's of the whole year in H-town! Tons and tons of restaurants join in and offer a 3 course meal for $35 and $5 of that is donated to the Houston Food Bank.  So, every year my husband and I try to pick a couple restaurants and go and I always end up going another time or 2 with girlfriends.  This year me and 3 friends chose to go to Brenner's on the Bayou Thursday night.  It was their first time going but I have been several times before.  It is by far one of my favorite restaurants in Houston.  So, if you live here, you should go :)  

The awesome patio bar- BLUE

So beautiful!  It does not even feel like you are in Houston.  Great location for a wedding or other event!

My 2nd course- Crab Stuffed Shrimp & Marscapone Risotto

Keeping our yearly tradition up!

Friday-

Celebrated Jen's 30th birthday with friends and dinner! 

 Her hubby is an AMAZING cook and he cooked us up some stuffed pork chops, grits and a salad.  Then he had Nothing Bundt Cakes for dessert. Yummo!

Saturday-

Hubby got a new car!! Whohoo! BUT...I am not allowed to share pictures yet.  He is getting the windows tinted tomorrow and possibly new wheels put on so he pretty much threatened my life if I shared pictures before all of that was done.  So, I am going to drive his Tahoe for a year or 2 then eventually when that starts having problems I will get something.  For now though, I love the Tahoe but need to get used to driving it.  I have never owned an SUV or driven one consistently.

That afternoon we had about 12 guys over at our house for an NFL draft party. I helped cook and get ready for the party then I left for several hours so they could have their guy time.  I shopped for our upcoming Vegas trip and got my nails and toes done.  Then when I got home I pretty much stayed in our bedroom the rest of the night so they could do their own thing.  I didn't want to intrude on their "guys only" day ;)

Sunday-

We did a whole lot of nothing.  Laid out, swam, read, started planning my Vegas outfits, grilled hamburgers for dinner, drove the new car around... that's about it! Perfect day!

Now I am happy to have a 4 day work week then we head to Vegas on Friday with our friend's Chance & Laura! So excited for a weekend getaway with some of our best friend's and can't wait to go to Vegas for the first time! 

     

{Trader Joe's Obsessions}

Now that I have a Trader Joe's less than 5 minutes from my house it is my go to grocery store.  Not just because it is so close but because everything really is better there.  The customer service is better, the prices are better and the food is WAY better.  I thought I would share with you several of my Trader Joe's favorites!   #1-  TJ Vanilla Almond Milk This stuff is amazing.  So much healthier than normal milk and tastes so yummy.  I have used it in smoothies and cereal mostly but I am going to try to bake with it soon!  

      #2- Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Chocolate Almonds Heaven in my mouth.  These things are so dang addictive.  TJ can barely keep them in stock because they are so popular.  I had to wait weeks to buy them because every time I went they were out of them.  Something about the sea salt mixed with the chocolate makes these things amazing.  You MUST try these.  You will love them, I swear.  

#3- Peaches

Hands down, best peaches ever.  They are juicy and full of flavor and last much longer than the ones you would buy in a regular grocery store.  I stock up on these every time I go.

      #4- Organic Brown Rice Cooks in 3 minutes and tastes delicious?  Sold.  Love, love, love this rice!  It is such a quick, yummy side for any meal.  

#5- Mandarin Orange Chicken

Goes perfect with the brown rice for a quick, week night meal.  This is one of our favorite meals these days, especially after a long day of work when I don't feel like cooking sometimes.

        #6- All fruit & produce Fruit and veggies from TJ are always fresh and lasts a long time.  I used to go to a regular grocery store on Sundays and buy a bunch of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries, rinse them and put them in a big bowl so we would have to snack on all week.  Well, by Thursday, it is mush and not so good looking.  I started buying all my fruit and veggies at TJ and my life has changed :)  Now my fruit lasts well over a week! Plus it is cheaper!    

      #7- 100 Calorie Milk Chocolate Bars So yummy!  These are mini chocolate bars that are smooth and creamy and ONLY 100 calories! Yes, please.  I pick up a little box by the cash register every time I am there.   

    If you shop at Trader Joe's, what are some of your favorites?      

I'm Back!! But, not really.....

  Eeeek, it's been 6 days since I have blogged!  Stressed and crazy does not even begin to describe the past week. BUT...I am not here today, I am blogging all about football season fashion over at one of my best friend's new blog!  Head over to check out her cute blog and say hi!  She is a OSU fan, super Mom to 2 adorable boys and queen of yummy recipes and DIY projects.    I will be back tomorrow with all of my favorite Trader Joe's finds!   Hope y'all are having a great week! xo    

Friday's Letters Link Up!

  Link up here!    Dear Hardy Toll Road- Thank you for existing.  You make my long commute to and from work bearable.   Dear Radar Detector- Thank you for saving me from speeding tickets on the Hardy Toll Road every day.  You were worth the money.   Dear Fall- Please come sooner rather than later.  I am ready for Fall clothes, food, smells and weather! I am pretty much over this heat.   Dear Weight Watchers- Please forgive me for consuming a little too much Apple Sake last night at dinner and a waffle for breakfast today.  Those "mistakes" should be saved for the weekend but I broke my rules and gave in.  Let's just pretend that those didn't happen :)   Dear Houston Radio Stations- If I hear "Call Me, Maybe" one more time, I am going to drive my car off a bridge.   Dear Football Season- Welcome back. But, please don't keep my husband from me every.single.weekend. for the next 6 months.  I would really appreciate it.   Dear Lady Gaga, Flo Rida and Black Eyed Peas- Thank you for getting me thru my runs in the afternoons.  I would give up around mile 2 if it was not for you.    Dear Las Vegas- I can not wait to see you in exactly 2 weeks.  But please be gentle...it is my first time there.    Dear Guiliana Rancic- I have emailed the manager of your restaurant and the bar tender who helped create your signature drink, G Rizzle (yes, I did some major stalking to contact them both), because I am ridiculously desperate for your drink recipe.  It is no where on the internet (believe me, I have looked).  I just need some hints as to what is in it. Please???   Dear Friday- Thank you for arriving, even though you took your precious time getting here.  Please go by really fast. Thanks. HAPPPPPPPPPY FRIDAY, friends!! Have a fabulous weekend!      

4 Books You Need To Read & A Few Things That Are Making Me Happy!

Last night I counted how many books I have read on my Nook in 2012...almost 40!! Whoa! 40 books in 8 months. I am 30 going on 80, I know...  And now I am going to tell you about 4 books I read in the last 2 weeks that you need to read :)     #1- Slammed by Colleen Hoover #2- Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover  

  These 2 books = Amazing.  I haven't been this hooked/obsessed with a series since 50 Shades of Grey.  There is a 3rd book in the works...hopefully it comes out sooner rather than later.   The love between the characters, the story line, the slam poetry, the heartbreaking situations that happen and how they overcome them....I could go on and on about all the reasons I loved this book.  I laughed and cried in both books and now I want to read them again.  Thank you  Myra and Lia Joy for introducing me to those books :)  Now I don't know what to read next because I am pretty sure nothing will be as good as these books!       #3- Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand #4- The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand  

  I love Elin Hilderbrand and love her books that take place in Nantucket.  And that is exactly what these 2 were.  They are not part of a series; they are both just single books with no sequels but there are a couple characters that are the same in both books.  These were both perfect Summer reads.  There is a mixture of romance and tragedy and scandal in each of these.  The stories twist and turn then all comes together at the end.  I loved these 2 books and they left me wanting to read more of Elin Hilderbrand's books!     Now for a few things that are making my very happy this week......   My 3 best friends and I are planning a girl's trip to NYC in April! The 4 of us have been best friends for around 15 years and never taken a girls only, adult trip together so we figured it was about time.  NYC is probably my favorite city in the US and I have been telling my husband for a few months how much I have been craving a trip back there, so now he won't have to listen to me beg anymore ;)  I am so excited!!  

Holly, Me, Sarah and Jen     Trader Joe's.  It is turning into another Target for me....I go in there for just one or two things but leave with 5 bags full of random things.  Everything is better at TJ...the fruit, the meats, the produce.  Lately I have been making about 2 trips a week there. I have a whole post dedicated to my favorite TJ finds next week. I don't know how I ever lived without it.....    

Finally, running. I have been off and on been trying to get back into some sort of training schedule the last few months but I always fall off the wagon after a week or 2 and have trouble getting into a routine.  I am happy to say that those days are gone and I am finally back into it.  Thanks to my lack of training the past 6 months I am back to square one and trying to build the miles again.  Since Saturday I have ran 11 miles and I feel better each time I run...minus the insane heat.  YAY! So happy to be back!

Happy Thursday!!



 

{Weekend in photos}

 

This was my first "experience" with the whole mustache thing and I have to be honest, I don't get it.  BUT regardless, it was fun :)

And this would be my best friend...since we were about 14 years old.

We were out celebrating her 29th birthday!

Hubby!

The whole group @ dinner @ Chi Japanese Restaurant

Bestie!!

The most delicious Strawberry Creme Cake!

YUMMMM!    

My husband made the most yummy omelet for me on Sunday morning :)

Sunday night- Christina Perri in concert. She has an amazing voice!

Jason Mraz!

All this stuff makes an awesome smoothie and so healthy!