This is late but I'm going to copy Ter-Bear

Thanksgivinging was AWESOME. A week off. A WHOLE WEEK. I did...well...almost nothing. I went out maybe one night, went to the spa and spent the rest of the week hiding at my home, sleeping, on playing Call of Duty ( go ahead, mock me) and watching BSG (again, go ahead, mock me.)

Dad has to go back for another cancer screening. Have to make sure it is not back, keep him in your  thoughts please. So he was on a low iodine diet...basically he can't eat anything that isn't made from scratch without iodized salt...so mom had to bake the bread from scratch, make a special pie crust without shortening/butter, etc. IT WAS AMAZING. Not going to lie, it was fan-tastic.

SO a few things I'm thankful for!

FAM ( and my awesome Brother-in-law who isn't in here. Love you!)

Friends + You if you're my friend and I didn't include you in the picture :-)

Co-workers

My BFF

My BTFF

BSG...even if I want to cut the blonde one

 

teh kittehs, even if Izzy just jumped off my lap scratching my leg to bits

MANATEES

Also, THE University of Texas...even if we can't win a reasonable game, wine, running, dancing, bon jovi, call of duty, pie, yogurt, high heels, BGBG, Juicy Couture, Massages, and Chanel lip gloss.

I'm thankful for you because you're reading this and that makes me feel special. YAY!

Sheila

After 8 wonderful years of service, devotion, and hauling large amounts of things that should be in a dumpster, the Buick has retired. Good ol' Chick 455 or K08 MZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, is resting peacefully wherever they take trade-ins that have windows taped up because otherwise they won't stay up, a glove box that won't close, and a cup holder that is broken in half. I had many a good time with/in/sitting on that car. Let's face it, he hit 100,000 miles and fell apart. Not matter how hoss his Bose speakers were, it was time.  And now pause for nostalgia. If you have any good pictures of my beloved buick please send them my way :-)

Saying Goodbye



Remembering high school



Celebrating graduation

 AND NOW FOR SHEILA!!!

I fell in love with the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T after Chris bugged me to test drive it. Last time I was in a Hyundai I was in Jen's Elantra which was having electrical fits. I did NOT want a Hyundai. He told me just to give it a chance. I was 100% set with my Mazdaspeed 3 and then I saw her. Bright red and beautiful. This is a car you have to see in person, pictures really do not do her justice ( otherwise I would have been sold by looking a photos).

 I won't bore you with the AMAZING deal I got her for, or all the extras they threw in because she was the showroom model and it was obvious they were ready to move her out the door ( hellllo free window tint). She is wonderful and has everything I wanted including her 210 horsepower turbo charged sexiness, bluetooth in the steering wheel, integrated ipod system, and of course her sexy sexy look. Dad haaaaaates that I bought a red car, but in the sea of tan cars at home it is a nice change of pace.

My favorite Shelia moment so far was a guy at Sonic who stopped and asked me when they started making the Genesis Coupe because when he first saw Shelia from the side he was convinced she was an Infiniti G37 ( my aspirational car). That made my day. Seriously kids, come ride with me and Shelia it is seriously fun!

Enjoy these poor quality pics of my girl.

Sheila on the showroom floor.

All is well and Turkey Trot on Thursday!!! Happy Turkey Day kids.

XOXO,
HK

2 hours and 54 minutes of rocking

2 hours and 54 minutes?! 13.1 miles?!

I mean did that even really happen?

Guess it did because there's photographic evidence. Well, if I WANTED to pay $39.95 for a poster sized picture of myself that says FINISHER I guess that'd be the best way to prove that I finished my first half-marathon. I feel like that's for the person who gets up every morning and talks to themselves in the mirror about how awesome they are and how they're going to tear up today's board meeting like they tore up the course. While I'm at it I might as well put it on a mug too, or why not get wallet sized prints to hand to friends and relatives. I mean who wouldn't want a picture of my exhausted sweaty self to show strangers on the subway? You know you do.

Anyway, I did it! I ran the whole way and finished. I need to write a thank you letter to Bon Jovi for getting me through mile 7 with Livin on  prayer ( get it? oooooo we're half way there....etc).Mile 9 and 10 were pretty awful but I just kept on truckin' waiting for the next band, depressing cheerleading group, cytomax table, or cheering friend on the course. Huge shout out to all my wonderful friends and family for making it out to cheer for me so early in the morning on a really COLD day or congratulate and hang out with me later. It meant a lot. :-)   Dad and I ran together the whole way ( and by that I mean dad had to run painfully slow to not lose me). We finished hand in hand at the line in probably our most memorable moment since Rock Lobster at Jen's wedding.

My mom and Aunt Susan walked the half and finished in 3hr 53 min and 4hr 7min respectively. They were serious troopers. Although, they ran out of medals so mom got a marathon one and Aunt Susan's is being mailed, she borrowed one for the pic below.

You know the best part about marathons. The freaking SWAG. I mean yes I paid $130 to do this, but seriously do you know how many granola bars or GU packages I have? Who eats this much granola? And why do I have Shave Secret? Who knows? Who cares? It's free!! Yay mindless consumption!

Next up I have the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving (4 miles) and then the big one...my first Disney half marathon. Mom and I are doing the Princess Half Marathon at WDW. They even let you register as a mother-daughter team...we're the "Goofy Girls". Goofy is mom's favorite. I can't wait.  Then I'll be doing the Disneyland half marathon with the family over Labor Day which qualifies me for the coast to coast Disney medal. I'll round out the year again in November with the SA Rock N' Roll half marathon. It's going to be a run-tastic year.

Hope you're all doing well. Enjoy not-so-sexy pics ( props to Ter-bear for taking them!).

Everything Tastes So Good

I made both the recipes I posted on my last blog. The Butternut Squash with Spinach was FAN-Tastic, however needed a protein to make it a meal. It calls for you to mush the blue cheese and lemon juice in to a dressing. Which, I might add, was AMAZING and I've adapted with other cheeses to make dressings for my salads.

Have you tried Spaghetti Squash? Seriously stop whatever you're doing RIGHT now. Go buy some, cook it and eat it. It's amazing and totally diet friendly. I'm in love.

I used to really feel like cooking for myself was just a waste of time. Seriously, I get to school at 6:30 every morning, teach from 7:30-4:30, then prep till whenever I get to leave...so that leaves me with about 4 hours to myself before I should be asleep. I never thought spending 30 min to an hour on dinner would be fun, I usually just make chili and be done with it. However, these past few days cooking have been really fun, even after 6 mile runs and really long waits in traffic. There's just something so soothing about treating myself, and my wallet right. The Silver Reserve Cabernet in my wine club shipment helps too. ;-)

My half marathon is this weekend and I am SO excited. I can't believe I went from running 1-2 miles a week to this. I can't wait to cross that finish line.

The cat situation has improved and as soon as I get the title to the Buick my new baby is on its way. Just deciding on the color. I'll post pics and reveal the winner when she is mine!

ps

 I HATE, I mean HATE Teenage Dream. The song makes me want to die. The Glee version, however, was amazing.

Saving Money with a Fall Menu, Movies and Marathons

It is rainy, cold, and Starbucks has winter drinks with Christmas cups. Regardless of my harsh opinion that the day after Thanksgiving is the ONLY appropriate time for Christmas Cheer ( Are you listening retail? I know you're hurting but seriously, Christmas decor BEFORE Halloween, tisk-tisk), I am seriously enjoying this time of year. AND because I'm saving money ( new car of the way you know) I am trying all sorts of ways to get everything I want at home for little cost.

This is a great time for me to save some $$$ by cooking more. Next week we have Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Spaghetti Squash Marinara on the way. I am really excited. I forgot how much I love cooking for fun. Staying in means I get to treat myself to homemade breakfasts and amazing wine and snacks at home. Petite Sirah, yes please. Fall James Gang Wine shipment is on the way and it couldn't come at a better time than when I'm cooking up a storm.

Cheap entertainment means revisiting movies I love, ones I own and can watch multiple times in a row without stopping. Revisiting them makes me go through so many different stages in my life. Hands down top 5 movies I can watch OVER and OVER  are:

1.) Ratatouille
2.) Zombieland
3.) Forgetting Sarah Marshall
4.) Hot Fuzz
5.) Waitress

Plus, thanks to the Alamo Drafthouse I can find plenty of free TV shows and movies I can go, get a pint, and come out with a beer and a show for only $5. The Walking Dead was AMAZING and I'm glad to see such a great adaptation. I know Powers and Chew are also being adapted by the same organization and I'm excited to see more great comic stories come to the small screen.

Other than cleaning, my cheap additional entertainment involves training for my half-marathon! It's two weeks away and I'm so excited. My family is all coming out and I'm really looking forward to running, finishing, and collapsing. Lately, I'm trying to run different routes in my area of Houston. It is a such a great time to be by myself and really just enjoy living.

And kiddos let me tell you...between wine, movies, food, and running...I am sure loving my life.

-HK