Bikini Ready Soon

I have 39 days to be bikini ready. My boss hasn't exactly OK'd this trip, but in my mind, I'm going. I can promise you that when the time comes, I will be there! In 5 years of working at my current job, I have never taken a real vacation. I have taken a day here or 2 days there, but not a real vacation. It's time right?


Anyway if you have been following my blog for awhile, you already know that I have lost about 30 lbs in the past year. I have done a pretty good job of keeping it off. Every now and then I will indulge for a little while, but can usually get right back on track. 


At this point, it's not really about losing a lot more weight, but getting more muscle. Another 5-10 lbs gone would be nice, but I want to be tone in that bikini! I am working with a personal trainer two days a week and have a running group that meets every Wednesday. The rest of the days, I am on my own. Here is what I hope to accomplish. 




If I aim to work out that many days, it's OK if something comes up. I find that when I aim to only work out 4 days and then something ends up happening on one of those 4 days, I never make it up. Last week I worked out 5 out of 7 days. I think that is a winning week right? 


Maybe in a couple months, I will look like this.....

surgery required for the above :-)

love Rachel Bilson especially in Hart of Dixie

A girl can dream right????

If only I could walk down the beach and not have my thighs touching!

On another note, my kids take one of the state tests today! Good luck on the STAAR kiddos!! (not that they read this...that would be scary)

Weekend Recap with Photos

I am back with Phone Photo Fun Mondays!

You know I have to include pictures of my nephews! Above is Luke, who is about to be 2 months old. Below is Brady (2 and a half) is having fun fishing and riding his 4wheeler. 

I went to my uncle's house in the Woodlands on Saturday for his birthday celebration with other family members. Somehow a blow up monkey got involved! 

Shots of tequila were consumed.

On Sunday, I went to the Htown Blogger meet up and then laid on the couch with Maggie.

Here is a picture of where I will be in about a month! Can't wait!!

My weekend was pretty low key. I did finish book 2 from the Hunger Games series and start on Book 3. I am addicted and cannot wait to see the movie! 

On Friday night, I tried out a new class at the gym- Body Pump. I definitely want to keep doing it because it will get my ready for the beach! After the class, we visited a few bars in Rice Village and then called it a night. 

On Saturday morning, I went to run around Hermann Park. Their trails are a little confusing though so I think I ran more than I really wanted to, but oh well. I definitely could use the exercise. The trails go around the golf course for the most part. 

My Summer Adventure

So I am trying to go to Charleston for the summer. I figure that this is the first summer in 5 years that I have been single so why not do something super fun and different! Yes single! (That's another story) Anyway I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Charleston (see post here), and my best friend just happens to be working there until September. She will only be there during the week, but it will be nice to at least know one person to do stuff with. I'm on my own on the weekends though. 


 I've already found someone to sublease my apartment in Houston. Now I am just working on finding an apartment in Charleston. It would be a lot easier if I wasn't so picky. There are so many ads out needing a roommate, but I want to live alone. 

The first reason that I want to live alone is my dogs. I do not trust some random stranger to be left alone with my 2 babies. Yes, right now that is what they are to me. I would be devastated if a stranger did something to them or even accidentally let them out and they ran away. I've heard HORROR stories about things that roommates have done to other roommate's pets! 

The second reason that I want to live alone is that I have numerous people that want to come and visit me. I want my mom to come and stay with me for a week as well as other friends/family members. I don't want to feel bad because I am constantly having guests over. I also don't want my guests to feel like they are imposing upon these strange roommates.


Number three, I have lived alone for 2 years. I am used to being able to do what I want and when I want. I want to be able to cook when I want, lay on the couch when I want, etc. I don't feel like I would be comfortable living in a house with strangers. It would be one thing if it was one of my close friends, but that is not the case.


Maybe I am being picky. Maybe I am not adventurous enough. If it comes down to it and all I can find is a place with a roommate, I am sure I will take it. When I stop to think about it, living with other girls would be an immediate way to make friends. BUT what if we don't get along?  Charleston is also a college town and I have no desire to live with college aged kids that party all night long in the living room! That would be a miserable 2 months! I am going to try my hardest to find a one bedroom place. We will see how it works out. 


Here is my ad on Craigslist. If you know of any thing that would fit the criteria, let me know!


I sure hope I can go to Charleston for those 2 months. I would love to be so close to the beach all summer! I also want to take weekend trips to Charlotte and Savannah. This blog may turn into "My Adventures in Charleston" and I will LOVE it!

Who wants to come to visit me???

The rest of my spring break

I am linking up with Savanah and Ashlee for Phone Photo Fun! You can see Savanah twice in these photos!

After my fun weekend at Toledo Bend, I headed to Lafayette so that I could visit with this cutie....

The only way to get him to smile is to say, "Show me your teeth!"

He LOVES taking bubble baths in my parent's jacuzzi tub. When I ask him if he wants to get out, his response is always the same, "No way!" That is his response to 90% of my questions. 

This is the look I got this time when I said show me your teeth.

Meg, me, Michelle, Bree, and Savanah

On Wednesday, I packed up and headed back to Houston so that I could meet up with these lovely ladies at Tiny Boxwood's Cafe. If you haven't been there, I highly recommend it. It is such a cute little place. Definitely go early though because the line gets long. We went around 11:15 and that was the perfect time to get there. 

Thursday evening, Savanah and I ventured out to the Bingo Hall for a little bit of fun and hopes of winning big. Unfortunately, that didn't happen.

Y'all would not believe the amount of people that show up for Bingo! The game doesn't start until 7:45. We got there at 6:00. There was already probably 150-200 people in line!! 

You can bring your own wine, liquor, and food so I guess that is why it's so popular. 

I am super excited about my summer plans coming together! You will hear more about that tomorrow, but here is a preview!

Friday night, we went out on a man hunt. This is what we found. I'd say it was unsuccessful unless you like Elvis wanna be guys that have more jewelry on than you do and carry around margarita mix in a paper bag.





The weekend ended with dinner at Eddie V's and a drink at St. Genevieve. St. Gen isn't really my style, but I want to go back earlier in the night before the cheesy crowd just to get the cutest S'mores dessert plate I have ever seen! It comes with all the "fixins" for S'mores with fire to roast them on! Anyone want to come??

Now that spring break is over, the countdown is on until Summer!

Family Reunion

We had a great time at Toledo Bend. It rained off and on the whole weekend, but we still had a blast. We put on our rain coats and boots and played in the rain!

 It was really neat to see these kids experiencing Toledo Bend for the first time. They loved every moment of it. 

 We pretended like we were still 5 years old. 

 Of course, I had to teach may 18 year old cousin how to shoot tequila. Not sure that my aunt and uncle liked that too much, but he did!

 He does not eat marshmallows. He catches them on fire till they are burnt, drops them in the fire, and watches them expand. He then announces to everyone that "poo poo" is in the fire place.

Can't have a reunion without doing the Cupid Shuffle 

 not real sure how this outfit came about but I love it

 never caught a fish but loved it anyway

 me and some of my cousins

 I look super fat here. I had on 2 t-shirts, a sweatshirt, and the rain jacket.  On top of that my face was so swollen from the constant eating and drinking.

The boys did manage to catch a turtle. 

We had a blast and hope to make it a yearly trip. In the meantime, I am SUPER excited about the trip to Florida that was planned while we were at Toledo Bend. In 51 days, we will be together again, but on the white sand and in the clear water in Florida!! That is much more my style!!

My idea of a perfect spring break

I am SUPER excited, seriously you have no idea, about my plans for the next few days. 

My plans are that I am off of work for 9 days. Did you hear me?? 

9 DAYS

My bags are packed to head to Toledo Bend. 

Cannot wait to see this sign.

Toledo Bend is a very special place to me. We used to go at least once a year, if not more, when I was younger. The cabins are in groups of 5 and my family would get all 5- aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. 

I cannot wait to drive through that gate and talk to the friendly lady that will be waiting my arrival. 

I CANNOT WAIT to drive through all the hills that I used to ride my bike on and see my family.  

We will fish, hang out by the water, someone will fall in. Seriously it wasn't a trip at Toledo Bend if my brother didn't fall in the lake. 

We used to take walks through the forest to find this playground. I can't wait to do it again as a grown adult.  

We will have beer and smores by the bonfire. My aunts and uncles will go to bed and the cousins will stay up talking, making memories to last a lifetime. 

There will most likely be no cell phone service. There are no TV's.

I won't have to wear makeup. I will wear t-shirts, work out pants and rain boots. 

Thank the good Lord there WILL BE cabins with showers and toilets.  

There will also be lots of memories made and I cannot wait to get there!