A Productive Morning

Goooooood Saturday morning, everyone!

Just a few tidbits, musings if you will to kick off your weekend...

• It's 7:52am on a Saturday, and I feel like I slept in. Say what?! I've already done yoga and had breakfast and killed some time stalking or reading up on not-really-social-media.  With my new get-up-at-the-butt-crack-of-dawn-to-work-out-before-work schedule, my body doesn't not (double negative for the win!) get sleepy at 9:30pm on Friday night.  So off to bed I went no later than 10 and was pretty much wide awake at 6 this morning.  Now that you know the only things I've done for the past 2 hours, my morning doesn't seem so productive anymore. 

• Upon walking into the kitchen this morning, I noticed my driver's license on the counter.  Hrmm....nothing else around it so I wondered if one of two things happened.  1) Nathan found it on the sidewalk or something last night and put it on the counter.  2) Nathan got it out of my wallet last night to make online purchases or steal my identity in some way or another.  Now I know what you're thinking:  how could he make online purchases with a license?  I don't understand it either, folks, but he's a wizard and I don't think clearly just a few minutes after waking and lying in bed for 30 minutes looking at Facebook friends' beach pictures.  Apparently, in my mind, my husband ventures outside and to the ends of the earth on the worldwideweb after I go to sleep at night.  Who knew!?

• Impossible Foods is a really cool company that set out to create a plant-based burger that is also better for the environment and uses no meat.  They succeeded and created the Impossible Burger.  Word on the street aka their Instagram this week is that it's finally going to be available in certain Texas locations.  So guess where we're eating the next time we venture to Dallas!? So excited to try it and encourage more companies to think more outside the box! Yum-my!

• I made these bars on Wednesday night as a breakfast option for us, and I was a little nervous they were going to be too earthy/natural/bleh, but they are really good!  I've made a few of Angela's recipes (we're besties on a first name basis), and they never disappoint.  A few others off the top of my head are Adriana's Favorite Pasta, Chickpea Salad, and a staple for years now - Blueberry Banana Pie Overnight Oats.

• I started a new book last weekend.  It's my first fiction pick in a very long time, so I searched and hunted for something that others recommended so as not to be disappointed and retreat into a non-fiction cave forever.  I found that Grace highly praised it here, and she's a cool cat so I figured I'd give it a try.  So far, so good!

That's about all I've got on this gorgeous, glum Saturday morning for ya (thank you, Tropical Storm Cindy).  If you're just now waking, I give you permission to dive head first into a bowl of Frosted Flakes and think about the next two days NOT slaving away for the corporation/man/etc.  You slave away for you, darling! 😘 (or your kiddos/laundry basket/chore list)

**EDIT:  Nathan woke up, and the answers to the license on the counter came alive.  He said he found it on the scanner last night.  Suuuuuure.  Last week I needed him to scan it for a job application, and we left it there.  So I've been illegally driving for over a week and had no idea that my license wasn't tuckered away in my wallet. Mystery solved.

Maria, Maria

As I mentioned yesterday, our weekend was full of Father's Day funtivities, as I'm sure was the case for many families in the USofA.  I couldn't help but think about my co-worker Maria* yesterday.  When I first started at the law firm, Maria was on vacation for a few weeks because her hubby had returned from being deployed and I guess she wanted to hang out with him or something.  He's in the military for the USofA.  (I'm sure I didn't need to notate that since you probably guessed it wasn't the Russian military or the Chinese military, but I just wanted to say "USofA" again. And that makes three times now, so I'm done. 😜) I only heard awesome things about Maria whenever she would come up during those initial 3-4 weeks of learning the ropes of the law firm.

"Maria is AWESOME! You will love her!"

"Maria is so fun!"

And my favorite:  "Maria is like a human version of a cracked-out fire ant.  She's always racing around here doing something or another for the attorneys and she knows everything.  You're going to love her when you meet her!"

So needless to say, I was excited to meet Maria.  And when I did - everything I'd heard about her held up x 10!  She has more energy than someone pounding 3-hour Energy's one after the other and she keeps a sense of humor and a good attitude in all that.  She's also the sole creator and member of our Party-Planning Committee and always produces.

I've had the joy of experiencing Maria's awesomeness and laughing a lot with her over the past 2 years, but she went and got herself knocked up late last year (for the second time...keep your legs together, MARIA!) and left the workplace for an undetermined maternity leave in late January.  The office just hasn't been the same since the morale of Maria has departed.

Then we all received news in early April that Maria's father had an unexpected heart attack and suddenly passed away.  It weighed heavy on my heart and mind that day and those following, and I just felt so bad for her.  Maria can't be more than a few years older than me - 33 or 34 - and I just couldn't believe it.  All her and her hubby's family live in Virginia, and from what I've heard, she's flown back there and may be spending a lot of time there until they can bury him at Arlington National Cemetery in September.  (apparently there's quite a long wait to be buried there)

Maria crossed my mind yesterday after I got to hang out with my awesome dad at lunch and Nathan's awesome dad the two days prior.  I know I'm going to be devastated when both of those awesome dudes** leave this amazing earth, but I just can't even imagine that right now, at the ripe young age of 29 and 11 months.  Seriously, I'm going to be a wreck if I'm 60, and I pray it's not a day sooner than that.

I thought about texting Maria, and then I thought about not texting for fear of ripping the band-aid off a really fresh wound.  But then I remembered reading once, in one of Shauna's books (probably Bittersweet), that when you don't know what to say, you should say something.  Even if it's "I don't know what to say."  So I texted Maria a funny work story, and then at the end, I let her know in just a few words that I hope today didn't suck too much.   She loved the work story and laughed via few texts back.  I don't know if it meant anything to her, but I just thought that someone so awesome should not have a suck-tastic day.

I hope if you've read this and you've had a really crummy Monday, this helped it not be as crummy.  And if you've had an amazing one - I'm sorry I just became your Debbie Downer.

*names have been changed to protect the awesome!
**my dad LOATHES the word 'dude' and can't stand being called it (in jest, of course...we're not brave enough to venture down that road in a heated argument for fear of getting our a$$ ripped apart.) So that's for you, Papa Roach! 😋

Updates 'Round Here

Two weeks without a post - what in the world is wrong with me?  That's a loaded question that we don't have time to analyze right now, but I'll highlight some things for ya to fill you in on the exciting life and times of Courtney.  Strap on that three-point harness...(also, I decided to put the subject before each so if you're not interested in that topic, then you won't waste more of your precious Sunday reading crap.  I can't promise any of them are better than crap, though.)

• BODY ENHANCEMENT- So I feel like I've been toying for years or months about waking up early and working out before work.  The other day after discussing it yet again on our trip to Dallas with NatetheGreat, I decided to pull that trigger.  For about 2 weeks now, I've been getting up at 5:30 (YOWZA is right!), and alternating between Jillian's Kettlebells, Insanity, and yoga before work.  I then shower, since even yoga gets me drenched because I'm not about to stank up the law office, and off to work I go - endorphins a'blazing.  And to be honest:  it hasn't been that bad! It's hard when the alarm clock goes off, but not really any harder than before when it would go off and I just had to get up and start getting ready.  I also LOVE not having to work out after work.  I'm still trying to get used to my routine after work and getting dinner ready and such since I'm going to bed an hour earlier, but I'm sure we'll find a new groove that works.
  

• MIND ENHANCEMENT - Along that same note of trying to better myself, I also feel like I've been blabbing for months or years about how I wish I read more books.  I enjoy reading books and I feel like I read a lot here and there (tons of motions and objections and responses and drafts at work + blog posts + news articles online when I should be reading motions and objections and responses and drafts at work), but I haven't been the best lately at making books a priority.  So on our trip to Dallas, I was looking for this one and this one to kick off that new habit/priority, but Half Price Books didn't have either.  Don't worry, it's still one of the greatest stores in the world.  I did randomly pick up Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling and started reading it in the store to see if it was any good.  Lo and behold, Mindy has a way with words and I left with it and wanted to continue reading ASAP.  I finished it about two weeks ago and would definitely recommend it.  I think I eventually might read her follow up to it, but I wanted to spread them out a bit.  I followed up with Presto and really enjoyed it.  Whereas I would recommend Mindys' work of art to any gal-pal or person on the street who wants to laugh and seems to have some personality, I will say I wouldn't recommend Penn's book to just anyone.  I really enjoyed it and loved the minute details about his weight loss journey, but he is not afraid of using colorful language and expounding on his atheism.  Neither of these issues bothered me, so I would give it 5 stars, but I'm not going to run off telling the people of Shreveport who attend the Southern Baptist Convention regularly that they should read about this magician.  Side note - I've always enjoyed watching bits and pieces of Penn and Teller on the telly, but this definitely made me want to see their show live. 

• FAMILY ENHANCEMENT - I know you probably think I'm grasping at straws with that title, but bear with me.  You will soon see how it works on this one.  Today is Father's Day, and we've had quite a weekend celebrating both dads.  On Friday night, we had dinner at Nathan's sister's house with lil Luna-Bear, MontyQ, Pops-G, Moms-G, and Auntie Dubya.  These are not what we call any of these people, but you don't care cause you don't know them.  It was a good meal and good company!  Then on Saturday night, just Nate and myself took Pops-G and Moms-G out to dinner for Father's Day.  We had Chinese food, and I tried not to engorge myself, but you know...it's a struggle sometimes.  Then we had a Mexican lunch with my Papa Roach, Bess the Mess, and Matt....and his new lady lover.  Boom! Family enhancement right there because she's a keeper.  Honestly, sans his first two girlfriends in high school, he hasn't been with a girl who isn't bats#$% crazy.  So everybody cross your fingers and toes he doesn't ruin this. 😉

So a fun-filled weekend of eating and socializing with people we share last names with.  Toodles for now and sorry if this post didn't enhance your life.

6 Figure Fashion

Nathan and I breezed through the first two seasons of Veep over the past few weeks and laughed our ever-loving hearts out.  Tony Hale is brilliant in everything, especially this.  And don't get me started on how brilliant Julia Louis-Dreyfus is in that role.  Also, a fun little blast from the past seeing Anna Chlumsky back on the big screen...tv, that is. Although let's be honest, she will always be sweet, little Vada Sultenfuss missing her bestie Thomas Jay in my book.

Back to the point:  Veep is awesome for many reasons.  One of which is Selina Meyer's wardrobe.  After about two episodes in when Selina appeared in yet another classy, timeless outfit, I said aloud "GAAASH! I would kill for her wardrobe!!!!!"

Sorry, but I just couldn't hold it in any longer, Nathan.  

It's one of those wardrobes like Jackie O's or Princess Kate's where you would love to dress like that in real life, but you know it would be overkill in a bankruptcy law office in Shreveport, Louisiana.  Sigh.  

Also, I used this website that I found way back when to price some of the clothes...and yeah, that's never going to happen.  One because I don't make 6+ figures (big shocker, I know!), and two...because if I did, I'd probably still shop at Target and donate my excess wealth to the poor buy a lot more dessert with my extra moolah.

Going to the Big D...and I do mean Dallas

(For those who were not so lucky to have parents that raised them in the heart of 90's country music...I apologize if you clicked the link...and I apologize even more if you got the reference without even clicking.  kindred spirits.)

So it's Memorial Day weekend, which means three things:  cook-outs, lake days, and no work on Monday! <--the best part seeing that Natedawg and I don't own a grill or a boat.  Oh and it's also been storming like a mother since this morning and tu Madre Nature plans to carry on with more of the same through tomorrow (Monday).

Nathan and I decided earlier this week to head to Dallas on Saturday to get out of town like the wild and crazy kids we are.  Nathan's car's been having some spotty A/C issues, so when I posed him with the question of "my car or your car?", he mentioned the A/C, but it honestly hasn't been too bad because it comes and goes, and I figured it wouldn't be that bad.  Do you sense the haunting foreshadow-y nature in my voice yet?  I didn't want to risk taking my car because it's a '98, and while she does well around town, she's had a past of pooping out when you get about an hour and a half away on road trips.  And then those road trips turn into road trips from hell.  So I voiced my vote for Nathan's car.

Off we went, headed west and would you know that that damn A/C didn't come on AT ALL.  Three amazing hours of just warm air blowing, sweaty backs, hot greasy faces, frizzy, poofy hair, etc.  We couldn't roll the windows down until we got off the interstate because road trips are for talking and laughing and goofing around.  And you can't hear any of that if the wind is 70 miles per hour in your ear. Young love at its finest.

All that to say...we finally made it and I apologize to the poor souls who witnessed us busting into Chipotle looking like we'd just come off a hot morning on our boat, but probably wreaked of body odor and fun and didn't have swimsuits or a boat anywhere in sight.  I'm sure we were a pretty picture.  Actually, I know we were because I busted up in that bathroom upon arrival, whipped out my hairbrush, and eventually had to shrug and say "Well, the odds of running into someone I know are pretty slim..."

All in all, we still had a great time, and after we starting hitting up our main spots (i.e. Half Price Books, Fry's, and Trader Joe's), the A/C decided to be a trooper and be spotty here and there.  Then on the way back home, it worked for the first 30 minutes of the trip! (Insert many hallelujahs)  So much so that I had to put on my cardigan at one point.

And then it shut off.  And it remained off the remaining two and a half hours of the drive home.  I proceeded to chastise myself for the next two and half hours for ever being a namby pamby and putting on my cardigan in the first place.

Happy Memorial Day weekend it was! (and I still have tomorrow to make lofty plans to mark things off my to-do list, but will probably just read blogs, and my new book, and think about all the red, white, and blue cupcakes I didn't purchase at Sam's today.)

Friday Shenanigans

After work on Friday, I zipped into CVS to pick up a prescription.  I was on the phone with my long-lost distance brother, so I didn't want to cut the conversation short.  We don't talk that much because I'm a horrible sister and not really a phone person.  Anywho, I did what any normal person trying to refrain from eating added sugar does when on the phone in a drug store:  I perused the candy aisle.

I came across these new caramel M&M's and my curiosity was peaked (lover of caramel AND chocolate here).  I decided that I wasn't going to go down that road, and then at one point happened to mention to mi hombre the treasure I had found to which he replied:  "No way! I'm eating those right now! They're SOOOO GOOOOD!" He's pretty enthusiastic about sugar as you can see.

Now what I didn't mention is that the only size bag they had was a decently large one labeled Sharing Size.  Psssh!  Sharing for maybe my big intestine and small intestine.  I scoured the store while we were still chatting away and couldn't find any other size bag.  Eventually I decided to be a good girl and after I got my prescription, I bee-lined it out of there sans caramel&chocolate goodness.

Fast forward about 3.5 hours to about 9:45 p.m.

After mentioning the newfound treasure to Nathan maaayyybbbeee more than once, he decided that we should go get some. So I made myself decent for a public outing aka put on a bra and slipped on some sandals and off we went to the corner gas station to get a small, normal-sized bag of them.

And they didn't have them.

So we zippadeedooda-ed across the street from the gas station to Walgreens.

And they didn't have them.

So then we made the trek in the opposite direction to the CVS where we knew they'd have them in the amazing Sharing Size and all was right in the world again.  But then...when we got to the counter, the angel-from-above CVS rep said "You know these are buy one get on free, right?"

And my face lit up and I almost kissed that man right on the lips.

So that my friends is how this wild and crazy couple spent their Friday night. Go ahead and be jealous.