Another Year...

(style me pretty)

It's safe to say NYE and Halloween are two holidays I could live without... Maybe both because they are only fun for skinny people?! HA! New Years and broken resolutions and promises of toned legs by summer and bikini bodies that never happen, and Halloween and skimpy costumes and excuses to be scantily clad... who knows?

But really, I don't like the crowds and the mess that new years brings- big deal, new year...I'm thrilled I live another year/day, but I'd like to be home with loved ones to ring it in. Just my thoughts.... anyhow. I am not above resolutions. After 2010 and meeting exceeding my weight loss goal of losing 30 lbs, I know that things can happen if you make time for it. I also like seeing where my priorities are. So, without further ado, my 2013 Resolutions....

pretty repetitive. But still...goal worthy. What are some things on your list?

Flu Blues...

Christmas flew by and left me with a present I could have done without...the flu... Thankfully, it made its appearance after most of the festivities were finished. Around 10p.m. Christmas night I felt terrible and sure enough I have had a 101 fever since then.

Thankfully, this week is a home week for the boy- and he has been taking care of me. I have his world famous cinnamon toast with tea and medicine every morning and he lets me rest all day. I know that's all I need- to rest and sweat this out.

I feel so ugly fat helpless when I'm sick! I really get pathetic and mopey and try to muster up any energy left in me for a shower. Then I take my medicine and really start to hallucinate. I think of the most random things while in bed waiting on the drowsiness to kick in... last night, I went to get some water at 2am because I have become a mouth-breather while sick and woke up with the driest throat- well, I went down stairs only to find the trip back up way too daunting and sat on the couch trying to convince myself it was only "19 short steps away back to bed"... it might as well have been the million stairs to get to the top of the arc de triomphe. serious. I ended up passing out on the couch for a few hours until I woke up with a neck ache and decided to make the journey upstairs. I kid you not, I was SO out of breath by the time I got in bed- I sounded like the 500 lb reality weight loss star on her first day at the gym. I was gasping for air like I had just sprinted to bed. Nothing like struggling up the stairs to remind you New Years and resolutions are around the corner, and the last time you stepped foot in the gym was two months ago. I blame it on the medicine.

Random Sick Musings

• Who is playing a prank on me for me to have gotten sick on my favorite shopping day, 12/26?
• Is my soap expired??? Why can't I smell it??
• This would be a good time to be on X-factor and eat weird things- I can't taste anything. 
• Where did that RANDOM cellulite pocket come from above my knee?? Can I massage it out? Shake it out? Jog it out? Ohmygoodness, it has to go before summertime. Can it? Will it? 
• I wonder if I lost weight while sick? No, probably not. Given that my diet consists of 8 pieces of toast a day.
• I wonder how much money we've saved just by me being home for the past 4 days
• Is Erik Von Detten still around? 
• Where's Bandit?
• I wonder if I just made our Temperpedic mattress 50lb heavier by sweating so much in it
• Why is my complexion yellow/purple when I just spray tanned before Christmas?
• How can Ordy even look at me when I look so terrible!
• Why didn't we use painter's tape around the edges of our ceiling?
• Why is sick time the one time I am on Pinterest... to remind me everyone dresses better, lives in a huge amazing house, making awesome recipes with tangerine sorbet in champagne glasses while I am sick in bed with purple chapped lips and a new cellulite pocket above my knee. 

I'm Alive!

Since everyone was wondering... (haha all 5 loyal readers/non-immediate family members)... just kidding. We all know everyone forgot about this dusty blog! Except maybe Kimbo. But I think I lost her long ago. Anyhow.

I came to write a post and ended up deleting three entries. I have no clue where to start updating this ol' thing... or if I even should!

I came to post an annual Christmas list- but after 3 hours of google searches, I realized I really don't want much this year. (I know, check my temperature!) I blame it on my sister mostly. She's on a minimalist kick and I feel obligated to curb my spending around her. I haven't been to a Nordstrom Rack in 3 months. Somebody check my pulse now.

After a few months of purging, I had no desire to replace the things I got rid of. I hope it lasts. This whole "contentment" thing is not so bad :)

THEN, I came to write a post on the one thing a million people on instagram kept asking, how I lost weight for the wedding... only I feel like a fraud since (in typical wedding weight loss fashion...) after a few months of wedded bliss, packed half the weight back on. Kind of. I'm 12 lb away from the wedding... but it seems like so much more! I lost 40lb total, but I feel like I didn't stick to what I thought was going to be a lifestyle change. I'm ashamed to admit I used the change as a quick fix/diet and I burned out. Anyhow, once I get back on my feet again, I promise I will share the secret. (Ok, I'll spill the beans now. Diet, exercise, proper sleep, water! OMG whodda thunk it... no short cuts!)

I do miss blogging, I honestly forgot how to log in to blogger and the set up has changed sooooo much I felt like a newbie! But I hope to post regular posts throughout the holidays and while I have spare time on my hands. Be glad to post on whatever y'all deem post-worthy :)

For now, I shall enjoy my cozy house... and keep resetting the breakers... I have so many Christmas lights on inside my house the fuse keeps jumping! It's that time of year!

Insta-Sale!!!

Wanna shop my closet? Selling designer denim for around $30 and all shoes (even brand new) under $25!

I also have make up that is brand new and less than half of retail.

I'm really trying to minimize my life/closet and"let go"... so if I haven't worn it in a year- or if I forgot I even had them... It's for sale! Help me simplify!

Head over to my instagram shop: retailisforsuckers

yes, one word. inside joke with the hubs- Happy shopping- how appropriate- in time for tax free weekend :)

The Time I Ate the Entire State of Texas

The day after the bar exam, I hopped on a plane to Texas with my bff to head out for a week of eating fun. I met up with my sister's BFF who lives in Austin and she was our unofficial tour guide- I would be skinny lost without her help. JK.

We landed in Austin around 6:30 p.m., D picked us up and took us to our hotel where we got situated then went to dinner to meet up with Christine. First event on the agenda: Hula Hut!

What a great first place to arrive to after the bar! 

We went straight to Hula Hut to meet Christine and her boyfriend, Ray

D and I before dinner at Hula Hut- in the notorious Gypsy05 dress that is so unflattering

ordy and his sister wives

After dinner, we decided to go have drinks/dessert at Halcyon. Oh, we already had tres leches cake at Hula Hut (HIGHLY recommend!) who cares- it's vacation.

oh, am i the only one with dessert in front of me? no biggie. 

HAD TO!

If you follow me on Pinterest, you know my favorite dessert is anything s'mores related (and then cookie dough, and cotton candy- in case you were wondering). So, naturally, I saw actual s'mores on the menu and ordered it. Duh. Please look how cute it was.

Friday morning, we woke up and Christine picked B and I up to go shopping on S.Congress. If I don't pass the bar, I'm buying an airstream and opening my own boutique. I will drive to friend's houses (especially my momma friends...) and have them pick out outfits. Brilliant.

I wanted everything in this trailer

doing what girls do best. shopping. 

After hitting up some shops we went and ate at Home Slice Pizza (since the Hopdoddy's line was around the building and it was 402 degrees outside...)

Meet Christine's hair. It's awesome. 

 And of course hit up a snow cone truck. I may or may not have driven to S. Congres every day for a "barbie". Maybe? You'll never know.

Of course I had barbie flavored ice: wedding cake + cotton candy. Who knew it'd be a perfect combination

as stuffed as we were, we still managed some Jo's Coffee

I walked around the entire rest of the day with my aluminum foil swan with the leftover pizza from Home Slice... real cool. After showers and an outfit change, we head to the Iron Cactus for mexican food and to meet up with our cousin, A.

And then we danced. A lot. Everywhere. We would pretty much hop around. 6 songs then leave to the next place. haha, but that's the beauty of Austin. Of course we stopped by Bachelor Brad's bars- but no Brad. 

The next morning, we all met up at Kirby Lane Cafe for the most amazing breakfast- banana bread french toast? Yes. 

Someone thought it'd be fun to go to Mount Bonnell. After breakfast. Yeah, brilliant idea. I was out of breath and wanted to puke. 

After the heat got to us, we put on our swimsuits and hit up Barton Springs. Ummm... it was FREEZING. like... glaciar cold.

B doesn't want wrinkles...

After Barton Springs, we showered and got dressed to head to Salt Lick Cellars... a random vineyard with amazing BBQ. (We did a lottttt-there was never a dull moment in Austin!) 

You guys... I can't even begin to tell you how amazing the atmosphere was here! When we got there the place was PACKED. It's about 25 min outside of town and the best kept secret ever, but clearly- it's not a secret since there was a 2 hour wait to be sat. The hostess said we could order the meal to go and just pick any picnic table- so we did. It took us 45 minutes and it was just as good!

We were supposed to leave Austin Sunday night and head to Houston for the week- but D's work called and said we had to: stay in Austin one more night, head to San Antonio for work Tuesday, and then Houston on Wednesday... We were all packed and checked out so we went to a different hotel and made the most of it.

We eventually made our way to stand in the hour line long at hopdoddy's. it was good, but not worth the wait in my opinion. The business critic in me saw the ploy as a way to get people to order a drink and be forced to order something while waiting... I had to have the nutella shake, but Flip's is way better! 

There's more from San Antonio and visiting my family in Houston, but to give you an idea of how slow my internet/computer/blogger is- I started this post at 11 a.m. and am just now publishing it at 12:33 a.m. Ha. I am rusty. 

I feel like I did ate it all in Austin! Shopped on S. Congress, watched the bats from the bridge (weak this year), swam in the water hole, ate in the food trucks, went to the famous bars, and enjoyed every second of this charming Texas city! 

Sanka, ya dead?

Ya, mon.

Ok, not really. But it sure feels like I have been. For one, what the heck happened to blogger? The new changes are soooo foreign to me! I have been MIA and for good reason. I promise.

To get back in the swing of blogging and such- I decided I'd do a quick catch up post for those of you who don't follow me on instagram (since you'd clearly know I'm alive and kicking if you did! - @SheilaP), here goes!

1.) I graduated law school in May. Whoop-Whoop! Along with my bestie, Chuy.

Me and Moose

J.D.

lest you think i'm esteemed or anything, I had to put my fanny pack on before walking. you know. snacks. chapstick. haters gon' hate. 

with the hubs. 

after party at the in-laws- so much fun

2.) I had the worst summer of my life- studying for the bar for 10 miserable weeks.

*** Side note: I always knew my sister was awesome, but she really is. Like, I would totally be lost without her. In the craziness of studying she always managed to slap me out of my rut and bring me care packages. She even had our eyebrow threader MAKE A HOUSE CALL. Yes, I know, I am so so blessed. Go hug your sister.

3.) I bought my first car back. Yes, like... the car I drove to high school when I was 16... I bought it back. (And by "I", I mean "my husband"....) That deserves its own post.

4.) I took the bar in July.

night before the bar. stressful. 

5.) I spent a week galavanting around Texas to forget about the miserable test and just got back last night. And by galavanting, I mean, I ate my way through Austin, San Antonio, and Houston.

5.a.) I gained 11lb since the wedding and can't wait to lose it again. No more PB&J sandwiches because of bar studies...

6.) We remodeled the kitchen. Or gave it a facelift. Whatevvs. New granite, new sink, new faucet, new backsplash. That's a big deal. All while studying for the bar. I seem to like to juggle huge tasks at once (wedding/law school... bar/house projects)

i lovvvve it! maybe I can start cooking now that i'm done studying? wishful thinking

Before and Afters

ANNNNDDDDDDD, the big bomb:

7.) I'm pregnant with Ordy Jr...

OK, just kidding Mrs. G and Bobo. But doesn't my new Gypsy 05 dress REALLY make me look it? That and the 10 extra lbs. And the straw beach hat under the dress.

Just checking to see if you all were still with me. Baby Ordy won't be for a while, so don't count on it :)

Miss me? Didn't even notice I was gone? Dying to know anything? I'm so lost- don't even know where to start! Work with me, I'm getting all my thoughts organized :) I also am trying to get past the narcissism of blogging and acting like anyone actually cares about my life- but for the 4 or 5 who still read this thing... I will post my heart out until someone hires me!