Duoly Noted

I Love...

2012-02-14T15:36:00.000-08:00

{Dan's Valentine Day Card- shhhh don't tell him. I haven't given it to him yet.}

{Buy HERE}

A perfectly made, extra hot, non-fat, vanilla latte;

Loving a book so much you are disappointed when you turn to the final page;

Receiving a text message that is so funny you laugh out loud;

Finding money you didn't know you had;

Your favorite song being on the radio when you turn on the car;

Dancing when nobody is watching;

An inexplicably clear freeway during rush hour;

Waking up to no alarm;

Friday night movies;

Powerful words that make you think;

Beautiful pictures that make you feel;

Deep conversations with close friends;

Acts of kindness by someone you never met;

Moments of silence;

Warm bubble baths;

Getting off an airplane in a new location;

Sleeping in your own bed for the first time in awhile;

Happy dreams;

Cuddling with a puppy;

Holding hands with the one you love.

Here's hoping you have everything you love this Valentine's Day

Lust List

2012-02-04T17:07:00.000-08:00

If you didn't already know, Lands End Canvas is running the most ridiculously awesome sale ever. My cart is full of all the cardigans and sweaters I want, but I can't bring myself to pull the trigger. Why? Because spring is right around the corner and I probably should save my money to put toward my current lust list...

Tomorrow the Jason Wu collection for Target becomes available. Here are some of the pieces I have my eye on:

Source: fashionologie.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

Capital Hill Style recently dubbed Nine West's Berhta her favorite new flat. I am currently trying to update my shoe collection so I ordered a pair and I love them:

The only problem is that I normally wear heels so all my pants are too long. Guess that means I need to go buy some new pants too!

Speaking of flats, is anybody else drooling over Tom's new ballet flat collection?

Source: fabsugar.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

Source: toms.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

I am currently trying to decide which pair I want to spring for. I am thinking the Gisele?

I have been carrying my current bag for over a year so that means its time to buy a new one, right? Here's my current obsession:

Source: katespade.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

Doesn't it look like a Chanel? Well its not, its the Gold Coast Maryanne by Kate Spade. My birthday is in a month..hint, hint.

On a unrelated fashion note, Jasmine Star wrote a post recently where she highlighted these paintings by Ideal Bookshelf.

Source: idealbookshelf.typepad.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

Aren't they amazing? They have all sorts of genres to chose from AND if you want to shell at the cash you can commission a special portrait of your own bookshelf.

What's on your lust list?

2012 Books 1-5

2012-02-03T11:21:00.000-08:00

The Giver by Lois Lowry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After getting my ipad, I wanted to see if I enjoyed reading on it. The Giver was $.99 and as I haven't read it since I was a kid, I thought I would read it again. Its funny, how much I thought I remembered about this book and how little I actually did. For example, totally did not remember what "releasing" actually meant. Also, as a kid I totally misinterpreted the ending. If you haven't read this book since you childhood days you should really give it a second shot. Its a quick read and such an incredible story.

******

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was....well it was dumb. And I know I probably deserve it considering the quality of the cover but I heard that it was really funny from a person whose book opinion I trust. In the beginning, I thought it had potential; its got this whole satire vibe on woman and how they are portrayed in the media. It had some good one liners. But then it just got really stupid and started to (in my mind) give some mixed messages. I think it jumped the shark right about the time the girl lost her purity ring and took off all her clothes and ran through the jungle, found man just lying there, and had "almost sex" with him.

I'm not kidding. That really happened

Also? Super sexual. Like, I am pretty sure there is less sex in books where Fabio was on the cover. Kind of surprised me for YA book, but I guess more power to them. I wonder if I had read this book when it was age appropriate (14? 16?) whether I would feel the need to confess to my priest or whether the education I got from this book might have saved me from some embarrassing statements I made due to my sheltered childhood.

I should note, however, that I listened to this book via audio book and the accents slayed me, and not in a good way. The author tried to differentiate the characters with thick dialects but most made me cringe. Perhaps reading the book on paper would be better?

*****

Matched by Ally Condie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was about another dystopian society ala The Giver, Hunger Games, Divergent, what have you. Its the newest fad and quite frankly I can't get enough of it. I downloaded this book on a Saturday morning and had finished it by Sunday night. It was a quick, easy read. I loved the concept as it progressed but thought the ending was extremely uneventful and that it seemed to follow the same formula as all the other books of its genre. I gave it three stars, but who knows what I would have given it if I had read it before Hunger Games.

*****
The First Husband by Laura Dave

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The first thing you should know about this book is it is "chick lit" - so if you don't like chick lit you're not going to like this book.

I, however, love chick lit and therefore I really liked this book.

This book is about a travel writer named Annie (aren't all chick lit heroins travel writers?) whose boyfriend dumps her and she immediately gets married to the next guy she meets...annnddd I can't say much else without giving too much away.

I was perplexed at points and the ending didn't really go where I thought it was going to...but what I really loved about this book was Dave's writing. I don't mean the story, but the words, the phrases that she said that I found really profound. I highlighted a bunch in this book. Her writing style really carried the story, which otherwise was a little flat. Three stars for me and I definitely will be reading other Dave novels.

******

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“The Art of Racing in the Rain” is basically Marley and Me’s evil twin. You think it is not going to be so bad because you know in the first three pages that the dog is going to die, so you are prepared for it and the way it is set up it doesn’t seem so bad. Then you embark on this 200 page gut wrenching journey and by the end you are sobbing your eyes out and holding your dog so tightly his eyes are popping out. This book is extremely well written, a fantastic story, but don’t ready it if you are (1) sad; (2) prone to anxiety; and/or (3) overly sensitive about your pets someday dying. Do read it if you (1) love animals; (2) can stand sad storylines about animals; and (3) want to read a well written book that will make you both laugh and cry.

View all of my Goodreads reviews

February Goals

2012-02-01T19:07:00.000-08:00

The good news is that I went all last month without having anything sweet. Thus, the second year of the "No Sweets in January" challenge was a huge success.

The bad news was that I only made it five days in my resolution to not have any alcohol in January.

Wah wahhhhhhhh.

For February, I am committing to writing creatively for fifteen minutes everyday. This is actually going to be a really tough challenge for me because while I love to write, I write for work all day and lately I have been bad about making time to write just for myself.

Sometimes it will be a blog post, sometimes it will be more personal, but at the end of the month I will have devoted over seven hours to writing creatively so we will see what is created...

January Movies

2012-01-29T08:54:00.000-08:00

One of my NYR was to start having a movie night. Dan and I just don't watch movies that much, primarily because getting me to sit still for two hours is beyond impossible. But on Friday nights I am so beat that there is nothing I would rather do then sit on the couch and watch a movie (if I can stay awake).

I decided I'll do a short review of all the movies we watch every month, pick a monthly winner, and then pit them against each other at the end of the year.

This month's movies were the following:

The Warrior

We heard about this movie from Dan's cousins over Christmas and they promised that we would like it. It is a story about two estranged brothers who each enter a mixed martial arts competition for different financial and personal reasons. Obviously, they end up having to fight each other.

Dan and I were on different sides regarding which brother we wanted to win. Needless to say, Dan ended up hating the ending, but I loved it. I went into this movie with such low expectations, and could not believe how much I enjoyed it in the end. A must watch!

Moneyball

I like baseball. I like dramas. So why wouldn't I like Moneyball? Well, because its kind of boring. The concept is really interesting, but for me, the mathematical calculations didn't really carry the movie. Plus, I hate Brad Pitt, and I thought his acting in this movie was moderate, at best. Thank God for Johah Hill, otherwise this movie would have been a total snooze fest.

Ides of March

This movie was fantastic: politics, crime, George Clooney, Ryan Gosling. It had us both on the edge of our seat the whole time. My only complaint was the ending. I wanted, no, I needed some kind of redemption - but I got none. While I can appropriate what the movie was trying to say, I couldn't help but think "is that it?" as the credits rolled.

Secretariat

This is a true story about the horse that wins the triple crown. So good, so well done, but not exactly a thriller when you know what happens at the end. I also felt like I didn't have a strong enough emotional connection to the horse or any of the characters with the exception of Diane Lane who did a fabulous job (as always). I should note, however, that Dan loved this movie and thought it was so well done.

Which means our rankings this month are really odd:

Melissa's January Rankings:

(1) Warrior

(2) Ides of March

(3) Secretariat

(4) Moneyball

Dan's January Rankings:

(1) Secretariat

(2) Ides of March

(3) Moneyball

(4) Warrior*

*Dan wanted me to add that he doesn't think this movie is worth being ranked, he was really upset about the ending.

Any suggestions for February movies?

Changing How I Eat

2012-01-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

As of today, I have officially lost 12 pounds since January 1st.

This blog has been a lot of things for me, and one of them is sharing my journey into cooking. After a lot of practice, I would now consider myself a fairly decent cook. However, there is just one problem - I don't know how to cook healthy. Sure, I can cook a Pioneer Woman dish and make it taste delicious, but what doesn't taste good with heavy whipping cream as the main ingredient???

I am working about 12 hours a day (including commute). That leaves me little or no time for working out. I have been incredibly frustrated with this because I like working out at least a couple times a week. But its just not going to happen. At least not right now.

So, at the beginning of the year I committed myself to a 3 months Weight Watchers membership and I couldn't be happier. I don't feel like I am depriving myself and to be honest, losing the weight hasn't been that hard. Now that my body is used to eating healthier, the scale is moving more slowly. But at least its moving down, and that is all that matters.

I am not really one to blog about my weight. While I respect all those "healthy eating" and "getting fit" blogs...that's just not me.

There will be no before and after pictures.
There will be no daily recaps.

There will just be me popping in every once in awhile to share some tips I have learned along the way.

I thought I would start by sharing with you some of what I eat, as a lot of you are on WW and I have got so many ideas from your blogs.

A typical work week looks like this:

Breakfast: low fat yogurt (3 pts) and black coffee with 1 tbs. vanilla cream (1 pt)

Mid-morning snack: low fat string cheese (1 pts)

Lunch: turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with 1 tbs low fat mayo (6 pts)

Mid-afternoon snack: low fat string cheese (1 pts)

All Day: drinking lots of water

Dinner has been tough for me because when I get home I don't want to cook. Thank god I found Skinny Taste (thanks again, Rachel). I have found so many good recipes off this site, here are some of my favorites.

Asian Peanut with Noodles and Chicken (8 points)

This was delicious (and spicy).

Steamed Clams with Fresh Basil (5 pts)

This dish was so fun to make! I have never made clams before so it was a new experience. Downside? Not very filling. Also, expensive. A great appetizer but make sure to pair it with something more substantive.

Chicken Ropa Vieja (5 pts)

This one is by far my favorite. So delicious.

Slow Cooked Barbocoa Pork (5 pts)

I forgot to take a picture of the pork, but I will the next time around because I will be making it again! You marinate it in coke zero, which I thought was funny, but it gave the pork a really sweet taste. Plus its a crock pot dish that required minimal effort!

So what happens when you come home and you don't want to cook? That's been interesting so far...mostly I have been defaulting to either cereal (1 1/2 cups Wheaties with 1/2 cup nonfat milk (6 pts)) or Taco Bell (1 bean burrito 9 points, I add my own 1 tbs. low fat sour cream which is no points if you keep it only at one).

Weekends have also been tough because who doesn't like to eat out on weekends? Thankfully, my friend sent me this website (Dotti's Weight Loss Zone) that has a ton of restaurants and their WW values. And remember what I said about not depriving myself? This weekend I had 1/2 chicken burrito at Chipotle (I couldn't eat the whole thing if I wanted to) and a skinny bagel with low fat cream cheese at Einsteins, and still stayed on track!

Also, instead of pancakes in the morning, I highly recommend this dish:

Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries and Bananas (6 pts)

It tastes so good right out of the oven and is super healthy.

I'll keep you posted as I go along...

Anyone else out there have any healthy eating or WW tips?

Best Latte In Dallas. Maybe the World.

2012-01-18T16:21:00.000-08:00

Best latte in Dallas

Maybe the World.

I know. I love lattes.

The Pearl Cup

1900 N Henderson Ave Ste B Dallas, TX 75206

iThoughts

2012-01-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

Please excuse my absence, but you see I have been rather busy.

Well, "busy" is a relative term. By "busy" I mean that I pretty much have been on my new iPad nonstop.

I know I should be doing more productive things, but I just can't help it. Dan got me one for Christmas and it hasn't left my hand since. I am obsessed.

"What do you do with it?"

This is a common question people ask me while I ignore them and stare at my iPad.

Well first and foremost, I take a lot of pictures of myself looking like this.

Ha, ha, ha, oh wow. This picture cracks me up every time.

But I digress. Things to do on the iPad...

Well, hands down my favorite has been the Kindle Ap. I didn't know if I would like having an e-reader, but so far I just adore it. Since the start of the year I have already read four books because reading on my iPad is so convenient!

While on the topic of books, another ap you must get is Overdrive. This ap allows you to log into your library and download books to your Kindle for free. Awesome, right? Another fun thing I do with Overdrive is download audiobooks and play them from my iPad on my way to work. The speakers on the iPad are so great I don't even bother hooking them up to the speakers in my car.

I also enjoy the Weight Watchers Ap, which only benefits those of you who are doing WW, but it is a great ap nonetheless and better then the one on my phone for a multitude of reasons- one of which is that it has great searching capabilities.

Speaking of food, the iPad is extremely convenient in the kitchen. I have been uploading the recipe and then just propping up my iPad while I cook. The fabulous Mojito Maven turned me on to Skinnytaste to aid in my Weight Watchers goals. So far, I have tried three recipes, all of which were delicious and very low in points. I am going to do a full recap of what I have been eating eventually, but until then I highly recommend the Chicken Roopa Vieja.

Other aps I use are flipboard, facebook, tweetdeck, hulu plus, and ESPN.

Last, but certainly not least, I have been enjoying finally having access to Instagram. You have no idea how jealous I have been of all you who have iPhones. Why oh why wont they develop a Instagram ap for the droid?

Here's some of the photos I have tweeted this week...

I have wanted and needed a scarf rack this entire winter. So now that its almost spring I decided to get one (and by "almost spring" I mean only in Texas, as it was almost 40 degrees today). If you want one, you can get one at the Container Store. They have nicer, wood ones, but they don't have as many holes.

Tea in the evening, vanilla rooibus, of course.

My favorite part of Saturday mornings is drinking coffee out of my London mug!

Toby says good morning!

Kadira says goodnight!

My final thoughts on the iPad? People say that its just an expensive toy, and I guess that is a far description. Yet so much of our lives are connected to technology these days the iPad is a really convenient tool. It has been life changing for me, just as much as the cell phone. Or the computer. Or internet. Okay not the internet, but close.

Any other iPad or iPhone Aps that are must haves?

2012 Resolutions

2012-01-01T20:59:00.000-08:00

1. MAKE MINI RESOLUTIONS EVERY MONTH

Last year it was no sweets in January...this year I am upping the ante with:

A. NO SWEETS IN JANUARY
B. NO ALCOHOL IN JANUARY

The exception? Social situations. I am not going to be the girl not drinking at my friend's birthday. That girl is lame.

Here are some of my long term resolutions...

2. ORGANIZE MY RECIPES
3. TRY WEIGHT WATCHERS FOR THREE MONTHS, CONTINUE IF I LIKE IT
4. LEARN HEALTHIER RECIPES
5. RUN A HALF MARATHON
6. READ 25 BOOKS
7. GO ON THREE VACATIONS
8. VOLUNTEER
9. GET A DINING ROOM TABLE
10. REDECORATE THE BEDROOM
11. GET MY DEGREES FRAMED FOR MY OFFICE
12. WRITE OR READ FOR PLEASURE EVERYDAY
13. LEARN A NEW SKILL
14. INITIATE A MOVIE NIGHT
15. CREATE RITUALS FOR EVERY HOLIDAY

2011 in Review

2011-12-31T12:48:00.000-08:00

Last year, I was thrilled to see 2010 come to a close. 2010 was a rough year, but I had high hopes for 2011. I even said this:

That being said, I have a feeling 2011 is going to be my year. 11 has always been my lucky number, and the year is already starting out great with some good news starting on Monday (and no I am not talking about the launch of Oprah's own network, but that too!)

And you want to know what? 2011 was a great year. More importantly, it was a year of stability, which we desperately needed. Everything seemed to settle down a bit and we were able to get our whits about us. It felt like we finally transitioned into our adult lives. Therefore, while I welcome 2012 with open arms and all the adventures it will bring, I will remember 2011 fondly.

January

-It was COLD. So cold Toby and and Kadira actually shared a bed:

-I began my quilting quest
-We watched the Mavs beat the Lakers, little did we know this was an indication of a Mavs championship to come.

February

-I completed the no sweets in January challenge, kind of:

-I found hope in future generations.

March

-I begrudgingly realized I was going to have to take the Texas Bar Exam.
-I ate a huge slice of humble pie.
-I turned 27!:

April

April was a fun month!

-It was the best day of my life! I mean Kate's life:

-We went and saw Kenny Chesney at Cowboy's stadium:

-We attended our first Ranger's game of the season!

May

-Osama Bin Ladin was captured and killed:

-Oprah's show ended, I have been lost ever since.
-My friend and I sneaked out of work to meet Bethenny Frankel:

-I met Jen Lancaster:

June

-We visited Austin for the first time!:

July

-I blogged only twice, because I was too busy studying for the stupid bar exam.

August

-I killed a bee all by myself.
-I bought an Erin Condren Life Changing Planner.
-I met...er...saw George and Laura Bush!

September

-I got a new job!

October

October was a great month too!

-I saw Taylor Swift in concert!

-I finished that damn quilt (finally):

-I went home to visit my family in Idaho before starting my new gig:

November:

-I found out I passed the bar exam and proceeded to pass out in surprise.
-I actually enjoyed Halloween.

December

-I spent way too many hours of my life making a Christmas wreath:

-We spent Christmas with our families for the first time in three years:

Years Past:
-2010 Year in Review
-2009 Year in Review

Resolutions

Now, lets check in and see how I did on last years New Years Resolutions....

Resolutions I failed on:
-Learn how to bake 6 kinds of cakes from scratch: For the sake of my waistline, this was a good thing...
-Create an emergency book for the house: This just seems like a lot of work...
-Develop and STOP DEPLETING our wine collection: Have you met us? On a positive note, we did try a lot of wine this year...
-Run a half marathon: I did run three 5ks!
-Tour a winery: fail.

Resolutions I kind of did:
-Reread the entire Harry Potter series before the last movie comes out: I read 1-5 before taking a break
-Work on decorating the house: We made improvements, but nothing substantial. -Volunteer somewhere: Coming in 2012...
Go the entire month of January without eating sweets: I did this, minus the cupcake incident
-Finish my manuscript: It not finished! But I did make a big dent in it!
-Read 25 new books (one more then last year!): 21.5....fail!
-Try 25 new recipes (and yes, the cakes count): I probably came close to this but I stopped keeping track.
-Get out of debt: We made progress, but are not quite there yet!

Resolutions I completed!:
-Get better about remembering and acknowledging birthdays: See this post
-Get better about recycling: We bought a special recycle bin and normally our recycling is bigger then our garbage every week!
-Get our files organized: Done! Although I still would like to find a good file cabinet.
-Learn how to quilt: See this post

2012 Resolutions coming tomorrow! Have a safe and joyous New Years Eve everybody!

Melissa's Top Books of 2011

2011-12-30T11:23:00.000-08:00

Well, there is good news...and there is some bad news.

The bad news is that I set a goal to read 25 books in 2011 and I missed it. I only read 21...well, 21.5 really because I am halfway through The Art of Racing in the Rain.

The good news is that I read some really amazing books this year.

I also read a lot of losers. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo? Hated. Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman? This book won the distinction of my least favorite book of all time.

I also re-read a lot of books (Harry Potter and Emily Giffin novels) which is new for me, I normally hate doing that.

I also read a few I couldn't finish. (If Here was There by Jen Lancaster and A Place of Yes by Bethenny Frankel)

Last year I did a top ten list of my favorite books read in 2010. But this year, I am only giving the distinction to six. I had a really hard time deciding between first and second place, but ultimately decided that first place goes to...(drum roll please)...

1. Room by Emma Donoghue

This book was just perfect. Captivating, unique, and utterly imaginative. This is a perfect pick for a book club.

(Note that you can click on the hyperlink and read my full review.)

2. Bossypants by Tina Fey

Who didn't read this book this year?

3. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

I missed the proverbial boat on this book, as everybody else read it over a year ago. But what an amazing piece of work! I just finished it so I didn't get the chance to write a review, but I was thrilled this book lived up to my high expectations.

4. No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin

This book came out of nowhere for me. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but Goodwin's writing mixed with the fact that the Roosevelts are just so damn interesting made this a great read for me....

5. Divergent by Veronica Roth

I don't know if its as good as the Hunger Games...but its definitely worth reading and I am looking forward to the second book in the trilogy.

6. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

This book almost didn't make the list, but I decided it deserved to because it was cute, fun, and different. Plus I have a major girl crush on Mindy Kaling.

So now I begin the task of compilling my 2012 to-read list. Any books I should add?

To read all my book reviews make sure you friend me on make sure to friend me on Goodreads! My user name is DuolyNoted.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-29T18:31:00.000-08:00

You know those Christmas movies where people get off a plane and are immediately engulfed in a whirlwind of activity? Well, that was our Christmas spent in the great state of Idaho. It couldn't have been more fun, but damn are we exhausted!

This is my Christmas manicure. It seemed like a good idea after two glasses of wine and a foot rub, but after my "girls night" high wore off I decided it looks a bit more like Lady Gaga then the fashion forward look I was hoping for.

We introduced my family to Cranium and let me tell you, some major family memories were made (shower).

We drank a lot of coffee and tea out of these Christmas mugs...

...and woke up to some fabulous scenery (that's Idaho for you.)

We cuddled by the fire....

...and enjoyed seeing mountains again.

We saw some amazing sunsets...

...ate some amazing food...

...and took in all the Christmas decorations.

We laughed a lot.

And then said our goodbyes.

It was a quick trip - but seeing as Dan and I haven't been home for Christmas in three years we felt really lucky to be able to get back. We were greeted back and home with two disgruntled pups and major chest colds- but it was all worth it!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T10:52:00.000-08:00

From the ghosts of Christmas cards past...

2009....

2010....

to the the ghost of Christmas card present...

Merry Christmas to all! And to all a good night!

Christmas Tamales

2011-12-17T09:25:00.000-08:00

{The Christmas tamale, but not mine.}
{photo source}

One thing I love about living in Texas is Christmas tamales. A lot of tamales are sold around this time of year, and I am the biggest proponent of this tradition.

I have fond memories of the first year Dan brought home Christmas tamales...

I looked at the corn husks with disgust. "I am not going to eat that." I said, because literally, literally, I had never even seen a tamale before. We don't have tamales in Idaho, just potatoes. And quite frankly, tamales don't look that appetizing when you don't know what goodness awaits inside. Dan heated up his and the next thing I know the amazing smell was wafting through the house and I agreed to try a bite.

And it was heaven. Heaven I tell you.

I have tried other tamale suppliers, but the best are the Christmas tamales sold at my former job by a woman who makes them once a year to make some extra money for the holidays.

Last year I bought ten. They lasted maybe two days. Maybe.

I then had to go a whole year with no tamales. Thus I decided I was just going to make my own tamales so I looked up how to make them. Do you know how much work it is to make tamales? Like, days. So that wasn't going to happen.

So now I have waited patently for 365 days for these tamales.

And now I have them.

This year I ordered twenty, literally just for me. Some are in my freezer, some are in my kitchen.

I may have even had a tamales for breakfast.

And dinner last night.

aannnnddd again for lunch today.

Nothing says Christmas like a Christmas tamale.

Christmas Ribbon Wreath

2011-12-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

I have had Rachel's blog post of her ribbon wreath starred in my google reader for months waiting for Christmas to make one of my very own. The original inspiration comes from Duchess of Fork, who provides detailed instructions. If you want to make a wreath of your own I highly suggest you follow her directions. If you want to go the painful route, follow mine.

(1) Buy 18 different types of 3-4 ft. ribbon and one styraphone wreath that is far too big.

(2) Return said wreath upon the realization it is too big. Get a smaller, rounder, 14 inch wreath.

(3) Wrap the wreath in ribbon. Glue it down with hot glue.

(4) Cut all your ribbon into five inch strips. This takes a million hours, approximately.

(5) Glue the ribbon into little loops, but leave an end flap.

(6) Give yourselves three blisters.

(7) Get made fun of by your husband for screaming every five seconds because you burn yourself.

(8) Separate the little tab at the end of the ribbon and glue down your pieces of ribbon onto your wreath.

(9) Burn yourself three more times.

(10) Have your husband go to bed.

(11) Stay up until one in the morning working on this wreath.

(12) Pass out, this is the latest you have stayed up in a long time.

(13) Wake up in the morning and be proud of your accomplishment. Vow that for all the hours it took, it will be hung every year for the rest of your life.

Some{cards} Strike a Little Too Close to Home

2011-12-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

Everybody loves somecards.com except for me. They freak me out because they read my mind. Here is a list of the somecards that I find particularly freaky...

Source: haygirlhay.tumblr.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

Seriously though, making sure my DVR doesn't get too full is a full time job...

Source: someecards.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

What's crazy is that I can't even judge people who are having kids anymore. You you have a job, you have a house, you have a devoted partner and you want a kid- why not!

Source: someecards.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

I wash clothes two ways: (1) clothes that go in cold, normal wash and (2) clothes that go in cold, delicate wash. I hate remembering what clothes have to be sent to the dry cleaners. If something says dry clean only, I rarely buy it.

Source: bowribbonsandpearls.tumblr.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

Nothing says "I just ran a mile and burned about 100 calories" then rewarding yourself with a 500 calorie margarita. Am I right ladies?

Source: someecards.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

You know how Weight Watchers has that saying "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels?" That's what I realized that I could never do WW because I disagree with their fundamental principal. Lots of things taste as good as skinny feels, namely chocolate.

Source: someecards.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

My best friend said to me the other day "wow! You sure area calling a lot more!" Uh, that's because I am on the road 2.5 hours a day...

Source: someecards.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

Nothing too painful. Just sick enough so I can justify taking a day off and just nauseous enough to where I stay away from the oreos in the cupboard.

Source: someecards.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

GOD! YES! This one is my favorite. Why can't I just be a professional pinner on pinterest? Or a professional blog reader? Or a professional lay in bed and read trashy chick lit...person...???? Or better yet, a professional discuss-er of particularly true somecards.

You can see these and a lot more on my pinterest board.

What are some of your favorite somecards?

Things I Would Not Be Opposed To

2011-11-19T08:12:00.000-08:00

(1) Only working from 8 am to 1 pm. I am super productive between those hours. I get about the same amount of work done between 1 pm and 6 pm that I do between 9 am 10 am.

(2) Coke only being sold in cute, glass bottles.

(3) The computer making a ka-ching sound at the end of every line like a type writer. I find that noise to be very fulfilling.

(4) If Condoleezza Rice ran for President.

(5) If Starbucks delivered. I tip very generously.

(6) If "embarrassing" was spelled "embaressing" (makes more sense I think).

(7) If Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, and myself all were best friends.

(8) Having a Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcake for breakfast every morning was totally acceptable.

(9) If my car knew how to drive itself home on a Friday night. An hour long commute home after work on a Friday is just mean.

(10) A blow drier that could dry my hair in 2 minutes instead of 20. Lets do the math. I blow dry my hair every day (us girls with curls have no other choice)...so 365 days a year x 20 minutes = 7,300 hundred minutes which is 121.6 hours of my life each year devoted to just blow drying my hair.

Anything you wouldn't be opposed to?

Books 15-17

2011-11-13T15:44:00.000-08:00

Book 15

Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

This book is told through the perspective of four different friends after they graduate from college. The premise intrigued me and I liked the book until about half way through when April's character lost her mind and things started to get a little bit ridiculous for me. It was an easy read, but lets just say I am not saving my copy for the bookshelf.

Book 16:

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

This was the most recent book for my book club and I think everybody seemed to like it. The book is unique in that it is told through the perspective of a young boy who just lost his father in 9/11. The story is not really about 9/11 but more about the boy's quest to find out what an unknown key he finds of his father's unlocks. The book is full of pictures and has a unique writing style. It wont be for everybody but its definitely worth checking out.

Book 17

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? By Mindy Kaling

I ordered this book a week ago and I have already finished reading it. It is not very long (220 pages) and is an easy read with lots of laugh out loud moments. Is it Bossypants? No. Mindy's humor is much drier then Feys', but the subject matter is uniquely Kaling and I think anybody under the age of 35 must read it.

Instead of taking her life in chronological order, Mindy instead separates the book into a series of essays. Here are some of my favorites:

(1) The essay on the Alternative Titles for This Book, my favorite being "Harry Potter Secret Book #8."

(2) Best Friends Rights and Responsibilities, the most important of which I think is "I Will Try To Like Your Boyfriend Five Times."

(3) Revenge Fantasies While Jogging wherein Mindy describes her favorite...okay, just read this one.

Oh, and the eulogy for her at the end of her book wherein she dies by getting impaled by a heel of a christian louboutin peep tow slingback is pretty funny too...

Make sure to friend me on Goodreads! My user name is DuolyNoted.

Next Up: Mary and O'Neill by Justin Cronin

Christmas Cards from Shutterfly {Sponsored Post}

2011-11-12T14:16:00.000-08:00

I have been sending out Christmas cards long before it was age appropriate. Who sends out cards at the age of eighteen? Me! That's who! I adore Christmas/Holiday cards. I think they are a great tradition and a fabulous way to stay in touch with those you love. However, the one thing I don't particuarly love is the stress of picking out your Christmas card. This year I am getting my Christmas cards from Shutterfly because they make it easy. They have a great selection and tons of high quality cards to chose from.

Here are some of the options I am considering (minus the photos of the families that are not mine, obvi.)

{To browse Shutterfly's full Holiday Card Collection go HERE}

Shutterfly also has calenders, photo books, and personalized gifts! So check it out! Also make sure to send me one so I can proudly display it on my fridge for the next ten months...

Full disclosure: I received 25 free Shutterfly cards as a result of this post- and I couldn't be more excited!

Recent Obsessions

2011-11-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

The following is a very important update on my current obsessions:

First, The Big Bang Theory. For whatever reason, the premise of this show never really appealed to me so I never took the time to watch it. Year after year I was baffled with how it continues to get renewed, and I was enraged when Jim Parsons won Best Actor in a Comedy over Steve Carrell. Then, I watched an episode...and want to know what? This show is hilarious! And Parsons is phenomenal as Sheldon. I am totally addicted and am sad that I didn't have the foresight to tune in until now. Thank god its in syndication on TBS!

Another new addiction (of a Netflix nature) is Parenthood. I watched the first episode when it premiered and vowed never to watch it because I couldn't imagine Lauren Graham being anything but Rori Gilmore's mother. Now that I am giving the show a second chance I have realized Graham plays the exact same character except this time we see what her life would be like if Rori was a bad girl and Loralie was forced to move in with Emily. My favorite part about this show is that I think it depict the dynamics of what it is like to be in a family insanely well. But have you noticed a lot of plaid shirts in this show? I just finished the first season and practically every episode someone was wearing a plaid shirt...

I am so excited for the release of this book. I ordered it yesterday and am anxiously awaiting its arrival in my mailbox. Kelly, Mindy Kaling's character on The Office, has always been one of my favorites. Specifically in the episode from season five entitled "Weight Loss."

"I swallowed a tapeworm last night. It's going to grow up to three feet inside of me and then it eats all my food so that I don't get fat. And then after three months I take some medicine and then I pass it. Creed sold it to me. It's from Mexico."

KILLS ME EVERY TIME!

Speaking of books, here's a book I recently gave up on because it was so terrible I couldn't finish...

You all know that I adore Bethenny and went to great lengths to get this book autographed, but sadly the substance is just not doing it for me. It has been sitting on my bedside table for months and I just can't bring myself to finish it. Yesterday, I gave up and it was placed on the bookshelf.

Another book I am surprisingly having trouble getting through?

This is another book I went to great lengths to get signed - but for some reason its just not doing it for me. Its claims to be fiction...but since I follow Jen's blog I know that the majority of it is not. Plus, its very "house buying detailed" - to the point that sometimes I feel like I am reading a how-to book. I'm not giving up on it yet, but if it doesn't grab me soon its dunzo.

Currently, I have become determined to save up enough money to buy myself an ipad- however its becoming increasingly difficult with all the cute clothes I want to buy and the fun things I want to do with my friends. My goal is to score a fantastic deal on one during Black Friday. So here is my question for all of you: (1) Who has the best ipad Black Friday deal? (2) If I have a smart phone, do I need the 3g? (3) what gig should I get?

Your insights would be extremely helpful.

But never fear- I don't just watch TV and not finish reading books- I also have been crocheting scarves!

They are nothing fabulous but I think they have been turning out rather nicely and I have already worn one when I went to the SMU football game Saturday. Therefore, time not wasted.

Have you guys all tried spotify yet? I don't know how I got through the work day without. Wait, yes I do, I vaguely remember a website called Pandora. But seriously, how is this legal? (it is legal, right?) Currently I have been listening to The Band Perry and Kelly Clarkson's new album non stop. So great!

What are some of your recent obsessions?

I Did It! {Part Deuce}

2011-11-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

I would like to announce some very exciting news...{drum roll please!}...I found out on Thursday that I passed the Texas Bar Exam!

I have now passed two bar exams in two years, and I can say with all my heart I WILL NEVER TAKE ANOTHER BAR EXAM AGAIN.

Source: someecards.com via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

{its three, jerkwad, three miserable days!}

While nothing will compare to finding out I passed the Idaho bar exam and become a legitimate lawyer, I can unequivocally say this one felt better. The Texas exam is hard! Plus I didn't really have the time or the energy to study for this exam as I was working full time, thus to say I was nervous about the results was the understatement of the century.

And to answer your question regarding how I celebrated? With a rousing game of yatzee and an early bedtime. And you want to know what? I slept like a baby.

Change of the Seasons...

2011-11-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

I fall squarely into the “I hate Halloween” camp. It has a great deal to do with my aversion to things that are scary and a small amount to do with the fact the Halloween at our first house some brats knocked over our mailbox after we gave them candy.

And I have never cared much for the holiday since. See how your actions can scar people?

However, much to my surprise, Halloween turned out to not be so bad this year. Despite my attempts to eat all the candy before the children arrived and my insistent that we should put the pumpkins on the back porch for our own personal enjoyment, Dan forced me to hand out candy. And not just hand out candy…literally sit outside for hours handing out candy.

(Apparently the Droid's night setting is not as good as one would hope.)

We talked with neighbors and forced the children to pick whose pumpkin was better....

Which one is better?

(batcat.)

And you know what? I found myself moderately enjoying the stupid holiday. But that also could be attributed to the margarita I was drinking...

Now it is November 1st and while I STRONGLY STAND AGAINST CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS BEFORE THANKSGIVING I couldn't help but get myself one of these red beauties to kick off the holiday season...

Cheers!

The New York Times #1 Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2011-10-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

You have likely seen this recipe pinned and repinned around pinterest millions of times. But is this chocolate chip cookie recipe really all its cracked up to be?

Fine! Twist my arm! I will test it! But only if you force me!

Recipe from I Am Baker

Ingredients:
-2 cups minus 2 tablespoons of cake flour
-1 2/3 cups bread flour
-1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
-1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1 1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 1/4 cup unsalted butter (2.5 sticks)
-1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
-1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
-2 eggs
-2 teaspoons vanilla
-1 1/4 pound chocolate chips

Directions
(1) Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside.
(2) Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. (3) Add eggs and vanilla and stir.
(4) Add dry ingredients slowly, mixing until combined.
(5) Add chocolate chips
(6) Refrigerate dough for 24-36 hours
(7) Bake on cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes

Conclusion
I was disappointed in the fact that my cookies didn't look at all like the cookies everybody pinned:

Source: None via DuolyNoted on Pinterest

{compare to above}

I have yet to be able to ever succeed in making a flat cookie. No matter what recipe I use, all my cookies always turn out fluffy. So once again I have fluffy cookies.

Also, why did they need to be refrigerated? Talk about delayed gratification...

But did they taste good?

Well they had 2 1/2 sticks of butter, so they better.

I personally thought they were pretty good but that is not enough. I decided to have Dan take them to work and see how long they lasted. He reported back that the entire batch was gone by 2:00 in the afternoon. So I am dubbing them a success.

Any other good cookie recipes I should try?

New Favorite Thing: Vanilla Rooibos

2011-10-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

Recently, I have become obsessed with becoming a Starbucks gold card member. I know, it is weird, but what can I say? I like programs that make me feel special (and also make me spend more money then I normally would, apparently). To become a gold card member one must buy thirty drinks, so I have been going to Starbucks every single day. Now, drinking my staple non fat extra hot vanilla latte every day would get kind of pricey. Instead I have been ordering Tazo tea which costs about $2 for a grande. Apparently there is not a pricing cap per drink to become a gold car member so jokes on you Starbucks.

Last week, I meandered into my local coffee shop to order a passion Tazo tea. Out of the corner of my eye I spied the Vanilla Rooibos.

"Is that any good?" I asked the barista.

Her eyes lit up. "It is my favorite." She replied. "Here, let me make it for you with some cream and sugar."

She then explained to me how to make the perfect cup: Gently pour the hot water over the tea bag. Let it steam for about five minutes. Add two packets of sweet 'n low and a little half 'n half.

She handed me the drink and I thanked her and walked out to my car. I didn't take a sip until I was about halfway back to work and when I did I swear I almost turned the car around to hug her. It tastes like a latte vanilla dreamcicle amazingness. I really don't think I have ever tasted anything like it.

I had to tell everybody. So I told my mom, my best friend, the ladies at work, I tweeted about it, and now I am blogging about it. Its zero calories (minus the amount of cream you put in it) and it has no caffeine (perfect bedtime tea!).

So go try a cup, or better yet, let me buy you one so I get a little closer to my gold card status...

The Quilting Quest: Part 2

2011-10-18T19:03:00.000-07:00

Remember when I started making that quilt? Back in JANUARY? Well, nobody can say that I do not follow through because roughly nine months later I finished it.

When I last left you, I was in the process of sewing together the squares.

First, I pinned them

Then, I sewed inside the smaller square leaving about 1/4 inch on the edge.

It is called a "ragged squares" quilt- so the ends are a little loose and will probably unravel a little bit. Ideally you want it to look like this.

Once I got all of the squares done I sewed together the rows.

Once I got all the rows done I sewed all of them together to make my quilt top.

I placed the batting over the quilt top and cut it out about an inch larger then the actual top.

I then cut out the quilt back out of a plain fabric.

I placed all the layers on top of each other...

...and then pinned them at the corners.

Now, traditionally at this point you would actually quilt the blanket by doing more stitches in between the squares. However, much to my dismay, my sewing machine was not strong enough to make it though all three layers. Instead, I used a great technique my friend Jeanine told me about and tied yarn at all the corners where I had placed the bobby pins.

To be honest, when it came time to do the edge I was both burnt out and and a little over my head. I took the quilt with me when I flew home to visit my family and my mom helped me finish it. It looked great! Thanks mom!

The final product looked something like this

It isn't very big- but it was perfect for its intended use - for my dear friend's new baby boy! Of course, when I started the quilt he was not even born yet and by the time he got it he was practically in college. My friend sent me this sweet picture, isn't he the cutest?

If you want to make your own ragged squares quilt go to this tutorial at Crazy Mom Quilts.

My thoughts on quilting? It was a challenge. Parts of it I enjoyed, mostly the cutting. Parts of it I didn't enjoy, aka the sewing. Its a pretty tedious and time consuming process. Additionally, its pretty frustrating when you don't have all the tools you need to do a good job. I would totally make another one, but probably not anytime soon. I think I will stick to my first love, crocheting. Speaking of I have been creating some great scarves for fall! But that is a blog post to come...