Day 30: The finish line...

Today is not only the last day of my 30 day blogging challenge, but it's also the final lap in this 1st deployment for my husband and I.

Military couples can attest to the fact that the deployments are long, hard and often chaotic, but today my husband and I received a tentative return date for him to be in the states. It's not set in stone... of course nothing with the military is, and I won't believe it until I get the call that he's on the plane from Germany back to the US... but it does feel like we're rounding that final corner in that final lap, the finish line in site. Deployments can sometimes feel like a race that has no end, but I'm glad to know the end is quickly nearing.

In terms of my blogging challenge, I'm happy that I was able to write every day (even when I didn't want to) and never fell behind. It's easy to give up or overload on catch up posts but to me that defeats the purpose of the challenge. What I'll take away from this challenge is trying to find more creative ways to share my thoughts with readers. I'm in the process of working on some new things for next year so I'm excited to be able to share that with everyone.

Happy Hump Day!!!

Day 29: Aspirations...

I aspire to wake up every morning thankful to be living the life I want... to be happy, fulfilled and with my husband by my side....

Day 28: What I miss....

What do I miss right about now? A hot dog w/ everything (no onions) and an order of large cheese fries from Portillo's!!! Gosh... this is my comfort food of choice and it's 1700 miles away :/

Day 27: Home Sweet Home

As I prepare for my 3rd cross country move in 3 years I'd have to say that the one constant in my life is my favorite place - - home sweet home. No matter what city, state or coast I happen to be calling "home" at the time, I'm always intent on creating my little sanctuary and cozy place of peace. I love to go out and spread my social butterfly wings, but there's truly nothing better than unwinding at home after the days events.

Day 26: Fears...

This is an easy one:

1. Dying in a plane crash
2. Crickets
3. Failure
4. Falling asleep in complete darkness and silence. I require background noise and the glow of the tv... though I DO sleep with an eye mask on lol...

Short. Sweet. To the point...

Those are my fears.

Day 25: A first time for everything...

The combination of chicken and waffles has baffled me for years. I never quite understood what would inspire a chef to serve these two unlikely meals on the same plate, but couldn't ignore how much folks raved about it. Day 25 of my 30 day blogging challenge called for a "first" of sorts and I figured I'd get out of the house and do something new. Despite seeming like a breakfast/dinner clusterfuck, I opened my mind as well as my stomach, and ventured to Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles.



It had been years since I went to the original Phoenix restaurant (the epitome of a hole in the wall) but I did remember the food being good. Since the company branched out to include a Scottsdale location I was thrilled to only travel 5 mins for food.

I ended up ordering the #10 (Tre-Tre - $7) which consisted of 2 legs and 1 waffle, a side of fried okra ($3.50) and "red" kool-aid. The restaurant happened to be running low on legs so there was a bit of a wait but I came equipped with a magazine so it wasn't a big deal.






The Verdict? It wasn't a bad meal but I don't think I'd ever order this again. It didn't taste bad... not at all, but I guess it just felt like I was paying for something my mom could've made me lol. The only reason to pay for this meal is because you don't have access to cooking it yourself. The Okra was just okay. I like Church's okra better. My mom has made MUCH better chicken but I'd take the waffles. This meal reminded me of going to Sprinkles for cupcakes. It's more about the hype around the place and the meal than the actual meal itself... or it could be because my mom is from the heart of Mississippi and knows how to put her foot in southern food. Ehh.. I'm glad to say that I tried something new so I can turn it down in the future based on personal experience and not a notion.

** On a sidenote, I haven't eaten anything this heavy in FOREVER and quickly realized I like not eating like this. I'd rather have a chicken salad and Acai drink from Jamba Juice.

Day 24: Tearjerker...

What makes me cry... well, those animal cruelty commercials give me instant water works. I also can't stand to see animals kill other animals in the wild. Those nature documentaries are so interesting but when it's time to feed I have to change the channel. Recently I was watching a Blue Planet special on Planet Green and they showed these killer whales hunting a humpback whale and her baby. Long story short, they ended up killing the baby and tears were running down my face. If it were left up to me I'd probably be a vegetarian because killing my food would be a no go... luckily, there are wonderful folks out there that don't mind prepping my meat because lamb, beef and pork make my stomach smile.

Day 23: Rub a Dub Dub

Wanna know what warms my soul and puts a smile on my face? My first inclination is to say finding a bra that actually fits or a hot pair of shoes on sale lol... but it would have to be a tie between bubble baths and great rest. Actually, I should just call this a 1-2 combo deal because a great bubble bath is always followed by amazing sleep.

Similar to how I've turned into a napper, baths are the new thing in my life. Typically I'll shower in the AM and cap my nights off with a soak in the tub before hopping in bed. Not sure if everyone has caught on to this, but baths really do provide a sense of relaxation prior to sleeping.

Day 22: Smile 101

We all have things that bug us out, but wanna know what really gets under my skin? The thing that grinds my gears and drives me bonkers? Bad teeth! And not just any bad teeth... I'm talking about celebs that have tons of money and the access to world class dentists, yet due to whatever reason insist on having their mouths resemble a highway pile up. More specifically, those that have neglected bottom rows that look like urban warfare.

Some of the top offenders of this are Matt Lauer and Will Ferrell. Those 2 have bottom rows that give Jaws a run for his money... they're awful! I don't understand why people that have the $ to perfect their smiles consistently avoid the dentist. It's not enough to have a nice top row... when you're speaking people can focus on the bottom as well.

Sometimes you can't just smile with your eyes you actually need to rely on, well... your smile! If you're looking for something to splurge on why not start with your mouth. There's no better investment than your grill.

Day 21: Ready to Jet Set

I haven't traveled internationally since I was a kid but that's about to change. This month my goal was to get my new passport and a few days ago it finally arrived! Just as the brochure says, "With your U.S. Passport, the world is yours." My husband and I intend to make 2011 our year of travel. I also have a few great ideas I'm in the process of working on so I'll be thrilled when it's time to share them with my blog family. In the meantime, operation "get some stamps on this passport" is in full effect!

What kind of mileage have you put on your passport?

Day 20: Panty Drawer Facelift

You don't have to wait for Spring to get started cleaning and organizing your home. This month I decided to tackle the mess that was brewing in my panty drawer. I don't know when it happened, but I looked at my drawer one day and was shocked at the chaos I saw. I was definitely in need of an underwear intervention, stat!

On top of tossing out some underwear that were no longer making the cut, I added a bunch of new ones into the mix! Call it my "period panty makeover" because I had cotton full bottoms everywhere and that's not a good look. Yes, this may be TMI for some folks out there but I like honest dialogue and women know that during that time of the month sexy panties are the last thing on our mind. Period panties don't have to be fruit of the loom or jockey... throw some cute styles, colors or even lace into your drawer!

Day 19: Regrets...

Memories of my teens and early 20s are sprinkled with "Damn, I can't believe I did that..." moments, but every situation was a learning experience... thus shaping me into the person I am today. I think the key to understanding the concept of "regrets" is really dependent upon how long it took for you to learn whatever lesson was at hand. Did you have to date the loser 20 times to figure out he was a loser? Did it take failing numerous tests/classes to figure out your school routine wasn't working? How many jobs did you get fired from before you got your attitude in check? The list goes on and on... but for me, I've definitely tried my best to learn whatever lesson I needed to the first (or maybe second lol) time around.

Day 18: Happy Birthday to me...

My favorite birthday hasn't yet happened. Yes, I know that sounds rather crazy... but next year will be my golden birthday (27 on the 27th) and my husband and I are in the midst of planning something fabulous. I guess I should say that it will be OUR golden birthday as we share the same birthday so we get a lifetime of 2-for-1's lol.

Day 17: I now pronounce you...

Gazing into my husband's eyes as we spoke our vows to one another was a dream come true. It's hard to put into words how special everything was - - just the two of us, the minister and witness... yet that was all we needed to commit our lives to one another as husband and wife. I never thought I'd opt for a Vegas wedding over a lavish ceremony, but it turned out to be the best decision for us. I know life has many more amazing memory making moments in store for me, but this one was truly priceless.

Day 16: Pucker Up....

My first real kiss was in 6th grade at this Friday night teen hangout we had at the community center. I remember being in a huge circle of friends with everyone taking turns kissing whoever they were crushing on at the time. Looking back it seems a bit awkward but it totally made sense then. I was nervous as "french kissing pro" wasn't on my resume lol... but the funniest thing that stands out in my mind wasn't the kiss itself, but the approach.

Which way was I supposed to turn my head? Right? Left? We both fumbled around for a bit trying to get the head turn down... took a deep breath and went in for the kill! The kiss actually wasn't too shabby. I'll attribute that to the guy having full, juicy lips! lol....

Day 15: Dreaming of a.....

World Cruise! Yes, a cruise around the world in 2012 is something I have been dreaming about for a while now. Crystal Cruises, a luxury cruise line, offers an amazing 94 day Pacific Ocean cruise. Some of the highlights are stops in cities like Sydney, Bali, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Tokyo and Osaka! This would be a dream come true to make it on this ship. I've been envisioning myself enjoying the beautiful ocean surroundings for 94 days of pure bliss... Plus I'd be sure to get some great writing done.

Consider this one of the top things in my dream book! Calling this trip into existence as I type...

Day 14: Zebra Print Dream

After months of obsessing over this bag and bugging sexyandthechi to have her sister sell it to me, this Jimmy Choo for H&M clutch is now mine!!! It's hard to describe how much I wanted this bag or how amazing it truly is... it's sheer perfection in person! The quality of the suede, the hardware, the workmanship... this bag is the shit times two (to the 10th power)!

For all of you ladies lucky enough to purchase this congrats because it sold out around the world within a few short hours.

Kourtney Kardashian is always rocking the $1875 Jimmy Choo zebra clutch... but at $100 the Jimmy Choo for H&M version was much friendlier on the wallet. So what do you think? Pretty hot, huh! I love this bag....

Day 13: This week...

This week I'll be anxiously awaiting the delivery of various things I've ordered online this weekend. I used to be hesitant to shop online, but in preparation for my move to the South in the next few months (and the inevitable fact that stores will be limited to me) I'm perfected the art of buying online. I must say it's pretty nice... plus I'm sure it'll feel like Christmas when my packages come.

Day 12: What's in my bag....

What's in my bag? Why, these AMAZEBALLS pink Everlast boxing gloves!!! Thanks to my amazing trainer Chris Terry (1on1 boxing fitness) these gloves were the ray of sunshine in my life at my workout this morning. God, I love these things.... I can knock you out in style :)

Day 11: Siblings...

It's Friday, I'm done working and it's 100 degrees and sunny out. I can say with all honesty that this will be a short and sweet post! lol....

My mother and father both came from large families... my mom having 15 kids in hers... so I can imagine having a large clan of kids was not in the stars. I have an older brother and a younger brother-in-law that both live in Chicago.

Growing up I always wanted a sister but I feel I've scratched that itch through various female friendships... especially the one I've grown to have with SexyandtheChi. She's definitely the sister I've always wanted and never had.