Sunday, July 31, 2011

Grateful Sundays

This week, I am grateful for our swimming pool!

Unfortunately, NOT our actual swimming pool.

Handsome Husband, Sister Swimmer (how appropriate), and I clocked some pool time yesterday for (this is embarrassing) the first time this summer.

Hat Dad and Gardening Mom put the pool in our backyard about seven years ago, and sad to say it has not been used nearly enough since!  But yesterday, our little trio of sun-lovers put it to use as we lounged in brand-new floaties from Target!

After some chatting about how nice it was to just sit and lounge and soak up the rays, Sister Swimmer and I decided we would most certainly be doing this much more often.  This Wednesday starts our regime of gym in the morning, followed by sun-bathing in the afternoon - the perks of working part-time and only online classes during the summer!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Blog Nicknames, and Why I Chose Use To Them

If you've been reading Stress Case for a little while now*, then you may have noticed that I don't ever use actual names on this blog (other than my own and other bloggers who reveal theirs).  I thought I would explain why and how I came to that conclusion, and which blogger actually inspired me to do so.

While many many bloggers choose to use nicknames instead of birth names on their blog, the one who really inspired me to do so was That Wife.  She refers to her husband as 'That Husband' and her son as 'That One,' or 'T1.'  I thought it was so cute, and her nicknames are adorable and I love that they all go together.

I chose to use nicknames on this blog for two main reasons:

1. I think it flows better, and is more entertaining to read.  It's fun to choose the nickname that I think best encompasses the people I write about!  I think it sounds more fun to read about 'Hat Dad' or 'Dimples' or 'Best Friend Swagger' than it does to read about Joe, Mandy, or Melissa (not their real names).  It makes my blog (which is obviously inspired by my life) read like a little storybook, and that is something I am in to!

and

2. I don't think it is my decision to choose what people want written about them.  While I write about my life, which includes my friends and family, I don't necessarily think that everyone wants to be 100% associated with every little thing I write.  I don't have the time nor energy to run everything I write by all the important people in my life whom I mention on here, and so for me, it is easier to just exclude their names, and somewhat hide their identities.  While I still show photos on the blog, I have asked permission from those whose faces I show first, and without their name to a face, it helps to keep them mostly anonymous.

With that, I am happy to announce a short series I am working in which nicknames will be explained!  While some are obvious (have you seen my husband?  Handsome Husband was a given), others are a little more curious (what exactly does Ms. Does it All do?).  I hope you'll enjoy delving into my life by getting to know the people who make me me a little better!

Do you use your friends and family's real names in your blog?  Why or why not? 

*If this your first time - hey, what's up!?  Thanks for coming by!

Smart and Trendy Moms

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Things Thursday: Things You Can Expect to See on Stress Case in the Very Near Future

1. A three-part recap of Gardening Mom and Sister Swimmer's humanitarian trip to Haiti, along with pictures, sources for how you can get involved, how it inspired me, and why they went.

2. Another wedding recap - long overdue!

3. Another chapter of the story of how my Handsome Husband became my Handsome Husband.

4. A lot of birthday highlights for some fabulous friends and family - August is a big birthday month!

5. A fast-approaching monthly recap for July - this year is going way too fast,

6. Another awesome giveaway - thanks for a very generous friend looking to grow her small business!  You won't want to miss this one!

7. A reason for why I chose to use nicknames on this blog instead of sharing the people in my life's real names, and a small series on where individual's nicknames came from.

8. Another one of my biggest fears, explained and overanalyzed.

9. Quotable Tuesdays will never let you down for inspiring words on Tuesdays.

10. Grateful Sundays every week, continuing to try and remind myself to be grateful and thankful for all the wonderful things I have.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Oh, How Pinteresting!

After mentioning how much I am into Pinterest lately in last week's Things Thursday, I decided I would join in at The Vintage Apple.  Michelle (who actually sent me my invite to Pinterest, after I pleaded for one on twitter!) hosts a weekly showcase, where participants share their latest and greatest "pins"!  Super fun, and I've spent way too many hours stalking other people's, it's time for me to share mine!



google


This, week I'd like to share some of my latest pins on my Cocktails Board.  (If you want to get some more fun cocktail recipes, check out Cute Apartment's Toast to Thursday every week!)

Raspberry Beer Cocktail


Strawberry Champagne Spritzer


Wine Spritzer


Popsicles in Champagne

Don't these cocktails look awesome?  Especially refreshing for summer!


Come over and check out the other fun things I have on my Cocktails Board and more!

Follow Me on Pinterest

True Life: I'm Addicted to Starbucks Cake Pops

UM, have you guys tried these?

They are Starbucks Cake Pops, in the Birthday Cake flavor.  

I am actually well-versed in cake pops, having made them once a few years ago, after seeing them on Bakerella - the original cake pop master herself.

When I first heard Starbucks was going to have them, I was rather un-inthused.  To be honest (I know this is practically sacrilegious for some of you major Starbucks fans), I've never been a huge fan of Starbucks food products, except for their pumpkin bread which I would eat every single day if I could.  

A few weeks after the pops made their big Starbucks debut, I happened to venture into one of my many local 'Bucks and had a bit of a sweet-tooth (who am I kidding - I always have a bit of a sweet tooth).  I noticed the cute little pink pops with the sweet sprinkles, and thought "hell, I'll give them a try".

Trying the cake pops was one of the best and worst decisions I've made in a while.  They are amazing, like one of my all-time favorite sweet treats, ever.  The pros and cons of these amazing little pops are as follows:

Pros:
They are tasty, and make me happy.
You can eat them while driving (trust me, I've done it).
They are pink, and therefore fabulous.
Sprinkles.

Cons: 
They are 150+ calories each.
They cost money.
I am now going to Starbucks multiple times a week, and don't even really care about the coffee.

Clearly this is a toughie with the pros and cons running such a close race, and I just can't quite kick this new little addiction of mine.  I'm hoping this is a phase, because at this rate, all I want for Christmas is Starbucks gift cards.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Grateful Sundays

This week, I am grateful for Grandma Beach Bum.

(From L-R: Grandpa Golfer, Grandma Beach Bum, Me, Handsome Husband, and Mother-in-Law Red)

Grandma Beach Bum is Handsome Husband's maternal grandmother, but from the moment I met her she made me feel completely part of the family, as if she was simply my grandmother too.  Her and her husband, Grandpa Golfer, have opened their arms for me since day one of HH and I's relationship, and been huge supports for both HH and myself over the years.

Having just finished off another Family Poker Tournament last night (I got 3rd place - what what!), I wanted to take a moment to highlight Grandma Beach Bum for all the wonderful things she does (and all the wonderful things she is!).

Grandma Beach Bum is so generous, kind, and outwardly loving.  She is not ashamed to show you affection, and will always give you a hug and kiss when she sees you.  She is sweet and warm, and makes you feel right at home.  I remember being so touched that she was so inclusive when I was only merely dating her grandson for weeks when I met her (on her birthday, at that). 

Grandma BB is also a fabulous hostess.  She is always ready for company - even when HH and I drop by without notice, she seems eerily prepared, always offering cold drinks and refreshments.  She keeps her home lovingly decorated, and is creative in so many facets.  She is actually the person who helped not only design and purchase my wedding centerpieces, but on the day of my wedding, she herself set them up (with help from Gardening Mom and MIL Red).

She is also a savvy business woman!  She used to own her own store (that's where the monomer Beach Bum came from), and has worked in marketing and management, along with having been a landlord in the past.  She is a boss-lady (if you know which Real Housewife daughter said she wanted to be a boss lady when she grew up, we can be BFFs right now)!

Grandma Beach Bum is a woman who so clearly and unabashedly loves her family.  I feel so grateful that I was lucky enough to meet her grandson, and join her family and be apart of that love.


Love this photo of HH and Grandma Beach Bum at a summer BBQ a few years back.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

The One Where a Piggyback Ride Goes Terribly Wrong

On Handsome Husband's birthday a few years ago, I neurotically planned out a very detailed pub crawl celebration in Pacific Beach.  We were still living in San Diego at the time, and PB is the place to go for a fun night out, with a huge selection of bars!

We started the night out at our current house at the time, and it seemed like it was going to be an awesome night with good friends!  Which it was...for the majority of the evening.

I started off the night looking normal, or as normal as I usually look at least.

Just your average pre-bar face.

The last photo taken before the now infamous piggyback ride.

We started our the crawl, and found ourselves having a blast as we made our way to a couple bars.  By that point, our crew was definitely a bit tipsy, but in Pacific Beach, we fit right in stomping the streets to our next watering hole.

During our trek to the next bar, I got the brightest idea - which ended up not being so bright.  I asked Handsome Husband for a piggyback ride, because I was drunk and lazy my feet were starting to hurt.  Being the sweet guy that he is, he naturally obliged, crouched down and hoisted me right up there.

All was well for about a half block, until a curb found itself in front of our little rodeo ride.  Handsome Husband, having been drinking celebrating his birthday for hours, was not 100% focused on safe piggyback riding protocol, and completely tripped on the curb.  This where things get a bit fuzzy for me, being that what followed after HH's trip was me being flung up over his head and landing face-first on the concrete, with just my face to break my fall.

I'm fairly certain I blacked out for a moment at this point, because I don't remember anything from flying through the air towards the ground until opening my eyes to our crowd of friends staring at me.  Being the drama queen I am, I began screaming in a combination of pain, fear, and panic.  Everyone had an opinion on what to do, and there are some that stand out to this day.

"Oh-my-God - look at the huge lump above her eye!"
"Lets just go to the next bar and get some water."
"Call 911"
"Why is she screaming so loud?"

While our drunken group of young 20-somethings fit right in on the streets of PB, me, lying on the ground screaming with a group of well-meaning friends crouching over me did not.  At some point, I was helped up from the ground, and made the decision, due to the massive swelling above my eye, to head to the ER to make sure there were no broken bones.

I was in a lot of pain, and poor sweet HH.  He felt so bad.  He was nearly in tears, and the poor guy just wanted to make sure I was okay.  

After a little bit of waiting (not too long, they take head injuries pretty seriously!), I was in and out of the ER, with nothing more than a pain killer prescription, some cleaned up cuts, a fat lip, and a quickly developing black eye.

Just so ya'll don't think I'm bluffing, some proof of the piggyback ride that went terribly wrong:

Minutes after walking in the door after the trip to the ER - might not be too obvious, but note the swelling above the eye and the fat lip (which only continued to grow for days).

God knows why I am sharing this photo with this terrible expression, but this was the next morning - nearly impossible to open my eye!

Two days post-piggyback ride - the bruising around the black eye transitioned through a warped rainbow of colors from black and blue, to red, to greenish and yellow.  Not hot.

Free lip enlargement?  Throw your face into the concrete from about 6 feet above ground.

Lesson learned?  It's all fun and games until someone's face hits the concrete.  
Also, no more drunken piggyback rides. 

Friday, July 22, 2011

Boob Tube Babble: "Little Boxes on the Hillside"

Cookie for the first person to guess what show the theme song of the title is from!


If you guessed Weeds then I totally owe you a cookie!

Weeds has been back for a few episodes now this summer, and I was so excited for it's return!  

One bored trip to Target where I chose to pick up Season 1 on DVD was all it took for me to get hooked!  That was a few seasons back, and I got myself caught up, and have been counting down the days until the season premiers every summer since.

This season (and to be honest, the past few) has left a little to be desired.  I totally miss the old suburban setting that made Weeds so great.  A stay-at-home mom turned drug dealer in a community similar to the one I grew up was hilarious, and awesome.

Doesn't Showtime have the best shows on premium cable?  Weeds, Nurse Jackie, Dexter, The Big C...awesome!

Smart and Trendy Moms

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Things Thursday: Things I Am Totally Into Right Now

1. Pinterest - I know I'm like lightyears behind the rest of the blogworld, but holy cow, Pinterest is amazeballs.  Love it.  LOVE it.

Follow Me on Pinterest

2. Best Friend Cute Apartment moving in about a month even closer to me than she already is!  Hang out sessions to increase exponentially come August.

Planning to clock some major tanning/pool time at Cute Apartment's new (destined to be) adorable apartment!

3. Our family vacay to Oregon being barely a month away!  

4. Seeing Bestie Fashionista on a weekday yesterday!  Hasn't happened in months, thanks for coming over and having girly talk, Bestie!

Don't mind the minor headlock I've got Fashionista in.


6. Movie day tomorrow with Cute Apartment - we are going to be totally scandalous and movie-hop!

7. Gardening Mom's emails from her humanitarian trip she is currently on with Sister Swimmer - post all about their inspiring efforts (and some excerpts from Gardening Mom's awesome emails) to come soon!

8. Handsome Husband working hard on his studies for his LSAT prep class - it's nice to have a study buddy again!

9. This little guy:


10.  My current hot pink nail color (see the above photo for a little peak!) - thank you Mother-in-Law Red for the mani/pedi last weekend! 

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Wee Bit Wednesday



{one} what is your dream job?
I would absolutely adore working Labor & Delivery at a local hospital, or working in any wing/floor at CHOC hospital in Mission Viejo or Orange.  In my dream world, after having children, I would work 2 shifts a week.

{two} how many best friends do you have?
I am very liberal with the term "best friend," as nearly every friend I have is that.  I'm not big into acquaintances, to be honest, so all of my good friends are very close friends of mine.  Love having a big ole group of besties!

{three} what’s the longest road trip you’ve ever taken?
That I can remember?  Not very long...maybe from Virginia to Delaware, which is a little bit more than 5 hours.




{four} if you had to do one single thing every day for the next year, what would it be?
Read!  It's been way too long since I read a book for leisure.

{five} what’s one story your family always tells about you?
Aunt Delaware always tells me about a story where I was visited my Grandpa and they had an intercom I used to love to play with.  I guess I pressed down the button to talk into the intercom, and my finger got pinched and stuck in the intercom, to which I exclaimed "It bit me!  It's biting me!"  Aunt Delaware tells it better, but it always makes her laugh.

{six} how did your parents pick your name?
They wanted something unisex, and liked the name.  They had a friend named "Casey" too, but I don't think I was necessarily named after that friend.

{seven} what’s the one thing that scares you more than anything?
I have a lot of big fears, but I think my biggest one is someone very close to me dying suddenly.

{eight} are you a good cook?
I like to think so!  And so does Best Man Dodger, he even said so in his Best Man speech at our wedding! :)

{nine} where do you see yourself in 20 years?
20 years from now?  I'd like to think I'll be working part-time with my Handsome Husband workin' his booty off as a successful lawyer, in a pretty house full of love, with a couple of teenagers driving me crazy.

{ten} what’s your best childhood memory?
Some of my very best memories from childhood are romping around on our quads and in our dune buggies in Glamis with Hat Dad and company, along with the summers spent floating down the Colorado River.

Redheaded Kid Spills His Guts...Via Facebook

It has been way too long since I've continued on the story of Handsome Husband (formerly known as Smart-Ass Redheaded Kid), and how exactly he became Handsome Husband.

Last time, I shared how Smart-Ass Redheaded Kid slowly but surely became Smart-Ass Redheaded Best Friend, just in time for me to move to LA and him to jet off to Europe for a month.

On Father's Day 2008, Redhead was printing his boarding passes and tying on his luggage tags as his flight for his month-long Euro-trip was leaving that night.  We had been talking very regularly, and had managed to grow a real friendship, one that I was really upset was going to have to be put on pause since he was going to be gone and wasn't taking his phone.  Redhead had managed to become my best friend in a matter of weeks, and it was him whom I wanted to text when I was bored, and he whose advice I needed when in a bind.  I was inordinately worried about what I would do without someone who just weeks prior had been nothing more than a distant, but fond, memory from junior high.

Smart-Ass had asked me if he could come over and say goodbye, and even though we had family visiting for the holiday, I really wanted to see him off, so I said okay.  He showed up, and we hung out in my parents' Hat Dad's garage (which seems very odd now, but somehow made a perfect goodbye-saying locale at the time), where I pretended not to care that he was leaving.  He promised me he'd bring me souvenirs, and I joked that he should send me a postcard from every city, along with buying me something from everywhere he went (what can I say - I'm needy).

There is one moment that I distinctly remember from that day, as if it has been seared into my memory for life.  For a quick minute, while standing around my Dad's garage, surrounded by tools and standing on a floor full of oil stains, Redhead and I somehow relaxed into the most couple-y, comfortable hugging position.  My back was to his front, and to this day, I don't know how we got to that position, or why we settled there for a minute, but I remember it feeling so right, and the fact that it felt so right feeling so scary.  I snapped out of it, remembered we were just friends, and we laughed about how weird that minute was.  Thinking back now, I'm fairly confident we were both wondering the same thing...why did that feel so right?

Smart-Ass Redheaded Kid was about to leave, we hugged (normally), and then I got a bright idea.

"You should write a note!  In case anything happens to you.  Not to be morbid or anything, but you know, just in case.  Leave it with your Mom or something.  Your last words" (This over-worded constant flow of thoughts is exactly how I speak in real life, by the way.)

Redhead told me he would, and that if anything happened, to make sure I got ahold of it to read.  This train of thought is seriously bizarre looking back, but I have to think we were both thinking there were unspoken words between us, and that maybe this would be a way to get them out, even if we couldn't quite say them out loud or to one another.

Redheaded Kid left that night, and it would be almost 48 hours before I heard from him on Facebook (the only contact he had while in Europe, as he didn't bring his phone).  Not sure if it was because I was still stuck on this whole "in case anything happens" kick, or what, but as the days (okay, it was only 2 days, but it felt like a week) clicked on and I didn't hear from him, I got more and more worried.  But I got word that he had made it safely and was having fun in Europe, and felt relieved, although still missing him.

I was somewhat consumed with starting my new internship, and living outside of my parents' home for the first time, but I found myself constantly going on Facebook to see if Redhead was online, and if he had sent me any new messages.

Days after he left, we were chatting online and I told him he should tell me what was in the note he left in case anything were to happen.  While I'd like to say the reason I suggested this was pure curiosity, I was also infatuated with finding out whether this note mentioned me at all, or if this tension I felt between us was all in my head.

A few days after my request, I got a message in my Facebook Inbox that would change everything.  The message was prefaced with a warning that it was written a few glasses of cheap French wine deep, but that everything in it was true, and that he had been wanting to say it to me for some time now.

I'd like to keep the majority of that message to myself, as I'd like to think of it as the start of what would be a love story that, to me, is beautiful and something movies are made of.  I will share with you that the message Redhead sent me, buzzed off his butt at a computer-station in France, included the nicest things anyone had ever said to me.

In the message, Redhead told me I was amazing, that I deserved the best of the best there was out there, and that I was beautiful.  While I've been dealt a compliment or two in my time, there is something about someone bearing their soul to you (even over a Facebook message) that seems to make the compliments ring so much more true.  In the message, he told me he would be willing to work with the distance between us (when he returned from Europe, there would still be a 2-hour driving distance between us indefinitely at the time), but that more than anything he valued my friendship and hoped sending the message wouldn't ruin things between us if we couldn't be more than friends.

In my rented room in Redondo Beach on the receiving end of the message, I wasn't quite sure what I was feeling.  I was partially surprised, though I had felt that there was something there almost from the get-go.  I was flattered by his sweet compliments, and taken aback by his complete honesty.  I am embarrassed to admit that it took me longer than it should have to respond, and that I wasn't very considerate of his feelings.  I was so confused, and didn't know what to say.  I am more embarrassed to admit that when I did finally respond, I, too, was a few glasses of cheap wine deep, and looking back on my response, there are a quite a few typos that I wish I could take back.

Redheaded Kid's Euro-trip started off with this intense message, with my very half-assed response in which I drunkenly sloppily told him I didn't know what to say, and thank you (but looked more like thankks yousu in my stupor), and asked him if we could just see where things went when he returned from his trip.  I continued with my life, continued seeing someone as I was when Redhead had left, and continued talking to Redhead throughout his entire trip via Facebook.  I'll admit that for some time after I received his message, I was a bit distant.  I truly did not know how I felt, what I wanted, or where to go from there.  I also was very casually seeing someone, but seeing someone all the same.

Little did I know that while I was wondering what would become of our friendship, and whether it would turn into more when he was back in the States, Smart-Ass Redheaded Kid was doing all that he could to show much he cared about me from across the pond...but I'll save the story of those efforts for next time...

Want to catch up on the story of how my Handsome Husband became my Handsome Husband?  Find out how we met, what it was like going to high school with HH, how he reappeared in my life after moving to San Diego for college, and how he went from a memory to a best friend in weeks.

Monday, July 18, 2011

C25K Review

Quite some time ago I promised a review of the C25K program I started back in April with Tutor Girl.  I updated ya'll (I'm trying to incorporate ya'll into my daily vernacular on account of I'm still hoping I can start a using Southern accent spontaneously any day now) on my C25K efforts in May, and shared all about my first (and sadly still the one and only) 5K that I ran with Tutor Girl and her sweet Outdoorsy Sister on Memorial Day.

First of all, I cannot tell you how much I adore this program, along with the application I chose to use on my iPhone.

Couch to 5K is an interval training program designed to get pretty much anyone - no matter the amount of current activity - to be capable of running 5K.  I first heard of the program through reading one of my favorite blogs, That Wife, and she had raved about the program the way I am now!

I downloaded this app for my phone, but there are many available for both iPhones and the Droid application.

The program starts with running intervals of only 60 seconds, and slowly builds up to where at the end of week 5, you are running for 20 minutes with no walking breaks.

When Tutor Girl and I first started C25K, I literally could barely run 60 seconds without needing a break.  It was shocking the improvement that occurred over just a few weeks!  I am by no means a triathlete now, but I am very pleased at the improvement in my stamina and ability to run for 20+ minutes, and 3+ miles (okay, I've only done that once - but still, I did it!).

Not only is the basic premise of C25K awesome, but the app I downloaded and used is amazing!  I cannot recommend it enough, truly.

The app breaks down each day for you, and you simply select which week and day you would like to run.  The program is based off of 9 weeks, running 3 days a week.

After selecting your week and day, this is your screen:


Showing you what to expect for your run that day.  You select "GO," and are instantly started into the 5-minute warm-up walk that accompanies each and every run throughout the program.


This is the screen that shows for the entirety of your run.  One of the best things about this app is that you can run a playlist while you run all within the app.  So now switching back and forth between apps! While the soundtrack to my running was usually Tutor Girl's fun stories, this was great for times the one time when I ran alone.

The app "speaks" to you through headphones or through your phone's speakers, and simply says "Run," "Walk," and at the end - "Cool Down."  It is great to focus only on your detailed conversation with Tutor Girl breathing and pace, rather than having to clock your intervals and constantly check the time.  

After your run, you have an opportunity to review your major stats all on one screen:

Lets get real, a lady doesn't reveal her weight to the entire internet.

This screen shows you your total distance for the run, your walk pace, and run pace, along with the amount of calories burned (which always seemed far too low for my tastes, but what can you do?).

Another fun feature of this app is that you can view your progress in graph format.


There are separate graphs for Distance, Run Pace, Walk Pace, Weight, and Calories Burned.  It is fun and helpful to see your stats laid out so clearly on one screen.

Again, I cannot recommend the C25K program and this particular app enough!  They were so wonderful, and before starting C25K I literally did not exercise, and while I still would like to improve and do so much more often, I am so glad I have found something to get me off the couch!

I want to get super real for a moment here.  Tutor Girl and I started the program, and chose to run our 5K only 7 weeks after beginning the program.  Once we finished the 5K (and actually a week or two before), life seemed to get in the way and we really struggled to find the 3 days a week to work out with one another.  So I never managed to actually complete this program.  We went back a few weeks and intended to finish the program after the 5K, but with Tutor Girl's encouragement, we are now going to try and conquer a bit more demanding intervals.  Another great reason to have a work-out buddy - they push you to work harder and strive for more - Tutor Girl is great at that!

*I was not compensated or rewarded in any way for my review of this app or the C25K program - all opinions are mine and mine alone.

What's your workout routine? 

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Grateful Sundays

This week, I am grateful for impromptu fun nights!

This weekend was Handsome Husband's good friend Dr. Groomsman's birthday, and we made a totally impromptu trip to San Diego to go out and celebrate with him and some of our good friends down there!

Being that I am a neurotic planner, and a total Stress Case (you see what I did there?), spur-of-the-moment is not really my thing.  So you can imagine how proud of myself I was when I was able to drown out the voices in my head screaming "This isn't in the plan!" and call up HH and ask if he wanted to drive down to San Diego for the night after work.

I am so glad we chose to go down, because after we decided on going, our good friend Dimples (who also used to live in San Diego) said she would join us!

It was great to see our friends, and we were so happy to be there to celebrate Dr. Groomsmen's birthday with him!  (Even though it really aggravated me that he is like a year and a half younger...why do I feel so old?!)

Just a few photos of the fabulous night out in Pacific Beach (thanks to Dimples, of course):

Dr. Groomsman surrounded by his lovely ladies - lucky birthday boy!

Some of my favorite ladies - Future Dr. Babies, me, and Dimples

HH and I gettin' our groove on on the dance floor!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Stress Case Gets a Makeover!

This blog has gotten a major makeover thanks to Best Friend Cute Apartment and her awesome design skills!  She is so awesome, and is always offering to help me with all my photoshop/design needs - thank you so much, Bestie Cute Apartment!

If you're reading from your email or a reader, come on over to Stress Case and see the new look!

Before:

After:

I am still working on some minor details to get everything just right, so bare with me over the next day or so!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Wee Bit Wednesday



{one} what’s the #1 most played song on your iPod (or whatever you use)?
Right now?  "Someone Like You" by Adele.  LOVE Adele.
 
{two} what’s your favorite type of exercise?
Running, or the elliptical but this girl doesn't like to pay for a gym membership, so running it is.

{three} what’s your least favorite mode of transportation?
...the bus?

{four} if you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what would it be?
Hmmm...this is a tough one, because while I feel like I've had some good years, I doubt I've hit my prime - I know there are awesome things to come.  When I was younger, I that 27 sounded like a pretty sweet age - so maybe 27.

{five} when you have 30 minutes of free time, what do you use it to do?
Catch up reality television and blogs!

{six} what do you miss the most about being a kid?
Having nothing to worry about, and truly living in the moment.  It's rare that I don't have something in the back of my mind, even when I am having a great, seemingly carefree, fun time.

{seven} when was the last time you were nervous?
I don't get too nervous for much, so maybe my wedding?  Not nervous about marrying my wonderful Handsome Husband, but more worried about everything going perfect.

{eight} what was the first thing you bought with your own money when you were young?
I can't remember the first-ever thing, but the first BIG thing I bought completely for myself was a TV for my room...always been into the boob tube, I guess.

{nine} what is your favorite month of the year?
December.  Love the Christmas music, the clothing, the weather, and the treats!

{ten} what are 3 songs from the soundtrack of your life?
Oh geez!  Tough question!  Let's see..."Little Too Much" by Natasha Bedingfield, "My Best Friend" by Tim McGraw, and I've got to leave one spot open for the future!

Monday, July 11, 2011

The One Where I Get Star-Struck…by a Real Housewife

I mentioned a few weeks ago that Gardening Mom invited me to a lovely fundraiser for Autism to benefit TACA: Talk About Curing Autism.  What I failed to mention was that while at this fundraiser, I became besties with had a 30-second conversation with one of The Real Housewives of Orange County.

First of all, you should know that I have a serious obsession with The Real Housewives.  I watch nearly all of the cities, but The Real Housewives of Orange County has a special place in my heart.  Not only was it the original Housewives that kicked off the eventual franchise, but it's based in my little corner of the world - Orange County!

But back to the night I met a celebrity a housewife who's actually since been kicked off the show.

Gardening Mom and I were maneuvering our way through the crowds (I hate crowds, so I was being a little stress case-y), and she was leading the way.  She had worn a gorgeous blue dress that was a bit long, and had put on a hot pair of flat sandals instead of pumps, so the length was seriously dragging.  I kept accidentally stepping on her impromptu train, and it was driving us both bananas!  After about the 413th time my heel made contact with her dress, she turned around and said "You keep stepping on my dress!" to which I replied "Maybe you should wear a dress that fits!" (I'm telling you, the crowds make me irritable).

You'll imagine my delight surprise when a squeaky voice next to me said "At least it's cute!" and I turned to see who it was, and was met with this Bravo-lebrity:

Lynne Curtin from the OC Housewives

It took me a second to figure out who she was, but I quickly realized it was none other than the housewife known best for her leather cuffs and outrageous daughters.  Once I realized I was in the presence of one of the OC Housewives, I was suddenly a complete stuttering idiot.  I stammered together a response - something award-winningly eloquent I'm sure.

She wandered next to me (I guess she was there alone?) for about 30 more seconds, smiling mindlessly, and I continued to be star-struck by a D-list celebrity.  I think I tried to make some small-talk, but to be honest, I was embarassingly and completely star-struck housewife-struck.  After she moved on to another unsuspecting fan, I tried to tell Gardening Mom who we had just been walking along side of, and she was less than overwhelmed.

I want to give Lynney some major credit, and share that she looks much better in person than she ever looked on the show, and she was very sweet and friendly, albeit coming off as slightly airheaded.  She is also like insanely tiny, and made me feel like a cow.

While I was at the benefit because I care about autism and it's terribly detrimental effects, I have to say meeting barely talking to one of the housewives that I've clocked some major hours watching from my couch was the highlight of the night.



Boob Tube Babble

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Grateful Sundays

This week, I am grateful for my parents' awesome Arizona house.

Last weekend, Handsome Husband, myself, and some of our closest friends spent three nights at the super cute house that my parents have turned into a super sweet little vacation home.

Our annual river trip has become a tradition I start to get very excited for practically come January, and we really wouldn't be able to have this trip without my parents allowing us to borrow their home for the weekend.

I've talked about how grateful I am for Gardening Mom, and Hat Dad; for good friendships that last; for Handsome Husband; and for the Colorado River.  Without all of which, our annual trip would be no more.

Here are a few photos to recap our awesome trip last weekend:

Fashionista, Swagger, and Me - stripes for the 4th of July weekend!

Handsome Husband and I - check out my awesome foam visor!

The whole Arizona crew out to dinner.

What are you grateful for this Sunday?

Friday, July 8, 2011

Boob Tube Babble: "Expect the Unexpected"

Boob Tube Babble


I'm back for Boob Tube Babble this week because one of my very favorite shows that I am completely, insanely obsessed with a big fan of came back this week!  What show, you ask?


Yup!  I am one of those creepy voyeurs who is totally in to Big Brother.  If you've been living under a rock (or just don't have 3+ days a week to dedicate to a television show), Big Brother is a reality game-show where strangers are picked to live in a house, and have their lives taped, to find out what happens when people stop being polite, and start getting real!  Okay, no, that is The Real World (huge fan of that one too - Hawaii was my ultimate fave season).  In Big Brother, "houseguests" are living in a house (which is really a set on the CBS lot) where their every word is recorded and their every move is on video (seriously, I think there are even creepy cameras in the bathroom).

The houseguests have no connection to the outside world - no phones, no TV, no email, nothing - just each other for the entire summer, or until you get evicted.  The game includes winning competitions, lots of backstabbing strategizing, and voting one person out of the house each week, until there are 2 people standing and 1 wins $500,000.

I have managed to get my entire family (okay Sister Singer won't join in) enamored with the show, and now it is super fun to watch with the group (albeit hard to hear as everyone always has an opinion).  

Since Season 13 of Big Brother premiered last night, and being that I am a big fan of snap-judgement (you're not?), I thought I would share some of my favorites from this year's cast.  

First of all, this year Big Brother brought back 3 "dynamic duos" from past seasons, one of which being one of my all-time favorite couples ever to come out of Big Brother!

Jordan and Jeff
Omigah, Jordan is hilarious (not sure it is intentional most of the time, but she cracks me up!) and Jeff is  super funny and seems so genuine.  They started dating on the show, and are still together, which I think is so sweet.  I just wish Jordan could be my best friend, and then my life would be complete.

I'm not a huge fan of the other dynamic duos brought back, so let me point out 2 favorites from this year's newbies.

Cassie
She has a thick southern accent, and likes beer.  Being that I like to pretend I am a Southern Belle (Hat Dad told me there was nothing "belle" about me last night - broke my heart), and Bud Light is my weekend bev of choice, I am thinking Cassie and I are peas in a pod.  Also, our names are almost the same, so it's totally meant to be.  

Dominic
I usually root exclusively for the ladies on Big Brother, but this guy made a funny joke last night that made my whole family laugh out loud, so I will be a fan for now.  Although, until he made the joke, I thought he a little douchey, to be honest.  Hopefully his humor will help cancel out his tool factor.

Do you watch Big Brother?  Who were your favorites last night?
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