Tuesday Top Ten (one day early)

I'm going to be out of pocket for the next few days, so I'm doing my Tuesday Top Ten one day early. In case you aren't familiar, here's the gist: every Tuesday, write down the top 10 things that you are thankful for that have already happened that day. You'll recognize and be thankful for the small things in life.

Here goes this week's Tuesday Top Ten...

1. Playing the Wii with my husband. We just got it two weeks ago, and we finally picked up a second remote. Tonight we've played baseball and tennis, and now Rob is working up some "Mii" to enter in a contest. We've had a lot of fun with it!
2. Resolving a nagging problem at work today and feeling good about a new plan.
3. Buying a cute red purse on sale during lunch at Kohl's.
4. Fun catalogs full of pretty spring clothes - a good mail day!
5. Sharing a yummy and easy dinner with Rob, thanks to Let's Dish.
6. Watching my crazy kitty AJ try to walk behind me on the treadmill. She's fearless!
7. Chatting with my Mom again on the phone tonight and sharing the woes of each other's days.
8. Hearing from an old friend on blogger today and participating in her new online Bible study, which is great.
9. Remembering seeing Baby Cameron on Saturday - so sweet!
10. A peanut butter bliss bar. :)

What are your top 10?

Good Weekend!

It's Sunday night and Rob and I are wrapping up a nice and relaxing weekend. We just enjoyed a delicious meal of pan-seared scallops (by Rob), roasted sweet potatoes (by me) and baby mixed greens (by Wegmans). I'm full and curled up on the couch, surfing the Web and writing this blog.

Friday night I headed to the mall after work with the goal of getting a few needed things: new pair of black trousers, one pair of jeans, one pair of khakis and some make-up. I should have known better than to go shopping for specific things... I found nothing! Actually, I did get a pair of khakis and a shirt for 50% off of the marked-down price (Lands End corner in Sears), which means I got them both for $18. Excellent. And the make-up was a no brainer... it's the only thing I didn't have to try on!

Rob headed over to the mall later and we used a Chick-Fil-A coupon to get some dinner. My salad dressing took a while for them to hunt down, so we actually got two more coupons for the wait. Nice! More free sandwiches for us.

Saturday we headed up to Maryland to see friends Jeff and Nita and their sweet 8-week-old, Cameron. He is just adorable and it was fun to catch up with friends. We are looking forward to watching Cameron grow! Saturday night we watched the movie Zodiac, about the murderer in California back in the 1960s. Creepy.

Today was church and laundry and a nice nap for me. Plus, I gabbed on the phone to my parents and then to my best girlfriend (who lives in Texas), so I'm all caught up on everything I need to know. :)

Rob's watching the men's Maryland basketball game, and I'm getting ready to go through a magazine of recipes and pull out any I want to try. Hope you had a great weekend, too!

Tuesday Top 10

I saw this great idea on another friend's blog - the Tuesday Top 10.

Here's the idea: every Tuesday, write down the top 10 things that you are thankful for that have already happened that day. You'll recognize and be thankful for the small things in life.

So, without further adieu...

My Tuesday Top 10
1. Lunch out with a co-worker (and friend!) who gives me honest feedback and good laughs.
2. Lots of projects and follow-up stuff completed today at work - and checkmarks on my "to do" list!
3. Three loads of clean laundry, washed and folded by my husband (since I was late getting home from work).
4. A sweet and silly kitty cat who is trying to eat my popsicle while I type this blog. :)
5. Completing a good 40-minute workout on the treadmill, and feeling the stress knot in my back slowly unkink itself.
6. A completed graphics project at work that arrived from the printer today - one day early and looking great!
7. My husband's laugh as he's watching American Idol - he has a big, jolly laugh when he finds something really funny. I love it!
8. The last item from my Longaberger order that finally showed up today.
9. Reading blogs and catching up on friends' lives on Facebook.
10. Latte ice cream bars!

I invite you to join me on the Tuesday Top 10 — I'm going to try to do it every week!

TGIF!

Oh, how I love Friday! For some reason, it's easier to get up in the morning and the day moves faster, knowing that in a few short hours it will be the weekend!

We are seeing my in-laws (Rob's parents) and family this weekend, so we are excited. We haven't seen them since Christmas!

My father-in-law picked us up a Wii this week (and one for himself too!), since he happened to be at Wal-Mart when the stockroom guy was putting them out. I wasn't 100% sure I wanted one when I thought I had to go out and search for it at different stores, but now that it's actually available... I've changed my mind! I like playing the golf and bowling, and it's a lot of fun to play when friends are visiting.

So here's to Friday... to lunch out with a co-worker, two days ahead of weekend and a night when I don't have to set my alarm to get up the next day. Happy weekend!

UMD Game!

A contact I know through work sent me an e-mail today and asked if I would like box seats for an upcoming University of Maryland men's basketball game. YES!

Rob and I are big MD fans, and basketball is a favorite of his. Plus, Rob said that MD needs to win their next three games in order to do something or another (make the tournament?). We are excited!

The game is televised, so look for us on the big screen! Thanks to my contact for offering us the tickets!

Blah

Today I am feeling blah. Blah about getting up this morning... blah about work (when there is much to do!)... blah about cooking and eating dinner with my husband.

Blah about writing this blog.

Maybe it's from staying up too late the Oscars. Maybe it's not having a nap on Sunday afternoon. Maybe it's just me.

But I'm blah.

Happy Birthday to my Mom!

Today is my Mom's birthday! We celebrated last night with a ridiculous meal at Maggianno's, and today we are going out for lunch after church. I won't need to eat again for a week. ;)

I appreciate my Mom so much and am happy that she is here celebrating her birthday with us!

Yesterday, Mom and I went to Let's Dish and prepared about 16 meals each (we did the 8-meal package and split them into two meals each). Now our freezers are stocked with a variety of meals that we can easily fix. I love having the option of pulling these out in the morning and having an easy dinner at night.

My parents are leaving after church and lunch today to head back home. It's laundry time for me....

An Icy Friday?

We are supposed to get a couple of inches of snow tonight, followed by a 1/2 inch of ice. Yuck.

My parents are coming down this weekend, and have decided to come own down tonight instead of waiting until tomorrow afternoon. The guestroom is made and Rob helped me clean up the rest of our house, so we are good to go. I'd rather they be safe!

I stopped at the market on the way home, and I think I was ahead of the rush. I was able to get everything we needed and didn't have to wait in line much at all. I'm making a new recipe tomorrow night (pork carnitas), so we'll see how that goes. Rob is always amazed that I'll try new things out on guests instead of just us. :)

Sunday is my Mom's birthday! I hope her present arrives (it was shipped and should arrive tomorrow... with the ice). Let's hope UPS can slide up the hill to our house.

A Day Off!

I am excited that I have tomorrow of to recognize President's Day. The only bummer is that Rob doesn't get the day off. When his company was purchased by another about two years ago, they lost a few holidays, including this one. So I'll be up early with him anyway - no sleeping in for me! ;)

Since I have the day to myself, I've scheduled a pedicure and plan to just do some things around the house. My parents are coming to visit next weekend, so I need to make the guest bedroom up and take care of a few things.

Last night we got together with about 12 friends, and we had a great time! Our friends Jeremy and Nicole hosted the get-together, and Nicole whipped up a delicious meal of ziti, roasted peppers and sausage, salad and bread. We had a terrific time just hanging out in their adorable townhouse in Alexandria. I love that neighborhood.

Better wrap this up - we are watching the finale to American Gladiator and Rob is cheering at the TV!

Yes We Can

As a follow-up to my Barak Obama sighting, I'm sharing this video. Not getting political or trying to make a statement, but I think this is a powerful message done very well.

Obama

Earlier this week, I was in D.C. for a conference hosted by my company. Since we work long hours and need to be there early, we stay at the hotel too. This year, the conference was at the lovely Mayflower Hotel on Connecticut Avenue.

Late Monday night, my cell phone rang. News from my co-worker: Barak Obama is in the hotel. He had been campaigning in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. (which he won all handily) and was bunking at the Mayflower. As he was coming into the hotel, the Secret Service had moved some people out of the entrance area, including two of my co-workers.

My plan: stake out the back elevator bank in the morning. I needed to be downstairs to set up for the breakfast at 6:45 a.m., but I headed down around 6:20 a.m. As expected, the SS showed up early and here came Obama. He is much taller than I expected!

On a separate note, we had an event at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in D.C. Totally creepy.

Bill Belichick = Poor Loser

I couldn't have said it better myself. From Yahoo Sports:

If he's going to lose, Bill Belichick would rather be elsewhere
Sunday, Feb 3, 2008 11:12 pm EST

On more than one occasion this year, Bill Belichick and the Patriots have run up the score on an overmatched opponent, and forced an opposing coach to sit there and watch his beaten team go through the motions while their heineys were being handed to them.

But when the shoe's on the other foot, and Bill Belichick's team has been beaten, he can't sit there and take the pain for a few seconds.

With :01 left on the clock, and his team just having failed on a last chance 4th down effort, Bill Belichick ran onto the field for a quick handshake, and then bolted for the locker room. Belichick's an important guy and everything, but I wasn't aware that the league had given him the authority to decide when games end.

There's time left on the clock, his team's been humbled, outplayed, and lost their chance at history ... and Bill Belichick doesn't have the stomach to sit there and absorb the pain until the clock read 0:00.

That's unsportsmanlike at best, disrespectful at least, and at worst, it makes him a big sissy.

Because Bill Belichick wanted to go hide when he lost, the field ended up being flooded with people, and the officials had to clear the area before the Giants could take their final snap and make it official. When you lose, you take your loss. You don't leave early because it makes you feel sad inside. Your opponent deserves more respect than that.

Anyone remember in 2004 when Randy Moss left the sidelines with two seconds left in a Vikings vs. Redskins game? Moss was selfish, a baby, a quitter, didn't respect his teammates, and didn't respect the game. Belichick just did the same thing, but did it on the biggest possible stage, and did it from the position of a leader of men.

Maybe there's something to be said for the inability to lose well ... most great winners don't lose well, and a sore loser is still a loser.

But still, if you're an adult, you finish out the game, and you give your opponents the stage and the respect they deserve.

What's Going On?

One week and no post! I'm slipping back into old ways - need to step it up!

Not much has been happening with us - it's been pretty quiet. I've been working lots to get ready for a conference in two weeks, which I'm looking forward to. It's a local event in DC, so not much travel - yay!

Rob and I have been trying to do a little bit of exercise each day... walking on the treadmill or walking outside on the weekends. It's easier for him than me! Or maybe it's just that I need it more?! ;)

We went to a fancy dinner last week for Restaurant Week in D.C. Basically, a bunch of restaurants do dinner (three courses) for $30.08 -- a great deal! We usually try to go somewhere swanky that we wouldn't normally pay for at regular price, and this year we chose 1789, a Georgetown favorite. It did not disappoint!

Now I'm trying to plan us a vacation.... England or Ireland or maybe somewhere warm. Any suggestions? I'm ready to go!

Snowing!

Big flakes are falling from the sky outside my office window. The trees are covered and it looks beautiful!

We are supposed to get 2-4 inches, and then maybe some freezing rain. This should make for an interesting drive home. :)

What's Been Going On....

It's been a few days since I've blogged. Not because I'm too busy or anything, but just because I haven't felt like it. As I've referenced before, I write for a living, and sometimes I just don't feel like writing off the clock. But today I do!

Last night I was treated to a night on my own, thanks to my father-in-law and sweet hubby going to the University of MD basketball game. I headed to the mall after work with the intention of returning a pair of pants to Macy's. I bought them on sale a few weeks ago (a good sale - they are Liz Claiborne and were 40% off, which never happens), but they were too long and I just couldn't see paying another $12 to have them hemmed (I don't have a machine).

I was browsing around before I made the return and saw the same pants - now 65% off. What?!? I found my size and decided to swap them at the register and save another $20, which would justify having them hemmed.

Anywho, in the meantime I decided to try on a few things. I had decided to purchase a purple cashmere tee (also 65% off!) while I was browsing some more, and finally headed to the register. That's when I realized that I didn't have my purse. I panicked! I ran back to the dressing room, and there it sat on the bench. Wallet there. Keys there. Cell phone there. I nearly passed out.

After my near-disaster with losing my purse (I had one stolen three years ago and it's no fun!), I headed to Eddie Bauer. There I found a cute scarf and a cardigan - both for $30. Awesome! Next was Talbots big sale (who isn't having a sale?), where I got a terrific black crepe suit and a shirt, all 70% off. That $400 suit was mine for a little over $100 - excellent deal! The suit jacket is actually coming from another store (the one they had was a hair too small), but I'm pumped! I can always use a suit, and Talbots is such nice quality.

It was almost 7 p.m. by this time, so I decided I'd spent enough (Rob agreed!) and moved to head home. Grabbed a salad from Corner Bakery (not cooking for one!) and made it home in time to watch Access Hollywood.

I enjoyed my shopping and my quiet evening at home, but it did make me realize how quiet it is without Rob around and how much I appreciate his companionship. I was glad to hear his key in the door!

It's Snowing in Baghdad!

This morning, my family and I had a jubilant e-mail from my brother that it was snowing in Baghdad! He was excited to see some signs of home, I think.

(In case you don't know, my brother is in Iraq until late spring, working with the Iraqis to help set up a judicial system. He's a Navy JAG working directly with counterparts in Iraq.)

Here's an excerpt from an article on yahoo news:

After weathering nearly five years of war, Baghdad residents thought they'd pretty much seen it all. But Friday morning, as muezzins were calling the faithful to prayer, the people here awoke to something certifiably new.

For the first time in memory, snow fell across Baghdad.

Although the white flakes quickly dissolved into gray puddles, they brought an emotion rarely expressed in this desert capital snarled by army checkpoints, divided by concrete walls and ravaged by sectarian killings — delight.

For a couple of hours anyway, a city where mortar shells routinely zoom across to the Green Zone became united as one big White Zone. As of late afternoon, there were no reports of violence. The snow showed no favoritism as it fell faintly on neighborhoods Shiite and Sunni alike, and (with apologies to James Joyce) upon all the living and the dead.

Dang this TV Writers' Strike!

Listen - I empathize with the writers of TV shows. It only makes sense that the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers share the revenue produced by DVD sales and the downloading of programs and movies.

I also feel for all of the "backstage" people who have been out of work for the past eight weeks, due to no fault of their own. This includes the camera men, lighting and audio teams, food service, etc. ... everyone down to the security guards on sets. These people have families to feel and homes to pay for, and they've been dragged into an unfair situation.

Come on, people. It's enough. Give the writers some money. Save whatever can be salvaged from this year, and don't put the fall season in jeopardy (which is what's next - if no pilots for the fall can be written, no advertising can be sold and no shows will be produced). End this thing.

I saw a list on tvguide.com that outlines how many episodes are left. Here's what I can expect from my favorite shows:

• 30 Rock: Ten episodes will be produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there is one left.
  
  
• Criminal Minds: Roughly twelve episodes will be produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there is roughly one left.
  
  
• Desperate Housewives: Ten episodes will be produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
  
  
• ER: Thirteen episodes will be produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are three left.
  
  
• Friday Night Lights: Fifteen episodes will be produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are five left.
  
  
• Grey's Anatomy: Eleven episodes will be produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there is one left.
  
  
• Lost: Eight episodes will be produced. None have aired yet, so there are eight episodes left.
  
  
• Medium: Nine episodes will be produced. One episode has aired, so there are eight left.
  
  
• My Name is Earl: Thirteen episodes will be produced (that includes two one-hour eps, which count double). Twelve episodes have aired, so there is one left.
  
  
• Numbers: Twelve episodes will be produced. Ten have aired, so there are two left.
  
  
• The Office: Twelve half-hour episodes will be produced. Twelve half-hour episodes have aired, so there are zero half-hour episodes left.
  

Hmmmm... maybe I'm watching too much tv. :)

I'm blue.

Pork Roast Recipe

Tonight, Rob and I are having one of my most favorite (and easiest!) pork recipes. I actually got this from a former co-worker, and I've shared it with many. So easy!

Ingredients:
2.5-3 lb. pork roast
olive oil
salt and pepper (or any other seasonings you like)
bbq sauce

Rub the roast with olive oil, salt and pepper (I usually do it the night before for good marinating). Pop it in the crockpot in the morning, and cook on low for 8 hours or so. After it's cooked, add one bottle of bbq sauce (we like Sweet Baby Ray's) and heat for another 30 minutes or so. Serve on buns with coleslaw, sauteed onions or other toppings of your choice.

(This size roast serves us for two dinners, and maybe a couple of lunches. You can use a smaller roast, but beware that it will cook faster!)

Enjoy!

Lazy Saturday

We've had a pretty easy day - which is great! This morning I did run out to get a baby shower gift, pick up dry cleaning, etc., but the rest of the day we've been home. I even snuck in a nap this afternoon. :)

My good girlfriend from home and her boyfriend are coming down Monday. They'll meet us after work, we'll go to dinner, and then they are staying the night and heading up to Baltimore on Tuesday. Fun!

Right now we are watching the Redskins lose. I really wanted them to win this first playoff game, but no such luck. It's 28-14, with only four minutes left in the last quarter.

Have a great weekend!

Back to the Grind...

Today is our first day back at work following the extra-long Christmas holiday. With Christmas day, new year's day and the weekends, we enjoyed a total of 11 days off! It was so nice to sleep in!

When my alarm rang at 6:05 a.m. today, it was too early for me. I actually was having a dream that I was moving my co-worker's car, and in my dream I thought her car alarm was going off. Too bad it was my alarm clock in real life!

Tonight we are getting Chipotle burritos for dinner (um, I'm not sure that goes with the healthy living resolution) and watching the WVU Mountaineers! Go WVU!!