Baby Green Machine

So Christmas was pretty fantastic. Eric and I spent it at the casinos and had junk food for dinner. We didn't get to hang out with his dad because we got caught up in the gambling fun, but we did have a good time with each other.When I get my phone to work I'll upload some of the photos from the lobby at Bellagio. All year long that hotel always has really great decorations and Christmas is no exception. There were funky blue and lime green Christmas Trees,Penguins, and a bunch of other stuff. I like the idea of spending Thanksgiving with the family and doing Christmas somewhere far away...and warm.Next year who knows, maybe Hawaii?

Recently I've been addicted to making my own green machine smoothies in the morning. I'm not a big fan of vegetables, but I'm more than aware that I need to eat them if  I'm trying to lose weight and stay healthy.Everyone I've mentioned this smoothie to gets grossed out because my main ingredient is Spinach,but if you can't taste it, I figure what's the big deal? If you don't like the taste of veggies but need the servings I highly recommend trying it:

• 2 cups of ice
• 4 or 5 handfuls of spinach
• 1 banana (I like to use a non frozen banana)
• 1/2 a cup of shredded carrots
• 1 cup of blackberries or blueberries
• 1 cup of raspberries
• 2 packs of splenda(I add half a container of low fat strawberry yogurt to sweeten it)
• 1 cup of light silk soy milk

Once blended, it will end up fulling a 32oz cup. It's a very filling breakfast/lunch and you get around 5-6 servings of fruit and veggies in one sitting. YAY.

One of Eric's close friends as well as his brother are supposed to be coming to town tomorrow. Hopefully, I can clean up, finish up my paper that's due next week, and get a workout in before everyone gets in to town. I'm still looking for plans for New Year's Eve. Suggestions anyone?

Christmas in Vegas

Christmas is not what you immediately think of when Vegas comes to mind. For me when someone mentions Las Vegas I think of:

• Elvis
• Fear and Loathing
• Showgirls (the entertainers as well as the terribly fantastic movie"Showgirls" starring Jesse Spano from Save by the Bell)
• Drugs
• Ladies of the Night
• Gambling
• buffets
• 24 hour everything

Well this year, Eric and I decided to change it up and spend Christmas in Vegas. His father lives DOES live there, so it's not like we're totally avoiding family. Though, something does tell me that more time will be spent on the casino floor than around the dinner table at his dad's house. We went to Vegas earlier this year for my birthday and I came back with a serious kidney infection(due to me not drinking water,and way too much alcohol+carbonated beverages). Who knew drinking 3 days straight with no breaks would make a girl sick?This time around I plan to STAY hydrated, ignore the unlimited ice cream bar at the buffet,and win a million or so dollars :D

Since I'll be going crazy with work the next few days, I leave you with this:

 Whether or not Christmas is your holiday of choice, I hope you have a good holiday and enjoy the time off with someone you care about :)

Now that'll put some hair on your chest!

On Friday, Eric and I drove to Lafayette,Louisiana for his company's holiday party. Lafayette is about 225 miles away from Houston for those of you that didn't know(I didn't!). Now most people would say that's a bit too far to travel for a holiday party, but in the end, I walked out with a Jack Daniels holiday gift pack and a bottle of 18 year old single malt scotch.

The Glenmorangie18 Year Old is a single malt Scotch whisky of serious distinction. Once it has spent fifteen years maturing in American white oak casks approximately 30% is transferred into Spanish Oloroso casks to spend a further three years maturing. Then, when both elements have reached 18 years, we blend them back together to create a whisky with a rich bouquet and full, rounded flavour.

At least that's what the website says.After two, four hour drives to Lafayette and back, I'd say I made out alright!

Louisiana is a very interesting place, but I feel like I really haven't seen it yet. I'm supposed to be going there next month(New Orleans) with my girlfriends for a long weekend ,and I'm trying to make a list of things to busy myself with. Are any of you familiar with that area? If so please email me some suggestions that don't involve the usual bars/gambling.We will of course be hitting up a casino or two, but I want to make sure we see some fun little sights while we're there :D

I'm a grown up now

I just got my very first promotion at work on Friday. Go me!

My entire working career,I've always been an assistant. Customer service "assistant",administrative "assistant" or executive"assistant". On Friday afternoon, my bosses unexpectedly called me into a meeting as I was on my way out for the day. I thought I was going to get a lecture since I was beyond hungover, and I had one too many drinks at happy hour the evening before. Well, this conversation was nothing close to a lecture,it was quite the opposite. They told me that they had appreciated all my hard work over the past 10 months and wanted to move me up to a new position on one of the teams they manage.  I actually yelled "YES!"(reawakening my hangover headache that hadn't been killed by the Advil  I had taken earlier) before I could even hear the details. I'm still working out all the specifics of this deal, but they announced it to the entire group at a meeting yesterday,so it's definitely official now. I'm really excited about this new venture, and am hoping it leads to a bigger paycheck :D

Yogi

The first time I ever tried yoga, I was around 15 or 16 years old. Madonna was talking about it in some interview and showing off her super fit arms. I remember going with my stepmother, Rikki, and being completely miserable.

The next time I went was a few years later when I was around 21. I went with a friend and fell in love. This was also the first time I tried hot hatha(hot yoga). The room was 101 degrees Fahrenheit. I could barely take  breathe, but the way the sweat seeped out of my body somehow rejuvenated me. I took part in a program where if you spent 10 bucks, your first 10 classes were free. I went and took full advantage of all 10 classes. Unfortunately, after the first 10 classes, the price jumped up to this insane amount that I just could not afford :(

Fast forward to now, I have a gym membership( that I need to cancel sooner than later since I recently bought an elliptical) and I also have a few pieces of equipment at home. I have slowly been making it absolutely impossible for me not to work out at least 4 to 5 times a week. I had been trying to kill off 50 or so pounds for the last year, and for some reason,the whole drink a bunch of beer and watch 20 hours of Hulu.com diet wasn't working :)

I don't think I'm going to stick with Yoga as my main workout,being that it's SO expensive, but I do think I'm going to incorporate it into my monthly routine. I'm finally starting to feel like a work in progress :D

Is it bad that this story about Europeans being overweight made me feel a little better? You often here stories about Americans and their gluttony, it's kind of relieving to hear it about another country for once.

Check it out here

Slow...but making good time

I've been in school forever, or at least it seems like I've been in school forever.

I graduated high school in 2005, and at first, I was only able to take a small load (That's what she said-sorry I couldn't resist) every semester because I was always working full time or off somewhere singing. For the first time in my life, I'm finally in a position where I can not only afford to pay for school, but do more school since I'm not singing for any bands right now. I don't want to sound like I blame the bands, (I loved them! )but right now, my life is mine. Well, I guess it would make more sense to say that my TIME is finally mine.

I no longer have to work my schedule around rehearsals or shows. I no longer have to worry about withdrawing from school due to an upcoming tour. I've made a conscious decision to finish school and not stop until I'm done. While a degree may be another year or two away, I'm not stopping until I've walked across the stage degree in hand.


While it is a little cooky, my main interests right now include:

• Finishing School
• Working
• My boyfriend
• My friends
• My family
• working out
• Planning my first real vacation

I think I've worked really hard up to this point, and deserve to focus on finishing a few personal goals . I'm not going to stop singing completely or anything, but let's just say you won't catch me on anyone's tour anytime soon.