The Nail Files

Linking up today for The Nail Files.

This will *most likely* be my last Nail Files of 2012. 

Seriously, where did the year go? 

Today, I'm wearing Essie Marshmallow with glittery ring fingers :)

I really wanted to use red but can you believe that all 3 of my red nail polishes were not up to par to take on the job. Looks like I need to go red nail polish shopping. I'm obsessed with the red from the 2010 OPI Christmas Collection. I can't remember the name of it right now, but whatever it was, I need that. I'll check at home and get back to you on that.

Doing anything fun with your nails this holiday season?

Link up with us and share :)

Photo Dump

I've been busy. Really busy. 

So I decided to catch you up with some photos.

I've either been babysitting...

Having fun with friends at the Magic game..

Painting my new office at work, going to dinner for friends birthdays...

FYI: If you let me pick my wall color, I'm obvi going to pick pink ;)

At my office Christmas party, or my boyfriends work Christmas party..

OR 

Saying goodbye to my longtime favorite neighborhood bar that officially closed down last night :(

Here is a few snap shots of our new office. 

I love all the artwork that they did, but I'm still getting used to my individual office.

I'm directly next to a conference room that has had a lot of traffic the past few days. 

Since I have a floor to ceiling glass window directly to my right, I'm basically a window model for the people in the conference room. Trying to get used to that :(

And that's all :)

Hopefully I'll be back to regular posting soon!

Blogger Day of Silence

IPSY: Glam Bag

This is the 3rd month of my IPSY subscriptions and they have yet to fail me.

Check out what they sent me this month:

 Now let's break down all the goodies I got :)

1. Cute understated bag - exactly my style.

2. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil ($19) - The color is called 'Zero' but it's jet black. My favorite thing about IPSY is that they give me colors that I would actually use. Unlike Birch Box who gave me purple eyeliner. Sure, it would be great if I go to an 80's party but I'm looking for everyday products. 

3. NYX Loose Pearl Shadow ($3) - The color I received was called 'Pearl' which is a pale pearly pink. While I would have preferred the gorgeous gold that some people received, I can always purchase it if I like the application.

4. Mai Couture Highlighter Papier ($28) - This highlighting paper adds a glow to your skin wherever you apply it. I'm really excited to see if these work. What a great alternative to bronzer.

5. Be a Bombshell Lip Gloss ($14) - The color is called 'Hot Mess'. I think it's going to be the perfect color for the holiday season. Can you imagine how adorable red lips and nails will be for a holiday party? 

6. Mirabella Prime for Face and Eyes ($29) - I'm almost out of my Primer so this couldn't have come at a better time. This product contains Vitamin E that works as an antioxidant to smooth our lines as it moisturizes and protects your skin. Plus, it helps keep your makeup in place. Count me in.

This month they sent me all full sized products resulting in a grand total of $93. 

Did I mention I only paid $10 TOTAL?

Seriously, if you haven't signed up for IPSY yet, I don't know what you're waiting for.

This just might be the best decision I've ever made. 

Farewell Dallas!

..from the great state of Texas - Dallas, to be exact.

For the sake of time, I'm going to give you a short but sweet update of my trip.

This was my first plane ride in over 8 years, and my first trip to Texas ever.

I must say it was much different than I expected.

I didn't see one cowboy hat, pair of boots, perfectly teased hair AND I didn't hear a southern accent once.
Either I was hiding in a ditch or the stereotypes are simply not true.

When I arrived Friday night, we went to Sfuzzi's to chat and grab some drinks. 

We wanted to pace ourselves. After all, we had 4 days.

We ended the night with a candlelight dinner of Wendy's. Just my style ;)

Saturday we hit up Galleria, a mall in Dallas.

I was IN LOVE with that Christmas tree and the rush of Christmas shoppers.

It truly put me in the holiday spirit.

We ate lunch rink side at a delicious mexican restaurant.

If you know me, you know I love me some enchiladas, beans and rice. 

I'm a woman of extreme class, what can I say ;)

 After probably 5 episodes of Law & Order SVU, we forced ourselves to get ready, have a few pregaming shots and hit downtown. 

We went to Del Frisco's Grille, Frankie's Sports Bar & Stoneleigh P before heading to Steak n Shake for a late night bite. 

Frankie's had the most AMAZING popcorn chicken & fries. 

Not to mention, they had my favorite liquors on a chilled tap.

Note: If you have Fireball, Absolut & Tuaca on tap, I'll fall in love.

We woke up early Sunday and watched a few more episodes of SVU before ending up at Nick & Sam's Grill for brunch.

Could you believe that we each ordered a Mimosa and they brought us an entire wine decanter each filled with delicious Mimosa's. The best part, they were only $6 a pop. My mouth about dropped to the floor. 

After brunch we went to Concrete Cowboy to continue the fun and then ended up back at Frankie's Sports Bar for more popcorn chicken and fries.. & fireball :)

We woke up Monday morning to find snow on her car. It dropped from 60 to 25 degrees all in a matter of a few hours.

I can't say that my fear of planes has subsided, but I definitely had a fun trip!

Dallas, here I come!

Tonight, I'll be flying under the stars to the great state of Texas. 

I've never been to Texas so I'm excited to see what all the hype is about.

My friend moved to Dallas about 6 months ago.

I've been really excited to go visit so I booked a ticket about a month ago and, 

although I have a horrible fear of flying, I'm putting my big girl pants on and not looking back.

I'm sure my mind will by put at ease when I see this beautiful skyline.

We literally have no firm plans for the weekend. 

Just going with the wind, if you will.

That's why I figured why not throw it you guys to see if you have any suggestions.

We were hoping to get in a Dallas Cowboy game while I was there.

 Unfortunately, the Cowboys have an away game this weekend.

I would have loved to see my favorite cheerleaders!

One of my co-workers told me about Fort Worth Stock Yards

& Water Gardens Galore

Breathtaking. 

Those are definitely two possibilities. 

I want to eat, drink, somewhat sightsee and just have fun.

I'd love to hear your suggestions!

The Nail Files

Since I'm going to visit one of my pink loving girlfriends in Dallas this weekend, 

I figured I had to paint my nails appropriately. 

I give you Essie, off the shoulder.

This color is the perfect 'Barbie Pink'.

I love it.

When I get home, I have to remove the extra polish on my middle finger that this photo just pointed out to me.

What color are you flashin' on your nails today?

Link up with us and share!

Recipe & a thank you!

Hey guys! 

I thought I'd share with you a super easy delicious meal I made the other night. 

For lack of a more creative name, I'll call it:

Creamy Broccoli Chicken & Rice. 

What you'll need:

1. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: I get the thin sliced to make it easier.
Plus, it helps ensure that the chicken is cooked entirely through.

2. One Fresh Lemon

3. Rice - you can choose whichever rice you want.

4. Italian Bread Crumbs

5. Black Pepper

6. 1/2 cup of Milk *optional*

7. Campbell's Cream of Broccoli Soup

8. Broccoli

9. Olive Oil *optional*

Instructions:

1. I started by putting the rice in my rice cooker because that takes about 25 minutes to cook. 

2. *Optional* Coat the chicken in vegetable or olive oil (you can always squeeze some of the lemon in the oil) & then dipped it in the breadcrumbs. You can use egg, water or whatever kind of seasoning you'd like.
3. Then, I cooked it in a pan of oil on medium heat, 7 minutes each side. Since every stove and piece of chicken is different, use your judgement to make sure the chicken is completely cooked.
*You can always cook it in the oven if that's your preference. From my personal experience, I think it tastes better on the stove and it keeps the chicken from getting dry.

4. Steamfresh is amazing because you just pop it in the microwave for about 6 minutes and voila amazing broccoli. 

5. In a separate pot, I mixed the cream of broccoli, 1/2 cup of milk (optional - just wanted to make it creamy), squeeze of the lemon and black pepper and brought it all to a boil.

All that's left is putting it on a plate! I layered mine because I love the taste of it all mixed together.
Enjoy!

My dinner last night was not quite as fun.

Unfortunately, a cold decided to pay me a visit so I was passed out by 8:30.

Here's to kicking this annoying cold before my trip this weekend!

You might remember that I did a guest post for Kristen over at Life's a Beach.

My Momma dropped off some of my mail last night. 

Imagine my surprise when I found a gift card to Starbucks from sweet Kristen for simply doing that post. 

How sweet is she? That definitely made my night. 

Thank YOU, Kristen. It was my pleasure :)

Weekend Update

Weekend update post is up late, as per usual.

On Friday, I picked up my super sweet Nephew from daycare and went to Chick Fila
so he could play and, more importantly, Aunt Stephy could eat ;)

Saturday I went Christmas shopping. Crossed my lil man off the list!

I spent the rest of the day watching The Newlywed Game & Family Feud. 

Who knew that the update version of The Newlywed Game was so dirty?

After a mediocre attempt of Smore's at my Mom's house, Justin and I went to my new found 

favorite restaurant, Bahamas Breeze, for dinner. I'm seriously obsessed with their Sangria, Coconut Shrimp 

& Wood Grilled Chicken Breast with yellow rice & broccoli. To.die.for. 

Then we headed to meet up with Justin's friends from work at Prato on Park Ave. 

We ended up taking the party to a local irish bar for car bombs before heading back to his friends house that 

resulted in drunk skateboarding while being pulled by a dog. 

Needless to say, there were a lot of laughs :)

We both woke up feeling less than superb. 

We spent lunch with Justin's parents and then I went to see my Nephew.

He wanted to go on a bike ride to 7/11 & since I can't say no to that sweet face, I agreed. 

Let's just say, I about died after I returned.

Note to self: Don't go biking while hungover. 

Justin and I spent the rest of the night eating pizza on the couch watching movies.

Tip: If you haven't seen Catch Me If You Can. Do it, now.

It's an incredible movie!

That's all she wrote!

Thanksgiving Staycation

It's been one week since Thanksgiving has past. 

I think that's the proper time to update you on what I was up to during the break.

You see, my office was closed Wed-Fri, plus the usual Sat & Sun.

Needless to say, Monday was shell shock for me.

Boy was it a nice break, though.

On Tuesday, we had a breakfast potluck. 

The pictures don't do it justice, but the food was INCREDIBLE.

There clearly are some hidden chefs roaming around the office.

On Wednesday, I was able to finish all of my errands & housework during the day,
which left the night wide open.
Bonus points for me!

My Sister and I took the munchkin to the fair.
He was only tall enough for 3 rides, but he still loved it.

We also played the ball game and won 5 fish!

One died the day we put it in the tank. RIP Goldie.

After the fair, I met up with Kate and her hubby for some Chilis 2-4-1.

You just can't go wrong with that special AND chips & salsa.
I could go for some of that right about now.

 Thursday was, of course, Thanksgiving. 

Holidays are always a bit hectic in my family.

Mainly because we split the time between both sides of the family and my Mema lives 2 hours away. 

We did the usual lunch with my Dad's side of the family.

But this year opted for Cracker Barrel with my Mema. 

It's half way for the both of us and Mema doesn't have to cook & clean. 

After everything she has been going through, it was a Win/Win.

Little did I know, Cracker Barrel didn't take reservations and it was a 2-hour wait.

We ended up across the street at a Perkins for Thanksgiving, hah.

My expectations were less than high since I had never been there before.
Scratch that, I was grossed out.

I ordered Chicken Fingers, fries and mashed potatoes.

Not our typical Thanksgiving meal, but my idea of perfection.
Much to my surprise, it was delicious!

Once we got home, Justin and I headed to a local bar for some cocktails. 

Kate & my old friend, Jon joined us and a fierce game of Drink While You Think ensued.

also known as Celebrity Name Game, or my obsession.

Oh, Saturday.

Then we get to you.

Down here in the sunshine state, there is no bigger rival than FSU vs UF.

To me, it's bigger than any game, including the Superbowl.

I had a blast watching the game with great friends, but the Noles were less than thrilling.

The Noles still, and always will, have my heart <3

They needed a break... we'll scalp em next year ;)

 Sunday was just what I needed, babysitting my Nephew and catching up on my shows.

Besides a quick grocery shopping trip, I didn't leave the house.

There is my Thanksgiving Staycation in a nutshell.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well! 

5-year plan

Remember me?

I know, it's been awhile.

I haven't really been in the blogging mood as of late. 

Surely that happens to other bloggers from time-to-time, at least I hope I'm not alone. 

My Thanksgiving break update will be coming soon, but I've been thinking a lot about my goals over the past few days. 

I figured why not write them down so I would be accountable to someone, if only myself.

I've always believed having a goal is important. Writing it down helps keep you motivated.

"Goals are dreams with deadlines"

Become a homeowner  

People think I'm picky. To be fair, I am. 

But I don't need a mansion or 5 car garage to make me happy.  

However, I would like a newer home with 3-4 bedrooms & a large closet.

Ideally, I'd like a 5th bedroom to turn into a closet but beggars can't be choosers.

or so I've heard... ;)

Buy a new car

A Lexus IS 250 has been my dream car for as long as I can remember, 

other than that silver eclipse with a teal under light that I swore I would have one day.

Sure, a Lexus is pricey but I feel like it would be the type of car that you wouldn't need to trade in every few years. 

Simply put, it's worth the money!

I won't be absolutely heartbroken if this car doesn't make it into my 5 year plan, but this has always been on my dream list. 

The new Hyundai Sonata or Mazda CX-7 would easily put a smile on my face :)

Marriage & a baby carriage

During this time, I hope to have an amazing wedding, but more importantly, an incredible marriage. 

I'd also like to become a first time mommy shortly after that.

Pay off my student loan

I still have 9 years to go, but with the help of borrowing from my Mom's 401k in 1 1/2, 

I'll be able to pay it off interest free - which reduces the entire loan by 40%.

I know, interest is the root of all evil in my life.

& to fund it all..

Career

I love my job, really I do. I love the company, the culture and everyone I work with.

Only downfall is that I struggle with money constantly. 

My hope is that I'll have the ability to transfer departments to something that helps me grow and allows me to learn. 

I've only been at my job for year and a half, but I'm definitely ready for more of a challenge.

My dream has and probably always will be to work at a non-profit for childhood cancer or missing children.
It's my passion and if I was ever given the opportunity to do either, I'd jump at the chance.

There you have it - the goals I want to accomplish in the next 5 years?
Do you have any tips for staying motivated in reaching your goals?

Glam Bag

1. Nailtini Lacquer - Millionaire ($13)

My first thought was come on people I left my glitter nail polish back in '98 with my Bon Bons.

Since my nails were bare, I quickly painted them without using a base or top coat (GASP!). Without waiting for them to dry in between, I painted two coats & the result can be seen in the above photo. If I decided to use it again, I'd probably add a colored polish as a base to see if that doesn't spruce it up a bit. I love that it dried quickly 

2. The Balm Meet Matte Eyeshadow Palette - Matt Batali ($4)

I haven't used this just yet but the color is beautiful and can easily be transitioned from an office to nighttime look. Anything that's in a small package and can be more than one look is a go in my book. 

3. Chella Defining Eyebrow Gel ($18)

Again, another product I haven't tried out just yet. Just recently I started getting into grooming my eyebrows daily. I usually just got them waxed and let them be. I never realized how your eye look can change dramatically with proper eyebrow grooming.

I have a feeling I'm going to fall in love with this one. Stay tuned.

4. Starlet Cosmetics Intense Liner - Chocolate ($11)

I don't generally use brown eyeliner but this particular one goes on incredibly smooth.

I just may add it to my makeup regiment before a night out. I'm sure I can find a few Pinterest eye looks that incorporate brown liner.

5. Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss - Daredevil ($14)

I'm IN LOVE with this gloss. It's a beautiful gloss once it's on and doesn't have that dark look that you would expect - only a light glisten of color. 

It's not sticky but gives a gorgeous gloss over your lips. You also won't have to reapply in 5 minutes. Another perk, it's all natural :) I'll definitely be purchasing this once I run out.

If you lost count, that's a total of $60 worth of products all for $10. Plus you get a cute  bag to carry all your new products in. 

I'm only on month 2 of ipsy's Glam Bag and I'm one happy customer!

You can be happy to too by joining to get your Glam Bag here :)

Weekend Update

This morning I woke up by a call from my Sister at 7:15. I typically leave my house right then so to say I'm not very put together today is an understatement.

I guess I fell asleep last night sometime during the AMA's.

I was exhausted.

My weekend started off like every weekend. I picked up my best friend in the form of a 2 1/2 year old, Landyn. With the exception of a quick trip to the store to buy presents for the following day, we stayed in Friday night, had my Mom & Landyn over for dinner and I was asleep by 11. Now if only I could do that every Friday!

Saturday we went to the Marriott World Centers for the Margarita Ball.

It's a charity event that is hosted every year. You must bring your invite and a present for a child in order to join in on the fun.

We always get hotel rooms to avoid drinking and driving.

We got there around 11 and went to the pool for a nice view, drinking and yummy food.

Then we cleaned up and headed to the ball. This was the only photo I had on my phone so that's all I can share now. 

Sunday, I spent the day with my Nephew, Sister & Mom watching my Sister unpack her new apartment one building over from me (That means I'll be 3 miles closer to Landyn - SCORE!), we ate Chipotle and watched "He's just not that into you." Lazy day.

Today, I'm exhausted and ready for a nap.

So happy that our office is closed Wed-Fri. This week will be a short 2-day work week

& it's much needed.

Clarisonic.. Worth it?

Since it's almost that time of year, I decided to thinking about things 

that I may want Santa Justin to get me for Christmas. 

I've talked before about how I rarely wash my face and then complain later that I hate my skin. 

About two months ago I finally bought face wash and I've used it about 7 times since. When I washed my face regularly a few years back and didn't see results, I felt like I was fighting a losing battle. So, I quit. Doesn't seem logical, I know. 

I've heard nothing but good things about the Clarisonic in blog land. 

Question is, do you think it's worth the hefty $200 price tag that comes along with it? 

I've heard of many other imitations, including the Olay ProX for only $30. 

It looks relatively the same, but I *think* this one requires you to do it all  by hand. 

I mean, if I'm paying $170 less to see the same results & all your 

asking me to do is a little work, I might be inclined to take you up on that offer.

Any cheap alternatives to getting healthy glowing skin, please send them my way. 

I need all the help I can get!