Welcome to Memphis {vol 1}

"Welcome to Memphis" is synonymous to saying "Welcome to the Ghetto" or "Welcome to the City Where Nobody Gives a Shizz."

Disclaimer - I have NO IDEA why it's sideways.

Apparently it's also synonymous with "Welcome to the City Where People Hold Their Cars Together With Saran Wrap and a Prayer."

Growing Down {vol 1}

Per this post we know I've gotten a trainer and am on a quest to slim down.

In the 1.5 short months that I've been doing this, I've learned so much and something tells me that my learning has just begun. 
I've lost in some ways, but I've grown - and will continue to grow - in others.

So, these weekly posts - mostly for my memory - are going to be called "Growing Down."

Weight Loss This Week: 1.5 poundsThis number is not as high as the previous 2 weeks [they were 4 and 4.4 pounds, respectively], but I refuse to beat myself up.  I lost.  There was a loss.  During the holiday season.  This season is like the Superbowl of the unhealthy food world and I am usually the star quarterback and I still lost weight.  And, as my mom says, "just maintaining during the holiday season is a victory."  And she's right, but I'd much prefer a loss.  So, 1.5 pounds?  I'll take it.

Weight Loss Total: 16.2 poundsWe're almost to 20!  I'm so close I can taste it!  And it tastes like healthy food.

What I Learned This Week: Bananas are not my enemyI'd been avoiding bananas altogether because I was afraid they contained too much sugar.  However, at the advice of my trainer I've begun eating them again prior to workouts. 

Health Food Obsession: Back Yard Burger's Wild Turkey Burgers w/Pepperjack cheese - plain
Holy Mother of God. 
I don't know why I didn't jump on this bandwagon sooner!  I am in love with these things!  And you can get them on a wheat bun!

The Love List: {Top 5 Christmas Movies Edition}

I love movies at any time of the year - you could seriously ask me on any given day if I want to see a movie and the answer will always be "YES."

So naturally, I love Christmas movies.

There are certain ones I have to watch every single year or it's just not Christmas.

Here's a countdown for you:

5. Elf

{via}

"I love you!  I'll call you in five minutes!"

I'm not a huge fan of Will Ferrell, but this movie makes me love him. 
And I just love Zooey Deschanel.

The "Baby It's Cold Outside" scene?  LOVE.


4. Holiday Inn
{via}

"I'm Linda Mason."
"Oh, LINDA Mason!!" 

Does it get any better than Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire together?

The answer is NO.

It's always been a back of the mind dream of mine to open a place like this.

Incidentally, this movie is the reason I know how to correctly spell "Connecticut."

3. Four Christmases

{via}

"My childhood was like the Shawshank Redemption.  Except I didn't have some old, warm, black man to share my story with!"

This movie = hilarious.
I can never stop laughing when it's on.  The church scene is GOLD.

2. Love Actually
{via}
 "But for now, let me say - Without hope or agenda - Just because it's Christmas - And at Christmas you tell the truth - To me, you are perfect - And my wasted heart will love you - Until you look like this."

I want to watch this movie all year round.  It's just the best.  The minute I saw the previews for this movie I knew I would see it in the theatres and love it.
I can never pick a favorite storyline.
I just think that little boy is precious.
I watch it SEVERAL times a Christmas season.

1. White Christmas

{via}

"Mutual, I'm sure"

It wouldn't be Christmas without seeing this movie.

When I was growing up - and still to this day - my family watches it on Christmas Eve.

Would anyone judge me if I said I have always desperately wanted Vera Ellen's waist and one of those red outfits?


Honorable Mention goes to:

Eloise at Christmastime - Because nothing with Christmas, Julie Andrews, New York City and a pug could be bad.  And I just love this movie.

and

Christmas in Connecticut - I grew up watching this every Christmas and still love it til this day.  I blame this movie for my affinity to want to smash fine china.

So, there you have it!

What are your favorite, must-see Christmas movies?

My Grown-Up Christmas List

Every year I make and distribute a Christmas list for my friends and family.

(I do the same thing on my birthday, but that's neither here nor there.)

Anyway, I usually have it out by now but this year it was just difficult to decide material things that I wanted for Christmas.  Usually if I want something, I purchase it. 

My mom kept emailing me asking for my Christmas list, so finally I put a few things together that I wouldn't mind seeing under the tree.

As I've gotten older, though, I have much more enjoyed shopping for others and watching them open the presents I've carefully selected for them.

1. Bobble Bottle - Magenta

2. Longchamp Style Tote

3. Mindy Kalig's Book

4. Lady in Waiting

5. FujiFilm S2950 Combo pack

6. Conair Infiniti Dual Barrel Waver

7. Bare Escentuals Eye Shadow in DRAMA

8. The Help on DVD

9. Multi-Chain Necklace

Confessions

Today I'm participating in A Blonde Ambition's "Confessions" link-up!

1. I always forget to check my mail and now I'm having to re-register my mailing address at a bunch of places because for so long the mailman just went ahead and stamped everything NON-DELIVERABLE because the mailbox was too full for anything new.

2.  The front of my work is all glass and my co-worker and I make up stories about all the people who walk by our windows everyday.  It's like writing a soap opera.

3.  When I was little I wanted to be on a soap opera.  I thought that it just had to be the most glamorous job ever.

4.  I have Christmas pajamas.

Don't judge me.

5.  I love to drink out of wine glasses.  I will drink ANYTHING out of them - we're talking juice, water, soymilk...

There is no rule that says they have to be for just wine.

6.  I've yet to watch one Christmas movie.  But when I do, Love Actually will be the first one I watch.  And I will watch it more than once.

7.  I'm currently freaking out that I've ended on a weird number and that I didn't stop at '5' or try to get to '10'. 

I need to get over it.

Head over to A Blonde Ambition and read others/link up your own!

Have a great weekend!



"Be a pal, lift up my hand and smack her with it."

If you know the tv show from whence that line comes, you are awesome.

And yes, I just used the word whence.

Deal with it.

Anyway, the point of this post is to talk about my adventures of late.

Specifically the one where I get a personal trainer and he proceeds to kill me.

It's a good kill me, though.

Although I've never been more sore in my entire life and I don't know if I should be as excited about that as I am.

So, I hired a personal trainer at the beginning of November.

I go twice a week for personal training sessions and then do cardio on the other days.

Recently, I've begun doing the 30 Day Shred with my mother and let me just tell you how much I want to tell Jillian Michaels not to phone in her workout.  I hear her voice saying "Don't phone it in..." in my sleep.

Anyhow, I've lost 10.3 pounds thus far.

Yes, I just used the word thus.

I'm down some inches in some places, too, but I don't feel like typing all the details out.

This is my version of The Biggest Loser.

And it really should be recorded, but NBC hasn't emailed me back so I'm going to start blogging it.

Feel free to comment.

Unless you're going to talk about chocolate, french fries or chicken biscuits.

Then you have nothing I want to hear.

30 in 30

 

Instructions:

a. Put together a list of 30 things you want to accomplish in the 30 days November contains.

b. Do the 30 things in no particular order.

Simple enough, no?

Here is my list:

1. Keep a food journal every day.

2. Set up the home office.

3. Pay for the person behind me at Starbucks.

4. Get a personal training membership.

5. Clean out clothes and donate.

6. Christmas card pictures/order cards.

7. Make cookies for neighbors.

8. Wear a different outfit every single day.

9. Pick a book of the Bible and deep study it.

10. See 3 new movies.

11. Draw up detailed plans for our 2 holiday parties.

12. No carbonated beverages.

13. Scan/upload/sort all pictures to my computer.

14. Start a savings account for Haiti missions trip in July 2012.

15. Compose detailed Christmas list and start(and finish?) shopping.

16. Make a meal for someone else.

17. Send out 2 cards per week in the mail.

18. Try 3 new foods.

19. Create/order new business cards.

20. Yoga or Pilates class once a week.

21. Take sewing machine to be fixed.

22. Purchase new duvet cover.

23. Go see an IMAX movie.

24. Tour the Brooks Art Gallery.

25. Research new cameras.

26. Start non-profit outreach for work.

27. Start my 2012 resolution list.

28. Get a massage.

29. Spin class once a week.

30. Drastic hair change.

I'll update as I've completed different ones!

I'm excited!