Recipe:Lighter Baked Macaroni and Cheese

YUM! I’ve had a craving for macaroni and cheese and I finally got around to making this last night (in the midst of my chaotic life) and it definitely fulfilled my craving! This recipe can be found here. Again, it’s from my favorite healthy cooking blog, Gina’s Skinny Recipes.

I owe a huge update next week. I know I’ve been complaining a lot about how crazy my life is but it is truly insane. I would love to sit on my butt one day after work without doing anything or going anywhere. I didn’t go to the gym for a week, which is the first time that has happened since October when I joined. Me giving up the gym for a week? That IS insane! Well I did go lastnight and it felt great (but I ate like crap because we had a pot luck at work yesterday). I’ve lost focus for a week and I’m back in action starting today. Last 13 pounds……here. I. go! (again)

Here’s hoping I only work 12 hours today so I can make it to Body Works class tonight.

Chaotic. Stressful. Busy.

Those are the three words that describe my life right about now. Currently updating this on my lunch break. AM I CRAZY? No, I just didn’t want you all to think I forgot about my sa-weet blog.

So I am pretty much 75% moved into my new place. I’ll be grabbing the odds and ends this weekend with the help of the fam. Both places are a mess and I have been living out of boxes this whole week. We moved the big stuff on Sunday so I spent the first night there Sunday night, kind of weird but the new place is so nice and I love it. I can’t wait until we can start decorating! My favorite part by far.

Also, work has been CRAZY. I have been/will be working minimum 10-12 hours a day this week and then when I get home I get to either A) move stuff from my old place into the new place or B) organize my things in the new place. Needless to say, I have been exhausted and stressed. I’ve lost my focus on working out this week which I HATE. I want to go to the gym SO bad but after work and then moving and organizing, there is NO way. I moved for about 8 hours on Sunday with minimal breaks and eating. I’m sure that alone burned at least 2,000 calories. Did I mention I have 13 pounds to go on my goal weight? (Granted I like how I look at that weight.) I’ve still ate pretty healthy or pretty minimal this week because I’m completely focused on moving right now. Stress is a great diet! Oh, and we still have to clean and scrub out the old place. *pulls hair out*

I hate living out of boxes and I hate how disorganized and chaotic my life is right now but it could be worse. I could be moving back into my parents’ house and not have a job so in hindsight, I am thankful.

I will update next week with the hopes of a more positive update. JUST. BREATHE.

New place, new things.

Let’s talk decorations shall we?

After tons of phone calls and coordination, my friend Ashley volunteered to help me move two snazzy  couches (with her moms huge truck) to my new place. We puzzled stacked them on top of each other like so:

I purchased these babies from Craig’s List! Lauren you would be proud. =) The owner got these from Slumberland and they are only a year old. They are microfiber and stain guarded. Here they are in the new digs:

They are actually darker than they look in the picture, more of a light tan color. The patterned pillows aren’t something I’d normally buy but they came with couches (not really my style). I will probably end up replacing with them with better patterned pillows eventually.

So yay for somewhat new stuff snagged for a great deal! More posts like this to come.

Four Years from Thirty

Homemade "Happy Birthday" sign by yours truely.

Oh. My. Gosh.

On Sunday I officially turned 26. Last Saturday night I had about 10ish of my favorite girl friends over and we dined on White and Pink Sangria….I made Caprese salad bites and chocolate covered strawberries and had some Pita bread and hummus for everyone. My roommates got me gorgeous fresh flowers, balloons, annnnndddd Skinny Red Velvet Cupcakes!! And then I received two bottles of white wine (my favorite) from two friends. Everyone was so thoughtful and it was a lovely evening. We then met up with a few other friends and danced the night away at the local bars.

So, turning 26 has made me realize several things:

{1}  For one, I have the most amazing friends a girl could ask for. I feel SO incredibly lucky to have so many great people in my life.

{2} I’m happy and proud to be the independent woman that I am. I think I turned out alright and I can give full credit to my parents for making me realize that I have to actually work for what I have. I can also thank them for their support during all of the (good and bad) decisions I have made in my life that have made me become the person that I am today.

{3} I am thankful for where I am at in life. I have a job, the friends, the fam….I pretty much have it all overall. And I am less weight now then what I was in high school. SCORE!

{4} Thank god that social standard for getting married and having kids has changed to those things happening later in life with most people. At my age my mom was married for two years and pregnant with me. No way in hell could I imagine that being the same for me at my age. There’s still way too much I want to accomplish and places I want to see before I’m all settled. When I was younger I thought by the age of 25, I would have already of found that one person..I remember telling myself that. But now I think forever is a really long time to spend with someone so I’ve upped that standard to age 30 now. Which I mean I shouldn’t really have a standard like that in the first place because there’s no way I would ever settle but I’m hoping someone will come around by then.  ;)

So there it is. Reflections on getting older.

April is a crazy month for me and these next two weeks are going to be absolutely insane. I’m moving a couch/loveseat tomorrow morning with a friend and then we are having one last party at our old place before we move next weekend.

Just breathe……