It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Friday...

Unfortunately for me, Friday didn't exactly start out like a Friday. It started out more like a Monday...Thursday night even ended up like a Monday...what's the deal?!

So let's rewind for a minute. Thursday evening Brian had his second wrestling match of the season. The match was at Newton-Conover Middle School, where Brian's dad had taught and coached wrestling for a long, long time. After Brian's parents moved to the beach, one of Brian's former teammates became the new head coach of the wrestling program. Knowing that Brian went to school at N-C, I wanted to come out and support him at his match. Since I know nothing about wrestling, I enlisted the help of one of Brian's other former teammates, Philip, to come with me and not only help cheer on Brian's kids but also to help explain to me what the heck was going on.

Fast forward an hour. Hickory lost, but there was a definite upside. Brian's solo FEMALE wrestler absolutely dominated her MALE opponent. Never been more proud of my gender. Fast forward two hours. I'm at home watching Netflix after cooking dinner. Brian was still not home from school since he has to wait on every kid to be picked up before he can leave. This didn't exactly put me in a stellar mood. Okay...I was in a terrible mood and it showed. Big deal. So he comes home, one thing leads to another and there is a fight in the Mulligan house. We both went to bed mad and in silence.

The next morning when I woke up, not only was my nose ring missing (not quite sure how this keeps happening, but it does), but I hadn't slept well and I just wasn't in a good mood. Brian leaves for school while I'm still asleep, so we didn't really talk at all about the night before. After waking up, getting ready, and arriving at work, I spent the morning in meetings and finishing up my projects for the week. Around 10 a.m., the start of Brian's planning period, I receive a phone call from him asking me for my address to use as a reference for a grad school application. At first I was rather annoyed because not only did I not know he was applying to grad school, he was acting like it was no big deal. So after I give him my address, I sent him a text and told him that I didn't like being kept in the dark about a decision that is rather life-impacting. His response? "Oh sorry it's a spur of the moment thing." Really? Grad school is a spur of the moment thing? No. It is not. So then he tells me that the whole thing will make sense later today. What? That only confuses me more, Brian. Way to go.

Fast forward three and a half hours. My friend Latelle locked his keys in his car, so I offered to go to Walmart and bring him my AAA card so he wouldn't have to pay for a locksmith. After grabbing lunch and checking on the dogs while I was out, I arrived back at the office to an almost immediate telephone call. Our hilarious receptionist Kellie said, "You need to come out here..." At first I was thinking I was in trouble, which isn't exactly what I wanted to happen on a Friday. So I walk around the corner and there is a huge vase of roses on the counter. Kellie looks at me and asks, "Is it your anniversary or something?" I immediately start laughing and tell her no, he just screwed up last night and was a jerk. This elicits quite a few laughs from Kellie and everyone else standing in the reception lobby. What can I say? I'm funny.

I have to admit, though...they're gorgeous!

Today has continued to get better and better, and tonight I get to not only decorate my Christmas tree and clean for the party on Sunday, but I get to hang out with Rebecca and a hot tub. Can't beat that! Look for posts over the weekend about Chase going to the groomer for the first time (I'll be giving an in-depth rating of Petco on this one!) as well as how well I survive throwing my first party at our house.

Finding the Right Words

I have to admit, I haven't had the heart to blog the past two days. I have always said that I express myself better through words, but that just hasn't seemed to be the case this time, so please bear with me. Yesterday, I received a phone call that no one ever wants to receive.

My former boss messaged me on Facebook and asked me to call her as soon as I could. After I finished up the project that I was working on, I phoned her to ask what was up. Her voice just sort of said, "This isn't good." She proceeded to tell me that one of our local doctors, who happened to have been my doctor growing up as well as the father of a very dear friend from middle and high school, was rumored to have been killed in a car accident Monday evening. I think she was hoping as much as I was that it would turn out to be just that; a rumor. After an hour or two, however, the fact that this wasn't going to turn out to be a rumor had sunken in.

To say that I was in shock was an understatement. As a 22 year old, I know that loss comes to those who you least expect, and to those who often least deserve it. However, having graduated from high school just over four years ago, reconciling with a loss such as this was absolutely devastating. I can't begin to imagine the grief that my friend and her family are experiencing, but I know for a fact that they are not in this loss alone.

Dr. David Wheeler was an essential part of our small town. Not only did he have a private practice, but he was also on the staff of the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital for more than 20 years. After hearing about his accomplishments and hobbies, one would never guess that he was in a wheelchair stemming from a motorcycle accident in the 90s that left him partially paralyzed. Many people would have simply given up, but not Dr. David. Instead of letting his accident derail his life, he had wheelchair-accomodating additions made to his office and went back to work, both at his practice and at the hospital.

I still remember the first time that I ever stayed over at Dr. David's house. Sally, his daughter, and I were in the same grade at school and wanted to spend the night together. Dr. David said of course, as long as it was okay with my parents. So as we're all sitting in the kitchen, he hands me the phone to call my mom. I get her on the line and as I'm asking her if it's okay, Dr. David yells in the background, "MAKE SURE SHE KNOWS YOU'RE STAYING WITH A CRIPPLE!" His humor and smile never left him, and were a constant joy to everyone who came into contact with him. Not only did he love spending his time watching Sally and her younger brother Samuel compete in athletics, he was constantly doing something, like working out at the gym in town or taking the boat to the lake.

I have taken the extra time to reflect back on the incredible moments that I got to spend with Dr. David. The picture of me as a toddler sitting on his lap at his office, hanging out at his house and on the lake, driving his Audi to pick up Sally in Scaly Mountain one night, and the time that he came home late from the hospital and Sally and I had fallen asleep in the living room watching a movie but after the movie it changed to pornography and we woke up having to give a very awkward explanation...I remember the breakfast of Pop-Tarts or pancakes and the dinners of pizza or grilled cheese. I remember sitting at his computer desk with Sally and calling to tell my mom that I wasn't taking the PSAT for some reason that I can't even remember making up, but the real reason was that we had stayed up too late the night before. I will always recall each memory with a huge smile on my face and a warm place in my heart.

Even though I can't imagine the sadness that his family feels, I am pretty sure that I speak for our entire community when I say that we each feel the loss of Dr. David in a monumental way. There are some people who come into this world and do more for others during their short time than many of us could do in ten lifetimes. I truly believe that Dr. Wheeler will be missed by not just our community, but by people across the country who had the blessing of meeting him.

"It is better to have a meaningful life and make a difference than to merely have a long life." Bryant H. McGill 

It's is these times more than ever that we realize how truly short and sweet life is. I have spoken more with some of my classmates and friends from high school in the past two days than I have in the past two years. The times that we spent together were an absolute blessing, and I will cherish them always. I don't think I'll ever live down calling Michael and admitting that maybe, just maybe, I didn't hate him...not even close. Looking back on high school and these memories makes them feel as though they happened yesterday. Somedays, I wish they had.

"It is not length of life, but depth of life." Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you're reading this, please take the time to re-connect with me, or with your long-lost friends in general. I know we hear it all the time, but you never really understand how much your relationship with someone means until you don't have it any more. If I could re-live some of my days in high school, I would. The friends that became more like family and the laughs that we had until we cried. I can't believe how far we have all come in four short years.

There are two things which are guaranteed to us in life: birth and death. We are born as equals and die as the same. It's not our birth or death that makes us who we are. It's what we do between the two. 

Lying Makes the Waist Grow Smaller

Oh, don't I wish this was true. I've had body issues since I was a kid. After 8 years of ballet, tap, and jazz, I was very judgmental of my body in terms of weight, size, strength, flexibility, etc. My weight went up and down all throughout high school, and I finally was (mostly) content with myself during my senior year. Cue freshman year of college. I broke my foot in October and gained about 10 lbs more than the Freshman 15. After a crazy breakup sophomore year, I finally got back to within 5 lbs of my senior year of high school weight.

Cue graduation from college and the start of a desk job. I'm back up 15 lbs again, and absolutely miserable. Here are my favorite things to tell myself whenever I step on the scale:

• "You can't penalize me for my brain, and that has to weigh at least 10 lbs. I'm smart." 
• "SCREW YOU SCALE, YOU LYING BASTARD!"
• "I guess I forgot to pee this morning."
• "STOP LYING SCALE!"
• "Blasted water weight."
• "DAMN YOU MEAN AND HATEFUL SCALE!"
• "Muscle weighs more than fat...muscle weighs more than fat."
• "THE SCALE HATES ME!"

And my favorite...

• "I guess my boobs got bigger."

I've already accepted that anything below a size 6 just isn't in my future, and I'm totally okay with that. The hardest part is dealing with my mom and grandma. Mom used to be a solid size 10, and very petite.  When she found out she had Celiac's disease, she stopped eating all bread products (which I am too addicted to them to do...) and went from a size 10 to a size 0. Grandma, mom's mom, has always been petite. She's probably a size 4 right now. Their sizes don't bother me, but it's how they act to be regarding weight that has always gotten to me. 

For example. Grandma was talking about a cousin of ours while we were getting ready for dinner on Thanksgiving. She made a comment that she, the cousin, and lost weight recently, and that she "used to be heavier like you, Amanda." Thanks for the confidence boost there, Grandma. So Thanksgiving night I was rushing around trying to find my outfit that I packed for dinner. I found everything except my brown tights, which were basically essential because the dress I was wearing was a bit short, and it was very cold so I wanted an extra layer. For some reason, this made me absolutely lose it. Probably because I was so frustrated that I packed not only my clothes but Brian's as well, and I was just upset and frustrated (and yes, PMSing) about the fact that I had forgotten one of the most essential parts of my outfit. So grandma comes in and offers me a pair of her tights. They were a petite size small. This was probably my breaking point. I started yelling at her that not only was I definitely NOT a petite small, no matter how often she made comments about my weight, there was probably no chance that I would EVER be a size petite small. The whole situation just escalated until I was locked in the bedroom crying. It was a mess. I finally found my tights and Grandma apologized saying that she never intended to hurt my feelings. That's the problem, though. It's not like they purposefully say hurtful things, but what they do say is hurtful and they never realize it until it's too late. 

 

Today marks exactly one month until I fly to Florida for my friend Carson's wedding. I have 30 days to lose about 10 lbs. I personally have all the confidence in the world that I can do it. Luckily we have a gym at the office, so I'm going to start doing the elliptical for at least 1.5 miles every day during lunch as well as working out after work with Rebecca. Lunch is either trail mix or a salad, and I can only have coffee after I drink at least two cups of water. 

However, in my defense, my boobs HAVE gotten bigger, and I HAVE been working out my arms heavily at the gym (strapless dress for the wedding...gotta beast those dumbbells) and I'm hoping that 5 lbs is muscle...at least that's what I'm going to tell myself. 

I guess the moral of the story is that sometimes, people portray a higher self confidence than they actually feel. Take time to consider how your words could hurt someone before speaking. Trust me. People like me hate on themselves enough without help from others. As a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, our Confidence Coalition program helps young girls all over the country realize their beauty and raise their self esteem. I know first hand how important it is to instill these ideals in our children, both male and female, at a young age. Growing up in the world today isn't easy. Magazines tell us how to look and dress, how to attract a boyfriend or girlfriend, and what to do for every part of your body that has a bit more to love. 

So instead of continuing my cleanse challenge, I'm starting a new one; half working out and clean eating and half self-confidence boosting. Much of what is wrong with the world today doesn't start with people having kick-ass hips and a banging booty. It comes because we are constantly told that these things make us "fat" or "heavy." So as I take a step in the right direction, I'm not only going to focus on my body, but my mind as well. After all, I think we could all use a mental health day once and a while. 

Feasts, Fights, & Football

As the Thanksgiving holiday comes to an end, I get to look back on a great week full of new memories. My first Thanksgiving with Brian was great. I think we ate four or five Thanksgiving dinners. No joke. We had our main dinner on Thursday evening, a dinner with Dad on Friday evening, leftovers with dad as a late lunch Saturday after the football game, and then a dinner of leftovers with Gram on Saturday night.

I'm almost sick of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pie...almost.

I've officially learned how to deal with an influx of tourists, family members, and food over the course of this week. Tums and alcohol. Best advice I can give someone. Pack lots of Tums and alcohol. The first shopping trip that I took to Ingles during this break was to purchase a turkey and fixings for dad, cold medicine for Brian, and champagne and wine for me. Brian also got hard cider, which he has taken to more than beer, believe it or not. Oh, I also learned that I am no longer in college, and that drinking an entire bottle of champagne (that's a lot of mimosas, just so you know...) plus three glasses of wine will knock me on my butt. I've never had a hangover. I was never a huge drinker, but I could hold my own. I am officially a grandma. What was going to be a bit of Black Friday shopping turned into a headache fest and rest. Brian and I ended up walking around Highlands a bit, and then we just came home and napped.

We also learned this weekend that Charlie and Chase will basically do everything except kill each other. The video posted below is just an example of what they find fun. Charlie runs between Chase's legs, Charlie runs under the table and hides, Chase barks, Chase uses Charlie like a mop and spins him around the floor...the fun goes on and on.

Here are some pictures to commemorate the joyous Thanksgiving holiday!

Our Thanksgiving breakfast of blueberry pancakes, courtesy of Gram. 

There is always time for cuddles with Mr. Bear and Grandma.

The beginning of the end. I didn't even bother to buy half decent champagne. 

I'm a princess! Celebrating my half birthday and Thanksgiving all at once. 

This is basically what everyone looked like after Thanksgiving. 

Passed out after a day of eating.

Up early? Time to play dress-up.

Lenoir-Rhyne @ Carson-Newman. 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Although according to the song, it's Christmas, I disagree. I LOVE Thanksgiving. It is seriously my favorite holiday. Whenever my mom asks me what dinner I wanted for my birthday when I was home from college, I always said "Thanksgiving." What can I say, I'm weird. I think I like it because it's a transition between fall, which I love, and winter, which I also love. It's also a constant celebration between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's like two holidays spread out over a month. It's the best ever.

We woke up this morning to freshly made coffee and Gram ironing the table cloth for tonight's Thanksgiving dinner. I'm currently sitting and writing this with Charlie in my lap. We're bonding. Brian has been tortured with the fact that Gram doesn't have wireless internet. It's good for him. Our plans for today include lots of eating, watching the Macy's Day Parade, bonding time with friends and family, and drinking. I'm starting at 9 a.m. I know, it's awful. Excessive family time drives me to drink. It's not that I don't love them. I do. I just love them more with a few mimosas in me...Currently Gram is talking to her Aunt in Nova Scotia, Canada. She wished them a Happy Thanksgiving. Turns out they don't celebrate it there in November. It's in October. I got a few laughs out of that one.

Tomorrow should be absolutely awesome. Not only do I get to hang out with my friend Jack, but I also get to pick out Brian and my first Christmas tree together. I'm so excited. Mom has all of the ornaments that I made my godmother Debbie when she came up for Christmas two years ago. She's from south Florida and so the ornaments were clear ornaments stuffed with sparkly tensile in all different fun colors. I can't wait to put them all up in our house and decorate. I'm seriously holiday obsessed. On Saturday, Dad and Kap are taking Brian and I to LR's football game for the second round of playoffs at Carson-Newman in Tennessee. I can't wait. I love family bonding!

So, as everyone rushes around cooking, celebrating, and watching the parade, take a few moments to be thankful for everything that we have. I'm so thankful for my family, Brian and his family, my friends and our pets. I'm also so thankful for all of the troops overseas and here at home who are sacrificing the time with their families and friends during this holiday season to keep us safe and protect the rights that we have here every day.

Happy Thanksgiving, and a Happy Holiday season to all of my wonderful readers...at least all 4 of you!

Hear No Evil...

I learned a lot of good lessons this weekend.

• When tailgating at the first post-season game for the L-R Bears in 50 years, the practice football field for the PEF/Bears Club tailgate is the PLACE TO BE! Mimosas, screwdrivers, Krispy Kreme donuts, and corn hole make for awesome tailgating. 
• Having 4 nosebleeds in 2 hours makes for one very dizzy, tired, and annoyed Amanda. 
• When L-R Bears win, we do it with class. Not like #17 from the other team who tried to punch the ref. Classy fail. 
• Netflix needs to have more shows that I am interested in because all I do is get completely absorbed in one show, watch every episode in a 3 day period, and then have to find something new. 
• If I could go back and get a new major, it would be storm chasing. That stuff is just awesome. 
• "Guinea pig" is really hard to spell. 

and last but not least...

• When you think someone is breaking into your house, you realize that the bathroom is the room with the least amount of defense weapons, and of course that is the room that you are in. 

So let me start out with saying that it is a good weekend to be an L-R Bear! The football game on Saturday was absolutely incredible, and I was so excited to be a part of it. Brian and I tailgated with some of his fraternity alumni, which included drinking on the practice football field and donuts. You really can't beat that. Downside is that I ripped my tailgating dress. Sad day. Looks like I'm shopping at Wit's End when I go home. Thanks Grandma! Here are some pictures and video from the game:

Everyone celebrating the 21-6 win by the Bears over Fort Valley State.

Brian and I taking a Starbucks detour before the game.

So moving on to how I learned about the whole bathroom-intruder thing. Sunday night Brian went out with some of his friends while I stayed at home to relax and get a few things done before Monday (today). I decided to take a shower and wash my hair so that I could sleep in a bit longer this morning, so around 8:45 I blasted the heat in the bathroom and hopped in the shower. Just as I'm about to finish washing my hair, the dogs start going absolutely insane. I figured that they had just seen a cat or something, so I didn't think much of it. However, then they started running around in what sounded like circles, which usually means someone opened the door. I thought that this was really weird, because no one should have been in the house except me. Brian wasn't supposed to be back until almost 10, and it was barely 9. So a bit confused, I turn off the shower and grab a towel. Just as I step out of the shower it sounds like someone is walking around in the living room, which shouldn't be possible because, like I said, no one should be home. Well, of course I freaked out, quietly locked the bathroom door, and texted my roommate. Since JJ is a police officer, Kassie is one of the most rational people to ask intruder-related questions. I figured that since I lived next to a police officer as well as the fact that I have a big dog should make my house a really stupid target for a potential robber. Unfortunately, Kassie said that JJ advised me that dogs and neighbors aren't really good deterrents for people trying to break in. Especially since I'm home alone and I live at the end of a cul-de-sac that people rarely drive down. Awesome. There is a potential intruder in my house, I'm in a towel, and there are very few weapons in a bathroom. JJ said to call the police, but since I was trying to convince myself that I was imagining this, that didn't seem like a viable option. Plus, if it turned out to be nothing, that is embarrassing. So, I did what most rational people would do. Picked up my face toner (since it is made of an alcohol-based solution and would cause someone serious irritation if spilled in their eyes) and grabbed the lid off of the back of the toilet. But really. You wouldn't necessarily think of that, but it's large, it's heavy, and it's made of most-likely porcelain. You're gonna at least knock someone the eff out with that thing. (I would like to point out that I learned this from watching Abby on NCIS. Thanks TV for potentially saving my life.)

Long story short, after creeping around my entire house in a towel while wielding face toner and the toilet lid, I didn't find anything. Since the fireplace is open to the outside through the top, I'm guessing that the wind blew down the chimney and rattled the glass doors, sounding like something much creepier than it actually was. At least that's what I'm telling myself. That didn't stop me from cuddling with the bb gun on the couch until Brian got home though. 

So as you can see from above, I had a fun-packed weekend, minus the nosebleeds and possible intruders. The upside is that I learned that if you are in a bathroom, grab something to irritate someone's eyes and the heavy toilet back lid. Aside from that, I can't really help you. 

 

Unspeakable Hatred

As I have stated earlier, I am a proud supporter of homosexuality. I have some incredible friends and family who are gay, and I wouldn't change a thing about them for the world. I know people who disagree with it as well, but when they do so in a respectful manner, I am totally okay with that. Not everyone is going to have the same beliefs as I do, which is what makes our country so unique. Unfortunately, I saw this morning that there are some people who take their hatred to a whole new level.

Here is the headline that I read this morning:

Uganda Wants a Kill the Gays Christmas

I literally thought it was a joke. I mean, no one can seriously believe that killing people as a Christmas present is okay, can they? Yeah. They can. Upon further reading of this article, my stomach was turning, I was filled with rage and anger, and I wanted to scream and cry for all of the people that this will affect in Uganda. 

Check out some of the lines that stood out to me. 

"Speaker Rebecca Kadaga told The Associated Press that the bill, which originally mandated death for some gay acts, will become law this year. Ugandans “are demanding it,” she said, reiterating a promise she made before a meeting on Friday of anti-gay activists who spoke of “the serious threat” posed by homosexuals to Uganda’s children. Some Christian clerics at the meeting in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, asked the speaker to pass the law as “a Christmas gift.”"

"The bill was inspired by American evangelicals who, not content with a rising tide of gay rights legislation in the U.S., have decided to export their anti-LGBT agenda abroad." Great. So they're essentially blaming this on Americans. 

"The bill that, under international scrutiny, came to be known as the “Kill the Gays” bill has many more outright offenses to human rights than just the death penalty mandate. These include:

• A 7-year jail sentence for consenting adults who have gay sex;
• A life sentence for people in same-sex marriages;
• Extradition and prosecution of LGBT Ugandans living abroad;
• The death penalty for adults who have gay sex with minors or people with disabilities, consensual or no, or gay sex with a partner who has HIV, regardless of condom usage or consent;
• Jail for anyone who doesn’t report suspected gay people within 24 hours;
• A ban on the “promotion” of homosexuality so open-ended that it would endanger HIV/AIDS treatment and sexual health clinics in the country, and could effectively exclude gay people from petitioning the courts by making those representing them liable for criminal action;
• A mandate to break all ties with international commitments and laws opposing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill."

Okay so let's be honest. Where would we be without homosexuality? What wouldn't we have? All of you super conservatives out there are probably thinking, well, less people would be going to hell. You know what I'm thinking? 

• Less people would be laughing because we wouldn't have Ellen DeGeneres or Wanda Sykes.
• More people would be dressed like idiots because we wouldn't have Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. 
• Women would be heartbroken because Matthew Bomer wouldn't have been in Magic Mike AND he wouldn't be available to play Christian Grey. Yeah. Get on board with that, haters. 
• We wouldn't have Jody Foster, Anderson Cooper, Neil Patrick Harris, JIM PARSONS, Sean Hayes, Lance Bass, Ricky Martin, Heather Matarazzo, Chris Colfer, Alan Cumming, T.R. Knight, Elton John, AND COUNTLESS OTHERS. 

PLEASE sign this petition urging Uganda to abandon this bill. 

SIGN HERE

Giving Back: Supporting Our Communities

First of all, please check out some of my favorite local organizations. This is such a short list and I'm sure that there are tons and tons of deserving organizations in everyone's local community. If you have the funds to support them, please do. If you choose instead to donate time and love, I know that would appreciate it! All of them may not be non-profit (I'm honestly not sure, but I am pretty sure they all are...) but please support them, and your own local organizations as much as possible.

Operation Christmas Child

Humane Society of Catawba County

Children's Protection Council

ALFA

Red Cross - Hickory

Women's Resource Center

Hickory Soup Kitchen

Each of these organizations are responsible for something incredible; something that most of us don't put a lot of thought into each day. These organizations are responsible for helping people (and animals) in local communities survive. Each organization has touched my heart in a special way, and I hope that you will take the time to give back to them, or other local community organizations this holiday season and beyond. 

I would like to take a moment and explain why each of these organizations is important to me, and everyone in my community. 

Operation Christmas Child is something that I have been a part of for a long time. Organized by Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child provides children in need with essential items and Christmas gifts that they may not otherwise ever receive. Whether it is toothbrushes or a deck of cards, people fill shoe boxes with non-perishable items that children would enjoy and Samaritan's Purse helps deliver them across the world. It's a truly special organization that is about so much more than gifts. 

Humane Society of Catawba County is truly an incredible place. With just one look, you can tell that this is not your average animal shelter. A no-kill facility, animals are loved and cared for as if they were their own personal pets. I have brought two dogs into my life from the Humane Society of Catawba County (Chase and Cooper), and my dog Tucker comes from a no-kill shelter in Georgia. Volunteering at organizations such as this make you realize what a true blessing our pets are to us. Don't shop, adopt. 

The Children's Protection Council has been thrown into the spotlight recently in Catawba County with the heart-wrenching murder of young Zahra Baker, but the Council has been around long before that. Started in 1975, the Children's Protection Council is a volunteer organization that is "dedicated to providing leadership, support, and coordination for the prevention of child abuse and neglect in Catawba County." I urge all organizations, schools, clubs, and churches to train their members in "Darkness to Light," an incredible program that aims to "raise awareness of the prevalence and consequences of child sexual abuse by educating adults about the steps they can take to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to the reality of child sexual abuse."

ALFA is an organization that provides help and support to those infected or affected by AIDS. "ALFA currently provides supportive and medical case management, prevention education, and outreach to Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Watauga, and Wilkes counties.  ALFA is able to continue providing quality services to communities of need through generous funding from entities such as the United Way, Ryan White CARE Act, and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS." 

With Super Storm Sandy recently in our memories, there is no better time than to begin supporting the American Red Cross. I began donating blood in high school, and even though I hate needles, I always walk away feeling fulfilled. Not only does the American Red Cross conduct blood drives, they are also trained in disaster relief and CPR training certification. Every day, volunteers risk their lives to help those affected by disasters and those suffering from accidents, illnesses, or infections. There are so many ways to become involved with the Red Cross, that I hope everyone will take a few minutes and explore all of the incredible things that they do for us. 

When I was in college, I did a major report on the Women's Resource Center, an organization dedicated to helping women succeed in Catawba County. Whether through their Women2Work program that helps women re-entering the workforce be prepared for interviews and jobs, their life transition planning, their counseling services, or their pantry of personal and cleaning supplies, the Women's Resource Center is unlike anything I have seen before. Please check out their website. Even though you may not need their services now, someday you may, and until then, there are women all around you who rely on the donations and volunteer hours of the wonderful team at the WRC. 

Last, but certainly not least, is the Hickory Soup Kitchen. Opened by a group from community churches, the Hickory Soup Kitchen is a absolute blessing to our community. Without it, hundreds upon hundreds of people wouldn't see a hot meal every week. Local grocery stores, beverage production companies, churches, scout groups, and volunteer organizations also contribute to the donations requested by the Soup Kitchen. Each year, over 1200 volunteer hours are donated to helping the Hickory Soup Kitchen fulfill it's promise of keeping our community fed. 

I hope that you will each consider the ways that you give back to your local community, and strive each day, week, month, and year to do more than you did the last. Without all of you, none of this would be possible. 

Straight Against Hate

As I'm sure you've already noticed if you have read my blog before, I am a girl who is in love with a boy. I am also a girl who doesn't believe in hate towards someone because of who they are, gay, straight, bi sexual, transexual, black, white, asian, republican, democrat, vegan, gothic, or pink with purple polkadots. This being said, I've always found it surprising how people can dislike someone simply because of the way they were made. Yes. You heard me right. The way they were made. To all of you who say that people who are LGBT are making a "choice" or living a lifestyle, I take complete and absolute pride in disagreeing whole-heartedly with you. For those of you who ask why someone "chose" to be gay, I ask you this. Why did you "choose" to be straight? If it's simply a choice, when exactly did you make yours? What day of the month? What year? What time? Oh...? You don't recall ever making that choice? It was just how you were...made? Bazinga.

I have seen a lot of good, loving, honest people discriminated against simply because of who they are. Sure, they could lie and pretend to be someone they aren't, but they don't. LGBT people who stand up with pride each day have more courage than I could ever dream of. Sometimes I think that my life is hard. I hate getting up in the morning because something is troubling me or I simply would find it easier to stay in bed. No one has ever said anything truly discriminating to me. I've never been hated because I was white, red haired, or brown eyed. Let's be realistic. I have it easy.

On February 11, 2012, two women were brutally attacked in Boone, NC, a mere hour away from me. Sarah suffered a broken eye socket, broken nasal cavity, and a severely broken cheek bone from repeated kicks and stomps to her face. Erin suffered two fractured ribs, a torn meniscus on the left side of her jaw, bleeding in her joint, and torn cartilage in her nose. What would the law of the state of NC say if Erin and Sarah were both black? I can tell you right now that people across the country and the world would be up in arms and the state of NC would be pressing charges against these attackers for a vicious hate crime based on race. But they weren't. Erin and Sarah were assaulted based solely on their perceived sexual orientation. Race, sexual orientation, disability, who cares? It's still a hate crime, right? Wrong. According to NC law, the punishment that applies to jerks who discriminate against someone for their skin color, country of origin, religion, nationality, or color are given a free pass when discriminating against someone for their sexual orientation. NC does NOT recognize sexual orientation as the basis of a hate crime.

I personally think this is ridiculous. I am a proud resident of NC, and I am also a proud advocate of "Straight Against Hate." My friends and family members do NOT deserve to be discriminated against based solely on their sexual orientation. My friends and family are NOT defined by their sexual orientation any more than I am defined by my hair color or choice of outfit for the day.

Normally I ask for your comments, questions, opinions, and advice. Tonight, I ask for something much more important...I ask for your signature. Help make North Carolina an equal recognition state in terms of hate crimes. (Then please comment and tell me that you signed the petition!)

SIGN HERE! 

Okay so I'm going to ask for one final thing. I ask that the new time that you see someone being discriminated against, whether it is to their face or simply a generalization, SPEAK UP. Stop the use of the word "gay" in reference to something negative. Don't stand by and be silent. So tonight, I changed my profile pic in support of all of my friends and family who face haters every day for no reason. People who have faced criticism by their families, friends, congregation, and strangers on the street. Tonight, I stand up and say enough. I am Amanda, and I am STRAIGHT AGAINST HATE! 

Oh HEY Mr. Police Man

Whenever I get new neighbors, either because I am new or they are new, I like to introduce myself. When I first moved in with Brian, I made sure that I knew the names of our immediate neighbors, Clay and Mandy. Clay is a police officer and their yard shares a fence with our yard, so I wanted to make sure that not only were they looking after our house if we were away, but that we just had a friendly relationship. I like being friends with neighbors, what can I say? Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to meet the other neighbors, and this morning I realized that may have been a mistake.

Brian always lets the dogs out when he gets up in the morning, usually around 5:45 a.m. Lately they have been good, but sometimes they like to bark at the neighbor's houses, which usually results in a chase around the yard by yours truly. This morning, Chase didn't go out but Charlie must have found one of the cats and proceeded to...make conversation with it, also known as bark incessantly. Brian got him in and settled down and I went back to bed.

Cue my 6:50 a.m. wake-up call. While I was getting ready for work this morning, I was trying to decide whether or not to leave the door open to the back yard or try and close it. When I close it, I can crate Charlie and Chase will pretty much keep to himself. My concern is letting them out during lunch, and I want to make sure that when I do that, I have enough time in the week leading up to it to make sure any accidents are going to be prevented. While deciding, I locked Chase and Charlie outside so that they could use the bathroom while I was getting ready. Charlie didn't seem to like the idea, and decided to practice his barking, which unfortunately sounds more like he's being beaten with a stick than simply left outside to go to the bathroom. After I finished washing my face, brushing my teeth and getting dressed, I let them back in. Since they had been out there about 15 minutes, I was hoping that between barks, Charlie had at least gone to the bathroom. As it was approaching time to leave, I crated Charlie and left Chase outside so that I could bring my purse, binder, and lunch out to my car. Chase has figured out how to push the screen door open, so I didn't want to take any chances.

Here is where it gets fun. Chase barks for about 10 seconds because he can see me through the chain link fence. I give him "the look" and he realizes that he is in trouble, so he sits down and just looks at me while I finish packing my car. Charlie on the other hand can't see me at all, which causes him to do his crazy bark/whine. Like I said, it sounds like I am beating him senseless instead of just packing my car.

The same thing happened on Brian's birthday weekend when we crated Charlie while packing the car. He barked and whined the entire time I was packing, and one of the neighbors came up and asked me if everything was okay and if I was abusing my dog. I laughed because obviously the dog was in the crate squealing, and I was no where near him. Yeah dude, I'm abusing him with my mind...I thought the guy was joking. Judging by the scene that was about to unfold this morning, he wasn't. So I tell Charlie to hush and bring my workout bag from my car into the house. I go about making breakfast and as I let Chase back in the house and unlock Charlie's crate, I notice a car in the driveway. As I walk outside, I realize, oh hi Mr. Police man at my front door.

Our conversation went like this:

Mr. Officer: "Good morning, Ma'am."
Me: "Uh, hello..."
Mr. Officer: "I'm just here because someone called in a noise complaint of barking dogs, and we wanted to make sure that everything was okay. Are the animals inside?"
*Commence Charlie squealing/barking and Chase doing his confused bark that sounds more like a cow in my living room instead of a dog
Me: "....uh, yes."
Mr. Officer: "Can I check on them?"
Me: "Of course."
Mr. Officer: (Checks out both dogs. Chase tries to lick his face while Charlie runs around his legs.) "I can tell that nothing out of the ordinary is going on. We just wanted to make sure that there was no animal abuse happening and that the animals weren't barking excessively."
Me: "I promise that I'm not beating them or anything. That's just what they sound like...I swear."

Thankfully the officer laughed and told me to have a good morning. He did however give me a verbal warning to try and keep the dogs from barking before dawn...I guess Brian won't be letting the dogs out anymore when he gets up.

I think that this may be my biggest pet peeve about neighbors. Is it not possible for you to simply walk up to my door and ask me to quiet my dogs down instead of calling the police, who obviously have much more important things to worry about than a stray cow in my living room? Guess I will be introducing myself a little bit more productively and with copies of my cell phone number this weekend.

Any advice on how to stop dogs from barking, because Charlie and Chase are about to get nice pretty anti-bark collars if I don't come up with an alternative solution.

This is Chase in "time-out" for making it sound like I adopted a herd of cattle. 

It's Just Playing Possum

While Brian goes off to hang out with some of his friends tonight, I decided to catch up on my blog. This weekend was a bit crazy. Friday night Kassie, Rebecca and I met up for dinner and a trip to Hobby Lobby and some craft time. I ended up spending close to $100 at Hobby Lobby. No joke. The only upside is that I got curtains for both windows in our bedroom, both bathrooms, and the two joined windows in the living room.

Here is the fabric that I am using in the bedroom. It's gorgeous!

I got plain white for the bathrooms and living room to brighten up the space. After picking out the fabric and a quick run to Chick-Fil-A for dinner, we headed back to Kassie's for some wine and curtain making. They're some of the best girls ever for helping me with all the sewing and pinning! We got all of the bedroom curtains made, so it's going to be really exciting to get them put up soon. 

Saturday was packed full of stuff to do. Brian and I got started cleaning up the front yard by raking leaves and cleaning out the gutters. We also re-arranged the living room into a more functional set-up, which has been really awesome even after a day. Brian met his mom in Greensboro around 5 to pick up Charlie while I babysat from 6:30-10:30. When I came back is when things really got crazy! I was trying to carry Charlie's crate in from Brian's truck when Chase and Charlie decided that they didn't want to stay inside anymore. As I opened the front door, they both ran out into the pitch black. After about 15 of trying to chase after them, I cornered them into our side yard. Unfortunately, they ran into our neighbor Mandy (& her husband Clay)'s yard. Mandy and Clay have a german shepherd named Sarah, who was not happy to find me running around in their front yard. As I'm trying to corner Charlie, Chase comes around the corner with something huge in his mouth. Mandy was outside at this point, and she and I both realized about the same time that Chase was carrying an opossum in his mouth. Luckily he dropped it in the front yard and Mandy and I were able to get a hold of Chase and Charlie and I wrangled them back into our house. Mandy and I decided that the opossum was dead, so I grabbed a black Hefty trash bag and met Mandy back in her yard with her shovel. As we tried to put the opossum into the bag, we thought we saw it move. So of course, we jump back and start trying to figure out if we were simply overreacting or if it is actually alive. Again, we decide that it's dead, so we try and flip it over onto the shovel. The minute we get it on it's back, the thing decides to stop being dead and scare the ever-loving be-jesus out of us. Mandy and I jumped back, dying laughing, and decided enough opossum-wrangling for one night. Considering it was past midnight and I was exhausted, I was completely okay with calling it a night. I'm just thankful that Chase and Charlie are current on all of their shots! Unfortunately, the opossum wasn't as cute as Heidi...

After a nice sleep, Brian and I woke up Sunday morning and decided to make a large brunch of cinnamon sugar pancakes. Since we love Kassie and JJ, we decided to invite them over for pancakes as well. The dogs all got to have a play date, and all of us got to hang out on the deck in the lovely weather. For being November, it's been gorgeous outside! 

After brunch, Brian finished up some yard work, laundry, and dishes, while Kassie and I went to run errands in Hickory. Brian and I have been trying to figure out a way to make the house a bit more of "our" home, so what we decided on was a few coats of paint. We're going to paint our bedroom a simple gray, highlighted by bright blue curtains and the white bedside table. We're also painting 3 walls in the bathroom the same gray, with one bright blue wall and white curtains. Hopefully this will tie the whole space together. The full bath in the hallway we decided that since it has gorgeous white boarding on the bottom of the walls, we wanted to pick a brighter color, so we decided on a bright coral. Crazy I know, but I'm super excited for it! We're thinking of pairing it all with clean, white trim and Benjamin Moore's revere pewter for the rest of the walls. I think we're going to offer up free mimosas to whoever wants to come and help us paint one day. Maybe even a pancake brunch! Any takers? 

Here are the colors we're thinking! 

Top left is the revere pewter, top right is the coral gables, bottom left is the adagio gray, and bottom right is the palm coast teal for the half bathroom focal wall! 

Dinner was such a success tonight, which was really nice considering that we had absolutely no plan. While we snacked on broccoli and ranch, Brian helped me sauté peppers, onions, and mushrooms while I made chicken quesadillas and baked french fries. I finally got Brian to try sweet potato fries, and he loved them! Win one for the girlfriend! 

After a long and thoroughly enjoyable weekend, I'm about to call it a night! If you want free mimosas and feel like picking up a paint brush, let me know! 

(UN)Common Courtesy

What do you consider common courtesy? Growing up in the south, I've spent my whole life hearing about a certain type of guy. A "southern gentleman." Someone who holds the door for you, opens your car door for you, stands up when a woman walks into the room. Someone who is just genuinely kind and sincere. Most of the time, people like this don't pan out. It's a front. A rouse. A show that they put on to get attention, or to divert away from who they actually are. Just because you live in the south, doesn't mean you will come into contact with handfuls of these "southern gentlemen." Hell, you may not even meet one. 

I've begun to notice more and more each day about what used to be considered common courtesy. Standing up for someone who can't stand up for themselves, being honest, keeping your world. Commercials on the television depict a young boy chasing after a bus because a woman accidentally left her purse on the bench, and police keep an eye on him because he is running down an alley with a purse, but it turns out he is just returning it. Someone left their purse and you returned it...seems like common courtesy to me. Unfortunately, our society today thinks differently. People who turn in large sums of money they accidentally find make headline news. A high school football team standing up for a student named Chy who has microcephaly, a birth defect that has left the high school sophomore with only a third grade brain level. I'm not disagreeing that these situations shouldn't be important, but the reason that they make the news isn't because the story is touching, it's because the actions of the individuals are unusual. Why is that? Why can't people simply stand up and do the right thing? These instances shouldn't make headline news. The situations where people DO NOT treat people this way should. Sure, the stories and photos are heartwarming to say the least. The people who read them sigh, smile, and even shed a tear or two. But at the end of the day, does that mean that they will treat someone differently simply because of what they read?

"Character is how you treat those who can do nothing for you." 

Girls my age have an unnatural obsession with love stories. The Notebook, Dear John, A Walk to Remember, PS I Love You, Nights in Rodanthe, Letters to Juliet, Casablanca, Pretty Woman, Beauty and the Beast, Titanic, The Bridges of Madison County, Grease, Dirty Dancing, Footloose...the list goes on and on. Girls read these books or see the movies and wonder why they can't find a love like those written in the pages by their favorite author.

At the end of the day, a wolf in sheep's clothing is still a wolf. Women come into relationships looking for their prince charming, yet they let their standards fall through their hands like grains of sand, wasting away towards their childhood dreams of a white picket fence. Mothers say that they want to raise a son to be the perfect gentleman, yet the relationships that they display for their sons are far from a fairytale. If men and women don't stand up and be the standard rather than the exception, our dreams of fairly tale romances will be just that. Fairytales. Told as bedtime stories each evening as the cycle repeats itself, destined to leave little girls wondering where their Noah or Johnny is, and men wondering why Allie ran off with Lon and why Baby was left in the corner.

If we constantly waste our time daydreaming about what could be, our dreams will remain just out of our reach. Instead of thinking of these heartwarming stories as an exception, life your life as though they are the standard.

"Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." CS Lewis

Rationalizing My Guilty Pleasures

If I transfered the time that I spend on Pinterest to learning something new, such as a new language, I could speak French, Italian, Mandarin, Gaelic by now. I have somewhat of an obsession with the pin-board site, and now that I have an iPhone, the app is constantly at my fingertips. College was basically filled with Pinterest. Not that I actually ever completed any of the projects that I pinned...okay, maybe one or two...but for real. Being in a sorority basically ingrained crafting into my DNA. After graduation and upon moving in with Brian, I have found that Pinterest is not only used as a distraction, but it's rather useful. For example, I now know how to make jambalaya, protein salad, pesto chicken, and all sorts of soups. I also know how to remove stains from towels and whites, clean stubborn water stains in bathrooms, and 101 designer secrets such as the appropriate amount of space between a mantel and a mirror. By the way, it's 7 inches.

Pinterest has helped me plan a party for Christmas (and New Years, 4th of July, Halloween, Valentines Day, and the Superbowl) without ever having an actual party, plan a wedding before I'm engaged, toddler Halloween costumes before I'm a parent, and home decor and remodeling projects before I'm a home owner. But what can I say? I love it. I at least feel smarter and more creative after a mad pinning session, and it's really the thought that counts, right?

Brian and I have been talking about re-painting the half bath that is attached to our bedroom. We've already primed it, but there are some bumpy spots that we need to refinish before we can actually do anything in terms of applying color to the walls. However, has that stopped us from picking out paint colors for the bathroom? And about ten million other colors as well? Heck no. I should write a book. I'll call it, "If you give a girl a half bathroom." It'll be a best seller about how you let a girl decide how to paint a 4' x 4' room and it turns into a massive undertaking. Poor Brian. However, my friend Rebecca and I, along with my roommate, have decided that it is the perfect opportunity to get together and have girly craft projects, such as making a wax paper chandelier and sewing curtains, our two projects for this Friday night.

The link for our chandelier project is listed here and I'll be sure to post pictures about how it actually goes. Hopefully well because I plan on putting it in our bedroom, along with the curtains.

So, for the record, yes. I am obsessed with Pinterest. However, it has taught me a lot of good secrets and hopefully will make me a great wife one day. Otherwise, I'll be the best dressed single lady with the best decorated house and the best meals in my neighborhood.

Check out my Pinterest here!

ONE Country

'Merica

We are one country. We are Americans. United WE stand. Indivisible. Liberty and justice for all. God bless America. Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. The RIGHT to vote.

Today, November 7, 2012, America awoke the the news that Barack Obama was elected to a second term as OUR President. Our Commander in Chief. We aren't defined by our political affiliations, our sexuality, our favorite sports team, our job, our race, our religion, or the color of our eyes. We are defined by our freedom, and the ways that we exercise that freedom.

I knew that by signing onto Facebook this morning, I was going to see a lot of negativity as well as positivity. The bottom line is that you can't make everyone happy. The reason that you are able to post a status or a tweet about your happiness that Obama was re-elected is the same reason that your friend is able to proclaim that our country is going to come to an end for the same election outcome. If you truly voted the way that you thought right, then you have nothing to complain about. You voted. You made your choice known. Just because the outcome was something that you found unpleasant is nothing to be angry about. Sure, you may not agree with the candidate's stand on social issues, public policy, foreign relations, abortion or welfare, but that doesn't mean that you are any less of an American today than you were twelve hours ago when the election was undecided.

If anything, the events of last night and this morning should make you MORE proud to be an American. You're probably asking yourself why. Why should you be more proud that the candidate that you voted for lost? The reason is simple. Last night was a true example that our democratic system works. America made their voice heard. Everyone who stood up for what they believed in and voted in a way that reflected that came together, united. Sure, you may be disappointed, and that's fine. But to stand up and declare that you are not proud to be an American because one of your rights actually worked? To stand up and disgrace everything that our country stands for while still using one of the rights that you have been given is the true disappointment.

I don't care if you voted for Gary Johnson, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama or Mickey Mouse. The point is that you voted, and that is what we should truly be celebrating. As much as I disagree with people who say that they are no longer proud to be Americans because of the outcome of the 2012 election doesn't mean that I don't read their posts with joy. I read their posts the same as I read the posts that declare that America is still moving forward, and that the re-election of Barack Obama was a good thing. Our unalienable rights that give us the chance to stand up and yell at the top of our lungs about our opinions are the same rights that give our enemy the same right to stand and disagree at the top of their lungs.

The election of our president and our political affiliation is not what divides us. We are divided by our choice. A lack of respect, and a dose of ignorance and bigotry have made us the angry and depressed individuals today, not the election of our president.

So today, stand up and make a choice. Enough name calling. Enough hate. Enough ignorance. Enough party-bashing, anti-American, using our rights to bash our rights CRAP. Have pride in our country. Have pride in the choice that you made, and respect for the opinions of others as well.

Being disappointed in the outcome of the election is fine, but don't let it outweigh the true importance of what we stand for.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Eat Clean, Train Dirty: Day 2

So we started off our little adventure with somewhat of a bang...I originally thought that the Mongolian lunch we had on Sunday had given me food poisoning. However, since it is now Tuesday and I am still sick, we have determined that I probably caught a bug. Oh well. 

So yesterday was day one, and Brian and I have a lot of learning to do. Not only did I seriously under-think our workout plan (apparently it is ill-advised to work out arms, legs, and abs all in one night...), but I also forgot to purchase a few things that we needed. So last night after work, I headed to Aldi to pick up fruit and veggies, and then tried to pick up cajun seasoning and andouille sausage from Lowes Foods. Of course they were out of the sausage, but it took me 10 minutes to figure that out because there was an extreme coupon lady blocking the sausage while she compared merchandise to her binder (yes, binder) of coupons. Needless to say, I was not in a good mood when I got home. 

Despite feeling pretty sick, Brian and I completed our arm workout, as well as a few ab exercises. I stretched and then we headed to bed so that we were well rested for day two. 

Unfortunately, Brian got well rested. I did not. Nausea kept me up most of the night and into the morning, and I called into work late and slept until about 9. However, since I am the best girl friend ever, I got up and made him lunch at 6 and then went back to bed. I rock. 

Here are a few recipes that we are using. They taste great, and are pretty filling for the portion, so we really like them. 

Protein Salad

This was our dinner last night, and I absolutely love it. I took a head of romaine lettuce hearts and chopped it up into bite sized pieces. I used the entire head, which made a rather large salad. I then added green pepper, tomato, mushrooms, cucumber, and avocado. I also grilled a large chicken breast and cut it up into chunks as well. I like to cook my chicken by placing a sheet of tin foil on a cookie sheet and then seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper and baking it at 350 for about 25 minutes, or however long it takes depending on the size. For the dressing, I mixed extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper in a jar. This way, I wasn't exposed to the gluten that is normally found in salad dressings! Yay for me! Brian really enjoyed the salad because he could eat a ton of it and still keep a low calorie count. The highest calorie portion was the avocado, but since it contains a lot of good oils and fats, I like to keep it in there, but the choice is entirely up to you!

Chicken Salad

I love chicken salad, and it's so easy to make. I divide a small can of chicken (canned in water, not oil, and all white breast meat) into two tupperware containers. I then add a small teaspoon of mayo, salt, and pepper, and stir. Once I find the right amount of spice, I add about 10 grapes, sliced into quarters. The grapes give a little bit of crunch as well as a bit of sweetness that is a nice balance for the amount of pepper that I use. You can substitute celery or onions for the grapes as well. 

Fruit and Yogurt

Brian loves yogurt and so do I, so I thought it would be a good way to get him to eat breakfast. I chose plain yogurt but Brian likes the vanilla, so we bought one of each. For his, I simply mix one serving of yogurt with 4 sliced strawberries. The strawberries are rather large, so it ends up being a pretty good amount of fruit. For myself, I add a serving of plain yogurt, 3 strawberries and half of a banana. I also add about a tablespoon of local honey. The honey (if purchased from local beekeepers) has good anti-allergy properties and helps you build up a tolerance to local pollen, because the bees use the pollen to make their honey. 

Light English Muffin with Peanut Butter and Fruit

The light english muffins that I buy are only 100 calories each, and have a lot of fiber, so it's a good balance. I spread about a tablespoon of peanut butter on them, no butter or jam, and slice half of a banana on the top. Brian doesn't like bananas so he eat it with a side of sliced apples or strawberries. The fiber keeps you full and the protein in the peanut butter is a good way to start your day to be productive. 

Crock Pot Jambalaya

Okay so we haven't eaten this one yet. It's currently in the crock pot at home, so I'll let you know how it works out. We plan on having it tonight and then tomorrow for lunch, so I made enough to cover four meals. The ingredients are really easy, and it can be adapted to whatever you like. For example, since the store didn't have andouille sausage, I am using chicken and shrimp instead. Slice up three celery stalks, 5-6 medium size mushrooms (I'm using crimini mushrooms, which are basically premature portabellos, but using button mushrooms or whatever type you want is totally okay too!), 1 medium size onion, 1 green pepper, a can of diced tomatoes with the juice, a chicken breast, and a box of chicken stock (enough to cover the chicken). I left my chicken breasts whole, but you can slice them up if you want to. I just wanted to shred it afterwards, so it's just a personal preference. Add about a teaspoon of cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper if you like heat. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 3-4, and serve over brown rice. 

I'm Not a Democrat or Republican...I'm an American

Every four years for as long as I can remember, by dad has had an opinion on the outcome of the Presidential election. Like most people, he is hardcore one candidate each time. I remember when I was a little kid and we would watch the news leading up to the election. Dad would always sit in his chair and say, "If so-and-so wins, I don't give a damn we're moving to Ireland!" I think one year we were going to move to the Bahamas...but Dad really likes Ireland. So it was no surprise to me that my father texted me this morning to inform me that not only had he was the first vote cast in Jackson County, NC.  In the snow. At 6:40 in the morning...That's my dad!

My dad's dad, Grandpa Ken, was a Captain in the United States Navy, as well as serving as a radiologist with the United States Marine Corps. He was stationed in Jacksonville, Florida, San Diego, California, as well as Key West, Florida, and even served over seas in the Korean War. My grandpa Ken was a bad ass. He had a sword, and he had an incredible amount of pride in our country. If he was alive today, I can guarantee that he would be incredibly disappointed in the tactics that people in our country have resorted to while trying to justify who they are voting for.

When it comes down to it, my vote is my vote, and your vote it your vote. Don't stand there and berate my choice for the election simply because you are voting differently than I am. Most importantly, don't complain tomorrow when you either didn't vote, or didn't take the time to be educated about your candidate choice.

Bottom line. If you haven't already voted, please take some time to legitimately research the candidates. Being an uneducated voter is almost worse than not voting at all. Stop discriminating against people simply because their vote is different from yours. The ability to make that choice of who to vote for is one of the biggest rights that we have as Americans. Embrace it.

Captain Kenneth Arnold Parmelee, MD, US Navy.
Brown University class of 1945.
University of Vermont College of Medicine Class of 1947.
(July 11, 1943-October 30, 2004) 

Blog from The Dog

Um, hi guys. This is Chase. The Dog. Notice "The" and "Dog" are capitalized. That's because I'm not just "a dog." I'm "THE Dog!" Mom Lady is cooking dinner while Dad Guy plays on the light up box thing with the clicking. Apparently he finds this fun. This means that Mom Lady's typing box was free...so here I am! I am somewhat hiding under the table so that they don't find me...so far, so good. Inconspicuous, right? Anyway, before they catch me, onward!

So today I made Mom Lady really proud, but I'm not sure why. However, since I ate her shoe the other day, I think a day without any sandal casualties has to make her happy. What? They looked tasty. And you know what? It kinda was. 

But anyway, back to the story. So Mom Lady comes homes and starts to make dinner so that when Dad Guy comes home, they can eat. But first, she fed me. Oh yeah. So after my dinner, Mom Lady starts cleaning up stuff while she is cooking. She likes to do more than one thing at a time. So all of a sudden she gets this really surprised look on her face, and then starts looking at me. I can't tell if this is good or bad, so I just keep looking at her from the couch. Then she calls my name. So duh, I walk over to her. It's gotta be something good right? She keeps saying something about a "flea pill"....whatever that is. Then out of no where, she hands me food! I sniffed it, and it didn't smell like Dad Guy's feet so I've tasted worse. So I ate it. Well as soon as I swallow it Mom Lady starts smiling, and talking to Dad Guy, and petting me and freaking out. Then she gave me treats, which must have really meant I did something good...but I don't know what. I just ate the food she gave me. Oh well. More treats for me. 

So then, she told me to sit. Easy one, Mom Lady, we've been doing this for forever. So I sit. Then, she throws me a curve ball with a "down." This one is new, so it's harder. But the treat is on the ground, so I just flop down on the ground and she gives me the treat. What?! I lay down, I get a treat. I sit, I get a treat. I eat food, I get a treat. I don't know what day it is, but I like it. Every day should be like this! 

 Mom Lady is yelling at Dad Guy to come and eat dinner. Apparently the light up box with the clicker is addicting. She's said his name like 5 times...Maybe she needs to give him more treats so he learns better...I think I'll tell her that. He likes gummy bears, Mom Lady. I think it's a bit weird to eat a bear, but whatever. 

Oh no! Gotta go. I've been spotted! 

Eat Clean: Train Dirty Day 1 (& our beach weekend)

Day one. Whew. Not only did I almost not start today, but I almost called out of work sick. Brian and I spent the weekend at the beach with his parents for his birthday, and it really wore me out. This morning I just didn't feel up to doing anything, but Brian was a super motivator and basically forced me out of bed.

 Here's a breakdown of our schedule from the weekend:

Friday:
Brian got his phone back so after school, he dropped it off with me so that I could go to AT&T and make sure that everything was up to working order. I left work around 4:30, drove to the AT&T store, got his phone checked out, and then drove home. I was expecting his wrestling practice to be over by 5, and him to be home by 5:30 so that we could leave...yeah, right. Kassie and JJ, the incredible friends that they are, agreed to dog sit Chase this weekend, so I got his overnight bag ready with food, his bowls, chew toys, his bed, and treats, and set it out for Kassie. I then put together Brian's Christmas present so that I could send that with Kassie as well. Otherwise, it was only a matter of time before he found it in my suitcase. I packed for the weekend for both of us, navigated Kassie from some prison (she got lost) to our house, and then packed up snacks for the ride to Atlantic Beach. At this point, it's 5:45...I was hoping to leave by 5:30, so you can imagine that I wasn't exactly happy. Kassie picked up Chase, and Brian arrived around 6:10. By the time we locked up the house, got everything situated in the car, and got on the interstate, it was almost 6:30. Fast forward 5 hours. Brian kept falling asleep as we got closer to the beach, so I eventually just let him sleep. We got stuck in a police check point at 11:30 about 2 miles from the house. They asked where we were going, and not only could I not remember the name of the street, but I also couldn't find my registration card. Luckily the officer was very nice about it and let us go. I found the registration card less than 30 seconds later. Go figure. After we unloaded our bags and brought them up to the condo, we hung out and chatted for a while with his mom. By the time we went to bed it was almost 1 a.m. It's official. I am no longer in college. Staying up until 1 a.m. is no longer fun or easy!


Saturday:
According to Brian, I slept in. Considering this is coming from the kid who wakes up at 5:30 every morning, that means I slept until 7:45. I voiced my disagreement with this very frequently that morning. After a bowl of awesome chocolate and marshmallow cereal, Brian's Dad headed out to look at a house and get a haircut while Brian and I walked on the beach. Lots of shell collecting, wind, and a random tire later, we wandered back to the condo. The wind took a toll on my head however, and I was stuck on the couch for the next 2 hours fighting off dizziness and a headache. Mike (Brian's dad) came back after a while and we hung out and chatted until Brian and his mom returned with New York style subs from a local deli. SO good! The rest of the day was spend watching Bring It On, laying on the couch, and getting cleaned up for dinner with Brian's grandpa, Pop Pop, and his wife Karen. We drove to New Bern, about 45 minutes away, and had a great dinner at a local pub called Spunky McDoogal's. It's awesome. When we got back to the condo, we ate a ton of birthday pound cake, and I called it a night pretty early.

Here are some pictures that I took Saturday during our adventures!

Brian walking down to the beach for the first time. 

Aside from being a bit chilly and windy, the weather was beautiful. 

Cheesin' with the tire left on the beach by Hurricane Sandy. 

My new cell phone background. Waves washing up on the crushed shells that are a result of the crazy waves from Hurricane Sandy. 

Brian's dad does taxidermy...this is the fox that we found at the beach over 4th of July weekend. It is now stuffed...and Mike decided that it would annoy Charlie if he walked the fox. He was right. 

Snoozing before dinner with Pop Pop and Karen. Apparently his mom's exercise ball is really comfy. 

The view off the back deck as we were leaving for dinner. It was gorgeous. 

Singing happy birthday and keeping warm by the light of the cake. As Kris reminded Brian, now that he's 24, he has to buy TWO packages of candles for his birthday cakes...lame. 

Brian blowing out his candles!

Sunday:

Thanks to daylight savings time, I slept until 9 a.m. (which would have been 10 a.m.) and woke up feeling pretty good. After a morning trip to Starbucks, we packed our bags and followed Brian's parents to church. After church, we went to Brian's favorite type of restaurant for his birthday farewell lunch: Mongolian. It's a do it yourself type stir fry bar where you pick your ingredients and then the chefs cook it for you on a giant round grill using big sticks. It's a definite thumbs up in our opinion, although Brian likes it more than I do because I can only finish a small bowl. After lunch we headed back home, making the 5 hour drive go by faster by singing to N*SYNC, the Backstreet Boys, and music from the 70's and 80's. Epic win. We got home, picked up Chase, did some laundry and called it a night around 9 p.m. Totally acceptable in my book.

Cheesin' after church. We're so lame. 

I turned my old pampasan cushion into a new bed for Chase. Brian likes it more than he does. 

What a couple of nerds. 

Monday:
So today was the start of our eat clean, train dirty challenge. I got up at 5:50 a.m. to have breakfast with Brian, which consisted of a toasted english muffin with peanut butter and apples for him, and a scrambled egg and an apple for me. I'm allowing myself one cup of coffee with only sugar, no cream or flavored anything. Since I hate plain water, I've also cut up a lemon into slices to stick in my water that I'm going to drink a lot more of the next two weeks. Hopefully it becomes a habit. After work today I'm  making a grocery store run for additional food for the week. Tonight dinner is protein salad, which is just romaine lettuce and spinach leaves with grilled chicken strips, avocado, mushrooms, onions, and broccoli with a light balsamic vinegar dressing. Hopefully we like it because it's on the menu pretty frequently in the next two weeks!

Wish us luck!