Amazon Prime > Everything

I can't tell if I'm tardy to the party (as per usual) or if I'm really ahead of the curve on this one, but you guys really need to check out Amazon Prime's subscriptions.

When I bought my Kindle FIYA I also bought an Amazon Prime membership. Although I have a hard time watching all the shows on my DVR, surely I will stream live videos wherever there is free Wi-Fi. Surely.

Now while I have yet to use Amazon Prime for what I bought it for, it has come in disgustingly handy for...other things. Like subscriptions.

For a 15% discount, I have 5lbs of sour patch kids delivered to me once every 2 months.



And my mascara gets delivered once every 6 months.


And I'll never need to walk into Target again because everything I need from there I can just order via Amazon. Like the round brush I bought while I was trying to fall asleep the other night.

While this might sound like I'm spending frivolously, I'm really doing myself a favor. The less places I have to go to shop, the less money I spend. I can't go look at shoes (and unfortunately there is no Amazon Prime subscription for shoes, I checked), I can't pick up random bathing suits in February, I can't buy $39 books that I don't need...nope, I ended up buying only what I "needed" - a boar bristle round brush. BRILLIANT I TELL YOU.

So go, little friends, and subscribe. You will not regret it.

Party Eats

It's no secret - I love to host a party.

New Years Eve 2011

New Years Eve 2010

Jersey Shore 2010

Engagement Brunch 2010

Tacky Sweaters Christmas Party 2010

Game Night 2010

You get the idea.

I also love to prep food for parties. I'd probably guess that I already have 9 out of 10 ingredients on hand. I tried some new recipses for a Super Bowl Party with a few friends, and thought I'd share them (and what I thought of them) with you.

1. Stacy's Healthier Buffalo Wings



 Rating: 4 out of 5

Tips: I did everything except bake in the oven the night before and stored them in the fridge overnight.

2. Closet Cooking Hot Corn Dip (found via Pinterest)

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tips: I used frozen corn and a frozen green pepper, red pepper, onion mix. I subbed greek yogurt for the mayonaise and didn't include any jalapeno, so I just added a whole lot more cayenne.

3. AllRecipes Spinach Artichoke Dip

Rating: 5 out of 5

Tips: This is totally not the first time I have made this recipe but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the addition of alfredo sauce. I also like to add a package of no-fat cream cheese. So creamy, so delicious.

4. MY guacamole

Recipe: 3 avocados, 2 pits

juice of 2 limes

1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 large onion (yellow or red) finely chopped

Red pepper flakes if I'm feeling feisty

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Tips: Get the avocado all nice and creamy, dice up the onion into tiny little chunks and enjoy. I LOATHE tomatoes, so you won't find any of that around here.

5. Chili's Knockoff Skillet Queso (courtesy of Pinterest)

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tips: I didn't even end up cooking this!! Way too much food and not enough peopl.e.

So there you have it. Those are some of my delicious recipes. Do you have any that you would absolutely add to the list? Normally I would have buffalo chicken dip, but I felt like that plus the wings would have been a little overkill. I also had a couple of other things out that I just didn't make myself so didn't feel like sharing.  

ALL THE SINGLE LADIES

I've been really inspired by my friend j.

j. & I don't actually know each other, but we've been 'friends' for quite some time now via blogs. And now she's been an inspiration. See, j. was a runner. Well, still is. But she got hurt, so she had to find other things that she liked to do that would help her stay in shape. And so she discovered bicycling, rock climbing, and Core Fusion. And she's slowly but surely kicking all of their butts.

So when I drove by a rock climbing gym tonight, I thought, "I want to be more like j." Tennis once a week just isn't cutting it for me, even if I did 1-2 nights of hot yoga also. So I came home, and on my thrilling Saturday night I signed up for a singles tennis league.

I've steered clear of singles since I picked tennis up again almost a year ago lest for 1 match when no one else could play. But I'm ready, and it's a really awesome workout to play singles! So now I'm going from 1 match a week to 3 matches a week but it will be fine. I have plenty of free time (HA!) - even if it means taking it easy on a Friday or Saturday night (or both as evidenced by this weekend), it's important to me.

Now, who wants to come and watch me play? I might need a photographer in the near future, seeing as how I have zero pictures of myself playing tennis, so if I keep playing I'm going to keep talking about it and you won't have any pictures to look at - just a page full of words. BORING.

PS - thanks j. love you!

The Great Vase Exchange

October

December (kind of)

January

Best free vases I ever got, seriously.

Snuggie Time

I have zero shame. I own 2 snuggies. One I got at a work function, and the other my mom got me for Christmas this year. I know some people may have gotten snuggies for Christmas 3 years ago, but we can't all be ahead of the times.

This weekend, I have every intention of wearing one of my snuggies out in public. Snuggie pub crawl time!

2 years ago we went as Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach, albeit the wrong color Mario and my snuggie was really a bathrobe...

This year I'll be dressed up as a sassy kitten. Meow! Leopard print snuggies are all the rage.

Are you pub crawling through the Highlands on Saturday afternoon? Because I really can't imagine a better way to spend my Saturday.

Redecorating.

When my roommate moved out in the middle of 2011, I made a few changes around the condo. Nothing major, but I added some of my own personal touches. And now, I'm at it again and I have to tell you, decorating is FUN.

I started out with a big, empty wall. I knew I wanted to do a picture frame collage (thank you Pinterest) but wasn't sure which frames, which pictures, etc. I started grabbing random things I've collected over the years and putting them in a pile on the floor. Last week I finally got tired of said pile and grabbed a glass bottle of wine and decided to do something with it. I'd say the final product turned out better than I hoped! The pictures below tell the story of how I did the project, but honestly it was super easy. All you need is wax paper, tape (painters and scotch), a sharpie (try blue or black!), nails and a hammer.

Lay out your design on the floor, trace it onto wax paper, and then hang on the wall. If you are patient, leave it up for a few days. If you are not (I am not), leave it up for a few minutes.

I am missing 3 pictures for the bottom frame, but I know exactly which ones I am going to put in there.

   

Some of my favorite people & memories from 2011.

two thousand twelve.

Hot damn, I can't believe the new year is actually here. I don't really know where 2011 went, but I know one thing: it was probably the best year of my 25. No exaggeration. Nothing fantastic happened. Nothing extraordinary. Instead, life went on. I didn't survive anything major. But I survived life's ups and  downs and am 100% better because of it. I can honestly say I'm a better person, a more mature person, a wiser person, a smarter person, than I was in 2010. What an incredible thing to say, right?

2011 was aboslutely constant. I've had the same friends all year. I've had the same lacking romantic relationship. I've had the same job. I've driven the same car. I've lived in the same place. My hair has stayed the same color. All the important things, right?

So, what do I hope for 2012? If 2010 was grown-up and 2011 was constant, I hope 2012 is FUN. All in all, 2011 kicked some major ass and I say bring it on 2012!

My new years resolutions this year are simple.

1. Run (or walk, crawl, whatever you prefer) 6 5k's.
2. Read 50 books.
3. Get another promotion at the end of the year.
4. Spend at least 1 weekend a month at the lake with my parents.
5. Win at least 1 tennis match in any given season.
6. Knock out the remaining things on my 101 in 1001 list and make sure it is well documented.
7. Keep my car clean.

What are your new years resolutions?