Elmo!

Last weekend, I took Trent to see Sesame Street Live with some friends of ours (Clancy, Jenna and Tyce).  Both boys (Tyce is about 9 months younger than Trent) love Elmo and were excited to see the show.

The boys don't look very happy...but they were!

Times like this are the few times I relax my 'food Nazi' behavior.

Trent probably ate 2 bites of this...I just HAD to finish it.

OMG.  Bert and Ernie!

Totally mesmerized 

I remember seeing Sesame Street Live as a kid (at the same venue too) and loving it.  Jenna and I enjoyed about the first 10 minutes and then started playing on our phones.  Ha!  Regardless, I love sharing things like this with Trent!

Movie Review: This Means War

I had a date with my sister on Sunday!  It was great!!  We ran a few errands and also saw 'This Means War'.

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Plot: Two top CIA operatives wage an epic battle against one another after they discover they are dating the same woman.


Review: I think the best part of this movie was that I was out with my sis.  Ha.  The movie was cute and fun, but definitely predictable (not that I minded).  The boys are cute, Reese Witherspoon is pretty and likable, and Chelsea Handler is funny.  I think  Brent would have hated it, but it was a perfect movie date with my sis.

Oscar Awards: Fashion Rewind

I totally flaked on this award season.  I didn't see any of the nominated films (except 'The Help'), I didn't watch any of the award shows...but I am rectifying that now with the best one, so hopefully I made it up to anyone who might care.  Anyone?  Anyone?  Anyway...  I did this year's rewind a little differently and put together some 'competitions'.

The ladies from 'Bridesmaids'...Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Ellie Kemper, Wendi McLendon-Covey

Winner - Maya Rudolph, Loser - Wendi McLendon-Covey 

Name twins...Penelope Cruz vs. Penelope Ann Miller

Winner - Penelope Cruz looks so beautiful.  Love the hair, jewelry, color.

Sisters...Kate Mara vs. Rooney Mara

Winner - barely...Kate - her dress is pretty...until you notice the weird arm draping.  It looks like stringy flesh or something.  

Metallics...Judy Greer, Jessica Chastain, Stacy Keibler, Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep

Winner - Jessica Chastain - I think she looks great.

Loser - Sandra Bullock - mainly because I think she knows how to do better.  The dress makes her look heavy in the middle and her hair is too harsh.  Also, I would say Stacy Keibler is worst with her weird rose, but she's too unimportant to care. 

Co-presenters...J. Lo and Cameron Diaz

Winner - Cameron Diaz 

Note to J. Lo - quit wearing your hair like that, and I've seen your boobs more times than I'd like to.  Please put them away.  xoxo

Green...Viola Davis vs. Glenn Close

Winner - Glenn Close - her body just awes me, and the dress fits her so well. I don't think Viola looks bad by any means and love that she went natural with her hair, but I do think the top half of the dress looks funny (Vera Wang should make 'the girls' look better than this).

E! co-hosts...Kelly Osbourne vs. Guliana Rancic

Winner - Guliana Rancic - I'm a little sentimental when I think of what she's been through this year and think she looks amazing.  I do think Kelly's dress is unique and fits her wonderfully.  If we could just get her to do something different with her hair! 

Couples...Colin Firth/Livia Giuggiolo, Judd Apatow/Leslie Mann, Jean Dujardin/Alexandra Lamy, George Clooney/Stacy Keibler, Christopher Plummer/Elaine Taylor, Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie, 

Winner - Jean Dujardin/Alexandra Lamy - they both look flawless

Loser - Brad and Angie - his hair just kills me and I think she looks so stupid sticking her leg out all the time.

Red...Emma Stone, Michelle Williams, Natalie Portman

I cannot pick a winner because I don't like any of them.  Emma's bow is stupid, Michelle (who I usually think is underwhelming) looks silly with all the ruffles, and Natalie is just okay. 

White...Gwyneth Paltrow, Shailene Woodley, Octavia Spencer, Milla Jovovich

Winner - Octavia Spencer - her dress just FITS - like BAM!

Loser - Shailene Woodley - mainly because she is too young for that dress.

Gwyneth's cape is dumb and Milla's dress makes her look SO flat chested.

Worst Dressed - Rooney Mara

Where to start?  

Her skin is too pale for a white dress.

Her bangs and pulled back hair are too severe.

The red lips are too much.

The dress is blah.

Best Dressed - Maya Rudolph

I know I'll get some haters for this.  

But she came on screen and I just went 'Oh.'  

I love the color with her skin tone.  

I love her soft hair and makeup.  

I love the belt/shoulders, especially with the bracelet.

And with that...I'm out!  Here's hoping I can do better seeing the nominated movies next year and watching the award shows. 

Who were your best and worst dressed for the night?

O.M.G.

Look what came to live with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let the picture taking {and learning} begin!!!!!

Currently

Current Book
'Killing Floor' by Lee Child (due to Kelly's recommendation) and via Overdrive


Current Songs
Break'n a Sweat by Skrillex (I am totally obsessed with this song, boot camp instructor at the gym plays it and I go all geeky when it comes on, you should check it out!)


Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure
Watching 'Eclipse' for the 1,259,352th time while writing this post


Current Drink
Water...it's Ash Wednesday, peeps, so no chai lattes today


Current Outfit
I look rough.  Old Navy battered jeans and a San Diego t-shirt


Current Celebrity Crush
Channing Tatum


Current Mood
Is busy season over yet?


Current Anticipation
Miles' THIRD birthday party next weekend!


Current Film
Is it too soon to be ready for 'The Hunger Games'?


Current Picture

Hi Mom! (Daddy and Trent trip to Best Buy)

Our Life in iPhone Pics

I was laughing to myself over the randomness that was in my iPhone for pictures.  I think it'll be funny in a few years to see a post like this and just remember the little day-to-day things that were happening in our family.

Brent kept asking me to buy Hot Tamales.  He wouldn't believe me they were out, so I proved it to him. {grin}

Trent using his 'fire hose'

A perfect day - watching 'Fireman Sam', eating Pirate's Booty and not wearing much clothing 

I still can't stop buying clothes for Baby Girl

Climbing the fire ladder and using his fire hose...are you getting the theme here in our house these days?

Anyone need new romance authors?  Had to send to a friend!

Mama, take my picture in my tent

So just some randomness but so fun to look back at a few weeks!

Oh What a Night!

Whew.  This is one for the record books.  We had to take T to the ER tonight.  He has started sitting for meals in a chair at the table and not in his booster seat.  He enjoys it and mostly obeys us to sit down.  Well. Tonight I had set his plate on the table and he got up there, and I turned to go fix my plate when all of the sudden I hear screaming.  I turn around to see my little guy on the floor.  I rush over, pick him up and then, notice the blood.  All the blood.  Pouring out of my little guy's mouth.  I called for Brent and rush to our bathroom.  We assess that there may be loose teeth (I thought so, B did not), and I decided I wanted to go to the emergency room.  Brent thought it wasn't necessary but indulged me.  I think he knew not to argue with me right then.  By this point, my shirt had more blood on it than Trent, and he was starting to get upset at how I looked, so I changed shirts, and we hopped in the truck.  So thankful that a new ER opened up literally a mile from our house.  By the time we got there, T was really only whimpering, and the bleeding had mostly stopped.  We could see a big bump on his chin and several cuts on his lip.  We got a room, and the nurse came in to assess T pretty quickly.  He was such a trooper and so brave!  He did great for the nurse and doctor; we are so proud.  Turns out he does not have any loose teeth (point - Brent), just lots of bruising and cuts.  Cuts aren't quite big enough for stitches (another Thank God) as the doctor said they would have needed to sedate him to do.  So treatment plan is soft foods (nothing salty), Ibuprofen and 1 dose of vanilla milkshake.  He also got all the Little Bear he could want.  His usually anal mother, about the amount of TV he watches and sugar he ingests, took a holiday.  We thought this might be our chance to wean him from his night-night (pacifier) but no dice.  He sucked it, took it out, ran his tongue over his mouth, said it hurt and stuck it right back in.  I guess the comfort of it outweighed the discomfort.  Ha!  Such a little stinker.  He is such a rough-and-tumble kid, I imagine we'll be back in the ER plenty of times - I just honestly thought it wouldn't be quite this early.  So thankful tonight for a healthy child, a loving and patient husband who knew when not to argue, quick medical care, and excellent health insurance.  Oh what a night!  {I loved this post title as T is such a big Frankie Valli fan!}

Movie Review: The Vow

I got my movie date back!  I gave Allison 6 months of time off from movie dates with Brinley (says the girl with crazy postpartum), and Brinley is not quite 5 months old (and might I add completely adorable).  Our first movie back into our movie dates was 'The Vow'.

Plot: A horrific car accident puts Paige Collins (Rachel McAdams) in a coma and gives her a severe memory loss, so her husband Leo (Channing Tatum) works to win her heart again. After several romantic trials, they end up having to start their relationship anew.


Review: So adorable!  Absolutely loved it.  I mean, really though, would you expect any less from me?  This is totally my type of movie.  Channing Tatum is so hot (and adorable in this role), and Rachel McAdams is one of my faves (as well as Allison's).  We had a great time!

My Love for Books...Especially Free Ones!

I never really shared what I got for Christmas.  Here is what I was wishing for. I was SO surprised because I've always wanted a Kindle but never really told anyone in my life that I wanted one because I've always disliked the concept of paying for books.  You're talking to a girl who has a library membership AND a TexShare card that allows me to have memberships in any (yes, ANY) public library in the state of Texas.  Be still, my {bookworm} heart.  Well, my honey surprised me with a Kindle.  The idea came to him when Trent was watching a video on our laptop, and I was reading a book on the Kindle app on my phone.  He thought for a girl who loves to read as much as I do, it was silly to be reading on my phone.  Well, once your honey shells out some dough for a Kindle, you gotta use it.  Right?  What is a conflicted girl to do?


Enter Overdrive.  Never heard of it?  Well, let me tell you about the wonders of Overdrive.  It's the Central Texas Digital Library!  Yes, you read that right.  A digital library.  Now I know Amazon has a digital library.  But you have to have a Prime membership, and I'm not sure I want to shell out $75 every year for it.  This is totally free!  All you have to do is have a library membership, and you can 'check out' books for your e-reader.


You may be wondering why I'm blogging about this.  Mainly because I wanted to make sure every bookworm out there knew about it because I think it's such a cool, FREE service our local libraries provide.  I am a huge supporter of libraries and reading!!  So what are you waiting for?  Get borrowing!

Wordless Wednesday

Alternatively Titled: Trent in a Tent

Happy un-Valentine's Day

I am usually all about Valentine's Day.  A holiday that is about love, hearts and the color pink?  Sign me up!  But today has not started off well.

• I woke up with a sore throat.
• My giant pimple still won't go away.  My face didn't get the memo that it's not 1993, I'm 31 - not 13!
• Trent got up before 6:00.  I was so dead asleep that I was mad and yelled at Brent.
• I forgot to take pictures of Trent's cute V-Day shirt, his gifts for school and his adorable box for all his cards.  Mom Fail.
• Top 5 worst drop-offs for Trent this morning.  I cried.  Major dose of Mom Guilt.
• Starbucks didn't use the awesome heart cup this morning.  And they were super slow and a little bit rude.
• I left my power cord in the car, which means I'll have to walk the several blocks back to my car soon.

I feel like Alexander in 'Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day'.  Do you remember that book?  Trent and I have been reading that one recently.  Here's hoping it turns around!  Nothing a little time with the hubs and some Chick-fil-A can't cure! {grin}

Science Teachers Rule

Having an aunt who was a science teacher {in her former life} is pretty cool.

It's really cool when she makes cloud dough with you.  And gets messy.

 See?  He certainly thinks so.

Two Loves Collide

Two of my favorite things are Starbucks Chai Lattes and hearts.  I have heart earrings, bracelets, t-shirts with hearts, you get the picture.  And I majorly <3 my Chais.  So how fun that Starbucks has a Valentine's cup all covered in hearts and types of love?!  Today, my team and I took a break to walk over to Starbucks, and the staff commented on how I order my drink.  I know what I want, so I say very quickly "grande non-fat, no water chai".  We had a laugh, as did the Barista.  So I told her "don't mess it up!"  So when I got my cup and was looking at the adorable detailing (with lots o' hearts), this is what I saw:

This place is totally for me. {grin}

Randoms

• I blogged about making the best smoothie ever a few weeks ago.  I promptly followed that one up with one of the worst ever.  I tried to increase my veggie count in the smoothie.  But I went 1 step too far.  Cauliflower.  That stuff was just awful.  But I drank it...in about 6 hours.
• Have you seen Starbucks Valentine's cups?  So adorable.
• I really like Twitter but don't know how to do anything on it.  Like how do you post pictures?  Anyone?  Feel a little iPhone inept sometimes.
• I feel like I'm about to fall off the health wagon, but I am trying so hard to keep at it.  I like how I feel and what I see in the morning.  But I also like cupcakes.
• I went to a Stella & Dot party last night.  I want to buy the whole catalog. <3
• Brent and I have babysitters on Valentine's Day, and I want to do something but feel so stumped about what to do.  We don't typically make a big deal out of holidays, but I want to this year.
• I saw something really awesome on Etsy a few days ago that I am going to try and replicate.  I, of course, will blog about it if and when I actually accomplish it.

Hey, Whatever We Have to Do to Get Him to Mind

Trent loves to throw things when he's angry.  He throws things a lot.  2 1/2 is super fun.  When he throws things, he is not allowed to do anything else until he picks up what he threw.  Even if we have to physically make him pick up what he threw.  Sometimes, though, he throws food.  And then he loves to pick it up.  Why?  Because he eats it off the floor like a puppy.  Whatever works, I guess??

My puppy dog picking up his food

And yes, he is still naked a lot.  Now that he's figured out how to take his clothes off...they come off a lot.  {grin}

A Few Favorites from 2011

So I know we're well into 2012, but I wanted to share a few favorites of mine from 2011.  I love hearing what other people are loving, so I thought I could get some recommendations too on great stuff I might be missing out on.

Favorite CD: I had a tie here between Gavin Degraw's Sweeter and Adele's 21.  I have been a Gavin fan for a long time and have seen him in concert several times (and already have a ticket for when he performs at the rodeo next month.  Thanks Dena!).  This CD is probably his best.  It is awesome!  The songs 'Not Over You' and 'Soldier' are my faves.  And if you haven't heard Adele's album, you are probably living under a rock!  I'm excited to see if she cleans house at the Grammy's.

Gavin and Adele - <3

Favorite Movie: Crazy Stupid Love.  I know, I know.  I saw every movie nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, and this is my favorite of the year.  Sue me.  I thought this movie was perfect.  And Brent watched it and loved it too.  I think it's great for couples, singles, young, old.  It was funny, it was heart-warming.  Just great!

Favorite Book: Another one that shows my lack of culture.  Divergent is my hands-down winner for fave book.  Anyone who likes The Hunger Games will totally love this book.

Favorite New Show: Once Upon a Time

Favorite Show: Glee - to be honest, the season started a little slowly for me, but I am really loving in the last few months.

So there's a few of my faves.  What should I be watching, reading and listening to?

I Should be a Real Housewife

A friend of ours, Karin, took a job with my company.  I referred her, so I got a bonus (sweet!).  We took Karin and Kelby out to eat as a way to share the love.  We had dinner at Perry's Steakhouse, and we all ate SO much delicious food and had a great time.  Karin and I both ate very little all day to be able to enjoy a carb/meat fest. {grin}

Ready for a night out!

What in the world?  It looks like we aren't in one of our normal cars.  Huh.  That's weird.  Oh!  That's right.  Brent surprised us with a limo!

BALLIN'!!!!!!!!!!!

I think she likes her new job, no?

We had a great night!

I actually stayed OUT until midnight, so you know I was having a good time!  You gotta love a great night out pretty much for free.  Especially with great friends.  And a ride in a stretch Hummer.  You know.  Just a normal Saturday.

February Goals

I don't know that I'll do goals every month as these are pretty repetitive to January, but here you go!


1. Survive. I'm a little nervous about this increased percentage at work and how that's going to play out.  Luckily after today, I don't have any deadlines until the end of March, so I will {hopefully} be able to catch up a little...
2. Workout 3 times per week. Going to keep the goal at 3 workouts but am hoping to get a week or two in at 4 workouts.
3. Cook something!  I didn't cook AT ALL for our family in January (see 1 above - ha).  That's not to say I didn't make stuff, but I didn't make a meal for our family.
4. Get a cleaning person hired.  I still want to be picking up daily, but I think house cleaning is just beyond me at this point.  I think I'll feel a lot better about my load if I didn't have this looming over my head.

Project 52/January Goals - Update #1

Project 52 Update (For the full list, go here):
In progress:
1. Don't be such a homebody./18. Date night once per month.
2. Try fish once per month./48. Try new foods - I had fish twice!!
20. Workout on a regular basis (as a part of monthly goals)
25. Learn to like unsweetened tea - I won't say I like it yet, but I am definitely trying over and over again.
26. No more artificial sweetener! - Ugh.  This is hard.  Mainly for the tea!
32. Use my Deceptively Delicious cookbook every month - Made pizzas with pureed spinach.  Trent ate it up!!!
35. Work on Trent’s hitting/throwing habit - Lots of spanking going on in the Gurley household right now...sad face.
45. Spend more time in the evening with Brent (unplug from the computer) - see 18.


Donezo!
12. Try Zumba
33. Reread all 7 Harry Potter books - Yup.  Read them all between Jan 1 and Jan 21.  Told you guys I was a nerd.


Not going so well...
39. Reduce my work % - Sigh


January Goals - to refresh your memory...
1. Survive. January is a rough month for me work-wise.  I want to not stress about the little stuff and just focus on surviving. - Well, January is over but see 39 above.  Ha!  I think this one sticks around until the end of March this year.
2. Workout 3 times per week. Seems pretty easy, but it's not for me!  My long-term goal is more than this, but I'm just starting out small. - I did it!  There were times I almost didn't make it and didn't want to workout, but I sucked it up.
3. Cook with fish once. I don't really like fish, but I know it is super healthy.  I want to see if I can find some way I like it. - So I didn't cook in January.  But I ate it twice.  So I'm counting this as a win.
4. Pick up for 5-10 minutes each day. Again, not trying to rock the boat here but want to start somewhere. - Eh.  Sometimes yes, sometimes no.


So there you have it.  I'm going to just keep truckin' along!  Check back later today for February goals!

I'm a Happy Band Nerd

I was in band.  There.  I said it.  And I played the flute.  Brent had a lot of fun with American Pie 'band camp' jokes our senior year.  Good times.  But at the root of it all, I think music is very important.  I don't care what instrument Trent picks, but I want him to take lessons for something; I want him to learn  to read music.  My sister feels the same way, and as of right now, I don't think it'll be hard to sell.

With a fiddle and banjo - ready to join the Biscuit Brothers!

Trent's turn on the fiddle - he hasn't quite figured out how to hold it...

Jammin'

Serenading Blair

Happy audience!

Date Night Movie Review: Contraband

I blogged last week about having a great date night with my hubby.  So since our fabulous in-laws keep Trent most Tuesdays, we're going to try to single out this time for us.  So tonight's adventure was to see Contraband with Marky Mark.

{via}

Plot: To protect his brother-in-law from a drug lord, a former smuggler heads to Panama to score millions of dollars in counterfeit bills. {via}


Review: Loved it!  Lots of action, twists and turns, and plenty of Marky Mark! Brent and I both had a great time and were the only people in the theater.  That's always neat, right?


We're on a roll with our date nights!!