30% off!

Shop Swoozie's online store and get 30% from Today until Oct.5th! Cute cute stuff! Type CELEBRATE30 into coupons when checking out.

Holy macaroni!

Important note from class... bold... highlighted... in my notebook.

First year teachers take 2 hours every night to do lesson plans.

Omg! More Perez News!

JON and KATE PLUS 8 is now KATE PLUS 8! Jon got fired! Read More!

Not gonna lie - it needed to happen!

What do you think?

Perez posted Britney's new song, 3. Do you think this is offensive to legends Peter, Paul and Mary? Whatever happened to singing about true love?

Who Rules the TV?

Dave sent this to me.... pretty funny... hope that it doesn't start happening in house though..thank goodness for 2 TV's.

Yep, This sums it up!

I sent this song to Dave the other day. It reminds me a lot of us right now. (gosh I hope not for forever! LOL)

Sing it Kenny.... "Love the girl who drinks the world from a paper cup..won't you drink it up. Love her and she'll bring you luck...... So even though WE AINT GOT MONEY, I'm so in love with you honey and everything will break the chain of looooove And in the morning when I rise you bring a tear of joy to my eyes and tell me everything is gonna be alright."

Am I becoming an extension of the This Ride Called Life blog?? teehehe

SATC

I cannot WAIT for the next Sex and the City movie to come out!!!! I think I might have to get a group of girls to go downtown to watch it at the nice theatre there. It's like 12 dollars and you get wine and apps... dinner and a bucket of beer... and mix match you want! It would be a great girls night I think! Looks like Kim Catrell got caught filming ... I just love her, don't you?? I mean she is hot, boy wild, and as blunt as you can get. Such a fun friend. And check out Carrie Bradshow back at it once again... and in a normal. outfit? I like her hair here Ok but I think that I liked the blonder blond Carrie better. It's gonna be weird seeing SJP without her mole. lol.

The new "View"

Have you all been hearing about this new talk show that is structured much like the view but involves Paula Dean and Kate Gosselin... I'm not sure about this, "ya'll!"

Target No-go

Warning.

If you are feeling fat, do not shop at Target for a pair of Skinny Jeans. At Ann Taylor I wear a 4. At Target I tried on a 5....then a 7....then a 9.... and then an 11...all the while sweating my rear off running from the dressing room to the rack and back. And even with that size 11, muffin top. Really? Way to make a girl feel like crap. I left that day with a new gym outfit, a dr. pepper, and a pack of twizzlers.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today my Mom would have been 65. I'm sure if she were around we would have plenty of celebrating to do, especially with the big day being on a Friday, how fun!

I think tonight I am going to go to High Point, with a bottle of white wine, Dave, and 2 glasses. And we are going to toast my mom! I think she'd like that! I know she loved her bourbon and water but I know she liked white wine as well - and thank goodness because bourbon and water is almost intolerable!

I heart Beyonce

I saw this on Ellen yesterday and was so moved by it. I get so many stories about kids like Chelsea at work but to add music to the situation, it's truly powerful.

Beyonce singing Halo to Chelsea, a little girl with a rare form of cancer.

ps. isn't B just beautiful?

Don't Lie...

you KNOW that you dance around when this song came on your TV during new show promo's! It's on the Fox Wednesday, 'GLEE Club' commercial -- or it was, atleast! I downloaded it from itunes asap because it always made me get off the couch and shake it! Love some Kelly Clarkson and Lovin' some "I'm reaaady nooow, OOoOoOooh!" Now you can belt it out and dance it up all day long! :)

Almost Forgot!

So check out these awesome passes that Dave got for us for a Panthers game! We got to go on field with the players while they were practicing AND we got Suite passes!! The suite was killer and in the picture it almost looks like a green screen is behind us! Really clear photo. Also, our friends were sitting right below us so that made the night fun too! The suite served food and beer all night long. Some of the food was mac n' cheese, sliders, salad, fruit and... krispie kream glazed donuts?? LOL It was definitely geared towards the hungry men in the suite! I think my Dave had 2 plates! :) lol He liked the meatballs the best - they offered mini ones with small hoagie bread, cute. The night was great and I'm not gonna lie, while we were on the field, Steve Smith and I made a connection. YES, a connection. I was sayin Hey to him and waving and he was thinking and not really reacting. And THEN he looks up afterwards and he grins really big and mouths "sorry" - I died. Then our friends yelled out "her number IS, 555-1234!" HA! What a fun night!

Numero Uno Goal

Get THESE ABS.

So... hopefully I am somewhere to being on my way as I am doing a "simple cleanse" right now, started on Monday. It's the cleanse between cleanses basically (Dave and I did a Whole Body Cleanse in May). Today it's finally hit me that I'm tired. You're supposed to relax and do light workouts because you have less energy than normal... because you're not drinking caffeine or eating a lot of protein! So right now the diet consists of organic almond butter and apples, organic raisins, organic bananas, fruit juice, organic veggies and hummus, salads with vinaigrettes and no cheese or nuts! I try to do organic where I can because the cleanse gets rid of all those bad toxins in the non-organic stuff!

Well I AM back in college now....

Anyone want to send me some of these...???! Nyum yum yum yum....

http://www.cupcakeactivist.com/2009/09/crumbs-college-care-six-pack.html

Red Hot Smooches!

FINALLY I made red velvet cupcakes! Check them out! Not too shaby but boy are they a lil flat on top! Might need to try a Martha recipe on these bad boys. Oh! And I sprinkled the tops with dark chocolate shavings.

Impressive!

If you like Quinton's other movies like Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction, you will love Inglorious Bastards! Its the usual gross blood fest mixed with humor and sarcasm - Quinton's favorite way to make a movie. I always cover my eyes during the bloody parts! I thought Brad Pitt was hysterical. His character was just too funny. I think this movie is definitely worth your money to see in the theatre!

Veggie, Me!

Ok so for the past two months I haven't eaten meat but about two times. Thinking back now, I forgot about reading Skinny Bitch as that is the reason that I started to not eat meat to begin with. And then when you are trying to lose weight, it's best to not eat a lot of meat and carbs because your body finds it easier to digest foods like fruits and vegetables. So that's what I've been trying to do these days!

Dave LOVED this recipe I made the other night. I agree, it was delish. It was also from my new FAV magazine (Beth knows this!), Fine Cooking. They have all kinds of recipes and really appetizing vegetarian ones! For the recipe, I thought I had goat cheese but turns out I didn't so I used a pepper jack, still tasted great! I'm sure the goat cheese would give it more of a tangy taste.

Black Bean & Goat Cheese Quesadillas with Guacamole

3 Tbs. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
15-1/2-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 large or 2 small ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
2 tsp. fresh lime juice; more to taste
3 to 4 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled
6 flour tortillas, 8 inches across

In a medium skillet, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and sauté, stirring, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, cumin, chili powder, and 1/2 cup water and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all the water has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Take the pan off the heat. With the back of a fork, break up the beans to make a chunky mash. Stir in half of the cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the avocado, lime juice, and remaining cilantro and use a potato masher or the back of a fork to mash into a chunky paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper; add more lime juice if you like.

Spread the black bean mixture evenly over three of the tortillas. Scatter the goat cheese over the beans and cover with the remaining tortillas. Lightly coat a large heavy skillet or griddle with oil (about 1 tsp.) and heat over medium heat. Set one of the quesadillas in the skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Flip the quesadilla over and brown on the other side for another 1-1/2 minutes. Remove from the pan, cook the remaining quesadillas (add more oil to the pan each time) and cut each into eight wedges. Serve each wedge with a dollop of the guacamole.

TWITTER

Love love love the Twitter! I get all my news from my fave sites in ONE website! Love it. Now I need a blackberry - Ha! Oh and did you see? My "tweets" are linked to my blog so you can see what i'm doing! :) AGAIN - Love it!

Fall, step aside Jenn!

Some skinny jeans, some flats-boots or not, a cami and THE sweaters of the season. YES, I finally found them all. Jennifer Aniston, you can tell your stylist, she's off the hook, I got it! Affordable from Old Navy, you too can havy Jenn's sweater chic looks. My personal favorite is the bellowed sleeve, tan one. Everything comes in other colors too, check them out!

Loves Dave Matthews AND Ellen together!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/#7fzsFA/ellen.warnerbros.com/2009/09/exclusive_dave_matthews_0916.php/

Fleur de Lis, Me!

I'm dating a Fleur de Lis New Orleans guy with a family Fleur de Lis named mountain house. So I think I need some Fleur de Lis rain boots! Check them out at Target.

The Bomb.com

Check out this new show on CBS called The Good Wife with ER's Julianna and wiiiiithhhhh sassy Christine Baransky... YES She's baaack! The show is about a Politician's wife, J, he's a scum bag, she starts over.. back to work as a lawyer on the low end of the totem pole and dealing with the humiliation her husband has caused.

I need a stylist

Jennifer Aniston's stylist to be exact! She always looks SO comfy. I love all of her sweaters, ALL OF THEM. Since I'm a school girl, I'm thinking I can pull this comfy casual look off this Fall/Winter. If only I lived in California where this is what you wore in January...

Polka Dot Design Hook up!

Polka Dot's got some cute Fall designs and a fab discount to boot! Use this for your 20% deal!

Fiberlicious

Check out my sorority sister's blog, Jessica, who is a dietetic intern! She knows all the ins and outs and on this day she blogs about FIBER. You can never get enough. The cleanse that I do only involves fiber! And by eating more fruits and veggies, you will clean your system out more reguarly! What's the bad in that??!

*Please pray for my friend Karen*

I can't stop thinking about my friend and pledge sister, Karen. Due to reading facebook messages that seemed so sad yesterday, I investigated as I knew it was her wedding day and that something had gone terribly wrong. I looked it up online and couldn't believe what I found out. The unthinkable had happened. I can't stop thinking about how Karen must feel being taken from such a high moment to such an immediate low. Again, please keep her in your thoughts. I know you all don't know Karen but let me tell you - she is the most amazing person and teacher that I have ever known. She is uniquely talented and a bundle of fun. Just a wonderful and funny person through and through. I doubt I've ever heard her say one bad thing about another person. She's genuine. She didn't deserve this, not one bit.

Colder Weather does have some fun perks

For example, while workin' it at Ann Taylor this weekend.... yes I still work there but I only get to be there about 1 day a month with my new schedule.... anywho, they have their Fall stuff in an let me tell ya, lovin this sweater/dress to pair with some skinny jeans or leggings! It comes in grey too. The picture doesn't do it a whole lot of justice though.

Would Chile Relleno count as healthy? The answer is: NO. I looked it up online and it is said to have under 400 calories but almost 30 grams of fat... 12g of that saturated! Perhaps eating half a pepper vs. a whole one would save you the extra calories. OR you can order BEANS, that's my favorite part! HA. I know, I'm a dork.

The Dale Jr. Foundation's "Rockin' the River" Concert Series

I just have to share another work thing with you guys because it's for charity ....aaaaand it's a fun thing so that just doesn't count as a work thing, ok? lol

SO...We are having a concert series during the month of October at Whiskey River. All proceeds go to the Foundation which in turn will make donations to The Victory Junction Gang and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

If you live in Charlotte, you might really want to consider going because the acts are pretty darn good! And if you are familiar with the country concert series at Verizon each summer - it's kinda of like that, just inside AND for charity! ;)
Not to mention, what else are you gonna be doing on a Thursday night?? Exactly.

Here is the ticket link.

The acts are as follows:

Oct. 1: Jessie James & The Carter Twins
$15 in advance/$20 day of show

Oct. 8: Rehab
$15 in advance/$20 day of show

Oct. 15: Gavin DeGraw
$25 in advance/$30 day of show

Oct. 22: Blake Shelton
$25 in advance/$30 day of show

Oct. 29: Phil Vassar
$15 in advance/$20 day of show


Let me know if you'll be going!

Where were you?

Let's see... on 9/11 I was a Freshman in college at WCU in Cullowhee. I saw everything happening on the news before I was going to my class that morning. So I walked to class and the teacher told us to all try to go home and that all classes were cancelled. Well I didn't have a car so that was a problem. I get back to my room and call my mom to see where Dad was because he was traveling at the time. He was going to be on a plane that morning so I was really worried and cellphone signals were all crazy that day. Luckily he was Okay. But then mom told me that that same morning, my Grandmother, her mother, had passed away. My dad made it home and my parents came a day later to pick me up and drive to Kentucky for the funeral. Odd how things happen in groups like that isn't it?

Ellen...

...On Idol???? I'm so confused! I love her to death but what does she know about music?? I guess she will have more of a pulse than ole Paula... sounds like another Regis and Meredith (Who wants to be a Millionaire) move. And they did it just fine so I guess it really doesn't matter. And I do have to say, she'll be pretty funny to watch.

Weddings keep getting more creative!

I love checking out Theknot.com from time to time because they have, over the past year, created a blog for new wedding trends. Perhaps you will consider the ideas below for your special day!

Map of the reception area for each table so that the guests don't miss out on any of the great food/drinks/photo fun opportunities!

Paper airplanes instead of confetti, bubbles or bird seed!

A cupcake bar!!! This one happens to be MY favorite!

Actually, I COULD be a Saints fan IF

I could be like KK and sport the Saints via Junk Food Clothing! I definitely think I am gonna have to get my hands on one of these, but in brown! This will make Dave very happy because I told him the only way I'd become a Saints fan is if I had the proper attire!

Happy Labor Day!

No need for coffee

So..I'm sure this is from my Sex and the City watchings tonight but I have to share something so sweet and wonderful that happens to me (when I don't make it to the gym at 6am) on week day mornings. You know how you and your man have those "moments" that only you guys share? Well, ours usually happen in the morning when Dave wakes me up. Some days he will brush my hair from my face with his fingers. Some days I will wake up to him looking at me which scares me so much that I then GASP loudly and sit straight up! Then there are some mornings where I crawl out of bed and just go to Dave who is already dressed and ready for work and with my eyes barely open I just snuggle against his chest and he rubs my back. So no, no need for coffee when I can start my days like this :)

Question of the day.

Can someone please explain to me how celebrities stay so skinny? I mean I guess with the personal trainer and chef that are pretty set. Along with the hectic schedules, they probably don't have time to veg out either and snack. But... they do eat... they go out..they get stressed and pms like the rest of us... they have their wine vices too, surely. They can't ALL have eating disorders?! Someone, anyone, clue me in. Even chef Betheny eats meat for pete's sake and I don't even do that, sheesh!

Pottery Barn's Fall Yummies!

Say hello to the new catalog! How cool is that wine bottle chandelier!!?? And how about the chalk board tiles? I've always been really interested in that chalk board paint. Such a neat idea!

Um. New favorite show. The Rachel Zoe Project. Bravo. 10pm. Mondays. She's a stylist for celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Deborah Messing, Anne Hathaway (Annie), Demi Moore, Eva Mendes. I mean really, why wouldn't you want to watch??

Who LOVES eBay?!

Ok guys... here's the scoop from my new job! I oversee our Foundation eBay account and we are doing themed months for September and October. September is going to be a Sports theme with everything from an autographed Newman Cowboys jersey to a Ryan Sheckler autographed photo. We do several items a week to keep things interesting! Then in October we are doing a music thing, same jist but with music items like an autographed Brad Paisley hat and a 3 doors down autographed guitar. COOL STUFF! Anyways, it's really all said below but let me tell you, we've got some good stuff! Trust me, I've seen it in person ;) So please pass on to anyone you know who might be interested in any of these items! We have more auction information on The Dale Jr. Foundation's website.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Dale Jr. Foundation Kicks off Fall Fundraisers

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 1, 2009) – The Dale Jr. Foundation announced today the continuation of its 2009 fundraising efforts, with a two-month-long series of eBay auctions featuring 22 pieces of rare sports and music memorabilia.

The first round of online auctions begins on Sept. 6, with new items posted every Sunday through Sept. 27. A total of 10 sports items will be up for auction, including a Peyton Manning autographed football, a Derek Jeter signed photo, and a Dwight Howard autographed basketball.

“We’re very excited to offer these unique auctions to sports and music fans alike,” said Kelley Earnhardt, vice president and general manager of JR Motorsports. “We had a number of items donated on behalf of some wonderful people who believe in what The Dale Jr. Foundation is doing. This is a chance for fans to get some memorable items and know it’s all for a great cause.”

The sports fundraiser culminates when a rare, autographed Dallas Cowboys helmet is put up for bid. The helmet is signed by 20 Cowboys players, past and present, including Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly, Mel Renfro, and Tony Dorsett, all Pro Football Hall of Fame members.

The helmet was donated to The Dale Jr. Foundation by Tori Lewis, whose father, D.D. Lewis won two championships with the Dallas Cowboys from 1968 to 1982, and is one of only eight NFL players to play in five Super Bowls.

“When I came across The Dale Jr. Foundation, I found his vision for helping others and honesty about himself to be humble on his part, and a noble cause,” Lewis said.

The second month of auctions runs from Oct. 4 through Oct. 25. It features 12 different collectible items from the music industry, including an autographed guitar from the band 3 Doors Down, hand-written lyrics toTim McGraw’s “If You’re Reading This”, and a race helmet signed by 49 country artists at this year’s CMA Awards. Rodney Atkins, Charlie Daniels, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride and Richard Petty are just a few of the 49 artists to sign the helmet.

For a full list of items available, including a detailed listing of the autographs on the helmets, go to: http://www.thedalejrfoundation.org/auctions.html

To bid on any of these items, visit The Dale Jr. Foundation eBay store at http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=dalejrfoundation.

All the proceeds from the auctions will benefit The Dale Jr. Foundation and the charities it supports such as Make-A-Wish, Victory Junction Gang Camp and more.

The Dale Jr. Foundation is a charity dedicated to giving underprivileged individuals with a focus on youth, the resources to improve their confidence, education and the opportunity to achieve extraordinary goals. To learn more about how you can help Dale Jr. make a difference, go to www.thedalejrfoundation.org.

The line-up of weekly prizes is as follows:

Sports Auctions

Sept. 6 - Peyton Manning autographed football, LaDanian Tomlinson autographed photo.

Sept. 13 – Morgan Pressel autographed photo, Boo Weekley autographed golf hat, Ryan Sheckler framed, autographed poster.

Sept. 20 – Dwight Howard autographed basketball, Derek Jeter autographed picture.

Sept. 27 – Terrance Newman autographed Dallas Cowboys jersey, Emmitt Smith autographed book, Dallas Cowboys autographed helmet with 20 signatures.

Music Auctions

Oct. 4 – 3 Doors Down autographed guitar, Brad Paisley autographed cowboy hat, Kenny Rogers Gift Set: featuring autographed book “This is My Country”, “21 Number 1’s” CD and an autographed photo.

Oct. 11 – Hand-written lyrics from “If You’re Reading This”, by Tim McGraw, Keith Urban autographed hoodie, hand-written lyrics from “She’ll Leave You with a Smile”, by George Strait.

Oct. 18 – Hand-written lyrics from “Baby Blue”, by George Strait, autographed Martina McBride jeans, Trace Adkins autographed cowboy hat.

Oct. 25 – Race helmet autographed by 49 country artists from CMA Awards, Randy Owen autographed Alabama Bear with hand-written lyrics from “Born Country” by Alabama, 3 Doors Down gift basket.

ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS:

JR Motorsports is the management company and racing operation for Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s six-time Most Popular Driver and winner of more than 40 NASCAR-sanctioned races. JR Motorsports competes in multiple racing divisions, including the NASCAR Nationwide Series; however, the Dale Jr. business model has grown well beyond the race track and now includes multiple business ventures. Among those entities is the full-service production company Hammerhead Entertainment (www.hammerheadent.com) , DEJ Realty (www.dejrealty.com), JR Nation Retail Store (www.ShopJrNation.com), The Dale Jr. Foundation (www.thedalejrfoundation.org), and Whisky River (www.whiskyrivercharlotte.com), the bar and nightclub located in the uptown Charlotte Epicenter.

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I want to be able to pull off some funky

I usually stick with J. Crew and Ann Taylor... some boutique fun too... but I wonder, could I pull some different, not so safe styles off?

Also, I just gave the hair another bob chop. The usual. I think I am going to try something different next time as the receptionist at the salon had a way cute choppy look, similar to these.

It's funny, sometimes you just crave something 'different'... no matter what it may be... tattoo, shoes, nail polish, etc.

I did it!

I woke up and went to the gym at 6am a couple of times this week!! With classes, this has GOT TO BE... THE... new schedule for Emily! Not to mention, my long drives to and from work are a little demotivating as far as hitting up the gym goes... driving can wear a girl out! We'll see how this goes but being a school girl, there are bound to be some new changes!