Wish you were here!!

The sunset last night was absolutely beautiful, don't you think? :)

And today the weather has been perfect! I'm loving Siesta Key ... I think I've GOT to move to the beach sometime soon. This is my kind of life. I even saw a group of dolphins playing this afternoon. It was inceredible!

More later!!

Vacation blues

We're in the middle of a terrible drought, and we need rain — lots of it.

BUT NOT WHILE I'M ON VACATION.

Wouldn't you know it, the forecast isn't looking good for my entire trip to Siesta Key, FL. I'm praying that the showers will truly be "scattered" and that they will scatter away from the beach that's been calling my name for months now.

I will be heartbroken if I don't get at least one day of beach bliss.

Jim is FORTY!!

Check out that bling. I believe it may clash with Jim's ultra hip Hawaiian shirt, though.


It was such a fun night, but it's waaay past my bedtime. There are many more pictures to be shared ... This one, however, cracks me up the most.

Still losing (WW Update)

I couldn't pry myself out of bed in time to make it to my Weight Watchers meeting on Wednesday ... despite the fact that it doesn't begin until 12:30 p.m.

What can I say? It's been a super busy three weeks, and I've been flat-out exhausted.

But, I don't need their scales to know that I've lost weight - my scale tells me so, and more importantly, my clothes are screaming, "YOU'VE LOST WEIGHT, GIRL!!" ... And that's the best part of the whole thing.

Sure, I love watching the pounds decrease ounce by ounce, but fitting into my skinny jeans again is the greatest feeling in the world. Several of my newer shorts and dress pants are looking slouchy, so hopefully I'll be retiring them soon.

All said, I've dropped 14.8 lbs. I'm approaching my 10 percent goal, which is 16 lbs. Yes, I weighed 160. And I can only admit that now because I'm at my lowest weight in about 3 years at 145. It's nice, but soon I'll be setting my overall target weight. I'm hoping for 125, but would be thrilled with 130-135.

To be completely thin again would be amazingly wonderful.

Shoot me now

Just a few questions:

* Have you ever tried on a swimsuit in a teeny-tiny fitting room?
* Have you ever wondered exactly what that swimsuit looks like from the back?
* Have you ever mustered the courage to open the fitting room door and venture out to the 3-way mirror?
* Have you ever regretted that decision because THE CLASP OF THE SWIMSUIT'S TOP CAME UNDONE?

Yeah. Me, too.

(I still bought the dang cute swimsuit.)

"Would you like a lolli?"

Well, here I am in Atlanta last night with one of MIKA's lollipop girls ... which I now consider the best job in the world. I mean, who wouldn't love touring with MIKA, dressing up in a hot pink amazing dress while donning a blond wig complete with a bow, and handing out lollipops before each night's perfomance? Oh, and add to that getting up on stage with MIKA and dancing around during his song "Lollipop" ... which is my favorite. I now have new ambitions ... forget grad school - I want to be a lollipop girl!

More later!!

Are you sure you REALLY wanna know?!?

OK, OK ... I've never been one for keeping secrets - especially happy secrets.

So, if you can figure out what my big news is from this picture (click to enlarge), then you win!

Well, you don't actually win a prize, per se ... but you're a winner! And isn't that prize enough?!?

WW Update and MAJOR news teaser

Oh my gosh ... I can't believe I've dropped 10.2 lbs. in a month, but I have!! I even got a hot pink award ribbon and a round of applause this afternoon at my Weight Watchers meeting. I must say that, as cheesy as it may sound, I was proud!

On a completely different front, I have pretty big news that I'm dying to share here. BUT, I'm waiting for a few little things to get ironed out before I divulge my exciting information!

But, I will say this:
No, I'm not engaged. (I wish)
No, I'm not pregnant. (Thank God!)
No, I don't have a new job.

I'll have to leave it at that for now ... hopefully soon I'll be able to share more!

Fuddy-duddy

Each year here in Chattanooga there's a weeklong music festival called Riverbend that draws tens of thousands of music fans to the downtown area.

Different stages are constructed throughout downtown, and things really get going from about 6 p.m. to midnight each day. People of all ages come out to hear well-known acts, as well as unsigned national and regional performers.

It's one big party down by the river that lots of people look forward to each year. I even get in free, thanks to my employer. However, of the five years I've lived her, I have only gone to Riverbend once.

And that was enough.

I'm a huge music lover, however I'm not a big fan of large crowds. I'm really not a fan of large crowds of rambunctious teenagers and drunk, unruly adults.

The smell of sweat and beer gets me a little grossed out, and trying to walk through walls of people is not my favorite form of exercise. Trudging through empty bottles and half-eaten funnel cakes also makes me a little flustered, and the heat adds another dimension of grouchiness to my attitude.

However, I know plenty of people who love Riverbend, and they probably think I'm a little snotty about my stance on not attending the festival. It's good for the city, that's for sure. But it's not good for me these days.

The thing is, I'm trying to remember when my attitude toward music festivals shifted so drastically.

I can remember staying out in the blazing sun for hours surrounded by all sorts of crazy music fans just to hear Live, Drivin' n Cryin', Bob Dylan, the Black Crows and a handful of other bands in the late 1990s. I absolutely lived for the Midtown Music Festival each year in Atlanta. It was the highlight of my summer.

But now if you offered money for my attendance to the same type of event, I'd have to demand a pretty penny.

Is it my age, or have I become a big party pooper? I'm afraid it's the latter, and I don't like it - but I'm afraid my dislike is here to stay.

Another reason I love Sarah Jessica Parker

Have you guys checked out SJP's new clothing line?

If you haven't, go here now. Seriously.

She has created what is I think is lacking in so many stores these days - cute, affordable clothes for people like me - who don't make a whole lot of money to spend on designer labels or one-season trendy fashion. I love that the clothes are hip, but not teenie-bopper stylish. A real woman can get away with every last piece in her collection without looking like she's trying to relive her high school years.

The only problem? Bitten is only carried at Steve & Barry's, and there aren't any of these stores anywhere near Chattanooga.

So. Very. Sad.

WW update No. 2

After three weeks I've managed to drop 7.8 lbs! I am *so* excited!

Weight Watchers has been really great for me. At first, all that water really drove me crazy. But I think I'm finally used to it at this point. I actually crave water, which is completely wild. I love it, though!

I have found so many great-tasting, good-for-you recipes and snacks. I truly thought I'd be living off rice cakes and raw veggies - which is just not me. I like my turkey sandwiches and grilled chicken and french fries. ... Sadly, one of those menu items doesn't belong in my life anymore, but it's OK.

I'm hoping that by the time I hit the beach in three weeks I'll be another 6-8 lbs. lighter! Cross your fingers!!

It's Juuuuune!!

Finally, the month I've been waiting for!

I've never really been a huge fan of the month of June. For some bizarre reason, my brain has always associated the word "June" with "prune" - and we all know about prunes.

But this prune ... I mean JUNE ... is different! This month is packed with so much happiness, fun and excitement that I can hardly bear to wait for it all to get here!

June is a month of some of my favorite peoples' birthdays:
· Megan , one of the best co-workers ever, celebrates on June 12.
· Kelley , my roommate from college who I miss very much, has a birthday on June 15.
· And Jim, my best buddy in the world, is turning the big 4-0 on June 23. (But he doesn't look a day over 30!)

Then there's the highly anticipated MIKA concert on June 16 in Atlanta! Kelley is meeting me for the show, the hotel has been booked and all I have to do now is wait. Oh, and I have a little over two weeks to decide what to wear to this event ... should I dress up like a lollipop girl or just wear a fun outfit that's easy to dance in?

... Just kidding - I wish I had to nerve to dress as a lollipop girl, but until I lose another 10 lbs., there will be none of that!

Next up is Jim's birthday party! His mother, brother and I have been busy putting together the guest list, nailing down a caterer, finding someone to bake an awesome cake, getting the guest list together, designing invitations, etc. It's no easy task pulling off a shin-dig for this guy, who has more friends than I could ever hope to have in a lifetime. But, I'm crossing my fingers it will be an amazing party ... I think it will be!

Four days after Jim's birthday, I'm leaving for Siesta Key, Fla., with Allison. I cannot express how excited I am about this vacation. It's been years since I've been to any beach longer than the few hours that cruise ships pull into a port. We'll be there for just three nights, but that's wonderful to me! Siesta Key is gorgeous, from what I've seen. I was watching the Travel Channel last week and they featured it on their "Top Florida Beaches" show ... it was ranked No. 2! I am SO ready to go!!

What about you guys? Any big summer plans this year that have you waiting (im)patiently?