Day 7: A song that matches my mood and why.

"Manic Monday" by The Bangles!

This song represents my mood because it is Monday (blah) and I really wish that it was Sunday, or Saturday. This marks the beginning of a crazy week because Ben's boss is out of town all week, which means that Ben has to run the shop all alone... dealing with hundreds of customers, keeping all the employees on task, etc. Busy, busy, busy. This means that Ben will probably be working more than the usual 50 hours this week. Bah.

I don't have much going on this week besides the usual- working Monday-Thursday, trying to stay sane, and spending as much time with my Dylan boy as I can.

Fun fact about me and this song: This is the first song that I ever, ever remember hearing. I was 3 or 4 years old and my family was living in Pittsburgh. I remember my sister and a neighbor girl playing this song on a tape and singing along in the neighbor's basement. I've loved this song ever since.

Day 6: An animal that I would like to keep as a pet.

Pip from Enchanted, of course! He's spunky, he talks (sort of), and he puts all sorts of effort into not letting people kill you. Mind kind of pet. 

I love it when he says, "Apple? It's goooood!"

Cause we still got the heat.

Today hubby and I went on a day-date. You know, the kind of date that you go on when you're not sure if you like the person and don't want to committ to the seriousness that is an evening date.

Except in this instance, we really like each other a lot and don't mind the seriousness that is an evening date.

We just happened to go on a day date because 1. We wanted to, and 2. My fab sitter/boss was going to bring her little guy along, who is just three weeks younger than Dylan.

Anyway, here's what the day-date consisted of lunch at (my choice) Chilis and a movie (his choice-kind of)- The King's Speech.

Most of you are probably thinking, "Ewww Chilis, really? That's you're actual choice for date food when you have about 19395 other restaurants in a 5 mile radius?" My answer is YES- have you tried their Quesadilla Explosion Salad? Yum. Can't get enough of the dish. (In fact, I've been dreaming about the salad since my last trip to Chilis- Dec 7, 2010. Yup, I remember weirdo things like that.).

As for The King's Speech, I really had no plans on seeing the movie prior to this morning. I was talking to my dad on the phone and he highly recommended it. This surprised me, as we are both not avid R-rated movie watchers. Even so, he said that the movie was spectacular and that I needed to see it.

And see it we did. I agree with my dad- the movie was great (and not just because I have a crush on Colin Firth). It was not fast paced at all, but it was interesting, interesting, interesting. And as for the R rating? The movie honestly could have been rated PG other than two very brief part where Colin lets out some tourette-like swearing as part of his speech therapy. It was actually quite funny.

In conclusion (as this is beginning to feel like an essay), today's day date rocked and I really love my husband. Now go see The King's Speech.

Day 5: A Photo of Myself from Two Years Ago.

This picture was taken in December 2008, so it's just over two years old. Not sure if there is a huge difference in my appearance between then and now... other than 15 pounds, I mean. Bah.

Day 4: 20 of my favorite things.

1. Hobby Lobby. No explanation necessary.
2. My bed... most comfortable mattress ever- Sealy Posturpedic Pillowtop.

3. Nars blush in Orgasm. Best blush that I've ever tried. It's the perfect shade of pink with a little golden shimmer. It's worth every penny in my eyes.

4. The fresh smell of having your windows open on a spring day- heaven!

5. Kneader's french toast. Haven't had it? Run and get yourself some- it's divine.

6. Receiving cards and magazines in the mail. I currently have three magazine subscriptions- Glamour, Parenting, and Better Homes and Gardens. I really need to subscribe to US Weekly and People so I can stop paying newsstand price for them every week!

7. Organizing! Creating order out of something that was once a cluttered mess gives me the ultimate satisfaction.

8. Yankee Candle in Mandarin Cranberry- the best falltime scent.

9. Having a clean house, free of clutter. When there is clutter I can't think!

10. Diet Dr. Pepper (DDP), naturally.

11. Massages.

12. Taking pictures

13. Decorating my house/other people's houses

14. Going out with my girls! 

15. Movie versions of my favorite books getting made

{oh my. Breaking Dawn is not going to be for little eyes}

16. Receiving a random and unexpected compliment

17. Premier week for tv

18. Pretty purses

19. Flipping through Pottery Barn/Anthropologie/West Elm catalogues

20. My Kindle!

Day 3: My favorite photograph of my best friend.

Ok, I know that this has to be like the 4th time I've posted this picture on le blog, but I just love it so much. It was taken in Indiana when we were there during Thanksgiving 2009. Dylan was just 7 weeks old at that point. This picture is just so tender, isn't it? And it was candid, not a planned photo. The photographer was taking family pictures and ended up snapping this shot when we weren't paying attention. Can't you tell that Ben adores his boy?

Day 2: A photo of myself and a description of how my day was.

This would be my tired face. 

Ugh, why did today have to be day 2? My day was really not so great. Woke up not feeling well, had an angry little boy in the morning, ran out of cereal and had to eat pb toast for breakfast, had a lame client cancel our appointment when I was almost to her house, and had a crazy meeting in the afternoon. Blah, blah, blah. There were some good parts though- luckily, I love the people I work with, so it's always nice seeing them. Also, I'm going out to dinner with my girls tonight, and that should perk me up a bit. 

Day 1: 15 facts about me.

1. My legal name is Christine, however many people in my life know me as Chrissi. Depends on what you know me from I suppose. In all honesty, I wish that I had always gone by Christine in order to avoid the "some know me as Chrissi and some know me as Christine" discussion.

2. I am a Utah transplant... I was born in Pennsylvania, lived in Missouri for a few years, and then spent the next eight years in Indiana, which I still think of as home. Even though I've been living in Utah since 2003 it still doesn't feel permanent to me... although it is looking like we're going to be Utahns for a long time.

3. I never, ever thought that I would be a social worker. Growing up I dreamed of being an astronaut, a doctor, or a teacher. Even when I was in college I didn't really know what I wanted to do. Sure, my major was Marriage, Family, and Human Development (MFHD), but what to do with it? It wasn't until my last semester in school that I took a class called "Destructive Processes in the Family" that I became facinated with dysfunctional families and decided to give social work a whirl.

4. Even though I'm a social worker I really think that I should be a professional organizer. Seriously, I get all sorts of excited when I go to Ikea and see all their bins and boxes for organizing. Ridiculously nerdy, I know.

5. I have a knack for remembering almost any tv/commercial jingle and involuntarily sing along whenever it comes on tv or the radio.

6. I have been married to my best friend Ben for over 6 years. We have a really fun, playful relationship and never call each other by our first names. We're one of those obnoxious couples that call each other by  nicknames... except usually they're not sweetheart and honey. I call Ben "Bean" and he calls me....eyeroll.... "Stink." It truly feels weird to call my husband Ben to his face.

7. In case you hadn't already realized this, I have an adorable little boy named Dylan. He's absolutely hilarious and brings me pure joy. His middle name is Danger, because Ben and I thought that it was cool that he could say "Danger is my middle name." Unfortunately, my parents hate that we gave him Danger for a middle name and put much effort in trying to change our middle name choice prior to Dylan's birth. Now they can't do anything about it... insert sinister laugh.

8. I do not enjoy talking on the phone. I think that some of my clients are a little surprised sometimes, because when I feel like the conversation should be over I'm a little abrupt and just say, "Alright, talk to you later, bye." I just hate wasting my time with meaningless talk. If we're talking about something important then we can talk, but if it's just the boring chit chat, then buh-bye.

9. I definitely have Tiffany taste, but only a Target budget. This is totally ok though- I take pride in DIY decorating, bargain hunting (Ebay! Hobby Lobby! DI!), and recreating expensive looks on the cheap.

10. That being said, I am no cheapskate. I know how to splurge (too well in Ben's eyes). I am all for lunches out, gift giving, and paying full price at Nordstrom. Sometimes it's worth it to bargain hunt, but there are other times that you need to bite the bullet and pay full price.


11. I'm a sucker for reality shows like The Bachelor, The Biggest Loser, and What Not to Wear. Truth be told, I'm usually eating some form of junk food while watching the biggest loser.


12. I'm a horribly picky eater. While I've branched out a bit in my eating, going out to eat is always interesting because only about 10% of the menu appeals to me. A few of my "won't eats" are fish of any kind, eggs, pineapple, coconut, cherries, most cheese... the list goes on and on.


13. I read lots and lots and prefer books that don't make me think. I feel kind of stupid admitting this, but a want a book to be mind candy, not something to think and hmmmm over.


14. All too much I have a "Sliding Doors" scenario going on in my head. I love to think about specific decisions that I've made in the past, and think "if I would/wouldn't have done that what would my life be like now?" I have these long, details predictions of what my life would have been like. Not trying to say that I'm unhappy with my life- I'm actually extremely happy- I just wonder about the many different paths my life could have taken. 


15. I have two scars on my face- one on my top lip from getting bit by a god {edit: bit by a dog. haha!} at 6 years old, and one on my right cheek from cheerleading in 10th grade. Would you believe that the scar is from a friend's braces getting caught on my face during a cherer stunt? Disgusting and true. 

Since my creativity is at a standstill...

I'm going to copy a few of my friends that are doing a 30 day blogging challenge. Every day for the next 30 days I'll be posting in order about one of these items. Whew, here we go!
1. 15 facts about me.
2. A photo of myself and a description of how my day was.
3. My favorite photograph of my best friend.
4. 20 of my favorite things
5. A photo of myself two years ago.
6. A photo of an animal I'd love to keep as a pet.
7. A song to match my mood, and why.
8. A recipe
9. A photo of the item I last purchased.
10. A photo and description of what's in my makeup bag
11. A photograph of the town I live in.
12. A TV show I'm currently addicted to.
13. Something I don't leave the house without.
14. A photo of something that makes me happy.
15. Something I crave a lot.
16. What's in my purse?
17. A photo of something that means a lot to me.
18. A photo of somewhere I've been to.
19. A picture of me last year and now and how have I changed since then?
20. My worst habit
21. 5 of my biggest pet peeves
22. My celebrity crush.
23. Something I could never get tired of doing.
24. My favorite book
25. A photo that makes me happy
26. A photo that makes me angry/sad
27. My dream house
28. An art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc) that means something to me.
29. A song that makes me cry (or nearly)
30. A photograph of myself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days

24 x 2 + 1 = Jim Carrey

Just saw on People.com that Jim Carrey is going out with former ANTM contestant Anchal. Ok, that's a little weird. What's weirder? He is 49 and she is 24. Ewwwww. 


Even worse? Jim has a 23 year old daughter AND is a grandfather... and he's with a 24 year old. Creepfest!


Dear Jim,
Stop taking lessons from Hugh Hefner. Just because he's a weirdo doesn't mean that you should be too.


Love, Me

Check it out...

I'm a new contributor at Just Cook Already, a fabulous recipe blog. Check it out and get some delicious meal ideas! 

Since you can't get enough...

I created a blog for Dylan, since I wanted a way to document the funny things that he does on a daily basis. I figure that the main reader of Dylan's blog will be my mother, which is just fine.

If you're interested in the daily going ons of Dylan Danger (some of which will probably make their way on this blog as well) visit www.dylandanger.blogspot.com

Monday mash-up.

1. Hallelujah for Martin Luther King Day! I love having a Monday off work! My day has been great- full of getting things done as well as playing with my main man D.

2. Gap was having an in-store 40% off sale today. That's right- 40% off everything (except denim I think). It was a lovely day, indeed. I may have gone a little overboard shopping for D, but he's a growing kid and I'm trying to get a jump start on all the 18-24 month things. Adorable stuff, right?

3. I bought a new candle the other day and the scent is Raspberry Lime, but I swear that when the candle burns it smells just like these things:

Not saying that it's a bad thing, but it's just a random thing.

4. Dylan has decided that he loves to wear hats and has just mastered putting them on himself. How cute is this boy?

5. My current read is The Hangman's Daughter. It's set in 17th century Bavaria and centers around the town's executioner Jakob and some mysterious killings that take place in his small town. I'm only about halfway though the book, but so far it's great, although stressful and frustrating at the same time. 

6. Last night I made the amazing, fabulous Mean Green Tortilla Soup (Rachael Ray). This is Ben's favorite dinner ever and he loves it when I make this soup. It's a little labor intensive, but the results are fabulous. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 3 ears of corn, kernels removed (reserve shaved corn cobs)
• 1 package corn tortillas, cut into strips
• 4 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
• 1 package (3 pieces) chicken thighs or breasts
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
• 10 to 12 tomatillos, husks removed
• 2 cups cilantro, chopped
• Zest and juice of 2 limes
• 2 cups jack cheese, shredded
• 3 avocados, chopped (optional)

---

Yields: 4 to 6 servings

---

Preparation

Preheat oven 400°F.

In a large pot, bring the chicken stock and water to a bubble with the reserved corn cobs and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Place the corn tortilla strips onto a baking sheet and spray them with some cooking spray. Transfer to the oven and bake until crispy, 10 minutes.

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat with some EVOO about 2 turns around the pan. Add the chicken, browning on all sides, then place into the oven for about 7-8 minutes, until juices run clear and no pink remains in the center. Once the chicken is done cooking, remove from oven and let rest before cutting into strips.

Preheat a heavy-bottomed pot with remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the onion, garlic and cumin, and cook till soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the corn kernels along with the jalapeño.

While the veggies are cooking, puree the tomatillos in a food processor until somewhat smooth. Add the purée, stock and chicken to the pot along with the veggies.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and add in the cilantro, lime zest and juice, and serve it up garnished with a big handful of jack cheese, tortilla and avocado.

Favorite Golden Globe looks.

Last night was the Golden Globes, and you know that I had it on my dvr. I love seeing all the pretty dresses and even the not-so-pretty ones. Even better was Ben's commentary while watching the red carpet pre-show. And yes, Ben watched the whole thing with me.

Here are my top looks:

 Claire Danes

Love her custom Calvin Klein dress. Lovely color, simple yet interesting shape. 

Ben's commentary: "Who is she?"

 Dianna Agron

Classy and age-appropriate. I hate when young actresses show too much skin or make things too complicated with hair, makeup, jewelry, etc.

 Megan Fox

Ok, typically I don't really like her, but I think that she looks spectacular here. Beautiful, interesting dress.

Ben's commentary: "What's that on her arm? A tattoo of Marilyn Monroe? That's just weird."

Eva Longoria, not Longoria-Parker

She looks great, and the back of the dress was even cooler. 

Mila Kunis

To me she'll always be Jackie from That 70's Show, but she looks great here. I love the rich green with the dark hair. 

Carrie Underwood

Yes, my girl crush. Doesn't she look amazing? Love the sparkly gold dress on Carrie. In fact, she would've probably made my list even if she wore this:

EEEE January Jones- this is the Golden Globes, not the VMAs. Yes, I'm aware that this is Versace, but cover up girlfriend!

Dylan and Ben rocking out.

This is from Dec 1, 2010... please know that Dylan doesn't always sport just a dirty onesie. How cute are my boys?

The Bachelor does not bring out the best in me.

It's true, Jesus would definitely not be posting something as snarky as this, but I can no longer contain myself. This season's Bachelor is already drama-filled and ridiculous, courtesy of some of their hand-picked crazies. Here are a few of the standouts:

Happy Dylan.

Little friend was so happy tonight- hamming it up for the camera and laughing his head off. I love it when he's like that. My only issue is the fact that he looks like a  three year old in this picture. 

Face Lift.

I decided that the blog needed a new look. Thanks to Danielle at Dandy Designs for outfitting my blog! 

15 months!

Dylan turned 15 months old the other day and we celebrated by getting his first hair cut. 

Dylan was getting quite the mullet, so it was definitely time. I had been nervous about his haircut all day, since I have become one of those moms- you know, the ones who stress over their baby turning into a little boy after their first cut and saving a piece of their baby hair. I know.

Here are a few pictures from the momentous first cut:

The shaggy before

During. He wasn't a fan of it at all, so he had to sit on my lap.

Handsome boy after!

We got some Wendy's nuggets to celebrate!

Where did my baby go? And who is this little boy?

Dylan also had his 15 month appointment at the doctor. Here are the stats:

Weight- 23.2 lbs (32nd percentile)

Height- 31.75 in (71st percentile)

Head- 18.5 in (45th percentile)

Looks like I'm a bookworm.

Here's a list of all the books that I read in 2010. I put stars by my very favorites in case any of you are looking for some good reads:


-The Help by Kathryn Stockett ***
-Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
-Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
-The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
-Easily Amused by Karen McQuestion
-The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes
-Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- JK Rowling ***
-The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
-The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
-The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
-Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah ***
-A Scattered Life by Karen McQuestion
-Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons by Tim Gunn
- Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher ***
-This Charming Man by Marian Keyes
-Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
-Life on Hold by Karen McQuestion
- Favorite by Karen McQuestion
-Tuscan Holiday by Holly Chamberlin
-I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore ***
-The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer
-The Hunger Games-Suzanne Collins ***
-Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins ***
-Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins ***
-The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
-Falling Out of Fashion by Karen Yampolsky


Ok, I realize that this is a lot of reading for someone with a full time job AND a full time toddler. Know that I typically read every night for 30-45 minutes and then read a lot when Dylan is napping on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Also... having a kindle is a big reason for a lot of the books. First, it's super easy to get the books, but a chunk of these books cost anywhere from free to $3. Ben doesn't support breaking the bank on buying books.


I know that I've asked this before, but what books do you recommend for my 2011 reading list?

Yikes.

Just read this love story in the New York Times... does anyone else feel a little awkward after reading this? Let's hope that it never happens to me.

Resolutions for 2011.

Happy New Year!

I've read all about other's resolutions for 2011 and I've decided to put mine out there as well. I've never been very big on resolutions- mainly because whatever goal I have set for myself on January 1 is typically long abandoned by the end of the month. And you know what? I've always been dissapointed by myself for not following through with any of my resolutions.

This realization has brought me to a new type of resolution: Having a theme for the year, as well as goals that fall under the umbrella of the theme.

What is my 2011 theme, you ask? Follow Through. I'm going to follow through on a bunch of things that I've wanted to do in my life, but have never kept going long enough to see any results.

That's right, I'm going to spend the year following through on my (quite reasonable) goals.
Here they are:

1. Work out four times each week.
 I already have a weekly gym schedule set up for myself and Ben is willing to be as irritating as necessary in order to get me out the door. Also, my subgoal for this one is to make a habit of running and learn to like it.

2. Cook dinner four times each week.
To assist in my efforts, I've created a menu for the month which makes things a ton easier. Go grocery shopping on Saturday and get everything you need for the next week's meals. I'm really excited for this one.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
This is going to be a hard one, because my favorite snacks are just so easy! Wheat thins, graham crackers, cereal... I love you but I'm going to try and not eat so much of you.

4. Read to Dylan for at least 15 minutes each day.
This is going to be a challenging one, since Dylan rarely lets me read to him for more than 5 minutes at a time. If this means sitting with him 5 times each day for a quick book, then so be it.

5. Work on being content with my life.
I am a girl that is easily swayed by cute purses and sparkly things. I know that my life will feel more peaceful if I'm not consumed by all of the stuff that I want, want, want and focus on the great things that I already have.

6. Work goal: Complete my documentation within one working day.
My boss Jorden is going to love this one. Documentation is a big part of my job and it'll take a lot of stress off if I just bite the bullet and not put off the boring task of logging my visits, phone calls, meetings, etc.

7. Church goal: Plan my Relief Society Lessons more than 48 hours in advance.
In case you don't know, my church calling is Relief Society teacher, which means I teach a 45ish minute lesson in church one Sunday each month. The topic of my lesson is already chosen, so I just have to develop the lesson and work to make it interesting... planning in advance is key!

And there you have it. Expect a progress report on these goals every few months- I'm guessing that my success rate will be much higher if I- wait for it- follow through.

This one's a keeper.

My college roommate Lindsay sent me this  as an un-birthday card about 2 1/2 years ago and I just found it while doing an email purge. She said that it reminded her of me... so what is she trying to say?!?

Love you Linds, thanks for the laugh.

Home at last.

After 10 days in Indiana, Dylan and I are finally back in Utah! While it was absolutely wonderful to be home with my family, it is also very nice to get back to regular life. D and I were also missing Ben terribly- he came back to Utah on Monday the 27th. 

We had a great time in Indiana and it feels like there were so many fun things that took place over the trip. Here are a few pictures that I took....

Poor Dylan was elected as guinea pig to see how the tutu my sister was making for her niece was turning out. Shall we call this blackmail for a few years down the road?

My parent's lovely Christmas tree. Amazingly enough, Dylan didn't pull it over on himself. After about 5 or 6 days he stopped trying to pull everything off.

Christmas morning. Dylan and Ben are in their Christmas pajamas. I'd show what mine looked like (absolutely  adorable) but the only picture I have of myself on Christmas morning is shudder-worthy. 

On the 27th I was able to get together with some of my best friends from high school, which turned out to be the best night ever. We had an absolute blast and it was so much fun to catch up. I love you girls dearly, although I kind of hate you at the same time for maintaining your high school weights. Skanks.

Sadly, Ben and I were apart on our 6th anniversary... this really wasn't too big of a deal, since we have only been together on about half of our anniversaries. Ben, being the fab husband that he is, sent me these lovely flowers. 

My mom, sister, and I took the boys to the KidsCommons to play. It was so cool and Dylan had a great time (despite not sharing with the little girl in the background....mental note: must teach Dylan to share).

New Year's Eve was ridiculously warm in Indiana, so we were able to go to my old elementary school's playground. Dylan had a great time, despite falling down about a million times.