So You Think You Can Dance....and not the reality show!

Spontaneous Dance parties…they are contagious.
They make me smile.
They prove that our everyday stuffy world can break loose and simply enjoy themselves and have a good time no matter who is around.

Check out some spontaneous dance parties that have happened all over the world.

Philadelphia
Organized two months in advance, this video is super-cool because the organizer explains a little bit about her motivation. Approximately 40 dancers busted moves on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (of Rocky fame).
(She organized this party by coming up with a musical routine, posting the dance instructions on the Internet for perfect stragners to see and telling whoever saw this video to learn the dance and meet at the Museum of Art at a particular time and date! genius!)


Seattle
Whether you support Obama or not, the excitement on the evening of his election is undeniable. Along Broadway in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, this dance party erupted as people screamed the lyrics of “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey.


Liverpool Street Station
Filmed last year for a British T-Mobile commercial

Quincy, Washington
At the 2009 Sasquatch Music Festival, one man with a mission created a huge dance party during Santogold’s set.




Ok so who is down?!!!! Spontaneous dance party in Charlotte?!!!!

Nice To Know Someone Is Watching Out For Me

After six years I finally gave in.

This morning I purchased a new computer.

I am parting with my baby that was the first real significant gift to myself in college.

My first Dell child hung in there through thick and thin and really served her purpose during my undergrad education......

....but I had to replace her this morning with a totally new little machine that will meet my needs now!

I am excited and I can’t wait to see the Apple Box arrive at my door!

But, what I was more excited about is the phone call that I just received.

I put my new computer on my credit card and then just purchased Microsoft 2008 Office Mac from my company website and placed that on my credit card as well.

One minute after clicking ‘place my order’ my phone rang. It was a 919 area code from Raleigh.

It was my bank!

They were calling to clarify the charges that had been placed on my card in the last couple hours because this was "unusual" activity for this card.

Thank you North Carolina State Employees Credit Union! Thank you for watching after me and my money! Its highly appreciated and yes, those charges were mine! Thanks for checking!

William E. Poole Designs

I grew up wanting to be an architect.

I had my dream house in my head and I sketched it ALL the time on any blank piece of paper that drifted in front of me.

If I was smart enough, creative enough, and dedicated to 1 million hours worth of work in college I would have tried my darndest to get a degree in architecture….but that didn’t happen.

So now I can just admire the work of others….and I do…everyday.

I actually think I might have a small addiction to house floor plans, they are like wine on a Friday night.

In mine and Blair’s bathroom as a kid, mom had a basket in the floor that had magazines. She ALWAYS had the monthly Southern Living. While I was taking care of business (and this isn’t gross because #1. I was only like 6 years old and #2. Everyone poops!) I would pick up the Southern Living and turn immediately to the sample house floor plan they would feature in every issue.

If I liked what I saw, I would tear out the plan, fold it, and put it in my piggy bank for safe keeping! I think that is where my obsession began.

Well lately I have been drooling over William E Poole’s Designs. Mr. Poole is a man of my own design heart! I love his style and consistent use of front porches! Although he does like to add a formal living room and dining room in most of his designs but...minor changes can always be made to most any plan. I simply would rather have a larger family room then have a separate family room and a formal living room. I mean who honestly uses formal living rooms these days?…just my opinion!

Here are some of my favorites!!!

My #1 Pick of All Time – Design 1: (The master bedroom, bath, and closet won my heart!) Melrose Plantation

***the rest are in no particular order

Design 2: Evangeline Parish

Design 3: Evergreen

Design 4: Belle Grove

Design 5: St. Francisville

And I could go on and on.
Maybe one day I can end up in one of his creations…...
......can’t a girl dream?!

O.A.R and A Tomato...They Make My Day

So excited for the good news! O.A.R is returning to Charlotte to the Uptown Amphitheatre at the N.C. Music Factory on Friday, Aug. 13th! Yeah!

You either love them or hate them….but I am one that LOVES them. I will never get tired of them; NEVER. Some people hate the way they have tried to jump around with the types of music they produce but…I find it intriguing that they have the talent to produce a different sound and still succeeded with top hits. Raw genius!
Tickets go on sale Friday, April 16th.
Buy yours and come with me!

Oh yeah…and check-out what I am having for dinner tonight! I got some really good tomatoes at the grocery this week so I am making a Grilled Tomato Sandwich with Blue Cheese Spread!!! YUM – I LOVE TOMATOS!

***these are very loose directions with no real measurements. These are my measurementsfrom teh last time I made these sandwichs so feel free to use more or less as needed!

¼ cup blue cheese
About 1 tablespoon cream cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
½ to 1 teaspoon milk
2 slices good-quality, crusty bread
2 to 3 slices ripe, red tomato
1/2 to 1 tablespoon butter

MASH blue cheese, cream cheese and chives with just enough milk to make it spreadable. Smear a thin layer on each slice of bread. Top with tomato slices, salt and pepper and put bread together to make a sandwich.

HEAT skillet and add butter. Swirl around pan until melted and pan is coated. Place sandwich in skillet and cook a couple of minutes, until toasted on one side. Press down sandwich gently with a spatula and turn. Cook until golden and gooey.

CUT on diagonal and serve hot. (If you're making more than one, assemble them on a baking sheet, brush with melted butter and broil on both sides.).

M + M = Lets Talk About It......

Money and Marriage.....you have to have the talk.

It’s weird that this article was posted on my Internet Explorer homepage this morning because we were just discussing this topic last night.

In many relationships the word can be very scary.

We were discussing the role money plays in our lives and relationships. When you take two people that were raised two totally different ways and each work the same amount of hours and make two totally different salaries…it can either make or break a relationship.

Like this article says, “Money is the number one reason for fights in a marriage.” The article goes on to state that few couples actually take the time to talk about money before the fights begin.

This blows my mind! How in the world do people join their lives together and never discuss how they handle their own finances and what they expect to do in the future with the money they bring in? How do they not see each other’s spending habits?

I am nowhere near walking down the aisle, but you better bet that before I say "I do", I will have a pretty good idea about the ambitions of my fiancé and where he sees his salary being paid off in the future. Is he really serious about working 20 more years, retiring, and buying a massive house on Figure Eight Island? Or, is this just a small fantasy he dreams about but isn’t heartbroken if it doesn’t come true? Is he a gambler with his money and does he enjoy playing around in the stock markets? My opinion…unless we have the extra money to throw around and unless he knows EXACTLY what he is doing in the markets…lets choose a safer option to invest our funds in.

I know for me, I would like to start putting money aside for my kid’s college as soon as I have children. That way, we have twelve years to set little amounts aside that we will not even miss each year and, before we know it, our kids are going to school for “free.” We didn’t have to bust our butts every year to come up with this expense. Then, with the decision of my husband, if our kids are smart or athletic and don’t need college funding, we spend this money on us for an anniversary trip or a new car! I don’t know; at least have some sort of plan!

When it comes to money in a relationship and a marriage two words stick out for me: compromise and selflessness. Money is not there to get you FURTHER in life, it’s there to SUSTAIN us in life. I hope and pray that all my friends and their spouses have had this discussion because I am sure it is one of the hardest things to “merge” in a marriage.

Check out the article here: 10 Tips To Avoid Credit Card Debt Disaster in Marriage

Sister Saturday

Saturday night I cried.

I honestly did.

Even though I was in a city full of people and I had friends that wanted me to hang out, I still cried because she had left and I didn’t want her to go. All of a sudden the city felt strange and lonely, almost like a “temporary” home. I didn’t want her to leave me. I felt like a kid being left during their first time at summer camp. It wasn’t a full out sob session, just the casual tears that fall when you really miss someone.

Sister came to visit on Saturday. Sam (my brother-in-law) had gone on a camping trip for the weekend. I had nothing going on so Blair drove down to Charlotte for the day to play and shop attack at Southpark Mall; you know, just be sisters. We have not had a “just-the-two-of-us” time since the weekend last summer she came to visit, before she found out she was pregnant, and we enjoyed bottle after bottle of wine on the porch at Rock Bottom.

I miss her.

I miss her more than anything.

I talk to her at least once a day whether it is a phone call or BBM message but it’s not the same not having her HERE; not having her AROUND all the time.

We did some serious shopping damage at Southpark as Sister gave me her honest opinion on clothes that I normally would and would not buy. We bought us some new braziers as Sister was proud to announce that her boobs are now bigger than mine due to her being almost 30 weeks pregnant. (No worries though…Olivia Claire will suck the life right back out of those by the end of the summer and I will be right back on top! :) )

We had lunch on the patio of Crisp, ran some errands before the mall and later enjoyed a casual dinner at McAlister’s. It could not have been a better day and I think it was just the right dose of medicine I needed from home.

When she pulled away from my apartment I have never felt so lonely. There went what technically is my “other half.” I miss her more then she knows and more then I can even express.

I hope one day I can have twin girls so that they can share the same things Blair and I share. If not, at least two little girls that will be there for each other every day. I am so excited that Blair is having a little girl and I think this is what makes it harder and harder to realize how fast life is moving. I never thought I could see the day when Blair or I started having kids but the day has come- its crazy! I am so excited to be an Aunt and I am so happy for sister. I can’t wait to share in this exciting new adventure with her and even more excited to share more Saturday’s shopping around, just us girls….Me, Sister and my new niece Olivia!

Thank you Blair for the most amazing day and being who you are.

I miss you like a kid left at summer camp.

She will hate me for posting this but here is Sister on Saturday after we returned from the mall. We were going to send a picture of me to "Charleston" but decided to try and trick him and send one of Blair to see if he noticed. He's too smart...he knew this was not his girlfriend! Good boy :)

Blaine's Bar

“Charleston” is planning for a bachelor weekend with his guy friends this coming weekend. They are headed to the sunny Savannah, GA to be “beer drinking-stomach belching-butt poofing” MEN. So last night he was looking up restaurants that would take dinner reservations for these 14 studs as well as fun bars they could hit up afterwards.

Well… I get to work this morning, open my email, and find a message from “Charleston” with the following link: http://www.blainesbar.com/

I get excited. I think there is a bar named after me in Savannah! I got extra excited because I am headed to Savannah in a couple months for Jackie’s bachelorette and I was thinking “I JUST HAVE TO GO THERE!”

So I clicked on the link and saw the homepage. I simply glanced over the homepage, didn’t think twice about it, read the first couple lines and moved on with my merry day thinking…"I will definitely have to stop by when I go to Savannah.” (You see, I get excited when things have my name because it NEVER happens. As a kid I always wanted the key chains, cups and picture frames with the preprinted names on them but they never preprinted ‘Blain’, and if they did, it was spelled ‘Blaine’ and it was always in written in blue for a boy.)

This afternoon I was going through my email and I was about to delete “Charleston’s” message when I clicked on the link again to find the location of Blaine’s Bar. That’s when it hit me. This place is a gay bar.

The description ‘Back Door’ bar, the colorful rainbow in the corner, the flexed male arm in the header, and even the word ‘gay’ on the homepage all passed me by the first time I checked this out. But now it stood out LOUD AND CLEAR. I’m dumb. And slightly disappointed.

Oh well, so Blaine’s is a gay bar; probably not some place I would want to hang out during Jackie’s bachelorette weekend. But hey…at least Blaine’s is Savannah’s ONLY no cover gay place to party! Ha ha YES!


Maybe I should just travel to Blaine’s Pub in San Angelo, TX!

Meet "Charleston"

Obviously you have heard me speak of this individual named “Charleston” several times. Well I think its long overdue to give “Charleston” a formal introduction on The Sweetest Thing.

“Charleston’s” real name is Matthew and he is the most amazing person I have ever met. He adopted the name “Charleston” the afternoon I met him on September 19, 2009 at the NC State/Gardner-Webb football game at Carter Finley. Because he was a graduate of UNC and attending an NC State football game with a high school buddy, he refused to wear an actual NC State T-shirt, therefore, he opted for a grey and red College of Charleston T. While tailgating that afternoon, for-the-life-of-me I couldn't remember his name, so… I began calling him Charleston because it was written across his chest. The rest was history.

There are not enough kind words in a dictionary to describe Matt. He has such a caring and compassionate personality that it is infectious. Matthew is genuine. He is committed. Matthew is real, honest and willing.

Often times people say they love another for the way they make them feel or what the other does for them. I beyond doubt love Matt for Matt, not for what he does for me. In every definition he is who he is and it makes me appreciate him SO much. How he makes me feel and what he does for me is simply an amazing added bonus.

Matt is the middle child of a very loving family; sandwiched between two sisters. He grew up in the Myers Park area of Charlotte and graduated in 2002 from Myers Park High School. He attended UNC and graduated with a degree in Business Administration. Matthew lives in Greensboro, NC and works for Kotis Properties as an Assistant Property Manager. Matt loves to hunt and fish. (Even though he will say he USED to hunt and fish until he met this “shorty” in Charlotte that has began to occupy his weekends ;) Hey..I am not pulling any arms here :))

He is a die hard UNC fan and could probably live off of chicken fingers if he had the choice. He prefers the beach over the mountains and would be the happiest man if he had his dream job of chartering 50’ Hatteras boats off the North Carolina coast. He has a passion for traveling and biting his finger nails. He is an excellent cook and loves to take his frustration out on a treadmill. His favorite color is blue to match his gorgeous eyes and if you were to see him out, do not be surprised if he has on a button-up, Seven jeans and New Balance tennis shoes; it’s how he is comfortable. He can sleep for an impressive twelve hours on any given night but can stay up ‘till the wee hours of the morning with the best of them. He takes his coffee black and his food extra spicy. He can be sarcastic when needed but also charming, witty and stunningly handsome at the same time (I’m not bias at all :))

Matt is admirable; he has a type of patience that is beyond belief. He has the ability to make you smile, giggle, cry and laugh-out-loud all in the same sentence…maybe even a loud snort at the end! He is outspoken but reflective. He is the kind of person that will stand his ground in his beliefs but also willing to admit his faults without a battle. His friends respect him as well as everyone that comes in contact with him.

I have never met anyone like Matt. When out of the clear blue, he puts his arm around me, kisses me on the forehead, and pulls me in tight for a hug on Aisle 9 of the Harris Teeter on a busy Sunday afternoon, I know instantly it was meant for me to have met “Charleston.”

I want to do whatever it takes to support him and his dreams . I want to make him happy and I want to make him proud for one reason….because he deserves it.

Meet “Charleston”

A.K.A: Matt

I love him...I really do...isn't he just the cutest.... :)

Acoustic Syndicate

Tonight “Charleston” and I are headed to Visulite Theater here in Charlotte to see Acoustic Syndicate.

I AM E-X-C-I-T-E-D ! ! ! !

I heard them for the first time my freshman year of college in 2002 and have been a fan ever since.

Their CD’s are the roll-your-car-windows-down-in-the-spring-time-and-sing-to-the-top-of-you-lungs kinds of CDs.

You will fall in love with every song and every note.

If you are not familiar with them or their music, check them out here: Acoustic Syndicate

Some of my favorite songs that you are going to have to listen to on either Grooveshark, Pandora or any other free music websites are:

Try As I May

Rainbow Rollercoaster

Believe

Long Way Round

Red Birds

Carry The World

Been There Again

Better For This

A Sailor Suit

Yeah for Acoustic and other small bands from the mountains of North Carolina!!!!

A little REMINDER....

"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans."

Happy Thursday Friends!

Kids Rock Part 2

Last year I blogged about one of the most amazing group of kids; PS22.

The PS22 Chorus is an elementary school chorus from Public School 22 in Graniteville, Staten Island (New York). It is comprised of 60-70 fifth-graders, and is directed by Gregg Breinberg. Gregg is such in inspiration of a teacher. He has these kids interested, addicted and passionate about music. His work building this chorus to what it is today is absolutely amazing!

Well...these kids are at it again. Recently they preformed with Celtic Woman at Radio City Music Hall. AMAZING!

Check out my last year's post here: Kids Rock Part 1
(Honestly, their video showing them singing Viva La Vida by Coldplay on this past post has to be my MOST favorite song they have ever done! It brightens any day just listening to them and seeing their passion through their music puts a pep in my step.

New Works:

I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!




This has to be so cool to be able to sing about the city you are growing up in!

My Room Overhaul

My room needed an overhaul.

When Anna, Leann and I moved into our new apartment I didn’t add anything “new” except for my desk. Things FELT new because they were in a new room but it was the same stuff and I couldn’t bare it any longer.

My room did not have a “theme” or a color scheme. It was stuff that I loved but none of it needed to be together.

I wanted something “girlie-romantic.” The only things I wanted to keep were my light mustard yellow sheets and the large canvas painting I bought from IKEA that is over my bed. Everything else was fair game to trash.

Therefore, as “Charleston” would say, “I seriously shop-attacked.”

I went straight to West Elm and found a lilac duvet cover; lilac was going to be my dominant color.

I then started on the far end of South Boulevard near I-485 and worked my way 10 miles back towards uptown hitting every “home store” from The Dollar Store to Pier One.

I purchased my room in a matter of 4 hours from Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, World Market, Big Lots, Anne’s Linens, The Dollar Store, Home Depot, Lowes, Pier One and West Elm. I price shopped and ran back and forth between the good deals. I had a vision of what I wanted.

I purchased:
- A duvet cover – West Elm
- Two Euro pillow shams – West Elm

(this is not my room....but it is my duvet and pillow shams!)

- TV stand and tea light candle holders– Target

- Purple accent pillow – West Elm

- White Dust ruffle – Bed Bath and Beyond

- Yellow Accent Pillow – Pier One

- Two Vase Candle Holders – Big Lots

- Various shades of purple candles – Dollar Store

- Flower arrangement and a candle holder – Bed Bath and Beyond

- Wallpaper (sample pieces to frame above my dresser) - Lowes

All of that combined with my sheets, the IKEA canvas painting and new hardware for my dresser drawers from Restoration Hardware and….

(My sheets)

(Painting from Ikea)

(drawer pull)

(drawer knob)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way it all turned out!
Mom and Dad came on Saturday and installed a ceiling fan for me that is gorgeous and tied the entire room together!

I have moved apartments/houses 6 times since leaving Kernersville for college and out of all the bedrooms I have had, this one is my absolute favorite. Blain’s retreat!

Ill post final project pics this week!

"Oh, my baby girl has finally come home." - Sweet Home Alabama

She’s coming home tomorrow.

I know she misses me dearly and her hometown of Charlotte.

She has been with my dad all week and I have been on edge to see her again.

Last Sunday night, on my way back from Greensboro to Charlotte, an I-85 pothole gobbled my baby and left her crippled….totally gimp on her driver front side.

Yes, that’s right…

I was down-and-out last Sunday on the side of I-85 right before Exit 111 at High Point University….at 9:00pm.

NOT COOL.

I hit a pothole. My front driver side tire blew and I flew off the road into the center median.

I Called “Charleston”. He came. Helped me change my tire. (Thank goodness I wasn’t that far out of Greensboro/Kernersville!)

I Called the 5-O. They came with flashing blue lights and parked behind me so the massive 18-wheelers and other lunatics would slow down while we were taking care of business.

I Called Dad. He met me on the side of I-85 to switch cars so I wouldn’t have to ride back to Charlotte on the puney doughnut some call a tire.

So….

Dad took my crippled car and headed back to Kernersville and I took my dad’s older ’92 Honda Accord (his drive-the-crap-out-of-so-we-don’t-put-miles-or-dirt-on-his-new-Tacoma truck)and continued my journey back to Charlotte.

Dad kept her in Kernersville all week. She got a brand new set of front tires and hopefully a little car spa treatment ;)

Mom and Dad are coming tomorrow to visit for the day and to bring my baby back to me. I can’t wait. I miss her. I have been pimpin’ the Old Honda Accord around the city all week and I am just not sure she is made for city life. The people here do not have the patience for her. When backing out of a parking space, you put the car in reverse, back out, stop, put it in drive and wait for it…wait for it…wait for it…..now go. You have to wait 5 minutes for the car to switch into gear (ok I exaggerate just a little) but still….. People in these parts of town don’t have that kind of patience they do in Kernersville.

I have had more horns blown at me this week than ever for holding up the Harris Teeter parking lot waiting for my ride to switch into gear; pulling out onto South Blvd, peddle to the metal and still not getting fast enough before someone is on my ass.

This car is ready to be back in the slower life in Kernersville and I want my baby back.

I am like a kid on Christmas in anticipation to get behind her wheel again and give her some love.

Here are some pictures of my car’ identical twin sister who is waiting to be adopted:
Anyone interested?!!!

Doesn't she have the cuttest butt! :)

More & Better

Lauren pointed it out to me that Pastor Steven had a very good post today on his blog. There is SO much truth packed into these few words that it is simply awesome. Today's post by Pastor Steven is one that we all can and should visit often in our experiences and in our lives.


More & Better
by: Steven Furtick

Ephesians 3:20 is one of my all time favorite verses:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…

That’s a hot one right there. An astonishing promise. God can do so much more than what you’re expecting. His performance isn’t limited to the confines of your imagination. The implications of this statement are hard to believe…but simple to understand. It’s a straightforward fact:
The wildest dreams you can conceive don’t even compare to the endless power of God.

I must have quoted that verse hundreds of times. And every time I do, I kind of interpret it this way:
God wants to give me more of whatever I’m asking for.
If I ask for a certain level of provision, He can exceed what I need and give me even more provision.
If I ask for favor with a certain person, He can give me even more favor than I asked for with that person.

But I’ve learned that sometimes God doesn’t bless you with more of the thing you asked for.

Instead, He blesses you with something completely different. He rewards you with a different kind of currency. He switches the category altogether. Sometimes the way God exceeds our expectations isn’t by giving us more of what we think we need…He gives us something that He knows we need even more. Instead of repairing the thing that’s broken, He gives you brand new equipment.

In other words, sometimes the immeasurably more takes on a completely different form.

Instead of giving you the promotion at work, He gives you more opportunity to spend time with your family.
Instead of sending you a boyfriend, He sends you more opportunity to serve Him in your season of singleness.

Sometimes God gives you more of the same.
Sometimes He gives you something even better than that.

Be confident that whatever He gives you is the best option available.


Thanks Pastor Steven for these words!!!

Fish and Mushrooms...I Promise, Better Than It Sounds!

“Charleston” and his roommate Tyler cooked dinner Friday night for me and Lacey. Two words: “out-of-this-world amazing”! “Charleston” knows that one of my all-time favorite foods is the fish taco at Rock Bottom.

Therefore, he snooped around in his “manly” archive of Tyler Florence recipes and found Tyler’s Crispy Fish Tacos.

They were mouth-watering-I-could-have-eaten-ten fabulous. The Pink Chili Mayo made this dish and would be an excellent dipping sauce for any fish recipe! I love fish and am always looking for other ways to fix it. “Charleston” hit the nail on the head with this one. It might have to become a date-night staple.

For an appetizer I made Pioneer Woman’s Mushrooms Stuffed with Brie and let me tell you….this was the most sophisticated and easy appetizer recipe you will ever find. I have formed a strong love for mushrooms so combine that with cheese, garlic and onions…. I posted myself up by the pan of them in the kitchen Friday as I “pretended” to watch the boys cook. I think I finished off ¾ the pan all by myself! :)

Therefore, trust me on several things…

#1. If you have a dinner party and want something sophisticated and easy….Tyler Florence’s Crispy Fish tacos and Mushrooms Stuffed with Brie

#2. If you want to make your husband or wife something that will make them love you forever…Tyler Florence’s Crispy Fish tacos and Mushrooms Stuffed with Brie

#3. If you have a secret fetish with fish tacos, mushrooms, cheese, onions and garlic…..Tyler Florence’s Crispy Fish Tacos and Mushrooms stuffed with Brie

Have faith in me…put these on your menu this week!


Crispy Fish Tacos

Prep Time: 15 min
Inactive Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients
Peanut oil, for frying
2 cups panko bread crumbs*
3 eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds halibut, snapper, or other firm flesh white fish
8 corn tortillas
1/2 head napa cabbage, shredded
Pink Chili Mayo, recipe follows
Lime wedges, for garnish
*Available in the Asian section of your market.

Directions
To fry the fish: Fill a large heavy bottomed pot about 1/3 full of peanut oil. Heat to 375 degrees F. While the oil is heating, put the breadcrumbs into a shallow dish. Break the eggs into another shallow dish, season with salt and pepper, and beat them with 2 tablespoons of water. Cut the fish into 1-inch wide strips. Dip them into the egg, then coat them well with the breadcrumbs. Set aside and let them rest for 10 minutes. Cook the fish a few pieces at a time until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

To make the tacos: Heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat. Warm a corn tortilla in the pan until it softens, about 30 seconds. Place a fish strip on it, top with some of the shredded cabbage, and a big dollop of Pink Chili Mayo. Squeeze on some lime juice, roll up, and eat!

Pink Chili Mayo:
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Juice 1/2 lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the mayonnaise, sour cream, peppers, and lime juice in a blender and process to a puree. Refrigerate the mayo for 1/2 hour to let the flavors to blend; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Yield: 8 servings


Mushrooms Stuffed with Brie
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8

Ingredients
1 package White Button Mushrooms, Washed And Stems Removed
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
4 whole (to 5) Green Onions, Sliced (up To Middle Of Dark Green Part)
Splash Of White Wine (optional)
1 slice (wedge) Of Brie Cheese

Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Melt butter in large saucepan. Add mushroom caps and toss to coat in butter. Sprinkle lightly with salt and cook for 1 minute. Remove mushrooms from pan and place upside down in a baking dish.
In the same saucepan (without cleaning it) throw in garlic, parsley, and green onions. Sprinkle very lightly with salt and splash in wine, if using. Stir around until wine evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Cut rind off of brie wedge, then cut pieces of brie to fit each mushroom cap. Place inside, lightly pressing to anchor each piece of brie.
Top mushrooms with parsley/garlic mixture.
Place into the oven for 15 minutes, or until brie is melted.

Note: mushrooms are best when they’ve been allowed to cool slightly. Delicious

Friday's Playlist

It's going to be the longest Friday whether you are running errands or wasting away behind an office desk unless you have a solid playlist to get you until its 5:00 somewhere...

Here is my Friday playlist. Please excuse the randomness of my selection - i like it...take it or leave it!


1. Soul Sister - Train
2. All These Things That I've Done - The Killers
3. Mary May & Bobby - Joe Purdy
4. Luckiest Man - The Wood Brothers
5. Life Less Ordinary - Carbon Leaf
6. Trouble - Ray LaMontagne
7. Shout Out Loud - Amos Lee
8. Brothers and Sisters - SOJA
9. Tell Her To Come Back Home - Crooked Still
10. Forever Young - Jay Z
11. Livin' Our Love Song - Jason Michael Carol
12. Who Says - John Mayer
13. Carolina - Corey Smith
14. American Honey - Lady Antebellum
15. Girl In The Water - Josh Ritter
16. Say Hey (I Love You) - Michael Franti & Spearhead
17. Believe - Acoustic Syndicate
18. Saved By A Woman - Ray Lamontagne
19. Do You Remember - Jay Sean
20. Would You Go With Me - Josh Turner
21. Fall To Pieces - Matt Nathanson
22. Supply & Demand - Amos Lee
23. Constantly - Cross Canadian Ragweed


This should keep you occupied for awhile!
Happy Friday Friends!

All Things Maternity

So here is how our (me and Blair) blackberry messenger convo went yesterday….

Blain: Hey. Saturday, can we meet you at your house and ride with you to Matt and Katie’s for the shower?
(We have a couple’s baby shower this weekend in Kernersville)

Blair: Sure. Meet us there at 11 or 12.

Blain: Okie Dokie! Thanks sister!

Blair: Yeap

Blain: How’s my niece?

(My twin sister is pregnant with a little girl!)

Blair: She is good, just hanging in there!

Blain: Swimming around….
Still like your hair??
(Sister got her hair butchered last week; I am talking CHOPPED OFF short)

Blair: Uhhhhh kinda. I just am too lazy to fix it
Hey, if you get time today search the Internet for maternity clothes for spring..On sale.

Blain: Ok, I’ll send ya an email with some links……

So, I go online and start shopping:
#1. Maternity clothes are not cute
#2. Maternity clothes are not cheap
#3. Maternity clothes are not cute
and
#4. Maternity clothes are not cheap

I found several really cute things (hey, I might borrow them on Thanksgiving or something :))

Later in the afternoon I get this BBM message:

Blair: Sister, those clothes are cute but I should have been more specific. I am so over grey, black and white!

Blain: Well pregnant people can’t be choosers. And some of these come in more than the color that the pic is showing. That was just the cheapest stuff I could find.

Blair: an ahhh ha ha ha the day I get my ass in a bathing suit! You won’t see that!
(I sent her a link to the cutest little maternity bathing suit)

Blain: I thought it was cute! And…there might be a reason they don’t put you pregnant people in anything but black :)

Let’s be serious….bold prints, crazy patterns and bright colors can’t make you feel slimming when you become 30lbs over weight in a record 7 months.

In summary, majority of maternity clothes are so not cute and majority of maternity clothes are so not cheap. Heidi Klum is getting the hint and came out with her own line of maternity clothes that are absolutely adorable but… you have to be stinkin’ rich to buy them. Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity Apparel also have really cute stuff but $80 bucks for a top is insane.

My suggestion:
Wear the gray and black.

You’re having a kid.

You will be fat.

Enjoy this time where it is acceptable to be fat.

You will be uncomfortable.

You will spend tons of money on clothes and the spending does not stop there – you are having a kid.

You might not look “cute” all the time.

You will wear boring colors in the spring…and there is nothing you can do about it.

Just be thankful God has allowed you to have a kid and so far both kid and mommy are healthy.
Now go get you a bowl of ice cream and a pickle and lounge around in your black sweat pants and grey tank top.

PS – I can’t wait to meet my niece!!!! And my future twin "nephews" Sarah is having for me!!!
Babies Babies everywhere!

(and will someone remind me of this post when I am pregnant and complaining about cute maternity clothes!)

Flying Limbs

Saturday was gorgeous. Lately it has been so cold in Charlotte that it has been almost unbearable to step outside. With the weather on our side, “Charleston” and I decided to go for a run.
We started at my apartment on N. Graham Street uptown and ran to “Charleston’s” parent’s home on Sherwood Ave in Myers Park. It was a nice little four mile run but honestly, I have never felt so out of shape in my entire life!

My legs were SO tight and tired that I did not feel like I was going anywhere. I felt like my arms, feet, legs, toes, fingers, etc. were flying all over the place and totally out of control. Running felt like a totally new movement I had never experienced before. I felt bad when “Charleston” would have to get closer to me when passing people. I felt that if he got too close I would take him out with a flying limb!

Seriously, I felt like Phoebe in this episode of friends:

Needless to say, it wasn’t the funest activity I participated in on Saturday. When we got to “Charleston’s” parents house, we got his sister and mom to drive us back to my apartment; there was no running home for me. :)

I gotta get back into it....

BBM Conversations That Make Me Smile

Do you ever have those text message (or Blackberry messenger) conversations that just make you immediately smile ? “Charleston” does it to me all the time. Whether it is simply sending me a picture of smushy green grapes on the sidewalk outside his house that I threw out last week for the bunnies with a caption that says “Rabbits don’t eat grapes.” ... Or a picture of him at 9am still snuggled in his bed, all the while knowing that I have been up since 4am- straight up MEAN… but it still makes me smile!

Today we had this conversation……

“Charleston”: I stole a hose and spray nozzle so I can wash my car.

Blain: Baybee, from where?!!

“Charleston”: A vacant house down the street. I’ll give it back.

Blain: That’s kind of hot. You’re a little bad ass.
(hey, you have to pump your man up every now and then don't you?!)

“Charleston”: For stealing a hose??!

Blain: Yes

“Charleston”: Good to know.

Blain: Let’s just keep it to minor things though.

“Charleston”: Like your heart?

Blain: Ah love face! That’s the only BIG thing and I think you have already taken that! Are you ever going to give it back?

“Charleston”: Nope

Blain: Never??

“Charleston”: By the way, it’s mine now.

Blain: My heart or the hose?

“Charleston”: Your heart. I’ll give the hose back.
(he is stealing from me now but at least I know he is a good citizen for returning the hose :))


……And again, it made me smile.

Come on Oprah.....Seriously??

I ran across this article and it was a little irritating and embarasing. I like Oprah, I do...but stuff like this is ridiculous. I like how excited she is that the Saints won the superbowl but seriously, did she even know they won until after they booked Drew Brees on the show? Maybe, Maybe not. My guess....probably not. Come on Oprah....Seriously?

Oprah's Oops Moment with Drew Brees

by Allison Waldman

Oh, my. This is embarrassing... for Oprah. Apparently, she didn't see New Orleans Saints quarterback and Super Bowl MVP ever before in her life. How else can you explain what happened when Drew Brees was a guest on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'? Before we go to the tape, a few thoughts.

First, what does it say about the staff research on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' that something as big as Drew Brees' birthmark, clearly visible on his right cheek didn't make it into the notes?

Nobody ran a little tape on the guy? There were no football cards or an 8x10 glossy? It makes you think that somebody simply handed Oprah a set of cards and said, "Here you go. His team won the Super Bowl. He throws the ball. Go get him, O."

Clearly, Ms. O had no idea what Drew Brees looked like. She must not have watched the Super Bowl or she would have seen the birthmark on his face. She must not have seen any of the post-game appearances with Drew Brees or she would have asked someone about that mark on his face. She must not have cared very much about the interview to do the proper preparation.

Fortunately for Oprah, Drew is a good-natured guy and he laughed off her attempt to clean his face. Watch:

It's not exactly the same, but have you ever experienced this: you walk into the doctor's office. You meet with the nurse and explain what's wrong with you. The nurse writes it all down in your file and you sit and wait 30 minutes in a paper gown. The doctor walks in with your file. While you continue to wait, the doctor opens the file and just then starts to read. When they're done, they look up at you and say, "Now, what's wrong?" It's like they have not read or understood one iota of the material in the file. It's like they have no idea who you are.

Maybe it's not very much like that after all, but Oprah should be ashamed of herself for not reading the Drew Brees file before he walked out onto her stage. After all, she is Oprah. She's supposed to be better than that.

Celly-Telly Background

I think the backgrounds of cell phones say a lot about a person. Do they have a plain color, a sunset beach, a picture of their spouse, or the original home screen that came with the phone which screams you are technologically uneducated.What is the background for your cell phone?

This is the picture of my cell phone background. "Charleston" and I were in my car on the way to Raleigh!

(click picture to view larger)

Just Call Me Bonnie Blair

Every year I think I am going to pick a new sport but since the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, I have wanted to be Bonnie Blair. Speed Skating would be my sport if I were to compete in the Winter Olympics. Something about it intrigues me. I am not sure if it’s the movement, the fact that it’s simply a race against the clock, or even that it looks almost effortless…. But….. I would be all over that event like mice on cheese.

For those of you that just watch and don’t really know the rules, here is a “rule summary” of Speed Skating:

Collisions
To avoid collisions, right-of-way is given to the skater switching from the outer to the inner lane during crossovers. If there is a collision, the skater leaving the inner lane is
held responsible, unless the skater in the outer lane obstructs the other competitor.

Cutting the lines
Skaters are not allowed to cross the inner line of the curve at either end of the oval -- as defined by movable blocks placed on the ice -- to shorten the distance of the race. A violation of this rule may result in disqualification.

Disqualifications
Skaters may be disqualified from a race for the following violations:
• Making two false starts
• Crossing lines that divide the lanes
• Not changing lanes at the crossover point
• Interfering with other skaters during the lane change

In the team pursuit competition, if an individual skater is disqualified for a violation of the rules, his or her entire team is disqualified.

Falls
Skaters that fall during the race can get up and continue the event. If a skater falls just before the finish line, the time is recorded at the moment the competitor's skate crosses the line.

Fresh starts
Skaters can re-skate a race when they are victim to a serious interference, including the fall of an opponent or an obstacle on the track. If this happens, skaters are allowed 30 minutes to rest before repeating the event. The best time in the two heats will be used for the athlete's final score.

Interference
If a skater cannot stay in the inner lane within a curve because he or she is traveling at such a high speed, the athlete may cross into the other lane as long as he or she does not interfere with the competitor in the outer lane. The skater must then return to the inner lane or he or she will be disqualified.

And check out a clip from the 2009 World Cup:

Friday's Fabulous Five.... Things I LOVE

Staying with the theme of LOVE this week, here are 5 things I LOVE!

1. Bert's Bees Radiance Eye Creme. I have really dry eye lids. (I know, it sounds weird but a trait handed to me from Mother dearest. Thanks Mom.) But the area around my eyes stays dry ALL THE TIME and this is the ONLY thing I can get to work. Find it here: Bert's Bees Radiance Eye Creme

2. Honey Nut Cheerios. Honestly, there are days I have cheerios for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Seriously.

3. Peonies....Ah, Bee-u-t-full!

4. My Michael Kors Watch "Charleston" gave me for Christmas. I never leave home without it.

5. Josh Turner & His Voice...this is him on Letterman the other night. ENJOY!

LOOOOOOVE Is In The Air

So far I don’t know how we have done it. Even though there is an hour and a half between us and we both have very busy schedules, “Charleston” and I have managed to see each other EVERY weekend since September 19th. It takes some gas money and a little extra time commitment but I count my blessings that he lives in Greensboro and not somewhere like Tijuana. Whew, that wouldn’t be fun, but even then…he still would be worth it.

Tomorrow I am headed to Greensboro to spend the night with “Charleston” and then we are off to Raleigh to help Jackie and Michael celebrate their engagement on Saturday! Therefore on Fridays, I usually get to Greensboro around 4 if I get off work in time and I LOVE to already be at “Charleston’s” house before he gets off work and I LOOOOOVE to have dinner already in progress for him and his roomies. If you haven’t noticed I would LOVE to be a chef; a chef that cooks others recipes!

So long story long, this is what I am making tomorrow night!!! I hope “Charleston” will LOVE it!

Coq au Vin

Ingredients
1 whole Fryer Chicken
4 slices Bacon, Cut Into Small Pieces
½ whole Medium Onion, Diced
½ cups Carrots, Washed, Peeled, And Roughly Chopped
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 pound White Mushrooms, Sliced
2 cups Burgundy Wine
2 Tablespoons Butter
Parsley, Fresh, Minced
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions
Sauté bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium low heat until fat is rendered. Remove bacon from the skillet and set aside. Increase heat to medium.

Salt fat site of chicken pieces, then place chicken, fat side down, in skillet and cook in bacon grease until both sides are nice and golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside in a 2-quart baking dish, skin side up.

Sauté onions, carrots and garlic in bacon grease until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove from grease with slotted spoon and set aside.

In a separate skillet, sauté mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until golden, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Layer half of the bacon pieces, carrot/onion mixture, and mushrooms in pan with chicken.

Drain grease from the large skillet, then place over medium heat. Pour in 2 cups Burgundy wine, using a wire whisk to scrape loose all the burned/brown bits. Lightly salt liquid and allow to cook for 3 minutes. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

Sprinkling minced parsley over the top. Spoon juice from baking dish over the top of everything.

Crash Hot Potatoes

Ingredients
12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt To Taste
Black Pepper To Taste
Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste

Preparation Instructions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

It Is Almost That Day...

It is almost Valentine’s Day.

I have never been a HUGE Valentine’s Day person and it never really bothered me not to have a Valentine. I have actually had some pretty funny Valentines Days in college that were kind of comical…throwing up on my Valentine as he was trying to feed me chicken noodle soup while I was sick --- going to Applebee's with a good friend on Valentines Day only to find the restaurant totally empty, out of food, and the chef quit that afternoon---but anyway....
My personal opinion (and call me spoiled, call me selfish, call me whatever) but….I like “Valentines” day to occur randomly throughout the year; not just on one day.

Save your money on the jacked-up prices of roses during this weekend.

Don’t by me Chocolate; it’s almost bathing suit season.

DO NOT waste your time on anything fluffy and stuffed. What am I going to do with it seriously?

We can go to dinner because at some point we have to eat, but don’t break the bank.
(As “Charleston” told me today as he was making us plans: “Baby, I had no idea McDonald's even took reservations. We are good for 6:30.” And then I made sure he got us a cozy booth beside a window. I prefer booths over tables :) )

Just have fun with me on Valentine’s Day.

Be with me.

Hold me.

Kiss me.

Enjoy me and let me enjoy you.

If you want to get me flowers, surprise me sometime in May.

If you want to get my Chocolates….give them to me when puffy jackets are back in style.

I am all about the concept of Valentines Day: LOVE. I will celebrate this all day long, but…love to me does not mean flowers, stuffed animals, chocolates or fancy dinners.

Love is being 91.1 miles away from each other but still seeing each other every weekend for the past 20 weeks.

Love is playing multiple rounds of hangman on Blackberry Messenger throughout the day.

Love is driving 91.1 miles on a weeknight just to spend the night together and driving back at 4am the next day.

Love is offering up the idea to go see the others parents, not just to make the other happy but because you are just as excited to get to know them.

Love is making sacrifices.

Love is lying in bed at night and not saying a word but knowing exactly what the other is thinking by the way they are looking into your eyes.

Love is opening up and giving yourself to the other.

Love is wonderful and for that I will celebrate on Valentine’s Day, not the commercial stuff that goes along with it.

It's Lunch Time In America

When it’s cold, rainy and wet, for lunch, I want a hot sandwich…the cold turkey is just not going to cut it this time of year. Therefore it is so tempting to walk down to Quiznos’ and drop a whopping $8 on a hot sub. It’s easy to do as long as you don’t care you are breaking the bank and the button on your jeans.
Therefore I have come up with my own version of a hot sandwich and let me tell you, it does the trick and sooner or later, my pants might fit a little better and my bank account might be overflowing! (Ok ok, can’t a girl dream?)

Blain's Lunch Turkey Burger

Start with this:

Jennie-O 95/5 All Natural White Turkey Burgers
Serving Size: 1 burger
Calories: 180
Total Fat: 7g

Add this:

Pepperidge Farm Deli Flats
Serving Size: 1 roll
Calories: 100
Total Fat: 1g

Plus this:

Sargento Deli Style Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 60
Total Fat: 4g

Plus this:

Lettuce
Service Size: 1 piece
Calories: 10
Total Fat: 0g

And this:

Tomato
Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 4
Total Fat: 0g

And this:

French’s Yellow Mustard
Serving Size: 3 tsp
Calories: 2
Total Fat: 0g

And last but not least, totally optional if you like your co-workers…I could really care less so…

The final touch:

Onion
Serving Size: 1 ounce (a couple slices)
Calories: 11
Total Fat: 0g

All of this for a grand total of:
Total Calories: 367
Total Fat: 12g

That compared to this:

Quiznos' Mesquite Chicken
Serving Size: Regular Sub
Calories: 824
Total Fat: 15g

AND YES, BLAIN'S TURKEY BURGER PLEASE!

If you really wanted your turkey burger to be slightly healthier, you can leave off the cheese and add some more veggies. I propose maybe some sprouts? Avocado? Cucumbers?!

But…I figure if I already saved myself 457 calories and 3 grams of fat…I am having cheese.

Fair enough?

I think so.