tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24093824490011723712012-02-16T02:26:59.736-08:00Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.comBlogger1341100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-31973108139186030902011-03-29T08:34:00.000-07:002011-03-29T08:34:55.561-07:00

Last week I told you that I was reading the final book of The Hunger Games Series, Mockingjay. Pam commented that the third book got mixed reviews. I was intrigued, but didn't want to look up those reviews because I didn't want it to influence my opinion. Having finished the book (literally reading just over half of it on one Sunday morning), I have to say that I have mixed reviews of my own.

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-85154038953470638172011-03-23T09:43:00.000-07:002011-03-23T09:43:11.105-07:00

As you know, I have been reading The Hunger Games series, by Suzanne Collins (review of the books to come soon!). I am super attached to the books and as with all books that I love, I make my own personal dream cast for the potential movie. I haven't found everyone that I think would be great, but based on looks alone, I found my Peeta Mellark. My daughter LOVES "You Belong With Me" by Taylor

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-40300627020506718612011-03-21T08:00:00.000-07:002011-03-21T08:00:13.482-07:00

I have mentioned before that despite the fact that I have lived in my house for nearly two years, we still have a long way to go to furnish it. One of the purchases that we have put off was handles for the kitchen drawers and cabinets. Mainly because I was bitter that the previous owners took them as well as the blinds from every window. Between blinds/curtains and kitchen handles, we opted for

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-76895791038696660652011-03-15T09:42:00.000-07:002011-03-15T09:42:55.807-07:00

Image borrowed from Feli's Book Corner My goodness, how in the world have I lived this long without reading The Hunger Games? Of course I had heard of the series by Suzanne Collins from numerous people and blogs. It was certainly on my list of books to read, but I just never got around to it. Recently a co-worker offered to loan a copy to me, but she needed it back in a couple of weeks. I was

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-67144255872315045302011-03-07T10:42:00.000-08:002011-03-07T10:42:00.691-08:00

Well hello! My it has been a while. I have been super busy lately at work and in my home life, which leaves no time to read my favorite blogs, let alone write my own posts! I can't wait to get reaquainted with you guys! Like I said, my house is an absolute mess right now, borderline unlivable. But we have some new furniture and the rooms that are "done" are looking great! I will share some

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-35282748714202256222011-02-07T08:37:00.000-08:002011-02-07T08:37:50.939-08:00

If you were to ever meet my daughter, you would gush over how cute she is. Really, she is darling! There is so much I love about her: her giggle, her energy, her sense of humor (yes, she tells jokes!), her sweetness, just so much about her is amazing. However, an ego-boost she is not: I did laugh out loud the moment I saw this. Kids really do say the darndest things! Yes, the statement is

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-25038630477389231062011-02-03T08:19:00.000-08:002011-02-03T08:19:26.749-08:00

I recently went shopping and I wanted to share my favorite purchase with you. These amazing Rachel Roy "Roye" suede booties: They were on the top shelf of the clearance rack. I saw them and picked them up, you know, "just to look". From the front, I had expected a stilletto heel, but when I saw they were wedges, I gasped and had to try them on! They were half a size smaller than what I

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-42954684438760499662011-01-31T21:27:00.000-08:002011-02-05T18:25:15.213-08:00

It is very rare that I watch TV shows during its original airing. In some ways, DVR has ruined my social life, but whatever. So, recently we caught up with American Idol and on one of last week's episodes there was this young lady and she blew me away. Enough that I just had to blog about her. Watch the entire video, she sings twice! Sorry, Faith, but young Lauren Alaina sang your song

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-51782103131792153082011-01-27T11:40:00.000-08:002011-01-27T11:40:58.379-08:00

There are so many things in life that I would love to splurge on: clothes, shoes, purses, jewelry, makeup - gosh, I could really go on and on. Sadly, I usually don’t have the funds to backup my outrageous shopping cravings and have to settle on less luxurious stuff. However, the one thing that I believe takes precedence over all other material things is my home. We moved into our house in June of

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-40554448619075874552011-01-24T10:19:00.000-08:002011-01-24T10:19:25.592-08:00

Having children is expensive. It is the most expensive venture a person will take on. Adding to the cost of your own children is other people's children. This time of year seems to be the birthday season. Everytime I check my daughter's folder at her daycare, there seems to always be an invitation in there. Bella and I have different reactions to seeing an envelope in her folder: as Bella

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-69929373828904083902011-01-14T15:55:00.000-08:002011-01-14T15:55:26.707-08:00

This was a fun little drawing that my five-year-old made for me of our small family. She was very cute and told me that it says, "Mom, Bella and Dad." I had to point out that, "Umm, I think that says 'bab', honey." She looked at it and giggled. In addition to "bab", there are a ton of things about this picture that would make one smile: the flower being bigger than the child, the fact that my

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-48794372246843904652011-01-10T09:09:00.000-08:002011-01-10T09:09:08.340-08:00

Saturday marked my one week abstinence from soda, which included a kid's birthday party, thank you very much! I find it hardest to to resist at home since my house is stocked full of soda. I was tempted several times at the birthday party to indulge in one cup of soda, just one! But I know myself, and the moment I start, I won't be able to stop again. One week down, 51 more to go! On another

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-81931664193262888502011-01-02T15:08:00.000-08:002011-01-02T15:08:03.642-08:00

Less than half of the American population will stay committed to their New Year's Resolution past the six month mark. Every year, I make the same resolutions and every year, I break them. Instead of the habitual "I will lose weight this year!" I have decided to modify that goal with another one that is equally as weight-loss involved and possibly more difficult. I am quitting soda. Yes, yes.

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-22790384441829881352011-01-01T21:14:00.000-08:002011-01-01T21:17:21.510-08:00

Happy New Year! Yes, I have been absent from blogging, yet again! With New Year's comes all those wonderful resolutions just waiting to be broken! But more on that when it isn't so late in the day. My New Year's Eve was rather mellow. John and I played with one of his Christmas presents - an electronic dartboard (with built in trash-talking feature!). At midnight, we allowed Bella to play with

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-7930013737674154252010-11-24T10:05:00.000-08:002010-11-24T10:05:24.774-08:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. The day that I am supposed to acknowledge all that I am thankful for. But today? Today is my day to acknowledge the crappy last few days that I have had. Last week, I had car troubles. Took the car to get fixed, spent a little over $200 to "fix" it, then got stuck in Seattle and had the car towed 45 miles or so. Monday was the worst though. It snowed heavily on

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-60449007067390592082010-11-12T14:23:00.000-08:002010-11-12T14:23:33.457-08:00

Went to the Usher concert on Wednesday night. AMAZING! It was quite the eventful night outside of the concert itself. I left work at lunch in order to get some last minute accessories and to ensure I had enough time to get ready. Concert was at 7:30 and dinner with the girls around 5:30 meant I had to leave my house at 4:00. I got a text from John around 2:30 letting me know that his first

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-26511316399574163122010-11-02T08:50:00.000-07:002010-11-02T08:50:25.202-07:00

I had a mini OMG moment! Again, it is one of those times where I win nothing of substantial value. I didn't even win the contest. But recognition for something really got my heart palpitating. Janet Reid held a contest to win Betsey Lerner's The Forest for the Trees. I had actually already bought a copy of the book when she first mentioned it, but entered the contest for fun anyway. On Saturday

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-22772049649033741272010-10-26T07:30:00.000-07:002010-10-26T07:30:00.749-07:00

Wow, another book review! This is very unlike me. But I had put The Secret Year, by Jennifer R. Hubbard on hold at the library and it finally came in. I have been wanting to read it ever since I first read about it from Nathan Bransford's blog and was super excited to read it right away! From the book jacket: Colt was with Julia for a year, but nobody else knew about it. Julia lived on

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-5710676880707499262010-10-20T22:14:00.000-07:002010-10-20T22:14:55.405-07:00

Alright, so my weight gain last week wasn't all Aunt Flo's fault. I had gained weight overall, but I am down from last week. I am down 2.2 lbs. I have been so good today, having eaten a banana for breakfast, half of a very genetically altered large fuji apple, and half of a taco salad for lunch. Ok, fine, I will also come clean about my can of Coke that I guzzled at lunchtime too. That's all I

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-35422079993428352532010-10-19T07:30:00.000-07:002010-10-19T07:30:01.373-07:00

 Image courtesy of Trashionista I was in Target (or for you bourgeoisie, Targé) about a year ago and decide to browse their discounted books. Being the superficial girl that I am, I picked up The Godmother, by Carrie Adams because of its pretty cover. Sadly, this is how I meet a lot of my favorite books, their covers. I admit it: I judge a book by its cover. Anyway, I hadn’t heard of The

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-48319475631978738432010-10-18T11:02:00.000-07:002010-10-18T11:02:58.511-07:00

Normally, I set my alarm for 6:00. I shower at night, so it takes me about 45 minutes to get ready. For the last three weeks, I have set my alarm at 5:00 am with the intention of walking on my treadmill for thirty minutes and then having enough time to shower right afterward. For the last three weeks I have hit the snooze button until 5:45. But today? Today was a success! I woke up at 5:00 (

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-87823368339759939822010-10-13T08:27:00.000-07:002010-10-13T08:31:03.437-07:00

I shall keep it short and simple. This was not a good weigh-in (warning: TMI coming up!) and I would like to blame Aunt Flo for this one since she is visiting me this week. I have tickets to the Usher concert in November. I am hoping this will encourage me to lose some weight so I can get all kinds of cute for him! Current Weight: 209.4 lbs. Random Bella Moment: Bella: Mommy, I am all done

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-80367112074886382912010-10-11T09:37:00.000-07:002010-10-11T14:22:30.191-07:00

Lauren and I have again bought season tickets to The 5th Avenue Theatre. This is our second year as season ticket holders and one of Lauren's college roommates, Fernanda, decided to join us this year. The more the merrier! We went to our first play of the season last night, "In the Heights". Per The 5th Ave's website: "...In the Heights tells a universal story set in Manhattan's Washington

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-75444654829346212422010-10-07T14:31:00.000-07:002010-10-07T14:33:54.613-07:00

No, not the lottery. No, not a literary agent. No, not my battle with weight (yet!). I have won immortality!!! Muah-ha-ha-ha! Well, kind of. I helped name the Thursday title posts for Melissa! Yay me. Ok, ok, so I didn't win a trophy, but I really was genuinely excited to see it. Go check it out. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go win some money from a radio station. I am feelin'

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-65789338072527701822010-10-06T16:43:00.000-07:002010-10-06T16:43:24.042-07:00

I have decided that there isn't anything wrong with constantly "starting over" on my diet. Actually, starting over on anything repeatedly is fine by me. I mean, it's better than giving up, right? Ok, so my convictions aren't very committed. But here I am again. Starting over. Last Wednesday I wrote a post, but didn't publish it because I re-read it and was super ashamed. As a matter of fact, I

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-58109456081511876962010-10-05T10:53:00.000-07:002010-10-05T10:53:41.375-07:00

Last night was my first visit to the gym in... umm... well, it's actually been so long I don't even remember the last time I went! I didn't do any kind of physical activity for the entire month of September - unless you count hefting up my big behind to go get some Tillamook's Limited Edition Grandma's Cake Batter Ice Cream. That's right, Limited Edition. My boot camp fee is $64.07 and my gym is

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-19284792471233892822010-10-01T10:58:00.000-07:002010-10-01T10:58:12.395-07:00

TGIF, people! And welcome to Breast Cancer Awareness month. In honor of this cause, I am wearing my obligatory pink. Are you? Fridays really are the best days of the week. Ok, maybe Saturdays are, but it is going to be a beautiful (and certainly unusual for this time of year) 75 degrees today! In keeping with the whole pink theme, here is a beautiful pair of shoes that I have been lusting

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-8818249934700945392010-09-28T11:20:00.000-07:002010-09-28T11:20:05.979-07:00

My Bella. What a handful that girl is. She is just the cutest thing in the world - for the most part. Last night? Not so much. While Daddy was watching football, Bella and I were upstairs hanging out in the master bedroom. One too many times Bella "accidentally" kicked me. When I had reached my limit, I sent her to her room. No yelling, just a firm, "Bella, you need to go to your room." As she

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-70876940454408774262010-09-22T15:39:00.000-07:002010-09-22T15:39:18.539-07:00

Has anyone noticed the lack of posts lately? Well, I have. It has everything to do with my lack of exercising and dieting. A few weeks back, my right hip was hurting pretty badly. But it was one of those things that I figured would go away on its own. Well, it didn't. Three weeks of aches and limping caused me to finally call my doctor. That same week, I had stopped running and going to the

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-25969699424042769282010-08-26T09:56:00.000-07:002010-08-26T09:56:28.036-07:00

Something devastating happened to me last Wednesday (ok, not quite as devastating as my story from yesterday). I am a member of Bally's gym. I pay a grand total of $9.63 a month for my membership, which includes child care while I work out. But you get what you pay for: the gym is older and so is the equipment, the child care area is a room with a TV, a whole bunch of VHS tapes, and toys.

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-55096658364592121312010-08-24T13:35:00.000-07:002010-08-24T13:35:11.904-07:00

Let me tell you a little story about my day yesterday. While at work, I left my post at the receptionist desk to check the fax machine. As I was coming back to my desk, a woman was waiting to be helped. This woman was very oddly shaped. She was about a size 14 from her chest up and like a 22 or 24 below. Ok, normally I don't comment on a woman's size, but this woman was wearing spandex from head

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-78278762240202289542010-08-10T11:27:00.000-07:002010-08-10T11:28:34.849-07:00

I have been in a funk lately. A diet/exercise/health funk. I struggle with this constantly. Since my brother's wedding way back in June, I have checked out of living healthy. I have since gained back a little over 10 pounds. I am shamed. I realized that I needed something other than the idea of having a fit body to motivate me because, frankly, that just seems so out of reach right now. I

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-50331709483424596712010-07-26T22:44:00.000-07:002010-08-09T09:41:36.756-07:00

Is it possible to experience the big "O" by eating chocolate? I say, quite possibly, yes. Last Saturday I went to Oh! Chocolate with my girlfriends. It is a fancy chocolate truffles store and they offer a chocolate class for $59. It was worth every penny. When we walked to the far end of the store, there were two large marble-top tables covered with wax paper. When resting my forearms on the

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-33804353945213507272010-07-13T09:11:00.000-07:002010-07-13T09:11:49.835-07:00

I thought I would open today's post with my own version of Jeff Foxworthy's "You know you're a redneck if..." because of all the incidents I have had lately regarding my, um, how shall I put it? Largeness. So, you know you are a fatty if... ... family that hasn't seen you in a while tell you how much weight it looks like you have lost, but you are still not able to fit in your bridesmaid dress.

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-27417575263909480032010-07-12T11:30:00.000-07:002010-07-12T11:30:31.107-07:00

I feel like a television show with a special new episode to celebrate the big 100! Anyway, to comemorate this blog milestone, I have decided to introduce a new blog format. I was inspired a little while ago by Pam  when she changed it up on her old blog and dedicated each day to a specific topic. I am not saying that I am guaranteeing a post every day, but with a specific structure I may be

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-21865120587198338132010-07-05T21:26:00.000-07:002010-07-05T21:26:01.443-07:00

Oh my goodness, has it really been nearly a month since I last blogged?! Have I really been devoid of thought for the last three and a half weeks? Actually, it is the complete opposite. I have just been so busy with work, my brother's wedding (which happened two Fridays ago) and having family in town that I haven't been able to find the time to do any extracurriculars, like blogging. As a matter

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-42138445397228791922010-06-09T09:57:00.000-07:002010-06-09T09:57:08.719-07:00

Oh you guys will be so proud of me! I have lost 2.6 pounds this week! I implemented the circuit training that my boot camp trainer recommended which includes five minutes on the Stairmaster at level six, followed by 15 push-ups, 15 shoulder lifts (again, I am making the names up), and 15 tricep curls. I had to do this four times. The Stairmaster portion was brutal because I normally do it at

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-83491835149182414312010-06-02T08:26:00.000-07:002010-06-02T08:26:22.040-07:00

One more pound gone! Not quite my two pounds a week goal, but we will be celebrating the small victories! I figure I need to lose at least ten more pounds by the 25th in order to fit into my bridesmaid dress. I tried it on last week and whaddya know - it zips! But I can't sit. Or breathe. The dress looks like crap on because everything is being squished and pinched out the top. In reality, I

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-68084916408768332882010-05-27T11:18:00.000-07:002010-05-27T11:19:22.605-07:00

My legs are still killing me from Monday. I still went jogging at 5:00 am this morning. I. Am. Unstoppable. 'Nuff said.

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-16726300562064988252010-05-26T09:32:00.000-07:002010-05-26T09:32:33.596-07:00

I am back in Onderland. Hopefully my stay will be longer than two weeks! I lost 2.4 pounds this week. I am positive the weight loss had everything to do with boot camp on Monday. My legs are still sore! Let me share with you the workouts that we had to do at boot camp on Monday... ***Disclosure! I don't know all of the terms of the workouts, so they may be a little off. Bear with me.*** Like I

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-91906408441261651242010-05-25T08:57:00.000-07:002010-05-25T08:57:49.731-07:00

At six o'clock last night, my palms were sweating and my heart rate was elevated from anxiety. I was driving to my very first *gulp* boot camp class! That's right, I, Princess Melanie, went to boot camp. My body has pateaued with the workouts I keep repeating at the gym. I know I could lose weight faster if I could just watch what I ate. But apparently I would rather torture my body with

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-66740479463639259642010-05-21T09:53:00.000-07:002010-05-21T16:23:24.075-07:00

Blogging cousins, Pam and Marquita, are followers of YA Highway who posted a question that I loved so much that I have to blog about it. The question of the week was, "What tattoo would you get to pay homage to a favorite book or celebrate the success of your own?" I don't know that there is a book out there that I love so much that I would get it tattooed on me. But I do have one completed

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-20547296361309692912010-05-19T08:58:00.000-07:002010-05-19T08:58:17.577-07:00

Well, that was a short visit to Onederland - I gained two pounds. I was so disappointed with myself that I decided not to post anything today. Then I started thinking about how the first step would be to stop the blogging on weight loss and the second step would just to stop the weight loss plan altogether. I don't want to fall into that trap. So here I am. Tail between my legs, admitting to

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-36346574736503602842010-05-17T09:46:00.000-07:002010-05-17T09:49:51.245-07:00

I want to write, I really do, but between my 8-5 job, my quest to the land of Skinnybitchdom, house chores, and spending time with the fam, I find that writing is the last thing I have time for. I know I am not the only working mom out there that likes to write, so how do you do it? Here is a breakdown of my Monday through Friday schedule: 6:00-7:20 Wake up, get myself ready and my daughter

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-15091876423213798902010-05-12T08:34:00.000-07:002010-05-12T08:39:34.380-07:00

That, my friends, is me sweating out an eighth of the cheeseburger I ate at lunch yesterday. Only the Stairmaster (a.k.a. Ass Kicker!) can make me sweat that much in such a short amount of time. But I love it! The hardest part for me is finding the motivation to get to that super sweaty phase. But once I am there, it is awesome! To me, nothing feels sexier than when I am working out hard and I

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-24697408956099344722010-05-10T08:28:00.000-07:002010-05-10T08:28:22.010-07:00

That's right! I got a Kindle for Mother's Day for being such an awesome mama! I was so excited that I cried! Actual tears of joy streaming down my face. I was a bit embarrassed by my reaction because I hate to seem so materialistic! But John did really good this year. John knew I was interested in a Kindle after a co-worker brought hers in and I fell in love with it. Then I told him about how I

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-75655515604293009892010-05-06T11:07:00.000-07:002010-05-06T11:16:33.911-07:00

I hate running. Hate it. Give me the elliptical, the stairmaster, and even the bike (my second least favorite machine!) and I will be ok. But running is the ultimate evil! It probably has a lot to do with that fact that I have too much body jiggling around. But I was inspired by Body by Pizza to start running. A co-worker gave me a running schedule that she followed when she first started

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-11855546444983660182010-05-05T11:13:00.000-07:002010-05-05T11:13:36.150-07:00

Welcome to Weigh-In Wednesday #18, where I can proudly say that I am in the 100s!!! For your viewing pleasure: I have recently started reading a lot of weight-loss blogs and I have come to find that everone cleverly calls the 100s "Onederland". I dig it. And now I am officially part of it - barely! This means that I have lost two pounds this past week. Really, though, it should've been more

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-49387798207075017562010-05-04T08:53:00.000-07:002010-05-04T09:00:49.359-07:00

Drinking water is good for you. I know that. I have heard a ton of different wonderful things about water in relation to the well-being of one's body. Other than being good for your skin (which I totally need to improve!), it is supposed to help you lose weight for a number of reasons, including: 1.) You burn 12 calories by drinking cold water (however, your body absorbs water better at room

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-24414477064924724692010-04-30T13:54:00.000-07:002010-04-30T13:54:16.806-07:00

If ever there was a word that I am deathly afraid of, it would be *cringe*: Budget. As in a financial budget. Like, with money. My brain can't really comprehend the meaning of "living within my means". Unfortunately, at 28-years-old, it is finally time for me to grow up and figure this shit out. So here it is folks. After all of my credit card bills, house bills, food bills, car insurance

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-87722275133905866152010-04-28T08:23:00.000-07:002010-04-28T08:23:36.239-07:00

After a week on The Diet (with a hiccup of chocolate birthday cake and grape juice on Sunday) and five hardcore gym days where I tackled this beast... I am pleased to announce a four pound weight loss! Yay me! I was getting into the habit of weighing myself everyday and got down to 200 pounds as of Monday, but it didn't stick. I am going to try very hard to wait to weigh myself again until

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-76490395024564478372010-04-21T08:54:00.000-07:002010-04-21T08:54:53.906-07:00

I was watching The Biggest Loser last night and Ashley had lost four pounds in one week, which, to her, was very disappointing. I don't know about you, but if I lost four pounds in one week, I would be willing to run the risk of being disowned by all of my friends and calling them at 6:00 am to celebrate my four pound achievement. It takes me two months to lose four pounds and it took Ashley a

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-24398159716363813782010-04-20T08:53:00.000-07:002010-04-20T08:53:26.246-07:00

Desperate times calls for desperate measures. We are back on The South Beach Diet (a.k.a. The Diet or SBD)! Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to go to the grocery store over the weekend, so I decided to fast yesterday to try and cleanse my system of the BBQ and carb filled weekend I had. Besides, I'm catholic, we like to fast. Also, Lauren put it best when she did the Hollywood 48-Hour

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-22525642915224098272010-04-16T10:49:00.000-07:002010-04-16T10:49:00.427-07:00

I went to the AIRobics class again last night and actually thought to take pictures. I just had my phone with me, so we couldn't get any usable action shots. Here is Lauren and I striking a pose during the first break. We are starting to get some beautiful weather here in Washington. Perfect for those lunch time walks. I am debating buying a pair of Skechers Shape Ups to add a little umph to my

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-51986722603518660572010-04-15T09:26:00.000-07:002010-04-15T09:26:07.498-07:00

I love thinking outside the box when it comes to exercising. Yesterday, a co-worker, April, took Lauren and I out to the batting cages during our lunch break. Lauren and I have never gone to the batting cages before. The last time I held a bat was when I was struck out over and over again during team sports days in elementary school. I sucked. But going to the batting cages sounded like fun; you

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-79868824461279996152010-04-14T09:35:00.000-07:002010-04-14T09:35:15.387-07:00

It is Weigh-In Wednesday #15. Someone is messing with my emotions. Let me explain... Yesterday was the first day back to the gym because I have been sick for a couple of weeks. The last time I had gone was on April 2nd. No exercise = no weight loss. I know this, no big deal. On top of that, my friends and I celebrated a birthay on Saturday. This party included pizza, hot wings, and gooey

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-42534947984534896572010-04-13T14:59:00.000-07:002010-04-13T15:00:42.236-07:00

It's been a good long while since I have posted anything about writing. The main reason for that is because I haven't really been writing anything. My current story has been untouched for a few weeks now and has stalled at just over 10,000 words. I still like the idea of it, but haven't found any motivation to write it. Then, last Tuesday, I got an idea for another story. I started to put it on

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-77115696048096329912010-04-07T09:06:00.000-07:002010-04-07T09:06:55.080-07:00

Been a bad week. Caught two seperate viruses in the last two weeks. Not much gym action here. Weight still being maintained though. I am currently at 208.6 lbs. I went to the doctor's office yesterday to check out my sore throat. Have you ever been tested for strep? It is not pleasant. They take a mile long Q-Tip and swab the very back of your throat. I just about threw up. It kind of caught me

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-89524565280322270582010-04-06T09:24:00.000-07:002010-04-06T11:14:13.359-07:00

Ok, I have reached a whole nother level of inappropriateness. If you don't know, my first venture into Creepy Old Lady mode is when I realized that I have a crush on this boy young man: But how could I not?! He is just so darn cute. And those baby blues! Don't get me started. Vanessa Hudgens is a lucky girl - have I mentioned that she is half Filipino? I already have a foot in the door - stop

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-1888752080067795622010-03-31T08:49:00.000-07:002010-03-31T08:49:26.255-07:00

I warned you that this was going to be a bad week since I was getting sick. It wasn't my worst case scenario, but I did gain 1.2 pounds. A lot of that is due to Germaine throwing a party on Sunday and she always has the best dishes! If you watch The Biggest Loser, you will know that Sunshine lost six pounds and is now at 202. I know I won't be able to keep up with her weight-loss, but I am

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-38739727794126001892010-03-26T11:58:00.000-07:002010-03-26T12:01:13.059-07:00

First, let me share with you a wonderful new blogger - my bestie, Germaine! When I first started my blog, I suggested that she start one herself because she is just a funny gal. So I am super excited that she actually decided to start one! She has some posts up and it is already looking to be very promising! Next subject: SHOPPING! If any of you know about this new find of mine and never told

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-86416569555456603802010-03-25T09:04:00.000-07:002010-03-25T09:04:48.207-07:00

Yes, I missed my Weigh-In Wednesday yesterday. No, not because I was avoiding the scale. I have a very legitimate excuse - I woke up with 20 minutes to get ready for work. Weighing myself was the last thing I thought about when I ripped the covers off and flew out of bed. Even though I didn't weigh myself yesterday, I kind of knew how much I weighed. See, I have a pair of pants that fit me -

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-28745384155424587362010-03-23T13:24:00.000-07:002010-03-23T13:24:31.396-07:00

I bought my mom a Pilates DVD and balance ball from Costco like 10 years ago. Thus far, the DVD has never been taken out of its case and the balance ball has mainly been used as a seat or for my daughter to bounce and roll on. Since my mom wasn't using it, she gave me permission to take it home. I have never done Pilates (which my mom pronounces as "Pie-laits" - she is so cute!) so don't know

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-71865468648059963592010-03-17T11:26:00.000-07:002010-03-17T11:26:50.301-07:00

Two posts in one day? Oh my! Well, just a note to say Happy Guinness - ahem - I mean, Happy St. Patrick's Day! When dropping my daughter off at daycare, there was a boy that was not wearing any green. One of the girls looks at him and says, "You're supposed to wear green today. If you're not wearing green, you will get punched!" My how the rules have changed since I was in elementary school.

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-86006997183860099952010-03-17T09:00:00.000-07:002010-03-17T09:00:42.147-07:00

No change this week. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Better than gaining, right? I actually worked out really hard to the point that my body was sore this entire week. And let's not forget AIRobics! So, if I really worked out that hard, why didn't I lose any weight? Let me introduce you to Brooklyn Brothers Pizza. Now, let me clarify that I like pizza, but it wouldn't be in my top ten foods to eat before I

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-52017481000378142962010-03-12T09:21:00.000-08:002010-03-12T09:21:20.538-08:00

Dull workout routine? Try something outside the box. We have found the funnest workout EVER! Trampoline AIRobics! Sky High Sports in Bellevue is a trampoline arena. You need to seriously check out the gallery on their website and you might understand how much fun I had last night. It was an hour long class of sweat, laughter, some pain, and pure childhood fun. I haven't been on a trampoline for

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-27992247079262932792010-03-10T08:26:00.000-08:002010-03-10T08:31:37.594-08:00

Oy vey. One week on, one week off - I gained 1.4 pounds. The working out four days a week has been a bit of a problem for me. I am barely doing two days a week. But I finally ripped open Jenny McCarthy's Your Shape for the Wii and tried it at 5:00 a.m. on Monday morning. Thanks to virtual Jenny, my quads were sore all day yesterday. For those of you that don't know, Your Shape uses a camera

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-64608879585048380952010-03-04T11:18:00.000-08:002010-03-04T11:31:47.905-08:00

*Disclosure!!! By no means am I a culinary expert. I enjoy what I enjoy and I like to put in my two cents for, well, basically everything. So take this "review" with a grain of salt! This past weekend, I went to a new restaurant. I love trying new places and love it even more when the restaurant is amazingly awesome. Trust me, Spur Gastropub was amazingly awesome. Their menu is available on

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-19153895144942620022010-03-03T09:05:00.000-08:002010-03-03T09:05:27.106-08:00

Slow and steady wins the race! I have dropped a very satisfying 3.2 pounds this week! My weight loss is surprising considering the Red Lobster biscuit excitement on Friday, the drinking and pork belly sandwiches on Saturday, the Costco pizza on Saturday (AND some leftovers on Sunday!), and the 800 calorie salad on Monday. How the heck did I lose any weight? Thanks for asking, I would love to

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-47260503020157770862010-03-01T13:07:00.000-08:002010-03-01T13:08:10.006-08:00

Welcome back to work everyone! Hope your weekend was fabulous because mine was! My weekend included trying a new yummy restaurant that I will blog about later on. I also went to see Legally Blonde The Musical at The 5th Avenue Theatre last night and seriously, to take a quote from the soundtrack: Omigod! Omigod you guys! This musical was effing awesome! Super cute and hysterical! Ok, enough

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-39506954197198175072010-02-25T09:00:00.000-08:002010-02-25T09:00:01.984-08:00

How fabulous are these rain boots?! They can be purchased here and I am hoping these will fit because my calves currently hold the record for largest circumference in the Guinness Book of World Records; therefore, I have the hardest time finding knee high or mid-calf boots. It runs in my family. I recently met two other receptionists that work at another building who have inspired me. They walk

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-1912806022741896262010-02-24T08:19:00.000-08:002010-02-24T08:19:46.953-08:00

As feared, today's weigh-in did not go so well. I gained two pounds. Suffice it to say, I will not make my goal of being under two hundred pounds by next Wednesday. In truth, if I work really hard at it, I could possibly lose the ten pounds. But I am a firm believer that if you lose the weight super fast, it comes back just as fast. Weight: 210.8 lbs Total Weight-Loss: 19.2 lbs Reason to lose

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-79621600914575963652010-02-23T13:39:00.000-08:002010-02-23T13:39:41.298-08:00

Last Monday, I took my daughter to a trial class at a kid's gymnastics place. It started out pretty rough. Mama had to run the warm-up lap with the rest of the 4-year-olds because Bella was too timid to jump into the class. I could hear the snickers of the other parents who were posted up on the viewing deck. Luckily, Bella warmed up and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of class. I signed her up

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-89918817619060529752010-02-17T08:18:00.000-08:002010-02-17T08:18:25.163-08:00

Any weight loss is good, right? Ok, how about 0.2 lbs? No? Yeah, I don't think so either. I have no excuses. Just didn't stick to The Diet as is advised in the book.   So I have a challenge for myself: I will be under 200 by March 1st (yes, 199.9 counts!). It isn't a challenge I throw out there easily. Nine pounds in under two weeks is a huge feat - especially with the weight-loss numbers I have

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-49854311861635387352010-02-16T08:37:00.000-08:002010-02-16T08:37:17.147-08:00

Ok, day late and a dollar short... Here is the post that I had ready for Monday, but didn't have time to put all the links to the blogs: Finally, my post about my precious blog award. Highly anticipated, I'm sure :) It was presented to me by Anna from TheShoppingGirl. Why thank you! I accept! If you haven't read her blog, you should! She recently started, so if you follow her now you are pretty

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-62363450297325887142010-02-12T10:26:00.000-08:002010-02-12T10:26:37.653-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I know, it's early yet, but flowers are starting to arrive at the office (still hoping I get a surprise delivery for myself!). I know that I promised to post yesterday about my awesomely cool blog award, but I have been busy getting stuff ready for my daughter's Valentine's party at her preschool today. Monday, I promise! Sunday is going to be an awesome day because 1.)

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-25402513738094227342010-02-10T08:50:00.000-08:002010-02-10T08:50:38.753-08:00

Color me upset! Oh, and happy! I'll explain... This week, which saw me through one full week of the dreaded Phase I of The Diet, I lost weight. This past week I have experienced banana withdrawals, attempted diet sabatoge by TWO people, survived a super bowl party with lots of yummy food I couldn't have, and constantly feeling hungry because of the lack of bread in my system. But I pushed

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-78358483196502847032010-02-05T09:02:00.000-08:002010-02-05T09:02:17.921-08:00

Happy Friday!!! Ah, I made it through my first five day week since the week of January 4! It was tough, but I came out the other side just fine. Of course it is early yet! First, I wanted to share with you what a cheapskate I am. Yes, I am a self-declared shopaholic, but in order to feed that addiction, I must be frugal in other areas. For example, my hand sanitizer: There was just a small

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-85301431978468388052010-02-03T08:33:00.000-08:002010-02-03T08:33:54.400-08:00

It is Day Three of what shall now be referred to as "The Diet" because frankly, "The South Beach Diet" is too long and apparently "The SBD" could be mistaken for something else entirely. So, Day Three on The Diet. I am enjoying a technically appropriate breakfast since I am not eating any carbs. However, it isn't as low fat as Phase I calls for. I find that I am having the hardest time trying

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-64385230484208885102010-02-01T09:13:00.000-08:002010-02-01T09:28:54.676-08:00

Happy Monday! And welcome to Day One of Phase One on The South Beach Diet! I love when the first of the month falls on a Monday! There is something so promising about starting anything on Monday the 1st. Today is actually my first Monday back at work in three weeks. Jan 11th I stayed home because my daughter was sick. Jan 18th was MLK Day - no work. And then we all know what happened last Monday

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-79411760491371053392010-01-29T08:24:00.000-08:002010-01-29T08:25:24.704-08:00

Let's go back. Way back. Back to mid-January 2005. My weight was 209 lbs. It had been my heaviest weight to date. I had a Mexico vacation planned for Spring Break. There was no way that I was risking being mistaken for a beached whale. I had a little over two months to lose as much weight as possible. I knew the weight wasn't going to fall off on its own so some drastic measures had to be taken.

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-34287828024947677712010-01-28T09:08:00.000-08:002010-01-28T09:08:49.716-08:00

I was so excited about my six pounds lost yesterday that I treated myself with a glazed donut with sprinkles of coconut on top. Mmm! Yes, I know that it is this kind of reward system that probably got me to my obscene BMI that it is today, but whatever, that's not what this post is about! So, there I am enjoying my yummy coconut donut while I am working at my desk. About an hour after I was

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-49100015108012827962010-01-27T08:48:00.000-08:002010-02-01T10:22:18.824-08:00

Oh happy day! After all my posts on setbacks, I finally have a post in which I can write about some progress! Since last Wednesday, I have lost - Drum roll please! SIX POUNDS! Can you believe it?! The reason that this weight loss is so surprising is because I didn't go to the gym this past week (I was sick!) and because I was at another birthday party with endless amounts of pizza! However,

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-5665772097380904602010-01-25T19:15:00.000-08:002010-01-25T19:17:59.268-08:00

Every girl, at some point or another, learns the true meaning of the statement "Beauty Is Pain". For me, it was when I first did any kind of facial waxing. I can't say for sure, but I imagine that waxing your upper lip (eww, no, I am not the bearded lady. Just, you know, a little dusting of peach fuzz) is the equivalent of a man getting socked in the genitalia. It hurts! But that first lesson of

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-66591936182741700832010-01-21T08:12:00.000-08:002010-01-21T08:12:03.963-08:00

Short post today. I just had to share that having stuck to 1500 calories yesterday, I am at 216.3 today. Yay me!

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-90220454447045581212010-01-20T08:28:00.000-08:002010-01-20T08:28:35.295-08:00

Let me first disclose, that weight-loss is a struggle - in every sense of the word. If it wasn't such a struggle for me, personally, then I would look like an Olsen Twin. But here I am, the Olsen Twins times four. Having said that, I stuck to my 1,500 calorie per day diet pretty well for three days. Then the weekend hit. Then a party on Sunday. Where I ate. And ate. And, yes, ate some more.

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-89941324170262224132010-01-13T08:48:00.000-08:002010-01-13T08:48:01.901-08:00

First and foremost, here is my weight-loss plan: 1.) Up my gym days to four days per week instead of three 2.) Only consuming 1,500 calories per day 3.) List a reason each week that I need to lose weight 4.) Post my weight on my blog (EEK!) Yesterday was Day One of only consuming 1,500 calories per day. It was surprisingly easy - until I got home. I am a receptionist. I sit at my desk all day

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-61121466532672728822010-01-08T11:34:00.000-08:002010-01-08T13:51:04.694-08:00

I played Scrabble for the first time. I suck at it. When I was little, my parents used to play it all the time. Recently, on a Saturday night, my mom randomly suggested we play. Ok. I am game, I love Game Night! My mom went first. She laid down the word "maze". Nice, 22 points right off the bat. My turn. I don't even remember what I laid down, something with an R in it, but it was worth like

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-32499816124138565732010-01-07T21:48:00.000-08:002010-01-07T21:48:28.367-08:00

I am sad to report that I am not one of the five finalists of Nathan Bransford's contest. I am even sadder to admit that I didn't deserve to. I concentrated so much on a topic that would stand out that I had totally lost the point of the contest. I read the finalists' entries, and I agree with the selections. They wrote exactly what Mr. Bransford had asked for. He had asked for a diary entry/

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-42850398335200373002010-01-05T22:30:00.000-08:002010-01-05T22:30:30.442-08:00

Nathan Bransford is an agent. Nathan Bransford has a blog. Nathan Bransford has an awesome contest going on right now. Yes, I entered. Did you? Time is ticking. Deadline is 01/06/10, 4:00 PM Pacific.

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-59524981916890587192010-01-03T21:26:00.000-08:002010-01-03T21:27:10.980-08:00

Just chop off a foot of your hair! I literally had five pounds of hair cut off. Here is my before:     "Eww! look at all thos split ends!" I don't have to much of an attachment to my long hair. I am pretty sure I am ready for "mom hair." The only problem is that I need to lose weight before I can have such short hair. A former co-worker of mine, who was on the heavier side, had gotten her

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-7468994169086561442010-01-02T13:08:00.000-08:002010-01-02T13:08:02.455-08:00

I finished L.A. Candy. It took me under a week to finish the book. Suffice it to say, I really enjoyed it. Which is a little embarrassing considering that just days ago I had said that my book is better! After finishing the book, I had found out that L.A. Candy is the first in a series. Damn! Had I known that, I would've waited to read it until all the books were out. Yes, I now that means that

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-85385454783165390552010-01-01T09:08:00.000-08:002010-01-01T09:08:13.681-08:00

January 1, 2010 Happy New Year! It is that time of year again. Time to make those resolutions with the best of intentions. I think everything from my first post still stands, but the main one I am looking to accomplish before 2011 is to lose weight. Sadly, this holiday season has really kicked my ass and I have gained four effing pounds. So, my total weight loss is only 13 pounds. All that hard

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-29542126291163582252009-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:002010-01-01T00:13:24.823-08:00

It's funny how priorities change and how your social life changes as you get older and have kids. Five years ago, New Year's Eve was my favorite holiday. The clubbing, the partying, the drinking, the countdown to randomly kissing some stranger. Aah yes, that was the best. Fast forward five years and I am with my daughter at my mom's house watching a marathon of America's Funniest Videos.

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-27638208230194727062009-12-30T11:47:00.000-08:002009-12-30T11:47:00.297-08:00

Weird things are still happening with this blog. It looks perfectly fine on my laptop, John's laptop, and my brother's laptop. Yet on my work desktop and my netbook, my posts don't show up on my blog's main page. Wonder what is going on that allows some computers to view my blog properly, and others not to. Anyone have an idea? Back to life, I had mentioned that I would tell you about my

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-54788423690205110762009-12-29T00:18:00.000-08:002009-12-29T00:31:16.611-08:00

I just got done watching Julie & Julia. Surprise, surprise, I run to my computer and start up my blog again after a week's absence. I really enjoyed this movie, and I think it would be a wonderful movie for anyone that is an avid blogger or someone who wants to publish a book. It is inspiring. I almost wish that I had watched the movie on New Year's so that I could kick off the new year with

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-23485223289947669672009-12-22T09:13:00.000-08:002009-12-22T09:13:04.561-08:00

Weird things are happening with my blog. I can view all my posts just fine at home, but all of my posts have suddenly disappeared when I am viewing it at work. Ok, so maybe work isn't the best place to look at my blog, but whatevs! Since I started my blog, my damask background doesn't show up at work. All I can see is a black background with pink borders. Hopefully, this is only a problem at my 

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-44176619997677221212009-12-21T08:00:00.000-08:002009-12-21T07:57:39.388-08:00

It is a night full of dancing, laughing, and talking. I had two more beers, but decided not to get too wasted. Gigi will want me to fill her in on all the stuff that happened after she passed out. Luckily, there aren’t any other mishaps, but that would probably be because Mason is never around to witness it. And trust me, I took note of where he was all night, and not once did I ever see him

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-56342728924080145832009-12-18T08:27:00.000-08:002009-12-21T06:52:49.668-08:00

After a few minutes, I walk out my door and pause. The hallway is full of people and no one harasses me. Gigi was right, my show of exhibitionism is forgotten as the rowdy crowd partyies on. I notice that the floor is still wet though and decide that before anything else crashes down, I should look for my brothers to clean up the mess. I am making my way through the crowd and realize that there

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409382449001172371.post-82533519826270587342009-12-16T09:30:00.000-08:002009-12-16T09:30:00.049-08:00

Chapter 2 1996 – Meeting Gray I had just turned 15 and reflected in my mother’s eyes is an emotion that can only be described as bittersweet. “I’m just so proud of the woman you are becoming. Goodness, I can’t believe my little girl is in high school already!” She had told me when we were at my family birthday dinner. It was times like these that I wish I wasn’t the only girl in the family.

Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11785387670667198873noreply@blogger.com0