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love{ly} nails

i love when i get “me” moments. this usually means i make a pit stop at starbucks, this time splurging b by ordering a skinny hazlenut latte, something i have not enjoyed in over month. then i walk across the parking lot to my nail place where i have gone for over nine years. they really are like family.

i am a typically a plain not-to-flashy nail person. i gave up the french manicures over the summer and starting using the opi shellac, but when money starting getting tight i reverted back to acrylic for the price point. ha ha. this time i opted for a simple holiday look. my fav chalky pink with a simple white heart on my ring finger. i think it’s cute and simple.

just a cute little reminder when i look down at my nails that this small heart has a bigger meaning.

it’s a weekly thang {weigh-in wednesday}

how are the weeks just flying on by? i cannot believe i have been on this diet now for thirty-seven days. the first two weeks were brutal and i could not wait until cycle two. cycle two came and went and now i am a few days into cycle three. introducing carbs back into my diet has been a magical thing my friends. even though i can eat them, i don’t really crave them. dr. mike really hit the nail on the head with his 17-day diet. it’s not just a diet, it’s a lifestyle change. as i previously posted on monday, i did cheat on sunday. i had some white pasta, gasp! with creamy fattening white sauce, my jalapeño popper dip, a few (six) cheesecake cups, a glass of wine and a good amount of veggies. plus, on friday tessa and i took out janelle for her birthday at cpk where we shared a yummy salad and a thin crust pizza. i bet your dying to see my numbers, huh? what do you think, plus a pound?

my starting weight: 170 today’s weight: 156total weight loss for week one: 6 poundstotal weight loss for week two: 3 poundstotal weight loss for week three: 1 poundtotal weight loss for week four: 1 poundtotal weight loss for week five: 3 pounds pounds away from goal #1: 16pounds away from goal #2: 26
ladies and gents! i have successfully lost three additional pounds over the past week, that takes my weight loss total to fourteen pounds in just a little over a month. i am eight pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight and doubling that will get me to goal #1.
so why did three pounds just come off after two weeks of just losing a pound per week? i thank the carbs. honestly. i make it to spin just once or twice a week, it was too hard to make it through on “natural” carbs, i would wake-up starving and that’s how i didn’t lose the weight. since re-introducing minimal carbs and with the addition of weight training my body is burning those calories longer. hence, why i saw a bigger number this week. i won’t argue with the scale!
how was your week?

housewives recap – paging dr. booty {rhoc}

it’s that time of year all of us real housewives fans have been waiting for, orange county! i am a fan of all the series’ but this is my fav and makes me think of the first time i watched the marathon of collagen based cat scratches back in ’06 when i was laid up in bed recovering from surgery…fitting right?! these women never cease to disappoint. so here’s my run down on the first episode of season seven. let’s meet the cast.

heather: i think i love her already. like tamra states, she has real money and she has a poise i love. maybe she is from old money because the ladies with new money act a different way and love to flash what they own. we will see how her character evolves over this season.

sarah: not sure how in the heck she scored a spot on this season, she is not an official cast member but she is brought in to stir things up. did you see what she wore to vicki’s? hmm. the way the three musketeers skipped into the party was odd. how old are we ladies?

gretchen: i still go back and forth with gretchen. some episodes i love her, like last season when she threw her parents the 40th anniversary surprise. melts my heart. slade is a loser, move on! i love that they start this season off with tamra and gretchen having drinks, can’t wait to see how slade reacts to the bracelet. maybe she will stop calling him babe so much.

tamra: i love this girl. she is sly, savvy and knows how to work the friendship meter. she is so much better without creepy simon, the drama that we will see as the season unfolds should be interesting. one thing i wish tamra would change is her extensions. she brings the drama, which we all love.

vicki: i am so with tamra that it is a little jerry springer that don is still living at their house. i feel for don, i really do. vicki seems happier but will she stop putting work first? i get that you want everything, but obviously that didn’t work out. did i see it right that her new beau brings drama? oh! and i have to say that brianna needs to figure out a diet plan. i know that seems mean but her chins are getting out of control.

alexis: thank you nose gods! you answered a prayer. she finally gets a nose job. i mean what haven’t you had done that the nose had to be last? maybe her muppet like face will go away…probably not. what the heck is up with my local news station offering her a gig? fox i used to watch you, now, i watch nbc instead. why can’t jim pack their lunches? her marriage and fake money bother me. and c’mon, dr. booty!? you consider that a legit gig?

jalapeño popper dip {a recipe}

there are many versions of “crack dip” floating around on the internet these days. i first dubbed the buffalo chicken dip as crack dip because let’s face it, that stuff is amazeballs. that was until i had jalapeño popper dip at my nieces birthday party in december. jalapeño poppers hold a place in my heart from those early days working at tgi fridays in late 90’s. i am a popper snob though, i do not care for the cream cheese filled variety, i love me some cheddar cheese filled ones. nobody really carries these but when i find them i am in love and it brings me back to my teenage days. damn. my mouth is salivating just thinking of them.

for the super bowl i knew i wanted to make a fatty dip to indulge in so i went onto handy dandy pinterest to see what recipe my sister used. i found myself on annie’s eats and i fell in love with everything she has posted, even her photography. gorgeous stuff i tell you. i whipped up the dip while chatting with the in-laws the night before the game and baked it right before we headed over. by the time we drove the 3.2 miles it was the right temp and boy was it! half of it was gone within twenty minutes. i paired the creamy, slightly spicy dip with fresh veggies, tortilla chips and ritz crackers. it was perfect. even my mini me loved it. so, if you are having a girls game night, watching march madness, or just want an excuse for filling your belly with hot yummy goodness you need to make this dip.

hot out of the oven.

john couldn’t wait to get the first bite, but i told him i needed a picture first. that first bite was well worth it.

twenty minutes later.

p with her eye on the dip, no time to look up.

jalapeño popper dip

Ingredients:
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (4 oz.) can diced jalapeño peppers, drained
½ cup shredded Mexican style cheese (i used 1 cup)
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (i used 1 cup)
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, green chiles, jalapeños, and shredded cheeses. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or spatula until smooth and evenly combined. Spread the mixture into a baking dish (approximately 9 x 9-inches).
In a second bowl, combine the Panko and Parmesan and stir with a fork until combined. Sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture in the baking dish. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and the topping is golden (i baked the dip for 30 and then turned the broiler on low for 5 minutes)
Serve warm with baguette slices, vegetables, etc. as desired.

source: annie’s eats

super bowl

wow. am i paying for yesterday. i went off the diet for the game and holy crap, my body is in complete shock. i think by the third i was laying on the floor stuffed and ready to yack. sorry for that. such an amazing game (even though i am not fans of either team), madonna did rock it and the commercials were funny. what was your fav commercial? doritos? e-trade? kia? dare i even mention david beckham’s yummy commercial.

we spent the game at our aunt and uncles house with the usual guests with the addition of my in-laws who arrived yesterday. we ate oggi’s, my jalapeno popper dip which was the hit of all the game day foods and all the while i kept trying to eat as many cleansing veggies to counteract the crap i was consuming. let’s pray for my weigh-in on wednesday. again,