Buns of Steel--the Sassy edition!!!

That's right, I'm gonna work my ass off in the next few weeks!  Okay, not literally because I like my ghetto ass but it does need some toning and tightening.  I've gotten very sick of how out of shape I have been the last few years.  When you go from 130lbs at your best to 217lbs at your worst, you may have a problem...  I'm no longer that big but dieting and light exercise alone can only go so far.  I have the drive now to see something through til the very end.  If I hurt myself or get sick again, like I did the last time I tried the whole home workout thing, I'll slow down.  But no stopping this time.  I'm determined to look and feel my best! 

This is me in one of my high school plays.  This isn't even me at my smallest but it definitely illustrates what I'm getting at.

This is me at close to my heaviest.  I tried to avoid cameras at this point so I don't have many of me like this.  Oh the things I will do for my lovely Lil!

This is me a few months ago.  Much better than before, but not good enough for me.  As long as the boobs don't disappear I'll be happy lol!

So now that you know how much I have changed in weight over the years, let me tell you where I'm going to get my workouts.

Like I said above, I have tried this before (back when my knee injury was somewhat fresh and my asthma was going crazy.  My back was also near its worst at this point).  Matt and I tried p90x about a year or so ago and both failed.  I did, however, find my love for the Ab Ripper X workout.  I also love the stretch and I bet I'll love the Yoga X. 

I plan on incorporating those with some of the Insanity workouts and Jillian Michaels' workouts.  I need to watch those and figure out what I like before I decide what I'll keep and what I'll just do at random for muscle confusion.  I'm also going to get a membership at a local gym so I can work with stabilized weights and timed cardio.  It's open 24 hours a day so I can go after work without worrying about getting kicked out.  It also has free tanning so I can get rid of this pasty whiteness.  It's secure and card access only even during staffed hours and guests are not allowed.  I'm pretty sure I've found the place for me!  And it's around $30/month which is ridiculous in this day and age for unlimited gym/tanning!!

So tomorrow I will weigh myself and try to remember to do my measurements so we can get a starting point, and to make realistic goals.  50lbs is my start though.

Well I'm off to bed lovelies.  I have to work in 6 hours.  Sweet dreams!!

Love!!

I am SUCH a nerd!!

You guys know this by now.  If you don't, what rock have you been living under??  Well for those of you who don't know read about it here, here, here, here, here, and here.  I'll wait.

Sorry, fell asleep there for a bit.  Where was I?  Nerd.  Right.

Tonight was the season finale of one of my favorite History Channel shows, Swamp People.  If you haven't heard of this one you're missing out.  It's about people in Louisiana that make their living by hunting gators.  It's like the redneck Deadliest Catch!! 

The guy in front is Troy "Choot'm Liz!"

We've been watching this show since it started.  I even have my favorite groups: Troy & Liz, the Guist brothers, and RJ & Jay Paul (this one is gor-jus!!!).  On this episode, two of the groups go after the same gator, the Ruga-Roo, a giant 13 ft 8 in gator that has been a legend for years.  I won't tell if it gets caught.  You gotta watch it for yourselves!!

This is Liz.

Jay Paul and R.J.

The Guist Brothers

Seriously, this is my backwoods guilty pleasure.  And History Channel is one of my favorite things to watch period.  Cuz "it's made everyday".

Ok, well off to bed for now dearies!! 

(All photos via Google)

Love!!

Wine Wednesday!!

Oh my!  Have you seen the new Old Spice commercial?  Fabio!!  *swoon*  That man aged nicely!  He is still one of the sexiest men I have ever seen.  If you haven't seen it, you should now. 

On to the wine!  I used to HATE wine.  Like if it was the only choice other than milk I'd pick milk (if ya'll know me then you know I can't stand the taste of milk and buy only soy/almond/coconut milk).  However, I have grown into quite the wino as I've grown up gotten older.  I don't really drink expensive wines, being that I'm still new to the "real" world.  (meaning=still on a college kids budget)

I have found some wonderful cheap inexpensive wines.  I keep at least two bottles of wine in my house nowadays.  My aunt gave me a little wine rack for Christmas and I've had it half full--at least--since then.  I have sooo many wines I want to share with you but I'll keep it to the three I currently have for this week.  One is an Oklahoma wine, so I'm really excited about that one.

I love wine!!

This is the Oklahoma wine.  This is definitely the best White Zinfandel I've had.  It's sweet but not sickeningly sweet.  It's not at all dry.  The raspberry tones are perfect, they don't over power the WZ taste but add to it.  If you have a chance to try one of the wines from Tidal School, I recommend it wholeheartedly. 

This little beauty is heavenly!  We found this one when the liquor store near work was having a wine sale.  It is definitely priced for a college town.  After we became partial to it, we found out its actually somewhat pricey in other places.  You can find out more about them here.  Oddly enough, this one isn't listed on there.

I know I know, this is the wine for people who don't drink wine.  But it's good.  And it was on my rack.

And there you have it!

Link up with Little Bits of Missy Me and spread the Wine Wednesday spirit!!




Love!!

I solemnly swear I am up to no good.

Matt and I had our first date night in basically forever earlier tonight.  We definitely need to do these more often.  Unfortunately work seems to get in the way as does the whole always being broke issue.  I know, I know it doesn't take money to have a date night but we watch movies and cook dinner together all the time.  Maybe a surprise fishing trip or picnic.  I dunno, those sound kinda corny.  What do you do for date nights?

We went to see Harry Potter and the Death Hallows part 2.  OHMYGOODNESS!!!  It was amazing!  It was the most true to the original story out of all the movies, or so I thought.  I don't want to give away any spoilers if you haven't seen it yet, which is hard as hell right now.  If you wanna chat about it just shoot me an email.  I will say I had a hard time picking a favorite character of the movie: Neville, Molly, Snape, I think I may have already said too much...

Oddly enough, it didn't have a lot of one-liners like the others did.  So in honor of Harry, Ron, and Hermione I am sharing with you some of my favorite things Harry Potter that I have found over the past several years while growing up with them.

Do you remember where you were when this came out?  I was in line for my first and last HP premier.

This makes me smile.  They look pretty awesome this way.

The only LEGOS game I haven't at least attempted.  I need to go buy this.

Who knew you could make a purse out of a book???  This is so very cute.

This is the purse I bought myself recently.  I wanted it for when I went to see the movie but alas overnight shipping is ridiculously too high right now.

MuggleNet--An awesome website with articles on all things Harry Potter.  You should definitely check it out!

J.K. Rowling Official Site--Need I say more???

The Leaky Cauldron--Another site for all things Potter.  It's pretty legit.

Lord_Voldemort7--The best Twitter account by an evil wizard I have ever come across!!

And last but not least, my newest favorite quote:

"Don't pity the dead.  Pity the living who have not known love." Dumbledore, HP7.2 (weird that blogger doesn't see Dumbledore as a misspelled word, but fitting, he was the only wizard Voldemort was afraid of).

I bid you all ado.

Mischief Managed!!!

Embarrassed? Me? NEVER!!!

In celebration of my new identity in the blogosphere, I'm linking up with the always funny (and one of my bloggie bff's) Sarcasm Goddess for her very first link up!  She has requested a recount of my most embarrassing moment. 

If you know me, you know my life should be FULL of embarrassing moments!

How about the time I drank waaaay too much at a fraternity Founder's Day after party, had to be carried up the stairs, and was dropped??  Nope.

How about the Wal-Mart trip I had recently where I grabbed two boxes of the same cereal (thinking I was getting two different ones) and coconut milk (thinking it was almond milk) and Matt decided it was hilarious and he should tell EVERYONE?  Not yet.

Or when Momma's BFF got a boob job and decided that I needed to grab her boobs in the middle of the local (where the rent's live) bowling alley??  At the time, yes.  Now, no.

What about when I flashed everyone at my senior prom?  I'm entirely sure anyone actually saw that but even if they did I don't really care.  I like my boobs so :P

I have quite the awkward life at times.  However, the most embarrassing moment to me is not something that happened just once.  It happens at least once a week...

When I sneeze.  I make this weird noise when I sneeze.  It sounds like a cross between a sneeze, a cough, a squeak, a squeaky dog, and a fake sneeze.  There is always someone who looks at me and asks "What the Fuck/hell was that?????"  Then everyone who has been around for awhile starts laughing hysterically.  I turn a hideous shade of violet/red and say in a tiny voice "a sneeze..." followed by "shut up!!" to the peanut gallery.

I realize this wouldn't be embarrassing to most, but it happens so often that it embarrasses the hell out of me.  Plus as often as I do stupid shit and my family/friends do stupid shit, that sort of thing only bothers me for a short time if at all.  These damn sneezes follow me everywhere!!!  Even if I go out someone HAS to say something.  Seriously?!?!?!

I really just want to throw something at these people or run and hide... I absolutely hate it.  I know this makes me sound shallow or vain or whatever (and I am somewhat) but I can't help it.

And there you have it lovelies, my most embarrassing moment(s).  Now go link up yours and read the other embarrassing stories!!

Where Matt thinks we're taking a vacay...

Over my dead body...



I think I might actually be convicted of homicide if he tries to drag me here.

About to head to bed so I can get up early for my photoshoot in the morning.  *eek*  I'm nervous.

Love!!

Swamp stink feet

I didn't have to work today until 3 pm.  So why the hell did I get woken up at 9am?!?!?!  Because Matt decided I needed to help him find the disc golf disc he lost yesterday.  The one he threw and the wind carried into a pond.  A pond that smells like swamp stink.  A pond that I had just seen a snake next to it.

Yeah, no.  I stood on the bank playing with reeds and a stick.

Seriously?  You wake me up to go smell swamp stink?  WTF???  He didn't even find the damn disc.  I woke up early to go stand and watch him fail.  And then smelled the swamp stink all the way home... My car still has a lingering stench...  I couldn't go back to sleep when we got home later.  So he decided it was errand time.  Not exactly my plan for my short day of work.



WTF was he thinking waking me up that early????  I was looking forward to sleeping in in my own bed.  Oh yeah, no more couch until the a/c goes out again.

Ever been woken up waaaay earlier than you needed to by a morning person?  Sucks don't it?

Off to drink myself into a happy stupor!!!  Lol, I'm off tomorrow so I plan on enjoying myself tonight.

Happy humpday!

Love!!!

Red Hot Moon night

Another long night without a/c it is!  You would think a repair company would order parts as soon as they know said parts are needed.  Apparently that is much to much to expect in the middle of a record breaking summer when an a/c unit has stopped working.  I mean, I wouldn't want them to have to actually DO their job or anything.

I guess you can guess that, in fact, I did not get my a/c fixed today--after they showed up Saturday and said they would have the part today.  They were out when today rolled around.  But no worries, we were told today that they are having the part overnighted.  So only one more day until we know when we can sleep in our beds again.  No worries, I'm sure my fur-babies can stand another day of 100+ temperatures.

I really just want to give those stupid repair men a sharp kick in the gonads thank you for taking their sweet time and endangering all our lives making sure they have the newest part possible.

Off my soapbox now.

Things are still quite stressful in my life, but I'm coping.  I've dealt with worse.  It's just been awhile since I've had so many large things fall on me at once.  I really want to thank you guys for all your support, you have no idea how much it has lifted my spirits.  To know I can come here and pour my heart out to people some would call complete strangers (not me, I feel like I know yall better than most of the people I see on a daily basis) lets me know that I am not alone.  I have grown in my short time in our little community.  I have found an outlet for my stresses and a constructive hobby to spend my freetime doing.

Because of this personal growth, I have decided to rename my blog.  Come Saturday my blog will be under the name Sassy Miss Allie.  I was just going to change it tonight, but thought many wouldn't know what was going on and wouldn't stop by to see it.  I'll be working on new buttons this week, so don't forget to grab one.

I've also been debating on putting up some of my photos on Etsy.  I haven't really put most of my personal favorites on here but I'll slowly start doing so.  Let me know what you think, I love feedback.

"Red Hot Moon" Taken 7/11/11 on the HTC Inspire. Edited with Gimp.

Yep, that's a phone pic that I played around with.  The original is wonderful too.

I was quite proud of myself for this one and can't wait to print it off to put in my bedroom.

Thank you again for everything my friends.  Have a wonderful week.

Love!!

Never Pat a Pancake

Kerblehrgg... That's how I've felt this week.  With no a/c (again!), my weight loss plateau , boy issues, and a serious bout of depression (all of which I seem to have buried until yesterday...) lately I've been really down on myself.  I can't seem to keep my head up for more than a few moments before I am back to the bottom.

I've been in serious need of a pick-me-up.  Shopping yesterday helped somewhat as did girl time with my new gossip buddy Trey.  I still have a lot to do to get back to my sassy-ass self, but I think this challenge is the kick in the pants I really need right now.

CiaoMom created a Things I like About Me challenge and I'm more than happy to rack my brain for this one.

So without further ado I give you Things I Like About Myself:

• My ability to talk to just about anyone.  It has gotten me through some hellish days at work.  I can find anything to talk about, as long as the person isn't a brick wall.
• My tiny hands.  I get made fun of for having child-sized hands, but I love them.  My fingers are somewhat chubby for the size of my hands, but it adds to them I think.
• My junk-in-tha-trunk.  I love the way jeans fit around my rear and the looks I get for it.  It makes me feel good when I know someone actually agrees with me on what is attractive (none of that stick figure crap, no offense if you are just not my cup of tea).
• My bleeding heart.  I know this sounds like a bad thing, but it makes me who I am.  Especially when it comes to animals.  If it wasn't for this, I doubt I would have gotten Tank.  He was so pitiful and left alone without his brothers and sisters because of a herniated umbilical that no one wanted to pay to have looked at.  It didn't cost a damn thing!  Well other than some neosporin and a bandaid.  My little man is my big strong protector and I couldn't ask for a better companion.
• My love of music.  I have a very wide taste in music, so I can find something for almost any situation.
• My tolerance for things considered "not natural" or taboo or whatever in the Bible Belt.  I've never had a problem with the way another person decides to live their life (unless it's hurting other people of course).  I've never had a problem with people of different religions or ethnicities or sexualities.  I wasn't exactly raised this way, but I wasn't raised to think badly of them either.  My parents seemed to keep their ideals to themselves to let Bubba and I create our own ideals.
• The fact that I'm a country girl.  I have no problem getting dirty, being out fishing or sweating outside (unless it's super duper hot like now), and exploring the world around me.  I love to camp, fish, hike, and all that jazz.  I'm one of the boys most of the time.
• My sassy attitude.  I'm gonna steal a description I recently heard about someone else here.  I feel like the only way to describe my personality is to say look at a Lisa Frank product.  That's me: colorful, everywhere, and odd.  I have a spunk and a mouth on me that really can't be compared to anyone I know.  
• How honest I am.  While I may very lightly sugarcoat something extremely rough, I don't lie.  I'll tell you what I think and if you're being a dumb ass.  I have no problem telling people off when they need it.  
• My protective streak.  I am very protective of those I love.  You don't mess with my family or friends without fear of retribution.  I'm very passive-aggressive about it though, so you won't even notice until it's too late.  
• I'm a new generation hippie.  I go barefoot, hug trees, save the whales, and prefer handmade and freetrade things.

As hard as this was, it wasn't too bad.  It may have given me a momentary boost that is much needed.  

True Blood helped tonight too.  I really identify with Sookie and Tara at times.  One seems to always have some sort of drama and the other is a firecracker with a short fuse, both of which describe my life.  The end kinda pissed me off though.  Stupid books have me expecting one thing and something else happens... This is what I get for reading most of the books before the series even started...

Off to bed now for me!  Um... well... actually I'm just gonna lay down on the couch I'm currently on and try to pass out.  Gotta stay coooool!!!

Have a wonderful week!!

Love!!

Oh!!  I forgot, never pat a pancake while cooking because it releases the air in the middle and makes them gluey!  I didn't know that until tonight.

Doin the No Pants Dance

Seriously, I am.  Well I don't have pants on anyway.  It's too hot in my house to dance... That's right my a/c is out... again!!!  So is the one at work...  If I had a hammock, I'd sleep outside tonight.  It's cooler out there than in my house which is quite sad...

Sorry had to pause to chase Tank down the road... in this:

Yep, I'm in my underwear and one of Matt's wifebeaters... I'm glad its the middle of the night here or I'd be in trouble.  Too many kids live in my neighborhood for me to get away with that.  Please ignore my gross bathroom... 4 people sharing a bathroom and all but 1 being male makes for a hard to keep clean bathroom.

Anywhooo!  Today is Day 22 of my photo challenge.  The challenge is to post a picture of something I wish I was better at.  Really?  Um, taking over the world work?

Haha just kidding.

I'm gonna recycle a picture or two from a non challenge post here.

Frisbee golf (aka disc golf or frolfing).  I love playing this game.  I just wish I was good enough to compete and be sponsored.  I love that Matt and I can play a sport together.  I also love that I can actually play a sport that won't hurt back but still gives me a good workout.  I also wish I had more time to play it.  I'm always working it seems.  If I'm not working, I'm sleeping.  I go only if Matt and I have a day off together.  I just can't seem to find the motivation to go alone, it's a competition sport.  I love it though even if I'm not as good as I want to be.


So I'm sitting here in my underwear watching Power Rangers with Bubba and Trulock.  This whole no a/c thing has definitely killed any and all modesty I had left.  Not that there was much left to begin with.  This would be completely awesome if I wasn't sweating my balls off!!

We went to the Second Friday Art Walk earlier tonight.  I had so much fun!!  If my phone wasn't dying and my charger dead I'd upload pictures of what we bought.  Well minus the present I got for Sarcasm Goddess.  It's a sur-prize.  I found something that made me laugh almost as hard as her posts do, so I had to get it obviously.

Ugh... I gotta get up soon... I'm gonna lay in bed and sweat until my alarm goes off...  G'night!!

Love!!

Day 21--Something I wish I could Forget

Ok so here's the deal peeps, Allie doesn't like to forget things.  The things I've gone through have made me who I am.  They made the random, erratic, crazy bitch you guys seem to love (don't know why though).

But there is one person that really and truly I want to punch in the face right now (more so than the evil neighbor kid who pokes Roxi with sticks, SG! we can sacrifice this one first!).  As yall know, Bubba is my best friend.  So fuck with him, you fuck with me.

This fucker broke Bubba's heart.  Nuff said right???  But NOOOOO he's been talking shit about him since they started dating!!!  Like I said, I'd like to forget him.  He makes me blindedly angry.

Now that I got that off my chest (sorry, more profanity than usual, see previous statement)....  I know I promised Fourth updates, but I can't find my camera cord so you'll just have to wait. :P

The ac at work broke.... AGAIN... I swear these people do not know how to get things repaired properly.  I'm pretty sure I could fix it better than they have (helps that dad works on them though).



Oh!  Check this bad ass chick out!  She's hosting an awesome blog hop and you should join.  Oh and stalk us both!










Anyway, Bubba is here so I'm gonna get off here.  Go watch the new season of True Blood, seriously.  You need to.

Love!!

What?!?!?!

Casey Anthony basically just walked with a slap on the wrist!!!! I'm in shock!!!!

Time to Celebrate!

Today is the day!  We, as Americans, come together despite our differences and celebrate our great nation.  I don't know about you, but I'm ecstatic to head out to the lake and eat/drink myself to death with my family.  This year things are a bit different for us.

Usually we have a huge neighborhood party with food and swimming, but this year we are going out to my parents' boat house at the Muskogee Boat Club to celebrate with the members and our good family friends.  I am super excited to start a new tradition with my family.  With Bubba and I both moved out of the house, it's time for a change.  We've all grown up and things in our lives have changed.

{via}

I know we are the only country that celebrates today, but every country has their own holiday of some sort.  Even if they are for different reasons, the spirit is still very similar.  We all have pride in our countries even if we don't agree with everything.

How do you celebrate the Fourth?  If you are one of my wonderful friends from other countries, what unique holidays do you have and how do you celebrate?

I leave you with some wonderful quotes I found today:

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.  You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.  ~Erma Bombeck

 

Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.  ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

 

It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you.  ~Author unknown, sometimes attributed to M. Grundler

 

We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls.  ~Robert J. McCracken

{via}   

Thoughts on freedom and coming home.

It's so strange being the youngest in the room, by far.  Usually Matt or Bubba are here with me.  At the moment, it's Momma, Daddy, Mom's bff, bff's husband, and K (not sure when she came into the picture for sure).  I feel like I'm a child again at a family get together, sitting in the floor, listening to the grownups talk and gossip.

I've come to realize that my parents are no different than me.  Ok, maybe very different in some ways.  As I sit here and listen to their conversation I wonder where I got my political and personal beliefs.  Don't get me wrong, my parents aren't nut cases but I wonder how I can see things so differently.

For example, they were discussing a coworker of Momma and Momma's bff.  He converted to Islam.  Supposedly to piss off his father or brother or someone like that.  He takes his carpet out to do prayers at work, as well as wears a turban and traditional Muslim garb.  He has also taken the belief that it is offensive if a woman speaks directly to a man or looks directly at them.  Now this is all heresy, as I have heard it told by my parents and their friends.  This apparently offends my parents and friends.

First off, Momma and her bff work at a Veteran's Affairs Hospital.  So I can understand not wanting someone to blatantly be disrespectful of the workers or those they are taking care of.  But at the same time these very veterans are fighting for the right for this man to be able to do this.  Why does it offend them so much?  I don't know how I would feel about it.  I really don't.  I'm not a veteran and I haven't been put in this situation.  It just seems like they are afraid of the very things they are fighting for.  I have the utmost respect for our country's veterans, but I have respect for what our country was founded on too.

Personally I don't think we should be forced to learn another language in primary school just because a good percentage of our immigrants speak it.  I think we should WANT to learn new languages and customs.  Why would we want to isolate ourselves?  We were founded to be tolerant and to accept all customs (as long as they don't harm others), but our country is fighting against these very principles.  We think we can tell people who to love (didn't work in the 60s, why would it work now?), who to worship, and what to think.  That's not what this great country was created for.  Our ancestors were escaping these very issues when they fought the revolution.

These are thoughts that go through my head as a toss back another glass of wine and crack open a beer to celebrate this wonderful time of the year.  A time to remember the sacrifices made.  A time for family.  A time for tolerance.

What are your thoughts?

Happy Fourth of July to all!

Love!!

Link Love Friday (on a lazy Saturday) and Day 20

I know I know, it's not Friday.  Well Friday was full of work work work and then trying to pack to go see the folks this weekend. 

And here I am still at home.  Stupid migraines... I'm gonna fight this and make the most of the rest of the weekend.  First thing's first.  A couple fun little link up's.

I'm joining Curvy Lady for her Link Love Friday topic this week:

LINK LOVE FRIDAY QUESTION

What was the last song you sang in the shower and what would Simon Cowell say if he heard you? 

 

My go to shower songs tend to be anything by Katy Perry.  Lemme tell ya, I can belt it on that shower stage!  Simon would be in tears after hearing me.  Tears that he can't hear anymore haha!  I won't let that stop me though!  Just imagine me doing my version of this video while sudsing up before work every morning!

Inspirational!  

Or this one?

Just scandalous, I tell ya!

I could replicate either of these in any shower, any time, any where in the world!

Anywhere in particular I would want to do my versions?  Why yes, thank you for asking!

My top 2 places I want to travel (day 20 of the 30 day photo challenge, in case you're wondering) are these:

Ireland, home of over half my ancestors.

Amsterdam, one of the most tolerant places on Earth.

I know I know, two completely different yet stereotypical places to go.  I plan to take a metro as much as possible between the two (yes, Ireland is an island I know this) so I get to see a good chunk of the places in between.

If you are joining from the Lady Blogger Social Tea Party, welcome!  If you are just stumbling onto my humble abode, take it all in at any pace you feel comfortable with!  

I hope you will stop back by sometime.

Time for some ice cream and chocolate w/ some tea for this horrid migraine episode....

Have a happy Fourth!

Love!!